secret visitations and public testimonies: and this is that which St. Paul calls, " tasting of the heavenly gift, and partaking of the Holy Ghost," and " tasting of the good work of God, and the powers of the world to come. " y But yet, some that have done so have fallen away, and have "quenched the Spirit," and have given back the earnest of the Spirit, and contracted new relations; and God hath been their Father no longer, for they have done the works of the devil. So that, if new converts be uncertain of their present state, old christians are not absolutely certain they shall persevere. They are as sure of it, as they can be of future acts of theirs, which God hath permitted to their own power. But this certainly cannot exclude all fear, till their charity be perfect: only according to the strength of their habits, so is the confidence of their abodes in grace. 8. Beyond this, some holy persons have degrees of persuasion, superadded as largesses and acts of grace; God loving to bless one degree of grace with another, till it comes to a confirmation in grace, which is a state of salvation directly opposite to obduration; and as this is irremediable and irrecoverable, so is the other inadmissible: as God never saves a person obdurate and obstinately impenitent, so he never loses a man, whom he hath confirmed in grace; "whom he" so" loves, he loves unto the end;" and to others, indeed, he offers his persevering love, but they will not entertain it with a persevering duty, they will not be beloved unto the end. But I insert this caution, that every man, that is in this condition of a confirmed grace, does not always know it; but sometimes God draws aside the curtains of peace, and shows him his throne, and visits him with irradiations of glory, and sends him a little star to stand over his dwelling, and then again covers it with a cloud. It is certain, concerning some persons, that they shall never fall, and that God will not permit them to the danger or probability of it: to such it is morally impossible: but these are but few, and themselves know it not, as they know a demonstrative proposition, but as they see the sun, sometimes breaking from a cloud very brightly, but all day long giving necessary and sufficient light. 9. Concerning the multitude of believers, this discourse is not pertinent; for they only take their own accounts by the imperfections of their own duty, blended with the mercies of God: the cloud gives light on one side, and is dark upon the other; and sometimes a bright ray peeps through the fringes of a shower, and immediately hides itself: that we might be humble and diligent; striving forwards, and looking upwards; endeavouring our duty, and longing after heaven; "working out our salvation with fear and trembling;" and, in good time, our calling and election" may be assured, when we first, according to the precept of the apostle, "use all diligence." St. Paul, when he writ his first epistle to the Corinthians, was more fearful of 66 a being reprobate; and, therefore, he used exterior arts of mortification. But when he writ to the Romans, which was a good while after, we find him more confident of his final condition; " persuaded, that neither height, nor depth, angel, nor principality, nor power could separate him from the love of God, in Jesus Christ :" and when he grew to his latter end, when he wrote to St. Timothy, he was more confident yet, and declared, that now a "crown of righteousness was," certainly, "laid up for him;" for now he had "fought the fight, and finished his course, the time of his departure was at hand.” e Henceforth he knew no more fear; his love was perfect as this state would permit, and that "cast out all fear." According to this precedent, if we reckon our securities, we are not likely to be reproved by any words of Scripture, or by the condition of human infirmity. But when the confidence outruns our growth of grace, it is itself a sin; though, when the confidence is equal with the grace, it is of itself no regular and universal duty, but a blessing and a reward, indulged by special dispensation, and in order to personal necessities, or accidental purposes. For only so much hope is simply necessary, as excludes despair, and encourages our duty, and glorifies God, and entertains his mercy; but that the hope should be without fear, is not given, but to the highest faith, and the most excellent charity, and to habitual, ratified, and confirmed christians; and to them, also, with some variety. The sum is this: all that are in the state of beginners and imperfection, have a conditional certainty, changeable and fallible in respect of us, (for we meddle not with what it is in God's secret purposes,) changeable, I say, as their wills and resolutions. They that are grown towards perfection, have more reason to be confident, and many times are so; but still, although the strength of the habits of grace adds degrees of moral certainty to their expectation, yet it is but as their condition is, hopeful and promising, and of a moral determination.. But to those few, to whom