The Trial and Triumph of Faith, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Quest. BVt cannot Christ be hid? Ans. Not of himself:How CHRIST and his grace can not bee hid. Its hard to hide a great fire, or to cast a covering upon sweet odours that they smell not: Christs Name is as a sweet oyntment powred out, he is a Mountain of spices, and hee's a strong savour of Heaven, and of the higher Paradice: You may hide the man that he shal not see the Sun; but you cannot cast a garment over the body of the Sun, and hide day-light.
From which it appeareth that Christ cannot be hid.
1. In his Cause and Truth;1. He cannot be hid in his Cause. the Gospell is scourged and imprisoned when the Apostles are so served; yet it cometh to light and filleth Jerusalem, and filleth all the world. What was done to hide Christ? when he and his Gospel is buryed under a great stone, yet his fame goeth abroad; Death is no covering to Christ, Papists burn all the Books of Protestants, they kill and slay the Witnesses; Antiochus and the persecuting Emperours, throw all the Bibles in the fire; but this Truth cannot be hid, it Triumpheth: As soon pull down Jesus from his Royall seat at the right hand of God: as Babylon, Prelats, Papists, Malignants, in these three Kingdoms, can extinguish the People and Truth of Christ.
2. Beleevers cannot hide and dissemble a good or an ill condition in the soul;2. In a good or ill spirituall condition The welbeloved is away, and the Churches bed cannot keep her: All the Watchmen, all the streets, all the Daughters of Jerusalem; yea, Heaven, and Christ must hear of it, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. Cant. 5.6, 7, 8. Mary Magdalens bed, and a mornings sleep, and the Company of Angels and Apostles cannot dry her cheeks, Woman what ayles thee? (saith the Angel) O she weepeth; O what ayleth me? They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: O Apostles, Where is he? O Sir, Angell, tell me if you saw him? O Grave,! O Death! Shew me, is my Lord with you? The Love of Christ is no Hypocrite: I grant some can for a time put a fair face on it; when Christ is absent; but most of the Saints look as a Bird fallen from the Raven, as a Lamb fallen out of the Lions mouth, as one too soon out of bed in the morning; O sick of Love! O shew him! I charge you tell him, Watchmen, Daughters of Jerusalem, that I am sick of Love: Love is a paining, feavorous, tormenting sicknesse: Grace cannot put on a laughing mask, when sweet Jesus is hidden: Love hath no art to conceal sorrow, the countenance of David, Psal. 42.5▪ is sick: There's death in his face, when God is not the light of his countenance.
3. The joy of his presence cannot be hid, she cannot but tell and cry out,3. In the joy of his presence. O Fair! O White Day! He is come again, Cant. 3.4. It was but a little that I passed from him, but I found him whom my soul loved. She numbred all the miles she Travelled while her Lord was absent: Joy will speak, its not dumb, Cant. 7.9. The roofe of thy mouth (is) like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak, Mat. 9.15, Can the Children of the Bedchamber mourne. as long as the Bridegroom is with them? (i. e.) they cannot choose but rejoyce.
4. Grace in a sincere Professor, and CHRIST cannot be hid,4. In a sincere profession. there came a good fair breath with a blast of a sweet west-wind of Heaven on Joseph of Arimathea, the time was ill, Christ was dead; and he can dissemble no longer, Mar. 15.43. foreign, with much daring and boldnesse he went into Pilat with a Petition: I beseech you my Lord Governour, let me but have this Jesus his dead body: There was some fire of Heaven in this bold profession; What would this be thought of, to see a Noble and Honourable Lord-Judge with a dead and Crucified mans Body in his armes? But Faith knoweth no blushing: Grace cannot be ashamed: there was a straight charge laid on the Apostles, Preach no more in the name of Jesus, Act. 4.13. Peter and John, with a foreign, boldly say, vers. 20. We cannot but speak the things wee have heard and seen: Lay as heavy weights as death, burning quick, sawing asunder, on the sincerity of Faith in the Martyrs, it must up the Mountain. Davids Grace, Psal. 39.1. was kept in as with a Mussell put upon the mouths of Beasts:Vatab. an. in Psal. 39 1. it was as coals of fire in his heart, and he behoved to speak even before the wicked; I beleeved, therefore I spake, Psal. 116.10.
5. When Ieremiah layeth unlawfull bands on himself,5. To speak no more in the Name of the Lord;In the bearing down of the stirrings of a renowed conscience, there is a spirit of Prophesie lying on him, he is not Lord of his own choice, Ier. 20.9. But his word was in my heart, as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay: There's a Majesty of Grace on the Conscience of the Child of God, that must break out in holy duties; though temptation should hide Christ in his Grace, tempted Ioseph is over-awed with this, Gen. 39.9. How can I then do this great wickednesse, and sin against God? This awsome Majesty of the Grace of Gods fear, causeth Ioseph see nothing in Harlotry but pure unmixed guiltinesse against God; there's an over mastering apprehension of Christs love, 2 Cor. 5.14. that constraineth Paul to out the Love of Christ, in dedicating himself to the service of the Gospell. Though Paul would not have preached: yet he had a sum to pay, Rom. 1.14. I am Debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians, both to the wise and unwise. Grace awed him, as a Debt layeth fetters on an ingenious minde, he cannot but out his free and honest mind in paying what he oweth.
