A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 89 (Question 24 cont.)
SERMON LXXXIX.
3. THE way in which he doth this, viz. by His … Spirit. Of which we may take this brief account.
(1.) THE Scripture … this will of God is recorded were …. The great truths pointing us to Salvation are recorded in the Scripture and thither we are directed to ſeek for them. Job. 5.35. Se… the Scriptures for in them ye th… ye have eternal life and they … of me. How thouth holy men were the writers of theſe books, yet his Spirit was the inditer of them. It was he who inſpired theſe men; and this was an eminent inſtance of Chriſts Prophetical Office. Hence we read in 2 Tim. 3.14. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is pro…ble for …, for rep…, for enre…tion, … in…r…ion in righteouſneſs: 2 Pet. 1.21. For the propheſie … not is … the will of …? But only men of God ſpake as they were …ved by the holy Ghoſt. The Goſpel is therefore called his, Rom. 1.16. Not only becauſe he is the great Subject of it, but alſo becauſe he is the Author of it.
(2.) THE miniſt… of the Wind is of … and …. Chriſt as a Prophet, having to deal with mea's underſtandings, treats them in their own way. Hence there is an outward teaching be affords them. We are therefore told, Rom. 10.17. So then ſaith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God And for this he imploys men like themſelves to preach to them, which that they may do with authority, he ſends them forth commi…oned to their work, ver. 15. Mat. 28.18, 19. And Jeſus came and ſ…ake unto them, ſaying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Give the … baptizing them in the name of the Father, … the Sin and of the …. They … … fore called his …. They came in his Name and by …. Prophetical Office: and are … in low his direction in it. Their power … ſineſs is to … the way of …. And I … give … learn, wh… … you under … ledge and underſtanding. Their change … him 2 Tim 4.1. He is the great … the Shepherd and they his … by what he pleads with us 2 Cor. 1.…. They as his Miniſters and Ste… 1 Per. 5.20. …, they work together with w…k, 2 Cor. 2.1.
(3.) ALL man … Goſt are of …. He doth not ſend out his A … un…ed: but takes a … of … of Prophe… and be…ons upon …. Theſe gifts indeed are direr… … that both as to the different manner … ſere, however they all come … his own Spirit 1 Cor. 12. began. Some … more immediately and … ſpired by him, as the Apo…es … of the … Church, … attain to theſe gifts were … ſtudy reading induſtry, being tr…ed … the … of the Prophets: Not it is … that … are prepa… for his men. And the promiſe of his pretence with … is all anges of the Church is their exe… ment in their work. Math. 26.22. … yea always even … the and of a … Amer.
(4.) IT is … Spirit … the …, who ex… the … knowledge of theſe …. This is a …land there is a ſp…r… k… of Goſpel truths; and Chriſt as a … not only reveals the truths them …lvation Word, for the literal information of … but he doth alſo by his Spirit … to the minds of men for their ſperi… … … mination. In which he doth theſe things,
[1.] HE …pe…s the eyes of the… U… ings, which were before derided, and … them is e…ain theſe pre… make. … natural man cannot diſcern ſpiritual … 1 Cor. 2.14. We not only want light, … too. And though a natural man may underſtand the Gr…tical and L… … Goſpel Towers, yet they are fool…th … to him, and he cannot ſee into the … them, but He unſcales our underſtand and cauſeth the ſcales to fall off free …. This belongs to his Office, Lak. 4.1…. … he prepares out minds to give … and receive the glorious things of the … with profit. Act. 16.14 And … named Lydis, a ſeller of purple, of the … T…yatire, which …ſhipped God heart as: … heart the Lord opened, that ſhe … the things which were ſpoken of Paul. This … called opening the eyes, boring the … renewing his image on us in knowledge.
