Christ Exalted, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON.
EPHES 1.4.
That we ſhould be holy.
IN this chapter you have; Firſt, the inſcription of the Epiſtle, verſ. 1. and therein is declared both the Pen-man Paul; and his Office, an Apoſtle of of Jeſus Chriſt by the will of God; alſo the perſons to whom the Epiſtle was written, the Saints, and to the faithfull in Chriſt Jeſus, which are at Epheſus.
Secondly, A ſalutation, verſ. 2. and therein is expreſſed the matter of the Salutation, Grace, and Peace; the perſons ſaluted you, to wit, the Saints; the Author from whom Grace and Peace comes to the Saints: From God our Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Thirdly, A congratulation, verſ. 3. for ſpirituall bleſſings in generall, foreign &c. Who hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſſings &c. or with every ſpirituall bleſſing. Whereof the Apoſtle mentioneth ſome particularly in the following verſes, to wit, Election, Predeſtination, Adoption. In this 4 verſe Saint Paul hints to us.
Firſt, That there is an Election.
Secondly, That the Elect are choſen in Chriſt.
Thirdly, That Election was before the World was founded.
And fourthly, that the Elect of God ſhould be holy, and without blame in his preſence, in love.
Thus you ſee the occaſion, and dependence of the words of the Text, which offers to your religious conſideration this plaine Doctrine.
Doct. God will have his people to be an holy people. This point of doctrine needeth no explanation; And it is a truth ſo generally aſſented to by all profeſſors, that I ſhall give you but one Scripture, to confirme it. 2 Theſ. 3. This is the will of God, foreign your Sanctification. And indeed it appeares manifeſtly in the Scripture of truth, that this is Gods holy will.
Firſt, becauſe God hath choſen them in Chriſt to this end, Epheſ. 1.4. That they ſhould be holy.
Secondly, God calles his to holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 4.7. God hath not called us to uncleanneſſe, but unto holineſſe.
Thirdly, God hath given to every one of his the holy ſpirit to ſanctifie them, Rom. 15 16. being ſanctified by the holy ſpirit.
Fourthly, God affords them his holy word, which is a meanes of Sanctification. John. 17.17. Sanctifie them through thy truth, thy word is truth. Yea when they ſin againſt God, he will chaſtiſe them for their profit; that they may be partakers of his holineſſe, Heb. 12.10. So that God would have his people holy.
Reaſon 1. God will have his people to be holy, that he may be juſtified in juſtifying the ungodly, Rom. 3.26. That he might be juſt, that juſtifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. God juſtifieth the ungodly, that is, He finding men and women in their blood, or in their ſins, Ezek. 16 6, 8. he (in the the time of love) forgives them all their ſins, covers their nakedneſſe with the skirt of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and bids them live; This is done when God enters into covenant with them, and ſo they become his. Now that God may be juſtified in ſo doing, though he found them ungodly, unbeleevers, impenitent, prophane, &c. He doth not onelyonly forgive them all their ſins, and ſo leave them ungodly, to go on in their wicked waies; But he gives them his holy Spirit of Sanctificaton, who changeth their hearts, renewes the ſpirit of their minde, ſanctifies their wills, and affection, and produceth all thoſe fruits of the ſpirit in them, mentioned, Gal. 5.22, 23. whereby they are made holy in all manner of converſation. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. And this reaſon the Apoſtle gives, Epheſ. 1.4, 6. That we ſhould be holy: to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, and verſe 12. That we ſhould be to the praiſe of his Glory. And herein is God juſtified in juſtifying the ungodly, in that he doth make and keep them holy, Jude 1.
Reaſon 2. God will have his people to be holy, for the honour and glory of his Son Jeſus Chriſt to whom he hath given them. All mine are thine (ſaith Chriſt in his Prayer to his Father, John 17.1, 10.) and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them, alſo verſe. 19. And for their ſakes, I ſanctifie my ſelfe, that they alſo might be ſanctified. Chriſt ſhall be glorified in his Saints, eſpecially in his Kingly Office, Revel. 15.3, 4. Juſt and true are thy waies; Thou King of Saints; Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name, for thou onelyonly art holy. And albeit, now Chriſt, and his poor Saints are ſcorned, and deſpiſed of men; yet that Propheſie of Enoch, the ſeventh from Adam, will have its accompliſhment, Jude 14. Behold, the Lord commeth with ten thouſand of his Saints. The Lord Ieſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels; When he ſhall come to be glorified in his Saints, 2 Theſ. 17 10. And in that day it will appear to all the world, that it is the great glory of Jeſus Chriſt, that his Father hath given him ſo many, ten thouſands of Saints to be his Subjects, and himſelfe to be their King, Iſa. 33.17, 22.