God hath given confirmation in grace, he hath also given a certainty of condition; and, therefore, if that be revealed to them, their persuasions are certain and infallible. If it be not revealed to them, their condition is in itself certain, but their persuasion is not so; but in the highest kind of hope, “ an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast." THE PRAYER. O eternal God, whose counsels are in the great deep, and thy ways past finding out; thou hast built our faith upon thy promises, our hopes upon thy goodness, and hast described our paths betw>en the waters of comfort and the dry, barren land of our own duties and affections: we acknowledge that all our comforts derive from thee, and to ourselves we owe all our shame, and confusions, and degrees of desperation. Give us the assistances of the Holy Ghost, to help us in per 1 Cor. ix. 27. Rom. viii. 38, 39. c 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. forming our duty; and give us those comforts and visitations of the Holy Ghost, which thou, in thy infinite and eternal wisdom, knowest most apt and expedient, to encourage our duties, to entertain our hopes, to alleviate our sadnesses, to refresh our spirits, and to endure our abode and constant endeavours, in the strictnesses of religion and sanctity. Lead us, dearest God, from grace to grace, from imperfection to strength, from acts to habits, from habits to confirmation in grace, that we may also pass into the region of comfort, receiving the earnest of the Spirit, and the adoption of sons; till, by such a signature, we be consigned to glory, and enter into the possession of the inheritance, which we expect in the kingdom of thy Son, and in the fruition of the felicities of thee, O gracious Father, God eternal. Amen. SECTION XIV. Of the Third Year of the Preaching of Jesus. But 1. But Jesus, knowing of the death of the Baptist, Herod's jealousy, and the envy of the Pharisees, retired into a desert place, beyond the lake, together with his apostles; for the people pressed so upon them, they had not leisure to eat. neither there could he be hid; but great multitudes flocked thither also, to whom he preached many things. And afterwards, because there were no villages in the neighbourhood, lest they should faint in their return to their houses, he caused them "to sit down upon the grass," and, with "five loaves of barley, and two small fishes, he satisfied five thousand men, besides women and children,” and caused the disciples to " gather up the fragments," which, being amassed together, "filled twelve baskets." Which miracles had so much proportion to the understanding, and met so happily with the affections of the people, that they were convinced that this was the "Messias, who was to come into the world," and had a purpose to have "taken him by force, and made him a king." 2. But he that left his Father's kingdom to take upon him the miseries and infelicities of the world, fled from the offers of a kingdom, and their tumultuary election, as from an enemy; and, therefore, sending his disciples to the ship to go before towards Bethsaida, he ran into the mountains, to hide himself, till the multitude should scatter to their several habitations; he, in the mean time, taking the opportunity of that retirement for the advantage of his prayers. But when the apostles were far engaged in the deep, a great tempest arose, with which they were pressed to the extremity of danger, and the last refuges, labouring in sadness and hopelessness, till "the fourth watch of the night," when, in the midst of their fears and labour, "Jesus comes, walking on the sea," and appeared to them, which turned their fears into affrightments; for "they supposed it had been a spirit:" but he appeased their fears with his presence, and manifestation who he was; which yet they desired to have proved to them by a sign. For "Simon Peter said unto him, Master, if it be thou, command me to come to thee on the waters." The Lord did so: and Peter, throwing himself upon the confidence of his Master's power and providence, came out of the ship, and his fear began to weigh him down, and "he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Jesus took him by the hand," reproved the timorousness of his faith, and "went with him into the ship :" where, when they had " worshipped him," and admired the divinity of his power and person, they presently "came into the land of Gennesareth," the ship arriving "at the port immediately;" and "all that were sick," or possessed with unclean spirits, "were brought to him, and as many as touched the border of his garment were made whole." 