The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON.
GENESIS 17. 1.
I am God All-sufficient.
ANother Vse, and deduction that we will draw from this poynt,Vse 4. that God is All-sufficient, is, to comfort vsus in regard of our imperfect obedience. To comfort vsus in our imperfect obedience.Wee ought not to thinke, because we are not exact in keeping all the Commandements of God because we hauehave much unevennesse in our wayes, because we are not able to keepe the Rule so strictly, as wee ought, that therefore God reiects vsus: for he is All-sufficient in himselfe, he needs not our righteousnesse, and therefore he can well beare with the imperfections of our righteousnesse. You shall see this vse made of it, Act. 17. 24. 25. Act. 17. 24. 25God that made all things, the world, and all that is therein, seeing he is Lord of heaven and earth, he dwels not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with mens hands, as if he needed any thing. (Marke) he giues to all life, and breath, and all things. Thus the Apostle makes his argument; if God, sayth he, made the world, and all things therein, if he giueth to all life, and breath, and all things; then, when you doe worship him, it is not because he hath any neede of your worship, or any need of your righteousnesse, or of all that you can doe, he hath enough, he doth it not as if he needed any thing: for he is All-sufficient. Psal. 50. 12.And so like wise in Psal. 50. sayth the Lord there, If I be hungry, I will not tell thee. That is; To shew how little neede he hath of Sacrifices, how little regard he had them, when they were brought in, and how little he was moved when they fayled in it. For, sayth he, all are mine, the sheepe vponupon a thousand mountaines are mine: If I be hungry, I will not tell thee. That is; I may satisfie my selfe, (I doe but apply it by way of allusion) if I would hauehave Sacrifice in abundance, might I not hauehave it? If I were hungry after them, who could keepe them from me? We may say the same of the obedience of his children: If he were hungry. That is; If he were desirous of perfect and absolute obedience, could he not hauehave it? Hath he not spirit enough? Hath he not grace enough to put into their hearts, that he might reape the full fruits of righteousnesse? And therefore, I say, in regard of Gods All-sufficiencie, he needs it not; and if he need it not, he will be content with a more imperfect measure of it, since he is no looser by it. This is to perswade our hearts more fully of that truth, which wee assent vntounto with some difficultie: for we are something discouraged with the imperfections of our obedience; whose faith is not weakned by it? who comes not more vnchearfully before God, because of it? Now, if that feare were taken away, we would draw neere more boldly. We see what Iob sayth in this case,Iob 35. 6. 7. Iob 35. 6. 7. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him, yea, when thy sinnes are many, what dost thou to him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? or what receiues he at thy hands? Marke, you know, sinne and righteousnesse, are the two pathes that we walke in, those are all that trouble vsus; the sinnes that we commit, and the defects of our righteousnesse. Sayth he, if thou sinne, what is that to him? It doth him no hurt. Againe, if thou fayle in thy righteousnesse, or in thy performances, it is all one that way: for it reacheth not to him: because he is blessed for ever, he hath all sufficiencie in himselfe: and therefore he pleaseth so to administer the world, and so to guide the hearts of his children, and to dispense to them but such a measure of grace, to leaue sinfull lusts in them in such a measure vnmortified; because himselfe is neither a gainer, nor a looser: therefore let not your faith be weakned at this his administration of things, let not carnall feares possesse your hearts, to keepe you off from comming with boldnesse to him, since he is All-sufficient, since he needs not your righteousnesse, he can be without it.
Moreover;Mans benefit, should encourage him to Gods service. This we may draw further from it; if God be thus All-sufficient, that what we doe comes not neere him, then all the Commandements that God giues to the sonnes of men, are for their good, and not for his profit. Marke that, that should breede in vsus a great willingnesse to keepe his Cōmandements, and a great chearefulnesse to performe them, when we vnderstand that it is for our owne good. When a servant knowes that all is for his owne good, that he doth, he will goe about all the businesse his Maister imployeth him in with more chearefulnesse, because he loues himselfe; this is a principle God hath put into nature.
Now,That Gods Commands are for mans good, declared by Instances. if God be All-sufficient, then he commands nothing for his owne benefit in any thing; no, not in that, in which he seemes most to doe it. The Sabbath, that he hath taken for himselfe, and hath called it his day, Some may aske, is not that for his owne sake?In the Sabbath. No: God sayth, the Sabbath is made for man. As if he should say; If it had beene made for mine owne sake, I would hauehave taken more then one day from you; But I hauehave given it for your sake, I made it for man: for man could not be without it, he could not be religious without it, his heart could not keepe neere to God without it, it would soone be estranged from him, it would be over-growne with weeds, if it were not looked to ever and anon, he would soone be defectiue in his knowledge, he would soone forget the purposes that he takes to himselfe: therefore the Sabbath is made for man. That is; O…e day wherein the Lord commands him to set aside all other busines, and to intend his service. And that which is said of the Sabbath, may be said of all other Commandements: for he is All-sufficient.
He bids a man deny himselfe, In selfe-denials.and take vp his crosse. Is it for him? No, my Beloved, it is for our selues, and therefore when a man denies himselfe in his profit, in his credit, when he denies himselfe in the satisfying of his lusts, all this is for his owne profit: as you hauehave it clearely set downe in Esay 48. 17.Isa. 48. 17. I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit; therefore hearken to my Commandements. As if he should say, It is for thy profit that I command thee, and not for my owne: therefore let that cause thee the more willingly to doe it. And so that is often repeated in Deut. the Commandements that I hauehave given thee for thy wealth, for thy good. Beloved, all the Commandements of Sathan are for our hurt, we doe him service, as bond-slaues serue their Maisters, not for their owne profit, but for their Maisters. But all the service we doe to God, is for our wealth; for he is All-sufficient.
