A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 16
Matth. 15. 24.
But he anſwered and ſaid, I am not ſent, but unto the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael.
SERMON XVI.
FOr the Ʋſe of the point, and I ſhall ſpeak but two words by way of Application, becauſe what I have ſpoken already, hath been practical, if the Lord make it to be ſo.
Firſt, To thoſe that have not attained to the knowledge of God's love.
Secondly, To thoſe that through grace have attained to the diſcoveries of God's love.
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. To thoſe that have not attained to the knowledge of Gods love. To thoſe that have not attained to the knowledge of God's eternal love towards them, and I ſhall ſpeak the words of the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure: for if ye do theſe things, ye ſhall never fall: That's the word of the Lord to you; give all diligence to make your Election ſure, reſt not till your hearts be eſtabliſhed through grace in the knowledge of God's love. For
Let me tell you firſt,It's of concernment to make our Election ſure. That it is a matter of great concernment. That which this Apoſtle doth exhort us to, to give all diligence to make our Election ſure, it is that which doth concern your whole ſtate; you had need give diligence to make it ſure, it doth not concern your temporal eſtate, but it concerns your eſtate in another world, all that you have to live upon in another world doth depend upon it, you had need give diligence to make that ſure: What pains do men take to make that ſure that concerns their outward Eſtates? Men will make their Bonds and Bills ſure, their Evidences ſure, their Titles to Lands and Houſes ſure; if there be any thing amiſs in them, what pains will men take to make them ſure? O that God would help us to give diligence in this great buſineſs that doth concern another manner of eſtate then that which you poſſeſs here! even all that you have to live upon in the world to come.
Secondly,The adverſary ſeeks to hinder ſouls in making their Election ſure. Let me ſay to you to ſtir you up to be diligent in making your Calling and Election ſure; why, You have an Adverſary that taketh a great deal of pains, uſeth diligence to hinder you in this work; the Divels great deſigne is to keep you in the dark, to keep you in a puzled and perplexed condition, to finde ſome flaw or other in your evidences, to caſt ſome blot upon them, that you ſhall not be able to read them; doubtleſs you will put God to it to leave you to be tryed in this at one time or other; God for the moſt part leaves his people to be tempted concerning their Election, and therefore you had need give diligence.
Thirdly,Our comfort doth depend upon the making Election ſure. Let me ſay, That your comfort doth depend upon making your Election ſure. All your comfort in this world doth depend upon it, the comfort of every condition doth depend upon it, the ſweetneſs of every mercy depends upon it. Alas, if a man had a thouſand times more then he hath, what is all he hath without the love of God? Your comfort depends upon it; Although your names be written in heaven, yet you cannot have the comfort of it, till it be made ſure to you; though it be ſure before God, yet you cannot be comforted, but you are as if there were no thoughts of love in the heart of God toward you. Your comfort depends upon it.
Fourthly,Our holineſs depends upon the making Election ſure. Your Holineſs doth depend upon it, your uſefulneſs, your fruitfulneſs, your ſerviceableneſs in your generations doth depend upon your knowledge of the love of God; it is that which wil make a Chriſtian uſeful & ſerviceable, when as his Election is made ſure, when he comes to be eſtabliſhed in the knowledge of God's Election; Put on therefore (as the Elect of God, holy, and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindneſs, humbleneſs of minde, meekneſs, long ſuffering; Col. 3. 12. Your holineſs doth depend upon it, and your uſefulneſs in your generation.
And truly, till that be put out of queſtion to a ſoul, til the Lord gives ſome degrees of ſatisfaction to a ſoul concerning his love, the ſoul is wholly taken up, alwayes taken up about that which concerns it ſelf: O Lord! Doſt thou love me? That's the great queſtion: And when it goes to God in prayer, Lord! Doſt thou love me? And O that thou wouldeſt make out thy love to me! The ſoul is wholly taken up about that, and well it may; but when God comes to give ſome ſatisfaction, O then the ſoul hath a great deal of freedome to minde the things of Chriſt, to put up many a Petition for others, and many a requeſt for Chriſt and his Kingdom, and the Intereſt of Chriſt, then his thoughts they run that way; ſo that if you deſire to be uſeful and ſerviceable in your generation, it doth engage you to look after this, to give all diligence to make your Election ſure.
