Good As to our selves we must subordinate all things to our true Happiness and be more careful for the Soul than for the Body All this Righteousness or the Evidence of natural Light calleth for at our Hands that we love our Creator and live to him and depend upon him for if he be God he is our first Cause highest Lord chiefest Good and last End That Love to others is shewed in doing to them as we would should be done to us We would have others helpful to us so must we to our Power be helpful to them he that will be for none but himself cannot justly expect that any should be for him And for our selves Man consists of a Body and of a Soul now all our Senses and bodily Powers and the Appetites must be subordinated to the Good of the Soul for the Soul is the chiefest Part. Well then if we live in the Neglect of God and be only Self-Lovers and Self-Pleasers and wrong our selves by gratifying our Flesh do we do well If we prefer every paltry Vanity before the Favour of God slander and wrong our Neighbour please Appetite before Reason and let the Beast ride the Man surely we obey Unrighteousness we do not do well 2. We must obey the Truth that is act agreeably to the revealed Will of God in Scripture that is to do well It is the Scripture which helpeth us to distinguish Good from Evil and will be a sure Direction in well-doing Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Prov. 6.23 For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them We are not to be ruled by our own Thoughts but by God's Word which amply sets forth our Duty to us The Light of Nature is very dim and it would be a matter of great Difficulty to find out our Duty if we had no supernatural Light to help us Therefore God hath given his Word and that not only to instruct us in moral Duties most of which are evident by the Light of Nature but also in supernatural Verities which tend to our Relief and Deliverance by Christ. Well then well-doing is not one Work only but all our intire Obedience which is necessary to â—alvation that we may not only love God do Good to others govern our Appetites and Desires but believe in Christ and live according to his holy Institutes and perform all the Duties which belong to his new remedying Law This is Well-doing 2. There must be Continuance in Well-doing As we must indeavour universally to do all that God hath commanded us so we must continue this Care unto the End Luke 1.75 In Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life In a Journey it is not enough to go a Mile or two but we must continue till we come to our Journey 's End so must we never give over whilst we are in this World There may be Interruptions Diversions and Straglings but a Christian gets into the way again Sometimes we slip and stumble and sometimes step aside but we must not go back again Some are good for a Pang or Fit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always I might heap up many Considerations here but the thing is evident The Law bindeth continually and Grace planted in the Heart should influence all our Actions God's Eye is always upon us and every Hour and Moment we are a-new obliged to him for his Benefits how reasonable is it our Duty should last and the Use of Means be continued till we attain our End Therefore do not lose your Crown and the Benefit of all you have done already The Promise runneth to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 3. Here is patient Continuance That is necessary also The good Ground is described to be that which bringeth forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 The other Grounds brought forth Fruit but they did not bring forth Fruit with Patience the stony Ground was impatient of Contradiction and Afflictions The thorny Ground was impatient of the Delay of the Reward and therefore took up with present things Riches and Honours and voluptuous Living but they that have a deep Sense of the other World and can tarry God's Leisure enduring the Hardships of Obedience and look for their Happiness in the World to come that is the good Ground So Heb. 6.12 Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We shall meet with Opposition within and without till we can deny our selves our Hearts are not sound with God We need the working Patience because of the Labour and Pains which belongeth to well-doing and the waiting Patience because our Reward is to come and the bearing Patience because of the Troubles and Dangers which we must indure if we would be faithful with God Loss of Estate Slanders of the Wicked and sometimes Danger of Life The working Patience should not be grievous to us because the Pains of Godliness will be recompensed with the Fruit of it the Peace and Comfort that followeth it and because there is more Labour in committing Sin than doing Good The waiting Patience should not be grievous because there must be a time for the Trial of our Faith They are Hypocrites which must have their Reward at present Matth. 6.2 Verily I say unto you they have their Reward The Believer he can wait for it he looketh for Glory and Honour too but not now The bearing Patience should not be irksom because Faithfulness in our Trials is most comfortable to us and most acceptable to God Comfortable to us we have not ordinarily so clear a Proof of the Reality of Grace as when we are under sore Trials 1 Pet. 1.7 That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold though it be tried with Fire may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Faith is then Faith indeed and Obedience Obedience indeed The greater the Work and the more Impediments we meet with self-denying Obedience doth most evidence it self to the Conscience Whilst we do any thing for God while we do it without Shame Opposition and Loss it is more hard to interpret our Sincerity It is more acceptable to God 't is tried Friendship and Obedience which is most valuable The Obedience of a Souldier is pleasing to a General in a time of Peace when he saith to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh but especially in the most desperate Hazards when he doth not dispute Commands when he is bidden to go upon the Cannons Mouth From the whole Mortification Self-denial Contempt of the World Patience under manifold Sufferings
Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof This is the greatest Ungodliness that can be they will not own his Authority in their Hearts nor suffer him to have any Dominion in their Conscience nor own him without in their Actions before Men. The Heart is his Chair of State and Chamber of Presence but Hypocrites and wicked Men rob God of his Dominion over the Conscience therefore Hypocrisy is practical Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the Blasphemy of them that say they are Iews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Men pretend to obey God yet blaspheme him in their Heart and refuse the Power of that to which they pretend And the Life must be conformed to God's Laws God will be honoured in our Conversation as well as have his Throne set up in the Conscience his Laws must be visibly obeyed in the Sight of Men. It is the Glory of a Commander to be obeyed Matth. 8.9 I am a Man under Authority having Souldiers under me and I say to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my Servant Do this and he doth it So God will have all the World know that he hath his Servants at a beck If he bids them deny and abstain the Flesh O they durst not meddle with it or if he bids them practise Holiness they must do it his Honour is much promoted by your Lives God will have all the World see that he hath called you to his Foot and that he hath an absolute Authority and Power over the Sons of Men they are a People formed for his Praise he looks for Glory in this kind Fourthly God will be honoured as the last and utmost End and so in all Acts natural moral and spiritual If we do not aim at God's Glory we are guilty of Ungodliness This is the proper Work of Godliness to refer all we do to the Glory of God and this is the Distinction between Godliness and Holiness Holiness minds the Law of God and implies only a Conformity to the Law Godliness minds the Glory of God and is the Aim of the Soul to exalt God 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness You see Godliness is distinguished from Holiness Godliness refers all we do to God's Glory But more particularly 1. In natural Acts we must have a supernatural Aim 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God If we are to take a Meal to sustain the Body and refresh Nature it is that we may be more serviceable to God And he that eats and drinks to himself to his own Pleasure to satisfy his own Appetite and hath no Respect to God he doth but offer a Meat-Offering and a Drink-Offering to an Idol And he that traffiques for himself meerly to get Wealth and doth not aim at Usefulness and Serviceableness to God he is a Priest consecrated to Mammon his eating is Idolatry Phil. 3.19 VVhose God is his Belly and his trading is Idolatry Matth. 6.24 Ye cannot serve God and Mammon 2. In your moral Actions Ephes. 6. where all moral Duties are reciprocally set down as Duties of Husbands and Wives Masters and Servants Parents and Children the Apostle presseth them to do all as in and to the Lord not merely that they may live together in Contentment and Peace but they must walk in their Relations so as God may have Honour A Christian by an excellent Art turns his second table-Table-Duties into first table-Table-Duties and makes his civil Commerce a kind of Religious Worship 3. So in all spiritual Acts The whole Ordination of the spiritual Life must be to God I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal. 2.19 All the Motions and Tendencies of the Soul are to advance God and glorify God In the very spiritual internal Actions and Reachings forth of the Soul after God why do I desire to have Grace and Pardon That God may be glorified that must be the last End Our Desires can never be regular in asking Grace till they suit with God's End in giving Grace Now what are God's Ends in giving Grace Eph. 1.6 To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved All that God aims at is to make Grace glorious and that Grace may carry away all the Praise So in your Desires of Pardon Heaven and Salvation you are to desire them that God may be glorified in your Salvation and in the Pardon of your Sins So in our external Actions Prayer Worship Preaching whatever we do In sacred things it is dangerous to look asquint and to serve our selves our own Lusts our Covetousness or Pride upon the Worship of God this is to put Dung in God's own Cup. It were a mighty Affront to a King to fill his Cup full of Excrements Nothing alienates the Heart from God so much as Self-respect God hath given us many things but he hath reserved the Glory of all to himself as Pharaoh said to Ioseph Gen. 41.40 Thou shalt be over my House and according unto thy VVord shall all my People be ruled only in the Throne will I be greater than thou This is the first Branch of Ungodliness the Negative Part when we deny God his due Honour II. For the Positive Part. Positive Ungodliness is more gross when we put an actual Contempt and Scorn upon God We are guilty of this when we slight his Providence and disobey his Laws 1 st When we slight his Providence Heb. 12.5 My Son despise not thou the Chastening of the Lord. Men harden themselves against Corrections and count light of them Men cannot indure to have their Anger despised When the three Children despised Nebuchadnezzar's Threatnings it is said Dan. 3.19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of Fury and the Form of his Visage was changed against Shadrach Meshech and Abednego therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the Furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heat It is a mighty Affront to God and a Contempt of him when we provoke him while we are under his afflicting Hand if in Despite of God we break out into Sin when he hedgeth up our way with Thorns 2 Chron. 28.22 And in the time of his Distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. This is that King Ahaz 2 dly When we are disobedient to his Laws Open Irreligion is a Despite to God when we cast off his Yoke This is Ungodliness in the Height when God is not only neglected but rejected Ier. 2.31 VVe are Lords we will come no more unto thee We would be absolute Masters of our own Wills This was the first Bait Gen 3.5 Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. This endeth in open Prophaneness which groweth upon Men by Degrees as Lactantius said of Lucian Nec