[2.] NOW …t …ns the Scriptures to them, …nd gives t…em the true ſenſe and meaning of … …rd of God. He imprints theſe truths … then underſtandings, cauſing the glori… light thereof to beam in and ſh… upon …em, ſo that they are truly illuminated, and made to ſee the great things of himſelf, and his word, Luk. 1.79. To give light to them that … in darkneſs, and in the ſh… of death, to … cur feet in the way of …. So that he which his were to dwell in them as C… 3.16. Thus we find that he did by his diſciples, Luk. 24.45. Then opened he their underſtanding, …s they might underſtand the Scriptures. And this is that which David prays to him for, Pſal. 19.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may … …rous things … of thy ….
[3.] HEREUTON he makes them r…d ſ…er…n … Truth in its native …rien…y & excellency. He …th the glory & majeſty of theſe things who acted upon the underſtanding 2 Cor. 4. …. to God who …nded the …g… to plane … of …ſs, hath joined … be…ts, it give the … of the knowledge of the glory …f God, in the … of Jeſus Chriſt. He cauſ…th the divine joy of the truth to appear to us; and now … know it after ſuch a manner as we … before, which was meerly H…ſ…ly, but … God in it; a divine beauty ſending its … from it. We in it ſee the divine Per…ions; Sin now appears very ſinful, and … Satisfaction of Chriſt infinitely precious, and the way of Salvation by faith in him, …lly glorious, and the terms of the … excellent; ſo that we can heartily … to the truth of that aſſertion, 1 Tim. 1. …. This is a ſaith…l ſaying, and worthy of …, that Chriſt Jeſus came into the … is ſave finners, of whom I am chief.
[4.] He thus brings the Underſtanding to a … or infallibility of aſſurance of the truth … Truths, ſo revealed. He cauſeth us to … that it is he himſelf that ſpeaks to … theſe ſayings are His, who is the great … of the Church. So he did by the … of Sanar…. Joh. 4. They hear the voice … Son of God in theſe things, and diſcern … a ſtranger. Joh 10.5.27. And a ſtran… …ill they not follow, but will flee from him: … they know not the voice of ſtrangers. My … hear my voice, and I know them, end they … me. And now, thoſe myſterious truths, … concern God, and Chriſt, and man's …tion by him, that are too great for our underſtandings to comprehend, are yet fully … unto as being atteſted by him. We … receive his Teſtimony, and make no more … of it. It is true, we know but in part, … many things are in the dark; hence … differences and diſputes among the … but Chriſt ſatisfies his people in what …ſſary to Salvation. So that they have …dly an opinion of the probability of … truths, but the practical underſtanding con… them to be infallibly the word of Chriſt. …imony of him who was ſent from the …er, which is the influence of ſaith on the underſtanding, … when the lodgment being ſavingly …rmed, … …es, and embraceth the truth of theſe propoſitions, and ſets its Seal to the truth of there. Divine truth acts not upon uncertainty, but is built upon the foundation and knows indubitably that theſe are the true ſayings of God. I ….
II. WE … of the Tr… … of …. Which … to theſe Co…ſions.
1. THE ex…tings of God is …ry to …. Ca…ſt declares it to …e Hi… eternal. J…. 1….2. Man was made to ſerve God, but without … theſe is no ſerving of him. Man cannot w…thout this make God … laſt end. Man was made for communion with God, without which he cannot be happy: but without acqu…tance there can be to ſell …. God is the … of our faith, and theſe only who knew him, can place their reliance upon him … believing on him, Pſal. …. 10. And they th… know thy arms w…ll … their tract … thee.
2. FALLEN man us … the knowledge of Gal. Man's apoſtaſy …ath left darkneſs upon his underſtanding. This is part of the deſcription of a natural ſtate. Eph. 2.15. Having the underſtanding darkned. It is a …d per… ofts by which the Henathen are deſcribed, they that know … God, Pſal …. 6. … thy wr…th upon the heanthen that … known thee. The Apoſtle ſetting forth the ruined eſtate of fallen man is all his ſacalties gives that as one piece of it, in Rove. 3.17. And the may of …ence have they … known. This is the ex…rbita…y that is on the underſtanding, that it is become a ſtranger to God and Goth ne…ther know him, not the way how to come by the … of him.
