One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17

It's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , though they do not male, yet they do aliud agere, a servant, though he do not contrary to his Masters work, yet if he do not the same he is commanded, he is obnoxious to his Masters 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, &c. 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 Mary's, 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. 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 Talent, 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 Talent, 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? doest 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, 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 dullness 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, 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 Josephs Chariot, not with grief, but with joy, as a convoy to eternal happiness, 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. 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 doest 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 doest 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. 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 labored 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 mis-spent 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. 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 spake 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 everyone; oh let me with delight and willingness do God's work, that I may lift up my head when death appeareth! He that is hailed to his duty, will be hailed 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, 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 naught: 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, or a mistake in some things may make us give our account with great fear. As

[ 1] 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, then every man must go out of the world with despair; yea there is no man but his failings are more then his duties, there is more corruption then 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 Peters, who would not let Christ wash his feet.

[ 2] 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 saviors.

[ 3] 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 judgment 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 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 devils work, and sins work, which thou hast been doing all thy life time? especially take heed of unprofitableness and decayings 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 breakings 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 dropt 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 Mans 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.

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 Fathers 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, 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 then all the world, yea, then all our souls, for though one soul be more worth then a world, yet God's glory is more worth then 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 honor 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 then ours, this must needs greatly encourage.

[ I] 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, longsuffering, 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 anything by which he can have such a Name for mercy as in this; The Church of God hath had many deliverances and great external favors, 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 forever, For his mercy endureth forever ; Oh but how mayest thou go over all those things, Christ did for thee, adding, His mercy endureth forever; He died and rose again for the remission of thy sins, for his mercy endureth forever, he obtained the sanctification of thy nature, For his mercy endureth forever, And in those temporal deliverances, though God's mercy as an attribure in him endured forever, 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 forever ; 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 anything else he ever did; These attributes of God, his goodness, his love, his longsuffering, 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 wills 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 God's grace is seen in nothing but this, the Creation of the world, and bestowing other mercies, is never attributed to grace; this is peculiar for our salvation, Oh then what hope is here when we shall consider, there never was, there never can be anything 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.

[ II] 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; 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 Mothers womb, as so much choice Needle-work, 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 Law-giver, who having made a Law that every adulterer should have both his eyes bored out, it so happened that the Law-givers 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 then to find out a way to save thee? yet God hath done that.

[ III] 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 then 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.

[ IV] Lastly, God is glorified in his Justice, and that more then 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 anything 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 then 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 Savior 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 everything: 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 then 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 interested 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.

Now the ground and reason why Christ did refer all his obedience both active and passive to God's glory, is,

[ 1] 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 then is the supreme and universal end to which all are to subordinate themselves.

[ 2] 2. The glory of God is more noble and hath greater worth in it then anything 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 prize 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 then 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 honored, 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 spake 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 then 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 dishonor and blaspheme God.

But excellent Use may be made of this Doctrine; 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 mayest plead God will be glorified by thy pardon, by thy salvation, God will be no loser, here will be no wrong done to him, Mayest thou not use this divine Rhetoric? O Lord. did I beg my Salvation upon such terms as were not consistent with thy honor and glory? Were my Salvation and thy honor incompatible, then I might justly be accused, then 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 mayest 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 honor, 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 preeminence 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 honor 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 mayest 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 honored; O Lord, because I have deserved hell, doth thy Name deserve to be dishonored? Observe how the people of God in all their miseries still engaged God's 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 honored; It's no matter for us Lord, but what will become of thy great Name, O Lord the dishonor 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 it's God's cause more then 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 dishonor 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, it being thus, Why are not all saved, would not God have the more glory? 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.

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, 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: 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. John 4.34. see what a notable expression our Savior 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, then I am in doing my Fathers 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 Fathers 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 anything 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. Let us dive into the Divinity of this Point; And

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 behooved 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 anything 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, then 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 everything to the uttermost.

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, then the Father would give them to him as his seed and glorify them, as also reward him with all honor and glory. That Christ was rewarded with all honor, 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, appeareth, 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. 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 God's 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 then that should be rewarded with a new heaven, and so in infinitum, Why then can it be said, that Christ's doing and suffering is obedience? 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, then 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, it was truly and properly obedience to the Law of God, Rom. 5.19. By the obedience of one, &c.

