The Trial and Triumph of Faith, Sermon 26
SERMON XXVI.
BE it unto thee as thou wilt] We see what power Christ hath over the devils:Christs power over Devils. Christ sent him invisible summons, Let Satan be gone, and he must be gone. It is a proper work of Christ to oppose Satan, Heb. 2.14, He took part of flesh and blood, foreign, that he might make Satan unprofitable and idle, and fruitless, as the word is used, Luke 13.7. Why doth this fruitlesse tree keep the ground saplesse and barren? So is the word taken, to make a thing of no effect, Romanes 3.3. Things that make sport to children, as nuts, feathers, toyes, are called, things of infants to be put away, 1 Cor. 13.11. So hath Christ taken bones, and sap, and strength from the devil, and made him as fruitlesse, as the feathers that serveth to sport children, 1 Ioh. 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, foreign that he might dissolve the works of the Devil: The word in Scripture, is ascribed to the casting down of a house, Ioh. 2.19. To the breaking of a ship, Act. 27.41. To the loosing any out of chains, Act. 22.30. The Truth is, Satans works of sin and Hell in the which he had involved the Redeemed world, was a prison house, and a castle of strength, and a strong war-ship, and many strong chains of sin and misery. Christ was manifested to break down and dissolve the house, to break his warship, and to set the captives at liberty, Isa. 61.1.2. Ioh. 14.30. And now cometh the Prince of this world, and hath nothing in me, he had much in Christ he had all his Redeemed ones by reason of sin; but Christ took all from him: Since Christ came in the play, and was master of the fields, Satan never did prosper: And consider how easily Christ doth it, with a meer word, Let it be; how was this, Christ sent an immediate mandate of Dominion, he hath an immediate operation upon these invisible spirits of darknesse; it is no matter how Christ do it, so it be done: Christ-God is a spirit & how a spirit acts upon a spirit, is to be believed, rather then searched: But Christ hath these relations to Satan. 1. As God to all creatures,Christ in four relations dominion over devils. and thus Satan is the workmanship of God as he is a spirit; so what ever partaketh of being, is the adequate and consummate effect of omnipotencie, I mean being either possible or actuall, and so the motions of Angels from place to place, and of Devils must be under a chain of Omnipotency, as all other things, motions, and actions of the creature are: Let Satan go whether he please, Christ traceth him. 2. Christ hath the relation of a Judge to Satan, and so he is tyed in an invisible chain of Justice: and as malefactors that are permited to goe abroad, but alwayes with attendance, so do Devils trail about with them everlasting chains of blacknesse of darknesse Iud. …. 6. Whether so ever the Devil go, Christ hath a keeper at his back. 3. Christ hath a relation of a conqueror to Satan, and Satan is his taken Captive, Col. 2.15. He cannot be loosed from under Christ, either by ransome, or change of prisoner with prisoner. 4. Christ as the heir of all things, beareth up all by his mighty word, Heb. 1.2, 3. And is he in whom all things consist, Col. 1.17. And so by reason that the world by a new gift of Redemption, is subjected to Iesus Christ, There is a speciall and particular Providence of Christ upon Satan: it concerneth the Redeemed not a little, that Christ keep a strong and watchfull guard upon the black camp out of which he hath Redeemed us, and that the seven eyes that are before the Throne take special notice of Hell, who come in, and come out, for there is deep counsel there against us: In this consideration Christ numbers all the footsteps of Devils: Satan hath not a generall warrant to tempt the Saints, but to every new act against Iob, chap. 1.12. and Iob 2, 6. against Peter, ere he can put him upon one single blast, to cast him but once through his sieve, Luk. 22.31. yea, against one sow, or a bristle of a sow, Mat. 8.31, 32. He must have a new signed Commission, Christs generall passe, that Satan be suffered as any other subject to passe through Christs bounds and Kingdome, is not enough.
