CXLV Expository Sermons UPON The whole 17th CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO St JOHN: OR, CHRIST'S PRAYER Before his PASSION Explicated, AND BOTH Practically and Polemically Improved. By Anthony Burgess Minister of the Gospel, sometime Fellow of Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge, and now Pastor of the Church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.  
LONDON, Printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill at the Anchor and Bible in St Paul's Churchyard. MDCLVI.   

TO The Christian READER.  
THe Evangelist John, because of that admirable, useful, and excellent matter, which he hath left on Record for the good of the Church, is dignified with some remarkable Titles; That which is the principal, and most to be observed, is the name Christ himself gave him, Mark 3.17 
* Of the reason why Christ imposed on some new names, see Casau●. ad Annal. Exerc. 13.  He with his brother James are called, Sons of Thunder; When our Saviour changed Peter's Name, there is the reason of that mutation expressed; but because here is none given, therefore the conjectures of Interpreters are various: As for the application of it to John, Some say, It was because of the greatness and vehemency of his voice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but it is hard to prove that. Grotius thinketh our Saviour doth allude to that of Haggai chap. 2.6. Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from which he makes Boanerges, though other Critics judge much otherwise) the Heavens and Earth, etc. This Promise was fulfilled in the great Mutation and Change, which was made by the Gospel, in which this Evangelist was an excellent Instrument: Some attribute it to the Secrecy and Sublimity of that matter which he delivereth, as having more familiarity with Christ, than others, for he used to lean on his Breast, and so might receive some peculiar instruction from Christ. Thus Heinfius making Thunder to be no more than the Hebrew Shechina, God's Presence and Majesty, applying that place, Psal. 81.7. I have heard thee in the secret place of Thunder. But that which is most probable is, Because of the admirable gravity and weight in the matter delivered, as also the short and sudden expressions thereof. Those Sentences in the beginning of his first chapter, are like so many thunderbolts, insomuch that if you do regard the Matter and Manner of his expression, he might more truly be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, than Pericles in his Orations; Whatsoever therefore we find delivered by this Divine Penman, we are with much reverence and awful respect to receive it. Antiquity also hath in a peculiar manner honoured him with some other names, He is called the Heavenly Eagle, and that because of the sublime Mysteries manifested by him in reference to the Godhead of Christ; And to this purpose, he is likewise styled Theologos, the Divine, where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is not used in that sense, as afterwards it was in the Church of God, for it is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hence they say, the other Evangelists do deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ, the manner of his Humane Nativity, but this Evangelist doth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Divine Nature of Christ, although the Socinians have sacrilegiously perverted the beginning of that first Chapter of John to another sense, then of Christ's Eternal Deity (which yet was used instrumentally to convert Junius from his Atheism.) Now although the whole matter delivered thus by this Evangelist be so admirable and excellent, yet this Seventeenth Chapter, wherein is related the Prayer of Christ for believers, not long before his Death (and mentioned only by him) hath some appropriated Reasons for a more peculiar Attention and Affection towards it; Hence it hath always had a peculiar Presidency in the hearts of Believers: So that the opening of this precious Box of Ointment, must needs send forth a refreshing fragrant smell to those that are spiritual; For it is truly said by Melancthon concerning this Prayer, Nec digniorem, necsanctiorem, nec fructuosiorem, nec magis patheticam vocem in Coelo ac Terrâ unquam fuisse auditam, quam hanc ipsius Filii precationem; There was never a more excellent, more holy, more fruitful, and more affectionate voice ever heard in Heaven or Earth, than this Prayer. So that we may call this Chapter, as some of the Psalms are, A Chapter of Degrees, If this reason may be admitted of that Inscription, because they did surpass other Psalms in Excellency, as also thereby the soul was like Elijah carried up in a fiery Chariot to Heaven, At the end of every verse we may write Selah. There was a very superstitious Custom among Christians in Chrysostome's time, which he doth severely inveigh against, that they would hang this Gospel of John, or part of it about their necks, as an Anulete, nor a Spell against malignant things: But certainly, a gracious heart, preserving this Prayer of Christ, and making a wise and skilful improvement thereof, will find it wonderfully advantageous, both for the increase of Godliness and Comfort, here will be both Bread to nourish, and Wine to refresh and comfort. Although therefore multitude of Books be complained of, as glutting the world; So that we may justly think there are more Books than Readers, yet the Excellency, perpetual Usefulness, and ravishing Consolations of the matter delivered by our Saviour in this Valedictory Prayer, have prevailed with me to publish these Expository Sermons to the world, and the rather, not knowing of any English Writer, who hath purposely made it his business to explicate and practically improve this Chapter, whereas some other parts of Scripture have been diligently discussed. In the managing of this Work, I have occasionally entered into some Socinian and Arminian Disputes, some Verses in this Chapter being the proper subject for them. Although the greatest part of my Work is to make Honey rather than to sting; to inform us how to believe and walk in a Christian life, then to dispute and digladiate about Controversies, for we seldom gather Grapes from such Thistles; Yea sometimes in stead of Conviction, they work confirmation in those Errors, the minds of men are prepossessed with. And here I shall take leave to enter into a short Digression, which would have come out more seasonably long before this time, but I had no opportunity till this occasion was offered to me.  
Not long since I published The Second Part of the Treatise of Justification, wherein among other particulars, my Work was to prove, That Works, though done by Grace, are not the Condition of our Justification, but that we are justified alone by Faith, as the Means or Instrument receiving of it. These two kinds of Justification (viz. by Faith receiving, or Faith and Works as a Condition,) I conceive to differ specifically one from the other, and that he who is justified the one way cannot be the other. The former way, as the Scripture doth maintain, so generally the Reformed Churches have readily insisted in; The latter way the Remonstrants have vehemently pleaded for, opposing Faith's instrumentality in Justification, with whom Vorstius and Grotius in this, Opinion associate themselves, as also one or two late English Writers, Doctor Hammond, Pract. Catech. lib. ●. Sect. 3. Now when I had endeavoured to state the Question in a most candid and fair way between those that deny Works to be a Condition sine quâ non of our Justification, and those who affirm. A Reverend and Learned Brother, judging himself to be concerned in this Opinion likewise, doth complain of the want of candour and truth (Confess. Preface) in my stating of the Question, wherein I rather expected thanks for my ingenuity: For first, I said, All Merit and Efficiency was with great distaste removed from these works of Grace in our Justification: Therefore the Question was, Upon what account these are required in Justified persons, Whether in some Causality or Concurrence, as Faith is, only not with such a Degree of Excellency? Now let any Judicious Reader, that is acquainted with this Controversy decide, wherein any candour or truth may be desired herein: For I say Causality (which is a general word) not Efficiency or Merit. Again, I say, Some causality, Causalitas quaedam, which is Terminus diminuens; Yea, I added the word Concurrence, which might easily satisfy any, how low I brought the Question; Yea, as if this had not been enough, I propounded it in other terms, Whether good Works be required, as well as Faith? Yet when I had done all this, he complaineth, as if wrong were done. I am still more confirmed, and that by this instance, in what I delivered in that Preface, That it is not a compendious or proper way to find out truth, and discover an Error, by dealing with persons according to their particular expressions, or to attend to personal reflections, but to abstract the Question, and to handle it in Thesi, For how many words upon words may be multiplied in this very particular. My Reverend Brother saith, He vehemently disclaimeth all Causality of Works in Justification: Surely his meaning is all Proper Causal Efficiency (and so did I in the stating of it) but to deny Causality in a large sense is plainly to contradict himself: For in his Aphorism 74 Thesis, They both (viz.) Faith and Works justify in the same kind of Causality, viz. as Causae si●e q●ibus non, or mediate and improper Causes; Or as Doctor Twiss, Causae di●positivae but with this difference, Faith as the principal part, Obedience as the less principal: Here is Causality, though improper; Here is a Causa dispositiva, and yet shall I be blamed, after I had removed Efficiency and Merit, to sta●e it with a Causalitas quaedam, some Causality or Concurrence; And therefore all the Arguments I produce, are not against any supposed Causality, but that Faith only is that which justifieth, and that good Works, quâ Works (let them be Meritorious, Efficient, or Conditions only) are excluded as to the Act of Justification. Grotius (in cap. 2. Jacobi) who maketh this Promise of Justification and Salvation, Ad donationem sub conditione, quam ad proprie dictam locu●ionem & conductionem, propius accedere (happily this may occasion such great recourse to the Lawyers about the Nature of Conditions) doth yet notwithstanding on the 2●th verse of the 2d Chapter of James, from that expression of the Apostle, Faith did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, infer, Docemur non male fidem & opera fidei posse dici causam Justificationis— modo non intelligamus, cau●am primariam— sed conditiones quae saepe cau●ae sine quibus non, aut sui generis causae dicu●tur. But I need not run to this, for my Arguments militate against Works, as Works justifying under any pretended Notion whatsoever: And this maketh me admire, how my Learned Brother could let ●f all one Passage, wherein he may be so palpably and ocularly convinced to the contrary by the first looking upon my Arguments, That which he saith, is, The strength of my Arguments lieth upon a supposition, That Conditions have a moral Efficiency (not to examine how freely he manageth his Answer to such a supposition.) Now this is that which I affirm, That there is not one o● these ten Arguments brought against Justification by Works, as a Conditio sine quâ non, that is built upon this supposition, or hath any dependence on it, only in the fourth Argument, after the full strength thereof is delivered, than I do ex abun●anti, and by way of amplification, show, that a Condition in a Covenant strictly taken (I put in that limitation) hath a moral Efficiency, and is a causa cum quâ, not a causa sine quâ non: But this is only by way of addition, The Argument did not depend on this Assertion. 
In his Apology, pag. 8.  And my Learned Brother saith, Some conditions (and most among men) are Moral Impulsive causes. I find another thing urged likewise, as not fair dealing, and that is, To fasten upon his Opinion, that we may say a Justifying Repentance, as well as Justifying Faith, and also Justifying Love; Indeed in my Book it is Law, and that was the Printers fault, which I am sorry for, because I see my Learned Brother so much moved at that, as if he were charged to hold a justifying Law, it should have been Love: But why doth this offend my Reverend Brother? He doth not say, It is not true to say, justifying Repentance, or justifying Love, but it is not fit to say, (Confess. in the Pref.) Why is it not fit, if it be true? It may be such an expression would be offensive to godly ears, and therefore not fit: Can Love be a Condition of Justification, and yet not Justifying Love as a Condition? This seemeth very strange. But it's said, Faith hath a peculiar fitness and aptness to receive Christ, which Love hath not. It is true, and therefore Faith only Justifieth, and not Love: Thus it maketh against him, and not for him. Besides with him, Faith justifieth as a Condition, not from its peculiar aptness, and therefore Love and Repentance being Conditions, must justify aequè with Faith, though not aequaliter, Faith's aptness is the remote reason, as it is a Condition, that is the proxime and formal reason: Now Repentance and Love have this formal reason, for they are Conditions: Certainly, if Brutum were Animal rationale, he would be Homo, as well as man is. Some other minute and inconsiderable Objections are also brought in, but they are not worthy of a contest.  
I therefore return again from this Digression to the Subject in hand, which is to take notice of the great Usefulness and Excellency of the matter contained in this Prayer of Christ's. Luther did justly call John the Evangelist for this Book, Malleus Pelagianorum, the hammer of Pelagians, we may add also of Socinians and Arians. Hence Sixtus Senensis speaketh of some Heretics called Alogi (a name that Epiphanius did justly put upon them) because they rejected this Gospel of John, and could not endure this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Word, so often mentioned by him; What is thus said of the whole Gospel, may also be applied to this Prayer. For  
First, Here is the Systeme, as it were, of most exact and pure Divinity, especially the Socinian and Arminian Errors are most powerfully and evidently profligated by it; Possevine chargeth it under his head of Atheism upon the Heretics, that Luther should say, There was no other Gospel but that of John, as if the Books of the other Evangelists did not deserve that Name; but till I can find that expression in Luther, I shall not be solicitous for an answer; This is certain, that this very Chapter I am treating of, is enough to put to flight and conquer the Armies of the chiefest Heretics; there being scarce any Doctrine of weight in Religion, which may not from hence be strongly confirmed. Chrysostom maketh this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Sermon, not a Prayer, but it may have this instructing matter in it, though poured out prayer-wise.  
Secondly, As this Chapter is thus, the Compendium and Marrow of Divinity, so it is also the Foundation of the Ministry, yea and of the Church also; For as at the Creation by that word of blessing, Increase and multiply, all things have their being, and are continued therein, so from the virtue and efficacy of this Prayer, the Ministry, the Ordinances, the Church itself have their existence and preservation.  
Thirdly, Whereas the life and comfort of believers lieth in their Union with Christ, and Communion one with another. This precious truth is largely mentioned by our Saviour, which giveth occasion to treat of a Believers Union with Christ, as also of the Unity which ought to be amongst Believers, from which Foundation we treat concerning the means to preserve Unity, as also the causes of Divisions amongst them, and likewise how far a Forbearance and Toleration in a Churchway (for that Question of a Political and Civil one, is not so pertinent to our Saviour's words) is to be yielded unto in respect of erring Brethren.  
Lastly, This Prayer of Christ may be compared to a Land flowing with milk and honey, in respect of that treasure of Consolation which is contained therein: For as chrysostom (Praefat. ad Johan.) saith, Though he be the Son of Thunder, yet his voice is sweeter than any Melody; therefore at the 13th verse he relateth, that our Saviour said, These things have I spoken in the world that my joy might be fulfilled in them. It is observed, that when Christ did in a more extraordinary and ardent manner pray unto God, he went into some secret place, and was alone; And Casaubon leaveth it to be considered by the Learned (Exerc. 16. cap. 62.) Whether our Lord did not also pray this Prayer privately. But this expression [I speak these things in the world] do plainly demonstrate, that it was at least spoken in the presence of the Disciples, and that for their Edification and Consolation. Seeing therefore this is such a Fountain for healing and refreshing, Come with a spiritual thirst to be replenished thereby: Seeing here is the Honey and the Honeycomb, do not with Jonathan taste a little only, but eat freely and abundantly thereof, thou wilt by a serious and constant Meditation find this heavenly matter in Christ's Prayer make thee heavenly also, and assimilate thee into his own likeness: How vain and empty will all the Glory of the world appear to thee, when thou shalt be lifted up upon this Mount of Transfiguration? They that live under the Torrid Zone never feel any cold, and thou who shalt find this Prayer of Christ active and vigorous in thy breast, wilt never have cause to complain of that Dullness, Formality and Coldness which many others groan under. The Lord grant that thou mayest find this savoury Power, and experiment all Efficacy upon thy heart in the reading thereof.  
Thy Souls Wellwisher ANTHONY BURGESS. Sutton-Coldfield, June 22th. 1656.   

ERRATA.  
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THE CONTENTS.  
SERM. I. 
JOHN 17.1. These words spoke Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. THe Necessity of adding Prayer to Preaching, for its good effect: Showing also what kind of Cause the Word is of Conversion; and what are the requisites of Heavenly and Spiritual Prayer.  SERM. II. 
The transcendent excellency and efficacy of Christ's Prayer (in respect of the matter and nature thereof, as being Mediatory, his person and Relation, etc.) held forth as a ground of unspeakable Comfort to Believers.  SERM. III. 
Shows, how prevalent the Prayers are that are poured out to God as a Father, and what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God.  SERM. IU. 
Of God's appointing an hour, a set time for the dispensing his Mercies and Judgements, in reference to particular persons, and his Church and Churches Enemies.  SERM. V. 
Of the Nature and Manifestations of that Glory which Christ prayed for, and is invested with; And how comfortable it is to all his Members.  SERM. VI 
Of Heavenly-mindedness, Showing that we should seek both earthly and heavenly Blessings, chiefly for this end, viz. That God may be Glorified.  SERM. VII. 
JOHN 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. The Text vindicated from Arians, Ubiquitarians, and Papists; and the power and dominion of Christ observed and applied, to the Comfort of his Disciples, and Terror of his Enemies.  SERM. VIII. 
The Effects and Appearances of the Kingly power and dominion of Christ.  SERM. IX. 
Christ under the notion of a Head, applied to the Terror of his Enemies, and Comfort of his Members.  SERM. X. 
Of Predestination, or Gods giving some of mankind to Christ, (not all) for him to Redeem, and what unspeakable grounds of Comfort to God's people flow from thence.  SERM. XI. 
Treateth of Eternal Life in the Nature and Properties of it.  SERM. XII. 
A Consideration of Eternal Life, compared with this present Life, and with its contrary, viz. Eternal Death.  SERM. XIII. 
Weighty Considerations upon Eternity.  SERM. XIV. 
JOHN 17.3. And this is 〈◊〉 eternal, that they might know thee the ●ly true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. The Necessity of Divine Knowledge, and arraignment of Ignorance.  SERM. XV. 
More Reasons of the Necessity of Divine Knowledge, and the Causes of Ignorance.  SERM. XVI. 
Shows what saving Knowledge is in its Concomitants and Effects.  SERM. XVII. 
Of the Knowledge and Worship of the One true God: and the contrary thereto, viz. Idolatry.  SERM. XVIII. 
The Necessity of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus, as well as of God the Father.  SERM. XIX. 
JOHN 17.4. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. showeth how a Godly life (though it merit no good) is a ground of comfort at the hour of Death.  SERM. XX. 
Shows who they are that cannot, at the close of their days, take comfort in this, That they have finished the work God gave them to do: As also, what things, if not avoided, will much diminish the comfort of the Godly ones at that day.  SERM. XXI. 
Of God's being Glorified by man's Salvation, Christ's chief end in what he did for man, was the Glory of God, which bespeaks both our imitation and unspeakable Consolation.  SERM. XXII. 
Of Christ's Finishing the work he undertook, with the end and properties of it, and the great Comfort of i● to Believers.  SERM. XXIII. 
JOHN 17.5. And now, O Father, Glorify thou me with thine own self, with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was. Of a holy working life, the Excellency, Equity and Necessity thereof in order to Glory.  SERM. XXIV. 
Of vain Tautology in Prayer, and what Repetitions in Prayer are such, and what not, showing also what things are absolutely necessary to a good Prayer.  SERM. XXV. 
Of the Promises, and of Prayer.  SERM. XXVI. 
Of heavenly Glory as opposed to earthly; and how the hopes thereof earnestly sought and prayed for, will comfort a man against the, fear and in the midst of all trials and afflictions.  SERM. XXVII. 
The Eternal Deity of Christ proved; and whence it comes to pass that there are any so vile, as to deny it; showing also what sins do much provoke God to give men up to such Blasphemy.  SERM. XXVIII. 
Proveth, That the world was not from Eternity, but had its beginning in time, and reduceth that Consideration into Practice.  SERM. XXIX. 
JOHN 17.6. I have manifested thy Name unto the men which then gavest me out of the world, thine they were and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. Of Divine Knowledge, its Excellency and Rarity; Showing that God is truly and properly known only by the Godly, and wherein their Knowledge of God differs from the knowledge that others have of him.  SERM. XXX. 
The great End of the Ministry, and what should be the End of both Ministers and people, in their Preaching and Hearing.  SERM. XXXI. 
That God's people are not of (though in) this world; Wherein is also showed the vast difference between them and the men of the world.  SERM. XXXII. 
Of the peculiar propriety God's people have in Him, and He in them.  SERM. XXXIII. 
The truly Godly man only is obedient to God's Word: Or the great Character of a Christian.  SERM. XXXIV. 
JOHN 17.7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. Of Growth in Grace, the Duty, Necessity, and Glory of it.  SERM. XXXV. 
Of Faith in Christ the Mediator with the Ingredients or Concomitant acts of it.  SERM. XXXVI. 
JOHN 17.8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. Of Obedience to all the Commandments of God; showing, That that only is truly Obedience, and the property of a Godly man.  SERM. XXXVII. 
Shows, That God's people are ready and willing in Obedience, Whence it is that they are so: Tending to rouse men up from dulness and formality in God's service.  SERM. XXXVIII. 
Of the Excellency and Necessity of Believing in Christ as a Mediator; That it's acceptable to God, as well as Obedience to a Command; yet withal showeth the difficulty of it, and whence it doth come to pass that the children of God, sensible of their sins, are so hardly brought to Believe; As also why ungodly men think it so easy a thing.  SERM. XXXIX. 
Further showeth, how acceptable it is to God to believe in Christ the Mediator, and setteth forth the dangerous nature of Trusting in our own Righteousness.  SERM. XL. 
Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediator, and of our being affected with it, and invites the greatest sinners to come unto him for Salvation.  SERM. XLI. 
JOHN 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Of praying both for the Godly and the wicked, with the Reasons and Motives thereof.  SERM. XLII. 
The Excellency and Efficacy of Christ's Mediatory prayer; set forth in many Aggravations of it for the Consolation of the Godly.  SERM. XLIII. 
Of the Extent of Christ's Mediatory Prayer, and of his Death; That he prayed and died not for all and every one of mankind, but only for the Elect; and that the Scripture expressions of Christ's dying for all, are to be understood indefinitely and not universally.  SERM. XLIV. 
Reason's why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christ's death, when yet but some were intended. Also what Benefits Reprobates have by Christ, with some Arguments further proving the point of Christ's dying not for every man, but some.  SERM. XLV. 
The Application of the former Subject; setting forth the Necessity of Faith and Repentance, as to the interesting us in Christ; The Freeness of God's Love▪ The Qualifications of those to whom Christ's death is made advantageous, and also their privileges above all others.  SERM. XLVI. 
Of Freegrace opposite to Arminianism, tending to raise the hearts of those that are Godly to Joy and Thankfulness.  SERM. XLVII. 
Of God's Propriety in his people, as the ground of all the good that accrueth to them.  SERM. XLVIII. 
JOHN 17.10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. The Deity of Jesus Christ cleared and defended against the Socinians.  SERM. XLIX. 
Of man's glorifying of Christ, and how many ways that is done.  SERM. L. 
JOHN 17.11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, holy Father, keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. Of Christ's tender care of all his people in the greatest of their care and afflictions.  SERM. LI. 
Of the great danger of God's people's being in the world, chiefly from its tempting and seducing to sin.  SERM. LII. 
Of the danger God's people are in, in the world, in respect of its hating and opposing of them; with Reasons why the Lord makes the world such a disquieting place, such a valley of tears unto his own people.  SERM. LIII. 
The Exaltation of Christ improved for the Joy of all Believers.  SERM. LIV. 
That all Civil Governors (as well as Ecclesiastical) from the meanest Master of a Family, to the greatest Monarch, have from Christ a spiritual charge of those that are under them; and are above all things to endeavour the good of their souls.  SERM. LV. 
The great Lord-keeper of Israel from inevitable Ruin both of body and soul, extolled.  SERM. LVI. 
That it's not enough to be put into a state of Grace, unless by God's power we are kept therein. How far men may acknowledge God's help, and yet with the Pelagians, Arminians, and Papists, not give him his due Glory: And also showeth, how many ways the power of God keepeth his people.  SERM. LVII. 
Reason's proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his children in Grace: That God keeps them by Faith; Also, why and how Faith keeps them, rather than other Graces.  SERM. LVIII. 
The greatness of the mercy of being kept sound in the Truth, and the damnableness of Error demonstrated.  SERM. LIX. 
That it's a special Mercy for the Ministers of the Gospel to agree in one: Wherein their unity should be, and the Reasons of the differences that are among them.  SERM. LX. 
The great Pattern of Unity, the Nature and Property of the Unity that is between God the Father and the Son, against the Socinians; That the Ministers of God should endeavour after a perfect Unity, even to be one, as the Father and Son are, Also some Rules guiding thereunto.  SERM. LXI. 
JOHN 17.12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy Name, those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. The great changes that even a Godly man is subject unto, in respect of the having and losing those sensible supports, both outward and inward, which God at sometimes vouchsafeth to them: Also what those sensible enjoyments are, and why God doth so change the condition of his people.  SERM. LXII. 
Shows, how prone men are for to know Christ after the flesh, and wherein it appears.  SERM. LXIII. 
Of the Saint's Lord-keeper, showing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ, as a trust committed to him.  SERM. LXIV. 
Of the manner of Christ's keeping those that are his: Of a four fold principle that is operative to the preservation of Believers: And of the excellent effects of the Lively Meditation of this Doctrine, of being kept by Christ to Salvation.  SERM. LXV. 
Of the Perseverance of the Saints: The Question stated.  SERM. LXVI. 
Of the Perseverance of the Saints.  SERM. LXVII. 
Arguments proving that every one that is in the state of Grace shall be preserved to Eternal Life.  SERM. LXVIII. 
Of the son of perdition, Showing that some persons are wilfully set for to damn themselves, though they have never so many excellent Remedies and Means to the contrary; And what are the Causes that move them thereunto, and Characters of such persons.  SERM. LXIX. 
Of the son of perdition, Showing more Causes and Symptoms of such wretched persons that are desperately bend to damn themselves.  SERM. LXX. 
Of the son of perdition, showeth from the example of Judas, that men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God, and afterwards prove desperate Apostates.  SERM. LXXI. 
Of the son of Perdition.  SERM. LXXII. 
Of the son of Perdition.  SERM. LXXIII. 
The great stumbling-blocks of Religion removed  SERM. LXXIV. 
Of the Scripture.  SERM. LXXV. 
Of the truth of Scripture-prophesies, and against Judicial Astrology and Witchcraft, showing the vanity and wickedness thereof, and of seeking to them.  SERM. LXXVI. 
John 17.13. And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. The Joy of Saints handled both as a duty and privilege, as being one great end of Christ's Prayer, Command, Promises and Ministry.  SERM. LXXVII. 
Of Joy and Comfort, showing how many ways the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his people.  SERM. LXXVIII. 
The several sorts of Joy, and the Nature of Spiritual Joy, showing also how far it transcends and differs from worldly joy.  SERM. LXXIX. 
The excellent effects of Christian Joy.  SERM. LXXX. 
John 17.14. I have given them thy Word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world. That the Word of God preached and received, doth enrage the wicked world; and Reasons thereof.  SERM. LXXXI. 
Of suffering for Christ's Cause, and how it engageth God for to take care of such as so suffer, also the duty of Ministers about preaching God's truth.  SERM. LXXXII. 
Of wicked men's hating the Godly, the Causes, Effects and Properties of it.  SERM. LXXXIII. 
The Application of the foregoing Observation, both to the godly and the wicked, tending to encourage and rejoice the one under all their sufferings, and deter and reclaim the other from all oppositions.  SERM. LXXXIV. 
Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world, and in his sufferings.  SERM. LXXXV. 
John 17.15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. showeth why God continueth his children in this world of sin and sorrow, and doth not take them immediately to Heaven? and also how far 'tis lawful for a man to pray for, or desire to be taken out of this world.  SERM. LXXXVI. 
That 'tis a greater mercy to be kept from sin and all evil in our afflictions and troubles, than from the afflictions themselves.  SERM. LXXXVII. 
That God hath determined a precise time to every particular man in the world, how long he shall live.  SERM. LXXXVIII. 
JOHN 17.16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. The Heavenly man much improved by much considering that he is not of this world.  SERM. LXXXIX. 
JOHN 17.17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. Of Growth in Grace, Showing that, and how many ways a Godly man may be sanctified.  SERM. XC. 
The Contraries of Growth in Grace. A Comfortable Advertisement to such as mourn under their sense of not Growing; with Reasons of the Necessity of Growing in Grace.  SERM. XCI. 
Of the Causes of Sanctification, and in particular of God, as the Instrumental Cause.  SERM. XCII. 
Of the Truth of the Scriptures.  SERM. XCIII. 
The transcendent Properties of the Scripture.  SERM. XCIV. 
JOHN 17.18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. How requisite a sound mind and a holy life are to a Minister of the Gospel; and Christ's peculiar love to, and care of such.  SERM. XCV. 
Of Christ's Mission to the Office of a Mediator.  SERM. XCVI. 
Of the public Office of the Ministry, some distinctions concerning it, and the Necessity of a lawful Call thereunto; Also showing wherein private Christians should exercise their Gifts, both ordinarily and in extraordinary Cases.  SERM. XCVII. 
That the Scripture appoints a distinct Office of the Ministry: Shows wherein the Call to the Ministry consists, and that none may enter into that Office without an Authoritative Mission, also what the Ministry of Preaching is, and whether Reading be Preaching.  SERM. XCVIII. 
JOHN 17.19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the Truth. Of Christ's sanctifying himself to be a Mediator: Showing what is implied in it, how pure, willing and fit he was for that Great undertaking.  SERM. XCIX. 
showeth further what is implied in that phrase of our Saviour, I sanctify myself; Handling chiefly the Priestly Office of Christ, in opposition to the Socinians, and for the Comfort and Direction of Penitent sinners.  SERM. C. 
Of Jesus Christ as Priest, Sacrifice and Altar: The Properties of that Sacrifice; The way how men come to partake of the Benefit of it; Its Efficacy as to Sanctification as well as Justification.  SERM. CI. 
Of Sanctification, as the Effect of Christ's death; showing that no man truly believeth in Christ for Justification, that doth not also for Sanctification.  SERM. CII. 
JOHN 17.20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also that shall believe in me through their word. Shows, why Christ, who could do all things, yet puts up prayers: What difference there is between his prayers and ours, and the great advantage Believers have by Christ's praying for them.  SERM. CIII. 
In what respects the Benefits of Christ's mediation extends to all Believers alike, and in what not, for the comfort of weak Christians, and such of them as are most contemptible in the eyes of the world.  SERM. CIV. 
That in some particulars the poor weak Christian hath more respect from Christ then the strong one.  SERM. CV. 
Of Christ's love and care of every one of his before they had a being.  SERM. CVI 
Of both the moving causes and effects of Election, and of Christ's prayer and death; Against Arminians and others.  SERM. CVII. 
Of Faith, the several kinds of it, and especially of Justifying Faith, its object and seat, etc.  SERM. CVIII. 
Of Justifying Faith, showing what things are necessary thereunto; and how or in what method the Spirit of God enableth the humble soul to Believe.  SERM. CIX. 
Of Justifying Faith.  SERM. CX. 
Of Justifying Faith, that it is a fiducial Recumbency in Christ.  SERM. CXI. 
That a Gospel Ministry is to continue to the end of the world, and for what ends.  SERM. CXII. 
JOHN 17.21. That they all may be one, as thou (Father) art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Of Unity among God's people, the Nature of it.  SERM. CXIII. 
Of Unity among Christians, the Benefits and Necessity of it; and the mischief of Divisions.  SERM. CXIV. 
Of Unity among the Godly; More particulars setting forth the excellency of it, and mischief of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ prayed for it, How comes it to pass that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.  SERM. CXV. 
Of Unity among Believers, Cautions about it: Also setting forth some good uniting Principles, with a censure of some bad ones.  SERM. CXVI. 
Of Christian Unity, setting forth some Rules for Unity in Doctrine, Church-order, and Affection, for the preventing of Error, Schism and Wrath.  SERM. CXVII. 
Of the distinction of Persons and Unity of Essence in the Deity: against the Socinians.  SERM. CXVIII. 
The Glorious mystery of the Saints Union with Christ, and with the Father by him, opened.  SERM. CXIX. 
Shows, what a special means Unity among Believers is, to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ, and yet notwithstanding that Unity, without true Doctrine, is no Infallible Mark of the true Church, against the Papists.  SERM. CXX. 
A Consideration of Faith in its General nature, as Dogmatic or Historical, carried out to Scripture-truths', because of Divine Authority.  SERM. CXXI. 
Of Dogmatic Faith, the Properties of, and Contraries to it.  SERM. CXXII. 
JOHN 17.22. And the Glory which thou gavest me I gave them, that they may be one, even as we are one. Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples, even in this life, and of Union with him as the ground of it.  SERM. CXXIII. 
Practical Conclusions from the foregoing Doctrine.  SERM. CXXIV. 
That Jesus Christ though God coequal with the Father, had many things given him by the Father, and how that can be?  SERM. CXXV. 
Unity among Christians is part of that Glory Christ hath purchased for them.  SERM. CXXVI. 
JOHN 17.23. I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me. Of Union with Christ: Showing how, or in what respect Christ is in every Believer, and how he is not.  SERM. CXXVII. 
Showing something of the Nature, Manner, and Effects of Christ's being in Believers.  SERM. CXXVIII. 
Of the Father's being in Christ, of both their being in Believers, and how that can be, and yet they not quite freed from sin and sorrow.  SERM. CXXIX. 
Of the Unity of Believers, of the cause and nature of it, and what makes to the perfect consummation of it.  SERM. CXXX. 
showeth that every one that believeth, knoweth the thing that he believeth: Against the Popish implicit faith, and what Knowledge the knowledge of Faith is.  SERM. CXXXI. 
Of the unspeakable love of God to Believers, showing wherein Gods love to Christ and Believers is alike, and wherein it differs.  SERM. CXXXII. 
showeth of what high concernment it is to the men of the world, to know how greatly Believers (whom they hate and persecute) are beloved of God.  SERM. CXXXIII. 
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 lovedst me before the foundation of the world. Of the Connection between Grace and Glory, and that Glory even to the most Godly, is the free gift of God.  SERM. CXXXIV. 
Of immediate Enjoyment of, and Communion with Christ in Heaven, as the Compliment of man's Happiness.  SERM. CXXXV. 
Of an humbled Christians improving, in his prayers, the sweet Apellation of Father.  SERM. CXXXVI. 
Of the state of Glory, showing what it is to behold Christ's Glory in Heaven.  SERM. CXXXVII. 
How Christ, as Mediator, had his Glory given him, although as God he could not properly have it given him, except by way of Manifestation: Against the Socinians.  SERM. CXXXVIII. 
Of God's love to Christ as Mediator, and in him to all Believers from all Eternity.  SERM. CXXXIX. 
JOHN 17.25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. Of the Righteousness of God (as Judge) in his Administrations to Devils and Wicked men: and (as a Father) unto his own people.  SERM. CXL. 
That every unregenerate man, whether in or out of the Church, is destitute of the true saving Knowledge of God.  SERM. CXLI. 
Christ is the great Teacher of his Church.  SERM. CXLII. 
Setting forth the singular Christian cleaving to God, though the multitude go another way, and how his Godliness in that case endears him to God.  SERM. CXLIII. 
JOHN 17.26. And I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them. Of Christ's teaching Believers: Showing what great need the most illuminated Christians have still to be taught.  SERM. CXLIV. 
Of the powerful sense and feeling of the Love of God; How it is attained, and what a great advantage it is to him that hath it, both in reference to Duty and Comfort.  SERM. CXLV. 
Directions how to obtain, and always to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of God's Love in our Hearts.    

IF any thing in the Contents of this Book appear incongruous either to the Author or his Work, let it be hereby known, that not the Author, but a Friend of his gathered them as well as he could.  
T. U.   
CXLVI SERMONS Upon the whole Seventeenth Chapter of the Gospel by St JOHN.  

SERMON I. The Necessity of adding Prayer to Preaching for its good effect: Showing also what kind of cause the Word is of Conversion; And what are the requisites of Heavenly and Spiritual Prayer.  JOHN 17.1. These words spoke Jesus, and lift up his eyes to Heaven, and said, etc. 
MY Purpose is (God assisting) to go through this Chapter, being the Prayer of Christ immediately before his Passion: If the words of a dying man are much to be regarded, how much more of a dying Christ? And words put up in a Prayer way, which came from the most serious and heavenly affection within; Christ's love was sincere and natural; Now as in natural motions the nearer the body comes to the centre, the swifter the motion is, Thus Christ's Love though great always, yet the expressions of it were overflowing most at last; His best wine was at last: And certainly if it be lawful to prefer Scripture before Scripture, we may say, Though all be gold, yet this is a Pearl in the gold; Though all be like the Heavens, yet this is like the Sun and Stars: Oh that both my heart and your hearts were purified with a coal of fire from the Altar for this Subject; Not only parts but great grace is required both to preach and hear this Subject: But let us enter into this Land of Canaan.  
The Apostle John of all the Evangelists is compared to an Eagle, because he treateth of the highest and most sublime matter; For as it is commonly received, He outliving all the other Apostles, there were damnable Heretics risen up that denied Christ to be God, at the Church's entreaty therefore he wrote this Book, mainly asserting Christ's Godhead, and handling those things especially which the other Evangelists had left out, especially insisting upon those excellent discourses and dialogues Christ had with the Pharisees; As also those divine Instructions and consolations he gave his Disciples at his departure from them, of which the other Evangelists record nothing at all: Now when our Saviour had been large in instructing and confirming them, he bends himself to earnest prayer for them, that what he had said might take place in their hearts, so that in the Chapter you may take notice of, 

1. The Introduction to the matter, and  
2. The Matter itself.    
The matter is Christ's earnest prayer, and that for a threefold Object, 

1. Himself.  
2. His Apostles.  
3. All others who in time should believe in him.    
For the Introduction, there we have 1. The order of Christ's Prayer, and 2. the description of his gesture.  
The Order is, These words spoke Jesus, that is, after Christ had finished those admirable and comfortable Instructions, than he betakes himself to prayer, From whence observe,  

To all Instructions and Consolations Prayer is necessary for their good effect.  That to all Instructions and Consolations Prayer is necessary for their good effect. Christ himself doth not think it enough to plant, but he prays there may be a watering from above; Thus all Ministers and all hearers are to take Christ's way; Even as at other times we read that Christ spent the day in Preaching, and the night in Praying; For if the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.5. say of every creature for nourishment, it is sanctified by Prayer, when yet the creatures have in themselves a natural strength to nourish, how much more is this to be seen in the means of grace, which work not by inherent but instituted efficacy altogether? If therefore we would have our preaching and your hearing do any good, be powerful to an heavenly alteration and change, then look up with your eyes to heaven; It's from God that this must do me good, It's from God that this must teach my heart; In vain is a Teacher without if there be not also a Teacher within, 1 Cor. 3. You see the Apostle there taking believers off from all Ministers and Instruments, and to rest on Jesus Christ; They are necessary but as Ministers by whom we do believe, not as authors of our faith.  

Reasons.  Let us consider, Why Prayer is thus necessary in the use of all other means, And  

I. On God's part.  First, From God in these respects.  

1. God is the sole fountain and author of all grace.  1. He is the sole author and fountain of all grace; It's not the gifts or parts of Men and Angels that remove the stone of the heart, that can make the withered dry bones to live again, unless the Spirit of God breathe upon us, Jam. 1. Every good and perfect gift is said to come from above, That as the natural Philosophers say, The Sun and Stars are the cause of all the life and perfection which is in these things below, insomuch that without them all things would be destroyed; This is much more true in heavenly and supernatural effects, therefore he is called the God of all grace, and the God of all consolations, 2 Cor. 1.3. There is no godliness, no comfort can stream in the heart, but from this Fountain; we lie like so many lumps of earth, like so many noisome Lazarusses in the grave, till God bid us Come forth; So then to have any doctrine or truth enter into thy heart, to have the Ministry effectual and powerful to thee, is of greater consequence than thou art aware of. There must be much struggling and striving with God ere thou canst behold him in his glory in the Ordinances; Thou must be Jacob ere thou canst be Israel, as an Ancient said; Wonder not, if you see men living in the same lusts, and roving in their former excess of riot, though the clouds drop upon them daily, yet they are a barren wilderness; Alas, all the rain in the world would not make the Earth spring forth and increase, had not God at first commanded the earth to do so, and certainly if God can by his Word make the dull, dead earth so glorious, that Solomon is in his greatest state not like the glory thereof, how much rather can he make a heavy, dull, earthly, carnal people, glorious and admirable in variety of graces, he can make them a Paradise who were a parched heath; Prayer therefore is necessary because God only hath the command over all Ordinances to bless as he pleaseth.  
2. On God's part we are therefore to pray, 
2. That all the praise may redound to him.  that so all the glory and praise in every thing may redound to him, so 1 Cor. 1. that he who glorieth may glory in God only; Hence it is that as in the Old Testament we read of many good women, and they were most of them barren, to humble them, and that they might see it was not their goodness but God's glory and power to give them children; So it is here, God many times causeth not the best and choicest Ministers, to be fruitful in conversion of others, to be able to say, Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me, that hereby all the glory may be attributed to God only.  
3. Therefore after all doctrinal Instructions is Prayer to be used, 
3. Because God in anger many times doth blast the Word to men for their sins.  because God in anger many times for men's sins doth blast the Word to them, doth not give them a tender and an understanding heart; Oh then how much is he to be sought to that hath the key of all men's hearts, that openeth and none can shut that shutteth and none can open, Rev. 3.7. Observe that expression, it denoteth Gods absolute Sovereignty, that all the devils in hell, and all the wicked Instruments in the world are not able to hinder the good effect that God hath appointed such a Sermon, or such a Ministry to produce; What then, though we sow all the day long, though we exhort, entreat and beseech, yet if God be angry with thee, and will let thee alone in thy sins, thou shalt die and be damned in thy obstinacy and unbelief: Though Solomon with all his wisdom were here to persuade thee, thou wouldst be wilful in thy iniquities; The seeing eye, and the hearing ear are both said to be the gift of God, Pro. 20.12. and what a terrible expression is that to the Israelites, where after all the miracles and wonderful works that God had done before them, it's said, God had not given them an heart to understand till that day, Deut. 19.4. and famous is that place Isa. 6. thrice repeated in the New Testament, of blinding their eyes, and hardening their hearts, lest they should understand and be converted; Who then is there but must necessarily conclude, that God is earnestly to be prayed unto, lest he be left to a spirit of slumber and giddiness, lest God swore in his wrath, that no preaching shall ever do thee good? How did Paul rejoice to be at Ephesus, because an effectual and large door was opened to him, 1 Cor. 16 9 It was opened by God, the Ministers themselves, 
II. From the nature of Preaching, and what kind of cause the Word is of conversion.  nor the people, had not ability to do it; Thus on God's part we have cause to pray.  
Secondly, If we consider the nature of all Preaching, and what kind of cause the Word is of conversion, that will also compel to Prayer. It's disputed among Divines what kind of causality the Preaching of the Word hath in regenerating of men. I shall not now launch into that deep Ocean, but two ways are wholly to be denied.  

1. The Word converts not necessarily.  1. The Preaching of the Word doth not convert necessarily, as the Fire doth necessarily burn, the Sun doth necessarily shine; No, for then wheresoever the Word is preached, all their eyes would be opened, all their hearts softened that hear it, but experience doth woefully confute this; We see Christ who preached as one having authority, and no man ever spoke like him, yet he threw in his Net and catched few fish, yea, we do not read of so many converted by his Ministry as by some of the Apostles.  

2. Nor as a natural cause.  2. As it doth not work necessarily, so neither as a natural cause, that hath inward power to produce its effects; As the fire hath an inherent strength to burn, the Earth an inherent power to bring forth fruit, or as a two edged Sword pierceth: For though the Word be compared to it, yet  

3. It's efficacy is only by God's Institution according to his command and good pleasure.  3. This efficacy is only by Institution, according to the command and good pleasure of God: Of itself it worketh no more than Exhortations to a dead man, but when clothed with divine authority, than it beateth down every thing that opposeth itself; If then we are bound to pray to God that he would make natural causes, though with so much inherent proneness, to cause their effects, as that our bread may nourish us, our clothes may warm us, how much rather when there is no such natural efficiency; If man lives not by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out of God's mouth, much less is man converted, enlightened, or regenerated by Preaching of the Word only, without the power of God manifested from heaven; Yet oh the security, the senselessness of most people herein, They do not earnestly contend in prayer with God before they come hither; What earnest wrestlings and strive hast thou had with God to day, that thy soul might be put into an heavenly travel, and Christ be form in thee? This is the true reason why you hear yourselves into damnation, and we preach you into greater and greater spiritual judgements daily, because few are diligent in praying for a blessing upon that which shall be delivered to them.  

III. Because of man's inability to what is good.  In the third place, After doctrinal Instruction there is great need of prayer to God, because of the utter insufficiency and inability that is in every man to what is good: Such is the contrariety and enmity in every man's heart against Truth preached, that we had need pray and pray again that God would open our eyes, and soften our hearts; The Scripture in several places doth describe man's Impotency, and his utter averseness to what is holy; He is a Tiger, a Lion, a wild Bear, he is a mere briar and bramble; There cannot be any good wrought in him, till God make dead men to rise out of their sins; We do not hear Sermons as the Heathens did their moral Orations, for they had some imbred strength to do those things that were civilly good, but when we have to do with supernatural things, there all must be planted in us: There is nothing in us to love or embrace it, yea, whatsoever we are, think, or will, it all riseth up in rebellion against God; and certainly if the godly themselves, though endowed already with an heavenly life do yet earnestly pray that God would open their eyes, Psa. 119. That he would quicken them, and make them to grow up in an higher stature, how much more do men destitute of God's Spirit need this help, yea, we may take notice, Eph. 6.18. that when the child of God is fully completed with the whole Armour of God, he hath his helmet, his shield, his breastplate upon him, yet he must not trust to this, but after all this he is to pray always with all prayer and supplication; So that you see in all holy exercises, we are to be as the little child who leaneth only upon his Father, we are like the Fowl, when we have drunk down a little, presently to lift up our heads to heaven, that it may work on us.  
Use of Instruction, From this order of Christ's, learn we in Preaching, 
Use.  and you in hearing what we ought to do, know it must be Prayer that will sanctify every Sermon; According as thou hast laid up Prayer beforehand, so do thou expect to speed; What a woeful thing will it be if God make this Heaven brass and iron, these helps of salvation furtherances to damnation, and all because thou dost not carefully seek to him. Canst thou pray in other things and not here? Is not every Sermon of eternal consequence? Is not heaven or hell delivered at this time, why then are we such stupid blocks as not to lay fast hold on God, and say, I will not let thee go till thou givest me a blessing; It's taken up as a sad Question, Why in these latter days the Word preached makes no more wonderful works? At first Propagation of the Gospel, so many fish were caught in the Net, that it was ready to break; And at the first Reformation out of Popery, the Kingdom of God suffered violence, but now he that is profane is profane still, the blind are blind still, the proud proud still: What is the matter? Is not the Word of God as powerful as ever? Is not the Lords arm as strong as ever? Yes, but the zeal of people is grown cold; There are not such fervent prayers, such high esteems of the means of grace; Men do not besiege Heaven, giving God no rest day or night till he come with salvation into their souls, and truly the Spirit of prayer is a sure forerunner of spiritual mercies to be bestowed, Optat dare qui mandat orare, when God will bless the Word and Ministry to thee, he will stir up thy appetite, make thee hungry and thirsty, fill thee with daily pant after his grace. And thus much of the order.  
I proceed to the gesture used in prayer, He lifted up his eyes to heaven: In the Scripture we read of several gestures in prayer, one of the Publican clean contrary, He cast his eyes upon the earth, and that did arise from the great and real sense he had of his unworthiness, and of the multitude of sins that were upon him, but yet that which is most commendable and indeed most natural, is to lift up the eyes to Heaven, the place of God's special presence, though he be also every where, for the eye in this case should be the demonstration of the heart, Cor in oculis, that if it were possible we would both in soul and body, while praying, be lifted up into heaven; Now how our Saviour, who was God as well as man, could pray, and what kind of Prayer this was, will hereafter be cleared. From this gesture Observe,  
That all our Prayers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart.  
It's the very definition of prayer, that it's Elevatio mentis ad Deum, 
Doct. That all our prayers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart.  The lifting up of the mind, and of the whole soul to God; To pray is a far more difficult and noble exercise then most are aware of; It's not the running over a few words like a Parrot, but the soul is then to be on the Mount of Transfiguration: There must be many things meeting together ere thy prayer be an heavenly Prayer: It's good to set this home, for prayer is the universal Instrument of all thy good, if that be blunted or unprofitable, all is marred; If a poor man that liveth by his handy labour hath marred his tools that he cannot work by them, how shall he subsist? Prayer is the Key to open heaven, if that be empty and unprofitable, how canst thou be replenished? You ask, and pray, and have not; Jam. 4.2. No sins are removed, no spiritual mercies are bestowed on thee, and all because thy prayer is not heavenly; 
The requisites to spiritual prayer.  Now these things make an heavenly Prayer.  
1. It's necessary the Spirit of God do enable and move the soul to this duty, Rom. 8. 
1. The Spirits enabling and moving the soul to this duty.  It is the Spirit of God that helpeth against our infirmities, and enableth us with groans unutterable. The heart is but as so much dull earth, till the Spirit of God inflame thee; Thy prayer is a body without a soul, if there be words but not God's Spirit in the heart; But oh what shall we then think of most men's prayers that have nothing but custom and formality in them: No wonder if these be birds without wings, Messengers without feet, good for nothing at all; Thou sayest thy prayers, and thou hast thy prayers, but oh consider the Spirit of God must move upon thy heart, else thou art only a worm crawling on the ground.  

2. An heavenly heart.  2. An heavenly Prayer must have an heavenly heart, that which pants after and delights in heavenly things, but Ps. 4.6. Many say, Who will show us any good? Every one can pray for earthly and temporal good things, for health, strength, peace, and outward plenty, but few with David, Lift thou up the light of thy countenance. In the Lord's Prayer we are first to pray for those spiritual things that relate to God's glory, before we are to ask for our temporal comforts; yea, while we pray for temporal mercies we are to do it in a heavenly manner, for this end, that we may be more instrumental to God's glory, and be brought nearer to him; Difficile est erare, quia difficile est desiderare, said Aquinas. It is a very hard thing to desire heavenly things, and therefore as hard to pray for them; how happy then is it when the matter prayed for and the frame of the heart are both heavenly; Now like Christ he is gone up to the Mount, and prayeth alone, he is above all earthly things, alone with God himself.  

3. When the heart and affections are purified and made fit for the enjoyment of God.  3. That Prayer is heavenly when the heart and affections are purified and sanctified fit for the enjoyment of God: In prayer we have an immediate approach unto and fellowship with God; There cannot be greater honour vouchsafed unto a creature then to be admitted to pray to him, but who is sufficient for this duty? The Heathens did often press this, that God was to be worshipped prae ment, but the Apostle more divinely, 1 Tim. 2.8. Lifting up holy or pure hands, Mat. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God; A sore eye with corrupt humours is not fit to look on a bright object, and truly in all our prayers we should think nothing so comely as to have heavenly hearts for heavenly work; If the godly man's conversation even in buying, selling, and all other lawful employments, is to be heavenly, much more in prayer, than there should be Sabbatum mentis the rest of the Soul, there should be no distractions, no debasings of it by earthly affections, we should have a garden readily dressed for the Spouse to walk in; If Christ's body was to be in a Sepulchre where none ever lay btfore, how much rather will whole Christ abide in a clean heart; The devil would not come into his Lodgings but because they were swept and ready garnished for him, how much rather will Christ expect that the soul should be in an holy and heavenly manner fitted for to enjoy him.  

4. Heavenly prayer moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things.  4. An heavenly Prayer is, When it stirreth and moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things; Prayer is not to be only heavenly in its nature but in its effects; By praying holily we are made more holy; It's like exercise to the body, which makes it more strong and active; It's the rich Ship that brings in glorious returns from God: Heavenly Prayer leaveth an heavenly frame, it keepeth a soul in longings after God; As Moses who had been in God's presence his face did shine with great lustre. Thus the soul that is heavenly in Prayer to God, leaveth an excellent and spiritual lustre upon all his actions, his conferences, his conversation speaks the mighty glory of this prayer; oh what godly man may not fall down with shame and confusion to think how far short he comes of this heavenly prayer.  

Use.  Use of Instruction in two things, 1. How hard it is to pray indeed; You may say of the dull Formalist that hath bare words and no heart, he prayeth but it is as unprofitable as a body without life; Oh that the God of grace would work this in you, that he would pour the Spirit of prayer and supplication upon you; I know nothing wherein people are more to be instructed and rectified then in this particular; They have good prayers, and they say good prayers as they speak, but understand nothing at all about an heavenly prayer.  
2. Why it is that after many public and private prayers thousands of people live in the same wickedness they did. Who would not think their sins would make them give over praying, or praying their sins, how can this fire and Ice stand together? The reason is, they are not heavenly prayers, neither private or family prayers do raise thee up, like Elijahs fiery Chariot: You ask and receive not because you ask amiss; He doth not say you ask mala but male, you do not pray for unlawful things, only you pray not in a right manner; Oh then say, the decay of all my godliness, all my comforts arise from my decay in prayer, Pray heavenly and all will be heavenly; and on the other side, mere dead and customary prayer leaveth a man in a destitute estate, he may pray in that manner all his life, and yet receive nothing at God's hand; Think and meditate of this more, say, the beginning of all my spiritual consumption is in my lean empty prayers,   

SERMON II. The transcendent Excellency and Efficacy of Christ's Prayer (in respect of the matter and nature thereof, as being Mediatory, his Person and Relation, etc.) held forth as a ground of unspeakable comfort to Believers.  JOH. 17.1. These words spoke Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father. 
THE Introduction hath already been dispatched, which contained the Order and Method of Christ's Prayer, as also his gesture; We now come to the prayer itself, he said, Father, etc.  
To open this Consider, That Prayer is of two sorts,  
Either 1. Mental, which is only in the soul and spirit, for God being a Spirit and omniscient, knoweth all the thoughts and desires of the heart; Thus Angels and the spirits of just men perfected in heaven do pray, The souls under the Altar cried for an holy avenging on their enemies, Rev. 6.9.  
Or else there is 2. a vocal Prayer, when our desires are manifested by outward signs of words, and thus Christ's prayer here is a vocal prayer, neither may such kind of praying be thought needless, 
Why we should pray with the tongue.  for we do not use words as if God needed these signs, in which sense Eliah derided Baal's Priests, bidding them cry aloud, it may be Baal was asleep, or in a journey, 1 King. 8.27. but hereby to excite and stir up our affections, for the soul and body do mutually help each other, and partly because we are to glorify God with our body, and with our soul, and lastly what is strongly in the heart cannot but empty itself in words: Hence are those expressions, I cried unto the Lord with a loud voice, so that a vocal prayer is commanded as well as a mental, only in that we must remember there aught to be a threefold attention, first unto God the object unto whom we pray that our thoughts be not distracted. 2. 
In vocal prayer there must be a threefold attention.  To the matter that it be lawful and according to Gods will. 3. To the words, that they be sober, grave and decent in so religious a duty. And thus much from that expression, Christ said, Father.  

How Christ being God could pray.  In the next place let us consider, how Christ could pray, for being God it seemeth prayer is as incompatible to him as to God; The answer is in respect of his divine nature, so he could not pray, but in his humane nature and as he was in the state of humiliation, so he did not only pray, but he prayed with agonies and strong cries, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 5.7. for in this consideration he was capable of many mercies which God did bestow upon him, and also upon all the Elect, for he prayed for them also, yea, he did not only pray in the state of humiliation, but in his glorified estate; Now whilst he is exalted on his Throne, he makes intercession for us, Heb. 7.15. 1 Joh. 2.1. Though this Intercession in Heaven is not in that humble way of supplication, as while he was in the flesh, but a presenting of his sufferings and obedience to the Father, with an earnest will that all his Elect should partake the benefits thereof; But of this Point, how Christ could be said to pray, more in its due time. This prayer Christ poured forth, so far as it relateth to the Church of God and all believers, is part of his Priestly office, for the Priest was to do two things, first to pray, then to offer a sacrifice; Now Christ in this Chapter he prayeth and afterwards offereth up himself an holy and unspotted sacrifice for the sins of his people, and as the Highpriest was to carry the names of the twelve Tribes in his breast to present them to God, so doth Christ here, he presents all his children unto God the Father by this prayer; There is no godly man so mean, so weak, so inconsiderable but he is commended unto the Father, and may justly expect the fruit of this prayer.  

Doct. That all the godly are under the benefit of Christ's Mediatory prayer.  That all the Children of God are under the fruit and benefit of Christ's Mediatory prayer: Take up these two forementioned places, 1 Joh 2.1. If any sin, we have an Advocate with the Father; Here is supposed that upon every sin we commit, there is an indictment, an impleading of us, an accusing of us unto God; Thou thinkest nothing of thy sins when committed, they are presently out of thy mind, but oh the charge and Indictment that is against thee before God, only the godly they have Christ an Advocate, he dosh constantly plead for them, he takes their parts and he is sure to prevail; What treasures of comfort are here for the godly, when thou art not thinking or minding thy own self, Christ in heaven is pleading for thee; It's good to have this Friend in the Court of heaven, so Heb. 7.25. He everliveth to make intercession for them; he ever-liveth, and this he attends unto, When thou art sleeping and canst not pray for thyself, he maketh Intercession for thee; So that Christ though exalted and made glorious in heaven, hath not laid aside his love and earnest affections for thy good; But as Joseph when lifted up in Pharaohs Court sent for his Father and Brethren to give them the good things of Egypt; Thus it is here, Christ said, he went to his Father to provide mansion places in heaven for them, Joh. 14.2. Oh the unspeakable dignity and happiness to be under Christ's Intercession; If we do so much esteem the prayer of a godly man on earth, and the effectual prayer of one righteous man prevaileth much. The excelltncy of prayer appearing in that it only is compared to Frankincense, Heb. 5. & cap. 6. signifying as this doth recreate and refresh man, so doth a true right prayer please God;) what then will the prayer of Christ himself do? If a Job, If a Daniel, If a Moses could do so much in prayer, when yet their prayer needed Christ's prayer for acceptation and impetration, how prevalent must Christ's prayer be for his believers?  
To open this Doctrine, Consider  
First, The matter of Christ's Prayer for his Children, and that is,  
1. For the accomplishing of all grace here and glory hereafter; 
I. The matter of Christ's prayer for his Children.  There is no heavenly or spiritual mercy but Christ hath prayed for it; Thou dost not only pray for it, (alas what are thy prayers?) but Christ hath prayed for it, thy conversion and sanctification is prayed for; There is no man to be converted by the Word but Christ prayed for that man's conversion, Joh. 17.20. 
1. All grace.  It was said of Austin, because his Mother Monica prayed so earnestly about him, that it was impossible a child of so many prayers should perish, but that is not necessary, though all the men in the world should pray for such a man's conversion, it might not be, only we may say, It's impossible a child of Christ's prayers and tears should perish.  
Again, 2. Pardon and forgiveness of sin, and that as oft as it is committed is the matter of his prayer: We have an Advocate, as you heard. Alas, 
2. Pardon of sin.  upon the committing of any sin, if there were no more strength to do them away then is in the prayers and tears of the godly, if all the guilt lay upon them to discharge, how insupportable would it be? but there is no sin at any time committed by thee, if repented of and forgiven, but Christ hath prayed that it may be forgiven thee: so than though there be weakness, unbelief, and dullness in thy prayers, yet there was no fault to be found ●n Christ's prayers; In all thy agonies, desertions and temptations, plead the Intercession of Christ;  
3. Further, Another main spiritual mercy prayed for, is preservation from sin, v. 15. I pray not thou shouldest take them out of the world, 
3.  but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil; Oh admirable and necessary prayer; we are in the world as in an infected Hospital, as in a fiery furnace: Now to be here and not diseased, not to be burned therein, is the wonderful expression of God's power and goodness, for this River to run into the Sea, and not to partake of the salt taste thereof is beyond expression, Christ hath not prayed that we should have no afflictions or troubles in the world, but that we should be kept from the evil of them; He did not pray for Peter that he should not have woeful and sad temptations, but that his faith might not fail in the midst of them; O what a comfortable cordial may it be in times of great commotions and violent temptations! how do the godly fear lest their strength should fail them, lest one time or other they should yield to sin, and be overwhelmed? Now in the midst of all these fears Christ hath prayed for thee as well as for Peter, that thy faith may not fail: Insomuch that we may say, Christ's prayer for believers is all their hope and foundation; In some sad exigences how careful are we to have the prayers of all God's people, to be remembered in such and such a Congregation, but if all the Churches in the world should pray for a man, it would not amount to so much as Christ's prayer; therefore let the godly comfort one another with these things.  
Lastly, He hath prayed for their glorification; Thus he prayed, 
4. Glorification.  that they may be one even as he and the father are one, and that they be where he is, viz. that they may enjoy that glory which Christ had purchased for them; Therefore he is called the Resurrection, Job. 11.25. because he will raise up such at the last day: The body though dead and consumed to ashes shall not always be in the grave, neither shall the soul have such rags and deformities upon it continually, but shall be clothed with glorious robes; Thus you see the chief and main matter of Christ's prayer, not so much earthly and temporal things, as heavenly: for although Christ did comfort his Disciples even in earthly straits, Mat. 6.25. that they had a Father in Heaven, and if he did provide for all the creatures in the world, they might much rather be persuaded of his care to them, and Paul argued Rom. 8. he gave his only Son for them, how shall he not give all things else? Yet the great things that Christ before his sufferings thought fit to commend unto God, were spiritual and heavenly benefits. And that is the first consideration, The matter of Christ's Prayer.  

II. The nature of his prayer by way of Mediation.  Secondly, Take notice of the nature of this Prayer, it's by way of Mediation; It's a Mediatory Prayer, and so differs from all the prayers of other men: As they are bare mere men, so their prayers are bare mere prayers; There is no merit, no mediation in thee, but Christ's prayer is of a far more transcendent nature, Even as the blood of the Martyrs came far short of Christ's; Their blood was not expiatory, it was not by way of a Sacrifice for sins, whereas Christ's was; Thus there is a vast difference between prayers and prayers, God may regard one man's prayer more then another's, it may be more effectual, as in that supposition, though Daniel and Job stood and prayed, they should not be heard; Job, you know was commanded to pray for his Friends, and his prayer was accepted of more than theirs, and Daniel was said to be a man greatly beloved, because his prayers were so readily heard; Likewise the prayer of many, or a Church, is more prevalent than the prayer of one single person; So a Prayer from one in office as a Minister, is more than of one in a private condition: but yet the prayer of Christ as in the office of a Mediator doth far surmount all. So then in Christ's prayer we are especially to look to the Mediatory power, to the impetratory efficacy of it; It's not a mere supplication as ours are, but a powerful obtaining of what is desired; His prayer can be no more refused than his blood, they both are in the same nature, they go along under the same respect, his blood may as well be without advantage as his prayer; The high-Priests prayer for the people was of greater concernment for the people than their own prayers; I tell thee all thy own prayers are not of that consequence to thee as Christ's prayer is, all Mediatory and impetratory efficacy is from that.  

III. The dignity of the Person praying.  Thirdly, Consider the dignity of the Person who did pray for believers, and thereby cometh an infinite efficacy and worth to it. Christ who prayed for us being God and man, in regard of his divine nature, there cometh an infinite worth upon his prayer, his prayer is like himself, and from this account it is, that it is meritorious with God, that it is just with God to grant him his Requests; his Supplications are put up in his own name, he needeth no Mediator, there is none to make way for his acceptance with God, so that this Meditation affords unspeakable consolation, though all thy prayers and duties be nothing worth, yet Christ's is of infinite value: The dignity and merit whereby any good cometh to us, is not for our prayers but for Christ's; Certainly the people of God do not live so cheerfully upon this consideration as they ought; They are careful to pour out their own prayers, but not by faith to rest on Christ's; What needest thou fear who canst bring prayers of infinite merit? The Lord Christ hath prayed that I might have this mercy; he hath prayed that this grace should be vouchsafed unto me; What fault can be found with Christ? What blame or imperfection is to be seen or found in him? how can Christ be denied in justice? It is his right to have his Requests answered.  

IV. His relation to God the Father.  Fourthly, Consider the respect and relation Christ stands in towards God the Father, And then you will still say, his prayer is of great concernment to 〈◊〉, Now his relation is, the only Son of God, and dearly beloved by him, This is my wellbeloved Son in whom I am well-pleased, Mat. 3.17. So that his prayers are heard unquestionably upon a twofold ground, the one of justice because infinite in worth, the other of love because the only begotten Son; This Heb. 5.7. He is said, while he prayed, to be heard in what he feared, and Joh. 11.12. Christ thanks the Father that he heard him always, and often doth he profess that the Father loveth him the Son, and that the Father and the Son are one. This also is very comfortable to meditate upon, Thou hast the prayer of him who is the only begotten of the Father, whom the Father heareth always, and to whom he denieth nothing, if we are able to say, Lord, this is not my prayer only, This is not my desire only, but it's the request of Christ so beloved of thee, than thou mayst justly believe thou shalt be accepted of; O Lord, though I have no loveliness, no comeliness, yet Christ hath; Some have doubted whether Christ was heard in every thing he prayed for, 
Whether Christ was heard in every thing he prayed for, or no.  and they instance in his prayer, that the cup might pass from him, but that was only conditional▪ If it be thy will, and therefore he added, Not my will but thine be done; That which he absolutely prayed for, was Gods support and preservation of him, as also the raising him out of the grave. That which seemeth to have gteat difficulty is his prayer, Luke 23.34. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, but of the efficacy of this we need not doubt of, because the Pharisees and others they sinned against their knowledge and conscience, and for such Christ prayed not, but others that knew not what they did, many of them were converted afterwards, and did believe in him, whom they had pierced, so that we need not doubt of speeding, when we bring Christ with us. Hence Joh. 16.24. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you; If we were to draw nigh in our Name, If we did appear in our own Name, we might justly look for anger in stead of mercy, but God is not angry with Christ, he doth not frown upon Christ.  
Fifthly, 
V. Christ's prayer had all the qualifications requisite to acceptation.  The prayer of Christ had all those internal qualifications that are requisite to acceptation: For first, There was holy faith and confidence, the Preface is Father, which is not a bare Title, but an expression from inward affection, indeed Christ was not capable of justifying faith, he was too perfect a subject to need such a grace, yet as the habit of faith doth include no imperfection in the subject, but a full dependence and affiance on God, so Christ did believe, and in this sense he cried, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? My God, My God, were acts of fiducial dependence; As for repentance and sorrow for sin, which is requisite in all our prayers, such also Christ was not capable of, but then for love and zeal to God, for heavenly affections, etc. The Sea is not fuller of water then his soul was of such enlargements; No distraction, no deadness, no imperfection did cleave to his prayer, but as he himself was without sin, so also was his prayer; Besides the extrinsecall dignity and worth of Christ's prayer there was an inherent perfection and fullness of all graces in him: Oh than though the godly labour and groan under manifold weaknesses; Their prayers are so imperfect that they need to be prayed over again, and confession is requisite for our imperfect confession, yet remember the perfection of Christ's prayers, There was no spot, no blemish in this Sacrifice of his lips. At the end of thy prayer, when thy heart smiteth thee for thy roving thoughts, thy dulness, thy distractions, comfort thyself with this, there was no such defect in Christ's prayer; Christ's prayer was like that curious confection and ointment, which had so many precious ingredients in it.  
Sixthly, Consider this Prayer of Christ's had that general nature in it, 
VI A condition or medium of good things. Why Prayer is needful notwithstanding God's knowledge and unchangeableness  which all our prayers have, to be a condition and medium to bring about the good things we desire: For some have disputed about prayer, What use is there of it, seeing God knoweth all things before we ask, and he is unchangeable, our prayers cannot alter his purpose; To this it's answered, That our prayers are not to acquaint God with that he knew not, or to change his will, only God who hath decreed to do such things, he hath appointed prayer as a condition or means for the accomplishment of them; Even as God hath ordained the earth to bring forth fruit, but it must be tilled and sown, and as mankind is to be multiplied, but by marriage, so good things are appointed for the godly but by prayer, Mat. 7.7. This is therefore called the golden chain reaching from earth to heaven, Ascendit precatio, descendit miseratio; and for this end is both a command of prayer and a gracious promise to it, so that he who prayeth not presumeth grossly, if he expect the fullfilling of any good thing to him; As it is thus with prayer in the general so also with Christ's prayer, whatsoever Christ was to purchase at God's hand for his people, the same he was to pray for, Psa. 2.8. Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, And thus in this Chapter he prayeth for that glory which yet was from the beginning appointed for him, so that Christ's Prayer was a special means to bring about all those admirable mercies promised to his people.  

VII. Christ's prayer sanctifieth our prayers.  Seventhly, Take notice of this, that this Prayer of Christ sanctifieth all our Prayers; They become accepted of through him, He is the Altar upon which the incense of the Church's prayers is offeted, Rev. 8.4. As our tears need washing in his blood, so our prayers need Christ's prayer, he prayed that our prayers may be received; There is not any one Prayer could ever ascend to heaven were it not for Christ's Intercession; The Popish doctrine therefore is very injurious to Christ, which inventeth other treasures besides the treasures of Christ; They tell us of a treasure or bank of prayers, which may be applied to this or that necessitous person; They tell us of other Mediators in heaven besides Christ, Mediators not of expiation but intercession, whereas you see it's Christ's expiation and intercession that go together to work our redemption.  
But if Christ's prayer be thus all in all, what need we pray, are not our prayers superfluous?  
Answ. No, for they are not to that end which Christ's was, not for merit or mediation; Even as though Christ suffered for our sins, yet we also are afflicted, but not for that end, so our prayers are for other ends, to set up God, to debase ourselves, to quicken up our graces, to give us an holy Communion and fellowship with him, to show our obedience to his command, who doth in so special a manner require this duty.  
Use, Are the people of God under the benefit of Christ's prayer, then how happy and blessed are they, what can be denied them? There is no fear of having their requests granted, for God looks upon them and Christ as one mystical person, as the head and members; Who is able to preach of this Subject? It is too glorious, Christ is in heaven making Intercession for thee; Woe unto thee every day, every hour, Were it not for this Advocate, woe to thy own prayers, though never so laudable, were they not put up in Christ's Name; Oh how little do the people of God run to this Fountain when their hearts are like a dry wilderness; This is indeed the Key of heaven that opens it for thee and thy duties, if not for my sake, yet for Christ's sake, Though I am unworthy yet Christ is worthy to be heard; But oh the terrible estate of wicked men, I pray not for the world, They have no benefit in this Mediation.   

SERMON III. Shows how prevalent the Prayers are that are poured out to God as a Father, And what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God.  JOH. 17.1. These things spoke Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, etc. 
THE next thing in order to be treated of is Christ's Prayer itself, and that is first in reference to himself, and therein we may consider,  
1. The matter of the Prayer, Glorify thy Son.  
2. The Arguments to enforce this, for that is the best prayer which is most argumentative; Many words without arguments is like a great body without nerves or sinews. Now these arguments are several and strong.  
1. From the Relation he stands in to God, he is a Son, and God is his Father, Father, glorify thy Son.  
2. From the seasonableness of it, Now is the time, Tho hour is come.  
3. From the final cause, he desireth not this glory for himself only, but he would be glorified that he might glorify the Father. Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it, and  
1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father; Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a far more transcendent way than he is ours, for that is a true Rule, quod Christus naturâ, nos sumus gratiâ, That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace; Christ therefore is Son to the Father, yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father, having all the properties of the Godhead with him, but we are Sons only by grace and adoption, and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth, yet because a Father to both, and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him, our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner, Joh. 10.17. I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God; Go and tell my Brethren so: The Apostle admireth this, that he was not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb. 2.11. and in this Prayer how wonderful are those expressions, That they all may be one as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation, for he is our Father as well as Christ's, though not in the same manner. From this Argument further observe,  

Doct. Those prayers successful that are put up to God as a Father.  That those Prayers are successful and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father. It's this Title, this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our prayers, Dulce nomen Patris, said he, it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Son to enlarge his affections and hopes; Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying, in respect of that act, for Christ did not need justification for himself, because there was no sin found in him, yet as faith in the general betokens a fiducial dependence on God, and application of his favour, so Christ did with faith call God Father: Thus at other times we see Christ in his prayers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard, and having all his requests granted him, Luke 23.34▪ 46. Joh. 11.41. Joh. 12.27, 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him, our Saviour in that Directory of prayer which he hath left, teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father, and this is the faith we must pray in, else we are sure to be sent away empty. Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7, 11. layeth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this, because he is our Father, an heavenly Father, far above all earthly Fathers; Nemo tam Pater, as one in another case; I need not tell you that God is a Father, either by Creation, in which sense Paul alloweth that of the Poet, We are his Offspring; for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Prayer, for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God; But 2. He is a Father by grace, by adoption, and reconciliation through Christ; This is the relation that sweetens all, This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us; When the Prodigal Son came with this Title in his mouth, Father, 
To open this Consider,  I have sinned, the bowels of the Father immediately moved, and he runneth to meet him, Luk. 15.18.  

1. All by nature are in a state of enmity against God.  First, That every one by nature and through sin is in a state of enmity against God; God is so far from being a Father to such, that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man, so that it is a very rare thing, and few there are who may call God Father; Is God the Father of Drunkards, adulterers, proud and profane persons? It's blasphemy, and an high dishonour to God to think so. No, the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such, Ye âre of your Father the devil, Joh. 8.44. There are many may say, Our Father which art in hell, not which art in heaven; This I would press upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father, when you do the works of the devil; If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table, much more must they only be taken into the Father's bosom; The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth, unless he show his filial fear and obedience. Mal. 1.6. If I be a Father where is mine honour. 1 Pet. 1.15. If ye call on the Father, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; Hence it is resolved by Austin, that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Prayer, because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily; Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man, Thou hopest in thy prayers, and trustest in thy prayers, when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father; He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Son.  

2. The state of Sonship is purchased by Christ.  Secondly, This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ; He shed his precious blood that we might be put into so happy a relation; We that were afar off are made near by him: Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother, the Heir, and we made coheirs with him, so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way, we could not have prayed to him, but had been like the devil in hell, had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us; It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a child; In sorrow she was to bring forth, but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed, and his soul be satisfied. Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be, yea, what murders have been committed by one brother upon another, that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate. but how far was Christ from this, who though only beloved of the Father, and heir to all glory, yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership, well then, This word Father, or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear, even more than to make a world, for there was but a word, here were great sufferings.  
Thirdly, To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto, Gal. 4 6. 
3. We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit of Adoption.  He hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba Father. Although it be easy for a presumptuous self-justifying man to call God Father, yet take the afflicted mourner for sin, who is sensible of the great dishonour he puts upon God, it's the hardest thing in the world to think God is a Father to him, because therefore it is so great a work, God sends his Spirit into our hearts that enableth us to cry boldly, vehemently, and notwithstanding all opposition, Abba, Father; Where then we would use this compellation with power and life, with success and heavenly advantage, there the Spirit of God must inflame the heart, there all our servile fears and tormenting doubts must be removed; Now who but the Spirit of God can command these winds and waves to be still. There are groans and cries, great commotions of spirit ere the soul can be persuaded of God's fatherly love.  
These things premised, 
What frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every child of God.  let us consider in the next place what disposition and frame of heart this compellation (Father) may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God.  
And 1. It cannot but raise up the heart to great confidence and hope to speed; Indeed if we look to ourselves, to our sins, there is nothing but matter of despair, Who can think of himself, and not expect that answer, Depart, I know you not; But then when we consider this gracious relation God putteth upon himself to be a Father, what humbled sinner may then be afraid; O Lord, thou art not only a Lord, a mighty and great God, but a Father also, and upon this Title I plead; Fathers use to lay up for children, if it were an earthly Father, Mat. 7. when the child asketh bread, he would not give him a stone, and thou art an heavenly Father, how long then shall I ask for such consolation, pray against such corruptions, and meet with the contrary, Is not this to give a stone for bread? If then God be a Father, if thou mayst conclude on this, then expect every thing else; Now this is a great sin in the children of God, they do not improve this relation; They do not think with themselves, behold, I am a Father, I am a Mother, will my bowels let me deny my poor children (if afflicted) any thing that I can give them? why then shall I have such low thoughts of God? He that giveth the father bowels, shall not he much more have bowels? If it be thus with a drop, shall it not be much more with the Fountain.  
2. The meditation of this relation will cause fervency and zeal in our Petitions; The more confidence to speed the more earnestness, as on the other side, where there is no hope there is fainting and languishing, he said, Qui timidè rogat docet negare, we may say, Qui tepidè, It's the fervent prayer of a righteous man that prevaileth much, and confidence quickens up to fervency. As men that are pulling any weight, the more they feel it coming, the more earnest they are in pulling. This divine hope puts wings to the soul, addeth legs to its journey; Indeed a bold presumption that God will vouchsafe him the matter of our requests is careless of prayer, because that looketh for the end without the means, but an holy confidence that God will give us the good things we want, but by earnest and fervent prayer, that makes the godly soul more zealous and active, when we are sure our labour is not in vain: As the Apostle encourageth to sufferings, to wait and endure patiently, because in due time they shall receive a recompense, if they faint not, Gal. 6.9. Oh then be afraid of those cold and lukewarm formal duties thou art so often in; These argue no faith, no hope in thee; It's a sign thou dost not much matter or regard the issue of thy Prayers, whether God grant them or not.  
3. This Title in the lively improvement of it will cause a filial reverence and humility, even as the child doth his Father, as you heard; If I be a Father where is my honour? The good ingenious child doth not abuse his Father's kindness, doth not contemn his favours, but consider the great distance that is between him and his Father, that he is never able to satisfy his Father, for Aristotle saith; There cannot be any justice between a father and son, seeing therefore he hath all from him, he is in a reverential fear and honour of his father; Thus it is with those who have the Spitit of Adoption, their fear is accompanied with their confidence; Their boldness and hope doth not degenerate into security and contempt of God, and if at any time they grow wanton under his mercies, then as God is a Father to provide for us, so he is a Father to chasten, as the Scripture speaks often; Do not then give way to thy corruptions, do not eat too much of this honey till thou surfeit, lest God give Physic, lest he chasten thee and seem as if he were no Father, David upon security and other neglects, into what sad darkness is he cast? He knoweth not how to call God, Father, he thinketh on God, and is troubled as he saith, Ps. 77.5. God will deal with thee upon thy rebellion, as David with Absalon, Command thee out of his sight, and this will work upon thee as it did with Absalon, who desired to die rather than to be always under such displeasure; and herein the people of God upon their sins have a greater wound and deeper gash than the wicked have; It's against a Father they have sinned, so merciful and so gracious a Father, this paineth them at the very heart.  
4. The Meditation of this Title will breed tranquillity and quietness of spirit, free from all sinful cares and distrustful thoughts: I have a Father in heaven, and it is not my care, my counsel, my labour, can provide for me, but his goodness merely, Mat. 5.25, 26. Our Saviour doth there at large give heavenly Physic to kill these worms, these moths of cares that are ready to eat into us and devour us, and amongst other helps this is one, Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of; As we see our little Children, then eat and drink, and take no care for their raiment, for their food, but go to their Parents, such a quiet and composed frame of soul would God have all his Children have; If you call me Father, why do ye not commit all to my wisdom, to my love; Can a child order his affairs better for himself then his Father; Is it not well for the child that it is not his wisdom and care but his Father that he must trust to, How quickly would he undo all? Thus may God our heavenly Father say, Cast your care and burden upon me, how quickly would you undo yourselves, ruin yourselves, if all were left to you, your happiness lieth in my wisdom and love to you; Oh what a cheerful quiet heart would the due meditation of this cause in us! It's my Father in heaven that doth all things, that governeth the whole, that dispenseth all things; It's my Father in heaven that giveth life and motion to every thing, and therefore I need not be afraid; Know then that all those gnawing worms of unbelief and fears upon thee, whereby thou makest thyself an hell to thyself, they come from want of this consideration.  
5. This Relation, if rightly considered, will put us upon holiness and an earnest endeavour to resemble and to be like him; A good child loveth to imitate and conform to all those lovely perfections that are in his Father, his endeavour is, that in him his Father may live, even while he is dead; Now the Scripture sets forth God's holiness as our Copy to write after, Be ye holy as I am holy, and that ye may be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, Matth. 5.48. and He that hath this hope, viz. to be a Son of God, purifieth himself even as God is pure; Oh then let those vile and leprous sinners stand aloof off, They call God Father, where is thy Image or likeness of him upon thee; Art thou pure as he is pure, holy as he is holy, Is thy will conformable to his will; To love and delight in those things that God loveth and commands; The Scripture telleth us the godly are born of God, that his Image is restored in them, That they are partakers of the divine nature; Now let every one see upon what grounds he calls God Father, Is it not a mere lie and mockery? Dost thou not delude thy own self? If God be thy Father, wherein art thou like him? Art thou holy as he is? pure as he is? Certainly even in the godly this should raise up their spirits to higher exercise of holiness; They should consider who is their Father, It is for them to show better breeding, then to be proud, passionate, earthly and carnal, They are to be as Ignatius was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that bear God about with them, you may see the resemblance of God in their lives; So then this Title and relation doth not only vouchsafe comfort but engage to much duty; None should be so cheerful, and yet so holy and pure as they are.  
6. This Relation of a Father will put us upon zeal for his glory and honour, a desire to exalt and set him up every where, an holy impatiency to have his Name blasphemed and his commands broken: What child can endure to hear his Father spoken against, to have his name defamed, You see in Christ himself, the zeal of his Father's house did eat him up, he could not endure to see the corruption and defilement of his Father's worship, and thus it is with the Children of God, his honour is dear unto them; To see and hear the wickedness and profaneness of others torments his righteous soul; This is against my Father, I have no patience when you thus dishonour my Father; Oh this is an excellent sign, you look upon God as your Father, when you are thus affected for his glory, for his truth and worship; It's a known story of that dumb Son, that never spoke before, yet when he saw one going to kill his Father, cried out and forbade it; Thou that feelest no anger, or grief within thee when God is dishonoured, do thou doubt of thy childlike disposition.  
Lastly, The Meditation of God as a Father may wonderfully support under all afflictions. They are the corrections of a Father, not the punishments of a Judge, and the Apostle argueth the great reasonableness of bearing God's afflictions, seeing we endure the chastisement of our Fathers according to the flesh, Heb. 12.9, 10. where the Apostle shows that a good child, though chastened by his Father; giveth reverence to him, why then should not we rather obey God, who is the Father of spirits, and that from the end of God, he afflicts for our profit, and we live by these chastisements; Hence it's the devils great temptation to embitter this cup of affliction as much as he can; To let them think God is not their Father, and if he were a Father he would never lay such a load upon them, and all this to stir up impatience and discontent within them: Thus you see what mighty effects this consideration of God as a Father should produce in us,  
In the next place consider, Why this doth so prevail with God. And  
1. Because it's not a bare Title, 
Why the Title Father so much prevails with God.  but accompanied with the real love and bowels of a Father: God is not only called so, but is indeed a Father, yea, a Father above all earthly Fathers, yea, or mothers too, he takes more tenderness upon him then they can have, Isa. 49.15. when Zion sadly complained The Lord had forsaken her, he tells her, Though a woman should forget her sucking child, yet he would not; So then love is infinitely in God, his kindness is like himself beyond all thoughts and expressions, and if among men it be so unnatural for a Father not to love his child, can we think God will not love his? He that hath commanded us to love our enemies, and to forgive them seventy times seven in a day, will not he pardon his Children? Children are part of the Father, and therefore God visiteth the sins of Fathers sometimes upon their Children, because they are as one with the Father, and Christ prayeth that the godly and his Father may be one.  
2. It's for the glory and honour of God to hear them when they pray; What privileges and mercies children have tends to the honour of a Father; Doth it not disgrace a Father, when he is able, and yet letteth his Children be almost famished, and be contemned in filthy rags, Oh we say, he doth not go like such an one's Son, it's a disgrace to his Father, so it is here, should not the people of God be holy, comfortable, heavenly, and accepted of, this would be as if God did not own them.  

Use.  Use of Instruction, Concerning the happy estate of the godly, and the contrary of the wicked; That which is a comforting fire to one is a consuming fire to the other; The godly have always the Sceptre held out to them, They may go to God as a Father and are sure to be heard either ad voluntatem or ad sanitatem; They may say, O Lord, if I did come to thee as an angry Judge, if I did draw nigh to thee as one provoked, as one whose sins made a division between me and thee, than I might be sent comfortless away, but I come to thee as a Father, a relation thou art not ashamed off, and which thou wilt fulfil, though as yet the glory of God is not fully manifested, but as for the wicked what a thunderbolt is this to them, God is not their Father; Though they may call him so a thousand times over, yet he is not, he is thy enemy, thy adversary, what good things thou hast cometh from him as the governor of the world, not as a Father.   

SERMON IV. Of Gods appointing an hour, a set time for the dispensing his Mercies and Judgements, in reference to particular Persons, and his Church and Churches Enemies.  JOH. 17.1. Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, etc. 
THE next Argument in order that is in this full and pithy prayer of Christ, is from the time and seasonableness of the mercy he prayed for, The hour is now come, God is to help now or never; If this opportunity be neglected, all other help will come too late; The word hour hath several significations and applications in the Scripture, sometimes it's taken properly for that measure of time we call an hour; Thus we have the first, the second, and third hour; The learned dispute about the distribution of a day into hours amongst the Jews and the Romans, but I pass it. 2. Hour is used for a short but indefinite time, Joh. 4. you did for a season (for an hour in the Greek) rejoice in his light, 3. It's used for those things that are to be done in that hour or time, it doth not only signify the mensura but the res mensurata, Mar. 14.35. Christ prayed that hour may pass from him, viz. those afflictions and that bitter suffering to be in such a time. 4. Which is a very frequent and the most common use, it signifieth any particular set time, that is, a fit occasion for the doing or suffering any thing; The peculiar time God hath appointed either for doing or suffering by his people is called the hour, and concerning Christ we read of these hours attributed to him; First, There was a peculiar time when he was to begin his Miracles, he lived some years privately ere he manifested himself, though when twelve years old he argued with the Doctors, but as the Tradition is, it was about thirty years of his age ere he undertook a public Ministry, and did miracles; For as for those Miracles in Popish Legends attributed to him while a child, they are nothing but impudent lies: The first Miracle he ever wrought was at Cana in Galilee, Joh. 2.4. where because his Mother was overhasty for him, to do a Miracle he reproveth her, saying, My hour is not yet come; That time was not then come of manifesting himself the Messias, though it was presently after, for he did turn the water into wine immediately. 2. Christ had an hour of suffering and passions, so that all the endeavours to take away his life could not prevail till that time came, yea, and Christ himself before his time came hid himself, and went from place to place to avoid death; whereas when that hour was come, he willingly gave up himself to be a Sacrifice. Joh. 7.30. They sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come, So joh. 8.20. Lastly, There is the hour of his glorification upon his passions and sufferings, and that is meant here, Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son; although indeed this hour may comprehend both his Sufferings and his glory.  
Doct. That God in his wisdom doth appoint times and seasons both of his children's afflictions and their mercies: They fall not out by chance, 
Doct. That God doth appoint times and seasons for his great works.  they come not at unawares, but God hath decreed the particular times and seasons, before which they cannot come, and in which time they are sure to come: The time of Israel's Captivity was seventy years, Though all the godly on earth had prayed to God, there would not have been a shortening of that time; Again, when those years were expired, all the power in the world could not stop or hinder their deliverance; Their very enemies procure it for them; Therefore that of the Psalmist is very pertinent, Psa. 102.13. The time to favour her, yea, the set time is come: Hence you have in the Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, the determinate fixed times for the great troubles and great deliverances of the Church, though expressed obscurely; A time and half time, as also so many days putting days for years.  
Let us first consider this as relating to Christ; and observe the special times and hours God had appointed concerning him, 
I. In relation to Christ.  and then treat of it more generally.  
And 1. The time of Christ's coming into the world was wholly determined by God's wisdom and his good pleasure; Why Christ did not come sooner or later, who is able to give any other reason but the good pleasure of God? Hence it's called Rom. 5.6. a due time, and Gal. 4 6. the fullness of time. There was no such convenient time as that appointed by God, and it's observed as one reason, that then Christ came rather than at another time, because the devil's power was so great over men; We never read in any age of so many possessed by devils as was while Christ abode upon the earth; If therefore the wise man observe a time appointed by God for every work and purpose under heaven, then must this much more be true concerning that great and masterpiece of all God's works: The sending his Son into the world, our Saviour judged it a blessed thing to live in those days, and see those times wherein Christ lived, doing the work of a Redeemer, Luk. 10.23, 24. It was Augustine's desire to have seen Christ in the Flesh, but though it was so happy a thing to have seen these things, therefore Simeon desired to depart as having happiness enough when he had seen Christ the salvation of Israel, yet unless also they did behold him with the eye of faith at the same time, they are so far from being the more happy, that they were the more miserable, as appeareth by what is said to Chorazin and Bethsatha.  
2. To take up what was hinted before, There was an hour and time for Christ's discharging the work of a Prophet, and doing such Miracles as might confirm him to be a Messias, as you heard, Joh. 2.4. and certainly in that Christ did not before publish himself to the world, but stayed till Gods call came, till the time appointed by him; This should teach all, especially those that undertake a public Ministry to follow his example in humility and modesty; Christ himself though endowed with all wisdom took not his own time, but God's time; and Paul would not have a novice taken into the Ministry, lest he should be puffed up with pride and fall into condemnation of the devil; 1 Tim. 3.6. We may justly wonder what Christ did all that time, as some have; What God did before he made the world, and although the Papists have feigned many things yet we must conclude he lived a private life, following the trade and profession of his Father, which made them say, Is not this the Carpenter's Son? Mar. 6.5. And it's good to observe how diligent our Saviour was, while he had this hour to work, I must work while I have day, the night cometh and none can work, Joh. 9 4. Thus we should be like Bees gathering honey, while we have the Spring; get Manna in the morning while it falleth.  
3. The third hour of Christ was the time of his sufferings, concerning which he often said, My hour is not yet come, and when it was come, he most readily yielded himself; Now in this hour many things are observable, as  
1. That all the power and policy that his enemies did use were not able to prevail over him till his hour came: Though he preached every day, and went up and down doing good, by all which his enemies were the more provoked against him, yet they were not able to take an hair from him, and how observable is that when some bid him depart, for Herod would kill him, Go saith he, and tell that fox, behold I do miracles, to day, and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected; Nevertheless I must work to day and to morrow: The meaning is, that maugre all his malice and power▪ yet he should do his work, and be preserved till his hour did come, so that all endeavours, all counsels are frustrated which meet not with God's appointed time, only Christ knew when his hour was, which God keepeth sometimes secret from his people. Again  
2. Observe the wisdom and prudence of Christ when danger was come, because than it was not his hour; Sometimes he departed secretly, and went from place to place to avoid the malice of his enemies, yea, his father and mother fled with him while a child to escape death, This teacheth us, That it is our duty to preserve ourselves from ruin, when we have not a call or obligation thereunto; So the Prophets in Jezabels' time were hid by many in a cave, and those Noble Worthies recorded by the Apostle that fled and hid themselves in caves and mountains, they are said to do it by faith; It was not sinful fear but faith, so that we are diligently to consider when it is our call, our duty, when God requireth of us, as the time and hour of our affliction, that we must lose all for him, and in this we must not consult with flesh and blood; for that saith as Peter to Christ, Master, save thyself, who had that severe Rebuke, Get there behind me Satan. Then on the other side, when the time of Christ's sufferings did come, every thing brought it about; A Judas, a Disciple of his own he betrayeth him, and all his adversaries do easily insult over him, and then he doth not as before depart out of the way, no, but though be knew he was to suffer at Jerusalem, yet he set his face to go thither, and though he could have commanded Legions of Angels to have rescued him, and we read that those who come to surprise him fell down immediately being stricken with his Majesty, yet he will not deliver himself; No, though his enemies did with so much scorn bid him save himself, which teacheth us, that when the hour of our afflictions is come, when God manifestly discovers it must be the time of our trouble, that then we do with all patience and cheerfulness resign ourselves into his hands.  
And thus much as it relates to Christ, 
II. Gods other dispensations.  Now let us consider of it in the general, and we shall see how God hath hours and times either of anger, or mercy in the world.  
As 1. 
1. A time is set for the Reformation of his Church.  When the Church of God hath been greatly corrupted by all manner of vice and idolatry, so that there hath been an unclean Leprosy over the whole body, God oath appointed an hour, a time for its Reformation and purity, which shall certainly take effect, though all the world oppose it. Men can no more hinder it then the Sun from breaking out of the Cloud, and oh how happy is it when such a time comes, how wonderfully are m●ns hearts prepared to forsake all their former Idolatry and profaneness? This you have notably Joh. 4.23. Our Saviour tells that ignorant superstitious woman, The hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: This was in Christ's time, he came as Malachy cap. 3. prophesied, to refine the Sons of Levi, and to be like the Fuller's Soap: This was so terrible as that the Prophet crieth out, Who may abide the day of his coming? It was to the Pharisees and chief Priests as terrible as the day of Judgement: Well, though Christ goeth about to take away all that admired will-worship, which was then exalted; and this was so contrary to men's inclination and education, yet the hour cometh that they shall worship him in spirit and in truth: Thus it was at the first Reformation out of Popery, when Luther, though but one unarmed man, and a despicable Monk by his profession, set himself against the torrent of all that Idolatry and corruption which reigned in Popery: Was it not as ridiculous as if a man had set his shoulder to some huge Mountain, thinking to remove it? It was so in all men's account, and therefore when Luther opened his Counsels to one great Doctor, who did not approve of the Romish courses, yet he bid him go into his Cell, and say, Lord have mercy upon us: As if the case were desperate; Now although it was thus unlikely, yet we see how truth and purity did break forth to all men's amazement, and which aggravateth this, There had been many before Luther's time who witnessed against the practices and doctrines of the Church of Rome, yet still they were vanquished till Luther came, and then no water could quench this fire; Now why was all this God's power was as able to go along with john hus or Jerome of Prague as well as Luther? but now was God's hour, now was his appointed time: Thus till God's time came for the removing of all the Jewish Rites, they lay like that stone upon the Sepulchre, that the woman could not remove, yea, neither men or Angels could remove, and therefore it's called the time of Reformation, Heb. 9.10,  
2. God in his just judgement lets wicked men have their hour: 
2. God lets wicked men have their time.  That is an opportunity of expressing all their wickedness and impiety, so that you would think God took no notice of the things done in the world, and was as some Philosophers profanely thought included within the circles of the heaven, and had given the earth to the Sons of men to do what they would: This our Saviour told his enemies, who consulted and practised against him, Luk. 22.53. This is your hour and power of darkness; Thus in the Revelation we see that Satan was let loose for many years, and then he was bound up for many years, which denoteth that God by his just permission did suffer Satan and his Instruments to prevail in the world; And when this hour of darkness is, all the prayers and all the tears of the godly shall not prevail till his time of deliverance come; And this we may find even from the beginning of the world, since there was an Abel and a Cain, that God lets some wicked men have their hour, a power and season to act their impieties, and yet God's ways were always just, when the causes were hid from us.  

3. A set time for judgement.  3. God hath appointed an hour or time for judgement to judge the whole world: To call all men to their accounts, that the counsels and thoughts of all men's hearts may be made manifest. This is an hour, a day, a set time, that the word of God doth often speak of, pressing every one to watch and pray lest it take us in our sins, Luk. 12, 12, 39, 49. etc. how large and admirable is our Saviour in telling us such an hour is coming, and that it will come unawares, and that if any man knew at what hour of the night a Thief would come to rob and spoil, he would watch and prepare, how much rather now when this time is uncertain, and the matter is of such everlasting consequence, should we tremble and look to ourselves? and for this end God hath left the knowledge of that day and hour secret from men and Angels, that every one might prepare themselves: Oh how little do men think of this hour, our Saviour saith it will come upon most men, as the deluge did to those that were eating, drinking, and making merry, or as a Snare to the Bird which is taken, while she is skipping and hopping up and down. Look we then to ourselves, Art thou in such a condition, hast thou so repent of thy sins and made thy peace with God, that if this hour were to come immediately thou couldst think of it with joy, and go out with lamp and oil enough to meet the Bridegroom?  

4. The hour of every man's death is set.  4. God hath for every particular man appointed the time and hour of his death; When that fatal moment cometh, no ransom can be given; No art nor skill can prolong it; I confess this hath been greatly disputed, whether a term be prefixed by God to every man's life, beyond which he cannot go, but they must needs hold many absurdities, that will tend grossly to the dishonour of God, if it should be granted that our days are not appointed by God in this world, and the Scripture doth unquestionably assert it, Job 4.5. His days are determined, the number of his months are with the●, thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot pass; This place is so clear that I need not mention more, and whereas the Scripture saith, Wicked men shall not live out half their days, that is, in respect of second causes, for they might if we do regard nature have lived long, but God for their wickedness removeth them away, and whereas the Prophet told Hezekiah that ●e must die, yet upon his prayer, fifteen years are added; That was but a conditional thre●●ni●g, neither were those fifteen years added to God's decree, but in regard of Hezekiahs' expectation, who upon the Prophet's words looked for no other but present death; Neither doth this doctrine bring a Stoical necessity, as if we need not eat or drink, for God hath appointed the means as well as the end; Even as Paul told those in the Ship, Act. 27.31. with him, that none of them should die, 
5. There is a remarkable set time of grace wherein God may be found.  yet he bids them use the means, and some got planks and boards to get to the haven; We should not make such captious conclusions but with fear and patience, expect till this hour come.  
5. The Scripture speaks of a remarkable set time of grace, There is a time whilst God may be found; There is a time wherein he holds out the Sceptre of grace: The Fountain runneth, and there is an Ho, to every one that thirsteth, to come and drink freely of it, 2 Cor. 6.2. Behold, now is the accepted time, speaking of that season of grace God vouchsafed them, and Heb. 4. To day, if you will hear harden not your hearts: Hence Luk. 19.44. Christ doth so bitterly bewail Jerusalem, Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day, and that thou hadst known the time of thy visitation: This hour is of great consequence, Jerusalem had her hour, all the several Churches of Asia had their hours, England, Sutton, every place where the Gospel is preached, they have their hour: Oh that then you would learn of the Ant, that gathereth her meat in the Summer time, While you have the day of grace be busy in praying, hearing, meditating, and treasuring up the things that belong to your salvation; When the night cometh upon thee thou canst not work, and it's but a day of grace that hastens away, neither canst thou with Joshua bid this Sun stand still; Oh the bitterness and terror of soul that will be upon thee when thou shalt see this hour passed away, and thou hast got no good; There is a set time for grace, and our Saviour he threatens to remove the Candlestick when men walk unworthy of the light, Rev. 13.11, 12. The Apostle presseth this consideration.  
Lastly, God hath appointed for his Church a set time of afflictions and troubles, 
6. The times of the Church's troubles and deliverances are set.  as also an appointed time of salvation and deliverance, which made Job say, that affliction riseth not out of the dust, and the Psalmist, Promotion cometh not from the East or West, Psa. 65.6. As there are times of snow and rain, of winter and hard weather, so there are of calamities and exercises of the Church of God, Jer. 30.7. This is the time of jacob's trouble. Rev. 3.10. It's called the hour of temptation, Rev. 2.10. Fear none of these things, thou shalt suffer, for the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall have tribulation ten days, that is, a set, appointed, but a short time: Thus you see God in his wisdom doth appoint a dark black hour sometimes for his people, and then afterwards he hath the time of their deliverance; The time to favour her, the set time is come, as Christ had the hour to suffer in, so he had the hour to be glorified in; So that by all these particulars concerning Christ, or the Church, or every believer, you see there is no such thing as blind Fortune, or chance, nor is it according to the counsels and purposes of men, but the great God of heaven he appoints the hours and seasons for all things, and they fall out accordingly.  
Use of Admonition, Are the times and hours for all things appointed by God, and they may be divided either into the hours of his anger, 
Use.  or the hours of his mercy, then labour we for the graces suitable to such hours; In the hours of anger set upon these duties.  
1. Humble and debase thyself in these days; It's a time wherein God calls for mourning and weeping; As God doth every thing beautiful in his season, so let thy graces be beautiful in season, God complaineth that when he looked for mourning and sackcloth, there was jollity and carnal mirth.  
2. Under this dark hour be patient and submitting to God, be not overhasty before God's hour cometh; We read in the Scripture that the more extreme and desperate his people's case was, the greater was their hour of deliverance, Hab. 1. speaks much to this.  
3. The hour of God's anger is far shorter than the hour of his mercy, The night is not so long as the day, Isa 54.7, 8. and Mat. 24. Christ speaking of the calamity which should fall on the Jews, he saith, For the Elects sake those days shall he shortened, the meaning is, that whereas those public calamities might have been greatly prolonged, if we regard second causes, God out of compassion to his people did shorten them.  
Secondly, Are they the hours of grace and God's mercy, than 1. Be thankful to him, he might make it always a day of blasphemy, of reproach, and rebuke unto thee, but he causeth a comfortable day to shine upon thee, but  
2. Do thou improve the day of grace and God's mercy, Oh say, this is God's hour, this is mine hour, what I will do for my soul, what I will lay up for Eternity must be now done or never; Oh remember it's but an hour, but a day, and this will quickly pass away: In what despair and torment will many wish for these hours again.   

SERMON V. Of the Nature and Manifestations of that Glory which Christ prayed for, and is invested with; And how comfortable it is to all his Members,  JOH. 17.1. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. 
WE take the words as they lie in order, The two former Arguments to enforce Christ's Petition have been dispatched, We come now to the Petition itself, Glorify thy Son, and here it will be at first objected, How Christ who is also God can be glorified: It may seem that he can no more need glory being the fountain of it, than the Sun light, or the Sea water.  

How Christ who is God can be glorified.  To open this, Consider,  
First, That to glorify is taken two ways in the Scripture.  
1, By any testimony of words, or otherwise to acknowledge the greatness and honour of another, and in this sense only are we said to glorify God, for we cannot indeed add any thing to his glory, he is essentially glorious, though there bade never been any creature to acknowledge it, only we manifest and celebrate that glory which God had before, Thus gloria is said to be clara notitia.  
2. To glorify is by real exhibition and vouchsafing of honour and glory to those who had it not already, and thus God glorifieth us, Whom he justifieth, he glorifieth, Rom. 8. 1 Joh. 2. Those that honour me, viz. by declaration or manifestation, God will honour by real exhibition; Now if we look on Christ as God, having the same honour with him, then when he prayeth God would glorify him, it must be only in manifestation, That whereas he had been in outward appearance the meanest of men, now God would manifest that he was the natural Son of God, But this is not all.  
In the next place, we may say Christ hath a twofold glory.  
1. That which was essential and eternal, which he had from the beginning with God, for being God he could not really be divested of that glory.  
2. There is his Mediatory glory; That which he hath not as God but as Mediator; This God bestowed upon him after he had been in the state of humiliation, for after all that debasement and misery he willingly undertook, God did exalt him to glory, and gave him a name above all principalities and powers: yea, giving all power in heaven and earth to him; The government of the whole Church, and a command over all Ordinances and duties therein, to bless and give success to them, of which the Scripture speaketh often.  
3. It hath been greatly disputed, 
Whether Christ did merit glory for himself.  Whether this glory and exaltation was by Christ truly merited at God's hands, whether from his sufferings he merited at God's hand all that glory he speaks of; All confess he did not merit to himself the hypostatical Union nor his habitual grace, or the happiness of his soul, because no merit could precede these, only this is disputed, Whether all that honour and glory which accrued to him after his birth, and before and after his death, he did truly merit at God's hand by his active and passive obedience: Some not only of the Papists but of the Orthodox, as Zanchy, contend he did truly merit this, though here he prayeth for it; Others as resolutely deny it, because Christ had no respect to him, but to us only in this work of redemption; Others think it is but rashness and curiosity to busy ourselves in the Point; but I have spoken to this more fully in the doctrine of Justification, and shall ere we come to the end of this Chapter more particularly consider the Socinian errors in this Point. This is plain, the Scripture affirmeth God hath appointed such an order, that first he must suffer, and then enter into glory, as Phil. 2.8. Luk 24.26. Rom. 5.9▪ Here is an order, but whether it be of mere antecedency, or causality and merit, that is not expressly said, I shall not trouble you in it, it's enough, that we see God did answer this Petition he prayeth for, and that in every respect to the highest degree, Father, glorify thy Son.  
Obs. 
Doct. It was the holy and wise will of God to glorify Christ.  That it was the holy and wise will of God the Father to exalt and glorify Christ. God's great purpose from all Eternity was to give honour and glory to Christ: Indeed Christ while he was here on the earth, had some beamlings of this glory, some irradiations now and then, Joh. 12.28. Therefore the Father told Christ he had both glorified his Name, and would glorify it; Gods purpose to glorify Christ was above that purpose to glorify men, for they are but members, and he is the head▪ yea, some say, this design to glorify Christ is so immutable and absolutely intended by God, that though man had not fallen, yet they say Christ would have been incarnated and exalted by the Father: But if we consult with Scripture we have no other reason there assigned of Christ's coming into the flesh, but of saving sinners: Now lest it should be thought that while we preach of Christ's glory, 
Christ's being invested with glory redounds to the advantage of his members.  this is nothing to us, and what comfort or profit is that to us, to hear that Christ in his own person is invested with such glory, you must know that this redounds to our profit and advantage much every way; For  
1. Christ's glorification is a plain demonstration of his Conquest over all our Enemies; For had death and the grave, or the Prince of this world been prevailing over him still, he could not have been glorified, 
1. It's a demonstration of his conquest over all our enemies  and so that would have been true, he did not save himself, and therefore could not save others; Therefore it's a most comfortable saying, and worthy of all acceptation, to hear that Christ is glorified, for this proclaimeth to all, that no enemy could have any power over him, that all our adversaries are vanquished; That our David hath killed the Goliath, so then hear this Truth with comfort, with attention, it concerneth all the godly; It's blessed news to hear Christ is glorified, for then thy sins, thy guilt, thy death, and every thing thou fearest is conquered; If any of these do accuse thee, say, if a discharge had not been fully made, how could Christ be glorified?  

2. Because of rhat near relation that is between us.  2. It makes much to our eomfort, because of that near relation which is between us so miserable and afflicted here, and Christ our head now glorified: What can be a greater cordial, then in the midst of all those exercises and trials and reproaches the people of God are debased with, then to think they have a glorified head in heaven? Though they be contemptible, he is not: This is but a conformity to him in his sufferings, that we may also resemble him in glory.  

3. His glorification a cause of ours.  3. It is much to our comfort and advantage to hear of this, because his glorification is a sure and effectual cause of ours, so that our hearts may greatly rejoice at this truth; For as the Apostle argueth from Christ's Resurrection, If he be risen then shall we also certainly rise; So doth the Argument unavoidably follow, if Christ be glorified then shall we also be glorified with him; so that when those innumerable Objections do arise, how shall these vile bodies ever be made glorious? How shall these corrupt and weak souls ever be made happy and blessed? The answer is easy, What is already done to Christ glorified, will in time be fulfilled to us; Death and the grave had no dominion over him, no more shall it have over us: Hence it is that the Scripture saith, We are already set down with Christ in heavenly places, Eph. 2.6. because he is our head; Fear not then, such a glorified head will not forget his members: He said, He went to provide a mansion place, Joh. 14.2. It cannot then be but that Christ will set you on Thrones of his glory as well as he himself is set; So that this doctrine is wholly for thy comfort.  

4. In his glorified estate he is pleading for us  4. It may much rejoice us to hear that Christ is glorified, because in this state of glorification he is mindful of us and pleading for us; So that howsoever the greatest parts or effects of our mediation were seen in the time of his humiliation by his life and his death; The Scripture attributeth all the mercies we do enjoy, yet since he ascended into heaven, and is partaker of all this power, he maketh intercession for us, his daily will is that the privileges he purchased should be applied to us; He daily acts as a King subduing our lusts, conquering our corruptions, applying his comforts and consolations to his people; Well then, Christ is glorified not for himself only, neither is he exalted for his own honour merely, but it is for our glory as well as his, for our honour as well as his; As Joseph was lifted up in Pharaohs Court, not for himself merely, but for his brethren to succour them in their necessities; And as the glorious effects of the Sun are not so much for itself as for us the Creatures below; oh than let thy soul cast off all unbelief and trouble when it heareth of Christ glorified, for in all this glory he doth not forget thee, he is not ashamed of thee.  

5. It encourageth us to lift up our hearts to heaven.  Lastly, This advantage the soul may make of this Truth, thereby to lift up our hearts to heaven, and to desire to be there where our glorified head is; Thus the Apostle he longs to depart to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. and the Church longs for and hastens the coming of Christ, from whence we look for Christ, saith the Apostle, Phil. 3.21. Who shall change our vile bodies into his glorious body. Oh this should make us draw off all our affections and desires from other things, Christ glorified should be the loadstone, we should not be at ease or quietness till we come to him, which made Austin say, That as there were some men who needed patience to die, so there were others, who needed patience to live, for the love and desire after Christ did so burn in their hearts, that having tasted of this honey, they judged every thing else gall and wormwood, so that this Truth may be like fire burning in our bones.  
In the next place let us consider the nature of this glory, 
The nature of this glory which Christ prayed for. There were three degrees to it.  which Christ prayed for.  
And 1. There were three degrees to it.  
The first and immediate beginning of this glory, was upon his Resurrection: After the black and dismal clouds this Sun had been in, the first glory of it began to appear in its Resurrection from the grave: By this he was conqueror of death and the grave; By this he judged the Prince of the world; Till this was, in all men's thoughts Christ seemed to be overcome, in all appearance he was now brought under the power and command of death and Satan. He was judged weak till this power discovered itself, and this resurrection being not only by the Father's power but his own. He being the Samson that broke the bars and bonds of death, it was thereby made manifest to all the world, that he was the Son of God; Resurrection is such an impossible thing to humane reason, and so incredible, that Paul was cried down, for a vain babbler, Act. 17.18. in promulging such doctrine, and only in the Church of God, Was ever such a thing heard of? But this Resurrection was remarkable in Christ who not only raised himself from the dead, but also caused many others to rise with him, here was the first degree of his glory.  
2. The second degree was his ascension into heaven, and this did exceed his Resurrection, for though he was risen, yet he conversed with his disciples, did eat and drink with them occasionally, so that he was to partake of greater and fuller glory, when he ascended into heaven. This Ascension of his into Heaven was great matter of wonderment and astonishment to his Disciples; They all stood admiring when he was carried up thither, Act. 1.  
3. The last and chiefest degree of this glory, was sitting down at the right hand of God; By which expression is meant that great and wonderful honour which God put upon him, he sitteth at the right hand, that demonstrateth a full and complete victory over all his enemies, and a quiet possession of this glory: In these three things lieth all the glory Christ prayeth for, Resurrection, Ascension, and sitting down at God's right hand, all which immediately followed his passions and sufferings, and God had appointed such an order, that one must be before the other, and such a way God also doth take with his people: They must have a Crown of thorns before they have a Crown of glory.  
In the third place let us consider some of the most eminent and chiefest particulars, wherein this glory of Christ doth manifest itself. 
Wherein this glory of Christ doth consist.   
And 1. It lieth in that spiritual command and authority which he hath in his Church; This is expressed when he saith, All power is given to me in heaven and earth, therefore go make disciples, and baptise. Here you see the Institution of Sacraments is founded upon that power given to Christ, and from this it is Eph. 4, That upon his Ascension, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men: By this power the Church of God is like Solomon's Queen richly attired in all curious needlework; It's from this glory of Christ's that he putteth such glory on the Church, so that for all the Ordinances and dispensations thereof, for all the success and benefit to be reaped by them, We are to look up to Christ, hereupon we say, that to bring any other doctrine, any other Sacrament or worship then Christ hath appointed, is a capital crime; It's to invade the Jura regalia, which Christ hath obtained of God, and therefore to despise the Ordinances, the gifts, the Ministry that Christ hath appointed in his Church, is to neglect and contemn a great part of that glory God put on Christ for this end Col. 3. You have the Apostle running out into such full and large expressions concerning Christ, making him the head of the Church, in whom God hath put all fullness, that he is to have the pre-eminence in all things; Let us not then despise but magnify all the Ordinances, Offices, and gifts Christ hath appointed, for when he ascended in his triumph to heaven, he scattered these gifts as great Emperors do use to do large bounties to their people, and they are for heavenly and spiritual advantages, All power he hath is to bless, to convert. to comfort, to sanctify every Ordinance about which we are employed.  
2. Another particular of his glory, is to make all things subject to him; whatsoever dignities or principalities there are, that all should acknowledge and bow to him; This is the Sun to which all the Stars do their obeisance; This is the name that God gave him above all Names, that every knee, every creature should submit to him, Phil. 2. By name is not meant bowing the knee at the name of it, that was never heard of till many years after Christ in the Church, but by name according to Scripture custom is meant Christ himself; Even as the Name of God is God himself, glorious, manifested, believed on, and every way exalted; Now this subjection all give to him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is twofold, in some it is voluntary and willing, Psa. 110. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Christ doth by his glorious power change and alter their natures, whereby they are full of love and cheerfulness in taking him to be their Lord and King; They do readily obey his commands, so that the glory of Christ is magnified by all his Children; But then there is a necessitated and forced submission, such whom he is said to rule with a rod of iron, and the devils who are under the earth, they by constraint submit unto him.  
3. This glory vouchsafed unto Christ is, that all things should be done in his Name; All Church-meetings, all Church-censures, all Church-duties, should be wholly performed in and by him; Thus for prayer, whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, Joh. 14.13. For Church-meetings, when two or three are gathered together in my Name, Mat. 18.20. For Church-censures, When you are met together in Christ's Name to deliver such an one to Satan, 1 Cor. 5. Thus the glory of Christ is wonderfully magnified in the Assembly of the Saints, for every thing that is due is accepted of in Christ's Name; No prayer is received but in Christ's Name, no performance hath its due effect, but in Christ's Name; This heavenly and holy Court is kept in Christ's Name only; We are to preach in his Name, we baptise in his Name, all things have their success and efficacy, as they come out in his Name; Thus (beloved) you see that all our thoughts and desires should be to glorify Christ, If it be the Father's will to glorify him, it should be ours much more.  
4. This glory given to Christ will be wonderfully expressed in the day of judgement, for 1. than he shall make known his power and majesty to all the world; what glorious descriptions have we in the Scripture of Christ coming to judge? with what terror and trembling to all beholders? what great alterations and changes will be upon the whole world? What a glorious train of Angels accompanying him? never was such a sight seen, No words can express it; Now all this is to be managed by the Son. The Fathar hath given all judgement to him, and he hath appointed to judge the world by that man Christ Jesus, Act. 17.21. Howsoever than while he was in the flesh, he was judged by others, he was as a worm and no man, yet then a great alteration will be made; He that was a Lamb shall then be like a roaring Lion; The day of Judgement is the greatest day that ever was or shall be, called therefore the day and that day, and the day of the Lord, and the judgement of all things and persons in the world is given to Christ the Son of God, and this tends to his exceeding great glory, for then his friends and loyal Subjects shall receive their full and final reward, and then his stubborn and obstinate enemies shall receive their complete punishments, all the honour Ahashuerus could put on his favourites was nothing to this spiritual and heavenly glory, which the Father will put on the Son, for it is a spiritual glory, that was a temporal in earthly things only; There are those who would make the kingdom and glory of Christ to be in a great manner temporal, and consisting in a Monarchy here on earth, but as Christ's Priesthood was wholly spiritual, so also is his kingly glory, for as he hath made the godly Kings and Priests only in a spiritual sense, thus was he also; Here then is work for the eyes of Faith, Come with the Queen of Sheba to see all the glory Christ hath, not with a bodily eye, but an eye of faith, and thy admiration will be greater than hers was.  
2. This glory is eternal, not like the glory of the world, which the devil showed in a moment, it quickly passed away, but this will abide for ever; not but that Christ shall at last give up this Kingdom into his Father's hands again; He shall no more discharge the acts of an Advocate or Intercessor for us in heaven, only the glory of this shall always continue; It shall to all Eternity be recorded, that he was the Mediator; That he is the Saviour who hath brought us to life and immortality; Thus to all eternity the tongue of all the Saints shall be employed in celebrating this glory.  
Use of Instruction, Is Christ thus glorified by the Father? then take this as a sure pledge of thy glorification in time; It cannot be that he should have glory alone himself; No, in this prayer he saith, Father, I will, that they be where I am; Oh let this comfort and animate thee, my glorified head is in heaven, and will in time make a glorified member suitable to him.  
2. Is it God's purpose to glorify the Son? then let us also glorify him, our hour is continual, we have occasion every day, we glorify him.  
1. By blessing and praising God for him, God never did so much for us, as when he gave Christ.  
2. We glorify him when we live to him, when we wholly set up Christ, give him the glory of all the comfort and grace we do partake of.  
3. We glorify him when we can part with and leave all things for his sake, when we can say, All things are but dross in comparison of him.   

SERMON VI Of Heavenly mindedness, Showing that we should seek both Earthy and Heavenly blessings, chiefly for this end, viz. That God may be glorified.  JOH. 17.1. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee, 
THE next thing in order is the last Argument or motive Christ useth in this Prayer, for Glory, and that is, the end and motive why he desireth it, which is altogether pure and sincere: He desireth it not for himself, or in reference merely to his own advantage, but thereby to glorify God; O admirable example of modesty and humility! He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet as Mediator challengeth nothing for himself ultimately: He that in other places is called Alpha and Omega, now denieth that prerogative, and giveth it solely to God his Father, so truly did he say, Nulla Creatura humilior Deo, that is, Christ, you see then this Sun of Righteousness making himself like one of the inferior Stars, borrowing all light, and returning the same again to God, and certainly if Christ himself as Mediator will not take to himself the glory due to God, than this will highly condemn all that arrogance in man, who shall desire any earthly or heavenly advantages merely for his own sake; That shall desire riches, honours greatness, or heaven itself, for any other end but to glorify God thereby: It's not the much eating but the good digesting that gives health, and it's not the possessing of great abundance but the wise improving of all for God's glory that makes happy, so then this example of Christ shall be considered by us as an argument a majori ad minus; That if Christ prayed for all that heavenly and transcendent glory principally to glorify God thereby, and did not chiefly aim at himself, then how much more should man desire either heavenly or earthly glory, not so much that it is his own good, as that thereby it will be instrumental to God's glory? and hence observe.  

Doct. We should desire comforts and advantages chiefly that God may be glorified.  That as Christ so much more all men, are to pray for and desire any comfort or advantages, not so much for themselves as that thereby God may be glorified. that as Christ said, Joh. 8 50. I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me, so every one should say, If God make me rich▪ great in this world, I do not regard these things as my advantages, but as opportunities to glorify God; It's a Rule in Logic, Media non sunt appetenda propter se sed propter finem, and appetitus finis est infinitus, the desire of the end is infinite, but of the means is only finite and limited; Thus not only all our earthly comforts here below, but all that eternal glory and happiness which we shall have in heaven is but a medium to promote the glory of God, and although the salvation of our souls be in some sense the end of a man, yet even this end hath a further end, the glory and honour of God, of which we are to say as the people of David, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, so is the glory and honour of God of more worth than the salvation of all men's souls; But that you may all feel power coming out from this doctrine to your souls, let us consider the truth of it in Christ briefly, and then more largely how it is to be fulfilled in us.  
And first For Christ, Consider his two states, the state of his humiliation, 
I. Christ did so  and his exaltation, for this Sun of Righteousness had his setting as well as his rising, and if God be said to humble himself to look on the Children of men, 
1. In his humiliation.  Psa. 113.6. how much more than to become a child of man; This humiliation of Christ the Apostle expresseth by an emphatical word, Phil. 2.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Though he was equal with God, yet he laid aside all the glorious manifestation and appearance of this, and was of no reputation; This humiliation expressed itself two ways, in his active obedience and passive, in both which he still referred all to God's glory; Though he be called Heb. 1▪ 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The brightness of God's glory, yet by his humiliation, he is said to have no comeliness on him, a worm and no man: For his active obedience subjecting himself to the Law of God, teaching and declaring Gods will to all men, and revealing the truth of God from the bosom of his Father, He in all this professeth, Joh. 8.50. He sought not his own glory but the glory of his Father; If you ask him why he was born, why he was baptised, why he did fulfil all righteousness, he would say, for the glory of his Father; Oh but in all our religious duties how much vainglory doth infect and rotten them! That is the Pirate which doth intercept the golden Fleet of our prayers, that they return not again fraughted with good things for us, yea, that is remarkable, Heb. 5.5. Christ is there said not to glorify himself, he did not undertake that office of a spiritual Priest till he was called by God, he glorified not himself; And as for his passive obedience, all those sufferings and ignominious reproaches which he did undergo, it was only thereby to glorify the wisdom and goodness and infinite love of God to man, which made the Apostle call Christ crucified, the power and wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24, 25. Joh. 13.31. There we have Christ's glorifying of God, and Gods glorifying of Christ both put together;. When Judas was gone out to accomplish Christ's death, Now (saith he) the Son of man is glorified and God is in him: Christ's sufferings were his glory, and God's glory, and then mark the connexion, If God be glorified by him God will glorify him again, he shall be no loser, and that in himself, Oh how admirable and different is that glory which God himself giveth from that which either Men or Angels can bestow! so than we see all the end of Christ's humiliation, both in his active and passive obedience, was to glorify God.  
There remaineth the second part of Christ's state, which is his Exaltation, 
2. In his exaltation.  and in that we shall find all the glory and honour he had did not stay in him, but was carried out further to God the Father, This glory he prayed for, God bestowed it on him, yet so that at the last he shall deliver up the Kingdom unto his Father, that so God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.28. Not but that all honour and glory shall be given by the Saints in heaven to all Eternity to the Son, only it shall be to him as the meritorious and procuring cause, 
II. Much more should all men be affected more with God's glory then their own good.  whereby we are brought to enjoy the Father.  
Having thus considered Christ's intentions in all his works, that the Sun cannot be free● from spots, than his holy will was from all oblique and sinister respects, Let us consider man, who being a mere creature, having all both in being and continuation from God, as the beams from the Sun, and the streams from the Fountain, it lieth as unavoidable upon him to be affected more with God's glory then his own good: This is a very hard task to flesh and blood, but self-love and de-ordination of the faculties of the soul hath made it thus difficult.  

The goods of a godly man.  Now we may divide the good of a godly man into two sorts, Either that in heaven, 
1. Heavenly.  his treasure laid up there in the upper Region, Or all the good he can have in this life in the lower Region; And of both these we commit a kind of horrible Idolatry, when we desire them upon any other terms then in tendency to God▪ If it be so great a sin to alter the bounds and change the Landmarks which the Laws of a Nation have set, how much more to break that good and excellent order which God hath appointed between him and the creature? Let us consider the first kind of a godly man's good, his eternal felicity and salvation; even this glory he is to desire in subordination to God's glory; For if Paul could make a conditionate wish and veleity, that he might be accursed from Christ, Rom. 9.3. to serve his brethren; how much rather might this be done for the glory of God? yet take heed of a mistake here; some have gone so far as to say, that a godly man is never truly humbled till he can be willing to be damned for God's glory, and that it's unlawful to look at the reward in heaven; This is dangerous as well as false, for it's not lawful but a duty to seek our salvation, Rom. 2.7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour and glory, and Moses is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to have a fixed earnest eye upon the reward, Heb. 11.26. So that it's a Speech full of vanity, and no man can speak it truly, that he is willing to be damned for God's glory, for such a thing cannot be, and our salvation we are bound to desire, so that we must take heed lest by overmuch wring a good truth we make blood come out, instead of milk; yet though this be so, it's no contradiction to say, that a godly man hath such an holy principle within him that would carry him out to the obedience of God, though there were no heaven, and that the glory and honour of God is his principal end, that it's dearer to him then his own soul, and truly if we see in nature God hath so ordered it, that every particular denieth itself to preserve the universal; The water will ascend upwards that there may not be a vacuum, and the particular orbs are carried about against their own motion, according to the power of the first mobile, how much more must this hold in man and God? all his life comforts and happiness itself is to give place for God's honour and glory, Let God be glorified, and ruat mundus, but I shall not insist on this.  

2. Earthly.  Let us descend to those particular good things we have in this world, riches, honour, greatness, and parts; We shall see it's the greatest reason in the world that we should not desire these things to advance ourselves, to satisfy our appetites, but only thereby to glorify God, but who doth this? yea, who is able to bear this truth, to take this yoke, till a renewed nature hath made it easy? And therefore let us first consider the causes procreant, or principles constituant of such a gracious disposition as to be able to say, O Lord I beg for health, 
The principles constituent of such a gracious disposition.  for a good name, for outward comforts in this world, but it's not for my own sake so much that I do this, as that hereby I might glorify thee. And  
1. He must necessarily be born again or from above, he must be partaker of a divine nature that can ascend thus high; 
1. He must be born again that can do it.  He that is of the earth is earthy, he that is of heaven is heavenly; Till a man have the Image of God, and be made like him, he cannot but mind earthly things; When men are made godly, you cannot say, O Curoae in terras animae, No, than their souls as well as their bodies are made straight up towards heaven; A worm can never do as the Lark, soar up on high singing as she goeth, but when descending towards the earth, silent as if she were grieved, Till than God hath made us new creatures, given us new hearts, and a new spirit within us, we cannot desire these worldly comforts for any other end but ourselves; To be rich, to be great, to be wise only for ourselves.  
2. There must be great love to God that can make us relate all things to him; 
2. He must have great love to God.  jacob's great love made him do every thing to obtain Rachel, and so a strong love to God will make us sacrifice all to him, insomuch that our love is of so great an operation that God in a special manner commands that for himself, and that not a mere love, but love with all the heart and might, Mat. 22.37. Nothing is to be left out, love is fire, and where that is, it will burn, separat heterogenea, it divides all heterogeneous matter, if riches, if honours, if friends oppose this, it trampleth on them all, and for this reason it is that our Saviour saith, If a man hate not Father and Mother he is not worthy of me, Luk. 14 20. so that the love of God is not kindled in men's hearts, if it were, as fire assimilateth all things into itself, so would this love make us refer all things to him whom our souls love: Thus David, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and Paul the love of Christ constraineth me, 2 Cor. 5. Oh that we had the experience of this more. Dost thou not see what the love of money puts the worldly man upon; What the love of pleasures puts the voluptuous man upon? They do all things in reference to such corrupt ends; Thus where there is an heavenly love, that makes use of every thing to glorify God, that studieth and meditateth how may I advance and set up the honour of God by these things; This love would quickly put out all carnal and worldly love, as the beams of the Sun will put out the material fire.  
3. Mortified affections to every thing here below, when we can perform the Apostles commands, To buy as we bought not, to weep as if we wept not, 1 Co. 7. 
3. And be mortified to the world.  This duty of mortification the Scripture often speaketh of, as a necessary companion to the minding of heavenly things; There is no external duty of praying or hearing that will make the heart moderate and regular in the use of all comforts, unless it be accompanied with mortification; Let not then the waters overflow the banks, Do not overlove, over-desire, over-grieve, about these earthly comforts; It's an argument thou lovest them for their own sakes, or thy own sake, and not for God, who art thus over-solicitous about them, so then to say, I desire no temporal mercy but to honour God thereby, requireth an heart mortified and crucified, if we would speak the truth, and not deceive our own souls; Till therefore we be thus divinely qualified within, You may as soon gather grapes of thorns and figs of thistles as the honour of God from such men.  
In the next place take notice of the Reasons why we are to pray for all our comforts in reference to God's glory. 
Reasons.   
And 1. Because God himself doth all things for his own glory; 
1. God doth all things for his own glory.  His own actions are for it, and therefore much more ought ours to be, God made the world, God saveth his people, and all this is for his own glory, and indeed as God's wisdom is only able to comprehend himself, so his own love is able to love him, in quantum est amabilis, yet we are commanded to be holy as he is holy; Now as his holiness is in willing of his own glory, and all things in reference thereunto; So our godliness consists in willing and procuring God's glory, and improving all we have for that purpose; If God made the world for his glory, do thou use it for his glory; If God give thee parts and gifts to glorify him, oh do not abuse these against their good and lawful end.  
2. From the nature of God's glory and all these earthly comforts respectively, 
2. From the nature of God's glory and all earthly comforts respectively.  that is the ultimus finis, and these are the media, and moral Philosophy teacheth us that media movent bonitate finis, it's not absolute goodness in the means, but the relative goodness of the end in the means, that excite and provoke the appetite: It's not Physic for Physics sake though never so sweet, but for health's sake that we take it; Lay this as an undeniable argument upon thy own soul; These good things are but the means they are not the end; Now they are desired not in an unlimited but commensurated manner, If a man would quench his thirst, he doth not desire all the water in the Sea; but as much as will quench his thirst; If a man desire a garment to cover his nakedness, he would not have all the cloth in the world, but what is proportioned for his body, So it's here; Thou art not to will as much wealth, as much honour and greatness as may be had, but what will be serviceable to that great end the glory of God, otherwise thou art in thy abundance as David in Saul's armour; It was too great for him, and in stead of being serviceable was cumbersome, and truly hence ariseth the inordinate sinfulness of our senses in all earthly comforts, we desire them for their own sake, and so are infinite and never satisfied, still saying Give, whereas this regulated desire would much moderate us, Appetitus non est regula concoctionis, the appetite is not the rule of our concoction, is in Divinity true, as well as in Philosophy.  

3. Because of the greatness of God's glory, and the value of it.  3. Consider the greatness of God's glory, It's more worth than all the world, all thy wealth, estate, and greatness is nothing to this glory of God, neither thy soul or body, no nor all men's souls and bodies are to be compared to this; Better we all perish then that God should lose his glory; Oh then how should this make us whatsoever we do, to do all to his glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. because the Sun is far above one Star, the Ocean above one drop.  

4. Else we are guilty of spiritual Idolatry.  4. If we desire not all things in reference to him, we are guilty of spiritual Idolatry; we set up another God besides him, or we attribute that supreme dominion to another which belongs only to him, unless we were God himself; we might not do so, how severe was God against that Jewish Idolatry in worshipping Idols, his glory he would not have given to another; Now this is not the less Idolatry because it's not so bodily; The more secret and hidden it is the more abominable; Herod was eaten up with louse because he was not displeased when others said, The voice of God and not of man, Act. 12.23. He was tickled with it, and received it well enough, I tell thee such sins as this, are committed when thou takest thy wealth, thy honours, and exaltest thyself thereby and not God.  

Use.  Use of Instruction, How few than take notice of this doctrine, who desire mercies only to serve God thereby, riches and greatness, to promote God therewith; If this were so, there could not be those immoderate and unsatisfied affections in thee; Thou wouldst be more sollicivous bow to improve all for God, Thy heart would tremble, lest God receive not more glory by giving thee more mercies, We give thee of thy own said David, 1 Chro. 29 14. and certainly if we have any thing to glorify God by both the gift and the good use of it, is wholly of God's grace; What wilt thou do who takest the good mercies of God, and usest them as weapons against him? Thou servest thy own lusts and the devils, Will the patience of God always bear this?   

SERMON VII. The Text Vindicated from Arians, Vbiquitarians, and Papists: And the power and dominion of Christ observed, and applied to the comfort of his Disciples, and terror of his Enemies.  JOH. 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 
THe Verse before spoke of the mutual glorification which is between the Son and the Father; Now this second verse is specificative or declarative of that wherein or whereby the Son may and doth glorify the Father, viz. by the power that he hath in the whole world, more especially in the Church of God, giving eternal life to them that do believe; So that this Text containeth one principal way or manner how the Son doth glorify the Father; All the wondrous works that are done in the world bring not so much glory to God as the spiritual works which are wrought by Christ in the Church.  
In the words we may take notice of Christ's power, and the use or exercise of it: The power is mentioned in the former part, The exercise in the latter.  
Concerning the former observe  
1. The power expressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which say some doth not signify a mere power, but a power with right, and so difference it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if that signified any power, this only is just and lawful; As among the Latins potentia and potestas are diversified, but this is not universally true, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes applied to those powers and principalities of the Kingdom of darkness.  
2. You have the extent of this power by the universality of the Object, over all flesh; Flesh is usual put Synechdochically for man, to denote his fragility and meanness.  
3. There is the manner of the obtaining this power, It is given him.  
Before we gather our doctrine, Let us Theologically explicate this Text; 
The Text vindicated against  Christ saith he hath all power given him, From whence three corrupt Opinions have been by some in a seeming way established.  
1. The blasphemous doctrine of the Arians, 
1. The Arians.  What Christ hath (say they) is given him, Therefore he is, Deus constitutus, Deus creatus, Deus datus, not Deus natus, how can he be of the same nature with God, who hath all he hath given him in time. But this is answered, first, If Christ speak here of his divine nature, then though not as God yet as the second person he is of the Father, and so not in time, But from all Eternity had with his person all those divine properties communicated unto him. for therefore he is called the Son because begotten of the Father. But secondly, If the Text speak not of his nature but the office or reward rather of his Mediatorship, than that power and glory which is here said to be given him, may well be understood of that Mediatory power and honour God vouchsafed to him, and although by reason of the personal Union all honour and glory was due to him, yet God had so ordered it that he should not have the manifestation of it, till he had suffered and run through the whole course of his active and passive obedience; Therefore many understand this power here said to be given Christ only in respect of manifestation, for in Scripture-language Haec aliquid dicitur fieri, quando incipit patefieri, as God said, This day have I begotten thee, Act. 13.33. upon Christ's Resurrection, because than he was truly manifested to be the Son of God.  

2. The Ubiquitarian Lutherans.  2, Another party riseth up, and squeezes blood instead of milk: Those Lutherans that are called Ubiquitarians, because they hold, that the humane nature of Christ is every where, saying, that the properties of the divine nature are communicated to the humane; Thus because it's said All power is given Christ therefore they conclude the humane nature of Christ is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent: But this is to argue fallaciously from the abstract to the concrete; For suppose this be an infinite power that is here spoken of, it only followeth that it's given to Christ in the concrete, to be omnipotent, not to his humane nature in the abstract, Christ is made omnipotent, his humane nature is not.  

3. Papists.  3. Some Papists but not all from this expression gather, that the right of all temporal dominion was here given to Christ, and from hence would gather, that because the Pope is Christ's Vicar, therefore he succeedeth him in this power, and so can dispose of all Kingdoms and Nations as he pleaseth. But the most learned of the Papists say, This power over all flesh is restrained to the matter in hand, viz. to gather and preserve his Church, and at last to save it, otherwise Christ would not have said to the man, who desired him to divide the Inheritance, Who made me a Judge? Luk. 12.14. For if men had not, yet if God had, he had a full call to exercise such a temporal jurisdiction, as Valentia the Jesuit well urgeth.  
The Text thus vindicated, let us observe this Doctrine.  

Doct.  That Christ hath power over all men: There is no man so great, so powerful, nor no company of men, nor all the men joined together in the world, can exempt themselves from that power Christ hath over them; We have one or two Parallel places that confirm this; Mat. 28.18. All power is given me in heaven and earth; There the Subject is more large, not only all flesh but all spirits, Mat. 11.27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father; There also the subject is more large, not only all persons but all things, as Heb. 2. All things are said to be made subject to him.  

Observe these particulars to clear the nature of Christ's power.  Before we come to mention what acts there are which declare this power of Christ, we must lay down several particulars to clear the nature of this power.  
And First, When it's said, that Christ hath power over all men, that is not to be understood restrictly or exclusively, 
I. Christ's dominion universal.  as if his dominion was only over men; No, you heard it was in heaven as well as earth, yea, and in hell also, Phil. 2. Every thing under the Earth was to bow to him: The devils are wholly in subjection to him, We read of his power over the unclean spirits, casting them out against their wills from the possessed, insomuch that they could not enter into the Swine, without his permission; Oh this part of Christ's power, that he hath conquered the devils, hath them all in subjection, should be no mean part of a Christians comfort, for who is thy greatest Enemy? Who is likeliest ●o undo thee? not man but devils; In their temptations how greatly are the godly in danger of being swallowed by them? but Christ hath power over them, he bids them go our leave of tempting, and they dare not or cannot come again, yea, the good Angels, those thousands and ten thousands of ministering spirits they are wholly at his beck: No servant will sooner stir at our beck, than the host of Angels will at his word; Therefore Heb. 1. when Christ is coming into the world, The Angels are bid to worship him, So then here is a glorious power indeed, which reacheth not only to men but to devils, to Angels, oh how happy are the Children of God who have this Christ for their Saviour, that is clothed with so much power! If our eyes were opened with the Prophet's Servant, we should see more were with us then against us; And then all things, the inanimate and animate creatures are under his power; The Disciples wondered at it, when they said, What manner of man is this whom the winds and Seas obey? Mat. 8.27. So that this power of Christ is far more comprehensive than this Text expresseth, for Christ only speaks of men, because he instanceth in that part of power whereby he giveth eternal life to those that believe, and such are only men.  
Secondly, We are to know, That though all power be given to Christ, 
II. The administration of Christ's power is by his Spirit  yet the administration and exercise of it is by his spirit called therefore the Spirit of Christ, by that he convinceth, by that he converteth, by that he comforteth; Insomuch that Christ told his Disciples, It was expedient he should bodily depart from them, but he would send the Comforter to them, Joh. 15.26. so that not the Pope but the Spirit of God is Vicarius Christ's, in Christ's stead; Hence it is that all the same glorious and spiritual effects in the Scripture, are sometimes attributed to the Father, sometimes to Christ, and sometimes to the holy Ghost in their peculiar appropriation; Christ by his Spirit is to be expected and prayed for as the author of all that grace and comfort we stand in need of.  
3. Although the power of Christ extend to the bodies and externals of men, 
III. Of Christ's dominion over the consciences of men.  yet that which in the Text is considerable, is, that it reacheth to the hearts and consciences of men; And this is more than any temporal power can do, He bids Matthew the Publican Follow him, and he leaveth all to follow him; He casts an eye upon Peter, and he presently goeth out and weepeth bitterly; It's upon the spirits and consciences of men this power of Christ is most conversant; It's by this their minds are enlightened, their hearts changed, their lusts subdued, and they made new creatures, which made him say, he was the life, the truth, and the way, Joh. 14.6.) he is all things efficiently for our salvation, so that the great things we are to expect from this power is convictions of conscience and conversions of heart; If the blindness of thy mind, if the hardness of thy heart be too heavy a stone for thee to remove, then lift up thy eyes to Christ, Say O Lord thou hast power over all flesh, Thou canst subdue and conquer every man's heart; No man, no Angel can do this, Therefore take thou the sole glory in doing of it.  
Fourthly, As it's the heart of a man this power reacheth to, so the main and chiefest effects of this power are spiritual and such as tend to salvation; 
IV. The chief effects of Christ's power are spiritual.  To give faith, to give repentance to men; When I am lifted up (said Christ) I will draw all unto me, Joh. 12.32. Though Christ as God made the world, all things are supported and born up by him, Heb. 1. yet these things are not so considerable as what is done to man's salvation; Therefore he makes the great end of his coming into the world to save that which is lost, he came to dissolve the works of the devil. His Titles that he hath are in reference to heavenly advantages; He is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins, and Christ because furnished with all fitness and fullness to be a Saviour; The Jews indeed they looked for a Messias that should deliver them out of the captivity and bondage they were in; They hoped for such a power over all flesh, that should restore them to their ancient temporal glory; But this carnal prejudice was their undoing.  

V. It is infinite power.  Fifthly, This power must needs be infinite, for although it doth not follow that because he hath power over all flesh, that therefore he is omnipotent and infinite, yet if you do regard the end why he hath all this power, it must necessarily be infinite, for it's to gather and save a people out of the world, to justify their persons, to sanctify their natures, It's to judge all men at the last day; Now how can he be judge of all men's lives, yea, their secret and heart sins, if he have not infinite knowledge, and although the humane nature of Christ be not capable of infinity and omnisciency, yet the person that is the Judge must be so qualified; This infinite power which Christ hath on one side proclaimeth unspeakable terror to Christ's enemies, and on the other side ineffable joy to his friends.  

VI It is arbitrary in the use of it  Sixthly, This power is arbitrary in the use of it; He opens this man's heart and leaveth another shut, he cureth this blind eye and leaveth another in darkness, Mat. 11.27. When Christ had acknowled that sovereign arbitrary power of God in revealing the Mysteries of salvation to babes, and hiding them from the wise of the world, he addeth, All things are delivered me of my Father, No man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Son will reveal him; So then this gracious power of Christ is not indifferently exercised upon all; To some Christ revealeth the will of God effectually, to others not; There were many Publicans besides Matthew, yet to him Christ makes known himself and not to others. Many Pharisees besides Paul that were not so bitter and violent against the Name of Christ, yet Christ makes him feel this glorious power on his heart, and others not.  

In what particulars Christ's dominion appears.  These things laid as Foundations Let us consider some of the remarkable particulars wherein Christ's dominion over all flesh and especially the Church doth so appear, that so we may take heed how we neglect him.  

1. In appointing a Ministry for the conversion of souls.  And First, This is a remarkable Instance of his power to appoint a Ministry for the conversion and saving of people's souls: Whatsoever thy thoughts may be about the nullity or uselessness of it, yet this is a clear effect of his power, Mat. 28. when he said, All power was given him in heaven and earth, than he giveth his Apostles Commission to go teach and baptise all Nations; Observe the reason why Christ beginneth with this Preface, All power is given me, etc. and therefore Go and baptise; Because it's of high concernment to encourage and embolden the Ministers of God to consider whose Servants they are, whose work they go about; They come from him who is able to defend them against the whole world, how easily might the Apostles be dejected with the greatness of the work▪ and their utter unfitness? What are such poor and despicable men as they are to set against the lives and manners of the whole world? but he that hath all power in heaven and earth bid them Go preach, Go baptise, and thus Eph. 4.11. The Ministry is there made the great and noble work Christ did, upon his Ascension to heaven, so that to oppose Christ's Ministry, to set against this is to set against Christ himself; It's not their power but Christ's power thou wouldst destroy.  

2. In giving success to the means of grace  Secondly, This power goeth further than to appoint a mere Ministry, he blesseth it, he giveth success, he makes it to bring forth much fruit. This makes the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians so much exalt Christ and advance him, While one cried up this Teacher, another that, he bid them remember that all the Paul's and Apollo's in the Word though never so eminent, were but Ministers by whom they did believe, yea Col. 3.19. those that did so much admire and set up Angels, who easily may be thought to do more than the best Ministers, yet Paul throweth all such doctrine down to the ground, and bids them hold the head Christ, from whence all parts of the body receive their nourishment; Oh this cannot be pressed enough on you, Many are not so profane to despise the Ministry, to cry down Ordinances (though there be such in the world) but than they are without Christ in the Ministry, without Christ in the Ordinances: As the Apostle spoke of some without God in the world, So these are without Christ in the Church: It's not the Ministry or Ordinances but Christ in them and by them which communicateth virtue and efficacy.  
Thirdly, Christ's power is seen in convincing and enlightening men's understandings so far as to see their sinful and damnable estate, 
III. Enlightening the Understanding.  as also the absolute necessity of a remedy through Christ. Thus Christ doth exceed the Sun, for though the Sun give light to the world, yet it doth not give eyes or ability to see, but Christ doth not only make the bodily blind to see, and deaf to hear, but those that are spiritually darkened in their understandings, he makes them to know Christ he doth so teach, that the soul cannot but learn, it cannot refuse or gainsay, O Lord, I feel such light in my heart, such evidence upon my conscience, that I cannot hide this light any way; But as those glorious apparitious of light which Paul had and others, came with great amazement, filled them with trembling and astonishment, so doth Christ's power upon the hearts of Believers; Oh then inquire who are they, where are they that have found Christ's power thus upon their minds and consciences? How weak are books, yea the best Book, the Bible itself, t●ll Christ take such a threatening, or such a promise, and set it home with power on thee? This heavenly teaching and persuading Christ speaks of as to be wrought by his Spirit, Joh. ●4. And it was wonderful in the beginning of the Gospel yea, in the first beginnings of Reformation out of Popery, the glorious workings of Christ were admirable to this purpose; Then Christ and the Ministry went along together; No sooner did the Trumpet blow, but the walls of Jericho fell down; When Christ thus powerfully taught them, they were quickly persuaded to leave their Idols and their lusts to follow him: The first Reformers were so many divine Orpheus' that made the very beasts and trees to move, the illiterate and stupid people to seek out for wisdom and heavenly understanding, You may say then, Why doth not Christ still come with the same power? Why are not our Churches Christ's Schools, wherein every day he teacheth some or other, many learn by the Minister, but few are taught by Christ? They do not know the truths as they are in Jesus; There are many go to false causes; But those impediments which indeed resist this Point are  
1. The atheism and unbelief reigning every where, so that we may take up that old complaint, Lord, Who will believe our report? It's said of some, Christ could do no miracles there, because of their unbelief, Mar. 6.5, 6. Not but that he had power, but to show what an obstacle unbelief was; When they insulted over Christ at the Cross, Let him come down and save himself, if he be the Son of God let him deliver him, Heb. 4.2. Christ did not these things not because he wanted power but they were wicked; so Christ's power is not shortened; It's not because there is no Ministry, but because the unbelief of man is great.  
2. Christ demonstrates not his power it may be because customariness under the Word breeds contempt and negligence: At the first men's affections are quick, but when accustomed to the world all the excellency and liveliness of it is taken away. A blind man upon the first recovery of sight would admire the Sun, but those that are used to it regard it not, though so glorious a creature.  
3. The unthankfulness and unfruitfulness under the means of grace makes Christ deny his power; When the people of Israel murmured at their Manna, than God was provoked against them; He punished the Heathens because they did not glorify God according to their knowledge, neither were thankful, how much more Christians for abusing the Light of the Gospel.  

IV.  4. Though there are not so many yet there are some few in most places that have found this mighty power of Christ on their souls; Though there were not many raised out of the grave by Christ, yet one Lazarus is enough to demonstrate the glorious power of Christ; One in a Family, one in a Town, yea, one in a whole Nation, is enough to prove that Christ though now in heaven hath this power over men in the earth; Let such than who have been thus taught, so as no man, no book could teach them, give glory to Christ, bless Christ for good Sermons, good Books, especially the Word of God, but above all that virtue cometh from Christ by these to heal thee; Though the woman had touched the hem of Christ's garments a thousand times, yet if Christ had not caused virtue to come out of him, she had not been cured, so it is here.   

SERMON VIII. The Effects and Appearances of the Kingly Power and Dominion of Christ.  JOH. 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh. 
WE are treating upon that main and necessary point in Religion, Christ's Power and Kingdom; We have mentioned some effects or acts of this power, We shall proceed to discover more.  

V. The Fountain of Grace.  And first, Herein is his power over all flesh, especially his Church seen, that he is the author and fountain of all the grace the godly have; And this is a glorious demonstration of his power, that not we ourselves or any Angel in heaven can inspire one good thought, mollify and convert the heart, adorn the soul with all kind of graces, but Christ only, Joh. 1.16. Of his fullness we all receive grace for grace, that is, as some expound, abundance and heaps of grace, as it were, or grace that is suitable and proportionable to that in Christ, As the child receiveth from the Father limb for limb, Of his Fullness, Christ then hath Fullness not only for himself but for us, as the Sun hath fullness of light for the whole world, The Ocean Fullness of water for all the streams; The Angels and Saints glorified in Heaven, yea, Adam in the state of integrity he had a Fullness of grace, but it was limited and stinted in him, only Christ received it without measure: In Christ there is plenitudo fontis, in Angels or Adam there was only plenitudo vasis, as Divines express it: Now this Fullness of Christ is for communication and our participation of ●t; Therefore in other places he is compared to the Olive Tree, from which the godly receive all their fatness, Rom. 9 To the Vine, Joh. 15. so that unless we are branches in him we can do nothing: If than we should say, Where is the power of Christ, how is it manifested? I answer, look upon all the godly, Are they able to mourn for sin with a godly sorrow? Are they able to believe in the promise? Can they mortify their lusts? Herein is Christ's glorious power seen, I know this doth not so much affect us, as outward extraordinary instances of Christ's power in temporal things, but certainly this is greater, for as Moses and Joshua's deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt, is nothing to that spiritual deliverance which Christ as Jesus vouchsafeth to his people in saving them from sin and hell, yet no doubt an Israelite or Jew after the flesh would far prise the former before the latter, though the Jew after the Spirit would far esteem the latter; Thus it is here, No power or works are judged great but what are temporal, visible, and in civil outward things, we are apt more to look upon Alexander the great, or Constantine the great, because of their civil power, than Christ who is the King of Kings and Lords, transcending all these, but in a spiritual way, 1 Tim. 6.15. Christ hath this magnificent Title, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: It's observed by Drusius a Learned man, that those Titles were usually given to the great Kings of Persia, than which there were none assumed more to themselves than they did, yet the Apostle attributeth this to Christ to inform us, that as God hath exalted Christ above all earthly power, so we should magnify and glorify him accordingly, certainly if we Christians did put forth our faith and meditations about the greatness of this power, it would work great joy and confidence in us; It would work an holy fear and trembling: The Apostle Eph. 1. Phillip 2. Col. 1. is even transported with the expressions about it. Now this power of Christ is no where more glorious then in sanctifying and preparing an holy people for himself; To give them of the same Spirit with him, They that were dead and noisome in sin to make them live in holiness and to adorn them with all the graces of his Spirit; Oh then let not the people of God be dismai●d or discouraged with the apprehension of their own weakness and impotency; how can they love God, bear afflictions, die in hope and comfort; Alas! thou thinkest on thy own weakness and not Christ's power, Remember Of his Fullness thou art to receive; A thirsty man need not doubt whether the whole Ocean hath water enough to revive him: Christ we read gave wonderful power to his Disciples and other believers to work miracles; This amazed and astonished all the world, but certainly this power of changing men's hearts and reforming their lives, is far above this: To open the eyes of the mind is more than to give bodily sight, to say Ephatha to the heart is more than to say so to the ear; To raise from the death of sin is more than to command out of the grave: Austin said, To make a man holy is more than to create a world. Conversion is not usually called a Miracle, yet it's a greater wonder than a Miracle, Let that soul then which hath found Christ thus powerful upon him, admire the unsearchable greatness of his Christ wonder at it as the most admirable expression of God's power to thee.  
Secondly, Christ's power is seen in that he doth not only give grace, 
VI The giver of glory.  but he is able to bestow all that glory and happiness the Scripture promiseth; Now the reward or fruit of grace is either that inward peace and joy of heart here, or eternal happiness hereafter, both which are in Christ's power and munificence, It was always a flower in the chiefest power to be able to remunerate those that did great service, and this is part of Christ's Jus Regale: For the first the peace of conscience and joy which accompanieth well-doing is exceeding great, insomuch that if there were no heaven hereafter, yet godliness brings a present sweetness and delight with it, It hath present pay; Now all this peace and comfort especially between God and the soul is wrought by Christ only who is called the King of Peace, Isa. 9 yea, our peace, Eph. 2.14. because he reconcileth God and man; If those Peacemakers be blessed that make man and man to agree, how much more is he that brings God and man to agreement? But this Christ worketh; Alas the heart troubled for sin, rageth and is like an hell, till Christ bids it be quiet and still: Hence he promiseth to send the Comforter, and it's his Spirit which is sent into our hearts, making us to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. Oh then let the grieved and perplexed soul through the guilt of sin, that can find no rest, no ease, go to him that hath power indeed to command these waves to be still, See with what love and power Mat. 11.28. this is expressed, Come to me ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease you: Christ will give ease; See how imperiously he speaks, Let your sin be never so terrifying, your conscience never so disquieted, The devils never so much troubling and tempting of you, yet I will give you ease; You shall find rest for your souls: No earthly power in the world can say thus truly; Therefore this is to direct the godly in their black temptations; They cry out, It cannot be I should have peace, I should have joy; There may as soon come fire out of water as peace and quietness out of my heart; Oh remember this Text, The power Christ hath over all flesh, Is thine excepted? Christ can ease and quiet every man's heart but thine; Be ashamed to think thy weakness more than Christ's power; Thy guilt more than his consolations. The other fruit of a godly life is Eternal happiness; and this Christ doth also bestow upon those that are his; At the day of judgement we read of him putting them into possession, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, Mat. 25. Heb. 5.9. he is called The author of eternal salvation, he calls himself the bread of life, he that eateth on him shall never die more, so that all that happiness and blessedness which is in the life to come is attributed unto Christ, both the purchase and author of it: It's he that will say, Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter thou into thy Master's joy: For those Parables that speak of a great King employing his Servants in such work, and then so abundantly rewarding of them, is Christ. This should be a great encouragement in Christ's service; What a glorious and powerful Master do ye serve? one who is able to requite thee with eternal glory and everlasting happiness, If we suffer with him we shall reign with him, Rom. 8.17. The greatness and bounty of the Master doth quicken the Servant; Haman was glad of Ahashuerus his employment, because he could put such honour upon him; But oh how should our hearts be inflamed to work for Christ, what cannot such a Master do for us? Ask any thing in earth or heaven he can bestow it on thee: How unworthy is it when we grudge at the work Christ requireth, when we repine at the Cross he would have us take up, This is not to attend whom we serve; how great our Master is, what Treasuries he hath out of which he can bountifully reward us.  

VII. Forgive and pardon sin.  Thirdly, Christ's power is seen in that he can forgive and pardon sin, Which is acknowledged by all, that God only can do it, Mar. 2.7. You have this power of Christ particularly opposed by his enemies, but vindicated by him, and that he hath power to forgive sins, he proveth by his power to work Miracles: Not that to bid a lame man rise, and take up his bed and walk, is a greater thing then to forgive him, but to their sense and in outward appearance it was so; yea, he doth not only remit sin, but he appointeth the Ministers of the Gospel to remit and forgive sins, viz. by declaration and application of the Promises, and this he saith shall be confirmed in heaven; Certainly no power can be denied him who can authoritatively and of himself pardon sin, sin being an infinite injury and dishonour to God, he must be equal with God that can remit this, for it's a sure Rule, Nemo potest remittere de jure alieno. Oh how comfortable is this to meditate on by faith, he hath power to forgive sin, who died for thy sin, who was crucified that it might be done away: If then thy sins are a burden to thee, if thou dost leave and forsake them, doubt not of thy pardon; Oh do not say, whether will Christ pardon or no, for seeing he hath power, his will was abundantly manifested in the sacrificing of himself on the Cross: Now sin is the sting in every thing, remove sin and death is no death, hell is no hell, if Christ's power takes this away, it takes all away.  
Fourthly, Christ's Power is seen in giving Laws, 
VII. The great Lawgiver.  and prescribing duties to all according to which they should live: Therefore he calls them his Commandments, and the Apostle urgeth, If they died without mercy that refused Moses speaking, of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy who refuse him speaking from heaven? In this respect it is that he is so often called a King, and a Kingdom is attributed to him, because he maketh Laws, and enjoineth the observation of them under higher penalties than any earthly power can do, and that is eternal damnation, and this consideration is a two edged Sword to many hypocrites; They love Christ they say, they trust in him their Redeemer, but they do not obey him as a King; This is a Lawgiver who hath power to damn and to save; Oh that the profane and ungodly wretch, who yet hopes for mercy by Christ, would lay this to heart more: Art thou obedient to him as Lord and King? He saith, Swear not at all, Dost thou give obedience? give over thy cursing and swearing: He saith, Let not your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, Do you obey this Law? and so of adultery and uncleanness, He that doth but lust after a woman is guilty of eternal death; What think you of these Laws? Are not these holy and just? Do you think Christ hath not power to be avenged on you? Oh take heed of making this power against thee; It's able to undo thee without hope.  
Fifthly, Christ's power is remarkably seen, in enabling and strengthening his Children in all their afflictions, so that they do not only bear them, 
IX. And supporter and comforter of his people.  but triumph therein with joy unspeakable and full of glory. This hath magnified the power of Christ in heaven more than any thing else; Men have wondered and been amazed at the patience of the Saints, and the joy of the Martyrs: But whence came they to be thus endowed with power? Had not they flesh and blood as well as others? Was not death with the exquisite torments of it in itself dreadful to them as well as others? yea, certainly but Christ's power in them made them above themselves: Paul speaking of this wonderful disposition, to know how to abound and how to want, addeth, He can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth him, Phil. 4.13. So that hereby he will rejoice in his infirmities, because Christ's power is thereby more manifested, 2 Cor. 12.5. Oh then here is a good subject for the Children of God to dwell on, God doth not call them sometimes to lay down their lives to a bloody agony, he doth but exercise them with ordinary calamities, such as are common to man, Every carnal natural man hath the like, and their natural strength beareth them up in it, yet thou though promised the strength of Christ criest out, Thou shalt be overcome, Why art thou so weak and full of unbelief? Is not Christ's power for thy good? Hath he not all this power in heaven and earth for the good of his Children? Doth not thy diffidence make thee doubt whether Christ be able, whether he can support thee or no? Alas, if these less troubles be so irksome, what wouldst thou do if thou wert called to more fiery trouble? If thou canst not bear rods, how wilt thou Scorpions? Be ashamed, yea, and afraid of this unbelief, for Christ giveth his power only to those that trust and hope in him; Believe and all things will be possible to thee.  

X. The Judge of the world.  Sixthly, If all Instances were so signally demonstrating the power Christ hath over all flesh as this, that he is appointed to judge the whole world, both quick and dead are to stand at his Tribunal; Two things in this do manifest his exceeding great power, 1. The immediate preparation to it. 2. The Act of judging the preparation to it, for Christ by his power shall raise up all out of their graves, those that for many years have been consuming into dust, shall then by his power come out of their graves, 1 Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all died, so by Christ shall all be made alive; The godly they shall rise because they are members to him the head; Hence the Apostle argueth the Resurrection of the one from the other; And the ungodly they shall be raised by him as a Judge, What temporal power can be imagined like this? and than his solemn coming to judgement, in what power Majesty and trembling will it be, 1 Thes. 1.7, 8, Christ shall come with his mighty Angels in flaming fire of vengeance; So than it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive, how glorious and yet how dreadful this manifestation of Christ's power will be: And as for the judgement itself, Christ is the Judge, and therefore it's called the judgement seat of Christ, and the day of Christ's coming; Then shall the sins of all men, yea, the secret counsels and purposes of heart be manifested, Oh what a day will this be; Though Christ in the flesh was contemned, vilified and reproached, yet than he shall come in power; At that time he shall give final sentence concerning the salvation and damnation of men; This is the great instance of his power, Though now we believe it only and not see it, yet than we shall see and behold it with our bodily eyes; Oh tremble at this you who will not now in obedience and humility submit yourselves to him, then look for Christ to be a Judge; You look for him only as a Saviour, you think he came only to forgive; No, he cometh as well to destroy, He will judge righteous judgement; They in the Revelation cried to the Mountains to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb.  

XI. And the subduer of his and his Church's enemies.  Lastly, Christ's power over all flesh is seen even in this life, by overruling, conquering, and subduing his enemies; Christ though in heaven hath his enemies, all those that are enemins to the Church, to his Children, they are enemies to Christ; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9.4. We oppose Christ while we oppose his members; Do but hurt the feet, and the head in heaven presently feels it; But mark what is added, It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks; Christ will reign, his power will be exalted, maugre all the malice in the world, Psa. 2.2. The rage of the Heathens and all their Imaginations were but a vain thing, God will set his Son upon the holy hill of Zion, therefore the Judges of the world are exhorted to kiss the Son, to give him hearty and humble obedience, for they are not able to bear, though but a little of his anger; Hence Rev. 2.27. Christ is said to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron, and he will break them in pieces like a Potter's vessel: Christ can as easily break all the power and greatness that is lifted up against him, as we can break an earthen pot with an Iron rod; And if you say, Why then is the power of Turk and Pope still lifted up against him? The Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 15. and Heb. 2. All things are not yet in subjection to him, he hath a Kingdom and power, but as yet he is only Rex pugnans & vincens, than he will be Rex triumphans; He will put down all Powers and Principalities; There will be nothing but Christ's power; Oh than we proclaim aloud to wicked men, As you love your souls, as you would avoid this dreadful power, go on no longer in your rebellion and disobedience; Christ hath indeed a Sceptre of grace, but he hath also a rod of Iron, and thou wilt find his blows when he cometh to judge his enemy, and whosoever loveth and liveth in sin, he is Christ's enemy: O that men's eyes were opened, and their hearts softened that the wrath of this Judge might not fall upon them.   

SERMON IX. Christ under the notion of a Head, applied to the Terror of his Enemies and Comfort of his Members,  JOH. 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, etc. 
THE several Instances or Acts of Christ's power have been dispatched, I shall only name one Title usually given him, which will serve greatly to illustrate this power; For although he be compared to many things that denote him the root of all our grace, To the bread of life, Joh. 6.35. To Manna, To the Vine, Joh. 15. To the Olive tree, Rom. 11. In natural things, so also things of power and love in civil things; To an husband, 2 Cor. 11.2. to a King, to a Lord, yea, a King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, yet that which I shall pitch on as being most comprehensive, and the Scripture most delighting in, is, That he is an Head to his Church; The Apostle doth frequently use this property, 1 Cor. 1.3. The head of every man is Christ. Eph. 1.22. He is there set to be Head over all things. Col. 2.20. The head of all Principality. He is there made head of the Angels, not properly, for Angels cannot be called members of his body, but improperly, as head is used for the chief Governor: Seeing then many places to express this transcendent power of Christ over all flesh, use this word Head: Let us consider what that implieth, and the rest shall be spent in practical improvement of this Point, Christ then is appointed an head, and so hath power over all things.  
1. In regard of his eminency and dignity, for he is exalted above every name, any thing that hath the greatest fame and glory either in this world or that to come, Col. 1.18. That he might have the pre-eminence in all things. So that we should account nothing great in comparison of Christ: All the great men with their great power that in their generations have made such wonderful changes in the world, in respect of Christ, should be but as a Molehill to the vast Heavens: As God hath set him above every Name, so should we: We read of some Christian Emperors and great Lords that they would not be called Domini Lords, as being too great a Title, only Domni, by diminution, yea, it's said of Augustus, in whose Reign Christ was born, that he prohibited himself to be called Dominus. Some make a peculiar Providence of God in this, because than Christ came into the world, who was the Lord of the world, The world was made by him, and in this particular there is a great difference between a natural head, and this mystical, for a natural head doth not make the other parts of the body, but is made proportianably with them, only this mystical head makes all his members, he doth not only give nourishment but create their very being: It's true, Christ in the state of his humiliation was a little lower, or as the word is to be interpreted for a little while lower than the Angels, Heb. 2. But after this he was lifted up above all principality and power, and certainly this is a wonderful thing, that so great part of the world should set up that Christ as their God in whom they believe, that was crucified, dead, and buried, and though now ascended into heaven, yet we see him not with bodily eyes, neither is his Kingdom and power after an earthly and pompous administration, yet for what a long season, with so many thousands and millions of men, rich men, great men, Learned men, Kings and Emperors of the world, hath he been worshipped, This showeth the Name God hath given him: Only the Apostle, Rom. 2. tells us of many that blaspheme this Name of our God, by reason of the wickedness of Christians; You who profess yourselves Christians, and yet live in beastly and brutish lusts, you keep off Heathens and Pagans from coming in to own Christ.  
2. Christ is an head in respect of his spiritual influence and powerful communication of his grace and strength to those that are his members, Col. 2.19. The Apostle there and in other places doth much dwell on this; That as the head is the Fountain of all life and motion (for the Scripture seemeth to go with them that make the head, not the heart, the Fountain of all life and motion,) From that every part hath its proper nourishment, so it is with the Church of God, so that this similitude affordeth many precious Meditations: for is the godly man fearful his sins will overcome, this lust or that lust will be too strong for him, he shall not have grace enough to conquer it? Let him consider the Fullness of his head; is there such a sin that Christ himself is not able to subdue? Again, do the godly complain they cannot grow, they continue dwarves, They do not find any progress, Oh let them consider, that Christ is the head, and he will have his members grow up to their due proportion. Further, Is there any one sin, any passion, or lust that is apt to prevail over them, to captivate them? here also they may have strong confidence in prayer, saying, O Lord, how unseemly is such a member to so glorious a head, such an ulcerous noisome part to such an eminent head, if not out of love to me, yet for thy own honour cure me; What head is there that would suffer a leprous, noisome part in the body, if it could help it? Again, Do the godly say, they cannot perform their relative graces, their general calling they are able to discharge comfortably, but as a Minister, as a Husband, as a Wife, herein they fail; O the weakness and imperfections there, Consider this head gives nourishment to every part suitably; The hand hath a nourishment of the hand, the eye of the eye, and thus there is in Christ a particular suitable ability for thy proper wants; And if you are not enabled in these things, it's not because there is not fullness enough in Christ, but thy faith is weak; There is Oil enough but thou hast no cruse.  
Lastly, If the meanness and lowness of thy condition trouble thee, saying, though Christ the head may communicate to such worthy and eminent Christians, they are enabled to do him great service, yet will he look on such a dead dog as I am? If thou art but the foot, the lowest part in the body, yet the head minds that, and procureth its welfare as well as other parts, so that this very consideration is a Catholicon, It's a Remedy against every Disease.  
3. This relation of a Head implieth a near Union and Conjunction; What can be nearer than the head and the body? yet such a communion and conjunction there is between Christ and the godly, and this very consideration proveth the perseverance of the godly; Shall Christ lose one member of his body totally, and suffer it to be damned in hell? Oh the comfortable and hopeful thoughts the children of God should have from this relation, from Wife, from Husband, though they be bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh, thou must part, but not from Christ; This Union with Christ is the foundation of all our comfort and hope against Apostasy; Again, because of this conjunction we may expect protection and provision even in outward things: Doth not the Apostle say, No man yet ever hated his own flesh, but cherished it, Eph. 5.29. Shall Christ then the head forget thee? Shall he withhold his e●e from his own flesh? Will the head suffer the foot to starve? Certainly this consideration should wonderfully support against all discouragements and necessities whatsoever.  
Lastly, Because of this conjunction Christ hath a sympathy and fellow-feeling with us; What is done against the Saints on earth is also against Christ; If one part suffers the head condoleth with it, and for this end Christ endured those many temptations, that he might know how to pity those that were in the same condition, Heb 4.15.  
3. Christ is the head in respect of government and direction, he is the King of Saints, and the King of Nations: You read he had a Rod of Iron to bruise his enemies, only this government though it be in the world, yet it is not in a worldly manner; The b●st and choicest part of it is in preparing and fitting those whom the Father hath given him to eternal life, and to these his spiritual government is full of sweetness and full of power admirable in positive and preventing mercies; It's from this gracious government that nothing shall fall out either through the malice or policy of hell, that shall be able to hinder them from their crown; He is the strong one that hath conquered all the enmity against his people; Oh what treasures of comfort are in this; Thou art under Christ's spiritual government, and so all conditions, all necessities, all occurrences in the world they further thy spiritual good; There is nothing can befall thee against his will; Thus you see all his power summed up in this, that he is the head.  
I shall now spend the other part in practical Inferences, for it's a womb big with many such Conclusions.  
As in the first place, Hath Christ this power over all? then let us take heed how we refuse him speaking or commanding; If his goodness and mercy will not win you, he hath power enough to awe you: If not love, let fear bring you in, and that quickly, lest it be too late; The Apostle Heb. 10.17. aggravateth this, that if they that despised Moses died without mercy, of how much sorer judgement shall they be thought worthy who refuse Christ speaking. Think ye (saith the Apostle) any one that hath reason may gather this, that he shall die and be damned without mercy: But where is Christ? You will say, how can we refuse him speaking? The Apostle tells you, Those that hear not his Ministers declaring his will, they do not hear him; Ye that live against the Scripture, you whose lives are contrary to the Word, you are enemies to Christ; It's not we that are refused, but Christ by us; As if an Ambassador be contemned, it's not he but the great Person that sends him, whose Ambassador he is; Well then, we must lay this down for an undoubted Axiom, Every man that liveth in the constant practice of his wickedness, he refuseth Christ who hath all this power; Now let these Motives from his power terrify thee: 1. If it were but an earthly worldly power, what fear, what subjection will that put thee in, Rom. 13. If thou do evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain; Oh then know much rather, if thou do evil, be afraid, for Christ hath not this power in vain; Dost thou fear a Prison and not hell? Art thou afraid of losing thy outward estate, and not thy soul, and all happiness? Thou fearest earthly power, but can that damn thee, Can that throw body and soul into hell? Ignosce O Imperator, said one, tu carcerem Deus gehennam minatur; Well then for every profane act of wickedness, for drunkenness, uncleanness, unjust dealing, there is worse than any Legal fine or mulct. Christ hath appointed everlasting torments for those moments of pleasures; Be not then so brutish and athiestical as to think nothing grievous but what the Sword of the Magistrate can inflict, and as for this eternal punishment thou dost not matter it.  

Use 2.  2. Let this make thee afraid to affront this power, because it is his who will be thy Judge, before whose Tribunal thou art sure to be arraigned; This should be a piercing argument: If this power were in him who had nothing to do with thee, as a Malefactor in one Country feareth not the Magistrate in another Country, because his power doth not reach to him, he is none of his Subject; But Christ hath an universal jurisdiction, we must all appear whether we will or no, and to give an account to him; Now what can be more dreadful then to think; This Judge I have dishonoured, I have wronged, I have broken all his Commands, Oh if it were any other Judge I could hope to speed better; Oh if you have any love to your souls, lay this to heart; Thy wickedness, thy profaneness it hath been against Christ, It was he that commanded thee, he sent his Ministers to persuade thee, and thou saidst, Give me my lusts rather than Christ, the world rather than Christ, and this Christ is now come to be my Judge; What dost thou think or believe about these things? Why dost thou stop thy ear? Why dost thou stifle thy Conscience? Why dost thou labour to suppress these thoughts within? If that all this power will not pass by thee, though but one man, Think not what care I for this power, I will do well enough howsoever.  

Use 3.  3. Consider its power that one day will be expressed only in a dreadful way; Not the least drop of honey in this Ocean of gall; As yet indeed Christ who hath all power emploieth much of it for the salvation of thy soul; He sends his Ministers who entreat you to be reconciled with God, and how should that melt you, for what are you, how despicable and unworthy that God should desire you to be reconciled to him, he needeth you not, he wants you not; This is true, but the time is coming when all his power will be manifested in a dismal condemning way; Then he commands his Gaolers the devils to take and torment for ever; Then he comes in flaming fire of vengeance, cry then, if thou wilt, Lord, where is thy power to save? thy power to forgive? and he will say, there is no more time for such power any longer; Expect no more blessings, no more invitations, but now prepare for those torments thou art adjudged unto, Did we preach these things to Heathens and Pagans that do not believe the truth of them, it would be no wonder, if they did not regard them; But how is it that you who say ye believe these things, that you do not go out and weep bitterly.  

Use 4.  4. This power is spiritual, it doth reach to the hearts and consciences of men; Oh be afraid lest upon thy wickedness he puts thee forth, lest he make thee a Cain, a Judas: Oh it's not all thy wealth▪ all thy jollity, all thy pleasures that are able to withstand these troubles and tempests, if Christ raise them up in thee; If he deliver thee to Satan, as some were, than Christ withdraweth all his comfort, all peace, and lets the devil be thy tormentor, and thy heart an hell, especially this is done sometimes in time of sickness, under fears of death, when nothing but outward calamity compasseth thee about, than he commands those black and thick clouds to cover thy heart, which are as a gulf between God's mercy and thee; There is no sinner so haughty, so jolly, so scornful, but Christ can quickly turn his Sun into a black night: Every thing shall bring thy sins and hell to thy mind, oh be afraid to live so, lest you provoke Christ to put forth this power.  

Use 5.  5. It's a just and righteous power and therefore never expect impunity and freedom; For what is the sweet poison that undoeth thee, Oh thou thinkest of mercy, thou dreamest of mercy, thou speakest of mercy, but shall not the Judge of the world be just also? And is it not the greatest justice in the world, that as thou wouldst not hear him speaking in the day of grace, so neither should he hear thee begging and crying in his day of justice; Is it not a most just thing that thou who saidst; Let me have my lusts though I be for ever separated from Christ, that thy own desires should fall upon thy head? What shall Christ be refused, and that day after day, for every lust and sin, and shall this always be forgotten? Will Christ never be avenged for it?  
Lastly, This power of Christ is to inflict eternal misery; It's everlasting fire, 
Use 6.  and everlasting burnings; It's a fire that never goeth out, worms that never die; Now what power in the world is like this? Can any make thee miserable for ever? Can any say, Be thou in torment to all Eternity? but this is the power we speak of: As the Apostle said, We count not those short afflictions equal to that eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 5.14. So ne●ther do thou judge those pleasures equal to that eternal woe.  
A second Use of Consolation, For this Doctrine is like the Bee, 
Use of Consolation.  it hath a sting and honey, Like the Ark that had Manna and a Rod, Now what unspeakable comfort ariseth from this to the godly, much every way.  
1. The Children of God they are subject to sad temptations about the weakness of their graces and the strength of their lusts, David was not more fearful one day or other of being overthrown by Saul, than they are at last to be destroyed either by hypocrisy or apostasy, Now what surer remedy, what more precious cordial can there be then this Omnipotency of Christ, this plenitude of power? It was said of the Pope who pleaded for fullness of Church-power, that it was not plenitudo potestatis but tempestatis; But it's otherwise with Christ, his fullness of sufficiency is for every want of thine in any spiritual way, he can as easily give thee spiritual things as temporal, if thou want'st bread, health, thou thinkest it's but Christ's command▪ and he can multiply the Loaves, now he is as willing to do this in heavenly things; It's but a word from his mouth and thy proud heart is humbled, thy unruly heart pacified, thy grieved heart comforted, yea, he is more willing to give us spiritual things, than Parents give Children their temporals, how much rather will he give the holy Ghost to them that ask him, Mat. 7. Oh than though all the world cannot help thee in this matter, yet Christ hath power to do it, and as for his willingness, what cause of doubt, seeing he was crucified and underwent voluntarily all that ignominy and curses, that he might be exalted to this power to help thee? joseph's Brethren were afraid because of their guilt, that Joseph now so much preferred would not help them, but he is Joseph, and will forgive wrongs, so also will Christ do to thee.  
The second Temptation is about Pardon of sin and God's displeasure: Oh this is a restless Sea in which the godly are tossed up and down; This is the Whale's belly that swalloweth up all, Oh but here is a blessed haven, here is one can command the winds and waves to be still, here is one can say, Son, be of good comfort, thy sins be forgiven thee.  
3. The outward exercises of the godly are very many, They have many thorns in the flesh, They have deep waters to go through; Now what is an help but the power of Christ, I can do all things through Christ: None but Christ, None but Christ, said the Martyrs: Thou sayest, I have no power, I shall never be able to go through this condition or that, but hath Christ no more? There is power in his Death and power in his Resurrection; Every thing of Christ hath power; The Prophet's dead body gave life to one, how much rather shall Christ crucified? Oh but you will say, These are words, These are Fancies, Though Christ hath all this power, I am not a whit stronger, I am as unable as any. I answer, Thank thyself for thy unbelief; All things are possible to the Believer, Christ hath power but the fruit of it is to him that believeth; You see all the cures he worketh, all the wonderful works he did, it was still believe and it shall be thus to you, according to thy faith, so be it to thee: If the Fountain be never so full, unless you come with your vessel you may be scorched with thirst: You see then how all this power and greatness of Christ may be yours; There is nothing in him, but it may profit you, and that is by relying on him, putting confidence in him because of his promise, and if thou sayest, how can I believe? that is also by Prayer to God: Even Christ he giveth this also, viz. to believe.   

SERMON X. Of Predestination, or Gods giving some of Mankind to Christ (not all) for him to redeem; And what unspeakable Grounds of Comfort to God's People flow from thence.  JOH. 17.2. That to as many as thou hast given him, he should give Eternal Life. 
THis latter part of the Verse containeth the use and exercise of Christ's Power, which he had from the Father, and therein you may consider, 

1. The Fruit and benefit of it.  
2. The Subject on whom this is to be bestowed.    
The Fruit is described in the nature of it.  
1. It's Life, As Death is the King of Terrors, so life must be the King of joys.  
2. The Property of this Life, it's Eternal; This natural life in the midst of the joys that may accompany it, hath this bridle and check; It's but for a short uncertain time.  
In the next place you have the manner of obtaining it, It's given; There is no merit, no antecedent worth but it's given. O this is the benefit.  
The Subject who is to partake of this gift, is limited and restrained by this qualification, To as many as the Father hath given him; So we translate it, regarding the sense, otherwise if it should verbatim according to the Greek, it would be hardly sense to an English ear, For thus it is, That every thing which thou hast given him, to them he should give Eternal Life; Neither indeed is it pure Grecisme, but an Hebraisme, where sometimes the Nominative case beginneth the sentence, and then the sense is so cast afterwards, that it quite loseth its Verb, as here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, There is also the Neuter gender for the Masculine; Or else it's used emphatically to show, that not so much totus homo as the torum hominis, the every thing of a godly man is given to Christ, not his soul but his body also; This phrase is several times used especially Joh. 6.37. where it is said, All that my Father giveth me cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out, and will raise him up again; Where that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every thing implieth body as well as soul, because it's said, he will raise him up; Now when the Father is said to give some of mankind to Christ, that is not to be understood of his divine nature, for so he hath all things as God, but as a Mediator and Redeemer, so that the sense is, God the Father gave some of Mankind● to Christ, committed them to his care and trust, that he should be their Mediator, and obtain everlasting Salvation. From whence Observe,  
That not all, but some only of Mankind are given by God the Father to Christ, 
Doct. That (not all but) some of mankind are given by God the Father to Christ to be redeemed by him.  to be a Mediator for them; Though Christ have a sufficiency and fullness in him to obtain Salvation for all, yet some only are given to him intentionally by God's Decree to be their actual Saviour and Mediator, To as many (saith the Text, as the Father hath given him; This place doth batter to the ground that pleasing opinion of Universal Redemption, for by that not some but all are given to Christ by the Father, and if so, than all must be saved, for mark that place, Joh. 10.28, 29, speaking of his Sheep, They shall not perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, for my Father which gave them me is greater than all: We need not a clearer place for these two things, 1. That there are but some that the Father hath given Christ. 2. All those that are given they are sure to have eternal life, because none is greater than the Father, So that those two dangerous doctrines, Universal Redemption, and the total and final apostasy of the true Saints are evidently confuted by that place. This is so clear that we need not matter their many distinctions to obscure the truth. That there are some whom the Father hath thus committed to Christ to be their Mediator, appeareth by this expression, used at other times; The forementioned place, Joh. 6.37, 39 is considerable; The occasion of that expression was from the unbelief of the Capernaits, who though they had seen Christ's wonders yet believed not, but it was no wonder, for saith he, All that is given me of my Father shall come unto me; If you had been thus given to me you would believe; Now because it's invisible and altogether a secret, known only to God, who they are that are given to Christ, he showeth a sure and certain fruit of this, They will in time come to him, i. e. believe in him and receive him, so that we may invert the Saying, all that do truly believe in Christ they are given unto him of the Father, and for their encouragement he saith, He will in no wise cast them out, a Metaphor from the Master that takes a Scholar though dull and weak, yet he will forbear and not cast him out, and lest it should be thought that though it be well with them, thus for the present, yet for the future they may be undone, he addeth v. 39 It's the Father's will, of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day; Oh the divine and unspeakable consolations that are here treasured up for the godly, So Joh. 10.29. which you heard before; One place there is that may be a stumbling-block, and seem to weaken all, Joh. 17.12. Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and there is none lost but the Son of Perdition: But the answer is, The Apostles are said to be given to Christ in a twofold respect, 1. Of sanctification and glorification, and thus Judas was not. 2. In respect of their Office and calling, as when he said, Have not I chosen twelve, and one of you is a devil? Joh, 6.10. So that there was a twofold giving of some to Christ. The one of Justification to eternal life, the other of office and service, and that this is meant here is plain, because he is called the Son of perdition, implying the reason why though he was given to him, yet he was not saved because he was never so given, but he remained a Son of perdition still: Thus it is answered by some, but the full discussion of it will be when we come to that verse. Let us explain the doctrine.  
And first we see here, that God the Father hath power to appoint and determine concerning the everlasting salvation and damnation of men: It's plain, for you see it is as the Father wils, whom he chooseth he giveth to Christ, and others they are left by him, Rom. 8, 19, 20, You see there the Apostle purposely pleading this Sovereign power of God, and withal checking these bold and curious cavils, that men may make against it; Hence Eph. 1. and in other places, Election of some to Eternal life is attributed unto him, before the foundation of the world, and this was not for any good thing foreseen in us, but according to the counsel of his good will, which expression is often used otherwise, as Austin observed, a notable Patron of the Truth against Pelagians, as the Apostle said, It is not of him that willeth or runneth, but of him that showeth mercy, Rom. 9.16. He might have said the contrary, It's not of him that showeth mercy but of him that willeth and runneth. This disparity of God's grace choosing some and leaving others, is plainly asserted by Scripture, Mat. 11. where Christ maketh a solemn acknowledging of it: Yea, we see the means of grace denied to those of Tyre and Sidon, who would have repent in sackcloth and ashes, yet vouchsafed to those of Chorazin, who abused and contemned this; This is dreadful to consider of, But Austin, and after him others do excellently curb this bold Interrogation, Why God the Father draweth this man and not the other, do not (say they) search curiously if thou wilt climb higher, caveat precipitium; And again, if this Answer of the Apostle, Who art thou O man, that repliest against God? will not satisfy, Quaerat doctiorem, sed caveat, ne inveniat presumptiorem. Take we then this Truth for a foundation, it is in the sovereign power of God to choose whom he pleaseth to Salvation, and to leave the rest in their damnable estate: Neither is this any cruelty or injustice in God, for he might have forsaken all mankind, and not recovered one of them, why then should we so wickedly murmur at God's secret but righteous dispensation of these things, and not rather admire the grace of God that any are saved?  

How warily the doctrine of predestination should be preached.  2. This Truth although it be not wholly to be buried, yet it ought to be preached with much sobriety and circumspection, that so no just offence be given; It ought to be preached though there are those that would have this light under the bushel, For we see the Apostle Eph. 1. and in many other places doth greatly encourage and comfort the godly with that mercy of God in choosing of them before the Foundation of the world, Certainly if this be not known, we cannot set forth the riches of his glory and grace, as the Apostle implieth. The godly are hindered from much of their duty and much of their comfort, while they do not attend to this, yet because this is not milk but strong meat, we must regard the auditory and subject to whom it is preached; It's Nazianzens excellent Rule, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, two or three qualifications as so many battlements he must build to this roof, lest men fall down, as 1. That notwithstanding this predestination, the Father's giving of some to Christ, yet as every man is saved by the grace of God, so every man is damned from his own proper fault and demerit; So that we see the Scripture is clear in these three things, that God from all Eternity did choose some to eternal salvation, which cannot be frustrated, and that these he will in time effectually call, and change their hearts, nothing shall prohibit or hinder their conversion; and 3. Those who die and are damned, have cause to blame none but themselves, Thy destruction is of thyself, Death and hell is always made the Wages of sin: Now if you say, how can God's Election and converting grace in time be reconciled with the use of means, this is clear, the Scripture asserts one and commands the other, and if we could not untie this knot, it were our weakness, not any disparagement to the Truth.  
Therefore 2. This is so to be preached as that all diligence and care is to be used in the means; For we cannot think that the Scripture speaks contradiction so notoriously; For in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the beginning of the first Chapter is to describe this great work of God from all Eternity, yet in the latter part he exhorts them to put off all sin, and to be diligent in all their relation graces, and at another time Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for its God that worketh in you; Yea, Paul who was so ashamed of his Election, and that the Arminians grant he had an absolute Election, yet he kept down his body that he might not be a Reprobate, 1 Cor. 9.27. This indeed is the difficulty how to reconcile these, that absolute Election is not opposed to the means, nor the use of means contradict an absolute Election is affirmed by the Orthodox, several ways have been attempted by the Learned for the concord of them, but suppose we could not be so comprehensive, as Cajetan, and some of the Schoolmen confess it an unsearchable Mystery, and therefore adviseth Preachers to teach their people to submit to it, as to the Mystery of the Trinity, yet seeing the Scripture affirmeth one and commands the other, it's plain they are consistent and compossible one with another, though we could not find out the manner how.  
3. Nor to dwell at this time long on this Subject which is but obliquely touched on, Gods giving of some only to Christ, is so to be preached, that it doth not discourage any humble Penitent, or troubled man for sin, that seeks and thirsteth after the grace of God; The weakness of this Doctrine lieth here as it is thought; Therefore the adversaries thereof do continually batter at this place; As if like Pharaoh we demanded bricks, and gave no straw, commanded duty, when at the same time they are excluded by God, Therefore say they, this casteth into the bottom of despair, for the troubled heart may think I am none of those that are given to Christ, though I pray and seek for pardon, yet I may be a dog and not a child, and so none of the children's bread belongs to me; To this we easily answer, that all those who thus repent of sin and seek after God's favour, they are to be ashamed that this is an effect of their being given to Christ, as you heard, Joh. 18.6. To be given unto Christ is indeed a secret Mystery transacted in heaven, but to come unto Christ, that is the sure effect of those that are given to him, and those that come to Christ he will in no wise cast out; So that the grieved contrite spirit ought to be so far from having any trouble herein, that he ought exceedingly to rejoice at it, for the efficacy of all the promises will be to such, They are blessed that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, Mat. 5.  
These things premised, 
The Doctrine repeated▪ Corollaries from hence,  let us consider what admirable treasures are bound up in this Truth, that God the Father hath given and betrusted some with Christ, that he should be their Mediator, and some things are considerable from the Father, and some things from Christ. 
I. From the Father giving.   
From the Father,  
First, That the Original and Fountain of all the good and happiness God's People partake of is from the Father. 
1. The Father is the original Fountain of all good.  This primary and first Root was so far from being merited by Christ, that Christ himself is a fruit thereof; God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that he that believeth in him should have eternal life, Joh. 3.16. Howsoever therefore Christ be the meritorious cause of all the fruits of Election, conversion, justification and salvation, yet of Election itself, or that will of God to bestow eternal life on some, and for this purpose to send his Son, this is only from the Father: The impulsive cause was the only good pleasure and counsel of God, yet this love you must know was not a Law of reconciliation or amor amicitiae, for so God is reconciled with us only in Christ, but benevolentiae or beneficentiae, a will to do good, and for that end to ordain efficacious means thereunto; so than if we go to the Spring and root out of all those glorious privileges Believers partake of, it will be found the mere goodwill and pleasure of God, and certainly this should greatly enlarge us in thankfulness, that when we could not have any thoughts concerning ourselves, when we could not so much as desire, yea, when we lay in the womb of nothing, that God had a gracious purpose to us, yea, before the world was made, God's thoughts were upon thee; The Apostle doth often mention this.  

2. That the Father expects the salvation of those he hath given to Christ.  Secondly, This doth imply that God the Father hath chosen some from others, and given them as a charge, or trust to Christ, so that he doth expect their Salvation and happiness by Christ's means: They are called Gods Jewels, They are called his hidden ones, all the other part of mankind is but as refuse, dross, these are his Pearls, These are his Stars, his peculiar people, Though all the earth be his, and all the men in the world under his dominion, yet these have a peculiar interest; No marvel then if God make such comfortable promises to them, if all Angels must be their guardians, If all things shall work to their good, for God hath set his seal on them; Oh the transcendent happiness of those that are thus dignified!  

3. No cause to doubt of Gods accepting of Christ's Mediation.  Thirdly, Hence it is that there is no cause of doubt to be made by the people of God, whether God the Father will accept of Christ's Mediation for them, for it is as amongst men; as if he should offer to lay down a sufficient prize to redeem such a captive, considering that all this agreement came originally from the Father; So that Christ saith, The Father gave him these to he a Mediator to them, yea, that the Father loveth him, because he laid down his life for his Sheep: This followeth unquestionably, that whom Christ presents to his Father, the Father will not refuse; Oh then stand and admire at the felicity which the Scripture hath assured thee of; Those whom Christ brings to the Father, it was his will and antecedent purpose that Christ should mediate, and is there any doubt then whether God the Father will embrace thee or no?  

4. All that the Father gives to Christ shall come to Christ  Fourthly, Those whom the Father giveth to Christ, that they may know this mercy by the effects of it, shall assuredly one time or other find this glorious work upon them, that they shall come to Christ. Though their temptations be never so great, their oppositions never so many, Though of all men in the world you would think such were the farthest off from Christ, yet Joh. 6. They shall come to him, God will so wonderfully change their hearts, mollify and soften them, he will so overcome and conquer all contrary resolutions, that of unwilling they shall be made willing; Oh that is a commanding expression, He shall come unto me, and lest we doubt of it, again it is said, None can come unto me unlosse my Father draw him; So the Father will draw him to Christ, that is, he will certainly and surely so overpower his heart, that he will not, he cannot withstand any longer the motions of grace upon his soul.  

5. This throws all merits to the ground.  Lastly, In that God the Father giveth some to Christ and not other, we see all works, all merits, any supposed good or worth in us falls to the ground; No wonder then if the Scripture doth so diligently exclude all the works that we have done, giving all to grace, for you see the great business of our salvation was accomplished between the Father and our Mediator, before we had any being or knowledge of it; O that even such pestilential doctrines full of pride and haughtiness should ever get footing in Christ's Church, for though the Scripture pleads the necessity of works, yet wholly excludeth the causality of them.  

II. In respect of Christ.  In respect of Christ the Mediator; There is observable,  
1. The transcendent love of Christ who did willingly undergo this charge; For when the Father gave them to Christ it was on those hard terms that he should live so meanly and die so ignominiously for their salvation; 
1. A demonstration of the transcendent love of Christ.  This was a bitter cup for him to drink, which made him pray, If possibly it might pass away, Mat. 26.42. howsoever he submitted to his Father's will, What is man or the salvation of man to Christ that he should so prise it? Could their salvation have been as easily obtained, as Christ made all things, by a word, it had been something but it cost him many agonies, He became a curse for us, he seemed to be forsaken both of God and man, so then stand and admire the terms upon which these are given to Christ, God the Father saith thus to him, I will that thou procure the salvation of these men, but it can be no otherwise then by thy own blood, whatsoever curses justice would have inflicted on them, thou must undergo; Oh the tongue of men and Angels is not able to express this; Were we not such cold clods of earth, this love of Christ would set our hearts all on fire, who would not part with his lusts, with his sins, for Christ who hath thus loved us to the death of the Cross? Shall he part with his blood, and wilt not thou with a sin which will breed nothing but torment hereafter? Though it be now honey in thy mouth, yet it will be gravel in the belly.  
2. This supposeth the security and safety of the godly, Nothing can hinder them of this salvation, Our life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. 
2. It shows the safety of the godly.  They must pull Christ out of heaven overthrow the power of God the Father ere they can be destroyed, and their security stands upon a twofold bottom. 1. His faithfulness to discharge his trust; What doubt may be made seeing Christ hath undertaken the work of thy salvation, Not that thou shouldst live in ease, and eat and drink, and take no care for thy soul; This is to add honey to poison, but in respect of the meritorious and satisfactory part, so Christ hath undertaken all, when thou art required to believe and repent, it is not to merit, to satisfy, it's upon other grounds; Now then will it not be blasphemy to say, Christ will be found unfaithful in his trust? To say that Christ should lose any of those jewels that were put into his custody? indeed if our salvation and happiness were in our keeping, we should be prodigal of it every day, we are found unfaithful in every temptation, but so is not Christ: As he is yea and Amen▪ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, so is thy salvation sure to be; It must needs be sure because of the power of Christ, Joh. 19.30. I and my Father are one, said Christ, even to this particular, Now none is greater than my Father, None can pluck them out of his hands, Consider that they are in God's hands, he keeps them always as a precious jewel, and he that will destroy them must pluck them out of God's hands whether he will or no, he must be stronger than God that can do this; It was Caesar's boast that he had ten Legions of such valiant Soldiers that could vel ipsum coelum diruere, pull down even heaven itself, a vain and wicked boast, but no power of men or devils are able to take these treasures out of God's hands.  
Use of Examination, Try whether thou art one of those that are thus given to Christ; and in this I mean not thou shouldst climb up into heaven, 
Use.  see whether thy Name be written in the Book of Life, but know this by the infallible property of him who is thus given to Christ, and that is to come to him; What my Father hath given me will come to me, and the Father will draw him; Now coming to Christ is not pedibus but affectibus, Dost thou take him for thy Lord and King? Art thou willing to renounce all those lusts and sins which have had dominion over thee? Dost thou cry out and say, Oh blessed Lord, my sins, my oaths, my pride, my uncleanness, have kept me from thee? Conscience bid me come, the Word of God bid me come, but still this sin or the other kept me back; But now Lord I have broken all the snares, here I am to do what thou wilt have me, oh it's to be lamented with bitter lamentations to see how few come to him though he giveth such encouragements.   

SERMON XI. Treateth of Eternal Life in the Nature and Properties of it,  JOH. 17.2. That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 
HAving dispatched the Subject to whom this fruit of Christ's power is to be vouchsafed, we come now to the Fruit and benefit thereof, and that is Eternal Life; In which we will also comprehend the manner of obtaining it; viz. by way of gift, He will give; The greatness of the gift though it may be apprehended, yet it cannot be comprehended; Though we had the tongue of Angels, and the understanding likewise, yet we should but speak as a child, and think as a child, when this matter of Divinity is our Theme. Every thing is inviting; Its life, No rich man, no poor man, but desireth this; It's Eternal Life, and so can be much less rejected, and it's by way of gift, Nothing can be more welcome; It's life, there is the necessity of it; It's eternal life, there is the excellency of it; It's given, there is the freeness of it, so that this gift here supposed is not within this Horizon, nor is it made for this Meridian, but it extends to the world to come; The wisest of the Philosophers were in a misty darkness about this matter; It was much debated whether any happiness did remain after this life, and although sometimes confused thoughts did work on them, as on that man who reading a Book of Immortality, was so transported, that he killed himself immediately to enjoy it, yet these were but general indigested notions, only the Scripture doth give us a distinct and accurate account of this blessedness after our lives in this world, so than we see here an unspeakable privilege, and that most certainly to be bestowed on them, whatsoever their lives be here, though poor, though miserable, though afflicted, though troubled, yet they shall have an eternal life.  

Doct. Christ will give to those that are his Eternal life.  Obs. That Christ will give to those that are his Eternal life.  
I shall not enlarge myself according to the vast nature of this Subject, which cannot be well understood but by the fruition of it, and if you should ask what it is, we should desire time still to express it, as he did, what God was, yet I shall limit my Discourse to a threefold general head.  

1. To speak of it positively what it is.  
2. Comparatively to this temporal and present life.  
3. Oppositely, to eternal death.   

Eternal life considered  And these three particulars will tend to manifest the greatest excelleneys of it; Though when we have fully satisfied▪ you with this bread, it will so multiply, that many fragments may be taken up.  
First therefore positively, 
I. Positively what it is. 1. It consists in  This Eternal Life doth essentially lie in the immediate fruition and enjoyment of God: This the Scripture doth often call seeing of God, for howsoever it be disputed by the Learned whether the bodily eye shall be elevated so supernaturally, that it shall be able to see the divine essence, 

1. The immediate fruition and enjoyment of God.  
He is an universal and infinite object.   though spiritual and immaterial, yet so far as seeing doth imply enjoying and immediate fruition of God, so far they are sure to partake of it; Now then consider how great a mercy this is, To have God the Object of all our love, joy, and delight, For he only is that universal and infinite object which can satiate and comfort the heart: All these earthly comforts they are too narrow, too little for the soul: Divines say, The soul of a man hath an infinite appetite, it desireth this, and it desireth that, and nothing but God is such an universal good that can fully replenish it; Now David even in this life he saith, Whom have I in heaven and earth but thee? Psa. 13.35. how much rather will this be true in heaven? God is the centre of the soul, it is unquiet and restless till it fix there: Take all the men in the world, who have drunk deepest in the streams of these earthly comforts, yet still they thirst; There is a dropsy on them, still they would have more and other objects, They have a feavori●h heat with them, That makes them restless, whereas when we come to Christ we shall find rest to our souls, and He that drinketh of this water shall never thirst more, Jo. 4.14. so than we see what eternal life is, it's all the good that God is, What good is in God, that the believer hath, and how unreasonable is it to think that there is a better good than he; If the Creator cannot satisfy, can the Creature? From hence it is that the godly do so long for this time of enjoying him, I desire to depart, saith Paul, Phil. 2.23. The Church crieth for Christ to Come quickly: Those Patriarches looked on themselves as Pilgrims, and desiring a better City then that of this world; so than you can but judge of this happiness by the footsteps, by the drops of it; If there be any attractive good in the creature, it's but a drop, God the Fountain he is the Ocean: Now in this object God enjoyed, there are these remarkable properties of his goodness.  
1. He is the Universal good, he is the bonum in qua omnia bona, 
He is the Universal good.  There cannot be any desirable perfection but it is in him; The Creatures have their particular limited goodness, health hath its, wealth hath its, learning its, but now God is the Jehovah, all beings are eminently in him; As the Psalmist argueth, He that made the eye, shall not he see? he that made the ear, shall not he hear? Psal. 94.9. He than that makes this and that thing desirable, is not he much more desirable? Is there a ground to love Father, Mother, Wife, or Children, and not much rather to love God? so that that Command Mat. 22. hath the greatest reason, where God willeth to be loved with all the heart, all the soul, all the might; for there is nothing hath any good which is the Object of love, but it's in God, or from him, There is none good but God saith Christ, so then what are Stars to the Sun? The Stars cannot dispel the night, only the light of the Sun can do that; Thus only God and the light of his countenance can make the heart happy, as having all things.  
2. That good which God is, it is an unmixed sincere good; 
He is an unmixed sincere good.  He is so good that there is no trouble in him, for that is the imperfection of all earthly good things, as there is a drop of honey, so there is a drop of gall; Every Rose hath its thorn; If God gives thee any mercy in this life, yet still there is a sting as well as honey, so that no condition, no mercy hath every thing in it; Though they have this, yet they want another, and hence Solomon who gave himself to find out this Philosopher's stone, to obtain an happiness if it could be in this world, yet upon experience he giveth this Motto of every thing, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity Eccl. 1.1. But do the Saints in heaven, who have had the experience of enjoying God, pass such a sentence upon that happiness in heaven? Of this honey in the world we must not eat too much lest we surfeit; But there is fullness without nauseating; There is replenishing and yet always hungering, God is as much desired after millions of years as at the first moment in heaven; Hence this life is to be spent only in joy, in praises, and gladness of heart; Oh that we could affect our hearts more with this eternal life, it would be a great comfort in afflictions, and a quick spur to all duties.  

And a proper, peculiar, and convenient good.  Lastly, God who is thus the object of this Eternal life, is the proper, peculiar, and convenient good; No object is so suitable and adequate to the heart as he is, howsoever moral Philosophers say, good is the object of the will, yet they say, It's not good in the general or absolute, but that which is proportionable and convenient; The sick man desireth health, because it's the good proportionable to his wants, so the tormented man, ease; Thus although it be true that since man is fallen and corrupted with sin, God is not proportionable or suitable to him; Hence wicked men are said to hate God, Exod. 20. yet take we man according to his Creation, and the Image of God first planted in him, and so God was his ultimate end, in him only could he have full complacency, and so as far as we are regenerated and this holy Image restored in us, Nothing can satisfy us but God, We see David in many of his Psalms, he discovers several extremities and necessities upon him, yet the only cure is the light of his countenance; Let God look graciously on him, let him draw near to him, and then the troublesome waves are presently quiet.  

2. It consists in the perfect sanctifying the sou●●nd body thereby si●ting a man for the enjoyment of God.  2. This Eternal life doth positively consist in the beatifying the soul and the whole body, sanctifying it so fully that now it can enjoy God: For though God be never i● glorious an object, yet till the soul be made perfect he cannot enjoy God; No more than the Sun which is primum visibile, yet because of its dazzling lustre the eye is too weak to behold it steadfastly; Now in heaven the spirits of just men are said to be made perfect, and no corruptible thing can inherit the Kingdom of heaven; This then, this eternal life is seen in that the soul, yea, the whole man is ●o heavenly and holy, so perfected in every thing, that it's made capable of all this happiness; The godly have communion and fellowship with God in this life, now they are no more capable of this, if not sanctified, than a beast can converse with a man; Hence because this sanctification is impotent, we know in part, we believe in part, We see him but in a riddle, not face to face, but then shall we know him even as we are known of him, 1 Cor. 13.12. It was a general received opinion, as appeareth by several examples in the Old Testament, that if God made any glorious appearance to man, he should presently die, so Manaoh and others argued, and whence rose that apprehension but because of the glorious Majesty of God, and the vain, weak, frail nature of man? Oh but in heaven where God is in all his glorious manifestation, and we shall behold him continually, yet there shall be no faintings, no fears within us, and all is, because the Saints are then glorified and perfected in soul and body; There's not the least spot or wrinkle of sin to put them to any shame or fear within.  

3. In a quick and lively apprehension of this happiness.  3. This Eternal Life consists in a quick and lively apprehension of this happiness it hath, without which happiness could not be happiness; A man in a Lethargy though he liveth, yet he is as good as dead, because he perceiveth not his own life, neither doth he take any pleasure in any earthly contents; Hence it is, that the inanimate creatures, Trees, and Rocks, though they should be free from pain, yet cannot be said to be happy, because they have no faculty of reflection, They cannot perceive or discern their happiness, but in this eternal life, The knowledge and assurance of their happiness is that which makes it indeed to be a blessed life; The Heavens are not happy though they shall abide ever, because they have not life, nor can they reflect upon what they are; A child in the womb, though heir to a vast inheritance, yet cannot take any comfort from it, because he hath no reason to discern it; But then our souls shall have the most accurate quickness, and there will not be the least circumstance that shall aggravate our happiness, but we shall apprehend it, we shall know how to improve every comfortable consideration; Alas, in this life the godly through their weakness of knowledge and faith, make not that advantage of Christ as they may: There are many blessed arguments to refresh their souls, and they know them not or attend not to them, but when we shall come to eat of this bread of life, we shall not lose one crumb of it; Then there is nothing shall be hid from our eyes, but according to our capacity we shall then love God and Christ, and enjoy them to the full.  
Come we in the next place to the properties of this life, 
And it hath these properties.  for we can better speak of them then the life itself, as we can better look upon the Sunbeams than the Sun itself.  
And 1. It's a continued life of happiness; 
1. A continued life of happiness.  There is no interruption or stop put to this joy and comfort, and that is a transcendent thing, for in this life two things intermit our joy.  
1. Occurrent adversities, contrary miseries, our health is taken away by diseases, our wealth by poverty, our hopes by fears, so that every man's life hath more gall than honey.  
And 2. If there were no opposite calamity, as there was not to Adam, yet there is a natural intermission of it by sleep, so that if we were never so happy, yet as often as we sleep our Sun would be eclipsed, but this happy life we speak of admits of neither of these Interruptions; There cannot be any misery or grief there, for God will wash away all tears from their eyes, and it must needs be so, because all the cause of misery which is sin, is there taken away, so that as there cannot be any thunder or lightning in the upper Region, because the vapours which are the materials of it cannot ascend so high, can have no entrance there, so because no unclean thing, no sinful thing can enter heaven, therefore no evil, no misery, or affliction can come there; This should make us all despise this valley of tears for that Mount of Vision or transfiguration, What is this Wilderness to that Canaan? What are these husks to that Manna? Why are we so hardly plucked out of this world that hath so many thorns and troubles with it, to enter into heaven? where there is no grief, no complaining or discontent at all.  
Again, There is not the second intermission of this happiness; for there is no night, no sleep nor drowsiness, but it is a waking, joyful life to all Eternity: Alas, if here we should have the most desirable comforts that can be, yet we would call for a time to sleep, they could not keep us alive without this bodily Rect; but there the body is made so glorious a body that it's no more capable of sleep, than it is of hunger or thirst; Oh then happy and thrice happy is that life where thou shalt not for a moment be taken off from God. It's impossible for the godly in this life to have an actual love and complacency in God, never to be distracted or diverted by other thoughts, something or other comes and steals the heart away, and layeth the dead child in the room of the living one, but then we shall have a constant intuitive beholding of God, and nothing shall withdraw us from him, Thus it is not to be interrupted.  
2. 
2. It hath in it all desirable things  In this life there is an affluence and an accumulation of all things to make it blessed; The very Philosophers thought happiness must be such a state wherein was an aggravation of all good things, so that if a man could have all good things, and want but one, he could not be called an happy man; Hence in the Scripture the Hebrew word for happiness is in the plural number, because it is not one or two, or twenty good things can make a man happy, but there must be all things; And for this reason it is that the Scripture hath so many variety of resemblances to represent this blessedness; To show you, that it hath all desirable things; It's called a Kingdom, a Crown of glory, a Feast and Banquet, a place of joy; Heaven is said to be paved with all precious stones; Now why doth the Scripture use such expressions? Not that we should conceive any carnal pleasures or worldly contents there, as Mahomet's Alcoran speaketh, of a brutish happiness altogether sensual, but from earthly things would lift up your hearts to heavenly, it would gather you a Posy of the finest flowers, and tell you, heaven is this, Do but abstract the imperfections of the creatures, and the perfection that is in heaven; Even as Divines say concerning the perfections of creatures, God hath them, but in an eminent manner abstracted from the imperfections, he hath wisdom but not the imperfection of man's wisdom, he doth understand, he willeth as well as a man, but not with the imperfection of a man, So it is here: Heaven is riches, heaven is health, heaven is glory, heaven is honour, but still without the imperfection of these earthly comforts.  

3. It is a glorious Life.  3. This life is a glorious life; Beside freedom from evil and a positive affluence of all good, there is external glory to make it yet more desirable; Our souls shall be made glorious souls, our bodies glorious bodies: Heaven is a glorious place; The Angels are glorious, the Majesty of God will then be resplendent in all his glory; If the Queen of Sheba had no more spirit within her, beholding Solomon's temporal glory, how ravishing must this heavenly glory be? The Scripture every where speaks of the glory of this condition, now glory is that which exciteth all generous spirits, What did the Romans, the Pharisees do for glory? but it was a vain, empty glory; This is called by the Scripture, The exceeding weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. It's a solid, substantial glory, glorious within and without also.  

4. A holy Life▪  4. It is an holy life; For if you ask what shall be the employment of those who have this Eternal life: The Scripture tells us that both Angels and Saints are wholly exercised in this, in praising and glorifying God; The Angels Isa. 6. are brought in crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: And this is that which makes wicked men so careless about it; They rather desire a brutish sensual life, Let us eat and drink, as if they were so many Swine, but as the life of a Beast is not comparable to that of a man, so neither are the pleasures and joys of the flesh like those of holiness; Hence it is that those who live holily have a taste and firstfruits of this eternal life; He that believeth hath eternal life, Joh. 6.54. He hath it already, both in respect of a sure Title and interest, as also of the taste and pledges of it in his soul; Wonder not then if you see men given up to their lusts, no ways diligent to obtain this life; The holiness of it is no motive to them, no more than a Pearl doth affect a Swine; They must be holy who desire such an holy life.  
5. It's a spiritual life that differs from the former, because it's opposite to that animal life, 
5. A spiritual life  we live here; The body is made a spiritual body, we shall there no more hunger or thirst, no more eat or drink: All those civil and natural actions will be done away; No more delight in Father, in Wife, in Children, for the soul is wholly swallowed up with the love of and delight in God: As when the Sun ariseth we cannot see the Stars, so when God shall come to fill the capacity and potentiality of the soul, no more earthly comforts can be discerned by us: It's a true Rule, that spiritual delights are far more transporting and affecting the heart than any bodily can be; As those who are in an ecstasy and rapture, they mind no worldly thing: Paul did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body, yea, the delight in study did so transport Archimedes, that he was drawing lines when Syracuse the City he was in, was taken, so that as David said of prevailing grief, some Philosophers could say of their delight in study, They forgot the time to eat their bread: Now spiritual delights must needs elevate higher than all these: Hence it is that Divines say, The beatifical vision or fruition of God makes it impossible for the Saints to sin, They cannot leave God so excellent and full to cleave to any creature; As a man that hath tasted honey doth not like the taste of other things, or as he who hath long gazed on the Sun hath his eyesight taken away to behold other things. The Apostle tells us, 2 Cor. 4.15. that while we behold the glory of the Gospel, we are transformed into his Image; If faith in God in this life is so able to assimilate us unto God, that he purifieth himself as God is pure; If Moses by speaking with God face to face had such glory communicated to him, that the people were not able to behold the glory of his face, what a Transmutation will that immediare beholding of God make in us? We see the Disciples in a transient sight of this were so transported that they said, It is good for us to be here, let us build Tabernacles; They would never have gone to their former lives again; If a drop do thus work, what will the Ocean do?  
Use Of Instruction to Inform us, That true happiness which is Eternal life cannot be had on this side heaven; It's said, 
Use.  the desire of happiness is imbred in all; No man can refuse the desire of it; Ask every man in the world what he would have, he will answer you, happiness; Only here is the miserable corruption in us, we mistake where it is, we seek for it where it cannot be had; The voluptuous man would have it in his pleasures; The Ambitious man in honour and earthly greatness; All seek for it in this world; But how do you, like the blind Sodomites grope and feel after that which you cannot find? Go home and say, I am not yet happy, I am rich but not happy; I have worldly comforts, but this as no more happiness than a Landfloud is to the Sea, yea, for all this happiness thou hadst better never have been born, Every worm, every toad is happier than thou art; Oh then persuade thyself thou art not yet in the haven, Thou art in the Wilderness, not yet in Canaan; Nulla verior miseria quam falsa laetitia, and such joy, such comfort, such delight is all thou hast who hast not God.   

SERMON XII. A Consideration of Eternal Life compared with this present life, And with its contrary, viz. Eternal Death.  JOH. 17.2. That he should give to them Eternal Life. 

6. It's an eternal life.  ETernal life in the nature and some properties of it hath been treated on; There remains one more, which I shall mention, viz. that in the Text Eternal; Therefore take the best wine at the last, That which crowneth all, and without which whatsoever happiness or glory might be had, it would in time fall as the leaf from the Tree, and this is Eternity; And here again we must be more in our acclamations and divine amazements at it then descriptions of it. The Schoolmen they tell us, that Eternity is like a fixed star now, whose whole is altogether; There is no succession, no former or latter in Eternity, but all is together: I shall not perplex you with such intricacies, Eternity itself being only a fit space to know what Eternity is This only take notice of, That a thing may be said to be eternal in a twofold sense, 1. Absolutely and simply, so that it hath neither beginning or ending, and thus only God is eternal. Thus Deut. 33.27. God is called the Eternal God: Or else Eternal is used for that which had a beginning but never shall have an end, this is called Eternum a posteriori; and so this blessed life is called eternal, for although it had a beginning, yet it shall never have an end, but after millions and millions of imaginary years, they are to continue in this life, as if it were the first moment; Let us then consider as much as we are able what an infinite and incomprehensible happiness this is, which shall be for ever, Then shall we be with the Lord for ever, saith Paul, 1 Thes. 4.17. Who is not put into ecstasies and raptures, while he seriously meditateth on these things? Alas in this life if we had the confluence of all desirable comforts, yet because our life is short and uncertain, our joy also can be no longer; But there, whatsoever glory thou dost once partake of, thou shalt never lose it; It will be thy Crown for ever, thy Kingdom for ever, thy glory is ever lasting glory; O the depth and unsearchableness of this grace and love of God: well might Christ say, he would give it, and Paul call Eternal Life the gift of God, Rom. 6.23. For who can think that these duties which we do here are meritorious of such eternal glory, for grant they were perfect, and had no dross in them, yet there is no proportion in the time, for thy faith, thy repentance, they were transient acts, such as do pass way, but this Eternity abideth for ever. So in that it is eternal, the freeness of it is necessarily implied; What hath a cup of cold water given in the Name of Christ of condignity with an eternal reward: Oh than that by faith we could fix our hearts upon this eternal life, that we could say, what do we here? What is this life that we now live to that eternal life? Why have I not this more in my thoughts and desires? Why do I not rise and go to bed with hungrings and thirstings after this? especially let wicked men, who for to fulfil every base and unworthy lust, lose this eternal life, to go home weeping and howling, and making bitter Lamentations; For they for a lust that passeth in a moment, undo themselves to all Eternity.  
Thus you have heard the properties of it: 
II. Eternal Life considered comparatively with this present life.  In the next place consider it comparatively with this present life, and you will see what a Mole-bill is to the vast heavens, that is, this life to eternal life.  
For 1. This life is but short, fading, and fleeth away as a shadow; It's not a life but a shadow of a life; We live but in a dream, We act a life upon a Stage, There is but a life represented not really lived; 
1. This life is but short.  Hence the Scripture useth so many similitudes to express this nothing; Sometimes this life is called a flower, Psa. 90. which though sweet for a while, presently dieth; Sometimes a Flood, that makes a sudden noise, and is immediately swallowed up in the earth; Sometimes to a bubble, to a vapour, to a shadow, to a thread: Now why are all these expressions? but to tell us. This life is no life, it deserveth not the name of a life, and yet as poor and short as it is, what an imbred desire have we to it? Skin for skin, and all that we have we would exchange for it; how welcome then and desired should eternal life be, which compared with this life, is like the Ocean to a drop? Now lay up both these lives together, this fading moment, and that enduring Eternity, and admire the madness of wicked men, who say, Give me this life, Let me here live in my pleasures and lusts, though I be deprived of eternal life, This foolish choice is made by every wicked man.  
2. This life as it is short so it is full of troubles and miseries; 
2. Full of troubles and miseries.  Few and evil have my days been, said Jacob, Gen. 49.9. though a godly man who had sometimes the presence of God immediately refreshing him in this Pilgrimage. It hath been the saying of some, That if they were to live the life they have lived, over again; They would not accept of such an offer, because the water of it hath been more than the wine, the gall then the honey: Hence Job saith, Man that is born of a woman is for adversity as the sparks fly upwards, Job 5.7. Nothing is so connatural and proper for man as to be miserable: Compare then Eternity with this where all evil is done away: Nothing but glory and fullness of abundance; Eternal and happy may the Saints glorified say, their days are; Yet here again is a great discovery of every wicked man's madness, To have a few evil days, wherein thou hast more vexation than comfort, thou wilt lose this eternal blessed life, and if thou sayest, I hope not so, I do not intend to do so, that will not avail thee, for this eternal life is vouchsafed to none, but those that repent of, and wholly forsake their sins; Never then blind thy eyes, and delude thyself with vain hopes; Thou for thy sin's sake dost voluntarily refuse this eternal life.  
3. This life is full of fears, We are obnoxious unto death from principles of corruption within, as also from violence without; 
3. Full of fears.  So that if we could suppose an universal good in this life, That we had mercies and no sorrow mingled with them, yet the fear of losing them or our death no longer to enjoy them, may justly be the death in the pot, or the root of bitterness in all our joys: There is no ground we can shadow ourselves under, but a worm will arise either from it, or from ourselves, or God will create one to destroy it, so that when all things are to our hearts desire, yet we are not able to say, I fear not the loss of it, neither death, or the violence of man can deprive me of it, but still we are subject every moment to an alteration, set we then this eternal life by it, and there we shall see how glorious that is comparatively, for as there is an universal good, so there is a quiet, full, and secure possession of it; There is no danger from within or from without: Adam though created happy, yet was mutable, The devil seduced him out of all his felicity; but now there is a confirmation of the Saints in heaven, if once in possession of glory there cannot be any to eject them, unless there could be a stronger than God: It's not so much happiness as security in happiness that makes a man blessed, Fear to lose it takes off from the enjoying of it, but it's not so with this eternal life, There is all quietness, all security, and ease, and certainly if the Apostle Rome 8. even in this life can make such a glorious charge: Who shall separate us from the love of God through Christ? Neither death, nor things present, nor things to come. How much more shall they in heaven triumph after this manner? If those that are tossed up and down in the Sea have such security, what may they have who are in the haven? Upon this account it is that our Saviour bids them treasure up that wealth, Mat. 6.20. where thiefs cannot break through and steal; By that he means no secret craft or open violence can get away that treasure; Here again we see the madness of wicked and earthly men; They venture their souls, and God, and heaven and all to get this uncertain wealth, these uncertain pleasures, which when they have they may fear every moment that voice from heaven; Thou Fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee; Thus they do when a secure, certain and permanent treasure is to be tendered to them: It's a rule which all commend for the wisdom of it, Tene certum, & dimitte incertum, and this they will keep too in earthly affairs, but then for heaven and eternal happiness, there they are devoid of all understanding.  

4. Measured by time.  4. This life is measured by time, as are all the things therein: There is a succession of comforts, we cannot have all comforts together: All these things in the world are in a swift motion, and nothing stands still: The comforts we had the last year, or the last day, or the last hour, they are gone, we cannot have them any more; Thus every thing in this world being measured by time is in a continual flux: There is the first, and the second, and so still all is passing, and what is past we have not, and what is to come we do not yet enjoy, so that there is nothing but the present advantages that we are properly said to possess, now put eternal life to this, and it's the clean contrary, even as Eternity is to time, for whereas time is in a continual transient being, Eternity is an whole and full possession of all together; There is no past, present, or to come in Eternity, but Eternity comprehends all these things together, even as the greater wheel comprehends at once all the motions of the less wheel within it, and certainly this consideration is able to swallow us up, Thy comforts do not flow and reflow, They do not pass and others come, but thou art in a stable, permanent way of enjoying all happiness together, Thou canst not be less happy at one time then at another; Thou canst not expect greater joy than thou hast, neither canst thou wish for any joy that is past, so great a matter is Eternity.  

5. Full of dissatisfaction·  In the Last place, This Life is full of dissatisfaction, even in the vertical Point of all its blessedness; The heart of a man morally as well as naturally is always in motion, never lieth still: It's always hydropical, the more it drinketh the thirstier it is still: Solomon you heard that made it his study and endeavour to have content in this world, yet it could not be, he may as soon think to make an Oistershell hold the Ocean, as that these earthly things can fill the heart; What man is there who liveth a mere earthly life, that can say, he is satisfied, he desireth nothing? Indeed we read of Paul Phi. 4. saying, I have all things, and abound, but that is through grace, because enjoying of God otherwise, the Air can as soon fill the hungry stomach as earthly things the appetite of the soul; But compare this eternal life hereto, and there is all fullness and satisfaction▪ They never desire a change, they cannot wish it better with them; We see Peter but in a taste of it, yet cried out, It's good to be here, Let us dwell here, he would not have parted with joy; The soul in heaven is arrived at its haven, it's come to its journey's end, it's now fallen to its centre, it cannot go any further; It now cryeth out, Here is enough (Lord) here is enough, yet this fullness breeds not nauseating as they were weary of Manna: No, it exciteth desire and yet filleth it; It provoketh love, and yet satiateth it, so that this particular likewise proclaimeth the madness of all wicked men, for why is thy soul like the devil, compassing about the earth, seeking out for this comfort, and then for another; Even as children cry for this thing, and then quickly weary, cry for another, and in the mean while doth neglect that which would be instead of all.  
Thus have we handled it comparatively, 
II. Eternal life considered oppositely to eternal death.  the last way is to consider it oppositely, for that is an old Rule, contraries put together, illustrate one another the more; The Sun is most glorious after the breaking out of a black thick cloud; Now the contrary to Eternal life, is eternal death, so that we may apprehend the good of the one by the evil of the other, and indeed man is so slavish and brutish that fear doth more prevail then love; Therefore though we propound all the joys of heaven, and invite to this eternal life, yet few make that Question, as he did to Christ, Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? but if we speak of eternal death in all the terror of it, than fear may for a while at least, awaken them, Let us then consider wherein the contrary to this eternal life consisteth.  
And 1. That is in the deprivation of God, and an utter departure from him, 
Eternal death lieth,  and this privative part of eternal death is the great aggravation of it; At the day of judgement, that dreadful doom runneth thus, Depart from me, Mat. 25. 
1. In the deprivation of God.  41. That is worse than the eternal fire they are cast into, you have heard that God was the fountain of all good, every creatures goodness is but a stream from that Fountain; At thy right hand (said David, Psa. 16.11.) are rivers of pleasure for evermore; So that this eternal death takes thee from the light of his countenance; Thou art never to be admitted in his presence, and when God departs, all comfort, all hope departs with him: Oh that wicked men would lay this to heart, you that now bid God depart from you, you will have none of his knowledge, none of his commands, God will requite you in your own kind, he will then command you to depart from him: Were it not that Athiesm and unbelief did reign in your hearts, this truth would make your ears to tingle, and your heart to tremble, while you hear it: Was it not death to Absalon to be kept from his Father's presence? Why do ye not kill me, saith he to Joab, rather than let it be always thus, yet he was but an earthly Father, he could not give peace and joy to the consciences of men, but this heavenly Father is a Father of spirits, whom he bids Depart from him, all terror and horror immediately seizeth on that man; There is no quietness in his bones, Michah had lost but an Idol-God, Judg. 18. and he wringeth his hand, and crieth out bitterly; Oh but what roar and yell when we shall have lost the true God and his favour for ever.  
2. This eternal death brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined upon a man; For as here we told you, 
2. It is seen i● that it brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined.  was not one kind of comfort but an aggression of all, therefore the Scripture delights to represent it under several desirable good things, so neither is hell one kind of misery, one kind of torment, but the Scripture represents it under every thing that is terrible, Because death is so much feared, therefore it's called death, because fire and brimstone are so terrible in burning it's called that; Because a dark dungeon and prison with chains in the darkness are so miserable, It's resembled to that, because men in extremity of pain and misery do use to weep and wail, and gnash their teeth, therefore is hell set out by all these dreadful things, so that as the glorified in heaven have every thing they can desire, there is no good they want; Thus the damned in hell have every thing they fear; There is no torment or pain imaginable but they partake of it, and this they are filled with, having not the least ease or respite: Dives desired but a drop of water to cool only the top of his tongue, and he could not obtain so much; Oh that men who give themselves up to the pleasures of sin would remember these torments; These howl to all Eternity: What are we preaching follies and fictions to you? If you believe the Scripture, you must believe those things to be the portion of every unreformed sinner; O what a vast difference will there be between thy pleasures here and eternal torments hereafter, and not to have a drop of ease in all thy misery.  

3. To all Eternity.  3. This eternal death as it hath fullness of torment so likewise Eternity; For heaven and hell have no period; There is no time set when the fire of hell shall go out, called therefore unquenchable fire, So that these two properties easeless and endless might startle and amaze every ungodly man, Why wilt thou buy these eternal torments at so dear a rate, for a moment's pleasure to have everlasting woe? So that here are two Eternity's before thee, an Eternity of happiness, an Eternity of misery, Sin saith, and the devil saith, taste of the honey of sin, God saith, There is eternal gall for this; Now which wilt thou believe, either sin tempting, or God threatening? Was not Eve at first undone? because she would hearken to the devil against God; What fruit or profit had Judas for thirty pieces, procuring to himself eternal horror and trembling?  
Thus you have seen eternal life in the contrary to it, We have been upon the Mount of Blessing, and upon the Mount of Cursing; If good things will not allure, 
Life a gift, death is deserved.  let dreadful things astonish and terrify; Only you must know the grand difference between eternal life and eternal death in the manner of coming to it: So you see in the Text it's given by Christ, and it's called the gift of God, but eternal death comes by desert, It's the wages of sin, Rom. 6. ult. Our sins deserve hell, but our graces do not heaven, and whereas it might be thought an unjust thing in God for a transient sin to inflict eternal torments, yet that is no wonder.  

Why God for a transient sin will inflict eternal torments.  For 1. We see amongst men, that Malefactors for a crime committed by them, which was acted in a very short time, do yet suffer death, which as to this world is their eternal destruction, they can never come back to live here again. 2. All sin being committed against God who is of infinite glory hath thereby an infinite guilt, and so deserveth eternal damnation. Hence it is that Divines say, Omne peccator punitur citra condignum, Even hell itself is not a punishment adequate to the nature of sin, for God's honour is more worth than ever our sufferings can make up again: And lastly, There is no injustice because all those torments can never make any satisfaction; For hence it is that thy misery is eternal, because thou canst not pay the utmost farthing; Thou art never able to discharge the debt, therefore thou must for ever lie in prison: Thus there is justice in every man's damnation, and there is only mercy in every man's salvation.  
For 1. Those graces and good works thou dost have no proportion to this Eternal and glorious reward. The Apostle did not account his suffering which seem to be the most efficacious for salvation, any whit comparable to that eternal weight of glory; If a man should have the whole world given him for lifting up a straw, that is not so great a disproportion as to give heaven for Martyrdom, the highest act of love to God.  
And 2. It's only of grace, because he who giveth the Crown giveth us legs and strength to run in the race: Coronat dona sua, non merita nostra; so that we are so far from meriting by good works, that the more we do, the more we are beholding to the grace of God.  
Use Of Invitation, 
Use.  Who is there of you that hath heard of the nature and properties of this eternal life that is not brought in love with it? Who is there that hath heard of this pearl, that will not sell all, throw away every sin to enjoy it? If there were nothing but this it might work on thee: Hast thou any lust that will be equivalent to eternal life, that will be in stead of that to the●? What wilt thou do when a mortal disease hath surprised thee? thy friends weeping, thy children crying, and thou dying, Will these lusts than help call to them and see if they can give thee eternal life? What, wilt thou be worse than Balaam? he wished, Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, and his later end might be like his: And shall there be not so much as a desire, as a sigh, though, if there be no more, if thy life be not the righteous man's life, thy death cannot be his.   

SERMON XIII. Weighty Considerations upon Eternity.  JOH. 17.2. That to as many as thou hast given him, he should give Eternal Life. 
Eternal Life is the glorious gift mentioned in the Text, and though I was concluding this verse, yet the consideration of this glorious matter shall make me once more endeavour throughly to possess your hearts therewith. It was the fault of one of the Kings of Israel that he did not strike arrows often enough to the ground, 2 King. 13.19. for than he should have obtained more victories. It shall therefore be my endeavour, if possible, that the arrows of this truth may be stricken often even through and through your hearts. And that I may further quicken you hereunto, consider these particulars, as so many effectual conclusions upon this subject.  
And first, 
1. The great question that all aught to put is, How may I have eternal life?  The chief and most principal and necessary question which every one should seriously propound, aught to be that Luk. 18.18. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? Not indeed upon such a corrupt opinion as he did, who thought by his own works merely to obtain this eternal life; No, that cannot be, it's the gift of God: and when we have done all, this eternal life is of grace, not merit, but in a right sense, viz. what way ought we to walk in, what is to be done that at last we may not eternally perish. This (I say) is a most noble and necessary question, if this were more studied and practised, it would advantage the soul ten thousand times more than other unnecessary and impertinent disputations. The best method in moral Philosophy is to begin first with the end, because that is the chiefest, there must be first a knowledge and desire of that: Now all Divinity agreeth with moral Philosophy in this, it's wholly practical. The first thing then in your thoughts and meditations should be, What is that end for which I was made? how may I obtain that eternal life for which I came into this world? Oh why are we busy in unnecessary things? for what end and purpose were you made? Was it to heap up wealth? To satisfy the lusts and pleasures of the flesh? No, it was at last to enjoy this eternal life. The Heathen did well call man the orison of time and eternity; for in respect of his body, he partaketh of time, in respect of his soul eternity: So than the chief and more excellent part of thee, that which makes thee differ from a beast, it is that which relateth to eternity, so that the first and the last thing thou hast to think on is, how to come to this eternal life. The Apostle useth an emphatical word, 1 Tim. 6.12. Lay hold on eternal life; as a man that runneth in a race, at the end thereof streacheth out himself to lay hold on the garland; so that as he who runneth in a race neglects all the pleasant objects he runneth by, and hath his eye only upon the prize: Thus it ought to be with us, neither riches, honours, friends or earthly advantages ought to be inordinately minded by us, but eternal life that is the prize, upon that our eye is to be, after that we are to pray and strive: But who may not blame himself, and judge himself for neglect herein? Oh how little is this eternal life in thy affections and hopes; thy cares about thy body, about thy estate will greatly condemn that sluggishness about eternal life.  

2. We must take the right way to answer that question.  2. As this aught to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with, so we must take the right way to answer it. It's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ, What truth was? and never matter an answer; but we are to be restless in our souls till we have a full answer, till we know the way. Now that we can only be instructed in from God's Word, John 6.68. Whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life. The Scripture than is this Tree of Life, the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternal healing. Hence our Saviour in the next verse tells us, what is the way to have this eternal life, even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ. As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortality, so they were in Egyptian darkness, or like the blind Sodomites, groping and feeling for a way to it, but could never get in. Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this, How may I have this eternal life, betake thyself then to the Scriptures, make them thy counsellors; do not attend to the ways of the world, matter not what they say, or what they do, for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practices of the world. If you do not rectify yourself by the Scripture, and resolve to follow the light of this star, though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternal life, yet they would do you no good; say then, let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into, my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to God's Word, whatsoever course that prescribeth, though never so contrary to my lusts, to my former practices, yet I will gladly renounce all. Do this and then expect eternal life.  

3. Consider upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity.  3. Consider this deeply, that upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity. Thou hast a short brittle life in this world, and upon the good improvement of this depends all eternity. Oh the search and turnings of heart this particular should make in you; My everlasting condition, that estate which is to be for ever and ever, it wholly hangs upon this uncertain life. It may be thou hast but a day, an hour to live longer, and all thy eternity depends on this: Oh men foolish and unwise, who will not lay these things more to heart. God hath given us a candle to work by, a short day we have to improve, and if this pass over thy head, then comes unchangeable eternity. As at thy death thou art cast for eternal life or everlasting torments, so it must be without ever any recovery or alteration. Oh how precious should thy time be, how dear should every day every hour be, all this hath influence into eternity. Well might the Apostle, Ephes. 5.16. command us to redeem the time. Time is the most precious jewel in the world, eternity depends on it, and therefore wilt thou let thy lusts or wicked companions steal away this jewel that is more worth than all the world? Oh let us so live every day, every hour as those that say, as I do now, so will eternity be to me.  
4. Consider this, that the most of men even called and enjoying the means of grace, 
4. That most shall miss of eternal life.  shall miss of this eternal life. What is a thunderbolt if this be not, Luk. 13.24. There are few that enter into the straight gate, and many are called, but few chosen; our Saviour used that apothegm more than once. How formidable and dreadful should these words many and few be unto us! Many perish in the broad way, few enter in the straight way: What will make thee cast off presumption, security and negligence, if this do not? The number of those who shall have this eternal life is very few, a little flock they are comparatively to those many millions that are cast into everlasting flames. Oh how long shall we hear these things and yet be void of all spiritual understanding. If such an asseveration should be used concerning any temporal misery or calamity, Many shall die of the plague, few shall escape; Many shall be cut off by famine or the sword, and a very few shall be preserved, who would not fear lest he should be one of the many? And yet in these things many are as idle, having ears they hear not, and hearts they understand not.  
5. Desire to have such thoughts and resolutions now, 
5. Desire such thoughts now as if thou wert already in eternity.  as if thou wert already in eternity: For if the damned in hell that see no escape from those everlasting flames were asked, what they thought of their sin, how they loved it? would they not make miserable howl, it's that which hath undone us, oh that is the sting that enters into the very bowels, that's the scorpion which pierceth to the very heart: Oh we mad men and void of all understanding, who though forewarned of this, and threatened about it, yet regarded nothing, believed nothing; but now, oh now, after millions of years in this tormented place, we are as unlikely to come out, as at the first. Think you they are not then altered and changed, do they not cry out of those bitter sins which were once so sweet? Should God give them leave to be here again upon the earth, would they not repent in sackcloth and ashes? would they not day and night mourn after God and his forgiveness? Oh that every wicked man, who finds pleasure and delight in his sins, would think and say, Do the damned in hell judge it so? Do they feel sin so sweet? And thus also desire to have the same enlarged affections and delight in God, as those glorified Saints in heaven have. Dost thou find thy heart worldly, unruly, distempered, say, Do those in eternal life rejoice no more? have they no more enlivened flames of zeal for God than I have? Thus to judge as those who are in eternity, would be an excellent spur to all piety.  
6. Remember this likewise, 
6. Better a man had not been born then to miss of eternal life.  that it's far better thou hadst never been born then to miss of this eternal life. It had been far more easy to have been an abortive, or that the womb had been thy sepulchre and grave, then to live here, and at last to die thus eternally. Shall Job and Jeremiah so passionately curse the time of their lives, and wish there had been no day or sun, and only because of some temporal extremity, which yet did not endure very long? what outcries and wishes shall these have who are to die eternally, and yet shall never die? Job speaks of some that desire death, Job 3.21. but cannot have it; thus shall all those deprived of eternal life call to mountains and hills to cover them, by't the tongue with madness, and call for death to devour them, but it cannot be. Though Judas could make away himself out of this hell he had here, yet he cannot out of the hell afterwards.  
7. Consider with thyself, how unable thou art to bear any extreme pain, 
7. Consider how unwilling thou art to bear any extreme pains.  though it be but for a night or day: what toss and tumblings, when it's night wishing for day, and when it's day wishing for night: Now if a moment's pain be so grievous, what is eternal? If thou art not able to endure the sudden scorch of fire, what then to be in everlasting fire, Isa. 33.14. Who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings. Oh how should this meditation even swallow us up; If we are not able to endure the rod, how shall we the scorpion? If the gout, the stone be thus grievous, what is everlasting torment? Should not we judge him a mad man, that to have one night of quiet rest and sweet sleep, would all his life after be tormented with restless nights and terrifying dreams? such folly is in all wicked men, They to have this short life of pleasures and jollity, which is but a dream, will undo themselves for ever in this endless and easeless woe: Oh remember this eternity is so incomprehensible by thee, that when thou hast thought and thought ten thousand millions of imaginary years, yet it is to hold as long as at the first beginning. Some have represented it thus, Imagine, say they, that all that vast space which is between heaven and earth were full of sand, and once in every thousand year, no oftener, a bird carry away one crumb of it in her bill, what a long while would it be ere this vast huge heap would be carried quite away; yet if the damned in hell might have ease at the period of such a time, though so infinitely long, yet there would be some hope; but now it's everlasting fire, it's a fire that cannot be quenched, but as long as God is God, so long shall they be in their chains of darkness. God you heard was properly eternal, because he had neither beginning or end; therefore he was said by the Heathens to be a circle, whose centre was every where, his circumference no where. Hence the Heathens represented his eternity by a snake, or a ring, that hath no beginning or end. The Romans built their Temples round, and Pythagoras rule was when to worship, turn thyself round: Here they had confused notions about eternity; but the Scripture doth most clearly affirm his eternity: Now our life is eternal only because it shall have no end, and so for the future it will abide for ever, and never change: What a great word is this, never to change; thy happiness will never change, thy misery will never change. These things duly pondered will be of great use. But thou wilt say, this subject is indeed very necessary, this eternity is a wonderful and transcendent point, oh that I could rise with it and walk with it; 
Helps to be affected with eternity.  how then shall I possess myself with it, how shall I be affected with it? Do these things.  
In the first place, Exercise a firm and strong faith about it, that there is such a thing. This is a good and necessary foundation, for as long as Atheism or unbelief is in thee, and thou thinkest there is nothing after this life, thou doubtest whether there be any such eternity or no, as long as this wicked disposition is on thee there cannot be any good in thee. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, Heb. 11. so that this eternal life which is the great hope and expectation of the godly, by faith is made really to subsist in the heart, it doth as lively embrace it, as if it were already in eternity. Oh then let a firm and divine assent overrule thy heart, say, I do believe it more than any thing of sense or of reason, more than that I breath or live▪ For the Word of God is so punctual and positive in afirming such a condition of eternity hereafter, that faith must needs bear witness to it. Now this Divine faith of such a thing would be like so many sparks of fire in our breast, it would make us speak and live and do all for this eternity, we do so certainly believe it.  
And 2. Do not only believe, but accustom thyself to frequent and serious meditations about it. Meditation in the Word of God is made a blessed thing, and certainly this is a duty, though much neglected, yet wonderfully necessary, to set thyself to meditate and think over and over some main points of Scripture truth, whereof this eternity is not the least. Meditation is like the birds sitting upon her eggs, if she should not be constant upon them, there would never be warmth enough to cause living young ones; thus it is here: It's not a transient thought, it's not a sudden motion, but it must be a constant serious meditation upon eternity; certainly if thou wert careful in this, thou wouldst find it raising up thy heart, heating thy affections, and making of thee earnestly desire this eternal life.  
3. Consider this, that one great end why God hath thrown so many bitter roots in every thing here below, why there are so many sad exercises and afflicting troubles, it is to seek after eternal life. Thou hast not perfect health, thou hast not full content, every day hath some evil or other, and why is all this? because eternal life should be desired by thee. God seeth thy mouth cannot be brought off from sucking the breasts of the creatures, therefore they are rubbed with wormwood to wean thee. As God therefore suffered the Egyptians to afflict and oppress the Israelites, that so they might be weary of Egypt, and long for Canaan, thus it is here, God makes this world a valley of tears and fears, a valley of death, there is no ground but some worm or other devoureth it, and all this, that thou shouldst long for an haven, who art tossed in this restless sea of the world: Look then upon all the afflictions, pains, miseries, or whatsoever bitter thing it be that thou art to grapple with, and say, The Lord doth this to make me undervalue these things below, it's to make me esteem a better life. If every thing were here as I would have it, heaven would not be so welcome: Had the Prodigal not met with husks and extreme hardship, 
The effects of lively meditations on eternity accompanied with firm faith.  he would not have resolved to go back to his Father again. Think and practise these things, so wilt thou be greatly affected with eternity: And to encourage thee herein, consider the blessed effects which a lively meditation of eternity, accompanied with a firm faith, will put thee upon.  
For first, Who so hath this eternity set upon his heart he will not be immoderately and inordinately desirous after these things below. 
1. A low esteem of the world.  As the beams of the sun will put out the fire, so will the thoughts and affections about eternal things, overcome temporal. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. presseth all upon an hard duty, To marry as if we married not, to buy as if we bought not; Why so? because the time here is short, eternity is coming upon us: And thus those holy Patriarches mentioned Heb. 11. they accounted themselves pilgrims and strangers, and they sought a City to come, not built with hands. Thou complainest thy heart is so full of deadness, dulness, so full of the world, the cares and distractions thereof devour thee up, there is nothing will help thee against this temptation, than often thoughts and affections about eternity.  
2. As the thoughts of eternal life will thus moderate our affections, 
2. A longing for the coming of Christ.  so it will work in us 〈◊〉 longing for and hasting of the coming of Christ, who then will bestow this eternal life upon us. We wonder how Paul should be lifted up above all these earthly comforts, as to desire to depart and to be with Christ, Phil. 1. It seemeth very difficult to us, that any hasten in their prayers and desires Christ's coming, but all this is because our hearts are not as full of hope and expectation of eternal life as theirs were: Alas, many of us know no better, and so cannot desire any better than what may be had in this world, and therefore the thoughts of death and the coming of Christ are unwelcome to us: Whereas to The godly, it's the coming of the bridegroom, and they are to lift up their heads with joy, when that approaches, Matth. 26. Let then that godly soul which doth so complain that it loveth life too dearly, and feareth death too immoderately, let that be strengthened and comforted with the sure hopes of this eternal life: If an heavenly frame of heart were powerful in us, this very world would be a wilderness, it would be tedious to us to be kept so long from that home we have in heaven. The Saints have a rest provided for them, and who doth not desire to be at his rest? Oh blame yourselves more, that you have not David's exclamation, and now Lord, what long I for? truly my soul waiteth for thee, As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so doth my soul after thee O God, Psal. 42.1. David spoke this but of enjoying God in the Ordinances in this life, Oh but how greatly must the soul be inflamed for the life to come.  

3. Calm the soul under any troubles.  3. Powerful thoughts of Eternity will quiet and wonderfully calm the soul under any afflictions and troubles. No such antidote as this; Paul abundantly witnesseth that we account not the light afflictions of this life comparable to that eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. so this Eternity made him not value or regard any temporary affliction: It was this that made the Martyrs joyfully take the spoiling of their goods, and the loss of their lives: Thus in every affliction and exercise, if sanctified to thee, how sweetly and joyfully mayst thou dwell in heaven while thou art on earth; Thou mayst be in heaven every day, even while thy condition is beset with many troubles; It's thy sin and unbelief if thou makest thy house a prison, Thyself a torment to thyself, if thou set faith on work about this Eternity, it will put thee into heaven before thou comest to possess it: Eternal Life will give thee a better body, a better house, a better heart, oh this Eternal life, it's the health of our bones, the light of our countenance, a continual Feast, and a perpetual cordial; Hence the godly even in this life are said to have Eternal life, because of the right they have to it, and partly because they have the beginnings and first fruits of it upon their souls.  
Use of Admonition, Take this Subject more into your thoughts, how many roving thoughts hast thou? but if placed on Eternity, it would be great profit; How many thoughts hast thou unbelieving, disquieting and troubling, if fixed on Eternity, they would all vanish, especially let the wicked man turn from all sin, saying, There is an Eternity; If it were only death, that would not so much trouble thee, but it's Eternity after Death.   

SERMON XIV. The Necessity of Divine Knowledge, And Arraignment of Ignorance.  JOH. 17.3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 
IN the Verse before we had the great privilege vouchsafed, viz. eternal Life, and the Subject to whom, viz. Those that are given to Christ In this Verse our Saviour informeth of the manner or way how we may come to it; For to speak of eternal life and not direct to the enjoying of it, is to see Canaan, but to want a pillar of fire to guide to it, and although our Saviour had described such as should inherit eternal life, yet because it's a secret written in God's Book, which no man can read, who are given by the Father to Christ, and who not; Therefore it's necessary we should be told the way, and that is done in the Text.  
In the words you have then affirmed the way to this happiness, This is eternal life, this will make you have eternal life; None can ever attain it that take not this course, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either relate to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or else after the manner of the Hebrews be put absolutely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; This phrase is like John 12.58.  
Now therein Consider, 

1. The way or duty enjoined.  
2. The object of it.    
The duty is To know. Among other distinctions, this is very obvious in Scripture to speak of a twofold knowledge.  
1. That which is merely speculative and apprehensive; If ye know these things, happy are you if ye do them, Joh. 13.17.  
2. Which is practical and operative, for it's a known Rule, that among the Hebrews, Words of Knowledge are put for all the affections and effects that use to follow such Knowledge; Thus God is said to know the way of the righteous▪ Psa. 1. That is, so to know as to approve and preserve the righteous, and in this sense To know the true God is taken so to know as to do all those things that are commanded by him, and the reason why the Scripture comprehends all under knowledge, is, because this is the Introduction and gate to all practical piety: Although to know here is more particularly taken for believing, for it's a good Rule that Divines have, whereas Faith hath three acts ingredient to it: 1. Knowledge. 2. Assent. 3. Fiducial application. The Scripture describeth the whole nature of Faith sometimes by one act, sometimes by another: In other places it's described by assent, and most frequently by trusting, but here by knowledge; For whereas the Papists would make ignorance rather of the definition of faith then knowledge, they show plainly what an ignorant faith and Religion they would have people take up with.  
In the second place there is the object which is twofold, 1. The only true God. 2. Jesus Christ That is both God in respect of his nature and attributes, oppositely to those Heathens who worshipped Idols; and 2. Jesus Christ, that is opposite to the Jews, who knew the true God but not Christ, and withal that the knowing of the true God as a Creator by the creatures is nothing at all without the latter: It must be, as he is Father in Christ, so that hereby is implied that the knowing of God absolutely is not saving, it must be relatively in the glorious dispensation and mystery which is by Jesus Christ.  
I shall not explain further on this, only remove an Argument which the Arians and Socinians use to triumph in from this Text as their Achilles; 

Arians and Socinians collection from the Text.  
The Text vindicated.   Oh say they here it's plain; That Christ is not a true God, because they are distinguished; God is the only true God, and therefore Christ is not; But this is absurd, That the only true God is opposed to Idols and to the heathenish gods which were worshipped by them, in which sense he is sometimes called The Holy One of Israel, and not to Christ, for if he were not God likewise how could eternal life be said to be both in knowing of God and Christ, and that Christ is truly God, take instead of many, two undeniable places, Rom. 9.5. Of whom after the flesh came Christ, who is over all God blessed for evermore; And the other which is an excellent Comment upon this place, 1 Joh. 5.20. We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; This is the true God, and eternal life; and then addeth, Keep yourselves from Idols; So that God the Father is the true God and Christ the Son is the true God, and all other made gods are Idols.  
This Answer is sufficient, and indeed the Socinians themselves may be convinced, for they grant this Rule, that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus doth not exclude the inclusa or subordinate, for they acknowledge Christ to be truly God, though not essentially; Whereas by their Argument Christ as true God should be excluded, and nothing is more ordinary then to use the word solus, not to exclude what is concomitant or homogeneal but divers, as Mat. 11.16. None knoweth the Father but the Son, where the Father himself is not excluded, nor the holy Ghost, for it's said, 1 Cor. 2.11. None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit; Others of old made this order of the words, To know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, to be the true God, but this may seem too much forced. Lastly, Many answer that the restrictive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, doth not determine the Antecedent te or Patr●m, but the true God, so that the sense is not, the Father alone is the only true God, but that he is the only true God, and then this expression doth not exclude the Son or holy Ghost▪ but because by other places it's evident they are also the true God, therefore they are necessarily included.  

Observe.  Obs. That by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life, 1 Tim. 2.4, God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth: Here you see the knowledge of the Truth is the way to be saved: I shall not now treat upon the nature of this knowledge, especially as it includeth faith, but shall first handle it in the general, as it is opposite to ignorance and error about the true God.  
And to open this Consider,  

1. All men naturally ignorant of God in a saving manner  1. That all men by nature are ignorant of God in a saving true manner, For although Rom. 1. it's plain, that God hath implanted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, some imbred apprehension about a God, so that Divines say, there cannot be a natural Atheist, yet this knowledge is so confused and dimmed, that it is better called ignorance then knowledge.  

2. Imbred knowledge may be increased by the contemplation of the creature.  Yet 2. This imbred knowledge may be actuated and perfected by the contemplation of the Creatures, as Rom. 1. None that observeth such a curious Fabric as the world is, can conclude it made itself, but it had some Creator; Even as when a man heareth curious Music upon some Musical Instrument, every one will conclude there is some artificial hand playing upon it, that it doth not move itself: Thus the Heathens have many expressions concerning a God, whom they discovered no other way but by the creatures, although this was accompanied with some hesitancy and doubting; And their light was like that of the Moon and Stars, yea, not so much, for it was not able to direct them in any manner acceptable to him: Hence it is that the Scripture speaks of them as without God, Eph. 2. and such as know not God.  

3. True knowledge to be had only within the Church.  Therefore 3. The true and right knowledge of God is only had within the Church, That as God saith of his people, You only of all Nations have I known; so they only of all Nations have known God, Hence the Samaritan Woman is said to worship she did not know what, Joh. 4.22. because Salvation was only of the Jews, viz. the knowledge and true revelation of it. Hence is that saying of Divines, Extra Ecclesiam non est salus; As without the Ark every one perished; For although some of the Ancients and others have been very prone to ascribe salvation even to a natural knowledge of God, as if God would require no more of them; Then in that condition thinking otherwise, that he would reap where he had not sown, yet this Text putteth out of all doubt as well as others, that the knowledge of the true God and of Christ is necessary to Salvation: Now whatsoever they might know of God, yet it is plain they could not by the Creatures know any thing of Christ, his Nature and Offices, being of mere Revelation, and from hence likewise it is apparent that even among the Jews, though the knowledge of the Trinity, and of Christ seemed more obscure and implicit, yet those that were saved had some measure of the knowledge of it, for saith Christ, This is eternal life; The way to it, and those in the Old Testament went in the same way to Heaven, as well as those in the new; You see then our Saviour by this Proposition doth assure us that without the knowledge of God and Christ, there is no eternal life, and thereby that it is had only in the Church; There are no flowers can grow out of this garden, No gold sanctified that is not in this Temple.  
4. Though the true knowledge of God and Christ is to be had in the Church, 
4. All true knowledge is not presently saving.  yet all true knowledge that is most plentiful and exact, is not presently saving knowledge; Therefore in the Text when eternal life is said to be in knowing of God, and Christ, that is, with the due concomitants and genuine effects thereof, when we so know as that it is an acknowledgement of the truth after godliness, Tit. 1. This is good to be considered by those who have obtained some good measure of knowledge, how apt are men to be puffed up by it, They swell with this wind, as those in antiquity that were called Gnostics, because of the knowledge they gloried in, but this light may be and often is without any heat at all: Their heads are better than their hearts or their hands, so that they are a kind of a spiritual Monster, A man's head above, but bruit beasts below, look then that with thy knowledge there be also a good conscience and a godly life, otherwise thy knowledge will serve but to make hell hotter for thee.  
5. Though all knowledge be not saving, 
5. Without knowledge no Salvation.  yet without knowledge there cannot be any salvation; I speak not of Infants, They come not within the ordinary way of God's dispensation, For the Apostle saith, Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17. Even as Aristotle saith, Disciplina est ex auditu, the Ear is the organ of Learning; No knowledge, no faith; no faith, no godliness, and so no salvation, Isa. 23.11. They are a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not save them; As without this there cannot be any salvation, so neither any true piety, Psa. 14.3. All the wickedness of man is because he doth not understand or seek after God, and Hos. 4.1. The Land was full of swearing, lying, and killing because there was no knowledge of God in the Land; Knowledge then is the eye of the soul, the needle to draw in the thread, and to neglect this is wilfully to refuse the Salvation of God offered to them.  
6. Although this Knowledge be thus necessary, 
6. The great ignorance of most to be lamented.  yet how woeful is the stupidity and ignorance of most people; Who can take up Lamentations bitter enough? Who hath bowels tender enough to pity those ignorant and senseless people that are every where, who know nothing of God or Christ? we use to pity poor blind people that are not able to step one step without danger, but oh the sad and miserable estate of those who have these blind and darkened understandings! Every step they take they stumble and fall: If Paul Heb. 6. did so severely threaten those that were but in their first principles, and were not carried on to perfection: What danger remaineth for them who have not so much as attained to first principles, who have not yet laid a Foundation? yet this is the sad condition of many who though in the Land of Goshen have Egyptian darkness upon their hearts; Though baptised in the Name of Christ, yet know nothing of God or Christ, but are become like bruit beasts that perish.  
7. It's not therefore enough for a man to believe as others believe, or as the Church believeth, without some personal or explicate knowledge of his own; 
7. We must have personal and explicit knowledge, and not believe as the Church believes.  He doth not say, It's Eternal life to know that others know, To believe that others believe, but he that would have eternal life, he himself must know the true God and Christ; So that this doth palpably condemn that strange but politic doctrine maintained in the Church of Rome, That the common people need no more faith than this, to believe as the Church believeth, Politic I call it, for hereby they keep the people in a blind obedience, They receive any kind of worship, any kind of doctrine, without trial or comparing it by the Scripture, and thus they commend darkness, because their deeds are evil; But the Apostles Exhortation is to all private persons as well as others, Prove all things, 1 Thes. 5.21. Believe not every spirit, 1 Joh. 4.1. Let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you, Col. 3.16. Indeed it cannot be denied but that God hath appointed Officers and Guides in the Church, and the people are commanded to hear them, and to submit to them, but all this is to be understood as Paul saith, Follow me, even as I do Jesus Christ. Phil. 3.17. We must take heed of extreme errors either to make the Ministry infallible, or else to account of it as nothing at all; No, there is a peculiar promise of assistance and direction to thee in their work, though not of infallibility, but this by the way to comm●nd ignorance, to praise blind obedience and devotion, is to offer God a Sacrifice without eyes: Do not then think, I am a poor ignorant man, I have no leisure to mind Religion, to inquire after the principles thereof; Let those that have learning mind such things, What is this but to say, It's not for me to look to salvation; It's not for me to be saved; It's for Learned men and knowing men to go to heaven, not for such as I am, certainly our voices are to sound like the Angel's Trumpet at the day of judgement, to awaken men out of their ignorance, Men in the dark are usually afraid: Oh then why shouldst not thou be afraid who art all over darkness, Eph. 5, 8. as the Scripture calls thee; There are too many whom this truth concerneth.  

