Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Titus · Sermon 21
SERMON XXI.
TITUS II.14.
—And purifying unto himself a peculiar People, &c.
IN this latter Branch I observed, Christ's Act, and then his Aim: His Act, he gave himself: His Aim and Intention; And here is the privative part of Deliverance, To redeem us from all Iniquity. This I have finished.
I come to the Positive part, And purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good VVorks. He never communicates his Blessings, where he doth not bestow his Grace: He did not only free us from Hell, but from Sin. It is well for the Godly, that Christ came to take away the proud and carnal Heart, to take away Corruption and Iniquity, which is their greatest Eye-sore. But this is not all, there is a positive Blessing; Christ did not only come to deliver us from Sin, but communicate Grace, That he might purify to himself a peculiar People.
Two Points I shall open to you.
I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People, he first purifieth them; or, by purifying them, maketh them his People.
II. Those that are purified, are reckoned his Treasure, or peculiar People.
Doct. I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People, he first purifieth them; or by purifying, maketh them his People.
Here I shall shew you, 1st. The Necessity. 2dly. The Manner of it.
First; The Necessity of this Purification.
1. In regard of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Every Person in the God-head, in the dispensation of Grace, hath a distinct personal Operation; Election is ascribed to the Father, Redemption to the Son, and effectual Application to the Holy Ghost. Now every one of these Operations respects Holiness: Election, Ephes. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we might be holy, and without blame before him in Love. Redemption, Ephes. 5.25, 26. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word. Sanctification, 2 Thess. 2.13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation, through Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth. It is for the Honour of every Person, that their Intention may not be frustrate, and chiefly upon this ground, because by this means they would justify and honour their personal Operation to the World. Those that are chosen by the Father, must be of a choice Spirit: Christ will not be the Head of an ulcerous Body; he will not be like Nebuchadnezzar's Image, whose Head was of fine Gold, his Breast and his Arms of Silver, his Belly and his Thighs of Brass, his Legs of Iron, his Feet part of Iron, and part of Clay, Dan. 2.32, 33. A beautiful Head upon a Negro's Body, is monstrous. We are Vessels formed and set apart for the Master's use: Those that are under his forming, come new out of the Forge. Unclean Vessels can never be used to any good purpose, unless they be washed and sweetned. They are to be looked upon as God's Choice, Christ's Purchase, and the Spirit's Charge. Or if you will have it in other Relations, they are God's Children, Christ's Members, and the Spirit's Temples: God's Children must resemble their Father; Christ's Members must be like their Head; and the Holy Ghost will not dwell in a defiled Temple.
2. With respect to themselves, and their relation to one another, they must be purified. 1 Pet. 1.22. Seeing that ye have purified your selves in obeying the Truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently. The Purification of our own Souls maketh us to love Purity in others; for Similitude is the ground of Delight and Complacency. No Man can delight in the Purity of others, unless he be in some measure purified himself. Holy Men are only fit for this Communion and Society, others go in the way of Cain, Jude, v. 11. —Who was of that wicked one, and slew his Brother: And wherefore slew he him? because his own Works were evil, and his Brother's righteous, 1 Joh. 3.12. Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares, are full of Envy, Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith, unless we be first holy? A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God; nay, but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren.
3. With respect to the World. A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency. They are a People distinct from the World, they are set apart for God: Psal. 4.3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. They are a chosen Generation. Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength, Policy and worldly Pomp; but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badg; Psal. 93.5. Holiness becometh thy House, O Lord, for ever. God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground.
(1.) Because of Likeness to God: Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? who is like thee? glorious in Holiness. It is God's Glory, and therefore the Churches. God is rich in Mercy, but glorious in Holiness: his Treasure is his Goodness, but his Honour is his Holiness and immaculate Purity: as among Men, their Wealth is distinguished from their Honour.
(2.) Because all the Ordinances hold it forth, especially the Ordinance of Initiation. So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People, and not to be holy, because they wear the Badges of Holiness; they all come in by the washing of Water. Men forget their Baptism; 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins. Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians, and Sin is still new and fresh, as an old thing, they forget the Effect of their Baptism: That a washed Man should be so foul and noisom still, sure they forget, or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ.
Secondly; The Manner how he purifieth them. There is on Christ's part the Spirit, and Ordinances, and his Merit reacheth to both; and on our part Faith.
