Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Sermon 1 (2 of 4)
Truly Sirs, if you are yet in the ſtate of ſin, conſider how little there is between you and eternal Death; you are ready to drop into Hell immediately and irrecoverably: Did theſe things ſit ſadly and ſeriouſly upon your ſpirits, how would it advance the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven?
2. That you may know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, bring Humility, and ſelf-denial.
Humble reaſon, and make her give place to Faith: for the humility (we here ſpeak of) is a Denial of our own Parts and Wits, though they be never ſo capacious.
In this caſe the Intellectus muſt be raſa tabula: I ſay, the underſtanding muſt be as a Table ſcraped, all the Writings and Notions of humane Wit and Reaſon muſt be ſcraped out: It muſt be like the Wax that hath no Character, that it may receive the Impreſſion of the Seal.
That which reaſon ſhould do in ſupernatural things, is to ſtoop to Faith, to believe the things of God upon the ſole Authority of God: Here it is the greateſt reaſon to yield to Faith; In Divine Myſteries Faith is the reaſon of reaſon; and the higheſt reaſon is to yield to God that hath revealed them: And therefore Faith ſtands with the greateſt reaſon that can be; for is it not the greateſt reaſon in the world to believe him, that is Truth it ſelf? Reaſon it ſelf ſaith, It is the greateſt reaſon to believe God who is the firſt Truth.
3. Wait upon the ſpirit. Give the ſpirit that Honour to reveal theſe Myſteries to you.
For your eyes are blind: you have an inward darkneſs upon you: the Goſpel takes away the Vail from the things, but the ſpirit takes away the Vail from our ſouls.
The Jews had a Vail of types and ſhadows thrown over the things themſelves; now I ſay, Our Goſpel takes away the Vail from the things, but the ſpirit muſt take away the Vail from our hearts.
In Nature there is need of a double light, that we may behold Objects.
1. A light ſomeneſs upon the Object it ſelf through the Medium; and therefore men cannot ſee in the night, becauſe the air, which is the Medium, is dark.
2. A light beſides in the Organ, that is the eye; and therefore blind men cannot ſee in the day; becauſe though the Sun ſhines, and things may be ſeen in themſelves, yet they want a light in the eye.
So, though the former darkneſs which lay upon the Myſſeries of Heaven be taken away, thoſe legal ſhadows and curtains are removed, and the Sun of the Goſpel ſhines full upon our faces, yet we are blind within, there lyeth an inward darkneſs upon our faculty: and the ſpirit muſt open our eyes, and give us a vital light to joyn with the outward light.
4. Send up your prayers to Heaven: The holy Vapours of Prayer aſcending, the ſpirit comes down in ſhowres upon the ſoul: The earth muſt ſend up Vapours, before the Clouds can give down rain: And therefore Paul prays for the Epheſians, That God would give them the ſpirit of Wiſdom and Revelation, Eph. 1. 17, 18.that the eyes of their underſtanding being enlightned, they might know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the ſaints.
5. He that would find the knowledg of Divine Myſteries, muſt ſeek it with a ſanctified mind.
That which enables us to know, and underſtand aright the things of God, muſt be a living principle of Holineſs in us.
As Plotinus ſaith, The eye cannot behold the Sun foreign En. 1. l. 6.unleſs it be Sun-like, and hath the form and reſemblance of the Sun drawn in it: ſo neither can the ſoul of Man behold God, foreign, unleſs it be God-like; hath God formed in it, and made partaker of the Divine Nature.
As in the natural body, it is the heart that ſends up good blood, and warm ſpirits into the head, whereby it is beſt enabled to its ſeveral Functions: So in the ſpiritual fabrick, 'tis the heart that ſublimates the head, and ſtores it with pure influences: the affections beget imaginations.
foreign.
Hom. Iliad. T. v. 44.As the Treaſurers of an Army give out Corn and Proviſion to the Soldiers.
Some men have too bad hearts to have good heads: they cannot be good at Theory, who are ſo bad at the Practice.
Our Lord Chriſt hangs all true acquaintance with Divine Truths upon the doing of Gods will: If any man will do his John 7. 17.will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God.
Such as ſet themſelves to do the will of God, ſhall know the Doctrines and Myſteries of God.
Corrupt paſſions and earthly affections are apt of their own nature to diſturb all ſerene thoughts, to precipitate our Judgments, and warp our Underſtandings.
There is an inward ſweetneſs and deliciouſneſs in Divine Truth, which no ſenſual mind can taſte or reliſh.
And therefore the Platoniſts ſolicite ſo much [foreign] A ſeparation from the body in all thoſe that would [foreign] purely underſtand truth.
The more our ſouls dive into our bodies, the more will reaſon and ſenſuality run into one another, and make up a moſt unſavoury and muddy kind of Knowledg.
And therefore wicked men, (let them imagine what they pleaſe) have no true Knowledg of God: Such as men themſelves are, ſuch will God himſelf ſeem to be.
It is the Maxim of moſt wicked men, that the Deity is ſome way or other like themſelves; their ſouls do more than whiſper it, though their lips ſpeak it not.
That Idaea which men generally have of God, is nothing elſe but the picture of their own complexion.
6. Know things as God doth know them: God, to exerciſe the wiſdom that he hath given to man, hath planted a difference in the Creatures, and hath given a faculty to man to know, and make a right choice in thoſe differences; and then man doth know things aright, when he knows them as God knows them; and then man makes a right choice, when he chuſeth as God chuſeth.
Now God knows that riches are but little things; and that credit in the world is but a ſhadow, and that honours in high places are but like leaves on the top of a tree; And who would climb a tree to fetch a leaf?
But God knows that pardon of ſin is a choice rarity.
7. Know things and judg of them as they are in another world: Whilſt thou liveſt in the world, and haſt all things before thee, know and judg of them as thou wilt; when thou art going out of the world, and haſt all things behind thee; ah! my Beloved, when thy laſt ſand is run out, thou wilt have a far different opinion of the World, from what now thou haſt.
Ʋſe 7. As I deſire you to know the Myſteries of Heaven, ſo I would have you to know your ſelves, that you have an Intereſt in theſe bleſſed Myſteries; that they are yours:
Salvation is a Myſteries; but if you know that ſalvation is yours; and the way to ſalvation is a Myſtery, but if you know that you are in the way; Ah! this is the ſoul and ſweetneſs of the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaveb: This is foreign, the Greece of Greece, the wheel in the wheel, the Heaven of that heavenly Knowledg.
It is to no purpoſe to know that theſe things are Myſteries, unleſs we know they be for us, and for our good, that Chriſt is ours, and that God is reconciled to us.
Ʋſe 8. You Saints and Children of God, who enjoy this great priviledg; Oh! go you, and bleſs God, For unto you it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Would it not have greatly raviſht your hearts, had you been the perſons preſent to whom Chriſt ſpake theſe words? Surely it would: But though Chriſt be in Heaven, yet he hath left this Text behind him, to ſpeak to you, and to tell you, It is given unto you to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.
Obſerve here two things:
1. It is a gift: To know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (ſaith Chriſt) it is given to you: Dear ſouls! Fleſh and Hath. 16. 17.blood hath not revealed theſe things unto you, but your Father which is in heaven.
Now gifts are received with thankfulneſs: even ſmall gifts are taken thankfully foreign.Hom Odyſ. Plutarch. de Artaxcrxe Longimen.
It is ſaid of Artaxerxes foreign; There was no gift ſo ſmall which he received not kindly.
I ſay, we take ſmall gifts thankfully, how much more ſpiritual gifts? Such gifts as have Heaven and Salvation wrapt up in them? Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Eph. 1. 3.Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt: Theſe gifts are bleſſings; and for ſuch bleſſings, Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Thy Being is a gift, but grace added to it is a bleſſing: to be born is a gift, but the new birth put to it is a bleſſing; otherwiſe, It had been good for that man (ſaith Chriſt) if he had never been born: To have Underſtanding and Knowledg is a great gift, but to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven is a great bleſſing; Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee the things that Luke 10. 23.ye ſee.
2. They are Myſteries: and will ye not bleſs God, that he ſhould make Myſteries known to you? They are Myſteries of his boſom; and is it nothing to be Gods boſom-friends? They are the Myſteries of his ſecret, wiſe, and eternal Counſels; And is it nothing to be Gods Privy-Counſellors? They are the Myſteries of eternal life; And is it nothing to know the Rolls and Records of eternity? (Saints, God hath made ye his Cutodes Rotulorum) is not eternal life a delicate flower to ſmell at? Is it nothing to ſee within the vail? Surely it is a great priviledg; therefore you may rejoyce in it, and bleſs God for it.
And this leads us to the third Doctrine, which is this:
Doct. 3. The Divine Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is given to ſome, not to others.
In this Doctrine there are three things clear and obvious.
1. The Knowledg of Divine Myſteries is a gift. [To you it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven].
What is given, is a gift: Divine Knowledg is a Divine gift: The Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is a gift from Heaven: To know God, it is from God: Chriſt is the gift of God; and to know Chriſt is another gift: And therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, That faith is the gift of God.Eph. 2. 8. Pſal. 119. 125.