in Prayer or in any holy Exercise is to be frequent Rest breeds many Distempers which are prevented by Exercise The Right Arm is bigger and stronger than the Left and fuller of Spirits Why because it is most agitated and in exercise so the oftner you are with God the more full of Life Strength and spiritual Enlargement The Field of the Sluggard is overgrown with Thistles You grow barren raw sapless and lose the choiceness of your Spirits and the savouriness of your Thoughts when you are seldom with God The soul runs out of repair when you pray but now and then And therefore a Christian indeed cannot be long out of God's Company there is a strong bent in his Heart towards God Can a Man love God and be a stranger to him is it possible Briefly there are so many Necessities so many frequent Impulses and Excitations of Grace that it cannot be imaginable that a Man be a Christian and neglect Worship Certainly if we did not want a Heart we could never want an Occasion to come to God either for our selves Children Friends or Relations God hath left the more Wants upon the Creature that he may the oftner hear from him The Throne of Grace was erected for a time of need Heb. 4.16 Many Needs are left upon us that we may have continual recourse to God many Doubts to be resolved many Graces to be strengthened many Corruptions to be mortified A Christian in good earnest will be sensible of these things It is true it is not expresly set down in Scripture how often we should pray meditate read or perform other Duties In these Days of the Gospel God trusts Love which is a Grace that is wont to keep the Heart open and free We are left to our liberty more than those under the Law not that we may come short of them but that we may do more However there is no gap opened to Looseness because the Terms wherein Duty is enjoined are very large and comprehensive 1 Thess. 5.17 Pray without ceasing Ephes. 6.18 Praying always that is upon all occasions And we have high Patterns we are referred to the Angels that are never weary David had his seven times a day Psal. 119.164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous Iudgments And Daniel thrice chap. 6.10 He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore-time Certainly it must be done every day for Christ saith Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our daily Bread Every day we stand in need of the Blessings of Providence and it must be sought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day by day Every day we live as it were a new Life it is but the lesser Circle of Time and it should not pass without some Worship From the Morning and Evening-Sacrifice we may plead for Morning and Evening-Prayer Numb 28.4 The one Lamb shalt thou offer in the Morning and the other Lamb shalt thou offer at Even This is expounded Psal. 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my Hands as the Evening-Sacrifice there is the Exposition of the Sacrifice Certainly there is a standing occasion who dares venture on the Temptations of the Day without Prayer or the dangers of the Night In the Morning we are to beg Direction in the Evening Protection Can God's Children go to Bed without leaving their Hearts with him over Night or awake without God in the Morning It is an ill sign when Men wrangle and dispute away Duties rather than practise them Secondly There is Godliness in Conversation In all you do Godliness must bear sway Even in the Actions of the Civil Life they must be done from God to God and for God with a sense of his Eye a dependance upon his Strength and an aim at his Glory All such Actions as proceed from Self-love and tend only to Self-welfare they cannot be godly for Godliness comes from God and brings to God it hath another Alpha and Omega than Nature hath 1. In the course of our Conversation there must be a sense of God's Eye The World is a great Stage Men are the Actors God and Angels are the Spectators and Lookers on therefore all must be done in God's presence All Actions and Duties which lie between Man and Man must be done in and to the Lord You must love your Neighbour for God's sake The swaying reason of all your Actions must be the Love and Fear of God by this means you make your Commerce to be a kind of Worship and turn Duties of the second Table into Duties of the first Table Ephes. 5.19 Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God Remember he seeth thee it is done to him Submission is the usual effect of fear of Man When Men have power they cast off the Yoke This is the fairest Bond and Tie So to Servants Ephes. 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the Flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of Heart as to Christ. What would you do to God and Christ if they were present Use your self thus often to think of God for this is to walk with God to keep always in his Eye and Presence 2. Dependance upon his Strength It is notable when the Apostle had laid down reciprocal Duties of Relations between Children and Parents Husbands and Wives Masters and Servants he concludes all Ephes. 6.10 Finally Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might It is an Error to think that the Supplies of Grace are only necessary for Duties of Worship they are necessary also for Duties of your Civil Relation We are like a Glass without a bottom when it comes to stand of it self it is broken in pieces so we shall surely miscarry and walk unworthy of our Relation if God do not help us but we be left to our selves It is a good part of Godliness to look to God and wait upon him all the day for Counsel and Strength You give him the Honour of a God when you acknowledg him in all your Ways Prov. 3.6 In all thy Ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy Paths By a constant dependance you acknowledg him most and this preserves a constant Intercourse between us and God when we lift up the Heart that we may receive Grace and Strength to walk in all our Relations to his Glory 3. An Aim at God's Glory that must be the supream End of all our Actions be they of never so small a consequence 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Whatever we do Eating Drinking Trading all must be done that God may be honoured by our selves and others This is to make every Meal an Act of Worship your Trading a solemn Praise It is God's design that all our Life-time we may do him Service this must be
holds his Hand and cuts you short in spiritual Blessings which otherwise he would plentifully dispense unto his People Partly they exceedingly weaken the Work of Grace which is wrought upon their Hearts their Faith is more dead their Love is more cold than it was Hope is languid the spiritual Life is interrupted and at a stand tho the Seed of God remains yet it cannot put forth it self with such Vigor and Efficacy Yea they may never recover such a Portion of the Spirit as they had before 2 Chron. 17.3 Jehoshaphat walked in the first Ways of his Father David as having some note of blemish on his latter Ways These Sins in short as a Wound in the Body let out our Blood and Strength As a Prodigal that hath once broken after he hath been set up is not trusted with a like Stock again so God's Children may not recover that largeness of Spirit and fulness of inward Strength and Comfort which they had before as many after a great Disease do not regain that pitch of Health which formerly they had but may carry the Fruits of their Disease with them to their Graves Partly because Acts are intermitted when the Soul is distempered it is unfit for Action Either Duties are omitted or else done in such an overly manner as doth increase our Distemper and harden us the more In what a sorry Fashion did David worship till God awakned his Conscience by Nathan Prayer is interrupted 1 Pet. 3.7 As Heirs together of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hindred 2. Grieving the Spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption All Sin is a Grief to the Spirit especially Filthiness and Bitterness Compare this with Ver. 29 31. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of ediâ—ying that it may minister Grace unto the Hearers Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour and evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice Now the gâ—ieving of the Spirit makes a great Breach in our Grace and Comfort as the Spirit is our Sanctifier and Comforter To speak only of the last When the Spirit is grieved we have not such a sense of God's Love For the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given 〈…〉 Rom. 5.5 We have not that Liberty and Confidence in Prayer we once had 1 John 5 21. Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God Nor those lively Hopes of Glory and final Redemption in that Text Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Nor that Comfort in Reproaches nor Courage in Afflictions nor Strength to resist Sin nor that Readiness and Chearfulness in Obedience that once they had So that a Christian is like Sampson when his Locks are gone all delightful Communion with God is suspended and a Christian doth not act like a Servant that is in his Master's Favour 3. Carnal Liberty When a Man giveth too much Contentment to the Flesh the Spirit or better Part is in Bonds Psal. 119.37 Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity and quicken thou me in thy Way A Man that lets loose the Reins to worldly Vanity will soon find Hardness coming on his Heart and see a need to ask quickning Grace Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Worldly Comforts over-affected or immoderately used clog and enslave the Heart and so we are more unperswadible and disobedient to the Motions of his Spirit and the Counsels of his Grace Therefore if we will take heed that our Hearts be not hardned let them not out too freely to worldly things lest they be withdrawn from God but rejoice here as if you rejoiced not that you may keep up your Liberty to God 4. Pride and Self-sufficiency 2 Chron. 