Queſt. But you will ſay, How ſhall we do that? O there is nothing in the world that I would ſooner do then that, but I know not how to make my Election ſure.
I Anſwer, It is the work of God, it is the work of grace to make it out to you; it is the work of free grace to give a ſoul aſſurance of that free and everlaſting love. But be found waiting upon God in this way.
Firſt,How to make our Election ſure. Look up to the Lord to clear up unto you the myſterie of the Goſpel; if you deſire to make your Election, look up to the Lord, to clear up to your ſouls the great myſterie of Chriſt, that thou mayeſt know the Lord Jeſus as he was the gift of the Father, the gift of love, the gift of free grace; O that the Lord would clear up to thee the great end of his giving that gift of Chriſt! Wherefore was it that God ſent his Son out of his boſome? Wherefore was it that he gave Chriſt? And wherefore was it that Chriſt gave himſelf to die? What was the end of the Father's ſending Chriſt, and the end of the laying down his life? It was to ſave loſt ſinners; God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believes in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3. 16. O! Look up to God, to clear up this great Goſpel myſterie to you, the deſigne of God the Father, in ſending Chriſt; and the great deſigne of the Son, in laying down his life: It is through ignorance of this Myſterie, that many a poor ſoul is kept from eſtabliſhment, and from aſſurance of God's electing love.
But ſecondly, Wait upon the Lord to draw thy ſoul to accept of Chriſt; it is not enough to have a diſcovery of the myſterie, this will not ſave thee, though a man know the deſigne of God, and know the end of it, that will not ſave thee; no, but wait upon the Lord to draw thy heart to reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt, as he is held forth in the Goſpel; ſee that there is a neceſſity that God the Father ſhould draw thee; No man comes to me (ſaith Chriſt) except the Father which hath ſent me draw him, John 6. 44. till he be drawn by the Father, he cannot come to Chriſt, therefore that man is miſtaken that thinks it is an eaſie matter for him to come to Chriſt. O! Many a man doth miſtake faith of their own working, for that faith which is of the operation of God. When God hath beaten many a ſoul out of his Breſt-works, and the ſoul ſees he can no longer defend himſelf there, good works will not do it; then he taketh up a reſolution in his own ſtrength; well, I willgo to Chriſt, I will believe in Chriſt, if I cannot have it by obedience, I will have it by believing: Ah! But he never ſaw that there was an impoſſibility for him to believe, but he goes to Chriſt in his own ſtrength, and the faith is of his own working, and it is ſuch a faith as Chriſt will not own; no, when God deals with a ſoul in a ſaving way, he diſcovers to it that it is no more able to believe in Chriſt, then it can obey the whole Law, and that there is a neceſſity that he ſhould be drawn of God; and in his ſpirit he breaths after God, and ſaith, Lord, draw me, for if thou doſt not draw me, I ſhall never come to Chriſt; ſee a neceſſity of being drawn to Chriſt; And when thou art drawn, give up thy ſelf to thoſe breathings and workings of the Spirit of God; after thou haſt ſeen thy ſelf in a loſt condition, and no poſſibility to help thy ſelf, either by thy works, or by believing; why then if the Lord open the word of Reconciliation to thee, and is breathing ſweetly upon thy heart, and moving upon thy ſpirit, while thou heareſt the word of grace opened, and the tender of Chriſt urged, O then give up thy ſelf to thoſe drawings of the Spirit of Chriſt, and do not hinder thoſe drawings by thy unbelief, but give up thy ſelf to the Lord, and ſay, Lord, I ſee thy hand onelyonly is able and powerful to draw ſouls to thy ſelf, and I will ſtand out no longer. That's the ſecond.
Thirdly, Be diligent to make the beſt improvement of Jeſus Chriſt; when God hath diſcovered the myſterie of Chriſt to thee, and in ſome meaſure hath drawn thy heart, and made thee to lye at the feet of Chriſt for life and ſalvation, and for faith to believe in him; be diligent to make the beſt improvement of Chriſt. Improve Chriſt for holineſs and ſanctification, if thou deſireſt to have Election made out to thee, improve Chriſt for holineſs. The Apoſtle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this, Giving all diligence, adde to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſs; and ſo he goes on, and then follows at verſ. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure; for if you do theſe things, you ſhall never fall. In this way give diligence to make your Election ſure, improve Chriſt for holineſs, for grace, for ſtrength, for more ſtrength; be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holineſs; let Chriſtians endeavour to be continually in the exerciſe of grace, and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to; adde grace to grace, and wait upon Chriſt, that one degree of grace may be added to another; knowledge to knowledge, faith to faith, temperance to temperance; truly it is in this way that God comes in with diſcoveries of electing love; I do not ſay it is for your diligence, and for your improvement of Chriſt, and adding grace to grace; but this is the way: when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Chriſt, and in the exerciſe of grace, and performance of duty to God and man, God comes in that way, and giveth a ſoul a more clear diſcovery of his electing love.
