The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 1
OF GODS ALL-SVFFICIENCY.
GENESIS 17. 1.
When Abraham was ninetie yeares olde and nine, the Lord appeared vntounto Abraham, and sayd vntounto him, I am GOD All-sufficient, walke before me, and be thou vpright, or perfect.
BEcause, in the performance of all the Duties of Sanctification, Sinceritie is all in all, therefore I hauehave chosen this Text, that you may not be deceived. It is true; many things are very excellent, if they be right: There is no question but the Diamond is very precious, if it be a true Diamond, but if it be false, it is nothing worth; If you take a precious Balme, you make no question of the thing, and of the excellency of it in generall, all the question is, whether it be right or no, And so in the graces of Gods spirit, especially, seeing they concerne our salvation; It much concernes vsus, to know whether they be right or counterfeit; and therefore you see the condition, that God requires here of Abraham, is, that he be vpright, and perfect, without hypocrisie; (so the word signifieth) walke before me without hypocrisie. Now we hauehave rather chosen this Text than another, because sets forth the ground of all sinceritie, and perfect walking with God, which is, even this apprehension well setled in the heart, that God is Allsufficient: for this is the Lords precept, Walke before me, and be thou perfect, or vpright, or sincere, let it not be in hypocrisie: and this is the motiue that he vsus…th to perswade him to it, I am All-sufficient, as if he should say, if there were any defect in me, if thou didst neede or couldest desire any thing that were not to be had in me, and thou mightest hauehave it elsewhere, perhaps thy heart might be imperfect in walking towards me, thou mightest then step out from me to take in advantages elsewhere; but seeing I am All-sufficient, since I hauehave enough in me to fulfill all thy desires, since I am every way an adaequate obiect, that if thou lookest about, and considerest all that thy soule can wish for, thou maiest hauehave it in me, why then shouldest thou not consecrate thy selfe to me alone? Why then shouldest thou be vneven in thy wayes, serving me sometimes, by fits, and sometimes the creature? for there is nothing in the creature, but thou maiest finde it in me, I am Allsufficient. I am All-sufficient, therefore walke before me, and be perfect.
Yet these words containe somewhat more, which you may see by that which followes, I will make my Covenant betweene me and thee, and I will multiplie thee exceedingly. The ground of all our sinceritie is the Covenant, that is betweene God and vsus. Now these words doe the most briefly, that I finde, of any in the Scriptures, expresse the Covenant betweene God and vsus on both sides, for they are but the summe of the Covenant, which in other places of Scripture is explicated, and set forth more at large; so that the opening of the Covenant on both sides, is the ground of all the sinceritie, of all that obedience that we yeeld to God: And therefore, I say, you shall not onelyonly hauehave occasion from this Text, to examine the graces of Gods spirit in you, and the actions that flow from them, whether they be sincere or perfect, but likewise we will shew you the ground of this sincerity whence it ariseth; and how it is wrought in every mans heart. And thus these words containe the Covenant, sayth the Lord to Abraham, I will be thy God. On the other side; thou shalt be mine. Now he shewes what a kinde of God he▪ will be to him, I will be All-sufficient to thee; which consists in two things,Gen. 15. 1. If you compare this with Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy Buckler to preserue thee from all evill: And againe, I will be thy exceeding great reward: that is, I will not onelyonly be a shield, but I will be a Sunne to thee; I will both preserue thee from all evill, and I will fill thee with all good things, I will …omp…ss… thee about with mercy and loving kindnesse: so that thou shal… finde, that I will be an exceeding great reward. So God expresseth himselfe to Abraham. And this is the Covenant on Gods part. Now that which is required on Abrahams part, is, that he be the Lords, as the Lord is his, for so you see in the words following. The question onelyonly is, in what manner Abraham shall be the Lords; how that shall be declared? Sayth he, It is not an emptie relation, but thou must shew that thou art mine by walking before me. And yet it must not be any kinde of walking before the Lord, but it must be a perfect walking before him; Walke before me, and be perfect, and therefore it is added, I will make my Covenant, that is, this is the Covenant, of which Circumcision was but a Signe, for it was instituted presently, as we see in the words following.
There are three especiall poynts that we will gather out of the words.
The first is from the connexion, and we will begin with that, because it is a preparation to the other two: In that the Lord vseth this as an argument to Abraham, I am All-sufficient, therefore walke before me, and be thou perfect; We may obserue this; that The cause of all departure from God,Doct. 1. of all vnevennesse in our wayes towards God,Doubting of Gods All-sufficience, the cause of departure from God. is from hence, that we doe not thinke God to be All-sufficient.
As on the other side, the cause of all our sinceritie and perfectnesse, ariseth hence, that we doe apprehend him to be All-sufficient. This you see evidently ariseth from the words; for thence is the force of the Argument, I am All-sufficient, therefore walke before me, and be perfect. My Beloved, it is evident, that the cause of every mans keeping off from God, the cause of his vnevennesse after he is come in to him, is from hence, that men thinke not God, to be All-sufficient; for if a man had enough in the Lord, he would never goe out from him; but because he wants something, he desires something that is not in him, or he feares something, that he thinkes he cannot keepe off from him: hence it comes to passe that he steppes out from God, he goeth out of the wayes of his Cōmandements. And therefore I say, the cause of every mans departure from God, the cause of his keeping off from God, or of his vnevennesse in the wayes of God, is from hence, that he thinkes not God to be All-sufficient; and this you shall see in three sorts of men.