And therefore ſaith David, Give me underſtanding, that I may know thy teſtimonies: To underſtand the Divine Teſtimonies is a gift: God muſt not only give us the Objects of Knowledg, but alſo the Knowledg of thoſe Objects.
Man loſt his Knowledg; and therefore muſt be created again, and renewed in Knowledg after the image of him that Col. 3. 10.created him.
God muſt ſet him up again with a new ſtock of Knowledg, elſe Man can know nothing.
The Myſteries of Heaven in themſelves are intelligible; they are glorious and radiant Objects, they ſparkle with ſplendour in our eyes; but blind men cannot ſee light without a light: we are dark within, while the Myſteries of Heaven ſhine (like the light) round about us: And therefore God muſt give the opening of the eye to ſee the out-breaking of the light upon us.
2. The Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is given to ſome: [To you it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven]. I know (ſaith Job) that my Redeemer liveth, Job. 19. 25. Verſ. 26.and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin, worms deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God.
Job knew the Myſtery of Redemption, and in that glaſs he ſaw the Myſtery of the Reſurrection. He knew one Myſtery in another: In that he knew he was redeemed, he knew he ſhould riſe again: Our redemption implieth our reſurrection: Job, though he lived in dark times, yet he knew theſe Myſteires; becauſe to him it was given to know them: I know, Pſal. 119. 5.O Lord (ſaith David) that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me. He knew
Firſt, The judgments and diſpenſations of Divine Providence.
Secondly, And he knew that thoſe Judgments were right.
Thirdly, And he knew the myſtery and meaning of them, That God in faithfulneſs had afflicted him.
Chriſt ſaith, That his ſheep know his voice: I am the good John 10 14.ſhepherd, and know my ſheep, and am known of mine.
They are gifted with diſcerning, that they know the voice or Doctrine of Chriſt: they are ſo well acquainted with the Myſteries of Heaven, that they know what is the Doctrine, and what is not the Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt.
When it pleaſed God (ſaith Paul) to reveal his Son in me: Gal. 1. 15, 16.There was a time when the Myſteries of Heaven were vailed from Paul, and afterward were revealed to Paul; God in his time gave him to know, what he did not know before.
Thus you ſee the ſecond point, That the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is given to ſome.
3. The Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is not given to others. Ye have ſeen all that the Lord did before your eyes in Deut. 29. 2.the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his ſervants, and to all his land. The great temptations which thine eyes have Verſ. 3. Verſ. 4.ſeen, the ſigns, and thoſe great miracles: yet the Lord hath not GIVEN you an heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and ears to hear unto this day
They ſaw much, and yet they ſaw little: They ſaw great things, and yet they ſaw nothing; nothing to purpoſe: they had not a ſpiritual apprehenſion and uſe of the great works they did ſee.
In Pſal. 82. 5, They know not, neither will they underſtand, Pſal. 82. 5.they walk on in darkneſs, all the foundations of the earth are out of courſe.
The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of ſuch as were great men, the Judges of the earth, they knew not how to adminiſter Juſtice uprightly and impartially.
In Iſa. 1. 3, The ox knoweth his owner, and the aſs his maſters Iſa. 1. 3.crib: but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. They are more brutiſh than the brutes: Aſſes indeed, more ſottiſh than the Aſs: they eat and drink, and ſeed upon Gods Proviſions, and yet know not God who provides all for them.
The Papiſts in their Legends abuſe this place, and coyn a Fable, that an Ox and Aſs being in the ſtable where Chriſt was born, took notice of him, and did cheriſh him with their warm breath, as he lay in the manger.
The ſtory is meer Fiction; but Sinners are ſo brutiſh, that they do not, what the others fained the Ox and Aſs to do.
The Lord Chriſt is come into the world, but they take no notice of him, he is laid in the Manger of the Goſpel, but they know him not; Did Chriſt lye in a Manger for you, and ſhall he not lye in your boſoms? Ah Sinners! more brutiſh than the Ox, and more ſilly than the Aſs.
In Acts 14. 1, 2, There 'tis ſaid that Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 1, 2.ſo ſpake, that a great multitude of the Jews, and alſo of the Greeks, believed: but the unbelieving Jews ſtirred up the Gentiles].
Here to ſome was given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to others 'twas not given.
In the 17th of the Acts, at the 32, 34 verſes, When they Acts17. 32. heard of the reſurrection of the dead, ſome mocked, but others 34. clave to Paul, and believed]. Here to ſome was given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to others 'twas not given.
In Acts 28. 24, 'Tis ſaid, That ſome believed the things Acts28. 24. which were ſpoken, and ſome believed not]. Here to ſome was given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to others it was not given.
The Heathens could obſerve,
foreignHom. Hliad.
That God doth not give all things to all men.
foreign,
foreign.
foreign
To one man God gives Martial skill for War, to another the Art of dancing, to another that of ſinging, and of muſick; but to another he gives a wiſe and prudent mind.
In this diſpenſation of God (wherein to ſome he gives the Knowledge of Divine Myſteries, to others he doth not) I ſay in this diſpenſation there is both
Soveraignty
and
Juſtice:
Firſt, In that he gives not to ſome the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven, there appears Soveraignty: For in another Text the Lord Chriſt ſaith, Father, thou hast hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes—Mat. 11, 25, 26. Even ſo; Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.
Here Jeſus Christ gives no other reaſon why the Myſteries of Heaven were hid from the wiſe, and revealed to babes, but only his Fathers good will and pleaſure.
Secondly, In this diſpenſation of God, wherein the Knowledg of Divine Myſteries is not given to ſome, the Juſtice of God appears: Which, that you may underſtand, I lay down theſe two Propoſitions.
1. God hath inſtituted means for the obtaining of ſupernatural grace.
2. Where God gives grace (in the uſe of means) he gives it freely; to whom God gives not grace, he denies it juſtly.
1. God hath inſtituted means for the obtaining of ſupernatural grace: For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God: The Lord hath ſet the ſtamp of Inſtitution upon means wherein he will be found, as hearing the word, And when they heard this, they were pricked at the heart.
Reading the Word, Prayer, and Meditation.
2. Where God gives grace in the uſe of means, he doth it freely; and to whom God gives not grace, he denieth it juſtly.
1. Where God gives grace in the uſe of means, he gives it freely. Whether it be in the outward means, or the inward preparatory work: for he is not tyed by the means to us.
Some ſay [Facienti quod in ſe eſt, Deus dabit Gratiam ulteriorem], To him that doth what he can do, more ſhall be given him; but though God ſhould ſometimes (or always) anſwer man in this kind, where do we find that he hath bound himſelf by Promiſe to do ſo?
Now I muſt ſhew you, That where God gives not grace, he doth it justly.
Under the Goſpel, where God denieth grace, he never doth it but juſtly.
God obſerves a distributive Juſtice in it.
For the Saints (through grace) uſe the means to gain more grace; and Sinners, they refuſe all grace: For
1. In the Church, ſalvation according to Gods Promiſe is offered to all.
2. In the Church, the adminiſtration of grace is ſo high, as that it is ſufficient to convince all.
3. Sinners periſh, and go without grace through their own fault. For,
1. They neglect the means of the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven.
2. They deſpiſe the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven: And this reaſon Chriſt renders of it at the 13th verſe. Therefore ſpake I to them in parables, becauſe they ſeeing, ſee not: and hearing, they hear not, neither do they underſtand: As if he had ſaid, ſuch Minds as they bring to hear, ſuch Sermons do I bring to them, cloath'd with parables and obſcurities: They that will not underſtand things that are manifeſt, to them I wrap up my Sermons in clouds and darkneſs: They have eyes to ſee my manifeſt ſigns and miracles, yet being blinded with envy, they will not ſee what they ſee; They have ears, and hear the truth that is irreſutable, and yet in hearing they will not hear, i. e. they will not receive it, neither do they underſtand, that is, it is ſo clear, that they may, but they will not underſtand.
To ſpeak more particularly,
1. Some will hear the Word, but not mind, it ſo as to underſtand it: their puniſhment is, That as they will go no further with God, ſo God will go no further with them, but denieth unto them the ſpirit of Illumination, leaves them blind as he foundMath 13. 19. them, and ſuffers Satan to take the word from them.
2. Some receive the word ſo far, as to underſtand it, but are not willing to do it, they cannot digeſt the holineſs of it; their luſts, and its purity cannot ſtand together; their puniſhment is, That God will not make it further effectual to promote their ſpiritual happineſs; though they may receive the ſpirit of Illumination, yet not of Converſion.
3. Some receive the word ſo far into their hearts, as to delight in it, and to do ſomething commanded, and obey it in ſome degree; They proceed to Profeſſion, and ſeveral meaſures thereof, but advance not to ſincerity and perfection; their puniſhment is, That the ſpirit of Sanctification and Adoption is denied unto them, and for fear of Adverſity, or love of the World, they deny the truth in a day of tryal.