Fourthly, Deſire the Lord to ſet a heavenly Byaſs upon your ſpirits, if you deſire to have your Election cleared and made ſure; take heed of an earthly heart; and O! Look up to God earneſtly, that he would ſet a heavenly Byaſs upon your ſpirits, that you may be able to ſay, Our converſation is in heaven, our heart is there, from whence we look for a Saviour; we groan to be clothed upon with our houſe which is from heaven. Truly Brethren, if we look too much downward, if we be grubling below, and be writing upon the duſt, we ſhall hardly ſee what is written in heaven: Though your names may be written in heaven. O! the looking too much upon this world, keepeth many a Chriſtian from ſeeing his name written in heaven. What pains will Aſtrologers and Star-gazers (as the Scripture calls them) take to ſee into the ſecond heaven, the ſtarry heaven? How often will they look up? And how long will they look up to ſee (as they pretend) what is written there, what is the language of the Stars! And O! What a ſhame is it to Chriſtians that we ſhould look up no oftner, and no longer into the third heaven, that we may ſee our names written there? Truly Brethren, it is no eaſie matter for a Chriſtian to ſee his name written in heaven, though his name may be written there; we ſhall hardly ſee it, if our hearts be not much there, and our converſations much there; we uſe to ſay, if children look off their Books, they will never learn their Leſſons well; Truly, if we look ſo much on the world, and ſo little into heaven, we ſhall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven. But when as the Lord ſees that his people are deſirous to have their thoughts in heaven, and their converſations in heaven, the Lord will come and ſay to that ſoul, well, I ſee that thine eye is in heaven, and thy heart in heaven, know for thy comfort, that thy name alſo is in heaven, thy God is in heaven, thy Chriſt is in heaven, and thy portion is in heaven. O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byaſs upon your ſpirits.
Fifthly, Take heed of ſinning againſt the Lord, take heed of giving way to any ſin; as you deſire to have your election cleared up to you, take heed of turning out into any crooked way. Let not Chriſtians give way to themſelves, nor allow themſelves in any way of evil. You know what the Apoſtle ſaith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheleſs, the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his: And let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity. The Lord knoweth them that are his; Ah! but would you know your ſelves to be in that number? Take heed that you do not give way to any ſin, do not allow your ſelves in any way of ſin, be not found in any way of iniquity; every ſin that is allowed, it will caſt a blot upon your Evidence, and you ſhall not be able to read it. This is the firſt Uſe unto thoſe that have not God's electing love cleared up to them; there is a neceſſity that every ſoul ſhould give all diligence to have their Election made ſure, it is matter of infinite concernment, and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election ſure.
The ſecond Uſe is to thoſe that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love: And it calls upon them,
Firſt, To be Thankful.
Secondly, To labour to walk worthy of ſo great a mercy.
Firſt, To be Thankful. O conſider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others, Is there not cauſe then of Thankfulneſs? You were no better then the worſt in the world, no better then thoſe that are caſt out of God's ſight into utter darkneſs; there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Chriſt. O! It is free grace that hath put a difference; if God hath made known to you that he hath choſen you, know that it is free grace that hath put the difference; O! Rich grace, free grace, that God ſhould take you, and leave another as deſerving as you; O it is free grace!
And that we may be ſtirred up to Thankfulneſs, conſider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for, ſpring from this Electing love! O! What cauſe have you to admire this love? Electing love it was a fruitful wombe, all your mercies lay in it, your comforts they all ſpring from it; if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity, he had never given you Chriſt as he did, he had not given you the knowledg of Chriſt. All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy, do ſpring from this love; if it had not been for this love, you had never known what pardon of ſin had been, you had never known what peace with God had been, what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God; your preſent mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love; O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulneſs?