Reasons. Why knowledge is so necessary to Salvation.  Now let us consider why some measure of knowledge about God and Christ is necessary to salvation.  
And First, In respect of the Object itself, there are many duties God and Christ require of us, which we are never able to perform without some knowledge of them. I grant that as the Stars do differ in their glory and light, so one man may far exceed another in knowledge, 
I. In respect of some duties we owe unto God which cannot be acceptably performed without knowledge  yea, God doth not require so much of some as he doth of others, such a degree of knowledge will God accept of in some, which he will not in others, so that according to the means and opportunities of knowledge more or less is required: We grant also some may know more than they can express through some impediments or other, but there is none can be saved who lay not in some measure a competent knowledge in Christianity, because there are several duties required, which he that knoweth nothing of God cannot perform acceptably.  
As 1. Every man that will be saved must worship the true God and not the false: But without some knowledge this can never be; Why is the first and second Commandment so plain to have no other God but him, and to worship him in his way, and that he is a jealous God in this matter, like an Hu●band whose jealousy is his rage against his adulterous Wife; Why is all this but to show that of all sinners, an Idolater is sure to be excluded from the kingdom of heaven; Now the ignorant man worshippeth that which others do where he liveth, but whether it be God or an Idol that he understands not. The Athenians had an Altar dedicated To the unknown God, Act. 17.23. and Paul with much zeal doth reprove this their superstition and Idolatry, telling them they were out of the way to heaven, yea, the more devout and zealous a man is for that worship, he understandeth not, the more swift he runneth in the way to hell, so then where ignorance is, It's all one whether Christ or Mahomet be worshipped, whether an Image or the true God: So truly doth Seneca observe of the common people, Eunt qua itur, non qua eundem est, They do and go not whither they ought, but whither they see others before them, yea, by this means men come to worship the devil in stead of God, Oh terrible and heavy aggravation! Thou that thinkest thou dost worship God, yet by thy ignorance going on in Idolatry dost worship the devils: Thus Jeroboam is said to set up calves to the devil, 2 Chron. 11.15. the people little thought so; and so those that would be at the Idolaters Feasts, they did partake of the cup of the Lord, and of devils, 1 Cor. 10. Now although it be true, that thou art brought up in that Religion where the true God is worshipped, yet this is all one to thee who hath no knowledge of God or Christ, for if it had been to Moloch, to Baal or Ashtaroth, had it been to Mahomet, or to Images and Idols in every high way, thou wouldst have done that as well as this, for any true knowledge or understanding thou hast, O pray then that God would give thee true knowledge. As it is thus for the generality of God's worship, so in more special manner ignorance doth wholly overthrow prayer unto God, which is more necessary than food or raiment, and is a duty to be performed to God every day; Now saith the Apostle, Heb. 11.1. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that seek him, but how can this be? when a man by ignorance is in a confused chaos, Oh that ignorant people would attend to this, They say, they pray, yea, they hope to be saved by their good prayers, when (alas) thou that knowest nothing of God or Christ canst not pray at all, Thou never didst pray acceptably to God all thy life time; If a Parrot be taught to say the Lords Prayer, shall that be accounted a prayer? and is there not many that pray God's Name may be hallowed, his Kingdom may come, and yet understand not at all the sense of their prayer? Thus in Popery they do sinfully nourish people in their ignorant prayers, for seeing their prayers are in Latin, it's all one whether they pray good matter or blasphemy; The Apostle 1 Cor. 14. doth expressly argue against praying in an unknown tongue, saying for himself, He will pray in the spirit, and with understanding also. What terror then doth this proclaim? ignorant people, pray they cannot, they do not, no not when they pray; If that Question should be put to them which Philip put to the Eunuch, Understandest thou what thou readest? So Understandest thou what thou prayest? Were they able to say one word of knowledge to you? We may cry out, Be astonished O Heavens and the Earth at the ignorance and blindness of many people, and yet nothing will provoke them to get knowledge.  
3. We cannot do that great and necessary duty which is the substance of all God's command, viz. to love him with all our heart, with all our soul and might, neither the consequents of this love, which is to desire after him, to delight and rejoice in the light of his countenance, without knowledge; for what a man knoweth not, he cannot love, Ignota nulla cupido; Let ignorant people by this see the great gulf that is between them and heaven; Thou canst not love God nor desire him as long as thou dost not know him, so neither can you fear God if you know not his infinite Majesty, the greatness of his power, and his hatred against sin; What makes men so desperately wicked to commit sin without any fear or trembling? They know not God; Hence is that frequent expression in Scripture when God saith, he will bring such and such punishments. Then they shall know that I am God.  
4. Those that serve God ought to be full of fervency and zeal; For all duties without zeal are like a Sacrifice without fire, a Bird without wings, a Messenger without feet, Now all zeal without knowledge is refused by God; They have a zeal but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10.2. Ignorant people may be very zealous as those that offered their children to Moloch, That did cut and lance themselves in calling upon Baal, but this fire of zeal was like that of hell, calidus and not lucidus, hot but not light.  
Use, If Eternal life be to know God, than this is eternal death not to know God; This is eternal damnation to be ignorant of him; It was God's promise that all should know him from the greatest to the least, Jer. 31.34. but how few find the fruit of this promise? How many Families, how many persons are there, who do all they do to the unknown God? yet these hope to be saved, yet these say, They have a good heart, when nothing can be good while ignorance is predominate, neither a good faith, or good love, or good duties, or a good heart, and as ignorance is damnable of itself, so much more when it is where the means of knowledge are, where the Sun shineth, where the Ministry is instructing; Oh what woe and woe again will befall such men.   

SERMON XV. More Reasons of the Necessity of Divine Knowledge; And the Causes of Ignorance,  JOH. 17.3. And this is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 
THe Doctrine observed was, that without the knowledge of God and Christ there cannot be any eternal life obtained; The first ground or reason of this was from those several duties that are required of us towards God, which without some knowledge could never be acceptably performed.  

II. From those duties we owe unto Christ.  The second ground shall be from those duties we owe to Christ; And herein damnable ignorance will far sooner possess us then in the former, for there are some common notions and dictates about a god, which made Tertullian cry out, O animam naturaliter Christianam; But in respect of Christ, we have not the least implanted notion about him, so that the doctrine of Christ is far more supernatural than that about God, for the hoti quod si Deus is, I discovered by natural light, but who he is, and how to be worshipped this is merely supernatural, but concerning Christ both the quod sit and the quid sit: That there is a Christ, and what he is are both by divine manifestation; So that whatsoever we have of Christ, it must only be by the Revelation of God, and in this respect though most people may have some general apprehensions about God, yet about Christ they have none at all unless by hear-say: It behoveth us therefore who are called Christians to know what that Christ is whom we worship, and trust in for salvation, and the great ignorance of Christ is present death; He is the door, he is the truth, the way, and the life, Joh. 14.6. All that miss of him are carried violently to death and destruction.  
For 1. Where this ignorance of Christ is, there cannot be any historical faith, which is the least degree of faith that can be, and where there is no historical faith there cannot be any justifying, for how can a man trust in Christ for salvation, whom he doth not believe to be, so that historical, or as some call it dogmatic faith, whereby we believe that there was a Christ both God and man, is the first stone that must be laid in our Christian building, and without this we have not so much as learned the Alphabet of our Religion, yet this is the case of thousands that have no explicit formal faith in this fundamental Point, I grant they have a traditional form, whereby they say they believe in Christ, but they have no express faith concerning the person and natures of Christ; Now that traditional form is not a reasonable worship of God, as the Scripture expresseth it, Rom. 12. where we are commanded to give up ourselves as reasonable sacrifices, But here men are as bruit beasts in respect of any express, formal faith, insomuch that hundreds of people if they be asked what they believe concerning Christ, they cannot give any knowing or express answer; Oh how near are such foolish and stupid persons to the very brink of hell● and if you should say, If it be Faith then it cannot be knowledge, Vbi rides, non est fides, and by all faith and knowledge are opposed, but that is to be handled afterwards, viz. how that Faith doth necessarily require knowledge, and yet there is some kind of knowledge that Faith is opposite unto, for the present we conclude, that where there is not some knowledge of Christ there cannot be so much as a bare historical faith, They have no faith that have no knowledge, I know whom I have believed, saith Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12.  
2. Where gross Ignorance is, if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ, much less can there be saving and justifying Faith, a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediator appointed by God: The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith, Rom. 5.1. that we have remission of sins through Faith in Christ's blood, Rom. 3.25. So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joined together, but where ignorance of Christ is, there cannot be any of this saving faith, for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of; yea, though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ, yet because they know not Christ, these are but traditional and customary words; They speak falsely and say they do not know what; Philosophers say there is actio hominis, and actio humana, an humane action is that which comes expressly or impliedly from reason, but actio hominis is that which is done by a man, but not as a man, as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination merely, So truly we may say, there is actio Christiani, and actio Christiani, a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith, either directly or indirectly, but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only, that doth such actions as others do, but not from any knowledge or faith within, only from custom and mere tradition; if then knowledge be in all the historical and justifying acts of Faith, where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear?  
3. The gross ignorant man cannot admire, bless, and praise God for Jesus Christ the Medtatour; This is evident, he that knoweth not the nature, office, and use of Christ, what he was, and why he came into the world, what was that which he did for us, it's impossible he should ever be affected with the love of God, or with the love of Christ, This made the Apostle pray that they might know the breadth and depth of the love of God through Christ, Eph. 3. For without this knowledge all God's love and Christ's love is disregarded; We read of Paul's divine raptures, and holy ecstasies, because of Christ, I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, 2 Cor. 2.2. It is impossible in a lively manner to know this divine truth of God the Father's love in sending his only begotten Son to die for us, and not break out in heavenly praises and admirations, but the blind ignorant man seeth nothing of this admirable mystery; As he said, it fell out ill with Artificers, when ignorant men judged of their works; Thus certainly God loseth much of his glory-Christ much of his honour, when ignorant men only speak of this Doctrine, As Christ Joh. 4. said to the woman of Samaria, If thou hadst known who it is speaketh to thee, thou wouldst have asked for the water of Life; So here, if thou hadst known what is in this love of God and Christ, if thy heart did meditate and study on it, thou wouldst be more affected and enlarged in thy affections to Christ.  
4. Where gross Ignorance is of Christ, there cannot be any improving of him for all these blessed effects to which he is appointed by God. Christ is of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, 1 Cor. 1. Of his Fullness we all receive grace for grace, Joh. 3. But the ignorant and unwise man cannot make any advantage of this, The ignorant man knoweth not the virtue and good use may be made of such herbs as grow in the field, but the wise Artist doth, Solomon asketh, Why is a price put into the hands of a Fool, seeing he knoweth not how to make use of it? If the man in the Parable that found a Pearl had not known it to be a Pearl, he would not have sold all to have bought it; So then let there be never so much fullness and sufficiency in Christ, yet he is a Fountain sealed up, and a garden enclosed to the ignorant man, and this must necessarily exclude such from heaven, because in Christ is all our salvation, whatsoever conduceth to our happiness is bound up in him, now the ignorant man not knowing this treasure must needs perish in his sins.  
5. Where a man is ignorant of Christ, he must needs be in a damnable condition, because thereby he is also ignorant of himself, he knoweth not his own sinfulness and misery, and so cannot desire a remedy: These two are necessarily known together, or unknown, Christ the Physician, and sin a desperate disease; Christ a Saviour, and the sinner that is lost; But the ignorant man not knowing the one must necessarily have the other hid from his eyes: Can there be any hope of that man's cure who knoweth not and feels not his disease? Thy Ignorance of Christ argueth thou art also ignorant of thyself, for didst thou know thy own poverty and guilt, nothing could hold thee till thou mightst get some interest in Christ, pain of body will make a man cry out for ease, but pain of soul through sin, much more; Thus you see the ignorant man is in the plain way to hell.  

III. Because gross Ignorance is immediately opposite to the means that bring the soul to God and Christ.  Thirdly, Gross Ignorance must needs be damnable, because it's immediately opposite to the sanctified and appointed means that bring to God and Christ, viz. the Ministry: The Preaching of the Word is instituted by God to bring us to understanding and faith about these things; Therefore they are called the Light and Guides; But where there is gross Ignorance there commonly the Preaching of the Word hath least effect and fruit, as the Sunne-beams do no good to the blind man, For seeing the Word of God is a moral Instrument, and though potent by the power of God, yet it doth by argument convince and persuade, where men are brutish like beasts, what improbability is there of doing good? Indeed the Word doth give eyes to the blind, and understanding to the simple, where God useth it efficaciously, for nothing can resist it then because it takes away the actual obstinacy, yet the Ignorance of men is that which of itself would make all Preaching to drop like the water upon the rock, where no fruit can grow; For what doth the ignorant man understand? what can he remember? what can he meditate upon when he is gone hence? Take a knowing though profane man in his life, yet we have something to work upon, we speak to wise men that will judge what we say, but to the blind man day and night is all one, Preaching and no Preaching; To the deaf man Thunder and a still voice is all one: Consider then lest thy ignorance doth not damn thee, in that all the means and instituted ways of God become altogether unprofitable unto thee, That makes all preaching in vain: I shall not further enlarge on this.  
Here is an Objection will presently be made, 
Obj.  Doth not ignorance quite absolve a man from guilt? Is he not to be pitied rather then blamed? I ●t doth not excuse a toto, yet a tanto, He doth not sin so much as knowing men do, which doth greatly encourage and comfort them.  
We may answer this by that known distinction, of an Ignorance merae negationis and pravae dispositionis: Its true mere negative Ignorance doth excuse; 
Answ.  The Heathens and Pagans that never heard of Christ, though they have other sins they are damned for, yet the mere ignorance of Christ who was never revealed to them, doth not condemn them, Infidelitas negativa non damnat, but then there is an affected and wilful Ignorance, this doth not excuse but accuse and aggravate, and such is the Ignorance of all those that live under the means of grace, and where the Name of Christ is preached; It's thy wilful and wicked disposition in thee that makes thee thus blind; You say, as those in Job, let the knowledge of the most High depart from you, Job 21.14. Seeing you will not see, and hearing you will not hear, Therefore your condemnation is the greater. It's disputed among Casu●sts, whether God may not have mercy upon natural fools, that cannot know any thing of God or Christ because of a natural incapacity; But thou art a voluntary fool, and dost wilfully deprive thyself of all knowledge, and how then shall God be gracious unto thee? In the next place you may say, If the estate of an ignorant person be thus dangerous, how comes it about that there are so many ignorant persons? Why cannot all say with the Apostle, We know that we know? 2 Cor. 8.1. There are some outward causes or inward causes, or causes from the ignorant man himself, or in respect of others.  
First, Many are therefore so ignorant in matters of Religion, 
The causes of Ignorance.  because they understand not the damnable estate this ignorance puts them into; So that the ignorance of their dangers makes them also ignorant of the remedy; As Austin said of Original sin, It was peccatum causa peccati, and poena peccati, 
1. Internal.  the same is true of Ignorance; It's a sin in its own nature, because contrary to that command of God, which doth so often require that we should know him, and then it's a cause of sin, yea, of all sin; It's because men do not know God, that therefore they are so bold to transgress his Laws. Lastly, It's the punishment of sin for all that black darkness and confusion we are in, is, because of our revolt from God, Ignorance then keeping man off from the true understanding of his misery, makes him the more secure and content in it: If thou didst know what curses hang over thy head, If thou didst know what a gulf is between God and thee, In what utter darkness thou art in here, which will be rewarded with utter darkness hereafter, thou wouldst have no rest within thyself.  
2. Another cause of Ignorance is Slothfulness and negligence; They strive not, they pray not for knowledge, whereas this cannot be obtained without prayer and diligence: Then shall ye know if ye follow on to know the Lord, Hos. 6.3. and Solomon bids us seek after it more than for gold, or the richest treasures, Pro. 2.3. & 8.10. to love it as thy Sister or Mother, many people complain they are ignorant, God help them, for they have little knowledge, and where is the fault all this while? Is it not thy negligence, thy slothfulness? May we not produce many instances of those who have been very ignorant and stupid, yet by prayer and hearty endeavour have obtained to a competent measure of knowledge: for humane knowledge shall there be so much labour taken, sudavit & alsit, said the Poet, and for Christian knowledge wherein is our happiness and eternel life, shall we not be as industrious? Why dost thou not rather cry out of thyself every night? I go to bed, and yet have got no knowledge: I understand such and such things in the world, but nothing at all about God and Christ; Thus the sluggards Field is full of briers and weeds; At the day of judgement when God will call for an account of every day and hour, thou wilt bewail thy folly, that time was not more redeemed to get knowledge.  
3. Earthly and worldly affections; These do so immoderately possess the whole man that they regard nothing else; Why is it that men, ordinary plain men get so much skill and craft in worldly affairs, they know the best way for improving every worldy advantage? It is because their heart is set upon it, They mind and regard this thing, They rise with the thoughts of it and so go to bed; If their hearts were thus affectionate towards God and Christ, they would be as laborious for heavenly knowledge; They would know how to improve Christ, To make the best advantage of the means of grace, They would not let any truth go till they did fully understand it, but the Scripture complaineth men are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no understanding: These Moles that live and delight only in the earth they must needs be blind; These are internal causes.  
External are twofold, 1. A negligent, ignorant, and careless Ministry; For seeing the Ministry is appointed to be a light, 
2. External.  to be a guide, if that be not light, than all the people must be darkness; If they are not salt the people have no seasoning; An Idol-Shepherd makes Idol-sheep; This God often complaineth of, and Christ also, when he saith, The blind lead the blind, Mat. 15.14. and that some took away the Key of knowledge.  
And 2. Negligence of Parents and Masters, All Governors who have Inferiors under them, they are to teach the principles of knowledge, Parents are often required to do it, and truly hence is the Original of all Ignorance, even the rudeness and wicked orders that are in Families: There is no praying, no catechising, no instructing, and when these are Nurseries of blindness and impiety, what good can be expected, Oh that Parents and Masters would remember how much God requireth of them in this particular; It was the commendation God gave Abraham, that he would teach his Family, and make them worship him, Gen. 17. I shall no longer insist about this Point, but come to the application, for men will hear and hear, and never set about the work.  

Use.  Let it therefore be a Use of importunate Exhortation to follow you as closely as that Widow did the Judge, that if nothing else importunity might prevail with you, Let the ignorant prey that they may receive their sight, Let them not give over day and night those means that may help them, What though thou canst say, I am no thief, no adulterer, no unclean person, yet if ignorant, thou art upon the brink of hell, and so you that are Parents and Masters, bring up your Inferiors in the true knowledge and fear of God; It's said of Constantine, who was truly great in this, that he would have his whole Court gathered together, and the Scriptures read to them, with Instructions from it to them; What you see me do at the Church, that let the Master of the Family do at home, said Austin; Let your Families be Christ's School; Thou wouldst not have a Servant that knoweth not how to do his proper employment, much less then shouldst thou have one that knoweth not his Christianity; Now there are many pregnant arguments to enforce this duty.  

Motives.  1. The necessity of a competent knowledge, This is eternal life; You cannot expect heaven, There is no way for thy salvation whilst thou art in this dark night, so that this is the one thing necessary, Be like Mary to choose the better part; Martha was showing much love in entertaining of Christ, yet because Mary was wholly busy in hearing of Christ, and learning from him; Therefore she chose the better part: Oh than thou that art more careful to know God and Christ then to get any worldly mercy, thou choosest the better part; This undoeth you, you are not possessed with the necessity of it, you will not believe this text of Scripture, you hope to do well enough for all this, though the Word saith, He that made them will not save them, Isa. 11.  
2. Be stirred up hereunto, because there cannot be any godliness, any true holiness in thee, till this knowledge be in thee. Ephes. 4. Those that are to have the Image of God restored in them by righteousness and true holiness, they are to be renewed in the spirit of their mind: As God created light at first in the world, so he doth in the new creature; hence they are called light in the Lord, Ephes. 5.8. and conversion is a translation from a state of darkness into light. Oh what a goad should this be in thy side to get knowledge. There cannot be any grace, not the least degree of holiness, till God renew my mind: Though all that have knowledge are not renewed, yet none are renewed with out knowledge; and men are said to escape the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Gospel, 2 Pet. 2.20.  
3. Consider what pains men take to get humane knowledge; these will condemn Christians at the last day. There is no Art or Science can be obtained without much study and daily consumption of the body, and men have not thought it too much to impair the health of their body by perfecting their mind, and yet how much uncertainty was there in that knowledge did not one of the wisest say, This only he knew that he knew nothing, so confused and unsatisfied were they in their studies: But this knowledge is certain, and that which will greatly quiet and satisfy the heart, Fides non tantum est apprehensiva, sed quietativa.  
4. Consider how bitterly and woefully thou wilt cry out of all thy negligence and abuse of the means of knowledge hereafter: as Prov. 1. God often called and you would not hear; Wisdom daily invited you, How long will ye pass by O ye simple ones and void of understanding: When thou shalt fall into hell, that is like thy soul, utter darkness, and there remember, The time was when Manna fell and I might have gathered it: There was a time to have gotten knowledge and understanding, but I desperately refused it, and now I am suffering the just punishment of my ignorance! This must perpetually torment thee. It's made an heavy curse in Job, chap. 36.12. when a man shall die without knowledge. Therefore it's not only a sin but a curse, because you would not see, God gives you up to a blind eye, and this is the more terrible under the Gospel, when a promise of plentiful knowledge is spoken of by the Prophets.   

SERMON XVI. Shows what Saving Knowledge is in its Concomitants and Effects.  JOH. 17.3. This is Eternal Life, to Know thee the only true God. 
KNowledge you heard is necessary to every man's salvation: We now come to discover what kind of knowledge this must be; and as for the comprehending of Faith under that knowledge, I shall not treat of that notion, but refer it till further opportunity offer itself in this Chapter. That therefore the knowing man may not presently bless himself as if his eyes were enough to carry him to heaven, though he hath no feet to walk in God's ways: I shall now manifest what knowledge it is, and raise this Observation,  

Observe.  That knowledge which brings to eternal life, aught to be accompanied with the true and proper effects of it. This is grounded upon the use of the word know, which doth denote the affectus and effectui concomitatis, frequently in Scripture; and that this knowledge must be so here, is plain by that of our Saviour, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13.17. Therefore mere knowledge without doing, is not happiness: And this we see the very Heathens could pitch upon, that happiness did not consist in a speculative knowledge, but in virtuous actions: Yea Aristotle observed, that a profane dissolute life did not corrupt speculative sciences, as Geometry and the Mathematics, but it would immediately moral habits: So then, Knowledge with affections and good effects is that which leadeth to eternal life. Hence wicked men are many times said not to know God, because though they have never so much speculative understanding, yet because by their lives and ungodly ways they dishonour him, therefore they are said not to know him.  

The effects of saving knowledge.  Now the concomitants or effects rather of this knowledge are of two sorts, either internal in the heart, or external in our actions. We will enumerate the first and then the later. Saving knowledge hath this internal effect:  

I. Internal.  1. That it makes a man have a firm and divine immovable assent to Scripture-truths: For if we should have all the knowledge of men and Angels, yet believe nothing, what advantage could it be to us? There may be knowledge merely apprehensive, as those heathenish Writers, Julian, Porphyrius, and others, who argued and disputed against the Christian Religion; in this they knew what it was, else they could not have disputed against it, but they did not believe it to be true. The Pharisees that so much opposed Christ, they knew the sense and meaning of this doctrine but did not believe it; so that if knowledge be not accompanied with faith, though we had the highest degree of it, yet it would profit nothing. Therefore Christians are not called knowing men so much as Believers, that is their frequent title, because the firm assent they give to God's truth is that which is most available to salvation. Inquire then after thy faith, men of great knowledge are many times great Atheists or Sceptics; they can say as much for one way of Religion, as for another, and hereupon are always wavering and doubting, but have no determinate fixing of the heart upon God; yea Aquinas observeth, that a knowing man hath more temptations against his faith then one more simple. It's well then, when with thy knowledge thy faith is also firm and steadfast.  
2. Then is thy knowledge saving, when the main and noble act of the will doth presently follow, which is to choose and take God for our chiefest good, and to embrace the goodness of all those things we know; for the devils they have knowledge enough, called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because of their exceeding great knowledge, yet they are most maliciously opposite to God, because by their wills they do not choose and embrace that which is good. The two main pillars of the soul, or the chief faculties thereof are the understanding and the will: The object of the understanding is truth, of the will is good; Now the understanding is to be like a torch or star to guide the will, and whatsoever the mind discovers to be true and good, that the will is readily to receive; so that than our knowledge doth attain its proper perfection, when it prevaileth upon the will and moveth that; the understanding is the counsellor, the will is the Queen, if that then be moved to choose the good discovered, then hath the understanding obtained its end: See then how it is with thee, thou knowest God and Christ, but how, as the chiefest good? as to be chosen above any worldly excellency, and therefore thy will cleaveth fully to them; this is rightly to know: While something is done upon the will, till that be bowed and changed, the strongest hold stands out against God. Oh then pray, and again pray that thy knowledge may so far prevail on thy will, that it shall renounce all other things to adhere to God only.  
3. This knowledge of God must draw out those eminent affections of love, joy, delight, and fear of God. You see God in the Scripture is made the proper object of all these affections, as if we had them for nothing but God; our love, that God will have all, Thou shalt love him with all the heart: and so for our fear, that is often required, Sanctify the Lord God, and let him be thy dread: and we are often commanded to rejoice in the Lord: So then seeing God is the proper object of these affections, and we may not place them any where but on him, and things relating thereunto, it behoveth us to see whether our knowledge do thus kindle and inflame us after God or no. Certainly it's the greatest reason that our knowledge should have such Divine operations, for if we know God as he is revealed in his word, he is there discovered to be so great, so glorious, full of all goodness, that we cannot but give him the superiority in all things.  
4. Another inward effect must be a melting, sorrowful and grieved heart that we have provoked God by our sins: For who can but grieve and lament his folly, when he knoweth how great and terrible a God he hath provoked: Thus Manasseh, after his great troubles and afflictions laid upon him, when he had prayed, mourned and humbled himself, it's said, Then Manasseh knew that God was the Lord: Then he knew, not before, 2 Chron. 33.13. A man then truly comes to know God, when through the apprehension of his Majesty and glorious power, he abhorreth himself, is afflicted because of his rebellions: As you see when Job had a further discovery of God's greatness, how greatly he debased himself.  
5. A genuine and proper effect of the knowledge of God and Christ, is trust and dependence upon them. This is so great a matter, that it's called the just man's life, The just shall live by faith, Heb. 2.4. Now this grace of trust or dependence is branched into two parts: First. A trust on God for his protection, care and providence over us: This is the trust David doth so often speak of in his Psalms; and the Prophet makes him accursed, that makes not God his trust, Jer. 17. The rich man trusts in his riches, the idolater in his Idols, the great man in his power, but all these set up another God besides the true God. They that truly know God, viz. that he is the Lord of hosts, that he is the principal efficient, and all creatures are but instruments depending on him both quoad esse and operari, will quickly see it a sacrilegious and idololatrical sin to trust in any but the true God, Psal. 9.10. They that know thy Name will trust in thee: All our unbelief, diffidence and distrust, all distracting cares about these things below, argue our want of knowledge of God: Therefore Mat. 5. when our Saviour forbids these dividing cares, he saith, All these do the Gentiles seek after; they that know not God's power and his goodness, they are solicitous sinfully about these things. Hence when Israel did see her vanity by false confidences in the creatures, see what God saith of her, Hos. 13.4. Thou shalt know no God but me, for there is no Saviour beside me; and Hos. 8.2. Israel shall cry unto me, My God we know thee. Though therefore knowledge be better than the greatest duties performed out of ignorant devotion, the same Hosea 6 6. God there desireth knowledge more than burnt offerings, yet this is but a lame imperfect knowledge, if it breed not dependence on God, as on our heavenly and gracious Father. The other branch of dependence is on Christ for Justification and Salvation, that is the believing on him which our Saviour so often promiseth eternal life to: Oh when our knowledge of Christ and the fullness and sufficiency of a Mediator, makes us to cast all our burden on him, and to have free access to the Throne of Grace by his blood, this is precious knowledge. This is that excellency of knowledge Paul, Phil. 3. counted all things dung unto comparatively. See then what trust and dependence doth the knowledge of God cause in thee; for all thy knowledge, art thou not as full of cares, distractions and diffidence, as if God did not rule, as if Christ were not the Mediator, as if there were no promises in God's Word.  
6. Then is our knowledge saving, when it makes us glorify God as God, giving the praise of all things to him, Rom. 1. This the Apostle taxeth the Gentiles withal, that though they had a knowledge of God by the creatures, yet they did not glorify him according to this knowledge, but they made sensible Images of him, and worshipped wood and stone, the work of men's hands, They did not glorify him as God; there is a great deal in that, To glorify God as God, is so to honour him, as to give him the best and the supremacy in all things: When our hearts are as much upon the creature as God, or when we would serve God and Mammon, this is not to glorify God as God: When we do any thing not principally and chiefly for God, we do not honour him as a God. These are the inward effects of knowledge.  

II. external.  Now there are outward effects which will necessarily follow true and saving knowledge, even as the beams of the Sun do the Sun, though they are not called external as opposite to internal, no, they both go together; for they that know God, know him to be a Spirit, and that he must be worshipped in Spirit and truth, that all outward duties done without the heart, are but a mere hypocrisy; so that these outward effects are to be taken as streams coming from a full and precious fountain within, and they are such as these.  
1. The true knowledge of God doth make a man effectually purge himself from all filthy and noisome lusts. To say we know God and yet give ourselves to sin, is a lie, and it argueth no truth in us, 1· John 3.6. He that commits sin hath not known or seen God, which is the reason why the Prophets attribute all the ungodliness in a Land to the not knowing of God: So our Saviour tells the Pharisees, that all their wickedness was because they did not know him and his Father; and in this Chapter Christ saith, The world hath not known thee, but these have known thee. Ephes. 4. If ye have been taught as the truth is in Jesus; and ye have not so learned Christ. What is this? when we have so learned Christ, as to put off the old man with the lusts thereof. Never then boast of thy knowledge and thy parts, what mortification of sin, what cleansing from thy filth doth it cause in thee; if thy Christian knowledge doth not work a Christian life, but thou art brutish and dissolute in thy life, tremble at thy estate, for thou art out of the way to heaven, 1 Pet. 2.20. some are said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of God, yet these did it externally only. They were swine though washed, not sheep, but thou dost not come thus far; though thou hast the knowledge of God, yet thou wallowest in thy mire, and lickest up thy vomit: Thy condemnation will be the greater, because thou knowest thy Master's will and dost it not. What sentence then shall we pass upon all the carnal and wicked ways of most men, they know well enough, they understand well enough, but because this knowledge hath no efficacy upon their lives, therefore they go in the broad way to hell.  
2. Saving knowledge, as it causeth an avoiding of sin, so a ready and willing obedience unto the commands of God. And for this sake all disobedient and rebellious sinners, are said in the Scripture not to know God: They are excellently put together, 1 Thess. 1.8. in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, nor obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What obedience then and conformity to God's Law doth thy knowledge work in thee? this God looketh at, he careth not for thy head or thy tongue, if he have not thy heart, thy hands, and thy whole life. If so be the Apostle say, that he which doubteth whether such a thing be sin, he is damned if he do it, Rom. 14. how damnable is that man's condition, who knoweth and is assured that he sinneth, and yet wilfully persists in it! So that our knowledge is not to be carried only to truths, to what is to be believed, and there to sit down, No, but Rom. 12.2. we are to be transformed in our mind, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God: We are to consider what is that which is acceptable and wellpleasing to God, and when we know it we must readily fulfil it: Oh that men of knowledge and parts would think of these things; Dost thou that which is wellpleasing to God? Doth God accept of such a life as thine? Is there not a plain contrariety and opposition between Gods will and thy lusts? A man of great knowledge, and also great impiety, were he not puffed up with self-flattery, would easily see the opposition between his life and God's Word, the one is strict, his life is dissolute; the one calleth to avoid not only sin but the appearance of it, but thy life plungeth thee both into sin, and the occasions of it: Oh consider all thy knowledge and understanding helps thee no more than the devil's knowledge doth them, they are not able to love or delight in God and his will.  
3. The knowledge of God will make a man keep a good conscience in all things: it will make him take heed of sin in secret, as well as public; it will make him do duties in secret, as well as openly, for whosoever is not afraid to sin in secret, whosoever neglects private duties and holiness, this man knoweth not God, he doth not understand that he is omnipresent, that his eye is every where beholding all things, that darkness and light are all one to him: Oh this is a precious and necessary effect of the knowledge of God, when it makes a man cry out with Joseph, though in the most secret temptation, How can I do this and sin against God, Gen. 39.21. Those wicked men encouraged themselves in their wickedness by this, Doth the Lord see, and is there knowledge in the most high? Psal. 73.11. And on the contrary, he that truly knoweth God dareth not be wanton, unjust, dishonest, because the eye of God is upon him wheresoever he is. David is much affected with this omnipotence and omniscience of God, Psal. 139.2, 4. Thou knowest my downsitting, and uprising, yea every thought thou knowest afar off. How could there be such works of darkness, such sins committed in secret that are not fit to be named, but because men do not know God in a right and true manner. By this we see there is little true knowledge of God in most towns, most families, because men live not, as sensible of the just and revengeful eye of God beholding them always.  
4. Where there is a saving knowledge of God there is a good and holy use made of all afflictions and miseries that fall upon them. They know they are strokes from God, and they come because of sin, that their end is to humble ●s and debase us under the hand of God; and thus all the godly have done: They have looked up to God and considered not so much the blow, as the hand that gave it: so Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, Job 1.21. not the Sabeans, not the devil, but the Lord: but men that are ignorant of God, they discover it in nothing more than in their afflictions; they look only at second causes, they mind only the help of inferior instruments, they fret, they rage, they are discontented, and thus they think not of God nor their sins that have procured these. Consider thyself therefore under any exercises and afflictions, Is thy heart presently thinking of God? dost thou search and inquire into the cause, what sins of mine have thus offended God? have deprived me of my good things I enjoyed? this is in a saving way to know him. Woe be to that man who like Ezechiel's pot hath boiled in the fire of affliction, but his scum hath not gone off.  
5. A true knowledge of God and Christ will make a man readily suffer and lose all when it's required; and if at any time we are unwilling, we love our wealth our life better, it's because we know not the excellency of God's glory, and what an unspeakable reward is laid up for those that deny themselves for him: 2 Cor. 4. This made the Apostle say, We account these light afflictions not comparable to the eternal weight of glory: What made Moses choose the afflictions and reproaches of Christ, Heb. 11. rather then the treasures of Egypt, it was because by faith he saw him that was invisible. The Martyrs were no fools, though their enemies judged them so, for they knew how great that God was whom they feared, how able to reward them infinitely above their sufferings, and therefore their greatest wisdom was to lose their lives, that so they might save them. It's ignorance of God and Christ that makes us unwilling to bear the cross he requireth of us.  

Why knowledge that is not thus accompanied is ineffectual.  In the next place let's consider the ground why knowledge if not thus accompanied is ineffectual.  
And first, Because knowledge in itself is only a perfection in the understanding, and seeing that the whole heart is fully corrupted, it must be universally healed, else there cannot be any salvation. I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit, soul and body, 1 Thess. 5.23. Yea this knowledge is but a moral perfection, not a gracious: As we see in the devils, who have great abilities in their understanding: And hence it is that a man may be very knowing and yet very vicious, because this doth only dispel ignorance from the mind, it doth not sanctify the heart and affections to love and delight in what is good: Knowledge is requisite to bring in grace, yet knowledge merely is not grace: So that howsoever it be a necessary duty to get knowledge, yet when that is obtained there is a greater work behind in the cleansing and purifying of the heart. Praevolat intellectus, sed tardus sequitur affectus, with the eye we may discern many miles off in a moment, but our feet cannot so quickly go thither.  
2. Knowledge must have practice following, because doing is the end and accomplishment of knowing. It's not knowing the rules of Hypocrates will bring health, unless there be a practical use of them. Hence believing is called eating and drinking of Christ, John 6. A man that is hungry, though he know never so much of excellent meats, yet that will not satisfy him, unless he eat. It's a rule Scire malum, non est malum, so God he knoweth evil, yet this knowledge is not evil; so Scire be●●um, non est bonum: Philosophers make this distinction between the understanding and the will; the understanding draweth the object to itself, but the will is drawn by the object to it, so if I understand any thing, I am not in a moral sense that I understand, but if I will any thing, or love any thing, I am what I love, Anima ubi ama●, not ubi anima.  
3. Knowledge merely speculative will not save, because Religion lieth most in the affective part: Knowledge is desired as a prerequisite, but the power and sweetness of it lieth in the hearty embracing of what we know. Hence Divines say, our eternal happiness in heaven is initially and radically in the understanding, but formally and completely in the will: Oh then know that all the while Religion is but in thy head, and thou hast it out of books, and by hear-say, thou hast but the shadow of it, the substance and sweetness of it lieth in the cordial embracements and enjoying what we know.  
4. Knowledge without the effects of it is so far from saving, that it condemneth the more. He that knew his masters will and did it not, was beaten with more stripes, Luk. 12.48. What makes the condemnation of those Christ preached to greater than of the Sodomites the worst of men, but because they sinned against more knowledge?  
Use of Instruction, 
Use.  How vain a thing it is to boast of knowledge and learning, if an holy life doth not follow it: As Absalon was hung by the hair of his head he gloried in, so will the knowledge of thy head damn thee. Austin said, such knowing men go quick to hell; oh there are too many such, that have much knowledge, but no grace, that know the Scripture speaking against gross sins, yet they wallow in them. The hottest flames in hell are for a knowing wicked man.  
Use of Exhortation, to put all thy knowledge into practice: If I know what faith is, let me exercise faith: If I know what Christ is, let me obey him; All knowledge that makes thee not more godly, that brings thee not into nearer communion with God, is to be suspected; if it puff thee up, if it make thee conceited, then 1 Cor. 8. Paul saith, Thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know. Be not a Gnostick; oh that it might be said, Ye know God, or rather are known of God, Gal. 4.9.   

SERMON XVII. Of the Knowledge and Worship of the One true God: And the contrary thereto, viz. Idolatry.  JOH. 17.3. To Know thee the Only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 
WE have finished that duty which is said to be the Means to Eternal Life; We come to the Object, which is twofold:  
1. The true God, and thus Heathens and Pagans are excluded.  
2. Christ Jesus, and thus the Jews, who though they know the true God, yet because they deny Christ, are out of the way to heaven; and so some Heretics also, who deny Christ to be our Mediator.  
Let us consider the first Object, To know thee the only true God; by this we see that Opinion, which asserts the possibility of the Heathens salvation, to fall to the ground, because they are wholly ignorant of the true God: It's Christ that saith thus, therefore our understandings must be captivated.  


Observe. There is one true God only to be known and served by men.  
Explicatory considerations.   Obs. That there is one true God only, to be known and served by man. Although to us Christians this may seem a needless point, yet as the Scripture hath recorded this as most useful to the Church, so all Christians may find much necessity in the opening of it, and great practical use. Consider then these particulars.  
1. There are made and constituted many gods by man's vanity, and there is one only true God indeed. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 8.4, 5. hath given us this distinction, 
I. Though many Gods constituted by man's vanity, yet there is but one true God.  where having asserted, that an Idol is nothing, viz. formaliter, though it be made of wood or stone, and have rich ornaments, yet the thing signified is nothing. Though there are Sun and Stars, yet as made Gods, so there is no such thing: Though there were such men as Saturn and Jupiter, yet relatively as Idols representing a God, they were a nonentity. He brings this verse in by way of accusation to answer the objection: There are, saith he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there are many that are called Gods: The whole world is full of such; they have their Celestes, Acrii, Terrestes, Marini, as many Gods as creatures almost; but to us, viz. Believers, there is one only true God the Father: So that you see there is one real existent true God, and there are many fictitious and constituted Gods made by man, which the Scripture calls Idols, and that by very significant names: Sometimes by a word that signifieth nothing, sometimes by a lie and vanity, sometimes by dung and dirt that is rolled up and down, sometimes by scarecrows, or terricula muta, and very often by abomination. The beginning and progress of this Idolatry is handled by Learned men, and Learned Tractates are written de Diis Syris, de Diis Romanorum and Germanorum, in all which we may mourn over that horrible blindness and folly which doth seize upon all men by nature, and we may bless God for the Christian Religion, which hath made us to cast off all those abominable Idolatries.  
2. We come to have knowledge of the only true God three ways, 
II. God is known three ways.   
1. By the book of nature, which is called implanted or engrafted knowledge. No man is or can be a natural Atheist; in affections he may be, wishing there were no God, but in judgement he cannot, till by accumulated sins he hath given himself up to all stupidity.  
2. By the book of the creatures; and this is called acquired knowledge. The Apostle, Rom. 1. mentioneth both these: This later is obtained by the consideration of the world, insomuch that the most Atheistical men, when they have considered the greater world, and especially man in all his curious parts, have been forced to acknowledge some wise and supreme power the maker of these things, as it's said of Galen.  
3. There is the book of God's Word; and by this we have a revealed knowledge, and this only doth direct in the true way to serve him acceptably. Therefore all the world is said to lie in darkness, and light comes only by the Scripture. This is the great mercy of God to manifest from heaven what he is, and how he will be worshipped.  
3. Consider that our knowledge even at the highest is very imperfect; 
III. Our knowledge of God is very imperfect.  it's but apprehensive, not comprehensive, which made an ancient say, De Deo etiam vera dicere periculosum est, because we are subject to such ignorance and blindness, God himself doth only comprehend himself; we know him obscurely, and therefore he is said to dwell in light inaccessible, 1 Tim. 6.16. As the eye cannot penetrate into the glorious nature of the Sun, no more can we search into the deep things of God. Therefore Divines say we have a twofold way of knowing God, the one is affirmative and positive, when those perfections we see in creatures we attribute to God in a supereminent manner: Thus we say he is wise, he is just, he knoweth, he willeth, but after a more transcendent way of perfection than man doth. The second way is by negation, or removing imperfections from him, and this indeed is commended as a better way than the former: We can more easily describe God, by saying what he is not, than what he is; he is not a body, and when we say a Spirit, than we run to a negative again, not a finite limited Spirit. In this life every man's knowledge is imperfect, we know but in part, Paul said so, that was wrapped up into the third heavens, 1 Cor. 13. And although in heaven our knowledge shall be perfected, described by that expression, We shall see him face to face, yet even than it cannot be comprehensive of the whole nature of God, there being no proportion between a finite faculty and an infinite object.  
In the fourth place, take notice that this expression, the true God, 
IV.  may be taken in a twofold sense, as truth is divided into veritas rei, and veritas conceptus, the truth of the thing, and the truth of conceiving of it: Now the Heathens when they worshipped Jupiter as the chiefest and highest God, there was the truth of the thing, there was a supreme and a chief that they intended, but there was no truth in their conceptions and apprehensions about him; therefore they added many other gods to him: Such a distinction as this the Apostle insinuates, Acts 17.23. where reproving them for their Idolatry, and telling them of an Altar with this inscription, To the unknown God, whom (saith he) you ignorantly worship, we declare to you. It was a true God they worshipped when they conceived of one supreme above the rest, but they had no true or right thoughts about him. Hence what the Poet said of Jupiter, the Apostle owneth as of the true God, for we are his offspring, Acts 17.28. Now their thoughts were Idolatricall about the true God, as Rom. 1. turning his Image into the similitude of creatures; and then they superadded other Gods, which made Tertullian say, Deus non erit Deus, nisi homini placuerit. The sum of this particular is no more, then that even in their Polytheism and multiplied Idolatry that the Heathens lived in, there was a general employed assent that there was a God; so that although there was no truth at all in their apprehensions, yet something there was in the object generally considered, but not as it was particularly terminated upon any one thing.  

V. The insufficiency of natural and acquired knowledge to guide us in the worship of God and way to salvation.  5. The revealed knowledge of God only by the Word is able to guide us in the worship of God, and in the way to salvation. All natural knowledge and acquired is altogether insufficient, and that in these respects.  
1. They fail of saving knowledge in the integrity of parts; for although something may be known of God, yet that is very little in respect of the many things they are grossly ignorant of; for if that knowledge we have here, though by grace out of the Scripture, be so obscure, and but a child's knowledge in respect of that we shall have in heaven, what a shadow of knowledge then, rather than true knowledge, is that we have by nature? so that it faileth in many necessary particulars, it's lame in essential things.  
2. This faileth in the purity of it. Whatsoever knowledge the greatest naturalist hath, though never so heightened, yet it's mixed with much dross, it hath many absurd and erroneous intertextures with it; so that Rom. 1. even those that professed themselves wise, are said to be become vain in their imaginations: There was great vanity and uncertainty, yea absurdities in their assertions; the Greek word the Apostle applieth to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they became foolish, it's applied to salt that hath lost its seasoning, and then is it good for nothing. Thus these were deprived of all right and sound judgement.  
3. It faileth in respect of clearness and evidence. Hence the whole world is said to lie in darkness, 1 John 2.11. The Plato's, the Aristotle's of the world, were like the Sodomites groping in the dark, that could not feel what they sought for, but the Word of God, that is wonderfully commended for the clearness and brightness of the light it brings with it.  
4. It faileth in respect of the efficacy: All that knowledge they had did not serve to purify their lives, to cleanse them from their wickedness, but they detained the truth in unrighteousness, Rom. 1. And if you say many Christians that have great revealed knowledge are not yet cleansed from their impieties; There is as much profaneness, yea sometimes more than have been in Heathens: Some Heathens would lose all they had rather than swear, they did so fear an oath. Basil upbraideth Christians with this. Of another Heathen it was said, You may sooner put the Sun out of its course, then make him do what is unjust: As also of Cato, either drunkenness was not a sin, or Cato was not drunk: but are there not thousands of Christians, and that with much knowledge, great understanding in the Scripture and Religion, yet run into all this excessive wickedness? It's true, and woe be to those that make it true; but than you must remember, that there is a mere barren brain knowledge, and a gracious practical knowledge: Now where this later is, there is always a clean and pure life; as for the other, it's not so much a knowledge, as a profession of it; They profess they know God, but in works they deny him, Tit. 1.16. therefore the Scripture complaineth of such as not knowing God, The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his master's crib, but Israel hath not known me saith God, Isa. 1.6. We might add more things, but I shall spend the other part by way of Use in practical corollaries of great use in our lives.  
As in the first place we may be informed, 
Inferences.  How great and grievous a sin Idolatry is. No wonder if the Prophets are so severe against it, 
The sinfulness of Idolatry.  and that it be made the chief cause of all the national calamities that come upon a Nation; for in reference to this sin doth the Scripture peculiarly speak of God's jealousy, nothing provoketh God so much as that. Now this Idolatry is of two sorts, either first, When we set up a false God for the true; so did all the Heathens, when they worshipped the host of heaven, or their other constituted Gods. Or secondly, When the true God is worshipped, but after a false and unlawful manner. The first Commandment forbids the former Idolatry; the second, the later. God forbade the Israelites to worship him under any representation whatsoever, so that though it were the true God they worshipped, yet if not after the same manner he commanded, this was idolatry. Thus when the Israelites made a calf, they intended thereby a worship to the true God, therefore they said, To morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah, Exod. 32.5. It was Jehovah the God of Israel they intended to worship, but they would make such an Image or representation that they had seen in Egypt. And thus also in Popery, all the water of Tiber cannot wash them clean from Idolatry; for although their Learned men run to multitude of distinctions, sometimes between an Idol and an Image, whereas they differ only as Greek and Latin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is maguncula, a diminutive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; sometimes about Religious worship primary and secondary, as if we should say, a primary and secundary Deity, and when they have disputed all they can, they confess ignorant people commit much Idolatry, and that he must be very Metaphysical that can in his worship make such distinctions; yea they dispute, Whether it be not a dangerous and offensive Proposition, to say, Imagines sunt adorando. Take we heed then of this Idolatry, and the rather, because it's a sin all are prone unto: Consider the Jews, though immediately trained up, and instructed by God about his worship; though often and often grievously plagued for it, yet upon all temptations they would run into it again: and the Heathens, Rom. 1. even the wisest of them, were most absurd in their Idolatry: Rome had a Temple called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wherein they would have all kind of Gods, and there was nothing so much as love to Idolatry, that made men so opposite to the Christian Religion, yea though the Prophet describeth the brutishness of the Idolater, that with one piece of wood makes an Idol, with another makes a fire: Well doth the Scripture compare Idolaters unto the Idols themselves, they are nothing, empty, they do not understand; and the more subtle and specious idolatry is, as in Popery, be thou the more afraid of it. It's a bold and unheard of expression of Valentia the Jesuit, that saith, There is a lawful Idolatry. What will not men say, rather than come out of Egypt?  
2. Is God the only true God, then observe the first Commandment, 
Use 2.  Let us have no other Gods besides him; for not only the Heathen that worship's Stock and Stone, is an Idolater, but every Christian that puts this hope and confidence in any creature, that placeth the chiefest of his affections and desires otherwise then on God, he is a spiritual Idoloter. Thus covetousness is called Idolatry, Col. 3.5. Charge them that are rich, that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, saith Paul, 1 Tim. 6.17. If I have made gold my hope, saith Job, chap. 31.24. There is no earthly covetous man that placeth his affections and trust in wealth, but he renounceth the only true God, and yet how hard is it to have wealth, and not to put confidence in it; for whereas our Evangelist saith, It's as hard for a rich man to be saved, as a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, another saith, for a rich man that trusts in his riches: Take heed then of this subtle spiritual sin; Is thy heart inwardly supported? Do thy spirits rise because of thy wealth? this is Idolatry. So likewise the voluptuous man, he maketh his pleasures, his lusts, a God; Whose belly is their God, Phil. 3.9. Yea no godly man can with such hearty affections and joy constantly serve God, as the voluptuous man doth his lusts; so that whatsoever a man's heart doth inordinately run out upon, that creature he loveth more than God, this makes him an Idolater: As he said of Baal, Why halt ye between two, If God be God serve him? If Baal be God serve him? So we may say, Why halt ye between God and the creature? If God be the only true God, let him have the only true love and joy of thy soul? If riches and lusts be God, then let them have all thy heart.  
As there is practical Idolatry, so there is doctrinal Idolatry, viz. When we attribute that to our own power or free will which belongs only to God. Thus all those proud and arrogant opinions which advance freewill, make it able to work with God in conversion, this is to derogate from God, he shall not then be the God from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 8.2. saith, To us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and to him are all things, so that God is there made the first cause of all the good things we have, and the ultimate end to which we do refer all. Certainly if it be a forsaking of God to set up any Authors for temporal mercies and temporal salvations, then much more for spiritual; for which is greater, the work of nature or the work of grace? Therefore let us walk humbly, and because he is the only true God, from whom are all things, and to whom, let us say, Not to our own power, but thy grace, be all glory given.  

Use 3.  3. Is God the only true God? Then let those that know him and obey him, walk with all comfort and encouragement: He is the true God, and so will never fail thee; he hath a twofold truth, first, a truth of his essence, he is God and none else beside him; and opposite to this an Idol is called a lie, and nothing: How should this support us, that the God whom we serve is God indeed! How often did the Prophets bid the Idolaters fly to their Idols, pray to their Idols, and see if they could help them? As he is thus true in his Essence, called therefore the living God, so he is also true in his Promise, in his Word; and this the Scripture speaks of often: and although his Promise be of itself true that we need not doubt, yet he added his Oath also, that so we might not be shaken in our mind. Though it be said of man, he is a liar, and there is no trust to be put in the great one of the world, yet in God there is no change, or shadow of change. Though therefore the Olive tree fail, and the Fig tree do not blossom, Hab. 3.17. though every thing in this world lieth and proveth false, yet thou mayest put confidence in God.  

Use 4.  4. Is God the only true God? Then what cause have we, who are called to the true knowledge of him, to bless and praise his Name, that he suffered us not to perish in our black and horrible darkness; for what are we more than all those Heathens and Pagans that sit in darkness, and have no light? Why should God cause the Sun to shine on thee, to pity thee, and suffer others to walk and stumble in their darkness? What cause have we Christians to honour God How great will our condemnation be if we neglect so great salvation! Our Saviour would have affected the people of Capernaum, Mat. 11.23. and other places with this mercy. He was the light that came into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, John 1. Now in these respects we shall be found very guilty and sinful.  
1. If we do not highly prise and esteem the knowledge of the true God, if the means of this heavenly wisdom be not more than any other mercy whatsoever: But oh how great is our condemnation in this particular! The more and the longer we have enjoyed the light of God's Word, the more we have despised it and contemned it. This will provoke God to do with us, as he did to the Jews, and to other Churches who are now made waste and become a wilderness, he will take the light away, and carry it to a people sitting in darkness, that will make better use of it.  
2. Our condemnation will be great, if we do not come to the knowledge of God, when we have the means. Some have not the knowledge of God, saith Paul, I speak it to your shame, 1 Cor. 15. Oh, to how many persons, to how many families may we say you have not the knowledge of God What, shalt thou be in the School of Christ, and yet know no more than an Heathen, how inexcusable is it?  
3. This also will greatly condemn, if we do not live according to the knowledge of this true God. If our lives are full of Atheism, full of ungodliness, how shall we be able to appear at the dreadful judgement seat! when God shall say, You were no Heathens, you were no Pagans, you cannot plead, Lord, we have not known thee, we have not heard of thee; Oh how should our hearts bleed within us to think, it will go worse with us then Jews or Heathens, because we have enjoyed more.  
5. Is God the true God, 
Use 5.  Then how great and heinous a sin is it to have any communion or commerce with the devil or his instruments, and yet this is a sin too commonly practised. If men have lost any thing, if they be in any pain or disease, than they presently run to such as they call wise men, though they be indeed the devils fools: What is this but to renounce God and to renounce your baptism? If you have lost your goods, you will go and lose your souls to: We read of Ahaziah, 2 King. 1.6. when his child was sick, he would go to Baal, to know whether his child should recover or no; but with what a dreadful message doth God's Prophet entertain him, telling him, his child should die, withal saying, Is it because there is not a God in Israel that thou dost so? May not we say so, when you go to the devils instruments, witches, wise men and sorcerers, Is it because there is not a true God in heaven? Some have questioned whether such as compact with the devil, and use familiar spirits can possibly repent and be saved, they doubt whether they are in a capacity of ever having eternal life; but that is too rigid, for we read of Manasses, a great sinner in this kind, one that was given to witchcraft, and used a familiar spirit, yet he prayed and humbled himself, and God accepted of him: So we read of some converted by the Apostles preaching, that brought in all their conjuring books and burned them, Act. 19.19. Though therefore no doubt is to be made but upon their repentance God will forgive, yet it is a great and a grievous sin, it's a renouncing of God and your Baptism. Take heed then of ever doing so, and if thy heart hath been so graceless and wicked heretofore, oh abhor thyself, let thy conscience cry out, I have committed a great and abominable sin, thou art the chiefest sinner of many thousands. We ought to have no communion with the devil, though he had power to foretell and so do good to thee, as he hath not any further than God may reveal to him. When the devils confessed Christ was the true Son of God, he rebuked them, and would not own such a confession: So Paul also, Act. 16.16. would not own a confession though true, because by one possessed by the devil. Be ashamed of the name of a Christian, and renounce thy baptism if thou shouldst over do such sins again.   

SERMON XVIII. The Necessity of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus as well as of God the Father.  JOH. 17.3. And Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 
WE now come to the second Object of this knowledge necessary to salvation, and that is Christ. This latter Object is added because of the Jews, and some Heretics, who though they acknowledge the only true God, yet because they are eirher ignorant of, or deny Christ, therefore they are not in the way to salvation; The object to be known is described, 

1. By his proper Name.  
2. By his appellative or name of office.  
3. From the Original and Cause of it.    
His proper name is Jesus, Though some learned men have affected to go out of the ordinary way in giving the true root of this word, yet certainly the most common derivation of it is most true, viz. that it comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save, as the Angel plainly interprets it, his Name shall be called Jesus, because he shall save his people from their sins, Mat. 1.21. It's the same with Joshua, who was so called, because he delivered the people out of their temporal miseries, and brought them into Canaan, being herein a Type of Christ.  
2. His Name of office Christ, as much as anointed, I shall not say much of this word now, Though the word be attributed to others, yet Jesus is properly called the Messias, he is the Vnctus unctorum, the anointed of the anointed, and this doth especially demonstrate the Priestly and the Kingly office of Christ,  
3. There is the Original or Fountain of this office, It's from God the Father, Now when the Father is said to send him, it is not to be understood as if it were against Christ's will, no, but he voluntarily and readily undertook this Office likewise, so that if we did know and acknowledge such a person as was called Jesus, yet if we did not also acknowledge him to be the Christ, the Mediator appointed by God, our knowledge would be insufficient.  

Observe. The knowledge of the true God is not enough to salvation without the knowledge of Christ.  Obs. That the knowledge of one true God is not enough to salvatian, without the knowledge of Christ also; They are both put together, and none may separate them: Hence it's so often in Scripture commanded that we should believe in Christ, That be who believeth shall not enter into judgement, and our Saviour makes the knowledge of him and the Father inseparably joined together, joh. 8.19.  
To open the Doctrine Consider,  
1. That we cannot have any knowledge about Christ, either that there is such an one, or what he is, but only by Revelation; We told you about God, there was a threefold Knowledge, by nature, by the Creatures, by the Scriptures; And therefore whereas it might be, and is easily granted by all, that none can be saved without the knowledge of the true God, yet both of old and of late, there have been those who have held that the Nations that know not Christ, may be saved: It's true, they are divided among themselves, for some say, the Gentiles have some implied or confused knowledge of Christ, or else God revealeth it to them extraordinarily, but others positively say, the knowledge we have by nature and mere light of reason is enough to conduct to heaven: As for Cornelius the Centurion whom they instance in, the first Heathen converted and baptised under the New Testament, it is plain that he had a knowledge of Christ, though imperfect; Neither is that expression of Peter upon Cornelius his admission, Act. 10.35. where he saith, God is no accepter of persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness shall be saved, any ways favouring salvation without Christ; For now the partition wall being broken down, and the Gospel to be preached to all Nations, which was represented in the vision of a sheet full of clean and unclean beasts, the Knowledge of Christ was likewise therewith to be propagated: It's true the Apostle saith, they that sin without the Law shall be judged without the Law, Rom. 2. God will not judge them by that they knew not, and so they that sin without the knowledge of the Gospel, they shall not be judged for not believing in Christ, and not receiving of him to whom he was never tendered, but then they have a law of conscience within them, by which they shall be condemned, so that by the Scripture we cannot say there is any other way of salvation but by the Name of Christ, and Faith in his Name, yea, that Text Act. 4.12. is plainly excluding any other way of salvation, There is no other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved; Howsoever men may tropically explain and say, how can we think so merciful a God can suffer so many thousands and thousands who never heard of Christ to perish? yea, their poor Infants, who committed no actual sin; We must submit to the Scripture, otherwise we may take up origen's opinion, and say, how doth it stand with the goodness of God and his pity to let so many Angels and men be damned, and not save them all at last; But when the Word of God speaks man must be silent and hold his tongue.  
2. A right knowledge about one true God is not enough without the knowledge of Christ, partly on God's part, and partly on our part; On God's part, for so he is absolutely considered as a righteous and just God, 
The Reasons of the Point.  hating all sin, and punishing it where he finds it; Now in this consideration he is a consuming fire, there is a great gulf between him and us; The devils and damned in hell may as well hope for mercy as we, if there were no Christ; The heathens therefore who hoped for pardon they ignorantly thought to satisfy God, as if he could be satisfied by any finite thing, as Luther said, It's not Deus absolutus but relativus, not God considered absolutely but relatively as a Father in Covenant, through Christ that is the ground of all our hope and comfort; This knowledge would only terrify and drive to despair, as you see in Adam till he was comforted with the promise. 2. On our part, It's necessary to know Christ as well as God, because without Christ there is no foundation for any duty; We cannot pray, we cannot approach near to him; As he is a consuming fire, so we are combustible stubble, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, saith Christ, shall be given you; It must be through that Name our duties are accepted: Can two walk together unless they be agreed? What concord or agreement can there be between a righteous God and a corrupted sinner? For this cause it is that the most holy men have prayed that God would not enter into strict judgement with them, Psa. 143.2, If men sanctified dare not appear at the Tribunal of God in their own persons, much less may sinners; It's necessary then because of that contrariety between God and sinful man, there should be a Mediator, an advocate, one that should stand between justice and us, the condemning power of the Law and us; Who is not afraid of justice? Who hath so much purity that the Law cannot find any fault with him? So that if we consider of these two particulars we shall see great reason that we have to know Christ and God also.  
Thirdly, Take notice, That a Knowledge or belief that there is a Messias, is not enough, unless we believe that person called jesus, to be Christ; For he doth not say, This is Eternal Life to believe a Christ, but that Jesus is Christ; The Jews to this day believe there will be a Messias, all their hope and expectation is for such an one, but yet the Apostle saith, they are cast off by God for the present, that they are branches broken off from the Olive, Rom. 11. and why? because they err in two particulars: 1. They deny that Jesus born of the Virgin Mary to be the Messiah, Therefore they will not believe the promises to be fulfiled in him. And 2. They look for a temporal Messiah, who shall restore them from bodily captivity, not for a Saviour in a spiritual sense. Indeed before Christ came into the flesh, than a belief and expectation of a Messiah was enough, as appears by Simeons' Song, Luk. 2.34. who was one of the expectants for Christ, and when he saw him then desired to depart in peace, but now since he is come, it's necessary to salvation to believe that Person born of the Virgin Mary, and crucified by the Jews under Pilate, was the true and promised Messias, Therefore a great part of the Apostles Ministry was to prove that Jesus was the Christ.  
Fourthly, In that Christ makes Eternal Life to lie in these two necessary things, therefore the Papists are horribly presumptuous, who add a third thing necessary to Eternal Life, which is Subesse Romano Pontifici, To acknowledge the Pope to be head of the Church, and to submit to him, This is the necessitate salutis saith Bellarmine. But they have never yet been able to make this out that there is such an universal visible and infallible head of the Church: Yea, Gregory one of the Popes said, Whosoever should arrogate to himself the Title of Universal Bishop, he was the Forerunner of Antichrist; For the great Antichristianism described by the Apostles, lieth not so much in doctrines; Though they be Antichrists also that deny Christ to be come in the flesh, 1 Joh. 2.16. yet the great Antichrist is described by the Church-power, and universal dominion; he shall take to himself in the Church, exalting himself above every thing that is called God, 2 Thes. 2.4. Therefore howsoever they pronounce such dreadful sentences upon all the Reformed Churches, that have cast off the Pope's power, as if they were not in a way to Eternal Life, yet this Scripture may abundantly encourage, where there is a true knowledge of God and Christ, there is a possibility of Eternal Life.  
Fifthly, To know Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent implieth the knowledge of these particulars.  
1. That he is really and truly God, for how can he be a spiritual Saviour if he be not God? Is it not God only that can raise from the dead? Could mere man satisfy the justice of God, destroy the works of the devil? It's not my purpose here to confirm that main Article of Religion, I only inform you that he who truly knoweth Christ must know him to be God the only begotten of the Father, else he cannot know him as a Jesus, as a Saviour; Therefore howsoever Arians and Socinians talk much of Christ, dispute much of him, yea, mention him in their prayers and Petitions, yet they do not truly know Christ, if the Apostle makes it so great a sin to deny Christ to be come in the flesh, to be man, that he saith, he is Antichrist that doth so, 1 Joh. 2.18. than it must needs be a greater sin to deny him to be God, for as he doth a man a greater wrong that denieth him a rational soul, then that denieth a mortal body to him, so he doth in a greater manner dishonour Christ that denieth him to be God then to be man: Shall Christ himself Phil. 2. think it no robbery to be equal with God, and will they make Christ guilty of such robbery? for he assumed to himself both the Title and reality of God.  
2. To know Jesus Christ is to acknowledge him man as well as God, for this was his name given him by the Angel, when he was born, so that he only knoweth Christ who acknowledgeth him both God and man, as the Scripture sometimes calls him the only begotten Son of God, so sometimes the Son of man, and many places in Scripture speak of both his natures, Rom. 9.5. who concerning the flesh, was of the Seed of Abraham, and yet he is God for evermore, concerning the flesh, that is spoken oppositely to his divine nature, so that to deny the humane nature of Christ, though we should affirm he was God, yet this is not to know Christ, Therefore the Marcionists and some Anabaptists who said he had not a true real body, that he was only in the appearance of a man, They do not know Christ.  
3. To know Jesus Christ implieth also that we have some understanding of his Offices; Of his anointing with all sufficiency and fullness, to be a Mediator for us; He that saith he knows Christ, and doth not acknowledge him anointed by God, with all fullness to be a Mediator for us, saith, he knoweth not what; Now the ignorance of Christ's Office, and his fullness therein doth wonderfully abound in Popery; The devil in former times opposed the natures of Christ, when he could no longer succeed that way, than he opposeth the Offices of Christ, all those doctrines of merits, indulgencies, and satisfactions do oppose the Offices of Christ, for if Christ be the Messiah, if he be the full Mediator, to what purpose are all these? Although therefore in Popery there is the true doctrine retained about Christ's Natures, he is acknowledged to be God and man, yet in respect of his Offices there is a total burying of him in silence: Angels and Saints merits and indulgencies have even almost put out the very Name of Christ amongst them, so then all acknowledging that Christ is not enough, it must be a Scripture-confessing of him; We must give him his full due, not make him half a Mediator, half a Saviour, and join ' ourselves or others in this great work.  
4. To know Christ implieth also that we acknowledge the great love of the Father in sending his only Son thus to mediate for us: Therefore it's added, whom thou hast sent, and for this reason it's said, he that knoweth and honoureth the Son, must know and honour the Father also, Joh. 5.23. For from the Father comes the Spring of all this love, He so loved the world that he gave his only Son, Joh. 3. and certainly this is of great consequence to know the Father sent Christ into the world, for hereby we may be assured that all the obedience and sufferings of Christ shall be accepted of by the Father; We need not fear it or doubt of it, for the Father did make the first motion as it were to the Son, Though the Son also did readily and voluntarily undertake it; Now how great a matter was this, for God the Father to do? Was not Christ the only begotten and beloved of the Father? Did he not come out of his Father's bosom to the Cross, and shall not this make us return all thankfulness and obedience unto him.  
Lastly, This must necessarily imply a knowledge of our misery and damnable condition by sin: For if we were not lost what need had we of a Saviour? If we were not sinners what need of a Mediator? So that the acknowledging of a Christ sent into the world to be a Mediator is the believing also of man by nature to be the child of wrath, the Enemy of God, one who may not come into his presence, or expect the least hope of mercy, till an Advocate and Intercessor come and plead his cause, so that this Knowledge of a Christ should be accompanied with great affections and workings of heart, it should breed shame, fear, and confusion in us, it should breed an hungering and thirsting after Christ, an esteem of him as the only Remedy; In Christ only is our fullness, our sins would undo us, were it not for his righteousness, our iniquities would overthrow us; Did not be intercede, blessed art thou then when this Knowledge is like fire in thy bosom, kindling holy flames within thee: Now here may be some Questions made:  

Obj.  1. Doth not this exclude all that lived under the Old Testament dispensation from Salvation? For howsoever they might know the true God, yet was there any discovery or Knowledge of Christ in those days, This is so great a matter that some have looked upon all the Jews as knowing only temporal promises; That they knew nothing of heaven but an earthly Canaan was their heaven: That they had no Knowledge of Christ but thought by the blood of Sacrifices to appease God:  

Answ.  But to answer this: 1. No doubt but the common and ordinary sort of them was greatly ignorant of Christ, and therefore rested in their Sacrifices, and the knowledge of the Law, as the only thing that made them acceptable; This is plain by the Apostles Arguments in his Epistle to the Galatians, and we see by the Prophets they so relied upon these external services, that they thought themselves beloved of God, though abounding in all wickedness: And no wonder they did so, for under the Gospel how many rest on their duties, and have no faith in Christ.  
But 2. Those that were holy and godly, they looked upon all their bodily Sacrifices as Types of Christ; It was Christ's blood they put confidence in; The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews shows, that God intended Christ by those Sacrifices, and that the blood of Rams and Goats could never cleanse away sin, as this was God's meaning, so the Priests and Prophets they explained the meaning thereof to the people, and sometimes they have clear promises of a Saviour, a Messias to come to them, who shall be a Prince of Peace, and shall bear their sins for them, as Isaiah speaks like an Evangelist to this purpose, which made the Apostle say that the Prophets did bear witness of Christ; Abraham he saw Christ's day and rejoiced, Act. 10.43. Now all the godly have the same faith Abraham had, therefore he is made the Father of the Faithful, so that what was covered in the Old Testament is revealed in the New; Christ they had, and Mediation they had, though the Knowledge of it was more obscure: Hence the Gospel is said to rise like the Light of the Sun.  

Obj.  2. It may be demanded, why the Knowledge of the holy Ghost is not there said to be Eternal Life, as well as of the Father and the Son, for without the Spirit of God efficiently enabling us, we cannot do any holy duty as well as without Christ's merits, we cannot be accepted: Christ is the meritorious cause, and the Spirit of God the applying cause.  

Answ.  To this we may say, that the Knowledge of the Spirit is necessarily implied in the Knowledge of Christ; For he was in respect of his humane nature conceived by the holy Ghost, when he was to leave his Apostles bodily, he promiseth his Spirit to supply his presence, So that none can know Christ as a Mediator, that doth not also know the holy Ghost: Hence be is called, the Spirit of Christ.  
And in the 2d place we may say it's not necessary that this Text should speak of all things necessary to Salvation, It's enough that other places do sufficiently testify it; Now that the knowledge of the holy Ghost is also requisite to Eternal Life appeareth, in that we are baptised into his Name, so that it's a principle and Foundation to be instructed about the holy Ghost, as well as the Father and the Son. We read that the Apostle doth in most of his Salutations pray for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lod Jesus Christ, yet none may from thence gather the Spirit is excluded, for 2 Cor. 1.13, 14. There is the communion of the Spirit added to the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ.  
3. You may demand, If the Knowledge of those things be enough to eternal Life, what then needs the Ministry or Preaching to a man that knoweth these: If a man have these, is he not above Ordinances and the Ministry; This indeed some have arrogantly thought.  
But 1. There is no man knoweth as much about God and Christ as may be known; The Apostle that was lifted up to the third heavens, yet he saith, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. If Paul then knew but in part, what must others do? We see the Angels themselves desire to have the Mystery of Christ made more known to them, Eph. 3. so that it's a foolish conceit to think thou knowest enough already, for though our knowledge shall be perfected in heaven, yet even there we cannot know God as much as he is known, for the infinite object cannot be comprehended by a finite faculty.  
2. Suppose thou couldst not grow in knowledge, which yet is impossible, yet the Ministry is necessary for thy heart and affections; The devils know more than any man, but there will is obdurate and hardened in wickedness; So thou mayst have great knowledge and understanding, yet thy heart may need much quickening, much mollifying, and for this end the Ministry is appointed.  
3, If thou didst not find a need of them either for understanding or heart, which yet is more impossible than the former; yet God having appointed such a way, thou art only for obedience sake, and to testify thy submission to God to do it; Christ needed not to be baptised, for he wanted not the grace signified, viz. remission of sins: Yet to show his obedience he did it, Adam though created in a state of integrity, yet had a command of trial, to manifest his obedience, and so though never so perfect, yet thou canst not be exempted from obedience to God's commands.  
Use of Instruction to the full self-righteous man that is not burdened and loaded with the sense of his sins, whatsoever knowledge thou mayst have, 
Use.  yet thou canst not know any thing in a saving manner about Christ; Till thou be affected with thy misery and the remedy, thou art not yet a knowing man in Christ's School, or to those who labour and are greatly affected with their sin, They know sin, They know the Law, They know the terrors of an angry God, but they know not Christ: Consider how Paal was affected herein, he knew nothing but Christ crucified, 2 Cor. 2.2. All things were accounted dung and dross for the excellency of this knowledge, Phil. 3.8. Consider Eternal life is as well in knowing of Christ as in knowing of sin, or what duties God requireth of thee.   

SERMON XIX. showeth how a Godly Life (though it merit no good) is a Ground of Comfort at the hour of Death.  JOH. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. 
IN this Verse our Saviour addeth a new argument for that Petition mention mentioned v. 1. Glorify me. Why? because I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished my work: Now his work is done, he expects his reward; These words our Saviour doth not speak out of ostentation and boasting, but to show the order God appointed, that by his sufferings when perfected he should enter into glory.  
In the words we have Christ's profession of the end he intended in all things, I have glorified thee on earth.  
2. The manner how, or the means by which, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. I have glorified thee, though Christ as God had all divine glory due to him, yet as Mediator in the state of humiliation, so he was inferior to the Father, and in this sense he did glorify him.  
To glorify is either when really that glory is exhibited, which was not before, and so God glorifieth us, or else when we celebrate, acknowledge, and declare that glory which is already possessed, and thus we glorify God; For when we glorify God, we add nothing to him, we do not make him more glorious than he is indeed, We cannot advantage him but ourselves by serving of him, as a man by seeing doth not profit the Sun but himself, nor the thirsty Traveller by drinking refresh the Fountain but himself; Christ then being by the state of humiliation made lower than God, yea, lower than Angels, had this purity of intention in all that he did and all that he suffered, to glorify God.  

Obj.  Q. If you say, Was not the redemption and salvation of these the Father gave him his end, how then is the glory of God his end?  

Answ.  A. The Answer is, the ultimate and chief end is God's glory, The proxime and immediate was the salvation of man, and therefore in respect of the chief end this is the manner or the means of glorifying of God, and this is intended when he saith, He had finished his work.  
2. Consider the restriction or limitation of this glorifying of God, from the place where, I have glorified thee on earth: That is mentioned, because here only on the earth was he to be in a state of debasement, here only he was to work, in heaven he was to receive his glory; The Schoolmen use to call a man while he was in this life the way to heaven, viator, and when he is possessed of glory, they call him comprehensor: Now they say, That Christ was both viator and comprehensor together, but if they mean, that in this life he possessed all that glory which he should have in heaven, that is false, for we see him here praying for it, and other places God promiseth it as a reward of his obedience and sufferings: Indeed the humane nature of Christ was always united personally to the godhead, but there was a suspension of that glorious influance and happiness while on the earth.  
3. Consider the time when Christ makes this profession, at the end of his days, when he is to go out of this world; This was the ground of his confidence in his Petition; Now although we are not able in the same degree and perfection to say as he did, yet for the main we ought to be like him in this, when Death comes, when our days are to be finished, to be able to say, Lord, we have glorified thee, we have finished the work thou gavest us to do, and of this particular I shall treat.  
Obs. 
Doct. It's a blessed thing at death truly to say, Lord, I have glorified thee.  That it is a blessed and most happy thing to be able at the time of death truly to say, Lord, I have glorified thee in my life, I have finished all the work I was to do. This Subject will be very profitable and necessary, you cannot expect health and life always in this world, your time is running, your days are decaying, you are hasting to the grave, who knoweth how soon God will put a period to thy life in this world? What then should be more in your hearts and thoughts then this, Whether have I lived to God's glory? whether have I faithfully discharged the work put upon me? It's not riches, wealth, greatness, or any earthly advantages will then do you good; This or nothing will then be a reviving to you; We have two pregnant examples for this, 2 Kin. 20.3. When that sad message was brought to Hezekiah, that he must set his house in order, for he must die and not live; What is a comfort and a cordial to him under this bitter news, Remember O Lord that I have walked before thee With an upright heart, and done what was good in thy sight; Hezekiah had great outward prosperity, he had many earthly delights as a King, but see how every earthly comfort vanisheth away, That he had served God in the uprightness of his heart comforted him more than all earthly honour or greatness. The other Instance is in Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, a Crown of glory is laid up for me; If all the glory of the world had been given Paul, would it have comforted him like this Testimony of a godly conversation? Oh how many dying men may say, I have served the devil, I have fulfiled his lusts, and now I go to my everlasting torments.  
To quicken and affect you in this Point take notice of these Introductory particulars.  
First, That there is a day of Judgement when God will call every man to account; 
Consider  We are not to live here as we list, and to do all things without control; No, 
I. There is a day of judgement when God will call every man to account.  God hath appointed a time when every man shall appear before him, and he must give an account of all his time, all his Talents, all his actions, all his thoughts, of all things in this world that have been his; The Scripture is very clear in this formidable Truth, 2 Cor. 5. We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account for what hath been done in the flesh, Mat. 12.36. yea, of every idle word we must give an account, yea, of every secret thing, Eccl. 12.16. The Parable of the Talents Mat. 25.15. where the man with ten, with five, with two, are called to give an account of their improvement doth evidently show, that there is no good thing we have, let it be health, wealth, riches, but we as Stewards must be reckoned with concerning the good improvement of them; Oh beloved, what an overwhelming consideration is this, to think the time is coming when every thought, every word, every hour, every day, every opportunity, every penny, every thing I have had will be called for, who can hear these things and not tremble? Never think all thy sins are forgotten, no, the Scripture attributes a Book to God, God writeth down every thing, and those Books will be opened, what manner of persons should we be who believe these things? Rev. 20.11. Is it for you to live riotously, to follow all vain pleasures and delights, or not rather to pray and mourn, and bethink yourselves what is to be done at this time.  

II. The meanest persons have Talents to improve as well as the greatest.  2. Take notice That there is no man or woman though never so inconsiderable, but they have their several Talents: They have their peculiar work to do, and their proper relations to serve God in; There is none but they have their course to finish, they have the work of God to do, and therefore let no man think it may be for Magistrates, for Ministers, for great men, for rich men, to look to those things, but not such inferior persons as they: No, he that had but one Talon, that is the least ability and opportunity to glorify God, yet because he was negligent, he is called an unprofitable servant, and is cast out, where there is weeping, and gnashing of teeth; So then barrenness and unprofitableness in our places and relations, will be a damning sin, yet who considers this? Do I promote the glory of God? Is God honoured by me in my place and calling? Do not I hide my talon in a Napkin? Am I able to answer for my great neglect? For thy health, who can speak for that? For time and many days given to repent, who can speak for that? These things will be fire in your bones, They will be thunder in your ears, and arrows in your heart, though for the present thou dost not matter them.  

III. None are perfect discharges of their duty.  Thirdly, Though it be the duty upon all thus to glorify God, and do our work commanded, yet none is able to be perfect in this; None ever lived that could challenge a Crown of glory for his perfect service; Indeed Christ he being God and man did all these things without sin, therefore he was a full Mediator for us, God had nothing, the Law had nothing to object against him, but every mere man hath a woe belonging to his best life, to his best duties, if God judge him in strict justice· Hence David prayeth, that God would not enter into judgement with him, that he would not mark every thing done amiss; Why? because in thy sight no flesh shall be justified, Psa. 143.2. So David doth not only exclude himself, for he had murder and adultery, and many other things amiss in his life, but no flesh shall be justified; None though preserved from such falls. And Paul whom you have heard acknowledging the good fight he had fought, and looking for a Crown of glory, yet doth not challenge any perfection, for at another time he accounts all things dung and dross, and would be found in Christ, Phil. 3. having the righteousness by faith, so that all doctrines of perfection, and a possibility to be without sin in this life are but the proud dreams of carnal men.  

IU. No merit or causality of salvation in the best work.  Therefore Fourthly, No service or works that we have done are any ways meritorious, or have any causal influence upon our Salvation: It's very hard to preach the necessity of all holy and good works, and not presently to look on them as merits and causes of Salvation; but we see the Scripture doth both, and therefore we are to reconcile them in our practice; To be zealous of good works, yet to rely only on Christ's merits; It's not my purpose here to give you several grounds why the best holy action we do comes short of all kind of merit; It's enough to inform you Rom. 4. that believing and working are opposed, and so works and grace, and indeed to hold the fullness of Christ's merits, and yet to plead our own, is to think that the light of the Sun is not able to make perfect day, unless we light a candle also; There cannot be any more two meritorious causes of salvation, than there can be two Suns in the Orb; Christ will not have a copartner under any distinction whatsoever in the work of our Redemption; As for the doctrine or thoughts of perfection, let those be abandoned, Let us walk humbly, and lowly under our imperfections, yet breathing after perfection.  
Fifthly, Because no works we do can be perfect, hence at the end of our days, 
V.  when we look over all our former life, we may not put any trust or confidence in what we have done; Paul that knew nothing by himself, yet was not thereby justified: The Pharisees are condemned for this, that they trusted in their own righteousness, yea, the whole Nation of the Jews, that they went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit to the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 10. Though self-righteousness be not a gross scandalous sin, making men abominable and noisome in the world, yet it is as damnable and as dangerous as those sins, yea, more damnable, partly because it overthroweth all the principles of being cured, None being more miserable than those who are so, yet do not feel or think so; This is like the Psalmists arrow that destroyeth at midday, and then partly because it doth so immediately oppose Christ revealed as a Mediator and Saviour, for they that trust in their own righteousness are a Christ, are a Saviour to themselves.  
Lastly, Though all this be true, our godliness is no merit, 
VI  no ground of confidence, yet a faithful zealous performing of those duties God hath required of us may as a sign and evidence wonderfully comfort and embolden our hearts: As the Rainbow is not a cause but a sign that God will never destroy the world more by water, so this tenderness and diligence of thine in all the ways of God are not a cause but a sure sign that God's eternal love is placed on thee, and that thou art in the number of those who are prepared for glory, our rejoicing is this, saith Paul, the testimony of a good conscience, 2 Cor. 1.12. and 1 Joh. 3.21. Hereby we are sure he heareth us, if our hearts condemn us not; Hezekiah and Paul did not mention their good life, as a cause or means; Neither did they put confidence in them, only they took this as a comfortable sign they were in the favour of God, and they looked upon these things as inseparable qualifications; Even as Rahabs' thread hanging out of the window was not a cause but a sign that she was in the number of those who were exempted from destruction, and in this sense we maintain the doctrine, That it's a blessed thing at the end of our days to have this testimony, this cordial in our hearts.  
Let us consider the grounds of this blessedness. 
Grounds of this blessedness   
1. At the time of death, all our earthly comforts they vanish away, they continue with us no longer; Now if thou think how rich thou hast been, 
At death all comforts vanish.  what pleasures and delights thou hast had, this is so far from comforting that it torments the more, but a drop of this heavenly assurance of our endeavour to please God, will be more precious than all the world, Oh foolish people and unwise that do no more consider your latter end, Can you but look on your body and say, this face, these arms, this body will one day moulder in the dust: Can you but look on your houses and habitations, and say, These dwellings will know me no more, must every thing break thy heart, thou lookest upon thy husband, thy Children, thy friends mourning by thee, must there be such a sad and doleful time, and dost thou provide no comfort, no hopes to encourage thee? The Psalmist saith not as the horse and mule, without understanding, whose mouth must be held in by a Bridle, Psa. 31.9. Alas, thou art worse, here is a bridle put on thee to keep thee from rushing upon sin any more, and yet it will not stop thee; If then all these earthly comforts will fail thee, and thou shalt look back upon thy life, and that torment thee, that torture thee also, thou art twice and thrice miserable.  
2. It's a blessed thing to have this Testimony and Seal upon our hearts, that we have glorified God and done his work, 
Then if ever Conscience is awakened, and the devil is most busy to tempt and trouble.  because Conscience if ever is then awakened, and the devil he is most busy to tempt and trouble; He that formerly showed only the pleasant bait of sin, will now manifest the hook, He that before said you should not be damned, now makes it necessary, he that made pardon easy, now makes it impossible, and as the devil is thus a roaring Lion, so conscience is a roaring witness within; Thou hast stopped the mouth of it, and muzzled it a long time, but now 'twill speak, and thou canst not make it quiet; Indeed too many die like beasts rather than men; They think not of their sins, they consider not Eternity but drop into hell, before they consider any thing, but yet when death comes commonly there is some terror and trembling upon the conscience, and if ever any sin did formerly sting, it will then: Oh then how blessed a thing is it to have such an argument in our mouths that shall quiet conscience and confound the devil, when they tell thee there is no hope, thou hast been an hypocrite, thou canst bring this testimony out of thy bosom; O Lord, thou knowest though I was overtaken by many infirmities, yet my heart was set to glorify thee; I was tender and careful to discharge all my work, though I failed in many things, this will make thee like Adamant and marble, how much did the consciousness of the integrity which Job had, strengthen him under those powerful storms and blasts that fell upon him.  
3. It's a blessed thing to be able to say thus upon just grounds, because of the terror of death to flesh and blood; We cannot be willing and ready to die, all the while the worms of conscience are gnawing the soul, before worms be gnawing the body; When Simeon had seen Christ, and taken him in his arms, than he saith, Lord, let thy Servant depart in thy Peace, Luk. 2. When Paul hath thus discharged his trust, than I have fought a good fight, and there is laid up for me a Crown of glory; It hath been the case of many good men to have uncomfortable sicknesses, and an uncomfortable death, and what makes it sometimes so but want of this assurance this good testimony about themselves, oh their life troubles them, such sins and such barrenness; They know not what to do; Their hearts are within them, They think of death, and their soul is troubled, so that it's a most desirable thing to have this in thy heart when thou art dying; Oh thou thinkest, Would I might have such a Minister, such a Friend by me when I am dying, I tell thee this is the best friend: It was Augustus his wish, that he might have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet easy death, without pangs and torment, but this is the easiest, the comfortablest, the best dying; Oh that we should prefer any thing before that; Oh that thou shouldst not cry out of every sin, This will trouble me when I am dying.  
4. It's a blessed thing to go out of the world, having done God's work, because we are immediately to appear before him; No sooner is thy soul gone out of the body, but it appeareth before God, he either for thy sin adjudgeth it to hell, or because thou art a member of Christ appoints thee to eternal glory, oh then when there is but such distance between God and thy soul, how comfortable is it to have been all thy life time glorifying God? Thou hast been glorifying God, and God comes now to glorify thee; Thou hast been doing his work, and now he is giving thee the good things promised: Oh Beloved how should this prevail with you, there is but a step between my soul and God, how will God look on me? who can endure his frowns and displeasures? Doth not the Apostle say, It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.3. And now I am falling into God's hands, either the hands of a merciful Father, or provoked enemy; Well then, while thou art in these conflicts and agonies, what support is it to have this sure evidence; O Lord, in my life time I lived for thee, and to thee, now I come to live with thee: O Lord, In my life time I knew thee, I did thy work, but I was at a vast distance; now I come to the immediate enjoying of thee.  
Reas. 5 5. It's a blessed thing to have this evidence, because it's of that good which will be eternal: Canst thou truly say thus? then it's an immortal Crown of Glory that is laid up for thee, no more deaths, no more changes, no more fears or tears, thou art made for ever: But of this heretofore.  
Use of Admonition, 
Use.  Let every one attend and give all diligence to get this evidence. Oh the terror and horror that must take hold on thee, if thou hast been dishonouring of God all thy life long, if thou hast been doing the work that sin and Satan tempted thee to, why art thou so devoid of all understanding, will thy health and strength always hold? Art thou exempted from the stroke of death? Is not thy time running on? sit down then and consider what thoughts will at thy death possess thee, What testimony have I, that I have done the work of the Lord? Oh doth not thy life accuse thee! Is it not all over bloody? Canst thou think of what thou hast been with any content? Is thy life at present such that thou canst say, O Lord I am doing thy work? Oh the amazement and astonishment that should take hold on such men!   

SERMON XX. showeth who they are that cannot at the close of their days take comfort in this, That they have finished the work God gave them to do: As also what things, if not avoided, will much diminish the comfort of the Godly ones at that day.  JOH. 17.4. I have glorified thee on earth, etc. 
THe Doctrine observed was, That it is a most blessed and happy thing in the close of our days to be able to say upon good grounds, We have finished the work God gave us to do. You have heard particulars illustrating it, and the grounds of the point: I shall now amplify this, and in the first place show, Who they are that cannot with any comfort, or very little be able to say thus: For although this truth in the general be very terrible, 
Who they are that cannot take comfort in this, that they have finished the work God gave them to do.  yet in the particular it loseth its edge, because every man is a self-flatterer: Every one is apt to think, I have done God's work, and therefore it will be well with me. If therefore it be possible, my endeavour shall be that this arrow of God's truth may enter in at the joints of thy armour, seeing it cannot any where else. Consider then who they are that may say they are dogs and not children, so that this bread doth not belong to them.  

1. Such whose conversation is wicked.  And first, All those who daily and constantly are doing the clean contrary work to what God requireth; such whose conversation is a perpetual reproach and dishonour to God, these do not at all glorify God: These have cause to tremble and quake when death approaches, and their accounts must be made; and is not this the condition of most? Look generally upon men's lives, are they not doing the devil's works? are they not dishonouring God all the day long by their ungodly conversation? If there be any that are tender and conscientious, are they not like glean after a Vintage? here a man, and there a woman; otherwise for most men, you would think they thought hell and the day of judgement to be but fables, and such a truth as this to be a mere bugbear: But God will not be mocked, neither can man's greatness or atheism, or profane scoffings put off these things. Oh then be at last persuaded that that life thou livest will be little comfort to thee one day: Oh how speechless and confounded wilt thou be, when God shall inquire into all thy words, into all thy actions, and there is nothing but sin appeareth, when every thing will be turned into blood, as the Egyptian punishment was, into the blood of thy soul: When God looked over all his works he had done, he saw them exceeding good, and so blessed the seventh day; but thou wilt look over all thou hast done, and find it exceeding evil, and curse both the day of thy birth and the day of thy death. Oh that men would be wise, that they would consider their later end: What wilt thou do, when God, when thy conscience, when the law, when devils will accuse thee? Where wilt thou hide thyself? Remember Jacob, Gen. 32.13. when his brother Esau was to meet him, who was enraged and provoked against him, how careful he was by Presents and humble deprecations to mitigate his anger. Remember the unjust Steward, Luke 16.8. who knowing he must be called to account, taketh all the subtle ways he can to make himself friends, when he shall be cast out of his office: our Saviour speaks that parable to this purpose, That when God shall say to every one of us, Thou shalt be no long or steward, in this relation, in that condition I will have an account of all, that then we manage all things so, that we may be able to have some comfortable refuge.  

2. Those whose works are (though not contrary, yet) differing from the command.  2. Those have nothing of this texts comfort, who though they do not contrary work, yet do different non-required work. It's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though they do not male, yet they do aliud agere, a servant, though he do not contrary to his Master's work, yet if he do not the same he is commanded, he is obnoxious to his Master's wrath: And this is very considerable, for the Pharisee at the close of his life may strive to say, Lord, I have fasted twice a week, I washed my hands, my house, my pots, etc. thus I have glorified thee, but what saith Christ, In vain do ye worship me, Mat. 16.9. and who hath required these things at your hands? Thus the Papist, if he say, I have gone a Pilgrimage, I have made such penal satisfactions, I have said so many Ave Maries, I have done penance, I have received extreme unction. Now because this is not required or commanded work, therefore it will have no reward: So then it's not enough to see thy work be not contrary to God's will, but look that it be according, that it have God's superscription, and the stamp of his command upon it: Though it be not malum, yet it is aliud; though it be not contra, yet it is preter, and indeed what is preter, because not secundum, must needs be contra. It's contrary to God's will, whatsoever is not commanded.  

3. The slothful and negligent.  3. They cannot have the texts comfort at all, who are slothful and negligent, though they do not contrary or different, yet they are sluggish, and so will not work at all in God's Vineyard. This is represented by the Parable of him who had but one Talon, yet because he did not improve it, he is cast into utter darkness; Cast that unprofitable servant, Mat. 25.30. He did not spend the Talon, he brought it sure and safe to his Master, but he is unprofitable, and must be cast into utter darkness: So the tree that brings forth no fruit, though it did not bad fruit, must be cut down and cast into the fire. Oh how greatly is this to be considered, for whose life doth not appear to him, as Bernard's did, aut peccatum, aut sterilitas, either the boggy mire of sin, or the parched wilderness of barrenness; and if that be so great a sin, Christ be so ready to curse it, no wonder if the most holy have sad thoughts about their death, and the day of their accounts. It's not then a negative Religion that will truly comfort thee, but a positive fruitful one. It will be no solid joy of conscience to say, and no more, Lord, I have been no drunkard, no adulterer, no profane person, for God looketh for a zealous, active, fruitful way in all holiness; yet how doth the mere negation of sin make many have strong confidence of their excellent condition; whereas if they did consider the positive fruitful part of godliness, and see how far they are off it, horror would overwhelm them. Consider then how fruitful are thy duties, are thy hours for God, mayest thou not cry out many times, hodie diem perdidi? dost thou put that of the Apostle in practice, to redeem the time? Ephes. 5.16. Heaven would not be heaven, if it were only a negation of torment, not a positive affluence of all happiness; so neither is that godliness which is a bare absence of sin, not a fruitful abounding in the ways of holiness.  
4. There cannot be any solid comfort at the time of account, 
4. The lukewarm.  where there is a prevailing lukewarmness and formality, though the work God requireth be done outwardly. Eli cannot give a good account of reproving his sons, though he did reprove them, because there was remissness and coldness in it; a partial coldness and dulness is in the best service we do. Paul having found the relics of corruption rebelling against grace, and contra vitia pugnamus non ut vincamus sed ne vincamus, Jebusites will abide in the land, but we speak of a total plenary lukewarmness, such which Christ condemneth, Revel. 2. when he wisheth she were either hot or cold, but being lukewarm, God would spew her out of his mouth: That expression is to show how noisome and intolerable such persons, and such duties are to God. Never then think a mere formal and customary way of Religious duties will ever be any comfort to thee, no, God will say, Thy heart was not in these, thou didst not serve me as the world, as thy lusts; and hereupon thou wilt wish, Oh that my duties had been more spiritual, more fervent, more heavenly: These very duties thou puttest thy trust in, will run like sharp points into thy very heart. Thus you have heard what persons cannot have any comfort at all.  
Now we shall show you, What things even to the godly, 
What things will much diminish the joy and comfort of the godly at the end of their days.  though they may have comfort for the main, yet will greatly dishearten and diminish their joy then. There will be fears against hope, doubts against faith, agonies against joy: That even as nature and death will in a terrible manner conflict together, so will their hopes and fears: Yet this is not to be understood, but that even a Christian walking most tenderly and circumspectly, may at his death have no joy and assurance: God for many just and wise ends doth sometimes dispense it so, that he who lived very holily, may yet die very uncomfortably. It was so with Christ, though there was a peculiar reason, and why not with his members? only when God dealeth so, they are mere exercises to increase their Crown of glory; they are not so properly afflictions for sin, as Job had those extraordinary trials, not for sin, though he was not without sin, but trial, and thereby to make him more glorious. But I shall speak of such particulars, as in their own nature tend to make our end very sad and heavy; and therefore let him who would look on death, as Jacob did on his son joseph's Chariot, not with grief, but with joy, as a convoy to eternal happiness, 
1. Immoderate affection to worldly things.  take heed of these things as so many dangerous works: And  
1. Immoderate affections to lawful things, they do so dead the heart and clog the soul, that when a man comes to die, these earthly things lie upon the heart, as too much undigested meat upon the stomach, making thee extreme sick and full of pain. The Apostle then, 1 Cor. 7. prescribeth a comfortable way to die joyfully, where he saith, those that buy must be as if they bought not; they that marry as if they married not: The greener the wood is, the harder to be consumed; the more lively and active thy worldly affections are, there must be the greater opposition to leave all and be with God. The ripe apple falleth from the tree very easily: the godly man dying is compared to ripe corn, so that if these earthy and worldly affections be not dried up in thee, it will much hinder thy joy, this green wood will make a great smoke. Hezekiah, though he had this comfortable evidence, yet saith the Text, He wept soar; some attribute that to the Old Testament dispensation, where earthly and worldly happiness was more generally promised then under the New, and therefore death being a privation of that, did more affect them: howsoever this is sure, an heart not weaned from the world, and yet must be parted from, is like a tooth not cut from the flesh, which will cause great pain in the pulling out. If therefore thou wouldst with much peace and joy make up thy account, sit loose from all earthly things; these are good, but God is better; to have God would be a gain to thee, these are thorns and thorns in thy side, they do not only choke our duty, but our comforts.  

2. Formality and slothfulness.  2. This will diminish thy comfort much, though thou hast for the main been holy, when too much formality and slothfulness hath been upon thee. The want of zeal and fervency will greatly abate of thy joy: Therefore the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1. saith, Give all diligence to make your calling sure, as if he had said, as long as you live slothfully and negligently, you can never come to any assurance: the more lazy and cold thou art, the greater will thy fears and doubtings be: Oh then let this be a goad in thy side, to do what thou dost with all thy might, love God, serve God, pray to God with all thy might; I tell thee it will be a great grief and breaking of heart to think of all thy family duties and public duties, done in a mere customary way, if thou dost them not as a dying man, as a man going immediately to give his account to God, thou comest not up to thy duty. Rev. 2. see how severe God is there to the Church, I have something against thee, because thy works are not perfect, filled works: They were good works, but they were not filled with inward life and the substance of grace; therefore he exhorts them to strengthen the things that were ready to die: Oh then do thou pray, that a constant fire may burn upon the altar of thy heart, take heed of grievings and tormenting fears, because thou wert so barren so superficial and unhearty in the work of God; though this will not break thy anchor, yet it will toss thy ship up and down very violently; though it will not raze thy foundation, yet it will cause great heartquakes and trembling within thee.  

3. The not zealously improving opportunities.  3. This will much weaken, though not quite destroy thy comfort, when thou hast not been careful and active to improve all the opportunities and prizes God put into thy hand. To think, this I might have done, there was this excellent occasion, and I neglected it! These thoughts will be so many drops of gall in thy honey: Therefore the Apostle presseth that duty to redeem the time, Ephes. 4.16. to take all the occasions and opportunities before thee: We are commanded to learn of the unreasonable creatures, that know their times and seasons. Christ's tears over Jerusalem, Luk. 19.41. were because she did not know her day; God doth give many gracious occasions, which it may be will never be enjoyed more. Now as those that did not go out early to gather Manna, could not have any afterwards, though they would have laboured many hours; and as those that did not step into the Pool, while the Angel descended, could not upon any terms have the benefit afterwards, so it is here, if thou take not the opportunity, the season God offers, it may never come again. It's true, there is no man dying, but may be greatly afflicted for misspent opportunities, therefore you heard no man could put any confidence in the best improved life that can be, only he is happy that hath less worms gnawing upon his conscience then others: Oh then take this home with thee, thou godly soul, when Christ knocketh at the door there is an opportunity of doing or receiving good, take heed with the Church, thou do not make excuses, and so make Christ depart, thou mayest afterward search for him in the anguish of thy heart, and not find him.  
4. 
4. The doing God's work upon constraint, and not from filial and voluntary principles.  This will allay our comfortable account, when though we have done the work of God, yet we did it upon constraint and slavish fears, not from filial and voluntary principles. As the heart hath been free and willing, so commonly will thy joys be. When the people offered so willingly about the Temple, how joyful and glad is David, blessing God, Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly, 1 Chron. 29.14. and Lord keep this always in their hearts; so that a ready willing mind God doth accept of and fills with consolation, He hath not sowed sparingly, and therefore shall not reap sparingly. Woe is me, saith Paul, if I preach not the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.16. If I preach the Gospel willingly, I have a reward, but if not, the dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me, As if be had said, If I preach the Gospel and do my duty from a ready willing mind, I shall have an overflowing reward; but if not, there is a necessity laid upon me, it is my duty, I cannot put it off, God will require his trust; Oh then do not lose the comfort of all thy duties, to do from constraint, from fear, because of a slavish conscience, this will not produce that consolation, which a voluntary free spirit will; therefore as the Apostle spoke concerning Ministers, Heb. 3.17. people should obey them, that they might give their account with joy and not with grief, the same is to be applied by every one; oh let me with delight and willingness do Gods work, that I may lift up my head when death appeareth! He that is haled to his duty, will be haled to his account, in neither will he have any joy, I did such things indeed, but it was mere fear of hell and torment, I had no delight in God or approaches to him.  
5. Though we do the work God requireth, 
5. The more hypocrisy the less comfort.  yet so much insincerity and hypocrisy as there is, so much will our comfort abate. This I have done indeed, this zeal, this activity I had, but it was not purely for God; there were self-respects, self-considerations, and these will be so many thorns by thy roses, if it had not been for such ingredients thy heart had been more serene and calm. This was Paul's evidence, not simply that he preached the Gospel, but that he did it as of God, and to God, 2 Cor. 2. The Pharisees in all the duties they did, could have no true comfort, because their ends were nought: Jehu and Judas these will give no comfortable account, so that purity of intention and rectitude of aims, will only comfort thee at thy death; shouldst thou abound in the most Angelical duties that are, be admired of all, yet if in all these things thou hast not been purely fixed, thy hopes will fail; insincerity is accompanied with sad doubts and uncertainties.  
6. Ignorance, 
6. Ignorance or mistake in some points of Divinity.  or a mistake in some things may make us give our account with great fear. As  
1. If we look for perfection in our lives, being resolved like Rachel to mourn and take no comfort, unless our life appear a garden to us without any weeds at all, but that is reserved only for heaven: If none might die comfortably, but he that hath lived perfectly, than every man must go out of the world with despair; yea there is no man but his failings are more than his duties, there is more corruption than grace; so that if there be sincerity, though imperfection, we may say, Lord we have finished the work thou gavest us to do. Indeed humility is required because of our imperfections, but not diffidence: To doubt and to refuse the comfort God offers is not humility, but disobedience, like that of Peter's, who would not let Christ wash his feet.  
2. Another mistake may be about the nature of true faith and hope, as if we were to divide between Christ and ourselves, and so from both conjoined together gather our assurance; even as the Papists define spes hope, to be partim à gratiâ, partim à meritis nostris proveniens, but those that go thus to divide, must needs divide themselves from comfort, for the object of our faith and trust must be Christ only. We may joyfully take those evidences of grace we see in ourselves, but to put confidence in them, would be to make ourselves our own saviours.  
3. This mistake may breed much disconsolateness when we limit our assurance and evidence to the time of our death, that if God give us it not then, we give up our case as desperate. Indeed it's a most blessed thing, and a mercy much to be prayed for, that as Simeon, so we having seen Christ in our hearts and lives, may then depart in peace: It's the haven after all the tempests we have had here, but yet God may deny us this cordial, even the best of God's children have found, that God hath not kept the best wine for the last; but God doth sometime to his, as they did to Christ, give him gall and vinegar to drink: For as the wicked ungodly man, who the next moment is to drop into eternal flames, may yet die with great carnal presumption that God is his God, that Christ is his Mediator in whom he will trust, and so feareth not, quakes not at the doleful judgement coming upon him, so the godly man, though ready to be crowned with Immortal Glory, and there is but a moment between him and everlasting happiness, yet may think his case doubtful, if not desperate, may seem to have no hopes, no joy, yea be so tempted, that he shall think all he did was but in hypocrisy and falsehood, that there was no truth in him, this may be: Therefore let the godly not limit God to that time of death.  

Use.  Use of Admonition to awaken yourselves at this truth, Think how nearly it concerns you, Dost thou live in such a way, as that thou art able to make this glorious profession? Is not God, is not his word, is not thy own conscience against thee? How speechless and confounded wilt thou be, when God shall bid thee give an account of all thy talents! Oh that men should not lay this later end no more to heart! that none saith, O my soul, now all is well, now thou takest thy mirth, but what a change will the hour of death make! With what comfort wilt thou look upon the devil's work, and sins work, which thou hast been doing all thy life time? especially take heed of unprofitableness and decay in the way of godliness; thou that hast looked towards heaven, but art turned out of the way, be sure thy end will be miserable, It had been better for thee, saith the Apostle, never to have known the way of righteousness. You may have desires, may have break of heart, and yet return to sin again; oh think with what a violent flood these thoughts will come upon thee! Oh me wretched and undone sinner, I have no refuge, no hope! many resolutions I had, but they vanished away, and now I must live no longer, my time is expired, my course is finished: Oh that God would add, as to Hezekiah, some years to my life! Oh that I could bid the Sun stand still, or time go no further, till I were at peace with God, but these are vain wishes: Let not then this truth go, before it hath left a sting in thy very heart; O Lord nothing troubleth me, but that I did not think or mind these things sooner: Meditate on these things your night is coming upon you; Will you always delay, or else be secure, and not matter these things; many have done foolishly and dropped in a moment into hell, do not thou be so overtaken. May we not conclude, that the auditor with whom this truth will not avail, may fear he is delivered up to an impenitent heart.   

SERMON XXI. Of God's being Glorified by Man's Salvation; That Christ's chief end in what he did for man, was the Glory of God, which bespeaks both our Imitation and unspeakable Consolation.  JOH. 17.4. I have glorified thee on earth. 
THe cirumstance of this holy profession which Christ made being considered, Let us proceed to the Profession itself, and that is, He had glorified God on earth.  
Christ in the state of humiliation was inferior to God, and so he did refer all things to his Father's glory, so that in this profession we may consider, 

1. What is the matter or object whereby God is glorified.  
2. The end or final cause that moved Christ therein.    
The matter is our salvation, and that redemption Christ purchased for us: The end which Christ looked at in all this was chiefly the glory of God: Indeed he looked also at his own glory and our glory, but the ultimate and chiefest of all was God's glory, So that from hence we may observe,  
That our redemption and salvation obtained by Christ is a glorifying of God, 
Doct. That our Redemption obtained by Christ is a glorifying of God· etc. Wherein God was glorified by Christ's Mediation for us.  and Christ did thereby chiefly aim at God's glory; We put both the matter of God's glory and Christ's end together; and certainly this Truth discovered will be like that sweet box of perfume which opened, caused such a fragrant smell.  
And 1. Let us see how or wherein God was thus glorified by Christ's Mediation for us: It being of infinite comfort to know this, for how many times are we apt to be cast down? What are we that God should regard our salvation? who are we that God should crown us with glory? God doth not need us, he is happy without us; Now this may exceedingly encourage, Though we be not worthy to be saved, God is worthy to be glorified; If there were nothing but our good and happiness involved in Christ's death, who would think it probable Christ should suffer merely and ultimately for us, but there is also the glory of God deeply concerned, which is more worth than all the world, yea, than all our souls, for though one soul be more worth than a world, yet God's glory is more worth than all our souls and their salvation; So that a Christian fixing his faith and meditation here may be in a transfiguration, and say, It is good to be here; God doth not lose by thy Salvation, If God's honour were to be impaired, if his truth broken, if his justice violated, then who dare open his mouth for salvation? but God is a gainer as well as thou art; It's no wrong or loss to God if he give pardon to thee, yea, thou art able to make it out of Scripture grounds, that God is more glorified hereby, and so when the salvation of our souls shall prove God's interest more than ours, this must needs greatly encourage.  
First therefore, The grace, mercy and goodness of God is by our redemption through Christ admirably exalted: Now God's goodness and his mercy is that which doth highly exalt him; When Moses desired to see the glory of God Exo. 34.6. then God made this Proclamation, that he was merciful, long-suffering, ready to forgive; Those attributes that declare his mercy, they make him glorious; Now there never was or can be such an Instance of God's grace, love, and goodness, as in our salvation by Christ; God never did any thing by which he can have such a Name for mercy as in this; The Church of God hath had many deliverances and great external favours, for which she hath been much in praising and glorifying of God, but God never exalted himself and made himself so glorious as by this; The Church was greatly affected, Psa. 136. with the goodness of God, when enumerating the several Instances of God's mercy, she addeth in every verse, For his mercy endureth for ever, For his mercy endureth for ever; Oh but how mayst thou go over all those things, Christ did for thee, adding, His mercy endureth for ever; He died and rose again for the remission of thy sins, for his mercy endureth for ever, he obtained the sanctification of thy nature, For his mercy endureth for ever, And in those temporal deliverances, though God's mercy as an attribure in him endured for ever, yet the effect of his mercy did not, for both these mercies, and they themselves perished, but here the effects of his mercy will endure for ever; So then seeing God doth all things for his glory and his name, insomuch that Joshua urged this as a great argument with God, Josh. 7.9. What wilt thou do unto thy great Name? It cannot be but that our redemption by Christ must needs be acceptable to him, because his Name is most exalted thereby, we may say God's thoughts, his heart and delight was more upon this then any thing else he ever did; These attributes of God, his goodness, his love, his long-suffering, his grace, Divines makes a distinction of them, but in our salvation through Christ, they were all conjoined; There they were all in their highest glory, God's love is that whereby he wils good to the creature, now in his creation or preservation he doth not will that good, which he doth in our redemption, God's goodness is that whereby though full in himself and sufficient, yet he would communicate unto the creature; Now in nothing did God ever communicate as in this; in other things, he giveth creatures, here he giveth himself: In other things he vouchsafeth fading, decaying comforts, here is eternal; In other things he giveth but drops and crumbs, here he giveth the ocean, he fills us up with happiness, that the soul saith it hath enough, especially Gods grace is seen in no thing but this, the Creation of the world, and bestowing other mercies, is never attributed to grace; this is peculiar for our salvation, Oh than what hope is here when we shall consider, there never was, there never can be any thing wherein God may be so glorified as in our salvation by Christ, urge this duty at the Throne of grace, O Lord, It is not my cause but thy cause; The devil opposeth not so much my salvation as thy glory thereby: As they said to David, Thou shalt not go with us, Thou art worth ten thousand of us; Do thou urge, Let not thy glory be in danger that is worth all our souls.  
2. The wisdom of God is greatly glorified by Christ's Mediation for us, 1 Cor. 1.24. We preach Christ the wisodom of God, why so? Because never was the wisdom so discovered as in finding out and procuring such a remedy for undone man as he hath through Christ, if you do regard by the remedy itself Christ God and man, the use of this remedy by faith only excluding all works, we may then cry out, Oh the unsearchable depths of the manifold wisdom of God; The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Even as in a curious work of Tapestry, there are several expressions of arts; David is affected with God's wisdom in making every part of him; Thou didst curiously work me in my Mother's womb, as so much choice Needlework, Psa. 139.15. but far more wisdom was seen in redeeming and saving, especially the wisdom of God was herein wonderful, that whereas upon man fallen his estate seemed desperate and incurable, on one side Mercy was willing to help and relieve, but on the other side Justice did interpose, and said it could not; Now the wisdom of God found out such an excellent temperament, that mercy might plentifully demonstrate itself, yet Justice be satisfied; so that in man's salvation there was a merciful justice, and a just mercy cooperant together, Solomon's wisdom was greatly admired for deciding that hard controversy about the living child, but here was a greater instance of wisdom to find, out a way for our salvation; We read of an excellent temperament found out by one Lawgiver, who having made a Law that every adulterer should have both his eyes boared out, it so happened that the Lawgivers own Son was taken in Adultery, Now mercy on one side moved the Father to spare him, yet Justice on the other side hindered; The Father therefore commanded one of his Sons eyes should be put out, and yielded that one of his eyes should be put out for the other eye of his Sons. Here the Law and Justice was satisfied, as also the mercy of the Father discovered; This is greatly applauded in histories, though hardly is the fact justifiable, but it is a mere shadow to this excellent temperament the wisdom of God found out, Oh that ever any soul under any perplexity whatsoever should be cast down or say, how can I be delivered in this? how shall this ever tend to my good? for what is it greater than to find out a way to save thee? yet God hath done that.  
3. The power of God is hereby glorified; We read of many instances wherein God hath revealed his power to the world, That all the world hath been forced to say, Great is the might and Majecty of God: Who is a God like the true God doing great and wonderful things? But this of our salvation by Christ transcends all, Therefore 1 Cor. 1.14. Christ is called the power of God, for by this means a greater power than any earthly power is subdued, even the principalities and powers of hell; Now saith Christ when he was to suffer, the Prince of this world is judged, Joh. 16.11. By the blowing of Rams horns the walls of Jericho fell down, but here by contemptible and weak things, the gates of hell fall to the ground; The devil that had power over men's hearts, and kept men captive in their lusts, is wholly conquered; Alas all the power done in temporal deliverances cannot be compared to this redemption; It's true, the eye of faith and not of the body must admire this.  
Lastly, God is glorified in his Justice, and that more than the heart of man can conceive, for although in respect of us there be nothing but grace, and all that we have and receive is mercy, yet in respect of Christ there was exact justice, God laid our sins upon him, he became a Surety in our stead, he undergoeth that wrath, that curse that did belong to us, God did not abate of any thing that Christ could suffer without sin, so that we have not the pardon of our sins upon any unjust and unlawful terms; The Law and Justice cannot complain: God's justice then against sin is abundantly seen in that, though Christ was the only beloved of the Father, yet he is not spared but must be made a curse, and endure the wrath due unto us, so that if a man would consider what arguments should keep him from sin, if he would be affected with God's wrath against it, let him look on Christ crucified, oh how can it be that sin should be so pleasing and delightful unto thee which was so bitter and full of wrath to Christ: Would not God spare his own Children, but his justice must be satisfied through Christ, then what may wicked men expect? Are they able to conflict with God's wrath? Can they satisfy his justice? This blood of Christ though it speak better things then that of Abel to the godly, yet it's more terrible than that to the wicked, for thereby it testifieth that God will have blood, he must have an atonement for sin, and that cannot be by thy sufferings though in hell: Therefore God's justice is more glorified by Christ then by the damned in hell, for there they are never able completely to satisfy, therefore they are kept in those chains to all Eternity: The debt is never paid, but Christ discharged all to the utmost, and therefore the grave could not contain him; Thus you see how in every respect God is glorified by our salvation through Christ; Though to us a Son be given, and to us a child was born, Isa. 9.6. (He was a Saviour and Mediator in respect of us not himself,) yet all this did at last refer to God's glory; That was the Ocean in which this stream did empty itself; Thus you have heard wherein God was glorified by Christ.  
In the next place consider the end that Christ did propound in all his doings and sufferings, I mean the ultimate and chief end not the proxime or immediate end, and that also was to glorify God, his chiefest end was not either to glorify himself or us, these were subordinate ends.  
1. Not himself, hence Joh. 8. I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me; It's true, he is said to have an eye to the end of his sufferings, Heb. 11. and the Scripture makes his exaltation a consequent of his humiliation, yet this was not chiefest in his thoughts: The name and glory God gave him exalting him above every great thing, was not principally regarded by him, but the glory of God: So that by this we see how precious the glory of God should be to us, how deer in our esteem; When we see Christ preferring it above his own glory; The aim that Christ had did arise from that love and zeal he had to God, for none can refer all things to God's glory who do not love him above all things, who do not give him the preeminency in every thing: One said, Fiat justitia & ruat mundus, Let the glory of God be exalted though the whole world be ruined thereby, as love to God, so purity of intentions, and an excellent rectitude of the heart is requisite, else self-love and self-respect will be more prevalent than God's glory.  
2. As Christ did not principally intend his own glory, so neither our happiness, but only as the means to glorify God; Because God's glory is so deeply interessed in our salvation, therefore did he procure it; He did not glorify God that we might be saved, but he saved us that thereby God might be glorified, yet this doth not at all derogate from the Love of Christ to us, neither doth it make us the less beholding to him though he would not have saved us, had it not been for God's glory; But hereby he demonstrated both his love to us, and God at the same time, he loved our souls and salvation, yet not above the glory of God, That would have been unlawful; Therefore at the same time he did demonstrate both his love to us and to God, and yet kept the due order that ought to be in his love first to God, and then next to us.  

Reasons.  Now the ground and reason why Christ did refer all his obedience both active and passive to God's glory, is,  
1. Because God himself makes all his own actions to the glory of his Name; The end of Creation, of Redemption, of Christ's coming into the world; All these were ordered by God for his own glory, so that as the work was imposed on Christ, which he was to aim at, was also required by God; Had it been possible (for we may suppose impossibilities for illustration sake) for Christ, to have procured our salvation for other ends then to glorify God, it had been sin in him, for if God be so jealous of his glory that he will not have it attributed to any other beside himself, how much would his jealousy have been provoked if this matter wherein his glory is most visible, should have been given to any other, God's glory than is the supreme and universal end to which all are to subordinate themselves.  
2. The glory of God is more noble and hath greater worth in it then any thing else; Therefore that which is most noble must be the end, as the less noble the means; Seeing then the glory of God is of infinite excellency, even like God himself, no wonder if Christ did refer our Salvation to that most high end, and by this we are to see that it's our duty to prise the glory of God above our salvation, for our salvation is but the good of a creature, but the glory of God is infinite even as God himself; We are to judge of and rejoice in the glory of God as more excellent than our own happiness, yet this is not so to be understood as if a man were to be willing to be damned that God might be honoured, For it's our duty to will our salvation, we are to seek for immortality and glory, and Rom. 2 It's not lawful to be willing absolutely, for Paul spoke conditionally, I could wish to be separated from the presence of God: If it be not lawfully to will our bodily death, much less our eternal damnation; Neither is it possible that thy salvation and God's glory should be divided, so that howsoever some Writers speak of such things, yet they command that to be done which is both unlawful and impossible, only this is certain the glory of God is a greater good than our own salvation, and as Christ so we are to desire our salvation, that thereby God may be glorified, and certainly if our Salvation itself be to be referred to God's glory, how much rather all the temporal mercies we have; We are not to desire health, strength, parts, any outward comforts, but thereby to glorify God: Certainly this glory of God is not apprehended by us so noble and excellent a thing as it ought to be? Oh how often do we desire these outward mercies for our own ease, our own benefit, and not thereby to glorify God; Shall Christ look beyond all these great acts he did to the glory of God? and shalt not thou look beyond thy health, wealth, and all outward greatness to the glory of God? Oh where will they appear that by all things they have dishonour and blaspheme God.  
But excellent Use may be made of this Doctrine; 
Use.  Is our redemption by Christ and Salvation in the nature of it a glorifying of God, then what excellent arguments and strong encouragements doth this put into the mouth of the godly; Who art thou that art full of doubts and dejections? Oh thou hast many arguments to think God will never justify or save such a one as thou art; Thou thinkest thy Objections are so great they never can be answered, but see if this doctrine will not remove all, for first, Thou mayst plead God will be glorified by thy pardon, by thy salvation, God will be no loser, here will be no wrong done to him, Mayst thou not use this divine Rhetoric? O Lord. did I beg my Salvation upon such terms as were not consistent with thy honour and glory? Were my Salvation and thy honour incompatible, than I might justly be accused, than my mouth might presently be stopped, but thou wilt be exalted by my happiness: Neither thy justice, or thy truth will be impaired; The devils cannot plead after this manner, Justice will presently put a bar against them; Seeing they have no Mediator God cannot be glorified in their Salvation, for though mercy might be exalted, yet how can justice be satisfied? Thus thou hast an unanswerable argument put into thy mouth. 2. The glory of God will be more magnified in thy justification then in thy condemnation; Thou mayst truly say, Lord, if thou cast me out of thy presence, If I be adjudged to eternal flames, thou wilt lose of thy glory and honour, Thy Name will not be so much exalted; and how prevailing must this be? Now God's glory must be less in thy condemnation then in thy salvation for a twofold respect, 1. As you heard, The attributes of God are not made so glorious in one as in the other; That the goodness, mercy, and grace of God is not so illustrious none can deny, and as for his justice and power which might claim the pre-eminence in man's condemnation, yet they are not so celebrated, for God's justice is but in fieri, It's not completed, They lie in the prison of hell but are never able to pay the debt; The penal sufferings of a creature cannot recompense that honour and glory to God, which the voluntary sufferings of him who was both God and man did, so that justice is far more conspicuous, and as for God's power that also is visibly more noble, for to be able to save one is more glorious then to damn many; It's harder to save then to condemn. 2. The glory of God is more magnified in our salvation, because those that are saved are affected with this infinite goodness of God; They speak of it, they aggravate it, as Hezekiah said, Isa. 38.19. Do the dead praise thee? The living, the living they will speak of thy goodness; Thus it is here; Do the damned in hell glorify God? Do they praise him? Do they sing out their Allelujahs? No, they rather rage and blaspheme God; Oh then how strong is this in thy prayer: O Lord if thou lay my sins upon me, if they press me into hell, shall I then love thee? Shall I then glorify thee? Do not the justified, the sanctified, the saved speak of thy praises all the day long. 3 In that God is thus glorified by thy salvation, thou mayst make it God's cause, his interest, O Lord, I have sins enough to damn me, I am worthy to be thrown into hell, but though I am unworthy to be saved, thou art worthy to be honoured; O Lord, because I have deserved hell, doth thy Name deserve to be dishonoured? Observe how the people of God in all their miseries still engaged Gods Name in their help, for his Names sake, as if they had said, O Lord, though we are unworthy to be delivered, yet thy Name is worthy to be honoured; It's no matter for us Lord, but what will become of thy great Name, O Lord the dishonour will redound more to thee then the loss to us; Oh this is strong and comfortable to consider, how God's glory is interested in thy happiness, so that its God's cause more than thine, yea, and why do the devils thus desire to draw thee into sin and hell? Is it not chiefly because of their enmity against God? It's not so much thy damnation as the dishonour to God they look at; Though they hate both, yet they hate God most, and thus thou hast unanswerable arguments in this particular. And if you say, 
Obj.  it being thus, Why are not all saved, would not God have the more glory? 
Answ.  I answer, God doth not need any glory from the creature, he needeth not the glory that Angels and Saints give him; If he therefore for just and wise grounds known to himself justifieth some and condemneth others, even in this he is to be acknowledged a glorious God needing no creature, so that though he may do as he please, yet we must urge the arguments he puts in our mouths.  
Use 2. Is God's glory and our Salvation thus linked together? Is he so good that he inseparably doth join these together? Then do thou likewise, join all thy profit, all thy comforts and his glory together; Say, oh it's not enough that I am eased or am advantaged, unless I see also God be glorified.   

SERMON XXII. Of Christ's finishing the work he undertook, with the End and Properties of it, and the great comfort of it to Believers.  JOH. 17.4. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. 
THE former part, which contained Christ's holy profession of the end he had in all that he did and suffered on earth, hath been dispatched. We now come to consider the Means wherein, or by which, and that in the later part. And herein consider the means or manner itself, expressed under this notion, Work. Christ came not into the world to have his ease and pleasure and outward glory, but to Work: This obedience of his it was both active and passive. 2. Here is the description of the nature or quality of this work, that which was given him by the Father to do, so that in all this there was a stipulation and an agreement with the Father. 3. There is his discharge of it, I have finished it: He did not leave it half done, there is nothing more can be required of Christ: This is a comfortable truth, for woe be to us, if Christ had not discharged all, if there had been any supply to be made by us.  
If you say, How could Christ say he had finished his work, 
Quest.  when yet the dregs of the cup were to be drunk up, the worst seemed to be behind, viz. all that agony and sorrow he was to suffer?  
First Austin answers it, by reading it in the future tense, I will finish thy work: 
Answ.  but that cannot be. The best answer is, that Christ thus speaks, because all was now at hand to be finished, he was in a prepared and ready disposition to consummate all, as we read he said a little before his death, It's finished, consummatum est. Now the Scripture accounts that as done, which is immediately to be done, and the man is ready to do it: Thus Abraham, Heb. 11. is said to offer up his son Isaac, and to receive him from the dead, when yet actually he did not offer him, but he was immediately fitted for it.  
Obs. Christ did fully and perfectly finish that work the Father gave him to do. 
Observe. That Christ did fully and perfectly finish that work the Father gave him to do.  John 4.34. see what a notable expression our Saviour useth to this purpose, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me; My meat, i. e. my joy, my refreshing; never any hungry man was more refreshed by food, than I am in doing my Father's will, and what was that will, to obtain pardon and salvation for a poor humbled sinner. Oh why should the godly soul be dejected with doubts, whether Christ will receive him or no, it's his meat to be communicating grace and mercy to thee; Thou canst not so much desire him as he doth thee: Again he adds, To do my Father's will and to finish his work; for if Christ had begun it and not completed it, we had been still in our sins, and without all hope; this is the fountain of all our hope and joy, Christ finished his work, he did not leave any thing for me to do. Indeed duties are required of us, but not as additaments or supplements to his mediation, but as qualifications fitting us to partake of the fruit of it. 
Observe these particulars. 1.  Let us dive into the Divinity of this Point; And  

1.  1. Consider, That Christ might have come into the world, as a glorious Lord and Lawgiver, only to rule and to give Laws, but coming into the world as a Mediator and a Surety, it behoved him to be under a Law, and to discharge that work he undertook. That Christ might have been in the world not subject to the Law, or obliged to do any thing for our good is plain, because his Incarnation was not necessary, he was not compelled to it, he might have chosen whether he would thus undertake for man or no; therefore the Scripture saith, Phil. 2. He made himself of no reputation, and He became obedient to the death of the cross. It was wholly at his own good pleasure; but suppose this will and purpose of his, than there was a duty and charge laid upon him to perform all he was betrusted with, he would have been found unfaithful, had he not done every thing to the uttermost.  

2. A Covenant between God the Father and the Son.  2. There was a holy and admirable agreement between God the Father and the Son, to be a Mediator for those his Father had given him. Hence it is that he saith so often his Father had sent him, and I came to do the will of him that sent me. Although the Covenant of grace be made with believers, yet there was a previous and antecedent Covenant or agreement between the Father and the Son to be a Mediator, and the agreement was, that if Christ would lay down his life for such, than the Father would give them to him as his seed and glorify them, as also reward him with all honour and glory. That Christ was rewarded with all honour, appeareth, Phil. 2. and in other places, and that because of his work done as a Mediator; and that he had a seed given him, appear, in that it's said, he should see of his seed and be satisfied, Isa. 53.11. The Arminian doctrine therefore that holds an Universal Redemption in imputation only, and not application, maketh it possible that his soul might be in all that travel, and yet he not be satisfied, for not one might be saved. There was then this admirable agreement between the Father and the Son transacted in heaven, they were purposing good to believers, even before they had a being, or could have any desires for their own good.  

3. Christ's work truly and properly obedience.  3. From this Covenant and agreement it is that Christ's work is truly and properly obedience: for it may be asked, How could Christ be said to obey, seeing he could not but do Gods will? there was an inward necessity from the Hypostatical union, and as we do not say, the service that Angels and Saints do in heaven is properly obedience, for than that should be rewarded with a new heaven, 
Quest.  and so in infinitum, Why then can it be said, that Christ's doing and suffering is obedience? 
Answ.  To this we Answer, The Scripture doth expressly call it obedience, and such an obedience as hath a reward annexed to it: Hence John 10.8. Christ calls it the Commandment which he had received from his Father. And whereas it's said, Christ necessarily obeyed, and so it could not be otherwise, it's true, supposing his will to be a Mediator, than such was his holiness, that he could not but be faithful, yet this was not a natural necessity, as the fire burneth, but a necessity of immutability, arising from the perfection of his nature, neither is to sin, of the essence of liberty, but it's a defect, and doth accompany only a mutable liberty in what is good. Let it therefore be firmly believed, that all which Christ did, 
4. Christ's obedience was meriting obedience.  it was truly and properly obedience to the Law of God, Rom. 5.19. By the obedience of one, etc.  
4. This was not merely obedience, but a meriting obedience; so that our salvation and his glory was not due to him merely as such, by virtue of a promise, or by congruity, but from condignity; although concerning the later, viz. meriting his own glory, many sound Divines think otherwise. There was an intrinsical worth and excellency in Christ's obedience answering to our salvation. Hence though we have our Justification and Salvation of grace and mere grace, yet in respect of Christ it was of justice and debt, so that in Christ the Covenant of works was fulfilled, though in us the Covenant of grace; and this consideration layeth a firm and sure foundation for our peace and comfort. For our salvation is not grounded upon our works, but Christ's works; it's not upon any perfection or fullness in us, but on Christ: Though therefore our sins and frailties may humble us, yet they may not drive us from our anchor of hope in Christ.  
5. This work Christ was to do, it was in itself very heavy and grievous, 
5. Christ's work heavy and grievous.  though his readiness made it easy. If we consider the particulars of his work, viz. to obey the Law of God, and to suffer all the wrath that was due for our sins, we may easily then conclude, that Christ had a bitter cup to drink off: And those prayers and agonies which he poured out, saying, If it be possible let this cup pass away, Matth. 26.39. abundantly show that to the humane nature it was a very hard and difficult task, yet for all this his love and desire of our salvation was so great, that at another time he saith, I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straightened till I come? and when Peter advised him to save himself, with what indignation doth he refuse it, Matth. 16.23. so that we should with serious and affectionate hearts hear of this work of Christ, oh how full of agonies and conflicts was he, insomuch that an Angel from heaven came to comfort him, yet all this was his meat, his refreshment in respect of our good. Do not thou then say of any duty he commands, if it be to pull out thy right eye, to cut off thy right hand, to part with thy dearest lusts and comforts for his sake: This is hard work, who can do it? for did not Christ willingly and joyfully do harder for thee.  
6. This work he finished and completed, as you hear in the text; 
6. He finished his work.  it's the end that Crowned this great work; Now his finishing of this work was in these particulars:  
1. He did it wholly and universally, there was not one jota or tittle of the Law, which he did not accomplish, though all our obedience be imperfect, and we fail in many things, this we omit, and that we omit, yet Christ left nothing undone: Oh what blessed and comfortable doctrine is this to the loaded and burdened soul, that sits mourning like deflowered Tamar, and I whither shall I go? if the Lord inquire about this duty, and about that command, thou canst not answer, thy omissions are too palpable, thou canst not hide them from thy own eyes, yet remember Christ failed in nothing: Cursed is he that abideth not in all things, so the Law runneth; if thou wert able to do all the Law requireth, and yet fail but in one word, in one thought, that matters not all thy other duties, for this one thing it will condemn thee, and therefore the Law brings every man under condemnation, it makes the most holy of men see their damnable condition, but Christ answereth the Law to the utmost: As Christ said to his enemies, Which of you can charge me with sin? so he may say to greater than they, even to the Law, even to the justice of God, wherein can you find any spot in me, demand to the utmost farthing, abate nothing, I am ready to discharge all.  
2. He finished it universally for parts, and not only so, but fully for degrees: He did not only do every duty the Law required, but every duty in every degrees: he did not only love God, but he loved him as much as the Law required. The Law was possible to him, though to us it be impossible; all that he did was so fully done, that there wanted not the least degree of grace in any duty. As he had not the Spirit in measure, so neither was his obedience in measure, thus far as is with us, to whom God giveth not such a measure of grace, as to be able perfectly to conform to the Law in this life; and here again the godly heart may lift up itself and be comforted, for what though thou come short many degrees of what the Law requireth, yet Christ did not: What though all thou dost may be better, yet Christ did all things so, that they could not be better, Perfectum est cui nihil deest: Now nothing was wanting to Christ's obedience, otherwise Christ himself would have needed a Mediator as well as we; if he had failed in his trust he had been guilty of sin, and so needing of pardon; now it were blasphemy to say so of Christ, for the Apostle, Heb. 7.27. aggravateth and preferreth Christ our Highpriest above the legal Highpriest in this, because such an one was to offer for his own sins, as well as the sins of the people. Oh then it's no wonder if Paul be thus affected with Christ, and his righteousness, seeing all fullness and perfection is in it.  
3. Christ finished his work, because he had not only an objective perfection in parts and degrees, but also a subjective perfection, all within him was throughly and perfectly holy; so that whereas we are both originally and actually polluted, he was originally and actually holy, so that the Law had no fault to find with him; for his original and native holiness, it's plain, because he was not born of man in an ordinary way, but the holy Ghost overshadowed the Virgin Mary, and therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that holy thing which was to be born of her, Luke 1.35. and thus the Apostle, It behoved us to have an Highpriest, holy and separated from sinners, Heb. 7.26. and indeed this is the foundation and root of all, for the tree must be good, before the fruit can; the fountain must be clean, ere the streams, and so the nature must be holy ere the actions are. Christ then had an holy and pure nature, wherein was not the least spot or wrinkle of sin, and then his actual holiness did fill up the faculties of his soul, as he had a soul and the natural properties thereof, an understanding and a will, so these were sanctified to the highest; we speak not of the holiness of his Divine nature, as he was God, for so it was infinite, even as God himself, but of his humane nature, habitually and actually. Hence the Apostle, He knew no sin, 1 Cor. 5. and he was made like unto us, sin only excepted, Heb. 4.15. Now here also the godly may rejoice, for those relics and remainders of sin are such as prove thorns in the side of the godly: The experimental sense of this made Paul cry out, Oh miserable man that I am! Well though in thee there be the stubs of sin, yet in Christ there are none, and now God dealeth not with us in our persons, but as in Christ, being found in him, saith the Apostle, as the malefactor was in the City of refuge, Phil. 3.  
4. Christ finished his work in respect of duration, for even the Law required continuance, though there were perfection of parts and degrees, and subjective perfection also, yet Cursed is he that doth not continue therein, Gal. 3.10. as you see Adam did not, but Christ from the beginning to the end of his days held it out, yea his love did most appear at the later end, for than was the greatest and hardest parts of his work to undergo, but though in all that reproach, contempt and scorn, yet he was not weary, he did not give over his work, he did not fail or faint in the later end: Thus Christ was our David fight against Goliath, and in his conquest we did overcome.  
Lastly, He so finished it, that he hath left nothing to be done either by Angels or men, in that way and kind as he did. Therefore all these doctrines that maintain freewill, that hold the mediation and intercession of Saints in heaven, that maintain merits and satisfactions, all these blaspheam the sufficiency of Christ, and say, Christ hath not finished his work, for either Christ was a total and perfect Mediator, or else a partial; if a total and perfect, then there needeth no more, one Sun is sufficient, all things added are superfluous, if a partial Mediator, than he did not finish his work, than he did it by halves, and so Angels and Men are to share with him in his glory; It's true they have many distinctions to mince the matter, but these fig-leaves cannot cover Adam's nakedness, and it's made the sinful property of man fallen, to seek out many inventions; God made man upright, but they have sought ●ut many inventions, Eccl. 7.29. They have many colours and pretences, many distinctions and excuses to cover their sins with; But you will say, If Christ hath done all, 
Obj.  and we are to do nothing, then what need we be diligent and zealous in the ways of godliness? Sin or not sin, it will be all one; Christ hath done all, therefore we may eat and drink, and rise up to all excess of riot; No, that is a Non sequitur? 
Answ.  For our duties are not required to that end which Christ's was, but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends; Though Christ did work and finish his work, yet thou must work and endeavour to finish thy work too; But how? It's good to understand this, for here Popery and the true Religion part, here they oppose one another: We plead the necessity, the presence, the command of good and holy works as well as they, only we differ in the end; They press them for such an end as Christ did his work for us, for merit, for justification, for our salvation; This we say is to derogate from Christ; This is to make Christ of no effect, whosoever reputes, believeth, doth any holy duty for this end, is guilty of spiritual Idolatry, he maketh another Christ to himself, besides the true Christ, but then there are other ends for which we do these duties, partly because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in, if ever we will be saved, so that though our holy life deserve not heaven, yet our wicked and ungodly life deserveth hell, and then partly to glorify God, and to testify our thankfulness and love to him, yea, there is an inseparable connexion between a man interested in Christ and a holy life, as there is in the fire with heat and light.  
In the next place Consider the properties of this work Christ ●●●nished. 
The properties of the work which Christ finished.   
And 1. It was a work of infinite value and worth; whatsoever Christ did it had a transcendent excellency because he was God as well as man, so that we are not to consider those works he did as of a mere man, 
1. Of infinite value.  though never so holy but as one of a divine nature.  
2. They were Mediatory works, all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God, 
2. Mediatory.  so that as the nature of them was infinite, so the end of them was precious and admirable, what should man have done if Christ had not done thus.  
3. It was not only his work but our work, 
3. His works are our works.  Alas Christ was not obliged to these duties for his own sake, but it was for our sake, so that the godly with great affection may consider of these works of Christ, for they concern thee; They are our works both impetratiuè they merit for us, they procure good for us, and imputatiuè we are made the righteousness of God, as our sins were accounted his.  
4. The necessity of this working, and working so perfectly, and that doth appear from the justice of God and purity of the Law, and partly from our impotency, 
4. Consider the necessity of his work.  from the justice of God, for that being infinite nothing could satisfy him but what was of infinite worth; It would have been injustice in God to have given us heaven otherwise, and then partly from the holiness of the Law, that admits of no works but perfect, pure, and holy; Therefore to say God accepts of imperfect holiness, and accounts that as complete which is not so, is to attribute false judgement unto God, and lastly our own impotency proclaimeth the necessity of Christ's perfection, for take us as we are in ourselves, so we are nothing but sin and a curse; In stead of working Gods work we do the devils, and take us as regenerated then though we be partakers of God's grace, yet the remnant of corruption within us doth stain and infect all that we do.  

5. The visibility of it.  Lastly, Here is the glorious visibility of Christ's perfect working in his resurrection, ascension, and now sitting at the right hand of God in glory, which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work, for what is the reason the devils and damned in hell are detained to Eternity in those prisons of darkness; Is it not because of their insufficiency to perfect their sufferings, to make them adequate to God's justice, to bring as great glory to God as ever sin did evil or dishonour; In that therefore Christ hath overcome the grave and the bonds of death, we have an infallible evidence of his perfect working.  

Use.  Use of Instruction, how dangerous all those doctrines are which proclaim freewill, merit, under any notion whatsoever; As they give that to man which belongs not to him, so they take that from Christ which is due, yet this is a most natural sin in all, either in whole or in part to take off from Christ, not to be beholding to him only, God hath commanded us to come out of our sins by repentance, and our own works by faith, and the Apostle doth not only exclude sins, but even working also from Abraham's Justification, Rom. 4. There is a danger of being a Pharisee when thou ceasest being a Publican.  
Use 2. of great Consolation to the brokenhearted sinner; This is the glad tidings of the Gospel to those who sit under the sentence of eternal death; Christ's works will abundantly answer all the temptations about thy own works; Two things lie like two Mountains upon the godly, The weakness of their graces, and the strength of their corruptions: If neither of these were to bow their souls down, with what joy and gladness could they live and die: Now Christ's works have a two fold remedy to this twofold grievance; His works have a satisfaction in them, and therefore whatsoever failings and corruptions there are if humbled for and endeavouring to be reform, they are sufficiently conquered, and his works have a meriting nature in them, and therefore though thy work be weak his work was perfect and complete, say not then who shall go up to heaven? this is to bring Christ back; It is an excellent place, Rom. 10.7. where the believer is forbid to doubt or say in his heart, Is Christ ascended? or was he made a curse for us? or how shall we be able to ascend to heaven, or to be delivered from hell.  
Use 3. Did Christ perfect and finish his work? Do thou imitate and follow him, Christ's working excludes ours for justification, but not for a duty and way to heaven; None but doers and workers shall have heaven, though not for their works: Now thy work is first as a Christian, so the Law of God in the purity and exactness of it is a rule of all thy works, What the Law bids thee do, do, though not to have life by it, 2. The work of thy relation as a Magistrate, Minister, Husband or Wife, finish this work; It's not enough to be good in the general, unless good in relation. 3. The work of thy condition as a rich man, as a poor man, when the Master gave talents to all, this was his command, Work ye, trade ye, be in constant improvement.   

SERMON XXIII. Of a Holy Working Life, the Excellency, Equity, and Necessity thereof in order to Glory.  JOH. 17.5. And now O Father glorify me with thy own self, etc. 
THis fifth Verse containeth a repetition of the matter prayed for, v. 1. and enforced by divers arguments in the former Verses, wherein observe,  
1. The object matter of Christ's Petition, Glorify thou me, I shall not consider that because spoken to before; Only in that we see our Saviour twice within so little a space praying for this glory, though appointed and promised to him.  
We may observe two particulars.  
1. That all repetition and ingemination of the same matter in prayer is not unlawful, but sometimes is useful and necessary.  
2. That even those things that God hath appointed and promised to his people, must yet be obtained by prayer.  
In the next place we have the description of this glory.  
1. It must be an heavenly glory, such as God approveth of, Glorify thou me with thy own self; This may be spoken exclusively to all humane glory which he regarded not, or else in opposition to his work, he had done, I have finished thy work on earth, and now let me have my reward in heaven: 3. From an external adjunct, It's the glory which he had before the world was; That admits of some difficulty to be dispatched in its proper place. Lastly, There is the causal inference from what was said before, and now Father glorify me; this is a causal conclusion from the work finished by Christ, and of this because first in order at this time; And now glorify me, as if he had said, Hitherto I have been finishing my work, all the while I was doing that I looked for no reward, I expected no glory, but now all is completed, I pray for and expect the glory due unto me, From whence observe,  
That as Christ, so all the people of God when they have finished their work, 

Observe. None may look for glory until they have finished their work.  
Consider the Point in reference   and not till then, may look for and desire the glory prepared for them, 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory; Henceforth he expects, now his fight is over but not before.  
Let us consider this briefly in Christ and then in ourselves.  
First, Concerning Christ, God had so ordained and appointed, That he should first be eminent in doing and suffering, and then should have a reward; It behoved him first to suffer and so to enter into glory, Luk. 24.26. 
I. To Christ.  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things? There was a debt and duty upon Christ to wear the Crown of thorns before he put on the Crown of glory; To be debased more than all before he was exalted above all, so that the stipulation and agreement which the Father made with the Son, contained in it both duty to be done by Christ, and a reward to be vouchsafed to him; He was to drink of the brook, and so to lift up his head, Psa. 110.7. This was the order that God had indispensably commanded, and nothing could hinder it, though all this was supposing Christ's willingness to undergo the office of a Mediator; for otherwise though he had become man, yet he might always have kept up the manifestation of his divine glory, and hence it is that the Scripture saith, he ought to have suffered; There was a necessity from the justice of God which will punish sin in the offender or in the Surety, and he ought to do it, because of his own faithfulness and trust, he should not discharge that which had undertaken unless he became thus obedient.  
2. The order that is between Christ's work and reward is far different from ours, and of another nature, for that is an order of merit and causality, but ours only of antecedency, 
Glory the reward of Christ's merit.  and by a promise: Therefore when Christ looks for his glory it's upon far other grounds then when Paul expects his Crown of glory; for Christ looks for his glory upon his work, as a cause and a merit, it being fully perfect, and more than he was bound unto, if absolutely considered, though when once he became our Surety it behoved him to perform all, so that Christ had his glory by the Title of justice and desert, though in respect of the personal Union he had always a right to all glory; But Paul and all the godly have it by mere grace and favour, for when the Children of God have done all they can, yet such is their imperfection that they need a pardon, and so their salvation and glory is of mere grace; Therefore though there be a similitude between Christ's work and his glory, and ours, yet there is not an equality, The one is of justice and merit, the other of grace and favour; The more inexcusable than are all these Popish doctrines that would puff up a man to such a conceit of himself and Christ together, of his freewill and grace together▪ not Christ and grace alone, that hence they will plead their Title to heaven, Christ's merits and their own.  

II. Consider the doctrine as true in ourselves.  In the next place let us consider this doctrine as true in ourselves, for hereby our security and carelessness, especially our profaneness, shall be greatly confounded, when we shall know that without our working there cannot be glory, we must look to labour in the Vineyard before we come to have our wages.  

1. God hath appointed this order.  And 1. God the Father who appointed such an order for Christ hath also decreed the like for us; Heaven and eternal glory cannot be had without much working and suffering, Rom. 8.17. If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him. Hence are those commands and expressions, Strive to enter in at the straight gate, Mat. 7. Be in an agony: The violent take the Kingdom of heaven, That the righteous is scarcely saved, Be not weary in well-doing, because we shall have a recompense, if we faint not, Gal. 6.9, That implieth such labour and discouragements in the way to heaven, that it is very hard not to faint, not to be weary, to give over all; As the people of Israel in the wilderness murmured and wished themselves in Egypt again, because they found it so difficult to get into Canaan; Hence Heaven is called a rest, Heb. 4.9. There remains a rest, What doth that imply but here in this world we are toiling and troubled and never have any rest, but in heaven there is rest, that also denoteth how sweet and excellent a place heaven is, and how much we while in this world should desire it and pray for it: Whereas our desire to be in this world is as if a man should be willing to lie in a bed full of thorns pricking and ga●ling of him; Thus hath God appointed a Fight before the Crown, labour before our wages, tempests and storms before the haven, wearisomeness before a rest.  
Therefore in the 2d place Every Christian must up and be doing, that doth expect Salvation; Sluggishness and laziness will deprive of this glory; Oh when such shall see themselves shut out of all happiness and tormented for ever in those eternal flames, then how will they cry out of their lukewarmness and unprofitableness? what a terrible sentence is pronounced upon the unprofitable Servant? Mat. 25.30. He is to be cast into utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth; If Christ himself must first work and then look for a reward, let not the Servant think to be above his Master, We must not think to have heavenly glory, as our Saviour saith, Mat. 5. The Lilies of the Field have a greater glory than of solomon's, yet they spin not, they labour not; No, but the Scripture crieth out aloud to every one, To work out his Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. Oh than that the consideration that Christianity is a work, No work no glory, would make us shake off slothfulness and negligence; Do not think God will provide heaven for thee as he did a Wife for Adam, in a deep sleep, he thought of nothing, he took no care about any such thing: They that say, Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die, little think of the way and the work God requireth before happiness: Those that like Dives fare deliciously every day, that live in ease and security, let them think this Calm will breed a great Storm, as they say, before Earthquakes, there is a wonderful stillness and calmness, So all their pleasure, ease, and delight is but the forerunner of unspeakable torments and misery.  
3. Hence we see, That good works and an holy active life is not forbidden but commanded by the Scripture; To preach Christ, or faith, or grace, or the benefit of the Sacraments so, as that a godly, exact, and diligent walking and working is excluded, is to preach another Christ, another Gospel than we have received; Our Saviour by those Parables of divers talents, as also of the foolish Virgins, and of the unjust steward, Mat. 25. of hiring Labourers into the Vineyard, did hereby commend the necessity of working, Paul fought a good fight, and all the godly Worthies commended by him, Heb. 11. had an active laborious faith, and they are accounted blessed that die in the Lord: Why? because their works follow them, Rev. 14.13. yea, at the day of judgement that judicial process will be according to the works we have done, or we have not done, for omission of duties, though there be no commission of sin, the sentence of condemnation will be pronounced; so that concerning this duty of working there have been errors on both sides, sometimes Satan hath so prevailed as to persuade men against working, to fancy a kind of notional faith that will not purify or cleanse the heart, a painted fire that will not burn: Sometimes again when he could not prevail that ways, than he hath set up working to overthrow believing to make Christ and his grace ineffectual, Take we heed then that we split not ourselves at either of these rocks, but conform ourselves to Christ, who was never idle, but like a careful Shepherd went up and down seeking the lost Sheep; This is the devils great temptation, to tempt thee not to work, or if thou workest to puff thee up with confidence about it, and so to make thee ●un in vain: The Popish Doctrines they have so infected men about works, teaching them to put confidence therein, that it was an infinite mercy to the Church when the true doctrine about Christ and the grace of the Gospel be●a●e to be published, and by reason of some expressions there arose up the Antinomians and others, who cried down working as if that were to bring the Law in again for justification, but both these miss the mark, both the Pharisee with confidence in his works, and the Publican without his works, are excluded this place of glory.  
4. There is therefore a necessity for many considerations, 
The necessity of continual working·  while we are in our journey to heaven, that we should be working, all which are good to be laid to heart, that so we may avoid all unprofitableness, and at last to be able to say, and now my work is done, O Father, glorify me.  

I. From God's command.  The first is from the command and will of God, Every Page in the Bible presseth doing Gods will, yea, we are to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. So that if there were no other motive to excite us, the command of God might be greatly provoking; He who hath a command and a Sovereignty over all; That commands the very inanimate creatures, and they obey, how much rather should we yield obedience to his will, and the rather because whatsoever work he commands as it is good in itself, so it's good to us; It's good in itself, When the devil and sin tempt to that which is evil, thou presently givest up thyself, and shall God require that which is good, and thou refusest it? Besides, It's good for thee as well as good in itself; It's a work thou wilt never repent of, it will never be matter of grief to thee, Whereas for all other works of the flesh and the devil, they will prove thorns in thy side, There will be a horror upon thy Spirit for them, making thee to cry out, Oh that I had never done this or that; sin is called dead works, Heb. 6.1. because they argue a man dead, and devoid of spiritual life, and so they also carry to eternal death, but these works of God they are living works, partly because they proceed from a life of grace, and partly because they will live for ever, they will go to the grave with thee, to heaven with thee, they will never forsake thee.  

II. God hath made them the necessary way to walk in if we will be saved.  2. It's our duty to work because God hath made them the necessary way to walk in, if we will be saved; Without holiness no man shall see God; Labour for the meat that perisheth not: Hence if we consider every gracious work of patience, love, meekness, we shall see blessedness is promised to them, Not that these justify, only the person justified cannot be without them; They are the media ordinata, ordained mean, in the use whereof we are to arrive at eternal happiness; It's faith only that receiveth Christ and his righteousness, yet this faith cannot be separated from an holy walking: It's the eye only that seeth, yet the eye cannot be separated from the other parts of the body, and thus the Apostle doth immediately oppose Rom. 4. believing, working grace, and works in respect of Justification, yet he doth at the same time press the Children of God to all holiness and the fruits of righteousness.  

III. Necessary by way of gratitude.  3. Working is necessary by way of gratitude and thankfulness to God and Christ, If there were nothing else but this, this might pour coals of fire upon thee, for how many works of God's grace hast thou been partaker of? If God's grace did not work all the day long for thee, thou couldst not be a moment preserved out of hell, and as for Christ's working, read the History of his Life, he was always finishing the work of thy Redemption and Salvation, he had nothing to do for himself, all was in reference to thee; Oh then how unworthy wilt thou show thyself of all that love and kindness which God and Christ have done for thee; If thou like the Sluggard let the Field of thy Soul grow full of briers and thorns; Oh how can thy heart be so cold and slothful, When thou considerest grace is working for thee all the day long, if Christ had no more zealously and earnestly wrought my peace for me than I do perform his duties, my soul had perished irrecoverably.  

IV. Because we have so long time spent ourselves in the way of Satan.  Lastly, Therefore it's necessary we should work God's work, because we have for a long time spent ourselves in the Service of Satan, and doing the works of the devil: Oh this should be a perpetual goad in thy side, this should be fire in thy bosom to consider that there was no hour, no day, no season, but thou didst take the opportunity to satisfy thy lusts; Thou never couldst have enough of sin; No thirsty man did more greedily swallow down water then thou didst sin, yea, how active to draw on others, to infect others with the same plague thou hadst, I tell you this will lie heavy upon the godly soul, If I were to live Methusalems' age it would not be time enough to do God service for the dishonour I have put upon him, Thy time is short, and thou hast much to do because thou hast undone so much.  
In the next place Consider, 
It's lawful for the people of God in all they do for God, to encourage themselves that eternal glory is laid up for them.  That it's lawful for the people of God in all the work they do for God, to encourage themselves with this, that there is an everlasting glory laid up for them: Even as Christ had an eye to this glory, so it's lawful for us; Thus Moses had an eye to the recompense of the reward, Heb. 11. The godly Rom. 2. are said to be such as seek for immortality and glory, Rom. 5.2. They rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and Paul accounted all these sufferings but light in respect of that eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Indeed God's glory is to be sought in the first place, and then our glory; so that it's a shame, if in all our doings and sufferings for God we are not full of joy, because of that unspeakable glory apprehended by faith, Faith makes it present as if we already were partakers of it; So that whatsoever temptations and discouragements are in the work of the Lord, this glory will abundantly make amends for it; Are there reproaches and disgrace in the world? All the while thou didst sin and the devil's work, thou hadst the love and goodwill of the world, but since thou hast betaken thyself to the service of God, thou art the scoff and reproach of all; O think of the glory God will crown thee with before all the world; Again, are all the works of God painful, difficult, and contrary to flesh and blood thou must strive and wrestle much in prayer, be always in a combat and conflict, Remember this everlasting glory, yea, God therefore doth many times put his Children upon all exercises and sad temptations, which make them ache at the very heart, and all is to increase their glory the more; Thus Job, thus Paul, they had extraordinary trials that they might have extraordinary glory: Furthermore is there self-denial required in God's work? Must thou part with thy pleasures, with thy profit, thy delights? still remember, this glory will make thee no loser, for alas what proportion is there between these petty things thou leavest, and those everlasting treasures God hath provided for thee.  
In the sixth place, That the glory of God's people may be full, he giveth them time and large opportunities of working for him, and keeps thee in this world, not for any earthly and outward advancement of thyself, but to serve him in thy generation, as it's said, David served God in his generation, Act. 13.36. and God calleth Moses his servant; Whatsoever thy relation, thy place, thy office be, God hath appointed thee to work, and therefore he prolongs thy life till thy work be done; This is a comfortable consideration which all the godly may take, that death shall not seize on them while they have work to do for God, and when that is finished then this summons to everlasting glory. As for Infants this Truth reacheth not to them, and if any like the Thief on the Cross are called at the last hour, and so are not able to work in the Vineyard, yet even such have an habitual prepared heart for it, if they had the opportunity; But for others whose days are prolonged they are thus to think with themselves, I have this day, this week, longer to add to my work God hath for me to do; Take heed of misspent time, take heed of losing days and weeks, The night is coming when none can work.  
Use 1. How much comfort and joy the godly may take at the hour of death; Their work is done, now they have nothing but the Robes of glory to put on, That fullness of glory they are immediately to possess should swallow up the fears of death, and the love of the world; With what joy should they cry out, Farewell Friends, Wife and Children, welcome God, welcome eternal glory: Alas, thou hast no glory here, Thy body is a vile body, thy soul a sinful soul, the world is the valley of death, an Hospital of diseased men, and therefore thou art to rejoice at this approaching glory; Hence it is that the righteous is said to have hope in his death, to be blessed in his death, for all his old things pass away, a new place, new company, new happiness, new joy, but yet here are cautions to the godly dying man that hath done his work.  
1. Not to put confidence in his works; Sibi isti fidere, non est fidei, sed perfidia, said Bernard; Oh Lord, All that I have done is an effect and testimony of thy grace, not a merit of eternal glory; Thou crownest thy gifts not my merits, if I have been able to work, it was of thy grace, so the more I have done the more I am obliged to thee, and the reason why there cannot be any hope or confidence put in the works we do, is from the imperfection and insufficiency of them; Enter not into judgement with thy Servant, saith David, Psa. 143.2. I would be found not having mine own righteousness, but that by faith in Christ, saith Paul, Phil. 3.  
2. Therefore after all his works though it were Martyrdom itself, he is to look for glory by virtue of God's promise as a mere gift; Upon this tenure thou art to plead for it, The gift of God is eternal life, for though we had done all, yet God might deny us eternal life, Though we had perfectly done all our duty, yet God might annihilate us and there be at an end; Therefore it's wholly of his grace to make a promise of eternal life, for by this means though he be not a debtor to us, yet he is to himself, he is faithful and cannot deny his own words, and for this reason as it's called a gift, so sometimes a reward, not as if there were any proportion between our work and this glory, but because God hath appointed this as a sure consequent upon doing what is well; Therefore Ambrose distinguished well of a reward, there is merces liberalitatis, as if an whole Kingdom should be given a man for lifting up a straw, and there it merces debiti, of debt and strict justice, but that cannot be between the creature and the Creator, much less the creature fallen and corrupted.  
Use 2. Of terror and woe to wicked men, who having done the devil's work have nothing to do but to take the reward of devils; The same hell, the same torments, that are prepared for the devil and his Angels are for thee; Oh that the name of death, the thoughts of death should not fill thee with all fear and amazement, oh that this should not be like a sword at thy heart, whose work am I doing? whom have I served? and now I am a dying man, whose wages am I to receive? Oh that thou shouldst not mourn and pray, and get all others to mourn and pray for thee, if God will deliver thee out of this gall and wormwood, Blessed are they that die in the Lord, their works follow them; Cursed are they that die in their sins, for their works shall follow them, though your bodies are put in the grave, yet your sins cannot be buried there.   

SERMON XXIV. Of vain Tautology in Prayer; And what Repetitions in Prayer are such, and what not; Showing also what things are absolutely necessary to a good Prayer.  JOH. 17.5. And now O Father glorify thou me with thy own self, with the glory I had before the world began. 
IN these words have been considered the matter of the Petition, described by the nature and external adjunct thereof, as also the causal inference.  
In the matter of the Petition we shall not take notice of the matter itself because handled before.  
But 1. Whereas our Saviour within so little a space, doth repeat the same Petition twice, We observe,  
That Repetition of the same matter in a Prayer is not always a sinful Tautology, 
Doct. That Repetition of the same matter in prayer is not always sinful Tautology but very necessary. To open the Point consider these things.  but is sometimes lawful, yea, useful and necessary: None can think that our Saviour in whom is the Treasure of Wisdom, and who is the essential Word of God, who also giveth the gifts of prayer to the Church, that he himself should be straitened either for matter or words, but this ingemination proceeds from some other excellent ground.  
To open this Point Consider,  
1. That the same matter may be repeated either incense only but in different words, or else in the very same sense and words; When it's done the former way, we say a man doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the latter way, unless there be some grave and serious cause, it's a vain Tautology, for the former kind of repetition, the Psalms which are accounted like the Stars in the Scripture Firmament, are very frequent in it; Many verses being the ingemination of the same sense, only in some different words, and this we do not so commonly call a repetition of the same thing, because every new word the holy Ghost hath doth represent some new notion to the understanding, so that it's like the same meat under several dishing, that affords a peculiar taste, or like the Philasophers' matter, which they say is always the same, though under divers forms; Now our Saviour in this prayer doth not only use the same matter but the same words, Father glorify thou me.  
2. That in our prayers which are a communion with the great God, woe ought to have a diligent attention to several things s Prayer is not slightly, formally, and customarily to be hasted over, but being a divine worship of God, If ever a man would be in an heavenly, holy, fervent and indistracted disposition, it ought to be when he sets himself to this duty, Prayer is like that curious ointment to be made by the Highpriest, which consisted of many choice ingredients, You may call most men's prayers no more prayers than an Ape a man, or a picture the person it represents.  

In prayer we must diligently attend to these things.  For 1. We must have a diligent attention to the matter that we pray for, That it be lawful, good, and agreeable to God's will; To ask of God any thing that is unlawful and sinful would be to make God a Patron of sins as he in the Poet, Da mihi fallere, da justum sanctumque videri Jupiter; So that this made Aquinas say, It was hard to know what we are to pray for, because it's hard to know what to desire; Hence Rom. 8. we need the Spirit of God to enable us to know what we pray for, Some Heathens have been admired for such a prayer as this, that they entreated the gods to give them, not what they would have, but what was good for them, whether they desired it or not, but we that are Christians are not in such darkness, we have the Word of God to direct us, and his Spirit to incline us; Look then that the matter thou prayest for be such as is agreeable to God's holy will.  
2. We are to consider and attend to the order of our matter; That which is absolutely necessary is to be preferred before what is convenient, only what relates to God's glory and our salvation is far to be preferred before any temporal good thing, as we see by the direction in our Lord's Prayer, and by Christ's command, Seek ye first the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 6.33. It's disputed whether temporal mercies may be prayed for or no, it may seem a thing below the heavenly Spirit of a Christian, but if it be lawful then it's disputed how far whether absolutely or conditionally only, and it's resolved that because temporal mercies are not promised by God absolutely, nor are they absolutely necessary to our salvation; Therefore we may pray only with submission and subordination, if it be Gods will, and so far as they may be a furtherance to our spiritual good.  
3. There must be an attention to the words we use in our prayer as well as to the matter; That they be grave, decent and comely; That there be nothing of vanity, affectation, or irreverence; Prayer is a worship of God; When Abraham was admitted to a discourse with God, how greatly did he debase himself, he was but dust and ashes, Gen. 18.27. and who was he that he should speak to God, Eccl. 5.2. There is a notable advice to look to our words when we have to do with God, He is in heaven and thou on earth: That is a vast distance and great disproportion, Therefore let thy words be few: The wiseman doth not there forbid a long prayer, for he himself made a very long one at the Dedication of the Temple, and repeated this Petition very often, Then hear thou in heaven and forgive, and heal this people, 1 Kin. 8. But that we should look to our words that they be not idle, superfluous and vain; a long prayer in this sense may be said to have few words, when the matter is pithy, and the words pertinent, as he said of a Book, Non sunt longa, etc. That is not a long Book from which you cannot well take away any thing, so that the length and shortness of a prayer lieth not so much in the quantity of time as in the matter; a prayer held out for an hour without any savoury matter or comely words is a long prayer: Look we then to the matter in the first place, and then to words, but if we look towards more than matter, and make an eloquent oration to God, rather than an humble supplication, this is ridiculous and sinful.  
4. We are to have our attention upon the object to whom we do pray, and that to God himself: What preparations and perfumings were there to come into Abashuerus his presence; If the Majesty of an earthly King strike such terror, then what ought not the presence of so great a God? so that a diligent attention to his greatness must greatly elevate and raise up the Spirit, must unite and strengthen it to one object, how can distraction, and divisions enter into thy heart when it's applying itself to such infinite greatness?  
5. We are to be attentive to all those concomitant graces, without which Prayer is like a Bird without wings, or a rusty Key; Zeal and fervency, and faith in the promise and power of God are necessarily required, for Without faith it's impossible to please God; Heb. 11. This is the life and soul of all, There must be also heavenly mindedness, and a hatred of all sin, otherwise we are not fit to have any communion with God.  
Lastly, We are to attend to the end we have in our Prayer for lawful temporal things, Jam. 4.7. You ask and have not because you ask amiss; You ask to spend on your lusts, and this is very difficult, to ask health, life, and strength for no other end, but thereby to glorify God and promote his Kingdom; Thus briefly because not principally intended, to declare how great a matter it is to pray.  
3. Vocal prayer or the use of the tongue in prayer is not for information of God, as if thereby we would discover to him that which he did not know before; Nor if we use repetition in prayer, is it to move God, 
Why we must use our tongue in prayer.  as importunity may a Judge; If it were so then no wonder if we did double and treble the same thing over and over again, but partly because we consisting of a soul and body are thereby to glorify God and honour him with both; Hence not only the heart but the tongue is called upon to glorify God, and that is called the glory of a man, Though some expound it of the soul, and partly because the voice and exercise thereof doth stir up and move the affections, there being a reciprocal efficacy one upon another, and a circular causality: Even as vapours make the clouds which distilling in rain do make vapours again, so out of the heart come affectionate expressions in prayer, and these again do increase heat in the heart.  
These things premised let us consider, 
When Repetitions of the same matter in prayer may be useful.  When Repetitions or ingeminations of the same matter in Prayer may be useful and necessary, and we shall speak of such a vocal Prayer as is public, wherein not only the Petitions but the edification of others is greatly to be respected, for this you must know, and it may serve for a fourth particular to preface this matter, That in public prayer wherein many join together, he that prayeth is not only to attend to all the forementioned particulars, but to them that are assembled also, to consider what Petitions, what confessions are fit for them to be stirred up unto, and that is 1 Cor. 14. The reason why the Apostle so much pleadeth against prayer among other duties in an unknown tongue, because it will not edify those that are conjoined with us, and so some expound that, I will pray in the Spirit, that is for his own particular, and I will pray in the understanding also, that is in respect of others to advantage and benefit them, so that in our public, whether as a Minister, as a Master of a Family, or otherwise; We must consider the persons with us what they need what things most concern them, and this is a particular way to affect them, it being here as with a Sermon, the closer it comes to the heart, the more good it doth, so with a prayer the more any Petition closeth with another man's heart, the more it doth affect him and enlarge him, and therefore fit words and fit matter are especially to be attended unto in such public prayer, where not only supplication but edification is intended.  
Let us then consider when the ground of repetition and ingemination is good.  
And 1. When the matter is so exceeding necessary that our hearts are deeply sensible of it; As when a burdened soul lieth under the guilt of sin, sin is like a Mountain upon him, it gnaweth and devoureth within, then to beg for pardon over and over again, the soul cannot but do it; The necessity of it is so great, that be cannot let it go, as Psa. 51. a Prayer made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sin; How often doth he repeat though in different words a Petition for pardon, That God would have mercy on him; That he would wash him, purge him, and blot out his sins: This he nameth twice, for till he had obtained this pardon, there was no living for him; He could take no pleasure in houses, friends, yea; in his kingdom and all outward prosperity, so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his prayer for it, and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities, he prayeth, Father, if it be possible let this cup pass away, and the Text saith, he went thrice and said the same words, Mat. 26.44. Here the necessity of that Prayer he prayed for made him say the same words, for as the same earth or the same Sun we are not weary of, because of the necessity of it; Thus neither is it to be accounted a vain tautology when again and again we pray for that without which we cannot be.  
2. When the matter is excellent than it may be repeated again, because by often striking the same stroke at last the Instrument enters, sometimes a sudden transient passage doth not touch the heart, and so the excellency of it is not discerned, but when once or twice it is spoken, than it may affect: It's a Rule, Pulchrasunt his dicenda, we cannot see the worth of a Jewel at the first sight; and hence it is that there are some sentences of choice and excellent virtue, that our Saviour himself would use more than once, Such as that, Many are called but few are chosen, and some Parables also are twice spoken to by our Saviour, yea, that Psalm which describeth the grievous pollution of every man by nature; The Apostle Rom. 3. doth repeat at large, it being such an excellent choice Truth that every one is to be affected with, and till that foundation be laid there cannot be any esteem or prising of Christ.  
3. When the affections are very fervent and zealous, than it cannot but they will express the same thing again: It's not want of matter but height of affection and zeal that makes the tongue utter the same thing twice, as Gal. 4.6. it's said The Spirit of God is sent into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father; Here is an Ingemination, we cry Father, Father, and why so? the Spirit of God doth so kindle and inflame the heart, that it's so sweetly and passionately affected, that as he said pro dulcedine vix labris expedire possit, he is unwilling to let this honey out of his mouth: As Peter when he was in the Transfiguration said, It's good to be here; So the heart of a godly man thus filialized by the holy Ghost, cannot but utter the same dear relation over and over; It's usual with the Hebrews when they would express their earnest affection and desire to a thing, to double it, and when Esau was in that great extremity, and desired jacob's pottage, he crieth out, Give me of thy red pottage, as it's in the Original; The heart that is strongly affected and zealously drawn out is not contented with once naming of that, which he so much desireth, so that commonly cold and customary prayers have no ingeminations.  
4. Repetition of the same matter may be when he would by faith persuade our heart of the certainty of the thing we pray for; Thus that crying Abba Father, did not only argue zeal but assurance and certainty: They were so fully persuaded that they were bold to speak it again and again, and so also it's a Rule among the Hebrews, to express the certainty of a thing by the ingemination of it: Thus dying thou shalt die, So when it's said Amen and Amen, that repetition is to show their affection, that they would have it so, or that it is so, and thus indeed those Petitions which God sets home with certainty upon the heart they are again and again mentioned, The Lord will do them yea, he hath done them.  
Lastly, There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in public Prayer, when the matter doth greatly concern us; and so it's such as we ought to be deeply affected with, for as it is with Preaching, that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer, it's lawful to mention it over and over again, as the Apostle Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered, as also the Apostle Judas in his Epistle did; So it is in public prayer, such sins as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions, such duties as we would have them diligently perform, it's useful in prayer to mention these more than once, for how dull and distracted are our thoughts, how hard and senseless are they? So that like Moses his rock, till we be stricken over and over again, water cannot come forth, like the Shunamites dead child; Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us; Do not then always look for new matter, but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes; It's a great sin in all, that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in public prayer, in our Congregations, we should all be like so many jacob's wrestling with God, We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs' crying out of the Whale's belly, but oh how few when God takes notice doth he find that have spiritual mourning hearts, some sleeping, some roving, some weary and wishing it over.  
But you will say, 
Quest.  though this indeed prove that sometimes a doubling of the same Petition may be useful, yet may there not be idle babble and sinful repetitions in the same Prayer? May there not be such Tautologies as may be offensive and distasteful to a godly heart?  
Yes certainly, And this is expressly forbidden, Mat. 6.7. a notable place, 
Answ.  Use not vain repetitious, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Some derive it from that foolish man the Poet speaks of, a Shepherd called Battus, sub illis montibus inquit, erant, & erant sub montibus illis, Others more probably from the Hebrew word baetta, that signifies to pour out froth, a blatero, and so Hesychius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, empty words of any sense or matter, when there are many words and no true grave matter; Therefore our Saviour calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much speaking, not that he condemneth long prayers, but to make many words without sense or the affection of the heart; Hesychius expounds it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonable and unbeseeming; So that then are Repetitions forbidden by our Saviour,  
1. When they arise either from want of judgement to prepare good matter, 
When repetitions are forbidden.  or a dry senseless heart; For Prayer is a stream, and if there be not fullness in these two Fountains that must needs be dried up; If repetitions then come for want of judgement, they have not a good understanding to digest and order their matter, this is not a seemly Sacrifice to offer to God; It's a strange position of some devout Papists, that this is the best Prayer, When a man is so ravished that he knoweth not what he saith, So when Repetition comes for want of an affectionate heart, this is blameworthy, affections make eloquent and copious, and heavenly affections do wonderfully enlarge the heart in Prayer; This is the fire that makes the heart boil over, Prayer without the heart in it, is like the body without the soul,  
2. When repetitions are out of affectation and ostentation, thereby to lengthen and protract their prayers, this is also vanity; For although there is a necessity as occasion may serve of long prayers, especially when we intent solemnly to humble ourselves, and we have examples of such in Scripture, yet out of ostentation to affect length, and thereby to come over with the same things in a tedious and empty manner; This is not to perform the duty aright.  
3. When Repetitions are so often iterated thereby thinking for the work-sake to please God: To think God esteemeth of the length and so much said, rather than the affections and heart therein; and this seemed to be the Heathens sin, our Saviour said, they thought by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their many words, in that so much was said, to have a good answer; And thus it is in Popery, The saying of so many Pater-nosters, The mumbling over so many Ave-maries', this is enough to expiate sin; They regard the number, and when the number is done all is well, and thus most people amongst us put their confidence in a prayer said, and never at all consider with what heavenly affections and a spiritual heart they approach unto God; Thus you have heard when a repetition in prayer is lawful and when unlawful.  
Use of Instruction, That to pray is such a solemn worship of God, that it requireth the whole man, the intellectual part, all our judgement, invention, and memory is to be employed therein, as also the whole heart, the will and affections, yea, and body also; and besides this there is also required the Spirit of God to enlighten the mind, and to sanctify the heart for mere judgement, and invention, without God's Spirit enlivening of them, is like a Sacrifice without fire; Oh than if all these things go together, may we not cry out, Who is sufficient to pray? It's a great work to be a Minister, and it's a great work to be a private Christian, for every one is bound to be much in Prayer, and yet how many requisites go to this? Oh therefore that we could awaken three sorts of men by this: 1. The ignorant man that hath his prayers but without any understanding, any affection, and therefore prayeth while he is doing other work, or sluggishly in his bed, yea, he knoweth not whether it be a prayer or not, only he is told so, and therefore they think the Creed and the Commandments a Prayer; Miserable blind people, what will become of them! 2. Superstitious persons, who lay their whole ground of acceptation upon such▪ and such prayers, or upon such a number, but as for the spiritual discharge of the duty that they do not understand. 3. All formal and customary people who dare not but pray publicly, and sometimes privately, yea, and in Families also, but no stone is colder than their hearts; Oh what dead empty things are their duties, with what anger doth God look upon them when all is done: They rise up and say, Now is all well; Oh but God is provoked by such formal lukewarm duties; You have a better heart and more lively affections, and why then put you God off with the worst? Doth not the Prophet say, He is cursed that hath a Male in his Flock, and yet offers the maimed; Thou hast more masculine affections to other things though they be not seen in Prayer.   

SERMON XXV. Of the Promises, and of Prayer.  JOH. 17.5. And now O Father Glorify thou me with the glory I had before the world was. 
WE are treating on the Petition itself, and whereas we see our Saviour praying for that which was appointed and promised before the Petition for it, we may observe,  
That even those things God hath promised and decreed to give to his people, 
Doct. Things promised must be prayed for.  must yet be accomplished to them praying for it; Gods purposes and promises require our Supplications; This is the order God hath appointed, Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you, Mat. 7. Thus when God had promised he would do such and such things for his Church by his Prophet, he addeth, Nevertheless he would be sought unto by the House of Israel for those things, Ezek. 33.33.  
There is much considerable matter in this Doctrine, and therefore it needs the more diligent explication:  
As 1. There have been two contrary errors about Prayer; Some have looked upon it as necessary and strictly commanded that they thought we might do nothing but pray; That we were to cast off all other employments and betake ourselves to that duty only; They were called the Euchetae, they were deluded from the mistaking of these places, Pray always and Pray without ceasing: Others have run into a contrary extremity, making prayer altogether useless and unnecessary, and that because all things came about in an inevitable and fatal manner, as they say, and therefore prayer doth no good at all, but the several commands of this duty, do show the impiety of that opinion; The Socinians though they grant men did pray in the Old Testament, yet they say there was no command for it till the Gospel-dispensation; They say, Christ required it as a new duty, it not being a duty before, but this also is false; For doth not the Old Testament say, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me, Psa. 50.15. So that to pray is not an indifferent or arbitrary thing, Neither may it be judged useless but of great power and prevalency.  
2. It cannot be denied but that if a man should pray with these thoughts, that he should change God's mind, and make him alter his will, such a man hath false and sinful thoughts of God; and yet how many are plunged into such falsehoods; They conceive they have to do with God, as with a man who is mutable, and therefore by entreaties and importunities we make him change his resolutions, and do those things he never purposed to do, as we see in the importunate Widow with the unjust Judge; If therefore thou in thy Prayers to God should go with these thoughts, as if by thy prayers thou couldst provoke God to will that at the present which he did not will before from all Eternity; or that when he had purposed one thing, by thy prayers he should be persuaded to do another thing; In this case thou hast sinful and dishonourable thoughts of God; Thou thinkest of him as a man like thy own self, and the ground why such apprehensions are ungodly and unbeseeming the Majesty of God, is because he is immutable and unchangeable in his nature: There is no ground of change or alteration in him, because there is no ignorance in his understanding, he foreknoweth all things, no mutability in hi● will, therefore thy prayers though they are necessary and useful, yet they have no such influence upon God as to change his mind, or to make him of unwilling, willing.  
3. There are some things so absolutely promised that do not suppose any condition of Prayer on our parts; As the initial workings of grace, The beginnings of our conversion, especially that promise, Zech. 12, that God will pour on us the Spirit of prayer and supplication; The fullfilling of this promise cannot be by way of prayer, for it's a promise to enable us to pray, and so we could not make itself to be a condition for itself; Indeed we may pray for the Spirit of prayer, but that is to be understood in regard of a further measure of this Spirit; As we may exercise Faith in the promise for a further degree of Faith, we may believe that God thereby may increase our faith, and make it more strong: Thus the promise of sending Christ into the world, and giving him to be a Saviour to his people, doth not suppose our prayer, but rather prayer is a gift from this; We therefore pray viz. acceptably, because we are united to Christ, and have his Spirit dwelling in us: Thus God also in the conversion of his people cometh in with his grace upon them, before they desire or seek after him, at least in a right manner, I was found of those that sought me not, said Christ, Isa. 65.1. Therefore this is not to be understood universally of every good thing that God hath promsed, but for the most part of those things which do suppose us already godly, and put into a capacity and spiritual ability of prayer, Then God will not do for us, till we seek unto him: As the Mother doth not expect the child that cannot yet speak, should ask for such a thing at her hands.  
5. God hath required Prayer as a constant duty to be performed by all, notwithstanding any purposes or promises made by him; I say as a constant duty required of all, and therefore that is an unjustifiable position of some, That it's not lawful, or a duty, for wicked men to pray: But when our Saviour speaks so universally Ask and ye shall have, and God's wrath is to be poured upon the Families of the earth, because they call not upon God; It's plain, it's their sin, that they do not pray, and although God will not hear the Prayer of sinners, but it's an abomination to God, yet for all that it's their duty to pray, not indeed to pray sinfully, not to keep up their sins and their prayers together, but to empty themselves of their poison, to lay aside their superfluity of naughtiness, and so to come with pure hearts and pure hands to God, as David, I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thy Altar, Psa. 26.6. It's therefore a duty enjoined all and that indispensably to pray unto God; Again I say, It's a constant duty required of all, not as if there were to be no intermission, but when the time and season doth require it, as they are called constant Sacrifices, which were offered every day, though not all the day long, and this overthroweth that opinion of some who think it no duty to pray, unless when they feel some motion or impulse of the Spirit of God upon them, so that if they are a day, a month, a year without this, they will not pray; This is not according to the Rule: Again it's a constant duty required of all, Therefore it's a presumptuous conceit of those who apprehend themselves above Petitions; They will do nothing but sing praises to God, and give him thanks, as if they were Angels in heaven, but as for Petitions and Confessions they are so perfect they are above them, Why do not such men refuse to eat and drink, saying, they have such perfect bodies they need no sustenance? Doth not Christ himself here importunately and fervently put up his Petitions to the Father?  
5. Though God will not perform the good things he promiseth without our prayers, yet our Prayers are not meritorious; They deserve not at God's hand: Though we cannot have the promised blessing without Prayer, yet not for our Prayer; Therefore it's not only arrogant but an irrational doctrine in Popery, to assert Prayer to be a meritorious work. Doth the beggar deserve an alms, because he asketh? Who would not rather say that prayer is a plain profession of our beggary, emptiness, and utter impotency; Thereby we proclaim that of ourselves, we are not able to procure the least mercy; Therefore when we come to God, take heed of trusting in Prayer, of idolising thy duties, It's a sin we are prone too, but as they say of clothes, Pride of them is an extreme vanity, because the very putting them on should put us in mind of our sin that made nakedness a shame, so our very prayer should make us abhor ourselves and set up God as the only fountain of all hope and comfort, if we could help ourselves why pray we to him?  
6. Therefore it's disputed whether God doth require Prayer for the mercy's sake. or give the mercy for Prayers sake; As for example God hath promised increase of grace, sanctification of all afflictions, if we rightly pray to him; Now the Question is whether he giveth this mercy for prayer sake, or not rather because he will give such a mercy, therefore he enableth us to pray, and certainly this latter way is the truth, God gives us not the mercy because we pray, but because he will vouchsafe such a mercy, therefore he quickeneth us up to pray; The mercy is not referred to prayer, but prayer to the mercy.  
Therefore 7. As long as God keeps up our heart in a praying way so long there is hope of the accomplishment of the mercy we pray for: Thou preparest the heart and hearest with the ear, saith David, Psa. 10.17. Not but that in some temporal mercies the soul may be kept long in a praying waiting frame, and yet the mercy itself be never given us, but than it will be with us as with Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12. So that still God is good to thee though thou hast not that thou prayest for, if a praying frame of heart be on thee; on the other side, it's an heavy defection not to be able or willing to pray: I speak not of a tempted Christian, who prayeth even while he saith he doth not, he cannot pray, but of those who by their sins have made themselves as a barren Wilderness, and the heavens like brass.  
In the next place let us consider why God who hath purposed and promised to do such things, 
Reasons.  yet requireth our prayers for the accomplishment of them.  
And the first may be general from the goodness of God who loveth to communicate himself, 
I. General and common.  and therefore though he could do all things without second causes and means, yet he is pleased to use them, not from indigence but indulgence; So that as we see in all natural effects that are produced, God doth not those things immediately himself but hath second causes and means whereby they are completed, So it is here; God in the wonderful things he hath predestinated or promised for his people, hath appointed means for the performance of them; Hence as he converts by the Word, so he bestoweth his mercy upon a praying people; This reason is common with all other his works in the world, 
II. More proper and peculiar Reasons.  but then the more proper and peculiar Reasons for prayer are,  
1. God will be sought to because hereby he is acknowledged the author and fountain of all the good we have; Did we not pray, were we not commanded to come to him, it might be doubted whether he was the cause of the good things we desire, and this is the reason why we may not pray to Angels or Saints, but God only, because he alone and none else is the Author of all good things, Jam. 1. From him cometh every good and perfect gift, So that if we take prayer away, we do in effect take God away; He that liveth without prayer, liveth as if there were no God, as if all things came by a natural necessity or uncertain chance, and not from a wise God, so that to pray is to give a solemn Testimony unto the world, that we believe there is a God who governeth in the world, with whom are the treasures of all good things, and that there is not the least mercy we want we can have a supply of, but from him; That as the Scripture saith he hath the Key of the Heavens, he shutteth and no man can open, so he keeps the Key of all other mercies, No wonder then that though God will give us good things, yet we must earnestly pray for them, for otherwise God would not be owned, there would not that glory be given to him as is due.  
2. As God hath appointed this for his honour, so likewise for our honour, that we may be admitted into his presence, and have holy Communion with him; It's the greatest honour that we are capable of, that we are allowed at all times to make our requests known to him, For Prayer is an heavenly commerce with God, God and man cannot meet together unless they be agreed, how can the consuming fire and stubble be near one another? Might not God say to all, which he doth to some, What hast thou to do to take my words into thy mouth? Psal. 50. As Christ rebuked the devils, and would not own their confession of him though it was true, so might God abhor our Petitions, and account it a dishonour for us to come near him, yea, and that though we had no sin, because we are but finite creatures, and so not able to do any thing suitably to his great Majesty: Oh then let us not look upon a prayer as a burden, as a task, far be it from us to be haled and pulled to it, when any such listlisnesse and unwillingness is on thee, Oh consider can there be more glory and honour put on me? Did Haman grudge to come in Ahashuerus his presence, and to the Royal Banquet? Did he not rather glory of it to his Wife and Friends?  
3. God will have us pray because Prayer is an appointed means by him as well as Faith and Repentance; Now Gods purposes and promises they must never be opposed to, or separated from the means, so that as God promiseth pardon of sin and salvation, but it is if we repent and believe, so likewise it is, if we earnestly pray and seek to him, and this is the very reason why Divines say that though God hath absolutely decreed and promised such mercies, yet Prayer is not useless and unnecessary, because God hath decreed and promised prayer as well as other things, so that it's a profane cavil to say, What need I pray, I cannot alter Gods purposes what he hath purposed, shall be, whether I pray or no; This is false reasoning; For as God hath appointed such mercies, so also such means whereof Prayer is the chief, without which they cannot be had, as Austin said, If Steven had not prayed for his Persecutors, the Church had never had such a glorious Doctor as Paul was.  
4. God hath appointed Prayer not only for our honour but also for our spiritual advantage and profit; By praying fervently the heart is raised up, made more heavenly, and lifted up even into the third Heavens; If there were no other end of Prayer but this, it were precious, that hereby the soul is put into a glorious transfiguration; That as it was with Christ while he was praying, his countenance was changed, and there was great glory fell upon him; So it might be with us, did we in a right manner draw nigh to God; as it was with Moses, we see upon his talking with God his face did shine, and Saul when he came among the Prophets, the Spirit of Prophecy fell upon him, so when we come into God's presence and pray effectually, a divine Spirit, an heavenly frame of heart may come upon us, we shall go from Prayer ravished with the Church, saying, My Beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand; It will be like the food that Eliah had from the Angel, enabling him to go a long journey; How patient in afflictions, how heavenly in worldly employments: We see those we company with in the world we love and admire, we are apt to imitate them, and become like them; By going in the Sun, we get the colour of the Sun; By going where ointment is, we get the sweet smell of it; May we not say the profane, earthly and carnal life of most men, argue they have not Communion with God, They are not often in his presence?  
5. God will have us pray because hereby we must testify our desire and high esteem we have of the mercy prayed for; Do we not say that is little worth which is not worth ask? Now then should God do all our good things for us, and we not pray, the desire and esteem of the mercy would not be expressed; Hence it is that God loveth wrestling and fervent prayers, God loveth importunity and an holy violence, as we see by the Parable of the unjust Judge, yea, the fervent prayer of the righteous, and that only availeth much, Jam. 5.16. Now why doth God delight in such prayers of agony, only because hereby we discover our earnest desires, hereby we show our strong affections, and hence it is that prayer doth not draw God to us, but our hearts to God; In our earnest Petitions we do not bring Gods will to ours but ours to him; Prayer is a golden chain that reacheth from heaven to earth, and although we think to move God to us, yet we move ourselves to him, as the Ship that is fastened with the Cable, doth not bring the haven to it, but it's self to the haven, so that the change prayer makes is not on God, but on ourselves.  
6. Prayer is necessary because hereby. Faith is drawn out in all the choice and excellent effects of it; Prayer without faith is like the musical Instrument without an hand to make a sound melodious; It's like a picture without life, but of this more in the qualifications of a prayer. The demand than may be, 
Quest.  What is that Prayer, and how must it be accomplished, that is a fruitful Prayer, such a prayer as will bring about what we desire.  
And 1. It must be the prayer of a righteous man, such who washeth himself from his sins, for sins they have a tongue, and they cry for vengeance, 
Answ.  and will quickly cry louder than our prayers; Hence a wicked man's prayer is said to be an abomination to the Lord, Pro. 28.9. and the blind man could see and say this, God heareth not the prayers of a sinner; There is a twofold sinner, a sinner wilfully going on in his wickedness, and such God will not hear, but then there is a sinner praying, mourning and repenting, as the Publican, who said, Lord be merciful to me a sinner, and such sins God doth hear; Nay, all men are sinners in this respect, and thus God should hear no prayer at all, if he did not hear such; But for other kind of sins, of which all places are full, those God doth loath and their duties; David hath expressed it fully, If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me, Psa. 66.18. Oh then look to thyself and thy life when thou goest to pray; If the tongue that prayeth be a cursing, swearing tongue, If the eyes lifted up to heaven be full of wantonness and adultery, If the hands held out towards heaven be full of violence, fraud, and injustice, God is of purer eyes then to behold such,  
2. They must be fervent, zealous prayers; The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, Jam. 5. He must be righteous, but many a righteous godly man's prayer may have no success, if it be full of dulness, distractions and lukewarmness; Therefore it must be fervent; We must be jacob's wrestling with God, ere we can be Israel's prevailing with God; Prayer is compared to Incense, and it's the fruit of God's Spirit, which is compared to fire, Rom. 8. They are said to be groans unutterable; It's not then enough to pray, unless it be fervently and zealously, otherwise they are like a Bird without wings, or a Messenger without feet.  
5. They must be believing prayers; Let him ask in faith nothing doubting; For he that doubteth is to conclude he shall not receive any thing; in spiritual things that are necessary, our faith is to be absolute, in other things our fiducial faith is to be guided by our doctrinal faith, so far as those things make for our good and God's glory, our faith is to conclude of them. This is the grace that crowneth our prayers, This grace God highly honoureth, insomuch that Without faith it's said its impossible to please God, Heb. 11. Now though presumption be a weed that comes up of itself, yet Faith is a gift of Gods own planting, and great opposition great difficulty there is to put this forth.  
Lastly, It must be persevering and constant Prayer, our Saviour spoke that Parable of the unjust Judge, that we should pray incessantly, not give God over till we obtain the blessing, not to be discouraged though we meet with many delays and great discouragements, like that Woman of Canaan, whose Prayers had an holy kind of impudence and pertinacy in this, to take no denial.  
Use of Exhortation To be a people much in prayer, that it may be said of thee as of Paul, Behold he prayeth, and of thy house as of God's Temple, an house of Prayer; Oh what shall those profane persons and profane Families expect but Gods dreadful vengeance, who rise and go to bed without such fervent, zealous prayers? never expect good from that man or Family that is not tender and constant in this duty, he is like a Tree in the barren Wilderness that cannot bring forth any fruit, and do not say, I have no time to pray, this and that business puts it out, Wouldst thou have time to receive mercies from God, and no time to go by prayer to God? Shall the Sluggard sit still, neither plough, or sow, or take pains, and yet expect his ground should yield a plentiful crop? oh what hope would there be that God would bless the Ministry, work conversion by it, If ye were more diligent in this duty; But how greatly is it neglected by most, and those that do it, how formal and customary are they, so that it brings no good at all to the soul. Think of these things more and tremble under them.   

SERMON XXVI. Of Heavenly Glory as opposed to Earthly; And how the hopes thereof earnestly sought and prayed for will comfort a man against the fear and in the midst, of all Trials and Afflictions.  JOH. 17.5. And now O Father glorify thou me with thy own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 
THE next thing in order to be pursued is the nature of that glory which Christ prayed for; For Christ being near the bitterest part of his Cross, and seeing nothing but gall for him to drink, he comforteth and encourageth himself with that glory which is provided for him, and this makes him so earnest in prayer for it, where by the way we may see the arrogant presumption of those who hold they are above Prayer; They will give thanks to God as Angels do, but their perfection is such that they need not present Petitions in Prayer, what a Diabolical delusion is this, for Christ himself though he confessed no sin in Prayer, yet was not above Petitions, as we see in this Chapter, and if it were granted, which cannot be that they were so pure as to be without sin, yet they have not as yet glorified bodies, and therefore for that glory in heaven they ought to pray, but why do we meddle with these who indeed need prayer most, and that to see themselves deluded, and to be in a far more dangerous estate, than many other persons.  
We come 1. to the description of this glory prayed for from the nature or inherent property of it; It's a glory with Gods own self, Glorify me with thy own self; This as you heard is spoken partly oppositely to humane glory and the honour of the world, for as Christ despised the shame, and was not troubled at the reproach he had in the world, so neither was he lifted up with the glory and honour he had here, and then partly in reference to his work done on earth, for on earth he did his work, in heaven he expects his reward.  
I shall not handle this peculiarly as it relates to Christ, but take in all the Children of God, for herein Christ and all his members are alike: In the midst of their afflictions and trials they are to support themselves with hope, 
Observe. That all God's people are earnestly to pray for their glory above all earthly glory.  and pour forth earnest prayers, for the glory God hath prepared for them; So that the Observation is,  
That all the Children of God like Christ himself are earnestly to pray for their glory with God, above all earthly honour or glory; Christ prayed not with such imperfections as the godly do, as is in time more largely to be showed, only both he and the godly agree in the matter prayed for viz. glory in the general, though Christ's glory is not of the same nature with theirs; This glory is the centre in which the several lines of their desires and prayers are to meet; This should be the cordial in all their temptations and exercises; though poor here, though miserable here, though despised here, yet my eye is fastened upon the glory hereafter, oh that our Auditors were so spiritual as to be affected with this eternal Crown of glory, for none but the heavenly and truly godly man can desire to hear of this; The other sort of men had rather have their barleycorn then this Pearl; Their Garlic then this Manna, Their husks then this fatted Calf.  
But to open this Doctrine, there are three particulars implied in it.  
1. The nature of this glory.  
2. It's earnestly to be prayed for.  
3. It's to be the comfort and support of the godly in this valley of tears and death; 
Things implied in the doctrine.  Did we not expect glory to come we should look upon ourselves as most miserable.  

I. The nature of this glory, viz. with God himself, which implies,  But of the first The nature of this glory, and that is expressed first in the Text, a glory with Gods own self, and that doth imply these particulars.  
1. That it is a glory in the hand of God, to dispose and give to him whom he pleaseth; You see Christ himself beggeth for this at God's hand: None can violently invade this glory or break into those heavenly mansions whether God will or no, all heavenly glory is with God, who is therefore called the God of glory, 
1. It is in the hands of God.  or glorious; not only because he is glorious in himself, but because he is the bountiful author and dispenser of all glory, as the Sun is the Fountain of all light, so then it's not in the power of any earthly Potentate to make men thus glorious; Though Ahashuerus could make Haman and Mordecai outwardly glorious, yet for this heavenly glory the greatest powers of the world need it from God as well as the poorest beggar.  

2. God is the object of this glory.  2. It is a glory with God, because he is the object of this glory; In him it is that we have all our happiness and glory; Even in this life we are forbidden to glory in riches, in honours and greatness, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he knoweth God, 1 Cor. 1.31. and then much more in heaven, it is our glory that we enjoy God; So that all the happiness, excellency and glory which is said to be in heaven is reductively in this, that we are made partakers of God, with God, and in God is only glory, and seeing that glory and our utmost happiness are all one in this Point, of what great concernment is it, for every one to consider, what that is in which he placeth his happiness; Dost thou not think thyself happy, if thou hast the good things and the great things of this world? Art thou not of the Serpents breed and not the woman's seed, in that thou lickest up the dust of the earth? It is that that all men miscarry in; They do not consider what that is which if obtained would make a man happy; Whereas the Scripture is plain and clear informing that it is in having God for our God; and then not only happy here but happy hereafter.  

3. It's a glory which God liketh and approveth of.  3. In that this glory is said to be with God, it implieth, that it is such which God approveth of, and liketh off; It's not an appearance of glory, but true real glory; The Hebrew word Canod for glory signifieth weight; As the Apostle distinguisheth between Circumcision of the Letter and the Spirit, which latter he saith hath its praise of God and not of men, Rom. 2. ult. That is, glorious before God, so the glory in heaven hath its praise from God: What will it avail to affect glory and praise from men, when God will abhor and dishonour, will despise and curse thee; That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abominable before God, Luk. 18. Think it not enough to live so, that thyself and others do applaud thee, no though they be good men, for God judgeth the heart, Oh then again and again say, Is this glory such as God accounts of? Doth the Lord say this is happiness that I have? The rich man bid his soul take his ease, but did God bid him do so also?  
4. This phrase doth imply the glory that is in heaven, as oppositely to the work we do on earth; This is that all the Children of God should look after, 
4. Opposite to earthly glory.  a glory in heaven; This made them long for and hasten the coming of Christ, this made them judge themselves but Pilgrims here, and so to seek out for a better City; Take we heed then that we be not in the Number of those who mind earthly things, that judge nothing glorious but what seems in this world full of greatness and admiration, The state of men living here is a condition of misery and calamity, which made Job say that man who is born of a woman is born for sorrow, as the sparks fly upwards, Job 5.7. So that we may say God makes this life so bitter, that the glory in heaven may be sweeter; Therefore he keeps us a while in this wilderness, that Canaan may be the more prized.  
This is the nature of this glory as implied in that phrase, with thy own self; 
More properties of this glory.  but there are other properties of it also, that may raise our expectations after it. As  
1. It's an everlasting and eternal glory; There is no dust or ashes in heaven; There is no mortality or corruptibility, but every thing is then made like God to abide for ever; The Scripture doth often mention this incorruptible Crown and eternal glory; and certainly were we heavenly and holy, this would greatly enlarge our hearts, but these two things are wanting that would put us highly to esteem it, There are few that have a spiritual nature: Few are born of God, and so seek after such a glorious privilege; What careth a Swine for the pearl, no more doth a natural man for this heavenly glory, he calls for that which may satisfy his carnal appetite, his lustful heart; Thus they eat and drink and go down quick to hell. The second thing is faith, and herein the godly themselves are greatly to be blamed; They do not often in private Meditation and by faith inflame their hearts with the thoughts of glory: No wonder if they be so ready to faint and swoon under distresses; They have not this water of life to drink of, They think, They speak, They are affected, as if all their hopes were in this life only; Oh what a shame is it that when the earthly man can day and night comfort himself in his great treasures and abundance of wealth, that this eternal glory should not raise thee up, There is nothing will make thee a Christian of an excellent and heroical Spirit, but faith about this eternal glory; Shall the thoughts of a Crown, or of a great Inheritance keep up the heart of worldly men, and shall not the thoughts of eternal glory keep thee from sinking in the waters of affliction?  
2. It's a full substantial glory; It's called the weight of glory by the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3. It's so full that the heart of man cannot speak or conceive about it; As humane glory is compared to all the empty things that are vapours and bubbles, and a mere breath, a shadow without any substance: So this glory in heaven is a massy weighty glory, it hath all fullness in it, There is fullness of holiness, We are made pure and without the least spot, There is fullness of peace and joy, The Sea is not fuller of waters then their hearts and souls of eternal comforts; There is fullness of all thy desires and expectations; Here we have the dropsy disposition, we have and still we ask, yea, we can sit down and fancy golden Mountains; Oh what complete conditions and happiness may men in their thoughts make to themselves, and their thoughts are wide, but the matter is nothing at all, but here this glory is above our thoughts, above our desires, above our wishes, we cannot desire better than what we have.  
The second part implied in the Doctrine, is, That this glory is to be earnestly prayed for by the Children of God.  
And the grounds of this are.  

II. The second part of the Point is, that this glory is to be earnestly prayed for, For  First, Because as you heard God will not vouchsafe this mercy but to a praying people, Rom. 2. To those that seek for immortality and honour; Hence this is directed to in that Petition, Thy Kingdom come, and certainly if Christ himself who was thus unquestionably assured of this glory, and had merited it at God's hands, doth yet pray for it, how much more ought we to have it solely of mere grace; Some have put it as a doubt whether it be not a mercenary disposition too unworthy the child of God, 
1. Without seeking God will not bestow it.  to pray for glory; Yea, it's disputed by Papists against Protestants, that it's lawful in all our godly actions to have an eye to this reward of glory, but they fight with a shadow; The Protestants do acknowledge it not only lawful but a duty to seek after and pray for this crown of glory, only we say, The love to God's glory should be preferred before ours; We are to desire his glory principally, and our salvation as subordinate; Oh then let the profane and wicked men of the world tremble at their death, when their night approacheth, for how canst thou look for glory who never didst pray for it? how canst thou think to be partaker of it who waist never much in seeking after it?  

2. Thereby our desires after it will be more inflamed.  2. We are to pray for it because hereby our desires and esteem of it will be more kindled and inflamed; Prayer is nothing but the desire of the soul expressed by a strong inclination of heart; Hence it is, That where there are cold desires; there are cold prayers, where there are importunate desires, there are importunate prayers, and for this reason it is that even natural men can put up hearty prayers to God for earthly mercies, as they are their desires, because of the suitableness therein, but as for spiritual mercies they are like dead men in the grave, not at all affected, so then by earnest prayer for this eternal glory we demonstrate our heavenly desires of it, and also our desires are thereby more quickened and enlarged after it; Oh what a shame is it that we should pray for health of body, freedom from pain, pardon of sin and increase of grace, and not pray for this which containeth it all, for everlasting glory is all mercy.  

3.  3. By earnest praying for it our hope of it is much strengthened and confirmed; Now a divine hope of this glory is rhat which makes us bear all afflictions, endure all chastisements; This is the Oil to keep our Lamps up, It's the anchor to the Ship, It's that only which keeps the heart from breaking: The Scripture calls it the lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. all worldly hopes are dead and fading, but this hope is in the power and promise of God; Now there is no way to blow up these sparks of hope into a flame so much as by prayer, for prayer if rightly discharged being a prayer of faith, it must needs beget a lively hope; Oh than that we had this hope of eternal glory reigning in us more; Thou hast carnal hope, worldly hope, all the day long is spent in hoping after some earthly comfort or other, but this divine hope is a stranger to thee.  

III. The third part of the doctrine That this glory prayed for will be a cordial against all affliction. Because  In the third place let us consider how this glory earnestly prayed for will be a cordial against all temptations, will be a reviving to the dry bones in all afflictions, yea, our whole life in all the changes of it is to be maintained and supported by this hope of glory: It's as necessary the Meditation of this is, as the very air we live in, as we cannot breathe without it, so neither can we live without this hope, so that the things we hope for in heaven should be the bread we feed on, the treasure we enrich ourselves by, And  
1. Because this glory with God is an universal medicine to all our diseases; It's a full treasury for all our wants; 
1. It's an universal Medicine.  The Pool of Bethesda was only for one kind of mercy, he that being diseased stepped in, was healed of his bodily infirmity, but it did not cure all other grievances, it did not make a poor man rich, nor a grieved man cheerful, or a mortal man immortal, but eternal glory doth all things, Thou art a Lazarus in soul and body, all over full of sores; Thou wantest all soul-mercies, and all body-mercies, here is glory that will do all for thee, This is the Ocean, other are but shelves; This is the Sun, other are but Stars; In praying for glory thou prayest for all things together in one, this one word glory hath every thing in it, to say Lord glorify me there is all things comprehended in it.  
2. This is the most suitable mercy to a gracious and spiritual heart; To be glorified is to be put out of a state of sin into pure and perfect holiness, 
2. It's the most suitable mercy to a gracioas heart.  It's from seeing God in a glass and obscurely to see him face to face; Oh then how enamoured and ravished is the soul with the enjoying of this, if the glimpse of this glory, If the branches of this Canaan be so goodly, what is Canaan itself? If the Church prayed so earnestly, Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1. What then would the total and full enjoyment of God be, never to be divided or separated more? Glory is not only the advantage and welfare of a godly man, the preservation of him from hell and misery, or giving him happiness, but it is the ordering of him with all graces more glorious than the Sun; Hence the godly are compared to the Sun and Stars in the Firmament, for the great lustre God puts on them.  
3. 
3. Because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfy the heart.  This must needs be a great support because of the emptiness and insufficiency in all these things here below, to fill and satiate the heart. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the heart with wishing in this world; but in the world to come, there the faculties of the soul and all the parts of the body are fully replenished, There is no want, no desire, no wish for more than they have; It's no wonder if Solomon who took all ways possible to satisfy his mind and to find out happiness in this life, yet instead of happiness found nothing but briers, and therefore wrote upon all, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; For it cannot be otherwise, Can an hungry man fill his belly with empty air? Can a cold man warm himself at a painted fire? Could these birds fill themselves that fled to Zeuxes painted grapes, taking them for true ones, no more can any thing in this world satisfy man; No, it's only in the world to come that can fill up every corner of the soul.  
Lastly, Glory with God must needs be the only support, 
4. Because the way to heaven is full of briers and thorns.  because the way to heaven is full of briers and thorns; Great are the afflictions and tribulations which abide all that go in this way to glory; Were it not then that the heart is full of hopes in this matter, it would soon be discouraged, it would presently give over, saying, Why should I deny such pleasures and comforts as others take; Do I not wrong myself? Am I not a defrauder of my own comforts? No; saith this hope of eternal glory, hold thy tongue from all grudge and repine; There is glory coming will make amends for all, Heaven in reversion is better than all the world in actual possession, know then if at any time thy soul be dejected or cast down within thee, if at any time thou art impatient and discontented; It's because this hope of glory doth not fill the heart  
In the last place this is far to be desired above all humane glory, 
5. It exceeds all earthly glory.  and that although it be the Idol adored by the world, if we consider how most men refer all their actions to this; We may presently judge that description of man to be true; That he is animal gloriae vanissimum, all those actions the Heathens did were dedicated to honour; Even as the Romans consecrated a Temple to it, yea, which is the highest degree of vanity, men have made all their Religious actions to serve this Goddess; The Pharisees in all their alms, fastings and prayers did all to be seen of men, as our Saviour who knew their hearts condemned them, Mat. 6.2. It went so far with some that they placed the chiefest happiness of a man to be in honour, and how prone this is to keep in the hearts even of godly men, appeareth in the often prohibitions of it in the Scripture, and our Saviour's advice about private Prayer and alms; This is the Pirate that many times surpriseth the Ship which is come richly laden to the very haven, it depriveth us of our duties, and the benefit by them; Well, as glorious as it is, yet it is no more comparable to this eternal glory, than a straw to a Pearl; 
1. Earthly glory is but a puff.  For 1. It's but the puff and breath of men whose breath is in their nostrils; There is no solidity in it, it brings no true solid joy and peace to the conscience: What if men applaud thee abroad, and thy conscience condemneth thee at home; No doubt but the Pharisees humoured and flattered Judas to betray his Master, but what could that help him when he roared out, I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood, Gal. 5. Let every man prove his own work, so shall he have rejoicing in himself, and not in another, That is terrible of Austin, Many are praised of men who lie tormented in hell.  

2. It will not avail us at death  2. All humane glory will not avail us if at our death God finds us in our sins; To be praised by men and reproached by God, to be blessed by men and cursed by God, this will be little case; Oh that men would look to this who look only to have the good words of men; Alas can man save thee, can man deliver thee from those eternal flames, Gal. 1. If I should please men I should not be a Servant of Christ: What an unworthy thing is this to pray, to profess Religion for vainglory and not for glory with God: Our Saviour speaks it as a great curse to have a man's ends satisfied in that way, Verily I say unto you they have their reward.  

Use,  Use of Exhortation so to live and so to walk, as that you may be prepared for this eternal glory: Oh what a glory will it be when God at the day of judgement shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you: When God and Angels shall put honour upon you, why should not the faith of these things raise up your spirits, why should it no more affect you? and that you may obtain this take heed of what will totally deprive you of it, or else greatly weaken your thoughts and hopes about it: That which totally depriveth is a constant wilful continuance in gross sins, Be not deceived, neither whoremonger or drunkards, etc. shall inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. and without the heavenly Jerusalem are said to be dogs, Rev. 22.15. The Scripture calls all wicked men such who lick up the vomit of their sin; Oh then the hopeless and damnable condition of most people. Doth not the Land in every place mourn for the whoredoms, and drunkenness, and oaths that are every where? if God say, the Lord shall spew out such Inhabitants, God thinketh the earth too good for them, will he bestow heaven on them?  
And then 2. The godly who have a right and interest to this glory, they weaken their hopes and entreat their fears, when they walk negligently, when they are earthly or dejected through diffidence, you might have this glory here on earth, and be in heaven before you are in heaven, were you not wanting to yourselves.   

SERMON XXVII. The Eternal Deity of Christ proved; And whence it comes to pass that there are any so vile as to deny it; showed also what sins do much provoke God to give them up to such Blasphemy.  JOH. 17.5. And now O Father glorify thou me with thy own self, with the glory I had before the world began. 
WE are now arrived to the last clause in this Verse, which containeth a second description of the glory Christ prayed for, viz. From the external efficiency of it, it was a glory provided for him before the world was. So that in this description there are two Propositions.  
1. That the world had a beginning; It was not as Aristotle and other Philosopher's thought ab aeterno: This is to be handled in its time.  
The other Proposition is,  
That Christ had the glory he prayed for with the Father before the world was. 
Observe. That Christ had the glory he prayed for with the Father before the world was.  Of this at this time.  
In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not in a Grammatical construction, for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that glory which I had; as also there is a trajection of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before the world was, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, So in the Original; But our Translators do well interpose it, where the sense is to be made up; Now as was hinted the great doubt is, In what sense Christ is said to have this glory with the Father before the world was: The Arians and Socinians who deny the eternal Deity of Christ, do most readily interpret it of God's decree, and his inward purpose of mind, as if the meaning were, that the Father would glorify him with that glory which God the Father had decreed for him before the world was, and it cannot be denied but that sometimes a thing is said to be before the world was, because it was in God's purpose: Thus Rev. 7. Christ is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, So 2 Tim. 1.9. The grace of God is said to be given us in Jesus Christ before the world began, that is, in respect of decree, Thus some expound that phrase so often used in this Chapter (Those thou hast given me) viz. in his decree. Hence it is that some Divines though Orthodox and fully believing the eternal Deity of Christ, do make this the sense of it, and indeed when we have other places that do fully assert a divine doctrine, we need not be vehement to force every Text to speak it also; Because Calvin did not approve of every Text that was usually brought to prove the Trinity, though he vindicated those that were clear and pregnant against the Antitrinitarians, Hunnius a Lutheran wrote a Book calling i● Calvinus Judaizans, as if he turned Jew; Whereas indeed none do more wrong divine Truth then those that will heap Texts of Scripture, which yet do not fully prove the thing questioned, and truly why we must in part at least explain this of God's purpose and decree, this is a strong reason, because Christ here prayeth for his Mediatory glory, which was given him by God upon the performance of his Mediatorship, viz. to be exalted above all Principalities as head of his Church; Now this Mediatory glory he had not with God before the world was, unless in God's purpose, so that I say this must needs be part of the sense: But in the second place Christ doth not only pray for his Mediatory glory but his divine glory in respect of the manifestation of it, viz. that now it might be discovered to all the world, that he was not only man but God also, eternal, blessed for evermore, and in this sense the Text doth strongly maintain the Eternal Deity of Christ, for he prayeth for the manifestation of that divine and essential glory he had with the Father before the world was; Insomuch that Christ being in the Text said to have this before the world was, it doth suppose a subsistence of his divine nature, for although the Scripture saith, the godly are Elected before the foundation of the world, yet it never saith, they had this before the world was, for that would suppose them to be existent in nature, So that if the Text had said no more than Glorify me with the glory prepared for me before the world was, as it speaks of the godly, than it would not have proved strongly against those heretics; But when he saith, Which I had with thee, This doth necessarily suppose such a thing as cannot be communicated to a mere creature; None but one eternal can say so. So that both these Expositions may go on as parts to make the complete sense of the Text, and this remain a thunderbolt against the Arians; Take we then the first particular as it supposeth the Eternity of Christ, That Christ had a being before he was born of the Virgin Mary, even a divine being as a God: No creature can say as Christ here▪ They have such a glory with God before the world was, for it would be a contradiction to any creature to say so, for it would imply him to have a being before he hath a being: Hence the godly though they are said to be elected and predestinated from Eternity, yet that doth not suppose them to be abaeterno, because Predestinatio ect actio immanens, and nihil ponit in esse; It's a mere immanent action in God, and puts no real thing in the creature: Now that Christ had an Eternal being is plain; Besides those Texts of Scripture, 1 Cor. 10. where the Israelites in the Wilderness are said to tempt Christ, and Heb. 11. Moses in his days accounted the reproach of Christ above the Treasures of Egypt: And 1 Pet. 1.11. The Spirit of God is said to be in the Prophets of old: Which places could not be true if Christ had not then a subsistency, which was long before his birth of the Virgin Mary: Besides this I say it is plain,  
Argum. 1 First, Because by him all things were created, Joh. 1. In the beginning was the Word, 
That Christ had an eternal being.  and the Word was with God, and was God; By him all things were created, and without him nothing was made that was made; Observe, whatsoever was made was made by him so that if Christ were not the Eternal God he should make himself, for saith the Text Without him was made nothing that was made: The same thing is affirmed also, Col. 2. That all things in heaven or earth, visible and invisible were made by him, So that he who was before all things made them and gave them a being, must needs be Eternal, but thus it is plain by Scripture Christ was.  
Argum. 2 2. It's plain he was from all Eternity in that he is truly God, and so hath all the essential attributes of God, whereof eternity and immutability are very choice ones; That Christ is God is not now my Subject, in time we may show the proper and incommunicable Name of Jehovah is given to him, and that directly which is not in all the Scripture attributed directly to any creature, Angel or man, All the divine attributes of God, All the peculiar and proper operations of God, which only God can do, are given to him, and therefore in being God he must needs be from Eternity, and for Christ's Immutability you have a full place, Heb. 13.18. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever; By yesterday according to the Scriptures use is meant all time past, so that although the Officers in the Church die, and there are such in one age that are not in another, yet here Christ the head he abideth for ever; This is spoken by way of consolation, and certainly Christ's Eternity is a foundation of unspeakable joy to the people of God.  
Argum. 3 3. There are plain Texts of Scripture which inform us of the eternal being of Christ, as Joh. 8.55. Before Abraham was I am; What man could say so, I do not say, Before Abraham was, I was, for so every Angel might say, but I am, to signify there is no succession or difference of time in his being as he was God, It's an allusion to that name God takes to himself when he bid Moses say, I AM hath sent thee, Exo. 3.14. and this is the more fully confirmed, Rev. 1.7. where Christ is said to be Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, who is, and was, and is to come; That very attribute which v. 3. is given to God the Father, is here given to God the Son, called also omnipotent, who would think any should be so wilfully blind as not to see light out of this Text.  
Secondly, Consider in that Christ was thus God from all Eternity, when he became man, he did not cease to be God, for although the Scripture saith, Phi. 2. That he humbled himself, and emptied himself, yet it doth not say he ceased to be God, even in the midst of all his Infirmities, and therefore Christ's blood is called the blood of God, Act. 25. not that he suffered in his divine nature, but that he who suffered in his humane nature was also God, and it's no wonder he did not cease to be God, for it's impossible that God should cease to be God, all creatures if they are not corruptible, yet they are annihilable, if they have no principle of dissolution, yet they have stronger power without, that is able to turn them into nothing: Therefore God alone is said to have Immortality, 1 Tim 6.15. So then he doth not pray for glory, as if he had lost it, but only the outward manifestation of it was suppressed for a time, and therefore it is that he now prayeth the Cloud may be withdrawn, that so the Sun may appear in its full glory.  
Thirdly, In that Christ had an eternal being its plain that even before his Incarntion, he did many things tending to the Reconciliation of his people; It's true indeed he is a Mediator in respect of both his Natures, and it's clear he could not make propitiation for our sins by his blood, till he was made man, he could not be as a Priest to his Church, but then even before his Incarnation, he might be as a Prophet and a King to his people; As a Prophet revealing Gods will, and inspiring the Prophets of the Old Testament, yea, It's maintained by the learned that he was the Angel, that guided the Church of Israel, and therefore the people in the Wilderness are said to tempt Christ, as was said; So as a King (though not incarnated) he might govern spiritually.  
Because this is not the intended Subject I come to what Uses may be made of it. Is Christ thus of an Eternal being, 
Use.  than Woe be to those Doctrines and heretics that endeavour to spoil him of it; That deny it to him making him but a creature only of an higher rank, What creature can take the proper Name of God to him? What creature can create the world? What creature can be called God blessed for evermore as he is? Rom. 9.5. What creature can say he is, and was, and was to come? Rev. 1.7. If so be that opposing the members of Christ be so great a sin, that Paul from heaven is reproved for it, and it's called kicking against the pricks, Men do not hurt God's Children but themselves; how much greater is it immediately to oppose Christ himself, Jews and Heathens, and several heretics have risen up against him, and said there was a time when he was not, but yet still he is God in heaven, and the faith of Christians is firmly fixed on this; No wonder if as the devil of old, so of late he would destroy this Article, for if this be denied, what is Christianity but a mere humane Religion, we worship a man, We believe in a man, Take this away, and all satisfaction for sin, all reconciliation by his blood is removed, Take this away and the devil's Kingdom will be promoted by Christianity as well as by Paganism; For here will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honour due unto God will be taken from him and given to a creature: And indeed in the Infancy of the Church it was no wonder if this darkness spread itself; But in these latter times after so much light of the Gospel, that any should let such poisonous Snakes as these lodge in their breasts, may make us cry out, O the depth of man's presumption and God's severity!  

Quest. Whence is it that any deny Christ to be the eternal God.  But you may say how can it come about that any under the Gospel light should deny Christ to be the Eternal God? truly it may arise several ways.  
1. When men will bring down matters of Faith to humane Reason, They will be no longer believers but Rationalists, Their Maxim in Religion is not God hath said so, but this we can demonstrate: Now it's true indeed there is nothing in Religion contrary to sound and rectified reason, 
Answ.  for truth cannot be contrary to truth, but yet there are many things above our reason, Though we have sufficient testimony by faith to believe such things, yet not capacity of reason to comprehend them, insomuch that the Scripture is said to bring into captivity the understanding of man, 2 Cor. 10.5. and it's called the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. and therefore for a man to come to the things of Religion with the same disposition as to humane Sciences, hoping by his natural abilities to dive to the bottom of them, is to think to hold the Sea in an Oister-shell, or to put the Sun under a Bushel; Why are they called Mysteries, and said to be revealed by God If Reason could find them out? Therefore lay aside all those cavils and arguments of reason where Scripture asserts these things.  
2. Many come to maintain such horrid and blasphemous things by the just judgement of God upon them for their sins they are guilty of; For as Rom. 1. we see God as a just Judge delivering up men partly to vile affections, to Idolatry, to change the Image of God into the likeness of an Ox; How should men become thus brutish to worship that as a God which they themselves made; That they should have no more understanding; The Lord gave them up, and as it was with the Jews, though our Saviour did all those wonderful miracles amongst them, yet they did not see with their eyes, or understand with their hearts; Why? The Lord had put this Veil upon their eyes, and thus the Apostle plainly saith, 2 Thes 2.11. God shall send them strong delusions to believe a lie, a woeful curse, when God sends this abroad, when men shall be so strongly deluded, that that which is a very notorious lie and falsehood, 
What sins do chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions.  yet they shall believe it, so that you are to walk with all fear and trembling lest God deliver you up to such strong delusions, and these sins do much provoke God.  
1. Pride and self-conceit, this undid the devil at first, and this draweth many into the like condemnation, The humble and the meek he will teach his way; Psa. 25. 
1. Pride.  See you a man proud, conceited, never look for good from him, he is not a fit Scholar for Christ; It's pride that lifts up so many to such high Pinnacles of dangerous opinions, from which they fall headlong, God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble man, Jam. 4.6. He resisteth the proud by not giving grace to him; The proud man hath no grace to fear and tremble lest he be carried away with the errors of the wicked, he thinketh not, O Lord, Am not I swallowing down poison now? Will not this infect me for ever.  
2. unfruitfulness under the Gospel, 
2. Unfruitfulness  Oh when men live wantonly under the Light, They love not the Truths of God, They do not conform to the practical power of them, this seduceth likewise; The Apostle in that mentioned place instanceth in this as the cause of that strong delusion; Oh wonder not if the Spirit of giddiness and error fall upon many, for they never had any true love to the Word of God; They never had any saving delight in the ways of God, so far as they could carnally advantage themselves by the knowledge of Christ, have esteem and applause, so long as they could be fed with loaves, they followed Christ.  
3, A neglect of the godly and learned Ministry which God hath appointed, 
3 Neglect of the godly learned Ministry.  he runneth into the Whale's belly of all errors, that runneth from the Ministry God appointeth, and dislikes that; The Scripture is plain, Eph 4. He hath set Pastors and Teachers in his Church; Why? That henceforth we should not be carried with divers errors; Therefore they are called guides and salt, and Heb. 13. twice in one Chapter they are commanded to obey them that rule over them: This is so plain Scripture that its wonder men dare go against it, but yet it's no wonder, for some deny the Scripture, they say, How can you prove Scripture? Thus do men wilfully run from the light into darkness, from denying one truth and another, till at last they deny Christ and the Scripture.  
Use 2. Hath Christ thus an eternal being, 
Use 2.  then here we see his immutable and unchangeable affections to those that are his: He is not as man subject to changes and alterations, loving and then casting off again; As God is immutable so also is Christ, and therefore though the people of God be subject to many changes and variable affections, yet they are to comfort themselves in Christ, who is yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever; Though thou art not the same, yet Christ is the same; Thou art sometimes believing, sometimes again cast down, sometimes thou enjoyest Christ, and sometimes thou losest him, and knowest not where to find him; O but Christ is always in the same love, in the same care over thee, and this should provoke thee at last to get to the same disposition, To be like Christ whatsoever changes, conditions, or alterations go over thy head, still to be the same, as the rock in the Sea, the Sun in the heavens.  
3. Is Christ Eternal? then in the midst of all changes and alterarions here is ground of faith: Though Instruments die, though Ministers die, 
Use 3.  though all supports of thy spiritual comfort fail, yet Christ abideth ever; Thus Christ promised his disciples, he would be with them to the end of the world, Mat. 28. How apt are we to think that the death of such Magistrates or such Ministers will wholly ruin the Church of God, not considering that the Church hath an eternal head: The people of God have always preferred the welfare of the Church above their own particular; Thus David preferred Jerusalem above all his joy, Psa. 137.6. and the remembrancers of the Lord are to give him no rest till he hath made Jerusalem a praise upon the earth, Isa. 62.7. As Nehemiah was afflicted, though he had all personal honour and advantages while Jerusalem lay waste; The affairs of the Church have always affected upon the most eminent in godliness: When godly learned men have died, they have cried as he did to the Prophet, The horsemen and charets of Israel, but this should support under all, Christ is eternal; Though the Ship of Christ seem to be overwhelmed, yet because Christ is in it, it cannot suffer shipwreck; Though outward violence should increase, Though heresies and errors overflow, yet Christ is where he was, he is the same, he liveth, and so the Church cannot lose her Pilot: In what sad exigences were the disciples cast when Christ spoke of bodily leaving them, but as for his spiritual presence, he will never forsake them, and this is the reason why the Church of God hath been preserved though the whole world hath combined against it, had they not had this eternal head in heaven, it could not have been supported: Hence he is called Isa. 9 the eternal Father, because he always hath a spiritual seed.  

Use 4.  Use 4. Is Christ thus an Eternal God? then let those wicked men that despise his Law, and disobey his Commandments, tremble and be afraid; All those Jews and Pharisees that refused him to be their Saviour, and all wicked men who do so in their lives, they will find they had to do with an eternal God, Psa. 2. It's said, he will break the Nations with a rod of Iron, as easily as men do an earthen vessel: You apprehend nothing but meekness and mercy in him, but though a Lamb, yet the ungodly are brought in crying to the Mountains to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb, Rev. 6.16. Though he be thus a glorious God, yet there are men that despise his Word, that crample under their feet his blood, that will not have Christ reign over them, that say, Let us break his bonds, O such shall know to their terror, that Christ is an eternal God.  

Use 5.  Lastly, Here is a Use of Exhortation, Is Christ thus Eternal? then get him for thyself, for thy children, for thyself because he will bring thee to an Eternity; Thy body shall be eternal, thy life he will make an eternal life; Canst thou say of an earthly comfort or help, that it is like an eternal God? Again, for thy Children, thou many times thinkest what will become of them when thou art dead in the grave, Thou thinkest thou hast no friend in the world will be a Father to them, still remember that Christ is Eternal, if they be his spiritual seed, he will be an Eternal Father; Oh that expression is full of comfort, when you can say to your Children, You have a mortal Father, and a mortal mother, but there is an eternal Father, bring them up for Christ, give them up to Christ, then have you provided well for them if Christ be for them.   

SERMON XXVIII. Proveth, That the world was not from Eternity, but had its beginning in time; And reduceth that Consideration into Practice.  JOH. 17.5. Glorify me with the glory I had before the world began. 
WE come to the last particular observable in the Text, Before the world began.  
Here is briefly laid down that position which the great and wise Philosophers of the world did boldly gainsay, for it tells us, This great Universe had a beginning, The world was not from Eternity; This Truth will tend much to particular Edification, for I shall not handle it in a mere speculative and metaphysical way, as some Philosophers do, while they debate this Point.  
Obs. That the world was not from Eternity, but had its beginning in time; The Sun and Stars though such glorious creatures, yet began to be in time, yea, 
Observe. That the world was not from Eternity.  those glorious Angels, which have no principle of corruption within them, they were also made in time, although it was the general opinion of most of the Ancients, that the Angels were made long before this visible and corporeal world, but that is not so consonant to Scripture.  
For the proof of this Point we might allege the first Chapter of Genesis, 
Proved from Scripture.  where there is not only a relation of the world's Creation, but an exact description of the manner how, and also all the effects of this Creation, so that that Chapter hath more divinity and philosophy in it then all the books of the wisest Heathens put together, and indeed whatsoever the Heathens have of Antiquity they have it from Moses, though they have added thereunto many foolish Fables; I shall add one pregnant Text to confirm this, Heb. 11.3. where the Apostle intending to commend faith in all the several effects of it, begins with this as the foundation, By faith we understand the worlds were made; There is much spoken by the Apostle in few words, 1. He saith, By faith we understand the world was made, for howsoever some Philosophers held the world was not from Eternity, yet those that did hold it was made, did grossly and foolishly mistake about the manner of it, and though by true Philosophy we may prove the world could not be from Eternity, yet the Word of God affirming this is the best Argument; Therefore faith is better than all reason and philosophy in this matter: Again he saith, By faith we understand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so that you see Faith hath knowledge in it, and is not as the Papists would have it to be defined by Ignorance, He that believeth knoweth, Therefore ignorant people have no faith because no knowledge▪ Hence it is 〈◊〉 faith and knowledge are so often put for one another. 3. He saith, We understand the worlds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number; Not that there are many worlds, but it's usual in Scripture to describe the world in the plural number, because of the many ages and revolutions that are in the world, one generation passing and another succeeding: 4. He saith were framed, This denoteth the excellent wisdom of God ordering all things therein, called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundus. 5. The manner how, not as Artificers make a house by handy labour but by the Word of his mouth only. And lastly, here is the matter of which, of things that did not appear, that is either of nothing, or else it's an allusion to Gen. 1.2. where the earth is said to be without form and void, darkness covered it; Thus, here is a noble description of the Original of the world.  
This being fully confirmed let us open the Doctrine. And  
1. Consider, That the Christian faith doth only clearly and fully inform us of the beginning of the world; It's an expression the Scripture hath often, Before the foundations of the earth were laid; As for those Philosophers called Peripatetics, whose Master was Aristotle, they generally affirmed the world was from Eternity, indeed it's doubted what Aristotle's mind was, but it's plain in his Topics, he makes this Proposition, whether the world be eternal, only a dialectical Problem, a Proposition that might be disputed either way, as having no certainty in it, and indeed how can it be otherwise, for that is a received Maxim with them, Ex nihilo nihil fit; This is the foundation of all their Philosophy, and therefore grant this, than the world could not be made, but how ignorant were the great and learned men in the world of God's power, that which the least babe almost in Christianity doth know; As for those disputes of some, who though they acknowledge de facto, that the world was created in time, yet question whether it was possible that it might have been from the beginning; It's a needless and unprofitable Question, What cause then have we to bless God for Scripture-light, when the great learning of the world, was wholly in darkness in this respect.  
2. Although Scripture be the surest and choicest argument, yet there are many convictions from reason likewise, 
2. From Reason.  that may convince men that it had a beginning.  
As in the first place, If it had been from Eternity so many thousands and thousands years would have been past, that we should have had some relics at least of some things done so long ago; whereas it's observed by the learned that even in all the heathen Antiquities, though they brag much yet they record nothing, that was done before the Flood; The utmost of their antiquity reacheth but to persons and things that were done since the Flood, and therefore Moses his History hath the most antiquity in it, Now if the world had been so many millions of years before, how comes there to be such a deep silence of all things done formerly, as for that of the Egyptians who speak of things done an hundred thousand years ago; Besides the fabulousnesse of that people, it's thought they accounted a year, but for a month, because the course of the Sun was not perfectly understood.  
2. This may convince the world had a beginning, because it could not make itself, and God was not a natural Agent necessitated to make it; For upon these two supposed grounds it might be thought, that the world had no beginning, and as for making itself thats plain, it could not, no more than an house, or a musical Instrument, or a Book; Hence it is that the Apostle Rom. 1. makes these creatures the Looking glass to represent the wisdom and power of God, and certainly the world had it made itself, would have given a more glorious being to all the parts thereof, so that it's plain it was limited in its nature and parts, as the author thereof pleased, and in the next place, God was not necessitated to make it; As the fire cannot but burn, as the Bee necessarily makes its curious honeycomb, so that although some have said, that as soon as the Sun is, so necessarily and immediately the Sun beams will be also, so as soon as God is, there must necessarily be a world, yet we must not conceive a less perfection in God then is in man, who is a free Agent, and works his effects of art, when he pleaseth; The Artificer is not necessitated to make a house, or a garment, then certainly much more must be allowed to God himself, who doth in heaven and in earth what he pleaseth, and this should satisfy those curious Questions why God made the world no sooner, what he did in that long imaginary time before the world was, the freedom of God and his absolute Sovereignty, with his infinite wisdom, may easily stop such mouths.  
3. To be from Eternity is the property of God, God only is eternal, and therefore no finite limited thing can thus be without a beginning; The world is finite in its number, it's but one world, whereas God might create more worlds as well as one; It's finite in nature, It's finite in its parts, It's finite in its use, and it's finite in duration; Hence all the Nations of the world comparatively to God are laid to be but as a drop, and as a little light dust, Isa. 40 15. Seeing therefore the world is not infinite, but is every way limited, it cannot be eternal; and this is the reason why we Christians should lift our hearts above the world, which had a beginning unto God, who is God from everlasting to everlasting.  
4. The world was not without beginning, but made in time, because it's corruptible; It's subject to a dissolution, Now what is without a beginning is without an end; If it had a beginning it's subject to an end, though God indeed may perpetuate it, as we see he doth Angels and Men; Now that the world is subject to destruction some have proved it from this, because there is a decay in nature; They say the very Sun and heavens have not that power and influence they had formerly, but I find learned men utterly disavowing such a Position, and they maintain that nature is still the same, and is as constant and powerful in operation as ever. Therefore from the Scripture we see clearly the corruptibility of it, Rom. 8. The whole Creation is said to be subject unto vanity and corruption, so that it groaneth for a freedom, and 2 Pet. 3. We have there a large description of the Funerals of the whole world, The heavens shall pass away with a noise, and the Elements with a burning heat, etc. Indeed the learned do dispute whether the world in all the choice parts of it shall suffer an utter abolition, or only a perfective alteration; But whatsoever it be, a wonderful change shall be made of it, and therefore the Apostle from this amazing dissolution, inferreth, Seeing these things shall be, what manner of persons ought we to be; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even to admiration; So that the consideration of the world's beginning, and so by consequence its end is not a cold bitten Subject, You may not sit, and run, or sleep, or wander in your hearts, but excellent practical Uses may be made thereof, and so we proceed to them, As  
Use 1 1. Did God make the world and that not from Eternity, but in time, about almost six thousand years ago, and no longer? Then here we see he made it not because he needed it, because he wanted it, for if it had been necessary to God, it would have been from Eternity, but now seeing there is such a vast distance between Eternity and the beginning of the world: It's plain that he made it not for his use but man's use; It was his goodness communicating himself to the creature, not any want of it: God then had been happy sufficient, and blessed, though he never had created any world, for by what reason he stayed so long and did not make the world, he might have stayed always; So that this serveth to magnify the glorious nature of God, that all the world with all the creatures therein make not at all to his happiness; They add not to him; All the obedience of Angels and men doth not profit God, This should teach us great humility even under our best and rarest duties: Think with thyself if God had never created me, if he had never given me any being, he would have been glorious howsoever, What then is my drop to this Ocean?  
Use 2 2. Did God give the world a beginning, whatsoever excellency, usefulness, and loveliness there is therein, Did it come wholly from God? then how might this raise us up to be with God, and set our hearts upon him that hath all this perfection eminently in him; Oh how unreasonable is it that we should delight in the world and not in God the Author of the world, if there be so much excellency in the creatures, what in the Creator? Therefore when the Psalmist speaks of all the Creatures in the world, he calls upon them to bless God; How foolish and vain did the wise men of the world become in their imaginations, when they robbed God of his divine glory, and gave it to the Sun and Stars, and such Idolatry do we commit in our affections, when we place them principally upon the creature and not on God himself: Oh check thyself, and say, Who gave this delight, this comfort, this usefulness to the creature, did not God? What delight then must be in the fountain or Ocean, if there be so much in a stream.  
Use 3 3. Did God create and make the world? then it's blasphemy and impudence to quarrel and repine at the things which are in the world; This hath been a great Objection with many, If God made the world, why are there any evil or troublesome things in it? How cometh it to be such a miserable wicked world? This made the Manichees hold there were two eternal principles, The one good, from which cometh all good things; The other bad, from which comes all the sins and miseries that are in the world, but you must know that the word world is used divers ways in Scripture, by which this Objection may be answered, Sometimes for the Fabric of the Universe with all the parts thereof, Sometimes for the wickedness that is, in the world, and for wicked men, because they are the greater part of the world: Now if we speak of the world in the latter sense, God did not make it so, Man wilfully sinning made it a wicked world, so that the wickedness of the world is not of God, but by man, as also death and hell is of man, God only inflicts them as just punishments upon ungodly offenders: And thus likewise all the miseries, pains and diseases that are in the world are by sin; The Ground was not cursed to bring forth nothing but briers and thorns till man had sinned; So that the Principles of evil were the Apostate Angels and Apostate man: Otherwise take we the world in an innocent sense, for the Fabric of it, with the Creatures therein, So it is wholly good and of God: Therefore Gen. 1. God is said to look over all that he had made, and they were very good: Every day's work was good, when they were put altogether, than they were very good, so that we are not to judge of every particular thing in the world by itself, but in its Harmony and Union, and so the world is like a curious piece of Arras or Tapestry, admirably showing the wisdom of the Creator: Basil thought that before Adam fell the Rose did grow without any pricks, and that there was no enmity between the creatures: The Wolf and the Sheep, the Lion and the Lamb, and the Leopard and the Kid did dwell together, etc. But whether this be so or no is yet disputed: Take heed of saying The world might have been better, and this thing or that might have been made more completely, this is to reproach God the Maker of it: As that wretched Alphonsus' King of Spain, who said, That had he been at the Creation of the world, he would have ordered it better than now it is.  
Use 4 4. Is God the Maker of the world? then it follows also he is the Preserver and governor of the world: This must necessarily follow, for the same power is required to preserve and govern as is to create; And as it is gross Athiesm to own any other Maker of the world but God, so also any other Governor or Ruler: Hence it is that God is so often, called the Judge of the world, that he is said to Reign, that the hearts of Kings even the chiefest powers in the world are in his hand, he can order them as he pleaseth; That it is not as men think, as they will or purpose, but as the Judge of the world; Faith in this Point while we live in this world is necessary; The Lord reigneth, let the world rejoice, Psa. 97.1. said David: And again, The Lord reigneth, let the world tremble, Psa. 99.1. There is matter of joy and matter of trembling because God governeth; Matter of joy to the godly, for he is a Supreme Ruler, who is their God, whose eye runneth up and down in their behalf, who keeps up the world for their sake, who takes care of every godly man so fully as if there were no creature else but he: And it's also of terror to wicked men, for God rules all, who is an holy, just, and righteous God, so that they must not think always to hold up their heads; They must not think God will be mocked, but he will do righteously in the world; For want of faith in this Point, we see David, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk, staggering exceedingly, ready to commend the ways of wickedness, because they seem more prosperous in the world.  
Use 5 5. Is God the Author of the world? Then let us make that use of this world for which God created it; As he had his holy and wise ends, so do thou aim at them:  
Now God's ends in creating the world were such as these,  
1. To demonstrate his own glory, Thus Psa. 19 The heavens show forth the glory of God, They discover his wisdom, his power, his goodness, and so there is not any one creature, though never so little but we are to admire the Creator in it; As a Chamber hung round about with Looking-glasses, represents the face upon every turn, Thus all the world doth the mercy and the bounty of God; Though that be visible, yet it discovers an invisible God and his invisible properties.  
2. God made this world so richly furnished for man's use; And therefore man is to be enlarged in the consideration of this matter; Think with thyself how comes there to be such a glorious Sun to wait on thee every day; How comes the earth every Spring to be so richly clothed for thy advantage; Is not all this of Gods appointing? He made a Summer and winter, he hath given the appointed works of the harvest, so that the world is nothing but God's storehouse, and great Granary that he hath given to man; This is so great a matter that the Psalmist cried out, Lord, what is man that thou art so mindful of him? Psa. 144.3. Thus Paul speaking of God the Creator of the world, Act. 17. amplifieth it in this, That he giveth us richly to enjoy all things.  
3. God made this world not for a d●elling place for thee, Thou art not to abide here for ever; He made the world as the Wilderness to the Israelites, They were to be Pilgrims in it, and to seek after Canaan: As Adam by his fault continued not in Paradise, so neither by reason of death was he long in the world; Therefore the Apostle saith, We have here no abiding City, Heb. 12. Oh than that we could remember to what end God made this world, not to place our hopes and utmost desires here, but to look upon this as the way, and heaven as our journey's end; But oh how much faith and heavenly mindedness is required of every one to perform this!  
Use 6 Use 6. Did God lay the Foundations of the world, and that in time, how greatly then are the people of God to be affected with his love in electing of them? for God chose them before the Foundations of the world, he loved them before the world was; This showeth the freeness of God's love, This manifests his absolute tender bowels to his Children; Alas his love to thee was not from yesterday, or so many years, but from Eternity: Doubt not then of the efficacy of this love in all the effects of it, He that hath chosen thee from Eternity, will call thee, will justify thee, will glorify thee, not that these are done from Eternity, only God purposed to do them in time: David would remember the kindnesses of the Lord that were of old, but how old is this goodness of God in choosing thee to eternal glory?  
Use 7 Lastly, Did God create the world out of nothing, and that in six days, such glorious Heavens and all other parts, from a dark Chaos and Abyss? then this may teach us to depend on God in all public straits of the Church, or all thy Personal Temptations; What a foolish thing was it in the people of Israel to say, Can God provide a Table in the Wilderness? Cannot he that made this great world of nothing do a less matter? This should be seriously thought of by thee when thou art dejected and overwhelmed, saying, How can this be, and how can that be? Say, O Lord, what low, unworthy thoughts have I of thee? Didst not thou create a world? and shall I say, How shall God help me in this distress? and for this reason is it that in the Psalms and Prophets Gods creating the world is often brought in as an argument to support the Children of God under all miseries, Fear not, God made the world.   

SERMON XXIX. Of Divine Knowledge, its Excellency and Rarity; Showing, That God is truly and properly known only by the Godly; And wherein their Knowledge of God differs from the Knowledge that others have of him.  JOH. 17.6. I have manifested thy Name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world, etc. 
THis sixth Verse begins the second main general part of Christ's Petition, for whereas before he had prayed for himself, now he begins to pray for his Disciples, as they were in a peculiar manner given to him, as afterwards he prayeth for all believers in the general, so that the words are a beginning of Christ's Petition in a peculiar manner, for the Apostles, for they needed much prayer and assistance who were to undertake so great a duty; These were set in the forefront of the Battle, These were called to labour in the heat of the day, therefore there is a peculiar prayer for them: Now that our Saviour's Petition may prevail, he first declareth what he had done to them, and 2. Their obedience to him in all things, what he had done to them is partly related in these words, I have manifested thy Name: wherein first observe the person or efficient cause spoken of, Christ manifested God's Name to his Diseiples, Therefore he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Christ is not to be considered only as a Mediator, in which none can imitate him but as a Minister or Prophet, The chief Shepherd, Heb. 13.20. as the Scripture calls him, and herein he discharged his duty in that he manifested and made known God to the world, which lay in ignorance, So that the Ministers duty is to bring people to know God, but of that in its time. 2. There is the action itself, of this person or efficient, I have manifested.  
There is a twofold manifestation,  
1. Objective, only in the external offer and proposal of the grace of God, not only to believers but to all the unbelieving Jews, but of this manifestation Christ doth not speak.  
2. There is a powerful effectual manifestation, such as begets knowledge of God and obedience unto his Word, and of this Christ speaks, and as for the former many have Christ and God outwardly manifested to them in the preaching of the Gospel, but they have no eyes to see; as the Sun though it shineth never so gloriously, yet the blind man receiveth no benefit by it.  
3. Here is the Object of this action, Thy Name; By Name is not meant the words or Titles given to God, as Adonai, Elohim, Jehovah, as the Rabbins call God Leohem, the Name; but by God's Name is meant his nature, his properties, and those relations, especially whereby he becomes a gracious Father through Christ to an humbled sinner.  
Lastly, Here is the Subject to whom Christ doth thus manifest God, and these are described,  
1. By their original and descent, God's gracious good will and pleasure, Whom thou gavest me.  
2. From the state or term out of which God then gave them, Out of the world.  
I shall put Christ's action and the Subject together at this time; Whereas then we see though Christ preached God and his properties to all that heard him, yet to none was God manifested but to believers: From whence we observe,  

Observe. That God is only and properly known by the godly.  That God is only truly and properly known by the godly; Let men have never such parts, knowledge, or understanding, and that in the Scriptures and Divinity, yet none know God, God is not manifested to any but to the godly; This may seem paradoxal and incredible, but yet the Scripture is very clear, at v. 25. The world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known thou hast sent me: Hence Joh. 14.21. you may see Christ's manifesting of himself is a privilege bestowed only upon those that love God, He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will manifest myself to him: This doth so affect one of the Disciples, that out of a sense of God's great goodness and grace to them rather than the world, he saith, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us rather than the world; What are we more than others; The world heard Christ preached, They saw his Miracles, but Christ was not manifested to them. Christ likewise Joh. 8.55. telleth the Pharisees who believed the Scriptures, and acknowledged one God Creator of the world, yea, and said, God was their God, that they did not know God; so that this truth will stand good, that men may have much knowledge in the Scriptures in Religion, and yet no● know God.  

Some knowledge of God may be had several ways.  To open this Consider, that several ways we may come to have some knowledge of God,  
1. By inward light of a natural conscience, There are imbred notions and dictates about a God, which all the wicked affections and lusts of men cannot wholly obscure, as the blackest clouds cannot quite darken the Sun; The Apostle Rom. 1. saith, God hath manifested this in them; There is then a natural manifestation of God in the consciences of men, whereby there is an horror and trembling upon them upon the committing of some evil, especially when the stroke of death is upon them: Oh the quakings, oh the confusions that are sometimes upon men, what will become of them? what shall they do? All this cometh from some general knowledge of a God.  
2. Men come to some knowledge of a God by tradition, education, and hearsay; There being no Nation so fierce and barbarous, but have told their Children of a God, and the Socinians who deny any inward light of nature about a God, do make this the only ground of such an apprehension, an universal tradition that is upon all; Now although this consent of all Nations be a great Testimony, yet the other is not to be excluded: If then all do acknowledge that there is a God, though there be different Religions, different opinions, yet both Heathen, Turk, Jew and Christian agree in this, the more inexcusable will all wicked men be who live in rebellion and disobedience to him.  
3. We come to know God by the Creatures; All that consider the world aright must needs argue some divine hand made it: The Apostle Rom. 1. instanceth in this also: Men by reason and science may argue from the effect to the cause, we see one man did not make himself, but he had a Father, and so that Father, a Father, and because there cannot be an infinite progress we must stay at one first cause, only you must know this Knowledge by the world is insufficient to salvation; Therefore it's a pernicious assertion of Venator the Remonstrant, that the Heathens they had the Light as it were of the Stars, The Jews of the Moon, The Christians of the Sun, and all might be saved by their respective Lights.  
4. God is manifested by the Scriptures in a common way of Light, Many men by an Historical faith believing the Scriptures, must also believe a God, for there is no such clear evidence any way as by that, and thus we may judge of most Christians, they know there is a God, they believe him to be, because the Word doth so fully affirm it.  
Lastly, There is a knowledge of God in a practical obedient way, so to know him as to fear him, to obey his Commandments, to walk humbly before him, 
Of true saving knowledge peculiar to the godly.  and to depend upon him, and this is the manifestation or knowledge the truly godly only have, and the number of these is very few, so that if you set aside those who know God only upon a natural conscience, or by education, or by a general historical Faith: The residue who know him by special illumination and sanctification, are like the gleaning after harvest, so that we may hence conclude that whatsoever parts, learning, understanding, men have in Religion, yet till inwardly sanctified they know not God; They are wholly estranged from him, They live without God in the world, Eph. 2. God is not in their thoughts, in their hearts, neither have they any enjoyment of him, Oh that we could make every Auditor sensible of this, I live in the world, I know much, I have great acquaintance, but yet am a stranger to God.  
Now these following particulars will plainly discover that the godly only do truly know God. 
Though many have some kind of knowledge of God. yet the godly only do truly know him.   
R. 1 First, Because though men have this speculative knowledge, yet they do not love him, and delight in him above all things; It's God's command that we should love him with all our heart, our minds and strength, yea, above Father, Mother, life, and every thing that is dear, Insomuch that the Scripture saith, Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more than God, Is it not because we do not know God? Had we clear manifestations of the goodness, excellency, and fullness that is in God, our whole heart would be ravished with him. As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven, they have an immediate vision of God, They behold him in this glorious beauty, and hence it is that they cannot sin, The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God, that they abhor all things that would divert from him; As the eye dazzled with the Beam-light of the Sun, cannot behold any thing else; As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury: As the Saints in heaven do thus, so the Saints on earth do in part, and in some good measure, They beholding the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the same Image; The more we know God as revealed in the word, the more our hearts pant after him, as you see David often manifesting the breaking of his heart after God; Well then by this you see that few know God, if they did, how could they leave the Ocean for a drop, how could they part with God for every fading creature? thy lusts, thy sins are more than God in thy thoughts and affections; Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Christ; The blind man doth not admire the glory of the Sun, because he cannot see it, ignoti nulla cupido.  
R. 2 2. No wicked man though never so great a Scholar knoweth God if he do not fear him, if he stands not in an holy awe and reverence of him, who would not fear thee, Isa. 10. O thou King of Nations, for to thee it appertaineth, and sanctify the Lord God, let him be your dread: Our Saviour likewise, Fear not them that can kill the body, Mat. 10.28. but I tell you whom you shall fear, etc. You see then that if we did rightly know God, how pure and just he is, how full of wrath and vengeance against impenitent sinners, we would cry out with Joseph upon every temptation, How can I do this and sin against God? I cannot, I dare not; Thus Paul, Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men, 2 Cor. 5.11. Did men know the greatness and the terror of God, the power and Majesty he is clothed with, That no sinner though never so great can stand before him any more than the stubble before the fire, That he can immediately raise hellish torments in thy conscience, That he can bid thee go out of this Church, a trembling Cain, a despairing Judas, Did (I say) People know this God to be so great, how could they riot it in all excess as they do? as our Saviour told the Woman, Joh. 4. If thou hadst known who it is that asked water of thee, thou wouldst have given him, Had you or did you know that the God whom you offend all the day long, is so great and terrible in Majesty, it would have been a stop to all thy bold impieties, but men know not God.  
R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are careful to obey his Commandments, and to walk in the way he requireth; 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him, and keep not his Commandments, we are liars, and abide not in the Truth: Their knowledge of God and a careful obedience to his commands cannot be separated; The Apostle saith, all others are but liars and hypocrites; Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath, wallow in the lusts of the flesh, Thou art a liar, thou dost not know God; Hence it followeth in my Text, I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples, and they have kept thy Word; Oh then never talk of thy knowledge, never speak of what thou readest, or what thou understandest, unless also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest, so that when we see any profane, wicked man endued with great parts, you may say, Lo, there is such an one, though he knoweth all Points in Religion; though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible, yet he knoweth nothing of God, for whereas God saith, Be not drunk with wine, etc. and Woe be to those that are strong to drink, yet every week if not every day he is drunk; Though God saith, Swear not at all, yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce, Oh that these things might enter into you; If you know God you would obey him, you would say, I dare not, I must not do this or that, God whom I know and serve commands the contrary; Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickedness in a Land, swearing, and whoring, and injustice, he saith, There is no Knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4.1.  
Argum. 4 4. The godly man only knoweth God because he only hath these gracious effects of God's grace upon his heart, he plainly feeleth God working in him; The wicked man knoweth God by the creatures and his works abroad but the godly knoweth him by the new creature and works of grace upon his heart, and this is the most excellent knowledge, when he knoweth God by the regeneration and sanctification of his nature, by his heavenly and gracious quickenings to holy duties, and against sin; If in regard of out natural life, we live, and move, and have our being in God, how much more in our supernatural life? Those know God indeed that feel those divine workings upon their souls; As Job before when God had humbled him said, I have heard of thee by the ear, but now my eye seeth thee, Job 42.5. So saith the godly, I have heard many Sermons of God but I never felt him till now, or as the Queen of Sheba who had heard much of the fame of Solomon, but when she came to be an eyewitness of it, than she was astonished and judged all her former apprehensions nothing; Thus it is with the truly sanctified, though you tell him what good parts, what Scripture understanding, what abilities in duties he had, Oh saith he, all that time I did not know God, I never knew him till these inward workings were upon me, I spoke of him as a man will do of some strange Country he had often heard of but never saw.  
Argum. 5 5. The true godly man only knoweth God, because he only hath communion and fellowship with him, he only is admitted into God's presence; All wicked men though never so knowing are at a great distance from God, They know not the light of his countenance, what it is to have the assurance of his favour, what to have those experimental sweetnesses of heart which flow from the enjoying of him, Therefore it's added in that of Joh. 18. I will manifest myself to him and come and sup with him; that is, God will give us a joyful cheerful familiar fellowship with himself, he will make known himself, as Joseph did at last to his brethren, God draweth nigh to them, and they to God, and this indeed is a choice way of knowing of God, when we know what it is to have his love shed in our hearts, when we hear God speaking peace to us, when it's not duties nor any religious performance, but God himself that the heart partakes of; Thus the Psalmist inviteth to taste and see how good God is, Psa. 34.8. Oh hast thou ever had this tasting and seeing? then thou knowest God comfortably; Now the ground of all this, is, because obedience, love, and fear are the end of all knowledge, therefore that knowledge which doth not obtain its end, is no knowledge, and hence the Scripture saith, If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them, Joh. 13.17. and generally the Scripture describeth wicked men by this, that they know not God, as Paul said of the Jews, If they had known Christ to be the God of glory, they would never have crucified him, 1 Cor. 2.5. Thus, did men know God as they ought, they could not think, and speak or live as they do.  
Use, Rest not in any kind of knowledge about God till it hath these effects on thee; 
Use.  Never judge thyself to know any thing of Religion till it hath thus transformed thee, till it be the acknowledgement of truth after godliness, but alas where are the persons, where is the Family, where are the people that know God? The ungodliness they live in, proclaim they know no such divine Majesty; Oh consider that God knoweth not thee likewise, with a knowledge of approbation, of omniscience he doth, and that will be thy confusion, but not of complacency; at the day of judgement he will say, Depart I know you not; Oh that we were such of whom it may be said, Their obedience, their pure and holy life, their delight and acquaintance with God manifests they know God, and then you will not die with such terror, with such fear, I go to him I have known, I go not to an unknown God.   

SERMON XXX. The Great End of the Ministry; And what should be the end of both Ministers and people in their Preaching and hearing.  JOH. 17.6. I have manifested thy Name to as many as thou hast given me out of the world. 
WE have considered the action or efficacy of the person or efficient, spoken of in the Text,  
We now come to consider the person himself, and that is Christ, who saith of himself, I have manifested thy Name; Christ speaks in this as he is the great Prophet, and chief Shepherd of our souls, for being entrusted with this office, he did faithfully discharge it, whoever reads over Christ's life, and seeth how laborious and diligent he was to bring men to the knowledge of God, and to save their souls, must needs say, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah went up and down more earnestly to save then the roaring Lion of hell is busy to destroy, Hence Joh. 4. while he is employed to bring home but one poor Sheep that was gone astray, the Woman of Samaria, he is so earnest in it that he forgets to eat his bread, and tells them his meat and drink was to do his Father's will, which was to declare the truth of God, and invite sinners to come in unto him, so than we see here, an excellent Precedent for all the Ministers of the Gospel to follow; As Christ was wholly in this, to make people know God, so ought they to be; In Christ's works of his Mediatorship, and of his Miracles, we may not imitate him, we cannot, but in this of his labour and tender love to men's souls, we are bound to follow him.  

