be salted with Fire and every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt Serm. 6 7. pag. 104. On 2 Thess. 3. 5. And the Lord direct your Hearts into the Love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Serm. 8. pag. 142. On Ephes. 1. 8. Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence Serm. 9. pag. 157. On Mat. 27. 46. And about the ninth hour Iesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli lama sabacthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Serm. 10. pag. 175. On Rom. 1. Part of the 29 30 Verses Whisperers Backbiters Serm. 11. pag. 192. On Gal. 5. 16. This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh. Serm. 12. pag. 207. On Job 19. 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth Serm. 13. pag. 231. On 1 Tim. 6. 8. And having Food and Raiment let us be therewith content Serm. 14. pag. 247. On Eccles. 9. 11. I returned and saw under the Sun that the Race is not to the Swift nor the Battel to the Strong neither yet Bread to the Wise nor yet Riches to Men of Understanding nor yet Favour to Men of Skill but Time and Chance happeneth to them all Serm. 15. pag. 269. On Acts 21. 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying The Will of the Lord be done Serm. 16. pag. 262. On John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life Serm. 17. pag. 323. On Deut. 30. 15. See I have set before thee this Day Life and Good Death and Evil. Serm. 18. pag. 345. On Mat. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Serm. 19 20. pag. 371. On Ephes. 2. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk them SERMON I. PSAL. 32. 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no Guile THE Title of this Psalm is A Psalm of Instruction and so called because David was willing to shew them the way to Happiness from his own Experience Surely no Lesson is so needful to be learned as this We all would be happy The Good and Bad that do so seldom agree in any thing yet agree in this A desire to be happy Now happy we cannot be but in God who is the Only Immutable Eternal and Alsufficient Good which satisfies and fills up all the capacities and desires of our Souls And we are debarr'd from access to him by Sin which hath made a breach and separation between him and us and till that be taken away there can be no converse and Sin can only be taken away by God's Pardon upon Christ's Satisfaction God's Pardon is clearly asserted in my Text but Christ's Satisfaction and Righteousness must be supplied out of other Scriptures as that 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to Himself not imputing their Trespasses to them Where the Apostle clearly shews that not-imputing Transgressions is the effect of God's Grace in Christ. And we do no wrong to this Text to take it in here for the Apostle citing this Scripture Rom. 4. 6 7. tells us that David describeth the blessedness of the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without works when he saith Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven whose Sin is covered blessed is the Man to whom the Lord will not impute Sin In the words you have 1. An Emphatical setting forth of a great and blessed Priviledg that is Pardon of Sin 2. A Description of the Persons who shall enjoy it In whose spirit there is no Guile The Priviledg is that I shall confine my thoughts to It is set forth in three Expressions Forgiving Transgression Covering of Sin and not imputing Iniquity The manner of speech is warm and vehement and it is repeated over again Blessed is the Man I shall shew what these three Expressions import and why the Prophet doth use such vehemency and emphatical inculcation in setting forth this Priviledg 1. Whose Transgression is forgiven or who is eased of his Transgression Where Sin is compared to a burden too heavy for us to bear as also it is in other Scriptures Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden 2. Whose Sin is covered alluding to the covering of filth or the removing of that which is offensive out of sight As the Israelites were to march with a paddle tied to their arms that when they went to ease themselves they might dig and cover that which came from them Deut. 23. you have the Law there and the reason of it ver 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp therefore shall thy Camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee And then the third expression is To whom the Lord imputeth no Sin that is doth not put Sin to their account Where Sin is compared to a Debt as it is also in the Lord's Prayer Mat. 6. 12. Forgive us our Debts as we also forgive our Debtors Thus is the Act set forth The Object of Pardon about which it is conversant is set forth under divers Expressions Iniquity Transgression and Sin As in Law many words of like import and signification are heaped up and put together to make the Deed and Legal Instrument more comprehensive and effectual I observe it the rather because when God proclaims his Name the same words are used Exod 34. 7. Taking away Iniquity Transgression and Sin Well we have seen the meaning of the Expression Why doth the holy Man of God use such vigor and vehemency of inculcation Blessed is the Man and again blessed is the Man partly with respect to his own case David knew how sweet it was to have Sin pardoned he had felt the bitterness of Sin in his own Soul to the drying up of his Blood and therefore he doth express his sense of Pardon in the most lively terms Blessed is the Man whose Iniquity is forgiven c. And then partly too with respect to those for whose use this Instruction was written that they might not look upon it as a light and trivial thing but be throughly apprehensive of the worth of so great a Priviledg Blessed happy thrice happy they who have obtained Pardon of their Sins and Justification by Jesus Christ. The Doctrine then which I shall insist upon is this That it is a great Degree and Step towards yea a considerable Part of our Blessedness to obtain the Pardon of our Sins by Christ Iesus I shall evidence it to you by these three Considerations 1. I
This sheweth that he is fuller of Mercy and Goodness than the Sun is of Light or the Sea of Water So great an Effect shews the greatness of the Cause Wherefore did he express his Love in such a wonderful astonishing way but that we might have higher and larger thoughts of his Goodness and Mercy By other Effects we easily collect the Perfection of his Attributes that his Power is Omnipotent Rom. 1. 20. That his Knowledge is Omniscient Heb. 4. 12 13. And by this Effect it is easy to conceive that his Love is infinite or that God is Love Use 2. Is to quicken us to admire the Love of God in Christ. There are three things which commend any Favour done unto us 1. The good Will of him that giveth 2. The Greatness of the Gift 3. The Unworthiness of him that receiveth All concur here 1. The good Will of him that giveth Nothing moved God to do this but his own Love It was from the free Motion of his own Heart without our thought and asking No other Reason is given or can be given We made not suit for any such thing it could not enter into our Minds and Hearts into our Minds to conceive or into our Hearts to desire such a Remedy to recover the lapsed Estate of Mankind Not into our Minds for it is a great Mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without Controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness c. Not into our Hearts to ask or desire for it would have seemed a strange Request that we should ask that the Eternal Son of God should assume our Flesh and be made Sin and a Curse for us But Grace hath wrought exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Eph. 3. 20. Above what we can imagine and above what we can pray for to him 2. The Greatness of the Gift Great things do even force their way into our Minds whether we will or no. The Gift of Jesus Christ is so great that the Love of God is gone to the uttermost in it He hath not a better Christ nor a more worthy Redeemer nor another Son to die for us nor could the Son of God suffer greater Indignites than he hath suffered for our sakes God said to Abraham Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God since thou hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son from me God was not ignorant before but the Meaning is this is an apparent Proof and Instance of it So now we may know God loveth us here is the manifest Token and Sign of it 3. The Unworthiness of him that receiveth This is also in the Case We were altogether unworthy that the Son of God should be incarnate and die for our sakes This is notably improved by the Apostle Rom. 5. 7 8. For scarcely for a righteous Man will one die but for a good Man some would even dare to die But God commendeth his Love to us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us The Apostle alludeth to the Distinction familiar among the Iews they had their good Men or bountiful their righteous Men zealous for the Law and their wicked Men obnoxious to Judgment Peradventure one would venture his Life for a very merciful Person but you shall hardly find any to be so liberal and friendly as to venture his Life for a righteous and just Man or a Man of rigid Innocence But mark there are abating Terms Scarcely and perhaps the Case is rare that one should die for another be he never so good and righteous But God's Expression of Mercy was infinitely above the proportion of any the most friendly Man ever shewed There was nothing in the Object to move him to it when we were neither good nor just but wicked without respect to any Worth in us for we were all in a damnable estate he sent his Son to die for us to rescue and free us from Eternal Death and to make us Partakers of Eternal Life God so loved the World when we had so sinned and wilfully plunged our selves into an estate of Damnation But you will say If this Mercy be so great why are Men no more affected with it I answer 1. Because of their stupid Carelesness they do not see the Need of this Mercy and therefore do not prize the Worth of it If they were sensible that there is an Avenger of Blood at their heels or God's Wrath making Inquisition for Sinners they would more earnestly run into the City of Refuge Heb. 6. 18. 2. They do not truly believe this Mystery of Grace but speak of it by rote and hear-say after others All Affections follow Faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious 3. They do not seriously consider the Importance of it therefore the weightiest Objects do not stir us Our Minds are taken up about Toys and Trifles 4. They have not the lively Light of the Spirit Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us It is not our dry Thoughts and doctrinal Knowledge that will affect and change our Heart till the Spirit turneth our Light into Love and our Knowledge into Taste Use 3. Is to exhort us 1. To improve this Love It is an Invitation to seek after God for see what Preparations his Love hath made to recover you to Himself and will not you be recovered God doth not hate you and therefore you need not flee from him as a revenging God He so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In that capacious Expression you are not excluded therefore exclude not your selves And such a broad Foundation of his Mercy being laid what may you not expect from it 2 Cor. 5. 19. He hath procured a Remedy and Ransom as soon as you repent and believe you shall have the Comfort of it 2. It exhorteth us also to answer it with a fervent Love to him that hath given such a signal Demonstration of his Love to us 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Men always expect to be loved there where they love and think it hard dealing if it be not so 3. Let your Love to God be like his Love to you Love was at the bottom of all this Grace let it be at the bottom of all your Duties Let all your things be done in Love 1 Cor. 16. 14. Let your Carriage apparently be a Life of Love 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again I come now to the second Branch of the Text the Way God took to express his Love to us He gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ is so called to distinguish him from the adopted Children and to shew