32.31 Howbeit in the Business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto him to enquire of the Wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart Paul was permitted to be buffered that he might be kept humble 2 Cor. 12.7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure When you trust to your selves God leaveth you to your selves and then we are as a Glass without a bottom broken as soon as out of hand Iam. 4.6 God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble It is not so much understood of a moral Humility or a lowly Carriage towards Men as of an Evangelical Humility which consists in brokenness of Heart or a sense of our Unworthiness and Weakness these are influenced by Grace but others are left to fall and miscarry by their own presumptuous Confidence And therefore if we would not incur any Degree of this Judgment we must take heed of Pride and spiritual Security Those that feel the daily and hourly necessity of Grace have more of the Supplies of the Spirit they are oftner waiting upon God Psal. 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Christ hath taught us to beg daily Bread daily Pardon and daily Strength against Temptations that he might engage us to be often with God and keep in a constant dependance on him that the Heart might be kept more awful tender and serious 5. Carelesness and spiritual Sloth When we carelesly entertain the Motions of his Spirit and lie upon the Bed of Ease he is gone Cant. 5.2 3. I sleep but my Heart waketh it is the Voice of my Beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my Head is filled with Dew and my Locks with the Drops of the Night I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I desile them And ver 6. I rose up to open to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone God's Children may stifle many a pressing Conviction and Motion in their Souls hang off from the Throne of Grace and other good Duties and upon every frivolous Pretence keep away from God This unkind and ungracious Dealing will cost them dear Neglect of the Means of Grace quencheth the Spirit 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesyings Therefore we should be more diligent in the use of Means Mark 4.24 Vnto you that hear shall more be given We must more carefully obey the sanctifying Motions of the Spirit if we mean to avoid hardness of Heart 2 dly The Means to cure it 1. Bewail the Evil and complain of it before God who alone can help us We complain of
but the Grace that we may do that good which we Will and Purpose These are distinct many may have assistance in one kind not in another Paul sheweth us that willing and doing are different Rom. 7.18 For to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not To will is more than to think and to exert our Will into Action is more than both In all we need Gods help both to think a good thought or conceive a good purpose much more to performe a good Action Man is mutable and here is much opposition 2. VSE Exhortation to several Duties 1. Let us shake off carnal security and laziness Here is not only Gods Grace represented but Mans Duty Gods doing all doth not warrant us to lye upon the Bed of ease but stir us up to diligence Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure 2. We are not to neglect the Motions of the Spirit least we grieve him Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption 3. We are to use the Means and God will bless our endeavours 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby We are to attend upon the Word and frequent the Sacrament 4. We must pray earnestly for a two-fold reason 1. That we may humbly own our wants Iames 1.5 If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God 2. That we may express our desires and longing for Grace Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled 5. We must improve our Talents least we be accounted evil and sloathful Servants that receive Grace in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain Doct. 2. That the continued sanctification and perfecting of Man once Regenerate cometh from God as the God of peace This is the Blessing prayed for and when the Apostle prayeth for it he calleth God the God of peace So elsewhere 1 Thess. 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. He prayeth therefore the whole progress of sanctifying Grace till it hath attained its end and final perfection and giveth God the same Title Here I shall open to you these five things 1. In What Sense God is said to be the God of Peace 2. The Ground and Foundation of this Peace 3. The Evidences how it appears that God is pacified 4. The Conveiance of it to us or how we come to be interested in this Peace 5. The Reasons why all increase of Grace cometh from him as such I. What is the meaning of this Title God is called the God of peace in two respects 1. With respect to Union and Peace with Men especially our Fellow Christians God is the God of Peace as he is the Author and Approver of this Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the churches of the saints 2 Thess. 3.16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwaies by all means 2. With respect to our Reconciliation with himself after the breach that was between us Heaven and Earth are at an accord and the great quarrel between us and God is compromised and taken up In one place the Angels come to proclaim peace on earth Luke 2.14 At another time when Christ solemnly entreth as the Messiah into Ierusalem they cryed out Luke 19.38 Peace in heaven and glory in the highest One of the Parties at variance is in the earth the other in Heaven The Angels the Inhabitants of the other World proclaim Peace on Earth and Men that dwell here below eccho to them again Peace in Heaven and that when they gave Christ the Honour of the Messias shewing that his great business was to make Reconciliation It is not a Primitive Original Peace but a Reconciliation after a breach a restoring of Peace when it was lost We had all broken with God and God was angry with Men for Sin Now while God was angry and offended there was no hope to receive any gift of Grace from him Therefore with respect to this is God called the God of peace II. The Grounds and Foundation of this peace And that is by the blood of the everlasting covenant which is the only propitiatory Sacrifice which could appease God and give his Justice full satisfaction and recompence for our Offences Before this Peace could be made and this woful breach repaired there were two things to be removed which stood in the way Gods Wrath and our Rebellious Nature The Righteous Wrath of God is appeased by the Blood of Christ Our Rebellion is cured and healed by his Spirit The latter is but a consequent of the former The first foundation for this peace was laid in the Blood of Christ Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself Isa. 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed The Enmity had been irreconcilable and impossible to be removed unless God had taken this way unless the Son of God had dyed for a sinful World that by the Merit of his Obedience he might give satisfaction to a provoked God for the wrong we had done him III. The Evidences that God is pacified Here are three mentioned 1. The bringing back of Christ from the dead 1. This showeth that God was propitiated that he hath accepted the ransom that was given for Souls Christs Resurrection is called by the Prophet a being taken from prison and from judgment Isa. 53.8 While Christ was in the state of the Dead he was in effect a Prisoner under the arrest of Divine Vengeance but when he rose again then was our surety let out of Prison The expression is notable in the Text brought again the Lord Iesus from the dead The force of the word may be explained with allusion to that carriage of the Apostles when they were cast into Prison Acts 16.35 37 39. And the magistrates sent to let them go nay verily say they but let them come themselves and fetch us out and they came and brought them out of prison So was Christ brought again Though Christ had power to rise yet was he rather raised The Lord sent an Angel to remove the Stone not to supply any lack of power in Christ but as a Judge when he is satisfied sendeth an Officer to open the Prison Doors Though Christ had Power to rise yet not Authority till the Angel rolled away the Stone He did not break Prison but was brought again from the dead Neither did he perish in Prison then we could have no assurance
Life and Affection that he hath required Their Actions are superficial shadows of good things they draw nigh to him with their Lips when their Hearts are far from him Matth. 15.8 This people draweth nigh to me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Their Duties to Men are but shadows of good Actions not flowing from a hearty Love and a good Conscience but from Interest or Natural Temper 3. There is a defect in the end they do not regard Gods Glory Col. 3.17 Whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God The most commendable Actions of Carnal Men have either a Natural aim as self-preservation So in their Worship Hosea 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds They howl upon their Bed for Corn and Wine or Self-quiet and Ease so in their Duties to Men more for wrath than conscience-sake Rom. 12 5. Or for Vain-Glory To be seen of men Matth. 6.1 Or a legal aim when most Devout to quiet Conscience or to satisfie God for their Sins by their Duties Micah 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousand of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Usually the Sacrifice of the Wicked is brought with an evil mind Prov. 21.27 To buy our Indulgence in some Sins by avoiding others or by performing some Duties to pay for their neglect of others which are more weighty Duties are performed as a Sin-Offering not as a Thank-Offering to pacifie God not to glorifie him There is no delight in God or Obedience In short all is as Flowers strowed upon a Dunghil 2. The Solifidians That cry up an empty Faith without Obedience and Holiness These are to be dealt with as well as the other 1. The end of all Religion is Practice Christianity was not brought into the World that we might talk of great things but do great things for God All the Misteries of our most Holy Faith are Misteries of Godliness and if it be not so the Word of God is come to us in Word only and not in Power and we are Christians of the Letter not of the Spirit The Law of Grace was never intended to try the Acuteness of Mens Wits who could reason most profoundly of these Glorious Things nor the firmness of their Memories who could best carry in mind these Holy Truths nor the readiness of their Invention who could most plausibly discourse about them but the willingness of their Obedience who would most intirely practice them Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me The practical Christian hath the truest sense of his Religion 2. The end of our Redemption is Obedience Christ hath Ends of his own as well as those which more immediately concerne our benefit Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Sin had made us unserviceable to God and the end of Christ's Death was to put us in joynt again and to bring us into a course of Service and Obedience unto our Creator Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living He came