Vse. Its much for our faith and comfort, that our Mediatour is a God of Gods, a God above the God of this world a Prince more mighty then the Prince of the Air, who ruleth in the children of disobedience: Yea, now we have a greater Victory over Satan, then wee know: Satan is so totally routed, put off the fields, and Christ so strong, that the weakest of Saints is stronger then the world, & the spirit Satan that dwelleth in the world. Christs strength of faith is stronger then Adams strength of innocency, 1 Joh. 2.13, 14. 1 Joh. 5.5. The weakest measure of saving Grace, is stronger then the highest measure of malice in all hell: When Satan Tempteth you, fear him not, resist him in the Faith: but be watchfull, for he hath a Passe from Christ, else he could not come so far as the Court of Guard, to dally with the senses to hold out an Apple to Eve; a world of Kingdoms and glory to Christ: Satan hath a Warrand to bid, when he cannot buy; his Pass will bear him to go to the more inner works then the senses, even to the chamber of the fancy, to send a Trumpeter to the understanding: 1. Yea,Satan goeth no where without a Passe. to work mediatly upon the will and the heart of a Judas and to act, but in a way of distance, upon David to number the people; but a counterfeit Passe with a false subscription cannot permit Satan to go on in reall motions against the will; the chaine holdeth him back, there is a restraining link that all the powers in Hell cannot break: A Morall tie and link of the Law of nature in the breast of Devils, Satan can and doth daily break, Because he sinned from the beginning: but the other link of reall acting against the dominion of Providence is unpossible to the strongest of Devils, or of Creatures. 2. We our selves may put in execution, a conditionall Passe of the Devill, for certain it is, Satan could but knock at Eves door, and play the Orator or Sophist to delude minde and affections, but he could not make the Kings keyes (as we say) and violently break up the door,We often sign Satans conditionall passe. or force the will, but upon condition that Eve should consent to eat forbidden fruit, by necessity of divine justice, she must turn the first and oldest Devil in the flesh that ever was, to tempt Adam to sin, and to eat; and therefore if we be not carefull to resist, we may signe the Divels Passe of Providence, with our Morall consent; yeeld once to Satans first demand of the Treaty, and you shall see, you are insnared by a necessity of Gods spotlesse justice, who punisheth sin by sin, because you go one mile with the Devill to go with him two miles.
Vse 2. If Christ at a nod have such a dominion over Devils, we are under Satans power in being tempted, more then we need: Certain it is, we improve not Christs power of dominion over Satan to the utmost; Christ can save, Heb. 7.25. foreign to the utmost, then he can sanctifie to the utmost, for Christ is a Saviour not only by merit, but also by efficacy, as our Divines hold against Socinians and Arminians, & therefore he should give actual strength against temptations; if we should not so carelesly improve that power Christ hath over Satan: I do not mean as Arminians do, that free-will, by order of nature beginneth, first, to resist Satan, & then Gods grace followeth, as a hand-maide, but I intend this, that because Peter is self-strong: & his flesh saith to Christ, that Christ is mistaken, and looketh beside the spirit of prophesie, for Mat. 26.35. He saith, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee: Belike if he had been diffident of his own strength, and watched and trusted in the strength of an intercessor, he should not have been deserted, so as to deny his Lord; we put not Christ to it, to put forth his omnipotency in every act, to save us, that wee yeeld not; I deny not, but there is a necessity in regard of Gods wise providence that the Saints must sin, and that they be passive vessels to carry the lustre, & hold forth the rayes and beams of pardoning Grace: Yet certain it is, there be hypotheticall connexions of supernaturall Providence in Gods eternall Decree, never put forth in action, because of our lazinesse: (As if God shal suffer Iob to be tempted, and he by grace sin not, as Job 1.22. The Lord shall also strengthen him when he is tempted the second time, not to sin) and (if Abraham be tempted to effer up his only Son for God, and if he yeeld obedience, God shall surely blesse him with the blessing of sanctification promised in the Covenant) as is clear Gen. 22.16.17. Heb. 6.12.13.14. For we see these connexions some times put forth in Asts: But other connexions are not put forth in Acts, Math. 11.21. Luke ▪ 16.31. 1 Sam. 23.12. Such as these (if David be tempted by Satan, he shall not resist, but shall number the people) (if Peter be tempted he shall not stand out in confessing his Master.) Certain it is, that as we come short of these comforts of a communion with God which we might injoy, by our loose walking; so upon the same reason we fall short of many victories over Satan which we might have if we should improve the dominion and Kingly power of Christ over that restles spirit.