Reaſon. 3. God will have his people holy, that they may enjoy ſpirituall communion with him in this life, and Eternall communion with him in heaven. The Saints do enjoy ſpirituall Communion with God in this life, 1 John 1.3 Truely our fellowſhip is with the father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and with the Spirit, Phil. 2.1. And they ſhall have eternall communion with God in Heaven, in that Kingdome prepared for them, which then thy ſhall receive, Matth. 25.34. Now this communion with God, none can have without holineſſe. Heb. 12.14. Therefore God will have his people to be holy.
1. Vſe. Will God have his people to be holy? Let it be uſefull to us, firſt for enquiry, what holineſſe is? And how God makes His holy? foreign 1 Theſ. 4 3. 7 Holineſſe or Sanctification is a reall change of the whole Man, from the pollution of ſin, to the purity of the Image of Chriſt Rom. 6.22. But now being made free from ſin, and become ſervants of God, ye have your fruits unto holineſſe Here was a reall change in them from the pollution of ſin, 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face beholding, as in a glaſſe, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image. Here was the other part of that reall change in them, to wit, into the purity of the Image of Chriſt. For as men in their naturall eſtate bear the Image of the Earthy firſt-man Adam; ſo men in their ſpirituall eſtate bear the Image of the Heavenly ſecond-Man CHRIST, 1 Cor. 15.47, 48, 49. This holineſſe or ſanctification (if you have reſpect to the Author and efficient cauſe thereof) is called the ſanctification of the Spirit, 2 Theſ. 2.13. and 1 Pet. 1.2. (If unto the divine act of God) it is called Renovation or Renewing of the minde, Epheſ. 4.23, and Rom. 12.2. (If unto the Acts and fruits of holineſſe in beleevers) it is called Faith, love, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, meekneſſe, temperance, &c. Gal. 5.22. (If unto the root, fountain, and foundation of holineſſe) the Scripture ſaith; Chriſt is our ſanctification, 1 Cor. 1.30. Thus you hear what holineſſe is. Now God maketh His holy by his Spirit and Word; Whereby he doth convince them, that they are without Chriſt: Epheſ. 2.12. Maketh diſcoverie to them of the worth of Chriſt, their need of him, and Gods offer of him in a covenant of Grace upon Goſpell termes; changing their hearts into the Image of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 3.18. Gives them Faith in Chriſt, Repentance from dead workes, Love to all the Saints, &c. And ſo the very God of Peace Sanctifie his people, 1 Theſſalonians 5.23. Thus much may ſuffice touching the Jnquiry.
2. Vſe. Will God have his people to be holy? Let us make uſe of this, to diſcover who are the people of God, & who are not. Thoſe people, that are ungodly, unſanctified, are not the people of God, ſuch may boaſt of their Juſtification, but they deceive themſelves, for God hath no juſtified-unſanctified people, 1 Cor. 6 9, 10, 11. They may talke of the free-grace of God manifeſted to them & bringing them Salvation, but they are deluded; for the grace of God, that bringeth Salvation, teacheth us to deny ungodlineſſe, and to live godly. Titus. 2.11, 12. Now there are three ſorts of profeſſors, who would be eſteemed the people of God, and yet are not ſanctifyed by the holy ſpirit, they are not holy, and therefore are not the Lords people in Covenant.
The firſt Sort are all thoſe legall profeſſors, who having been by the ſpirit, and word of God much convinced of ſin, Iohn 16.8. Sorely wounded in their conſciences, Proverbes. 18.14. and ſomewhat reformed in their converſations, by hearing godly Preachers, as Herod was, Mark 6 20. after all this, goe about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, and reſt upon their duties, humiliation, and legall reformation; And never have their hearts changed, and renewed, nor Chriſt given of the Father unto them: Theſe are not ſanctified, are not the Lords. Hear what the Apoſtle ſpeakes to ſuch among the Galatians. Are yee ſo fooliſh? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the fleſh? Have you affired ſo many things in vain? If it be yet in vaine. Well ſuch of you as God hath choſen in Chriſt, that you ſhould bee holy, &c. He will alſo by his Spirit and Word convince you of Righteouſneſſe, to wit, that all your own Righteouſneſſes are as filthy rags, Iſa. 64.6. That being ignorant of Gods Righteouſneſſe, you have gone about to eſtabliſh your owne righteouſneſſe, Rom. 10 3. and that you muſt be found in Chriſt, not having your own righteouſneſſe, which is of the Law; but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith, Phil. 3 9.