Observe.  Obs. That the end of the Ministry and Ministers should be to bring people to the knowledge of God, to the saving knowledge of Christ; Thus Paul exceeded the Heathen Hercules in his manifold labours to this purpose, especially see what a divine profession he makes to them of Ephisus, Act. 20.26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men; Here we see there is a soul-murder as well as a body, and the Ministers of the Gospel are to keep themselves pure from that, for if the blood of Abel's body crieth aloud, what outcries will the blood of people's souls make? Now Paul kept himself thus pure by declaring unto them all the Counsel of God, so that if we would do our duty we must be Lights shining upon the understandings of men, that they may know, believe in, and obey God; And so Paul again at large, 1 The. 2. There his very heart flameth out into affectionate words for their salvation; The end then of our Preaching and of your hearing should be to have God manifested to your souls, how apt are both Ministers and people to fail of this great and necessary end; To open the doctrine, you may take notice that as the Logicians speak of a twofold end, Finis operis and Finis operantis, the end of the worker, and the end of the works, as the end of the house built, is to dwell in it; The end of the Artificer who built is to have wherewith to maintain himself and his Family, so it's in the Preaching of the Word, There is the end of the Ministry itself as appointed by God, and of the Minister who preacheth; Now indeed there should be always the same end of both, The Minister should aim at that end for which the Ministry is appointed, viz. to enlighten men, to bring them to a saving knowledge of God, but such are men's corruptions that they many times take the office only for ambition or earthly advantages; They preach that they may live, they live not that they may preach; It's therefore a dangerous thing for a Minister of Christ to propound any other end principally at least but what is the end of the Ministry, and that is wholly spiritual, to be able to say, Behold here I am and the spiritual Children thou hast given me.  
2. As the end of the Ministry is thus to bring light in the world, so the end of all people that enjoy a Ministry in all their hearing and coming to Church ought to be thus likewise: As the Minister sins greatly if he preacheth to advance his parts, his Name, to humour people in their sins, so do the people sin dangerously if they come out of formality and custom, or if they come to have the ear and fancy pleased but attend not at all to the saving knowledge of God; Oh thou foolish and vain man, thou makest not a good use or improvement of the Minister till it hath thus wrought upon thee; Therefore the Ignorance and profaneness of most men, proclaimeth that they never made a right use of one Sabbath or one Sermon all their life time, though they have heard many; Oh then that every Sabbath day you would put this question, To what end am I going to the public Assembly? Why go I to hear the Word preached? If I do not attain to the end I lose my labour; Is it not the end of preaching and the end of hearing to deliver me from my former Ignorance, my former lusts; how then comes it about that I am still as I was? It is because I do not consider the end of these things.  
Now the grounds why the Ministers end should be in all Preaching to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God, are very weighty. 
Why the Ministers end in Preaching should be to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God.   
First, From the necessity of this end, which is in divers respects, We are to press people to the right knowledge of God, because  
R. 1 1. All by nature are ignorant of God; They are in darkness, They have no understanding to do good; Hence it is that Christ and the Word as also the Ministers are called a light, because they like the Sun are able to remove the night of Ignorance. Seeing then we are all by nature Bats and Owls not enduring the Light of the Sun; Seeing then we have innate darkness, 
From the necessity of it.  and much voluntary blindness upon our minds, oh how diligent should the Ministers of the Gospel be to bring this light into people's hearts; Therefore our Saviour makes this the condemnation, the great cause of condemnation, That light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, Joh. 3. If then people did think they had a thick cloud upon their hearts, or a vail upon their eyes, how careful would they be to attend upon the Word preached, that they might of darkness become light in the Lord.  
2. There is a necessity of attending to this end, if you consider the averseness and unwillingness that is in men to get this knowledge; How many say with those in Job, Let the knowledge of the most High depart from us, Job 21.14. that when they are invited have this lust or that sin, this or that worldly advantage to look after; How many when wisdom crieth aloud do yet with the simple one pass by to their destruction; The Prophets and the Apostles all along complained of this wretched disposition, that their hearers had a deaf ear, a stiff neck, and a rebellious heart, and thus it will be to the world's end; Men whose ways are evil, and they delight in them, will hate the light, will run from that Word which always speaks terrible things against them; Have not then the Ministers of the Gospel need to stir up themselves, to use all holy violence, when there is such a general contrariety in all people against the saving knowledge of God and his way; That as the wild beasts hide themselves in their dens, when the Sun begins to arise, So do wicked men cover and shelter themselves, that the beams of the glorious Word of God may not shine into their dark hearts; Men know that powerful Preaching and their wicked lives cannot agree together, oh they know that God and his Word are wholly against their conversation, Therefore they will not know or understand lest they should be converted; All wicked men are as unwillingly brought out of their sins as the Israelites out of Egypt, Let out of Sodom, unless they be even driven or forced out they will not move.  
3. There is a necessity of pressing the Knowledge of God, because of the horrible negligence and laziness that is in most men; There being very few that will take pains to get the knowledge of God and his way; Though Solomon useth so many arguments that we should seek and dig for this knowledge, more than for silver or gold, Pro. 3▪ That we are to say unto her, She is our Mother and Sister, yet the things of the world, the profits hereof do wholly divert; and whereas Heathens have taken such excessive pains to get humane knowledge, we stir not for divine knowledge; This sluggishness in men in Families, whereby they will not take time that young and old may come to the knowledge of God, is an universal reigning sin.  
4. The necessity of pressing this ariseth in that there is no salvation or eternal happiness without the knowledge of God; This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God; He would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. Oh then for people to come to the knowledge of God is more necessary then to eat or to live, or to get any earthly profit; Oh then that both Ministers and people might be more zealous in this work, for both must work together; let the Minister of God, be never so laborious, so active, yet if you are careless there cannot come any good; and if a people be willing and ready, and yet they have blind guides, still the work is not done; Therefore let both set their hands to this, Let Ministers teach, Let people hear, Let Ministers instruct, Let people come with obedient ears, otherwise though thou livest under the glorious light of the Gospel, yet thy wickedness and carelessness will make thee get no good; Thou wilt die and perish, though the Prophets have been amongst you.  
R. 2 2. The end of the Ministry is to bring men to the knowledge of God in a saving way, 
Because of the nature and properties of it.  because of the nature and property of it, which is wholly supernatural; The Word is commanded to be preached not for any natural or civil ends, but spiritual and supernatural; When they followed Christ because of the Loaves, it was a low and unworthy motive; It should have been because of their souls, and because of the bread of life to feed their souls; If thou regardest a Ministry or comest to hear, for any other end but divine and supernatural; If it be for custom or to keep up thy good repute amongst men, this is to be carnal; this is to be a worm and no Christian, for God hath given these Officers to the Church, and commanded a diligent dispensation therein for sublime and holy ends, to enlighten thy mind, to soften thy heart, to spiritualise thy affections, to reform thy life, even to polish and preserve thee, that thou mayst be a stone of glory in the heavenly Jerusalem; Say then, thou dost nothing if this supernatural improvement be not made of it; Thus also it is for the Preacher, if he preach to show his Learning, to make himself admired, to satisfy any corrupt end, This is also low and unworthy; Malo ut me reprehendant grammatici, quam non intelligant populi, yet oh how prone are corrupt and insincere motives to creep in, few being able to say with Paul, That they handle the Word of God sincerely as of God, and in the presence of God; Let then the nature of the work raise up our hearts, it's sublime and supernatural in its use; It's holy merchandizing or trading for men's souls, and therefore so often called by that glorious Title.  
R. 3 3. The Ministers of the Gospel are to urge this, because of the dignity and excellency of the work, To bring men to the saving knowledge of God is a noble employment, a work for Angels to do; The great Rulers and powers in the world they do but order the body and the outward man, but this work is to enlighten the soul, and to make it fit for the enjoyment of God; This made Paul so often rejoice in and bless God that he had chosen him a vessel to make known the Name of God, We are a sweet savour unto God, saith the Apostle; We are the precious Apothecaries that open the sweet box of the Gospel, Hence it is that the Apostle exhorts people to honour and to have the Ministers of the Gospel in high esteem, and why? for their works sake; 1 The. 5.13. Their teaching and guiding of you in the way to heaven is that great work for which you are to esteem them, if to direct a Traveller that is far out of the way into a ready path, be so acceptable a work, what is it then to inform people who are going securely and joyfully in the broad way to hell, of the danger herein, and to direct to the way of life? If then it be so excellent, mind this in the first place; Oh say, what a wretch am I who know the way to my own house, but not to my long home! I know how to buy and sell, but I know not how to enjoy God.  
R. 4 4. We are to insist on this end because of the difficulty and great opposition that is in the work; For  
1. The devil by his Instruments endeavours to keep men in darkness; All those black cloudy times which have been upon the Church brought in Idolatrous Superstition and profaneness, insomuch that the devil reigned almost within the Church as much as without, his Kingdom was not more promoted by those without then those within; No wonder then if such opposition hath always been against times of light and times of Reformation, because the bright shining of the Gospel doth immediately destroy Satan's dominion, as when our Saviour sent his Apostles to preach, he said, he saw Satan fall from heaven like lighening, Luk. 10.18. and who can bewail that Ignorance which did overflow in the time of Popery, The Sun of the Gospel being then in a constant eclipse, and howsoever learning of itself is either used well or ill, as the Subject is who hath it, yet in the general, Learning is a special means to preserve and convey the true knowledge of God, for the Apostle saith, The unstable and unlearned wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, 2 Pet. 3.18. So that in some sense we may take up that allegory of Philo, Sarah cannot have children without the help of Hagar, i. e. The doctrine and knowledge of God is not propagated without the help of humane Learning especially the tongues and arts; Therefore it's required of the Minister of God, that he should rebuke with all doctrine, and to be able to convince the gainsayers, and to divide the Word of God aright, which can never be done without learning, so that you see the difficulty of it in respect of the opposition.  
2. The difficulty doth arise in that the true doctrine and knowledge of God is hardly obtained, for there must be constant study in the Word of God, daily prayer unto God to be led into the Truth; There must be a godly use of all the means God hath appointed to get this knowledge; Hence the Scripture doth foretell of such as shall arise even from the Church, and shall speak perverse things, men of corrupt minds, yea, many shall bring in damnable heresies, that they shall have much craft, much seeming piety, that if it were possible they would deceive the very Elect, Mat. 26. So that you see how difficult it is even for the Ministers of the Gospel to find out the Truth▪ how many think they teach you the way to heaven and lead you to hell? Doth not the Papist, Doth not the Socinian, Doth not every heretic say, None teacheth with the true knowledge of God as they do? yea, and they may be strongly persuaded of this, for the Apostle speaks of many that are delivered up to believe a lie, 2 Thes. 2.11. So that it's of infinite concernment for people to have such guides that do not give them poison in stead of food: Would the Scripture have said, Mar. 4.26. Take heed how you hear, and what you hear, if there had not been such danger in hearing. 3. It's difficult because of the hearers, Every man naturally is so corrupt that he loveth error, and will sooner close with any false doctrine than the true; You see the Apostle complaining what applause the false Teachers had, Oh saith he, You suffer if a man smites you, 2 Cor. 11.20. If a man wrong you, that is, if false Teachers were never so tyrannical, though they did abuse them, and kept them under, yet they could like them well enough, but they could not abide the Apostles carriage, though his severity was mingled with much meekness, and thus it is always, any error, any false way, is more pleasing to corrupt men then the truth; and hence it hath many followers: People will run out to see, to gaze, and hear some new thing; If a man be a dwarf or a giant, every one will run to see him, but not the man of ordinary stature:  
Use, Is this the end of the Ministry, of all our labour and preaching, to bring you to the saving knowledge of God? Oh then may we not take up the Prophet's complaint, That we labour in vain, the bellows is burnt, the lead is consumed, but the reprobate silver is not purged away, Jer. 6.27. Do not many Families and persons proclaim they know not God, for in this it is seen, that they call not upon God, there are no Family-duties, no worshipping of him, whereas our houses should be like the Temple of the Lord, they are slies of sin rather: Christ is to come in flaming vengeance against those that know not God; May not the Ministers of God cry with Isaiah, Isa. 6.5. Woe be to us we dwell among men of polluted lips and lives: It's a Woe to dwell there, Isaiah was much affected with it.   

SERMON XXXI. That God's People are not of (though in) this world; Wherein is also showed the vast difference between them and the men of the world.  JOH. 17.5. I have manifested thy Name to those that thou gavest me out of the world. 
THE next thing considerable is, The description of the Subject, about which Christ did thus employ himself, and they are set out  
1. From their original descent, and heavenly rise, These God hath given Christ, but of this we have already treated, and shall say more before we come to the end of the Chapter, it being often repeated.  
2. From the term from which, they are given out of the world, They are given to Christ out of the world.  
The Scripture in this Chapter makes a distinction of being in the world, and of the world; The people of God, even as Christ himself and his Kingdom are in the world, but they are not of the world; As a Stranger in a foreign Country, he is in that Country but not of it; he hath not the nature, the Language, nor doth he accustom himself to the fashion of that place, Thus it is with the godly, Though they are born and so live in the world, yet their natures and affections, and conversations are not worldly; As the Fowls that were at first created out of the water yet did not continue there but flew up to heaven and continue for the most part there; As clouds though of the earth, yet are carried about after the motions of the heavens; They are not then given out of the world, so as if every good man were presently upon his godliness removed out of this earth to heaven; but in respect of their nature, affections, and conversation; 
The several significations of the word world in Scripture.  localiter they are not but in respect of heart and affections, in which sense Paul said he was crucified to the world and the world to him, Gal. 6.14. Now you must know that the word world hath several significations in Scriptures, Est mundus cujus Deus est creator, est mundus cujus Deus est redemptor, est mundus cujus Satan est seductor; Sometimes it is taken for the whole Fabric and Universe, with the parts thereof, as when the world is said to be made by God, and Christ a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. Sometimes it's taken for the greater part of the world, as they said all the world did run after Christ, or the world said to be taxed by Augustus, Luk. 2.1. Sometimes for the power, riches, pleasures and glory of the world, but then most commonly for the wicked men of the world; Thus often by John, The world hath not known thee, if ye were of the world the world would love you, and now wicked men are called the world because their whole heart and desires are fixed on worldly things; No worms, no Moles delighting more in earthly things than they do, and therefore they are the Serpent's seed which live on the dust of the earth: And then they are called the world, because they are the far greater visible and more flourishing part of the world; Alas take these that are godly and they are but a despicable and contemptible handful to those that ruffle it in the world.  

Doct. That the people of God are called out of the world.  Obs. That the people of God they are called out of the world; He that is truly godly is no more a man of this world, as we say of a dying man, he is not for this world, his heart, his thoughts, his desires are quite taken off; Thus the godly are said to be dead and crucified to the world, Gal. 6.14. They have not those carnal worldly affections and dispositions as formerly, and from hence the people of God are called Ecclesia, the Church, as much as persons called out of the world, not bodily but in respect of their souls, and hence the world and the Church is opposed, 1 Cor. 5.10. The Fornicators of this world, in opposition to the Church, so that by this we see there is none in the Church of God, but they should have renounced the ways, customs, and sins of the world; To be a Christian and yet of the world is a contradiction, as if we should say a black Sun; yet how is the garden of God made a Wilderness? how is the Church become the world? So much profaneness, wickedness, and carnal living as there is, so much of the world there is; Oh that men did consider what an holy obligation their Christianity brings upon them, Art thou a Christian, and yet the drunkard of the world? the fornicator of the world, the proud, the earthly of the world, this ought not to be, no more than the Angel a worm, no more than a Star a clod of earth; The Apostle calls those of the world without, What have we to do to judge those that are without? 1 Cor. 5, ult. but those of the Church within; Oh but how many ●●e● within, according to Christ's Rule ought to be turned out of Christ's sheepfold.  

Demonstrations of the Point.  To illustrate this necessary Truth let us observe those demonstrations or discoveries whereby it may appear that the godly are not of the world.  
And first, This makes it manifest because they have not the Spirit of the world but of God, 1 Cor. 2.12.  

They have not the Spirit of the world. The Spirit of the world what.  Now what is the Spirit of the world, even a judgement and wisdom to discern only worldly things, to see the necessity of them, the excellency of them; To be wholly affected with them, To meditate on them day and night; But the godly they have received the Spirit of God whereby they savour and discern spiritual things; They have hearts always depending upon God, and they have hearts wholly fixed and placed upon God, They see incomparable excellency in heavenly things above all earthly; They say with David, My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to God at all times, Psa. 119.20. They cry out, As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, so do our souls after thee O God, Psa. 41.1. Thus when God calleth a man out of the world he giveth him another Spirit, even an heavenly heart, he was a beast before, now he is like an Angel; He did formerly no more understand or discern spiritual things than the deaf ear doth melodious sounds; They were a wearisomeness, a burden to him, but now they are his delight.  

They walk not after the rudiments of the world.  Secondly, They are not of this world because they walk not after the rudiments or elements of the world, Col. 2.8, 20. The Apostle there showeth how inconsistent such a life is with an heavenly life, When we are risen with Christ; Now what are those Elements of the world, Even all such principles of Religion as men by humane and carnal wisdom take up to worship God by; He calls them Elements or principles, because the Jews made their traditional worship, the very foundation and beginning of all, as if godliness were not able to consist it, and Elements of the world, because men by humane wisdom without the Scripture do press them and do not walk by the light of God's Word; This than is an excellent discovery that we are not of the world, when in the matters of Religion especially in our worship of God, and the way of our justification, we are not carried by the principles of a worldly Religion but by divine direction, when we do not worship God according to custom, to universality and such rudiments of the world as most do; The Pagan, the Papist discovers a very worldly Spirit in his Religion, being able to say no more for it then Heathens have done, and so in the matters of justification; They say but very little more than Aristotle and the Philosophers of the world have done about righteousness, whereas the righteousness and grace of the Gospel is wholly different from such principles, manifest then by thy adoration of the fullness of the Scripture, and sufficiency thereof, that thy religion, thy worship, thy hopes of salvation are not merely upon worldly principles, and not supernatural.  
Thirdly, The godly man is discovered not to be of the world, by his constant life and conversation; He doth not live as one that takes this world for his home, 
He lives not as others do.  They declare by their words and actions they seek for another Country, Heb. 11. As the Israelites were to manifest the Wilderness was not a place for them to abide in but Canaan: Hence Rom. 12.1. They are not conformed to the fashion of this world, They are as Pilgrims and Strangers, They are in the world as bright Stars in a dark night, so that this doth necessarily imply a singularity and exactness in the godly man's life comparatively to the world; Men of the world are proud, earthly, brutish, running into all pleasures, and following all excess of riot, but they dare not do so, so that there cannot be a surer symptom that thou art still of the world then by speaking, doing, and living as most in the world do, 2 Pet. 3.6, Even those that have but a common bare profession of the Christian faith are said to escape the pollutions of the world; Though Godliness should not have a deep impression on you, though it should not go to the root and bottom, yet if it hath made any impression at all, if it hath gone but to the skin, if you have heard of it but by the ear only, it should make thee avoid such pollutions, Jam. 1.17. What saith the Apostle James, Pure Religion is to keep a man unspotted from the world; Pure Religion; There is a generation of devils rather than men that mock and deride at purity; Thus the Apostle saith there must be a pure Religion, and this pure Religion is to keep us unspotted from the world; That doth imply the world to be some loathsome noisome dunghill, that a man cannot be in it, but he is ready to get soil and filth upon him; how many trust to sin, come and do as we do, will you be so pure? but whether will you believe the Word of God or the devil tempting by such beastly Instruments?  
Fourthly, He is discovered not to be off the world because he is principally taken up with heavenly privileges, Jam. 4.4. The friendship of this world is enmity against God; and 1 Joh. 2.15. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him; It's as impossible a man that is godly should be of the world in this sense, as it is for Doves to be Moles, they cannot live by digging into the earth; Hence the godly man is said to be born of God, he is said to be heavenly, to be from above, to he risen with Christ, to sit in heavenly places, to have his Conversation in heaven; These are the noble descriptions of the godly man, so that though they use the world, and discharge their Relations therein, yet they are not overcome by the world; They have the world, the world hath not them; Oh how close may this discovery be, for there are many who escape the pollutions of the world, and yet are worldly: The third kind of hearers did not only cast off all profaneness, but made some great progress in obedience to the Word, but the love of the world and the cares about it choked all; Did not Judas appear as eminently for Christ as any at first? but the love of the world discovered his rottenness; Did not Demas get approbation, and that by Paul himself? yet at last he did cleave to this present world, so that not only profaneness but immoderate, earthly and worldly affections; These are inconsistent with the power of grace; The world is not only the profaneness thereof, but the immoderate and excessive affections to the lawful things of the world; Our Saviour doth not say, He that loveth his sins or his lusts more than me, but he that loveth his Father, wife, or life itself more than me is not worthy of me, Mat. 10.37. See then the difficulty of grace and tremble under it, Thou hast with much ado quit thy former sins, but do not the inordinate affections about lawful things still ensnare thee? Dost thou buy as if thou boughtest not? Dost thou marry as if thou marriedst not? 1 Cor. 7. Art thou rich as if thou wert not? That is, thou usest these things as comforts against thy necessities, not as Masters over thy affections.  
Fifthly, In this it's apparent they are not of the world because the world hateth them, and is wholly opposite to them, Joh 17.14. Because they are not of the world therefore that hateth them, If they were of the world the world would love his own; and 1 Joh. 4.5. They that are of the world speak of the world, and the world heareth them; There cannot be a better discovery than this, The world knoweth his own, Let a man be a wise worldly man that matters not religion, that regards not the power of godliness, nor strictness; Such a man this world adoreth; But if a man be never so wise, so excellent, yet if powerfully godly will not conform to the evil ways of the world, this marreth all; This makes him envied and hated; Who art thou then that hast some desires to walk in the way to heaven, but the opposition, the hatred and violence that is used against that way makes thee draw back? Oh foolish and deluded wretch, was it not thus with Christ, with his Apostles? Were they not told they should be hated of all men for his Names sake? There cannot be a more comfortable sign of thy grace then to have all the wicked men where thou livest, either thy hypocritical Friends, or thy open enemies; Jerome thanked God that he was worthy to be such an one whom the world would hate; The Serpent's Seed cannot love the Woman's; Ishmael will persecute Isaac, glory therefore and boast in this, if the malicious wicked man hath his mouth always open against thee, If he be always censuring and backbiting; For if thou wouldst be profane, dissolute, if thou wouldst be a Minister to prostitute the Ordinances of God to every profane man, thou wouldst be as good as any in the world but now it's not for thy infirmities but thy graces they malice thee.  
Sixthly, They are not of this world because they are members of Christ and incorporated into him; Now Christ himself was not of this world, nor was his Kingdom of this world, Joh. 18.36. he came not with any earthly, worldly advantages; Now the godly they are to be wholly conformed unto Christ; As Christ was so are they, They bear the Image of the heavenly, so that what life, what actions were by Christ the same they are exercised in, so that if we would follow the example of Christ, make him our pattern, as our Christianity obligeth us, than should we overcome the world, not only in the persecuting part of it, but the enticing part of it: The heart that is united to Christ finds more excellency and sweetness in him then in all the pleasures of the world, as we see by Paul.  
Lastly, They are discovered not to be of the world because their life is a life of faith; The Just shall live by Faith, Rom. 1.17. We walk by faith and not by sense, 2 Cor. 5.7. Now a worldly life is only by sense and carnal reason; It moveth only upon sensible grounds, coming as far short of faith as a beast doth of reason, but the godly man, he looketh into the Word of God, he seeth the promises and embraceth them; This life of faith is a mystery, it is a Riddle, yea, it's a madness to the world, To part with all present advantages upon faith for eternal, that are to come; this is to them extreme folly, and truly herein a godly man is discovered exceedingly, Doth he not live by his sensible props but by the Promises? Doth he overlook all creatures, and fix his heart upon God, this is more than the world doth?  
If you ask the grounds why the people of God are out of the world though in it; There are three pregnant Reasons in one verse, Gal. 1.4. 
Reasons.  Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world: Observe first, it's an evil wicked world, The whole world lieth in wickedness saith John, 1 Joh. 5.19. There is nothing but the works of sin, and the devil in it, therefore the devil is called the Prince of this world, Joh. 16.11. because he reigneth in every man's heart; Now how can those whose natures are made holy, who will and love what God wils and loveth, come to agree with sin? how can they who are sanctified by the Spirit of God be where the devil ruleth? 2. It's the present world; It's but for the present, the profits are present profits, the pleasures are present pleasures, whereas the godly man looketh to Eternity; D●mas cleaveth to the present world, 2 Tim. 4.10. but Paul to the eternal world, the world to come. 2. Christ died that we might be delivered from it, This is a pregnant reason, one main reason of the death of Christ was that thou shouldst not be as the world is, if the shortness and vanity of these things and their fading nature do not move thee, let the blood and death of Christ prevail with thee; He was crucified that thou shouldst be crucified to the world, he died that thou shouldst be dead to the world.  
Use of Exhortation, To come out of the world in respect of your affections and conversations, you cannot abide there no more than Let in Sodom, and be saved, yet, are not the greatest part of men, of the Church, thus of the world? Oh how unworthy is this, that whereas thy Christianity, thy Religion engageth thee not to be of the world, thy conversation proveth thou art; Well, as thou art of this world, so shalt thou perish with the judgements of the world; That lieth in darkness, and will be cast in utter darkness, this will be thy Portion, and know thou must go out of the place of the world though thou wilt not out of the wickedness of the world, the world cannot, will not hold thee always.   

SERMON XXXII. Of the peculiar Propriety God's People have in him and he in them.  JOH. 17.6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy Word. 
THE former part of this Verse related Christ's care and work to his Disciple, This latter part giveth a description of them, and all particulars therein are very argumentative to prevail, that God should hear prayer for them:  
Now here is a threefold description of them, wherein indeed is laid down divinely the Cause of man's Salvation, with the effects flowing from it.  
The two Causes are these,  
1. The Eternal Election and absolute purpose of God to save such, Thine they were.  
2. The meritorious cause in and by which all the mercies they are elected to, are obtained, and that is Christ, Thou hast given them me, viz. as a Mediator.  
3. The blessed effects of these causes, that are hidden, or at least every one may pretend to them, but this is a discovering sign that excludeth many, They have kept thy Word.  
At this time I shall treat only of the first cause, which indeed may be called causa causae, the cause of all causes of our Salvation, and that is God's Election or gracious purpose to take some out of mankind, and to make them his in a peculiar manner.  

How many ways a people may be said to be Gods.  For a people may be said to be Gods divers ways,  
1. By right of Creation and dominion which he hath thereby, and so all things are his, Psa. 69.11. Both the reprobate and the godly are his in this sense, it's impossible but that every creature should be his because he cannot alienate his dominion and property  
2. A people may be said to be his by an outward dispensation of the Covenant of grace, Thus the people of the Jews are all of them called his people, because they were under an outward administration of grace, when other Nations of the world were not so.  
Lastly, A people are his by Election and the gracious effects thereof, and so only those that are the true Disciples of Christ are his, and in this sense it's said, Thine they are and they have kept thy Word, which cannot be understood of Judas, for he perfidiously forsook Christ.  
Doct. That the truly godly are God's people in a peculiar manner; 
Doct. That the godly are God's people in a peculiar manner.  They have an endeared propriety in God, They may say with David, Psa. 119.94. I am thine, save me; This propriety is the ground of all comfort, of all boldness at the Throne of grace; I am thine, pardon me; I am thine, sanctify me; I am thine, leave me not.  
To open this Consider the distinction before premised, 
Consider,  That we may be said to be the Lords, either generally by right of Creation and his absolute Sovereignty; or 2. Peculiarly in a gracious manner: In the former sense all mankind is said to be in God's hand as the clay in the hand of the Potter. so that if God from wise and most righteous ends have chosen some and left others in their damnable estate, if we cannot say that all are by God's Election and Christ's by the execution of it, yet we have no cause to grudge or repine, because all are Gods, to dispose of at his pleasure; For although his holy and righteous nature is the cause that he cannot do any thing that is evil or unjust, yet the dominion and sovereignty he hath may make him dispose of all things as he pleaseth, and if the Apostle in matters of Election and Reprobation doth urge this to stifle man's presumption, how much more may it hold in inferior things, if God deny thee this or that mercy and giveth it to others, who art thou (O man) that arguest against God? We are his to be disposed of as he pleaseth:  
But 2. That which we are now to, speak to is the propriety and right God hath in some more than in others by his grace and mere love; Alas the former propriety argueth no comfort, the damned in hell, yea, the very devils may plead the former; Lord, we are thine by creation and dominion, but that is no ground of comfort, only this latter is an unanswerable argument, God himself cannot deny this, when we can pray, Lord, we are thine by thy peculiar grace and purpose of love, We did not of ourselves become thus, it was thy goodness to make us thy own; It was free for thee to have done with us as thou pleasest, but now we are thine, it belongs to thee to save thy own.  
Secondly, This right and propriety is mutually reciprocal; God is theirs and they are Gods, only God's propriety in them is the cause of their propriety in God, You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, saith Christ, Joh. 15.16. So that this is very comfortable to observe, that this right is mutual, God is their God, and they are his people, God challengeth them as his, and they may claim God as theirs▪ as you see the Covenant of grace runneth reciprocally, I will be their God and they shall be my people, Jer. 31.33. this is expressed under those similitudes of a Vine and a branch, of an husband and a Wife; The wife hath power over and right to her husband as well as the Husband to the Wife, The Vine hath a relation to the branches as well as the branches to the Vine, only as the good of the branch lieth in being in the Vine, but the Vine doth not fetch succour from the branch; So it's here, we are the Lords and the Lord is ours, only the Lord hath no advantage, nor hath he any good in that we are his, but the cause of our happiness is that he is ours, so then let the people of God know, that the ground and rise of all their spiritual advantage is because God hath a propriety in them, not so much because they have a propriety in God; It's because God loveth them, God will not lose what is his, that they are preserved from sin and hell; Indeed till we be actually Gods by believing, though we be his by Election, yet we cannot make use of our Interest; That is hidden and secret; Paul though he was the Lords by Election before the foundations of the world, yet till brought home, till believing, he cannot say, the Lord is his, Therefore till God be ours both by Election and the saving effects of it, we cannot say, I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine, Cant. 2.16.  
Therefore Thirdly, Our comfort and joy lieth in the discovery of our propriety and interest in God; for though we be his, yet if we believe it not, it is as if we did not belong to him; It's said, David encouraged himself in his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. The evidence of his propriety was his encouragement, and Paul acknowledgeth an appropiration, when speaking of Christ, he said, Who loved me and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. Hence it is that our Saviour upon his departure out of the world doth so fully inform his Disciples, that he will be theirs still though he bodily leaveth them; That the propriety and interest they have in him is not taken away; Hence also it is that an elected man while unconverted, can take no more comfort from God or his promise then a reprobate, because as yet his propriety is not evidenced; As yet there is no ground of any claim or holy boldness at the Throne of grace, Therefore it's a main duty of the people of God to study this Point above all, viz. their propriety in God, Am I the Lords or no? It's not impossible to find out the truth of this, though Satan and our hearts are very much tempting to the contrary; there are few that can escape the storms and tempests that arise in this matter, and quietly anchor their souls on God.  
Fourthly, There are two special and eminent causes of our being the Lords treasure and peculiar people; The one is the Lords power and might, the other his infinite grace and love; That which is the Sun and giveth heat and warmth more especially, is the mercy and love of God, for we by sin though we could not make ourselves no creatures of his, so that he should not destroy or damn us, yet we made ourselves no children of his, we cast ourselves out of his favour, of a loving Father we made him an enraged enemy. and so accordingly we pulled down all vengeance upon our heads, we forfeited every mercy we know not the least drop of comfort that belongs unto us, but all the curses of God threatened in his Law, this and no other could we expect, we ere no more the Lords than the devils and damned in hell; Therefore it was the mere goodness of God not to cast us off, but to make us his a second time upon better Covenants of mercy, so that if any soul comes to know this, that he is now the Lords, he hath cause with astonishment and amazement to fall down and admite the grace of God, we did not make ourselves his, we could not become his people of our own strength.  
2. There was the power of God also greatly discovered, for seeing by sin we become the devils, and he had a right to us, he is the god of the world, and he rules in the hearts of those that are disobedient, Eph. 2. seeing I say he is their Father and they are of him, and his works they do, it's impossible we should be recovered out of his hands, till God who is stronger than he sets us free; As our Saviour implieth in that Parable, when a strong man keepeth the house all things are quiet, till a stronger than he cometh, Luk. 11.22. It was not then in the power of Man or Angels to expedite himself out of that bondage and slavery, till God did wonderfully show his power, and as it was not in their power, so neither in their will or heart; Though it be such an unspeakable happ●nesse to be the Lords, yet no man naturally is willing to this, he had rather be the devils and sins then the Lords, such cursed wickedness is in every man's heart, and such enemies are we to ourselves.  

How many ways or upon how many Titles those that are godly are the Lords.  Fifthly; Though this expression be short [Thine they are] yet it comprehends very many precious and excellent particulars; For we are the Lords upon several and various titles, therefore are we sure to continue his; It's good the godly man should know how many ways he is the Lords, that his heart may be enlarged upon every particular.  
For 1. He is the Lords by Election from all Eternity; Thou wast the Lords before thou wast born, before thou hadst a being, when thou couldst have no thoughts of thyself, he had thoughts of thee: The Scripture doth often Eph. 1. Rom. 9 comfort the people of God, and quicken up their hearts with this particular, and certainly it's a deep and overwhelming Meditation, Who am I Lord when in the womb of nothing, or when born, yet wallowing in my blood, thinking, speaking, and living against thee, and thou didst from all Eternity know this, yet didst choose me to eternal life? Oh how many thousands are passed by and I am chosen! Was it not enough Lord not to have created me? It might have been mercy not to have created me, that so I might not have been damned, but positively to appoint me before the foundation of the world to such unspeakable glory, this is that which astonisheth me; Oh my Soul and heart is too narrow if I had the hearts of all the men in the world, they would be too little to conceive of this goodness.  
2. We are the Lords or Christ's, for I make this all one, by way of redemption and conquest; We are bought with no less a price then the precious blood of Christ, and, as the Apostle urgeth, are therefore no more our own, 1 Cor. 6.20. Oh then consider how great a matter goeth to make thee the Lords ere this propriety could be attained, how dear did it cost Christ? he therefore became man and did undergo all those evils and reproaches, that we might be his; It cost him more to redeem us then to create us, so that it's no wonder if the people of God may look upon themselves as the Lords peculiar, for there is a good reason, They are bought at an high rate, Neither sin, or the devil, or the world have done so much for thee; Oh than what shameful ingratitude is it to live to them and not to God.  
3. We are his new creature and a spiritual Creation; Thus he is said to create us, and we are said to be his Children born of him; We are Gal. 2.10. called his workmanship created to good works, so that in this particular the people of God are ramarkably his, They have his Image put upon them, They have a divi●● nature bestowed upon them, It's he that hath made us not we ourselves, even 〈◊〉 this sense Leu. 20.26. That ye should be mine severed from all other, oh than know if there be no more in thee then what is in the world, or what thou hast by nature, thou art not yet the Lords; Doth thy nature, thy frame of heart discover an interest in God, than thou mayst take comfort, there are many who desire to be the Lords by Redemption but not by Sanctification; They would have Christ's blood theirs, but not his Spirit.  
4. We are the Lords by Covenant and by Promise; and this is no mean foundation of our propriety in him, The Promise runneth, I will be their God and they shall be my people, Jer. 31.33. We have God's Word as well as his work causing us to be his, and in this sense God is said to be the God of Abraham, and the God of his Faithful Seed, viz. by a gracious promise; This is that which may bear up the heart, how often do we by our sins and infirmities break off our propriety and lose our interest as much as lieth in us, If there were no gracious promise of God, that for his Names sake and words sake we shall be his, than all those uncomfortable Arminian Positions would take place, that we may be the Lords people to day and the devils slaves to morrow; Thus our propriety would be mutable every hour, and as our lives so our hopes and comforts would be like a vapour and a bubble, but we are children of the promise, Gal. 3. And as that gave Isaac life when the barren womb had no power, so it's the promise of God begins and continueth our spiritual life; It's for his truth's sake that sin and Satan shall not quite overwhelm us, and how comfortable is this to plead, Lord, we are thine, not by any merits of our own, not by any gracious works of ours, but by thy promise; We do not believe, love thee, or persevere, and therefore are thine, but because we are thine therefore we believe and persevere.  
5. We are the Lords by several peculiar relations, all which administer their peculiar comfort; We are the Lords house in which he continually dwells and is present; We are his Temple in a peculiar manner consecrated to him; We are his branches and that denoteth our intimate Union with him, as also our supply from him; We are his Servants, we are his Children, we are his Wife, we are the members of Christ's body; Oh these similitudes are full of worth, they demonstrate not only the dignity but the blessedness of his people, and the rich supply of comfort and grace from him; By these is signified that we are the Lords in his most endeared affections, That no Father to a child, no husband to a Wife is as God to us, Isa. 43.1. I have called thee by Name, thou art mine.  
Use 1 The practical Improvement of this is very great,  
First, It informeth us that besides the general acts of faith a Christian ought to have particular applicative ones; It's not enough to believe in the general, God is the God of those that fear him, that trust in him, but also in particular with Thomas to say, My Lord, My God, joh. 20.28. Hence are those expressions frequent, I am thy God, and the Lord your God; The child that walketh in darkness, having no light, is exhorted to trust in his God, Isa. 50.10. Oh it cannot be well with thee while thou art in generals only, if God be a stranger to thee, if apprehended to be none of thy God, or if doubted of, all this while thou art in a wilderness, not in the Land of Canaan, thou art but in the porch not taken into the presence-chamber; It's a great sin of the godly that they are not more particularly here, In other things you take no delight unless it be yours, a pleasant garden if not yours, health if not yours, makes no comfort, Propriety is the cause of joy; Oh then let not Satan, nor the black doubts of thy own heart make thee keep at a distance from God, Let not Popish or Arminian Doctrines that press no more than a general faith any ways move thee, but as God is thine, so labour to believe and know he is thine.  
Use 2 Use 2. Is God the godly man's God? May he say I am thine Lord, than what a comfortable support is here? what enlargement of heart may this make several ways.  
1. It should cause holy boldness and earnest fervency in prayer; Thou art not praying to God that is an adversary, a stranger, or unknown to thee; It may be he will hear, it may be not; Oh such diffidence is very sinful, it's very pleasing to God to pray to him in this propriety, because hereby thy hope to speed will be greater, Thy thankfulness will be more, Thy delight and joy in him will increase and flourish, and tormenting fears will be overcome.  
2. It will uphold against all temptations within, in desertions, in blackness of soul, yet if thou trustest on God as thy God, though thou dost not feel him to be so, this is good; O Lord, thou dost but seem to withdraw thyself; O Christ, thou art my brother Joseph though thou speakest thus roughly.  
3. In opposition from the world; O Lord, though all the world hate me, yet I rejoice because I am thine; And why do the devils and wicked men hate me? Is it not because I am thine▪ If I were one of theirs they would love me; Lord, am I not thy treasure, thy Jewel, and if the devil or the world destroy me, is it not thy loss as well as mine?  
4, Contentation in every condition; Is God thy God? what needest thou more? If a man have the Sun, doth he need the Stars? Oh our froward hearts in this particular, If God deny not himself, will he deny other things necessary?  
5. Here is a great argument to duty; If God be thine and thou his, Oh then live to him, why is not thy heart Gods, thy tongue Gods? Wouldst thou be the Lords in counsel and not in duty? Oh think all I have is not mine but Gods.  
Lastly, It's terror to wicked men, this is the Fountain of all their calamity and ruin, God is not their God, and then mercy is not their mercy, pardon is not their pardon, heaven is not their heaven; Oh it's a beggarly thing to boast in the wealth thou hast, in the pleasures thou hast, but as for God he is none of thine: That Criples case was miserable, who when the Pool stirred had no man to help him; Oh but thine is more miserable, that hast no God to pity thee, no God to pardon thee; The God you will cry to, the God you will pray to at death, the God you must appear before is none of your God.   

SERMON XXXIII. The truly Godly man only is obedient to God's Word: Or, The Great Character of a Christian.  JOH. 17.6. And they have kept thy Word. 
WE pass over the second description which is Gods giving of some of mankind to Christ as a Mediator, so that they are his trust, and it lieth upon his faithfulness to procure salvation for them, Only it's good to consider that within six Verses he doth thrice use this expression, They are given him by the Father, for this layeth the Axe to the very root of Arminianism; It's not their freewill, nor their good improvement of the means of grace, but God's gracious giving of them to Christ that makes them have an Interest in salvation, and the phrase doth imply that there is a stint number and defined of such; There cannot be more or less, so that the Arminian Dagon must needs fall before this Ark, but this is spoken to already:  
I therefore pass on to the effect of both these divine causes of our Salvation; There was you heard the efficient cause God's Election, the meritorious cause Christ, and now we have the effect of these, which is by way of sign to describe who they are that are the Lords, and thus given to Christ, for they being hidden causes, and every one apt to pretend to them; This is the differencing and evidencing mark, They keep the Word of God, So that by this we see who are truly and indeed given of God to Christ, even such as keep his Word; He doth not say, that heareth it or remembers it, or that understands it, but that keeps it; The Scripture hath equivalent expressions to this, sometimes John 8.31. it's called continuing in his Word, because it's not enough for a while to cleave to it unless we persevere; The Scripture giveth sad Instances of many that did not only hear but with joy for a season did receive Christ's Word, yet they did not hold it fast to the end, they did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is Mat. 13. against all opposition whatsoever; The contrary to this is in the same Chapter, v. 37. My Word hath no place in you; Our Saviour speaks it there as the cause of all the wickedness that the Jews committed, because his Word had no room in their hearts, You seek to kill me because my Word hath no place in you; This expression seemeth to denote such as are hardened and given up to a reprobate sense, for the godly sometimes may not understand or delight, and receive the Word, but that the Word should at no time find any place in a man's heart, that is the mark of an hardened sinner, look to it then and tremble all you who have many years lived under the Word preached, and yet to this day it hath had no place in your hearts, This is the dreadful condition of many thousand hearers, sometimes this keeping of the Word is called hearing of the Word, as in the same Chapter, v. 43. Ye cannot hear my Word because ye are not of God, where hearing the Antecedent is put for the consequent obedience, and the reason is because Faith and Obedience comes by hearing, and those that delight and are swift to hear are commonly such as are ready to obey: Again that which is here called keeping of the Word is in other places called keeping the Commandments, only this is more sweet and kindly, for Word doth properly relate to him that is a Doctor or Teacher, Commandment to him that is a Lawgiver; Now there is a great difference between the Imperious Sovereignty of a Lawgiver and the benign condescension of a Teacher, but here we take it largely for all that God hath revealed to us, and our Saviour saith, they have kept the Father's Word, not his, because they looked upon Christ as the Mediator sent from God, and so received not his Word as the word of a man but as of God through and by him.  

Doct.  Obs. That those only can plead a propriety and interest in God and Christ, who are careful to keep his Word; All others do but cry Peace, Peace to themselves, when demnation is at hand; So that this truth will do for the present as Christ will do at the day of judgement, set the Goats on the left hand, and the sheep on the right, It will be like the Fan in Christ's hand, it will winnow the chaff from the wheat; Let us therefore consider how much is comprehended in this phrase, to keep the Word of God.  
What are the Ingredients of this duty?  
And first, In that it's indefinitely spoken, They have kept thy Word, It's implied,  

I.  1. They had a diligent respect to the Whole Word of God, he doth not say, they have kept part or some particulars, but thy Word; Now the word of God hath these parts: 

1. It's a word of doctrine to be understood and believed.  
2. It's a word of commands to be obeyed.  
3. It's a word of threatening to be humbled at.    
And lastly, It's a word of promise and consolation to be rejoiced in, so that he who keeps the Word of God keeps all these parts of it.  

1.  1. There is the word of Doctrine to be understood and believed, and so to keep his word, is to abhor all errors, all false doctrines, all unsound opinions, Those that are Christ's Disciples are as tender about God's truths as about his commands, as they would not willingly transgress a command, so neither err about the Truths of God; Hence Joh. 10. our Saviour doth at large show the true character of his Sheep, They will not hear a stranger's voice, They will flee from a stranger, now who is a stranger? any one, though an Angel from heaven, that shall bring any thing that is contrary to the Scripture, whosoever shall obtrude that to be believed as a truth which is not in the word of God, this man is a stranger, his doctrine is strange doctrine, the sheep of Christ will not hear it; Oh then let the Disciples of Christ show their truth and solidity of grace in this, that they dare not receive errors or heresies; Oh what pity is it that thou who art tender about the commands of God wouldst not commit a sin for a world, sh●u●d●t be large and wanton in thy understanding about the Truths of God, Remember it's his word, and so thou art to keep sound doctrine by a pure faith as well as his Commandments by upright obedience, and the reason is plain partly because the same God commands both, There is his authority upon truths to be revealed as well as precepts to be obeyed; God commands the captivity of your understanding as well as of your affections, and partly because the true doctrine of God only is instrumental to holiness, a man will never be godly by believing any error, Joh. 19 Sanctify them by thy Truth thy Word is Truth, so that as in the use of Superstitious customs, Popish Sacraments, a man can never receive true grace because God's promise and his efficacy will go only together, thus, the more errors thou believest, the more carnal thou wilt grow, God will never bless a lie, chaff and poison shall never be true and good nourishing meat.  
2. There is the Word of his Commandments, and often the Scripture saith if ye love me keep my Commandments, and neither may there be any doubt, 
2. The word of his Commandments.  but a true disciple of Christ will be careful herein, for how can he show his Discipleship otherwise then by obedience to God's precepts; It's a plain mocking of God outwardly to profess that we take him for our God, that we acknowledge subjection to him, and yet disobey his commands, so that this particular cuts off most hearers from being as yet at least in the number of those who can truly plead a propriety in God, for doth not their constant course of life proclaim an open hostility against God; Is profaneness, pride, lusts, and rioting the command of God? Hath the Lord commanded thee to lie, swear, and curse? Are they not rather the lusts of the devil? Oh that men should be so foolish and senseless as to talk of God and Christ, and yet live in open disobedience to them, Didst thou belong to God, such would be thy love to him, yea, such an heavenly nature wouldst thou have, that God's Law and thy heart would have a sweet proportion and suitableness to one another, as David professeth often, it was sweeter than the honey and the honey comb; and Paul delighted in the Law of God; The Law of sin in the unregenerate man doth not more please him then the Law of God doth the regenerate man; There is not a grievous burden in it; The holiness and spirituality of God's cammand is that which doth exceedingly assure him.  
3. There is the word of th● eatning, and although in one sense we are not to keep that, yet in another respect we are with trembling and fear to observe it; 
3. The Word threatening.  Thus whatsoever God doth forbid, threatening it either with temporal or eternal judgements the godly have an holy awe of; They dare not displease God, How can I do this and sin against God? saith Joseph; Thus Josiah when the Law was read his heart did melt and tremble, and therefore how graciously did God take notice of that tender disposition in him; It's a vain and erroneous conceit to think the threatenings do not belong to the godly, or that they must not with fear make use of them; For if so, why doth the Scripture propound threatenings even to the godly, and that very often, and who is there so godly that hath not the remainder of corruption in him, who needeth not fear, as a bridle to curb sin in him, especially when we see Adam though in the state of Integrity, was yet threatened by God, if he did eat of the forbidden fruit? so that even then a threatening had its proper use to Adam though altogether holy.  
Lastly, There is the word of consolation or promise, 
4. The word of Consolation.  and that is worthy of all acceptation, as when a man takes a thing with both his hands; It's called embracing the Promises, Heb. 11. as gladly and cheerfully as we do a dear Friend; Oh it's not enough in a dull cold manner to think and hear of the promise, but thou art to run and embrace it as one overjoyed, as Simeon did Christ in his arms, and then to think, thou even haste enough; This is fiducial recumbency on Christ, a holy boldness in God as a Father, and herein the people of God are many times to be blamed, you receive the true doctrine of God to believe it, his Commandments to obey them, his threatenings you tremble under, but the promises by strong acts of faith you do not embrace, you do not take him for your Mediator on whom you trust in the midst of all your infirmities and weaknesses, yea, you rather doubt whether you may or no lay hold on the promise, you say of it as Peter to Christ, Depart from me for I am a sinner; you think Christ would be angry with you as that woman thought If you touch the promise; Oh remember that the godly will keep the word of promise, receive that as well as the command; They know it's a sin of an high nature to refuse God comforting as well as commanding, yea in some respects it's worse, for when you sin against the command of God, you sin against his Soverraignty, but when against his promises you sin against his love and goodness; That wherein he intends to get himself the greatest glory by, oh then when Satan tempts and thy heart is cloudy, Thou puts off the promise, think how can I do this and sin against God? If it were a command I could not refuse it, and doth not the same God urge faith to the promise.  

II. Because it is God's Word.  2. To keep his word doth suppose that we keep it because it's his Word, Because that God commands it; For no actions are holy till the motive be holy that draweth them out, and this we told you, is the reason why our Saviour saith, They have kept thy Word, and not mine; They look upon him as the Mediator sent by God; Thus the Thessalonians are commended because they received the Word preached, Not as the word of man but as of God; This was the reason why God would not take the wise men of the world, but contemptible Instruments, by whom he wrought wonderful miracles, that so our faith might not be built on the abilities or the wisdom of men; and hence it is that the Disciples Matthew and others, who left all and followed Christ, did gloriously manifest their obedience to God as God; It may fall out that the same things which God commands we may do, as we see in Jehu, Judas, and others, but then not upon the grounds, that God commands them; The Pharisee was commanded to fast and pray, but not for vainglory and humane applause; Oh than if thou keep God's Word look it be because it's God's Word, Let not any sinful or corrupt ingredients of thy own mingle themselves, who would not have thought that Judas for a long while kept God's Word when he left all, wrought Miracles, and preached in the Name of Christ, but he had an eye to the bag always▪ and that proved his undoing, This will be a good touchstone to try thee.  
3. He keeps God's Word that receiveth it with his whole heart and soul; That thinketh it not enough to hear it, 
III. And receive it with the whole heart.  to remember it, to write it or repeat it, but to have it implanted in his heart, and thereby to turn all his heart and affections into it; That he may be a living Bible, or the Word of God in lively practice, as the Apostle saith the Corinthians were his Epistle to be read and seen of all men, 2 Cor. 3.2. so should you be the Bible to be read and seen of all men; This is powerfully to be pressed on you; That you be even the Bible of God to be read and seen of men; This is the good and honest heart that retaineth the Word, for if the Word be superficially received only, it will nor transform the whole man into its likeness; The fire must have time, and then it will make even the hardest, coldest Iron like it; This is represented by the Parable of the Leven, Mat. 13.33. hid in three pecks of meal, There must be time ere the Leven can diffuse its power; David expressed this well when he aid, He had hid the Word of God in his heart, Psa. 119.11. Oh than if thou wouldst have this propriety in God, see how close and inward this Word is received into thee; If it be the bread of life it's not enough to have it in the mouth, no, nor stomach, but it must be digested, and so made the very flesh and blood of a man.  
4. They keep the Word of God who make it a rule for their lives, that order their conversation accordingly, for to hide it in the heart, 
IU. And make it a Rule for their lives.  unless it be with David, that you may not transgress in your lives, is not yet to attain to the due end; If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them; Many have Scripture in their hearts and memory but not in their lives; David made this use of it, when he said, It was a Lamp and light to his feet, and then he exhorts the young man so to attend it, Psa. 119 9 and thereby to cleanse his ways: The Apostle James calls it a glass, Jam. 1.23. and then you make use of it aright▪ when you thereby wash out all those spots that are in thy life, and curest all thy wrinkles and deformities, look then to this, Doth the Word of God in thy mind and heart break out into thy life? Doth it take away the Leprosy there? certainly there is no other effectual means but this; It's the Word if any thing will forewarn thee of sin, neither mercies or afflictions, nor thy own resolves and purposes, but the Word of God set home on the heart that can make an holy change and alteration.  
5. Then we keep the word of God when we have an high and choice esteem of it, 
V. They that keep God's Word have a high esteem of it.  when we can take more delight in that because of the spiritual effects of it, then in any worldly pleasures or contents, as David doth so often profess and Job likewise, more than the honey or honeycomb, more than their appointed food; Now the choice esteem of it must be.  
1. For the spiritual effects of it, as David did, because it did enlighten his mind, 
1. For the spiritual effects of it.  forewarn him of sin, quicken him up to his duty, There may be a sinister and corrupt end made of God's Word, when we make it an argument only of dispute, when we are diligent in it only to maintain opinions, in which sense Luther said, it was the Heretics book, or when men read it only for the History of it, or thereby to make notions, and to draw out some pleasing things to fancy; Alas the Word of God was not given for this, no more than Manna was given to satisfy curiosity, but to feed and nourish; Oh then take heed of spiritual wantonness and luxury, to make the Bible the argument of thy opinions or notions, thereby to get applause and esteem, No, thou are to prise it for the spiritual effects of it; That it cureth thee of thy blindness, spiritualizeth thee against thy carnality quickens thee against thy formality.  
2. We are to prise it for the necessity of it, because that containeth the words of eternal life, we cannot think a thought, or step a step, 
2. Because it's so necessary.  without the guidance of it; This is able to make thee wise to salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. A man cannot have any wise thought or purpose towards heaven, but by this; This made Job as you heard prise it more than his necessary food, for the soul needeth this bread of life as much as the body doth material bread; If we set up any other principle to walk by but this, we run ourselves into the mouth of hell.  
3. For the usefulness of it, The Scripture is profitable for instruction, 
3. And so useful.  exhortation, and to make a man perfect for every good work, 2 Tim. 3. There is no sin to be avoided, no duty to be done, but the Word of God will direct thee therein; There is no temptation so subtle but this will discover it; If at any time thou art unprepared and indisposed for such or such a duty, thou hast no heart to pray, no spirit to believe on the promise; Come to this and it will quicken thee, for its eyesalve to thy blindness; It's an hammer against thy corruptions, It's fire to consume thy dross, It's oil for thy wounds, It's a Catholicon, an universal Shop of all spiritual medicines; The rich man, the poor man, the husband, the wife, all may learn from hence what to do.  
4. The preciousness and dignity of it; 
4. The Preciousness and dignity of it.  The Word of God is full of heavenly and supernatural excellency, especially the Gospel, or the will of God revealed for the salvation of man, Oh how welcome must these glad tidings be to the troubled sinner that hath received the sentence of condemnation upon his soul, Christ with his benefits discovered are the only treasure to a tender broken heart; The Scriptures they are the Mine wherein this treasure is to be found; They are the Field wherein this pearl is hid, To you that believe Christ is precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. and it must needs be so, for he is the Mediator between God and them, he hath fullness for all their wants and necessities; He is made wisdom, righteousness and sanctification, 1 Cor. 1. It's not what they are but what Christ is.  

VI They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all temptations.  Lastly, They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all the temptations and difficulties; It's both against the flesh and the devil for any man to keep Christ's Word, and how many have begun well but at last have given over to their great destruction, Therefore John saith, If ye continue in my word, and Mat. 13. The good ground is said to hold fast the Word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth so to hold as that many are striving to take it out of our hearts again, and they are said to bring forth fruit in patience, because there is great contrariety and opposition unto God's Word, if possible, the fowls of the air will take away this seed as soon as it is sown; The Apostle James speaks of a forgetful hearer, Jam. 1.24. and therefore would have us abide looking into the glass of the Word; Oh take we heed that we be not in the number of those whose latter end is worse than the beginning; Take heed it be not said, They are turned out or gone from us, because they were not of us.  
Use of Instruction, what they may judge of themselves who though living long under the means of grace find the Word hath no place in their hearts, their lives, their conversation proclaim to all, that they care not for God's Word, Oh what a sad Symptom is this of thy obstinate incurable condition, oh men to be mourned over as dead and buried in the grave of sin! If ye were of God you would hear his Word; It's said of many, they did not hear the Word of God because it was of the Lord to destroy them; O take heed this be not true of thee.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, keep close to God's Word, let your thoughts, your affections, your actions be according to that, you never wound your consciences, you never bring woe to yourselves, you never are at a distance from God but when you go astray from this rule; Keep to this as in an Ark, be in all your relations by it, live by it, die by it, you are like a tree planted by the waterside, while attending to this, and if you keep the Word of God God's Word will keep you. 1. In the hour of temptation that you sin not. 2. At the hour of death that you sink not; It will be a tree of life to you, that we through the Scriptures might have consolation, The Word that was your rule will now be your comfort, it will speak nothing but consolation to thee, It will be more than all friends, all comforters whatsoever. 3. It is everlasting, it will abide for ever, the consolations of it will be eternal.   

SERMON XXXIV. Of Growth in Grace, The Duty, Necessity, and Glory of it.  JOH. 17.7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 
OUR Saviour doth still relate those commendable considerations that were in his Disciples, that thereby God should hear his prayer for them; It was not for worldly wicked sinners but such as knew and obeyed him that he prayed for; This is the more to endear them to God.  
Now as before he had commended them for their obedience, so here for their faith in him as a Mediator, and this faith is necessary to all Christian obedience; For without it a man by his Legal righteousness becomes a confident presumer trusting in his works that he doth, or else despaireth; Seeing it impossible that ever he should attain to such a righteousness that is required: Therefore when we have done all, and got up to the very pinnacle of grace, we are in matter of Justification to leave our obedience and fly to faith, so than we have the disciples Faith in Christ as a Mediator described and commended.  
1. By one main particular act which doth synecdochically contain the whole, They have known; By the next Verse it appeareth that believing and knowing are all one.  
2. There is the Object of their faith, which is twofold,  
1. All things that the Father had given Christ.  
2. That they were of him, the sense is, They knew whatsoever Christ had it was given him of the Father, and that he had these things from him to be a Mediator: Here than you see what an acceptable thing it is to God to believe in Christ as sent by him; The poor humbled sinner he trembleth and doubteth whether he may come to this Mediator or no; But you see it is a most pleasing thing to God, for which he commends his disciples as much as their obedience, that they did thus receive him.  
In the next place consider the circumstance of time when this is affirmed of them, Now they have known, etc. What is the sense of that? Did they not know and believe in Christ before? Yes, but he speaks here of their proficiciency and growth; Now they have known and believed more assuredly than ever; So that it's not simply their faith but their growth and increase in faith, that our Saviour takes notice of; From whence observe,  
That it's not enough for the people of God to have grace, 
Doct.  but they are to thrive and grow in it; 
It's not enough for God's people to have grace but they must thrive and grow in it.  To be as the Disciples more assuredly believing, so as if they did not at all believe before. Thou art so far to exceed thyself over what thou wast once, that thou mayst say my faith, my heavenly-mindedness, my love to God was none at all comparatively to what it is now. This is a necessary Subject to preach on, when you see so many withered Trees, so many sick of a consumption in grace; Alas of how many may you say the contrary; They did once believe, they were once zealous, but now you may say they have none of these respectively to what they had; God is not satisfied with the truth of grace unless there be also growth in grace; If thou have received a Talon, and canst not say, Thy five hath gained a ten, there is a fearful curse against thee as an unprofitable Servant, Joh. 15.2. See what quick work God makes, and how it is growth he looks at, Every branch in him that bringeth not forth fruit he taketh away; God loves not slothfulness and unprofitableness no more than profaneness; He doth not say, If it bring forth poisonous fruit or wild grapes, but if it bring forth no good fruit, and if any doth fructify, than he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit; See here the Husbandman's care is still for more fruit; If thou art no better than thou wast, if thy faith, thy love have not an increase God's expectations are not answered; Hence Heb 6. those that are babes in Christ are severely reproved, and they are to be carried on to perfection; Not to grow is a kind of barrenness, yea, it's a degree to Apostatise; Therefore the Apostle in that place threatens such Non proficients with that dreadful sin of Apostasy, 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us perfect holiness in the fear of God; It's not enough to have holiness but we are to perfect it, and he that hath any fear of God will thus endeavour, and certainly if the rich man would have more wealth, the great man more greatness, how much rather the godly man, more godliness.  

How many ways the graces of God's people are to grow & thrive  To open this let us consider how many ways the graces of God's people are to grow and thrive,  
And first In respect of their degrees and measure, The weak faith is to grow a strong faith, their strong faith a stronger, and thus of their love of God; Therefore love is required with all the soul and all the might; 
I. In respect of degrees and measure.  Mat. 22. The duty of growth in grace is required of the highest Giant as well as the lowest dwarf in grace, Phillip 3. See how Paul stretcheth out himself to run as if he were but a new beginner; There is not in the growth of grace as in nature a term or stint, than they go no further; No, but as they say of the Crocodile he groweth as long as he liveth, and when he ceaseth to grow, he ceaseth to live; Thus it is in the work of grace, There is a necessity of growing while any Christian life is in thee; Thy grace may be made better and more confirmed grace; That man knoweth not what godliness is, that can say, Soul, take thy ease, thou hast godliness enough, No, they cry out, Their leanness, their poverty, they are climbing up the hill, but cannot get to the top; Let then the man that feareth God study the improvement of his graces; Oh say, There is a greater measure and further degrees yet to be had, I am ashamed to see how short I come of what ●ought to be; I stagger and reel through doubts and unbelief, My heart is divided between God and the creature; Oh how often is my heart even as cold as a stone: There are no burning affections, 〈◊〉 hot zeal, I see a better way; Oh that I could attain unto it.  

II. Depth and rooting.  Secondly, Their growth ought to be in depth and rooting of their graces; As the Apostle speaks of the dimensions of God's love, it hath a depth, and a breath, Eph. 1. Thus the love of the godly and all their graces have their spiritual dimensions, and as before we spoke of their growth in height, so now of growth downwards, in a better settling and deeper radicating of their holiness within them; Our Saviour speaks of a foolish builder, who did not dig deep enough, nor build on a rock, Mat. 7.26. and the three sort of hearers did all miscarry upon this Point; There was not root rnough; What makes the backsliding Demas, the apostate Judas, but neglect of rooting? Oh then look every day that thy Repentance root itself more in the heart, That thy faith be more deeply implanted in thee, otherwise when a temptation or storm ariseth, thou wilt be plucked up by the roots, and certainly we may see this is the root of all evil to professors; They measure their graces by the boughs and branches thereof, not by the rooting; whereas we see in all trees the deeper the rooting is the better they are enabled to spread abroad, sear then lest thy graces be not got to the bottom of thy heart, fear lest something lie closer and deeper in thy heart then grace doth.  
Thirdly, They may grow in the extension and kinds of all graces; 
III. In the extension and kind of all graces.  It's the Apostle bids them add virtue to temperance, and so chains graces together, 1 Pet. 1. The people of God they sometimes are careful to avoid such and such sins, but then there are others either that they are not convinced of or do not attend unto, and there they sail frequently, but the god●y man is to grow in extension, he is to avoid one sin as well as another; He is to perform one duty as well as another; Oh then remember the work of grace is an exact and circumspect thing; There go many things to make a man godly, we may leave out many necessary ingredients and then mar the whole box of ointment; David prayed to be cleansed from secret sins, Psa. 19.13. such as he did not understand to be sins; Oh it's happy when the godly are thus growing that they leave off many foolish customs they once practised; That they set upon many duties they once wholly omitted; These disciples how hardly were they drawn off from many doctrines that they had been brought up in.  
Fourthly, 
IV. In the means and Instruments of their graces.  They are to grow not only in their graces but in the means and instrument of their graces; Thus prayer, hearing the Word, these are the means of growing in grace, Receive the engrafted Word of God that ye may grow thereby; They are to pray better, to hear better, to sanctify the Sabbaths more spiritually, never think of growing in grace, if thou art not more careful in the use of them, for upon these depend thy spiritual increase, as upon good digestion bodily growth; Wonder not then at thy leanness and barrenness if thou art not better in performing of duties; Here begins the consumption; Hence are thy languish and decays, Heb. 10. The Apostle speaking of those who willingly sin by a ●otal Apostasy, layeth the foundation of this in that they forsook the Assemblies; The way then to keep up the life and increase of grace is to keep up duties in their power and vigour, formality and customariness in them will make thee quickly like a withered branch; but oh the deep wounds and blows that even the godly get in their consciences hereby; They pray no more fervently, They hear no more affectionately, and accordingly in their lives they are so many dry bones.  
Fifthly, The people of God may grow by exciting and stirring up others to grow; 
V. By exciting others to grow  And indeed it's a special means to quicken ourselves by quickening up others, 2 Thes. 1.3. They are commended in that their faith did grow exceedingly, which was not only true in the parts of their faith, but that also it did diffuse itself to others; They brought on many others also to believe, Eph. 2.21. The godly are said to grow up to an holy Temple, that implieth, they do not only grow singly in themselves but in an united manner; As live coals laid together grow hotter by one another, so that this growth of grace respects the Church of God as a community, as a Society, grace groweth by heavenly and holy communion; As the members of the body grow by a mutual assistance and a member separated from the body cannot grow, so it's here; There is no such admirable speedy way of growth as when the people of God speak often and exhort one another, when they provoke one another, and certainly herein lieth a great fault; The sheep of God are scattered from one another what by difference of opinions, and what by carnal suspicions, that thereby they cannot say, I have been an helper to such a man's faith, to such a man's repentance; Thy tongue hath not been a Tree of life, as it should be; Thy light did not so shine, that others might glorify God for thee; Oh then let the people of God put themselves on this way of growth.  

VI In solidity and fortitude.  Sixthly, The people of God are to grow in the solidity and fortitude of their graces, That thereby they may overcome such temptations which the babes of Christ cannot; This solidity is seen in two things: 1. The soundness of their Judgement. 2. The fortitude and heavenly hardship of their hearts: The soundness of judgement, This is a special matter, for we see Rom. 14. and Act. 15. what sad rents and dissensions the weak judgements of some brethren made in the Church, insomuch that the Apostle giveth many directions therein; Those that are new Converts and have felt the power and guilt of sin, and the sweetness of God's favour have many times strong affections, but weak judgements and upon such the devil with his heretical instruments doth commonly prevail; A● at first he began with Eve to beguile her, and by her to seduce her husband: Oh then let the Children of God look to themselves in the day of their espousals to Christ, when all is honey and ravishment; It's hard for them to consolidate and settle their judgements; Hence the Apostle blameth those that were children, and had not their senses exercised to discern between good and evil, Heb 5.14. Oh then account it an especial matter in Religion, to grow in a sound mind, to be more solid in judgement; This will make thee discern between good and evil, between what is of God and what is of the devil: 2. In fortitude of spirit; The Apostle 2 Tim. 2.3. bids Timothy endure hardship as a Soldier of Christ, and in the Revelation c. 3. The promise is made to him that overcometh, and our Saviour saith, Blessed is he that endureth to the end, Mat. 26. many begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh; Oh it's an admirable matter to grow hardy in Religion, to be able to endure scoffs, reproaches, and the loss of all dear comforts, as the Apostle said, You have not yet resisted to blood, Heb. 12.4. The people of God are to account all conflicts and encounters light till they come to blood itself, and even then to remember that he who would have his life shall lose it; Our Saviour did train up his Disciples at the very beginning in this hard service; Hence it is that Christianity is compared to a warfare, to running in a race, to fight not only with flesh and blood but even Prinoipalities in high places, so that thou art not to expect a Bed of Roses in the way to heaven.  

Grounds and motives.  Now the grounds and motives why the people of God are not to be contented with the foundation and principles of grace, but still to proceed in it.  
1. Because God accounts non-improvement an unprofitableness, He that hid his talon though he did not embezzle it, yet is called an unprofitable servant, Mat. 25.30. and he is to be cast into utter darkness; Oh this is terrible to consider, that God is not only angry with thy sins, with thy profaneness, but thy barrenness, thy impotent graces, That thou art not got to a higher form: Is not the Father angry with his child though he diligently go to School, if he thrive not, and be always in the same Lesson, Shall he be at all that cost for no more, and thus shall God so patiently bear with thee? give thee all opportunities and means of grace, and yet thou move on the same hinge; Oh ye that are the Children of God, you would fain have comfort, you would have assurance, How can it be when there is no growth? Is not God angry for those weak graces, that still thou art a babe? Did he not tell the Church Rev. 2. he had something against her, because her works were not perfect, were not filled up? Oh here were many empty holes, oh what godly man may not tremble at this, who hath not much emptiness that needs to be filled up?  
2. The end of the Ministry to the godly is for their growth and increase, Eph. 4.15. 1 Pet. 2.2. Alas, we preach not to thee for thy conversion, we come not to persuade thee to come out of Egypt, that is done already; Now then consider why hath God appointed a Ministry and daily preaching, and that even to the godly as well as others; Is it not to increase thy spiritual life and heat? Is it not to be a goad in thy side to prick thee forward; You cannot give a good account of any Sermon unless it hath made thee grow; Every Sabbath day will be a dreadful witness against thee unless it make thee grow; Thy work is not to have grace but to grow in it, and for this end we preach, and you hear.  
3. The end of all God's afflictions and chastisements upon thee are to make thee grow, Joh. 15. He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit; Thou wonder'st why Gods hand is so sore and continuing upon thee: Thou sayest what is the sin? and oh that I could find it out; Is not thy slothfulness, thy unprofitableness, an apparent sin? Doth not God plainly aim at this to have thy heart more heavenly, thy affections more quickened and enlivened, Is not this fire to get out thy dross? Hence in heaven there shall be no Ministry, no afflictions, because the godly are then come to the full measure of their graces.  
4. We are to grow because of the excellency and preciousness that is in grace: The more we eat of this honey we cannot but desire to have more of it; If thou hast known what an excellent comfortable thing it is to walk holily; Oh how unsatified will thy heart be to have still more and more of it, so that it's a dishonour to God and his way when thou art negligent and slothful, what evil hast thou found? What hurt is there in godliness? What distaste doth it give thee? Oh what a shame is it that the rich man shall desire more wealth, still he hath not enough, but as riches increase, his affections increase, when yet they are not able to make happy in a solid manner; and that thy heart should be thus narrow and empty towards God  
Use, The woeful estate of those who in stead of growing more holy, 
Use.  grow more wicked and ungodly; They add sin to sin daily, once they had some tremble, some terrors of conscience, but now they are passed all feeling, These grow as the calves of the Stall grow, to destruction and damnation; and this is the case of many that live under the Ministry, they grow more blind, more obstinate, more wicked, This is a dreadful speech, Let him that is wicked be wicked still, yea more wicked.   

SERMON XXXV. Of Faith in Christ the Mediator sent of God, With the Ingredients or Concomitant Acts, of it.  JOH. 17.7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 
THE circumstance of time being dispatched which declared the Disciples growth and proficiency.  
We proceed to the Object of their faith and knowledge, That Christ had all things from the Father; and so was the Messias sent by him; The excellency and dignity of this Faith is to be handled in the next verse.  
We shall here take notice of the nature of it;  
In the 2d verse of this Chapter it was made Eternal life to know Jesus Christ as sent by the Father, and here our Saviour affirmeth that his Disciples had this knowledge, viz. That he was the true Messias in whom alone salvation is to be expected: That he was no false Prophet or Impostor, as his adversaries accused, but they knew he came from God, and acknowledged every thing he had to be of God, so that this expression may be parallelled with that confession Peter made in the Name of the disciples, Joh. 6.69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God; Therefore they would not leave him because he only had the words of eternal life.  

Doct. It's our duty to know and believe in Christ as the only Mediator sent by God.  Obs. It's our special duty to know and believe in Christ, as the only Mediator sent by God; We are to know Christ is of God appointed to be our Saviour; This is the Faith so often required in the Gospel, and which is so powerful that he who believeth shall be saved, but he that doth not the anger of God abideth on him; and indeed how can he deserve the Title and Name of a Christian that doth not thus know or believe, but upon search it will appear that there are few do thus know Christ.  
To open this Point, the Doctrine hath three particulars;  
First implied, That whatsoever Christ had as Mediator he had it not for himself but in reference to us.  
2. That this was wholly of Gods will and appointment that he should have for us.  
3. That it's our duty to believe in and receive him thus appointed by God, And all these particulars will be accounted sweeter than the honeycomb to the empty hungry soul, that finds itself undone without Christ; Though to those who are full of their sins or their own righteousness this very honeycomb is loathsome; Oh then that this Truth might overtake you that hear it, as David did the poor fainting famished Amalekite, to whom those clusters of Raisins he gave were so reviving, if with Jonathan you taste but a little of this honey, your eyes will be enlightened.  
First, The implied Truth is, That whatsoever Christ had or was, 
I. What Christ had or was as Mediator was for us.  was not for himself but for us; His fullness was for our emptiness, his atonement for our sins; Even as the full breasts are for suck to the child, or as the efficacy and virtue of the head is for the parts of the body, and as the fullness of the Fountain is for the streams; Thus Isa. 9 To us a Son is born, to us a child is given, All that Christ had and was it was ours, it was for our advantge; Therefore he was called Emmanuel, God with us, and 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ is made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, So that it's plain Christ was not a Messias, a Mediator, in reference to himself, that is impossible, but to us: For if we take the main particulars in Christ, we shall see how they all tend to believers, that had it not been for their good, such things had never been.  
1. His Incarnation and becoming man, This was of God for us, 
I. His Incarnation.  To us a child is born, as you heard, not to Angels, nor for any other end, There had not been such a truth in the Word as God to become man, but for the godly man's necessity and salvation; This is more than to say, The world and all the Creatures were made for man, and yet if the Psalmist was so affected that all things in the earth were for man, how much more than that the Word is made flesh for man, oh what an encouragement have the true Disciples of Christ from this, was not such a glorious mystery performed for my sake, was it not for me that God was made man? For this you must know, that if there had been but one man of all mankind to be saved, Christ would have died, as Paul said, Who gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. and it was not the multitude of believers which made Christ become man, for alas they are but glean in respect of all mankind, but it was because such were given to him as a Mediator, and so he would be faithful for one as well as for many.  
2. All that Christ did it was not in reference to himself but for us; 
2. All that he did His Miracles.  All the Miracles he wrought it was for Believers, he did them not for his glory and honour, as he speaks about Lazarus his being dead, Joh. 11. I was glad for your sakes, because that Miracles might tend to their Confirmation in the Faith.  
Thus Christ became obedient to the Law, and fulfilled the righteousness thereof for our sakes, Oh what an admirable overwhelming Point is this, 
Obedience to the Law.  that all the labour and obedience which Christ performed, of which he said, It was meat and drink to do his Father's will, Joh. 4. That all this should not be for himself, but in reference to us; How may this fill our hearts and mouths with joy and confidence at the Throne of grace; O Lord, why did Christ fulfil all righteousness? why did he perfectly obey the Law, So that no fault should be found in him? Was not all this for me? Did he need this himself?  
3. His sufferings and rendering up himself as an atonement and Sacrifice upon the Cross, This also was wholly of God for us; 
His sufferings.  The Prophet Isaiah is affected with it, He laid upon him the iniquities of us all, and by his stripes we are healed, Isa. 53.5. Thus every where his death is said to be for us, he died for us, he gave himself for us, and it must needs be so, for in him was found nothing worthy of death; There was no sin or guile found in him, he was not under that Sentence pronounced upon Adam and his posterity: And here again, the people of God may lift up their heads with joy, Christ died, he became a Sacrifice to the justice of God not because of himself but of us; Hence it's said, His blood speaks better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24. Abel's blood cried for vengeance, this for mercy, and if Abel though dead speaketh, how much more must Christ who though dead is risen again: May not this be an Axe laid to the root of all thy unbelief? Shall the godly heart be any more bowed down when he shall remember all those Agonies which Christ did undergo were for us; Shall thy sins be accounted great, and Christ's death not greater? Go thou troubled and grieved Soul, we will give thee leave to aggravate thy sins to the highest; Let them be never so bloody, yea, hadst thou committed more than thou hast done, yea, all that all the wicked men of the world have done, Were all their sins thine? yet here is the Red Sea to drown that great Egyptian host; Oh that men could have as good cause to judge that they are engrafted in Christ, and are such to whom Christ belongs, as they may conclude that if such, Christ's death doth overcome all their sins; It was nothing In Christ but in thee that made him a Curse upon the Cross.  

The benefits of his Mediation.  4. The fruits and benefits of Christ's Mediation did not redound to him but to thee; Justification and remission of sins, Sanctification of our natures, Victory over lusts, assurance of God's favour, all these come by Christ, but to those only for whom he was appointed a Saviour, he needed none of these privileges, no more than the heavens where the Sun and Stars are do need rain; Oh then set open the gates of thy Soul wide through faith, that thou mayst be satisfied and made happy with these mercies; In this dead Lion thou mayst find much honey for thyself; Oh Lord, why are all these privileges annexed to thy death? Is it because thou hast any want, or thou hast any need of them? No, but that my emptiness may be filled, my dark heart enlightened, my naked soul covered: Thus you see what is implied.  

TWO Christ Media●i●● for us is of God the Father.  Secondly, The second particular is, That all this is of God the Father; It's his will and gracious appointment that Christ should do all these things for his: They have known that all I have is of thee, and thou hast sent me; So the Apostle, It pleased the Father that in Christ all fullness should dwell, Col. 1.14. And here is admirable ground of hopes and confidence, for it's not against the Father's will, yea, all this is of his gracious appointment, that Christ should be thus a Mediator for his Children; Doubt not then whether the Father will accept of what Christ hath done or not; Do not question whether he will receive thee in Christ's Name, for the Father hath manifested as great willingness for thy Salvation as the Son; Say then, Oh holy Father, here is sure a wonderful way for my acceptance at the Throne of grace, that I am astonished at it, and it's of thy goodness and grace that such a way is procured; Oh what then can hinder but that I be justified; The Father willing, and the Son willing, yea, the Father loving Christ, because he laid down his life for the Sheep, Joh. 10.17. All this makes for the encouragement of the godly.  


III. It's the duty of all God's people to believe this fullness in Christ for them.  
The ingredients or concomitants of Faith.   The third particular is, That it's the duty of all God's Children to know and believe this fullness in Christ for them, and to look upon Christ with all his benefits as for them: Now faith thus fixed on Christ hath these either ingredient or concomitant acts and effects.  
1. There is a knowledge and a sound discovery of this sufficiency in Christ; You see here knowing and believing put together; Ignorance of this Point that all in Christ is for the believer breedeth much dispondency, and takes off the wheels of thy Chariots: They look upon Christ as a Fountain sealed up, as a garden enclosed, They apprehend it's not for every godly person to go and drink of this fountain, 
1.  unless attaining to such an high measure of grace; Whereas a true knowledge of the end and use of Christ would quickly dispel all such black thoughts.  
2. To believe doth imply a relying and resting of the soul upon this fullness; 
2. A relying and resting of the soul upon Christ's fullness  Christ with his righteousness is the centre of his heart; He trusts and puts his whole confidence in it; He need go out no further to seek, here is enough, he fears no breaking, no shaking, as long as Christ will last and endure, so long shall he; As a man that treads on the firm ground, he fears not as he that walks on slippery Ice; Thus the godly man leaneth on a firm foundation, but he that trusteth in his own righteousness or works, melts as Ice before the Sun.  
3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this believing; So that it removeth all cares and fears, Have I enough or no? Is it sufficient to carry me out? 
3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this believing.  He is therefore said to save to the uttermost, Heb. 5. and it's called The riches of grace by Christ, the unsearchable riches; He therefore that believeth in Christ thus as sent of God, he may say, Return O my soul into thy Rest, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; what can satisfy if a Christ with all his benefits cannot; yea, if a godly man were to desire a way for to put him out of all doubts between God and his soul, what better way could he require then this.  
4. In believing there is a receiving, and a participation of all that Christ hath, 
4. A receiving of what Christ hath.  and hence receiving and believing is put for one another; It's also metaphorically expressed by eating and drinking, Joh 6. That as by those actions we receive meat, and it becometh our very substance, so it is here, by believing in him Christ is made ours, even all that he hath is ours; Thus by Faith we are said to be branches partaking of the fatness of the Olive, Rom. 11. Oh then how excellent is this act of Faith, which is the hand to put on all the glorious robes of Christ upon our soul; It being not enough to know there is a Christ so qualified unless he become ours.  
5. This believing works an holy confidence and boldness at the Throne of grace; It makes our prayers and duties full of fervency and alacrity, Eph. 
5. A holy boldness at the Throne of grace.  3.12. We come with boldness through Faith; We see the Sceptre is held out, and so we may readily enter in, and Heb. 4.16. Let us come with boldness to the Throne of grace; Oh how much should the broken hearted sinner live in the Meditation of these things, God opens the way by his grace, and thou shutest it by thy unbelief; Through Christ the way to heaven is made a broad way, and thy doubtings make it narrow: When Christ calls Peter to come to him, though upon the waters, it's not presumption but disobedience if Peter refuse?  
6. This is accompanied with large and vast thoughts of Christ; 
6. Large and vast thoughts of Christ.  This file their hearts and mouths with Christ, as you see the Apostle Paul in every verse almost affectionately mentioning him, Phil. 3. with what disdain doth he renounce and throw away all things in comparison of Christ, The excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and at another time, He would know nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 2.2. He that doth thus believe in Christ so manifested, cannot but have his soul and all within him taken up this way; Though there be many speak of Christ, and talk of Christ, yet none hath him indeed; and none do truly esteem him but such persons as these; Is then Christ dearer and closer to thy heart then all earthly comforts and delights? Canst thou say, the thoughts of Christ are sweet, the meditations about him are my meat and drink all the day long, this is precious.  
Lastly, This purifieth the heart, and makes us an holy, heavenly people; 
8. Faith purifieth and makes holy.  If we be risen with Christ, we set our affections on things above, Col. 3.1, 2. and he that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3. Act. 15 9 As the Sun brings heat and light where it is, so where faith is it makes the heat active and operative, as Heb. 11. This is the beholding of God as in a glass, whereby we are transformed into his Image from grace to grace; Believing gets spiritual strength, even as eating and drinking doth bodily; Therefore while thou abatest in thy faith thou dost not only lose thy comfort but thy spiritual strength If thou cease to believe not only doubts and fears but even lusts and sins will prevail over thee; Thus you see what it is to believe in Christ thus manifested.  

Why it is the duty of God's people thus to know and believe on Christ.  Now the grounds why it's the duty of God's people thus to know and believe are,  
1. Because Christ would otherwise be in vain, he would not be of that use and improvement God hath appointed him for; If the child will not suck, the breasts are filled in vain; If the Prodigal will not eat, the fatted Calf is in vain provided; The Fountain runneth in vain if none will drink of it; Oh then consider this, if I do not by faith thus receive Christ, I do as much as lieth in me, make Christ of none effect; I do as much as lieth in me make as if there had never been such a person as Christ; If then the Apostle makes those false Teachers in such a dangerous estate, that by corrupt opinions did make Christ to die in vain, and his Cross of none effect, no less provoking must thy sin of unbelief be, It takes Christ out of the world.  
R. 2 2. We are thus to believe in Christ because in and through him God doth magnify his glory: His attributes of grace, mercy, and unspeakable bounty are exalted through Christ; If then we do not thus receive Christ, we deprive God of all this intended glory; The Creation of the world, and all the merciful wondrous works God hath done for his Church, were not intended to exalt God as Christ in all his benefits, and therefore if it be so great a sin not to give God the glory in them, how inexcusable will it be to fail in this.  
R. 3 3. The insufficiency of all other things to satisfy the broken and troubled heart, may justly make the godly fly to this; So the disciples being to acknowledge Christ as the Mediator, they say, Whither should we go, thou hast the words of Eternal life; If they run to their duties, to their graces, these are too weak to lean upon, They are as Noah's Dove that finds the waters covering all the Mountains and highest Trees; Seeing then we must have something to fix all our hopes and affections upon, and all other things will fail, how unwise are the godly if they keep a moment from Christ.  
R. 4 4. Our necessity may enforce us; And this floweth from the forenamed insufficiency in all other things; Doth not thy own heart disquiet thee? Doth not the perfect Law trouble thee? Doth not the devil accuse thee? and shall not all this make thee seek out for that which will answer all; Paul tried all other things but he found nothing like Christ, and thou art the rather to improve this to the full, because there is not the least ability or privilege in Christ, that thou canst spare; Christ is all over bread and food; There is nothing in Christ but is of special use; Oh than what folly is it that thou shouldst bour to know the fullness of any creature for thy wants, and not of Christ; He is an Ocean, and not one drop in him but is of admirable efficacy; He is a Pearl, and so the least of that must be very precious, if thou continuest in fears and lusts, it's because thou dost not improve all of Chrsst; It's not enough to touch the hem of his garment, but thou must receive whole Christ.  

Use.  Use of Instruction, That all those sinners who love their sins and will not depart from them, are wholly barred from all this comfort, stand aloof off, and bewail thy Leprosy; Christ received not that fullness from his Father for thee abiding and continuing in thy sins; Oh miserable and wretched though they live in ease and pleasures, having all things their carnal appetites desire, one thing is necessary, and that thou wantest: Oh that the Spirit of God would convince such of their danger, their poverty and nakedness, though they think they want nothing; I tell thee this good Samaritan as well as the Priest will pass by thee, Christ as well as the Law speaks no comfort to thee, yea, the blood of Christ speaks more terrible things than the blood of Abel, Thy condemnation will be the greater, because Christ came 〈◊〉 the world, because he was crucified; All thy other sins have not that aggravation, as thy rejecting of grace, of how much sorer punishment saith the Apostle, shall such an one be thought worthy.  
Use 2. of direction to the people of God, if thou fittest mourning like Rachel, and refusest to be comforted, blame thy own self; It's thy ignorance and folly, thy unbelief and doubts cause all this; What could God have done more? What could Christ have done more than they have done, yet thou takest no comfort hereby; Oh that thou shouldst only aggravate thy sin and thy unworthiness, and not be as diligent to study and find out all the fullness in Christ, Christ as a Mediator ordained by God should be the Book thou art to read always, not a Page, not a word but thou shouldst be acquainted with it; Oh bewail thyself and say, how many comforts, how many privileges have I bereft myself of; I have kept myself in the dark, yea, in the Whale's belly, and thought of nothing but sin, and hell, and damation; Oh what little cause I had to wrong myself and Christ so much: Oh think Christ bids thee, as the Prophet did that Woman, bring as many cruses as thou canst, I have Oil enough to fill all, and thou art so froward thou wilt not; Oh think Christ saith to thee, Was it not enough that I lived for thee, I died for thee, but thou wilt as much as lieth in thee make me do all this in vain; Thou sittest complaining and bewailing, and Christ he complains of thee, Learn then at last that heavenly prudence and Evangelicall skill to make use of whole Christ and all of Christ for thy spiritual good.   

SERMON XXXVI. Of Obedience to all the Commandments of God, Showing, That that only is truly Obedience, And the Property of a Godly man.  JOH. 17.8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, And they have received them, etc. 
OUR Saviour in this Verse doth more largely amplify that to which he had in the 7th Verse spoken more briefly, so that he doth still continue in narrating and commending the Disciples Obedience and Faith, which are the Jachin and the Boaz, the two Pillars of practical Christianity; Their obedience is commended in the former part,  
1. By their readiness and willingness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They have received, as willingly as men do food, or gold and silver; They put forth their hands to take it with all delight, I mean the hands of their soul, viz. their affections which are both the feet and the hands of the soul.  
2. There is the Object, Thy words. Where  
1. We see, That is only true and proper obedience which Gods Word requireth; Though we be never so diligent and industrious, yet if the Word of God commands not such things; it's no obedience.  
2. The Universality, Thy words, that is, collectively and universally, They had an equal respect to all.  
3. These words are described by the Original of them, The words thou gavest me, So that Christ though head of the Church, yet did not deliver any thing to be believed or obeyed but what he had received of the Father, an excellent Precedent for all the Ministers of the Gospel; We see then every crumb in this bread of life is nourishing, and we will not lose any.  
1. Whereas we see that Obedience doth always relate to some Word of God, and that we may not of our own heads choose to do what we please in matters of Religion; We observe,  

Doct. That only is proper obedience that hath the Word of God requiring it.  That that only is proper and acceptable Obedience which hath the Word of God requiring it; We are apt to make Religion and godliness that which our own humours fancy, yea, and sometimes our lusts do suggest; Hence every one is apt to judge of another as religious and godly, not by the rule of the Word, but by such principles as he hath taken up for himself; Thus in Popery he is judged a very pious and obedient man, who is most industriously diligent in all that invented worship the Church of Rome abounded with; Though there be not one i●●a or tittle for it in God's Word, but as the Word of God is the rule of faith, so is it of obedience, Faith and the Word must accompany one another, and so must obedience and the word commanding▪ Therefore Christ tells the Pharisees their devotion it was a vain devotion, because Who hath required this at your hands? Mat. 18.9 See a notable expression Isa 66.3. They have chosen their own ways, I also will choose their delusions▪ You see Let a man have never such godly intentions, never such pious purposes, yet if he choose a way of his own in faith and obedience, God is greatly displeased, and therefore howsoever heresy or an heretic which is as much as a chooser of his own way be by Scripture and Ecclesiastical Writers limited to a way of faith, yet the Word may be extended to any practical obedience, We may say Superstition is heresy, We may say drunkenness, whoredom▪ are heresy, because they are ways chosen of men to walk in contrary to God's Word, so he who would have comfort in his obedience must look to God's command.  
The grounds of this are,  
First, From the Supremacy and Sovereignty of God, 
The grounds of this are  who alone is to prescribe to man his duty; He is our great Lord and Master, 
I. From the Sovereignty of God·  so that as it would be very absurd in a Servant to do that work which he thinketh fit, and not what his Master enjoineth, no less is it for men to think that God will accept them in such and such ways, when yet they cannot bring his Superscription and authority stamp● upon it; Hence it is that the Prophets do so often use this expression, Thus saith the Lord; It's not their counsel, or their commands, but Gods: Oh then examine thy actions, thy ways, thou puttest much confidence in them, Thou hast much comfort from them, but are they such as God hath required? Did not our Saviour at one word throw to the ground all that glistering golden Piety of the Pharisees? There is no command for it; This is the foundation you must lay, else your building, though never so glorious will have a terrible fall.  
Secondly, Obedience must have God's command, 
II. Gods promise is annexed only to God's command.  else it cannot enjoy Gods promise and blessing; Whatsoever God commands he hath annexed a gracious promise thereto for our encouragement and reward; Therefore it's said. In vain do they worship me; There is no promise of Gospel-priviledges or salvation to such actions; Now how sad a thing is it, when the same Motto which Solomon puts upon all these fading things here below, shall likewise be set upon thy Religion and devotion; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexatien of spirit; It's the promise that a godly man embraceth, that he looketh after, for even in holy actions truly, so it's not thy performance, thy grace, but the promise that bears thee out; Therefore we are all said to be Children of the Promise, Gal. 4.28. and heirs of the Promise, and 2 Cor. 7.1. Having these Promises let us cleanse ourselves; If then thou art never so zealous, though thou shouldst give thy body to the sire, and have not a promise, it would profit thee nothing; Shouldst thou give away all thou hast, Shouldst thou endure all hardship, yet if thou hast no promise to this action thou art but a tinkling Cymbal; Oh then let the people of God in all their acts of obedience mind the command for the lawfulness of them, and the promise for the encouragement thereunto; if no command then no promise, God will not water that plant, or give increase to it, which he hath not planted; And for this end Austin and others did condemn all those famous moral actions of the heathens as glittering sins, because they had no promise belonging to them of Eternal life: As they did them upon humane inferior motived, not supreme and divine, so their recompense was but the cockleshells of this world, not that weight of glory in heaven.  
Thirdly, 
III. Because of the pollution that is upon man's understanding  Obedience must have a command because of the great corruption and pollution which is upon man's understanding, so that it's impossible it should ever choose or do that which is acceptable to God, Rom. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, And the Heathens, even those that were judged most learned, yet were darkened in their Imagination, Rom. 1. They became vain, and the Apostle calls it their foolish hearts; It is therefore a most absurd and insufferable indignity offered unto God for thee to take upon thee how thou wilt worship him, how thou wilt serve him, and for this it is that the Scripture so often complaineth, that they went after the imagination of their own hearts; So that by this you may judge of what little consequence those excuses are which some make for superstition, That they were done out of pious Intentions, and a fervent zeal, for although such things may in some respects excuse a tanto, yet not a toto. Hence Vzziah though out of a good intention stopping the Ark not according to God's order, is stricken dead; Paul persecuting the Church of God though out of zeal, for he thought he was bound to do what he did, yet was not thereby excused from being a blasphemer, a persecutor, and the greatest of sinners; Nothing is to be added to God's precepts, Etiamsi vel bonum nobis videtur, said Ambrose; So that the right understanding of our deep pollution, may justly make us afraid of any thing which is ours, and hath not God's command; The Apostle Col. 3.2. condemneth even those things, because not of God, which yet had a show of humility and great mortification.  

IV. From the fullness of the Scripture.  Fourthly, Obedience must have a command, from the fullness and sufficiency of the Scripture; It's a perfect Rule, Whosoever walketh according to this Rule; Gal. 6.16. and David commends it for a Lantern and Light to his feet, Psal. 119. So that if our obedience might run out in such things where there is no word for it, the Word would not be an adequate Rule, It would be too narrow, and then if once you grant a Rule besides that, you go in infinitum, yea, we fall into manifest contradictions, for how many times doth one man's spirit think that best which is contrary to another man's; How comes that opposition in matter of Religion, but that the word is not made the Rule, but either there are reasons or lusts, or temporal interests, so that it's necessary we have the Word for obedience, else the Enthusiastical Revelations and Popish Traditions they will both plead a good Title for acceptableness with God.  

V. Else obedient persons could never bear up their hearts against the discouragements they meet with in God's work.  Lastly, An Obedience must have a command, because else we can never bear up our hearts in all the discouragements we meet with in doing God's work; What hardened the Prophets so that their foreheads were like brass and iron, but only this that they knew God had commended them, and they went upon his message; Shall Absalon use such an argument to the man when he had killed Ammon, Be of good courage I have bid thee; How much rather than when God commands, 1 Cor. 15. Be steadfast, immovable in the work of the Lord, knowing your labour was not in vain: Let all the world oppose us when we know its God's command, our hearts need not shrink within us; Thus the Apostles Whether it's better to obey God or man judge ye, Act. 5.29.  

Use.  Use 1. of Instruction, Of how terrible and dreadful a judgement are they worthy of, who are so far from being obedient to God's command, that they live in open and professed disobedience to it, if the most devotional and Religious actions are refused by God, for want of a command; what shall become of those which are in plain opposition to it; Such are all the works of the flesh, Such are the works of most men, when thou hast been wallowing in the mire of sin, to which of God's commands hast thou been obedient? Nay sin hath its command, the devil hath his commands, and thou givest up thyself a Servant to them; Oh that the eyes of men shall not yet be opened, nor their hearts yet mollified, who is thy Father, thy Master, thy Lord, Is it not the devil? When God commands thee who is the Lord of Hosts, who promiseth heaven and an eternal reward, that God who hath all sharp arrows of vengeance in his quiver to shoot immediately into thy heart; That God though commanding thee thou refusest, and the devil while he bids thee go and fulfil this lust and that lust, immediately thou goest; That devil who deludes and deceiveth thee, who is the known Enemy of thy soul, and will be thy cruel tormentor to all Eternity: Oh then lay it closer to heart, I am under command either of God or the devil, I am an obedient Servant to one or the other, and thy works they quickly manifest it.  
Use 2 Use 2. of Direction to people, That they would be like those noble Bereans, examine the ground of their faith and obedience, Do not offer a Sacrifice without eyes? Blind obedience is contrary to that command, offer up yourselves a reasonable Sacrifice, or a Sacrifice according to the Word, as some expound, Rom. 12 1. There are dangerous Sirens that would in●ice you out of this way, we are apt to judge that a duty that most do, not which God commands, we think a multitude will dispense against a precept, when yet Gods express charge is, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, Exod. 23.2. The very heathen could say, Argumentum pessimi turba: Again, we are apt to judge of duty by our interest and engagements, as our Education, Safety, and Profits lead us; Whereas we should say to our hearts in such cases as Christ to Peter, Get thee behind me Satan.  
We come to the second Observation, the object of Obedience is described in the plural number, Thy words thou hast given me, They did not neglect or break any wilfully, They looked upon all as precious gold wherein the least O●●e is not to be lost.  
Obs. That it's the property of godly men to have a respect to all God's Word, to look to all his commands; Herod's and Pharaohs they will do some things, 
Obs. That it's the property of godly men to have respect to God's Word.  but david's and Josiahs' they only will regard all, and indeed doing many things unless all will not save; There is a leak in the Ship that will overthrow all; This one spark will set all on fire, as David implieth, Psa. 119. Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandments; That man who because he hath done many things looketh for heaven, will be in dreadful confusion when he shall see one sin able to shut the door of heaven against him, and mark the expression, when I have respect, he doth not say obey, but have respect, That doth imply besides the outward obedience, an inward awe and reverential eye towards every duty God requireth; Thus James also doth severely reprove this partial mutilated obedience, and pronounceth that heavy doom, He that breaketh one is guilty of all, Jam. 2.11. viz. because of the vinculum formale, the authority of God, which is in one as well as in another:  
To improve this consider,  
First, That even the godly through Ignorance upon their minds, 
Proposition to clear the Point.  or some importunate temptation, may be very diligent in some commands, and yet not observe others, and this may be either from ignorance or provoking temptations, from Ignorance, such may the education of the godly be, or they may live in such dark times wherein error is common, and none make any question of it, and then they may continue in the omission of many duties; So some excuse the Patriarcks in their Polygamy; Though (say they) it was an express sin against the first Institution of Marriage, 
How far godly men may sail.  yet custom and Tradition had taken away the sense of sinning, and so in the time of many good Kings, who made an exact Reformation, yet the high places were not taken away, there was either non-attendance or sinful connivance at that, and in the Infancy of the Christian Church, how many were so weak as not to discern their Christian Liberty, but placed much obedience in the observation of Jewish rites and Ceremonies; And thus also there may be some provoking violent temptations; The Godly though they have an universal Inclination to Gods will, yet are hurried aside; David was overtaken with Adultery though his heart was sincere towards all the whole Law of God: We distinguish then between temptations and an habitual custom in any sin; The godly man may by the former be driven out of his faith, not by the latter, so that even then there remaineth an inward seed that doth virtually contain the commands of God, and therefore is called the Law of God written in their hearts.  
Secondly, In the godly we are again to distinguish between gross sins, such as Tertullian saith waste the conscience; And those Relics of corruption which Austin saith are of daily incursion upon us; The one is a camel, the other is a gnat comparatively; Now the godly do so keep all God's commands, that they seldom or never, to be sure not wilfully and habitually fall into these deep and foul pits; But as for the latter we see by Paul's complaint they have not a full conquest over them, Rom. 7. They may be possessors of Canaan, though they have some Jebusites alive to humble them and keep them low.  
Thirdly, Though the godly have a respect to all God's Commadements, yet they acknowledge an order amongst the commands, they know some are greater, and others less; And therefore when there cometh an indispensable omission of one, they pass by the least, and the contrary to this is grand hypocrisy, which our Saviour doth often condemn in the Pharisees; They omitted the great things of the Law, and Judgement, and Mercy, but were very diligent in the inferior things; Saul lost both a temporal and spiritual Kingdom in this respect; For Samuel tells him, Obedience was better than Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15.22. and Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft; There is the great command of loving God with all our heart and soul, to which all others must bow.  
Fourthly, We must always distinguish between the Integrity of parts of our obedience, and the intention of degrees; The godly though they reach to the former yet not to the latter: It's true by what reason we do any command in the integrity of it, we are bound to the perfection of it; But God giveth not such a measure of grace in this life; It's said of David and Zachary with his Wife, that they walked in all the Commandments of God: Yet that cannot be understood perfectly, for how often did David fail and Zachary for his unbelief was stricken dumb; There is no such thing as a Popish perfection; The Father's abhorred it, our perfection is to acknowledge our imperfection, and then the Commandments are by God's grace accounted done, when what is not done is forgiven and pardoned; These things premised let us consider why the godly are obedient to God's commands, they dare not omit known duties, or commit known sins.  
Reasons. 1 First, Because the principle of Regeneration and seed of grace is universal, It doth seminally contain all kinds and parts of grace in it; As all seeds, even of an Oak, or the tallest Trees, though never so little, yet virtually contain all those great branches, and let them have time to grow, they will diffuse themselves into a vast compass; Grace is the Image of God, and that inferreth a resemblance in lineaments and parts, an hand, or a foot is not an Image, So then seeing that in Regeneration there is infused the habit or principles of all grace, no wonder if there be an Inclination to all, yet not so, but that they may be carried out more readily and willing'y to some rather than other, even as though all men by reason of original corruption have a Fountain of all wickedness, yet one may be carried out more propensely to one sin rather than another; The Sea may break out of one bank sooner than in another.  
Reasons. 2 Secondly, There is the same authority forbidding or commanding in all; As the Apostle James argueth, Jam. 2. He that said Thou shalt not do thus, said also Thou shalt not do thus: If therefore the same God put forth his authority in every Command, Who are thou that darest omit one and not another?  
Reasons. 3 Thirdly, The motive is the same; For every sin because its sin and a dishonour to God, draweth him out to hate it, and in duties good because it's good, doth move him; Now the least sin is sin, and we kill young Serpents as well as old ones, and the least good is acceptable to God, and he will reward it.  
Reasons. 4 Lastly, In respect of the privative part, of the punishment of sin, all are equal, which is the loss of God and Heaven; The least sin depriveth of the happy Vision of God as well as the greatest, so that in this sense we may say there is no little sin, no more than there is a little God, and so likewise for the good of any duty; The least shall have heaven as well as the greatest, though not such degrees; Even a cup of cold water doth not lose its reward, Mat. 10.42.  
Use, To discover that Hypocrisy and falsehood in many men, some sins they avoid, others again they embrace; Is not all sin poison? Is there any good sin? Were thy heart sound, those beloved and customary sins of thine could have no more welcome in thy heart then toads in thy bosom.   

SERMON XXXVII. Shows, That God's People are ready and willing in Obedience, Whence it is that they are so; Tending to rouse men up from dulness and Formality in God's service.  JOH. 17.8. For I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them. 
THere remaineth two things more considerable in the description of the Disciples Obedience.  
The next thing to be considered is their readiness and willingness implied in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They did not cavil or dispute, They did not draw back or maliciously oppose, but they were like melted wax ready to receive any impression, like white paper whereon Gods Will and Law might be immediately written, and indeed if you observe the Disciples all along from their first call to this present time there appeared much readiness in them; Christ did no sooner speak the word commanding them to follow him, but immediately they leave all and obey, though it was so much to their outward disadvantage, though it was to fall in the Whale's mouth, yet they readily resign themselves, and although sometimes they showed dulness to believe, and unwillingness in his service, yet our Saviour excuseth it saying, The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, and certainly had there not been a ready free spirit in the Disciples to take Christ above all, and to cleave to him only, they could never have devoured these troubles with so much patience as they did.  

Doct. It's a sure character of God's people to be a willing people.  Obs. That it's a sure character and property of the children of God to be a willing ready people in obedience; They are not as hypocrites kept from sin by constraint, merely from a principle of fear within, but Psa. 110. They are willingnesses in the day of God's power.  
To explain this a little,  

I. The dulness in God's people is not reigning but resisted and prayed against.  First, There may be the presence of dulness and unwillingness sometimes in the Children of God, but this is not reigning, nor is it habitually consented to, but resisted and with much agony prayed against; There is no garden but hath some of this weed in it; No gold but some of this dross; No godly man but now and then hath wearisomeness and unwillingness to holy duties seizing upon him; Thus we read the Church when Christ knocked at the door, though he had stood all night, and his locks were wet with the dew, yet the Church out of a dull sluggish humour doth refuse to open to him, Cant. 5.2, 3. So Rev. 2. There the Church is reproved for suffering her graces to decay, and that her duties were not filled up with fervency and solidity; yea, we may read of the Church complaining of this slothfulness and coldness, when she said, Draw us and we will run after thee, Cant. 1.4. And at another time, Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Isa 63.17. So that it's too manifest the people of God have much coldness and negligence in them; What is that which fills their hearts with so many complaints but this, what makes them so full of fears and doubts about their spiritual condition, Is it not want of life, vigour, and willingness? Oh they find their hearts can take delight and be willingly drawn out in earthly affairs, but they are like so many lumps of earth in heavenly things, when yet there is far more excellency, worth, and dignity in holy things then in all the whole world to draw out the heart▪ so then let the godly for their comfort distinguish between the presence of unwillingness and the power of it; Between unwillingness in the command and power over the soul, and the reluctancy and striving against it; The Apostle speaketh generally of sin, Let it not reign in your mortal bodies; Rom. 7. Non dixit, non sit, sed ne regret.  
This stumbling-block removed let us consider why the people of God must needs be so willing and ready in their obedience. 
Reasons.   
And first, 
1. The sense of guilt and misery.  The sense of their guilt and all the misery sin hath brought upon them puts them into a melting yielding frame; while men's hearts are hardened and they are not apprehensive of the damnable estate they are in, while they are not in the fire of God's displeasure, they are stubborn and untractable, but when they are kindly humbled for sin than they will do anything; Thus Paul, He that was mad in his oppositions against Christ, no sooner did the Lord touch his heart with the sense of his sins but he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Thus David, when the Lord had humbled him, and used afflictions for his sin, see how humbly and obediently he speaks, If he say, he hath no delight in me, behold, here I am let him do what he pleaseth, 2 Sam. 15.26. and the Church Mic. 7. I will hear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; Nothing then will so humble and mollify the heart to make a man do and be any thing, as a deep sense of sin; Thus the cold, hard Iron is put into the fire, and it may be beaten into any shape.  
Secondly, As the sense of sin, 
2. The sense of God's mercy.  so the sense of God's goodness and grace in being reconciled, notwithstanding all our provocations, doth much more enlarge the heart to thankfulness and obedience; The love of Christ (saith Paul) constraineth us, We cannot hold, we cannot keep in, as you may see David upon the apprehension of God's goodness to him, resolving to take the cup of salvation, and to praise God in the great Congregation, Psa 116.13. Gospel grace doth not in a filial spirit harden and make wanton, but doth more soften and inflame to an active obedience; This made Paul run like the Sun in the Firmament; You see it's the grace of God which lieth kindling and warming of him: This is like the Spirit in ezechiel's wheels, the dejected unbelieving soul is not so readily obedient; An Evangelical frame of heart assured of God's love, carrieth out to filial fruitful obedience; Nothing is too much, too great, too dear to part with for so gracious a God; This breedeth love, and we know love is an active fire, it cannot lie still, but kindleth all that it cometh near.  
Thirdly, They are active and willing because of that sanctified renewed nature which they are partakers of; They are said to have the divine Nature, 1 Pet. 1.4. 
3. The divine nature they are partakers of.  The Seed of God is said to abide in them, 1 Joh. 1.3. And by this means they are carried out voluntarily to divine actions, Thus in nature saith Aristotle, which is the inward principle of motion or rest; How readily do sparks fly upward? The stones descend downward? And thus it is here; Those inward principles of Sanctification they do so new mould a man that now the will of God is his delight, the Law of God is written in the inward man; Nothing is so connatural and suitable to him as those things that are also pleasing to God; Indeed for the unregenerated man it's no wonder he must be haled and constrained to what he doth, That he like the Mill cannot move any longer than the waters of affliction fall upon him, for there wants a principle within, but it is otherwise with those that are born again; Their proper food, their proper delight, their all in all is to be doing the will of God, as Christ professed, Joh. 4. and David doth often acknowledge those endeared affections he had to the Word of God above Kingdoms and all other earthly advantages.  

4. Because they were so willing heretofore to sin.  Fourthly, They are a willing people because in their former time of unregeneracy they were so willing and ready to serve sin and Satan, and were constantly obedient thereunto; Now saith the Apostle, As they had given themselves servants to sin, so now to righteousness, Rom. 6.19. They readily set themselves, as the word signifieth, whensoever lust bade them go, they did go; Whatsoever was commanded, there was ready obedience; This by way of an holy revenge, and to make a godly satisfaction, They are the more serviceable to God, They grudge the devil had so much time, that so much of their choicest and best affections were lessened in time; They therefore strive to redeem the time, to recover all for God, They shame themselves saying, What, was I willing and glad to do the works of the devil, and shall I not do the Will of God?  

5. Because they know none but willing service is accepted.  Fifthly, They are willing because they know no Obedience is accepted of with God, unless it be willing; It's not thy faith, thy humiliation, thy zeal, unless there be willingness and delight in it, that God accepts of, Isa. 1.29. If ye be willing and obedient, so God accepts of a willing mind: Woe be to me (saith Paul) if I preach the Gospel, and not willingly but of constraint, 1 Cor. 9.6. Though he did preach it yet if not willingly there is a Woe to him; Oh then it's no wonder if the people of God are so glad and cheerful within them in the work of the Lord, otherwise their work would lose their reward, and they the Crown of Glory; Think of this then when you find the wheels of your Chariots move heavily, Thou art happily thinking how to put off truth or duty, or thou wishest it over, say this unwillingness marreth all, God will not aceept of a Sacrifice unless offered in fire: Say upon all thy dead and formal duties, these are not duties, God looks not upon them as so: Non operari & non esse are all one before God in some respects.  

6. Because of their great reward,  Sixthly, They must needs be a willing obedient people because of that eternal glorious reward which is promised to every holy duty; What will put Wings to the soul if not this? To think that God will assuredly put upon thee Robes of Immortality and glory, for a duty though never so little, for a cup of cold water, who may not admire the vast disproportion that is between our work and God's reward; If the Apostle spoke of the most extreme sufferings that could be in this life, they were not worthy to be compared to that eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4, 17. How much more is it true of those good works we do, which are but little in quantity, and defiled in quality; Well therefore may they rejoice and work righteousness, Well may the godly labour even in the heat of the day, with much gladness of heart, for the recompense of thy reward doth exceed all proportion; If the Kingdoms of the world should be given to a man for lifting up a straw, it would not be so great a matter as when God and Heaven became thy reward for every holy duty: No wonder if they are best when they are thus doing; for how can they be better; There is no such profitable and comfortable wotk as to be doing that of the Lords.  
Lastly, Even in the very duty itself though there were no heaven hereafter, 
7. Because of the joy and comfort that attends Obedience.  yet there is so much present comfort and joy attending it, that it's both work, and meat, and drink also, Therefore we see how David was joyfully affected herein, Who are we that we should be able to offer thus willingly; He that doth God's service willingly and fervently, he hath present pay in hand; The very sense and feeling that he doth it so readily, doth afford great comfort to him, Virtus est sibi ipsi praemium; A godly duty is accompanied with honey and manna, he would not do otherwise for all the world; Oh then that wicked men who though they have some pleasure in sin, yet find many wounds and torments within them, would make an exchange, in stead of drunkenness put on temperance, in stead of riot and wantonness live in all chastity, Thou wouldst find an heaven for a hell immediately: Oh how wouldst thou bewail thy time, that thou didst not leave these husks no sooner! Oh what an enemy was I to my own soul, when I lived in such lusts, and neglected such holiness! Taste and see the difference: while you have this sinful distempered palate upon you, it's no wonder if you love the Egyptian garlic above the heavenly Manna.  
Use of Instruction, How loathsome and unacceptable all that Obedience is to God, which comes from any other principle than a renewed spirit; 
Use.  It's the free and principal spirit David prayed for, Psa. 51. he saw all obedience if constrained, if forced by the judgements of God, was condemned as hypocrisy: Thus the Prophets complained of the Jews that in the time of their distress and calamity they would pray to God. They would fast and humble themselves, but saith God, Oh that there were such a heart within them, Deut. 5.29. And hence it is that Repentance and contrition extorted by the fear of death, and the judgements of God are not acceptable; Whatsoever is done is by force, and this m●y be even death to many that hear it, for when art thou for any good duty, When is thy heart or mouth for it but when some great judgements of God are abroads, or when some eminent calamity comes near unto thee, Then thou criest out of sin, than thou speakest well of godliness, but all this is forced, It's a Landfloud, It's a Morning dew, why didst thou not in thy prosperity show forth willing affections to God.  
Use 2. of Direction, 
Use 2.  To humble the people of God that though there be so eminent and pregnant Reasons for their willing obedience, yet they should be so dead, so heartless, so full of excuses as they are, Oh is not this the sin of every godly man? May he not cry out of his slothfulness and barrenness? Are the things of God and Heaven as operative and lively upon thee as the things of the earth? Oh how hard is thy heart many times like the Mountains of Gilboa whereon no dew falls; Oh how often do they keep the door shut even when Christ knocketh; so that if you ask wherein may the people of God fear their ruin most? It may be said, In their unwillingness, in their deadness and coldness; Oh how many times are we not so much as capable of that excuse our Saviour gave the Disciples, The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, for how often is thy flesh weak and thy Spirit unwilling also; For these things Gods children have cause to have poverty and shame of spirit within them.  
We come to the fourth and last observable particular, viz. That these words are such as the Father gave Christ to communicate to his Disciples: so that Christ himself did not take upon him any other doctrine, or preach any other matter then what he had received: Hence he did so often say, 
Obs. The Ministers of the Gospel are to preach God's Word.  The doctrine was not his but his Fathers, Joh. 7.16. Neither did he speak of himself but what he heard the Father.  
Obs. That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that, which they have out of God's Word; As Paul said, That which I have received of the Lord, that I delivered unto you; And the Prophet's Introduction is commonly Thus saith the Lord; If Pythagoras Disciples were satisfied with nothing but ipse dixit, how much rather must the believer whose Faith in the very nature of it doth relate to some word or Testimony; Hence it is that they are called the Ambassadors of God, 2 Cor. 4. And such must not go a word from their Commission, We are to be Conduits not Fountains; The Word of God must exire per te non a te, as Bernard; It's the good thing committed to our trust, 2 Tim. 1.14. We must therefore give the same that is committed unto us, we have received gold, we must not deliver copper; Thou art not author but custos Religionis, not Res ingenii but doctrinae.  
To open this Consider,  

1. It's their duty.  It's first Their duty, So that they will be found guilty of high crimes if they do otherwise; To mint false coin, or to forge a man's will are heinous faults amongst men; Thine is greater for thou counterfeitest God's Truth, yea, thou putst a lie upon God, thou attributest that to him which belongeth to thy folly: The Apostle saith, If it be a man's will, or Covenant, none may add to it or disannul it, Gal. 3.15. how much rather should this be so in God's Word? Oh then consider, thou wilt be found guilty of high Treason against God, if thou speakest any thing but his Truth.  

2. Their greatest honour.  2. As it's our duty, so it's our glory; It's the greatest honour we are capable of, to have such divine Mysteries committed to us, the Truths of God have only Majesty in them, they only convince the Conscience and awe it; They only breed reverence and admiration, so that although humane Learning and parts have a subservient excellency, yet if the Word of God and the Truth of God be not principal, there is no mastering of the Conscience and captivating of it: Hence are those commands, to attend to their doctrine, 1 Tim. 3.13, 15, 16. and to give themselves to reading, that so they may deliver only Gods will as it is revealed in God's Word. It's their glory as well as their duty, for the glory of a thing lieth in the excellency of its due and proper perfection; The glory of a King is a higher thing than the glory of a Peasant, and in another nature; All arts and Offices have their peculiar Glory; Logic in disputing well, Rhetoric in speaking well, and the Glory of Divinity lieth in divine Arguments and Motives, so that those who preach only humane or moral matter, they go below the Majesty of Divinity; Those that study words and fancy-fall things that may tickle the ear, these regard not the gravity of their office, nor of their employment; But as in the Ecclesiastical History, the Heathen said all the while a Christian argued with reason he could answer him, but when he brought forth the Authority of the Word, Thus saith the Lord, than he had no more to reply, Thus it's here, all the while thou hast strains of wit, and preachest like an humane Orator, not as one speaking the Oracles of God; Men will hear thee and applaud thee, but they will retain their lusts still, they th●nk thou art not in earnest, That thou lookest more to an expression that may please, then to an Argument that may wound the heart and conscience; It's therefore the glory of a Minister to be potent in divine Scripture Truths.  

3. It's his comfort and safety.  3. It's his comfort and safety as well as his glory; His comfort because his own heart tells him he hath not dealt deceitfully, he hath not purloined, he hath not corrupted or mixed the Word of God, to serve men's lusts and pleasures; He did not like the False Prophet daub with untempered mortar; Paul found this a great Testimony of Conscience to himself, 2 Cor. 3.17. Thou wilt have more comfort in Preaching God's Word powerfully, then in all the applause of hearers, for thine own subtle Inventions: Now as it's their comfort so it's their safety; They are sure not to do hurt to their flock when they always break of the Bread of Life, they may be sure this will nourish, but thy own thoughts are many times poison and destruction.  
Lastly, It's most useful and profitable, For they are the Scriptures only that are able to make us wise to Salvation, 1 Tim. 3. 
4. Most useful and profitable.  From this Brook we can only get stones that will kill the Goliath, The Word of God is an Hammer, and a Fire, and a two-eged Sword, so that although to the swelling proud fancy of the world it may seem dulness and plain simplicity, yet to the good and honest heart it's the power and wisdom of God.  
Use of Instruction To the Ministers of God, how narrowly they are to look to their Commission: To preach Scripture-truths' such as will endure a fiery Trial; For the Apostle saith, Every man's work must be tried, and he that builds hay and stubble shall suffer loss, and he himself with much ado shall be saved.  
Use of Admonition To hearers; for many times a vain people make vain unprofitable Preaching; They have such wanton stomaches that they love nothing that is solid and sound, give them words, rattles, and baby-clouts, these things please them, but to convince the Conscience, to command the heart, to make it tremble for sin, that they cannot abide.   

SERMON XXXVIII. Of the Excellency and Necessity of Believing in Christ as a Mediator; That it is acceptable to God as well as Obedience to a Command; Yet withal showeth the difficulty of it, and whence it comes to pass that the Children of God, sensible of their sins. are so hardly brought to believe; As also why ungodly men think it so easy a thing.  JOH. 17.8. And they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 
OUR Saviour commended their Obedience in the former part of this Verse; Now he doth the like for their Faith; For Obedience without faith is but a maimed and lame Sacrifice; yea, there cannot be any acceptation of our Obedience because of the imperfection of it, unless Faith cover it in Christ, and this our Saviour now undertakes, that the Disciples were not as the Pharisees and Jews who trusted in the righteousness of their Obedience, but when they had done all looked out for a Mediator to stand between God's perfection, the Laws perfection, and thine Imperfection: Their Faith is commended by our Saviour, 

1. In the Acts.  
2. The quality.  
3. The object of it.    
The Acts are one of them large and comprehensive, They have believed.  
2. More narrow and particular, They have known; Here you see that Faith is not a blind ignorant assent, but accompanied with a true and sure knowledge of that we believe.  
Secondly, There is the quality of their Faith, They have known surely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which may be opposed either to hypocrisy or false ends; They did unfeignedly upon true grounds believe, not like those that are said to believe, yet our Saviour would not commit himself to them because they sought the glory of men more than of God, Joh. 2. or else it may be opposed to doubting and staggering, as our Translators seem to go; They did surely, overcoming all unbelief, and doubts that might oppose them.  
Lastly, Here is the object of their Faith, viz. That Christ came from the Father, as sent to be a Mediator, working salvation for those that did receive him; They looked upon him, not only in respect of his person, God and man, but also in relation to his office, that he was the Jesus, and the anointed one to save his people from their sins; Whereas then we see our Saviour in many words commending this faith of theirs as a most special consideration in them, and which would be very acceptable to God, we may observe,  
That Faith in Christ as a Mediator is acceptable and well pleasing as well as Obedience to a command; It's not God's will that a child of his should be always either thinking of sin or obedience, but also of believing or resting the soul upon Christ, as in whom all fullness is, 
Doct. Faith in Christ as Mediator is acceptable to God.  and though when God only becomes well-pleased with us, Joh. 6.29. when the people asked, What they should do that they might do the works of God; Christ answers, This is the work of God that ye believe in him; Faith is here called the work of God,  
1. Because it's wrought by him; We are not able of ourselves to believe, but in this sense it's not meant here.  
2. By work of God is meant that which in a most eminent manner is acceptable to him, that which he seemeth to delight in more than any other, and that is faith, and indeed the people of God they are hardly persuaded of this; They doubt rather whether it be a duty at all; Oh how long are they kept in the uncertain wilderness of tears and dejections, ere they come to know the way of believing; They still hope by something they do to be accepted, so that to the humbled sinner there seemeth nothing more paradoxal and difficult▪ Whereas we would think thus to believe in Christ and receive him as a Mediator would be very easy for all; None would keep off; For it is to come and take comfort and ease, and who will refuse this? But it's certain that the Children of God sensible of their sins are a long while ere they are fully directed into this way of believing; They do not presently understand how wellpleasing it is to God that they should cast off their burden on Christ; That they should cover themselves with his robes, and so come and appear before God.  
The Grounds of such discouragements in God's Children are, 
Why Gods Children are so hardly brought to believe.   
1. The real and bitter sense of their sins in the nature, frequency, and all aggravations of them; So that while they are thus broken in heart nothing but sin, sin doth present itself in the guilt thereof; See it in David, Psa. 51. His sins were always before him; His murder, his adultery, these were ever in his eyes, and what a work is it to bring him to a joyful spirit in the mercies of God; The godly therefore being many times attended to their sins, they are careful that their repentance be real, bitter, and deep enough, and withal seeing sins rising up in their hearts after one another, as one wave after another; They grow wholly despondent, and all their thoughts and Meditations are as if there were nothing but sin to be thought upon, Nothing but sin to be meditated on, and this extremity of sorrow makes the ear deaf to Christ, so that it refuseth like Rachel to be comforted; Thus the Incestuous person when he did feel the bitterness of his sin, was in danger of being swallowed up with too much sorrow; He thinketh not only the Priest and the Levite, but even the good Samaritan will also pass him by and power no Oil in his wounds; When one eye is intent downwards, the other cannot look upwards; When the heart is greatly grieved from one object, it can hardly be prepared to receive comfort from another.  
2. There is an innate inbred principle of a Legal Justification or acceptation by works that we do, and this makes Faith in the Mediator as a stranger, as an absurd thing; and indeed this is the main reason why all the godly find it so hard to believe, why they are so loath to be beholding to grace only to resign every thing, and to be saved by Christ merely; Even that inbred principle of being justified by what we do; See how all they that come to Christ propound this, What shall we do that we may be saved? They look upon doing not believing, Thus the Jews generally, they sought to establish the righteousness of the Law, and, would not submit to the Righteousness of faith, Rom. 10.3. Oh it is a great matter to humble and empty the heart of a man so as that he will submit to a Righteousness of Faith; yea, we see many of the Christian Teachers and disciples were led away in this, as appear by the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians; What a great task hath the Apostle, to take all off from works and the obedience to the Law, and to give all to Christ? They would give part to Christ and part to their works, but not all to Christ, so that it's a very hard thing to pull this weed out of our breast; We see all Popery and Socinianism goeth this way also; To do something that they may be justified thereby.  
3. Thus they cannot think that it's so acceptable to believe in a Mediator, because it's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby; so that they look upon it as self-seeking and immoderately desiring their own good and peace, not as any ways tending to the glory of God: But we shall show you that Faith in the Mediator doth not only bring comfort and joy to us, but admirable glory to God, even more than Martyrdom, or the highest expressions of Obedience; Do not therefore tempt thyself, and be a Satan to thy own peace; What though thy comfort, thy salvation bound up in believing, yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way; Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to dispute against it, so that if this believing be a self-seeking, it's such as God would have thee to do, and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder, so he that will not believe on Christ which is called eating and drinking, is guilty of soul-murder.  
4 This is strange and difficult to the godly a long while, because our justification and acceptation by him is wholly of supernatural Revelation; It's like the doctrine of the Trinity or of Christ's Incarnation; As humane reason would never assent to such a Truth were it not for divine Revelation that overpowers all, so that all our sins are pardoned through Faith in Christ's blood, is likewise of mere divine manifestation; For see what nature doth incline us unto in all the heathens when they had sinned, so as their Conscience condemned them, they went to some solemn sacrifice, or other extraordinary work, thinking thereby to pacify the wrath of God: Adam was created in a state of Righteousness, and so by his Obedience of works he was to be justified; And upon his fall it became impossible that any should be justified by what he did, unless sin could justify a man; Therefore when God discovered a Christ, and Justification by faith in him, This is new doctrine from heaven; Neither Men or Angels could have found out such a way, so that it's no wonder if man be thus averse to this Faith in the Promise, because it's a way that neither the state of Integrity or of man fallen was acquainted with, insomuch that a godly man in the sense of his sins, must bring such a faith in the Mediator as he doth in other mysterious supernatural objects of Faith, and his heart saith, It's unlikely such a sinner, such an offender should find mercy, say, O my Soul, Are not the other supernatural Points of Religion that I believe very unlikely also and incredible to flesh and blood?  
Lastly, Therefore this seemeth hard to the godly broken hearted sinner, because though Faith in a Mediator be a duty, yet it's not to every one that live, that wallow in their sins; Christ is not a Mediator whether men repent or not repent; You are not to think that it is all one, godliness or no godliness; If then such only may believe in a Mediator as do truly and sincerely repent of sin; This will be hard to find out, for there are Ahabs tears and Judas' tears for sin, and indeed upon this depends all; In this the godly are so much plunged, Christ indeed bids those Come that are heavy laden, that hunger and thirst after him, But I have great cause to question myself whether I do thus or not.  
In the second place, 
Why profane men think it so easy to believe in Christ  Why is it so that Profane and ungodly men think it so easy to believe in Christ? And they say they do it with all their heart, when it's plain by the Scripture they are not such to whom those glorious things of the Gospel do belong.  
And 1. They think it so easy because they take presumption for faith; They think they believe when they presume; Now to presume is easy, because it's a work of the flesh, it's suitable to our corruptions that the Jews though they committed all lewdness, yet the Prophet complaineth they would come and lean themselves upon the Lord, and trust in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, etc. That is not faith which most of the world have; It's presumption, it's carnal-confidence, such as those had who said, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy Name, Such as the foolish Virgins had, Mat. 25. Such as Paul had before his Conversion, when he said, He was alive, Rom. 7. Oh then tremble at that security and confidence thou hast, Thou mayst be sure it's a sin, and of the devil, it's so easy, whereas Faith is very difficult.  
2. They look upon Faith in Christ as easy, because they divide the Object, they take some things of Christ not whole Christ; They think it's only believing on him as a Saviour for pardon of sin; They do not choose him as a Lord to whom in all obedience they resign themselves; This is indeed the rock that splits many, tell them of believing in Christ, and they think that is only to rest for salvation, They attend not that it's the receiving of Christ for all the ends and purposes God sent him into the world; Now one main end besides our justification and salvation is our Sanctification; To redeem to himself a people zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. To communicate his Spirit for to make holy as well as his merit to make happy.  
Lastly, They think it easy because they never think on any qualifications which are required in those who partake of Christ; It's true, there are the Antecedent Conditions of merit or worth, Let that Popery be abandoned, but yet the Scripture tells who and what kind of persons they are that must claim an Interest in Christ, They are blessed that hunger and thirst, for such shall be satisfied, Mat. 5. Every one that is athirst is to Come, Rev. 22.17. Repent that your sins may be blotted out, Act. 3.19. Now profane secure people they never think of these qualifications, They say, God is merciful, They say Christ is a Saviour, but then they never consider of whom, They think not that many are called but few chosen; They love not those places, The way to heaven is a narrow and strait way, Not all that say Lord, Lord, shall find the gate of heaven opened to them; If they thought seriously of these things, it would cause an holy trembling in them.  
These things premised Let us consider, 
Why believing in Christ is so acceptable to God.  Why it is so wellpleasing to God that we should believe in Christ our Mediator; It's accepted of as well as our Repentance or love, or any other obedience.  
And 1. Because hereby God is exalted and magnified in his glory; We cannot glorify God more otherwise; Now than if God aimed at his glory in the Creation of the world, but much more in the redemption of his Children; There is not a way to exalt his glory more than by believing; Thus Abraham in that of his concerning a Seed, which did relate to Christ, it's said, he staggered not, but gave glory to God, Rom. 4.20. The glory of his power, of his goodness, he regarded not the dead womb, nor any other difficulties; Thus it is here, when thou seest sin against thee, the Law against thee, Justice against thee, and that every thing hath a dead womb, yea, a damned womb for thee, to overlook all in Christ, is an high degree to glorify God; Oh then ckeck thy unbelieving thoughts, Say, Is there any way in the world whereby I can glorify God like to the relying on Christ and leaning upon his grace; So much dishonour as despair casteth on God, so much glory faith attributeth to him, resist then all the buzzing temptations of Satan, and say, What, shall I not glorify God? What, shall I not give God honour?  
2. The acceptableness of it doth appear in the frequent and constant commands that Christ giveth about it; It's true he commands Repentance, Love, self-denial, but above all he requireth faith. The question he propounded to most that came to him was, Do ye believe? This is so great a duty in Christianity, that the Heathens abhorred our Religion as irrational, saying, It's only believed with them, whereupon they called them in scorn Believers; But this is the grand and primary duty, Heb. 11.1. There is no coming to God without this, and Eternal life is said to be in this, Above all take the Shield of faith, Eph. 6.16. If then we see the Scripture so constantly enjoining this above all, yea, and threatening with damnation if we do not believe; How is it that the godly stand aloof of, and still are not resolved whether they should believe or not; Thou dost not so about Repentance; Thou never questionest whether thou shouldst grieve or mourn for thy sins, Thou wouldst think it high wickedness to do so; Why then shouldst thou doubt whether being burdened with sin thou shouldst seek ease by faith in him, Is not the command as indispensable for one as the other.  
3. It's acceptable Because hereby Christ as a Mediator is improved for all these glorious ends he was appointed by God, and thereby Christ is also glorified; What shall such unsearchable riches of grace as are bound up in Christ be buried? Shall there not be daily acknowledgements of him? Now consider, that if by Faith thou dost not receive him, thou declarest Christ lived in vain, and died in vain, by what reason thou dost not believe; for one effect thou must not for another, and so for all; Thus it will be as if there had never been such a person as Christ; We may in some sense call it thy Antichristian unbelief, He that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh is Antichrist, 2 Joh. 7 Doth not thy unbelief deny him? For the denying of his office is by consequence the denying of his person; Thy unbelief doth that practically which the damnable heresies of Socinians do doctrinally, make as if Christ were not a Mediator, and such who had satisfied the wrath of God for us; Oh then know it's not all thy sins do so immediately oppose Christ as a Mediator as thy unbelief doth, which makes Divines say, that in some sense only unbelief damneth, because that rejecteth the Mediator, refuseth the Saviour, so that as we say, It's not the disease but the neglect of the medicine that kills.  
4. It's very acceptable to God because It's the most evacuating grace, It emptieth us wholly of ourselves, God he delights in humility, now nothing humbleth us and takes us off all our seeming worth, like faith in Christ, for therefore I wholly trust in him for righteousness, because I have none of my own; If I had any rags that could cover my nakedness, I would not be ashamed, but now being all over impure and unclean, my Faith makes me catch hold on him; Thus Paul he counted all things dung or dross Phil. 3. because of the righteousness which is by Faith in Christ: Seeing then Faith gives all to God and Christ, makes us miserable, wretched and hopeless in ourselves; No wonder if God do so accept of it; Consider therefore how it debaseth thee, and carrieth thee off every thing that is thine, and then thou wilt say, this is the grace God loveth, this makes me nothing, and God all in all.  
5. Faith in Christ must needs be acceptable, because hereby we bring a righteousness into God's presence which doth best please him, which satisfieth him to the utmost, for Christ is made our Righteousness; and the end of the Law to us, he became sin that we might become the Righteousness of God through him, 2 Cor. 5. ul. Now than if we by Faith can bring the Righteousness of Christ in all our duties and performances, we must needs please him; This is to bring Benjamin with us, Oh what satisfying Reasons doth Faith in the Mediator bring; O Lord, It is not my Righteousness, nor the Righteousness of Adam, nor the Righteousness of Angels but of Christ who is infinite, that I bring before thee; O Lord, doth not Christ please thee better than I can; O Lord is not this obedience better than my Repentance; Oh than that we should not be more solicitous to believe in every duty, in every approach to God, for that brings Christ, that presents not our persons or duties but Christ; Thus Paul, he would be found in Christ not having his own righteousness, Phil. 3.9. Ye know not how righteous God is, nor the Law, nor what God requireth, that do not thus press to believe. Other grounds of this excellent Evangelical Point, I defer and come to the  
Use, which is of Direction to the people of God, Oh what joyful, comfortable and blessed lives might you live if acquainted with this Truth; Art thou dejected, filled with unbelieving thoughts, it's from thy ignorance of this Truth; You would be more filial and Evangelical were you possessed with this Truth more; The Devil labours to keep you off, as Saul did Jonathan, and the people from eating honey; whereas if they had not forborn it their enemies had been quite vanquished, he keepeth thee from this honey, he knoweth if thou wert believing no sin or temptation could stand before thee, Heb. 5.13. The babe Christian is said to be unskilful in the word of Righteousness, what is that, he knoweth not Christ and the righteousness by him, Therefore the Spirit of God is said to convince the world of Righteousness, Joh. 16.8. O what Enemies are we to ourselves because ignorant herein.   

SERMON XXXIX. Further showeth, How acceptable unto God it is to believe in Christ the Mediator; And setteth forth the dangerous Nature of Trusting in our own Righteousness.  JOH. 17.8. And they have known assuredly I came from thee, and have believed thou hast sent me. 
WE are prosecuting this Evangelical Point, That Faith in Christ as a Mediator is acceptable unto God as well as obedience to a command; That as love is the fullfilling of the Law, so Faith of the Gospel: Several Reasons have already been laid down, we now proceed to give you more.  
1. Therefore Faith in Christ as a Mediator is acceptable because of the difficulty of and opposition to it; When we are seriously sensible of sin, yet to rely on the love of God in Christ is like esther's venturing into Ahashuerus his presence, If I perish, I perish, or like the Lepers into their enemies the Syrians Camp; Thus saith the afflicted soul, If I lie despairing under the burden of my sin I am sure to be undone, I cannot find any hope within myself, It's therefore venturing on Christ; It's good to go to him, I am like that woman of the bloody Issue, that had spent all she had on Physicians, but yet could not be cured; I have run to every refuge, tried every conclusion, but still my soul cannot have any safe bottom to stand upon: Let me therefore by Faith fly to him as a Mediator; In the midst of these depths and agonies of heart to trust in Christ is an high heroical disposition, like that of Job, Though he kill me, I will trust in him, Job 13.15. Like that of the Canaanitish woman, whose faith Christ so commended, Though she were put off and called dog, and told the bread did not belong to her, Mat. 15.27. the promises of grace and pardon were not her due, yet for all that she will hold upon Christ and not let him go; Oh then consider that if thou like Peter wilt venture to go though upon the waters to him, here is a special discovery of the nobleness of thy Faith; That thou regardest God's command and his promise more than all Satan's temptations, and the sense or suggestions of thy own soul; As it is with love to God when God doth afflict and chastise us, yet to keep up a tender fervent love to God argueth the greatness and purity of thy love, so in the midst of broken bones and trouble for sin to depend upon the grace of God in Christ argueth the excellency of Faith; Our Saviour when he said, Blessed are they that believe and see not, sheweth, that he who believeth, Joh. 20 9 when he hath the least prop of sense and encouragement from outward things doth put forth the purer and nobler acts of Faith; Now for Abraham to believe though Sarahs' womb was a dead womb, argued stronger Faith then if she had been a fruitful woman; Thus the difficulty and opposition in such temptations makes faith the more acceptable.  
2, Faith in Christ must be as acceptable as Obedience, because there is great Obedience in Faith; For although Faith in Christ doth not justify us as it's an Obediential act, for than we should be justified by a work, but as it's an Instrument receiving the Righteousness of Christ, an hand to take that enriching Treasure, yet there is very great Obedience in every act of believing, go over the several acts of it, knowledge, assent, and fiducial application, all these are therefore put forth by a believer, because God saith it; Hence it's called the Obedience of faith, Rom. 10.26. And we are said to captivate our understandings herein, 2 Cor. 10.5. For a man in believing walketh not by sense or humane reason, or principles of the world but the mere revealed will of God so that whether we regard the doctrine to be believed, or the promises to be embraced, we must conclude that faith is a spiritual Martyrdom; It's not reason but God's Word moveth thee, as we told you in the Jews, They went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit themselves to the Righteousness by Christ, Rom. 10.3. You see by that expressien how a man must be much humbled and captivated ere he can yield up himself to Christ's Righteousness; Oh then think not that Faith is not an high degree of Obedience; It's a renouncing of all humane thoughts, apprehensions, and whatsoever seeming worth or righteousness may be in us: Oh how deeply was Paul humbled ere Phil. 3. he would come to account all things dung and dross, and to be found not having his own righteousness, but that which is by Faith in Christ; So that although Faith as it is a work doth not justify, yet it's a great work and that of pure and mere obedience; For whereas in all other moral duties, Love and Patience, there is some engrafted notions within that convince of that; In believing there is nothing but the command of God and his promise, that inviteth to this duty.  
3. Faith must needs be acceptable to God because that only of all graces hath a relative fitness to receive Christ and his benefits, Rom. 3.23. and in many other places, Remission of sin, and so the Spirit of promise, and also Justification is still said to be by Faith, not by Love or Zeal, or any other grace, because they are of an active nature, and go out to God, This of a passive nature, and receiveth Christ, so that the Scripture useth a peculiar phrase to express the nature of Faith, making it a supernatural Instrument or organon to receive Christ, as the hand of all parts of the body taketh a Treasure when given, and thereby a man is enriched: It's true it's not for the dignity or merit of Faith that we are justified, Therefore the Learned observe well, that it's never said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for Faith as a cause, but by Faith as an Instrument, so that it's not properly Faith in Christ that justifieth, but Christ apprehended by Faith, as it is not the hand but the treasure taken by the hand that enricheth, or as the Scripture excellently describeth it; It was not the bare seeing of the brazen Serpent, or any excellency in the eye, but the brazen Serpent that did heal: Seeing that Faith hath that aptitude of all other graces to apply Christ, and God makes use of it, and appoints it for this end, no wonder if that be so wellpleasing to him.  
4. Faith in Christ as a Mediator is wellpleasing, because by this we also are enabled to all obedience, to all duties of mortification and holiness, so that this Faith which receiveth Christ as a Mediator▪ receiveth him in his fullness of grace as an head, and thereby we have strength and ability to every thing that is holy, Act. 15. purifying their hearts by Faith; That implieth both our Justification and our Sanctification; Hence we are said to be in the Olive Tree, viz. Christ. and to receive of the fatness thereof by Faith, Rom. 11. Thus all Believers they are branches in Christ the Vine, Joh. 15. So that you see there is great reason why Faith in Christ as a Mediator should be preserved, because that enableth to all lively and active Obedience, Heb. 11. You see it was Faith that put all those Worthies upon such notable Obedience; And when Christ prayed for Peter, he prayed that his Faith might not fail him, Luk. 22.32. why not his courage and boldness, but because Faith is the root of all; So that in Christianity we by Faith in Christ come to be holy and then believe in Christ, Per fidem venitur ad opera, non per opera, ad fidem; Insomuch that it's a gross mistake in the people of God when they think to attain to such a degree of Repentance and mortification, and then they would believe in Christ, whereas by Faith in Christ and coming to him they would have strength to such duties; Thou dost as if the branch separated from the Vine should think thereby to grow and flourish.  
5. Faith in Christ is so well pleasing to Christ, because that only will put us upon such a life and conversation as is acceptable to him, which is joy and thankfulness; It's very pleasing to God that those who are his would walk cheerfully and thankfully, that all the world may see it's better to serve the Lord than sin; Hence you see the Psalmist so often calling upon the Righteous, to rejoice and be glad; yea, to shout for joy, and in the New Testament▪ Rejoice, and again I say rejoice; Hence it's called Joy unspeakable and full of glory; And for thankfulness we should have our hearts and mouths filled with praises; Praise is comely for the upright, Psa. 33.1. It is very fit, that he who is full of God's love and his mercies should also be full of thanksgiving, In all things give thanks, 1 Thes. 5.18. So that you see joy and thankfulness should be the constant life of a Christian, he cannot honour Christ or the Gospel more, but how can these be unless there be faith in Christ, Being justified by Faith we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. where there is no peace, there is no joy, no thankfulness, and indeed all those bitrer briers and thorns which the godly have, arise from that bitter root of unbelief; Why is it that they go bowed down, and none seem farther from comfort and thankfulness than they do, but because they exercise not this faith in Christ; It's more pleasing to God to be filled with heavenly joy, then tormenting doubts, and this joy is the daughter of faith; If then all these things be duly considered by the godly Convert he may be awakened, and wonder how he indulged himself in such doubting, fearing, and unbelieving thoughts, he may cry out, what glory have I robbed Christ and the Gospel of? What heretics and Papists with their corrupt doctrines have done against Christ the same did my perplexing, inflaming fears do; I lived not as if I had received the Spirit of Adoption, but of bondage and fear: Thou wilt then find the dark Cloud with Lightning and Thunder to pass away, and the clear Sunshine to appear; Thou that wast like the Disciples afraid of Christ, as if he had been some formidable Spirit, wilt then know what Christ is, and how ready and willing to receive afflicted sinners; Thou wilt then stand and wonder, how could I be so injurious by my low and narrow thoughts of Christ? Was it for a light matter that Christ should leave all his heavenly glory and come to endure all that reproach and misery for our sakes.  
But we proceed to some Uses, And  
Use 1 First, Is Faith in Christ as a Mediator so acceptable to God even above all Obedience, so that as he said in some sense he would have Obedience rather than Sacrifice, so may we say in some respects, He will have Faith rather than Obedience. Then let it instruct us in the heinous and dangerous nature of that close, secret and unperceivable sin of trusting in our own Righteousness; Let there be no secret depending upon thy good heart, thy good life, thy good duties, for if contraries are known by contraries, then as faith renouncing all we are and have to be found in Christ is of so great acceptance; Then to rely upon any thing we do, to have inward restings upon our own actions is a sin highly offending God; We can hardly commit a sin worse: The Publican in some respects is better than the Pharisee, as those Diseases which are quickly discerned are more curable than those that are not discovered, Ille morbus vix est sanabilis qui sanitatem imitatur; Our Saviour found this untoward disposition in the Pharisees, as that which was plainly their mortal disease, had not this besotted and benumbed them, they had sooner set open the gates of their soul for the Prince of Glory to come; The Apostle makes this desire and endeavour to set up their own Righteousness to be that which wholly undid them, and our Saviour himself looks upon this as the root of all bitterness, and therefore laid the Axe to it, when he told them, They were such as justified themselves, but what was highly esteemed amongst men was abomination before God, Luk 18. So that not only profane and gross sins, but the civil Pharisaical man who stands on his own bottom, and feeleth not the absolute necessity of faith in Christ, is in a perishing condition; And because this undoeth thousands as well as gross wickedness, Let us see whether we can pierce the Scales of this Leviathan, whether we may remove this Mountain and throw it into the Sea of Repentance and humiliation; The greatness therefore of this sin is seen in the unperceivablenesse of it; A man may with 〈◊〉 whole might trust in himself, and yet think the clean contrary; Paul said 〈…〉 alive once, he was at hearts ease, Rome 7. judged himself in a secure safe condition because of his spiritual estate, but when his eyes were opened, and he awakened by grace, those things that were once a gain and a privilege he accounted dung and dross; But Paul while in that Pharisaical Righteousness was as senseless of any such spiritual confidence in himself as any dead man of the greatest burden upon him; Oh than what hopes have we to make such men see the black dungeon they are in, and the cursed opposition they stand in to Christ; For the principium is loesum, Christ came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance, Mat. 9.13. The Righteous are such as the Pharisees who trusted in themselves, thought all well with them, Now such can never hunger and thirst after Christ; They are full of themselves, as they say in Philosophy, the sensible Object put upon the sense hinders all sensation, as in the eye or ear; Thus it is also in Divinity, our own Righteousness, our own good thoughts they cleave so close to us, and so we are not able to put forth any spiritual sense; But as even the Ethiopians think the flattest nose and the blackest colour to be the best beauty, and the Persians the contrary, and all because that they are so; It's a National property, So it is here, because our heart is ours, our works ours, our duties ours, therefore we think them good, and so put secret hopes therein, and though in this high bloody sin, yet our Consciences do not, cannot smite us, therefore fear Security more than all despair and trouble of Conscience, for this is felt and discovered, and thereby the better prevented, but the other is a secret Impostume never manifesting itself but when immediately killing.  
2. As it is a secret sin hardly perceived, so it's a deep radicated one; It's our very nature and essence almost: You see by these many disputes that Paul had against those who would join the works of the Law with the Lord Christ, that it is not only imbred in us to put confidence in them, but even to plead for it and to justify this doctrine, and this was not only amongst the unbelieving Jews, but even such as did acknowledge Christ also; The danger therefore is, that when we can cast away other sins, yet this will cleave the faster to us; The more we abstain from iniquities, the more trust we are apt to put in ourselves; This our Saviour urged when he said, unless a man become like a little child he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 18.4. And when he spoke a Parable to this purpose, that when we had done all, we should say, we were unprofitable Servants; Oh then take heed of this sweet poison within thee; Do not say within thy heart Such and such sins I have left, I am none of the profane ones of the world, I have a constant care about all holy duties, for if thy heart be hereby confident in these things, it is Idolatry; Though it be more subtle, yet he that falls down before a stock or stone and worshippeth Idols is no greater an Idolater than thou art, for thou makest thyself a Saviour, and sayest of thy duties as they did of the golden Calf; These are the Gods that brought thee out of Egypt.  
3, This trusting in our own Righteousness and not in Christ solely is a Spiritual sin; It's a sickness not of the body but of the soul, and so the greater sin; All sins that are immediately subjected in the soul, have the greater guilt and defilement, ceteris paribus, more than any bodily sins; As the Schoolmens Rule is, The sins of the Spirit are maioris reatus, but bodily sins maioris infamiae, We see it in the Devils, Their sins are wholly sins of the Spirit, and are therefore called unclean spirits, yet they are more sinful than men; Therefore they are called spiritual wickednesses in high places, Eph. 6. Though then these sins of spiritual pride and secret confidence in ourselves do not make a noise in the world, and bring reproach as bodily sins do, yet in other respects they may be of a crimson colour 〈◊〉 ●loudy aggravation; They are a corruption of the best and choicest part ●hin thee, and therefore look not only to outward but inward heart-sins.  
Lastly, The grievousness of this sin doth appear in the immediate contrariety and opposition it hath to Christ and the Gospel of grace; There is no sin doth so formally and immediately reject Christ as a Mediator, as this self-fulness and self-righteousness, as we may see by our Saviour and the Pharisees; That which kept them from Christ was their self-justification; They thought they had a Righteousness of their own which made our Saviour call them Blessed that did hunger and thirst after Righteousness, That were heavy laden and burdened; And indeed Reason will tell us that a false Righteousness set up against the true, is more dangerous than open and plain sins, and Christ must needs be more jealous of such a person; Seeing therefore that God requireth a Righteousness there must be a Righteousness procured, and this of Christ's can only be satisfactory, it is an high sin to set up thy Absalon King instead of this David; Thou dost in effect say, All that Christ did it was needless, it was in vain, for thou hast a Righteousness of thy own works thou wilt trust to, and never think to wash thyself from this sin, because by thy words thou speakest the clean contrary: There is none that professeth Christ will grossly and palpably own his works for Justification, but there is an inward secret tickling of heart and confidence because of them, so that God only can charge this sin upon men, for he knoweth and trieth the hearts and reins of men: But thus you will say, If this self-righteousness and trusting in what we do be in some sense worse than all the gross sins that are committed, how should we become convinced of it, and so forsake it? Oh that we could tell how to get this Ivy from cleaving thus to us, lest it consume all that is within us: Now the ready and only way for a man to be driven out of this self-righteousness is,  
First, Seriously convince and inform thy Judgement of that Original pollution which cleaveth to thee as soon as ever thou hast a Being: Remember those place In iniquity did my Mother conceive me, Psal. 51. The Imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are only evil, and that continuly, Gen. 6. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? We are by nature the Children of wrath, Ephes. 2.3. Oh the true apprehension of this loathsome contagion will quickly make us cry out of ourselves and any thing that is ours.  
Secondly, Remember the purity and perfection of the Law, what it is that requireth even the perfect actings of all grace, so that if there be wanting but one duty, yea, one degree of grace; The Law rejects all, and curseth all: There is no way but Hell and eternal damnation; N●● the knowledge of this must needs make a man cry out of himself because he fails in all things.  
Thirdly, Consider the examples of those that have been most holy and godly, how still they would go out of themselves; They would not have their own life to be the Rule to be justified by: David that is so highly commended, and who breathes out such divine affections to God, 〈◊〉 saith, If thou enter into Judgement with thy Servant who can be Justified: Psal. 133. Oh it's not for us to stand upon our works and duties, when God calls to account, and Job, Though he pleade● his Integrity, yet he humbled himself under his imperfections comparatively to God: Paul likewise would not be found in his own Righteousness; It would be shame to 〈◊〉 ●●d guilt to him to be found so.  
Fourthly, The relics and remainders of corruption still cleave to us; Though we be washed yet still we need our feet should be washed; Thus Paul Rom. 7. and Gal. 6. Seeing therefore in every duty there is such a combat and constict between grace and sin; There is dross as well as Gold; It behoveth us to renounce all, and to say, Only Christ, Only Christ.   

SERMON XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediator, and of our being affected with it, And invites the greatest Sinners to come unto him for Salvation.  JOH. 17.8. And have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didss send me. 
Marvel not if I am the third time upon this Subject, for we see our Saviour doth again and again commend this Faith in his Disciples, and certainly this is the Sum of the Gospel, the marrow and quintessence of Christianity; By this we differ from Jews, Pagans, and Turks, yea, by this we are separated from Papists, Socinians, and other Heretics, None of them allowing this imputed Righteousness by a Mediator, which by Faith is to be received.  
Therefore I shall proceed in exalting and pressing this Faith in a Mediator, that at last we may come to have a spiritual and sound understanding herein; For here are two great stones to be rolled out of the way.  
1. Ignorance or misbeleef in this Point; There are very few that have been Orthodox here; There are most in the world that have an erroneous persuasion in this matter, under the guilt of sin they do not fly only to Christ as a Mediator; They say, Lo here is Christ and Lo there is Christ; They have something else they put a confidence in, and therefore what the Lord saith in another case, is also true here, He will reject their confidence, Jer. 2.37. Never were the people of Israel more prone to lean on Egypt and Assyria for outward help rather than on the Lord only, than we are in a spiritual manner ready to rest upon some spiritual prop besides the Lord Christ, so that ignorant people they know nothing of this, and knowing people are hardly persuaded of the truth of it.  
A second stone to be rolled out of the way, is that senselessness and unsavouriness on men's hearts, though it should be granted that they know and rightly believe in this matter, for indeed none can prise or be affected with this Subject, but such a spiritual heart that is sensible of his spiritual disease and the spiritual Remedy; They must be Children of the Adoption, They must be Evangelical hearers, such as have been in a spiritual Transfiguration with Christ on the Mount as it were, That are refreshed with these Truths; It's not every hearer, It's not every one that cometh to the Assemblies that can say, How welcome are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of the Gospel: Therefore we desire your hearts as well as your heads, your tender affections as well as solid understandings: This is a Truth that must be eaten, you will not feel the sweetness of it till it be in your belly.  
Now there are very good grounds why we should be thus insisting upon this Subject.  
For 1. It's the main scope and end of the whole Scripture; If you ask why the Word of God was written, the Answer is, That the chief principal end was, 
1. Faith in Christ the Mediator the main scope of the Scripture.  that man being convinced of his sin and of the utter impotency of any righteousness in himself or other Creatures, should fly unto Christ's Righteousness as the only Sanctuary; Thus John, These things are written that believing you might have eternal life, All the Administrations in the Old Testament were Types of Christ, as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, doth at large open their meaning; It was not their Sacrifices but Christ, It was not the blood of Rams and Goats, but Christ's blood; Hence it's said that Moses and the Prophets bear witness of Christ; It's true the Scripture hath many other subordinate ends, but the chief is to direct us to Christ, to make us see that nothing in the world can pacify God for our sins but Christ; Oh then how necessary must that be which all the Penmen of the Scripture aimed at, Moses, David, all the Prophets; They looked at this Messias; And the New Testament is wholly spent in describing his person and his Office, or the end of his coming into the world; Oh than whatsoever thou mayst be ignorant of or negligent in, yet give thyself to the studying, meditating, and believing of this Subject.  
2. The great work of the Spirit of God in the Ministry is to convince of this Righteousness; It is to make us see that all humane Righteousness, 
2. The work of the Spirit in the Ministry is to convince of sin.  all moral duties, no, nor the grace's God bestoweth on his people, are the Righteousness God looks for, Joh. 16.9, 10. The Spirit of God is there said to reprove or convince the world of sin, especially of that great sin of Unbelief, and then of Righteousness, which Christ procureth by going to his Father, Observe that, It's the work of God's Spirit thus to convince, So that all Moral Philosophy and the wisest directions of the most civil men will leave us in a Wilderness; They cannot tell us what is true Righteousness, and how we come to be accepted of by God; Therefore this is revealed by the Gospel only; If we would know what is that Righteousness which we may trust to, which may be as a Screen between God's justice and us; Neither Aristotle nor Plato among the Heathens, no, nor Bellarmine and Suarez among the Papists will inform us rightly; Because in the matter of Justification and the doctrine of Righteousness they have too much consulted with Aristotle, as if the Scripture spoke of such a Righteousness as the Heathens do; No, this tells us, It's a Righteousness of Christ imputed to us without works, this it doth again and again; Seeing then all natural reason would never persuade us herein, it must necessarily be the Spirit of God that will convince us in this, and therefore though you hear ten thousand Sermons of this Subject, your hearts will never be convinced of your own sinfulness and Christ's Righteousness till you are overpowerd by God's Spirit; Oh then pray to God that he would make thy heart readily to yield to it, yea, and rejoice in it.  
3. The end of the Law and the preaching of that is wholly for this end, 
3. It's the end of the Law.  to discover Christ the Mediator; Those that would not have the Law preached cannot have Christ preached truly and effectually, for Rom. 10.4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness; Can the end be obtained without the means? It's the Schoolmaster to bring to Christ; The disease must be discovered are we will seek out for a Physician; The heart must be wounded ere we shall desire oil; The Law than is to be preached in the exact purity of it, and in the condemning power of it; That so when we see ourselves wholly undone in that Court; That there remaineth no hope for us, than we may fly to Christ; The Law saith, Do this and live, Do all things in the highest degree, else you cannot live; Now into what horror and despair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice, Believe in Christ who hath fulfiled the righteousness of the Law; When therefore we preach the exactness of the Law and the severity of God's Justice, it is not that we should stay here; Alas, who can say It's good to be here? no, They will cry out as the People of Israel did at the giving of the Law, when there was so much terror; But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you, you might lay hold upon Christ; We would burden you that Christ might ease you.  

4. It's the essence and marrow of the Gospel.  4. This Doctrine is indeed the very essence and marrow of the Gospel; This is the glad tidings that when we of ourselves were eternally undone, Christ as a Mediator reconcileth the offended God and offending sinner; It was this that the very Angels though it did not so immediately concern them sang for joy, Glory be to God on high, Good will to men, and peace on the Earth, Luk. 2.14. This is that which we find the Apostle Paul so magnifying every where, This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15. Great is the Mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh than we should never be weary of this Subject, It's eyes to the blind, It's meat to the hungry, Clothes to the naked, mercy to the sinner, grace to the afflicted one; This is the fatted Calf, and the Robe for the distressed Prodigal; Truly as he said he did not love to read, no, not Tully, because he did not find the Name of Christ, so should all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious, that do not directly or indirectly, mediately or immediately bring us to him; All other Points are but accessary or preparatory, this is the Substance; It's such an excellent Subject that the Angels desire to be informed more in it, and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it.  

5. The devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this Doctrine.  5. This is the more to be pressed because the devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this doctrine above others; Insomuch that Luther called this, Articulus stantis & cadentis Ecclesiae, when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Christ by Heretics; Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediator; That if there must be a Christ, yet he might be a needless and useless one, so that by this Point only we differ not only from Jews and Pagans but all Heretics and Papists; The righteousness of Christ our Mediator imputed to us is the Treasure in the Church only; This Pearl is hid in this Field only, The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is seen by the devil's opposition, and his Instruments raised up to obscure and darken it; And then on the other side God hath raised up choice Instruments in his Church, to vindicate this Truth; Luther of all Points was most affected with this, and God prepared him for it, by laying soul exercises and heart temptations upon him, insomuch that he said he often wished he had never been a man; Oh the trouble and darkness that was upon his soul, and he used all the Remedies prescribed in Popery, to comfort himself, but still his heart was as unquiet as ever, till at last he was by studying in Scripture directed to believe in Christ the Mediator, and in particular to be clothed with Christ's righteousness in stead of his own, and thus it is still, the more spiritually tempted and exercised any man either Minister or private Christian is; The more he walketh in darkness and hath no light: The more doth he come to prize and esteem this fullness in Christ; None love this honeycomb but those who hunger after a righteousness that they cannot find in themselves; These particulars discover the necessity of pressing this often and often.  
Therefore the second Use is to bring your hearts in relish with this Doctrine; 
Vse·  Oh that thou wert such an Auditor, that this Truth might breed a sweet pleasure in thy spiritual appetite; If this be the Gospel, If this be the glad Tidings, If this be the Pearl and the Treasure, be thou in the number of those that will part with all to be partakers of it.  
But you will say, How may we fit Subjects for this Truth? 
Quest.  how may we come to prise it more than the honey or the honeycomb.  
Take these Directions. 
Answ. Directions showing how a man may come to prise this doctrine.   
1. Feel sin as a burden; as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world, for so Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you; David Psal. 32. when his sin was ready to overwhelm him, than he crieth out, Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sin; When Marry Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water because of her sins, than she is greatly endeared in her affections to Christ; Those love much to whom much is forgiven, as our Saviour at large showeth, Luk. 7.46. If then thou art not persuaded of thy debts, or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee, never think that Christ will be chief in thy heart; Oh then begin here, lay this for a Foundation, saying, All these precious Truths will be spilt like water upon the ground, until I be of a broken contrite heart for sin; The Prodigal never regarded the bread and Fullness in his Father's House, till he comes to want even husks themselves: Joab would not come to Absalon, till all his Corn was fired: Neither do we readily and willingly run to Christ, till God hath shot his arrow into us, tiill he hath wounded us at the heart, till we feel sin the greatest burden, and that because God is dishonoured and provoked, and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation, because there is such an excellent Remedy; Thou needest not fear going into the depths of this water because Christ will preserve thee therein; No wonder if a man not believing or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his sins; That with Luther he hates the word Repent, for there is nothing but despair and hopelessness about sin till this Truth be discovered; Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy sins brought to thy mind; Say not, They are a greater burden than can be born; for had Cain believed in Christ, Had Judas believed in Christ, Their sick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed; It's not the greatness nor the multitude of thy sins; It's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if so be thou dost but cast Anchor upon Christ.  
2. If you would have an high esteem of this Point labour for a spiritual heavenly heart; For as Christ in his Mediation is wholly spiritual, all his offices and works are spiritual, so it's only the spiritual and heavenly heart that can close with it; There must be a proportion between the Object and the faculty or Subject; Supernatural will not agree with that which is natural; If therefore thou art carnal, earthly, and wholly minding worldly Comforts, thou wilt prefer every Thistle before this Jewel; To you that believe Christ is precious, saith Peter, 1 Peter 2.7. but to others he is not so; Oh than if thy heart do not leap for Joy within thee, as John did in the womb at the Presence of Christ, it's because thy heart is carnal and sensual; Thou knowest no better good than what pleaseth sense: It's not because the matter is empty, but because thy heart is empty of heaven: What makes Paul desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified; Was it not the high spiritual Frame of his heart? and it cannot be otherwise, for Christ is all that an heavenly heart can desire; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He is the Head, and the Vine, He is the true Bread that came down from Heaven; He is made of God Wisdom, Righteousness, and Sanctification: If then there were more Paul's, Christ in his Mediatorship would be more magnified, but the general sort of people are like the Gadarenes, they had rather that Christ should depart out of their Country then that they should lose their Swine, Or like unto the Jews, that desire to show more favour to Barrabas then to Jesus.  
3. Would you be affected with this Truth? then pray earnestly for the Spirit of Adoption, and an Evangelicall Frame of heart: An heart not under the Law in a well-explained sense, but under Grace; Pray that ye may be led by the Spirit of God, and so be as Sons; For by this means Christ will be all in all: It's our hard, unbelieving, and distrustful thoughts of God that makes us keep at such a distance from Christ, and so neglect him who is the Peacemaker and Reconciler: Whereas an Evangelical disposition would make us draw nigh to God as a Father in Christ; It would remove the great Gulf that is in the way: It takes away the partition Wall; So that the longer we are kept in discouraging Fears, the less Fellowship have we with the Father and the Son, and so the less esteem and respect of him who is to create and work all this.  
4. Would you Rejoice in this Truth? Then Acquaint yourselves with the Imperfection of your graces, and the insufficiency that is in you even when you have done the best; For by this means you will find that every thing within faileth you, Nothing will stand sure enough, and thereby you will be necessitated to seek for a Mediator without: Thus Paul Rom. 7. when he discovered all that dross within himself, That when he would do good evil was present with him, Yet what doth this drive him to at last; I thank God through Jesus Christ; And David upon the apprehension of what defects did cleave to him, prayeth That God would not enter into Judgement, for then no flesh should be justified, Psa. 133. Not any one person in the world because he is flesh; Oh there is little cause for any man to bear up his Head, though he did ten Thousand times more than he did, though he were a Giant in Grace, whereas now he is but a Dwarf, because there is so much Imperfection in the best Duty, that it needs pardon; Not only our sins but our Righteousness needs the Righteousness of Chtist, as you see Paul acknowledged, and the Church of old complained comparing them to a menstruous Cloth, Isa. 64.6. Oh than if thou wert settled in this, thou wouldst cry out, Christ he is all in all.  

Use. An Invitation of the greatest sinners to come to Christ  Use 3. of Invitation, Even to great and grievous sinners to bewail their Iniquities, and to come in to Christ; For even your case is not desperate; Seeing we have such a Mediator, if Christ be truly apprehended what he is, all our sins will be no more to him then the Earth to Heaven; It's a long while ere the Law hath its due efficacy upon many sinners; They bless themselves when God curseth them, They acquit themselves when the Law condemneth them; But when once their hearts are mastered, and they feel the wounds of sin whether they will or no; Then it's as hard to direct them to this Mediator; Then they think their sins greater not only then they can bear, but then Christ can or at least will bear; Then the thoughts of the Multitude and bloody aggravations of them are so great that they see no way but Hell and Damnation before them; Oh let such consider what this Mediator is, who is sufficient to save to the uttermost; That he is more able to justify then the first Adam to condemn; Let them remember how wellpleasing it is to throw ourselves into the Arms of Christ; That he will not in any wise cast out those that come to him, That he will not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking Flax.  
But you will say, This Truth if preached publicly will do more hurt then good, For the Profane ungodly Wretch he will go home in the hardness of his heart, and when he can sin no longer, nor live no longer, than he will say, Oh it's good to trust in the Mediator.  
But first Consider That there is an Order and Method in our Trusting in Christ; It's not the first Duty we are to set upon; But as he that would get the Fruit of some Tree must first pull away the Briars or thorns that haply hang in the way, So it is here; Before thou art called to believe in him, thou art called to Know thyself and thy sins, how wretched and damnable thy Estate is; Unto what wrath and vengeance threatened by the Law thou art obnoxious; Thou must be lost in thy own self ere Christ will find thee, and further thou art called to have strong desires even as hunger and thirst is after Christ above all worldly and earthly things, so that none can bid thee believe; and as for thy Repentance or thy love to thy sins that is no matter, Christ will receive you howsoever: And then  
Secondly, As you cannot come to Christ but this Preparation must be made, so neither can you keep him as yours, but with a constant, holy, and earnest endeavour to all Godliness, 2 Cor. 5.17. He that is in Christ is a New Creature, and He that is Christ's hath mortified the affections of sin; Never think the Spirit of Christ will abide with wilful and obstinate wickedness.   

SERMON XLI. Of Praying both for the Godly and the Wicked, With the Reasons and Motives thereof.  JOH. 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world. 
IN this Verse we see the End why Christ so largely commended the Faith and Obedience of his Disciples; It is to show that they were such Subjects for whom his Prayer was proper and peculiar: To have prayed for the Reprobate, and such who did not, nor ever would give themselves up to Obedience had been either to pray that God would alter his eternal purpose, or else the course of his justice, but seeing they were both given to him by the Father; and did really discover the Fruits of this gift in their lives, Therefore they were fit to be recommended in Prayer.  
So that the Text doth describe the Subjects of Christ's Prayer; And again, For whom he will not pray: It's like that terrible Separation of the Sheep on the right hand and the Goats on the left; It's horrenda Sententia, as one Divine calls it. What? not pray for the world, said another? I pray God none of the world hear me:  
Though this Text hath some thorns of Controversy especially about Universal Grace and Christ's death for all men, yet it likewise beareth excellent practical matter·  
In the words let us Consider, 

1. The Description of those Christ prayeth for,  
2. The opposition for whom he will not pray.    
Those that he doth not pray for, are the world, who they are and the controversal matter therein is in time to be dispatched.  
Those he prayeth for are described, 

1. By that relative particle Them, I pray for them.  
2. They are described by their Original descent, Those thou gavest me, for they are thine.    
For the first part the Relative particle them, viz, They that have thus obeyed, thus believed; From whence in the general observe,  
First, That it's very hopeful and a good encouragement to pray for those that are godly: We may learn it from the example of Christ, They are such and such persons therefore I pray for them.  
Observe. 2. That the people of God are under the fruit and benefit of Christ's Prayer.  
Of the First.  
It's good and comfortable praying for those that discover the signs of Grace in them: Thus Paul, Pray for us, for we trust we have a good Conscience, Heb. 13.18. 
Doct. It's very hopeful and encouraging to pray for those that discover signs of grace in them.  That he makes an Argument, They should pray for him in his Apostolical work and employment, because he did with all Truth and Faithfulness of Conscience labour therein, and on the contrary when people were come to an high degree of wickedness, The Prophet is forbid to pray for that People, Jeremy 7.16, 17.  
To open this Point Consider this particular.  
It's not only our duty to pray for ourselves but for others also; 
Consider these particulars.  Some are said to Question Whether it be lawful to pray for any one man in particular, because (say they) He that prayeth in the due qualifications of speeding prayer, 
I. It's not our duty only to pray for ourselves but for others also.  doth as effectually succeed in tbat Duty, as if he had been praying for any particular, But this can no ways hold, It's a Duty sometimes to pray in particular for some persons, as the Disciples did for Peter when he was in prison; And Paul many times desireth the prayers of the Church for his own particular: A Prayer poured out for some particular person may have more love, fervency, 
Quest. Whether it be lawful to pray for any man in particular.  and faith in it then when for the general, especially their particular necessities are then commended to God, which would not be in the general.  
This being cleared we go on to assert that forementioned Position, It's the duty of godly men to pray for others; 
Answ.  Our Saviour doth suppose that in his Form of Prayer, Our Father, and he extends this, Mat. 5. even to our very Enemies that are Enemies for our godliness sake, persecuting and reviling us, and that though continuing in their wickedness; Thus Paul is thought to be converted by Stevens Prayer, while he was consenting to the stoning of that first Martyr; Stephen was praying that God would remove the stone from Paul's heart, yea, the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1. exhorts, that supplications and prayers be put up for all men; That is, for all sorts of men, as the distribution doth evidence, yet this is no contrariety to Christ's Example who would not pray for the world, for certainly he would not, so neither may we in that sense.  
Therefore Secondly, Though it be our duties to pray for others, 

II. Yet we may not pray for Reprobates as such.  
A twofold faith in prayer.   yet we may not in general pray for those that are reprobated, formalitè as they say; For that prayer could not be in Faith.  
There is a twofold Faith required in our Prayer.  
1. That it be according to Gods will, a dogmatical Faith.  
2. A fiducial Faith, that it be with confidence in God's Promise and Power: Now he that should pray for Reprobates as Reprobates, could not pray in a dogmatical Faith, for he did in effect desire that God would be mutable and changeable; It's as if we should pray that God would not create the world, whenas he hath done it already, yet this must be very warily understood; For  
1. We are to pray for any particular man though never so wicked, unless sinning a sin unto death, because we cannot tell who is given by the Father to Christ and who not, So that although to pray for all men that they might be saved is against dogmatical faith in Divinity, yet there is no particular man that we may exclude.  
2. The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.16. speaketh of a sin unto death, that we are not to pray for one guilty of that; This hath much troubled the Learned; The Ancients they thought it was not an absolute prohibition of all to pray for such, but only that eminent men might do it; They thought for an ordinary Christian to pray for such sinners, it would be high presumption; As it's not for every one in the Court to speak for some heinous offender but a special Favourite; When God said, Though Noah, Job and Daniel Eze. 14.14. should pray for that people he would not hear them; This implied that they were nearer to God's ear, and might prevail sooner than others; Though this Exposition be old, yet the Text seemeth to be absolutely prohibitive; And so Austin said, that if we knew who had sinned that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost, we were no more to pray for him, then for one damned in hell: Now whether such a sin as is unto death be ordinarily committed, and what it is, and whether we may know when such do commit it is worth the enquiring into, but is greatly extravagant unto my matter.  
3. To speak exactly, God's Decree about Events is not the Rule of our Prayer, but his Word is; And therefore though it should be revealed that God would not do such or such things, yet it may be our duty to pray for them; As Austin instanceth, If it should be revealed that my Father must die of such a disease, yet I might lawfully, though with submission, pray for his life, because it's my duty to use all means for my Father's Life; Thus though Nathan the Prophet had told David His Child should die, yet David humbleth himself, and by fasting seeketh to God for his Child's life; So it's lawful to pray that God would wholly mortify sin in us, yet God will not do it in this life; Thus also though Christ told Peter he should deny him, yet Peter was bound to pray for Faith and perseverance.  
4. We are to distinguish between a simple affection expressed conditionally in prayer and an absolute petition; It's lawful even for all men, though reprobated, and formalitèr as so, to express our desires and affections with this condition, if it were the Will of God; Even as Christ when he knew that it was Gods decree he should suffer, and that he came into the world for that very hour, yet conditionally he expresseth himself, If it be possible let this Cup pass away, Mat. 26.39. So ought we to express such a desire and love to the salvation of all men, that we are to wish it, but with submission to Gods Will and his glorious Wisdom: Thus Paul conditionally expressed his desire in reference to the salvation of his Nation, Rom. 9.3.  

III Whether we may pray in faith for others as for ourselves.  Thirdly, It's debated, That although it be our duty to pray for others, yet whether we can pray in such Faith for others as for ourselves; Whether we may with as much confidence pour out our hearts for the necessities of another as for ourselves, Some think not, because we cannot have such certain knowledge of another as of ourselves, but the contrary is true, for seeing the Promise is Universal, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name believing, ye shall receive, Matth. 21.22. And this extends to others as well as ourselves; Therefore we may with as much Faith and Hope pray for others as for ourselves, yea, it may be, and it's our duty sometimes to think so, that God heareth our Prayers not so much for our sakes as those we pray for.  
These things premised Let us consider why it's so hopeful to pray for those that are godly and belong to Christ.  
And first, Because than our prayers are likelier to have a powerful effect; Now there is no man but heartily desires his Prayers may prosper, he would not have them return empty into his own bosom; 
Then our prayers are liklier of a powerful effect when we pray for the godly.  These returns of Prayer should be more prized by us then the Merchant doth his Return of Ships, So that the godly man is very careful that he may not do any thing to blunt these Tools.  
Now there are these Grounds of more probable speed,  
1. Because Christ prayeth for them, and how greatly should we be encouraged to pray for those, for whom Christ prayeth; We see his Example in this Verse: Now his Prayer is a Mediatory Prayer, a Prayer that cannot but take effect; for the love of the Father doth not only move him, but Justice also, being he stands in the Relation of a Surety; Oh then let us be more fervent and constant in this duty of praying for others that are holy; Thou mayst think with thyself, What I am doing for him on Earth, Christ is doing for him in Heaven: Shall Christ regard the estate of such an one, and shall I forget him? It's to be feared that the godly do not look upon this, as so necessary a duty, and certainly such are the dissensions and alienations from one another, that I doubt this great duty of prayer for one another is greatly neglected.  
2. Therefore it's like to be a speeding prayer because they are such as are within the Promise and Covenant; Now when we have a promise from God's Word when he hath obliged his fidelity to such, Then we have strong Arguments to plead for such; Oh what a sad disheartening is it in prayer to think, I pray for such an one, but I know no promise to apply to him; It's true God is merciful and his goodness that is a general Encouragement, but yet there must be some more peculiar Encouragements from the Word of God, to be hopeful in prayer: Oh then be not guilty of the neglect of so much help and comfort to the Children of God, as to forget thy prayers for them, Thou mayst urge the promises of God for them as well as for thy own self.  
3. Therefore there is hope to speed because they are such Subjects who desire to walk in such a way that they may put no stop to the proceedings of prayer; One great and sure destruction of all prayer is to regard iniquity, when we pray yet to do also service to sin; If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayers, saith David; Psal. 66.18. And again, I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thy Altar, Psal. 26.6. He that prayeth and yet is given to sin doth benedicere Linguâ, but maledicere Vitâ; As the strings of an Instrument that are moistened are not fit for any Music, so neither is that man's heart or life which is polluted with any foul and noisome lust; If therefore thou prayest for the godly they are such who labour to keep hearts and lives pure; And therefore the benefit of prayer will find no gulf to stop it: It encourageth the Physician to give Physic to him who by his disorderly diet and Conversation will not go about to mar and destroy all.  
4. There is hope to speed in praying for a godly man, because there is a good Foundation already laid by God; God hath begun with many hopeful dispensations to those that are his, and we may not think he will have the reproach of the unwise Builder that began to build and could not make an end; Thus the Apostle encouraged himself, The Lord hath delivered and will deliver from every evil work, 2 Tim. 4.17. Let therefore the gracious workings of God upon those that are his people, be so many strong Invitations to pour out thy prayers for them.  
But you will say, 
Of praying for ungodly men.  May we then only pray for those that are already godly, must we like the Priest and the Levite pass by all wicked men? God forbid; Though there be not such comfort and hope in praying for them, yet it's our duty, 1 Tim. 2.7. to pray for all men: 
Motives there unto.  There are no sorts of persons excepted but such as have sinned that sin unto death; Indeed God is angry with Samuel for praying any more for Saul, and God commands Jeremiah to pray no more for that people, Jerem. 7.6. but that was chiefly in respect of temporal Mercies, Saul to have his Kingdom still; The People of Israel to have their Judgements removed, but that could not be, God had determined otherwise; It's our duty to pray for the wicked though wallowing in their sins, that they may be converted and brought home to God; Thus Christ that would not pray for the world of the Reprobates, yet prayed for wicked men, That God would forgive them for they knew not what they did; And seeing that Christ was heard in what he prayed for, we may think all those were converted; Those that knew not what they did, that were ignorant in their crucifying Christ, or if not all yet many, for our Saviour spoke indefinitely not universally: Thus Steven converted Paul by his Prayer at the hour of his Martyrdom; So Monica the Mother of Austin, by her daily prayers was a means of converting Austin, So that we may say of the ungodly as Samuel concerning the people of Israel, though a stubborn and wicked Nation, God forbid I should cease to pray for you, And indeed if it be our duty to admonish and exhort others, and with much patience to endure, if it be possible to bring them out of the snares of sin, no doubt we are to pray that God would bless such Reproofs, That he would prepare the heart to receive them; And again the very miserable and wretched estate they are in through sin makes them fit Objects of prayer: There is never a profane man that walloweth in his lusts, blessing himself in his hearts desire, but he is an Object of great pity, Even as mad men that think themselves Great Persons, when they are bound up in chains; Seeing therefore they lie under such great misery and they feel not this, They pity not, nor pray for themselves; This should make us that can pray to commend their estate to God; And the rather because as Preaching of the Word, so Prayer is appointed as a means of Conversion, but by the Word: Ask, and ye shall receive; So that if I ask for Conversion, If I pray for the Reformation of another, my prayer may be the Execution of God's Election; It's by prayer that God will make good this promise; Oh how comfortable will it be to see thee a Father answered in prayer for the conversion of thy Children, That they are the Fruit of thy Prayers, So likewise what rejoicing is it to a Minister, when not only his preaching but his praying for his people is answered; That it is not all our duty to preach to you but pray for you as Christ did; And what a joy is it if we see God answering our prayers in the conversion and reforming of one man; It's true there are some wicked men so highly profane and so wilfully wicked that they greatly cool the heart of a godly man in Prayer: It's said, the Church shut Julian out of her prayers, and there could not a greater and more sorer judgement befall him, for that was futuri judicii prejudicium.  
Use 1. Is Prayer thus hopeful in the behalf of the godly? then this should teach the godly to be more fervent and constant in this duty for one another: Paul though so eminent in office and graces, yet again and again desireth the Church's prayers and he promiseth his prayers for them; He informeth Philemon in particular that he makes mention of him in his prayers always; Thus you see what the godly have been used to do, If David Psal. 119.4, when his Enemies reviled him and reproached him, yet he gave himself to Prayer, and humbled himself in Sackcloth for them, what then would he do for those that were godly, Psal. 72. It's made a great blessing unto Solomon, that prayer shall be made for him, and the fervent Prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much, Jam. 5.16. If so, why do we not stir up ourselves more to this duty; The Apostle James biddeth us confess our sins and pray for one another in the same place; Shall Christ pray for all his, and wilt not thou? Do not say It's enough to pray in the general for God's Church, but thou art in particular to pray for others as their conditions and necessities require, be moved hereunto.  
First, From the common body and fellowship that ye are in; The Scripture delights to resemble the Communion of the Church under the similitude of a body, to show how near and conjoined they are together; If one member suffer shall not the Tongue pray for it; If any part of thy own body be pained and grieved, how much doth it affect thee, thou shouldst have the same affections to those that are of the body of Christ.  
Secondly, Prayers are an instituted help and means to procure the good of others, so that it's a duty you owe, Phil. 1.19 Paul trusted that all the opposition he had would turn to good by their prayers; So then, the afflictions, the mercies that others are under prove good by Prayer: Oh how apt is one to consume another! They are proud under such mercies, They are impatient under such afflictions, but thou that art thus apt to find fault, dost thou or hast thou prayed for them? It may be they are no better because thou hast not done thy duty: Thou little thinkest how near their sins may come to thee, Not that we are bound to mention by Name every godly man, for that is infinite, but as occasion draweth thee out, and thou art desired, making as much Conscience of prayer for others as a debt thou owest, or as a pledge thou art to restore.  
Thirdly, Fervent Prayer for one another will take away all differences, all jealousies and suspicions, it will make the Godly of one heart and one mind: Oh who can bewail the divisions of Jacob, Not the garments but the body of Christ is now rend: In former times it was said, Behold, how they love one another, how they call one another Brethren, but now what differences in opinion and other carnal contentions: There is no Love and communion, and there is no greater cause than neglect of this duty, and it's also an excellent remedy against all discontents: Art thou apt to receive unkindnesses, To think this or that hard dealing, Go and pray for that man, Oh how immediately will it quiet those winds and waves.  
Use of Admonition To wicked men, to avoid all impiety, if not for other Reasons yet for this, it makes other men's prayers the less effectual; It may be though thou art so vile and naught, thou hast a godly Father, or a godly Friend praying for thee; Though thou art so ungodly, thou hast a godly Minister praying for thee: Oh do not raise so great a gulf between Heaven and their prayers, as thy sins are; When Lazarus was dead and buried in the grave, Mary giveth it over as a desperate case: If thou hadst been here he had not died, saith she: So are we apt to say, Lord, Prayer for such before they come to be thus obstinate, before they have rebelled so much against the Light, might have been hopeful; But now what hope is there? Take heed thou go not so far in sinning that God saith, Pray no more for this man.   

SERMON XLII. The Excellency and Efficacy of Christ's Mediatory Prayer; Set forth in many Aggravations of it for the Consolation of the Godly.  JOH. 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world. 
THE Subject of Christ's Prayer is here described,  
First, By the Relative particle them, and although he speak strictly of his Disciples, yet in the end of this Chapter he joineth all Believers unto them, So that the 2d Observation is,  

Doct. All God's people are under Christ's Mediatory Prayer. Concerning which consider  That all the Children of God are under Christ's Mediatory Prayer; Now the Children of God which are also called his Sheep are of two sorts.  
1. Those who for the present are in a state of sin and opposition to Christ, and are called Sheep only in respect of God's purpose and Election, Joh. 10.16. Other Sheep I have that are not of this Fold, Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice; These are under Christt Mediatory Prayer, for it is by virtue of his Mediation that they are brought home unto him, but then there are others who are actually put into a possession of Christ, having new Natures, 
The Children of God are of two sorts.  and so enjoying a Title and Right to him; These are much more under the Mediatory power of Christ's Prayer, And therefore of such I shall treat.  
Again Consider, That though Christ prayed on Earth as a Mediator, yet still he doth in Heaven make Intercession for his: He ceaseth not praying though the manner be different; His prayer while in his humiliation is accompanied with strong cries and tears, with much humility and debasement, but his prayer in his Exaltation is only a representing of those to God whom he died far, as also their condition and necessity, willing that what he had purchased for them should be actually applied to them; Hence in the Text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; A Learned man observeth that that word is only applied to the Prayers of Christ in his humiliation, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his Intercession, which he makes in heaven, so that though Christ be now in heaven, yet we may not think he hath laid aside those compassionate bowels he had toward us, Heb. 4.15. when he was on the earth.  
Thirdly, Take notice that as there was a Typical Highpriest in the Old Testament, who offered Sacrifices and prayed for the people, carrying on his Breast the Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, that thereby they might be in a continual memory as it were before God, So under the New Testament Christ is the substance of that shadow, and he is the real Highpriest, who not only once offered up himself a perfect Sacrifice for sin, but was earnest in Prayer for his people;  
Now it's comfortable to consider in how many respects Christ is preferred by the Apostle Heb. 7. & alibi above him in the Law. 
The Priesthood of Christ exceeds the Priesthood of the Law.   
1. Those High-Priests were mortal, and therefore whatsoever affections they might have and compassions, yet those died with them, but now we have one who is immortal, and therefore v. 25. He everliveth to make intercession for us; Oh what a strong support is this, That there is an everliving Intercession for us; Though Parents cannot pray always for their Children, nor Ministers for their people, yet Christ's Prayer is eternal for us.  
2. All other High Priests had sins of their own to offer for as well as others, v. 27. They were compassed about with infirmities as well as other men, but Christ who prayeth for us is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, so that Christ had no sin of his own to purge away, he offered not up a Sacrifice for any infirmity he had, but it was for the sins of those who are his Childrin; Therefore the people of God are in a transcendent blessedness by reason of this Mediatory Intercession.  
And that our hearts may be fully affected herein Let us consider the aggravations of it, not naming what hath been already said. 
The aggravations of Christ's prayer.   
And 1. This prayer and Intercession of Christ is ready at hand, immediately upon any sin or fall the godly are cast into; We read of David that after his sin committed he himself was a long while dead and stupefied in it, but Christ he is presently sensible of what we have done; Oh how often do the People of God either wholly forget or else not a long time after take notice of their Infirmities; Their hearts do not always immediately strike them, but Christ who prayeth for us he takes notice of every failing, and immediately becomes an Advocate to plead for them, 1 Joh. 1.1. If any man sin, viz. of the godly, for he speaks to them, we have an Advocate with the Father; Oh what would become of the godly man who falls seven times a day; If our Advocate did not make up our breaches, every hour, every moment, we should be wholly estranged from God. Were it not for Christ's Intercession; Not only great and gross sins but even the very lest sins, Millions whereof we are guilty do in their own nature deserve hell, and so might make God abborre us, but it's because of Christ's Intercession, This Communion is not dissolved, It's not any virtue or dignity in our prayer that can re-estate us into God's favour, but it must be Christ's Intercession for us: As Aaron when the wrath of God broke out, presently stood up and offered incense, upon which the plague stayed; This doth Christ as it were all the day long.  
2. This Mediatory prayer of Christ is the ground of all the acceptance of our prayers; Our Prayers if not found in him are provocations rather than appeasements; If a Godly man's Prayer avail much, it is because Christ's Prayer availeth much, He is the Altar upon which all the oblations are sanctified, and from hence it is that the Incense of their Prayers are perfumed, so that God finds a sweet savour in them: Alas, what is even in david's and Paul's prayers but much infirmity; Their prayers need praying over again, when they have ended, they are even to beg pardon of all their holy duties, so that herein we may admire the advantage of being under Christ's Mediatory Prayer, in that by it only our Persons and duties are accepted, our prayers live and move in his; There could not be a crying tongue in them did not the Prayers of Christ speak louder? And this may unspeakably support under sad Temptations, when thou canst not pray, thy heart is bound up, Thy affections are faint and cold, Thou criest out, Oh the sins and infirmities of thy Prayers, yet Christ's Prayer is full and fervent for thee, There is no Imperfection, no fault to be found with him; Oh it's a good refuge to run unto, when thou art almost overwhelmed because of thy dull, formal and distracted Prayers! If Christ's Prayer had no more dignity and worth in it then mine hath I were undone for ever.  
3. This prayer of Christ for us is constant, perpetual, without ceasing; There is not a moment wherein we may say Christ doth not present thy cause to God, Thus it's said in the present Tense, We have an Advocate, and Heb. 7.25. He everliveth to make Intercession for us; Thus as he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, so neither doth he that prayeth for his Church either slumber or sleep, when Paul said He made mention of such always in his Prayers, that is to be understood always when he prayed not that he prayed always, so when we are commanded to pray always, to pray without ceasing; That is when our duty is and the command requireth, not that we should day and night do nothing but pray; But when we speak of Christ's Intercession, it's constant and never interrupted; There is no day or night that it ceaseth; Elisha scorned at the Priests of Baal, bidding them cry aloud. It may be they were either sleeping or in a Journey, 1 Kin. 18.27. But the Lord Christ is always attending and minding this very thing; Oh the unsearchable depths of comfort that are in this, when thou art preaching, drinking, working, than Christ is interceding for thee, when thou hast no mind of thyself, dost not pray for thyself, yet even then Christ is commending thy case to his Father: Oh the godly soul should cry out, I have enough, what can I desire more? If this will not satisfy thy disquieted soul what will?  
4. This Mediatory prayer comes from him who not only because of his worth doth merit, or because of his dear Relation, The Father cannot deny him as you heard, but also from one whose affections and compassions are larger to thee then any of thy dearest Friends can be; You heard, that he was one who was touched with our infirmity, one who had gone under several Temptations that he might know experimentally how to succour those that are tempted; Oh now it's far better to have one praying for us that is experimentally tempted, or hath been, as we are, than ten thousand others; Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco; So that so far as any grief or temptation may go without sin, so far Christ knoweth the meaning of it, and even for the guilt of sin and the displeasure of God, that he did undergo in the height of it: Thus he that intercedes for thee is one who knoweth the meaning of thy Temptations, of thy desertions, what it is to fear God hath forsaken thee.  
5. A great aggravating consideration in this Mediatory prayer of Christ is the potency and prevalency of it; It is an almighty and omniscient prayer; Luther called the prayer of a Godly man so, how much rather may we say so of Christ himself: God said to Moses, Let me alone, as if his Prayer hindered him from doing what he would do: jacob wrestled, and made Supplication, and prevailed with God, how much more doth Christ then prevail, and that upon two Titles: 1. of justice, his Prayer is satisfactory and compensatory to God. And then 2. Because of Love, For he is the only begotten Son and well-beloved of his Father: The prevalency of Christ's Mediatory Prayer is seen both for impetration and application, for as it is with his oblation of himself, so it is with his Intercession.  
There are two special effects of it, 

1. Impetration,  
2. Application.    
Impetration is that whereby he doth obtain at God's hands the right and claim to all those prieiledges he hath purchased for his people, Such are Remission, Justification, Adoption, and Glorification; These transcendent mercies which are not in the power of the world to bestow, are obtained by him, and indeed had it not been for this his Mediatory power, there had been no such things in rerum naturâ, Reconciliation and Peace with God had been a mere Ens rationis, men might have imagined such a thing as they may golden Mountains, but there had been no existency of them, so that it was of infinite concernment to Believers, to obtain of God, that there might be such privileges, They cost him dear; It was not only prayers with tears, but with blood also, but Impetration is not enough, for if it had been as Arminians say, That Christ as Mediator obtained only a possibility of Salvation, or made a way for such mercies, but then the application to arise partly from man's freewill and power; This would be to hold That Christ might have died in vain, That notwithstanding all that love of God sending his Son into the world, and all the wrath that he did undergo, Not one man might have been saved: This must needs be very derogatory both to the Father and to the Son, but Christ's Prayer is for the application and actual bestowing of all those benefits he hath obtained, and for this end he sends his Spirit into our hearts, Rom. 8 and that is a Spirit of prayer and supplication: So that we have a twofold bottom to stand upon, Christ's Prayers and the Spirits Intercession in us; Oh the strong Consolations that may be received hence! for the godly soul may think, Though Christ's prayer be prevalent, yet I must pray also; He that asketh not shall not receive: Now my prayers are weak, dull, sinful; See therefore the goodness of Christ that gives his Spirit to us, to help us against all the Infirmities of our prayers, both to know what to pray and how to pray; It's not then enough to hear that Christ by his Prayer doth obtain all good things at God's hand, unless he vouchsafe them to us, and make us partaker of them. Oh then let not the Godly soul say, how can I ever be at peace with God, how can I ever have power over such strong corruptions? This is to say, God will not regard or answer Christ's Prayer.  
6. The latitude and extensiveness of Christ's prayer is also very full of comfort, For it reacheth as far as the effects of his death, so that for whatsoever privilege Christ died, for the same he prayeth; So that as it is said of the Lords Prayer, that it's the breviary and Summary of all things to be pra●ed for; Thus it is in Christ's Prayer, There is nothing that the soul can desire, no evil to be avoided, no good to be procured but this Mediatory prayer extends unto it, Insomuch that it's the Treasury and stock out of which the Godly soul is constantly replenished:  
We may instance in some particulars.  
1. Daily pardon for our daily sins and Infirmities; For though all our former sins were wholly remitted, yet if we have not a constant remission, every hour and moment our condition would be damnable; Therefore when we sin he stands up as an Advocate: We see then what it is that may support our hearts against all quotidian failings, The vain thoughts, the proud and unbelieving Imaginations, The dulness and formality of our duties, all these are done away by Christ's prayer; We could not have any rest or peace in our consciences all the day long, if we had not an Antidote against the daily poison we suck down; Alas it's not thy Repentance, thy godly strict life thou mayst build on, for the least vain thought deserveth hell, and would mar all thy graces, But it's the Intercession of a Mediator without us.  
2. As pardon of sin so power against sin under the urgent and important temptations thereunto; Oh this is of admirable concernment, That when thou art even eating poison, when thou art within the hot flames of sin, yet to be preserved; This is so great a matter that we are taught constantly to pray that we may not be led into temptation; What sad bruises and wounds have the godly got to themselves in a temptation; Thou little knowest what thou mayst be and do, even the most abominable things that are if left to a Temptation; Now this is a special thing in Christ's prayer to have present help of grace in such a straight: Thus v. 15. I pray that thou shouldst keep them from the evil of the world; Not to be taken out of the world but to be preserved from the sinfulness of it; and thus for Peter, Christ saith, Satan had a desire to winnow him, but he prayed that his faith might not fail, Luk. 22.32. Had not the fruit of this prayer intervened Peter and Judas might have been both alike: Oh than the tender godly man that is obnoxious to over-whelming fears, if such and such temptations should befall him, he should be undone that saith one time or other this or that affliction will break him; Let such consider that it's not their strength but Christ's prayer is their support, he that prayed Peter's faith might not fail hath done the like for thee.  
3. Perseverance in the way of grace against all oppositions and difficulties, This his prayer extends to, v. 34. Father, I will they be where I am, and how careful was he to keep them that none of them who were given him might perish; The perseverance of God's Children doth not depend upon grace within, for Angels and Adam lost it, but upon the promise of God and Christ's Intercession; Oh how often do we break our Covenant with God on our parts, if we were left to ourselves we should be branches broken from the Vine, pulled from the root, we should become Trees not twice but twenty times dead: But it is the prayer of Christ that keeps up all life and vigour; It's better with us then with the People of Israel all the while Moses held up his hands he prevailed, but when he was weary then their enemies prevailed: But it is not so here, Our Intercessor never giveth over, he doth not intermit for a moment, so that as long as Christ's Intercession shall abide, so long shall we be preserved.  
4. Christ's prayer extends to their vivification and quickening up to holiness; Sanctify them by thy Truth; They were already sanctified, but he prayeth for increase and growth therein; The hearts and affections of the most holy are in some degree polluted and unclean, therefore they need this further Sanctification and preparation of them for what is holy.  
Lastly, This prayer doth extend to our communion and intimate Fellowship with the Father, as is abundantly expressed; That they may be one as thou and I am one, they in me and I in them; Man as he is a man is Animal sociale, and as a Christian he desires fellowship which is not only with other members, but chiefly with the head; And this Communion is the ground of all spiritual, and heavenly joy, the fullness of it being that eternal glory in heaven.  
7. The excellency and comfortableness of it is the more aggravated by the contrary, viz. the devil who is the accuser of the Brethren, and he continually brings in matter of accusation against us; If Joshua hath rags on, Satan will revile him, certainly he that is so great an Enemy to a godly man's prayer, labouring either to hinder it, or distract it, or mar it, with some proud self-confidence, how much rather if he could would he hinder the prayer and intercession of Christ; Now though he can find much accusation against the godly man's prayer, yet none against Christ's; Though he be an accuser of the Brethren, yet not of Christ the head, The Prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me, Joh. 14.30.  
Use 1. of comfort to the Godly, behold we open to you Treasures of consolation, when you cannot, do not, pray, yet even then is Intercession made for you; We are apt to think as the Disciples did, If Christ were corporally present with us, If he were visibly speaking to us as to that Woman, Be of good comfort thy sins be forgiven; We should judge ourselves happy, but it's better for us, Christ appeareth for us in heaven: This is more advantageous than his corporal presence can be; Oh then see what is thy staff to lean upon, not thy prayers or duties but Christ's Intercession; Oh maintain this plea against the devil and thy own troubled heart; Say, what condemnation or accusation can there be of Christ? how can the Father refuse him pleading for us; O Lord, if I had nothing but my prayers, my duties, I were not able to look up to heaven.  
Use 2. To discover the woeful and damnable estate of wicked men; They have no Intercessor for them; If they sin they have no Advocate; It was a dreadful thing when God bid Jeremiah pray not for this people; Oh but when Christ shall not pray there is no way or hope open for thee: Should all godly Ministers and Friends pray for thee, yet if Christ intercede not, they can do thee no good; The devil accuseth thee, Justice arraigneth thee, and there is none to speak a word for thee.   

SERMON XLIII. Of the Extent of Christ's Mediatory Prayer, and of his Death; That he Prayed and Died not for all and every one of mankind, but only for the Elect; And that the Scripture-Expressions of Christ's Dying for all are to be understood Indefinitely and not universally.  JOH. 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world. 
HAving handled the positive part I come to the exclusive.  
The Subject that is shut out of Christ's prayers, and that is the world, I pray not for the world.  
The word world is as large in signification according to Scripture-use as it is in comprehension, so that we may say it hath a world of significations, Some say, It's not used at all in the Old Testament, but that is a mistake, 
The several acceptations of the word World.  for in our Translations it's very frequent.  
I shall instance in some choice ones.  
It is used sometimes for this whole Universe in all the parts of it, as when it's said, Before the Foundation of the world; Sometimes and that most frequently for men who are the Inhabitants of the world, and it's observed by the Learned, that John the Evangelist doth use it in the most various significations: The world when it signifieth men the Inhabitants of it, either is used universally for all; or else Synechdochically for the greater part, for all, as Joh. 3. God so loved the world, viz. mankind, he did more for that then for Apostate Angels, Though Learned men expound that otherways, it's used synechdochically for a greater part, but indefinitely good and bad, as when it's said, the whole world went after Christ, but it's many times used definitely for a certain kind of men; And that either the wicked and ungodly who are the greater in quantity, and thus by our Evangelist often, The world hateth you, and I have overcome the world; Or else it's used for the better part of the world, though the less, for the world of the Elect, and though this be greatly controverted, yet there are places very probable, 2 Cor. 3. God was in Christ reconciling the world, viz. of Elect; Thus Christ calls himself the bread of the world, and the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world: The doubt than is in what sense the world is here used, And  
1. It cannot be the world of the Elect, for they are expressly prayed for, because given of the Father to Christ; Neither can it be the world of wicked men merely as so, for many wicked men that are so now, yet afterwards are converted, as v. 23. That the world may know thou hast sent me, that is, those who for the present are of the world, but afterwards are converted to Faith and Repentance.  

World how to be taken in this place.  It remaineth therefore by the world must be understood those that are not Elected, the world of Reprobates; And that this is the genuine Interpretation is plain, because the world is opposed to that number of men who are given by the Father to Christ, as the opposition manifesteth, Not for the world but those thou hast given me; Neither can it be evaded, as some would, I pray not for the world is in the same sense, and for the same things as I do for Believers, viz. perseverance and preservation from sin, because where the Text doth not limit or distinguish we must not; And besides he prayeth for those Elected persons that were as yet actually of the world, that they might know and believe in Christ, which prayer the Reprobates did most need, and therefore if Christ had prayed at all for them, it would have been for that which was most necessary: The sense then thus explained observe.  

Doct. Christ's Mediatory Prayer and his Death is only for the Elect.  That Christ's Mediatory prayer, and so his Death is not for all the world but only some certain persons who are given by the Father to Christ; Christ's prayer and Death is not intended for all and every particular man, but for some only; The Doctrine stands upon this bottom, Those that Christ would not pray for he died not for, neither was he a Mediator for, but not for the world would he pray, only some Elected by the Father, Therefore neither did he die for such.  
This Point is controversal, and I have no Inclination to launch in such deeps, partly because plain practical matter is more profitable for the greater part that hear; It's bread and not a stone, fish and not a Serpent you ask for; and then partly the Question is of so vast a comprehension, that not one hour or many is sufficient to lead you into the very porch of it, much less all the secret rooms of it, and then partly it hath been agitated by the choicest men of Learning, that the former or latter Ages of the Churches ever had, and therefore should be handled in a Scholastical succinct manner, not popular and humiletical, as our Sermons are. These things I say do discourage, but because the doctrine of Universal grace and redemption is a gangreen, every where spreading, and an Idol which flesh and blood doth adore, and many specious pretences of Scripture are brought for it; Give me leave to say something; and because the controversy like Moses his face shineth gloriously, and is so sublime that the common eye cannot endure to look on it; I will put a Veil upon it, and condescend to the meanest capacity as much as the nature of the Truth will bear, and shall make way to clear and state the Doctrine by several Notandums or particular Considerations, which will be to the main Truth as John Baptist was to Christ.  
And first, 
Considerations to clear the Point.  Consider there is a necessary connexion between Christ's prayer or Intercession, and his Death; They are of an equal latitude and extent, whom he prayeth for, he dieth for, whom he dieth for, he prayeth for, Rom. 8.34. 
I. There is a necessary connexion between Christ's Intercession and his death.  Christ's Death, Resurrection, and Intercession are all in a Chain together, and applied to the same Subjects, And indeed it must needs be so because Christ's prayer is one part of his Priestly office; The oblation of himself as a Sacrifice for sin was the other; Christ then as the great high-Priest did partly pray and partly offer up himself in a Mediatory way for his people; We might well therefore put both these in the Doctrine, prayer and his Death; Though the Text speak but of prayer, because the one is necessarily joined to the other, and this Prayer therefore is made upon the oblation of himself, being to leave the world; As for that Prayer of Christ on the Cross. Father forgive them for they know not what they do; It's to be considered that seeing the Scripture saith, he was heard in what he prayed for, therefore all those whom he intended in that Prayer had the forgiveness of their sins, and we may be the rather induced so to think because he names only those that did they knew not what in crucifying of him; Wherefore it's thought those three thousand Jews converted by Peter's Sermon were most of those for whom Christ prayed on the Cross, For the Apostle chargeth this upon them, that they had crucified the Lord of glory ignorantly.  
2. Though Christ in his prayer and death had special love and regard to some of mankind and not all, 
II. Though Christ in his prayer and death had a special regard to some of mankind, yet no man that is damned can blame any but himself.  yet there is no man that is damned can lay the blame any where but upon himself; That Rule is of perpetual Truth, O Israel thy destruction is of thyself, Hos. 13.9. And thus the Scripture doth every where make death and hell the wages of sin; Therefore if any would from this doctrine infer such Conclusions, That then a man is not to be found fault with; No blame is to be laid upon him but upon nonelection, or the particularity of Christ's death; We abhor such consequences, and say with Paul to some who gathered poison out of that honey-doctrine he preached, God forbid; Let not then thy heart cavil profanely in this Point, for there is no eminent doctrine in Religion, but if a man let lose his carnal heart he may wrest wicked Conclusions from the best premises; The true cause and ground of every man's damnation, is because of Impenitency and hardness of heart in sin, with unbelief: Neither may we or can we conceive a man able to say thus, O Lord, I was ready and prepared to believe and repent, There was nothing of any good desires wanting in me, only the death of Christ that was too much restrained to others but not to me, and therefore not for my sin but merely for want of a latitude in Christ's death I must perish; Such an Imagination as this is a mere Chimaera; There never was or can be any person able to plead so, so that if you take this along with you, that no such absurdities and blasphemies follow from Christ's special love in his death and Intercession you have taken away the Gorgon's head that useth to make it so terrible.  
3. It's good to take notice of that ordinary distinction, 
III. It's good to distinguish between the sufficiency of Christ's death and the effectual application of i●.  The Sufficiency and worth of Christ's death in itself, and the effectual application of it; For all do acknowledge that Christ's death in itself is of value enough to redeem thousands of worlds, if there were so many, It cannot be otherwise because it's the obedience to death of that person who is God as well as man, and by reason of his Deity, there is such a merit and satisfaction upon his death that all the sins of men and devils are not able to counterpoise it; Therefore it's great Unbelief to be cast down as if the greatness of thy sins exceeded the greatness of Christ's Sufferings; As the Heavens exceed the earth in magnitude, so do Christ's merits our transgressions, but than if we speak of the Intention and purpose of Christ in laying down his life, that is only for his Sheep, Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep; And if that be true which Truth itself speaks, Greater love than this can no man show, then to lay down his life for another; Our Saviour if he had died for others besides the Elect had vouchsafed the greatest love that could be to them, and certainly to become a Surety for another, to die in another's stead, must needs be an high expression: The Scripture useth two words when it speaks of Christ's death for us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Now although they may be used promiscuously, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a great deal more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vice alterius, in stead of another; So that what generally he was to undergo, the Surety did it in his room, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for the good of another, though not in his stead, as Paul said he suffered his afflictions for the body's sake or the Church's sake, Col. 1.24. that was not in their stead, but for procuring of some good; It cannot be denied but that all mankind even reprobates themselves, do obtain a world of Mercies through Christ's Death, yet to say that Christ died for them, viz. in their stead to suffer all that anger of God which was due to them, is to say the highest mercy that can be: If we say that such are justified, such are glorified, it's not so much as to say Christ died for them, as Rom. 8. Christ's death is made the foundation of all other mercies, and the Apostle argueth from the greater to the less, If he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give us all things else; Therefore to say Christ died for all, is in effect to say Christ will actually save and glorify all: We may as well say Universal Salvation as Universal Redemption: For Christ's death is by the Scripture made the highest and greatest expression of love, as also the cause of all other privileges.  

IV. Christ's special love to some rather than others is no ground of despair.  4. The special and particular love of Christ in his death, and Intercession to some rather than others is no ground of despair; Nor no just cause for any troubled conscience to be perplexed about his estate, but if a man will act according to reason it's more hopeful than for a man to be left to such an universal uncertain benefit of Christ's death, which yet they confess none may be actually saved for all that, for this is acknowledged by some that hold universal grace and redemption, That Christ by his death did obtain a sufficiency of Salvation for all, but through man's corruptions it may fall out that they refuse this fruit of Christ's death, and so have no actual application of it at all: Now then Is it not more desirable to have such a special love whereby to be sure some will be saved, than such a general one, by which no man may receive salvation at all; But especially this is no ground of despair, for we can give as large encouragements and comforts to any humbled sinner as the adversaries can, For these Universalists do not so hold Christ died for all, that whether all repent or not, believed or not, that still they should be saved; No they hold these conditions necessary unless men repent and believe, they cannot have any benefit by Christ's death: Now so all the Orthodox say, If thou art a Believer, If thou repentest, question not but that Christ's death extends to thee; It's for such as hunger and thirst, and therefore whatsoever soul lieth under any burden of sin, and doth desire the grace of God through Christ, let him not stagger but confidently go unto him; Therefore we can administer comfort to all those that are in a Gospel-manner qualified, and the universalists can do no more; So that here is no dreadfulness nor terror in this Point, but rather much comfort and encouragement to all those who find sin a burden, 
V. In this Point as in all others we must not go according to our carnal affections but Scripture.  and as for others that love and delight in their sins, that doctrine cannot be of God which would speak any comfort or peace to them.  
5. In this Point of Religion as in all others we must not go according to our carnal affections and desires, but the direction and revelation that is in the Scripture; For the way of Salvation being wholly depending upon God's Will; None are able to judge of it but so far as he discovers his will therein; Therefore the Gospel is said to be Light come into the world; The world had not this Light of itself; We cannot say of the things of the Gospel as the Apostle doth of the things of the Law, that they do them by nature, and know them by nature; No, it's necessary these things should be revealed from heaven, therefore when thou goest to study this Point, do as in all other Mysteries, lay aside thy own thoughts, thy own imaginations, become an abrasa tabula, have none of thy philosophical or natural principles within thee; This dust or humour in the Eye will hinder thee from beholding perfectly this Object; It's true it's a very specious and taking doctrine that Christ died for all, that grace is universal, but if a man would therefore embrace it because it's so pleasing to flesh and blood, than there is that of origen's which goeth further and is much more pleasing; That all even devils and all shall be actually saved. Therefore to hold universal grace or redemption is nothing so pleasing as to hold universal Salvation; Alas, though men hold Christ died for all, yet they grant the most of them are damned; Therefore that doctrine is nothing so desirable as that which maintains the salvation of all; If then you say that is too broad a way the Scripture gainsays that; Thus it followeth also, If the Scripture gainsay the other we are to attend to what that saith, and not to what our own hearts would have; Therefore throw away the head of the Sacrifice as God commanded, all thy own thoughts and natural Imaginations in this matter.  
6. It cannot be denied but that the Scripture when it mentioneth the Subject for whom Christ died, speaks indefinitely of all; As all died by Adam, 
VI That the Scripture speaketh indefinitely of All.  so all shall be made alive, Behold the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world, 1 Joh. 2. He is a propitiation not for our sins only but the sins of the whole world; Thus in many other places the Scripture doth expressly affirm such an universality: Therefore the Question is, Whether this must be understood so generally as that it shall reach to all, and every singular Man and Nation, and that in all Ages, or only indefinitely, he died for all sorts; So that now no Nation is excluded nor particular person, as it was among the Jews, and certainly unless we will make Scripture both ro contradict itself and experience; We must take all those phrases indefinitely and not universally.  
1. Because we see the Scripture expressly limiting God's love and Christ's death to some only; 
Why the expressions of Christ's dying for all is to be taken in definitely and not universally.  So that those places could never be reconciled without this distinction, as Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep. Rom. 8. Upon Christ's death we are justified and saved, and above all in this Chapter we see Christ often and often again restraining all his prayer and Mediation to those that the Father had given him; If he would not pour out a prayer, will he pour out his blood? If he would not shed a tear, will he shed his blood for them? So that if we will keep up other places with this, we must needs say, That Christ died for all indefinitely not universally; Even as when we have to do with the Anthropomorphites, Those that held God is a body: We grant that there are innumerable places of Scripture which speak of God's eyes, arms, and his hands, yet we say that Scripture may not oppose Scripture; There are other places though few which describe him to be a Spirit, therefore we are necessitated to say the Scripture speaks so to our condescension, thus it is here: Though many places of Scripture speak of Christ's death in such an universal sense, yet other places do plainly limit is to certain persons who are Elected and given by the Father to Christ.  
2. We must needs interpret it so because those places which are brought for this Universality speak of the actual benefit and fruit of his Death: Now it is granted by all that none do actually partake of Christ's benefits but the godly, as 1 Joh. 2.2. He is a propitiation not for our sins only but the whole world; He is a propitiation in an actual sense, and he is so a propitiation for the sins of the whole world as the Apostle saith He is for ours, viz. actual believers; Now than if the whole world should extend to all makinde, it would follow that all are actually pardoned and saved, so 1 Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all died, even so in Christ all shall be made alive; By being made alive is plainly meant a Resurrection to glory, as the next Verse showeth, Christ the first-fruits, Then they that are Christ's; So that if all be taken universally it would follow all and every man should be raised to glory: So in that famous place, The Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world, that taketh it away in an actual sense, and therefore to say Christ died for all, and there is universal Redemption, and yet to say all are not saved is to speak not only false doctrine but mere contradiction; Indeed to say universal Redimibility by Christ's death may have some colour, but universal Redemption, and yet not all actually redeemed; Universal Propitiation and yet not all have their sins pardoned, is to say the Physician cured such a man, but yet he did not cure him, or a Magistrate delivered such an one out of prison, yet the man was not delivered.  
Lastly, We are necessitated to limit such phrases because of experience; For if Christ died for all men intentionally, how is it that in the Old Testament excepting some few Proselytes, the offer of grace was only to some few, and though since Christ's time the Gospel be said to be preached to every creature, yet how many Nations and much more particular persons have there been to whom Christ with his benefits have never been offered; Now who can say that Christ died for those to whom he never discovered so much as the very Name of his death; It's true, this should make us adore the goodness of God that gives us to live where this Gospel-grace is plentifully offered, What are we more than all those Heathens and Pagans who sit in darkness and have no light, who never heard of a Mediator, but oh wretched and miserable if we neglect so great salvation.   

SERMON XLIV. Reason's why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christ's Death when yet but some were intended; Also what Benefits Reprobates have by Christ With some arguments Further proving the Point of Christ's dying not for every man but some.  JOH. 17.9. I pray for them I pray not for the world. 
WE are explaining this Doctrine that Christ's Mediatory Prayer, and so his death is not for all and every one of mankind; Many introductory particulars have been commended to you; The last whereof was, That though the word useth universal expressions about Christ's Death, as all men and the world, yet we are necessitated both from Scripture, reason, and experience, not to take them in a large universality but restrained and indefinite, specialis quaedam universalitas est, there is a special Universality, as Austin said.  
We shall go on to further considerations.  
And 1. 
I. Reasons why the Scripture speaketh thus universally about Christ's Death.  There may be very good reason given why the Scripture speaketh thus universally about Christ's death; Not that we should deduce an error from thence contrary to other Scriptures which restrain it to those the Father hath given him, Joh. 6. and Joh. 17.  
But 1. It may be to show that this great benefit purchased by Christ, was designed for man, and not Apostate Angels; For Isa. 9 It is said To us a Son is born, to us a child is given, not to Angels, and the Apostle doth amplify this love of God Heb. 2.17. h at Christ took not on him the nature of Angels, but the Seed of Abraham: Hence it's that the Scripture speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Seeing that God so loved the nature of mankind that he gave his Son, for those that should believe in him, passing by innumerable Angels who might have done him more service, It might well be said that Christ gave himself for the sins of the world, viz. men the Inhabitants thereof.  
2. This might be in opposition to the Jews, For a long time the means of salvation were only amongst them, as Joh. 4. Salvation is of the Jews: Therefore we see Peter would not so much as preach the Gospel to the Gentiles till from Heaven he was admonished that he should call no person unclean, Act. 9 Seeing therefore that formerly to the Jews only were the Oracles of God committed, Now that by Christ's coming the partition wall is broken down, and God doth not call one Nation more than another; Neither are means of Salvation enclosed in one Country more than another; It may very well be called the whole world that Christ died for, for commonly the Scripture comprehends all the men of the world under this division, the Jew and the Gentile; Hence there is that command, Go preach the Gospel to every Creature, that is to Gentiles as well as Jews, Mat. 26. and certainly this seemeth to be the most genuine Reason why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christ's death. Observe a notable place for this, Rom. 11.15. where the casting a●ay of the jew is said to be the reconciling of the world, i. e. the Gentiles are taken in, while the Jews are cast off, so that the world there is opposed to the Nation of the Jews.  
3. As it's used in opposition to the Jews, so also to abate and confound the pride of the jews, who because the Messias was to come of them were apt to be puffed up with this privilege, and to envy or murmur that the Gentiles should be made partaker of this grace; This our Saviour represented under the Parable of the Prodigal Son entertained at a Feast, and the elder Brother murmuring at it, Luk. 15.30. We see how hard a thing it was to bring the Jew off from those privileges he enjoyed, and the Righteousness of the Law, so as to be beholding to Christ's Righteousness only.  
4. This might be because when Christ came into the world few of the jews were converted to Christ comparatively to the Gentiles; For Rom. 11. you see the Apostle speaking of a Veil upon their eyes, and that hardness of heart was come upon Israel, and those former branches are said to be broken off, that new ones may be grafted in; Therefore it might well be said That Christ died for all, and that he was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, because the Nations of the world of all parts did now come in and worship Christ; whereas few of the Jews did receive him; Therefore consider the time when those passages were written, and then you will easily understand those Scriptures.  
5. Therefore the Scripture doth thus make an universal Proposition and Oblation of Christ's death in the benefits of it, because now no Nations or particular persons are excluded, For although there be an Election of some only, and Christ had a special love in his death only to those that the Father had given him, yet because who these individual persons are is not manifested by God; Therefore the outward propounding of it is universal, not excluding any, Thus all the Invitations and commands are universal; Christ calls all that are heavy laden, all that thirst to come unto him; And although it he true that many even where the Gospel is preached, are given up to blind eyes and hard hearts: That the Gospel of Christ is a savour of death unto many, yet we not knowing who are thus inwardly withered and cursed, are to hope that to all those to whom the offer of the benefits of Christ's death extends, even to them the death of Christ itself reacheth, and this may be thought the main reason why the Scripture useth such expressions about Christ's death.  
6. It may use such expressions, For although the greater part of the world are such that perish, and Many are called but few are chosen, Mat. 22. yet if we judge of those for whom Christ died absolutely in themselves, they arise to a great number: So that as Austin made two Cities, the one of good Men and Angels built by God, the other of wicked men and devils, whose author is the devil: Thus according to the Scripture we may divide the world into two worlds, the world of those that are to perish, and the world of those that are to be saved; The former is the greater part, the latter the better part, yet this better part is very numerous, as appeareth by the many thousands in the Revelation that are said to be sealed, so that we may not wonder if it be said Christ died for the world, seeing the number of those he died for in all Ages have been so many.  
Lastly, No wonder if the Scripture useth such an indefinite expression, because we see it doth in other things also, when yet there is an acknowledged necessity by all that it might be restrained, and speaking of Christ it's said, All flesh shall see the Salvation of God, Luk. 3.6. Now it's confirmed by experience that there were many in Christ's time who yet did not see him either bodily or spiritually: Thus Act. 2. I will power my Spirit upon all flesh, and their Sons and Daughters shall prophesy, when yet all know they were but some that had those extraordinary gifts, especially that famous Promise, That all Nations of the earth should be blessed in Abraham is clear for our purpose; For the Apostle Gal. 3. doth plainly limit it to the spiritual Seed of Abraham.  
Thus you see that it's no new thing to use expressions of universality, when yet there is a necessity of restraining their sense; We might also add those places, Mat. 3.5. Jerusalem and all judea are said to go to Christ, and Mat. 9 the whole City is said to meet jesus, yea, all the world is said to run after him; Therefore it's not the mere bare words but the coherence and other places must direct us herein.  
Secondly, Although we cannot say Christ had a special love intending his Death a ransom for all and every one, yet it's very plain, 
II. Reprobates receive much benefit by Christ's death.  that even the Reprobates and those who for their sins are eternally condemned do receive much good and benefit by his death; Indeed in some respects their condemnation is the greater, but that is their own sin who wilfully refuse him, and will not have him to be their Lord and King, as joh. 3. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than Light; And again, If I had not come unto them they had had no sin, Joh. 15.22. So that all those who live under Christ's gracious offer, as their sin is greater so their condemnation will be greater, it being better for them, if there never had been a Christ, or that he had not been crucified: Though men's voluntary wickedness make it thus, yet several mercies do redound even to the Reprobate by Christ's death.  
1. There is no man but may for his particular, that liveth under the means of grace, be encouraged to repent, and to believe for his Salvation; Every one may with a great deal of hope be encouraged to the duties of Repentance and humiliation; Whereas you see God hath left the Apostate Angels as without remedy, so without all hope, It's not said to any of them, Repent and believe, and so be saved: Whereas there is no particular man but this is enjoined him; Therefore this very consideration that there is hope for any individual person▪ that his case is not desperate; That the door of heaven is not absolutely bolted upon him is of great consequence.  
2. We who are the Ministers of the Gospel by Christ's death find a way so opened for all Gentiles that now we may promiscuously preach the Gospel to all; As we cannot, so neither indeed are we to let any such thoughts enter our hearts, as whether such be reprobated or no; But we are so to preach and exhort as if every one that we publish the Gospel to, were within the Sphere of Christ's Death; And certainly if the Apostle writing to Churches wherein many were corrupt both for doctrine and manners did yet give them the Title of a Church, and Saints, and Believers, not excluding any from the benefit of Christ; We may also do so in our preaching, and therefore this is to be observed, That the Epistles are written to Churches already planted, and therefore it's no wonder if he use such universal phrases, for that comprehends those that are within the Church already, and in the judgement of charity we may speak so, especially it being their Obligation and duty as Christians to repent and receive Christ; But when we say that the Ministers by Christ's death have a Commission to offer Christ to all, You must know that is in a due order and method; We do not propound Christ as a Saviour to them in the first place: But we are to do as Paul when he preached to Felix, Act. 24.25. who desired to hear of Christ, he began first with temperance, and righteousness, and the world to come; Felix being guilty of Injustice and unchaste courses; Paul preacheth about those sins and hell, laying open the wrath of God, insomuch that he made Felix to tremble, so that Christ must have a way made for him; The mountains must be laid low, and the valleys exalted, and all flesh must be convinced to be grass; Before Christ can be entertained this aught to be our Method; To men plunged in sin we are to discover unto them the wrath and anger of God, all the curses that are due to him who breaks the Law in the least iota; To make men see their poverty and misery, and when men are thus prepared and humbled, than we exalt the brazen Serpent, so that by Christ's death the Minister's Commission is greatly enlarged and made more ample then in the Jewish administration.  
3. Even Reprobates have this advantage by Christ that they enjoy all the mercies they have; That they have health, wealth, and the comforts of this world; For seeing that by Adam's sin all was forfeited, and a curse come upon every thing, now by Christ who is the heir of all things they come lawfully to enjoy the mercies they have, Heb. 1. It is Christ that beareth up the world, if he did withhold his arm the whole world would fall into rubbish; It's true indeed if we speak of a sanctified use, so wicked men have none of the comforts they enjoy, but being impure all things are impure to them, so that the curse of the Law is not taken off from them, because they are not yet in Christ, otherwise they have a lawful right before God and man to the comforts they enjoy, for that is not to be received though many pious men have preached it, that wicked men have no right to the goods they have, but are as Thiefs and Robbers, and shall answer for every bit of bread they eat as Usurpers; This is against the Scripture which saith, God hath given the Earth to the Inhabitants thereof, Psal. 115.8. And that command Thou shalt not steal doth make it evident, that both by God's Law and man's Law what wicked men have in Righteous ways they are true and lawful Possessors of, and this, say Divines, cometh by Christ, who restored the Forfeit, Adam made, else the world would not have subsisted a moment: Although it must be granted that some Learned men attribute the enjoyment of Comforts which the ungodly have, not to Christ, but to the patient Providence of God, whereby he doth not take the present Forfeiture; But may not this Patience of God be attributed to Christ's death seeing he did not use any such to the Apostate Angels, but they were immediately chained up in the close Prison of utter darkness.  
4. It is by Christ's Death, That many unregenerated men are partakers of the common gifts of God's Spirit; There are many that live within the Church of God, though not regenerated, yet have great gifts and abilities, They have many admirable endowments; Now how come these but by Christ, as Eph. 4. So 1 Cor. 14. It is the Spirit of Christ that giveth several gifts to men; Christ is the Vine, and so not only Grapes but the very Leaves come from his Sap and Juice, So that what temporary Faith, Joy, Enlargements in Prayer and common gifts of the holy Ghost any in the Church have it comes by Christ's death.  
Yea Last, Christ by his Death is made Lord of the whole world; And hath conquered all the Inhabitants that are therein, So that they are Christ's as a Lord that bought them by his Death; Thus that place is to be understood, 2 Pet. 1.1. speaking of ungodly men whose damnation would swiftly come upon them, for the damnable heresies they brought in; It's said, They denied the Lord that bought them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Christ bought them in that by his Death, which was an Atonement only for the godly, yet he thereby was made Lord over all; So that although it cannot be said he is the Saviour of all in the strict sense of a Saviour; Yet we may say he is the Lord over wicked men, they are his Vassals and Servants, and he can order and dispose of them as he pleaseth for his Churches good.  
The last Notandum to be propounded is to see how different they are amongst themselves who have maintained universal Redemption; 
How the maintainers of Universal Redemption differ among themselves.  For some go so far that they are rejected and cried out upon by others, though Universalists also.  
And 1. Some have said and endeavoured to prove, That so universal is the grace of God obtained by Christ's Death, that it's not only sufficient but efficacious in all men as they are men; They think that by Christ's death every man by his own natural Reason and power may be able to save himself; Thus Puccius wrote a Book wherein he glorieth of an hundred and twenty Reasons to prove this, but this is so monstrous that others cry out of it; For by this means all unbelievers and heathens should be partakers of the grace of Christ, whenas Joh. 3.24. He that believeth not, the anger of God abideth on him  
2. There are another sort called Huberians from Samuel Huberus who thought that Christ by his Death procured actual Reconciliation with God without any respect to Faith or Repentance; So that he saith, Christ did as actually and applicatively bring God's Reconciliation to all mankind, as Adam did actually condemnation, And that therefore none are damned for their sins as being expiated by Christ's Death, but because by their unbelief they reject this actual Reconciliation made for them, so that all men have a general Remission of their sins, but those only have a special Remission that by Faith accept it; But this also is rejected as absurd, although it be observable that most of those places they bring for Universal Redemption speak of the act, and so the Huberians keep more to the plain words than they do who plead for universal grace, Joh. 1.29. The Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. 2 Cor. 5. God was in Christ reconciling the world, speak of actual not potential or conditional Reconciliation, and they themselves say universal redemption not redimibility.  
3. There are the Arminians and Remonstrants, men of greater Learning and more refined understandings then the former, and they hold, Christ died for all in respect of Impetration not Application; Christ died intending a Ransom for all if they believe, but who should believe and who not, doth not arise from Christ's Death, but comes partly from grace partly from freewill; So that by this Position though Christ died, yet not one man might be saved; But this in the issue will be found derogatory to Christ, and leaveth the greatest weight of our salvation upon merit.  
4. There are those that come nearer and are in the number of the Orthodox about Election, Conversion, freewill, and Perseverance in grace; Only they hold Christ's dying intentionally for all; But how they can reconcile their Opinion with their other Tenants, holding Christ's universal love to all in his Death if they do believe, and yet at the same time a special love to some to make them believe, and not others, is judged very difficult, and also wholly unprofitable as to any duty or comfort, The Doctrine whereof they think the more to establish by this opinion.  
Lastly, There are those who say, Though Christ's Death is in itself suffieient for all, yet the purpose and intention of Christ was to give himself a ransom for some only, with these I join as having God's Truth on their side.  
I w●ll briefly give you some grounds because others have largely handled it▪  

Grounds of the Point.  1. Because we are said to be elected in Christ our Head; So that Election though it be originally from the mere will of God, yet we are chosen in Christ as the Mediator; If then Election be only of some, as it's plain, Rome 9 then Christ died only for some, For Christ is but the medium whereby Election doth bring about all the effects thereof; Seeing therefore Election is only of some and that is in Christ as the medium, Christ also must be for those only that are Elected.  
2. Out of the Text, For whom Christ would not pray as a Mediator, he did not die; Shall he give his blood, and will he not vouchsafe a prayer, his intercession and his oblation go together.  
3. Those for whom Christ died he did not only die for their salvation, but grace to prepare and fit for it, Tit. 2.15. he died to make us a peculiar people zealous of good works: Now this must needs convince, for we speak of dying for all, and think only of salvation, but Christ's death was to obtain Faith and Repentance as the means to Salvation, therefore we may as well say universal Faith and universal repentance as well as universal redemption.  
4. There cannot be a greater love than Christ to die for one, and if he hath delivered up Christ for us, how shall he not with him give us all things, Rom. 8. Therefore to say Christ died for all, and yet will not save all, is to grant the greater and deny the less.  
Use of Instruction, In stead of needless and impertinent disputes about Christ's death for all, do thou labour and apply thyself for a particular share in his death; We know not who they are that are shut out, but therefore we encourage and exhort every one; Oh consider the sad consequences of having no share in his death; Who shall accuse? It's Christ that died; Christ's death keepeth off all accusation and condemnation; Oh then woe unto that man who is to answer all accusations and condemnations in his own Name, and must justify himself from the works he hath done; It's now a dispute in every man's mouth; Every one will be arguing in this matter, when alas the Question is of such a vast comprehension, that it's only for learned, moderate and sober men to handle.   

SERMON XLV. The Application of the former Subject; Setting forth the Necessity of Faith and Repentance as to the Interesting us in Christ; The Freeness of God's Love, The Qualifications of those to whom Christ's Death is made advantageous; And also their Privileges above all others.  JOH. 17.9. I pray not for the world. 
THe controversal part being dispatched so far as was convenient in this place, we now come to the practical: We lead you out of the Camp that ye may gather honey; For you may ask To what purpose is all this Disputation's? What matter is it whether Christ had a special or an universal love in his Death? I acknowledge it is very good to keep within the bounds of Sobriety and Piety, and not to be so disputative about the universality of Christ's Death as to be solicitous whether we are in the number of those for whom he died▪ for whether he died for all or for some, If we repent not and believe there will be little comfort or advantage for us either way.  
Use 1 And therefore the first Use shall be of Instruction to demonstrate the necessity of conversion and turning unto God from our sins, for all men that pretend to any reason or piety howsoever they differ about Christ's death, yet agree in this, that no man hath benefit by Christ's death but such who cleanse themselves from their iniquities, who renounce their former lusts that were like so many Lords, quot vitia tot Domini; And take Jesus Christ for their Lord and King; There was scarce any Heretic ever so besotted as to preach Christ so died for all that it's no matter whether ye repent or no; whether you forsake your sins or no, Christ died to save you; No, they agree in this, though otherwise so different that no benefit of Christ's death is actually applied to any man, till by Faith and Repentance he be a qualified Subject; so that the wicked man wallowing in his sins hath cause to tremble and quake under this Truth, he may say Mihi nec seritur nec metitur; Here is nothing makes for me in all these Opinions: If I be Calvinist, Arminian, or any other way, I cannot have any quietness, or look for any comfort till I and my sins are divided; Only that of origen's might give thee some ease, if it could be true that all men and devils shall be saved at last, after they have been a long while tormented in hell; But this is so directly contrary to Scripture that calls these torments everlasting torments, a fire that cannot be quenched, a worm that cannot die; That if this be all thy hope thou mayst roar out in horror, and wish thou hadst never been born, so that if wicked men would set judgement on work they would see nothing abides them but a fearful expectation of the vengeance of God, all Opinions, all Doctrines shut them out; If there could one come and bid thee Go on merrily in thy sins, be as profane as thou hast been, never think of cries and tears for thy sins because Christ hath died to save thee howsoever; This man indeed might make thee run into excess of all riot, and to say, Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die, and so be saved; But the Scripture is so plain against this, that all may be persuaded of it without any difficulty; Shall we sin that grace may abound? saith Paul, God forbid; Rom. 6.1. And he makes the damnation just of those men who gather such consequences: Think then with thyself that in what sense soever Christ died, yet thy sins make a great gulf between thee and Heaven; God hath set a flaming Sword to keep thee out of Paradise; therefore cry out I have no hope as yet, Oh my condition hath no comfort, I cannot meet with any sound Doctor that dares give me any comfort while I love and live in my sins; Why then, wilt thou embrace those lusts that are such a present poison and ruin to thee? Hereafter thou wilt be persuaded when too late; That sin hath been thy only Enemy when God shall bid thee Depart ye Cursed, then wilt thou bid thy cursed lusts Depart, but than it will be too late.  
Use 2. of Instruction, To teach the godly what a sad aggravation there is in every sin they commit, That it's against the special love of Christ in dying for thee; This bloody circumstance is in thy sins which cannot be in the sins either of wicked men or devils; Excellent is that Meditation of Eusebius Emissenus, Though (aith he) the devils should be damned for many sins and I but for one, yet that would exceed the devil's Impiety, for the devils never sinned against a God that became an Angel for them; They never sinned against God that died and was crucified for them, but miserable and wretched I (pro animâ meâ cur non liquefio cum haec cogito) have sinned against a God made man for me, Against a God dying an ignominious death for me, Against a God leaving me such an example of love and holiness; Indignior sum Lucifero, indignior sum daemonibus, I am more unworthy than the devils, more unworthy than Beelzebub; Oh that we could all both think and speak so, that not only our tongues may utter it, but our hearts be inwardly affected, that we might as Bernard said, linguam in sanguine cordis tingere; Oh then let this special love of Christ to thee more than many thousands wotk in thee more special love and thankfulness than others have; Take heed of sin, for thy sins have this special aggravation in them which wicked men have not; Christ hath showed thee so great love that he himself could not show a greater, and therefore who shall excuse thee if thou sin for all this; Here is then no doctrine of carnal Security in this Point; Here is no door set open for Licentiousness, but as Christ said from a Parable, She loved much, for much was forgiven her; The same should be in all the godly, much hath been given and forgiven them, therefore they ought to love much, and this was set upon Paul's heart even Christ's peculiar and special love, Gal. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me.  
Use 2 Use 2. Had Christ a peculiar and special love in his prayer and death for some only, then here we see what is the Thesaurus Ecclesiae, not any Popish Indulgences or imagined heaps of superfluous merits, but even the death of Christ, that and that only doth enrich, comfort, and make happy all the people of God: If therefore thou art one who canst upon true grounds gather thou hast a propriety in Christ's death, thou art not to be afraid, neither living or dying what man or devils shall do unto thee, Rome 8. The Foundation of all justification, sanctification, and glorification is upon this, Christ died, Who shall condemn? It is Christ that died; Therefore there cannot be any accusation or condemnation because Christ died; Therefore the main Question is, What Evidences thou hast for an Interest in Christ's Death, for if that be once granted, unspeakable and innumerable are the privileges that belong to thee; Therefore encourage and strengthen thy heart with the comfortable fruits of Christ's Death; Let us consider whether thou hast the qualifications of such to whom Christ's death is made profitable and advantageous.  
And 1. They that have an Interest in Christ's Death they are dead to sin; 
The Qualifications of such to whom Christ's death is made savingly advantageous.  Christ's Death and sin's death go together; So the Apostle, As Christ died once, so should we to sin and live to Righteousness, Rom. 6.10, 11. and Gal 5. He that is Christ's hath crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof; If Christ be crucified for thee, the lusts of sin are crucified in thee; For the end of Christ's Death was not only salvation and happiness but to kill all the spiritual Enemies we have of this happiness, and sin is the main, for Death had no sting, no, neither could hell be hell, or the devil a devil to thee, did not sin put power into all these; Be not then presumptuous, but fear and examine thyself; Thou speakest much of Christ's Death, This is in thy month, I trust in Christ that died for me; But is Christ's Death the death of thy sins? Canst thou see those lusts which like Pharaoh and the Egyptians did once rule over and oppress thee, now drowned in the Red Sea of Christ's blood. This is necessary if thou wilt have any comfort because Christ is dead, see whether thou art dead to sin or no: Art thou as a dead man who in respect of all pleasures and delights finds no Inclination, thus it ought to be with thee: The Scripture speaks often concerning this, that the godly are dead to sin, sin hath not that dominion and power once it had; Oh but how many as the Scripture distinguisheth are dead in sin not to sin; Though they have mountains of sins lie upon them, Though the vengeance of God belong to them all the day long; That whether they are eating, drinking, or sleeping, they are an accursed people by the Law, which is Gods own Sentence and doom, yet for all that they are not afraid, neither do they tremble; Oh then examine thyself faithfully in this, If Christ died for me how comes this sin to live in me, for Christ like Samson when he died wrought the death of his Enemies; When he died, it was that those lively active lusts should die also.  
2. If thou hast an Interest in Christ's Death thou art not only dead to sin but to the world, God forbid that I should glory (saith Paul) but in the Cross of Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world, Gal. 6.14. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth, for ye are dead, Col. 3.2, 3. Therefore not only gross profaneness doth exclude from a propriety in Christ's Death, but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below; Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burden to thee, and matter of daily conflict, then it's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee, and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do; And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet: But if they do withal delight so possess thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven, Thou sindest no relish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly; Thou canst say contrary to David, when thy Wine and Oil increaseth thou hast more joy than those that trust in God, Psal. 4. Then art thou to fear Christ's Death, and his Prayer doth not as yet belong to thee. Hence it is that the efficacy of Christ's death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them, a death to sin, and a death to the world; Even his Resurrection manifests itself in quickening of us to all holiness, and seeking of those things that are above; Let us then see by the effects that Christ's Death belongs to thee.  
3. They that have an Interest in Christ's Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation, 1 Pet. 2.21, 24. Christ's Death is not only efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also, So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more than what hath been done to his only Son already; Though he were a Son, yet he learned Obedience (saith the Scripture) by those sufferings; Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings, when he was reviled reviled not again, when he suffered threatened not; What threatenings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory, and so dear to his Father, but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer: Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions, for our impatient workings and commotions of soul; Oh silence thy Soul, saying, Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise? Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink? Did he not say, Not my will, but thy will be done.  
4. He that hath advantage by Christ's Death looks upon the bitterness and ugliness of sin as being so foul that nothing but the blood of Christ could wash it away: The very thoughts of Christ's Death presently makes him say, Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sin; Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christ's Death; Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the blood of Christ. Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have; Though the blood of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel, yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things, because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sin, how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made; So that if we look into hell, if we behold all the torments and miseries there, it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sin as Christ crucified on the Cross, sweeting drops of blood, and crying out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?  
5. They that shall have advantage by Christ's Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein; As you see in Paul, That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies, to be reconciled thereby to God; Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Christ constraineth us, holds us in an ecstasy, working on us, as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophecies; And why so? Because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; To consider from what a dying damning estate Christ's Death doth free us, must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over; If we had not been desperately dead, dead every way, dead in sin, dead in guilt, dead in respect of all earthly hope, Christ would not have died for us; Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein.  
6. They that have a propriety in Christ's Death will resign all they have up unto Christ, and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives, but unto Christ; Rom. 6.10, 11. 1 Pet 2.24. so 1 Cor. 6.20. the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price, therefore we are none of our own, and we should glorify God in soul and body; He than that can claim a Title to Christ's Death looks not upon his body, his estate, his health, his parts, the faculties and affections of his soul, as his own, his love is not, his anger is not; Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument, Christ died, Christ was crucified for me, for unless thou art a redeemed man and that from thyself, and all creatures in the world, to live wholly to Christ, and to resign all up to him, here is little hope for thee; Observe then these qualifications, and if upon true search they can be found in thee, then proceed to make an application of all those glorious privileges that come by Christ's death; Fear not, let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting, yea, eating abundantly of this honey: Harken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning privileges and gracious favours, Cant. 5.1. Eat O Friends, drink, ●ea drink abundantly;  
And 1. 
The privileges that come by Christ's Death to those that have interest therein.  Those that can plead Christ's Death may also plead his Resurrection, Intercession, and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people; If Christ died for thee, he rose again for thee, he interceded in heaven for thee; When thou sayest he is an Advocate to plead thy cause, Rome 8. It's Christ that died who is risen again, so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts: Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his blood: The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death, because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God, and the lowest humiliation of himself for us, Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ, Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee; You see that put him upon the greatest struggle and agonies, if he would have refused in any thing it would have been in this; This was the bitterest cup he was to drink of: Oh than the glorious privilege of him who hath a propriety in the death of Christ, he is thereby interested in all the Offices, all the actions of Christ in all that Christ is or can do for us.  
2. He that hath Interest in Christ's Death hath a propriety in all the benefits of his Mediatorship, Justification, Sanctification, Glorification▪ Rom. 8. The Apostle hangs all these admirable benefit ultimately upon Christ's Death, Who shall condemn? it's Christ that died; So that Christ is that dead Lion wherein as Samson we may find so much honey not only for ourselves but for the refreshment of all others; This Argument cannot be denied at the Throne of grace, It's stronger than sin and devils; O Lord I am one for whom Christ died, Can Justice, can the Law, can the devil condemn? Here was an atonement, and Christ's doing it once was enough; The Apostle saith Heb. 10.14. By one offering of himself he perfected for ever all them that are sanctified; The Apostle puts much in this one offering, and that he did it once, showing thereby that if Christ had been crucified a thousand times over, yet he could not have more perfected the salvation of the godly than he did by that once offering; Say then when thou prayest for pardon, for sanctification, for the favour of God; O Lord I ask not for such great things as thou hast done already, I do not beg a Christ to die for me, I do not ask a Christ to be crucified for me, yet this thou hast done, and therefore where the greater is granted the less will not be refused.  
3. Where we can prove an interest in Christ's death there we may be sure no other good thing in heaven or earth shall be denied unto us; And what can a godly man desire more; If thou shouldst sit down to think and think again, canst thou go beyond this? Lord give me all things that are good for me; Now the Apostle urgeth this, Rom. 8. If he hath delivered up Christ for us, how shall he not with him give us all things else, all things, There is nothing in heaven and earth, but thou mayst have from God as well as Christ, and truly the argument is undeniable, if God will give us his only Son to die that ignominious death for us, what gift can there be like to this? God himself hath not a greater gift to bestow upon us, There is nothing in heaven or earth can be paralleled to him, if therefore thou hast Christ, thou hast enough, whatsoever thou wantest it is not because God doth not love thee, or because his merciful thoughts are not towards thee, but because many good things are not absolutely good in themselves, and so not wholly necessary for thee, if thou couldst be no more without riches, and honours than thou canst be without Christ, thou wert sure to have all these things in abundance; The Apostle himself who made this Conclusion, yet he tells of the manifold perplexities and afflictions he was many times in: He tells us, that if the godly had hope in this life only they were of all men most miserable; Though he had Christ, and so might have all things, thereby, yet thus he speaks; No wonder then if the people of God do or should rejoice under miseries and troubles they have this cordial to revive them.  
4. He that hath a propriety in Christ's death may from this special love to him rather than others, have an assured persuasion of his immovable state in grace here, till he be removed to glory hereafter; For how can it be thought that Christ will lose that child of his for whose sake he endured all that misery and agony as he did, after he hath suffered thus many things shall it be in vain; No (saith Paul) from the consideration of Christ's death, Rom. 8. Who shall separate us? Shall tribulation, anguish, shall things present or things to come.  
Lastly, They that are planted with Christ in his Death they have this privilege to rejoice in all tribulations, and especially to be above the fear of death; For Christ's death took away sin the sting of death; See how Christ triumphs and giveth every godly man leave to rejoice, 1 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy Victory? For that death could have no power over Christ, but he broke the bands of it asunder, therefore it is that the members of Christ enjoy the same privilege; Therefore under all temptations and fears run to the death of Christ, It was the death of all afflictions and death itself, all the nature of such things is turned by Christ's death, they are mercies, they are inlets to glory:   

SERMON XLVI. Of Freegrace, opposite to Arminianism; Tending to raise the hearts of those that are Godly to Joy and Thankfulness.  JOH. 17.9. I pray not for the world, but for those thou hast given me, for they are thine. 
WE handled that dreadful passage, I pray not for the world, at which saith Gerard, Mundus debet coherrescere, sed existimat ludum, ac jocum suo cum prestantissimo exitio.  
We come to a second description of those that are included in Christ's Prayer, and they are characterized by this, They are given by the Father to Christ; Certainly there must be much in this Consideration; For our Saviour doth no less than five times use it in this Prayer, and Joh. 6. it's used several times.  
I handled it before but then I considered it much as it did imply the trust and charge Christ had by this gift: God the Father gave them to Christ as a faithful Mediator, he betrusted him with them as a people whose Salvation he should obtain, and accordingly Christ was faithful to make these a peculiar people and Gods precious Jewels; They were given him as a King to govern, as a Physician to heal, as a Mediator to save, and as a Shepherd to feed, and this propriety that both God and Christ hath in them is a great ground why God should hear Christ's Prayer for them.  
But I shall now consider this phrase, as it tells us the manner how they were made Christ's, and that is by mere gift and grace; God did not see or foresee any merits or works in those Disciples more than others, for all are alike corrupted in that common mass of mankind, but it was his mere and sole good pleasure, For Gratia non est gratia ullo modo, nisi sit gratuiha omni modo; We see then here what is the womb that first giveth a being to all those that are saved, and that is God's grace in giving some to Christ; Now what is meant by this giving to Christ; It cannot be any other thing but God's Predestination and Election of some with the necessary effects of it in time, as Vocation, Justification, etc. It's a phrase that is like an hard stone to the Arminians teeth, it troubleth them exceedingly, and therefore see what violence they offer to this phrase; By this giving to Christ is meant say they, the disposition and ready Obedience which some give to Gods call; O monstrous Transubstantiation, like that of the Papists of the bread into Christ's body; For that which the Scripture giveth expressly to God they take away and give to man; The Scripture saith, God giveth them, and they say man giveth himself; We see that not only the ignorant and unlearned but even learned men corrupted may wrest the Scripture to their destruction; But to discover this Interpretation is refutation enough; Indeed it cannot be denied but that in this Chapter there is a twofold giving of some to Christ.  
1. By Election and Sanctification to Eternal Life.  
2. A peculiar segregation or destination to some Office; Of this latter our Saviour speaks afterwards, say some, when he said, None had perished of those whom the Father had given him but the Son of Perdition; But of the former he speaks v. 2. He giveth Eternal Life to every one that was given him, and v. 9 They were given him out of the world, whereas Judas was always of the world, and thus it is taken here; So that to be given by Christ is for the Father freely out of his mere good pleasure to choose some in Christ to Eternal Life, sanctifying and calling of them in time, So that the Fountain of all the good we have is the mere grace and love of God; The discriminating difference why Christ prayeth not for the world but his Disciples, and in them all believers, is not from any good or worth in them, but merely from the mere gift of God.  

Doct. That all the spiritual good the godly enjoy is only the gift of God.  Obs. That all the spritual good the godly enjoy is merely and solely from the gift and grace of God; This is a Point that the Scripture doth most diligently press and that over and over again, because we are so apt to attribute something to ourselves; Thus the Apostle speaks generally, Jam. 1.17. Every good and perfect gift comes from above; The earth is no more able to give light to the world than we can do that which is truly good of ourselves; Therefore 2 Cor. 21.4. What hast thou thou hast not received? The Apostle makes an universal charge, so that to say I have received from myself and made myself to differ from others, (as Grevinchovius the Arminian) is to blaspheme in an high manner, and to put ourselves in the place of God; You see whatsoever privilege God's people have, it is because they are given to Christ.  
For the full discovery of this we shall instance in some of the choicest and most fundamental privileges the godly have, and you shall find they are all so many beamlings from the glorious Fountain of grace; They are so many sprouts from that Root.  

I. Election is free.  And first of Election which is the first step of God's love to us, this we shall find to be only of God's gift, and that is demonstrated thus.  
Reasons. 1 1. From the Original of it; It's only the mere pleasure of his will: If it be asked why hath God mercy on this or that man so as to make him happy to all Eternity, the answer is, So is the will of God, Eph. 1. Rom. 9 You see there all is resolved into this, The counsel of his will: and Mat. 11. Even so Father, for so it pleaseth thee: Hence Rom. 9 It's not of him that willeth or runneth, but of him that showeth mercy; Those therefore that find the certain effects of this ancient and unchangeable love of God, with what praise and glory are they to break out unto God, if they had not only the tongues but the hearts of men and Angels, they were not sufficient for this work to glorify God, for what is a drop to the Ocean, a spark to the fire, a stone to the Moutain, a candle to the Sun: Hence it is for this use that it's necessary, as the Apostle doth often to inform the Children of God concerning their Election, because that is the first round in that Ladder of God's mercies descending upon us: Oh then be thou astonished at this goodness of God, it lay in his will to refuse thee and take another; There was nothing but his mere Sovereignty and absolute good counsel hath made thee a fit vessel for glory, and left others as vessels of wrath by their own voluntary Apostasy in Adam; Oh say in thy Meditation, O Lord I am silenced, I can go no further, the waters overflow me.  
Reasons. 2 2. This Election is merely of God's goodness, because it's not for any foreseen merits or faith; We had nothing at all to be more acceptable to God than others, for there are some who are enemies to the grace of God, and under the praise of nature and freewill hide their secret opposition to God's grace; Whereas Bonaventure said well, If we must err it's safer to err in giving too much to grace, than too much to freewill; These corrupt Doctors they have no way to vent their poison but by saying and maintaining, that though God hath chosen some before others, yet it was because he did foresee who would by Faith and good works, with perseverance therein, continue faithful to God; But how extreme injurious is this to God's Election, for by this means we shall choose God first and not God us? But what saith our Saviour, I have chosen you and not you me, 1 Joh. 4.10. Not that we first loved God but God us: Here you see that its God who first beginneth with us, God first chose us, God first loved us, and then we loved him: Therefore let not the Godly heart endure such Doctrines that shall tell us, God saw a better use of thy freewill in thee then in others; And hence it is that thou art Elected to glory and not others, for than it would not be pre-destination but post-destination; And besides, than no man could be Elected before the last moment of his life; For who can tell whether he shall persevere or no? So that these Doctrines rob God of his honour, and his people of their comforts.  
Reasons. 3 3. Election must needs be of Grace, and so we are given to Christ, because of that wretched and sinful estate we are all in by Adam's Fall; Upon his Apostasy we are all involved in his guilt, We are by nature Children of wrath, Ephes. 2.3. Though there were no actual sins to witness against us; Seeing then there was nothing in us but sin and misery, it's no wonder if God doth what he doth out of his mere grace and favour, I acknowledge there are many eminent and learned Divines called Supralapsarians because they hold an Election of some and a pretention of others even before Adam's Fall, and thereupon make Election not an action of grace, because it supposeth no sin but of mere dominion and sovereignty, whereby he may dispose of his creature as he pleaseth, but I think it more consonant to Scripture to hold an Election that supposeth man's fall, and that we are all in a corrupt lump and mass, and hereby the grace and free favour of God is made more illustrious; Hence the Apostle to the Ephesians is large to show what they are by nature, and how corrupt of themselves, that so the grace of God may be made more manifest; Such thorns as we are, cannot bear any grapes, Such polluted Fountains as we are, cannot send forth sweet streams.  
Reasons. 4 4. Our Election must needs be free and gracious, because all the good we are able to do, and all the holiness we have is the fruit and effect of Election; He hath chosen us to be holy and unblameable, Eph. 1.4. So some believed because they were ordained to Eternal Life, to be holy, not because we were holy; They were not ordained to Eternal life because they believed, but they believed because they were ordained to Eternal life: Thus you see that godliness being the effect of our Election it cannot be the cause, and therefore the godly have cause to cry out oh the depths and unsearchable riches of grace!  
Lastly. If we consider Election comparatively, so it must be wholly of God's mere gift; That is, why God chooseth some and not others, yea, why sometimes the vilest and worst of sinners are taken, and others more civil and better moralised are left: The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. aggravateth this, Not many wise, not many noble hath God chosen, but the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; And thus our Saviour Mat. 11. Thou hast hidden them from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes; And it must needs be thus amongst men, for so it was with the Angels; The Scripture speaks of Elect Angels, Now why did some Angel's fall and others are confirmed in their eternal happy abode, it cannot be any other cause but their Election; Therefore when all things are duly considered we must say with the Apostle Eph. 1. That we are predestinated before the foundation of the world that we should be to the praise of his glorious grace.  

II. Vocation is of grace.  The second step of that Ladder whereby the grace of God descends upon us is Vocation and Regeneration; That whereby the Lord doth graciously repair his lost image in us, and of dead in sin makes us live a spiritual life.  
Now that this also is wholly of grace appeareth,  
Reason's. 1 1. From that original sin defiling the whole man with all the cursed effects thereof, for we are not merely deprived of all good but positively inclined to all evil, and filled with a cursed opposition to what is holy; The Scripture is very plentiful and emphatical in describing this sinful misery of ours; We are brambles and briers in the Wilderness till he plant us goodly plants in his Garden; We are compared to all manner of beasts for the sinful qualities in us, till he make us Sons of God, so that we would wonder to see the presumption and arrogancy of those Doctrines that would make man free to do good; Whereas our Saviour said, Then are we free when the Son hath made us free, Joh. 8.36. Tunc arbitrium est liberum, quando liberatum.  
Reasons. 2 2. It's all of grace, because the Scripture attributeth this work solely to God; That famous promise I will take away an heart of stone, Eze. 11.19. I will give an heart of flesh, I will write my Law in their hearts, do argue he must be wilfully blind that will not acknowledge this to be God's work alone; Now than if it be Gods work it cannot be ours also, unless subjectively, not causally; Hence it's called the New Creature, because God immediately gives us such a being, and indeed the experience of the godly soul doth evidently witness this; How long should I have wallowed in my lusts? how unwillng to leave them till God changed my heart; If God had stayed for my consent and cooperation, I had still been in the gall of bitterness; It's God then and not man who layeth the first stone in this spiritual building: Doth not the heart of a godly man inform him of more Orthodoxy in this Point then most Books will do? Didst thou not keep thy lusts with all might? Didst thou not wage open war against God? Didst thou yield thyself by agreement, or not rather by full conquest?  
Lastly, That our vocation and conversion is wholly of grace appeareth, if we consider many persons who are thus called, as many profane and wicked persons; Men in league with divers temptations to sin, such as Paul, Mary Magdalene, Matthew the Publican, What condignity or congruity, which the Papists speak of so much, could be in these men? And therefore observe how Paul upon all occasions doth willingly enlarge himself to speak of the grace of God to him the chiefest of all sinners: Austin in his Confessions do●● excellently acknowledge the unwillingness in himself to be turned from his lusts till God had overpowerd him, and therefore he calls grace verticordis very emphatically.  