to redeem us not only from Wrath but from Sin not only to abolish Guilt but to establish Holiness Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 3. It is the end of his Renewing Grace He hath altered the constitution of our Hearts that we may live unto God 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new We are renewed in Heart that we might walk in all newness of Conversation 4. It is the end of our Faith and Hope Faith and Hopes are but Means subservient to Love which is the Grace by which we are inclined to perform our Duty to God and Man And therefore the strength of our Faith is to be judged by the readiness of our Obedience Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love That carryeth away the prize of Justification It is the love of God stirred up in us by Faith which maketh us watchful against Sin and careful to please him in all things VSE II. To press us all if we would be Compleat Christians to take all the three parts 1. Let us be sound in the Faith 2. Let us keep up Hope 3. Let us be thorough and exact in Obedience 1. Let us be sound in the Faith believing all things that are contained in the Word of God not contenting our selves with a light credulity or common Tradition but have a Faith of the Spirits working Your Love to God dependeth upon the Principles laid down in the Gospel which discover to you his Love in the Redeemer and the provision made for your Souls therefore you are to build up your selves in your most holy faith that you may keep your selves in the love of God Iude 20.21 2. Let not Hope be left out as unnecessary Grace This is not a cursory and slight but a desirous expectation so as not to be weakned by the Lusts of the Flesh 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds be ye sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. When Christ cometh all your Labours and Self-Denyal shall be recompensed Rom. 8.24 25. For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it 3. Be sound and thorough and exact in Obedience Many hold sound Doctrine and have some lazy expectation of Eternal Life but they are defective in the third branch they are not careful to keep a good Conscience and do their Duty in all things to God and Man Here I shall press you to two things 1. Let Conscience be your Guide 2. Exercise your selves in this that Conscience may be a good Guide to you First Let Conscience be your Guide I shall press you hereunto by two Considerations 1. From the Nature of Conscience It is not only a Monitor but a Judge as a Monitor it warns us of our Duty as a Judge it censures our neglects of it Science is one
our Sins in his own Blood And for God the Spirit we also find our Hearts raised to give him Glory partly by the Motions of his Grace which we feel in our Hearts Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of Vprightness Nehem. 9.20 Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them The Sanctifier Guide and Comforter of Believers is God's Spirit he is the only Author and Fountain of all Goodness and Holiness And partly by the comfortable Sense he begets in us of our Adoption Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And of our Hopes of Glory 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit And partly by the Support and Comfort we have from him in all our Conflicts and Distresses 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 3. That we may with more Confidence wait for the Beginning Progress and Consummation of our own Salvation There is the eternal Love of God the alsufficient Merit of Christ and the omnipotent Operation of the Holy Ghost What cannot Eternal Love Infinite Merit and Almighty Power do As Christ is necessary to keep all right between us and God so the Spirit is necessary to keep all right between us and Christ. As we need a Person of the Godhead to satisfy the Justice of God so also to overcome our Obstinacy and Unbelief and to vanquish Temptations and Doubts and Fears and to settle us in the Comfort and Hope of the Gospel It is God's Prerogative to settle the Conscience Isa. 57.19 I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is afar off and to him that is nigh saith the Lord. God is the supream Judg and the wronged Party He commands his Loving-kindness in the Day-time Psal. 42.8 By a powerful Imperial Act of the Spirit he stilleth our Doubts and Fears 4. That the whole Glory of our Salvation may redound to God alone Therefore the Divine Persons carry it on among themselves Love Grace and Communication do all To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 Grace is the Fountain-Cause of our Election Grace bringeth it about for who could ransom a Soul except Christ had taken the Work in hand There would have been a stop there Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him for the Redemption of their Soul is precious and ceaseth for ever There would have been a stop there Grace applies all What are we before the Grace of the Spirit How unworthy till Grace made us lovely How unable to lay hold on it before the Spirit of God enable us Rom. 5.6 For when we were yet without Strength in due time Christ died for the Vngodly And how unable are we to make good use of it afterward For 1. What was our Behaviour before Calling Disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Titus 3.3 2. In Calling it was slight and â—efractory Iob 33.14 For God speaketh once yea twice but Man perceiveth it not He often inviteth but Men take no notice of what so much concerneth their Souls good but slight all Warnings and Instructions lay not their Condition to heart and many an Opportunity is lost but God overcometh Mens Evil by his own Goodness and will not lose his Elect therefore ver 16. He openeth the Ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction that is breaketh in upon them in such a powerful way that they cannot withstand it 3. Since Calling there are frequent Interruptions of Obedience Iames 3.2 For in many things we offend all Our best Performances are weak and full of Blemishes Isa. 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags So that from first to last all floweth from God and all floweth from Love and Grace and Communication of the Spirit that our Persons and Actions are accepted Now it is our Duty to acknowledg this Love and highly esteem this glorious Grace and to testify our Esteem by Word and Work By Word â—n Praises by Deed expressing our Thankfulness in our Lives that they may be a constant Hymn to God and a Praise of his Grace that we are made Partakers of Vse 1. To encourage us to seek after the Effects of this Love of God Grace of Jesus Christ and Communion of the Spirit 1. I will plead your Want What will you do if you have not Father Son and Holy Ghost for your God You have your Beings from him for a while but the Day of his Patience will not always last You must die and give an Account and woful yea dreadful will their Account be who are not only involved in the common Apostacy but have heard of the Transactions of Father Son and Holy Ghost about their Recovery and never minded the Benefit or made light of it Surely it is woful Dulness and Stupidity not to value it and to feel no need of it 2 Cor. 6.1 We then as VVorkers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain What Grace was that God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himself chap. 5.19 That Grace which the Father hath contrived for your Salvation that Grace for which Christ laid down his Life that Grace which is so affectionately tendred in the Gospel that Grace and that free undeserving Mercy which is so sutable to your Necessities Will you despise this It was an Act of infinite Love of God to design it and reveal it to you of Christ to purchase it for you of the Holy Ghost to offer it to you yea to strive with you to make you capable of it Shall the Gospel be cast away upon you and all those gracious Methods of God frustrated Or have you no need of it How will you maintain Peace in your Consciences now without Grace How will you stand before God's Tribunal at the last Day 2. Let me plead the Worth of it He that hath this Love of God this Grace of Christ this Communion of the Spirit wanteth nothing to his solid Happiness He hath all necessary things in their Cause and Fountain for he hath God Christ and the Spirit For all things come from the Love of God and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Ghost And he doth possess all things in that measure that God sees fit for him Psal. 84.11 The Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly It bringeth other Mercies with it and nothing is
to do than to make the World at first The Object of Creation was pure Nothing but then as there was no Help so no Hinderance But now in Redemption there was Sin to be taken away and that was worse than any thing We deserv'd Ill his Justice and Truth had a Quarrel against us and therefore this was the harder Work and needed more of his Wisdom which now is discovered fully to us in the Gospel When God was to make Man though he was to be his noblest Creature next the Angels it was nothing to the Divine Power to make him of the Dust of the Earth Now Sin makes us worse than Earth Job 30.8 They were Children of Fools Children of base Men they were viler than the Earth Our Condition was worse here God's Justice opposed but Grace found out the Contrivance and sent Christ in the Form of a Servant who was in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 7. 2. We discern the Freeness of Grace in the Gospel both in giving and accepting Whatever God doth is a Gift and what we do it is accepted of Grace In giving there 's a great deal of Grace made known there The Lord doth all freely Ioh. 1.16 And of his Fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace that is for Grace's sake He gives Christ gives Faith gives Pardon He gives the Condition as well as the Blessing Certainly now we have to do with a God of Grace who sits upon a Throne of Grace that he might bestow freely to all Comers Out of Christ and in the Law there God is discovered as sitting upon a Tribunal of Justice as he is described Psal. 97.2 Clouds and Darkness are round about him Righteousness and Iudgment are the Habitation of his Throne But now saith the Apostle Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and Grace to help in a time of need that we may have Mercy for Pardon and for acceptance of our Persons and Grace to help us against our Weaknesses This was figured out in the Law under the Law it was figured out by the Mercy-Seat between the Cherubims from whence God was giving out Answers but there the High-Priest could enter but once a Year and the way within the Veil was not fully made manifest Heb. 9.8 There was a Throne of Grace then but more of God's Tribunal of Justice there was Smoak and Thundering about his Throne But now let us draw near that we may obtain Grace take all freely out of God's Hand Then there is Grace manifested in accepting as well as giving God accepts of serious Repentance for compleat Innocence of Sincerity for Perfection of the Will for the Deed of a Person for Christ's sake and of the Works for the Person 's sake Thus God doth both give and accept freely That we do is not brought to the Ballance but Touch-stone Many times a good Work is not full Weight God doth not look to