Last of all.We giuegive nothing to God in our obedience. If God be All-sufficient, then, when you performe any thing, doe not thinke that you giuegive any thing to the Lord, and so looke for recompence; (there is that secret Popery in every mans heart, that he thinkes when he hath done any speciall service to be rewarded for it) Indeede, if thou wouldst do God a good turne, thou mights looke for somewhat againe at his hands, but it is done to him that is sufficient; and how can you doe him a good turne? how can you giuegive to him? Marke. It is the ground which the Apostle layeth Rom. 11. 34.Rom. 11. 34. Who hath given to him, and it shall be recompenced to him? He that is capable of no gift, there can be nothing done to him, to premerit any thing; For he is All-sufficient, there can be no addition made to him, and, sayth he, dost thou looke for any recompence? What doest thou else but giuegive to him of his owne? Shall a man merit in giving to the Lord the fruits of his owne Vineyard, the Apples of his owne Orchard? When as all the graces we hauehave, are but as streames springing from that fountaine that he hath put into vsus; therefore, when thou hast done thy best, say within thy selfe vntounto thine owne heart; I am but an vnprofitable servant, I can looke for nothing for all this: for he is All-sufficient, and needs it not; I hauehave done him no good turne, I hauehave given him nothing, he is vncapable of my gift, and therefore I looke for no recompence, as by merit, from him.
Againe;Vse 5. If God be All-sufficient; let vsus be exhorted to make a Covenant with him;Gods All-sufficiēcie should perswade vsus to enter into covenant with him. for (as I told you before) these words doe but containe the Covenant betweene God and vsus. Now, this is the Covenant, that God will make with you; if you will enter into Covenant with him, that he will be All-sufficient to you. Now, that which is expressed here generally, I finde in other places, divided into these three particulars, where in the All-sufficiencie of God consists, as if they were the three parts of this Covenant.
First, He is All-sufficient, to justifie, and to forgiue vsus our sinnes.
Secondly. He is All-sufficient, to sanctifie vsus, and to heale our infirmities.
Thirdly. He is All-sufficient, to provide vsus whatsoever we neede; so that no good thing shall be wanting to vsus.
These are the three parts of the Covenant, which we finde set downe in divers places;Ier. 31. 34. in Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 9. 10. 16.Heb. 8. 9. 10. But most clearely are they set downe in Ezek. 36.Ezech. 36. Sayth the Lord there; I will powre cleane water vponupon you, you shall be cleane, yea, from all your filthines, and from all your Idols will I clense you. There is one part of the Covenant, that he will clense vsus from all our sinnes. That is; From the guilt, and the punishment of them. Secondly. A new heart will I giuegive you, also a new spirit will I put into you, and I will take away your stonie hearts out of your bodies, and I will giuegive you a heart of flesh. There is the second part of the Covenant, consisting of Sanctification. The third is; You shall dwell in the Land that I gaue to your Fathers, and I will call for Corne, and I will increase it, and I will lay no more famine vponupon you, and I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that you beare no more the reproach of famine among the Heathen. Here are the particulars set downe; some are named for the rest; I will call for Corne and Wine, That is, For whatsoever you want. That is the third part of the Covenant. These are the three parts of the Covenant, which I shall spend this time in opening, and shewing you, that God is sufficient in all, and to answer those objections that mens hearts hauehave against his All-sufficiencie: for the heart is readie to object against these three, to hauehave sinnes forgiven, to be sanctified, and to hauehave abundance of all good things, belonging to this present life: in all these he is All-sufficient, to fulfill all the desires of mens hearts. Now, to begin with the first.