1. On Christ's part.
(1.) The Spirit is necessary. Titus 3.5. He saved us by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth, and Christ hath purchased. We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ, that was the Merit and Price. There was a Grant on God the Father's part: Rev. 19.8. To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white. An Authentick Act passeth in the Court of Heaven, that we shall have fine Linen; as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe. But this is founded on Christ's Merits; the Stream in which we are washed, flowed out of Christ's Heart; 1 Iohn 1.7. The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin. But then the Holy Ghost, as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament, worketh and applieth all. The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit, and the Father's Grant; the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit; he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood. As in the cleansing of the Leper, the Bird was to be killed over running Water, Levit. 14.5. So in the cleansing of the Sinner, there is the Merit of Christ, and the Work of the Spirit; 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of our God. If we come to the Father, the Father sends us to the Son, otherwise he could not look upon us; the Son sends us to the Spirit; the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets.
(2.) The Ordinances. Ephes. 5.26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water, by the Word. These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated, and to which Christ's Merit reacheth; he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit, but a Blessing on the Means, that we may use them with Confidence. The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer; and Baptism concurreth sacramentally, by way of signing and sealing, and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace. The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism. It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace. Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted; Iohn 17.19. And for their sakes I sanctify my self, that they also may be sanctified through the Truth. When you come to hear, you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase.
2. On our part there is required Faith, which also purifieth; Acts 15.9. Purifying their Hearts by Faith. Christ's Blood cleanseth, the Gospel cleanseth, Baptism cleanseth, the Spirit cleanseth, Faith cleanseth; all these are not contrary, but subordinate: neither Christ, nor the Word, nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts: As under the Law, the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper, who herein represented God, but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself; Lev. 14.8. And he that is to be cleansed, shall wash his Clothes, and shave off all his Hair, and wash himself in Water, that he may be clean: to shew that some Work is required on our part. The Work of Faith is to apply, to wait, to work by Reflection, and to stir up Love.
(1.) To apply the Promises of God, the Offers of Grace in the Word, and the Blood of Christ, and all these to purge out Corruption. It applieth the Blood of Christ, urgeth the Soul with it; he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest. The Water and Soap cleanseth, but the Hand of the Landress must apply it, and rub the Clothes that are washed. This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ; Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true Heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and our Bodies washed with pure Water. We should thus argue with our selves; Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners, his Death cannot be in vain. Grace is bought at a dear rate: in the offers of the Word, God maketh a tender; why should I not accept of it? Heb. 4.2. For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them, but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. But we do not say, What shall we say to these things? By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore.
(2.) In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ, and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing; Isa. 45.24. Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength. It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment; Micah 7.19. He will turn again, he will have Compassion on us, he will subdue our Iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their Sins into the Depth of the Sea. They see an All-sufficient Mercy and Power, and they wait till God manifests himself.
(3.) It worketh by Reflection, and so stirs up Love; Gal. 5.6. Faith worketh by Love. It sets Love on work, and by little and little drieth up the Fountain of Sin. Shall I love that which God hateth? Ier. 44.4. Howbeit I sent unto you all my Servants the Prophets, rising early, and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. Faith representeth God pleading with us, and beseeching us by all his Bowels in Christ. Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend? Do I thus requite the Lord for all his Kindness to me? There is an Exasperation against Lusts; the Soul saith, Get ye hence. Hosea 14.8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with Idols? The Soul hath its expulsive Faculty, it is at the beck of Love, and Love is stirred up by Faith; and when it cannot expel Sin, it mourneth and groaneth under it as its Burden.
Vse 1. Are you thus purified? Have you passed this Laver? The Priests under the Law, before they went to the Altar, they first washed in the great Laver. You are not his People till you are sanctified. Esther was purified before she was brought to Ahasuerus, Esther 2. Christ telleth Peter, John 13.8. If I wash thee not, thou hast no Part in me. Though he took humane Nature, yet he owneth no Relation to any but the Sanctified; Heb. 2.11. For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren. The Devils cannot say, He is Bone of our Bone. But what though he took your Natures? this is not enough, he will disclaim you if you be not sanctified; I took Flesh, but not for you; I died, but not for you. There is a double Notion of Purification in this Place, it noteth Cleansing and Dedication; there is a Difference between them and others, and between them and themselves; Whereas I was blind, now I see. I could before discourse and hear Sermons for Notions, but now my Conscience is more serious, I am more freed from Bondage, I have a more distinct Hope towards God in Christ; my Will is not obstinate and unpliable to the Counsels and Motions of the Holy Ghost; my Affections are reduced to a better temper as to earthly things. Thus examine your selves; Is any thing washed off?