The ſecond Sort are all thoſe formall profeſſors, who ſeem onelyonly to be religious. Iames 1.26. Having a forme of Godlineſſe, but denying the power thereof. 2 Tim. 3.5. Theſe will tell you they reſt not on duties, truſt not to their owne righteauſneſſe, confide not in their Humiliation, as legal profeſſors doe; But they (after much trouble of conſcience for their ſins) got comfort, joy, and peace in applying ſome promiſes of the Goſpell to themſelves: Conſider, I pray you, the Parable of the ſtony ground hearers. They on the rock, are they, which when thy hear receive the Word with joy, and theſe have no root, which for a while beleeve, and in time of temptation fall away, Luke 8.13. Here was ſome (plowing, though it went not deep enough,) and ſome Harrowing alſo, to cover the good ſeed; after this the…e was ſome joy, but no root; Here was the Word convincing, and wounding, and comforting, but no Chriſt (who is called the root Coloſſ. 2.6, 7) to quicken, renew, and ſanctifie: And therefore, though they believed awhile, yet they fall away, in the time of Temptation. And this is the condition of formall Profeſſors, they get comfort in promiſes, but they receive not Chriſt and His ſanctifying comforting-ſpirit in the promiſes, let ſuch hear what the Lord by His Prophet ſpeakes to a formall profeſsing people, Iſa. 50.11. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compaſſe your ſelves about with ſparks; Walk in the light of your fire, and in the ſparks that ye have kindled. This ſhall ye have at my hand, ye ſhall lye down in ſorrow.
The third ſort are all thoſe carnall Profeſſors, who ſay they are the people of God, and hold the common Faith, Titus 1.4. which is the faith of Gods Elect, Titus 1.1. and beleeve the common ſalvation: Jude 3. That is to ſay, common to every one that beleeveth, both Jew and Gentile: Rom. 1, 16. But notwithſtanding all this profeſſion of generall redemption, they themſelves are the ſervants of corruption: 2 Pet. 2.19. For they take liberty to live in ſin, and walk after the fleſh fulfilling the luſts thereof; turning the grace of God into laſciviouſneſſe, and denying the onelyonly Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Jude 4 They are ſo fa…re departed from the Faith, which they ſometime profeſſed, and ſeemed to have, 1 Tim. 4.1. that they queſtion whether the Scriptures of truth be the Word of God? Whether Chriſt be the ſonne of God? Whether the firſt day of the Week be the Sabboth of God? And they are ſo farre from living godly, and walking in the way of holineſſe; that they totally omit all holy duties, they refrain prayer, they ſpeak not of the Word of God when they riſe up, nor when they lye down, nor as they ſin in the houſe together with their family: They do not pertake of any Ordinances, nor perform any worſhip to God. And as for ſin, they make a mock at it; ſome of them ſay God takes no knowledge of their ſins, He ſees no iniquitie in them; others affirm, that they have no ſin, they are born of God, and they cannot ſin: And ſome others are bold, to ſay, they are juſtified perſons, and therfore all their words and actions are alike acceptable to God, and well-pleaſing in his ſight &c. But theſe carnall profeſſors are not holy, are not the people of God: This may make ſome diſcovery of thoſe, whoſe hearts are not right with God; to whom I would give the Apoſtles exhortation, Acts 8.22.