Birth they have the happiness to be born there where Christ is the God of the Country that which makes others Turks and Infidels makes them Christians but though they stand upon the higher Ground they are not the taller Men. 3. They are very willing to be forgiven by Christ and to obtain Eternal Life but this is what meer Necessity requires them They will not suffer him to do his whole Work to sanctify them and fit them to live to God nor part with their nearest and dearest Lusts and come into the obedience of the Gospel or at least if Christ will do it for them without their improving this Grace or using his holy Means they are contented But having such precious Promises and such a blessed Redeemer we are to cleanse our selves 2 Cor. 7. 11. The Work is ours though the Grace be from him So Gal. 5. 14. They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. 4. Some have a strong Conceit that they shall be saved and have Benefit by Christ. This which they call their Faith may be the greatest Unbelief in the World that Men living in their Sins shall yet do well enough is to believe the flat contrary of what God hath spoken in his Word 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Drunkards nor effeminate Persons c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God It is not Strength of Conceit but the sure Foundation of our Hope that will support us nor are they the most happy who have the least Trouble but who have the least Cause Use 2. Do we believe in the Son of God Here will be the great Case of Conscience for setling our Eternal Interest 1. If we believe Christ will be precious to us 1 Pet. 2. 7. Unto them which believe he is precious Christ cannot be accepted where he is not valued when other Things come in competition with him and God will not be prodigal of his Grace 2. Where there is true Faith the Heart will be purified Acts 15. 9. Purifying their Hearts by Faith 3. If you do believe in Christ the Heart will be weaned from the World 1 Ioh. 5. 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 4. If you have the true Faith it works by Love Gal. 5. 6. For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love By these things will the Case be determined Then the Comfort and Sweetness of this Truth falls upon your Hearts that God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life SERMON XVII DEUT. 30. 15. See I have set before thee this day Life and Good Death and Evil. MOses the Man of God having acquainted the People with the Tenour of God's Commandments both concerning Worship and civil Conversation doth inforce all by a pregnant Exhortation laying before their Eyes the Blessings of Obedience and the Plagues and Curses that should overtake them in case they should decline from the Ways of the Lord thus recommended to them In all which he sheweth himself not only as an ordinary Preacher speaking by way of Exhortation and Doctrinal Threatning but as a special Prophet speaking by way of Prediction and that with such clearness and certainty that these few Chapters may be looked upon as an exact Kalender and Prognostication wherein the good or bad days of this People are expresly calculated and foretold yea comparing Events with the Prediction you would rather conceive Moses his Speech to be an Authentick Register and Chronicle of what is past than an infallible Prophecy of what was to come nothing good or bad hath befallen this People from the beginning to this Day but what is here foretold What is more largely declared upon in this Exhortation is contracted into a narrow room and summary here in the Text See I have set before thee this day Life and Good Death and Evil. In the Words observe 1. The Matter propounded in two Pairs that have a mutual Connection one with another Life and Good Death and Evil. 2. The Manner of Proposal I have set before thee 3. A Duty inferred or Attention excited See 1. The Matter propounded a double Pair or Conjugation Life and Good Death and Evil. Life as the End Good as the Means leading to Life Or else Life that is the enjoyment of God and Good the Felicity following it The Septuagint changeth the Order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Manner of Proposing I have set before thee The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a lively manner laid forth and offered for choice We have a saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that contraries put together do mutually illustrate each other Here is Good and Evil Life and Death put together that we may embrace the one and eschew the other As the Poets feign of Hercules when he was young Vertue and Vice came to woo and make court to him Vertue like a sober chast Virgin offering him Labours with Praise and Renown Vice like a painted Harlot wooing him with the Blandishment of Pleasures So in the 5th of Proverbs Wisdom and Folly are represented both pleading to draw in the Hearts of Men to them ver 4. compared with the 16th Whoso is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth Understanding she saith Come eat of my Bread and drink of the Wine that I have mingled The one hath her Pleasures and the other hath her Pleasures only the Pleasures of Folly are stolen Waters and Bread eaten in secret Comforts we get by Stealth Jollity and Mirth when Conscience is asleep So here Moses layeth before them the fruit of Obedience and Disobedience Life and Death 3. The Word exciting Attention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See I have done this in order to Choice for so it is ver 19. Choose Life that both Thou and thy Seed may live Doct. It is the Duty of the Faithful Servants of the Lord in a lively manner to set before the People Life and Death as the fruit of Good and Evil. Moses was God's Minister to instruct this People and what doth he propose and confirm in his Doctrine but Life and Death Good and Evil and this was a part of his Faithfulness Witness that vehement Obtestation used ver 19. He calls Heaven and Earth to record that he had faithfully discharged his Duty herein This was the course that God himself took with Adam in Innocency he set before him Life and Death a Blessing and a Curse the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledg Gen. 2. 9. That he might live by the one and not perish by the other God had respect to the Mutability of his Nature and therefore restrained him by the threatning of
excelling in Holiness himself loveth the Vertue and Holiness of his Creature Prov. 11. 20. For how can he be imagined but to love his own Image And as Goodness and Holiness are loved by him so he hateth the Workers of Iniquity Psal. 5. 5. and abhorreth those that despise that which is most glorious in Himself his Holiness And then if God loveth the Good and hateth the Evil he will express this in answerable Effects Good with Life and Evil with Death In short The Difference between Good and Evil is not more naturally known than it is naturally known that the one is to be punished the other rewarded Whether we consider the Wisdom of God which sorteth and joyns all things according to their natural Order and therefore Sin which is a Moral Evil is joyned with Sufferings a Natural Evil that is a feeling of something painful to Nature and afflictive to it Or the Justice of God which dealeth differently with Men that differ in themselves Or the Holiness of God who therefore will express his Love to the Good in making them happy and his Detestation of the Wicked in the Misery of their Punishment 2. The Greatness of both these Life and Death they are both Eternal Punishment in one Scale holdeth Conformity with the Reward in the other The full Reward is an Eternal and far more exceeding Weight of Glory called everlasting Life so is the full Punishment the Eternal Abode of Body and Soul under Torments expressed by everlasting Fire If we did only deal with you upon slight and cheap Motives you might refuse to hearken but when we tell you of Life and Death Eternal you ought most seriously to consider Whatever can be hoped or feared from Man is comparatively of little moment because his Power of doing Good or Evil is limited But on the one side it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10. 31. On the other side Rom. 5. 2. We rejoyce in the Hope of the Glory of God God will act like himself infinitely gloriously especially when he is All in All when he doth not act by the mediation of the Creatures but immediately punishing the Wicked and rewarding the Good The Vessel can convey no more than it receiveth When the Creature is an Instrument of Vengeance God acteth according to the proportion and rate of that Creature as if a Giant should strike one with a Straw If God doth us good by an Ordinance the Water runneth but as the Pipe will contain he cannot manifest himself in that Latitude but then God is All himself immediatly Consider 1. The Greatness of the Death that accompanieth Evil. The Afflictions and Sorrows of this Life are a part of this Death When Moses here had insisted on many temporal Plagues which should befall his People he saith I have set Life and Death before you There are many Miseries in this Life which are the Fruit of Sin which would make your Hearts ake and your Ears tingle to hear of And then Death which consists in the separation of the Soul from the Body is the King of Terrors But we speak of the second Death which is far more terrible which consists in an Eternal Separation from the blessed and glorious Presence of the Lord no Death like this In all Creatures that have Sense Death is accompanied with Pain but this is a perpetual living to deadly Pain and Torment from whence there can be no Release In the first Death the Pain may lie in one place but in the second it extends all over The first Death the more it prevaileth the more we are past feeling but in this Death the Sufferer has a greater vivacity than ever the Capacity of every Sense is enlarged and made more receptive of Pain While we are in the Body Vehemens sensibile corrumpit Sensum the more vehemently and violently any thing strikes upon the Senses the more doth it dead the Sense as the Inhabitants about the Fall of Nilus are deaf with the continual noise Too much Light puts out the Eyes Taste is dulled by Custom But here the Capacity is improved by feeling The Power of God sustains the Sinner whilst his Wrath torments him As the Saints are prepared for the Blessedness of Heaven we cannot bear the least Glimpse of that Happiness which they enjoy above so the wicked are fitted to endure those inconceivable Pains When the first Death approaches there is strugling for Life Men would not dy but in the second Death they desire a final Destruction they would not live 2 The Greatness and Excellency of that Life that ensueth Good All manner of Blessings in this Life is the lowest step of it At Death when the Spirit returneth to God that gave it then it beginneth to be discovered but it is consummated when Body and Soul shall be translated to Heaven This is Life indeed Nescio an ista Vita mortalis Vita an vitalis Mors dicenda sit the present Life is a kind of Death always in fluxu like a Stream it runneth from us as fast as it cometh to us Iob 14. 