Vse 2. Information. It informeth us that we are all polluted by Nature, for we need to be purified e're we are Christ's People: Nay, it sticketh to us; we change our Skin, our outward Conversation, but no other Laver will wash our Hearts but Christ's Blood. If we had Eyes to see our natural Filth, we should loath our selves more than we do. We are all infected with Self-love and fleshly Natures; Tit. 3.3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful, and hating one another. But we are partial to our selves, we have no spiritual Eye-sight. Sin is of a defiling Nature. You abhor dirty nasty Creatures, all of us are polluted with Sin. God that is a Spirit hath other Affections, he doth not abhor a Creature because of his Sores, but because of his Sins. We judg by the Senses; Psal. 14.3. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one: So we are in the Eyes of God, who is a pure Spirit. Sin maketh us odious and loathsome to him: but we that have Bodies abominate things that are sensibly unclean.
Vse 3. Let it stir us up to purify our selves yet more and more.
1. See your selves in the Glass of the Word. They that have most Light, do most complain of the Filthiness and Impurity of their Hearts; not because there is more Defilement, but more Light. Sluttish Corners are not seen in the dark. Carnal Men are loth to see their own Faces, they will not come to the Light. We love a flattering Glass, but a searching Ministry is hated. You have not looked in the Glass enough, till it hath stirred up Shame, Sorrow, and Self-abhorrence. Raging against Conviction, argueth the Heart is bad. When Men cannot endure to see themselves, but think all is clean and well, it is a Sign of a secure careless Spirit. If we keep our selves from foul Sins, we do not think of our odious Natures.
2. Desire Cleansing; as Peter, John 13.9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord! not my Feet only, but also my Hands and my Head. Or David, Psal. 51.2. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity, and cleanse me from my Sin. Sin is a deep Stain, hardly got out; let it keep us humble. God carrieth on his Work by Degrees.
3. Use God's Means; Zech. 13.1. In that Day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Vncleanness. Rev. 7.14. These are they which come out of great Tribulation, which have washed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. The Church knoweth no other Laver, and the Effect of it you receive in the Ordinances.
4. Keep your selves clean by a constant Watchfulness. Iames 1.27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction, and to keep your selves unspotted from the World. The World is a dirty Place, you will soil your Garments, therefore you must avoid all Appearance of Evil; hate the Garment spotted with the Flesh. We cannot keep at too great a Distance from Sin; a bold Use of our Liberty sheweth the Heart hankereth after Sin, as a Raven hovereth within the Sent of the Carrion.
Doct. II. Those that are purified, are reckoned to be God's Treasure and peculiar People.
The Word in the Original which we translate Peculiar People, is foreign, the Vulgar renders it Populus acceptabilis, an acceptable People, but not emphatical enough. foreign signifies Wealth, Plenty, Treasure, that which we have above our necessary Substance: Yea, not only Treasure, but the principal Part of it, that which is locked up in the Cabinet, and takes up but a little Room, as Jewels. The Expression is taken out of the Septuagint, and alludes to those Places in the Old Testament, where God calls his People his Jewels or special Treasure; Exod. 19.5. Ye shall be a peculiar Treasure to me above all People; which is rendred by the Septuagint, foreign. And you have another Expression, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar (or purchased) People: foreign; Populus Acquisitionis, or Possessionis; a People of Possession, such as God counts his Heritage, his Jewels; Mal. 3.17. They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that Day when I make up my Iewels. The Word imports any choice and precious thing; that God loves those that are purified, as a covetous Man loves his Treasure, or a proud Man his Jewels and Honours.
Give me leave to illustrate it by a few Scriptures, where the World and the Saints are compared. The World are said to be not a People, 1 Pet. 2.10. How so? not for want of Prowess, or Policy, or Pomp, or worldly Splendor, or civil Arts or Crafts; many times in these things they excel the Church: but they are said to be not a People, that is, in God's Account and Esteem they are but a confused Heap of Nations spilt upon the Earth by a general and looser Providence. In Isa. 55.5. There is another Emphatical Expression; Behold, thou shalt call Nations that thou knowest not; and Nations that know not thee, shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God. It is spoken to Christ: It is a strange Expression. Is there any Terra incognita, any Land that is unknown to him? The meaning is, which thou hast no more taken notice of, nor taken Care of, than a Man doth of those whom he never knew; a People of no Esteem and Respect with God, as if he had taken no notice that there were any such in the World. So Acts 17.30. The times of this Ignorance God winked at. In the Original it is foreign, he overlooked them. The Vulgar read it, despiciens, he did despise them: and our old Translation is better than the new, God regarded them not. It is usually taken to signify God's Indulgence, that he did not deal so strictly with the World, because they had so little means to keep them from Sin; whereas the Scope carrieth it quite otherwise in another Sense, God overlook'd, or lightly passed over those times, not caring what became of them that then lived before they were his peculiar People; he overlooked and regarded them not, but let them go on in their Sins, though not unpunished. Thus you see Foreigners to the Church are Strangers to God, and wicked Men are as if they were not; not in regard of God's general Providence, so they are sustained and regarded: he preserves Man and Beast; not in regard of calling them to an account for their Sins; they that are sometimes called no People, are at other times called the People of his Curse ▪ But in regard of Value and Esteem, as to special Communion with him, they are not at all.