3. WITHOUT the … of man's underſtanding there is … re…ſing him is God. Man, being a reaſonable creature, muſt be treated in a rational way. Now fin hath turned him away from God to the creature, on which be leans his truſt, and from which he expects his happineſs; and as long as he calls evil good, he will do ſo. There are many things of which a ſinner muſt be perſwaded, or elſe he will never hearken to the treaty of Reconciliation, whiles his ignorant and depraved mind leads him aſide. There are theſe things in particular, which he believes not no… reſents in himſelf, which muſt be effectually imprinted on his underſtanding, or he will deſpiſe all the offers of a treaty made to him, viz.
(1.) THAT there is a diſtance between God and him. That God and he are enemies. For till then he will ſee no need of being re…onciled to him. Men naturally are ſecure, and cry peace to themſelves, not believing that there is any breach between God and them, and while they are ſo perſwaded, the Articles of the new Covenant are ſtrange and ridiculous things to them.
(2.) THAT the way he … in is highly proveking to God. That he …teatly diſpleaſed with ſinful c…arſe the Sinner is following. Natural men think that God is ſuch … one as they, approves of, and takes content in their ways: and eſpecially if they Fye at eaſe, and are under the connivance of God's patience, which bolds back the hand of re… gence from falling upon them. Pſal. …0.21. Theſe things h…ct th… …, and I kept …: them throught that I was …g…ther ſ… … as th… ſ….
(3.) THAT …er … daily gres in danger of eternal r…e. Alas, the ſinner thinks all is ſafe and ſecure; he dreams of … peril that he lien expoſed to; to morrow ſhall be as this day, and m…e abundant. He knows of no evil day that is coming upon him, and as …ng as he is thus fearleſs of the wrath of God, he will be upon it regardleſs of making his peace with him.
(4.) THAT there is nothing in this world that will … ſecure … from wr…th, or pr…care … b…neſs. The natural man hath fortified himſelf in his Covenant with hell and death, and pr…miſeth himſelf ſafety therein. Iſa. 22.15. He makes his werldly intereal his ſtrong city, and calls himſelf happy in the enjoyment of it, which makes him to deſpoſe God, and nothing care for his …arcar. Job 21.13, 14. They ſp… their …ays in … in a me… get … the grove. Therefore they joy … God, … from as: for we deſire … the know edge thy ways.
(5) THAT be it a … by his r… end… is … …enſ…ſ is God. Fallen man hath a legal ſpirit provelling in him, which makes him to place much confidence in his own righteouſneſs; where…, when convinced of God's diſpleaſure at him for ſin, he hopes, by prayers, and tears, and good weeks, to get into God's ſavour again, and ſo …e deceires himſelf, and muſt be perſwaded of his own utter impotency, before he will go out of himſelf to Chriſt.
(6.) THAT God i… re…labit only in & by Jeſus Chriſt. That he is our place, and thro' him alone can we obtain favour with God by the ve…tue of his active, and …a…ive obedience; that there is Salvation in no other. A…. 4.12. Till in all thoſe things he be informed, and made to apprehend, and believe the truth of them, he will never hearken to the Covenant. Sinners that are at eaſe, deſpiſe the Goſpel, and till they are thus enlightened, they will be ſo.
