SERMONS UPON LUKE XVI. 30, 31. 371
been credited ; but you have a more sure word of prophecy ; we tell you the same from God's word, and yet we are not regarded, as the Israelites did not believe the spies.
2. Urge thy heart with it ; recollect yourselves : Rom. viii. 31, ' What shall we then say to these things ? ' Come to yourselves : Luke XV. 17, 'And when he came to himself.' The prodigal came to himself before he thought of returning to his father : Ps. xsii. 27, ' All the ends of the earth shall remember, and return unto the Lord.' Think with yourselves, Whence am I ? whither am I going ? what have I done in the work of repentance ? what will become of me to all eternity ? Here in the scriptures Grod himself hath told me what I must look for, and will God deceive me ? Oh ! let me take God's directions for the saving of my soul.
I might take occasion hence to press you to bless God for trans- mitting such a doctrine to us, and to give you caution not to look after other revelations ; there are none, or, if there were, none can be so cer- tain and so sufficient as this. And whatever is pretended as a message from God, bring it to the scriptures : Isa. viii. 20, ' To the law and to the testimonies ; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' Some cry up the church ; some the Spirit, in contradiction to the scriptures. Do you take the middle course ; go to the word opened and dispensed in the church, and wait for the Spirit's teaching ; and whatever is pretended, if it be not according to this, there is no light in it ; and if there be no light of knowledge, there will be no light of comfort, and no light of happiness.
SERMON UPON HEBREWS XIII. 20, 21.
Now the God of peace, that h'ought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the hlood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good loorh to do his loill, working in you that lohich is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. — Heb. xiii. 20, 21.
The words carry the form of an apostolical blessing or prayer for those christian Hebrews to whom he wrote. Consider in them — (1.) The person to whom he prayeth ; in which the grounds of audience are implied, ver. 20 ; (2.) The matter which he prayeth for, ver. 21. I. The person to whom the prayer is directed ; who is described —
1. By a proper title, 'The God of peace.'
2. By his great work, ' He brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ ; ' who is set forth —
[1.] By his office, ' The great shepherd of the sheep.'
[2.] By his merit and satisfaction, ' Througli the blood of the ever- lasting covenant ; ' which may relate —
(1.) To God's title ; he is become 'the God of peace through the blood of the everlasting covenant.'
(2.) To God's work, ' Through the blood of the everlasting cove- nant,' ' he brought him again from the dead.'
(3.) To Christ's office, ' Through his blood shed for sinners ' he is become the ' great shepherd of the sheep.'
II. The matter which he prayeth for ; the continued sanctification of man once regenerate ; set forth by both its parts — the will, and the deed, Phil. ii. 13. First, the will or remote power, ' Make you perfect,' or fit you ' for every good work to do his will ; ' secondly, the deed, or actual assistance, ' Working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight.' We have both by Jesus Christ, for it is added with a doxoiogy, ' Through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.'
The text is long ; I must give you but short strictures upon it, and I will begin with the second branch, the matter prayed for ; and there- fore let me observe —
Doct. 1. That the beginning, progress, and accomplishment of every good work is from God through Jesus Christ. This appeareth plainly from the 21st verse, which may be reduced to two heads —
1. The expressions which concern man's duty, which is to be ' per- fect in every good work,' that we may do God's will, and that which is pleasing in his sight.
374 SERMON UPON HEBREWS XIII. 20, 21.
2. The expressions which concern God's power to enable us for this duty ; there are two words, perfecting and icorking. The first relateth to his habitual grace, the second to his assisting grace.
I. The first expressions which import man's duty are four — (1.) Perfecting; (2.) Every good work; (3.) Doing his will; (4.) So as may be pleasing in his sight.
1. We must be made perfect, or the begun work of grace must be carried on to perfection. We all come short of that perfection which is attainable in this life, therefore those that have attained some good measure of grace should not rest satisfied with it. We need to be more able for duties, more fortified for trials. A man groweth till he be fit for all manly actions ; and a christian groweth and must be made more perfect till he be fit for every good work. An artisan must be so long learning his trade till he be fit for all those functions which belong to his trade. A sick or wounded man is under the hand of the physician or chirurgeon till he be perfectly cured. So is a christian under the care of his spiritual physician till he be fitted for all the parts and duties of a christian. Here upon earth, ' Christ by one ofioring hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,' or dedicated to God, Heb. x. 14 ; but now he is in heaven, he perfecteth us by degrees. The sacrifice needeth not to be repeated, but his intercession is continual, because we still need new influences of grace. Absolute perfection is not attainable in this life ; but the perfection of sincerity is here required, that we should mortify all our lusts, and serve God in every good work, and please him by an universal and impartial obedience : Phil. iii. 12, ' Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect ; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus ; ' that is, I aim at that which Christ aimed at, that I may be thoroughly and exactly perfect.