Thus when we ſay, The Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is given to ſome, and not given to others; to thoſe to whom it is given, it is given freely; to thoſe to whom it is not given, it is denied juſtly: For this denial is a puniſhment, and therefore juſt: ſinners deſerve it, that it ſhould be ſo.
The elect can ſpeak of underſerved-grace, and the reprobate of deſerved puniſhment.
God is ſo juſt, that he doth not condemn any but for ſin: ſo gracious, that he doth not condemn all that do ſin.
Though God will ſave miſerable men without their merits, becauſe he is good; yet he will not damn any without their demerits, becauſe he is juſt.
But to give you a clearer Proſpect of this Truth, that the Divine Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is given to ſome, not to others; Obſerve,
First, Sometimes God makes choice of an Alien, an Heathen, before his own people in Covenant with him: As you may ſee in Jeremiah 38. 7, 8. verſes, He gives an Ethiopian Jerem. 38. 7, 8.grace, which he gave not to many a Jew: Ebedmelech was an Ethiopian, yet a Saint; a black Ethiopian, but a white Saint:V None ſpeaks for the Prophet but he: an Ethiopian ſaves the Prophet, whom the Jews did perſecute:
Where obſerve
1. How God picks one out of a whole Nation: God makes choice of Ebedmelech above all the Nation of the Ethiopians:
The whole Nation of his Countrey-men lay under the black Vail of darkneſs and ignorance, while he knew the Myſteries of Heaven.
2. The wonder of Gods Providence, how it brings about the Salvation of a perſon, whom he means to ſave.
God brings Ebedmelech out of his own Countrey, to make him a Saint: how he came thither, to live in the King of Judah's Court, there's no mention of it; but this we know, that he was brought thither upon the Wing of Providence, to know God, and to be ſaved.
3. God gives grace to Ebedmelech, and makes choice of him before many of his own people in Covenant with him.
Secondly, He prefers the Servant before the Maſter: All the Phil. 4. 22.ſaints ſalute you, chiefly they that are of Caeſars houſhold: This Caeſar was Nero, in whoſe palace Saint Paul's bonds were made Phil. 1. 13.manifeſt: So that ſome of his Servants were made Chriſtians, who afterwards proved Martyrs, namely Evellius and Torpetes, if we may believe the Roman Martyrology; here the Vaſſal receives the Goſpel, which the Emperor doth not: The ſervants are made lambs while their Lord and Maſter remains a Lyon; for ſo is he ſtiled in 2 Tim. 4. 17.
Thirdly, God prefers the poor before the rich: a poor Lazarus before a rich Dives: he drops his golden ſhowres of grace upon a low ſhrub, and over-looks the tall Cedar: The truth of it is, Dives was poor, Lazarus was rich; Lazarus had more gold in his Soul, than Dives had in his Purſe.
Hath not God choſen the poor in this world, rich in faith Jam. 2. 5.[i. e. to be rich in Faith] and heirs of the Kingdom? As weJam. 2. 5. read it, Hath not God choſen the poor in this world, rich in faith: Some would argue, that they were choſen, becauſe rich in faith, as if their faith foreſeen were the cauſe of their choice: but the meaning is, Hath not God choſen the poor in this world [to be] rich in faith.
[ foreign ] is underſtood, as in many other Texts].
Fourthly, Chriſt Jeſus in the diſpenſations of grace, preferred ſtrangers above natural relations: He gives not grace according to natural relation: he paſſed by many of his kindred: For neither did his brethren believe in him.John 7. 5. Trap. in Loc.
And this the Jews at this day, read with ſuch wonderment, that they take occaſion from this Text to ſlander our Saviours miracles, ſith his own kindred believed not in him: but they are ignorant of the Myſtery of Free-grace.
And indeed, a man would have thought, that Chriſt Jeſus would have given grace to his kindred before others; that he would have paſſed by none of his kindred; but though they were kin to him in the fleſh, yet he was God, and ſo above all Kindred and Relation to them: In reſpect of his Humane Nature, he was of the ſame blood with them; but as God, he had no relation to them; Kindred and Conſanguinity is below the God-head: Conſanguinity runs in a line of blood, but God partakes not of fleſh and blood.
Obj. But you will ſay, methinks the Humane Nature of Chriſt ſhould have deſired the converſion of his kindred more than others, and prevailed with the God-head for grace for them.
Reſp. 1. The nearer one is united to God, the leſs he partakes of himſelf, and the more of God: Chriſts Humane Nature united to the Deity, willed nothing with a private will, but all with an elevated will, moving according to the will of the God head.
2. A Saint, as far as he is ſanctified, wills nothing, but what God wills; but Chriſts Humane Nature was united perſonally to the God-head.
The Saints are myſtically united to God by Faith, morally united to God in love and affection; but Chriſts Humane Nature was perſonally united to the God-head, and therefore was more nearly united to God, than to all natural relation or kindred.
Fifthly, Sometimes he paſſeth by the Children of Saints, and graffs in the Children of a prophane ſtock: he takes pearls out of Toads-heads, and digs golden mines out of a barren and dry earth; for ordinarily golden and ſilver Mines grow in the moſt barren Grounds and Mountains, not in your fruitful and rich ſoyls.
Samuel was a noble plant, yet his Children degenerate1 Sam. 8. 3. branches; His ſons walked not in his ways, but turned aſide after lucre, and perverted judgment.
Joſiah was a curious and rare flower; yet his Sons that came2 Kings 23. 30, 32, 34, 37 verſes. from him were the worſt that might be.
Sixthly, Sometimes he puts a difference between Sons of the ſame Womb; takes the one, and paſſeth by the other; Seals the one, and leaves a blank on the other: Jacob and Eſau were twins of the ſame Womb; two Kernels in the ſame Pomgranate, and the Lord put a difference between them betimes, [The children Rom. 9. 11.being not yet born, neither having done either good or evil] makes choice of the one, repudiates the other, [Jacob have Verſ. 13.I loved, but Eſau have I hated].
Seventhly, Sometimes he prefers the younger before the elder; and ſo makes the firſt, laſt, and the laſt, firſt: and thus the Lord croſſeth man; for man writes Praerogaetive upon his firſt born, and makes him the firſt in his love; but God comes and writes quite contrary, and faith, I chuſe this for mine, and leave the elder.
As Zachary, when all his friends would have his Son calledLuk. 1. 57. 63. Zachariah (his Fathers name) he, when the writing Tables are brought him, writes his name, John; and they admired at it: So when men write their eldeſt Sons, heirs of Heaven; God comes, and ſtrikes out their names, and writes the younger in his Book of Life: Thus did God by Jacob and Eſau, the elder Rom. 9. 12.ſhall ſerve the younger; And when Iſaac reſolved to lay the bleſſing upon Eſau, God ordered it ſo, that Jacob the younger ſhould have it.
As when Joſeph brought his two Sons to Jacob to bleſs, he prefers the younger before the elder.
David was Jeſſes youngeſt Son, deſpiſed among his Brethren,1 Sam. 16. 6. 7, 14. verſes. he was Jeſſes youngeſt Son, but the Lord made him the eldeſt.
Among the three Sons of Noah, there is a controverſie about their Primacy.
Cham, though the youngeſt, yet will be preferred above his Brethren, if we ſtand to the judgment of the Poets, who derive Jove (or Jupiter) from Cham.
Again, We ſhall give the firſt place to Japhet, who was the eldeſt Son, if we follow the order of Nature; but to Sem, if we follow the order of Grace, whom God prefer'd before his Brethren, not of merit, but out of free grace, and meer indulgence.
That Cham was the youngeſt of the Sons of Noah, you have an expreſs in Gen. 9. 24, and that Sem was not the firſt-born,Gen. 9. 24. it is manifeſt out of Gen. 11. 10, Where 'tis ſaid, That Sem Gen. 11. 10.was one hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: That is in the year of Noah's age, ſix hundred and two; for the flood came in the ſix hundredth year of Noah, Gen. 7. 11, It follows that Noah begat Sem in his year five Gen. 7. 11.hundred and two; ſeeing he had begotten his firſt-born two years before, for he began to beget Children in his year five hundred, Gen. 5. 32. Therefore Sem was two years youngerGen. 5. 32. than his brother that was firſt-born, that is Japhet, who is therefore called the elder, Gen. 10. 21.Gen. 10. 21.
Therefore Japhet being the firſt-born of all the three, yet God prefer'd Sem before him; to ſhew that his Election was fire, and not tyed to the prerogative and worthineſs of Age; and to ſhew that there was not the ſame order of Grace, which is of Nature.
For nature gave many priviledges to the firſt-born; and preſently from the beginning of the World, God ſubjected Abel to Cain his elder brother; unto thee ſhall be his deſire, Gen. 4. 7.and thou ſhalt rule over him; yet in grace he ſubjected Cain to Abel: The Lord had reſpect to Abel, and to his offering: Verſ. 4, 5.but unto Cain and his offering, he had not reſpect.
Eighthly, He prefers the child before the father; he gives grace to the child, which he denieth the father; makes choice of the child, refuſeth the father.