the Measure but to the Truth of Grace he requires Truth in the Reins 3. The Efficacy and Power of Grace is discovered in the Gospel Christ sendeth his Spirit to apply what he himself hath purchased One Person comes to merit and the other to accomplish the Fruit of his Merit Mark to stop the course of Grace Divine Justice did not only put in an Impediment but there was our Infidelity that hindred the Application of that which Christ was to merit and therefore as the second Person is to satisfy God so the third Person is to work upon us There was a double hinderance against the Business of our Salvation God's Justice for the Glory of God was to be repaired therefore Christ was to merit and there was our Unbelief therefore the Spirit must come and apply it First Christ suffered and when he was ascended then was the Spirit poured out Had it not been for the Gospel we should never have known the Efficacy and Power of Grace The Apostle puts the Question Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the Hearing of Faith How did you come to be acquainted with Grace This is the Seal which God would put upon the Excellency and Authority of the Gospel that he will associate and join in assistance with it the Operation of the Spirit to accompany it Look as it is with the Sun Light encreaseth with Heat the Morning-Beams are faint and gentle but at Noon the Sun shines out not only with Glory but with Strength So it is here the more the Light of the Gospel is encreased the more is the Efficacy and Power of it conveyed into the Sons of Men. The Dispensation of the Law is called the Oldness of the Letter and the Dispensation of the Gospel the Newness of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 But now ye are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in Newness of Spirit and not in the Oldness of the Letter In the meer Law-Dispensation there was only a literal Direction but no strength and ability to perform what is suggested Lex jubet Gratia juvat The Law commands but all the Commands of Grace help There is a Spirit that goeth along with the Gospel to qualify us for the Duties of it 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life With the Dispensation of the Gospel God joins the Virtue and Power of the Holy Ghost The Letter convinceth and so by consequence obligeth to Death for we cannot perform what it requireth of us but now there 's a Spirit goes along with the Gospel and so we are acquainted with the Efficacy of Grace 4. We are acquainted with the Largeness and Bounty of Grace The Benefits that come by Christ were not so clearly revealed in the Law there was no Type that I know of which figured Union with Christ. The Blood of Christ was figured by the Blood of Bulls and Goats Justification by the fleeing away of the Scape-Goat Sanctification by the Water of Purification But now Eternal Life is rarely mentioned in express Terms sometimes it is shadowed out in the Promise of inheriting the Land of Canaan as Hell is by going into Captivity but otherwise it is seldom mentioned 2 Tim. 1.10 But now it is made manifest speaking of the Grace of God by the appearing of our Saviour Christ who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Gentiles had but glimmerings and gross Fancies about the future State Life and Immortality was never known to the purpose till Christ came in the Flesh and therefore Heaven is as sparingly mentioned in the Old Testament as Temporal Blessings are in the New In the New Testament we hear much of the Cross of Sufferings and Afflictions
God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ is unto all and upon all that believe for there is no difference they all take hold of the same Righteousness Look as a Jewel held by a Man and by a Child tho the Man holds it more strongly than the Child yet it is the same Jewel and of the same Worth and Value So the Righteousness of Christ is of the same Worth before God the stronger Believer holds it faster than the weaker Believer but tho he cannot be so high in Faith as Abraham and as other Worthies of God yet he hath his hold-fast upon God Differences of Nations and outward Condition do neither help nor hinder Salvation and different degrees of Grace tho they occasion some accidental difference in the spiritual Life as some have more Comfort than others yet as to the main all that accept have a like Priviledg The Reasons of it are partly because the same Grace is the cause of all Free Grace acts for the good of all upon the same terms Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Trangressions for my own sake and will not remember thy Sins God doth not take notice of Differences in them whom he forgives God may pardon the Sin of Andrew and Thomas as well as of Abraham and Paul Grace's Motives lie within it self And partly because they have the same Redeemer Jesus Christ theirs and ours Under the Law you shall find the Rich and Poor were to give the same Ransom The Rich shall not give more and the Poor shall not give less than half a Shekel Exod. 30.15 to signify the Price of Christ's Blood for all Souls is equal they have not a nobler Redeemer nor a more worthy Christ than thou hast And partly because your Faith is as acceptable to God as theirs 2 Pet. 1.1 To them who have obtained like precious Faith with us that is for kind tho not for degree It is of the same Nature Worth and Property with the Faith of the Apostle's tho every one cannot believe as strongly as Peter nor come up to his height Vse 1. If the Grace of God hath appeared to all Men then let us put in for a share Why should we stand out Are we excepted and left out of the Proclamation of Pardon and free Grace If Persons be excepted by Name when a Pardon is offered to Rebels they stand off and will not come within the Verge of such Power but if it be offered to all why should we stand out we must not add nor detract If God hath said Christ died for Sinners believe him upon his Word and say I am Chief do not say I am a Reprobate God hath no Favour for me Will you leave that Word and hazard your Salvation for a groundless Jealousy and Scruple Therefore confute your Fears and put all out of question by a thorow believing Vse 2. For Comfort to weak Believers Tho your Faith cannot keep time and pace with Abraham's nor your Obedience with the Worthies of God yet you are Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 A little Faith is Faith as a Drop is Water and a Spark is Fire it is free to all that have or will accept say then as he Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou mine Vnbelief The least dram of Gospel-Faith gives a Title and Interest Indeed you must strive to make it more evident you cannot have Comfort till then and consider Endeavours of Growth do better than idle Complaints therefore follow on still with hope SERMON III. TITUS II. 12 Teaching us that denying Vngodliness c. II. THE next thing to be considered is the Lesson that Grace teacheth us Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World But before I enter upon the Discussion of the particular Branches I shall observe some things in the General Observ. 1. Grace teacheth us Holiness It teacheth by way of Direction by way Argument and by way of Encouragement 1. It teacheth by way of Direction what Duties we ought to perform and so it maketh use of the Moral Law as a Rule of Life The Law is still our Direction otherwise what we do cannot be an Act of Obedience Certainly the Direction of the Law is still in force for where there is no Law there is no Transgression and Duty without a Rule is but Will-worship If the Law were blotted out the Image of God would be blotted out for the external Law is nothing but the Copy of God's Image that Holiness and Righteousness which is impressed on the Heart Now Grace doth not blot out the Image of God but perfects it In the new Covenant God promiseth to make the Law more legible Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Mind and write them in their Hearts Well then we are not freed from the Authority and directive Power of the Law Grace adopts it doth not abolish the Law the Commands of the Law sway the Conscience and Love inclineth the Heart and so it becometh an Act of pure Obedience Obedience respects the Command as Love doth the Kindness and Merit of the Lawgiver 2. It teacheth by way of Argument it argueth and reasoneth from the Love of God Gal. 2.20 The Life that I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me There is Grace's Argument Christ loved me we should not then be so unkind as to deny God his Honour or Worship or cherish his Enemies 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us What will you do for God that loved you in Christ The Gospel contains melting Commands and commanding Intreaties The Law and the Prophets do not beseech but only command and threaten but the Grace of God useth a different method in the New Testament 3. It teacheth by way of Encouragement as manifesting both Help and Reward The Gospel doth not only teach us what we ought to perform but whence we may draw Strength and how kindly God will accept us in Christ. The Law is a School-master and the Gospel is a School-master but in the Discipline and manner of teaching there is a great deal of difference the Law can only teach and command but the Gospel is a gentle School-master it pointeth to Christ for Help Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me and to God for Reward and Acceptance Heb. 11.16 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him I do but mention these things because I shall handle the Encouragements hereafter Vse 1. Of Information It sheweth us 1. What is true Holiness such as cometh from the Teachings of Grace obliging Conscience to the Duty of the Law