III. Justification is of grace.  The third step of these eminent gifts God giveth his people is Justification from their sins; This is so great a matter that the Apostle makes our blessedness to consist in it; And David Psa. 32. out of the sense of this mercy overlooks all temporal comforts, though never so great, and admireth this: Now this is wholly of grace, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace; The Apostle puts two words to show that it is altogether from the mere grace of God that we partake of such a privilege.  

Reasons.  Now the Grounds why Justification and pardon of sin must needs be of Grace, is  
1. Because the Justice of God is like himself infinite; and so all the tears and grievances we may put ourselves upon are not able to recompense God; We see the damned in hell are therefore detained in those chains of darkness to all Eternity, because they are not able to satisfy the justice of God, if they could pay to the last farthing than they would be set at liberty; Every sin then even the least hath an infinite guilt in it in respect of Gods infinite Majesty against whom it is committed, so that neither one man, no nor all men or Angels are able to expunge the least blot; Oh then tremble under the least sin rhou art guilty of; Little dost thou consider how insupportable the guilt of it is, how impotent thyself and all the world is to cancel and wipe out this debt.  
2. It must needs be of grace because Christ made himself an expiatory atonement and sacrifico for our sins; God made our iniquities to meet upon him, Isa. 53. yea, he was made a curse for our sakes, so that the doing away of our iniquities is wholly of grace to us, for that was Christ's work, he undertook this load, which would have crushed us into the lowest hell; If he that was God as well as man did yet sweat drops of blood under this Agony, and cried out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? If the green Tree burn thus what shall the dry do? For thee therefore to think by thy tears and Repentance to expiate thy sin is wholly to mistake the necessity of Christ a Mediator; This is to put an Atlas his burden upon a Pigmy's shoulder; See what the weight of sin did upon Cain and Judas? though they would have given a world, yet they could not obtain the lest drop of water to ease their spirits, but like Dives were tormented in hell while here on earth; Oh then that wicked men would consider more, they lay load upon load, but who at last shall take it off; Thou thinkest not that though sin for the present be sweet, yet it hath an eternal sting with it; What wilt thou do when at last thou shalt cry out with Cain, My sin is greater than I can bear.  
Lastly, 
IV. Glorification is of grace.  The last and utmost step of God's mercy to us is glorification and making of us happy for ever; When he hath done this there remaineth no more to be done, and even this Crown of Glory is put upon our heads because of grace, Rom. 6.23. The gift of God is Eternal Life; And Tit. 2. We are saved by grace, not by works; The Apostle doth in that place with exact diligence shut them out from any share in our Salvation:  
Now that all this, from the first to the last, 
Raisins.  even salvation itself is of grace will appear,  
1. From the imperfection that cleaveth to the best things we do; Insomuch that they need grace to pardon, so far are they from having any worth in them for heaven; This made the Apostle Paul, account all that he had and did dung and dross for the Righteousness of Christ; This made David pray that God would not enter into judgement or be strict to mark what is done amiss; When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable Servants, how much more when we come far short of all.  
2. If we consider the transcendent dignity of that glory God will bestow on us; It must needs be solely of grace; For the Apostle tells us The eye hath not seen it▪ nor the ear heard it, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of is, 1 Cor. 2.9. It's no less than enjoying God himself, The immediate fruition of himself is the only happiness we shall have; Now what comparison is there between our graces, and God himself, Again the Transcendency is seen in the duration: Suppose our graces were present yet are they but for a season; They are transient expressions; Whereas our happiness doth endure for ever.  
3. If we are enabled to do any good thing, we are so far from deserving at God's hand, That we are the more obliged to him, and aught to be the more thankful, Coronat dona sua, non merita nostra; The more thou art enabled to repent or believe, the more thankful art thou to be to the grace of God: Thus all is of grace.  
But you will say, Is not heaven called a reward? At the day of Judgement doth not God pronounce a blessing because of the good works they have done? Are they not called Blessed that die in the Lord because their works follow them? Rev. 14.13.  
All this is true, but this proveth no more than that an holy life and godly works they are via Regni not causa Regnandi, as Bernard long since; If we do not strive and labour we shall never have this Crown; If we use not violence we shall never get this Kingdom, So that grace doth not encourage to sin, or maintain slothfulness, but we as the Apostle urgeth, Phil. 2. are encouraged to work out our salvation because that its God who giveth us to will and to do.  
Use 1 Use of Instruction to the godly, Are they wholly the gift of God in Christ? Is all from the grace of God, then let the people of God walk humbly and thankfully? Oh it's a close secret sin to have self-dependance, self-confidence, and yet there is no sin hath greater enmity to the Gospel of Christ then this; Neither do thou think to divide the matter between grace and thy duties, as the Papists make our hope to be coming partly from our merits, and partly from the grace of God; What shall David, Shall Paul, such eminent Cedars in Lebanon, fear their own selves, and dost thou a low shrub boast of thyself? Herein commonly is the difference between a true godly man and a civil virtuous man, the one hath a secret hope in himself, but the other looks for and expects grace as merely from God, as if he never had done a good work in his life.  
Use 2 Use 2. Let this grace of God quicken thee to all life and zeal for God; Grace is like fire to melt thee; If man's kindness worketh upon a good nature, how much rather should Gods kindness upon a sanctified and a renewed nature.   

SERMON XLVII. Of God's Propriety in his People as the Ground of all the Good that accrueth to them.  JOH. 17.9. For they are thine. 
THis is the third and last description which our Saviour useth of those who are the objects of his prayer, viz. The propriety that God hath in them, They are his own.  
I have handled this Point formerly, but then I did it under an absolute notion, showing you how many ways the people of God were his People, but I shall now treat on it relatively, as it's an Argument used by our Saviour why he should be heard in his prayer for his Disciples; And certainly here is much of strength in it, They are thine, I pray not for thy Enemies nor for strangers, but such as are near thee, that are of thy own household, such upon whom already thou hast placed thy love and delight, 
Of God's peculiar propriety in his people as the ground of Christ's prayer for them, care of them, and of all the good that accrueth unto them.  so that our Saviour makes the propriety God hath in his Disciples, and so in all believers, to be the ground of his prayer for them; And indeed this must needs be very effectual, for the Apostle argueth, If any man provide not for his own, 1 Tim. 1.0. he is worse than an Infidel; If then God doth so greatly abhor him who takes not care for his own, Shall not the Lord himself provide for his? Thus Ephes. 1.29. the Apostle urging the duty of Husbands to Wives argueth from propriety, Their own Wives; and no man ever hated his own flesh; Now than God takes this relation of an Husband to his people, and because they are his therefore he will hear their prayer, and vouchsafe all good to them; Propriety is so great a matter that Aristotle makes it the cause of all the labour and trading that is in the world, insomuch that he saith, If all things were common the world would be filled with idle persons, but because it's their own ground, their own wealth, their own riches, therefore they are so diligent to increase in these things: None regard the air, the light of the Sun because it's common to all, Whereas if they could be appropriated, if no man had the light of the Sun but one or few men, Oh what a price would be put upon it; It's then proptiety both with God and man that is the Fountain of all good, of all care, 
Propositions concerning Gods peculiar propriety in his people.  and brings about all the blessedness that God's Children have.  
To open this Point, and not to fall in with what you have heard already,  
1. Take notice That a people becomes the Lords peculiar ones, his Jewels, solely by his grace and goodwill; He hath chosen us, and not we him, he loved us first: 
1. A people become Gods peculiar ones freely by grace  The great God of heaven who might have made other people, other persons his treasure, did out of his own mere goodness take thee and thee into such a blessed relation: The Apostle doth every where in his Epistles reduce it to this cause, The counsel of his will, and out of his mere grace, and certainly if Deut. 9.5. the Lord doth again and again inform the Israelites, that it was not for their righteousness, or any good in them but merely because be set his love on them, that he made them his external people by an outward Covenant; how much rather must it needs be the mere grace of God to make a people inwardly and spiritually his, so that whosoever find themselves thus appropriated to God, to be able with the Church to say as she doth many times, because our blessedness lieth in this, I am my well_beloved, and my wellbeloved is mine, Cant. 6.3. Oh let such be deeply humbled and even astonished under the discriminating Grace of God, I am the Lords when the devils are not, when such men of parts, abilities, and great Revenues in the world; And if the Lord would have looked to any thing in man, how many thousands are there that if converted would have been more glorious Instruments of God's glory than I am.  

2. And from his mere goodness not out of any want.  2. As it is the mere goodness of God to make a people his, so it is not out of any want or any necessity, any need that he hath of us, that he did thus make us his, and this also is a quickening consideration; Husbands have Wives because they want such helps, Masters have Servants because they need them; Even the greatest Monarches want their people; But it is otherwise with God, My goodness extends not to thee, saith David, Psa. 16.2. And thus Job was told, that if he were perfect and righteous he did not advantage God, God is the Elshaddai the All-sufficient God blessed and happy enough in himself; Though he had never created the world, Though he had not appointed one man to Eternal glory, yet such was his goodness that he would have those Objects to whom he might communicate of his fullness; And therefore God of many thousands hath made such and such his, not that he wanted their graces, duties, or prayers, but that they might partake of his riches.  

3. They are Christ's and the holy Ghosts as well as the Fathers.  3. When Christ saith here, They are thine, he doth not exclude himself from having a propriety in them, nor the holy Ghost neither; For this is the infinite privilege of the Godly that they are both the Fathers, and the Sons, and the holy Ghosts, not only because whatsoever one person hath the other hath, as Christ saith, All mine are thine, and thine are mine but in an appropriated consideration; Thus Christ saith, they are the Fathers, They are thine in the present tense, he had formerly at the sixth Verse used the preterperfect tense Thine they were, but now he useth the present tense to show, that though the Father had given them to Christ, yet he had not abdicated or quitted himself of his interest in them, he had not so given them to the Son as that the Father had no dominion or right to them, but they did still continue the the Father's possession though they were given to Christ; And as they are the Fathers so they are the Sons purchased people also; They belong to Christ in an endeared manner, which makes them to be called bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, Eph. 5.30. To be his members and body as he is the head; They are also the holy Ghosts, and therefore they are said to have the Spirit dwelling in them, and they are his Temple, and they are led by the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit; We are the Fathers by mere grace, and therefore are given to Christ as a Mediator; We are Christ's by merit, for he purchased us by his blood; We are the Spirits by operation, for he works the holy Image of God in us: Oh than that our hearts were enlarged in this matter, that we might wonder how and why we who are not worth the owning or the the looking after, should yet be made the Lords in such endeared respects. 
4. Their being Gods excludeth all other creatures.   
4. When the Godly are said to be the Fathers, though it doth not exclude the other persons, yet it doth all other creatures; By this we are delivered from all other proprieters and interest whatsoever, and this makes the phrase to contain in it a Treasure of happiness, as first, Seeing we are the Fathers, therefore we are no longer the devils: We are no more in his possession and under his dominion; We may see by the Scripture in what a woeful and cursed state all men by nature are, They belong to the devil, they are his proper goods; The devil hath them as his, even as he hath the damned in hell, though in this life there may be hope of delivering them, whereas the damned have none, Eph. 2. The devil who is called the God of this world is said to rule in the hearts of the disobedient; Hell is not more the devil's place then the heart of a wicked man, and therefore 1 Tim. 2.26. they are said to be Captives to the devil, to be like tamed birds, and our Saviour tells the Pharisees, They were of their Father the devil, Joh. 8. And why? because they did his works; So that whosoever doth the works, committeth the sins that the devils do, the devil is their Father; Though they rage and are mad at such a charge, and this is the reason in part why the glorious fruit of Christ's death is called a Redemption, and why he is called a Redeemer, because we were wholly in bondage and captivity to the devil; We were his, he had a proper right to us till Christ redeemed us. Oh that the ungodly men of the world should hear this and not tremble, Whose art thou? To whom dost thou belong? Who may challenge thee but the devil? There are a cursed sort of men who give themselves to the devil by compact in the ways of witchcrafts; Now all wicked men though not by such an express Covenant, yet implicitly by their wicked ways give themselves up to be the devils: Oh what a terrible thing is this to consider, that though thou canst say, These grounds are mine, these cattle are mine, these goods are mine, yet thou thyself art the devils; Oh consider that the devil will have his own when thou diest, he will lose nothing; Neither soul or body shall escape him if thou continue his: Be thou awakened out of thy desperate estate, If thou art not God's Inheritance thou art the devil's possession, and thy tongue, thy eyes, thy body, thy whole life proclaimeth to whom thou dost belong.  
2. In being the Fathers, as we are no longer Satan's, so neither the worlds or men's in the world: Hence we are commanded not to be Servants to men, 1 Cor. 7.13. or please men, and to call none Father on earth, Mat. 23.9. The sense of such commands is, that we are not to put our hopes and trust in men, not to give up ourselves to their commands when contrary to God, yet this is a sin that all are prone unto; It's the Favour of men, the power and greatness of men that swayeth us more than God: Alas thou wert not created or redeemed, or regenerated, to make man thus a God unto thee: Whence is it that our fear is a man's fear? yea, our Religion a man's Religion: but because we are not yet delivered from man's thraldom, so neither are we the worlds; For our Saviour saith, We are given out of the world to Chrict: Why then are we so immoderate in our cares and affections about these things? It's not the world that is ours; The Church was seen clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, Rev. 12.1. God hath made the earth under us, and Gold and Silver to be in the bowels thereof, implying the low esteem we ought to have of them, and that we look not on the world as a resting place, but seek for heaven,  
Lastly, We are none of our own in being the Fathers; Thus the Apostle, We are none of our own, Therefore we are to glorify God both in soul and body, 1 Cor. 6.20. Our Tongues, our Body, our Affections, are not our own; We may not love as we list, nor desire as we list: It's thset and Sacrilege thus to steal from God; Why should it be a wound in thy Conscience to detain that which is another man's, and not rather that which is Gods: My Son give me thy heart; If sin hath it, If the world hath it, these are not the right owners; Remember whose thou art, and this will keep thee solely and wholly for God.  

How the propriety in God is the cause of all good.  These things premised let us now see How the Propriety we have in God is the cause of all our good;  
And in the general there is no temporal or spiritual good we have, but our propriety in God is the Foundation of it: If the Apostle argue that because he hath given us Christ, how shall he not with him give us all things else? Rom. 8. How much rather if God give us himself, shall he not give us all things: The marrow and whole substance of the Covenant of grace lieth in this, That God will be our God and we shall be his People: God doth not find us but make us his, and when so made then all good things are bestowed on us; We will select some choice particulars, and that two ways.  

1. Of those good things we have from God.  
2. Of those good things we have by approaching to good our active and passive good.   
And first Pardon of sin in which the Psalmist speaks our blessedness to consist is given us because we are hi●. Thus Heb. 8. when God promised to be the God of his People in the Covenant of Grace, Then followeth the Forgiveness of their sins, And he will remember their Iniquities no more; And this they must necessarily enjoy, For Gild of sin separateth between God and the sinner, it makes him at a distance, and in a state of Enmity; But this propriety takes away all Ground of Condemnation, Rom. 8. Because they belong to God therefore they are pardoned; David's sins were fouler than Saul's; But besides that David had a better heart than Saul; David had a propriety in God, and so had not Saul: Oh the Encouragement that God's Children have upon this account to pray for pardon: It's more in God then in thy Repentance or Tears; That is the surest Refuge they have, they are the Fathers: Therefore  
2. Because they have more choice and intimate Fellowship and Communion with the Father then the world: They have the Light of his Countenance, assurance of his Love: They have the hidden Manna; They have a peculiar Enjoyment of him, which is more as David saith, Psal. 4. then the wicked men have when their Wine and Oil increaseth: They are called Friends in opposition to Servants by Christ, Joh. 15.15. And therefore are admitted into that presence and those heavenly Secrets, which wicked men know not, which made the Church repeat this so often, She was her well beloved's, and her well beloved was hers, Cant. 6.3. And from this followeth that holy and heavenly Communion with Christ which the Church hath; Oh if the world did but know what the Godly have from God, Other meat, Other Riches, Other Comforts than they understand: How would they lament their distance from God? They have Husks only when there is the fatted Calf in our Father's House; Insomuch that though the Godly have not the good things of this Life always, yet they have the good, yea, the better things of Heaven and Happiness as a Viaticum in their Journey thither.  
3. Because they have a Propriety in Christ therefore they are protected and preserved: The Eye of God is said to run up and down the Earth, to stand in the behalf of the upright in heart; They are God's Treasure, and so his heart and love must be towards them, I am thine save me, saith David, Psal. 119.94. Propriety engageth God, all Creatures look to their own, yea, they venture their lives to save their young ones: The cruel and most wild Creatures are fierce to defend their own; Now at the Psalmist argueth, He that made the Eye shall not be see, He that planted the Ear shall not he hear? Thus he that hath put into the nature of all creatures to protect their young ones, Will not he do the like? This Argument the Church useth when she saith, Isaiah 63 9 We are thine, and are called by thy Name; Insomuch that there is a wonderful expression in Zech. 2.8. He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye; How carefully hath nature defended that as being a precious and dear part in a man; Yet thus God is pleased to account of those that are his, And therefore he is said to be afflicted in all their afflictions: Oh than that the Godly would improve this propriety more; They fear this danger, this Trial, this Calamity; Art thou not the Lords? Will not he look to thee more than thou couldst thyself? Thou art more his then thy own; It's indeed no such matter for thee to lose thy health, thy Comforts, thy Life, but for God to lose his goods, his Inheritance, his Jewels, would highly redound to his dishonour; Therefore the Lord is said to know how to deliver those that are Righteous, 2 Peter 2.9. They are under God's care; And therefore thy Condition is more secure than if the whole world were to keep thee; For he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, Psal. 121.3.  
4. Because they are the Fathers therefore they are sure to persevere, and not to apostatise from the ways of grace and holiness; Adam indeed was his, and the Angels before their Fall were his, but because not his in that sure and better Covenant, which is established by the blood of Christ. Therefore they fell from that propriety, but now a sure and everlasting Covenant is made through Christ; They if once his, always his▪ Hence our Saviour saith, None can pluck them out of his Father's hand, John 18.29. Because the Father is greater than all: Out of his hand, that is a very comfortable expression, as if God held them always in his hand, as we do those things that are precious, and therefore we are kept by the power of God to Salvation; Oh how often should we lose our propriety, forfeit our Interest, become sins and Satan's, did not he keep us his? This preserving of us his, is more than making us his at first, for such is our falsehood and inconstancy, that we should every day dissolve all those bonds of love between God and us: Did not he put this fear in our hearts? Oh by this it is that we do not only live his but die his: By this it is that we may with Triumph take up Paul's persuasion, That nothing shall separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8. Build not then thy Perseverance upon thy graces but God's propriety.  
These may suffice for the former part, then in the next place, This propriety God hath in us is the cause of all our good, in our approaches unto God.  
And First, It is that only which administers confidence and fervency in prayer; What hopes, what strive, what agonies could there be in Prayer, if it were not for this he is our God we are praying unto? Who can hopefully pray to an Enemy or Adversary, to a condemning Judge, but when to a gracious Father that breedeth encouragement; Thus we are taught to pray Our Father; And the Spirit of God is especially for this appropriating confidence to call God Abba Father, and what is it that makes David so full of hopes even in sad Temptations, because God was his God, his buckler, his Shield; And it's said in that sad perplexity he was in at Ziklag, he encouraged himself in his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. So that take this away and you take away the very soul and life of all prayers.  
2. Joy and Thankfulness; The overflowing of the heart with praise and rejoicing is from this, because God is our God; Thus David is like a Fountain often running over, because God forgave his iniquities, and was his God; The people of God walk in darkness because they are not clear in this, their evidences are not strong here.  
3. Contentation and a blessed composure of spirit: For in that God is theirs they have all can be desired, Fear not Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward; The Lord is my Shepherd I shall want nothing, Psal. 23.1, I wonder not now that Paul can say he knoweth how to abound and how to want, Phil. 4. 12. yea, that he hath all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath God who hath all things; Oh say not I want a drop when thou hast the Ocean.  
Use To admire the blessed estate of the Godly; No wonder if Balaam wish that he might die the death of the Righteous, and that his latter end might be like his: See the Large Inventory of 2 very Godly man's Treasure, 1 Cor, 1. All things are yours, and why is it so? Because Christ is ours and God is ours: A wretched man thinks it a great matter to say, This Estate and that is mine, when yet none can say as the devil of all the Glory of the World, All is mine, yet he is happy that hath the Lord for his Portion.  
Use 2. Take heed of opposing and malicious vexing of those that are godly, it redounds to God's dishonour; It's not they but God that is despised.   

SERMON XLVIII. The Deity of Jesus Christ cleared and defended against the Socinians.  JOH. 17.10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. 
THese words are an Argument to prove that though the Apostles, and in them all believers were the Fathers, yet the Son was not excluded from a propriety in them; Therefore to put more force in the Argument he presseth the sameness or Identity of Nature, and ageeement with one another, as if he should have said, Let not any prayer put up in their behalf be rejected, for they are fit Subjects both for me to pray for and thou to hear, we both have an Interest in them; We must deny our own if we deny them, This is the sense of the words, and in them we may observe, 

1. The argumentative particle.  
2. The argument itself.    
The argumentative particle in'the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is not conjunctive but ratiocinative, It's not so well translated and as for, so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture, Even as the Hebrew is sometimes conjunctive and sometime a Note of Inference, as Give help from trouble and Vain is the help of man, Psa. 60.11. that is for; We have sinned and thou art angry, i. e. for that, etc. So here, They are thine, for all mine is thine:  
In the next place we have the argument itself, and that is from the homoousiall consideration of the Father and the Son, All mine are thine, and thine are mine, which words are not spoken quoad fruitionem only, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but quoad essentiam, all that Wisdom, power, Majesty thou hast, I have, we have all in common: Therefore this place is very strong against the blasphemous Socinians, and used by the Ancients against the Arians; The Socinians have nothing to evade but only that our Saviour doth not speak of the Father's Essence but of his dominion and propriety; The Apostles were the Fathers by propriety, and so they were Christ's also; But this will not stand, for although we must grant that before; The Apostles were said to be the Fathers yet he proveth this by an Argument from the general to the particular; No wonder they are thine and mine, for all mine are thine, Note the Universality, all mine are thine, all thine are mine, If all then the Essence, Nature and Majesty of God, otherwise it was not all, and if Christ were a mere Creature he could not say thus, for although the former part every creature may say, all mine are thine, in respect of dominion and efficiency, because there is no good, natural, moral, or divine but its the Lords, and although in some sense a godly man may by the Covenant of grace say to God, all thine are mine because now made his God, in which sense the Apostle said, all things are yours, 1 Cor. 1. and I have all things, Phil. 4. yet in regard of God's essential Attributes, his Omnisciency, Omnipotency, etc. None but the Son and the holy Ghost who are God can truly say so; Now that our Saviour meaneth all in this sense appeareth by a parallel place, Joh 16 15. all things that the Father hath are mine; Mark the aggravation, he doth not say some things but all things, then that the Father hath in the present tense; Now God hath nothing but essentially, he hath wisdom, he hath life, but he hath it essentially not as creatures who have it accidentally; Therefore notable is that expression Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself; No creature hath life in that sense.  
3. He saith, All things are mine, he doth not say shall be mine, when I am glorified, when ascended into Heaven, but even in that very state of humiliation.  
Lastly, He saith, All that the Father hath, In calling him a Father he acknowledgeth a personal distinction, which cuts off the Sophistry of the Socinians; If Christ hath all things the Father hath, than he is the Father: No, the very compellation supposeth a relative distinction, though there be an essential Unity:  
Thus you see the Text vindicated, and it's our duty diligently to vindicate those Texts that assert Christ's Deity so much oppugned, for if Tertullian said, Omnis sermo adaptandus est contra Idololatriam, much more against this blasphemous heresy.  

Doct. Christ hath all things the Father hath.  Obs. That our Lord Christ hath all things the Father hath; Even the things he prayeth for, viz. glory, he saith He had it with the Father before the world began.  
Let us unfold this Doctrine for it will be of great use both doctrinally and practically.  

1. The same Name and Titles.  And 1. The Lord Christ hath the same Name and Titles that God the Father hath, Even that Name which they call the incommunicable Name Jehovah, and that is never given directly to any creature, yet that is attributed to Christ, Heb. 1.10. Thou O Jehovah hast founded the Heavens and the Earth; That spoken by the Psalmist the Apostle doth expressly apply to Christ himself, and although some observe that in the New commonly the Father is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 1 Cor. 8. We have one God the Father of all, and we have one Lord, yet Christ is often called God. Rom. 9.11. He is called God blessed for evermore; And 2 John This is the true God. And 1 Tim. 3.26. God manifested in the flesh, So that he is called God as well as Lord; Now than this argueth Christ's Deity, that he hath the same Titles with God; Magistrates indeed are called gods, and Moses is said to be a God to Pharaoh, but not absolutely as Christ is, but respectively for such an end and purpose, viz. to direct and govern: For the Name of God is God, as Rabbins say, God is his Name and his Name is God; If it be a capital crime amongst men, to give the Titles of the Supreme power to those that have it not, or to deny it to those to whom it belongs; Take heed than thou be'st not found in the number of those that thinkest it robbery what Christ himself did not to make him equal with God.  

2. The same nature and essence  2. He hath the nature and essence of God the Father, so that he is equal with him; Mark that reason joh. 16.15. He shall receive of mine and show you all things; For all the Father hath is mine; The holy Ghost was to receive of his wisdom and power, because all the Father had was his, which as it necessarily proveth the holy Spirit to be God, that doth search the deep things of God, so also Christ to be of the same divine nature, and thus the Jews understood him when they charged him with blasphemy, that he being man should make himself God or equal to God.  
3. He hath all the essential properties of God, he is immortal, eternal, infinite, 
3. All the essential properties of God.  omniscient, omnipotent; For he knew what was in men's hearts and needed none should tell him, 1 Joh. 2. ult. Eternal, for he created all things, and in the beginning was with God, 1 joh. 1. called therefore Alpha and Omega; Omnipotent in that the Creation of all things out of nothing is attributed to him, and the wonderful Miracles he wrought not as the Apostles in a Petitionary manner but mandatory and authoritatively in his own Name, do fully evince this, so that there is no glorious attribute of God but the Lord Christ hath the same, and that not in kind but in number: The very same numerical wisdom and holiness.  
4. Christ doth all the works the Father doth; I and my Father work hitherto, 
4. Christ doth all the works the Father doth.  Joh. 5.17. The Son doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doth, Joh. 5.19. Doth the Father create? so doth Christ? Doth the Father conserve and govern all things? so doth Christ bear up all things by the power of his word, Heb. 1. Did the Father send the Prophets in the Old Testament? so (which i● greatly to be considered) did Christ, 1 Pet. 1.11. The Spirit of Christ is said to be in the Prophets which yet were long before Christ was born of the Virgin; Therefore Christ had a subsistency as God before and did work as God; Therefore the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. are said to tempt Christ in the Wilderness, And Moses preferred the reproaches of Christ before Egypt's Treasures, Heb. 11. so also doth the Father regenerate, give the holy Spirit, sanctify our natures, all these things Christ also doth.  
5. The Son and the Father have the same will and the same purposes; 
5. The sa●e will.  This all the Socinians would have, But the sameness of will and mind floweth from the Identity of the nature; Indeed when he prayeth for his Disciples in this Chapter, that they may be one as thou and I are one; It's not a sicut of equality but similitude, not as if they were to be one essentially, as the Father and the Son is, but that intimate Union of the Father and Son, is made the Rule, as when it's said, Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5. ult. that cannot be understood of an equality; The Rule hath always more perfection in it then the thing regulated by it: Hence it is that Christ is called the express character of the Father, Heb. 1. What Christ wils, what he purposeth we may conclude the Father doth so also, so that this consideration may abundantly take away that doubt which may arise, That although Christ be thus ready to work out our redemption, yet will the Father accept of it, he is not obliged to take a Surety in our room, he will see the Law satisfied in our own persons, but Christ removeth this when he saith, Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my Sheep, Joh. 10. The Father then and the Son have the same gracious will, have the same purposes of mercy, and whom Christ doth invite the Father inviteth, whom Ch●ist calls the Father calls: So that in and by Christ we may see the gracious and glorious thoughts of mercy God the Father had from all Eternity to his people; Indeed as he was man though his humane will was not contrary, yet we see he speaks conditionally, If it be possible let this Cup pass away, yet not my will but thy will be done, Matth. 26 39 Therefore his humane will if absolutely considered, did desire freedom from death, but if particularly considered in these circumstances, than he emptied that particular stream of his humane nature in the Ocean of the divine.  
6. The Son and the Father have the same propriety in all the godly; 
6. The same propriety in all the godly.  Those that belong to the Father belong also to the Son, This was the occasion of this general Speech in the Text; The Apostles are thine, and all thine are mine; So that the Father doth not abdicate his right by the donation of them to Christ; Hence Joh. 20.17. I go to my Father and your Father, by way of comfort putting us into some co-partnership with his propriety; Those then that are Christ's Sheep they have also Gods mark upon them, They do belong to the Father by grace, and to the Son by merit and purchase, so that the Children of God are to proceed by degrees, to evidence their propriety in Christ, and then in the Father; For saith Christ, If ye had known me ye would have known my Father, Joh. 8.16.  
Lastly, They have the same power and strength, and that in reference to the defence and preservation of his people, Joh. 10. None can pull them out of my Father's hand, than he addeth, I and my Father are one, one as in nature so in that omnipotent power to govern and preserve his Children to everlasting happiness, so that this doctrine is not merely speculative but tends to much practical edification.  

How all Christ hath is the Fathers.  In the next place consider how all that Christ hath is the Fathers, and so reciprocally,  

1. By eternal generation.  1. By eternal generation, The Socinians would grant the Son hath many transcendent prerogatives, but not by eternal generation, but by a temporal donation; This cannot be so, because the Psalmist long before Christ was born said, This is my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Psa. 2.7. And his out-going are said to be of old, Mic. 5.1. from the days of Eternity: So that Christ hath these things of the Father by nature, even as the Sun beams had the light of the Sun, as soon as ever there was a Sun though there be a great dissimilitude in this comparison; The Son than is not of the Father as the world was by a voluntary Creation but by a natural generation.  

2. By virtue of the hypostatical Union.  2. If we consider Christ as God and man, yet even then by virtue of the hypostatical Union all that the Father hath, is his; The infinite Majesty of God, Christ nor only as God but as God-man hath, but how? not as if the properties of the divine nature were communicated to that, as the Lutherans hold, saying, the humane nature of Christ is infinite, omnipresent, that is absurd, for how can it be eternal when it's plain the humane nature had a being in a time, but only by virtue of the personal union, there is a communication of properties, not to the Natures but to the Person, Insomuch that the Apostle calls it the blood of God, Act. 25. How can that be but by virtue of that personal Union, the divine nature hath no blood, neither can it suffer, and thus Christ said, The Son of man which i● in heaven, Joh. 3. that could not be because of his humane nature but by the personal Union, so that although the Text doth principally intend Christ's communion with the Father as God in the identity of his nature, yet this may in some sense be extended to Christ both God and man.  

Use. Therefore  The Use of this Doctrine is very fruitful, 1. By doctrinal Information of the deity of Christ, that he is truly God, having all things God the Father hath, therefore retain by a strong Faith this Article of Religion, 
1. Christ is truly God.  and the rather because so many have brought in damnable assertions about this Point; Socinus doth impudently say, that this doctrine of Christ's Deity is so absurd, that the Christian world will one day be so far informed as to be ashamed to believe such a thing, yea, to hear such a thing, and that the word Trinity may be in time as much abhorred as Transubstantiation and the Mass; Fly from such persons as those that have a spiritual plague; This hath been so often cleared by the Church in all ages, that now there needs no more disputation in it, we must not always be proving but we must at last hold fast that which is good; Remember your Baptism it was In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; These you are with the same faith to acknowledge, to these you are equally consecrated.  

2. The people of God are happy  Use 2. Is all that the Father hath Christ's? then how happy are the people of God who are admitted into some co-partnership with all this blessedness; For although though none but Christ (as you heard) can say, All mine are thine essentially, yet every godly man being made a co●heir with Christ, he may by fruition and enjoyment say so, Rome 8. Oh the infinite treasure of that expression, a Son and co-heir with Christ; Whatsoever Christ is heir to, we are also coheirs with him, only here is the difference, Quod Christus natura, nos gratia, what Christ is by nature that we are by grace; Why then are the people of God so often dejected and cast down? They consider not how rich, how honoured, how abounding they are; All that the Father hath, all that Chtist hath is theirs for their good and advantage, and this deed of gift God made when he entered into Covenant with them to be their God, and they to be his people; By this means Paul can triumph and say, I have all things, I can do all things, Phil. 4. The people of God are never established and confirmed till they be anchored here; They are tossed up and down as so many waves like the wicked men of the world who live by sense, and have no bottom or rock to stand upon; For this end it is that God eithet takes away earthly comforts or casteth in many roots of gall and wormwood in every condition, That you may know your treasure is in God and Christ not in these earthly contents.  
Use 3. Is Christ thus partaker essentially of all that God hath, then take we heed how we refuse him speaking, for God is not only with him but in him, 
3. Take heed of refusing Christ speoking.  as God said concerning the Angel that led the people of Israel which was Christ, that they should take heed how they did provoke him, for his Name was in him, Exo. 23.21.  
4. How complete and full a Mediator we have; We need not fear his insufficiency, for all that the Father hath he hath; He is an infinite God as well as a finite man; Oh the unanswerable arguments that the godly may fetch hence; O Lord though in thy sight no flesh can be justified, yet Christ was; Though I am imperfect Christ is not.  
Lasty, Here is a dreadful doom to wicked men, they are excluded from this communion, what the devil hath they have or shall have.   

SERMON XLIX. Of man's Glorifying of Christ, And how many ways that is done.  JOH. 17.10. And I am glorified in them. 
THis is a new Argument propounded by our Saviour in the behalf of his Disciples; Formerly when he prayed for himself he made this an Argument, that he had glorified the Father; Now when he prayeth for his Disciples, he urgeth, that they had glorified him: So that we see it's very acceptable to God the Father that Christ should be glorified; He that is jealous of his glory and will not give it to another, that struck Herod dead, and made him to be eaten with the vilest creatures, because the people cried, The voice of God and not of man, yet to his Son is willing that all honour and glory should be given as he himself also had immediately glorified him from heaven.  
In the Argument we may consider, 

1. The Person glorified.  
2. The action itself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
3. The Subject in whom and by whom he is glorfiied.    
The Person is Christ; Having before asserted a community in essence and all things with the Father, he now assumeth also a propriety in the glory his Father is to have; Chief and ultimate glory belongs only to God: Let not him that glorieth, 1 Cor. 1. glory in his riches, in his honours, but that he knoweth God; The glory of God is the utmost end of man, and we may no more attribute it to a creature then divine worship; So that the Deity of Christ is here also implied.  
2. The other is the action to glorify; The word is in the preterperfect tense (as Austin thinks) for the future, according to the custom of the Hebrews, for the Apostles had glorified Christ but little, comparatively to what they would do after Christ's ascension, when such heavenly gifts were bestowed upon them, but we may keep the proper signification, for the Apostles in that they left all, believing in him as the promised Messias, as also preaching and working Miracles in his Name did in a great measure glorify Christ; Now when Christ is said to be glorified by his Disciples, that is to be understood declaratively only, not really for Christ being God, no real glory could be added to him, only there might be an outward acknowledgement and manifestation of it.  
Lastly, There is the Subject, for them, Some of the Ancients refer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before in the Text, to things and not to persons; all things are mine, and I am glorified in those things, but it's more coherent with the words to refer it to the Apostles of whom he had spoken before, They are thine, as also because they are the Subject for whom he is praying, and this is a new argument in their behalf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that may imply two things.  
1. That they were the Subjects in which Christ was exalted.  
And then 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as often the Hebrew Preposition Beth, and so Christ was glorified by them, because through their preaching many were converted to acknowledge and believe in Christ as the Messias, and so they glorified him.  
Obs. That as the people of God do make it their work to glorify Christ, 

Doct. As the people of God make in their work to glorify Christ, so it is wellpleasing to God.  
How many ways the people of God glorify Christ.   so this also is very wellpleasing to God the Father; Christ useth it as an argument to the Father why he should grant his prayer for his Disciples, because they glorified him, so that two Propositions are in the doctrine.  

1. The people of God make it their utmost end to glorify God.  
2. That this is very acceptable and wellpleasing to God.   
For the first, Let us consider how many ways the people of God do glorify Christ, and then why it's their duty:  
For the first, Christ is glorified in these particulars,  
First, When by Faith they do receive and own him to be the promised Messias; This our Saviour you heard did again and again commend them for, 
1. When by faith they own him to be the promised Messias.  they did believe him to be the Messias sent of the Father, and so in other places they acknowledged this, so that the very acknowledging of him to be the Christ so often spoken of by the Prophets, and looking for no other, was in an high manner giving glory to him, as on the contrary; Those Pharisees and unbelieving Jews who rejected him, saying, he was an Impostor and a deceiver; These did in an high manner dishonour him, making him a liar, and therefore charging him for communion with the devil, as if by him he did all his miracles; It is therefore a glorifying of Christ when he is acknowledged and believed to be the promised Messias, and that to him only belongs the characters of such an one.  
But 2. This historical bare acknowledgement is not enough unless there be a fiducial application of him, 
2. When there is relying on him as Mediator.  and an holy confident relying on him as the Mediator between God and man; To say as Thomas did, My God, My Lord, Joh. 20.28. and Paul Gal 2. who loved me and gave himself for me; This is that believing on him (a phrase peculiar to the Scripture) that brings Salvation; It's one thing believe that there is a Christ who is a Mediator, and another in him as that person by whom we expect to have Salvation; Austin formerly made a distinction between Credere Deo, Deum, and in Deum, but the Learned Critics observe that the Scripture makes no such difference in the phrase, only we may for distinction sake use those expressions for those spoken of Joh. 2. to whom yet Christ would not communicate himself are said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,, Well, though the words and phrases may be promiscuous, yet the matter extremely differs, for many do speculatively believe that Christ is the Mediator, who yet practically do not out of the sense and burden of sin lay hold on Christ; Whereas this is indeed to glorify Christ, when we renounce all our own righteousness, when we feel our sins a greater weight than ever we can bear, when we cry out as they did in the Ship, Master, we perish; The immediate danger they were in, made them cry out three times, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perish, we perish; we perish; Thus that soul doth unfeignedly glorify Christ that crieth out from the overwhelming nature of sin, I am damning, I am damning; This is to glorify Christ when we see neither the Righteousness of the Law, or of Men, or Angels, can interpose between God and us, but Christ's Righteousness only; Therefore in Popery grace is obscured, the Righteousness of Saints, and the merits of their own works eclipse Christ; Hence they are like the Moon which though it receiveth all light from the Sun, yet is the only thing that obscures and eclipseth it by its Interposition.  

3. To glorify Christ there must be an outward profession of him.  3. To glorify Christ is not thus only to acknowledge him, and to rest on him, for these are only internal acts of the soul, and so a spiritual inward glory known by God only, but it's greatly seen in the outward confession and profession of him, and that to the greatest reproach and danger which can be in the world, Rom. 10. With the heart man believeth, but with the tongue profession is made to Salvation; He that will be saved must in the greatest danger and most scornful reproaches own Christ and his way; Thus our Saviour Luk 12.8. Whosoever shall not confess me before a crooked generation, of him my Father and I will be ashamed; Certainly in this particular the Disciples did highly honour Christ, for we know Christ himself was both by birth and life in a most contemptible manner; There was no comeliness or desirableness in him, and then at last was crucified in a most ignominious manner; Now for the Apostles to look on him as the Messias, to have such high and endeared thoughts of him, when all the world held Christ wretched and accursed, and would not upon any terms be of his followers, this was greatly to honour him; Therefore our Saviour said, Blessed is he that is not offended at me, Mat. 11.6, It was the greatest wonder in the world not to stumble at Christ; We see the wise men; the great men that lived then, they were all offended at his meanness, Is not this the Carpenter's Son? Mar. 4. Oh how hard would it have been for us to have received him as the Messias, if we had lived in those days, for those that followed Christ they were but a handful comparatively, and they were of the more despicable sort, and they were accounted illiterate and mad simple people that adhered to him.  

4. A receiving him as Lord and King.  4. They glorify Christ who receive him as a Lord and King, to whose Laws they willingly submit themselves; For the self-love of a man may make him glad of Christ as a Saviour, but then to resign up themselves in an obediential manner to all the commands of Christ, in this they draw back: Christ is not to be considered only as a propitiation for our sins, but also as a King who doth govern his people by holy and spiritual laws, and hence we may read that he interpreted the Law in a more spiritual and strict way Mat. 5. then the Pharisaical Doctors had done, and laid the axe to the very root of all corruption within us, he forbids heart-lusts, heart-passions, these Embers in the fire though they never flame out; he calls upon all to deny themselves, to take up their cross, and to follow him; To love him more than Father or mother; If therefore we would honour Christ, it's our duty to forsake all those rebellions we are guilty of, To lay down our opposition and enmity against his commands, to take his yoke upon us, and to think it light and easy; What an honour was it to Christ to have men leave all their outward subsistence and earthly comforts to follow him? Did they not hereby declare that they prized the service of Christ more than all the world, and that they accounted more of his commands then the greatest Monarches in the world; So that all who walk disorderly and contrary to Christ's command, they say with those in the Parable, Christ shall not reign over us; Though he will reign over them, maugre all their disobedience, if he do not govern them with the Sceptre of grace, he will break them with a rod of Iron.  

5. A suffering persecution for his sake.  5. Those that suffer and endure all persecutions willingly for his Name and Truth; They do in an high degree glorify Christ; In a special manner did Christ take notice of his Disciples, because they had accompanied him in his Temptations, and the Apostle Peter doth at large show how God is glorified when men suffer not for ill doing, but as Christians; That as they glorify Christ, so Christ makes a spirit of glory to rest upon them, 1 Pet. 4.14. Those marks Paul did bear on his body, They were so many Trophies; Even as Soldiers count wounds a mark of honour, they have received in fight for their commander; When the Disciples went away rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for Christ's sake; This did greatly redound to Christ's glory; Oh then let not the people of God be afraid or shrink at reproaches, dishonours, and troubles for Christ's sake, for wherein can they glorify him more? Or can the world say upon better grounds, Behold how they loved Christ and his Truth, better than their estates or their lives; Those millions of Martyrs that have died for Christ's sake, brought an astonishing even to the very heathens; No Emperor or Monarch, No Master or Teacher ever had such a multitude of Disciples readily sacrificing their lives, so that we mistake if we think the glory of Christ hath been in such an outward pomp as earthly Kings have been; No, by sufferings, by revile, by the most cruel deaths that malicious men could invent, they made the Name of Christ glorious through the whole world; Even as Christ called his own death a glorifying both of himself and his Father, so did the miseries and calamities of his Children redound greatly to his honour, for greater love and esteem they could not show then by laying down their lives for him.  
6. 
6. And by a holy life.  Those honour Christ and glorify him who walk in an holy and worthy manner to that calling whereby Christ hath called them, 2 Thes. 1.12. That the Name of Christ may be glorified in them? And how was that? by walking worthy of their calling; Even as on the other side when men live profanely and wickedly they reproach Christ, and make the Gentiles to blaspheme the Christian way; Oh that this were sadly thought upon by most; Is not every Town, every Family full of cursing, swearing, drunken and unclean persons? Now these are a Reproach to Christ, they make the Christian Religion a scorn, and the name of it even to stink; Even as Salvian a zealous Writer against the profane lives of Christians, said, The heathens by way of scorn might say, Christiani sanctè vixissent, si Christus sancta docuisset; They thought the reason why Christians had no more sober, chaste, and godly lives, was because Christ was not an holy Lawgiver, he did not give them holy precepts; The looseness and profaneness of a Servant is a disgrace to his Master, and what dishonour must this be that those who call upon Christ's Name, yet should live according to the devils temptations, that they should say they are for Christ, and their lives for Satan.  
7. They honour and glorify Christ who live cheerfully and comfortably in the midst of all their troubles and exercises; 
7. By walking cheerfully in the midst of all troubles.  For seeing that Christ by his Death hath purchased justification for us, this aught to cause great peace and joy in our hearts, as Paul said; Blessed be God who causeth us to triumph through Jesus Christ; And why so? because as afflictions so Consolations by Christ abound much more, 2 Cor. 1.3. Oh then let the people of God who are apt to be dejected and cast down, to walk in a discouraged manner, to have their hearts pierced through with many thorny cares, Remember what Christ hath done for them, and how acceptable it is to him that we should walk comfortably and thankfully; Is it not a dishonour to the Master for the servant to be dejected and grieved? Doth it not proclaim to others that they account his service an hard uncomfortable condition? Thus when men leave their former wicked courses, and give up their names to Christ, but after that are troubled, grieved, and have no comfort or encouragement; These reproach the Lord Christ as if the world could give better comforts than Christ, as if we had done for the worse by forsaking the devil's service, and resigning ourselves up to the Lords; Oh then consider that as in gross profaneness and unrighteous ways there is a scandal to Religion, so in all discouraged and uncomfortable dejections, refusing to be comforted, thou art a dishonour unto the Lord Christ, as if he could not give manna to us in the wilderness of this world; Thus you see how many ways Christ may be glorified. 
Why it is our duty to glorify Christ.   
Now let us consider why it's our duty thus to glorify Christ.  

1. Because God's purpose from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Christ  First, Because God's purpose from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Christ; God suffered Adam to fall, and in him all mankind to be lost, that so the glory of Christ sent into the world for an atonement and a Mediator might breed amazement to all, yea, some Divines have said, that the first Decree which God made was to glorify Christ, and that therefore he had been incarnated, though man had not fallen; Therefore say they all our Predestination, Justification, and Salvation, it's not so much for us as in order to Christ; Howsoever that there is a Church, a people of God, that they shall have such privileges of glory, the end of all is that hereby Christ should be honoured, Joh 5.23. Christ was sent into the world that he who honoureth the Father should also honour the Son.  

2. It is the end of the Ministry to glorify Christ.  2. The end of God's Spirit in appointing a ministry, and giving gifts to them, as also accompanying of them with his spiritual presence is to glorify Christ; We are appointed for the work of the Ministry, for to glorify Christ, and all your hearing ought to be for that end, Joh. 16.15. He shall take of mine and glorify me, and joh. 14. he shall convince the world of sin and righteousness in reference to Christ; We see here what is the utmost end in preaching and hearing even that Christ may be glorified; Insomuch that there is no greater pest to the soul of man then for the Ministers thereof to be given up to vain glory, to seek their own glory from men, for hereby Christ will not be exalted; Oh it's far better for them to have it said Christ is glorified in our Ministry, than that men give glory to us.  
Lastly, Christ will in time glorify his, therefore they may well glorify Christ; For what is our drop to his Ocean? What is our glow-worm to his Sun? It's well he will accept of it, we are of such polluted lips.  

Use.  Use of Instruction to live both doctrinally and really to the honour and glory of Christ; doctrinally, when we believe all such opinions as magnify Christ, the contrary whereunto Popery doth abound in; This made the worthy Reformers first think of departing from that Church, Christ was robbed of his glory, he had not that honour which did belong to him; And then really by an heavenly, holy, and unspotted conversation; Oh the patience and mercy of Christ, that he should suffer the earth to bear so many profane wretches that are a reproach to him and all Christianity; Did the Disciples call for fire because the Samaritans would not receive Christ? how would their zeal have kindled to see so many crucify the Lord Christ again? You glorify the devil, and exalt the ways of sin, but in time you will feel how dear this will cost you.   

SERMON L. Of Christ's tender care of all his People in the greatest of their dangers and afflictions.  JOH. 17.11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. 
THis Eleventh Verse begins a new and special Reason why Christ is to be heard in his Prayer for his Disciples; Whereas the former Arguments some of them were taken from the person of the Father, some from the person of the Apostles themselves, some from the Person of Christ.  
In this Verse the Person of the Apostles and Christ are conjoined together, Now the efficacy and force of the Argument lieth, 

1. From the Condition of Christ.  
2. From the Condition of the Apostles.    
The present condition of Christ is described thus, I am no more in the world.  
2. Of the Apostles, But these are in the world.  
Let us explain the words that relate to Christ's condition, and then see the pith of the Argument.  
For the first,  
Christ may be said to be in the world two ways,  
Either 1. Invisibly in respect of his divine nature and operations; Thus Christ cannot go out of the world no more than God, who is every where, and in this sense he told his Disciples, he would be with them to the end of the world, Mat. 26.  
Or 2. Visibly and corporally in respect of his humane nature, and thus he was to be with them no more, so that this is a strong place against, Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation, Though they would gladly evade the dint of it.  
But why doth Christ say I am no more in the world in the present tense, seeing while and when he said it, he was in the world?  
I answer. This Apostle (as is observed by the Learned) of all doth most abound with Hebraisms, and with them it's ordinary to use a participle of the present tense for the future, as might be showed; And besides our Saviour was very shortly to go out of the world by his sufferings; and it's ordinary with all to speak of a thing as done which is immediately to be done, as Heb. 11. Abraham is said by faith to offer up his Son Isaac, when yet he did not offer him up, but was prepared for to do it immediately.  
Lastly, Observe the difference between being in the world and of the world; When our Saviour saith, I am no more in the world, it supposeth he had been in it, but now he never was of the world, as he saith, v. 16. For to be of the world is to partake of the wickedness and ungodliness which reigneth there, The whole world lieth in wickedness; And therefore Christ could not be of the world in this sense; For the Apostles after their call, neither any converted persons are thus of the world, though they be in it locally.  
The words thus explained, Consider the efficacy of Christ's argument, I pray for these, and commend them to thy care and protection, because I am going out of the world; I shall not be corporally present with them, I was a comfort to them, and preserver of them, but now I commend them to thy hands; Thus we see the admirable care and love Christ showed to his Disciples, he seems to be more mindful of them then his own self; All his thoughts about his own sufferings did not so affect him, but that still he could remember his own Disciples, that it may go well with them.  

Doct. The greater the dangers are Christ's people are in the greater is Christ's care of them.  Obs. That the greater the dangers are Christ's people are kept in, the greater is Christ's care and love to them; It was likely to be worse with the Disciples then ever, therefore it's said, their hearts were troubled, Joh. 14. when he spoke of leaving of them, for what can the Chickens do when the hen is killed; What can the Sheep do when the Shepherd is smitten; Now because they were fallen into such a condition our Saviour doth in amore special manner commend their Estate to God, we do not read that formerly he did in such a peculiar manner give them up to God, because their danger and temptations were not so great as were likely to be; This is a Truth worthy of all acceptation by the godly; They are dismayed when they see their afflictions rise higher, never considering that the love and care that Christ hath to them doth also increase, joh. 13.1. when Christ saw the time of his departure was come, having loved his own, he loved them to the end, more than ever he discovered his love, partly by condescending to wash their feet, and partly by instituting the Sacrament as a remembrance of his death for them; So that as they say of all motions, they are swiftest towards the end; Thus Christ loving his Disciples from his heart, upon pure grounds, he loved them most of all at his latter end, as the clock runs fastest at the last stroke; But it's good to open this Box of Ointment that the sweet smell thereof may comfort and refresh us.  

I. If God remove some mercies he makes a supply of others.  And first, Christ never calls his people to any danger and temptations but as he removeth some mercies from them, so he makes a supply otherwise; If they are in greater straits and difficulties then before, So if they do observe they shall find some mercies they had not before; Christ will not let thee be a loser by any thing he doth to thee; Neither will he be in thy debt, if he takes away any mercy, he will recompense it otherwise; So that still his love is as great if not greater; See this notably Joh. 14.1, 2, 3. Let not your hearts be troubled, viz. at the sad things I have told you of my departure, and the rage of the world, For I go away to prepare a mansion place for you; It's expedient I should go away, you shall not be the worse for it; Therefore v. 18. I will not leave you comfortless or Orphans, I will send the Spirit of God to comfort you and abide with you; Thus you see, though Christ removed his corporal presence from them, yet he gave them a spiritual presence; If then the Spirit of God can be a Comforter to supply the room of Christ's corporal presence, how much more of a husband or father, If God take any of these away, pray that he would send his Spirit the Comforter, and if that can be better than Christ's bodily presence, much more than than ten thousand Fathers or Husbands; Oh then let not the Children of God deject themselves, either with the condition they are in, or they fear may be in; If such and such things fall out, what would become of me? Oh remember it's Christ's way when he takes away one mercy to make it up otherwise again.  
Secondly, Christ's love and care appeareth in that if he call to greater dangers and afflictions, he will then give more strength than ever to bear them, 
If he greate●●gers 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 stren●  and more comfort than ever even to rejoice in them: If then thy afflictions are more than ever what art thou the worse? If thy strength be greater than ever; God will not lay a Giants burden upon a child's back; But if he prepare a Giants burden for thee, he will enable thee with a Giants strength; Thus these Apostles because they were to encounter with the rage and madness of the whole world; Therefore did the Spirit of God come in an extraordinary manner upon them; They were commanded to stay at Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from above, Luk. 24.49. Thus before also, when our Saviour told them, They should be hated before Kings and Governors for his Names sake, he addeth, It shall be given them in that day to know what to speak, in that day; Oh then when thy dejected heart saith, What shall I do if the Lord bring this and that sad trouble upon me! If this or that temptation come upon me, it will grind me to powder; Oh remember it shall be given thee in that day: If with Job he deprive thee of thy Estate, and Goods, and Children at once, it shall be given thee in that day to bear it; Do not then measure or compare a great affliction with that little strength thou hast at present; No, if God make the waters to increase, he will provide an Ark for thee, the Apostles could not work miracles when they would, as they could not cast out some kind of devils, but when they were called to it, and their miraculous faith was increated than they could do it; Thus it is here, If God should give thee no more faith, no more patience, no more heavenly-mindedness than thou hast at the present; Thou wert never able to bear such mountains and loads of trouble that happily God may bring on thee, but God proportions thy strengtht to ●hy afflictions, as our Saviour said, Mat. 9.17. New Wine is not put into old bottles, They must not fast while the Bridegroom was with them, but the time was coming when they should fast; As God increaseth their strength so he doth also their comfort, he gives them more joy and consolation than they ever had, as the Disciples had the Comforter promised them after his departure, and accordingly we read that under all the persecutions and miseries they endured, they were filled with joy, and they went away rejoicing, so true is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.4. Who comforteth us in all our Tribulations, that as our sufferings abound so our consolations also abound; This we see abundantly fulfilled in all the holy Martyrs and Confessors, was not their dungeon a Paradise to them? Were not live Coals beds of Roses? Did they not rejoice and sing Psalms? Now how came all this about? The more their miseries were, the more were God's mercies; Christ that gave them but drops before, doth now bid them drink the whole cup of praise and thanksgiving; Now they are taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration, They have not only clusters but the Vine itself; Consolations abound now, when never it may be before.  
Thirdly, 
III. Christ's care of his appears in the dangers themselves.  The Lord Christ his care is seen even in the dangers and afflictions themselves, and that divers ways.  
1. In not suffering them to be but when there is a necessity, you are afflicted if need be, 1 Pet. 1.6. That word is full of consolation, The●● no affliction, no trial, but thou didst need it, considering thy corruption ●hy dulness, thy earthliness, there was a necessity to have some affliction fall upon thee, to humble thee, and to make thee more enlivened; Hence afflictions are compared to the cutting off the luxurious branches of the Vine, Joh. 15. which is necessary; Frosts and cold have their necessity, and both man's body and the ground needs that as well as the Summer; This made David say, Out of very Faithfulness thou hast afflicted me, Psa. 119.75. And hence afflictions are attributed to God's Love, Whom he loveth he chasteneth, Rev. 3. and all because the people of God could not be so fruitful and active if they were not thus chastened, So then here is Christ's care, there shall not be any trouble but when necessary.  
2. As he wisely ordereth them to be, so his great care and love is seen in the time and season when they are inflicted; Afflictions will not in every season do good, no more than the cutting down of trees, or pruning of them is at any time to be done: The Patient may die by the unseasonable letting of blood; Therefore Christ showeth his great care and love to take the opportune season, to afflict and to exercise thee; As God would not have mercy upon Epaphroditus presently, but he lets him lie in danger, it being thereby better both for him, and Paul was thereby much afflicted; Paul had the buffet of Satan which did greatly humble him, but when was the time; after his Revelations; And therefore that then it might not puff him above measure, It was that he had those Thorns in his side; so that Christ doth not only regard the necessity but the fit time and season of all thy Troubles: Even as Christ himself came in the fullness of time, so do all his chastisements, if they should come sooner or later, they would not do that good; Paul prayeth thrice, yet could not remove those strong Temptations, 1 Co. 12.  
3. His love and care is seen in the nature and kind of the affliction and trouble: There are calamities of all sorts; Now as it's not all kind of Physic that is for every disease, so neither all kind of calamities that are fit for every sin; Hezekiah gloried proudly in the Treasures he had, and therefore God caused an Enemy to come and spoil him of them, he might see by the afflictions what his sin was, David was too inordinately affected to Absalon and Adonijah, and they became rebels to him and sore afflictions; Oh it's a great matter to observe the wisdom and goodness of God in ordering that kind of affliction rather for thee then another, Thou wast not thankful to God for thy health, or serviceable to him, therefore he afflicts thee with sickness: The people of Israel were weary of God's Service, therefore God delivered them up to evil Lords and Masters, that they should know what another service meant; One Godly man lieth under one affliction and another under another: Now if one had that which another hath he could never bear it, it would be more than death to him, so that the wisdom and love of Christ is to be admired in all, say, this very kind of affliction, and at this time comes from the love and care of Christ.  
4. As the kind so the continuance God will not let it abide any longer than it doth his work, These horseleeches shall suck no longer, than the corrupt blood lasteth; The devil shall throw some of you into prison ten days, Rev. 2.10. See there how God order it first it's but some of them, and then into prison, there is the kind, for ten days there is the continuance, which made the Psalmist say, The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the back of the Righteous; Psal. 125.3. It's true the people of God have many times thought their deliverance too long, Will the Lord cast off for ever? Hath he forgotten to be gracious? Thus they expostulate and complain, but God at another time s●●●he would hasten it in due time, Isa. 60.22. and he calls it but a moment, ●●●rein he had hid his face from them, Isa. 54.7. although it was seventy years; So that the flesh saith one thing and the Spirit of God another; Know then that thy exercise is for a continued or appointed time, God hath set bounds to these waters, and therefore be not discouraged under them.  
Lastly, The care and love of Christ is seen in working out a way, and making an escape from th●m, when it's for their good and his glory; There hath no temptation befallen you but out of which he will make a way to escape, 1 Cor. 10 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver those that are his: The Artificer knoweth when to take his Gold out of the Fire, The wise Physician knoweth when there is blood let out enough: Thus much more doth God know when thy afflictions have done the Errand he sent them about; The Wisdom of God also can find out a way to save thee out of them; For he that could find out a way to save thee from sin and hell, much rathar can he find out a way to deliver thee from this or that temptation.  
In the fourth general place, 
IV. Christ's care in sanctifying the troubles that they may be for spiritual benefit.  Christ's care and love is seen in sanctifying and fitting thy troubles that they shall be for thy spiritual benefit; Whatsoever may be done to thy estate or life, yet nothing shall hurt the soul: Thus the Prophet, This is the fruit of Jacob's trouble to purge away his sin, Isaiah 27.9. and Rom. 8. All things work to the good of them whom God loveth: Christ that hath so loved thee would never let this or that come upon thee, did he not intend to turn it for thy spiritual good? This made David say, Before he was afflicted he went astray, Psal. 119. And when both these go together, Afflictions and Sanctification, David calls it a Blessedness, not a misery, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, and teachest thy way, Psal. 94 12. If God teacheth thee by thy afflictions the bitterness of sin, the duty of Faith and weanedness of Spirit from the world; Oh it's a blessed sickness, a blessed loss, Thank God that ever he laid his hand upon thee, Though it seemed grievous to flesh, and thou wert apt to be impatient, yet nothing under Heaven was better for thee; Not that we are to pray for afflictions; It's disputed whether we may or no, but we may not, because they are an evil, and so no fit object of our desires, and in themselves they do no good unless sanctified, but if the Lord chastise us we are to submit, and therefore when Jeremiah prayeth, Jer 10 21. Correct me but not in thy wrath, It's a concession or submission: Lord, if thou wilt correct me, and it cannot be otherwise, then do it with much mercy and love; Do not then make thy afflictions an argument of God's withdrawing or leaving of thee, but rather of love to thee; Christ loves his Disciples dearly, yet not so as to keep them from dangers, he will let them be in the world, and put them to hardship, only he will then take the more care of them: But the godly heart doth make this ordinary Objection.  
It's true in those troubles which are for Christ's cause, as the Apostles were, It is no wonder if Christ take such special care of his, if he account all the troubles and losses they have upon his score, if he say to them as Abiathar the Priest, I was the occasion of all the Priest's blood, therefore stay with me, thou shalt be as I am, and I as thou art, but my troubles and afflictions are the fruit of my sin, It's not for Christ's Name but want of love to Christ, it is my dulness and lukewarmness that hath brought anger upon me: To this consider,  
1. It cannot be denied but that there is a great difference between those afflictions that are exploratory, which are to draw out the graces of the godly, and to increase their glory which comforted one Martyr, who said, he thanked God, though he had sins, yet it was not for his sins but his duties they put him to death, and those which are castigatory for some sin committed, yet even such are not to cast away all comfort, because though there is not so much, yet there is great cause of joy even to such, if humbled and sensible of sin under God's hand, for  
1. Though it be bitter because it's for sin, yet it's comfortable to feel thy sin, and to repent of it; Oh than though thou mournest because thy sin hath brought this on thee, yet rejoice because thou hast an heart to repent of it; The true penitent de peccato dolet & de dolore gaudet; So that the brokenness and tenderness of heart is an evident testimony of thy ground to rejoice.  
2. Consider thy voluntary accepting of thy afflictions and judging thyself for them, maketh all thy afflictions to be a kind of Martyrdom: It's required we should accept of the punishment of our sin, Levit. 26.41. And 1 Cor. 11. We are to judge ourselves, 2 Cor. 7. The Corinthians repenting had a holy revenge upon themselves; Now when we do thus kiss the Rod, and willingly accept of this affliction, It's a kind of Martyrdom, It is for God's cause, and out of love to him, that thou dost with patience endure it.  
3. Thou hast the chiefest ground of comfort, which ever Christ's Sufferers have, though not that particular they have; For the Martyrs did not rejoice in their Sufferings as matter of merit, and as that which was equal to Eternal Glory; No, They could not but find many Imperfections, even in those noble undertake, And therefore desired pardon even for their very dying for Christ, that they had no such perfect faith and patience as they ought: It was therefore Christ and his Sufferings administered them all their comforts, and this thou mayst take though thy sins have caused thy afflictions.  
Use of Instruction, what Treasures of comfort the Godly have, With what triumph and joy they might live even in the greatest afflictions, if believing this; But oh our leanness, our leanness, whence come all those dejections, those outcries? I fear this and that may undo me, but because Faith doth not present Christ with his open arms ready to preserve them, well is believing called Eating of Christ's flesh, and Drinking his blood, Joh. 6. For as a man though he have never so much dainties, yet if he eat not, they do him no good, so it is here, Though Christ have never so much love and pity towards thee, yet if thou believe not this, it helpeth thee not.  
Use 2. of woe to the wicked that are cast out of all his care, let the devil tempt them, let sin overcome them, let hell devour them, yet Christ hath not taken them into his special favour.   

SERMON LI. Of the great Danger of God's People's being in the world, chiefly from its tempting and seducing to Sinne.  JOH. 17.11. But these are in the world. 
OUR Saviour's Argument (you heard) in the behalf of his Disciples was partly from the state and condition of Christ, who was now leaveing of them, and partly from the Apostles who were still to continue in the world as sheep without a Shepherd, and that amongst Wolves: Therefore the danger they were in is made an Argument why Christ's Prayer should be heard for them.  
This troublesome and dangerous estate of the Apostles is described in these words, But these are in the world,  
Where Note, 

1. The adversative particle.  
2. The condition itself.    
The adversative particle is expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for whereas the Learned observe, that that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used three ways in Scripture.  

1. Which is most common as conjunctive.  
2. As adversative.  
3. As argumentative.   
Here we see it used in all these respects in one Verse, And I am no more, etc. But these are in the world, for I go to the Father, so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated here:  
As for the Condition itself, To be in the world is no more than to have our abode here amongst men, who by nature are all set against God and his ways, and so daily conceiving and plotting mischief against the Kingdom of Christ; So that to say They were in the world was to say, They were in the midst of the Sea under the power of all winds and tempests, without any haven, wherein every moment they might expect utter destruction.  
Obs. That the godly man's life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble; For To be in the world, these two things are implied, 
Doct. The godly man's life is full of spiritual danger.  To be in a place of wickedness, where are daily temptations to sin, and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures, and indeed the former is the greatest evil, though we fear the latter more, Therefore our Saviour prayeth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world; They must be in the world, but let not the evil thereof infect them, it being no less a miracle to be kept from the sins of the world while we live in it, then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace; The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world, 1 joh. 5.19. The whole world lieth in wickedness, the whole world, None are exempted till called out of it by Grace; All the humane Grecian power, though so famous for wit and moral virtues is included herein, and then it lieth in wickedness, this denoteth the habitual custom of sin, as also the impotency even to help itself: It lieth in wickedness, there is also their contentedness and delight, as the Swine lieth in her mud; And then in wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a troublesome wickedness, that makes trouble and vexation to those that are not in the same excess of wickedness with them.  
In the explaining of this concerning the danger of sin to a Godly man in this world, it will appear how difficult it is to them to pass by these Sirens, how hard it is to refuse every temptation that stands like Solomon's Whore tempting every passenger to come in; How many had escaped those flames of hell, and had been now partakers of the Robes of Glory, had not this world been a Dalilah always enticing them; Not only the profane man but the professor who seemed to give up his Name to Christ, even the world hath undone him as will appear, For  

I. Of the contagion of sin in the world.  First Consider the infecting and contagious sinfulness in the world: How hardly can we breathe and live, but we must suck in this pestilential air; As those that live in an infected Pesthouse, or such as abide in a noisome Hospital, they cannot but have the smell and the disease of the place, so to live in this world which is wholly set on wickedness, it's a wonder of wonders if we smell not of it, savour not of it: Therefore pure Religion Jam. 1.27. is said to keep a man unspotted from the world, Unspotted, that implieth what a noisome dunghill or fllthy infecting place the world is; Oh then with what care and fear should the people of God walk in this world; Every hour, every day, thou art in danger of getting some spots and defilements upon thee; Thou art not in Heaven or Paradise, but in a place where the devil hath his Throne▪ He ruleth in this world, and therefore pray and watch, depend upon Christ, little dost thou think what mire thou mayst fall in, if the arm of grace support thee not; Did not our Saviour say to his very Disciples that they should take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness, that their hearts should not be overcharged with the cares of this world, Luk. 21.34. Who would not have thought the Disciples far enough from this sin, yet they must take heed; If the green Tree may so easily take fire, what will not the dry do?  

II. Of the temptations in the world by lawful comforts.  Secondly, As there is the world infecting, so there is the world tempting and seducing even by lawful comforts; It infects by sin, it seduceth by lawful good things, and herein is great danger to godly men, their Houses, Wives, Children, their health, wealth, and whatsoever is a worldly good, These are apt to ensnare and seduce our hearts, So that the love, care, and joy about these things shuts out that love to God, 1 Cor. 7. The Apostle tells us, that those who marry must be as if they married not, those that buy as if they bought not, and those that use the world as not abusing it; So that there is using of this world and abusing it; using it, when we make all these comfortable things we enjoy instrumental to God's glory and our good, but abusing it when we do use them too much, So abuti the Latin word is used sometimes, when the Waters overflow the Banks; But who can stand under this Truth? Who can endure this glorious Light? Is not the world a tempting world though not an afflicting? Thou dost not communicate with the wickedness and gross impieties the world lieth in, but thy heart is overcharged and surfeited with affections to lawful things, Thou over-lovest, over-grievest, Thy trade is a snare to thee, Thy Wife, thy Children are snares to thee, they draw thee into this and that immoderate affection; One of the Ancients saw in a Vision, that the world was full of Snares, Thus indeed it is, Thou canst not be at home or abroad, Thou canst not be in this or that condition but there is a Snare; Even as the Bird cannot light upon the ground but the Fowler hath set a snare for her every where; Oh then how well is it that not only we pray but Christ hath prayed to keep us from the evil of all these things; To have riches and sin not, To have health and sin not, To have mercies and offend not; Know then that Egypt was not fuller of Frogs and Lice in every chamber, in every hole, than the world is of Temptation to sin: There is no mercy, no relation, no condition, but it will draw out a world of sin, if thou watch not, every Creature is a kind of a devil, Christ warrants that expression when he said to Peter, Get thee behind me Satan, Mat. 16.23. When he tempted him from his duty; Thou hast cause sometimes to say to the best comfort thou hast in the world, Get thee behind me Satan, Thou savourest not the things of God.  
Thirdly, 
III. He is in danger from the deceitfulness of all things in the world.  A godly man's danger ariseth from the deceitfulness of the world with the things thereof: Thus Mat 13. it's called the deceivableness of Riches: And 1 Cor. 7. the world is said to have a fashion, That as in the stage there are pleasing gestures and representations, but they pass away immediately, and you think you see Kings and Queens, but there is no such matter; Thus it is with the world it promiseth thee peace, joy, comfort; Oh if thou hast it thou art ready to think thyself made, but it proveth a Sodom's apple, ezechiel's Roll, sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly; Now because it hath such a present sweetness to allure, whereas grace is for the present rather bitter, therefore are the godly in so great danger; There are sweet baits every where but dangerous hooks; Judas thought his thirty pieces a sweet morsel, but it proved wormwood and gall when it was devoured; Achan thought the wedge of Gold a sweet bit, and Gehezi naaman's Talents, but alas it was gall though it had the colour of honey, so that it's very much, if the godly man escape undoing himself, Seeing there is so much deceivableness every where; that which is real misery seems a desirable good; That which is full of bitterness yet appeareth, as if altogether good, So true is that, Per fallacia mala itur and vera bona per fallacia bona itur and vera mala, By seeming evil we come to real good, and by seeing God to real evil.  
Fourthly, The Godly man is in danger because of the suitableness of the world's temptation with that corruption within; 
IV. From the suitableness of the world's temptation to that corruption within.  So that he hath a dangerous Enemy about the Walls, and a treacherous party within; The world and his heart are in a Confederacy against the good of his soul, so that thou canst not eat or drink, or sleep in safety because of the adversary without, and the Traitor within; If thou hadst Argus his eyes they would be too little to look about thee in this matter, for an Angel who is free from any inward filth to be sent into this world, and to be here doing the will of God, it's no danger, there is no fear that an Angel should sin, because though the world should tempt in all the allurements of it, yet there is nothing within to receive those sparks, but now man carrieth about with him prepared matter of sin, he hath a body and law of sin within him, and therefore the world doth no sooner knock at the door but this root of sin betrayeth all, sets open all, insomuch that the godly man is hardly saved, because there are so many Spies laid in wait to damn thy soul, as there were to kill; Now the Apostle John, 1 Joh. 2.16. when he had exhorted not to love the world or things in the world; He doth divide all the things of the world into three heads, and who is there that liveth in the world that is not in danger of being ensnared and overtaken by one of these.  
1. There is the lust of the flesh, that is, all those things that draw out the pleasure and delights of a man immoderately; Thus the young man he finds the Word a very whirlpool; Beware of too much pleasure as eating of too much honey, it will quickly turn to a Surfer.  
2. There is the lust of the eyes, Expositors say this is Covetousness, for so aceording to the Scripture an earthly heart is described, because whatsoever profitable thing it seeth, it's ready to desire it; Another man's land, another man's house another man's goods, so that the eye like hell is never satisfied, and thus the world is a dangerous Whirlpool to the old man, who as in his body he is every day growing nearer to the earth, so his soul also groweth more earthly, desiring it most of all when he shall have the least need of it  
3. There is the pride of life, and that is all those things that draw out ambition, pride, and desire of great things in this world; To have power, greatness, and preeminency above others, this is the middle age sin, so that the Apostle doth lay down three main capital Springs of all the evil in the world, and makes them like three predicaments, to which all other things may be reduced: Now do but consider what a Sympathy and fitness there is between these Objects and man's corrupt heart, and it must needs be that every man will inevitably sink in these Waters unless Grace do keep him up.  

V. Because of the clogging disposition all things in the world work in erspect of heavenly things.  Fifthly, A godly man's danger in this world to sin, is because of the clogging and dulling disposition all things in the world work in respect of heavenly things: The earth is the most heavy Element, and therefore a stone the product thereof falls down speediy; Thus men of the world they are the most senseless, heavy and stupid men about heavenly things that are; They incline with all might to these things below: This is the reason why the Scripture so often saith, a man cannot serve God and the world, Friendship of the one is Enmity to the other; As a stone cannot ascend upwards, Jam. 44. So that though a godly man be never so powerful in grace, yet the world doth cool him, dull him, and indispose him: It causeth dust in his eyes, and lead in his heart, To pray, to hear with worldly thoughts is to swim with a Millstone about a man's neck; Hence Mat. 13. the cares of this world are said to choke the Corn that came up so hopefully: As the Lark doth not sing sweetly till she is got aloof from the earth towards the heavens, so neither can the soul full of earthly and worldly thoughts, May not then the godly cry out, O Lord I would fain meditate with delight on thee but this world will not let me: I would gladly serve thee without dulness and distraction, but this world will not let me; Oh that while we are in our callings, in our worldly businesses, we would think of what danger we were in: Korah and Dathan were swallowed up in the Earth bodily, take heed thy soul be not spiritually that is a more grievous judgement.  

VI In respect of the discouragements the world puts upon godly men.  Sixthly, A godly man's danger i● in respect of the discouragements and disheartening the world puts upon godliness, that is, man must be endowed with great might from above, that can despise all the reproaches and shame the Word of God meets with; Therefore a great encouragement is put upon the Confession of Christ before a crooked and wicked generation. Mat. 10.35. To be godly in the world, To own the strict and powerful ways of God in the world is to laugh amongst Lions, to dance among Serpents, to contemn all dangers; The Scripture tells us often that the world cannot but hate the Disciples of Christ, for they are as Light and Darkness together; Now then where there is continual opposition for thee to be steadfast is a great matter: Oh how many have suffered shipwreck because of the shame and reproach of the world; In mundo nihil nostrâ refert nisi ut quam primum de oe exeamus: Now these discouragers in Heaven's way are not only the profane and wicked sort of men, but many times their dearest Friends, their Parents, their Husbands, their Wives: What will you be wiser than others? Will not you do as most do? Will you be a byword where you live? Thus there is no time when Christ is to be born as it were, but there is some Herod or other to kill him: Insomuch that many Children had been saved but that their worldly Parents hundred them; Many Wives, but their worldly Husbands like Pharaoh to the Israelites, would not let them go out of Egypt to serve God; This made our Saviour say, He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me, Matt. 10.37. This made him say, That he came to set Father against Son, and Mother against Daughter, and to make those of his own Household a man's Enemies, vers. 36. Because where Christ is obeyed there will be greater opposition to the contrary: Oh then Consider, the Word of God convinceth, the Ministry urgeth, Conscience presseth, but I have this or that worldly Friend, and he dasheth all, But if thy worldly Friends cannot hinder thee in the main for Godliness, yet they hinder thee in the degree and fervency of it; Thou art not so forward, so active as thou shouldst be; This is to endanger thy Salvation, for the lukewarm God will spew out of his mouth, Revel. 3.16. Oh take heed of saying, I dare not be more forward, I shall displease my Parents in doing thus, thou caused not please God at all; If thou wilt be Godly, be Godly as God, and his Word would have thee, Do not be stinted by carnal, worldly Friends: How many think they can never have Wealth and Riches enough, yet think they may quickly have too much of Godliness, and that this strictness will mar all, Sed modus diligendi Deum est sine modo.  
Seventhly, A Godly man's Danger in this world is because the worldly Snares that are be improved to the utmost by the Devil, 
7. Because the worldly snares are improved to the utmost by the devil.  whose the world is, and in which he reigneth, 2 Corinth. 4.4. He is called the God of this world that blindeth the eyes of men: And he is said to have men captive in his Snares, 2 Timoth. 2.22. So that though God made the world, and it's his good Creature, yet as it is a wicked world, as it is immundus mundus; So i●'s the Devil's Seat, and so some expound the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the whole world lieth in wickedness, and in danger to be the Devils; If there were mere snares and baits to sin, it would not be so dangerous, but when they are Snares of the Devils setting, Baits of his making that is so cunning and subtle a Serpent, sliding into a man's heart every way; This makes the case more desperate: You see the Devil could tempt Eve to sin when there was no Corruption or Lust within, though she was pure and upright, how much rather when he hath to do with men corrupted and depraved inwardly; This is so great a matter that Ephes. 6.5. it is said, We wrestle not with Flesh and Blood but with Principalities and Powers in High places; As if the Temptations of the world were nothing to those of Satan; And therefore he is called the Tempter, 1 Thessal. 3.5. Oh than the danger of a Godly man▪ the world tempts, his own flesh tempts, the Devils tempt; May not this make every one in this world to look upon himself as Jonah in the Whale's Belly, To cry out as zealously and as fervently to be delivered as he did.  
Lastly, 
8. A godly man's danger appears by the Examples of Scripture.  The Danger of a Godly man's being in this world appeareth by Examples recorded in Scripture; Those who have seemed to be putting one Leg into Heaven, have yet been pulled back by the world; When men had escaped the gross pollutions of the world, yet the cares and love of the world did wholly undo them: The third kind of Hearers that began so hopefully did miscarry because of the world; Judas that wrought Miracles, and could say with the rest, That he had left all to follow Christ, was undone by the world; If you ask Paul what made his dear Demas that had been so long his Companion in the Gospel to forsake him, and to leave him, the reason was because he did cleave to this present world, 2 Tim. 4.10.  
Use of Instruction, why there are so many duties to pray, to watch, to be working out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling; Why is all this? We are still in an evil World, Every Day, Every moment we may undo ourselves; We are not out of Egypt yet in Canaan, We cannot see all our Enemies drowned in the Red Sea: Alas! It is not thy Prayer, thy Fasting, had not Christ prayed could keep thee from the evil of the World; Thou couldst no more live the Life of Grace in this wicked world than they say Birds can live near the Lake Asphaltites, that by its Sulphureous Smell kills them while they fly over it: Do not think to say all the Jebusites and Wild Beasts are destroyed, I may now bid my Soul take its ease: Oh let the fearful Falls of so many Godly in the Scripture be Pillars of Salt to thee who knoweth ere thou goest out of this World what a Judas thou mayest prove, what an Hell thou mayest make thyself, For though the Godly are kept by God's power that they shall persevere, yet they may get many Fals, tumble in the mire, seem the Devil's Swine rather than Christ's Sheep for a while, and all is because they do not labour to keep their Garments lest their nakedness appear, They meet with searching Tempests therefore let them keep their garments close to them.   

SERMON LII. Of the Danger God's People are in in the world, in respect of its hating and opposing of them; With Reasons why the Lord makes the world such a disquieting place, Such a Valley of Tears unto his own People.  JOH. 17.11. But these are in the world. 
THe Condition of the Disciples described by this, that they are said to be in the world, makes them the fit Object of Christ's Prayer and Petition, such are the Snares to sin and the outward troubles opposing, that were it not for this Prayer of Christ still putting forth its efficacy; None could arrive safe to the Haven.  
We have handled the danger of being in this world, as it is tempting and seducing to sin.  
Now let us consider it as it is an hating and opposing world of those that fear God, as it is an Egypt; Before we handled it as it was a Sodom; We considered the honey of it, now the sting; The world fawning, now the world fight; As it was a glistering Serpent, now as a roaring Lion; So that the Subject we intent to pursue is, That the Godly are in this world as Daniel thrown amongst Lions, as Sheep among Wolves; As the Disciples in the Ship, that were tossed up and down ready to sink every moment; This is so sore a Temptation that our Saviour doth often forewarn them of it, that they may be forearmed, Joh. 15.18, 19 There he foretells their Portion to be hated of the world: Hatred is the highest degree of a man's enmity, it's circa speciem, not individua; It's not enough to destroy one Disciple, one Godly man, 
The world's great enmity against those that are godly.  but they would raze the whole kind out of the Earth; Expect no mercy from any wicked man, he hateth thee; and did not God restrain him, he would utterly undo thee; That every godly man is not devoured by the wicked is as great a Miracle as that the waters should stand still and not overflow the Israelites; It's not for want of malice and a will, only God who chained up the devil their Master, that he could not hurt Job any further than he was permitted, doth also confine his Children and Instruments; Our Saviour gives the reason why they will hate them, for it might seem strange why the Godly should be so opposed, they wrong none, they defraud none, they injure none; Oh but saith our Saviour, You are none of the worlds, you are not of them; Would you drink, swear, run into the same excess as they do, than it would love you and embrace you, Likewise Joh. 16.33. Our Saviour tells them again of this trouble from the world: And why again? Because it's a very heavy burden to bear; To live among Neighbours as among so many Serpents and Scorpions, among unreasonable men, as Paul calls them, and he prayeth to God to be delivered from them, 2 Thes. 3.2. Unreasonable men, that are carried by no Religion, no Conscience, no reason, but their lusts and passions, Men that will hate you, because they will hate you, absurd men as it is in the Greek: You see Paul was afraid to fall into the hands of such men, and David in many Psalms complaineth of this more than any thing; That there were men who had teeth like Lions, and a tongue like a sharp Razor, So true is that, Homo homini Lupus, & homo homini Daemon; Because therefore this is such a strong Tempest ready to shake the tallest Cedar, Our Saviour again and again bids them expect it, for it's a great-quieting of the heart to be able to say, This is no more than I looked for, I thank God I am one that the world hateth, I should suspect myself if wicked men loved me, our Saviour therefore tells them, they shall have trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, such trouble as squeezeth and oppresseth, tribulation, a word that comes from a Thorn or Thistle that pricketh, or else from the Flail that beateth out the Corn; This you must look for, but then mark the cordial, Be of good comfort I have overcome the world, You are sure of Victory before you begin to fight·  

The several ways whereby a godly man falls into trouble in this world.  To Consider this more exactly Let us take notice of the several ways whereby a Godly man falls into trouble in this world, and it ariseth from many Springs.  
1. Seeing that the most holy and godly that are have many imperfections and divers sins, therefore God he brings many troubles on them; God in the first place he troubleth them, 
1. Because of their many sins God brings many troubles on them.  though his troubling be like the troubling of the Pool, it's in mercy, and that healing might be vouchsafed; Thus God troubled David, and made him encounter with grievous calamities because of sin; Thus whom God loveth he chasteneth, Heb. 12.6. This is God's judging of us that we might not be condemned with the world; And certainly it is this that so deeply wounds the Godly, that wicked men's tongues are but God's Instruments of his displeasure, as David when Shimei railed on him, The Lord hath bid him, saith he, 2 Sam. 13.  
But besides those troubles which come mediately from God by Instruments there are immediate exercises which are more difficultly born then any outward troubles; Thus God troubled Job, when he complained, The arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him, Job 6.4. Thus David often complaineth, God doth hide his face from him, and he was troubled; These are temptations the carnal man is ignorant of, he was never in these deeps where there is no trouble like this; If it were Plague, Famine Diseases, the Soul could bear them, but a wounded Spirit who can bear, Prov. 28.14. So that herein the world is a place of trouble and misery, that God many times exerciseth his own people for their sins, leaveth them in darkness, yea, in an hell, that they are weary abroad and weary at home; Whereas when once arrived in heaven, there shall be no more night but bright day always.  

2. From Satan.  2. The trouble of God's people in this world ariseth from Satan; He is their professed Enemy, and so creates them all the misery he can, that because he cannot torment them in hell he will do what he can in this world; Thus Peter compareth him to a Roaring Lion, 2 Pet. 5.8. How can a man but be troubled to be in the danger of many Legions of these unclean Spirits, Eph. 6. We are said to wrestle with these Principalities and Powers in darkness; This our Saviour meant in part when he told Peter, Luk. 22.13. That Satan had desired to sift them as Wheat; In sifting there is a commotion and a great agitation; Thus the devil intended not the separating of the Chaff from the Wheat, but to trouble and to confound them, that so they might the easier sin; Was not Paul exceedingly troubled when 2 Cor. 12. he complaineth of the bufferinge of Satan, against which he prayed often, so that there is scarce any godly man but the devil doth immediately cause trouble in his Soul by sad temptations, heavy suggestions, he comes and takes the good Seed away as soon as it is sown, his Temptations are like so many Egyptian Frogs, always croaking and troubling the Believer that he cannot pray, cannot believe in a promise, cannot walk in faith and peace as he ought to do, The devil makes it a troublesome world.  
3. The godly man's trouble ariseth from the wicked and profane in the world, 
3. Their trouble ariseth from the wicked and profane in the world.  And this is the proper meaning of the Text, This is the world that hateth them, viz. the ungodly and wicked men, which are the greatest part in the world; This therefore the godly must make account of, Think it no strange thing to have wicked men malice thee, deride and trouble thee; David though a King yet Drunkards would make Songs of him, Psa. 69.11. Christ though never any walked so holily and unblamably as he did, yet they slandered him and said, He had ●n Devil; Mat. 12. The whole Nation cried, Crucify him, Crucify him, and they would have Barrabas a Murderer spared before him; Now our Saviour tells us, that the Servant must not expect to be above his Master, Joh. 13 16 If they abused, derided, and reproached Christ, thinking he was not worthy to live; Dost thou think to escape? Did ever any Wolf or Lion love the Sheep? Can the Serpent but have enmity to a man? Will not Cain kill Abel? Ishmael persecute Isaac? No, darkness cannot agree with light, nor Christ with Belial, The Sheep's blood is sweetest, and they find a kind of sweetness in their scofts and malicious plots against thee; Let the godly than not give place to any discouragement for a moment, Let the world rage, revile, oppose, thus must thou enter into Glory; Wicked men's tongues are like those Dog's tongues that licked Lazarus whole; Their reproaches, their malicious words will help to make thee more Godly, and make thee walk so watchfully that thou mayest put them to shame which thus speak evil and disgracefully of thee.  
4. The Godly man's trouble in this world ariseth not only from professed wicked men and open enemies, 
4. And sometimes from the godly themselves.  but many times even from those who really or apparently look towards the same Heaven with them: And this is the worst trouble that can come from men, Some are only Friends in show, and it's no wonder if they at last appear without their vizor; David makes sad complaint of his familiar friend, with whom he took sweet counsel, that this man should rise against him, Psa. 41.9. and Paul also complaineth of the peril he was in by false Brethren, 1 Cor. 11.26. So that this is no new thing even for those who profess the same Christian way, and that in a most intimate manner, yet to become Enemies and Adversaries to those that truly fear God, was not Christ betrayed by Judas one of his own Company, that had left all, to become his Disciple, yea, not only from apparent and seeming Friends, but even from those who do truly look towards Heaven, yet there is many times great trouble created by them: Was there not a Paroxysm between Paul and Barnabas? Did not the Corinthians go to Law and wrong one another? Doth not the Apostle James tell them of their envyings and their devourings of one another, jam. 13.16. Why doth our Saviour above all things pray in this Chapter for the Disciples Unity, That they might be one, but because of the proneness that is even in God's Children, to fall out with one another, as Jacob's Children did; Hence we see Believer against Believer, Christian against Christian, pursuing one another even to death; It was Cyprians Complaint of old, Madet orbis Christianus mutuo sanguine, & quod cum privati fecerint homicidium dicitur, eum publice geritur virtus vocatur: Oh what a sad thing is it not to see Sheep and Wolf, but Sheep and Sheep devouring one another; Doth not experience convince of this? Are not many godly men's Enemies of the same house, of the same Religion, of the same Christian Faith with him? Oh this is hard to bear, if it were a profane and wicked Instrument of the devil, I could bear it, but it is such an one with whom I have prayed often, humbled myself often; They acknowledge the same principles of godliness, the same experiences upon their souls, yet are like Lions.  

5. No condition and relation free from trouble.  5. God hath made the world a troublesome world in all Conditions, in all Relations, so that none can find this place any other than a Valley of Tears; The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. showeth the condition of Married Persons, that they shall have trouble in the Flesh; The Married Condition hath its trouble, the single hath its Trouble: There is trouble in Husbands, Wives, Children, in all Callings, The Husbandman's, The Citizens, God will not let us have a Paradise in this world, lest we do as the Reubenites that desired to sit down in a Country fruitful for cattle, and cared not to enter into Canaan; It was Basils' Opinion that the Earth before Man's Fall brought forth no Thorns or Thistles, and that the Rose did grow without pricks; But here is no such Blessedness now; Out of the same Fountain comes bitter and sweet, From the same Root grow Figs and Thistles, Grapes and Thorns: There is no Mercy or outward Comfort but hath its Insufficiency, and there are as many drops of Gall as there are of Honey; Which made Job say, That man who is born of a Woman is full of Trouble, even as the Sparks fly upward, Job 14. It's as natural as for the fire to ascend, so that as it would be a miraculous and wonderful thing to see the Fire descend downward, no less would it be to see a man without some Trouble or other: We read of one Polycrates that never had any Adversity in his Life time, and he endeavoured to put himself upon some Loss, but could not, for once he threw a Ring of a vast price into the Sea, intending to lose it, yet afterwards it was found in a Fish's Belly, and he had it again; But though he had no trouble for a long season, yet at last he was taken by an Enemy and put to Death with most exquisite torments; Though wicked men have the good things of this life, yet these good things are not merely and universally good; They have a Sting as well as Honey; They have Trouble as well as Comfort: The Godliest men have acknowledged that their days have been few and evil in this world: Oh then expect not a Summer always in this world; God hath subjected all these created Comforts to changes after a Glorious day to have a dark Night; Thou shalt have this Condition, this Relation, this Comfort thou desirest, but thou shalt also have the burden, and the trouble of it which thou dost not desire, Onus transit cum honore.  

6. A man's trouble ariseth from himself.  Lastly, A man's Trouble doth arise from his own self; If there were no devil, no wicked men to trouble, yet such is the Unbelief and the Discontents that are apt to rise in a Godly man, that he would be a Trouble, an Enemy, yea, a Devil to himself: Doth not David often speak of the frettings and heating that his heart was in, and who put him into it: What made his Soul like a Foaming Sea? Was it not his own diffidence, his own froward heart; Austin cried once, Libera me Domine, a meipso tanquam maximo host, which holds true, not only in a sinful way but in a troubling way: Oh how many times doth a Christian raise up his own Fears, his own Jealousies, and his own Doubts; So that as the Linen breedeth the Moth that corrupteth and destroyeth it, as the Tree the worm that eats it; Thus from a man's own heart arise such troublesome Thoughts, and Cares, and Fears, that he may be called a Mager Missabib, Fear round about him: We see then in how many particulars God is pleased to make this World a troublesome Place to us while we live and continue in it, and also a very dangerous place; That we should as much fear to be in it as in Sodom, when Fire and Brimstone was ready to fall down from Heaven to consume it,  
Let us in the next place Consider the Grounds and Reasons Why the world is thus made by God a disquieting and troublesome place to the Godly; That they are but as Pilgrims and Strangers in it, and therefore are little esteemed by it.  
Reasons. 1 And first, That our Hearts may not be immoderately and inordinately cleaving to this world; We see there are many strict Commands against the Love of it: Now if we are so ready to love it though so troublesome, what if it were nothing but content; If (saith Austin) though it be Mundus amarus a bitter world thou lovest to eat and to feed of it, what if it were dulcis a sweet world; If it be Mundus periturus a perishing world, and thou art so doting upon it, what if it were Eternus everlasting: If we can handle it with delight though full of pricks, what if smooth and plain; Certainly every Godly man should wean himself from these Breasts, Seeing God hath rubbed them with so much bitterness and affliction; When therefore thou meetest with Crosses, with Troubles, with the Deceitfulness and Inconstancy of worldly Comforts, say, This is to instruct and teach me, that I am not to expect an Heaven here; The world is an Enemy thou must not love it, though commanded to love our Enemies: Here may be an overloving an over-desiring: Here the Rule is much more true then in Physics, Appetitus non est Regula Concoctionis, Thou must hunger after these Earthly things no more than thou canst concoct or improve for God's Glory and thy own particular good; And let the Godly know, Their greatest danger lieth in these inordinate Affections more than in gross sins; These Cares will grow up with Duties when open profaneness makes a man wholly to despise them.  
Reasons. 2 Secondly, The Lord makes the world thus full of Enmity to us that we might remember what our Condition is, that we are but Pilgrims and Strangers, and therefore are not to settle our abode here, Heb. 11. They that say such things declare they look for a better City: Oh how apt are we to make the world our home; To desire we might abide here always, To think of no other Happiness or Blessedness but what is in the Creatures, but God by the Troubles therein doth convince us, that there must be a better Condition than this; We have no abiding place in this world, we are here to day, to morrow we may be gone, and therefore we should be Diligent in Watching and Praying, and preparing for our Masters Coming: Oh what a Bridle would it be to our carnal Affections to remember we are but Sojourners and Strangers here: To look upon thy Estate and Inheritance no otherwise then a Traveller doth upon the Goods in an Inn.  
Reasons. 3 Thirdly, The Lord makes this world full of Enmity and Hatred against us, That we might not symbolise with it or contract any of the guilt and pollution of it upon our Souls: It is a Mercy that Wicked men are Scorpions and Serpents, That they are Wolves and Lions, hereby thou art chased and affrighted from their Company and Society; whereas if they were loving and pleasing thou wouldst be often with them, and so sit in the Chair of the Scorner, and come into the Assemblies of wicked men: Is it not a Mercy to be kept from a Pest-house, or a Place where Infectious Diseases are; Thus God hath put such an Enmity and Contrariety between the Godly and the Wicked: There is such a great Gulf and vast distance that Solomon saith, The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous, and the Righteous to the wicked, Prov. 29.27. The Godly man can no more endure the wicked man's ways then the Wicked can abide a Godly man's ways; Therefore bless and praise God for this Enmity and opposition, and make good and profitable use of it.  
Reasons. 4 Lastly, The Lord doth it, That Heaven and the Enjoyment of him to all Eternity may be more prized and better esteemed by us; We must with Lot even be violently pulled out of this Sodom; Oh our sinful and our unworthy Hearts, that we should so delight to be tossed and hurried up and down in the Ocean, and be afraid to come to the Haven; That Death should be so unwelcome when it is the Passage to incomprehensible and immortal Glory; What have not all thy Pains, Afflictions, and Grievances yet made thee long and thirst for Heaven? Dost thou not think, Here I am sighing, crying, diseased, distressed, when the Glorious Saints in Heaven are rejoicing.  
Use of Instruction To the people of God, Not to be dejected, but rather to be exceeding glad, as our Saviour commands, when the wicked world opposeth them for their Godliness and Uprightness; For mark our Saviour's Expression herein, Matth. 5.20. It must be for Christ's Sake, and Righteousness Sake, not for any wickedness or ungodliness of thy own: Do not take the just reward of thy sins to be the glorious Consequents of holiness, But if it be because thou fearest God, thou ownest God and his way, thou standest up for his Truth and Godliness, then leap and dance for Joy that God hath put so much honour upon thee; Say with David, I will be more vile still, The Stars are never the less glorious though they have given them ugly Names, of the Bear, and the like: So neither are the godly less Glorious though the world labours to besmear them with dirt, a Jewel is a Jewel though soiled with dirt.   

SERMON LIII. The Exaltation of Christ improved for the joy of of all Believers.  JOH. 17.11. And I come to thee. 
THis is the Third distinct Argument in this Verse which Christ useth in his Petition for his Disciples; Some indeed take it exegetical or Declarative of what he meant by saying He was no more in this world; But others take the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratiocinatively, as a Reason why he is no more to be in the world, because he is going to the Father.  
This Argument implieth then that Christ by going out of the world doth not cease to be, but that he goeth to the Father, and there will be a potent Favourite in the Court of heaven for them; Christ then speaking here of his Local Motion, we may in this as in all such Motions Consider,  
1. The term from which, that is the world, which is not to be understood as if he did depose and lay down his humane Nature, or that he was not still present in an efficacious invisible manner, but in respect of a bodily presence; This place confutes Popish Transubstantiation, and the Lutheran ubiquity of Christ's Body.  
2. There is the term to which, to thee.  
3. The Via per quam, the way by which, and that is implied by his Death and Sufferings: In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in other places it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and once that is used absolutely, The Son of man goeth, etc. Mat. 26.24. That is he dieth, here there is contained much comfort to his Disciples, that neither Christ's Enemies or Death did overcome him, but by Death he goeth to his Father, and that for the great benefit and advantage of all true Believers.  
Obs. That Christ by Death went to his Father; 
Doct. Christ by Death went to the Father.  Here is much practical Divinity in this Point; We see our Saviour again and again instructed his Disciples about his; He knew how much his Sufferings and Death would amaze them and shake their Faith, he knew what a false principle they were possessed with, viz, that he would erect a temporal Glorious Kingdom; Therefore that they might not be undone by these thoughts, he tells them often both of his death, and whither by that he was to go, joh. 14.3. Our Saviour comforts their troubled hearts with this, that he was going to the Father, and that not merely for his own glory and honour, but also for their good; Even as joseph was advanced in Pharaohs Court as well for the good of his Father and his brethren as for his own glory, and by the way observe that our Saviour tells them, That they knew whither he went and the way, yet Thomas in the name of the rest saith, Lord, we know not whither thou goest: Now you may ask, Either Christ who is Truth itself spoke not right, or Thomas, The answer is, Both spoke right, for the Disciples knew in the general and confusedly but not distinctly or particularly, or they knew it habitually, but in time of temptation they did not put this knowledge forth; By this we see the Godly may have that grace and that faith in them, which yet they think is not there.  

All these particulars are involved or implied in the Point.  To open this Doctrine let us consider the several particulars that are enclosed in it.  
First, That it was appointed by God, that the way whereby Christ should from this state of humiliation come to glory with him, should be the way of ignominy, reproach, and death; It behoved the Son of man to suffer, and so enter into glory, Luk. 24.46. It must be so else the Justice of God could not be satisfied, else man's Redemption could not be obtained; This our Saviour implieth, I come to thee, but how, Even as the Israelites to Canaan, through a Sea of blood; That than which our Saviour quickly spoke, was with great pain and agony undergone; I come to thee through fire and blood, The Father doth this to demonstrate the bloody nature of sin, the unspeakable love of Christ, and the order God hath appointed for all believers ere they come to glory, 1. the bloody nature of sin, for it was this and nothing else that put Christ to be a Sacrifice for us, had not Adam and we in him all apostatised from God; There had been no need of his death, but now by this transgression, and ours superadded, without the shedding of his blood, there could be no remission of sin; Yet oh the profaneness and blindness of the world, what a little matter do they make of sin, how easily do they think a pardon may be had for it; Oh remember the least vain thought or idle word cannot in this world or in the world to come be expiated but by Christ's blood only, had there been no other sin in the world but a vain thought, Christ must have undergone all that wrath of God and man ere it could be blotted out; Oh think of this you who like Leviathan laugh at the Spear, and sport yourselves with those sins, which put Christ to all that Agony: Lastly, This showeth the order God hath appointed we must first be on Mount Calvary before we can be on the Mount of Transfiguration; As Christ had first a Crown of Thorns here, before he had a Crown of glory, so it must be with us, Rom. 8. We shall be glorified with him if we suffer with him, Let this then sweeten all thy afflictions and miseries, Though the beginnings of God with thee, like those of Joseph to his brethren, are harsh and rough, yet the end will be full of sweetness and comfort; If thou grudest at thy Tribulations say, this is to grudge at the Crown of Glory, This is to repine at the way to everlasting happiness.  
In the second general place Consider, That when Christ saith, he goeth to his Father, herein is implied, that state of glory and honour he shall have in heaven, as if he had said, I shall be no more in the state and habit of a Servant, no more in a despised and contemned condition, but I am going to receive that Majesty and glory which is due unto me; Although we told you Christ ascended into Heaven for our good, and to plead our cause, yet it was also for his glory and honour; This our Saviour excellently presseth, Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I go to my Father; The Disciples were troubled and full of fears because they were to lose his corporal presence, but (saith our Saviour,) true love to me would make you do otherwise, you would regard my honour more than your benefit; It is for your good that I abide with you; It is for my glory that I go to the Father; Now love that is unfeigned lieth in our affections to another, not because of the good we have by him, but for his own good; Thus the Disciples they were to rejoice because Christ was to be honoured and exalted, though they should lose the comfort of his presence; See here then who are they that do spiritually love Christ, even such as rejoice in that he is exalted and glorified, though it be to their ruin and undoing; O Lord, Let me have this comfort and that comfort no longer, if Christ may be more honoured; As Mephibosheth said, Let Ziba take all, so that King David was returned safe, so that the honour and kingdom of Christ may be promoted, let good Name, wealth, and life itself go, unless we be the true genuine Sons of God, we are never able to abide this touchstone; Do not the most holy depend on Christ more for the benefit they receive by him then to honour and glorify him; Hence they bemoan their want of assurance and evidence which is their comfort more than recumbency on Christ, which is his glory; So then in that Christ went to his Father it's implied, that now there was a period to be put to all sufferings: Now he was no more to be like a Servant but to be made the Prince of Glory, Therefore observe the reason why he goeth to the Father, because the Father is greater than he; Not as the Arians would have it essentially, but in outward dispensation, because Christ here was in the fashion and form of the meanest and most despised of men.  
Thirdly, Though this phrase imply Christ's Exaltation, yet we must know also that in this is the whole Treasury of a Christian; The Fountain of all our Comfort is in this, that Christ is gone to the Father; Therefore let the believer diligently improve it, for the effects are admirable of this his departure.  
1. Hereby his holy Spirit is given in, the more plentifully and abundantly; 
The benefits of Christ's aseension and exaltation.  It is said, The holy Ghost was not yet given, because Christ was not yet glorified, Joh. 7.39. The large administration of the gifts of God's Spirit were reserved till Christ in triumph went up to heaven, joh. 16.7. If I depart I will send him to you, You see the sending of the holy Ghost depends upon Christ's departure; The Spirit comes to make a spiritual supply of Christ's bodily presence; There cannot be two Suns together in the Firmament, O then let all those who have God's Spirit dwelling in them, enlightening, sanctifying, and comforting of them, acknowledge this, the blessed fruit of Christ's going to his Father, but men are so profane and sensual, that they know not what the Spirits working upon the Soul is, no more than a beast knoweth the operations of a rational Soul.  
2. A second benefit by Christ's going to the Father, is, the enabling of us with all holy and heavenly gifts, either in a sanctifying way or a ministerial; Thus; Eph. 4. Christ when he ascended into heaven gave gifts to men, That you have a Ministry and Ordinances with the spiritual effects thereof, it's wholly from this Yea joh. 14 12. all miraculous Gifts do descend from this, Our Saviour there saith, That he who believeth on him shall do greater works than he doth, that is, as some say, greater Miracles in themselves, for we read that by Peter's handkerchief and his very shadow wonderful things were done, which we read not of Christ, or greater in quantity and extension; They did them in more places, For whereas Christ wrought no Miracles at jerusalem, the Apostles did, or greater (as others say) in regard of the success, because far more were converted to the faith by the Apostles preaching then by Christ's; Well, let this be how it will, Consider the ground why they shall be enabled to do these great things, because (saith Christ) I go to the Father; So that this departure to the Father is the cause of all those dona sanctificantia and ministrantia in the Church: Thy Faith, thy Repentance, thy Love of God and delight in holy things is because of this truth.  
The third Benefit of Christ's going to the Father is from one main end of it, which is to prepare a place for his Children; Indeed heaven was prepared for them from Eternity, yet Christ Joh. 14.3. saith He goeth to prepare a place for them in an allusive sense; It's therefore for our infinite Consolation that Christ is gone to the Father, for there he prepareth places of glory for us, and mark the word v. 2. In my Father's house are many mansions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is spoken in opposition to ours here, where we are but Pilgrims and strangers; In the earth we have only Tabernacles, in heaven there are mansion places; They continue there to all Eternity, and further he saith, many Mansion places; That they might not think there is not room enough, and withal it denotes the readiness of Christ to entertain us, as Rebeccah when she invited the strangers said, We have straw and Provender, and there is room enough; So that Christ is gone to heaven to see that Thrones of glory he provided for his people; Oh the Godly man dying, if in his temptations, is ready to think, O my Soul whether art thou going? What will become of thee? where wilt thou lodge this night? To this Faith should answer, Christ hath prepared a place, he hath provided a Rest, and a dwelling-place, and though thy Soul cannot be always in thy body, nor thy body always in these houses we dwell in, yet there is a mansion-place, from which we shall never be removed.  
4. Christ goeth to his Father, to be an Advocate and plead our cause, 1 Joh. 2. Heb. 7. He ever-liveth to make Intercession for us; Christ is not so affected with that glory and honour, God hath put upon him, that he should forget the meanest of his children, he dealeth not as Pharaohs Butler that forgot poor joseph, when he was promoted, No, when we are not and cannot think or mind ourselves, yet Christ is commending our estate to the Father, So that we have this glorious Friend speaking for us in the Court of Heaven, whensoever any accusation is brought against us, So that the godly soul while it sits sighing, I am here sinning and offending of God, may also remember at that very time there is a potent Advocate preventing all the dangers that may come by sin.  
5. Christ's departure from the Father is not an eternal departure; He is not so gone as to leave us for ever, but he will come again and take us to the Father also, joh. 14.3. I will come again and receive you to myself, that you may be where I am: This is the utmost happiness that a believer can desire, If it be such joy for the child to be with his Father, a wife with her Husband, how transcendent is this mercy to be with Christ; Therefore in this Chapter our Saviour prayeth for it, that his Disciples be where he is; Now this being where Christ is, doth comprehend the communication of all glory and blessedness, which Christ bestoweth on his people, and that without any intermission; Here in this life we have many clouds to intercept the Sunbeams with the Church through our unbelief and slothfulness, we have lost our beloved, so that many times the soul is straitened and crieth out, where is he whom my Soul loveth; But then and there we have a perpetual communion with him, and if so be the enjoying of him by faith fill the soul with so much joy, what will the immediate fruition of him do? Thus you see that we are in a jejune speculative manner, to say Christ by his death went to the Father, but to be affectionately possessed with it, as being the treasury of all consolation.  
In the fourth general place, By this phrase is signified to us that death could not detain Christ in the grave, it could not hold him there so as to hinder his going to the Father; By this therefore we see Christ hath triumphed over the devil and sin with all the effects of it; The devil that prevailed by his Instruments to put him to death, would much more have kept him always in the grave, but his resurrection and ascension to heaven, there to be with the Father in glory signifieth that he hath now overcome all his enemies, and which is the godly man's comfort, all his enemies likewise, for Christ and the believer have the same enemies, if Christ overcome they overcome; The devil is Christ's Enemy, and death was Christ's Enemy as well as thine, and it's good to observe that death is called Christ's Enemy, 1 Cor. 15. Christ shall put all his Enemies under his feet, The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is death; See then that death which is so terrible to thee which thou lookest on as an Enemy, it is Christ's, and he hath overcome it; Oh than what glad tidings should this be in our ears, Christ hath ascended to the Father, for that is as much as to say, Neither sin, or devil, or grave could prevail over him, and therefore he hath fully discharged the work of a Redeemer, he hath paid to the utmost farthing, so that the love and justice of God cannot but be satisfied by the atonement he hath made.  
5. It's worth the observing, that this expression of Christ's, I go to the Father doth put an excellent face upon that which is most terrible, for that which was death, and death in the most ignominious and cruel manner, he expresseth in this lovely and desirable manner, I go to the Father; Those agonies and drops of blood, Those deep and strong cries, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? he covers over with this amiable phrase, I go to the Father; Thus Christ out of the temptation called it so, but in the temptation he asketh why he had forsaken him? Not that Christ in his temptation was guilty of any sin, or was capable of any sinful imperfection, only he had not the same experimental feeling as at other times, for when he had told his Disciples all should forsake him and leave him alone, yet saith he, I am not alone, for my Father is with me, Joh. 16.32. In his sad temptation he had not the experimental comfortable sense of this; No marvel then if the godly find a great alteration of themselves in a temptation, they have not the comfortable sense and persuasion of that, which they felt when not tempted, for it was thus with Christ only without sin.  
Lastly, As Christ himself thus calls his death a going to the Father, so may every believer, yea, he ought to do so, for though God be the Father of Christ by Eternal generation, yet he is the Father of the believer by a gracious Adoption; Therefore our Saviour puts them together, I go to my Father and your Father, Joh. 20.17, We should make the King of terrors the King of Consolations to us by this Meditation; Doth the child fear to go to his Father?  
Use of Instruction to the godly man, In all his temptations and soul-exercises, Let him stay himself with this, Christ is gone to his Father; Fear not the greatness and aggravation of thy sins, Fear not thy weaknesses and infirmities; Say, how shall not peace be made with God, for Christ hath removed all impossibilities, and made thy salvation not only possible but sure to thee?   

SERMON LIV. That all Civil Governors (as well as Ecclesiastical) from the meanest Master of a Family to the Greatest Monarch, have from Christ a Spiritual Charge of those that are under them; And are above all things to endeavour the good of their Souls.  JOH. 17.11. Holy Father, keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me, etc. 
HItherto we have considered the Grounds and Reasons why Christ prayeth for his Disciples, Now we come to the Prayer and Petition itself.  
In which we may consider, 

1. The Preface or compellation.  
2. The Prayer itself.    
The Compellation is in those words, Holy Father; Which words are used by our Saviour, not that he needed any insinuation into God's favour, but because those expressions are so many Arguments with God to hear his Prayer; He is a Father, and so cannot deny Children praying to him; He is an holy Father, and so can easily sanctify Believers: For the Object matter of the prayer itself that comes next into consideration.  
But of the Compellation at this time, Holy Father.  
It's usual in Scripture to give such Titles and Attributes to God that are suitable to the matter in hand: Thus Christ being to pray for the holiness of his Disciples, he calls him Holy Father; When he prayed for himself, he said only Father, Here he saith holy Father; At v. 25. he praietb Righteous Father upon another reason then in hand; The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Some would have to come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as without earth, Others more probably from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to reverence, because holy things are reverently to be handled, according to that old Rule Sancta sancte.  
In the first place Consider the Relation Christ is in, while praying thus for his disciples, and so we may consider him as a Governor, as a Pastor, or Master, who had a charge and trust over the Disciples, and this he administers with much Faithfulness, For being now corporally to leave them, it's not honours, greatness, and temporal advantages he prayeth for, but only the spiritual welfare of their soul, viz. a preservation from the evil of the world, and a perseverance in good, so that here we have an admirable example for all Governors, all that have charge over any Inferiors: As Abimelech said to his people, What ye see me do, that do ye; So what we behold Christ doing, let all Trusters' for others do the like, Let Magistrates, Ministers, Parents and Masters, see that it's the godliness and Souls good of their Inferiors, that they are to pursue above all other things.  
From whence observe,  
Obs. 
Doct. That all Governors that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with.  That all Governors who have a Charge over others are above all things to watch and pray for the spiritual good of those they are betrusted with; Let the same bowels and spirit be in you which was in the Lord Jesus; Oh be more afraid lest your Children, your Servants should any ways sin against God, and so endanger their souls, then of any outward misery, desire rather to make them great in Heaven, than here upon the Earth; As we see Christ here, so we may read of many godly Governors that have been diligent in this Point; Moses though he had much ungrateful usage from the people, yet how constant in praying for them, how greatly troubled when they had sinned, and when God offered to make him great, he refused to have it upon such terms as should prejudice the people: Samuel also though he for all his good Service was rejected by the people, yet he saith, God forbid I should cease to pray for you, 1 Sam 12.23. Paul he was a spiritual Governor, and in all his Epistles you see his fervent prayers for the spiritual good of the Churches, yea, the care of all was upon him, he was tempted in every man's temptation, and it was his Crown and joy, yea, life itself; If they stood steadfast in the Faith; Abraham also and Joshua, you see the care they had that their Family, Children, and Servants should fear the Lord, and this is so great a matter that God takes special notice of it in Abraham, and therefore will hide nothing from him. Gen. 18.19. We see from thence that this is so acceptable to God, that he admits such into his choicest Secrets, and reveals himself more to such than others, I know him, saith God, and that by this, he will not suffer his Children and Household to do what they list, but he will command them to keep the way of the Lord; To set this upon our hearts, for all wickedness and impiety doth commonly arise in Inferiors from the neglect of Superiors, and the waters cannot be sweet as long as the Springs are bitter.  
In the first place, Know and set this down for a Rule, That wheresoever any Christian hath a Government, there is also a spiritual Charge and trust going along with it; In a Minister it is clear, In a Magistrate it is as clear, for he was to write the Law of God out, and that not for his own particular use, Deut. 17.18. But thereby to govern his people, Insomuch that it's a promise, Kings and Queens shall be Nursing Fathers and Mothers to his Church, Isa. 49.23. As for Parents you have not only many places in Solomon's Proverbs, where both Father and Mother do again and again give spiritual counsel to their Son, but the Apostle Eph. 6.4. enjoineth it as a duty in the New Testament; Thus also Masters Phil 6.9. They must aim and look up to Christ in the discharge of their government, and remember they also have a Master in heaven, That as the Servant must look at God in his Relation, so must the Master, therefore he saith, And ye Masters do the same things unto them: And certainly this Relation Grace will discover the truth of a man; Aliter Rex servit Deo, ut homo, aliter ut Rex, and thus a Father, a Master they serve God as men, or as Fathers and Masters, and to this charge they are to attend unto.  
2. All Superiors and Governors they are to give an account of this Trust unto God at that great day; We are to appear before him, and to answer how we have lived not only as Christians in the general, but as in such Relations; Thy Ministry sins, Thy Magistracy sins, Thy sins as a Father, as a Master▪ will they not make a large Catalogue? and be like ezechiel's flying Roll, that had curses written on it within and without: This is proved by the Parable of the Talents, where he that had but one was not pardoned, but must give an account, and for his negligence be condemned; Now by a Talon is meant every thing that a man is betrusted with, thereby to glorify God, and it's called a Talon because of the high price and worth that is in every the least opportunity we have to serve God; Oh then let all Superiors tremble at this, how great and unexpected will thy account be; If thou hast endeavoured to be good thyself, and holy, yet if thou hast not attended to have holy Children and an holy Family, thy Condemnation will be exceeding great; Think not to say with Cain, Am I my brethren's Keeper? What have I to do with others? I am no Preacher or Minister, for in that thou hast a trust, thou shalt give an account of thy godly improving of it.  
3. All those sins that Inferiors do commit for want of thy care and instruction, will be thy sins, and thou wilt be the cause of their damnation; That Rule in morality is also true in Divinity, qui non dat vitam, aufert; Ezechiel must be judged guilty of the Israelites sins, and God will require their blood at his hands if he do not his duty to them, Eze. 3.18. And therefore Paul protested he was free from their blood, because he had made known all the Counsel of God Act. 20.26. Who then will be able to stand under this burden? Hast thou not sins of thy own? but thou must have thy children's sins, thy Servants sins also to lie upon thy back as an heavy burden: Will Christ at the day of Judgement condemn men, because his poor Members were sick and they visited them not? They were hungry and they fed them not; And will he not much rather be provoked because there have been sick, sinful, wicked persons under thy care, drunkards and thou didst not admonish, Swearers and thou didst not frown on them; Shall God make Inquisition for the blood of the body upon Murderers? And will he not for the blood of Souls? Shall Abel, though dead, speak and cry Vengeance, and shall not Children, Servants, Inferiors damned in hell, cry out, saying, It was the negligence, the profaneness of my Superiors that hath brought me hither: Were not men stones and Rocks, these Considerations would make them melt and tremble.  
Use of Exhortation to Governors, especially Parents and Masters; Take our Saviour's example here, and follow it, see his care was that his Disciples might not sin, that they might be kept in all holiness; Oh then blame and condemn thyself, saying, my thoughts, My cares have been to make them rich, to provide for them in the world, but not at all have I looked to their Souls: Do they not lie, swear, drink? Do they not profane the Sabbath, and live dissolutely? yet these things are no trouble to thy heart; Canst thou say of thy Children as was said of Austin to his Mother Monica, It was impossible that a Child of so many Tears should perish; Are thine Children of prayers and tears, and careful instruction? How many are too like that Woman of Zebedee, she comes to Christ with this Petition, That her Sons might sit with Christ in his Kingdom, one on the right hand and another on the left, dreaming of some earthly, temporal greatness; Thus we are apt to think we will provide so much, leave such Estates, and in the mean while their miserable Souls are undone to all Eternity. Be moved hereunto because  
1. This is the greatest love and charity to them: You cannot discover greater compassion then by taking care of their Souls; Their Souls are more worth than all the world, how highly did Christ esteem of Souls, when he came into the world and endured all that misery for Souls only? He died only to make them blessed.  
2. Consider that thy evil example who art a Governor doth encourage and embolden Inferiors in their wickedness; They are the more obstinate because thou showest no dislike, no frowns on them, they think they have cause to sin then; It's well observed by Lactantius, speaking of this particular about Example, The nature of man is proclive to all vice, and would seem not only cum veniâ but ratione peccare, and this they never do more plead then when their Superiors are such as act Wickedness, or else do countenance it.  
3. Be moved hereunto from the Certainty of the Souls good and uncertainty of all worldly things; When thou hast consumed thyself in thoughts and cares about thy Children; Solomon's Observation will hold true, Who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a Fool, thou hast laboured for, Eccl. 2.19. But now if he hath been instructed in the fear of God, This will abide to all Eternity.  
In the next place we come to the Compellation Holy Father, From that attribute given to God, he is an holy Father, and so being a Fountain of all holiness, may easily communicate it to others.  
Obs. That God is an holy God, 
Doct. God is an holy God and able to make others holy.  and so able to make others holy.  
For we are not to consider of this Attribute merely as a glorious property in God, but to improve it for our good, that we also might be made holy; This glorious Attribute Isa. 6. the Angels of all others do single out, and with great acclamation praise God, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy; Yea, this is the only Attribute we are to imitate, Be ye holy as I am holy, not be omnipotent as I am; Now God is holy several ways.  
And first, He is essentially holy, his holiness and his nature are not two things as it is in Angels and men; In this sense Christ said, 
I. He is essentially holy.  None is good but God, God is a pure act, and so whatsoever is in God is God; His holiness therefore is not only in that he worketh all things holily, but his very nature is holy: Hence God is called Jehovah, and I AM, Exod. 3.14. because what he is he is essentially, and therefore seeing his nature is incomprehensible so is his holiness; Seeing we are never able to define what he is, so neither can we what his holiness is, Quicquid de Deo dici potest eo ipso indignum est, quia dici potest, Our dwarfish Nature cannot measure these Pyramids, Our shell cannot contain this Ocean; Though Astronomers by their Instruments guess at the magnitude of the Sun, yet we cannot reach unto the greatness either of God's Nature or his Attributes.  
Secondly, He is not only essentially holy, 
II. Oppositely holy to all false Gods.  but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppositely holy to those false God's man's corruption hath set up, and in opposition to the Devils who are called unclean spirits: Hence he is often styled the Holy One of Israel, because they only worshipped the true God; Those ancient Christian Writers Arnobius, Austin, and others, who wrote in defence of the Christian Religion, did convince Heathens of their Impiety, by worshipping such for gods whom yet they fastened many impious actions upon, for certainly nature would have told them, That was God, quo nibil melius cogitari potest; Thus the God whom Christians according to the Scripture do serve is the only holy and true God.  
Thirdly, He is holy in respect of his will, command, and approbation; His word is an holy Word, The Scriptures are holy Scriptures, They command, 
III. Holy in his Will and commands.  They approve, They encourage and comfort nothing but holiness; David Psal. 19 compareth them to Gold often refined that hath no dross, and Hab. 1. God is of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity, viz. by approbation; Therefore he is said to be angry with the wicked all the day long; Oh than though other men love thee, and thou art in love with thy own self, yet if not holy God doth not God cannot love thee.  

IV. Holy efficiently.  Fourthly, God is holy efficiently, He is the Author and cause of all the holiness we have, james 1.17. Every good and perfect gift comes from him; We are his Workmanship created to good works; He made the Angels holy, He created Adam holy, yea, he infused all holiness into Christ's humane Nature, and therefore much rather must he cause all the holiness that is in us; Therefore Christ by praying that God would sanctify his Disciples, doth thereby teach, that none can make holy but God alone; Let then the proud Patrons of freewill be confounded at this; They that cannot make themselves Creatures, will they say ' they make themselves holy Creatures? Minus est te fecisse hominem quam justum.  

V. He is finally holy.  Fifthly, He is finally holy, That is all our holiness is to terminate in him; Holiness doth properly respect God as the Object, and therefore though a man prayeth, heareth, giveth alms, yea; his body to be burnt, and doth not with a pure and chaste Intention look at God's glory in all this, it is not holiness; Hence it is that many have low thoughts about holiness, and grossly mistake in it, taking copper for Gold, and samuel's Ghost for Samuel himself; Thou art not holy till thou canst truly say in some Degree at least, though with much opposition, Whom have I in Heaven but God? and none on Earth besides him: In Heaven Heaven itself would not be heaven to a gracious heart, but because God is there.  

VI Holy exemplarily.  Sixthly, God is holy exemplarily; He is the Rule, Pattern, and Example of holiness, 1 Pet. 1.15. Be ye holy as I am holy. Levit. 20.26. So that if we would know how we are to be holy, it must not be as men think, or as the world prescribeth, but as God is holy: Not that we can attain to an equality, but to a similitude only; So that the principle of the world must fall to the ground; They will do as others do, or as most do: Oh but rather Consider that God himself hath set down a Form for thee, and because there is such fullness in him as in an Ocean, therefore we have a necessity of growing every day; No man is as holy as the pattern, therefore still he is to be perfecting Holiness and Righteousness in the Fear of God, 1 Cor. 7.1.  
Thus you have heard that God is holy, But in the next place know it is our Duty to improve this Attribute for our Good, For so our Saviour doth not look upon it as an absolute property in God, but as that which may be profitable unto his Disciples, So that we are to make use of this by Faith.  
And that first, Because when God becomes our God by the Covenant of Grace, he is wholly ours, and all his Attributes are for our benefit and advantage; I will be their God: Now God is not our God nulesse his Wisdom be ours, his Holiness be ours, that is for our benefit; For we cannot separate God and these; Oh than what an unwise and foolish thing is it in a Christian when he hath such a Treasure, and yet will make no use of it, Such a Mine and yet improveth it not! In God there is holiness for all Angels and men, much more for thee.  
Secondly, God being thus absolutely good, he is communicating of it, and it is a Rule, The more any thing is good, the more diffusive it is of itself; As we see in God, who though glorious and happy enough in himself, yet he created a world, and ordained many to Eternal Glory out of his mere good pleasure and Fullness, not that he needed or wanted any; Oh than it is very acceptable and wellpleasing to God that we should come with thirsting Souls unto this Fountain, and draw Water out of it, That we should suck plentifully at these full Breasts and be refreshed.  
Use of Instruction to the People of God who are greatly afflicted under this great Temptation; They are not an holy People; Oh they find sin captivating them, sin prevailing over them, but where is an holy heart, holy affections, and holy aims in what they do? Oh they say! Could they find they were more holy though they were poor and afflicted, yet they should rejoice: Let such Consider, It is their Unbelief and want of earnest Prayer, if they be not richly supplied and furnished in this, for God is infinitely holy, and he delights to communicate it; The larger the Vessel is the more willing he is and will be to fill it, and there cannot be any Prayer more acceptable then to beg for this above all things.  
Use 2. Is God thus holy, Then let the most holy be humble in all their approaches to him, for he is of such pure Eyes that he finds spots and blemishes, yea, damnable matter in thy most holy duties; Angels holiness is not proportionable to him.  
Thirdly, Of Reproof to wicked men, who deride, scoff, and maliciously oppose holiness, What is this but to rise up against God himself? Is not Holiness the Glorious Attribute of God? And do the Beams of this shining in his People offend thee? This argueth thou art of a perverse and of a devilish Spirit, for thou shouldest rather reverence and honour it, saying, Oh that I might live and die like such holy men! Indeed there are many would like Balaam die like a Godly man, but not live like him, as One said, He would live like Croesus but die like Socrates; Yet this is impossible, There must be an holy Life else there will hardly be an holy Death.   

SERMON LV. The Great Lord-Keeper of Israel from inevitable Ruin both of Body and Soul extolled.  JOH. 17.11. Holy Father, keep through thy own Name those thou hast given me, etc. 
WE have dispatched the Introductory Compellation, and now proceed to the Petition itself, and in that Consider, 

1. The mercy prayed for, and  
2. The Amplification of it.    
The mercy prayed for is Keep.  
The amplification is,  
1. From the Subject, described by their Election from Eternity.  
And 2. Actual donation to Christ in time, Those thou hast given me; This is often repeated by our Saviour, as being a main Argument why nothing should he denied them that were thus endeared both to Father and Son, and also the frequent Iteration of this might produce the more faith and confidence in the Disciples.  
3. This is amplified by the manner or instrumental cause how they are to be kept, Through thy own Name.  
4. The End or Consequent of all this, That they may be one as Thou and I are one.  
Of the Mercy prayed for Keep, and the Subject, Those thou hast given me in the first place; I shall not enlarge any thing more upon this Description; Neither is there any difficulty in the words, only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered by some serva, and they take it properly, for those were said to be servari who were taken in war, and so the Conqueror had full power over them to put them to death, but of his clemency he saved them, and thereupon were called servi, but the Greek word hath no such allusion; Only there is a twofold keeping external and temporal from the violence and rage of wicked men in respect of their bodies and lives because the world hates them: And 2. Spiriutal and internal in grace and holiness, and this he doth principally pray for, as appear by the matter instanced in; Keep them in their outward condition that they be not destroyed, keep them in their spiritual condition that they lose not their faith or other graces; Keep them in bono that they be not undone deficiendo; Keep them a malo that it hurt them not Inficiendo; If they do sin, keep them reficiendo by repairing and raising them up again; If then the Disciples though thus wonderfully given by the Father to Christ, do need a daily keeping lest they be undone every way, than it holds true also of all believers.  
Obs. 
Doct. That all the people of God if not kept by God's grace would be undone in soul and body.  That even all the People of God were they not kept by God's grace and power they would every moment be undone both in Soul and body; It is not our grace, our Prayer, our Watchfulness keeps us, but it is the power of God, his right arm supports us: We may see David praying to God that he would keep him in both these respects from temporal dangers, Psa. 17.8, 9 Keep me as the Apple of thy Eye from the wicked that oppose me; Where he doth not only pray to be kept, but he doth insinuate how carefully God keeps his people, and in what precious account their safety is, even as the apple of the Eye, and for spiritual preservation he often begs it, Psa. 19.13. Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins; Though David be God's Servant, yet he will like a wild Horse run violently and that into presumptuous sins if God keep him not back, yea, he prayeth that God would keep the particular parts of his body that they sin not, Psa. 141.3. Keep the door of my Lips, he entreateth God to keep his Lips, and to set a watch about his mouth, as if he were not able to set guard sure enough; Thus much more are we to pray that God would keep our hearts, our minds, our wills, our affections, for they are more masterfull.  
Let us briefly consider the first, God keepeth us from temporal dangers, 
That God keeps all his from temporal dangers, prove  and that upon these grounds.  
1. Man hath by sin forfeited all his temporal mercies, there is nothing due to him, no health, no wealth; not the least comfort, but every man here upon the earth, might be like Dives in hell, begging for a drop of water, and not able to attain it, Gal. 3. Cursed is he that keepeth not the Law, and Gen. 3. upon sin, death in all the concomitants of it, came into the world, so that if all these curses of the Law be not every moment inflicted upon us, it's because God keepeth us; He beareth off the blows that Justice and the Law would lay upon us; So that its God's goodness that keepeth thee alive, that keeps thee on this side hell, that keeps thee from that proper doom which belongs to thee▪ The Sentence of death is passed upon all long ago, only the execution of it is put off till God pleaseth: Who art thou then that repinest and art troubled under such a loss, such an affliction? how many thousands more are there that God keeps thee from? None is so miserable, but he may see others more miserable than himself; It is the Lord that keeps all these curses from thee, and thee from them.  
2. The godly man would be undone if God did not keep him from his own imbecility and infirmity; He hath no power to preserve himself from misery; Hence man is called Enoch, and in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, So that he doth not only deserve all misery but he is prone of himself to fall into it, did not God keep him, Job 14.1. and Job 5.1. Man that is born of a woman is full of trouble, even as the Sparks fly upwards; So that as the Spark if not stopped doth of itself ascend upward; Thus man of himself though there were no outward cause to drive him, yet would stumble and fall into all desolation; Therefore the great troubles men lie under are self-created, they come by our indiscretion, blindness, or some sinful way or other; Therefore Solomon observeth that a man's misery is great on the Earth, because he hath not judgement to discern the times and seasons of things, Eccl. 8.6. If therefore God did not keep the Godly man, no Child would sooner fall or run into the fire than he would into mischief; You may read of that good King Josiah for whom the Kingdom made such Lamentation, how foolishly he ran upon his own Death, 2 Chro. 33.22.  
3. Did not God keep us the devils rage and enmity is such that he would not only destroy the Soul but the body: You see his malice when he had liberty to possess the bodies of many, how miserably he tormented them, and when God gave him leave to afflict Job in his Estate and body, he did it to the utmost; There wanted no evil while he could do it; Now there is no reason why the Devil should not do thee the same mischief continually, but only God binds up this roaring Lion; The Devil is said to be a Murderer from the beginning, and that for the body as well as the Soul, he tempted Cain to murder Abel, he tempted Judas to betray Christ; Oh then wonder that God keeps thee when there are such Legions of Devils crafty and potent enough to procure thy destruction.  
4. Did not God keep the godly he would be undone temporally, because of the hatred and malice wicked men bear to every godly man; Therefore Christ said, they were as Sheep among Wolves; Can they hope for mercy from a Wolf? David complained that his Soul was among Lions, and Ezechiel complained he dwelled among Scorpions; Now then seeing the world is so full of malice, and the number of wicked men is like the Sand upon the Seashore to them; They are as the Israelites Army seemed to the great power that came against them, like a Flock of Birds; Now what is the reason that wicked men have not their will of destroying the Godly; It is only God that keeps them, yea, God keeps every part of them, He keepeth their feet, Every stone else might be their Death; Yea, Psa. 34 20. He keepeth all their bones, he maketh their Beds in their sickness; What an expression is that? There is no Nurse can so diligently and tenderly look to the sick as God doth to a godly man diseased: Oh than that we should attribute our Estates to such care and diligence of our lives, to such places, to such second causes! and not rather look up to God who keepeth us all the day long; His keeping of all the godly doth not diminish his care in keeping every particular man, for its God that keepeth every man, and that keepeth the Church in general; How could this Ark that had no Sails, no Pilot, no Stern have been kept in the midst of the Deluge? but that God preserveth it, Psa. 121.3. God is said to be the Keeper of Israel, and such an one that neither flumbreth or sleepeth; Certainly could the people of God for their Estates, Lives, and all they have, commit all to this Keeper, they would live with more joy; Thou sayest, who will keep me? Who will keep mine? Oh remember a better Keeper than if thou hadst all the Monarches in the world; Whence then arise your fears and doubts, but because you are your own Keepers, or Friends must keep, or such an Estate, and so much wealth must keep you; See what David tells us, Psal. 121.1. Except the Lord keep the City even the Watchmen watcheth in vain; Though he watch and do not sleep, yet there must be a better Keeper: Say so of thy House, of thy Family, of thy Children, and of all outward worldly things.  
Therefore let the Use of this Branch of the Doctrine be to all that are godly, to cast off all fears and perplexities about any worldly thing; They have a faithful Keeper, all their mercies are in his hand; The world, nor the devil cannot take them away; Is not the Child secure because he hath a Loving Father who keeps all things for him? We are not our own Keepers no more than our Creators: And if thou losest any outward comfort, stay thyself with this, I have a wise and an holy Keeper, who would not have suffered this or that loss to fall out, but that it was best for me to do so, and thou mayst be encouraged to this holy Security, because  
1. God is an Omnipotent God, None (saith Christ) is stronger than my Father; Joh. 10. We betrust men with things, and there comes a stronger than they who takes all away, but none can do so here.  
2. He is a faithful and wise Keeper; He will not lie or deceive thee; Thou wilt have no cause to complain as Jacob did to Laban, That he had defrauded him so many times; Thou canst not trust in riches, or in men, for these are unfaithful, These are a lie, but God is not like man, he will not deny himself.  
3. He doth not only keep thee himself but appoints others also to keep thee; Armies of Angels are appointed by him to keep thee, yea, all the creatures are a Safeguard to thee; The stones in the Field are at peace with him who feareth God: Did not thy Faith lie asleep in thee, as Christ in the Ship, there would never be so many dangerous Tempests to overwhelm thee.  
But I proceed to the second part, which is more principally intended by our Saviour, and of greater consequence to the godly, for what i● their Goods and their bodies be kept, but their Souls lost? Will this keeping avail them, if he keeps us that an hair of our head do not fall to the Ground, 
Of God's keeping all true believers from spiritual evils.  but our graces they are lost, a man could take little comfort, therefore let the godly know of a Truth, That it's the power of God that keeps them to Salvation.  
1. 
1. God keeps the truth of grace in them.  It's God only that preserveth and keeps the Truth of Grace once wrought in thee; We see Adam and Angels lost their precious Treasure of Grace; And can we think to be better Conservators than they were? No, thou wouldst immediately of a Paradise become a noisome dunghill, and a hell, did not the Lord keep thee; Hence the Apostle prayeth so often, that God would strengthen and settle them; No Leaf would fall sooner to the ground then our Graces wither, did not God keep them; We see then upon what Rock the godly are built, what it is, that though they are in the midst of spiritual Thiefs and Robbers, yet their Jewels are not stolen, it is because God keeps them; Hence is the perseverance of the godly; Hence it is that Peter's Faith is not totally and finally lost: David and Peter were in sad and great Temptations, in danger to lose all the Truth of grace put into them, and all had been gone but that God kept them; So that as in natural things God is not only the Creator but Preserver of all things, And if he did not uphold them by his arm, they would fall into their first nothing: Thus did not God graciously keep thee, thou wouldst fall into that old desperate state of impiety again, and be as profane and wicked as ever before.  
2. The Lord doth not only keep the habits and being of grace, 
2. He keeps in the actual stir of the soul to good.  but also all the quickenings and actual stir of the Soul to good; Such Sparks would quickly go out, did not the Lord keep them alive; We might say of them as of man's life, They are but a Vapour and a Bubble; Thus 1 Chro. 29.18. When David and the people had with so much willingness and delight offered unto God, he prayeth that God would keep this for ever in their hearts; If then thou find thy heart at any time raised up to actual hungrings and thirstings after God, if it break for the longing it hath to God always, then run to God that he would keep this excellent frame of heart always in thee; That the world and the Temptations thereof may not bring thee down again from this Mountain of Transfiguration; Say, O Lord, It's not in me to keep this frame of heart always, I shall quickly lose it; Something or other will take away this live Child and put a dead one in the room of it; Oh therefore O Lord do thou help me and keep me, I renounce my own strength, I see my own weakness, and certainly if we are to pray to God for daily bread, though we have a B●rn full of Corn, because he can immediately blast all, and within an hour or moment make us like Job, how much more have we cause to pray for this daily Keeping, even though we were the strongest Christians, for we see what many of the chiefest Rank in Piety, even David and Peter did when without this actual Custody or preservation; They fell into the Dunghill, and from thence would have fallen into hell, had not the grace of God stopped them.  
Now you must know, There is a great difference between the Degrees or quickenings of Grace and the Essence of Grace: Christ did not so pray that his Disciples might not fall from any Degree of their Grace, Neither doth God so keep them as that they never stumble; No, we see the contrary to this, For the Disciples fled through fear when Christ was apprehended, and though Christ in particular prayed for Peter, That his Faith might not fail him, yet it did in some measure, otherwise he could not with cursing and swearing so sadly have denied the Lord Christ; Christ's Prayer therefore, and Gods keeping doth infallibly extend to the Essence and Truth of Grace: They shall never lose that, but for the Degrees and Intentions they are amissible, yea, so far loseable, that to the eye of others there is no difference between a wicked man and them; As in the dead of Winter we cannot by the outward appearance tell which is a dead Tree, or a living, only there is inward sap in one which is not in another; And thus there is an inward principle of Life in one which is not in the wicked man; The Godly then notwithstanding Gods keeping and Christ's praying may lose much of their grace, fall into sad ways, and run much into debt, though they do not prove Bankrupts.  

3. He makes them hold out to the end.  Therefore Thirdly, God keeps them spiritual by making them to persevere and to hold out till the very last; So that notwithstanding all the difficulties which are in the way to Heaven, yet as it is said of Christ, He will not suffer his Holy One to see Corruption; So neither will he suffer his Holy Ones eternally to perish: Here we see Christ praying for his Disciples, and afterwards for all Believers, that they may be kept by his power, and be one with him; so that this is a sure Argument for the perseverance of the Saints: Christ hath prayed to God to keep them, and the Father heareth him in all that he prayeth. For hence God hath promised Jerem. 32.40. to put his fear into the godly wans heart, that he shall never depart from him, and he hath the immortal Seed within him, keeping of him that he cannot sin, viz. unto Death, and so as Cain and wicked men sin who are altogether corrupted: Oh than what matter of Encouragement is this to the Godly man, who is apt to fear his entrance into Canaan, when he seeth so many Anakims and tall Giants in the way; He begins to tremble when he thinks of the Apostles Exclamation who shall be saved? If it be such a difficult thing to get to Heaven, the way be so straight, and so many prove Hypocrites and Apostates; What will become of me? How shall I do? When the Godly are thus afflicted, let them remember God keeps them and with him all things are not only possible but easy; He that could keep the Israelites shoes that they did not wear out, he can much more preserve and deliver thee from being tired out in thy way toward Heaven.  
4. God keeps his people from the Temptation of sin or their hearts in the Temptation, Rev. 3.10. Because the Church kept God's Word, therefore God promiseth to keep her from the hour of Temptation; This keeping Austin acknowledged with much affection, saying, O Lord, when I had a heart to sin thou keptst off the Temptation, and when I had the Temptation thou keptst off my heart: Had joseph's heart been as ready as his Temptarion was strong, he had been wholly overcome; Oh then how great a Favour and Mercy is this which the Godly enjoy every Day; They may as soon Number the Stars in the Heavens as the preventing Graces of God to them continually; This is so great a matter that as often as we are to pray we are commanded to pray that God would not lead us into Temptation: But how un-apprehensive are we of all God's Goodness and Kindness toward us herein, but even as the Sucking Infant apprehends not all the care and love the tender Mother vouchsafeth to it, so neither are we affected with all that grace of God in keeping us continually.  
Use of Admonition to the people of God, To whom all their praise is due, while they are not undone in soul or body, and to whom their Prayers are to be directed in Fears or Danger of either: Even unto this mighty and wise God who is the Keeper of Israel, Every Day would bring forth evil to undo thee, were not Gods gracious Power ready to stop it: Be then humbled under thy own Weakness; Say, O Lord, I lean and depend wholly and continually upon thee; Thou art my Refuge, my Strength, and my strong Tower, All other things they are but Reeds and tottering Walls, Especially desire Gods spiritual Preservation; Thy own Danger and Sense will make thee pray to God to be kept corporally, but a man must have a spiritual Eye and a tender heart that can fear his Spiritual Destruction: In the midst of bloody Wars what a wonderful Mercy was it thought to have your Estates, Houses, yea, and your Lives kept from the Fury and Violence of an Enemy? Oh that we could every Day and every hour be as sensible of the Danger of hell, and the Devil with his subtle Suggestions and Temptations seeking to allure us, and thereby fly unto God for his Defence.  
Use of Terror to wicked men, who are given up to Spiritual Judgements; For God neither softens their heart nor removeth Temptations, but a ready Door is set open to act all their wickedness; Thus Solomon saith, Eccles. 7.26. He that is abhorred of the Lord shall be enticed by an whorish Woman; And Rom. 1. Men are there given up to vile affections, Oh the heavy doom of ungodly men that have none to keep them from falling in the Mire; They have many Occasions to sin and they love and embrace them.   

SERMON LVI. That it's not enough to be put into a state of Grace, unless by God's Power we are kept therein. How far Men may acknowledge Gods Help, and yet with the Pelagians, Arminians and Papists not give him his due Glory: And also showeth, How many ways the Power of God keepeth his People.  JOHN 17.11. Keep through thy own Name, those thou hast given me. 
THe Mercy prayed for, and the Subject for whom, described in these words, Those whom thou hast given me, have been treated of: Our Saviour doth so often repeat this Description of his Disciples [Whom thou hast given me] that although we have said much of it, yet what more may be added, shall be brought in vers. 34. where in the last place it's mentioned.  
I proceed therefore to the Instrumental Cause, or Manner how God is prayed to keep them, and that is, Through his own Name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which expression admits of various Interpretations, although all be subordinate, and none contrary to each other.  
Some take Name for Glory, God's Name, for his glory, Ezek, 36.22. Psa. 79.9. and then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they take for propter, for it answereth the Hebrew ב Beth, which is sometimes used so, Gen. 18.28. Luke 22.20. And indeed here is a truth in this, because whatsoever God doth about his Church, he doth it for his own glory: There is no merit or worth in us to move him; It's his own glory only, as Joshua urged, What wilt thou do for thy great Name? Josh. 7.9. Yet this Exposition seemeth not to be so pertinent.  
Others by God's Name understand his power, his strength, his might, and thus it's often used, Prov. 18 10, etc. and then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers per, and so the Hebrew ב is often used, called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beth auxilii, This seemeth very pertinent, and is part of the meaning, but last of all that which late Interpreters pitch most upon is, that Name is here taken for the Truth, Doctrine and Knowledge of God, both for the Object, the Doctrine that is known, and the Grace is, that Faith whereby we are enabled to know, it being usual in Scripture to call the Object of any affection, by the affection itself. That Name is here taken for the Truth and Doctrine manifested by Christ, appeareth from ver. 6. where its so used, where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Those therefore that understand it of the true and pure Doctrine Christ hath delivered, retain the proper sense of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Keep them in thy Name, in thy true Doctrine: So that they say, Christ prayeth, first for the purity of their Faith, 2. their Unity of Love and Charity, which are the two Pillars that bear up the Church of God.  
Others take Name, not for the Object, but for our Knowledge and Faith of this Doctrine, and so you have a notable use of the word, Revel. 2.13. and they make the Preposition instrumental, Keep them through the knowledge and faith of thee; as we have a like phrase, 1 Pet. 1.5. They are said to be kept by the power of God through faith.  
These three later Interpretations we take as one whole complete sense, for they are kept by the power of God in the true Doctrine, and a true faith in Christ is the means whereby we are kept. From the first Interpretation, that God keeps us by his power, Observe,  
That it is not enough to be put into the state of Grace, 
Observe. That it's not enough to be put into the state of grace, unless by God's power we are kept therein.  unless by God's Power we are kept therein: Or, When a man is regenerated, it's not his own strength, or ability, but God's power merely that keeps him.  
Let us take notice of that place again, 1 Pet 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to be very emphatical, for it's properly used of those who keep a place by a Garrison of Soldiers, it's a military word; here it's applied to the Power of God that doth keep us as safely, as strongly, and as securely, as if we had an whole Army about us.  
So that the word denoteth two things,  
1. The Defence and Custody in a strong manner the people of God have.  
2. The great Danger we are in from Satan, sin and the world; for what needeth such a defence, if there were no danger? It's then God that keeps us, and that to salvation: Though God did never so much for us at the first, yet should he not keep to the very last to salvation itself, we should suffer shipwreck in the very Havens mouth.  
To open this Doctrine, Consider,  
First, That the power of God is necessary both to the beginnings of grace, and the progress. Christ must be not only the Author, but the finisher of our faith. Heb. 12: 2. When the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1.3. had showed, that God through his abundant mercy had begotten us again, he showeth this is not enough, but we are kept afterwards by his power; only the power of God in working grace in us, at first finds us in a different estate, then when it preserveth or keepeth us. At first the power of God finds us dead in sin, and in respect of any holiness, like that Chaos at first without form and void. Therefore Ephes. 2. it's a quickening power, which infuseth supernatural life, and so maketh us of spiritually dead, to live: It's an Omnipotent, insuperable Power, like that of Creation, which was out of nothing; and therefore we are said to be created, and his new-creatures. But in the progress of Grace, the power of God finds us not dead, but with spiritual life, only there cannot be any further motions or actings of this life without power from above, Acti agimus, and moti movemus, it's God that enableth us to believe, to hunger and thirst after the enjoyment of him: Even as Conservation doth not find the creature in the Womb of nothing, as Creation did, only it continueth that being already existent, which otherwise would fall into nothing: Thus did not the Lord bear up daily by his power, that heavenly building raised up by him at first in thy soul, it would become a very ruin, and not a stone left upon a stone. It's this later kind of power, the godly need all the day long, if his right hand bear them not up, they immediately fall to the ground.  
Secondly, Although we say, It's the power of God only that keeps the godly and not their own strength, yet it cannot be denied, but that the Scripture, as in some places it affirmeth, Gods keeping of us, So it also speaketh of a godly man's keeping himself. Thus 1 Tim. 5.22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Keep thyself pure, James 1.27. Pure Religion is to keep a man's self unspotted from the world, 1 John 5.18. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself. Sometimes they are put together, Judas v. 21. Keep yourself in the love of God, and not long after he addeth, To him that is able to keep you. So 2 Tim. 1.14. Timothy is exhorted, To keep the good thing committed to him by the holy Ghost. 
Quest.  By these places we see a godly man is said to keep himself, and God's power likewise, Doth not this seem to attribute too much to man, or at least divide the work of preservation between God and ourselves?  

Answ.  I answer, No. For first, Our own keeping is wholly insufficient and unable without Gods keeping, when man attends to the utmost, with all watching, and diligence, yet if God come not in with his power, all is in vain. We like Gehezi may lay the staff to the dead child, but it will not rise till the Prophet himself come. Satan and his power is greater than ours, if considered in ourselves: Therefore no wonder, if we of ourselves cannot combat with him; he that is with us is stronger than the devil, but not we ourselves. And  
2. Though we keep ourselves, yet this is wholly from and by God: We act with subordination and dependence on him, we keep ourselves, because God enableth us to do so, as the less wheel is moved by the greater, as the greater orbmoveth the less; so that here is no glory or praise due to us no more than the pen that writeth, or the hatchet that cuts, for we depend wholly upon God, both quoad esse, the essence and being of grace would not continue did not he uphold it, as also, quoad posse, and quoad operari; Therefore our keeping is not contra-distinct or separate keeping from God, as if he were one partial cause, and we another, as when two lift one burden; but ours is from him, by him, and under him, as the Master guideth the hand of the Scholar to write.  

How far men may acknowledge God's help, and yet not give the full glory to him.  Hence in the third place, We may acknowledge God's power to help us, and that several ways, and yet not not give the full glory that belongeth to him. All the Erratical Stars that have been in the Church's firmament, have at last acknowledged some power, some auxiliary help of grace, but yet justly condemned by the Orthodox, as robbing grace of its due praise; for if a man should say, It's God's power that helpeth us, because he created us at first with a rational soul, so giving of us understanding and will, whereby we are enabled to choose what is good, here God's power is acknowledged, but at a remote distance. Here like some Heathens, we sacrifice the wax to God, but keep the honey to ourselves; thus Nature and Grace is confounded; Pelagius at first thought this would serve. But if a man should go further, acknowledging God's power in revealing the object, though he worketh nothing upon the subject; Here God is acknowledged but at a low rate. Thus also Pelagius said, It was the grace and power of God to make known and reveal the objects of faith, but when revealed, than we have power to believe them, as a man cannot see, till the Sun arise, but of himself he hath perfect eyes to behold the light, Here is power given to God, but not enough, who doth not only prepare the object, but fit and sanctify the subject.  
Further, If a man confess the power of God to help, Not absolutely to do that which is good, but to do it more easily and willingly, as Pelagius at last did yield. Here is God's power acknowledged, but still here is not glory enough ascribed to God. God will have all the glory, or else none.  
Lastly, If we acknowledge the help of God to keep us necessarily, yet if we make it a general indeterminate cause, and not efficacious, till by man's will it be particularised. Here is something attributed to God, but yet still much ascribed to man; Therefore though the Jesuits have many large Tractates De auxiliis gratiae, yet because they do not make Grace efficacious in itself antecedently to our will, but our will to improve that; Therefore still we say, They advance not Grace, for it's not Grace, unless it be Gratuita omni modo. Thus than you see a necessity of informing your judgements in this Point, That no subtle Heretics under fair pretences, and acknowledgements of Grace, do deceive you: For Pelagius deceived the Eastern Bishops by this means, yea Sulpitius was seduced by the Pelagians, who had been a long enemy to them, which when he perceived, he was so grieved, that he enjoined himself perpetual silence, as the Centuriators observe.  
In the next place, Let us consider, 
How many ways the power of God doth keep us.  How many ways the power of God doth thus keep us: and let it not be thought tedious, if I be long on this Text, I do not compel the Text to go one mile, one Sermon further than it would: The honey drops from the comb without any crushing of it. And  
First, The power of God keepeth his people in the way of grace inspirando, by inspiring and breathing into the Soul such holy thoughts, and quickening meditations, that thereby we are kept in the fear of sin, and love of God always. The Apostle saith, We are not able to think of ourselves any thing tending to our own good, or the good of others, but our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3 7. How vain, idle and distractive would our thoughts be, if the Spirit of God did not suggest and put in other things? Therefore that is promised as a remembrancer, to bring to our minds, such things as we let slip, when the Church prayeth, Arise, O North, and blow, O South, (Cant. 4.6.) that her garden may give a smell; it's a prayer for the heavenly and holy breathe of God's Spirit into the soul.  
Secondly, The power of God helpeth excitando, by stirring up and quickening those habits and principles of grace, which are in us. Our faith, our love, are apt to lie dormant in the soul, till they be awakened. Thus David, though in the state of grace prayeth often, That God would quicken him, that he might keep God's Commandments, Psal. 119. And this the Church prayeth for, Cant. 1. Draw me, and we will run after thee; so that were there not this drawing, this quickening the people of God would be like so many lumps of earth, they would be very Idols in all their duties, seeing they would not see, and though knowing, yet not understand. This exciting grace is as necessary every moment to thee for spiritual life, as the air is for thy natural.  
Thirdly, The power of God keeps, inclinando, by inclining and determining the heart: For though the heart have grace in it habitually, yet the world and sin tempt strongly; so that these habitual principles work not, till God incline and determine the heart, as Ezek. 36. besides an heart of flesh, God promiseth to cause him to walk in his statutes. David prayed, That God would incline his heart to keep his Law. This determining grace is that, which Pelagians, Arminians and Jesuits object against, whereas if the power of God doth not this, our power will have the greater part in our Salvation.  
Fourthly, The power of God keeps us dirigendo, by directing and ordering our steps, so that we do not fall. We are very weak and unskilful, and like babes, who are said, Heb. 6. to be unskilful in the word of righteousness; Christ and the way of faith is unknown to us, a strange thing to us: As Samson being blind, needed one to direct him, where the beams were: Thus we need direction concerning the Author of our strength, and how we may be made partakers of it. When David was in Saul's armour, he could not tell how to wield or manage it: The Lord Christ he it is that strengthens his people; a kind of omnipotency is communicated to them by him, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13. But there is much skill, and an heavenly act required to make use of Christ, and to derive power from him: Therefore the Lord helpeth us by directing our hearts unto the love of Christ, and faith in him, 1 Thess. 3.5. Hence David many times prayeth, God would direct and order his ways. This directive power is of consequence to us, for without it we should throw ourselves into every pit.  
Fifthly, The power of the Lord keeps us applicando, by an efficacious applying of the means of grace to us. For when we say, God's power keeps us in grace, that is not to be understood immediately, as Angels in Heaven are kept, but mediately by the Word and Ordinances. Therefore the organical and instrumental cause of our conservation is the word of God, as our Saviour afterwards prayeth, God would sanctify them by his truth, his Word was truth: So that this makes much for the advancement of Christ's Ministry, and the Gospel preached, for by the lively working of these, we come to stand fast. These are the continual rubbings that keep heat in us: These are the Cocks that crow, to put us in mind of our sins: These are the frequent alarms against our spiritual enemies, that they surprise us not in our security.  
Sixthly, The power of God keeps us corroborando, by strengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work. A man that is paralytical, though he hath life in him, yet cannot steadily and firmly move the parts of his body, but they shake as if they did not belong to the body: Thus even while the people of God are acting, and working what is good, they do it so remissly, so faintly, that did not the Lord confirm them, all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them. Hence Paul so often prayeth, That God would strengthen and settle them, that he would establish and build them on the work. It's a blessed thing to walk in the paths of godliness, with an emboldened and confirmed heart.  
Seventhly, The power of God doth keep us suaviter alliciendo, by putting strong consolations, and sweet delights in our soul, while we are doing his will. Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your strength. We glory in tribulations, when we are filled with joy. As fear and unbelief make feeble knees and weak hands; so joy and heavenly delight doth strengthen and confirm the soul, What is that which makes Angels and Saints so inseparably adhere to God, and that to all eternity, never weary of him? Is it not the infinite joy and delight they have in God? So while God doth thus give us to taste and feel how good he is, while we have an experiment of the preciousness of Christ upon our hearts, we stand immovable like so many Rocks in the same place, though never so many waves beat on us.  
Eighthly, God's power keeps us from sin reprimendo, by repressing and curbing those relics of sin, which are within us; For from our own selves would arise such noisome lusts that would separate us from God; even as from the earth arise such black vapours, that hide the Sun from it. The Spirit of God therefore doth mortify the body of sin, keeps this root from sprouting forth, and is ready to crush the Cockatrice in her eggs.  
Lastly, The power of God doth keep us arcendo, by driving away, and keeping of the devil from us. How strangely this roaring Lion is set upon us as a prey, appeareth by that of our Saviour, Luke 12. Satan hath desired to winnow you, he would spare no godly man; Therefore he is called the Tempter, because all the day long it's his work to seduce to sin; so that herein the necessity of God's power appeareth Ephes. 6. We wrestle with principalities and powers. Thou art no fit match for them: You see that Adam in the state of integrity was overcome by him. It's God then that keeps these roaring Lions tied up, otherwise what could poor Sheep do to oppose so many Lions?  
Use of Instruction. With what thankfulness and joy we should bless God at the close of every day? Hast thou not been a Cain, a Judas this day? Bless God that kept thee; Hast thou not by words or works broken thy Communion with God? Oh acknowledge his goodness to thee! Thou mightst have been tempted and seduced by sin or Satan, so that great wounds and gashes might have been made upon thy Conscience: Oh say, Lord, I am amazed at thy power and grace in keeping of me! The Godly are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preserved ones, and well may they be called so, for did God withdraw his hand you should see them wallowing in filth, and made like the vile ones upon the Earth: Do not then presume on thy own strength but depend upon God's power.   

SERMON LVII. Reason's proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his Children in Grace, That God keeps them by Faith, Also why and how Faith keeps them rather than other Graces.  JOH. 17.11. Keep through thy Name those thou hast given me. 
WE have heard how many ways God keeps even converted persons from falling into their first Chaos and confusion.  
Let us Consider the Grounds Why there is such a Necessity of God's preserving power, 
Why there is such a necessity of Gods preserving power.  that so we may be humbled in ourselves and God exalted.  
1. We may be strongly convinced of the great necessity of God's power in keeping of us by the Apostate Angels and lapsed Adam; What can more forcibly teach us this Truth than their Apostasy? Did not God create Angels full of Light and Glory like the Stars? and yet the Apostle Judas saith, 
From the Apostate Angels and lapsed Adam.  They kept not their first habitation; Did not also God create Adam after his own Image in Righteousness, yet how quickly did he become a Prodigal, and spent all? You see here the most glorious of all Creatures, furnished with a rich stock, yet in a very little space proved Bankrupts, and lost all; Oh than what shall the godly man think of himself who hath not such strength of grace as they had; And besides they had no corruption or principle of Rebellion within them to betray them as we have: Who then is not compelled by this consideration to acknowledge the glorious right hand of God to uphold his Servants from falling every moment, for in that all the Angels did not fall as well as some, it is to be attributed to the mere confirming grace of God, therefore they are called the Elect Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. God did by his power graciously confirm them in what was good, and denied such help to those that revolted; Oh then let the Godly Soul pray fervently, Lord keep me daily; Adam, yea, the glorious Angels could not keep themselves, and shall I think myself secure?  
Secondly, Therefore need we the power of God to preserve us though furnished with inherent grace, because grace abiding in us is but a Creature that needeth help and support as well as other Creatures; Though Grace in us be the most glorious thing in the world, and the Image of God, yet being still a created being, it needeth preservation from God; So that as in our natural life we live, and breathe, and move in God, So it is much more in our Spiritual Life, So that as our grace because of the imperfection of it cannot justify us or save us, so neither from the weakness of it can it preserve, Grace is not God, neither hath it the power of God.  

Quest.  Obj And if you say, That actual help of grace whereby God keepeth us, that is but a Creature, and then that must need another help, and so in infinitum, as some Arminians urge.  

Answ.  I answer, Grace inherent in us is by way of a permanent principle abiding in us, and so needeth some to excite and quicken it, but this actual helping is by way of a transient principle, moving but not continuing, and so that doth not need a further help; This is like the sharpening of the edge of the tools; This is like the actual Ejaculation of the Sunbeams, which make Objects to be actually seen; Take heed then of magnifying grace too much within us, as in Popery, when it is made our Righteousness whereby we are justified before God, or when we judge this able of itself without further Auxiliaries of God to preserve us.  
Thirdly, Grace is necessary to keep us, Because while we are in this Life we are yet but in the way; We are not come to our Eternal home in Heaven where we shall be so confirmed that we shall not need such peculiar helps as now we do; We are here still in the way; Our Condition is compared to a warfare, to a Wrestling and fight: We are but in the race, we have not yet put on the Crown, and therefore Gods assisting grace is always necessary; One reason the Orthodox give why we are justified by imputed Righteousness and not inherent, why our inherent Righteousness is imperfect, though God could make it perfect, is because God thereby would make us humble and lowly in ourselves; But say the Adversaries, if we were perfectly holy there would be no danger of pride no more than there is in those that are glorified; To which it is answered, That suppose a man were made perfect in this Life, and were yet in viâ, not in termino; There would be as much danger of pride as there was in Adam and the Angels; The Saints therefore glorified they are made perfect, they are no more in the way; They have overcome, and so are made Pillars in the Temple of God, that never shall be removed; But it is not thus with the most holy man, he is yet fight, sighing, groaning, and so needs daily custody.  
Fourthly, If we do Consider those many Commands and Exhortations, not to be highminded, but fear, Rom. 11.20. To walk with fear and trembling, These argue a necessity of dependence upon God; The Apostle Rom. 11. bids a man take heed of boasting lest he fall, for thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee, Rom. 11.18 This is very pertinent, Thou dost not keep God to thee, but God keepeth thee to himself; The branch gives not juice to the Vine, but the Vine to the branch; The Arminians from such Exhortations would infer the Apostasy of Saints, but they are rather practical and powerful means whereby he doth preserve his people; By these admonitions to take heed of falling they are enabled to stand; Only by them we are advertised to look up unto God as being unable to establish ourselves.  
Fifthly, The remainder of corruption within the Godly, that is very active, and working proveth the necessity of God's gracious power; Paul Rom. 7. complaineth of the lively power of this Law of sin within him, and that at all times, and in all duties, even so far prevailing that it hindered him from doing the good he would; Now than if we have such a powerful Enemy within us, if from our own hearts would arise lusts to destroy us, who seeth not the necessity of Gods keeping of us? Alas, we live all the day in spiritual danger, our Souls may be betrayed every moment, Did not God therefore keep us we needed no Enemy to destroy us but ourselves.  
Sixthly, The malice and power of Satan continually assaulting of us proclaimeth the great necessity of God's power; He is the Tempter, and he is a roaring Lion to destroy; The Devils are the principalities in high places, and above all he is most set against the godly, as Luk. 22. Now who could be secure in the midst of so many Legions of devils, if God's arm did not always support us? would not Satan have possessed the heart of Peter, as much as he did Judas, had not God's power withstood him, his Temptations are so suitable, so subtly managed, so importunately urged, that it must be a power from above that can overcome them; They are called Satan's darts, and his fiery darts, to show how quickly and forcibly they can enter, Ephes. 6.16.  
Lastly, That God's gracious help is necessary every moment appeareth in the sad Fals and woeful decays of the truly Godly, which could never have been, had they not with Samson deprived themselves of their strength; how comes David in all that mire of Uncleanness and Murder, how comes he to be made indeed like one of the vile persons of the Earth, as once Michol falsely upbraided, but that God had withdrawn his present assistance, and whatsoever sins or Falls you read of in the Godly, it was because the Lord was not a present help to them in that Temptation, as when the Sun withdraweth his Light it must needs be dark, or his heat it must be cold.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, 
Use. Depend on God's gracious power only in thy way to heaven.  to live by a depending Faith upon God's gracious power only, in thy way to Heaven; The way is so straight, the oppositions so many, Thy corruption so great, that thou canst never come to the Journeys end unless God be with thee all the day long: Shall men in outward temporal difficulties say, as Jehosaphat did, O Lord, we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee, how much rather in all thy combats with sin, and endeavours after holiness, mayst thou cry out, O Lord, the work is so great, the dangers so many that I know not what to do; Woe be to me if the Lord let me alone to myself! Therefore as the Church resolved, so do thou lay hold on God, and do not let him go, Wrestle and strive with God, as Jacob, not letting him alone till he bless thee; Say as Moses, I will not go unless the Angel of thy presence go along with us, 
And take heed of these things  and that thou mayst do this take heed,  
First, Of presumption and self-confidence; They are the humble and self-debased whom God will help, When I am weak, then am I strong, 2 Cor. 12.10. Paul exhorteth Timothy to be a spiritual Soldier, and to get the heavenly armoury upon him, yet he must be strong in the power of the Lord, 2 Tim. 2.1. The like is said to all Christians, Ephes. 6.10. When Peter presumeth upon his own strength than God's assistance doth forsake him.  
Secondly, Take heed of wilful throwing thyself into the occasion of sin; For by this means thou temptest God whereby he forsakes thee; Thou wilt run into the flames, and yet expect God's power to keep thee, this is to tempt God, Peter will be in the High-Priests hall, and where wicked company is, and no wonder if it prove a Temptation to him, he that handleth pitch shall be defiled with it: He that cometh near an infected person may blame himself if the plague seize on him.  
Thirdly, Be thankful unto God for every daily assistance; Be much in praise and acknowledgement of this his gracious power, Unthankfulness makes God withdraw his mercy; how often hath God assisted thee both by preserving in what is good, and from what is evil, yet thou hast not called upon thy Soul and all within thee to bless his holy Name? Therefore thou shalt to thy woe find what a sad thing it is to be left to thy own self, and not to have his grace to help in time of need.  
The second Interpretation takes Name for the Knowledge of God and Faith in him, So that the sense is, Keep those thou hast given me, by Faith, as 1 Pet. 1.5. This is part of the meaning, and from thence we observe,  

Doct. That the people of God are kept to salvation through Faith.  Obs. That the people of God are kept to Salvation through Faith; Faith is a special Instrument to preserve us, We are not only justified, but sanctified and preserved through Faith; hence the Apostle John, calls faith our Victory over the world, 1 Joh. 5.4. And Eph. 6. when we are exhorted to put on the whole Armour of Christianity, he saith, Above all take the Shield of Faith, he giveth the preeminency to that.  

Consider these Propositions.  To open this Consider,  
1. That whatsoever privilege is attributed to Faith either in respect of Justification or Salvation, 
1. That whatsoever privilege is attributed to faith either in respect of justification or salvation it is not for any dignity in faith.  it's not for any merit or dignity in Faith; Therefore it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is through faith not for Faith, for if it were for Faith as a work, than the Apostle Rome 4. would not oppose working to believing, and the worker to a Believer, so that to put any confidence in our Believing, to trust in our trusting, is to give that to Faith which the Jews did to works, and in this sense not only those that seek to be justified by the Law or works fall from Christ, and make him to die in vain, but also those that set up Faith in this Consideration.  
2. Therefore though Faith be instrumental thus to our Conservation, yet Faith itself needeth Gods help as well as other Graces; 
2. Though faith be instrumental to our conservation, yet faith itself needeth Gods help as well as other graces.  We need his help to believe as well as to love God and arise from sin; Therefore though the power of God keeps us by Faith, yet it also keeps Faith, Vt nos custodiat per fidem, ipsam custodit fidem; We should fall from our Faith as well as other graces, did not God strengthen and confirm that, Only when that is established God by it doth preserve us in the exercise of other graces, so that being confirmed by God this confirmeth and establisheth us rather than other graces, and that in these particulars.  

Why faith confirmeth us rather than other graces.  Faith is that grace to which the promise of God's power is made preheminently; To him that believeth all things are possible, Mar. 9.23. So that as all the promises are yea and amen in Christ as the Foundation and meritorious cause, so they are yea and amen to Faith as instrumental; It's of Faith that the promise may be sure, Rome, 4.16. What promises then or deeds of gift God hath made over to his people; They are all made effectual to the believer; No Faith, no help, no assistance.  
2. Faith only receiveth into the Soul Christ who is the author and procurer of all strength; Paul saith, He can do all things through Christ that strengthens him, Phil. 4.13. But how shall we make Christ ours? How shall he come to dwell in us? The Apostle saith, By Faith, Eph. 3.12. So that herein Faith is greatly instrumental to keep us because it brings Christ with all his power into our soul, It deriveth all ability from him; It's not Faith but Christ by Faith received that doth thus enable; It was not Sampsons' hair the weakest part about him, but God's power, whereof that was a Symbol or sign that did confirm him; No wonder then if Faith be thus serviceable to preserve us; Seeing that by it Christ is wholly made ours, in whom all Fullness both of grace and power dwells.  
3. Faith doth instrumentally preserve us, in that it renounceth all our abilities, and carrieth out to God only; This Faith hath peculiar to its nature above all other graces, it emptieth a man of himself, it makes a man renounce whatsoever privilege and righteousness he may seem to have; Thus Phil. 3 Paul refuseth all privileges, accounts all gain loss in respect of Christ's Righteousness which is by Faith: As the Cripple cast his eye upon the Apostles, hoping to be healed, he had no thoughts of his own Sufficiency but their power only, So it is here; Faith makes a man cast his eye upon God, and look up to him only for ability; Oh then prize and nourish this grace of faith which doth so nullify thee and omnifie God.  
4. Faith is serviceable to keep us by improving and making effectual those instituted means appointed by God for to preserve us, Such is the Ministry of the Word preached, etc. These are ordained by God to keep a man in holiness; Those that think they are above these, and can be kept without them, Let them think as well that they can live without food: But how come these iustituted means of grace to be effectual in us, the Scripture attributes it to believing; The Word did not profit when it was not mixed with faith, Heb. 4.6. So that as the Word preached is used by God to beget Faith in us at first, so afterwards Faith doth improve the means of grace for all increase; If therefore we would expect to have the Ministry and the holy means of grace to keep us in the way to heaven, it must be faith that makes all these profitable.  
5. Faith is a means to preserve us, because by that the devil who doth most solicit our undoing is repelled; No grace but Faith doth so immediately and formally repel him, Whom resist steadfast in the Faith, 1 Pet. 5 9 And by Faith we overcome the wicked one, for Faith is not strong with its own strength, and therefore it must needs overcome the devil, as David overcame Goliath, not by his own valour but in the Name of the Lord.  
6. Faith is therefore helpful to our preservation because in some sense it stirreth up and acts all other graces; What the Papists say of Charity that it is the assistant form of all other graces, we may say of Faith, That it doth direct, act, and stir up all other graces to work; Therefore faith is said to work by love, Gal. 5.6. Thus it works by patience, it works by repentance; Therefore Heb. 11. all the glorious achievements that those Worthies wrought are attributed to Faith: Thus we see how many several ways faith helpeth to keep us.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, above all keep to keep faith up; The Just is to live by faith, and we are to walk by faith, and all the while we do so we stand immovable upon a Rock; If thou growest secure or revolting, if thou beginnest to decay all is because thy faith weakens; The streams must dry up when the Fountain doth; If the branches whither there is some defect in the Root.  
Use 2. of Instruction, That it's no wonder if wicked men grow worse and worse, if they stumble, and fall, and never rise more, if they become like the Blackmore and Leopard that cannot change their skins, for they have no true lively faith in God, and so have not whereby to be stayed up: Till God make a wonderful change in them expect no other, but he that is filthy will be more filthy still.   

SERMON LVIII. The Greatness of the Mercy of being kept sound in the Truth: And the Damnableness of Error demonstrated.  JOHN 17.11. Keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me. 
WE are now come to the last Interpretation, which is part of the complete sense here intended, in this phrase, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that is, to take Name for that pure and sound Doctrine, whereby God in a saving manner is known. Thus Name is used at the 6th verse, I have manifested thy Name, which is explained by the word, they had kept. And then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is taken properly, Keep in thy Name, in thy Truth and Word, which I have manifested to them. For there is a twofold keeping of God's Word, Obedientially, by conforming our lives to it; and Doctrinally, by preserving the truth of it; In this sense Timothy is exhorted to keep (2 Tim. 1.14.) the good thing committed to his trust, gold he hath received, he must look this be not debased by erroneous dross. Observe,  

Observe. That its a special mercy to be kept in the truth, and pure faith we have received.  That it's a special mercy to be kept in the truth and pure faith we have received. Faith and Unity our Saviour prayeth for, agreement in error is not true peace, and faith without Unity will like a live-coal quickly die of itself alone. In these times of Errors and Heresies this Doctrine hath more than ordinary usefulness in it, and therefore diligently attend to the grounds, why it's a special mercy to be kept sound in the faith, and that we are more to rejoice that our souls are kept from deceitful errors, than our bodies from infectious diseases. And  

Grounds proving it to be such a special mercy.  First, It's a special mercy, because of the frequent and diligent Exhortations given to all, that they fall not from the truth, that they make not shipwreck of their faith, 2 Pet. 3.17. The Apostle having spoken before, that some wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, he bids even the godly beware; a word used in matter of great concernment, 
I. Because of the frequent and diligent exhortations given to all, that they fall not from the truth.  and where there is great danger, lest they also be lead aside; Therefore error is not the way to Heaven, and the Error of the wicked it is called; Wickedness is showed in corrupt Doctrines, as well as in profane lives, (so as to fall from their steadfastness) if you begin to shake, to doubt, it's a sin, we must not fall from our steadfastness: There is a notable place also Judas vers. 3. when the Apostle gave himself diligently to write of salvation, what doth he pitch upon, to strive for the true Faith, and he doth not barely write, but exhorts, his affections as well as his judgement, are set on work, and it's not simply to believe or keep the faith, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be in an agony, as they that are in a fight or race; The faith should be as dear to us as our lives, and the word implies a difficulty to keep it, because of violent enemies to take away this live child, and put a dead one in the room: Lastly you have the character of this faith, it was once delivered, so that new Revelations are not to be expected; But we are to inquire, What was once delivered? Thus you see, a Christian must not be cold and lukewarm in the truths of God, but he must with all his soul employ himself about it.  
Secondly, True Doctrine is a special mercy, 
2. Because one main end of the Scripture, is to inform and keep us therein.  because one main end of the Scripture is to inform and keep us therein. As God made the Sun a fountain of all light, and the Stars shine with a borrowed light from it; so hath God put all spiritual light into the Scriptures, and with this Sun both Pastor and people are to be clothed. The Scripture is not only a rule of our life, but of our faith principally, 2 Tim. 3.16. The Apostle there reckoning up the admirable use, and end of the Scriptures, puts this in the first place, That it is profitable for Doctrine; How then dare a man say, it's no matter what Religion I am of, all the doctrinal Disputes are but Scholastical Subtleties? Is not this to blaspheme the perfection of the Scripture? and is it not horrible ingratitude to God, who giveth his Church the Scriptures, as the most glorious Jewel it can enjoy? This was the Jews privilege, to them were committed the Oracles of God, Rom. 9  
Thirdly, It's a special mercy to be kept in the truth, because the Lord hath appointed Officers in the Church, for this end among others, 
3. Because the Lord hath appointed Officers in the Church for this end among others, to preserve the truth.  to preserve and propagate the truth. If it be then of such esteem with God, ought it not to be also with us? And wherein doth God's regard to his truth more appear, than in ordaining Officers in his Church, whose main work and employment should be to disseminate this pure seed wheresoever they come, Ephes. 4.14? There we have Offices given to the Church, and one end is, that believers be not tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine: And though Timothy, as some expound that place had prophecies concerning him, what a glorious instrument he would be in the Church of God, yet Paul doth again and again exhort him to keep the same doctrine he had delivered to him, (1 Tim. 9.20.) O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thee; That compellation is insinuating, and argueth much affection in Paul, and there is a reason even in the very expression of faith, he calls it depositum, as Aristotle observeth; it's a greater sin to imbezil, or alter that, than any thing we have borrowed, because this is committed to our Justice; but a depositum to our faithfulness. The Depositor doth rest upon us as trusty men; So that by this all the Ministers of God are to be awakened, Christian faith and doctrine is committed to you, as the preservers of it; The Priest's lips are to preserve knowledge, and the people are to require it at their hands. The Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14. as if verbum sapienti sat est, were not true in this matter, doth again remind him, to keep the good thing committed to him; See with what esteem he speaks of the true Doctrine, and this is to be done by the holy Ghost. The matter is so great, that unless the Spirit of God enable us, besides all our study and learning we are not able to keep it; yea a Deacon must not be ordained, unless he hold fast the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, 1 Tim. 3.9. Oh then, let none have low thoughts about that, which God hath appointed an Office for, and therefore given them the titles of the light and salt, and nihil est sole sale utilius.  
Fourthly, It's of special consequence to be preserved in the pure faith, 
4. Because the more godly & endeared any are to God, this privilege they shall have to be kept in the truth, at least so as not damnably to err.  because the more godly and endeared any are to God, this privilege they shall have to be kept in the truth, at least so as not damnably to err. Insomuch that a sound judgement in Religion, will distinguish a godly man, as well as an unblameable life. Mat. 24. Our Saviour speaking of false prophets, with what powerful pretences they should prevail, saith, If it were possible, they should deceive the very elect; If it were possible: You see by this, that there are such false ways in Religion, that are inconsistent with salvation; and therefore the elect man shall not fall into them, no more than into gross and abominable sins, viz. so as totally to lose Heaven and salvation. Yea John 10. our Saviour describes his sheep and goats, not by their lives, but by their attending to the true Doctrine, My sheep hear my voice, and a stranger they will not hear, yea they will flee from him, vers. 5. So that a godly man doth hang his godliness about his intellectuals, as well as morals; He is not only to consider, Am I diligent in prayer? Do I walk conscionably in my ways? But am I also a lover and prizer of the true Doctrine of Christ?  

5. Because that is the foundation and necessary pre-requisite to holiness.  Fifthly, It's of great moment to be preserved in the pure Doctrine, because that is the foundation and necessary pre-requisite to holiness. The will can never apprehend that which is bonum, if the understanding do not first show, what is the true good: The apprehensive faculty must guide the appetitive, If the eye be dark, the whole body is (as our Saviour afterwards prayeth) Sanctify them by thy truth, thy Word is truth. God's truth is only instrumental to holiness; Errors can no more nourish spiritual life, than chaff or stubble, yea or poison can nourish a man bodily: For as false Sacraments (such as the Popish) cannot increase grace, because they have neither institution or promise; so is it also for errors; and therefore the same persons that had thrust away a good conscience, they could not endure or abide it, the same made shipwreck of their faith, they put it away, 1 Tim. 1.19. They had some good conscience once (though not truly sanctified) but this they repel, they do not love it any more, it's against their interests, their worldly advantages, their lusts and carnal affections; Can we then have too precious thoughts of God's truths, seeing they only are blessed to a man's true godliness?  

6. Because of the proneness that is in men to be lead aside by errors.  Sixthly, It's a mercy to be kept in the truth, because of the proveness and readiness that is in men to be lead aside by errors. Gal. 2. I wonder you are so soon carried away, so soon; Let there come a false teacher, and he can quickly do more hurt, and pervert men's minds then the Apostle Paul could do good. Wonder not, if you see some seducer come to a Town, and in a moment corrupt men's minds, and make them his Disciples, and so overthrow that building which a faithful Minister hath been many years building up, you see it was of old so, Paul, though an Apostle, neither by man, nor of man, yet found it so; and at another time he complaineth, how ready they were to become even slaves to false-teachers; they might abuse and domineer over them, you suffer if a man buffet you, etc. only the true Apostles they could not bear them. We see then, why it is that a goodly field may suddenly be overrun with tares, a hopeful Church, the body of Christ, be all over with a Gangrene, and made deformed. There is a proneness in a man to err in his judgement, as well as in his life. Happy then is he whom God keeps.  

7. Errors of judgement are damnable as well as sinful practices.  Seventhly, Errors of judgement are damnable, as well as sinful practices. It's true, some errors are fundamental, some superstructive only, and so one kind is not as damnable as another; but thus it is in Saints also, some are compared to a gnat, some to a Camel; but as we say of the least sin, it deserveth hell, so of the least error; for as no sin is in itself little, because God is not a little, but infinite God; so no error is in itself little, because it's against the same glorious God. Hence Gal. 5. Heresies are reckoned as the fruit of the flesh among other gross sins; and can there be more terrible words spoken against any sort of wicked men, than the Apostle Peter doth (2 Pet. 2.1.) thunder out against some false Teachers, that should privily bring in damnable heresies, whose damnation sleepeth not. Oh then tremble to lose thy soul among errors, as well as sins! For the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. saith, Ignorant men wrest the Scriptures to their destruction; Damnation is in perverting of Scripture; yea 1 Cor. 3. we see there that even hay and stubble, errors of a lighter nature, make the salvation of a man difficult, he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Austin and Syrinensis distinguish between the Haeretici and Credentes haereticis, the seducers and seduced; The former are in a condition more exposed to vengeance then the latter; howsoever errors in Religion, as well as corrupt practices tend to hell. Austin questioned who was worse, a Christian believing truly, but living wickedly, or an heretic living unblamably, but believing unsoundly, Non audeo dicere, I dare not determine it. But Salvian a pious ancient Writer, inveighs more against the profane Christian, and as for the unblameable heretic, Errand (saith he) sed piè errand, haeretici sunt, sed tibi, non sibi; and thus Bernard reckoning up the three little ages of the Church, the first under persecutions; the second under heresies; the third under corrupt manners, makes this latter the more bitter: But we cannot absolutely pronounce which of these two is the worse in some respects one exceeding the other.  
Eighthly, It's a blessed thing to be kept in the truth, 
8. Because of those heavy censures the Scripture inflicts upon heretical persons.  because of that heavy censure, the Scripture inflicts upon heretical persons to avoid them, to turn from them, not to bid them, Godspeed, John 2. They must not receive such into their house, or have any familiarity with them, and they are to avoid an heretic, yea the Apostle would have us hold such accursed, though they were Angels or Apostles themselves, and Gal. 1. The same reason, viz. a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, which is brought as a ground to cast out the incestuous person, is also applied to a corrupt doctrine. The zeal and detestation then which ought to be in all the godly against heresies argueth the greatness of the mercy, if kept from them.  
Ninthly, 
9 The more noble the subject is in which any habit or perfection doth consist, the more noble is that perfection.  The more noble the subject is in which any habit or perfection doth consist, the more noble is that perfection. Now a sound faith and true Doctrine is seated in the mind and understanding, which is like the eye, and the Sun in a man: So that if the mind be corrupted, all is corrupted, and such are more incurable than profane men, because they have laesum principium, they account their error truth, they believe a lie, and then who can heal them?  
Tenthly, God's command is laid upon us to believe the true Doctrine, as well as obey the holy command, both are indispensable. The same God that saith, Thou shalt not commit adultery, saith also Believe this and that Doctrine revealed. God hath laid a command upon the mind to believe, as well as the heart to obey. 
10. God's command is laid upon us to believe the true Doctrine, as well as obey the holy command.   
Use of Exhortation to the people of God, to take heed of erroneous opinions, as well as sinful practices. The one are damnable, are the fruits of the flesh, and provoke God as well as the other; let thy heart be equally bend both against heresies and profaneness. Nothing should be dearer to thee then God's truth. Did not the Martyrs burn at the stake merely for sound Doctrine? Did not Christ say, For this end I came into the world to bear witness to the truth? And know those errors thou hast been lead aside with, when once truly enlightened, will be bitter and sharp thorns in thy side, Jam. 1.19, 20.   

SERMON LIX. That it's a special Mercy for the Ministers of the Gospel to agree in one; Wherein their Unity should be, And the Reasons of the Differences that are among them.  JOH. 17.11. That they may be one, as thou and I are one. 
WE have considered the matter of Christ's Prayer, Let us proceed to the End of it in these Words, That they may be one; Some indeed say that this relateth to the manner of Gods keeping of them, as if it were a specification of that which would keep them; If they agree in love among themselves they are sure to be preserved, but we take it rather for a distinct mercy, that as he had prayed for their sound faith, so now for their Union and love.  
We may Consider the Disciples under a twofold Relation.  
1. Common, as believers and disciples, and so with others given of God to Christ, and thus the Unity of Believers among themselves is a precious mercy; But because he prayeth for this at vers. 21. I shall pass by that Consideration.  
In the second place the Apostles may be considered strictly and particularly, as men in office, as those who were appointed to preach the Gospel, and so our Saviour prayeth for their Unity in this Consideration.  
It is of infinite consequence that the Ministers of the Gospel should agree among themselves, for when they are divided the people must be divided; If the pilate's in a Ship disagree the Ship must necessarily sink; So that our Saviour knowing the devices of Satan to set Apostle against Apostle, Pastor against Pastor, he therefore prayeth for their Unity in this Ministerial Office and employment, and the expression is observable, he saith not, that they may be united, but be one, and that according to the highest example of all unity, the Father and the Son: Luther thinketh the Substantive answering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one mystical body, but we rather take it of their Office and Ministerial Employment, as 1 Cor 3.8. The Apostle arguing against Church-divisions, by setting up several Officers one against another, saith, He that planteth, and he that watereth are one, 
Doct. It is a special mercy for Ministers of the Gospel to agree in one.  They all have the same end, and all have one general employment, viz. the conversion of men to God.  
Obs. That it's a special mercy when the Ministers of the Gospel agree in one; Nothing is so terrible to the Church's adversaries as their Pastor's Unity; This was the Reason, say some, why our Saviour chose Apostles, that for the most part were of kindred one to another, that so their love might be the more Inviolably preserved; This Counsel also our Saviour gave the Disciples, Have Salt in yourselves, and peace one with another, Mark 9.50. Have Salt, i. e. Season the world and one another with grace, but lest this Salt should bite and smart too much, he addeth, and have peace with one anooher: Thus peace and love is of so great concernment that Joh. 14.20. He leaveth only peace with them as a Legacy, My peace I leave with you, my Peace I give to you, and Cap. 15. Cap. 13, 14. He calls this the New Commandment he layeth upon them to love one another; yea, he makes this a Character of their Discipleship, not if they cast out devils or work miracles, but if they love one another.  
To open this Doctrine Consider,  
1. That such is the corruption of the best men, and Satan is ready to bl●w up tho sparks immediately, that there have been contentions and differences amongst the most eminent pillars in the Church: Twice we teade of the Disciples contentions amongst themselves concerning primacy and a preferment above one another: Afterwards the Scripture tells us of a Paroxysm, a sharp controversy between Paul and Barnabas, Act. 15. yet Paul and Peter they have an hot contest, and that in a religious Point of practice: Now if the Sun and Moon meet in such an opposition, there must needs be an Eclipse in the Church: And if we descend to Ecclesiastical Histories, we shall find as bloody pens against one another as the devouring Sword in civil affairs: That which Cyprian complained, Madet orbis Christianus mutuo sanguine & quod cum privati fecerint, homicidium dicitur, cum publicè geritur virtus vocatur, is true of Ecclesiastical contentions; The Christian Church is divided, and subdivided against itself, and that which if done in private causes would be called malice and revenge in religious affairs is called zeal and courage for God's glory: At that famous first Council of Nice when Constantine called the Bishops together for to end Religious Controversies instead of this, they had prepared mutual Libels and accusations one against another, which Constantine perceiving took the Papers, rend them in pieces and burned them before their faces, gravely exhorting to peace and unanimity; It would be long to relate of the passionate contentions between Jerome and Austin, between Epiphanius and chrysostom, who upon their parting did strangely threaten one another with that which came to pass; Epiphanius told chrysostom he should not die a Bishop, and this proved true, for he was ejected and died in banishment, chrysostom threatened Epiphanius, he should not die in his own Country, and this also fell out, for he died in his Voyage ere he got home, and who can with heart tender enough speak of the many oppositions and divisions between Calvinists and Lutherans, and others of the Reformed Church, by all which we see the necessity of Christ's Prayer for Unity; There being such corruptions in our hearts and Satan so busy to make differences and dissensions, That though Legions of Devils can agree to be in one man, yet he will not suffer two Doctors to agree in one Church.  
2. The Unity that the Officers of God's Church ought to have consists in these things, 
The Unity that Church-Officers ought to have.   
1. Unity of Faith, That they believe the same doctrine, called therefore Eph. 4 5. One Faith. And 1 Cor. 3. There is no other Foundation but one even the Lord Christ; And indeed this must be the ground of all other Unity, when the Papists would make Unity a note of the true Church; We say Unity without true Doctrine is but a Faction, a Conspiracy; The Turks have Unity, The Jews have Unity, but yet because they have not the true Doctrine, it's not true peace and concord; So that true Doctrine, that is, the Soul, the fountain and the root of all.  
2. A second Unity is in the same Confession and acknowledgement of Faith, and that in the sam● words, and truly this is very desirable not only to hold the same doctrinal Points, but the same words also, for new words bring in new Doctrines: Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 pressing for Unity, doth not only exhort them to be of the same mind and judgement, but to speak the same thing, 2 Tim. 1.13. Timothy is exhorted to hold fast the form of sound words; Though they be but words and a Form, yet he must hold them fast, and this made the ancient Church so tenacious of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because by that all heretical Opinions were excluded; It's a remarkable expression, Luk. 1. God is said to speak by the month of all the holy Prophets; Though they were many yet it's mouth not mouths, They had all but one mouth, and spoke the same thing; Thus it ought to be but one mouth of all the Ministers of the Gospel to believe, We are to know what all Teacheth by what one Teacheth.  
3. There must be Unity of affection and hearts, as Act. 1. In the beginning of the Churches increase their Unity of affection is greatly commended, ver. 14. They continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; So also Act. 2.1.46. especially Act. 4.32. The multitude of Believers were of one heart and of one soul; Though a multitude, yet they had but one soul, one heart;  
Thus you see what kind of Unity there ought to be among the Ministers of the Gospel.  

Grounds why it is such a mercy to have Unity among Church-Officers.  In the next place let us Consider the Grounds why it's such a mercy to have Unity amongst Church-Officers.  
1. Because fortitude and strength is in Unity, Vis unita fortior, A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, saith our Saviour; When one piece of the Wall divides from the other it foretells ruin; As that Heathen to his Sons, giving them a Quiver of Arrows, intimating thereby as long as they agreed they were invincible: All the united power of the Church is little enough against their common enemies, and shall they weaken themselves.  
2. As Unity strengthens, so it opposeth the Enemy more successfully, which is the devil and all his Instruments; What is there that the Popish adversary doth more insult with, then to upbraid with the divers Sects that are among the Protestants, for although we can retort and tell them of their divisions, and that in fundamental Points, yet it is our shame and grief that such a charge is in some measure true, though not in that height the Adversaries do revile, for none of the Reformed differ in Fundamentals; As for the Socinians though they do vehemently oppose Popery, yet we take not them to be of the Reformed Church, who overthrow the Foundations of our Christian Religion; But this is certain, The Protestant differences give advantage to the Papists, thereby they gain upon unsettled persons; Look you, say they, they have no certainty among themselves, They know not where to stay, The Lutheran spirit judgeth the calvinistical, diabolical; And thus unconstant, inconsiderate persons look upon this as a great Argument against the Truth, whereas even in the Apostles times the Church of God had sad divisions amongst themselves, as 1 Cor. 3. Oh then let us bewail the corruption of the best, that they should be so far transported with passion as to neglect the Truths of God by giving advantage to the common adversary.  
3. Unity is of great consequence amongst the Ministers of the Gospel, because their divisions breed divisions amongst the people; The differences of Teachers breed irreconcilable distractions amongst people, as if the Heavens should be confused in their motions, it would distract and destroy sublunary things: We see in the Church of Corinth, when the Teachers were divided, what divisions also were there amongst the people, some for Paul, and some for Apollo.  
4. Pray to God for Unity among Church-Officers, because their Controversies bring a main neglect of the chief work of their Ministry, which is to come out and to build up souls in heaven's way: This is the end why God hath called us, now when we fall out with one another, and set up Opinion against Opinion; The work of the Ministry is much retarded: Hence the Apostle enjoineth Timothy to fly such disputations and quarrelings as are unprofitable, because they fret away godliness, and are like thorns and nettles among the Corn, hindering the growth thereof.  
5. Unity is to be desired, because this agreeth with their office and call; They preach the Gospel of peace, and God is the God of peace, Christ is the Prince of peace, and Col. 3. he is our peace reconciling all things; Why then should the Ministers tongue be a tongue of war, as if they were Priests to Bellona, rather than the Ministers of the Gospel, So that if all these grounds be considered we may well pray with our Saviour, Lord make the Ministers of the Gospel as one man, for divisions (as Jerom said) are amicorum dispendia, inimicorum compendia, and publica divinae irae incendia.  
In the next place, what are the Causes (you may say) that may make the Ministers of the Gospel thus to descent  
And 1. In the general It's corruption and sin which lurketh in the hearts of all, So that it's more to be wished for then expected, for to have Jerusalem a City compact within itself; Never expect in this world to see such a time wherein the Ministers of the Gospel shall have one Faith, one heart, one mouth; This is reserved for Heaven, where there will be no difference of Calvinists and Lutherans, of several forms of Church-government: The Church of God hath always been on fire, only as when an house is on fire, some cry for water, some for Ladders, some to pull down the House, so some have cried for more moderate means, some for fierce and vehement.  
2. Corrupt affections of pride, ambition, and covetousness; These things are charged upon the false Teachers by the Apostles; Diotrephes he loved to have pre-eminence; Others accounted gain godliness, and had their hearts exercised with covetous practices; There was no heretic ever proved a firebrand in the Church, but one of these causes for the most part moved him, which made Austin put it in the definition of an heretic, that he did alicujus temporalis commodi causâ, either invent or propagate false Opinions, But of Unity more when we come to the following Verses.  
Use of Exhortation, to follow Christ in this Prayer, give the great God of heaven no rest by prayer till he hath given rest to his Church and the guides thereof; Cry out as the Disciples did to Christ, to rebuke the winds and tempests, for the Ship we are in s●is●nking; These divisions are not only sins but sad prognostics of God's wrath, as if he had a purpose to unchurch us, and to make us no more his people, as he did to the Churches in Asia.   

SERMON LX. The great Pattern of Unity; The Nature and Properties of the Unity that is between God the Father, and the Son, against the Socinians. That the Ministers of God should endeavour after a perfect Unity, even to be One, as the Father and Son are. Also some Rules guiding thereunto.  JOHN 17.11. That they may be One, as Thou and I are. 
WE are now come to the close of the Prayer, which containeth the Example or Pattern of that Unity Christ prayeth for. It's not for every kind of Unity he prayeth for, but he would have them imitate that Unity which is most absolute and complete, even the Unity of the Father and the Son.  
Before we raise the Doctrine, this particular must be vindicated: For the Arians and Socinians think this a pregnant place to overthrow the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all nature of the Father and the Son. That therefore here cannot be meant an essential Unity. Thus they argue, 

Such an Unity the Father and Christ have, as the Disciples are prayed for to have:  
But that is a Unity and Concord and Agreement, not of Essence:  
Therefore Christ and the Father are not Essentially One.    
This seemeth to be very specious and plausible. But  
First, Grant that we should interpret the Oneness spoken of in the Text of consent in Will and Agreement, as Calvin doth, yet it doth not follow, that other places speaking of their Oneness should be also understood in the same manner, yea from the Oneness of Will between the Father and Son, is necessarily inferred the Oneness of their nature: So that although we should understand this principally of Unity in accord, yet by consequence it would prove Unity of Nature; for in free Agents, where there is the same will, there there is also the same nature; where there is the same humane will, there is the same humane nature; and where is the same divine will, there is the same divine nature, indeed with men it's the same specifical nature, not numerical; but because there is one God only, therefore it must be the same numerical nature.  
But in the second place, We are to take the Unity of the Father and the Son, in as large a sense (at least not to exclude it) as in other places it is. Now in other places, especially John 10.30. there we have undeniable Arguments to prove it is an Essential Unity, I and my Father are One. Bellarmine, though otherwise a Papist, yet in this point against the Arians, is Orthodox, and doth strongly maintain the truth against them. Now these three Arguments he brings, That the Unity spoken of in that verse, is Essential.  
First, Because otherwise our Saviour's Argument there mentioned would be insufficient; for thus Christ argueth, None can pluck my sheep out of my hands, because none can pluck them out of my Father's hands: Why doth this follow? Because I and my Father are one. So then, if Christ and the Father had not one power, and so one Divine Nature, the Argument would not hold.  
A second Reason is, Because the Jews did understand him in this sense, and therefore they took up stones to stone him; and mark the reason, vers. 33. Because thou being a man, makest thyself God. If our Saviour had meant no more, than Unity of Agreement with Gods will. The Jews knew that every godly man had the love of God in this sense written in his heart. Therefore they could not think that blasphemy. They did not think that David made himself a God, when he delighted in the Law of God, making his will to accord with Gods.  
Thirdly, Because our Saviour upon this accusation, doth not deny the thing, or charge them with falsehood, but further proveth it, Because he doth the works of the Father, therefore he bids them believe his works, if they will not believe him, which are to make them know that the Father is in him, and he in the Father; upon which words its said again, vers. 39 They sought again to take him, implying, he had not corrected, but confirmed that more, which they called blasphemy.  
In the third place, Though our Saviour prayeth the Disciples may be One, as he and the Father are; yet their Argument will not hold, unless they can show, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as) is always used as a note of equality, and not similitude only; but we can show the contrary in Scripture, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for similitude, not equality, Luke 6.36. Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful: There it's a note of similitude only, for how can a drop be equal to the Ocean? So 1 John 3.2. He that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure; Here it must be a note of similitude, for none can be equal to God in purity; and thus here in the Text, endeavour to be One, as the Father and the Son, not that you can equalise it, but propound that absolute and perfect Rule to follow: Insomuch that if this place be well considered, it makes against all Arians, and so is pro testimonio fidei, which they perverted in argumentum perfidiae; and Austin's observation is not to be neglected; Christ saith, he prayeth, that they may be One as we are; he doth not say, that they may be One with us, or that they and we may be One, as we are One, but that they may be One, as we are One. What more may be said upon this, is to be spoken unto vers. 21. 
Observe. The Ministers of God must endeavour after the most perfect Unity. Even to be one as the Father and Son are.  Observe,  
That it's not enough for the Ministers of the Gospel to be one, but they are to endeavour after the most perfect Unity, to be One as the Father and Son are. Oh this consideration should make us blush and ashamed to see the contentions and differences that are! Did the Father and the Son, ever show such discord! We should never take our eyes off this pattern.  
Let us but consider in how many respects we are to aim at such a Unity as is between them. 
1. The Unity between the Father & Son is a spiritual union.   
First, The Unity between the Father and the Son is a spiritual Unity: Insomuch that some have called the Spirit of God, the holy bond of the Trinity; It's not a carnal, bodily Unity, but spiritual; and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to be, though they be of the same nature, of the same flesh and blood, yet if they have not the same spirit composing and sanctifying of them, they will be like ropes of sand; This the Apostle urgeth admirably, 1 Cor. 12. 4, etc. and vers. 13. where enumerating the several gifts and operations of God's Spirit, he still addeth, It's the same Spirit, and by one Spirit, we are all baptised in the same bond. This than ought to be our Unity, the holy Spirit of God is to move, work and guide all our hearts and affections. As it's the same Soul that informeth all the parts of the body, or as some Philosophers said, There was one intellectus agens, that was universal to all men. There may be agreement for civil and political considerations, but this will never hold, till there be a spiritual Unity. As Tully observed, That all friendship founded upon bonum utile, or jucundum, would never endure, unless they added bonum honestum; We may add further, Even that moral honest good, is not ground enough, unless it be bonum spirituale; If then the Spirit of God did work, the same measure of illumination and sanctification in all, there would not be any disagreement; but though all godly men have the same Spirit, yet not the same gifts or graces, or degree of graces, and for want of this cometh contention.  

2. It's constant and individed.  Secondly, The Unity between Father and Son is constant and individed. There can never be a separation between them. The Father and Son were always one, though the manifestation of this is more, under the Gospel-light, than it was under the Law; and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to agree constantly, perpetually; for if at any time contention breaketh forth, it proveth like a dead fly in a box of ointment, it makes all the other good they have to be ill spoken of; Let them never be so learned, so godly, so zealous, yet discord will scandalise all; and this constancy of Unity is to be preserved against all outward or inward causes of difference; outward is the persecution and opposition of enemies to the Church of God; inward is from our own corruptions and distempers. Against both these we are to watch, that so our peace be not weakened.  

3. An holy unity.  Thirdly, The Unity of the Father and the Son is an holy Unity. They are one in that which is holy and heavenly; They only will what is good, and the Sun may sooner become a dunghill, than they will what is evil; such an Unity let the Ministers of God endeavour after. An unity in error, an unity in mischief and wickedness, is such an unity as the devils have amongst themselves: That unity amongst Papists, which they boast of, is it not like the unity of Herod and Pilate, both agreeing against Christ?  

4. Full of love to mankind.  Fourthly, The Unity of the Father and Son, is full of love and bowels to mankind. They both are one in this, to procure the salvation of believers: The Father he wils to send his only begotten Son, to die that reproachful death, and to be an atonement for man's sins; The Son doth voluntarily and readily undertake this bitter cup, than they are one to procure the salvation of man; If the Father and the Son had disagreed, no salvation had been possible: Oh than that the Ministers of the Gospel would make this use of their Unity, that they might all as one man endeavour the conversion and edification of souls! How happy would it be to lay all differences and disputes aside, that they might bring people to the saving knowledge of God? What a spur should this be to us? Shall the Father not think his Son too dear? Shall the Son not think his blood too dear for men's souls, and shall we ruin souls by contentions? Do we not take the devils work then upon us, and not Christ's?  
Fifthly, The Unity of Father and Son is a well-ordered Unity. Though there be a Unity of Nature, yet this breedeth not a confusion of the Persons: The Father is the Father, 
5. A well-ordered unity.  and the Son is the Son; for all this Unity, they are not unus, though they he unum, and thus the unity amongst God's Ministers, and the people must not degenerate into confusion; The difference between shepherd and sheep, between Governors and governed in the Church must be maintained; When the Devil cannot divide, then on the contrary he would bring unity into confusion; The difference of gifts and offices shall not be kept up, as Corah and his Company told Aaron, They took too much upon them, all the Congregation was holy as well as they: But the Apostle though he press unity fervently, and that because we are one body, yet he showeth a difference between the members in that body, every member is not the eye; so neither is every one a Preacher, an Officer in the Church. This unity ends in all schism and disorder at last.  
Lastly, The Unity of the Father and the Son is most perfect and absolute. 
6. Most perfect and absolute.  It's an essential Unity, and although we cannot have this Unity, yet this should teach us to a●m at the highest degree of unity we can, not to suffer the least grudging and repining thoughts, not the least proud or envious thought against one another, to love more than father or children, than husband or wife, or any kind of relation that causeth unity, for they are but one flesh This calleth for an higher unity. We have heard the duty and necessity of unity, as also the causes that break it, what good remedies may be prescribed to keep this excellent harmony. Although I shall not launch into this whole point, deferring it, till vers. 21. yet I shall name some,  
First, We are earnestly to pray to God, to bestow such a spirit of concord. 
Means to be used to get and keep this unity  It's not the industry or policy of all the Conciliators, Moderators and Pacificators in the world, to bring this about, but God only can bend men's hearts for it. Hence we see our Saviour praying to the Father for this agreement, and God is called, The God of peace, because he only can make it in the Church and State. It's from God's anger and wrath, when an evil contentious spirit is amongst the Prophets, as well as when he sends a lying spirit amongst them, when the Temple was to be destroyed, the rending of it was a prognostique of the desolation thereof; and when God will unchurch a Church, and make a Garden a Wilderness, commonly divisions are the antecedent causes of it.  
A second Rule is, To rejoice in the parts and gifts of others, as much as our own, when God is glorified by them, and to be compassionately affected in the weaknesses and failings of others. These two are necessarily joined together, and they are able to cement, and unite all differences. The former is to rejoice in other men's gifts, and abilities with that success accompanying them, as if they were our own. As we see John did, John's Disciples came with an envious spirit against Christ, and said, All men run after him. This was enough to leaven and sour John's heart, but see his excellent temper, I must decrease, and he must increase, John 3.30. he was willing that Christ's light and glory should be exalted, though it darkened and obscured his. This is a good Reconciler, and the latter is a tender forbearing of one another, and suffering of one another's weaknesses, and a proneness to forgive others rashness, if the stones of Jerusalem were thus polished and smoothed, they would lie even and firm together.  
A third Rule is, Love to the public good of the Church, if this did reign in our hearts, it would compose all differences. The true mother's bowels would not suffer her to have the child divided. It must be selfish revenge that shall make two enemies desire to see the ship sink in which they are, rather than they will agree to preserve it. What self-denial was that in Jonah, to give himself up to destruction, rather than have the whole ship endangered: Every one ought to say, If I be the Jonah, cast me out. Among the Romans they had a Temple dedicated Jovi depositorio, because there they would go and lay aside their mutual contentions before they entered into the Senate-house. What a shame is it when many Heathens have laid aside their mutual quarrels for the common good, and shall not the Ministers of the Gospel much more for the Church's safety?  
A fourth Rule is, Not to charge such consequences upon one another's doctrine, that are not natural, and which they do abhor. This in doctrinal disputes hath been oil to the flame. The Lutherans charge upon the Calvinists Doctrines about Predestination, That they make God the autheur of sin, that they make him cruel and unjust, worse than Pharaoh, that commanded brick, but gave no straw; yea, cruel like Nero, who, having a mind to put a vestal Virgin to death, caused her to be ravished, and then put her to death, because she was ravished. But the Calvinists detest and abhor all such consequences, and if they did see such conclusions did follow necessarily from their Doctrines, they would publicly abjure them, some gathered from Paul's preaching of freegrace, that therefore men might sin that grace might abound; but Paul crieth, God forbid at this, and saith, The damnation of such Logicians is just, Rom. 3.18.  
Lastly, So far as men do agree with us in the fundamentals, let them retain peace and concord. The Apostle thus exhorts Phil. 3.16. Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. It hath been God's mercy that the Protestant Churches, though differing in many opinions, yet do not descent in fundamentals, For as for the Socinians I do not reckon them among the Protestants, yea some place them not amongst Christians; but as for other, they keep the same foundation, though some are purer Churches than others. Now it's a special preservative of charity to embrace one another with hearty affections. So far therefore it's an uncharitable and peevish thing in some Lutherans, that will not call the Calvinists brethren, or admit of reconciliation, but profess they will rather do it with the Pope, whom yet they maintain to be Antichrist.  
Use of Exhortation, to run to the God of peace for to settle peace and truth. The greater the mercy is, and the more the devil doth oppose it, the more do thou strive for it: How many Unities doth the Apostle mention Ephes. 4? And why then should we be many? Blessed are peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God, Mat. 5.9.   

SERMON LXI. The great changes that even a Godly man is subject unto, in respect of the having and losing those Sensible supports, both outward and inward, which God at some times vouchsafeth to them: Also what those sensible Enjoyments are, and why God doth so change the conditions of his People.  JOH. 17.12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy Name. 
WE have dispatched the prayer Christ put up for his Disciples; We are now to consider other reasons and arguments he useth for his Petition. Our Saviour expressed many before the Petition, and some also after the Petition.  
The words of the Text are brought in as a reason, why he prayed for them now so solemnly, and not before; because formerly he had kept them in a visible manner, by his corporal presence with them, but now the manner of his presence being shortly to be changed, he therefore commends them to God, as if he should have said, Holy Father, ever since they became my Disciples, I took a special charge of them; the world was against them, they could not keep themselves, and I came as a Mediator appointed by thee, to preserve them to eternal life, which trust I have faithfully discharged, and therefore seeing they have hitherto been kept, let them not perish at last.  
In this reason we may take notice 1. Of the Disciples mercy vouchsafed to them, they were kept, this implieth their own insufficiency and inability.  
2. The efficient cause of this, I have kept them; wherein also is implied his fidelity and diligence in that trust he took upon him as a Mediator.  
3. The manner how, In thy Name; which mercy is illustrated from the circumstance of time, While I was with ●●em. 2. Of place, while I was with them in the world. First of the circumstance of time and place, While I was with them in the world, he speaks, as if for the present he were not with them, but that is because his departure was immediately at hand. Now when our Saviour speaks in this manner, while I was with them, I kept them,  
1. You must not think as if Christ by his bodily leaving of them, did also spiritually leave them; No, this would contradict that promise, Mat. 28. where Christ said, he would be with them to the end of the world: he did not change his presence, but the manner of his presence; it was before corporal and visible, now spiritual and invisible.  
2. In that Christ said, While I was with them, it's necessarily inferred, that Christ is not corporally present every where; that his body is not every where, though Christ be every where: That is true of Christ in the concrete, which cannot be verified of each nature. As his Divine nature did not suffer, so neither can his humane be every where.  
3. By this expression, saith Austin upon the place, we must not understand, as if there were a vicissitude in the Fathers and Sons keeping of us; as if the Son had kept them a while, excluding the Father; and now the Father was to keep them, excluding the Son; but the Father kept them even while Christ kept them; and Christ will keep them after his departure, while the Father keeps them, but not in the same manner; before there was a corporal visible keeping, but now spiritual.  
4. We are to avoid the Socinian reason given, why Christ speaks thus in the Text: It is (saith he) because Christ had not yet obtained that power and sovereignty to keep them after an invisible manner; for they say, Christ had not that Divine power and authority till it was given him after his resurrection, than God gave him the universal dominion over all, (say they.) But our Saviour had sufficiently before showed, that what the Father did, he also did.  
Lastly, When Christ saith, Hitherto I have kept them in thy Name, attributing the power of keeping them to the Father, it is not as if he were not also God, but he speaks here as Mediator, as in the form of a servant, and an Ambassador doing all things in the Father's Name. Hence in other places he saith, it's not his doctrine, but his Fathers; and so he seeketh not his own glory, but the Fathers. Thus much for explication. Whereas then our Saviour for a while was in a corporal, sensible manner with them, providing for them and protecting of them, but at last is to leave them to greater hardship, and stronger temptations, Observe,  

Observe. That though God may afford his people for a while many comfortable supports, yet they must not look to enjoy them always.  That though God may afford his people for a while many comfortable and sensible supports, yet they must not look to enjoy them always. As the child must not think always to hang on the breast, or to be dandled on the knee, so neither must God's children always think to have comforts, mercies, and whatsoever their souls desire, but they must expect changes and several trials. Hence the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 4.12. they are not to think any fiery trial strange. The godly are to be prepared in the midst of their mercies, that if God on a sudden raise the clean contrary, this should not seem a new or an hard thing to them. John 21.18. Christ tells Peter, when he was young, he went whither he would, but in his old age, another should gird him and carry him whither he would not: In his younger years he had liberty and freedom, but in his old age he should meet with bonds and imprisonments. Thus God saith to many, in thy younger years thou hadst health, comforts, but afterwards thou shalt have diseases, pains, 
What are those visible supports that God for a while may vouchsafe to his people.  and many sad afflictions. To open this Doctrine let us consider, what those visible supports are that God for a while may vouchsafe to his people: And  
1. They may have for a while many outward comforts and mercies. They may abound in wealth, in riches and honours, ●o that they want nothing; they may have an heaven here, and then at last, God gathers black clouds, and so there are sudden storms and lightnings that spoil their sunshine day. It was thus with Job, he tells us in what plenty, honour and ease once he lived in, but God had made a sad change upon him: Even as Jonah had got a gourd, whereby he defended himself from the scorching heat, and he began to think himself now very well, and presently God prepared worms to devour this defence. Oh then, if there be any of God's children on whom he thus smiles, they have riches when others are in the depth of poverty, they have plenty, when others are pinched with want, remember all thy wealth is but like a little dust, if God breath on it, it is scattered away: All these things run on a wheel, and that which is uppermost, may quickly be lowest. As the Grecians say, There are no beggars, but their ancestors have been Kings, and no Kings, but their ancestors have been beggars; such a change and mutation are all these earthly things subject unto.  
2. God's children may for a while enjoy many sweet consolations, and have good assurance of God's love, and this is a special sensible support. When David hath no cause to complain that God hid his face from him, when he said, his mountain was strong, when he could bless God, because he had forgiven his sins, so that he could with heavenly boldness call him his Lord, and his God, all this while David was happy; but this fair weather doth not last always, God hideth his face, and then he is troubled, than he crieth out, Why art thou cast down and troubled within me, O my soul. It is a gross error to say assurance cannot be lost, yea we may lose it by our careless and lazy walking, and God may deprive us of it for wise and holy ends: If then God gives thee these soul-sensible supports, that thou knowest and feelest his love upon thy soul, make much of this mercy, faith of evidence will not be always: There will be a time when faith of adherence and dependence will be all in all.  
3. Then have the people of God carnal and sensible supports, when they are preserved from the outward malice and persecutions of men, so that they live honoured and prosperous lives here below. Such a time Joseph had at last, David, Mordecai, Esther, and many others; yea we see in ahab's days, when there was such an hot persecution of Eliah the Prophet, and other godly Prophets, yet Obadiah a godly man, lived in great favour with Ahab, so that although the rage and malice of the world be prepared against every holy man, yet for a while they may be the world's darlings, they may have the Kingdoms, the Powers, and the Honours of the world, so that we may sometimes say in this respect, the servant is above his Master, Christ's Disciple above Christ; only let them know, there may come a time, and then God depriveth them of all these, for their honours, they have disgrace, for their glory, reproach. It's much if God lets them have the good things of this life, and of the life to come.  
4. They may have a calm and serene time in respect of soul-temptations and spiritual exercises. Paul had not always these buffet of Satan: These spiritual temptations, whether entering from the blackness of our own hearts, or injected by Satan, are very terrible and bitter, they have made the godly weary of themselves: Hence they are compared to darts, and fiery darts, Ephes. 6.16. to show how mortal and how piercing they are. Now although God may many times give his people a quiet, settled, composed spirit, yet this is not enduring, but the storms do arise, the ship begins to sink, and they cry out, that they perish.  
5. They may have the comfortable presence and corporal direction of wise, holy and godly persons, but at last God may take them away. Thus a godly people may have the ministry of a faithful Pastor, while he is with them, the flock is kept, no wolves have been able to get into the fold. Children and servants may have a godly Father and Master; wives, gracious and wise husbands, now these while they were enjoyed, were wonderful supports. Hence Elisha is called the horsemen and chariots of Israel. When Chrysostom was banished, the people said, The sun might have been better taken out of the firmament. Thus God hath given his people many sensible supports by godly Magistrates, godly Ministers, godly Fathers, godly Husbands, and while they had them all was well, as with the Disciples while Christ was with them, but when the shepherd is smitten; when the pillars of the house are removed, oh then thy condition is a new condition, it requireth new graces, new strength. While Ishmael is in his father's house, he will do well enough, but when cast out of doors, there is his difficulty. Oh than if God give any of these visible supports to you, do not think to have them always; God will put you to higher exercises; God by degrees brings up his people to more and more hardship. Deut. 32.12. God there compareth his dealing with the Israelites, to an Eagle fluttering over her nest, and teaching her young ones to fly. They say the Eagle doth not presently expel her young ones, but by degrees teacheth them hardship, and at last makes them live upon the prey they get themselves. God put not his people immediately upon war with their enemies, but used them forty years to hardship in the wilderness.  

Reason's why God sometimes changes his people's condition from better to worse.  The grounds of this change which God may make are eminent:  
1. That we may live upon him more; that faith may be purely and exactly put forth. While we have our visible supports, we cannot tell whether it be God or the creature, whether it be promise or sense we live upon; therefore he will make thee renounce all creatures, that thou mayest say, O Lord, it's not wealth, but thou in my wealth, it's not this or that mercy, but thou in the mercy, that my heart adheres unto. Whom have I in earth, or in heaven but thee, saith David. Oh this is admirable, when creature comforts and mercies hinder not the soul from God himself: when you use them as ladders to climb up to heaven, as jacob's Chariot to carry you to God; when you can say in matter of love and affections, as the Samaritans in matter of faith, Now we believe, not for the woman's sake, but because we have seen Christ himself. O Lord, I depend on thee, and live upon thee, not for my mercy's sake, not because of this or that comfort and sweetness, but because of the infinite fullness that is in thy own self: Or when thou canst say as Paul in the matter of his doctrine, because he had immediate revelation from Christ, therefore he said the eminent pillars added nothing to him; so in matter of practice, because thou hast enjoyment of God's fullness, the most excellent creatures cannot add to thy joy. Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not.  
2. The Lord will remove sensible supports, That we may grow up in grace, and get more strength therein every day. The Scripture tells us of babes and young children, as also of young strong men, who have overcome the wicked one. Now if we were always kept at the breast, or with milk, we should never get masculine strength, Heb. 6. The Apostle blameth such as stood still in their first principles, and were not carried out to further perfection: God will not use his people always to a tender and delicate way, they shall know Christianity is a warfare. Hence Ephes. 6. they are commanded to put on the whole armour of God; and can this strength and heavenly fortitude be ever put forth, if God remove not all thy sensible comforts, and make thee grapple with great adversaries? God will have Job at last go into the field and combat with Satan and all his temptations. The winds and storms shaking the tree, make it root the faster, and thus God by bringing thee into hardship, makes thee the more sound and solid Christian: So that though for the present thou hast no spiritual adversaries upon thee, yet lay not aside this holy armour, as the people of Israel marched in the wilderness, in a warlike posture, and their Camp exactly ordered, though for the present no enemy appeared.  
3. God will bring changes upon thee, To teach thee more experimental knowledge in all the ways of godliness, as also of all the corruptions and deceitful ways of Satan in every temptation. A man that hath been always at home knoweth not what fashions and customs are in remote Countries: Paul knew how to abound and how to want, he was acquainted with the graces and with the temptations of every estate: A Christian is to grow in all spiritual wisdom and knowledge. Now as a learned man by reading of all Authors, and the works of Heretics, is able to speak to every argument they have, can give account of every doctrine they maintain: Thus a Christian removed from mercy to affliction, and from afflictions to mercy, is able to speak to every doubt, to every temptation from his own experience.  
4. The Lord will remove visible supports, That we might be a spiritual people, prising the light of God's countenance, and esteeming spiritual communion with him above all things. Thus Christ is no more corporally with his Disciples, that they might the more partake of his Spirit in all the works thereof. It's very hard for a man not to account all his blessedness he hath to be these outward comforts, but God will teach his people more excellent and heavenly lessons; they shall know the remission of sins, the spirit of adoption, power against sin, are greater mercies, then if God should give them ten thousand worlds: But how can we come to this? never till our visible props be removed; God will not rain this Manna till all our provision we have be spent: We cannot have the fatted Calf, till we have left our husks.  
Use of Instruction, 
Use.  With what weaned and moderated affections we should enjoy our present sensible mercies, look not to have them always; God will make changes, and many turns in thy estate, yea it may be he will exercise thee with such afflictions as thou never thoughtest of, that thou shalt complain with Job, The time was he lived in prosperity, and had all honour and glory, but now he is brought to a dunghill scraping worms of his ulcerous body. The time hath been thou hadst Assurance, Joy, Peace, but now God raised storms and a very hell within thee: Oh then pray for that temper Paul was taught, To know how to abound, and how to want, how to have comforts, and how to have none. There are deluded people that say, they live above Ordinances, oh that we could live above creatures, above relations and conditions, having God for all.   

SERMON LXII. showeth how prone men are to know Christ after the flesh, and wherein it appears.  JOH. 17.12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy Name. 
A Second Observation may be gathered from the circumstance of time and place, in these words, while I was with them in the world.  
This (you heard) was in respect of his corporal visible presence, otherwise he would be in a spiritual invisible manner always with them, his presence is not changed but the manner of his presence, From whence this Doctrine floweth.  

Doct. That there is no corporal or visible improvement of Christ but spiritual only.  That now there is no corporal or visible improvement of Christ but spiritual only; We are apt now with Thomas to ask for the wounds and prints of the nails; We are not now to expect any visible or corporal refreshments by him, but what we have, must be in a way of faith. Heb. 11.1. Faith is the Evidence of things not not seen, This the Apostle presseth, 2 Cor. 5.16. Though we have known Christ after the flesh▪ yet henceforth know we him no more; Whatsoever corporal helps and comforts, whatsoever visible supports once they had, yet now they attend not to any such things any more; Christ himself is not now known after the flesh, but after the spirit.  
To open this Consider,  
1. That there was a time when the Apostles and Believers had not only a spiritual enjoyment of Christ by Faith but also a visible and corporal one, viz. in that time when Christ was familiarly conversant with them in the flesh, Then they saw Christ face to face, and rejoiced in him as one friend with another: Now this in itself could not be but unspeakable comfort with our own eyes to see Christ, with our own ears to hear him speak, and with our own hand● to handle that Word of Life, as 1 Joh. 1.1. Luk. 10 24. Our Saviour himself calls them blessed, even because they lived in that age wherein they might corporally see him, Many Kings and Prophets have desired to see and hear the things you do, Prophets though they had immediate Revelations and Visions from God, and so were called Seers, yet they desired to see Christ in his bodily presence; And Kings though they had the temporal glory of the world to behold, yet they desired to see Christ in the flesh; No wonder then if it were one of the three things Austin so desired, that he might have lived in those times when Christ was here upon the Earth; Do but judge within yourselves, Would you not go many miles if it were certain Christ were in such a place teaching and working Miracles; Now the Disciples by Christ's visible presence had many advantages, when they were in any outward straits he provided for them, though he sent them without any money upon his work, yet they confessed they lacked nothing all that while; When they were discouraged with their wicked Adversaries he comforted their hearts; When they were in any temporal danger, as when the Ship was tossed with Tempests he saved them, and which is above all, he was a visible Doctor and Teacher unto them, so that there was nothing in Religion they doubted of, but he could infallibly direct them in; It's that which the Papists so much plead for, that there must be a visible infallible Head in the Church, who is to decide matter of faith, otherwise there cannot be any certainty, but one will pretend to the Truth as well as another: Now the Apostles had such a visible Head of the Church to direct them, though we have none now, but the Spirit of God by the Word doth direct and guide such as walk humbly: Oh what a Treasure was this, That an Apostle could not have one doubt upon his heart, any scruple in his Conscience, any doubt about any Text in the Old Testament, but he had an infallible Prophet to go to who could teach him all things! Thus there was a time of outward visible enjoying of Christ.  
But 2. This outward visible enjoying of Christ was not of any advantage at all, if there had not been also a spiritual believing on him; It was not the seeing, the hearing, the living with him made a man happy, but the spiritual receiving of him as a Mediator; Did not judas live with him in this kind, was not he as a familiar Friend with him, yet for all that he was a Son of Perdition? Hence our Saviour upon all occasions took them off from attending to such visible advantages, as Luke 11.27. when they cried out, Blessed is the womb that bore Christ, and the paps that gave him suck: He corrected this, and said, Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and do it; So that the very Mother of Christ was more blessed in conceiving Christ in her heart by Faith, then conceiving him in her womb, So Mar. 3.35. when they told him his Mother and Brethren were to seek him, he answered, Whosoever doth the will of God, the same is my Mother and Brother; So that now all such corporal considerations are to vanish, and spiritual Arguments are to take place; Even as when Christ left his Disciples bodily, than the Spirit of God came powerfully upon them. If then we would duly improve Christ as a Mediator, we are to be a spiritual people, our hearts, desires, and aims must be wholly spiritual; But this is too great a lesson for any natural man, he cannot make any use of Christ, but after a fleshly carnal manner one way or other; The life of Faith is as much above them as reason is above a Beast; The natural man cannot receive them because spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. Therefore wicked men are called sensual, and are compared to brute beasts, which are wholly carried out by sense.  
We will instance in some particulars by which its apparent that we are prone to know Christ after a corporal manner: 
Wherein men's proneness appears to know Christ after the flesh.   
As 1. All those doctrinal Opinions in Popery about visible Images and Crucifixes to represent God and Christ, what are these but even to desire Christ to be here bodily with us still: And because this cannot be, therefore we have a Crucifix, we keep some bodily representation of him; This the Papists commend as of special use to stir up devotion; Hence some of them make the same kind of worship to be given to a Crucifix as to Christ himself; Thus Christ is wholly neglected spiritually, he is not propounded as a Mediator to Faith, but as a pleasing picture to the sense; And thus also though God be a Spirit, and he would not appear to the Israelites in any similitude, that they might not make any Image of him, yet how prone were they to make similitudes of God, and is this only among Papists? Are not the common people so ignorant and superstitious as to be doting upon such visible Objects, Even as little Children love to play with Babies.  
2. Our proneness to know Christ after a corporal manner is seen in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, where the Papists hold the Bread and Wine to be really turned into the body and blood of Christ, that it's no longer bread or Wine but Christ's body and blood; Therefore they look not up to Christ in heaven by Faith, but to Christ in the Sacrament, as if his corporal being there were all in all; Insomuch that all the affection and devotion they put forth in a Sacrament is wholly visible and carnal; They worship it as if the body of Christ were there; They set it up to be seen that all may bodily fall down and worship; Thus all is done in a corporal manner, and whereas of old it was sursum corda, now it is deorsum corda; None are more devoid of spiritual Understanding than those that are thus busied in a visible carnal way of Religion.  
3. The corrupt Opinions about Sacramenes as if they did convey Grace and Christ by the very work done; This is also to know Christ after a carnal manner▪ for it's not the Ordinances but the Spirit of God in and by them, that doth us any good, Joh. 6. The flesh profiteth little, but the Spirit, yet this hath been the universal disease of God's Church in all Ages: In the Old Testament there they rested upon the Sacrifices, upon the Temple, upon their external Rites; Oh how often do the Prophet's labour to convince them of this error! Hence Paul speaks of a Jew in the flesh, and in the Letter, and a jew in the Spirit, Rome 2. and all the Jewish rites are called carnal Ordinances, and beggarly; They bring no real good to them that are exercised therein without the Spirit, and may we not say, that almost all Christianity is but a religious carnality, a resting and relying upon Ordinances so far as they are bodily and visibly performed; When the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. had said, Baptism serveth to prevent all mistakes, he addeth, Not the washing of the body but the answer of a good conscience; When a man upon good examination of himself can say, O Lord, thou knowest that I do in truth and uprightness keep to those duties I am solemnly by Baptism engaged unto; Thus for the Lords Supper, is not it the very receiving of it judged the very saving of men? Do not commonly people take it as if in the very bread and wine there were some Sacrifical virtue, as when they take Physic they judge some Physical inherent virtue in that to help them; Oh what jeremy hath his head full enough of water to bewail this carnal, gross, and ignorant Christianity that is in the world, which judgeth the very Sacraments, or any bodily worship in prayers or singing of Psalms, though they be but as Parrots in these things, to be great evidences for heaven; But as the body without the soul is dead and a loathsome Carcase, thus is all thy Religion, worship, and Ordinances a dead loathsome thing in the presence of God without the Spirit; This the Apostle calls serving of God in the oldness of the letter, not the newness of the Spirit, Rom. 7.6. And in this sense we may say the Letter killeth and damneth, but the Spirit giveth life; Oh then be afraid thou art not one of those that split their souls at this Rock; This is the common poison that devoureth most; Even as the Scripture speaks contemptibly of the Egyptian Army, Isa. 31.3. They are flesh and not spirit; The same may be said of all that Religion and devotion which most put confidence in: But yet take heed of another extreme error that crieth down the Ordinances, and under pretence of a spiritual high attainment, which they think they have, wholly lay aside these visible Ordinances and performances which Christ hath appointed in his Church till the end of the world.  
4. Then men would have Christ after a visible manner when they pretend Revelations and Miracles; For what is this but to leave the Word and the promises as if that were not sufficient, God indeed hath condescended to support sense, as when he vouchsafed Miracles in the Infancy of the Church, yea, the Sacraments he hath appointed are a kind of relief to our sense, he considered our weakness in appointing such visible Signs, but when we are not contented with God's Institutions but desired such sensible supports, which he will not afford, This proceeds from a carnal disposition in us, This is the cause in Popery why they tell us of such miraculous apparitions, they will tell you of Crucifixes bleeding, of Christ's visible appearing, of such great wonders done upon the Invocation of such and such Saints, and all this is to humour the carnal part of a man, for spiritual things are supernatural and very hard and difficult to flesh and blood.  
5. This is to know Christ after a corporal manner, when we profess his Truth, and acknowledge his ways only for earthly advantages, as he said, Fac me Episcopum Romanum & ere Christianus; Thus they did of whom Paul made mention with weeping, that they were enemies to the Cross of Christ, that their God was their belly, that they minded earthly things, Phil. 3.19. Such Disciples were those that followed Christ because of the Loaves; Now the Lord Christ he calls to such duties that are opposite to flesh and blood, that are against the incilination of our nature; To pull out the right eye, To deny ourselves, To take up the Cross, We are not to be of those that love Christ's Crown of gold but not his Crown of Thorns: How greatly did Mahometan Religion prevail, by such Doctrines as were pleasing to the corrupt inclinations and sinful pleasures of men, and because Christ's Doctrine was accompanied with so much difficulty.  
Lastly, There is in the godly sometimes an inordinate desire after Christ in a sensible manner, and that is when they cannot rest upon the promises, believe on God's Word barely unless they have also evident and sensible Consolations: Bare acts of depending faith and constant waitings on God in the way of his promise argue thee to be more spiritual in thy Christian warfare.  
Use of Instruction, how much it becometh all Christians to be a spiritual people, for all things in Christ are spiritual, and all benefits to be received by him are in a spiritual manner; How comes Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection effectual to thee, but in a spiritual manner; You cannot now do so much as the Woman in the History, touch the hem of his garment: You cannot with Thomas put your fingers in the print of nails, No, here is the Eye of Faith required to behold Christ, Christ bid the Woman touch him not, for he was not yet ascended, but we may say, Because he is ascended do not thou have carnal imaginations about him; It is for want of a spiritual heart that so many titular Christians have no real virtue or efficacy from him; He is not an Head, he is not a Vine, he is not Wisdom, Righteousness, and all things to thee because thou art not a spiritual Subject to entertain him.   

SERMON LXIII. Of the Saint's Lord-Keeper. Showing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ as a Trust committed to him.  JOH. 17.12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy Nam●, etc. 
HAving dispatched the Circumstances of time and place, we proceed to the Benefit itself, which is expressed with the efficient cause of it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the manner how In thy Name; Because something hath already been spoken to this; I shall be the briefer in both the particulars,  
First, The Benefit with the cause of it is to be considered, I have kept them: The Word is used sometimes for an outward violent detaining of a man in prison or other custody, Act. 12.5, 6. Thus the Jailers are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mat. 28.4. Heinsius understands the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render observe, Herod observed John, in a corporal manner of keeping him in a safe hold, because Mar. 6.19. it is said Herodias would have killed him but could not: Sometimes the word is applied to an obediential Observation of the Commands of God, joh. 14.15, 21. Joh. 15.10. Hence also it is applied to the observing of the Sabbath, Joh. 6.16. Sometimes it is applied to the reservation of a thing, Joh. 2.10 Thou hast kept the best wine to the last; But in the Text it is applied to the preservation or custody that is vouchsafed to such as need it, as v. 11. and v. 15. So in this place: Now our Saviour by this expression I have kept them, signifieth that the Father had given them to Christ as so many precious jewels and an excellent treasure, and that Christ did undertake to preserve them, insomuch that if any should be lost, the fault would be charged upon Christ, and he would be found blame worthy.  

Doct. All that are to be saved are committed to Christ's care to be kept to Eternal Life.  Obs. That all those who shall be saved are given to Christ, and committed to his trust, that they may be kept to Eternal Salvation, That look as the devils 2 Pet. 2.4. have the beginning of hell already, and are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept in chains of darkness to judgement, so that they can never evade or escape it; Thus the godly they have the beginning of heaven, they are interested in Christ, and therefore jude 1. are called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Crown or inheritance of glory they are to receive is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, kept safe in heaven, So that all the power in hell and the world, are not able to deprive them of it; This is very comfortable news to the people of God to hear they are kept, if they were left to their own selves, how horrible and irrecoverable would their fall be.  
Let us Consider how much is implied in this Truth, That Christ keeps them as his charge. 
How much is implied in this Truth that Christ keeps them at his charge.   
And first, Here is plainly denoted their own infirmity and insufficiency▪ For why should Christ thus earnestly pray the Father to keep them, and say he had kept them hitherto, but because they were weak and unable to preserve themselves, So that Christ speaks of them as some tender young Infants that are given from arm to arm to be kept, as being not able to go themselves, 
I. Their own insufficiency.  and truly if the Apostles who were Christ's first born (as we may so say) and although Christ knew that he was to endow them with the power of the holy Ghost afterwards in an extraordinary manner, yet if these that seem to be Giants cannot help themselves, what shall we Dwarves do? If the Pillars are not able to stand of themselves, what can Reeds do? God to show the Church her miserable impotency compareth it to a child new born that is not only loathsome but feeble, and necessarily perishing without some aid, Eze. 16.5, 6. Even thus are we all in our own strength and power.  
Secondly, As it implieth their insufficiency, 
II. The precious esteem God hath of them.  so also the precious account and esteem God puts upon them; Men are not said to keep their pebble stones, or their Weeds, but their Treasure, their Jewels; And thus God Mal. 3. expressly calls them; Hence all the godly are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peculiar people; The only Treasure God hath, and they being his Treasure, his heart is upon them, so that howsoever the world's esteem of them is reproachful and malicious enough, they are the off-skowring and the worst of men, yet with God they are precious; Nay, though to their own souls many times they are as castaways, as loathsome branches, they abhor themselves, and therefore they think God will do so much more, yet with God they are of high account.  
Thirdly, There is implied a more peculiar care and attendance to their good then of the whole world besides; 
III. A peculiar care of them.  For they are said to be given to Christ out of the world that he may keep them; This giving of them to Christ supposeth an Election or choice of such from all others; God is a preserver and keeper of all, job 7.20. called therefore the preserver of men: Yea Psa. 36.6. he is said to preserve man and beast; God is every where essentiâ, presentiâ, and potentiâ, and thus he cannot but be every where, but he hath a gracious presence with his Children, which is not from his infiniteness or necessity, but from his mere love, so that if God were not infinite and immense (pardon the Supposition) yet his grace and goodness would make him abide and dwell with those that are his; You see by this that Gods keeping extends even to inanimate Creatures, he keepeth the very Sparrows that they fall not to the ground, but there is a more excellent and choice way of preservation to those that are given in special charge to Christ; The eyes of the Lord are said to run to and fro in the behalf of the upright in heart, 2 Chron. 16 9 What can be more comfortable than that expression; Hence the Lords peculiar is compared to a Bird flying over the nest where her young ones are, Isa. 31.5. Only the Bird is silly and weak, hath no power to defend, but she showeth her desire and affection; Thus God is pleased to compare himself, to encourage our Faith, for we are apt to look more at what is against us then for us; We consider the devil's Subtlety, the world's danger, our own corruptions, but do not attend to God's merciful Preservation.  
Fourthly, This phrase doth imply the safety that the people of God are in, 
IV. The safety they are in.  For though in respect of the world and their Corruptions, they may say with jehosaphat, A great Army is against us and we know not what to do, or they may be afraid as the man Elisha led into the midst of the Enemy's Camp, yet for all this they are safe, for there is a fourfold cord that holds in them, which cannot easily be broken; There is first Christ's power which is omnipotent, the same with the Father's power, joh. 10. I and my Father are one; None can take them out of Christ's hands, because none can take them out of the Father's hand; Therefore Col. 3. their life is said to be hid with Christ in God: And it is a crown laid up in heaven; Now what men or devils can break into Heaven? Who can rob and steal from thence? if there be a stronger than God, more powerful than God, then doubt of thy preservation but else not.  
2. There is his fidelity and immutability, He is the Amen, He is the Alpha and Omega, for we might think, though we are never so well to day as it was with Adam, and the Angels apostatising, yet we may be undone to morrow, we may alter or Christ may alter, No, he is faithful and true, He is Christ to day, yesterday, and for ever, Heb. 13.  
3. There is his love and compassion▪ for this quickens both power and fidelity, and sets all on work; It is his love to us that will not let his people perish, and certainly if he loved his Children so as to die for them, and that when they were sinners, than it follows invincibly that he will do that for us which is less than death; It is but speaking the word, whereas before it cost him many a prayer and strong cry, it put him in agonies, and made him sweat drops of blood; Again it is otherwise with us then formerly, When we are Enemies he died for us, and now being reconciled how much rather will he finish what he bathe begun, Rom. 5  
4. There is his wisdom, for though there be power and love, yet through imprudence we see amongst men it often miscarrieth, but now in Christ are hid the treasures of all wisdom; And Isa. 9 he is called the Counsellor, as having wisdom to direct, and power to deliver in all the sad Trials they are plunged into; He is called often the wisdom of the Father; Now then put all these together, Omnipotent Power, unsearchable Wisdom, Infinite Love and Immutable Fidelity, and you must conclude that the godly man's safety is firmer than Mount Zion or the Earth that God hath established, for they may be removed, but these cannot be no more than Christ, Christ and they will stand or fall together.  

V. It implies an Obligetion on Christ to keep them.  And lastly, (because more is to be said to this in the words following) this implieth a strong tye and obligation upon Christ to keep them, for they are given him as Sheep to the Shepherd, and as Jacob was to answer for every torn or killed one, so must Christ; They are given him to keep, as Benjamin was to his Brethren; Look (saith Jacob) you see not my face unless you bring him safe▪ Insomuch that if Christ should not preserve those that are given him, all the glory of his Mediatorship will fall to the ground, You see how he declareth his diligence, None is lost, For if he had lost some of them, than had not Christ gone through with the work of Redemption, and so could not expect the glory he prayed for, neither could he have said, I have finished the work thou hast given me, yea, it would have behoved him to come and die again, to be crucified again, if he had not by one Oblation once perfected for ever the Godly, Heb. 10 14.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, to take heed of all unbelieving and dejecting fears in the way to Heaven, persuading themselves, Oh they shall never hold out, one time or other they shall be devoured by such and such sins; Is not this to be ignorant of the relation you are in to Christ? Will Christ be an unfaithful Steward? It lieth upon Christ more than thee that thou be'st preserved; Is not Christ's honour and glory more than the salvation of thousands such as thou art? Now if thou shouldst perish and not get to Heaven, it would be Christ's dishonour; It would be because he was not either able or willing; Indeed thou art to walk with an holy fear or trembling, thou art to despair in thyself, but thy faith and confidence in Christ's strength should make thee courageous, Stronger is he that is with thee than he that is against thee: It is true, thy corruptions are strong, thy Temptations are strong, but Christ is stronger, Live not with such anxious fears as a Cain fearing every thing may kill and damn thee; Interpose Christ between thee and all fears and dangers, Say, you may overcome me but can you Christ?  
In the next place we come to the manner how he kept them, In thy Name; And here name may be taken in all the significations mentioned in the former Verse, But I will not trouble you with that; This may be spoken in a twofold respect; Either to show what kind of preservation it was, viz. not a corporal or carnal one, (though he was bodily present among them,) but a spiritual one in the name of God; He did not keep them, as the powers of the world keep their Subjects by the outward force of the Sword, but as Paul said of the Ministry, Our weapons are not carnal but spiritual, So was Christ's defence, or else it might be spoken by way of humility, for Christ in respect of his office was inferior to the Father; And therefore he speaks of himself in this Chapter as one sent, or an Ambassador from the Father, who is to do all things in his Name, and to follow his will only, in this latter sense we take it principally,  
Obs. That if the Lord Christ though God, 
Doct. If Christ though God, yet in respect of his Ministry doth attribute all to God, how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail men.  yet in respect of his office and Ministry doth attribute all to God, how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail sinful men; Shall Christ say, he kept them by the Father's power? Shall he say, It's not my Doctrine but the Fathers? Shall he say, I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me? How much more ought the Officers God hath appointed in the Church take their Auditors off from them, and carry them to God wholly; It is Observable, That Christ did still inform his Disciples and Hearers to look up unto the Father, and the Apostles they laboured to take off believers from applauding of them but to look up to God; Thus Paul 2 Cor. 3.5, 6. even when he advanceth his Ministry to the Highest, yet left men should therewithal advance the persons put thereinto (as Hortensins said of Tully that he commended Eloquence to the Heavens, that he himself might be lifted up with it) See what corrective expressions he useth, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing, our sufficiency is of God; All is attributed to God; Paul though endowed with so many excellent gifts, yet saith of himself, he is not able to think, he doth not say to do, to convert and change men's hearts, but he cannot think, and he doth not say he cannot think some choice, sublime, admirable thing, but he cannot think any thing, the least thought in reference to the salvation of others; And therefore he addeth ver. 6. It is God that hath made us able Ministers; The Ministers of God may as well say they create the world, They work Miracles by their own power, as say, they enlighten the minds, or soften the hearts of those to whom they preach; Thus 1 Cor. 3.5. When the people through vanity did rest too much upon the Officers of the Church, and attributed that to them which belonged to Christ: Paul doth severely expostulate with them, 1 Corin. 1.13. Was Paul Crucified for you? Were you Baptised in the Name of Paul? What are these but Ministers by whom ye believe? Two errors in the extreme we are to avoid,  
1. That because the Ministry cannot do any thing without God, therefore we despise it and neglect it as too many do; This is to oppose the Principal and the Instrument: They will not do so in natural things, though man doth not live by material bread alone, but by the Word of God, yet they will not throw away that Food as needless, unprofitable, and unnecessary; Why then will they do so to the immaterial food and heavenly manna of the Word.  
The other extreme is, To advance it too much, To set up the Instrument to the neglect of the Principal, and that is when we so rest on and admire the Gifts, Learning, Elocution, or parts of the Minister, that we look not up to God, and this we are prone unto; Therefore the Apostle gives a large Commendation to the The ssalonians, 1 Thessal. 2.13. That they received the Word Not as the Word of man, but as of God, which effectually worketh in Believers, John 4. It's said of John's Hearers, That they did a while rejoice in his light, They flocked after his Ministry, yet afterwards they quarrelled with him, and said, He had a Devil; Thus Ezech. 33.32. He was to the Jews a very lovely Song, They loved to hear him, they came thronging in great Multitudes and Companies unto him, but yet they would not do any thing.  
Use of Instruction, If the Office and Abilities of the Ministry are nothing without God, then do you lift up your hearts in Prayer to God more, That his Power, his Voice, his Strength, may be seen in the Ministry: When you go from the Sermon examine whether God's power and grace come home to your hearts or no; Can you say? Here was more than the Ministers Study, than the Ministers Gifts, for God's mighty heart-changing power did also work on me; Oh the Convictions, the melt, the burnings and changes of heart that were upon me! It was upon my mind like Lightning, It was upon my affections and Conscience like Thunder; As we are to preach like the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not as the Word but as the Oracles, as having the Spirit of God immediately breathing upon us, So should you hear and receive them as the Oracles; As the Prophets received their Visions, and the Word that was spoken to them; It wrought a mighty change, They did not seem to be the same men they were, nor did the same Actions; Even thus should ye return home: Ye come Earthly but go home Heavenly; Ye come carnal but return spiritual.   

SERMON LXIV. Of the Manner of Christ's keeping those that are His. Of a fourfold Principle that is operative to the Preservation of Believers: And of the excellent Effects of the lively Meditation of this Doctrine of being kept by Christ to Salvation.  JOHN 17.12. Those which thou hast given me, I have kept, etc. 
IN the former part of the verse, you heard our Saviour expressing, that glorious privilege of Protection and Preservation of his Disciples, and so all that were given him in the midst of all dangers to eternal life. Now our Saviour amplifieth the fidelity and diligence he used in this custody.  
So that in the words we may observe Christ's diligence and fidelity expressed, I have kept them.  
2. The Subject, Whom thou hast given me. This is the fifth time our Saviour repeateth it, and therefore the more to be observed.  
3. His fidelity in preservation is illustrated by the sign or effect of it, None of them is perished.  
4. He answers an Objection concerning Judas (granting that he perished) with a twofold reason, He was the son of perdition, and that the Scripture may be fulfilled.  
All these particulars contain solid and substantial Divinity, both Doctrinal and Practical. They will serve to confute false Doctrines, and reprove wicked conversations. And  
First, Let us consider the fidelity and diligence Christ useth, expressed in that word, I have kept them. This is a new and different Greek word from the former, which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which the Septuagint make often to answer the Hebrew word Shamar, which signifieth to keep with all diligence and circumspection. In the New Testament, it's many times used of a corporal violent detaining in prison, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is, Act 12.4. Act. 23.35. Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often for a prison, Act. 16.23, 24, 27, 37, 40. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hale to prison, Act 22.19. but when it's applied in a spiritual sense, it signifieth a diligent observing of a command, or more frequently, a careful preserving of ourselves from sin, as Luke 12.15 1 John 5.21. And hence comes the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Matth. 23.5. They made broad their phylacteries, called so, because by them they were warned to take heed of sin: But in the Text it's used for protection and preservation to everlasting happiness, as John 12.25. only we may observe the use of it in three places very fit to our matter in hand.  
It's applied to Shepherds diligently watching to their sheep, and that in the night time, Luke 2.8. and thus Homer useth it also; and hereby is represented that Christ is that chief Shepherd, which will keep his sheep, though never so infirm or weak, that no danger shall befall them.  
2. It's applied to the keeping of some precious thing deposited in our hands, that we are betrusted with, 1 Tim. 6.20. and thus also all the godly are delivered to Christ as his charge, that none be lost.  
3. Lastly, It's used of preserving in a safe place in the midst of dangers. Thus Noah is said to be kept in the Ark, 2 Pet. 2.5. which is notably true in all the godly. The deluge of God's wrath falls upon all the wicked of the world, and the godly are kept safe in Christ, as Noah was in the Ark, whereas then our Saviour doth so often inform his Disciples, that he keepeth them. Observe▪  

Observe. That Christ's divine Protection of his people to eternal life is daily to be thought on and improved by them.  That Christ's divine protection and preservation of his people to eternal life is daily to be thought on, and improved by them. They are not in a transient manner to apprehend it, but they are to keep this blessed truth in their hearts, till it inflame them. As it's not one shower, but plentiful and constant droppings that go to the root of the Tree; so it's not a thought now and then about Christ's keeping of thee safe for heaven will affect thee; but as Jacob to the Angel, so thou art to say, I will not let this truth go, till it bless me; and truly for this end it was, that our Saviour doth so often repeat [Those thou hast given me, and I have kept them] to confirm and increase the Disciples faith, seeing they have so many strong Anakims in the way to Canaan: Every man that looks only to his own strength, and the dangers that are in the way, would bring up an ill report of Heaven, as those Spies did of the Land of Canaan, saying, It's impossible for any man ever to come thither; and with the Disciples to say, Who then can be saved? but with God nothing is impossible.  

There is a fourfold principle, which is operative to the conservation of the believers.  To open this Doctrine, consider, that there is a fourfold principle, which is operative to the conservation of the believers.  
First, There is an inward vital and vivifical principle of grace abiding in the godly, which will never fail: Not but that of itself, it would, as in Adam and Angels, but as God could confirm and establish the grace of Angels, that it never shall perish; so doth God that supernatural principle of holiness put into his people, 
1. An inward vital and vivifical principle of grace abiding in them, which will never fail.  1 John 3.8. He that is born of God, he neither doth sin, or can sin, viz. so as to be given up wholly to it, and that because the seed of God abideth in him. Though there be different thoughts about this seed, what it is, I do now suppose it to be that inward principle of supernatural life, from whence all gracious operations do flow. This God hath set in the heart and inward parts of his people never to be rooted out. Thus John 4 14. The believer is said to have in him a well of water, springing up to eternal life. Here is a fountain that cannot be dried up: Therefore it's said, He shall never thirst more, viz. with a thirst of a total indigence and want: Even in the greatest deficiencies and barrenness of God's people, there hath been sap in the root, when the branches seemed dead.  

2. A daily help of grace quickening and corroborating the soul in all holiness.  A second principle thus conserving is, That daily help of grace quickening and corroborating the soul in all holiness. The former grace is permanent and habitual, this transien, 't actual, and by way of motion. This latter doth complete and actuate the former; For as it's not enough to have a natural life, unless there be a further concourse of God, by which we actually move and stir: So in our supernatural life, it's not enough to have that principle of life infused, but we are to receive the daily impressions, and powerful quickenings of his holy Spirit; and this is to have both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operari, the will and the deed. These are the two internal principles of our conservation, for the Lord Christ doth not keep us immediately, but by means in a subordinate manner.  
In the next place, there is a twofold principle extrinsical of our preservation. And  
The first is, Our Election, 
3. Our Election.  that is the fountain of all our perseverance This is the first round in that ladder, by which we ascend to Heaven, Rom. 8. It's from Predestination, that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Rom. 11. It's Election hath obtained, that elected remnant shall never perish; and thus in this prayer of our Saviour's, all security of the godly, it's because the Father had given them to Christ, viz. by Election, as the root and source of all their good; This is so cogent a truth, that many who hold a falling away from true grace, do yet maintain, That no Elect man can ever perish finally, because than God should be frustrated of his purpose, and the counsel of man should make void the counsel of God. This Election of God, is the vivifical cause of all Preservation. As by this they were Called and Converted from a state of sin, Election did bring them in; so the same Election, when they are Converted, doth protect and keep them, if they fall, doth raise and repair them, whereby they safely at last arrive at Eternity; so that their Perseverance is not a merit, or reward of their former holiness, but it's a free gift of God, and an effect of Election, as their effectual Vocation was.  
The second external Principle is, The Covenant and Promise of God made in Christ to the Godly: So that the Covenant of Grace being confirmed by Christ's death, In whom the Promises are Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. being among other glorious ends, to perpetuate and continue the work of Grace in them; it's impossible, that hell, or the world should quite put them out of the way to Heaven, Jerem. 32.40. God there promiseth an Everlasting Covenant, a Covenant that shall abide for ever; And what is the Privilege vouchsafed in that Deed of Gift? It's the putting his fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from him. You see by this notable place, That it's not we ourselves, but God who keepeth us; and for this we have his Promise: So that the godly may triumph in an holy Confidence because of it: Many other Promises that are branches of this Covenant, the Scripture declareth, which should be sweeter than the honey, and the honeycomb: For what can be more precious to hear, then that God will safely preserve thee in the way to Heaven, so that no fraud or force without, nor any lust or corruption within shall hinder thee of the Crown of Glory. Isai. 40.29, 30, 31. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength, etc. God in the verse before is said Himself not to faint, or to be weary: Though he created the Earth, and doth still preserve it, yet he is not weary, and because he is thus, he will make his people so: They in themselves may be fainting and weary, but he will renew strength: And he illustrateth this from natural strength, Though young men in their full strength may be weary, yet these shall not. And again, he compareth their strength to the Eagle that mounteth up with wings to the Heaven, and is not weary. Thus God will enable the godly soul: Though they run, or walk, they shall not be weary; What a reviving place should this be to the dead, dull, and languishing believer? Why do I lie grovelling on the ground? Let me fly up to Heaven like an Eagle. We have also a remarkable Promise of Divine Protection, Isai. 4.5, 6. where God by two similitudes doth notably declare it, First, by an allusion to that wonderful Preservation of the people of Israel: It was not enough, that God had brought them out of Egypt, they would have perished for all that, without his Protection; Therefore we may read the History, Exod. 13. how God created a directive Protection for them, both by day and night. In the day time, there was a Cloud and smoke, and a shining flaming fire by night. Thus God promiseth he will do upon every dwelling-place in Zion, and upon her Assemblies; by these are figured the several Churches that are assembled to serve God, For upon all, the Glory shall be a defence; By Glory, is meant the Ark, which is here made a Type of God's people, and they may be called God's Glory, both because they glory in God, and God is glorified by them: So that the meaning is, Look what care and defence God did once show to the Israelites to preserve them from perishing in the Wilderness, that they might be brought to Canaan; The same, not in a miraculous visible way, but in a spiritual and invisible manner will God do to his Church. The second similitude is from Shepherds, who in those hot Countries, did erect Tabernacles and Cottages for their flock, to defend them against the heat, and all other storms; By this is signified, That God would create such defence for his sheep against all kind of dangers and calamities, that they perish not, therefore in all our extremities; We have four strong pillars to bear us up.  

