Section 2
i Isa. liii. n. 1 Ezek. ii. 6. « Jude 13. k In. xlix. 6. m Prov. 1. 84. a 3 Cor. Ii. 16.
F Luke xvii. 34. n Isa. liii. I.
2. It is unknown to us what the success of oM ministry will be, and perhaps what it is. When tbs disciples were to say. Peace be to this homttj they could not tell whether the Son of peace were there or no; nay, it may be when they became better ao| quainted with the house, yet they could not with certainty discover whether their peace did rest opoi it, or no: The Lord hnoweth them that are his,^ bat we do not. God did indeed assure Paul, for hill encouragement to preach the gospel at Corinth, that he had much people in that city." But, ordi Dari]y,| we cast the net into the sea, not knowing whetherj any thing will be enclosed; nay, oftentimes we toil all night, and catch nothing, when we promised ourselves a full draught* And, on the other hand, after many disappointments, at Christ's word we let I down the net, and enclose a great multitude.
Sometimes we meet not with the success we hoped for. Those who seemed very willing to hear us, vet we cannot persuade to heed us, nor to mix faith with what they hear. We are to them as a lovely son^/ but that is all. Paul was called, by vision, to Macedonia; and yet, at his first coming, there appeared but a slender harvest to be gathered io. Nay, those with whom we thought we had gained our point, sometimes disappoint us, and prove not as we expected; the hopeful buds and blosaoms are blasted, and no fruit is brought forth to perfection. Those who seemed enclosed in the gospel net, slip through again and are gone; and after they had escaped the corruption that is in the world, are agaio entangled therein, and overcome;' and forfeit the peace we hoped should have rested upon them. It was Christ's prerogative to know what was in men, and what they would prove.
Sometimes ministers have better success than they looked for. Nineveh repents at the preaching of Jonah; and the publicans and harlots were wrought on by John the Baptist's ministry, notwithstanding the great austerity of his conversation. The chorch has sometimes been herself surprised with the motti-tude of her converts, and has asked. Who hath begotten those ff Who are these that Jig as a chud The beginning perhaps was small, and as a grain of mustard seed ; but the latter end greatly increases. The seed that seemed lost under the clods, springs up a great while after. One labours, and another enters into his labours ;* one hand lays a foanda-tion, and another builds upon it. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, and mach of the good effect of his ministry appeared when he was gone. Many a minister does more good than he thinks he does, more than he can know, and more than perhaps it is fit he should know. It will be all in good time to know what fish are enclosed r Exod. ix. 90. • Acts xxviit. 94. t 2 Tim. ii. 19. n AcU xviii. 10. ▼ Luke y. 6. w Esek. xxxiii. 31
9 Pet. i4. 20. y Isa. xUv. 91. t Isn. Ix 8. • Jolin iv. .•«.
WORK AND SUCCESS Ot» THE MINISTRY. in the net when it is brought to shore. There is a day in which the Kecrets of all hearts will be manifested ; and let as jadge nothing before that time.
3. The success of our ministry will be according as people «re. So much is intimated in the text; according as the inhabitants are sons of peace, or not, accordingly our peace will, or will not* rest upon the house. The physic operates according to the con-ititotion of the body; the same sun softens wax, and hardens clay; reeifntur ad modum recipienti» — the effect depends «/Nm the temper with which it is re-re»«c(. The same parables which made divine truths mote plain and familiar to those who were humble aod willing to be taught,^ made them more obscure to those who were proud and prejudiced, and will-ioglj ignorant* Christ himself is a precious stone to tbem who believe ; but to them who be disobedient be is a stone of stumbling. There are scomers, nbo, when we have naid all we can, will delight in scorning, and fools who will hate knowledge ;^ but there are Bereans, who are more noble and better (lisposed,* wise just men» who will receive instruc-tioD, and will be yet wiser, and increase in learning.^ )f oar gospel be hid, it is hid from those whose minds Satan has blinded.t If it be revealed, it is to those who have the spirit of wisdom and under-standiog though they be but babes.^
4. The success of our ministry will be as God fieuft; according as he gives, or withholds, bis grace. The word of God, like the rain, shall accomplish that for which he sends it,* and causes it to come, whether (as Elihu says of the rain) it be for nrrtetionn vr for his landj or for mercy f- but whatever errand it is sent upon, it shall not return to him >oid. If Lydia attend to the things that are spoken bj Paul, it is not' because he b an eloquent preacher, or because she is a considerate hearer, but because the Lord opens her heart.' Paul may plant j and Apollos Mjr rafer, but it is God only that yiveth the increase.^
We have but the dispensing of the means of grace; and we must be careful and faithful in doing it; but we have not the dispensing of the grace which is necessary to make those means effectual; God reserves that in bis own hand, and dispenses it according to his own pleasure, as it is fit he should, for it is his own* In this, our blessed Saviour him-ielf acquiesced; and thereby has taught us to do ^; Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy nAr." Hath not the potter power over the clay ?
As to our success:
(1-) The text gives us encouragement to hope, that ^oc shall be the better for our praying and preaching ; we shall meet with those who are sons of peace, ^ho are disposed to submit to the commands, and k Matt. xlii. 13, 16. e 1 Pet. il. 7, 8. d Pror. I. 22.
Acts xTii. II. f Prov. \x. 9. r 2 Cor. iv. 3.4.
UatL Ki. 25. i Ua. W. 10,11. k Job xx.t7ij. 13.
Acts xTi. 14. m I Cor. iii. 6^7. • Luke x. 2h qualified to partake of the privileges, of the gospel peace. As Wisdom is said to be justified by her children, so peace, to be welcomed by her sons; and on the houses where these sons of peace are, our Master does us the honour to tell us, that our peace shall rest. It is his peace; but he is pleased to call it ours, because we are concerned, in the first place, to make sure an interest in it ourselves; and because we are intrusted to make a tender of it to others. It is our peace, in the same sense that St. Paul calls the gospel my gospel,^ because he was a minister and messenger of it. If the master of the family be a son of peace, your peace shall rest upon the whole house; they will all fare the better for his acceptance of your ministry; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shaU he saved, and thy house,^ And the more diffusive your benign influences are, the more satisfaction it will be to you. We may comfort ourselves with this, as St» Paul does, that we so run, not as uncertainly, we so fight, not as those that beat the air ;*> though some reject our message, to others it will be acceptable; so that whatever our melancholy fears sometimes may be, we shall not labour in vain, nor spend our strengtii for nought and in vain. But, Who are the sons of peace, on whose heads, and hearts, and houses, the blessings of peace shall come ? I answer, [1.] Those who are so by the designation of the divine counsel; the chosen of God, whom he hath set apart for himself to be vessels of mercy.'^ We read of those whom God has as his people, and whom Christ has as his sheep,* who are yet to be effectu* ally called, and brought home. As a son of death is one destined to death, so a son of peace is one predestined to peace. The elect are sons of peace i for they are heirs of it, and were from eternity, in the covenant of redemption, given to Christ who is our peace, and the Prince of peace, to be his children, to bear his image, partake of his nature, and be under his tuition, and as such to be presented to the Father; Behold t and the children which God has given me} My peace I leave with you. The covenant of peace between God and man, is grounded upon the counsel of peace which was between the leather and the Son " from eternity, concerning the salvation of the chosen remnant.
Now it is certain, that all who were given to Christ, shall come unto him, and none of them perish ;^ for he will be able to give a good account of them all in the great day, and none of them shall be missing. Therefore it is, that as many as were ordained to eternal life shall infallibly believe,* for the election shall obtain, though the rest be blinded,'
9 Rom. il. IS. p Acts x«i. 31. q 1 Cor. ix. 26. r Acts xviii. 10. • John x. 16. t Heb. ii. 13. u Zech. xvii. la ▼ John vl. 39, 4a. w Acts xiii. 48. X Rom. xl. t.
A SERMON CONCERNING THE
because the foundation of God stands sure, and none of his purposes are abortive. Those whom God has ordained to glory shall be brought to it by the ordinary means of grace and peace ; and ministers are sent in pursuance of that design, that the purpose of God according to election may stand J
[2.] Those who are so by the operations of the divine grace. They are the sons of peace, in whom God has wrought a gracious readiness to admit the word of the gospel in the light and love of it; whose hearts are made soft to receive the impressions of it, so that they are turned as clay to the seal. Those come to Christ, and so come under the dominion of this peace, whom the Father draws* by preparing grace, and whom, though unwilling, he makes willing in the day of his power,* by opening their un-* derstandings, and making their hearts to burn within them; of which two great works of divine gace, one on the intellectual, the other on the active, powers of the soul, our Lord Jesus gave remarkable specimens while he was here upon earth, after his resurrection, Luke xxiv. 32, 45.
They are the sons of peace; that is, qualified to receive the comforts of the everlasting gospel; in whom there is a good work of grace wrought, that whereas they were by nature vain, and carnal, and worldly, are become serious, and holy, and heavenly; who are born again, bom from above, and partake of a new nature. To those who are sanctified, and to those only, we are commissioned to speak peace. Therefore the apostolical benediction puts grace before peace; Grace be unto you, and, then, peace. Those only who have received the spirit of holiness, are entitled to the consolations of God.
(2.) Wherein shall those who are thus the sons of peace be the better for our ministry ? We are here told, that our peace shall rest upon them, that is, [1.] Our prayers for them shall be heard. And even with an eye to our prayers, and in answer to them, as well as to his own promises, and in performance of them, God will bestow upon them all that good which is necessary, and will be suflicient, to make them happy for ever and easy now. When we bespeak peace/or them, God will speak peace to them, he will bless his people with peace ;*> will pay out the legacy which Christ has left, by his last will and testament, to all who are his disciples indeed, upon our suing it out for them,—even his peace.' This is an encouragement to us to pray particularly for good Christians who are troubled in mind, and are of a sorrowful spirit; and to be humbly earnest with God in prayer for them, when it may be they cannot with any confidence pray for themselves—that it is here promised that peace shall be given, to all those to whom it belongs, in answer f Rom. ix. 11. bPB. xxix. n. • Ps. Ixxxv. 8. s John vl. 44. « John xiv. 27.
Ps. ex. a d James t. ig. f Ps. xcvii. n. to our prayers; so that the effectually fervent prayej of a righteous man may avail muhr* and wha< a joy may it be to us, if we thus become helpers ol the joy of the Lord's people! And though the an swer of peace does not come quickly, we must con* tinue to pray and wait, and hearken what God tb« Lord will speak; for, sooner or later, he will speak peace to his people and to his saints.* Light is sown for them,' and in due time it will come up id a harvest of joy, though it may be it was sown id tears.
When we pronounce the blessing of peace upod a mixed congregation,—as to them who are indeed! the sons of peace, God will say Amen to the blessing, will put his Jiat — let it be done, to it, " They are blessed and they shall be blessed." We pray for all, —God will hear us for those who are the children of the covenant, and the promise; as Abraham pnirs for Ishmael,' and God hears him for Isaac. As the hand of his wrath shall find out all his enemies ;^ so the hand of his grace and blessing shall find oat all his friends, wherever they are, none of them shall be lost in the crowd.
[2.] Our preaching to them shall answer the end, and be effectual. If they be the sons of peace, the glad tidings of peace we bring shall instruct themJ and increase their knowledge; shall invite tbeoi to Christ, and strengthen their faith in him; shall work upon their affections, and inflame their love to him ; shall govern them, and influence their whole conversation ; shall comfort them, and enlarge their hearts to run the way of God's commandments. Oar peace shall come upon them as a light shining from heaven to guide their feet into the paths of peace, and in those paths; nay, it shall come upon them as power from on high, botli to rule their hearts,' and give law to them; and to keep their hearts,^ and give comfort to them. It shall come upon them, as the rain comes copiously upon the earth to water it: and they shall drink in this rain, and bring forth herbs meet for them by whom they are dressed.^
But O what a comfort is it, to be instrumental in furthering the holiness, and joy, of the sons of peace; in carrying the heirs of heaven forward toward their inheritance! Herein, we have the honour of being workers together with God; and as under shepherds, serving the gracious purposes of the chief Shepherd, who gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom."
[3.] The fruit of both shall remain ;" your peace shall not only come, but rest, upon the sons of pa<^^< it shall continue with them, and they shall never lose the power and benefit of it; it is a good par which shall never be taken away" from those who have it; this peace shall take such deep rooting m ff Gen. xvii. 18,19. k Phil. iv. 7. B John XV. IS.
h Ps. xxL 8. I Heb. vi. 7.
i Col iil. 15 nlsaxl. H
9 Luke X. *«■
WORK AND SUCCESS OF THE MINISTRY.
the sodI that it sball never be extirpated ; it shall be a well of living water which shall still springy up to life eternal.* Oar Saviour encouraged his disciples with this, when he sent them forth into his harvest,—That they were gathering fruit unto life eternal ;f in which both he who sows and they who feap shall for ever rejoice together.
(3.) The text also shows us that we ought not to be overmuch discouraged in our work, though there be many who are never the better for our praying and preaching. If the sons of peace be not among those to whom we bring the glad tidings of peace; if those to whom we minister be wilful and obstinate, and tarn a deaf ear to the calls of the word, and will not hearken to the voice of the charmer; if we cannot fasten any thing upon them, to convince them of their folly in a sensual indulgence of the body, and a senseless neglect of their souls;—^they who wtre filthy, are filthy still; and all the day long do we stretch out our hands in vain to a rebellious gain-sajiog people.
Id this case, onr own hearts suggest to us many sad thoughts: It is a temptation to us to question tbe credibility and acceptableness of the truths we preach, when there are so many who cannot be biOQght to entertain them, and submit to them ; to ^aestioD whether it be any advantage to have the oracles of God and the means of grace, and whether it were not as good be without them, since to so many vbo have them they are in vain. But we have ready an answer to this temptation, What if tome did not Mine ? (Nay, what if many did not ?) Shall their vi Mff invalidate the covenant of grace and peace, and meke the truth of God of none effect ? God forbid .'<) We are told, previously, that so it would be; and, therefore, it ought not to be a stumbling-block to Q& And the reason why they do not believe, and are not sons of peace, is not because there wants vsy thing to recommend this peace to them, but because their minds are blinded by the love of the world ud the lusts of the flesh, and they will not come to Christ for eye-salve, will not come to him that they nisfat have life.'
It is likewise a temptation to us to question, Whe-tber we have the presence of God with us in our ninistiy, or no ? We are ready to say, as Gideon did, If the Lord be with v#, where are all the wonders that nrfatkert told us of?* the wonders that were wrought ^y the powers of the word, in casting down imagina-^s, and bringing high thoughts into obedience to Christ:* we now see not such signs; there are no iMre any converts; or, very few like the grape-gieanings of the vintage.