Secondly, Walk worthy of this love; Chriſtians you that ſee your Intereſt in Electing love, walk worthy of it, improve this your mercy, that great mercy, the knowledge which God hath given you of his love in Chriſt, improve it, let it be an engagement upon you to duty.
To what duty doth this Love of God engage unto.
Firſt,What Duties electing love engages Chriſtians unto. Let this love of God to you engage you to a holy confidence, to a holy truſt in the Lord, and a ſtedfaſt relyance upon Chriſt and his grace in every ſtate and condition; the Lord would have you make this improvement, his love is diſcovered for this end, that your faith may be ſtrengthned, and your hope ſtrengthned, and made more firm and lively; Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect, it is God that juſtifieth, &c. Rom. 8. 33. Thus doth the Apoſtle improve it, If God be for us, who ſhall be againſt us? I am perſwaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhal be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Nay (ſaith he) in all theſe things we are more then Conquerours. Chriſt would have his people improve this love, for the caſting out of fear, perfect love caſteth out fear, it is caſting out fear, though it hath not caſt out fear; Fear not little flock, it is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you a Kingdom; he would ſtrengthen them againſt fear by ſetting before them the Father's Electing love; it is the Fathers good pleaſure to give you a Kingdome. O that we might improve this for the ſtrengthening of our confidence!
Secondly, If the Lord hath diſcovered his love, know, that it is an engagement, as to Confidence, ſo to Holineſs; a holy and unblameable walking before God. The adverſaries of this Truth pretend that this is a Doctrine of Liberty: Ah! but there is no ſuch tendency; Put on, as the Elect of God, bowels of mercy. If you be the Elect of God, put on bowels of mercy, and ſo be you like to Chriſt; I ſay, know that this is the end of God's Electing love: God hath choſen you, wherefore hath he choſen you? Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath choſen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him in love: This is the great end of God's love, and the diſcovery of it, that you may be holy; O! Know that if God hath loved you, you ſhould be holy.
Thridly, Know that you are engaged to walk humbly. Who put the difference? What was it that made the difference? This Doctrine of free Electing love hath taught you, that it is grace that hath made the difference, not your free will and improvement, but it is free grace that made the difference: The Lord ſaw us ſo far from improving of that which he gave us, as any other; and therefore this may ſilence all fleſh before the Lord, let not fleſh glory; Why? what haſt thou to glory in? If thou be better then others, whence was it? It was from free love, and therefore it engageth thee to walk humbly with thy God.
Fourthly, It is an engagement to Love. O! love the Lord dearly; if the Lord hath made out his Electing love, you are engaged to love him again; ſhew forth much love, love to Chriſt, and love to the Image of Chriſt, love to the way of Chriſt, love to the Truth of Chriſt, love to the Ordinances of Chriſt, love to the Saints of Chriſt, As I have loved you, (ſaith Chriſt) ſo ought you to love one another, John 13. 34. As I have loved you; as much as if Chriſt ſhould ſay, this is the greateſt argument that I can propound to you to move you to love one another, I have loved you: If the Lord have loved you with this electing love, and hath diſcovered that his love to you, you are engaged to love him, and his people, and whatever hath the Image of God and of Chriſt upon it. And ſo I have done this point, this great myſterie, this Doctrine of Election.
I deſire not to read this Verſe again; there is one thing more which I ſhall but touch, and ſo conclude.
I am not ſent but to the loſt Sheep of the Houſe of Iſrael.
The Houſe of Iſrael.
What is the Houſe of Iſrael? Why, the ſeed of Abraham, the poſterity of Jacob, whoſe name was Iſrael; the twelve Tribes they are the Houſe of Iſrael, they were the peculiar people that God choſe out of all the Nations; he left other Nations, and he choſe them for his peculiar people, he choſe them to be his Houſe, when he took them into Covenant with himſelf, and they took hold of his Covenant, they became a Church of Chriſt, and this Church of Chriſt is the Houſe of God.
Iſrael is God's Houſe: That's the Point that I ſhall but touch, and ſo ſhut up all.