First, I say, He is All-sufficient, to take away all our sinnes.Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes. My Beloved, it may be, when you heare this poynt, you will say, it is an easie thing to beleeue it, there is no difficultie in this, the Lord is All-sufficient to forgiue sinnes. Surely, whatsoever we say, or pretend, wee finde in experience it is exceeding hard. Who is able so fully to beleeue the forgiuenes of his sinnes, as he ought? Who is able to doe it when he is put to it? At the day of death, at the time of extremitie, at that time when the conscience stirres vp all his strength, and, opposeth it selfe against him, when all his sinnes are presented vntounto him in their colours, who is able then to beleeue it? therefore we had neede to finde out the All-sufficiencie of God in this: for the greatnesse and exceeding largenesse of his power is shewed in it, in nothing more then in forgiving of sinnes.Hosea 11. 9. Hosea 11. 9. See there how the Lord expresseth it; Sayth he, I will not execute the fiercenes of my wrath, I will not returne to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man. Marke, my Beloved, when we hauehave committed sinne against God, we commonly thinke thus with our selues, if my sinnes were but as other mens, if my sinnes wanted these and these circumstances, I would beleeue the forgiuenesse of them; but something, or other, a man duplicate page duplicate page hath still to object. Now, sayth the Lord, it is very true: If I were as man is, it could not be, but I should execute the fiercenesse of my wrath vponupon Ephraim, who hath provoked me so exceedingly (for Ephraim was a part of Israell, and is put for all Israell; and the Prophet wrote this in the time of Ieroboam, the sonne of Ioash, when Israell abounded in sinnes, and in Idolatry) but, sayth the Lord, though their sinnes be exceeding great, yet I am able to forgiue them: for I am God, and not man. As if he should say; Looke vponupon weake man, and compare God and man together, and see how farre God exceeds man: see how much he is stronger then man, being infinite and almightie; so, sayth he, his mercy exceeds the mercy of man. As if he should say; If I were not God, it were impossible I should forgiue the sinnes of Ephraim, which they hauehave multiplied against me from time to time. So,Isa. 55. 7. likewise, in Esay. 55. 7. the Lord cals them in there, and vseth this as an argument: for, sayth he, I will forgiue, and multiplie my pardons; so the word signifieth in the originall; when a man makes this objection. But it is more then any man can beleeue, that my sinnes that I hauehave thus and thus repeated, that the Lord can so easily put them away, and multiply his pardons, as I hauehave multiplied my sinnes? Sayth he, my thoughts are not a… your thoughts, my wayes are not as your wayes, but as high as the heaven is aboue the earth, so are my thoughts aboue your thoughts, and my wayes aboue your wayes. That is; As a man lookes to heaven, and considers the great distance betweene the earth, and it, so farre, sayth he, doe my thoughts exceede your thoughts. That is; When you thinke with your selues, I cannot forgiue; because you measure me, and draw a scantling of me by your selues, when you hauehave gone to the vtmost of your thoughts, my thoughts exceede yours as much as heaven exceeds the earth. And therefore, sayth he, my wayes are not as your wayes. That is; When you would not forgiue, yet I am able to forgiue in so great a disproportion. We doe with this as we doe with all the Attributes of God, we are able to thinke him powerfull as a man, but to thinke him powerfull as God, there we come short. We are able to thinke him mercifull as a man, but to thinke him mercifull as God, there our thoughts are at an end; we can thinke and see no reason why he should pardon vsus. Now, sayth the Lord, my thoughts goe beyond your thoughts as much as the distance is betweene heaven & earth. If you say to me, who doubts of this, that the Lord is able to forgiue? My Beloved, if we did not doubt of it; what is the reason, when great sinnes are committed, that you fall to questioning of Gods mercy, when you can more easily beleeue a smaller sinne to be forgiven? Therefore, certainly, men doubt of his power, whether he be able to forgiue: for, if the difference of sinne, doe cause in you vnbeliefe, it could not be that you should pitch vponupon the power of God, and his readines to forgi…e.In doubting of forgiuenes, we question Gods power. Therefore it is certaine, that it is his power that is called in question, and, therefore, the thing we hauehave to do, is, to make this good to you, that the Lord is able to forgiue. But you will say to me: It is true; If it were a matter of power, I make no question. Beloved, you shall finde it a matter of power: take a man; Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue, to passe by an infirmitie? If it be strength in a man to be meeke, to forgiue, and to passe by iniuries, to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him; Is it not also power in God to doe so? Besides, is it not a power to be rich? Riches giuegive a man a potencie, and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy. That is; As a man that is rich, though he giuegive much, yet he is not exhausted; So, when you hauehave made thus much vse of Gods mercy, yet still there is more behinde, still there is more and more mercy for you, there is a spring of mercy, there is no end of it. Besides, as there is a power in his wrath; Who knowes the power of his wrath? so likewise, there is a power in his mercy▪ as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23.Rom. 9. 22. 23 (it is a place worth the considering for this purpose) What if God, to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, will suffer with long patience, the vessels of wrath prepared for destructiō? (And the next verse is thus to be read, otherwise, you cannot make the sence perfect) and what if he would also, to shew the greatnesse of his power, declare the riches of his glory vponupon the vessels of mercy, that he hath prepared to glory? (Marke) as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vponupon evill men; so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power, and declares his glorious riches. That is; The riches of his mercy vponupon the Saints. Now, as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one, so it is to finde out the depth of the other, to consider the height, the length, and bredth, and depth of his mercy. When a man considers his sinnes, and lookes vponupon them in the height of them, in the bredth, and depth of them, when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together, reaching vp to the heavens, and downe againe to the bottom of hell; now to beleeue, that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes, and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they, This is to comprehend the length, and bredth, & depth of mercy in him. Ephes. 3.Ephes. 3. 10. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vsus to doe: but yet this the Lord is able to doe, his mercy is able to swallow them vp; and therefore, you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. Iam. 2. 13.mercy reioyceth against Iudgement. As if he should say; There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit, and the mercy of God; though our sinnes oppose his mercy, yet his mercy is greater, and, at length, it overcomes them, and reioyceth against them, as a man reioyceth against an adversary that he hath subdued. Therefore herein we must labour to see Gods All-sufficiencie, that although our sins be exceeding great, yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp.
But,Ob. you will say to me, we could beleeue this, if we were qualified, but all the difficultie is to beleeue it, when we want those qualifications: God requires softnesse of heart, godly sorrow, truth of repentance, &c.
Beloved, Ans▪to this, I answer briefly, that wha…soever thou seest, that discourageth thee, that thou seest in thine owne heart, when thou reflectest vponupon it, it is either sinne, or emptinesse. That is; A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee. If it be sinne, the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp.Neither sinne nor emptines, should discourage vsus from beleeving forgiuenesse. And if it be emptinesse, know this, that he is rich in mercy, and All-sufficient, able to bestow this riches, even vponupon nothing: you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing. There was nothing, you know, when he made the world: when he made …he Angels, what was it he bestow…d his riches vponupon? And is he not able to bestow it on thee, though there be an emptines in thine heart? Therfore, thinke with thy selfe, what is the exceeding … of his louelove? It was a great louelove that moved him to give Christ to vsus; but after we are in Christ, then you must consider this, …hat his louelove hath increased to a full object, his louelove is fully bestowed on him, and is derived from Christ to vsus.
