too early he might meet with a Lion in his range and walk before they were retired into their Dens Thus do Men alarm themselves with their own foolish fears to excuse their idleness and negligence So again Prov. 15. 19. The way of the slothful is as an hedg of thorns but the way of the Righteous is made plain They imagine difficulties and intollerable hardships in a course of Godliness but 't is their cowardise and pusilanimous negligence which maketh the Ways of God seem hard they are all comfortable plain and easy to the pure and upright Heart and willing Mind Come we to the New Testament Luke 14. 18 19 20. They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought me a piece of Ground and I must go to see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And another said I have married a Wife and cannot come The meaning is Many were invited to everlasting Happiness but they preferred their designs of worldly advantages Mark they do not absolutely deny but make excuse Excuses are the fruit of the quarrel between Conviction and Corruption They are convinced of better things but being prepossessed and biassed with worldly Inclinations they dare not fully yield nor flatly deny therefore they chose a middle course to make excuses Doing is safe or preparing our selves to do but excusing is but a patch upon a filthy sore or a poor covering of Fig-leagues for a naughty Heart 3. The usual excuses which Sinners may and usually do allege are these four The Difficulty of Religion The danger that attendeth it Want of Time And that they have no power or strength to do good 1. For the first 'T is troublesome and tedious to Flesh and Blood to be held to so much Duty and to wean our Hearts from things we so dearly love and the World thinketh that we are too nice and precise to urge Men to such a strict and holy and heavenly Life and less ado will serve the turn To this I answer 〈…〉 deligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And therefore if you cannot deny the ease and sloth of the Flesh you are wholly unfit for the Work of Godliness 2. This Diligence is no more than needeth whatever the carnal World thinketh who leave the Boat to the Stream and hope to be accepted with God for a few cold and drowsy Devotions or some superficial Righteousness A Painter-stainer will think a Painter-limner too curious because his own work is but a little daubing The broad way pleaseth the World best but the narrow way leadeth to Life 3. This Diligence may be well afforded considering that eternal Life and Death is in the case Life Will you stop a Journey for your Lives because 't is a little tedious or there is Dirt in the way or the Wind bloweth on you and the like Since 't is for God and Heaven we should not grudg at a little labour 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. There is also Death in the case Now which is better To take a little profitable pains in Godliness or to endure everlasting Torments to save a little labour or diligence in the holy Life and run the hazard of being miserable for ever Which is worst the trouble of Physick or the danger of a mortal Disease 2. Another Excuse is the Danger which attendeth it It may expose you to great Troubles to own God and Religion heartily And if there be Peace abroad and Magistrates countenanâ—â— Religion yet many times at home a Man's greatest Foes may be those of his own Houshold Mat. 10. 36. But for the pleasing or displeasing of your Relations you must not neglect your Duty to God as Ierom to Helidorus Per calcatum perge Patrem If thy Father lie in the way tread upon his Bowels rather than not come unto Christ. Our Lord hath expresly told us Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Neither favour nor disfavour of our Friends is a just lett or impediment to our Duty The Advantages we can or are likely to receive from Parents are not worthy to be compared with those we expect from God nor is their Authority over us so great as God's is Luke 14. 26. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father or Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Though Christianity doth not discharge us from obedience to Parents yet the higher Duty must be preferred namely obedience to Christ and loving less is hating 3. Another excuse is I have no time to mind Soul-affairs My distractions in the World are so great and my course of life is such that I have no leisure I answer Will you neglect God and Salvation because you have worldly things to mind Whatever your business be you have a time to eat and drink and sleep and have you no time to be saved Better incroach upon other things than that Religion should be cast to the Walls or justled out of your thoughts David was a King and he had more distracting cares than most of us have or can have yet he saith Psal. 119. 147 148. I prevented the dawning of the Morning and cried I hoped in thy Word Mine Eyes prevent the Night-watches that I may meditate in thy Word And v. 164. Sâ—ven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments Do you spend no time in idleness vain talking and carnal sports and might not this be better employed about heavenly things Ephes. 5. 15 16. See then that â—e walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days arâ— evil Vitam non accipimus brevem sed fecimus nec inopes temporis sed prodigi sumus God hath not sâ—t you about Work that he alloweth you no time for but we waste our time and then God is straitned Many poorer than you have time because they have an heart and will to improve it 4. I have no power or strength to do good And what will you have us do This is the excuse of the idle and naughty Servant Mat. 25. 24. I knew that thou wert an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed God sets you about work but giveth you no strength is your â—xcuse but certainly you can do more than you do but you will not make trial God may be more ready with the assistances of his Grace thau you can imagine The tired Man may complain of the length of the way but not the lazy who will not stir a foot If you did make trial you would not