1. He fleeth away as a Shadow and continueth not We die as fast as we live like the Shadow of a Star in a flowing Stream This Life is annoyed with a thousand Sorrows and Calamities but there is a freedom from all Sin and Misery and a full fruition of Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. And our Capacities are strong to bear them This Life is patched up with Supplies from the Creatures there is a full Fruition of God himself 1 Cor. 13. 12. And in this Life such Days may come wherein we have no pleasure Eccl. 12. 1. Life it self becomes a Burthen but that Life as it lasteth for ever so we are never weary of it The Enjoyment of God is new and fresh to us every moment As the Angels for thousands of years are beholding the Face of God but never weary of so doing so shall we always delight our selves in seeing God as he is 3. The Certainty of both these Life and Death Hell and Heaven as the Fruits of Good and Evil. 1. Reason sheweth it certainly that there is Eternal Life and Death or a State of Torment and Bliss after this Life All Men are perswaded that there is a God and very few have doubted but that he is a Rewarder of Vertue and and a Punisher of Vice Now neither the one nor the other is fully accomplished in this World even in the Judgment of those that have no great knowledg of the Nature of Sin nor what Punishment is competent thereto Therefore there must be after the sojourning in the Body a time in which retributive Justice shall be executed and Punishments and Rewards that here are dispensed so disproportionably even to what natural Reason would expect from the Hand of God shall most equally be dispens'd to Persons If any say Vertue is a Reward to it self as in some sence
shall shew what Necessity lies upon us to seek after this Pardon 2. Our Misery without it 3. I shall speak of the annexed Benefits and our Happiness if once we attain it 1. The Necessity that lies upon us being all guilty before God to seek after our Justification and the Pardon of our Sins by Christ. That it may sink the deeper into your minds I shall do it in this Scheme or Method First a reasonable Nature implies a Conscience a Conscience implies a Law a Law implies a Sanction a Sanction implies a Judge and a Judgment-day when all shall be called to account for breaking the Law and this Judgment-day infers a Condemnation upon all Mankind unavoidably unless the Lord will comprimize the matter and find out some way in the Chancery of the Gospel wherein we may be relieved This way God hath found out in Christ and being brought about by such a mysterious Contrivance we ought to be deeply and thankfully apprehensive of it and humbly and broken-heartedly to quit the one Covenant and accept of the Grace provided for us in the other 1. A Reasonable Nature implies a Conscience for Man can reflect upon his own Actions and hath that in him to acquit or condemn him accordingly as he doth good or evil 1 Iohn 3. 20 21. Conscience is nothing but the Judgment a Man makes upon his Actions morally considered the good or the evil the Rectitude or Obliquity that is in them with respect to Rewards or Punishment As a Man acts so he is a Party but as he reviews and censures his Actions so he is a Judge Let us take notice only of the condemning part for that is proper to our Case After the Fact the Force of Conscience is usually felt more than before or in the Fact because before through the Treachery of the Senses and the Revolt of the Passions the Judgment of Reason is not so clear I say our Passions and Affections raise Clouds and Mists which darken the Mind and do incline the Will by a pleasing Violence but after the evil Action is done when the Affection ceaseth then Guilt flasheth in the face of Conscience As Iudas whose Heart lay asleep all the while he was going on in his villany but afterwards it fell upon him Thou hast sinned in betraying innocent Blood When the Affections are satisfied and give place to Reason that was before condemned and Reason takes the Throne again it hath the more force to affect us with Grief and Fear whilst it strikes through the Heart of a Man with a sharp sentence of Reproof for obeying Appetite before Reason Now this Conscience of Sin may be choak'd and smother'd for a while but the Flame will break forth and our hidden Fears are easily revived and awakened except we get our Pardon and Discharge A Reasonable Nature implies a Conscience 2. A Conscience implies a Law by which Good and Evil are distinguished for if we make Conscience of any thing it must be by virtue of some Law or Obligation from God who is our Maker and Governour and unto whom we are accountable and whose Authority giveth a force and warrant to the Warnings and Checks of Conscience without which they would be weak and ineffectual and all the Hopes and Fears they stir up in us would be vain Fancies and fond Surmises I need not insist upon this a Conscience implies a Law The Heathens had a Law because they had a Conscience Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another They have a Conscience doth accuse or excuse doth require according to the tenor of the Law So when the Apostle speaks of those Stings of Conscience that are revived in us by the approach of Death he saith 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law Those Stings which Men feel in a death-threatning Sickness are not the Fruits of their Disease but justified by the highest Reason they come from a Sense of Sin and this Sense is strengthned and increased in us by the Law of God from whence Conscience receives all its force 3. A Law implies a Sanction or a Confirmation by Penalties and Rewards for otherwise it is but an arbitrary Rule or Direction which we might slight or disregard without any great loss or danger No the Law is armed with a dreadful Curse against all those that disobey it There is no dallying with God he hath set Life and Death before us Life and Good Death and Evil Deut. 30. 15. Now the Precept that is the Rule of our Duty and the Sanction is the Rule of God's Process what God will do or might do and what we have deserved should be done to us The one shews what is due from us to God and the other what may justly be expected at God's hands therefore before the Penalty be executed it concerns us to get a Pardon The Scripture represents God as angry with the Wicked every day standing continually with his Bow ready with his Arrow upon the String as ready to let fly with his Sword not only drawn but whetted as if he were just about to strike if we turn not Psal. 7. 11 12 13. 4. A Sanction implies a Iudg who will take cognizance of the keeping or breaking of this Law for otherwise the sanction or penalty were but a vain scare-crow if there were no person to look after it God that is our Maker and Governour is our Judg. Would he appoint penalties for the breach of his Law and never reckon with us for our offences is a thought so unreasonable so much against the sense of Conscience against God's daily Providence against Scripture which every-where in order to this to quicken us to seek forgiveness of Sins represents God as a Judg. Conscience is afraid of an invisible Judg who will call us to account for what we have done The Apostle tells us Rom. 1. ult the Heathen knew the Iudgment of God and that they that have done such things as they have done are worthy of death And Providence shews us there is such a Judg that looks after the keeping and breaking of his Law hath owned every part of it from Heaven by the Judgments he executes Rom. 1. 18. The Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men hath owned either Table by punishing sometimes the Ungodliness and sometimes the Unrighteousness of the World nay every notable breach by way of Omission or Commission the Apostle saith every Transgression and every Disobedience these two words signifie Sins of Omission or Commission it hath been punished and God hath owned his Law that it is a firm authentick Rule And the Scripture also usually makes use of this Notion or Argument of a Judge to quicken us to look after the pardon of our Sins Act. 10. 42
Death as a curse not to eat of the one as he enjoyned him to eat of the other as a Pledg of Life and Blessing This same course did Christ take in his Sermons by telling them of the wide Gate and the strait Gate the broad and narrow Way much Company and little the one tending to Destruction the other to Life Mat. 7. 13 14. So Wisdom speaks by Solomon Prov. 8. 