3. Vſe. Will God have His people to be holy? Then may this doctrine occaſion a deep Humiliation, and godly ſorrow in believers for their unholineſſe, carnallneſſe, and ſinfulneſſe in heart or life, O beloved, let you and I commune with our own hearts, how much unbelief, hypocriſie, ſelf-filthineſſe, formality and wickedneſſe, ſhall we upon diligent examination finde ſtill remaining in us? What vanity of minde and carnality is in our hearts? How many hard thoughts of God have we ſtill? Notwithſtanding all the experiences God hath given us of his unchangeableneſſe, his faithfulneſſe, and his everlaſting loving kindneſſe in Jeſus Chriſt: How apt are we by an evill heart of unbelief, to depart from God? Alas what ſinfull contemplations have we in our ſpirits? What evill concupiſcence? How do our hearts run out after the creature-comforts of this world, and how are our affections ſtill ſet upon the things below Chriſt and God? How many Idols are ſet up in our hearts! How great is our ſelf-love, ſelf-ſeeking, ſelf-confidence, ſelf-dependence, and ſelf-ſufficiencie! O what high thoughts have we ſometimes of our ſelves, our gifts, our graces, our experiences, our performances? Surely we have juſt cauſe (if God will in mercy work in us godly ſorrow) to be aſhamed, to mourn after a godly manner, and to loath our ſelves for the abominations of our own hearts. But my brethren, let us examine our lives, and ſearch and try our wayes, as well as commune with our hearts, for the eye of the world is open upon us; God, and Angels, men and Divels, all obſerve us (who are believers) they hear what we ſay, and take knowledge what we do. O beloved, how much vain, carnall, and ſinfull communication comes out of our mouthes, that miniſters no grace to the hearers! How many idle words do we ſpeak? What unprofitable talk have we among our ſelves and with others; not gracious, nor ſeaſoned with the ſalt of truth and holineſſe, but very unſavoury ſpeeches. And when we meet together, and ſpeak one to another of Religion, we are apt to ſpeak ſlightly, raſhly, formally, inconſiderately, and not ſoberly, humbly, and graciouſly, as becomes the Saints. Yea, our conferences ſometimes turns to vain janglings, and un-edifying diſputes, wherein we ſtrive for victory, or to maintain our own opinion, more then truth; But beſides all this, How much ungodlineſſe is there in our actions? Albeit God preventeth us by His grace, from doing actions ſimply and groſſely evill and ungodly, as drunkenneſſe, uncleanneſſe, &c. Yet in doing lawfull things, we often miſ-carry; the Meſſengers of Chriſt do ſometimes preach themſelves, Fathers of Families do correct their children ſometimes after their pleaſure, provoking their children, being bitter to their Wives ſometimes; Oh how uneven do we walk in our callings and relations! Wherein we ſhould eſpecially ſhew forth the power of godlineſſe. Oh had we tender hearts and were we truly ſenſible of our ſinfull miſcariages, we could not ſpeak of thoſe particulars without teares of godly ſorrow. Can we conſider how many yeares we have profeſſed the Goſpell, how long we have enjoyed the Word preached in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon unto us, and yet how little our converſation is as becomes the Goſpell, how little we have profited, how little we have grown in Grace, and in the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, and not be affected to mourn under the feeling of our unprofitableneſſe, and great barrenneſſe. But I hope God will give us repentance unto ſalvation, not to be repented of for all our unrighteouſneſſe.
4. Vſe. Will God have his people to be holy? Let it be uſefull for the conſolation of every true Believer, eſpecially ſuch as at preſent groane under the tyrannicall power, or captivating bondage of any corruption; And ſigh to God for ſupply from Chriſt of any grace wanting, or weake in their apprehenſion, ſenſe, and feeling. Hearken poor mourning ſoul, and conſider what may be ſaid for thy comfort, and ſearch the Scriptures whether it be ſo or not.
Know firſt, That Gods eternall purpoſe toward thee (who art a true Beleever) in chuſing thee in Chriſt, was, that thou ſhouldeſt be holy, Epheſ. 1.4 and Rom. 8.30. I have purpoſed it (ſaith God) I will alſo do it, Iſa. 46.11.
Secondly, That God hath made with thee an everlaſting Covenant of Grace and Holineſſe, wherein he hath given thee many great and precious promiſes, to pardon ſin, to ſubdue iniquity, and to put his Law in thy minde, and write it in thy heart: Jer. 3.31.34, and 32.40, with Heb. 8.10.11.12. Micah. 7.18, 19, 20, with 2 Pet. 2.3, 4, to the 11. verſ.
Thirdly, that Chriſt hath prayed to His Father for thee, that he would ſanctifie thee, John 17.1.17.20.
Fourthly, that Chriſt ſanctified himſelf for thy ſake, that thou alſo might be ſanctified, Joh. 17.19.20.
Fifthly, that God hath given thee the ſpirit of his ſonne, Gal. 4.6. who is a comforting ſanctifying ſpirit, yea the Comforter; John 14.16, 17.18: And he that ſanctifieth all the people of God, 1 Theſ. 5.23.
Sixthly, That faithfull is God, who called thee, who alſo will do it; 1 Theſ. 5.24. He called thee unto Holineſſe, 1 Theſ 4.7, and he will both make thee holy. [He hath ſaid thou ſhalt be holy, Levit. 11.44.45, and 19.2. That is ſuch a command, as hath the force of a promiſe in it; And though that place, Levit. 20 7, is, foreign Sanctifie your ſelves therefore and be ye Holy; yet the 70. Interpreters renders it, foreign. Et ſanctificabimi, & eritis ſancti. And ſo doth the Chaldees Paraphraſt render it alſo. And Hierom tranſlates that place, in the firſt of Pet. 1.16. foreign, Be ye holy, Sancti eritis, Ye ſhall be holy: And indeed, there is foreign, in the Margent of one Greek Teſtament, for God can put a being to His Word] And therefore be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. Matth. 9.2. And ſinne ſhall not have dominion over thee, Rom. 6.14. The grace of Chriſt is ſufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.9. He is full of grace, John 1.14. And from his fulneſſe, thou ſhalt receive grace upon grace; John 1.16. According as his divine power hath given us all things, that pertain unto life and godlineſſe. 1. Pet. 1.3.