therefore he should have done what he could Job 15. 6. Thine own Mouth condemneth thee yea thine own Lips testify against thee That 's the strongest Conviction which ariseth from a Man 's own Bosom that 's the reason why there are so many Appeals to Conscience in Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 15. I speak as to wise Men judg ye what I say Your own Hearts tell you ye ought to be better to mind God more and the World less to be more serious in preparing for your eternal estate 3. Nothing can be a reasonable Excuse which reflects upon God as if he had made an hard Law which none can keep especially if urged against the Law of Grace This is to say the Ways of God are not equal therefore there can be no excuse for the total omission of necessary Duties 4. No Excuse can be reasonable but what you dare plead at the Bar of Christ for that is Reason which will go for Reason at last Then the weight of all Pleas will be considered and all negligent Persons that have not improved the Light of Nature or have not obeyed the Gospel will be left without excuse What doth it avail Prisoners to set up a Mock-Sessions among themselves to acquit one and condemn another He is in a good condition that shall be excused in the last Judgment and in a bad condition that shall be condemned then I now proceed to the second Point Secondly That those who are called to follow Christ should follow him speedily without interposing any delays Consider 1. Ready Obedience is a good evidence of a sound Impression of Grace left upon our Hearts There is slighter Conviction which breedeth a sense of our Duty but doth not so strongly urge us to the performance of it And there is a more sound Conviction which is accompanied with a prevailing efficacy and then all Excuses and Delays are laid aside and Men kindly comply with God's Call Cant. 1. 4. Draw me I will run after thee Run It noteth an earnest and speedy motion the Fruit of the powerful attraction of the Spirit Mat. 4. 20. They straightway left their Nâ—ts and followed him The scoffing atheistical World thinketh it easiness and fond credulity but it arguâ—th a sound Impression The impulsions of the Holy Spirit work in an instant for they carry their own evidence with them Gal. 1. 11. Immediatly I consulted not with Flesh and Blood In Divinis non est deliberandum When our Call is clear there needeth no debate or demurring upon the Matter 2. The Work goeth on the more kindly when we speedily obey the sanctifying motions of the Spirit and the present influence and impulsion of his Grace You have not such an advantage of a warm conviction afterward When the Waters are stirred then we must put in for a cure Iohn 5. 4. To adjourn and put it off as Foelix did Acts 24. 15. doth damp and cool the Work you quench this holy Fire or to stand hucking with God as Pharaoh did the Work dieth on your hand 3. There is hazard in delaying and putting off such a business of concernment as Conversion to God Certainly this is a business of the greatest concernment and the greatest Work should be first thought of Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and most thought of Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord. Now if we delay it is left upon great hazards Life is uncertain for you know not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy sâ—lf of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth If God had given leave as Princes sometimes in a Proclamation for all to come in within a certain day so if God had said Whosoever doth not repent till thirty of forty Years be out there were no great hazard till the time were expired we might entertain Sin a little while longer But we know not the day of our death therefore we should get God to bless us er'e we die A new Call is uncertain 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. It may be he will treat with us no more in such a warm and affectionate manner If he call yet not vouchsafe such assistances of his Grace if peradventure God will give them repentance unto Life 2 Tim. 2. 25. 'T is an hazard or uncertain if the Spirit of God will put another thought of turning into your hearts when former Grace is despised Isa. 55. 6. Call upon the Lord while he is near and seek him while he may be found 4. Consider the mischiefs of delaying every day we contract a greater indisposition of embracing God's Call We complain now 't is hard if it be hard to day it will be harder to morrow when God is more provoked and Sin more strengthned Ier. 13. 23. Yea it may be our natural Faculties are decayed the vigor of our Youth exhausted When the tackling is spoiled and the Ship rotten it is an ill time to put to Sea Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth And besides consider the suspicion that is upon a late Repentance The most prophane would have God for their portion at last 5. The Reasons for delay are inconsiderable Suppose it be our satisfaction in our present estate The Pleasures of Sin are sweet and we are loth to forgo them but those Pleasures must one day be renounced or you are for ever miserable Why not now Sin will be as sweet to the carnal Appetite hereafter as now it is and Salvation is dispensed upon the same terms you cannot be saved hereafter with less ado or bring down Christ and Heaven to a lower rate If this be a Reason now it will for ever lie as a Reason against Christ and against Conversion The Laws of Christianity are unalterable always the same and your Hearts not like to be better Or is it That you are willing now but you have no leasure when such encumbrances are over you shall get your Hearts into a better posture Oh no 't is hypocrisy to think you are willing when you delay Nothing now hindreth but a want of Will and when God treateth with thee about thine eternal Peace it is the best time but God always cometh to the Sinner unseasonably in his own account But consider it was the Devil that said Mat. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Vse is 1. To reprove that dallying with God in the Work of Conversion which is so common and so natural to us The Causes of it are 1. Unbelief or want of a due sense and sight of things to come If Men were perswaded of eternal Life and eternal Death they would not stand hovering between Heaven and Hell but presently engage their Hearts to draw nigh to God But we cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh
upon the security of his Word that so doing I shall obtain it This intitleth us to the Reward Heb. 3. 6. Whose House we are if we hold fast the Confidence and rejoicing of Hope firm unto the End And Vers. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the End And Heb. 10. 35. Cast not away your Confidence which hath great recompence of Reward The Happiness which Christ promiseth us is spiritual and for the most part future an lieth in an unseen and unknown World but whilst we are ingaged in the pursuit of it we must depend upon his â—aithful Word That must be security enough to us to engage us to continue with patience in the midst of manifold Temptations till we obtain what he offereth to us These three must be often renewed Assent Consent and Affiance 2. 'T is a believing in Christ. I make Christ the special Object of this Belief not as exclusive of the Father or the Spirit but because of the peculiar reference which this Grace hath to the Mediator in this New and Gospel-Dispensation which was appointed for the Remedy of the collapsed estate of Mankind So Acts 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. He speaks of Repentance as respecting God and Faith as respecting Christ. These are the two recovering Graces Repentance is necessary because of the Duty we owe to our Creator and supream Lord and Faith respects our Redeemer who principally undertook our recovery to God Christ is believed in in order to the Salvation of our Souls 1. Because he purchased and procured this Salvation for us as Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9. 5. He is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the Promise of the eternal Inheritance By the intervention of his Death Sins are expiated that penitent Believers might have everlasting Life 2. Because 't is by him promised or in his Name 1 John 2. 25. This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life Christ's great Business as a Prophet is to discover with certainty and clearness such a blessed Estate that it may be commodious for our acceptance laid at our doors if we will take it well and good He is Amen the faithful Witness Rev. 3. 14. who came with a Commission from Heaven to assure the World of it and to confirm his Message he wrought Miracles died and rose again and entred into that Happiness which he spake of that our Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Guilty Man is fallen under the Power and Fear of Death and strangely haunted with Doubts about the other World Now he that came to save us and heal us did himself in our Nature rise from the Dead and ascend into Heaven that he might give a visible demonstration both of the Resurrection and Life to come which he hath promised to us And when he sent abroad Messengers in his Name to assure the World of it their Testimony was accompanied with divers Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3 4. that the stupid World might be alarum'd to regard the offer and by this Evidence be assured of the Truth of it therefore still 't is a believing in Christ. 3. Because as King he doth administer and dispense the Blessings of the New Covenant and among them as the Chief and Principal this Salvation unto all those who are qualified And therefore 't is said Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect through Sufferings he is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Every Effect must have some Cause and this noble and glorious Effect of eternal Salvation could have no other Cause but Christ and he as perfected and consecrated is the Author and efficient Cause of it for as King he sendeth down the Holy Ghost to reveal the Gospel and work Faith in the Hearts of Men to qualify them for Pardon and Salvation and all those that sue for Pardon and Salvation in his Name by the Plea of his Blood before the Throne of God and promise obedience to his Laws and Institutes he actually bestoweth Pardon and eternal Salvation upon them There be many other ministerial and adjutant Causes which conduce to this effect But he is the Principal and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Cause in general is fitly by our Translation termed the Author of eternal Salvation So that still you see a new Reason why saving-Faith should be described to be a believing in Christ. 3. The prime Benefits which Faith respecteth I make to be two Reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory 1. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed and regarded by the guilty Soul 1. Because there hath been a breach by which we have lost God's Favour and Happiness We have to do with a God whose Nature ingageth him to hate Sin and whose Justice ingageth him to Punish it And before we can be induced to treat with him such a Reconciliation is necessary for all Mankind as that he should be willing to deal with them upon the term of a New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life might be offered to penitent Believers This Reconciliation is spoken of 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation that is upon the sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice Ransom and Satisfaction there was so much done towards an actual Reconciliation with God that he offered a conditional Covenant to as many as were willing to enter into his Peace He provided a sufficient Remedy for the Pardon of Sin if Men would as heartily accept of it as it was freely given them And the Office of Ambassadors was appointed to beseech Men so to do And unless this had been done a guilty Soul could never be brought to love an holy sin-hating God ingaged by Justice to damn the Sinner But it must be a loving reconciled God that is willing to forgive that can be propounded as an Object of Faith and Love or as an amiable God to us Psalm 130. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 2. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed by the penitent Believer because this Reconciliation and Recovery by Christ consists both in the Pardon of Sin and the Gift of the Sanctifying Spirit 1. One branch of the actual restitution of God's Favour to us is the Pardon of Sins without which we are not capable of Life and Happiness Ephes. 7. The possible conditional-Reconciliation consists in the offer of Pardon and the actual Reconciliation in the actual pardon and forgiveness of our Transgressions and then the Man beginneth to be in a blessed Estate Psal. 32. 1 2. 2. The other Branch is the Gift of the Sanctifying