As to this, the text intimates that which may en-^^nt as, and gve us satisfaction. If we meet vith those who are not the sons of peace,
Jolm IT. 14. p John iv. 38. « Rom. lit. 3. r John v. 40. > Jod. vi. 11 t 2 Cor. x. 5. « I JohD v. IS. « laa. xlyiii. 20-n
[1.] It is true that our peace shall not come, or rest, upon them, as it does upon them who are the sons of peace ; our prayers are not heard for them. We know not who have sinned unto death, while there is life there is hope, and therefore we arc to pray for the worst; but if we did know, concerning any, as certainly as Samuel did concerning Saul, that God had rejected them, we should have very little reason to pray for them. There is a sin, a sinner, unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it.^ Our preaching speaks no comfort to them; for we are to separate between the precious and the vile. And at the same time we say, God has redeemed his servant Jacob, and they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts, we must add, yet there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked/ When this blessing is pronounced upon the congregation, those in it who are not the sons of peace have no part or lot in the matter,^ it is not designed for them. Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry.'^ It is true, that grace and peace shall be with them all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ;f but it is as true, that if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, he is, and shall be, anathema: maran-atha,^ accursed: the Lord comes/ The blessing that rests upon the sons of peace shall never come upon the sons of Belial.
In God's name I therefore testify, to all who hear me this day, If you do not submit your souls to the sanctifying, commanding power of the gospel truths, they speak, they bring, no peace to you. You have no right to the blessings of the covenant, nor can lay any claim to its comforts, unless you come up to the terms of the covenant, and come under the bonds of it. Those and those only shall find rest for their souls* iu Christ, who are willing to take his yoke upon them. You have many excellent ministers, and a great deal of lively, serious, powerful preaching; you have precept upon precept, and line upon line: but all this will bring no peace to you, if you continue under the power of a vain and carnal mind,—nay, it will but aggravate your condemnation another day.
We dare not speak peace to those to whom the God of heaven does not speak peace; nor tell those who go on still in their trespasses, they shall have peace notwithstanding; we should be false to God and your souls if we did. However you may flatter yourselves, we dare not flatter you, in a sinful way; we have not seen visions of peace for you, and therefore must not speak words of peace to you. To what purpose would it be to daub a wall with «fi-tempered mortar,^ which would soon fall and bury you, and us too, in the ruins of it? We must say to every impenitent sinner, as Jehu did to Joram's messenger, iv/iat hast thou to do with peace .^ True peace w ActA vili. 91. s laa. xW. 13. 7 Eph. vl. 24. ■ I Cor. xvi. n, a Matt. xi. ao. <> Ezek. xlii. 10,16. e 3 Kings ix. is.
A SERMON CONCERNING THB
thou canst not hare withoat holiness. Be willing therefore, and obedient; and now at length, in this thy day, understand the tkings which belong to thy peace ; for, (blessed be God !) yet, they are not hid from thine eyes.
[2.] The peace that does not find sons of peace to rest upon shall turn to us again. And this ought to satisfy us ; as it quieted David, when he prayed for his persecutors, that though his Idndness did not work upon them, nor were his prayers heard for them perhaps, yet they returned into his own bosom.*'
Our peace shall turn to us; that is, (1.) We shall haye the comfort of having done our duty to God, in discharge of our trust; and of having done our part toward their salvation, in love to their souls. This will be peace to us, though it be not peace to them. Abundance of peace we may have in our own bosoms, if we have the testimony of our consciences for us, that we have dealt plainly with them, have given them fair warning of their misery and danger by reason of sin, have said again and again, O wiched man, thou shalt surely die f have endeavoured to open to them the remedial law of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; and have not wilfully kept back any thing that was profitable to them ;' though we have piped to them and they have not danced, have mourned unto them, and they have not lamented.' We have done what we could, to frighten them from sin with the terrors of the law, and to allure them to Christ with the comforts of the gospel; but all in vain, they have not been wrought upon either by the one or by the other: yet their infidelity and obstinacy shall be no bar to our acceptance with God, who will have an eye to our sincerity, not to our success.
. This peace will be our peace still, if we have some good hope, through grace, that though we cannot prevail with others to come to Christ, yet we have ourselves an interest in him; i)^nit we shall save ourselves, though we save not all who hear us ;'■ that whatever becomes of them, we shall not be cast away at last. If othere be not the better for our labours, the peace may return to ourselves, if we be the better; for we preach to ourselves, and must edify ourselves; and the less good we think we do to others' souls, the more good let us endeavour to get to our own souls, and then take the comfort of it When those disciples returned, to whom Christ gave these instructions in the text, though they had had wonderful success, even beyond their own expectation, yet Christ directs them to rejoice more in the assurances they themselves had of their own bliss, than in their triumphs over Satan in others: In this rejoice not, that the devils are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in A Psalm xzxv. 13. • Ezek. xxxili. S. f Acts zx. 20, 21. ff Matt xf. IT. h t Tim. iv. 16. i Luke x. ao. heaven.^ And this cause for joy every faithful minister has, though he has not the success he wishes for.
(2.) We shall have commission to go on in our work notwithstanding. Our peace shall turn to us again; not only to be enjoyed by ourselves, but to be bestowed upon others, and communicated to them, to the next we meet with who are sons of peace. If one will not be wrought upon, it is to be hoped another will. Though many disbelieve our report, yet all do not; there are some who will bid it welcome. Though the body of the Jewish nation rejected the gospel of Christ, yet at this present time/ (sajs the apostle,) when the ferment is at the highest, and the opposition given to the gospel is most violent, yet there is a remnant according to the election of graee a remnant even of that nation, who are sons of peace. And when the Jews thrust the kingdom of Grod away from them by their unbelief, the Gentiles embraced it with both arms. The peace which the apostles made a tender of to them, but they refused, was still in their hands, to carry to the Gentiles: Xo, we turn to them.^
It is indeed a temptation to us, when oar message is slighted, to say. We will go no more on this er-rand ; as Jeremiah was ready to say, when his ministry was ridiculed, / will not mahe mention of the Lord, nor speah any more in his name r"* but we must never yield to any temptation of this kind, for woe unto us, if we preach not the gospel, as we have opportunity, whatever the issue be. If men will not hear us, our God will; and will crown humble, honest labours in his service with comfort and glory, though they should not be crowned with any remarkable success.
(3.) We shall be witnesses against those who refuse so fair an offer. Our peace shall return to us again, as the summons is returned to the ofllcer, if the party summoned is not to be found, that It may be produced in evidence, that he was legally summoned. The gospel is a testimony to us ;* but if we receive it not, it will be a testimony against us.* And the ministers of that gospel, who now follow you with importunity from day to day, beseeching you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God, but all in vain, will give up a sad account concerning yon; and yon will be upbraided with all the pains they have taken among you ; it will all be brought into the account, with a '* Son remember ;" that will enhance the reckoning, and inflame the torment. The servant who was sent to invite the guests to the wedding supper, when he met with a repulse, came and showed his lord all these things.** Ministers bring in an account of the fruit of their labours. While the sons of peace will be their joy and crown of rejoicing, those who continue in a state of enmity will be for ever struck speechless by their testik Rom. xi. 3. n Matt. xxir. 14.
I AcU xili. 4S. o Matt. X, 18,
m Jer. X. 9. P Luke xlv. 21.
WORK AND SUCCESS OF THE MINISTRY.
mony against them 2 " Lord, we called, bat they re-fiued; we warned them, day and night, with tears, bnt they stiffened their necks and hardened their hearts, and sent ns away grieyed." Many a time tbey complained of it at the throne of grace, and it made their work go on heavily npon their hands, their ^oals wept in secret for it; but when they shall testify it before the throne of judgment, they will awfally applaud and acquiesce in the sentence past npoD them, and be content to see them perish.
Let us now make some application of all briefly.
1. Let this awaken us who are ministers to be faithful, and serious, and diligent in delivering our message; as those who are in some measure sensible of the vast importance of the work we are employed in, and the dispensation that is committed to OL O that I coald stir up my own heart, and yours, daly to consider the inestimable value of that trea-sare which is lodged in us, though we are but earthen Tessela ;** that peace which we are to bring in God's name to mankind ; those talents with which we are to trade till our Lord comes. Let us think who we are in trust for: for Christ and his honour, and the interests of bis kingdom among men; for pre-cioQs souls, and their everlasting welfare. We deal in matters of life and death; O let our care and zeal be proportionable; and let us make a business of our ministry, let us wait upon it,' and give ourselves wholly to it,' as those who must give accoant,—^that our Lord when he comes may find us doing, to doing.
If we be unskilful, and know not how to divide the word of troth and peace aright;' if we be unfaithful, and soothe men up in their sins, or any way handle the word of God deceitfully, seeking our own things more than the things of Christ; if we be slothful, and unwilling to take pains, not affected osrse Wes with the great things of God with which it is oar business to affect others; if we be lifeless and careless in praying and preaching, and defeat the end of the matter of both by the slight manner of the perfonnance;—^we shall have a great deal to answer for another day. If the watchmen do not give wam-ingr or not so that it is likely to be heard or heeded, the sinners will perish ; but their blood will be required at the watchmen's hands."
And let us remember that we are to bring peace vith us in all onr ministrations, that peace of God vhich passeth all conception and expression; and therefore we ought to apply ourselves to that business, and not meddle with things that belong not to OS. We are ambassadors of peace; let us not then Mw discord, nor foment divisions; for if we do, we contradict our character, and forfeit the honour of it Let us be at peace among ourselves, and covet the blessedness of those who are peace-makers.
2. Let us, when we have done what we can, look
«2Cor. iv. 10.
r Horn. x)i. 7.
• 1 Tim. IT. 15.
up to God for the success. We ought earnestly to desire that our labour may not be in vain, and to be in care that nothing may be wanting on our part, in order to the good effect of it; we should do more good if we were but more solicitous to do good, and set ourselves to devise things proper for that end, to choose out words wherevrith to reason with people about their souls. But still we must depend upon the blessing of heaven for their success; and must be earnest in prayer for that blessing. We can but speak to. the ear, it is God only that can teach the heart, and seal the instruction there.
When we go to study, let us pray to God to put a word into our mouth that shall suit the case, and reach the consciences, of those to whom we are to speak ; to direct us both in the choice and management of our subjects, to fill our hands, (as the Hebrew phrase for consecration,) that we may fill the people's hearts, when we go to preach. Still we need help from heaven to deliver onr message as becomes the oracles of God; with purity, gravity, and sincerity; with an air of tenderness and humility, as those who know the worth of souls, and our own unworthiness; and yet with an air of assurance, as those who are confident of the truth of what we say, and who know whom we have trusted. When we have preached, we have but sown the seed; still we must look up to God to water it, and to give to every seed its own body. When we proceed to pray, we must fetch in the influences of the blessed Spirit, to help us against onr praying infirmities. Nay, we must look up to God for a blessing upon every word of advice, reproof, and comfort that we give, that it may answer the end.
And as we are to pray for the success of our own endeavours, so likewise we must be earnest with God in grayer for the ooncnrrence of his grace with the labours of others. Thus we muMt help one an* other; and thus we may, though we are at a great distance from each other, and cannot otherwise be helpful. When the apostle forbids wishing <« good speed'' to those who bring any other doctrine,^ it is intimated, that it was usual with the primitive Christians and ministers to bid those " God speed " who brought the true doctrine of Christ Those who labour in Christ's harvest should be prayed for, as of old the reapers were, by them who passed by; 77m blessing of the Lord he upon you ; we hUss you in the nmme of the Lord,'' God speed the gospel-plough!
3. Let us be very careful that we do not, by any irregularity in our conversation, hinder the success of our praying and preaching, and defeat the ends of them. If we be proud and vain, and loose in our walking; if we be intemperate, and indulgent of the flesh; if we be covetous, selfish, and worldly; if we be contentious, peevish, and passionate; or if any corrupt communication proceed out of onr t 211m. it. 1&. u Eiek. xxxiU. 6. v 3 John 10. v Pi. cxxix 8.
A SERMON, &c. month;—^we pall down with one hand what we boild ap with the other; and not only tempt people, bat even force them, to think, that we ourselves do not believe what we would persuade them to believe; and when we appear most serious in our pablic performances, do but act a part, and talk thus only because it is oor trade: we do also provoke God to withdraw his presence from us, and to say, as he does of those prophets who walk not in his counsels, Tketf shall noi profit this people at alL*
Let our conversation be not only blameless and harmless, but exemplary for every thing that is virtuous and praise-worthy; thus let our light shine, that others may be taught, and guided and quickened, by it. Then may we hope it shall be with us as it was with Levi of old, who, while he walked with God in peace and equity, tamed many away from iniquity
4. What success of our labours we have the comfort of, let God have all the glory of. Do we meet with any of those to whom we minister in holy things, who are awakened to a concern about their souls and eternity, and are asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward?" Are there any of the children we have catechized who hold fast the form of sound words in faith and love, knd have we the satisfaction of seeing them walk in the trath ? When we look into the vineyards we are made the keepers of, do we find that the vines do in any measure flourish, and the tender grapes appear;* that the souls we watch over prosper and are in health ? We cannot but rejoice'herein, rejoice greatly; yet let us rejoice with humility; for I am sure we have nothing to be proud of, nothing to boast of, but a great deal to be ashamed of, and great reason to admire God's gracious condescension, that he is pleased thus far to own us, to honour us, though most unworthy. Let us rejoice with thankfulness, with many thanksgivings to God, whose strength is perfected in weakness, and his praise ordained out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. St Paul, in his epistles, gives thanks to God for those churches that he had comfort in, and hopes of.
But let us rejoice with trembling, lest those whom we think espoused as chaste virgins to Christ should yet be beguiled, as Eve was, by the subtilty of the tempter; and let us always be jealous over them, as Paul was over his friends, with a godly jealousy,^ lest it should prove at last we have bestowed upon them labour in vain.'
6. What disappointments we meet with, let as bear them patiently. Let us inquire whether we have not been wanting in our duty, and be humbled for our defects, and acknowledge that the Lord is righteous. St. Paul owns, that by the miscarriages of those among whom he had laboured, his God humbled him s Jer. xxili. 32. • Cant vii. 12.
7 Mai. ii. C b 3 Cor. xi. 2, 3.
Jer. I. ft. • lTbeiB.iil. ft.
among them; ^ and the same good use we should make of the same trial, let it help to hide pride from us, and oblige us to depend upon the sufficiency of divine grace, and not upon any thing in ourselves, for without Christ we can do nothing.