The Prophet ſaid of the wicked Jeroboams Son, All Iſrael ſhall mourn for him, for he only of Jeroboam ſhall come to the grave, 1 King. 14. 13.becauſe in him there's found ſome good thing toward the Lord God of Iſrael.
And ſometimes he chuſeth the Father, and paſſeth by the Child: he forgave Adam his ſin (though he damn'd the whole world) and caſt off Cain for ever.
Ninthly, God makes ſome ſharers in the ſame deliverance, who ſhare not in the ſame grace: as the ten Lepers, he gave them the ſame cure, not the ſame grace: he gave them all a cure, only to one grace: Were there not ten cleanſed? where are Luk. 17. 17.the nine? There are not found that return'd to give glory to God, ſave this ſtranger.
So the Sons of Noah, were all ſaved in the ſame Ark, and yet not all made partakers of the ſame Faith.
We ſhall now give you the Application of this Point; And firſt,
Ʋſe 1. See by what tenure the Saints hold and receive all their grace; By gift.
1. The firſt work of grace in the ſoul is a gift: No man can come to me (ſaith Chriſt) except it were given him from John 6. 65. Rom. 5. 5.above: and Romans 5. 5, All is given: It is grace that we have grace: the grace of God, that we have grace from God.
2. The addition and increaſe of grace is a gift; every little degree of grace is a gift; and when he gives more, ſtill it is more gift.
3. Heaven it ſelf is a gift: The gift of God is eternal life: Rom. 6. 27.mark the whole verſe; The wages of ſin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life.
Eternal death is a wages, eternal life is a gift: men deſerve it, when they are damn'd: but they deſerve it not, when they are ſaved: their ſins are worthy of Death, but their graces are not worthy of Life; And the reaſon is,
1. Becauſe mens ſins are their own, and therefore deſerve death.
As Chriſt ſpeaking of the Devil, ſaith, When he ſpeaketh a John 8. 44.lye, he ſpeaketh of his own: Our lyes and our ſins are our own works, but our graces are not our own: we are beholden to God, in that we have grace: when we ſerve him with our graces, we ſerve him but with his own.
2. Becauſe our ſins being perfectly ſinful, are worthy of death; but our graces being not perfectly gracious, are not worthy of life.
Ʋſe 2. Is grace a free gift? then ſerve God freely: We cannot be too free in ſerving him, from whom every thing is a free-gift.
I may rightly apply that Text to the Saints; Freely ye Math. 10. 8.have received, freely give: I am ſure you have freely received grace; ſerve him freely with your grace: And therefore a Servant is in Greek called foreign, which comes from foreign,Luk. 15. 17. a reward; becauſe ſervants ſerve not their Maſter freely (as his Sons do, meerly, becauſe he is their Father) but for reward.
What is it to ſerve God freely?
1. To count it a greater good to ſerve God, than to be ſaved: not as if a man ſhould not ſerve God with an eye to his ſalvation; for 'twere a ſin if he ſhould not, becauſe the recompence of reward is the great Promiſe; and 'twere a ſin not to prize, and eye, and look up to any promiſe of God; I ſay we are bound to ſerve God with an eye to the recompence of reward, becauſe it is the Promiſe of God; now we are to make the beſt of every promiſe; to improve the promiſe, and to make the beſt advantage of it, for the quickning of our graces, and the cheering up of our ſpirits: The promiſes are helps, and we are bound to uſe all Gods Helps. And thereforeHeb. 12. 2. we may ſet our ſalvation befor us, and aim at it.
But yet (ſtill) this we ſhould do, (and if we ſerve God freely, will do it) count it a greater good to ſerve God, than to be ſaved; to glorifie God, than to be glorified.
Indeed the Lord ſaith. Them that honour me, I will honour; This is his goodneſs; yet Gods Honour is a greater good than our honour: It is a greater good that God be glorified, than that we ſhould be glorified: becauſe the Glory of God is the good of the Creator; but our glory is but the good of the Creature.
2. To ſerve God freely, is to ſerve him willingly: As we ſay of a man that doth a thing willingly, he doth it freely: for that is the very eſſence of the Will: that which is not done freely, is not done with the Will.
Oh obſerve thy ſelf! Thou [Profeſſor] it may be prayeſt in thy cloſet, but if thou durſt omit it, thou wouldeſt not pray; thou art not drunk; but if thou durſt for ſhame, thou wouldeſt not be ſo temperate; now thou doſt not pray nor abſtain from ſin willingly and freely.
3. To ſerve God freely, is to ſerve him abundantly: to be liberal in his ſervice: He that is no niggard, but is liberal in his gifts, we call him free: So he that ſerves God freely, is no niggard of his ſervice; he is very liberal of his ſervice to God: As we ſay of a man that's liberal of his Fare, and liberal in his Houſe; he is free, he cares not what he ſpends upon his friends; he provides bountifully for them; he calls for his Wines and Sweet-meats about him, and thinks nothing too much for them; we ſay this man hath a free and noble ſpirit: ſo the Saints that ſerve God freely, think they can never do enough for him: he makes abundant Proviſion to entertain Chriſt, and ſets a long Table full of Services, like ſo many diſhes before him.
When Chriſt ſaid to Zachaeus, To day I muſt abide at thy Luk. 19. 5.houſe: How did Zachaeus entertain him? Wondrous liberally: ſaith he, Behold Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor: Verſe 8.and if I have taken any thing from any man by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him four-fold: Zachaeus was wondrous free; Chriſt Jeſus might have any thing of him without ſpeaking.
A Saint cares not what he ſpends upon Chriſt; wilt thou have me give away one luſt? yea, ſaith Chriſt; there it is; another, ſaith Chriſt; there it is Lord, another yet, ſaith Chriſt; there 'tis Lord; nay all, ſaith Chriſt; take all then.
Veniat, veniat, Verbum Domini (ſaith one) Et ſubmittemus ei ſexcenta, ſi nobis eſſent, Colla: Let the Word of the Lord come, let it come; and wee'l ſubmit ſix hundred necks to it, if we had them.
Nay, but not thy luſts only, but thy life too, ſaith Chriſt; take it then: ſaith St. Paul, I am ready not to be bound only, Acts 21. 13.but alſo to dye at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus.
Ʋſe 3. Is grace a gift? then count thy work a gift: not a burden, but a gift; not a toyle, but a gift: look upon every labour, and every ſervice and obedience for God, as a gift: As a Woman, though ſhe travel in pain, yet counts her Child a gift from God: As the Text ſaith, Lo, Children are an heritage Pſal. 127. 3.of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward: The mother counts her child a gift: for who can create a ſoul in the Womb but the Lord? Who can form the ſhape and ſtructure of a man in the Womb, but the Lord? So, though thou labour and travel in birth of Service for the Lord, though thy Service for God may coſt thee many a pang; yet count it a gift: As Jeſus Chriſt did, The works which the Father hath Joh. 5. 36. John 17. 4.GIVEN me: And I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do: Lo, Our Saviour counts his work a gift; ſo ſhould we take it for a favour, that he employs us, that we may do him any ſervice, or have any office about him.
Nay to ſuffer for Chriſt, and loſe all for Chriſt, count it a gift; As Paul tells the Philippians, Ʋnto you it is given in Phil. 1. 29.the behalf of Chriſt, not only to believe in him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake: To ſuffer for Chriſt, was given them, as a great favour: ſufferings are a gift, as well as Faith.
As Latimer ſaid, The greateſt promotion that God gives in this world, is to be ſuch Philippians, to whom it is given not only to believe, but alſo to ſuffer.
And Ignatius profeſſed, he had rather be a Martyr, than a Monarch: And the Apoſtles rejoyced, that they were graced,Acts 5. 41. ſo as to be diſgraced for Jeſus Chriſt.
Ʋſe 4. Make ſure of Heaven then, ſince the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is a gift to ſome, not to all.
How ſhould we make our calling and election ſure, ſince many are called, and but few choſen?
Give diligence to make thy calling ſure, ſeeing he gives grace but to ſome, not to all; ſince he ſends pardons but to ſome, not to all.
We need not doubt the attaining of that which none at all miſs, nor any are ever put by it: But when a thing of price and worth is given only to ſome, not to all, there we ſhould make ſure work.
You that hope for Heaven, make ſure of Heaven; for hopes diſappointed will break the heart: If hope deferred makes the heart ſick, ſurely hopes diſappointed will make the heart break.
Oh do not hang upon rotten hopes: as a man that hangs over a deep River by a Rope or Cord, there he hangs and hopes, and hopes and hangs, but if his Cord break and ſnap aſunder, there he falls, and never riſeth more; ſo many hang over Hell by the Cord of hope; and if thy Cord of hope breaks (as it will, if it be but rotten) thou art gone; Man, thou art gone if thou hadſt a thouſand ſouls: And therefore do not hang upon a weak Cord of uncertain hope; but upon the golden Cord of Faith and Aſſurance.
If you ſay, How may we attain Aſſurance?
I anſwer you,
Firſt, God gives aſſurance in Gods way: if God gives aſſurance, certainly he will give it in God's way: Therefore, Sirs, never expect it in a way of ſin; for ſin is not God's way.