… sinnes, yea, all the degrees of my sinnes, to overcome them, and …ubdue them, yet, if the fulnesse of his louelove, that he loues Christ with, be derived on me, what neede I make question?
But you will say againe,Ob. What needs this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving? This is but to open a dore of liberty, to make men more loose?
Beloved, Answ.it is not so, it is the most profitable thing yo… can doe for your owne soules, to beleeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes, as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides: therefore we see in Rom. 6.Rom. 6. 15. 16 concerning the abounding of grace (for so the objection stands) where sinne hath abo…nded, there grace hath abounded much more. If mens sinnes be multiplied, grace and mercy shall be multiplied much more, and still outgoe, and swallow them vp. Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound, or because grace hath abounded? No, sayth the Apostle, for the abundance of grace kils sinne (for so the consequence stands) how shall we that are dead to sinne, li…e any longer therein? Grace kils sinne, and not increa…eth it.So that his answer stands thus; Sayth he, the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more: for it kils sinne. And therefore, the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne, the more sinne is killed in vsus; it is not enlarged by it, life is not given to sinne by it, but we are made more dead to sinne by it.
You will say,Ob. how can that be?
Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes,…. increaseth our louelove, and our Ioy.Beliefe of Gods All-sufficie…cie to …, increaseth louelove. It increaseth our louelove; for, when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods louelove towards vsus, it makes our louelove more perfect towards him. It increaseth our joy also; because, when we hauehave a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost. Now spirituall louelove eates out of the heart all carnall delights, all sinfull lusts, and all inordinate louelove vntounto the creature, And so likewise, spirituall joy takes away the vigor of all carnall joy, and sinfull delight: So, the more you see this All-sufficiencie of God towards you in louelove, the more you are able to beleeue it, and the more it kils sinne in you, the more it sanctifies you, and the more it drawes you to God. Therefore this is to be considered, to helpe vsus against this objection, that there is a double feare;A double feare. the one is that which keepes vsus from comming to God: The other is a feare that keepes vsus from going out from God. Wee are very apt to exceede in the first feare, And to come short in the second.1. Keep… from comming in to God. Now, the feare that keepes vsus from comming in to God, is a feare that he is a feare that he is not readie to forgiue, that he is not All-sufficient, that he hath not power enough of mercy to forgiue our sinnes, and to heale our infirmities; this makes a man tumorous and fearefull; as a man is fearefull to come neere a Iudge, to come neere one that is terrible: Now the more this feare is taken away, the neerer we come, the neerer we draw in assurance of faith to him.
On the other side;2. Fr… going out from him. there is a feare that keepes vsus off from going out from G…d, and that is, the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie, the more we beleeue that happinesse is in him; the more we beleeue the riches of his mercy, and the abundance of his goodnesse, the more we feare to steppe out from him, to hauehave our hearts estranged from him, to hauehave our hearts sit loose. Now, the more we can beleeue this All-sufficiencie, the more it takes away the first feare, and increaseth the second, it takes away the feare that keepes vsus from comming in to God, and it increaseth the feare that keepes vsus from going out from God. So much shall serue for this first, the All-sufficiencie of God, in forgiuing sinne.
The second part of the Covenant, is his All-sufficiency in healing our sinnes,Gods All-sufficiencie in sanctifying vsus. or in sanctisying vsus; as you hauehave it in Psal. 103.Psal. 103. 3. That forgiues all our sinnes, and heales all our infirmities. This belongeth also to his All-sufficiencie. This, my Beloved, is a necessary poynt to beleeue; It serues likewise, to bring vsus in to the Lord: for a man is readie to make this objection, when he lookes vponupon Gods wayes, the wayes of righteousnesse, and then vponupon the strength of his lusts, he is ready to say with himselfe: how shall I be able to leade a holy life, as I ought to doe? This is the answer to it; God is All-sufficient. He that is able to bid the light shine out of darknesse, sayth the Apostle, he is able to kindle a light in thy darke heart, where there is not a jot of goodnesse; though thy heart be never so averse, he is able to change that heart of thine, and therefore say not, I shall never be able to doe it: for he is able to take away all that reluctancy.
For hence comes the difficultie:Ob. how shall the strength of my lusts, this crooked and perverse heart of mine, and the straight wayes of God stand together?
It is very true.Answ. Is thy heart continue in that temper, it is impossible;God changeth the nature of things. but the Lord, that is All-sufficient, is able to take away that reluctancie: for he doth in the worke of grace, as he doth in the worke of nature: he doth not as we doe, when we would hauehave an Arrow goe to the marke, when we throw a stone vpward, we are not able to change the nature of it, but we put it on by force: God carries all things to their end, by giving them a nature suitable to that end. An Archer makes an impression vponupon an Arrow, but it is a violent impression; God carries every thing to that end, to which he hath appoynted it; but with this difference, he makes not a violent impression, but a naturall impression, & therefore he doth it not by an onelyonly immediate hand of his owne, as we doe, but he causeth the Creature to goe on of it selfe, to this or to that purpose, to this or that end. And so he doth in the worke of grace; he doth not carry a man on to the wayes of righteousnesse, leaving him in the state of nature, taking him as he is, but he takes away that heart of his, and imprints the habits of grace in it, and he changeth a mans heart, so that he is carried willingly to the wayes of God, as the creature is carried by a naturall instinct to its owne place, or to the thing it desires. So that thou mayst thinke thus with thy selfe: It is true; if I hauehave my old heart, my old lusts still, there must needs be such a reluctancy, as I shall not be able to overcome; but, if the Lord change this heart of mine, and take away these lusts, if the Lord put another impr…ssion v…on on me, that is naturall to me, which is like that instinct he putteth into the creature, then it is easie for me to doe it. And this the Lord out of his All-sufficiencie is able to doe.