As thou wilt] As thou desirest: God maketh, of his free dispensation, a sanctified will and affection in prayer, the measure of his gifts to us; a word then 1. Of a sanctified will and affections: 2. How these are …he measure of Gods goodnesse toward us in these Positions.
Posit. 1.A renued will is a renewed man. The soul is never renewed while the will be renewed: for the will is the heart of the heart, and the new heart is the new man, Ezek. 36.26. Deut. 30.6. For the heart is the King and Soveraign of obedience, Deut. 30.19.
Posit. 2. All sanctified affections are threded upon the will; saving Grace can lodge no where but in the center of the heart, and that's the renewed will, presupposing new light in the mind; Grace taketh this first Castle.
Posit. 3. Hence how many grains of sanctified will, as many grains of new obedience, so love is the fire of our obedience, and willingnesse the fa… of obedience, which is set on fire by love.
Posit. 4. A civil will is not a sanctified wil, A civile wil is not a sanctified will.in some men the will is more Morall, lesse raging, then, the motions of it being lesse tumultuous, as in some carnal spirits the wheels go with lesse noise; all rivers make not alike action and stirring on their Banks,The yielding of the soul to God, and to his light a speciall note of a renewed will. but that taketh nothing from either their nature or deepnesse, or occasionall over-swelling.
Posit. 5. The speciall mark of a sanctified wil, is, that its a broken thing, as it were fallen, in the midst, in two pieces, and yeelding to God and saving light, there was a sea of grace and saving light in Christ, no created will stooped to the light of a revealed Decree in such a submissive measure, in a Hel of fear, sorrow and anguish for an evil of punishment, more then any creature was able to bear, as he did; Neverthelesse, not my wil, but thy wil be done: Far more in other things of lesse pain should we suffer, especially in these, the wil is to stoop: 1. In opposing our lusts, as we would testifie that the proudest piece in us, the will, hath felt the influence of Christs death on it: That we no longer should live the rest of our time, to the lusts of men, 1 Pet. 4.2. But to the will of God, 1 Pet. 2.24. Rom. 6.6. The dominion of wil is the dominion of sin. 2. In that the soul speaketh out of the dust, and is put to silence before God, and sitteth alone, as Melancholicks do, Lam. 3.28, 29. A tamed man is broken in his will, in which the Pride of opposing God consisteth: Then Isa. 11.6. The wolfe dwelleth with the Lamb. 3. The subordination of the will to God is a great signe of a subdued spirit; nothing affecteth Independency more then the vain will, Psal. 37.7. Rest on the Lord, Heb. Be silent toward the Lord; Vatablus, Be quiet, Repine not as disobedient, neither answer again, Isa. 61.1. Christ is sent to bind up those that are broken in will or heart: the Hebrew will include both, Prov. 15.31. He that hearkeneth to reproof, getteth a heart, possesseth his, heart, so Vatablus, The meek spirit which in obedience submitteth to rebukes,foreign possesseth his heart, and possesseth his own will; now the contrary must bee in the undaunted man, his will and heart must have dominion over him, and his will must possesse him; as Prov. 17.18.foreign The unconverted man is a man wanting a heart and a will: a will not broken to God is as good as no will, and no heart at all, the broken heart is the heart to God, and the broken wil the wil.