6. In deserious.6. Gods Desertion cannot so hide and over-cloud Christ; but against sense the Childe of God must beleeve; yea, and pray in Faith, Ps▪ 22.1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 2. O my God I cry by day. Though sin over-cloud Christ, and David fall in Adultery and blood, there's a seed of Christ, that must cast out blossoms, he cannot but repent and sorrow. Gods Decree of grace in the execution of it, may be broken in a link by some great sin, but Christ cannot but soader the chain, and raise the fallen sinner.
Use.It shall be usefull then for the Saints, when the spirit cometh in his stirrings,We are to be obsequious & yeelding to the breathings of Gods spirit. and impetuous acts, to co-operate with him, and to answer his wind-blowing: Its good to hoyse up sail and make out, when a fair wind and a strong tide calleth: sometime Grace maketh the heart as a hot Iron, its good then to smite with the hammer: When your spirit is Docile, and there cometh a gale of Christs sweet West-wind and rusheth in, with a warmnesse of heart, in a praying disposition, to retire to a corner and powre out the soul before the Lord, as we are to take Christ at his word, so are we to take Christs spirit at his work: He knocketh, knock thou with him: His fingers make a stirring upon the handles of the bar, and drop down pure myrhe: Let thy heart make a stirring with his fingers also. I grant, wind maketh sailing, and all the powers on Earth cannot make wind; yet when God maketh wind, the Sea-men may draw sails and lance forth: God preventeth in all these, the spirit beateth fire out of our slint, we are to lay to a match and receive, reach in the heart under the stirrings of Free-grace, obey dispositions of Grace as God himself;Oi… hearts must be variously suitable to the various operations of the spirit. when the Sun riseth the Birds may sing; but their singing is no cause of the Sun rising.
2. Its no truth of God that some teach, that the justified in Christ are of duty always tied to one and the same constant act of rejoycing with out any mixture of sadnesse and sorrow, for so they cannot, 1. Obey and follow the various impressions of the Lords absence and presence, of Christs Sea ebbing and flowing, of his shining and smiling, and his lowring and frowning. 2. The Faith of a justified condition, doth not root out all affections, nay not Love, Faith, desire and joy, if there be sin remaining in the justified, there's place of sadnesse, for fear, for sorrow: for the scumme of affections are removed by Christ, not the affections themselves. 3. Christ for meer triall sometimes, for sin other times, doth cover himself with a cloud, and withdraw the sense of his favour: and its a cursed joy, that is on foot, when the Lord hideth his face. The Love of Christ must be sick and sad: I mean the Lover, when the beloved is under a cloud: It is not the new world with the Regenerate man here nor a Land where there's nothing but all Summer, all Sun, neither night, nor clouds, nor Rain, nor Storm, that is the condition of the second Paradice, of the better Adam. 4. Its a just and an innocent sorrow, to be grieved at that which grieveth the Holy spirit, and when the Lyon roareth, all the Beasts of the field are afraid. Grace maketh not Iob a stock, nor Christ a man who cannot weep.
And behold a Woman of Canaan: And a certain Woman. Math. 15 Mark 7Of the Woman, 1. But one person of all Tyrus and Sidon came to him. 2. She was a Syrophenician by Nation. 3. Her condition, She had a Daughter vexed with a Devill. 4. With an unclean Devill. 5. The nearer occasion She heard of him. 6. She adored. 7. She prayed, and so way is made to the conference between Christ and her: And to the Triall and Miracle.
A certain Woman. There is but one of all Tyrus and Sidon who came to Christ.Grace falls on few. 1. It beseemeth the mercy of the good shepherd, to leave ninety and nine sheep in the Wildernesse, and go after one which is lost, Luke 15.4. And when all is done (alas) he hath but one of an whole hundred. Christ hath not the tithe of mankinde: He maketh a Journey while he is wearied and thirsty through Samaria; yea, and wanteth his dinner for one Woman at that draught of his net, and thinketh he dineth like a King, and above, if he save one, Ioh. 4.33, 34. O sweet husbands word, Jer. 3.14. I am married to you, and I will take you, one of a citie and two of a Tribe, and I will bring you to Zion. Christ taketh sinners not by dozens, not by thousands (its but once in all the word, Act. 2. that three Thousand are converted at once) but by one's and two's. Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant shall but bee saved, foreign, Rom. 9.27. Esa. 10.22. The Reliques and Refuse shall be saved only. 2. Common Love scarce amounteth to Grace; because Grace is separative, and singleth out one of many, all graced persons are priviledged persons, Heaven is a house of chosen and priveledged ones; there's no common stones in the New Jerusalem, Grace is a rare choice piece.but all precious stones, the foundations Saphirs, the windows Agats and Carbuncles, all the Borders of pleasant stones, Esa. 54.11, 12. 3. Christs way lyeth so, of two grinding at the mil, of two in the field together, of two in one bed: Christ wil have but one; Christ often wil not have both husband and wife, both Father and Son; but the one Brother, Iacob, not Esau: of a whole house, Christ cometh to the Devils fire side, and chuseth one, and draweth him out, and leaveth all the Family to the devil. 4. Christ knoweth them well whom he chuseth: Grace is a rare peece of the choise and the floor of the love of Heaven, there bee many common stones, not many Pearls, not many Diamonds and Saphirs. The multitude be all Arminians from the womb, every Heresie is a peece of the old Adams wanton wit; thousands go to Hell, black Hereticks and Heterodox; as touching the Doctrine of themselves, every man hath Grace, if you believe himself; Vnusquisque est in eâ heresi, every man taketh Heaven for his home and heritage; Dogs think to rest in Christs bosome, men naturally believe, though they be but up and down with Christ; yet Christ doth so bear them at goodwill,Grace not Universall & common to all. as to give Grace and Glory.