is to order their Affairs so as they may have felicity and comfort in them So Prov. 20. 24. Man's goings are of the Lord how can a Man then understand his own way We cannot foresee the Event of things what is expedient what not Man would fain work out his Happiness like a Spider climb up by a Thread of his own spinning But alas all our Devices and fine Contrivances are gone with the turn of a Bâ—som He that will be his own Carver seldom carveth out a good Portion to himself They intrench upon God's Prerogative and take the Work out of his hands and therefore no wonder if their Wisdom be turned into Folly 3. We ask his Blessing God doth not only foresee the Event but order it by his Wisdom he foreseeth it and by his powerful Providence he bringeth it to pass Therefore God that hath the disposal of all Events when our Dâ—rection is over is to be sought unto for a Blessing for every Comfort cometh the sooner when it is â—ought in Prayer and whatever God's Purposes be that is our Duty Jer. 29. 11 12. I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of Peace and not of Evil to give you an expected End Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Ezek. 36. 37. I will for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them So in this Case we read Iohn 2. 2. When there was a Marriage in Canaan of Galilee both Jesus was called and his Disciples to the Marriage Married Persons do need and therefore should seek Christ's Presence to their Marriage that he would vouchsafe his Presence and Countenance Be sure to invite him and take him along with you that he may strengthen you by his Grace and dispose all Providences about you for your Comfort He puts the greatest honour upon the Marriage when he doth enable you to carry your selves graciously in that Relation and to God's Glory and he hath the power of all Providences put into his hand as well as all Grace Vse 2. Is Advice to Persons that are entring into this Relation 1. Negatively See that God be no loser by the Marriage 2. Positively Be sure that God be a gainer These are the two Proffers I have to make to you 1. Negatively Let not God be a loser He never intended to give you Gifts to his own wrong Now that will be 1. If he be not the only One and the lovely one of your Souls God must not have an Image of Jealousy set up He must still be owned as the chiefest Good A Wife is the Delight of the Eyes but not the Idol of the Heart Still you must be sure that his Place be not invaded that you may say Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and whom do I desire on Earth in comparison of thee Carnal Complacency must not weaken your Delight in God it is apt to do so The excuse of one of those that was invited to the Marriage-feast was I have married a Wife and I cannot come Maâ—th 22. Surâ—ly Christ would teach us thereby that this Relation may become a Snare and encroach upon the Prerogatives of God he may be justled out of the Heart by the intrusion of some earthly Comfort 2. If you be diverted from the earnest pursuit of heavenly Things either by carnal Complacency or distracting Cares and worldly Encumbrances There will be a time when we shall neither Marry nor be given in Marriage Luke 20. 35. And that is our happiest time present Contentments must not weaken the lively expectation of it and steal away the Heart into a mindlesness of it Would God bring you to one another think you to turn off your Thoughts and Hopes for this blessed Time when he shall be All in All No your Comforts by the way in your Pilgrimage must not hinder your delight in your Comforts at Home and in your Country this would be like a great Heir in Travel that should gussle in an Ale-house and never think of returning to his Inheritance 3. God would be a loser if you be less resolute in owning God's Truth than you were before Oh take heed of daubing in Religion we must hate all for Christ Luke 14. 26. We must be as true still to make good our Ingagement to him Wife and Children must be undervalued for the Gospel we may be put to the trial whether we will cleave to them or Christ who is our choice Husband The Bond of Religion is above all Bonds all Bonds between Husband and Wife Father and Children end in Death but the Bond of Christ is Eternal your Children will not lose by your faithfulness to God 2. Positively Let God be a gainer 1. By your daily praises and blessing God for his Providence that hath brought you into this Relation I obtained favour from the Lord. 2. By living to God in this Relation performing the Duties thereof so as your converse may be some lively resemblance of the Communion between Christ and his Church Ephes. 5. 25 26 27 28 29 30. Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies he that loveth his Wife loveth himself For no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones 3. By being mutual helps to one another in the best things by the advancement of Piety and Godliness The love of Christ doth not only enforce the Husband's Duty as an Argument but points forth the right manner of it as a Pattern Christ's Love is sanctifying Love so should theirs be such a Love as sheweth it self by sincere and real endeavours to bring about one anothers spiritual and eternal Good Love one another as Heirs together of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3. 7. FINIS