But you will be readie to object,Ob. if the Lord be thus All-sufficient, Why there are many imperfections in vsus, though God be All-sufficient to sanctifie vsus.if he be able thus to kindle light in the darke heart, to change a mans crooked and perverse spirit, to implant and ingraft such naturall habits, and instincts into it, to carry it on with such facilitie and connaturalnesse to the wayes of his Commandements, why am I thus? why am I no more able to overcome my sinnes? why doe I fall backe so often to the same sinne? why doe I come short of the performance of such purposes and desires? why doe I finde so many things in my life contrary to the Rules of Sanctification, and so contrary to this All-sufficient power of God?
To this I answer.Answ. First; It may be it is from hence, that thou observest not those Rules by which God communicates this All-sufficiency, We obserue not Gods Rules.and this power of his. What though the Lord be willing to communicate it, yet there are some Rules to be observed, which himselfe hath given. That is; Thou must diligently attend vponupon his ordinances, thou must observe and keepe them, thou must be carefull to abstaine from the occasions he bids thee abstaine from: if thou sayle in either of these, he hath made thee no promise to helpe thee with his All-sufficiencie. Sampson, as long as the Lord was with him, you know, had great strength, you know, the Lord tels him so long as he nourished his hayre, so long he would be with him, which was but a symboll of Gods presence, but it was such a thing, as he would hauehave him to keepe exactly, and, if he did not keepe that, he would withdraw his presence, and would not be with him. So likewise, the Nazarites were commanded to abstaine from drinking wine, if they dranke wine, the Lord would withdraw himselfe. And so it is in this case: the Lord hath appointed vsus to keepe his ordinances, and so long he will be with vsus, as he was with Sampson, to be All-sufficient to vsus, to giuegive vsus strength to inable vsus to doe the duties he commands vsus, and to abstaine from the evils he would not hauehave vsus to doe. But we must keepe his ordinances, and goe by his Rules, and if we fayle in either of them, that we neglect the meanes, or adventure vponupon the occasions, now the Lord is discharged of his promise, as we may so say, the Lord now withdraws his power from vsus, as he did from Sampson. If you will needs marry with such a people, sayth the Lord, they shall turne away your hearts: for now I will not keepe you. If you will needs touch that tree, if you will needs goe into such a company, if you will needs gaze vponupon such objects: or, if againe, you will neglect prayer, and hearing, and sanctifying the Sabbath, if you will neglect to obserue the Rules that he hath appointed, in all these cases, the Lord withdrawes his All-sufficiencie. And therefore lay the fault where it is; That is; VponUpon your selues. Doe not say with thy selfe, it is because the Lord is not All-sufficient, but rather thinke, that he hath power to goe through the worke he hath appointed me to doe, but it is because I hauehave not kept those Rules, I hauehave neglected the meanes, I hauehave ventured vponupon such occasions.
Secondly.Answ. Consider with thy selfe, that the Lord doth this to humble thee. It may be, he is as willing to be bestow a greater measure of grace,To humble vsus. but he dispenseth a lesser measure; it is that the heart may be kept humble: for humilitie is the nurse of graces, take away that and grace withers in the heart. And therefore when he is willing to bestow a mercy, or a grace on vsus, he doth as he did with Iacob, he leaves a lamenesse together with it, he will not so bestow it on vsus, that he will make vsus perfect, but he leaues some defects, some wants, that by that, humilitie may be preserved, and that may cause vsus to cleaue to him, and depend vponupon him, that he may keepe vsus from an All-sufficiencie in our selues, and teach vsus to waite on him: for without that he doth not communicate, and dispense vntounto vsus that sufficiencie that is in himselfe.