I am told by a moſt learned man, That Aſſurance by our Divines Mr. Woolbridge of Huſtification, Pag. 292.is wont to be made a part of Sanctification, and may very well be included in the ſanctification of the ſpirit, (1 Theſ. 5. 23.) as diſtinct-from Soul and Body.
Secondly, Seek not aſſurance in the way of the World: the World is a ſtranger to aſſurance; this is ſuch a flower, as grows not in the Worlds garden; the world and aſſurance are Antipodes: And therefore if ever you would meet with aſſurance, do not as the world doth: For do ye not know, That narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it? And therefore you run from aſſurance, if you follow the world: Oh tremble then to go in the way of the world! If thou wilt follow the moſt, I tell thee, the moſt will be damned: Aſſurance lyeth East, and the world goeth Weſt; if thou follow the world, the Sun of aſſurance will ſet upon thee.
The Apoſtle ſaith, That the Devil is the God of the world, who 2 Cor. 4. 4.hath blinded their minds.
And he tells you, That the Saints are chaſtened of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 32.that they may not be CONDEMNED with the world.
Where then can the world or her Children meet with aſſurance? They may be aſſured of Hell, but not of Heaven.
Our Lord Chriſt ſaith, I pray not for the world, but for John 17. 9.them which thou haſt given me, for they are thine: The Lord Jeſus doth not ſpend one breath to pray for the world; and where then is the aſſurance of the world?
Thirdly, It is but a few ſpecial ones that wear the golden chain of aſſurance about their necks: and therefore you muſt be choice Chriſtians if you would have this white ſtone, and the new name written in it.
It is not every meaſure of true grace that affords aſſurance: ordinary Saints have it not; and therefore advance; Sirs, you muſt advance higher, you muſt be peculiar ones, if you would enjoy aſſurance: All the Children know not their Fathers ſecrets, but the choiceſt of them.
Fourthly, Aſſurance is a work of the greateſt diligence: And therefore ſaith Peter, Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure.
Lazy ſouls will never arrive at it: he that would have it, muſt be familiar and intimate with God.
Enoch, who was tranſlated, was one that walked with God; and you that would be tranſlated into the Heaven of aſſurance, muſt be perſons walking with God: You muſt take many a turn with him: you muſt dwell in his Preſence; you muſt pray hard, and lay faſt hold upon him.
As it is ſaid of Thetys, that when ſhe came to ask a requeſt of Jupiter,
————foreign,Hom. Iliad A. v. 512.
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She laid faſt hold upon his knees, and held him as if ſhe had been ingrafted into him, and would not leave him.
So vigorouſly muſt you purſue God in Prayer that would have aſſurance; you muſt wreſtle with him, and lay hold on him, as if you were incorporated into him.
Ʋſe 5. Tremble at the ſeverity of God in his ſpiritual adminiſtrations.
His judicial puniſhments upon the ſouls of men are very dreadful.
To you it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of heaven]: here is exceeding mercy.
But to others it is not given], here is exceeding ſeverity.
The Lord knows how to meet with ſinners in their own way: to ſhape his judgments to their deſervings.
Ignorance is their ſin, and Ignorance ſhall be their puniſhment.
He will ſpeak in parables to them, and he will act in parables to them; his Word ſhall be parables, and his Works ſhall be parables to them: They ſhall underſtand nothing that he ſaith, and nothing that he doth: he will walk every ſtep in the dark towards them, all his paths ſhall be covered with Clouds: in all his teachings, and in all his walkings, there ſhall be a miſt before their eyes: though he ſaith, This is the way to heaven, walk in it; yet they ſhall not ſee the way: they would not, and now they ſhall not.
Oh that thou hadſt known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes: They did hide their eyes from their peace, and now their peace is hid from their eyes.
Conſider, What are the things whoſe Knowledg is not given you: The Myſteries of the Kingdome of Heaven: What, Sirs, Is it the matters of Heaven that are kept from you? A curtain drawn between you and heaven? Now God's angry indeed: A cloud ſet up to darken ſalvation and eternal life from you? Lord, here is thy greateſt ſeverity.
Nay, he infatuates the wiſe, and takes the underſtanding from the prudent.
He is a ſevere God to thoſe that act againſt the light.
—foreignHomer Odyſ. Ψ.
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God hath made thee mad, who can make the wiſeſt man a fool, and ſtrip him of his Intellectuals.
Do we not ſee men whom we call wiſe, damn themſelves underſtandingly?
God draws an horrid Eclipſe upon their minds, and theirSee Iſa. 29. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 verſes, Sun of Wiſdom ſets upon them; they run madly upon their ruine, and moſt skilfully plot their own deſtruction.
God ſtruck Nebuchadnezzar mad, and he was driven from Dan. 4. 33.men, and did eat graſs as Oxen; his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws: he was turned into a beaſt by the Judgment of God.
And therefore Sinners are called in Scripture, Lyons, and Bears, and Wolves, and Dogs.
God bereaves them of their underſtanding, they bark againſt Religion, like Dogs, and bite the Saints like Dogs; they run about ſnarling and ſnapping at Gods ways and his People, like mad Dogs.
Thus God is ſevere in his ſpiritual Judgments, he infatuates the wiſe, and makes them fools: they carry on most artificially their own damnation.
Ʋſe 6. Sinners, ſee your ſpiritual miſery: and my God open your eyes, that you may ſee it.
1. You have ſeen many things, and if you ſee not your own miſery, you ſee nothing: It may be you have ſeen miſerable Objects; but if you ſee not your ſoul-miſery, you have ſeen nothing.
You have ſeen War in the Land; you have ſeen garments rolled in blood; you have ſeen your own or other mens eſtates plundred; you have heard the noiſe of the Trumpet, and the beating of the Drum in your ſtreets.
But now, if in a day of peace, you ſee not God at War with your ſelves; if you ſee not the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven denied to you; if you ſee not your ſelves plundred of Heaven, and ſtript of light and life; if you ſee not your ſpiritual eſtate wallowing in its blood; if you hear not the Trumpet of the Goſpel calling you to Repentance; if you hear not the Drum of Conſcience beating againſt ſin in your own boſoms; whatever you have heard, or ſeen, you have ſeen and heard nothing.
2. Much communicable, and nothing had, is not this miſerable? Heaven drops, and it drops fatneſs, and yet your ſouls ſo lean, is not this a Myſtery? So much to be had, and ſo little enjoyed, makes me wonder and grieve. Light communicable, and yet men have no light; Grace communicable, and yet men without grace; Heaven communicable, and yet men drop every day to Hell: This is an aggravation of Miſery: Ah ſinners! in your Fathers houſe is bread enough, feaſting, banquetting, glorious diſhes in Wiſdoms houſe; how is it that you have nothing?
3. Your ſins are aggravated, and ſo will your condemnation be; you ſeeing, ſee not; and hearing, you hear not; you hear and ſee, and yet underſtand not: Doth not this aggravate your ſins, and make them exceeding ſinful? You are called, and yet you have refuſed: God hath ſtretched out his hands, and yet you have not regarded; you ſhut your eyes, and ſtop your ears, leſt you ſhould be converted; and doth not this greaten your ſins, and make them odious? Glorious power works in the world, and yet men lye in their ſins: Power works gloriouſly, but you feel none, you are under the power of ſin, as if there were no Power of God at all working in the World.
Sinners, this leaves you wholly without excuſe; there is power enough working to ſubdue the ſtrongeſt luſt; what can you plead? How great is that ſin which is committed under the neglect of glorious power! within the reach of a glorious arm! As there is a glorious power, ſo there be glorious ſins, ſplendida peccata, ſcarlet, crimſon ſins; and theſe are ſuch as are committed againſt glorious means, glorious light, grace, and aid.
Men ſin, and lay it upon their weakneſs, and ſo reſt and rub on: Ah Lord! what a life is this! God will judg you, and lay it upon your wickedneſs and wilfulneſs: for is not glorious Power preſent to raiſe you up? Weakneſs becomes wickedneſs, when it is reſted in, and pleaded for: A ſoul given to ſhifting, hath no mind to leave his ſin; there is no damning temper like this: you ſay, you have no power to come out of ſin; 'tis not fo, there is the Power of God in the Goſpel preſent and ready for you to lift you up: And therefore there muſt be no pleading for ſin, no not for any ſin, though never ſo great and ſtrong: The remedy, the power is ſo gloriouſly All-ſufficient.
Dub. But I pray you, Sir, tell us, How ſhall we know that the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is not given unto us?
Anſw. 1. You that ſleep in your loſt eſtate, to you the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven is not given: The Myſteries of Hell and Damnation are made known to you, and yet you awake not: What ſoul is there that doth awake?
2. When a man can love a ſin in the very face of Divine Myſteries, in the very face of Mercy, and the face of Glory.
3. When the more God forbids a ſin, the more you bid for it: When the more the Commandment comes, ſin becomes the more ſinful, and the heart the more ſtubborn; when the more the ſpirit ſtrives, the more ſin thrives; the more the ſpirit ſtrives againſt thy luſt, the more thou ſtriveſt to hold faſt thy luſt: From this man is the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven ſhut up: let him look to himſelf be-times.