Posit. 6. The affections in their naturals be…ng corrupt, grace only maketh them pure,Affections sanctified especially desires. and when they are purest they are strongest; its most of the Element of the earth; that is, all earth, and wanteth all mixture of other Elements, that is most fire, that hath least of earth in it; that is finest gold that hath in it least of other mettals, least drosse, least oare: When affections are most steeled with Grace,The lesse mixture in the affections, the stronger are their operations. they have the least mixture in them; love having much of Grace, hath least of lust; zeal with much grace, hath least of the wild-fire of carnall wrath, and these are known by the swiftnesse of their motion toward their kindly objects; the more of earth in the body, the swifter is the motion downward toward the earth; fire worketh most as fire when it carrieth up in the Air, nothing but it self, or fiery sparks like it self, but when it ascendeth and carrieth up with it, houses, mountains and great loads of earth, the motion is the slower: Grace being essentiall to gracious affections, they run and move kindly, and swiftly, therefore is supernaturall love, strong as death, hard as the grave: In the Martyrs it was stronger then burning quick, then the wheels, racks, and the most exquisite torments; and Christs love was stronger then Hell: of all loves, that is the strongest that bringeth sicknes, swooning and death: Gracious love produceth love sicknesse, Cant. 2.5. Swooning, Cant. 5.6. the Martyrs have died to injoy him, and refused to accept of life: because of the love of a Union with him, Heb. 11.37. How many deserted souls come to this I die, if I injoy not Christ.
Posit. 7. Its good that the affections be ballanced and loaden with Heavenly and spirituall lights: Lower vaults and under houses, send up smoak to the fair pictures that are in the higher houses: lusts dominion over light, maketh a misty and unbelieving mind: so when the light is carnall, and nothing but worldly policy, its like the highest house, which if ruinous and rainy, sendeth down rain and continuall droppings on the lower house. Minde and affections vitiate and corrupt one another.Mind & affections doe mutually and reciprocally vitiate one another. Grace in either, contributes much to the spirituality of the actions one of another: so the mockers of eternity and judgment, are ignorant, because they will be ignorant, 2 Pet. 3.5. And Elies sons will be abhominably lustfull in their affections, because they know not the Lord, and are ignorant of God, 1 Sam. 2.12. Mathew heareth and seeth Jesus, and he followeth him, Matth. 9.9. The more that Mary Magdalen followeth and loveth, the more she knoweth and seeth the excellency of Christ, Joh. 20. ver. 1.11.12.13.14. compared with ver. 17, 18.
Posit. 8. When the desires are naturall,Desires spiritual, seek naturall things spiritually, desires carnall, seek spirituall things naturally then Heavenly objects are desired and sorrowed for in a naturall way. Balaam desires to die the death of the righteous: but Esau weepeth for the blessing in a carnall way: when the desires are spirituall, earthly objects are desired in a spirituall way: Even bread as it savoureth of Christ, Math. 6.9. compared with ver. 11.12. And so the woman seeketh deliverance to her Daughter, spiritually and with a great Faith.
Posit. 9. The believer saith, if the creature will go along with me to my Fathers house, welcome: if not, What then? There I must lodge, though Gold refuse to go with me.