4. THAT …e but Chriſt the great Proph… is ſure … aſſ…rd this Lia…te. There is no T…her but he, who can effectually inform, convince, and open the underſtanding, ſo as to cauſe it to receive the abiding impreſſions of theſe truths. And the reaſon is, becauſe not only men have not the knowledge of theſe truths is their natural underſtandings, and muſt therefore have them ſhewn to them, as a man, who though he knows not, yet hath a principle in his underſtanding to learn a Trade, and needs only to be inſtructed in and ſhown the r…les of it; but becauſe the natural man needs not only to have the object preſented, but the ſubject to be re… ed: he is blind, yea he is born ſo, and his eyes m…ſt be opened, and his fight reſtored; which requires a miraculous power to the doing of it; and none can do this for him, but he that hath a divine power. It is thefore a w…rk belonging to Chriſt, by …en…te… his Unction. Luke. 18. The ſpirit of the L… is upon me becauſe be hath …ted … to p…ch …ieg…pel to the poer, he …ath ſend me to be… … …en hearted, to preach deliverance to the … tives, and rec…ering of ſight to the …h….
5. FURTHER MORE, the terms of the Co… nant of Pe…ce need to be …pened, and the way of C…veca…-…eping na…ſted to him. He … teaching from the firſt moment of his O… verſion, till he hath gone through his c…ſe, and none but Chriſt can do it. All the … ward teaching in the world will … nothing, without the inward teaching of the Spirit accompa…ying it. It is God himſelf who moſt ſhew us his Covenant. Pſal 25.11. The ſe…res of the Lord to with them th… for him: …nd be will … them … …ement. And this he doth by Jeſu-Chriſt the great Pr…ph…. And had not he come upon this great we… we had all, l…ke loſt ſheep g…e aſtray, … never been brought into the way of pea… but had finally wandred in paths of … ſtruct….
III. NOW … at takes view of the exer… cy of Chriſtis Prephe… Office. He is the … teacher: He exceeds all the Prophet th… ever were in the Church. He is at in… rable Prophet. And this will be evide… is theſe reſpects,
1. HE had a tranſcendently …rt ph… … of the Spir… of Proph…ſ… ap… … any …er, y… th…t … …ther. The Spirit … which he was an…inted, was a Spirit of … p…ſy, as appears by the fruit of it m… ed, Iſes. …1 begin. And he received the S… rit without meaſure, Joh. 3.34. Whereas … other, whether extra…rdinaty Prophets, … ordinary Miniſters receive it in meaſure. The had but ſome of the Oyl that ra… … out A…re… head, to the skirts of his … ments. There are various Prophetical Go…, and theſe he ſcattered among others … 1… 4, &c but they all met eminently i… him.
2. HE is the bead of all the Prophets, & … all derive their Co… ſ… from him. He … authority in himſelf, but they are author … by him. He ſends them forth on their … rand, and gives them their Charge. He … them go into all the world, and tells th… their work, Mat. 28.18, 19. And theſe … go without his authority are Uſurpers, and muſt anſwer for it. They are on this acc… called …s ge… … his Church, Eph. 4.9, … And they muſt give an account to Him … they have managed their work.
3. ALL other derive not only a…ch…, … ability the from here. He is the head of … ſpiritual influences to his Church. They … the ſtreams of Grace which derive from the fulneſſ that is fountained in him, that they do receive. Joh. 1.16. And of his fulneſs have all we received, and grace for grace. … that, without him they can do nothing; they can no further diſcharge their function right then he aſſiſts them in the performance of it.
4. OTHERS can only ſpeak to the ear, but i… …s …is p…r…gative that he can ſpeak to the heart. They can hold the candle to us, but none but he can open our eyes, and make us to diſcern the light of it. They may ſpeak the myſteries of the kingdom to us, but he alone c…n make way for them to enter into out Souls. It is therefore his work, and there is none but he by his Spirit, that can open the eyes of the blind, and anoint them with eye ſalve, and ſo cauſe them to ſee; and he can do it to effect. So that where he comes with …cacy, the vail upon men's minds is taken of, and they are made to diſcern the great things of the Kingdom; and they that are …ght of him are taught to purpoſe.