The effects which a lively meditation of this preservation will produce.  In the next place, Let us take notice of the blessed effects, which a lively meditation on this preservation will produce; It's worth the time to be improving this truth. For  
First, Hereby an holy boldness and confidence will keep up our hearts against all dangers and discouragements. The people of God are subject to fainting and swooning fits; Their fears and cares make them feeble. Oh than what a cordial and reviver will this truth be to us? 
Boldness against all discouragements.  Though I am weak and cannot preserve myself, yet I am in the arms of him that both can and will; a Child in a Giant's arms is safe enough from falling: We see David in many Psalms acknowledging his confidence and boldness, even challenging all the world, Though the earth be removed into the sea, and though an army of men should encamp him round about, yet he would not be afraid, because he trusted in God; and he often speaks of God's right-hand holding him up; Oh what a support is that, God's right-hand! There is more strength in that, then in all the creatures combined together: So that if not only Devils, but all creatures else, good and bad, should combine against thee, yet to God's right-hand, they are but as tow to the fire. Thou canst no more fall then God himself can be weary and faint. The Heathens said of their feigned Atlas, whom they made to bear up the Heavens, that he must not so much as stoop, if he did, the Heavens would fall down immediately. To be sure, if God for a moment only should withdraw his arm, not only believers, but even the Angels in Heaven would fall into hell; if therefore thou didst by faith rest thyself on this Protection, thy life would be a sweet, gracious and composed life.  
Secondly, The consideration of Christ's Protection would make us go out of ourselves, and renounce all our own power. To trust in the arm of flesh for temporal deliverances, is great Idolatry; but to trust in the duties or graces of the soul for spiritual mercies, is much more abominable Idolatry; for it's more peculiar and proper to God, and belongs to him as his only glory, to justify and save us, then to defend and preserve us corporally. This Preservation then of us is the only thing to humble us, to put us in remembrance of our own impotency and sinfulness, Those many promises to help thee, are so many demonstrations of thy own infirmities. We are never nearer falling, then when we begin to trust in ourselves; When Peter saith, Though all men forsake thee, yet I will not, then is he most prepared to forsake and deny Christ: So that this Doctrine of Christ's Protection is a self-debasing and self-emptying truth, it makes us see our own poverty and nakedness, and thereby fly solely to him.  
Thirdly, The consideration of this Preservation will make us readily and willingly set upon all those duties God calls us to. We will not shrink from them, saying, Oh they are too hard, too difficult! We cannot go through with them! What made the Israelites dispond upon new dangers? but because they remembered not the miraculous power of God's presence with them, they thought every thing great but God. Their enemies they looked upon as great enemies, but not on God as a great God. We see this sinful fear in Moses also, How many excuses did he pretend, that he might not be employed in that embassage to Pharaoh, till God's wrath was kindled at him? Therefore if we did with faith consider Christ's power, though our duties were great, though never so contrary to flesh and blood, yet in the name of God we would go out and do valiantly.  
Fourthly, The powerful meditation of this would prevent a thousand doubts and fears that we usually make about what may be. We do not remember our Saviour's Rule, That sufficient to the day is the evil thereof, and therefore we excruciate ourselves with supposed future conditions, not considering, that as our necessities and infirmities shall abound: so God's preservation will: The godly man thinks, What if I should be bereft of such sensible helps, an Husband, or some able friend, or my estate lost? How should I subsist with many children? Or how if I should be called to Martyrdom, to be imprisoned, to lose my life? Such is my weakness (saith the believer) that I fear I should with Peter deny and forswear, do any thing rather than endure extremity? Oh but whence are all the confusions of thy soul, but because we remember not Christ's protection and presence is with us!  
Lastly, The lively faith of this Protection will keep us in a careful diligent walking in such ways, wherein God vouchsafeth his presence. Work out your salvation (saith the Apostle) for its God that worketh in you to will and do. Presumption on God's power breeds security and laziness; but faith in God's power takes God's way. Christ because he depended on God, would not tempt God in unlawful ways.  
Use of Thankfulness: Oh call upon thy soul to bless God for every moment's preservation! God kept thy heart, thy eyes, thy tongue to day, what shops and instruments of wickedness would they have been else? That thou goest not to bed, as if it were into an hell; That thou art not full of gashes and wounds by sin; Bless God that hath kept thee close to him.   

SERMON LXV. Of the Perseverance of the Saints. The Question stated.  JOH. 17.12. Those thou hast given me, I have kept, and none of them is perished, etc. 
WE have considered the faithfulness and diligence Christ showed in the preservation of his to eternal life, expressed in that word, [I have kept.] The next thing in order is the subject preserved, Those thou hast given me; but because this expression doth once more, even the sixth time come in, ver. 34. I shall pass it over till then: I shall therefore proceed to the 3d particular, which is the effect, or a sign rather whereby he proveth his faithful protection of them, None of them is perished. The words are emphatical, None, he doth not say all but one or two, but none; for as for the instance following, [but the son of perdition] we shall show you, that is not exceptive, but adversative; because it's said, none of those that are given him perish: now though in some sense Judas was given to Christ as an Apostle, and in respect of his Office Christ said he had chosen twelve, yet he was never given in the sense it is used, ver. 2. where such are said to have eternal life. The last aggravation is, None of them is perished, he doth not say none of them hath been killed by persecutors, or none of them have grievously fallen by sin, for so Peter did, but none is perished; he speaks in the present tense, not none shall perish, but is perished, as if because they were not already perished, they should never, or rather, because in respect of God's promise, it was as sure as if they were already in heaven: Even as Judas is said in the Text to be perished, although he was not yet in hell; he was not yet gone to his proper place, but because of the certainty of it. This expression was so remarkable, that Chap. 18.9. we have mention made of it as a famous saying, That the saying might be fulfilled, of those thou hast given me I have lost none: only whereas in the text it is expressed passively, none is perished; there it's active, I have lost none; but that change of the word is very comfortable, for thereby is signified, that if any did perish, it would be because of some fault in him, if they be lost, it is he hath lost them. Though sin and the devil should instrumentally destroy them, yet it would be principally attributed to his want of love, or power or faithfulness in his trust. In the text one word is to be observed, and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is perished: The word is used sometimes of a corporal and temporal destruction, Judg. 12.11. They perished in the gainsaying of Core. 1 Pet. 3.6. The whole world is said to be drowned in water, so 2 Cor. 10 9 Sometimes it's used of a spiritual destruction, in respect of the soul by everlasting damnation; Now the word doth here take in both the senses, spiritual destruction as the principal, and temporal as the secondary; for that this is partly implied appeareth, cap. 18.9. I am he ye seek, let these go, and then follows, that none may perish: In respect of the first destruction it is chiefly that the devil hath his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Revel. 9.11. only you must observe, that when the Scripture useth this word in a spiritual sense for a lost man in soul and body, it speaks of a twofold undone condition; First, There are some in a lost, perishing condition, but yet recoverable by the grace of God; they are as Moses drawn out of the water, where certain death would have been, and thus all the godly before their conversion, are lost. Thus Matth 18.11. Christ is said to come, that he might save such as were lost; he did not come to save a lost Judas, or such as were from all eternity, left by God in their undone condition, but those elect persons, that for the present were in a lost estate. Thus Luke 15.24. The Prodigal son is said to be lost or perished, but he was recovered again. The other sense is, when it's applied to such as are in an undone estate irrecoverably. They are in a state of perishing, and will never be brought out of it; and thus it's applied to Judas. Thus it's used 2 Cor. 15. The Gospel is a sweet savour to those that are saved, and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those that perish, where it's opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The words thus explained, Observe,  
That none of those who are elected, or given by the Father to Christ, shall perish. 
Observe.  They will be enabled to persevere; They will certainly get to the haven. This is a principal truth in Divinity; and as it is much oppugned by learned Adversaries, so it hath also great influence into our lives practically, and therefore I shall be the larger on this subject; and before I come to explicate it, it's good to compare two other Texts with this, as excellent parallels.  
The first is John 6.39. This is the Father's will; where you have the truth asserted, and that very powerfully.  
1. He saith, He will lose nothing of what the Father hath given him; He doth not say, he will lose none, but nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not any thing, neither his soul, nor his body, and therefore because the body, when consumed to dust, seemeth to be for ever lost, he addeth, I will raise it up at the last day.  
2. This is so great a matter, that he saith, This is the will of his Father that sent him; So that the main command to be received from the Father, and the great thing willed was, to let none of the elect perish.  
The second Text is John 10.28. where speaking of this property of his sheep, that they hear his voice, he addeth, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Here you see the expression for the future, lest it might be objected against this in the Text, though none is perished yet, yet he may when new temptations and dangers arise, than they may be undone. Judas did not immediately upon his Discipleship betray Christ; but our Saviour saith, None shall perish, and he giveth a sufficient cause of this their perseverance, because they are in his Father's hand; Here is the dear respect God beareth to them, and then none is stronger than the Father: So that you must find out a power greater than Gods, and more prevailing than his arm, if you will hold they can perish. Thus you see this truth confirmed by the mouth of two faithful witnesses. But because this truth is of singular use, and of much difficulty. 
Introductory Propositions.   
I shall first lay down many introductory particulars to the stating of this Question; for if the child at first be not well swaddled, it proveth crooked in its growth; we must therefore lay a sure and clear foundation, that our superstructure may endure. And  
First, The Question is not of the possibility of a believers total and final perishing; If we consider him in himself, if we behold him in his own power not as elected and covenanted with in Christ, then it's not only possible, but even necessary, that he should eternally perish: This is evidenced in the apostate Angels and Adam, there grace was amissible, yea they did actually lose it, when yet they had not a corrupt nature within to betray them, as we have. Therefore they did not necessarily, but by a voluntary choice fall into their own destruction: How much more would this terrible apostasy be in godly men, though sanctified, seeing there are the powerful relics of corruption abiding in them, and withal many violent temptations without to overwhelm them, if left to themselves. When therefore we say, the true believer cannot perish, it's not to be attributed to his strength and power, but solely to the grace of God, which as at first wrought conversion; so it doth also perseverance and continuance in that estate; for as the removal of the pillars doth immediately make the house to fall, being its natural motion is to descend downwards; so the withdrawing of God's gracious power would immediately cause the most holy man to fall into his old rubbish and filthy vomit of sin; it's not therefore only possible, but certain and inevitable, that every converted man, would be apostate from God; did not a mighty grace daily preserve him; and this is fully evidenced by that prayer; all are taught to pray, though never so holy, that God would not lead us into temptation, doth not that plainly teach us, That we are so weak and infirm, that there is no temptation, if left to ourselves, but it would wholly overcome us: Oh then, Let the most eminent and chiefest believers daily pray, that God would not leave them to their own strength and temptation, for this is to be left in hell's mouth.  
Secondly, As it's possible thus for believers to suffer shipwreck and lose all, if left to themselves, did not God keep them: So God for holy and wise ends, hath in some measure and degree left them, whereby they have fallen foully and dreadfully. So that we may say, they were like Samson, they lost their strength; the Philistims rose upon them, only in time their strength came again. As a man in an Apoplexy or Lethargy, hath an inward principle of life, but there are no outward demonstrations of it.  
Now this apostasy and decay may be in several particulars:  
1. In respect of the acts and exercise of grace. These are interrupted, the streams do not run. They seem to be a barren wilderness, rivers of living water do not flow out of their belly; God finds as in that Church, Revel. 2. Their works are not filled up or perfect: Hence God promiseth, Ezek. 36.17. not only to give the habitual principles of grace, but the actual exercise of them, when the just is said to live by his faith, that denoteth a continued acting, yet many times these actings of faith and other graces are intermitted. The pulse beateth slowly, if at all.  
2. Not only the actings of faith are interrupted, but the contrary actings of sin are put forth, in stead of faith they break out into unbelief; in stead of fervency and heavenly-mindedness they are dull and earthly; so that now, not the house of David, but of Saul doth overcome; Now grace is dormant, and sin is awakened and lively; yea they commit foul and enormous sins, such as the light of nature would palpably condemn, as we see it in David, with what contrivances and devises did he accomplish his adultery and murder, adding one grievous sin to another, and no doubt would have gone further, had not the Lord stopped him in his way: Not that these gross vices did totally drive away the Spirit of God, and eradicate all the principles and seed of grace within, for then how could David immediately upon Nathan's reproof, have so melted and ingenuously confessed his sin, but for the while, the root only of grace was under the ground, there appeared no fruit; or as a man that is mad hath a principle of reason, though for the present, the use of it is violently hindered: or as Eutiches, who fell from the window (Acts 20.) and all thought he had been dead; but Paul said, There was life in him. Thus it was with David, there was a secret principle of grace, but that was overwhelmed and stopped up by many lusts, as when foggy mists do arise and obnulliate the Sun. It's true, David at that time knew those actions to be sin, and so he could not but sin against his conscience; but it was a general conscience, it was not it may be, practical and convincing, quoad hic & nunc; so that he did not sin maliciously, though he was seduced by strong lusts: Whether it was a sin of infirmity, is discussed by some: But we cannot say, David's sins at that time were of ignorance or infirmity, nor yet properly of malice, but of a mixed kind: It was not of mere malice prevailing, from a total want of a principle of good, but from the not working of that good principle; They were not sins of ordinary infirmity (saith D. Ames) but of extraordinary.  
Thirdly, Not only the acts, but the habits also of grace may in respect of their degrees be much abated and grown languid. This indeed some have doubted of, Whether a godly man can, or doth fall from any degree of his grace; and they have held the negative, That a degree of grace is of the same nature with the essence of grace, and both indefectible. But when sin in the acts of it, hath prevailed on the godly, as many examples declare, no doubt but the principle of grace is thereby debilitated; If darkness be introduced, the light cannot be so prevalent; If sickness increase, health must impair: Now sin doth expel grace, both meritoriously and efficiently, in a well-explained sense.  
Fourthly, That we may not be too large in this, None can positively dogmatise, how far, and in what sins a godly man may fall, and how long he may continue ere his recovery. As it's difficult to give in a Catalogue of the Fundamental Articles of Religion, without the faith whereof a man must necessarily perish; so it is to lay down, what sins, and how perpetrated do immediately expel grace from the soul. Indeed we may speak to the negative, what shall not be done; but to the positive, How far, that is difficult to say, we may say, they cannot commit the sin against the holy Ghost, or the sin unto death, that they cannot die in final impenitency or obstinacy; but to go further, and to set down the very peg, as it were, hitherto they can fall, and no further, to give the minimum quod non, and the ultimum justum non esse, is harder in grace, then in nature. The godly therefore are to hear these things with trembling, and with all diligence to attend to such means, as are appointed for their preservation to eternal life; God may leave them in a dreadful, miserable condition; so that they may for the present seem to be so many cain's and Judasses'.  
Fifthly, Observe, That as without God's special custody, we would certainly be undone; So the godly when sinning do deserve Gods eternal forsaking of them. The ground of their indissoluble union with God, is not any good in them, but God's mere grace: They do often and often deserve, that God should withdraw all favour from them, as he did from the apostate Angels; so that it's a calumny of those who oppose the Saints perseverance, that we teach, the godly man, though he give way to all licentiousness and impiety, yet may be assured that God will never leave him, and he shall be saved; for though we are to say more to this, yet for the present we affirm, That a godly man is so far from having any such absolute certainty in a way of sin, that he is to conclude the contrary; if he do thus and thus rebel against God, and not cleave to him. God will at last wholly forsake him.  
Now these things do especially provoke God to leave his people, though not totally, yet gradually, and that both in respect of grace and consolations.  
1. When they resist the light of God shining upon them. There is a natural light, and a supernatural: now to oppose this, to walk against this, is to provoke God to forsake us, for thus such who enjoy the means of grace, and have wonderful workings upon their soul, as Heb. 6. come to be left by detaining the truth in unrighteousness. Therefore the Jews were delivered up to blindness and hardness of heart, because seeing they would not see, and hearing they would not hear; and thus by proportion it is in a sanctified person.  
2. Vnthankefulness for those heavenly and glorious privileges the effects of grace make us unworthy: When God shall by such an arm as this is bring thee out of thy sins, leaving thousands of others in their cursed and damnable estate and condition, and thou dost no more rejoice in thy Thanksgiving unto God, this is to procure frowns and displeasure from God upon thee.  
3. To walk carelessly and slothfully when this Grace is received, is endangering to lose all; She that did not strive and stir up herself with Zeal is bid to take heed lest another get her Crown from her Rev. 2. He that was unprofitable, and hideth his Talon, shall have that taken away which he had; The Church because of her great negligence and slothfulness lost Christ, and with much trouble did at last obtain him again; Therefore it's said by Peter, We are to give much diligence that we may make our Calling and our Election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10.   

SERMON LXVI. Of the Perseverance of the Saints.  JOH. 17.12. I have kept them, and none of them is perished, but the Son of Perdition. 
THe Doctrine observed was, That none of those who are given by God to Christ shall perish.  
To state and clear which Truth we have given in some particulars; and some more are now to be added, which if well digested will be so many Answers to those many Objections which are made against this Truth.  
And First Consider, That though we hold the Godly man will persevere to the End, yet this is not to be attributed to his own power and strength, but solely to Gods Help; This Truth was maintained of old by Austin against the Pelagians, who thought a man by his own power might overcome Temptations, and persist constantly in what is good: In his Book De bono perseverantiae and lib. de correptione & gratiâ, He makes it his great work to overthrow that proud and presumptuous doctrine, and among other Arguments this is often urged, That a man prayeth unto God for perseverance, which would be absurd if it were in man's own power to give it, and he also presseth another Argument of two having equal grace (whether he mean true real sanctifying grace, is controverted by the Learned; Vossius saith he doth, but others think not, as Rivet: He propounds this Question, Why one doth persevere and not the other, as we may instance, why Peter and not judas, who though he had not Sanctifying Grace yet had many good Gifts of God's Spirit, and none can give a dfference of this but by running to God's grace confirming one and not the other, So then as we see it was with the people of Israel in the Wilderness, travelling to Canaan, their shoes and garments did not wax old, or their bread moldy, God miraculously preserving of it; Thus in our way to Heaven God preserveth the Godly so that their Graces which otherwise would quickly perish and decay, are yet kept lively and vigorous by him; As in Physic there are Medicines to recover out of Diseases, and then to preserve and keep health; So there is the grace of God, out of sin, and Grace to preserve us being thus recovered; Hence Austin well observeth that expression, Rome 11. I have left to myself seven thousand that have not bowed their knees to Baal; It was God that had saved them from Idolatry, he kept them from the common corrupt worship, not they themselves, and Rom. 14. the Apostle speaking of a weak Christian saith, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand, God is able not he himself; This Truth that profound Doctor Bradwardine doth solidly maintain against Pelagians, lib. 2. De Causâ Dei, cap. 8, 9, 10. where he reproveth Lombard the Master of Sentences for attributing perseverance to a man's freewill, desiring his Zeal may be excused, because it is for God's Truth; In that Discourse he well showeth how that when God hath infused Grace into a man's heart, it is not as when the Husbandman hath prepared and fitted the ground, and hath cast his Seed into it, than he leaveth it that of its one self it may fructify and bring forth Corn; But as the Air when it is enlightened by the Sunbeams needeth the continual presence of them, so that if but for an hour light be withdrawn it is presently dark; Thus if God should from the most holy men withdraw his gracious help but for a moment, they would be immediately plunged into all evil, for if the Heavens that are so glorious Creatures, and for their firm settling called the Firmament, do yet wholly stand by the Omnipotent power and Word of God, how much rather must the eminent and dear Children of God be preserved in their supernatural Life by the same Grace and divine might; Hence 1 Chron. ult. David prayeth, that what good there was for the present in the people's hearts, God would always keep it in them; Thus perseverance then is not the fruit of our own strength, nor is it bestowed for any antecedent merits of our own, but merely from the grace and favour of God, but of this more, v. 15.  
2. We are always to distinguish between those that are in profession and appearance Godly, and such who are indeed so: No doubt but the Scripture giveth sundry and plain Instances of the Apostasy and Fall of many who for a while were eminent and admirable in their profession of Religion, but yet for all this they were not such as were indeed rooted and grounded in Christ; and this proposition will serve to answer many places that are brought to prove the perishing condition sometimes of those that had true grace, as Heb. 6.4, 5. where some are said to be enlightened, and to have tasted the good Word of God, and it's supposed that they may fall away and never be restored again, but howsoever the Arminians think there is an enumeration of the best things the godly may have, and that none can go beyond those qualifications, yet the Apostle plainly speaketh the contrary, for when he had reckoned up these particulars, yet he addeth, I hope better things, and things that accompany or hold salvation; So then there were better things than these, and there are things that hold Salvation, that cannot be separated from them, but such were not these things named in the Text, and further the Apostle chargeth these persons to whom he attributeth these privileges, that they were dull and slow, that they needed to be taught the first principles; By all which it appeareth that the godly aught to have better things than those mentioned; Do not therefore gather the Apostasy of those that are truly godly, because sometimes you see men of eminent parts and professions in Religion become degenerate and unsound, for possibly these never had the Truth of grace, and such also were those named by Peter, 2 Pet. 2.20. where some are said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ, and yet were again entangled in their former lusts; We grant, that the Faith of Christ had so far a powerful operation upon them, that they left off those pollutions they lived in whilst Heathens, but yet that they were never changed at the very root and heart, appearrth in that the Apostle calls them but washed Swine, they had not changed their Swinish nature, they were not made Sheep, though they had an outward Reformation: Now that all such though never so wonderful for parts and duties, if falling off, never were truly principled with the work of grace in their souls, appeareth by that eminent place, 1 Joh. 2.19. They went from us because they were not of us, If they had been of us they would have continued with us; Here it is plain, that whosoever is truly of the Church of God he will always abide so; Indeed when we see the fall of such who seemed such glorious Stars, and such tall Cedars, we ought in an holy manner to fear and tremble; We that stand are to take heed lest we fall, but this doth not prove the total Apostasy of those that do truly belong to God, Mat. 13. He that did believe and receive the Word with joy, did yet at last wither, because he had not a good and honest heart; Now when we say, all these mentioned had not true Grace, we do not mean they were gross Hypocrites, as if they did outwardly profess they believed, but inwardly were the clean contrary; No, only we take an hypocrite in a large sense for one who hath some imperfect and inchoate works of God's Spirit upon him, which are like dispositions in a tendency unto true Grace, as the Embryo to a Child, but yet they fall far short of Sanctification; They in their thoughts and hearts are real and serious, others apprehend them to be in the state of Grace, but still though Virgins they are but Foolish Virgins, They have not that Oil which will serve when the Bridegroom cometh; Terrible it is to hear this, and oh what sharp goads should they be in our sides, lest we never as yet have gone further than such persons, Say it again unto thyself, Am I not gone further than such and such persons?  
3. It is good to observe, That even the Adversaries to this Truth do grant that God is able to confirm a man in grace so that he shall never fall; They grant God doth establish the Angels in that happy condition that they shall never fall from it, yea, they will not contend but that de facto God did confirm some, as the Apostles, that they should never be separated from Christ; Now if this be granted, it will overthrow all those reasons that they bring to prove the perishing estate sometimes of the godly; For thus they argue, If a Godly man shall certainly be preserved, to what purpose then are all Counsels and exhortations? Why are they commanded to fear, and to take heed lest they fall; Do not all these Admonitions seem vain and absurd? As if we should bid a man take heed he do not fly up into the air, if he do, he will fall; Now if there be any absurdity in this, will not all this hold as well in those Apostles whom they grant to be infallibly preserved to Eternal Life; Though Christ told them Their Names were written in heaven. That he went te prepare a place for them, yet for all that he exhorts them to take heed of the least motions of sin, and abide in him, though he promiseth they shall continue in him.  
4. Consider That of those who plead for an Apostasy of the godly, there is a distinction to be made, Some go further than others, some hold one way and not another; As first, Some hold that though men be Elected to Salvation, yet they may perish because their Elect on is not absolute but conditional, supposing their perseverance, and thus the Arminians, but some Papists and the Lutherans they hold that no Elect man can ever perish, for then God might be frustrated in his Counsels, which were absurd to think; Others they say, That men may have true grace for the present, but yet not Elected; They do not make true Faith proper to the Elect only, but say, many besides such have for the present true lively grace now with them; The Elect man he cannot fall from his grace but the other may; The Learned V●ssius doth at large endeavour to make this the Opinion of Austin, as we told you; Though some deny it, and bring places that seem to evince the contrary, whose Opinion soever it be, it cannot be justified by the Scripture. Lastly, Others hold, that a Godly man though Elected may for the present totally lose all his grace, and not so much as any Sparks remain, but then they say he will not always abide thus, he shall at last recover, So that he shall not finally perish; Now we cannot join with any of these Opinions, but affirm the truly godly, though never so weak, yet shall certainly be preserved to happiness, so that though he may fall grievously, yet the Spirit of God doth not wholly and finally forsake him.  
5. When we say that such as are given to Christ shall never perish, this is to be understood of all and every one of them; Not only such who have an high degree of Grace, but even those that are babes, such as are like the smoking flax and bruised reed; Where there is true grace, though but like a grain of Mustardseed, yet that shall be so quickened and enlivened, that it shall never go out, and this is of great Consolation to the godly, who are apt to think that though some eminent Believers be carried on to happiness, yet such weak and frail things as they are shall never hold; they cannot withstand any temptation, they presently are ready to fall as soon as ever they are set on their feet, but they are to know that the same divine protection and power is to all, because they are Christ's; It is not because one hath more godliness than another, but because all are in Christ's hands; A Child in the Ark was as safe as any strong man, so that our protection is not founded upon the measure of our grace but the truth of our grace, That which is true grace will persevere, Perseverance doth not make it to be true, but the Truth of it makes it to persevere, So that where true Grace is, there Perseverance will certainly follow, as where the Sun is, there will be Sunne-beams; Therefore that distinction though applauded by the Learned Vossius of a threefold Truth of Essence, To which is opposed no Faith, or a feigned Faith; Truth of intention or degrees to which is opposed a weak and remiss Faith; Truth of radication or perseverance, to which is opposed a temporary abiding, is well called by Amesius, futilis destinctio, a mere frothy distinction, for the least degree of true grace hath perseverance annexed to it, and the good ground and the bad are distinguished not only by their perseverance but by the very nature of the soil, and therefore the good Ground only is called a good and honest heart, so that we are not to say, Grace if it be rooted, but if it be true, will be brought to Eternal Glory  
6. Though the Godly shall surely be saved, yet this doth not exclude a great deal of difficulty and many dangers in the way; The Apostle saith, The Righteous is scarcily saved▪ 1 Pet. 4.18. which by consequence at least relateth to a spiritual salvation: Hence the way to heaven is a straight and narrow way, and they are to strive to enter in, Luk. 13.24 It is compared to all the hard and difficult things, as are; It is called crucifying and mortifying of sin; It is often compared to fight and conflicting; Thus they are wrestling jacob's ere they can obtain the Blessing, many jebusites and Enemies must be conquered ere they can possess Canaan.  
Lastly, The Godly are not only to be preserved thus to Eternal Salvation, but they are to be assured and persuaded of it; So that two Privileges God vouchsafeth.  
1. Their Perseverance.  
2. Their assurance and powerful persuasion of this; As Paul Rom. 8. I am persuaded neither things present, or future, shall separate us from the love of God in Christ; As Paul doth not speak only of himself from some special Revelation he had, but from such common Arguments that agree to all that are holy; Not that this assurance is such an assurance, is such an absolute one, that though I walk in all profaneness, and drink down the deadly poison of sin, that it shall never hurt me, but it's a well-ordered assurance in the constant and diligent use of the means, So that as we give all diligence to make our Election sure to us▪ so commonly our assurance is; It is true the most tender and exact godly ones, as job and David are sometimes in desertions, and cry out God hath forsaken them, but ordinarily the more formal and careless we are in our approaches to God, the more are our doubts and fears; As in standing Pools croaking Frogs are generated; By this Doctrine then or Perseverance we may see two Graces ought to be conjoined which the Godly by their weakness make one oppose another; They are to believe firmly on God's promise, and yet to be humble in themselves; They are to rejoice, and yet with trembling; when thy confidence devoureth an holy trembling, then take heed of presumption; When thy fear devoureth thy Faith and Joy, then take heed of despair; But as in nature there is the humidum and calidum radical, both which preserve life; Or as to the heat of the heart there is the pericardium to cool it, Thus in our way to heaven; These are the two Millstones by which we are made pure bread; And as in the Old Testament, so here, neither of them may be taken to pledge, because one cannot work without the other.   

SERMON LXVII. Arguments proving, That Every One that is in the State of Grace shall be preserved to Eternal Life.  JOH. 17.11. Not one of them is perished. 
WE have been delivering several particulars to state and clear this necessary Truth, viz.  
That every one in the state of Grace, the weak as well as the strong, shall by a divine power be preserved to Eternal Life.  
The next thing is to produce those Reasons and Arguments which will confirm it, for when it shall appear to be God's Truth and not man's bare Opinion, than we may the more confidently rest on it.  
Argum. 1 And the first Argument shall be from God's Election; Those whom God hath ordained from all Eternity to Everlasting Glory they shall never perish, but such who have true grace (though in the least degree) God hath thus predestinated and appointed to happiness; So that this Argument stands firmer than Heaven and Earth, for it's built on God's Election, and it's good to observe how the cause of all good and preservation from a perishing condition, is reduced to this as the Original of all, Mar. 13.22. The false Apostles are there said to seduce if it were possible the very Elect, If it were possible, therefore the Elect can never be seduced into a perishing estate, if it be said, that Elect is to be taken adjectively for as much as good and precious, as the Septuagint sometimes useth the word, in which all Israel is sometimes called God's Elect, Isa. 45.4. Isa. 65.9. This cannot stand, for in the same Chapter, v. 20. These Elect are said to be those whom God hath chosen, So that the word is not to be taken adjectively as denoting some inward excellency, but as a participle relating to God's action. The Elect whom God hath chosen; If again it be said that the phrase (if it be possible) doth not denote an absolute impossibility, but a great difficulty, as in some other places it is used; Neither will this serve the Arminians turn, for though it be used so in some places, yet unless they can prove it's always used so, and therefore in this place, they do nothing; Now we say, that we are not to depart from the literal meaning, when there is no absurdity, yea, in this Text we are to stand to it, because it is brought in by way of aggravation of the deceitful ways of False Teachers, They were so insinuating, so specious, that had not the Elect a firmer ground than their own prudence and knowledge, viz. God's Election, they would be undone, so that Grotins his illustrations in his Exposition on Mat. 24. from Galen, who useth this Proverb to express a pertinacious adherent man to his Opinion; You may sooner unteach a man, Moses, and Christ, or out of Austin, when they can write in the water, etc. then they may persuade a Christian to forsake Christ, are but fair paintings to his deformity: The Scripture intends a full impossibility and not a difficulty, because brought in to aggravate, and indeed it would be frigid and jejune to make this the sense, They shall come with such lying wonders, that they shalt difficultly and very hardly seduce the Elect; Besides the Arminian, who holds that indifferency in a man's power, that when all pre-requisites on God's part are put, yet he can will or not will, cannot say its difficult, at least so difficult, as that phrase imports; Do they not say? David by his Fall did wholly shake off all grace branch and root, and yet there was no such difficulty to that? How easily did one sin draw on another? So that it would have been absurd to have said that Bathsheba (who was merely passive at first) did so strongly tempt David, that if it were possible he would have fallen into Adultery: And if further you say, The godly may fall into fundamental errors though Elected; Even the disciples did not believe Christ's Resurrection and his spiritual Office as a Messiah, We answer, they may a while, but God will graciously recover them; These Vipers shall not stick upon them till they die; Though they have swallowed these deadly things yet they shall at last vomit them up; As God though he suffered Christ's body to be dead and buried in the grave, yet he would not let it see corruption; Thus it is here, Though the Godly may err dangerously, and fall foully, yet they shall not see corruption: Lastly▪ It is answered, that the Elect before their conversion may lie in all sin, and be deceived by all kind of errors, Therefore there cannot be any strength from this because Elected; But the Reply is easy; By elect are meant such who do not only partake of that mercy, but such who find the effects of this upon their soul, Elected and converted; And that this is included is plain, because it is said, If it be possible to deceive even the Elect: Now he is said to be deceived that was in the right and Truth, it's improper to say, They shall deceive such as are already in a plain deceived way, So that this necessarily inferreth, That it is meant of Elected persons who find the mighty power of this upon their hearts.  
Argum. 2 A Second Argument is from the Covenant of grace and Gods sure mercies, which are made to such, and this makes them stand like Mount Zion, yea firmer, for at the day of Judgemnt that shall be shaken, but these will go safe thorough the fiery Trial: This Magna Charta, of which you have several branches or promises every where, is clearly laid down, Jer. 32.39, 30. God there promiseth first the Conversion of his people, He will write his Law in their inward parts, and then he promiseth Perseverance, He will put his Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him: God there promiseth he will never turn from them, and he will so graciously affect their hearts as they shall never turn from him, and this Covenant the Prophet calls an Everlasting Covenant, it shall last above the Sun and Moon, it shall not be like the former Covenant that was broken, and indeed it must needs continue, for it promiseth all those qualifications which may enable to persevere, and perseverance itself▪ For whereas it may be thought Gods own Children may through careless, negligent, and slothful walking, undo themselves, God saith, He will put his fear in their hearts, as being the special Antidote against Apostasy, for Blessed is he that feareth always, Prov. 28.14. It's a blessed thing not to be in a doubtful perplexing fear, that is a cursed, hellish thing, the portion of Cain and Judas▪ but in a filial, godly Fear, as Joseph was, when he said, How can I do this, and sin against God? Now sin can never come in at the Gate while Fear is the Porter; Therefore above all things God saith, He will put his Fear in their hearts, and this promise is spoken so peremptorily and absolutely, that it's an absurd thing with the Arminians to suppose some condition on man's part that it may be made good, as if God indeed were ready to put his fear in their hearts, for his part nothing shall be wanting, only they must not put a stop to his munificence, for this is as if God had said, I will give you a will to fear me if you will, I will make you to will if you will, or I will make you to persevere if you will persevere; I will make you that you shall never depart from me, if ye will not depart from me; What a ridiculous and absurd sense would hereby be put upon this Glorious Promise; The Arminians do to evade this powerful Argument, Say, This was made to the whole body of the Jews in their Captivity, and are busy in finding out subtle Reasons, That it was never made good, and are off and on, like Noah's Dove, not knowing where to set their Feet, Whereas the Apostle in Hebr. 10.16, 17. doth very plainly apply it as the Covenant of Grace to all Believers.  
Argum. 3 3. A Third Argument shall be From the Mediator of this Covenant, or the way to ratify and confirm these Gracious Promises, which are from the first to the last, that we shall have Everlasting Glory from Predestination to Glorification, and that is by Christ's blood, So that Christ is become their Mediator, their Head, and they his Members; The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Christ, and the Sacraments are visible Seals to confirm this, 2 Corinth. 2.20. All the Promises of God are in Christ Yea and Amen: There is not Yea and Nay, but a sure infallibility in them; Hence this Priesthood of Christ and our Blessing in him, as Abraham's Seed is said to have a Promise, and an Oath to confirm it. Hebr. 6.18. That by two Immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong Consolation: Christ then by his Blood purchased these Privileges for us, he obtained by his Death our Salvation▪ and his Priesthood for this purpose was confirmed by an Oath; How then can we ever think or imagine that they should perish who have such preservation and Security provided for them: Indeed we see the Angels, and Adam though full of Grace to Apostatise, and the Godly man though weak in Grace, and surrounded with many Temptations, yet safely preserved, but the Reason is plain, They have a Mediator of this New Covenant, who by his Death will certainly bring them to Glory, for if this were not so, but all depended upon man's indifferent power; Christ might have died, and not one man have been saved, who cannot but detest and abhor such a thought, that by the Arminian Position Christ might have suffered and endured all those Agonies, and not one be saved, all might have been in vain, but the Scripture speaks otherwise, Isaiah 53.11. The work of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand; He shall see his Seed and the Travel of his Soul, and shall be satisfied: Christ would not have been satisfied in his Soul, had he not seen the Fruit and Event of his Agonies and Sufferings, and that such persons were saved for whom he died.  
Argum. 4 4. A Fourth Argument is taken From Christ's peculiar Prayer and Intercession for their Preservation; And thus the Argument runs: Those for whom Christ offered up a Mediatory Prayer, and earnestly begged and entreated that they might be so kept that none should perish, Such must infallibly be preserved, but all the Godly are comprehended in this Prayer for their Preservation; You see in these Verses it is Christ's whole drift and scope to obtain this for them, that though they must be in the world, yet that they might be kept from the evil and wickedness of the world, and lest this should be thought for his Apostles only, or such as did already believe in him, He addeth, verse 20. that he prayeth for all such as shall believe in him: Here you see all that do or shall believe in Christ they are comprehended in this Prayer, that none may perish; Now it's plain that the Father heard Christ in all that he desired, and there was always an Agreement or Correspondency between his will and the Fathers; Now what Christ did for all, we see more pregnantly in Peter, Luke 22.23. I have prayed (saith he) that thy Faith fail not; This is done for every godly Person as well as Peter, and therefore upon this Occasion said in the general to all the Apostles; Satan had desired to winnow them, if it were possible to have cast them out as Chaff; And this Mediatory Prayer continueth still in some sense, For Hebr. 5.26. He ever-liveth to make Intercession for us; This certainly must necessarily be effectual to our preservation.  
Argum. 5 5. A Fifth Argument is, The Godly man's divine protection to Everlasting Happiness is confirmed by assertory places as well as promissory; There are several Texts of Scripture that do plainly and clearly declare as much: Therefore let that be believed before men's Opinions, John 6.39. It is the Father's Will that of those who are given me I should lose none of them; To this purpose also is that in John 10.28. Yea, that we may firmly be established herein, Matth. 16.18. Our Saviour tells us, That he will build his Church upon a Rock, that the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it; Some would limit the Gates of Hell to Death, as it were an Hebraisme, but it is plain our Saviour meaneth every thing that shall oppose and hinder him in the Building of his Church, and thus not only Death, but Sin and Hell are great Adversaries, otherwise it might so fall out that God should have no Church here upon the Earth, which would be a horrible Derogation to Christ, as if he might be a Head without Members: Another pregnant place affirming this is in 1 John 2.19. If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us; No doubt: See how the Apostle puts it out of all Question; There is a Disciple indeed, and a Disciple in Appearance and Profession only: The Disciple indeed is a Pillar that shall never be removed out of the House, but shall abide for ever; But the Disciple in Appearance and Show only, he is not a fixed Star but a Meteor, For all his light and blaze is compounded of terrestrial matter, and so will quickly perish and vanish away: We may say, Dust he is, and unto Dust he will return: Of such our Saviour speaketh, John 10. Every Branch in me that bringeth not forth Fruit, he cutteth off, and casteth away: It is a Branch in him not by lively Insition but external Profession: Another place to bring up the Rear of these Assertory Texts of Scripture, is 1 John 3.9. Whosoever is born of God (there is the Universality) he sinneth not, neither can he, viz. not as a Cain, as a wicked one he doth not sin, he cannot give up himself wholly unto sin, and the Reason is because the Seed of God abideth in him.  
Argum. 6 6. A sixth Argument is, The Comparisons and Similitudes the Scripture useth do infer the Godly man's Continuance; And although Similitudes do not prove in every particular, yet they do for that end they are brought; Now the Scripture excellently illustrates the stability of the Godly by enduring things, Psal. 1. To a Tree planted by the Water's Side: Also to Mount Zion that can never be removed, Psalm. 125.1. Especially John 4.14. where Regenerating Grace is called a Well of water springing up to Eternal Life, and is differenced from material water in this respect, A man drinketh of that and is thirsty again, but whosoever drinketh of this shall never thirst again: He shall not go back into Egypt again, desiring his former Onions and Garlic.  
Argum. 7 7. All those places which admonish the Godly to take heed, and to walk humbly do prove their standing; Indeed the Arminian inferreth the clean contrary, but the Truth is, By these Admonitions, Exhortations, and other means of Grace they are enabled to continue: As man by his Food is preserved alive, for God useth all these Ordinances as practical Mediums by which he stirreth them up when secure, quickens them when decaying, and recovers them when fallen; To these we may add the Afflictions which the Godly are sure to have when they go astray; Therefore whereas Solomon is thought by all to be the hardest Instance of any that had true Grace, and apostatised so foully, yet that he died not out of Grace, appeareth not only by the Book of Ecclesiastes, which he made at his latter end, as a plain Testimony of his Repentance and Turning to God, but also fully by 2 Sam 1.14. If he commit Iniquity, I will chasten him, but my Mercy I will not utterly take away, So that these Afflictions being sanctified will be effectual to awaken them, and bring them home with the Prodigal at last to their Father's House.  
Lastly, If God did not vouchsafe Perseverance in Grace as well as Grace, he had not done the best for us; To keep Grace is far better than to have Grace: It's perseverance that crowneth all, Holding out to the end, is that which blesseth all: Therefore the Scripture describeth God by this, That he is able to keep them unspotted and blameless till the Coming of Christ, It would redound to God's dishonour, as it did to that foolish Builder, if God should begin and not finish his work.  
Use of Encouragement to the Godly in all their Conflicts and Difficulties in the way to Heaven, you have need of this Consolation, You had need have your Eyes open to see what is for you as well as what is against you; This Assurance will not breed Despair, but quicken you up to a lively working; Though thou art not certain of Life and Wealth, yet of Gods assisting Grace to the last.   

SERMON LXVIII. Of the Son of Perdition. Showing, That some Persons are wilfully set to Damn themselves, though they have never so many Excellent Remedies and Means to the contrary; And what are the Causes that move them thereunto, and Characters of such Persons.  JOHN 17.12. None is perished, but the son of Perdition. 
THe next thing to be treated of, is the employed Answer to an Objection, that might easily be made, If Christ had so faithfully kept them all, How comes Judas to perish? Now our Saviour answereth this two ways:  
1. He was a son of Perdition.  
2. There was a prediction of this in Scripture, and that must be fulfiled.  
Again, This may not be brought only to answer an Objection, but by way of Consolation to the Apostles, and Confirmation of them, who could not but be much scandalised upon Judas his heinous betraying of Christ: Therefore this is spoken to forewarn them, that they may not be offended, when it cometh to pass.  
The opening of the words doth deserve much diligence, because at the first view, they seem to carry, as if one of those who are elected may perish, and that Judas is one excepted from among the chosen ones, and this place is much urged by those that deny any absolute election: Therefore to inform your judgements, let us take notice of these three things:  
1. Why Judas is called a son of perdition.  
2. Why he is said to be already perished, when as yet he had not destroyed himself, nor was in hell.  
3. Whether that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be exceptive or adversative.  

Why Judas is called the son of perdition.  For the first, Why Judas is called a son of perdition, this is an Hebraism; for among many other usages of the word, Ben, or Bath, they particularly use it in two cases; first, when they would express one that is given, or much versed in such a way, they call him the son of that. Thus Deut. 3, 8. 2 Sam. 2.7. The sons of strength, are strong men, The sons of Belial, Deut. 13.13, are such as wickedly bend themselves to break the Law of God; and thus we have the children of light, and the children of wisdom, the children of the Kingdom, Mat. 8.12.  
2. When the Genitive case signifieth a punishment or reward; thus it useth the word son, and signifieth some desert or fitness for that thing. Thus 1 Sam. 20.31. a son of death, is one that deserveth to die, Deut. 25.2. a son of percussions, is one that deserveth to be scourged, and Ephes. 2.3. Children of wrath, are such as deserve it; and thus it is here, Judas is called a son of perdition, both because he did wilfully give himself up to such sins, as did destroy him, and because he did deserve it, by his perfidiousness. Some indeed take the word perdition actively, as if he were called the son of perdition, because he did seek to destroy Christ, as the Devil is called Apollyon, because of his endeavour to damn men; but that seemeth not so proper. Three things therefore are implied in this phrase, a son of perdition.  
First, The Event and end, which will certainly befall him, he shall be destroyed.  
Secondly, His sin or guilt, whereby he deserveth such perdition: Even as Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2.3. is called, the son of perdition, and the man of sin, the son of perdition, there is the end, a man of sin, there is the cause, because he is a man of sin, he must be a son of perdition, and thus it is with Judas.  
Thirdly, There is a further thing in this, and that is God's appointing and ordaining of Judas to this destruction, not that the cause or blame is to be laid upon this predestination, but upon Judas only; God ordained him for his sins to this perdition: Even as Judas v. 4. it is said of some, That they were of old ordained to judgement. The like is 1 Pet. 2.8. Rom. 9.17.  
The second Question is, Why is Judas said to be already perished, 
Why Judas is said to be already perished.  seeing he had not yet hung himself, nor were his bowels gushed out, and he gone to his proper place?  
The Answer is, 1. Because the initials of condemnation were already begun in him, according to that John 3. He that believeth not is already judged. And then  
2. Because this was but immediately before his perdition: even as Christ said, I am not of the world, because he was immediately to leave it.  
Thirdly, How are we to understand this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, But the son of perdition? Some say, that it's an exceptive particle, and therefore answer, That our Saviour speaks thus of Judas, as if he were an elect person, because in all men's judgements he did appear to be so as yet. Thus Zanchy and Calvin, Our Saviour indeed speaketh (saith he) improperly, as to the Grammar, but consonantly enough to the ordinary custom of men, who speak of a thing appearing to be so, as if it were so.  
Others, they understand this giving, Of which none is perished, but Judas, not of giving by Election, but to the Apostleship, and by way of Office, in which sense our Saviour said, Have I not chosen twelve, and one of you is a devil? He doth not there speak of an eternal Election, but a temporal one to the Apostolical Office; But because all along in this Chapter, Those that are given to Christ are said to have eternal life, and to be given out of the world, we understand it of eternal Election, in which sense it's plainly said, Judas was now elected, John 13.18. I speak not of you all (viz. that you shall be happy) I know whom I have chosen. Therefore the answer is, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not by way of exception, but opposition, not as if Judas were one excepted of those given to Christ, and perished, but the contrary, None is perished, but he who was never given, and therefore is a Son of perdition. Thus the words are used Mat. 24 36. Of that day knoweth no man, no nor the Angels of Heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but the Father only, where it is not exceptive, for then the Father should be in the number men or Angels, but by way of opposition; So Revel. 21.27. There shall not enter into it any unclean thing, or that makes a lie, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but those that are written in the book of the Lamb, where it cannot be exceptive, for then those written in that book, should be in the number of those that make a lie, or are unclean. One place more may be added, Revel. 9.4. where the Locusts are commanded not to hurt the grass or trees, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but only those men, which have not the Seal of God on their foreheads; and that it must be so understood here is plain, because John 6.36. it's expressly said, None that are given to him shall ever perish. Thus Latin Critics observe, that the word nisi, used in this place by the vulgar, is sometimes in Tully and Terence, with other good Authors for sed. The words thus explained, Observe  

Observe. That there are some persons that are wilfully set to destroy & damn themselves, though they have never so many excellent remedies to the contrary.  That there are some persons that are wilfully set to destroy and damn themselves, though they have never so many excellent remedies and means to the contrary. Thus Judas, though called to be an Apostle, though endowed with gifts to work miraracles, though in the constant Communion with Christ, seeing his holy life, and hearing his heavenly Doctrine, yet is not moved by all this, but wilfully and obstinately goeth on in ways of self-perdition; yea though our Saviour had immediately before washed all their feet, Judas his feet as well as the rest, which was a strong engagement to make him full of love to Christ; and though he was admonished of it, that he should betray him, though he heard our Saviour say, It had been better for him he had never been born, yet from these admonitions, he goeth immediately, and consummates all iniquity. From this man called here, a son of perdition, yet formerly as eminent as the other Apostles, many worthy particulars are to be gathered, but for the present I shall pitch on this,  
That there are some men so resolvedly and obstinately given to damn themselves, that let what will come in the way, they will go on. Even as Balaam in his purpose to curse the people of Israel, sets forward with great resolutions, driveth on his Ass, though that speak to him (which might have been a terrible astonishment) yet for all that he pursueth his wicked design, till God stop him whether he will or no: Or as Saul was wretchedly bend to murder himself, and therefore calls upon his Armour bearer to run him thorough, which when he refused, he desperately falls upon his own spear, and kills himself. Thus there are thousands of persons, that do with as much obstinacy, and desperate hardness of heart, throw themselves into hell; God commands a man, To do no murder, and self-murder is rare, because the care of life, and fear of death is implanted in men, but self-destruction and self-damnation is very common; for men neither have a love to their immortal souls, nor yet a fear of eternal damnation. No wonder, if some persons are thus, when we read of an whole body of people or Nation ready to do this, Matth. 23.37. Christ doth there in a melting manner weep over Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets? etc. How often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not? This compassionate bewailing of them, was enough to turn stones into tears, but they would not. It is not said, they understood not, they desired, but other things hindered them: No, They would not; There was a pertinacious wilful obstinacy; There are more remedies and means sufficient to have humbled them in sackcloth and ashes, but they would not. This cursed disposition was of old in them, Jer. 18.12. when the Prophet had informed them of God's purpose to bring evil upon them, and that therefore they should return from their evil way: See what an obstinate reply they make, There is no hope, or as some render it, it's a desperate case, We will go every one in his evil ways, and after the imagination of our own hearts: So truly did the Prophet say, Hos. 13.9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. That as it is from a man's own body diseases grow, which afterwards kill him; and moths are bred in that linen, which afterwards consume it. Thus from a man's one self come those sins, which tend to his everlasting damnation. They will destroy themselves, who can stop them or persuade them to the contrary.  
To pursue this, because it's the case of many men, 
The causes that move men to damn themselves.  who live under the means of grace: Let us consider, What are the causes that move men thus violently to damn themselves, as if they could not do it soon enough? And  
First, There are many, though glorying in the title of Christians, that are profanely Atheistical. They do not believe there is a God, or Heaven, or Hell; 
1. Atheism.  they do not firmly assent to God's Word as true. Now what good can all the preaching in the world do, though the Ministers were as so many Angels, and their voice as terrible as the sound of the trumpet at the last day; if men be Atheistical, they will not believe what any Minister preacheth. They bless themselves in their wicked ways, and will not hearken to any thing. Achitophel did not more resolutely go hang himself, than those to damn themselves; For as faith is the great instrument, whereby the Word preached becomes effectual to salvation; so unbelief is the great stop and obex in the way. This is the door and bar to keep all off, which made the Prophet complain, Isa. 53.1. and the Apostle afterwards allegeth it, as the cause of men's destruction, Who hath believed our report? Hence Heb. 4.2. The Word did not profit the Israelites, because not mixed with faith, A Metaphor from the Physicians potion, which doth no good, because not mixed with such ingredients; This is to be worse than the devils, who believe and tremble, but thou dost neither; As long therefore as men abide in unbelief, no Ministry, no preaching will do them any good, faith is the foundation, without this there cannot be any building. But though the promises are not made good, unless we believe; yet know to thy terror that all the curses and threatenings in God's Word will be fulfilled upon thee, whether thou believe or not.  
Secondly, Another cause is, Gross, brutish and stupid Ignorance; 
2. Ignorance.  When people have no knowledge or understanding in matters of Religion, they fall as easily as blind men, that know not where they go, Ephes. 4.18. The Apostle speaking of some, who gave themselves up to wickedness, and were past feeling. They had no remorse or sense of conscience; as a dead hand, though it be run through with the sword, yet feels no pain, he makes the cause of this senslesness, to be the darkness in their understanding, and the blindness which was upon their hearts. Thus Hos. 4.1, 2. when the Prophet complained, That the Land was overthrown with swearing, lying and murders, he makes this the cause, There is no knowledge of God in the Land; and Judas v. 10. relateth some, Who speak evil of those things they know not, and what they know naturally, they did as bruit beasts corrupt themselves with. Is not this the character of many in these days? Their hellish mouths are opened to rail and deride, and so speak malicious words against those that are godly, when they are sottish and ignorant in religious things, having no knowledge, but what is natural, and with that, they are like bruit beasts, corrupting themselves. The sottish ignorance and brutish blindness upon many, makes them to venture desperately; Oh if their eyes were open! Did they but see what the godly see, they would not dare to step a step forward in that way which leadeth to death. But as mad men feel no pain, though instruments be thrust into them, so neither do they. Men out of their wits venture upon self-murdering practices; and thus do those that are void of all spiritual understanding. Hence Admonition is called in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Thess. 5.13. Paul commands them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to warn them that are unruly, or to put a mind and wits into them, as if they were mad, and would destroy themselves not knowing what they did.  
A third cause of such wilful resolvedness to damn themselves, is, hardness of heart. As long as the heart is soft and tender, it trembleth at God's word, 
3. Hardness of heart.  and is afraid of sin, but when it is turned into a stone, and made like an adamant, then it's sensible of nothing. Pharaoh, though he had such wonderful miracles wrought before him, that never such things were heard of in the world before, yet because his heart was hardened, therefore doth he sin presumptuously to his own ruin: And thus it was with the Jews, when that spiritual judgement spoken of (Isa. 6.) was accomplished in them, to have blind eyes and hard hearts. Thus all the Prophets at first, and all the Apostles afterwards, yea Christ himself with all his miracles did not mollify them, yea by these remedies, as all incurable diseases do, they grew worse and worse; what motions, relent must we expect from stones? Lapidi loqueris, is a proverb; Truly such is all preaching, and the whole Ministry to men given up to a hard heart. Though the Prophet when he spoke to the Altar of stones, crying▪ O Altar, Altar, that immediately rend, yet the hearts of men are more senseless. Pray therefore of all judgements not to fall into an hard heart. Though thou mayest fall into hard times, into hard dealings from others, into many hard distresses, yet as long as thou hast not an hard heart, there are some hopes for thee.  

4. Inordinate love to some sin.  Fourthly, Inordinate and immoderate love to some lust or sin: When a man is once enslaved to some lust, though he hath never so much light, so much conviction; yea, though he have never so many afflictions upon him, yet he will break thorough all to have his lust satisfied. As Nero's mother said, Occidat modo imperet, Let him kill me, so he may reign. Thus let such sins damn me, so that I may have my will and desire satisfied. What made Judas, though he had received so much love and kindness from Christ? Yet so perfidiously betray him into the hands of those who had long sought to kill him, but only he was a thief, and had an immoderate love to worldly-gain: It was thirty pieces that made him lose body and soul; Oh it's an heavy thing to be captivated to any one sin! Thou must have such and such sins for thy darling sin: Oh this Dalilah will be thy ruin, as it was to Samson! Who would have thought that Samson, a godly man, as he is recorded Heb. 11. seeing what deadly enemies the Philistims were, would have discovered where his strength was? But this Dalilah can persuade him to his ruin: And thus Herodias can prevail with Herod to kill John Baptist, though he knew him to be a just man, and had a reverential fear of him; thy lust, thy sin, thy whore, thy unjust gain can make thee fall down and worship the devil without any trouble of conscience.  
Fifthly, Decay from former expressions of holiness or quenchings, and extinguishing of such motions as formerly have greatly affected us. These commonly seek the Kingdom of darkness (as Christ speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven) by force, and are violent for hell, Heb. 6.4. & 2 Pet. 2.20. The Scripture speaks of some that have had great gifts of the holy Ghost, and have escaped through the knowledge of Christ, the pollutions of the world, if such are entangled again they are worse than ever, and there is no hope of recovery; Therefore none are in such a desperate condition as those that once had greater workings of heart, and hopeful move of conscience, but since are grossly apostatised, the profanest men that live, who never cast an eye towards heaven, are in a more hopeful condition than such; relapses are more dangerous in the soul, then in the body, Mat. 12.45. when that unclean spirit was cast out, but returned again, he brought seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and so the last state of that man is worse than the first: Look to this and tremble, you who have had often checks of conscience, and often wounds of heart, take heed they plunge thee not into an incurable condition: The water once heated, if cold again, is cooler than ever. These frequent aguish fits, will at last end in a consumption. Take heed lest thou turn a derider and a persecutor of what once thou wert forward for.   

SERMON LXIX. Of the Son of Perdition. Showing more Causes and Symptoms of such wretched Persons that are desperately bend to damn themselves.  JOH. 17.12. But the Son of Perdition. 
THe Words have been Explained, and the Doctrine gathered, which was,  
That there are some men wilfully and desperately set to damn themselves, though they enjoy never such means to the contrary.  
We gave in some Characters of such wretched persons, and now proceed to instance in some more.  
And the first in order shall be, 
6. unprofitableness under the means of grace  A long and constant unprofitableness under means of Grace; When men have for a long time sat under the powerful means of Grace, yet are as ignorant, as profane and unreformed as formerly; These men commonly are resolute in their damnation; They have so often heard and heard, they are so accustomed now to the remedies that they despise them, and get no good by them; This the Apostle affirmeth, Heb. 6.8. The ground which often drinketh in rain, and yet bringeth forth nothing but briers and thorns, is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burnt; This was the case even of the whole body of the Jews, they being accustomed for many years to the threatenings of the Prophets, were so far from trembling under it, that they made a scorn of it, Jer. 23.33. because the Prophet Jeremy did so often tell them of the Burden of the Lord, that is the heavy Sentence and Judgement of God threatened against them, they did impudently and profanely make a scorn of it; Even as many hardened sinners will now adays at the name of hell and damnation; Oh then let all such who for many years together have been under the Sun of the Gospel, fear lest when we speak of a Son of Perdition it be said, Thou art the man, for as when the body that hath been accustomed to often Physic, doth yet remain diseased, it's a great Argument of its incurableness, Thus it is here, When there are daily importunities of thee, constant expostulations with thee, and yet thou art averse and obdurate, 
7. Taking ungodly prejudices against the Ministers of God.  this may prove fatal and dreadful to thee.  
2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up against those Prophets and Ministers of God that do in his Name admonish thee, and warn thee against thy sins: Oh when men instead of harkening to their Counsels, take occasion to slander them, to oppose them, these men have hastily tumbled into confusion, Mat. 23. This Christ complained of, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, etc. how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not? And it was of old the Jews wickedness to persecute and oppose all such as came from God to admonish them of their sins, and therefore at last they crucified the Heir, even Christ himself: The Wise man speaks peremptorily to this, Prov. 29.9 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy: You see how such men haste to their perdition; Know then it comes of the devil who hath a desire to undo thee for ever; when thou takest up prejudices and wicked discontents at such who plainly tell thee of thy sins; This is made an Argument that David in his grievous Fall had not lost all his grace, that when Nathan told him he was the man, he doth not rage at the Prophet, or threaten to kill him, but immediately humbles himself, and saith I have sinned, and on the other side King Asaph though a good man, yet transgressed in an high manner, when he put the good Prophet in prison for reproving of him, what a sad affliction befell that King even to the end of his days; Oh then take heed how you entertain prejudices and objections against the Ministers of God who are faithful in their work; The first time that we read judas beginning to discover himself, and Christ foretelling what one would prove that was of his chosen Apostles, it was upon some mutterings and captiousness that was showed at some words in Christ's Sermon, This might seem a little thing, but it proved very dangerous; Observe the place, joh. 6.60, 61, 64, 67, 70. Our Saviour there said, That his flesh was meat indeed and his blood drink indeed, and that he which eateth him should live; This Speech not rightly understood offended some, and they began to murmur at it, and although our Saviour afterwards explained it, that it was to be understood in a spiritual sense, yet they were so far discontented, that they quite leave him, yea, the Apostles were so staggering that Christ asked them, Will you also go away? Now it appeareth by the Text that judas was the chief man that made all this Quarrel at Christ's Sermon, v. 64. There are some of you that believe not, for Christ knew who would betray him, and v. 70. Have not I chosen twelve of you, and one is a devil; Mark it in the present Tense, he doth not say, he will be a devil, but he is a devil: Our Saviour knew with what a cankered and malicious heart, even than he took occasion to quarrel at his Doctrine: Let this Example make you afraid how you let such viperous and Serpentine thoughts enter in your breast; You think to vex and trouble the Faithful Minister, but thou dost create the greatest trouble to thy own soul; Many of these they would never hear Christ more, They would not frequent his Sermons, but what was this, Even to go from him who had the words of Eternal Life; This is to leave and forsake Manna, and to eat that which is present poison.  

8. Often rebelling against the Light of Conscience.  3. Often rebelling against the Light of Conscience whether it be natural or supernatural, This proveth very destructive in the latter end, Rom. 1. Those Heathens who had a natural Knowledge of God, and yet detained the Truth in unrighteousness; They lived against what they knew, and committed those very sins, their Consciences condemned them of, what was the issue of it, but to be given up to unnatural affection, and to work all iniquity with greediness; This was the fruit of rebelling against mere natural Light, but the sin grows higher, when the Spirit of God by the Word doth convince thee, and inform thee, yet for all this thou wilt go on, and thou wilt accomplish thy lusts, This will make way for a man to fall irrecoverably; Thus the Jews, they are come to have a Veil upon their eyes, and hardness upon their hearts, and why? because they always resisted the Spirit of God speaking by his Prophets, Act. 7.51. This daily resisting of the holy Ghost made them come to the top of all their wickedness, which was to Crucify the Lord of Glory; As the continual looking into the Sun doth at last blind the Eyes, so those by a frequent beholding of Light in the Word come at last to all Heavenly sight; As men with frequent labour get such a callousnesse upon their hands that they have no feeling; Thus do many men by a daily rebelling against the Light, at last turn so stupid and sottish, that sin and no sin, hell and no hell, is all one to them; Oh than if thou wouldst not be a Son of perdition nourish all the motions of God's Spirit, take heed of quenching the Spirit, If this be chased away, thou mayst all thy life be like an Adamant, and never have more relent.  
4. Then men are likely to be Sons of perdition when they have been under divers and frequent afflictions, yet are not preserved but grow worse and worse under them, 
9 That are worse by afflictions.  as the Prophet Isaiah tells the Jews, Chap. 1.5. Why should I smite you any more? your wound is incurable; God he smiteth to awaken men that they should repent and turn unto him; But when this rod makes them more stubborn, and they will hold their sins, though they cost them never so dear, this is a sad Forerunner of perdition; Ahaz because in his distress he grew worse and worse, therefore the Scripture giveth him this brand, This is that King Ahaz: The Judgements and Chastisements of God are medicinal in their Institution, but if they do not kindly purge from sin, they become penal and destructive: They do hurt if they do no good; Oh then let such persons remember this, that have many times been under God's Chastisements; They have been often in the fiery Furnace, and then with Pharaoh they cry out, They will sin no more, They will let their Iniquities go, but when they see respite, and the Cloud is over, they begin with all greediness to fulfil their sins, as if they were delivered that they might transgress the more; Oh Consider that thy afflictions rise not out of the dust, God hath wisely ordered them against thee but take heed how they leave thee; Dost thou (as job said) come out of them as Gold out of the fire; Canst thou say, that before thou wast afflicted thou went'st astray, These Rods have brought thy sins to Remembrance, then bless God for it, but if thou art recovered from the Grave, and withal delivered from the bitter pangs and terrors of Death, thou shalt again return to thy folly, then know assuredly a foul Leprosy hath spread itself over thee.  
5. Success and prosperity in the way of our sins; When we offend God, 
10. That prosper in a way of sin  and get all that our hearts can desire, this makes a man like the fatted Ox to go leaping to the Stall, even to hell, Psal▪ 73.6. When David had complained of the prosperity of the wicked, they offended God as they pleased, and yet had as much outward happiness as if they were the only persons that pleased God; He saith therefore, Pride compasseth them about as a Chain, and Violence covereth them as a garment, They were full of violence and bold presumption, like the Unjust Steward, neither fearing God nor man, and this boldness in sin was from outward prosperity: Hence the heart of such sinners is Isa. 6. called a fat heart, from cattle that do grow fat in Fruitful Pastures; But above all places there is one more remarkable, Eccles. 8.11. Because Sentence is not speedily executed against the sinner, Therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil; Fully set, There is nothing can divert them, they are resolved, come hell, and come devils, they will have their way.  
6. Hypocrisy or a deceitful pretending to matters of Religion, 
11. Hypocrisy.  when yet at the same time their hearts are carnal, vile, and unsanctified, this was the Case of judas, he never from the beginning did truly love Christ, or in a saving way believe in Christ, as appeaseth, joh. 6.64. It's true his hypocrisy was the more wonderful because they left all, and followed Christ; They were exposed to all hardship, and hatred from the world, who would not think that only pure ends had moved judas? but yet you see that even in the poor and low way Christ was in, yet judas could have false ends and there were temptations to draw out his carnal worldly heart, whether he was a convinced hypocrite that lived in sins against conscience at first is hard to say; But after he became the Bag-bearer, and did daily steal from that public stock which Christ had for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles, than no doubt, but he knew he did not walk uprightly, and so was a gross hypocrite; Now this hypocrisy all along he discovers especially Mat. 26.7. in this History of Mary, who anointed Christ's feet with precious Ointment at a dear rate, judas murmured at this, john the Evangelist mentioneth him only; ●e other make all the Apostles to murmur, but either it is an Enallage, the plural for the singular number, or else judas was the beginning of the Sedition he was Ringleader, and put others on it; But in this complaint of this, See how speciously and religiously be covered his wickedness; Ad quid perditio haec, saith this Son of perdition, It might have been sold and given to the poor; This he said, saith the Evangelist, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a Thief; If all that had been put into the bag he could have stolen from it, and so enriched himself, This was his hypocrisy: Another instance, is when he had agreed with the Priests about betraying of Christ his Master, he comes and kisses him with an Hail Master, this which appeared such an obsequious expression of love was made the very sign by which they should lay hold on Jesus and carry him away; It is true, some of the Ancients have much excused judas as if he intended only to cheat the High-Priests of their money, because he thought that Christ could escape out of their hands as soon as he was apprehended, for judas had observed before that when the people took him and intended to throw him down the Hill, that he did in a strange miraculous manner convey himself from them, but this cannot be, for our Saviour had informed them that he must die, though as yet his hour was not come, that one of them should betray him, and that judas was earnest and real in this Treachery appeareth by this expression, Whom I shall kiss that is he, take him and lead him away diligently, as fearing Christ might have escaped them, or as it is translated, Mat. 26.46. Hold him fast: Thus in his most devilish actions he hath fair pretences, and under this Visor perpetrares his abominations; in like manner Absalon when he was upon that Treacherous design of unnatural rebellion against his Father, he pretends a Vow and Piety to perform it; Thus that cruel, bloody and deceitful Doeg, on whom David acted by God's Spirit doth pronounce so solemn Curses, yet it is said of him, 1 Sam. 29.7. He was detained before the Lord; Though he was upon some special Vow, or otherwise serving of God, yet he could even then take occasion to inform Saul against David, and be the cause of the death of many innocent Priests of the Lord, and the Pharisees were so hypocritically Religious that they would not enter into pilate's house lest they should defile themselves when yet they could crucify Christ; Thus when men can harden themselves as they think to cousin God and men, no wonder if they fall into perdition.  

12. Desperation.  Lastly, Men who become Sons of Perdition are such as wilfully despair of God's mercy, and conclude there is no hope for them: judas had committed grievous sins, especially in betraying innocent blood, but his despair at last, was worse than all the rest; Even that blood he had shed would have washed away that grievous sin of shedding it, had he by Faith sprinkled himself with it; What made Cain so desperately continue in rebellion as was against God, though with constant trembling upon him, it was his despair, My sins are greater than I can bear: Thus as the devil when he possessed some bodies threw them in the fire and water, so when he doth the soul by despair he violently hurleth them into hell.  
Thus you have heard the inward cause of self●destroiers, there are some outward causes mentioned in the Scripture,  
And they are, 1. Evil and wicked company. Men emboldened in sin labour to make others so: As Joab said to the young man that trembled to run his Spear into Absalon, Fear not (saith he) have not I loved thee? Thus such great Ones, such rich Ones, or such a multitude, they bid thee do thus▪ Why then shouldst thou regard what Ministers or the Scripture saith? Art thou so foolish and precise to be awed with such things? Thus Prov. 1. Old hardened sinners are brought in enticing the young man to be one of their company.  
2. When Satan takes greater hold and possession of men then formerly, Thus he driveth them to hell, that as you read the devil entered into some Swine, and threw them headlong into the Sea; Thus he possessth some men, and throweth them as violently into hell; Judas before he sets upon this Treachery is said Joh. 13.27. Satan entered into him, he entered into him, and took full possession of his Soul; Thus before Ananias and Saphira did in so horrible a manner lie and dissemble, it's said Act. 5.3. Satan had filled their heart, and thus the Jews are said to be of their Father the devil; There is a generation of men that have by way of curse the devil often in their mouths, but he is much more in their hearts, and such men none can stop from hell,  
Lastly, God by a just and severe judgement withdraweth or denieth all mollifying and softening grace to some men for their former sins, and when thus left by God they are in a sencelss, stupid, and impudent estate of sinning; Thus Pharaoh was left by God, and then he was so hardened that no Miracles did him any good.  
Use of Instruction, Marvel not if such desperate mad men live amongst you, though they come to Church, though they hear never so much, for they are fully set to be destroyed; Oh pity and pray for such, that do neither for themselves, if peradventure they may escape out of the devils snares.   

SERMON LXX. Of the Son of Perdition: showeth from the Example of Judas, That Men may be Eminent for a while in the Church of God, and yet afterward prove dreadful Apostates.  JOHN 17.12. But the Son of Perdition. 
WE come to observe a second Doctrine from this remarkable instance, and certainly, if we consider who it is that is here called a son of perdition, it may be matter of astonishment to us. It is Judas, one of the twelve Apostles; It is he that for a long time continued with Christ working miracles, and prophesying in Christ's name, yet even this glorious star is become a clod of earth: This Apostle, an Apostate; he that in all men's judgements was once a son of the Kingdom, he that was the light and salt of the earth is in himself darkness, and is become like unsavoury salt, fit for nothing but to be thrown away. Observe,  
That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God, and yet afterwards prove dreadful Apostates. The beginnings of many men in Religion may be very hopeful and admirable, but their finals may be tragical and very scandalous. Thus Judas his beginnings were excellent. At first none more forward, more self-denying than him, but afterwards we see this rod that scourged others for sin by his preaching, to become a Serpent; and see the wonderful dispensation of God; Paul that began carnally and wickedly, ended spiritually; he that was an opposer became a friend, and Judas that was a friend became an opposer. So that, will we, nill we, we must acknowledge God's grace is all in all. It's that which makes a difference only; Bad beginnings may have good end, and good beginnings bad end. There are many meteors in the Church that make a lustre and a blaze, but afterwards end in noisomness.  

What particular eminencies Judas had.  To improve this Doctrine, Let us consider what peculiar eminency Judas had, and this will make it the greater wonder, that he should be a Son of perdition.  
And first, Which was the first rise and step to all other his excellencies, he was taken from his former conversation into an inward & more close fellowship with Christ. We read of three sorts recorded by the Evangelists that related to Christ: Even as David had three sorts of Worthies. There were those that did believe in Christ, acknowledging him, yet continued still in their relations, and former external conditions they were in, such were many of the holy women we read of in the Gospels.  
2. There were some selected from the common sort of Disciples and believers, that did more immediately depend on Christ, and were employed in special service for him, Luke 10.1. There were Seventy chosen by Christ to be in an Office of Ministration and service to him.  
But then there were a third sort, and they were more intimate with Christ then the Seventy, and all the rest, and they were twelve in number called Apostles, and these were as it were a College, and Christ the Master, these were domestic to him, they were of his household, they were never asunder, they did eat and drink, and live, and converse together, they were maintained out of one common stock and treasury. Now Judas he was one of the twelve, he was received into the most inward communion together, he was one of Christ's family: So that it must needs be a great honour and prerogative to Judas, who would have other thoughts of him, than a sincere eminent man, for Christ chose him to be in the first place, Christ made as much of him, as of the rest. Who would not say, This must needs be a good man, Christ is so familiar with him; and whereas John 2. it's said, Many did believe, yet Christ would not commit himself to them, for he knew what was in man, yet here, though Judas did not truly believe, and though Christ knew what was in him, yet he committed himself to him. This familiarity of Judas with Christ, was of old prophesied of, and that to the aggravation of his sin, Psal. 41.9. It was thou my familiar friend, my acquaintance, we took sweet council together. Meditate then on this particular; The son of perdition is he that was constantly with Christ, one of his intimate friends, of dear relation together, and this will aggravate it more, if you consider Christ and his Apostles, not as a civil society, but a religious one: Though Christ did not in his life time on the earth set up a distinct Church from that of the Jews, but communicated with the Jews in all their Church-Ordinances, yet his family was a religious and heavenly society. He was preaching, praying and performing all heavenly duties, now Judas was as much in all these holy meetings, as the other Apostles: Therefore it's said Psal. 41 9 They took sweet counsel, yea it's said, in whom I trusted; so that Judas was admitted into all the secrets Christ had, yet the man thus in prayer often, in duties often, in heavenly conferences often, he becomes a Son of perdition; his heart was not right within him all that while: As for those disputes, Why Christ would choose such an one, whom he knew to be an hypocrite, and especially advance him to be an Apostle, seeing that the Scripture commends such strict care, about the promoting fit and worthy men to that Office, we can but give conjectures, no solid reasons, as the Ancients do.  
Secondly, This is but the beginning of honour Christ put upon him, for after they had a while continued thus with him, than he instituted a new Office of Apostleship, and gave some men this divine Commission and Office, the chiefest place in the Church: For you must observe, as a good Antidote against the Anabaptists, who because Christ chose Fishermen and illiterate persons to preach the Gospel, conclude such persons may still preach, that there cannot be a stronger Argument against them, than this instance of our Saviour; for when Christ chose his Apostles, they left their trades, they did not continue in their civil vocations, but they followed Christ, whereas these men would that persons should follow their trades, and yet preach always, whereas Paul bids Timothy, though of extraordinary gifts, To give himself wholly to study and reading, 1 Tim 4.13.  
But secondly, Our Saviour after he had called them from their ordinary vocations, he did not presently make them Church●Officers, but as diligent Interpreters and Harmonists show, They were two years with Christ under his Discipline and information, ere they were appointed ●o this Office, and then at last, when they were to exercise their Apostolical-Office to the whole Church, they were endowed with admirable abilities from above, so that they could speak in all tongues, and were filled with the Spirit of God, and infallibly assisted by him, to interpret the Scripture of the Old Testament: But this by the way. We see by degrees men were prepared to this Apostolical Office in the Church, and Judas was one of these: Now this was the highest pinnacle of the Temple. There was not a greater place of honour and trust, then to be an Apostle, they are called the pillars and the foundations. Hence Paul begins his Epistle with this Title, Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ, which is as great a glory, saith chrysostom, as when any Officer under the Emperor writes himself next in place to the Emperor. It would be impertinent at this time, ●o expatiate in the dignity and excellency of the Apostolical-Office. The Ancients said they were Pedes Christi, oculi Dei, and Ecclesiae mammae, Christ's feet, Gods eyes, and the Church's breasts. These had infallibility in Doctrine, had power to work miracles, to expel devils, to open and shut heaven (as it were) and yet the son of perdition is one of these Apostles.  
Thirdly, He had not only the Apostolical-Office, but the gifts and qualifications of an Apostle; He was one of those that returned with joy, saying, The very devils were subject to them. He prophesied, he wrought miracles, he confessed and published the name of Christ, he prayed, he performed all the heavenly duties, that others did, neither do we read of any neglect in his Apostolical-Office, nor is he blamed for defects in any religious duty, and certainly if he had been guilty of any such omissions, the Apostles would have suspected him, but we see when Christ said, One should betray him, they did no more suspect Judas then themselves.  
Fourthly, Christ's carriage was as full of sweetness, love and respect to him, as full of comfort and encouragement to him, as to the rest, in an external dispensation. When they returned from their spiritual circuit, Rejoicing (as you heard) because the devils were subject to them; our Saviour speaks indefinitely to them all, Rejoice not in this, but because your names are written in heaven, Luke 10.20. he speaks here, as if Judas his name were written in heaven, and Luke 22.30. Christ tells his twelve Apostles, They should sit upon twelve Tribes judging Israel. Little did men think that Judas would be cast out, and one put in his room. Now lay all these together, and thereby will appear his eminency and esteem in Religion, yet for all that he was a son of perdition; for whereas Chrysostom and others from the forementioned Texts, would conclude that Judas was once a true godly man, but afterwards fell from his grace, that is contradictory to the Scripture, as you have heard. And when our Saviour condescended to that low humiliation of washing the Disciples feet (mentioned only by John; so that the same Evangelist, who doth relate in most perspicuous manner, the sublimest things of Christ, as appeareth Cap. 1. so he mentioneth this action, which was of the lowest debasement) now in washing of their feet, Judas is not excepted. Those hands of Christ which wrought so many miracles, cured so many diseases, bestowed so many blessings, yet even these wash not the face, or the hands, but the feet, the meanest part, and that of Judas, who was immediately to betray him: But no wonder he layeth aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel, and poured water in a basin, seeing he formerly laid aside the manifestation of his Divine Nature, being in the form of a man, and poured out his blood for us; yea, it's thought by many, and those learned, both by ancient and learned Writers (though opposed also by many learned men) that Christ gave Judas the Sacrament also; Neither (say they) will this prove that scandalous men may be admitted to the Lords Supper, because his sin was as yet secret, and not public; and although Christ as God, knew him to be such a secret sinner, yet Christ did not in his outward Office of the Ministry, act according to the knowledge of God, but as a Minister under God in his Office. Whether Judas received or no the Lords Supper? Those that affirm are many; Those that deny are also many. Raynardus the Jesuit (Lib. cui Titulus vitae optimae finis pessimus) at large quoteth the Authors of both sides: Some make it a problem, and therefore condemn Prateolus as too rigid, who noteth those with heresy, that deny his communicating with the other Apostles in this Sacrament.  
In the next place, Though thus eminent, yet consider these things to debase him.  
1. In all this eminency and profession of Christ, he was an hypocrite, he had no true love to Christ, nor saving faith, as John 6. where at the beginning of all, Christ said, One is a devil, the present tense is not to be neglected, and the text saith, Even than he did not believe, viz. in a saving manner: Oh what cause of fear and trembling is this! Who can hear of Judas that preacheth, that worketh miracles, that is often in duties with Christ, yet he is not sincere? and therefore you may observe, that our Saviour in all his Sermons and Parables, did press this as the sum of all, to look we build, upon a Rock, to see that we dig deep in our building, that we be good ground, receiving the seed in a deep and honest heart. No subject did our Saviour so much insist on as this, when yet we would think in those days, when Christ's teaching and miracles were so visible, and outward encouragements to profess him, wholly wanting, that none should follow him, but upon sincere and upright grounds.  
2. In this time of his profession and communion with Christ, he liveth in a secret sin, though the Apostles knew it not, yet his own conscience could not but condemn him. He was a thief, saith the text. Christ had many contributers to his sustenance, and that was put in a common bag for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles. Now Judas he carried the bag, how this came about it's disputed, Whether he desired it or no? or, Whether it was put upon him as judged a fit and faithful man, the Scripture tells not? Howsoever we see by this, as is to be showed, That it's a terrible thing to be in such a condition of life, as is suitable to draw out the sins we are given unto, but of that afterward. Judas having this great opportunity, he stealeth part of the treasury, and keepeth part of it for himself; What made him to do this? whether because he was married and had a charge of children, as some conjecture; or, whether because he had a covetous worldly heart, as the Scripture seemeth to incline, is controverted. So that now Judas becomes a gross hypocrite, for the very light of nature taught him not to impropriate that which was common to others; he knew it was Christ's goods, not his own; yea many learned Authors say, This was not simple theft, but sacrilege, for what was given to Christ and his Ministry, was to an holy use, and therefore Judas was guilty of both; and the grosseness of his hypocrisy is the more aggravated, if he did believe Christ was God as well as man; How could he come into Christ's presence, and not think Christ knoweth my falsehood, my theft, and all my secret wickedness.  
3. His sin stayeth not here, but it swelleth into an higher nature; He will not only steal in petty things, but he proceeds to betray his Lord and Master, and that for a contemptible price. He grudged not long before, because of the morsel he lost, the price of that precious ointment which was poured on Christ, that was esteemed worth three hundred pence. Therefore to make up this loss, he negotiates to betray his Master for thirty pieces of silver: His readiness and greediness herein is observed by the Evanglist Mat. 26.14. Then one of the twelve went to the chief Priests; then when he saw he had lost that booty, his covetous wretched heart seems to make up this another way. Again, He went to the chief Priests, he bespeaks them first; they did not send for him, they thought not of this way, but he proffers himself, and he went to the chief Priests, his known enemies, that he saw had all along endeavoured to kill him. Further, his wickedness appeareth in ask, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? He pretends no reason, no cause, as the chief Priests did, That he was an enemy to Caesar; that he taught contrary to their law and customs; so that herein Judas sin did more grievously than they. And lastly, Covenants for thirty pieces of silver, a poor contemptible price, & all this is done by one that was formerly an eminent Apostle.  
4. When he had thus consummated his wickedness, though admonished by our Saviour, though plainly told, He was the man, Matth. 16.25. Then in stead of a godly repentance, he falls into a dreadful despair of God's mercy, and Christ's love. This was to put a talon of lead upon the Ephah, as the Prophet Zachary expresseth it, Zach. 5.8. This despair was greater than all his former sins, and observe how that all the while Judas was plotting and contriving his wickedness, his conscience never troubleth him, he could live a long time in thieving and stealing, and commit abominable sins, and his heart never trembles; Though he heard our Saviour say, Woe be to him that should betray him, it had been better he had never been born, yet he can boldly go on; yea, though Judas was in the head of a band of men to take Christ; John 18.3, 5, 6. and as soon as Christ said, I am he, such glory and terror came from him, that immediately they fell to the ground, yet at this terrible passage his conscience doth not work; but at last, his conscience biteth like an Adder, and stings like a Serpent. Harken to this all you, who commit sin with jollity and security, you care not, you fear not, what the Ministers of God threaten you with, you can eat and drink, and rise up to play, so could Judas for a while, but at last, he crieth out, I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood. Oh take heed, as jolly and as bold as thou art for the present, lest in this life, or to come, thou criest out, Oh I have sinned, I have damned my Soul, yea I have betrayed Christ! For every wicked man is a Judas; Whosoever will part with Christ for his sins, for the world, he is a Judas; This son of perdition doth thus roar within, that he hath no comfort, no quietness, than first he goeth to the chief Priests, crieth out of his sin, and throweth them the thirty pieces again. Here you see, A man may cry out and weep for his sins, and make some satisfaction, and yet not for all that truly repent; Even this son of perdition bewaileth his sins, and crieth out of them. Further see what little good this thirty pieces did him; he that studied and plotted to betray his Master to have them, he cannot keep them, he vomitteth them up. Thus it will be with every wicked man, that to get dishonest gain, lieth, stealeth, forsweareth himself: Oh with what pain and torment, with what torture in thy bowels wilt thou vomit up all again! Lastly, His torments are so exquisite, that for fear of hell, he throweth himself into hell; He departed when he threw away those thirty pieces of silver, and went and hanged himself, Matth. 27 5. Some learned men say, he did not hang himself, because the Greek word may be rendered as well, He was suffocated and choked: They say, God raised up a swelling in his throat upon his perfidiousness, which immediately killed him; it must be so (say they) because Act. 1.18. it's said, He fell headlong, and his bowels gushed out; now how could that be, if he hanged himself? But it's answered, That though he hanged himself, yet at last he fell down, and in his fall, his bowels gushed. Thus he who had no bowels to an innocent Christ, his bowels gush out; The Greek word is used of Achitophel, by the Septuagint; and although the same Authors say, that he also did not hang himself, but God immediately struck him with such a swelling in his throat, yet that cannot be, because it's said, He set his house in order before he did it, whereas if it had been a sudden judgement inflicted on him, he not expecting it, Why should he set his house in order? From this dreadful instance, and terrible end of Judas, let all take heed: Oh let this son of perdition make you children of salvation! What he would have written upon his Sepulchre, think Judas saith to you, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Whosoever looketh on me, let him be godly: Oh let his worldliness, his secret sins, his hypocrisy, make thee upright, and full of integrity! Is there a more terrible example in all the Scripture than this?   

SERMON LXXI. Of the Son of Perdition.  JOH. 17.11. But the Son of Perdition. 
WE have not yet sucked all the honey out of this honeycomb, Not observed all the practical matter which is deducible from this sad Instance, He may be a pillar of Salt to season us; As the people stood still gazing and amazed at Asahell, wallowing in his blood, so may we with fear and trembling behold this Son of Perdition: We may be admonished not only by good Examples but bad, Judas his Perdition is a spiritual Anatomy-Lecture for us to look to ourselves, and to take heed of such Diseases that may endanger us which did him.  
The Third Observation shall be from the Consideration of this Son of Perdition in the respective condition he was in; He is in the company of the Apostles, yet not truly of them, a Jay among the Doves, a Wolf amongst the Sheep, yet though such an one prove deceitful, and an Apostate, we are not to condemn Christ and his Apostles, we are not to censure them as all of the same temper.  
Obs. That we are not to condemn the way of Religion and Religious persons, 
Doct. We are not to condemn Religion and relisious persons though some amongst them prove scandalous.  though some amongst them prove scandalous and deceitful; Would it not have been horrible impiety to have broken out against all the Apostles and Christ himself saying, look what they are, It's as the Pharisees said, a company of Impostors and Deceivers, They are all for their own ends, they are all covetous, and though they pretend Religion, yet they are bypocrites, and though they condemn the gross sins of the world, yet in secret they can be as bad as any, would not such a tongue show that it was set on fire from hell, that should belch out such things; It's then of special consequence to know, that we are not to love the strictness of Religion, the less, nor are we to prejudice ourselves against the way and persons of Godly men▪ if sometimes amongst them there be such who made the pretence of holiness a disguise to act their wickedness in: Think not the worse of the Apostles, because a Judas was amongst them.  
To bring this Truth home to your hearts, Consider these things.  
1. There was never any such pure Society and company of holy men upon the Earth but there were also some Hypocrites and insincere men mingled amongst them; Either wilful convinced Hypocrites or else unsound men in the bottom, and therefore when a Temptation came they discovered what they were; It's in vain to look for such a Church, wherein all the members of it shall be perfect and pure; In the Old Testament we read of many eminent at least for a while in the Church of God, but yet rotten at the Coat; Saul was in a remarkable manner chosen by God to temporal government, he pretends much zeal for God's people and heartily himself to destroy the enemies of Israel, yea, the Spirit of prophecy came upon him, but it became a Proverb, Is Saul among the Prophets? We were not to condemn the Prophets, because a deceitful bloody Saul was amongst them: Among the good Kings in the Old Testament, David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, We read also of Jehu, who for outward appearance did many glorious things of Reformation; The Text saith, He did all things that were in God's heart, yet for all that he was not with David, a man after Gods own heart: He was a Meteor, not a fixed Star, he was a picture, not a living man in Religion, he was moved up and down as his carnal Interests did lead him; Again as there were the good Prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah with many others, so there were also the bad Prophets who came not in God's Name, who prophesied peace, and sowed pillows under wicked men's elbows, that they might sin the more securely; Should a man therefore have cried out against all the Prophets that they were a deceitful, self-seeking generation, and that it was no matter what they said, for they drove on their own designs, to be Lords over all, to obtain great things; Thus it was of old and in the New-Testament-dispensation though their outward profession of the Truth was subject to many dangers, insomuch that there was little encouragement to hypocrites we might justly think that (if ever) in those primitive days all should have been upright, but there were even then Foxes amongst the Sheep, John 2. Our Saviour would not trust many that yet are said to believe: Hence are these comparisons of the Church to the Floor, wherein is chuff as well as wheat: To the Field wherein are Tares as well as Wheat; To the Drag net wherein are bad Fish as well as good: Now will ye condemn a Field of Corn because of some Weeds in it? Did not Paul complain that he was in danger of false Brethren, and that many came creeping in to spy out their liberty to have an occasion to accuse them; Did not Hymeneus and Philetus make shipwreck of all? Did not Alexander the Coppersmith withstand Paul, and do him much hurt? 2 Tim. 4.12. yet judicious Divines think that it was that Alexander mentioned in the Acts, who had almost lost his life, in his forward appearance for the Gospel, make account then of that which our Saviour saith, Mat. 18 7. It's impossible but that offences must come, there will be woeful scandals even in the Church of God, but let not this make thee revolt.  
2. As there have been such unsound hypocrites always in the Church, so it is the great endeavour of the devil to tempt and to set on those that are most eminent to throw them in the mire, for hereby he will promote his own kingdom; The scandals and stumbling-blocks of men reputed of in the Church are the greatest advantage to the devil, Luk. 22. Satan hath desired to winnow you; As Goliath challenged the stoutest Israelite thinking by vanquishing of him to dismay all the rest; Thus the devil if he can overcome an Apostle, a Disciple, than all the rest will easily yield; The devil desired to winnow them more than all others; Not only the high places in temporal respects but even in the Church are slippery and dangerous; Those that are lifted above others in Religion, in parts, in esteem, they are more in danger then ten thousand of other Christians, for if they fall they draw more with them: If a tall Tree fall, it beats down all the shrubs under it; If a pillar of the house fall, it endangers all the buildings; It is noted of the devil that he used the Serpent at first to entice Eve, because that was more subtle than any other Creature of the Field, and the devil still takes the same way, The subtlelest and most notable Instruments he striveth to pervert them; Men of the best parts, the greatest learning, the hottest zeal, It is such as he looked after: Thus in Antiquity many of the Heretics were of great Learning, plausible Eloquence, subtle Insinuations, specious Piety, and thereby they did the more hurt; Therefore the more reputed thou art in the Church of God, know thy Condition to be the more dangerous; The devil will never give over till one way or other he make thee a Scandal; Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.  
3. Men may through their corruptions actively take an occasion to speak against the ways of Religion, or else there may be a passive occasion administered to them, and we are greatly to distinguish between these two, Divines call it Scandalum acceptum, and Scandalum datum; There are a generation of men so devilish and malicious, that they will take an occasion to condemn the way of Religion even for good things, for necessary duties, or at least when they have no just occasion: Thus our Saviour himself though never so holy, so humble, so godly in his doctrine and life, yet the Pharisees took all occasion to calumniate him, They say he wrought by the devil, and called him a Friend to Publicans and Sinners; There are some wretched men that do what you can they will be prejudiced against the Truth and Godliness, They will look upon all the ways of Christ as so many deceits and impostures, and this offence is called Scandalum Phariseorum by the Casuists; But then there is a Scandal given, or scandalum Pusillorum, when those who appear for Religion do such things as are indeed inconsistent with holiness, that can never be made good by the Scripture, and of such it is that our Saviour saith, Woe be to him by whom offences come, Mat. 18.7. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones, it had been better a Millstone were hung about his neck, and he thrown into the sea; For although it be also a sin in any man to be prejudiced and alienated from Godliness, because of the sins of those that profess it, neither will that be an excuse to them, yet because such put a stumbling block in the way, therefore is the transgression great: Distinguish then between such as through their wilful obstinacy will be offended, and from such who are so through weakness and a real occasion given.  
4. Such is the enmity of man to what is good, that he is glad to have any occasion to blame the Truth with, whenas indeed they should mourn and grieve to see any failings amongst those that are religious, they rather rejoice in the discovery of such, and they think this is a good reason for their Impiety; Why should they▪ come out from the common ways of the world? Do not many of those that are so forward do thus and thus? And therefore they hope they shall do as well as any other: The Apostle seeing this wicked disposition in the world speaks notably to the godly, 1 Pet. 3.16. To walk with such a good Conscience, that whereas the world will speak against them as evil doers, they may be ashamed; So 1 Pet. 2.12.  
These things premised, Let us consider the unreasonableness and sinfulness of condemning Religion for some hypocrites therein:  
For 1. Dost thou not as well see many are sincere and walk unblamably? Doth not thy own heart tell thee that thou hast no just cause to speak against them? Dost thou not sometimes wish thy Soul might do as well as theirs? Dost thou not with Balaam wish thou mightst die the Death of such Righteous persons? Shall not the Graces and holiness of Eleven Apostles more confirm thee then the wickedness of one Judas offend thee? Consider then how unreasonable thou art that dost only mind the weak places of the Wall, not ●he strong; Thou speakest of many that for gain and secret lusts have fallen off from God, but how many thousands of godly sincere men can we tell thee of, who because they feared God were neither terrified by threats, nor yet seduced by allurements to deny Christ; Though a Judas did betray him, yet ●here are Millions of Martyrs who have valiantly died in the Confession of him.  
2. We are not to live by Examples but by Precepts, It's an Old Rule; We are to consider what the Scripture requires and commands, If that enjoin a life separated and singular to the wickedness of the world, If that bid thee run not into the same excess of Riot with them, such a strict way and profession thou art bound to follow; Though all that go before thee be hypocrites, and that go with thee; Though all the Apostles had been like Judas, yet Christ's Truth had still been to be embraced; Therefore not men's lives but the Scripture is to be ou● Rule: If all men prove Hypocrites or Apostates, yet we are bound to keep close to the Word, Let God be true and every man a Liar; It's true the life and conversation of others in sincerity and uprightness may be a great inducement to holiness, therefore the Scripture often calls for a life of light and holiness, that others may be won thereby, but yet every one ought to have such an inward assurance both of the Truth of God and his Grace upon his heart, that what Peter said presumptuously they are to acknowledge as a duty; Though all men should forsake Christ, yet he would not; It's not upon men that we are to build either our faith or our godliness, but though all men should prove devils, and there were none in the world but one man that would own Christ, thou wert to join with him.  
3. If we should condemn Religion for the falsehood of some, we were to condemn all the ways of Religion, and all parties in the world, and so to turn direct Atheists, for look upon all the several ways and parties that are in the world, Are there not some that are a reproach to them, that the wiser and more sober persons in that way will not own? Wonder not then if the Apostle say of some, that they are spots in their Feasts, Judas 12. And Rom. 2. that they are such by whom the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles; This hath and will be; It is impossible (saith our Saviour) but there will be offences, viz, considering the corruptions and sinful inclinations of men, but if you will own no Religion wherein an Hypocrite may come in, you must do as Constantine bade the Novatian erect a Ladder, and go himself only into heaven; Even in heaven itself there were (as we may say) Judasses', for what were those Apostate Angels that did not abide in the Truth, but left their first habitation, but betrayers of all that glory and honour that was due to God: Know then that to throw away Religion because of the hypocrisy of some few, is to run the broad way into Athiesm.  
5. It is not only sinful but very dangerous to thy own soul when thou art prejudiced or leavest the true way upon such grounds; Thou dost not hurt them, but thou wrongest thy own soul; Those Disciples Joh. 6. that took offence at Christ's Preaching they did not despise Christ so much as they damned their souls, for saith Peter then, whither shall we go, for thou hast Eternal Life? So then for thee to take up prejudices and objections against Christ's way, because of some men's miscarriages, is to be a self-murderer, wilt thou destroy thy own soul? and throw thyself into one extremity because others may in another way undo themselves; Oh know it is an heavy judgement upon thee when thou meetest with stumbling-blocks▪ Those whom God loveth he giveth a better heart unto them; Christ himself Luk. 1. 1 Pet. 2.7. To those that believe is indeed precious, but a stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence unto those that do not believe; Oh then be afraid lest this be the beginning of God's judgement upon thee to be so prejudiced and offended by misrepresentations, that thou shalt never have an heart to love God and his way; Think not to do them a despite, thou art the greatest Enemy to thy own soul.  
6. If any under the pretence of Religion do act their iniquities quarrel not at Religion itself, for that condemneth such ways; Neither do those that fear God own such for their members, yea, where God's Order is put in practice they cast such from them as a dishonour to God and a reproach to that holy calling whereby we are called; If Achan do secretly steal a wedge of gold, when Joshua comes to know it, he shall be troubled that troubled Israel, and glory shall be given to God, 1 Cor. 5. They are commanded to cast out from amongst them that wicked person, and if any walk disorderly, 2 Thes. 3.14. Note that man, and have no communion with him, that he may be ashamed; Such are a burden, a grief to those that are truly godly; David can even weep Rivers of tears because of such; That place is observable, Joh. 13.21. Christ was troubled in Spirit, and testified, and said, One of you shall betray me; Judas was a trouble and a grief to Christ's Spirit, think not then that the truly godly own such, any more than Job did the ●●res upon his body, or the Israelites did the Jebusites that were thorns and goads in their side.  
Lastly, Religion itself is the more to be prized, for this showeth the authority and command it hath over men's Consciences, that none do ordinarily commit heinous trespasses, but they are willing to put the vail of Religion upon them, certainly this is so far from disparaging that it rather advanceth Piety, as being that which hath an universal Command every where, men cannot commit iniquity before they blind their eyes with some religious arguments; The Pharisees made account they did all for the glory of God; But you will say, how cometh it about that any prove thus scandalous in the way of Religion? Is not the way of it as comfortable and as blessed as it did at first promise? Hath any thing that Christ said for our encouragement to follow him proved false? Hath he deceived any? so that they could say, The Land of Canaan was not better than their old Egypt; No, in no wise, only This is one great cause of men's miscarriage, They take not up Religion at first upon pure and sincere motives; It's not from a renewed and regenerated principle within, and therefore it being not from a good and sure foundation, no wonder if at last all fall to the ground; Our Saviour spoke often to this Point, as being indeed the sum of all; What is that which persuadeth thee, and prevaileth with thee to follow Christ? Is it from an heavenly principle to an heavenly End? Go on, and God will be with thee; But if some other carnal or insincere motive put thee on, know that when the temptation comes thou wilt prove an offence, Painting will melt away when it comes near the fire; The un-rooted Tree will fall to the ground when the Winds shall shake it mightily.   

SERMON LXXII. Of the Son of Perdition.  JOHN 17.12. But the Son of Perdition. 
I Shall at this time finish the good Observations from so bad an instance. For as through the perfidiousness of this son of perdition, though he intended it not, God wrought the greatest salvation that could be, insomuch that in this sense, we may call his fact an happy sin: So through a divine consideration of this sad example, we may receive the greatest good, and with an holy skill turn this poison into nourishment; for the sins and destructions of wicked men, are written for our instruction, as well as the good life and mercies of the godly: As Abel, though dead speaks, ●o Judas, though damned, crieth to all, to take warning from him.  
Two Observations I shall briefly dispatch at this time,  
The first, whereas you see Judas thus hopefully and forwardly beginning leaving all with the other Apostles to follow Christ, and that in a contemned, persecuted manner, yet at last dreadfully and finally to revolt from all, Observe,  

Observe. 1. That unless men are careful at first to look to their grounds and motives, why they take upon them the profession of Christ's way, they will never hold out, but one time or other forsake and revolt from all.  That unless men are careful at first to look to their grounds and motives, why they take upon them the profession of Christ's way, they will never hold out, but one time or other forsake and revolt from all. A sure and sound beginning will ever have a blessed and happy ending, but when men upon slight and insincere motives, look towards Christ at first, such build upon the sand, and their fall will be great. Our Saviour spoke many Parables, especially that of the foolish builder, and of the stony and thorny ground, for this end, that men should be well advised upon what terms they at first undertake for him. Hence it is, that when some voluntarily proffered their service and obedience to Christ, Christ presently informeth them of the difficulty of that work, of the contrariety of it to flesh and blood; that they had better never begin, then afterwards to fall off; hence he so solemnly bids them, to remember Lot's wife, Luk. 17.32. and that he who hath put his hand to the plough, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of Heaven.  
Seeing therefore this is often to be seen, though it be very sad, That many who have been once zealous and hopeful for God's way, yet afterwards decline totally, and are not the men they were: Let us consider, what it is to set rightly at first upon the owning of Christ, to lay a sure foundation at first? And  
First, Then are our beginnings hopeful, when the Spirit of God in the Ministry, or other means of grace did work upon us. When it was not mere education under good Governors, when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with those that feared God, but some inward experimental work of God's grace upon our own hearts. Alas, let a man be never so fervent, so overtopping others, and even to admiration show himself in holiness, yet if it hath not been the work of God's Spirit effectually moving upon his heart, he is but like a Land-flood, which though swelling high upon much rain, yet when a drought comes, will be presently dried up. It's not mere nature, or external restraint from sins, or any sudden motions in our own spirit, that will ever hold out. We read 2 Chron 24.22. of Joash, who in his latter age did most wickedly degenerate, when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God, and showed more zeal to God's glory then the Priests did: But what was the ground? Jehoiada the high Priest had a great hand over him, he helped him to the Kingdom, and engaged him to God several ways, but when this good man was dead, he becomes a Wolf, and puts Zachariah, Jehoiada his son, that had been such a kind Uncle to him, to death, and that merely because he reproved them for their sins: So that though here was some external restraining of Joash, yet there was no internal renovation by God's Spirit: Now I make a sure foundation to lie in these two, The Spirits work by the Ministry in an ordinary way, because one is the efficient, and the other the subordinate and instrumental cause; Hence our conversion, our regeneration, and spiritual begetting anew, is constantly attributed to the Word preached, as the ordinary cause, and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit: Oh then run to the fountain of thy owning of Christ! What put thee upon forwardness in this way? Was it the Spirit of God through the Word? then this is of God, and will endure, I add through the Word, because of those many delusions many have in them, which being not according to God's Word, as they come from darkness, so they will end in darkness. The Child misshapen in the Conception, will ever after be a monster.  
Secondly, Then will beginnings and end be alike, when grace is radicated and enters ●●ep enough into the soul. Though thou hast never such affections, such enlargements, yet if there be not a rooted and deep work of grace upon thy soul, it will never hold. This our Saviour pressed Matth. 13. The seed that grew up hopefully, miscarried because it had no rooting; and thus the house on the sandy foundation was ruined, because the builder did not dig deep enough. Hence the promise of Regeneration is Jer. 31. to put the Law of God in their inward parts, in the most intimate and deep parts of the soul; and therefore grace is called the inward man, and the hidden man of the heart: But o how superficial and overly! How formal are most in this matter? They undertake to own the ways of godliness before ever they have laid a deep foundation. Hath thy repentance been deep enough, thy faith, thy love been rooted enough? If so, than the gates of hell shall never prevail against thee.  
Thirdly, Good beginnings will have bad end, when men profess Christ, not out of love to Christ, and pure intentions to him, but from sinister and worldly respects. Oh this covering and hiding will never hold! The Wolf will be at last a Wolf for all its sheep-cloathing; and this was Judas his case, his end was not pure, his eye was not single, and therefore his Apostasy was inevitable: To follow Christ for loaves, or to know him only after the flesh, will never endure; All flesh is grass, Isa. 40 6. but the word of God abides for ever, that is; not only the body of man is mortal, but all those ways of righteousness and holiness, which are not indeed, regeneration will certainly vanish. This is a great part of the meaning, if you compare this place with the whole context, 1 Pet 1.23, 24, 25. Jehu begins with zeal as hot as fire, yet his latter end was like Jeroboams, for he walked in his ways, and all because his ends were not pure. Oh this is the sum of all! This is the soul and life of all. Observe diligently thy heart in the intentions and motions of it: Is it to have applause? Is it to be reputed of? Is it to accomplish great things for thyself? Thus we may say of thy godliness, what is it thy body? Dust thou art, and to dust thou wilt return; The time is coming thou wilt not have a stone left upon a stone of that religious building, though once so many did admire it.  
Fourthly, Then hot beginnings will end coldly, when the judgement of a man is not well instructed and informed in the truth. Hot affections, but a weak judgement will quickly reel up and down, as a man that hath strong vapours from his stomach, but a weak brain: Therefore our Saviour prayeth in this Chapter, That they may be sanctified through the truth. Hymeneus and Philetus, when they made shipwreck of the faith, than they cast away a good conscience: So that a sound mind and judgement is a special preservative to perseverance: What is the reason children are tossed up and down with every new thing? But because their understandings are weak; and Ephes. 4. we are forbidden to be like children in this respect; As there must be a sound judgement in the truth, so a well advised Meditation about the nature of grace, and how dear it will cost thee to be Christ's Disciple. To come into the company of the godly before thou hast throughly bethought thyself, what is required of a Disciple? How much he must do and suffer? What he shall meet with in the way? is the cause of great hypocrisy. Our Saviour doth fully express this under two Parables, One of a man going to war; and another who undertakes a great building, Luke 14 31. There is none will set upon a war or building, but with much council, whether he be able to go through with it, or no; Whether he shall not be mocked, as one that began and could not make an end? Thus do thou reflect upon thyself, What shall I go and join myself with those that fear God? Shall I be in the number of those that will own Christ more strictly than the world? Am I fit for such a great work? Am I mortified to all sin? Can I endure to lose all for Christ? Do I love him better than all relations, and life itself? If I do not, it's no climbing up this hill, I shall tumble back again with greater danger than ever. I shall add no more particulars, because all miscarriages may be reduced to one of these heads.  
Use. In the first place of Instruction. Though zealous beginnings may terribly degenerate, yet it's a blessed, and an happy thing to be working for God betimes; Though a man called at the twelfth hour into the Vineyard, shall be rewarded, yet it is a blessed thing to be one of the first in God's Vineyard; to be as Timothy was, godly in the youth. The wicked world, as they have many Proverbs to encourage themselves in their wickedness, so this is none of the vilest, A young Saint an old Devil: This Gerson calls a blasphemous Proverb, and saith, His heart did often tremble to hear men say, Angelicus Juvenis senibus satanizat in Annis. Men take up this ungodly Proverb to procrastinate their conversion, to delay their repentance, to discourage early lookings towards heaven, as if all that did begin so soon, would turn devils at last. Though Judas did thus play the hypocrite, yet Timothy, godly from the youth, did not. Therefore begin even this day, this hour, only look thy beginnings be sound and sincere.  
2. Use of Exhortation, To take heed of proving a Judas, How odious is his name? It's a Proverb to express a treacherous, false hearted man, to say, He is another Judas, and Judas his name is so abominated, that though in itself it be a good name, signifying as much as one that confesseth and praiseth God, yet I think there was scarce ever any Christian would name his child Judas, his actions are so abhorred, and yet for all this, How many are like Judas, and so sons of perdition? Apply it but in this one thing, Judas his high iniquity was, out of his covetousness to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver, for a little profit he would lose Christ. Now is not this the case of most wicked men in the world? Whosoever loveth any pleasure or profit more than Christ, he is like Judas. The drunkard is a Judas, he sells Christ and his soul for his drink. The whoremonger is a Judas, the unjust dealer is a Judas, all these sell Christ, sometimes for less than Judas did. It's not thirty pieces, but a less matter makes thee betray Christ. Oh than that all inordinately carried away with any sin, would say, What a Judas am I, I let loose Barrabas, and crucify Christ!  
The second Observation may be this, Whereas Judas had this condition befallen him, which did draw out his corruption, and so was the means to undo him, Observe,  
That it's a very sad thing to fall into such a condition, 
Observe. 2. That it's a very sad thing to fall into such a condition that draweth out our peculiar corruptions, we are most prone unto.  that draweth out our peculiar corruptions we are most prone unto. This was the poison to Judas, he being naturally inclined to unjust gain, hath this office of carrying the bag, and thus he hath the opportunity of augmenting his impiety. How he came about to be put in the Steward's place, men do but conjecture. Some say, It was his earnest endeavour and plot for it. Others, That Christ did it to engage him, and to make him more inexcusable. To be sure, This was to him as Dalilah to Samson; as Saul thought Michall would have been to David; as the Ivy to the Wall; it was as Moths to the linen, even eating him up, and consuming of him.  
To open this, Consider,  
Consider. 1 First, That men are set in places, relations and habitations by God. All our relations, changes and offices, they are wholly ordered by God, yea our very places and habitations they are bounded; and certainly, if those things that seem to be most casual, are yet by the ordering of a wise God, much more those things that are of a greater concernment. Hence  
Secondly, God doth not only order all conditions and passages towards us, but he doth it in reference either to our spiritual welfare or disadvantage. Rom. 8. To the godly, all things work together for their good; Whatsoever estate, mercy, or condition they are in, it's the effect of their Predestination; so that as Ordinances and Graces flow from their Predestination, so do all other their outward mercies and conditions, only here is this difference, The Graces of God's Spirit are intrinsically apt of themselves to prepare for happiness, and so are the direct effects of it; but temporal mercies, they are not so, but propter aliud: Therefore we are not properly said to be predestinated, to be rich, to be poor, to be married, to live a single life; as we are to be holy, because these outward conditions are only indifferent in their natures, but through the grace of God, they become very serviceable to their spiritual good.  
Thirdly, Though God hath thus a wise ordering of all things, yet men by their corruptions may throw themselves into such conditions, as may prove occasions to sin unto them, and then those things are permissive only from God. Jacob had the blessing, this was of God's appointment, but his deceitful way of obtaining it, was wholly of his own corrupt heart. David was appointed by God for a Kingdom, but then the many sinful and carnal shifts he used that was of himself. It's true, the godly even from their foolish miscarriages, if humbled, may be encouraged, God will work good to them thereby, as Joseph comforted his brethren; It was not they but God that had sold him: But now to wicked men, they for their sins are left by God, and therefore not taking God's way in any thing, they have their conditions in anger, and they become a snare unto them, as Solomon had observed, That riches were given to some for their hurt. Thus every estate, that a wicked man hath, provoking God to leave him, doth increase his corruption; it's oil to the flame, He treasureth up more wrath against the day of wrath.  
Hence in the fourth place, That which a wicked man may so greedily long for, and break through all difficulties to obtain, that may be the saddest judgement to have in the world. Some men inordinately desire earthly greatness and honour, and they have it, but God's judgement they have with it. Some are inordinate for riches and wealth, they will be rich, but then they drown themselves in perdition Others with Rachel say, Give me children, else I die, and her children make her die. So that as beasts leap and play in fat pastures, which are for their destruction: Thus many a man he rejoiceth and blesseth himself in having of that, which when enjoyed is the immediate poison of his soul.  
Fifthly, Here is the difference between a godly man and a wicked, To the wicked man his relations and calling are a total and prevailing temptation to him, the fire kindleth upon him, and cannot be quenched; It's like hell fire, that cannot be put out; But now to the godly man his calling and relations may in part tempt him, be a sore thorn in his way to heaven, but yet he will recover, he will watch and pray against his temptations. Though the world may as joseph's mistress solicit and importune him, yet he will refuse to lie with her; or if this viper hath fastened upon his hand, it shall not stay to kill him, he will cast it off.  
Use of Examination. Try your conditions, your relations, observe whether they be not constant dalilah's to thee: Again and again consider, Whether thy condition be not a temptation to thee? It's true, no godly man can be in any lawful calling, but it tempts him to deadness of heart, to dull affections in heavenly things, but if they do not wholly turn thee from God, than thy conflicting in it, is a sure sign of grace. It's made the wicked man's condition, That his table shall become a snare, by that is meant, all his dainties, all his worldly greatness and excellencies, and that such a snare, as he doth willingly yield unto. Therefore renew prayer constantly, that thy heart, and the temptation be not lost together.   

SERMON LXXIII. The Great Stumbling-blocks in Religion removed.  JOH. 17.12. That the Scripture might be fulfiled. 
THose are the last words in the Text, and are brought in as a Second Answer concerning the Objection that might be made against Christ's Faithfulness in preserving those that were given him, For Judas perished.  
To this was answered,  
1. It's no wonder, for he was a Son of Perdition.  
2. The Scripture had a long while before foretold of this, so that we may conceive this second Reason brought in upon a threefold account.  
1. It would be a very great scandal and offence to have Judas one of Christ's own Society to betray him; Now that they may be well fortified against such an unwonted and horrible thing, he tells them this is no more than the Scripture had foretold.  
2. Seeing that the Scripture is God's voice, and therefore that which properly God doth, the Scripture is sometimes said to do, as Gal. 3.22. The Scripture foreseeing hath concluded all under sin, that is, God foreseeing etc. did conclude: Hence this passage may be brought in to show, that even all that sinfulness and perdition of Judas, the consequent thereof did not fall out casually, but by the wise ordering providence of God.  
3. This may be brought in to prevent any such error as might be gathered from our Saviour's words, as if some of the Elect persons might perish; No (saith our Saviour) he was none of them; The Scripture a long while ago had pronounced fearful curses against him.  
Now to understand this, Consider these things,  
First, That the Scriptures which do most palpably thus foretell Judas his perdition are Psa. 41.10. applied Joh. 13.8. Psa 69.26. Psa. 109.8. applied Act. 1.20. Here you see are clear evident places containing a Prediction of what would befall Judas, David speaks by way of bitter Imprecation against his implacable and crafty Enemies, who set against God and his cause in him and this was a Type of Judas: Indeed Junius relateth this passage in the Text, not only to Judas his perdition, but also to all those several places of Scripture, which speak of Christ and his office in saving of his people, but that seemeth not so accommodated to the Context.  
2. These words are not spoken to take off the cause of perdition from Judas, and to lay it upon the Scripture or God's prevision, but only (as you heard) to prevent the offence, the Disciples might take; Therefore Calvin saith well, that the Scriptures mere prediction is not the cause of an Event; Neither did Judas perish, because the Scripture said so; Indeed no predictions whether divine or humane, as Astronomical, political, etc. are the causes of any Event: Things are not therefore because foretold, but they are foretold because future; This is true of prediction or prevision merely as so, not including preordination in it.  
Hence 3. The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is taken two ways in Scripture, sometimes denoting a cause, Sometimes an Event only, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Learned instance in many places; Now here they make it to signify the Event only, that the sense amounts to thus much, when Judas had betrayed his Master, and perished in that wickedness, than were those places of Scripture fulfilled; The Scriptures did not force or compel him, but when he had accomplished his impieties, than was the Scripture fulfiled; Indeed Tolet makes it to be causal, and Maldonate causal, apparently but not really; Jansenius grants it may be causal, not in respect of Judas his sin but the end why God permitted all this.  
Lastly, Though God's prevision and the Scriptures prediction be not simply the cause of any thing future, yet because God's prevision is never without his pre-ordination, and that though wicked men are justly damned for their sins, yet all these things fall not out without some antecedent Decrees of God; Therefore we must understand this place as taking in Judas his Reprobation also.  

Doct.  Obs. That so many contrary things to a Believers Expectation may fall out in matters of Religion, that did not the Scripture foretell them, we should be greatly offended; This hypocrisy of judas was so heinous and monstrous, that had not Christ forewarned them out of the Scripture, it had been enough to make them stagger and reel; To think there was no such thing as Truth of Grace and Uprightness; To cry out as he did, observing the deceitful ways of the world, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.  O Virtue, I thought thou hadst been some real thing, but now I find thee to be a mere sound of words, etc. What if one of the Apostles be thus false, then surely there is no Truth or Religion in the world; It hath always been thus in the Church of God, such passages have fallen out beyond a godly man's expectation, that sometimes with David they have been ready to say, It's a vain thing to be godly, they have doubted about God and his Word, and all hath been because they have not diligently considered that this is no more than the Scripture hath spoken of.  
Let us Consider some particulars so hardly concocted without Scripture-Information.  
And first, That the way of Christ should have so much opposition and persecution in the world; Did not a man Consider that every Page almost of the Scripture foretells this, it would be enough to dishearten him, Mat. 10. ●3. there and in many other places Christ foretells their portion in this world, They shall be ha●ed, that is the highest degree of men's spirits against them, which rests in nothing but the utter destruction of those that are hated, Joh. 15.18. There also are serious Informations against this offence that might be taken at Christ's way, and indeed by that passage it is a Sect that is every where spoken against, Act. 26.22. It seemeth many were disheartened, it was enough to keep a man off if it were said, None in the world likes this, you will be the Object of every man's scorn and derision, and is it not the great Temptation still in Heaven's way, that so many troubles do abide those that will live godly? They cannot bend and turn their Consciences as the world would have them, They must oppose and discountenance sin, though it be never so advantageous, and by this contrariety of their works to the works of the world, therefore it is they are so much hated; Now these things are hardly born, a man had need again and again go to the Scripture and inform himself saying. This is no more than I read daily, than I am to look for, Hence 1 Pet. 4 12. Think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial, as if some strange thing happened to you; Though the afflictions be never so fierce, so terrible, yet do not think this any strange matter, Say Christianus sum, as he did, homo nihil Christiani alienum ● me p●to, I am a Christian, and think nothing that may befall a Christian is strange to me; Oh thus we would think that the way to heaven should be a pleasant, smooth, and delight some way; That whenever we are in Christ's way, there should be no Hills or Dales, no troublesome passages, but we find the clean contrary, and this is a stumbling block to us, as David said, such things were to him, till he went into the Sanctuary of God.  
2. This is a stumbling block in Religion, That some of those who are eminent in the profession of Christ should yet degenerate and turn Hypocrites, Heretics, and Apostates; Oh these are sad Temptations, and cause many weak ones to fall, when such pillars prove rotten, This was Judasses' Case in the Text; Better he had never been born even in this respect as well as others, that hereby Religion was wounded, the souls of many endangered and the Adversaries of Christ more confirmed and made obdurate in their wicked ways; Therefore the Scripture foretells such sad things for Heresies, that they should break out in the preaching of the Gospel, that such Tares should grow up as well as the wheat, is again and again spoken of, 2 Pet 2.1, 2, 3. False Teachers shall arise that shall bring in damnable Heresies, and though they be thus damnable, yet many shall follow their pernicious ways; There is no Heresy so deformed, but many people will follow it, and by this means the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of; See this in our days; How greatly do the Papists blaspheme that holy Truth of God by which we are saved, because of the many Sects and errors which sprung up amongst us; They think this Argument enough if there were no other, when they can say how violent is one Protestant against another, condemning one another for Heretics, They all plead the Spirit, and yet are opposite to each other, and certainly did not the Scripture forewarn us of such things, it were enough to make the stoutest believer sometimes at a stand, but 1 Cor. 11. The Scripture saith there again, There must be Heresies, That necessity ariseth both in respect of men's corruptions, and also in respect of Gods wise permission, that so the approved and sound may be made manifest; It's no little part of a Christians wisdom in the overflowing of Heresies, when men of several ways speciously pretend to Truth and Piety, to know how to deport ourselves, and so to walk that we do not fall from our steadfastness: Now there is not a surer Buckler to keep off these poisonous arrows from our breasts, then to strengthen ourselves with powerful Considerations out of the Scripture: Thus it must be, Thus it will be; The Scripture again and again tells us of it, men of great Eminency and repute may make shipwreck of their Faith, and through deceivableness and subtle insinuations will draw many after them; Wonder not at this when it comes to pass, That is notable to this purpose, Act. 20.29, 30. Though Paul himself had instructed those Churches, yet he tells them after his departure that Wolves would venture in amongst them, what a sad change would this be, But from whence should they come? Even out of yourselves will arise men; Thus these Toads and Serpents would breed in Gods own Garden: As the Leprosy of Heresy is thus a Scandal in God's Church, So the Apostasy and revolt of such as were once forward for the Truth; To have them degenerate, yea, sometimes to become malicious Enemies against what they professed, this is very hard, Heb. 6. and 2 Pet. 2. mention is made of some who were endowed with eminent gifts, and much outward Reformation, yet they are supposed to fall away, and so to fall as never to recover again; Let it not then stumble thee if there be such who will for earthly advantages betray Christ after much love pretended to him; That will sell Christ for silver, Do not thou loath Religion for this; Do not thou begin to say, Are there any Religious even in this world? Do not thou follow them, thinking I may do, as they do? But rather tremble at such Instances, considering how terrible their latter end will be.  
3. When for the profession of the Truth and Piety we find our nearest friends and such as aught most to encourage us to set against us, yea, to betray us, and to work our Deaths if it were possible, though this be very hard to bear, yet say as in the Text: This is done that the Scripture may be fulfiled; If Christ himself complain it was not an open enemy, but thou my familiar friend, we took sweet counsel together, that did lift up his heel against him, that is proudly, contemptuously, and bloodily set against me,: Do not thou expect a better condition than Christ thy Master, especially attend to that place, Mat. 10.34, 35. Luk. 11.52. where the consequent of the Gospel preached is to set the nearest relation one against another, so that for thy Godliness sake neither Father or Friend may own thee, yea, the wife of thy bosom will betray thee, such things have fallen out in times of persecution, and therefore be not offended at that which the Scripture hath foretold.  
4. That Antichrist should prosper and prevail; even to the shedding of the blood of so many thousand Martyrs, and yet meet with no remarkable judgement would be an unanswerable Temptation, had not the Scripture foretold it; The Scripture informeth of a twofold Antichrist, a doctrinal one, such as John speaks of, that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh, and a political Antichrist, or one that is chiefly so, in respect of Church-Government, who yet also shall be doctrinally Antichrist, of whom Paul speaketh that he shall exalt himself above every thing that is called God, and of which the Revelation makes often mention, for although this Antichrist shall prevail, and the greater part of the earth shall receive the mark of the beast, yet at last the time will come when those joyful Songs shall be sung, that Babylon is fallen, and the judgements of God are just, who hath avenged himself upon the Beast; Let not then Bellarmine glory in his temporal felicity as a mark of the Church; Let him not say in such a daring manner, If the Pope be Antichrist, and the man of sin aimed at in the Scripture, Why have not horrible judgements from heaven overtaken him? All this is easily answered, The Scripture foretells he shall have a time, and he must for a while make his garments red with the blood of the Saints; But as certainly as he doth this, so also shall his perdition come as certainly; Wonder not at this, or be offended, for the Scripture must be fulfilled.  
5. The manifold exercises and conflicts that Gods own Children have sometimes about the guilt of sin, and sometimes about the power of sin, makes them think there was none so in the world before; Oh how shall they bear it, there is no man's condition like theirs, you cannot hear one read of the like, say they; But do not all these troubles arise from ignorance in the Scripture? Do ye not read of David though sometimes on the Mount of Transfiguration, yet at other times on the Mount of Calvary Is he not sometimes lifted up with the light of God's Countenance, and at other times so dejected and disquieted he knoweth not what to do; And as for the power of Corruption abiding in us, Doth not Paul Rome 7. cry out, O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death? and the Apostle Jam. 4.5. doth the Scripture speak in vain? The spirit that is in us lusteth to envy, Even in the Godly there is a strong provocation to envy, one of the vilest sins and most contrary to the Spirit of Christ▪ Seeing then the Scripture doth thus admonish us, Let not the Children of God walk disconsolately, Let them not say God hath forsaken them; Let them still remember that the Scripture hath forewarned them of such things, That the devil is a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.6.  
Use of Instruction, Hath the Scripture by its prediction forewarned against all possible offences that fall out, then, 1. See the truth and faithfulness of Christ that hideth not the worst things from us, he dealeth plainly with us, What sufferings, troubles & persecutions? What difficulties and hardship we shall meet with in the way to heaven, he tells us aforehand of them? The devil and the world they come with their pleasures for the present, they tell us not how bitter they will be at the latter end; But the Lord Christ he informeth us of the worst that may fall out.  
2. From this prediction, we should arm ourselves against all temptations whatsoever. Being forewarned, we should be fore-armed. Oh how blessed is that man, who under the greatest affliction can say, This I knew before; It is not strange to me, the Scripture gave me warning of it, and hath furnished me with all due qualifications thereunto.  
3. From the evil foretell being accomplished, assure thyself also, the good promised shall be fulfilled. As the Scripture proveth true in all the troubles and miseries it speaks of; so it will be as true in all the comforts, honour and happiness it speaks of. This is our sinful narrowness of heart, we many times look to that evil threatened, not to the good promised: Oh we say, Now all those texts I feared are fulfilled in me! not remembering that all the promises shall also be accomplished; What shall the Scripture be true in one part, and not in the other? Shall it be true to a wicked man, and not true to a godly man? Are they not called The sure promises of God? As therefore thou art to prepare for all that hardship and difficulties which will be in the way of godliness; so do thou as assuredly expect and look for all those joys, that peace and happiness which the same word of God affords to thee.   

SERMON LXXIV. Of the Scripture.  JOHN 17.12. But the Son of Perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 
A Second Doctrine from the reason alleged in the Text, That the Scripture might be fulfilled, shall be,  
That whatsoever the Scripture saith, is sure to be made good. Our Saviour saith, Matth. 5. It's surer than the heaven and earth, 
Observe. That whatsoever the Scripture saith, is sure to be made good.  and that every tittle of it is more enduring then the Heavens themselves. It's of great consequence to establish you in this point: For if the Scripture be true, and will be made good in every particular, than the godly may lift up their heads with joy, and the wicked bow down with fear and trembling.  
To open this, Consider the expression, That the Scripture may be fulfilled; The word of God is called the Scripture, which is as much as the written Word. The word of God in respect of the accidental communicating of it, may be divided into that which is Traditum or Scriptum; that which was immediately delivered either by God himself, or inspired into the Prophets, to be communicated to the Church, or else that which was commanded to be written, and so to be a perpetual standing Rule, according to which the Church should walk in soever shall come to pass: And herein it will infallibly prove true; for as we read of many predictions of old, they were accomplished at that time, and in that manner, as God had foretell; so we may justly conclude for the future, that it will be in the like manner. Whatsoever God hath foretell by the Scripture concerning a day of Judgement, and the everlasting torments of the damned, that there shall be a Resurrection of the body, and that every one shall give an account for what hath been done here; Expect it, and believe it, as surely as if it were already done; Oh what a deal of security and boldness is there in sinners, because they believe not this! Did they think they heard the sound of the Trump of the last day ringing in their ears, Arise, and come to judgement? What holy fear and trembling would possess them? whereas because they live for the present in jollity, and so many years the world and all things have continued as they were, therefore they think there will never be any change; such were those mockers Peter speaks of, 2 Pet. 3. saying, Where is the day of his coming? Know then that all those places of Scripture which speak of such a dreadful time will one day be fulfilled, never think that those Texts will fall to the ground; thy lusts will prove a lie, thy pleasures a lie to thee, but God's word will abide for ever.  
Thirdly, We have the promising part of the Scripture. The Land of Canaan did not more richly flow with milk and honey, than the Scriptures abound with all kind of promises both for this life, and that to come. This heaven is full of such glorious stars. The Apostle 2 Pet. 1.4. calls them precious promises; precious both in respect of the things promised, and also of the certainty and truth of them. There is the grand promise of all the Charter of the Covenant of Grace, I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and this is subdivided into many particulars; so that there is not a good thing to be desired, nor an evil thing to be avoided, but we have a promise for it; and certainly, if the word and promise of a great man in place and power be able to refresh the heart of an indigent man, how much more must the promise of the Almighty and holy God revive those that depend on it? All the children of God are with Isaac called the children of the promise, Gal. 4.28. so that they are the children of the promise efficiently, as it was the mere promise of God, that gave them a supernatural being, all humane power being as impotent for that purpose, as Sarahs' womb was to conceive; and further, They are the children of the promise (as I may say) objectively, because they live on that, and are nourished by it; and as they say in naturals, so it is true in spirituals, Ex eisdem constamus è quibus nutrimur, The procreating and conserving causes are of the same nature; hence we may read of the godly looking up to Gods promise in all their difficulties, Psal. 77.8. and when God stirreth up himself to do good to his people, it's because he remembers his holy promise. Insomuch that heaven and salvation itself, is called, The hope of the promise, Act. 26.6. Though therefore the people of God have not all the good things they desire in present possession, yet they have them in promise, and God's truth is bond and security enough. A man that hath not his estate at command, yet if he have it in sure bonds and good security, looks upon himself as a rich man: Oh than the unbelief and vile doubtings of thy heart! Are all the promises of God of no repute with thee? Are they of no credit? Should they not as much assure thee as if every thing were accomplished already? Hence as the Scripture when it speaketh of a future thing, useth the present tense, to show the certainty of it, as the learned instance in many places; so should the faith of a godly man turn the future tense into the present, and what God saith he will do, to take as done already.  
Lastly, There is the comminatory or threatening part. Here is Mount Ebal, as well as Mount Gerizim. The Scripture hath its sting as well as honey. In this Ark there is the Rod as well as Manna; Christ hath not only a Sceptre of grace, but a Rod of iron; and those threatenings are far above the terrors of the most cruel men that ever lived; for it's not only a threatening of bodily miseries, but of hell, of eternal wrath and vengeance on the soul, as well as the body, which no earthly man can do. Therefore whatsoever the word of God hath said against an evil man, let him look for it, as if he were already under that doom. Is not Judas here called a son of perdition, yea is he not said to be perished in the present tense, because of the certainty of it? Doth not the Scripture say, He that believeth not, is condemned even already? Joh. 3.8. As when God at first threatened Adam, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die; This was made good, though Adam did not actually die at that time, because he was put into a state of death, and every moment that sentence might be inflicted on him. Thus it is with every wicked man, whatsoever curse, whatsoever vengeance is denounced against thee, this night, this day, this moment it may be fulfilled on thee.  
The ground why the Scripture must be fulfilled, is plain, 
Grounds why.  Because it is God's word, and therefore it is immortal like himself, it will stand as he stands, for what should hinder it? There was no defect of knowledge or wisdom in God, nor of power and strength, and therefore the word being out of his mouth, who can contradict it?  
Use of Encouragement to the godly. 
Use.  The Scripture hath as many promises for thee, as thou canst desire. It's full of glad tidings to thee that fearest God. There is not a Chapter but it speaks some good or other to thee. Oh do not think these things are spoken in vain, and not to be good, to be true! What shall the holy Spirit of God become false to deceive and delude thee? far be such blasphemous thoughts from thee; Go then and rejoice, say, I have enough, I have all things, the Scripture abounds with all consolations, and not one drop of this precious wine shall be lost or spilt to the ground; but on the contrary it speaks woe and trembling to wicked men: Oh how well were it for you, if the Scripture were a book of fables and lies! Then thou mightst eat, and drink, and rise up to play and sport, but at the last thou wilt find every word of it to be true: Why then can thy bold heart endure any longer? Is there not terror enough in the Scripture to break it in pieces, though it were of iron. Thou wilt find at last God only true, but man, and the world, and thy own heart a liar.   

SERMON LXXV. Of the Truth of Scripture-Prophesies; And against Judicial Astrology and Witchcraft; Showing the Vanity and Wickedness thereof, and of Seeking to them.  JOH. 17.12. That the Scripture might be fulfiled. 
I shall at this time conclude this Text which hath been so fruitful in spiritual matter, but before I come to make the last Observation let us Consider,  
In how many senses the Scripture may be said to be fulfilled, For there are divers ways of understanding this, and indeed there is scarce any thing more difficult in Religion, then to make an happy reconciliation of the places quoted in the New Testament with the Old; At the first view of many of those allegations, you would think there were violent deflections of the Scripture to another sense, than was intended, but we christian's believe that the same Spirit which breathed on the Prophets, did also inspire the holy Apostles for the right interpretation of them; Though therefore the Solution of every difficulty surpass the ability of the most Learned Interpreter, yet we are to captivate our understandings to the Truth of the Scripture, and not the Scripture to our Understandings, and nothing will better facilitate a right Understanding of Scripture-allegations then to know that the Scripture may be said to be fulfiled two ways, 
In how many senses the Scripture may be said to be fulfiled.   
1. Properly. 2. Improperly, and by way of accommodation.  
Properly, and that two ways, Either in a literal sense or a mystical sense; A literal sense either is simply so when it's a mere prediction of what is to come, and hath no Type for the present to be verified in, of this kind or sort are many Examples especially, Isa. 7.14. Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, Matth. 1.22. applied to Christ; This was only true of Christ and his Mother, not applicable to any else, for as for Musculus and Grotius, who conceive that this was done in a Type, and that same Virgin in those days did marry and bear a Son, which was a Type of Christ is wholly improbable, and diminisheth this glorious Mystery of Christ's Incarnation.  
As for the second kind of fulfilling which is a compounded sense of the Type and Antitype that is often; Thus these things which were fulfilled about the Paschal Lamb, the brazen Serpent, about Jonah, Solomon, and David, were also applied to Christ as the Antitype; As also Hos. 11. that of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt unto Christ, Though these places also may be said to be fulfiled in a mystical sense, and in this manner the Scripture speaking of Judas his perdition, Psa. 41. and Psa. 109. is to be understood, for David in those Psalms literally speaks of his present enemies but typically and mystically this was to be applied to Judas, An improper or accomodatitious application is, when the Scripture is said to be fulfilled because there falleth out something like that, So Christ Mat. 15.7, 8. repeateth that to the hypocrites of his time, which the Prophet Isa. 29 13. applieth to those that lived in his time, viz. that they drew nigh him with their lips, but their hearts were far from him; This explained observe,  
Obs. 
Doct.  That it's a sure Argument and Demonstration of the Divinity of the Scripture, That it doth foretell things which long after do come to pass; Judas his perdition in the Text was prophesied of many hundred years before; 
The truth of Scripture-Prophesies.  As God endowed men with such illumination that they could tell what was done many years before they lived, as appeareth in Moses his writing of the History of the Creation, so it doth no less wonderfully appear in a prediction of such things as shall come hereafter, and therefore both the Old Testament and the New have two Books that are wonderfully prophetic of what shall befall the Church in after Ages; Daniel prophesied so in his time, and John did the like in his Revelations.  
To open this Doctrine Consider,  
First, That it is only God's property to foreknow things to come; 
I. It is only God's property to foreknow things to come  We matter not those wretched Socinians who deny any prescience in God, because they say this would induce an absolute necessity, and it would be as vain a thing to think to avoid what God doth foreknow as what he doth preordain; Therefore they take away one as well as the other, but this is impudently to contradict the Scripture which doth so often make prescience a property belonging solely to God, observe that place Isa. 41.21, 22, 23. show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods, and indeed he only can know future things that only knoweth the hearts of men, and that the Scripture attributeth to God only; Indeed the Prophets who were but men, yet they did foretell many things to come, but they were only ministerial in this, It was God that revealed these things to them, so that it was not they so much as God, and thus the Scripture revealeth things to come because it's the word of him who knoweth all things, and it's the writing of such who were immediately inspired by the holy Ghost; Now one reason why God must needs foreknow what is to come, is because nothing can ever be without his decree predictive of it, and so because God knoweth what he will do, therefore he knoweth what shall be; Therefore we need not with the Jesuits run to a scientia media, whereby God knoweth all things they say from the infinity of his knowledge, comprehending the nature of things antecedently to his Decree, their actions absolutely future or conditionally only, for his knowledge is founded upon his decree.  
Secondly, Although God only doth originally and by his own property know things to come, yet the devils they may foretell some things; 
II. Yet the devil may foretell some things to come.  Not that the devils can of themselves foreknow any future casual thing, for they know not the hearts and free wills of men, yet some things they certainly foreknow, some things with great conjectures, certainly they know such things which God revealeth to them, and employeth them in to bring about, for seeing even the very devils are Instruments of bringing about his vengeance, as appeareth by that, when God commanded the lying spirits to be in the mouth of the false Prophets, as also when they appeared before God as well as the Angels, job 1. Seeing (I say) God useth these as Instruments, no wonder if he make known unto them what Service they have to do, and therefore they can foretell things, yea, the Lord suffers false Prophets sometimes to foretell things by way of judgement to a people, as is to be showed, for not only to godly men but even to wicked men God hath sometimes revealed things to come, as to Balaam, and those Mat. 7. who said, Have we not prophesied in thy Name? But besides this revealed knowledge the devils may probably foretell things to come, partly as Austin well observeth, because of their intellectual acuteness, having such extraordinary quickness in their understanding, and this added to their long life which they have had ever since their Creation, and partly because of their agility whereby they can quickly move from one place to another, as it's related of Apollonius Thyancus, who being at Ephesus when Domitian was murdered at Rome, cried out, Be of good courage, for at this moment the Tyrant is killed. Historians write, that Posts came afterwards that did confirm all those things about Domitian's Death; Now if this were so, than it was by the help of the devil, who could quickly move so far, as that Apollonius did many other things, and therefore is thought by some to be raised up by the devils to oppose Christ, and draw off from him by false Miracles.  

III. Predictions of three sorts.  Thirdly, Consider there may be predictions of three sorts; divine, such as are of God himself, or by Prophets inspired by him, or diabolcicall predictions, which are by God's just judgements suffered to be upon a people, and these are either by the devil, or by his Instrumenss, Witches, and Sorcerers, Astrologers, and other kind of ways of Divination which are too common even amongst Christians, or humane and natural predictions, which are from natural causes to their natural effects; Thus the Astronomer may foretell the Eclipses that shall be, The Physician can the effects of some Diseases, and so the natural Philosopher may, but not with such certainty, foretell of drought or much rain, as our Saviour implieth, Mat. 16.20. but this is only probable, because many particular causes may interpose and alter all their prognostiques: Thus also politic Predictions which wise men sometimes can presage about Commonwealths; Though those are but Conjectures, as he said, Bene qui conticet, hunc tu perhibeto vatem optimum.  

IU. How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches, or to be such.  Fourthly, Seeing that to foretell any thing to come be thus the property of God and of the Scripture, Then by this we see, That all those who go to Astrologers or Witches to know things to come, and all those that profess judiciary Astrology, that will undertake to foretell not natural things but voluntary, such as are merely subject to men's will, Do not only undertake a vain rash, and false thing, but that also which is very abominable and wicked; It's necessary to speak to this, because there are many people look more to the fullfilling of what such Prognostics and Almanacs say, then to the Scripture, as if Saturn and Jupiter did reign, therefore the Earth must tremble, and not God reign; It would require a great Volume to speak of this exactly, Only briefly Consider these things. 
Against Astrology and Witchcraft Consider,   
1. That it hath been the Devil's way always to disturb the Church, and endeavour the damnation of many men's souls by making them credulous in these things; That as Christ hath set in his Church Pastors and Teachers to instruct in the way to heaven: So the devil hath raised his Witches, his Sorcerers, his Soothsayers and Astrologers to seduce the world. Of old there were the Heretics Priscillianists, that did bind men to the Stars, and made the body of men to be compounded according to the Signs, yea, into this soul error Aquila that famous Interpreter of the Scripture fell, for which he was cast out of the Church of God; and Cardan rose to that high Impiety, as to observe Christ's Birth, and made his power to do the Miracles he did to flow from the influx of those Stars that he was born under. Some have not been so wicked, yet others, as Petrus de Aliaco thought by the Stars there might have been prognosticated the Birth of Christ; And Kepler contends, those Wise men by the Rules of Astrological Art, might have presaged not only an Event of some great moment but the Birth of some great Monarch; As if Christ were not born after an extraordinary and miraculous manner; That the Heavens have influence upon the bodies of men may not be denied, Though Pererins argueth against those Coelestes influentias, as I remember; Hence a man possessed with the devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lunatic, which some say was because the devil took the occasion, that at what time of the Moon humours did most abound, then to disturb him, and no doubt but that the Heavens were made for glorious ends▪ but not to be Books to reveal what shall come to pass.  
Therefore that you may rest satisfied, That the Scripture only can infallibly tell what is to come to pass, and that it is a high wickedness and presumption to run to Witches, Sorcerers, or judicial Astrologers, take these following Arguments.  
1. All those places of Scripture which forbid any resort to them; Consider that place Lev 19.26. Ye shall not use enchantment nor observe times, So Leu. 20 27. Deut. 10.11, 12, 13. Especially take notice of that full and efficacious place, Isa. 45.12, 13, 14. You see here by clear and plain Texts all such predictions are an abomination to God, and if we should urge beside divine authority humane, this would be enough to confirm us, all the Fathers speak with much vehemency against them, many Counsels have condemned such practices, yea, divers Heathens have condemned them, for the greatest Astrologers, Ptolemy himself, as the Learned show, acknowledgeth no certain Truth can be foretold by them, Tully wrote several Books de Divinatione, condemning such Diviners, as lib. 2. de div. instancing that before a great Fight some Mice had gnawn the Buckler of a Soldier, the Soothsayer concluded, the War would be fatal and unlucky, as if (saith Tully) because the mice did gnaw some Books which I had of Plato's de Repub. therefore I should conclude that our Commonwealth should be destroyed; The very Heathens abhorred such Divinations, and we read Act. 19.19. of many when converted brought their curious Books, and burned them, which is not to be understood of mere witchery and Sorcery Books, but of those that are given to vain and cozening Arts; Otherwise the holy Ghost would not have expressed those wicked Books under so vile a Name as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Authority doth condemn, so Reason, as we may read at large in Pererius, Spanhemius, Zanchius, and others. For  
1 If the Heavens were true and proper causes or necessary Signs, yet no man could prognostique certainly by them, because no man knoweth the number of the Stars, nor the virtue and efficacy of them; The Scripture giveth it as peculiar to God, that he only knoweth the Stars, and calls them by their Names, but if any man could certainly divine by them, he must know both the number of the Stars, and their peculiar activity or influence, and the degree of that activity, without which they may grossly err:  
Again, If the Heavens be causes they are only Universal Causes, now from an Universal indeterminate cause there cannot be any special particular effect foretold; For besides Universal Causes, all particular interior Causes, which are many and uncertain, must be known also.  
Lastly, This would bring a Contempt of God, and mere Athiesm into the world; The Scripture carrieth us out to God in all things, to his Wisdom, to his Power, to his Justice, but these would bind us to the Planets, yea, by these means the Scripture also will be despised and laid aside, so that all profaneness will thereby be introduced, yea, and excuses for all Vice will be pleaded how could they help it? Seeing they were born under such a Star, as Austin reports of an ginger handsomely reproved by his Servant, He had a Servant that stole from him, and this ginger his Master going to correct him, he cryeth out, I could not help it, I was born under Mercury (They say, those born under that Planet are given to stealing;) Thus by his Masters own principles and Rules of Art he convinced him.  
Object. One Objection they much urge, is that they often foretold what is true.  
To this it is answered, And many things have been as false and untrue, and if one thing fall out, it is more observed than if an hundred things prove otherwise, besides when they foretell many things, it's hard if they cannot foretell some one thing, as a blind man that shoots many arrows, may chance once to hit the mark.  
But then 2. If such things do come to pass, it's either by their express or virtual compact with the devil; and if not so, as Austin well observeth it's from a just judgement of God to thee, that thou shouldst have wherewith to stumble and fall, and undo thyself, Deut. 13.1. Thus a wicked Prophet may foretell that which shall come to pass, and why? God doth thus to prove and try you.  
Use, To abhor all commerce and resort to such persons, to fly from them as from the devil; Thou breakest thy Baptismal Vow, if thou renouncest not such Diabolical practices; Oh that going to such men should ever be owned by Christians, by Protestants! Indeed Learned men observe, that such delusions have prevailed in Popish and anabaptistical Spirits, but do not thou regard such fopperies: How often (said Tully) did I hear such men promise Pompey and Caesar, that they should live long, die a peaceable death, and in honour, when yet the clean contrary fell out, and even▪ Lapide the Jesuit on c. 19 of the Acts bewaileth, while he was at Rome how much they were given to this vanity, while the Astrologers would promise some long Life, others 2 Cardinalship, others the Popedom, and yet at last all miserably deluded.  
Use 2. To admire the Divinity of the Scripture in this particular, That it alone foretells of things to come, and it must be fulfilled, That speaks of a day of Judgement, of an account to be given for every thing done in the flesh, Believe this, and persuade thy soul of it as really as if it were done already, when Dives was in hell, than he opened his eyes and saw where he was, but it was too late, and thus it will be with too many.   

SERMON LXXVI. The Joy of Saints handled, both as a Duty and Privilege, as being one great end of Christ's Prayer, Command, Promises and Ministry.  JOHN 17.13. And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 
OUr Saviour having answered that great Objection, and offence about the perdition of Judas, he returneth again to his Disciples, for whom he was pouring out this part of his prayer. And  
1. He repeateth that Argument he had used, vers. 11. Now I come to thee: Here is much efficacy in this, but I have already handled that fully. Only take notice, That some understand not this of his local motion, or ascension to the Father, but mental, as if his meaning was, by these petitions, I come to thee, according to that old saying, Oratio est ascensus mentis in Deum, but every eye seeth this improbable.  
I therefore proceed, and in the words following you may observe, the description of Christ's prayer at this time, and the end of it: His prayer is expressed in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with the circumstance of place, in the world, that is, in the ears of all; This prayer is not like that, when he went by himself and prayed so earnestly about the passing away of the Cup, which the Evangelist could never have related what it was, had not Christ revealed it. Some there are, that because the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original, have concluded, that therefore this was not mentioned by our Saviour, as a prayer; nor is it to be understood, but as a Sermon or Doctrinal Information. Thus because it's said, vers. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he spoke. Chrysostom saith, it's not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not a Prayer but a Sermon; and so Cajetan thinketh it to be an informatory discourse. But Christ's gesture of lifting up his eyes to heaven, and his express words, calling it a prayer, vers. 9, 15, 20. do clearly confute that. Neither are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite, but subordinate. A prayer that is public may be doctrinally edifying the Auditor; and therefore both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used of Zachariah's prayer, or eucharistical song, Luke 1.64, 67. as also of Christ's prayer, John 11.41. And this word might well be used by our Saviour in this Petition, because it was not a private prayer, nor merely petitionary, but concionatory, and informing the Disciples of many excellent passages, whereof one is expressed in the end, That their joy might be fulfilled. So then, one main reason, why Christ did at this time so publicly and solemnly pray for his Disciples, it was to fill them with comfort. That they might for ever remember these words before his death Christ knew they must conflict with great difficulties, therefore he provides suitable consolations▪ Observe,  

Observe. That it's Christ's special will and care, that his people should walk comfortably.  That it's Christ's special will and care, that his people should walk comfortably. As Ahashuerus did not like to see Nehemiah look sadly: so neither doth Christ will that his people should walk with dejections and discouragements, but abound in an heavenly and unspeakable joy. It's a dishonour to a Prince to have sighing subjects; Therefore in Nero's time to weep or sigh, was a capital crime, and it reflects upon a Master to have his servant walk with discontent: Thus it's a dishonour to Christ, and to his Gospel, when those that fear God walk without hope or faith, still complaining that their souls are disquieted and cast down within them. A Christians joy is so greatly aimed at, that the sum of those valedictory Sermons, and large farewell discourses Christ makes to his Disciples, was to establish them therein, John 15.11. These things have I spoken that your joy might remain, that it might be full. It's not only joy, but a constant full joy he requireth, that it might remain: The people of God are not to think it enough to have joy sometimes, though they are to bless God for any degree in the least continuance, but they are to keep this fire always upon the altar of their hearts, whatsoever may not continue with them, yet their joy must; Though we cannot find thee always thriving, always healthful, yet we should see thee always joyful; we should never find a Christian without this, let his conditions and temptations be never so sad, and then it must be a full joy; not a light flash, but such as shall fill up thy heart, that shall soak to the root of thy soul, that no ordinary thing can remove thee from it. This point is of great concernment unto the godly, who commonly think themselves Benonies, and will not be called Naomi, but Marah; that with Rachel, refuse to be comforted; that as some wicked men will not hear of the threatening, but put far from them the evil day; so they stop their ears against the promise, and put the good day of God's grace out of their mind.  
Now although I should first show, the nature of Christ's joy, what it is, and how it is to be fulfilled in believers, yet I must first dispatch Christ's end in this prayer, and all other his dispensations, viz. That the joy of the godly may be filled in them. 
That Christ doth really intend that his people sha●l be joyful.  So that you are to look upon it both as a duty, and as a privilege. Not to live comfortably is a sin, as well as not to live holily; and take heed of quenching God's Spirit, as it is a Comforter, as well as it is a sanctifier. For that it is a main intent of Christ to have you clothed with the garments of joy, will appear by these particulars:  

I. Therefore was this prayer.  First, This solemn and remarkable prayer, which our Saviour did make with so much fullness of heart, was for this end, to fill them with joy. Though Christ prayed for impetration of the benefits mentioned in this prayer, yet the end why he spoke this prayer so solemnly in the ears of the world, was that it might be a perpetual standing stock of comfort to the godly. Therefore the Apostle John, because the other Evangelists pretermitted this prayer, and much of his farewell Sermons, is very large and exact in the description of it: so that the Spirit of God thought it not enough to have it vocally pronounced, but also to be committed to writing, that so all the generations to come might take comfort from this prayer: If therefore the godly man consider, what Christ here prayeth for, and who it is that doth pray; The dignity of his person, the certainty of being heard; if there were no other Scripture remaining but this, there would be ground enough of joy. For the things which usually sad the hearts of God's children, are either from within or without; from without are all the oppositions and cruel usages they meet with in the world by wicked men. These are thorns and goads in their sides: These are wolves to the sheep, and where they cannot suck their blood, yet they are briers and thorns, to tear and rend their wool off. Now our Saviour's prayer is sufficient to turn this water into wine, he makes us to gather grapes even of these thorns. He showeth this is matter of joy, and not sorrow; for those sadding thoughts which arise from within us, which indeed are the heaviest, as because of their corruptions which are strong in them, their proud, earthly and unbelieving hearts, as also their proneness and danger to apostatise one time or other, to suffer shipwreck; Our Saviour doth expressly provide cordials against these faintings; The petitions are so direct and complete against such decays, that thou mayest aforehand with Paul triumph, and challenge any creature in the world, to hinder thee of the Crown of Glory: Oh then in the midst of all thy perplexed thoughts within, remember this prayer of Christ! Look not upon it as once spoken by Christ, and so passing away; but know it is as efficacious and powerful in operation as ever; length of time hath not diminished from the virtue of it; if Christ were now upon earth, and in thy closet or chamber praying with thee, it ought not more to refresh and comfort thee, then when once in the flesh poured out by him; yea some have thought, that the expression, Heb. 5. of Christ's prayer and supplication with strong cries and agonies, hath reference to this prayer, though his tears and agonies, are not mentioned: Howsoever Christ always prayed with such zeal and fervency, that he was sure to be heard: See then, if the want of any thing, which may discourage thee, may not be provided for in this prayer; and shall Christ do it for this end, that thou mayest always have comfort? And yet art thou dejected, What shall Christ die in vain, and pray in vain? So certainly, whilst thou walkest thus uncomfortably, it's as if Christ had done none of these things, or else had done them in vain.  
Secondly, Christ's care and will, that the godly should live comfortably, 
II. Therefore is it so often commanded.  appeareth in those many commands, for to rejoice. So that there is no command for any holy duty, or to avoid any sin more frequently enjoined, then to walk with joy and gladness of heart, the people of God they doubt whether they may rejoice, they think such barren and unprofitable wretches as they are, may not apply comforts; They think this children's bread doth not belong to such dogs, as they are; Oh but remember how indispensable and peremptory the command of God is, that thou shouldst walk joyfully before him! Phil. 3.1. Finally, my brethren, Rejoice in the Lord; When he had exhorted to many duties before, he keepeth this sweet wine to the last. Finally, I have no more to say, this is the sum of all, do such and such duties, but still remember to rejoice: Oh to pray dejectedly, to do holy duties, but with a sad heart, this is to mar all! As in alms, so in all other duties, God loveth cheerfulness; but he saith, Rejoice in the Lord; Thy joy must be in heavenly objects, and from spiritual motives, from Evangelical privileges; some joy in their honours, some in their pleasures, some in their lusts, as the swine delights in mire and mud; but the joy of God's people is in and through Christ: Therefore he saith, That my joy may be fulfilled in them, not the joy of the world or the flesh: Hence vers. 3. it's made the sure character of a Christian indeed, who hath more than the outward form of religion, that he rejoiceth in Christ Jesus: But as if once speaking were not enough, see how the same Apostle doubleth it, Cap. 4.4. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice. Certainly there is something in it, that the Apostle ingeminateth it, Again, I say, Rejoice, he knew how hardly the people of God are brought to rejoice; How can they that are thus afflicted, that have so many exercises, bid them Rejoice, you may as well bid an heavy log fly up into the air? Alas, they are so oppressed and hardened in heart, that they can no more rejoice, than a stone speak: But the Apostle will hear none of these excuses, I say it again, Rejoice, and that always, let your condition, your temptations be what they will, let the times be what they will, yet rejoice always; so 1 Thess. 5.16. Rejoice evermore; Do not think it arbitrary or left to thy choice to walk joyfully. No, awe thy heart with the command, that as thou darest not lie, steal, commit adultery, because God commands the contrary; so neither darest thou walk with distrust, unbelief and discouragement, because God's word is against it.  

III. And for this end are the promises.  Thirdly, Christ hath provided for the Christians comfort not only by commands, but also by promises. The Scriptures are like a pleasant garden full of the sweet flowers of the promises, therefore called 1 Pet. 1.4. Precious promises; you may observe, that the promises run through the heart of the Scripture, as those four rivers did paradise, to water and refresh it. Hence it's said, That we through the Scriptures might have consolation and comfort, Rom. 15 4. Hence David in all his tribulations found the word of God sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb. There cannot be any straight, any grief, but there is a peculiar promise against it; so that if at any time thou art disconsolate, either public or private afflictions lie sore upon thee, remember the promises, encourage thyself from them: Oh walk not as if this world were such a wilderness, that God had provided no fountains to refresh the barren soul! As it was a custom amongst the Jews to give a cup of wine to the condemned person to refresh and comfort his spirits, Therefore it was the height of malice in the Jews, when in stead of such a cup they gave Christ gall to drink. Thus God hath also appointed in his word so many precious and glorious promises for his children in every condition, and the devil on the other side, he would give them gall to drink: If then thou wouldst live with heavenly joy, let the promises be thy meditation day and night.  

IU. And the Ministry of the Gospel.  Fourthly, Christ hath provided for the comfortable life of his people, by appointing a Ministry in his Church, among other ends, for this, to comfort the afflicted soul, and to pour oil into the hearts of such as are wounded. They are to be sons of consolation, like Barnabas to the children of sorrow for their sins; so that it's one of the greatest parts and work of the Ministry to publish glad tidings, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord to such as groan under the burden and prison of their sins; Christ himself accounted of this in his Ministry above all other things, Isa. 50 4. He hath given me the tongue of the learned, to know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: Oh it's not every one that can deal with a tender conscience; we must have an Eagles eye, and a soft hand; so that our work is not only to convert the profane, to build up the converted, but to be daily comforting and exhorting the afflicted in soul! And o that there were many upon whom we might dispense this part of our Office? You are apt to say, Ministers preach nothing but damnation, they will not comfort such as lie a dying: Oh there is nothing more desired by them, then to meet with such humbled souls, to whom they might milk out the breasts of consolation! To such they say, as in the Canticles, Eat o friends, yea drink abundantly; but it would be a woe to us, if we should tender these comforts to wicked and impenitent men. There is a notable place to this purpose, Ezek. 13.22. where God threatens the wicked Ministers, because they strengthened the heart of the wicked in promising of him life, and made the heart of the righteous sad. When therefore we have to do with the contrite heart, we withhold no comfort from him, as the Apostles style themselves, 2 Cor. 1.24. Helpers of the believers joy: So that in this is our study and labour seen, as well as in Doctrine and reproof.   

SERMON LXXVII. Of Joy and Comfort, Snewing how many ways the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his People.  JOH. 17.13. These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfiled in themselves. 
IT's Christ's special Care and will (as you have heard) that his people should walk joyfully, Several Demonstrations have been thereof, Christ's Commands to rejoice in his promises, his Ministers are appointed for their joy.  
In the next place, This will appear true if you consider the works of God's Spirit, and Christ's end of sending them into his Church; 
V. Christ's care that his people should walk joyfully appears, From the works of the Spirit, and Christ's end in sending him into the Church.  The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sin, To sanctify and make holy, but it is also to comfort; Hence he is four times called the Comforter, Joh. 19.16.26. Joh. 15.26. Joh. 16.7. Even those who plead to render the word Advocate, and not a Comforter, yet it comes to this at last, Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul, That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters, to make a lightsome and glorious world, so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart, to make as it were New Heavens, and a new Earth there, where was nothing but horrid confusion; That as the devil is the Prince of darkness, is always accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horror and despair, Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs, and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort, to support, to revive, and to make glad the grieved in Spirit, insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb, Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus, for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesy sometimes took an Instrument of Music to play on, as Elijah, Isaac would eat of Venison, to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically bless his Children, Howsoever the Spirit of God being expressly called a Comforter, it's plain, that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy, called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost, not only objectively but efficiently, because it is wrought by him, and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us, for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength, That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us, because dead in sin, So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sin, We are like so many Judasses' and cain's; Naturally we are a barren wilderness, not only in respect of graces, but also of Consolations; Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God, No Friends, No Ministers can comfort, Read the Promises, apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted, till God work it in them.  

How many ways the spirit of God is a Comforter to Believers.  Now the Spirit of God is a Comforter to his people several ways.  
1. By way of Instruction and conviction, It informeth that it's a sin not to believe in Christ, that it's not humility but frowardness when we keep off from the Promises; That as it would be self-murder not to eat or drink, so it's Soul-murther not to eat or feed on Christ, 
1. By way of Instruction and conviction.  which is called believing, Joh. 6. Hence this Spirit of God is said to convince the world of sin, Joh. 16 9 And wherein, or what sin especially? Even because they would not believe in Christ; Oh this is a special mercy, when the Spirit of God hath by the Gospel so far convinced thee, that thou seest it thy duty to believe, to rejoice, for who is there when once feeling the burden and weight of sin, doth not with Adam run and hide himself, doth not conclude, his sins are greater than he can bear? It's not for such a wretch as I am, to have a drop of water to refresh me, much less a drop of Christ's blood, yea, his whole blood; Hence when we come to a tempted Christian, we may admire at the subtleties and strong Objections he can bring against his comfort: Never did any Heretic more subtly and pertinaciously oppose the Truth of Christ, than such an one will object against the Promises, So that you heard it was the tongue of the Learned, Isa. 50.4. that could know to speak a word in season to such wearied persons, yea, to this day are not the Protestant Writers conflicting with the Papists about the particular application of Christ to every Believer, asserting that it is every Christians duty to say with Paul, Gal. 2. who loved me and gave himself for me; Now this particular appropriation of Christ to a man, is the foundation of all joy and peace: And do not the Papists bring all those Objections that a tempted Christian is apt to produce, Such as these Gods Promises they are indeed true, I doubt not but God is able, only I question myself whether I have such conditions and qualifications as are required for the Promises? Again the Promises are general, whosoever shall believe or repent, shall find mercy, but my great fear is, whether I do truly repent or believe; Yet again, They object, as Bellarmine, the heart is deceitful: how many have persuaded themselves, they do repent and love God, when indeed they do not, and it may be I am such an one.  
Lastly, They doubt not of God's power (they say) or of his ability to pardon all their sins, and to justify worse sinners than themselves, Only here is the Question whether God will or no, God hath no where in his Word said, Thou such an one, thy sins are forgiven thee; These and the like Objections which Popish Writers urge with much vehemency, The tempted Christian presseth with great strength, because such are in a contrary disposition to believing, and so feel nothing but sin in the guilt of it, and Unbelief doth as much deceive and disturb the soul, as Melancholy or madness will the fancy.  
I have been large in this, to show what mighty and gracious work of God's Spirit, that is, to instruct, and convince the heart of this duty, to believe and rejoice, to be able to say, God delights not in these perplexed thoughts, as he saith of these superstitious duties so these immoderate fears and dejections, Who hath required these things at your hands? I shall answer for unbelieving sorrows as well as carnal mirth, for those dejecting fears and unquiet troubles of soul, Thou art to fear hell and damnation as well as for Licentious jollities.  

6. By directing into the way of comfort.  2. The Spirit of God doth not only inform of the duty of Comfort, but also directs unto the way of comfort; It doth lead into the true way of Justification, Joh. 14.16. The Comforter will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance; As he is the Comforter he will teach them what way to take, that they may have true Consolation, for as by nature it's an engrafted principle in all to desire happiness: Ask any man in the world, and he will answer affirmatively to this Question, So every man troubled and humbled for sin would willingly have comfort, as the lame man would to walk, the blind man to see, but how to have true peace with God, there is the difficulty; As there were above an hundred Opinions amongst the Philosophers, wha● was the summum bonum, So there are great disputations about that Righteousness whereby we are justified, the ground of peace, So that it's an heavenly skill to be directed into the right way for comfort, Heb. 6. The babe is unskilful in the word of Righteousness, As the young Child though it cryeth for the breast, yet knoweth not how to come at it; Before the Gospel was purely preached, how many false ways were observed to comfort the afflicted conscience, how many Pilgrimages, devotional prayers, and several penitential practices were enjoined, to comfort the timerated heart through sin, but all these were like Jobs miserable Comforters, Physicians of no value; The souls Mountebanks that instead of healing did inflame and enrage the wounds more; Therefore as to the infant newborn, it's a great matter to fall into the hands of a good Nurse, for the education of it and care about it; No less is it, for people when once awakened through the guilt of sin, and deeply wounded for their iniquities, to have such spiritual Physicians that can prepare them the true Gospel-cordials, and direct them into the right way for Consolation, This is the Art of Arts, Nothing being more tender and to be handled with more c●rumspection than a wounded Spirit; These are therefore two distinct benefits, to be convinced of the duty to walk comfortably, and to be directed into the way of it, for who is not here out of the way? Doth not every one think to obtain comfort by working and not believing? Do they not labour to qualify themselves sufficiently first, and then go to Christ? Do we not think by works to come to Faith, and not by faith to works? To do enough to comfort ourselves and then go to Christ for comfort: This is the preposterous course that every afflicted soul doth naturally take? Oh then as the wise men when they saw the Star that directed them to Christ, rejoiced with exceeding great joy, so when the Spirit of God shall direct thee by the word into this supernatural way of rejoicing bless God for thou mightst have wandered through dark and uncomfortable ways into hell itself.  
3. The Spirit of God is given by Christ to comfort us Causali●èr, that is, it doth by a mighty efficacious power work joy in the soul; Is bids the heart rejoice, 
3. By a mighty efficacious power.  and it will rejoice; Neither greatness of sins, sense of unworthiness, weight of Temptations, oppositions of Satan shall discourage; But as it's said in Job, when he speaks peace, who shall make Trouble? So it's here; When God commands the heart to be quiet and to rejoice before him, who can forbid it? Hence Gal. 5.22. Joy and peace are made the fruits of the Spirit; It's only the God of all Consolation and Father of all comforts that comforteth us in tribulations, 2 Cer 1. So that as the Almighty insuperable power of God goeth to make a gracious heart, so also it doth to give a comfortable heart; That God who made Iron to swim, and the waters of Jordan to go backward, he also and he alone makes the heavy heart to sing for joy; Oh therefore pray for this work of God's Spirit, though thou canst not of thyself rejoice, yet the Spirit of God can make thee joyful.  
4. The Spirit of God is a Comforter by witnessing and sealing unto us that we are the Children of God, 
4. By witnessing to us that we are the Children of God.  for than we have joy in the fullness of it when we have assurance, not only resting on Christ for Salvation, but assured that we are in him: Now this is the proper work of God's Spirit to witness unto us, Rom. 8. and to seal unto us, Eph. 4 30. when the Spirit of God doth thus assure, than the Oil of joy doth overflow, On the contrary many of God's Children do therefore walk in darkness, and are like the Passengers with Paul in his Voyage, tossed up and down with waves and tempests, not seeing the Sun for many days, and all because they have not this sealing and witnessing unto them, had they this, than they could with old Simeon say, Lord, let thy Servant depart in peace, I can live and die comfortably, when he hath thus seen the Salvation of God; Hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption, which being sent into the hearts of the Godly makes them to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6.  

VI From the end for which Christ came into the world, and wrought what he did for us.  Lastly, The Spirit of God comforts them by blessing the Ordinances, and making them successful to them; These are like Jonathans' eating of honey, like Elisha feeding himself to go a long journey: The Gospel is a Gospel of comfort, The Sacraments Seals of Comfort, The Preaching of the Word instrumental to increase joy, Prayer is an heaven to the Soul; Now the Spirit of God blessing these to the godly soul, doth thereby fill him with heavenly Consolations, That as Christ in Prayer had his countenance changed, shining like the Sun, and his garments with glorious Light, and as Moses in his Communion with God, had his face shining so as to dazzle the eyes of his beholders; Thus many times the children of God in these duties, have soul-transfigurations, and are so full of joy that they can scarcely bear it, despising the pleasures of this world for such spiritual joy. Thus you have heard its Christ's will, we should have completed joy in us, because of the holy Ghost.  
But in the next place, if we consider Christ himself, for what end he came into this world, and what he hath wrought for us, this makes it evident that Christ left nothing unwrought that might procure our joy, for what are his three Offices but to procure our peace, Did he not as Priest make an atonement for our sins? Did he not as Prophet reveal the good pleasure of God about our Salvation? Did he not as King subdue all our enemies? Now what is the fruit of all this, but joy and peace; Therefore he is called our peace, and the Prince of peace, Isa. 9 yea, Is he not still our Advocate everliving to make Intercession for us, and can any other thing than honey distil from these sweet Combs?  
Use of Exhortation To the people of God, Awe yourselves with this Duty; As Jonah said, he did well to be angry, so you think you do well to be thus immoderately grieved with Peter, You bid Christ go from you because you are a sinner, you plead for your unbelief, you argue for your troubles; Is not this to oppose the comforting spirit of God within you? Did not Judas murmur and cry? but because there was no faith and holy joy, therefore he became miserable, 2 Cor. 7.10. you see there is a sorrow opposite to godly sorrow, and that is when it is not in the manner, God hath appointed: There is a repentance to be repent of, There is a grief thou must be grieved for, how many sad thoughts and tears will require more sad thoughts and tears.  
Use of Instruction on the contrary, It's Christ's special will that all who live wickedly should have no comfort; Woe to ye that laugh, and there is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 57.21.   

SERMON LXXVIII. The several Sorts of Joy, and the Nature of Spiritual Joy: Showing also how far it transcends and differs from Worldly Joy.  JOHN 17.13. That they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves. 
THese words are the final cause of Christ's solemn prayer for his Disciples. Wherein you have,  
The Benefit itself described, and the Manner of possessing of it.  
The Benefit itself is, My Joy.  
This may be understood Actively and Passively; Actively, for that joy which Christ might take from his Disciples, being preserved in purity of Doctrine and Unity amongst themselves. Thus some understand it, and parallel a like place, Phil. 2. 2· where Paul bids them fulfil his joy, which was the joy he would take by seeing their happy agreement; but because it's said in the Text, That this joy may be fulfilled in the Disciples themselves. Therefore it is more consonant to understand it passively of that joy, which the Disciples took in him, and the benefits flowing from him: So that it may be called Christ's joy, both effectively, because he is the Author and giver of it; as also objectively, because it is in him, in divine and holy things, not in the world much less in the pleasures of sin.  
Now the Manner of possessing is, that it may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, filled up, that they might have a good measure of joy, overflowing, he would have every part of the soul filled with it, and every kind of joy, yea degree of it; some superficial joy for the degree of it, or some transient joy for the continuance of it doth not answer our Saviour's prayer, it must be filled up.  
Lastly, Here is the Subject recipient of it, in themselves. This (say some) is spoken oppositely to worldly joy, to such as men take in the pleasures of the world; these are but in the face, in the countenance, they are not cordial and hearty.  
Observe. 1. 

Observe. There is a joy in Christ which his people are to have fulfilled in them.  
A three fold joy.   That there is a joy in Christ which his people are to have fulfilled in them. As they are to be filled with grace, so with consolations, and one floweth from the other, though not naturally: It's of great concernment to treat of this joy, because the people of God look upon it as a thing above their reach. They are convinced of repentance, of humiliation; but not of walking joyfully.  
There is a threefold Joy:  
1. A Natural Joy, which is an implanted affection in a man, and of itself simply considered is not a sin.  
2. There is a Sinful Joy, which runneth into two streams, either when the Object is wholly unlawful, when it's a forbidden Tree, and we may not eat of it; And thus to rejoice in our evil doings, to take delight in the ways of wickedness, this is a wicked joy, that will end in tormenting sorrow, and it argueth a wretched distemper of the soul, otherwise it would find sin to be terrible and bitter, but through the corrupted constitution of the heart, it comes about that they delight in sin, as distempered stomaches do in coals, ashes, or such dross. Again, there is a sinful joy, when the Object matter is lawful, but then we exceed in the measure, in the bounds or limits, we overjoy. The water runs over the bank, and then it gets soil, and it's as hard to rejoice in these things, and to sin not, as it is to be angry, and sin not.  
3. There is a gracious and an heavenly Joy, when the soul delights itself in God and Christ, in all heavenly Objects: For though to wicked men these things are a burden, yet to an heavenly heart they are the most connatural Object: They are the proper centre of the soul, as David often professeth his joy in the Lord: It's of this we are to speak of, only we must inform you something of joy in the general. The Philosophers speak of a threefold affection suitable to one another: There is Love, which is carried out to an Object that is good simply considered: There is Desire which moveth to some good thing, but absent, and not yet obtained: And then there is Joy, which ariseth from the obtaining and possessing of it: And answerable to these, there are Divine Graces, and supernatural works of God's Spirit in the soul.  
There is the Love of God, which next to Faith, is of the greatest glory and activity in the soul.  
2. There are Desires and earnest longings after God, to which hunger and thirst, a promise is made, of being fully satisfied.  
3. There is Joy, which ariseth from the enjoyment of God, only you must know there is Gaudium viae, a joy we have while in the way to Heaven, which admits of much increase, and meeteth with much opposition; and there is Gaudium Patriae, a joy in Heaven, where the soul will then be so filled, that it cannot receive any more.  

To know the nature of spiritual Joy Consider  To know the nature of this Joy, Consider,  
First That the efficient cause of it is only God. The Spirit of God is called the Comforter, as you heard, because he alone poureth it into the heart, as the Heavens only give rain, and it's called Gal 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit, which doth imply, that it comes solely by God's Spirit, and that there is excellent sweetness in it: Lusts are called the works of the flesh, but this with other Graces, The fruit of the Spirit. Hence it is, that as in respect of Regeneration, the Spirit bloweth where it listeth: So also in respect of Consolation, How many of God's children walk with much consolation, and abound in much joy. And others again, go bowed down, and greatly tempted, not obtaining comfort, though they would give a world for it: So that as the Husbandman cannot have rain when he would, nor the Merchant wind when he would, neither can the godly have comfort when they would, as appeareth by David, praying so earnestly for the Joy he had lost; It's the fruit of the Spirit; Therefore joy doth not flow from Graces exercised, as by a natural resultancy, as heat doth from the fire, and light from the Sun, but by God's voluntary dispensation of it. The Schoolmen use to say, That a man doth not merit (that is their proud phrase) by rejoicing in God, or good things, but by his Love, which was antecedent, and from which joy (they say) floweth by a natural necessity; But the Scripture makes these two, Love and Joy, two distinct works of God's Spirit, and that they are separable, experience confirmeth it; for many men that are high in Grace, are low in Comfort. As the tall Mountains have few flowers on them, or Mines of Gold little grass covering them.  
Secondly, To this Christian Joy is required a knowledge of God, and faith in him, as revealed in the Word. As there cannot be any love or delight in what we know not; so neither any joy. The bruit beasts have no joy properly, because they have no knowledge; They have a natural delight, but that is not truly joy. Infant's may have grace, yet have no actual joy; Therefore when John Baptist a babe in the womb, did leap for joy, it was extraordinary; and this is the reason why ignorant and carnal men are wholly destitute of all heavenly joy. They have no knowledge, no spiritual illumination; so that as the blind man cannot delight in pleasant colours, nor the deaf man rejoice in curious music, neither can the natural man rejoice in heavenly and holy Objects; for he knoweth no better, he is not acquainted with any other Comfort or Consolation, but what is in the bowels of the creature.  
Thirdly, There is required a sanctified and heavenly frame of heart. For such as a man is, such is his joy. The voluptuous man rejoiceth in his pleasures, the intellectual man doth so rejoice in his studies, and finding out of truth, that some have forgot their time of food, yea have not attended to their lives, so great hath their joy been in such contemplations. Thus the people of God, being made new creatures, and made partakers of a Divine Nature, they now become to love and delight in those Objects, which once they hated and abhorred; They find all the Consolations from the creatures contemptible in respect of God, concerning whom they say with David, The Lord is my portion, and whom have I in Heaven, but thee, and in earth, in comparison of thee? The old Rule is▪ Simile gaudet simili; The heavenly heart delights in heavenly Objects. Heaven itself, and all the Glory of it, do not, or cannot affect a wicked man, no more then fine flowers or pearls do a Swine: So that this duty of rejoicing in God, is altogether impossible to an ignorant carnal man, they can no more in their souls thus be raised up to God then in their bodies they can fly in the air. As our vile earthly bodies must be made spiritual and immortal, ere they can be filled full of agility, and be enabled to meet the Lord in the air: So these souls of ours must be renewed and sanctified, ere they can take any delight in that which is good.  
Fourthly, This Christian Joy requireth some kind of possession, at least in some degree of Christ, or those good things we long for. Propriety and possession is requisite to joy. To know of never so many excellencies, if a man have them not, it doth but increase his misery. The famished Lepers knew there was food enough abroad, but till they were replenished, they could not rejoice in it. What joy hath a poor man to hear of many others that are rich; the sick man of many others in health? If they have not such things in peculiar possession, it advanceth them not at all. Hence full and completed joy is only in Heaven, because there is full and complete fruition of God; Then we are come to our journeys end, we cannot go further, or desire more than we have: But in this life, our joy may be daily filling our hearts; There be many vacuities to be filled up; There be many desires still to be satisfied; so that we are to grow in our joy, as well as in knowledge and in grace. But yet because even in this life, God is the God of his people, and they are said to have him, and to enjoy him; and so Christ is said to dwell in their hearts; yea the Father and the Son are said to be in them, to sup with them, to take up their mansions with them, to dwell amongst them. Hence it is that even in this life they may have unspeakable joy. Therefore when the soul hath left the presence of God, or is under many sad and black temptations thereby, as we see sometimes in David, and in the Church: Oh the anxieties, and perplexities that it is filled with! Therefore in the Devils there is no capacity of any joy: For although they have a self-love, and though their wicked desires be many times successful in tempting of men, and destroying of their souls, yet they cannot rejoice, because the state of misery they are in, cuts off all hopes from them: If therefore the godly would live joyfully, let them take heed of interrupting their communion with God; see you do nothing to eclipse this Sun; If God hide his face, all your comfort will presently wither.  

The transcendency of this Joy above all worldly Joy.  In the next place, Consider the transcendency and excellency of Christ's Joy above all worldly joy. It cannot be denied, but that many wicked men spend their lives in jollity, they seem to be the only merry men, and godliness is decried for Melancholy, for moping, and for that which will undo a man: But true joy in the Lord surpasseth all humane and worldly joy.  
First, The soul can more intimately and fully receive its object than the body can. Bodily and worldly pleasures are received in by the senses, which are but narrow doors and gates of the soul; but the soul of a man, what it receiveth, it doth let in with greater abundance: Hence if the Object be finite, and a mere creature, it cannot fill the heart: the heart is too big for it, only God is more than the heart can comprehend: Therefore all the pleasures, and all the joy that any man can take, though he set himself to it, as Solomon did, yet are but like the joy of tickling, or scratching, comparatively to those immense joys and consolations, which God vouchsafeth: Hence our Saviour saith, Your hearts shall rejoice, John 16.22. This heavenly joy is like Elisha's oil, that multiplieth exceedingly, and stayeth not, till thy cruises fail to receive it.  
Secondly, This heavenly Joy surpasseth worldly in the pure and unmixed Nature of it. It's joy without sorrow; It's honey without any gall, called The fruits of God's Spirit, because of the sweetness of it, as the Apostle saith, Perfect love casts out fear, tormenting fear. Thus joy from Christ, and in him, expels dejections, troubles of heart. No sooner doth this Sun arise, but all black and noisome vapours are dispelled. Here is a joy that is like the Elementary fire they speak of, pure and unmixed, here are no mixtures to debase it, or allay it: But as for those worldly delights, it's as a mad man that teareth his own flesh, and yet laugheth while he doth so; So thou eatest and drinkest, and makest merry, while thou damnest thy own soul.  
Thirdly, It surpasseth in dignity; for this Joy is in God himself, it is in the highest good that can be. There cannot be a greater cause or motive to rejoice in; but as for the creatures, they are broken cysterns, they are limited in their comforts, they have their vexations as well as their delights, but above all they are below man; He debaseth himself, when he taketh delight in these sublunary things; they were made for him, not he for them: It is as ridiculous, as if a man should delight in children's baby-clouts: Oh do thou remember of whom thou art born, and thou wilt take the best things to rejoice in.  
Fourthly, Heavenly Joy surpasseth in the certainty of it. The joy which God createth in the soul cannot be taken away by any, but God himself; Though sickness come, though poverty come, though afflictions arise, yet all these cannot take away his joy, yea in death itself many times he doth most abound and overflow, whereas all worldly joy under such calamities are turned into wounds, into howl and tremble, so that they know not what to do.  
Fifthly, It surpasseth in the Universality and Extent of it. Joy in God is all Joy, because God is an Universal Good; There is no want, but he can fill it, no misery, but he is a peculiar remedy to it, whereas the Creatures have their peculiar Joys, Health is one Joy, Wealth another Joy, but no one Creature hath all Comforts in it.  
Sixthly, It transcends in the Fullness and Degrees of Joy. Solomon speaks of worldly Comfort, That even in laughter the heart is sad. Even Seneca could say, Think you of those many that laugh, any one hath true Joy, Res severa est Gaudium. Dig to the bottom of the heart of these merry blades, and you will find terrors and fears there.  
Use of Instruction, Which is the way to get true Joy; A life in Christ, 
Use.  a life of holiness, Omnis vita est propter delectationem, Judge not jolly, bodily delights, worthy the name of Joy. These will turn to bitter howl and gnash of teeth: Oh what a bitter alteration will death make upon you! Now laughing, then roaring; now excessive in drinking, then crying for a drop of water to quench those eternal torments.   

SERMON LXXIX. The Excellent Effects of Christian Joy.  JOH. 17.13. That my Joy might be fulfilled in themselves. 
IN the next place Let us Consider the Effects of this Christian joy, and they are admirable.  
First, It doth dilate and enlarge the heart, so that the Soul rejoicing is far more capacious than otherwise it would be: Some have died they say for joy, because of the too much dilating and dispersing the spirits; The Saints glorified in heaven enjoy more than ever they could here of God, because their hearts are more widened and prepared, Our Souls are narrow and straightened within us till joy doth extend them; A man of a joyful spirit is like a Vessel of a broad mouth, that receiveth far more of God and Christ then a dejected unbelieving person, so that when we are commanded to set open the doors that the Prince of Glory may enter into us; It's joy that will thus prepare us; It's the complaint of many of God's Children of their narrowness and straightness of heart, that they have no room for Christ; Fears, they fill the heart, Worldly cares they also fill, so that as men in a Consumption complain of a stopping and straightness in their breast, they have much ado to fetch their wind; Thus do the Children of God, oh they have such stops upon their hearts, that they have much ado to pray, or to do any heavenly duty; Now joy is an excellent opener, That removeth these sinful obstructions, so that this should make thee endeavour after a joyful life, it will make thee dilate in all dimensions of grace; Thou wilt be a Christian of a higher pitch, or like daniel's Tree whose branches spread themselves abroad exceedingly.  
2. This Joy makes a man active and serviceable to God, Neh. 8.10, The joy of the Lord is your strength; Weak hands and feeble knees which are the Instruments of action and motion are attributed to fear as the cause of them; Thus on the contrary Joy makes strong hands and firm knees; The Incestuous person when almost swallowed with sorrow could no more vigorously serve God then a piece of wood, whose moisture is not yet dried up, would be useful for building: Hence any service done to God that is accompanied with dejections and sorrow, hath a kind of uncleanness in it, as we have a notable expression, Hos. 9.4. Their Sacrifices shall be unto them as the Bread of mourners, all that eat thereof shall be polluted, Leu. 11.1. Persons that mourned for others that were dead, were accounted unclean, and thus doth all sinful sorrow and dejection, it makes thy duty unclean, it polluteth thee, for God loveth not only a cheerful giver, but cheerfulness in all duties, and therefore we read of God's severe threatening for the neglect of this, Deut. 28.47. One great cause of all those heavy Curses there mentioned, is because they did not serve the Lord with joy and gladness of heart; Add to this, Deut. 12.7, 12. as also Deut. 26.14. where the person offering Sacrifices was to make this Protestation, that he had not eat thereof in his mourning: If you say, God is of such infinite purity and holiness, that I being full of infirmities have cause to tremble before him; We grant it, yet remember the Psalmists Advice, Rejoice with trembling, Psal. 2. That is the fat of the Sacrifice; Oh than thou that complainest of thy dulness, listlessness and lukewarmness in God's Service, whose duties look like Pharaohs lean Kine, and though they swallow down many fat opportunities as these did the fat Kine, yet remain withered and ill-favoured still; Consider whether unbelief and sinful dejections are not like Ivy to the Tree, or like rottenness in the bones, so Solomon calls Sorrow. The bones which are the chief strength of a man, if they have rottenness in them, how weak must that man be? Consider then whether thy want of heavenly joy be not the cause of the evil upon thee, whether that do not make thee a barren Wilderness and a parched heath, whether thou hadst not fulfilled all Relations and opportunities more fruitfully, if this Joy had been fulfilled in thee.  
3. Christ's Joy fulfilled in the heart doth consume and expel all carnal and worldly and sinful joys: He that rejoiceth in the Lord cannot rejoice in sin, because the Objects are clean contrary, no more than a man at the same time can with one eye look upward and with another downward; A body may as well be in two places at the same time as the soul be intensely affected with two contrary Objects, so that if thou complainest of the proneness of thy heart to rejoice in earthly and worldly things; Know there is no such medicine to cure this as heavenly joy, as they say, fire will drive out fire, so joy will expel joy, Joy in the Lord, Joy in the world, What made David profess so much joy in God, but the heavenliness of his heart, and this greater joy put out the less: As the Sunbeams will the fire; Seeing therefore a man cannot live but he must have joy in something, Do thou pray and endeavour that the joy of the Lord may take up thy heart, for when this Sun is in thy soul, the Stars cannot be seen; David saith, At God's right hand is fullness of joy, Psa. 16.11. If then the Soul have already fullness, it doth not desire any other Object; If a man have the Ocean, he wants not the stream; If a man have the Sun, he needeth not the Candle; Thus he that hath fullness of joy in God, wanteth not the joy of other creatures; Insomuch that he who hath this heavenly joy may be said to be in Heaven while he is here on earth; No life comes so near to that of the glorified Saints in heaven as an holy life accompanied with this joy; If there can be an heaven upon this Earth, this is it; This is the Mount of Transfiguration that changeth a man's heart and his countenance, that makes him say, It's good to be here; Oh what enemies are we to ourselves; Thou makest thy house, thy chamber▪ a prison, yea, an hell by thy distrustful fears, when every place would be an heaven.  
4. This Joy of Christ will exceedingly wean a man's heart from the world, it will make him undervalue all these earthly things which the world so much admireth, Psa. 4.7. Thou hast put more gladness in my heart, then in the time their Corn and Wine increaseth; If then the soul have more joy and gladness in God's presence and in his favour, then in all earthly contentments whatsoever: no wonder if the heart he lose from the one and fixed upon the other; As he that hath eaten honey finds an unsavoury taste in other things compartively, or as he that hath stddfastly beheld the Sun, is so dazzled with the lustre thereof, that he cannot see other inferior Objects; Thus the heart that is once ravished with the sweetness and glory that is in God and Christ, knoweth not how to stoop to these inferior fading joys; No man then sets so loose in heart from earthly Comforts as he that hath this heavenly joy; Every thing tempts him to his loss, Shall he lose his fatness and sweetness by embracing the Creatures.  
5. This Joy of Christ will facilitate all holy and religious actions; They will make us think the time short, and grudge the work of God is so soon over; Your worldly joy is called pastime, and thus is heavenly, upon a better account, When a man rejoiceth in the Sabbaths, and calls them a delight, than they do not as those worldly wretches in the Prophet Amos, c. 8.5. say, when will the time be over that we may be buying and selling? There is nothing makes the duties of holiness so burdensome to thee as want of joy, if they were matter of delight thou wouldst with joy wish that the Sun would stand still, be grieved to give over, Isa 61.3. It's called the Oil of Joy, as the Oil makes the Wheel go speedily or the yoke easy; so doth a joyful heart; The voluptuous man, The worldly man thinks not the day or week long enough to enjoy his delights, much less doth the godly man the time of enjoying of God; Hence Eternity doth not glut the Saints in heaven and make them weary of God.  
6. This Christian Joy will bear up the heart above all afflictions and tribulations; Thus Jam. 1. They are to account it all joy when they fall into tribulation, and 1 Pet. 1.8. he speaketh of those who for the present were in heaviness through manifold temptations, yet at that time did greatly rejoice, and that with joy unspeakable and full of glory; They could glory over all their tribulations; This joy you heard is compared to Oil, and that will always keep us above the waters: Oh how happy is it when thy Temptations do not devour thy joy, but thy joy takes away the sting of thy Temptations; This made the Martyrs and Confessors find thorns grapes, and thistles figs; Oh we think that it's impossible ever for such weak and infirm wretches as we are to go through such Trials as the Godly have done, but if we had their joy it would be no more to us than it was to them.  
7. Joy as it is participated in this life increaseth more hungering and desire after the object we desire, to have more of it still; Take any Object of delight which we do not perfectly enjoy, and oh how it quickens and stirs up the appetite to have more still, for although perfect joy doth fully satiate the desire, and extinguish all thirst, because as Aquinas saith well, Gaudium se habet ad desiderium, sicut quies ad motum, and so when the stone is come to the centre, it moveth no further, yet because in this life we have not a perfect fruition of God, only have some bunches of the Grapes of Canaan, not Canaan itself; Therefore the sweetness we have in God or Christ doth more stir up the desire after God, as you see in David, those inchoate enjoyments of God did make him restless and impatient for further Communion with him; Hence David exhorteth to taste how good God is, if once we had but an experimental sweetness of the Excellency of his love, we should still be breathing after him, as David, Psal. 119. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to him at all times; But especially the heavenly joy produceth this admirable effect so contrary to flesh and blood, that it makes a man look for the coming of Christ, and hastening it in his prayers and desires, as that which will complete his joy, Here sorrow and joy will be mixed together, but there is pure and unmixed joy, and that to all Eternity; Oh what a wilderness, what a place of banishment is this world to such a tempered heart; This is the valley of Tears, and that is the mountain of joys.  
Now to all this may be Objected, That it cannot be a Christians duty to be always rejoicing, for many times they lie under sad Temptations, especially there are times and seasons when God calls to mourning; Is any man afflicted, let him pray? Is any merry, let him sing Psalms? And Solomon of old said, There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; David also saith, Psa. 126.5. Such as sow in tears shall reap in joy, which implieth a time of tears only. To this Consider these things.  
1. It may not be denied but that there are some times wherein God doth in a peculiar manner call to the duty of mourning, fasting, and humiliation; Insomuch that the Prophet Isay complaineth that when God called to mourning, they went to their mirth and jollities, Isa 21.12. And thus when God shall plainly afflict thee for any sins thou hast committed, as David with the loss of his Child for his Uncleanness; In such cases it is our duty to be humbled and to mourn under his hand; But these humiliations and fastings lie in the abstinence of that natural and lawful joy we might take in the Creatures, not in spiritual Joy: In days of humiliation it's a duty to rejoice in the Lord, and such joy will like fire melt and thaw the heart; This joy that is so useful must not be laid aside; But then that joy in the Creatures which at another time would be lawful, is in such a season sinful; It's not lawful then to joy in Wives, in Children, in outward comforts, but to mourn before God, as those who by their sins have deserved the loss of all; So then there may be a time when this outward worldly though lawful joy is to be denied; and in this sense Solomon saith, It's better to go to the house of mourning then of laughter, because such sad objects may be sanctified to spiritual meditations.  
2. Consider this, That spiritual Joy may then most abound, when that soul-humiliation and godly mourning is put in practice; No grace of God's Spirit is contrary to one another, The same spirit that worketh joy doth also prove the spirit of Supplication and mourning on his people; Now as joy and trembling may stand together, Psa. 2. and joy and fear, Act. 9.31. So may godly sorrow and joy consist together, so that it is never unlawful to rejoice in God no more than to love or to believe in him.  
Use of Instruction, To inform us of the great concernment of spiritual Joy, We may say it's the life and marrow of Religion, It's the Spur and goad to all holiness; Therefore how deceived is the world that looketh for joy and consolation some other way, Honours, Wealth, and Greatness will afford thee no true solid joy, yea, all these things will turn to gravel and wormwood in thy belly; As the Manna that was preserved for the Sabbath day did only last, If any kept that which fell in one of the six days above the Command, it turned to pollution immediately, and thus it is here; Whatsoever Joy is treasured up in reference to heaven, that will always abide, it will never forsake thee, but what is only in reference to these earthly things, it will vanish; Oh then say, thy Beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand above all other worldly Comforts whatsoever.   

SERMON LXXX. That the Word of God preached and received, doth enrage the wicked world: And Reasons thereof.  JOHN 17.14. I have given them thy Word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world. 
IN this 14th verse our Saviour urgeth a special and powerful reason, why God the Father should in a peculiar manner keep them, which was hinted, vers. 11. and that is, the world's hatred of them: So that this Petition hath a great deal of equity and righteousness in it; They will be exposed to the malice of the world, and that for thy cause, because they have believed in thy Word. The world will be no preserver or conservator of them, therefore do thou keep them.  
In the words therefore we have, 

1. The Argument of the Petition, The world hateth them.  
2: The Causes of this, which are twofold,    
1. Their Receiving of, and Obedience unto God's Word.  
2. Their Segregation or Separation from the world, the life and manners of it, which is amplified by the pattern, or example thereof, Even as I am not of the world.  
I shall take the Heads in their order. And  
First, The Cause of their hatred in the world, in those words, I have given them thy Word, where by the antecedent is necessarily meant the consequent, for Christ's giving or preaching the Word of God, unless they received and obeyed it, was not enough to procure hatred; Therefore they are both expressed vers. 8. Christ's giving them, and their receiving of the Word. For the Pharisees, and many enemies to Christ, who were of the world, and the greatest part of those that did oppose, did yet hear. The Gospel was tendered to them, though they made themselves unworthy thereof. And thus when the Orthodox say, That the pure preaching of the Word, is a note of the Church: By that they understand also a visible, external accepting of it, otherwise the Word may be preached to Barbarians and Heathen, who may hear, but scorn and reject the Gospel, and therefore cannot be a Church.  
This then being supposed, we see the cause of the Apostles miseries and oppositions in the world, not because they were thiefs, robbers, or seditious persons. But because they did embrace the Doctrine of Christ, all the words of this reason are emphatical, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I have delivered them, so that Christ herein doth faithfully discharge his duty, he did not neglect it. And  
2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Given, or delivered them; which implieth, that the Apostles themselves could never by their own strength, have found out this heavenly Doctrine. There must be a revelation of ●t from above, Christ must come from the bosom of the Father to give it unto them: They themselves could not have invented it; No, though in stead of illiterate Fishermen, they had been the Grandees of knowledge, the Plato's and Aristotle's of the world.  
3. I have given them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; He that is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Word of God, doth deliver God's Word, and he saith not mine, but thine, partly, because Christ in his mediatory administration referreth all to God, to the Father, My Doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me, and I come to do my Father's will; and partly, hereby to engage God the Father more, for being it was because of his Word, and in reference to him, the more was he to preserve them. From the words explained observe,  
That the Word preached and received by people, 
Observe. That the Word preached and received by people, doth greatly enrage the wicked of the world.  doth greatly enrage the wicked of the world. No other reason is here mentioned of the world's hatred, but this. Who would think that the men preaching of so holy a Doctrine, and such glad tidings of salvation, and men obeying it, not wronging, injuring, or troubling others, yet should meet with so much opposition! But thus it hath been, and thus it will be. In Tertullian's time, To be a Christian, was to be a Publicus hostis; and though, as that acute Father pleaded, The Christians were no Albinians, or Barutians, such as embroiled the Civil Estate with wars, yet because they were Christians, this was enough. The very name was a crime, and this made so many Fathers make such excellent Apologies in their behalf. Of this opposition from the world, our Saviour informeth them, when he first gave them their Commission to preach, They should be hated of all men; Never any went about such an unwelcome and unthankful piece of service, as they did; Therefore they were as sheep amongst wolves; and whereas it might be thought, That the Apostles being men, though greatly assisted by God, might miscarry through ignorance, inconsiderate passion, etc. We shall find it befell even Christ himself, that he in his Ministry, though he wrought such wonderful miracles, that might astonish them; yea though those miracles were useful and profitable, not for curiosity, yet what reproaches, what slanders did they cast on him, calling him a wine-bibber, a friend to sinners, yea an Imposture, one that had a devil? and never ceased, till at last they put him to death in the most scornful and reproachful manner.  
Consid. I To open this consider, That God out of his great love to men's souls, hath appointed a Ministry and Officers in his Church, that should be as Ambassadors to entreat Reconciliation with God. But because there could not be any commerce or communion between God, absolutely considered, and man fallen, therefore the Lord Christ interposed and made peace; but that what he had merited and purchased, might effectually be applied to such as shall be saved, among other instruments, he set up Officers in his Church, whose whole study and care, should be to inform and reform men. So that people do enjoy the Ministers of God upon a twofold special account.  
First, God's great and special love to them, That God hath taken care to send such, is more than the creating of a world for you, or vouchsafing all the temporal mercies you enjoy: Hence it's so often spoken of, 2 Chron. ult. and in other places, that God sent his Prophets rising up early. This is spoken as the great love of God to them. And then  
Consid. TWO The second Foundation of the Ministry is Christ's Death and Resurrection, his Ascending into Heaven, as Ephes. 4.11. He gave some Apostles, some Pastors and Teachers: Oh then, how ingrateful and wicked is the world, which doth no more regard this love of God, and purchase of Christ in the Ministry! Hence by the Prophet God promiseth, That he would give them Pastors after his own heart, Jer. 3.4. Though he feed them with the bread of adversity, and drove them into corners, Isai. 30.20, Hence when God threatens a people with his uttermost wrath, it is to remove the Candlestick, and to make the Vision cease, and to make no Clouds to rain upon them. How much would people complain under a drought, and want of Rain, if for many years together there should not be so much as a Cloud seen; But the gracious heart would think, the removing of Christ's Ministers not only the taking away of Clouds, but of the Sun and Stars in Heaven.  
Secondly, God and Christ who are thus the cause of their Office, hath appointed them their work, and endowed them with abilities thereunto. Their employment is to publish the Word of God, which is twofold,  
1. The Word of the Law, to convince men of sin, to inform of duty, to make them sensible of their undone and damnable estate they are in. Thus they are first to be wise Physicians to detect and discover the disease, the danger and cause of it.  
Then secondly, There is the Word of the Gospel, which are the glad tidings of God's favour, and Reconciliation with those that are humble and contrite before him. This is to publish the acceptable year of Jubilee, to such as were spiritually indebted, and under the thraldom of God's wrath. This is a work in itself absolutely necessary; for what doth a sinner more want than these two things, the Law in its use, and the Gospel in its use. Men in their temporal necessities respect the Physicians, the Lawyers; but soul necessities are not apprehended; And as the necessity of it is so cogent, so the dignity and excellency is admirable. As the Soul and Heaven do far exceed all earthly things, so doth this subject all other.  
Consid. III Therefore in the third place, God and Christ do justly expect, that the world should with all gladness and obedience receive these his Messengers. For shall God purpose so great love, and Christ at so dear a rate purchase such Officers, and must not the world set open the doors to receive them? Shall not they cry, Blessed are the feet of such as bring the glad tidings of the Gospel? Are they not to be affected, as the Galatians once to Paul, To pull out their very eyes to serve him? Certainly, if David did so celebrate God's goodness in creating Heaven and Earth, and appointing the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field for man's use, much more ought we in this great matter of the Church.  
Consid. IV Yet in the fourth place, Though so much love be in this Institution, and God expects so much thankfulness and obedience, because of it, it may make us tremble to see, how little entertainment their Office and work hath in the world. We speak not in regard of their outward honour and esteem: For as Paul saith, so ought we pray, men might do no evil, though we be accounted as reprebates, 2 Cor. ult. but we complain of the unsuccessfulness of it, in respect of the divine operations of it; We take up our Saviour's complaint, That light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, John 3. Oh this is that which the Scripture doth so bitterly complain of▪ Who hath believed our report? and I told them the wonderful or great and honourable things of my Law, and they accounted them a strange thing, Psal. 119. This sad usage in the world, made Paul cry out, That they were the offscouring of the world, worse than the dust of the feet, and were made a spectacle to the world and Angels, 1 Cor. 4.9.  
Consid. V Fifthly, The Devil knowing the excellent end and use of this Office and work, doth by himself, and all his instruments oppose it. He rageth, and the world rageth, when this work is set up: So that as when Christ sent his Disciples to preach, he saw Satan fall like lightning. Thus if it were in his power, he would have Christ and his Officers be thrown down. As they are to destroy his works, and dispossess him, so he labours to do to them. It being thus thou, that in the Ministry we may see Gods great love, and man's great wickedness.  
Let us consider the cause, why it should thus stir up the wrath of men, 
Why the preaching and receiving of the Word doth enrage wicked men.  that they should be moved like so many hornets. And  
First, This work of the Ministry is contrary to the Nature and inclination of the world. That as the Sun is burdensome to the Owl, and other night-birds, and sweet smells to swinish creatures. Thus is the glorious Gospel, and the precious favour thereof abominable to corrupt men: They can no more love godly and holy preaching, than fire and water can agree; therefore the more thy heart and tongue is set against it, the more thou discoverest that hell, which is in the bottom of thy heart. Now the true preaching of the Word of God is contrary unto the world in these respects, 1. The very nature and frame of their hearts, admits not of Christ's word, till regenerated. The old house must be pulled down even with the very foundation of it. Thus Jam. 1. God is said to beget by his Word, and our Saviour here, Sanctify them by thy truth. Now this is directly contrary to man's nature, to account all that he is, and all that he doth damnable, to judge every thing he hath done fit fuel for hell, so as to have no comfort in any thing he hath done. It was a mystery to Nicodemus, a master of Israel, but it's not only a mystery to natural men, it's that which they hated, they cannot abide; For Solomon saith, Every man's way is clean in his own eyes, Prov. 16.2. To come then to people, and tell them you are all out of the way to Heaven; There is nothing good in you, unless you be new creatures, even all new, you cannot be saved; new hearts, new affections, new thoughts, Will not this be a two-edged sword in their hearts? Shall they leave their former course? Shall not they speed as well as others? This is a Doctrine not to be born, this is durus Sermo, when indeed they are duri auditores, and so let not the Word have that penetrating power it would.  
2. As it's opposite to their natures, so to their lives and conversations, Ephes. 2. Paul there describes what kind of men the Ephesians were, and that it might not be thought their peculiar wickedness, he saith, They walked after the course of this world, and therefore Rom. 12. The command is not to be conformed to the fashion of this world: Can flesh and blood then endure, that the Ministers of God should damn to hell? The lives, the manners, the daily customs and practices, that generally men live in. When Moses did but in a fair way reprove two Israelites, that were quarrelling, how frowardly did they answer, Who made thee a Judge over us? Exod. 2.14. And so the Sodomites to Lot, they judged it all Lordliness and domineering; and is not the same stubbornness still reigning every where? All reproofs, all denunciations out of God's Word, are judged to be the pride, the lordliness, or the malice of the Minister; Wonder not then if the faithful preaching of God's word, meeteth with such violent opposition; for they persuade a life, a way, directly contrary to what the world delights in.  
3. It's opposite to that way of worship which men take up by natural reasonings. The Prophets did not only reprove for moral impieties, but Idolatry and superstitious Worship, Who hath required these things at your hands? And our Saviour his Doctrine was salt to the Pharisees, it corroded and fretted their sore hearts, he layeth the axe of his Ministry to the root of all their superstition, and proveth that to be abominable which they did so highly advance before men. Insomuch that Christ's first coming into the world, because of his severe Doctrine and reprehensions, is Mal. 3. described to be as terrible as the day of Judgement, Who shall abide the day of his coming? And why? Because he shall sit as a refiner to purge the house of Levi. Austin did much complain what a difficult matter it was, to take off people from their superstitions and vain customs, Veh tibi torrens moris humani, quis resistet! Certainly, such will say no less to powerful and faithful Ministers, than the devils to Christ, Why art thou come to torment us before our time?  
Again fourthly, The preaching of the Word must be opposed, because the powerful obedience thereunto brings all calamity and persecution. They shall be hated, as well as the word is hated. Now to be troubled, reproached and despised is contrary to men's temper, who loveth applause and glory. Hence some, though they are said to believe, John 2. yet would not confess Christ, because they loved the praise of men more than of God: And our Saviour saith, How can ye believe who seek glory one of another? Pride and love to be esteemed of in the world, doth disdain all good preaching.  
5. The Word preached meeteth with opposition, because the instruments are men subject to infirmities, especially if faithful. So that though they do not hate them for their infirmities, yea the more profane and dissolute the Minister is, they like it the better; yet because the Apostle saith, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, they are men and not Angels, therefore they quarrel and oppose Paul himself, though an Apostle, and giving mighty demonstrations of God's Spirit in him, yet he was despised, and slandered, though not so guilty of humane infirmities, and that because he was faithful, Am I become an enemy, because I tell you the truth? Gal. 3. Oh this is it, because we preach the truth, because we meet with men's corruptions, and cannot bear sin: This is that which raiseth up malice.  
Lastly, The world hath not received the Spirit of God, and therefore all the glorious and wise things of Christ are but foolishness and useless to them. They have not that spiritual anointing, they are not taught of God. Hence it is that they rage and revile those things they know not, or understand. Therefore till God give them eyesalve, and seeing eyes, no other thing can be expected.  

Use.  Use of Instruction. Wonder not if in all ages this be true, the Word is purely preached and obeyed by some, therefore the world hateth and rageth: For what, will a Tiger and a Wolf lay aside their natures? Will the Devil cease to be a Devil? But woe be to those that make Christ the foundation-stone, to be a stone of stumbling and offence; Woe to thee that findest light made darkness, and life, death to thee.   

SERMON LXXXI. Of Suffering for Christ's Cause, And how it engageth God to take care of such as so suffer; Also the Duty of Ministers about Preaching Gods Truth,  JOH. 17.14. I have given them thy Word, and the world hath hated them, etc. 
A Second Observation may be.  
That when the People of God suffer not for any Faults of their own, 
Observe.  but because they own God, and profess his Truth, This is a great obliging of God to take care of them; For our Saviour's Petition is founded upon this equitable and just Consideration, The world hateth them; But why? Not for any wickedness or injuries they have done, but merely because they have believed in thy Word; If so be they had opposed and rejected the Word of God, and had ordered their lives according to the course of this world, They would have been the world's darlings, all men would have spoken well of them, but now it was for God's sake, and his Gospel's sake, that they were thus maligned, so that if we be hated in the world upon Christ's account, and because of God's Interest we are sure to have his special care and protection.  
To open this doctrine Consider these things. 
Concerning which Consider,   
First, That it's possible for those who acknowledge Christ to be hated and persecuted in the world, not for their Christianity, but for their other gross impieties, 
1. It is possible Christians may be hated not for their Christianity but their gross impieties.  and if so, than they cannot take that joy, or expect that protection which God doth promise to his; Therefore the Apostle Peter speaks excellently to this, 1 Pet. 4.14, 15, 16. where having showed how happy, yea, and how glorious a thing it is to be reproached for Christ's Name, because the Spirit of Glory resteth upon them, The world scorneth and despiseth them in their low estate, but the Spirit of Glory resteth on them, he addeth a Caution, Let none of you suffer as a Murderer, as an evil doer, as a busy body in other men's matters, but as a Christian, that is, Let him look that he do not for any wickedness of his justly procure civil punishments, but only let him keep to his Christian profession, and if that be all his fault, then let him not be ashamed; Therefore he addeth, Let such an one commit himself to God as to a faithful Creator: Why Creator? But because God looketh upon such Sufferers as his Creatures, it's because of my Image shining in them, I cannot be a faithful Creator and not take care of them, saith God; To this purpose our Saviour often, because it's not the mere sufferings but the cause and motive that is all in all; If ye be persecuted for my Names sake, and for Righteousnosse sake; This must be the ground else we cannot plead the promise of assistance.  

2. It is ordinary for them that suffer for Christ to be charged with divers crimes.  2. As it's possible for a Christian to suffer for his own iniquities, so nothing is more ordinary in the world, though a man do suffer merely for Christ's sake, yet to charge other crimes upon him, and to pretend other grounds of their malice against such then mere Christianity: This is good to be observed, for if the Persecutors say true there was never any holy man or faithful Servant of God suffered, but they made the condemnation just, and thought at least some of them that they did God good service, as our Saviour, Joh. 16.2. Were not the Prophets of old, whose blood was shed by Jerusalem? traduced as busybodies, as Troublers of Israel, as public enemies, and in Christ's time; Though the Sun was not more free from spots than he from sin or any miscarriage in his Ministry, yet what accusations did they frame against him, and Joh. 8. It was not for the good works, they said, they stoned him, but for his blasphemies, So Joh. 18. If this man were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him to thee; The Martyrs also when so many thousand of them died willingly for Christ, yet by their Enemies they were represented as the vilest of men; So that as they did with their bodies, put them in Beasts skins, that so Lions might devour them more greedily; Thus they defamed them, and laid heavy crimes to their charge, that so they might have the more just ground to condemn them; So that when a Christian suffers as a Christian, and when as a busybody, must not be determined by their Enemies, nor by the greater part of the world, but by God's Word, for they think all zeal against sin, rashness, and madness, and all reproofs of wickedness, a busie-medling more than needs, God's Word therefore must be the Star to direct in this.  

3. Those that suffer for blasphemy may be so far seduced as to think they suffer for Christ.  Thirdly, It must be also granted, That a man suffering for those things, which are against Christ, which are palpably contrary to his Doctrine, yet may be so far seduced as to think he suffers for Christ; This is ordinary with all heretics, who have judged themselves Martyrs, and made all their sufferings to be for God; when yet they blaspheme God; Doth not the Papist put his sufferings upon Christ's score? Doth not every Heretic entitle God to his Cause? Do not the Socinians who yet with their whole might oppose the Deity of Christ, prerend great obedience so and adoration of him, as a constituted God? We grant then that men may be horribly deluded in their sufferings; They may give their bodies to be burnt, and not have true and sound Faith; They may be acted by an heretical spirit, and yet endure great miseries, as the Circumcelliones out of a mad contempt of Death, would make men kill them: But these also have not Christ's promises belonging to them, unless it be God's Word indeed, and truly so, for which the world hateth them, they are not within the Ark; It's true, Even such who suffer in such deluded ways, may have great comfort, may find much consolation within, but it's the devil that transformeth himself into an Angel of Light; It's such comfort as mad men have that laugh and are pleased in the midst of their misery, for God will never give comfort but to his own Truths, The Spirit of God is not a Comforter, but where it first leadeth into the Truth; Indeed the confidence and comforts many have died with in their errors, have been a stumbling-block, but this is to be ignorant of Satan's devices, and the potent operations of strong delusions upon men's souls.  

4. The best Christians that live have many infirmities cleaving to them.  It cannot be denied but that even the best Christians who are hated, and do suffer in the world, have yet many imperfections cleaving to them, and do discover many infirmities of the flesh, so that as none can be perfect in love of God, or in any other grace, so neither in enduring the hatred of the world, oh how hard is that Rule of our Saviour's, Mat. 5. when men revile to be patient, when men curse to bless, and to render all good for all evil? These things do so transcend humane power, that many miscarriages, several indiscretions, and many carnal fears are apt to interweave themselves; Now when the matter or cause of our sufferings in Christ's, and for his Name, and if the heart be mainly set for God and his honour, though subject to weaknesses, such may plead Christ's assistance for all that, neither may they fear, Christ will disown them, because of such adhering infirmities; Do we not see the Scripture commending some as eminent, when yet at that very time there was some imperfection; Abraham's Faith so highly commended, Rom. 4. yet had some diffidence mixed with it; Jobs Patience so greatly exalted, yet had some impatience breaking out, God then takes not notice of thy weakness but of thy Grace, and the godly sufferer may comfort himself, that though he hath imperfections, yet it is not for them the world hateth him; As Bradshaw that holy Martyr said, Though he was a sinner, and had many Infirmities, yet his Enemies did not put him to death for them, but for the quarrel of Christ, which he had espoused, and the Truths of Christ which he preferred above his own life:  
The Grounds of God's endearment to protect such as are hated for his Name sake are  
1. God's propriety and interest in such, It's not their lives or Liberties are aimed at so much as his Name, his Glory, his Truth; Now God cannot but love what is his own, and that infinitely; Therefore it hath always been the Custom of God's people in their Prayers to make their trouble to be in reference to him; What wilt thou do for thy great Name? said Joshua, c. 7.9. And David, It's time to work, for men have made void thy Law; So it's thy Temple, thy Altars they have polluted, and hence God accounts all the malice and madness of men discovered against his people as done to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9 4. Could they do that to God which they do to his Name, they would; Therefore the people of God may strongly and comfortably urge, that it's not their good, their peace is the quarrel, but because of something of God in them, as the Basilisk hateth the picture of a man because it hateth a man himself.  
2. God hath put such a natural storge into all Creatures, that what is their own they will defend; The Hen will save its own little ones and venture for them, The Mother will save her own child: Now shall God put such a property in all Creatures to save their own, to protect their own, and shall not God much more? Yea, God maketh his affections to be more tender than a mothers, such may forget even her sucking Infant, Isa. 49.15. but God will not, yea, doth not God show his care in providing for all Creatures, because they are his Creatures, who feeds the young Ravens, who preserveth the Sparrows Life, Is not all by God's Providence? Oh than what specal care will he show to his spiritual Creature, which cost far more than even the natural Creature did: It would be a dishonour to God if he should not take care of such; We see amongst men it's counted matter of honour to remember them that have suffered for their sakes; What said David to the Priest that escaped Saul's sword when so many were bloodily devoured by his Sword, I have been the Cause of their death, stay with me, and thou shalt far as I fare; Thus will Christ say, I have been the cause of all thy reproaches and miseries in the world, Stay with me, and I will protect you; To forsake a man that hath been undone to maintain thy cause, or thy credit, would be great dishonour; And doth it not more belong to God's honour that such as have denied all their worldly comforts for him, that he should regard them? What will not God suffer any to seek him in vain? and shall they suffer for him in vain? Besides it would discourage all to stand for his Word, Should he forsake them, who would set out upon this spiritual War with the world upon his own charges? It's true, we are to say after all is done, We are unprofitable Servants, and when we have suffered here, we might suffer in hell hereafter, but God's Grace and goodness will not regard our merits, but his fidelity and promise.  
Use of Direction to the people of God, to order their Conversation so wisely and holily, that if possible the hatred of the world may be for their godliness; Let them slander, reproach, and pretend what they will, yet do thou enjoy this comfort within; O Lord, it's for my obedience to thee; It's because I own thy Commands, I dare not comply with the evil ways of the world; To be able to say as Christ, For which of my good works dost thou stone me? For what is it that thou reproachest me? This is to shine as stars in a dark night: Dogs may bark at the Moon, but that stayeth not its course; Go on in the midst of all the reproaches of the world, Let thy holy life torment them, let them be in a rage that they have nothing justly to charge thee with, and then say with Jerome, I thank God that I am worthy to be one whom the world hateth; We know the world's opposition engageth God's protection, and the Lord will account all that is done against thee as done against his own Majesty.  
The last Doctrine, In that Christ saith, He had declared or given God's Word to his Disciples.  

Observe.  Obs. That the Ministers duty is to deliver only God's Truth to his hearers; Christ twice saith this, I have delivered thy words, and in another place, My Doctrine is not mine, but my Fathers which sent me; Thus Paul 1 Cor. 11. That which I have received of the Lord deliver I unto you; We should preach only Traditions in this sense, not Popish unwritten Traditions, but that doctrine which we have received; Hence Paul so pathetically exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 6.20. Keep that which is committed to thy Trust, not that which he had invented, not that which came out of his own heart, but what was deposited in his hands, Aurum accepisti, aurum red, Religion is not res ingonii but doctrinae: Now in this the Ministers of God are to deliver,  
1. His word, his Truth in opposition to what is the word of man, what is a lie and a falsehood; The false Prophets are often reproved for venting the Imaginations of their own hearts, and in the New Testament some are severely taxed for bringing in damnable heresies, 2 Pet. 2. Look we then, that what we build be gold and silver, not hay and stubble: That what we preach be Wheat and not Chaff, meat and not poison.  
2. We are to deliver it purely, Some though they preach the Truth, yet they defile it by their additions, the Apostle Paul testifieth that he was not in the number of those 1 Cor. 2.17. who corrupt the word of God, that use sophisticate and counterfeit ways to adulterate it as men do their wine and wares, but as of God and in the sight of God, Oh what holy trembling and fear should be upon us lest our preaching should be like Nebuchadnezars Image, some part of gold and silver, but the rest of Iron and Day.  
3. They are to deliver it universally, as Paul said, he had not withheld from them the whole counsel of God, Act. 20. 27. To speak all that God commands, not to hide or withdraw any thing either for fear or flattery, The threatening part as well as the promising, to vent the Prophecy though it be the burden of the Lord.  
4. They are to deliver it upon an holy end or motive; That the truth might be believed, the people edified; To preach God's Word as it is our Opinion, our Interest, our advantage is sinful, yet how apt are we to regard a Truth as it is ours more than Gods.  
Use of Exhortation to people, to receive the Word of God with adoration and reverence, how prone are people to entertain errors or corrupt Doctrines, To be more affected with the wit and words of men more than the authority and divine nature of the Word.   

SERMON LXXXII. Of Wicked men's hating the Godly, the Causes, Effects, and Properties of it.  JOH. 17.14. And the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world. 
THe next thing to be considered is the Argument itself used by our Saviour in this Petition, Keep them by thy special protection, why? because the world hateth them; And I shall take in the second Cause into the Argument, Because they are not of this world; For I have spoken already about these things, from vers. 11. I shall add what was not then mentioned.  
In the Argument you may take notice of the Subject or persons that do hate, and they are said to be the world, that is, wicked men called the world, because they are the greater part of it, and because they retain the wicked inclination of the world minding only worldly things; Now though the world be many times, and it may be here taken for that Society of men that is Heathenish, and doth not believe in Christ, thus the Church and the world are opposed 1 Cor. 5.10. yet we may extend it further, even to such as do outwardly profess Christ, but in works do deny him, as is more to be showed.  
2. There is the act itself, hate, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The word is in the preterperfect tense, It hath hated them already, though they had not much tormented it by their preaching, but it would more hate them, when Christ was removed, and their preaching more universal; It comprehends all times, it hath, it doth, and it will hate them, and hatred you heard was worse than anger, being more fixed and permanent? The cause of this is, because They are not of the world, for as love is to its like, so hatred is to that which is unlike and contrary; In the Scripture some Learned men say to hate is sometimes taken to love less, not an absolute hatred, but a respective love, Mat. 6.24. He will love one, and hate the other, i e. less love, And for this end they bring that place, Rom. 9.3. Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated, where they would expound hate of a less love, but whatever may be said of the former place, this latter will admit of no such Exposition, as the Context will easily evidence.  
3. The Scripture speaks of a good hatred, Rom. 7.15. That which I hate, I do; So we are commanded to hate our Father and Mother, to hate our own lives, Luk. 14.26. Joh. 12.25 for Christ's sake; David also said, He hated them which hated God with a perfect hatred, i. e. a full complete hatred, he had no love at all to them, that is, in respect of their wickedness and their incurable enmity against God, though in other respects he pitied and loved them.  
Lastly, There is a wicked and evil hatred, of which the Text speaks.  
Obs. 
Doct.  That the wicked men of the world have and will always hate those that are godly; It hath been so of old, and will be so to the last wicked man that breatheth; No sooner were there a wicked man and a godly, but this hatred broke out into all cruelty; Cain hated Abel, and why? because his own works were nought and his brothers good, 1 Joh. 3.12. No less will serve then the blood of Sheep, such cruel Wolves:  

Consider,  To open this Doctrine Consider these things,  

I. That there is a twofold hatred.  First, That there is a twofold hatred with the Schoolmen, One is called Odium inimicitiae, an hatred of enmity whereby a man wils evil to him, because it's his evil; Even as amor amicitiae, a will of friendship wils the good to a person loved, because it is his good.  
2. There is another kind of hatred which the ancient Schoolmen had no Name for it, but afterwards it was called Odium abominationis or offensionis; When a man is offended at, and hateth such an object that is evil, but not the person, yea, we may love him dearly; Thus the Child hateth the death of his Father Odio abominationis, but loveth his Father, yea, because he loveth him, therefore he hateth his death; Now that hatred whereby the world hateth godly men, is Odium inimicitiae, it comes from an inward irreconcilable displacency to the godly, it's terminated upon their persons, because they are such, and therefore they are said to be of the devil, representing his nature, and are the Seed of the Serpent, which hath an imbred enmity against man, so that though never so much evil should befall the Godly; Their goods spoiled, their Names blasted, yet as long as they live, and because they still are alive, the world will hate them.  

II. The Causes of it.  Secondly, The cause of their hatred may be reduced to two Heads: 1. The contrariety that is between the nature and actions of the Godly, So that they do not love any godly man, no nor such as never had any commerce with them or meddling with them; There is an Odium naturale, which ariseth from the nature of things, Such an antipathy is often mentioned by Writers, the Serpent that is young though never hurt by any man, yet because they know them of such a stamp they cannot love them; It being natural, they cannot give any Reason, Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te: You do not love him, why did he ever weary you? Did he ever speak to you? No, but yet he cannot love him, so that as love consists in the consonancy and conveniency of the good thing loved; Thus hatred is in the dissonancy and contrariety of that to us which we hate.  
The 2d cause of hatred is Ignorance, when men know not that Excellency and worth which is in such persons, and the just cause of love, which if we did we should quickly lay aside our hatred, and truly in a great measure the world hateth because of their ignorance; They know not what Godliness is, nor what godly men are; They know not their lives, their aims, their ends, but judge of them as hypocrites, proud, and minding only self-ends, and therefore their hatred increaseth; Thus the Apostle saith, If they had known what Christ was, they would never have crucified him, 1 Cor. 2.8. and so they are said, to speak evil of the things they know not, Judas 10. Dost thou then rail and deride at godly men, It's thy blindness and folly, Thou knowest not their close walking with God; Thou understandest not the heavenly privileges they enjoy; Thou dost not conceive of their humiliation for their infirmities, judging themselves before God worse than thou canst judge them; Oh if thy eyes were open, thou wouldst say, these are the Servants of the most high God; Oh that my latter end might be like one of theirs, and of such men the world is not worthy.  

III. The effects of it.  Thirdly, Consider the effects of this hatred, and that is in three steps and degrees.  
1. An inward willing of all evil that may hurt them, and that because it is evil To will a man some evil for his good may be lawful, as when David prayeth, Put them in fear O Lord, that they may know themselves to be men, Psa. 9.20. Thus the Church of God may pray for afflictions upon those Enemies that are curable, That by their afflictions they may repent and be humbled before God, but hatred hath not this goodness: It wils evil because it is evil, and for evils sake; It rejoiceth in the evil that befalleth a godly man, as part of its own good and happiness; Thus it is with all wicked men, they rejoice as if some great good had befallen them, when some great evil hath come upon the godly.  
2. Their hatred breaks out into all all hard, censorious, and uncharitable speeches, all slanders and contumelies, into cruel mockings, as the Apostle calls them, Heb. 11.36. The hatred in the heart will soon be seen in the tongue, as the disease within is discovered by the Tongue; The Apostle Judas v. 15. speaks of one end of Christ's coming, viz. to execute Judgement on men for all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners were guilty of; David speaks of wicked men's tongues, that they were like Razors and sharp Swords, men that breathe Hell Fire every time they speak, This is a fruit of their hatred,  
And Lastly, It breaketh out into actions as that which consummateth all their wickedness; It was hatred killed all the holy Prophets, crucified Christ, and put to death so many Millions of Martyrs; Before this hatred no good man, no holy man could stand.  
Obj. But you may ask, How can a man hate a good man whom he knoweth to be good, seeing it is ordinarily said, No man can will evil because it is evil; And to hate a good man because he is good, implieth, That the will can refuse and detest its proper Object.  
The Answer is, We are said to hate godly men, as wicked men are said to hate God: Now God as he is good and full of all loveliness, so cannot be hated, but as he hath that which a wicked man looks upon as evil to himself, so he hateth him; Thus as God is a holy God, one that will not acquit a sinner, that will render to every man according to his works, So the wicked hate God▪ In like manner the wicked man hateth a godly man, because his Godliness is that which is contrary to him, an evil to him? It discovers thy naughtiness, It reproveth and rebuketh thy Impiety, and upon this reason he hateth him, yet, the wicked man doth not only hate a Godly man, but all things that belong to him, and every thing a godly man loveth he hateth, Godly Ordinances, the means of Grace, and all because a Godly man loveth them; All Praying and preaching he hateth, All godly Order and Government in the Church of God he hateth, because these things are loved by a Godly man, As love loveth not only the person but all things that belong to him, so doth hatred the contrary.  
In the next place Consider the Properties of this hatred.  
1. It is a Causeless One, There is no just and true ground of such bitterness; 
IV. The properties of it.   
Hence our Saviour, Joh. 15.20, 21. applieth that of David to all the godly, They have hated me without a cause: Indeed if you do regard the contrariety of wicked men to what is holy, this is a necessary cause, but it's not a just cause, for this indeed deserveth the clean contrary; Had the Pharisees a Cause to crucify Christ? Had the Galatians a Cause to become Enemies to Paul? Oh no, Those thou hatest should be accounted of as Jewels by thee; Those thou revilest and reproachest the delight of thy soul should be to them; It is a causeless hatred.  
2, It is an universal hatred; For seeing he hateth a Godly man for his Godliness, than he must needs hate it wheresoever he seeth it; Indeed some Godly men either through the power and place they have, or for other Reasons are not so subject to the effects of wicked men's hatred, but the heart is full of poison and venom against the one as the other, for he cannot be a good man whom wicked men do not hate one way or other; Woe be to you when all men speak well of you; This hating of Godliness is called hating of the Light, Joh. 3.19. Now all Light is offensive to soar eyes; Thus the Godly man liveth, but he must have his portion: Be afraid if wicked men love thee as seeing nothing of God in thee, they think thee like one of themselves, if I did my duty I should be more opposed.  
3. It is an implacable irreconcilable Hatred, Gen. 3. There was at first an Enmity put between the devil and his Seed, and the Woman and her Seed: Though wicked men may sometimes flatter and applaud, yet the sting is still in the heart; Safety and opportunity would quickly make them vent their poison; You see though Saul sometimes melted to David, saying, O my Son David, thou art more Righteous than I, I have sinned, yet for all this David would nor tempt him, nor go home with him: The Sheep may not think the Wolf ever minds good to her, Therefore our Saviour's advice is good, but very strange, Beware of men, Mat. 10.17. He saith not, Beware of Lions and Bears, or Serpents, but of men, as if these were worse than all.  
4. It's a cruel hatred, who is able to reckon up the several kinds of torments that wicked men have invented to excruciate the godly with; No death for Christ would satisfy the Jews but what was most ignominious and painful; Heb. 11. Some were sawn asunder, This was like that Command of Nero, Ita feri, ut se mori sentiat; It's known to all that read Ecclesiastical History what exquisite torments have been invented, that the Martyrs might not simply die, but die as many Deaths as they have parts of body.  
Obj. But you will ask, Whether every godly man is thus hated, Though some may be, yet are all?  
Ans. It's the inward disposition of all wicked men to hate those that are godly, but then the effects of it may be restrained, sometimes for fear, because those that are godly may be advanced to places of honour and power; Though even then all wicked men have not been able to refrain; David complaineth that Drunkards made Songs of him, and when he was in his afflicted condition, with what scorn and contempt did Shemei revile him? So that if we respect the habitual inclination of the heart, no godly man can be loved by a wicked man; though there may be an outward restraint; Again, sometimes God may so work the hearts of wicked men, that for some time and in some exigences they may love the godly, and refresh them; It's God's promise that when our ways please God, even our enemies shall be friends with us, Prov. 16.7. What a strange thing was that, that when the Israelite was so transcendently hated by the Egyptian, yet God should give them such favour that the Egyptians should lend them their Gold and their Jewels, yea, while all that multitude went away, not so much as a dog to bark at them, so that though the ordinary Rule be for the Godly man to be hated, yet God may at some time preserve some Godly men from the strife of tongues, he can change Esau's bloody heart to melt towards Jacob, and he can command Laban to speak kindly to him, thus he promised Israel, they should find mercy in the eyes of them who led them captive.  
2. Though the world may hate godly men, yet it's not necessary that every godly man should be hated by every wicked man; Those Godly men are most subject to hatred, who by their Office and Calling set themselves most against vice; Therefore godly Magistrates and godly Ministers are more exposed to hatred then private Christians, for they are not called to control sin, and stop the current of it as public Officers are; Therefore let all such as intend to be godly in discharge of their trust, not matter the hatred of wicked men, Lay that down for a foundation, for as the shadow will accompany the Sun, so will malice and backbiting the godly actions of holy men, yet some are more hated then others: Obadiah could live in ahab's Court for all Jezabels malice, when Elisha's Life was greedily sought for  
Therefore 3. In the hatred of the world God hath a special regard to his Children, he layeth no more on them than they can bear; The strong Christian God calleth to more dangerous combats; All had not such oppositions as Paul had, Some are like Vriah, put in the forefront of the battle; The devil shall cast some of you into prison, Rev. 2.10. It's but some of them; Thus James was beheaded, and Peter was imprisoned, when the other Apostles were not touched; God doth wisely order the affairs of this world, even wicked men's tongues and hands are bound up, and they are let loose as God pleaseth.  
4. Even amongst wicked men there is much difference, Some are far more bitter and cruel than others, Some have more Conviction, Some have better Natures, Some are of a more noble disposition, for although that Seed of Enmity be in all wicked men, yet in some it's more stifled or diverted then in others, when Herodias sought the death of John Baptist, Herod for a long time preserved him; Thus as all weeds have not the like noxiousnesse, so neither is every wicked man like to another; Every one is not a Cain, an Absalon, a Nero, or a bloody Bonner.  
But than Lastly, Take heed that if thou hast not so much hatred of the world as other godly men have, that it be not for want of godliness, because thou art not so zealous against sin, Thou art more complying with or conniving at the wickedness of others; This is to buy the world's good word at a dear rate, Thou hadst better all the world speak against thee then to have God and thy conscience accuse thee for not doing thy duty.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, Be not discouraged or weakened in thy duty for the malice of the world, Let them rage and rave, but do thou continue in thy service to God; This fear of men and their malicious outrage, hath made many a man wound his conscience, and grievously dishonour God; Oh but consider, Am I afraid of a man's tongue that is mortal? and shall I not much more tremble at God's condemnation? Can a man damn thee? how many have had sad trouble at their Death? They did not their duty for fear of displeasing men.   

SERMON LXXXIII. The Application of the foregoing Observation, both to the Godly and the Wicked, tending to Encourage and Rejoice the one under all their Sufferings, and Deter and Reclaim the other from all their Oppositions.  JOHN 17.14. And the World hath hated them, because they are not of the World. 
THe World's hatred (you have heard) to be the godly man's Portion, The one are Sheep, the other Wolves. I now proceed to show, What is the Duty of Christ's Disciples under the world's hatred? For it's no mean skill to take the poison from these enemies, and to make wholesome medicines of it, as Physicians do about Vipers; yea, it's one of the great miracles that Christ hath enabled all believers to perform. For we read, when an Heathen suprized a Christian, and beat him with much cruelty, and with great scorn ask him, What great wonder his Master Christ ever did? The believer replies, even this great miracle, That though you use me thus cruelly, I can heartily forgive you. What then was spoken to the Disciples in an external, temporal manner, may be verified in a spiritual sense, That they shall tread upon Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.  

The duty of Christ's Disciples under the world's hatred.  And first, Do the ungodly men of the world shoot their arrows against thee, Let this make thee examine thyself, Whether there be not some sin thou art guilty of, that hereby God would humble thee for? The Hebrews call an enemy an observer, because his malice puts him upon a diligent observing of all thy ways, and therefore if there be any wickedness, any failing, to be sure, he will remind thee of it, which made the Heathen say, That he who would be good needeth either a faithful friend, or a better enemy. It may be then, those sins, those failings, that no friends, no Sermons meet with, thy enemy may inform thee of: So that thou mayest say, thy enemy hath been the best friend in the world, yea his railing words have done thee more good than many Sermons; Not that they intent good, no more than the horseleech, but to satisfy their own lusts, only thou by heavenly wisdom dost turn their evil into good, but if so be that upon examination thou findest thyself free; Yet  
Secondly, Consider, whether it be not for some other sins, that such men are made adversaries against thee: For you must know, God hath a wise ordering of all men's hearts and tongues, even in reference to thee; and as David when Shimei railed on him, said, 2 Sam. 16. The Lord hath bid him, So whatsoever wicked men do concerning thee, thou must say, The Lord hath bid him. Now though David was not guilty of those sins Shimei reviled him with; neither did the Lord bring him in distress for his quarrel with Saul, as Shimei thought, yet David had other sins, and other transgressions, for which he might be afflicted, and so looked upon Shimei as a scourge to humble him for them. Therefore say, Though the things laid to my charge be false, yet there are other failings, other infirmities that the world knoweth not of, which God strikes at by this man's tongue, or rather the devil in that man.  
Thirdly, Do wicked men hate thee? Take our Saviour's rule, so contrary to flesh and blood, Mat. 5.44. Love them that hate you, pray for them that persecute you; and in other places, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good, Rom. 12.21. This is that peculiar lesson, which the Christian Religion only teacheth. Neither Aristotle or Tully thought it a duty, but rather a simplicity not to be avenged upon enemies. But the Scripture is much in pressing this duty, and that as a special sign of grace, wherein we shall as children of God represent our heavenly Father, who makes the Sun to shine upon the ungodly as well as the godly. All the wicked men of the world, they hate God as well as thee; and it's in his power to destroy them all, immediately in a moment to send them to hell; yet with what patience and loving kindness doth he bear such adversaries, he gives them food, raiment, and manifold preservations; so Christ even when we were enemies died for us, which the Scripture makes a forcible argument for us to forgive others, This is a kind of perfection to do so, Mat. 5. ult. Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect; He calls this patience and forgiving disposition a perfection; If then they rail, do thou bless; if they curse, do thou pray, this is to pour living coals upon their head, as Rom. 12.10. which some understand in a good sense, it will melt the man, as Saul was under David's kindness, and as you see fire will at last melt iron, though never so tough; or others in an ill sense, as if when thou hast done thy duty, God will severely punish them; This is the way to bring fire about their ears. Take heed therefore of private revengeful thoughts, these are unbeseeming a Christian, God makes this his Property, Vengeance is mine, Deut. 32.2. Although the Heathen could say, Revenge was sweeter than honey; and so it is to a natural man, but it's far sweeter than honey to a gracious heart to be able to conquer his revengeful disposition; private revenge is unlawful, yet a seeking to the Magistrate for to punish offenders, or to obtain right, is a duty, only take heed of revengeful thoughts in the pursuing of it.  
Fourthly, Doth the world hate thee for Christ's sake? 
Why the godly should rejoice when they are hated for Christ's sake.  Then rejoice and be exceeding glad, Mat. 5, 12. And that for several Reasons,  
1. As it followeth in that Text, Great is your reward in Heaven. The more vilified and debased here, the more glorified and honoured in Heaven: So that wicked men, while they think to do thee a mischief, they are instrumental to thy great glory. They make thee more happy, and more glorious; It's as if a man should be angry with another, and in stead of stones he throw precious pearls and diamonds at him, which the man takes up and enriches himself with; or as if a man threw bread at a dog, in stead of being hurt by it, he is glad of it, and takes it up, and eats it. Thus it is with wicked men, their reproaches, their slanders and oppositions make thee more refined and blessed; all these will be like so many crowns of glory set upon thy head: As the waters did not drown the Ark, but lifted it up nearer to Heaven.  
2. Rejoice, because hereby God honours and puts a glory upon thee, that thou shouldst be one who shalt be reproached and vilified for him. Admire the goodness of God herein, and say with David, I will be more vile still. Thus the Apostles went away rejoicing, they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's Name, Act. 5.41. Phil. 1.29. It's said to be God's gift to suffer for him; To you it is given. It's a privilege and an honour to lose any thing for Christ's sake; as Nazianzen said, He was glad he had something to lose for Christ's sake: And so zealous were the primitive Christians of the glory of Martyrdom, that many were so dejected because God called them not to it, that they needed consolatory letters to satisfy them. Though the world look upon them as disgraced and miserable, yet God honours thee, and this thou art to judge of, as the greatest mercy and dignity that ever befell thee.  
3. Rejoice, because God and Christ will hereby be endeared unto thee, and give thee larger supplies and provisions of comfort. Nihil crus sentit in ligno, quando animus est in Coelo, I will be with thee in the fire and water, saith God. Was not Peter singing of Psalms in the prison: Oh then know this is the time of God's peculiar love, of his more merciful approaches to thee, thy winter will be thy summer, thy outward troubles will be accompanied with the most inward joys. This is God's way, when the world most slanders and accuseth, to give the believer strongest evidences of his Justification within. The godly were most enlarged in soul, when they were shut into straightest prison, and they had most of a bright glorious Heaven, when they were plunged into a dark dungeon, thy incomes will be rich, when thy expenses shall be great, the more men frown, the more will God smile on thee.  
4. Rejoice, because hereby is a conformity to Christ, and to all the holy men that have gone before thee. So in Mat. 5.12. Rejoice, because so persecuted they th● Prophets of old? and Rom. 8. it's made the effect of our Predestination, to b● conformable unto Christ in these afflictions, they are an effect of Predestination. These troubles and reproaches God from all eternity appointed thee unto, as by which he would glorify thee. They came from that spring of the great love of God, which he had toward thee before thou hadst any being; so that hereby thou art made like to Christ, a glorious Disciple doth not beseem a crucified Saviour; neither rich and adorned members become an head crowned with thorns; How many have gloried in being like some great and famous men in the world? How much rather is this an honour to be reproached as Christ was, to be slandered as Christ was, the Disciple must not expect to be above his Master.  
5. Rejoice, as having an opportunity of the exercise and increase of grace. The horse neigheth at the battle and warlike sounds, as being glad of the occasion. A valiant man delights in the occasions of his activity. The Pilot showeth his skill in times of danger and tempests. Know therefore that when the world hateth thee, God then calls thee out to a spiritual combat, thou art then become a spectacle to God, he beholds what excellent graces thou wilt show forth, what faith, what patience, what fortitude, what heavenly-mindedness. Now if ever there is a time to show thy spiritual might and courage, yea here is not only an occasion to put forth thy graces, but an opportunity to discover thy unfeigned love to God and Christ, to own Christ, when all the people would make him a King is no trial, but to stand to him, when they cried away with him, Crucify him; this is a good evidence, God will then say, Now I know thou lovest me, when these many waters the world throweth on, are not able to quench it, though father hate, though friends hate, though all hate, yet this doth not discourage thee in thy love of God; What a comfortable evidence is this of thy true grace: Nay, in some sense thou dost exceed the Angels in doing Gods will, for though they be zealous and active in obedience to God, yet they meet not with oppositions in their service. They are not subject unto the reproaches and contempts of wicked men of the world, and therefore in this thou art more than an Angel.  
Lastly, Rejoice, because God might have left thee to be such a malicious enemy to godliness, as thou seest they are. Every time thou hearest, what slanders, what malicious words the wicked of the world vent against thee: O bless God, and say, I might have been left to such a spirit, I was such a devil myself once, I opened my mouth against such as fear God, as well as he! Oh blessed be God that hath changed my blackmore-skin, that hath given me another heart! when Paul met with wretched adversaries, that blasphemed him and the Gospel, he preached: No doubt but he reflected upon himself, I was such a mad blasphemer once, I persecuted the godly once, I delighted in cruel vexings of them heretofore; And now how great is God's goodness to me, that he hath had mercy on me; If thou blessest God that he made thee not a Serpent, a Toad, or that thou wert not a natural fool, or a mad man, How much rather, that he hath not given thee up to such a vile malicious disposition?  
The next thing is to give Cautions and Arguments of admonition to the wicked, who thus hate Christ and his Disciples. 
Cautions to the wicked.  And  
First, Let them know it's a causeless hatred, yea it's an hatred where the greatest love and delight should be. And that upon two grounds, For  
1. They are such who would bring them to everlasting salvation, if they were not prejudiced, their exemplary life, is it not a light shining before you, that beholding their godly, holy and pure conversation, you may be thereby won to glorify God? The counsels, admonitions and spiritual help they would vouchsafe to thee, should make thee prise them more than all outward comforts: Do ye love such as can make you rich, prefer you to places of honour, supply your necessities? Oh how welcome should such be to you, that would give you many an helping lift to Heaven! Why then is thy hatred so causeless? Is it because they desire thy salvation? Is it because they pray for thee, they mourn in secret, for so David professed, Rivers of waters ran down his eyes, because men kept not God's Law? Wert thou not a stone and adamant these things would turn thy heart towards him?  
2. They are such for whose sake thou enjoyest many blessings: It's because of them the ship thou art in, is not drowned; God keepeth up the world, in reference to them, therefore the hedges are kept, because of the Corn in the ground; The innocent deliver the Island; for Lot's sake Sodom was spared a long season. These stand in the gap, when God's overflowing tempest would carry all before it.  
Secondly, Consider that thou dost not hurt them yea thou increasest that which makes them so hateful to thee. For by this means they walk more closely with God, they separate themselves from the world. It's a mercy to them, they have this hatred, otherwise they might comply too much, and ensnare their souls, and symbolise with men's wickedness: Now how absurd is thy hatred, by that thou makest them more holy, and so advancest that which is so abominable to thee? Thou art to them as a file to the rusty iron; thou art to them as Lazarus dogs tongues were to lick his sores whole; thou art God's scullion to wipe and keep his vessel clean, who would not think thou shouldst rather do, as that persecutor, that would not let him die, saying, he envied him the honour of a Martyr? Thy very hatred should make thee leave hating and opposing, because hereby thou makest the godly man more glorious and happy.  
Thirdly, Consider hereby thou hurtest thyself, and not them; As the dog that bites the stone for rage, or a man that shoots an arrow at a brazen wall, and that recoileth back, and kills the Archer; thy hatred, thy cursings will fall back upon thy head; It's not the godly man only, but thyself and thy own soul thou hatest; See whether those many curses and miseries thou hast, be not the fruit of thy hatred, thou art a tormentor and troubler to thyself; Though Achan troubled Israel, yet he troubled himself and his own house also.  
Fourthly, Remember that it's a devilish thing, thou art more wicked than a man useth to be; Not to obey or yield thyself up to godliness is a grievous sin, but to oppose is a devilish thing; Thou dost the work of the devil if he were incarnate, he would speak and do as thou dost.  
5. Remember the woeful and heavy judgements which remarkably follow such men, Who ever hardened himself against the Lord, and prospered? This Christ meant when he said, he that stumbled at this stone should fall, but upon whom this stone shall fall, he should be beaten in pieces; Christ will fall on such that oppose him, and they shall not have the least mercy.  

Use.  Use, Doth the world hate God's people, then admire the goodness and power of God, that keeps up a poor Church in the midst of such violence, that preserveth a few Lambs among so many Wolves, Bears and Lions in such a Wilderness as they are in; We justly admire God's power in putting bounds to the sea, that it overfloweth not the Land, much more admirable was that goodness of God in preserving the Israelites when the waters were on every side; Oh how much more is God to be praised that keeps his people with any safety, any liberty, Should wicked men have their will, food, and raiment and life would be thought too good for thee.   

SERMON LXXXIV. Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world, And in his Sufferings.  JOH. 17.14. Because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
THE Last particular considerable in this Verse, is the exemplarity of Christ or the Disciples conformity unto Christ, They are not of the world as I am not of the world; Which words are repeated in the 16. verse, and therefore have some weighty and great matter contained in them.  
In the words we are to take notice,  
1. What it is to be of the world.  
2. How Christ was not.  
3. The similitude between Christ and his Disciples herein. To be of the world, is to partake of the manners, life, and conversation of the world, to have the spirit of the world in a man, 
What it is to be of the world.  and this is oppsite to the Spirit of God, and to all heavenly things, so that both the inward inclination, and outward conversation is wholly worldly, as our Saviour saith, he that is of the earth, is earthy; That as bodies in whom the element of the Earth is predominant, do naturally fall downward, so that soul which is thus principled and habituated in a worldly manner, doth mind only earthly things; this is to be of the world. To be in the world is another thing: Our Saviour and the Disciples were in the world, but not of it: A man may be in the water for some good end, but the fish are properly of the water because that is their Element, and they have a watery Constitution.  
2. Christ is said Not to be of the world, 
How Christ is said not to be of the world.  Now that is a higher degree than the Disciples can be, for Christ as God is no ways of the world, and then take him as man, yet being conceived by the holy Ghost he was not of the world in a natural way, 1 Cor. 15.47. The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven, opposed to the first Adam, who is said to be of the Earth earthly.  
And then 3. If it be taken for the wickedness of it, Then Christ was never so of the world, Therefore here is a difference between Christ and his Disciples, for though they were not now of the world, yet once they were plunged in sin, and corrupted through pollutions as others were, but Christ never was of the world in this sense,  
Therefore in the last place, the particle of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of equality, as if the Disciples were in every respect not of the world as Christ was, but in some resemblance only.  
The words thus explained two Doctrines arise,  
Doct. 1 First, The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly; If there were sutablensse of Naturee and Manners, then like would agree with like; Hence 1 Joh 3.12. when the Apostle instanced in cain's murder of his Brother, because his own works were evil, he saith, v. ●3. Marvel not if the world hate you, Never wonder at that, but rather if it should not hate you; Our Saviour speaks notably of this to his Brethren, Joh. 7.5, 7. For they did not believe in him though so greatly acquainted with him, and saw his Miracles; The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil, It cannot hate you; No wicked man can hate another, viz. in respect of fundamental principles, as a Godly man is hated; It's true, wicked men may be at deadly feud one with another, but it is not from contrary principles of nature, but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done: As the Dog doth not hate another, yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another: Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another, yet that opposition was upon carnal Interests, it was not like that hatred which was to Christ: Therefore when such Earthly Interests are removed, they can heartily embrace one another, but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed, till he become godly also, as the wolf can never love a sheep, unless he be made a sheep.  
To open this Let us Consider What it is not to be of the world. 
What it is not to be of the world.   
And first, It consists in Doctrine to be believed, Such are not of the world who receive those heavenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto, yea, that it scorneth and derideth: When Peter made that Solemn Confession; That Christ was the Son of the Living God, It was told him. Flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, Mat. 16.16. There is a worldly Religion, worldly Doctrines, such as are suitable to the principles and Interests of the world, and these are readily embraced; The world loveth such Preachers, and such Doctrines, 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apostle John speaking of the Antichristian Spirit that was coming into the world, saith of such Teachers, They are of the world, therefore the world heareth them, but we are of God, and he that is not of God heareth us not; Therefore there is a remarkable opposition, 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God, For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us. Then therefore are we not of the world when God shall so enlighten our minds by Faith, That we do assuredly believe those Truth's God hath revealed in his Word, that neither our corrupt Reasons, nor our Education to the contrary, nor the Opinions of the most men and great men in the world shall make us go contrary, and certainly the Lives of men are so worldly, because their Understanding is so, We receive our Religion not as it's revealed of God, but as we can any ways turn it to our corrupt ends.  
2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again; To have another Nature then what we come with into the world, another not substantially but qualitatively, whereby we are said 1 Pet. 1.4. to be partakers of the divine Nature, So that though at first made of the dust, yet now we fly up to Heaven, as the vapours though arising out of the Earth, yet ascend up to Heaven, and follow the motions thereof, Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17. A man must be born again, or from above, and he is made a new Creature, Old things are passed away; This is to be above the world, not of the world, and indeed seeing the Soul is not naturally of the world, being created by God, why shouldst thou voluntarily debase it, and make it a Servant to every worldly Object, to love the world, To delight in the world, To be ensnared by the world; Oh pray for this Divine Nature, beg for Regeneration, for till this be done thou art all over earthly, a worm is as good as thou art, Thy Love, thy heart, thy thoughts, thy all is nothing but earth.  
3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Conversation; To live as one whose heart is with Christ already in Heaven; It's not enough to be once regenerated, but the progress of our Lives is to be spent on Heavenly motives and Considerations; As the Fowls of the Heaven, though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat, yet immediately fly up again; Thus it is with the godly, though they take the lawful comforts of this world, yet their hearts are presently off ascending to God; Thus the Apostle Our Conversation is in Heaven, Phil. 3, 20. And because we are risen with Christ, we set our affections upon things above, Col. 3.1, 2. See our Lord Christ, he was not of the world, Did he not manifest it by his conversation, when he made it his meat and drink to do his Father's Will, when he was always either praying to God or preaching to the people; Oh then do thou endeavour after this life. Though thou art in thy Family, in thy Trade, in thy Calling, yet be not of the world, because the choicest part of thyself is from God, Thou canst say, what are all these to the favour of God? They are good to use but not to enjoy; They are good sauce but not good meat, a good Inn but not a good home.  
4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys, other comforts then the world knoweth of, and so to be exercised with other Temptations than the world understands, with other joys; Therefore it's said, It hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive of this, 1 Cor. 2.9. It's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost, 1 Pet. 1.8. David acknowledged, God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance, Psa. 4. Alas, what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unspeakable joy which the godly find in God; This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death itself, when in such a Drought the wicked man's stream is quite dried up, his temptations also are such as the world accounts madness; To be in spiritual desertions, to have no sense of God's favour, to fear himself a damned Castaway, to have no rest in his bones day or night, To be assaulted with the devils buffet, to be filled with hideous thoughts, These things the world also knoweth not, and therefore they count them melancholy and mad, Such as by their too much poring about Sermons and good Books put themselves out of their wits.  
Lastly, They are not of the world in respect of their Conversation, Rom. 12. they are not conformed to the fashion of the world, The one goeth Westward, the other Eastward as it were, Their words and language are different, their actions are contrary, What the Righteous man loveth, the wicked abominateth, and what the wicked loveth the godly man abhorreth; Thus as they say of the heavens, the primum mobile hath one motion of its own, and the inferior Orbs a contrary motion to that; Thus the godly man he moveth one way toward heaven, he presseth hard thither, The wicked man he maketh as much haste to hell, So as there were two struggling in the Mother's womb, which increased her pain: Thus there are two striving upon the face of the world, an Isaac and an Ishmael, a Jacob and an Esau, the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent: This enmity will not be extinct in this life.  
Use of Exhortation to the godly, Remember what ye are, Not of the world, Therefore take heed of worldly affections, worldly hearts, For where your treasure is there will your heart be also; If it be in God, in Heaven, there the heart will be, If in Earth and in earthly things, there it will be; You tremble at the commission of gross and grievous sins, you think hell itself would immediately devour you upon such sins: Be afraid of the world, Let it not be a Dalilah to thee, a Judas to thee, by kissing thee to destroy thee, Consider therefore God hath put gall into all worldly comforts, therefore every creature, every condition in the world hath a sting in it, that thy soul should be more on God; Thou canst never live quietly till above the world, In heaven only there are no storms, no waves, no disquietings, and this life thou mayst attain unto; He that is not of the world. The troubles of the world hurt not him, the losses of the world grieve not him, The vexations of the world disquiet not him; But because we are still of the world in part, we are not completely and perfectly out of disquietness, Therefore in this life we remain in a combating, conflicting way that heaven may be the sweeter.  
Doct. 2 Obs. 2. That it is the honour of Believers that they are like Christ, They are not of the world as he is not; What a glorious condescension was this, that he who is the God of all the Earth, and hath all things at his command, yet be in the world hated, scorned, and at last crucified, That it shall be no better with him than it was with us; Hence our Saviour added this, as I am of the world, both for consolation and information, Information, that they should look for such hatred, misery, and trouble as they saw him grappling with, such a contradiction of sinners as he sustained, and then also for consolation, They could not think much if the Disciple were not above the Master, so could they expect to be more loved of God than he? Could they think to walk more wisely and holily than he did? It must needs bring much comfort, when we shall Consider that it can never be so bad with us but it was worse with Christ; Are we hated? so he; Did he seem forsaken of God? So may we be.  
To open this Consider That there is a twofold conformity and likeness to Christ. 
There is a twofold conformity to Christ.   
The first is active, the second passive.  
An active conformity consists in the Imitation of Christ and resembling him in our lives; That as Christ lived, so we endeavour to do; 
1. Active.  Although there be some things wherein it's impossible for us to imitate him, as in his actions, which he did as God, yet in those things which he did as being under the Law, we are to conform to him. We are to be humbles, meek, and patient as he was; We are to do Gods Will and to seek God's glory as he did; Let the same mind be in you (saith the Apostle) which was in Christ, Phil. 2.5. Christ's life and death was chiefly satisfactory and meritorious, but secondarily it was exemplary, being as a Copy to write after; Thus Paul bids them be Followers of him as he was of Christ, Phillip 3.17. Heathens have prescribed to have some grave, sober man in our minds always, to think him present, but behold a greater than all men, even Christ himself; Check thyself when impatient, discontented, repining at sufferings, saying, Did Christ do thus?  
2. There is a passive Conformity of which the Text speaks; To be like him in his Sufferings, To have the same hard measure in the world as he had, Rome 8. 
2. Fassive.  We are said to be predestinate, to be conformable unto Christ in this very particular; What befell Christ God hath so ordered that it should befall us, Not indeed for the same end, for Christ's Sufferings were not for himself, or because he had sinned, but to make an atonement to God for us; But our sufferings are for our sins not to satisfy God's justice, but to humble us, and to make us in some measure to feel how much Christ suffered for us, what the wrath and anger of God was he endured for us; This passive resemblance then unto Christ in his state of humiliation God hath ordained all believers unto; That as it behoved Christ to suffer, and so to enter into Glory, Thus it doth behoove every godly man through many Tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; As he had a Crown of Thorns before a Crown of Glory, as he must drink of the Brook, and then lift up his head, so it must be with all his Disciples, and this is matter of Comfort though otherwise grievous to flesh and blood.  

The comfort of being like Christ in suffering,  For 1. Hereby we see that we may be never the less loved of God, though greatly afflicted in this world: For was not Christ (though dearly beloved of his Father) yet delivered up to the cruel mockings and rage of men? Did not he cry out, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? We may read but of one Son of God without sin, but not of one without chastisement, even Christ himself drank deep of that Cup; Do not thou then doubt of thy Sonship or Interest in the Father's love because of the present afflictions that are upon thee; Christ was a man of sorrows, and yet God from Heaven said, This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.  
2. There is matter of comfort because hereby we are ascertained of our Conquest over them, That no tribulation shall separate God and us, for Christ hath undergone these conflicts as our head, he hath taken the sting out of all; They are not judgements, they are not to destroy, the nature of them is wholly altered through Christ, for as Christ would be baptised to sanctify that Ordinance for us, so he would be afflicted and troubled to sanctify them to us; Thus we may argue, if no troubles or afflictions could overcome him, neither can they us.  
3. Here is matter of comfort because hereby Christ is fitted to help us and pity us; He himself knoweth what the world's reproaches are, and therefore will the more compassionate us; This the Apostle urgeth, Heb. 5. We have a Highpriest that is tempted like us in all things, sin only excepted.  
Use of Instruction, What cause the people of God have to triumph in all their hard usages from the world, Say not, were ever any thus contemned, and abused as I am, yea, a better than thou, even Christ the only Son of God? Do thou rather look on it as an honour to be made like unto him, he blessed when he was reviled; Be like Christ in his graces, as thou art in his tribulations, thus shalt thou be hereafter like him in glory.   