5. Vſe. Will God have his people to be holy? Let me conclude with an uſe of exhortation to holineſſe; As he that called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of Converſation, 1 Pet. 1.15. God will have his people holy at all times, in all relations, and in every condition. Therefore I beſeech you brethren, and exhort you in the Lord, and for his ſake, to be holy in all manner of Converſation, holy in your callings, for godlineſſe is great gaine: holy in your Families, in your ſhops, in your journeyes in all your waies, and in all your relations. Godlineſſe hath the promiſe both of this life, & that which is to come. Piety hath a majeſtie in it, it will give you a throne in the Conſciences of others, that they dare not ſin in your preſence. Holineſſe is an ornament to your callings, to your perſons, to your families, and to the place where you live. The more holy the more like your Heavenly Father, and the more you, glorifie your heavenly Father, and the more you adorne the Doctrine of Chriſt, yea the more communion you have with the Father and with Chriſt. Having therefore theſe promiſes, dearly beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſſe in the feare of God, 2 Cor. 7.1, 4. great is my boldneſſe of ſpeech toward you in this exhortation, becauſe I deſire fruit that may abound to your account; And give me leave to preſſe this exhortation upon ſuch beleevers preſent who have carnall parents, yoke-fellowes, or other carnall friends. You would have your naturall friends converted, and to that end you pray for them, mourne over them, many a ſigh, and many a tear, it may be, they have coſt you; but they live in the fleſh ſtill, are carnall ſtill. Oh let not an holy converſation be wanting, that may further their converſion, 1 Cor. 7.16, 17. And if any obey not the Word, they alſo may be wonne, without the word, by your Godly converſation, 1 Pet. 3.1. And if they be not drawn thereby to a love of the truth, yet their mouthes will be ſtopped, that they cannot ſpeake againſt it. Would it not be a comfortable thing, to have a carnall father ſpeake thus of his godly ſon, or daughter, to wit, I was unwilling my children ſhould go ſo often to heare Sermons, and be ſo often at Conferences, and private faſts, and the like; But I have obſerved, that ſince they profeſſed Religion, and gave themſelves to pray, and read the Scriptures, They have been much more dutifull to us their parents then before, and they are more diligent in their callings. If this be the worſt, they ſhall have liberty to profeſſe the Goſpell ſtill. The like I might ſpeak of other relations but ſhould carnall parents or friends have cauſe by your looſe or un evenwalking to ſpeak evill of the waies of God, it would bee very uncomfortable to you, and diſhonourable to the Goſpell. I ſhall conclude in the words of the Apoſtle, Phil. 4.8. Finally, Brethren, Whatſoever things are true, Whatſoever things are honeſt, juſt, pure, lovely, or of good report. If there be any vertue, and if there be any praiſe, thinke on theſe things, and the God of peace ſhall be with you. verſ. 9.
One objection had need to be anſwered, before I end, and that is this; May ſome ſay, you have exhorted us to holineſſe, and the Apoſtle tells us, 2 Tim. 3.12. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer perſecution.
Object. How may wee be encouraged and ſtrengthened againſt the feares of perſecution?
Solu. I anſwer, Firſt pray to God, that he will furniſh you with ſuffering graces, againſt perſecuting times, Coloſ. 1.9.10, 11. Secondly improve your intereſt through Chriſt in the promiſes, and beleeve, that the more ſufferings for Chriſt, the more comfort by Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.5. The more ſufferings the more holineſſe, Heb. 12.10. The more ſufferings the more happineſſe: 1 Pet. 4.14. OnelyOnly take heed of ſuffering as an evill doer, verſes 15.16. And if any ſuffer as a Chriſtian, Chriſt will ſuffer with him, Iſa. 63.9. Chriſt will ſhare with you in your ſuffering perſecution. Acts 9.4, 5. And you ſhall ſhare with Chriſt in glory, Rom. 8.17. But you muſt bee holy in ſufferings alſo, praying for them that perſecute you, as Chriſt taught and practiſed: and ſo did his Martyr Stephen, 7.60. Lord lay not this ſin to their charge: And ſo let us pray for them that now diſturbed us.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hanserd Knollys, Christ Exalted (1645)