Gospel of all the Prophets there was not a greater than Iohn the Baptist he was fed with Locusts and wild Honey therefore mortify Pleasure 3. By Custom this Sin is rooted and so hardly lest because it doth not only pervert the Constitution of the Soul but the Constitution of the Body Now when the Body is unruly as well as the Affections Grace hath more to struggle with A Man that hath habituated himself to carnal Pleasure because his Body is distempered and perverted is not so soon healed That 's the reason that when the Apostle speaks of Meats and Drinks 1 Cor. 6.12 he saith he will not be brought under the Power of any So again when Men are given to Wine it is their Custom and rooted Disposition therefore avoid not only the gross Act but the very Beginning that it may not be a settled Distemper Whenever you take Pleasures they should be used with fear It is the Charge the Spirit of God commenceth against those Iude v. 12. Feeding themselves without fear Mark it is not enough for your acquitment that you do not drink to Drunkenness or feed to actual Excess and Distemper but suffer it not to be a rooted Disposition in your Hearts for then it will be hardly left Austin speaks of his own Experience in this kind Ebrietas longe à me est crapula autem nonnunquam subrepit servo tuo Lord I was never a Drunkard it is far from me but Gluttony creeps upon me unawares and so hinders me from the Duties of the Spiritual Life The Throat is a slippery Place and needs to be guarded with much Watchfulness and Care lest this Distemper be rooted in the Heart Iob sacrificed while his Sons were feasting chap. 1.5 For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts In all these things should we use much caution 2 dly The next Particular the Apostle mentions is the Lusts of the Eye or Covetousness This is an Evil very natural to us and we cannot be watchful enough against the Encroachments of the World We need it in part and we love it more than we need it Worldliness is a Branch of Original Sin it is a Disease we are born with The Tenth Commandment that forbids Original Sin saith Thou shalt not covet The Best find Temptations this way We are daily conversant about the things of the World and we receive a Taint from those things with which usually we converse we find by Experience that long Converse is a bewitching thing Again the World is a thing of present Enjoyment we have the World in Hand and Heaven in Hope The Judgment of Carnal Men is quite different from the Judgment of the Word The Word of God counts the World to be but a Fancy and an Apparition and Heaven to be the only Substance Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine Eyes upon that which is not It is not in comparison of better things And the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Cor. 7.31 But Prov. 8.21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit Substance Heaven is the durable Substance this is the Judgment of the Word but wicked Men think quite otherwise We have sensible Experience of the Profits of the World and therefore we judg thus perversly and call it durable Riches and Heaven but a meer Fancy to make Fools fond withal Besides Worldliness is a serious thing it doth not break out into any foul Act therefore it is applauded by Men. Psal. 10.3 The Wicked boasteth of his Heart's Desire and blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth We think well of it at least we stroke it with a gentle Censure A Drunkard is more liable to Reproach and Shame than a Worldling Worldliness is consistent with the gravity and strictness of Profession and therefore above all Corruptions it is usually found amongst them that profess Religion but dissoluteness of Luxury will not stand with that external Gravity and Strictness which the Profession of Religion requires Licentious Persons procure shame to themselves and are publickly odious but now this being a serious Sin and possibly it may win the Soul from other Vices therefore we indulge it the more Again it is a cloaked Sin the Apostle speaks of the Cloak of Covetousness 1 Thess. 2.5 It is a hard matter to discover and find it out there are so many Evasions necessary Providence and Provision for our Families is a Duty and it is a Duty enforced by Nature and Grace Here Men evade the Charge of Covetousness they think their carking is justified as being no more than the prudent management of their Affairs But consider it is an Evil which the Lord hates Covetousness bewrays it self by an immoderate care after the things of this Life immoderate Desire and immoderate Delight 1. By an immoderate Care after worldly Comforts When we are so sollicitous about outward Supports what we shall do and what will become of us that is a sure sign of a worldly Heart We dare not trust God's Providence but cark our selves Luke 12.29 And seek ye not what ye shall eat and what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful Mind The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Do not hang like a Meteor in the Air hovering between Heaven and Earth between Doubts and Fears This is to take God's Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproach of the Father It is a sign we dare not trust God's Providence but will be our own Carvers we reprove and tax his Providence as if he were not sollicitous enough for us Obj. But must we not be careful and provident I answer 1. Do your present Work and for the future leave it to God God would have us look no farther than the present day provided we do not embezel our Estate by idle Projects or in carnal Pleasures or wasteful Profusion and provided we be not negligent in our Calling Let us do our Work and let God alone for future Times It is a Mercy God would have our Care look no farther than the present day Mat. 6.34 Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof God is very careful of Man's Welfare he hath made carking a Sin he might have left it as a Punishment Every day hath Trouble enough for our Exercise and that 's as much as God hath required 2. It is bewrayed by an immoderate Desire The Temper of the Heart is very much discovered by the Current and Stream of the Desires As the Temper of the Body is known by the beating of the Pulses so is the Temper of the Soul by the Course of the Desires Or as Physicians judg of the Patient by his Appetite so may you judg of your Spirits by your Desires how they are carried out whether to Heavenly Things and the Enjoyment of God or to the World A carnal frame of Spirit will be known by an unsatisfied Thirst and the ravenousness of the Desires when they
still encrease with the Enjoyment and Men crave more and more Such a Dropsy as this is argues a distempered Soul especially when the Desires are transported beyond all bounds of Modesty and Contentment Isa. 5.8 Wo unto them that joyn House to House and Field to Field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth The inordinate Inclinations still encreaseth and Men never have enough as if they would grasp all that they might be blessed alone Alas those that have a heavenly frame will stand wondering that God hath given them so much in their Pilgrimage nay that God hath given them any thing But more especially doth this bewray Lust when these Desires bring the Soul to that determinate Resolution that this shall be the Project of their Lives He that is rich hath many Temptations how ever Wealth be gotten or given by God but he that will be rich is sure to miscarry 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition The Bent and Resolution of the Soul argues the Heart is naught he hath drowned himself already he falls into a Snare and into many Temptations 3. By an immoderate delight in worldly Comforts A Man may be worldly that is not carking and ravenous Esaâ— saith I have enough my Brother Gen. 33.9 Your Complacency in outward Enjoyments is a great Sin When Men are satiated with their present Portion of the World it is as great if not a greater Sin than to desire more When Christ would represent a Covetous Man he doth it not by one that grasps at more but by one that found a greater Complacency in what he had he blesseth himself as if he had Happiness enough Luke 12.19 I will say to my Soul Soul thou hast much Goods laid up for many Years take thine Ease eat drink and be merry It is a Question which is worse a ravenous Desire after more or a carnal Complacency in what we do enjoy This last is worst there is Discontent and Distrust in the former but God is robbed and wholly laid aside by the latter Our Delight which is the choicest Affection is intercepted Many will say I desire no more but thy Heart is set upon what thou hast and so God is robbed who is to be the Soul's Treasure and the Poor are robbed they are loth to part with what they delight in and the Soul is robbed of eternal Happiness which it should look after and of present Comfort in case God should blast all by his Providence for a contented worldly Man will be soonest discontented It is a breach of the Matrimonial Contract Iames 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the Friendship of the World is Enmity with God There is a Matrimonial Contract between God and the Soul wherein God propoundeth himself as God All-sufficient Now as if God were not good enough Men seek Delight elsewhere Well then deny these Lusts of the Eyes To this purpose consider 1. Your Happiness doth not lie in these things Luke 12.15 Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth you may be happy without them The Saints have a Candle that shall never be blown out Neither your Safety nor Comfort lies in the World your Safety doth not lie in it you do not live by ordinary Supplies but by God's Providence Your Comfort doth not lie in it it should be in God We cannot see how we can be well without Friends Wealth present Supports but consider a Man lives not by visible means but by the Providence of God 2. A little serves the turn to bring us to Heaven He is not poor that hath little but he that desires more he is the poor Man Enlarged Affections make us want more than the Necessities of Nature We are not contented with God's Allowance but pitch upon such a state of Life and cannot live without such Splendor and Pomp or without such an Estate It is not want of Estate that makes a Man poor but an unsatisfied Mind He that doth not submit to God's Allowance is poor 3. God will provide for us if we do our Duty He that hath given us Life will give us Food that is less than Life it is Christ's Argument Mat. 6.25 Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body more than Raiment Nay he that hath given us Christ will he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 So a Man may argue God hath given me Life and that is better than Food and Raiment as the Body is better than the Garment Is any Man so illogical and of so little Reason as to argue thus God hath given me Christ and will he not give me Support I have trusted him with my Soul shall I not trust him with my Estate God never sets any one to work but he gives them Maintenance He feeds the Ravens and will he not feed his Children Certainly a Father will not be more kind to a Raven than to a Child to a Flower than to a Son Mat. 6.26 27 28 29. 4. Wealth doth not make us more acceptable with God Grace puts the Rich and the Poor upon the same level Iames 1.9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted but the Rich in that he is made low because as the Flower of the Grass he shall pass away The rich Man is not too high for God if his Heart be kept humble with his Estate and the poor Man is not too low for God if he be preferred by Grace so that Grace still is the ground of Acceptation Riches profit not in the day of Wrath Prov. 11.4 What is the Hope of the Hypocrite tho he hath gained when God takes away his Soul Job 27.8 These things will stand you in no stead 5. The more Estate you have the more Danger and the more Trouble A Pirat doth not set upon empty Vessels None are so liable to such Snares as those that have Wealth and Greatness You can hardly discharge what you have already if you had more you would have the greater Trust for to whom much is given of them much shall be required Luke 12.48 You must give account for more Time for more Opportunities to do good for more Acts of Mercy A greater Estate is incident to more Cares and more Duties 3 dly The third Lust is Pride of Life The most natural Affection is Self-love and Pride is nothing else but the Excess of Self-love we suck it in with our Milk Our first Parents fell by Pride they soon catched at that Bait You shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 and we see it takes with us and surprizeth us upon every small occasion a fine Garment a Lock of Hair a good Horse or a serviceable Creature There is nothing so high