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, 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 human 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 baptized 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; 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 Iota 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 then 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 High priest above the legal High priest 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 thoroughly 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that holy thing which was to be born of her, Luke 1.35. and thus the Apostle, It behooved us to have an High priest, 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 human 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 then 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 fighting 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 free-will, that hold the mediation and intercession of Saints in heaven, that maintain merits and satisfactions, all these blaspheme 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, then he did not finish his work, then 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 Adams 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 colors and pretences, many distinctions and excuses to cover their sins with; But you will say, If Christ hath done all, 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 ? 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 endeavor 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 repents, 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 connection 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.

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, 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, 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, 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 impetrative they merit for us, they procure good for us, and imputative 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, 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 judgment 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; Instead of working God's 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.

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 dishonor; In that therefore Christ hath overcome the grave and the bonds of death, we have an infallible evidence of his perfect working.

Use of Instruction, how dangerous all those doctrines are which proclaim free-will, 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 broken-hearted 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 twofold remedy to this twofold grievance; His works have a satisfaction in them, and therefore whatsoever failings and corruptions there are if humbled for and endeavoring to be reformed, 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.

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 Savior 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 human 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, 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 behooved him first to suffer and so to enter into glory, Luk. 24.26. 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 then 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, 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 then he was bound unto, if absolutely considered, though when once he became our Surety it behooved 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 favor, 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 favor; The more inexcusable then are all these Popish doctrines that would puff up a man to such a conceit of himself and Christ together, of his free-will and grace together▪ not Christ and grace alone, that hence they will plead their Title to heaven, Christ's merits and their own.

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 labor in the Vineyard before we come to have our wages.

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 strait 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 labor 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, labor before our wages, tempests and storms before the haven, wearisomeness before a rest.

Therefore in the 2 ^d 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 forever 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 Savior saith, Mat. 5. The Lilies of the Field have a greater glory then of Solomon's, yet they spin not, they labor not; No, but the Scripture crieth out aloud to everyone, To work out his Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. Oh then 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 tomorrow 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 then we have received; Our Savior by those Parables of divers talents, as also of the foolish Virgins, and of the unjust steward, Mat. 25. of hiring Laborers 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 judgment 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, then 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, 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.

The first is from the command and will of God, Every Page in the Bible presseth doing God's 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 forever, they will go to the grave with thee, to heaven with thee, they will never forsake thee.

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; Labor 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.

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 briars 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 then I do perform his duties, my soul had perished irrecoverably.

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 dishonor 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, 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 devils work, thou hadst the love and good-will 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 judgment 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 devils 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.

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 Savior 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, but is sometimes lawful, yea, useful and necessary: None can think that our Savior 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,

[ I] 1. That the same matter may be repeated either insence 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 dishings, that affords a peculiar taste, or like the Philosopers matter, which they say is always the same, though under divers forms; Now our Savior in this prayer doth not only use the same matter but the same words, Father glorify thou me.

[ II] 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 High Priest, which consisted of many choice ingredients, You may call most men's prayers no more prayers then an Ape a man, or a picture the person it represents.

[ 1] 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 anything 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] 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 God's will, and so far as they may be a furtherance to our spiritual good.

[ 3] 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, &c. That is not a long Book from which you cannot well take away anything, 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 savory 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 then matter, and make an eloquent oration to God, rather then an humble supplication, this is ridiculous and sinful.

[ 4] 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] 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.

[ 6] 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.

[ III] 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, 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 honor 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 vapors make the clouds which distilling in rain do make vapors 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 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.

[ 1] 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 Savior 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] 2. When the matter is excellent then 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, then it may affect: It's a Rule, Pulchrasunt his dicenda, we cannot see the worth of a Jewell at the first sight; and hence it is that there are some sentences of choice and excellent virtue, that our Savior himself would use more then once, Such as that, Many are called but few are chosen, and some Parables also are twice spoken to by our Savior, 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 everyone is to be affected with, and till that foundation be laid there cannot be any esteem or prizing of Christ.

[ 3] 3. When the affections are very fervent and zealous, then 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] 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.