When we suspect we do little good, yet let it be a comfort to us that we are going on in the vtay of our duty; that we are presiding in solemn religious assemblieSf/rom one new moon to another and from one sabbath to another, and so are serving Christ and | his glory in the world. Good may be in operation, and we not aware of it; the gospel works like leaven, silently and insensibly;« and like the seed cast into the ground, which grows up (we know not how) | while we sleep, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full com in the ear.' Nor let it be any uneasiness to us, that we are kept in doubt and in the dark concerning the success of our labours. When the net is drawn to shore we shall see what is enclosed ; what good fish, and what bad:' and let us judge nothing before the time; the great day will clear all, and we must wait till then.
Bat if there be those whose sins go before unto judgment, who manifestly hate to be reformed, and will go on frowardly in the way of their heart; though we cannot but look upon them many a time with a sad heart, yet in this we mast be satisfied, that Ood will be glorified: if God be not honoured by them, he will get him honour upon them, as he did on Pharaoh. They to whom our labour is in vain arc not sons of peace; and, therefore, it should not be expected that our peace should rest upon them ; Christ will see his seed, and we must not think to .^ee any other for ours. If divine mercy be not glorified in their salvation, divine justice will be glorified in their destruction; and they will have nothing to say for themselves nor will their ministers have any thing to say for them: the dresser of the vineyard who had interceded for the barren fig-tree, will be pleased, if at length it bear frait, but if not, he gives it up, Then after that thou shali cut it down,^
To conclude: Let this be an awakening word to all of you. You are, in this world, probationers for etemity; accordingly as you are, now, sons of peace or not, it is likely to be with you for ever. Are yoar ministers desirous to have their peace rest upon you, and are not yoa desirous of it ? Are they in care about your souls, and will not you be in care about them? Ton have life and death, good and evil, set before you: choose life, that you may live, may live for ever. But if you will not come up to the terms of peace, but will perish in your rebellion, you cannot say but yon have had fair waming given you of the consequences of it, so that your watchmen have delivered their souls, and left your blood to lie upon your own heads.
4 2 Cor. xii. 21. o Malt. ziii. 33. r Matt. ziil. 48. f BSark iv. 26~9S. b Luke ziii. 19.
A SERMON
ON
THE PROMISES OF GOD.
PREACHED MAY THE 7th, 1710.
2 GoR. Tii. 1.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let Iff deanse otareelves from all JiJlthiness of the flesh end spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
It is the unspeakable privilege of all believers to bafe, as a certain possession, the precious promises of God. But under what notion have we the promises of God ?
1. We have them as manifest tokens of God's favour towards us; and every one of them are yea, amen, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. We have them as fruits of Chrisf s purchase. The Lord haying purchased us with his own blood, ve have these promises prodaced by that inestimable grace.
3. They are plain and ample declarations of the lood-will of God towards men, and therefore as God's part of the covenant of grace.
4. They are a foundation of our faith, and we have tbem as such ; and also of our hope, on these wc are to build all oor expectations from God; and in all temptationB and trials we have them to rest our soqIs upon.
5. We have them as the directions and encou-xagements of oor desires in prayer. Seek and you ^1 find, knock and it shall be opened unto yoa. Wherefore they are the guide of our desires, and the ground of oar hope in prayer.
6. We haYC them as the means by which the $race of God works for our holiness and comfort, for by these we are made partakers of a divine nature, and faithy applying these promises, is said to work by love.
7. We have the promises as the earnest and assurance of fatare blessedness. By these eternal life and glory is secured to all true believers.
And now, having observed these things, let as reriew the blessed promises of God; and 3 D
The first is,—He hath promised that we shall be his people.
The Scripture,— Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and heep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine, Exod. xix. 5.
The second promise,—^That all our sins shall be pardoned.
/, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Isa. xliii. 25.
The third,—^That our corruptions shall be subdued.
For sin shall not hare dominion over you ; for ye are not under the law, but under grace, Rom. vi. 14.
The fourth,—That the Spirit of grace shall be given us, to enable us for our duty in every thing.
/ will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walh in my statutes, and ye shall heep my judgments, and do them, Ezek. xxxvi. 27.
The fifth,—That God will put it particularly into our hearts, or circumcise our hearts to love him.
The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live, Deut. xxx. 6.
The sixth,—^That he will give us the knowledge of his truth, and the comfort and the benefit of it.
Ye shall hnow the truth, and the truth shall make you free, John viii. 32.
The seventh,—^That Ke will unite our hearts to himself and to each other.
/ will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them and of their children after them, Jer. xxxii. 30.
The eighth,—That he will be tender of those that are weak.
He shall feed his floeh like a Shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young, Isa. xl. 11.
A SERMON ON THE PROMISES.
The ninth,—That he will direct us in the way of our duty.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way, Ps. XXV. 8, 9.
The tenth,—That he will protect us from every thing that is really evil.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore, Psa. cxxi. 7, 8.
The eleventh,—That he will supply us with all good. lhe young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing, Ps. xxxiv. 10.
The twelfth,—That he will answer our prayers.
Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, John xiv. 13.
The thirteenth,—^That he will silence our fears.
/ the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee, Isa. xli. 13.
The fourteenth,—^That he will bear us up under our burthens.
Hie eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms, Deut. xxxiii. 27.
The fifteenth,—^That he will give us a sure and lasting peace.
The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever, Isa. xxxii. 17.
The sixteenth,—That he will admit us into fellowship and communion with himself.
Blessed is the man whom thou ehoosest, and eausest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy fiouse, even of thy holy temple Ps. Ixv. 4.
The seventeenth,—^That he will give us the comfortable enjoyment of ourselves.
Ilis soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth, Ps. xxv. 13.
The eighteenth,—^That he will deliver us in and under our troubles.
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will 1 deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer hi$n: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him, Ps. xci. 14, 15.
The nineteenth,—^That he will affect us in measure and in mercy, when we have need of it.
I will be his Father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee, 2 Sam. vii. 14, 15.
The twentieth,—That he will spare us with the tenderness of a fatherly compassion.
They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him, Malachi iii. 17.
The twenty-first,—^That he will not persist in his controversy with us.
1 will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwayt wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made, Isa. Ivii. 16.
The twenty-second,—^That he will speak comfort to us when we are in sorrow.
/ will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly, Ps. Ixxxv. 8.
The twenty-third,—^That he will proportion our trials to our strength.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: hut God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; hut will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it, 1 Cor. x. 13.
The twenty-fourth,—^That he will put true honour upon us.
Them that honour me 1 will honour, 1 Sam. ii. 30.
The twenty-fifth,—That he will feed us with food convenient for us.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed, ^s. xxxvii. 3.
The twenty-sixth,—That he will clear up our in-jured reputation.
He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday, Ps. xxxvii. 6.
The twenty-seventh,—That he will comfort and relieve us in sickness.
The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed €ff languishing : thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness, Ps. xli. 3.
The twenty-eighth,—That he will prevent our apostasy from htm.
/ will make an everlasting covenant with them, and I wUl not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear m their hearts, thai they shall not depart from me, Jer. xxxii. 40.
The twenty-ninth,—That he will make all events conduce to our real welfare.
We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, Rom. yiii. 28.
The thirtieth,—That he will perfect the work of grace in us.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. i. 6.
The thirty-fir.Ht,—^Tbat he will be with us when we are old, to bear us up under all our infirmities.
A SERMON ON THE PROMISES.
771
Eveu io yowr old age I am he ; and even to hoary hairt in// / carry you: I have made, and I will bear ; tven I wiil carry, and will deliver you, Isa. xlvi. 4.
The thirty-second,—^That he will never desert us in any exigence whatsoever.
For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor/orsahe thee, Heb. xiii. 5.
The thirty-third,—^That he will give ns victory oTer oar spiritaal enemies.
The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly, Rom. xvi. 20.
The thirty-foarth,—^That he will recompense our charity to the poor.
He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth vnto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him aaiji, Prov. xix. 17.
The thirty-fifth,—That he will make up all our losses for his name's sake.
Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my natne's sake, shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life, Matt. xix. 29.
The thirty-sixth,—That he will let us live long enoQh in this world, and give us a comfortable prospect of a better.
With long life wiU I satisfy him, and show him my sdt€tion, Ps. xci. 16.
The thirty-seventh,—^Thathe will be with us when ve come to die.
Yea, though I weslk through the valley of the shadow tf death; I will fear no evU: for thou art with me; tky rod and thy staff they comfort me, Ps. xxiii. 4.
The thirty-ei^^hth,—That he wiil receive our souls ioto the arms of bis love.
But God will reeleem my soul from the power of the $rine: for he shall receive me. Selah ! Ps. xlix. 15.
The thirty-ninth,—^That he will take care of our posterity when we are gone.
The children of thy servants shall continue, and tlteir tttd shall he established before thee, Ps. cii. 28.
The fortieth,—^That he will raise our bodies to life
This is the will of him that sent me. That every <me which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may line trerlasting life ' and I will raise him up at the •W day, John vi. 40.
The forty-first,—That he will own us in the judgment of the great day.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, ffim will I comfese also before my Father which is in ^ten. Matt. x. 32.
The forty-second,—That he will put us into possession of everlasting bliss.
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, fren eternal life, 1 John ii. 25.
Repetition Text.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from allfilthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, And now what shall we say to these things ?
I.—1. Let us be thankful to God for all these great and precious promises, that God should not only do us good, but engage himself by promises to do so.
2. Let us be ashamed of ourselves that we have not lived more upon these promises.
3. Let us encourage ourselves with these promises to go on cheerfully and resolutely in the way of our duty.
4. Let us acknowledge the truth of God, and his faithfulness to his promises. There hath not failed one word of all his good promise. Sec. 1 Kings viii. 56.
5. We are concerned to treasure up these promises, that we may have them ready to use when we have occasion for them, to silence our fears, and to strengthen our faith.
6. Behold, what need we have to live by faith, through which, and by which, we make use of these promises. God gives by promise that we may take by faith; therefore set about that work, and be much in the exercise of it.
II. Here is our duty inferred from this privilege. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit: by which is understood,
1. We must abhor that which is evil, and abandon all sin with an holy detestation.
2. We must cleave to that which is good; we must perfect holiness in the fear of God. Observe, The consideration of God's promises to us should strongly engage us against all sin, and to all duty. To show you what strength there is in this argument taken from the promises, to abhor that which is evfl, observe, (1.) We are bound in gratitude to please him who has given us so many, so great and precious, promises, Ps. cxvi. 12. What shall I render? Oh, how great is his goodness which he hath laid up for them that fear him! God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, Ps. cviii. 7. Observe, (2.) We forfeit the benefit of God's promises if we do not make conscience of, and endeavour to keep, his commands. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it, Heb. iv. I.
III. We are taught the blessed fruits of these promises.
1. These promises furnish us with strength and grace sufficient against sin, and for duty. Turn you at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you.
2. These promises speak the language of Caleb and Joshua, who said, We are well able to overcome
A SERMON ON THE PROMISES. the people, when they are about to enter into Canaan; while the other spies discouraged the* tribes. Thus we may say, through the strength of divine grace, we shall be well enabled to overcome all our spiritual enemies, namely, the world, flesh, and devil, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Observe it
3. God is faithful to these promises which he has made to us. Therefore we must not be false to those promises which we have made to him, Heb. x. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised.
4. In having these promises we have great honour put upon us, and we ought to carry it as becomes us. God has promised to be to us a faithful God, a loving, a tender Father. Let us not wander out of the way of duty. If we have received the promise, as Abraham did, we ought to do some great act, in our obedience to his commands, as he did.
5. The promises secure to us an abundant reward for our obedience; therefore let us be stedfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. xv. 58.
And now having observed these things concerning the promises, let us explain fully the duty which is inferred. It contains two parts, I. To be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit.
II. To perfect holiness in the fear of God. I. We must be cleansed, &c.
1. Therefore let us look upon sin as filthiness; let the grace of God, and the purity, not only of his nature, but also of his word and promises, make sin more odious and terrible than in the threatenings it appears dangerous. In the promises, sin appears loathsome, and filthiness itself. For, observe, (1.) It is odious to God, contrary to that purity of nature which appears in his promises, which should deter us from sin, Jer. xliv. 4. Oh ! do not this abominable thing that I hate. Gen. xxxix. 9, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God! Observe, (2.) Look upon sin as that which unfits us for communion with God; therefore, upon this account, let sin become odious to us. Observe, (3.) Sin in Scripture is called and compared to a wound, to a plague, to leprosy, &c. and all to make us fear and loathe it.
2. Let us cleanse ourselves from this filthiness, by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ; for it is he that is made to us both righteousness and sanctification. It is our duty to cleanse ourselves, but we cannot do this without God's grace, and he will not do it without our endeavours. This implies, (1.) That we truly repent of the sins which we have committed, and loathe ourselves for them. Whenever we go to worship God, we must lie down in our shame, and abhor ourselves, repenting in dust and ashes. (2.) That by faith we apply the blood of Christ to our consciences, and sprinkle them with it, and that we wash in that fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. We read that the Ammonites made themselves odious in the nostrils of David, and so they hardened themselves, that is, strengthened themselves, against him. Let us not act so against God, but let us lie low before the Lord, and make the Lord Jesus Christ our friend to reconcile us to God.
3. Let us mortify the habits of sin, and parge oat the old leaven, both in the head and in the heart Get clear of our bad principles, that we may not make so light of sin as we have done; cleanse oar-selves from corrupt fancy, cleanse ourselves from all filthiness that is in the imagination. Great pains must be taken with the heart, to get it clear of all corrupt inclinations. Wash ye, make ye clean, indulge no evil thoughts in your hearts.
4. Let us watch against all occasions of sin, that is, all those things by which you have contracted pollutions. Have no fellowship with the unfraitfal works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Keep at a distance from every thing which has the appearance of evil.
5. Let us resolve for the future to have no more to do with sin. Refrain from all acts of sin. Let him that has stole steal no more, Eph. iv. 28. Let him that has been drunk or unclean, be so no more, Isa. iv. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit«of bam-ing, that is, by a saving knowledge of, and a sincere love to, God and his commandments, sabmit to the Spirit's influences, or you will never get the mastery over your sins and corruptions. Therefore you must put on a holy resolution, and take the kingdom of heaven by violence, for the violent take it by force.
6. Our care herein must be universal. 'We must cleanse ourselves, (1.) from all filthiness of the flesh, from sloth fulness and the love of ease, from sensuality and the love of pleasure, from gratifying the desires of the body with forbidden fruit, or indulging them too much, to the damage of the soul; for even lawful pleasures may turn into sin without due care and watchfulness over ourselves, such as gluttony, drunkenness, or seventh-commandment sins. (2.) We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the spirit; from pride, covetousness, and the love of the world, from fraud, deceit,and injustice, Job xxxi. 7. from all sinful anger, malice, hatred, and desire of revenge; for these are spiritual filthinesses, from all which we must be cleansed.