5. HENCE the whole efficacy of doctrine and prophecy depends upon him. If he comes with p…er, in and with the Word and Ordinance, the kingdom of darkneſs is removed and the light of the ſaving knowledge of God …i…e…ato the minds of men: but it he with…s and …es not, others may ſpend their …, b… and waſte their candle, to give I… … a company of blind creatures, who … remain in the ſhades of death; and they …y p…each themſelves into their graves, and … one blood eye be opened all the while. B… …er, he comes … he comes in…ibly; and tho' men … before in the … of death, they ſhall ſee a marvellous …ight.
6. OTHER Prophets die: but he is an abiding Fr…. Let them be never ſo eminent, and … to the Church of God in their generative, yet they have but their generation to …ve, and then their work is at an end and they muſt be gone. It is the demand in Zech. 1.5. T… fathers where are they? and the prop…, do they live for ever? And the Apoſtle … gives that hint to them, 2 Pet. 1.13, 14. In, I th…nk it meet, as long as I am in this … …ir you up, by putting you in remem… … that thereby I muſt put off this …, as …ur Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath …. Whereas this great Prop…et of … Church, continues to the worlds end in the …x…ation of this function. Hence that p…ſe, Mat. 20.…0. And …o, I am with you al…y … unto the end of the world. Amen. T…e was indeed a miniſtry, which the man C… was …ed in, in the days of his …, when he ceaſed to purſue in his Per… after h…s A…ſion, and committed it to … Goſpel Miniſtry in ſucceſſion, who are …s rep…ſentatives in this work; but yet he co…io…, in his exalted ſtate, to influence … …rd and & … …d…ance… …th his Spirit; whom therefore he hath ſent to lead us into all truth, … 16.13. And this influence ſhall never ceaſe, ſo long as he hath a Church; on the face of the earth. So that we may at all times go to him with our Supplication, and ask of him his teaching, and obtain it, in as much as i… is his Office.
7. HE is a wonderfully patient and compaſſionate Prophet. We find of others, that they had their paſſions; and the untractableneſs of thoſe whom they were ſent unto, wearied them, and they could not bear the affronts that were offered them in their work. El…jah is tired, and begs that he may be diſmiſſed, and his li…e ended. Jeremia… reſolves that he will ſpeak no more to an unteachable people. But JESUS CHRIST knows our dulneſs, our ſtupidity, and is both able and willing to bear with it. Look but upon his diſcourſes with Nicodemus (Joh. 3 begin.) and ſe… if it be not ſo. Others are ready to upbraid us, if they cannot beat it into us; but we are told this is one piece of his character, Heb. 5.2. Who can have compaſſion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the te…y. He is willing to take pains with us, wait upon us, and follow us with line upon line, and precept upon precept; to teach us a little at one time, and a little at another, according to our bearing. He is willing to ſpeak to us in our own language, and accommodate his doctrine to our capaci…ies, and not to upbraid us. That is the encouragement to go to him, Jam. 1.5. If any man lack wiſdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upora…deth not, and it ſhall be given him.
USE. I. if E may from the conſideration of this Office of Chriſt gather, what horrible blindneſs hath poſſ…ſſed the minds of the children of men, when we ſee that they ſtand in need of ſuch a Prophet to en…ten them. If man had been only out of the way, ſome other guide might have ſerved his turn, to have directed him into it again: ſome Angel, or ſome eminent Saint might have do…e for this. But in as much as none but Chriſt can ſerve for this, it declares that ſin had made an horrible havock upon the underſtanding of man. If man were only under ſome miſtakes, the word; which is a light would be ſufficient to rectify and lead him, and moral means might avail to bring him into, and keep him in the way of peace. But now this tells us that there it a …oſs of the image of God on the underſtanding: that there is not only external darkneſs before him, but internal blindneſs in him. This alſo tells us how wonderful was the kindneſs of God to poor fallen man, that he was pleaſed to provide for him ſuch a Saviour; One that was fitted & furniſhed to do for him according to our wants; O…e, who being God as well as man, can a-new create the image of God in him, and reſtore to him the ſaving principles of true knowledge. One who hoth knows God himſelf and is able to make us know him too. And God hath put it into his commiſſion, and made it part of his Office work, to …e Iſraels Teacher. This then calls for our thankful acknowledgment.