[ 5] 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 Jude 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 then 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 endeavor 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 Hezekiah's or Jonahs crying out of the Whales 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, though this indeed prove that sometimes a doubling of the same Petition may be useful, yet may there not be idle babblings 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, Use not vain repetitious, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , empty words of any sense or matter, when there are many words and no true grave matter; Therefore our Savior calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unseasonable and unbeseeming; So that then are Repetitions forbidden by our Savior,

[ 1] 1. When they arise either from want of judgment to prepare good matter, 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 judgment, 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] 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 intend 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] 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 then the affections and heart therein; and this seemed to be the Heathens sin, our Savior said, they thought by their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 Paternosters, The mumbling over so many Ave-Mary's, 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 judgment, 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 judgment, and invention, without God's Spirit enlivening of them, is like a Sacrifice without fire; Oh then 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 everyone 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 then 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.

WE are treating on the Petition itself, and whereas we see our Savior 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, must yet be accomplished to them praying for it ; God's 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:

[ I] 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.

[ II] 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 dishonorable 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.

[ III] 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 beginning • of our conversion, especially that promise, Zech. 12, that God will pour on us the Spirit of prayer and supplication ; The fulfilling 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 Savior 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 promised, 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.

[ IV,] 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 Savior 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 innocence, 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?

[ V] 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 idolizing 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?

[ VI] 6. Therefore it's disputed whether God doth require Prayer for the mercies 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.

[ VII] 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 then 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, 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, 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, but then the more proper and peculiar Reasons for prayer are,

[ 1] 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] 2. As God hath appointed this for his honor, so likewise for our honor, that we may be admitted into his presence, and have holy Communion with him ; It's the greatest honor 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 dishonor 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 anything 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 hailed and pulled to it, when any such listlessness and unwillingness is on thee, Oh consider can there be more glory and honor put on me? Did Haman grudge to come in Ahasuerus his presence, and to the Royal Banquet? Did he not rather glory of it to his Wife and Friends?

[ 3] 3. God will have us pray because Prayer is an appointed means by him as well as Faith and Repentance ; Now God's 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 God's 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] 4. God hath appointed Prayer not only for our honor 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 Elijah 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 color 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] 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 asking? 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 God's 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] 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 then may be, 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, and will quickly cry louder then 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 willfully 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 dullness, 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 anything; 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 honoreth, insomuch that Without faith it's said it's impossible to please God, Heb. 11. Now though presumption be a weed that comes up of itself, yet Faith is a gift of God's own planting, and great opposition great difficulty there is to put this forth.

Lastly, It must be persevering and constant Prayer, our Savior spake 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 impudency and pertinency 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 God's 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 plow, 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.

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, then 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 God's own self, Glorify me with thy own self ; This as you heard is spoken partly oppositely to human glory and the honor 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 honor 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, 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 honor or glory ; Christ prayed not with such imperfections as the godly do, as is in time more largely to be shown, 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 center 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 barley-corn 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; Did we not expect glory to come we should look upon ourselves as most miserable.

But of the first The nature of this glory, and that is expressed first in the Text, a glory with God's 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, 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 Ahasuerus 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. 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 honors 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 everyone 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. 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 dishonor, 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, 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 ; but there are other properties of it also, that may raise our expectations after it. As

[ 1] 1. It's an everlasting and eternal glory ; There is no dust or ashes in heaven; There is no mortality or corruptibility, but everything is then made like God to abide forever; 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] 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 human glory is compared to all the empty things that are vapors 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 then 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.

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 honor ; 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, 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 wast never much in seeking after it?

2. We are to pray for it because hereby our desires and esteem of it will be more kindled and enflamed ; 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. 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 then 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.

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 breath 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; 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 everything 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, It's from seeing God in a glass and obscurely to see him face to face; Oh then how enamored 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 then the Sun; Hence the godly are compared to the Sun and Stars in the Firmament, for the great luster God puts on them.