Moreover;Answ. Consider with thy selfe, that the Lord many times suffereth vsus to see changes in our liues & conversations,That we may know God and our selues better. that by them we may learne to know him better, and our selues also; if we were able to doe it by our selues, the Lord would spare vsus, but who is able to doe it? It is said in the Psalmes, that therefore the wicked feare not God, because they hauehave no changes, and truely, even the godly men, if they had no changes, they would feare him lesse, so that every change in a mans state, and the falling into sinne, and the rising againe, leades a man to some new knowledge of God, and of himselfe also, to a new experimentall knowledge, and that knowledge leades him to a new degree of feare: so that still by their sinnes they get advantage, that they shall finde in their spirituall estate: for, even as we see the Sun when it breakes out of a thicke Cloud of darknesse, it shines the brighter, so grace when it breakes out of a thicke cloud of sinnes, or of temptations, it shines the brighter, we are still gainers by those changes. I say, we learne to know God, and our selues also the better, and for these causes he leaues vsus to those changes, that we may be gainers by them, and so we are. Therefore, say not with thy selfe, because I finde some defects, and some unevennesse in my sanctification, therefore the Lord is not sufficient: for it is for thy advantage, it is not for want of sufficiencie in the Lord, nor of willingnesse in him to communicate it to thee, but it is for thy advātage, that thou shouldst finde these changes, and this vnevennesse in thy wayes. Therefore, my Beloved, build vponupon this that he is All-sufficient. It may be, when thou goest about a worke thy selfe, thou findest it a difficult thing to overcome such a lust, but that which is impossible with men, is easie with God. Those that rowed all night, and did no good, a word from his mouth brought them to shore presently. The spirit that is in vsus lusteth after envie, Iames 4. 5. 6.Iames 4. but the Scriptures offer more grace. That is; Grace is able to heale these naturall hereditary diseases, there is an All-sufficiencie in him, he is able to doe it; He that can still the Sea, and command the windes, that at his word they are quiet, can he not still strong lusts? He is able to restraine them: therefore labour to see his All-sufficiencie in this, as well as in all things else. Thinke with thy selfe, he hath a soveraignty over all thy affections, over all thy lusts: for what is it that troubles vsus, and interrupts vsus in our way, but some temptations of the flesh, or the world? Is not the Lord the Master of them? As Paul sayth, 2 Cor. 12. though Sathan were the chiefe Buffetter,Lusts are at Gods command. and the lusts of the flesh the messengers, yet the Lord sent that messenger, (marke it) therefore he goes not to Sathan, he wrangles not with the messenger, but he immediately sought the LORD, he beseeches him to recall it. So thinke with thy selfe, when thou art set on with a strong lust, with a temptation that seemes too hard for thee, say with thy selfe, this is a messenger from God, and I must goe to God, and beseech him to take it off, and rebuke it: for he is able to doe it, he is All-sufficient, they are all at his command, as the mastiue is at the Maisters command, he is able to rate him, but a stranger is not able to doe it, and when he hath done that which his master would hauehave him, he cals him in;Simile. so the Shepheard sets his dogge vponupon his Sheepe to bring them in, but when they are brought in, he rates his dogge: And so doth the Lord with lusts, and sinne, and temptations, he sets them on his owne Sheepe, his owne Children, but for this end, to bring them in▪ it is not in their owne power to rate these temptations, and lusts, nor in the power of a stranger, but onelyonly in the Lords, who is Maister of them, whose messengers they are, he is able to rebuke and recall them, they are at his command, as it is sayd of the diseases of the bodie, they are like the Centurions servants, if he bid one goe he goeth, if he bid another come, he commeth: so it is true of the diseases of the soule; if he say to such a messenger as Paul had, to such a lust, to such a temptation, goe, and seaze vponupon such a man, goe, and vexe him for a time, it shall goe; if againe, he call it backe, and restraine it, shall it not be restrained? Labour thus to see Gods All-sufficiencie.
My Beloved, We stand in Gods strength, as we may seeif you looke vponupon other men, or your selues, you shall see experience enough of this. Looke vponupon David, or Paul, vponupon Salomon, Lot, In others.and Noah, and all the Saints, so long as God was with them, how strong were they? Their strength was like the strēgth of Sampson: but when the Lord withdrew himselfe, we see what base lusts they fell into; what lusts was David given vp vntounto? Also Salomon, and Peter, and Lot. All this the Lord hath done, even for this purpose, that they might learne to know that All-sufficiencie is in him, and not in them. Therefore, when thou lookest on any Saint of God that excels in grace, and goes beyond thee, thinke thus with thy selfe; it is not because this man is stronger then I, but because the Lord hath done more for him, he hath bestowed more grace vponupon him: he that hath done this to him, is he not able to doe it to thee? He that is so strong, if the Lord withdraw his hand, thou feest what he is. And therefore comfort thy selfe with this, that he is able to strengthen thee. Thinke againe with thy selfe, how thou hast found him at other times.In our selues. My Beloved, there is great strength in this, even when thou art at the worst, to keepe life in the roote of grace; in the Winter time it is a mightie power of God, if we looke on the workes of nature, to keepe life in the Plants, when they seeme to be dead, that the hardnesse, and coldnesse of Winter take not away the life of them: So it is no lesse All-sufficiencie, and almightie power of God, to keepe the life of grace in our greatest fals, and temptations, to keepe life in David, and Salomon, that it should spring againe when the spring time was come. Againe, who is it that restrained thy lusts before? who is it that hath given thee any abilitie to thinke those good thoughts, to doe those good things? thou hadst not power in thy selfe, all was from the Lord. Therefore, if he hauehave an All-sufficiencie in him, as he is All-sufficient to forgiue sinnes; so likewise, he is All-sufficient to sanctifie thee. Be not discouraged then: Let not a man thinke with himselfe, oh, I shall never overcome it, I shall never be able to be so exact in the wayes of rightcousnesse, as I ought to be; Remember God is All-sufficient. Our endevour must be to make our harts perfect, to resolue to serue him with a perfect heart. But for the power, and performance of it, this belongs to God. Therefore, Beloved, hence comes all the difficultie, that our hearts are not so perfect: for when a man is readie to object, I, but I finde no experience of this almightie power? See that the cause be not in thy selfe; he hath made promise vntounto those, whose hearts are perfect with him; it may be, thy heart is imperfect, it may be, there hath beene hypocrisie in thy heart, thou hast never beene willing to part with all, to serue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde all thy dayes. But, when once thy heart is brought to sinceritie, doubt not that he will performe that thou lookest for on his part▪ for it belongs to his part to giuegive thee power, and strength to doe that which thou desirest to doe. So much likewise, for the secoud part of the Covenant.