and you and your Hearts be together you sin against God Job 21.13 They spend their Days in Wealth and in a moment go down to the Grave It is dangerous to employ your whole Time in Mirth and in Visits and in Company that should be spent in examining your Hearts humbling your Souls and seeking the Face of God so that your Hearts grow dead and barren Helps to Sobriety are two to consider the Preciousness of Time and the Vileness and Danger of Pleasure First The Preciousness of Time that will appear in sundry Considerations 1. Time is short We have a great deal of Work to do and but little Time therefore we should redeem it from Pleasure and rather incroach upon our Recreation and spend it in Matters that most concern us All complain of the shortness of Time and yet every one hath more Time than he useth well We should rather complain of the Loss of Time than of the Shortness of Time as Seneca said Non accepimus brevem vitam sed fecimus nec inopes Temporis sed prodigi sumus We make our Lives far more short than otherwise they would be and we do not want Time but waste it We spend it freely upon Mirth and vain Pleasures as if we had more than we could well tell what to do withal Life is short and yet we throw it away as if we had not such great work to do as to mortify Corruptions and to make our Peace with God as if that Eternity which cannot be exhausted in our Thoughts did not depend upon this Moment When Men are writing of a Sermon and have but little Paper left they write close O consider our Work lies upon our Hands and therefore the Acts of Duty should be more close and thick The Sun is even going down we know not how soon Day may be over 2. Too much Time hath been spent already so will all the Godly-wise judg 1 Pet. 4.3 For the Time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles Rom. 13.12 The Night is far spent the Day is at hand And there 's but little left to express your Love and Thankfulness in glorifying God Our Infancy was spent in Ease and Youth in Sin and Age in Business Certainly that part of your Lives was merely lost which was spent in an unregenerate Condition Saith Austin Perdit quod vivit qui te non diligit He loseth that Time which he lives that doth not love the Lord. Properly we are not said to live till we live in Christ. A Man may be long at Sea tossed to and fro upon the Waves and yet be but little from his Port and cannot be said to have made a long Voyage so a Man may abide long in the World but cannot be said to live long if he doth not live in Christ. Reflect this Truth upon thy Heart Alas my Life hitherto hath been a Death rather than a Life useless and lost to all spiritual Purposes and shall I still waste my Time and spend my Days in Ease and Idleness Travellers that have tarried long in their Inn mend their Pace and ride as much in an Hour as before they did in many so we have staid too long O let us now mend our Pace Say I have lived thus long vainly sinfully carnally in an earthly manner I have little thought of God and treasuring up for Heaven or providing for my latter End O how rich might I have been if I had been a good Merchant for my Soul How am I now outâ—tripp'd by many my Equals my Youngers in Age but Seniors in Grace They are in Christ before me O why doth God spare me but to recover that which is lost 3. Consider it is uncertain how long thou shalt enjoy the Season the present time is always best and shall we waste it vainly We have not a Lease of our Lives Ludovicus Capellus tells of a Rabbin that being asked When was the fittest time for a Man to repent he answered him One day before he dies meaning presently for this may be your last day We know not how soon God may call us to himself In an Orchard some Fruits are pluck'd green few are left to rot upon the Tree Mariners that have not the Wind in a Bottle are ready to tackle the first Gale We shall never have a better opportunity to consider our ways in Youth we want Wisdom and Zeal and in Age Strength in the midst of Business we want Leisure and in the midst of Leisure we want a Heart There is not more Efficacy in the latter season than in the former Do not think that Sickness and old Age will help you more in the work of Repentance than Youth Moral Arguments work not without Evangelical Grace The bad Thief had one foot in Hell and yet he blasphemed There will be more Difficulty in old Age but no Help Sickness and Age needs a Cordial and not Work and therefore no Season like the present 4. They that have lost Time know the worth of it O if they might have the happiness to live again that are now in Hell would they waste their precious hours so wantonly and lavishly as you do Dying Men that are afrighted in Conscience discover to us the Passions of the Damned they would give all the World for one Year or one Month to repent He that so passionately begged for a drop to cool his Tongue how would he have indented with God for a Year's Respite from Torment In the day of Death all the Wealth of the World will not purchase one day longer We never know what we lose in losing Time till it be too late It is better to be sensible of the worth of Time in Earth than in Hell Knowledg of things that are evil and bitter is more easily gained by Teaching than by Experience and Feeling But we do not lay these things to Heart Christ mourned over Ierusalem because she lost her day Luke 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes 5. We must give an account for Time and therefore let not Pleasure engross and take up too much of it Whenever God comes to reckon with his People the great thing for which he calls them to an account is their Time he keeps an exact reckoning of the Years of his Patience Psal. 95.10 Forty Years long was I grieved with this Generation I have given them thirty forty fifty Years Respite to think of their Sins and apply their Hearts to be wise for Eternity So of the Times and Seasons of Grace and Methods and Dispensations of Mercy Luke 13.7 Behold these three Years came I seeking Fruit of this Fig-tree and find none by which is meant the three Years of Christ's Ministry with the Jews for he was then entring on his last half-year When the Scripture speaks in a round number there 's
So the Heart is fixed in God by Faith it depends upon him and looks for the Success and Issue of all from his Blessing though the Hand in the mean time be imployed in the Use of Means Certainly God allows us careful Provision against all visible Evils though they be to come as Ioseph stored the Granaries of Egypt against the dear Years But not to distract our selves with a Supposal of future Contingencies therefore our Saviour saith Matth. 6.34 Take no Thought for the Morrow and ver 31. Take no Thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink and wherewithal shall we be clothed This is that the Scripture forbids You ought not to trouble your selves with uncertain future Events but to refer your selves to the Disposal of God Briefly sinful Cares may be thus discerned 1. Distrustful Care is troubled about the Event what shall be the Issue but lawful Care is imployed in the Use of Means The Event is God's Act Duty is ours and to trouble our selves about it is to take God's Work out of his Hands We set our selves in God's stead when we think to accomplish our Ends by our own Industry The Lord might lay this Burden upon us as a Punishment of Sin but he would have us cast it upon himself 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you To neglect the Means were to neglect Providence but then to trouble our selves about the Event what will be the Issue and how these Means will succeed that is to renounce Providence to reproach God as if he were not sollicitous for us A Christian is not to trouble himself what will become of him and his Posterity that is God's care and it is altogether needless in us for God is alsufficient but he is to be diligent in a lawful Calling and then let God do what seemeth him good 2. Sinful Care flieth to unlawful Means but Religious Care keepeth within the bounds of Duty Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with Righteousness than great Revenues without right It useth no Means that are indirect and sinful Men that will not trust God with success will soon go out of God's way The Unbeliever looketh not to what is just but to what is gainful as those that gathered Manna on the Sabbath-Day and trod Wine-presses and brought in Sheaves and laded Asses Neh. 13.15 3. Sinful Care is immoderate in the use of lawful Means Eccles. 2.23 For all his Days are Sorrows and his Travel Grief yea his Heart taketh not rest in the night Those that have none else to trust to no wonder if they make use of their own Endeavours to the uttermost but he that hath an Heavenly Father should not so cumber and distract his Spirit Eccles. 4.8 There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches neither saith he For whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of Good The World will not let them be quiet they toil and moil and there is no end When Men multiply Means they have no trust in God God is tender of all his Creatures much more of the reasonable Creature 4. Sinful Care increaseth upon good Duties but diligent Care fairly complieth with them Christ warns his Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Our care for eternal Things doth not carry any proportion to the Excellency of them but they are laid aside Mat. 13.22 He heareth the Word and the Care of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches choak the Word and it becometh unfruitful They take up the Room Travel and Affection which Heavenly things should have so that they have no time to converse with God or to look into their Souls so that the Heart groweth poor lean distempered and unfit for holy Uses they are greedy of Wealth and prodigal of Salvation Secondly Whence it ariseth From a distrust of God and discontent with our Portion 1. From a distrust of God Carking takes his Work out of his Hands as the Care of the Son is a Reproof to the Father You tax his Being and Providence A Child at School taketh no care for Maintenance because he hath a Father Mat. 6.32 Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things 2. From discontent with our Portion We have never enough and expect more than God will allow Heb. 13.5 Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee It is not our Necessities but the enlargement of our Desires that causeth carking We would have more and more worldly Goods which hindreth us from trusting God's Promise I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Sea hath Banks and Bottom but not Man's Heart We begin and end with nothing and yet nothing will suffice us There is a Story of a Discourse between Pyrrhus and Cynicus when he told him of his Designs When thou hast vanquished the Romans what wilt thou then do Conquer Sicily What then Subdue Africk When that is effected what then Then we will sit down and be quiet and spend our Time contentedly And what hinders but thou mayest do so before without all this Labour and Peril Thirdly The Cure of it Cure it by Christ's Arguments Matth. 6.25 Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment c. 1. Life is more than Meat and the Body than Raiment ver 25. Deus donando debet God by giving is become a Debtor Life without any Aid of ours is a Pledg of more Mercy God provided us two Bottles of Milk when we were new born Psal. 22.9 10. Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my Mother's Breast I was cast upon thee from the Womb thou art my God from my Mother's Belly Who formed us and suckled us and continued us hitherto We are unthankful to God if we ascribe it to our selves 2. Consider God's Providence to other Creatures God feeds the Fowls Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them Are not ye better than they God paints the Lilies ver 28 29. Consider the Lilies of the Field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these Luke instances in the Raven which is Animal cibi rapacissimum a Creature ravenous of Food chap. 12.34 Consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap which neither have Store-house nor