But now look upon the Terms that are bestowed upon the Church and Godly▪ those that are purified, Iames 1.18. they are called the first Fruits of his Creatures. Under the Law the first Fruits were the Lord's Portion: so all that are regenerated and called to Grace, are the Lord's Portion. O…cumenius gloss…th upon the Place: the World is but foreign, his Creature; but the Church is foreign, his Possession: the World are his Goods, and they are his Treasure. The vast Territories of the blind World are but as a Common and Heath, which God doth not look after, but the Church is as a Garden inclosed, in regard of his Love and special Dispensation. Heretofore this was the Privilege of Israel, to be God's Portion; it was confined to them; and that's the Reason of that Expression, Isa. 19.25. Assyria the Work of my Hands, and Israel mine Inheritance, or Portion. God made all People, but he chose these for his Delight and Habitation. It was confined to them heretofore, but it is not confined now, the People of any Nation may be preferred to this Estate: Those that are purified, where-ever they are, they are the Lord's Treasure and People.
But why doth the Lord esteem them as his peculiar People? I shall give Reasons with respect to every Person of the Godhead.
1. Because of God the Father's Choice, he hath picked and culled them out of the World, and therefore he esteemeth them above all others. See what the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People: Therefore a peculiar People, because a chosen Generation: they are set apart, singled out of the World for himself. So Psal. 135.4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob for himself, and Israel to be his peculiar Treasure. He hath called them out, and left all the World besides: God's Choice puts a Value upon things. Common Gold and Silver is not of such Value, as that which was consecrated and dedicated to God: Nay, Gold and Silver was not so good as Goats Hair that was consecrated to the Uses of the Tabernacle. The Dedication of a thing to an holy Use, inhanceth the Price of it. Now those that are chosen are consecrated and set apart by God for himself; The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, Psal. 4.3. And therefore of greater Value than all the World, because designed by God to be his Portion.
2. Because of Christ's Purchase, they are bought at a dear Price; 1 Pet. 2.9. A purchased People, that is the marginal Reading. The Saints are valued, not from themselves so much as in Christ; he hath put Honour upon us, as Adam put a Disgrace upon us: Adam sold us for a Trifle, but Christ did not redeem us at so cheap a Rate; Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, &c. but with the precious Blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. We prize that which cost dear; Christ was given in Ransom for us, therefore doth God prize us.
3. Because they are Vessels of the Spirit's forming. God delighted in all his Creatures, they were all good, the Product of the Spirit's Incubation; Gen. 1.2. The Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Water. But much more doth he delight in the new Creature, his Workmanship in Christ, Eph. 2.10. Partly because there is more goes to form the new Creature than the old; and partly because their Being is more noble than the Beings of all other Creatures in this lower World.
(1.) There is more goes to form them; there is discovered more Wisdom, more Power, more Goodness: The new Creature discovers more of his Power than the old. It was a wonderful thing the making of the World, and disposing of the Creatures into so many several Forms and Ranks, a mighty Effect of God's Power: but as there was no Help, so there was no Lett or Hindrance; nothing to oppose God's Work, as nothing to facilitate it. But when God comes to frame a new Creature, there's a Spirit of Rebellion and Opposition. Then more of his Wisdom: The Gospel is a better Theatre whereupon to see God than the World. In the World there is much of his Wisdom, but much more in the Mystery of Grace, and in all his Transactions to bring Man to a purified State; therefore here's his special Delight. Then for his Mercy, Goodness and Love. A great deal of Love God shewed in making Angels out of nothing, but in some Sense there is more Love shewed in sanctifying Man; for in the former there was no Hindrance to his Goodness, but here wronged Justice interposed, and put in something by way of Bar against us; yet notwithstanding the Demerit of our Sins, he would take us into his Favour. In the Creation God shewed himself to be foreign, a Lover of Angels; but in Redemption foreign, a Lover of Man; Tit. 3.4. After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared.