35 36. Whose findeth me findeth Life and shall obtain Favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love Death So that you see this is an excellent way to gain Men to the Holy Life I. Let us consider our Work II. The Reasons why we must do so I. Our Work the Matter of it and the Manner in which we are to propound it to you 1. The Matter We must set before the People 1. Life and Good 2. Death and Evil. This I shall open in these Propositions First That there is a distinction between Good and Evil Vice and Vertue He that doth not acknowledg it is unworthy the name not only of a Christian but of a Man Certainly he is unworthy the name of a Christian for the whole Word of God doth mete out the Bounds between both these and shew what is forbidden and what is commanded and therefore it is a defiance of Christianity to doubt of it But he is also unworthy the name of a Man Nature apprehendeth that somethings are worthy of Praise and others worthy of Blame and Reproof else why should wicked Men be offended to be taken for such as they are and desire as much as possibly they can to seem better and to cover their dishonest Actions with a plausible Appearance Secondly The matching these two Death and Evil Life and Good And here I shall speak 1. Of the Suitableness of the Connection between them 2. The greatness of both Thirdly The certainty of both these Life and Death as the Fruit of Good and Evil. 1. The Suitableness or Correspondency there is between Holiness and Beatitude Sin and Misery It must needs be so if we consider the Wisdom Justice Holiness of God 1. The Wisdom of God which doth all things according to Weight Measure and Number cannot permit the Disjunction of these two things so closely united together as Sin and Punishment Grace and Happiness but there will be an appearance of Deformity and Irregularity For if there be such a thing as Good and Evil as Bonum and Malum morale as Reason will tell us there is And again if there be such a thing as Pleasure and Pain as Joy and Sorrow or that which we call Bonum and Malum naturale as Sense will tell us there is then it is very agreeable to the Wisdom of God that these things should be rightly placed and sorted that moral Evil which is Sin should be punished with natural Evil which is Pain and Misery that the inordinate Love of Pleasure which is the Root of Sin should be checked by a fore-thought of Pain And that Moral Good which is Vertue and Grace should end in Joy and Pleasure For God is naturally inclined as the Creator of Mankind to make his Creatures good and happy if nothing hinder him from it Well then we see how incongruous it is to the Wisdom of God who permits no dissonancy or disproportion in any of his Administrations to admit a Separation of these natural Relatives If there were no other Testimony of this yet the Dispositions of our own Hearts would know it for they are some obscure Shadows of the Properties which are in God We have Compassion on a miserable Man whom we esteem not deserving his Misery we are also moved with indignation and displeasure against one that is fortunate and successful but unworthy the Happiness that he enjoys Which is an apparent Testimony and Proof that we are sensible of an excellent Harmony and natural Order between these two things Vertue and Felicity Sin and Misery and to see them so suited doth exceedingly please us 2. The Justice of God as he is Judge of the World and so must and will do right doth require Ut 〈…〉 malis malè That it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil God is naturally inclined to provide for the Happiness of Man as he is his Creator and if there were no Sin to stop the Course of God's Bounty there would be nothing but Happiness in the World But since the Entrance of Sin into the World Men are of different sorts some recover out of their estate of Sin and live holily others wallow in their filthiness still Now it is agreeable to God's general Justice as he is the Judge of the World to execute Vengeance on the one and reward the other that Happiness should accompany Vertue by a natural and inseparable Dependance and Misery incessantly attend Vice Rom. 2. 6 7 8. It is true the Bond which joyneth Happiness and Vertue together is not so strong and so every way naturally evident as that which joyneth Vice and Punishment If a Person in Sovereignty and Honour does not will that Moral Evils be punish'd 't is in some sort to consent to them but the Condition of the Creature is such that he ought to be holy and vertuous though God had not positively commanded him and God having so commanded we are bound to obey his Command though he had not proposed the Hope of a Reward in as much as we owe all to God both because of the infinite Eminence of his Majesty as because we hold our Beings and all from him And therefore there is a Distinction Rom. 6. 23. The Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The one is Wages the other a Gift The Promise which God maketh of Remuneration and the actual Retribution which he performeth of the same ought to be imputed only to his Goodness and gratuitous Liberality Men cannot pretend any other Right before him from whom we hold all things yea our very Being Now that which proceedeth of Goodness seemeth not to be of so strait an Obligation but that he is at liberty to do or not to do especially when the transaction is between two Persons the Dignity and Authority of one of which is infinitely above the Condition of the other as the Majesty of God is above his Creature Therefore as to such a Reward God is free and therefore might have enjoyn'd Holiness without the Promise of such a Recompence But the general Relation that is between Punishment and Sin Holiness and Happiness as to the consequence of one upon another is agreable to the general Justice of God which is a Perfection necessary to him as he is the Supreme Governor and Ruler of the World 3. The Holiness and Purity of God which inclineth him to hate Evil and love that which is good God
it is yet the full Reward lieth in another World and the main Encouragements must be fetcht from thence There is an opposite Principle against it in the Heart which must always be curbed and suppressed and it meeteth with many Temptations from the Reproaches and Oppositions of those who like not this sort of Life The sensual and ungodly will use all Ways and Means to brand the Holy and Heavenly as an humorous Sort of Men and if their Hands be tied by the restraint of Laws and Government so that we are not exposed to Sufferings by their Violence yet we cannot but expect slanderous Abuses from them Now the Case being so the Motives must be sufficient to resist all the Temptations of this Life to keep us in the Love and Obedience of God to the end which the bare Sense of our Duty would hardly do in the midst of so many Temptations We are in an estate of Imperfection and Sense is very strong in us all and the Sufferings of the Obedient are very great that if we had not an eye to the Recompence of the Reward we could not so well deny our selves Let every Man consult his own Soul what would support him when all the World is against him and he is hooted at by the Clamours of the wicked Rabble and pursued with sharp Laws and exposed to great difficulties and hardships if he had no Life to live but this what would he do Besides it will not stand with the Goodness of God if you can suppose one that loves Goodness for Goodness sake and is so hardy as to contemn all his natural Interests that such a Man should be a Loser by his Faithfulness and Obedience to God and be made altogether miserable by his Duty without any Recompence 1 Cor. 15. 19. And upon another account his Goodness is engaged to take his Servants into his own blessed Presence for the prevailing Inclination of Holiness that is planted by his own hand in their Breath to love serve and see him is an earnest that we shall not always be thus imperfect for our Reward consisteth as of compleat Felicity so exact Holiness seeing God and being like unto him 1 Joh. 3. 2. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is But suppose this were true that Vertue were a Reward to it self then what Provision is there made for the punishment of Vice Cannot it be said that they that addict themselves to that Course of Life are punished enough by doing so Alas wicked Men profess great Contentment in that Course of Life which they lead and would be glad of the News that they should have no other Punishment than to wallow in their Lusts. Nature teacheth us and the Practice of all Nations confirmeth it that Evils which consist in a breach of Duty must be punished with afflictive Evils painful to Nature Never such a Law-giver was heard of that would punish a Man for Robbery by causing him to commit Adultery And for Vertue though it hath a Beauty to draw our Love yet it cannot it self be its own price and recompence for Man is of such a Nature as he is still drawn on with the hope of some further good till he come to the enjoyment of the chiefest Good And so many are the Trials of the Righteous in this World that the Apostle telleth us We were of all Men most miserable if our hopes were only in this Life 1 Cor. 15. 19. The Calamities of the Good are as great a discouragement and offence as the prosperity of the Wicked therefore there is an estate of Life and Death to come Besides if Man be God's Subject employed by him in a Course of Duty and Service when his work is ended then must he look to receive his wages accordingly as he performed his Duty or faulted in it Now our work is not ended till this Life be over then God dealeth with us by way of recompence either in Pains or Joys Add further Reason will tell us that these Pains and Joys after Death should be everlasting that the recompence should last as long as Man lasts For Man as to his Soul is immortal and there is no change of Estate in the other World after our Trial is over and things of Religion become meer matter of Sense Certainly one that hath lived holily and is translated to Glory there is no Reason that he should afterwards be made miserable and the Punishment holdeth Conformity to the Reward Luk. 16. 26. Between us and you there is a great Gulph fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence There is no changing of Estates or Places in the other World the Blessedness and Misery is Eternal Things to come would not considerably counter-ballance things present if there were not Eternity in the case 2. Conscience hath a sense of it and on the one hand standeth in dread of Eternal Death and on the other is cheared with the hopes of Eternal Life The first is proved Rom. 1. 32. and Heb. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Men are afraid of Death not only as a natural Evil as it puts an end to present Comforts but as it is an entrance to an unknown Countrey What is the reason of the stings of Conscience which are never so sensible and quick as when Men approach near Death or behold themselves in some near danger What are these but presaging Fears that anticipate Miseries after this Life If the Soul were extinguished with the Body then troubles should in reason vanish but we find that this is the time when these Allarms are redoubled and these Tempests increase with violence On the other side there are Joys of the Spirit which are a taste and earnest of Eternal Life Eph. 1. 13. He hath given us the earnest of the Inheritance Good Men have so much of Heaven upon Earth as may assure them they may look for more this hath supported them in all their difficulties and labour Now if there were no such thing the wise and best Men that ever the World saw would be Liars or Fools Liars in pretending Comfort which they had not or Fools in being deceived by their own vain Imagination and in taking such pains in subduing the Flesh hazarding their Interests and performing their Duty upon the hopes of another World 3. Scripture if we will take God's Word for it is express Rom. 8. 13. Rom. 6. 21 22. and Gal. 6. 8. The present World is comprised in two Ranks either Sowing with the Flesh that is such who employ their labour to make Provision to gratify the Carnal Appetite or Sowing to the Spirit such as employ their Time and Study in advancing the work of the Spirit and they issue themselves into two States in the other World the State of Everlasting Perdition or Everlasting Life Thus do the Scriptures propound Good and