Obj. 1. Gods Love is not infinite, if it bee limited to a few. Ans. This should conclude, that there be an infinite number of Men and Angels to whom Gods Love to Salvation is betrothed in affection:Obj. 1. but his love is infinite in its Act, not in its Object: The way of carrying on his love is infinite.
Obj. 2. To ascribe Gods not loving of men, Obj. 2to Gods disposition, heart, will, and pleasure, and not to our defects, is blasphemy. Ans. The Lord ascribeth his having mercy, and his hardning to his own Free-will, Rom. 9.17. Exod. 33.19. and his love is as free as his mercy, and by this means Gods first love to us should arise from our love preventing his; contrary to his own word, Deut. 7.7. Eph. 2.3, 4. Tit. 3.3. 2 Tim. 1.9. and man should be the first lover of the two, the creature then putteth the Lord in his debt, and giveth first to God, and God cannot but recompence, Esa. 40.13, 14. Rom. 11.34, 35. now its no shame for us to live and dye in the debt of Christ: The Heaven of Angels and men is an house of the debtors of Christ Eternally engaged to him; and shall stand in his Debt-book ages without end.
Obj. 3. Infinite goodnesse may as soon cease to be, as not be good to all, Obj. 3or withhold mercy from any. Ans. Every being of Reprobate Men and Devils is a fruit of Gods goodness, but of Free-goodnesse; else God should cease to be, if he should turn his Creatures to nothing, for he should cease to be good to things without himself, if these were all turned to their poor mother-Nothing. 2. Mercy floweth not from God essentially, especially the mercy of Conversion, Remission of sins. Eternall life, but of mer Gracc; for then God could not be God, and deny these favours to Reprobats: Freedome of mercy and salvation is as infinitely sweet and admirable in God, as mercy and salvation it self.
Obj. 4.Obj. 4. But God is so essentially good to all, as he must communicate his goodnesse by way of Justice, in order to free obedience, and that is life Eternal to those who freely beleeve and obey. Ans. But the great Enemy of Grace, Ja. Arminius teacheth us, that all the freedom of Grace, Rom. 9. is resolved in the free pleasure of God, in which he freely and without hire, purposed to reward Faith, not the works of the Law with life Eternall; whereas it was free to him to keep another order, if so it shuld seem good to him, and by this means God is yet freely, and by an act of pure grace not essentially good to all, even in communicating his goodnesse, by way of Justice: For what God doth by necessity of his nature and essence, that he canot but do, but sure it is, by no necessity of nature, doth the Lord reward works, faith, or any obedience in us with the Crown of life Eternal: He may give heaven freely without our Obedience at all, as he giveth the first Grace freely, Eze. 16.6, 7, 8. Rom. 5.10. Ephes. 2.3, 4, But this is surer, the fewer have Grace, Grace is the more Grace, and the more like it selfe and free.
Obj. 5.Obj. 5. But I have a good heart to GOD.
Ans. A quiet heart sleeping in a false peace, is a bad heart, most of sinners give their souls to the Devil by theft, they think they are sailing to heaven, and know nothing till they shoare, sleeping in the land of Death, Matth. 7.21, 22, 23. Luk. 16.27, 28.
Obj. 6. Why, But God hath bestowed on me, Obj. 6.many favours and riches in this world. Ans. Gods Grace is not graven on gold, it should be but the Logick of a beast, if the slaughter Oxe should say, The Master favoureth me more then any Oxe in the stall: I am free of the yoak which is upon the neck of others, and my pasture is fatter then theirs.
Obj. 7. The Saints love me. Ans. The Saints can mis-father their love,Obj. 7. and love where God loveth not.
Obj. 8. All the world loveth me. Ans. Obj. 8You are the liker to be a step-childe of Jerusalem and of Heaven; for, The world loveth its own, Ioh. 15.19. better it were to have the world a step-Mother, then to be no other, but to lye in such a womb, and suck such breasts.
Obj. 9. I believe life Eternall. Ans. Obj. 9That Faith is with childe of Heaven, but see it be not a false Birth; few or none come to age, and none clothed in white and Crowned, but they were jealous of their Faith, and feared their own wayes: Naturall men stand aloof from Hell and Wrath.