3. 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 then 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 briars, 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 anything 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, because the way to heaven is full of briars 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 grudgings and repinings; There is glory coming will make amends for all, Heaven in reversion is better then 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 human 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 honor ; 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 Savior 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 honor, 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 Savior'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, then a straw to a Pearl; 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 humored 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. All human 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 vain-glory and not for glory with God : Our Savior 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 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 judgment shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you : When God and Angels shall put honor 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 willful continuance in gross sins, Be not deceived, neither whoremonger or drunkards, &c. 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 everywhere? 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.

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 Philosophers 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. Of this at this time.

In the Greek it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not in a Grammatical construction, for it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that glory which I had ; as also there is a trajection of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , before the world was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 Anti-Trinitarians, 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 then Glorify me with the glory prepared for me before the world was, as it speaks of the godly, then 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,

[ I] [Argum. 1] First, Because by him all things were created, Joh. 1. In the beginning was the Word, 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 today, and forever ; 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 forever; 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 willfully blind as not to see light out of this Text.

[ II] 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 human 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.

[ III] Thirdly, In that Christ had an eternal being it's plain that even before his Incarnation, 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 God's 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, then Woe be to those Doctrines and heretics that endeavor 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 human 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 devils Kingdom will be promoted by Christianity as well as by Paganism; For here will be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the honor 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 !

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 human 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, 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 human Sciences, hoping by his natural abilities to dive to the bottom of them, is to think to hold the Sea in an Oystershell, 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 judgment 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 Savior 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, 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. 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 forever.

2. Unfruitfulness under the Gospel, 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, he runneth into the Whales 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 it's 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 willfully 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, 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 today, and the same forever; 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 alterations here is ground of faith : Though Instruments die, though Ministers die, 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 honor 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 chariots 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 exigencies were the disciples cast when Christ spake 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. 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 Savior, 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.

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.

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, 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, where there is not only a relation of the worlds 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 then all reason and philosophy in this matter: Again he saith, By faith we understand, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mundus. 5. The manner how, not as Artificers make a house by handy labor 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, then 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, 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 fabulousness 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 that's plain, it could not, no more then 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 Be necessarily makes it's 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 beginn • ng 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, &c. 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 ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , even to admiration; So that the consideration of the worlds 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 staid 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 impudency 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 willfully 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 briars 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 days work was good, when they were put altogether, then 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, &c. 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 then 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 Atheism 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 God's 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 forever; 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 then 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 journeys end; But oh how much faith and heavenly mindedness is required of everyone 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 straights 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 God's 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.

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 labor in the heat of the day, therefore there is a peculiar prayer for them: Now that our Savior'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 Disciples, Therefore he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : 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,

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 Paradoxical 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 then the world, he saith, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us rather then the world ; What are we more then 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.

To open this Consider, that several ways we may come to have some knowledge of God,

[ 1] 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] 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, 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.

[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 everything 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 then 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 anything else; As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavory: 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 then 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 Savior likewise, Fear not them that can kill the body, Mat. 10.28. but I tell you whom you shall fear, &c. 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 anymore then 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 Savior 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 God's 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, &c. 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 eye-witness of it, then 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 favor, what to have those experimental sweetnesses of heart which flow from the enjoying of him, Therefore its 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; Never judge thyself to know anything 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 judgment 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.

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 Fathers will, which was to declare the truth of God, and invite sinners to come in unto him, so then we see here, an excellent President 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 labor and tender love to men's souls, we are bound to follow him.

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 labors to this purpose, especially see what a divine profession he makes to them of Ephesus, 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 humor 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 quest • on, 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 labor; 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.

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, 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 Savior makes this the condemnation, the great cause of condemnation, That light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather then light, Joh. 3. If then people did think they had a thick cloud upon their hearts, or a veil 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 worlds 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, Lot out of Sodom, unless they be even driven or forced out they will not move.

[ 3] 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 then 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 human 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] 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 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 spiritualize thy affections, to reform thy life, even to polish and preserve thee, that thou mayest 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 savor 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 honor 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 Traveler 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 endeavors 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 Savior 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 human 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 instead 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 then 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, everyone will run to see him, but not the man of ordinary stature:

Use, Is this the end of the Ministry, of all our labor and preaching, to bring you to the saving knowledge of God? Oh then may we not take up the Prophets complaint, That we labor 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 worshiping 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 shown the vast difference between them and the men 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.