Ʋſe 7. Sinners, go not on to provoke God to deny you the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven.
I told you (in the Explication of this Point) that God in denying to ſome the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven, obſerves a Method of Juſtice; that is, Sinners deſerve it and procure it at the Hands of God: I ſay Sinners deſerve blindneſs and obduration.
Firſt, [ſenſu Negativo] in a Negative ſenſe, becauſe they deſerve not ſoftneſs of heart, that God ſhould mollifie them; they deſerve not this ſpecial mercy.
Secondly, They deſerve blindneſs and hardneſs of heart in an Affirmative ſenſe; becauſe by their Additional ſins, and daily reſiſtings, they deſerve a further Hardneſs and Tradition [foreign] to a Reprobate mind.
Ʋſe 8. Try your graces: Gifts will not ſave you: ſee that you have not the gift of Knowledg, but the grace of Knowledg: not the gift of Prayer, but the grace of Prayer: See that you have not good parts, but parts in Chriſt, as our Lord ſaid, Mary hath choſen that good part which ſhall not be taken Luk. 10. 42.from her.
No man hath good parts, till he hath part in Chriſt.
Would you try your graces? know then,
1. Grace acts inwardly. It works upon the heart, upon the vitals: it works upon the ſubject it is in: as phyſick works upon Nature, ſo doth grace; it works upon the very nature and conſtitution.
2. It acts Divinely: it doth all for God, and for Divine ends: He that hath the gift of Prayer, prays for himſelf, that he may ſhew himſelf, as David ſaid to King Achiſh, Thou ſhalt 1 Sam. 28. 2.know what thy ſervant can do: But he that hath the grace of Prayer, prayeth for God; he doth not only pray to God, but for God, that he may have more of God, and leſs of himſelf: more communion with God, leſs communion with himſelf: he that hath the grace of Prayer, prays for grace.
He that hath the grace of patience, ſuffers Divinely; becauſe God will have him ſuffer; as David ſaid concerning Shimei, Let him alone, (ſaith he) for God hath bid him curſe David.2 Sam. 16. 10.
He that hath the Grace of Obedience, obeys Divinely, he acts with Divine raptures of love to God, and zeal for his Glory.
3. It acts univerſally: As the Sun being in the Heavens, runs its courſe over all the World; ſo the ſoul that is fixed in an Heaven of grace, runs its courſe and motion through all the Commandments.
As the Apoſtles being univerſal paſtors, were not fixed to any place, but went Preaching the Goſpel all the world over; ſo thoſe that are univerſal Saints, limit and fix themſelves to no Commandment, but travel over all the world of Goſpelprecepts.
Ʋſe 9. This ſpeaks admirable comfort to many ſorts of men, who ſtart up doubts and ſcruples againſt themſelves, and follow the ſcent of them too far, ſo as to hinder them in the way of believing.
Dub. 1. Saith a doubting ſoul, I am a poor man, and deſpiſed in the world, and will the Lord reveal his Myſteries of Heaven to me? Will the Lord look upon me?
Sol. And why not upon thee? Though the Lord be high, yet he looks low: He humbleth himſelf to behold the children of men.
1. The Lord will not deſpiſe thee in that thou art poor, becauſe 'tis the condition himſelf hath put thee in: Now the Lord doth never deſpiſe his own work: he deſpiſeth Satans work, and Mans work, which is ſin; but he doth never deſpiſe his own work; he that made thee poor, will not deſpiſe thy poverty.
Thou canſt not be worſe than a beggar, a blind beggar; we count a beggar to be in a low condition, but a blind beggar that cannot ſee to work for his living, we count him very low; and yet Chriſt gives grace to ſuch, Mark 10. 47, He was blind, and yet he ſaw Chriſt by Faith: for as ſoon as ever he heard it was Jeſus, He cryed out, Jeſus, thou Son of David, (i. e. the Meſſiah) have mercy on me.
Chriſt Jeſus before he came at him, ſent his ſpirit to teach him to ſay [Jeſus thou Son of David] Chriſt Jeſus came by that way on ſet-purpoſe to reveal himſelf to the poor beggar.
2. Thy Saviour was poor, and therefore no marvel if the poor be ſaved: He that made Chriſt poor, will make the poor, Chriſtians.
3. To chuſe, God will reveal his Myſteries to the poor rather than to the rich: not that he doth deſpiſe riches, but becauſe the rich deſpiſe him; they are proud of their riches, and think that God is engaged to ſave them above others, becauſe they are great above others: They that are rich in eſtate; are rich in conceit.
Dub. 2. But I have but an ordinary Trade; and will the Lord give grace to me?
Sol. Why not to thee? The Lord had as leif Trade with thee, as with any other.
The Apoſtles (many of them) were but Fiſhermen, and yet the Lord Chriſt caught them in his Net: his ſpirit mov'd upon their Waters, and took them out of the depths of ſin, and revealed the glories of Heaven to them, ſo as to none ever before or after them.
A Fiſherman is as ordinary a Trade as any in the World, and yet Chriſt preferred them above all the World, and made them the greateſt men in Heaven and Earth; for himſelf ſits next the Father, and the Apoſtles next him.
Dub. 3. But I am a Servant, an Apprentice, I am an Handmaid, whoſe work is the meaneſt drudgery in the houſe, and will the Lord reveal to me the Myſteries of Heaven?
Sol. And why not to thee? eſpecially if thou art humble: If thy Maſter truſt thee with his Eſtate and Caſh, will not God truſt thee with his Jewels and Graces?
God is an humble God, and will ſit with the ſervant at the lower end of the Table, as well as with the Maſter at the upper end of the Table.
Nay with God all are round Tables, there's no upper end; he reſpects not the Maſter more than the Servant, in mattersEph. 6. 9. of grace.
Thou ſayeſt, I am but a ſervant, I ſit not down with my Maſter at Table, I wait:
So doth Free-grace, it waits too:
Thy condition is not ſo low, but Free grace goeth lower: God waits to be gracious.Iſa. 30. 18.
Dogs are lower than Servants: and yet Chriſt gives grace to Dogs; to the Woman of Canaan, whom he called a Dog, Oh woman great is thy Faith!
The Children of Iſrael were but Servants and Bondmen in Egypt; and yet God appeared to them, not to Pharaoh: Thou doſt the baſeſt ſervice in the houſe, and they made Brick, and yet God appeared to them, not to Pharaoh.
Joſeph was but a ſervant, and yet how familiar was God with him? It is worth your noting: Joſeph was a Servant all along. A ſervant to his Brethren, they ſold him (as his Maſters) into Egypt.
He was a ſervant in Potiphar's houſe, and yet God reveals his Preſence to him there: When his Miſtris tempted him, ſaith he, How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God?
A man may be a ſervant to men, and yet not a ſervant to his luſts, and then God appears to thee:
Joſeph, when he was caſt in the Priſon, was worſe than a ſervant, and yet God was with him there: God keeps company with Joſeph from ſervice to priſon, and gives him favour in the Jaylours eyes, and he truſts him with all his Priſoners: When men have command over their luſts, God gives them command over men.
Dub. 4. But (yet ſaith a ſoul) I am a fooliſh man, an unlearned man, and will the Lord reveal his Myſteries to me?
Sol. And why not to thee? The Lord loves to be making the fooliſh, wiſe: and Jeſus Chriſt ſaw a great deal of beauty in it, when he ſaid I thank thee, oh Father, that thou haſt hid Mar. 11. 25.theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes.
What Beauty may we read in this work?
The wondrous skill and power of God, appears in it: you count him a rare School-maſter that can make Idiots and Fools Scholars; How do you admire his Art in Teaching? This ſets out the Lords skill, and ſpeaks him admirable: When the ſcribes and phariſees ſaw the boldneſs of Peter and John, and Acts 4. 13.perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledg of them, that they had been with Jeſus.
Is it not a rare ſight to ſee a child ſpeak ſentences, and poſe an aged man with Wiſdom? Thus when Chriſt was but a child (twelve years old) and poſed the Doctors, in the Temple; The Text ſaith, They were aſtoniſht at it.
Ʋſe 10. Oh! awake your ſelves then: feed not your ſelves with idle dreams of an univerſal grace, as if ye could not miſs of Heaven.
Is it not time to awake, when ſalvation (like a Roſe) grows not in every ones garden? When the Beams of grace ſhine not in at every ones Window? when there are ſo many profeſſors, and ſo few ſaints? When the Knowledg of the Myſteries of Heaven treads not over every mans threſhold, but only goes into that heart where God ſends them.
There were two Thieves crucified with Chriſt on the Croſs, the one is taken, the other left: Two Sons in Rebeccha's Womb, (Jacob and Eſau) the one is taken, and the other left. There were ten Virgins, five of them taken, and five left: Ah, Lord, how narrow is thy number!