The third part of the Covenant, is to provide all good things for vsus,Gods All-sufficiencie in providing outward good things belonging to this present life: herein the Lo…d is All-sufficient to all those that are in Covenant with him. I neede not say much to make this good vntounto you. All …hings are his, whatsoever a man needs; Riches are his, they are his Creatures in Pro. 23. they come, and goe at his command; Honour is his. I will honour those that honour me, he takes it to himselfe to bestow it as he pleaseth; Health and life is his; the issues of life and death belong to him; Friendship is his: for he puts our acquaintance farre from vsus, and drawes them neere to vsus. Goe through all the varietie of things that your hearts can desire, and they are all his, he is governour, and the disposer of them as he pleaseth▪ and therefore, certainly, he is All-sufficient, he is able to provide all things for thee that thy heart can desire, so that no good thing shall be wanting to thee. I will not stand to inlarge this, but rather answer the objections: for here we are readie to object;
If the Lord be All-sufficient, Ob.why is it thus then with me? why doe I want so many things which I hauehave need of, and desire to hauehave? If God be All-sufficient; why are there so many defects in my estate, in my health, this way and that way?
To this,Answ. I answer. Thou must consider with thy selfe, if those desires of thine be not unnaturall desires, whether they be not sinfull desires; the Lord hath promised to be All-sufficient to the naturall desires, to the right desires of the soule, but not to those that are unnaturall,A double desire in the soule. and inordinate. There is a double desire in the heart of man, as there is a double thirst: there is a naturall thirst, you know, which is easily satisfied with a little;Naturall. there is an unnaturall thirst, as the thirst of a dropsie man, who desires exceeding much,Vnnaturall. and the more you giuegive him, still the more he desires, and is never satisfied. So, it is with the soule; there is a naturall healthful desire, which desires so much credit, and so much wealth, as is needfull; there is, besides this, an vnnaturall desire of the soule, when a man doth long after abundance▪ now, Beloved, doe not looke that the Lord should satisfie this, nay, the best way, in this case, is not to satisfie, but to take from our desires▪ as we say of the Boulemeia, that disease wherein a man eates much, that is called Caninus appetitus, and likewise, in the dropsie, the one excessiuely eates, and the other excessiuely drinkes; and the Rule of Physitians is, Opus habent purgatione non impletione, such a man hath neede of purging and emptying, and not of filling; so I may say of all these, such men hauehave neede of purging and emptying, which is to be desired in this case: that wherein God shewes his All-sufficiencie now, is not in supplying thy defects, in adding that which thou desirest, but in purging the heart, and taking away those desires; that is the way to heale thee: Therefore consider seriovsly what that is that thou desirest, if it be an inordinate desire, if it be a worke of fancie, know, that thou canst not looke for this All-sufficiencie of God to satisfie this, but to heale it. You shall see Ecclesiast. 5. 10.Eccles. 5. 10. He that loueth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth riches, shall be without the fruit thereof. You see what the Lord hath set downe concerning this case: now a man may seeke for a competency, but when he comes once to riches, that he seekes for them, the Lord sayth, such a man shall not be satisfied, or, if he be, it shall be in wrath: for it is in wrath given to such a man. It is the destruction of a dropsie man, to hauehave much drinke given him, or to giuegive a man much meate that is sicke of the disease, we spake of before. And therefore, sayth he, he shall not be satisfied, or, if he be, it shall be in Iudgement: Such are these desires, and therefore examine thy selfe, whether thy desires be not such as proceede from fancy, such as proceede not from the health, but the weaknesse of the soule. Therefore it is said in 1 Tim. 6.1 Tim. 6 6. that godlinesse is great gaine with contentment. How doth godlines giuegive contentment? Beloved, after that manner that Physicke giues satisfaction. A dropsie man after he is brought into health,Simile. you know, he is contented with lesse drinke, for now he is in health, God brings the soule to a good temper, he takes away the distemper, the lustfull humors, that were there before, and brings him into a right temper, it giues him now the content that before he wanted.
Againe.Ob. Another objection is; If God be All-sufficient for these outward things, why am I thus crossed? why doe I suffer these afflictions? why are they not removed from me?
To this I answer briefly.Answ. Thou mayst be deceived in them,That is not alway good for vsus, that we desire. that which thou makest account is so great an evill to thee, it may be for thy great good, as we see Ier. 42.Ier. 42. that whole Chapter, the Captaine there, and the rest of the people, they reckoned it an exceeding great misery, a very great affliction to continue in Ierusalem, they had a great desire to goe downe into Egypt, but the Lord tels them, they were very much deceived: for this misery shall be for your good, sayth he, but, if you will needs goe downe into Egypt, when you thinke to hauehave abundance of all things there, you shall meete with the Sword, and with Famine, and with the Pestilence, and with vtter destruction. So, I say, in this case, we are often times deceived, we thinke that to be good for vsus which is not. Certainly, the Lord is All-sufficient, he will with-hold no good thing, but it is not alwayes good to hauehave such an afflictiō removed, perhaps, it were better for thee to beare it, it were better for thee to lye vnderunder it, then that it should be removed: we doe, in this case, many times with the Lord, as the children of the Prophets dealt with Elisha; they would needs goe to seeke the body of Eliah, Elisha forbad them, but still they were importunate, sayth he, if you will needs goe, goe, but they lost their labour, they had better to hauehave taken his counsell at the first: And so in this case, many times when the Lord would hauehave vsus to doe such a thing, and to be content with the want of such a comfort, to be content to suffer such a defect in our estate, in our bodies, in our businesse, we are still importunate with him, sometimes he hearkens to vsus, he suffers the thing to be done, but we were as good to want it. I would aske thee in this case, wouldst thou hauehave it without thy Fathers good will? If thou hauehave it, it will doe thee no good: The best way in this is to consider with thy selfe, that he is All-sufficient; though this affl…ction seeme to be exceeding bitter, yet it is a cup of thy Fathers providing, it is that which the Lord, that loues thee, hath ordained, it is that which the Lord, that wants nothing, who is able enough to take it from thee, and to supply it, it is that which he hath seene meete to dispence to thee: therefore it is not for want of sufficiencie in him, but it is better for thee to suffer the want of this comfort, or to lye vnderunder this crosse or affliction.