First, there is a generation of men, that liue as without God in the world, and that looke not towards God at all, that make conscience of nothing; and what is the reason of that? but because they thinke, they hauehave sufficient of their owne, and therefore they walke in their owne wayes, and stand vponupon their owne bottom, and they louelove thernselues, and serue themselues altogether; and apply not themselues to the Lord at all: and therefore whensoever any man is brought vntounto God, the worke is, to take him off from his owne bottom, to shew him his owne insufficiency in himselfe, and the emptinesse of himselfe, and of every creature, and the All-sufficiency that is in God, and vponupon this ground, he comes in to him. As you know,Luke 15. the Prodigall Sonne, when he saw that he could not subsist longer, but he must perish, if he stayed where he was; and saw againe, if he went home to his Fathers house, there was meate enough: this was that that moved him to go home: this course the Lord takes with all whom he brings home to him;Act. 16. as we see in the Iaylor: and in those Act. 2.Act 2. They were pricked in their hearts; and in Paul, when the light shined about him, and he was stricken from his horse, Act. 9.Act. 9. It was all but to shew them their vanitie, to take them off from their owne bottoms, to shew them their owne insufficiency, and then he discovered that All-sufficiency that was in himselfe; for no man will change but for the better, he will not deny himselfe, and leaue what he hath, till something that is better be propounded vntounto him: So, I say, the cause why men come not in is, because they hauehave an opinion of sufficiency in themselues, and in the creature, and they apprehend not an All-sufficiency in God: that is, an All-sufficiency to be in him alone.
A second fort of men are such as doe come in, and performe many things, and bring forth some fruit, and become professors of the feare of God, and yet they doe it not throughly, But by halues; the cause of this is likewise from hence, that they doe not apprehend God to be All-sufficient; for it they did, they would be perfect with him;Math. 13. as we see the Second and Third Ground (for that Parable doth but shew you the kindes of Professors) they were all such as professed the feare of the Lord, that are there spoken of, for we see, they brought forth fruit, They received the Word with Ioy. What was the reason the second Ground was not perfect with the Lord? Because they thought him not to be a Buckler strong enough to beare off all evills, to beare off all persecution. What was the reason the Third Ground did it not? Because they thought there was something in riches, in pleasures, in divers lusts, that they could not hauehave in the Lord, so they departed from him: OnelyOnly the Fourth Ground kept close, because they did apprehend all to be in the Lord that they desired, they did apprehend him to be strong enough to deliver them from all the things they feared.
The third sort of men are such as are regenerate, which yet are subiect to many slips and falls, to many turnings aside: And the cause of all this is, that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient. As, for example, what was the reason that Abraham when he went downe into Egypt (being driven thither by reason of Famine) saved himselfe with a lye, saying that Sarah was his Sister, and not his wife, but because he thought God was not able to keepe him and defend him? If he had thought him to hauehave beene All-sufficient, he would not hauehave done it. What was the reason that Moses, when God sent him on a message into Egypt, was so backward to performe it; but because he thought that the Lord was not All-sufficient … For he hath two reasons why he would not goe; One was, he wanted speech, he wanted abilitie and gifts; He was of a stammering tongue; And the other was, those were aliue, that (he thought) sought his life: If he had thought that God was able to hauehave beene with his tongue, to hauehave stregthned him, and to hauehave improved his gifts, and to hauehave inabled him to that service: if he had thought, likewise, that he had beene able to hauehave defended him from those That sought his life, he would never hauehave disobeyed the Commandement of God, and beene backward to performe it as he was.
And so likewise Rebeccah; What was the reason shee vsed that wyle and shift, that inordinate meanes to bring a good thing to passe, to obtaine the blessing, when Iacob and shee joyned in lying to Isaack, but because they thought God was not Sufficient to performe that Promise? for the blessing belonged to Iacob, and no doubt but he should hauehave had it in due time. And so it is in all the faults of the Saints; which are hence, because they apprehend not God to be all-sufficient; even as it was in the first sinne of Adam, and the Angels; What was the reason that Adam fell from God at the first? It was because he desired something that he thought he could not finde in the Lord, he desired to know good and evill, which he thought he should not hauehave in the Lord, he thought the Lord had kept it from him, and therefore he stepped out from the Lord, to eate that Apple, vsing that as a meanes to obtaine his desire. And this, indeed, was the cause of his falling away. So likewise the cause of the falling of the Angells. 1 Tim. 3. 6.1 Tim. 3. 6. the Apostle saith there, that a Minister was not to be a young Sc…oller, least he be puffed vp, and fall into the condemnation of the Divell, that is, least he be puffed vp, and fall into the same sinne, for which the Divell was condemned, that is, to be puffed vp, that is, to hauehave the desires inlarged beyond the boūds which God had set them, to desire more then they should hauehave, to be exalted aboue measure, that measure, that God had appointed them, that is, they desired more, they looked after more, they thought there was not an All-sufficiency in God for them: This was the sinne of the Angels that fell. And as it was the cause of their first fall, so it is the cause of all the sinnes that hauehave beene committed since. And the reasons of it in briefe are these:
First it ariseth from the desire of happines that is implanted in every mans nature.From mans desire of happines. Happines, you know, is a compound which consists of all good things, so that none must be wanting; there is no good thing but it must be an ingredient into it. Now the nature of man is made by God to desire happines, every man naturally desires happines, and may desire it, if there be any scantnes in this, if there be any evill that lies vponupon him, that is not removed, or if there be any good that he desires and wants, that he doth not enioy; (I say) his heart cannot rest, for he desires happines; therefore if he finde not an All-sufficiency in God, so that nothing be wanting, that his heart can desire or looke after, it is impossible he should cleaue close vntounto him, but he will be readie to step out from him.