II. We must perfect holiness in the fear of God.
1. We must be holy.
That is taken for granted; for we cannot perfect holiness unless we begin it. We must be holy. What is that? (1.) We must be devoted to God, as A SERMON ON THE PROMISES.
773 all holy persons and things ander the law were. We mast be holinejis to the Lord. (2.) We must be conformed to God's likeness, and to bis will. God's holiness is his a{[jeement with himself; our holiness is oar agreeableness to him. We must act in every thing as becomes our relation to God, Col. i. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, &c. and the image of God must be renewed apon us; be ye holy, saith the Lord, for I am holy. ;3.) We must be employed in the services and worship of God; we must engage our hearts in all our approaches to him; we must employ our minds, and all the powers of our souls, in all the inward acts of inward worship, and in all outward worship also we most not only bow the knee, but also the heart, before the Lord; for heartless worship is vain worship, God will not accept it, and we ourselves shall be no gainers by it, so it most be in vain. (4.) We must beengagedin tfae interests of God's kingdom amongst men. To be holy, is to be on the Lord's side, and to espouse his cause, to be his witnesses, to be courageous and valiant for the truth, to contend earnestly for it, for grreat is the truth and it shall prevail; God will own and honour those that do own and bonoor him.
2. We must be sincere in our holiness, or perfecting holiness. For sincerity is our gospel perfection, as a good man said. I know no religion but sincerity, this is uprightness. Walk before me and be thou upright. By this is understood, (1.) We mast be sanctified throughout The whole man must be sanctified. The understanding must be enlightened, the will bowed and brought into obedience to the will of God, both to the will of his precepts to do them, and to the will of his providences to submit to them; and thus we stand complete in the wbole will of God, that we may be sanctified in body, soul, and spirit, and so be perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2.) The whole law of God mast be regarded, and a respect had to it. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all tbj commandments, Ps. cxix. 6. Let my heart be soond in thy statutes that I be not ashamed, v. 80. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way, v. 128. O let us laboar to be sincere to the day of Christ, like good ^d faithful servants waiting for the coming of the Lord.
3. We must be growing and making progress in boliness; though we cannot perfect it in this world, yet we must be perfecting it, that is, adding a greater degree to a lesser, pressing forwards towards perfection. (1.) The habits of grace must grow more confirmed and rooted, our resolutions against sin more settled, ^nd our resolution for God and duty more steady. This is to perfect what is lacking in our faith, 1 Thess. iii. 10. (2.) The actings of grace must grow more and more vigorous and lively. We must be more ready for every good work. We must have more spiritual success in a lively exercise to resist sin, and all temptations that would insnare us. (3.) We must be more and more watchful, and upon our guard. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Therefore be not high minded, but fear, Rom. xi. 20. We must never think ourselves good enough, and safe enough, but must be still growing wiser and better. (4.) We must be actuated and animated therein by the fear of God. That is, [I.] We must keep up a constant worship of God in our families, and in our closets; we must be frequent in holy adorings and admirings of God. This will be a good means of perfecting holiness, to be in the fear of the Lord every day, and all the day long. [2.] We must maintain a reverent regard to his majesty and authority, and this will keep us from sin; when others make bold with sin, we must stand in awe of God, as Nehemiah did, ch, v. 15. But so did not I, because of the fear of God. 3. We must have a continual dread of his wrath and vindictive justice. A fear of God's wrath and displeasure will be a means of keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
To conclude. The apostle directs his exhortation to his dearly beloved, so do I to you, my dearly beloved.
1. Apply the promises to yourselves, live upon them, take them to be your heritage for ever. Both you that are young, and you that are old, treasure up the promises. 2. Apply the precepts to yourselves, and live up to them, and be holy in all manner of conversation. Keep a conscience always void of ofience both towards God and towards man.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to baild you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified, Acts xx. 32. And may you be always looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith, till you come to be for ever with him. Amen.
DISPUTES REVIEWED:
IN
A SERMON,
PREACHED AT THE EVENING LECTURE, AT SALTERS HALL,
ON LORD'S DAY, JULY 23rd, 1710.
Mark ix. 33.
What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Our Lord Jesas is here calling his disciples to an account about a warm debate they happened to have among themselves, as they travelled along, upon a question often started, but not yet determined. Which of them should be the greatest? They thought no other but that their Master should shortly enter upon the possession of a temporal kingdom, and all the pomp and grandeur of it, and they should be preferred with him; but they could not agree who should be prime-minister of state, and have the first post of honour. It is a sad instance of the remainders of corruption in the hearts even of good people; and shows that pride, ambition, and affectation of worldly honour, are sins that do most easily beset even Christ's own disciples; which, therefore, we should all carefully watch and strive against.
Probably our Lord Jesus overheard some words that passed in this dispute; for those who are hot upon an argument are apt to speak louder than becomes them; and when the temper is not kept within due bounds, commonly the voice is not. But whether he overheard them or no, he knew very well what they had been talking of, and every word that had been said, and, which was more than any man could know, from what principle it was said, and what more they would have said; for as there is not a word in our tongue, so there is not a thought in our heart, though newly risen and started there, though industriously suppressed and stifled there, but he knows it altogether.* He is that essential, eternal Word of God, who is a discemer of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and before whom all things are naked and open.** Let all the churches take
Ps. cxxxlz. 4. b Heb. iv. 12,13. notice of this. That our Lord Jesus not only knows our work, but is he who searches the reins and hearts.*^
And yet, though Christ knew what his disciples had been talking of, he asked them what it was, because he would know it from them, and would have them to confess their fault and folly in it; that from thence he might take occasion to rectify their mistakes, and to instruct and reason them into a better temper.
Think not that my design from this text is to arraign, examine, or inquire into any disputes or contests that may be among you, of any kind; for as (blessed be God) I know of no particular occasion fbr it, nor have any thing else in my eye, in the choice of this subject, but what is common to ali ; so if there were, I should think myself the unfittest man in the world to be a judge or a divider. And besides, if I should thus go about to take my Master's work out of his hands, I should contradict that which is my design—^in putting this question to you. What was it that you disputed among yourseltfes by the way ? —and that is, to show you that our blessed Liord Jesus does and will inquire into these matters, and bind you over to his judgment.
Four things this text teaches us, who are all in profession disciples of Christ, as we are baptized Christians.
I. That we must all expect to be called to an ac> count by our Lord Jesus.
II. That we must, in a particular manner, be called to an account about our discourses among ourselves.
III. That, among our discourses, we shall especially be called to an account about our disputes.
IV. That, of all our disputes, we shall be most strictly reckoned with for our disputes about precedency and superiority.
I. We must all expect to be called to an account e Rev. ii. 19,23.
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776 shortly, by oar Lord Jesas, concerning the temper of oar minds, and the coarse and tenor of oar lives, now we are in ike way.
1. We are all now in the way, following Christ, 35 his disciples here, in contort. We are viatoret ^tracellers under the conduct of our great Master, towards the better country. And here we are upon trial; it is the state of our probation; and according as oar steps are, while we are in the way, our rest will be when we are at our journey's end. It concerns us therefore, what we have to do, to do it while we are yet in the way ;^ and whatever we do while we are in the way, to do it jrith an eye to our end.
2. There will be a review of what passes in tfie mi/f it will all be called over again; every work and every word will be brought into judgment, will be weighed in a just and unerring balance, will be produced in eyidence for us or against us. There nill not need any repetition, every thing is now recorded in the book of God's omniscience; and it is enough that, in that day, the books will be opened, and all will be judged out of those things which were found written in the hooks, according to their works,' It concerns as therefore, whatever we do in the wag, to do it as those who must give account, and to con-nder bow it will pass in the account; how it will look in the review; that we may dread doing that which will make against us then, and may abound in that which will he fruit abounding to our account,' and which we shall meet again with comfort, on the other side death and the grave.
3. The account in the great day must be given ap to oar Lord Jesus, for we call him Master and Lord as these disciples did; and to him therefore we are accountable, an scholars and servants, how we spend our time. He is our Judge, for he is our Law-giver ;>> and to him the Father has committed all judgment,' particularly that in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom ho has ordained.^ Christ shall have the honour of it, and let all ^ood Christians take the comfort of it, that he who is an advocate for all believers will be their judge: bat withal, let it oblige us to the utmost care and cir-cnmspection in our walking: we must therefore labour to be accepted of the Lord, and approve ourselves to him in our integrity, because we shall all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,' to give account of every thing done in the body. God made the world, by his Son; and by him, as the fittest person, he will judge the world.
Now this is a good reason, (1.) Why we should judge ourselves, and prove OQr own work, and see that our matters be right and good against that day. Let us examine ourselves concern ing our spiritual state, that we may make
Mail. ▼.25. • Eccl. xii. H. f Rev. xx. 12. % Phil. iv. 17. blaa-zixiji. 22. i John v. 23. k Acts xvii. 31. sure work for our own souls; and often call ourselves to an account concerning the way we are in, and the steps we take in that way, that we may renew our repentance for whatever we find to have been amiss, and make our peace with God in Christ And if we would thus judge ourselves, we should not be judged *" of the Lord. When we come to our journey's end, it will be asked, how we carried ourselves in the wag. Let us tlierefore carry ourselves accord-it>8>'y> ^^^ ponder tlie path of our feet.
(2.) It is a good reason why we should not judge one another, or be severe in our censures one of another: we thereby invade Christ's throne, for it is his prerogative to call his disciples to an account; and though he designed them to be one another's helpers, he never intended they should be one another's judges. We must all stand before the jtidg-ment-seat of Christ, and therefore must not judge one another. We must be judged ourselves ; and may expect to be judged with severity, if we be severe in judging our brethren, for the measure wc mete will be measured to us.° Our brethren likewise must be judged by the Lord Jesus, and, therefore, if we pretend to judge them, they are coram non jvdicebefore a judge without authority. Who are we that we should judge another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls,° and to his judgment it is fit we should leave him.
IL Among other things that pass in the wag, we must expect to be called to account for what we have talked among ourselves. We are apt to make a light matter of this; and when we have talked at random, what comes uppermost, without regard to God or man, we think to turn it off with an excuse that it was but talk, and words are but mnd: but we wretchedly mistake, and put a cheat upon ourselves, if that be true which our Saviour has told us, and undoubtedly true it is, that not only for every profane and wicked word, for every false and spiteful word, butybr every idle word that men speak, they must give account in the day of judgment ; nay, and so shall their doom be, for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con-demned.p' Christ takes notice of what we say, now; and we should think we hear him say to us when we are in conversation, as he did to the two disciples going to Emmaus, What manner of communications are these t/iat ye have one to another, as ye walk and are sad,^ or, as ye sit and are merry ? Are they such as become Christians? Are you not saying that which must be unsaid again by repentance, or you will be undone? And as Christ takes notice of it now, so he will call it over again in the day of account.
What we talk among ourselves with the usual freedom of conversation we do not expect to bear m I Cor. xi. 31. P Matt. xii. 36, 37.
n Matt. vii. 1,2. q Luke xxiv. 17.
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of again; it is inter not — between ourselves, and therefore we think we may allow oarselves a liberty. What is said under the seal of conversation, we think almost as safe in point of honour, as what is said under the seal of confession; none but a tale-bearer, that great mischief-maker, will reveal such secrets;' but though it be talked among ourselves, it cannot escape either the cognizance or the judgment of our Lord Jesus.
1. If we talk any thing which is good among ourselves, and which is to the use of edifying;' which manifests grace in the speaker, and ministers grace to the hearers ; Christ takes notice of that, and we shall hear of it again to our comfort, in that day when those who thus confess Christ before men' shall be owned by him before his Father, and the holy angels. When they who feared the Lord spake often one to another, for their mutual encouragement to hold fast their integrity in a time of general apostasy. The Lord hearkened and heard it, as one greatly well pleased with it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, in which were entered all those pious conferences of them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name ;" and the day will come when this book, among the rest, shall be opened.
There is not a good word coming from a good heart, and directed to a good end, but it is heard in secret, and shall be rewarded openly, though, perhaps, there are those now who ridicule and banter such language. What is spoken for the edification of others, will turn to a good account to ourselves: and it will add to our joy in heaven, to have been any way instrumental to help others thither. Nay, if it should not reach their heart<i for whom it is designed, yet the comfort of it will return into our own bosoms; and what was well intended for the honour of Christ, shall not be overlooked in the day of account.
This should engage and encourage us to keep up religious discourse, that it will be remembered to our advantage in the accounts shortly, though we may forget it; as the righteous could-not say that ever they saw Christ hungry, and fed him, or thirsty, and gave him drink;'' yet Christ will not forget it, but will place it to account, as an acceptable service done to him.
2. If we talk any thing that is ill among ourselves ; if any corrupt communication proceeds out of our mouths, dictated by the corruption of our minds, and which has a tendency to corrupt the minds and manners of others; Christ observes that too, is displeased with it,—and we shall hear of it again, either by the checks of our own consciences, in order to our repentance, or in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, when, according to Enoch's prophecy, the Lord shall come* to reckon with sinners, not only for all their ungodly r Prov. xi. 13. ■ Eph iv. 29. t Matt. x. 32. n Mai. ill. 16. * Matt. XXV. 37. w Jude 15. > Pi. 1.20. j Exod. xiii. 28. deeds, but for all their hard speeches, spoken against him. It will be asked sooner or later. What was it that you said such a time, proudly, vainly, filthily, that foolish talking and jesting which is not becoming ? What was it that you said in such and such company by way of reproach to your neigbboar, when you sat deliberately, sat magisterially, and spoke against your brother, and slandered those.* whose good names yon ought to have protected ? or, which aggravates it, by way of reflection on your superiors; reviling the gods, and speaking evil of the rulers of your people,^ little thinking that a bird of the air may carry the voice ? * Let this consideration oblige us all to take heed to our ways, that we offend not with our tongue, and to keep our mouth as it were vrith a bridle,* that we may say nothing but what we can bear to be told of again. And we have need to beg of God, that by his grace he would set a watch before the door of our lips,^ a double watch upon the door of our hearts, out of the abundance of which the mouth speaks, that nothing may proceed from them to his dishonour.
III. As our other discourses among ourselves by the way, so especially our disputes, will all be called over again, and we shall be called to an account about them. What was it thai ye disputed amonp yourselves ? What was the subject of the dispute ? and how was it managed? Disputing supposes some variance and strife, and a mutual contradiction and opposition arising from it. Disputing by the way is falling out by the way, a thing directly contrary to the charge which Joseph, as a tjrpe of Christ, gave to his brethren, See that ye fall not out by the way ;' and therefore we may expect to be reproved for it.