nearer we draw to the one the more we avoid the other so that we have a double reason not to go back and much to engage us to go forward Application Use of Exhortation 1. Suffer us to discharge our Duty in this kind Heb. 13. 22. I beseech you Brethren suffer the Word of Exhortation It is but a small request we have to you that you will but suffer us to take pains to save your Souls it is irksome to carnal Men to have their sluggishness stirred up But what is there that should make it grievous and distastful Many can endure us when we treat of the Joys of Heaven but when we come to flash Hell Terrors in the Face of obstinate Sinners and tell them of Damnation and Wrath to come they think us harsh and severe and say as Ahab of Micaiah He prophesieth nothing but evil to me I but we must set both before you both Life and Death and it is better to hear of Hell than to feel it That is a cowardly Confidence that cannot endure the mention of our Danger There are others that like the offer of Heaven but would sever those things that are so aptly joined Life and Good Death and Evil that cannot indure this Doctrine in this Sense they say with those carnal Hearers Evermore give us the Bread of Life Joh. 6. 35. But they mistake the Terms upon which it may be had Oh! but we are not in the place of God and cannot make the way to Heaven easier than it is but we propound God's Covenant as we find it Life and Good the Conditions as well as the Offer Would you have us compound with you and deceive your Souls with a false hope which will leave you ashamed when you most need the comfort of it Men would live with the Carnal die with the Sincere therefore suffer us to be earnest with you 2. The next thing that we exhort you to is to believe the certainty consider the weight and importance of these Truths that there is a difference beetween Good and Evil that the fruit of the one is Death of the other Life and consider how irrational it is for a Man to love Death and refuse Life No Man in his right Wits can make a doubt which to choose In vain is the Snare laid in the sight of any Bird. Prov. 1. 17. You cannot drive a dull Ass into the Fire that is kindled before his Eyes It is true you hate Death and yet it is proper to say you choose it Prov. 8. 36. All they that hate me love Death Why refusing the Good do you so eagerly pursue the Evil How can ye hate the Wages and yet love the Work by which the Wages is to be earned and in requital of which it will be certainly paid If you detest Hell why not Sin if you love Heaven why do not you do good There is an inseparable Connection between these Who can pitty the Torment of that Man that thrusts his Hand into the Fire What should be the cause of this but Incredulity and Inconsideration 1. Unbelief and Atheism they do not think God will recompence Men according to their Works Now till Men believe it tell them of Hell or Heaven never so much it will not work upon them Who would lose that which is certain and present for the hope or fear of that which is to come and doubtful when they suspect or believe it not fully No wonder they go on still in the Paths that lead down to the Chambers of Death and are prejudiced against the Ways of Life But why are Men such Infidels as to future things 1. You cannot disprove what is declared in Scripture or by any sound Argument evince that there is no Heaven or Hell for all you say or know there are both really existing and if there were no more but that it were good to take the surer side especially when you part with nothing but a few base Pleasures and carnal Satisfactions Reason should make us very careful In a Lottery where there is but a possibility of gaining Men will venture a Shilling or a small matter for a Prize If there be either no Hell or Heaven you part with no more than the vain Pleasures of a fading perishing Life but if this Doctrine prove true you run the hazard of Eternal Torments and lose the Comfort of Eternal Joys therefore it is better to trust this Doctrine than try it it is Prudence to make provision for the worst 2. But doth not natural Reason and Conscience and the Presages of our Hearts shrewdly evidence that there is a World to come as before was proved an Heaven for the Good and an Hell for the wicked At present the Wicked flourish and the Good many times suffer what shall we conclude thence Mol. 2. 17. Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in him or where is the God of Iudgment 3. If Nature be not so clear Scripture is full and positive If we do indeed believe the Scripture as we profess to do certainly we cannot so grosly go against the whole Current and Drift of it That Scripture which you profess to be the Book of God and take for the Rule of your Lives and Expectations that Scripture which your Consciences dread as owning the Voice of God therein that Scripture which is confirmed by God's Providence and frequent Experiments that Scripture which hath such a rational Evidence in it self 't is that assureth us of a World to come and bringeth it to light in the Word The very thoughts of such an Hell and Heaven as was invented by the ancient Heathens was enough to make them vertuous though as to the Manner and Circumstances of it the more understanding knew it to be a very Fable and Supposition yet the Thing it self being bottom'd and founded upon those natural apprehensions of the Immortality of the Soul and the Attributes of the Deity had powerful Effects upon them Now shall we talk of Christianity pretend a Reverence to the Scriptures and shall we tremble no more at the Certainty of an Hell than Gentiles at the possibility of it Shall their Suspicion work more than our Faith If they were so pliable to Poets discipline how should we be moulded and framed by the Doctrine of Christ what awe and holy trembling should it breed in our Hearts 2. Inconsideration We are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the present Life that we are not at leisure to think of Death and Life Hell and Heaven or upon what Terms we stand with God Jer. 8. 6. Eccles. 11. 9. Remember that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment The young Man in the heat of his Lusts forgetteth that a time of reckoning will come Oh think of your ways and whither you are a going It is foolish to busy our selves about many things and neglect the main Luk. 10. 41 42. You
Jesus Christ required and so much spoken of in Scripture I will content my self but with two Reasons at this time 1. Faith in Christ is most fitted for the acceptance of God's free Gift Faith and Grace do always go together and are put as opposite to Law and Works Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith that it may be of Grace Eph. 2. 8. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works left any Man should boast Faith establishes and keeps up the Interest and Honour of Grace for it is the free Grace and Favour of God to condescend to the Rebel World so far as he hath done in the new Covenant We present our selves before him as those that stand wholly to his Mercy have nothing to plead for our selves but the Righteousness and Merit of our Redeemer by virtue of which we humbly beg Pardon and Life to be begun in us by his Spirit and perfected in Glory 2. Why Faith in Christ Because the way of our Recovery is so strange and wonderful It can only be received by Faith Sense cannot convey it to us Reason will not and nothing is reserved for the entertainment of this glorious Mystery Pardon and Salvation by our Redeemer but Faith alone If I should deduce this Argument at large I would shew you nothing but Faith or the Belief of God's Testimony concerning his Son can support us in these Transactions with God The Comfort of the Promise is so rich and glorious Sense and Reason cannot inform us of it Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. the things God hath prepared for them that love him It is not meant only of Heaven but of the whole Preparations and rich Provisions God hath made for us in the Gospel It is not a thing can come to us by Eye or Ear or the conceiving of Man's heart we only believe and entertain it by Faith And then the Persons upon whom it is bestowed are so unworthy that certainly it cannot enter into the Heart of Man that God will be so good and do so much good to such Adam when he had sinned grew shy of God and ran away from him Besides the way God hath taken for our deliverance is so supernatural God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life That God should become Man that he should submit to such an accursed Death for our Sakes is so high and glorious it can only be entertain'd by Faith Besides our chief Blessedness lies in another World He that lacketh Faith is blind and cannot see afar off Here in this lower World where our God is unseen and our great Hopes are to come where the Flesh is so importunate to be pleased where our Temptations and Trials are so many and Difficulties so great we are apt to question all and we can never keep waiting upon God were it not for Faith and a steady Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. For these Reasons if you look into the Scriptures it is why Faith is so much insisted upon that we may keep up the honour of God's Grace and because this Grace of the Redeemer is so mysterious and wonderful 4. The Use of these two Graces discover their Nature What is Faith and Repeatance Repentance towards God is a Turning from Sin to God The Terminus à quo of Repentance is our begun Recovery from Sin and therefore called Repentance from dead Works Heb. 6. 1. The Terminus ad quem to which we return is God and our being devoted to God in Obedience and Love God never hath our Hearts till he hath our Love and Delight till we return to a Love of his blessed Majesty and delight in his Ways This is called in Scripture sometimes a turning to God in many other places a seeking after God a giving up our selves to God 2 Cor. 8. 5. They gave up themselves to the Lord. This is the Repentance by which we enter into the Gospel-State Now what is Faith Besides an Assent to the Gospel which is at the bottom of it It is a serious thankful broken-hearted Acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ that he may be to every one of us what God hath appointed him to be and do forevery one of us what God hath appointed him to do for poor Sinners It is serious and broken-hearted done by a Creature in misery and thankful for such a wonderful Benefit a trusting to this Redeemer that he may do the Work of a Redeemer in our Hearts to save us from the evil of and after Sin And thus I have briefly opened this necessary Doctrine as clearly laid down in the Scripture And this is your Entrance in the Evangelick State II. For our Continuance therein For we must not only mind our Entrance but our Continuance Our Lord Jesus tells us of a Gate and a Way the Gate signifies the Entrance and the Way our Continuance And we read of making and keeping Covenant with God we read of Union with Christ that is our first Entrance for this Faith is the closing Act and exprest sometimes by a being married to Christ. But there is not only an Union with Christ but an Abiding in him Abide in me and I will abide in you Now as for our Continuance I would shew you that the first Works are gone over and over again Faith and Repentance are still necessary For the Righteousness of God is revealed frm Faith to Faith And Repentance is still necessary But I shall only press two things First New Obedience Secondly Daily Prayer 1. New Obedience is required 1 Ioh. 1. 7. If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin Holy Walking is necessary to the continuance of our being cleansed from Sin and therefore Mercy is promised to the forsaking of our Sins Prov. 18. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his Sins shall find Mercy Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Our Hearts were not sound with God in the first Covenanting if we undo what was done If we build again the things we have destroyed then we are found Transgressours Gal. 1. 18. Well then a Man that seeks after Pardon seeks after it with the ruine and destruction of Sin Sin was the greatest Burden that lay upon his Conscience the Greivance from whence he sought ease the Wound pain'd him at Heart the Disease his Soul was sick of And was all this Anguish real and shall a Man come to delight in his Sores again and take up the Burden he groaned under and tear open