Secondly, this will appeare from the nature of sinne:From the nature of sinne. the definition that the Schoole-men giuegive of sinne, (which we may receiue) is this, that it is the conversion of a man from God to the Creature, from the immutable God to the mutable creature: In every sinne there is such a turning of the soule from God to the Creature. Now, it is certaine, if a man did finde an All-sufficiency in God, he would never turne from him, nor seeke to the Creature; even as the Bee, if it did finde honey enough in one flower, would not hasten to another, but because it doth not, it goes from flower to flower: And so is the nature of man (as Salomon expresseth it, saying, that) He hastened to out ward things; that is, when he fell vponupon one, he found not enough in it, he made hast to another and to another; so the nature of man, if it did finde sweetnesse, and comfort, and contentment enough in God, it would not turne from him to the creature; but because, in his sence, the obiect is too narrow, there is some what he would hauehave more, he looks over the Pale, as it were, he seeth something that he desireth, and that causeth him to step out, whereas if he had enough at home, if he had enough in the Lord, he would not goe out from him, to turne inordinately to the Creature vponupon any occasion.
Thirdly, this will appeare likewise from the nature of sinceritie, From the nature of sinceritic.and perfect walking with God, for to walke perfectly with God, is nothing but this, when a man chooseth God, so that he cleaues to him alone, whereas doublenes of minde stands in this, when a man is distracted betweene God and some other obiect; I say, betweene God and riches, betweene God and credit, betweene God and pleasure, and is sometime applying himselfe to one, and sometime to another, and so he goes a double way. So that when a man hath two principall objects, & two principall ends, vponupon which his eye is set, when he hath two inward principles within, that are the cause of his motion, this way and that way, such a man is a double minded man; he is a single hearted man that chooseth God alone, and though he walke imperfectly with him, yet he chooseth him. Now if a man apprehend Gods All-sufficiency, he will choose him alone, if he doe not, it is impossible he should choose him alone, but he will joyne somewhat else with him; for if he thinke there is but a partiall sufficiency in God, and that there is some sufficiency in any creature besides, it must needs be that he must hauehave an eve vponupon both; and then his waies will be vneven, then his way is vnstable; and, therefore, I say, the cause of that instability, to which men are subiect, is, because they doe not apprehend God to be All-sufficient, for you must know this by the way, that there is a double instabilitie (that word is vsed in I am. 1. 8.Iam. 1. 8. A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes) One is an instabilitie between two objects, which makes vp all the sufficiency that he desires, so that there is part of that sufficiency in one, and part of it in another. The second is an instabilitie in following one object that he hath chosen. Indeede, the second instabilitie all the Saints are subject vntounto, all regenerate men are vnstable thus in all their wayes, they cannot sticke fast to God, and walke perfectly with him. But herein is their sinceritie, they choose him, they pitch vponupon him. Now the ground of it is, they apprehend him to be All-sufficient; though this apprehension be not alwayes kept strong, it is not alway liuely, and actiue in their minds, their perswasion is not alway full and present, and therefore they are readie to step out. So the latter instabilitie befalles the Saints, the former befalles hypocrites, and both the one and the other instabilitie still proceede from hence, that we apprehend not God to be All-sufficient. Holy men hauehave that apprehension in the maine, but not in a constant tenour at all times; Hypocrites hauehave it not so much as in the maine.
Fourthly. This truth will likewise appeare from the nature of faith: From the nature offaith.that which makes a man righteous, that which sanctifies a man throughout is faith: That which is the cause of all vnrighteousnesse in vsus is vnbeliefe, for it causeth a man to depart from the Lord: Heb. 3. 12.as Heb. 3. 12. Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe to depart from the living God. In this sence faith is sayd to be accounted for righteousnesse. Abraham beleeved God. Gen. 15.Gen. 15. God indeed made the same proposition that he doth here, for substance, he tells him what he would doe for him, and, sayth the Text, Abraham beleeved God, and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse. Now, It was accounted to him for righteousnesse, chiefly, in this sence, as it is interpreted Rom. 4.Rom. 4. that his very taking of the promise, and his accepting of the Covenant, in that he did receiue that which God gaue, that put him within the Covenant, and therefore the Lord reckoned him a righteous man, even for that very acceptation, and beleeving. But that is not all: but likewise he accounted faith to him for righteousnesse, because faith doth sanctifie, and make a man righteous: and therefore Beloved (by the way) wonder not at this, that we put so much vponupon faith; for let a man beleeue, that God is All-sufficient, which is the Covenant, for iustifying faith is but a beleeving of that part of the Covenant, and inabling a man to keepe the other part, which is required; and, I say, it makes a man righteous: for when a man beleeues that God is All-sufficient, it will cause a man to giuegive vp himself to the Lord. Againe, when he beleeues the Lord to be all in all things to him, it inableth him to be all in all things to the Lord againe, that is, to be holy to the Lord in all manner of conversation. It knits his heart vntounto the Lord. It sanctifieth a man throughout, it makes him peculiar to the Lord, i… makes him wholly to him. This is the nature of faith. (Now marke it) faith could not thus sanctifie, if it did not beleeue Gods All-sufficiency. Againe, vnbeliefe could not cause out falling or departing from God, if it were not hence, that we fayle in beleeving some promise of his, or some threatnings, we thinke there is not an All-sufficiencie in God: you know his promises containe all good things, if we cleaue vntounto him, and his threatnings all evill things, if we depart from him. If this were fully beleeved, our hearts would keepe neare to him: as farre as it is not beleeved, so farre we step out. Now I say hence faith purifieth the heart: It sanctifieth, is the cause of all righteous…esse that is wrought by vsus: and vnbeliefe is the cause of all vnrighteousnesse that is wrought by vsus. Hence we gather then, that the perswasion of Gods All-sufficiency keepes a mans heart perfect with God: and as farre as you come short of this perswasion, so farre you are ready to depart from him. And all the ground of it is, because that which drawes vsus from the Lord, is either vaine feares, or vaine hopes. Those are the two eares as it were, by which Sathan takes eueryevery man, whereby the drawes him away, out of the wayes of the Lords Commandements. Now if a man did beleeue that God were All-sufficient, he would be subiect to none of these false feares, if he did apprehend him to be a Buckler, that could keepe him from all ill. Againe, on the other side, if the did beleeue God to be an exceeding great reward, that is, so great a reward that there can be nothing wanting in him, that there is a length, and breadth, and depth, and height, in that reward; that his heart hath latitude enough to walke in, he can dosire nothing out of it: this would free a man from all vaine hopes, so that the apprehension of it would keepe his heart perfect Contratiwise, as farre as you faile in either, so farre you are subiect to those two, either false feares, or vaine and sinfull hopes: and that is the cause of our vneven and vnaequall walking with God, that we are not vpright and perfect.