There are disputes that are of use among the disciples of Christ, and which in the review we may reflect upon with comfort Did we dispute—For the conviction of atheists and deists, and other the enemies of our holy religion; or for the confirmation of those who were in danger of being drawn away by their delusions ? Did we contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints,*^ and with meekness and fear both instract others that oppose themselves,* and give a reason of our own hope that is in usV Did we, fairly and calmly, discuss lesser matters in difference between us and our brethren, that we might find out the truth, and have our mistakes rectified; or, if we cannot, hereby, come to be of the same mind, yet we may see that even those we differ from have so much colour of reason on their side, as that they may still differ from us, and yet not forfeit their reputation either for wisdom or honesty ? I>id we, with prudence and mildness, debate our cause with our neighbour himself, and not go forth hastily to strive;' did we tell him his fault between us and « EccL X. ao. ».?>. xxxix. 1. b Pb. cxii. 3. c Gen. xlv. 34. d Jude 3. • 2 Tim. M.9S. fl Pet. iii. \5. g Prov. xxv. 8. 9.
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777 bim alone,** before we told it to the world or the chordi, in order to a friendly accommodation? Thes< are disputes which will pass well in the ac-coant when Uiey come to he called over again.
Bat oar disputes are too often such, that when we come 'x> be asked about them, as the disciples were IifTe, ire shall, like them, hold our peace, as being asbamcd to have them spoken of again, and haying nothing to say in our own vindication: and (as the town-clerk of Ephesus apprehended) when we are called in question for the uproar, can show no justifiable caase, whereby we may give an account of it*
Three things may occasion disputes among Christians, among ministers, neighbours, friends, relations, which, perhaps, when they come to be reflected upon, as here, will be found to have a great deal in them that was culpable: different opinions, separate interests, and clashing humours.
1. Disputes commonly arise from difference of 9pinion, either in religion and divine things; (about which oftentimes the disputes and contests arc most tiolent;) or in philosophy, politics, or other parts of learning; or in the conduct of human life. While men differ so much in capacity, temper, genius, and edacation, and different sentiments are received by tradition from our fathers, it cannot be expected that men should all agree in the same notions. The same thing seen with different eyes, and by different lights, may appear to one true and very good, and to toother false and very bad, though both employ their faculties about it with equaJ diligence and sincerity. This cannot but give rise to disputes, for ve are naturally forward (and sometimes over-for-Tard) to clear ourselves, and convince others; and have such a conceit of our own judgment, as to think that every body ought to be of one mind, and that if they will be ruled by reason, they will be so: for Tain man would be wise, would be thought to be so, though he be born as the wild ass's colt.^
Bot these disputes are often such as we may jutJy be ashamed of, when we come to look back Qpoo them.
(1.) Upon account of the matter of them. What vas it that we disputed among ourselves ? What was it we were so bot and eager about?
Perhaps it was something above us, about the mtare and attributes, the counsels and decrees, of Ood; and the operations of his providence and pace; and the person of the Mediator: those secret things which belong not to us: * things which we ^ not understand, nor could: things which it was presumption for us to dispute about; for the angels vith an awful reverence humbly desire to look into them,*B as not pretending to be masters of them. And the p-eat apostle, who had been in the third heavens, Dot only owned that the words he heard there were ii Matt, xfiii. 15. 1 Detil. xxix. 29.
I Acts xix. 40. B 1 Pet i. 19.
k Jobzi. IS. n 2 Cor. xli. 4.
but was so much at a loss to express himself concerning the work of redemption, though it is in some measure revealed, that despairing to find the bottom, he sits down at the brink, and adores the depth of that mystery: O the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God 1^0 what reason have we with Job to abhor ourselves, and to repent in dust and ashes, because, like him, in our disputes with our friendSjP concerning the reasons and methods of God's proceedings, we have darkened counsel by words without knowledge; and have uttered that which we understood not, things too wonderful for us.
Perhaps it was something below %u, not worth disputing about, especially, with so much warmth and violence: it was a trifle, a mere strife of words,<i a dispute de lana eaprina — about a thing of no value ; as if the matter were started only for want of something to wrangle about; so inconsiderable a thing, that which way soever it goes, the costs are much more than the damage. In the reflection, we may justly blush to think that we should make so much ado, so great a noise, about nothing.
Perhaps it was something foreign to us, that we were no way concerned in; some matter of politics it may be, which belongs not to those of our rank and station, but must be left to wiser heads, whose business it is to deal in things of that nature. Our Lord Jesus after his resurrection twice checked his disciples for a vain curiosity:—once in inquiring concerning one another's affairs; when*Peter asked concerning John, What shall this man do ? Christ answered him, What is that to thee? Follow thou me?' —and another time in inquiring concerning God's counsels. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,*
Perhaps it was something indifferent; like the controversy among the primitive Christians concerning the observing of days, and making a distinction of meats,' which the apostle himself does not think fit to determine, but leaves each side to practise according as their judgment was, without imposing upon either, since they might be of either mind, and yet be accepted of God; only he forbids them to fall out about it, or to despise or judge one another.
(2.) Upon account of our management of them. When our disputes among ourselves by the way come to be reviewed, it will be found that the mischief was done not by the things themselves, concerning which we differed, but by our misma]#ge-ment of the controversy.
Our Master will be displeased with us if it be found that we have been hot and fierce in our disputes, and have mingled our passions and peevish resentments with them; if a point of honour has governed us more than a point of conscience, and o Rom. xi. 33. p Job xlii. 3,6. q 1 Tim. vi. 4.
DISPUTES REVIEWED. we have contended more for victory and repatation, than for tmth and daty; if we have contended about things of small moment for, or against, them, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law and gospel; if we have spent more of oar zeal on matters in difference than they deserve ; and have lost the vitals of religion, in our heat abont circamstantials, and have disputed away oar seriousness and devo> tion, What then shall we do when God riseth up ? and when he visiteth, what shail we answer him ?**
If in our disputes for the truth, we lie against the truth, and speah deceitfully for God, the good intention will be so far from justifying the lie, that the lie will condemn the good intention, and convict it of hypocrisy; for if the intention were really good, such a practice would be abhorred. If we have the itch of disputing, and a spirit of contradiction, that is certainly one of those foolish hurtful lusts, from whence come wars and fightings. If we receive our brethren who are weak to doubtful disputations;* and love to perplex and puzzle them, and run them aground with objections against what they and we believe; it shows a great contempt both of the truth and of their souls, and is a jesting with both. If we judge, and censure, and condemn our brethren who are not in every thing of our mind, and though we call ourselves disciples, set up for masters, many masters;'' if we give reproachful language, and call foul names, which commonly betrays the weakness of the caose, and is ingloriously pressed into the service to mak up the deficiency of argument; we shall have a gpreat deal to answer for, when all our disputes shall be called over again by our Master.
2. Many disputes arise from separate and intei'-fering interests in this world. Neighbours and relations quarrel about their rights and properties, their estates and trades, their honours and powers and pleasures; Meum and Tuum — My rent and Thy bond, are the great subjects of dispute, and engage people in endless strifes. The first dispute we read of in the primitive church was about a money-matter ; the Grecians quarrelled with the Hebrews because they thought their widows were neglected in the daily ministration Many disputes of this kind happen, which will be inquired into as well as those about differences in opinion; and therefore it concerns us to reflect upon them, that whatever we find to have been amiss in them may be repented of.
We may, in godly sorrow, quarrel with ourselves, angustly, for our unjust, unbecoming quarrels with our brethren: Ask then,—What was it that you disputed about with such a neighbour, or such a friend, at such a time 1 Perhaps you disputed that which yon ought to have yielded withdut dispute, a just debt or a rightful possession, which you thout to have car-
B Job xzu. 14.
Y Rom. xiv. 1.
w James iii. 1.
ried, by dint of opposition, against equity. Perhaps you disputed about something very trivial, and of small value, which was not worth controvertiiig, but which if the right were indeed of your side, you might have receded from it for peace* sake, without any detriment to yourselves or families. Perhaps the dis* pute might have been prevented, or when it was be* gan, might quickly and easily have been accommodated, with a little wisdom and love; as the strife between Abraham and Lot was soon ended, and the matter compromised by Abraham's prudent conde-scension.y A little yielding would pacify great offences, and put an effectual stop to that threatening mischief which sometimes a little fire kindles.
Review your law-suits. And it may be you will find, that how stiff soever you were in the heat of the prosecution of them, your cooler thoughts tell jou they were not managed as become Christians ; you did not try to end things, as you ought to have done, in an amicable way. Perhaps they were be|^u rashly, and in passion; and then no wonder if tbcy be carried on unfairly, and that which was a hasty, sudden passion in the beginning of the quarrel, is in danger of ripening into a rooted malice before the end of it, and they who at first pretended that they designed only to right themselves, at length, as their resentments have grown more and more keen, are not ashamed to own that they are resolved to avenge themselves.
These disputes, as they are most common, so they are most scandalous, among relations, and those who are under particular obligations to love one another. And whatever keeps brethren from dwelling together in unity, is very provoking to Christ, who has made brotherly love the livery of his family: and it is very hardly removed: for a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and their con tentions are as the door of a castle >** witness Jacob and Esau.
3. Some disputes, and hot ones too, arise merely from passion and clashing humours,wheTe really there is nothing of judgment or interest in the case. Some indulge themselves in a crossness of temper, that makes them continually uneasy to their relations, the nearest, the dearest, and to all about them. They love to thwart and disagree, and to dispute every thing, though ever so plain, or ever so trifling. Many make their lives, and the relations wherein they stand, uncomfortable by this ; especially when both sides are of such a spirit: one will have their humour, their saying, and the other will have theirs, and so they are ever and anon disputing which shall be greatest, and instead of aiming to please, are contriving to displease and contradict one another.
But do such consider, that they must give an acs AcU vi. 1.
J Gen. xfi). 8.9.
» Pror. xviii. 19.
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779 couDt to Christ for all these disputes among them-itket by ike way ; that they will all be called over again? How ill does it become the disciples and followers of the hamble Jesos to carry things with a bigh hand, imperiously and with rigour, toward tbeir inferior relations; not suffering them to speak for themselves, nor willing to hear reason from them. How ill does it become the worshippers of the God of love to be envious, and spiteful, and ill-natured, and quarrelsome with all they have any dealings with! The father of the prodigal, when his elder son was out of humour, angry, and would not come in, did not dispute with him, chide him, and threaten bim, though he very well deserved it; but he went out and entreated him,* spoke to him smoothly, and 50 brought him into good temper again: which is written for our learning that we may go and do likewise, but writhal for our $hame that we have not done so. By the account which the Scripture gives of some peevish passionate disputes, it appears that notice is taken of the height to which the ferment of the spirit rises at such a time. When the men of Epbraim quarrelled with Gideon upon a point of honour, it is left upon record, that they did chide rithkim ikarplyh though by his exemplary mildness, as well as by his eminent services, lie deserved better at tbeir hands. When, in a like case, Judah and Israel fell out, it is observed, that the wards of the Mm of Judah werejlercer than the words of the men f*f Israeli And if it be so indeed, that an account u kept of the sharpness of our chiding, and the fierceness of oar words, we are concerned by true repentance to judge ourselves for it, that we may not be judged of the Lord.
And whatever we find has been amiss in our disputes of any kind, let it be amended for the future.
(1.) As far as we are able to make a judgment, let us see to it that we have truth and right on our side, in all our disputes, and not be confident any farther than we see j ust cause to be so. We must not only never contend for that which we know to be false and wrong, but also never for that which is doubtful, or which we do not know to be true and right. Let OS not wrong our consciences in any of our contests; Qor say we believe that to be true, and therefore dispute for it, which really we do not believe to be $0; nor demand that as our own, which we know or baTe reason to suspect we have no god title to; nor deny that to another which we cannot but think is justly bis.
And if, in the progress of any dispute or contro-Tersy, it be made to appear to us, at length, that we were mistaken, and in the wrong, we must be ready to acknowledge it, thankful to those who have discovered it to us, and not ashamed to let fall the controversy. And we have a false notion of honour, if »Luke XV. 38. b Judg. viii. 9. e 3 Sam. xix. 43. we think this will be any reai disparagement to us ; for certainly St Paul showed more true courage, and merited more true praise, when he said, / can do nothing against the truth,^ than Goliah did, when he defied all the armies of Israel.
(2.) In matters of doubtful disputation : while we are contending for that which we take to be right, let us at the same time think it possible that we may be in the wrong. When we contend for the great principles of religion, in which all good Christians are agreed, we need not fear our being in a mistake; they are of undoubted certainty. We know and are sure that Jesus is the Christ, But there are many things that are not so clearly revealed, because not of so much moment, in which the truth indeed lies but on one side, and yet wise and good men are not agreed on which side it lies. Here, though we both argue and act according to the light that God has given us, yet we must not be over-confident of our own judgment, as if wisdom must die vrith us. Others have understanding as well as we, and are not inferior to us ;* nay, perhaps, they every way excel us, and, therefore, who can tell but they may be in the right ? However, they argue and act according to the light they have, which we ought to pay a deference to, so as not to condemn all those for weak men, or bad men, who are not in every thing of our mind, and will not say as we say. Job in dispute is not unwilling to put the case. Be it thai I kave erred J
In matters of fact on which right depends, it is possible we may be mistaken ; Humanum est errare — to err is kuman. Words may be misunderstood and misapprehended; and the wisest, and most cautious and observing, may be guilty of an oversight, and may forget something that would very much alter the case; and, therefore, it will be no credit to our wisdom and goodness to be too positive, too peremptory, as long as there is a possibility of our being deceived. Never let our assertions go beyond our assurances, nor let us give that as certain and great, which was given us doubtful and little; but be very wary in what we maintain, not only for our reputation's sake, lest our neighbour search us and put us to shame, but for conscience' sake, toward God, who hates a proud look, and a lying tongue ;v two very bad things, that commonly go together, to support one another.
(3.) Let us keep the full possession and government of our own spirits, in all our disputes. Let us carefully suppress all inward tumults, whatever provocation may be (pven us; and let our minds be calm and sedate, whatever argument we are engaged in. Let no contradiction put us into a heat or disorder ; for when passion is up, we are not so capable as we ought to be, either to hear reason or to speak d 2 Cor. xili. & e Job xil. a. # Job xix. 4. % Prov. vi. 17.
DISPUTES REVIEWED. it, nor is it likely we shoald either convince or be convinced of truth and right. Meekness and mildness of spirit do as mach befriend a cause, as they are the beauty and ornament of its advocates.