3. By this time, they whom Jesus had left on the other side of the lake, had come as far as Capernaum to seek him, wondering that he was there before them; but, upon the occasion of their so diligent inquisition, Jesus observes to them, "That it was not the divinity of the miracle that provoked their zeal, but the satisfaction they had in the loaves, a carnal complacency in their meal; and, upon that intimation, speaks of celestial bread, the divine nutriment of souls; and then discourses of the mysterious and symbolical manducation of Christ himself, affirming that he himself was the bread of life, that came down from heaven,' that he would give his disciples 'his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink,' and all this should be 'for the life of the world,' to nourish unto life eternal; so that, without it, a happy eternity could not be obtained." Upon this discourse, "divers of his disciples," (amongst whom St. Mark, the evangelist, is said to be one, though he was afterwards recalled by Simon Peter,) "forsook him," a being scandalized by their literal and carnal understanding of those words of Jesus, which he intended in a spiritual sense. For the words that he spake" were not profitable in the sense of flesh and blood, but "they are spirit, and they are life," himself being the expounder, who best knew his own meaning. 4. When Jesus saw this great defection of his disciples from him, he turned him to the twelve apostles, and asked, if they " also would go away? Simon Peter answered, Lord, whither shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life: and we believe, and are sure, thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." Although this public confession was made by Peter, in the name and confidence of the other apostles, yet Jesus told them, that even amongst the twelve there was "one devil;" meaning Judas Iscariot, "who afterwards betrayed him." told them prophetically, that they might perceive the sad accidents, which afterwards happened, did not invade and surprise him, in the disadvantages of ignorance or improvision, but came by his own knowledge and providence. a Epiphan. Hæres. 15. This he 66 miracle therefore, taking “seven loaves and a few small fishes, he blessed them, and satisfied four thousand men, besides women and children." And there remained " seven baskets full of broken bread and fish." From whence Jesus departed, by ship, to the coasts of Mageddon and Dalmanutha, whither "the Pharisees and Sadducees came, seeking of him a sign." But Jesus rejected their impertinent and captious demand, knowing they did it to ill purposes, and with disaffection; reproving them, that they "discerned the face of the sky," and the prognostics of "fair or foul weather," but "not the signs of the times" of the Son of man. However, since they had neglected so great demonstrations of miracles, gracious discourses, holy laws and prophecies, they must expect "no other sign, but the sign of the prophet Jonas;" meaning, the resurrection of his body after three days' burial: and so he dismissed the impertinent inquisitors. 5. Then came to him the Pharisees, and some scribes, which came from Jerusalem and Galilee, (for "Jesus would not go to Judea, because the Jews laid wait to kill him,") and quarrelled with him about certain impertinent, unnecessary rites, derived to them, not by Divine sanction, but “ordinances of man:" such as were washing their hands oft when they eat, baptizing cups and platters, and washing tables and beds;" which ceremonies the apostles of Jesus did not observe, but attended diligently to the simplicity and spiritual holiness of their Master's doctrine. But, in return to their vain demands, Jesus gave them a sharp reproof, for prosecuting these and many other traditions to the discountenance of Divine precepts: and, in particular, they taught men to give to the corban, and refused to supply the necessity of their parents, thinking it to be religion, though they neglected piety and charity. And again, he thunders out woes and sadnesses against their impieties, for being curious 8. And passing again over the lake, as his disciof minutes, and punctual in rites and ceremonials, ples were solicitous, because "they had forgot to but most negligent and incurious of judgment and take bread," he gave them caution to "beware of the love of God; for their pride, for their hypocrisy, the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the for their imposing burdens upon others, which leaven of Herod;" meaning, the hypocrisy and themselves helped not to support; for taking away vanities of the one, and the heresy of the other. the key of knowledge from the people, obstructing For Herod's leaven was the pretence that he was the passages to heaven; for approving the acts of the Messias, which the sect of the Herodians did their fathers in persecuting the prophets. But, for earnestly and spitefully promote. And, after this the question itself concerning washings, Jesus taught entertainment of themselves by the way, they came the people, that no outward impurity did stain the together to Bethsaida, where Jesus cured a blind soul, in the sight of God, but all pollution is from man, with a collyrium of spittle, salutary as balsam, within, from the corruption of the heart, and impure or the purest eye-bright, when his Divine benethoughts, unchaste desires, and unholy purposes, diction once had hallowed it. But Jesus staid not and that charity is the best purifier in the world. there, but, departing thence into the