(2.) Chiefly, because of the Life they live; the new Creature hath a more noble Being than all the Creatures in the World, and lives a more noble Life. Put the whole World in the Ballance, and it is not worthy to be compared with the new Creature; those that are purified and sanctified, the World is not worthy of them; Heb. 11.38. Of whom the World was not worthy. Look as the Life of Reason excels that of Sense, and the Life of Sense that of Vegitation; the Life of Beasts is better than the Life of Plants; and the Life of Man better than the Life of Beasts: so doth Grace excel Reason, and the Life of Saints is a more noble Being than that of Men. I confess if you go upward, we cannot say the Life of Glory as much excels the Life of Grace, as the Life of Grace excels the Life of Reason; there is a greater Difference between the Life of Reason, and the Life of Grace, than between the Life of Grace and the Life of Glory; or between a carnal Man and a Child of God, than between the most glorified Saint in Heaven, and the weakest Believer on Earth. The Difference between Glory and Grace is gradual; but the Difference between the carnal Life and the spiritual Life is essential. Glorified Saints, and Saints here living the Life of Grace, differ only in Degrees; but the Life of Grace and the Life of Nature differ in kind. There is more Difference between a Toad or Beast and a Man, than between a Child and a Man: Grace and Glory differ but as a Child and a Man, only in Degree; but Grace and Sense, and Grace and Reason, differ as the Life of a Toad, and the Life of a Beast, from the Life of a Man.
Vse 1. Information.
1. That we should not value Men by their secular Interests, but by their Relation to God. The Lord doth not call the Potentates of the Earth his Treasure, as he doth his Holy Ones; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour. Men may be mighty in the World, yet base and vile in God's Esteem; Dan. 4.17. He gives Kingdoms to the basest of Men. It is notable, in the prophetical Visions of the great Monarchs of the World, they are compared to wild Beasts. Alexander the Mighty, yet is called the Goat of Graecia. Paul calls Nero a Lion. They that brave it in the World, as if they were Gods upon Earth, yet in the Lord's Account they are but Beasts. But now the Saints are the precious excellent ones of the Earth, Psal. 16.3. Therefore we should not value Men by their outward Greatness: James 2.1. —Have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of Persons. If you have Relation to Christ, he puts a Glory and Excellency upon you, you are his Treasure. Saith Tertullian, Non ex personis fidem, sed ex fide personas; We must not measure the Faith by the Person, but the Person by his Faith. They are Fools that despise and vilify those upon whom God sets the greatest Price; and admire those that are of lowest Esteem with God.
2. It informeth us, that the Judgment of God, and the Judgment of the World are very contrary. The World counts the Saints the Filth, the Scurf and Off-scouring of all things; and God calls them Jewels and Treasure. Alas! with God carnal Men are nothing, worse than nothing. It had been better for them, saith the Spirit of God, that they had never been born; and they are viler than the Earth. The blind World knows not how to value the Stamp and Seal of the Spirit. When God hath impress'd his own Image, the World knows not how to value them; but God values them: These are Coins and Medals God will keep in his own Treasure. Certainly they are worthless Souls that despise them, that count Purity a Disgrace. It hath always been the World's Fashion to crucify God in Effigie, in his Picture; to despise, oppress and scoff at them that bear his Image, and resemble him, and malign and scorn the Lustre of Holiness.
3. It informs us how much it concerns us to be holy and purified, for those he counts to be his Treasure: God's Church is his Heritage, but every one that lives in the Church God doth not count them to be his Jewels. Many claim Acquaintance of him by virtue of Offices and Ministration in the Church, yet they are disclaimed and disowned by God; Mat. 7.22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name? and in thy Name have cast out Devils? and in thy Name done many wonderful Works? And then will I profess u… them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work Iniquity. The Holy Ghost brings in some that had great Gifts and Employments in the Church. And as when a Man entertaineth another with Strangeness, we use to put him in mind by some Tokens; so carnal Professors put Christ in Mind as it were by some kind of Tokens; Do you not remember that we prophesied in your Name? &c. and we were employed in special Offices in the Church. No, verily, I know you not; he disclaims and disowns them.
4. It informs us, that it is dangerous to molest, oppress and prosecute the Godly, those that are purified, because they are God's peculiar ones; you meddle with the Apple of his Eye, and to destroy them is Sacrilege. Israel is a holy thing, Ier. 2.3. Israel is Holiness unto the Lord, and the first-fruits of his Increase: all that devour him shall offend; Evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. Sacrilege hath been always deadly; robbing of Temples among the Heathen hath been always observed to be fatal to those that attempted it: the Lord by his wise Providence was pleased to suffer the Devil to follow them with Tempests and Punishments, to keep up the Notion of a Divine Power, which is the Fundamental Principle and Ground of all Religion. So when you oppress and destroy the People of God, and malign them, you devour that which is holy, which will prove fatal and deadly. Look as he told the Governour, Acts 22.26. Take heed what thou doest, for this Man is a Roman. So God is very tender of these kind of Men, they are his Jewels, his Treasure, take heed how you use them.