Whilſt the Miniſter is Preaching, the ſpirit, like an Archer, ſhoots the arrow of Converſion into ſuch an one's heart, and hits him, and paſſeth by many an one; he ſhoots his Arrow by ſo many, and hits one or two.
Oh, how ſhould this awake you! Lord, hit my heart: Lord, make me thy mark; do not miſs my ſoul, but hit, Lord: I am an unclean wretch, make my black heart, thy white to ſhoot at: Lord, I am a drunkard, level thine Arrow of grace at my heart: ſhoot ſtedy, Lord, take thine aim, and ſhoot thy Darts through my deadly luſts.
Lord, I am an unbeliever, I cannot believe the promiſe; take ſuch a word of pardon, and dart it into my ſoul, that I may believe.
Lord, I have heard many Sermons, and thou haſt not hit me yet; I have ſate under the ſhowres of grace a long time, and every drop hath yet fallen beſides me: thine Arrows have fled about mine ears, and not one yet ſtuck in my ſides.
Content not your ſelves then, in that ye live under the means of grace.
Object. But is not this an hindrance to our converſion, a great block in our way, in that God gives grace to ſome, not to all? In that many are called, but few are choſen?
Anſw. No, none at all; nay it is a huge furtherance to grace and converſion, in that it is the gift of God.
I think grace may ſooner be had, in that it is in Gods hand to give, than if it were in our power to get: Who would doubt of having grace from ſuch an hand? I ſay, from ſuch an hand, who hath ſuch a large and bounteous heart? And therefore if you ask, ſhould we not be more certain if our ſalvation did depend on none but our ſelves.
I anſwer, no: For we ought to be much more diſtruſtful of our ſelves than of God, who loves us more than we love our ſelves: And in a doubtful and difficult caſe, 'tis better to commit our ſelves to the mercy and goodneſs of God, than to our own power.
And therefore I would demand of thee, Canſt thou ask for grace?
Who ever went without grace, but 'twas his own fault? he had it not, becauſe he would not ſeek it: he went without it, becauſe he did not care for it.
Object. But in that grace is the gift of God, and not in the diſpoſe of man; Is it not enough to take men off from duty and endeavour, and make them ſecure, and negligent of their ſalvation?
No ſuch matter: For ſeeing on the one ſide, we cannot ſay, Grace ſhall be denied us; and on the other ſide, we are bound to Co-operate with grace, and work out our ſalvation; we ought therefore ſo to act [Ac ſi Gratia ſemper adeſſet] as if grace were always preſent; and yet ſo, as if the whole buſineſs lay in us: We ſhould walk between ſloth and pride: God is to be ſought and prayed to, as if the whole did depend upon him; and we muſt ſo act, as if the whole did depend upon us: We ſee this in Scripture, [Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling] as if the whole lay upon us; [For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do] as if the whole lay upon him.
God told Joſhuah and the Iſraelites by expreſs Revelation, that he would fight for them againſt the Nations, and give them victory; and yet they did act themſelves, and purſue their buſineſs, as if the whole ſucceſs were in their power.
Election is not to be look'd on but in Chriſt, nor ReprobationMr. Bradford. but in Sin; ſeek to be delivered from ſin, and fear not Reprobation: But if thou wilt not, thou ſhalt find no excuſe in the laſt day.
2. Thou makes a wrong uſe of this ſort of Doctrine in Scripture, [Many are called, but few are choſen: to you it is given to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, to them it is not given]: For this is ſet down in Scripture, not to feed thee with infidelity, but to terrifie thee from the fame, to ſtir thee up to believe; not to hinder, but to put thee on to believe, to make thee more careful to believe.
3. As the command of believing reacheth to you, ſo doth the promiſe: The promiſe belongs to you all (though not the benefit of the promiſe; but only to ſo many as do believe), I ſay the promiſe belongs to you all.
To clear this:
1. See Heb. 4. 1, Let us therefore fear, leſt a promiſe being Heb. 4. 1.left unto us of entring into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it (through unbelief).
Mark the words, [there is a promiſe left unto us]; ſo doubt not but the promiſe belongs to thee; only beware thou come not ſhort of it through unbelief.
Thou feareſt that the promiſe belongs not to thee; but the Apoſtle bids thee fear, lest a promiſe being left thee (or belonging to thee), thou come ſhort of it through unbelief.
'Tis clear, That the promiſe is to thoſe, who come ſhort of it.
2. So Acts 2. 39, Repent, and believe, for the promiſe is to Acts 2. 39.you, and to your ſeed, and to all that are afar of, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call.
Mark here [the promiſe is to you] is laid down as an Argument to believe; as a Motive to believe; and therefore did belong to them before they did believe: for the Cauſe is before the Effect.
Yes (you will ſay) to them, to the Jews, but not to us: mark the next words, [And to all that are afar of, even to as many as the Lord our God ſhall call]
Object. But God gives not Grace to all, and that's the thing that fears me.
Anſw. What is that to thee? As Christ ſaid unto Peter: Peter asked Chriſt ſuch a queſtion, Lord what ſhall this man do? Joh. 21. 21, 22.ſaith Chriſt to him, What is that to thee? follow thou me.
So God gives not grace to all: What is that to thee? follow thou me, believe thou in me, ſaith Chriſt.
Object. Oh! but I am a great ſinner, and will he pardon me, and give grace to me?
Anſw. 1. The Covenant of grace is a free Covenant; from the Lord's free favour, without any reſpect to any thing in thee: it looks at nothing in thee: no worth in thee can procure it.
The Covenant, is not only a Covenant to grace, but a Covenant of grace; not only a Covenant to grace, to give more grace where it is; but a Covenant of grace, to give grace where is none.
2. The greatneſs of thy ſinfulneſs will manifeſt, and ſet out the greatneſs of his mercy: For his names ſake he pardons iniquity. Iſa. 43.Now the greater, and the more thy ſins have been, the greater will be the name of his mercy.
Queſt. But how may we attain the Knowledg of the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven?
Anſw. 1. Let not ſin ſtand between you and the glorious light of the Myſteries of Heaven: Ceaſe love to ſin, if you would have an Heaven upon Earth, a glorious Preſence of God in you.
Render your ſpirits free to God; let them not be enſnared with any luſt: ſuch entanglement ſpoils your Glory: pure hearts ſhall ſee the face of God, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God.
You poor ſouls, who are purging your ſelves, will you believe your Saviour? then you ſhall ſee God.
Purity makes capacity of Heaven: The holyeſt men ever had the moſt glorious viſions; as Daniel and John.
A man may ſee Hell in his ſin, but ſhall never ſee Heaven.
2. Would you have the Knowledg of theſe Myſteries? Then get upon ſome hill; the air of the lower region is thick and miſty: I mean, live above, abſtract your ſelves (as much as may be) from the world: God chuſeth his place to make Heaven: he makes Heaven above; in Jeruſalem, that is above: in ſouls that are above; above the vanities of this World, he makes an Heaven, and there the Myſteries of the Kingdom (like ſo many ſtars) ſhine.
Moſes is led up to a mount to ſee Canaan: Chriſt upon a mount had his glorious Transfiguration, he had his Heaven upon a mount.
Love muſt mount above all theſe low things, ere the ſoul can ſee Heaven, enjoy glorious Preſence.
It falls out unhappily ſtill with man, when he goes about to make an Heaven here; when he ſets love at work, to take her fortune, to make her Glory and Felicity here below as ſhe can: This checks the working of a glorious light in any heart: it ſets a Divine Power a working another way, to whip the man with vexation of ſpirit, for ſeeking Heaven in Earth, in glorious vanities.
No man ſhall have two Heavens, or but very few.
3. Let thy heart be Cryſtal: The Myſteries of Heaven ſhining upon ſuch an heart, reflect gloriouſly: I mean, an heart that is a pure glaſs, clear from all hypocriſie: God deſcended like a Dove, upon a Dove; ſweetly and gloriouſly upon him, In whoſe mouth there was no guile.
It was upon Jeſus Chriſt there came a voice from Heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleaſed.
God never proclaims himſelf well-pleaſed in that heart, which makes not him his pleaſure: A heart, and a heart hath none of Gods heart.
Divine Power works not gloriouſly, where the heart, works baſely.
An hypocrite hath leaſt of Heaven of any man, and moſt of Hell.
4. As men draw near to God, ſo they ſee him: near to him in Quality, and near to him in Duty. Sirs, We ſee Heaven beſt upon out knees: At the Throne of grace we find grace: Heaven at Gods feet: When moſt in his Preſence, moſt in Heaven: A man muſt live in Heaven, to have Heaven live in him; much going to Heaven, brings Heaven at laſt down along with one.
Ʋſe laſt, Then, Oh ye Saints, bleſs the Lord: Admire the Lord that hath revealed his Myſteries to you, not to others; that ye know thoſe things which others do not. Oh! fall admiring God and Free-grace.
The fourth and laſt Doctrine.
Doct. 4. That where there are beginnings of true grace, though never ſo weak; God makes rich Additions of more grace [Whoſoever hath, to him ſhall be given, and he ſhall have more abundance].