coasts of 6. And thence "Jesus departed into the coasts Cæsarea Philippi out of Herod's power, (for it was of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into a house," that in Philip's jurisdiction,) after he had " prayed with he might "not be known." The diligence of a his disciples," he inquired what opinion the world mother's love, and sorrow and necessity, found him had of him, and "whom they reported him to be? out in his retirement; for a 66 Syrophoenician They answered, Some say thou art John the Bapwoman came, and besought him, that he would cast tist, some that thou art Elias, or Jeremias, or one of the devil out of her daughter." But Jesus dis- the prophets:" for, in Galilee especially, the sect of coursed to her by way of discomfort and rejection the Pharisees was mightily disseminated, whose of her, for her nation's sake. But the seeming de- opinion it was, that the souls of dead men, according nial did but enkindle her desires, and made her to their several merits, did transmigrate into other importunity more bold and undeniable; she begged bodies of very perfect and excellent persons. but " some crumbs that fell from the children's therefore, in all this variety, none hit upon the right, table," but one instance of favour to her daughter, or fancied him to be a distinct person from the which he poured forth, without measure, upon the ancients; but, although they differed in the assignsons and daughters of Israel. Jesus was pleasedation of his name, yet, generally, they agreed it was with her zeal and discretion, and pitied her daughter's infelicity, and dismissed her with saying, "The devil was gone out of her daughter." 7. But Jesus staid not long here, but returning "to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of Decapolis, they brought unto him a man deaf and dumb," whom Jesus cured by "touching his tongue, and putting his fingers in his ears:" which caused the people to give a large testimony in approbation of all his actions. And they followed him unto a mountain, bringing to him multitudes of diseased people, and he healed them all. But because the people had followed him "three days, and had nothing to eat," Jesus, in pity to their need, resolved to feast them once more at the charge of a And, the soul of a departed prophet, which had passed into another body. But Jesus asked the apostles their opinion; and Peter, in the name of all the rest, made an open and confident confession, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." 66 : 9. This confession Jesus not only confirmed as true, but as " revealed by God," and of fundamental necessity for, after the blessing of Peter's person, upon allusion of Peter's name, Jesus said, that upon this rock [the article of Peter's confession] he would build his church,” promising to it assistances, even to perpetuity, insomuch that "the gates of hell," that is, persecution, and death, and the grave, "should never prevail against it:" adding, withal, a promise to Peter, in behalf of all the rest, as he made a confession for them all, that he would" give unto him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, so that whatsoever he should bind on earth, should be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he should loose on earth, should be loosed in heaven :" a power which he never communicated before or since, but to their successors; greater than the large charter of nature, and the donative of creation, in which all the creatures under heaven were made subject to man's empire, but, till now, heaven itself was never subordinate to human ministration. face did shine like the sun, and his garments were white and glistering. And there appeared talking with him Moses and Elias gloriously, speaking of the decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem, which glory these apostles, after they had awaked from sleep, did behold." And the interlocutors with Jesus, having finished their embassy of death, (which they delivered in forms of glory, representing the excellencies of the reward, together with the sharpness of the passage and interval,) departed, leaving the apostles "full of fear," and wonder, and ecstasy, insomuch that 10. And now the days, from henceforward to the death of Jesus, we must reckon to be like the vigils," Peter talked he knew not what;" but nothing or eves, of his passion; for now he began, and often did ingeminate, those sad predictions of his unhandsome usage he should shortly find; that he should be" rejected of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and suffer many things at Jerusalem, and be killed, and be raised up the third day." But Peter, hearing that sad discourse, so contrary to his hopes, which he had blended with temporal expectances, (for he had learned the doctrine of Christ's advent, but not the mystery of the cross,) in great and mistaken civility, took Jesus aside," and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee." But Jesus, full of zeal against so soft and human admonition, that savoured nothing of God, or of abstracted, immaterial considerations, chid