Vse 2. Exhortation; and that both to carnal Men, and to God's People, who are his peculiar ones.
First; It exhorts carnal Men to put in for a share in this great Privilege, to be one of God's peculiar ones, those that he counts his Treasures and his Jewels. Let me first exhort, then direct.
1st. I shall exhort you by these Considerations, how God will own his peculiar People above all the World besides, and how he doth value them above all the World.
1. How he owns them; privately in their own Consciences, he owns them in his Ordinances, he owns them publickly in his Providence, and most publickly he will own them in the Day of Judgment.
(1.) He owns them privately in their own Consciences. God's holy ones are said to be sealed by the Spirit, Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption. God sets his own Seal upon them, to signify his Right and Property in them; As a Man marks his Sheep, or a Merchant seals his Wares to declare his Right and Property: so all that are God's, they are sealed by his Spirit, and they bear his Mark. As the Worshippers of the Beast have the Mark of the Beast; so the People of God have the Lord's Seal, he owns them. There is the Spirit's Witness to tell them God is theirs, and there is the Spirit's Work to cause them to become God's; the Spirit witnesses to them by Impressions, and tells them, God is your Salvation, and seals them by Expressions, and makes them choose God. There is a mutual Appropriation, Cant. 6.3. I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine. He chooseth them for his peculiar People, and they choose him for the peculiar Treasure of their Souls. Whom have they in Heaven but God? and who doth God regard in the World but they? they have his Privy-Seal in their own Consciences.
(2.) He owns them in his Ordinances, so as to maintain Communion with them, as he doth not with others. When others pray, God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made; they hear, but cannot say God owns them. But now he owns his People in their Approaches; Isa. 58.9. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. God doth as it were say, It is the Voice of my People, What would you have? here I am, ready to help you, and to give you Grace. No King will do so much for his Favourites; as God will do for his People; Zeph. 3.10. he calls them his Suppliants. This is not a peculiar Privilege for some peculiar Saints, that they are thus honoured of God, and answered by him in Prayer, but all are a peculiar People, and God hath Affections and Blessings enough for them all. When the Wicked come and pray, God takes no notice of them, as if no such Men were in the Congregation; Isa. 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine Eyes from you; yea, when you make many Prayers, I will not hear. They have no Visits from the Spirit, nor sensible Returns of Prayer. It is sad to come to Ordinances, and God to take no notice of us; when the Spirit of God comes into the Congregation to bless the Worshippers by Head and Pole, and you are left out of the Account, and past over. You know what is said in the Law, Exod. 29.42, 43. —At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, before the Lord; where I will meet you, to speak there unto you: And there I will meet with the Children of Israel. God did not only promise to meet with Moses, but with all the Congregation: and certainly the Services of the Church now are not less fruitful than the Services of the Tabernacle. When God's People come together, God meets with them, and talks with them, and sends them away with Gifts of Grace, and spiritual Encrease; for they are his Suppliants, and his peculiar People.
(3.) God owns them in the course of his Providence sometimes with outward Blessings. Thus God set up Abraham as a Mark of Envy to the Nations about him. As Benjamin's Mess was five times as much as the rest, so many times in outward Blessings God owns his People. But I cannot much press this; but the aim of Providence principally concerns them, Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good to them that love God. All things may seem to work against them, but they work for them. It is a Mercy that God takes notice of them, and visits them day by day, Iob 7.18. That thou shoulst visit him every Morning, and try him every Moment. Brambles are not pruned and pair'd as Vines are. Wicked Men they are as Sheep whom no Man taketh up, God doth not look after them. But God's Children may take notice how the special Care of Providence serves their special Necessities; and particularly as to their Afflictions, they do not spring out of the Dust, but every day God is mindful of them, and ordereth such Dispensations to keep them in order; whereas wicked Men are only under the general Care of Providence, they cannot discern such particular Love and Aim at their Good and spiritual Welfare.
(4.) He will own them before all the World at the last Day; I will confess them (saith Christ) before my Father which is in Heaven, Luke 12.8. These are the Fruits of my Purchase, he will present them to God, Heb. 2.13. Behold, I, and the Children which God hath given me. But wicked Men are disclaimed, Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, Mat. 7.23. O, how will their Faces gather Blackness when Christ shall disclaim all Acquaintance with them; I never had any real and familiar Converse with you in publick or private Worship.