Every true Church of Chriſt is the Houſe of God. They are a Houſe, and they are the Houſe of God. What was ſpoken of that Church, may be ſaid of every true Goſpel Church; they are a Houſe, and God's houſe, they are God's Houſhold, they are called the Houſhold of Faith, Gal. 6. 10. And ſo again in Epheſ. 2. 19. Now therefore, ye are no more Strangers, and Forreigners, but Fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houſhold of God; And this is propheſied of by the Prophet Micah, chap. 4. verſ. 2. And many Nations ſhall come and ſay, Come, Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and to the Houſe of the God of Jacob; ſpeaking of Goſpel-times; the Churches of the Lord are called the Houſe of God. Chriſt as a Son over his own Houſe, whoſe Houſe we are, &c. Heb. 3. 6.
Now in a houſe there is a Maſter of the Family; why the Maſter of this Houſhold is Chriſt; every houſhold hath a Head, a Maſter, the Lord of the Family; Chriſt is the Maſter of this Family, he is the Lord, the Head of the Church: If they call the Maſter of the houſe Beelzebub, ſaith Chriſt, how much more ſhall they call them of his houſhold, Matth. 10. 25. Chriſt is the Head, and the Lord, and he is the Maſter of his Houſe, of his Church, the Maſter of the great Family.
Secondly, The Members of this houſe they are fellow Brethren, fellow Servants, ſometimes they are called Children: Members of a Family, they are either Children, Servants, or Friends that dwell in the Family; The Lord calleth his people his children, his ſervants, ſomtimes his friends, ſtill he owns them, the members of his houſe, are fellow brethren, and fellow ſervants.
Thirdly, In a great Houſhold you have Officers and Stewards; Great Families they have their Stewards, they are under their Lord to overſee the houſe, and to look to the wayes of the houſe, and to make proviſion for the houſe, and to give them their meat in due ſeaſon: In this Houſe of Chriſt, and in every Goſpel Church, Chriſt hath appointed his Stewards, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man ſo account of us, as of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and Stewards of the Myſteries of God: Chriſt hath appointed Officers, as his Stewards, to diſpenſe his good things to his Servants.
Fourthly, In a Houſe you have the Lawes and Cuſtomes of the Houſe; In Chriſt's Houſe there are Lawes and Cuſtomes, he hath left it on Record, the Lawes of his Houſe are written, how he will have his Houſe governed; all the Lawes of his Houſe are written in his Word; it is not left to men to make Lawes for Chriſt's Houſe, (No) but Chriſt himſelf as Head and Lord of his Church he hath made Lawes for the Government of his Houſe.
Fiftly, In a houſe or houſhold, there is employment for them in the houſe; ſo Chriſt in his houſe hath employment for all the members of his Houſe, ſome work that he hath appointed for every childe and ſervant in his Houſe, for every one that is a Member of any viſible Church or Congregation, which is the Houſe of Chriſt, there is work that is common to all that are in the Houſe, Pſal. 134. Bleſs ye the Lord, all ye ſervants of the Lord, which by night ſtand in the Houſe of the Lord: And again in Pſal. 135. 1, 2. Praiſe ye the Lord, praiſe ye the Name of the Lord, praiſe him O ye ſervants of the Lord, ye that ſtand in the Houſe of the Lord, in the Courts of the Houſe of our God. The duty lay upon all in the Houſe of God, to bleſs the Name of Chriſt; and there are ſome particular works that Chriſt cuts out for every member: Chriſt would have none in his houſe idle, there is ſome work that every one may do, that may be for the good of the whole houſe.
And as this Houſe hath his Work, The priviledges of the houſe of Chriſt.ſo this houſe hath its Priviledges. O! there are ſpecial Priviledges; the Lord he is engaged to teach all in his houſe; it lies upon the Maſter of the houſe to teach thoſe that are in his Family; why the Lord Jeſus the Head of the Family hath engaged to teach all that are in the Family, Iſa. 54. 13. And all thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord: Sions children, they that are of the houſhold of God, God doth engage for it that they ſhall all be taught.
And this is another Priviledge, Priv. 2.That as the Lord will teach them, ſo he will defend and protect them, He hath promiſed ſpecial protection to his children in his Houſe, Iſa. 4. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her Aſſemblies, a Cloud, and ſmoak by day, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory ſhall be a defence: The particular Churches of Chriſt under the Goſpel, upon all their glory ſhall be a defence.