SERMON LXXXV. Shows, Why God continueth his Children in this world of Sin and Sorrow, and doth not take them immediately to Heaven? And also, How far it is lawful for a man to pray for, or desire, to be taken out of this world?  JOHN 17.15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. 
IN the former verses our Saviour having prayed for the preservation of his Disciples, he doth in this verse in a particular manner express the Manner of that preservation, he prayeth for; Not that God the Father needed any such instruction, but this is spoken for the edification of his Disciples, and the building them up, who happily did not yet understand how they were to be preserved.  
Now this preservation is set down two ways; 1. Negatively, then Positively.  

1. Negatively, I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world.  
2. Positively, but that thou wouldst keep them from the evil.   
In the negative part, we may consider the thing denied in his prayer, That God should take them out of the world, for so God might take them, either by a miraculous and sudden translation, as he did Henoch and Eliah, or by a violent death through the hands of their persecutors, or in a natural ordinary course, but saith our Saviour, I pray not for this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; The word is for the most part used of an interrogation to question about any thing, but sometimes simply for rogation, or a mere bare ask and petitioning, 
Observe. That though God love his people, yet that doth not necessarily infer, he must keep them from all misery in this world, and place them immediately in happiness with himself.  as often by this Evangelist. From this Negative part we may observe,  
First, That though God love his people, yet that doth not necessarily infer he must keep them from all misery in this world, and place them immediately in happiness with himself. This is good to be taken notice of, for we are ready to think, that if God love his children, he should presently do that for them, which will be their chiefest happiness, especially this being in his power to do it when he will; to suffer his children to be grappling and conflicting with troubles in this world, when it's but his word speaking, and crowns of glory may be set upon their heads, seemeth inconsistent with God's love, as she argued to Samson, How canst thou love me, and hide any thing from me? So saith humane reason, How can God love me, when yet he keepeth Heaven and eternal glory from me? But God's love, and his children's calamities in this world may well agree together. You see our Saviour when he intended the greatest good for his Disciples in his Petition, yet corrects and moderateth his prayer, not as if he would have them mediately translated to glory, he is content they should be awhile in the fire, to have their dross purged away; God could do many things for his people, which yet he will not, he could immediately upon their conversion crown them with eternal glory; or else give them perfect and throughly sanctified hearts, that they should not complain and groan under any distemper of soul, he could make the world to be a Paradise to them, so that the way to Heaven should be no longer strait, and narrow, but broad and easy. Thus God could do, but it pleaseth his wisdom to take another course, and to appoint a Wilderness to go through, ere we can enter in Canaan.  

Quest. Why God doth not presently take his beloved ones to himself out of this world of sin and sorrow  Now let us consider, Why Gods love doth not immediately take the godly out of this world; for seeing God loveth them, and they love God, we should think, that love would not rest, till it had the nearest conjunction that could be.  
In this matter, we may give several Reasons:  
First, Because there is a necessity of the presence of godly men in the world, that they may promote the Kingdom of God, and bring others to the knowledge of God. This is especially true of the Apostles, 
Answ.  as Apostles, and so of all those that have any Office and Ministry in the Church of God. These are as necessary as the Sun to the world, as the Stars in a dark night, as salt to season and preserve from putrefaction, and even all believers in a private way are to use their gifts for the reducing of others; and by their examples to give such a glorious light, that others may glorify God in the day of their visitation, but this doth principally relate to them, as Apostles, had they been immediately carried up to Heaven, where would have been the leaven put into the three pecks of meal? Where the mustardseed sown, that would grow up into a great Tree? If the Apostles were the Planters and Founders of the Church, it was necessary that they should continue for some time in the world; The world was a wilderness, that could not immediately be made a garden; It was the Devil's habitation, he could not suddenly be dispossessed: So that God having service for his people to do, no wonder if they must continue in this valley of misery. Paul speaks fully to this Phil. 1.14. To abide in the flesh is necessary for you, but for him it was better to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; and between these two, he was in a great strait: So certainly, it were better for the people of God, especially for the Ministers of the Gospel, who are like Vriah in the forefront of the battle, and exposed to more hatred, to be with Christ in Heaven, there they shall be free from all this virulence, and oppositions of the ungodly, but yet if we regard the world, and the people with whom they live, than their life and presence is very necessary. This then is the first reason God's people have work to do, a course to finish, and so they must not look to have wages before they have laboured in the Vineyard.  
Secondly, God will not presently take them out of this troublesome world, that hereby they may be exercised, and made stronger in their graces. As God would not immediately put the Israelites into Canaan, but did lead them into many dangers, and assaulted them with many enemies, that so their valour in themselves, and their dependence upon God might be more discovered; God will not train up his children idly; no sooner doth he make them his, but he lets the world and the devil lose upon them; and why is all this? but to draw out their graces, to teach them all spiritual military Discipline, as Ephes. 6. they are to fight as the good soldiers of Christ, and to put on the whole Armour of God, because they wrestle not with flesh and blood only, but principalities and powers. The world than is a field wherein spiritual battles are to be fought. The Lord he is the Spectator, and beholder of them. Thus it is also compared to running a race, where there is no time to be idle or sit still, but to have thoughts, and the whole heart upon the Crown they strive for: Expect then exercises, and occasions to draw out faith, zeal and heavenly fortitude.  
Thirdly, God will not take us presently out of the world, but leave us here combating with the relics of corruption, that so being humbled therein, we may the more esteem Christ and his righteousness. When we read Rom. 7. of a Paul captivated by his lusts, and miserably crying out, What shall he do? See how powerfully this driveth him to Christ, I thank God through Jesus Christ. It's true, in Heaven we shall give all glory and honour to Christ as that Mediator, who hath brought us thither: So that Christ shall never be forgotten, no not to all eternity by the godly, yet in Heaven that particular manner of Justification we have here on earth shall cease; for now Rome 4. Justification is of the believer, but a sinner, and one that is not able to stand upon his own terms before God. Therefore Christ is his righteousness, and he desireth with Paul to be found in him (Phil. 3.) not having his own righteousness; so than Gospel-righteousness, and our evangelical Justification differs from that in Heaven, which will be for inherent righteousness, but it hath pleased God in this life to exalt imputed righteousness, and to place the cause of all hope and joy without us: Therefore that we might for a season be sensible of our unworthiness, and be groaning under our corruptions, thereby to be longing after Christ, to magnify his love, and all that he hath done for us, it's necessary we should be kept in this conflict here below, for we are much affected by sense and experience; when therefore every thing within us crieth out for a Christ, and the grace of God through him, when we feel ourselves sinking, and even dropping into hell; This will make us importune for the favour of God, as Christ was experimentally tempted, that he might know how to have compassion on us, so God will have us experimentally find the bitterness and weight of sin, that so we may the more love Christ, who did bear God's wrath for us.  
Fourthly, God will not take his people immediately out of the world, that so his goodness, mercy and providence, his wisdom and faithfulness may be the more discovered to us. In Heaven there the Church is at rest, it's out of all danger, there are no waves, no rocks: So that the Wisdom and Providence of God in keeping his Church there, is not at all discovered; When the waters were dried up, there was no necessity of an Ark for Noah. The Lord therefore will have us in these dangers and temptations, that so his care and love may be the more manifested; yea the greater the dangers are, the more is his faithfulness discovered, In the Mount God will be seen. Is it not an admirable thing to consider how God hath preserved a Church, a people faithfully to serve him, when hell and the world hath conspired to destroy them? But God by this means hath been made known to the world. The Artificers skill is seen about his metal, when it is in the fire. The pilate's art is manifested, when his Ship is on rocks and waves, and under many tempests. Though the world be a place of our dangers and temptations, yet it's the glass to represent the glorious Attributes of God, and the effects thereof to his children, where God is known not only by Adonai, but by Jehovah, even by every name.  
Fifthly, God will have his people to be in this world, that so Heaven may be the more welcome, that they may desire that eternal glory the more earnestly. The labouring man that hath wrought hard, is glad at night of his resting time. The Scripture calls Heaven a rest, Heb. 4. There remaineth a Rest for the people of God. Oh how welcome will it be after all the troubles, calamities and miseries thou hast been tossed with, at last to have Rest! Here in this life, thou hast no Rest, sin troubleth thee, the world troubles thee, thy own heart troubleth thee, but there remains a Rest: And how happy must that be to thee? We are Pilgrims, and it's their blessedness to get home at last. God therefore will have thee lie under all kind of conflicts, spiritual and temporal; he will create one exercise after another, that thou mayest say, We have no abiding place here. Should all things be according to our carnal desires, we would with the Reubenites take up on this side Canaan, because the ground was pleasant and rich; Never did those endangered passengers in Paul's Ship desire more to get to the haven out of all their dangers, than we are out of all these troubles into Heaven.  
Sixthly, God will not immediately take us into Heaven, because it's fit that we who have served sin in this world, should serve God as much in this world. Thy life hath been a reproach and a dishonour to him. It's fit it should bring glory to his Name: Though it be thy loss to be kept from Heaven, though every day be thy great hindrance, yet for God's glory thou art to deny thyself. Remember thou hast given up thyself to serve sin, Remember how much service the devil hath had from thee; so that if thou lovest God's glory more than thy own, thou art to be willing to spend thyself for him, as thou hast done against him.  
Seventhly, God doth not remove His immediately out of the world, because of the dependencies and relations that They have. Children need their godly Father, the wife her godly husband: So that although it be better for them to be in Heaven, yet not for theirs. Indeed when they have finished their course, than they are obedientially to resign, as our Saviour said to his Disciples, If ye loved me, you would be glad (Joh. 14.28) because I said, I go to my Father: So we all ought to rejoice in that our friends are taken out of this world into glory, but yet so far as their presence was comfortable and necessary to us, we may grieve; God would not have the old bird killed with her young ones, and he that would have mercy showed to the fowls of the air, will much more show it to his people. It is true, God in his wisdom many times takes his own children betimes out of the world, even too soon for them (we would think) being in the prime of their service, and too soon also for their children and dependants on them, but therein God is even merciful, though for the present we do not perceive it. For this you know, God hath determined in mercy the time of our abode in this world; Thou canst not follow me now, said Christ to Peter, but he should in his time, John 13 3●.  
Lastly, It's not always best to have the best good immediately, but in its time. It's true, to be with the Lord, to be freed from sin is best in itself absolutely considered, but then respectively; if this and that be considered, quoad hic & nunc, it's not best. God doth every thing beautiful in his season. None could be more loved of the Father, than Christ himself, he came from the bosom of his Father, yet till he had finished his course, he is kept from him; We say, even the best and holiest thoughts, or desires may come in unseasonably into our hearts, and so not be best at that time. As the child's duty is not to learn the best book at first, but what he is most capable of; Though Heaven and glory be best, yet not at this time for thee partake of it. So that when it's best to go out of this world, must be left to the wisdom of God.  

Quest. Whether it be lawful to pray for death  But you will ask, Is it never lawful to pray unto God, that he would take us out of the world? May we not desire to die, and to be freed from sin? Are we not to pray that Christ would come? To this I answer,  

Answ.  First, It's never lawful to desire to go out of the world from impatiency or discontent, because we have troubles and vexations in this world. Thus Elijah sinned, when he prayed to God to take away his life, for this was through the discontent then upon him: So Job, when he breaketh forth into those dreadful imprecations about himself, expostulating with God, Why life was continued to such, who sought for death more than for hid treasures. Look then to this, that no impatient discontented thoughts make thee weary of this world.  
Secondly, Earnest desires to be with God, and hearty affections for eternal glory are lawful and a special duty. Thus we are to pray, God's kingdom may come; and thus the Saints are said to long for and hasten to the coming of Christ, 2 Pet. 3.12. Thus if we speak abstractedly, take the thing in itself: Our hearts ought to be so heavenly, that we are to be as pilgrims here, longing for heaven our rest.  
Thirdly, It's never lawful, absolutely and peremptorily to desire of God, that he would take us out of this world, though our hearts be heavenly, but with submission and resignation. If Lord I have done my work, I have finished my course, as we see Christ in this Chapter, I have done the work thou gavest me to do, therefore glorify me. Austin expresseth this disposition well, when he said, O Lord, if I be yet necessary to my people, I do not refuse to live (not refuse) because in another place he saith, Some godly men have need of patience to live, as others to die. It must be always therefore conditionally. If you object, Many Martyrs (for I mention not those Circumcelliones, that would force men to kill them, hereby glorying in a contempt of death) who willingly offered themselves to the persecutors, when none accused them. To this some say, They were some Heretics that did so, not the true Christians. But yet Histories record it of true Christians, and then that was an extraordinary spirit in them, which as we cannot condemn, so neither must we imitate, we must live by precepts not examples, no not of holy men.  
Use. Do not thou break out into impatient discontents about any exercise or temptation thou art afflicted with, say not, Why doth not God remove it from me, or me from it? Consider this in the Text, I pray not thou shouldst take them out of the world; What did Christ say, when Peter drew out his sword? Could not I pray for legions of Angels, and the Father would send them to help me, but the Scripture must be fulfilled? So do thou say, God could deliver me from all these troubles, he hath thousands of ways to put me into rest, but I open not my mouth, because thou Lord dost it. Indeed if they should never be taken out of this world, if thy troubles were eternal, as the torments of the damned in hell, thou mayest justly cry out in the horror of thy soul. But God hath put a period, he hath set his time for thy being in this world, when thou art ripe, thou shalt be cut down, and carried into God's barn. When thy service is done, than God will call thee to glory.   

SERMON LXXXVI. That it is a greater Mercy to be kept from Sin and all Evil in our Afflictions and Troubles, then from the Afflictions themselves.  JOH. 17.15. But that thou shouldst keep them out of the Evil. 
THis is the positive part of Christ's Explication of himself in his Petition for his Disciples, viz. to keep them from the evil, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Sometimes this is applied to the thing or matter which is evil, as in the Lord's Prayer, Mat. 6.13. Deliver us from evil.  
2. To Persons, Thus often in the Scripture, Mat. 12.45. So it shall be to that wicked generation in that day. Sometimes it's applied to the devil as the Original of all wickedness, who also tempts to it, So Matth. 13.19 Then comes the wicked one, 1 Joh. 2.13. Ye have overcome the evil one. Now there are some who limit this to the devil, keep them from the devil, because it is with the article, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that is not necessary, as appeareth, Matth. 5.37. Whatsoever is more than this cometh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, So Mat. 5.49. Resist not evil, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that cannot be the devil, for we are commanded to resist him, but we may take the word generally both for sin and the devil, and sinful persons, That the sense may be thus, Though I pray not that thou should keep them free from all evil and afflictions, yet I pray that they may be preserved from sin thereby, that whatsoever may befall them, yet they may not sin, and here we see also that its God's gift to keep men in their afflictions that they sin not; Otherwise they would undo themselves, and through many tribulations they would go not into the Kingdom of Heaven, but of hell, from misery here to misery hereafter.  
Obs. That it's a greater mercy to be kept from sin and all evil in our Afflictions and Troubles, 
Observe.  then from the afflictions themselves; This is a special Truth, for whose heart is not troubled about the Affliction more than the Sin? Whose heart is not more upon the passive evil he suffers, than the active evil he doth? Whose soul is made so spiritual that no vexation, or pain and loss in body or Estate doth affect him so greatly, as the sinful distempers and troubles of his soul doth.  
But to open this Consider,  
1. That its Gods special Gift and his power only that keeps his people from sin in their afflictions: For did not God sanctify, Did not God teach as well as chasten, the Evil of Sin and the Evil of Punishment would always go together, the time of our trouble, and the time of our transgressions would never be separated; When David could say, That out of very Faithfulness God had afflicted him, that before he was afflicted he went astray, This was wholly from the Grace of God, for how many in their distress are like Ahaz, that then did worse than ever before, for certainly Afflictions to wicked men are like the fire or pounce to ill and unsavoury Herbs, the more they are medved with the more they stink: As the damned in hell, their Torments make them rage and blaspheme against God, Thus it is with the wicked on the Earth, their present troubles draw out their corruptions; They are more impatient, more discontented, and never more evil than when they have the greatest cause to be exceeding good; But to the Godly it is otherwise, that light which burneth the wicked enliveneth the Godly, as the fire in Nebuchadnezars Furnace did lose the bonds that the Worthies were bound in, and made them at Liberty, when it consumed the ungodly; Thus Afflictions many times set the Godly at Liberty from their sins, lose their hearts more from the world, but how comes this about, it's the mere Gift of God, Did not God support, as Christ did Peter, in these waves, we would presently be overwhelmed; Oh then reflect on thyself, Hath any trouble? Have any Afflictions made thee more humble and more upright? Hath Believing outed thee from the world and earthly things, know that its God that hath kept thee from the evil.  
Secondly, The Scripture speaks of it as a special favour, when God will be with us in our Afflictions, so that we shall not be left to Temptations; Therefore we are constantly to pray, Mat. 6.13. that God would deliver us from Temptation; Now although prosperity and outward mercies are a Temptation, yet the Scripture doth for the most part call Afflictions only Temptations, because we are so hardly able to keep our Integrity and holiness in them, We can hardly overcome flesh and blood, or conquer one selfish Inclinations so, as to lie humbly and with deep Resignation into God's hand: Oh than what great thoughts of heart should there be that such a Condition, such a straight, such an Affliction be not a Temptation to thee, that God do not leave thee in it; It's a special mercy to be kept from a Temptation but a greater in it; This is miraculous like those that were in the fire, and yet not burnt. There is not a more comfortable evidence of God's love when thou shal●be bruised and broken with many afflictions, and yet they are not able to stir up corruptions in thy heart; Never forget to pray, That as Temptations and Afflictions shall come on thee, so God's suitable Grace and tender Preservation may accompany thee; Though Christ prayed thus for the Apostles to be kept from the evil, yet Peter gradually though not totally or finally was left by God in his Temptation, when he was surprised with fear, how grievously doth he deny Christ with bitter curses and swear? Here Peter was not quite from evil, though so far as Christ prayed for him, he was preserved, viz. that his faith might not fail; Oh by this sad instance we see if God withdraw his Arm from us how dreadful our Estate would be; That thou hast not blasphemed God and his Providence, and charged God foolishly in thy straits, bless and praise God for it, and remember that self confidence is the great sin to provoke God to leave thee to the evil of temptations, as we see in Peter and Hezekiah; Take heed of going out of God's arms, of letting go his hand or provoking him any way.  
Thirdly, Afflictions and Tribulations do not of themselves make us holy, but they work according to the subject exercised with them; Indeed naturally to every man unregenerate they draw out corruption and sin, and Physic to an incurable disease, doth but hasten Death, and fire to wood, and such like Combustibles, doth not refine but consume; The more a muddied Pool is stirred, the more noisome it is, and thus it would work even in a godly man, did not grace live within him as well as sin: Yet even to a godly man it's a very difficult thing not to have the waves of his heart rise high when these winds and tempests have blown upon them, and for this reason it is, that the more troubles are upon us, the greater assistance and discoveries of grace we need, and therefore there is more comfort in this prayer of Christ then the heart can conceive; Here is a provision made for thee in that which thou dost most want, for if the least temptation, the least Evil fall on thee, if that fall upon thy heart it will press thee to hell, should not God support and sanctify it, a gnat will choke thee as well as a Camel, God only moveth on these deeps, and makes them fruitful.  
In the next place Let us consider the Grounds and Reasons, why it's more blessed to have preservation from sin the evil of an affliction, then from the affliction.  
And First, Because an Affliction is but a particular temporal Evil, but Sin is an infinite, universal Evil: Sickness depriveth of Health, Poverty of Wealth, and thus every Straight doth but oppose some temporal particular Good, that is the Creatures Good; But Sin is an Universal Evil, it depriveth of God, and it divesteth of all Glory and Happiness, so that as Anselm said, It ought to be our Resolution, That if Hell were on one side, and Sin on the other, we ought rather to choose Hell-Torments then Sin, and the Reason is because Sin is an Offence and a Dishonour against God; God is infinitely more than the Creature, and his Glory and Honour is more worthy than all we are: It's better the whole World should be annihilated, and destroyed, and come to nothing in all its Comforts then that the least glimpse of the Glory of God should be Eclipsed: Oh than whosoever had rather sin then be afflicted, he preferreth himself above God, he preferreth himself above Christ, and he sets up his own particular Safety and Security above God's Glory: Oh than that we could be more afraid of Sin than we are of Troubles; This is but the deprivation of some limited comfort or particular advantage, but sin depriveth of God the Fountain of all comfort.  
Secondly, It's made an Argument of an Hypocrite and an insincere heart, to choose Sin rather than Affliction; To be affected with thy miseries and Troubles, earnestly desiring the removing of them rather than the sanctifying of them, Job 36.21, Elihu though he erred in the Application, yet in the general urgeth this as a Sign of one not rightly constituted towards God, when he bids him Take heed, because he had chosen Iniquity rather than affliction; We see the ordinary discovery of Hypocrites is to commit any sin that they may avoid trouble; Thus Matth. 15. The temporary Believer he withereth when the Sun ariseth to scorch: This hath been the great Cause of the Apostasy of so many Thousands when the Evil Day hath come upon them, They have not been able to be vilified and reproached and abhorred for Christ, and therefore are there so many Exhortations to presevere, and to overcome, to hold out to the last, so that thou canst not discover the rottenness, and the guile and deceit of thy Heart more than by being willing to commit any sin, to avoid thy immanent Dangers, and therefore what 〈◊〉 mercy is it when God shall so sanctify thy heart that in these waters of Afflictions thou canst see a full manifestation of thy Graces; In them thou dost perceive how upright and sincere thy Soul is to God, That all thy fear is, thou mayst not offend or displease God, Thou dost not so much think of thy own grief and pain as that thou shouldst do any thing to grieve the Spirit of God.  
Thirdly, It's a blessed thing to be kept from the evil of Affliction though not from the affliction, Because than we may have the Presence of God, and the comfortable enjoyment of him; Whereas if we sin in them, we are every ways miserable, we have no comfort within, and God will give no Comfort without; The Scripture speaks of many precious promises to the godly in their Troubles, that He will be with them, that he will never forsake them, insomuch that as their Tribulations abound, so the Consolations of God abound much more, 2 Cor. 1.3 Now all this is while we are holy and heavenly in afflictions; The best part of our life may be that which was in outward exercises, David never had more of God, neither did his Faith and Holiness more abound then when tossed up and down with Troubles: But oh how sad is it when thou shalt by thy Unbelief, distrust, and other sinful ways offend God, that now thou hast no Comfort within, nor any from God, who is the God of all Consolation! It's sin only is the sting of an affliction, God and sin will not be together, but God and Afflictions are often together: No marvel then if thou art thus to fear sin more than any trouble, because trouble is not trouble, if sin be absent, a gracious heart in afflictions hath an Heaven within, though it may have an hell without.  
Fourthly. It's happy to be kept from sin in Affliction, because Afflictions are for this End to remove sin, to subdue corruption, and to mortify lusts; Thus they are said to work the blessed fruit of Righteousness, Heb. 12.11. though for a time they seem grievous; And God saith, It's the fruit of jacob's Trouble to purge away his sin, Isa. 27.9. Now then, If Afflictions and Chastisements be for this end to conquer sin, to make thee more holy, Woe be unto thee if they increase and multiply sin in thee; Think with thyself, God layeth these loads upon me to kill my pride, my worldly-mindedness, to quicken me up against deadness and dulness: Now how shall I ever behold God if the clean contrary be found in me, If Unbelief and Frowardness do overcome me: Do not then so much matter Affliction as Sin, for Afflictions may be sanctified to thee; They may be made happy Instruments of Grace and Holiness to thy Soul, but if sin be drawn out, than the end of afflictions is lost, and how shalt thou be helped when that which is to cure thee shall augment thy disease.  
Fifthly, It's happy to be kept from the Evil of an affliction, because of the proneness of our hearts to be tempted when we are in such provocations: Our Saviour supposeth by this Prayer that it was a very hard thing to be in the world that doth so annoy and oppose those that are godly, and not to be moved one way or other to wickedness: It's not an easy thing under Tribulations, especially if they be long and tedious, not to pollute the Soul one way or other: You see Job though his Patience be so greatly celebrated, and he at the first did so graciously resign himself into God's hand, yet when his Troubles were continued, and sorely oppressing of him, than he breaks out into much Impatience and bitter Rebellion against God; Hence the Psalmist speaks notably, Psalm 125.3. The Rod of the Wicked shall not always rest on the back of the Righteous, lest they put forth their hands to Iniquity: Here you see, there is a very great danger that even a Godly man under constraint and sore Afflictions may be tempted to iniquity may do that which he never thought possible to do, yea, which will be a continual hell unto him; Oh then how comfortable and sweet a thing will it be to come out of thy Afflictions, thy Heart not condemning thee for impatience or any sinful distemper.  
Sixthly, It's better to be kept from Sin then from Afflictions, Because the latter of these are made to the Godly the Effects of God's Love: Whom I love I chasten, saith God, Revel 3. And Hebr. 12. If ye he without Chastisement ye are not Sons but Bastards; But to be left to Sin, and to have thy Strength taken from thee to resist Temptations, argueth Gods great anger; It's that way of Displeasure which he useth to Wicked men, To give them up to strong Lusts to believe a Lie, and to have hardened Hearts lest they understand; Although we see God may for a while being incensed and provoked leave even the Godly themselves unto the evil of a Temptation: Thus Peter was, David and Hezechiah were: Know then that God frowneth on thee, his Anger is gone out against thee, when thy afflictions increase thy sin, God doth not ordinarily do thus to his people, but Troubles and Afflictions they are but the Effects of his Love, and by them he fitteth and prepareth them to be polished Stones in that Heavenly Jerusalem.  
Use 1. of Instruction, To show the Vanity of the Spirits even of those who are most holy, for who is not taken up with the less neglecting the greater? In Afflictions is not thy whole Soul spent how to remove them, how to be freed from them, and how few are thy Thoughts for the Sanctification and Preservation from the Evil of them? Thou thinkest with thyself, Oh when will the hand of the Lord be over? Oh that this burden were taken off, and in the mean time prayest not, watchest not, lest this should any ways distemper thee, and make thee sinful.  
Use 2. How foolish they are that will run into any sin so they may avoid danger, That will bow their knees to Baal, worship the golden Image ere they will venture any misery; What saith our Saviour to such, They that will thus save their lives shall lose them, God frustrates their earthly Expectations, and then Oh the woeful horror sin will leave upon them, They will find a wounded Spirit worse than any calamity in the world; They will wish, O that they had been wracked and tormented in their bodies, so that they had never committed such sins as wrack and torment their Souls: David when he had lost all heavenly joy, and all his desirable things did perish, could then tell you that sins guilt upon the Soul was worse than all the miseries and troubles that ever he did undergo.   

SERMON LXXXVII. That God hath determined a precise time to every particular man in the world, how long he shall live.  JOHN 17.15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, etc. 
THough we have gathered the full vintage of this Text, yet there remain some glean, of which we may say with the Prophet, a blessing is in it.  
Two remarkable truths there are implied, the first in the Negative, the second in the Positive part. In the first, in the Negative, I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world. We may observe,  
That God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in this world. When his day is come, when his Decree is expired, 
Observe. That God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in this world.  than none can withstand; when he commands to return to the dust from whence we came, or shall say, This night thy soul shall be taken away, there cannot be any gainsaying. This truth is the more to be regarded, because it hath been doctrinally agitated by learned men, Whether there be an immovable term of life in this world prefixed to every man? and then practically it is of great concernment, as is to be showed.  
But to explain this truth, consider, First, 
Propositions explaining this truth.  That God hath not only determined a general or specifical time for all in the world, but an individual and peculiar for every man or woman, a general term of life God hath provided, so that none shall live beyond it. No man ever lived a thousand years. In the beginning of the world, than men were longer lived, but in Moses his time, we see him affirming the ordinary bounds of a man's life to be threescore and ten, Psa. 90. For in the wilderness by their wickedness, they brought short days upon themselves: So that all creatures have a general term of life. There is the maximum quod sic, though some live longer than others. Thus men have bounds in the general, they cannot outlive. But this is not enough, God hath appointed to every individual man, his continuance in the world, so that it is God that taketh him out of the world, when his time cometh.  
2. Though God hath thus appointed our continuance in the world, so that in respect of his providence, none could live longer or shorter, yet if we respect second causes, and speak according to them, so we may truly say, such might have continued longer in the world. Hence wicked men are said, not to live out half their days; and Solomon saith, Be not over-wicked, Eccles. 7.17. Why shouldst thou die before thy time? Wicked men many times by their wickedness, drunkenness and uncleanness kill themselves, and sometimes provoke God to destroy them. But though they are said not to live out half their days, yet that is to be understood in respect of second causes, not God's appointment; for so it was their whole days.  
3. Though God hath appointed the times of our abode or removal out of the world, yet this decree and appointment is brought about in the use of means. We are not to apprehend such a decree in God, that we shall live such a time, let us do what we will, eat or not, it's no matter for the use of the means. This is wretchedly to dishonour God; for though Gods will doth not uncertainly depend upon thy will, yet his appointment is with great sweetness and condescension to second causes, both natural and rational, so that they are moved by him according to their natures. Therefore when Paul had a revelation, That none in the ship with him should perish, yet he tells them, that unless they continued in the ship with him, they should perish, Act. 27.31.  
4. Therefore though God hath appointed the bounds of our life in this world, yet he hath kept it secret from us, he lets none know (unless by special revelation) the times of their death. And therefore there is a duty imposed upon all, that they use the means of life, Thou shalt not kill, reacheth first to a man's self, and then to another: Hence to live cheerfully, to use the help of the Physician are duties; Christ said, The sick need the Physician, Mat. 9.12. as for secret things they belong to God. The soldier knoweth not, whether he shall conquer such an enemy, scale such a wall, yet because his General commands him, he is ready to obey, and thus though we cannot tell, such means shall prolong our lives in the world, yet God's will cannot be neglected without great sin.  
5. God hath determined the time of our being in the world, out of justice and wrath to the wicked, out of mercy and wisdom to the godly. It's anger to the wicked, for all the while they live, they increase their sin, they treasure up wrath; so that it had been well for them, if they had been cut off by death long before. They live to make hell the hotter for them, when they die. But to the godly the time of their abode is limited in mercy. The righteous is taken away from the evil to come, Isa. 57.1. The shepherd driveth his sheep to a refuge, before the storm ariseth. The jewels are safely put up, when the house is in danger; when Simeon had seen and embraced Christ, than he had liberty to depart. The word is used in Scripture sometimes of those that are dismissed out of prison, or are dispatched, when their errand is done, or freed from a flux, or such disease that is upon them; and certainly, in these respects it may be applied, when God taketh his out of the world, it's because they have finished this work, and death freeth them from this world that was like a prison to them, yea and now a stop is put to all those lusts, that were like a bloody flux running from them; so that the time when God takes his out of the world, is from much wisdom and great mercy: They shall not go sooner, nor yet later than he willeth; and thus many times they are like that happy man, Cui sine lassitudine peractum est iter.  


Proofs of the point.  
1. From Scripture.   Now that it is God that continueth and takes out of the world, appointing every one their set time appeareth by evident Texts of Scripture, Job 14.5. where a man's days in particular, are said to be determined, the number of his months, and his bounds beyond which he cannot pass; he speaks here of every man in particular; it is not worth while to answer the cavils against this place. So that as God hath appointed a set time for governments, and when that period is come, than all the world cannot hinder a change, as Dan. 5.25. God hath numbered thy kingdom, and given it away. Thus he doth also to every particular person. Not that men may neglect means, or do what they list, but he hath ordained this in and by the use of the means. Thus Act. 17.26. God is said to determine the seasons, and the bounds of our habitation.  

Argum. 2.  2. God hath appointed the time of our abode in this world, because he is the daily preserver and keeper of us. Should not he continue the breath of life, we should presently fall into the dust, out of which we came. Thus Act. 17.28. In him we live and move, and have our being. Thus we could not stir the foot, nor move the tongue did not God enable us; conservation is a daily creation. Hence Daniel tells that great Belteshazzar, though a mighty Monarch, Dan. 5.23. that he did not glorify God, in whose hand his breath was; If God do but blow upon the richest, greatest and healthfullest man that is, he is immediately scattered, as when we blow upon a little dust; yea neither food would nourish us, or the creatures afford any sustenance did not God give a blessing to them, as you may see Exod. 23.25. He will bless thy bread, and thy water, and take away thy infirmities from thee. Thus when the pillars of the house are removed, that must presently fall into rubbish, so when God takes away his arm man runneth into nothing; and be David be, even to admiration, so affected with God's providence in his constitution, shall not the same care be showed to his dissolution? Ps 139.16. he speaks there how curiously his body was wrought, even like any tapestry or needle work, and that all his members were in God's book. Solomon saith, There is a time to be born, and a time to die. But as the one is from God's appointment, so must the other be.  
3. It's God only that appoints the time of our being in the world, 
Argum. 3.  because even those deaths that seem to be the most casual, and so we would think not at all under God's providence, yet are expressly attributed to him. All casual murders, they are by the peculiar appointment of God, though men that are instruments did not intend the death of such, that God is the God of death, as well as of life, appeareth Ps. 68.20. To him belong the issues of death; if by issues be meant, the evasions and escapes from death, it asserts this truth, That its God only who appoints when a man shall die, and when he shall not, some are now taken out of the world, some at another time, and all at the mere pleasure of God. But if you understand it, as some learned men do in this sense, To God belongs the goings out to death, then it's more plain, and indeed this is more consonant to the text, for the Preposition ● will persuade this, and the use of the phrase, Jer. 15.1, 2. where some are said to go out to death, and others to captivity: so that the Psalmists meaning will then be, To God belongs salvation, which he will show to his people; but as for the wicked, he hath many ways to bring them to death. Thus you see, to God belongs the whole disposing of us, the continuing or taking us out of the world. To this we may add a parallel place, Psal. 31.15. My times are in thy hand, save me from mine enemies. They cannot destroy me, when and where, or how they please, that as it was with our Saviour, he had his hour, wherein he was to suffer, so that till then, all the power of men and devils could not apprehend him. Thus it is with all men, they have their hour: Even those that by the greatest hap come to their death, are yet said to be delivered to it by God himself, Exod. 21.13. cum Deu. 19.4, 5, 6. If a man cutting of wood have the head of his hatchet fly off, and kill another, God there saith, He delivered that man into his hand.  
4. We must acknowledge God doth set bounds to every man's life, 
Argum. 4.  because the time of their death is called their day in a peculiar manner, viz. that day God had appointed for them. Jer. 50.27 We unto them, when their day shall come, that day wherein God had appointed them for slaughter, and Ps. 37.13. The Lord will laugh, for he seeth that his day is coming. That look, as God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the whole world, so he hath appointed a particular day for every man, which is his particular day of judgement, than he is adjudged either to hell or heaven. Thus Nathan tells David, When thy days shall be finished; and certainly this is of dreadful consideration to every wicked man. Thou hast thy day of death appointed, thy hour of dissolution is coming, it's thy day. Now thou hast a day of jollity, of mirth and quietness, but remember this thy day is coming. Thou hast heard of the day of such a man's death, and such an one, and so thou hast thy day of death likewise.  
5. If God's providence reach to the least▪ and minute things that are, 
Argum. 5.  much more to the taking of a man's life out of the world Mat. 6. The Sparrow falls not to the ground without God's providence. Not a bird is killed without his appointment, and shall man die without it? yea the hairs of our head are numbered; and shall not an hair fall from an head without his appointment, and shall the head itself? This is so clear, that we would wonder any learned men should deny a prefixed term of our life.  
Lastly, Our abiding in this world must be of God's appointment, because all the providential passages and works of God, are subservient to his predestination. 
Argum. 6.  So that our predestination might have been frustrated, if God did not appoint all our lives in this world, so Paul and Manasses, and Austin with many others might have died before they were converted, or else when converted, but plunged into foul sins with David and Peter, than they might die in them, and not recover out of them, but God's predestination will prevent this, because our birth, our living and dying are to the godly effects of their predestination.  
But let us come to the practical Use of this, because it's very fruitful, and as for the second Observation, That the world aboundeth in wickedness, and so is ready to infect and damn every one therein, that may be amplified in the following verse. And  
Use 1 1. Hath God appointed the time of thy going out of the world, than labour and work hard in his vineyard? He continueth thee here, till thou hast finished that service he hath appointed thee for. Thus our Saviour would not have his Disciples taken out of the world, till they had seasoned and enlightened it with their good doctrine: If therefore God continueth thy life in this world, because he hath more service and work for thee to do, then take heed thou art not idle and negligent. Oh it will be very uncomfortable to thee, to have the night come on thee, and thou canst work no more, when yet thy conscience shall accuse thee. This I have not done, and that I was to do Our Saviour saith, Blessed is that servant whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing, Luk. 12.47. Should you send your servant upon matters of life and death, thy child or friend lieth a dying, and he in the way fall asleep or go to idle games and pastimes, how unsufferable would it be? How greater will thy guilt be, for thou art commanded to strive, to enter in at the straight gate, to take the kingdom of heaven by violence, thy soul lieth at the stake, thy happiness is engaged, yet for all this thou livest unprofitably and unfruitfully. Oh think how sad thy account will be! Thou must go out of the world, thou canst not stay any longer, and thou wilt cry out, Oh give me more time! Oh give me longer space, my soul is not set in order! I have not done this, or that service for thee.  
Use 2 2. Doth God appoint us our time in the world? then we are not to be sinfully dejected about the fears of death, either naturally or violently, either in an ordinary way, or from the violence and persecution of others, for the time of thy departure is in God's hand. No power in the world can send thee sooner to the grave than God hath decreed; Many of the servants of God have greatly laboured under the fears of death, especially in times of persecution, and rage from adversaries. How prone have men been to fear men more than God? Now whence did all this arise, but from want of faith, that to God belong the issues of death? Nothing can destroy thee sooner than God hath appointed; What care did Herod take to kill Christ? yet that could not be; and so Pharaoh to destroy all the male-childrens of Israel, yet one must be kept that would be a means to destroy Pharaoh; Live then above the fear of death, say, My times are in God's hand, it's not as man will, but as God wils.  
Use 3 3. Do not wilfully abuse this Doctrine to sinfulness, contempt of means, or neglect of duties for this poison many have sucked out of this flower, they would not hold, That God hath prefixed a term of life, for this, they think, would overthrow all use of means, all neglect of prayer, whereas this supposeth and establisheth them rather, for God who hath appointed the end, hath also appointed and commanded the means, and suppose we could not reconcile God's providence, and man's liberty in the use of the means, yet seeing the Scripture revealeth the one, and commandeth the other, it's good for us to rest therein.  
Use 4 4. Be content under the hand of God, that takes thy dearest relations out of the world. Imitate Job, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken. Art thou the Judge of the world? Art thou the preserver of men? Why then dost thou murmur if God do what he pleaseth herein?  
Use 5 Lastly, Let the jolly and wicked sinner know God hath appointed his day. Thou shalt not be always eating and drinking, and making merry in this world. Oh what a confounded man wilt thou be, who hast no other hope or comfort, but what is of the world!   

SERMON LXXXVIII. The Heavenly man much improved by much considering that he is not of this world.  JOH. 17.14. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 
OUR Saviour had immediately before in the tenth Verse urged this Argument in his Prayer for his Disciples, and here we see within so little a space he repeateth it again.  
Though therefore we have handled this already, yet because it is repeated again, and it is well observed that those things which our Saviour did more than once say they have some notable Excellency, and deserve a second Consideration, according to that old Rule, Pulchra sunt bis dicenda; And in the Hebrew there is often a Gemination of the Word for the more Efficacy and Certainty; Because I say it's thus repeated by our Saviour who had infinite Treasures of Wisdom within him, who was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and could not be straightened in words, Therefore let us also have a second improving of it: You see the Argument that it is twice repeated, They are not of the world, God is entreated to preserve them because they are not of the world even as Christ is not.  
The Explication of this you have heard already, Therefore I proceed to the Observation.  
Obs. That it's good for the People of God often and often to meditate on this, 
Doct.  That they are not of the world; This is a Truth that unless unfolded and drawn out, We can never see the Excellency of it, unless you rub and pounce this matter into powder, you can never find the sweetness of it if you do not as they did to the Sacrifice open it and cut it in pieces, laying every part by itself methodicaly, you cannot see the inward excellency of it: The people of God are not of this world, they are in it but not of it, They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctified and set apart from the common use of the world, as in the Jews Pedagogy, Vessels and Garments, and Persons were set apart only for a sacred use; Hence they are compared to Stars that shine in a dark night, thus are they in a crooked Generation, Phil. 2.15. As the Stars are not compounded of sublunary matter, neither are they capable of such destructive alterations, 
The Godly man's often remembering that he is not of this world is of great use.  as sublunary and material things are, So it should be with the Children of God.  
Now there are two main Grounds and Reasons, or Springs from whence the people of God should so often reflect upon this, That they are not of the world.  
And the one is of Instruction to duty, 
1. Instructing to duty.   
The other is of Consolation and Comfort.  
The due Meditation of this will abundantly instruct to duty in these particulars.  

1. To heavenly-mindedness.  First, It will make us heavenly-minded, and take away that predominant earthliness in us which makes us incline downwards; The ●one doth not more naturally fall to the ground then our Souls till regenerated move to earthly things; Now the Apostle argueth to the People of God Col. 3.1, 2, 3. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, and set your affections upon them: Oh this is a great matter, when not only our mind and tongue but our affections are set on things above; The Affections are like wings to the bird, like fire among the Elements, it assimilates and turneth every thing into fire; Thus where the believer affectionately remembers he is not of the world, he cryeth out as the Maid ready to be ravished under all inordinate and worldly thoughts, What do you come to overwhelm me for? He runneth away as Joseph from his Mistress, how can I do this and sin against God? The Apostle speaks in the Name of all Believers, Phil. 3.20. Our Conversation is in Heaven; Thus as the Sun in Heaven though the Beams of it shine upon Dunghills and noisome Jakes, yet it's not defiled; So the Godly though they live in a noisome, sinful, and wicked world, yet they are not stained therewith because their Conversation is in Heaven, and as the Bird as long as she soars on high is out of all danger from the snares and 'gins of the Fowler: Thus the Child of God as long as his thoughts and his affections are kept above, and are out of reach, they receive no defilement from these things below; Oh then let the Believer remember he is not of this world, and this will inflame him, it will be a fiery Chariot to carry him up into Heaven: But because to be heavenly-minded is a general, and particular things do most inform and affect, Singularia sunt, quae pungunt.  

Which consists in these particulars.  Let us branch it out in particulars, and show you wherein a Godly man, remembering he is not of the world doth express his heavenly Conversation, and that emptieth itself into these streams.  

1. He mortifieth and moderateth his affections to lawful things.  First, He mortifieth and moderateth his heart and affections even to lawful things, 1 Cor. 7. The time is short, Those that marry must be as if they married not; Grace doth alter the palate of Nature, so that like old Barzillai they take not that delight which once they had in the comforts of the world; Nature is content with few things, but Grace with the one necessary thing which is God himself; If then thy heart be like a water overrunning the banks, and so be muddied, stop thyself, and remember thou art not of this world, and therefore thou darest not overlove or over-desire, or go beyond thy bounds; Thou hast indeed these mercies but as if thou hadst them not; Truly this is an excellent discovery of an heavenly heart, when this Ivy doth not so cleave to thee as to consume thee; When thou canst so eat, drink, and enjoy all earthly and worldly Comforts, that yet thou do not distemper and disease thy soul.  

2. Worldly things are but secondary and less principal.  Secondly, An Heavenly Heart is in these worldly things, when they are made but the secondary and the less principal; They are the Stars not the Sun; This our Saviour makes a fundamental qualification to every Disciple; He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me, Matth. 10.37. The Godly man therefore hath Christ lying nearest to his heart, There must be nothing above him, equal to him, as David expresseth this predominancy often, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thee at all times; And God was his Portion; The Light of his Countenance was better than Life, and all Earthly Comfort.: If therefore thou remember'st thou art not of this world, Earthly things shall be admitted only to the Court of the Temple, not to thy heart which is the Holy of Holies; They are kept at the bottom of the Hill not suffered to come up to the Mount; There is no man if not truly regenerated, though never so great in parts and expressions of Religion, that giveth Christ the better part of his Soul; That gives the Superiority to him; As in the Sacrifices of old, all the fat was to be burnt unto God; Oh then awaken thyself in this matter, if thou art not of the world than God and Christ are in the uppermost room of thy heart, They are more unto thee then ten thousand Creatures; To say, thou ar● no profane person, no wicked person, is a poor and a small matter; But art thou one to whom Christ is more than Wealth, than honour, and all Greatness?  
Thirdly, 
3. He will not sin against God to obtain great advantages.  The man that remembers he is not of the world dareth not sin against God to obtain the greatest advantages here below; This doth necessarily follow from the former, For if once he be so heavenly as to love God and Christ better than all, than he will do nothing that he may lose them: He will not be so foolish as to take Dirt, and to lose Gold: Hence those Hearers that had the Cares of the world choking the good Seed, and those Apostates that fell off in Persecution, all these did serve Mammon, and not God, for when it comes to this, here is an offer and choice, either I must lose God or this worldly advantage: If thou wilt take the present world and leave Christ, this cannot stand with an Heavenly heart: I do not speak of some particular passages, for the Flesh sometimes overcometh the Spirit, but of an habitual and constant course; Therefore it was a full discovery that Moses was not of the world, when he chose the Reproaches of Christ rather than all the Treasures of Egypt: This an earthly heart would never have done.  
Fourthly, The man that remembers he is not of the world, desires not, 
4. He affects worldly things no further then by them he may be serviceable to God.  neither rejoiceth in worldly things any further than thereby he is made more serviceable to God and instrumental te his glory; All these earthly things they are Talents, and we are called Stewards, Now the Steward looks not upon the money and Rents he receiveth as his, he rejoiceth not in them as his own, He is to improve all for the best to his Master's use; Thus the heavenly Christian doth, This Health, This Life, These parts, These Comforts they are none of mine, I am but a Steward, I must give an account what improvement I have made of them; This is a notable discovery of thy heavenliness, when thou art thus affected.  
Fifthly, He that Considers he is not of this world, 
5. Labours to keep his heart holy in the midst of earthly business.  his heavenly-mindedness is discovered, in that though he be in the midst of all these businesses, yet he labours to keep his heart holy and fervent; His Shop doth not dead his heart, his worldly affairs do not dull the Edge of his Spirit, but he can delight in God, call him Father, be fervent and effectual in Duties: Not but that the most Heavenly man which is finds and complaineth of much deadness and dullness: They can be affected with worldly things but not Heavenly, only they are sensible and complain of this dead heart; That as they mourn over a dead Friend, a dead Child, so they do over a dead heart, only herein they strive and labour, that no worldly thing may any whit abate their Affections to God, That they may cry out, and say, O Lord, how gladly would I be enjoying of thee, but that this world will not let me; Truly these strive and resistings of the world do very much argue thy spiritual and heavenly heart.  
Sixthly, The Heavenly Heart would not be always in the conflicting part of Grace, but in the triumphing part which is the more heavenly work, 
6. Would fain get to the triumphing part of grace▪  for as one Star differs from another, So one part of Heavenly work is more excellent than another; To grapple with Lusts, to fig●● with sin, this is Heavenly work; But to enjoy God, to rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, this is more Heavenly: Now the Israelites did not so much desire the destroying of the Canaanites, that they might be refreshing themselves with the Milk and Honey of the Land; As the People of God groan to be above an earthly, a proud heart, lustful heart, that they might enjoy the sweetness of grace.  

7. Longs for Christ's coming.  Seventhly, The Heavenly Heart considering it is not of this world doth therefore long for and hasten the Coming of Christ; We are daily to pray that Christ's Kingdom may come, and the Godly are described by this Expectation, Heb. 2.29. They look for, and hasten the Coming of Christ; 2 Pet. 3.12. The Church cryeth, Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly; She prayeth vehemently, as if she could not stay till he did come? That as Sisera's Wife stood looking out of the Window expecting her Lords Coming in Triumph, Thus do the godly, and therefore they are to lift up their Heads, Mat. 24. Then their Winter is over, and their Summer is come, Then shall there be no more sins, no more cares, no more clogs nor troubles, thou shalt take thy leave of all these.  

8. Delights in those things that increase a spiritual life.  Lastly, He that is not of the world delights in such things that do either beget or increase spiritual and Heavenly Life; Now all the holy Ordinances of God are appointed for this end, Prayer, Preaching of the Word, the solemn Assemblies, holy conference, all these things are like Wood to keep the Fire always burning; You may see the Expressions David useth about the Ordinances, The Word was sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb: In his Banishment there was no earthly thing troubled him so much as to be restrained and kept from the Solemn and Divine worship of God; That heart must needs grow cold and dead, that is not often enlivened by these, it will quickly be like a barren Wilderness, if these Clouds drop not on it; The same Word that begat thee unto a spiritual Life, must increase and continue thee therein.  
In the second general place, It's good to remind ourselves often that we are not of the world hereby to press ourselves to a Nonconformity and Noncompliance with it, Rom. 12. Be not conformed to the world but transformed in your mind; We are not to love or delight in what the evil world doth, We are not to do as they do; Though it be the greater part, and though a multitude go that way, yea, though all the world go in an evil way, and though but one man yet thou wilt not symbolise with it; And truly this we ought to press upon ourselves, how often are we ready to say with that man concerning the Mass, Eamus ad communem errorem, Let us go to the common Error, Who will swim against the stream? Who is like that River Alpheus that though it empty itself in the Sea, yet keeps its own sweetness, and is not infected with the saltness of that water? Oh what a comfortable Testimony of grace is it, to be such an one that the world neither by its flatteries or its frowns is able to put thee out of a good path.  
Thirdly, The frequent meditating on this, that we are not of the world will make us admirably love and commend the Grace of God: For whose heart will not move within him when he shall consider how many thousands of the world live and die in that worldly disposition, yet God hath separated me from it? Yea, how many of thy acquaintance, of thy Kindred, of thy near Friends, are yet of the world, and thou art not? So that the experimental knowledge of this will fill thy heart and mouth with joy and praises; God hath in this done more for thee, then if he had given thee the whole world.  
Fourthly, The knowing and thinking this that they are not of the world will make them be content and patient under the afflictions and troubles they meet with in the world; For seeing they are not of the world they matter not how it is with them; Their happiness and misery is not bound up in this Orb; They are Pilgrims and Strangers, and no wonder if such do not matter the accommodations they find in the way; 
II. Often reflecting upon this will bring much Consolation, Considering  If they come to an unfurnished Inn they will make a shift, they will say, it is but for a night, and thus if we are not of the world, though God lay this chastisement upon us, though he raise up that trouble against us, yet it's but a night, they are not of this Country, and therefore cannot be undone here.  
In the 2d place, The often reflecting upon this, that we are not of this world, will bring much consolation: For  
1. Hereby God will take the more special care of us, 
1. God's taking the more care of them.  and vouchsafe the more powerful protection unto us, We are not of the world, Therefore under all the wrongs, troubles, and injuries of the world, we are to look up unto God, if God love his own Name, he will do good to such who are serviceable to all his. 
2. Their being quaiified as that come under Christ's Fraier.   
2 Here is Consolation, Because they have the fit qualification of theso who come under Christ's Prayer; You see that which makes Christ so earnestly commend them io his Father, is because they are not of the world, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevails much, how much more will Christ's prayer?  
3. Here is Consolation, That because we are not of the world, 
3. And that God will ere long take them out of the world.  therefore God will at last take us out of it to Eternal glory; The godly are of heaven, and heaven is their proper place; That as it's said of our body, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, So, of heaven thou art, and to heaven thou shalt return.  
Use 1 Use of Exhortation to the Children of God, Art thou not of the world then dwell on this, improve this, do not make thyself like a worldling, Are they proud, passionate, earthy, envious? Do thou abhor to be so, Shall such a man as I make myself like the vile ones of the Earth? Neither be thou daunted, because the world revileth, rageth, and walketh contrary to thee, Shall the Star leave its glory and come to be a clod of Earth? Say with the Olive-Tree and Figtree, Shall I leave my fatness, and become a bramble or a briar? It's the envy and malice of the world that sets against thee, such soar eyes cannot abide any dazzling lustre.  
Use 2 Use 2. of Admonition to those wicked men that are of the world, not to think it strange if there are some who dare not run into the same excess of Riot with them; Do not complain of their rigidness and singularity, that they have no good fellowship with them, and so are not fit to live in the world; How can two walk together except they be agreed? unless there were the same natures, the same principles, never think there can be the same hearts, yea, do thou by them be admonished and hasten out of this world by an heavenly change upon thee; It's no staying in this Sodom, in this Babylon.   

SERMON LXXXIX. Of growth in Grace, showing that, and how many ways, a Godly man may be more sanctified.  JOHN 17.17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. 
HItherto our Saviour hath prayed for the preservation of his Disciples in this world from the evil thereof; We now proceed to the second main general part of his Petition, which is their Sanctification.  
So that in this verse we are to take notice of the Matter itself prayed for, Sanctify.  
2. The Subject, Them.  
3. The Instrumental cause, Through thy truth.  
4. The Description or Explication of this, Thy Word is Truth.  
We will conjoin the Matter prayed for, and the Subject together, Sanctify them.  
The word to sanctify is of a large signification in the Scripture; but to our purpose, here are two principal ones,  
First, To sanctify is often to consecrate and set apart to an holy use; and thus many expound it, that our Saviour doth by this prayer commend them unto God in their Ministerial labour; That as the Priests of old were sanctified by many external Rites, so are the Disciples in a spiritual manner by Christ at this time; and this appeareth probable by the verse following, As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. This therefore is part of the meaning, but I shall refer the considering of that notion to the next verse.  
The second general and frequent use of the word, is to make inwardly holy, by renewing all the parts and abilities of the soul, to walk in an holy manner; and in this sense it is partly to be taken here, because the Word of God is the instrumental cause of it.  

Quest.  And if you ask, How could Christ pray for the sanctification of his Disciples, who were already sanctified?  

Answ.  To this the Answer is easy, That he prayeth for the continuance of, and increase in sanctification, That they may be more and more increasing in holiness; for no man is come so far, that he cannot go further, he is not at the utmost of holiness. Hence we see the Scripture speaking of, or supposing persons already godly, doth yet exhort and command Sanctification still, 1 Thess. 5 23. I pray God sanctify you wholly, and preserve your whole spirit, soul and body blameless. Here those that are already sanctified, yet are prayed for, to have a further degree, and deeper rooting of Sanctification.  
So Ephes. 4.23, 24. There he writeth to such as are already converted, That they be renewed in the spirit of their mind, and that they put on the new man; yea to these Disciples our Saviour speaketh, Matth. 18.3. Except ye be converted, etc.  
By this you see, That even those who are sanctified or converted, may be more sanctified, and converted more closely to God: For although it be true, That if Sanctification be strictly taken for the same with Regeneration, then it's the infusion of a supernatural life at once: So that as a man is born but once naturally, so we may say, he is regenerated and sanctified but once; yet take it more largely for the improving and increasing of grace thus put into us; then we are to be more converted, and more sanctified daily; and in this respect, Sanctification is said to differ from Justification, because the former doth admit of degrees, and is more or less, but so is not Justification.  
Observe. That whereas the Disciples, though already sanctified and made holy, yet are prayed for, that they may be more sanctified. We may gather,  
That the most holy men that are, are yet to be more holy. 
Observe.  It's not enough to be once called or converted, but we are to grow in grace. As it is not enough for a child to be borne, but he must grow up to be a man. Thus Revel. 22.11. He that is holy (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) let him be holy still; and 1 Cor. 7.1. Perfecting holiness.  
This is a very necessary point, for our Saviour John 15. saith, He chooseth us, that we may bring forth more fruit: Dost thou increase in thy faith, in thy heavenly-mindedness, in thy zeal? Thou canst bless God, when thou findest thy health and bodily strength better, when thou findest thy estate increase, and why then art thou not more desirous, and rejoicing to see thy heart grow better, to see thy soul more sanctified? And indeed concerning the former things, our Saviour saith, Which of you by taking care can add one cubit to his stature? But here by fervent and constant prayers, we may add many cubits.  
But to open this Doctrine, Let us consider, 
How many ways a godly man may be more sanctified.  How many ways a godly man may be more sanctified, and that is seen in several particulars.  
First, He may be more sanctified intensively, by adding more and more degrees to the grace he hath received. Our Love, our Faith, our Patience, even all our Graces are capable of augmentation. It's not with us; 
1. Inrensively.  as with Christ, who received the Spirit without measure; so that Christ could not be more holy than he was; he could not do any thing more obedientially to God, 
2. Extensively.  than he did, nor love God more than he did; but we may all cry out with that man, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief; Lord, I love, help my want of love: Therefore James 1.4. we are exhorted to let patience have her perfect work; Even as Apelles upon all his Pictures would write Faciebat non fecit, because he would still be perfecting it; thus are we to all our graces. Hence are those daily exhortations, To grow in Grace: Even a Paul, even the tallest Giants are to grow in Grace. Paul saith, He knoweth but in part, 1 Cor. 13. and then he can but love in part, and believe in part: Oh then, this is of great concernment, to think that thy best graces may yet be made far better! Thy Grace is nothing to a Paul's, and a Paul's is nothing to the Law, or the Rule, Look to it then, and be as desirous to grow in Grace, as ever thou wert to get into the state of Grace.  
Secondly, We may be more sanctified extensively, in regard of the Objects about which our Graces are to be exercised, and in respect of our Relations.  
1. There is an extension in respect of our Objects of Grace. As we are bound to do better than we do; so to do more than we do. What godly man is there, that can say, he hath done all things God required? Art thou not guilty of many omissions of duties? Thou hast not reproved, mourned, prayed for others; Thou hast not done that spiritual and temporal good thou shouldst. Paul excused the Philippians that they would have done good, but they wanted an opportunity, Phil. 4.16. But how many times have we an opportunity, and we want hearts? John could write to that pious Gaius his Host, 3 John vers. 2. to wish that his body may be in health, even as his soul prospered. What a glorious commendation was this? It was better with his soul, than his outward man. Now we cannot say thus of ourselves, because we are not diligent and industrious to do more than we do. Certainly, every godly man may be astonished, when he shall consider, how broad the Commandments of God are, and how narrow his heart is grown in doing more than thou hast done.  
2. Thou mayest be sanctified extensively, by the Relations that thou dost take upon thee, when made an Husband, a Wife, a Minister, a Magistrate, here thy holiness is to extend further, God requireth more of thee, and that godliness which would have served thee before, will not now. While the Apostles were private men, they needed not that Sanctification which they were to have as Apostles. Hence we see the Apostle diligently in his Epistles, informing Husbands, Wives, Children and Servants of what they have to do: And certainly, the grace of our Relations is an excellent evidence of our holiness in the main: If the Heathen could say, He was not Bonus vir, that was not Bonus civis, not a good man, that was not a good Citizen: So may we say, He is not a good Christian, that is not a good Minister, a good Magistrate, a good Husband, a good Servant. The Apostle bids Archippus fulfil his Ministry: And thus Ministers are exhorted to look to the flock over which God hath set them. Oh then see, if thou mayest not be greatly sanctified in thy Relations, if they may not be filled with more Wisdom, Patience and exemplarity of Conversation! Alexander wept, because there was no more Worlds, he wanted work. But to be sure, thou hast more than ever thou canst turn unto: Every Relation requires a new grace, or a new exercise of grace: So that here is no time for thee to sit down, or to be still, as if all thy enemies were conquered.  

3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts.  Thirdly, We may be more sanctified in the deeper radication of Grace in our hearts. It's a Philosophical Dispute, Whether accidents are intensed by addition of degrees, or a deeper radication of them in the subject? We may conclude, That grace in the heart is both ways improved, and for the rooting of it in the soul: This is so great a matter, that the temporary believer is in this respect as well as others, mainly differenced from the true believer. Though they had some root, yet they had not root enough, and the unwise builder did not dig deep enough; for this therefore the Apostle prayeth, even in reference to such as were already rooted in Christ, that they may be more rooted, Colos. 2.7. Rooted and built up in him. And to this purpose are all those Exhortations of being steadfast and immovable, of being strengthened, established. settled, 1 Pet. 5, 10. as there the Apostle prayeth remrkably. There is no man hath laid so sure a foundatinn, but he may make it more sure: No man is so established, but he may be more established: Is it not a terrible thing to see the fall of many Cedars in Lebanon, of many Stars from Heaven? And why is all this? They were never established deep enough, they never took more root downwards; like unwise builders, they attended to make a glorious upper-room, and stairs in the house, but mattered not the foundation; and certainly, though the child of God, even of the lowest form, be so far rooted, that he shall never fall away, yet this establishment and steadfastness of his, is not by his own power and strength, it's God that keeps him, neither is it continued, but in the constant daily exercise of holy means: Oh than every day be endeavouring after this, Lord, grace is not rooted in me enough, it's too superficial! Oh that I could say, I no longer live, but Christ within me! Oh that it were like leaven diffusing its power over me, the Promise is Jer. 31. I will write my Law in thine inwards parts, in the midst of them! So that grace shall be habituated in thee, and sink as deep, as ever original sin did in thee.  
Fourthly, We may be more sanctified Subjectively, 
4. Subjectively  that is every part of the soul may be more throughly sanctified every day: as in that place, 1 Thess. 5.23. Hence to the converted Ephesians, the Apostle exhorts, as you heard, both a further renovation of the mind, and of the will and affections, Ephes. 4.23, 24. In the mind, How greatly may we be more sanctified, have more illumination, more heavenly knowledge of God and Christ? Thou art to grow in knowledge more and more; Paul was once like a child, but he became a man; The Apostle Heb. 6. doth severely reprove those that continued babes, and were not carried on to further perfection. It's both a shame and a sin, that thou hast yet no more knowledge, and heavenly understanding, by the Ministry thou hast enjoyed so many years. Again, the mind is to be more sanctified by a more firm and solid faith, the Apostle than directs, That they should be steadfast and sound in the faith, not tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine. Their increase of faith may be both in the Objects believed, though for the things necessary to salvation, the knowledge of them by the Spirit of God is promised to every believer, yet there the superstructions in Religion, which according to the means we enjoy, we are to believe. Therefore the Apostle, 1 Thess. 3.10. showeth his earnest prayer to come to the Thessalonians, that he might perfect what was lacking in their faith; which could not be meant in regard of foundations, but superstructures; not essentials, but additionals. Thus they are to grow in the doctrine of believing, but then in the manner of believing, that is the proper way for all to grow. To believe more certainly, more firmly, more practically. Therefore though the fundamentals of Religion cannot be augmented: No necessary truth to salvation can be revealed, which was not known before, yet it may be more strongly and clearly believed. And this is the end of all Authors, that write against Heretics of all sorts, not to bring a new Religion into the world, or new Articles of Faith, but to cause a more clear and firm assent to those things, which the subtlety of Heretics had obscured. Further, Their minds are to be more sanctified by holy thoughts, heavenly-Meditation: For what godly man doth not perceive vain thoughts creeping into his soul, as the Frogs did into Pharaoh's Chamber, whether he will or no; and as for a fixed heavenly-Meditation, it's an unknown duty amongst Christians.  
Thus as the mind is to be more sanctified, so we might show all other parts of soul and body. The will of a man is to be more bowed, and made more vehement and powerful in the things of God. To overcome those velleities and incomplete wish which are so apt to undo us, To go beyond Paul, as Paul himself desires to overcome himself, Rom. 7. What I would not, that I do. To have this no longer, but what I would, that I do. And for the Affections, who is not sensible, what further Sanctification they need? Sanctified anger, sanctified desires, How beautiful and comfortable would they be? Who doth not find them overrunning and going beyond all bounds, so that nothing can order them within their limits? The Body likewise, though that be the brutish part, yet the Apostle prayeth for the sanctification of it, which is then done, when it's no more instrumental to sin; the eyes, the hands, the tongue have an holy watch over them, and are employed for God. Thus you see that every part of the whole man admits of further Sanctification. A man cannot look over all that he hath and doth, as God did on his works, and see all exceeding good, so as to rest thereupon, and work no more. We may see every day more to be done, and so never come to a full Rest, till we are in Heaven.  
Fifthly, We are to be more sanctified Objectively, that is, Those objects revealed in the Scripture, we are to partake more of, to receive more sweetness and fullness from. Doth not the Apostle pray for the Ephesians, of whom he affirmeth the glorious privileges of the Gospel? Yet Chap. 1.17, 18, 19 That their eyes may be enlightened to know what is the exceeding power of God to them that believe. And again Ephes. 3.17, 18, 19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts, that ye may be able to comprehend what is the breadth, and depth, and length of God's love. And lest it should be thought, that we are able to do this to the full, he addeth, And to know the love of God, which passeth all knowledge; Yea, the very glorious things of the Gospel, even in this life are such, 1 Cor. 2.9. That eyes have not seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of a man to understand. There is as much in God, in Christ, in Faith, in every Scripture-truth, that thou mayest make it new to thee every day. Christ may be a new Christ, Heaven a new Heaven; for every divine Truth is like some stately and magnificent Palace, wherein every room affords thee some new wonder and delight; and this is the reason why John 4. Christ saith, He that drinketh of that water, which is Christ, shall never thirst more: Oh than this is our great sin and our hindrance also, that such dainties are in the Gospel, and we do not suck them out! There is no heavenly promise or comfort, but if thou didst go to draw out of it, thou wouldst find it a deep Well, which can never be drawn dry: Oh then know, if Christ and holy things do not ravish thy soul, it's because thy heart is narrow! How can a vessel with a narrow mouth, receive all the water of the Sea into it?   

SERMON XC. The Contraries to Growth in Grace. A Comfortable Advertisement to such as mourn under their Sense of not Growing; With Reasons of the Necessity of Growing in Grace.  JOH. 17.17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. 
THose that are already sanctified may yet be further sanctified, and that in several particulars, as you have heard.  
There remain some other Instances to be added, wherein this increase of Sanctification may appear.  
And the first which is also very remarkable is, 
5. Efficienter.  That our Sanctification is to grow efficienter, by way of inviting, exhorting, and bringing home others to it; For thus we are more sanctified when we are enlarged to sanctify others instrumentally; This some take to be the meaning, Joh. 15.8. where Christ tells his Disciples, that herein his Father is glorified if they bring forth much fruit; And vers. 16. I have ordained you that you should go and bring forth much fruit, which is in respect of their ministerial employment; So than if thou askest how may I be more and more sanctified? The Answer is ready, Be sanctifying others actively and instrumentally: Think it the greatest honour in the world if thou art a means to make others holy, for though God would use no means or Instruments in the Creation of the world, yet he will in the Creation of the New Creature: Now Ministers they are by Office appointed to sanctify others: The word or Truth which is the Instrument of Sanctification is published by them; Therefore a sanctified Minister doth desire nothing more than to have a sanctified people, he desireth that it may be a Vineyard, a Garden, not a Wilderness that he is to till and look to, he crieth out with Rachel in a spiritual sense, Give me Children, else I die; All his Study and Sermons tend to this, that his Hearers may be sanctified, and certainly if Christ himself endured all that reproach and shame for Souls, he desireth to have the same mind that was in Christ; That as Christ is promised to see his Seed after the Travel of his Soul, So doth he pray, that after all his pains and endeavours he may see an holy Seed; So that your Sanctification is that for which we pray and preach, yea, private Christians in their way are to increase in their Sanctification by promoting it in others, Psalm 51. when David had recovered out of his sin, than would he teach transgressors their ways, When one Disciple was converted, presently he goeth and calleth his Brother: Oh the admirable Zeal that Paul showed to his Kinsmen after the Flesh, that he could wish to be an Anathema for them! You that are Parents grow in this active Sanctification, Let not God alone by Prayer until your Children be sanctified: What a Comfort would it be unto you to be both the Natural and the Spiritual Fathers of your Children: Thus ye that are Masters grow also in Sanctification by Sanctifying Servants, by having a Sanctified Family: Oh it's to be be feared thou knowest not the Worth and the Excellency of a sanctified Estate, or the danger of an unsanctified one, that art no more diligent to call others out of it, if rightly apprehensive herein; Thou wouldst do as the Angel did to Lot, while he lingered and tarried in Sodom, pull him out by violence as it were, that he might not perish; Philosophers say, There is this difference between those Creatures that are generated of putrid matter, and such as come of their kind, that the former though they live and move, yet cannot generate the like, or propagate individuals, because they come of putrid matter, and certainly it's thus here: Those that are indeed born of God, and have that Divine Seed in them, all their Care and Delight is to bring others into the same estate and condition also, but then those who profess holiness from carnal and corrupt ends, they care not for this work of Conversion in others, like Adulterers that respect not Children but their lusts.  
Secondly, We may be more sanctified in the better improving of the means of Sanctification, For God he hath appointed spiritual Ordinances, the good managing whereof will greatly advance the Principles of Sanctification within us: Now the Ordinances are Prayer, Hearing of the Word and Sacraments, and whatsoever holy Institution Christ hath appointed and decreed for to make us better; The way therefore to be more Sanctified is to pray better, to hear better, and indeed it would be well if thou didst set upon the Reformation of thy Corruptions, but not only of them but of thy Duties also; Not only to resolve I will be proud no more, and earthly no more, and passionate no more, but I will not pray so formally, so coldly, nor so negligently as I have done any more; A man that groweth better in his Health, eats his meat better, and doth digest it better; And thus if thou wilt proceed from Holiness to Holiness, Thou wilt pray with more Zeal and Faith, hear with more attention and fear: It's impossible you should ever grow in Sanctification unless you do begin to amend in your duties, As the Disciples were mending their nets, else they could get no fish.  
Thirdly and Lastly, We are to be more sanctified in respect of Continuance and Duration; It is not enough that thou wert once made holy and Righteous, but thou art to continue and persevere therein to the end; For how many did begin in the Spirit, but yet have ended in the Flesh? You have a terrible Instance Hebr. 10.29. where a man said to be Sanctified by the Blood of Christ is yet said at last to tread under foot the Blood of Christ, making no account of it: It is true this man was not truly Sanctified, for than he could not have so totally apostatised, for he had some imperfect and inchoate motions of Sanctification, He was an Embryo and did prove abortive, and thus all the Ages of the Church have given sundry and sad Instances of such Hypocrisies and Apostasies: Therefore the Apostle John Revel. 22.12. after the divers Visions and Revelations he had about the Church, he concludeth, Let him that is holy be holy still, Let him continue and persist in his Holiness, So that whatsoever changes and alterations there may be in the Church, yet thou art not to change or to vary in thy Holiness, 
Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it, which are these,  and certainly such is the opposition, and so great are the Contrarieties to all Sanctification in Heaven's way, That it's a wonder of wonders that a man is not deprived, doth not lose all, or be discouraged out of it.  
In the next place Let us illustrate this Growth in Sanctification by the opposites and contraries to it, and they are,  
First, Idleness, Negligence, or Security; He that is idle in his outward Calling can never expect to increase in his Wealth, Poverty comes like an armed man upon such, and thus it is with him that is lazy in his spiritual Calling: As Solomon observeth of the Sluggard, He passed by and saw his Field full of Thorns and Briars; Thus it is with every one that liveth negligently, his whole life will immediately be filled with all kind of vice and folly. Want of Exercise doth breed Diseases in the body, and so neglect of spiritual Exercise doth consume the Soul, Idleness and further Sanctification can be no more consistent than light and darkness together.  
Secondly, Barrenness, This is the fruit of Idleness: As the Apostle saith, He that doth not work let him not eat, Let him starve if he will; This is also true here, He that will not labour in a spiritual manner, he shall not eat, he shall neither have more Grace, or more comfort, Barrenness in one that looketh to Heaven is a very heinous sin, Heb. 6.7. The Earth which drinketh in much rain, and yet is barren, is nigh to cursing; Did not our Saviour say to the Figtree that had no fruit on it, Never fruit grow on thee more, Matth. 21.12. So that God punisheth barrenness with barrenness: It's thy sin to bear no fruit, and it shall be thy Curse; How severely was that unprofitable Servant dealt with, who though he did not embezzle his Master's Talon, yet because he hid it in a Napkin, and did not improve it, Therefore he is commanded to be cast into utter darkness, Matth. 25.30. Tremble then under all manner of unfruitfulness and unprofitableness, Say, How doth this agree with Growth in Grace?  
Thirdly, Another great opposite to further Sanctification is Apostasy and declinings in godliness, which are either gradual in the truly godly, or total in him that appeareth to be so only, Rev. 2. God's great Controversy with some of those Churches, was because they fell from their first love, and they are commanded to strengthen the things that are ready to die; This is to be a very Antipodes to increase in grace, when thy Sun doth not stand still, but go backward, and still more backward; Oh fear these Consumptions of the Soul, Thou hast not the life, the vigour, the zeal of Grace once thou hadst, thou art not the man thou wert once; Thou art like Samson that hath lost his strength, like old Barzillai that canst not take thy wont delight in heavenly things, Oh be afraid of these languors, and repent from whence thou art fallen; But the godly Soul may be hereupon dejected, and question whether ever it were truly sanctified or not, for they find much decay; They have often dead and cold hearts, yea, they are not as lively as they have been, They are even turned into stones, and are like Idols in Christianity, having eyes they see not, and hearts they understand hot.  
1. Art thou thus exercised, Despise not this Chastisement of God, yea, make an advantage of it; To feel the disease is the way to be cured; Bless God that hath done thus for thee, that though thou dost not grow in grace, or increase, yet thou seest this decay, and bewailest it; A man that sees he goes behind in his Estate, and layeth it to his heart, he will be careful to prevent it betimes.  
2. Know these humiliations and bewailings are a kind of further Sanctification in thee, For to grow in Grace is to discern more and more our Imperfections, to be acquainted with all the need and wants that we are in; As he that groweth in Learning seeth how much he is ignorant of, and thus he that groweth in holiness, he seeth himself more unholy than ever, he thinketh he hath less Grace than ever, because he is more tender and discerning than he was before; As a man recovering out of a disease is more sensible of pain and his weakness than he was in the height of his sickness.  
3. There may be a growing in gifts and parts, and a growing in Graece; This distinction is greatly to be marked, for a Christian through bodily distempers and old Age may decay in parts, not have the memory, nor the activity, or the hot affections he had once, and yet be a more mortified and solid Christian, for Grace will not cure a man of bodily Diseases or of Old Age, and because the Soul doth work dependantly upon the body, as the body it's Instrument doth decay, so are the Souls Operations impaired thereby; But be not discouraged, this is not a decay in Grace, it's only in parts and gifts, or a bodily constitution, which though comfortable mercies, yet are not Essentials to grace; On the other side there are too many that increase in Knowledge, that are enlarged in parts, but decay in grace, yea, their corruptions and lusts grow with them.  
4. Distinguish between a further Sanctification in respect of the solidity of it, and the affectionateness of it; Every decay in affection is not presently an abating in grace, for godliness lieth chiefly in the mind and will, If these be solidly established and really bend for God, Though affections be not passionately and sensible put forth, yet thou mayst grow a more sound and firm Christian.  
5. There is difference between a further Sanctification, and the certainty and evidence of it; Many a Christian groweth in holiness, yet he is not sensible of his growth as in nature a man groweth, yet doth not perceive it; What our Saviour spoke of the spreading and growing of the Gospel, is true also in respect of Sanctification, Mar. 4.27. It's as if a man should cast Seed in the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the Seed spring up and grow he knoweth not how; Thus the godly they shoot out in grace, when yet they do not perceive it, yea, sometimes they are tempted to the clean contrary.  
6. Grant it be true, that thou art less sanctified than before, thou hast decayed sadly, Let this then quicken thee up to make the more haste for the future; Let this stumbling make thee get ground, Sometimes a David, a Peter, are left to fall, that they may rise and go the faster; After some diseases the child groweth more than ever, The Traveller that hath overslept himself, doubles his pace; Thus let thy very decays do good to thee.  

Reasons.  In the third place Let us Consider the Reasons, why that it's not enough to be sanctified, but we must be more and more holy every day.  
And 1. We are not sanctified to stand still there, We are yet in the way, we are not yet come to our journey's end; Hence our Christianity whilst in this Life is compared to running in a Race, We are not come to the term and end of our Sanctification, when we are first converted, We are but put into the right way to happiness, we are but beginners; We have much work to do ere we shall receive a Crown of Glory: You see that glorious Saint Paul, who laboured more than they all, yet Phil. 3.14. I press towards the mark, forgetting the things that are behind.  
2. We are further to be Sanctified, because there remain Relics of corruption still to be subdued, Sanctifying grace doth expel sin but by degrees, Even as the heat by degrees doth expel the cold; Now the Apostle tells us, Gal. 6. what is in the hearts of all the godly, There are lust's rebelling against the Spirit, and there is a law of sin in our members, If then Sanctifying grace do not increase, sin will increase, If we be not further sanctified, we shall be further corrupted; The heart of a man is immediately susceptible of one of these either grace or sin; If then there be not more grace, there will be more sin, you cannot stand at a stay; If you swim not against the stream, the stream will bear thee down.  
3. This is the end of all those afflictions and chastisements which God layeth upon us, that we should be more sanctified, John 15. Every branch is purged that it may bring forth more fruit; These are like the compost laid on the ground, these are the ploughing and the harrowing of the ground to make it more fruitful; The fire is to make the gold more pure from dross; The winnowing is to separate the Chaff from the Wheat, and thus are all God's Dispensations which come in Severity to thee; They are to sanctify thee more, to make thee more Heavenly-minded.  
4. This is one great end of the Word, and the Preaching thereof; Sanctify them by thy Word, and Eph 4. We are to be edified, to a full stature in Christ, by the Officers in his Church, So that as the Sun and the Clouds help to make the Ground fruitful, as the Wind filling the Sails of the Ship makes it go more swiftly, So should the Ministry and Ordinances; Oh what knowledge and grace shouldest thou have attained to by this time, Let thy profiting appear to all, as Paul said to Timothy.  
5. The sweetness and excellency of grace if once tasted of, should make thee insatiable to have more, Shall the hydropical man the more he drinketh, the more desire it, and the earthly man, the more wealth he hath, be the more covetous of it? What a shame than is it if the more gostlinesse thou hast thou art not the more desirous still to have more.  
6. It's God's promise that such who are godly shall grow more holy, Isa. 40.29, 30, 51. They shall renew they shall mount up like Eagles; So Hos. 14.6, 7. That as it is a curse upon the wicked to grow worse and worse, so it's a blessing to the godly to grow better, If God will bless their outward store, make their oil increase, much more their graces.  
Use of Exhortation to stir up yourselves in holiness, Endeavour after more grace than thou hast, yet oh bewail thy leanness, thy barrenness; 
Use.  In how many things mayst thou be bettered still? Thou dost greatly deceive thyself if thou thinkest now I may sit down, I have gone far enough.  
Use 2. to confute corrupt Opinion of most men that do not like this forwardness and strictness in the way to Heaven; Can a man be too godly, than he may be too happy as well, and have too much of Heaven: Doth not our Saviour pray here for his Disciples sanctified already, yet to be more sanctified; Do we not daily pray that God's grace may come more into our hearts, why then are we displeased to see it doth increase.   

SERMON XCI. Of the Causes of Sanctification, and in particular of God's Word as the Instrumental Cause.  JOHN 17.17. Sanctify them by thy truth, thy Word is Truth. 
WE are now come to the Manner, or rather the Instrumental Cause of our Sanctification, and that is Truth, Sanctify them by thy truth. Some understand this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, truly, sincerely; and so those that limit this Sanctification to their Ministerial Separation for to preach the Word of God, make it an opposition to Legal Customs. For whereas the Priests of the Old Testament, being to enter into the Sanctuary, did not only first wash their hands and their feet, but put on glorious Garments. Thus (say they) Christ prayed that those Apostles, whom he was commissionating to preach the Gospel over the whole world, might be, though not externally sanctified, yet internally, by a more plentiful and copious enjoyment of the holy Ghost. But this is too much restrictive:  
Others there are that understand it finally, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sanctify them to the Truth, that they may be fitted and furnished to publish it.  
Others by truth understand Christ, who is the essential Truth, but the words following demonstrate, what is meant by Truth, even The word of God; So that our Saviour's purpose is to inform, what is that saving Medium, and instituted Organ of our Sanctification, even The word of God From hence observe.  

Observe. That the word of God is the instrument of our sanctification.  That the word of God made known to us, is the instrument of God to our Sanctification. It's by this water's side, that a godly man being like a tree planted, doth bring forth much fruit. Are any lusts too strong for thee? Are any corruptions too powerful? This is a two-edged sword to be the death of them. Art thou dull, cold and lukewarm in matters of Religion? This is the fire to inflame thee. Art thou fainting and dejected with divers temptations? This is the Apothecaries-shop, that hath all kind of refreshments for thee, no disease but may be cured, no doubt but may be answered. Hence the Scripture is commended unto us, 2 Tim. 3.16. for that which is profitable to instruction, correction, so as to make a man of God much more a private Christian perfect and thoroughly furnished to every good work.  

The explication of the point The necessity of learned officers in the Church.  But this Point deserveth some Explication.  
First, We say the Word of God made known unto us, is thus an instrument; and this bringeth in the necessity of Officers in the Church, who by their Gifts and Ministry are to interpret and publish the Word of God to us. For if the Scriptures be kept in the Original Tongue, they are unknown to most people, and so are like a Candle under a Bushel, or like a Fountain sealed up. God therefore who hath appointed his Word as a Rule, hath also given gifts to men, that there may be such, who shall divide this Word aright, and give his children fit meat in their due season; So that if a man ignorant of the Tongues, should have a Bible in Hebrew and Greek, What good could he get by it, till translated and interpreted? This is like a veil upon the Scripture, and therefore doth as much hinder our understanding, as if we had a veil upon our hearts: Hence it hath been the good Providence of God, to raise up such able and willing men, who have been ready to translate the Scripture into all kind of Languages, that so every Nation might have it in their known Tongue. We say therefore the Word of God made known to us is thus powerful.  
Secondly, We say it's Instrumental: Now there is a twofold Instrument, 
The Word is God's instrument, and faith is man's.  as to our purpose, both which meeting together, the Word produceth its complete effects, There is God's Instrument, that which he hath appointed on his part; And then, There is that which is Instrumental on our part, and that is Faith. As in the forementioned place of 2 Timothy 3.16. The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation, through faith: So that as Christ, who is the essential Word of God, dwells in our hearts by faith. Thus the Scriptures the revealed Word of God, become effectual to us by believing, The Word did not profit the Israelites, because not mingled with faith, Heb. 4.6. So that as the Word of God is a necessary instrument on God's part; Thus faith is a necessary instrument on man's part: Whensoever God causeth his Word to be published, be thou ready to prepare a believing heart. This is that which diffuseth the Word through the whole soul. The Word is Bread, but it's faith that eats it, and digests it. No Sermon can ever do thee the least good, unless Faith write it down in thy heart. Go home believing such places of Scripture, and this will antidote against sin: If humane Faith can turn a man wholly upside down, How much more may divine Faith?  
Thirdly, We say it's Instrumental, therefore the Word of God preached, 
The Word is not the principal or efficient, but the instrumental cause.  is not the principal, or the efficient: No, though we have ten thousand Teachers, and they all like Angels, yet truth could never sanctify us, unless God give a blessing to it; and therefore you see here, Christ prayeth to God, that he would sanctify them by his truth, intimating, That though they understood it never so clearly, and remembered it never so firmly, yet if God bless it not to this sanctifying use, they are like a Rock under much rain, that never brings forth any fruit, and in three particulars we must necessarily acknowledge God's efficiency. 

The necessity of God's efficiency.  
Without God's blessing men may by the Scriptures through interpretation be corrupted.    
First, Though men be never so expert and diligent in the Scripture, yet if God bless them not with a seeing eye, and a spiritual understanding, in stead of being sanctified by the Word, they are through misinterpretations corrupted: Doth not the Apostle Peter tell of some, who through their ignorance did wrest the Scripture to their perdition, 2 Pet. 3.16? There are many Heretics and erroneous persons, who are full of Scripture, will allege many places of God's Word, but putting their corrupt glosses upon it, it's no more God's truth, but man's error, and therefore are not sanctified by it, in which sense Luther called the Bible, The Heretics book, because they would all confidently boast, they grounded their opinions upon that Book, when indeed it was upon their own corruptions: Oh then, besides frequent knowledge and excellent memory of the Scripture, know a further thing is requisite, even the Spirit of God to lead thee by this Rule into the truth, else it is with the Scripture, as it was with that pillar in the wilderness, it was light to the Israelites to guide them, but darkness to the Egyptians.  
2. The Word of God is not blessed to sanctify our affections, and reform our corruptions, unless God come in as the principal, cause. As the Prophet's servant could do no good in raising the dead child, till the Prophet his Master came; so though thou take up the Scripture, read such a place an hundred times over against that very sin thou livest in, yet it doth not sanctify till God set it home upon thee. Nicodemus was grossly ignorant about the work of Regeneration, yet no doubt being a Master in Israel, he had often read that promise, That God would take away an heart of stone, and give an heart of flesh: and doth not sad experience tell us, of many that have great knowledge in Scripture, yet they live profanely and grossly? It's true, such men are to look for greater condemnation than others, but yet how common is it for such who know, and read the Word of God, yet not to be reform in their lives thereby. Though they look in this glass, yet they wash not those loathsome spots that are upon them, conclude the Scriptures are not in their proper use to thee, till they have reform thee from such sins, as thou didst formerly live in?  
3. The people of God, though they have a spiritual life within them, yet under desertions and temptations find not the Word of God effectual for joy and consolations, till God bring such texts, and such promises close to their soul. That we, saith Paul, through the Scriptures might have consolations, 2 Cor. 1. And David doth often acknowledge, That the word of God did comfort and revive him; but let a godly man groaning under the guilt of sin, hear the sound of the Gospel a thousand times over, yet he will remain like dried bones, and a parched wilderness, till God sanctify it: Oh how often have the people of God desired comfort and assurance, read over the promises again and again, gone to the Ministers of the Gospel to have oil poured in their wounds, yet not the Law, but even the Gospel hath been made a dead letter, till the Spirit of God doth comfort in and by it, the Word then of God, though instrumental, yet is but instrumental, it's not a principal.  

Instrumental Causes are physical, natural or moral.  Fourthly, When we say it's Instrumental to Sanctification, we are to distinguish of instrumental causes: For there are Physical and Natural Instruments, which work by an inherent and natural power, and there are Moral Instruments, which work by the sole institution and appointment of another. Now the Word of God is not instrumental to Sanctification in the former, but in the later way. The Word doth not by any inherent virtue and efficacy in a natural manner purify the heart, but by God's appointment and his voluntary co-operation, when and where he will; For if it did work thus naturally, then wheresoever the Word is preached, it would sanctify, it would heal: As the fire wherever it is, in one Country as well as in another, it doth burn, but experience doth confute this, Are there not two hearing the Word of God, the one is sanctified, the other not? At the same Sermon one is humbled, made tender; The other is more obstinate and hardened: Whence comes all this diversity under the Word preached, but because it is not a natural instrument?  
Again, If the word of God did convert and sanctify naturally, than the grace of God could not so much be amplified and magnified, which yet the Scriptures do. Though it be God's goodness, that the Sun shineth, the fire burneth, yet we do not speak of it, or call it his grace, but if the Word of God ever touch and heat any man's heart, if it ever reform his life, this is the mere grace of God. By which it appeareth, That the Word of God is instrumental only by God's institution, and where he commands it to work, there it works; where he requireth it to break down all oppositions, there it hurrieth all down before it; Insomuch that sometimes the most unlikely and profanest enemies to godliness, they are changed by the Word, 
One cause must not be opposed to other causes.  and those that are very ingenuous and civilly disposed, remain in a perverse opposition.  
5. When we say, The Word of God is instrumental to our Sanctification, this is not to be opposed to those other causes, which God hath appointed. Grace is the efficient cause, and Christ the meritorious cause, only this is the medium; God who could convert immediately, and reach home to our souls, as he did to the Prophets by an immediate Revelation, hath taken this way. That as it's the goodness of God in natural things, though he be the first and universal cause, and so could do all things immediately himself, yet he hath ordained second causes, who have their derived causality. Thus it hath pleased God in the Government of his Church, to use means and external helps, the Word and Sacraments, thereby to work grace, when yet he could change the hearts of men immediately, or communicate himself to his Church, as he did once without Scriptures; When therefore you hear many oppose the Scripture to the Spirit, and the Ministry in the Church to Christ's teaching, this is absurd and tends to the division of those causes, which God hath so wisely joined together. The Spirit and the Scripture must not be opposed, nor Christ's teaching and the Ministers; for that Rule is true here, Quando duorum unum est propter aliud, sunt ut unum.  
Sixthly, The Word thus made known, 
The Word is the ordinary means.  is the ordinary means both of our beginning and increase in Sanctification. Two things are couched in this particular, 1. It's the ordinary means; so that what God may do in extraordinary cases, is not for us to dispute, but ordinarily there is no other way to beget and increase grace but this. Neither may we say this is dishonourable to God, to bind him to one way; for it hath pleased himself to appoint the communication of his grace by the Word ordinarily; so that as in natural things, he will give light to the world only by the Sun, though he could do otherwise; Therefore the Sun was not made till the fourth day, to show us, that God could give light to the world without a Sun. Thus it is also in spiritual things, though God could otherwise communicate his graces, yet he hath pleased to appoint this ordinary way: So that there is no expectation of the Spirit, but in the Word, as the Word can no ways avail without the Spirit, and it's the goodness of God that he hath commanded all spirits to be tried by this Rule, and if not conforming to it, to reject them, which could not be, if the voice of the Spirit could be heard any other way, but in and by the Scriptures, we then are bound to come to this pool; if we will have the divine moving not of an Angel, but of the Spirit of God. As the Israelite that would escape death was to keep within his doors, and those within the Ark, who would enjoy God's Protection. Thus must such keep within the bounds of the Scripture, who expect God's Spirit to guide them. But although we are thus bound to expect Sanctification only in this means, yet we cannot say, that God hath bound himself to work these effects always, for though he will not ordinarily dispense his grace, but in this way, yet he will not always accompany this way, yea it's the savour of death to many, 2 Cor. 2 16.  
Hence in the seventh place, The word of God, 
The word to some through their wickedness becomes an instrument of greater sinfulness.  though it be ex se and quoad institutionem, an instrument of Sanctification, yet to some accidentally through their corruption, it becomes an instrument of greater sinfulness and wickedness So that commonly there are no greater sinners under Heaven, then in the Church, and in the Church none greater than where the best and most powerful means of grace are. It was thus with the Jews, Col. 6. who enjoyed besides the ordinary Ministry of their Priests, the instructions of extraordinary Prophets, and yet the truth of God did not sanctify them; But go (saith God to the Prophet) make their eyes blind, and their hearts hard; and this our Saviour did apply to their posterity also, who enjoyed Christ himself, and saw all the wonderful miracles he did. This is a dreadful and terrible thing to consider of, when in stead of sanctifying, God shall say, Harden them, blind them, and make them more wicked by the truth. It's not the Word worketh thus of itself, but wicked hearers through their unbelief, and unprofitableness, provoke God to give them up to believe a lie; and for the abuse of heavenly light, they are given up to vile affections, To many cursed sins, which is a greater judgement then to be cast into the mouth of wild beasts, for they will only devour the body, but these will damn the soul.  
Use of Direction to all the people of God, whose burden and grief it is, that they have no more holiness, who cry out like the horseleech, It's not enough, and their souls refuse all comfort, because they cannot climb up this hill to Heaven faster; let such be directed to take the right way; How willingly is the earthly man ready to hear how he may get more wealth? and the languishing man, how he may get more health and strength? Why then shouldst not thou rejoice to know which is the way to purify the heart more? Few know the divine efficacy of God's Word, but such who set themselves to get the virtue of it. And that this may be instrumental to your Sanctification,  
In the first place, Remember faith, without which it can do no more good than excellent medicines, if they be not applied, set faith a work, and then the word of God will powerfully work upon thee. It's with thee as thou believest. Believe, and those high mountains of lusts shall be thrown down.  
2. Bring an humble, tender and trembling heart at the teaching of it. Such an heart King Josias had, and he is commended for it, yea Ezra 9.4. it's the character of the godly to tremble at his Word. The hard heart, no more than the hard Rock, can receive the seed sown into it.  
3. It's not enough to receive the Word of God at first, but keep it there. The Apostle Peter calls it, the ingraffed Word, the Word that turneth us into the nature of it, that we are walking Bibles, as great Scholars are called walking Libraries. David said, He had hid God's word in his heart; This is the leaven that will diffuse itself.  
4. Rest not in the bare hearing, but join earnest and fervent prayer, that the Spirit of God may teach inwardly, while the Word doth outwardly.  
Use 2. Of Instruction, How terrible a thing it is to see men grow more wicked and ungodly, by how much the more plentifully they enjoy the Word, that the Word should work contrary to its nature upon thee, that this light should put out thy eyes, that this life should bring thee to death? Oh the rivers of water that should run out of our eyes for this matter, and yet is there any more common judgement than this! Oh bewail and cry out for fear of it, Lord every thing I take doth me more hurt!   

SERMON XCII. Of the Truth of the Scriptures.  JOH. 17.17. Thy Word is Truth. 
THis is a Description or Explication of what was meant by Truth, Thy Word is Truth; which is a Proposition.  
Wherein you have, 

1. The Subject.  
2. The Predicate.    
The Subject is described by its Name and Nature, with the propriety thereof, Thy Word.  
The Word of God is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; It's called God's Word because spoken by him, and that two ways.  
Either 1. Immediately, when God himself spoke, as unto the Patriarches of old.  
Or 2. Mediately, when he inspired the holy Prophets, and made them to publish his Word.  
It's called at other times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, All Scripture is given by Inspiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. So Search the Scriptures, and in many other places: This is a Description of God's Word from the accidental form of it as it is put into writing.  
Sometimes God did govern his Church by his Word as revealed only; Thus it was with the Church at first, In this latter Age he guides it by the Scriptures only; There is no other Word of God, but what is written; In Christ's time there was both, for there were the Books of the Old Testament, and they were Gods written Word, and what Christ while on the Earth did with his own mouth speak to the Church, that was the Revealed Word and Will of God; We read not that Christ wrote any thing but once upon the Ground, and what that was, though there are many and several Conjectures, yet none can certainly tell: But what Christ spoke and did, the Evangelists afterwards being guided infallibly by the divine Spirit of God, did commit to Writing;  
Object. If then you ask, What Word of God it is our Saviour doth here mean?  
I answer, Both the Word that was written, the Scriptures, that were the Oracles of God committed to the Jews, and that Word which he did manifest to his Disciples, of which he had spoken ver. 6.  
Some indeed by Word understand Christ, and it's true that Christ is the Essential Word of God, and so also the Essential Truth, but the Context doth evidence it, that he speaks of the Revealed and Preached Word: Now this is called God's Word, because whether immediately delivered by God; or commanded to be written, It's still God's Word, Speaking and Writing are but accidental to it: It's the same Essential Word, as it is the same man, though he alter his Garment, and the same wine though put in divers Vessels: The Word of God written aught with as much Faith and Reverence to be received, as if God did immediately speak it from Heaven, and though it seem incredible, yet our Saviour confirmeth it, Luke 16.31. that he who doth not believe the Scriptures, the Word of God written would not believe though there were miraculous ways of publishing it.  
In the next place we have the Predicate, its Truth; Interpreters judge this to be taken out of the Psalm 119.151. They are therefore said to be Truth, not true in the Abstract, to show the Fullness and Universality of Truth in them.  

Doct. The Word of God is Truth.  Obs. That the Word of God is Truth.  
This Doctrine if believed may work wonderful changes in the minds and lives of men, for Certainly the Foundation of all Heresy and Impiety, is because God's Word is not received as true; In the Scripture it is often called the Word of Truth, Colos. 1.5. 2 Timoth. 2.15. James 1.18. And sometimes Truth in the Abstract, 1 Peter 1.22. 2 Peter 2.2.  
To Open this Consider, That it's not my purpose at this time to prove the Verity of the Scriptures, I am only to show in what sense, and wherein it is true, and the nature of this Truth.  
We take it for a principle granted by Christians, that the Word of God is true, and although Learned men have by unanswerable Arguments demonstrated the Truth of the Scriptures, yet that was to Heathens and Pagans, or that were not Believers of it; It is true the work is necessary also to those that are Christians, to make their faith more solid, certain, and clear, and the rather because there are some wretched men rose up of late that cry down the Scriptures, and that pretend to be above them, yea, that bid us prove the Scriptures to be God's Word, but I am not to deal with such at this time, Certainly every good Christian having received this principle into him, doth find such authority and Divine Majesty coming from the Word, that he doth no more desire Arguments to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God, than he would have another Sun to see this Sunshine: Austin long ago speaks of such a disposition with great Indignation, O Lord, Thou hast taught me to abhor all such who say, 
In how many particulars God's Word is true.  Vnde scis hos Libros esse Canonicos? This then being laid down as a sure Foundation, Let us proceed to show in how many particulars God's Word is true.  

I. In regard of the efficient Cause God.  And First, It's Truth in regard of the Efficient Cause, God and Christ who are the Author of it, so that the Scripture can no more lie than God or Christ could. The Scriptures than are the Truth of him who is the Supreme Truth, So that as Truth itself cannot be false, so neither can God's Word; Humane Truth is Truth, but yet because every man may err, Therefore we cannot have such a Faith in it, Cui non potest subesse falsum, but when we come unto God's Word, and his Truth, it is impossible that there should he any Error.  

II. It's the Rule of all Truth.  Secondly, It is the Rule of all Truth; That as God is the primum principium essendi, of giving being to all Truth; so the Scripture is the primum principium cognoscendi, the first principle to teach and inform us: The Scripture than is true, because all Divine Truth floweth from that, and every thing is true so far as it is commensurated according to that Rule; Whatsoever men say, whatsoever Reason saith, whatsoever Traditions and Customs say, yet if against Scripture, away with all; This is the Standard of all Truth, all Truth (I say) necessary to Salvation, It is the Christians Metaphysics, Ethics, and Politics, the Rule of all Speculative and Practical Truth, To the Law, and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this, it is because there is no light in them, Isaiah 8.20. Therefore it is so often called a Light unto our Feet; If this principle were kept too; Neither Superstitious Traditions on the one hand, nor subtle Delusions of pretended Revelations on the other hand could ever have molested or troubled the Church.  
Thirdly, It's true materially, that is, all the matter contained therein is true, The Historical part, The Dogmatical part, The moral part, 
III. It's true materially.  The predicting part, all contain un-erring Truth in them, Whatsoever Doctrine is there revealed, it is to be received without any further disputing or ask, How can it be so? The first Truth hath said it, therefore the Understanding must submit; If it be made clear, Thus saith the Lord; then all must yield, and so for the threatenings of it whatsoever God saith against the wicked man, all the evil that is there said to come upon him doubt not of the Truth of it, though for the while a wicked man may live in all ease and jollity; It is not so much a Threatening as the Truth of it that makes it so dreadful, what were the Names of Hell and Damnation, of a Day of Judgement, if there were not Truth in them, and thus the promissory part is full of Truth: Though a Godly man be cast down with many Temptations, weaknesses, and Discouragements, yet the Truth of God's Promises should be a Pillar of Marble to him, and a brazen wall; He may sooner fear the falling of the Heavens, and the removing of the Earth out of its place then doubt in the least of the Truth thereof: Hence God's Word is said to be like Silver seven times refined, So that there is no error, no dross, or falsehood mixed with it: It it true in the matter of the Scripture, in the Historical part especially, there are some appearing Contradictions, and to some Learned men they have been insoluble, but this ariseth from the weakness of our Understanding, not from the Scripture itself: As there is no defect in the Sun because the Owls Eye cannot steadfastly look upon it, yea, as God himself, So the Scriptures, because they have most Truth in them, so are most intelligible, if there were capacious Subjects, as the Sun is Maximè visibilis, if there were a fit Eye to behold it.  
Fourthly, It is true in respect of the Adjunct or quality of it; 
IU. Qualitatively.  Truth is an affection cleaving to a Proposition, and thus the Word of God is true qualitatively, yea, the Truth of the Scripture is affirmed by all to be more firm and strong (though not so evident) then any thing in the world: Those things we receive by Reason or by Sense, are nothing so true and firm as those that we receive by Faith: It is said indeed, that all Truth consists in indivisibili, and so nothing can be truer than another; This is graeted in respect of Truth itself, But then if you do regard the Foundation, or the Cause of Truth, so is one more certain than another; Thus all the Truths of Faith are transcendent to those of Reason and Sense; We are more securely to rest in what God saith then in what we know or feel, and the reason is because the Truth of these latter things is founded only upon a Creature, but of the former upon a Creator, upon God himself: Oh that we did thus believe God's word! what manner of persons should we be; who could terrify the Godly? who could trouble their Spirits, if this were received? And for the wicked, with what Fear and Trembling would he go up and down? Oh the Scripture is true that speaks against such sins, that discovers my wickedness, it is so true I cannot deny it.  
Fifthly, It is true Instrumentally, Because the Spirit of God directs us into all Truth, and this is chiefly the intendment here; 
V. It's true Instrumentally.  The Scripture is in God's hand, and by the Spirits working leadeth us into all Truth, we are all in darkness till the Scripture like the Sun doth arise; Man liveth in Errors, he is nothing but a Lie, till the Scripture inform, but though the Scripture doth shine, yet as the Sun cannot make a blind man to see, so neither doth the Scripture of itself, till God give a Seeing Eye.  
The Scripture works only Objectively, but the Spirit of God Subjectively, preparing and fitting a man by it; So that as to an Archer there are two things that are necessary, The Mark to aim at, and an Eye to see: What could an Archer do without Eyes? Thus it is with us in all our Actions: The Scripture that is the Mark, and therefore Sin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it misseth of the Mark, and then the Spirit of God that must give the Eye, Light, and Wisdom unto the Understanding: The Scripture than is Truth, because by it God's Spirit doth direct and lead us into all Truth.  

There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain to without the Scripture.  Now there is a threefold Truth that we cannot attain unto without the Scripture.  

1. True Doctrine.  
2. True Piety and godliness.  
3. True Consolation and Comfort.   
The want of the first Truth causeth Error and Heresy, The want of the second Hypocrisy and profaneness, The want of the third Distrust and Despair, and happy is that man who hath this threefold Truth, and indeed one begets the other, True doctrine begets true Godliness, and true Godliness true Consolation.  

1. True Doctrine.  For the first, Only by this Truth are we guided into true Doctrine, whatsoever is brought in contrary or beside this, though he were an Angel he is to be accursed, Galat. 1. This is the Rule, and so what is not according to this must be oblique and crooked: Therefore never expect Truth from that man who is not diligent in the Scriptures, the Rule of Truth: This hath been the Cause why most Heretics have either accused or despised the Authority of the Scriptures, because they know that this Sun and their darkness could not consist together; They saw their Doctrines, and the Scripture could no more stand by each other than the Ark and Dagon; Therefore they would rather fall out with Scripture then with their own Opinions, as if their own hearts and Consciences were more infallible than the Bible, and as if they were not to be made conformable unto the Scripture, but the Scripture to them.  

2. True Piety.  2. Only by the Scripture do we come to true Piety and Godliness; You see in this Text Sanctification is by the Truth, and James 1.18. God doth beget us by the Word of Truth, and many times David doth commend the Word of God for this Effect, that it forwarneth man of Sin, That it giveth the Simple Understanding, and that even young men may be cleansed from their lusts by taking heed to God's Word, Psalm 119. We see by these Texts that there is no Regeneration or true Reformation but what is wrought by and through the Scripture; Therefore Conversion is called the writing of God's Law in a man's heart, So that this makes it clear, that though many Heretics may live civil and externally Religious Lives, yet they have no true Godliness, for false Doctrine begets false Piety, when there is falsum in Intellectu, that must necessarily produce malum in voluntate; And the Reason is plain, because Godliness is nothing but Truth incorporated, Truth digested, Truth put into practice; It is God's Law in the heart (as you heard;) Hence as Poison can never nourish a man, or afford good Health, So neither can any false Doctrine help to any true Piety or Holiness: Men may have seeming Devotions, but as the Serpent though it shines and glisters, yet is full of inward Poison, so whatsoever external Acts of Piety, Zeal and Charity Heretical men may put forth, yet by them they cannot be Sanctified if their Errors be Fundamental: It was Jeromes Speech, Rarò Hereticus fuit pudicus, and Vbi malè creditur, ibi nec benè vivitur; but that is not to be always understood of their External Conversation, for many Heretics have been admirable in their Externals: They have had a Sheeps-clothing upon them, and like the Panther have alured others, because of their colour, till they had devoured them: Know thy Error will make thee more proud, loose, and it may be at last outwardly profane and contemning of Integrity, for God will not bless any thing that is not of his own Institution to spiritual Ends.  
3. Only by the Scriptures come true Consolations, So the Apostle, 
3. True Consolation.  Through the Consolation of the Scriptures, 2 Corin. 1. No man hath true solid Joy but the true Orthodox Godly man: It is true, that as the devil may transform himself into an Angel of Light, of Truth, So also of Consolation, and many Erroneous persons in their way have a great deal of comfort and joy, yea, they have said they never had so much peace and case as since they have taken up such ways, but as their Piety was a counterfeit one, so is their joy; The holy Ghost that leads into Truth, and is the Author of Sanctification, makes such only to rejoice in him, and gives them this Fruit of the Spirit.  
6. The Scripture is said to be true oppositely to all the Opinions, Doctrines, 
VI The Scripture is true oppositely to all the Opinions, Doctrines, and Religions that men set up by their own fancy.  and Religions which men set up by their own fancy; For every man is said to be a Liar, and the Antichristian Doctrines which many are delivered up to believe, are called a lie by the Apostle, 2 Thes. 2.11. Turkism, Paganism is a lie, Popery, Heresy are Lies; Though they may be never so much pleasing to flesh and blood; Though men carried by humane Arguments may dote on them, as they did about Diana's Temple, yet all is a lie, yea, in practical things whatsoever seduceth thee to do otherwise then God's Word commandeth, this is false, Sin lieth, the world lieth, the devil lieth, for all that they do is contrary to God's Word; That saith; What will it profit a man to win the whole world, and lose his soul, Mar. 8 36. That saith the pleasures of sin are but for a season, Luk 13.3. Now thou wilt not believe this Truth, but thou hearkenest to the world, to thy own heart, and all these betray thee and lie to thee.  
Therefore let the Use be to persuade and assure thyself of Scripture-truths', walk and live according to the directions thereof.   

SERMON XCIII. The transcendent Properties of the Scripture.  JOHN 17.17. Thy Word is Truth. 

The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture.  IN what sense the word of God is said to be truth, we have declared. Let us now come to the Properties of it. And  
1. It's the truth of God, a divine truth. In the Text it's called thy truth;  

1. It's the truth of God.  So that Divine Truth must needs transcend Humane or Natural Truths, as much as God is above man. In humane Authorities, we say, Thus saith Aristotle, Thus saith Plato, or thus say such Fathers and Counsels, but in divine things, we must say, Thus saith the Lord; for because it's divine, or of God, it hath an immediate dominion and awe upon the conscience: So that whereas in humane Authorities and Philosophical Disputes, we may boldly argue against them, we may bring our videtur quod sic, and quod non, yet where truth comes to us as from God, there must be an immediate submission, though our reason and sense and all the world should contradict, yet we must say, here is a greater than a Pythagoras here, Deus dixit: Therefore observe, the Prophets they do often repeat this, Thus saith the Lord, because nothing could amaze and humble their hearers so much, as that God said it; and indeed when once it's received as God's truth, than the heart doth readily obey, as 1 Thess. 2.13. you may there see wherein the truth preached doth work in its due and proper manner, even when it's received, not as the word of man, but of God. Divine truth will have divine operations, but when received as man's truth, it hath but humane effects, such as Tully's Orations, or Demosthenes had upon their auditors, which is like the influence of the Moon, that doth not give true heat and life, but the word of God works like the Sun, not only in respect of penetrating light, reaching into all the inwards of the soul, but also vivifical heat. It makes men live a spiritual and heavenly life, whereas moral truths help only to an external honesty. It's true, that which Ambrose said, Omnis veritas est à Spiritu sancto, Every truth is of the holy Ghost, even natural and humane truths are. But as God is the author of nature, and yet of grace in a more special way: so the Spirit of God is the author of all truth; but in a more peculiar manner of Scripture truths: Therefore all Scripture is said to be given by inspiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. Consider then, the truths we deliver you out of God's word are his truth. Thus saith the Lord against the heretical person, Thus saith the Lord against the profane person: Oh if it were only men that say thus, it might be easily rejected, but it's God that speaks it, and therefore none may oppose!  

2. It's infallible.  2. Because its God's truth, therefore it's infallible; it's so certain, that we can never be deceived, whosoever believed according to Scripture, and lived according to Scripture, that a man was never confounded or ashamed, he will never have cause to wish, Oh that he had taken another way! Oh that I had done otherwise! Thus David, Psal. 119. Then I shall not be confounded, when I have respect to all thy Commandments. Have a conscientious respect to God's Word in thy Religion, and in thy conversation, this will prove infallible, this is the Israelites cloud, and pillar upon their Tabernacle, we are to go when that goeth, we are to stand still, when that stands still; This is the Star that will certainly guide us to Christ; All divine faith is infallible; in Philosophy, in humane Authorities we may be deceived, but in the Scripture we cannot. Venture all upon the truth of Scripture, it will never deceive thee, when thou wilt find Satan and the world liars.  
3. It's an eternal Truth; Even as God doth abide for ever, so will his truth, 
3. Eternal.  Mat. 5. Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away then one iota or tittle of it. Truth will abide when these heavens and earth shall not abide at least not in the same manner as they are now, and excellently to this purpose speaks 1 Pet. 1.23, 24, 25. being born of the incorruptible word of God, for all flesh is grass, but the word of God abideth for ever; and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you, Scripture-truth abideth for ever, whereas all errors and false ways, though they have overflowed for a while, yet presently they withered again. What is become of the Manichees, Arrians, Pelagians, Nestorians, and those thousands of Heretics? They had a time of glory, a show in the world, but then died, neither lamented nor desired; Scripture-truth will prevail, even as Christ the essential Truth. As the Sun will at last get the better of all clouds and foggy mists, and cannot always be in an eclipse; so it's with the truth of God. All errors are like men, mortal, they pass away; if any error be so strong as to hold to threescore years, it begins like man to be full of pain and sorrow; They are compared to hay and stubble, these will not long continue; They are like David's rich and great men in the world, like the grass upon the house top, not only homo, but haereticus est bulla; Truth will continue in the field, when all errors will lie prostrate and conquered, and have no other burial, but that of an Ass, as that despised King had.  
4. It's an universal Truth, within the bounds of Religion; I do not say, 
4. Universal.  that all philosophical and mathematical truths are in the Scripture, but all soulsaving truths are, as 2 Tim. 3. The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation. There is nothing for doctrine, or for practice, but that can guide thee. This sufficiency and perfection of Scripture-truth, we do justly maintain against the Papists, who as they foolishly set up their lighted tapers at noonday, so they add their traditions to the Scripture; but it's often said, we may neither add to it, nor detract from it: therefore it's abundantly sufficient: Now it's good with Tertullian, to adore this fullness of the Scripture for thy faith and doctrine, to believe as thou readest, to worship God as thou readest: As the child in the womb is nourished only by the mother, through her nourishing: Thus the Church of God is instructed, nourished and enlivened only from God by the Scriptures. We read the Manna fell from heaven, but there fell a dew before it to constringe and bind the earth: Thus truth falls from God, but the Scripture is like the dew to keep it together, that it may be for our use; Let not then tradition, custom, antiquity, multitudes, nor such Gorgon's heads lifted up by men terrify thee, but follow the word in thy faith and worship, where that stands still, do not thou go further, where that goeth, do not thou stand still. And as for faith, so for thy life, know that hath all practical truth in it, necessary to salvation, that teacheth, and that only, how to repent, how to be converted, how to believe in Christ, how to pray, how to hear, how to be in the world, yet to have a conversation in heaven. That teacheth thee how to be godly in thy relations, a godly father, a godly child, a godly master, a godly servant. Now this most people are greatly faulty in, they will be of no Religion, but what the Scripture commands, yet they will live otherwise, and do otherwise. When thou seest an heretic thou will bring Scripture against him; And is not Scripture against thy profaneness and impiety? as well as there are damnable heresies, so are there damnable wickednesses in men's lives.  

5. Supernatural.  5. It's a supernatural Truth. Many of the truths revealed in Scripture are such, as no Plato's, no Aristotle's, no wisdom of man, though raised beyond solomon's, could ever have attained unto, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, of the Nature, Person, and Office of Christ, of the Resurrection, of a day of Judgement, and the state of men afterwards. The former of these especially could never be discovered by natural light; even Adam though created after God's image, yet needed a revelation of these. We have no innate or acquired knowledge about them, and though many worthy Divines have endeavoured to prove the Trinity by reason and humane similitudes, yet the surest and most evident way is the Scripture; so that we may say of them all, which Austin speaks of one of them, viz. Of Christ's being God and man, If you can give a reason, it would not be mirabile, and if an example, it would not be singular. It's true, there are many things in Scripture, which we know by natural reason, as that there is a God, but the knowledge by reason is nothing so evident and firm, as that by Revelation; so that the truth of God, being in the chiefest parts of it supernatural: It's no wonder, that the wisest Heathens became vain in their imaginations, and that their greatest Religion, was their highest impiety, and within the Church. The more men have forsaken Scripture, and pleased corrupt reason in the doctrinal part, and corrupt fancies in the worshipping part; They have been very erroneous and absurd; hence the truth of God is called a mystery, and said to be revealed, because man's reason could no more attain unto it, than a dwarf can reach to the heavens, Zacheus must get upon this Tree to see Christ: Hence no others have been able to endure the glorious lustre of the Scripture, because errors are natural, the Scripture supernatural. All heresies have run up and down from one age to another, like Cain fearing lest every Text of Scripture should kill them: Do not then judge of Scripture-truths by thy carnal reason? The work is above thy natural understanding.  

6. A holy truth  6. It's a godly holy Truth; The holy Scriptures they are called, and well may they be so called, for nothing is a stronger argument to demonstrate the Divine Authority of Scriptures, than the holiness thereof. Take all the moral books in the world, they do as much come short of the holiness of the Scripture, as coals do of the glory of the Sun. Plutarch, Seneca, Epictetus, these will teach you to have the clean skin of morality, but not the inward life and sound vitals of holiness; What transcendent holiness doth the Scripture teach us? such as the men of the world know not; Holiness in our natures, first of all, Regeneration, neither the name nor the nature of it, was known amongst the Heathens, they knew not man's natural pollution, neither did they see a necessity of such an internal renovation.  
Again, Such holy duties the Scriptures teach, that not only the doctrinal, but the practical part of it, is a mystery to flesh and blood, such are faith in Christ, love to our enemies, self-denial, and a readiness to take up the Cross. Many of these duties are accounted folly and madness by wise men after the flesh. It teacheth an heavenly life, fellowship and communion with God, to do all things from holy principles, and to holy ends; so that the holiness that is in the truth of Scriptures should much affect us. But oh how few read and delight in the Scriptures, because of the holiness in them? You read them for dispute, or to know the History, and to be able to hold up Arguments; but who is there, that thinketh this, the truths of Scripture are holy? They are to make heavenly and pure, they will forewarn of sin, they quicken to grace, they inflame to faith and love: Oh mind this, all Scripture-truth is for holiness! As meat is not to be looked upon, but eaten and digested.  

7. A precious truth.  7. They are precious excellent Truths, and therefore compared by David to fine gold, and by Solomon preferred above all jewels, Prov. 3.15. The Apostle also compareth true Doctrine to gold, silver and precious stones, 1 Cor. 3.12. and they are called precious promises, as a precious faith, 2 Pet. 1.1, 4. These show in what high degree and dignity the truths of Scripture should be with us. Austin said, Veritas Christianorum was incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum; If they did strive about her, How much more ought we for the truth of God? The Prophet complained of old, None pleaded for the truth, Isa 59 4. neither were valiant for the truth, Jer. 9.3. The truths then of the Scripture should be more unto us, than any earthly comforts whatsoever: You see Christ makes this one main end of his coming into the world, to bear witness unto the truth, John 18 37. Ann thus the Martyrs, they thought God's truth more worth than their lives, and how many millions have willingly endured the worst of deaths, to bear witness to the truths of the Scripture? So that it's very strange, how such a spirit of delusion should be upon men, to make no matter of true Doctrine, to think Heresies and Errors are nothing. Certainly, the godly Martyrs, that burnt at the stake, had other thoughts of it; and the Scripture doth commend it as the great mercy of God unto a people: Therefore God promiseth Jer. 33.6. He will reveal abundance of peace and truth; and in many places, truth is still joined unto peace, as if all the peace and earthly advantages in the world were nothing, if we might not have the truths of God also. Therefore the Apostle John told that elect Lady, He had no greater joy, then to see her children walking in the truth; and the Spirit of God is promised, as the greatest mercy we can have, John 16.13. That he will guide us into all truth. Natural truth is precious, What pains and travel have many used to find that out? They have dispossessed themselves of their goods to find it out; yea they have been so ravished in the contemplation thereof, that they have forgotten to eat their bread, and have wholly neglected themselves, and all pleasure. Hence in their Sacrifices to Apollo, whom the Heathens made God of truth, they cried out, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Truth is sweet, Truth is sweet. Truth is the natural food to the soul, as meat is to the body; but then divine supernatural truth, which doth so immediately concern our salvation and eternal happiness, how precious and dear should that be to us? In other things ignorance is not damnable, but here to miss of the truth is to fall into destruction. It profits not a man to measure the heavens and the motions thereof. To understand all the Laws of Nations, with their cases thereupon; or with Solomon, to be able to speak of the nature of all things, if a man want the knowledge of Scripture-truths.  
Lastly, This truth, though precious, 
8. A bitter truth.  yet because it's opposite to a corrupt heart, It's very bitter, and makes most men enemies to it. It's a truth requiring holiness, hatred of sin, mortification of lusts; and because it's so, therefore the vain corrupt hearts of men love errors and lies, or deceits by the devil and sin, rather than the truth of Scripture. Thus Christ John 8.40. told the Pharisees, They thought to kill him, because he told them the truth. And Paul, Gal. 4.16. Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? The Ministers of this truth are compared to light that is offensive to sore eyes, and salt that doth grieve and vex the wounded man. Indeed truth, if rightly considered, is not grievous, but to do otherwise then obey truth. It's not the threatening of hell and damnation, that should be so grievous, but the punishments themselves. They cried out of our Saviour, saying, It was an hard speech, of what he had spoken, but it's an harder thing to lie roaring in hell-flames to all eternity.  
Use. Is the word of God thus Truth, then be possessed and filled with it? Let truth be in your minds, truth in your hearts, truth in your lives; Take heed of all errors and heresies, they oppose the Doctrinal Truths of the Scripture: Take heed of all profaneness and impiety, they oppose the practical Truths: Oh remember, if God's word be truth, than woe be to thee, thou art in a lying way, in a seduced and damnable way; Only know it's not enough to have a general knowledge of Scripture-truths', but endeavour after a particular practical discerning of them; The Scripture calls it knowing the Truth as it is in Jesus, Eph. 4.21. and the acknowledging of the truth after godliness, Tit. 1.1. Tantum scimus, quantum operamur; We know no more in God's account than we put in practice; Take heed then of being in the number of those Rom. 1.18. who hold the Truth in unrighteousness; Say as the Apostle in his Ministry, 2 Cor. 13.18. So thou in thy whole particular conversation, I can do nothing against the Truth, but for it; This would be a Preservative every way.   

SERMON XCIV. How requisite a sound mind and a holy life are to a Minister of the Gospel; And of Christ's peculiar love to, and care of such.  JOH. 17.18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world. 
THis Verse begins a New Argument or Reason why the Apostles need Sanctification by the Truth; It's drawn not from the general Consideration as they are Believers, but from the particular Relation they were in, commissionated with Office to preach the Truth of God.  
Before I enter upon the words, the Coherence of this Argument with the Petition doth deserve some Consideration, though the particle of Connexion be not expressed, yet it is to be supposed, howsoever this followeth next in order upon that Petition, and therefore there cannot be but Coherence of the matter.  
I shall not trouble you with the Conjectures of Interpreters, but pitch on that which is easily acknowledged to be very genuine and plain.  
And first, Whereas Sanctification by the Truth is desired for the Apostles, because they were to be Officers in the Church, and Ministers of the Gospel: Whence Observe,  

Doct. Truth and holiness are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel.  That Truth and Holiness are requisite in the Ministers of the Gospel; Sanctify them by thy Truth; Why? because they are sent to preach the Gospel, and they have thy Authority; This is the reason why Christ though he called his Apostles immediately from their worldly calling, yet it was two years, as Chemnitius in his Harmony computeth, ere he sent them out to preach, but kept them in his Family, and under his Instruction, that so they might attain both to true Doctrine and an holy Life; This was represented Exod. 28.30. by the Vrim and Thummim, which were to be on the Breastplate, Light and Perfection, sound Doctrine and Integrity of Life; Hence the Apostle in the Qualification of Ministers requireth doctrinal abilities, that he be apt to teach, and can divide the Word of God aright, as also many practical Qualifications for holy and unblamable life, 1 Tim. 3.2. The Scripture compareth the Ministers of God to Stars, and that both for their light and purity, differing (as Philosophers say) from the substance of sublunary things.  
1. Let us Consider the Grounds why they are to be endowed with Truth, 
Why it is requisite Ministers should be endowed with soundness of judgement.  and to have a sound mind.  
And first, From the Quality of the Office; Their Office is to preach the Truth; They are appointed to declare the Word of God, and that only not humane Inventions, not the thoughts of their own heart, for if Christ himself avoucheth this, that his doctrine was not his own, but his that sent him, and doth still refer all to the Father that sent him, how much more ought the Ministers of God to declare what they read, and what they have received of God by the Scriptures, not their own conceits; Thus the Prophets of old began their Sermons with Thus saith the Lord, and the Apostles begin their Epistles with their call and office, Apostles and Servants of God; Seeing therefore they have such an Office and Trust that requireth in the very Essentials of it nothing but Truth, they ought earnestly to pray for it; They are called the Light and the Salt of the Earth; Now if the Light be dark all the body is dark; If Salt hath lost his Seasoning, it's good for nothing; By their Office they are to be the Ministers of Truth, as Paul said, I can do nothing against the Truth, but for it, 2 Corinth. 13.8. This is a Minister after Gods own Heart that is thus qualified.  
Secondly, Truth is necessary if you do respect the subordination of their Office; Christ hath not sent them to be Masters and Lords over men's Faith, to propound their own Dictates, and to anathematise such as do not immediately obey, No, They have a Ministerial not a Magisteriall Office, for though in respect of the people they are Guides and Overseers, and Shepherds, yet in respect of God they are Ministers and Servants; They are under Christ the Head, and so must not deliver any thing but what they have received; They may not make Articles of Faith, they cannot appoint the worship of God, They cannot institute new Sacraments: It's spiritual Treason in them to do: this They are like the skilful Gemmary that doth not make the Jewel, only by his skill doth discover which is true, or like Solomon that did not make the true Child, but by his Wisdom did manifest it, So the Ministers of the Gospel though never so Learned, never so holy, yet they of their own authority cannot make any new Truth or new Ordinance, Therefore they are compared to Ambassadors that are bound up by their Commission; To Stewards not Masters in the House; The Scripture is called God's Testament or Will, Now the Lawyer may not add or take away from it, though he hath never so much skill and knowledge, it would be sinful forgery in him to do so; Thus Beloved, we Ministers are bound up to God's Word as that last Will: he hath appointed how he will have his Church governed, how it must believe, how it must worship, and it must be high Sacrilege to add or detract from it; Therefore if Scripture-truths' be thought too much above Reason; if they be thought too strict or precise, to contrary to flesh and blood, blame not us; It's not our truth, we did not make the Bible, It's not our Scripture.  
Thirdly, Truth is necessary to them, if you do regard the Effects of the Ministry, or the Ends why God hath appointed it, and certainly the Sun may as well be without Light and Heat, as the Ministers of the Gospel be without Truth.  
One main effect is Conversion and Regeneration; to make men reform their lives upon just and holy Grounds. This can never be without Truth, James cap. 1. He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth; Lies and false Doctrines can no more convert then dirt can make clean, than darkness can give Light: An erroneous or heretical Minister may pervert many but not convert, he may subvert the Souls of thousands, he may glory in this, and rejoice in the multitude of Disciples, but all this while they are sent of the devil, and they do his work, destroy souls; The Ministers of God are like public Springs if they be performed, instead of refreshing, they kill, instead of giving the bread of life, they give stones and serpents.  
2. Another Effect of the Ministry is to promote the work of grace begun; It's to water where any Seed is sown, as Ephes. 4.11. to bring us to a full stature in Christ; Now a Minister without Truth can no more help forward the growth of the Godly than a dead Mother can nurse her Child; We increase in grace, by the same way we are converted, and therefore they who think by an erroneous Ministry to advance their Heavenly Life, do as if an hungry man should get up to an high Hill, and think by swallowing down the wind to live and grow stronger.  
A Third Effect of the Ministry is to direct and guide the tempted and troubled Soul, to speak a word in season to him; But now a Minister without Truth is like a Physician without skill, Come to the diseased wounded Soul that lieth under this doubt and that Case of Conscience, he knoweth not how to direct him, yea, such do more trouble the godly, as God complaineth of the False Prophets, Eze. 13.22. they made sad the heart of the Righteous, whom God would not have made sad.  
4. A great Effect of the Ministry is to prevent Errors and false Doctrines, at appeareth, Eph. 4. That we henceforth be not led aside with every wind of doctrine; Men destitute of solid grace are as apt to be carried away with errors, as chaff with the wind; A sound Ministry is appointed to reprove these, as the Sun is to dispel darkness, but if the Minister be seduced himself by error, how can he lead others into the Truth? Will not our Saviour's Proverb be made good, the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch; Thus you see the necessity of Truth.  

Why Ministers must be holy.  In the next place there must be Thummim as well as the Vrim; There must be burning as well as a shining light, as John Baptist was: and holiness of life is required of the Minister.  
1. For his own sake, his condemnation will be the greater, for he sinneth against greater light and knowledge, he knoweth his master's will, he sinneth against a peculiar engagement, because he is bound to draw nigh to God; Oh the confusion that will be when he hath preached to others, he himself to become a Castaway; Attend to thyself and to thy doctrine, to life, 1 Tim. 4.16. as well as studies, Such are like the water in baptism that after it hath been in a Sacramental way is thrown into the kennel; No condemnation like theirs, they are from the pinnacle of the Temple thrown headlong into hell.  
2. In respect of others, For a godly life is a Testimony to confirm the Truth we preach, when we preach there is a God, there is a day of judgement, and live accordingly, this confirmeth to all, that we ourselves believe it to be a Truth, an holy life is like a miracle to confirm our doctrine; As the Apostles were endowed with Miracles to establish the Truth they preached, they could cast out devils, tread upon Serpents, and take no hurt, if they did eat any deadly thing; Thus it is a wonderful thing to confirm the Truths we preach, when though we live in the temptations of sin, and tread upon Serpents, yet acquire no spiritual hurt to our souls.  
3 Our holy life will awe and keep in fear the Consciences of wicked men; Not only powerful and sound preaching but conscientious and unblamable living will awe men's Consciences; Why did Herod fear and reverence John Baptist, though he was a King? but because he was a just and a holy man, Mark 6.20. Thy godly mouth will stop their mouths and convince their consciences.  
Lastly, The necessity of it doth appear by the devil's policy, who hath always stirred up Instruments to traduce their lives, to lay such things to their charges as they were never guilty of, and why? because if that be once received, that they are wicked hypocrites, they can never do any good; Christ's life was traduced, that he was a friend to sinners, that he kept company with Publicans; You see they quarrelled even at his life; Athanasius was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians, and this hath always been the custom of the devil and his Instruments to throw so much dirt and mire upon the godly Ministers of Christ, that men have not known what they are; I could tell you what the Papists say about Luther and Calvin, that you might think they were the vilest Monsters that lived, and this is because a godly life is a great conviction in the world, and aweth even the Enemy's Conscience.  
Use of Instruction, What is the duty of people even to follow Christ? 
Use.  In this Prayer, he being to send out his Apostles, this he desireth as a chief thing, Truth and Godliness, a sound mind, and a godly heart, and the Apostles thought this to be of so great a consequence that when Ministers were ordained and set apart to the work, They spent that day in fasting and prayers; You cannot discover wicked and ungodly men better than in this, they care not what a Ministry they live under, or whether they have any at all; The more erroneous, the more profane and loose he is, they like him the better; Is this to pray as Christ did for thy Sanctification? God makes it a great judgement when he removeth faithful and wise Pastors, and sendeth foolish and wicked men in their rooms.  
2. Where God doth settle a Ministry rightly qualified, prise it for the works sake, See whether the Ministry hath been a converting, instructing, and edifying Ministry to thee, Fear lest thou lie under a spiritual Curse or some Soul-judgements, that so no preaching can do thee any good.  
A second doctrine observable from the Coherence of the Apostles mission, with Christ's Petition is,  
That Christ hath a peculiar love and special care of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way; 

T Doct. 2. That Christ hath a peculiar love of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way.  
In what particular Christ's care is showed to his Ministers.   Such as are sent by him are under his proper care and protection, he doth not only pray for the Apostles as believers, but as in that office,  
To open this, Consider in what particulars his care is shown to his Ministers.  
And 1. It is to guide and lead them into the Truth, instructing them with wisdom and ability to that work, Christ calls none to his work, but he giveth them answerable abilities; Though the Apostles were at first ignorant and illitera●●, yet how gloriously did he furnish them with gifts and power to do Miracles before he sent them to preach unto the world; Now though the Officers of Christ in their Succession have not the promise of such infallibility, yet because of their office and call, they discharging their duty, and using the means God hath appointed, God will more peculiarly go along with them, and bless them then private Christians, else why should the Scripture give them the name of Guides and Light? Why should he command the people to submit themselves to them, and that he who despiseth them despiseth God, for though these places prove not infallibility, yet they do, that God hath appointed this orderly way, and that he who would expect God's blessing must make use of their guidance and Ministry.  
2. Christ's peculiar Love is seen in clothing them with inward strength, and corroborating of them so by zeal and heavenly fortitude, that they will discharge their Duty though men rage and oppose; The Apostle speaks excellently to this purpose, 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of powar, love, and a sound mind, Therefore he must not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord; Paul he desires the Philippians, to pray for him, that he may preach the Word boldly; God promiseth Jeremiah to make his forehead like brass, and not to be afraid of wicked men; And thus Micah cried out, I am full of the power of God to tell Jacob his transgressions. Mic. 3.8.  
3. God is wonderful in protecting and defending them in the midst of their wicked Enemies; Hence Christ is said to hold these Stars in his right hand, Rev. 1.17. and the prayer of Christ must needs be heard which he instanceth in in this Chater, They are not of the world, and the world hateth them, therefore he prayeth God would keep them, and it's wonderful to see how God hath preserved his faithful Ministers in all ages, though some have died for the Truth.  
Lastly, He is with them in blessing their labours, and giving increase to their planting and watering, as Christ promised, I will be with you to the end of the world; By their labours he pulls down the Kingdom of Satan; As soon as the Apostles preached Satan began to fall like Lightning from Heaven.  
Now the Grounds of this peculiar love are,  
1. Because they have the same general call and Office, as Christ himself hath; As thou hast sent me, I have sent them; Though there be many particular differences, yet in the general they agree; Christ was sent to publish the Word of God to bear witness to the Truth; and because of this the world opposed him, reviled him, and he endured great contradiction of sinners; It was therefore Christ's own case, and then he will pity such as are tempted like him.  
2. It's his work and employment they are about, They go out in his Authority, They act in his Name, They preach him as the Messias, They endeavour to bring all into Obedience to him, and therefore he will have a tender special care over them.  
3. Their work is a difficult and dangerous work; The Office is if faithfully discharged contrary to the lusts and ways of all men; No wicked man can love a true and godly Ministry, no more than soar eyes can endure the Sun.  
Use of Encouragement to the godly Minister, to go on with his work, maugre all the opposition and contempt of wicked men; It's not their work but Christ's, They are not their own but Christ's, Let them not fear while he is at their right hand.  
Use 2. How grievous a sin it is to oppose and set against the Ministry of God, and that when faithfully discharging their duty, because they preach the Truth, and press to a godly life, this enrageth thee: To such they are commanded to shake off the dust of their feet.   

SERMON XCV. Of Christ's Mission to the Office of a Mediator.  JOHN 17.18. As thou hast sent me into the world, so also have I sent them into the world. 
HAving considered of the Coherence of this Text with the preceding. We come now to the Argument, or Matter itself, and that is taken from the peculiar Relation and Office, that they are put in.  
Now this their Office is described,  
1. From the Nature and Quality of it, It's a sending. They did not of themselves intrude into it, or go without a Call, but they were sent.  
2. There is the Efficient Cause, or the Person sending, I sent them (saith Christ.)  
3. There is the Subject, who were sent, and that is the Disciples.  
4. The Term to which, of their sending, and that is into the world.  
Lastly, Here is the Example and Pattern, Even as the Father sent me into the world. Not that there is the same likeness in every particular, but in the general, they both agree in this, that they have a Call from God.  
I shall treat in order, and first begin with Christ's mission, which is made the Pattern of the Apostles, and do observe,  
That Christ was sent of the Father, and did not of himself undertake that Office, 
Observe. Christ was sent of the Father, and did not of himself undertake that office; he was employed in, while on the earth.  he was employed in, while on earth. Christ himself would not be the Prophet, Priest or King of his Church without a Call, or Commission from the Father thereunto. Hence in John's Gospel, he doth so exceeding often mention this, That his Father sent him, still resolving his Doctrine, his Authority, his Will and Works into him that sent him. Therefore not only the twelve Apostles are called so, but Christ himself is called an Apostle, Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and Highpriest of our profession, Christ Jesus. An Apostle is as much as one that is sent; and thus Christ is there called an Apostle; and therefore some make a mystery in that John 9.7. when Christ cured the blind man, he bids him, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent, saith the Evangelist, as if hereby our Saviour would teach, that he was the Messias, that was to be sent into the world. That our Saviour did expect a sending, or a Call, appeareth notably Heb. 5 4. No man taketh this honour upon himself, but he that is called, speaking of the Priesthood; 
Of Christ's Commission consider these things.  and so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an Highpriest.  
But let us explain this, for this truth is profitable unto us, seeing it was for us, that he was sent. And  
First, Consider, that though the three Persons are equal in Nature and Dignity, they are all God and infinitely blessed for evermore, yet the Scripture doth represent unto us an order in their operations ad extra to us-ward, especially in the work of our Redemption, one operation is appropriated to the Father, another to the Son, and another to the holy Ghost. To the Father is constantly applied the sending of Christ his Son into the world, as at the second verse of this Chapter, Gal. 4.4. In the fullness of time God sent forth his Son; and 1 John 4.9. it's the Father that sends him: So that the original of all our peace and salvation is the love of the Father.  
2. That which is appropriated to the Son, is to be sent; To be the Person that shall procure our Redemption. And  
3. To the holy Ghost, that he is sent both by the Father and the Son, for the application of those benefits which he shall procure for us: Therefore the Father is said to send him, Joh. 14.16. and Christ saith, He will send him, Joh. 16 7. Thus he is called, The Spirit of Christ, as well as the spirit of God, because now he is sent by Christ as a Mediator. The holiness in Adam was wrought by the Spirit of God, as the third Person in the Trinity, absolutely considered, but now it causeth holiness in believers, relatively as the Spirit of Christ; So that in God's dispensations about man's salvation, there is an appropriated order in the operations of the three Persons.  
Secondly, The mission or sending of Christ here spoken of, doth not relate to him, as the second Person, but as he is Mediator, for so as he is the Son of God, he is not sent but begotten, And thus the Scripture when it speaks of him in that respect, calleth him, The only begotten Son of God; but this mission is in time, and of a voluntary dispensation, whereas the other was natural and of eternity, Christ was always the Son of God, but not always sent to be the Mediator of his Church, unless in the purpose and decree of God: So that this sending of Christ respects him as God and man, and denoteth that incarnation of his, with the discharge of all those duties, that thereby he undertook.  
Thirdly, Gods sending of him, doth signify the authoritative Mission and calling of him to that work. The Apostle diligently presseth this, Heb. 5.5. that Christ glorified not himself, but was called by God to his Priesthood, called of God to be ● Priest after the order of Melohisedech; yea Ch. 7.21. the Apostle presseth this, that he was made an Highpriest by an oath, The Lord swore, and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever: And certainly, this must needs be of great comfort to us, when we shall read that Christ was so solemnly invested with this power to forgive sins, to sanctify our natures, to procure our salvation. Things that are done by those that have not a Call, are said to be null and invalid, they have not powerful efficacy and success, but Christ was authorized by God to be thy Saviour, he had his Commission to do it, he would not take this work in hand, till he was called unto it.  
Fourthly, The Father did not only call him thus to this wonderful employment, but he did qualify and fit him with all abilities for that work, he poured out his Spirit upon his humane nature without measure. So that as those in the Old Testament, when called to any Office were anointed: Thus Christ had not a temporal, but a spiritual Unction, Psal 45.7. there God is said to anoint him with the oil of gladness; Therefore Joh. 6.27. the Father is said to have sealed him to this work. Thus Christ acknowledgeth, when he saith, a body thou hast prepared for me; the meaning is, he had an universal fitness for the work; and this also is of great comfort, that Christ is not only called to be our Saviour, but he is qualified with all sufficiency thereunto; there is nothing that a poor humbled sinner could desire in a Saviour, but there is a treasury of it in him, Col. 1. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell: Oh then, why do not the people of God believe more firmly, and walk more comfortably? What do they want, which is not in this Christ? Shall Christ send his Officers to work, and endue them with proportionable power, and shall not the Father send him with all fitness and fullness to that work?  
Fifthly, In that Christ is said to be sent, there is implied, that the fountain from which our salvation doth arise, is the mere goodwill and pleasure of God the Father. So that although our Justification, Sanctification and Glorification be to be attributed to the merits of Christ, and it's for Christ's sake that we enjoy them, yet the sending of Christ into the world, and giving him to become our Mediator, is wholly from the absolute good pleasure of God; Christ did not merit his Incarnation, he did not merit that he should be sent into the world: No, this is said to be God's love; Not that hereby we are to make comparisons, as if the second Person loved us less than the first, as the Socinian would divide, but to admire the great love of either in their distinct operations. That conceit also is vain of some, that say, God upon the fore sight of the will of Christ's humane nature, to become our Saviour, and presupposing this determinate choice, did therefore appoint him to be our Mediator: This, they think, will reconcile Christ's necessary Obedience, and his freewill together; but then the Scripture would not have attributed it to God's love, and to the Father's love, but Christ's love as a man, which yet it doth not.  
Sixthly, In that Christ is said to be sent, there is implied, that he is under an Office and Obligation of faithfulness and trust. So that as it lay upon the Apostles faithfully and diligently to accomplish their Office; thus also it did upon Christ, and therefore he doth so often call it the command, that he had from the Father, implying, that if he did not accomplish all that for which he was sent, he should be guilty of unfaithfulness and disobedience; and here also is contained much consolation; for why should the believer doubt of Christ's willingness and readiness to pardon, sanctify or heal him, seeing that Christ is under a command to do this, he is betrusted with this work, he would be found blame-worthy, if he did not accomplish all that he was called unto? As it's thy duty to believe in him, so he hath voluntaily submitted, to make it his duty, to give thee rest and ease.  
Seventhly, Though Christ be sent, and be thus under command, yet we are not to think that this is done against his will, as if the Father did compel him to this work against his desire: No, how readily doth he profess his coming into the world, Lo, I come to do thy will, O Lord, thy Law is within my heart? Psal. 40.8. So that though the work was bitter to the humane nature, which appeared in those prayers he poured forth with so much agony, If it be possible, let this Cup pass away, yet he offers himself with all willingness to do this work: Oh no wonder, if this dispensation be called a mystery, not only in respect of the revelation of it, but also, because of the incomprehensibleness of it, we are never able to comprehend this length, and breadth, and depth of love which is in Christ Jesus.  
Eighthly, We may consider of a twofold Office Christ was sent to, which yet cannot be well distinguished, because one is contained in the other.  
1. There is the Office of a Mediator, whereby he was sent to be a Saviour of his people from their sins; and this is the sending the Scripture so much speaks of.  
But 2. There is a sending as a Prophet, to teach and guide his Church, and of this kind of sending the text speaks; for we may not think that this is the meaning, that as the Father sent Christ to redeem the world and purge it from its iniquities, so the Apostles were also sent to be Redeemers and Saviour's; but as Christ was to be the great Prophet, whom the Father would send to be a light to the world, so he did appoint the Apostles, as subordinate lights, to take away the ignorance and profaneness that was in it. Christ then is sent as the great Doctor and Teacher of his Church, who doth not only externally teach, but internally, by giving a seeing eye, and an understanding heart.  
These things are implied in Christ's Mission, now let us consider the Properties of it.  

The necessity of Christ's being sent.  And first, Take notice of the necessity of it. Had not the Father sent his Son into the world, there had been no difference between the damned Angels and mankind: The world had been an hell, though the world had many Plato's and Aristotle's, many Alexanders and Caesars, yet all this is nothing, if Christ had not been sent into the world: Oh then, look upon this, as the foundation of all truth and consolation, Christ is sent into the world! We could not have had a drop of comfort, any more than Dives in hell a drop of water, had not Christ been sent into the world.  
2. The mercy, grace and goodness of God, that it was his only begotten Son he sent. He sent Prophets, and he sent divers Messengers, but never was such mercy, as when he sent his Son, Heb. 1. The very Angels, though the benefit of his sending did not directly belong to them, yet for this they sing, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, and goodwill towards men. Though God is good in giving food and raiment, in creating the world for us, yet all come short of sending his Son to us.  
3. Christ's Mission is the original and root of all the Church Mission that is. As the Father hath sent me, so I have sent you. So that Christ being sent, is thereby made the head of his Church; all Church-power is seated in him, as the original, and therefore all the Missions of Church-officers now, is reduced to this, as the fountain of all; Therefore they are the Ministers of Christ, the Ambassadors of Christ, they administer all things in his Name, and every thing is done by his Authority. It's disputed in Politics, In whom all civil power is immediately and originally seated, whether in the people, or no, or in the supreme Officers? But here in Divinity about Church-power, the Scripture doth easily resolve it, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. All power is given me in heaven and in earth; Therefore he appoints Officers and Ordinances in his Church, and so the Ministers of God have their Church-power from Christ. Though the people may choose and design the man, and Church-officers put him into the Office, yet the Office and Power itself is of Christ.  
4. Take notice of the compleatness and perfection of this Mission, Heb. 1.1. God who at sundry times spoke by his Prophets, and by several w●yes, doth now speak only by his Son. So that since Christ's mission, we are not now to expect any other extraordinary missions, Christ he came as the fullness of all; and as he said, That all those who went before him, were thiefs and robbers, viz. who pretended to be the Christ, and did not come in his Name, so all those are that shall come after, which come not in his Name; What a sad judgement are the Jews, once the people of God, delivered up unto, that look still for a Messias to be sent, and so have a veil upon their eyes and their hearts?  
5. Consider the seasonableness of the time when he was sent, Gal. 4.4. It's called the fullness of the time. When the Church of the Jews was become like a wilderness or a dunghill, when all the former Prophets were forgotten, when there was an universal blackness upon the Church, than Christ was sent: Even as Moses was sent to the people of Israel, when their oppression was doubled. God sent Christ seasonably.  
Lastly, Consider the manner of his sending, it was in an humble, low and contemptible way in the eyes of the world, none took him to be the Messias, to be the light of the world; Though he was sent, how few did believe in him, because of the outward meannes in his way? And some think the Prophet alludeth to this, Isa. 8.6. They refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly. They neglected Christ, and looked to external power and glory.  
Use 1. Is Christ sent by the Father, then take heed how you refuse him? The Apostle aggravateth this, Heb. 10.28. We may refuse men for their errors, their falsities; We may pretend many excuses, but how can you reject Christ still speaking by his Word to you?   

SERMON XCVI. Of the Public Office of the Ministry, Some Distinctions concerning it, And the Necessity of a lawful Call thereunto; Also showing wherein private Christians should exercise their Gifts both ordinarily and in extraordinary Cases.  JOH. 17.18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them also into the world. 
WE have handled Christ's Mission, and the matter imported in that Expression. We come now to the Apostles Mission, wherein there is considerable, 

1. Their Office under this notion of sending.  
2. The Person sending, I have sent them.  
3. The Subjects, Them.  
4. The Term of their Mission, Into the world.  
5. The Pattern, As the Father hath sent me: They have the same common vocation, Every particular will afford its proper usefulness.    
And 1. Let us begin with their Office, It's called a sending, This doth imply that they did not intrude themselves into it, They did not usurp upon the Office, but they were called and lawfully authorized thereunto; It had been sinful presumption in any of the Apostles to undertake that Office till Christ gave them this Commission: There is no difficulty in the words, only it's questioned why our Saviour speaks in the preterperfect tense, I have sent them, seeing they were not yet sent to publish the Gospel to the whole world, for that was not done till his Ascension; But it's answered, that it's ordinary with the Scripture to put one tense for another, and besides, Christ had begun already to send them, though not into the whole world, yet into Judea, and Luk 6. he had already given them the name of Apostles, which is as much as those that are sent, yet because after his Ascension he than enlarges their Commission, To preach to all Nations beside Judea. Hence Joh. 20.21. Christ there speaks in the present tense, As my Father hath sent me, even so I send you: So than the Apostles did not undertake their ministerial Office before they were sent, 
Observe. None may undertake the public Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereunto.  and for this end are called Apostles: Salmasius thinketh he gave them this Name from the Captain of the Jews at that time, for in their Synagogues the Governors thereof have their proper Messengers belonging to them who were called Apostles. From this Observe,  
That none may undertake the public Office of the Ministry without a sending or authoritative Call thereunto; If Christ did it not (as ye heard) and the Apostle Heb. 5. is diligent in observing of that, much less may any men do it for the very word sending doth imply a superior, who hath power to send, and also the inferiority and passiveness of those that are sent. Therefore Rom. 10.13, 14, 15. You have there a Ladder like jacob's reaching from earth to Heaven, where calling on God requires believing, believing requireth hearing, hearing requireth preaching, and preaching requireth sending: See here the golden Chain of our Salvation in an ordinary way, No calling no faith, no faith no hearing, no hearing no preaching, no preaching no sending: They are all required in their peculiar way with the same necessity, and therefore take heed of endangering your souls by despising the lawful Ministry of Christ, How shall they believe saith the Apostle, without this?  
But to inform your judgements in this Point, because it's a necessary Truth, and many errors are about it for your good, not for our own self-advancement, as some are apt to think, we shall take this Method.  
1. Give some Distinctions to clear the Point. 2. Show you the distinct office of the Ministry from other callings, and the necessity of a lawful Call thereunto; Not that my purpose is to handle all those things which belong to that Famous Common-place in Divinity, De ministerio Ecclesiastico, but to touch on those things that most relate to this Text,  


Dist. 1. There is a twofold sending.  
Mediate and Immediate.   And first Consider, That there is a twofold sending, a mediate and immediate sending; an immediate sending is when God or Christ doth in an extraordinary and peculiar manner give some a Call to this office; Thus the Prophets of the Old Testament they were immediately sent of God, and this immediate inspiration and extraordinary gifting of them was enough to authorize them, though they had no Call in an ordinary manner from men, when they said, Thus saith the Lord, than they showed their Commission, and thus the Apostles they were likewise immediately called by Christ, and they were gifted in an extraordinary manner thereunto, They had no such gifts at first, but Christ bestowed them on them; In ordinary sendings or missions, there men must first try and examine gifts, and see them before they confirm any in their office, but Christ that can make Children of Abraham out of stones, can also make Apostles out of illiterate and rude Fishermen; This immediate and extraordinary sending is now wholly ceased, even as the gifts of Miracles; and therefore though our Divines do sometimes say, Luther, Calvin, and those first Reformers had an extraordinary Call, their meaning is not as if they were put into their Church-office by an immediate call of God, only there were extraordinary qualifications of them, by stirring them up to such zeal and corroborating of them to go through such a work as they did. In the next place there is an ordinary mission or authorising, and that is to be perpetual in the Church, according to such Rules, as Paul layeth down in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus, which are a directory concerning the Church's Government to the ends of the world; This ordinary sending we are now to have, though the Apostles had an extraordinary.  

Dist. 2. The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath.  Secondly, Consider that though the Apostles had many personal and extraordinary privileges, yet the essence and substance of their Ministerial office, is the same with that which every Minister of the Gospel hath, For Matth. 28. there the substance of their office is to preach and administer the Sacraments, which is the duty of every Pastor in the Church; We may not then argue from the extraordinaries of the Apostles to every Minister, but from their substantials, as thus, The Apostolical privileges were to behold Christ with their eyes, and thereby to witness the truth; To be infallible in their doctrine, to be illimited, not bound to one place more than another, to work miracles, etc. Now these were necessary for the infancy and first plantation of the Church, Signs being for those that do not believe, and so it's not necessary ordinary Pastors should have them, but then there are the substantials of their Apostolical Office, which was to preach the Word, to be authorized thereunto, these are belonging to every Pastor, and in this they are Successors to the Apostles, Mat. 28. ult. I will be with you to the end of the world, and 2 Tim. 6.14. where in one place God promiseth, and in another place Paul is required to keep those Church-Ordinances till the end of the world, how can this be otherwise? but in the Pastor of the Church, who are in this, though not in their extraordinaries the Apostles Successors.  
Thirdly, There is a great difference to be made between a public and potestative preaching by way of office, and a private, wise, and humble, charitative employment of our gifts one Christian to another; When we say, that only men may by way of office preach; We do not thereby prohibit or exclude, Those Christian duties and improvements of gifts in perier and admonition either in Families or one towards another, so that there is no Christian though he hath never so good gifts, but he hath opportunities enough to improve them in a private way for God's glory, without usurping that office; There are many Texts of Scripture that show how fruitful and active private Christians should be in their way, to do good one to another, Col. 3.16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another; It is your duty to be exercised in the Word of God, and to admonish one another out of it, so Heb. 10.24, 25. There they are to provoke and exhort one another to do good; We should in a brotherly way all take care of one another's soul, and this is that Christian Communion so much commended in the Church of God, so 1 Thes. 5.11. Comfort and edify one another even as ye do, he commended them for doing so, only in this necessary duty consider how the Scripture hints and directs you, 
Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts.  You must eat of this manna according to God's appointment.  
1. You are in the use of your gifts privately to carry yourselves so as not thereby to neglect the public Ordinances; To think that such private Admonitions or Exhortations, or seekings to God are enough, we see how the Apostle joineth them together, Heb. 10.24, 25. when he exhorted them to provoke one another to do good, he addeth, not forsaking the Assembly, as the manner of some was; Even in the Apostles days, when there was such purity of Church Ordinances, and admirably gifted Officers and God's presence with them, yet they were not to forsake the Assemblies, and observe how the Apostle bringeth them in upon the improving of their gifts in a private way, as if it were a great Temptation, when we employ them respectively to others, thereby to neglect the public Ordinances.  
2. Though private improvement of Gifts be lawful to Parents, Masters, and one Christian to another, yet take heed that thereby you do not justle out the Office of the Ministers, or because of your gifts to neglect the public Office Christ hath appointed, for the devil is busy both ways either by profane sottishness and ignorance, to make men despise the Ministry, or by self-conceit and pride of their own abilities; This the Apostle also provides against, 1 Thes. 5.14. when he had commanded them to edify one another, lest it might be thought, what need we any Ministers then? See how affectionately he addeth, and we beseech you to know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord; They must not for all their Gifts and improvements neglect that, So in the same Chapter, 19, 20, 21. verses; where private Christians are commanded to prove all things, and not to Quench the Spirit; They must stir up the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them, yet so as not to despise Prophesyings, that is the ministerial Interpretation of Scripture, as the word to prophesy is commonly used.  
Lastly, That I may not be too long, Though it be a necessary Point, the private use of their gifts must be in such duties, and in such matters as are not above them: They may pray together, humble themselves, exhort one another out of the Word of God in profitable things of Edification, but to determine the most controverted Points in Religion is far above their strength; Therefore let every one imitate David's Humility, to walk humbly and not to exercise himself in things that are too high for him; The Apostle doth often antidote against pride and conceit, as if we did know things when we did not, and as the matter must not be above them, so it must be in that which is necessary and profitable, How many trouble themselves about Universal Redemption? which is not only a Doctrine above their capacities, but they might do better to find their own interest in Christ's Death; Certainly if Christians would meet, as of old they were wont, not to dispute in high, unprofitable Points, but how to be more holy, more mortified, to walk more godlily in their Relations, than their meeting together would be for the better and not for the worse, But now Christ's Sheep do run into many bri●rs of Disputations, that they almost lose all their wool; Therefore the Apostle speaketh excellently to this purpose, 1 Tim. 6.3, 4. he had pressed to godliness in Relations, and then saith, Let no man teach otherwise then the Doctrine which is according to godliness; If they do, there comes no good of such Disputes, but envyings, strifes, and carnal dissensions amongst one another: I was willing to add thus much, because it's thought that we would monopolise the Spirit of God, as that we envied the gifts and graces of God in others; No, God forbid, this only we would direct them, so as their liberty may not be turned to licentiousness: Even by the Canonists who were no ways much favourable to private Christians, yet they did allow them charitativam, though not potestativam admonition; There is therefore no private Christian, no nor woman, but they may be instrumental to the converting of Husbands and Children yea, with the Woman of Samaria be a means to bring the knowledge of Christ to others; Yea, several women Phebe, Synticke, Evadias', and others, are mentioned in the Gospel for their great instrumental service in the propagating of Christ's Kingdom, yet who will conclude from their improvement of gifts they might lawfully take the office of Preaching.  
4. There is also great difference to be made between a Church under Persecutions or not constituted, and a Church constituted; That may be done in times of Persecution which may not in settled times of the Church; We see in case of extreme danger every man is a Magistrate, and may kill when assaulted rather than be killed; but it doth not therefore follow that every man may lawfully take upon him ordinarily the office of a Magistrate; The Sabbath might be broken in regard of necessity, and our Saviour from this excuseth David for eating the Show bread, which was lawful only for the Priests to eat: Thus we read of two private persons that were a means to convert the Persian King, and others, once to the Christian Faith; Though these when they had opportunity sought to have their office confirmed, and so if that Instance so much pressed Act. 16.8. of the Disciples preaching the Gospel upon the Persecution, could be manifested to be understood of private Disciples and men out of office (the contrary whereof there are strong presumptions for) yet it would prove no more, but that in case of Persecution, when believers are scattered up and down, it's lawful for them to declare and make known Christ and his Truth; But what is this to a Church constituted, and walking in an orderly way?  
5. This doctrine of the necessity of a lawful Call and authority in those that preach is very necessary and profitable, and that partly in respect of the Ministers themselves, and partly in respect of the people; On the Minister's part,  
1. He can with the more quietness and comfort satisfy himself in his work; You see the Pharisees they questioned Christ upon this very Point, By what authority he did these things? Mat. 21.23. Now our Saviour he supposeth that to be necessary, he doth not say, What matter for a Call or Authority? I have Gifts, but he goeth to prove that he had authority from God; Certainly to live in such a way wherein the Conscience of a Minister is not satisfied, that it's a lawful office, must needs be disquieting of him, especially when there are so many that say they have no Call, or that their Call is Antichristian, Is it not necessary to a Minister to be informed that by the Scripture he can justify his Call and office?  
2. It's necessary because then he may expect God's blessing and protection; When Christ saith, I will be with you to the end of the world, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, this is to be understood of such as are in Christ's office, Joh. 10. Doth not our Saviour severely reprove such as come not in by the door, call them Thiefs and Robbers, God's protection and defence will go along with his Ministers only.  
2. On the Auditor's part, for when they are convinced that such are the Ministers of Christ, They will 1. Hear with the more reverence and respect, even as Christ himself saith, A stranger Christ's Sheep will not hear.  
2. They may justly expect spiritual success in their Labours, that God will bless the Ministry with such spiritual issues, God hath promised, That it may be a Ministry of Life to them, and they may feel an experiment of Christ speaking in them.  
5. They will account of them (as Paul saith) as the Stewards of God; They will have them in high account for their office and works sake.  
Lastly, They will tremble at their unthankfulness and unfruitfulness under their Ministry, for certainly if those officers whom Christ himself hath appointed for thy conversion and reformation can do no good on thee, never think that otherwise will help thee; No, though men should arise from the dead to preach to thee; what greater symptom can there be of thy eternal damnation then to be unprofitable and unreformed under Christ's own officers, such ground is nigh to cursing; If their Gospel be hid, it is hid to such as perish, and Joh. 8. therefore ye are not of God because ye hear not his Word.   

SERMON XCVII. That the Scripture appoints a Distinct Office of the Ministry: Shows, wherein the Call to the Ministry consists; And that none may enter into that Office without an Authoritative Mission. Also what the Ministry of Preaching is, and whether Reading be Preaching.  JOHN 17.18. Even so have I sent them into the World. 
THere remain some further Distinctions to be propounded before we proceed to the proof of the Doctrine. And  
First, The word Preaching may be taken either largely or strictly; largely, for any declaration of the truths of God, as occasion and opportunity shall serve; or strictly, for a Ministerial Preaching, by way of Office. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though it be most commonly used of such who preach by way of Office, and among the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Officer, yet in the Scripture it is sometimes taken more largely, as Revel. 5.2. An Angel is there described 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, crying with a great voice; but more particularly, I observe it once, and but once used of a private Christian, manifesting Christ and his actions, Luk. 8.39. The man out of whom Christ had cast devils, is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to publish throughout the whole City, 
Whether reading be preaching.  what Christ had done for him. It was a great controversy not long since, Whether reading was preaching? Many to excuse their ignorance and laziness did maintain reading of the Scripture was preaching. Now to this it is answered, That if Preaching be taken largely for any declaration, or publishing of the Word of God, no doubt but it is preaching, but yet it is not that ministerial preaching which is enjoined the Officers of the Church, To preach in season and out of season, to divide the word of God, and that with such faithfulness and ability, that the Apostle crieth out, Who is sufficient for these things? This was more than to read the Scripture. If therefore preaching be taken largely for a publishing of Christ occasionally to others, no doubt many aught to preach in that sense. Thus the woman of Samaria, published Christ to her neighbours, and Andrew called his brother Philip before they were put into the Apostolical Office. 
Heinsius. Grotius.  So many private men have writ learned Tractates for the defence of the Christian Religion, and some of great learning have made Annotations upon the Scriptures, though some of them have delivered much corruption. Yea amongst those that are private, not invested with the public Office, we are to make a great distinction. Some are merely private, some are by education and abilities in order to the public. Now such may publicly preach either by way of trial, or else by the approbation of those that can judge and aught so to do, Act. 13.15. we read there; The Rulers of the Synagogue, called unto Paul, if they had a word of Exhortation to speak to them; Suppose they did not look upon Paul and his company as Officers, yet this proveth no more, than that private men by the approbation of those that rule in the Church may occasionally preach. And this we read in Antiquity, That Pantenus and Origen did catechetically preach the Doctrine of our Christian faith, before ordained into the Office of the Ministry. The Question is not about such, no, nor of private men, if doctrinally and practically qualified by Church Officers, would submit themselves to trial, and so be authorized to do what they do. That is another matter to the Question in hand.  
2. 
Vocation to the Office of the Ministry, consists in these things.  That which we call the Vocation or Authorising of one to the Office of the Ministry, consists in these things,  
1. An inward Qualification of the person, with such gifts as God requireth, and they are reduced by Paul to two heads, they are Doctrinal for his learning, that he be apt to teach, that he can divide the word of God aright, etc. as a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, that he be able to convince gainsayers. 
I. Inward qualifications.  These gifts require Learning and Knowledge. So that a gift to pray well, or to speak about plain doctrinal things in Religion, though with much affection and zeal, is not the whole Ministerial gift; for the Apostle requireth more; viz. such sound knowledge in matters controverted, that he may be able to convince gainsayers. And  
The second Qualification, is for his life, that it be holy and unblameable. Therefore the sin of a Minister is greater than another man's, by reason of his Office. Hence the same Sacrifice was appointed for the Priest's sin, as was for the sin of the whole Congregation, Levit. 4. To this qualification, some had an inward promptitude and readiness of heart, with an holy zeal being moved by God to this work. Now although this may be granted in some, yet the Apostle requireth it not as a necessary qualification; yea it's the duty of some to be called to the Ministry, who through their modesty or fear fly from it, as much as they can. Thus Moses refused the Office he was called unto, insomuch that the anger of God is said to be kindled against him, Exod. 4.14. And Jeremy out of the sensible apprehension of his weakness (Jer. 1.6.) did refuse that prophetical Office, till God did encourage him; and in Antiquity, there was a Canon made against those that should any ways mutilate themselves by deforming their noses or ears, that they might not be in the Ministerial Office.  
Secondly, 
II. Outward.  Their Calling partly lieth in the electing and choosing of such a person; Though Christ immediately appoint the Office, yet the person must be designed by man.  
Thirdly, There must be an Examination and Approbation of his Gifts by those who are in Church office: For this end the Apostle doth lay down so many properties of those who are to be made Elders, which were not to any purpose, if they were not to be examined; yea, it's directly set down in the Office of Deacons, which is an inferior Office, 1 Tim. 3.10. Let them first be proved, and then let them have the Office of a Deacon, and when Timothy is enjoined, 1 Tim. 5.22. To lay hands suddenly on no man, lest he be partaker of others men's sins. This inferreth the great examination and trial he is to take of them.  
Lastly, There is the confirming them in the Office, by laying on of hands with fasting and prayer. This is the constant example of all that were set apart to the Ministerial Office, that we read of in the Scripture, Act. 14.23. and therefore who may presume to do otherwise, when not one instance can be given to the contrary? I do not here dispute in whom this constituting or ordaining power is seated, it's enough that we see it always done by those that were Officers in the Church.  

Distinct. ult.  In the last place, There may be a twofold unlawful entering into this Call:  
1. In respect of corrupt aims and ends, and many other defects.  
2. In respect of the very Essentials: So that he is not a Minister, or put in office at all. These two are greatly to be discerned. Many men may go unlawfully into the Office, fail in many particulars, yet partake of the substance of the office, but others may usurp it so, that they have not the very Office itself; and this is very necessary to observe, For where the Office is null, and no Ministry, there the administration of the Sacraments is according to the received opinion void: As the Papists argue, Because we have no Ministry, we have no Church, no Sacrament. Though in these accusations the Protestants sufficiently defend themselves. But certainly, it may justly be a great shaking to private persons, that if the Ministry they live under be not a true Ministry, thus their Baptism is not a true Baptism, the Church they live in a true Church; for though a Ministry be not necessary to an Essential Church, as in times of persecution, when believers are scattered up and down, yet it is to an Organical Church, according to that definition of Cyprian, Ecclesia esset plebs adornata clero.  

That there is a distinct Office of the Ministry  In the second place we come to show, That there is a distinct Calling of the Ministers from the people, so that men may not as they please invade it, nor look upon Christ's Ministry as a mere humane invention. The chiefest Arguments brought by the Learned to confirm this, are  
First, From the distinct and different titles, that the Scripture giveth them. They are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scopi, Overseers, Elders, Pastors and Teachers: They are called lights and guides: They are said to be over them in the Lord; So that it's plain, that the Scripture makes this clear distinction, some are Rulers, and Guides, and Shepherds, some again are to be ruled, and are under, To the Bishops and Saints at Philippi, Phil. 1.1. Thus the whole Church is divided into its Officers, and those that are governed. It's a wonder that any can contradict these clear places; neither may we think that the Scripture giveth them these names without reality, as they did by scorn to Christ, calling him, King of the Jews. Certainly, if there were not such distinct relations, than the Apostle might as well call the people Guides and Elders, and exhort such who were over them to submit to those that were under them.  
Secondly, The Scripture doth attribute hereby unto them distinct work and employment. They are to feed them, they are to preach to them, they are to watch over them, they are to admonish, rebuke and cast out unruly persons; they are to give themselves to reading, to be in these things, as the Apostle calls it: Now if this did belong to all, every one would be bound to leave their Calling; for he that is in this Office, is commanded wholly to attend to it.  
Thirdly, They are under a peculiar charge and account. Their estate is more dreadful than others, if they be found negligent. Woe be unto me (saith Paul) if I preach not the Word: So Heb. 13. they are said to give an account, and it's desired they may do it with joy, and not with grief; If there be no Ministerial office, than we are not responsible for the souls of men.  
Fourthly, The people are required to do distinct duties to them, to hear them, to obey them, to submit themselves to them, to esteem of them as the Messengers of God, yea, to have them in high estimation for their works sake. Certainly, none can impartially read the Epistles of Paul, (therefore I need not name the particular places) but he must be convinced of the distinct Office of a Ministry, and the people's duty thereunto.  
In the third place, we are to prove, 
That none may enter into this Office without an authoritative mission.  That none may enter into this Office without an Authoritative Mission. And  
First, Here is constant example and pattern of the Church in the Apostles times. We cannot read of any that undertook this Office, but they were solemnly set apart to it, Acts 14.23. and in other places. Now if in the primitive times, when yet Christians were so eminently gifted, there was a solemn setting of them apart, How much more in after ages? Neither can any one example be brought to the contrary, I mean of taking an Office in the Church without a Call: Now is it not far better to follow the precedents of Scripture, then to go after our own thoughts? especially when Christ himself, though so admirably gifted, yet would not undertake this Office without a Call, as the Apostle doth diligently consider it, Heb 5.7.  
Secondly, The Apostle in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus, doth lay down several Qualifications, which ought to be in every Minister: Now what necessity is there of this, if so be those who are to ordain them, were not to attend thereunto? The very mentioning of such properties, is for this end, to show, by what rule they should go by in their Ordination, who would not think himself qualified, who would not say he had gifts, if they were not to be examined and judged in that matter?  
Thirdly, If it were not necessary there should be an authoritative Ordination of men to that Office, why should the Apostle with such diligence leave Titus at Crete to ordain such, if so be their gifts and abilities had been enough? It was an absurd thing to leave him there to appoint them for that Office, Tit. 1.5. The place is considerable, because by that you see plainly, Elders were not to intrude themselves, but were to be set apart by Titus.  
Fourthly, Yea if there were not such a duty upon Church-officers in confirming of others, why should the Apostle likewise to Timothy use that severe and dreadful adjuration? 1 Tim, 5.21. where Timothy is charged before God, in reference to this matter of laying on of hands, as well as other things, and Christ and the holy Angels, that he do nothing with partiality, nor be too hasty herein, lest we partake of other men's sins: How could this be, but that men are not of themselves to intrude thereunto, otherwise their sins would be upon their own heads, who go without a Call?  
Fifthly, When the Apostle saith, Lay hands suddenly on no man; In that negative command is contained an affirmative, as Walleus well observeth, viz. with deliberation and good advice to lay hands on those that are sufficiently qualified: so that there is not only an example but a command, and that laying on of hands is not a mere accidental Ceremony, appeareth, in that by this action he describeth the whole confirmation in that Office, which Synecdoche could not be, unless it were either an essential part, or a proper and inseparable adjunct. Certainly these Arguments may satisfy any that are not contentious. This hath been ever both in the Apostles days, and since their time, a constant custom, judged to be grounded upon the Scripture. Neither may we look for such cogent and clear demonstrations in matter of Church order, as in Fundamental Doctrines. If any desire further insight, he may peruse those several learned Tractates that have lately come out to confirm this Truth.  
Object. But you will say, If a man have Gifts and Abilities, why is not that enough?  
Answ. I answer first, Christ had Gifts, and yet he would have a Calling. In the primitive times private Christians did abound with Gifts, yet they were to be set apart for that Office.  
2. Gifts in civil offices and relations, do not give Power and Authority to do a thing: A private Lawyer may have as good, or better gifts, than the Judge: Shall he therefore take upon him to condemn men? A man would not willingly have such Divinity in his own Family: It may be thy servant hath as good or better Gifts to manage thy household affairs, might be a better husband, doth not spend as thou wilt, Shall he take upon him to be thy Master? There is many a poor man hath a better gift to husband thy estate than thou dost, Shall he therefore seize upon thy revenues? There must be a Call, besides these Gifts.  
3. By this means every private man, yea woman and child may administer the Sacraments; Cannot a woman sprinkle water on the child, and baptise it? There are none so simple scarce, but have Gifts for this. In the Old Testament others could have killed a beast for the Sacrifice, as well as the Priest, Might they therefore lawfully do it? So that Gifts must have a Call?  
Use. How blessed and happy a thing it is, when the public Ministry, and private Christians abilities, are orderly improved for the Glory of God; when one doth not contradict, or encroach upon another, but the upper orbs and lower orbs do all turn about for the public good, when Christians edify one another, and yet have those in high esteem, that labour over them in the Lord. Certainly, while this Harmony and Union is kept up, the Devil cannot disturb the Church. We have a notable Prophecy by Zechary, what shall be done in the times of the Gospel, Zech. 13.5. where men that had no call to preach, being convinced of their error, and that by their dearest friends, he shall disclaim that way, saying, I am no Prophet, I am an Husbandman, for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.   

SERMON XCVIII. Of Christ's Sanctifying himself to be a Mediator; Showing what is implied in it; How pure, willing, and fit he was for that great Undertaking.  JOH. 17.19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be Sanctified through the Truth. 
OUR Saviour had prayed for the Sanctification of his Disciples, and one Reason is from the office they were placed in, which hath been dispatched. The other is in this Verse, From Christ's Mediation manifested in his Death for them He had merited and purchased this at God's hand by making himself an atonement for them; Christ you heard was the Highpriest of his Church, and two things did belong to them.  
1. To pray for the people,  
2. To make a Sacrifice for them: Now our Saviour in this Chapter doth both, he prayeth, and offereth up himself a Sacrifice for his people.  
So that in the words we are to consider, The Person, The Action, The object matter, The Finis cui, and the Finis cujus:  
The Person, I sanctify myself, I, By this we see partly the Deity of Christ, for none but God can say, he sanctifieth himself that others may be sanctified; and then this denoteth his willingness and readiness, Christ did readily offer up himself to all that misery and shame for our sakes.  
Secondly, There is the Action, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sanctify, This among many other significations hath these three especially.  
1. To set apart, and solemnly to fit for any duty.  
2. To dedicate and consecrate in a peculiar manner to the Lord, Thus the Priests were sanctified and the Sacrifices were sanctified.  
3. To make holy by inherent purity, and in all these respects Christ did sanctify himself;  
For 1. He as God did fill the humane Nature with all habitual and actual Righteousness.  
2. He did set and sanctify himself to be an oblation, and therefore it is that the Apostle doth so often call him the Highpriest in his Epistle to the Hebrews.  
Thirdly, There is the object matter, and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 myself; The Priests of the Old Testament did consecrate the Beasts that were slain, but here Christ sanctifieth himself, So that he is both the Priest and the Sacrifice also, It is himself, and that is the greater love.  
Further, There is the End for whom, for them, and this doth evidently prove Christ to be a Sacrifice of Atonement, For whereas the Apostle Ephes. 5.2. there saith Christ gave himself an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. The Socinian would thereby understand no more than the acceptableness of it, not that is was propitiatory for us, and they compare it with the liberality of the Philippians▪ Phil. 4.18. where the Apostle calls their Gift an Odour of a sweet smell acceptable to God, yet this is only part of the meaning, and the phrase is not wholly alike, for in that place of Phil. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us, as in Eph. 5.2. So that Christ gave himself for a Sacrifice not metaphorically, as Prayer, and Alms are sometimes called Sacrifices, but by way of Atonement to satisfy God, So that by this means we also are an Odour of sweet smell unto him.  
The Finis cujus is that they might be sanctified, of which more hereafter; From Christ thus Sanctifying himself to be a Sacrifice for us Observe,  

Doct. That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us.  That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us, or he sanctified himself to become a Sacrifice for us; This is the Sum of all Divinity, All the Types in the Old Testament did look to this; The Apostle desired to know nothing but this; This is the Foundation of the Efficacy both of Christ's Prayers and of ours, Had Christ only prayed for us, and not thus sanctified himself to be a Sacrifice for us, it would not have been effectual for our Salvation.  


In my Treatise of justification.  
What Christ's sanctifying himself implieth.   Let us Open this Point, though I shall not insist long on it, because I have otherwhere showed, That Christ suffered by way of an atoning Sacrifice; I shall now speak the more briefly of it:  
And first, This Sanctification of himself to be a Sacrifice for us doth imply the exceeding Purity and Holiness that was in him, and therefore Peter calls him the undefiled and spotless Lamb, 1 Peter 1.9. In the Old Testament The Lamb that was to be offered was to be without blemish, 
I. His purity and holiness.  not to be defective in any parts, and to be without spot; There was to be no various colour upon it; This was to signify the absolute Purity of Christ in respect of outward and inward sin; And therefore the Apostle presseth the preeminency of Christ our Highpriest above those of the Law, because they had sins of their own, and they were compassed about with their own Infirmities, and so offered for themselves first, Hebr. 7.26. He is there called holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from Sinners; And this Purity and Holiness was not only to qualify his Person to be our Mediator, but it was part of that Righteousness which is communicated to us, Therefore he saith, I sanctify myself for them; And as he was made man for Believers, So also holy and undefiled for them; It's true some Divines distinguish in Christ his Justitia personae, and his Justitia meriti, but the Righteousness of Christ was part of his merit, and so they cannot be opposed to one another; This is the Wedding Garment; This is our Elder Brother's Clothes; This is the fine Linen of the Saints; Therefore thou that complainest of thy want of Holiness, Thou art not sanctified in such a degree and measure as thou desirest, remember Christ hath sanctified himself for thee.  

TWO: His ready offering himself for us.  Secondly, This doth imply the ready and willing offering up of himself to this work; And certainly this is the great Mystery at which Heaven and Earth may be astonished: This the Angels wonder at, and still desire to search into it more and more; That Christ should come from the bosom of the Father, and lay aside the manifestation of all Heavenly Majesty and Glory, to be debased in so low a way, making himself of no reputation; This can never be considered of enough, no, not by all the Angels and Saints to all Eternity, Philip. 2.6. The Apostle doth there enlarge himself in this Meditation, and in another place, how he became poor that we might make us rich.  
Two things are admirable in this willing Oblation of himself.  
1. That he should put himself in such a suffering condition, as to be for a while without the sense and enjoyment of his Father's love to him; He that was in the Bosom of the Father, an Expression to show the intimate, close, and secret delight and love he had from the Father; How unspeakable is it that he should deprive himself of the sense of it? To put himself as it were out of Heaven into an Hell, this is deeper love than ever we can imagine or conceive: No wonder the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the unsearchable Riches of Grace, We are never able to go to the bottom of it, but still there is more love and grace behind: Did the Queen of Sheba faint to see the temporal Stateliness and magnificence of Solomon? How should the Believer at the sight of this Heavenly Glory be even ravished with Admiration: No wonder if the Church cry out, She is sick of Love, for this may do it: It was more for Christ to be one moment without the feeling of his Father's Love, then to endure all those bodily Torments he did endure, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? In the Original it is, My strong One, He giveth unto God that peculiar and proper Title, because he was then so weak and infirm, and dejected in himself.  
2. That he should not thus only put himself out of comfort, but also from the enjoyment of that manifested glory and honour he might have retained to himself, This also was very wonderful. In this Chapter he prayeth for that Glory which yet he had with the Father from the beginning of the world, he had it in right but not in possession; He voluntarily divested himself of that, that so he might accomplish our Redemption; Job bewailed once the bitter change that was upon him, He that sat among Princes, to sit upon the Dunghill scraping his soars, this was a great Change, but this Change that Christ took upon himself was infinitely far transcending it.  
Thirdly, In that Christ is said to sanctify himself, 
III. His fitness for the office of a Mediator.  herein is implied the universal fitness that was in him for that work; To sanctify, and to be prepared, or made fit is the same thing in the Scripture, and this is also a Treasure of exceeding great Comfort, for if Christ had not been every ways a full and fit Redeemer, we had certainly miscarried.  
His fitness is seen in regard 

1. Of his Person.  
2. His Offices.  
And 3. The Benefits thereof, with the accomplishment of them.    
The fitness in his Person is that he was both God and man, 
1. The fitness of his Person.  whatsoever some Schoolmen have thought or imagined, yet no mere man though qualified to the highest with all manner of grace, could have satisfied for man's sins; It was necessary he should be God, for by this means there was an infinite value, worth, and excellency put upon his Doings and Sufferings; So that the worth and merit of Christ's Actions did as far exceed our demerits as his Person did ours, as God doth man: It was necessary also he should be man, for in that Nature only could he suffer, in that only could he die; Thus there is one Mediator of God and man, the man Christ Jesus; He than that must reconcile God and man, must necessarily be both God and man, He must be medius that he may be a Mediator, 
2. His fitness in regard of his Offices.  and therefore we may truly say he was sanctified thereunto, that is, he was appointed and prepared for it.  
2. He is fitted in respect of his Offices, which are to be a Prophet, Priest, 
1. Prophetical.  and King; He is the Trismegist, if you do regard the threefold Cord that did bind us Sinners, which we could never lose, than we shall see how fit a Saviour he was; There was in us horrible blindness and darkness of mind; The world was not in a greater Chaos and Confusion at first, than we are naturally in our Souls, Not knowing, understanding, or believing any thing of God: Therefore the Apostle calls such Darkness itself, Ephes 4. And darkened in the mind; That is, the Eye, the Sun of the Soul, and if that be dark all the body must be dark; This Spiritual blindness and Ignorance upon every man's mind is that which makes him of himself incurable, We pity corporally blind men; Oh but the spiritually blind are lamentable, every one is sensible opposing their bodily Eye, Lord, that I might receive my Sight, saith he to Christ; But oh that there were such a tenderness and a melting affection about thy Spiritual blindness; Now Christ hath a Prophetical Office to cure this, he doth not only teach by the outward Proposition of the Object, but also by giving a Seeing Eye, and vouchsafing Spiritual Illumination to the mind and the Understanding.  

2. Priestly.  In the second place, we were under the guilt of our sins, The Curse of the Law did pursue us, we were no ways able to expiate the Gild of the least sin; Though Rivers of blood had run down our Eyes, yet they could not have cleansed one sin or spot away; The Jews offered Thousands of Sacrifices, but they could not obtain by the Efficacy of them any Remission of Sins; The Heathens sacrificed their Sons and Daughters to appease the wrath and fury of their Supposed gods, but that could not prevail: Oh when the Conscience of a man is arraigned for Sin, when Gild burneth in the bowels as hot as fire; Then a man will think of nothing but compensation, Oh that I could satisfy God, Oh that I could make amends again as man may do to man, but this is impossible! Therefore Christ becomes a Sacrifice for this end, If we cannot redeem our natural death, much less our Eternal, Without Blood there is no Remission of sin; Christ's Death ratified and confirmed the Promise, and therefore the Covenant of Grace is also called a Testament, because this was confirmed by the Death of the Testator; Look then as it was with those Israelites when the Destroying Angel passed by, if the Posts were sprinkled with blood, than they escaped the destroying Angel, so if we be watered and cleansed in the blood of Christ, than we do escape the destroying vengeance of God, and thus there is his fitness by his Priestly Office.  

3. Kingly.  3. We were by sin in a miserable bondage and captivity to sin and Satan; The Israelites bondage in Egypt, or in the Babylonian Captivity, was nothing to this Spiritual slavery; It's not indeed so terrible and grievous to flesh and blood, yea, they like those Chains and cords of vanity well enough, but when Paul is once awakened by the Spirit of Regeneration, and that the power of Grace hath prevailed upon him, then for those very Relics of Corruption that are within, he crieth out, Oh miserable man that I am! Rom. 7. Now Christ is fitted with Kingly power to conquer and destroy the power of sin and Satan; There is no lust, no Corruption that is too big for the King of Glory to overcome: Thus as the Jewish Priest represented Christ in his Priestly Office, So Joshua, the Son of Nun did Christ in his Kingly Office, as the Apostle insinuateth, for Heb 4.8. Heb. 7 2. as no Ogs or Sons or Anak the greatest Giants and warlike men in the world were able to stand before him, but he did bring the People of God unto their Rest; Thus also will Christ who is both the King of Righteousness and King of Peace subdue all our Spiritual Enemies, and establish us in Everlasting Rest, He will first be a King of Righteousness, and then a King of Peace, he will first conquer thy lusts, and then give thee a Crown of Glory: Oh then admire this fitness of Christ to be thy Mediator! See how admirably there is a proportionable fullness in him for every emptiness of thine!  
In the Fourth place, 
IV. He is prepared for this work.  Christ is Sanctified or prepared for this work of Redemption, If you do regard the peculiar and proper benefits that accrue to us by this Sanctification; It would be infinite to reckon all.  
Consider 1. Remission and Forgiveness of our sins, 
Benefits of Christ's sanctifying himself.  that is often attributed to his blood; Now how great a mercy this is, David will tell us, Psal. 32. when he saith, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin; Blessed, It's the inbred appetite of all to be blessed; But they mistake in what it lieth; Therefore the Psalmist telleth us, The rich man, The great man, the prosperous man is not blessed, but he whose sins are forgiven; And indeed though a man had Solomon's abundance, yet if sin be not forgiven, how can he be blessed? You see Cain in the midst of his Cities he was building, yet he had no quiet, because sin was not forgiven; yea David in the midst of all his Kingly glory did not take any rest, but he was disquieted with roaring in his bones all the night long, because sin was not pardoned.  
2. Christ is sanctified to sanctify us; This is plain in the Text, Christ died not only to take away the guilt of our sin, but to make us an holy people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Therefore the garments of the Saints were made white in the blood of the Lamb; Revel. 7.14. Do not the Godly groan under the power of Corruption? but Christ will sanctify them as he sanctified himself to that end.  
3. Peace of Conscience, and boldness at the Throne of Grace; Through him we have free access; The Apostle hopeth because of him to go boldly unto God; This hand-writing against us, this gulf is taken away.  
4. We glory in Tribulations, in Afflictions, because by Christ's Death the sting of them is removed, yea, we are raised above the fears of Death; Christ's Death doth take away our Death, O Death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15.   

SERMON XCIX. showeth further, what is implied in that phrase of our Saviour, I sanctify myself. Handling chiefly the Priestly-Office of Christ, in Opposition to the Socinians, and for the Comfort and Direction of Penitent Sinners.  JOHN 17.19. I sanctify myself for them, etc. 
WE are demonstrating, what is implied in this phrase, I sanctify myself for them; There remain more particulars, which are as follow.  

V. That he was wholly set apart for us.  First, This signifieth, That Christ was wholly set apart for us, that he had no other work or employment, but to mind our good, and procure it for us. In the Scripture phrase to be sanctified, is often used for to set apart and dedicate to such a work, that if it be otherwise employed, there is a kind of profanation and pollution; so if the vessels dedicated to God's service, and sanctified, were employed, as Belshazzar did in any common use, this was the polluting and defiling of those vessels. In some sense it holds here, Christ was made man, and made under the Law, not for himself, but for us; Insomuch that if he had done other work then this, he had, as it were, polluted himself, he would not then have been doing the work of a Mediator. Though some learned men think, That Christ obeyed the Law for himself, yet that cannot be, because all glory and happiness was due unto him from the first beginning of his Incarnation: He prayed indeed for the manifestation and external possession of that glory, which yet (he saith) he had before the world was made with the Father: Seeing therefore that Christ had by virtue of the personal Union all blessedness and happiness due unto him, He could not observe the Law, that by the obedience thereof he might inherit eternal life, but the whole course of his life, whether in doing or sufferings, was wholly for our good: That as the Sun was made not for itself, but for the world, so this Sun of Righteousness did arise with healing in his wings for us alone. He came as a Physician, of whom we could not say, Physician heal thyself. This then is a treasure of infinite consolation, That whatsoever Christ was, or did, it was wholly for us, had it not been for man fallen, the Scripture doth not intimate he would have become man. It is true, some Schoolmen say, That the Incarnation of Christ was in itself so glorious a demonstration of God's wisdom and power, and so desirable in itself, that though man had not sinned, yet Christ would have been made man, this being a more glorious thing then the creation of the world, or any thing therein; yet the Scripture supposeth no other end why Christ came into the world, but to be a Saviour, which implieth man a lost sinner. Hence Isa. 9 To us a Son is born, To us a child is given; and Paul, who gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. Therefore his death is compared to a price and a ransom, and he himself to a Mediator and Surety: All which denominate he was not for himself, but for us; yea his Names speak thus much, he was a Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins; a Christ, because anointed to do this work; An Head, because of his influx into his Members: Hence the Schoolmen do well determine, That the habitual Grace of Christ, and the Grace that he had as head, is all one really, and differs only notionally, Of his fullness we have all received, Joh. 1.16. Grace in Christ is not to be considered, as his personal perfection, but as our fullness. As the Fountain hath water, not for itself, but the streams; and as the Head doth not sentire, or put forth acts of sense for itself properly, but the whole compound: Insomuch that there is nothing which Christ did as Mediator, but it was all for us; and therefore the Scripture saith, Col. 1.11. It pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell. Christ then is for us, and the Apostle saith, He sought not to please himself, Rom. 15.3. and he became poor that we might be made rich, 2 Cor. 8 9  
Hence secondly it followeth, That if Christ sanctified himself thus wholly for us, 
VI That if by faith we improve him not for those ends God appointed him, we make him a Christ in vain.  if we do not by faith improve him for those ends God appointed him, we make him a Christ in vain, to have sanctified himself, and died in vain: Even as the Sun would shine in vain, if all were blind and did not enjoy the light of it; as the brazen Serpent would have been exalted in vain, if none that were stung would have looked upon it: Oh then let the godly fear, lest by their unbelief and distrust, they make Christ a Christ in vain, his Sanctification of himself wholly in vain! Unbelief doth practically what those false teachers of righteousness by the Law did doctrinally, If righteousness come by the Law (saith the Apostle) than Christ died in vain. And thus it is here, If Christ sanctified and fitted himself to enrich thee, to justify thee, to sanctify thee, and thou by thy unbelief wilt not receive those things, then is he a Christ in vain, as to thee: Oh remember, If God will not hold him guiltless that takes his Name in vain, how much more that taketh Christ in vain, which is the most glorious name (as we may say) whereby God is made known!  
Thirdly, This Sanctification of Christ did denote some kind of sin and pollution upon him by way of imputation: For such things as were unclean, 
VII. It denotes him a sinner by imputation.  they were sanctified by legal Rites: Now it's true, Christ of himself had no uncleanness, being then holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners, yet because he was our Surety, and undertook our debt, bearing our sins upon him; therefore it is that he had imputed sins, though not inherent: Even as the scape-goat had the sins of the people laid upon it: Hence it is that Heb. 7. ult. his second coming is said to be without sin, implying that his first was nor, because our sins were laid on him, and therefore did he so much strive in prayer, with those excessive agonies in his soul, because of the sense of God's anger for our sins. Though then the Scripture saith, He took all our infirmities upon him, but without sin, that is to be understood of sin inherent in him, no such viper could fasten on him; yet in respect of imputation our sins were charged on him, and so he sanctified himself in his oblation, by taking away the guilt of them: Oh then consider the infinite love of Christ, and be amazed at it, that he should become sin, and a curse for us, that he should be under the displeasure of God for us, who was in our persons to have conflicted with it!  
Fourthly, In that Christ is here said to sanctify himself for us, 
VIII. That he was a Priest to make atonement for us.  there is hereby implied, That Christ was a Priest to make an atonement for us: and hereupon we might enlarge ourselves, concerning Christ's Priestly-office, which is of great concernment, as appeareth by the Apostle at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews, who doth so industriously assert and explicate this Office, as being that which is the foundation of all our grace and consolation. I shall only mention these particulars:  

Concerning Christ's priestly-office, Consider these things.  First, This Priestly-office did consist in offering up himself a Sacrifice: Every Priest was to expiate sin by Sacrifices: Now because God would not have burnt-offerings any longer, neither could the blood of Rams and Goats purge away sin, therefore Christ came to make an atonement: So that now we have reconciliation with God upon a twofold ground, his Mercy and his Justice. It's his mercy to send Christ into the world, yet in that Christ must satisfy by his death it's justice: And this must needs administer much boldness at the throne of grace, for justice can not now implead us: The only attribute that a sinner would fear, is God's justice; though he be gracious, yet he is just also; he demonstrated his justice in destroying all the apostate Angels, and not saving one of them. The Scripture represents him every where to be a just God, that will not acquit the guilty, that will render to every one according to his works. Oh (saith the poor sinner) at this I tremble, under this I bow down, but now by Christ's Priestly-office, justice is made on our side, not only grace is for us, but justice also; now our very enemy once doth speak for us, Justice, I am satisfied, I can require no more: then justice would be unjust, if it should require the payment of the same debt twice: This is ingraffed in man's heart to make a satisfaction and compensation to God, but that was altogether vain, which man did attempt to do, therefore Christ came to satisfy for all.  
2. Herein Christ's Priestly-office did exceed those Priests in the Law, That they were only typical and did outwardly cleanse, but they did not reach to the soul, neither would they effect any immediate advantages upon it. The Apostle diligently presseth this in his Epistle to the Hebrews, and in his Epistle to the Galatians is severe against those, who rested upon those external Sacrifices, or any works of the Law neglecting Christ, and this truth belongs to Christians also, for the blood of Christ is not esteemed; we think Baptism will clear us, our tears for sin, or duties will compensate. Thus Christ is not in our thoughts and in our hearts: Therefore whosoever doth not in every prayer, in every duty, look to the blood of Christ to cleanse him, he forgets this truth, that Christ sanctified himself for us, we walk as if our duties, or Sacraments, or Ordinances were sanctified to be our Mediators. It's the blood of Christ only that cleanseth away our sins, and that purifieth our persons and consciences.  
3. This Priestly-office of Christ is not only in the oblation of his body, but also in his prayers for us. Thus the Priest did in the Law, so that his prayers had more in them, than any private man, it being a prayer by one authorized and appointed thereunto. Christ in this also is our High priest; his prayers were of two sorts, 1. Those that he prayed for, while here on the earth, whereof this described in the Chapter is a chief one; and the other is that Intercession, which he still makes in heaven for us; 
Wherein this prayer, and his intercession in heaven differ.  they differ in the manner of petitioning, for those on earth were with great cries and groans debasing himself; but this in heaven is nothing but the presentation of his will, that what he had prayed for, and obtained for his people, should be applied to them. Now Christ's prayer is infinitely above the High priests prayers, for this is the prayer of him who is God as well as man, it's of him who is the beloved Son of the Father: so that nothing can be in justice denied to Christ's prayer, because it's a meriting and an obliging prayer.  
2. It transcends in love, because Christ is so dear unto the Father: What shall we say to these things that are so unspeakably happy for the members of Christ?  
4. Consider the adjuncts of this Priestly-office, He is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech. 
The adjunct; of his Priestly Office.  In Gen. 14. we read of Abraham's tithing unto Melchisedech the tithes of his spoil, who is there called, The Priest of the most high God. It would be endless to tell you, what the learned think about this Melchisedech, as also to discuss all the difficulties about him. It's enough for us that the Psalmist, Ps. 110. prophesied of this long ago, and the Apostle applieth it to Christ, Heb. 7. Now to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech, doth imply,  
1. The conjoining of a Kingly power to the Priesthood. In the Old Testament God had separated the Kingly and Priestly Office, none might undertake both; and therefore when Vzziah, though a King, took upon him to offer Incense, which was the Priest's Office, God struck him with a leprosy, and the Priests withstood him; but in this Melchisedech they were both joined together. Christ's being then a Priest after the order of Melchisedech, doth imply, that by virtue of his Priestly office he did attain to a Kingly; and therefore the Scripture speaks of that glorious condition he was exalted unto after his sufferings, even to be above all Kings and Potentates, and therefore it was providential that this Melchisedech, though a Priest, should have such a name as to be a King of righteousness, and a King of peace. and truly had Christ only sanctified himself to be a Priest for us without this Kingly office, we should still be under the power of our lusts, and dominion of our sins, and should have wanted a spiritual Prince of Glory against that prince of darkness▪ It's a Kingly Priesthood; so that there is not only religion, but power accompanying him.  
2. This implieth the spirituality of his Priesthood, for Melchisedech though a Priest, yet brought only bread and wine by way of refreshment to Abraham. It's a wonder to see how men of great learning and parts would find out a real Sacrifice in that fact of Melchisedeches, but it is easily proved, that Christ after that bodily oblation of himself, hath now appointed no other Sacrifices but spiritual. There is now nothing bodily or carnal in the Sacraments: It's sursum corda, and we are to prepare faith, not our teeth for the Sacrament. The Priestly-office of old was in a carnal bodily way suitable to all the other religious exercises; But now the external way of Christ is spiritual; we are to offer spiritual Sacrifices, and our prayers are spiritual Sacrifices.  
3. There is implied the perpetuity of it, Melchisedech was a Priest for ever. There is no abolition or translation of this Office, no Successor to it, therefore Christ doth abide for ever, That once oblation of himself perfected for ever those that were his: So that if he had offered up himself an hundred times more, it could not have been more effectual, than this once oblation.  
4. This Priestly-office was confirmed by an Oath, God swore to the perpetuity of it. The Apostle doth greatly aggravate this, Heb. 7.21. That God did not only promise, but confirm it with an Oath: Every word of God is as sure as an oath can be, but this was done to establish our faith; for it's the hardest thing in the world to a troubled soul for sin, to believe that Christ hath made such an atonement, or to believe such a reconciliation; therefore God did not only promise it, but swore to it.  
Use. To fill the heart of those that do truly believe with unspeakable joy; Christ sanctified himself to bring about thy peace: Here is oil enough, if thou bring cruises to receive it: Is it not sin in the power of it, and the guilt of it, that troubleth thee? Doth not that raise a great gulf between God and thee? Behold Christ hath sanctified himself, that sin should be as if it never had been. This is the Paschal Lamb that you are not to eat boiled or raw, but roasted with fire, not with waterish empty speculations, but fervent affections of faith. Are you to meditate on this Sacrifice? This blood speaks all good things for thee.   

SERMON C. Of Jesus Christ as Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar; The Properties of that Sacrifice; The way how men come to partake of the Benefit of it; Its Efficacy as to Sanctification as well as Justification.  JOH. 17.19. I Sanctify myself for them, etc. 
FRom the Person Sanctifying, we proceed to the Object-matter, which is said to be sanctified, and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Myself; The Priests in the Old Testament consecrated and offered their brute Beasts, which though commanded by God to have perfect Qualifications in them, yet because Beasts still, therefore our Saviour's Priesthood doth far transcend that, because it is his own precious body that he thus offers to be an Oblation for himself,  

Observe. That Christ was not only the Priest, but the Sacrifice itself.  From whence Observe,  
That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice itself; He offered up himself in that bloody and ignominious death for our sakes; This is the great mystery of our Christian Religion, whether you do regard the Doctrinal part of it as a Truth to be believed, or as it's Declarative of the love of God and Christ to his Church; The Prophet Isaiah cap. 53. is of old, long before it was accomplished, greatly affected with it, and Paul upon every occasion is largely amplifying this substantial Point.  

Propositions concerning Christ's Priesthood.  To clear it Consider these Introductions,  
First, That Christ was both Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar, Every thing in Christ is wonderful; There is nothing in him after the ordinary manner of nature, and therefore he may justly by the Prophet be called Wonderful, and as in other particulars, 
I. That Christ was both Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar.  so in this it is true, That he should be Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar; Priest, he was in both his Natures as God and man: Sacrifice, he was in his humane nature, because that only could suffer; And Altar, he was in respect of his Divine Nature, because by that he was sanctified; Oh then the admirable wisdom of God that hath thus appointed all fullness to be in him▪ When Abraham was to offer Isaac, and the Child was bound ready to be sacrificed, he asketh his Father, but where is the Sacrifice? God (saith Abraham) will provide one; 
II. What things are necessary to a Sacrifice.  Thus when all mankind like Isaac was ready to be Sacrificed to the Eternal displeasure of God, even than God found a Sacrifice for us.  
Secondly, Consider what is necessary to a Sacrifice, and that is, That there be some kind of destruction or annihilation of the thing to the honour and glory of God; And thus a Sacrifice and a Sacrament differ, a Sacrifice is by offering up of something to God, a Sacrament is when God offers and giveth something to us, Therefore when the Papists make the Lords Supper to be a Sacrament and a Sacrifice also, they speak repugnancies; In a Sacrament God giveth to us, In a Sacrifice we give to God: Now among the Jews there were many kinds of Sacrifices, and most of them did typically represent Christ; The Paschal Lamb and the Sacrificing of the Red Heifer, these are plainly applied unto Christ, but above all kinds of Sacrifices those that we called Holocatomata whole burnt-Offerings; These did in a most lively manner typify him, for there the whole was to be burnt in fire, and offered to God, which denoted the great humiliation of Christ both in Soul and body, and also the exquisite Torments and Sufferings which were upon him, so that he was wounded all over for our Transgressions.  
Thirdly, Take notice that he offered up his body as a Sacrifice to God; 
III. He offered himself too God.  It was in reference to him, not merely in respect of men, to witness the Truth of God, but as every Sacrifice ought to be, it was wholly in reference to God, though tending thereby to our good: It's unlawful to offer Sacrifices to any but God, because hereby is represented Gods supreme dominion and Majesty, which is signified by the annihilation or destruction of the thing offered; Now though Christ did not cease to be God, yet by his Death there was a separation of the soul and body, though not of the divine nature from either; It was then unto God that he offered up himself.  
Fourthly, 
IV. It was by way of Expiotion.  This Sacrifice it was by way of expiation and propitiation to atone and pacify the Justice of God, which otherwise would have been a consuming fire to all mankind, as it was to the Apostate Angels: Sacrifices do imply some kind of Expiation, and by Heathens were used to pacify the wrath of their gods, and thus if Christ's body offered was truly and properly a Sacrifice, than it could be no other but by way of expiation and satisfaction; Now that it was such an expiatory Sacrifice is plain by the Apostle at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where he compareth Christ dying with those Sacrifices, and showeth the insufficiency of them in respect of Christ's once Oblation of himself, which comparison would be weak and absurd if Christ's Death was not propitiatory; No wonder then if the devil hath raised up blasphemous Heretics to overthrow this Doctrine, because in this is contained that happy Reconciliation between God and a sinner; In that Christ shed his blood to atone for us is the whole hope and comfort of the Church of God.  
Fifthly, The holy and just nature of God against sin was such, 
V. The necessity of it.  that there was a necessity of Christ's sacrificing himself upon the Cross for us; It's hotly disputed whether God might have forgiven sin absolutely without Christ's Death, or by any other way then by Satisfaction; But when all is said, it's acknowledged it is the most convenient way, and if we do suppose that God would save mankind no other way but by justice as well as mercy, than it was absolutely necessary that Christ should become man, seeing no mere man could compensate God, neither could the Obedience of any man have delighted God as much as Adam's disobedience did offend him; Therefore it's highly derogatory from Christ which Durand saith, that if it had pleased God it might have been that as by Adam's disobedience all were made sinners, so by the same Adam's Obedience repenting and believing, all might have been made Righteous. 
The properties of Christ's Sacrifice.   
In the second place Consider the properties of this Sacrifice.  
And First, It had infinite worth in it; Insomuch that had God ordained it so, 
I. It hath infinite worth in it.  it would have procured Reconciliation for all the sins of all men in the world, yea, if there had been a thousand worlds of sinners; This is that which Divines say, That it was a sufficient price and ransom for all, though not efficacious: Though therefore many are damned, this doth not arise from any weakness or insufficiency in Christ's Death, but from the wickedness and rebellion of men who refuse the means to improve this Ransom for their good; There is infinite worth in it and that upon a threefold respect.  
1. The Person offering, who is God as well as man, So that what dignity and worth the divine Nature can put upon it, that it is sure to have; Oh that Unbelief and distrust should ever overwhelm any Godly soul! Doth not the Apostle triumph, and say, Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? Rom. 2. It's Christ that died; Though the divine nature could not suffer, yet he that suffered was God as well as man, and so it is to be accounted of infinite worth; This is more than the Obedience of Men and Angels put together.  
2. It is of infinite worth in respect of the gracious readiness and willingness of him who did utter it; Christ received grace into his humane nature without measure, and so this being the gracious offering of him, who was God and man, it must have necessary acceptance.  
3. It had infinite worth in respect of the thing uttered, which was no less than the precious body and blood of Christ himself, he thought not those preparatory sufferings and agonies enough, but he consummates all by his Death; Oh then let not the trembling sinner fear the insufficiency of the ransom, doubt not whether every farthing be paid, Say not, though such sins may be discharged, yet can this that I have committed, Can the blood of Christ cover this sin as well as others?  

II. Though Christ offered himself as a Sacrifiae yet the application must be as God hath appointed.  Secondly, Consider that though Christ offered up himself as a Sacrifice, yet the application of it must be in such a way that God hath appointed; It's not enough that there is a potion which will cure all diseases, but it must be taken in that way which the Physician doth prescribe, and thus though Christ offered up himself to reconcile God to man, yet this is not done till by faith it be received; As the blood of th● Sacrifice was to be sprinkled with hyssop; Thus the blood of Christ ere it doth wash away our sins, must by Faith be sprinkled upon the soul, and therefore it's not altogether here as it is when a man is indebted and lying in prison, one comes and payeth the debt for him; This man is released without any more a do; There is no further thing required but the setting of him at liberty, for though Christ hath thus offerrd up himself for the pardon of sins, yet the Father hath made such an appointment, that this price should reach to none but those that believe, and therefore this Doctrine doth not give the least security to any man to sin, for though Christ died, yet his blood may do thee no good: Thou mayst lie roaring in hell to all Eternity for all this, because thou art not one who doth partake of this death; Know the godly themselves while unconverted and abiding in their sins have not that actual benefit of Justification which cometh effectually by Christ's Death.  

III. Christ's blood washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it.  Thirdly, Hence Christ's blood is not only cleansing and washing away the guilt of sin but the filth of it; The Apostle Tit. 3. said, that he died to redeem us a peculiar people to himself, zealous of good works; So that there is none can plead the justifying efficacy of Christ's Death, that have not also the sanctifying efficacy of it, as it followeth in the Text, That they might be sanctified: and this will pull up by the very roots all that carnal confidence that most have, That come to Christ's Death as unto a common Sanctuary; It's true I am a grievous sinner, but Christ died, Christ was made a Sacrifice; but what is this to thee who wallowest in thy filthy lusts? Thou art full of thy noisome sins, and if Christ's Death did belong to thee, it would wash thee, it would purify thee; Do not think Christ's blood can be sprinkled on thee for the pardon of sin, and not for the washing away the filth of it; This is the ruin of thousands, they divide Christ, and separate one effect of his death from another.  
Fourthly, Though Christ did but once offer up himself, 
IV. The virtue of his Sacrifice abides for ever.  yet the virtue and power of it doth abide for ever; It's not necessary that Christ should be always dying, therefore he is said to be a Priest for ever, yea, this Death of Christ did extend to all the Godly that lived before his Sufferings; Abel, Abraham, and all in the Old Testament, had no other Sacrifice to please God with, but this; It is noted by a Learned man, that therefore cain's Sacrifice was not accepted because he did not as Abel, offer such a propitiatory Sacrifice as was a Type of Christ, but rested in his own duties and works; yea, it's thought God by covering Adam's nakedness with skins of Beasts, did thereby teach Christ's Righteousness; Look then upon the blood of Christ as powerfully working, as if to day he had been crucified; It works as a moral Cause by Covenant and agreement with the Father, and therefore it doth as strongly work as ever,  
Fifthly, It's continually useful and necessary, seeing we renew sins daily, 
V. It's continually useful.  and therefore run into new infirmities constantly, therefore it behoveth us to apply this medicine continually: If a man had been a hundred times stung by Serpents, he was as often to look upon the exalted Serpent to be healed, if therefore we fall into the mire daily, we need washing as often, if we get noisomeness upon us, this blood must daily cleanse us, and certainly we may all say with Peter, Not my feet but my whole body also; Let that be washed; Doth not every part of us get some new pollution? Are not hearts, affections, and minds constantly polluted? If so, we cannot be a moment without the application of it as often as we breathe, we need the Sprinkling of Christ's blood.  
Sixthly, We are to Consider the certain success and prevalency of it; No sooner did the Messengers say Vriah was dead, but David's anger was removed: 
VI It's prevalent with God.  When the destroying Angel seeth this blood, he will pass by, if Moses his prayer could so much prevail with God, that he saith, Let me alone; and Lot was so accepted that the Angel cannot destroy Sodom till he be removed; Then how powerful and prevalent must Christ's blood be.  
Seventhly, This Sacrifice is that which Christ presents to his Father; 
VII. It's that Christ presents to his Father.  The Socinians would have Christ performing his Priestly Office only in Heaven, but it's plain he did it on earth, only what he once did, he constantly presents to his Father, and the minding of God with this is a far more efficacious thing, then that of the Rainbow, God when he beholds this will not again drown the world, and when he looketh on Christ will not condemn the humbled sinner. Therefore Christ is described Rev. 10. with a Rainbow upon his head, to signify as some think the pacificatory virtue that is in Christ.  
Eighthly, The purity of the Sacrifice is not to be forgotten; He is called the pure and spotless Lamb, 1 Pet. 1.19. As it behoved us to have a Priest without sin, 
VIII. The purity of it.  So a Sacrifice without any defect, otherwise that Sacrifice would have needed another, and so there would have been no end; Therefore though all we can offer which is ours be full of blemishes, yet when we present Christ by Faith, than there is no fault to be found.  
Lastly, The virtue of this Sacrifice is to make us like Christ himself; 
IX. The virtue of it.  he thinketh it not enough to be King and Priest himself, but he maketh us also Kings and Priests for ever; We offer up Prayers and Praises to him, and by him we conquer all our spiritual Enemies, The devil and our lusts are subdued, Such glory have all they that are partakers of this Sacrifice.  
Use of Terror to all wicked and ungodly men, who by their Unbelief and profaneness reject this Sacrifice; The Apostle Heb. 10. calls it trampling upon the blood of Christ, and accounting it a profane thing; Oh how many thousand live that have no esteem, and make no account of this Sacrifice; Oh remember that this is the last and ultimate Sacrifice, He that rejects this hath no more hope; There remaineth no more oblation for sin; There is not another Christ or another Sacrifice, if thou refuse this.  
Use 2. Of Encouragement to the Godly. Come to this Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem to cleanse in: Do not say, because Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishness to wicked men, that therefore thou wilt disesteem him also. There is no sore▪ but this blood will heal and cure: Oh let the blood of thy soul be staunched with this blood of Christ! This blood speaks good and comfortable things, better than that of Abel.   

SERMON CI. Of Sanctification, as the Effect of Christ's Death; Showing, That no man truly believeth in Christ for Justification, that doth not also for Sanctification.  JOH. 17.19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the Truth. 
WE are now come to the end of Christ's Sanctification, which is twofold, the finis cui, and cujus. We shall put them both together, for so they are conjoined in the following clause, That they might be sanctified through the Truth.  
Wherein you have, 

1. The final Cause.  
2. The Manner of accomplishing it.    
The final Cause, That they might be sanctified: and from this the Socinian would argue, That Sanctification in the former clause, was not meant of an oblation by way of Sacrifice, because the same word is applied to the Apostles in the Text, and they were not to be sacrificed for us.  
To answer this: First, Some Expositors do expound it of their offering up of themselves by Martyrdom to confirm the truth, for Paul professeth his willingness herein, using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Phil. 2.15. which was used of some kind of their Sacrifices; but we need not run to that, it's no new thing in Scripture to use the same word in one verse, in different significations; and it's a Rule, Talia sunt praedicata, qualia permittuntur à subjectis. The Apostles then, needing not such a Sanctification, as Christ applied to himself, but that for which he prayed in the former verse. We must understand it in the same sense as there. It's true, by Sanctification, some also will have Justification comprehended, and so speak of an imputed Sanctification, but we need not stretch the word violently, but understand it, first, Of making inwardly holy, and then consequently, A setting apart, and dedicating ourselves wholly unto God by living unto him, and thence observe,  
That Christ died not only for our Justification, but Sanctification also. 
Observe. Christ died not only for our justification also. Concerning this point consider,  He made himself a Sacrifice, not only to remove the guilt of sin▪ but to remove and subdue the power of it, not only to make us happy, but also holy.  
Let us consider, What is implied in this, That Sanctification comes by Christ's death. And  
First, We are to know that Christ is the Cause of our Sanctification several ways, partly efficiently, for not only the Father and the Spirit, but Christ himself also is the cause of all the holiness we have, 
I. How many ways is the Christ is the cause of our Sanctification.  and therefore he is called the life, because he gives all supernatural life unto his, and is compared to the vine, Joh. 15. because as the branch separated from the Vine can bring forth no fruit; so neither is a man able without Christ to do the least holy action; he is also called the Head, and John 1. Of his fullness we are all said to receive. Thus as God in the course of nature is the author of every natural gift, therefore it's said, In him we live, and move, and have our being, Act. 17.28. So in the way of grace, Christ is the author and finisher, as of our faith, so of every holy work in us The Author, Heb. 12.2. and therefore we cannot so much as begin or meet Christ, he must prevent us; and the finisher; for although we have begun, yet we have not the same manutenency and powerful preservation, what we have begun to build would immediately fall to the ground. Thus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of our spiritual life.  
2. Christ is the meritorious cause of our Sanctification, and therefore not only remission of sin, but holiness and zeal is made the consequent of Christ's death; And the Apostle doth not only Rom. 7.8. show, that we are justified by Christ, but also that the body of sin is mortified thereby. Thus Heb. 10. what Sanctification that Apostate had, is attributed to the blood of Christ; Christ then hath as efficaciously merited holiness, as happiness, He died to destroy the works of the devil; now our captivity to him, was not only in respect of guilt, but that bondage and slavery we were in to all lusts; and therefore those two benefits are like Castor and Pollux, one cannot be without the other.  
3. Christ is in some large and improper sense, called the formal cause of the good in us, an assistant form, not informing, that is, Christ received and applied by faith, doth in a most inward and intimate manner live in us, and thereby strengtheneth us; so the Apostle, Gal. 2.20. I no longer live, but Christ in me. Here you see Christ liveth in a godly man, for by faith we are united unto him, and thus Christ becomes our Head, from whom we have all spiritual influx: Now an head is a conjoined and united cause, made one with the body, and thus is Christ and his Church; and therefore is that similitude of an Head and the Body so often used.  
4▪ Christ is the final cause of our Sanctification, that is, we are made holy to this end, both that we might show forth the praises and glory of Christ, as our Redeemer, as also that we should live to him, and set all our affections and desires upon him, desiring with Paul, To know nothing but Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 2.1.  
Secondly, In that by Christ's death we are sanctified, there is implied, 
II. What is implied in our being sanctified by Christ.  That we of ourselves are very impure and unclean, that we are like so many noisome dunghills. For our being unsanctified, doth imply,  
1. Our filthiness or uncleanness; this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ, he is like an unclean leper, his riches, his honours, his greatness, his parts, his morality doth not free him from this impurity, so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster, as a toad. This is the foundation of all our misery, that we do not look upon ourselves as so many vile carcases, as so many dead dogs. Till this be laid as the first principle, Christ is not prized, Sanctification is not sought after: Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afar off, and cry out, I am unclean, unclean? Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakedness and filthiness upon thee into God's presence.  
2. Being unsanctified, doth imply, That even the holy things we are employed about, do not sanctify us, but we rather pollute them. Hag. 2. He that was unclean, though he touched the holy things, though he ran to the Temple and the Altar, yet he was not thereby sanctified, but he rather polluted them, and thus while a man is unsanctified, those very duties, prayers and ordinances, he doth run unto, will condemn him, as appear Isa. 1. by that severe expostulation with them, that abounded in their Sacrifices, yet did not wash them or make them clean.  
3. There is implied an utter unfitness and indisposition to any good work; as on the other side, a vessel sanctified was meet for his master's use; So that till we be sanctified by Christ's blood, we have no fitness for any holy duty, iron can as well swim and logs fly, as a natural man be prepared to do that which is holy and supernatural.  

III. What may be inferred from our being sanctified by Christ's sanctifying himself.  Thirdly, That our Sanctification is here attributed to Christ's Sanctification of himself, we see,  
1. That the initials and beginnings of Sanctification, are wholly from him. Some have endeavoured to make the very Heathens partakers of some kind of sanctification, making a pietas pagana, as well as Christiana, but they are to fear lest that might be applied to them, which Bernard did to Abailardus, Dum sudat Platonem facere Christianum, scriptum facit Ethnicum. There is no sanctification but where Christ is, and Christ and his body cannot be separated, as the gold only in the Temple was sanctified; and this is good to lay us low, and to make us admiring of the grace of Christ, How is it thou art sanctified, and others remain profane, polluted like bruit beasts, who hath made this difference? Who infused this holy nature into thee? Wast thou not as loathsome, as wallowing in the filth of thy lusts, as others till Christ's blood did cleanse thee?  
2. Not only the initials, but progressives, and consummatives in Sanctification, are to be attributed to his Sanctification. Therefore you heard him called the finisher, as well as the author of our faith; and the Disciples, though already sanctified, yet are still more and more to be sanctified. It's true, here is a difference between our first Sanctification, and the increase of it at first, we were wholly passive; Christ found us dead in our sins, and wallowing in our blood, but afterwards he finds us alive, only needing his continual exciting and quickening grace; Therefore Paul, though converted, yet still lives a life of faith in Christ; we need Christ all the day long: How unholy, earthly, dull and lumpish is thy heart, if Christ did not constantly sanctify it?  

IV. Wherein the truth of Sanctification lieth.  Fourthly, This Sanctification purchased by Christ must be in truth and integrity; so Christ addeth, sanctified in the truth, that is, truly, in opposition to those legal and ceremonial sanctifications which did only cleanse the body, but not reach to the soul. Although in the New Testament we have no such external bodily Sanctification, yet still there is an outward Sanctification, and an inward, both coming by Christ, and one separable from the other. Thus you heard, the apostate is said to be sanctified by the blood of Christ, which was not indeed and truly so, for than he would not have totally fallen off, but in respect of the external administration. Hence 1 Cor. 1.2. the whole Church of Corinth, though afterwards reproved for many sinful practices, yet are called sanctified, and that partly, because of the external dispensation of the Ordinances which they enjoyed: So that there is a Sanctification external, and a Sanctification internal: External, is when by our Baptism, and Christian profession: We acknowledge ourselves separated from the world to live unto God; but internal is when we are so indeed: How shall we call the profane, ungodly person, a sanctified one? Look to the truth of Sanctification here mentioned in the Text. Now the truth of it lieth,  
1. In the manner of working of it. The Spirit of God by the Word doth thus sanctify; therefore some understand this in the Text, by the truth, as formerly our Saviour prayed. God himself is the only Author of Sanctification. We cannot make ourselves holy, no more than we can make ourselves men, yet God works not in the order of grace immediately, no more then in the order of nature, where he makes use of second causes. Thus in the working of grace, he appointeth second means, as the Ministry and Ordinances; and therefore Paul, 1 Cor. 3. saith, They were Ministers by whom the Corinthians did believe; and there is no better discovery of true Sanctification, then to examine the manner and way how thou hast received it; for if the Spirit of God by the Word hath wrought it in thee, then fear not, this is of a more noble and supernatural being, than what morality or principles of civility can incline unto thee; As Christ himself was in his bodily nature conceived by the holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner. Thus is every one sanctified in an higher and more sublime way, than all the moral and prudential dictates of nature can carry us unto: Oh then prove thyself, what hath the Spirit of God and his Word done unto thee! That was not more wonderful in those who had a prophetical Spirit, then in such who are sanctified. To enable men to speak with strange Tongues, is not more admirable, then to give a man a strange heart to what he had once, and strange in respect of others.  
2. It's true Sanctification, when it hath the universality and integrity of all parts, which is the whole Image of God, as Paul prayeth, 1 Thess. 5. I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit, soul and body. This work of Sanctification, it's an entire, complete, harmonical compages of all holiness, take any part of it away, and you dissolve the whole fabric. It's true, Sanctification though it have not perfect and complete degrees, but not true, if it want any essential parts, and therefore called the Image of God, which cannot be one grace, no more than a man can be a man in one part, and a beast in another, but the Systeme of all.  
3. It's true Sanctification in the permanency and continuance of it. Perseverance doth not make Sanctification to be true, but the truth of Sanctification makes it persevere: Perseverance is an effect, not a cause of true Sanctification, as the Apostle speaks, 1 John 2.19. They went from us, because they were not of us; As leaves fall from the Tree, when they have no more of their wont nourishment; and this discovers the falsehood of those who appear sanctified only in some fits, and upon some sad afflictions on them.  
4. Truth of Sanctification is discovered by the purity of our aims and ends. They love God, they obey him from such holy grounds as are suitable to the sanctified nature: As the hungry man loveth his food, because of his natural desire to it. Thus a sanctified man loveth and doth that which is holy for holiness' sake.  
5. True Sanctification is growing, and proficient every day more and more. That which hath solid root doth not wither, but ripens and flourisheth by the Sunne-beams. The Apostles though already sanctified, yet are still to be more sanctified; and certainly such is the sweetness and peace which Sanctification brings, that it's no wonder if the heart be never satisfied, but still crieth like the horseleech, Give, Give.  
6. True Sanctification will make a man diligently and fruitfully improve all the instituted means for the increase of it, because the Spirit of God works holiness; Therefore he is fearful to grieve it: Because the Ministry is to make more holy, therefore he prizeth it, and labours to profit by it, yea, because afflictions are sent by God to sanctify the heart, therefore he is humble under them, and prayeth more earnestly for the Sanctification of them, than the removal of them.  
7. This Sanctification, though inchoate and imperfect here, yet shall be perfected hereafter in Heaven. Christ's prayer, Christ's Spirit, Christ's merit will at last obtain their complete and ultimate effect, which is full Sanctification in Heaven, when there will be no more need to pray for further Sanctification.  
Use. Hath Christ thus merited, and prayed for Sanctification? Then know, Christ hath done nothing to encourage profane and ungodly men: Christ died not, neither is he a Redeemer or Saviour, but to such who are made holy. This may amaze and astonish all such, as divide the effects of Christ's death, yea and divide Christ himself; They look upon him, as a Saviour, but not as a Sanctifier; They would have his blood to wash away the punishment of their sins, but not the filth and pollution of them: Oh let the ungodly know, They set up an Idol-Christ; There is no such Christ as pardoneth, but sanctifieth not also! Come then more earnestly to be healed of thy soul-pollution, than they did of bodily diseases.   

SERMON CII. Shows, Why Christ who could do all things, yet put up Prayers What difference there is between his Prayers and ours. And the great advantage Believers have by Christ's Praying for them.  JOH. 17.20. Neither pray I for these alone, etc. 
HItherto our Saviour hath prayed for his Apostles as they were Apostles; But because many things in his Petition for them did also concern all Believers, and lest it should be thought that none but the Apostles were the Object of his Prayer, he therefore comes to a third part in his Petition, which relates to the Catholic Church even the whole number of those who in time by God's Spirit shall be enabled to believe, Christ doth represent in his Prayer to God the weakest believer as well as the most Eminent Apostle; So that here begins the third principal part of this Chapter.  
Now in this Context we may observe, 

1. The Object of Christ's Prayer.  
2. The Final Cause of it.  
3. The Reasons enforcing it.    
The Object of the Prayer is set down, 

1. By a Negative limitation, Not for these alone.  
2. By a Positive explication or description, But for those who shall believe;    
Through their word.  
In the Negative limitation Consider Who it is that is here said to pray;  
The Person is Christ God und man.  
As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we need say no more to that, only we are to add a further Consideration about Christ's Praying; Seeing therefore that this is the last place wherein he mentioneth his praying; I shall now supply what hath been defective in the consideration of this Point, and so Observe,  
That Christ though God, yet as man did pray unto the Father as other men: 
Doct. That Christ though God, yet as man did pray unto the Father.  This Point about Christ's Praying is worthy of our knowledge and right understanding, For the Arians and Socinians did from hence argue, that Christ was not God, it being absurd they say for him to pray who could do what he pleased, even as it's absurd to say, that God can pray, seeing he is omnipotent, and hath no Superior; Yea, some of the Ancient Fathers have not spoken so sound in this Point; Hilary makes it to be but a kind of holy simulation, that Christ prayed, and generally it's made a reason why he prayed that he might give us an example; But although this be one subordinate end, yet there were other more principal ends.  

Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray.  1. Therefore let us Consider upon what ground Christ did pray.  
2. The difference between his Prayer and ours. He prayed then for himself and his Church.  
1. Because as man he was not omnipotent, and so his humane will was not able to accomplish the things he desired, for although as God he could do all things, in which respect he wrought Miracles, and did them not by Petition, as the Apostles, but by his own power and in his own Name, yet as man, so, what he desired by his humane will, by that he could not simply accomplish it, so that in this respect it was that Christ as man did pray.  
2. As man Christ was subject to the Law of God, and so was bound to give that worship and Religious Service to God which the Law did require, so that when Christ prayed he did it as fulfilling a duty, he had voluntarily submitted unto; Even as when he came to be baptised, he told John, it behoved him to fulfil all Righteousness, Matth. 3.15. It was part of his Righteousness to be baptised, because as man he was made a member of the Church; Therefore Matth. 4. he brings that command of worshipping and serving God alone, as reaching to him, intimating he was bound by that Command as well as other men: So Joh 4. he tells the Woman of Samaria, We worship, we know not what: He puts himself in the Number of Worshippers, So that Prayer being part of God's worship, and a chief part of it, no wonder if Christ was constant in it: Hence we read of spending nights in Prayer, yea, in his Troubles, his Prayers were accompanied with strong Cries and Agonies, and the more they increased, the more earnestly he prayed.  
3. He prayed, because though all things were due unto him, yet by the Ordination of God he could not be partaker of them but by Prayer; So that though the Glorification of his body was due unto him from the beginning of his Incarnation, yet he is to come to it by way of Prayer; Hence in this Chapter he doth by many Arguments seek for it at the Father's hands: Thus Psal. 2. when God there declares his will of making him King over his Church, and giving the Nations of the world for an Inheritance to him, it's said, Ask of me, and I will give thee, Christ is to ask and pray for such things, So that in this respect Christ prayed, even as all the Godly do, though God hath appointed and promised to bestow such glorious things upon his penple, yet it is by way of prayer that they must be possessed of them; God could give them otherwise; Neither do our prayers or Christ's Prayers make God alter or change his mind, only prayer is appointed by him as that medium whereby his purpose shall be brought to pass.  
4. Christ prayed upon the same ground, as he gave thanks; Now we read he praised God several times, yea, they sang an Hymn to God; Prayer is divided into Petition and thanksgiving; If then Christ could give God praise by the same reason he might make Petition to him; He praiseth God as the Father of such mercies, his Soul was affected with, and so he prayeth to God for such things as he had not yet the full accomplishment of.  
Lastly, These main Reasons being laid down then we may add, Christ prayed for our example also; It's wonder any should be so transported with pride as to think themselves above prayer, that they need not to pray, when we see Christ himself diligent in this Duty, So that as we are to learn of him, and imitate the Zeal, Patience, and Love that was in him, so we are the Religious Conversation also of Christ, which was manifested in his fervent Prayers unto God upon all occasions, yet though Christ did thus pray, there was a great difference between Christ's Prayers and ours.  
For first, If we speak absolutely of Christ as a person, so he needed not to pray, 
The difference between Christ's prayer and ours.  for being in that respect God as well as man; Therefore he could have done all things the humane Nature desired without any humble Supplication unto the Father; It was then in respect of his humane nature only, and his voluntary Humiliation of himself, otherwise being God as well as man, He might have done all things by sole power and authority; Indeed there are some who hold that Christ still in Heaven as man, doth pray to God the Father, properly and formally in respect of his Church, and so understand those places where he is said to be an Advocate with the Father, and where he is said still to make intercession for us, not (say they) that he prayeth in such a servile humbled manner as he did here on Earth, yet they say it's more than mere a representation of himself, or will that the Father fulfil what he hath purchased; It's true and formal praying, neither (say they) is this any more indecent and unbeseeming Christ as man in Heaven, then praising of God, which yet as man he doth; Howsoever this be, yet it's sure that when he did pray on earth, yet it was not with such an absolute necessity and indigency as any man, or the whole Church doth pray for, they cannot in any Consideration help themselves.  
2. Neither did Christ pray for any spiritual gracious mercies; These are the chiefest matter of our prayer, insomuch that temporal things are prayed for only with a submission unto God's Will, and so far as they conduce to our spiritual good, but Christ had already received the Spirit of God in so full measure, that he could not pray for further Sanctification, nor for a better heart or more communion with God than he had, much less could he pray for such things as suppose a sinful Imperfection in the Subject, So he did not or could not pray for the pardon of sin which yet he taught the most holy that are, to pray continually for, neither could he pray for justifying Faith, for although he had faith and confidence in God, yet he had not justifying Faith, which is the relying upon Christ for Righteousness; Neither could he pray for the conquering and subduing of corruption seeing his pure Nature remained altogether spotless and free from the least stain or pollution.  
Neither 3. Were Prayers to him as they are to us, means to quicken up and excite the heart, to make it more Heavenly and zealous; Prayer in us doth quicken and excite a man, and takes off the rust upon his Soul; Christ was always in contemplation and enjoyment of God, and therefore he did not need prayer to make his soul ascend higher to God.  
Hence in the fourth place, All the matter he could pray for in reference to himself was concerning his body, and the further glorifying of that, for seeing it pleased him to take our body upon him in all the natural defects and infirmities thereof, sin only excepted, it was necessary that he should not always be in such a passable mortal way, but rise again to glory, dominion, and all honour; Now this Christ prayed for as being to be obtained by prayer as well as his Sufferings; He prayed also for assistance and deliverance in those agonies he conflicted with; But in respect of his prayer for the Church, So he prayed for their Sanctification, though not for his own, he prayed Peter's Faith might not fail; he prayed God would not impute sin to some of those who did crucify him; Though he needed not such Petitions, yet we do, and therefore in this respect Christ prayed, in which we cannot imitate him, for he prayed as he was to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sins, so it behoved him also to put up prayer for his people; Thus you have heard how Christ was capable of Prayer, though God. 
What advantage Believers have by Christ.   
Let us now Consider the comfortable advantage of these Prayers of Christ's unto us: And  
1. See the love of Christ, that he doth remember our good in his prayers, as well as his own; It is not enough to pray for his own Glory, but he beggeth and prayeth for ours also: Paul speaketh of it as his great affection and Love to some that he made mention always of them in his Prayers, he never prayed for himself but for them also: And thus we see Christ though ready to be offered up, and to die such a tormented, ignominious Death, So that he might justly be taken up with Prayer for himself only, yet he doth the same time think of his Church, and all that shall believe in him; Oh what comfortable Refreshment and Encouragement should this be to the dejected and humbled Soul! That Christ doth in his Prayer remember and consider of thee as well as his own Glorification.  
2. This Prayer of Christ is always heard; We many times pray, and God doth deny us, because as the Apostle James saith Chapt. 4. vers. 4. We ask amiss, or we ask not in Faith; Now Christ had every thing concurrent that might make his Prayer successful: Therefore John 11.42. Christ there professeth God the Father heard him always: In that History many things are remarkable.  
For 1. In the raising of Lazarus though he could have done it by an immediate Word, yet he wept, and was sorely troubled; yea, he groaned twice, which were not simply groans of his Body in a natural way, but such as were accompanied with Prayer; Therefore he addeth, I know that thou hearest me always; Though we do not read of any Prayer of Christ's at that same time, yet the groans and the desires of his Heart, they were Prayer.  
2. It is Observable how thankful Christ was for having his Prayer heard; The same Person who is obliged to give thanks, is also bound to pray: Thus John 6. Christ gave Thanks about that Refreshment, though it was by Barley and some small Fish; Christ himself giveth God thanks for that poor and coarse Diet: Oh what Thankfulness should this teach us, and stir us up to express: And so in this History, though the good he prayed for did not immediately redound to him, but to Lazarus and his Sisters, yet Christ giveth thanks for it, so that Christ who prayeth for the good of Believers as his own good, So he giveth thanks likewise to God for Mercies and Blessings bestowed on them as though they were his own mercies: If thou canst not give God Thanks large and hearty enough for his discriminating Mercy in opening of thy Eyes, and passing by and leaving the Eyes of more prudent and honoured in the world blind and shut up: Know that Christ hath also thanked the Father for this, Luke 10.21. Christ that prayeth for all thy spiritual blessings, doth also praise the Father for them.  
But 3. That for which I brought this place is, That Christ doth not only say, That the Father heard him, but I know, demonstrating the Assurance of this, and that he heareth him always: This supposeth Christ is always praying, for he that is always heard, is supposed to be always pouring forth his Petitions: And further If you say that Christ prayed, That the Cup might pass away, yet he was not heard in that prayer, it is easily answered, That was not Christ's Absolute but his Conditional prayer: It was an Expression of his Will ut natura, not ut ratio; Therefore he addeth, Not my Will, but thy Will be done: Hence Hebrews 5.7. it is said, He offered up Prayers with strong Cries to him that was able to save him from Death, and was heard in what he feared; Though he died, yet was heard in that Prayer because Death had not any Dominion over him.  
Now Christ must needs be heard always,  
1. Because he is the Mediator and High Priest, and so poureth out his prayers in his own Name; If Christ should not be heard for himself, than he would need another Mediator for himself, and he must also pray in another's Name, which is highly derogatory unto his honour to imagine or think of.  
2. His Prayer is meritorious as well as his death, and so in justice nothing can be denied him.  
3. He is infinitely beloved of the Father, and so when he appeareth nothing can be denied him.  
Lastly, He doth not absolutely pray for any thing but what is conformable to his Father's Will, and if so be we, who are the Sons of God by Adoption only, are sure to speed and to prevail when we keep close unto that Rule, how much more than shall the Natural Son of God  
Use 1. To reprove those who either through pride think themselves above prayer, or else through profaneness neglect it: Christ prayed alone and with his Disciples, and thou hast neither Family-Praier or private prayer: Christ gave thanks though for barley bread, and thou constantly eatest thy Food without acknowledging God to be the Author of that mercy.  
Use 2. of Direction To the Godly, Make up the Defects and Insufficiency of thy own prayers, with the Fullness, Excellency, and infinite worth that is in Christ's Prayer, Christ prayed not with such defects and failings as thou dost, they are thy prayers, for thy good, far better than if thou hadst offered them up for thyself.   

SERMON CIII. In what respects the Benefits of Christ's Mediation extend to all Believers alike, and in what not: For the Comfort of weak Christians, and such of them as are most contemptible in the eyes of the World.  JOHN 17.20. But for them also which shall believe in me through their word. 
FRom the Negative Limitation, we come to the Positive Explication and Description of such as are the Object of Christ's prayer. And in this Description, we may take notice,  
First, Of the adversative particle, But also. Not only the Apostles, such as were eminent, and pillars, but even for all the rest, though never so mean and inconsiderable.  
Secondly, There is the Description of the persons,  
1. By their inherent properties, that shall believe.  
2. By the Circumstance of the future time, That shall believe, though not yet born, and so could not think or desire good for themselves, yet Christ doth here pray for them.  
3. There is the Object of this belief, Who shall believe in me.  
4. The instrumental Cause, Their word.  
All these particulars have their respective usefulness. And  
First, Let us consider the adversative particle, not only the Apostles, but every believer also.  

Doct.  Obs. That Christ in his Mediatory-Office had respect to the meanest and weakest believer as well as to the choicest and most eminent. Even as the Highpriest was to pray for all the people, the poorest as well as the greatest; so doth Christ regard the soul of the most contemptible believer, as well as of such who are more conspicuous. This might be represented in that custom amongst the Jews, when the soul of every man, whether rich or poor did pay the same ransom, Exod. 30.12. Though among men, there be poor and rich, learned and unlearned, yet in respect of Christ and grace, there is no such difference. To this purpose notably the Apostle, Gal. 3.28. There is neither Jew or Greek, b●nd or free, but all are one in Christ Jesus. Christ in his Mediatory works looks upon all as one: Even as it is with God's providence in this universe. It's fully intent upon every one creature. There is not the least worm or fly, but God's providence preserveth it as well as it doth the most glorious Angel, and as it is said usually, God's providence is so intent upon all the whole Word universis, as if he did not attend singulis to every particular, and yet on the other side, it's so incumbent on singulis, as if it were not to the universis: Even thus it is with Christ, his care and love is so indulged to any one believer, that you would think there were no other believers, you would think his thoughts were not upon the Church in general, but on this particular, and yet at the same time Christ's inspection ●nd watchfulness is so over the whole Church, that one would think, that he had not time or leisure to mind the condition of every private Christian.  
To open this Doctrine, it's good to consider these things:  
First, That Christ being God as well as man, 
In what respects Christ did as much for one believer as another.  and so a Mediator in both Natures, did know all those who were given unto him by the Father, he knew the charge and trust that was committed unto him: Even all that have been, or shall be, and therefore as the Highpriest had the names of the twelve Tribes on his breastplate; Thus our Mediator resembleth him, for he hath the name of every one, he is the good Shepherd, who as he did lay down his life for, so also he must necessarily know every one of them. This then is to be taken notice of, that the Father gave such a number of persons, neither more nor less unto Christ, to purchase their salvation; and every one of these he did exactly know, for to him as God, all things past and to come are as present. And therefore though these in the Text are to believe in the future, and so have no present being, yet they are here comprehended in Christ's prayer; But of this truth more in the second Description, which is of the circumstance of time.  
Secondly, As Christ in a Mediatory way did thus receive equally every one to his charge and trust, so in the discharge of it, he had an equal respect to all. Christ did not will the salvation of one believer more than another: he did not intend his blood in the efficacy of it, more for Paul or Peter, than he did for Mary Magdalen a great sinner, if then we speak quoad affectum and intentionem, not quoad efficaciam, and fructum; So Christ was equally a Mediator to all that are given him by the Father. Though we judge that a most unsavoury and unthankful Doctrine, that holds, Christ did intentionally and equally die for all; for Judas as well as Peter; That Christ had no more love in his death to one than another; yet if we speak of those who are interessed in him spiritually; so it's true, Christ died equally for all that are his, he made no difference in his Mediatory acts, his eye and love, with all that he did was to one, as well as another. None can say, he is my Christ more then another's, he intended me in his death more than another. This you heard proved by the Apostle, when he said, in Christ Jesus, there was no respect of persons, relations, or other differences.  
Hence thirdly, Even in respect of the effects and fruits of his Mediatory love, in some particulars all are alike. There is no difference between one and the other: As for instance, in Justification, all believers stand alike justified through the blood of Christ, all are accepted of, and beloved in Christ alike. This we truly maintain, when against Papists we affirm, That any poor, weak woman, yea one that hath been a grievous sinner, yet if believing in Christ, is equally justified with the Virgin Mary; and the ground is, because the reason of our Justification is without us in respect of Christ, not in ourselves; so that as Christ is every where the same, thus must our Justification be every where the same. It's true, one is more justified than another extensively, but not intensively, that is, one hath more sin forgiven then another. Marry Magdalen had more forgiven her then the Virgin Mary, but intensively, as our Justification doth consist in God's favour and acceptation, so they were both equal. Again, if we speak of the application of Christ's righteousness, so indeed there is a great difference; for though Christ's righteousness be the same, yet because some receive this with a stronger faith than others, and because the application of this righteousness is in us, not according to the latitude and worth that it is in Christ, but according to our necessity and indigency; Therefore we may say, Some partake of it more than another. Though Christ's righteousness be in itself the same to all: Even as the light of the Sun is the same to every Star, though one Star partaketh more of it, then another. This than must needs encourage every believer, for he hath the same Christ, the same righteousness to offer unto God for satisfaction as any Paul or Abraham, though the father of the faithful, had. If we were to come in our graces and duties to be accepted of, than we might truly say, I am not comparable to such worthies, I cannot speed so well, as those that have more eminency, but though I have not the same grace with Paul, yet I have the same Christ with Paul, the same righteousness he would be found in, the same also I desire to be found in. Thus our righteousness is alike in Christ.  
Fourthly, In the application of Christ's benefits, there is no regard to external temporal differences. Christ doth not communicate himself to a Christian for any external consideration, nor are his favours dispensed with such references, but according to their spiritual capacities: Hence it comes about, that some poor, weak Christian, may enjoy far more of God and Christ, than the richest man, or the learnedst man that is in the world, because Christ dispenseth himself in a spiritual way, because they are his members, and believe in him, not for accidental respects: Thus Christ saith, I stand at the door and knock, Rev. 3.20. if any man open I will come in, and sup with him Christ will come to a poor man's house, and knock there, and will sup with him: The meaning is, he will manifest himself in a gracious comfortable way to such an one, let him be never so contemptible: Know then, to partake of Christ, and to have intimate fellowship with him, is not according to the manners of great Kings and Potentates in the earth: It's not here as with Ahashuerus, none might come into his presence, but such as were perfumed, and gloriously prepared for his presence a long while together: Every believer may come boldly to the throne of grace, and call God, Father, and never be discouraged for external respects, God may make the poor man's cottage an heaven, whereas the rich man's palace or hall is many times an hell. Christ regards not great men, but good men, yet this must not be wrested to an Anabaptistical error, that because in spiritual dispensations Christ makes no such difference; therefore the public civil order that is between rich and poor, honourable and base, is to be confounded: No, Christ's Gospel doth not abolish humane policies and civil differences, but doth with great diligence command the renewing of them; Take an instance about a believing servant, 1 Tim. 6.2. They that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; Servants might think that by Christ all difference is taken away, why should he be a servant, he hath as much of Christ, and is equally beloved of him with his Master? Oh, saith the Apostle, take heed of such corruption, grace doth not confound and abolish relations and order, but rather confirmeth them, and commands to discharge them with the greater care.  
Fifthly, Christ's gracious promises which are for the main the substance of the Covenant of grace are equal to all his. He makes no difference, when he invites to pardon, to rest, to come unto him. Indeed there are peculiar promises, which are made either to some high degrees of grace, or to some in their peculiar relations, or sufferings for Christ, which do not belong to all: But the Covenant of grace, which is the substance of all promises, that is offered and fulfilled in one believer as well as another: Thus the promise of being our Father, and we his people, of forgiving our sins, and writing his Law in our hearts; They are made to every believer, All the Promises are in Christ Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. and that to every one who cometh to him; This is also infinite comfort; It's sin and thy delusion, when thou sayest, such glorious promises do not belong to me, I am so poor and unworthy. Though others may claim them, yet I may not: Oh take heed of this! you charge Christ foolishly and sinfully in this respect, Mat. 11. Is it not his promise universal to every one that is heavy laden, that he will ease him? Why dost thou except, when Christ doth not? So what can be more clear than that, John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out; Let him be never so miserable, so wretched, so sinful, if he cometh, he will in no wise cast out, and lest it should be thought I cannot come, he begins the verse thus, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, all shall come, not one will he forget; therefore Christ is described by this, That he will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Mat. 12.22. Yea the promise of perseverance is to every godly man, as well as any; That as the least Star is as firmly set in its orb, as the glorious Sun, and there is no more danger of the falling of the one, than the other; Thus it is with the godly, even the meanest, weakest and most fearful are as sure to be kept by God to salvation, as the most strong and heroical Christians. It's not Peter's courage or fortitude that kept him, for you see when preserving grace had in some measure left him, he began to fall most dangerously, and would not have stopped, till he had come to the bottom of the hill, had not grace prevented him. This you must know, that it's not the graces or watchfulness of a Christian, that keeps him, as none can say, I have differenced myself in respect of conversion; so neither I have made myself to persevere in respect of continuance of grace. This then is clear, That he who is truly a member of Christ, shall not perish, though he be not the eye, or the hand, though he be the meanest, yet because a member, he is inseparable: Therefore John 10. None can pluck any out of my hand; All the sheep of Christ are in his hand: It's not with Christ, as with some unnatural parents that dote on some of their children, but others, they care not for; Christ loveth all alike in respect of the substantials of grace; So that as every one is elected, and every one shall be converted, so every one shall persevere to salvation. This is a precious truth, and aught to be received; for we think with ourselves, my weaknesses, my corruptions, my frailties, my carnal fears are so great, that I shall never prove faithful in the hour of temptation: Oh remember, that in this point of perseverance Christ makes no difference between true believers, the weak shall hold out as well as the strong!  
Sixthly, Christ's protection, power and care is to one as well as another, though he may suffer some to be more afflicted. Some more afflicted, some more exercised than others, yet this ariseth not from a less love of Christ. That Parable of the loss of one sheep, and the Shepherds leaving all to find out that, signifieth, that God's care and love is to anyone that needeth him; and therefore the temporal promises for the generality belong to every godly person; God hath promised, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, Heb. 13.5. There is no believer living, but he is to apply this promise as properly, as if he only were mentioned, or as if he were Joshua to whom it was first personally made. And to this Paul, Rom. 8. when he argueth, He that giveth us Christ, shall he not give us all things else? And we are more than conquerors: No, Do not all those glorious triumphs proceed upon a ground common to every believer? May not every Christian say so as well as Paul? Thus when it's said, Cast thy burden upon the Lord, for he careth for thee, and all things shall work for your good, and in nothing be careful. This is bread for every child; Indeed there are dogs, and there are swine, to whom this bread doth not belong, to whom this pearl is not to be cast, but every child may undoubtedly take it.   

SERMON CIV. That in some particulars the poor weak Christian hath more respect from Christ then the strong one.  JOH. 17.20. But for those also that shall believe in me through their Word. 
THe Doctrine observed was, That Christ in his Mediatory Office stood equally affected to the weakest believer as well as the most eminent; In many things we demonstrated an equality.  
Before I come to show the differential particulars, let me add, That in some particulars the poor weak Christian hath more love and affection from Christ then a strong one; So that the weaker they are, the more they conclude of more grace and power to be showed to them.  
1. Christ commonly showeth more pity and compassion to such as are objects of greater want and indigency; Therefore you heard, the smoking flax he would not quench; As the Shepherd doth gently lead those cattle that are great with young, and as Aristotle observeth, that in nature Parents are still carried with their greatest affection to the child that is youngest, because that is most exposed to want; Thus also doth Christ respect those that are the meanest, the lowest, that have least of comfort and least of grace; Alas such are the greatest objects of pity; Do not therefore think that thy infirmities make God angry with thee if humbled for them, no, they provoke pity and compassion; As the Psalmist speaks, Psa. 103. concerning Gods afflictions, that he remembers what man is, he doth not deal with him as if he were brass and iron, but as dust and grass, So doth Christ, he knoweth thy weaknesses, thy temptations, and therefore he will mercifully consider of thee; The Apostle giveth this reason, 1 Pet. 2.7. why the husband should give honour to his wife, because she is the weaker vessel, and certainly Christ takes this way with every Soul married to him, the weaker it is the more compassionate is his condescension to it.  
2. His protection and preservation of it is more peculiar and emphatical; The weaker and more infirm thou art, the greater is God's power and grace manifested in thee; Thus Paul said, the power of God was perfected in his infirmities, and when he was weak, than he was strong, 2 Chro. 22.10. This is Christ's usual way to magnify his power and strength most in those that are the weakest of believers, and therefore it is that many times he leaveth those that are strong and eminent to their own selves, that so feeling their own infirmities they may be the fitter objects to glorify Christ's power; Hence when Peter was in his failing and decaying condition, than Christ prayeth, that his faith may not fail; God that owneth himself to be the judge of the Widows, and the Father of the Fatherless, because they are most exposed to necessities, will much more show this in a spiritual way to such as have not the hopes or the encouragements as other godly men have.  
3. He doth commonly vouchsafe more inward comforts and evidences of his love to such, giveth them more cheerfulness and joy; Even as you see in nature, a Child is not exercised with those cares and troubles that do molest when they come to years, but mind their sport and play; Thus to new Converts God many times, revealeth much comfort and joy; They may have more than than ever afterwards in their life time; Then is the time of the Souls marriage to Christ, and no wonder if a Feast be provided for them, and their water be turned into wine.  
4. God doth in a singular manner keep them from those exercises and temptations which many times he lets fall on those that are more eminent, Joh. 26. when Peter was young he went whither he would, but when he was old than he should be bound, Where there is spiritual strength God puts a proportionable burden; So that Christ in the dispensing of his exercises hath a respect always to the measure of their graces, he will not lay a Giants burden upon a Child's back, yea, such is the wisdom of Christ herein, that he doth prepare and fit his people by degrees for afflictions, as the timber lieth in water to he seasoned by degrees for service; There is a great difference in God's providence to his own people, some are more tempted than others inwardly in their souls, Some again have far more outward troubles than others, and in all these still regard is had to the strength of his people; Christ being the head hath a respect to every member, and so knoweth what is the fittest exercise for it; Be not then inordinately cast down with fears, fears about thy infirmities and weaknesses, for if thou art weaker than others, thy burden shall be lighter, and the less thou hast of thyself, the more of Christ's power will be in thee.  
5. Though they be weak in many things, yet Christ makes them remarkably strong in some other things; This is notable to consider, that even such who have been weak, yet in some passages have showed more strength and courageous actings of grace than others very glorious: Did not all the Apostles though the first fruits as it were of God's Spirit for fear fly from Christ? When Mary followed him to the Cross; yea, Joseph of Arimathea which came to Christ by night for fear, did afterwards publicly own Christ, and that when he was crucified, when were the greatest discouragements; Hence the Apostle Rom. 11. exhorts in honour to prefer one another, because there is no Christian so weak but even the strongest may be inferior to him in some respect, Comfort then thyself in this that though weak, yet thou hast sometimes been so enabled to do those things which yet others have failed in.  
6. To those that are weak God hath made glorious promises for the increase of their grace; Thus the Prophet Isaiah, He that is weak shall renew his strength like an Eagle, and shall not be faint, Isa. 40.31. and thus they are said to be blessed that hunger and thirst after Righteousness because they shall be satisfied, Mat. 5. and by the Prophet Zechary, He that is feeble shall be like David, and David like an Angel of God, Zech. 12.8. So that the meanest Christian may lift up his head with joy, for though thou art infirm, yet a glorious promise of strength is made unto thee.  
Lastly, God sanctifieth these weaknesses and infirmities unto them, So that they get more good by their weak grace then many times others do by their strong; It's better to be a babe in grace, fearing to fall, than a presumptuous man like Peter to think we shall always stand; God suffers even strong ones sometimes to be overcome by Philistims, that so they may fly out of themselves to the grace of God, and depend upon his power, Now the Sanctification of their weakness of graces lieth in this.  
1. They are hereby more bumble and self-emptied; They remember those duties, He that stands, let him take heed he doth not fall, and be not highminded but fear: Humility and self-emptinesse is a comely posture for a Christian, now none are more so, than such who are sensible of their weakness.  
2. Hereby Christ is advanced and exalted in his power, as the weak Child layeth fast hold on his Father's arm; Thus the power and might of Christ is to none so welcome as those that find and feel themselves falling, when the Disciples are ready to sink, than they cry our, Master help we perish  
3. They walk more thankfully to God, when the Israelites were in a barren wilderness, having no food or water but what God did wonderfully provide for them, then if ever they would be st●rred up to thankfulness; Thus when a child of God wonders that under so many temptations and infirmities he did not this day or that day fall and break his peace with God, he will be provoked to glorify God and admire his grace; The hungry Soul will be thankful for every morsel of bread, and thus will the humble lowly Christian apprehensive of its own imbecilities glorify God for every moment's preservation.  

There is some difference between believers in respect of Christ's Death.  In the next place Let us Consider, That there is some difference between Believers in respect of the fruits of Christ's Death as well as there is an equality:  
As in the first place, Though Justification be alike, yet their Sanctification is not, one is made more holy than another; That as one Star differs from another in glory, so one Christian from another in grace; Hence some are called babes, others strong men, Some are called carnal comparatively, others spiritual, Some are said to be perfect not absolutely but respectively; It's true, all the people of God are truly sanctified, one is sanctified as well as another, aequè but not aequalitèr, only the measure and degree is very different; Not that he who hath more may advance his power, and attribute glory to himself; No, What hast thou that thou hast not received? Not only the essence of grace but every degree thereof is from the grace of God; Therefore he that prayed, help my unbelief, Mar. 9.24 argued that he could not have one degree of faith by his own power, only Christ must bestow it on him.  
2. As sanctifying grace is very differently given to believers, so those common gifts which are for service, Christ giveth them in much variety, Eph. 4. That all these gifts are the fruit of Christ's death is plain, and therefore the Spirit of God is given by Christ to his Church upon his Ascension, Now 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle doth there excellently show, that though there be diversity of operations, yet there is still but one spirit, and the Scripture much delights in the similitude of a body, where there is diversity of members with their peculiar operations, and it's hard for believers to be content with these various Administrations: Every member would be an Eye, Though Christ died equally for all, yet he did not give gifts and offices alike to all; This variety of gifts is represented by the King's Daughter, whose clothing was of needle work, and it should not tend to envy or division, but to mutual profiting and helping of one another.  
3 The means of grace are likewise differently administered, For although Christ died alike for all believers, yet the means of bringing them home are not alike, Some live under more powerful means than others, Some have not the Spurs and encouragement that others have to that which is holy; Again, some live in clearer and more evidencing times of God's grace than others, all those that lived before Christ's time are said to be in the dark in comparison of the Light that did arise by Christ; Many Kings and Righteous persons desired to see what the Apostles did, but could not; But though all have not the like means, yet there is not any one godly man, though in never such remote and dark corners, but the converting grace of God will find him out, and therefore that is not a sufficient reason which some, pleading for Christ's death universal for all, when urged by this argument, That if Christ died for all, why then have not all the means of grace? why is not the Gospel preached to every one, if Christ died for every one? They answer thus, That even those who hold Christ died for all believers, yet grant that all believers have not the same means of grace, to some the Kingdom of heaven draweth nigh more manifestly and evidently then to others; But this as I find is insufficient, because though the means of grace to one believer may be more than another in respect of measure and degrees of Light, yet not of efficacy; That little means they have is blessed by God to be as effectual as the most eminent and glorious means, whereas by their opinion Christ is supposed to die for such, who yet never were sanctified by any means, whether more or less they did enjoy.  
4. Their temptatious either inward or outward are greatly different; Every godly man hath no● the buffet of Satan as Paul, had neither are all Martyrs; Obadiah could live quietly in ahab's Court, when at the same time Eliah was pursued to death, Rev. 10. The devil shall cast some of you into prison; But some only, yet in these different administrations all believers may take the same essential comfort, and look to the same substantial happiness, you must know also that none may nourish themselves in their weaknesses, for those that grow and are more strong, they have many privileges which the weak attain not to.  
As 1. The growing Christian shall grow more, he that hath, it shall be still added to him.  
2. The strong Christian doth in God's ordinary way attain to more solid assurance and persuasion of God's love, Therefore 1 Pet. 1. by adding one grace to another, they make their calling and election sure.  
3. God makes peculiar promises to such that do overcome, and that do continue steadfast, Rev. 2. They shall have the white stone, they shall be made pillars in the Church of God.  
4. They are more serviceable to God, The more grace, the more improvement for God; Others they bless God for them, Many are reform and comforted thereby.  
Lastly, Their glory shall be greater in heaven; Though some make the condition of all Saints alike in heaven, yet it is more consonant to Scripture to affirm degrees of glory as there have been degrees of grace.  
Use of Instruction, That the lowest Christian in Christ's School is not to be discouraged, Though never so blind and blockish as thou art, yet remember Christ is a Mediator for such as are given to him, and though some exceed others in grace, yet all have the same Christ; As though some men have better eyes than others, yet all have the same Sun, the poor as well as the rich, the diseased as well as the sound.   