But lastly,Ob. some will say, if the Lord be All-sufficient, and I must be subiect to his will, why is it not his will to put me into a higher condition? why hath he given me but such a measure of gifts, but such a meane place, but such a quantitie of health, of wealth, of vnderstanding? a mans heart will goe further, if there be such riches in God, such an All-sufficiency in him, why is it not better with me? why am I not in a higher condition?
To this,Ans. I answer. First; That he that entereth into Covenant with God, he should be content with the lowest place in all the family,A Christian should be content with a mean… place in Gods house. and be glad that he is within the dore, as we see the Pr…digall did, and so the Apostle Paul, I am the least of all the Saints, and he was contented to be the least. A man that hath beene truely humbled and brought home to God, that hath tasted and seene how gracious the Lord is, that hath had experience of his owne sinne, and of Gods goodnesse, he will be content with the least measure, if he be put into the lowest place, if he be made the least of all Saints, he will not exalt himselfe aboue that measure, and that place that the Lord hath allotted him.
But besides this;Those that are meane in some things, may excell in others. Consider, secondly, further with thy selfe, that, if thou hauehave a lower place, or condition in this, or that thing, yet, it may be, thou hast a higher condition in somewhat else, and know this, that God giues no man all things, but hath mingled his comforts, he hath dispensed them diversly,1 Sam▪ 1. 2. as we see in 1 Sam. 1. in that case betweene Hannah, and Peninnah, Hannah had the louelove of her husband, but the Lord had made her barren: On the other side; Peninnah had children, but she wanted the louelove of her husband: it is purposely noted there, that you may see how the Lord dispenseth his comforts: And so it was with Leah and Rachell, the one, you know, had children, and wanted her husbands louelove, the other had a greater abundance of louelove, but shee was barren. As it was with these, so generally the Lord dispenseth good and evill together. There is no man that hath all things. You see Moses, he wanted eloquence, that Aaron had, as Moses againe had the wisedome, that Aaron wanted: so Paul, and Barnabas, they had different excellencies, the one had that the other wanted, and so it is generally. Therefore thinke with thy selfe, there is no man that hath all, and why should I desire it? there must be a mingling of some defects.
Againe. Thirdly; Consider with thy selfe, that the varieties of the sufficiencies that God giues to men,God can satisfie the desires in a low condition. that he placeth some in a higher degree and some in a lower, to some he giues greater gifts, to some lesser, some he makes rich, and some poor, some honourable, and some base; this varietie in all the workes of God takes not away from the perfection of each one: every man in his place may hauehave a perfection, he may hauehave it within his spheare, so that there shall be no want at all: for the Lord, out of his almightie power, is able to doe it, that the desire may be satisfied as much, they may be filled in a lower condition as well as in a greater, thou shalt feele no more want, but hauehave as great a degree of happinesse as the other, you know, there are sundry expressiōs in that case. A little Bottle is as well filled as a greater. What can a man desire more but to be satisfied? And therein God is All-sufficient, there is in him an All-sufficiencie to fill every Creature in his owne spheare, and compasse, when he hath made vessels of glory, they are not all of one sort, but of divers sorts, some of one, some of another sort, but they are all vessels of glory, they hauehave all experience of his riches, and of his mercies, so that none hauehave cause to complaine.
Last of all; Consider in that meannesse of place, gifts,A Christians faithfulnesse is accepted in a meane condition. or condition, that thou art in; consider, thou mayst be as faithfull in a little, as another may be in much: Consider, that he that hath much, yet there is nothing his, but the sinceritie wherewith a man hath vsed that which he hath, werewith he performes all that he doth: he that hath the gifts that Eliah and Paul had, that excellency of gifts, it is not his, but the Churches, all that is his is but his faithfulnes in dispensing those gifts, they are not his owne, but they are bestowed vponupon him; and he that hath the lesser measure of gifts, he that hath the lower part given him to act, while he is on the stage of this world, is accepted according to his faithfulnes, every man shall be rewarded according to his faithfulnes, every man shall be rewarded according to his faithfulnes and sinceritie: therefore content thy selfe with a lower condition, say not that God is not All-sufficient, because thou hast not a higher degree … thou seest here is an All-sufficiencie in God, to p…eserue thee in all comfort, and to defend thee from all evill. It may stand with a great difference of condition, though thou be not so high as another, though thou hauehave not so much grace, though thou hauehave not so high a Calling as another, yet even to thee also God is All-sufficient. So we hauehave run through all these three parts of the Covenant; He is All-sufficient in forgiving; He is All-sufficient in sanctifying vsus; And he is All-sufficient, in providing for vsus whatsoever we want.
So much for this time.
FINIS.