dealt with as the Lord pleases Prescribing to God always comes from Ascribing to our selves We think we have deserved more than he gives us we that are worthy of the heaviest Judgment surely should be thankful for the smallest Mercy Eccl. 7. 8. The patient in Spirit is better than the proud in Spirit Patience is rooted in Humility but Discontent in Pride 3. It comes from weanedness from the World They that do not seek great things for themselves will stand to God's allowance It may be God may bestow great things upon them as he did upon Abraham and David but they do not seek them especially in times when it is a Mercy they have Life and Liberty That is forbidden Ier. 44. 5. In short Grace doth all both as to Poverty and Riches and makes Rich and Poor stand on the same Level Now this is a high point in Religion to grow dead to the World to behaâ—â— our selves in a manner as unconcerned in Poverty or Riches for the World is the great impediment to the Heavenly Life as being the bait of the Flesh the snare of Satan by which he detaineth Souls from God If once we grow indifferent to these things we would not feel any great power in Temptations to Pleasure Wealth and Honour and would soon be thorow Christians the Spiritual Life would be more easy and even easy for where Men seek no great things for themselves in the World and a little matter contenteth their Desires and checketh their Murmurings the resistance of the carnal Nature to the Empire of Grace is without much difficulty overcome they can enjoy plenty or want renounce their aspiring thoughts meddle sparingly with fleshly Delights they are seeking a better Estate More evenly there is no notable blemish on them who are Crucified to the World they do not stain their Profession wound their Consciences their choices are govern'd by Religion not by Carnal Interest They are kept unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. 2. The Fruits it produces I shall name but two of many 1. They are not distracted with great worldly Business they esteem that to be the best way that brings them nearest to their great End which is not to enjoy Happiness in this Life but in the World to come Those whose Hearts are all for the present they must have the World to the full or they are not contented they never think of laying up Treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 19 20. that is not their End and Scope but to live commodiously here that they and their Posterity may flourish in the World Psal. 17. 14. They which have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasures they are full of Children and leave the rest of their Substance to their Babes But a good Man that eyes another Happiness is not much troubled how it is with him here so he and his may be accepted with God hereafter Therefore their Business is not to lay up Treasure to themselves on Earth but to be rich towards God Luke 12. 21. 2. They that can be contented with a little are most likely to be true to God and Conscience They can better suffer Hunger Thirst Nakedness and other troubles for the Gospel Acts 20. 24. None of these things move me that is made no great opposition and perturbation in his Mind It is no strange thing to them when Trials come They can part with all things under the Sun rather than quit their Duty to Christ for Temptations have lost their force when worldly Desires and Lusts are mortified They withered in Persecution that received the good Seed for a time Mar. 4. 17. When Religion carries one way and the World another then farewel Religion for the Worlds sake When Christ had spoken so much of the Cross then Iudas turneth Apostate When Demas saw the World went on otherways he forsook Paul 2 Tim. 4. 10. When Christ told the young Man of parting with all he went away sad Mar. 10. 22. If Heaven cost so dear it is no Penny-worth for him So Men will come into no danger or trouble for Christ because they are not contented with a little Use. 1. If the Godly ought to be content with Food and Raiment it shews the vanity of Mens vast desires they have much above Food and Raiment yet they are not satisfied A true Christian is contented with Necessaries but Worldy Men inlarge their desires as Hell Hab. 2. 5. They are so far from acquieseing in their Portion assigned to them by God though it be competent and enough to satisfie their wants yea and far beyond so that many are glad of their leavings yet they are always hunting after more like Death and the Grave which are never satisfied They are restless still adding if they be Princes Kingdom to Kingdom if they be Church-men Preferment upon Preferment and if ordinary Men Estate upon Estate House to House Field to Field These desires are pettishly solicited eagerly followed and many times finally disappointed 2. It checks our impatiency under disappointment If we have not our will in worldly things we are troubled our desires are too ardent We must needs have them cannot be without them trouble our selves about them and so murmur and repine against God and this breedeth fearful Tempests in the Soul As Ionah bitterly contended with God about his Gourd Jonah 4. and Rachel Give me Children or else I die Gen. 30. 1. If we cannot have what we would all is nothing Ahab is sick for one poor Vineyard Haman counteth his Honour nothing as long as Mordecai sits at the King's Gate As in a Carriage if one Pin be wanting all is at a stop 3. It shews the evil of our distrust notwithstanding we have God's Fatherly Providence and Promises to rely upon and so large a Covenant-Interest 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. All things are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's All things are yours Ordinances Providences this World the next Life Death Would you have more All are instrumental for our good if we resolve to be faithful to Christ. SERMON XIV ECCL 9. 11. I returned and saw under the Sun that the Race is not to the Swift nor the Battel to the Strong neither yet Bread to the Wise nor yet Riches to Men of Understanding nor yet Favour to Men of Skill but Time and Chance happeneth to them all THe whole Book is a search after true Happiness The particular Paragraph whereof the Text is a Branch proveth that it cannot be obtained in this World because of the various Events of God's powerful and unsearchable Providence The Discourse beginneth Chap. 8. 16 17. When I applied my Heart to know Wisdom and to see the business which is done upon the Earth then I beheld all the works of God that a Man cannot find out the work which is done under the Sun because though a Man labour to seek it out yet he shall not find it yea further though
is an Act of Reason as we are reasonable Creatures The natural Inclination of all Creatures is to preserve themselves but the Deliberate Will chuseth what the Understanding judgeth to be good all Circumstances considered The Inclination of Nature flees Death and Torments but Reason submitteth to it As for Instance A bitter Potion is against the Inclination of Nature for as we are living Creatures we would be put to no pain but the reasonable Creature by an elective Will takes that bitter Potion for Health Cutting off a gangreen'd Member is against the first Inclination of Man as a living Creature we submit to it as a reasonable Creature lest it corrupt the whole Body So in the Martyrs the Flesh could not but be against Sufferings being contrary to their well-being as living Creatures but the Spirit that is their Reason guided by Grace submitted to the greatest Torments for the Glory of God Thus the Lord Christ saith Let this Cup pass There was the inclination of an Innocent Nature declining so dreadful an Evil but yet it was his Meat and Drink to do his Fathers Will therefore not my Will but thine be done Others to the same purpose There were two things willed by Christ one was Bonum Naturae the good of Nature the other was the Glory of God with our Salvation And the first was desir'd but subordinately to the second So that the Lord Christ is a notable Pattern that our Appetites and Desires are not to be according to the Interests of the Flesh but for the Glory and Honour of God and the good of others The next Pattern we have is David a Man after God's own Heart in 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him What a meek submission was here to God's Pleasure resigning up his Person Crown and Estate to the wise and gracious disposal of God to receive a Benefit or Punishment as the Lord should determine David sets his Name to a Blanck and bids God write what he pleaseth It is hard for us to consent to known Articles but David wholly referreth himself unto God Let him do what seemeth good unto him So Abraham the Father of the Faithful how contentedly doth he speak and he thought no other but that Isaac the Son of the Promise should be sacrificed Gen. 22. 8. When his Son asked him Where 's the Burnt-Offering for Sacrifice and he answered My Son the Lord will provide an Offering and so they went on their way together When God declareth his Will not only contrary to our natural Affection but our gracious hopes when he taketh away Instruments upon whose Life his Glory seems to depend we have the same Answer God will provide The next shall be of Eli 1 Sam 1. 18. It is the Lord let him do whatsoever he pleaseth When the Sentence was past he humbly submitteth He doth not murmuringly say must I bear the punishment of my Sons Iniquity their Will is not in my power if they be wicked let them answer for it No It is the Lord and his Will must stand It is the Lord who is too just to do us wrong too good to do us hurt The next shall be the great Doctor of the Gentiles St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. And for this I besought the Lord thrice He knocked thrice at the Throne of Grace as Christ praied thrice and Elijah praied thrice for Rain Well but the Lord made him no answer But my Grace is sufficient for thee The Thorn in the Flesh some painful Disease or Affliction must continue And what saith Paul Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my Infirmities that the Power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in Infirmities in Reproaches in Necessities in Persecutions for Christ's sake He doth entertain it with some kind of chearfulness and Thanksgiving if he may have Experience that the Grace and Power of Christ may rest upon him it is enough that God's Will is fulfilled though it be with our pain and loss Now let us Consider I. Wherein this submission consists II. Upon what Grounds we ought to submit I. Wherein this submission consists Negatively It is not to be insensible Godliness doth not teach Men Stoicism to harden themselves under the Rod of God The Lord complains of that Jer. 5. 