2. How he values them. He doth not stand upon other Nations for their Safety, either to preserve them, or to divert the Destroyer from them. As for Instance, when God raiseth up some furious Instrument, that is Flagellus Dei, the Scourge of God, to pull down and waste, God finds Work for them abroad to save his People; and therefore he saith, Isa. 43.3, 4. I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my Sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give Men for thee, and People for thy Life. He let the Sword go into other Countries to save Iudah, that was his Heritage; if the Sword must drink Blood, and eat Flesh, let it go to Egypt, Ethiopia, Seba, into Idolatrous Countries: He puts other Nations in their stead, and counts them as a little Chaff, to save the Jews. And then the highest among the Nations (which is another Argument) are rebuked for their sakes. God plucked the Scepter out of the Hands of Kings, and the Diadems off from their Heads, Psal. 105.14, 15. He suffered no Man to do them Wrong; yea, he reproved Kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not my Anointed; meaning those that are anointed with his Grace: God will rebuke the mightiest Potentates. Again, tho they are never so despicable, yet Countries, whom God hath deemed to Destruction, hath he saved for their sakes. It is a notable Expression of God to Lot, Gen. 19.22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. These are the Blessings in the Cluster that keeps the Vine alive, which otherwise would be destroyed; the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel: nay, they are the Pillars of the whole World, the Creation would not continue a jot longer if God had not a peculiar People. As the Ship tarries till all the Passengers be entred, then they hoist up Sails; God's Providence only tarries till all the Elect be gathered, and his Jewels shall be made up, then the World shall be no more. There are some few hidden ones that keep up the World, and preserve the course and frame of Nature. Now will you not put in for this Privilege to be of that number? You must pass the great River and be washed, before you can come to serve and minister in holy Things to God.
2dly. For Direction.
1. You must earnestly desire this Privilege, Psal. 106.4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the Favour that thou bearest to thy People: O visit me with thy Salvation: That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy Nation; that I may glory with thine Inheritance. This should be the greatest Ambition of your Souls, that you might be one of God's peculiar ones. As Theodosius counted it a greater Honour to be a Member of the Church, than to be Emperor of the World. And Moses, Heb. 11.24, 25. when he came to Years, foreign, when he was grown great, that is, when he had Ability to judg, he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter: Choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season. The Honour of Pharaoh's Court was nothing so lovely to him, as to be a Member of God's People, and to enjoy Communion with the Saints, tho with great Affliction and Reproach.
2. Whenever you are brought in to be one of that number, you must take an Oath of Allegiance to God, for so do all his People, they take hold of the Covenant of God: See Deut. 26.17, 18. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Iudgments, and to hearken unto his Voice. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments. God will bind you fast when you come to partake of this Privilege, it must be by solemn Consecration, and by Covenant to walk in all his Ways, and in all his Statutes. So Deut. 29.12, 13. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his Oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day. That he may establish thee to day for a People unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy Fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. There is a Covenant by which God and the Church do own one another. If you expect Protection and Provision for this Life, and for a better, give God the Hand, and take hold of his Covenant: Jesus Christ hath all manner of Relations to the Church. All Titles you know to a Crown are either by Purchase, Conquest, or by Covenant, or Consent of Nations. Thus Christ will be King of the Church by Covenant, and by Consent; you must take an Oath to him of Allegiance to him, to be faithful to him, to observe all his Ways and Statutes, that so you may become his People.
Secondly; The other Branch of Exhortation is to God's People, to walk as his peculiar Ones, and to carry your selves as becometh the People of God.
1. Praise him for enrolling you in this Company, Psal. 135.3, 4. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing Praises unto his Name, for it is pleasant. For he hath chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel to be his peculiar Treasure. To quicken you, consider what you were; you were not a People, God raised you up from the very Dunghil to this Preferment; remember your past Estate. Look as old Iacob considered what he had been when God preferred him, Gen. 32.10. —With my Staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two Bands. So do you say, I am a worthless Creature, it is God that hath taken me into Grace, praised be the Lord that hath chosen me. Then consider how many are left to perish in the wide World. Some live out of the Church's Pale, that never heard of Christ; and many others have only a loose General from Christianity; O blessed be God that hath chosen me to be of the number of his peculiar People. It is said, Zech. 13.8. And it shall come to pass in all the Land, saith the Lord, that two parts shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein. We pass through many Bolters before we come to be God's peculiar People; as the Corn is ground, bolted, searced before it comes to be fine Flower. There are many Nations have not the knowledg of God, and others live in the Church, but are carnal; and I to be one of his peculiar People, an invisible Member of Christ's Mystical Body, O what a Privilege is this! And then what moved him to all this? nothing but his own free Grace. Thus Moses debates the Case with Israel, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special People unto himself, above all People that are upon the face of the Earth. The Lord hath not set his Love upon you, or chose you, because ye were more in number than any People (for ye were the fewest of all People): But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworn unto your Fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty Hand, and redeemed you out of the House of Bond-men, from the Hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Therefore praise the Lord.