And this is another Priviledge,Priv. 3. That the Maſter of the Houſe will do the ſervants work: You know what the Church ſaith, Iſa. 26. 12. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us, for thou alſo haſt wrought all our works in us: What-ever he calls for from any of his people in his houſe, he wil do it himſelf, he will ſtrengthen them to do it, his own Arm ſhall be at work. This is a choice priviledge that belongs to the houſe of God.
Another priviledge is,Priv. 4. That they ſhall eat of the beſt, and drink of the beſt; they ſhall have a feaſt of fat things, and Wine on thee Lees well refined: He will make ſuch a Feaſt in the day of the Goſpel, upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, upon every houſe of the Lord; the Lord engageth to make them a Feaſt of Fat things, his own fleſh ſhall be ſet before them, which is meat indeed; and his blood, which is drink indeed.
Another priviledge is this,Priv. 5. The ſervants ſhall ſit down with the Lord and Maſter at Table: Servants have ſeldome ſuch a priviledge in any houſe, to ſit down with their maſter; but in Chriſt's houſe all the ſervants ſhall ſit down at Table with their Lord. O! What a choice priviledge is this, to ſit at their Lord's Table?
Nay,Priv. 6. while they ſit at Table, their Lord will ſerve them. Such a priviledge the Lord promiſeth to his people, Luke 12. 37. He ſhall gird himſelf, and make them ſit down to meat, and will come forth and ſerve them. He will cut out their portion for them; he will ſee to it, that they want nothing that he ſeeth good for them.
And he will bleſs their proviſion to them;Priv. 7. that is another priviledge, Pſal. 132. 13, 14, 15. For the Lord hath choſen Zion, he hath deſired it for his habitation; this is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell. I will abundantly bleſs her proviſion: I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. See the Lord will bleſs Zions proviſion, and make his people fat and flouriſhing, for ſo is the Promiſe, Pſal. 92. 13, 14. Thoſe that be planted in the Houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, they ſhall ſtill bring forth fruit in old age, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. Theſe are the priviledges of the Lord's houſe.
To ſhut up all with a word or two of Application.
If every true Church of Chriſt be the Lord's houſe,Ʋſe 1. Why then, Let not men take it ill if any Church of Chriſt, in obedience to the Rule of Chriſt, and to the Commandment of Chriſt, ſhall be watchful and cautelous who they receive into the Houſe of Chriſt: Let it be no offence, it is a Churches duty, and it ſhould not be any Offence, they muſt walk by the Rule that Chriſt hath left: Chriſt's houſe hath a rule given them, and they muſt not for a houſe full of gold and ſilver, go from the rule of the Lord; Chriſt hath left a rule how he will have thoſe qualified, that ſhall be admitted into his houſe, Pſal. 15. and Pſal. 24. 3, 4. Who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord? And who ſhall ſtand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his ſoul unto vanity, nor ſworn deceitfully. Theſe places ſpeak of Goſpel times, men and women muſt be viſibly holy: And therefore let it be no offence to any that the Church walketh by the Rule of the Maſter of the Family; they muſt receive none but ſuch as they can judge to be thoſe that are qualified according to the rule that Chriſt hath left; ſuch as Chriſt hath received, and no more; you your ſelves will be choice whom you receive into your houſes, and I pray let Chriſt have that liberty you challenge to your ſelves.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. From hence it lets us ſee, that the ſins of Profeſſors, eſpecially the ſins and ſcandals of Church-members, muſt needs be a great diſhonour to Chriſt. O that we could think upon it ſeriouſly, there is much ſadneſs in it, that they that have a profeſſion of Chriſt upon them, the Livery of Chriſt upon them, that they that are admitted into the houſe of Chriſt, accounted as children there, and ſervants there, and friends there, that they ſhould walk ſo as Chriſt ſhould be diſhonoured; Profeſſors, look to it, and ye eſpecially that are Church members; your ſcandals, your open ſins, bring more diſhonour to Chriſt, then the ſins of the whole world; your ſins are a ſhame to Chriſt, they reflect to the diſhonour of Chriſt, and ſhame to Chriſt: It is a ſad thing, that men ſhould look upon Profeſſors, and ſay, they are like the world; they make a profeſſion, Ah! but they are as greedy after the world as wicked men, and they are as proud as the Devil himſelf; O