See how God in a manner resigneth his own freedom in giving,God submitteth in a maner his liberality of Grace, to the measure of a sanctified will. and transferreth this honour on the womans desire: God keeps pace with a sanctified will in satisfying; when the will keeps pace with God in acting, longing and desiring. 1. He putteth Heaven upon the choice of a sanctified heart, Deu. 30.19. Choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, Rev. 22.17. Whosoever will, let him take of the waters of life freely, Isa. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters. 2. Heaven is put upon the quality of the wil, and what it desires, Joh. 4.10. If thou knewst that gift of God, and who it is that sayes to thee, give me drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he should have given thee water of Life, Rev. 21.6. I will give unto him that thirsteth, of the Fountain of the water of life freely. There's an edge upon the word Fountain, for the Fountain and first spring of the water of life is above the streams; & this is promised to him that hath a heavenly and spirituall thirst for Christ. 3. God putteth himself and the measure or compasse of heaven, upon the measure and compass of the bensil and pitch of heavenly desires, Pro. 2.3. If thou cryest after knowledge, & liftest up thy voice for understanding, 4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, & find the knowledge of God. There be four words here to expresse the bensill of the will and desire; we are to cry for wisdome, foreign Our affections in their acts and comprehension, are far below spirituall objects, Christ, heaven▪ &c. about which they act.the Chalde reads the other part of the ver. if thou call understanding thy mother; that the cry spoken in the former part, may be such a high cry as children use when they weep & cry after their Mother: The other word is, To give the voice to wisdom: The other two words do note sweating, digging in the bowels of the earth, casting up much earth to find a treasure of silver or gold, Ps. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fil it: Vatablus, Seek what thou wilt, and I wil grant it. Its a doubt if any man by inlarged desires, can put Gods giving goodnes to the utmost extent. 4. God maketh his fulnesse in giving, far beyond our narrownesse in seeking, Eph. 3.20. He is able to do (this is as much as he is willing to do, Rom. 11.23. Jud. v. 24.) exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, or think, according to the power that worketh in us: This is considerable, that when Christ shall put the Crown of incomparable glory on the head of the glorified soul there shall be thousand millions of moe Diamonds, Rubies, and Jewels of glory on that Diadem, then ever your thoughts or imaginations, could reach, and more weight of sweetness, delight, joy, and glory in a sight of God, then the seeing eye, the hearing ear, yea the vast understanding and heart, which can multiply and adde to former thoughts can be able to fathom 1 Cor. 2.9. When ye seek and ask Christ from the Father, you know not his weight and worth, when you shal injoy Christ immediately up at the wel head, this shal much fill the soul with admiration, I believed to see much in Christ, having some twilight & afternoon, or Moonlight glances of him down in the earth: But O blind I, narrow I could never have Faith, opinion, thought, or imagination to fathom the thousand thousand part of the worth, and incomparable excellencie I now see in him. More in Christ and heaven then our faith in this life can reach.You may over-think, and over-praise Paradice, Rome, Naples, the Isles where there be two Summers in one year, but you cannot over-think, or in your thoughts reach Christ, and the invisible things of God; only glorified thoughts, not thoughts graced only are comprehensive, in any due measure of God, of heaven. The glorified soul shal be a far wider & more capacious circle, the Diameter of it in length, many thousand cubits larger in mind, thoughts, glorified reason, will, heart, desires, love, joy, reverence, &c, then it is now: We would in seeking, asking, praying, in adoring God in Christ, inlarge our own desires, heart, will, and affections, broad and deep, that we may take in more of Christ: broad prayers flow from broad desires, narrow prayers from niggard and narrow hearts; we may collect the bignesse of a ship from the proportion and quantity of its bottom, in its new framing: If the bottom draw but to the proportion of a small vessell, which can indure no more but a pair of oares, the vessel cannot be five hundred Tun, or be able to bear 60. peeces of Ordnance: Prayer bottomed on deep and broad hunger, and extreame pain of love-sicknesse for Christ, and great pinching poverty of spirit, must be in proportion wide and deep: O but our vessels are narrow, & our affections ebbe and low, the ballance that weigheth Christ weak, it is as if we should labour to cast three or four great Mountains in a scale of a Merchants ordinary ballance: we are proportioned in our spiritual capacities but for drops of grace. Christ is disposed to give grace as a river; its too little to seek corn, wine, & oyl, from God, he is more willing to give great things, then small things, to ask a feather, a penny from a mighty Prince, when he saith, Ask what thou wilt, to the half of my Kingdom, and it shal be granted to thee, is the undervaluing of the greatnesse of his Royal magnificence. Ask what ye wil (saith Christ) of my Father in my name, and it shall be granted. Mens desires run upon removall of the Sword, Peace, Protection, Plenty, Traffiquing, peaceable Seas, Liberties of Parliament, Subjects, Peers, Cities: Little are mens desires improved in seeking Christ to dwel in the land, and that the Temple of the Lord be builded: all these suits are below both the goodnesse of the Lord, and spirituall capacity of sanctified affections. And God giveth to Carnall men, that which their soul lusteth after; but in his wrath.