Now to evince this, I will give you the Teſtimony of Scripture: And
1. In Phil. 1. 6, Paul cheers up their hearts, by telling them, that he was confident, [i. e. aſſured] That God who Phil. 1. 6.had begun a good work in them, would perfect it, until the day of Jeſus Chriſt.
The Apoſtle writing to the Theſſalonians, praiſeth God for them, Becauſe (ſaith he) your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.2 Theſ. 1. 3.
Where God plants, he makes to grow; and where he ſows, he watereth into an increaſe.
2dly, John 10. 10, I came (ſaith Chriſt) that they might have John 10. 10.life, and that they might have it more abundantly: or that they might have abundance: So Muſculus reads it, Et abundantiam habeant.
For it is not foreign, that is, [Abundantius] but foreign, which word ſignifieth Abundantiam, copiam, & affluentiam, i. e.Qui vivere dedit, dabit & reliqua ad vitam hanc caeleſtem neceſſaria: Nec dabit parce, ſed liberaliter & opulente: Muſculus in Johan. Quid dat formam, dat conſequentia formam. He that gives life, will give all things neceſſary to this Divine life, to maintain it richly. an abundance and affluence of ſpiritual and heavenly Additions to the leaſt grace.
3dly, Iſa. 42. 3, A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, and the Iſa. 42. 3.ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, [The Negative here implieth an Affirmative], A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, i. e. he ſhall ſtrengthen it; and the ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, i. e. he ſhall be ſo far from quenching, that he ſhall make it flame, and blow it up into a blaze: He ſhall bring forth judgment unto truth; which Matthew (following the Septuagint)Matth. 12. 20. ſaith, He ſhall bring forth judgment unto victory.
And this is the meaning of that Text, Of his fulneſs have John 1. 16.we all received [foreign] and grace for grace, foreign.(i. e.) one grace for another. The latter for the former: for having mentioned the fulneſs of Chriſt, he ſaith, That not one, but many graces are drawn and derived from him: not one, but many graces; the firſt whereof is the cauſe of the ſecond, the ſecond of the third, and the third of the fourth, and ſo along; always the latter is given for the former, till all the gifts of grace being compleated, beatitude it ſelf is at laſt perfected.
Not as if more grace were given for the right uſe of grace; for that were to take us off from Christ to our ſelves: whereas 'tis the Apoſtles ſcope to fix us wholly on Chriſt; but the Condition and Nature of Saving-grace, which is ſuch Ʋt prima Trahat alteram) that the firſt draws the ſecond; they are as it were ſo concatenated, as one Ring in a chain draws another; and for the former that is given, the latter is given; that is, God, becauſe he hath given the one, will give the other; ſuch is the Order and Method he obſerves; he give grace for grace; that is, where he finds one grace, he gives another; and where he finds ſome, he gives more.
Or Grace for Grace; (i. e.) Gratiam ſuper Gratiam, grace upon grace; (i. e.) abundance of grace: having ſcarce received one, but preſently receive another; and after that, another, which (Muſculus ſaith) the Hebrews expreſs foreign as the Apoſtle ſhews it in Rom. 8. 30. From the fulneſs of Chriſt, we have received the grace of our Calling; and upon our calling, the grace of Pardon and Juſtification; here's grace upon grace; and upon our Juſtification, the grace of Adoption and Sanctification; here's grace upon grace; and upon our Adoption, the grace of Glory and Salvation: ſtill grace upon grace, as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it in Epheſ. 1. 3, 4, &c.
We ſhall now give you the Reaſons of the Point, why it is that where there are beginnings of true grace, though never ſo weak, God makes rich additions of more grace: And,
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe, grace in a Saint is God's own child: the infant grace is the Spirits little babe, begot in the Womb of the ſoul, by the Spirit: the ſoul is the Mother of it, and the Spirit is the Father of it: Now, you know, a Father is very tender of his young babe; he takes it up in his Arms, and looks upon it, he reads his own Image in it, and puts it in his boſom; he handles it as gently as ever he can, and preſerves it from the leaſt harm: So when the Infant-grace is born in the ſoul, the Spirit is very tender of his young babe; he makes wondrous much of it, and is as Preſervative of its life, as ever he can: As you may ſee in Paul; he had been in ſore pangs of Travel three days and three nights together; and the child [Grace] was newly born, and ſee what care the Spirit had of it; ſaid he to Annanias, Ariſe [do not ſtay, ſaith he; butActs 9. 11. ariſe] and go into the ſtreet which is called Straight, and enquire in the houſe of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarſus: for behold, he prayeth: The child [Grace] as ſoon as it was born, began to cry, and the Spirit preſently takes care of it.
1. The Spirit (when the ſoul is brought to bed, and ſafely delivered of her Man-child [Grace] ſets the little babe to nurſe, and provides ſuck for it, and gives it the Breaſts of the Ordinances; as the Apoſtle ſaith, And I brethren, could not ſpeak 1 Cor. 3. 1 1 Pet. 2. 2.unto you, as unto ſpiritual, but—as unto babes in Christ; I have fed you with milk: And [in 1 Pet. 2 2.] As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
A babe, when 'tis new-born, muſt have milk, which is the moſt nutritive food in the world: ſo muſt the little new creature, when it is born, it muſt have milk; and therefore the Spirit provides it for him; The Ordinances are the Breaſts, and the Miniſters are the Nurſes which give it ſuck; As the Apoſtle ſaith, We were gentle among you, even as a nurſe cheriſheth 1 Theſ. 2. 7.her children.
2. The Spirit dades his little child [Grace] and teacheth it to go; As God ſaith, When Iſrael was a child, I loved him, Hoſ. 11. 1. Verſe 3.and called my ſon out of Egypt—I taught Ephraim alſo to go, taking them by their arms.
And therefore are we ſaid to be led by the ſpirit, and to walk Rom. 8. 14.in the ſpirit.
3. The Spirit teacheth his little child [Grace] to ſpeak: as a Father (you know) takes up his little one upon his knee, and teacheth him to Articulate words, and to call [Dad]: ſo doth the Holy Spirit teach the child [Grace] to cry, Abba, Gal. 4. 6Father. Becauſe ye are Sons, God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Reaſ. 2. Where there are beginnings of true grace, God makes rich Additions of more grace; becauſe (ſuch is the Lords duplicate page duplicate page noble Nature, that) he loves to be giving: To give, is an ActDare, honeſtum quid eſt, Recipere utile: Dans exercet Actum Moneſtum, Accipere utilem: Agit ille, hic patitur potius. for a Prince, rather for a God: poor men receive, rich men give; Subjects receive, Princes give: Creatures receive, the Creator gives: The more noble and eminent natures are, the more they give, and the leſs they receive: The heavenly bodies glance their light, and dart their influences upon the Earth below, but receive nothing from the Earth: To give is an Act of perfection; to receive is a note of imperfection: were we not imperfect, we need not be receiving.
He that gives, imitates God, who gives and receives not again, becauſe he wants not any thing: And therefore it was a ſaying of Chriſt, It is more bleſſed to give, than to receive: Acts 20. 35.It is a part of Gods Beatitude, that he is all things, and hath all things to give; that he can give and not be beholden to receive: that he is an overflowing Sea, always pouring out his gifts and golden ſtreams upon the Creature: When he hath given thee grace, he hath more grace ſtill to give: And being a God (and not man) he gives continually; to give, he makes his continued Act: He'l never ceaſe giving to his Saints, not only in this life, but in the life to come: he will be giving out unto his Saints eternally.
As the Sun is always giving out its heat and virtue to the World, ſo will God be always giving out his ſweetneſs to his Saints throughout Eternity.
So that, he that hath grace, ſhall have more grace: he that hath it in the bud, and in the beginning, ſhall have it in the perfection: fear not (poor creature) if thou art always wanting, God will be always giving; and being a God, he is not weary or remiſs in any of his Acts. He takes more pleaſure in giving, than thou canſt in receiving; ſuch is his Noble and Princely ſpirit.
To give, is (as it were) an Act connatural to him, an eternal Act: he gave his Eſſence to his Son from all eternity, andJohn 5. 26. John 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32. in time gave his Son to loſt Sinners (ſee, he loves to give) and with his Son will give us all things.
Reaſ. 3. To him that hath grace, God gives more, becauſe he knows there he ſhall not beſtow his grace in vain: he ſhall have fruit from his Plantation: the grace he ſows there, will return him a crop.
Oh, how happy a thing is it to have a ſoul ſeaſoned with true grace! The perſon gains, and God himſelf is a gainer by ſuch an one: the poor ſoul gains by it; for he that hath true grace, ſhall have more; and God gains by it, for the more grace God gives ſuch an one, the more fruit ſhall God have from ſuch an one: and that's the Lords delight: it is the vine-dreſſers delight to ſee his Vines (which he plants and prunes) deckt with grapes: It is the Husbandmans delight to walk and ſee his Field (which he tilled) cloathed with ſtately Corn: Now God is an Husbandman (as Chriſt ſaith) I am John 15. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 9.the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman: And ye are Gods husbandry,