SERMON CV. Of Christ's Love and Care of every one of his before they had a being.  JOHN 17.20. But for them also who shall believe in me through their word. 
WE have heard our Saviour doth in this verse pass from the Apostles to all believers; and it is Transitio perfecta, as Rhetoricians call it, for he mentioneth them he prayed for, and so proceeds to others.  
We are in order come to the object of this enlarged prayer, and therein is considerable the circumstance of time, who shall believe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as before, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It's true, some Copies, which Grotius also followeth, read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present tense, for those that do believe, yet because it is most universally received in the future tense, and our Bible's go that way, I do adhere unto that, only here is the doubt, which Austin also of old made, why he prayeth only for them, who shall believe, for there were many at that time, besides the Apostles, as Nathanael, Joseph of Arimathea, the godly Maries, and others who did believe, were they then excluded from Christ's prayer?  
Some answer, though they did believe at that time, yet because after Christ's Resurrection, their faith was more clear and explicit, therefore they may be comprehended in the future tense, their former faith not being worthy the name of faith respectively to that they obtained afterwards. But the more genuine answer seemeth to be, that by the future tense is included the present tense also, it being ordinary in Scripture to express a thing that hath a permanent duration, by the future tense, not excluding the present, but denoting the constant succession, in 1 Tim. 1.16. Therefore I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus might show his long-suffering, for the instruction of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who should believe in time to come. That Doctrine of Christ's long-sufferance was demonstrated to those that believed at that time in a more remarkable manner; but because it would be a perpetual useful document, he instanceth in those that are to come, yea all the believers for the time past, since the beginning of the world, are not excluded from this Mediatory prayer, while they needed it, no more then from his death; for Christ's prayer, as his death, profuit antequum fuit, 
Observe. That such is Christ's care and love to his remembered in his prayer and death, even before they had a being.  it profited before it was, because it was present to God from eternity in which sense he is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world.  
Observe. That such is Christ's care and love to his, that they are remembered in his prayer and death, even before they had a being, when thou couldst not pray for thyself, nor any else; yea from eternity Christ's Mediatory love and purpose was set upon thee. In particular this truth is full of consolations, even as the Sea is of waters, to those that are members of Christ.  
Therefore to open this,  
First, Consider that when Christ here prayeth for all believers, he doth not as we do. When we pray for the whole Church of God, or as some say, The Angels and Saints in Heaven pray, viz. in a general indistinct manner, not descending to every particular, individual person. No, but Christ in this prayer, being God as well as man, and so clothed with Omnisciency, did in this prayer know and attend to every particular believer, that should in any age of the Church be born, as distinctly and nominally (as I may so say) as when he told Peter, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: So that here is a great difference between Christ's prayer for the universal Church, and ours. We cannot name the particular believers, that shall be in every age, but Christ did represent in this prayer every individual man, and had as distinct knowledge of all believers, as of the Apostles whom he knew man by man.  
Secondly, This must necessarily be so, because though the execution and accomplishment of those benefits we receive by Christ's prayer, and his death be in time, yet the Decree and purpose was from all Eternity. Christ did not at this time of prayer, or the hour of death begin to will good to them: No, that love to them was eternal, and of old: Insomuch that we cannot say, There ever was a time, when God did not purpose these glorious things for them, and therefore it is, that the Scripture doth often call the godly to this consideration, that his mercy and love to them was of old, even before they ever had a being, or the world either, Ephes. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him, before the foundations of the world; and that is remarkable, 2 Tim. 1.9. where this grace of God is said to be given us in Jesus Christ before the world began. It's said to be actually given us before the world began, either because God had decreed to do so, or else because it is as certain, as if it had been done already: Oh then, what lively consolations should this breed in a believers breast, God's gracious thoughts of mercy were of old to me, when I was many thousands of years from having any being, yet even then was I in God's mind and love! No wonder if all eternity be not long enough to bless and praise God for this eternal purpose of his.  
Yet in the third place, Though we are then chosen in Christ from Eternity, yet take heed of that absurd Error, which holds, Our sins are pardoned, and our persons justified from Eternity. To say, That while a man is unconverted, wallowing and tumbling in his lusts, that his sins are pardoned, and that he is as well loved of God before his conversion, as after, is to contradict the whole course of Scripture; for though we be elected, and thus predestinated from Eternity, yet the Effects of this are not bestowed upon us, till in time, and in such a manner as God pleaseth. Praedestinatio est amor Ordinativus, not collativus, as the Schools say. It's immanent in God, not transient in us: Therefore you see our Saviour supposeth such to be believers, who shall be made partakers of his death; He doth not promiscuously pray for all men, he doth not commend to Gods love every man or woman, but the believer only: So that we are to distinguish between the purpose of God, and the gracious effects thereof, otherwise we may as well say, we are glorified from Eternity.  
Fourthly, Hence, in that Christ doth thus determinately pray for every individual believer; It's a plain Argument that he is God, as well as man: For how could those things be as present to him, which yet were many years to come, if he was not God, Act. 15.18. Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world. Thus Christ being God as well as man, to him was known the state and condition of every believer, not only before he was born, but before the world had a being: Therefore from hence it may be properly gathered, that even to the humane nature of Christ was revealed the number of those persons, whose salvation he was to procure: So that Christ as man, as well as God, knew who they were that should believe in him. It's true, Omnisciency could not be communicated to the humane nature, as the Orthodox maintain against the Lutherans, neither was the knowledge of all things revealed to it, but as the Son of man, he knew not the day of Judgement when it should determinately be; and the nescience of this was not any sin in him, yet the revelation of this to his humane nature, viz. who they were that he should die for, seemeth to be more necessary, even as Divines say, The humane nature of Christ, shall by revelation from the Divine at the day of Judgement, know all the thoughts and secrets of man's heart, that so he may be the great Judge of the world in both his Natures, howsoever here is a clear argument, that Christ is God as well as man, and that his Godhead concurreth to the work of our Redemption.  
Therefore fifthly, It is not to be thought impossible, that even all things that are to come should be thus present to Christ, though it be to us. For our knowledge is measured by time, and there is not only a successive order in the objects we know, but also in the acts of knowing: But the measure of God's knowledge is by eternity, wherein all things do exist together: So that though in themselves one object be after another, yet in respect of God, they are beheld with one intuitive act: As a man with one cast of an eye from some high Tower doth behold many passengers going by, one after another. It's true, we can no more comprehend how these things are all at once open and naked to God, than a Dwarf can reach the Pyramids, yet for all that we are to believe, what by reason we cannot comprehend. Quid enim magis contra rationem, quam ratione supra rationem transcendere, said Bernard. It's enough for our comfort, that every believer, though yet unborn was in Christ's purpose and intention, when he laid down his life, as if they had been existent in the land of the living.  
In the sixth place, By this intention of Christ in his prayer and death, it will inevitably and immutably be brought about, that they shall in time be converted, they shall believe and be brought into communion and fellowship with Christ. For seeing as we have heard, Christ could not but be heard in what he prayed for, and the Father always granted his Petition, therefore it cannot be but that all those, who are given to Christ, shall one time or other be wrought upon by the Word. Thus it's said, They believed (Act. 13.48.) as many as were ordained to eternal life; and the Apostles were to go and preach in such places, because God had much people there, Act. 18. and Rom. 9 the Apostle doth fully show, That Election is the cause of all mercies vouchsafed in time, and those who were not elected they were hardened and given up to a spirit of slumber: Oh than the admirable love of God to those that are his, there shall not be one of them, but the Word of grace will find them out! They that were not his people, shall be made his people, Joh. 10. I have other sheep (saith Christ) that are not of this fold, and those he will bring home. Hence Rom. 8. we have that golden Chain, which all the Arminian subtleties can never dissolve, Whom he hath predestinated, he hath called, and whom he hath called, he hath justified, and those he hath justified, he hath glorified. To expound calling only of vocation to afflictions and to the cross, and Justification only of the vindicating of their persons and cause against the calumnies of the world, is too dilute and repugnant to the scope of the Apostle in that place; we may then absolutely conclude of the conversion and believing of such who belong to Christ, and that the Word preached will sometimes or other be effectual upon them.  
In the last place, It's plain from hence, That God's Election, and so Christ's dying for us, is not conditional, or upon the supposition of our believing, but our belief is the true and genuine effect of Election, and Christ's death. For whereas Christ here prayeth for those who shall believe; The Question may be, Whether this belief be supposed as a Condition Antecedent to Election, and Christ's death, or as an absolute Effect of both; so that Christ doth not only pray for believers, but also that they may be believers? There is a great Controversy between Arminians and the Orthodox, for they say, God elected some such persons to eternal life indeed, and gave them to Christ as a Mediator, but it was upon a supposition and foresight, that they would believe and persevere in that faith to the end. But the Orthodox do more consonantly to the Scripture, and to the greater exaltation of God's grace, and magnifying of Christ, affirm, That God by one single act of the same time, did elect a man both to grace and glory, both to salvation and faith: So that God did not elect us, because he foresaw we would believe, but he did elect us to believe, as well as to salvation: So that faith is not a condition, but the effect and fruit of our Election. This is a necessary truth to be proved, and therefore the next day it is to be considered; for the present I take it for granted, That those who shall believe, are such, not who by their own power shall either believe or dispose themselves to it, but who by the grace of God shall be enabled thereunto: For the present, consider the aggravation of this love of God in Christ to us before we had a being. And  
1. There is remarkable freeness in it of grace, if positively and absolutely considered: For what could there be in us to move God to this mercy, when we could not think, or cry, or pray, or do any thing for our good, even than God set his love upon us? It was nothing in us, seeing we were in the womb of nothing.  
2. This freeness is aggravated, if comparatively considered, for it's the grace of God that makes some to believe, and leaveth others in their natural corruption. The Apostle considered this discriminating love of God to Jacob and Esau, Rom. 9 before they had done either good or evil: Oh then sit and admire the depth of grace, the unsearchable riches of grace! for what art thou to so many learned and noble men in the world, to so many of thy own kindred and family that God hath passed by, yet took compassion on thee? Didst thou not lie equally in the same mass of corruption and bondage to all sin?  
3. There is the Eternity of this love, it was before the beginning of the world: So that we cannot imagine any moment of time, wherein God's thoughts were not upon thee.  
Lastly, The unchangeableness of this love, for the Counsels of God and his purpose are immutable, There is no change or shadow of change in him, and therefore if once loved, always loved; he predestinated thee before the world, called thee out of the world, justifieth thee in the world, and will glorify thee after the world.  
Use. What infinite cause of praise and glory the people of God have? Well mayest thou call upon thy soul, and all within thee to praise God: Well may this be the burden of every Psalm, For his mercy endureth for ever; yea, if thou hadst the hearts of all men and Angels, this were not enough, neither can Eternity be long enough to glorify God in this particular.   

SERMON CVI Of both the Moving Cause and Effects of Election and of Christ's Prayer and Death; Against Arminians and others.  JOH. 17.20. But for them also who shall believe in me through their Word. 
WE come to a Second Observation from the circumstance of the future tense, Who shall believe in me; For (as was intimated) there may be a twofold sense of these words.  
1. That this future Faith is mentioned as an effect and fruit of being given to Christ, as also of Christ's Prayer and Death for them, So that he doth not only pray for them which shall believe, but also that they may believe, and in this sense the Orthodox interpret it.  
Or 2. It may be interpreted as if Faith were here supposed as a condition on our part, antecedaneous both to God's Election, and also Christ's Intercession and death, So that the sense should be, These were given to Christ, and Christ he prayed and died for them, because it was foreseen by God, that such would believe upon the means of grace offered, and others not; In this sense Meisner a Lutheran urgeth it, and thus all Arminians and others must take it, who hold that we were Elected from a foresight of our Faith and perseverance therein.  
But that this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour is evident, because the ground of Christ's Prayer even in respect of those who shall believe is, because They were given to him by the Father, as appear vers. 9 I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me; Seeing therefore the Foundation of Christ's Intercession is because they were given by Election to Christ as a people to be saved through him, it's plain, that Christ prayed not because he foresaw that they would believe, but because they were Elected: It's true, the Arminians do in a most violent and strange manner wrest that phrase of being given to Christ; They understand it not of an action of the Father, but of the disposition of the Subject; Hence it is they speak so much of a probum ingenium, or a docilis indoles, as if it were some towardly disposition in man, that fitted him for grace, but thus it would be rather who have given themselves to Christ rather than that the Father had given them, and indeed this is such a thorn in their sides, that they cannot pull out, if by such who shall believe were to be understood, those that upon God's foresight were known to improve the means of Faith better than others, than all the difference from others, and the utmost resolution of salvation, yea and Election would be unto a man's self, when yet the Apostle doth expressly stop such mouths, What hast thou that thou hast not received? and who made thee to differ from another, 1 Cor. 4.7.  
The Text thus vindicated and explained, I gather this Observation.  
That Christ died not, and so we were not Elected because we will believe, 
Doct.  but our belief is the effect and fruit of Christ's death and our Election: Our Faith is not a condition upon which our Election or Christ's Death stands suspended and indeterminate, but these do make us infallibly and effectually to believe in time: There are two common Opinions, The one holding, That God from all Eternity knew who would believe in time, and persevere therein, and thereupon they were Elected, and Christ died for us; This way go Arminians and others; But 2. The Orthodox, they affirm that God did from all Eternity choose some out of the corrupt mass to Eternal glory, and for this end to give them Faith and holiness as the means thereunto; So that God did not elect us because we did or would believe, but that we might believe, we believe because we are Elected, not Elected because we believe: This Doctrine is very useful because it tends to humble and debase man, and wholly to exalt the grace of God, and therefore the more diligently to be confirmed because of late so greatly opposed:  
And before we bring Scripture-Arguments Let us Consider some few things that will clear the state of the Question,  
As 1. There is a difference of those who hold our Election, and so Christ's Death to be upon the foresight of something in us, Some are more gross than others, For there are some that hold a man is Elected to glory upon the foresight of his cooperation with the grace of God, as a true merit deserving this Election, so that with them God did behold who by his free will would improve the offer of grace, and for this as a meritorious cause they say God did Elect them unto Eternal Glory: But this is so highly injurious to the Grace of God, that though some Papists have maintained it, yet Bellarmine Valentia and other Jesuits wholly disclaim it at least in words, making no other cause of predestination in respect of all the effects of it, but the sole and mere good pleasure of God.  
2. There are others, and they say the foresight of the good or better use of our freewill then others is not a meritorious but a moving cause with God of our Election to Happiness: So that our Faith and Holiness though they were not a meriting Cause, yet were a moving Cause of our predestination, but this is also too grossly repugnant and contradictory to Scripture.  
3. There are those who refine it more subtly, and that is, That God did foresee who would believe and persevere therein to Death, and such are peremptorily chosen to Eternal Life, not that their Faith or Perseverance is any merit or moving Cause, but a Conditio sine quâ non, without which God would not choose such to happiness, so that (say they) it's not for any intrinsical. Dignity or excellent worth in Faith, but because of the many possible ways and means to Salvation; God appoints this way of believing rather than another, and thus the Arminians, Only they acknowledge Holiness of Life, and Obedience to God to be thus a Condition foreseen as well as Faith, though they would seem utterly to deny it.  
4. There are the Lutherans, and they indeed hold Faith fore-seen as a Condition in our Election; Only they say, It's not considered as a merit, or a Cause, no, nor as a work, but as an Instrument apprehending Christ's merits, and therefore make Election to be by Faith, in the same sense as we are justified by Faith; Hence they deny Holiness or Obedience to be a condition ingredient to Election, because Christ is not laid hold upon by that as by Faith, although herein they contradict themselves, because they acknowledge not Faith singly as so, but Perseverance in Faith to be the Condition, and that must be necessarily looked upon as a work, not as an Instrument receiving Christ; But the Orthodox they affirm consonantly to Scripture, and suitably to the Glory of God's Grace, That God did from all Eternity choose some men out of that corrupt mass in which all were, to Eternal Glory, and by the same Act did prepare and appoint all those means which would effectually produce the same, So that this Election is the Original and Fountain of all Spiritual mercies: because Elected, Christ is appointed a Mediator: Because Elected, they are called and enabled to believe in time, So that we deny there are two Elections, One to Glory, another to Grace; But God by the same single Act doth will both, and therefore that there is not the same Reason of Election, and of Justification or Salvation, for these being Acts done in time do require Faith and Holiness, as antecedent, but Election being an Act of God from all Eternity cannot presuppose any thing in us.  

Reasons.  Now the Arguments to confirm us in this Truth they are these following.  
First, Because the Scripture when it speaketh of this great and wonderful work of Election, it doth still resolve all into the Counsel of his will, not into any thing fore seen in a man, Ephes. 8. Roman. 8. Roman. 9 and in many other places it is still said, He hath chosen us according to his Will, according to his purpose; Now if so be it were for any thing foreseen in us, it would be rather according to the Counsel of our will, and according to our purpose: There cannot any rational Answer be given unto this Argument, for according to the Adversaries, God doth not Elect or choose any, until he foresee what every man will do, and if he do well and persevere in this, than he is predestinated, but this doth at once dash out all the Prepositions Prae, and turn them into Post, it is not prae-destination but post-destination, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; And this administers a second Argument.  
Secondly, If so be that God did Elect and choose to Eternal Life because he did foresee our Faith, than the whole difference of one Believer from another would be attributed solely to man's Power; For to say, That this is God's Decree, and his Appointment, that whosoever shall believe shall be saved, doth not in the least work upon any person, no more than that Decree of God, Whosoever shall do this shall live, doth suppose any that will exactly keep the Law, so that no man in the world may believe for all this Decree; And thus when Christ prayed for those who shall believe, he might have prayed for a Non ens, a thing which might never have been; Therefore all the Question is, How come some to believe and not others? How is it that of many who live under the same means of Grace, some are called effectually, and others grow more wicked and sinful? Certainly the Scripture doth not give this unto man's Will, but to God's freegrace and Love, as Matthew 13. To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and unto others not: Thus Christ also Matthew 11. solemnly blessed and thanked God, That he had hid these things of Heaven from the wise and prudent ones of the world, and that he had revealed them unto Babes: And the Apostle expressly, Who hath made thee to differ from another? 1 Corinth. 4.7. Therefore it's horribly injurious unto the Grace and goodness of God to say, That under the same Means of Grace I made myself to believe, to repent rather than another: Certainly such an Opinion as this is so gross and absurd, that well may Arminianism be said not only to be repugnant to many places of Scripture, but even to the common sense and experience of all believers; They have a witness within their own breasts, That they were as unwilling, as froward, as opposite to the work of Grace as any; That it was God that made them of unwilling, willing: Even as there were many others that heard Paul, yet God is said to open the heart of Lydia rather than others.  
Thirdly, Faith and all holiness is the Effect and Fruit of our Election, and also of the Death of Christ, and therefore it cannot be an antecedent Condition; That is plain, that the same thing cannot be an Effect and Consequent of Election, and yet an antecedent Condition, at least in the same Respects, for than it should be considered as before and after at the same time, which is a plain Contradiction: Now that Faith is a Consequent and an Effect of Election, and that we are Elected to Faith and Holiness, not because we have Faith and Holiness, is clear by several Texts of Scripture, as Act. 13.48. They believed as many as were ordained to Eternal Life: Here is plainly set down the Effect and the Cause; They believed, and why? Because ordained to Eternal Life; As for that Cavil to understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intransitively, as if it were no more than dispositi, and so did imply some inherent probity that is not worth the answering; For how were the Gentiles disposed to believe, who were said to be dead in sins, and plunged into all manner of impiety until Grace had converted them: Besides this disposedness to believe, whence doth it arise? Either from ourselves, and so all Glory is due to us, or from the Grace of God; And if so, How cometh it to pass that some have it and not others but because of Election? And it is further to be added, That it is not said in the Text, They believed that were ordained; Or (as they say) disposed to believe, but to Eternal Life, which doth necessarily suppose an Action of God, in whose power alone it is to dispose of Eternal Life: Thus also Ephes. 1. There are very emphatical Expressions to show that we are Elected to be holy and unblameable in the sight and presence of God; And whereas they would refer this to our glorious Estate in Heaven that cannot be, because unblameable doth properly relate to our being here upon the Earth: It is true, we will readily grant, That both Faith and Holiness they do enter into the Decree of Election taken terminatively, as it ends in Everlasting Happiness: Therefore it is a mere Calumny to say, We hold such an absolute Election to Glory and Happiness as hath no respect to Christ or to Faith: For although we deny that Christ was the meritorious Cause of our Election, yet it's plain by Scripture we are chosen in him as the Head, and so the Cause of all the Benefits that come by Election; And God had respect unto Faith, He chose Believers to Salvation, only this Faith was not looked upon as an antecedent Condition in us, but as a qualification which God by Election doth work in the hearts of those that shall be saved: We say, God hath Elected such to Salvation whom in time he will by that Decree make Believers; For he that wils an end doth thereby will the means that tendeth thereunto, only we deny they were supposed Believers first, and then God Elected them.  
Fourthly, God doth not Elect upon the foresight of Perseverance in Faith, Because the Scripture every where makes Election to be the Original and Causal Fountain or Womb of all other Benefits; That Ninth Chapter to the Romans is pregnant to this purpose, where Election is made to be that which bringeth about all blessed Effects in time, Election hath obtained, and it is not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of God that showeth mercy; Whereas Austin of old urged by the Adversaries Opinion replied; We might as well say according to them, it is not of him that calleth, but of him that willeth; And Rom. 8. The Apostle maketh predestination the cause of Vocation, Justification, and Glorification, not Vocation the Cause of Predestination.  
Fifthly, If the humane Nature of Christ was not chosen to the personal Union for any fore-seen merit, much less may any mere man be Elected to Glory, because of any supposed worth; This was an Argument urged of old by Austin, and is very strong; By what Grace that particular man was made Christ, by that we are made Christians; Now the Apostle saith expressly that Christ 1 Peter 1.20. he was fore-ordained and appointed before the Foundation of the world, and all will readily grant, that this was not for any fore-seen worth and Excellency in the Humane Nature of Christ.  
Lastly, Not to mention all that may be brought, If we are Elected upon Faith fore-seen, and Perseverance therein, then none are Elected until they come to die, and then all those places of Scripture which speaks of our Election so as to praise God, to have Confidence in him, to triumph over all Afflictions, would all be in vain, for a man that is dead cannot perform these Duties.  
Use 1. of Consolation to all Believers, What holy boldness and Confidence may they have for the time to come; Did Christ think of thee before ever thou wast born or come into this world, and will he not now thou hast a being in this world? Did he mind thee before ever thou hadst any Grace, and not when thou hast it? He that did the greater, will he not do the less?  
Use 2. Of Admonition, To search for the Effects and Fruits of Election in your Lives and Conversations; For if you are of God, and do belong to him, you will hear his Word, The Word one time or another will be effectual to you.   

SERMON CVII. Of Faith, the several Kinds of it: And especially of Justifying Faith: It's Object and Seat, etc.  JOHN 17.20. Who shall believe in me through their word. 
WE are now come to the Description of those who are here prayed for.  

1. The person in its qualification, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
2. The Object of this Qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
So that in this Description two things are very observable; 

1. The Action.  
2. The Object.    
The Action, or rather the Quality, is in those words, Who shall believe.  
2. The Object, in those, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
For the gracious disposition, viz. of believing, I shall (God willing) treat more generally of the Nature of it, vers. 21. where its again mentioned, and so shall pass over the Act, and come to the Object, that specifieth it: And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical; for it's observed by the learned, that no profane Authors use that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it's peculiar to the Scripture: So that as the thing itself, viz. recumbency and resting upon Christ for salvation, is only known in the Church of God, so is the phrase.  
I shall not at this time examine that ordinary distinction of credere Deum, Deo, and in Deum, it will be more pertinent at vers. 21. where the whole Nature of faith in its latitude is to be examined. At this time, I am to consider the restriction of it to it's principal and chief Object, and that is Christ: For there is a two fold object of Faith, the general, and that is the whole truth of God revealed in the Scriptures, and the special, that is, the Lord Christ making an atonement for us, and as Faith doth respect this special object, so it justifieth, a man's faith doth not justify him, as it believeth the threatenings or historical part of the Scripture, but as it receiveth Christ, and resteth on him. It's true, the habit of justifying faith puts itself forth into all those general acts, as a man by his rational soul accomplisheth the acts of sense, which are common to a beast, but that which doth specifically constitute him as a man, is rationality; so justifying faith doth enable a man to believe every truth revealed in God's Word, but that by which he is justified, is when he wholly depends upon Christ, and as was said, This is emphatically expressed in Scripture, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not that this doth every where signify the act of saving and justifying faith, for John 2.23. many are there said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To believe on the Name of Christ, to whom yet Christ would not commit himself, but only for the most part is so. The Scripture often expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, especially by the Evangelist John, sometimes with the Dative case, Act. 18.8. Act. 27.25. sometimes it hath the Dative case, with the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 9.33. Rom. 10.11. sometimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Accusative case, Rom. 4.5. Rom. 4.24. sometimes on the Name of Christ, sometimes on Christ, sometimes on God; and all these expressions do come to the same effect, only hereby is expressed more than a mere intellectual assent, or speculative belief. There is also included the fiducial and cordial inclination of the whole heart, to rest solely upon Christ, renouncing every thing else, that may be thought to reconcile God to us.  

Doct. That the faith which ●ustififieth and saveth us, maketh us wholly to depend on Christ.  Doct. That the faith which justifieth and saveth us, maketh us wholly to depend and rely upon Christ. So that it is with the believer in the matter of Justification, as it was with Peter, when sinking into the sea, he cried out to Christ, who took him by the hand, and leaning on him was saved. Thus the believer, he is even sinking and dropping into hell, he crieth out, I am damning, I am damning, and then Christ putting his hand forth, faith taketh strong hold of it, and so is supported: or as the Israelite stung with a Serpent, it was not the looking upon other objects, but only upon the Serpent, and it was looking or mere beholding, not applying any medicinal things that did cure: So it is here: It's not the believing of every truth, but only on Christ that justifieth, and it is only believing, not repenting, not loving, though they be necessary graces in the persons justified, but only believing, upon which we are justified. Seeing that this is the quintessence of all practical Divinity, and the life of faith is that which we are to be exercised in continually; and also there are many corrupt doctrinal opinions that oppose it.  
Let us the more diligently consider the whole nature of faith, as it justifieth. And  

The several kinds of faith.  First, You must know that Protestant Writers consonantly to the Scripture make four kinds of Faith,  
1. Historical, which some call Dogmatical, whereby we do believe the truths of Scripture revealed therein, because of Divine Authority, because God saith so; for if it be only from custom or education, or other humane ends, then it's not so much as a Divine, Historical faith, and this faith all Christians are supposed to have, though it's to be feared few have any more than a bare humane faith.  
2. There is a Temporary Faith, called so, because it doth abide but for a season, it being not able to endure the force of persecution, and this is a degree higher than the former, for that was only in the understanding, and so had no efficacy upon the heart or affections at all, but this temporary faith is carried out with some affections, both to the person revealing, and the matter revealed, for Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy, who believed but for a season.  
3. There is the Faith of Miracles, which was granted in the primitive times of the Church, for the confirmation of the Gospel, and that sometimes to those who were not justified persons, and this had for the object of it a peculiar and special promise for the doing such or such miraculous effects, and answerable to this, some learned Divines do acknowledge still a special faith, whereby the godly are sometimes raised up for the effecting of a particular mercy, they stand in need of.  

The object of faith.  Lastly, There is this Justifying or saving Faith, which hath for its proper object Christ crucified, and so by resting upon him brings reconciliation with God, and peace in the conscience. It's true, some distinguish between justifying faith, and saving, as if all that faith, which did justify, did not also save, but that is built upon that dangerous foundation, as if there might be Apostasy from the true faith.  
Now whether this distinction be exact, and in what sense it is to be made good, I shall not here dispute, but take it for a necessary truth.  
Secondly, When we say, That faith justifieth as it resteth on Christ, and receiveth him, we do not deny or exclude assent to all other divine truth, revealed in God's word. Justifying faith doth necessarily suppose historical or dogmatical faith. So that although they be two distinct kinds of faith, yet in a justified person all those acts of faith proceed from the same root and habit, that principle of faith whereby I am enabled to rest on Christ, makes me also firmly to assent to every truth of God's word, yea this dogmatical faith is the foundation of justifying, and did men exercise stronger acts of historical faith, it would much conduce to our justifying faith and strengthen that, did we believe more firmly that Christ came to be a Mediator, than this would quicken up to peculiar confidence in him. Therefore the devil hath temptations against both, sometimes he assaulteth us in the matter to be believed, and sometimes about our application of what we do believe: Therefore we are not to oppose these special acts of faith against the general.  
Thirdly, This phrase of believing in Christ, 
It's an act of the will as well as the understanding.  doth plainly denote a fiducial act of the will and heart, as well as the assent of the understanding. And this is greatly to be observed, that we are not to look upon believing, as a disposition to assent to the things of God as true; but we do by believing incline the whole heart to trust and rest on Christ in whom we do believe. It's greatly disputed, Whether this fiducial application or confidence be of the formal nature of faith, or an effect and consequent only of it; but I shall wave that at this time. It's plain, that to believe in, doth denote some cordial and fiducial motion of the soul to the object, as it's centre, and on that which gives us firm rest; Hence faith is called, receiving of Christ; it's said to be the eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood; It's called the embracing of the promises; and opposite to this believing is fear, Luk. 8.50. and diffidence, and wavering: So that it's plain, faith hath a fiducial assent with it, therefore it's called believing with the whole heart, Act 8.37. The heart believeth, Rom. 10.9. as well as the understanding.  
Fourthly, Hence it is also, That faith is made by some Divines, not a simple, but an aggregate or compounded habit, that it is not in one faculty seated, but in two, 
The seat of faith.  that it is both in the mind and the will. And howsoever some have argued against this, as being contrary to all Philosophy, for one habit to be in two faculties, yet the most learned Schoolmen do confess it no absurdity, for with some freewill is seated, partly in the understanding, and partly in the will; as also prudence a moral virtue is partly in the mind, and partly in the will; and all do confess, That though to believe be an immediate act of the understanding, yet to this there is required pia affectio in voluntate; and indeed, seeing as the Apostle saith, there is a captivating of the understanding in its carnal reasons, when we do believe, that cannot be without some prevalent power upon the will: So that we are to look upon Faith as a compounded habit, which doth partly work upon the mind, by enlightening that, and partly upon the will, by inclining and strengthening that.  
Fifthly, The ground why justifying faith must needs comprehend both, is, Because that in the promises of the Scripture, there is a twofold object to move our faith; for every promise hath in it that which is true, and so it requireth assenting acts, and then it hath that which is good, and so it requireth fiducial and embracing acts. Wonder not then, if faith extend itself to two distinct powers of the soul, seeing it also reacheth to two distinct objects, truth being the object of the understanding, and good the object of the will. The Apostle comprehends both in that speech, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation; a faithful saying, there is the truth to be believed, and worthy of all acceptation, there is the good to be embraced. Therefore believing is not a bare speculative assenting to the truth, but it is also a sweet quieting and composing of the heart to receive the good promised: Hence it's called receiving, Joh. 1. and eating and drinking, Joh. 6. it's compared to the branches receiving moisture from the vine, Joh. 15.  
Sixthly, As the Scripture expresseth faith, relating to the object believed, not to the proposition, so at other times it doth express the proposition; Hence it hath often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to it, Dost thou believe that I am the Son of God, or that I am sent from the Father? This is a proposition to be believed; but you must know, that faith as it justifieth, is not properly in that we believe such a proposition to be true, viz. That Christ is God, or that he will give eternal life to such as believe, but the ens incomplexum, that is, Christ himself in his Person and Offices, is the object of our justifying faith: Therefore Christ himself is said to dwell in our hearts by faith, Eph. 3. Even as the woman is married to the person of her husband, and not to the articles of agreement upon marriage; and this is that which makes faith to be so powerful and noble in its efficacy, because Christ is hereby received in the soul, who is the author and fountain of all spiritual operations: So that as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere, it cannot but give light and heat; so also when the Sun of righteousness ariseth in our hearts, there is the Spirit of Christ also accompanying him in Sanctification and Mortification.  

These things are required to justifying faith  Seventhly, To justifying faith, there are these things required, some whereof are antecedent and concomitant, others essential and constitutive of it. As  
1. There must be some explicit knowledge of Christ, and understanding of him in his Person and Offices. Whether knowledge be an act included in the essence of faith, or whether it be preparative and antecedent, is disputed: Howsoever it's certain, None can believe that doth not know the thing he believeth: Henc● it is that faith is so often in Scripture called knowledge. It's true indeed, faith hath not an evident comprehensive knowledge, for than it would be science, strictly so called, but it hath a plain knowledge of the testimony or authority that revealeth it, and also some apprehensive, though not comprehensive knowledge of that we do believe: Hence Paul saith, I know whom I have believed, 2 Cor. 4.13. And again, How shall they believe unless they have heard? Rom. 10. And this discovers the sad condition of thousands, who say, they believe in Christ, and yet have no true knowledge about him.  
2. There is required to this justifying faith, a firm and lively assent to the whole word of God. For unless this be laid as a foundation, there cannot be any building upon it: Insomuch that we see the Scripture sometimes attributing salvation to the belief, that Christ was able, and that God was powerful, not that by that object they were justified, only that was the particular in which the doubt and difficulty did seem to be, so that it was not exclusive of that special act of faith, but inclusive of it; and indeed this is necessary to be known, that justifying faith doth carry a man out, even to Historical or Dogmatical matter respectively to Justification: So that when a justified person believeth any temporal promise, or the power of God, it doth not simply and ultimately believe them as such, but as they represent God a Father in Christ, so that he believeth the power of God, as of a Father in Christ, and all the temporal promises are looked upon as Yea and Amen in Christ; so that this is to be observed by the believer. There is nothing true in the Scripture, but justifying faith fetcheth filial arguments from it, and makes him sensible of that peace and reconciliation with God in Christ. And indeed to believe all the truths in Scripture, doth beget fear and horror, unless this justifying faith qualify it, The devils believe and tremble; so the mere dogmatist he believeth, but hath cause to tremble, for till every thing be brought to Christ, that as God reconciled all things in heaven and earth through him; so if thou reduce all things in the Scripture to Christ, even the threatening part to him, because fulfilled by him, thou wilt have solid comfort. Thus as it's with man, because he is rational, all those animal acts, which are common to him with beasts, yet are reductively and participatively rational, so in the godly man, all those general acts of faith are reduced to justifying, as the sum of all.   

SERMON CVIII. Of Justifying Faith, Showing what things are necessary thereunto; And how or in what method the Spirit of God enableth the humbled soul to believe.  JOH. 17.20. But for them also who shall believe on me, 
SEveral particulars have been given in to the clearing of the nature of justifying Faith; The last we were upon, was to inform what goeth to the being of it, and two Ingredients have been dispatched, viz. Knowledge and assent; Proceed we therefore to a third thing, and that is,  
3. A deep sense and feeling of the burden of sin, with some sorrow and humiliation thereupon; The Law must work in the discovery of the disease, before the Gospel doth in manifestation of the Remedy; There must be the pain and smart of a sting felt ere there be any earnest beholding of the brazen Serpent; Our Saviour said, The sick needed the Physician; When Paul by the light of the Law found himself out of measure sinful, than he began to seek after the unsearchable Riches of God's grace, Come unto me all ye that are heavy loaden, and I will ease you, saith Christ, Mat. 11.28. Faith, that is the easing and reposing of the troubled Spirit: It is disputed whether Repentance go before Faith, and indeed there is an Evangelical Repentance whereby the heart is melted with grief for sin, because God is so gracious a Father in Christ, and this must necessarily follow Faith, but then there is a Legal sorrow for sin arising from God's just hatred against it, which breeds great trouble and confusion in the soul before it hath laid hold on Christ, and this precedeth Faith; Of this our Saviour speaks, Mat. 21.32. Ye repented not that ye might believe; And so Peter's hearers, Act. 2. were pricked at the heart, before they were directed into Evangelicall Repentance and Faith; There is then a fence of our undone estate going before this justifying Faith, whereby a man finds himself utterly lost, all his desirable things perish, sin that was once so beloved by him, is as Tamar to Amnon, hated more than ever he loved it; Now he would throw it out of doors, the sight and memory of it is grievous to him, I press not such a measure or degree of sorrow, it worketh so much in all that there is a displacency and abhorrency in sin, as that which is the cause of all misery.  
Hence in the 4th place followeth a conviction and persuasion of mind, that there is no Creature in Heaven or Earth, no nor nothing that he can do, is able to justify him, or bring Reconciliation with God; The Spirit of God Joh. 14. that doth convince of sin in the first place, doth afterward of a Righteousness; That there is no Righteousness to be had but in Christ only; If so be a man be no further convinced then of his sin and disease, thinking to make medicines and plasters of his own, thereby to heal himself. This man will always be kept in a wand'ring Wilderness, What was it that made so many run into Monasteries, undertake strict ways of Discipline and mortification? They had but an half Conviction, They felt woeful troubles and agonies in their Souls for sin, They could not tell what to do, as Luther professed of himself while a Papist, but not being convinced of true Righteousness, They ran to miserable Comforters, and so skinned the Soar, when the putrifying humour was still within, but that Soul which the grace of God will carry on to Justification, doth not only find sin manifested but the insufficiency of all Creature Righteousness, he seeth with Noah, that unless he get into an Ark, there is nothing but overflowing waters every where; While then this stone is squaring for an Heavenly building, he is instructed in his own lost and undone Condition; Being therefore thus fully persuaded that in himself he is a dead and a damned man.  
In the 5th, He proceedeth to an actual renouncing of every thing but Christ; He seeth there is no remedy in the world for him but by Christ; He abhor●eth all those Doctrines and practices in Religion which he did put confidence in as if they could save him, Phil. 3. You see this method in Paul, when once his eyes were opened, than all the privileges that were formerly counted gain, he looked upon them as loss, yea, as dung in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ: Now certainly this is a great work of God's Spirit, not only to make a man renounce his sins but his works of Righteousness also, for this undid the Jews, Rom. 10. They sought to establish their own Righteousness, and so would not submit themselves to that of Christ: In Popery what is the reigning error but that men are not taught to go out of the works they do, and believe in Christ only, Do they not expressly plead for some co-partnership in the work of Mediation, and is not also this poison sucked down every where in all men's hearts, who is there till God hath humbled him over and over again, that flieth wholly to Christ? Nay, even in a godly man what is that that keeps the soar so raw, and the heart so unquiet? Is is not because he would not be beholding to Christ only? Therefore when a man is thus fitted by the Spirit of God as to see every thing is a rush, a reed to lean upon but Christ; Though I could weep a Sea of tears, and those tears turn into blood, though I had all the grace of Men and Angels, yet it would not reconcile me to God. Then is he upon the Confines of Justification. Therefore  
6. When a man is thus driven out of all hopes, and like the people of Israel seeing his Enemy of sin following behind, and a Sea before, than the Spirit of God stirreth up desires and hungrings after Christ, then are his out-cries; Oh that I could believe, Oh that I had an Arm to embrace Christ! For we see Judas coming thus far to bewail and confess his sins, to throw away that silver he had so unjustly got, to cry out of himself; But then there were no desires, no groans after Christ, so that while the Soul is in this posture, many times its ground between hope and despair; It is in great agonies, like the woman that is to be delivered, sometimes throbs come, and there is an hope of deliverance, but then all goeth back again, sometimes they are ready to lay hold on Christ, then comes a violent gust and puts all back again: It's true, desires of faith if real and sincere are faith initial, and Mat. 5. there is a promise of full satisfaction to those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, and that is implied when our Saviour saith, a bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, that is, where there are the least motions and tendencies of souls towards grace, there shall be the greatest encouragement.  
7. God leaveth not the afflicted Soul in these desires and agonies, but doth so strengthen and enable the heart, that now he doth not only desire but actually receiveth and embraceth Christ; His desire is put forth into actings, so that it's no longer, Oh that I could rest upon Christ! But he doth rest his soul on him with a lively recumbency; Therefore Joh. 6. believing is called coming unto Christ; Those tormenting slavish fears which affrighted him▪ Shall such a sinner as I, one that hath more offended God then many thousands approach near to him? May I not only touch the hem of his garment, but take him also in my arms? These and the like Questions he can now answer, and therefore calls upon his soul, and chideth it, Why art thou thus cast down, and why art thou thus troubled within thee? Believe on Christ; So that now he doth with Simeon take Christ in his arms, He can now say, Lord, let whatever come I shall bear it patiently, now I have seen thy Salvation, as it was with the poor Cripple that could not stir or move, when healed, he can take up his bed and walk, so the poor tempted sinner that before lay trembling, afraid to pray, afraid to come to the Ordinances, can now arise and walk performing all duties with comfort and zeal: You must know that this resting on Christ when thus humbled for sin, is not an effect of man's power; It's not in man's strength to make this Iron to swim, to walk thus upon the waters, when every thing within and without is against man and yet for all this to depend upon the Lord Christ; No, it must be a divine and supernatural power from above, and therefore the work of God's grace in Faith justifying is as great, though not as wonderful, as in miraculous Faith; when any were enabled by believing to remove Mountains; this was not by any greater power of God then when a poor humbled sinner, by resting on Christ, doth remove those mountains of sins, and that great gulf which is between God and the soul, We may well call justifying faith miraculous faith; For is not this a miracle, and a wonder of wonders? That the soul thus in darkness, and plunged into the deeps, yet should cleave unto Christ, and say, Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him; Oh we see if there were nothing but man's power, and the troubled sinner were left to himself, he would immediately despair, as we see in Cain and Judas; Even as the stone naturally descends downwards when you take away the pillar it leaned upon, so when you take away all the carnal props and hopes of a sinner, and his sins do every way environ him, he presently falls into the mouth of despair; It's therefore the great work of God's grace to enable to believe, To you it's given to believe, Phil. 1.29. And some are said to believe through the grace of God, Act. 18.27. and faith is called the work of God, not only because it's that special grace which he doth so eminently require, but because he is the immediate efficient of it; Know then that the mighty work of God goeth to make the soul rest on Christ, it would of itself despair a thousand times over, and fall into hell before it would come to Christ, and Experience confirms this in many sad and tempted Christians, who though they go from Minister to Minister, and read the good promises of the Gospel, yet cannot believe till the Spirit of God enable them; Now God enableth the humbled Soul to believe two ways, directive and effective, by direction and instruction, and that in these particulars.  
1. By informing him that when the Soul is truly humbled for sin, that it is a duty to believe in Christ; That such are threatened with damnation who shall refuse to come unto Christ, and this is a blessed lesson to learn, when the Soul shall be thus persuaded, that if in this case I receive not Christ, I commit a worse sin than ever yet I was guilty of; What a madness is it in me to damn myself for fear I should be damned? I fear my other sins may destroy my Soul, and not fear my unbelief; This is the great crying sin of all others, He that believeth not, the anger of God abideth on him, yea, he is said to be condemned already, and to make God a liar; Oh then how happy is that soul when the Spirit of God doth thus enlighten and persuade thee! Once it was a Question and a doubt to thee, Whether thou mightst lay hold on Christ? Once thy thoughts were, That to believe though it might be matter of comfort and privilege, yet it was not of duty; But O how graciously hath God taught thee otherwise? Now thou ar● as much afraid not to lay hold on Christ as to commit any other sin; Thou art as conscientious in believing every promise, as in conforming to every command; Thou darest no longer listen to doubts and fears, to Satan's Temptations in this matter, than thou darest to the lusts and pleasures of sin.  
2. The Spirit of God doth instruct us in this, That thus to believe and rest on Christ is to perform or to do that to which Justification is promised; He that believeth is passed from death to life, and still Remission of sins is said to be received by Faith, and we are justified by Faith, Rom. 5. So that when the Soul doth rest on Christ he performeth that to which Christ with all his benefits are promised, Joh. 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternnl Life; So that the humbled sinner having his eyes thus opened, he seeth it the greatest madness and folly that can be not to receive Christ, and to rest on him; Why thus he argueth, I cannot he justified, I cannot partake of Christ till I do believe, so that to believe is as necessary in an instrumental way, as Christ in a meritorious way; Shall the diseased Patient question whether he shall take that medicine which will certainly heal him? Shall the hungry man doubt whether he may receive that alms which will preserve his Life? Thus the humbled sinner is convinced, that as he must not murder his own body wilfully by refusing to eat meat, so he must not his own soul by a wilful rejecting of the promise.  
3. The Spirit of God instructs him in this also, That by believing he doth not only bring comfort and salvation to his soul, but in a most eminent manner doth also glorify God; As Abraham by that remarkable act of Faith is said to give Glory to God, Rom. 4.20. The tempted Soul is apt to think, Why should I believe? this is but to seek myself, This is because I would have comfort whatever becometh of God's Glory; Oh but saith the believer when thus awakened, if I could perform all the Commandments of God, if I could love God so as to give my body to be burnt for his Name, yet I could not glorify God so much as by believing, for this acknowledgeth God in Christ, wherein God is more to be admired then in the creation and government of the world.  
Lastly, He is enabled to see the folly and unprofitableness of Unbelief; If he go not to Christ, where can Salvation be had? he is sure to be damned by keeping from Christ; Therefore with those Lepers he is resolved not to perish, but to go to God, though he seem an Enemy to him.  
And then 2. God worketh faith in us effectively, as you heard, by strengthening the heart of a man fiducially to repose on Christ, if other graces as love and patience do not grow of themselves in man's heart, much less doth Faith which is so supernatural every way.   

SERMON CIX. Of Justifying Faith.  JOHN 17.20. But for them also who shall believe in me through their word. 
WE are treating upon the Doctrine of Justifying Faith; and certainly, we may say, It's good to be on this Mount of Transfiguration, and having declared that method God's Spirit leads an humbled soul into, when it's enabled to believe.  
We proceed to further particulars instructive in this business. The ultimate and last act of justifying faith, was a fiducial resting upon Christ for all spiritual benefits.  
But to understand this further, Consider that the Scripture expression of it, 
I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Christ.  is very emphatical, and denoteth several notions in it, as when it expresseth it by receiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is a word often applied to faith in this act, it receiveth Christ, Joh. 1.12. it receiveth the promise, it receiveth forgiveness of sins, Act. 26.18. so that in this justifying act of faith, we are to conceive a precious treasure offered by the grace of God, even Christ himself and faith, as the hand receiving of it; 
The receiving of Christ implieth,  and this expression is full of excellent matter, for it teacheth,  
1. That we in this act of Justification, or laying hold on Christ, have nothing of our own. All our righteousness is without us, we are to receive it offered, 
1. That we have nothing of our own.  we have nothing inherent. This Paul knew experimentally, Phil. 3. when he would be found not in his own righteousness, but that which is by faith. His own, mark that, Any thing we may call our own, we must not be found in, and that is our own, which is not only so effectiué, by our own procuring and labour, or merit, but subjectiué, which is inherent in us, though it be wrought by the grace of God, as the Just is said to live by his faith, Hab. 2.4. It's his faith subjectively, though Gods effectively. This word then receiving doth carry every man humbled Evangelically, wholly out of himself; and as was said to the woman looking into the Sepulchre, Why look you for him, he is not here, he is risen? So it may be said, Why art thou searching and digging into thine own heart? Thy works or graces, these are not the object of faith; It's above thee; It's without thee, though by faith applied to thee: Even as the poor cripple that desired to be healed, looked upon Christ, expecting help from him, he knew he had nothing in himself; or as the indigent beggar looks without him, and stretcheth out his hand to receive food or money: So is it with the humbled sinner: Oh then be directed here, why doth God make thy own heart, thy own ways so bitter to thee? Is it not because thou shouldst seek out for a Christ, and look for a righteousness without thee?  
2. This word receiving implieth, That we are wholly passive in our Justification. 
2. That we are wholly passive in justification  That we are not justified by doing any thing, or offering any thing to God, but receiving from him: Even as some Philosophers say, Intelligere and sentire are passions: Though we express them actively, yet the soul therein is passive: So when by believing a man is justified, we are not to consider what he brings to God, or doth for God, but what he receiveth from him. This is a fundamental principle to be grounded in, it's a mercy of mercies to be directed in the agonies of thy soul to the right way of believing, to know the way to this City of refuge; If a manslayer pursued by the avenger, had not known the way to the City of refuge, what danger had he been in? It's like the child not coming the right way in its birth; now naturally we all think by doing to partake of Christ, not receiving, which made the Apostle so industriously assert this, That it's not to him that worketh, but to him that believeth, that grace is vouchsafed: So then be instructed in this, Is thy heart groaning under sin, all thy desires and inclinations are to Christ? Know this is done intra recipiendo, not extra mittendo; This is done by receiving grace from God, not doing any work for or to him; yet how apt are we all to cry out with those, What shall we do I till Christ inform us, that the great work God approveth of, is believing or receiving. It's the looking upon this brazen Serpent that healeth thee.  

3. That faith doth not justify for any intrinsical worth in it.  3. This therefore implieth, That believing on Christ doth not justify for any dignity or intrinsecal worth it hath. Not because it's a more excellent and noble grace, but merely because that alone is receiving and applicative of Christ. We receive only by faith, as we do corporally only by the hands, yet the hands are not more noble than the eyes or the head. Hence the Scripture never saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for faith, but through faith; and it's never said actively, saith justifieth, but by faith we are justified passively; So that as it would be absurd to say, That the beggar's hand hath made him rich, in receiving large alms: so it would be as absurd to attribute it to the dignity of faith, when by it we are justified.  

4. Faith is excluded as it is a work.  Therefore fourthly, In that believing is expressed by receiving of Christ, is employed, That faith itself is excluded as it's a work: So that not only all other graces, but faith, if considered as it's a work, doth not justify us. The eye in looking on the brazen Serpent did not heal as it was a work, but from the virtue of the Serpent exalted by God's appointment; When the woman touched Christ's hem of his garment, and healing was thereby conveyed. It was not the touching, as it was a labour and work, but the virtue of Christ. Thus it is in this case.  

5. And why faith and no other grace doth justify.  And hence lastly, we see, Why faith and no other grace doth thus justify, because this alone doth receive. Other graces are active, this is receptive: Not that faith is separated from other graces, they are existent together, though they retain their distinct properties, He that believeth on Christ is cleansed and sanctified, he loveth God, and is patient in tribulation, but yet not by this is he justified: As the Sunbeams have heat as well as light, but it shineth by the light only, not the heat, so the earth hath dryness as well as gravity, but it falls downward, not because dry, but because heavy.  

II. This receiving is not a bare receiving, but an embracing also.  Secondly, This receiving is not a bare receiving, but such as is with embracement: As Heb. 11.2. These embraced the promises; Even as Simeon took Christ with joy in his arms: So that there is great delight and cordial joy in laying hold on Christ: Even as the Church said after she had lost her Beloved, yet finding him at last, she would lay hold on him, and not let him go, as Ruth to Naomi, thus she cleaveth to Christ: So that as a man receiveth with dearest embracements some choice and precious friend he longed to see: Thus it is with the humbled sinner: Oh this is the beloved of many thousands, whom my soul hath long prayed for, long sought for? What have I found thee, Oh thou chiefest of many thousands? Hence it is that Christ compareth himself to a Bridegroom, and Husband, and his Church to a wife, to show what real affections are in the heart of an humbled sinner, for to lay hold on him: Hence it's called, Believing with the whole heart, and with joy unspeakable, 1 Pet. 1.8. There was great feasting and joy for the finding of a lost son: But oh the unspeakable joy, for discovering a Christ, that we thought was for ever lost, as to us! What melt? what ravishments are there at the meeting of him? Oh how often, saith the humbled soul, did I think, I should never find thee? How many times did I conclude, that I should perish in my lusts and fears? but Christ at last appeareth, as he did to those women after his death, who thought there was no hope.  
Thirdly, In this act of faith, there is contained resting, relying, or fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ. You heard the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, did enforce this, 
III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ.  so that the soul before it believeth is to be conceived as a stone falling downwards, which cannot stay till it meet with its centre, and then it inclineth no further. In the Old Testament it's called, trusting in the Lord, which in other synonymous expressions is sometimes called staying and leaning, and so is a metaphor taken from those, who have some great and heavy burden upon their back, and thereby are crushed to the ground, unless they have something to rest upon. Thus it is with the afflicted penitent, he cryeth out, I find such a load of sins, that my back would break, and heart would break, yea every thing would fail within me, had not I Christ to throw myself upon: hence Christ is called the Foundation stone, because all the building is established upon that. Now that which in the Old Testament is called trusting in God, in the New is called believing. Illyricus thinketh this is the reason of the different expression, because the God of Israel was known to the Jews, therefore there was required only a fiducial adhesion unto him; but in the New Testament, Christ as Mediator was not known, therefore another word is used, viz. to believe, which comprehends both an assenting knowledge, and also a fiducial application: So then by this act of believing, the soul which was ready to sink under its burden, doth lean upon Christ, and as a drowning man doth catch hold on the next branch to save him, so doth a humbled sinner finding himself even falling into hell, catch hold on Christ, and therefore it's called laying hold on him·  
Fourthly, In this act of believing, 
IV. An application of Christ.  there is an appropriation or application of Christ to be my Christ. That whereas the promise runneth in the general, Whosoever shall believe, to him Christ is a Saviour. This justifying faith doth in particular rest on Christ, as a Saviour to him. Thus Paul, Gal. 2. Who loved me, and gave himself for me; and Thomas, My God, my Lord, Joh 20. So that as when any threatening is denounced against a sinner, the true convert will apply it to himself, when guilty of such a sin, I am the sinner this threatening meaneth: So Christ being offered as a Saviour to every humbled sinner, from this general he concludeth his particular. Thus Paul, Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Hence it is that our Divines against Papists do well maintain, That the object of justifying faith, is the special mercy of God. It's not enough to believe that Christ is a Saviour, but to rest on him to be my Saviour. Hence faith is called eating and drinking, Joh. 6. which is more than the mere seeing meat upon the Table, only when we say, special mercy is the object of justifying faith, it's not meant antecedenter, but consequenter; Not as if we were to look for a special or particular promise made either to Thomas or Peter, as sometimes Christ did to those who were then alive, as when he spoke to that woman, Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee; here was a special promise to her in particular, but it's not so now the promise is general, but it's made special by believing; and indeed without this special applying act, our faith brings no peace, no comfort, no more then for a Lazarus to hear there was plentiful food in Dives his house, 
V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Christ, but we may be assured that Christ is ours.  but he had not so much as the crumbs thereof. Thus you see how comprehensive, this act of believing is.  
In the next place, This recumbent act of Faith may not only thus receive Christ, but we may also be assured and know that we do believe, and that Christ is ours. Indeed former Divines from an opposition to Popery, which teacheth doubting in our Justification and uncertainty, did define justifying faith, to be a full persuasion of the heart, whereby we believe our sins are pardoned, and that Christ died for us, but to believe that Christ is mine, or that I am justified, cannot be justifying faith, but it supposeth it, for Christ must be mine before I know he is mine, The object must be before the act: 
Faith hath two acts, a direct and a reflex.  Therefore faith hath two acts, a Direct Act, whereby it layeth hold on Christ, and a Reflex Act, whereby I know that I do lay hold on him, or that I am such an one to whom the promises do belong. Now this believing on Christ, which justifieth is in the former act, out of the sense of my sins and deep unworthiness to lay hold on Christ. The latter which we call Assurance, Though the people of God may and aught to attain unto, yet is not to be confounded with the former; nay it may be, and is often separated from it; and this is much to be heeded by practical Christians, you would have assurance first, and then you would believe in Christ, you would know whether your graces are true, whether you are so and so qualified, and then you would believe: This is, as if a woman would be assured such a man were her husband, and then she would marry him, whereas it is marriage makes the husband: It's believing makes Christ thine, and when he is thine, than thou mayest be assured he is thine. The cripple, and the woman, labouring under a bloody issue, felt themselves whole after Christ had healed them, they could not before: So when faith hath made Christ thine, that thou canst say with Thomas, My God, my Lord, than you may come to be assured, he is thine. Christ had not that sense of God's favour, when yet he had that fiducial confidence, crying out, My God, my God, etc. The promise is made to him that believeth, not to him that knoweth he doth believe: It's not said, If you have assurance, but if you believe you shall be saved.  
3. Though faith doth thus repose itself fiducially upon Christ, yet you must know this is not done without opposition of unbelief and diffidence. 1 Joh. 3.19. The Apostle saith, We assure our hearts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, persuade; This implieth, that the heart of a man is full of objections, and hath many cavils: There is much ado ere the heart be persuaded to rest on Christ only, many Lions and mountains are in the way. That man spoke the sense of all believers, who prayed, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, Mark 9.24. Oh how often is thy heart ready to be cast down, and to have no hope! You may see these ebbings and flow in david's heart, faith and diffidence were like two twins struggling in the womb; do not therefore expect such a quiet resting upon Christ, as shall have no opposition: No, sometimes thy heart may even rage with unbelief, like that poor demoniac, the Evangelist speaks of, Mar. 5.4. that tore chains asunder, and no man could tame him; Such an unruly thing may thy heart be. Now there are two great opposites to this recumbency, viz. The terrible things of thy heart, the guilt of sin, the temptations of Satan, the sad fears that molest thee, and then the sweet pleasing things of thy soul, which are self-righteousness, trusting in thy own heart, in thy own works; Oh this self-fulness, this mountain must be leveled, as well as this valley be exalted, else the way is not prepared for Christ!   

SERMON CX. Of Justifying Faith, That it is a fiducial Recumbency on Christ.  JOH. 17.20. But for those also that shall believe in me. 
I shall now conclude this part which containeth the Qualification of the subject of Christ's Prayer, That believe in Christ; And whereas Faith hath a twofold Object, either general, of which v. 21. or special; This last is meant here, of which much hath been said to clear the nature of it; I shall end at this time: And 1. I shall prove, that it's the duty of an humbled sinner to have such a fiducial recumbency on Christ, and that for the pardon of his sins in particular; It's not enough to believe that Christ will save sinners that repent and convert unto him, but they are to appropriate him to their own particular: To say with Thomas, My Lord, My God: Now that Faith is such a particular application of Christ, (whatsoever Papists and others gainsay) may appear from these Arguments amongst others.  
1. From the names and Titles that believing in Christ hath, which do evidently denote more than a mere intellectual assent unto the promises, as true; They imply some cordial motions of the soul; The Names are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which doth signify a confidence of the heart, and that which doth embolden the soul in the presence of God, yea, to this believing there is attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 5.1. Phillip 3.3. This boasting must need be more than a bare apprehension in the mind; It's like Aaron's oil that descends from the head to other places also, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4 21. This is also emphatical, some make the word to be from the Sails of Ships when filled with the Wind, which carry the Ship away speedily; Thus the heart of man that lay groveled, and could not move, when believing is mightily carried on in all duties; It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often, Heb. 11.1. Heb. 3.14. that denoteth the things we believe to have such a subsistence in our souls as if we were no longer ourselves, but the thing believed, as Paul said, I no longer live but Christ within me, Gal. 2.20. So this Faith in Christ doth as it were incarnate the Promises, and transubstantiate them into the believer; Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 4.16. Let us come with confidence; Indeed Ephes. 3. Confidence or boldness is made an effect of faith, but confidence could not be an effect of faith if faith had not this in its nature; As the Soul could not produce rational acts if it were not essentially rational, so neither could faith put a man upon fiducial acts, if itself were not fiducial; Again this believing is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldness or confidence, Mat. 9.2. and so Varinus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be bold on a man: By these Titles then which the Scripture giveth, Faith in Christ we see what a powerful operation it hath upon the heart, What a Faith of spiritual miracles (as I may say) justifying Faith is, and therefore know that thy doubts, fears, dejections, and tormenting distractions are opposite to believing, as darkness is to light, if God do above all graces thus approve faith, than he doth above all sins abhor this dejecting unbelief.  
2. That such a special faith is required, appeareth, in that the Scripture limits this faith unto Christ as the peculiar and proper object; Hence the Evangelist John calls it so often believing in him that brings Eternal Life, and it's Rom. 8. By Faith in his blood that we are purged and have pardon of sin, and generally when it speaks of faith as justifying, it relateth to Christ as the Object of it; Not but that it believeth other Truths, only in believing of this we are justified, as the Israelite might look upon other Objects, but beholding of the brazen Serpent only made him whole; yea, as we told you, when the believing of other things is reduced to justifying Faith, all other Truths are sweetened and qualified by that, as if a man had the Philosopher's stone, it would turn all other materials into Gold.  
3. That Faith must be in a special manner fiducial and applying, appeareth in the effects that commonly follow it; For to this believing is attributed peace and unspeakable joy, yea, a triumphing over all oppositions and difficulties, a boasting and glorying in tribulation; Now this could never be without a particular interest in Christ, for what peace and joy doth it bring to hear, that Christ in the general came to save sinners; Do not thousands go to hell for all that? It's therefore necessary to true solid peace, that he become my Christ and my Saviour; Hence it is, that believing is the uniting of the soul to Christ as an husband which is an appropriate Interest, as the Church expressed it, I am my Well_beloved's, and my wellbeloved is mine, Cant. 2.16. And hence also are those comparisons of an head and a body, of a Vine and branches, all which argue, that the good we have by Christ comes because of our intimate union with him, So that if we do respect those glorious effects which usually accompany believing, they will necessarily suppose a fiducial appropriation of Christ in a special manner.  
4. This special faith is seen by the opposites and contrarieties unto it, for he that doth not believe is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luk 12.29. to be carried up and down as a meteor that hath no fixed place; Thus while the soul is not fixed on Christ it's like a reed tossed up and down with every wind, as one in a journey, and at a stand, seeing two ways, and not knowing which way to go, or as a man that is uncertain between two arguments, like the balance with equal weights, that doth not incline to one side more than another; These dispositions of the Soul oppose faith, and it's a resting and a determining of the soul upon Christ.  
And Lastly, Diffidence and fear, these are made contrary to Faith, Fear not, but believe, Luk. 8.50. said Christ to his Disciples, which supposeth that faith hath boldness and confidence in it; We then may judge of the nature of faith, by the opposite sinfulness to it, and when we see fears, wander, uncertain toss up and down of the soul, in no ways stable and fixed, than we may conclude that faith itself is a powerful, composing, and firm fixing of the soul upon the Lord Christ.  
5. That faith is thus in a special manner applying Christ appeareth also, because otherwise it would be little better than the faith of devils, and of such who have only a bare dogmatic assent, for the devils made a Confession of faith, That Christ was the Son of the living God, and therefore are said to believe, yet they tremble, and are in unspeakable horror because they know he is not a Saviour to them, and thus many believe, that Christ is the Messias, but because there is no fiducial adhesion and appropriation of him, therefore he is not so to them; Even as many saw Christ, yet if they did not in particular apply themselves to him, they were not healed of their diseases; The hungry man may starve though he see a Table furnished with plentiful food, if he do not put into his own mouth; It's particular Interest that enricheth, that saveth, and therefore it's said, The Just shall live by his faith, Hab. 2.  
Lastly, This truth may appear, From the absurdity of that Position, to say, faith justifieth as it believeth the Word of God in general only, or any Truth asserted in general, for then my Faith would justify me as well in believing, Judas hanged himself, as that Christ was crucified for me; Or that Paul had a Cloak and Parchments, as in the blood of Christ; Certainly forgiveness of sin is attributed to Christ only, and seeing (as you heard) the object of faith justifying is bonum as well as verum; That which is beloved must have the chiefest good in it, as well as Truth, and this may suffice to instruct you in this main Point, that a Christian humbled for sin is not to rest or to be satisfied in this, that Christ in general came to save sinners, or that he is able to save thee though an heinous offender, but to apply him for thy own particular; that thou mayst say of all the glory of the Gospel, which the devil did falsely of the glory of the world, All this is mine.  
Obj. But to this it's Objected, This is to preach Security, 
Quest.  and to embolden men in a carnal presumption; And therefore it's a Doctrine to be abhorred as pleasing the Flesh; Thus it's branded as if it were one of Epicurus his Opinions that were called the Sirens of the carnal part of a man; But to answer this,  
Answ. 1 1. That there cannot any doctrine of comfort and grace be preached, but a carnal heart will turn it into the occasion of wickedness; When Paul preached the grace of the Gospel, did not some infer from thence, Let us sin, that grace may abound, and did not others turn the grace of God into wantonness? It's one thing therefore to speak of the proper genius of the doctrine, and another thing, of the abuse of it through man's corruption, If therefore any man living and walking in profaneness do yet comfort and encourage himself, saying, I lay hold on Christ, I bel●eve in Christ· This man as he deceiveth himself, so he doth grossly abuse the grace of God, No, Christ doth not call to men that sin, yet laugh and make merry, but that are weary and loaden, to come unto him, and then he will ease them.  
Answ. 2 But 2. This Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not encourage to presumption, because it calls not upon sinners abiding and wickedly persevering so, to rest on him, but mourning over and abhorring their sins, Therefore no man is commanded to believe this first, that Christ died for him, but to believe the word of God threatening and discovering the horrid pollution that is upon us, as also the general contagion in every part, the insufficiency and inability to help himself, the necessity of hungering, thirsting, and seeking out after a Saviour, So that in this order and method he must by Faith lay hold on Christ,  
Answ. 3 3. This special Faith cannot be presumption, or encourage thereunto, because the object of it is whole Christ, a Lord and Sovereign as well as a Saviour; The presumer he divides Christ, looketh upon him as a Saviour, not as a Lord and Lawgiver, and therefore takes Christ but upon his own terms, not in the Scripture-way, and so indeed he takes not Christ but an Idol of his own making; and by this it is discovered that he doth not truly believe but presume: It's true, Christ as the Object of our justifying faith is to be considered as our Surety and Mediator, as a Gift of the Father to us, yet he cannot truly be received as a Saviour, but as a Lord and King also, So that God having inseparably joined these two together, Faith dare not, Faith will not divide, So that this will prove Jealousie-water to the Hypocrite, he professeth a belief on Christ, but it is Christ divided, or a part of Christ, he looks upon the Atonement he made as a Saviour, but not on the Obedience he owes to Christ as a King, Christ doth not only promise but command, he doth not only offer precious Gifts, but enjoineth strict and exact duties, and faith taketh in all these.  
Answ. 4 4. Faith cannot be presumption, because it doth not only receive Christ, but this particular doth also cleanse and purify the heart, Act. 15. When Peter's Faith was kept up, than all his other graces were enlivened, therefore Heb. 11. all those notable acts of high Righteousness and Obedience are attributed to faith, so that the same Faith hath two hands, one inward whereby it receiveth and embraceth Christ, the other outward, whereby it stirreth up and quickeneth to other Graces; Justifying faith though it only justifyeth as it embraceth Christ, yet at the same time also it worketh by love, by patience, by zeal, by heavenly-mindedness. So that the exercise of all other graces is imperately from Faith, though not elicitely; It's true, there is a dead Faith, and (as Luther called it) an incarnate faith, a dead faith, The Apostle James speaketh against c. 2. which is a bare assent and profession without any lively operation, and such a kind of believer is placed by Sebastian Franco in the Catalogue of Heretics, a lukewarm believer, but that faith which doth justify, carrieth a man not only to Christ, but is a general exciter and promoter to all holy duties and obedience.  
5. Faith special cannot comply with presumption, because it doth not only believe in Christ as the special object, but includeth an assent to the whole Word, so that it's as general as the Word is, if therefore the Word of God doth not beget security, and carnal encouragements to sin, neither can Faith; For presumption properly consisteth in this, to divide the means from the end, to think of obtaining one without the performance of the other, can never be admitted by faith, which in the special application of Christ is guided by the universal direction of the Scripture.  
Use of Instruction to humbled sinners, Be well informed in this, that you are not to stand in generals which are accompanied with great fears and dejections of spirit, but in a particular manner to lay hold on Christ; Oh let thy necessities drive thee, that easeless and restless condition thou art in, be like a stone from the centre, like a bone out of joint, till thou art fully united to the Lord Christ; Know it is a duty, That thou sinnest in an high manner, while thou dost thus frowardly keep off from him.  
Use 2. There is the happiness of believers, They receive Christ, and so in him all things; He that hath the Sun hath all the Stars, He that hath the Fountain, hath the streams, if he hath given us Christ, with him he will give all things: Now God looks on thee in Christ, The devil that seeks to devour thee must devour Christ first; And O what a poor weak thing is it to doubt about earthly provision, when thou hast received Christ for all things!   

SERMON CXI. That a Gospel-Ministry is to continue to the end of the world. And for what ends▪  JOHN 17.20. That shall believe through their word. 
I Shall now finish this fruitful Text. The last thing considerable in it, is the instrumental cause of faith, and that is the Apostles Ministry. This faith is wrought by their word. To open this, Consider  
1. That the word which begets faith, is called God's word, vers. 6. and here the Apostles word in a different sense: It's God's word originally and efficiently, because revealed by him: It's the Apostles word ministerially, because they are the Ambassadors to publish it. Thus Paul calls it his Gospel, as in other places, it's the Gospel of God, because the Ministers of God are Stewards, to whom is concredited the dispensation of the Word, therefore it is called their word.  
2. Whereas Christ prayeth for all that shall believe even to the end of the world, and yet they are said to believe by the Apostles word, when yet thousands and thousands have believed since the Apostles death and departure; It's necessary, that by the Apostles we do not understand only their persons, but the succeeding Ministry unto them, which is to be perpetual in the Church, all that now or hereafter shall believe, though by the present Ministers that lived many hundred years after the Apostles, yet may be said to obtain faith by the Apostles word, because they sit in the Apostles chair, they deliver the Doctrine, which they delivered, and succeed the Apostles, though not in personal and extraordinaries, yet in ordinaries, in which sense Christ promiseth to be with them to the end of the world. The words thus explained, we may observe,  
That God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry, 
Observe. God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world.  even to continue as long as there shall be a Church in the world. All that shall believe are brought thereunto by the Apostles word; now they being long since dead, it necessarily followeth, either that none can now believe, or else that there is a Ministry to be perpetually succeeding them for this spiritual effect. That the Ministry and Word preached is the means of faith, appeareth evidently, Rom. 10.17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; yea vers. 14. there is a chain of faith, and hearing, and preaching inviolably put together. We may bring a second witness to confirm this, 1 Cor. 3.5. Who is Paul, or Apollo, but Ministers by whom you believe? Where you see to be instruments of faith is not only limited to Paul the Apostle▪ but is extended to other ordinary Officers in the Church, even all that water as well as plant. The Apostles planted, the ordinary Ministers they water.  
I shall not at this time prove a distinct calling of Ministers from people, that hath been done already. I shall only show the perpetual usefulness and necessity of a Ministry, for spiritual ends, as long as there will be a Church upon the earth; and the rather, because Socinians and Seekers, though they grant, There was once an extraordinary Ministry in the planting of the Church, yet they say, it was only temporal for a season, even as miracles were, and that where the Scripture is made common, there needeth no Ministry. Therefore to inform herein, consider these Propositions,  
First, That God hath appointed a Ministry in his Church, not from necessity, but a voluntary liberty condescending herein to our capacity. God did once govern his Church, as in the Patriarches time, by immediate revelations and apparitions, and thus he could still do, if he pleased: It's not therefore from necessity, but mere bounty, that he hath appointed such a way of spiritualizing people. God doth not need the parts, or gifts, or piety of any men in the world; and certainly, if God hath appointed second causes in nature, which work from a necessary principle within, not necessarily, but freely, much less did he in these things which are of a supernatural constitution.  
Secondly, It's to be affirmed, That in the first plantation of Christ's Church, there were some things extraordinary, but that doth not infer every thing thus appointed was extraordinary. The Office of the Apostles, who had a Commission to go over the world, and had an universal Authority, being furnished to that end with infallible assistance, was extraordinary. Christ seedeth his Church spiritually, as he did once the bodies of men miraculously, first, he took bread himself, than he gave bread to his Disciples, and they gave it to the people. Thus Christ he preached the word of life, and then he commanded the Apostles to preach, who instituted others in their room. The Office then of Apostles and Prophets, with the gift of miracles, were extraordinary in the first constituting of the Church; but then ordinary Officers were afterwards required; As with the people of Israel, while in the wilderness, God made miraculous provision for them, but when once settled in Canaan, than their Manna and other miraculous provision failed them.  

Quest.  And if you say, How shall we know, what is an extraordinary Office, and what is an ordinary Office, seeing the Apostle, Eph. 4.11, 12. reckons them up altogether?  

Answ.  I answer, It's true, the Apostle there mentioneth extraordinary and ordinary Officers, because he is to speak of the whole fruit of Christ's Ascension to his Church, and so because Apostles were a great and principal part of Christ's gift to his Church, and the influence of their labours upon the Church to the end of the world, and therefore they are called the foundation, Rev. 21.14. Hence they are mentioned as well as the ordinary; only the difference between these two may appear in the qualifications of either, for to an Apostle was required gifts of miracles, an universal Commission and Authority, infallibility of assistance, etc. but to the ordinary Elders there is no such thing required, but what may be in an ordinary manner attained unto.  
Thirdly, When we say, A Ministry is appointed for spiritual ends, it's good to know in particular what they are. And  
1. You see it's in the Text, To work Faith: And therefore faith is said to come by hearing. The ear that is the organ of learning and knowledge, as also of faith. It's observed by a learned man, That though we read of godly persons, that could not see or speak, yet of none that could not hear, because that was the instrument of faith, yet this is not so to be urged, as if a godly man might not be made deaf, only it's a sad affliction, because by hearing faith is begotten and increased: What enemies then are such to their souls, who care not for hearing, who give over hearing, come now and then it may be for sinful ends, whereas by hearing the Word preached God hath appointed to give thee faith? Art thou not then such an atheistical or profane man, because thou dost no more regard this hearing of God's word preached? Be swift to hear, said the Apostle James 1.19.  
2. The Ministry is appointed for the conversion and regeneration of men, who naturally are dead in sin, and averse to God. It was a subject the Prophets often preached upon, to return every one from his evil way to God; and John Baptist, yea Christ himself also preached repentance as well as faith. Hence Jam. 1. God is said, Of his own will to beget us by his Word; and so it's called the washing of regeneration through the word, Tit. 3.5. That as the Spirit of God at first by moving on the waters, prepared and produced living creatures; Thus God by the Ordinances calls those who are like Lazarus dead in their sins, to come out of the grave and live. There is a resurrection of souls by the Prophets, when they lift up their voice like a trumpet, as well as there will be of bodies, by the trump of an Archangel; and indeed this is the proper effect of the Ministry: No moral Philosophy hath attained to the inward change of men's hearts: As Eliah, when he threw his mantle on Elisha, he left his Oxen and followed him: Thus when God by the Word preached doth lay hold on the heart of a man, he is a new creature, mind new, heart new, affections new, all is made new. Thus while Peter was preaching, there were three thousand converted; So that to take the preaching of the Word away, is worse than to take the Sun out of the heavens, that is but an instrument of heat and life bodily, this spiritually.  
3. The Ministry is for edification, as Eph. 4.14. For the perfecting of the Saints, and till we come to a full stature in Christ: So that the Ministry and Ordinances shall not be abolished, till we come into heaven, the Sacrament is till he come, and he will be with the Ministers till the end of the world; and certainly the godly man finds much need of a Ministry to quicken, comfort, and direct his soul, craveth and calleth for this, as much as his body doth for food and raiment: So that those who argue against a Ministry demonstrate, they find no experimental benefit of it upon their own souls.  
4. God hath appointed it to propagate and defend the truth, to confute and put all errors and heresies to silence. Therefore it's a qualification required in the Minister, That he be able to convince gainsayers, Tit. 1.9. You see the Apostle in some of his Epistles is not only practical, but didactical, and therein confuting those errors that molested the truth, even in her Infancy; for this end they are called Guides and Salt; yea they are Shepherds to keep off the wolves that would subtly devour the sheep; We are to watch against profaneness, and also against errors. The Apostle useth that phrase of a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, both in matter of corrupt manners, as also corrupt Doctrine, Gal. 1. and therefore would have the Churches of God purged from both.  
Lastly, The Ministry is appointed for spiritual Government in the Church, to admonish those that are disorderly, to cast out profane and obstinate sinners. For this end they have the spiritual Keys of the kingdom of Heaven vouchsafed to them, and in the due administration thereof, God hath promised his gracious confirmation. Hence it is, that they are called Governors, Rulers, Pastors; all which demonstrate, that a Ministry is not only in doctrinal publication of the word of God, but in a spiritual governing and ordering of people to supernatural ends. Indeed the Apostle saith, This power is given us for edification, not destruction, 1 Cor. 10.8. all is for spiritual ends: It's to save the souls of those that are under us. This, though accounted austere, yet is profitable and necessary, even as Government in the Commonwealth. Thus you see the ends of a Ministry.  
Therefore fourthly, when we say, God hath appointed a Ministry thus for spiritual ends, this implieth, God will bless and go along with it, unless men's sins do hinder it. We may not think God hath appointed these things in vain, or for a mere form; Doth not the Apostle say, That if the Gospel be not the word of life, it is to them that perish? 2 Cor. 2. who performed the Office of a Gospel Minister more faithfully than Christ himself? And who might expect greater success in his Ministry than he? Yet we hear him complaining, Who hath believed our report? Oh then, let that people, that Congregation tremble, which hath long enjoyed the Ministry, yet as ignorant and profane as ever! Oh consider with thyself and say, O Lord, thy arm is not shortened, thou art as able to break and humble the hearts of sinners, as ever, therefore some heavy spiritual judgement is upon me, I may fear, I am like that cursed figtree, upon which (Christ said) Never fruit grow more!  
Now that this Ministry is to be to the end of the world, while God hath a Church here, appeareth by these Arguments,  
1. The ends of the Office are perpetual, therefore the office itself is perpetual. The end is to convert, to build up, to preserve from errors, to admonish and rebuke; Will there not be this work to be done always? Heaven is like Paradise that needed no rain, there were waters from within refreshed it; but the Church while militant, is like the ground that needeth the former and later rain.  
2. It appeareth by God's promise to them, Mat. ult. I will be with you to the end of the world, and here all that shall believe at any time, are said to believe by their word; he is said to hold the seven stars in his hand, Rev. 3.1.  
3. The duties that are enjoined people respectively to them are perpetual, as to hear them, highly to esteem of them for their works sake, to submit themselves unto them. These are duties required of a Church, as long as it is a Church, therefore it's employed they must have such teachers, and officers.  
4. The similitude that the Scripture useth about them, and the Church, enforceth their perpetuity. They are light, the world will always need the Sun and Stars. They are the salt of the earth, every Sacrifice must have that. The Church is a Garden, these are said to water it. They are sheep, and such must have a shepherd. They are the house of God, then there must be stewards to dispense the things of life.  
5. God threatens it as the sorest of judgements, to remove their Pastors and Teachers into corners. To remove the Candlestick away, Rev. 2.5.  
6. There are directions for the qualifications of such who are to be ordained Ministers, given by Paul to Timothy and Titus, which are to be kept unblamably, till the coming of Christ.  
Use of Exhortation. Is the Ministry thus appointed perpetually for spiritual ends, then look again and again, whether it hath been so to you or no? Hath it been light to remove thy blindness? Hath it been salt to take away thy corruption? If our Congregations are still so many Golgothaes', when the word of life hath been so often preached to it; What can you expect that God will make them Aceldamaes? What hath hindered the Ministry from its proper efficacy upon thee, but thy wilful rebellion and wickedness? It is to work faith, and thou art atheistical; it's to convert thee from thy lusts, and thou art a beast still: Hear, o heavens, and hearken, o earth, dreadful is that sin and judgement which is upon thee!  
Use 2. Of Instruction, Why the devil and his instruments would overthrow Christ's Ministry, Is it not because those only hinder him from his quiet possession?   

SERMON CXII. Of Unity among God's People, The Nature of it.  JOH. 17.21. That they all may be one as thou (Father) art in me, etc. 
IN this Verse is laid down the matter of Christ's Petition, what it is that he prayeth for in the behalf of those who shall believe in him, and that is unity and concord amongst themselves, so that as before for the Apostles he prayed that they might be one, as Apostles in the work of the Ministry, so here he prayeth for all believers, so great a matter is it to have all the Godly at Union amongst themselves; Now although this Union comprehend in it grace begun here and glory consummated hereafter, yet it's again and again to be considered, that these glorious privileges should be comprehended in the●r Union, as if that being preserved all was preserved, and without that there could not be any godliness here, or blessedness hereafter.  
We have then the unity and agreement of all believers made the principal part of Christ's Petition for them, and in that take notice,  
1. Of the benefit itself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be one, he doth not say, that they may love and agree with one another, but be one, as if the Church should be but one person, and as the Apostle argueth, None ever hated his own flesh, Eph. 5.29. So there should be no divisions, envyings, and differences amongst the godly, because they are one spirit as it were; They should no more hate one another then a man doth himself.  
2. Here is the universal extent of this unity, That they all; Though there be great variety and difference in gifts, in graces, in offices, in outward conditionr, yet they must all be one.  
3. You have the pattern of this unity, As thou Father in me, and I in thee.  
4. The nature and quality of this unity, That they may be one in us.  
5. The benefit and fruit of this union, That the world may believe thuu haste sent me, I shall first consider the benefit prayed for, That they may be one, and observe  
That union rmongst the godly is of so great necessity and consequence that Christ doth in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for this; 
Doct.  Though in this Unity be included grace and sanctification, yet that which is expressly mentioned is their agreement: I have handled this Union as it related to Officers in the Church, from v. 11. I shall pursue from this Text, union amongst believers themselves, 
Consider, That there is a twofold Unity among the godly.  and because our Saviour doth enlarge himself about it, I shall also insist upon it.  
To Open this Truth Consider,  
1. That the is a twofold unity or union among the gtdly, Invisible and Visible: Invisible Unity is that whereby they being united to Christ their head by the Spirit on God's part, and faith on our part, 
I. Invisible.  do receive spiritual life and increase in which some Believers are compared to the several members of the body, and Christ to the head, because of that spiritual life and motion they receive from him; This is the foundation of our visible union, and without this though we may be outwardly of the Church, yet we do indeed receive no saving advantage by Christ. Of this union the Text speaks not, because it's such an Union, that the world seeing it may thereby be induced to believe Therefore 2. there is a visible Union, whereby Believers do outwardly and visibly express their compacted nearness to one another, and so those particular Churches of Corinth and Ephesus are called Christ's body in respect of their external union as well as internal, for not only by faith, but also by the Ordinances we have fellowship with Christ, and with one another, Of this visible Unity the Text speaks, and this is made a special means to bring the world to believe; Whereas on the contrary differences of Opinion, and sad rents and sects in Religion is the only way to confirm men in their impiety, and to think there is no truth, and no religion at all  

II. Visible.  In the second place, This visible Union doth diffuse itself in many Branches: As 1. There is an unity of Faith and profession, when they all believe and speak the same thing; This must be laid as the foundation of unity, for unity in error and idolatry, or false ways, is not peace, but a faction or Conspiracy; This unity of faith is reckoned among the many unities, the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4.5. Phil. 2.2. They are exhorted to be of one mind, and the Apostle notably presseth this, 1 Cor. 1.10. that they speak the same thing, being perfectly joined together in the same mind, and the same judgement: What a sad breach than hath the devil made upon God's people, when there are so few of the same mind, and do judge the same things; but (as you heard) it must be a sameness and unity in the true Faith, for the Jews they are one amongst themselves, the mahometans are one, the Papists are so one that they boast of it, and make it a note of the true Church; Now though this should be granted (though they have a thousand divisions amongst themselves) yet unless it be unity in the faith, unity in the sound doctrine it is nothing at all.  
2. There is an unity of affection and love in the heart, and outwardly one to another, Love is called the affection of union, and makes a man to be the object he loveth as much as his own, and we see the prayer of Christ abundantly fulfilled in this respect concerning the Primitive Christians, for Act. 4 32. it's said, they were of one heart and of one soul; Those thousands of believers were as if they had but one heart and soul among them; and thus in Tertullia's time the heathens did admire at the love Christians had to one another, our Saviour makes it a surer sign of discipleship then if they wrought miracles, Joh. 3.35.  
3. This union is seen in the public worship and Ordinances which God hath appointed, as God said of man at first, it was not good he should be alone, So it's true of every believer, he is not to serve God alone, to think that a private Religion is enough; Therefore you have the examples of the primitive Christians, Act. 2.1. Act. 5.12. how they met with one accord in one place, and that to have the enjoyment of public Ordinances, they prayed together, the Word was preached to them, they received the Sacraments together, and the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. showeth how the Sacrament of the Lords Supper did declare their union and communion one with another; Hence Heb. 10.25. The Apostle reproveth those whose manner it was, not to assemble themselves together; This visible union of believers in Church-Ordinances is their highest beauty and their chiefest advantage; Hence David professeth his ravishment herein, How beautiful are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts! and Psa. 110. it's called the beauties of Holiness, and Hag. 2. this temple is said to be more glorious than ever the former was; and that because of Christ's presence therein, preaching and reforming all abuses and corruptions: When the Ark was taken Phinehas his daughter cried, The glory is departed from Israel; Hence the Ordinances even in this life are called the Kingdom of heaven because of God's glorious presence therein; David when banished Psa. 63.2. longed to see the glory of God as he had seen it in the Sanctuary; And then it's our greatest profit and advantage, for God's presence is promised to these, So that the Christian Ordinances are the life of the Church; There is a larger dispensation of God's gifts and graces here then otherwise.  
4. This unity is seen in that public order and government which Christ hath appointed in his Church, as God hath appointed some to be Shepherds, and to govern, so others to hear and obey, he hath commanded admonition, and in some cases sharp reproof, and where obstinacy is, to cast out; Now it's very hard to have unity in this respect, for as 1 Cor 14. it appeareth private Christians do difficultly keep within their sphere, every member would be an eye, as the Apostle there chargeth, so it's hard to meet with an obedient ear, though to a wise, and godly reproof; It's therefore a blessed thing, as to have unity of faith, so also of order, That is to see every member of the Church with its relation in an harmonious way, as it's in the body, though they be heterogeneal parts, yet they all harmoniously consociate in their operations; This unity of order is like the nerves and ligaments to this spiritual society.  
5. This unity is seen in the sympathising that all believers have one with another, and that in respect of mourning and rejoicing; In respect of those that mourn, So we are to weep and mourn with them; We are to bear one another's burdens; We are to be affected with the Church's calamities as being also of the body; As the Apostle said, the care of all Churches lay upon him, 2 Cor. 11.28. Who was afflicted and he did not burn? the same proportionably is to be in every believer: Therefore this unity of believers should be vigorous this way, what evils, what exercises befall others, they should be affected with them as their own; This discovers they are lively members of the body, for if Christ though in Heaven was sensible of the persecutions done by Paul against the Church, saying, Why persecutest thou me? how much rather should every particular member account the temptations of others as his own; As it is thus for mourning, so also for rejoicing, there ought to be such an unity among believers, that we are to rejoice in the gifts, graces, and good things that others have, as if they were our own; But O the self-love, the envy, the repine that are apt to be in one godly man against another, The spirit in us lusteth to envy, saith the Apostle, even in believers; Hence are those daily exhortations against grudge, murmurings, and envyings one against another, and these are made the fruit of the flesh, because where the Spirit of God worketh and enliveneth, there is joy, peace, and long-suffering, all graces contrary to such unquiet distempers; Now this is very difficult to flesh and blood, that those parts and gifts which obscure thine, and those good things in others that seem to hinder thine, yet to rejoice and bless God for them, as if it were to thy own self, but this spiritual and mystical unity will enable thee thereunto▪ Neither is the Sun or air more requisite than this union, no wonder if our Saviour doth thus affectionately pray for it.  
6. This union is seen in their mutual striving together, in promoting the Kingdom and glory of Christ; They all have the same heart, the same shoulders, the same tongue to bless and praise God; They are like so many servants in the same house, all promoting and furthering their master's work; That as the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. saith, all the Officers are one, He that plants, and he that waters are one, because they agree in one end, which is to set forward the work of God; Thus it is here, Though there be never so much variety in the gifts and graces, and conditions of God's people, yet they are all one in this work, The Glory of God is the end they all look upon; Thus you see in how many particulars this Unity diffuseth itself.  
In the third place, We are to know that the invisible unity doth extend itself farther than the visible; For this is to the visible Church only, 
III.  but that to the invisible; So that in this respect there is an unity between all believers that ever have been, with Enoch, Abel, Abraham, and all that of old ever were; This is believed in that which usually is called the Apostles Creed, I believe the Catholic Church▪ Sometimes there was added the one Catholic Church, and this is believed, and not seen, but by this it is that all the godly who have been, are, and ever shall be, make up one body; All Christ's sheep will have one sheepfold; So that there is an invisible Union, where there cannot be a visible one,  
In the fourth place, Concerning this visible Union (for we make these all one) you are to know, some are of this unity both visibly and invisibly, externally and internally, and in appearance; Now such only who are both ways of this Unity, enjoy God, are indeed members of Christ, and receive benefit by him, but the other are only in name and title, like a withered branch in a Tree, or an artificial eye, or leg, which though joined to the body, yet receive no life or nourishment thereof; Think it not therefore enough to be of this unity, many have gloried and rested on this, that they are of such and such a Church, yet their condemnation is greater than those of Sodom and Gomorrha.  
In the fifth place, This unity therefore when it's true and advantageous doth first terminate on Christ, and then descends to others; Hence it's added, That they may be one in us; There must be first an unity with Christ the Head, and then it extends to other members, So that this is to be looked upon as the foundation and cause of all, there must be first an incorporating into Christ; He that is joined to the Lord is made one spirit with him.  
Lastly, This Union visible is not interrupted in some effects of it by distance of place; For in regard of prayer, there every one is remembered, when the Churth is prayed for, So that the poor Christian who cannot pray for himself, yet hath the prayers of the whole Church of God, what a comfortable refreshing should this be to every godly soul.  
Use of Exhortation, to lay to heart more the divisions, differences, and breaches that are among the godly; Learn of Christ here to be affected with the unity of the Church, and again and again he commended peace to them, We are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, God is the God of peace, the Gospel is the Gospel of peace, Believers are called the children of peace; Take heed of being a Jonah in this Ship, Let not thy pride, thy conceits, thy discontents make thee tear and rend the Church; that Jerusalem may be as a City compact together.   

SERMON CXIII. Of Unity among Christians, the Benefits and Necessity of it: And the mischief of Division.  JOHN 17.21. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, etc. 
WE have declared the Nature of this Unity, Let us now consider the Excellency, Benefit and Necessity of Union amongst the godly, and the mischiefs of breaches and differences amongst them.  
First, The Excellency and Necessity of it appeareth in the vehement and affectionate prayer for it, made by our Saviour. 
1. The excellency and necessity of unity among Christians appears by the vehement and affectionate prayer for it.  When he puts the whole company of believers together, he pitcheth upon this as the most eminent, That they may be one. And although our Saviour had not the Spirit in measure, and so could not vainly repeat the same thing often, yet within a little space, he doth four times mention this, vers. 21, 22, 23. Now certainly, that thing which our Saviour in whom the treasures of all wisdom are, did much press and urge, must needs be of very great moment, here is not pardon of their sins, Justification, Adoption, Glorification mentioned, but Unity, as if the whole kingdom of grace and glory did consist in this, obtain this, and you have all; and our Saviour as he prayed then, so he preached Love and Unity; so that, whereas in matter of Justification he commended Faith above all, in matter of Sanctification he comprehends all in love, John 13.34. A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: A new Commandment, not but that the duty was old, only envy and malice had so prevailed amongst the Jews, that to love was a new thing, as if it had not been a duty required before. In John's Epistles its called both new and old, 1 John 2.8. And then again new, because there are new motives, and a new pattern, Love one another, as I have loved you; There was never such a Pattern and Precedent before; so that it's not every kind of love and unity which will give content, but that which is in the highest degree of unity, its added vers. 35. By this shall all men know ye ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another; not if ye work miracles, if ye cast out devils, but if you cast out discord and variance; and therefore there is not a greater scandal to Religion and holiness, then when those that do believe, are as the Levites Concubine, that was cut into many pieces. Again, Ch. 15.12. This is my Commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you; This is Christ's Commandment, as if there were nothing else he required but this; and as if this were not enough, at verse 17. These things I command you, that ye love one another; as if he should have said, If bare information will not do it; if instruction will not do it, I lay my command and charge upon you.  

2. It's a means to bring the world to believe the truth.  Secondly, This Unity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth, and receive Christ. So that what the preaching of the Word, and Gifts, yea miracles use to do, that unity and agreement may do. This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity, vers. 21. & vers. 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me. It's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth. Thus Chap. 13.35. Men shall know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another: and do we not see by experience, That Papists, Heretics, and all profane men are confirmed in their wickedness, by nothing more than the differences and opinions of such who are godly: Do they not by books, and otherwise in derision say, One Sect saith, that hath the Spirit of God, another saith, that hath, and yet both are contrary one to another: Can the Spirit of God be contrary to itself? Can it be a Spirit of truth in one, and a Spirit of falsehood in others? Now although this be no good argument, because the Spirit of God is communicated, but in measure to the godly, they know but in part, and so they love but in part, many errors and divisions we are prone unto, yet this is a very great stumbling block, and therefore woe be to that godly man, who by his pride, self-conceit, or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion, what if many perish in hell, because of thy froward spirit. It is true, there ought to be zeal against errors and corruptions, though in the godly. You see when Peter did not walk right, Paul resisted him to the face, and would not give place to him, or other false teachers, no not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. Mark that, No, not for an hour; Some think, let them alone, they will recover themselves, they will do no hurt, truth needs not be afraid, yet Paul was afraid that an hours forbearance might do hurt; Therefore he addeth, That the truth of the Gospel might continue amongst you, as if an hours forbearance might hinder the continuance of truth; so that we are to use Scripture-zeal, and Scripture-means to convince even those that are godly, when erring in Doctrine: Therefore the Scripture doth not commend an unity and love, so as to let all errors and profaneness alone, but in that which is good, unity in that which is truth and holiness, is that which Christ meaneth here in his prayer, and where this is, it's very potent to win all gainsayers: It's admirable to mollify the hearts of the opposers: Hence it's so often reported of the primitive Christians, That they were daily with one accord together: Therefore the Evangelist Luke records it at least five times: so that if nothing else should make thee tender about causing any breaches in the Church of God, this should, thou dost as much as lieth in thee, to hinder any man that knoweth thee, ever to believe, and to be converted.  

3. It's promised as a special part of the Covenant.  Thirdly, This Unity is promised as a special part of the Covenant of Grace. That very Covenant, which promiseth to write the Law of God in our hearts, and to put his fear in our inward parts, that also promiseth unity at the same time, Jer. 32.39. I will be their God▪ and they shall be my people, I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever: Insomuch that it's one main branch in the Covenant of Grace: So Zech 14.9. In that day, there shall be one Lord, and his name one: The meaning is, They shall not worship many gods, or serve in different ways of worship, but they shall be one. To this purpose Ezekiel prophesieth, Chap. 37.16, 22. which is not to be limited to the Jews only, but also to all the believing Gentiles: Oh then in these times of differences, and breaches amongst the godly! What should we run unto? What should we plead in prayer, but these promises? O Lord, to be thus divided, to have Altar against Altar, Church against Church, Prophet against Prophet! Is this to have one heart, and one way?  
But you may say, If God hath thus promised it, and Christ hath prayed for it, who was heard of the Father in every thing, How comes it about that the contrary appeareth? This is to be answered in its time.  
Fourthly, Unity is necessary, because hereby a serviceable and beneficial helping of one another in spiritual things is preserved. 
4 Hereby a serviceable helping of one another in spiritual things is preserved.  The people of God are compared to living stones built up together, while the stones keep in the building; they bear one another, but if once removed, it falls down; They are compared to members in the body, while they are joined together; There is a mutual ministration to each other, but when divided from the body, no part can receive any nourishment: Thus it is here, while the people of God are in union: Oh the wonderful help they are to one another, they provoke one another, they stir up one another's graces, but take these coals from one another, and then the fire goeth out! And this may be the reason, why our Saviour doth not mention the Sanctification and holiness of believers, but their unity, because this is a special means to preserve and increase holiness, Two are better than one, because of heat and of help, saith the Wiseman, Eccles. 4.10. and so it's in this work of Grace, two are better than one to warm one another; How may thy zeal help against another's lukewarmness, thy faith against another's diffidence? If it be so great a sin to see thy brother in temporal want, and not relieve him, How much more in spiritual, and so for help, Gal. 6.1. If any be overtaken, ye that are spiritual restore such an one; Put this bone in joint again: Now doth not experience tell us, that where divisions and discord are, there is no love, no compassion, no watching over one another, if this unity were established, a man would then endeavour the growth of grace in others, as in his own self; and therefore observe, whether the power of godliness doth not much abate, when differences do arise: There is not that heavenly communion, nor hearty concurrence in the ways of holiness. There is not that mutual helping of one another, as at other times.  
Fifthly, Unity amongst the godly is so necessary, 
5. God suffers sad persecutions to befall them, that thereby their discords may be removed.  that therefore God many times suffereth sad and heavy persecutions to befall them, that thereby their discords and divisions may be removed, and they be more endeared to one another. Times of prosperity in the Church made the greatest heresies and schisms, but the times of bloody persecution made the godly more united. Thus the Martyrs, some of them in Queen Mary's days, did bewail their differences and contests they had formerly one with another, but the prison and persecution made them highly prise one another. joseph's brethren in their plenty envied and fell out with one another, but in their distress they were glad to cleave together. The sheep that were scattered one from another, when a sudden storm ariseth, makes them all company together: It may be though the godly are so censorious, so shy, so strange to one another. God may in time work so, that they may be glad to enjoy one another, glad to have the communion of each other; one godly man's company may be more than the gold of Ophir; and therefore if love and godliness do not unite you, take heed God doth not make some outward trouble and affliction to put you together; If you do not embrace one another willingly, he may bind you in his chains together. That promise to Judah and Israel, of making those two sticks one, was after the cruel enmity and opposition which had been amongst them.  
Sixthly, Unity is not only a sanctifier, but a strengthner also? 
6. Unity strengthens.  It's that which confirmeth and establisheth the Church. The old Rule is, Vis unita sortior, the Sun beams united together cast the greater heat. It's union in an Army, in a Nation, in any Society that preserveth it; as a Wiseman said, Public Societies are immortal, if they do not kill themselves by division; Our Saviour confirmed this, when he said, No Kingdom divided against itself can stand, Matth. 12.25. He brings this as an argument, That he did not cast out devils by the help of devils, but by the Spirit of God. Thus if the people of God cast out error and profaneness by God's Spirit, than they will not entertain the like themselves; for this would be to set a Kingdom at variance within itself. The old Rule is, Divide & impera: It was a peculiar providence, that Christ's bones should not be broken, to demonstrate hereby (say some) that Christ, though he died, yet he did not lose his strength. We must justly fear God hath some heavy scourge upon the godly, when they are first divided, if their bones are broken, their strength is weakened; their evil and misery will not stay there: So that it's a very foolish and weak thing in the godly to continue in their divisions; for have they not mighty and numberless enemies? Doth not the whole world hate them? Are they not as Wolves to the godly, who are as Sheep? Now if not only the Wolf and the Fox, but also one Sheep shall devour another, Must not this bring utter ruin? The Apostle Paul speaks fully to this, Gal. 5.15. If ye by't and devour one another, take heed ye be not consumed of one another: Observe the notable expression, biting and devouring one another, How unnatural is this to sheep, dogs use to do so? And further, by this means you will consume one another; That which the devils of hell, and all the wicked adversaries thereof could not do, that you will do to one another, En quo discordia cives perduxit miseros! Look not then upon your differences, as mere sins, but heavy prognostiques of God's wrath. The veil in the Temple did rend in pieces, which was a presage of the destruction of the Temple.  

7. It is beautiful and comely.  Seventhly, It is a most comely and beautiful thing to see; It's a ravishing thing to behold such an Harmony amongst the godly, therefore the completeness of it will be in Heaven; There those many thousands will all have one heart, and one tongue to praise God; There will be no difference, one shall not have one way of seeing God, another, another way; There will be no censuring, as reproachful terms one against another: Now the nearer the people of God come to this on earth, the more like are they to glorified Saints in Heaven, and those innumerable companies of Angels that do Gods will; They have no jarrings and contests, one Angel is not of one opinion, and another of another; We ought to do Gods will, as they do it, not only in respect of zeal and purity, but unity also. David is affected with it, and one of those Songs of Degrees, is wholly to praise it, Psal. 133.1, 2, 3. It's compared to that precious ointment that was so curiously to be composed, that none might presume to make the like, and it was to be poured on the Highpriest only. He compareth it also to the fruitful and pleasant Dew upon the Mountains.  
The whole Psalm is considerable,  
1. There is the note of admiration or indication, Behold; as if he had said, You have by bitter experience seen what dissensions and differences do produce.  
2. It's good and pleasant; Profit and pleasure use to win all; and hereby is denoted our averseness to such unity, that we need those low Arguments to draw us; He doth not say, It's just, holy and acceptable to God, but good and pleasant.  
3. For Brethren: He saith, Not men, but brethren, because sinful discord is apt to creep in amongst them.  
4. Even together: He speaks not of local, but soul-conjunction. Now the sweetness of it is represented by the oil poured on Aaron, and so descending. It must be a peace grounded on Christ our Head and Highpriest, than it is to diffuse to others. The profitableness of it is described by the Dew, that as it's from heaven, So it sanctifieth the barren ground. This Concord is God's gift only, and if received doth wonderfully bless the Church.  
Who would not have rejoiced to live in those days, when all believers were of one heart and one soul? Oh what a comfort was it to hear no grudge, no repine at one another? But the Devil that envious one, he quickly sowed tares amongst them, and there became ulcers and sores to appear upon that body, which once was as fair as Abs●loms body: Hence the Apostles do so much press, That all things be done in charity, that they fulfil the Royal Law by loving that they do not so much as grudge one against another! This unity and peace is so glorious a thing, that the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4.11. makes it matter of ambition, Study, or be ambitious to be quiet; There is a great deal of carnal and worldly ambition after great things, though fading and transitory; but here is godly ambition, here is spiritual ambition, when to be a peacemaker, and a peace-preserver, we judge it the greatest glory God doth put upon us.  
Eighthly, This duty of Love and uniting is most imbred in the hearts of the godly, it should be that which they are most persuaded of, most inclined to. It's strange for thee to say, God hath taught thee such and such high things, and hath not taught thee love. The Apostle speaks excellently, 1 Thess. 4.10. Concerning brotherly-love, ye need not I write to you, for you are taught that of God. It's a shame, and a reproach to us, that we need a Sermon for this: Oh fear thyself, thou boastest of the teachings of God's Spirit above others, and yet art not taught to love! And here we see, Those that think a Ministry needless, and they will not hear it; If nothing else may convince, yet this may, God hath not taught them this duty of love enough; and therefore they had need of the Ministers of God to do it. But by this you see, That Love and Unity should be so planted in all the godly, that we need no more press and preach this, than an hungry man to eat his meat, or the mother to love her child. God teacheth this duty in the chief place.   

SERMON CXIV. Of Unity among the Godly, More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it, and mischiefs of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ prayed for it, How comes it to pass that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.  JOH. 17.21. That they may be one as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, etc. 
WE are describing the Excellency of Union, and the mischief of breaches amongst the godly, we shall add to the fore mentioned, As  
1. Divisions and differences they are the fruit of the flesh; Whereas love, 
9 Divisions are the fruit of the flesh.  peace, and kindness they are the fruits of the Spirit, so that a man cannot more demonstrate himself to be in the flesh, and devoid of God's Spirit in any thing then by a contentious dividing spirit; There are some men like those old Spaniards the historian speaks of, that cannot live without an enemy, So these Salamanders can only be in the fire, they are unquiet restless men, and these like Martion with great boldness and delight will cry out, we will cast fire into the Church and divide it, But these demonstrate of what nature they are, and who is their Father, even that envious one, the devil, who delights to sow tares amongst the wheat, Gal. 6.20, 21. etc. you may there see two chief principles of men's actions in the world, whereof the one is immediately opposite to the other, the flesh and the Spirit, now it's good to observe what the works of the one and the other are; of the flesh, he instanceth in hatred, variance, strife, emulations, etc. all tending to break unity, and of the spirit the clean contrary, love, peace, gentleness, etc. all uniting, If then we would know who is a godly man, who hath the Spirit of God; Judge of the Tree by its fruit, he is full of love, gentleness, and meekness; It's impossible that pride, arrogancy, and envyings should be the fruit of God's Spirit; Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. doth thus argue, If there be envyings and divisions among you, are you not carnal? Thus the Apostle James c. 3.13, 14. speaks notably to this, Who is a wise man? let him show it by a good conversation with meekness, he divides wisdom into that which is earthly and devilish, the mother of envyings and strife, and the wisdom from above, which is first pure and then peaceable, yea, verse 14. Whosoever hath the Name of Religion, yet is haunted with this devil: The Apostle bids him glory not, and lie not against the Truth, So that though a man pretend never such singular gifts, such extraordinary Teachings of God's Spirit, yet if contentious, he is not to glory▪ yea, he lieth against the Truth; Thou sayest, it's for the truth thou art thus contentious, It's for the truth thou hast made these divisions, No, the truths of Christ are to be maintained by the Spirit of Christ, As the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, so neither doth the perverseness of man the truths of God, so far then as any in the Church of God are contentious and striving, so far they demonstrate the power of the flesh reigning in them.  
2. This Unity is necessary, because all other things in Religion are reduced to one; 
10. Because all things are reduced to one.  If therefore all things agree in unity, every thing in Religion tends to this; Why should not the people of God embrace it? The several Unities are notably made an Argument to our purpose, Eph. 4. For the Apostle at v. 1. having exhorted believers to walk worthy of their calling, he instanceth in such graces as procure Unity with all lowliness, meekness, forbearing one another; See these graces are the comely, worthy graces of our holy calling, and you have the end of these graces, v. 3. endeavouring, we must make it our aim, our labour, our study and prayer to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, hereupon he enumerates v. 4. why there should be such Unity, There is one body, Christ hath not many bodies, no more than a man hath; All the people of God are one body; Now how destructive is it when one part of the body should conspire against the welfare of another? Let grace do that in this mystical body which nature doth in this natural; Then there is one Spirit, There is but one Spirit that enlightens and sanctifieth the whole Church of God, why then should there be so many contrary opinions and ways, yet pretended to be of the same Spirit? Indeed the Apostle saith, there are diversity of gifts and operations, yet the same Spirit; He doth not say contrarieties and the same Spirit, for that is as impossible as darkness to come from the Sun; If then there be but one Spirit, let not the godly give occasions to the adversaries to blaspheme, saying, the Calvinistical Spirit is one thing, and the Lutheran spirit another; Again, there is one hope of our calling, we are called to one Inheritance, there is only one Heaven prepared for all the godly, Why then should they be so different by the way, when at our journey's end we must all be received into the same place of glory; It is true our Saviour saith, Joh. 14.2. In his Father's house are many mansion places; There is room enough for all, yet it's but one house, if one Church cannot now contain us, how shall we think one heaven will? It followeth, there is one Lord, that is Christ, who is to be worshipped and served by us; Indeed if there were many Lords, as the Papists set up many Saints in heaven to have their peculiar worship, than no wonder if there were several faiths and worships also, but the Lord Christ is one; This the Apostle urged the Corinthians with to compose their divisions, Is Christ divided? 1 Corin. 1.13. unless there were many Christ's, or Christ be divided into many parts, there ought not to be many divisions in the Church; how absurd would it be to say, I have one Christ, and another he hath another, a third a third Christ; There is one faith, one system of doctrine to be believed, Though there may be many particulars, yet they make up one entire Truth, So that although there be many Religions, and many faiths in the world, yet indeed there is but one; Even as the Apostle saith, There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called gods, nuncupative gods, but to us there is one only God, So there are many called Religions, many called Churches, but indeed there is one only; The next argument is, there is one Baptism, that is one profession of the doctrine of faith; Though there is not one baptism in number, yet there is one in kind; Christ hath appointed but one way for the profession of his name▪ and being called upon by us; The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is also made an argument of unity, 1 Cor 10.17. So that the Sacraments in their signification denote unity; They manifest one body, one spirit, how sad then is it that so many ●ents and divisions should be made in the Church about Sacraments, which yet are the bodies and seals of unity and communion! Lastly, there is one God and Father of all; Because there is one God only, therefore we ought to be at unity, God being One cannot be divided in himself, he cannot command things to be believed or done contrary to himself; Therefore let all these unities make us serious in endeavouring after unity, yea, we might add, that in hell there is unity, all the devils agree against the Church, There could be a Legion of devils in one man; Shall there then be unity against us, and not we at unity among ourselves?  

Quest. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ prayed for it, how comes it to pass there are so many breaches among the godly.  These things thus urged, let us answer that Objection, Seeing God hath promised one heart, and one way, and Christ hath also thus earnestly prayed for it, who is not denied any thing by the Father, how is it there are so many breaches amongst the godly? That we may cry out contrarily to the Psalmist, Behold how sad and destructive a thing it is for brethren to be at discord one with another, how comes it about that the godly do no more remember of what spirit they are? That they consider not the Spirit of God descended in the shape of a Dove, That Babel was to be built by confusion of tongues, but Jerusalem without any noise of the hammer, and therefore Solomon must build the Temple, not David, because he had been a man of war.  
That this may not scandalise any, Consider these things.  

Answ.  1. Though unity among the godly be thus necessary, yet that inferreth necessarily divisions and oppositions to the world, and therefore we are not to wonder if the Gospel and powerful dispensing of Christ's ways makes fractions and troubles in the world, for the godly cannot have peace with themselves but they must be in open opposition to the world; Therefore in this Chapter, and in other places our Saviour informs them that the world will hate them, So that we are not to say, That the Gospel of Christ is in itself of a turbulent dividing nature, as carnal Politicians suggest, and that therefore the best peace and unity is where Atheism doth abound, for if by the Gospel there be sad distractions and concussions of Kingdoms and States, it's not from the genius of the Gospel, but from the opposition and corruption of men's hearts; Therefore when our Saviour said, he came to send fire and sword in the earth, Luk. 12.49. that Father should be against Son, and mother against daughter, That a man's Enemies should be those of his own house; This was not from the nature of Christ's doctrine but the corrupt indisposition of the subject, as when the Sun doth offend soar eyes, or the medicine and potions taken disturb the humours and makes a man the sicker, in these cases not the Sun or the Physician is to be blamed, So if the Introduction of Christ's Kingdom and his Ordinances make great divisions in a place; It's not Christ's way but wicked men's sins that are to be blamed; This than is to be concluded upon, that the godly and the wicked can have no unity, The godly may not come off to the world's principles, and the world will not come off to the godly man's principles, and therefore there must be a perpetual enmity, which made the Wise man say, That the Righteous was an abomination to the wicked, and the wicked to the Righteous; Pro. 29.27.  
2. Seeing there cannot be unity between Sheep and Wolves, the godly and the wicked, hence it is that even in the Church of God there being so many still that retain their beastly nature, and though they have the title of Christians, yet are really of the devil, hence it is that in Christ's Church there is many times such deadly opposition; Wonder not then if among those that yet pretend highly to Christ there be sad divisions, for many are in the flesh still, many savour not experimentally the things of God, There shall arise among you men that shall speak perverse things, saith the Apostle, Act. 20.30. So there shall be false Prophets who will bring in damnable heresies, 2 Pet. 2. and why? because they are men of corrupt minds; If then all that pretend to Christ, to his Spirit, had indeed Christ's Spirit, there would be no such divisions, but saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. They went from us, because they were not of us, and 1 Co. 11. there must be heresies that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are sound may be esteemed; Therefore though Christ hath thus prayed, and God thus promised, yet in the Church there will be grievous rents, because these are not of the Church though in the Church, and therefore were not included in God's promise or Christ's prayer; Hence it is that the Scripture is full of such predictions, that there shall arise false Prophets, that there shall be wolves in sheep's clothes, that Satan will transform himself into an Angel of light, by which if it were possible the very Elect would be seduced; Therefore you are not thus to argue when you see raging divisions amongst those that profess faith in Christ and holiness, that therefore Christ prayed in vain, or that there is no Truth, no Religion at all, but rather that there are many hypocrites in the Church, many who for their pride, rebel on against the Light, and other sins, shall be left by God, and given up to believe a lie, From such differences conclude upon this pious meditation, That even under the known light of the Gospel men may sadly apostatise, and become heretics, yea persecutors of the Truth, if the spirit of God keep them not in an holy fear; Therefore in the midst of these differences say, there is a seeming believer, a seeming Church, a seeming professor, and such commonly for some corrupt end or other make a breach in Christ's body.  
3. There is an unity in fundamentals or essentials, and an unity in circumstantials or less principals; Now as when God hath promised, and Christ prayed for the sanctification of his people, hereby they are seen to have so much grace as shall certainly bring them to heaven, for though they have not all the degrees of grace, and neither are freed from all sin, yet they have the essence of grace that will certainly bring to eternal glory; Thus it is in unity, although in many things they have not attained to the same mind, to the same judgement, yet they all agree in those things, that are necessary to salvation, and this is called all truth, The Spirit of God shall lead them into all Truth, Joh. 26.13. and they have the unction which teacheth them all things, 1 Joh. 2.20. Hence Mat. 25. it's not possible to deceive the Elect, viz. in fundamental things, such as shall exclude Salvation; It's true, the disciples doubted a while about Christ's Resurrection, which was a fundamental Point, but it's one thing to doubt, and another thing heretically to oppose it; The godly then cannot live and die in a fundamental error, no more then in a gross sin unrepented of, because these do necessarily oppose salvation, and this may be a great comfort to the godly under the diversity of Opinions and several subtle ways of those who would bring in damnable Heresies.  
4. Even in accessories and less principals their unity shall be consummated in Heaven, and so we must understand Christ's Prayer as in his other Petitions, with an extent to heaven, where is the completing of all grace and holiness; The comfort is, that one day all the godly will lay aside their bitterness and censures of one another, They will all with one mouth, and in one way, praise and glorify God without any difference at all.  
5. Christ hath not given his Spirit to the Church to its full measure in this life, and therefore they know but in part, They love but in part, Now all division ariseth from ignorance in the mind and corruption in the heart, as long therefore as these relics shall be in us so long will these divisions be: As long as the earth emits vapours, so long will thunder and lightnings be in the air.  
Lastly, The devil doth yet put forth his power, and his work is to fill the Church with differences, and raising up Instruments thereunto, that so his kingdom may the more prosper: Therefore though heretical Incendiaries are taken away, yet because the devil dieth not therefore he is still setting his cloven foot where God hath raised up any Church.   

SERMON CXV. Of Unity among Believers; Cautions about it. Also setting forth some good uniting Principles; With a Censure of some bad ones.  JOHN 17.21. That they may be One, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee. 
THe next thing in order to be treated on concerning this Unity, is the Cautions that are to be attended unto about it: For the name of Unity, like that of peace, is very specious and fair, yet as Hierom said, Cursed be that peace which forsakes the truth: So cursed be that unity which shall prejudice the Kingdom of Christ. Conspiracy and a sinful confederacy in ways of sin, may be painted over, as if it were this glorious unity commended by Christ. And  

1. True unity is from Christ and terminated in him. There is a wicked unity.  First, Let this be considered, That the Unity which Christ commends and prayeth for, is originally from Christ, and terminated in him, and afterwards in those things that are his, his truth, his ways, his commands. So that whatsoever unity doth not begin there, and afterwards diffuse itself to those things, is a sinful and wicked unity. The Devil hath unity in his Kingdom; all the Devils, though full of malice and envy to man, yet agree in their wickedness. Though one wicked man may fall out with another, yet one devil doth not with another. There is order amongst them. There is the prince of the devils, a legion of them could possess one man: So that if we look into hell, we shall find nothing but unity and agreement amongst them, yet all is in their work against Christ and his Church. Thus there is also an Antichristian Unity, the Papists glory in their unity, that they all acknowledge one way, yea they make it a mark of their Church: And in the world, we see all wicked men are as one man in opposing what is godly. Now such unity as this, is matter of shame and mourning. For, 1. It's not terminated on Christ; they are not first united to the true Head, this oil is not first on Aaron's head; but they are of the devil, who doth move and reign in their hearts. And, 2. It's not an unity in the Scripture way, not an union in the true Doctrine, but heresy, not an union in the instituted worship of God, but idolatry and superstition, an union to overthrow Christ's Kingdom, if it were possible. Look we then to the cause and object of our unity, else it will afford no true comfort.  

2. A directed and ordered unity.  Secondly, This unity must be a directed and ordered unity. This unity must not be confusion. That Chaos and unformed heap God created at first, it was one thing, but it was confused, it was without form. An house demolished makes one heap, but it's a ruinous disordered one: So than the Scripture unity is that which keeps the order and distinction God hath appointed; and indeed this is greatly to be pressed, lest under this pretence of unity, that all the people of God are one, we should introduce a confusion, and make Christ's body, Monstrum horrendum, etc. Though the Church be that one body of Christ, yet in it there are distinct members, and all have their several operations: So that the Apostle argueth against those that would confound this order; Are all the members of the body an eye? 1 Cor. 12.14, 15, 16. This hath many times sorely troubled the Church. Men through pride and corrupt ends would not religiously keep that order and distinction God hath made in his Church: Hence the Apostle so often presseth the people to hear, to obey, to submit themselves unto their Governors, to have them in high esteem for their works sake, 1 Thess. 5.13. And why is all this? But because while this unity of order is preserved, the Church itself and godliness is preserved.  
Thirdly, This unity is consistent with such graces, 
3. It is consistent with such graces, that yet have an outward appearance of dissolving unity.  that yet have an outward appearance, of dissolving unity, as zeal for the glory of God, sharp and severe reproof of such as go astray, to suffer no heresies or profaneness after admonition in such who are of the Church. And certainly this is much to be observed, As there is a sinful and foolish pity, when men would not have justice done against notorious offenders, which pity to the wicked is truly called cruelty to the good; for he that is pitiful to the wolf, is cruel to the sheep: So there is a counterfeit, disguised unity and love, and that is, when because of this peace and agreement, no damnable heresy, no corrupt or evil way is to be severely dealt with, and a Scripture-way taken to stop the progress of it. If this were true, than Ahab did upon good grounds call Elijah, a troubler of Israel, because his zeal would not bear the Idolatries then practised: If this were true, than all the godly Prophets were justly discouraged, because they reproved the sinful ways of the times they lived in: Yea then, Christ himself and his Apostles were justly condemned, for the zeal of God did so eat them up, that they reproved not only the gross Idolatries, but almost every petty superstitious way: What shall we think the Apostle Paul, who doth so often commend the spirit of love and meekness, That there be no hatred or strife amongst them, yet when he saith; I would they were cut off that trouble you, Gal. 5.12. and their mouths must be stopped, Tit. 2.11. that speak perverse things, that he forgets his own rule, and becomes an incendiary in the Church? or shall we think the Apostle John, who presseth love in every verse, and showeth, He that hateth his brother, is like Cain a murderer, and of the devil; yet when he saith, If any one bring any other Doctrine, than you have received (2 epist. John 10) receive not that man into your house, or bid him, God speed; that now he hath forgot his own spirit, that his honey is turned into gall? Be then fully persuaded, that the unity and love Christ prayeth for, doth not oppose Scripture-zeal, and courage against any profane and erroneous ways: It doth not bring in a compliance and symbolising with all heresies and profaneness. It doth not erect a Temple, as the Romans did to all gods: Nor make the Church like the Ark, wherein all beasts clean and unclean were received. No, such remissness breaketh unity; as the strings not well-wound up cannot make any melodious sound, and the paralytical members of the body, for want of the due firmness, cause many feeble operations. There is a Sect called the Family of Love, as if they only had peace and unity amongst them, but they would have all things, even wives common, and so their unity is a fomenter of sin, and confounds those relations God hath distinguished.  
These Cautions premised, 
Remedies for the preventing and healing divisions in the Church.  Let us consider what remedies are fit to heal these wounds. As in the natural b●dy, a wound is Solutio continui; so in this spiritual body of the Church, and as to wounds, unless there be wisdom and skill, they are made worse by Empirics. Thus unless there be proportionable and fit remedies applied with wisdom and compassion, the breach is made greater. 
False ways of unity.  And  
First, There are two remedies, and they are in extremes: 
1. By Papists.  The one suggested by the Popish party, the other by the Socinian.  
The first is, A rigid, imperious and tyrannical commanding of an uniformity and approbation in every punctilio, and minute particular: So that no dissent or liberty shall be allowed to a man, though humble and peaceable, earnestly desiring to find out the truth. This tyranny came into the Church betimes; What a large breach did Victor Bishop of Rome make in the Church about the determinate time of keeping of Easter, whom Irenaeus did gravely oppose? Certainly, the Apostle Rom. 14. in matters of less concernment, where men may err saluâ fide, or when men build only hay and stubble, not laying other foundations, doth there command a charitable carriage between the strong Christian, and the weak. It's true, the least truth of Christ is precious, and we are not to deny it; but yet it is not violently to be obtruded, unless where there is eternal damnation inevitable, if that truth be not received. Our Saviour speaks excellently to that, Matth. 9.17. If new wine be put into old bottles, the bottles break; while men impose opinions or practices of less consequence, upon a people not prepared, in stead of unity, they make many fractions, yet this way of unity hath much infested the Church, and especially when men have been in power. They have pressed unity not so much out of love to Christ, as thereby to keep up their interest: As Musculus observeth of the soldiers, that would not have Christ's coat divided, every one hoping thereby to have it all. Thus when Luther reform, nothing was more ordinarily preached by the Papists then the inconsutilis tunica, the seamless coat of Christ, which made Luther call them Inconsutilistae and Tunicastri. Now all this endeavour to have such an uniformity, was not out of love to Christ's Church, but their own power; and therefore they were afraid of divisions, lest they should overthrow their kingdom. Certainly to such austere and severe imposers; That of Austin is often to be reminded, Saeviunt illi, qui nesciunt, etc. let them rage and persecute, who know not with what prayers and tears it is given to understand, but a little of God's truth, yet this political way of unity hath been long in the Church, Aut subscribe, aut discede, was a speech of old in the Church.  

2. By Socinians.  2. There is another false way of unity extremely opposite to this, strenuously propugned by the Socinian, and that is, A licentious and unbounded Toleration of damnable heresies and Idolatries, which Julian also studiously promoted, thereby to overthrow the Christian Religion. Now as the former way of unity hath been propugned by those who had power in the Church, so this latter by those, who have been the oppressed party, for the Scripture decides a middle way between these two principles: Hence Rev. 2. & Chap. 3. The Angels of the Church are commended, when they did not suffer, or could not bear such as published unsound Doctrine, and therefore those who did suffer such, are reproved: I say, the Angels of the Church, for we are treating of Church-peace and liberty, not political and external, which is not comprehended in this Petition. Certainly, the Apostles in their Epistles, do as much, if not more, set against false Doctrines and false Teachers, as they do against corrupt practices: Hence 1 Tim. 1.20. Hymeneus and Alexander for their blasphemies and false doctrines are by Paul delivered up to Satan, and Tit. 3.10. we have an universal Rule given, An heretic after the first and second admonition reject. So that it is very clear, That Church-power and Church-censures are to be inflicted on such as obstinately offend therein; and certainly a boundless Toleration of all kind of heresies, seemeth to be so harsh and unsavoury a thing, that even the Remonstrants, who yet cried up a liberty of prophesying, as their great Diana, did disavow this, professing their approbation of that known Rule, It's better living, ubi nulla licent, then where omnia; and that with this liberty of opinions, there ought to be ways used for the extirpation of heresies. This licentiousness than doth not beget unity, but increaseth breaches, for it gives way to men's corruptions to vent themselves, and is like the warm Summer to snakes and serpents, which makes them come abroad, when the cold winter kept them in.  
These remedies then being laid aside, Let us consider, what are truly and properly so, what is the fit oil to be poured into the Church's wounds, seeing it is so often like that man of Jericho; whereas then this breach of unity may be made three ways, Of the true Doctrine by heresy, Of godly Order by schism, 
The true uniting principles. As to true Doctrine.  and Of Christian love by wrath and contentions in outward matters. Let us see what are the peculiar Remedies; for what is proper to one is not to another, and as for the way of unity in Doctrine, these are uniting and closing principles.  
1. So far as there is an agreement in judgement, to close heartily, and embrace one another in that. It's a mercy that the difference is not in the very fundamentals and vitals of Religion, seeing therefore there are common opinions and doctrines, wherein the godly do agree, let that unity be nourished, this will be a means to produce further union. This Rule the Apostle giveth, Phil. 3.15, 16. Whither we have attained, let us walk by the same Rule, and if any man be otherwise minded, God shall reveal this to them. It's a great frowardness in the rigid Lutherans, that they will not own the Calvinists as brethren, though there may be a reconciliation in fundamentals, as Pareus pleadeth. So far then as men do retain Christ, and fundamental truth with an humble godly disposition, desiring to be further informed. Let not the want of what they should have, make thee despise the good things they have.  
2. Let private Christians highly esteem and submit to those godly and faithful Pastors, God hath set over them. For commonly there begins the breach, when they begin to be offended at them. It was some mistake about what Christ preached, that made so many Disciples quite forsake him, it was durus Sermo, an hard speech, they said, and would not seek to be further informed, when men will not own that public office God hath appointed, than they wander into by-paths: Therefore Eph. 4.12, 13▪ You see a twofold end of the Ministers of Christ; the one is, To keep them from being carried about with every wind of Doctrine. The other, for a spiritual edification, till we all come in the unity of faith; So that a due and fit obedience and acknowledgement of them, would in a special manner prevent divisions.  
3. Get a pitiful and compassionate spirit to those that go astray. We are indeed to have zeal, and an holy impatience in the things of God, yet this is to be accompanied with pity, Of some have compassion, making a difference, saith the Apostle Judas. Certainly, when we shall consider, how prone it is for men to receive error for truth; How naturally blind and opposite the mind of a man is to the revealed truths of God, and how that it's the Spirit of God that leads thee into truth, That its God only who keeps thee from the heresies and errors that others are carried aside with. These things will greatly move thee to tender bowels.   

SERMON CXVI. Of Christian Unity; Setting forth some Rules for Unity in Doctrine, Church-Order, and Affection; for the preventing of Error, Schism and Wrath.  JOH. 17.21. That they also may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee, etc. 
TO prevent or heal any breach that may be made in doctrine by error, we have given some Remedies, and there are more remaining:  
As first, Candidly and truly to lay down or report the opinions of others that do dissent from us; There is nothing hath made the gap wider, and more raked into the sores of the Church than such a malevolent and ill disposition, to pervert the opinions of others, to make them hold such monstrous things, as they do with all their hearts detest; It was thought that the Apostle James therefore was moved to write that Epistle for works as well as faith, because some did misunderstand Paul's writings, as if he had taught Faith only was enough to save, though it was not accompanied with an holy life. How often was Christ and the Apostles traduced for preaching such things that they never taught, and all this was done by their malicious enemies to make them more odious, and to bring greater danger upon them; And do not the Papists to this day represent the Protestants as if they were the most damnable and blasphemous heretics that ever were? But if it be not lawful in civil matters to bear false witness against another, much less in Religious and doctrinal matters; whether therefore it be by writing, preaching, report, or any other way God's Word and Conscience requireth of us, that we are to represent the Opinions of others truly and really, not put a sense of our own upon them, and then fight with that, this is not the way to bring the straying Sheep back again, this will never reduce to unity, for the party dissenting will presently see, that truth is not sought for but victory, That the end of dissenters is not to bring him to the knowledge of truth, but to disgrace and defame him, and this will never convert, Therefore that is necessary in all disputations to state the controversy aright, for that is like the first concoction, which if it miscarry is not mended afterwards, men may write voluminous books, and bring multitude of arguments to no purpose, if the true state of the controversy be not laid down: To know therefore the true and proper distance is the only way at last to unite, as the best way to recover out of a disease is to be truly informed what it is.  
A second Remedy, uniting in matters of doctrine is, not to impose such Conclusions and inferences upon the doctrine maintained by dissentients, that are not the proper and genuine effect thereof, To cast that upon them as their doctrine which is but our inference that we may make through ignorance or any other distemper, is not fair, especially when they do with their whole soul abhor such Conclusions; There were some Spiders that would suck poison from those sweet herbs the Apostle had planted, because he showed that where sin had abounded grace did much more; Therefore some forced this consequence upon the Apostles doctrine, Let us sin that grace may abound, Rom. 6.1. And thus the Papists deal with us, and Lutherans also, how often do they charge this hideous calumny and consequence upon the Protestants doctrine, as if we made God the author of sin? whereas we use but the Scripture words and such expressions, no, nor such harsh ones neither, as some of their own Popish Writers do, only its truth in them but blasphemy in us; Indeed what is the evident and plain Consequence of a Doctrine, that is to be accounted of as the doctrine itself; As whatsoever is a clear genuine consequence from Scripture is Scripture, but not every consequence, We are apt to deduce, Thus it is here, what is evidently a consequence from any Doctrine, we may charge it upon the doctrine, but then we must be sure it's the proper and natural child, not a bastard, that it is the true issue not suppositions.  
3. Whatsoever truth God may have indeed made known to us, or if in our persuasion only, we are to be very careful how we publish it; This hath been constant fire in the Church of God when men either have, or in persuasion only, some doctrine different from the current way of the Church at that time; Now it's a very hard thing thus to be with child as it were, and not to be full of pain till we have delivered it to the world; Why is an obstinate broacher of damnable doctrines called an heretitk but because he chooseth his own way? He invents and excogitates a doctrine of his own, therefore compared to thiefs and robbers, that go not in by the door but climb up some other way; Now such qualifications as these are necessary,  
1. To question and examine thy own spirit, not presently to believe thy own heart; This is a firebrand in the Church, when men have no modest doubtings and questionings of their own ignorance and proneness to err even in that thing they are so confident of; how modestly doth the Apostle Paul speak 1 Cor. 7. when he determined the case about marriage, I think also I have the Spirit of God, and he distinguisheth between that which he had as an express command from the Lord, and what he was inwardly directed unto, wheresoever the Spirit of God leadeth into all truth, there he doth likewise into all humility; Thus Luther's Tunè solus sapis es is famously known, though the Papists charge him falsely with contempt of all others.  
2. Before we publish it to the world to communicate our thoughts to those that are able, wise, and learned in the Church of God, who have the Spirit of God and his Unction as well as we; Paul though called immediately by Christ, yet went up to Jerusalem to confer with the chief pillars there, and though he was thus miraculously converted, yet he must go to Ananias to be further directed, 1 Cor. 14.14. those that had extraordinary gifts yet were to submit themselves to others, The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets, which is interpreted two ways, and both pertinently to my matter:  
1. If the meaning be, The spirit of the Prophets is subject to other Prophets, they have power to judge the doctrine we publish, than it will much more follow, that what we have in an ordinary way is exposed to the examen of others.  
2. If by it we understand it thus, there is no Prophet having the Spirit of God moving in them that is so extraordinarily wrought upon but he may retain those motions, and vent them in an orderly way, not to speak while others are speaking, which seemeth to be the scope of the Apostle in that place; This is very pertinent to my matter, that no man can have such revelations and impulses from God's Spirit but that he is in a divine method and good order to declare them, for the unseasonable publishing of some things is like good Physic but not administered in its fit season.  
Lastly, To keep up the unity of faith this is a special means, when we do highly prise and delight in the known plain truths of Christ▪ Paul that was snatched up in the third Heavens, yet desired to know nothing but Christ crucified; Peter thought it not inconvenient to write the same things they knew already; Certainly nothing hath more rend and torn the Church of God than affectation of singular high things, To bring in some unheard and unknown Truths, Oh this is the pride of men's hearts, to have it said, Such a man was the first that brought that nation into the world, as the Jesuit of his scientia media, Ego primus inveni; But to be weary of the known truth is in effect to be weary of the same God, the same Christ, Why do we not desire a new Sun, a new Earth, a new world as well?  

II. Rules to keep up unity in Church-order, and to prevent Schism.  In the second place, What will keep up unity in the Church's order, and prevent Schism there; For although the Scripture use the word schism in a large sense, yet Ecclesiastically it is restrained to the breach of order in the Church, and that hath often been when they have kept the unity of the Doctrine, They did not divide from the doctrine but communion in Church-ordinances; Now to keep up an entire body in this, Consider,  
1. That if such be the corruption of the Church, that thou canst not keep fellowship with her but by partaking of her sins, Then before thou leavest that place take the way the Scripture commands, Be sure that it be not for some less corruption, but that which doth eat up the very vitals of Religion; Do not thou leave it till God leaveth it; Do not thou unchurch it till God doth.  
2. Let thy endeavours be in thy place to inform and heal before thou dost depart; Plead and strive with thy mother, as Hos. 2. because she hath committed whoredoms: And then Lastly, Let thy secession be unwillingly; Thou art compelled to make this departure because the Enemies of all godliness will not suffer thee or endure thee under their power; These things observed, than thou art not guilty of any schism or breach, but those that gave the occasion to it; When those of the people of Israel would not join with Jeroboam in his Idolatry, but separated themselves, and went to Jerusalem, where the pure worship was; They did not make a schism, but Jeroboam 2 Chro. 11.13, 14, 15. Thus it is with the reformed Churches; The Papist calls the Protestant a thousand times over a Schismatic because he withdraweth himself from Obedience to the Pope as Head of the Church, but we say, ours was not a schism but a secession; They were Schismatics in falling from the primitive order and institutions in the Church, insomuch that the Pope is the grandest Schismatic that ever was in the Church, and further we departed not from Rome because of petty corruptions, no, she was a Babylon ere we left her, and then we left her unwillingly: They drove us out persecuting with fire and faggot, so that we may say as Musculus, there is a good Schism and a bad Schism, a good schism is when we divide malè unita things evilly joined, a bad when benè unita things well united.  
2. If there be many corruptions in government and administrations, yet thou art not to make sinful Breaches and Rents, for these do plus perturbare infirmos bonos, quam corrigere animosos malos, as Austin well; Therefore two things thou hast to do; First, As thy calling and relation is, so to reprove and oppose the corruptions that abound; Thus the Prophets of old, and Christ with his Apostles they did with great Zeal rebuke the corruptions then prevailing, and although carnal and Athiestical Politicians call this Schism and Faction, yet this is to condemn the generation of all the godly Prophets in their ages, and to justify Ahab as if not he but Elijah had indeed been the troubler of Israel: 2. When you have thus done your Duty, and still corruptions are suffered, leave your Complaints with God who hath promised at last to take all scandals out of the Church, and in the mean while patiently sigh and groan under that burden, for we may have a sinful impatience in this kind, as Elijah in part had, and those Disciples who would needs have fire immediately consume the Samaritans, because they would not receive Christ.  
Lastly, To prevent Schism in the Church's order, take heed of pride, ambition, and seeking great things in the Church; It's reported that most of those who made the greatest Rents in the Church did it upon discontent, missing of that preferment they looked for; The spirit of Diotrephes who loved preeminencies, made great divisions; Even the Disciples began to quarrel with one another de primatu, Who should be the chiefest? Therefore doth our Saviour so often press humility, and enjoin every one to become like a little Child.  
The last particular wherein divisions are amongst the godly is in their particular civil deportments, 
III. Rules for Unity in respect of love to prevent wrath and quarrelings.  and those are the quarrelings and wranglings the Apostle James speaks against; Now to prevent these, first remove the cause, kill the Serpent in its Egg, and that is, the lust of the soul: The Apostle asketh, From whence comes jars and fightings? Is it not from your Lusts? James 4.1. There is warring within against your own souls first, and then one with another; Dry up this Fountain of lust, and then the streams will quickly run no more; Now any kind of lust unmortified is spark great enough to set the Church on fire, a covetous lust, when men are immoderately given to the world, that causeth great discord; As the Philistims and Isaac strove about the Well, till at last Isaac came to a place which he called Rehoboth, that is, Rome, Gen. 26.22. Thus here on earth we fall out about earthly things, because the creature is too scant to give content to all, but in heaven there will be room enough, So a proud envious lust, that breaks all Union, insomuch that till there be a mortification of coveting within there will never be Union without: We might mention the excellency of this Union to prevent heat, but that hath been done already; Let the Sum of all be, as much as in us lieth, to put this prayer of Christ into practice; Peace is so great a matter, that it's called the peace of God, and God is called the God of peace, and Christ is called our peace, seeing Christ prayeth for it; We see it's not all the Sermons, all the irenicall books can do any good till God give one heart, Be importunate therefore with God, and strive with him for this unspeakable mercy.   

SERMON CXVII. Of the Distinction of Persons, and Unity of Essence in the Deity: against the Socinians.  JOHN 17.21. As thou Father art in me, and I in thee. 
THe second thing considerable in this Text, is the Pattern and Example of Unity. It's not all kind of unity he prayeth for, but that which is the most absolute and perfect, even such unity as is between the Father and Son: Not as if this did denote equality, but similitude only. Because this pattern was mentioned in the prayer for the Apostles unity, I shall not repeat what then was delivered: Only this must be acknowledged, That there is a twofold Interpretation of this being of the Father in the Son, and the Son in the Father. The Ancients they understand this of the Divine Nature, as if the unity here spoken were homeousial: But Calvin saith, Huc eos abripuit contentio cum Arianis, the heat of dispute with the Arians carried them off from the sense: So that he giveth a second interpretation, making the speech to be understood, not of the son in respect of his Divine Nature, but of his Mediatorship, for by that he is made one with God the Father, and one with us: For whereas before Christ's Mediatorship there was a miserable confusion and dissipation of mankind, God the Father against man, and man against God; Through Christ there is an happy unity obtained: So that in calvin's judgement, this unity is that of a Mediator, whereby Christ as Head of his Church, being joined to us, doth thereby also join us to the Father. In this sense also he explaineth that known place, John 10. I and my Father are one; Neither may we think (as some have calumniated, that Calvin doth Judaize or Arianize; for though he deny this to be the sense of these places, yet otherwise he doth firmly propugn the true Doctrine about Christ's Divine Nature. But there is no solid ground to make these interpretations distinct, for one doth necessarily suppose the other. Christ could not be our Mediator and Head, to make us one with the Father, unless he were God, and so of the same nature with the Father; and therefore the unity of their Nature must be understood, as the foundation.  
So that we have in the words, The distinctions of their Persons, by their peculiar proprieties, 
Observe. The Father and Son are two distinct Persons, yet one in Nature and Essence Consider.  and the unity of their Nature; Their personal proprieties are Father and Son. The oneness of their Nature is in those words, Thou in me, and I in thee. From whence observe,  
That the Father and Son are two distinct Persons, yet one in Nature and Essence. I speak not of the holy Ghost, which in other places is made the third person, but of these two only, because they alone are mentioned in the Text.  
To open this, Consider some things in general, and then what is implied in their peculiar relations, 
1. God considered absolutely and relatively.   
1. That God is absolutely known, as God.  
2. Relatively, as in these three Persons. God absolutely considered may be known by the book of nature, relatively only by the Scripture and revelation. By the creatures we only can come to know that there is a God, maker of all things, but that this God is distinguished by three personal proprieties, is not matter of investigation, but faith only: Therefore howsoever some learned men have endeavoured to illustrate this mystery from humane Philosophers, especially the Platonists, who speak of three principles, the Mind, the Word, and the Spirit, yet they made these three distinct Essences, and cannot be applied to this mystery, though, it may be, they had these confused notions from some ancient tradition of the Hebrews. In the Old Testament this mystery was believed and received; Therefore good and solid Arguments may be fetched thence to prove this Doctrine, yet in the New Testament, Christ, who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Word, doth more expressly reveal it; so that in those who do believe the Scriptures, yet obstinately and blasphemously not only deny, but deride the Doctrine of the Trinity, it is a very high sin and blasphemy.  
2. Although the Scripture reveal unto us three Persons, 
2. There is notwithstanding but one God.  yet this is not to be understood, as if thereby were constituted many Gods. There were Heretics called Tritheita, that made three Gods of these three Persons. Now this is clear, that though the Scripture acknowledge three Persons, yet it doth as plainly declare, there is but one God; Therefore though every Person be God, yet there are not three Gods: Therefore when the Father is called the alone God, this is not to exclude the other Persons from being God, but any other made god. The Heathenish Idols were not gods, nor will God give this glory to any creature.  
3. This Doctrine therefore of the Trinity is purely an object of faith, 
3. This Doctrine of the Trinity is an object of faith, and cannot be demonstrated by reason.  and cannot be demonstrated by reason. The Schoolmen do well declare, That the same things in Divinity may be demonstrated by reason, and believed by faith, as that there is a God; this may be known both ways; so that though faith and science cannot have the same formal motive, yet they may be conversant about the same object, we know there is a God by demonstrations of reason, we believe by authority and testimony from Scripture: But now this truth about the Persons in the Divine Nature, is only to be believed: It cannot be demonstrated by reason. Indeed when once this revelation is made, than it is not hard to find out such reasons and consequences grounded on Scripture, that may serve to answer all the objections of any adversaries; for nothing revealed to be believed, is contrary to reason, though it may be above it. Therefore when Scripture hath laid the foundation, than reason may make a superstruction, yet we must take this Caution; although reason be allowed to be a servant to faith, we must look she grow not imperious, as Hagar to Sarah, for than we are to cast her out of doors, than the Rule is, Mulier ista ratio, taceat in Ecclesiâ. This Doctrine therefore is to be adored with humble believing, and not to be searched into by curious or furious rashness; and certainly the devil is very ready to tempt in this point, sometimes he prevaileth to seduce in this point, as appeareth by the multitude of Arians of old, and Socinians of late, sometimes he cannot seduce, yet he doth shake and disturb the minds of the godly exceedingly by suggestions; so that their temptations about dogmatical faith, sometimes are as grievous, as about justifying faith. But now although we have a two fold light, the light of reason, and the light of faith, and the latter aught to correct & direct the former, yet such is our corruption, that we make the light of reason to correct the light of faith, as if we should make the Sun to borrow its light from the stars. But these two lights are as superior and inferior; so that although nothing can be false by the light of reason, which is true by the light of faith, yet the light of faith comprehends many things, which the light of reason cannot, as nothing can be false to sense, and true to reason, yet reason can comprehend many things which sense cannot: Therefore when the light of the Moon which is reason is very dim and staggering, let the light of faith like that of the Sun fully enlighten and confirm thee.  

The characteristical properties of the Persons in the Godhead.  In the next place, Let us proceed to the peculiar characteristical properties, for though the Father and Son have the same common Nature and Essence, yet a different subsistence: So that though they are one God, yet not one Person. It's a known Rule, In Christ there is aliud and aliud, another nature, and another nature, but not alius & alius, another Person and another person; but in the Trinity there is not aliud & aliud, but alius & alius; As for the use of the word Trinity, Person, etc. though not Scripture words, yet the sense being there, it's lawful for distinction and explication sake to use them, though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Person, be a Scripture word, and there is the conjugate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from whence we may make the abstract, as Paul from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Concerning therefore the relation of the Father, there are these things.  
1. In that he is called the Father, and Christ the Son, it's implied, that he is the first Person in the holy Trinity, and the Son the second, only when he is called the first, you must not understand it in dignity and perfection, for the Father hath no absolute perfection, which the Son hath not; for seeing both have the nature of God, therefore one cannot have greater perfection than another; The Father is not more wise, more powerful, more holy than the Son; Nor is he the first Person in respect of duration, as if the Father was God before the Son; for seeing he was from all eternity Father, therefore he had also this Son from eternity, as the Sun was never without its beams. Indeed the Orthodox do well deride, and justly, the Socinians, That whereas they confess the Father from all eternity, and the Son, a made, or constituted God in time, that they thereby introduce an old God, and a young God, not indeed as these words denote infirmities, but as old is taken for ancient, and young for that which is new. And certainly, if there was a time, when Christ was not the Son of God, than he became to be so in time, but he is called the first Person in order: for so the Scripture represents an order to our conceptions in this glorious mystery, as appeareth by the form of Baptism, whereby we are baptised first into the name of the Father, and then of the Son; The Father than is the first Person, and the Son the second, not in respect of dignity or duration, but order.  
2. When God the Father is said to be the Father of Christ his Son, It is not in a large sense, as he is called Father sometimes, but in a proper, peculiar and incommunicable sense; for therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the only begotten Son of God, and indeed we see plainly the unity of the Father separated from the unity of believers in this Text, That they may be one, as thou in me, and I in thee, for God is called the Father of all men. To which purpose the Apostle allegeth that of the Poet, We are his offspring, Act. 17.27. Thus also he is called the Father of Believers in respect of Adoption, for so our Saviour, Joh. 20.17. I ascend to my Father and your Father, but he is called the Father in respect of a true and proper generation of his Son; as is more to be showed. The Socinians would have him called the Son of God, partly, because of that extraordinary conception and birth, partly, because of the constituting and sanctifying of him to the Office of a Priest, and partly, but principally, because of his Resurrection and Exaltation to that great power and dominion which now he hath, but these things are only declarative and consequential to that eternal generation, whereby indeed he is the Son of God properly, and thus the Jews understood it, when they accused him for blasphemy, because by saying, He was the Son of God, he thereby made himself God, which our Saviour doth not deny or refuse; but proveth it more firmly.  
Lastly, In that he is called the Father, it is thereby employed, That he is the fountain and original of divine being to the Son. Thus John 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given the Son, to have life in himself. To have life in himself is only proper to God: Now as the Father hath it, so also hath the Son, but he hath it by donation, or communication from the Father: In this sense it is, that Christ saith, He speaketh nothing of himself, but as he heareth of the Father, still reducing all things unto him, not that the Divine Nature is begotten, but the second Person, who hath the Divine Nature.  
Secondly, The property of the Son is, to be begotten of the Father. And herein lieth the true proper difference of those two Persons, The Father is of himself not begotten, the Son is of the Father and begotten: Now this doth imply, that Christ hath not his being by creation, as Adam had, and Angels, who therefore are called The sons of God, but truly and really by generation, for so the Scripture appropriates this to him, That he is the only begotten Son of God; only you are not to measure this spiritual and eternal generation with that of the creatures, but to abstract it from all such humane imperfections; and therefore though it be truly a generation, yet it's not of the same univocal nature with that of creatures: So that as God is not in a predicament, neither is there the same univocal being to God, and the creature: Thus it is also in this generation. Let us not therefore judge of this mystery by examples and instances from the creature; for as the nature of God is incomprehensible, so also is this generation.  
Use 1. To bewail the doctrinal errors and blasphemies whereby the devil hath seduced many in this point: Oh pray to God to preserve thee from such poison! Many desperately preach and write, that Christ is not truly God, nor the eternal God, and so make us guilty of horrible Idolatry, and withal overthrow the pillars and foundations of Religion. By this we see, that blasphemy and damnable heresies are in our nature, which we should be plunged into, if God leave us unto ourselves.  
Use 2. Of Exhortation, To take heed not only of unbelief in respect of the promises, but also the doctrinals: This gift is also of God; It's he that enableth and confirmeth the heart in this particular also; and indeed dogmatical faith is the foundation of salvifical.  
Use 3. To admire the love both of Father and Son in procuring our salvation for us; The Father's love is seen, to send his only begotten Son, the Son of his love, in whom he delighted, more than in all creatures into the world, and to die such an ignominious death for us enemies: And then the Sons love is seen in leaving that glory and blessedness he had for a while, to be in a state of wrath and anger for our sakes; No wonder if the hearts of men and Angels can never be sufficiently enough taken up with these things.  
Use 4. To endeavour after such an unity as the Father and Son have; It's the precedent in the Text: Doth the Father and Son ever disagree? Doth the Son will one thing, and the Father another? Neither aught there to be any disagreement amongst believers.   

SERMON CXVIII. The Glorious Mystery of the Saints Union with Christ, and with the Father by him, Opened.  JOH. 17.21. That they all may be one as thou (Father) art in me, etc. 
IN these words we have the nature and quality of the godly man's Union declared. 1. That it is an holy and godly Unity, they are one in Christ, not in the devil or sin as wicked men are. 2. It's not a bodily Union and visible, but spiritual and invisible, because it's an Unity in the Father and the Son. 3. It's not absolutely and adequately equal to the Union between the Father and Son, for our Saviour doth plainly separate and make a difference, he said not before, As thou Father art in us and we in thee, but in me, and I in thee, distinguishing himself thereby in a transcendent way from the creature, so neither in this place doth he say, That they may be one with us (though that also is true in a mystical sense, Christ the Head and the Church his body, being one in that respect) because that might imply Unity of nature and essence, but one in us: Now for all believers to be one in the Father and the Son, may admit of a twofold Exposition: 1. The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per, for so it's often used, and then the sense would be, That they may be one by us, that is, by thy grace, for it's not nature but grace that makes this Unity; Thus Eph. 5.8. we are said to be light in the Lord, that is by the Lord; But this seemeth not so genuine, therefore the 2d Interpretation is more received, which makes the expression to be declarative of that terminus in which all the godly are united, The Centre in which all the lines meet, The Head in which all the members, The Root in which all the branches, The Spring in which all the streams are conjoined, and he saith in us, for though we are proximely and immediately united unto Christ our head, yet thereby we also are united to the Father.  

Observe. That all believers are united to Christ, and in him to the Father.  Obs. That all believers are united to Christ, and in him to the Father; This Union of Believers with Christ is an unspeakable mystery; The Scripture represents it under many similitudes, yet we cannot conceive of it according to its dignity; But as the hypostatical Union of the two Natures in Christ into one person doth exceed our comprehension, so likewise doth the mystical Union of believers with Christ, and in him with the Father, yet because the Foundation of all our Christian comfort is in this Union, 
I. Consider those Scripture-expressions to represent this Unity.  and Unity is our whole spiritual Treasury;  
Let us follow the Scripture Light in Explication of it: And  
First, It is good to Consider what synonimous or equivolent expressions the Scripture hath to represent this Unity; And we read of an emphatical one, 1 Cor. 6.17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He that is joined to the Lord; The metaphor is from glue, that doth so closely and inseparably join things together, He is made one Spirit, Is not this a wonderful expression of that intimate Union the believer hath with God? He is made one Spirit with him not essentially as if he were made infinite, omniscient, etc. but as it were morally, as they say, Amicus est alter ego: Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 1.2. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ: Thus 2 Pet. 2.4. we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, partakers of the divine nature, and often we read of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Communion of the holy Ghost; This Communion indeed is a consequent of our Union, our Union is the Foundation of our Communion, although the word doth not only signify Communion but Communication sometimes, howsoever this signifieth the unspeakable privilege the godly have by their Union, that now all things do become theirs which Christ hath, our mala and his bona are communia; We cannot fall and perish unless Christ also be destroyed with us; A last word I shall instance in is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 6.5. and hereby is intimated our co-planting into him, and this the similitude of the Olive-Tree, and the Vine doth admirably represent, and certainly there is no kind of Union scarce but the Scripture expresseth our Unity with Christ by it, as that of the Head and the body, of a Foundation and building, of a Vine and its branches, of a Husband and wife, to show hereby the Excellency and fullness of it, every one of those unions having something that another hath not; As David doth attribute several Titles to God, of a Shield, Rock, Tower, etc. to show that God was all things to him; Thus is Christ all Unions to the godly, as I may so say.  
2. There must be an unition, as Cameron well observeth, 
II. There must be an unition before there can be an union.  before there can be an union, a Communication before a Communion; Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of God's Spirit, joining the believer to Christ, and union is to be conceived formally, The joining itself of the persons together; Now there is something on Gods part uniting, and something on ours; On God's part, that is, the spirit of God, Eph. 2.8. the Jew and Gentile have through Christ access unto the Father through one spirit, So that as it's the Spirit that sanctifieth, the Spirit that worketh mightily in believers, the Spirit that sealeth; Thus it is also the Spirit that unites to Christ, for of ourselves we are aliens from God, we all lie dissipated in ruin, but it's the Spirit of God that quickens us, and engrafteth us into Christ; As the Spirit on God's part, so Faith on our part, Eph 3.15. Thus Christ dwells by Faith in our hearts, and it's by Faith we are engrafted into the Olive-Tree, therefore that is called eating of his Flesh, and drinking of his blood, whereby we are made one with Christ our head; We then may easily conclude all men living in their natural condition without the Spirit of God have nothing of this Unity, They must needs wither and perish in their sins.  
3. We may conceive of a natural union with Christ and a supernatural; 
III. There is a natural union with Christ and a supernatural.  A natural union all men have, in that he took man's nature and not Angels upon him, So that in this respect all men though never so wicked yet agree with him in his humane nature, and thousands are damned, though Christ took man's nature upon him; The other union is supernatural, for as Christ though man yet was conceived in a supernatural way by the holy Ghost, So all those who are mystically united to Christ are in a supernatural way changed by the holy Ghost, and thereby joined to Christ, for it's the Spirit of Christ as well as of God the Father that doth thus unite us to him; We cannot then take any comfort simply in this, that Christ was made man, unless we have a spiritual Union with him, as well as a natural; Therefore the Apostle excellently to this purpose urging Christ's Incarnation, Heb. 2.11, 14. doth not press absolutely his being made man but so as thereby to help not all men but such as are his brethren, all men are not Christ's brethren but such as by faith are made one with him; Both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one, that is, of one Adam, of one root, as it is generally expounded, but though other men be of that one root, as well as such as are sanctified, yet the Apostle limits it to such only that are sanctified, and from thence draweth that comfortable inference, Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren; and v. 14. because the Children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, so that it's plain by these Texts, No man can simply take comfort in this, that Christ became a man, That he is of the same humane nature with Christ, for it's only to the children, only to such as are sanctified, that his Incarnation is advantageous.  

IV. This union is wholly spiritual.  Hence 4. This union is wholly spiritual and invisible, Christ is the head and we the body, Christ the husband and we the wife, but all this is after a spiritual and mysterious manner; The ligaments are spiritual, insomuch that this is better felt experimentally then palpably expressed; Therefore to carnal and natural men it's wholly a paradox, They cannot imagine what it is, Even as spiritual and immaterial objects cannot be discerned by the eye, No man hath seen God at any time, So neither can this spiritual union be naturally perceived, if we should preach all our life time upon it, a natural man would never understand one iota or tittle about it, Therefore when the Apostle speaking of the union between man and wife, Eph. 5.32. thereby representing the union of Christ and his Church, addeth, This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and his Church; Oh pray therefore that thou mayst experimentally feel this union with Christ; That something within may close with this, and thou mayst be able to say, O Lord, though I read it in no Book, hear it in no Sermon, yet my own heart can discern it.  

V. It's also real.  5. Though this union be spiritual, yet for all that it is real, it's not imaginary and a mere fancy, but as Christ is a real Christ, God a real God, faith a real grace, so real is our union with these, and therefore the effects of this union are altogether real, such as justification, and a vivifical influence from Christ into us; He is not an head in vain, he is not a vine in fancy and imagination, Therefore he saith, I am the true Vine, Joh. 15.1. not corporally but spiritually, yet the expression showeth, that a natural vine doth not so truly nourish its branches as Christ doth his people; Hence Joh. 6. he saith, My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; Not as the Capernaits understood it, but in a spiritual reality, and certainly the wonderful effects of Christ's union with the godly do demonstrate the reality of it; There is love of God, an heavenly life, support in all Exercises, etc. which are the blessed effects of this glorious union.  

VI The necessity of this union with Christ.  6. Consider the necessity of this union with Christ, without this we are in a necessity of perishing; For without Christ there is no justification, no Sanctification, no Salvation; The branch withers that is not in this Vine, The stream drieth up, that is not joined to this spring, That member must needs die that is not joined to this head; Oh then that natural men would tremble at that distance they are in from Christ! The Scripture saith, such are afar off, and indeed there is a great gulf between them and heaven, God is an Enemy to them, and they to God, till they be made one in Christ; Alas, they can no more approach to God in any duty, than stubble can endure before the fire; This made Paul Gal. 2. say, he no longer lived but Christ in him; And again, Phil. 3. he would not be found in his own Righteousness, but in Christ; And Col. 2. Ye are complete in him: It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell. 1 Cor. 1. God hath made Christ wisdom, righteousness, and redemption; So that Christ hath the pre-eminence in all things, he is Alpha and Omega, he is all in all; Who art thou then poor, wretched, and miserble sinner that darest abide an hour, a day in thy natural condition without Christ? Why dost thou not fear the curses of the Law, the devils of hell, and all the vengeance of God may immediately devour thee?  
7. The excellency of this union can never be enough meditated on, 
VII. The excellecy of it.  for this is a Catholicon to all diseases, evidence of this will answer all doubts: Dost thou fear perishing if united to Christ? thou canst not perish any more than he: Dost thou fear God may leave thee and forsake thee? This cannot be no more than that Christ should be forsaken, for this union makes thee and Christ one mystical person, so that by this union there is a communion of all Christ's good things to thee, and of thy evil things to him, thy sins were laid on him, he became sin for thee, and thy evils are felt by him; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? saith Christ from heaven, Act. 9.4. yea, the Church is called Christ, because of this intimate union, 1 Cor. 12. 1●. So that no Son, no wife can take such comfort and confidence from a Father or husband as the believer from Christ, he may truly say Christ is better than all husbands and fathers, and all relations whatever  
8. There is the inseparableness of this union; All natural unions will be dissolved, 
VIII.  the wife will one day be parted from her husband, the child from his Father; They are not everlasting relations, but this is eternal; Even as Christ took his natural body never to be divided from it, so also he doth his mystical; and upon this union is the perseverance of God's children immovably fixed: Christ's members can never be broken from him and thrown into hell.  
9 There is the efficaciousness of it where Christ is united to the soul, 
IX.  there he puts forth his vigour and power, as Christ while on earth, wheresoever he went put forth his miraculous power, healing the blind, the lame, and raising the dead, thus also Christ dwelling in us can be no more hid than the Sun when it ariseth on the Earth.  
10. It's an immediate union, all believers are immediately united to Christ, 
X.  one is not more united than another; In the body every member is not proximely joined to the head, but in Christ the meanest and weakest believer is immediately joined to him.  
11. It is an harmonious Union, Every believer receiveth proper supplies for its own peculiar necessities, as Eph. 4.16. 
XI.   
Lastly, This union is of so great concernment that the principal end of the Sacrament is to represent and seal this, as if this were the great privilege we were always to live upon.  
Use, Are the godly united to Christ? then how holy and Christ-like should they be in all their operations; Can there be a greater argument to holiness? What saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot?   

SERMON CXIX. Shows, What a special means Unity among Believers is, to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ; And yet notwithstanding that Unity without true Doctrine is no infallible Mark of the true Church: against the Papists.  JOHN 17.21. That the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 
WE are now arrived at the last part of this Text, as it stands divided, which is the consequent and fruit of all Believers Unity. It will convert the world, and bring them to the true Faith, when they see such agreement. It's true, Austin makes not this a consequent, but a distinct prayer, and therefore repeateth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if our Saviour's sense was, I pray that the world may believe in me; And upon this foundation he makes this Question, How Christ that said before he prayed not for the world, doth here pray for the world? And answers, The world is here taken for the world not of reprobates, but predestinated ones, in which sense the world is taken (he saith) in these two places, I came not to judge, but to save the world, John 3.17. And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor. 5.19. So that it's plain, Austin thought that the world might sometimes be taken for the elect only, howsoever some cannot endure that Exposition; but though there may be truth in this, yet I think the Context is to the contrary; for it's plain, that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth denote here some event or consequent from the believers unity.  
Therefore others by faith do not understand saving, but an historical faith, and by the world do understand reprobates, for even such by the preaching of the Word, and other demonstrations are many times so far convinced, as to believe the Christian Doctrine: Therefore (they say) Christ doth not here pray for the world of reprobates, only this is a consequent of believers amongst themselves.  
But I rather with Calvin, take the world here for mankind, in a negative and indefinite sense; First, Negative, for such as do not believe yet, and then Indefinitely of those who do believe. Some do truly and savingly believe; others, but for a season only. The sum then of this speech amounts to this, Christ therefore prayeth, that believers may be united amongst themselves, because hereby a wide door is opened for the progress of the Gospel. Hereby the world may be persuaded, that Christ was the true Messias, because he had brought such true peace amongst his Disciples. From whence observe,  
That Unity amongst believers is a special means to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ. There is no such obstruction to the Gospel, and scandal to the world, 
Observe. That Unity among believers is a special means to enlarge the kingdom of Christ.  keeping it off from faith in Christ, as to see those who profess Christ divided, and subdivided into many Sects and opinions: Is it not imbred in all, to think that truth cannot be contrary to itself; That Christ cannot be divided; That the Spirit of God is the same Spirit, and therefore men do very speciously conclude, certainly these men are not of Christ, have not his Spirit, they are so contrary to one another. No wonder therefore if Christ thus earnestly pray for believers unity, as being the most effectual means to propagate and preserve the Gospel, which made the Apostle Rom. 16.17. when he had spent the Chapter chiefly in saluting of the Saints, an expression of dear love, he doth in a most fervent manner break out thus, I beseech you, Brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, and avoid them. We are in a special manner to take heed of such turbulent and dividing persons. The Apostle gives this general character of all such, They serve not Jesus Christ, but their own lusts and ends.  
But to open this, Consider, 
Consid. I. That notwithstanding the Doctrine, yet unity simply as such is not an infallible note of the true Church.   
First, That though our Saviour press Unity of believers, as a sign of his Disciples, and a means to win others to the Faith, yet Unity simply as so, is not an inseparable note of the true Church. The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this, That where we see a Church in its members all united together, and that under one visible Head and Pastor, there we are to conclude is the true Church; and on the contrary, when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions, as (they say) there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants, there cannot be any true Church; And indeed they have no fairer way to entangle men, and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth, then because of the many opinions that are amongst us. But to this we answer these things,  
First, Unity, as Unity without true Doctrine, cannot be any distinctive Note of a true Church. A whole Church, as that of Israel, 
The Papist answered. Unity without true Doctrine no note of a true Church. The Papist no such cause to boast of Unity.  may be universally corrupted, so that neither the Worship or Truths of God were in any visible way received, and yet in this universal corruption, they were all as one man. Thus the Jews and Turks they have wonderful unity amongst themselves; yet who will conclude the Truth is amongst them? Although the Heathens had multiplicity of Gods and religious ways, yet the Jews are at great consent in the main things amongst themselves. It is necessary therefore that to Unity there must be joined true and sound Doctrine.  
In the second place, We say, There is no such cause for Papists to boast of Unity amongst themselves: For our Divines do abundantly show, That these Philistims do not only fight against the Israelites, but even one with another. Their Swords are often set one against another, witness the Jesuits and Dominicans, and that in great controversal points; so also between Thomists and Scotists. Now to this Bellarmine hath these answers.  
First, That their differences are not in substantial things, they are only in secondary points. But  
First, So we say, The Protestants truly so called (for we cannot tell how to call the Socinians Christians) do agree in Fundamentals; so that although there be great disputes in their circa fundamentalia, yet the foundation itself they fall not upon.  
Secondly, We say, They have dissented in Fundamentals; for is not that a principle of Religion with them, Whether the Pope be above the Council? And yet there have been hot differences amongst them in this point; And therefore some have asserted, The Pope may be deposed by the Council, and deputed for an Heretic: Now certainly with them, either the Pope, or a Council is the general Head of the Church, and it's of the necessity of salvation to be in obedience to such an Head, yet they cannot agree who that is.  
In the next place, Bellarmine hath this evasion, If (saith he) our Church have any divisions, they arise from the mere malice of the Devil, not for want of a remedy to keep the unity, for we have a visible Judge to determine all controversies, whereas (saith he) among Protestant's their differences do arise from the very Genius of their Doctrine, because they hold no visible efficacious remedy to such contentions.  
But to this also it's answered easily, That all the differences amongst the people of God, come from the Devil without, and corruptions within. The Devil is not wholly conquered, nor are our corruptions altogether vanquished, and therefore it cannot be, but that breaches and wounds will sometimes be made.  
Yet in the second place, We have a more sure and efficacious remedy to compose all differences, than they have; for they indeed allege the Pope, or a Council, as a visible Judge to end all controversies; but these being men are subject to ignorance and passions, and so cannot perform the Office of an infallible visible Church, because not sufficiently qualified thereunto. Again, They have not the facto, silenced all those debates that are amongst them. Some of the forementioned Disputes are as fervent as ever. Neither hath the Pope yet interposed to decide, Whether those Doctrines about scientia media, and absolute predefinitions with the dependent controversies thereon, be true on the Dominicans side, or their adversaries?  
Therefore thirdly, We hold, The Scriptures to be the infallible and unerring Rule, and therefore have a proper and sufficient means to end all controversies. And although it be said, That many differences arise about the sense of the Scripture, therefore that cannot be a Judge, but the Church. We reply, That many controversies also may arise about the Church, the Authority of it, and its infallibility, and therefore they who acknowledge the Scripture the only adequate Rule of faith, do thereby confess a powerful remedy to remove all differences.  
Further, That Unity is not, de facto, always a note of the Church, appeareth, from the opposition of Satan against the peace and quietness of it: And therefore as it is in matter of practice, peace and quietness is not always a sign of a good conscience; for our Saviour saith, The Devil keepeth all things quiet, while he ruleth, Luke 11.21. Thus it is also in respect of Churches, many times a false superstitious Church hath more plenty and ease, than a true one, because the Devil will not disturb his own; but where the Kingdom of Christ is, there the Devil doth also desire to erect his Throne. Thus when the good seed was sown, the Devil superseminated his Tares. In a wilderness, or a place of weeds, he would not have been so diligent: Therefore breaches and divisions, because they are a kind or part of afflictions and troubles, may sooner accompany the true Church, then outward unity and prosperity.  
Lastly, We grant, That if the Church of God were fully perfected, both in respect of knowledge and holiness, it would always have unity: As we see in Heaven, where there is no difference at all, but because we know in part, we are godly in part, therefore these breaches may be made upon us; Discord then and division may be in an imperfect Church, but not a perfect: Therefore our Saviour's prayer will have its accomplishment only in Heaven.  
Let us now proceed to show, Why unity is such an attractive and a divine loadstone to bring others unto the faith. 
Why Unity is an attractive loadstone to bring others unto the faith.  And  
First, Because it's ingraffed in a man, to cleave to such a way of Religion, as will abide and continue. Have any Nations changed their god, saith the Prophet Jeremy 2.11? You see the Statesman argued on this ground, that they should not oppose the Christians, for if that Religion were of God, it would stand, Act. 5.39. Now this is a clear axiom, confirmed also by our Saviour, That no Kingdom divided against itself can stand, Luk. 11.17. By that Argument our Saviour proveth, he could not cast out Devils by the help of the Devils, for then the Devil would overthrow his own Kingdom. Divisions then and differences must needs be a stumbling block; for who will go into that house, which hath its chiefest parts falling from one another? Who would venture in that ship, which is full of leaks? Do not all say, let them alone, they will destroy one another, there needs no outward force to ruin them, they will consume themselves at last?  
Secondly, Divisions must needs put a stop to the progress of truth, because God is acknowledged by all to be a God of peace and of order. The Apostle useth this consideration to restrain those confusions and disorderly customs the Christians had in their public Assemblies, 1 Cor. 14. If then God be a God of peace and order, how can any man think his truth and people are there, where all disorder and confusion is? It's Babel, and not Jerusalem, that in the building thereof men were so confounded, that they understood not the language of one another, Jam. 3.16. Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Now every one is apt to argue, certainly if this were the way of God, if these were the people of God, there would not be such confusion amongst them; God that made this great world in such excellent order, would much more make his Church, his choicest plant more beautiful.  
Thirdly, Divisions do retard the Gospel, Because men who have any ways heard of the holy Ghost, that he alone it is, who leadeth into all truth, will quickly conclude, that this Spirit cannot be against itself. And this is the more observable, because every party doth pretend to the Spirit of God, which is the cause of that command, 1 John 3.1. To try the Spirits, and not to believe every spirit, that is, Doctrine pretended to be of the Spirit; if then all parties do plead God's Spirit, and its teaching, they are the more confirmed in their unbelief, when they see contrary spirits, of contrary doctrines, and that with great zeal condemning each other. Thus we have showed you, what a world of hurt, divisions amongst the godly do; insomuch that it is a wonderful work of God, that any are brought off from their former vain conversation, when the spirit of division hath so sadly reigned amongst us. Wonder not if conversion be so rare a thing, if so few come in cordially to own Christ, for sad offences are made by these differences; and such as cause them, do as much as in them lieth, that never any more one soul may be brought into Heaven's way.  
In the next place, Let us consider, what are those proper sins, 
What those proper sins are that divisions amongst the godly are apt to breed in the world.  that divisions amongst the godly, are apt to breed in the world. And  
The first is Atheism and irreligion, to be persuaded that there is no such thing as a true Religion, but that such things are the fancies and imaginations of men. No doubt but thousands are confirmed in their atheistical way; they will believe there is no God at all, no Religion better than another, for they see the world cannot agree about it.  
2. It breedeth stiffness and obstinacy in their former erroneous and superstitious ways. No doubt this keepeth multitudes hardened in their Popish ways, and many silly people they will keep to their old way; and why? because there are so many ways, and every one hath a Religion for himself, therefore they will stay where they are, they know not whither they may stumble at last; They think to go out of their old ways, is to go out of their old wits likewise at the same time.  
Lastly, It's apt to breed fickleness, inconstancy and scepticism. Are there not many called Seekers, that think there is now no Church since the Apostles times, and therefore are in their souls, what Cain in his body, vagabonds about the earth? and whence is all this? The bitter root of this was diversity of opinions, which they entertain one after another, which at last makes them quite without any bottom at all.  
Use of Instruction, to every Christian again and again, to take heed of causing divisions in the Church of God; Be afraid by any opinion or practice to make an unnecessary rent; for dost thou not as much as lieth in thee to hinder all others from coming to the Kingdom of Heaven? Will not this be a sad aggravation, when men damned in hell shall plead, Lord, I was coming, even I was hopefully inclining to such things, but this man and that man by his division stopped me, he made me a proselyte to some pernicious way, while I was going to Christ? Had not such a man been in the way, I had never been seduced? Certainly, if our Saviour pronounce such a woe to those by whom offences come, how sore will it fall upon those who make these offences in the highest nature?  
Use 2. To take heed that these divisions prove not a snare to thee; bewail dividing times, but look they do not divide thee and God, thee and truth; but do thou,  
1. Walk humbly, renouncing thy own strength, for it's God, not thyself, must preserve thee.  
2. Pray much for the Spirit of God to give thee that unction, and senses exercised to discern between good and evil.  
3. Take heed of fomenting differences, and making the wounds wider, but with the good Samaritan bring oil, not salt to the wounds.  
Lastly, Let this make thee long for Heaven, where the strifes of brethren will then cease.   

SERMON CXX. A Consideration of Faith in its General Nature as Dogmatic or Historical, carried out to Scripture-truths', because of Divine Authority.  JOH. 17.21. That the world may believe thou hast sent me. 
WE are treating on the Consequent of Unity amongst the Godly, That the world may believe, which belief hath been already considered relatively, as a product of Unity: We shall now take notice of it absolutely as it is in its own self; It is believing that the Father hath sent Christ into the world.  
We formerly spoke of believing in its specifical nature, as it justifieth by laying hold on Christ.  
We shall here speak of it in its general Nature, because this believing is common both to the Hypocrite and the sound Christian; For of that world which doth believe, all do not believe in a saving manner, So that although none who believe Christ sent into the world, aught to stay in that general, but particularly to improve Christ, that he may be sent for their good, yet because the expression is here general, I shall consider of it as a general.  
For whereas in the former Verse the Object of Faith was made Christ himself, Ens incomplexum, Here it is a Proposition, though that only is the Objectum quo and not quod, upon which our Faith is ultimately terminated.  
Obs. 
Observe. That the believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation of our conversion unto God.  That the Believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation and first principle of our Conversion unto God; Though men have never so much understanding in other Religious Points, as that Scribe spoken of, Mark 12. though not far off, yet they are not in the Kingdom of Heaven, until they believe in Christ as sent by the Father to be our Mediator; That as the Apostle Hebr. 11. makes it a Fundamental requisite in every one to believe that God is, no less is required to believe that Christ is; Therefore 1 Cor. 3. Jesus Christ is called the Foundation, and by some made the adequate object of Divinity, because every thing considered there, doth either directly or reductively lead unto Christ; So that I shall not speak of that peculiar Act of Faith applying Christ, but that general act whereby we know and assent firmly and immovably, That there was a Christ, God and man, who was sent by the Father to redeem and save sinners; For though all be thought to believe this, yet the right and powerful assenting to it is the foundation both of all holiness and consolation, but ere we speak of the Nature of it some distinctions are to be premised,  
Distinct. I As First, That Faith is sometimes taken for the Object, the Faith quae creditur, The Doctrine believed, and sometimes for the Grace of Faith quâ creditur, whereby we do believe Colos. 2.5. To be established in the Faith, that is, in the Doctrine; So some are said to err, to deny, or depart from the Faith, that is, the Doctrine; But commonly it is used for the gracious actings of the Soul towards those Objects, only it's good to observe this distinction, because some places are brought to prove Apostasy from inherent faith, which speaks only of the doctrine.  
2. Faith is taken sometimes actively, and sometimes passively, Actively for fidelity and veracity in promises, in which sense it's attributed to God, and to men. Sometimes passively for the assenting unto Truths because of another's Testimony; And this again is twofold, Either Humane Faith, when we believe any thing merely because of humane authority; or divine, when we believe, because of divine authority; (and this is greatly to be observed) for when I believe a divine Truth for humane Authority or witness, my Faith all that while is but humane; as those that believed Christ, for the Samaritan Woman's Testimony, all the while they had no higher a ground than that, it was but an humane Faith, and then a Papist as a Papist, and by Popish principles can have no more than an humane Faith, for the utmost motive in which their Faith is resolved is the Authority of the Church, which is but humane, and so if the Church had propounded Titus Livius, or Aesop's Fables (as some grant) to be the Word of God, people were bound to believe it, but there is no divine Faith unless there be a divine Testimony, and this doth sadly discover Millions of baptised persons, yet to have no divine Faith, for all the ground of their Christian Faith is Education and humane Authority, it is not because God hath said it, or he hath revealed it; They cannot say with those Samaritans, Now we believe no longer for Education sake, or the Church's sake, but because of the Authority and Divine Light which is coruscant in the Scriptures themselves; Insomuch that the Jesuit Valentia doth confess there are such inward discoveries of purity and Majesty in the Scripture, that they breed such an inward reverence and persuasion that no other book can do.  
3. There is a distinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum, to believe there is a God, Credere Deo, to believe God speaking, and Credere in Deum to believe in God by inward Union with him, and loving of him; Now although it be true, that the Scripture makes no such difference, adding the Hebrew Preposition Beth, and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Even where there is but a bare historical believing there is a God, yet for explication sake it may be received, and those only said to believe in God, who are justified and sanctified, Though the Scripture attribute it sometimes to others.  
Lastly, Consider that the Soul hath several tendencies and motions to divers Objects; Sometimes it assents to a thing by help of the sense, and that is a knowledge by sense, Sometimes by demonstrative Reasons, it knoweth a thing, and then it's called Science strictly, Sometimes by Testimony or Authority, and then it's called Faith; Now if the authority be divine that saith such a thing, than the Soul cannot be deceived, because God cannot lie, and so there aught to be greater certainty and firmer adhesion to those truths than any thing of sense and Reason, yea, in some sense it hath more evidence; For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing itself, and of the credibility of it, of the thing itself; And so indeed the matters of sense and reason are more evident in their own Natures to us; Of the credibility of it, and so Faith hath great evidence, as the Testimonies for such Truths are evident and clear, though the truths themselves are supernatural and highly transcending our humane capacity.  
Distinct. TWO These things premised, Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or historical; 
Of the nature of Faith as it is dogmatic or historical.  And  
1. It's wrought in us by the Grace of God; It's the power of God that works even this common faith: No man could know and give assent to such divine truths, unless enabled by the Spirit of God, and therefore it's said to believers, That to them it's given to believe, Phil. 1.29. 
1. It's wrought by the grace of God.  which takes in the whole nature of faith; So some are said to believe through the grace of God, No man can say, Jesus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, Acts 18.27. Some have thought that we may by humane strength come to believe divine truths, as we may by our industry attain to philosophical knowledge; but this is to be ignorant of man's weakness and God's power. It's true, men may in an humane way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture, but to give a divine assent to it, that is the gift of God, For every good and perfect gift, whereof this faith is a principal one, cometh from the Father of lights, James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus, Julian, and others, know what was asserted in the Scripture, yet they did not believe, but contemn it: And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith: For why are so many Heretics left to themselves? Some deny the Nature's one, or the other of Christ, some his Person, some his Offices, and shouldst not thou do thus, if left to thyself? Nay, Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith, that he doubteth of a God, or about the truths of the Scripture? Certainly, it's a special mercy thus to be enabled to believe; and it is good to be observed, one reason why faith must needs be of God, which is, because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act, then in the certainty of the subject: It's not so much the object without, as something within, makes a man believe. God's Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart, then revealing the object; Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some, yet they do not believe, when at another time, though they have but the same measure of light, and the same argument propounded, they do believe; and why is all this? but because God's work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti, then objecti. Therefore it's horrible debasing of God's grace in working faith, to make it no more than the revealing of the object, for then man by his own power doth believe; as when a man brings a candle in the room, than a man seeth by his own power, who could not before; for God doth not only propound the object, but enlightens the understanding, and boweth the heart to believe.  
2. God works faith in us, not absolutely, or by the creatures, the beholding and seeing of them, but by the word. Thus Rom. 10. Preaching, 
By means of the Word.  hearing and believing are chained together; We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God, not to fly to the creatures, making them equal to God's word for begetting faith, or to enthusiasms and private revelations, but to the word of God, which gives light to the simple, but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith, so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word, for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof, unless there be Faith. 
3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite to the way of believing heavenly truths.  Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith, and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of God's Spirit; So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us, which when wrought, doth again improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace.  
3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit, but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth; And by this it's plain, Faith is the gift of God, because man hath not only an unfitness, but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God; Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14. the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be, both the act and the power is denied to him; Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith, Thou art the Son of God, Christ tells him, Flesh and blood had not revealed that to him, Mat. 16.17. Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ, and saw all his Miracles, yet they derided and opposed Christ, They did not hear his Word because they were not of God, as Christ told them, Job. 8.47. Know then as in respect of gross sin thou wouldst be like a Cain, a Judas, if God did not keep thee, so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist, or the most blasphemous heretic that ever was, if God did not enlighten and confirm thee.  

4. This faith may be without sanctification of the inward man.  4. Though God work faith thus, yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man; For seeing Faith as its dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true, is seated in the understanding; no wonder if thereby a man be enlightened only, but not regenerated; Hence we read of some who did believe, Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more than of God; That light in their mind did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart; It was not a faith that did purify the heart, which is called the Faith of the Elect, Tit. 1.1. because only appropriated to them; The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to show such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works, although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification, yet men may be enlightened only in their minds, and persuaded of the truth in their hearts, without any effectual change upon them; It's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox, so as to be neither Papist nor heretic, for all this is but a cure of thy mind, and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions. Yet  

5. Where this faith is there will be some kind of pious disposition of heart.  5. Where there is but a bare dogmatic Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God, there must needs be some kind of pious disposition and tractableness of the heart; For seeing the nature of faith lieth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God, there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto; If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences, than there was no submission of the understanding required, seeing it assents upon reason, which is a suitable and connatural argument to the mind, as food is to the appetite of hunger; But because these things are received for authority sake, and have a supereminency to our natural understanding, Therefore it must be captivated; Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it, 2 Cor. 10.5. the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ, a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts, many subtle thoughts, many obstinate thoughts, but Faith brings these down, and submits, because God saith so; Now this cannot be done without some yielding and flexiblenesse; Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith (and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmatic) There is a pia affectio, some pious and affectionate disposition to him, for whose authority we do believe; So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils, for though the Apostle James saith, They believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19. yet their Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God, neither is it upon divine motions, but experience, and manifest conviction; They feel in part the torments of hell, and therefore it's experimentally evident to them, that there is a God who is also just and terrible in his vengeance; But the historical faith in an unsanctified man, as it is the gift of God, so it works some inclining disposition to God, yea, in the temporary believer, who goeth beyond a mere dogmatist, it works, as appeareth, Mat. 3. Some reformation, and some joy, so that the word makes some hopeful ingress into him, though at last it pass away as our lives even as a tale that is told, having no settled continuance.  
6. This historical faith, as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God, 
6. The motive of it is divine.  so the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation. That as by the light of the Sun we see the Sun, so by God we come to know every thing of God. This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Thessalonians by the Apostle, 1 Thess. 2.13. They received the word, not as the word of man, but as the word of God. Hence the Prophets begin with Thus saith the Lord; and Paul discovers himself to be called by God; So that every thing hath but a weak, ineffectual operation, till it hath a maker, a divine stamp upon the soul: Oh when we once believe a threatening, as it is Gods, when we once believe a promise, as it is Gods, it must bear down all before thee! What if the world come? What if Satan come? What if thy companions come, telling thee this and this? Oh but saith the believing soul, God that cannot lie saith the contrary! And truly herein is discovered, that in Religion we have but an humane faith, yea not so much, for an humane faith will make great changes in our life, when yet our divine faith doth not. If a man tells thee of such danger, of such evil in the way, doth it not presently make thee turn out of that path? But now when God's word tells thee, there is death and damnation in such paths, that doth not at all move thee.   

SERMON CXXI. Of Dogmatic Faith, the Properties of, and Contraries to it.  JOHN 17.21. That the world may believe, thou hast sent me. 
WE are discovering the nature of faith in the General, as it is carried out to Scripture-truth, because of Divine Authority. We are to add more particulars to clear this. And  
First, Though this Faith be not a peculiar saving grace, 
7. It's grace, though but common grace  yet it is a common grace of God's Spirit. It's a common grace of God, to be enabled to believe: How many Pharisees and Jews saw the miracles of Christ, as well as the Apostles, yet did not believe so much as a Simon Magus did? It's the grace of God that makes a man to have a sound mind in Religion, witness the many heresies and blasphemies divers are fallen into, yet it's a common grace, not peculiar; common I call it, not in that sense as some plead for an universal grace, which indeed is no grace, but because an unregenerate man may have it, as well as a regenerate; so that no man may conclude this is enough for his salvation, that he doth believe such and such principles of Religion, unless also he hath that peculiar effectual purifying work of faith upon his soul: As therefore those extraordinary gifts of God's Spirit, to work miracles, to cast out Devils, were common to such who yet were workers of iniquity; Thus it is with this ordinary gift of Historical faith, many men may believe the truth of those things, the goodness whereof they never felt upon their hearts: And many may maintain the Doctrine of Regeneration orthodoxly, who never felt the power of it experimentally upon their own souls. There is a faith that is common to the elect, all the children of God have the like precious faith, Tit. 1.1. in regard of the essentials, yet there is a faith common to elect and reprobate, so that no man may conclude his salvation, because he is no Jew, no Pagan, no Papist.  

8. It's the foundation of conversion.  Secondly, Although this dogmatical Faith be common to the regenerate and unregenerate, yet it's the foundation of our conversion, and in the regenerate when improved, doth wonderfully provoke the increase of grace. And this is good to be observed; for though we make it not saving faith, yet it is the foundation of saving faith; He can never believe on Christ for his Mediator, that doth not believe Christ to be a Mediator; Therefore the Apostle describing the general nature of faith, saith, Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that serve him: No spiritual building can be made without this foundation; as it is thus the foundation, so if improved, it doth wonderfully promote justifying faith. The general acts of faith, if vigorously prosecuted do mightily strengthen the peculiar and proper acts of it. The more strongly we believe Christ to be a Mediator, the more will this help, that he be so to me; and therefore it's observed, that our Saviour put them so often upon the trial of their very historical faith, Dost thou believe that I am able? and dost thou believe that I am the Messias? Partly, because that was the great Question then, Whether that individual Person was the Messias or no? and partly, because if it was believed, that he was the Saviour, than there was no such cause of doubt, Whether he would be a Saviour to them that truly sought to him? Insomuch that it may be questioned, Whether it be a greater act to believe Christ to be a Mediator, or to believe him a Mediator to me? Although indeed there are more Objections against the latter, for there are not only Objections against the truth, but against the application of it, because of the many sins and infirmities which I perceive in myself, yet we would think the harder task were then over, when the soul could believe such great things, and transcendent to humane reason; for when a man believeth that Christ is both God and man united in one Person, whose office is to redeem the oppressed sinner, may not then he conclude easily, that he will redeem him? For which is greater, to believe such a Person God and man, or that this Person whose Office it is to save, will save thee? Howsoever, if we do not make comparisons between these acts of faith, yet certainly, the more strong and powerful thy acts of faith are about the truths of Christ, the more will they conduce to apply him to thee: Even as in man, the more vivid his senses are, which do accompany his common nature with a beast, the more strong and quick are his rational acts likewise: So that this Dogmatical faith is the root as it were, which if not thriving, those peculiar acts of faith will wither.  
Distinct. III Thirdly, The general properties of this faith are to be considered: And they are these, 
The properties of it.   

1. It lifts a man above his natural reason.  1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason; It addeth many cubits to his stature. As reason directs and corrects sense, as we see in Astronomy; so doth faith direct and correct reason; As Zacheus, because of a small stature, went up into a tree to see Jesus; Thus the reason of a man being too low in itself, must ascend up to the Scriptures, that it may behold divine things, so that they wholly overthrow faith, and change the nature of it, who made it with Abailadus of old, to be imagination, or with the Socinians strength of reason. Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground, because it was faith, it was not a science, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was julian's upbraiding; now the Christians they gloried in this, and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts, saith thus, Nomini te esse fidelem, not rationalem; To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension, is to put the Sun under a bushel, or to think to fit Goliahs' shoe to Zacheus his foot.  
2. Though this faith lifts up reason, yet it doth not contradict it. When we say, 
2. It contradicts not reason.  faith cometh by revelation, not by reason, flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us, yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture, than reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth; revelation must lay the foundation, and then reason will build upon it; so that enlightened reason, and instructed reason out of the Word, is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries; Even as the Goldsmith's hammer is useful to dilate and diffuse his golden metal in many forms; and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretics; They do by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture, illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed.  
3. 
3. It's the substance of things hoped for etc.  This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place, Heb. 11.1. It's there called The substance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. It's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; We shall not dispute, Whether this be a definition of faith, it's enough that two differential marks are given of it; And  
First, It's the substance of things hoped for, concerning which word learned men say divers things, but it may comprehend these particulars; First, that Faith is not an empty flying fancy, for so Aristotle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, some manifestation merely, as the colours of the Rainbow, or of birds feathers, when the Sun shines. These have but an intentional being, there is no real, solid being in them, but faith is the substance of things hoped for; and certainly this is greatly to be endeavoured after, that thy faith be a real substantial thing, how many men's faith are but fickle fancies, and uncertain notions, and therefore with their dogmatical faith, they are like the Apostle James his man without faith, tossed up and down with every wave, Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes. 4.14. saith, Be not carried about with every wind of Doctrine, that denoteth the levity and emptiness of a thing; Trees that are well rooted are not blown up and down like feathers; What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many men's Religion? It's because they have not faith, wheresoever that is, it is a solid, substantial bottoming of the soul.  
2. The word substance doth imply, that it makes the things hoped for, though afar off, yet present to the soul, and even to subsist in the soul; for faith is not hindered in its actings by distance of place, for that receiveth Christ, enjoyeth Christ, though in Heaven, and he that believeth hath eternal life. Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life, John 5.24. because to faith these things are as sure, as if they were already done. Thus Paul, you see him by faith speaking as confidently, as if he were in Heaven already, Rome 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God, shall things present, or things to come? Shall life or death, & c? Hence faith is called, The beholding of things not seen▪ 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present, Heaven present, Christ present, as really and truly, as bodily objects are present to sense; and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold, languishing, dejected; we do not by faith make these things present, if we did they would more divinely affect us, and as it is the substance of things hoped for, So of things feared likewise, Noah by faith moved with fear, prepared an Ark, Heb. 11.7. Thus faith makes hell and damnation present; it doth not look upon hell as a far off, but is affected, as if it did see and hear those doleful howl in hell, and so dare no more sin, then if it were in hell already: Oh what a mighty change would faith, thus realizing things, work upon us!  
3. The word comprehends Assurance, Confidence, and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture, and by humane Authors, now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen, in the knowing and assenting acts of faith, as well as applicatory; witness those resolute and confident deportments, which the Martyrs had: Had not they strong assurance of the truth, who could endure such exquisite torments against subtle opposers? And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Mary's days are more to be admired then those in the primitive times, for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points, which only the Heathens gainsaid: But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ, and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they: So that this heavenly confidence, and satisfaction of the soul, that they care not for further disputing, and doubting in the matters they do believe, is a great property in faith. And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion, wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike, and that one may do as well as another: In these days to have such a substantiating, reallizing and confident assurance, is a great wonder.  
The next word describing the general nature of it, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that doth imply,  
First, That the things believed bring an objective light with them. As the object that is seen brings a visibility, though faith in respect of humane reason be obscure, and supernatural Arguments be inevident, yet compared with the light in the Word, it hath much evidence: Hence the word of God is so often compared to light, and that illumination which God worketh in the mind, is partly faith, as well as any other grace. The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul; as the Sun brings a visibility with it to be seen: Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit; and hence it is a man in some sense is passive in believing, as he is in understanding, because the object doth so powerfully work on the mind, that it cannot withstand it; Even the Arminians could not but grant, That the work of God's Spirit upon the understanding is irresistible, though not upon the will, because they say, that is an active faculty.  
Secondly, The Word doth imply such an evidence, that doth convince and bind up the understanding, that it cannot doubt or dispute any longer. All evidence may not presently convince; We see though erroneous persons read never so many excellent books, yet they are not actually convinced, the evidence indeed is able to convince, as the Sunne-beams are able objectively to make a blind man see, there is light enough if he had eyes; but faith is here said, to be the actual conviction of the soul, to silence it, that it hath no more to say, according to the saying of the Schools, Fides non est tantum apprehensiva, sed quietativa; Faith is not only apprehensive, but quietative and resting of the soul; that it is not learning and learning, or seeking, but never coming to the truth.  

4. It hath universality in its assenting.  Fourthly, This Faith hath unlimitedness, and universality in its assenting. The whole Word of God is the adequate Object of it; and therefore whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture, it believeth, it doth not pick or choose, believe some things, and not others, as they make for, or against us, but so far as the Word is propounded, it doth receive it. Therefore such threatenings, that condemn man, that makes him dead in sin, and guilty of hell, such threatenings that do speak terribly to such or such a sin, he is involved in, though it be a troublesome and unwelcome truth to flesh and blood, yet Faith makes a man to believe it Whether Faith be discursive, or put forth by one simple act, is disputed, howsoever it cannot be denied, but that there is an order in the things believed, a connexion and dependence between one proposition and another though when believed, faith is carried out with one uniform act, because there is the same divine Authority in all.  
Lastly, The immediate opposites to Faith dogmatic, in whole▪ or in part, are these, either express Paganism and Heathenism, this is Negative unbelief; They never so much as received these truths: Or else, Gross and stupid Ignorance, whereby, though they say, they do believe, yet indeed they do not, no more than Pagans, or else Heretics, who though they may hold some Fundamental Truths, yet oppose others; or Apostates, who having once professed, do afterwards make shipwreck of their Faith: Or lastly, In some degree all doubts and waver about the Truth, do oppose this divine Faith, especially when set home by the Devil, who many times hath as hot fiery darts about Dogmatic Faith, as justifying, troubling them with doubtful thoughts about a God, and about the truth of Scriptures; Now in such temptations, it's not good to hold a parley, but as Joseph to his Mistress, to run away, to have an holy pertinacy; and with Paul to Peter, Not to give way to any such doubt, no not for a moment: If Christ's sheep will not hear a stranger, but run from him, much more from the Devil, who is the Arch heretic, the Tempter, as to all sin, so to all unbelief.  
Use. Pray to God to increase and establish this Faith in thee, and that especially in these days: These are times when thy justifying Faith shall be assaulted by doubts and disconsolate fears, these are times also, when thy Historical Faith may be puzzled and shaken, with such heresies and cunning devices of men: But oh let thy eyes and heart be up to Heaven, for this substance, this evidence! Thou wilt then have that within, which will establish thee against all errors.   

SERMON CXXII. Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples, even in this Life; And of Union with him as the Ground of it.  JOH. 17.22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one. 
OUR Saviour continueth amplifying his Prayer for the Union of Believers; So that in this Text we may take notice of another argument or reason why the Father should make them one in him and one amongst themselves.  
Here is a threefold Unity spoken of, 

1. That essential one of the father and the Son.  
2. That mystical one of Christ as Head and Mediator, and believers.  
3. That charitative one of believers amongst themselves.    
The Argument urged by our Saviour in the Text, is, he had given that glory to them which the Father had given him, so that we may take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causally for, the glory thou gavest me, I have given, viz. in purpose and decree, to such as shall believe; All the difficulty is, what is that glory which Christ receiving of the Father giveth to believers, Some Learned men expound it of the Glory of the Apostleship, and working of miracles, and they make the sense to be thus, The glory thou gavest me to give, I have given them; As Cbrist is said out of the Psalmist to receive gifts for men; Now because he received them to give, The Apostle Eph. 4. allegeth it as giving gifts to men, the Consequent being put for the Antecedent; But this cannot be received because our Saviour is now praying for all believers in all successive ages, and not the Apostles only. Others by glory do understand immortality, and that state of happiness hereafter; But to understand it aright we must know that the word glory when attributed to God is of a very large signification, but more particularly when God doth by any works in a more remarkable manner declare his goodness, wisdom, omnipotency, etc. then he is said to give his glory, Ezek. 39.21. Eze. 26.20. In the New Testament when we read of Christ's Glory we may Consider of  
1. His essential glory which he hath as God spoken of Heb. 1. where he is called the brightness of his Father's Glory.  
2. Of his Mediatory Glory, which he had as Mediator, his humane nature being filled with all grace, which glory though begun on earth, yet was consummated when exalted to the right hand of God in glory.  
3. There were the many effects which did concomitate this essential and Mediatory glory, some particulars whereof the Scripture mentions, as all the approbation the Father gave from heaven to Christ, with all his miracles, doctrine, and other signs of his divine nature is called Christ's glory, Joh. 1.14. We beheld his glory (by way of wonder and admiration, as the word signifieth) as the glory of the only begotten Son of God; Thus when Christ turned the water into wine, Joh. 2.11. It's said, he manifested his glory, and Joh. 11. the raising of Lazarus from the dead is called God's glory, as working of miracles, So the love that the Father bestoweth on Christ, is called Christ's glory at 24 verse in this Chapter, which may be a good Exposition of this, Therefore by these particulars we are by the glory of Christ to understand all things that did any way make him glorious, especially considered as a Mediator and an head of Believers; Now this glory he did not receive for himself only, but for us also; As the Sun of heaven hath its light not so much for itself as for the world, So Christ the Sun of Righteousness hath a complete fullness, not so much for himself as for us, that we might be made partakers of it; Hence all the work of grace in its progress to happiness is called glory, as 2 Cor. 3.18. a place brought by Calvin to illustrate my Text, to which we may add, 2 Cor. 4 6. of which places more in time; The words thus explained observe,  
That the glory which Christ hath, he communicates one way or other to his people; 
Observe. That the glory which Christ hath he communicates one way or other to his people.  Christ thinketh it not sufficient to have glory himself, but he doth communicate the blessed effects thereof, so that they are made glorious likewise by him: The two similitudes that Christ taketh to himself illustrate this, as that of an Head, If the head be crowned with glory, that redounds to all the body, because the head and the whole body are considered as one, and thus Christ though he be exalted to all glory and honour, and so it is his own personal privilege, yet all this is for our good, and that by being glorious himself he might also make us glorious; Hence some expound this glory of Christ concerning his Sonship, that he is the Son of God, and indeed it cannot be denied but that this is an eminent part of this glory; Now he hath not this Sonship only, but Joh. 1. He gives us power also to become the Sons of God; Only he is the Son of God by nature, we by grace and adoption; Another similitude is that of an husband and wife so often mentioned in the Canticles, and by the Apostle; Now if the husband be a glorious King or Potentate, though he have a Wife of mean and despised birth, yet he communicates all his glory to her, and though God say of his essential glory, He will not give it to another; yet Christ gives of his glory in some sense to his people, though they are not thereby made equal to him in glory.  
To understand this Doctrine Consider,  
First, That the glory which Christ hath, as it is personally and subjectively his, 
Consider▪  so it's incommunicable; 
I. Christ's personal glory is incommunicable  It's impossible that the glory which Christ hath personally should be made ours, for than we should be the only begotten Sons of God, than we should be Mediators and Saviour's, which would be blasphemy for us to assume, but as God will not, nor indeed cannot communicate his glory unto a creature, so neither can nor will Christ communicate this glory as it's personally his unto us, but as it is with the Sun it communicates glorious light to the Stars, yet the Stars have not the subjective light of the Sun, so Christ though he do communicate of his glory to us, yet not as it's inherent in him, but in respect of the fruits thereof.  
2. 
II. What are those effects of that glory which Christ vouchsafeth to his.  We are to conceive a difference of those effects of Glory which Christ vouchsafeth to his:  
One instance of glory was to work Miracles, to do such great things as Christ did, yea, Christ saith, they should do greater than he; Now this glory was given only to some Apostles, and other believers in the primitive times of the Church; This was part of that glory which was common to Christ and others; Although indeed this was also communicated to such of whom he was not an head in a spiritual and saving manner, but only external in respect of outward administrations, yet when this glory was communicated to work miracles there was a great difference between Christ and Believers, for he did them in his own name and power, but they through the Name of Christ.  
2. There were some things which Christ did, and they are made legally ours, God accounts us as if we had done them; Thus Christ's Sufferings to take away the Curse of the Law, and his obedience to the Rule of the Law is made ours, he being our Surety, and therefore by his Obedience we are said to be made Righteous; His obeying the Law and suffering was not only for our good, as when he wrought Miracles and preached, but it was in our stead; Not as if we therefore were as righteous as Christ, or were Redeemers and Mediators, but we are the Subjects receiving of it.  
3. There are glorious privileges which Christ hath, and he gives them to us also: We are Sons as well as he, we are coheirs with him in glory, Rom. 8. We shall be glorified with him, we shall reign with him, we shall be raised up, and sit on Thrones of glory with him, We shall judge the world with him, yea, as he hath a Rod of Iron to break the Nations with, So the Saints shall have, Rev. 2.26, 27. Oh the enlarged affections we should have in this particular! Why do the people of God always go bowed down, afflicted with their own unworthiness and temptations! Oh give faith some breathing-place, go and meditate on this, The glory that Christ hath thou mayst claim it also; Is he the Son of God? Is he heir? Is he exalted to glory? Know that thou art thus also, and although Christ is in the possession of consummate glory, but thou art wrestling and toiling in a miserable world, yet as the Apostle argueth, if we shall not rise, than Christ is not risen, 1 Cor. 15. So if we shall not be glorified then Christ is not glorified; Hence our Saviour joineth himself with the disciples, I go to my Father and your Father, Joh. 20.17. and so it's Christ's glory and thy glory, Christ's Heaven and thy Heaven.  
4. There is the sanctification of our nature by grace, and as Christ was sanctified so also doth he sanctify us; Hence you heard he sanctified himself for us; Now the humane nature of Christ received the Spirit of God without measure, and therefore he was called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy One, Luk. 1. but was this holiness for himself only? no, it was for his members also, Joh. 1.10. Of his fullness we have received grace for grace; Some understand it by way of similitude and imitation, as we say of a child, he receiveth of his Father limb for limb, he answereth his Father in every point, so we are to resemble Christ, that as Christ is the Image of the Father, so we are to be the Image of Christ, and therefore are laid to bear the Image of the heavenly, and thus we are made one with Christ as the seal and the wax are made one, the Seal leaving a stamp upon the wax like itself; Now whereas the glory of Miracles others might have that were not united to Christ, this none can have but who are members of that head, and therefore do the people of God want grace, do they mourn under their imperfections, let them quicken up prayer upon this consideration, The glory Christ had he will give to believers, Why had he such fullness but for thy emptiness? Why had he such glory but to make thee glorious? Shall our vile bodies be made glorious like his glorious body, and shall not our vile and corrupted souls be also made glorious like his soul? This is excellently illustrated, 2 Co. 3.18. where we are said, te be transformed from glory to glory, that is from grace, grace is glory, so much godliness so much glory thou hast, and because it is not perfect, therefore we proceed from glory to glory, and how is this done? by the Gospel, for we beholding the glory of God in Christ, are thereby changed; Thus 2 Cor. 4.6. the glory of God is said to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, the meaning is, that whereas God is in his own nature invisible, and we are not able to conceive of him aright in Jesus Christ; We see the infinite wisdom and grace of God, so that we become glorious in grace, by faith looking on God in Christ; this makes heavenly, this changeth and altereth the heart; That as Moses by communing with God did obtain external glory which was so dazzling that the Israelites could not behold it, So the people of God by Faith beholding God in Christ, are thereby enlivened and made more heavenly every day; Thus we see what those effects of glory are which Christ gives of that treasury of glory to us.  
In the third general place Consider that none are made partakers of that Glory of Christ but by Union with him, 
III. None are made partakers of that glory of Christ, but by union with him.  Now this Union is twofold either merely external in the outward Ordinances, in which sense our Saviour Joh. 15. supposeth a branch may be in him, and yet not bring forth fruit; By virtue of this Union we may obtain many glorious gifts and common graces from the Spirit, So that we may have much spiritual glory in the eyes of others, or else there is an internal and invisible Union, and by this only we are made partakers of Christ's glory; Therefore none may be contented in any outside of Religion, let thy duties be never so ravishing and affectionate, yet not these but faith in the Olive Tree is that which maketh us partakers of this fatness, so that the Union of Christ with the believer is the foundation of all grace and glory, for as a branch separated from the vine, or a member from the body doth not partake of any vital act and nourishment, So neither doth that soul which is disjoined from Christ; if the beams of the Sun had not immediate dependence and emanation from the Sun, they could not have such lustre and Glory, So neither were not believers joined to Christ, and made one with him, they could not put forth such glorious acts of grace as they do, for if power to work Miracles and transcend nature be called a glory, how much more to perform the acts of grace, which do also surpass the course of nature; It's a glorious thing to believe, to be patient, to be heavenly-minded, to be zealous for God: In these actions the spirit of Christ which is also the spirit of glory doth reside upon us.  
4. As union with Christ makes us partakers of glory, So the foundation and Original of this is, because Christ is one with the Father and one with us; He is the Mediator between God and man, So that by this means he receiveth glory from the Father, which otherwise would be incommunicable to sinners, and doth convey it to such as are his members, So that still our eyes are to he fastened on Christ as a Mediator, for none can or may approach to God in his own ablolute nature, but as those who cannot look upon the Sun behold it in a basin of water, where the reflection is; Thus we who could not draw nigh to that infinite wise and pure God, having a Mediator that both partaketh of God's Nature and man's, thereby is afforded an admirable passage of conveyance of glory from the Father through Christ to us, as the light is conveyed from the Sun through the glass into the house.  
Use, To make us admire the dignity and excellent condition of a Christian united to Christ, for all the glory of Christ redounds and diffuseth itself to them; Whatsoever privilege or glory Christ hath, it is proportionably communicated to thee, therefore lift up thy head by faith, and live joyfully in the meditation of this; Doth not the woman though contemptible when married to an honourable person forget her Father's Cottage and rags, and saith, Now she shall have the riches, the glory, the honour, the state that her Husband hath, since thy Soul hath been united to Christ, all thy old, poor, despicable things are laid aside; Truly the ground of all a godly man's discouragements and perplexities ariseth for want of faith herein.   

SERMON CXXIII. Practical Conclusions from the foregoing Doctrine.  JOHN 17.22. And the Glory, which thou gavest me, I have given them, etc. 
HAving cleared the sense of this Text, and showed what that glory is, which Christ giveth us, Let us proceed to make some Corollaries, or practical Conclusions from this Doctrine.  

1. No man till he be united unto Christ, hath any true and solid glory  And hence therefore in the first place, this Conclusion is to be asserted, That no man till he be united unto Christ, hath any true and solid glory. For if the glory of a Christian be in Christ the fountain; as the Sunne-beams are in the Sun, then till partakers of Christ, we do not receive any of his glory: And this truth may quell the vain brags of the world, and the boasts of carnal men: Some account riches their glory, their birth their glory, outward honours their glory, but these are not worthy the name of glory: Christ came not into the world to give men riches, honours, greatness, but a spiritual glory; The Hebrew word for glory signifieth a weight, and the Apostle alludes to this, when 2 Cor. 4.17. he calls the happiness in Heaven an eternal weight of glory: Let therefore a man be never so much exalted in this world, yet if not given to Christ, he doth not partake of Christ's glory; This earthly glory is no more true glory, than a glow-worm is the Sun; The Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a mere fancy that presently passeth away. All humane glory is but like Jonahs' gourd, that is presently consumed, or like Herod, Act. 12.21. who being arrayed in royal apparel, and blasphemous acclamations made to him, he was immediately eaten up with worms: Be not then any longer like children, that account a toy, a glorious thing, thou art no wiser, when riches, greatness, beauty, etc. are accounted matter of glory, an obedient ear to God's word, is more glorious than an ear full of jewels; interest in Christ is greater glory, than all that of the world, which our Saviour was tempted with, yet is there any thing that is more apt to ensnare our hearts, than this vainglory: Did not the Devil think to overcome even Christ himself in this temptation, when he showed him all the glory of the world? Begin then to despise and contemn all the earthly glory of this world, what will this avail, when thou art vile in God's eyes? Thou art a loathsome abominable creature before God, though richly clothed, and faring deliciously every day.  

In what respects humane and earthly glory comes short of heavenly.  Now the grounds, why humane and earthly glory do not arise to this heavenly, is from these particulars:  
1. It's not a lasting, during glory: The fear and certainty of losing of it, takes off from all the lustre of it; A flour is a glorious creature, yet because quickly withered, none makes long account of it; and thus all the glorious things of man are compared to no better. The Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 40.6. and John Baptist of all Sermons and truths were to proclaim this, All flesh is grass, and the flower thereof fadeth away, etc. And this was to make way for Christ, implying, that while men continued in their confidence about these things, they were too high mountains, and so no prepared path to receive Christ: As therefore our Saviour argued in another case, If the grass be so clothed with glory, that is to be cut down and withereth: so if thou art thus careful to clothe thy body with glory, that presently must become dust and worms meat, rotting in the grave, how much rather shouldst thou look to have thy soul clothed with the glorious robes of Christ, that continue for ever; call that glory, and that alone which is eternal, which will live with thee, and not die with thee.  
2. It's no true glory, because it's not inward and substantial. It's not this glory of a man in his most substantial part, which is his soul. The soul of a man in Scripture language is called a man's glory, Gen. 49.6. unto their assembly, Let not my honour, or glory be united, that is, not my soul: If then a man hath the earthly glory of this world, this is not the honour of his soul, this is not solid, it's not in the noblest part of him: If rich and glorious apparel should be put upon a dead corpse, what glory were this to the corpse, it would not bring life and comeliness to the dead body? So it is here, let a wicked man have more earthly glory then a Solomon, yet he is but a dead corpse, he hath not that which should be the proper glory of a man, viz. the adorning of his soul: Hence grace is called glory, as you heard: So that nothing makes a man glorious but grace, this is the image of God in him. The Heathen could say, That an horse is not chosen by his trappings, and other rich accoutrements, but as he is naked in his own body; and certainly man much less is accounted glorious by body or wealth, but by his soul.  
3. It's not the proper glory of a man as he is a Christian: And this is much to be considered, Every creature hath that which is a peculiar grace and glory to it, in its kind: So Seneca, We praise a Vine, if it burden its branches with fruit, if another had golden grapes, or golden leaves, the fruitful Vine would be preferred before it. So that what is comely to one, is not to another; now take man as he is a Christian, and so all his glory is spiritual and invisible; if you look upon Christ, who giveth him his glory, he had none external, nay, none had less of that then he, for he knew not where to lay his head, yet in regard of spiritual glory, he did abound in it, he had the glory of a Messias, though not of a temporal Monarch; and thus it is here, that is only a Christians glory, which is excellency in Christianity. The Apostle speaking of women, saith, Whose glory, let not it be of embroidered apparel, etc. (1 Pet. 3.3.) but an humble and meek spirit: Hence the King's daughter, is said, to be all glorious within, Psal. 45.13. That than which the world doth deride and contemn, that is indeed the greatest glory; and hence the glory of a Christian is to be justified, to be sanctified, to have communion and fellowship with the Father in Christ.  
Lastly, There is no true glory without Christ, because in times of afflictions and tribulations, he only gives occasion to glory. Rom. 5. We glory in tribulation; and Peter saith, While we suffer for righteousness sake, the Spirit of glory resteth upon us, 1 Pet. 3.14. What then will thy outward glory avail in the time of God's wrath, when he shall set thy sins in order before thee, he will make all thy desirable things to perish? When Belshazzar is smitten with trembling for his sins, he finds little glory in his stately Palace, in his golden cups he was carousing in: Oh then prise such a glory that will bear up thy heart in the saddest extremities! 
Corollary II. That the meanest Christian surpasses Solomon in all his glory.   
A second Corollary is, That the meanest Christian united to Christ, though never so contemptible, yet is surpassing Solomon in all his glory. Every believer, if you look upon him spiritually, is more glorious than the greatest Potentates in the world, for concerning that they made a blaze in their solemn installings of the Pope, saying, Sic transit gloria mundi; but the glory of heaven abideth for ever. It's true, this world doth not see any glory in a believer, no more than they did in Christ: Therefore in the Caniicles the women asked the Spouse, What was her beloved more than other women? They saw no such comeliness and beauty in him; and thus it is with wicked men, What glory can we see in those that walk more strictly? What is admirable in them more than in others? Therefore this glory Christ giveth his people is invisible and discovered only by the eye of faith: So that this should exceedingly bear up the heart of a believer, while he lieth under all the reproaches, contempts and oppositions of the wicked world: Oh comfort thyself with this spiritual glory; God gives thee glory, Christ gives thee glory, while the world doth thus despise thee; and do not be discontented, because God hath not given thee so much of the world's glory, as he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ven others; What then, if he revealeth and vouchsafeth this spiritual glory to thee, he doth more than if he should give thee the glory of many worlds? Nay further, thou many times art dejected in thy own eyes, and as thou hast no external glory amonstg men, so neither dost thou perceive any spiritual glory in thyself: Oh thou criest out, that thy soul pollution, thy ●oul defilements are worst of all; but remember this glory comes from Christ without that it doth not naturally grow up in thee.  
Thirdly, Though Christ give part, and a beginning of this glory here, yet it is not perfected and consummated till hereafter. 
Corollary III.  I have (saith Christ) given them glory already, yet he prayeth afterwards for the consummation of this glory, and therefore that state of happiness is properly called a state of glory, yet we have the first fruits of it here. In part Christ doth invest us with his glory, but this is nothing to what shall be hereafter: Even in this life, the things are so great, That no eye hath seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of a man to conceive: How much more than will eternal glory surpass all our imaginations? Should not then the consideration of this glorious portion we in part have, and expect more fully, make us walk comfortably, be cheerful in our afflictions, pass through this world with joy? Certainly we put not forth our fixed contemplations on this glory, if we did, our hearts would scarce ever be taken off it: Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the Sun, that he thought he was born only to behold it: How much rather should we think it our duty, all the day long to behold this glory? As the Apostle, 2 Cor. 4.17. professeth, that all the afflictions he went through, and he had many, yet they were but light, and but for a moment, to that eternal weight of glory; and what made him think so? While we look not at the things which are not seen. If then thy heart is at any time dejected, disquieted, oh think of this glory provided for thee, it will make thy soul silence its crying and mutterings immediately, yea this will conquer the fear of death, and make the thoughts of it lovely and welcome.  
Fourthly, Doth Christ give spiritual glory to his? Then let this consume all love and desire of vainglory, 
IV. It consumes all love and desire of vainglory.  and esteem of men. This love of glory hath been, and is the worm that eateth up the best fruit, when lusts and sins have not been able to undo a man, glory from the world hath: Therefore our Saviour makes such a temper inconsistent with grace, How can ye believe and seek glory of one another, and seek not the honour which comes from God only, John 5.44? This vainglory Chrysostom called, The mother of hell; and indeed, How many religious duties doth it corrupt? The Pharisees prayed and gave alms to be seen of men; yea there is no external duty in Religion, but this may put a man upon it; But as love of Christ will kill the love of the world, fear of God will overcome fear of man, so a love to this spiritual glory will quickly out, vainglory. It's good to observe, That though all other things in this world be vain, man is vain, beauty is vain, wealth is vain, yet custom of speech doth appropriate it only to glory, calling it vainglory: Oh then remember, there are more glorious things to affect and enlarge thy heart with, than these applauses of the world!  
Fifthly, Doth Christ give his people glory? Then let them faithfully do Christ's work, notwithstanding all the reproaches and scorns wicked men load them with. 
V. Let them faithfully do Christ's work, notwithstanding all reproaches wicked men load them with.  David rejoiced in that he was despised and contemned while he danced before the Ark, I will be more vile still, saith he, 2 Sam. 6.22. And thus the Apostles rejoiced they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake It's a great glory to lose thy glory for Christ's work: Oh this is that which makes men afraid boldly to venture in holy things, they shall be censured, they shall be contemned: Remember that Scripture, Those that honour me, I will honour, 1 Sam. 2.30. It's a miserable slavery to live dependently upon the breath of others, who many times do as children put a Garland upon one of their fellows heads, and then laugh at him behind his back; so though they applaud thee to thy face, yet secretly backbite thee: Be therefore diligent to do Gods work, and content thyself with the glory God bestoweth upon thee: Doth a man running in a race regard the bird singing upon the tree? Eye Christ more, and man less. The Moon that hath but a borrowed light, is sometimes full, sometimes at the wane, never certain: Thus a man that liveth upon the applause of others, and not approving his conscience to God, he is sometimes lifted up, and then dejected down, even as outward supplies come to him.  
Sixthly, Doth Christ give glory to his? Then admire the bounty and freeness of his grace: Of all things we would think, he would not communicate of his glory to us; and indeed God saith, He will not give glory to another; 
VI Admire the bounty of his grace.  neither will Christ give his Mediatory glory to others; only in some passages of glory, he is willing we should reign with him, and be coheirs with him. This showeth how much he loveth us; For certainly no man is willing to have another copartner with him in his glory; yea how apt are we to envy the gifts and graces in others, that may overshadow us, but Christ giveth of his glory to us.  
Lastly, Doth Christ give glory to us? Let us then glorify him again. Christ indeed he giveth glory to us really and inwardly, but we only to him verbally and declaratively. Let not the Heavens that are natural creatures exceed us, 
VII.  They declare the glory of God, and show his handiwork; and shalt not thou then in thy life, in thy conversation declare the glory of Christ? The title given to Church-officers, 1 Cor. 8.23. is in some sense to be applied to all believers, they are the glory of Christ.   

SERMON CXXIV. That Jesus Christ though God Coequal with the Father, had many things given him by the Father; And how that can be?  JOH. 17.22. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. 
WE have treated of the nature of that glory which Christ giveth to all believers: The next considerable is the description of the manner and way how Christ comes to have this glory, and that is said to be by way of gift, The glory which thou gavest me, Now this seemeth very hard to understand how Christ being God could receive any thing, for as God can have nothing given him, so it should seem Christ neither could have any thing given him, insomuch that this place with many others of the like fence is brought by the Socinians as an unanswerable Argument, that Christ was not truly and essentially God, for they heap up many places of Scripture where all that Christ hath is said to be given him, and from hence conclude he cannot be God; But the weakness of this will appear in further discovery of this Truth, which that it may be more clearly understood, Observe,  


Doct. Christ though God had many things given him of his Father.  
There is a twofold giving   That Christ though God had many things given him of his Father; The Father's giving of many things to him doth not take off from his divine Nature; This Truth will be profitable both to inform your judgement in that main Article of Religion, and also is of that practical consequence; Therefore to clear this, Consider,  
1. That we may conceive of a twofold giving, that which is natural and necessary, 2. that which is free and voluntary, so that it might or might not be given, for a natural and necessary giving, So Christ as God hath his divine Essence from the Father, for the Father communicateth the Godhead to his Son by necessary generation, So that it was not free to him whether he would have this Son or no, as it was whether he would create the world or no; It's true, there are some Learned men that say, Pater liberè genuit filium, because in all that the Father doth, he doth it with understanding and will, which they make to be the formal cause of liberty; But those that do so, take not liberty for that which may be or may not be, but for that which is immutably so, only there is understanding and will concurring to it; In this sense the expression may be admitted, otherwise it would be blasphemy to say the Father did so freely communicate the divine nature to the Son, that he might have chosen whether he would have done it or no; Therefore indeed if we speak strictly it is not a giving of the Son of his Godhead unless we take gift in a large sense for that which is communicating, yet the Scripture calls it so, To this purpose some bring that Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; Where to have life in himself is the highest perfection that can be, and proper only to the supreme deity, yet this is given to the Son to have, and to have it so as the Father hath it, and therefore he is called the Son because he hath his being of the Father eternally, and the Father's giving of this, or the Sons receiving of it argueth no imperfection but perfection in both.  
2. There may be a giving to another by way of intrinsical perfection, or by way of extrinsecall declaration and manifestation of this, when God gave Angels and men holiness this was to give internal perfection to them, but now when Angels and men declare the wisdom, power, and goodness of God praising and magnifying him for it; This addeth no inward perfection to him, only it outwardly declareth it, and thus it was with Christ as God, many things are said to be given him, which yet he had with the Father before the world, only it's said to be given him because it was then declared and manifested what he had; Indeed if we speak of Christ's humane nature, so it had many things given to it, which were an inward perfection to him in that respect, but in respect of his divine nature, so he was not capable of any new perfection, which he had not always:  
These things premised, 
What things were given Christ of the Father.  Let us now consider what was given him of the Father, And  
1. Christ even as God had many things given him in respect of external Declaration: Thus when glory and honour is given unto him by the Father, as in that exceeding glorious manifestation, when it was said, Thou art my wellbeloved Son, this was external glory, God gave the outward manifestation of glory, that which did already belong to him.  
2. We read of his Office of Mediatorship, and that was also given to him: Hence it is that it's so often said that the Father sent him into the world, not as if the Son did not willingly consent to this office also, only the Father he assigned and appointed him who was also willing to this work; So that to be a Mediator, to be sent into the world, etc. they are mixed Attributes, for they denote perfection and some imperfection; To be sent, To feel the glory of the Father, these denote he was man as well as God, but so to be sent as by his own power and strength to work out our Salvation, and purchase our peace, argueth the highest pefection, which none but a God can do; So that this is necessary to be observed when the Scripture speaks of his appointment to this official Kingdom of a Mediator, this no ways takes off from Christ's Godhead, but necessarily supposeth it, because none but God can perform that work.  
3. The Scripture speaks of persons that are given him of the Father, and this expression is very often with the Apostle John in this Chapter, it's many times repeated, Those that thou hast given me, So Joh. 6.59. All that the Father hath given me will come unto me; Now these are said to be given by the Father to Christ, not that Christ as God had them not before but in respect of his Mediatory Office, So that they are given to him that he should by his death and merits bring them to Eternal happiness, and this makes greatly for the comfort and consolation of the godly, and this cannot argue any imperfection in Christ that these were given to him as a Mediator, for he did not need them, he was happy without them, So that believers are given to Christ not for his good but for their own good, and therefore though Christ be the Head and believers members, yet it doth not follow, that because the Head cannot be without members, but needeth the members as well as they do the head, that therefore Christ cannot be without believers; No, Christ took these to him, not out of want but out of bounty, He took them not to be bettered by them but to better them, not to perfect himself but them; As the Fountain is not helped by the streams, but the streams by the Fountain; Neither do the Stars enlighten the Sun, but the Sun the Stars, So that if we Consider in what sense believers are given to Christ, we shall find it's no imperfection in him, but perfection to be added to them.  
4. We read of spiritual gifts and graces given to him, So he is said to receive the Spirit without measure, and hence he is called Christ because he is anointed with the oil of all grace, and this is in respect of his humane nature: For the humane nature of Christ being a creature, and of the same univocal species with ours, it could not sanctify itself, it could not adorn itself with all habitual and actual grace; Therefore in his conflicts an Angel was sent to comfort him, We must therefore always distinguish though not divide those two Natures in Christ; As God he could not be anointed, he could not receive the Sp●rit, or be sanctified from a cause without, but take him as man, so all the good he had was of freegrace; The personal Union was of freegrace, and all habitual holiness was infused into him by grace, for none but God can be essentially and naturally holy, and therefore Austin of old did urge this as an unanswerable Argument, if the humane nature of Christ had not freewill or power to sanctify itself, to adorn itself with holiness, much less hath any mere man, but so it was with Christ, that as man he was wholly furnished with graces and gifts from above; Indeed the end why he had these, as also why he was made man, was in reference to us; It was of his fullness that we do receive, so that he became man, and was thus furnished with all fitness to be a Mediator, because we could not be without him: It behoved us (saith the Apostle Heb 7.26.) to have such a Highpriest that was holy and unspotted, separated from sinners, that needed not to offer for his own sins.  
5. We read that not only habitual grace was given him in respect of his humane nature, but also the spirit of God was bestowed on him, and though this be thought by the Socinians a pregnant Argument because he that is God cannot have the Spirit of God given him; Now to this we readily grant, that not only the graces and gifts of God's Spirit, but the Spirit itself also was bestowed on him, So the Prophet Isa. 11.2. The spirit of the Lord is said to rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and counsel; Thus Act. 1.2. he is said through the holy Ghost to give Commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen, but yet this doth not take off from his God head, for first, the assistance and operation of the holy Ghost was only in respect of his humane nature, for as by the holy Ghost his humane body was prepared and fitted, So also his rational soul by the same holy spirit was sanctified and made the holy One; It was not therefore in respect of his divine nature but his humane, that he had the holy Ghost working in him, and if you say▪ What necessity was there of the holy Ghost, Seeing his divine nature was able to assist and sanctify his humane nature; It's answered, that the holy spirit being the third person cannot be separate from the Father and the Son, though therefore Christ as the second person was able to do all things, yet because where the Father and Son is, there also is the holy Ghost, therefore that works also as the other, not that the other persons need it, but because of the inseparability; Even as the Father did at first create all things by the Son, not that he was insufficient or impotent without him, but because of their intimate Union.  
6. That which we do so eminently read of in the Scripture is the glory, power, and honour that the Father gave him upon fullfilling the work of Redemption for us, Act. 2.36. God hath made Jesus both Lord and Christ, he was made Lord; Now that dominion is not his essential dominion which he had as God, for so he could not be made any more Lord than God, but his Mediatory Dominion, whereby he is exalted above all, and rules all things for the good of his people, So Phil. 2.9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, giving him a Name above all Names, etc. In these and many other places we read of wonderful Majesty and glory bestowed upon him, and that upon his humiliation and voluntary obedience in reference to us, but although the Scripture doth evidently speak of this glory and power given him, yet this doth not take off from his Godhead: For  
1. It is one thing to speak of the giving of the right and property to a thing, another thing to speak of the possession of it; It's true indeed Christ upon his Resurrection had the possession of all that glory and honour which the Word mentioneth, but yet he had right to it far before, and therefore we read of divine wotship given to him before his Resurrection, as also of a Kingdom he had, and that he could work what Miracles he pleased, and so he believing God had a right to all that glory which could any ways be superadded to him.  
2. This dominion and glory given to him is so far from evacuating his Godhead, that it doth rather necessarily presuppose it, for who can be made the Judge of the whole world? who can be exalted to be the King of Saints and the Nations but he who hath infinite wisdom, power, and greatness?  
Use 1. Doth Christ receive all that he hath, not for himself, but for his members? then what great encouragements and hopes have all the people of God, for though they have not enough, yet Christ hath; Though the star hath not light enough to dispel the day yet the Sun hath: Though the stream cannot refresh, yet the Fountain hath water enough; Oh therefore that believers would more enlarge and quicken themselves up with hopes in Christ, That they would live on his fullness, That they would depend on his fullness, God gives thee grace and many gifts, but what he hath given Christ that must be thy only support.  
Use 2. How woeful the condition of all wicked men is who are separated from Christ, for if all fullness come by him, than none of this can be derived to thee; The devil will give of the torments he hath to thee, not Christ of his glory.   

SERMON CXXV. Unity among Christians is part of that Glory Christ hath purchased for them.  JOH. 17.22. That they may be one even as we are one. 
THough this Unity of believers so earnestly prayed for, hath been at large treated of, yet because here again repeated, I shall consider it relatively, as it stands with respect to the foregoing words, Christ giveth his glory, he received from the Father, to those that believe in him, That they may be one. Now the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here, as in other places, may be taken either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the end of this glory, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as specifying what is part of that glory, which he giveth to them, for so some understand this, as describing and determining what that glory is, he would give them, viz. the glory of unity and agreement, which as Chrysostom observeth was more admirable than that of signs and doctrines, which they abounded in: Their unity did more glorify them, than their miracles. Others they understand it as the end and fruit of that glory they received, by Glory understanding all the heavenly benefits and privileges vouchsafed unto them. From these Interpretations conjoined, and the relative capacity the words stand in. I observe,  

Observe. Unity among believers is part of that glory which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them.  That Unity among Believers is part of that Glory, which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them. For Christ speaks here as Mediator, in whom, and by whom only the spiritual unity of believers can be obtained.  
In this Doctrinal Proposition three particulars are observable:  
1. That Unity among believers is part of that spiritual glory Christ purchased for them.  
2. That Christ as Mediator purchased Unity as well as other privileges.  
3. That Believers cannot have Unity but from Christ, till he command these dry bones to come together, and be united, they lie scattered up and down. Let us consider, 

Consid. I. Unity is the Church's glory.  
Their glory actively and passively.    
First, That Unity is part of the Church's glory. It's their Glory both actively and passively; Their glory actively, they may in an humble and holy manner rejoice in it: Not indeed as the Papists, who confidently and falsely triumph in their Unity, but in a godly and sober manner; for if schisms and divisions in the Church, did so greatly divide and rend Paul's heart, no doubt but their Unity and accord did as much rejoice him: Therefore how emphatically doth he speak, Phil. 2.1, 2. If any consolation, if any bowels, fulfil ye my joy, that ye may be like minded, etc. It's then the Ministers glory, and the Church's glory to walk in lovely accord, when in the Church, as in Solomon's Temple, the voice of the hammer is not heard; whenas God promised in respect of temporal peace, The sword should be turned into ploughshares, so the controversal and polemical part of Divinity shall be changed into the practical and affectionate part.  
Again, It's the glory of the Church passively, in this sense, that for it we are exceedingly to glorify and praise God; We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church, as a greater mercy than all external mercies; What an heavy thing is it, when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel, when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first, when God shall bring such a spiritual judgement on the Church, as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof, Every man's weapon against his neighbour, till they had destroyed one another? When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms, this we ought to praise God for, as being a special means to promote Christ's Kingdom.  
Now it's the glory of believers to be at Unity,  
1. Because this will exalt them in the very hearts and thoughts of their greatest enemies. What is glory, but the clara notitia, the famous acknowledging of the excellency of such a thing? Now nothing will sooner divulge the fame, and like the heavens, make the noise thereof to go through the Land, than unity and agreement: As Solomon's wisdom spread itself over the world: Insomuch that many came from afar to see and admire it: Thus it will be also for the Church's accord, therefore the Psalmist put an Ecce upon it, Behold how good and comely it is for brethren to be of one accord, Psal 133.1, 2. Thus you heard, The Heathens admired the love of primitive Christians, Ecce quam se mu●uo diligenti, & fratres vocant, whereas now we may say, Behold how they hate and oppose one another, call one another by all uncharitable names. It's unity then, that makes the Church's fame to be over the world  
2. Unity is the glory of the Church, because it ariseth from the beauty and pulchritude of it. The beauty of a thing is the glory of it; now beauty doth arise from the sweet harmony and proportion of all the parts, and this is the unity of the Church, when every member thereof is harmoniously joined unto another; when there is no dissonancy or difference: Certainly, It's a better wish to see the Church in this glory, then that of Augustine's, to see Rome in all her temporal glory: If any member be deformed, or unproportionable to the other parts: How unlovely and uncomely doth it make that body? So it is here, if any make a rent, be proud, froward or opposite, the glory thereof is departed.  
3. It's part of their glory, because the happiness and blessedness of a Church, is in their Communion-graces. A Church denoteth some society and company; Now the advantage of such improvements is by union, if one part of the body be divided from the other, there is no suppeditation of mutual help, therefore there are nerves and ligaments in the body, to unite each part to other: You see in a civil society, if there be not union, the glory of it presently dieth: divisions, like moths, rise from within, and do immediately consume; If then the happiness of believers lie in their communion-graces and duties; What can be more glorious than unity, which is the only means to procure subserviency to one another, as if several Cities were supplied by pipes of water one to another, if those pipes be stopped or cut, it brings a necessary destruction.  
The second main particular is, That Christ purchased as Mediator this privilege as well as others. He did not only die to justify them, to sanctify them, 
II. Christ purchased as Mediator this privilege as well as others.  but to unite them also: And this should teach us several things. As  
1. It should not be accounted a slight and little sin to make any breaches or divisions in God's Church, to do any thing through strife and vainglory: Why? because Christ died against this; he as Mediator intended not only to save his people, but to bring them into one; Why then dost thou by thy contentions, by thy heretical opinions thus sin against Christ's death, his intercession and his prayer are for the same effects? Now you see in this Chapter, that his prayer for unity is ingeminated over and over again, and therefore Christ had this even in his thoughts, in his very death; hence it was that also at his death▪ he appointed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which though chiefly to seal God's grace to us, yet it did also signify the love we ought to have to one another, as the Apostle urgeth, 1 Cor. 10. that as the several corns make up one bread, thus do the godly make up one mystical body: Divisions then in the Church are against Christ's death, and against the Sacrament of his death; Shall we therefore run into such sins, that have such an heinous aggravation?  
2. That the people of God, where they see these divisions, are to improve this Argument for Unity: Even as when they groan under any corruption, and would gladly have the mastery of it, they run to the blood of Christ, praying, O Lord, Did not Christ die that these sins might die? Was not Christ crucified, to crucify these lusts? So it ought to be in matter of unity, Oh Lord, make all thy people of one heart, of one mind and spirit, because Christ died for this also; let not his death be in vain: Thou wouldst not suffer his bones to be broken, nor his garment divided, why then shall his Church be torn and divided? Do not think humane policies, and invented syncretisms will be able to solder together? It must be this blood of Christ that obtaineth this.  
3. Christ did not only meritoriously purchase this Unity by his death, but in him exemplarily and formally we are made one: So that Christ is both the moral cause of this unity, and the exemplar also; for he by being both God and man in one Person, made God and man one, when there was such an infinite distance before, there is made the most intimate union that can be, even an hypostatical union between God and man: Now though we cannot attain to such an union, yet by reason of this, all believers are made one with God, and amongst themselves: Hence is that often expression of our being in him, of engraffing in him, of living in him, all which do denote our intimate union with him; so that as Christ is not divided in himself: The Divine Nature doth not will one thing, and the humane Nature the contrary, but they have the same will; thus it ought to be here, one believer should not judge one thing, and another the contrary, one love one thing, and another the contrary, but as Christ and the Father were one, so ought they to be.  
The last particular is, That God in Christ is the only cause of unity amongst believers. Christ as Mediator procureth it, and God through his merits vouchsafeth it, and this comprehends these particulars:  
1. That such is the corruption of every man regenerate and unregenerate, that they would no more unite, than crumbs of sand, did not God bring it about. Take men by nature, and they are wolves and devils one to another: Insomuch that the preserving of Commonwealths and civil Societies, is made a demonstration of a God; for if ye consider what every man is by nature, it's a wonder that the whole world is not full of cain's, and a mere Aceldama, like those Cadmaan brethren the Poet speaks of. God therefore who keeps the sea within its bounds that it overfloweth not, doth also restrain and chain up the corruptions of men, that all be not in a confusion; and although in regenerate men corruption is in a great measure subdued, yet that is not like Daniel's root of the Tree, that had a chain upon it never to grow, for this would be sprouting out in strifes and contentions, did not God put bounds to it, and therefore not only Histories that are profane, but Ecclesiastical also do abundantly witness, That divisions and differences have been the ruin of most Churches: So truly may we apply that of Job to the Church, If he commands peace, Who can forbid it? And if he bring war, Who can withstand it? Job 24.39. It's in godly men's natures to be so many Phaeton's setting the Church on fire, if God by mercy did not prevent.  
2. God through Christ doth only procure spiritual concord, because hereby God is pleased with his Church, and reconciled. Now God's anger for sin, is that which turneth Churches and States upside down; even as you see the tempestuous winds do fill the Sea with waves and unquietness, Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia. When God was angry with Abimelech, he sent an evil spirit between him and the men of Sichem, Judg. 9.23. and this, like a fire, consumed them: So when Solomon had displeased God by his Idolatries, than he stirreth up his adversary, and that against him, and at last divides the Kingdom from him. So that you see, it's God's anger for sin that makes discord and implacable contentions to break forth. And thus it is also in the Church, When God is angry, than he suffers Heretics and Schismatics to arise, who divide it into as many pieces, as the Levites wife was: And till God's anger be pacified, there can never be any settling or uniting, but as the two passengers in a ship at deadly feud one with another, did earnestly look to see which would be drowned first, and not at all endeavour to save the ship. Thus private emulations have undone the public; so that the Heathens may rise up against the Church of God, for the Romans before they entered into the Senate-house to consult for the public, did first go and worship in a Temple dedicated to Jovi depositorio, because there they did deponere inimicitias; but we go to prayer, to Sacraments, and offer our gift at the Altar, though we remember men have justly many things against us.  
Use. Is peace and unity amongst the godly their glory? Did Christ die for it? Doth God only give it? Then under all our breaches and differences, let us apply ourselves to him, who hath this sovereign power over men's hearts: It's but his speaking, and the winds and the waves will presently cease; he can quickly remove the bitter spirit of contradiction, and cause all to be of one mind; and certainly our sins have highly displeased God, that yet he suffers his Church to wallow in her blood, that yet her wounds are not healed.   

SERMON CXXVI. Of Union with Christ: Showing how, or in what respects Christ is in every Believer, and how he is not.  JOHN 17.23. I in them, and thou in me. 
OUr Saviour doth still continue in prayer for Unity amongst believers, which is not simply to terminate upon one another, but to ascend higher, and all to be made one in Christ: Therefore in this verse he showeth the original and fountain of their Unity, as also the manner of it. The Original of their Unity is from Christ being in them, and the Father in him; The Manner is spiritual; for as Christ is in them after a spiritual manner, so is also their union with him.  
The original of their unity expressed in those words, I in them, deserve our serious Meditations, for it's a choice practical point, and although a mystery, and so without any relish to the carnal heart, yet full of comfort and savouriness to the godly soul; Now Christ is said to be in his people two ways, either Distributively, in respect of every person; in which sense the soul of every believer is the Temple of the holy Ghost; and Paul professed, That he no longer lived, but Christ in him, Gal. 2. Or Collectively, as they are a society and a Church; over whom he is an Head. 
Christ said to be in believers several ways,   
Christ is said to be in believers several ways:  

1. By communication of the same nature with us.  1. By communication of the same Nature with us; he is partaker of flesh and blood with us: And thus Christ may be said to be in all men: Even as God in respect of his Essence is every where, but by gracious presence only in the godly, though the Scripture doth not use such an expression.  

2. Sacramentally.  2. Christ is in believers sacramentally; in which sense they are said to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and thereby they abide in him, and he in them.  

3. By his Spirit  3. Christ is in them by his Spirit, for that is called the Spirit of Christ, and being given by him to them, they are thereby spiritualised, and made heavenly. The Spirit is a guiding Spirit, a sanctifying Spirit, a comforting and sealing Spirit to them, so that Christ becomes joined to his by this Spirit.  

4. By a gracious inhabitation and sanctifying presence.  Lastly, Christ is in his by a gracious inhabitation, and sanctifying presence. So that as in respect of our natural life, God may be said to be in us, and we in him, For in him we live, and move, and have our being, Act 17.18. So in respect of supernatural life, Christ is in us, and we in him, and do live and move spiritually in him. From this last explication, which is most genuine, Observe,  

Doct.  That Christ is in believers, and believers are in him. Christ is in believers. This union of Christ with believers, as it is much spoken of in the Scripture, so it is indeed the fountain of all the graces, and all the comforts the people of God receive. Our Saviour John. 15. doth at large declare a Parable, wherein we may see, how we are in Christ, and that i● as branches are in the Vine, and vers. 5, 6. he doth not only speak of our being in Christ, but Christ's being in us, Abide in me. and I in you; and again, He that abideth in me, and I in him; by which expressions it appeareth, that these are two distinct things, our being in Christ, and Christ's being in us; and indeed one is the cause of the other, the preserver and continuer of the other; for because Christ is in us, giving daily influence and supply, therefore we are kept in him. To open this, 
How Christ lives in a believer.  To open this, Consider,  
First, That the Scripture doth not only say, Christ is in a believer, but he liveth in him: As Paul, Gal. 2.20. And this denoteth, That Christ's presence in us is operative and active; for as life in a man quoad actum primum, doth always more or less sensibly put forth life, quoad actum secundum; Thus it is with Christ, he is in the soul, not as he was once in the ship, asleep, and so ceasing from any action, but he liveth in us; for even as God in respect of the creatures doth still work by Conservation, as at first by Creation, so that if he did but for a moment withdraw his influence, this whole fabric would fall into nothing. Thus it is also in respect of Grace, As Christ did at first put supernatural life into us, so did he not continually act and enliven us, we should quickly become dead in our sins, but Christ liveth in us: And if you say, How then comes it about, that so many times Christ seemeth to be gone from the soul, that he hath left his habitation, that no life or workings of Christ appear? That may be answered afterwards; Only for the present know, That Christ is the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2. which ariseth with healing in his wings; and he is the Tree of Life; yea he calls himself in the abstract, I am the life, John 11.25. And therefore if thy heart be dead, dull, formal, the defect is not from Christ living, but by sinful obstructions, by sin in thee: Even as it is said of Christ's Country, He could do no miracles there, because of their unbelief, Mark 6.6. But as Christ is said to live in believers, so to abide in them, and that denoteth more than living; for Christ (were it not for the Covenant of Grace made sure in his blood) might have lived in the godly, but his life in us might have passed away, as our life, and like a shadow; As God for a long while was with the people of Israel, in a Tabernacle, that moved up and down, before he was in a Temple fixed. Thus God was graciously present in Adam, in the Apostate Angels; but this presence was ambulatory, only now through Christ, he hath fixed his abode with us; he comes, and so dwells with us, that he will never go from us: When therefore Christ hath once begun to live in thee, he will always abide so; Christ is always in thy soul, though thou mayest not perceive it; yea the Scripture doth not only say, Christ abideth in us, but that he dwelleth in us, Ephes. 3.17. Now dwelling doth denote that intimateness and familiarity, as also that care and cost Christ is willing to bestow on our souls: No man that is able will suffer his house he liveth in to run to decay, and to fall into utter ruins, and indeed the house cannot take care for itself, but the master doth: Thus it is here, Christ will not suffer his own dwelling-place to fall into decays, he will see it be repaired: It will be Christ's loss, as well as the believers.  
Secondly, 
The false ways of Christ's being in his people.  Because there are erroneous and dangerous conceits about Christ's being in his people: Let us first remove the false ways, and then assert the true. As  
1. When Christ is said to be in his people, That is not to be understood, as if there were a confusion of their beings, or as if they were made one real and physical person with him; for thus some have dangerously affirmed, That we are Christed with Christ, and made one real person with Christ. It is true, Christ and his people make up one spiritual and mystical Person; They are not to be considered as two, no more than the Head and the body, yet it's an heinous error, as also high nonsense, to affirm such a being of Christ in us, as that we are turned into Christ. There are among the Popish devout Writers, those that are called M●sti●i Theologi, as if they only did enter into the Holy of Holies, and all other Writers were but mere literarists, and these speak much of such raptures, and elevation of the soul, that in these pangs it doth lose its own being, and is transessentiated into God: Many sublime and unintelligible expressions they have, such as the Paracelsians amongst Physicians: Now what these say about God, many have an imitating language of in respect of Christ, but when Christ is said to live and dwell in us, you must not conceive, as if we were turned into Christ, or Christ in us; we must not fancy such an imagination as the Papists do about Transubstantiation, thinking that the bread is turned into the very body of Christ.  
Hence in the second place, It's horrible blasphemy which some would infer from Gods or Christ's being in us, That they do not sin at all; They work not, but God or Christ in them. Calvin of old wrote against such Libertines, affirming, That by their horrid doctrines, they made God worse than the Devil: And of late there have been some, who have boldly vomited this poison of the red Dragon; let them commit never such abominable and notorious crimes, they do not sin, Why? Because Christ is in them: But though Christ live in the godly in a spiritual sense, yet they do not lose their personal being or operations: It's not Christ that reputes or believeth in them, but they themselves, though he efficiently help to these duties, much less is it Christ that sinneth or commits iniquity in them.  
Thirdly, When Christ is said to be in us, this is not to be understood, as if he were bodily living in us, as if his body were received into our body; No, the body of Christ is now exalted at the right hand of God in glory. And howsoever the Lutherans do hotly dispute for the ubiquity of Christ's body, yet that is to kick against the pricks. The Scripture is clear, That his body is so in Heaven, that it is not corporeally any where else. It's true, all believers do partake of whole Christ, of his Person, and therefore of his body, as well as of his Divine Nature; but the participation of his body is not after a bodily manner, he doth not live and dwell in us bodily. It's true, in the Virgin Mari●s womb, Christ was there once bodily, but not so in the wombs of other women; Neither had she been happy merely through that, had not Christ even then lived spiritually in her heart.  
Fourthly, Neither is Christ in the godly, as if he did possess our souls and bodies in the same sense, as we read of the Devils being in some persons; for the Devil was so in them, that he wholly possessed their bodies, sometimes tormenting of them, and in others strangely raising them up, to speak in strange tongues, and to do many wonderful things above the ordinary course of man's ability: Christ is not thus in believers, and no wonder if Christ be not, seeing that the Learned observe, Though the Devil be suffered to possess men's bodies, yet we never read of any good Angel that possessed the body of any man, whereas God might have suffered the one as well as the other, if he had pleased. Let us then take heed of affirming any indecent, or false ways of Christ's being in us. These latter days give instance of sad delusions in this kind, men persuading themselves of Christ's being in them after such a palpable and bodily manner, that at last they are delivered up to think they are Jesus Christ himself, and whereas there is but one Christ, now there are many that say themselves to be the Christ.  
Fifthly, Neither may we conceive of Christ being in us, as if he were a form inwardly informing, or inclining us, as if our actions were Christ's actions. Though the Apostle, Galat. 2. useth that expression, I no longer live, but Christ in me, yet that is to be understood only metaphorically, you must not take it strictly and philosophically, as if Christ were either the form assisting or informing of believers; not assisting, as when Angels assumed bodies, and did speak or act in them, and by them; or as some Philosophers tell us of an intellectus agens, that is the common form to all mankind, nor as a form informing, for that is made part of a man, but Christ is not so, and this is the reason, why though it be Christ living and working in us, that makes to repent, and to believe, yet we cannot say, it's Christ that reputes or believes, because these actions come from us vitally and formally, whereas Christ is the efficient cause of them; and it's a Rule, Efficiens non potest supplere vicem formae & materiae: So that as in respect of our natural consideration, though by God we live and move, yet we cannot say, it's God that speaketh, it's God that walketh, because these are vital, formal actions; so neither can we say, it's Christ that believeth, that repenteth, that liveth in us: So that the believers work is to be distinguished from Christ's work in him.  
Lastly, It's one thing for Christ to be with us, another thing in us. When Christ promised to be with his Apostles to the end of the world, that is, in respect of divine assistance, protection, and success, and thus he was with Judas, while he preached the Gospel, and wrought miracles; for as God is providentially with many men, in whom yet he is not graciously present, as in Cyrus, Nabuchadnezzar, Jehu, and others. Thus Christ is also operatively with many, in whom he doth not graciously dwell: So that we are not to conclude Christ is in us, because of many gifts and extraordinary abilities. It is true, John 15. Even a branch not bringing forth fruit, is said to be in Christ, and so may hypocrites and reprobates be said to be in him, but this is only externally and by profession, not internally and really.   

SERMON CXXVII. showeth something of the Nature, Manner, and Effects of Christ's being in Believers.  JOH. 17.23. I in them and thou in me. 
CHrist (you have heard) is in his people and they are in him; But how to understand this precious but sublime doctrine rightly, that is the great difficulty; We have discovered the false and gross Imaginations about it, We now come to the positive and affirmative manifestation of it; Although it is to be acknowledged, that as concerning God we may easilier conceive what he is not, than what he is; So in respect of this inhabitation of Christ in believers, we may more easily remove false and erroneous ways then assert the true and proper manner of it; But the light of the Word and the experience of a godly man subordinate thereunto, will greatly conduce to make some profitable though not comprehensive discoveries of it. And  

How or in what manner Christ is in his people.  1. In the general, Christ being in his people is after a spiritual, invisible, and mystical manner; It is in an invisible manner, yea, in no ways corporally sensible; We cannot with the eye see him, the ear hear him, or the hand feel him, but all is invisible; And this is the reason, why natural men who are carried away only as brute beasts by sensible Objects are not affected with Christ's being in his Children, for they say as the disciple in another case, unless we may put our fingers in Christ's wounds, and feel his bones, we will not believe he is in us, but as God though he is omnipresent and filleth all places, yet is not seen by the bodily eye, No man hath seen God at any time, Joh. 1.18. So though Christ fill his whole Church, and the Apostle expresseth it, Col. 3.11. he is all in all, yet this is after an invisible and corporally indiscernible mannes, so that though the Apostle who lived with Christ in a bodily manner, and was eyewitness of all that he did and suffered, could say, 1 Joh. 1.1. That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, yet believers cannot now say so; As it is invisible so it is spiritual, and therefore above a carnal apprehension; This is one of those things of God a natural man cannot perceive because spiritually discerned; Go to any natural man though never so cultivated and adorned with rationality, yet can he no more understand or conceive of Christ's being in the soul, than a worm can reach to the understanding and discourse of Angels with one another, and the reason is because there is no habitude or suitable proportion between this truth and their capacities, So that as the Eye cannot see a Spirit because of the dissonancy between that Object and the visive faculty, So neither can a natural man though walking in the high stilts of all moral endowments ever reach unto any satisfactory knowledge in this Point, for this Truth cannot be found in Aristotle's or Plat●●s works, neither can flesh and blood reveal it, but by the Scripture as a guide, and the spirit of God as an efficient, we come to know what it is: Therefore it's often by Divine called mystical, Christ's Marriage with the soul is mystical, Christ's living and dwelling in us is mystical, it being a great mystery, and such as the doctrine of Christ is, and therefore none but Christ's Friends have this secret revealed and made known to them, Therefore when Christ is thus in the soul of a believer, there are clear discoveries and manifestations of himself; Even as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere, the resplendent beams thereof proclaim its presence; This is excellently set down, Joh. 14.20, 21. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you, And ver. 21. I will love him and manifest myself to him  
In the second place, Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually, yet he is truly, and really, and operatively in us, So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion, as some nonentity or mere notions of melancholy men; No, as Christ is a real Christ, so he doth really live and dwell in us; if nothing were real but what is corporeal, than our souls should be no real substances; Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a mere fancy and notion likewise: But as Christ is real and the soul is real so is Christ's dwelling and living in it real, yea, it is so real that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively; Thus Christ Joh. 15.1. I am the true Vine, and Joh. 6.55, 56. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him; Now why doth Christ say, his body is meat indeed, he doth not mean corporally but oppositely to corporal food; The very food we eat is not meat comparatively to Christ, for our bodies feed on that, and yet perish, they have not life always abiding in them, but who so hath Christ in him, he can no more perish then Christ himself; Christ is meat indeed, and life indeed; The godly then find and know this life and dwelling of Christ to be a real, solid thing, and therefore do though not corporally yet spiritually perceive it, and know it to be more real than their bodily life and actions; It's not less real and true because spiritual and mystical; Therefore that which on Christ's part maketh him to be in us, viz. his spirit, that is real, and that which on our part receiveth Christ, and whereby he dwelleth in us, viz. faith, that is, also a lively grace; Therefore though we walk not by bodily sense but by faith, yet the things of Faith have as real and lively subsistence in the soul as bodily objects can affect the body.  
3. Consider how Christ is to be conceived in his people, and that the Scripture represents several ways.  
1. Christ is in us by way of Union, 
How Christ is in his people more particularly.  so as to be made one mystical person with us: I shall not be large in discovering this, because I have touched on it heretofore, only the first step of Christ's being in us is by uniting of himself to us, for we are by nature estranged from him, and lie as so many lumps of earth devoid and destitute of all spiritual life and motion till Christ unite himself to us, so that as it was Gods wonderful power to call those dry bones and unite them together; Thus it is also his admirable power to unite himself to a Believer, Christ doth not stay till we first unite ourselves to him, but he joineth himself first to us, and this is the first step of Christ's saving grace in us.  
2. Christ is in us, so that thereby we are made partakers of his person, not only the gifts of Christ and the graces of Christ, but Christ himself is in us, as Gal. 2.20. Christ liveth in me, and so Eph. 3.17. Christ dwells in our hearts, so that this King of glory doth not only bring his rich Ornaments and Hangings to beautify the soul, but he himself also in his own person resides there; Not indeed corporally as you heard, but spiritually, for though Christ be in heaven yet that is no hindrance to Faith; It's not distance of place that takes away from Faith no more then of time, but as future things are present to heaven, so are remote things locally present to it; Even as to the eye some Objects though many miles distant are present, Faith therefore receiveth the person of Christ, and it's not only the graces of Christ but Christ himself that dwells in the soul, but yet by faith it is true many Divines affirm the graces of God's Spirit to be in us, but the Scripture doth expressly relate even to the person of Christ and the Spirit as well as the graces flowing from them.  
3. Christ is in his people by way of gracious operation as a powerful efficient, which enableth to all those holy and divine actions the godly perform, Joh. 15. Without me you can do nothing; As the branch without the Vine cannot bring forth any fruit; Did not Christ daily move and breathe upon the soul, it would always work in a carnal and humane manner, Paul saith, He no longer liveth but Christ in him, Gal. 2.20. For Paul of himself, and in his own corruption would follow the boasts of the flesh, persevere the desires thereof, did not Christ quicken and sanctify him.  
4. Christ is in us sacramentally, that is in and by the right use of that Ordinance, he is in a peculiar manner present to the believer; Therefore it's called the Communion of the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10. and although Joh 6. the eating and drinking of Christ's body and blood be not there meant of the Sacrament but of Faith in the general. for it's made necessary to every man that would have Eternal life, yet by that expression is seen the intimate incorporation of the godly with Christ, and in the right use of the Sacrament there is a more sensible visible assurance of such a presence, whether Christ's presence Sacramentally be other than his presence by a promise is not here to be disputed; Certainly if the presence differ not, yet the manner of confirming and assuring of it doth, otherwise Sacraments would be Seals of the promise in vain, and the promise itself would be enough, and the enjoying of Christ in a promise would be enough without making use of the Sacrament, and so that be wholly needless.  