If we contend for that which is wrong, the jnore passionate we are, the greater is the sin of the contention, and the more there is of the image of the devil upon it, who is not only the father of lies and falsehoods, but a red dragon, and a roaring lion. But if we have truth and right on our side, that needs no intemperate heats and passions for the support of it, nor can have any real service done it by them. The cause of heaven can never be pleaded with any credit or success by a tongue set on fire of hell. The wrath of man tDorks not the righteousness of God.^ Parties may be served by fury and violence, but the common interests of pure Christianity will certainly be prejudiced by it. Christ was therefore fit to teach us, and we are invited to come and learn of him, it is not said, because in him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, though that is certainly true, but because he is meek and lowly in heart,^ and can have compassion on the ignorant; and herein all who undertake to instruct others must study to imitate him. And this is the likeliest way to gain our point, if indeed we be in the right; for the words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that rules among fools}" (4.) Let us never lose the charity we ought to have for our brethren in our disputes of any kind, nor violate the sacred laws of it. Our Lord Jesus foresaw, and foretold, that the preaching of his gospel would occasion much division, that it would set men at variance,^ and be the subject of much dispute ; and therefore he thought it very requisite to bind the command of mutual love so much the more strongly upon his followers, because there was danger lest it should be lost in these disputes: he makes it one of the fundamental laws of his kingdom, the new commandment. That we love one another; and the livery of his family, by which all men might know who are his disciples. See how these Christians love one another.
Let us, therefore, in all our disputes keep ourselves under the commanding power and influence of holy love; for that victory is dearly purchased, that is obtained at the expense of Christian charity. Let us honour all men, and not trample upon any, nor set those among the dogs of our flock, whom, for ought we know, Christ has set with the lambs of his. Let us never bring a railing accusation against any :*" Michael the archangel, though he was sure in the dispute he had right on hi side, and the glory of God was nearly concerned, and it was with the devil that he contended, yet he would not thus attack his adversary. The scourge of the tongue has driven h James i. 90. 1 Luke zii. 51.
1 Matt. xi. 29. m Jude 9.
k Bccl. iz. 17. n I Cor. i. 90.
more out of the temple than ever it drove into it. Let us always put the best construction on men's words and actions that they will bear, not digging up mischief, as evil men do, nor rejoicing in iniquity, but rejoicing in the truth, hoping the best as far as we can. Let us not aggravate matters in variance, nor by strained inuendos and misrepresentations make either side worse than it is; for that is a method which may harden one side, but can never convince the other, nor can be used with any other design but to make the contending parties hate one another; and whose kingdom that serves the interests of it, it is easy to say,—not Christ's, I am sure. Let us not judge of men's spiritual and eternal state, and send men to hell presently as reprobates, because they are not in every thing of our mind, or cannot fall in with our measures. They who do &o usurp a divine prerogative, take the keys of hell and death out of the hands of Christ, and show themselves to be as destitute of the fear of God, as they are of love to their neighbour.
(5.) Let us often think of the account we must shortly give to our great Master of all our disputes with our fellow-servants by the way. Let us consider how our disputes will look in that day, and what our own reflections will be then upon them. When the apostle asks. Where is the disputer of this world ?^ '' Perhaps (says the excellent Archbishop Tillotson) he intends to insinuate, that the wrangling work of disputation hath place only in this world, and upon this earth, where only there is a dust to be raised; but will have no place in the other, where all things will be clear, and past dispute: and a good man would be loth to be taken out of the world reeking hot from a sharp contention with a perverse adversary, and not a little out of countenance to find himself in this temper translated into the calm and peaceable regions of the blessed, where nothing but perfect charity and good-will reign for ever.''
Let our moderation therefore be known unto allmen^^ moderation in all disputes, because our Lord is at hand; nor let us grudge one against another, because the Judge standeth before the door:^ and we may tremble to think what our doom will be, if we be found smiting our fe Uow-servants *^ and how we shall answer it, if it be proved upon us, who have had so much forgiven us by our Master, that, for a small matter, we have taken them by the throat J But seeing we look for a day of account, in which there will be a review of disputes, let us give diligence, that we may be found of Christ in peace." When Job and his friends had maintained a long dispute, in which many hasty peevish words were exchanged, God at length interposed as moderator, and gave judgment upon the debate, That they were all to be blamed, and had taken a great deal of pains (as most o Phil. iv. & p James v. 9. r Matt. ZTiii. 28.
q Matt KMT. 49.
• 3 Pet iii. 14.
DISPUTES REVIEWED.
781 dispntants do) to make work for repentance ; and, therefore, the cM>Dtending parties must ask pardon of God and one another, mast forgave and forget, and live in Ioto for the future. And this is the hest end of contro Tersies; happy were it if they were all brought to this issue now: to this issue all the con-tro Tersies that are among good men will he brought at last, when they shall meet in the world of everlast ingr light and love.
IV. Of all disputes, Christ will he sure to reckon with his disciples for their disputes about precedency and superiority. That was the dispute here. Who thoM he greateii ; and Christ does not determine the matter, as it might justly be expected he should ha?e done, if he had intended that Peter, or any other of them, should have a primacy and supremacy above the rest; no, he is displeased with them for startiDg such a question, and disputing about it, because it was an indication that they all aimed at being great in the world, and were ambitions of it; and whene Ter preferments were to be had, they would quarrel among themselves, which should get tbe best; notwithstanding the meanness of their first education, when they were bred fishermen, which might have done nmething to curb aspiring thoughts; and the goodness of their late education, when they were trained up to be apostles, which might hare done tn Mch more.
Now there are live reasons why this disposition of theirs was very displeasing to our Lord Jesus.
1. Because it came from a mistaken notion of hit kiuydom which they had learned at the feet of their scribes, and had not yet unlearned, though they had tat so long at Cb rist's feet, so hard is it to conquer the power of prej udice. The Jews, misunderstanding many of the prophecies of the Old Testament, which spake of the Messiah and his kingdom; expected him to appear in external pomp and splendour, and to exercise a temporal jurisdiction, to break the Roman yoke from off their necks, and give tbem dominion over the neighbouring nations. The disciples had imbibed this notion from infancy, and imagined (as should seem by many instances) that oar Lord Jesus, though he appeared meanly at first, would soon by it thus reign; and that this was the kingdom of heaven, which they were to preach as at band: and this they had an eye to, when they strove who should be the greatest
Now this was a great mistake, and the constant teoor and tendency of Christ's life and doctrine might have con winced them that it was so, that Christ's kingdom was not to he of this world,' but was intended to be all spiritual; the laws and powers of it, the rewards and punishments of it, all spiritual; :tbe weapons of our warfare are not carnal;) that the Messiah was to rale by his Spirit in the spirits of t John xviii. 36.
« Uatt zfi. S4.
T Luke uli. S7.
men. The design of it was to refine men from the dross and dregs of worldliness and sensuality ; and to raise them up to a holy, heavenly, spiritual, divine life; and to teach them to look down upon all earthly things with a gracious and generous contempt. Such as this was the constitution and complexion of Christ's kingdom, and therefore, it could not but be displeasing to him, for them to dote on earthly greatness.
2. Because it was directly contrary to the two great lessons of his school, and laws of his kingdom, humility, and love. It is against the law of humility to covet to be geat in this world, and against the law of love to strive who shall be greatest. Had not Christ taught them both these lessons, both by precept and by example ? Had he not made it the first condition of discipleship, that whosoever would come after him must deny themselves ? Does not the gneat law of love oblige us in honour to prefer one another,' and to give place to our brethren ? What unapt scholars then were they, who had not learned such plain and needful lessons as these! How well is it for us that we have a kind Master, who does not expel out of his school dull scholars, but gives them his Spirit to open their understandings, and bring things to their remembrance.
When we are eager in our pursuits of the world, and seek and aim at gat things in it; when we are quarrelsome with our brethren, and carried out into indecencies by our contests and passions; let us think how unbecoming Christians this is, how contrary we walk to the laws of that holy religion we make profession of. And can we glory in the honour of it? Can we, wltH any confidence, plead the promises of it, or please ourselves with the privileges of it, or feed ourselves with the hopes of it, when we have so little regard to the precepts of it? Will those be willing to lose their lives for their religion, who cannot deny themselves the gratification of a foolish lust or passion for it ?
3. Because it was utterly repugnant to the example which Jesus Christ himself had set them, and the copy he had given them to write after. The word of command which he gave them when he called them to be his disciples, was. Follow me; do as you see me do. But when they were disputing who should be greatest, and each setting up a title to worldly pomp and power, they were far from resembling him, who was among them as one that served,* and came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.^ The same mind should have been in them, that was in him; who was so great an example of humility and love, condescension and affection ; who emptied himself, and made himself of no reputation;' who, not only in the general scheme of his undertaking, but in the particular passages of his life, gave such instances of self-denial, as justly w Matt XX. 98.
PhiLii. 7.
DISPUTES REVIEWED.
are the wonder of angels ; who, to teach them this lesson, and oblige them to learn it with this yery argument, not long after this washed their feet, and bid them do as be had done/ Coald the followers of such a Master contend for precedency, and not blush at the reflection upon their own folly and un-wortfainess?
Let us shame ourselves out of our pride, and passion, and affectation of worldly honour, and inordinate pursuit of worldly wealth, with this consideration : Shall I set my heart upon that which my Master was dead to, and denied himself in, and foi my sake too ? Am I not a Christian, a follower of Christ? I must then either change my name, or recover a better temper. Ought I not to walk in the same spirit, in the same steps ?
4. Because it would render them very unfit for the services which he had appointed them to. It was very absurd for them to strive who should be greatest, who should live most at ease, and most in state, who should have the most power and the largest command, when they were all to labour and suffer reproach," to live in meanness and poverty, to be loaded with disgrace and ignominy, and counted as the off-sc Guring of all things; nay, to be hilled all the day long, and devoted to death, as sheep to the slaughter, and ruled with rigour. Such dispositions and expectations as these would be but a bad preparative for sufferings. They who would approve themselves good soldiers of Jesus Christ must endure hardness,* and not affect greatness.
And, therefore, though this infirmity, and the mistake it was grounded upon, seems by many instances after this, to have continued as long as they had Christ's bodily presence with them ; yet, before they launched out into the deep of their service, they were perfectly cured of it, by the pouring out of the Spirit upon tliem; after which, we have them no more dreaming of a temporal kingdom, nor striving who should be greatest; for those whom God designs to employ in any service for him, he will either find them fit or make them so: and as the day, so shall the strength, so shall the spirit, be. And if we would be ready for all the will of God, and stand complete in it, so as not to be driven from our work by the difficulties we may meet in it, we must be dead to world • ly wealth and grandeur, and live above them, at those who look beyond them.
5. Because it was a corrupt temper that would be, more than any thing, the bane of the church in after-times ; would be the reproach of its ministry, an obstruction to its enlargement, the disturbance of its peace, and the original of all the breaches that would be made upon its order and unity. Our Saviour foresaw this, and, therefore, took all occasions to check and repress it in his disciples, for a warning to
J John xijl 4—15.
■ 1 Tim. iv. 10.
• 2 Tim. ii. 3.
all others; that all who are called by his name, and profess relation to him, may be jealous over themselves with a godly jealousy, and may look diligently, lest this root of bitterness spring up and trouble both themselves and others, and thereby many be defiled and disturbed.
When we see how early in the primitive times the mystery of iniquity began to work in strifes amon ministers, who should be the greatest; in Diotrephes, who loved to have the pre-eminence ;^ and in the man of sin, who, by deges, under the influence of this principle, came to usurp an universal aathority» and to exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ;<> let us acknowledge with what good reason Christ so often cautioned his disciples against this, and lament the mischief that is done by it to the church. It must needs be that such offences would come ; and we are told of them before, that we may not be stumbled at them; but woe to those by whom they do come. The pre valency of such a temper as this, as far as it appears, is very threatening. But when the Spirit shall be poured ont upon us from on high, there shall be no more such disputes as these; and then the wilderness shall becoine a fruitful field.*
Upon the whole matter, therefore, let our strife be. Who shall be best, not who shall be greatest.
1. Let us never strive who shall be greatest in this world; who shall have the best preferment; who shall be master of the best estate, or make the best figure; but acquiesce in the lot Providence carves out to us, not aiming at great things, or striving for them.
Consider what worldly greatness is:
(1.) What a despicable thing it is to those who have their eye upon another world* All who by faith have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, who are acquainted with the grandeur of the upper and better world, and are conversant with that world, have laid up their treasure in it, and set their hearts upon it, and hope shortly to share in the enjoyments of it; what a poor thing are the pomps and pleasures of this world to them! how easily can they write Vanity upon them! for they know better things. What are purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day, to one who is clothed with the robes of righteousness and garments of salvation, and has a continual feast upon the promises of tlie new covenant ? What are titles of honour, or splendid attendance, to one who is called a friend of God, and about whom the holy angels encanap! What are the fading, withering glories of time, in comparison vrith the far mofe exceeding and eternal weight of glory that is to be revealed ? Let as be ashamed then to strive, or seem to strive, for that which, if we act as becomes our character, we
I b Heb. xii.'l5. c 3 John 9. a 2 Theas. ii. 4. • In. znii. is.
DISPUTES REVIEWED.
783 cannot bat look upon with a holy contempt and indifference.
(2.) What a dangerous thing this worldly greatness is to those who have tiot their eyes upon another fcorld; how apt it is to keep their hearts at a distance from God, and from the consideration and pursait of a future blessedness; and to fix them to this world, and make them willing to take up with a portion in it: and, especially, what a strong temptation it is to break through all the sacred fences of the divine law to compass it. The devil would not have tempted Christ to worship him, with a promise of all the kingdomfl of the world, and the glory of them, but that he had caught many a one with that hait. As they who will be rich, so they who will be i;reat, and cannot think themselves happy unless they be, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts -/ let us, therefore, never court oar own trouble; nor coyet to enter into temptation, as they do, who, when they are as great as God saw fit to make them, are still aiming to be greater, and striving to be greatest.