2. Improve it for Confidence. Zech. 13.9. And I will bring a third part of them through the Fire, and will refine them as Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tried: They shall call on my Name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my People; and they shall say, The Lord is my God. In time of great Affliction, then it is time to plead our peculiar Interest in God, as the Church doth, Isa. 64.9. Behold, see we beseech thee, we are all thy People. It is a ground of Audience and Confidence. Interest is the sweetest Argument that we can use in Prayer; Psal. 119.94. I am thine, save me. He is worse than an Infidel that doth not provide for his own Family. Now what ground of Confidence is this, Lord, we are thine! therefore cast your selves upon God.
3. Carry your selves as a peculiar People to him. Wherein?
(1.) You must not be contented with common Mercies. Every distinct Society have distinct Privileges: Now the Elect are a peculiar People, and therefore should look after peculiar Privileges. A Man may have outward things; and here is nothing peculiar, no Argument of God's special Love. Cast-aways may have these things: Psal. 119.132. Look then upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto them that love thy Name. Look not upon me as thou usest to do on the World in general, but as thou dost on thy own People. You must have renewing Mercies, and sanctifying Mercies, a holy Heart, be kept from Sin, and conformed to God. Other Mercies a Man may have, and go to Hell; therefore be not satisfied with them. Luther protested to God, he would not be put off with Estate, and the Favour of the World, and with increase of Honour and Esteem. Alas, the multitude may have these things, it is their Happiness. Psal. 4.6. There be many that say, Who will shew us any Good? Lord, lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us.
(2.) Be not contented with common Graces: Thus far a Man may go, and not be saved. As for instance, There are moral Inclinations in Heathens, and they make Conscience of gross Sins. It is not enough to keep from Theft, Drunkenness, Adultery; a Heathen would discover those Sins by the Light of Nature, and by such Arguments and Reasons as Nature suggests would avoid them. And then Hypocrites may have flashes of Comfort, Glances, Wishes and good Moods; though they have no constant Delight in Communion with God, yet they have superficial Hopes, and are much taken with Evangelical Strains and Tenders of the Gospel, they have a desire to keep their Consciences quiet and peaceable; but you should labour for Uprightness, and special Graces. Carnal Men desire to be secure, rather than sincere, that they may have some Delectations, and superficial Tastes; but you are to look after things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6.9. In the Original it is, foreign, things that have Salvation in them; you should be contented with no Grace, but that which is an undoubted Pledg and Evidence of Heaven, not a loose Hope of the Gospel.
(3.) Be not satisfied with a common Conversation. How is that? Partly thus. You must not live according to ordinary Privileges, and ordinary Hopes: You must discover Self-denial, as one trained up in the School of Christ. It is an Accusation the Apostle brings against the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 3.3. Are ye not Carnal, and walk as Men? When Men pretend to be God's peculiar People, and have nothing singular, but are given to worldly Cares, vile Passions, and corrupt Affections, as other Men are, this hardens carnal Men. A Christian should live like a Wonder in his place, by discovering much Self-denial and Mortification in his Conversation: Mat. 5.4. For if ye love them which love you, what Reward have you? do not the Publicans the same? It is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be in the World, to profess to be a peculiar People, and to deny your selves in nothing, but do as others do; we should live at another rate, and be more Holy, more Charitable, more Heavenly.
(4.) Do not live according to ordinary Examples. We may not frame and fashion our selves to the Guise of the World, because we are the Lord's peculiar People. Deut. 14.1, 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God; ye shall not cut your selves, nor make any baldness between your Eyes for the Dead. For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God; and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself, above all the Nations that are upon the Earth. Dead Fishes swim with the Stream. A Christian should live in a Counter-motion to the World. You cannot do as others do, for you profess your selves to be distinct. Especially we should consider this, in times of general Defection, not to run away from God; Mich. 4.5. For all People will walk, every one in the Name of his God, and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. When every Man sets up a distinct Religion, (that is the meaning of it) then the peculiar People of God should hold together, and shew forth special Zeal, and special Strictness in the Ways of God, in times of Coldness, Indifferency, and Neutrality in Religion. Josh. 24.15. And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord, chuse you this Day whom you will serve, whether the Gods which your Fathers served, that were on the other side of the Flood, or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose Land ye dwell; but as for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.