Hence you may see both the nature of sinne,Vse 1. and the cause of all sinne; for it is profitable for vsus Beloved, (nothing more profitable than) to finde out the cause of sinne. It is a Rule that Physitians hauehave, that a disease, when it is throughly knowne, (that is, when the cause of it is fully knowne) it is halfe cured; so it is in the disease of the soule, to know the very roote and rise, from whence it proceeds, or commeth, to know the principle from whonco it ariseth, it is a great helpe to vsus to prevent it, to heale it. But, I say, this will both shew the nature of sinne, and the cause of sinne in vsus.
First, it shewes the nature of sinne, how evill a thing it is, yea worse, than, for the most part, we apprehend it to be; for, if there be no sinne committed, but it comes from hence, that you apprehend not God to be All-sufficient, then there is Idoldtrie (in a manner) committed in every sinne, that is, you take from God and adde another God to him, if you thinke him not to be All-sufficient; whatsoever you seeke to, and youne with him, you make it God as well as he; If it be credite, if it be honour, if it be pleasures, if it be riches, yea whatsoever it is, I say, there is a bitter roote of Idolatrie in the commission of every sinne, that makes it out of measure sinfull. This we may consider by the way, but this I purpose not to stand on; the thing that I would chiefly presse, is to finde out the cause of sinne, the cause of that hollownesse, and that imperfectnesse, and insinceritie that is in the hearts of men towards God, which, I say, ariseth from hence, that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient; for this (for the most part) is the case of men, if they did not apprehend some sufficiencie in him, they would not seeke him at all; againe, if they did apprehend him to be All-sufficient, they would serue him perfectly: but this middle apprehension in men, that they thinke there is a sufficiencie in the Lord, but not an All-sufficiencie; this is the cause why the hearts of men are hollow towards the Lord. Even as when a man lookes towards a great man, that is a man ofsome power, able to doe him hurt, and that hath some abilitie to doe him good: this makes him to feare, it makes him carefull to please him, and to abstaine from what may offend him: yet, because he thinkes he is not perfect with him, that his heart is but hollow towards him, he doth it not fully. So it is in our walking before God. Because we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient, therefore it is that our hearts are not perfect with him.Instances. We shall best shew you this in instances; for example; What is the reason, that a man is discouraged in seeking to God, Seeking to God in difficult cases.in praying to God, in depending vponupon God in any great case of difficultie, where there is more then ordinarie difficultie, there is more to be suffred, there is more to be done, what is the reason of it? because we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient. You know the turning of men away from God, commonly it ariseth from this, they meete with some rub, some crosses, some barre, Some Lyon in the way, which they are not able to grapple with, it is too strong for them: and then they turne out of the way; the reason, I say, of all sinne and departure from the Lord, is, because we doe not apprehend him to be All-sufficient: for if we did, why should not a man in an easie case, turne from him as well as in the most difficult? As, for example; David followed the Lord long, yet when Saul grew exceeding strong, and he very weake, then he stepped aside, and sayd in his heart, I shall perish one day, and so he goes out of Gods wayes, and flyeth to Achis, to the Philistines: This was from hence, that he did not apprehend the Lord to be All-sufficient and Almightie, for the word signifieth both. And so likewise Moses, Num. 11.Numb. 11. what was the reason that he started aside, that he did not beleeue as at other times? When God sayd to him, that he would giuegive them flesh for a monethmonth together; what sayth Moses againe? Shall six hundred thousand men be fed with flesh, shall all the Beeues and Sheepe be slaine, or shall all the fish in the Sea be gathered together? He could not beleeue the Lord: here was a difficultie, that Moses was not able to reach, that there should be so many fed with flesh, and that in the wildernes, and that for a monethmonth together: he thought it impossible to be done, that all the fish in the Sea should be gathered together, and all little enough to serue such a turne. Now marke the Lords answer there, is the Lords hand shortened? You may know by the medicine, what the disease was. Moses (sayth he) thou thinkest I am not able to doe it, thou thinkest my hand is shortened that I cannot doe it. And the like was when he came to draw water out of the rocke: you shall see, Moses there stucke: for the case was a case of difficulty. If it had beene out of the earth, where there had beene probabilitie, it had not beene so much: but Moses makes two arguments against it, (you know how great the sinne was for the which he lost going into the Land of Canaan, I say, he makes these two arguments against it.)
First, sayth he, the people are rebels, and will the Lord giuegive them water, that hauehave carried themselues in such a manner? that was one thing that caused his infidelitie at that time.
Another was; What? shall I give you water out of the rocke? As if he should say. That is a difficult thing. So that put these two together, out of the rocke, and vntounto rebels, there his fayth fayled, for it was difficult: and whence came this? because he thought the Lord was not All-sufficient. And so, likewise, Martha, and Marie, when they came to Christ for Lazarus, when he was dead, they were out of hope: the reason was, because there was a difficultie now more than before; so that, I say, the cōmon cause of our turning aside from the Lord, is, because we meete with some difficulties which our faith is not able to grapple with, and it ariseth from hence, that we forget this, that the Lord saith to Abraham, I am God All-mightie, or All-sufficient. I am able to doe whatsoever I will.