2. Let all our strife be who shall be hest not ois-patjng who has been best, that is a vain-glorious strife, but humbly contending who shall be so; who shall be mosthamble, and stoop lowest, for the good of others; and who shall labour most for the common welfare. This is a gracious strife; a strife that will pass well in oar account, when all our disputes will be reviewed. If we will covet, let us covet earnestly the best gift5,f covet to be rich in faith, and f 1 Tim. rf. 9. b s Cor. V. 9. ff 1 Cor. zii. 31. I Heb. X. 34. rich in good works. If we will be ambitions, let it be the top of our ambition to do good, and therein to be accepted of the Lord.** If we will aim to excel, let it be in that which is virtuous and praise-worthy, and in a holy zeal for the honour of God, and the advancement of the true interests of Christ's kingdom. Herein let us strive to excel others, and to do more good than they do; not that we may have the praise of it, but that God may have the gloiy of it, and that we may provoke others to love and to good works;* not that we may be many masters, but that we may make ourselves servants of all. Let us go before—in zeal, and yet be willing to come behind—in humility and self-denial; do better than others, and yet, in love and lowliness of mind, esteem others better than ourselves.*^
But especially let us strive to excel ourselves, and to do more good than we have done. Let it be a constant dispute with our own souls. Why we do not lay out ourselves more for God. And when we remember the kindness of our youth, and the love of our espousals, instead of leaving that first love, and cooling in it, let our advanced years contend earnestly to excel our early ones, that our last days may be our best days, and our last works our best works. Forgetting the things that are behind, let us still press forward toward perfection; press forward toward the marh,for the prize of the high calling,^ that at length we may have not only an entrance, but an abundant entrance, ministered to us into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savioitr Jesus Christ,"* kPhiLU.3.
1 Phil, ill 13,14. mSPeti. 11
FAITH IN CHRIST INFERRED FROM FAITH IN GOD
IN
A SERMON
PREACHED AT THE TUESDAY LECTURE, AT SALTERS HALL,
MAY 29th, 1711.
John xW. 1. latter part. Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
A DOMINION over yoar faith* is what yoar ministers are far from pretending to; bat the direction of yonr faith is what they are intrusted with, that thus they may be helpers of your joy, for by faith you stand. What is Pan! himself, or what is Apollos,^ those great men ? not masters in whom ye believed, but ministers only, by whom ye believed; not oracles, but stewards of the oracles of God. Now how can we better direct your faith, nay, how dare we otherwise direct it, than as we have received direction from the Lord Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Foundation and Fountain of it? And in the text we have his law concerning it, the rule of faith he prescribes to us. What he said here to those who were his immediate followers, he says to all, Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
This is here recommended in particular to the disciples of Christ; as a sovereign antidote against trouble of mind, proper to fortify the soul against the invasions of grief and fear, when they are most violent and threatening, and all other supports and succours fail. Christ was now leaving those who had left all to follow him, and he told them that whither he went they could not follow him yet;* which seemed to bear hard upon them, that they who had followed him in his sorrows, might not fallow him to his joys; nay, must be left behind as sheep in the midst of wolves. Because of this, sorrow JUled their heart. And though in Christ's departure from them there seems to be enough to justify their sorrow, yet there really is enough to pacify ; and therefore, with good reason, as well as with good authority, he commands down those boisterous winds and waves, saying. Peace, be still. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid, and let fearfulness sar-prise the hypocrites, but let not your hearts be troubled. Though trouble surround you on every side, yet be wise, be watchful, and keep trooble from your hearts: and that you may do so, believe in God, aud in his providence; believe also in me, and in my grace. And you will be kept from fainting by believing ;^ but if you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.*
But that which is here intended as a cordial in time of trouble, will not be so, unless it be our practice, for it is certainly our duty at all times, the duty of all those who hear the joy£ul sound of the everlasting gospel, not only to beive in God, but to believe also in Jesus Christ. And therefore I shall take it more generally, not only as an antidote against trouble of mind, but a caveat against practical deism.
1. Our Lord Jesus does here take it for granted concerning his disciples, that they did believe in God, and that in the belief of him they paid him the adorations due to his name, and the submissions due to his government, and that that faith was so firmly fixed in them, that it would not be shocked by any event of Providence, though ever so grieving, ever so frowning. You believe in God, that is, you receive and embrace natural religion, you admit the light of it, you submit to the laws of it. You believe the perfections of God, that he is infinitely and eternally wise and holy, just and good; you believe his relations to his creatures, as their Protector and Benefactor, their Owner and Ruler; hb relations to his own people, as their Father and Felicity; you believe his providence, that it extends itself to all the creatures, and all their actions, to you, and all your afi*airs, with a certain cognizance, and a faithful steady conduct Nay, you go further, you not only believe in the Lord your God, but you believe b 1 Cor. ill. 4.
c John xiii. 36.
4 Pb. zxvii. 16.
« In. vii. 9.
FAITH IN QHRIST INFERRED FROM FAITH IN GOD. bis prophets / you receive the Scriptares of the Old Testament, and subscribe to them: andyoa do well. Observe here, (1.) That our Lord Jesus knows who believe in God, and who do not; for all hearts are open to his view, and he knows what is in man. When with the moath confession is made unto salvation,' it is to give honour to him, not to inform him what the heart believes; for he knows it before we tell him, and better than we can tell him. That which is the prerogative of the Eternal Mind, is one of the flowers of the Redeemer's crown : I am he which searcheth the reiju and hearts,^ He knows the sincerity of some, whom men suspect and reproach« and the insincerity of otliers, whom men confide in and applaud. We read of some who professed to believe in JesQS Christ, when they saw the miracles which he did; but Jeus did not camnnt himself to tluim did not Mieve them, so the word is, because he hnew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man.* He knew that his disciples here did believe in God, and witnessed for them that they did so. And be-caase he does thus infallibly know every man's true character, he is therefore fit to be the Judge of all at the great day, and to pass the definitive sentence apoD every man's everlasting state; for we are sure that his judgment is according to truth, and cannot mistake.
(2.) That our Lord Jesus is highly well pleased with those who believe in God, and will take notice of it to their comfort and honour. He came into the world to reveal and reconcile God to us, and to re-dace and restore us to God, not to draw uafrom him, but to draw us to him; and nothing is more acceptable to him than our believing in God, nor shall any thing be more comfortable to us. Christ fortifies us with this faith against all assaults: Let not your irts he troub Udj for ye believe in God. And Uiose who believe in God need not be cast down and disquieted ; as those have reason to be who are strangers to him, who have no dependence on him, or communion with him. They who believe in God, according to his word, have reason to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable; for their confidence in him shall not mahe them ashamed. They hnowwhom. they ^t believed.
2. He calls upon them who believe in God, to believe in him too. But did not the disciples believe also in Christ ? No doubt they did; else they had not so easily left all to follow him, and continued with him in his temptations. When St. Peter, in the name of the rest, gave this for the reason why they would never quit their Master, We believe and «re sure that thou art the Christ f the Son of the living (iod} they all subscribed to it as the confession of their faith, except Judas, whom Christ at that very f 2 Cbron.». 90. > John ii. S3-SS.
% Rom. X. 10. k John vl. ep. 3 B
h Rev. li. S3. 1 1 John V. 13.
time particularly excepted. And yet, Christ saith to them, Believe also in me: use the faith you have, set it on work, exert it, employ it, that by it you may keep your minds composed and quiet at this time. Believe in me, that is, live by faith in me. Even those who believe, as they have need to be prayed for, that God would help their unbelief, and increase their faith, so they have need to be preached to, and called upon to exercise their faith: These things are written to you who believe in Christ, that you may believe in him ;^ may be confirmed in your faith, and have the comfort of it.
Believing in God is a very great duty, afad there are few but what profess at least to do it They who have little else to say for themselves, will say this, *' We trust in God :'* and O that there were such a heart in all them that say so! But from those who believe in God, there are two things further required: One is a dictate of the light and law of nature; we have it given in charge by St Paul to Titus, This is a faithful saying, (and these things I will that thou affirm constantly f let it be frequently inculcated, and earnestly pressed upon all Christians,) That they who have believed in God must be careful to maintain good worhs: for faith without works is dead ;» it doth no good to others,'* and therefore will do mi no good.—^The other is a dictate of revealed religion, and we have it here in the text,'' Ye believe in God, believe also in me."
DocT. It may justly be expected, and required, from those who believe in God, that if they are within the sound of the gospel, they should believe also in Jesus Christ I speak to those who are favoured with the gospel, who see that joyful light, who hear that joy fjul sound, and who are therefore concerned in this doctrine. As for those who enjoy it not, we cannot say it is required of them to believe in Christ; for how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard ?^ Yet we cannot say, it is impossible for any of them, though they live up ever so closely to the light they have, to be saved by Christ they never heard of. It is out of our Utu to judge concerning them, for it is not tfi our Bibles; but let us judge this rather, that we who enjoy the gospel shall find it more intolerable for us in the day of judgment, than they will, if we obey not the gospel. As for them, it becomes us rather to leave them to God's uncovenanted mercy, than to his unpacified justice. For our own part, whatever favour they may find who are destitute of the light of Christianity, I see not how they can expect it, who rebel against that light, and reject the counsel of God against themselves.*! The case is plain,—It is good to believe in God; but that is not enough, we must believe also in Jesus Christ. It is not sufficient to our acceptance with God that we
> Tit. til. 8. P Rom. z. 14.
B James ii 17.
e Jamea4i. 14. q Luke vii. 30.
FAITH IN CHRIST INFERRED
embrace natural religion, though it is indispensably necessary that we do so; but we must go further, we must admit the light, and submit to the laws, of the Christian religion likewise, which is consonant to, and perfective of, natural religion, and helps us out where that leaves us at a loss. And this is that which I am here to-day to press upon you, with all seriousness, that you sink not into a practical deism, as many do into a practical atheism; but, in every thing wherein you have to do with God, you may have a believing regard to Jesus Christ You believe in God, believe also in Jesus Christ. I shall here endeavour to explain, I. The objects of this faith, and what that is which those who believe in God are to believe also concerning Christ
II. The acts of this faith, and what that regard is which we must give to God, and must give also to Jesus Christ.
III. The connexion between these two, and how necessarily it follows, that those who truly believe in God will readily believe in Jesus Christ, when he is made known to them. And then make application.
1. Let us inquire, what man is to believe concerning God ; and compare with that, what he is also to believe concerning Jesus Christ; and see, what relation they have to each other.
1. Do we believe in God, as the Father Ahnighty ? Wc must believe in Christ, as his only-beffotten Son; for Father and Son correlates. By the prescribed form of baptism, that great foundation on which the doctrine of the Trinity is built, we are directed to devote ourselves to the Father and Son; which plainly speaks a divine relation, not to us, (for though God may be said to be a Father to us, and a Holy Spirit to us, yet he can in no sense be said to be a Son to us,) but a relation to one another; and therefore they must be distinct persons; and so, as that the Son is the express image of the Father's Person. We cannot believe in God as the Father,' but we must believe in him who is.the Son of the Fatlier,^ who is the only-begotten of the Father,*^ and therefore of the same nature with him. If any deny the Son, though they say they believe in God, as the Creator of heaven and earth, yet really they have not the Father, they have not the knowledge of him, nor an interest in him, as the Father; for they only who by faith continue in the Son, so continue in the Father.'' Shall we think that God has the title of the Father ascribed to him so frequently, so solemnly, only as he is the Fountain of being to the creatures which are infinitely below him ? (So the heathen called him the Father, so he is Father of the rtdn, and hath begotten the drops of the dew,"*) No, he himself plainly intimated why he is called the Father, when he said to the Redeemer, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ;* which mast be understood in a far higher sense than that of creation ; for when the apostle would prove that Christ has obtained a more excellent name than the highest rank of created beings, he thus argues: To which of the angels said he at any time Thou art my San, this day have I begotten thee ?' They were sons of God who shouted for joy, when thefoundation* of the earth were fastened ; he was the Image of the invisible God, that existed before all things.^ It is not, as some would have it, that he viksfiesh, and was made God. only as Moses was made a god to Pharaoh; for the Scripture says quite the contrary, that Bcoc lyy—' he WAS God,* and oofti tytvtro — was made flesh.* This mystery we firmly believe the truth of, but awfully adore the depth of.
2. Do we believe in God as the Eternal Mind ? We must also believe in Christ as tA« Eternal Word and Wisdom. God is an Infinite Spirit, and as such is to be adored by every one of us; and he has told us that the Redeemer we. are to believe io is the Logos, that in the beginning, was with God; and was God,*' in the constitution of all things. And (to show that he is the Omega as well as the Alpfta) we find that in the consununation of all things, when he obtains a final victory over all the enemies of his kingdom, he appears and acts under the same title; his name is called, the Word of God,^ It signifies both Ratio and Oratio, a word conceived, and a word uttered. Christ is both ; as the thought is one with the mind that thinks it, and yet may be considered as distinct from it, so Christ was and is one with the Father, and yet distinct from the Father.
In all the divine counsels, Christ is the Eternal Wisdom, that when God prepared the heavens, and /at J the foundations of the earth, and made man who is the highest part of the dust of the world, was hy him as one brought up with him :^ he is the Wonderful Cokii-sellor, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Between the Father and the Son there is a perfect mutual consciousness, and particularly in the affair of man's redemption. No man knows the Son but the Father, neither knows the Father, save the Son.* The counsel of peace is between them both.f
In all divine revelations, Christ is the Word of the Father; that Word of God which is quick and powerful, and is a discemer of the thoughts and intents of the heart' He only having lain in his bosom from eternity, none but he could declare him ;*" and though it is in these last days, that he has in a more especial manner spoken to us by his Son, yet the Spirit, in the Old-Testament prophets, was the Spirit of Christ And as he was the Maker and FROM FAITH IN GOD.
787
Mediator, so he was the Messenger of the Covenant, the Amen, the Jaithfui and true Witness,
3. Do we believe that God nuide the world, and gctems it ? We most believe also that he made it, and go Terns it, by his Son, who is not only the KudoM of God, and his eternal word, bat the power of God, and his almighty right hand. The Father Korketh hitherto ^ we believe he does, that he is the Foontain of all being, and the Spring of all life, power, motiony and perfection: bat the Son has told 08 withal, that he worketh, and that what things soever the Father doihj these also doth the Son lihewise.
Nothing appears more evident, by the light of natore, than that God made the world, and all things therein, that by his power, and for his plea-sare and praise, they are and were created: nor does anj thing appear more evident, by the light of the Gospel, than that €rod ntade the worlds by his Son,i that he created all things bg Jesus Christ,'^ that all things were treated hg him and for him, and that he it htfore all things, and hg him all things consist,*^ nay, tUt without him was not ang thing made that was madeJ" So that if we receive the gospel, we mast discern even in the things diat are seen, not only the eternal power and godhead of the Father, bat the aniversal agency and inflaence of the Son, and particalarly with reference to the children of men, with whom his delights were; for in him, in a special manner, was that life which is the Hght of Jwii.p Therefore be is called the ^Jtpxfi — The prin* tvpU (so it might better be read than The beginning) of the creation of God.^ And hence arises his sovereignty over all the creatures, and. his property in them. He is the first-bom of everg creature f ftat is, as the apostle himself explains it, he is the luirtf all things f and has not only by porchase, hot hg inheritance, obtained the more excellent name.