USE. II. LET this then be t…ite us all, both Y…ung and Old to come to Chri…t for his Tea…ing. Is He the great Prophet of his Church? Would we then he acquainted with the things of our peace? Let us all addreſs our ſelves to, and wait upon him for his inſtruction. Why ſhould any of us live without ſaving acquaintance with God, who are told of ſuch a Prophet? Bewa…e then of deſpiſing him, it will be at your peril. Act 2.23. And it ſ…ell come to paſs, that every ſoul which will not bear that Prophet, ſh…ll be deſtroyed from among the people. It is true, there are means to be uſed by us. We muſt run to and …ro, if we would get and increaſe knowledge. We muſt wait at the poſts of wi…doms …oor, it we would find life to our Souls, Prov. 8.35. If we would know, we muſt follow on to know the Lord, Hoſ. 6.3. Children muſt attend on …c…h…ſing, and ſet themſelves to mind it; Grown perſons muſt frequent the Ordinances, & make it their buſineſs to acquaint themſelves with the truths of the word of God. But this is not enough; you muſt pray alſo to Chriſt for his ill minating Spirit, and importunately ask him, for it. Be then deeply ſenſible of your native ignorance, and want of teaching. The firſt ſtep to divine wiſdom is a feeling our own folly. Think how you were born. J…b 11.12. For vain man would be wiſe, though man be b…rn like a wild eſſes cols. You came into the world wholly eſtranged from the knowledge of the way of Salvation. The light of nature is meet darkneſs to this. You are not only ignorant, but blind too: and all the doctrinal teaching in the world will not do, except you have eyes given you to ſee, which none can beſtow on you but He. To know God and Chriſt ſo as is eternal life, is beyond man's teaching, and requires this Prophet to beſtow it. Think what are the things which he will acquaint you with; it is the counſel of God for your Salvation; it is the way in which you, who are the children of wrath by nature, and going blindfold to eternal deſtruction, may be directed how to be ſaved, and obtain everlaſting life; how you may eſcape wrath and hell, and enj…y God in Hearer … Think …on able he is to teach you. T…a…g you are very indocile and hard to learn … thing that is good, He can core … f…lly, enlighten your darkneſs and fine … to your Souls with his ma…r…ll… … that all that ſee you ſhall … that you … been with Jeſus. Think …o… willing He … to be your Prophet; He … you to c… and learn of him. You Children, wh… … melting call doth be g…ve to you. P… Come ye children, b… … and you the ſear of the Lord. And when a pro… hath he made concerning the Children of … people … Iſai. 54.12. And … be taught of the Lord and great for the … of thy children. Yea how … doth … invite all of us to hearke… to him? Pra… begin. Yea, how d…th …e expo…lave … ignorant ſinners for their neglect & … of his invitation? Pro…. 1. …. … ſimple …nes, will … and the ſinners delight in …, and … knowledge? And what an … that to come to him … A… think how …excaſable you w…ll be, if you ſhould at laſt die with … k… e…ge, … whom this Prophet h… … and ſo … gency offered his hel…? He himſelf … told us where the ſtreſs will he upon … in the day of Judgment, Job. 3.1…. And that is the condemnation, that …ght is …me … wor…d, and men lived …arkneſs rather t…n … becauſe their deeds are even. Come away … every one to his School. Children, be … of ſaying you are t… young for this. You a… old enough to he damned, if you now … pif… Chriſt and his teaching. You that … is Tears, and yet ſtrangers to the knowledge of Chriſt, ſay not you are … to … but as you love your Souls, be ſpeedy and earneſt, ſeeking to him to enlighten y… eyes, before the ſleep of death. Engage … to be your Teacher, by entertaining Him … your great Prophet; and he will guide your ſect into the paths of life.
[OCTOBER 25. 1695.]