3. I have stricken them but they have not grieved c. We must lay his Hand to Heart as well as his Word We are not to be like the Corner-Stone which bears the whole weight of the Building and feels nothing There are two extreams slighting the Hand of God or fainting under it Heb. 12. 5. and slighting is worse than the other There is no Patience where there is no sense and feeling Certainly there can be no improvement where there is not a feeling the Rod of God the strokes of his correcting Hand upon us But Affirmatively There is in it 1. A work of the Iudgment which subscribes to the Justice and Goodness of the Dispensation that it is just Dan. 9. 7. O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of Face It is a smart and dreadful Correction but the Lord is Righteous And to the Goodness of it Isa. 39. 8. Good is the Word of the Lord. Though it was a terrible Word yet the submission of a sanctified Judgment calls it good 2. The act of the Will is accepting of it Lev. 26. 41. If they shall accept of the punishment of their Sin There 's a consent and choice of the Will such a perfect correspondence between the Temper of a Gracious Heart and the Will of God they take it well and kindly from God that it is no worse as a Patient takes bitter Pills for his Good There are some kind of Reluctancies of Nature but their over-powering Judgment and Will doth approve and accept Afflictions are to be taken as a Potion not as a Drench not forced upon us whether we will or no we must accept of them take them down our selves it is a bitter Cup but it is of our Heavenly Physicians tempering Seneca a Heathen could say Deo non pareo sed assentio ex Animo I do not meerly submit to Divine Providence but consent to it A strange thing that a Heathen should say so It is good and so we accept it not barely out of Necessity and by a Patience per force but there is a willing submission to what the Lord ordereth concerning us 3. There 's a Command reached out over the Affections of Anger and Sorrow 1. Anger that we may not fret against the Lord Psal. 37. 1. Fret not thy self against evil doers Many times when words are kept in there 's a secret rising and swelling of Heart against God's Providence As an Oven stopped up is the hotter within So though it may be words do not break out yet the Heart boils riseth and dislikes God's dealing Psal. 62. 1. My Soul keep silence
to God Not only my Tongue but my Soul Thoughts are as audible with God as Words therefore there 's a Command upon our Anger and Indignation that it may not swell and rise up against God's Providence 2. Upon our Sorrow that it may not run into Excess causing disorder We are allowed to grieve but with temper and moderation To be horny flinty dead and sensless what-ever breaches are made upon us doth not suit with the temper of a Christian. Christ hath legitimated our Fears and Sorrows for in the days of his Flesh he had his Tears Sorrows and Groans therefore 1 Cor. 7. 31. mourn we should but as we mourned not If the Affection be stubborn and boisterous it must be cited before the Tribunal of Reason We must give an Account of it Why art thou cast down O my Soul hope thou in God Psal. 42. 5. The upper part of the Soul checks the Excesses of the lower part when it's Commands are slighted 4. The Tongue is bridled lest discontent plash over As Aaron held his Peace Lev. 10. 3. It was a sad stroak but it was the Lord. He kept his Tongue from murmuring against God If there be a Fire kindled in our Bosoms we should not let the Sparks fly abroad Murmuring is a taxing of God as if he dealt hardly and unjustly with us and if it vents it self it is more to his dishonour Job 40. 4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my Hand upon my Mouth Once I have spoken but I will not answer 〈◊〉 twice but I will proceed no further Iob was resolute enough before to fill his Mouth with Arguments if once he could meet with God he would reason the case with him but presently is damped at God's appearance and when his Passions were a little calmed he renounceth his former bold resolutions and would no longer give vent to his Distemper and is resolved to be silent before God and to give over his plea and bury all his discontented thoughts in his own Bosom As if he had said Once in my Foolish Passion I was complaining of thee and desirous to dispute with thee It is time to give over that debate and humbly to submit II. What are the Grounds of this Submission For Patience is wise and considerate and proceeds upon solid Reasons as Impatience is rash and unreasonable 1. They see God in his Providence Psal. 39. 8. I was dumb and opened not my Mouth because thou didst it That 's the first Principle of submission surely God hath a hand in it Isa. 38. 15. What shall I say he hath spoken to me himself hath done it That Passage though it be in a Song of Thanksgiving doth not relate to the Deliverance but the Affliction the Disease and Sentence of Death which he had received There is Atheism and Anti-Providence in our Murmurings If we did see God at the end of Causes we could no more murmur against his Providence than we can against his Creation You would laugh at that Man that should murmur and complain because God made him a Man and not an Angel It is as ridiculous to oppose your selves against the Will of God in other Dispensations And the more immediately the Affliction comes from God the greater our submission should be as in Sickness and Death of Friends and Relations It is the Lord. But if subordinate Instruments be used in bringing on the Affliction every Wheel works according to the motion of the first Mover All the Links are fastned to God's hands therefore if we look no higher than the Creature we murmur and break our Teeth in biting at the next Link David was so far from opposing God that he bears the contumely of the Instrument 2 Sam. 16. 11. Let him alone for the Lord hath bid him curse That was a time of Humiliation not Revenge If God will admonish us of our Duty by the injuries of Men and cure our Impostume with the Razor of their sharp Tongue we must be content To resist lower Officers of the State is to contemn the Authority with which they are armed They could not wag their Tongues without God 2. That God hath an absolute Sovereignty to do what he will Rom. 9. 20 21. Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay We are in his Hands as the Clay in the hand of the Potter His Supreme Right and Dominion over the Creatures to dispose of them according to his Pleasure should be often thought of by us Job 9. 12. Behold he taketh away who can hinder who shall say unto him what dost thou He hath an absolute Dominion and is not accountable to any A Man may do with his own as he pleaseth Why should we not allow him the common Priviledg of all Proprietors A Man may cut out his own Cloth as he pleases If God deprive us of any enjoyment there is no resisting him by force seeing God is Omnipotent nor ought there to be any question to be made of the Justice of the Fact seeing he hath absolute Dominion and is not accountable to any All Creatures are in his Hand to dispose of them as he pleaseth and sometimes he sees fit to take them away in a violent manner so as may most affect the Parties interessed and shew us his Sovereignty He will do it in his own way by arming the Thoughts and Humours of our own Bodies against us Here our Subjection to God must begin till he be pleased to give some farther account of his dealing with us Job 33. 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his Matters Before what Tribunal will you call the Lord Where will you cite him to answer for the wrong done to you This Sovereignty of God doth exceedingly calm the Heart God hath right alone to govern the World He did govern it before we were born and will do it when we are gone He deposeth Kings and disposeth Kingdoms and all Affairs as he will Men must not prescribe Rules to God nor limit his uncontroulable Authority Our work is not to dispute and quarrel but to obey and submit in all things 3. This Sovereignty of God is modified and mitigated in the dispensation of it with several Attributes As 1. With Infinite Iustice. Deut. 27. 26. When every Curse was pronounced they were to say Amen let it come to pass for 't is just All that we suffer is deserved Nay less than our Iniquities deserve Ezra 9. 18. As the restored Israelites acknowledg when they were in Babylon they might have been in Hell Job 34. 10. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness or the Almighty that he should commit Iniquity All such thoughts are to be rejected with abhorrence and indignation We have strange conceptions and thoughts of God when under a Temptation ver 23. He will not lay upon Man more than
Life Evil and Death Secondly The Manner how this is to be done it must be set forth with all Evidence and Conviction as to the Reason of Men with all Earnestness and Affectionate Importunity to awaken their Affections In short 1. So as will become the belief of these things We must not speak of them as a thing spoken in jest and by rote but as firmly perswaded of the truth of things as if Heaven and Hell were before our Eyes and as evident to Sense Heb. 11. 1. We look upon these things naturally as at a distance and so have but a cold apprehension of them but we should by Faith see them as near at hand As you would pull a Man out of the Fire Iude 23. or as falling into a deep Pit or bottomless Gulph as one in the greatest earnest Belief puts a Life into Truths which otherwise are but dead and weak in their Operation I believed and therefore did I speak as if we had a deep sense of these things upon our own Hearts 2. As will become Experience 2 Cor. 5. 10. Knowing the Terrors of the Lord we perswade Men. A Man that knoweth the Terrors of the Lord that hath been scorched himself will set them before Men as if they were at hand ready to surprize them Others that talk of these things but as cold Opinions they will not be so careful to rouse up Men to mind the case of their Souls If one went unto them from the Dead then will they repent Luk. 16. 30. 3. So as will become Zeal for the Glory of God which is much promoted by the Subjection and Obedience of his Creatures and his Interest in them therefore we should be diligent and industrious in drawing Souls to Christ. Col. 1. 27 28. Christ in you the hope of Glory whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 11. 