Peter bitterly: "Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me." And, calling his disciples to him, he told them a second part of a sad doctrine, that not only himself, but all they also, must suffer. For when the head was to be crowned with thorns, if the members were wrapt in softnesses, it was an unhandsome indecency, and a disunion too near an antipathy; and, therefore, whoever will be the disciple of Jesus, must "take up his cross, deny himself," and his own fonder appetites, and trace his Master's footsteps, marked out with blood, that he shed for our redemption and restitution. And, that there be no escape from the participation of Christ's suffering, Jesus added this dilemma: "He that will save his life, shall lose it; and he that will lose it, shall save it" to eternity. Which part soever we choose, there is a life to be lost: but as the first are foolish to the extremest misery, that will lose their souls to gain the world; so they are most wise and fortunate, that will give their lives for him; because, when "the Son of man shall come, in his own glory, and his Father's, and of his angels, he shall reward every man according to his works." This discourse Jesus concluded with a prophecy, that "some, standing" in that presence, "should not die, till they saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 11. Of the greater glories of which, in due time to be revealed, "Jesus, after eight days," gave a bright and excellent probation. For, "taking with him Peter, and James, and John, he went up into the mountain Tabor, to pray; and while he prayed, he was transfigured before them, and his b Beda de Locis Sanctis, c. 17. Sæpe fui sorbendus aquis, sæpe igne vorandus: b amiss, something prophetical, saying, "Master, it is good to be here; let us build three tabernacles." And some devout persons, in memory of the mystery, did erect three churches in the same place, in after ages. But, after the departure of those attendant saints, 66 a cloud encircled Jesus" and the disciples," and a voice came from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, hear him." The cloud quickly disappeared, and freed the disciples from the fear it had put them in. So they attended Jesus, and "descended from the mountain," being "commanded silence," which they observed, "till the resurrection." 66 12. The next day came to Jesus a man praying in behalf of his son," lunatic and sore troubled with a devil," who sought oft" to destroy him in fire and water," that Jesus would be pleased to deliver him. For his apostles tried, and "could not," by reason of the want of faith; for this grace, if it be true, though in a less degree, is of power to remove mountains," to pluck up trees by the roots, and to give them solid foundation in the waters. "And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him" from that very hour. Thence Jesus departed privately into Galilee, and in his journey repeated those sadnesses of his approaching passion; which so afflicted the spirits of the disciples, that they durst no more provoke him to discourse, lest he should take occasion to interweave something of that unpleasant argument with it. For sad and disconsolate persons use to create comforts to themselves by fiction of fancy, and use arts of avocation to remove displeasure from them, and stratagems to remove it from their presence, by removing it from their apprehensions, thinking the incommodity of it is then taken away, when they have lost the sense. 13. When Jesus was now come to Capernaum, the exactors of rates came to Simon Peter, asking him if his Master paid the accustomed imposition, viz. a sicle, or didrachm, the fourth part of an ounce of silver, which was the tributed which the Lord imposed upon all the sons of Israel, from twenty years old and above, to pay for redemption and propitiation, and for the use of the tabernacle. "When Peter came into the house, Jesus," knowing the message that he was big with, "prevented him," by asking him, "Of whom do the kings of the nations take tribute? of their own children or of strangers? Peter answered, Of strangers." Then d Exod. xxx. "said Jesus, Then are the children free;" meaning, | tempers; such infant candour, and lowliness of that since the gentile kings do not exact tribute spirit, being the necessary port through which we of their sons, neither will God of his. And, there- must pass, if we will enter into the courts of heaven. fore, this pension, to be paid for the use of the But as a current of wholesome waters, breaking tabernacle, for the service of God, for the redemption from its restraint, runs out in a succession of waters, of their souls, was not to be paid by him, who was and every preceding draught draws out the next; the Son of God, but by strangers. "Yet to avoid so were the discourses of Jesus excellent and opporoffence," he sent Peter a-fishing, and provided a fish tune, creating occasions for others that the whole with two didrachms of silver in it, which he com- doctrine of the gospel, and the entire will of the manded Peter to pay for them