The fruits and effects of Christ's being in us.  I shall not enlarge on this Point further, But come we to the fruits and effects of Christ's being in us; This is the great necessary thing to find that Christ is in us, for either the devil and sin live in us, we no longer live but sin and Satan, or else Christ and his Spirit are in us, and it's good to observe what are the Evidences and demonstrations of Christ's being in us.  
1. In whomsoever Christ is, he is made a New Creature, old things are passed away; It's high blasphemy to say Christ is in constant habitual wicked men, no 2 Cor. 5.17. If any be in Christ he is a new Creature; Now whosoever is in Christ, Christ is also in him, for they are mutual and reciprocal, if therefore thou livest in ignorance and profaneness, conclude assuredly that Christ is not in thee; It was the devil that entered into the Swine, and hurried them headlong into the Sea; Thus still the devil doth hurry many wicked men violently into Eternal perdition, and therefore our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees Joh. 6. That they were of their Father the devil, because they did his works; Thus if Christ be in thee thou wilt do the works of Christ, show forth the patience, the meekness, the zeal of Christ, if Christ be in thee ●●ou wilt have a Christ-like operation, and therefore the godly are said to put on Christ, Gal. 3.27. As a garment which covers the whole body, so that no nakedness appeareth; Thus Christ only ought to be seen in us, not our own infirmities and corruptions, nothing of ourselves but Christ.  
2. Where Christ is, there he is all in all, he is instead of all to that believer, Gal. 3.28. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, etc. but Christ is all in all, Two things are affirmed, He is in all; Every believer though never so weak and infirm hath Christ as well as the noblest, as the soul is in every finger and toe as well as in the head, which should be a great consolation to a weak believer, for though thou hast not as good gifts and parts, as good grace and holiness, yet thou hast as good a Christ as the chiefest pillars in Religion have, but then he addeth, that as Christ is in all, so he is all: What all is Christ? He is all privileges as appeareth by the Context, he is Jew and Greek, he is male and female, that is Christ is instead of all privileges and prerogatives, hence 1 Cor. 1. he is said to be made of God to us, wisdom, righteousness and redemption, and we are said to be complete in him; So that wheresoever Christ is there he is all to that soul, He is wisdom to it, righteousness to it, all spiritual privileges, yea, and all temporal comforts likewise, He is husband, wife, friend, riches, health; Thus he is all things to the soul eminently and virtually again he is all things meritoriously, there being no benefit a believer can stand in need of but he hath purchased it by his death, he is also all things efficiently because he subdueth every sin, he quickeneth to every grace, so that a believer can never say, I am in such a condition, in such a temptation, that Christ himself cannot help me.  
3. Where Christ is in a man, there also his Spirit is putting itself forth in the several operations thereof, an illuminating spirit, a guiding leading spirit, a sanctifying and sealing spirit, So that men do absurdly boast of their Interest in Christ, who yet find none of these efficacious works of God's Spirit within them: The Apostle John speaketh notably to this, 1 Joh. 4.13. Hereby know we that we d●ell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit; So that as the beams of the Sun discover the Sun, so do the spiritual effects of the holy spirit manifest Christ to be in us.  
Use of Examination, Try yourselves in this main Point, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates; If you take the word as signifying one of an unsound mind, it argueth, that man is very unsound and unskilful, who finds not Christ in him; As they sought for a proof of Christ's being in Paul, So do thou of his being in thee; If Christ be in thee why is there so much of the devil, of sin, and the world? if Christ be in thee, how come his Enemies also to be in thee? But you will say, May not Christ be in a Believer, and yet he not feel it or be sensible of it! yea, think the clean contrary, that Christ hath left him, I answer, it is often so, and thus Christ may not manifest himself to be in us, sometimes for trial sake, to give us experience of our own need without him, as Christ slept in the ●●ip, and suffered the winds and storms to arise, that they might call more earnestly upon him, sometimes we through our corruptions and sins do provoke him to withdraw his powerful operations; We entertain his enemies, and then he hideth himself from us, especially our unbeleef hinders the lively operations of Christ in us, for as Christ dwells in our hearts, so he worketh in our hearts by faith.   

SERMON CXXVIII. Of the Father's being in Christ; Of both their being in Believers: And how that can be, and yet they not quite freed from Sin and Sorrow.  JOHN 17.23. I in them, and thou in me. 
THe next thing considerable in this Text is the highest round in this ladder of Unity, and that is, The Father's being in Christ, As I am in them, so thou in me.  
The words need no further explication, then what will necessarily be discussed in the Doctrine; only when Christ is said to be in believers, and the Father in him, this is not to be understood exclusively, as if the Father were not also in believers, for the Scripture expressly affirmeth that Joh. 14.23. yea it's impossible to have the Son in us, and not the Father also, 2 ep. Joh. 29. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son. Yea we cannot know the Son, or believe in him, except we believe in the Father also, Joh. 1.4, 7, 8, 9 When Philip desired Christ to show him the Father, because Christ spoke so much of him, our Saviour doth first reprove Philip, and then instruct him: Reprove vers. 9 Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me? Observe that, Philip desired to see the Father, and Christ rebuketh him for not knowing of him; and then instructs him, He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father also; and thereupon he proceeds to exhortation, ver. 11. Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. So that by this discourse none can know or believe in Christ, but he must also know and believe in the Father; and because the Disciples were not so fully acquainted herein, they are checked by our Saviour, saying, Have I been so long time with you, and ye know not me? The longer time people have lived under means of grace, and yet not acquainted with divine truths, it is the greater condemnation. When we speak of the Father's being in Christ, this is not to be understood in a speculative and abstracted sense, but practically, and as it relateth to us, for to that purpose is it spoken by our Saviour, that hereby it might be showed, that the Father is in us also.  

Doct. As Christ is in us, so the Father being in Christ, is also thereby in us. How the Father is in Christ.  Obs. That as Christ is in us, so the Father being in Christ, is also thereby in us.  
In this Position there are two distinct things, 

1. That the Father is in Christ.  
2. That by this means the Father is also, and abideth in us.    
For the first, The Father is in Christ, and that in several respects:  
1. In respect of the Divine Nature, for so the Father is in the Son, as in the express Image, and representation of him, thus the Son is called, the Image of his Father, Col. 1.15. Heb. 1.3. For as the son of a natural father doth many times represent him in lineaments, colour and all deportments: Thus Christ also as the Son of God doth demonstrate the wisdom, power and holiness of his Father; Therefore Joh. 10. for the Father and Son to be one, is made the same, with the Father being in the Son, and the Son in the Father, for the Father is so in the Son, that he hath the same Nature, Essence and Attributes with him; and thus if the Son be in us, the Father also must be, because they are one.  
Secondly, The Father is in the Son in respect of operation and working: For this end it is, that in the whole course of his Mediatorship he referreth all to the Father, as he that sent him. The doctrine he preached, he saith, was not his, but his Fathers, Joh. 14.10. The Father that dwells in me, worketh; the Father and I work hitherto; so that all that Christ did in preaching of the Word, in working of miracles, all these do declare, that the Father is in him; and this is of great consequence, for hereby we may see, the salvation of a believer designed, both by the Father and the Son; one was not more willing than another to procure this Redemption.  
Thirdly, The Father is in Christ, in respect of his infinite love, as amans is in amato, called therefore the Son of his love; Therefore this is mentioned in the Text, as part of this unity, That the world may know, thou hast loved me; Though this love of the Father be not terminated on him only, but on all believers in him, and therefore it is that Christ calls him, his Father and their Father, and so some understand that transitively, In whom I am well-pleased, viz. with the godly, being reconciled through his blood to them; The Father than is in the Son, by way of love, and through him in all believers, by way of the same love.  
Fourthly, The Father is in Christ, by the communication of the fullness of the Godhead. This the Scripture giveth a notable description of, Col. 2.9. For in him dwelleth all the Godhead bodily. This place is worthy of a full consideration; for it doth not speak of the Father's being in the Son, as the second Person, but of the Father, as God, in his humane Nature, and the end why the Apostle bringeth this, is to take off all men from running either to Philosophy, humane traditions, or Mosaical rites, because the Godhead is in Christ bodily: The Apostles Argument is, Where there is a complete perfection and fullness, there needeth no additaments, but in Christ there is a complete fullness to all Evangelical purposes, and necessary matter to eternal salvation; and this is proved, because in Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily; In Christ, that is, in his humane Nature; all the Godhead, that is, all the whole Nature and Attributes of God, wisdom, righteousness, holiness, etc. Dwelleth, that is, abideth, continueth, Bodily, that is, personally, in opposition first to the legal expressions of God's presence; as when God spoke from between the Cherubims, as also in opposition to that efficacious presence and assistance in the Prophets, and such extraordinary holy men that he raised up; now God was in Christ transcendently to these, for he was in the humane Nature, so as to be made one Person with it, Filius Dei non assumpsit hominem personam, sed assumpsit hominem in personam; and thus the Father is in Christ, otherwise then in other creatures, and the mind of man is never able to comprehend sufficiently this mystery.  
Lastly, Which is the most proper sense of this Text, The Father is in Christ, as a Mediator between God and man; for this is chiefly intended, That Christ is the bond of that union with the Father and believers, as also with believers amongst themselves: so that Christ is not here barely considered as God, nor barely as man, but as God-man, as Mediator; Thus the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; So that without Christ we are all at a distance, yea enmity with God, he is a consuming fire, and we nothing but stubble: Even as you see, the distance and contrariety of the devils to God: Are they one in Christ? Can they call God Father? and all is, because they have not a Mediator: Here than is the springhead of all consolation, That the Father is in Christ, as a Mediator reconciling God and man together; and certainly, if the believer did more improve this truth, that he is made one with the Father and the Son, it would raise up his soul, he would condemn himself, for all those low, narrow and dejected thoughts, he is assaulted with, for how can sin hurt him that is one with Christ? How can the devil destroy him that is one with God? Certainly these must destroy Christ and God also. Indeed the devil overcame Adam and the Angels, but they were not one with Christ, they were not united to him in an inviolable Covenant, and therefore they quickly spent all, and became bankrupts. This instance indeed showeth what we are in ourselves, and that it is Christ only who beareth us up, but withal, it commands the soul to glory in Christ, to rejoice in Christ, to triumph in Christ, for in him only we have pardon and boldness at the throne of grace.  

Quest. How the Father and Son can be in believers, and yet they have such great remainders of sin in them?  These glorious things being clear Scripture-truths, all the doubt is, How shall a Christian persuade himself that the Son and the Father abide in him, when he is sensible of such corruption and sin also in him? For who would not think, that when these high things are spoken, that Christ liveth and dwelleth in a man, that the Father and Son do make their abode in him, but that such a soul must be perfected, and made pure without sin? Who would not think, that only a complete and perfect man can say with Paul, I no longer, but Christ in me? Oh, saith the godly Soul, I may and must say the contrary, not Christ, but sin, but the world liveth in me! And as it is thus for grace, so also for consolation, If Christ be in a man, and he dwells there, How can there be such black unbelieving thoughts? Where the Father and the Son is, there must be a heaven, not a hell: Can the Sun arise in its full glory and power, yet at the same time there be a black night? So how can Christ and the Father be in a believer, and yet they so subject to temptations and doubts, whether he be in them or no?  

Answ.  Now for the first, How the Father and Son can be in a believer, and yet there be such remainders of vigorous corruption in him? To this it is answered,  
1. That if it be duly considered, how the Father and Christ is in us, it must presently be conceived, that there is a presence of sin necessarily supposed in such. For as you heard, God in us, and we in him, by Christ our Mediator; Now if we had perfection and freedom from sin, we needed not a Mediator: So that as Sacraments suppose imperfection in the Communicant, thus doth also Christ in the person he is in; for if sin were not there, How could he be in thee, as reconciling thee to God, as further sanctifying thee, as healing thy corruptions? Therefore though in heaven, as some say, the mystical union of Christ as Head, and the Church as his body shall never cease, yet the manner of his presence will cease, he will not then be in us by faith, nor shall we appear in him before God, as mediating for us, and covering our imperfections, for than shall all be done away; if then you observe, how Christ is in his people (to what end? you will conclude) if I were such as I desire and groan to be, than I did not need Christ to be after that manner present in me at all.  
2. Though God and Christ be in us, yet they are in us, as free agents, communicating efficacy and power according to that measure and degree they please. If Christ were in us as a natural agent, as the fire burneth, or the Sun shineth, than he being also omnipotent, would produce the greatest effects of grace possible in every believer, because he is free and worketh according to his own council, therefore he distributeth grace, as he pleaseth, to some more, to some less, to none according to what shall be hereafter; Therefore though he might sanctify thee perfectly, yet he will not.  
3. Christ is not only in us thus freely working in us, but he hath also bounded and ordered the way of dispensations of his grace, so that he doth not put forth power in us after we are regenerated, as if we were so many bruit creatures, but he requireth our co-operation and stirring up of ourselves. Though in the initials of grace we are passive, yet not in the progress; and though it be Christ that doth daily quicken and preserve us, yet we so distemper ourselves, that some obstructions may be put to his operative presence. As  
1. Unbelief, Christ worketh in us, yet so as by faith, insomuch that we are not only justified by faith, but we are in the progress of holiness, sanctified by faith. Hence Ephes. 3.17. Christ is said, To dwell in our hearts by faith: It's by faith we receive of the fullness and fatness of Christ, insomuch that where faith is not, there Christ doth not put forth his power; So that as our Saviour said to Mary, If thou dost believe, thou shalt see the glory of God, Joh. 10. so if thou actest faith, and dost put that on working, than thou wilt both see and feel the glorious presence of Christ; Therefore there is no blame in Christ, his arm is not shortened; This fountain would send forth such living streams it useth to do, only thou dammest it up, that it cannot run.  
2. Dulness and slothfulness, this doth much withstand Christ's operations. The Church in the Canticles, when she was lazy and pretended excuses, not letting in Christ, when he desired to come in, made her at loss, and be without his presence to her dear loss; when Christ therefore hath quickened thee by preventing grace, he hath many times knocked at the door, and there hath been no entrance, this hath greatly hindered the course and flourishing of grace.  
3. When thou givest way to any gross sin, this makes Christ withdraw, so that little appeareth of him; This is like winter to the trees, that maketh all the sap withdraw to the root, so that outwardly it appeareth a dead tree; Therefore cast away that abominable thing, and then Christ will come and work as formerly in thee.  
4. Christ may live and work in thee, yet thou not be sensible and apprehensive of it. It's Christ, but thou mistakest him for something else; as to the Disciples, when Christ approached on the waters to them, he appeared to be a Spirit, at which they trembled, not thinking him to be Christ, and as Mary Magdalen thought it had been the Gardener, when it was her Lord. Thus the godly soul, though Christ at that very time doth evidently work in it, yet through black distempers doth not indeed judge Christ to be there.  
Lastly, Christ sometimes purposely withdraws his operative presence to try us, that we might see our own infirmities, that we might the more earnestly prise his power and grace: Even as in the ship, Christ did on purpose sleep, that the Disciples being in extremity might the more earnestly awaken him; Thus Dormit in te Christus, and as Joseph to his brethren discovers not who he is, that so he may be the more welcome afterwards.  
And as for the second Question, How can Christ be in thee, and yet thou have no comfort and assurance? You may see the possibility of that in Christ himself, who though so dearly beloved of the Father, and the Father was in him, yet for the present those heavenly consolations were suspended.  
Use of Instruction, to demonstrate the happy condition of such as do believe, They have God and Christ within them; Though contemptible vessels, yet they have a glorious treasure within; Though the Cabinet have no excellency, yet the Jewel hath. Take heed then of grieving such a noble guest within thee; when a noble person enters into thy house, how doth it trouble thee, that any offensive object should come before him? Be thou as much careful, left any vain thought, any evil action should molest him.   

SERMON CXXIX. Of the Unity of Believers; Of the Cause and Nature of it; And what makes to the perfect Consummation of it.  JOHN 17.23. That they may be made perfect in one. 
THose words contain the effect and fruit of that former Unity specified viz. Christ in us, and the Father in him; for our Saviour here speaks of a threefold Unity,  
1. Of the Father with Christ, as Mediator.  
2. Of Christ, as Mediator and Head with his Church.  
3. Of believers amongst themselves, and the Unity of Christ with believers, as their Head, is the cause of the Members union and communion one with another.  
Now this is the last time our Saviour repeateth this particular of unity; for our Saviour doth in this prayer for believers four times repeat it, which demonstrateth his exceeding ardent affections for it, only every expression seemeth to rise higher than the former.  
The first is, That they may be one.  
2. That they may be one in us.  
3. That they may be one, even as we are one.  
4. That they may be made perfect in one, and this is here mentioned.  
Now what it is to be made perfect in one will appear afterwards; only the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is used sometimes of performing and consummating a thing with perfection, sometimes it's used of sanctification and consecration, Heb. 2.10. Heb. 5.9. Heb. 7.28. Now although it be true, that all believers are consecrated and set apart as holy from the world to God, yet that which is here primarily intended, is the perfection and consummation of them in unity, 

Doct. The Father and Christ's being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity which they ought to have of themselves.  
What is implied in their being made perfect in one.   which though it will not be complete till in heaven, yet it is inchoate, and begun in this life.  
Obs. That the Father and Christ's being in believers, is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity, which they ought to have of themselves. There could be no union in the body, if the Head did not unite it. All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator: Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have, which doth not first arise from this spring, is humane and carnal.  
To open this, let us consider, What is implied in their being made perfect in one. And  
First, Here is implied sincerity and uprightness; That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith. This is often the use of the word perfect, as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit; many are said to walk with a perfect heart, because they did not walk with an heart, and an heart by dissimulation; so that it's a perfection of essence and parts, not of degrees; and this indeed is greatly to be urged, that as all the other things in the godly be sincere, so their unity, that they be joined together from spiritual principles, and by spiritual means: It was the Heathens Position, That amicitia could only be inter bonos, that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili, or jacundo, and not honesto, it did not deserve the name of friendship: Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly, which hath for its cause and original, Christ himself, and for its pattern, such an unity, that the Father and Son have? To be perfect then in unity, is to have sincere hearts one towards another, as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation; Let there be no water to debase this wine, let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core.  
Secondly, To be perfect in Unity, doth imply, not only sincerity, but integrity of all those substantials and essentials, wherein this oneness doth consist. You have heard, that the Unity of believers doth empty itself into two great streams, one of Faith, in respect of Doctrine; The other of Charity, in respect of life and affections: Therefore if any of these be wanting, the Unity is dissolved; if love be pretended, but yet there is no divine truth, this is conspiracy, not unity; and if faith be pretended, but not love, as yet we have no sign of the true Disciples of Christ; Let then the Church of God, look it hath these two pillars, like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up. All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand, and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction; pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth, for the former; and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it, love, peace, meekness, &c for the latter.  
Thirdly, The word perfect in one, doth imply, an increase and daily progress in the way of Unity. For though the Church of Christ be his Body, yet it's a growing body, it's not come to its full stature, no not in this life; There are further degrees to be attained, Ephes. 4.13. We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus; and thus we read of many called perfect, as 1 Cor. 2.6. Heb. 5.14. not in an absolute sense, but comparatively, because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others: We are not then to think, that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life, but that it may be more perfected; In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections, there is much weakness, many carnal affections, which are apt to discompose the beautiful frame of the Church.  
Fourthly, It doth imply, That they are perfected in those means, which are appointed by God for this Unity. For seeing the means are wholly for the end, the end can never be better enjoined then formerly, if the means be not better improved; so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one, it must more faithfully improve the means of unity, and they are especially two,  
1. The preaching of the Word of God; For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world, so by that also it's kept up in its purity, and unity. The Word of God preached is the only means appointed to remove ignorance and mortify corruptions, which are the rares that hinder the good seed: As the envious man soweth these, so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary. Hence Ephes. 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature: far be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God, whose great office and employment is to proclaim peace: The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another, as thereby to be destroyed.  
2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, that is a special means to preserve Unity, yea and to perfect it. The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this, For we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread: So Eph. 4. one Baptism is brought as an engagement to unity: Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received, the more is this unity confirmed and established; and therefore those primitive Christians, who had one soul, and one heart, were constant also in their breaking of bread, whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved.  
Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church:  
The first is, Ratione principii, of God who calleth, though (as he saith) this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno, one as under one.  
2. Ratione ultimi finis, the salvation to which it's called, and this makes the Church not so much one, as ad unum.  
3. Ratione Mediorum, in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments; and thus the Church is rather by one then one.  
4. In respect of the holy Ghost, as a separated Governor.  
5. In respect of Christ, as an internal and conjoined Head.  
6. In respect of the connexion of the Members amongst themselves, and in these two last respects it's properly one.  
Lastly, This Unity will be wholly perfected in Heaven; Then will all partition walls be destroyed; Then shall it no more be said, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, but God will be all in all. Therefore as this life is a place, like Hadadrimmon, a valley of tears, bewailing corruptions and sins amongst us; so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us: But in Heaven, all opinions, all different ways will cease: So that although this unity for the main of it, be attained in this life, yet in the life to come, there it will be totally completed; Thus it is here perfect, because the endeavours and breathe of the godly should be after that heavenly unity, to have it with the Church here in grace, as it shall be with the Church hereafter in glory: And certainly, if this were not accomplished in Heaven, than there would not be all tears wiped away, nor would the reproach of Jerusalem cease.  

The causes of this unity.  Thus you have heard what it is, that makes this unity of believers consummate and perfect.  
Now let us consider, What is the cause of this, and that we shall find to be no humane strength, or outward wisdom and policy, but the lively communication of grace enabling thereunto by Christ himself. Though the Papist pleads, That the acknowledgement of one visible Head in the Church, is the only means to preserve unity, yet experience showeth the falseness of it. The divisions and breaches of the godly, like those of Reuben, have made sad workings of heart, and many have come running in, with their water to quench this fire: Several Antidotes have been prescribed against this corruption, but yet when all is done, It's the only power of Jesus Christ, as Head of his Church, that works this sweet Harmony. It's true indeed, many rules and pacifical means are commended by wise and godly men to make an unity, but these work only morally and swasorily; that which doth (as it were) physically and really work it, is the Lord Christ himself, as the fountain of this unity: And the reason is, because this unity among believers, is not only external, but internal and spiritual; Now no man can work this unity in the hearts of the godly, any more than he can work purity, and holiness: Therefore we see in the Text, That because Christ is in us, and the Father in Christ, therefore are the godly perfected in one; so that it requireth a Divine, Supernatural power to make the godly at heavenly accord; even as it doth to make them godly. Hence it is that in this prayer Christ commendeth it to God to work it, as being beyond all humane power to effect it: Now Christ's being in a believer, is a cause of these things in reference to their unity.  
First, He is thereby a cause of the Unity itself: For we told you, This unity, though external, yet is chiefly spiritual and internal, viz. The harmonious knitting and joining of all the Members of Christ together, in him their Head: Now this being wholly spiritual, none can effect it, but God alone; for naturally we are disjoined from God, and full of contrariety to him: Therefore to be made a member of Christ, and implanted into him, cannot be by any other, but the Spirit of God: As those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves gather together, nor can a Cyen graft itself into a stock; Thus it is here, till the Spirit of God join us to Christ, we are enemies and adversaries unto him. That power therefore which gives grace, that only unites, As in the natural body, the same cause which makes a member▪ makes it also a united member: Insomuch that in all the fractions and divisions we see amongst the godly, we ought to have our eyes up more to God, to consider that power which makes them holy, must unite them; and indeed to make them gracious and holy is the greater work, yea unity would flow by a necessary resultancy from our membership in Christ, but that still our corruptions are too strong and apt to disturb all.  
Secondly, Christ's being in us, is not only the cause of our Unity, but also of the harmonious suitable proportion to each other. We have an admirable description of this harmonious suitableness in the unity of Christ's body, Colos. 2.19. Ephes. 4.15, 16. For the first, It's a Text full of rich and glorious matter, and to understand it, consider, What it is that the Apostle makes the cause why those false Teachers did advance the worship of Angels, introduce humane traditions, and all to set up other means and ways of Justification, than the Scripture hath appointed, It is (saith he) because they hold not the Head: So that every Christian in the matter of all spiritual concernments, is still to look up to Christ, as the Head, and not to let him go; and this he amplifieth from a twofold precious effect of this Head; The first respects the union of believers to Christ, and so the body is said by joints to receive nourishment, that as the body hath its nourishment suppeditated by those natural helps, so hath every Christian from Christ: Now the joint that suppeditates these spiritual helps, is chiefly the Spirit of God: So Romans 8.9. If any man have net the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his: So that as that is not a member truly united to the Head, which is not informed with the same form, the Head is; so neither is that Christian really united to Christ, which wants the Spirit of Christ: Now the Spirit of Christ is here said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To administer nourishment. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signify to supply all those ornaments, which were necessary to such as kept their sacred dance and festivities, but here it signifieth the supply of those things that are necessary for our spiritual end, and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added, amplifieth it, denoting the full, plentiful and abundant supply it giveth. So that you see, it's Christ's Spirit, not ours, which doth thus enable us.  
The second benefit flowing from Christ our Head, is of the Members themselves. They by bands are knit together; Now the band here is chiefly also the Spirit of God, though gifts and graces do ordinarily unite: So the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12.13. For we all by one Spirit are baptised into one body: So that the Spirit of God, which is in Christ, doth also work in all believers, inflaming and exciting to such graces, whereby they have intimate communion one with another. Now from these two benefits conjoined, we have the admirable fruit thereof, that the body groweth with the increase of God. The spiritual growth of Christians, as in the body, is called, The increase of God; partly, because God only is the efficient, and cause of it; partly formally, because the nature of this increase is divine and heavenly; partly finally, because it is to the glory and honour of God. So that by all this we see, Every true member of Christ is a thriving and growing member, and that harmoniously according to its respective nature, and all this comes wholly by the Spirit of Christ; so that an unity in the harmonious increase of it, depends solely upon him. By this Explication, the other forementioned Text may also be discovered.  
Lastly, Christ's being in us, is the cause of the perpetuity and constancy of that Unity the godly have. This Union in Christ's body can never be dissolved. As the Personal Union of Christ could never be divided, so neither the mystical. Therefore our sound Divines do well from Christ's indwelling in us, propugne and assert the perseverance of the Saints.  
Use of Instruction, Whence it is, that even amongst the godly there are so many differences, heart-burnings, etc. It's because Christ is not in them after such a powerful and efficacious manner, as he might be. The dark night and misty fogs can no more endure before the glorious beams of the Sun, then corrupt passions and contentions can stand before this Sun of Righteousness, when risen to its vertical point. Under the torrid Zone there cannot be any cold frosts, so neither under the efficacious presence of Christ can there be such sinful breaches.   

SERMON CXXX. Shows, That every one that Believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth: Against the Popish Implicit Faith; And what Knowledge the Knowledge of Faith is.  JOH. 17.23. And that the world may know, that thou hast sent me. 
THE words now to be insisted upon ●re, the effect or event of this spiritual Unity believers have with Christ and one another, which is, That the world may know the Father had sent Christ; This was treated of before, only whereas before it was that the world may believe here it is, That the world may know, and besides a new thing is here added to their knowledge, that the Father had sent Christ, viz. his love also of all Believers, even as he loved Christ.  
What is meant by world hath been showed already; I shall only fasten on this Consideration, that what our Saviour called believing ver. 21. here is called knowing, and therefore having handled faith in its specifical nature as it rests on Christ, which alone justifieth, and also the general nature of it as it gives firm assent to all divine Truths:  
I shall now to complete the full Truth of the nature thereof handle it in another essential constituting ingredient of it, and that is knowledge, and the matter is necessary both in respect of doctrinal errors about it, as also for practical usefulness, For the Pontificians they deny both that fiducial recumbency and application to faith, as also knowledge, leaving it only to be a divine assent, but as we have asserted the former, So now our task shall be to affirm the latter, viz. That Faith is knowledge as well as assent; It's a fiducial assent with knowledge▪ These three particulars are either ingredient or requisite to the act of believing, whether indeed knowledge be a pre-requisite or ingredient is disputed, but that all divine Faith hath knowledge is confessed by the Orthodox against the Papists; so that I shall observe,  
That Faith is knowledge, or he that believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth. 
Doct. That faith is knowledge.  Hence it is usual in Scripture to describe faith sometimes by trusting, and sometimes by knowing, synecdochically intending thereby the whole nature of faith; That faith is knowledge, besides many other places, is abundantly cleared, v. 2. 
What knowledge faith is not.  and v. 18▪ in this Chapter. I shall therefore proceed to explicate to this. And  
First, When we say, That Faith is knowledge, i● is not to be understood thus, 
1. Not a knowledge by sense.  as if it were such a kind of knowledge, as we have by sense, for the Scripture doth oppose living by faith to living by sense, and our Saviour faith, John 20. Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not, Vbi vides, non est fides; Indeed when Thomas did feel the wounds of Christ, here he did believe and see, but the object of his sense was a body, the ●ct of his faith was spiritual, that Christ was the Son of the living God; What then we know by sense, we are not properly said to believe, although things of sense may tend to confirm our faith, as miracles and Sacraments, which Christ hath appointed for that end.  

2. Not a perfect comprehension and intuitive vision of the thing we believe.  Secondly, The knowledge of faith is not by a perfect comprehension, and intuitive vision of the thing we believe. It's not like the knowledge of God and Christ, we shall have in Heaven, and therefore faith shall cease in Heaven, as it denoteh any inevidence, or imperfection in the subject: This knowledge of faith we have here as in a glass, and in a riddle, but than it shall be face to face, and this should abundantly satisfy us in the many things we know by faith; for although our knowledge be very imperfect, and is like the weak eye to the dazzling beams of the Sun, yet hereafter this vail, this cloud will be removed, and we shall then perfectly and fully understand all those things, that now we have but imperfect apprehensions of about the Doctrine of Christ, of the Trinity, of the Resurrection, of the providences of God towards his Church, how little do we understand of them? yet the time is coming, when we shall know these things, even as we are known. The Apostle compareth this knowledge we have, to a child's knowledge in respect of a man's, 1 Cor. 13. Alas, when we speak of God, and heavenly things, we do but stammer like so many little children; when we come to Heaven, how vast and comprehensive will our thoughts be, to what we have now!  

3. Nor like those imperfect acts of the soul, which are called Suspicion, opinion or doubting.  Thirdly, The knowledge of faith is not like those imperfect acts of the soul, which are called suspicion, and opinion, or doubting. Doubting is when the mind remaineth in an equal and indifferent propension, assenting to neither part of the proposition. Suspicion is, when the soul inclineth to one part of the proposition, but upon a very light and unsatisfying argument: And Opinion is, when we assent to something with some fear, that the opposite may be true, and therefore the Arguments do only probably move us: Now the knowledge of faith doth exclude these imperfections, doubting is in Scripture expressly opposed to believing, and so when a man is divided, as a traveller at two ways, not knowing which to go, or when he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hang in suspense. These things are inconsistent with faith; and truly this is greatly to be considered, for in these days wherein we see men so sceptical, so wavering, so uncertain, we may conclude there is little faith; That men are opiniotive and fancy-full in Religion, rather than believing, for where the knowledge of faith is, there it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convince, and so persuade the heart, that it knoweth not how to contradict, or oppose any longer: Oh then, pray for faith in these unstable and wavering time! It's a mercy to be a pillar in God's house, and not like a reed to be shaken with every wind of doctrine.  

4. Nor is it from the evidence of any internal principles.  Fourthly, The knowledge of faith is not from the evidence of any internal principles of the thing, such as we have by demonstration and reason in philosophical matters. And indeed this is one main reason why the fathers insisted in believing as opposite to knowing, Noveris te ess● fidelem, non rationalem. It was julian's great objection against the Christians, that they urged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, only believe; they did not bring reasons to demonstrate; So that if Papists, when they deny faith to be knowledge, did mean no more than this, that it is not a scientifical knowledge, that it's not a knowledge from the inward reason of things, we would grant it, and think it to be only a strife about words, for this is plain, as Austin well, Non ratio dicti, sed dicendi autoritas suadet; It's not reason from the thing, but the authority of the speaker, that is the cause of faith. Now for want of right understanding herein; the Socinians they go too far on the other hand; The Papist thinks faith defined better by ignorance then knowledge; the Socinian will have such knowledge as shall be fetched from the inward reason of things, and this is the cause why the Trinity and Incarnation of Christ are denied, because reason is made the Judge of these things, but the knowledge of faith is not like that of the Philosophers, who searched into the causes and inward principles of things, for then the Scriptures would not be commended to us, but the Plato's and Aristotle's of the world.  
Therefore fifthly, The knowledge faith brings, is a knowledge respecting the testimony and revelation of a thing, and the authority of him, who doth reveal it, 
What knowledge the knowledge of faith is.  that he is the supreme verity, and therefore cannot lie. We see in an humane faith, a man cannot believe that which he doth not know witnessed, a thing that he never heard spoken of; and this is that which we justly blame the Church of Rome for, That it teacheth an implicit faith, viz. That we believe what the Church believeth; but now, what is it that the Church believeth, they know not, and it may be never heard of it? Therefore that is the way to lead men blindfold to hell; for this implicit faith is indeed nothing but a simple gross ignorance; but faith divine knoweth the testimony, or that word which revealeth such truth, not that they only can believe, who can read, for Faith cometh by hearing, as well as reading, so that they may know the truth confirmed in the Scripture, though they cannot read it: Faith therefore is not blind, nor is the obedience of it in this sense blind, as if it did not know what it did believe, with such blind Sacrifices God is not well-pleased; and the woman of Samaria is reproved, because she worshipped she knew not what, Joh. 4. and it's no less guilt when we believe we know not what,  
2. There is not only a knowledge of the testimony, but some, though imperfect knowledge of the very things themselves. Thus Paul, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.22. and so in many places the people of God are said to know God, to know Christ; There is an apprehensive knowledge, though not a comprehensive; Therefore though God doth not give perfect knowledge in this life, yet he could, if he please, turn faith into vision; He that made the corporal blind to see, can also take away mental blindness, but he is pleased to let us have but imperfect knowledge, and that partly because we ought to be humbled in ourselves, for we see the pride and sinful corruption of man, when it gets any knowledge in the Scripture, how ready to be lifted up, to despise others, to think we are wiser than Solomon, which makes the Apostle say, Knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8.1. not that it doth so of itself, for of itself it would rather humble and debase, but such is our corruption and vanity, that without the special grace of God, as we grow in knowledge, so also we grow in pride. Again, God keepeth us in imperfect knowledge here, that so we might be in constant prayer and dependence on him, to beg for knowledge, and an understanding heart, as also that we might study and meditate, to be always growing in knowledge, as the Apostle exhorts; Hence it is that there are so many difficult places in Scripture, which will exercise the thoughts of the most learned, and those things the ablest men do know, yet they may grow in a more firm, distinct and powerful knowledge. This Sun may arise upon them by degrees, till at last it comes to its vertical point.  
Now that our faith must either be knowing, 
Reason's why faith must be knowing, or have knowledge accompanying of it.  or have knowledge accompanying of it is plain.  
1. Because the word of God is given as a Rule, and therefore compared to a light and a lantern, because it doth direct and order our conversations; If then faith had not knowledge, to what use should the Word enlighten? To what purpose also are those frequent exhortations to all private persons, as well as Officers, to attend to the reading of it, to prove all things, to try all things? Can the Scripture be made use of? Can these duties be put in practice, and yet there be no knowledge?  
2. As the Word is light objectiuè, so the believer himself is light subjectiuè. Hence they are called light in the Lord, light in the very abstract, Eph. 5.8. and the Scripture speaks often, of their illumination, having their understandings and hearts opened; insomuch, that the soul is a mere chaos and confusion till God create this light in it; faith then is accompanied with internal light, as well as it requireth external.  
3. The obedience of a Christian is to be rational; it's called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the reasonable service, Rom. 12.1. and all the Pharisees worship is rejected, because it had no word to be grounded upon; we are to answer God, when he shall say, Who hath required you to believe thus, to worship thus? And how can this be without knowledge? Though in Popery a blind obedience is commended, yet Christ requireth a seeing and knowing obedience.  
4. The just is to be saved by his faith; Now if faith hath no knowledge, this properly is another man's faith; if faith hath no knowledge, but believeth, because the Church believeth so, or a Council believeth so, then it's not so much his own faith, as the Church's faith that must save him.  
Lastly, If faith hath not knowledge, then it's impossible to discharge all those effects of faith, that the Scripture speaks of, as to cleave and adhere to the truth, to refuse falsehood, and all cunning deceivableness of error. Now how can this be, if faith hath no eyes of knowledge to discern? Trees and men are all one to a blind man. Any Camel will quickly be swallowed up, if there be not a knowing faith.  
2. How can we suffer martyrdom, and lose all the dearest comforts we have, if we have not knowledge? Can a man be banished, undone, suffer death, and all for that which he doth not know whether it be true or not?  
3. He cannot be thankful unto God under the truth he enjoyeth, neither can he make that practical improvement of them, as he ought to do: As Christ told the Samaritan woman, If thou didst know who it is that asketh thee. etc. Joh. 4. so if thou didst know what Christ is, what the Covenant of grace is, thou wouldst make an heavenly use of it, whereas now thou knowest no more what to do with it, than a swine with a pearl.  
Use of Exhortation, to get out of all gross and profane ignorance; There cannot be any faith, all the while this darkness is upon thy mind, and if there be no Faith, there is no Justification, no Salvation, Christ is become of no effect unto thee, and yet how boldly will many ignorant people talk of their good faith, they are not led aside with the giddy errors of many, they cleave to the old faith, but dost thou know what thy old faith is, if it were Turcism and Popery it would be all one to thee.   

SERMON CXXXI. Of the unspeakable Love of God to Believers; Showing wherein Gods Love to Christ, and to Believers is alike, and wherein it differs.  JOHN 17.23. And hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 
A Twofold Effect or Event is propounded by our Saviour, of the unity which believers have, first, in Christ, and then amongst themselves;  
The first is, That the world may know, thou hast sent me; of which we have briefly treated already, because our Saviour had mentioned it, v. 21. and indeed our Saviour doth in these verses with so much plainness ingeminate the matter of his Petition, that Luther on the place saith, These words do pueriliter sonare, judicio rationis, and that he was wont to say often, That he never read a book containing such excellent and sublime matter in such simple and plain words.  
The second Effect or Event is, That the world may know, that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.  
So that in this latter particular, there is one truth supposed, and another proposed: That which is supposed is, that it's of great consequence for the world to know that God loveth believers, it would stop much of their malice and violence, if they did truly know, that such whom they oppose and persecute, are the believed ones of God: But of that afterwards. That which is expressly affirmed is, that the Father loveth believers, as he loveth Christ himself. A wonderful and amazing expression it is, that believers and Christ should be thus coupled together, that when there is such an infinite disparity, that yet they should both agree in the same love: So that in the words you have, the mercy and privilege God vouchsafeth to believers, he loveth them. Now when we say, God loveth, it's to say all things, for that is the fountain and treasury of all good things; his love is like himself, infinite, omnipotent and efficacious.  
2. You have the example or manner of this love, and that is said to be, as he loveth Christ The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Austin and Calvin do explain not of similitude, but of causality, and so resolve it into this sense. The Father loveth believers, because he loveth Christ, and indeed this is a grand truth, that in Christ only we are accepted of, and beloved. It's not because of ourselves, but of Christ, that we are approved of, yet there is no necessity of leaving the grammatical interpretation, for the Father doth love us, as he loveth Christ not in respect of equality, but similitude, as they are said to be one, as the Father and Son are one. These words than do contain the very honey and honeycomb of Christianity, in that they are loved of the Father, as Christ is, they need nothing more, for God's love will put him upon all those effects that a believer stands in need of.  

Observe. God the Father loveth believers, even as he loveth Christ.  Observe. That God the Father loveth believers, even as he loveth Christ himself. A great truth, and as you would think, a bold and presumptuous affirmation.  
Therefore to clear it, Let us consider, wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike, and wherein they are like one to another. And  

I. Wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike.  First, The love of the Father to Christ, is as to his only natural begotten Son, but to believers, as to his adopted children. And therefore between these there must be a vast difference; The love of the Father to the Son is like that of the Father to himself, because he is of the same essence with him, so that he loveth the glory and honour of his Son, as his own glory, but now that love which he beareth to his adopted children, is of an inferior nature, they are creatures only, and their holiness is but imperfect, and by way of quality, or accident in them, but the Son is essentially holy; so that in this respect there is no comparison to be made between the Son and us; That love differeth toto genere in this sense, from the love bestowed on us, even as his filiation is not of the same univocal nature with ours.  
Secondly, Therefore the love which the Father showeth to his Son, is necessary and natural; he could not but love him, no more than he could not, but beget him, whereas to believers its voluntary, and wholly of free dispensation. It's disputed in the Schools, Whether the Father did beget the Son necessarily, or freely, and so by consequence, Whether his love be necessary or free; but the soundest Writers say, That a necessity of unitability and freedom do not oppose one another, a necessity from natural imperfection contradicts liberty as a perfection, but not that which ariseth from the chiefest and highest perfection, and so it is in God; It's from his infinite perfection, that he cannot but love himself, and his Son, but now in respect of his adopted sons, all is of mere grace, which he doth to them, John 1. It's he that gives an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a right and privilege to them, to become the sons of God, God could have taken infinite delight in his own Son, that was object satisfying enough, there needed no other than him to take his delight in, yet he was pleased contrary to the customs of men, though he had a natural Son of his own, to assume adopted ones likewise.  
Thirdly, The Father loveth the Son originally for his own sake, but he loveth believers for Christ's sake. And this indeed doth mainly put the difference between the Father's love to us and Christ, here Christ is loved for his own sake, he needed no Mediator, or another Christ to procure his acceptance, for so there would have been imperfection in Christ, but in us, all our hope, all our wellpleasing is through him; So that as every Star shineth by the light of the Sun, thus doth every believer appear comely in the robes of Christ's righteousness only. Thus the Apostle Phil. 3. declareth fully, When he would not be found in his own righteousness, but that which is through faith in Christ: So that as it was the Temple, which made every thing holy, thus it is the Lord Christ, which makes every creature accepted of.  
Lastly, Christ is not capable of some effects of such love, which the Father doth vouchsafe believers. To us he gives Pardon of sin, Justification by faith, in us he works repentance, faith, and subdueth the relics of corruption in us, but such was the perfection of Christ, that he could not have such kind of love demonstrated to him.  

II. Wherein Gods love to Christ and believers is alike.  Having thus seen the disparity, and that still Christ hath the preeminency in God's love, Let us consider wherein Christ and we agree in God's love. And  
First, God's love is terminated not on Christ simply, but as the head of believers. So that Christ and his Church are considered as one mystical person, and this is chiefly aimed at in all those places, 
1.  where Christ speaks of his being in believers, and that they are his body, 
In loving Christ and them as one mystical person.  all is to draw up our hearts into an high admiration of Gods love herein, for God doth now look upon Christ and believers as one, if he loveth Christ, he must needs love them; if he hate them, or cast them off, he must hate, and cast off Christ: Insomuch that if a Christian desires to get up into a Mount of Transfiguration, let him ascend up hither; for what will fill the heart with heaven, if this do not, I and Christ are loved, as one? Though the Father loveth Christ in some respects transcendently to us, yet in other respects, he makes his love common to us both. Certainly faith in this great and precious truth, would be a constant cordial; Thou fearest thy sins and imperfections may cast thee out of God's love, but are they able to cast Christ out of his Father's love, if they cannot do the one, neither can they the other? Christ and a believer is made one, when one is loved, the other must necessarily be loved, and if one be hated, the other also must be hated.  
Secondly, The Father's love to Christ and us is alike in the properties of it. 
2. In the properties of it.  Love to Christ is not differing in its properties from that he loveth us with. As  
1. It's eternal love, As the Father loved Christ before the world was, so he did also all believers in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid. This our Saviour speaketh of, vers. 24. Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world, and that he showeth the like love to all believers, is often declared, Eph. 1.4. We are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. The love then which the Father beareth to believers is an eternal love: It's not shorter in time then that to Christ, for in eternity there is no prius nor posterius; As then the Father loved Christ always, even from all eternity, so he doth likewise every believer; before thou hadst a being, before either thyself, or any friend in the world could take any care of thee, God did pitch his love upon thee: Oh then, let not the people of God, think God is like man, that he began to day or yesterday to love thee! No, it was from all eternity, and that love brought forth in time, all the other effects of love, that called thee, that justified thee, and that will glorify thee; Therefore the Apostle when he speaks of these blessed effects in time, he resolveth all into this love from eternity, as the Springhead of all.  
Secondly, The Father's love to Christ and believers are alike in the property of unchangeableness and immutability. God will no more alter his love, or cease to love his children, than he will Christ himself; This is plain, because all the promises to the godly are Yea and Amen in Christ, 2 Cor. 1.20. he is their Mediator, in him they are made one with the Father: So that by the same cause of perpetuity in his Headship, by the same will they certainly persevere to us. Thus it is said, Rom. 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God? He challengeth any thing to break this love, if they can. Grant then, that the Father may love Christ in some peculiar respects, which thou art not capable of, yet in this thou and Christ are alike, God will never change the love of his Son into hatred, he will never become of a Father an enemy to him, so neither will he to any true believer. As long as his love shall continue unchangeable to his Son, so long it will to thee; and thus God's love to thee is on a firmer bottom, then that of Mount Zion, or the Ordinance God hath made with heaven and earth, or the day and night, for all these shall wax old, but the love of God like himself shall abide for ever.  
Thirdly, The Father's love hath the property of freeness, both to us and Christ. Indeed if we consider Christ as God, so the Father loved him necessarily, but as he was man, and a Mediator, so the Father's love to him was free, for it was of the mere goodness of God to appoint him to be a Mediator; The humane Nature was not assumed for any fore-seen merits in it, but all was from the mere good pleasure of God, and this holds much more true in all the gracious effects that we partake of, therefore the great scope of the Scripture is to declare this, that all the privileges and mercies we partake of, come not from any worth, or desert in ourselves, but wholly from the grace and mere love of God; Insomuch that all those opinions which make the rise of any good we enjoy, to be first our love to God, and not God's love to us, are to be accursed; as if the earth did first water the heavens, and then the heavens the earth.  

3. In regard of the effects of it  In the third place, The Father's love to Christ and believers, is alike in regard of the real and true effects of it. As to Christ it was not a love in word, or show, but power and mighty operations, so it is also to every believer: Though there be a difference, yet the love is as real to one, as the other; Even as when the first commandment of loving God, is said to be the greatest, yet at the same time the second is said to be like it, in respect of obligation, though not of dignity, Thus it is as firmly, and as really love to believers as to Christ, though not so principally; and although some effects of love, we partake of, which Christ is not capable of, yet there are others that we do communicate in. As  
1 One great effect of the Father's love to Christ, while in the days of his suffering flesh, was the protection, defence and encouragement that he had from the Father; for Christ in the whole course of his Ministry, by faith depended on his Father; insomuch that though the malice of his enemies was importunate to destroy him, yet they could never accomplish their design, till the Father's time was come, and then, though he prayed to the Father to be saved from that hour, yet it was only conditional, and therefore he submitted himself absolutely to Gods will. Now the same fatherly care Christ had experience of in his whole course, the same may believers expect; Therefore Joh. 14. he tells them, I go to my Father, and your Father, he is the same Father to both: Oh then, why should a believer under any extremities or agonies be cast down, the same fatherly love thou mayest look for, as Christ himself met with.  
A second real effect of the Father's love, is Glorification of Christ; The glory that Christ was to have after his sufferings, is often mentioned in the Scripture. In this Chapter we see our Saviour earnestly praying for it, and after his Resurrection, we read how highly he was exalted, and what glory he was lifted up into; now the Father loveth all believers with the same efficacy, as they suffer with Christ, so they shall reign with him, here they are said not only to be sons, but heirs and coheirs with Christ, they shall sit on thrones of glory with Christ. Thus God's love runs in the same effects to Christ and us.   

SERMON CXXXII. showeth of what high concernment it is to the men of the world to know how greatly Believers (whom they hate and persecute) are beloved of God.  JOH. 17.23. That thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 
THe glorious privilege of a believer hath been considered from this privilege, viz. that they and Christ are embraced with the same love, and are made coheirs with Christ. Now before we conclude this, an Objection doth present itself to this purpose.  
It may seem, that the Father loveth us more than Christ, 
Obj.  for he giveth him to be a ransom and price for us, Christ is made a curse, dieth an ignominious and a painful death, not for himself, but for us, by which it may appear, that the Father's love is more to us then to him, for he delivers him to death, that we might live, he is made a man of sorrows and full of grief, to provide consolation for us, so that Christ seemeth to be but the means, and we the end, and the end hath more amability and appetibility in it then the means. But to this, these things may be returned by way of answer,  
First, That Christ when he died for us, and procured our salvation, 
Answ.  he did it as an efficient cause, by his own inward worth and power. So that our spiritual mercies are not so much to be considered, the end of Christ's death, as the effects of it: So that we may truly say, what the people did to David, in an higher manner to Christ, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, yea then all believers: So that Christ died not for us, in such a way, as when a Martyr dieth for the truth, or a private person for the Commonwealth, for these die to prefer a greater good above the less; The truth of God is more worth, than any man's life; The public good is more precious, than the temporal advantage of any one man; and in these instances, the lesser good is lost for the greater; but when Christ was thus afflicted by the Father for us, this was, that a greater good might obtain a lesser; for in Christ's blood, there was plenty and all fullness to redeem his people; so that we are not to look on Christ dying, as a mere passive means ordained for us, but as an active means, by the causality and virtue whereof our eternal good is accomplished.  
Secondly, The Father doth not love us more than Christ, though for a while he was made miserable for us, for Christ's willing offering up of himself to this Sacrifice, did infinitely draw out the love of God to him; So that the Father loved him the more, because he would out himself from the exercise and actual enjoyment of his Father's love for a season, that he was contented for a time to be in those agonies and conflicts, grappling with the sense of his Father's displeasure, for this very reason, his Father did infinitely love him, so Christ himself witnesseth, Job. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for my sheep; and herein was the Father's love and acceptance seen, that upon his sufferings the Father exalted him to such transcendent glory, exalting him above every name that is named: So that although many Divines say, Christ merited nothing for himself, yet others say with great confidence, That the Covenant which was made with Christ as our Mediator, did promise him all that mediatorial honour and glory which he enjoyed, upon the discharge of his Suretyship, and this they make to be the principal and great thing intended by God, viz. the exaltation of Christ, and giving of him such transcendent glory, only they confess this glory of Christ doth redound for our good; but that which was principally aimed at in the Father's agreement with Christ, was the glorious rewarding of him.  
Thirdly, Though Christ was given for us, yet this doth not follow that we were loved more than Christ, Because the Father laid no more upon him, than he was willing and able to bear. So that Christ conquered all his enemies, neither sin nor death were able to overmaster him, and therefore he was for a season under these sufferings, that we might be made happy to all eternity; If indeed the Father had left him in a perpetual desertion, and suffered his body to see corruption for ever, to procure our peace, than it would have followed that he preferred us before his Son, but that could not be. What was ordered to befall him, was no more than he could bear, and quickly remove, and therefore Christ lost nothing by becoming our Saviour, and yet we also are made happy thereby.  
Fourthly, Therefore Christ was loved more than us, though he died for us, Because the ultimate end of his death was, that we being redeemed by his death, might acknowledge him our Lord, and for ever live to his praise and glory. So that the salvation of believers is but a proxim and immediate end of Christ's death, that which is ultimate, that which was principally intended, was that we being thus ransomed, might to all eternity set forth the praises and glory of him, who thus loved us to death.  
Use of Exhortation, To behold and admire the unspeakable love of the Father to all believers; That he joineth Christ and them in the same love, the same heaven, the same glory (for kind) that Christ hath, all believers likewise shall partake of. Even as for wicked men, the same hell, the same damnation and torments which are prepared for the devil and his Angels, are also appointed for the ungodly: If D●vid said, Seemeth it a light matter to be made a son-in-law to the King, then yet Saul's purpose was not to make him like Jonathan, and co-heir with him of that temporal Kingdom, How much more should this affect us, which the Father doth for us! Oh say, and often say, Blessed Father, is this a little matter for such a poor, weak sinner, to be taken into the same chariot of glory with Christ, to have love like his, glory to his, as Abigail said to David, when he sent for her to make her his wife, she acknowledged her unworthiness, Make me one of thy handmaids (said she) So, O Lord, if I have a drop of water, a morsel of bread, this is enough for me, but to be taken into fellowship with Christ, and co-heir with him; This is overflowing, superabounding grace, only remember, that here is not only privilege, but duty also; Here lieth a powerful obligation upon us, to love him with our highest and chiefest love; let his glory, his love be next to thy heart: Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him!  
In the next place, we are to consider the scope and end of our Saviour in mentioning this preheminent privilege, and it is, That the world may know this love. It's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father, but the world is to know and to be persuaded of it. From whence observe,  
That it's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God. It would quicken them to many duties, 
Doct. It's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God.  and restrain them from many sins, if this were once fully settled in their hearts, that those whom they oppose and deride, are the beloved ones of God: It's true, it's of great consequence even to the godly themselves, to be fully informed in this, they go bowed down, and very much languish, because they are not so persuaded of this. Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle calls upon the godly to attend to it, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world, it's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul, though none loveth thee, yet the Father doth. Thus (I say) it's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved, but here our Saviour speaks of the world's knowledge, and the necessity of their being informed therein.  
Now the usefulness of the world's conviction herein, will appear in these respects: 
The usefulness of the world's knowing how greatly the Saints are beloved of God, will appear in these particulars.   
1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition, and be made one of that number which God so loveth. For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them, when they shall think, Lo these that pray, that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world, are those whom God loveth in a special manner, they are his favourites, his delight is upon them, but as for me, and the company I keep, God is angry with us all the day long, we are the men cursed by him, for us he hath appointed hell, and eternal torments. When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself, How can he abide any longer in that sinful way? Oh than that God would persuade thee more of this, that those whom thou malignest, against whom thy heart riseth, are such on whom God's gracious love is fixed, and that it is thou thyself, and such as thou art, that the anger of God abideth on continually, this would quickly make thee another man! Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down, then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God.  
2. A persuasion that such only are loved by God, as it would make thee to be of their number, so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them. Thou wouldst presently begin to think, Why should not I love those most, whom God loveth? Certainly, they are the choicest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye, then as David said, My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth, Psal. 16.3. Thus also it would be here, when once persuaded, that such are the endeared ones of God, than thy affections, thy heart will be to such also.  
3. By this persuasion upon the heart of the world, that they only are loved of God, hereby the world will cease to hate, and persecute them, to give them such ill entertainment as they do. When our Saviour possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world, and that the world cannot do otherwise; whence is all this? but because they do not know Christ, nor believers neither: But as they took him for an Impostor, and one not worthy to live, so they do judge his members to be a company of heretics, not worthy to be suffered in the world, and all this malice ariseth from their blind hearts, for did they know, who they were as they oppose, they dared not to proceed; Even as the Scripture saith, If they had known Christ, they would not have crucified the prince of glory, 1 Cor. 2.6. So that all thy hard words, and thy hard actions, they arise from this, thou dost not know what the godly are, how accepted with God, and how precious to him; for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm, thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth, that it is but kicking against the pricks: It's attempting an impossible thing, if thou couldst get God not to love them, than indeed it were something, but as long as God thus loveth them, all thy endeavours against them, is as vain as balack's was against Israel, No enchantment or divination can prevail: As it's an impossible thing, so also it's dangerous, for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye, and he hath given such a command, even to Kings, that they do not touch his anointed ones; How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offences done against them so dearly beloved, go free; Therefore persuade thyself more of this love of God to them, lest thou incur God's forest displeasure.  
Again, It's not only dangerous, but foolish also, for the more the world sets against believers, the greater their rage is, the more is God's love drawn out to them. So that by thy hatred, they do become glorious, and are more esteemed by God, and receive a greater crown of glory.  
Thus if these things be duly considered, we must needs say, it's of great consequence for the world to know, that believers are so highly loved by God. But in the next place, It's very difficult for the world to be thus persuaded. For  

How difficult it is for the world to be so persuaded.  1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly, and where malice is, they will never believe any good of those whom they hate. Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them, yet they will never be persuaded such are loved of God; for as they are affected, so they judge of God himself; and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil, they conclude, God doth so also: Thus this distempered palate judgeth every thing bitter it tasteth.  
2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things, such as Justification, Sanctification, Adoption. Now these things are no more apprehended by the world, then curious melody by a deaf ear. The Apostle speaketh to this, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. admirably showing, That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us, and that without the Spirit, we cannot know the things that are freely given us of God, which he illustrateth by a similitude from a man, As no man can know the things of a man, but a man, so neither can a man merely of himself discern the things of God. Hence the white stone, and the new Name, Rev. 2.17. are such things that no man knoweth, but he that hath them.  
3. The world of itself cannot know God's love to his children, because they have not the experience of it in their own hearts: And therefore though they may read and hear of such a thing, yet they cannot conceive what it is: As a man that never tasted honey, cannot guess what the sweetness is: It's the want of this experimental knowledge that makes the world so despise the privileges of believers; Balaam had but a glimpse of this, and immediately he breaketh out into those wishes, That he might die the death of the righteous, and his latter end might be like his.  
Lastly, It's hard for the world to know the Father's love to the godly, because his outward administrations are so clouded, that by the external events, you would sometimes judge they were the only people whom God hateth: Even as it was with Christ himself, though he was solemnly from heaven pronounced to be the beloved of his Father, yet in outward consideration, he was a man of sorrows and contempt: insomuch that the Prophet saith, Isa. 53. we thought him smitten of God for his sins, and at his death they insulted over him, as being forsaken by God.  
Use of Admonition to all wicked men; Let this bridle their hearts and tongues, and pray God would open their eyes, to understand this blessedness and happiness of believers: Then Saul would be amongst these Prophets, than thou wilt desire to live and die one of them, that your soul might be in their souls stead; Then your cry will be, We fools and miserable wretches thought them the vilest and most miserable men in the world, but how greatly doth God honour them?   

SERMON CXXXIII. Of the Connexion between Grace and Glory, and that Glory even to the most Godly, is the free Gift of God.  JOHN 17.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, etc. 
THis verse containeth a new and distinct Object, or Matter of Christ's prayer; for whereas before he had prayed in reference to his Disciples for their Sanctification and Union, now he prayeth for the last and ultimate privilege they are capable of, which is their eternal glory.  
So that in the words we may observe, 

1. The Compellation, Father.  
2. The Subject of his prayer, Those thou hast given me.  
3. The Object matter of it, That they be where I am.  
4. The Manner of petitioning this, expressed in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I will.    
Lastly, The ultimate End of all this, That they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.  
From the general Connexion of this prayer with the foregoing petitionings, and that prayer-wise two things are observable,  
1. That without grace here, there is no glory hereafter. 
Observe. Without grace here, there is no glory hereafter.   
2. That even to the most gracious that are, Glory is given by God as a gift obtained in prayer. After they have done all, yet still they must pray for it.  
For the former, we see that truth established from the order and method that Christ useth, having before earnestly prayed for their Sanctification and Unity in this life, he stayeth not there, neither is his love confined within the things of this world, but it extends itself to the world to come, as the chiefest of all. As happiness and glory is the ultimate end of man, concerning which every natural man mistakes, so grace is the only path that leadeth thereunto, and there is as great a mistake about grace, what it is, as wherein happiness doth consist. So that although it be very convenient to discover what grace is, and when a man may be said to be godly, yet I shall wave that as to a large discourse about it: Only to clear the Doctrine, Consider,  
That by grace, we mean that new creature, or those holy, 
What we mean by grace.  divine and supernatural principles within a man, whereby he is carried out to work all holiness in his life. For the Scripture describeth this gracious man, sometimes by that inward work, as the root and foundation of all, sometimes by the outward fruits of holiness, as being the visible demonstration of it. So that in the discovery of grace, we must always attend to these two things,  
1. That our religious duties be upon a root deep enough, that they proceed from a supernatural principle within, that no external motive be the only principle to put it into action. And then  
2. That we do not content ourselves with any supposed inward work of grace upon the heart, but do accordingly; as occasion invites, manifest the powerful efficacy thereof in our lives, for thus the Prophet Ezekiel declareth God's promise for both, The writing of his Law in their inward parts, and making of them to walk in his ways, Ezek. 36.28.  
Secondly, Men are very prone generally to delude themselves in this particular, thinking to obtain glory hereafter, though they have no grace here. Hence are such exhortations, Be not deceived, 1 Cor. 6.9. No fornicator or idolater shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, etc. Who would think the Apostle needed to set such a prohibition or signal mark upon that, for we would think no body could deceive himself in such a thing notoriously known, as that is, yet there is nothing more ordinary, for if all the gross visible sinners should be asked one by one, Do you hope to obtain eternal happiness? he would answer with great confidence and expectation of it; and yet how grossly and notoriously doth he deceive himself? Is it not as plain, as that he liveth, that such pleasures of lusts shall be rewarded with eternal torments, and yet he hopeth otherwise?  
Thirdly, Grace here, is not meritorious of glory hereafter. Rom. 4. To him that worketh the reward is of debt; but eternal life is called the Gift of God; Our Saviour in this Chapter doth pray for one as well as the other; We may justly wonder to see how prone men are naturally to look upon grace, as meritorious of glory, that the Roman Church should so confidently maintain it, Doth not all this arise, because men are not acquainted with those relics of corruption, that cleave to the best things we do? Certainly, that which is meritorious of hell can never be of heaven, that which deserveth eternal vengeance, can never procure everlasting favour; but this proud opinion creepeth subtly into men's hearts under pretence of advancing grace, even while it debaseth it, for so the Papist would persuade us, that they give more to Christ than we, because they make him merit, that our grace may be meritorious, insomuch (that they say) we give little or nothing to Christ, but to hold, Christ merited, that we might merit, is to evacuate the merit of Christ, and to make it useless, for there needeth not any more two meritorious causes of salvation, than two Suns in the firmament, or else if Christ merited, as the remote cause, and we as the proxime cause, than salvation is to be attributed more formally to our grace, than Christ's sufferings; So that as if the Sun should enlighten the stars, that they could make the day, this would take off from the immediate glory of the Sun, though that was remotely the cause of it; Thus though Christ be the cause of our grace, yet because our grace is in itself made the mere meritorious cause, therefore it would obscure the glory of Christ: Oh then let the gracious man take heed of any proud risings or stir of heart, of any proud opinions or doctrines which may secretly fermentate him herein.  
Fourthly, Neither is the connexion between grace and glory causal in a physical and natural way, as the fire burneth, or as the acorn will naturally grow into a great Oak. It's ordinarily said, That grace is the seed of glory, or grace is glory begun, and glory is grace consummated; but all this is not so to be understood, as if grace by any intrinsical natural virtue did grow up to glory, as a child doth to a man; No, God might if he had pleased, when we had done the highest acts of grace, yet have annihilated us; Though we had fought the good fight of faith, yet he might not have given us a crown of glory; for this heavenly glory accompanieth grace only by virtue of a promise: Had not God promised and mercifully annexed such glorious privileges, our graces of themselves could not have procured them.  
Fifthly, Therefore is grace and glory connexed partly from the promise of God, He is willing out of his free bounty to bestow heaven upon our gracious walking, so that we cannot plead our graces, but Gods promise only; neither is he a debtor unto us, but unto himself; and this is the righteousness mentioned by the Scripture, when it speaks of God rewarding us, as when it's said, If we confess and forsake our sins, he is righteous to forgive them, 1 Joh. 1.9. and so it's just with God to remember our sufferings, 2 Thess. 1.6. and Paul saith, It's the righteous Judge, 2 Tim. 4.6. which will give him the crown of glory. Here justice and righteousness is not mentioned for strict, commutative righteousness, but the righteousness of God's promise and fidelity: So that God looketh upon the promise, as on the rainbow, which is a sure evidence, that he will never destroy the world more, and then grace is an antecedent to glory, because Grace is an ordinable means to glory; Without holiness no man shall see God, Heb. 12.14. Sin cannot in its nature be appointed the way to happiness. Therefore the ancient saying is, that it is via, not causa regni; so that by Gods commanding and appointing the way, it's as indispensably necessary, as if it were a cause. And then  
Lastly, It makes for the honour and glory of God, to make grace a necessary forerunner of glory; For if every profane and ungodly person might be saved, this would redound greatly to God's dishonour, this would invert and contradict those places of Scripture, which speak of God's purity and holiness, so that his eyes cannot behold the wicked that he will in no wise acquit the ungodly, Exod. 34.7. That he is angry with the wicked all the day long, Psal. 7.11. Thus you see, that there is an inviolable chain between sanctification and happiness, and that it is gross and foul presumption, for a man to separate these two, to think he shall ever partak of one, without exercising the other, and therefore this  
Use 1 In the first place doth thunder out unspeakable woe unto all wretched and ungodly men; What hopes, what expectations have ye of happiness? Deceive not yourselves any longer with such false surmises; look over all the Bible, and you shall see nothing but hell fire and eternal torments to such who are workers of iniquity; What do you think God will alter the course of grace, when he will not the course of nature? Will God turn the day into night, or the night into day? Will he make the Sun stand still, or the waters of the Sea part asunder to please the creature? Yea these miracles he may, and hath done, but to save a wicked man, living and dying in his wickedness, would be the greatest miracle that could be; yea we may say, such is the holiness and justice of God, that he cannot do it; What is it then that doth thus befot and bewitch wicked men? What keepeth you from gnashing the teeth, tearing the hair, and crying out, Oh this life, those sins will as surely damn me, as if I were in hell already, without repentance? And  
Use 2 2. It speaks infinite comfort to those who have true grace, though in the least degree: For seeing that grace doth not as a natural cause produce glory, but by the Covenant and Promise of God, than the weakest grace may plead this as well as the strongest: The lowest believer may say, I have as good, and as faithful a promise, as the stronger, even a cup of cold water given to a Prophet upon right grounds, shall have an everlasting Kingdom, and therefore that cannot be for any worth or dignity in the good duty performed; What is less than a cup of water, and that cold, yet for this there is promised an everlasting Kingdom? And certainly, if Paul thought, 2 Cor. 4.17. these afflictions, though in themselves never so great, yet nothing comparable to that eternal weight of glory, much less than are those less afflictions comparable to it.  
And so I proceed to the second Doctrine, Christ prayeth, That believers, though thus sanctified and perfected in one, may be made glorious. Now this plainly supposeth,  
That Glory is a gift, 
Doct. 2. Glory is a gift.  That it doth not follow upon our highest degree of Sanctification; and therefore when the Apostle had said, The wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. he doth not also say the wages of grace is eternal life, but he calls it The gift of God; So that here is a difference between hell and heaven; The wicked man's life deserveth hell, it's the proper reward of every ungodly action, yea some say, that hell is less than the sin, God doth not punish according to the desert of it, but it's otherwise with glory and happiness, for after we have done to the utmost, yet it's wholly in Gods good pleasure, whether he will give a Kingdom or no. Now the Reasons, Why eternal glory must be a gift even to the most godly men, is  
1. Because that all our best actions have some sinfulness cleaving to them, insomuch that if God should deal strictly according to those adhering defects, we might be damned, notwithstanding the graces we have. Therefore the Psalmist prayeth, Psal. 143.2. That God would not enter into judgement with his servant, because in his sight no flesh should be justified. Though David was God's servant, and that after his own heart, yet he could not be justified, and so not saved, unless God did graciously forgive what was imperfect: Oh then how greatly should this humble us, when we shall consider we never did any thing in our lives, though in the most holy manner, but it needed a pardon, as Nehemiah, when he mentioned the many particulars he had done for God, and desired to be remembered for them, yet added also, that he might be spared, and have mercy showed unto him, Nehem. 13.22.  
2. It's the gift of God, because any gracious action is so far from making a man to merit at God's hand, that he is thereby the more obliged and bound to God. So that the more holy he is, the less he can deserve, because in that he is the more indebted unto God: So that it is absurd to think, that because God hath heaped more mercies upon us, that therefore still we deserve more, but rather to acknowledge, that both grace here, and glory hereafter, is wholly from the gift of God.  
3. Glory cannot be the proper and natural reward of our grace, Because of the vast disproportion and distance, which is between one and the other. Alas, what is an act of faith, or love, or patience, or all of them put together, which have been in the short time of this life unto all eternity? If thy body hath endured the pains of Martyrdom for an hour, what is that to have honour, glory and freedom from all pain with unspeakable joy and delight to all eternity?  
Use. To humble the best of God's servants under the highest exercises of grace, How often doth the devil and thy own corrupt heart upon any holy duty puff thee up, and make thee secure and confident, seeking for Justification by something in thy own self? How apt to think thyself better than others, and to trust in thy own heart? Is not this to say, thou comest to heaven and happiness by thy own power? How often doth God speak to the people of Israel, that they should not say, they entered into the Land of Canaan, for their righteousness? If for a temporal mercy they were to take heed, their hearts were not lifted up, much more for heaven itself: If Jacob said, Gen. 32.10. He was less than the least of God's mercies, much more than the greatest.   

SERMON CXXXIV. Of immediate Enjoyment of, and Communion with Christ in Heaven, as the Compliment of man's happiness.  JOH. 17.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am. 
THE next thing considerable is the object matter of this Petition, which is twofold.  
1. To be where Christ is. 2. To behold the glory which the Father had given him.  
Let us Consider the first particular, To be with Christ where Christ is, and Austin doth well observe, that he doth not pray, They may be where he is, for though a man be wretched and miserable he is where Christ is, but not with Christ, as (saith he) a blind man may be where the light is but not with the light: It's therefore added, to be with him where Christ is, and that denoteth the gracious and happy enjoyment of him: Some understand it of Christ's gracious presence here vouchsafed to believers, but the context doth more genuinely comprehend the former; For our Suviour was now to be no longer in this world, and besides the expression of being with God and Christ in the Scripture-sence is proper to that eternal felicity and glory, which they are made partakers of, only the doubt may be if it be understood of glorious presence with Christ, why Christ speaks in the present tense, where I am: Some answer, that this is to be understood in respect of his divine nature, by which he was always glorious; Others understand it spoken in the present, because he was very immediately to be glorified every way, and then it may well be received; There are some who make this Argument, that this must be understood of a glorious presence, not a gracious, because (say they) of a gracious presence the phrase always is, God is with us, but of a glorious presence We are with God, 
Observe. The greatest part of our happiness that we shall have in heaven lies in this, that then we shall be with Christ, and have immediate communion with the Lord.  but though this may be admitted as the most common expression, yet some few instances may be showed to the contrary; Therefore the former Reasons especially if we add the words following, That they may behold my glory, which seem to be exegetical of what went before, will evidence that we must understand the sense of that happy eternal presence with Christ in heaven.  
Obs. That the greatest part of our glory and happiness, which we shall have in heaven, lieth in this, that then we shall be with Christ, and have immediate Communion with the Lord; Though we are apt to look upon the happiness of heaven as it freeth from all pains and torments, as it delivers us from the curse and vengeance of God, yet that which is indeed the sublime and chief part of our happiness, is that we shall there have an immediate enjoyment of God and Christ; It's asserted as a Truth, that the greatest misery in hell is in the poena damni, not in the poena sensus, and chrysostom considering that dreadful Sentence pronounced, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, makes these words depart to be far more terrible than eternal fire; The doctrine of heaven and hell was not so fully and evidently preached in the Old Testament as in the New, yet even then we have David thus breaking forth into an holy passion, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in earth in comparison of thee? Psal. 73.25. Whom in heaven but thee, implying, that heaven would not be heaven if God were not there, and that in heaven he looketh not to Angels or Saints there but God himself; Now though the happiness of heaven be described from other particulars, yet that this is the sum of all may appear from these two places, Phil. 1.23. where you find Paul in a divine perplexity and heavenly straight whether he should desire to live or die, and although for the Churches good he is contented to live, yet absolutely and simply his desire was to depatt, and why? because this was to be with Christ, which is far better; So then this was that which so moved Paul to be no longer in this world, viz to be with Christ; No doubt Paul had many godly Friends, in seeing whose faces and enjoying their company he took great delight, and this he often expresseth, but all these are nothing to Christ's Company; Thus to godly hearts, though it be a great comfort to enjoy their Wives and Children, yet when raised by grace they can prefer the company of Christ above all. The second place is 1 Thess. 47. when the Apostle in a divine and ravishing manner had treated on the Resurrection, than he mentioneth this as the sum and Compliment of all our felicity, that we shall be with the Lord for ever; To be with the Lord, and to be with him for ever comprehends so much that the heart can never suck out all the honey of it.  

Of immediate communion with Christ in heaven Consider these things.  But let us not with Moses stand afar off and behold the glory and sweetness of this Land, but let us enter into it, and these things are considerable.  
First, That we deny not but the happiness of Heaven may be amplified from several other particulars besides our presence with Christ, such as the enjoying of Angels and Saints, for a state of happiness is the aggregation of all good thing desirable, but yet that which is the Sun among the Stars, That which is the principal and great happiness is that we shall then more perfectly know and enjoy God and Christ; It's true indeed most Divines do yield that we shall there know our godly Friends, and shall greatly rejoice in their salvation and happiness, yet so that all these lines will meet in God as the centre, that all these streams will be emptied into the Ocean, so that though Heaven hath unspeakable privileges, and every thing therein is glorious, yet that which is the Heaven of this heaven, the glory of this glory is the enjoyment of Christ himself; It's God's presence that makes heaven to be heaven.  
Secondly, We are to know that the Schoolmen whom Divines follow speak of a twofold happiness, beatitudo objectiva, and formalis, an objective happiness, and this is acknowledged to be only God himself; There is no other object that can make the soul happy but God only; As the stars cannot dispel darkness, and make light but the Sun only; The other is called beatitudo formalis or subjectiva, and that is the internal perfecting of all the faculties of the soul with such perfect grace that they are able to carry us to God in a most perfect manner, and the glorifying of the body with all those admirable qualities that the Scripture speaks of, so that when we say Christ in heaven is our happiness, we speak of the objective happiness not the formal, That object in the enjoyment whereof, the glorified Saint is made eternally happy, is Christ only.  
Thirdly, Consider that even in this life we are with Christ, and Christ is with us; Though (as you heard) to be with Christ is most commonly the expression of glory, yet it may sometimes denote our gracious presence here, for thus, though Christ be in Heaven, yet he is said to dwell in our hearts by Faith, Eph. 3. Therefore we must needs in this life be with him, now this is the beginning of that glory we shall have hereafter, He that believeth, hath Eternal life, Joh. 3. not only de jure, but doth actually possess some beginnings of it; The Transfiguration Peter was in, and the ecstasy Paul speaks of were forerunners of Heaven, and although the godly may not have such an extaticall ravishing sense of it, yet the Lord doth many times bestow on his people a taste of this joy whereby they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, whereby they are above the world, and can despise all earthly comforts comparatively; Austin and Bernard do sometimes speak their experience of this upon their souls, and no doubt but the Martyrs who were to suffer so bitterly for Christ, were had up into the Mount of Transfiguration before they were carried to Mount Calvary, Crus nihil sentit in ligno, quando animus est in coelo.  
In the next place let us Consider the Grounds why Christ or God's presence in heaven is that which makes the happiness of a glorified believer. 
The grounds why Gods presence in heaven is that which makes the happiness of a glorified believer.   
And 1. Because in Christ or God there is all fullness to make us happy, he is objectively all what the soul can desire; If Christ be represented in this life all to the Church, when yet we have but the glimpses of him, how much more in Heaven when we shall have the full enjoyment of him; Therefore wonder not if having of God there be our happiness, for he is the universal good, he is that bonum in quo omnia bona, as Paul said having a Revelation from God, this was enough, and that those who were pillars could not add unto him, so much more may it be said in this case, having full possession of the Lord Christ himself, no comfort or content any other way can add one cubite to that stature of happiness.  
2. Christ is not only objectively full of that which may make happy, but he is also efficiently communicative of it, For suppose God be a Fountain sufficient and inexhausted, yet as long as it is a Fountain sealed up, as long as there is a stone upon the mouth of it that cannot be rolled away, so long we are not able to come at any refreshment; God is always able to make us happy to the utmost, he might vouchsafe us an heaven in this world, but he is a free Agent, and communicateth himself as he pleaseth; Now it hath pleased him while we are in this life to communicate himself by degrees; This Fountain is dispensed by drops, but in Heaven there will God communicate himself as far as the creature is able to receive him: Then this Sun will not be under any Cloud, than there will not be any complaints why the Lord doth hide his face or withdraw himself.  
3 Heavens happiness lieth in Christ, because then the soul is made a prepared and suitable subject for him; All pleasure and delight ariseth from the conveniency of the object with the faculty, for if there be contrariety or dissonancy then instead of happiness, there is nothing but misery; Now in Heaven the the whole soul will be so perfected with Grace that it cannot delight in any thing but such an holy God: What is the reason that in this life a wicked man hateth God, and refuseth his will and law, but because of his contrariety to him, and on the other side a godly man though he have but imperfect and inchoate grace, yet he preferreth Christ, and loveth him before Father and Mother, and every thing that is dear, all this ariseth because there is some similitude between God and him, he is born of God, and partakes of the divine Nature, and so by this means delighteth and rejoiceth in God, but if the green Tree be thus ready to burn in love with God, what shall the dry Tree do?  
4. Christ is the chiefest happiness in Heaven, because he being chiefly beloved, there is obtained the nearest Union with him: It's not the place of Heaven but the person in Heaven that a Christians love is fixed upon; Hence some some have not been afraid to say, That Christ with a godly man though in hell yet would make hell no hell, for when the soul cometh to enjoy that which is most beloved, than all further desires and distractions must cease, than the stone is come to its centre; Then the fire of love hath ascended as high as it can go, than it saith Sufficit, I have enough; Now all the while the Church is on Earth she conflicts with desires after Christ, hence are those vehement Petitions, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, The Spirit and Bride say Come, Rev. 22.17, 20. If then these desires be turned into actual enjoyments, and it's no longer Come Lord Jesus, but he is come, than there must needs be all matter of joy and rejoicing, he that drinketh of this living water in this life shall never thirst more, Joh. 4. viz. with a total thirst, So as to be weary of Christ and desire some other Object, how much rather will this be true in Heaven; Then it's impossible to be weary, to be desirous of something else besides God, for there love is joined to the Object as fully and as nearly as possibly it can be; As Philosophers say the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form, whereas in sublunary things it constantly doth, and all because of the actuality and perfection of that form, Thus it must be with the glorified Saints in Heaven, They can never be glutted, never complain, as they did of Manna by the constant use of it, but God is as richly, as delightsomely enjoyed by every Saint in Heaven to all Eternity as at the very first entrance into Heaven.  
But you will say, May not I then desire Heaven as a place of happiness? Is it hypocrisy and insincerity to desire that state of glory? Must it be Christ only there? The Answer is, That is in the principal and first place to be desired, but yet secondarily Heaven as it is our happiness and our glory may be fought after, for which many Texts might be brought.  
Use of Exhortation, To moderate all thy desires to this life and the Comforts therein; What makes Death so grievous but to part with so dear a Husband, so dear a Friend, so sweet Children; Oh remember Christ is above all and dearer than all, So that if Faith were lively in representing Christ to us we should need even patience to live, as you see it was with Paul, we should find it to be to our great loss to be enjoying Friends while we might enjoy Christ; But on the contrary the wicked man's misery is to be trembled at, for there Christ saith, Father, I will that where the devil and his Angels are to be tormented to all Eternity, that those also be with them.   

SERMON CXXXV. Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the sweet Appellation of Father.  JOH. 17.24. Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be where I am. 
ETernal glory (we heard) our Saviour prayed for all those that should believe in him, which is expressed thus indefinitely, To be with Christ, where he is; He doth not name the place, because this is it which makes heaven to be heaven, that we do enjoy Christ there  
From this we proceed to other things considerable. As  
1. The Compellation, Father. This our Saviour useth three times, as being a name denoting the most intimate and sweet relation, as also causing the greatest confidence, why Christ calls God Father, hath been discussed already against Socinian glosses; he is not a Father to Christ in the same manner, as he is to believers, neither did Christ use this Title, to subdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him, or to quicken up his confidence, which otherwise might fail, but hereby to demonstrate the near relation between them, as also his dependence upon him. So that from Christ's example herein, we may observe,  
That it is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God, 
Doct. It is a necessary duty in a Christian, in his approaches to God, to think on those attributes and relations in him, which may excite and stir up holy confindence and boldness.  to think on those attributes and relations in him, which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness. When we come unto God, we are to draw nigh to him, as our heavenly Father, whose bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world, if they were put together: Therefore it is our Saviour in that rule of prayer, directs to that title and compellation of a Father.  
To open this, Consider,  
First, That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a state or condition fit to pray, or approach unto God upon these terms. If God be thy Judge, thy enemy, and thy adversary, than it is not for thee to call him Father: As God expostulates in Mal. 1.7. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? It's true, there is a paternity by way of creation, and thus God is the Father of all; but we speak only of that paternity, which is by Adoption, and the Covenant of Grace: 
Consid. I. No wicked man is in a condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these terms.  Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude, that while he abideth so, he cannot pray acceptably, he may not come to God as a Father. It's blasphemy for such profane wretches to say to God, Thou art my Father. The Scripture tells us, That such are of their Father the Devil: See then if the Devil thy father will bless thee, if he will make thee happy: Oh that wicked men would but consider, what a woeful condition it is to lie in, that they cannot pray, that they cannot call God Father! Thou dost but blaspheme with thy tongue all the while, what God, the God of wicked and profane enemies to him? No, he is a Judge, and a consuming fire to all such.  

II. It's of great consequence for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father.  Secondly, It's of great consequence and advantage for the humbled Christian in his prayer, to improve this relation of a Father. To such all the sweetness out of this honeycomb. To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels. For  
1. To the tender heart humbled for sin, it is the greatest temptation that he conflicts with, to be persuaded God is his Father. Such are the discoveries and experiences of his own sins and infirmities, that he concludeth, though other may call God Father, yet he cannot: Is not this the great dispute in the breast of a godly man, Whether God be his Father or no? Doth he not argue against it from the several corruptions that are in his soul? Oh how can this, and this be in me, if God be my Father! As also from the many sad afflictions and exercises he meeteth with more than others; If God were my Father, would he thus break and bruise me, more than many in the world, making me the Butt against which all his arrows are delivered? So that you see it's necessary to compose the spirit against this temptation, which doth so naturally breed in the heart of a tender Christian: Insomuch that to call God Father cordially, and upon sincere grounds, is a great mercy.  
2. It's necessary to be persuaded of, and call God Father, because Satan's great temptation is against this, if he overthrew this, all is gone, if once he can tempt thee to this, that God is not thy Father. What horror, and what confusion, yea what an hell will not presently overwhelm thee? You see the devil working with this engine upon Christ himself, knowing this was to set the axe to the root of the tree, If thou be the Son of God do thus, he would have him put that to the trial, and is not the devil still suggesting this unto thee, if thou be the Son of God, than it would be thus and thus with thee? God's children never do as thou dost: Now this temptation hath so far prevailed by Satan's instigation upon some of God's people, that they have wholly given over to pray, that they dared not to presume to pray; And why? because God is not their Father, they may no more pray, than the damned in hell; So that the godly man is left in a woeful desolate estate, all the while this truth doth not reign in his heart, that God is his Father.  
3. This persuasion of God being our Father, is of so great consequence, that the Spirit of God is sent on purpose into our hearts for this very work. Gal. 4.6. Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father. So that as we remain blind and darkened in mind, till the Spirit lead us into all truth, that as we remain unholy, and cleaving to our lusts, till the Spirit sanctify us, so we do also remain in a doubting, unbelieving and dejected disposition, till God send this Spirit into our hearts; so that when a man is humbled for sin, and feels the load of his transgressions, it must be more than humane power, yea or all the counsels and directions of the ablest Ministers, that can enable such an one to call him Father: Oh how often doth such a tempted soul say, Oh that I could call him Father! Oh that I could delight in him as a Father! But now when this Spirit of Adoption cometh into our hearts, see with what efficacy and power it cometh, it maketh us to cry, that denoteth earnestness, vehemency, and also confidence, undauntedness, notwithstanding the roaring cries of the devil and conscience to the contrary; and thus it enableth us to cry, Abba, Father, by way of ingemination, implying, that it is not once, but twice, yea often; for indeed if the Spirit of God did not constantly thus keep up a filial frame, every new failing would cast us back into a mere darkness and confusion: Therefore the Spirit of God hath this office of being a Comforter, because we of ourselves cannot sow that seed in our own souls.  
4. This is necessary, because this only raiseth sweet, comfortable and delightful thoughts of God. The relation of a Father is sweet, and what a great difference is there between a child praying to a tender father, and a malefactor to a severe Judge? David once said, He remembered God, and was troubled; Certainly the more we think of God and his Attributes, Omnipotent, Wise, Holy, Righteous; if not a Father, the more terrible and dreadful is the apprehension of him: It's necessary to have good endeared thoughts of God; therefore the devils and the damned, who are of the farthest distance from God, they have hard and raging thoughts against him; It being therefore necessary to keep up such thoughts in the soul as these; Let God afflict, smite, destroy, yet he is just and righteous, yea and to be loved, now this cannot be, unless this faith is strongly carried out unto him, as a Father.  
5. Persuasion of God as a Father is necessary, because this only will produce faith and confidence in those that pray with such an assurance. Now faith is the very soul and life of prayer, He that prayeth believing, shall receive, and James exhorts, Let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, Chap. 1. Our Saviour told the woman, It should be according to her faith; So that unbelief makes our prayers like a messenger without hands or feet, and if so, How shall we get our prayers animated with this grace? Nothing conduceth more to this, than the Meditation of God, as a Father, when this is assented to, than it easily believeth God will do all necessary good for it, such a Father will not give a stone to his child, when he asketh bread. Thus Mat. 5. our Saviour maketh this an argument against all distracting fears and cares, Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of: Why is it that after prayer thy heart is as much troubled and disquieted, as if the request had never been made known to God, but only because faith did not reign and predominate in thy heart concerning Gods fatherly relation to thee.  
6. Persuasion of God as a Father is necessary, because hereby the heart will be quickened to all those holy and filial dispositions which ought to be in children. If ye call him Father, 1 Pet. 1.17, etc. Pass your sojourning here with an holy fear. The Scripture apprehension of a Father, will not beget security and a licentious life, but rather it will cause an holy reverence, and a diligent attendance to avoid all those sins that may offend and provoke. The Spirit of adoption, is also a Spirit of Sanctification, being born of God, he doth not, he cannot sin; for how abominable and uneffectual would our prayers be, if we should join profaneness to those duties? In stead of obtaining mercy, we may justly expect, that God would pour out greater wrath, whereas a due and right apprehension of God, as a Father, will make a gracious and humble disposition in the soul.  
Use of Exhortation to the people of God, that they strengthen and confirm this relation to them, as much as may be. Pray for that Spirit of Adoption, which will enable thee to cry Abba, Father: Oh know, that all the cause of thy disquietness, distractions and diffidence of Spirit in thee, ariseth from unbelief in this point! If thou believe God is thy Father, than sin is forgiven, than no good thing will be denied thee; This Father will treasure up for thee, yea the properties of this Father are wonderfully quickening, he is an omnipotent Father, and so can do all things; he is a compassionate Father, and so will do all things; he takes upon him both the bowels of Father and Mother also; Parents have been hardened to their children, as the Prophet observeth, but God cannot be; He is a wise Father, and so ordereth every thing for the best. This if duly considered would free thee from all distrustful cares, and thou wouldst learn from thy own child, to walk depending upon God, casting all thy burden upon him, because thou seest it taking no care what it shall eat, or what it shall put on, but resteth itself wholly upon its Father's care.  
The second thing observable in the Text is, The manner of Christ's expression, his Petition, I will, Father, I will. Some think this an expression not of prayer, but of Christ's just demand of his right to that which he had as God, and therefore they think, that whereas before he prayed as a man, here he interposeth himself as God; as thus Austin of old, Omnipotenti patri se velle dixit omnipotens filius. Others they make it an expression of prayer, because in the former part the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used, and thus Mark 10.35. when James and John prayed to Christ, they said, Master, we will. But seeing this prayer of Christ's is from him as a Mediator, we may well acknowledge that there is more than a mere humble supplication, such as mere men make, but some powerful declaration of his will, that he will have it so: For to this purpose he speaks, Joh. 12.26. Where I am, there also shall my servant be. Christ by his own power and authority will cause it to be. From whence I shall touch only on this Doctrine,  

Doct. 2. Christ's prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them.  That Christ's prayer for his people, will certainly and infallibly prevail for them. I will, saith Christ, that they be where I am. Though we may many times doubt of the efficacy, and success of our own prayers, yet there is no cause at all to question the success of Christ's Intercession, and the grounds are these,  
1. Because he hath merited and purchased at God's hands those benefits he prayeth for. Therefore though whatsoever God doth to us, be of grace in respect of us, yet it is of justice and right to him; so that it can no more be, that Christ's prayer for us should not speed, then that God should be unjust, and that not in respect of promise only to Christ, for he hath likewise promised to us, but of justice: So that now Christ may well say, Father, I will their glory and happiness, because I have purchased it at so dear a rate.  
2. Christ's prayer must needs be effectual, because it lieth in his power also to do that, and accomplish for us, which he doth desire. Though therefore as man he prayeth, yet as God he can fulfil and bring about what we stand in need of: If therefore Christ saith, Father I will that they be sanctified, that they be glorified, who shall withstand this?  
3. Christ's prayer will always take effect, because his will, and the will of the Father are the same. So that as Christ argued, None could take his sheep out of his hand, because he and the Father are one; So also it followeth, Christ's will in prayer cannot be gainsaid or hindered by any, because the Father and he are one; if indeed the Father had one will, and Christ a contrary will to it, than we might justly doubt of the success of it, but it is not, as Christ wils the Sanctification and glorification of his people, so doth the Father also; So that all our confidence is to be in Christ's prayer, and not ours.  
Use 1 Use of Consolation and comfort to the children of God, who mourn under the sinful imperfections of their prayers, yea are ready to cry out, that God shutteth out their prayers: Oh let them remember, what a glorious treasure is here laid up for them! Though their own prayers are weak, yet Christ's are not. Look therefore again and again, see the things Christ hath prayed for, and then doubt not, but they will be accomplished in thee: Oh let not thy heart sink and be troubled within thee, when thou seest such a remedy provided for thee! Urge Christ's name, urge Christ's prayer.  
Use 2 Use 2. Of Terror to wicked men, who have no interest in Christ's prayer or intercession. If it were so terrible a judgement not to have Samuel or Jeremiah pray for some persons, it argued their incurable condition, how much more may it strike horror and amazement into the hearts of all wicked men, as Christ minded thee not in his death, so neither in his prayer, I pray not for the world? But into the hardened and impenitent heart no terrible woe can enter.   

SERMON CXXXVI. Of the State of Glory, Showing what it is to behold Christ's Glory in Heaven.  JOH. 17.24. That they may behold the glory, that thou hast given me. 
IN these words is contained the final cause or end of our Saviour's Petition in behalf of his Disciples, He prayeth that they may be with him in Heaven, and why? That they may behold the glory, which the Father hath given him; In which words take notice of the Act, the Object, and the Cause of it; The act is, that they may behold, ut videant, saith Austin, non ut credant, because Eternal vision in Heaven is the reward of faith here on earth; Here it's believing, in Heaven its beholding; Although there are some that limit the sense to this life, as if here they were by the experience of Faith to behold the glory and majesty of Christ as Mediator, but the context doth principally relate to the enjoying of glory in Heaven; Others they observe, Non dixit ut habeant sed ut videant, he did not say, That they might have, but that they might behold, for Christ's glory is incommunicable, but the word is not to be limited, for it comprehends  
1. To behold and see, and that immediately, opposite to the way of faith and knowledge which we have of God in this life, which is but darkly.  
2. It denoteth▪ fruition and enjoyment of this glory, for we shall be glorified with Christ, and thus the word videre is often used for frui, To see life is to live, To see death is to die, To see the Kingdom of Heaven is to enjoy it, So that the godly shall not be mere idle Spectators of this Glory, but they shall be taken into fellowship with it.  
3. It denoteth all the effects and consequents of such a beholding of this Glory, which are infinite delight, and joy, Immortality, and Eternity, So that there shall never be any end of it, all this is comprehended in seeing▪ but the greater Question is about the glory that is mentioned; What is understood by that, and some relate it to that infinite and incomprehensible Glory, which he hath as God, but generally it's understood of that Glory which he hath as Mediator, for so the Father after his sufferings did infinitely exalt him, and give him a name above all names, So that Christ as Mediator is glorified in a transcendent manner by God, So that Christ hath his essential glory as God, and his Mediatory glory as Mediator; Now these two kinds of glory do not differ really, 
Doct. The great end of our being in heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ.  but only in several ways of administration, for he that is Mediator must needs also be God.  
Obs. That the great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the Glory of Christ; As the Queen of Sheba took a long journey to behold the glory of Solomon, which did so ravish her that her spirit even fainted within her, which yet was but a temporal, fading, and earthly glory, how much more transcendent and ravishing will that heavenly Glory be to us, when we shall behold the Majesty and Greatness that Christ shall then be in, sitting upon his throne at the right hand of God, To behold and to be ravished with this glory of Christ is the great work we have to do to all Eternity, for our Saviour's will to have us where he is is not for any want or necessity that he had of us, Christ's glory would have been admired by Angels, though we should never be received into his presence, but it is for our good solely, and certainly, if the Queen of Sheba pronounced Solomon's servants happy because they were always in his presence, how unspeakable shall the happiness of all believers be, who shall constantly behold and enjoy Christ's glory.  

How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christ's glory.  But let us Consider more largely what was only hinted before, viz. How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christ's glory.  
And first, There is the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which God and Christ have; This is often called by Divines Beatisical vision, The sight of God which makes immediately happy; Now because God is an infinite and spiritual invisible Object, It's disputed whether we shall behold God by our bodily eyes, That with our understanding, which are the spiritual eyes of the Soul we shall behold him, is acknowledged by all, and clear by Scripture, for than we shall see him face to face, that is perfectly, not as in this world; And as for the beholding of God as a Spirit with our bodily eyes, there are Divines that affirm it, for although (say they) it be naturally impossible for a bodily eye to see a Spirit, yet than God will in a wonderful manner lift up the eye of the body above that which naturally it can do, even as then God will make it a body without passion or heaviness, and (as they say) the torments in hell, and the flames of fire there do by God's power work upon the devils and the souls of men, though spirits, in hell: But it may be a curiosity to determine this, Therefore though it may be doubted whether our bodily eyes shall directly behold the glory and majesty of God, yet consequentially we shall, for we shall with our bodily eyes behold Christ in respect of his humane nature and body which he hath now in heaven, so that the Glory which Christ as Mediator hath in heaven is externally visible, and to be beheld by the bodily eyes of a glorified Saint, So that although God be a Light that no man can approach unto, yet in and through Christ we may draw nigh unto this light; Now this happiness of the souls knowing and the bodies seeing of God and Christ in heaven must be unspeakable, for there is an excellent consonancy and conveniency between the faculties and the objects, how far do men go to see objects of worldly glory; It was Augustine's wish, that he might have seen Rome in her temporal glory, but what is all this to see Christ sitting on the right hand of God on the throne of glory.  
2. All our happiness doth not lie in the mere beholding and seeing of God, but in the enjoying of him as our happiness and our good; Therefore we are said to be Coheirs with Christ, and to be glorified with him, yea, in the Rev. 3.21. we are said to sit on the same Throne with Christ himself, not but that Christ hath a prerogative in his glory, and his glory is incommunicable, yet in some proportion, and according to our capacity, we are made partakers of the same glory: Therefore it's necessary to take seeing for enjoying here, and indeed it cannot be but that the immediate beholding of Christ should make men happy, for he is an object filled with all sufficiency and perfection able to satiate and replenish the appetite of the soul, even to the very utmost; Oh therefore how easily should we mortify our hearts as to earthly and worldly glory who would lose this heavenly glory to obtain that? Let the devil show thee all the glory of this world, but know Christ in his word showeth thee the glory of heaven, and wilt thou fall down to worship the devil rather than Christ, so that we do not only behold and see Christ's glory without some enjoyments, as Moses did see the Land of Canaan but was not admitted into it, but we see the expression is, Come thou faithful Servant, enter into thy Master's Joy, Mat. 25.23. Not only behold it but enter into it; Oh that our hearts were more affected in this.  
3. From the seeing and enjoying of Christ there doth arise in the will infinite complacency, joy, and delight; It's disputed wherher happiness be more in the acts of the understanding or the will, and some conclude that it is principally in the will, because that is an active appetite and predominant in a man, Indeed the whole of a man; Now in beholding of God the whole soul must needs be swallowed up, for God is an object infinitely satisfying the knowledge, and also replenishing the will, so that nothing but God can satisfy the soul, and this happiness is the more increased, because God will then widen and enlarge the faculties of the soul, that they shall be able to know more, to love and delight more than they can do in this life; Therefore our joy here is but a drop to this Ocean, as we know but in part, so we rejoice and delight but in part: Hence it is if God should communicate himself to us in this life as he will do in heaven, we were not able to bear no more than the eye can endure the dazzling beams of the Sun, it would be true, that none can see God in this sense and live, so that in heaven the souls of men will be enlarged to receive more of God than they can do in this life.  
4. From this joy and delight in beholding Christ's glory, their mouths will be filled with all praise and thanksgiving; We read of Angels and Saints continually praising of God in heaven, so that whereas many duties will cease in heaven, this of thanksgiving will abide for ever, there shall be no more the duties of humiliation and mourning, the acts of patience and justifying faith will cease in heaven, but the duty of praising and glorifying God will continue to all Eternity; And no wonder if praise be our only work there, for if upon some temporal Deliverance and particular eminent mercies the Church of God hath solemnly broken forth into all praises of him, how much more in heaven when there is such an universal Deliverance from all Enemies that there will be no more tears or fears, There will be no more matter of complaints either from within or without; Oh then that blessed time which believers shall have in Heaven to all Eternity, Nothing to do but with joy and gladness to sing forth the praises of God, and that his Mercy endureth for ever; Oh beloved, how should this make the godly long for and desire that glory more! Here they are in a Valley of Tears, here they are sighing, groaning, exercised with one care, one fear after another; Thus we are grovelling upon the ground while they in Heaven are full of joy and delight; This should teach us to be weaned from these things.  
5. To the performing of all these things there is required a perfect Sanctification of all the parts and the faculties of the Soul, as also a full glorification of the body; For without these Happiness would not be in enjoying of God, Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God; As the Eye corrupted with humours is not able to behold the most refreshing Object with any delight, So neither can a heart defiled with sin account it any happiness to be enjoying so holy a God; Therefore there is required a through and perfect Sanctification of the whole man, that it may take full and adequate delight in God; Hence if it were possible for the devils and damned in hell to behold all this glory in heaven, yet it would not make them happy; yea, through malice and envy they would be tormented the more; And why so? 
What is that glory which they shall behold shining in Christ.  only because they want pure holiness within, and being destitute of this they cannot delight in the presence of such holy company.  
In the next place let us Consider What is that glory which they shall behold shining in Christ; We read of Christ in prayer, how that in a wonderful Transfiguration his face did shine, Mat. 17.2. like the Sun, here was great glory, but yet it's nothing to Christ's glory hereafter: yea, we read of Moses his face, that it did shine with such glory that the people could not behold it, Therefore a veil was put upon his face, But in heaven there the glory of Christ will transcend all these, and there will be no need of a Veil, for we shall be enabled to behold it: Now this glory of Christ in heaven is  
1. That essential glory which he hath as God, This he never laid aside no more than his Godhead, but as the Sun in a dark gloomy day may not send forth its glorious beams; Thus the Lord Christ while here upon the earth subject to many infirmities, had that divine glory covered for a while, otherwise he could not have been in a capacity to suffer for us, but when in heaven then all those infirmities are laid aside, Then the body of Christ will not hinder the breaking forth of all his divine glory, This glory then of Christ will be manifestly set forth, for in heaven doth God put forth his more immediate glory.  
2. Christ's Mediatory glory will then also be manifested, for though Christ as God had right to all the glory in heaven, yet he did upon a new and distinct title acquire this glory to himself, whether indeed this great name given him above all names in heaven and earth being lifted up above all principalities and powers was as an effect or consequent only of his foregoing humiliation is disputed, as also what this Mediatory glory is, and whether distinct from divine is much debated by the Learned; But this is sure, the Scripture speaks clearly of a wonderful great Majesty and power expressed by sitting at God's right hand vouchsafed unto Christ after his resurrection, Now all this glory we shall be made beholders of.  
3. We shall behold Christ's glory in a passive sense, that is, all the glory which Angels and Saints shall give unto him, for so you may read, That the Elders gave their Crowns unto the Lamb, Rev. 5.8, 9, 10. with all praise and glory, for he was worthy; It's unspeakable to consider all the glory and praise which then shall be given unto the Lord Christ, by whose means they are all made happy, and without whom there had not been one glorified Saint.  
Use of Exhortation, Let the Meditation of this glorious time wean thee from inordinate affections to all humane and earthly glory: Doth a stately glorious house allure thee? think what is this to the glory in heaven; Do glorious garments and apparel bewitch thee? Say, what are these to those glorious robes in heaven? Let this Sun put out the light of the Stars, and let this also make thee patient under all losses and chastisements.   

SERMON CXXXVII. How Christ (as Mediator) had his Glory given him, although as God he could not properly have any thing given him, except by way of Manifestation: Against the Socinians.  JOHN 17.24. To behold the Glory, which thou hast given me. 
THere remain two things more observable in this Petition, whereof one is, the efficient cause of that glory, which we are constantly to behold in heaven. The other is, the subject for whom he thus supplicateth, both which we shall dispatch at this time. And  
First of the Description of Christ's glory, from the Author of it, which is God the Father, from whom he hath it by way of gift. I shall not be long on this, because I have already spoken much to it: Only the Doubt is, What glory it is, that here is said to be given by the Father? and without any further engaging into controversies, we may fully conclude, That it is of his glory as Mediator; and if you ask, How is that said to be already given him, when he had not yet suffered, and so had not entered into glory? The answer is, either that the Father had given it him in respect of his decree to give; in which sense learned men say, the word (give) is used sometimes in this Chapter, or else he had it actually given in respect of right and title, even before his Resurrection. Or  
Lastly, It is said to be already given, because he was immediately to possess his glory; for thus before in the Chapter, he was said to be no longer in this world, because he was presently to leave it: So here the glory which thou hast given me, because he was presently to be made partaker of it. So that from this we may observe,  
That Christ as Mediator had his glory given him. 

Doct. Christ as Mediator had his glory given him.  
Propositions a●out this point.   This appeareth by Christ's prayer in this Chapter to the Father, that he would glorify him, as also by other Texts, plainly affirming this to be given him, Phil. 2.9. God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, etc. So Mat. 28.18. All power is given me in heaven and earth, and in many other places. Now it cannot be denied but the Doctrine of Christ's mediatory glory, and the manner of obtaining it, is full of difficulty, insomuch that it hath greatly exercised the thoughts of the learned; but I shall not launch into the deeps of it, because it is here occasionally spoken of. 
Christ as God cannot have any thing given him, unless by way of manifestation and external celebration.  I shall only declare some particulars that may clear the truth. And  
First, Christ, as God, cannot have any thing given unto him in time, unless it be by way of manifestation and external celebration by the creature. Thus God himself is said to have honour and glory, and worship from the creature; thus his Name is said to be glorified, not that Gods infinite perfection is capable of any new advantage, which he had not always, only here is a declaration and acknowledgement of this by the creatures, and this consideration should greatly humble us in our best and choicest services, we have not made God more happy, or blessed thereby, neither doth he need our services, only it is for our good; as when the eye seeth the Sun, or the thirsty traveller drinketh of the fountain, the Sun or spring are not helped thereby, but our infirmities refreshed.  

Obj.  And if it be objected, That the humane nature was given Christ as God, and he had not this from all eternity, neither was this by declaration only; Therefore something may be given Christ as God, de novo, which he had not from all eternity. Several things may be said to this, especially these two:  

Answ.  1. That nothing can be given to Christ as God, which he himself doth not give himself: And therefore if any creature, men or Angels could have given him something of themselves, this would have argued imperfection; but it was Christ as God that did assume this humane nature to himself: Therefore Joh. 1. God is said to become man, and to dwell amongst us; so he is said, to take not upon him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham; Therefore what is given him is given by himself. But yet  
Secondly, and more fully, The humane Nature was indeed assumed by the Divine, but not to any intrinsical perfection of the Godhead, but to make perfect the humane Nature. So that we cannot so properly say, The humane Nature was given to Christ as God, as that the divine Nature assumed the humane Nature, not necessarily, but voluntarily, not out of indigence, but bounty, not because it was to be perfected thereby, but to perfect the humane Nature.  
Secondly, Christ as Mediator might have something bestowed and given upon him by the Father. For although as Mediator he must necessarily be God also, yet because (to be Mediator) doth imply a compound, as it were, viz. God-man; Therefore in that respect, he is capable by way of gift of that which otherwise absolutely as God, he could not receive, and in this respect, as Mediator, he still acknowledgeth, He received his Doctrine from the Father, that it was from the free love and goodness of God to appoint him to be a Mediator. Now of all the gifts, which the Scripture speaks of, as most eminently and signally bestowed upon him, is that glory and exaltation he was lifted up into after he had been in a state of humiliation. This the Scripture doth often inculcate; but here is some Doubt about the explication of this, For the Socinians denying Christ to be essentially God, 
Doubt.  do affirm, That this glory became due unto him, only upon his obedience unto death, and that upon such perfect obedience, then, and not before, God appointed and constituted him God and Lord, gave him this high excellent glory, commanding men and Angels to worship him with the same religious worship, that God himself is to be worshipped.  

Sol.  But this is fully against Scripture, which as it makes him God while on earth, so also King and Lord of all, although after his death, he came to a fuller possession of this glory, he was always King and Head of the Church, having a right to all glory, but yet did not actually receive it, but in such a method and order God had appointed.  

Doubt.  The other Doubt is about the Orthodox themselves, Whether Christ did merit this glory for himself, or no? Some eminent Divines do wholly deny it, making his glory only the consequent of his humiliation, not the reward of it merited by the Lord Christ. 
Sol.  But there seemeth no danger in, yea there appeareth some necessity of affirming, That Christ merited his own glory as well as ours; Not but that as God he had a right to all glory, only the same glory was due unto him upon a twofold title, 1. By natural inheritance, as it were being the only begotten Son of God: And secondly, by purchase and conquest: Even as Joash obtained his Kingdom, partly by his natural right, and partly by conquest subduing Athaliah, who unjustly detained the Kingdom from him. This Mediatory glory than was both a gift, and a reward unto Christ, although even all this glory that Christ is invested with, doth also redound to our good and glory.  
Thirdly, From this glory that is thus given to him, as Mediator, ariseth a fervent dispute amongst Divines, Whether Christ, as Mediator, 
Doubt.  be to be adored with religious worship? But  
1. This is confessed by the Orthodox against the Socinians, That Christ is by Nature the true God, which they prove from religious worship given unto him, 
Sol.  for we are commanded to believe him, therefore in him also are we to worship; insomuch that the Socinians are guilty of high Idolatry (let them mince the matter never so much) while they give religious worship to Christ, and yet profess him to be a mere man. But now the Socinians to overthrow this, 
Socinians Argument.  argue in this manner, He that is worshipped with a divine worship, as he is Mediator, is not worshipped as God: But Christ is worshipped as Mediator.  
In answering of this Objection, The Orthodox go several ways▪ 
Answered.  Some deny the minor, viz. That Christ is not to be religiously adored, as Mediator, though they acknowledge that even to Christ's humane Nature there is due some veneration inferior to the divine: But we may well enough grant the Proposition true, That Christ, as Mediator, is to be adored with divine worship, because as he is Mediator he must necessarily be God, and so therein is included the ratio formalis sub quà of all religious worship: So that to be worshipped as Mediator, and as God, are not opposite, but one is necessarily included in the other. For that such a religious invocation of Christ, as Mediator is lawful, appeareth by that prayer of Stephen, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, Act. 7.59.  
The Use may be of Instruction; Doth God the Father thus exalt and glorify Christ? Was this his purpose from all eternity thus to have him magnified for ever? Then let it be our constant work, and the daily employment of our soul, to give him all honour and praise: Oh let us be ashamed more, that we have not honoured Christ as he ought to be! Whom Ahashuerus would have honoured, all the people were ready to bow unto; how much rather than ought we to glorify the Lord Christ, whom the Father doth therefore exalt, because by his sufferings we are also glorified. Now we may glorify him three ways: 
How many ways we may glorify Christ.   
1. Doctrinally, by maintaining all those true opinions that advance him in his Nature, Offices, and all operations for us; For he that denieth any of his Natures or his Offices, or his works for us, he doth greatly rob Christ of his glory, and how busy hath the devil been in all ages, thus to dishonour Christ, because by this means the Head and the foundation of the Church is endangered, which proveth mortal to the Church; Socinians destroy one of the Natures, Papists obscure his Offices: so that in very few Churches is Christ set up in all his glory.  
2. Christ's glory is to be cordially in thy heart, and orally in thy mouth; Oh what enlarged affections and ravishment of soul did Paul show, when he mentions Christ, he speaks of him, as the complete perfection of a Christian, Who is made righteousness, wisdom and all things, and therefore this is the character of those that are spiritual, They have no confidence in the flesh, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3.3.  
Lastly, We glorify Christ really in our lives and conversations, when we walk as Members suitably to the Head, when we order our conversations answerably to the rule of the Gospel. For how often do wicked men reproach and dishonour Christ by their ungodly lives, as if Christ taught them no better, or as if Christ died not to deliver us from all ungodly and sinful lusts? Therefore on the other side, than we honour Christ, when we are holy as he was, zealous as he was, humble and meek as he was, as Paul said, He carried the marks of Christ upon his body, so do thou the graces of Christ upon thy soul.  
We come in the next place to a brief description of the subject described, Those that thou hast given me: Now this is the opposite description to such who are of the world. By giving unto Christ, some understand by a Metonymy of the effect for the cause, God's decree to give, as 2 Tim. 1.9. The grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, that is, decreed to be given to us: So some expound the foregoing place, The glory which thou hast given me, that is, which thou hast decreed to give, even as in this Chapter he saith, I come to thee, I sanctify myself, and as John 6.33. Every one that my Father giveth shall come to me, where by giving must be understood a decree to give, for actual giving is the very coming itself unto Christ. Though this be true, yet we must add, that in respect of those who were to believe, so it's a decree of giving, but in respect of the Apostles and others who did then believe, it was an actual giving, Now whereas we see the original and fountain of all grace formerly prayed for, and now all glory here is, because some are given to Christ by the Father, we may observe,  

Doct. 2. That it's no freewill or preparatory work in man, that begins either his grace or glory, but the sole gift of God.  That it's no freewill, or preparatory work in man, that begins either his grace or glory, but the sole gift of God. I shall but touch at this, because handled before, only as our Saviour thought fit to use this description of believers so often in one Chapter, so it should also inform us, that it's a truth of absolute necessity, which ought constantly to reign in our hearts, that we did not prevent God, but God's grace did prevent us, that we did not choose him, but he chose us. Therefore it's a violent wresting of the words by Arminians, when they will have this giving of some to the Father to be understood for the consequent, men's obeying and receiving of the grace offered, and so we give ourselves to Christ, and are not given by the Father. That the initials of all good is from grace only, and not of us, is abundantly convinced, by that wretched, sinful, and woeful pollution that we are all born in, like that miserable infant spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 16. I shall not doctrinally enlarge this, only let the Use be  
1. Admonition, to take heed of all those proud and self-advancing Doctrines, that magnify the power of nature, that think not grace absolutely necessary, that if it be required, it's only ad facilius operandum, or that grace doth only excite and stir up the natural abilities within us: Oh take heed of swallowing down this deadly poison!  
Use 2. Of Exhortation to the people of God, with all humility and astonishment to admire the grace of God in Christ, that mollified thee, that prepared thee, that began first upon thee: Alas thou wast wallowing in thy blood, thou wast hotly pursuing thy sins, thou didst violently refuse the grace of God, till at last he opened thy heart, and saved thee against thy will, making thee of unwilling, willing.   

SERMON CXXXVIII. Of God's love to Christ as Mediator, and in him to all believers from all Eternity.  JOHN 17. ●4. For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world. 
THis last clause is brought in as a Reason of that which went before, Some make it a Reason of Christ's Petition, why the Father should hear him, viz. because he always loved him, and so nothing could be denied to him; others refer it to the gift of Glory mentioned immediately; The Father gave Christ glory because he loved him from Eternity, but these do not oppose, but may include one another: The only doubt is, In what sense the Father is said to love Christ before the Foundation of the world; Many understand it of Christ as the natural and only Son of God; That as he had always the same glory with the Father, so likewise he was always loved of him, and from hence they prove the Deity of Christ; But Calvin and others expound it of Christ as Mediator; That the Father did love him from the beginning, in appointing of him to be a Mediator, and preparing him thereunto, Now this seemeth the more genuine Interpretation, and doth not exclude but include the former also, So that by direct consequence the eternal godhead of Christ is asserted; Indeed Piscator referreth those words (before the foundation of the world) to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast given; As v. 5. implieth, but there is no necessity to make such a trajection; The sum is that Christ as Mediator doth refer all the glory and honour he hath to the Father's love, Now you must know that when the Father loves him as Mediator, It's not absolutely terminated upon the person of Christ but the whole number of believers in him, and therefore this loving of Christ is to be extended unto all Believers, for the Apostle saith the same thing of them because of Christ, Eph. 1.4. where we are said to be chosen in him before the foundation of the world, To be holy and without blame before him in love; where that (love) is referred to Gods predestinating and electing of us, by some Interpreters; So that from the words we may observe.  
That God the Father loved Christ as Mediator, 
Observe. That God the Father loved Christ as Mediator, and thereby all believers in him from all Eternity.  and thereby all believers in him from Eternity: This Truth deserveth explication and application. And  
1. Let us consider wherein the love of the Father was showed to Ch●ist as Mediator, as that will appear in the designing of him to it, and approbation or complacency in him while discharging of it; The love of God in preparing him thereunto is seen in these things,  
1. In appointing and ordaining the second person as the only begotten of the Father, to come into the world and take our nature upon him; For herein did the Father love the Son, because when mankind was lost, and justice could no ways be satisfied by any mere creature, that in this exigency Christ should offer himself, and so readily profess, Behold, I come to do thy will O Lord; Thus when he formerly had said, I sanctify myself, that doth not solely relate to his humane nature but even his divine also, because the second person was in a peculiar manner sent into the world, and to become man for us.  
2. The Father's love was more remarkably seen towards that particular humane nature which the second person assumed, in the sanctifying and glorifying of that with all suitableness, and thus the love of God was to the humane nature of Christ before the Foundation of the world by way of purpose and decree in God, even as it is to all the Elect Children of God, for Christ attributeth i● to God the Father, that he had so fitted his humane nature, Therefore he saith, a body thou hast prepared me, Heb. 10.5. Now several ways did the Father's love appear herein, as 1. to ordain and appoint him to be a Mediator, to make him man for this purpose; This is attributed wholly to God the Father, hence 1 Pet. 1.20. Christ is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world; Christ coming into the world was not of mere necessity, There was no compulsion to this, but the Father out of his mere good pleasure did thus ordain him; Hence it is, that our Saviour doth constantly make the Father's mission or sending of him to be the cause of being our Mediator.  
2. This love of the Fathers to him was seen in taking that particular humane nature rather than any other into an hypostatical Union; Though Christ did not take an individual humane personalized as men are, yet he took a particular nature into a personal Union with the Godhead, which is the greatest exaltation of man's nature that can possibly be imagined; It's that great mystery which Angels are continually searching into; but if you ask why the second Person did take this particular nature rather than another, that the holy Ghost might have sanctified? here God's mere love made the difference, for as it was an high act of grace and favour to the Virgin Mary that she rather than any other woman should be appointed to be the mother of Christ, so it was much more a great honour and expression of love that this humane nature rather than another was assumed into personal Union, and for this cause it is that Austin did so invincibly press the Pelagians with this argument from Christ as man, for (saith he) if Christ as man was chosen not for any foreseen merit or worth which might be in him, but it was solely by the love and goodness of God, then much more will it follow that no mere man especially corrupted and defiled, can be elected to Eternal Life upon the supposition or prescience of any good thing in man, So that Christ as man was so, merely from the favour and love of the Father, This is that gratia singularis to Christ as man, de quâ fas est praedicare, sed nefas adjudicare, as Austin.  
3. The love of the Father to Christ in preparing him for Mediator, is seen in the sanctifying and endowing of him with all holiness, that so he might be a complete Saviour, for seeing it behoved us to have such an high-Priest as was holy and separate from sin, therefore it was that he was made man in such an extraordinary manner, for he was conceived by the holy Ghost; The holy Ghost sanctified that corpulent substance of Christ's body whereby there was not any form of or inclination to sin abiding in him, and therefore he is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he wrs habitually and originally holy; Now this was wholly of the love of God that his humane nature was thus anointed with all holiness, and that he received the Spirit of God without measure, and therefore the humane nature of Christ was infinitely obliged to bless and praise God who had poured more holiness into it then in all Angels and men; Thus the Father's love was seen in preparing him to be Mediator, and when he was thus appointed, and in the discharge of his Office; The love of the Father was exceeding great to him:  
For 1. you have the Father in a most glorious manner from heaven, owning of him, and giving of that solemn approbation, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, what a glorious manifestation was here of the Father's love to him, his love did rest on him, yet so as thereby he makes others beloved Sons in whom also he is well-pleased, even those that do believe in him; This glorious Testimony then given to Christ by the Father is made by some Learned men part of that glory which is spoken of in v. 22.  
2. The Father's love is wonderfully discovered to him as Mediator, in that he was willing to lay down his life for those who were appointed to salvation; Insomuch that although the world thought him forsaken of God, and smitten for his own sins, yea, though Christ himself in respect of his sense and feeling expostulated with his Father, why he had forsaken him, yet even then was the Father's love most of all towards him, Joh. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for my sheep; Here you see that although there were many other Reasons of the Father's love to him, yet he instanceth in this wherein we would think God's anger was for the present most displayed; It's true, this is urged by s●me that therefore Christ could not suffer the anger of God in his soul, neither could the Father afflict him as for our sins, for how could this be, (say they) that at the same time the Father should love him and yet be angry w●th him, as punishing the sins of all the Elect upon him; But as God's love towards Christ could consist with that leaving of him to the hands of his Enemies, So also could the love of the Father towards the person of Christ well consist with that anger of his towards him as our Surety, and certainly this very particular may much encourage the people of God, for when they are solicitous about their acceptance with the Father whether he will receive them into grace or no, what a ready answer is this, the Father loveth Christ because he would die for us, because he would be crucified for us.  
3. The Father's love towards him is especially seen in exalting of him to all that honour and Majesty the Scripture so often mentioneth, that is, the sitting at the right hand of God the Father; It is true, as God he had a right to all this glory before, but then there was a manifestation of it, and not only so, but a real communication of such glory to his humane nature which it had not before, and his person was not admitted into a more plenary and consummate possession of that glory, of which there was but beginnings before; Even as it was with David, first he had a right given him to the Kingdom, but for the present he was in constant oppressions and miseries; Thus Christ while having a right to all majesty and divine honour was in a state of humiliation, and he was in a form of a servant, even then when he was equal to God, and as David when he came to the actual possession of the Kingdom, did come to it by degrees, first at Hebron in s●me part, and then afterwards in Jerusalem over all Israel; Thus the Lord Christ while on earth had several discoveries of his divine glory and honour, but the full enjoyment of it was upon his ascension, and hence it is that here he speaks he was loved before the foundation of the world, because the Father had appointed this glory to him from all Eternity; Thus we have handled this love as it relateth to Christ, but you must know that it doth not concern him only, but it belongs also to the whole Church of God, So that herein is involved our greatest consolation, for there are these particulars contained in it.  
1. That Christ and we are comprehended in one act as it were of God's love and his Election; So that although we may and must conceive a priority and posteriority in signo rationis, as they say, yet in naturâ they are together, for seeing that the Father did predestinate him to be head of his Church, and so doth love him as head of his Church, it must necessarily follow, that the Church also which are members to Christ their head, must be included in that Election, for the head and the body cannot be severed; Now doth not this wonderfully make for the glory and comfort of God's people, that at the same time Christ was appointed to be a Mediator; They also are ordained to be saved by him; As soon as ever he was made the head, they were made the body; In this respect it is that Christ and believers are said to make up one mystical person, and by this means what Christ had and did is communicated unto us.  
2. Here followeth the Eternity of God's love to us, For seeing that Christ was loved before the foundation of the world, So also must we, for we are chosen in him, Eph. 1.4. from all Eternity; So that although the effects of God's love are vouchsafed to us in time, yet the purpose to do this was from all Eternity; Oh then the overflowing love of God to a believer, how should this melt thy heart and be like fire in thy bowels, when thou hadst no thought of thyself, when no friend could speak a word for thee, yet even then God had thoughts of mercy towards thee.  
3. Here is the perpetuity and immutability of the Father's love to thee, for he cannot repent in his love as men may, They sometimes love those who prove otherwise then they expected, They never thought such would prove so forgetful, and therefore repent of all the kindness that ever they showed them, but it is not so with God, for he foreknew all that ever we would do, he knew our sins, our unkindnesses, our rebellions, and yet for all this intended love to us, so that God cannot say, these men are greater sinners, prove more unkind to me then ever I thought they would have; No, the only wise God cannot be subject to such error, besides men may love those where they repent afterwards, because they cannot make them good whom they love, the more they love, it may be the persons loved do become the worse by it, but it is not so with God, whom he loveth he makes holy; This is one great effect of his love, to put his Image into them, to make them walk in fear of him all the day long, Thus God will immutably love because he will always keep up grace in the hearts of those where he hath begun it.  
Furthermore, This love is perpetual because in Christ; We are now joined to him by an Union that can never be dissolved; When Christ ceaseth to be an head than we shall cease to be his body, So that the perseverance of the Saints is built on this rock, they are elected in Christ, and are in time united to him, and therefore shall never be cast off, no more than the Father will cease to love Christ as an head, but these things were in part spoken to before.  
Use, Doth the Father thus love Christ? Then what strong arguments have we to believe and be confident in all those Petitions which are put up in Christ's Name; Hath Christ prayed for thy Sanctification, for thy preservation, that the evil of the world may not infect thee; Know Christ is so loved that nothing can be denied him; What if the Father love not thee for thy own sake, what if he see no loveliness in thee, yet in Christ he seeth enough; Certainly as the Father doth only look upon us in Christ, so should we also look upon ourselves as in him.  
Use 2. Are the godly also comprehended in the same love wherein Christ is? then what matter of joy have they under all discouragements, under all the hatred and cruel oppositions they meet with in the world? What though the world hate thee, though thou hast no love from all thy natural friends ever since thou began to love God; Oh possess thy soul with this love of God in Christ, for this answers all things.   

SERMON CXXXIX. Of the Righteousness of God (as a Judge) in his Administrations to Devils and wicked men; And (as a Father) unto his own people.  JOHN 17.25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, etc. 
SOme have thought that our Saviour having finished his prayer for all sorts of believers, he doth now give thanks to God, that had revealed himself to them, and not unto the wicked world, and therefore they compare it with that place of Luke 10.21. But the general torrent of Interpreters upon more probable grounds, does conceive this to be a continuation still of the former prayer, for the eternal glory of all believers. Indeed Piscator thinks, that our Saviour doth in this close, return again to the Apostles only, but the Arguments our Saviour useth, are general, and do relate to all believers, and therefore we are not to limit this comfortable passage to some eminent believers only.  
The Matter (you heard) prayed for all believers, was, their eternal happiness, expressed in those words, to behold the glory, which the Father had given him, with the reason of it, because the Father had loved him before the foundation of the world. So that although Christ as God had right to glory always, yet being in the flesh, after an infirm and passable manner, the glory thereof was eclipsed, which the Ancients did well express by a Candle or Lamp in a lantern, that would indeed give great light, but the lantern being compassed about with clay, hindered the emission of that light, till it were removed, and thus till all those humane infirmities were taken away, which Christ subjected himself to, while in the flesh, and he risen again, those glorious beams of his Divinity, could not send forth themselves. This (I say) being the matter of the Petition, our Saviour doth further confirm it, by continuing this prayer with several arguments more, whereof the first is from the opposition or antithesis that is between the wicked damned world, and believers, expressed in these words, The world hath not known, that is their Character.  
2. You have the Description of believers, These have known thou hast sent me.  
3. The fontal cause, and original of it, I have known thee.  
4. The Compellation given to God, suiting the argument in hand, righteous Father. This is the sixth time, that Christ calls him Father in this prayer, and no wonder, because (as you heard) it's so sweet a relation, producing all love, delight, joy and confidence in God, by him that practically improveth it, but that I have dispatched; only I must not pass by that adjunct, or title further qualifying this Father, viz. righteous, righteous Father, formerly when he prayed for the sanctification of his Disciples, than he said holy Father, making use of that attribute, which is the cause of all holiness in the creature, but now speaking of that dreadful and wonderful dispensation of God, whereby to some he revealeth himself; and others again he suffers to perish in their rebellion, therefore it is that he pitcheth on a suitable attribute, Righteous Father: It's true indeed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is sometimes used of a man, in respect of his universal rectitude and uprightness, and so some take it here, and then it's no more than that former compellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, holy Father, but the altering of the word with the context, may incline us to understand it differently: Now you must know righteousness may be attributed to God generally and particularly, 
How righteousness may be attributed unto God.  generally, as it comprehends the whole rectitude, and universal purity of his whole nature, or particularly, and that several ways,  
1. The righteousness of his fidelity and promise, whereby he doth make good to all believers, whatsoever he hath said, even to the meanest and lowest act of grace. Thus 1 Tim. 4.8. Paul saith, The righteous Judge will give him a Crown of glory: And 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive them. Here is righteousness, and the godly may plead heaven, because of God's righteousness, but it's only a righteousness of promise, or fidelity in God, not any strict remunerative righteousness, as if from the good works themselves God were bound to reward them. Indeed Maldonate, he would fasten this interpretation upon the word, as if our Saviour did plead the merits of believers; but this is so proud and presumptuous, that we will not spend time to confute it.  
2. There is a punitive and vindicative righteousness, which God exerciseth to the wicked impenitent world, and that both in spiritual and temporal punishment, of which Revel. 16.7. 19.2. (Righteous are the judgements of God.) Now I shall comprehend both these kinds of righteousness, righteousness of God as a Father, in respect of those who believe in him, and righteousness of God as a Judge, in respect of the world which doth not know him.  

Observe. God whether considered as a Judge of the world, or a Father to believers, is righteous in all his ways.  Observe. That God, whether considered as a Judge of the world, or a Father to believers, is righteous in all his ways. This truth is of great use, if duly improved; for what will silence all thy disputes, all thy murmurings? What will rebuke those winds and waves of thy soul, but this, The Lord is righteous?  
Let us take notice of God's righteousness in this twofold consideration, for both are aimed at in the expression by our Saviour. And  
First, The righteousness of God as a Judge of the world, and as his administrations to wicked men, they are so righteous and just, that even the devils and wicked men, 
I. God is just in all his administrations to devils and wicked men.  though they may blaspheme, yet cannot say, God is unjust, or doth them any wrong: And although the Arminians, and such infected persons, who with their whole strength endeavour to overthrow Gods absolute Election of some to eternal life, and the preterition and passing by of others, bring specious Arguments, as if the Orthodox by this Doctrine made him unjust, and more cruel than any man, yet such can prevail only with those that leave Scripture, and consult with humane affections, and indulge too much to natural reason. For  
R. 1 1. When the Scripture is so positively and clear, that some are elected, some are given by the Father to Christ, some are vessels of honour and mercy, and others not loved by God to eternal life, but left to themselves, and so become by their sinfulness vessels of wrath, and when not only Scripture, but experience also doth confirm this, That the greatest part of the world, yea and the Christian Church die in their sins, and do eternally perish, For many are called, but few are chosen: When (I say) Scripture and experience is clear for such a thing, it's presumption in us to argue from thence unrighteousness in God; For can we search into the deep counsels of God? Do we comprehend the purposes and ends of God? We should rather conclude, There is righteousness in all these things, though we cannot pierce into it. The Apostle in Rom. 9 doth beat down such presumptuous cavillings with God; and we may observe, That though David and Jeremiah were greatly disquieted with anxious disputes about God's proceedings in his administrations, yet they lay down this as a peremptory conclusion, and they fortify themselves with this against all insurrections of spirit, The Lord is righteous. God's will is the law of righteousness, and none but God himself, whose understanding is infinite, can comprehend his own ways.  
R. 2 2. God is not unrighteous in passing by some, and leaving others, Because he hath an absolute sovereignty, and dominion over all. He is not subject to any as a superior; Neither is he bound by any Laws imposed upon him, only his own holiness is that eternal Rule and Law, by which he doth all things, and if none may say unto a King, why dost thou so? Much less to the King of Kings: Therefore learned Divines make Election, neither an act of mercy, or of justice, but of sovereignty and dominion only.  
R. 3 3. God is not unjust, Because if he had not saved one man, but left all in their undone estate, he had done no more, than he might do. For why should it be unjust in reference to man, more than in reference to the apostate Angels, for of that whole number of them which fell, there is not one redeemed from their eternal miseries; and are we of more noble consideration, than those spirits, yea one of them might have done God more service, if restored, than many men could do? So that this consideration should bridle our unruly thoughts, and we should rather admire and praise the goodness and grace of God, that any one is saved, rather than charge God sinfully and foolishly, as we are apt to do, because no more.  
R. 4 Lastly, There is no injustice in God, he is a righteous Judge of the world, though some are elected, and others are reprobated, Because all those Divines who do hold such an absolute Election or Reprobation do so positively express themselves, that the cause of man's damnation is wholly from his sin, and man's sin is wholly and freely from himself. That he is not necessitated and compelled to sin by such supposed pre-definitive Decrees, but that he sinneth of himself, and so his perdition is of himself, as fully as if there were no such Decrees at all. These two things the Orthodox suppose that the Scripture affirmeth, both such Decrees of God, and also man himself to be the only cause of his damnation, and if so be that the understanding of man, could not tell how to reconcile these two together; It's better with Cajetan to confess the weakness and imbecility of our apprehensions, then to deny the things asserted in Scripture.  
In the second place, God is righteous as a Judge, 
II.  in that he bestoweth his effectual grace upon some, and not upon others. For this end it is, that our Saviour doth call his Father righteous, because he lets the world alone to itself, it deserveth to perish in its unbelief and rebellion, but to others he manifesteth himself. God is so righteous herein, that Luk. 10. our Saviour is greatly affected with it, and blesseth God therein. Now to our corrupt judgements we are ready to think, that God's ways are inequal, why he giveth his grace to some, that it may be are more wicked, and more unworthy than others. And then again, Others that seem to be more civil, and restrained from outward impiety, he denieth his mollifying grace to them; but if we could judge of things aright, even in this wonderful dispensation of God, we should admire his righteousness. For the full answer to all humane cavils in this respect is, That there is none denied grace, but such who by their sins have justly deserved so: If Judas be not converted, and Peter is, Judas hath his sins, for which God may justly give him up to spiritual judgements; If the men of Tyre and Sydon have not the means of grace as well as Capernaum, it's because their iniquities make them unworthy of it. So that there is no man living under the means of grace, that can justly complain of God, because he doth not give him a soft and mollified heart, as well as others: For it's his own personal impiety and voluntary wickedness, that makes heaven as it were like brass and iron to him: It's true, God could if he pleased, give Judas a soft heart, as well as Peter, but there is no injustice, if God doth not dispense his acts of liberality and grace, for then justice and liberality, a gift and reward would be all one: So that the godly indeed, who are partakers of converting grace, they have cause to admire and bless God for his unspeakable goodness, but the wicked who continueth and perisheth in his sins, may say, My destruction and damnation is of myself, God hath done like an holy, wise and righteous God, but I have brought vengeance upon my own head: But these divine dispensations of God's justice, especially as to spiritual judgements, require a larger and more exact scrutiny, which is not here to be insisted upon.  

The righteousness of God as a Father to his people in all their afflictions.  Come we therefore in the next place, To take notice of God's righteousness, as a Father unto his own people and children: And herein the godly are often solicited, they begin to question and to doubt of God's promise and his kindness: Oh they think, If I be thus loved of God If I be one that doth belong to the promise, why doth the Lord deal thus and thus with me? Every wicked man, he prospereth and thriveth in his impiety, but I am afflicted all the day long, though I wash my hands in innocency: Now to the godly thus exercised, I have only two particulars to mind them of.  
1. That because God is righteous, therefore it is that thou art afflicted, and it may be more than many wicked men are. Though it be an heavy temptation, and such an one, that we read David at one time had much ado to overcome, yet it is so far from being unrighteousness in God to afflict thee, though his beloved child, that he would be unrighteous, if he did not: Doth not David at another time, when the cloud was dispelled, say, That out of very faithfulness God hath afflicted him, Psal. 119.75? So that the righteousness of God as a Father doth require this: It's true, thy afflictions are not properly penal, to satisfy his righteousness, for that is done already by the blood of Christ, but they are castigatory of thy sins, and by way of prevention for the future: so that there is no exercise befalls thee, but thou art bound to justify and clear him, say, It's righteous with God to do thus to me, because of my several corruptions that are so strong in me.  
2. God's righteousness is seen as a Father in respect of his fidelity and veracity to keep his promise to us: So that though the good things promised may be deferred, thou hast not yet any enjoyment of them, yet know, The righteousness of God will not suffer him to forget thee, Heb. 6.10. The Apostle doth there comfort believers, That God was not unrighteous, and therefore he would not forget their sufferings: It's true, it's Popery to plead the commutative, and strict righteousness from God, as if there were an inward condignity of our holy works in respect of heaven, but a righteousness of fidelity, we may and aught to encourage ourselves with.  
Use of Exhortation, to all the children of God, that the meditation of God as a righteous Father, should stop the mouth of impatience; say as Christ concerning every chastisement, Joh. 18.11. Shall I not drink of the cup that my Father hath given me? What wouldst thou have God unrighteous for thy sake? Wouldst thou have him not deal suitably to his holy and pure nature? Thou hadst rather God should be unrighteous, than thou suffer any outward evil: Oh do thou abhor and shame thyself! Even wicked men have been forced to acknowledge God, just and righteous, as a Judge, and shall not grace make thee acknowledge this in him, as a Father?   

SERMON CXL. That every Unregenerate man whether in, or out of the Church is destitute of the true saving Knowledge of God.  JOH. 17.24. Righteous Father the world hath not known thee. 
OUr Saviour (we heard) is continuing Arguments why he should be heard thus in his Petition for all believers, and that which is first suggested in these words is the opposition and contrariety between the world and them; Though the world be ignorant and obstinate against Christ, yet the Disciples they did readily believe in him: Now this is a wonderful aggravation of their holiness, for them only to believe amongst a world of unbelievers and opposers, To see amongst so many that are blind, To be wise amongst so many that are mad, yea, to believe in Christ, while the world did oppose and persecute them, this did greatly commend their ftith:  
In the words you may observe the Subject and the Attribute: The Subject is the world; This word is taken variously, yea, in this very Petition it's used differently, for sometimes it's taken for the wicked, perishing, and damned world; the reprobate world, Thus he said, I pray not for the world but those thou hast given me; The world is there, the immediate opposite to all Elected persons, but sometimes it's taken indefinitely or negatively, as when he saith, That the world may know thou hast sent me; Now in this verse we must take the word world for the company of perishing and damned men, because they are opposed to the whole kind of saving believers: In the next place you must know that though the word world be for the most part opposed to the Church or number of believers, yet some may be externally in the Church, yet really and indeed of the world, such are all who though outwardly professing Christ, and submitting to his orders are yet unregenerated, and so in the state of gall and bitterness; These know not God in a saving manner, though they have a barren, speculative knowledge of him; It may therefore fall out that many may be of the world taken indefinitely (not as limited to the reprobates) who yet in respect of God's purpose shall in time become his in an effectual manner, And again many may be in the Church of God who yet in the issue will be of the perishing damned world, Some that are wolus for the present shall become sheep, and some that are sheep for the present in appearance, at the day of judgement will be discovered to be goats.  
2. You have the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not known thee; This is put for the present tense as among the Latins, Novi, is sometimes, for it doth not only denote that this hath been the custom heretofore, but that still for the present, and for the future; The world is full of blindness and darkness, and doth not comprehend the light, There is the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added in the Original, And the world hath hot known thee; Some think that this addeth some affection and emphasis, for either they expound it intensively for as much as etiam, or adversatively for as much as quamvis although, in both which senses the Hebrew particle Vaughan is used, but it may be taken as a mere redundant particle, which is very familiar to the Scripture-language, and so it seemeth our Translators did take it, who wholly omit it in the English; The words thus explained observe,  

Observe. The world is ignorant of God in a saving manner.  That the world is ignorant in a saving manner of God; Heaven is no more in hell, than the true knowledge of God is in the heart of a wicked man; In the pursuing of this, I shall take the word world largely not only for that heathenish part of it, who never heard of Christ, but for that Christian part of it, who though in the general profess they know God, yet in works do deny him, and so the word shall be equipollent to every unregenerate man, whether in the Church or out of the Church, but because of this world there is two sorts, as was hinted before; One of those who though for the present have no saving knowledge of Christ, yea, do oppose it, and rage at it, as Paul for a while did, and all converts once did serve divers pleasures and lusts; And another of those who for a while give great and ready obedience to it, but for want of a true root fall off wholly from God, as Judas and many other Apostates: I shall chiefly frame my discourse to the perishing wicked world, though not excluding the other; Bt before I go further you must take notice of what kind of knowledge it is which we speak of, and deny to the world: It's an effectual saving knowledge, for it's plain the Heathens had some knowledge of God, and unconverted Christians who will die and go to hell in their sins may have wonderful gifts and admirable knowledge with the utterance thereof in matters of religion, yet have no saving knowledge, So that knowledge doth not make happy unless it be practical; If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Joh. 13 17.  

Demonstrations of the Point.  This premised let us proceed, and 1. That the unregenerate world doth not or cannot know God may appear several ways.  
1. From the original pollution and pravity improved by actual wickedness wdich is upon all till sanctified by grace, Joh. 1.10. where though Christ be said to be the light of the world, and the world was made by him, yet it knew him not, and Joh. 3.19. This is the condemnation of the world, that light is come into it, yet men love darkness rather than light; What a horrible and dreadful condition is this to love darkness rather than light? Hence 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in wickedness, So that it's no more wonder if the world do not know Christ, then that the night is not the day, that weeds are not precious flowers, They are in darkness, and so cannot see, and this reason doth not only prove the act, they are not knowing of God, but the defect of all power and ability, they do not, neither can they know God; To which purpose the Apostle fully, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the spiritual things of God, neither can he know them; This removeth both the act and power, Therefore at the 12. verse he calls it the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the Spirit of God that only makes us know the things of God; Oh then the sad condition of all unregenerate men, this darkness is not dreadful to them, they are as men that are asleep, yea, or blind, who have a visive faculty though actually they cannot see, but as men dead in sin, yea, this original pollution doth still carry the demonstration higher, for it doth not only negatively or privatively remove both the act and power of the knowledge of God, but doth positively incline to the hating and opposing of all knowledge both of God and Christ, hence the world is said so often to hate the godly, and to hate the light, and the reasons given, because its works are evil, So that it's but a little wickedness comparatively in the world that it doth not know, for it hateth all knowledge, it rebelleth against all light, and therefore the wisdom of the flesh is said to be enmity itself against God, Rom. 8 7. Is it any wonder then to see wicked men carried out with bloody, malicious, and irreconcilable hatred to the knowledge of God, for it cannot be otherwise; There is a spirit of contrariety, of opposition, and madness against God, for if God's truth and will be received, then there corruptions and lusts can no longer stand; The world cannot endure that the light of the word should make naked all its idolatry, impiety, and that it is indeed wholly at the will of the devil.  
And this suggests a 2d Demonstration that the world doth not know God, because the devil is the immediate Prince of it; He that is called the Prince of darkness is likewise said to be the god of this world: This is fully expressed 2 Cor. 2.4. where the god of this world is said to blind the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them; Therefore you have a notable description of the devils, from the Sovereignty and power they have, Eph 6.12. where they are called principalities, and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world; how woeful then is the condition of the world of ungodly men who are thus made captive to the devils, and are ensnared at their will; That as they themselves are reserved in chains of darkness, so do they keep all their vassals, they are chains of darkness, such as those who are in a dark dungeon, and such as they cannot break, neither have the wicked any desire to do it, and therefore they never say to the devils chains, as the ungodly do to Christ's dominion, Let us break his bonds asunder, and cast his yoke away, Psal. 2. As long then as this strong one keeps the house (for the whole world is his house:) no wonder if he make it like hell itself, yea, he makes the world by his ruling in it worse than hell in some sense, for in hell he is tied up in some degree of torments, but in the world he is let loose to infect and damn others, though not without his torments.  
3. The world must needs be without all saving knowledge of God, from the defect or absence of those causes which do alone cause saving knowledge, So that as the world at first when it was a confused Chaos without form and void, could not make a glorious light to appear upon it, but that was Gods work, whom the Apostle doth therefore describe, as him that worketh darkness out of light, 2 Cor. 4 6. alluding to the work of grace which is now upon the world, So neither is the world wallowing in its filth and thick darkness able to create the least light of saving knowledge, but must for ever perish if God vouchsafe not his grace; Now these causes are wanting which necessarily infer ignorance in the world; Even as the absence of the Sun makes night.  
1. 
The causes of salvation.  There is not the external Revelation and propounding of the doctrine to be believed, unless God in much mercy send it; Hence you may see, that once in Judea only was the true knowledge of God, and the whole world besides groped in more than Egyptian darkness, and now though God hath commanded this light to shine over the whole world, So that it is not limited to any one Nation, yet a great part of the world still is heathenish, So that they are darkened and become foolish in all their imaginations; The denying of the Gospel is a greater misery then if the Sun should be denied to shine to such a people: Now it's God only that makes this light to shine in one place, leaving the other in its darkness; Even the Pelagians of old did acknowledge this grace of God necessary, viz. a revelation and proposition of the object.  
2. Besides this external light the world wants that internal light of illumination, without which the Gospel though never so gloriously preached, is but like the Sun shining at noon day to a blind man, for this is made the work of God's Spirit only, Joh. 16.8. to reprove the world of sin and of righteousness; Till the Spirit of God doth illuminate in both these, the world doth not understand the horrible guilt and aggravation of sin, the damnable estate and condition it is in thereby; Neither doth it know what is that righteousness which only can justify, and where it is to be had, so that the world even the wisest and most learned thereof are but like so many blind moles digging constantly in the earth; Neither affected with their disease or with the remedy, till God's Spirit doth wonderfully convince them, and this is evidently seen in the Christian world; For doth not the glorious light of the Gospel compass men about, yet they are like owls, the blinder because of this light, Insomuch that such blindness of mind is not amongst heathens as amongst impenitent and hardened Christians, for besides the natural blindeness which they have common with heathens, there is a judicial blindness that God smiteth them with for unfruitfulness and contempt of the Gospel; Thus they are twice blind as some are said to be twice dead; Is it not matter of astonishment, that a people living many years under constant and powerful preaching should yet he as brute beasts and understand nothing of their misery, and the remedy? Surely all this is because that judgement is come upon Israel, even blindeness of mind, and a veil upon their hearts.  
3. The world knoweth not God, because it hath not that ultimate and complete cause of all saving knowledge, which is the spirit of regeneration, and the work of a new creature upon their souls, for till God give this heart of flesh, and remove an heart of stone, all the illumination and strongest convictions which men have upon them is not enough to make them know as they ought to know; The Apostle Tit. 1.1. speaks of an acknowledgement of truth after godliness, now that is only when a man's heart is mollified as well as his mind is enlightened; It's true the Scripture speaks of some 2 Pet. 2.20. who by the knowledge of God did escape the pollutions of the world, but that was only in respect of external conversation, for they were in their nature's Swine still, and not sheep; It cannot then be that the world should know God and Christ as long as there is that corrupt enmity and spirit of rebellion and contrariety in it to what is holy; Christ told Peter that it was not flesh and blood which had revealed Mat 16.17. that glorious Confession of faith unto him; If then the world be thus without the spirit of God, enlightening and converting, how then can it in any saving way acknowledge God.  
Use of Instruction Concerning the terrible condition of the perishing world, whether within or without the Church, yea, it is most terrible to those who are the world really, but the Church nominally; You are shut out from the face of God and Christ, You are without hope in the world; Oh your greatness, your pleasures will not avail to keep you from destruction, This is Eternal life to know God and Jesus Christ, This than is eternal death not to know him.  
2. That no knowledge of God or Christ which is not practical and saving, deserveth the name of Christian knowledge; The world though both by nature and supernatural revelation may know much of God, yet because lying and living in wickedness is said not to know him, and thus generally in the Scripture the wicked are said not to know God; Oh then let such who have strong convictions and also strong corruptions tremble at this; Let such who live against knowledge fall down for fear at this; Is it not the condition of all such who live in gross and profane ways? Do ye not commit the sins you know ye ought not? Do ye not omit the duties that the light of the Scripture enjoineth thee? Oh that men should in the day stumble and not know whither they go, Follow then all thy knowledge into a gracious practical improvement of it, lest thou perish with the world.   

SERMON CXLI. Christ is the great Teacher of his Church.  JOH. 17.25. But I have known thee. 
IN these words are contained the cause and fountain of all that saving knowledge which believers have, viz. because Christ knoweth God: For whereas the immediate opposition should have run thus, The world hath not known thee, but these have known thee; This is inserted, as the cause, I have known thee. The word is in the Preterperfect tense, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Present, as John 8 55. I know him, and keep his saying. Now Christ's knowledge may be considered two ways, either  
1. Subjectively, or immanent in him: Or,  
2. Transitively, or by way of communication unto others; as the fountains fullness may be considered either absolutely in itself, or as originally redundant and diffusive to its streams. Now though the first kind of knowledge be necessarily presupposed, yet the latter is chiefly aimed at, as appear by those words, I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare unto them.  
In these words therefore our Saviour doth manifest himself to be the Mediator, and in a more peculiar manner the Prophet of his Church, whereby he communicates saving knowledge unto all believers, and that he is the Sun, which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the Church, That as God hath put all material light into the body of the Sun, and all other things are enlightened by it: Thus it is with Christ the Sun of righteousness, all spiritual knowledge is given unto him, and that without measure, from whom there are several emanations and irradiations, whereby all that know spiritually, are enlightened by him: Thus he is the truth and the way.  
Obs. 
Observe. Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have.  That Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have. There is not the least ray or beam of any spiritual illumination, that doth not descend from him.  
There are pregnant Texts to confirm this, John 1.18. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him; Where we have an opposition of Christ to Moses, who yet talked to God, face to face, and to all other Prophets, though they had immediate inspirations and revelations, yet none of these saw God at any time, that is, perfectly and comprehensively; They were but servants, and had no more manifested to them, than what was convenient; but Christ he is the only begotten Son of God, and in the bosom of the Father, he knoweth the mind, the secrets, all the whole counsel and purpose of God, and that of himself; and this he doth not keep close in himself, as Paul when caught up into the third heavens, heard things not to be uttered, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things that otherwise were hidden and obscure, he had made clear and known: Thus you see, that first Christ hath a full and perfect knowledge of the mind of God, and that he hath it, not in such a manner as the holy Prophets sometimes received it, but of himself, and that this knowledge he doth not keep to himself, no more than the Sun doth its light, but he hath it to reveal, and declare it to his people, so that we have the mind of God, because Christ hath revealed it: Therefore some say, he is called the word of God, because he doth manifest the inward purposes of God for our salvation, and the means to attain thereunto. This truth also is abundantly confirmed Joh. 3.31.32. where all the Prophets, and John himself is debased in respect of Christ, He that cometh from heaven is above all; All others come of the earth, but Christ, because coming from heaven, the bosom of the Father, therefore he is above all, but it followeth, What he hath seen and heard he testifieth; so that he communicateth this knowledge to the world; Therefore the unbelief of the world is heavily taxed, No man receiveth his testimony. Although Christ be to be preferred above all that were ever sent by God, for they were only infallible directively, and by outward assistance only, but Christ essentially and internally, yet the world doth not receive his testimony. If then it be thus, That Christ only knoweth God, and from him knowledge is derived to all others; Even the Doctors and Teachers in the Church, do strive by his light, then it's no wonder if God from heaven doth take us of all others, and bid us attend to him, Mat. 17.5. Hear ye him: So that we are not to regard, what the wisest, the learned, or the most ancient say, but what Christ saith.  

Propositions about the point.  To open this truth, Consider these things:  
1. That Christ a● God hath omnisciency, knowing all things. 1 Cor. 2.11. What is there attributed to the Spirit of God, is true also of the Son of God, The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God: Thus Christ as God must needs comprehend all the things of God, and so there is nothing hid from him; And this Omnisciency of his, was often manifested, especially Joh. 2. when it's said, He knew what was in man, and needed not that any should tell him.  
2. The humane Nature of Christ, or Christ as man knew not all things, but according as the Divine Nature revealed the hidden things of God, so he came to perceive him. Therefore the Doctrine of the Lutherans seem to confound the Natures, when they say, The properties of the Divine Nature are communicated to the humane Nature, Omniscience and ubiquity, etc. This cannot be, and yet Christ abide a true man. Hence he is said to grow in knowledge; yea as Son of man he is said, Not to know the day of Judgement, Mat. 24.36. which cannot be explained, as some would, he knew it not, viz. to reveal it, for in that sense the Father also might be said not to know it, yet the humane nature of Christ, though it was capable of nesciency, yet not of ignorance, for as he was without all sin, so without all ignorant defects in mind, he wanted no perfection that was due to him, it was an experimental knowledge he grew in.  
3. Even the humane Nature of Christ, is now lifted up to know many things without which as the Judge of the world, he could not accomplish that work. For seeing that Christ God-man is appointed to judge the world, it's necessary that even as man, there should be revealed unto him, all the thoughts, actions and circumstances thereof concerning every man in the world, that so he might fulfil the office of a Judge.  
4. Christ, as Mediator, God and man is the author and fountain of all the light, which is communicated to the Church. Hence it is that one of his Offices is to be the Prophet of the Church: He is called the chief shepherd of our souls, 1 Pet. 5 4. and being our high-Priest, he was to offer up himself for us, so also instruct and teach us: Therefore you heard the whole world is commanded to hear him, and therefore it is that he calls himself, the truth and the way, Joh. 14.16. So that in all matters of Religion we are still to inquire what Christ hath revealed, and what he hath manifested; now he doth not only reveal the truth to be believed, but the duties also that are to be performed, and therefore the Apostle makes it so heinous a sin to refuse Christ speaking above Moses, Heb. 12.25. Tremble then all ye wicked men, who do constantly refuse Christ still speaking from heaven by his Word and Ministers to leave your sins and impieties.  
5. The Scripture doth often (as in all actions ad extra) attribute the same work of teaching and enlightening, both to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Spirit. So that this great work of saving knowledge is attributed indifferently to all. Thus the Father James 1. is called the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift: So our Saviour allegeth that promise, They shall be all taught of God, Joh. 6.45. So the holy Spirit is said to guide and lead into all truth, Illumination being frequently ascribed to the Spirit, and 1 Cor. 2.10. God is said there to reveal things unto us by his Spirit. And lastly, Christ himself is said to be the great teacher of his people, as Mat. 23.10. For one is your Master, even Christ. Hence the Apostle magnifieth the Gospel, Heb. 1. that whereas formerly God had spoken by the Prophets, in these later days he spoke by his Son: So that the geeat sin against the Gospel, and the aggravation of all wickedness is from hence, that though this light be come into the world, yet men love darkness rather than light.  
6. The Lord Christ doth teach several ways, either immediately, when he was upon the earth, or mediately by the Apostles and the Ministers that he hath appointed in his Church. Therefore he is said still to speak from heaven, viz. by the Word and the Ministry: so that we are not to conceive, as if we had nothing of Christ now, because he is ascended to heaven, for what the Ministers, guided by the Word of God, do, that is, as if Christ himself spoke it, and you are to receive it with the like faith and obedience. Hence our Saviour speaking to his Apostles saith, Luke 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; he that despiseth an Ambassador contemneth him from whom he is sent: Oh that this truth may be as a two-edged Sword in thy heart! What darest thou, who livest in thy profaneness, if Christ himself were here upon the earth, commanding thee to leave thy sins, yet to persevere in them, if not, How is it that you refuse those who come in his name?  
7. Though Christ hath appointed a Ministry to teach and instruct people, yet the whole efficacy and power cometh from Christ alone. It's God and Christ by the Word that can only open the understanding, and give a spiritual knowledge, so that conversion is so called the teaching of God, John 6.45. Therefore a man must hear and learn of the Father, before he can come to Christ, only Christ there addeth, that this hearing and knowing of the Father comes by him: So Joh. 3.26, 27. when john's Disciples said, That all men come to Christ, he answered, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him of heaven, attributing it to the power of God, that any come to Christ. Therefore this Sun exceedeth the bodily one, which giveth indeed external light, but cannot give an eye to see, the blind remain blind for all that.  
Lastly, Though Christ only do effectually give a knowing heart, so that although we had the best Ministry of men and Angels, yet it would do no good without his secret power and energy, yet we must not from thence infer the uselessness of the Ministry, as some foolishly have done, opposing the principal and subordinate. For in our natural life, although it be not the bread we eat, but the word of blessing from God's mouth, that makes it to nourish us, yet none casts away his food, resolving to depend on God immediately: Thus though Christ alone give the seeing eye, and the understanding heart, yet it's by and in the use of the Ministry; though it was God alone that did give the healing virtue to the pool of Bethesda, yet the Angel must move it, and every lame man must come into it, else he could not be healed. Hence although Jeremy prophesy of such abundance of knowledge, that they shall not teach one another, but be all taught of God, which may seem and is brought by some to overthrow the Ministry, yet the same Prophet Jer. 3.15. declareth it as a special blessing, that he would give them Pastors according to his own heart, which would feed them with knowledge and understanding: So that Gods teaching, and the Pastors teaching do not oppose one another. It's said also of Lydia, that God opened her heart, Act. 16.14. but to what end? To attend to the words of Paul: So that you must never oppose God's work, and the Ministry together.  
In the next place, Let us consider the Properties of Christ's knowledge, whereby he makes us also to know. As  
1. The Authoritative and potestative Nature of it, he taught as one having authority, not as the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 7.29. Hence Mat. 5. when he had related the corrupt opinions of their Doctors in the Interpretation of the Law, he addeth, But I say unto you, opposing his Authority to them all. It's true, he saith, he speaks not of himself, but referreth his Doctrine wholly to his Father, but withal saith, He and his Father are one; he doth not speak of receiving his Doctrine in the same manner, as Paul, and other Apostles did of him by revelation.  
2. There is the freeness of this, he teacheth whom he pleaseth. There are none so froward, and so contumacious, but he can open their hearts, and others that are of high and eminent understandings for want of him do remain blind owls, Mat. 11.26, 27. where our Saviour giving God thanks for manifesting the things of the Gospel to some, and not to others, resolving all into God's good pleasure, Even so (Father) for so it pleaseth thee, he addeth, No man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him: So that where the Son will reveal it, there is knowledge, and where he will not, there remaineth blindness.  
3. There is the effectual and powerful way of this revealing, such shall know, such will come to God, such shall have the vail-taken off their eyes, and the stone out of their hearts.  
4. There is the continual and daily efficacy of this, I have manifested it to them, and will do it. Though they were Apostles, yet they need the daily guidance and illumination of Christ's Spirit, we cannot either begin, or proceed without him.  
Use of Instruction, To look above the Ministry, even up to Christ, that he would open thy heart, constantly wait upon that, but withal say, Unless thou Lord go along with the Ordinance, all hearing, and all preaching is in vain; He that only can give eyes to the corporal blind, can also to the spiritual blind: Is it not for want of this, you find the Ministry no more working upon you, you are not instant with God in prayer, that it may be effectual to you?  
Use 2. Of Exhortation, To such who have this vail and thick cloud on their hearts removed, let them not indeed proudly compare themselves with, and insult over others, yet by the opposition be quickened to walk humbly and praise God the more: O Lord, the world hath not known thee, such great men, such rich men, such neighbours, but I by thy grace have known thee!   

SERMON CXLII. Setteth forth the singular Christian cleaving to God, though the multitude go another way; And how his godliness in that case endears him to God.  JOH. 17.25. And these have known, that thou hast sent me. 
IN these words you have described by way of commendation the Faith of believers with the object thereof.  
1. Their Faith is called knowledge, as several times in this Chapter.  
2. There is the object of this Faith, That the Father sent Christ into the world, Austin understandeth it thus, as if the meaning were, They have known me, not by nature or freewill, but because I was sent into the world to reveal and cause this knowledge in them, So that he expounds it in a causal sense, They have believed wholly of grace, because thou hast sent me to be the Sun of Righteousness enlightening of them; But it's more consonant to the customary use of that phrase, to take in an objective sense, making (Christ sent) to be the specifying object of their faith, and as for the persons the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these who are said thus to know, though some limit it to the Apostles only, yet because the world is made the immediate opposite to it, we are to extend it to all believers; I have handled this description of believers Faith absolutely already, both as it is called knowledge, and as it is terminated upon Christ as sent by the Father, and hereby distinguished from the absolute knowledge which men may have of God without Christ: I shall therefore only take notice of it relatively, as it stands by way of argument in this Petition, for therefore doth Christ commend them as the fit objects of glory, because they do believe, though the world be wicked and mad opposers of the knowledge of God.  
Obs. That it's an endearing respect of believers to God that they do own him, 
Doct. That it's an indearing respect of believers to God that they do own him, and cleave to hint, when the whole world go quite contrary.  and cleave to him, when the whole world goeth the contrary way; If the whole world did lie in godliness, as it's said to be in wickedness; If every one did believe in God, than the excellency of such who do believe would not be so great: If all the stones of the earth were jewels, than these would not be so much set by, and if all the weeds of the field were choice flowers, than flowers would not be so much regarded, so that the wickedness of the world is an excellent foil to the godliness of believers; The darker the night is, the light of the stars is thereby the brighter, and this the Apostle alludeth unto in that glorious commendation given to the Saints at Philippi, Phi. 2.15. where praying that they might be without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, he tells them, they did shine as lights in the world, So that as the darker the night is, the more glory is in the star when it shineth, so the more perverse and wicked the world is, the more amiable and lovely is the faith of such who believe in Christ; Hence it is that such an encouraging promise is made to such who confess Christ before men, Mat. 18. that is an adulterous and wicked generation, as Mar. 8, 38. The acknowledging of God amongst so many vile opposers and wicked persecutors is especially taken notice of by God; Thus when the Apostle Peter speaks of Lot, how merciful God was in protecting and delivering him from the impendent judgements he giveth him this character, that he was a just and righteous man, 1 Pet. 2.7. which was abundantly discovered in this, that he was vexed (tormented as if he had been put upon the rack the word is applied to the very torments of hell) with the conversation of the wicked, his eye and ears, yea the whole soul itself was vexed with their unlawful deeds, for Lot to walk righteously and holily in the midst of such miscreants and incarnate devils as they were, this moved God to have a more special care over him.  

Propositions clearing the Point.  To consider this Truth more throughly take notice,  
1. That there is a wonderful proneness in every man by nature to do as the most do, not to be thought more wise, more holy, or more strict than others, especially to be scoffed or derided, or persecuted for walking more strictly than others do, this is much against flesh and blood; Hence it is that we have such a peremptory prohibition, that we are not to follow a multitude to do evil, Exo. 23.2. therefore our Saviour when he foretold that his disciples should be hated of all men for his Names sake, he spoke the most discouraging matter that could be, for every one naturally would gladly have the good word of all, the praise and applause of all; But because that is impossible to please God and please men too, therefore it is that he who will be godly, who will do his duty, he will stir up the generation of wicked men against him as so many hornets, he shall neither have good name, estate, liberty, or life itself, if they could complete the height of their wickedness, now then must not this greatly endear them to God and Christ, that though they be godly at so dear a rate, though it cost them so much, yet for all that they will not forsake God; Oh saith God, It's for my sake, thou art thus reproached, thus persecuted, if thou wouldst do as the world doth, walk according to the course and fashion thereof; Then the world would love and advance thee: Let not then the godly be troubled, but rejoice rather under all the hard words, and ungodly deeds which they meet with, for all these sufferings endear them more to God, He accounts what is done to them to be done as to himself, and therefore he will not let their sin go unpunished.  
2. To be godly in a wicked and crooked generation doth endear to God because thereby is manifested our sincerity and uprightness of heart; That there are no carnal and earthly advantages we look after, for if there were our earthly policy would suggest us to take some other way, and for this reason it may be thought our Saviour did upon all occasion to such who proffered to be his disciples, still inform them of the hardship, of the troubles and miseries they must meet with, That so they might not apostatise afterwards, that they might not say, this is more than ever was told us, we would never have taken up the profession of Christ upon such terms; And certainly this is a rock many have split at, they begin to be disciples of Christ before they throughly consider how much it will cost them to be so indeed, they do not take our Saviour's advice, Luk. 14.31. to sit down and consider whether being now to go to war with such lusts and sins as formerly have been sweet to them, they can endure or no, whether their lusts will not prove too strong for them, and so they compound at last to be their servants again, they consider not whether being now to rear up a strong and enduring building they can be at so much cost or no, whether they can extend so much from their former time, and cares and worldly thoughts and businesses, so as to make this building their great work for want of these considerations aforehand, it is that so many have dealt foolishly in the way of Religion, They began but could not make an end; Oh but now when the heart is sincere and upright, there it accounts no fiery trial strange, whatsoever difficulty and trouble it meeteth with; It saith, this I looked for, this I expected, this I must undergo, and by this we discover our uprightness to God, and thereby we are more endeared to God, that it is not any outward thing but himself only that makes us profess our obedience to him, and this indeareth us to God.  
3. Those that believe in Christ in the midst of a wicked and ungodly world are esteemed of by God, because such have the image of God restored in them, and so become like him, now then where God seeth his own likeness, there he will tenderly respect and protect; He that hath put such bowels into a Father, that he will lay up for his children, and take more care of them then all other children in the world, must much more have such bowels in himself towards those that are his; Hence it is that we are so often exhorted to meditate on that relation of a Father which he hath so graciously assumed to himself, for what Father is there that seeth his good and obedient child maintaing his credit, striving for his honour against all those that shall oppose him, will not inwardly be moved to take part with his child, and defend him all he can, and shall not our heavenly Father much more show his love herein to us? our Saviour would convince believers, Mat. 6.8. not to be troubled under any exercises from the transcendent affection that is in him as an heavenly Father to all earthly parents; Seeing therefore believers do resemble God, and he seeth his own likeness upon them, Insomuch that God saith, it's not so much for their sakes as my sake, that they are thus maligned, how can it be but that God will take care of them?  
4 Such as believe in Christ they are become the Lords in a more peculiar propriety; They are his people, they are his jewels, they are the apple of his eye, and this propriety is that which prevaileth with God to keep them, though all the world be destroyed, Psal. 4. all wicked opposers of the godly are exhorted to know this that God hath set apart the godly man for himself; That as the godly man sets God apart for himself, leaveth all the world to take him for his portion, So on the other side God passeth by wicked men, they are not in his favour or special protection but the godly are, They are his, and therefore he will love them as his, and delight in them as his; In Isa. 43.34. we have a glorious promise, Since thou wast precious in my sight, I will give men for thee, and people for thy life, that is, God will give up many to destruction to save his children; As they said to David, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, Thus God speaketh concerning his choice ones, they are worth more than many thousands of wicked men, and it's better thousands of them perish then few of the godly, So that this propriety God's children have in God, is that which will be a sure protection for them to pass safe through all calamities.  
5. To be faithful to God amongst wicked men indeareth God to them, because this demonstrateth many excellent and choice properties in the godly, which make them lovely and precious in his sight; As first here is demonstrated God's grace already begun in them, and therefore where God hath begun there will he also preserve to the latter end, for when our Saviour here saith, the world hath not known thee, but these have known thee, he doth not commend them for their own strength and abilities, as if they had differenced themselves from others, but he discovers how much God had loved them hitherto, he chose us, and loved us first, and therefore we choose and love him again, So that when believers accept of Christ they do not herein discover any worth in themselves, but the infinite grace of God to them that made them to be discriminated from others. Now then where Christ hath begun to love, there will he consummate and finish, one degree of God's love calls for another, and he hath so chained his graces together that the link shall not be broken, if then you see the godly labouring and working after God when all the world is contrary; Do not so much admire them as the grace of God given to them; Even as the people did when they saw the Apostles work such wonderful miracles.  
2. Here is manifested their magnanimity and courage for God, that they dare confess his Name, and promote his kingdom to such exceeding hazard of all they have; Will not this also make God have a special regard to them? It's most acceptable to God to be good in evil times, and amongst evil men, as Obedmelech in ahab's Courts, and some of Caesar's household; This magnanimity was admirable in the Confessors and Martyrs of old, who despised death, yea, triumphed over it, insomuch that though the Heathens speak of a virtue called fortitude, and another named magnanimity, yet they are never able to show the hundredth or thousandth part of any heathens suffering for their sect, as we can do millions of Christians for the Christian Faith; If then David did so much prise his Worthies, and those who were valiant men, venturing their lives for him, were so endeared, how much more will God highly esteem such as are courageous and venturous for him, Therefore there is such encouraging promises made to such as are willing to lose for him, Mat. 19.29. he shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life; Is not this plain that God is very tender of and remunerative of such who are courageous and ready to lose any thing for his sake.  
3. Herein the godly manifest their love to God; In this time of adversity they discover their kind affections towards God; Now love of God is abundantly rewarded with love from God, What a happy exchange is this for thy poor finite creatures love, which is not able to make God more blessed and happy, to have the infinite, effectual, and unspeakable love of God towards thee; If we love the inanimate creatures they do not love us again; Thou lovest riches, riches do not love thee again; Thou lovest honours, but honours cannot love thee again, but if we place our love upon God, than God will power out his love abundantly upon us again, love obtains love, and where God loveth his love is infinite like himself, and withal it's efficacious, his love while we are sinners made him send his Son to die for us; much more will his love be operative since reconciled with us.  
Lastly, All such true believers who acknowledge Christ in the midst of an ungodly world, they do betake themselves to God's faithfulness, and rest only upon that; They take up this resolution, all the world will prove malicious and ungrateful, they cannot expect better measure than what Christ himself had, who yet did so much good where he came; Now having these expectations they fortify themselves with God's promise and fidelity, he will not leave them nor forsake them; You see how often David professeth his trust in God, making him his fortress and strong tower; We see among men if any one betake himself to another man's fidelity, and say, he will trust on him, he will depend upon him, if such an one have any ingenuity or spark of goodness in him, to be sure he will not fail such, he will not deceive, how much rather than will God abide sure and faithful to all those that depend on him.  
Use 1. of Exhortation not to be infected or poisoned with the common iniquity of others, though others grow wicked, yet let not thy love grow cold, for this will be a remarkable aggravation of grace, when the world was obstinate and would not know God, yet thou didst, Do not think that multitude of sins can be any patronage to thee at all; Though thou art but one man, or one Family for God in the whole Parish, do not shrink at this, but think that God doth the rather take notice of thee; It's a more difficult task to be godly in some places than others; It will cost more, there will be more sufferings, but still remember never did any lose by losing for God.  
Use 2. of Comfort to the godly, Though they have so little from the world, for God he takes notice of all the hard speeches, all the hard practices that ungodly men are guilty of towards them, but let them know, the more this Pharaoh, this Egypt doth oppress them, the more graciously will God at last hear all their groan, and they shall enter into a Canaan, that will make amends for all. Think not of thy conflicts and fightings, but of the Crown of glory: Oh that the godly would consider who it is that looks on them, while they run in this race, while they are striving for an holy victory.   

SERMON CXLIII. Of Christ's teaching Believers: Showing what great need the most illuminated Christians have still to be taught.  JOH. 17.26. And I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it, etc. 
OUr Saviour having in the former verse affirmed himself to be the cause of all that saving knowledge believers have, he doth in this verse manifest, that he is the conservant cause, as well as the efficient, that as God is both the Author of Creation and Preservation in the order of nature: So Christ is in the order of grace.  
We have therefore in the words, 

1. The gracious action of Christ toward his people.  
2. The efficient cause.  
3. The Subject to whom.  
4. The final Cause hereof.    
The gracious action of Christ is set down both by the Preterperfect and Future tense, ushered in with the part cle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which some make causal in this connexion, They have known thou hast sent me, for I have declared thy Name unto them. And thus it may very well be taken in this place, and thence we may observe,  
That the saving knowledge of Christ cometh not by our own natural strength or abilities, but by the mere revelation and will of Christ. But I shall not insist on that.  
In the next place, the Benefit ascribed to us, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at the sixth verse, he used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The word is sometimes used of Gods making a thing known to us, Luke. 2.15. Sometimes of our making a thing known to God. as Phil. 4.6. Let your requests be made known to God Not that God is ignorant of any thing, but as much as lieth in us, we spread them in God's presence, to take notice of them: Sometimes of one man's making known a thing to another, as 1 Cor. 15.1. Ephes. 6.21. In this place it's attributed to Christ, as the efficient cause, I have declared. In the next place, there is the diversity of time, I have, and will declare it. Austin referreth this to the present life, and the life to come, but it rather denoteth the constant and daily revelation or manifestation of Christ himself, and his truth to believers. 3. There is the Object declared, thy Name, that is God himself. 4. The Subject to whom, that is, not the Apostles, but to all believers.  
Now I have already handled the benefit mentioned, Christ's declaring the Name of God to believers: I shall only take notice of the Necessity of continuing this Benefit even to Believers, though Apostles, though never so eminent in gifts and graces, yet Christ doth still keep up and increase their saving knowledge.  

Doct. That Believers do not only at their first conversion, but in the whole progress of their life, need constant illumination and teaching from God.  Observe. That believers do not only at their first conversion, but in the whole progress of their life, need constant illumination and teaching from God. There is none can learn so much in God's School, that God himself can teach him no longer. This truth will be of great use to keep the most knowing Christians very humble and low in their own eyes, as also to make them continually depend upon Christ in the Word and Ministry, that they may grow in knowledge. This truth is abundantly confirmed by that notable prayer of the Apostle for the Ephesians, who though they were made light in the Lord, and had the mystery of Gods will so much made known unto them, that he did not cease to give thanks for them daily in that behalf, yet still he prayeth, Ephes. 1.17, 18. That God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened etc. Here it's plain, That though these had knowledge, yet they might still increase in it. Hence the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1.19. doth encourage believers for their diligent attending unto the Scripture, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in their hearts, that is, till they obtain more firm and evident knowledge of the things of God. In the Old Testament we have David, Psal. 119. though professing he had more knowledge than his teachers, and the Word was continually his counsellor, yet prayeth he, That God would open his eyes, that he may understand the wonderful things of Gods Law. David's eyes are not opened clear enough, the word implieth, there are some scales and film upon his eyes, that must be rolled away, and that there are excellent precious things in God's word, that he doth not yet understand.  
For the improving of this truth, Let us consider in how many particulars a further constant teaching by Christ is requisite to the most able believers. And  

I. In respect of the object.  First, They need further revelation in respect of the objects of their knowledge, to know more than they do know. So imperfect is every godly man's knowledge, that it may be called ignorance rather than knowledge; We are ignorant of far more excellent truths in Religion than we do know; If the Heathen could say, Our eyes were in respect of natural truth, but like those of the Owl to the Sun; How much more is this true about spiritual objects? You see how the Apostles knowledge was successive, they come to know one thing after another, as Christ revealed it, till they had that plentiful effusion of the holy Ghost upon them; And the Apostle Paul, who was taught, not of men, but of Christ himself, yea he was caught up into the third heaven, yet for all that he puts himself in the number of those who know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. So that this is true not only of believers, but of the eminent Doctors and Teachers in the Church, they know but in part; yea and that will be true of them, even at their last hour though their whole life hath been to obtain knowledge of God. Therefore this should quicken all up to diligent use of the means, for who can sit down and say, He knoweth enough, or he knoweth all things? Indeed there have been those that were called Guostiques, because of the great knowledge they boasted of, but yet they made themselves even like bruit beasts: O then confess that the waters of divine truth are so deep, that though thou wert an Elephant, yet thou mightest swim in it, we are as the Ancients said.  

TWO▪  Secondly, As in the object we need much revelation, so in those things we do know, we need much assistance and direction from Christ in respect of the adjuncts of it. For,  
1. Though we do know the objects, yet we may every day know them more evidently, more distinctly, more clearly. Alas our knowledge about God and Christ is very confused, and therefore Paul is every day desirous to know Christ better than he did: As it is with digging in a Mine of Gold, every day's labour brings richer and fuller supplies; or as the draining from a Spring, doth not exhaust, but makes it more plentiful: Thus it is with the heart of a man when set to know God or Christ: There are new considerations, new respects, and new arguments arising always from them; Insomuch that God and Christ may seem new to the soul every day; we begin to nauseate, and grow weary, when the same things we know, are always suggested unto us, but the soul of a man can never he weary of the knowledge of Christ, For in him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and grace: And therefore even those principalities and powers in heavenly places, that are so vast and comprehensive in knowledge, yet Eph. 3.10. The Lord Christ is in the Ministry of the Church made more known to them continually; So that if Angels do learn in Christ's School, and obtain more knowledge of him, and do with great delight search into these things; no wonder then, if the most enlightened men may yet search deeper and deeper into the Lord Jesus Christ: Paul though one of the highest Scholars in Christ's School, yet desired to know nothing but Christ crucified, for if in heaven the knowledge of God, when yet it is intuitive and transcendent to this, we have will not weary us, but daily provoke the soul to know God more, no wonder then if in this life our knowledge be not satisfied, when it is but in part.  
2. As we need Christ's daily manifestation in respect of the evidence of them, so also in respect of the firmness and immoveableness of our knowledge. Faith, you heard, is knowledge, and that doth necessarily imply assent: Now if our assent be not firm and settled, We are like children tossed up and down with every wind of Doctrine: Instability and inconstancy is much condemned in Scripture; and indeed it doth directly oppose faith, which makes the soul confidently and firmly-adhere to the truths of Christ, as divine, as those which cannot be dispensed with, or ever prove false; for if Paul thought it so great a disparagement, that with him should be yea and nay in his words, much more would this be reproachful to Christ himself, who saith, He is the truth itself, Joh. 14. So that as truth cannot be a lie, so neither can the Doctrine of Christ be false: Now the Doctrine being in itself thus true, the power of Christ is seen in making a gracious heart thus strongly to adhere upon divine motives to it, as that which will abide, though heaven and earth shall pass away; Scepticism and faith are directly opposite; when we are enabled to believe, we receive it as the truth of God, and not as the truth of man: So although while this gift of faith was not bestowed upon us, we debated truths of Religion, like those in Philosophy, and were prone to have, as Hilary said of old, Menstruam & annuam fidem, a monthly or yearly faith, yet when God shall once strengthen us to believe than we are no longer reeds shaken with wind, but as Origen of old alluded, When many things are removed from us, than this Arundo (for of that they made pens formerly) is made the Calamus the pen of a ready writer: Where God strengthens us to believe, there that turning this way and that way, that mutability is removed, and our hearts are fixed, so as to be able to dig for that we so firmly adhere unto. Thus the Martyrs they were confirmed by God exceedingly, in respect of the stability of their assent to divine truths, when yet they had great temptations to assault them; and we read sometimes of the Disciples, that upon the working of some great miracles by our Saviour, they are said then to believe, not but that they believed before, only they did grow and increase in this more: Oh then in times of great disputes, when learned and godly men differ in many things, it behoveth the godly Christian to fly to this manifestation of Christ! Oh say, declare it Lord, and still declare it to me more and more! And certainly it appeareth by Mat. 24. That those who are false Prophets, have so many fair pretences and deceivable ways, that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect; so that it's a very great mercy to be of a sound mind, and established in the truth; That as Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, so also believers are to be.  
3. We need Christ's daily declaration in respect of the efficacy and practical operation of our knowledge. So that although we know all mysteries, yet if the power of Christ doth not make us to acknowledge these things in a godly manner, We are but as tinkling cymbals; you see Paul made knowledge a mere puff, a nothing without charity, 1 Cor. 13. and our Saviour puts happiness upon the doing, not knowing of these things, John 14.17. A Christian may grow two ways in the extension of knowledge, or in the efficacy of knowledge, and this is greatly to be lamented; many desire to know more opinions, and more notions; many are still propounding more questions after questions, but the Apostle Ephes 4. tells us of the knowing of the truth as it is in Jesus, which makes a Christian put off the oldman, and put on the new, as also an acknowledgement of the truth after godliness, Tit. 1. Oh therefore pray, that Christ would declare his truths to thee, so as they may not only be in thy head, but sink down into thy heart, and be there like fire inflaming thy bowels! It's not growing in knowledge, at it is knowledge, but growing in it, as it is saving and operative, which makes a man fitted for everlasting glory. As it is not the knowing of what is excellent food, that doth nourish a man, but the eating of it, and this only doth the Scripture vouchsafe to call knowledge indeed: Oh then examine thyself! Dost thou so know God, as to live on him by faith, to love and fear him? Dost thou so know Christ, as to make him a Mediator to thee in an appropriated manner? Dost thou so know the promises, as to rely on them, and to make them thy cordial in all temptations? This is to know, in the Scripture language: So that the Christians knowledge is wholly in tendency to operation, as all motion is for rest, if it be barren it increaseth our condemnation, and not further our consolation.  
In the next place, Let us consider what are the reasons, why Christ must continually teach his people, And  
1. It is because all heavenly things are revealed from God only. Even as it is said of the Creation, John 1. All things were made by him▪ and without him was nothing made that was made: Thus all knowledge in a supernatural manner comes from him, and without him we know nothing. Now all those things which require a supernatural power for to give the first existence to them, require such a power to continue them therein. Hence as Christ made all things, Heb. 1. he is still said to bear up all things by his power; and thus likewise it is in regard of all saving knowledge, that same Spirit of Christ which did at first teach us, must in the whole progress of our lives teach us; As a man cannot believe of himself, so neither increase in faith, or know more firmly and evidently of himself.  
All saving knowledge is part of that work of grace, which God is the author of in the soul. Now in all the course of grace and progress therein, it's plain we need the auxiliary power of God continually. Thus the Apostle speaking even to those that did believe already, yet he saith, It's God that worketh in us, to will and do; and as it's God that beginneth, so it is he that finisheth every good work: Hence Christ is said to be the author and finisher of our Faith, Heb. 12.2. As it is thus in grace, if God did not keep every godly man, he would fall into the dirt, and all noisome lusts from which he was once converted: So if God did not keep us firmly and constantly in his truth, there is no damnable heresy, or blasphemy that is fetched out of hell itself, which a godly man would not fall into: So that it's the Covenant and promise of God, which keepeth a man equally from erroneous opinions and sinful practices.  
3. There is a necessity of Christ's constant teaching his people, because of the imperfection and weakness, which is in their best knowledge. That as he prayed about his faith, I believe, help my unbelief; so I know Lord, help my ignorance; and therefore it is, that he will have a Ministry always in the Church, which as that is to grow constantly in knowledge, so ought the people much more: Oh then be affected with the true and right apprehensions of the sins of thy mind, and thou wilt quickly see, that unless Christ be thy teacher, thou shalt die in thy ignorance.  
4. There is a necessity of Christ's further teaching, because of the great advantage in a grown knowledge. As  
1. A man is thereby more able to discern between things that differ, he can separate the dross from the gold.  
2. He will be more evangelical in the frame of his Spirit, Heb. 6. The babe is unskilful in the word of righteousness; Ignorance causeth many scruples and fears, which do hinder those spiritual consolations that should abound in the heart of the godly.  
3 Hereby they may be guides to others. The Apostle Rome 14. showeth the many duties of a strong Christian in respect of a weak. It's a blessed thing to be a means of edification of others, or the reducing of such as have gone astray for want of this growth, many parents, many husbands, though godly for the main, cannot do their duties.  
Use 1. Of humiliation to the best persons, and the best Churches, they still need more light; It's not enough Christ hath declared to them, but he must still declare, not indeed new substantials and essentials to salvation, but in regard of the superstructures of holiness and truth: That Doctrine in Popery, The Church cannot err, makes her incurable, and is also grossly arrogant. In particular persons, this would also breed self-emptiness, an high esteem of the Ordinances, it would prevent heresies and errors, men being commonly confident of themselves therein, as also any severe and uncharitable censuring of others, knowing, as it is said, Phil. 3.15. God may in time reveal even this truth unto them also.   

SERMON CXLIV. Of the powerful sense and feeling of the love of God; How it's attained; And what a great advantage it is to him that hath it, both in reference to duty and comfort.  JOHN 17.26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. 
IN these words we have the necessary Consequent or Effect, of believing in Christ and resting on him as Mediator, and that is the love of God towards them: So that we have here the description of God's love to Believers, and that in the highest degree which is imaginable (the love wherewith thou lovest me;) Critics note a Graecism in the relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Mar. 4.41. 2 Tim. 4.7. which Austin also on the place takes notice of, though Maldonate call it a light Observation; The Truth itself is of infinite comfort that God loves believers with that love wherewith he loveth Christ himself, But this hath been discoursed of already.  
2. You have the subject of this love with the manner of participation of it, That this love may be in them, that is, in true believers, and in them only; Some by love understand the holy Ghost, but we may take it for the gracious favour of God, and as Zanchy well observeth he doth not say that this love may be towards them (though that also be true) but in them; Gods love was to his people by way of purpose and decree from all Eternity, but it was not in them: Now when God's love is said to be in them, that is to be understood of the Effects of his love, and more especially of the sense and assurance of his love.  
Lastly, There is the cause of all this expressed in these words, And I in them, where Christ's mystical Union with and indwelling in us is made the cause of all the love of God to believers, but of this also we have already treated, So that there remaineth no new thing but the manner of participation of this love of God to them, 
Observe. That it is not enough for the people of God to be loved by him, but they are to endeavour after the sense and apprehension of this in their own hearts.  and that is said to be in them, which although (as was said) may be true of the several gracious effects of God's love, yet I shall pitch on that which is the most obvious, viz. God's love in a believer by way of sense and assurance, for God not only loveth them but they may feel this and be persuaded thereof.  
Obs. That it is not enough for the people of God to be loved by him, but they are to endeavour after the sense and apprehension of this in their own hearts; This is the Emphasis, the Selah (as it were) in this expression, that God's love may be in them, our Faith in Christ is not only to produce those direct acts, whereby we are persuaded of God's love in the general, but also those reflex acts whereby we know and feel that his love is in us; As a man under the Sunbeams feeleth and enjoyeth the comfortable influence thereof. So that herein lieth the complete happiness of a Christian, to be loved of God, and to perceive and feel this.  
To open this you must Consider, 
Conside,   
1. That the love of God is taken in Scripture two ways, 
I. The love of God is taken two ways in Scripture.  either actively for that whereby we love him, or passively for that whereby we are loved of him, and so some Texts do receive different Interpretations because of the different application of that love of God; Now it's true, our love to God is inherent in us, and we may perceive and feel it, as fire sometime working in us for his glory and honour, but the love of God whereby he loveth us we cannot feel in us, but by the Spirit of God manifesting and evidencing this unto our souls: We have a notable Text, Rom. 5.5. where the love of God is said to be shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given us, which although some expound of that love inherent in us, whereby we love God, yet it seemeth more consonant to the words preceding, that it is to be understood of that love of God whereby he loveth us, for this being diffused in our hearts, and we thereby affected with it do rejoice in tribulations, and have such hope that will never make ashamed; This than is said to be a special mercy vouchsafed to God's Children, that his love is plentifully poured upon them, as Aaron's Oil upon his head, and so descending to other parts, So that by this Love of God they can triumph and be confident in all tribulations and exercises whatsoever; This is an heaven upon the Earth to live in such discoveries and evidences of God's love.  
2. God's love may be greatly towards us, yea, and the effects of it in us, 
II. God may love a man and he know it not.  yet for all this we discern and feel them not; As it was with the Lord Christ our Head, though dearly beloved of his Father, yet in respect of any sense and perceivance of God's love at that time, he was destitute of it; David doth often bewail his condition in respect of this spiritual desertion, and indeed there cannot be an heavier temptation upon the godly heart than the clean contrary in the Text; That the wrath and anger of God whereby he is drawn out against the wicked, they should apprehend to be upon them; They who esteem the light of his countenance above all things to find the frowns and wrath of God, to apprehend his displeasure towards them, this is a burden greater than they can bear, So that although this be made the connex to their believing in Christ, yet it is a separable Consequent, it is that which may be divided from it sometimes; At that very time when the godly do believe on Christ in a dependent way, they may walk in sad apprehensions, knowing nothing of the love of God towards them, yea, in a very dreadful manner questioning of it.  
3. Although the love of God towards believers may not be perceived by them, yet they are to press forward, they are to pray and wrestle with God, 
III. The sense of God's love to be laboured for  that they may not continue in darkness but be brought to this comfortable light; The Apostle Peter presseth it as a necessary duty, 2 Pet. 1.10. Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure, and the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the Faith, or no; So that this happy privilege is possible, and many of the people of God without any immediate revelation have attained unto it; Insomuch that it is for the most part our sin that we walk not in the sense of it: It is true indeed God sometimes out of his Sovereignty, and for wise ends of his own, doth withdraw this sense and evidence of his favour, but for the most part it is from ourselves that such black clouds arise, which keep the light of the Sun from us. 
IV. The sense of God's love may be immediate or mediate.   
4. The sense and perceiving of God's love may be either in an immediate manner or mediate; Immediately, and thus Christ discovered his love to some while he was here on earth, or mediately, and that is by the discovering of the work of grace upon our souls, whereby we gather God's love toward us, and this is the ordinary safe way that we are to take, otherwise under the pretence of immediate revelations we may fall into sad delusions, and this way the Scripture suggests, viz. that by our love to the brethren, by keeping his Commandments we may gather, that we are loved of God; Do not then expect, as if thou shouldst hear a voice from heaven in a glorious manner as Christ did, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, but begin at the work of grace and Sanctification in thy heart, by which thou mayst certainly conclude of God's love, as by the Sunbeams we may conclude the Sun risen, yet this must be necessarily added, that we can neither discern of the work of grace in us, or have such full persuasions of Gods love thereby, but by the spirit of God, as in Rom. 5.5. we of ourselves through the sight of the imperfections of our graces, would run from the presence of God, only it's the spirit of adoption given unto us, which makes us have an Evangelical boldness before him.  

V. The love of God to his is incomprehensible.  Lastly, This love of God perceived and felt by the godly is of a transcendent and incomprehensible nature, So that if we should spend our whole life in the meditating of it, yet we are never able to go to the bottom of it; This is admirably expressed, Eph. 3 19 that ye may know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge, from whence followeth that we are filled with the fullness of God, for this love to us is the same in kind though not in degree with that whereby he loveth Christ himself, Christ and his members are comprehended in the same act of love, what an unspeakable consideration is this to a poor believer; Again the love of God is such that he gave his only begotten Son to the vilest and most ignominious death for them, which the Apostle puts also upon it; Joh. 3.16. God so loved the world, and this love was to us while enemies, while adversaries, and it's not to bring about a temporal mercy for us, but eternal even everlasting glory, and lastly, this love is immutable and unchangeable, God will never alter his love, or cease to love such, Certainly such a love is that which the heart of a man can never sufficiently comprehend, must needs inflame the soul, there cannot be any cold Ice under this torrid Zone;  

The advantage a believer hath by having the powerful feeling of God's love.  Therefore in the next place let us consider the great advantages that a believer hath, which hath this powerful sense and feeling of God's love within his heart;  
And 1. It doth in a wonderful manner encourage and embolden the soul, and that under the thoughts of death and the day of Judgement; If so be this were to be the next moment, if this voice were heard, Arise, and come to judgement, yet the experimental feeling of God's love would keep the heart so far from being dejected and perplexed, that it would rather rejoice a man, and make him lift up his head, 1 Joh. 4.17. Herein is love made perfect (that is, not our love but God's love to us, as the Greek intimateth) that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; That day which is so terrible to the wicked, the very name of it is dreadful to them that bringeth much comfort to him who is loved of God; Now what a desirable life is this, who would not give the whole world to enjoy it, viz. that he may walk in such powerful apprehensions of God's favour, that though death come, though the day of judgement come, yet his heart is not terrified within him; The Apostle John speaks of Gods love perfected in us, 1 Jo. 4.12. that is, in respect of manifestation and discovery, as God's power is said to be perfected in our infirmities, or faith to be perfected by love, which showeth, that though God doth love us, yet till this be manifested and discovered to us, his love is not perfected to us.  
2. The sense and feeling of God's love doth make us patient and contented, yea, even rejoicing under all tribulations, the more grudge and discontents thou art assaulted with under any exercises, it's an argument thou hast the less feeling of God's love upon thee, for if this did diffuse itself, thou wouldst be more than a conqueror in all these things, and certainly if Calvin said gravely from the former consideration out of the place mentioned in John, That so far a man is proficient in faith as he is well composed in his heart for the expectation of the day of judgement; We may also speak in this particular, that so far a man hath profited in Christianity as he can from the sense of God's favour rejoice and be above all tribulations whatsoever; This the Apostle mentioneth, Rom. 5.5. the cause of all those glorious graces mentioned, viz. patience and glorying in tribulations, as also hope which will not make ashamed, all cometh from that love of God shed abroad in their souls, and Rome 8 It's the love of God which he felt in his soul that made him triumph in so glorious a manner that he challengeth all things as not able to hinder him from this love of God.  
3. This sense of God's love is a notable inflamer and quickener of the heart unto all godliness, to all holy duties; How dull, how cold and lukewarm are all such performances that flow not from this fire within? All is but formality and a mere outside in Religion till we have some apprehension of God's love toward us, yea, those that are truly loved of God, but yet not assured of it, how heavily do they move in any holy duties, how sad and divided with unbelieving thoughts, how prone to yield to such temptations, that because God doth not love them, therefore it's a vain thing to seek his face any longer, but if once God let this love shine in upon his heart, then it's like oil to his bones, then it's like ezechiel's spirit in the wheels, than many waters cannot quench this love, So that any duty performed out of the apprehension of God's love is in some respect worth a thousand of those done without it; Oh therefore labour to keep this fire always upon the Altar of thy heart, 2 Cor. 5.14. the Apostle there saith that the love of Christ constraineth him, the word is thought to be used of those Prophets who being immediately wrought upon by the spirit of God, could not keep in what they felt, but they must deliver it, and thus it is with a man strongly possessed with the feeling of God's love, he cannot keep it in, he is in an holy ecstasy and ravishment, he prayeth, he heareth, he doth all things with all his might.  
4 This apprehension of God's love will make us wonderful heavenly, It will take us from all things here below; As a man on a high tower thinketh great towns and cities but little things, thus a godly man raised up with the evidence of God's love toward him, judgeth all the world but a drop to God; As the eye that hath looked on the Sun is so dazzled, that it cannot behold other things; Thus it was with Paul, he was so affected with this, that Christ loved him and gave himself for him, Gal. 2.20. that he professeth he did no longer live but Christ in him; It's this apprehension that will carry us up unto the mount of Transfiguration every day; It's no wonder then if Satan be so busy to tempt us in this Point above all, to unsettle us about the love of God in Christ to us, for he knoweth herein lieth the strength of Samson as it were, if this be taken away any green cords will tie him, he will not have strength to overcome the least temptation; But as long as this love of God can be preserved and kept alive in the soul, so long neither the devil or the world is able to do us any hurt, so long we are like the bird flying on high that is not in danger of snares.   

SERMON CXLV. Directions how to obtain, and always to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of God's Love in our Hearts.  JOHN 17.26. That the Love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them. 
THe sense of God's love in our hearts, is of such consequence, that our Saviour doth conclude his prayer with it; and as you have heard, glorious and blessed are the effects of it. I shall therefore in this last Sermon, give some Directive Helps, How to obtain and always to preserve this Assurance and Knowledge of God's Love to us; but before we declare them, it's good to take notice of some particulars, that may rightly inform our understanding in this point. And  

Propositions to inform in this point.  First, You are to know, That it's the devils great work to keep the children of God in darkness, and in continual doubtings. He is the tempter not only in respect of lusts, 
I.  but also unbelieving and distrustful thoughts of God's grace and mercy. That as the work of God's Spirit, is to comfort, called therefore a Comforter, as also to assure and witness unto us, That we are the children of God, yea to enable us to cry, Abba, Father: So on the contrary, Satan that unclean spirit, his whole business is, if he cannot tempt to sin, yet to walk in a discouraged, tormenting and afflicted way, representing God as some terrible Judge, catching at all the advantages to destroy us: Now the way that the devil takes thus to deject and sadden the hearts of the godly is twofold, for either he doth thus by suggestions immediately to the soul, taking the occasion, when our spirits are darkened and clouded, or when God for holy ends hath withdrawn his light of favour from us; Or by his instruments, which he raiseth up, he causeth such tares of Doctrine to be sown amongst the good seed, that the child of God shall not only walk without the persuasion of God's favour, but think it is his duty, and that he is obliged to reject all such comfortable thoughts; for certainly this is one Doctrine of the devils, amongst others in Popery, that they forbid the penitent soul any assurance or certainty of God's favour, encouraging doubts as the mother of humility, keeping the humbled sinner, as the devils did the demoniac person among the tombs, in sad and doleful objects, not discovering to him the glorious and comfortable light of the Gospel: So that in Popery it's one high point of Religion with them, that no man without an extraordinary revelation can attain to a certainty of God's love to him; he may (they will grant) have some moral conjectures, but a certain persuasion cannot be ordinarily attained. But the Orthodox do abundantly confirm this truth against them: Therefore I only instance in their opinion, as an engine of Satan, whereby he would by this temptation take off the understanding, as by the former way he would unsettle the heart and affections. But let our wisdom be, to take the greater diligence to keep that pearl, which we see Satan would so constantly rob us of.  
Secondly, Observe this, 
II. It's possible for the sense of God's favour to consist with some doubtings.  That it's possible for the sense of God's favour and love to consist with some doubtings, and sad shake of heart about it at some times: Even as the light of the Sun may make the day, yet at the same time, there be some dark and gloomy clouds, which though not able wholly to remove the Sun's light, yet do in a great measure obscure it; We see it in David's Psalms, some whereof you would think were not made by the same man at the same time, for happily in the beginning he had sad dejecting and expostulating thoughts with God, and with his soul also, and yet ere the Psalm be ended, he is able to break out in comfortable persuasions and assurances of God's love: Insomuch that as Paul finds Rom. 7. in respect of grace, a daily combat, so also in respect of certainty about God's love; we believe, and yet crave help for our unbelief, and the word used by the Apostle, 1 John 3.19 We assure our hearts, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we persuade our hearts, implying that our hearts have many objections and cavils; so that this assurance comes by persuasion, even as the Greek word to comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used also to exhort, because this consolation is hardly received into the soul, there must be argument upon argument, exhortation upon exhortation, ere it will be satisfied. Do not therefore expect that, (which yet some vainly boast of) thou shouldst always walk in such predominant assurance of God's love, that there should not any time arise the least cloud or fear in thy soul; no, such a blessed estate will only be in heaven.  
Thirdly, 
III. The sense of God's love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combat within us  Consider that the sense of God's love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combat within us between the flesh and the spirit. For this assurance of God's favour doth not arise from a total absence of all sin, that there is now no corruption in us at all, but from God's gracious favour in Christ, pardoning those relics of corruption within us. It's not therefore the perfection of grace within us, that our sense of God's love is built upon, but the promise and truth of God in his Word; the not attending to this, hath made God's children labour under heavy and sad burdens of mind; Oh they feel much corruption in themselves, they daily find stir of sin within them, by which means they are tempted to many doubts about God's love towards them! But this is their infirmity? for did not Paul in a very grievous manner complain of the body of sin within him, that he found evil present with him, when he would do good, that he was a captive, even sold under sin, and yet for all this he saith, I thank God through Jesus Christ, and concludeth, That there is no condemnation to him, yea for all this apprehension of sin in himself in the next Chapter, what a glorious Chariot of confidence is Paul's soul lifted up to heaven in? Doth he not challenge any adversary in the world to separate him from this love of God? Do not therefore make the sense of sin, and the sense of God's favour immediately opposite. These Cautions being laid down, 
Helps to get and keep this favour of God  let us take notice of the Helps and means, to get and keep this favour of God in the sense of it upon our souls. And  
1. Be much in cherishing and nourishing the holy Spirit of God, which useth to breathe and work in thy soul. For seeing it's plain, that by God's Spirit we are comforted, and that it only doth seal and witness unto us God's love, that its God's Spirit which raiseth up the soul to call God, Father: That man can never have assurance that grieveth this Spirit, that by any sin chaseth it away. As Spira rebelling against the light of God's Spirit (of whom yet judicious Divines give a charitable censure) used this expression, If I could but feel one drop of divine clemency, and could but in the least manner perceive God to be propitious to me (for even the very lest would be enough) I would not refuse to endure a thousand years or more in hell torments. Oh therefore fix that Exhortation upon thy heart, Eph. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed, etc. So that the most compendious way to walk in this light of God's favour, is to be much in prayer for the Spirit of God, for as that only can subdue corruptions which are too strong for us. Those primitive Christians, which did rejoice in tribulations, and were endowed with joy unspeakable and full of glory, it was, because they were also at the same time full of the holy Ghost: If thou be lead by the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, thou shalt have the comforts of the Spirit. Hence those great learned men, who oppose this assurance, they go no higher than Aristotle's school, and seem to know no further than the efficacy of moral virtues: Thus they make not the Sun, but the Moon to rule the day.  
2. Wouldst thou enjoy this sense of God's favour? Then take heed of all sin, especially such as waste the conscience, and make a great gulf between thee and God's favour. It's the constant Doctrine of the Scripture, that God's anger is because of sin, that sin only withholds all good from us: So that it's impossible to keep the sense of God's love, and wallow in sin at the same time, Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. The eye diseased with corrupt humours cannot behold any comfortable object; so neither is a man polluted with sin in a fit capacity for God's love, for those who thus taste of God's goodness, they are his favourites, they are admitted into his secret presence: Now as a great Monarch would not endure, that a man in noisome and loathsome apparel, and with the plague-sores upon him, should be admitted into near familiarity with him; so neither will God bid a profane person draw nigh unto him, God's favour, and a presumption in sin cannot consist together; When David had plunged himself into those foul sins, you see what darkness did cover him, immediately he complaineth for want of joy, that God had hid his face, that his bones were broken; and what was it but sin, that did throw his soul into this hot fiery furnace.  
3. Meditate much on Evangelical Truths, and the Gospel-Doctrine that is delivered in Scripture. For as it is the Law of God, as revealed in the Scripture, that makes a man's sin to appear out of measure sinful, by that pure glass he seeth himself more monstrous and deformed a thousand times, then ever he apprehended himself: so by diligent inspection into, and consideration of the glorious things of the Gospel, we see a more easy and more probable way for assurance of God's love, then otherwise we would: It's not therefore the duty of God's people to be only poring upon their sins to be always applying the Law to themselves, but they are also to behold the glorious riches of God's grace in the Gospel. Though Paul was often cast down with the sense of his sin, judging himself the chiefest of all sinners, and less than the least of all Saints, yet this doth not drive him from Christ, but rather the more to him: hence none speaks so vigorously and cordially about Christ, as Paul doth. According to those objects we often meditate upon, we are apt to be affected and even transformed into them: If therefore we desire to know nothing, but Jesus Christ crucified; if we daily possess ourselves with the unspeakable love of Christ in dying for us; if we often are caught up into this Paradise, as it were, this love like fire will cause sweet melt and liquefactions of the soul; and if the cold, hard iron can by the fire be even assimulated unto it, so that its natural coldness and untractableness is removed, it doth not so much appear iron as fire; no wonder if the gracious love of God plentifully poured out upon the soul, doth make the soul full of unspeakable joy and consolations in the sense of it. As therefore Abraham would not consider the dead womb of Sarah, but the power and promise of God; so neither do thou only consider the guilt, and evil of thy soul, but also the glorious promises, and unsearchable riches of grace manifested in the Gospel. The Apostle speaketh notably to this, 2 Cor. 3.17, 18. We all beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord (viz. revealed in Christ by the Gospel) are changed from glory to glory (from grace to grace) by the Spirit of God; that as in heaven, the beatifical vision of God, doth fill the soul with all purity and joy: Thus the beholding of him by faith, as manifested in the Gospel, doth produce lively and cordial refreshments of soul by the sense of his love.  
4. Consider that the apprehension and discovery of God's love to thee, is far more noble and comfortable than the discovery of thy love to God. Thou mayest take far more joy in the sense of God's love to thee, then of thy love to God; for God's love to thee is the fountain and womb of all the mercies thou enjoyest; were it not for God's love to thee, thy love to him would not advantage thee at all. Again, when thou discoverest thy love to God, thou findest it clogged with many imperfections, it may sad and grieve thee, because of the defects adhering thereunto, as well as encourage and comfort thee: But the love of God apprehended is infinite and perfect, there are no imperfections at all; God's love cannot be bettered and made a more noble and full love to thee. Again, thou needest God's love, but he doth not need thine; he commands thee to love him, not that he wants thy love, or because that can add any thing to his happiness, but because thereby thou art made capable of his love, and so he can communicate of his goodness to thee, do not then take comfort so much from thy graces, as the evidence of God's love to thee thereby.  
5. Take notice that it's most acceptable and wellpleasing unto God, that thou shouldst walk in such sense and feeling of his goodness to thee. For why are all those commands to rejoice in him, and to bless his name continually? Why doth he invite thee to call him, Father? And why are there such thunderbolts in the Scripture against unbelief and distrust? Why is it the main scope of the Scripture to represent God under all love and loving considerations, but that all our thoughts of him should be hopeful and comfortable? Do not therefore think thou goest beyond thy bounds, or its presumption in thee to draw nigh to God upon such assured apprehensions of his grace: No, the Scripture expressly commands the contrary, Heb. 4.16. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace; and Eph. 3.12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Harken not then to all those doubting temptations within, nor all those deceitful arguments of humane reason without, but consider what the Scripture saith, and certainly it's preposterous humility, as in Peter, refusing to let Christ wash his feet, to keep off from the Throne of grace, when we are commanded to come to it. Besides, without this sense of love, how can our hearts be raised up to bless and glorify God? It was David's apprehension of God's goodness to him, that made him call upon his soul, and all within him to bless Gods holy Name.  
6. Consider that this sense of God's love is the proper and genuine effect of faith in Christ, as a Mediator. Thus our Saviour doth here make it the consequent of it, They have known me whom thou hast sent, that the love whereby thou lovest me, may be in them. It's not enough to believe in the general, That Christ is a Mediator to such as believe in him, but with Paul, Gal. 2.20. we are to appropriate him, who loved me, and gave himself for me; with this Evangelist John, we are to lean our heads, as it were in Christ's bosom; with Thomas we are to say, My God, and my Lord. Now the genuine, but not the necessary and inseparable effect of such an appropriating faith, is the sense and assurance of God's love to me in particular, which love of God is so attentive to one believer, as if there were no more in the world: As they say of the soul, it's tota in toto, and tota in qualibet parte, so is the love of God totus in universis fidelibus, and totus in singulis, God loveth a particular believer, as much as if there were no more believers in the world: Though the objects of his love may be diversified, yet his love is not divided, or by division diminished.  
Lastly, Fix this always upon thy heart, that Christ hath prayed for this sense of the Father's love upon thy soul: You see in this prayer, where he mentioneth all the great and consequential things unto believers, this is brought in at the last, as the adorning and sweetening of all the rest, for if sanctified, if hereafter to be glorified, if Christ be in us, and we in Christ, yet if the experimental knowledge and assurance of this be absent, we are as the Disciples under storms and tempests, crying out, We perish, we perish.  
Let the summary Use of the whole be by way of Exhortation to all believers to hunger and thirst, yea to have their souls break in longing after the enjoyment of this love of God in us: Oh bid all things stand aloof off, till thou art made partaker of it! Say, How long Lord, how long is it, that thou absentest thyself? When shall I have the embracements of thy love? When will the glorious Sun break out and dispel all the dark clouds that are upon my soul? Give not over importuning for it: Because of this very prayer of Christ, know to thy encouragement, that this prayer abideth for ever; Though it was once uttered by him upon the earth, and he ceased to pray any further, yet it still liveth in the efficacy and power of it, yea that continual intercession of his in heaven, what is it but the reviving of this prayer? So that by the virtue of this prayer through his blood we are sanctified, we are justified, and shall hereafter be for ever glorified.   
FINIS.  

AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Chief Heads contained in this TREATISE.  

A  
Afflictions. 

IT's a greater mercy to be kept from sin and evil in our Afflictions and troubles, then from the afflictions themselves. 444  
The Grounds and Reasons why it is so. 446    
Antichrist. 

That Antichrist should prosper and prevail in the shedding of the blood of so many Martyrs, is a dangerous temptation, etc. 388  
A twofold Antichrist. ibid.    
Apostasy. 

Apostasy and decay in grace may be in several particulars. 350, etc.  
Those that plead for the Apostasy of the godly, grant there is a distinction to be made. 354    
Apostats. 

That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God, and yet afterwards prove dreadful Apostats. 372    
Arians. 

Arians confuted. 73, 149    
Ascension. 

The benefits of Christ's Ascension. 291    
Assurance. 

Assurance may be attained. 356    
Astrology. 

How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches, or be such, 396  
Arguments against Astrology and witchcraft, 396, 397    
Atonement. 

Christ was a Priest to make Atonement for us. 507    
Attributes. 

It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think to those Attributes and relations in him, which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness, 657     

B  
Beginnings. 

THen Beginnings are hopeful, when the Spirit in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us. 382  
Then will Beginnings and end be alike, when grace is radicated and enters deep enough into the soul. 383  
Good Beginnings will have bad end, when men profess Christ out of sinister and worldly respects. ib.  
Hot Beginnings will end coldly. 383    
Behold. 

What is that glory which they shall Behold shining in Christ. 663    
Beholding. 

How much is comprehended in this expression of Beholding Christ's glory. 662    
Belief. 

Our Belief is the fruit and effect of Christ's death, and our election. 537  
Two opinions about this, ib.  
The state of the Question in some particulars. ib.  
Arguments to confirm us in the truth. 538    
Believe. 

Why Gods children are so hardly brought to Believe. 211  
Why profane men think it easy to Believe in Christ. 213  
Why Believing in Christ is so acceptable to God. 213, 214    
Believer. 

In what respect Christ did as much for one Believer as another. 525  
In some particulars the poor, weak Believer hath more love and affection from Christ then a stronger. 528  
The particulars wherein. ib.  
Wherein God sanctifieth their weakness and infirmities. 529  
That such is Christ's care to Believers, that they are remembered in his prayer and death before they had a being. 532  
This truth is full of consolations. ib.  
The aggravation of the love of Christ to Believers. 535  
God the Father loveth Believers, even as he loveth Christ. Vide Loves. 642  
It is an indearing respect of Believers to God, that they do own him and cleave to him, when the whole world goeth quite contrary. 685  
Propositions clearing the point. 686    
Believing. 

The Believing of Christ being sent into the world is the foundation of our conversion to God. 595  
Distinctions premised about Believing. 596    
Blessed. 

It's a Blessed thing truly to say at death, I have glorified God, and finished the work I was to do. 103  
Introductory particulars about Blessedness. 103, 104  
The Grounds of this Blessedness. 105    
Blood. 

Christ's Blood washeth away not only the guilt of sin, but the filth of it. 512     

C  
Call. 

A Lawful Call in those that preach is necessary and profitable, both in respect of Minister and people. 494    
Children. 

Children of God are of two sorts. 226    
Christ. 

How Christ being God could pray. 8  
All the godly are under Christ's Mediatory prayer. 8  
The matter of Christ's prayer in four things. 9  
The nature of Christ's prayer by way of Mediation. 10  
The dignity of Christ's person praying. ib.  
His relation to God the Father. ib.  
Q. Whether Christ was heard in every thing he prayed for, or no? 11  
Qualifications of Christ's prayer. ib.  
The condition of Christ's prayer. ib.  
Christ's prayer sanctifieth our prayers. 12  
How Christ who is God can be glorified. 24  
Christ hath power over all men. 36  
Six particulars to clear the nature of Christ's prayer. ib.  
The dominion of Christ appears in nine particulars. 38, etc.  
Christ compared to many things. 45  
Six practical inferences from Christ's power 47, 48  
Three Consolations thence. 49  
Christ had that glory he prayed for with the Father before the world was. 149  
Christ had an eternal being, proved by three Arguments. 150, 151  
Whence it is that any deny Christ to be eternal. 152  
Christ hath all things the Father hath. 262  
This appeareth in seven particulars. 262, 263  
How all Christ hath is the Fathers. 264  
Christ's protection and preservation to eternal life, is to be improved, 344  
This Doctrine is opened in a fourfold principle. ibid.  
The effects of this preservation. 346  
Christ though God, yet as man did pray unto the Father. 519  
Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray 520  
The difference between Christ's prayer and ours. 521  
What advantages believers have by Christ's prayers. 521  
Christ is said to be in believers several ways. 620  
That Christ is in believers, and believers are in him. ibid.  
How Christ lives in believers. 621  
How Christ is in his people more particularly. 624  
The fruits and effects of Christ's being in his people. 626  
As Christ is in us, so the Father being in Christ is also thereby in us. ib.  
How the Father is in Christ. ib.  
How the Father and Christ can be in believers, and yet they have such great remainders of sin in them. 630  
Christ's prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them. 660  
Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have. 681  
Propositions about the point. 682    
Church. 

Christ is the head of his Church. 45  
Four things implied therein. 46, etc.  
There is a great difference between a Church under persecution, and not constituted, and a Church constituted. 495    
Church-office. 

Christ hath a peculiar love of those that are in Church-office according to his rule and way. 485  
In what particulars this love is showed. ib.  
The Grounds of this particular love. 486    
Comfort. 

The Comfort of being like Christ in suffering. 438    
Condition. 

Reason's why God sometimes changes his people's Condition from better to worse. 332  
It is a very sad thing to fall into such a Condition that draws out our peculiar corruptions we are most prone unto. 383  
This is opened in several considerations 383, etc.  
Try your Conditions. 384    
Conformity. 

There is a twofold Conformity to Christ. 437    
Conscience. 

Often rebelling against the light of Conscience. 368    
Conversion. 

Conversion is a greater wonder than a miracle. 41    
Corporal. 

There is no Corporal improvement of Christ. 334  
Wherein men's proneness appeareth to know Christ after a Corporal manner. 335     

D  
Damn. 

THat there are some men that are wilful set to destroy and Damn themselves, etc. 364  
The inward Causes that move men to Damn themselves. 365  
The outward Causes. 371    
Damnation. 

The everlasting Damnation of men is determined. 51    
Dangers. 

The greater the Dangers are, Christ's people are in, the greater is Christ's care of them. 272  
This is opened in four particulars, 272, 273  
The godly man's life is full of spiritual Dangers. 277  
This is explained in eight particulars, 278, etc.    
Day. 

Day of grace is to be improved. 24    
Day of Judgement. 

The Day of Judgement is the greatest day that ever was or shall be. ib    
Death. 

Christ's Death is in itself sufficient for all, yet he gave himself a ransom for some only. 241  
Four grounds for it. 242  
Christ by Death went to his Father. 289  
The particulars implied in the point. 290  
Whether it be lawful to pray for Death. 442 

Vide Blessed.  
Delusions. vid. Sins.      
Depend. 

Depend on God's gracious power only in the way to heaven. 313    
Devils. 

Devils are in subjection to Christ. 3●  
The Devil may foretell some things to come. 395    
Divisions. 

Divisions are the fruit of the flesh. 570  
Remedies for preventing and healing Divisions in the Church. 575  
What those proper sins are, that Divisions among the godly are apt to breed in the world. 393    
Doctrines. 

freewill and merit are dangerous Doctrines. 125    
Dying. 

Why the expressions of Christ Dying for All is to be taken indefinitely, and not universally. 235, 236     

E  
Elected. 

THat none of those that are Elected shall perish. 349  
Introductory Propositions to clear the same. ibid.    
Election. 

Election is the gift of God. 250  
Four Reasons of it. 251    
End. 

What things do diminish the comforts of the gody at the End of their day. 109, etc.  
The End Christ propounded in his doing and suffering. 116    
Errors. 

Men are prone to be lead aside to Errors. 318  
Errors of judgement are damnable. 318    
Eternal Death. 

Eternal Death. 65  
Wherein it consisteth. 65, 66  
The difference between Eternal Death and eternal life. 66  
It is Eternal Death not to know God, 77    
Eternal Life. 

Christ gives it to those that are his. 56  
What it is. 57  
It consists in three things. 57, 58  
It hath six properties. 57, 60  
Eternal Life compared with this present life. 63  
Conclusions upon this subject. 67, 68  
Helps to be affected with Eternal Life. 70    
Examples. 

We are not to live by Examples, but by precept. 379     

F  
Faith. 

FAith in Christ as Mediator is acceptable to God. 211  
Why Faith is called the work of God. ibid.  
Five Grounds why Faith in a Mediator should be pressed. 223  
Directions showing how a man may prise Faith in Christ as a Mediator. 225, etc.  
The properties of Faith. 600  
That Faith is knowledge. 637  
What knowledge Faith is not. ibid.  
What knowledge the knowledge of Faith is 639  
Reasons why Faith must be knowing. ibid.  
The people of God are kept to salvaion through Faith. 314  
This is opened in two Propositions. ibid.  
Why Faith confirms us rather than other graces. ibid.  
That the Faith that justifieth and saveth us, maketh us wholly to depend on Christ. 542  
The several kinds of Faith. ibid.  
The object of Faith. ibid.  
The seat of Faith. ibid.  
The things required to justifying Faith. 543, 544  
God enables the humble soul to believe two ways. 546  
Of Faith under the notion of receiving of Christ. 549  
What the receiving of Christ by Faith implieth. ibid.  
Faith hath two acts, a direct and reflex. 552  
Arguments to prove that Faith is a particular application. 553  
The Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not tend unto presumption. 555    
Father. 

God is the Father of Christ in a transcendent way. 13  
Those prayers are successful that are put up to God as a Father. 14  
We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit. 15  
What frame of heart this compellation Father breeds in every child of God, in seven particulars. 15, etc.  
Reason's why the title Father prevails so much with God. 17, etc.  
The Father is the original fountain of all good. 53  
All that the Father giveth shall come to Christ. 54    
Finish. 

Christ did perfectly Finish that work the Father gave him to do. 119  
Some particulars about Christ's Finishing his work. 120  
How he Finished it. 121, etc.  
The properties of the work Christ Finished. 123    
Flesh. 

Flesh usually put Synecdochically for man. 35    
Fortune. 

No Fortune. 23    
freewill. 

freewill a dangerous Doctrine. 125  
It is no freewill or preparatory work in man, that begins either his grace or glory, but the sole gift of God. 668     

G  
Gesture. 

GEsture in prayer, lifting up the eyes to Heaven. 5    
Ghost. 

The knowledge of the holy Ghost necessary to salvation. 100    
Gift. 

All spiritual good the godly enjoy is only the Gift of God.  
Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts. 493    
Given. 

That none of those that are Given by God to Christ shall perish. 352  
Christ though God hath many things Given him of his Father. 612  
There is a twofold Giving. ibid.  
What things are Given Christ of the Father. 613    
Glory. 

Christ hath a two fold Glory. 24  
Whether Christ did merit Glory for himself. 25  
Christ being invested with Glory redounds to the advantage of his Members, in five particulars. 25, 26  
The nature of this Glory Christ prayed for. 25  
There were three degrees to it. 27  
This Glory of Christ doth consist in four things. 27, 28  
Christ's Glory is, 1. Spiritual. 2. Eternal. 29  
All men should be affected with God's Glory more than their own good, heavenly or earthly. 31, etc.  
Four Reasons why we are to pray for all our own comforts in reference to God's Glory. 33, 34  
Gods children are to pray earnestly for their Glory with God. 143  
1. What is implied in this. 144, 145  
2. This Glory is earnestly to be prayed for. 146  
3. This Glory is a cordial against all afflictions, in five particulars. 146, 147  
The Glory that Christ hath, he communicateth one way or another unto his people. 605  
Considerations for the understanding of it. ib.  
Some Corollaries from this Doctrine. 608  
Glory is a gift. 651    
Glorify. 

To Glorify is taken two ways in Scripture. 24  
It was the holy wise will of God to Glorify Christ. 25  
We Glorify Christ three ways. 29  
How we Glorify God. 102  
As God's people Glorify Christ, so it is wellpleasing to God. 267  
How many ways the people of God Glorify Christ. 267  
Why it is our duty to Glorify Christ. 269, 270  
Grounds why Gods presence in Heaven is that which makes the happiness of a Glorified believer. 655  
Glorification is of grace. 253  
How many ways we may Glorify Christ 667    
God. 

God may regard one man's prayer more than another. 10  
God appoints times and seasons for his great works, in relation to Christ. 19, 20  
In relation to other dispensations. 21  
God doth all things for his own glory Vide Glory. 33  
God made the world for his glory. ibid.  
The greatness of God's glory. 34  
God is a universal good. 57  
God is an unmixed good, 57  
God is the proper and peculiar good. 56  
One only true God. 90  
Many fictitious Gods made by men. 90  
God is known three ways. 91  
God is holy, and so able to make other holy 297  
God is holy several ways. 297, 298  
If Gods people were not kept by God's grace, they would be undone in soul and body. 301  
God keeps all his from temporal dangers. 301  
Proved in four particulars. ibid.  
Of God's keeping all true believers from spiritual evils. 303  
Which appeareth in four particulars. 304  
It's only God's property to fore knew things to come. 395  
God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in the world. 449  
Propositions explaining this truth. ibid.  
Arguments to prove the point. 450    
God considered absolutely and relatively. 

Although there be three Persons, yet there is but one God. 583  
Gods people are called out of the world. 172 

Vide People.      
Godly. 

It is the property of Godly men to have respect to all God's word. 201  
Four Propositions to clear the point. 201, etc.  
Four Reasons of the point. 202    
Governors. 

Governors that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with. 295  
Proved by three Arguments. ibid.  
Motives to move to it. 296    
Grace. 

God's people must grow in Grace. 188  
How many ways God's people grow in Grace. 188, 189  
Grounds and motives to it. 190  
Without Grace here, there is no glory hereafter. 649  
There is infinite comfort to those that have true Grace, though in the least degree. 651    
Grounds. 

Unless men be careful to look to their Grounds in profession, they will never hold out. 382     

H  
Happiness. 

THe greatest part of our Happiness lies in this, that we shall be with Christ, and have immediate communion with the Lord. 653    
Hate, Hated, Hatred. 

Wicked men of the world have and will always Hate those that are godly. 425  
There is a twofold Hatred. 426  
The Causes of it. ib.  
The Effects of it. ib.  
The Properties of it. 427  
Whether every godly man be thus Hated. 428  
The duty of Christ's Disciples under the world's Hatred. 430  
Why the godly should rejoice when they are Hated for Christ's sake. 431  
Cautions to wicked men who Hate Christ. 433    
Head. 

Christ is the Head of his Church. 45  
What is implied therein. Vide Church. 46    
Heaven. 

Of immediate communion with Christ in Heaven. 654  
The great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ. 661    
heavenly-mindedness. 

heavenly-mindedness, wherein it doth consist. 454    
Help. 

How far men may acknowledge Gods Help, and yet not give the full glory to God. 307    
Heretics. 

Heretics that endeavour to spoil Christ of his glory, 151    
Holy. 

To make a man Holy is more than to make a world 41  
God is Holy, and so makes others holy. 297  
The most Holy should be humble in their approaches to the holy God. 299  
To scoff at Holiness is to rise up against God. ibid.    
Hour. 

The word Hour hath several significations. 19  
Christ's Hour. ibid.  
Under a dark Hour be patient. 23  
The Hour of God's anger is shorter than the hour of his mercy. ib.     

I  
Idolatry. 

IDolatry a great and grievous sin. 93    
Jews. 

Jews deny Christ to be our Mediator. 90    
Ignorance. 

Ignorance to be lamented. 75  
Where gross Ignorance is of Christ there men are in a damnable condition. 80  
The Causes of Ignorance. 81, 82    
Ignorant. 

All men naturally Ignorant of God in a saving manner. 74    
Impotency. 

Man's Impotency to any thing that is holy. 4    
Institution. 

The Institution of Sacraments is grounded upon the power that is given to Christ 27    
Inferences. 

Inferences from the knowledge of the true God. 93, etc.    
Instrumental causes. 

Instrumental causes are Physical, Natural, or Moral. 470    
Joyful, Joy. 

Christ doth really intend that his people shall be Joyful. 400  
This is opened in four particulars, 400 401  
There is a Joy in Christ that his people are to have fulfilled in them. 407  
There is a three fold Joy. ibid.  
To know the nature of this spiritual Joy consider the particulars following. 408  
The transcendency of this Joy above all other worldly joy. 410  
The effects of Christian Joy. 412  
Spiritual Joy may then most abound when soul humiliation and godly mourning is put in practice. 415    
Judas. 

Why Judas is called the son of perdition. 362  
Why Judas is said to be already perished. 363  
What particular eminencies Judas had, 372, etc.  
The thing in which Judas did debase himself. 375  
Take heed of proving a Judas. 384    
Justification. 

Justification is the gift of God. 252  
The Reasons of it. 253     

K  
Keeps. 

HOw much is implied in this, that Christ Keeps them as his charge. 339    
Known. 

God is only and properly Known by the godly. 162    
Knowledge. 

Knowledge twofold, Speculative, Practical 73  
By the Knowledge of God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life. 74  
Inbred Knowledge may be increased by the contemplation of the creature. ib.  
True Knowledge only to be had within the Church. ib.  
Without true Knowledge no salvation. 75  
We must have personal and explicit Knowledge. ib.  
Reason's why Knowledge is so necessary to salvation. 76  
Motives to move to Knowledge, 82, 83  
Effects of Knowledge. 84, 85— 88  
Why Knowledge that is not thus accompanied is ineffectual. 88  
Our Knowledge of God is very imperfect. 91  
Who are excluded from the Knowledge of God. 96  
The Knowledge of the true God is not enough to salvation without the knowledge of Christ. 96  
The Knowledge of Christ opened in five particulars. 97  
The Knowledge of God may be had several ways. 162  
Proved by five Arguments. 163, 165     

L  
Life. 

THis present Life. 63  
The Properties of this present Life. 63, 64    
Love, Beloved. 

That though God Love his people, yet that doth not necessarily infer, that he must keep them from all misery in this world, and place them immediately in happiness with himself. 439  
Why God doth not presently take his Beloved ones out of the world of sin and sorrow. 440  
Wherein the Love of God to Christ and believers is not alike. 646  
Wherein Gods Love to Christ and believers is alike. ibid.  
The Father doth not Love believers more than Christ. 645    
Loved. 

It is of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are Loved of God. 647  
This appeareth in several particulars. ib.  
How difficult it is for the world to be so persuaded. 648  
God the Father Loved Christ as Mediator, and thereby all believers in him from all eternity. 669  
The particulars wherein. ib.    
Loves. 

God the Father Loveth believers even as he loveth Christ. 642     

M  
Manichees. 

MAnichees confuted. 158    
Manifestation. 

Manifestation twofold. 161  
Christ as God cannot have any thing given him, unless by way of Manifestation 665    
Mediation. 

Wherein God was glorified by Christ's Mediation. 113  
Christ's Mediation for us is of God. 194  
Gods people are to believe the fullness of Christ's Mediation. ibid.  
The fullness of Christ's Mediation in eight particulars, 194, etc.  
Four Reasons why. 196    
Mediator. 

Christ as Mediator glorified God in his Humiliation and Exaltation. 30, etc.  
It is our duty to know and believe in Christ as the only Mediator sent of God. 192  
The opening of this in three particulars 193  
What Christ had or was as Mediator was for us. ib.  
Which appeareth in four particulars. 193, etc.  
Christ prayed on Earth as Mediator, and makes Intercession in Heaven. 226  
Christ as Mediator had his glory given him. 663    
Mediatory. 

All the children of God are under the Mediatory prayer. 226  
The aggravations of Christ's Mediatory prayer, in seven particulars. 227, 228, 229  
Christ's Mediatory prayer, and his death, is only for the Elect. 232  
Several Considerations to clear the point. 233, 234, 235    
Mediatory-Office. 

That Christ in his Mediatory-Office hath respect to the meanest and weakest believer, as well as to the choicest, etc. 524    
Meditate. 

It is good for the people of God often to Meditate of this, That they are not of this world. 455  
The Reasons why it is so. 454    
Meditations. 

Meditations are to be serious upon eternal life. 71  
The effect thereof. 71, 72    
Merit. 

Whether Christ did Merit this glory for himself. 666    
Ministers. 

Why the best Ministers sometimes not fruitful in conversion of others. 3  
The Ministers of the Gospel are to preach God's word. 207  
The opening of it, in four particulars. 208  
It's a special mercy for Ministers to agree in one. 320  
What are the Causes that make the Ministers of the Gospel thus differ. 323  
The Ministers of God must endeavour after the most perfect Unity, even to be One, as the Father and Son are One. 325  
The Ministers duty is to deliver only God's truth to the hearers. 424  
The manner how they are to deliver it. 424  
The Grounds why it is requisite that Ministers should have truth and godliness. 483 

Vide Truth.    
Why Ministers must be holy. 484    
Ministry. 

The Ministry is appointed by Christ's power. 38  
Christ's power giveth success to the Ministry. ib.  
It is necessary, 101  
The end of the Ministry should be to bring men to the knowledge of God and Christ 166  
Four Reasons why this is the end of the Ministry. 167, etc.  
If Christ, though God, yet in respect of his Ministry doth attribute all to God, How much more the Ministers of the Gospel, who are frail men. 341  
Two Errors in the extreme about the Ministry. ibid.  
A grievous sin to oppose the Ministry of God. 486  
None may undertake the public Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereto. 491  
God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world. 557  
Consider some Propositions for the opening of it. 558  
A Ministry is appointed for spiritual ends 558  
Arguments to prove the perpetuity of the Ministry. ibid.     

N  
Name. 

WHat is meant by Name in Phil. 2. 28  
All Church-meetings, Censures and duties should be done in the Name of Christ. 28  
All things have their success in Christ's Name. ibid.  
What is meant by God's Name. 162    
Nature. 

All by Nature are in a state of enmity against God. 14  
The humane Nature was assumed by the divine. 666  
The Father and Son are two distinct Persons, yet one in Nature and Essence. 582    
Natural. 

Natural knowledge insufficient to guide us in the worship of the true God. 92     

O  
Obedience. 

THat is proper Obedience that hath the word of God requiring of it. 198  
There are five grounds of it. 200    
Oblation. 

Two things admirable in Christ's Oblation of himself. 503    
Office. 

The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath. 492  
That there is a distinct Office of the Ministry. 498  
That none may enter into that Office without an authoritative mission. 499  
How shall we know what is an extraordinary Office, and what is an ordinary Office. 558    
Offices. 

Christ is fitted in respect of his Offices to be a Prophet, Priest and King. 503, 504 

Vide Priestly.       

P  
People. 

GOds People called out of the world. 172  
How many ways a People may be said to be Gods. 176  
The godly are God's People in a peculiar manner. 177  
The opening of this in five particulars. 177, 178  
They are the Lords upon several titles. 178, 179  
There ought to be a practical improvement of it. 180  
It is a sure Character of God's People to be a willing People. 204  
Seven Reasons of this. 205, etc.    
Perseverance. 

Several particulars about Perseverance that will be as so many answers to Objections made against that truth, 352 353, etc.  
Arguments to prove those that have true grace shall persevere. 357, etc.    
Power. 

Power as it is expressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 35  
It is not enough to be put into a state of grace, unless by God's Power we are kept therein. 307  
How many ways the Power of God doth keep us. 309  
Why there is such a necessity of Gods preserving Power. 312    
Pray. 

Whether it be lawful to Pray for any one man in particular. 229  
Whether it be lawful to Pray for a reprobate as such. 229  
Whether we may Pray in faith for others, as for ourselves. 230  
It is our duty to Pray for ungodly men. 231  
Motives to move thereunto. 231, 232    
Prayer. 

The matter of Christ's Prayer, 1. Himself. 2. Apostles. 3. Others, who in time should believe. 2  
To all instructions, etc. Prayers is necessary. ibid.  
Reasons on God's part, on the Words part, on man's part. 4  
It should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart. 5  
Four Requisites to spiritual Prayer. 6  
It's a hard thing to Pray. 6  
Customary Prayer receiveth nothing from God. 7  
Prayer is mental, vocal. 8  
Ends in Prayer. 12    
Praying. 

It is good and comfortable Praying for them that discover the signs of grace in them. 229    
Predestination. 

The Doctrine of Predestination should be preached warily. 52  
Diligently. ibid.  
So as not to discourage humble penitents. ibid.    
Predictions. 

Three sorts of Predictions. 396    
Priest. 

Christ was not only Priest but Sacrifice itself. 510    
Priestly. 

Concerning Christ's Priestly Office, consider these things. 508  
The Adjuncts of his Priestly Office. ibid.    
Priesthood. 

Propositions concerning Christ's Priesthood. 510    
Principles. 

Principles that do constitute a gracious disposition. 32  
Uniting Principles in Doctrine. 577 

Vide Uniting.      
Privileges. 

Privileges that come by Christ's death. 245    
Promised. 

Things Promised must be prayed for. 137  
This is explained in seven particulars, 137, 138, etc.  
Six Reasons, why it is so. 139  
What are the conditions of such a prayer. 141, etc.    
Propriety. 

They only can plead a Propriety in God and Christ, who are careful to keep his Word. 182  
Gods peculiar Propriety in his people is the ground of all good that accrueth to them. 255  
Propositions concerning God's Propriety in his people. 255, 256  
Gods Propriety excludeth all other creatures. ib.  
How the Propriety of God is the cause of all good. 258    
Properties. 

The Characteristical Properties of the Persons in the Godhead. 584  
Properties in the godly which maketh them lovely and precious in God's sight. 687    
Protect. 

The grounds why God will Protect such as are hated for his Names sake. 423    
Protection. 

Christ's Protection is to one believer as well as to another. 527     

Q  
Qualifications. 

THe Qualifications of such to whom Christ's death is made savingly advantageous. 245    
Question. 

The great Question that all aught to put, is, How may I get eternal life. 67  
We must take the right way to answer this Question. 68 

Vide Eternal Life.       

R  
Reading. 

WHether Reading be preaching. 496    
Redeemed. 

That (not all, but) some of mankind are Redeemed by Christ. 51    
Redemption. 

Our Redemption obtained by Christ is a glorifying of God. 113  
How the maintainers of Universal Redemption differ among themselves. 241 

Vide Universal.      
Relation. 

It is of great consequence for the humbled Christian in his prayers to improve this Relation of a Father. 658    
Religion. 

We are not to condemn the way of Religion, though some amongst them prove scandalous. 377  
Some considerations to bring this home. 378  
The unreasonableness and sinfulness of condemning Religion for some hypocrites therein. 379    
Repetitions. 

Repetions of the same matter in prayer may be useful. 133 

Vide Tautology.    
When the ground of Repetition is good, 133, etc.  
When Repetitions are forbidden. 135    
Reprobates. 

Reprobates receive much benefit by Christ's death. 239    
Righteous. 

God whether considered as a Judge of the world, or as a Father to believers is Righteous in all his ways. 674  
Reasons why God is Righteous in all his administrations. 674    
Righteousness. 

It is a dangerous sin to trust to our own Righteousness, as it appeareth in four particulars. 219  
Means to drive them out of self-righteousness. 220, 221  
How Righteousness may be attributed to God. 674  
The Righteousness of God as a Father to his people in all their afflictions. 676     

S  
Sacrifice. 

THat Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us. 502  
What things are necessary to a Sacrifice. 510  
The Properties of Christ's Sacrifice. 511    
Salvation. 

Salvation is to be desired in subordination to God's glory 32  
The everlasting Salvation of men determined. 51  
Salvation is of grace. 253  
The Reasons of it. 253  
The Causes of Salvation. 679    
Sanctification. 

Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it 464  
The Word of God is the instrument of our Sanctification. 468  
The Explication of the Point. 469  
The Word is the ordinary means of our beginning and increase in Sanctification 471  
Christ died not only for our Justification, but Sanctification also. 515  
How many ways Christ is the cause of our Sanctification. 515    
Sanctified. 

How many ways a godly man may be more Sanctified. 459  
Reasons why it is not enough to be Sanctified, but we must be more and more holy. 466  
What is implied in our being Sanctified by Christ. 515  
Wherein the truth of Sanctification consisteth. 516    
Sanctifying. 

What Christ Sanctifying himself implieth. 502  
The benefits of Christ's Sanctifying himself. 505    
Saved. 

All that are to be Saved are committed to Christ's care. 338    
Schism. 

How to prevent Schism. 580 

Vide Unity.      
Scripture. 

The Scripture is God's voice. 387  
So many contrary things to a believers expectation may fall out in matters of Religion, that did not the Scriptures foretell them, we should be greatly offended. 388  
Some particulars that are hardly concocted. 388  
That whatsoever the Scripture saith, is sure to be made good. 389  
The Spirit and Scripture are to be reconciled. 390  
The Scripture we now have is a full and perfect Canon for our Salvation. 390  
The parts of Scripture. ibid.  
The Ground why Scripture must be fulfilled. 393  
In how many senses the Scripture may be said to be fulfilled. 394  
The truth of Scripture-Prophesies. 395  
The Scripture is oppositely true to all the Opinions, Doctrine, and Religions that men set up by their own fancy.    
Sense. 

It is not enough for the people of God to be beloved by him, but they are to endeavour after the Sense and apprehension of it in their own hearts. 694  
Considerations to open this Point. 695  
The advantage they have thereby. 696  
Propositions to inform in this Point. 698  
Helps to get and keep the favour of God. 698    
Sending. 

There is a two fold Sending mediate and immediate. 493    
Sent. 

Christ was Sent of the Father, etc. 487  
How Christ was commissionated and Sent for us. 487  
The Necessity of Christ's being Sent. 490    
Sermon. 

Prayer sanctifieth every Sermon. 5 

Vide Prayer.      
Sins. 

What Sins do chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions. 152  
What Sins do chiefly provoke God to leave his people not totally, yet gradually. 351    
Socinians. 

Socinians▪ confuted. 73  
Socinians no Christians. 591  
Socinians answered. 666    
Sonship. 

Sonship is purchased by Christ. 14    
Soul. 

The Soul of man hath an infinite appetite. 57  
God is the centre of the Soul. ib.    
Spirit of God. 

How many ways the Spirit is a comforter to believers. 404    
Suffer, Suffering. 

When the people of God Suffer not for any fault of their own, but because they own God and profess his truth, this is a great obliging of God to take care of them. 421  
This Doctrine is opened in several considerations. ibid.    
Supports. 

Though God may afford his people many comfortable Supports, yet they must not look to enjoy them always, 330  
What are those visible Supports God may for a while vouchsafe to his people. 330  
Reasons why God sometimes changes his people's condition from better to worse. 332     

T  
Talents. 

THe meanest persons have Talents to improve as well as the greatest. 104    
Tautology. 

Repetition of the same matter in prayer is not always sinful Tautology. 131 

Vide Repetitions.    
This is opened in three particulars. 132    
Teaching. 

That believers do not only at their first conversion, but in the whole progress of their life, need constant Teaching from God. 690  
This appeareth in several particulars. ibid.  
The Reasons why Christ must constantly Teach his people. 692    
Testament. 

They that lived under the Old Testament dispensation not excluded from Salvation. 100    
Time. 

A Time is set for the Reformation of the Church. 21  
Wicked men have their set Time. ib.  
A set Time for Judgement. 22  
The Time of every man's death is set ibid.  
A set Time of grace. ib.  
A set Time of the Church's troubles. 23    
Trinity. 

This Doctrine of the Trinity is an object of Faith, and cannot be demonstrated by reason. 583    
Trouble. 

Several ways whereby a godly man falls into Trouble in this world. 284, etc.  
Reason's why they are subject to Trouble, 287    
Trusting. 

Trusting to our own righteousness is a dangerous sin. 219, 220    
Truth. 

It's a special mercy to be kept in the Truth. 316  
Ten Grounds proving it to be such a special mercy. 316, etc.  
There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain unto without the Scripture. 476  
The excellent properties of the Truth of Scripture. 478  
Truth and Godliness are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel. 482  
The grounds why it is requisite. 483 

Vide Ministers.       

V.  
Union. 

UNion among the godly is of great necessity. 561  
There must be a unition before there can be a Union. 587  
There is a natural Union with Christ, and a supernatural. 587  
The excellency of this Union. 589    
Unity. 

The Unity that Church-Officers ought to have. 321  
Grounds why it is such a mercy. 322  
The Unity between the Father and the Son is a spiritual Union. 325 

Vide Ministers.    
Means to be used to get and keep Unity. 327  
There is a twofold Unity between the godly. 561  
The excellency of Unity among Christians in several particulars. 561  
True Unity is from Christ. 574  
False ways of Unity by Papists and Socinians. 575  
Rules to keep up Unity in Church-order, and how to prevent Schism, 580 

Vide Schism.    
Rules for Unity in respect of love, to prevent wrath and quarrelings. 581  
Unity among believers is a special means to enlarge the kingdom of Christ 591  
This is opened in several considerations. 591  
The Reasons why Unity brings others to the Faith. 593  
Unity among believers is part of the glory which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them. 616  
In this Doctrine three Propositions are to be observed. ibid.  
The Father and Christ being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate Unity which they ought to have of themselves. 632  
What is implied in their being made perfect in One. ibid.  
The Causes of this Unity. 634    
United. 

That all believers are United to Christ, and in him to the Father. 586  
Scripture-expressions to represent this Unity. ib.    
Uniting. 

True Uniting principles as to true Doctrine, 577    
Universal. 

How the maintainers of Universal Redemption differ among themselves. 241    
Universally. 

Reason's why the Scripture speaketh thus Universally about Christ's death. 237    
Vocation. 

Vocation is of grace. 252  
Two Reasons of it. 252  
Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consisteth in these things. 497     

W  
Witches. 

IT's a great sin to seek to Witches. 95    
Witchcraft. 

Witchcraft is pardonable upon true Repentance. 95    
Word of God. 

Word of God, How it doth not convert. 4  
How it doth convert. ibid.  
What is implied by keeping the Word. 182— 184  
The Parts of the Word. 183  
The Word preached and received by people doth greatly enrage the wicked of the world. 427  
Considerations to open this. ibid.  
Why preaching and receiving of the Word do enrage wicked men. 429  
The Word of God is truth. 474  
In how many particulars God's Word is true. ibid.    
Work. 

Who have not finished the Work God gave them to do. 107, etc.  
None may look for glory until they have finished their Work. 125  
It is true in reference to C●rist. ibid.  
In reference unto ourselves. 126  
The Necessity of continual Working, in four respects. 127, 128  
Its lawful for the people of God in all their Work they do for God to encourage themselves with this, That there is an everlasting glory laid up for them. 129  
God gives them a large opportunity of Working. ib.  
Put no confidence in your Works, ibid.    
World. 

The World was not from Eternity. 155  
Proved by Scripture, and four Reasons 156  
That God made the World in time, is useful seven ways. 157, 159  
Gods people are in the World, but not of it. 170  
The several significations of the World in Scripture 171, 231  
The people of God are called out of the World. 172  
Seven Demonstrations of it, 173, etc.  
Three Reasons of it. 175  
Worlds great enmity against those that be godly. 283  
What it is to be of the World. 434  
How Christ is said not to be of the World 435  
The not being of the World is that which makes wicked men hate the godly. 435  
What it is not to be of the World.  
The World is ignorant of God in a saving manner. 678  
Demonstrations of the Point. ib.     
FINIS.   

A CATALOGUE OF THE Chiefest of such BOOKS, as are Printed FOR THOMAS VNDERHILL.  

By Col. Edw. Leigh Esquire.  
A Treatise of the Divine Promises, in Five Books.  
The Saint's Encouragement in Evil Times.  
Critica Sacra, or, Observations on all the Radices or Primitive Hebrew words of the Old Testament, in order Alphabetical.  
Critica Sacra, or, Philological and Theological Observations upon all Greek words of the New-Testament, in order Alphabetical.   

By Samuel Gott Esquire.  
Novae Solymae, Librisex, Sive Institutio Christiani, 

1. De Pueritia.  
2. De Creatione Mundi.  
3. De Jnventute.  
4. De Peccato.  
5. De Virili Aetate.  
6. De Redemptione Hominis.    
Essays concerning Man's true Happiness.  
Parabola Evangelicae Latinè redditae Carmine Paraphrastico varii generis.  
Morton. His Touch stone of Conversion.   

Mr Hezekiah Woodward.  
Of Education of Youth, or, The Child● Patrimony.  
The Lives and Acts of the good and bad Kings of Judah.  
A Treatise of Fear.  
A Thank-offering.   

Mr Samuel Fisher.  
A Love-Token for Mourners, being two Funeral Sermons and Meditatitions preparatory to his own expected Death, in a time and place of great Mortality.   

Mr Herbert Palmer and Mr Daniel Cawdrey.  
A Treatise of the Sabbath, in four parts.  
Memorials of Godliness and Christianity, in seven Treatises, 

1. Of making Religion one's Business, With an Appendix applied to the Calling of a Minister.  
2. The Character of a Christian in Paradoxes.  
3. The Character of visible Godliness.  
4. Considerations to excite to Watchfulness, and to shake off spiritual Drowsiness.  
5. Remedies against Carefulness.  
6. The Soul of Fasting.  
7. Brief Rules for daily Conversation, and particular Directions for the Lordsday.    
His Sermon, entitled, The Glass of God's Providence toward his faithful ones.  
His Sermon, entitled, The Duty and Honour of Church-Rest.   

Mr William Barton.  
His Psalms.  
His Catalogue of Sins and Duties, implied in each Commandment, in Verse.  
Mr Vicar's Chronicle in four parts.   

Mr Samuel Clark.  
A General Martyrology, or, A History of all the great Persecutions that have been in the world to this time. Together with the Lives of many eminent Modern Divines.  
His Sermon at the Warwickshire men's Feast, entitled, Christian Good-fellowship.  
Mr King's Marriage of the Lamb.  
Mr Shorts Theological Poems.  
The French Alphabet.  
Jus Divinum Ministerii, by the Provincial-Assembly of London.   

Mr Thomas Blake.  
His Answer to Blackwood, of Baptism.  
Birth-Priviledge.  
Mr Cook His Font uncovered.  
Dr John Wallis His Explanation of the Assemblies Catechism.  
Mr Samuel Langley's Catechism.  
Mr Austin's Catechism.  
Mr Vicars' Catechism.  
Mr John Pagit's Defence of Church-Government▪ by Presbyterial, Classical and Synodal Assemblies.  
Mr Tho. Paget, A Demonstration of Family-Duties.   

Mr Anthony Burgess.  
Vindiciae Legis, or, A Vindication of the Law and Covenants, from the Errors of Papists, Socinians and Antinomians.  
A Treatise of Justification, in two Parts.  
Spiritual Refining, Part 1. or, A Treatise of Grace and Assurance: Handling the Doctrine of Assurance, the Use of Signs in Self-examination; how true Graces may be distinguished from counterfeit, several true Signs of Grace, and many false ones; The Nature of Grace under divers Scripture notions, viz. Regeneration, the New-Creature, the Heart of Flesh, Vocation, Sanctification, etc.  
Spiritual Refining, the Second Part, or, A Treatise of Sin, with its Causes, Differences, Mitigations, and Aggravations, specially of the Deceitfulness of the Heart, of Presumptuous and Reigning Sins, and of Hypocrisy and Formality in Religion. All tending to unmask Counterfeit Christians, Terrify the ungodly, Comfort doubting Saints, Humble man, and Exalt the Grace of God.  
His CXLV. Sermons upon the whole 17th Chapter of St John, being Christ's Prayer before his Passion.  
The Difficulty of, and Encouragements to Reformation, a Sermon upon Mark 1. vers. 2, 3. before the House of Commons.  
A Sermon before the Court-Marshal. Psal. 106.30, 31.  
The Magistrate's Commission, upon Rom. 13.4. at the Election of a Lord Maior.  
Rome's Cruelty and Apostasy, upon Revel. 19.2. preached before the House of Commons on the 5th of November.  
The Reformation of the Church to be endeavoured more than the Commonwealth, upon Judges 6.27, 28, 29. preached before the House of Lords.  
Public Affections, pressed upon Numb. 11.12. before the House of Commons.   

Mr Richard Baxter.  
Plain Scripture-proof of Infant-Baptism.  
The Right Method for getting and keeping Spiritual Peace and Comfort.  
The Unreasonableness of Infidelity, in four Parts. 

1. The Spirits Intrinsic witness to the truth of Christianity, with a Determination of this Question, Whether the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles do oblige those to believe who never saw them?  
2. The Spirits Internal witness of the truth of Christianity.  
3. A Treatise of the Sin against the holy Ghost.  
4. The Arrogancy of Reason against Divine Revelation repressed.    
The Christian-Concord, or, The Agreement of the Associated Ministers of Worcestershire, with Mr baxter's Explication of it.  
A Defence of the Worcestershire Petition for the Ministry and Maintenance.  
The Quakers Catechism.  
An Apology against Mr Blake, Dr Kendal, Mr Lodovicus Molineus, Mr Airs, and Mr Crandon.  
His Confession of Faith.  
The Saints everlasting Rest.    

The TEXTS Explained and Vindicated in this TREATISE.  
Genesis. Chap. Verse. Pag. 49 6 609 Deuteronomy. 3 8 362 25 2 363 1 Samuel. 20 31 363 2 Samuel. 2 7 362 1 Kings. 8 27 7 2 Chronicles. 33 13 85 Psalms. 10 17 139 17 89 301 19 1 159 68 20 451 69 11 176 103 14 528 119 6 201 Proverbs. 28 9 141 28 14 358 Ecclesiastes. 5 2 132 7 17 449 8 11 369 Isaiah. 4 5, 6 395 8 6 490 33 14 70 40 6 383 57 1 450 61 3 414 65 9, 20 357 Jeremiah. 32 39 358 50 27 451 Ezekiel. 37 16, 22 566 Hosea. 9 4 413 Zechariah. 14 9 56● Malachi. 1 7 657 Matthew. 5 48 263 6 20 64 6 7 135 11 27 38 13 37 182 16 18 360 21 32 545 23 9 257 24 36 363 26 14 375 Mark. 9 50 321 9 24 530 13 22 357 Luke. 1 70 322 12 29 554 22 13 284 John. 1 16 40 1 3 150 1 10 606 6 29 211 6 39 349 7 7 435 8 55 151 10 28 349 14 6 37 14 12 291 15 2 375 15 11 400 15 16 463 Acts. 17 23 91 17 27 585 20 27 424 26 22 388 Romans. 1 21 92 1 17 174 6 19 206 9 5 99 10 2 77 12 1 456 12 10 431 1 Corinthians. 1 14 115 1 2 516 2 17 424 3 8 563 6 20 257 6 7 587 8 4, 5 90 8 2 94 11 19 389 15 22 44 15 47 435 2 Corinthians. 2 15 348 4 6 606 5 16 334 11 20 17 Galatians. 1 4 175 3 28 524 4 16 430 6 17 126 Ephesians. 2 2 189 2 3 363 4 1, 3, 4 571 5 2 502 Philippians. 2 10 28 2 2 407 2 15 514 3 1 401 3 20 454 3 9 549 4 18 502 Colossians. 1 16 150 2 20 45 2 20 171 2 5 596 2 9 629 2 19 635 3 1 454 1 Thessalonians. 2 13 478 2 Thessalonians. 1 3 189 3 2 254 1 Timothy. 1 16 532 4 16 484 5 10 424 6 20 424 6 2 526 2 Timothy. 1 9 149 1 9 533 3 16 390 3 15 479 Hebrews. 2 7 46 4 9 126 5 14 633 10 29 464 11 26 32 11 24 18 11 3 155 13 18 151 James. 2 11 201 4 3 7 4 6 153 5 16 141 1 Peter. 1 3 146 1 5 307 1 23, 24 479 2 20 554 2 7 686 4 18 355 4 12 389 4 14, 15   16. 421 2 Peter. 1 6 273 3 17 316 3 12 456 1 John. 2 20 513 2 2 278 2 19 360 3 8 344 3 19 552 5 16 230 3 John.  2 460 Judas.  3 316 Revelation. 3 4 364 21 27 364 22 12 464  
FINIS.