13. They have blind unbelieving Hearts therefore need to be taught cold careless Affections and need to be warned and this with the greatest Wisdom that can be used that all may be presented to Christ at the last day This is that which sets all a going When we are wooing for Christ we should not do it coldly and triflingly but as those that would prevail for their Master that he may be glorified in their being gained to him 4. So as will become compassioners of precious and immortal Souls for whom Christ died Souls that must live for ever in Heaven or Hell Oh mind them of their Duty warn them of their Danger they are ready to tumble into the Flames of Hell every moment therefore with all earnestness set Life and Death before them We should use the more compassion to Souls because God himself who hath employed us hath expressed so much of his Compassion he doth not only tell them they will die but expostulateth with them Why will you die O House of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. And Ezek. 28. 25. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die and not return from his ways and live The greatest quarrel Christ hath with Sinners is because they will not come to him for Life John 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life Two Reasons make this more evident 1. This is God's Will 2. This is of great Profit to the Souls of Men. First This is God's Will that his Law should be propounded with the Sanction of it that is with Penalties and Rewards God might rule us with a Rod of Iron require Duty out of meer Sovereignty but he will draw us with the Cords of a Man Hos. 11. 4. with such Arguments as are fitted to Mans Temper as he is a reasonable Creature that is by Promises and Threatnings We are best moved and induced to any thing by those two Affections of Fear and Hope the one Affection serveth for Aversation and Flight the other for Choice and Pursuit Therefore he that knoweth the Wards of the Lock accordingly suiteth the Keys and doth not only require an exact Duty but also promiseth Good and threatneth Evil. Sovereigns in their publick Edicts do not argue with their Subjects but only interpose their Authority but God condescendeth to reason with his Creatures He doth not say as sometimes Thus shall ye do I am the Lord but if you do thus this will be your ruine and obey these Statutes for your Good Deut. 6. 24. and so doth perswade as well as command Secondly It is of great Profit to the Souls of Men. 1. It is of Profit that they should often be minded of the Issues of things Israel's want of Wisdom cometh from this Deut. 32. 29. O that they were Wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end that is how Obedience and Disobedience will succeed with them Lam. 1. 9. David's trouble at the prosperity of the Wicked arose from want of this Psal. 73. 17. Then I understood their End Rom. 6. 21. The end of these things is Death Fugientes respice what will they leave in their farewel and departure Jer. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a Fool. The first addresses of Sin smile upon us but the Sting is in the Tail So the beginning of Godliness is Bitter but afterward it yieldeth everlasting Peace and Comfort 2. That they may reflect on both combined either of them single is of great force but both joyned together comes in upon the Heart with greater Power We need a Bridle and a Spur a Bridle because of our proneness to Evil and a Spur because of our Backwardness to Good We have both we are compassed and hedged in with our Duty on every side If we look back there is Death to affright us if forward Heaven to allure us there is Eternal Life to draw us there is Eternal Death to drive us If God had only terrified us from Sin by unexpressible Pains and Horrors and made no promise of unspeakable Joys this were enough to engage us to live without Blame and Blemish that we might not be cast into the Prison of Hell or if only to quicken our Diligence he had propounded Hopes and Happiness as the Priviledg of those that live Vertuously and Holily and evil Men did utterly perish when they die this were enough to draw us If God had only promised Heaven and no Hell there would not be so strong a Motive but can we be cold and dead when both Life and Death are laid before us and both for ever this is very unreasonable Solomon telleth us Prov. 15. 24. That the way of Life is above to the Wise to avoid Hell beneath Every step they tread is a going from Eternal Death and an approach to Eternal Life Therefore as we would escape the Torments of Hell and possess the Joys of Heaven we should be serious We are undone for ever if we be not blessed for ever and the
me again and shew me both it and his Habitation But if he say thus I have no delight in thee let him do with me as seemeth good unto him Such an holy Indifferency should there be upon our Spirits that we should be like a Die in the Hand of Providence to be cast high or low according as it falls When we are over-earnest for temporal Blessings we do but make a Scourge a Snare and a Rod many times to our selves For when God's Will is declared to the contrary this fills us with bitter Sorrow and obstinate Desires pettishly sollicited put us upon great Vexation and Disappointment and that layeth us open to Atheism and Distrust of God the Conduct of his Providence and the Promises of the Invisible World Therefore until God hath declared his Pleasure there must be such Moderation as to be prepared for all Events 4. When the Event depends upon a Duty we must do the Duty and refer the Event to God 1 Cor. 9. 16. Necessity is laid upon me yea wo is me if I preach not the Gospel It is a base Principle to say we must be sure of Success before we will engage for God No when there is an apparent Duty we must do our Duty and trust God with the Event 5. In a dubious Case observe the Ducture and Leading of Providence The Israelites were not to remove but as they saw the Pillar of Cloud before them And so in all things the Happiness of which depends upon God's secret Will see what God's Providence will lead you to Acts 16. 10. We endeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel unto them Sometimes we are left to gather and collect from our own Reason what such or such a thing means Now after earnest Prayer when the fair Course and Tendency of outward Circumstances lead us we may look upon it as the Way of God's Providence for our Good It is said Ezra 8. 21. I proclaimed a Fast that we might afflict our selves before our God to seek of him a right Way for us and for our little Ones and for all our Substance How did they know the Lord was intreated for them Why after Prayer they found such an over-ruling Instinct such a fair Invitation of Providence that from thence they apparently gathered this is the right Way the Lord would have us walk in This is the Direction to be given to Christians when the Event is uncertain But when the Event is declared in God's Providence then we have nothing to do but plainly to submit and that very quietly and contentedly with Hope and Encouragement in the Lord. And that is the main Point Doct. That it is the Duty of all God's Children to be willing to submit themselves to the Dispensation of God's Providence in whatever befalls them or theirs In this Point there is 1. Something implied That all things come within the Guidance of God's Providence There is Nothing so high but God doth it Dan. 4. 35. He doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his Hand and say unto him What doest thou The Sun doth not shine by Chance nor the Rain fall by Chance There is nothing so Mean but it is under God's Providence Mat. 10. 29 30. Not a Sparrow lights to the Ground without your Heavenly Father A mighty Support unto Christians in their Affliction There is nothing so bad but the Lord can turn it to good Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought it for Evil but God meant it for Good There is nothing which happeneth from wicked Men to his Children but the Lord hath a hand in it Iob 1. 23. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken c. It is Chrysostom's Gloss upon that Place He doth not say the Thief the Sabean the Chaldean hath taken no but the Lord hath taken the same God that gave it If it come from Satan God hath a hand in it for many of Iob's Troubles and Afflictions especially upon his Body came immediately from Satan and yet he saith Iob 6. 4. The Arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in me They were the Arrows of the Almighty though shot out of Satan's Bow This certainly is implied that God hath a Will Hand and Providence in all those things which are most contrary to us The Will of the Lord is to be seen II. That which is exprest is That we ought to submit to the Providence of God I shall prove it 1. By the Example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mat. 20. 39. Father not as I will but as thou wilt He had more to lose than any of us have or possibly can have the Comfort and Influence of the Presence of God in a personal Union and more to suffer yet he submits and professeth a full Subjection to his Father's Will His Cup was a bitter Cup which made him sweat Drops of curdled Blood yet he was willing to drink it even the Dregs since it was his Father's Will But let me fully vindicate the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obj. You will say Christ desires it to pass Mat. 26. 39. Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me How could Christ make an Offer of Prayers repugnant to God's Will and Purpose He knew it was the Will of his Father that he should suffer many things and be slain and had rebuked Peter resisting the Souldiers The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Joh. 18. 11. Many Answers may be given for the clearing of this Matter 1. We must know contrary to the Monothelites That there was a double Will in Christ as there was a double Nature Divine and Humane These are not contrary but yet distinct The Divine Nature would because it was necessary to our Redemption The Human Nature was to shew a reasonable Aversation of what was destructive to it and yet the Human Nature did not contradict the Will of God because he did it not absolutely but only conditionally Father if it be possible 2. There is a deliberate Elective Will and a Natural Velleity Now mark the Human Nature did except against his Suffering not with a deliberate elective Will but only by a natural Velleity There is a resolute Will which overcometh all Impediments and there is an innocent Desire shewing it self in a simple Complacency in that which is good or a Displicency to that which is evil but goes no farther Apply this to the Business in hand When Christ would have the Cup pass it is not meant of his resolute and effective Will but only of his Will expressing a simple Displicency of the Human Nature to what is destructive to it Aquinas gives us another Distinction There is a Will natural and indeliberate and a Will deliberate and elective The one sheweth the sudden Inclination of Nature to what is good for us as we are living Creatures the other