We are satisfied that God governs the world, and an abondant satisfaction it is to ns that he does so, that his kingdom rnleA over all; but we mast also he assured, and it will add greatly to oar satisfaction, that the administration of the kingdom of providence nput into the bands of oar Lord Jesas, and is anited to the mediatorial kingdom; that he has an incontestable title to all, All things are delivered to him bg ihe Father,* and for this reason, because he loves Aim ,-* that he has an nncontrollable dominion over all. Things are not only given into his hand, bat put under his feet ;* not only great pdwer, but all power, is given onto him, both in heaven and in earth; and he is not only head of the church, but ^enf over all things to the church. Ail the angels in heaven are his active servants, all the devils in hell are bis conquered captives: the kingdoms of the erth are his, and he is the Governor among the k John v. 17,19. • John I. 3w ' Col. i. I5w
1 Heb. i. 9. m Eph. ili. 9. n Col. i. 16,17. 9 John i. 4. q Rev. iii. 14.
I Heb. i. 3,4. t Matt xi. 37.
3 B 2 nations ;^ Bg him hings reign, for to him the Father has committed not only the future judgment, but all judgment.^
4. Do we believe that God is our owner by right of creation? We most believe also, that Christ is our owner by right of redemption; and yet we have not two masters to serve; Christ and the Father are one, as to us. Nor do these properties stand in competition with each other: no, Christ owns his property to be derived. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me,^ and yet withal it is acquired.
As to God we owe our being, because he made us, and not we oorselves, therefore we are not our own but his; so to Christ we owe our well being, our recovery from that deplorable state, unto which by sin we were fallen, and our restoration to the favour of God, and an eternal happiness in him. Thus, besides the original right he has to ns as our Maker, he has an additional right by purchase; a right to command ns, a right to dispose of as; we are his servants, for he has loosed our bonds; not only bom in his house, but bought—^not with his money indeed, but with that which is infinitely more valuable, his own most precious blood: and therefore we are delivered out of the' hands of oar enemies, that we might be devoted to him, to serve him without fear." We are not our own but his, for we are bought with a price; more was paid for us a gpreat deal than we were worth ; and it was paid to him into whose hand our all was forfeited, so Uiat no dispute can be made of his interest in us, and the authority he has to demand our best affections and services. As one is our Father, even God, so one is our Master, even Christ: * he is our Lord, and we are bound to worship him.
6. Bo we believe that God is our Judge, to whom we must evcTy one of us give an account of ourselves ? We must believe also, that Christ is our Advocate with him, and that he is the propitiation for our sins. We are all conscious to ourselves that we are sinners, that we are guilty before God, have incurred his wrath, and laid ourselves open to his curse; and from him our judgment must proceed, a judgment against which there will lie no exception, and from which there will lie no appeal; a judgment which in its inquiries ydiW look back as faras our beginning, for God shall bring everg worh into judgment, with everg secret thing :^ and which in its decisions'wiW look forward as far as our everlasting state, which must by it be irreversibly determined.
Now, whenever we think of giving an account to Grod, we must have an eye to the Lord Jesus, as the one only Mediator between us and God, that blessed Dags-man who has laid his hand upon us both; who is our peace, who arbitrates matters in variance bea John iii. 35. X John ▼. 23. • llatt xzili. 8,9. r Matt, xxviii. is. T John zvii. s. bPs. xlv. 11. w Ps. \x1i. 98. 1 Luke i. 74,75. c Eccl. xii. 4.
FAITH IN CHRIST INFERRED
in him; let us also depend upon Jesus Christ, and put a confidence in him. We believe in God, that is, wo trust in him, we rely upon his wisdom to direct us, his power to support and strengthen us, his goodness to pity us, and his all-sufficiency to give all that to tw, and work all that in «#, and for us, which the necessity of our case calls for. And we therefore refer ourselves to him, and encourage ourselves in him; now let us thus believe also in Jesus Christ, and make him our hope. As we confide in the providence of God for all things that relate to the natural life; and cheerfully submit ourselves to the conduct of that providence, hoping by it to be carried comfortably through this world ; so we confide in the grace of the Lord Jesus for all things relating to the spiritual life, and cheerfully submit ourselves to the operations of that grace, hoping by it to be carried safely to a better world; desiring not more to secure our present and future welfare, than to have the grace of the Lord Jetui Christ with our Spirits* Our dependence must be upon Christ both for righteousness and strength,p the two great things we stand in need of; from a full conviction of our own guilt and weakness, and of his ability and willingness to save us from sin and wrath, we must venture all our spiritual concerns with him. In every thing wherein we have to do with God, we must make mention of his righteousness, and make use of his grace,—and, of both, as all-sufficient for us; must depend upon him to bring us safe through this wilderness to the heavenly Canaan ; and having done this, as those who know whom we have trusted, we must bo willing to venture all our temporal concerns for him, to leave, and lose, and lay out all for his sake, being well assured, that though we may be losers for him, we shall not, we cannot, be losers by him in the end.
III. I come in the next place to show the necessary connexion that there is between these two great duties, of believing in God, and believing also in Jesus Christ; and how the latter will follow of course, if the former be sincere, in all those to whom the glad tidings of the gospel-salvation are brought They must needs embrace the Christian religion, who cordially entertain natural religion ; and they who do not believe in Christ, whatever they pretend, do not indeed believe in God : for,
1. If we believe in God, we must believe in him who is One with him, the Brightness of his glory, and the express Image of his Person,*^ Christ in his gospel has expressly told us, / and my Father are one J And when he says. My Father is greater than I,* the comparison is not between the person of the Father and of the Son, but between the Son's state of exaltation with the Father and his present stite of humiliation; as plainly appears, because p Gal. VI. 18. p Isa. xlv. 24. q Heb. i. 3. r John x. 30. • John xiv. 28. t John xvii. 21. n John xlv. 9. it comes in as a reason why the disciples should not mourn, but rejoice rather, in his departure from them, because he had told them he was to go to the Father, where his state would be not only more glorious to himself, but of greater capacity to serre them, than his present state was. When he was entering upon his sufferings, he comforted himself with this, th Biheandhis Father were one, Thou Father art in me and I in thee,^ and therefore he has reason to expect, that the world will believe, that they who believe in God, will believe also in him. So much are the Father and the Son one, that Christ says. He that has seen me, has seen the Father»^ We come to the knowledge of God, by the knowledge of Jesus Christ, for the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ; and, therefore, he who believes in the Father, as far as the Son is revealed to him to be one with the Father, will believe also in him: and by that faith we come to be one with the Father and the Son, and one in them.^ And thus, by keeping Christ's commandments we abide in his love, even as he kept his Father's commandments, and abode in his love.^ Such a close and inseparable union the gospel all along shows us between the Father and the Son, as that we cannot divide them in our belief. The heathen worshipped their idols as rivals with God, we worship Christ as one with God: Believe me, says Christ, that / am in the Father, and the Father in me. So let us believe in him.
2. If we believe m God, we must believe also in him who is sent by him, has a commission from him and to whom he has given testimony. We do not believe in God, unless we believe what he has said concerning his Son, and rest upon it; what he said by the prophets of the Old Testament, who all bare witness to him. And those predictions of theirs were all exactly and completely acoomplished, which had reference to his estate of humiliation, and the afflictions of it; not one iota or tittle of them fell to the ground. Christ himself observed this when he said. It is finished: which ratifies those predictions that had reference to his estate of exaltation, the honours of it, and the graces that flow to us from it; for the Spirit of Christy in them, testified beforehand both of the sufferings of Christ, and of the glory that should follow.* We must also believe, what he said by a voice from heaven concerning him, once and again. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him;' and must concur with him by a sincere declaration. This is my beloved Saviour, in wham I am well pleased, and whom I will hear.^ Thus we set to our seal that he is true,* and subscribe to the record we have received in the everlasting gospel, which we are willing to venture our souls and our salvation upon, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; which if we receive not
▼ John xvii. 21. 7 Mat iii. 17.
w John xv. 10. I Bfatt. xvli. 5.
X iPeti. II. • John iii. 30.
FROM FAITH IN GOD.
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make God' a liar,^ we not only declare that we do not believe in him ourselves, but that he is not fit to be believed by any one else. Justly therefore has Christ said. He that dewpiseth me, despisetk him tkei tent me; as an affront done to an ambassador, is justly construed an affront to him who gave him his character and credentials.
We must also, if we believe in God, g:ive credit 1o the many confirmations which we have of his testimony to his Son; the many miracles which were wrought to pTO?e his divine mission, miracles of mercy, healing mercy, which served likewise to explain and illustrate it; especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, by which he was declared to be the Son of God with power,<^ and in wbich God gave him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God ;' that believing in him whom he raised from the dead, our faith and hope in him might be both evidenced and encouraged. The pouring out of the Spirit likewise, both in his gUts and in his graces, is a further attestation gii|pn to Christ's mission, for in them God bare him witness ;* nay, the Holy Ghost whom God gave to them who belieyed in Christ, and obeyed him,' is said to be bis witness; so that if we believe in the Spirit of God, we most believe also in Christ, and, therefore, the imputingof Christ's miracles, which were wrought by the Spirit of God, to Beelzebub the prince of the devils, is jastly reckoned an unpardonable blai-pAemy againtt the Holy Ghott,
3. If we believe in God, we must jire honour to him, by htlietin also in Je$u$ Christ; for thereby he reckons himself honoured. If we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, it is to the glory of God the Father J It is certain, there is nothing in which the glory of God, and of all his attributes, shines more bright, or more strong, than in the great work of our redemption wrought out by Jesus Christ; and therefore, when the First-begotten was brought into the world, the angels who were charged to worship him sang, Glory to God in the highest, because, in Christ, there was on earth peace, and good-will towards nen so that, nnless by faith in Christ wc receive that peace and good-will, and the record given concerning it, we do not as we ought give unto God the glory dne to him, from that greatest of all the works of wonder by which he has made himself known. Do we believe in God ? We ought then to riTc him the glory of all that infinite wisdom which contrived oar redemption in such a way, that divine justice might be satisfied, and yet sinners saved; this is the wisdom of God in a mystery, hidden wisdom, fnifold wisdom, ordained hrfore the world for our plory.i We onght also to give him the glory of that Undness and love of God which designed this salvation, those tender mereies, whereby the Day-
1 John ▼. 10,11, e Rom. i. 4. d i Pet i. 31. e Heb. 11. 4. f AcU V. 32. r PhiL 11. II. h Luke li. 14. spring from on high visited us; love without precedent, love without parallel, whereby God so loved the world, as to give his only-begotten Son for us. But how can we say we believe in him, which is giving glory to him, if we rob him of so great a part of his glory, by not believing in Jesus Christ, in whom his glory shines in a special manner ?
4. If we believe God speaking by Moses and the prophets, we must believe also in Jesus Christ; for to him bare all the prophets witness, and in all the ceremonies of the Mosaic institution, he was typi-. fied : if we believe the Old Testament, we must also believe the New; for such an exact correspondence and agreement is there between them, as between two tallies. The same grace which the Old Testament represents in shadows, promises, and predictions, the New Testament produces in the substance and accomplishment, 90 that they mutually confirm and illustrate one another. This our Lord Jesus insisted upon, as one of the strongest proofs of his divine mission, that the Scriptures of the Old Testament testified of him; and therefore he tells the Jews, who set up Moses in opposition to him, that Moses, instead of condemning him, condemned them for not believing in him; for, says he, Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.^ In the volume of the booh <v cto Xic—in the head of it, (so the word is,) in the very beginning of the book of Moses, it was written of Christ, that as the seed of the woman, he should break the serpent's head. It is plain, therefore, ye believe not his writings, because ye believe not my words. Christ blamed the two disciples, and afterwards all the rest, for their slowness to believe what was written concerning him in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, all which was to a tittle fulfilled in him." They who believed in the God of Israel, and received the oracles which by him were committed to them, knew very well that there was a salvation to be revealed in the last times; that a Messiah should come, to be a prophet like Moses, a priest like Aaron, a king like David,—and, like the sacrifices, to make reconciliation for iniquity; and that he should be cot off*, not for himself, but for the sins of his people." And do we not see all this abundantly made good in the Lord Jesus? Has he not done, has he not sufiered, all that which it was foretold he should do and sufler ? If, therefore, we believe that a Messiah was to come, we must believe that this was he that should come, and we are not to look for any other. The apostles therefore all along appealed to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, saying no other things than those which Moses and the prophets said should come,** and putting the unbelief of the Jews to their ignorance of the voice of the prophets, though they were read among them every sabbath
11 Cor. ii. 7. k John v. 45—47.
Luke xxlv. 25, S7,44. a D&n. ix. 28.
1 Heb. T. 7. e Acts xxvl. 23.
FAITH IN CHRIST INFERRED
in him; let us also depend upon Jesus Christ, and put a con Gdence in him. We believe in 6€>d, that is, wo trust in him, we rely upon his wisdom to direct us, his power to support and strengthen us, his goodness to pity us, and his all-sufiiciency to give all that to usj and work all that in us, and for us, which the necessity of our case calls for. And we therefore refer ourselves to him, and encourage ourselves in him; now let us thus believe also in Jesus Christ, and make him our hope. As we confide in the providence of God for all things that relate to the natural life; and cheerfully submit ourselves to the conduct of that providence, hoping by it to be carried comfortably through this world; so we confide in the gpce of the Lord Jesus for all things relating to the spiritual life, and cheerfully submit ourselves to the operations of that grace, hoping by it to be carried safely to a better world ; desiring not more to secure our present and future welfare, than to have the grace of the Lord Jesut Christ with our Spirit/* Our dependence must be upon Christ both for righteousness and strength ,p the two great things we stand in need of; from a full conviction of our own guilt and weakness, and of his ability and willingness to save us from sin and wrath, we must venture all our spiritual concerns with him. In every thing wherein we have to do with God, we must make mention of his righteousness, and make use of his grace,—and, of both, as all-sufficient for us; must depend upon him to bring us safe through this wilderness to the heavenly Canaan ; and having done this, as those who know whom we have trusted, we must be willing to venture all our temporal concerns for him, to leave, and lose, and lay out all for his sake, being well assured, that though we may be losers for him, we shall not, we cannot, be losers by him in the end.
III. I come in the next place to show the necessary connexion that there is between these two great duties, of believing in God, and believing also in Jesus Christ; and how the latter will follow of course, if the former be sincere, in all those to whom the glad tidings of the gospel-salvation are brought. They must needs embrace the Christian religion, who cordially entertain natural religion ; and they who do not believe in Christ, whatever they pretend, do not indeed believe in God: for,