Besides this: what is the cause that men seeke after vaine-glory,Seeking praise with men. that they are subiect to enuie? (the spirit that is in vsus is subiect to envie) for everyman envieth another, because he desireth vaineglory too much to himselfe: this ariseth from hence, that he reckoneth not God to be All-sufficient. That is. If we did reckon it enough to hauehave praise with God, if we thought that his knowledge of our vprightnesse were sufficient, though no man in the world knew it besides, we would be content with that honour that we hauehave, which he hath allotted to vsus within our owne compasse, but, because we thinke him not to be All-sufficient, we would hauehave somthing, likewise, from the creature, we would hauehave honour, louelove, and respect from men; which sinne ariseth hence, that we apprehend not him to be All-sufficient; so doth that, likewise, which is contrary to it, (for sinnes of the same nature & they arise both frō the same groūd) when men are so sencible of shame, and reproach, and disgrace, and disparagement, doth it not arise hence, that we reckon mans day too much, and Gods day too little? We apprehend not God enough in his greatnesse; as the Apostle saith, I reckon not to be iudged by mans day. As if he should say. It is but a day, it is but a time that man hath to judge: there is another day, the Lords day, that great day. If a man did apprehend that which is in God, if he did see his All-sufficiency, he would not regard to be judged by mans day, as long as he were not judged by the Lord: he would not care what his fellow-prisoners thought of him, as long as the Iudge, and the Law cleared him.
And so likewise, what is the reason of the vneven wayes of men,Indirect courses taken to bring enterprises to passc. which they take to bring their enterprises to passe? is it not hence, that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient? David, when he was in a strait, when the Kingdome, you know, was promised him, and many opportunities he had to hauehave gotten it, if he would hauehave vsed evill meanes, when sometimes the Lord put Saul into his hands, yet would not touch him, but committed it to the Lord, for he thought him to be almightie, able to bring it to passe, as also he did bring it to passe.
And so likewise, Daniell; there might hauehave beene meanes vsed for him to hauehave escaped; you know how he was in danger, when he refused to eate of the Kings meate, he was in danger againe, when they obtained of the King, that is any man did make any request to any God or man, but the King for 30. dayes, he should be put to death: yet he trusted in God, he thought him to be All-sufficient, able to keepe him, and therefore he stepped not out of his way. And so Paul, when he saw that Festus thought to hauehave had money give him, yet doubtles, in those circumstances, he thought it not lawfull to doe it, & therefore he trusted in God; though no doubt, he might hauehave made friends, to hauehave gathered the money: It is likely Festus thought there was a probailitie for it, because he hoped for it, but Paul would not doe it, because he thought the Lord was able to deliver him. But on the other side, Ieroboam when he had a businesse to doe, you know what course he tooke, he joynes them together, he addes to Religion, he corrupts it, that he might keepe his Kingdome. And so Saul. (But I need not giuegive you Instances) I say, the cause of all indirect waies we take to bring our enterprises to passe, it comes from hence, that we trust not in God, we thinke him not to be All-sufficient, not able to doe it, except we helpe him with wyles, and tricks, and devises of our owne: What is the reason of that lying and dissembling, that is vsed likwise, for the same purpose? Is it not from hence, that men apprehend not God to be All-sufficient? Peter, when he denied Christ, was it not from feare? And from whence was that feare, but because he reckoned not God, to be a Buckler strong enough, and sure enough? And so Sarah, when shee denied, that shee laughed, sayth the Text, for shee was afraid, and therefore shee sayd, no, I did not laugh, when shee did, and was charged for doing of it. I might giuegive you many other Instances, but I shall not need. Goe through all varieties of sinnes, and you shall see they arise hence, that we reckon not God to be All-sufficient.
The satisfying of sinfull lusts,Satisfying of sinfull lusts. doth it not arise from hence? He that is given to any pleasure, to any delight, of what kinde soever, if he did beleeue those two things, that the Lord is able to fulfill him with joy, and comfort sufficient, that the Lord is able to mortifie those lusts, and to heale thē in him, he would keepe close to him, & would not goe out from him: for he need not, the Lord is All-sufficient. That is. He is able to satisfie him, he is able to fill him with ioy and peace, through beleeving, which should be enough to satisfie his heart with contentment; he is able, likewise, to mortifie that lust, so that, as he is forbidden the satisfying of it, so, likewise, he should hauehave no such prevailing desire to it. And therefore (Beloved) the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God (for that is the thing for which I presse all this, for which I bring all these instances) it is to come to this, to set downe this conclusion with our selues, that he is All-suffi-cient: No man is ever fit to serue him without this: except a man be content to hauehave God alone for his portion; if he will joyne any thing with him, if he will joyne God, and credit together, God, and riches together, God, and pleasures together, he will never keepe close to him: for one time, or other there will fall out a separation between God, and these things, and whosoever doth not resolue thus with himselfe, I will be content with God alone, though he strip me of all things in the world, I say, he will never keepe close to the Lord, but his wayes will be vneven towards him.