that Profeſſors might not give occaſion for wicked men thus to ſpeak! for this will be a diſhonour to Chriſt. When you ſee a childe rude and deboiſt, you will ſay, who is his father? Or, who is his Maſter? What? Hath he no Father? Or no Maſter? O! What a ſhame is it to the Maſter of the Houſe? And ſo for Profeſſors, when men ſhall look upon thoſe of corrupt converſation, and they ſhall ſay, Who is their Maſter? What? Chriſt their Maſter! And they ſpeak ſo and ſo! And walk ſo and ſo! O that the Lord would make them that have the profeſſion of Chriſt upon them watchful in this; Take heed that you give no occaſion to the world to ſpeak evilly of Chriſt, who is the Lord and Maſter of his Houſe.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. It lets us ſee what a Priviledge it is to be a Member of the Church of Chriſt, and to have Right thereunto; Take that along. O! What a priviledge is it? What a deſireable mercy is it? How will every one ſtrive to get their children into great mens houſes? If they can but get their ſons to be one of a Noble-man's houſe, you think it to be a great priviledge; O what a mercy and priviledge is it to be one of Chriſts Family? How many are the priviledges that they enjoy that are in Chriſt's Houſe? You had a taſte of them before, and O that the taſte might draw all Chriſtians to the performance of their duty! O! How did David long and thirſt after it? Pſal. 27. 4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, and but one thing; What is that? That I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple: O how deſirous was David to dwel in the Houſe of the Lord? And he counts them bleſſed, Pſal. 84. 4. Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy Houſe. Now if it be ſuch a mercy and priviledge, take heed that we do not contemn it, and take heed that you do not ſlight it, and ſay, it is no great matter whether I be in the houſe of God or no, ſo long as I am a Believer: O! Take heed that you do not deſpiſe ſuch a priviledge.
Fourthly and Laſtly,Ʋſe 4. What an engagement doth lye upon all in Chriſt's houſe to be holy? This is an engagement to duty.
Firſt,Duties of Church-Members. It engages the Saints in Church-fellowſhip, unto the exerciſe of the grace of Love; why they are all of one houſe,Duty 1. and of one houſhold, and and they are engaged to love one another, they are engaged to ſeek the good of one another: you take it ill if a ſervant or childe ſhould not regard what becomes of their fellow ſervants, and fellow brethren, every one muſt ſeek the good of th'other. If one Houſe, we are engaged to a great deal of love and tenderneſs that we ſhould expreſs towards one another; not to minde our own things, but to minde the good of others; but eſpecially in the ſame houſe; we are bound to do good to all the houſhold of Faith, but eſpecially in the ſame houſe; we have the ſtrongeſt tye to love, and to help one another, if in Chriſt's houſe.
And if this be Chriſt's houſe,Duty 2. O! What duty do we owe to Chriſt, that are received into Chriſts houſe? If in Chriſt's houſe, we ſhould keep Chriſt's Lawes, the Rules of his houſe: O! what Rules hath Chriſt given us to walk by? Faith and Love, the great Commandment of the Goſpel: O! if in Chriſt's houſe, know that you are engaged to walk by Chriſt's Lawes.
And it engages you to do the work of Chriſt? Duty 3.what is the work that is in Chriſt's houſe? Surely there is ſome work for every one, Chriſt will not have an idle perſon in his houſe, ſome work Chriſt layes before every member; O that we might be helpful; there is ſomthing in which the meaneſt member may be ſerviceable to the houſe of Chriſt; wait upon the Lord to know your work, and wait for ſtrength to do it.
And we ſhould bleſs Chriſt for the proviſion of his houſe. Duty 4.O! how engaged are we to wait upon the Lord for the bleſſing the proviſion of his houſe? what a mercy it is for the Lord to take us into his houſe, and ſend us the beſt things, making us a feaſt of fat things, wine on the Lees well refined, a feaſt here, and a feaſt in other Ordinance, the Supper? O! what an engagement to thrive and grow in grace? It will be a ſhame to Chriſt, if his people that enjoy ſo much, if they ſhall be ſtill lean and ill-thriving: As the Lord hath taken us into his houſe, ſo let us look up to the Lord for his bleſſing, and for the fulfilling of his Promiſe, he hath ſaid, That thoſe that are in his houſe ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, and well-liking; and ſhall have ſtrength to perform their duty. O that they that are in the Lord's houſe, would wait upon the Lord for his bleſſing.