two. Father, might be communicated upon design; even the chances of words and actions being made regular and orderly by Divine providence. For, from the instance of humility, in the symbol and hieroglyphic of the child, Jesus discourses of "the care God takes of little children, whether naturally or spiritually such; the danger of doing them scandal and offences; the care and power of their angels guardian; of the necessity in the event that scandals should arise, and of the great woe and infelicity of those persons, who were the active ministers of such 14. But when the disciples were together with "Jesus in the house, he asked them what they discoursed of upon the way;" for they had fallen upon an ambitious and mistaken quarrel, "which of them should be greatest in their Master's kingdom," which they still did dream should be an external and secular royalty, full of fancy and honour. But the Master was diligent to check their forwardness, establishing a rule for clerical deportment: "He that will be greatest among you, let him be your minister:" so supposing a greater and a lesser, a minister, and a person to be ministered unto, but dividing the grandeur of the person from the greatness of office (that the higher the employment is, the more humble should be the man); because, in spiritual prelation, it is not as in secular pomps, where the dominion is despotic, the coercion bloody, the dictates imperious, the laws externally compulsory, and the titles arrogant and vain; and all the advantages are so passed upon the person, that, making that first to be splendid, it passes from the person to the subjects, who, in abstracted essences, do not easily apprehend regalities in veneration, but as they are subjected in persons made excellent by such superstructures of majesty: but, in dignities ecclesiastical, the dominion is paternal, the regiment persuasive and argumentative, the coercion by censures immaterial, by cession and consent, by denial of benefits, by the interest of virtues, and the efficacy of hopes, and impresses upon the spirit; the laws are full of admonition and sermon; the titles of honour monitors of duty, and memorials of labour and offices; and all the advantages which from the office usually pass upon the person, are to be divested by the humility of the man; and, when they are of greatest veneration, they are abstracted excellencies and immaterial, not passing through the person to the people, and reflected to his lustre, but transmitted by his labour and ministry, and give him honour for his labour's sake, (which is his personal excellency,) not for his honour and title, which is either a derivative from Christ, or from the constitution of pious persons, estimating and valuing the relatives of religion. 15. Then "Jesus taketh a little child, and setteth him in the midst," propounding him, by way of emblem, a pattern of humility and simplicity, without the mixtures of ambition or caitive dis offences." 16. But if, in the traverses of our life, discontents and injuries be done, Jesus teaches how the injured person should demean himself: First, reprove the offending party privately; if he repent, forgive him for ever, with a mercy as unwearied and as multiplied as his repentance. For the servant, to whom his lord had forgiven ten thousand talents, because he refused to forgive his fellow-servant one hundred pence, was delivered to the tormentors, till he should pay that debt which his lord once forgave, till the servant's impiety forced him to repent his donative and remission. But if he refuses the charity of private correction, let him be reproved before a few witnesses; and in case he be still incorrigible, let him be brought to the tribunal of the church; against whose advices if he shall kick, let him feel her power, and be cut off from the communion of saints, becoming a pagan or a publican. And to make that the church shall not have a dead and ineffectual hand in her animadver sions, Jesus promises to all the apostles, what before he promised to Peter, a power of "binding and loosing on earth," and that it should be "ratified in heaven," what they shall so dispose on earth with an unerring key. 17. But John interrupted him, telling him of a stranger that "cast out devils in the name of Jesus," but because he was not of the family, he had “forbidden him." To this Jesus replied, that he should "in no wise have forbidden him," for, in all reason, he would do veneration to that person, whose name he saw to be energetical and triumphant over devils, and in whose name it is almost necessary that man should believe, who used it as an instrument of ejection of impure spirits. Then Jesus proceeded in his excellent sermon and union of discourses, adding holy precepts "concerning offences, which a ciata est, ne ad eam unquam pervenirent: dissectum esse antiquitus neminem neque legi, neque audivi. Duravit tamen ad ævum Constantini Magni, ut plumbatis cæderentur debitores; qui tandem Christianam mansuetudinem in leges introduxit, et plumbatorum immanitatem sustulit.-Cod. Theod lib. iv. et vii. de Exact. |