The young man, in the Gospell, would never hauehave gone away sad,… if he had thought God had beene All-sufficient: but he thought, when his riches were taken away, that some what was taken from him, that belonged to his happpines, that he could not hauehave beene to well without it. Againe, Abraham, on the other side, would never hauehave beene willing to hauehave offred Isack, if he had not thought that God was All-sufficient: as we see Heb. 11. 19.Heb. 11. 19. It is sayd there, that, though I sack were the sonne of the promise, yet he willingly offred him; why? sor he thought God was able to raise him from the dead againe, from whence he also after a sort received him: As he received him from Sarahs dead wombe, so he thought, he might be raysed againe from the dead ashes. What was the reason that Paul served the Lord with a perfect heart? You see in 1 Tim. 4. 10.1 Tim. 4. 10. that he trusted in God, and therefore (saith he) we labour, and suffer rebuke; those are the two parts of new obedience, (to doe, and to suffer) and therefore, saith he, we doe it, because we trust in the living God: that is. We trust in him for all things: I beleeue him to be Almightie, and All-sufficient, every way, both to defend me from all evill, and also to provide all good things for me, and therefore I serue him, and labour in his service, and suffer rebuke. What was the reason, on the other side, that Demas turned from the Lord? was it not, because he thought there was not enough in him? and therefore, saith the Text, he imbraced this present world: and therefore, (Beloved) the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God, is to consider well the great power of God, and the great goodnes of God, for in these two his All-sufficiencie to wards vsus consists; consider his might… power, and say thus, with thy selfe, he is able to doe all things for me; consider, withall, the greatnesse of his goodnesse, and mercy, and say, he is my father, he is willing to doe all things for me Indeed, that conclusion we should set downe with our selues, (if any thing be not done, if we want any thing, if any crosse lie vponupon vsus at any time,) to be readie to say, this is not because the Lord cannot doe it; for he is Almightie. Againe, it is not because the Lord will not doe it; for he is as infinite in louelove to me, as he is in power: What is the reason of it then? because it is not best for me. So should every man say, if there be any want, if there be any crosse, it is best for me. It is better for thee, it may be, to be in a low estate, than to be in a high: it is better for thee to be pinched with povertie, than to liue in abundance: it is better for thee to lie vnderunder temptation, (though it be a great vexation to thee for the present) then to be freed from it: it is better for thee, it may be, to hauehave meane gifts, than to hauehave high gifts: it is better for thee, to be in a low place, than to be in eminent place: it is better for thee, to be crossed in thy name, in thy estate, it is better for thee to be sicke in bodie, it is better for thee to be troubled (sometime) in minde, than to be freed from it: Beloved, this we must come to, and yet we must thinke the Lord to be All-sufficient. For if it be so, thou oughtest to say thus with thy selfe, it is best for me to be so. You wil say, how shall we do to be perswaded of it?Digress. Beloved, there are many instances, where in we are in such a condition, which we thinke worst for our selues, which many times is the best, nay, alwayes it is best for every man that is in covenant with God. For this rule must be kept, he is All-sufficient to his children, and they finde him so, he hath performed it, and made it good to their experience, and therefore, whensoever they finde any want, it is best for them to be so: It is not either defect in the power of God; or in the louelove of God: for example; Abraham thought it a hard thing, a great crosse, that he was put to expell Ishmaell his sonne, whom he loved; Was it not better for Abraham? had he not another sonne that was fitter for him, borne of his owne Wife? And so Moses thought it a hard thing, to be barred from comming into the land of Canaan; but what lost he by it? was he not led into a better Canaan, into Paradise, into a more glorious condition? So likewise, when he went downe into Egypt, if he had had a tongue of eloquence given him, to his will, that would hauehave satisfied him: but was it not better for Moses to hauehave a stammering tongue, and yet to hauehave the worke done as well, Aaron and he being joyned together? For by that meanes Moses was kept humble, and his louelove likewise was increased. For that mutuall indigence knits men together, when they hauehave need one of another. In like manner, David had an exceeding great desire to build the Temple, when it was not the Lords will, that he should doe it; was he a looser by it? David was at that time not fit to hauehave done it, he was not able to hauehave done it, as circumstances were: but was he a looser by it? had not he a house built him, as well as if he had built the house of God? had not he as great a reward, as if he had performed it? So likewise in the losse of his childe, it was exceeding grievous to him, yet, was it not better that that childe should be taken away, and that another ther should be given him, that was legitimate? Did not the Lord recompence it abundantly to him, when Salomon was given to him in his stead? And so Paul, he was exceeding desirous to be freed from that temptation, which, no doubt, was very grievous to him, that did gall, and vexe his minde continually, even as a pricking of the flesh doth: yet it was much better for Paul, it was not because God was not All-sufficient, either in power, or in louelove to him: but he was an exceeding great gainer by that meanes, he was emptied of himselfe: for that is the scope of God, in the wayes of his providence towards his children, even to magnifie himselfe towards them, which cannot be without emptying them of themselues, by discovering to them their owne insufficiencie: and that is done partly, by affliction, and partly by sinne, but chiesly by sinne, because that workes more immediately vponupon man, it makes him to see how little excellencie, and how little worth, there is in him; it makes him againe to see the glorie, and the power, and the purenesse of God, to magnifie him, and to humble himselfe; this Paul got by it, and it was better for him, he was in a better condition by it. Therefore I say, this conclusion must be set downe, that the Lord is All-sufficient, and when we fall short of any thing that we desire, lay it not vponupon God, that the Lord is short of his performance, of any promise, that he compasseth vsus not about with merciemercy, on every side, as much as we need, that he delivers vsus not from every evill: for he will make that good alway, that no good thing shall be wanting to them that lead a godly life: He is a Sunne and a shield to them. And whensoever it is otherwise, it is because it is not best for them: but this is a digression; the thing we hauehave to doe (for all this is but a preparation) is to perswade you now that the Lord is All-sufficient: as we told you, we handle this poynt first, because it is a preparatiue to the rest: It shewes you of what moment it will be so to be perswaded, and of what evill consequence it is, not to be so perswaded. Now I will adde a word of the second poynt; that God is All-sufficient.Doct. 2.God is All-sufficient.
To proue that he is so, I will propound to you but these two reasons;
First consider that all that is in the creature,Reas. 1. all the comforts, all the excellencie, all the beautie that is to be found in them, it is but borrowed, and derived: God is the primitiue, he is the originall, he is the first, the vniversall cause, the generall cause of all: hence we gather this, that there is an All-sufficiencie in him, and in him onelyonly, he is All-sufficient exclusiuely: so that no creature hath any sufficiencie at all in it selfe: for (Beloved) you must know, that the creature addes nothing at all to his sufficiencie, but all sufficiency is comprehended in him; for if they be all derived and borrowed things, then they are in the creature, but as farre as it pleaseth him to communicate the same to them: now that it is so, see Ier. 2. 13.Ier. 2. 13. My people (sayth the Lord) hauehave committed two evils, they hauehave for saken me the fountaine of living waters, and (secondly) hauehave digged to themselues pits that hold no water: Where we may briefly obserue: First, that God is the spring, from whom all comforts come originally, the pits, you know, hauehave the water, but borrowed and derived from the fountaine; secondly, there is something in this, that he calleth them pits, that is, the comfort in the creature is a mixed comfort, it is like water in a pit, it is muddie, and not pure and cleare, like the water in the fountaine: That is, the comfort that comes meerely from the creature (if you receiue any comfort in the creature, and Gods hand be not in it) it is alway mixed with some sorrow, with some evill, but if it come from the Lord, it is a pure comfort: he giues riches, and no sorrow with them, Thirdly, the comfort that is in the creature, it is but a dead comfort, cōpared to that which is in the Lord, and therefore he is sayd to be a fountaine of living water, that is, running water. The comfort that is in the creature, it is able to doe little, it is quickly spent, and when it is spent, there is no more in it: but the comfort that is in God, it is like water that commeth out of the spring, which is still renewed from day to day, and therefore it is called living water, there is no end of it, but still it flowes more and more. Last of all, they are broken pits that cannot hold the comfort that they hauehave, thought there be comfort, yet it is like liquor in a brittle glasse, that is not able to hold this comfort. In the creature, it is but borrowed comfort, and therefore we see 1 Tim. 6. 17.1 Tim. 6. 17. (where an instance is given of riches) Charge those that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, that they trust not in vncertaine riches, but in the living God, that giveth all things abundantly to enjoy. Marke, you shall see there the difference, that they trust not in vncertaine riches, but in the living God, (that is) riches are but dead things, God is the living God: they are able to doe but some things for you; God giues you all things, and giues abundantly. And againe, if riches doe something, yet the enjoying they are not able to giuegive; but the Lord giues vsus all things abundantly to enioy. Now, when we consider, that whatsoever is in the creature, it is but a borrowed and derived comfort, then the sufficiency is wholly in the Lord, he is the God of all comfort; as the Sunne is the cause of all light, whatsoever the ayre hath, it is derived from the Sunne, so whatsoever is in the creature, it is derived from God: and therefore this is one ground, why wee should perswade our selues, that he is All-sufficient.
The second,Reas. 2. is this, he is All-sufficient, because he onelyonly can be the author of good and evill:God onelyonly the author of good & evill. that, you know, which can doe neither good nor evill, there is no sufficiency in it at all; Now that is the propertie of the Lord, as we see Ier. 10. 5.Ier. 10. 5. a place worthy our consideration; The Idols stand vp as a palme-tree, but they speake not; they are borne, because they cannot goe; feare them not, because they can doe neither good nor evill: this is the argument, whereby the Lord proveth them to be Idols, because they can doe neither evill not good: as if he should say, if they could doe either evill or good, they were Gods, and not Idols. The same we may apply to any creature, considered in it selfe, without the influence and concourse of God: If it were able to doe either good or evill, you might worship it as God, for God onelyonly can doe good and evill of himselfe. My Beloved, if we could bring our hearts to this perswasion, that it is the Lord onelyonly, that can doe good and evill, we would then cleaue to him, it could not be, that we should depart from him vponupon any occasion, for that which is able to doe neither good nor evill, we contemne: if your opinions were such of the creature, that it were, without God, neither able to do good nor evill, you would never turne from God to any creature, vponupon any occasion: for certainely, he is able to doe both good and evill, he onelyonly can make every manslife, comfortable, or vncomfortable; it is his prerogatiue royall, it belongs to him alone. In Mat. 5.Math. 5. it is sayd, a man is not able to make one haire white, or blacke; so small a thing he is not able to doe: and in Luke 11.Luk. 11. it is sayd more plainely, if we be not able to doe the least thing, we be not able to doe the greatest. That place, you know, Amos 3.Amos. 3. shall there be evill in the Cittie, and the Lord hath not done it? The Scripture is plentifull in this; I should loosetime to vrge places; I say, there is no creature in heaven or earth, that is able to be the author of the least good, or the least hurt.
But you will say to me,Ob. we finde it otherwise in experience; we finde that they are able to doe vsus good, and to doe vsus hurt.
You hauehave an answer for that, Ioh. 19. 11.Answ. Ioh. 19. 11. when Pilate sayth to our Saviour, hauehave I not power to crucifie thee, or to loose thee? He answereth, no: thou hast none at all of thy selfe: Indeed, thou hast a power, but it is given thee from aboue, thou hast not a jot more then is distributed to thee: if you compare that with Act. 4. 28.Act. 4. 28. you shall see it was so; Pilate and Herod joyned together, to doe whatsoever God had appointed before: they did not the least evill, but God had appointed it: And so it is with all the creatures, the principall creatures, that we hauehave to doe with, and that we see before vsus, even men, they doe vsus not (without his commission) the least good, not the least hurt. When shemei cursed David, you know, what expression he vsed; The Lord hath bid shemei curse, as if he should say, shemei, nor any man else in the world, could not moue his tongue, if God did not say to such a man, goe curse him, goe and reproach him. It is sayd of Pull and Tiglapellazer, TiglathPileser.Kings of Assyvia, that the Lord stirred them vp, and they carryed his people away captiue: if God had not stirred vp their spirits, they had not done the least thing. You know, oft it is sayd, the King of Ashur the stasse in my hand; and so Cyrus is sayd to be his servant, he stirred him vp, he was his Shepheard, to doe whatsoever he desired to his sheepe.Isa. 44. Isa. 44. Now if a man be able to doe nothing, but as farre as God sets him on worke, then much lesse can other ther things, as riches, and the like, they can doe no more then men can doe: for what serue they for, but to set men a worke; so, honour, and credit, and estimation, which men so much esteeme, they can doe no more then men can doe; for they set men on worke to doe good, as reproach sets them on worke to doe hurt. Now if there be no man, nor no creature in heaven or earth, that can doe good or hurt, (Beloved) why should we be servants to men? why should we be subiect to carnall delights? to carnall feares? to carnall hopes, and the like? surely, it is hence, we over-value the creature, we thinke it is able to doe something, we thinke that there is some suffciency in that, and not All-sufficiency in God: certainely, all the Commandements of God, are grounded vponupon cleare reason, if we were able to finde it out: But now when the Lord requires at our hands, that we worship him altogether; Thou shalt hauehave no other Gods but me, thou shalt serue me onelyonly, thou shalt bestow thy selfe wholly vponupon me, thou shalt be perfect with me, as you see here: surely, it is vponupon this ground, thou shalt hauehave all from me, and therefore thou shalt doe all to me. If any creature were able to doe good or hurt, without the Lord, if they had any part or portion with him in being authors of our good, certainly, they should hauehave a portion of our service: for there is reason and equitie in it, that that which doth vsus good, in such manner, we should seeke vntounto it, we should serue it: and likewise, if it could doe vsus hurt; but now in that the Lord challengeth all to himselfe, (I say) it is vponupon this ground, I am All-sufficient: there is no creature is able to adde to me more or lesse: and therefore (Beloved) consider the ground of it, and let the equitie of it establish your hearts to be perfect with God, that he onelyonly is able to make your liues comfortable, or vncomfortable. Put the case, a man hath a great addition to his estate: put the case, he hath much credit, and esteeme among men: put the case, he hauehave the favour of Princes, that are most able and powerfull among men: if the creature be able alone, to doe neither good nor hurt, they shall not make the least addition to his happines; and if it be so, why should we esteeme it so much? if on the contrary side, it turne against vsus, it shall not doe vsus the least hurt. Should not this free vsus, from fearefull perplexities, from vaine hopes, and vaine feares? should it not keepe our hearts perfect with God, if we were thus perswaded? for, what are all the creatures? are they not like servants in the great house of the world, and we as children? and the servants are all at the Maisters command, to doe whatsoever he hath appointed: if we want any thing, he can appoint them to provide for vsus; there is not any creature in heaven or earth, that stirreth without a command, without a warrant from the maister of the house: if he doe command them, they goe: they are readie and nimble to doe vsus any service: this is the nature of all the creatures we hauehave to doe with. Thinke with your selues then, it is no great matter for them; if the Maister of the house be our friend, they are all at his command; you know those meane creatures, the Caterpillers: are they not all the Lords host, that goe and come as he bids them, as Ioel 2.? Ioel. 2.So the meanest creatures, the fire, and the ayre, and whatsoever they are, they are all at the Lords command: and therefore thinke not, that the creature is able to doe any thing for vsus.
There are but two things, one is our everlasting happines,The creature cannot helpe to eternall happines. and there the creature by fruition of it selfe, is able to doe nothing; there it is wholly excluded, for it is inferiour to vsus. Besides, there is a curse vponupon the creature, there is an emptinesse in it: besides, it is vnderunder the Sunne, and therefore it cannot helpe to the happines, that is aboue the Sunne. These arguments you shall finde in Ecclesiastes. Besides, it is temporall, whereas we must hauehave an eternall happines; for, our soules are eternall, and therefore, for eternall happines: for the chiefe good of man, the creature is nothing at all, it helpeth but in particulars. Take credit, it doth but helpe against ignominy and obscuritie: learning doth but helpe against ignorance: health is but a remedie against sicknesse, and distemper of bodie: riches are but an helpe against povertie: and so goe over all the creatures in the world. But the Lord is vniversally good, he giues vsus all things, and therefore godlines is profitable for all things: he giues vsus all things to enioy: that is, he fills the soule of man every way, not, Beloved, that simply an infinite object is necessary, as it is vsually vnderstood, (I see no ground for that) I see it not necessary, that a finite facultie, should hauehave an infinite obiect, if that which is proportionable be enough; but this I affirme withall, that vnlesse God were infinite, he could not satisfie the soule of man, for this is the nature of the soule, if it finde a bottom in any particular, it passeth over that, and hasteth after more, and, therefore, in all particular creatures (you see) when we hauehave had once tryall of them, when we hauehave had the inioying and possessing of them, we leaue them and seeke after that which we want. Now the Lord giues vsus satisfaction, because the contentment, the happines, that we hauehave from him, is without a bottom, it is without limits, that, when we hauehave had never so much, still there is more to be found in him; and hence it is, in regard of the vniversalitie, he hath all things in him, he is All-sufficient, and, in regard of the latitude, when we enioy never so much, still there is more behind in him, and therefore he onelyonly hath to doe in that busines, in making vsus eternally happie, in giving vsus that summum bonum.
For the helpe that the creature giues for the things that belong to this life: there, I confesse, the creature hath somewhat to doe, but it doth it all as an instrument, and if it doth all as an instrument, then the creature doth nothing, in a manner; we thanke not the hand, but the minde within that moues the hand to doe a good turne, much lesse dowe thanke a dead, inanimate instrument. Let vsus looke vponupon every creature, and every man as Gods instrument; when any man doth you a kindnesse, when any man doth you a favour, or doth you good, say as the Scripture phrase is; The Lord hath given me favour in his sight; he stirred vp his spirit. And so, when he doth vsus hurt, say such a man is but a meere viall, an instrument, whereby the Lord hath powred out some part of his displeasure vponupon me. This will cause your eye to be vponupon the Lord altogether; you will over looke men, not regarding preferment, or advancement by them; nor the contrary; for in all these things, they are but instruments. And so much for this time.
FINIS.