Services of State as General of an Army yet after he returns to the Plough again not enriched at all with publick Spoils Of Aristides it was said You may sooner pull the Sun out of Heaven than turn Aristides out of his course Scevola buying a piece of Ground and the Seller setting too low a Price saith he This is too little and he gave a great deal more Abimelech would not have took Sarah if he had understood she was Abraham's Wife Now shall Nature do more than Grace SERMON X. TITUS II. 12 And Godly c. I Come to the third Branch used by the Apostle wherein the Duty of Man is express'd and that is Godliness Here we have a perfect Distribution of the Duty of the Creature The Duties of our personal Capacity are express'd by Sobriety the Duties of our publick Relation and Commerce with others are express'd in the word Righteously and then all those Intercourses that are to pass between God and us and the whole Tendency of the Soul towards God is express'd by the word Godly The Scripture speaks of Godliness and of the Exercise of Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self unto Godliness Therefore I shall inquire I. What Godliness is II. How it must be exercised or what it is to live godly the Phrase used here I. What Godliness is It is a thing not only distinct from Righteousness and Honesty but also from Holiness It is the opposite part of the distinction to Honesty 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith c. By Righteousness he meaneth the Duties of the second Table and by Godliness the Duties of the first More expresly 1 Tim. 2.2 That we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty The Apostle presseth Christians there to pray for the Conversion of the Magistrate who is custos utriusque tabulae that so he may promote the Duties of both the Tables If any Difference should arise about Godliness or about the Institutions of Christ there the Magistrate may interpose for the Defence and Safety of the first Table and that we might live peaceably for the Exercise of it and so for Honesty in the second Table But it is also to be distinguished from Holiness 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Holiness notes Purity of Heart and Life and an Abhorrence from Evil but Godliness denoteth more distinctly a Tendency of the Heart and Carriage towards God and therefore God is said to be Holy but not to be Godly because it is a Grace proper to the Creature and implies Inferiority and Subordination a Tendency towards God as the highest Lord and chiefest Good as Holiness denoteth Excellency and Perfection Briefly Godliness may be thus described It is a religious temper and frame of Heart by which we are inclined to look after the right Worship and to aim at the Glory of the true God To the Constitution of Godliness there are Graces necessary and Ordinances that which swayeth and inclineth the Heart is Grace that about which it is conversant are the Ordinances of Worship Therefore I shall inquire First What Graces are necessary to make up this religious temper and frame of Heart Secondly What are the Ordinances about which it is conversant First The principal Graces that are necessary to this Frame of Heart are Faith Fear and Love 1. Faith is necessary partly that we may have a right Apprehension of God which by Nature we cannot have It is not Godliness but Idolatry Superstition and Formality until we have a right Knowledg of God The Samaritans worshipped the true God and yet it is said Iohn 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what To worship God out of Form and blind Custom it is to make him an Idol But chiefly is Faith required because Trust is the Ground of all the other Respect that passeth between God and us Look as Unbelief is the Ground of all Disrespect and Departure from God Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the living God So is Faith and Trust the Ground of all true Respect You know our first Parents fell by Unbelief First Satan seeks to weaken their Faith in the Promise first he told them Ye shall not surely die Gen. 3.4 then ye shall be as Gods ver 5. First he perswaded them to Unbelief before he perswaded them to Ambition and aspiring after the Dignity of the Divine Nature This is the Root of all Men care not for God because they do not believe him upon his Word But now Faith is the Mother of all Respect of all Devotion and Obedience to God When we believe that he is and is a Rewarder of those that come to him this is that which makes us seek him diligently To evidence this by the Influence which Faith hath upon the Soul there are two powerful Affections by which the spiritual Life is acted and carried on and they are Fear and Love and they both need the Influence of Faith There can be no Fear till we are perswaded of his Being and Power whom we cannot see with bodily Eyes but put on the Spectacles of Faith and so we see him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 God is within the Curtain of the Heavens and carnal Men say Tush he cannot see Iob 22.12 13 14. Is not God in the height of Heaven and behold the height of the Stars how high are they And thou sayest How doth God know can he judg through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the Circuit of Heaven They cannot see him and think he cannot see them As the Panther hideth his Head in a Bush and then thinks the Hunter doth not see him and that is the Ground of all Disobedience and carnal Conversation But now Faith opens the Eye and carrieth us within the Curtain and Vail and discovers the invisible God upon his Throne of Glory without which Sight we cannot fear him So for Love the other powerful Affection that flows from Faith for our Love is but a Reflex of God's Love but a Reverberation and Beating back of God's Beam upon himself 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first There must be first a Sense and Perswasion of his Love to us in Christ and then we love him again The more we feel the comfortable Effects of God's Love in the Conscience the more is the Heart inflamed with Desire of performing Love and Service and Subjection to God again and therefore Faith is said to work by Love Gal. 5.6 and make use of the Sweetness of God's Love to carry on Duty and Obedience Look as the more directly the Beams of the Sun do fall upon any solid and smooth Body the more strong is the Reflection of Heat again The less of Jealousy and Darts of God's Love and the more God's Love is darted
Disadvantage to your selves for a Man that hath begun to be strict and careful and holy and righteous and profess himself to be taken out of the Kingdom of Darkness and made experience of the Ways of Christ yet if he falls off he doth as it were after Trial pronounce to the World that Satan's Service is better than Christ's As Iacob kept wrestling till Day-light appeared and would not let go his hold-fast so till the Morning of Glory come still keep on and continue your Courage Or as Elisha would not leave his Master till he was taken from him into Heaven so be constant to the last let the World know you see no cause to leave Christ or to be weary of his Service and to begrudg the Strictness of Religion Matth. 20. you read some were called into the Vine-yard sooner some later but they all kept working to the End and Close of the Day There 's a different time of Calling some begin with God in Infancy some in riper Age but none must be weary of well-doing But how apt are we to turn aside from God Our Righteousness must be as the Morning Light that always increaseth till High-noon but our Righteousness is like the Morning-Dew it is gone as soon as the Sun breaks out in Strength and Power We have a great many Resolutions when we begin a Course of Godliness but soon grow weary Look as a tired Horse is ready to turn in at every Inn so upon every Occasion and Temptation we are ready to turn away from God but it is not enough to begin to live godly strictly righteously but while Life lasteth you must hold on in God's ways it must be during your whole present State and Abode here in the World II. The Reasons why this Duty of our heavenly Calling must be in the present World 1. Because this is the Time of Grace There is no other Time to get the Favour of God and an Interest in Heaven but here upon Earth Now we have the Means hereafter the Recompences Now Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Hereafter he will say Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25.34 Now he calls us to receive Grace hereafter we must receive either Vengeance or Glory In the Angels Song we find Luke 2.14 Peace upon Earth Here God proclaims Tidings of Peace and Reconciliation to the Creature if it will submit to God Now the Golden Scepter is held out and you will have no more such a Season This is God the Father's God the Son 's and God the Spirit 's Time but after this Life you shall have it no more It is the Time of God the Father's Patience and these are the Days of the Gospel when God the Son is offered to us and now we have the Advantage of the Spirit 's Impulses and his Convictions upon our Hearts But after this Life there 's neither Prophecy nor Gospel nor Conviction nor Means offered any more then comes Recompence and Retribution Zanchy speaks of some which had a Fancy that the Gospel should be preached hereafter in the other World to those that never heard of Christ in this World as to Children to Turks and Pagans to justify this Conceit they alledg that Place 1 Pet. 3.19 By which he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison But that 's a clear Mistake The Apostle speaks there how the Spirit of God went forth by Noah's Preaching in warm Conviction upon the Hearts of those that are now in Prison that were sometimes disobedient to the Warnings of Noah and are now held with Chains of Darkness in the Prison of Hell But however there is nothing to this World Now you have the Means and God's golden Scepter is held out Now Christ saith Come but if you refuse hereafter he will say Depart Now is the accepted Time now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.1 2. This is the Time of our Exercise and Trial. 1. There must be this Exercise before we come to Heaven We do not leap into Heaven without any Preparation The Vessels of Glory must first be seasoned with Grace Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light First we are qualified and seasoned then filled brim-full As when the Virgins were chosen for Ahasuerus they were to accomplish their Months of Purification so we must have a Time of purifying and cleansing from Corruption before we can get to Heaven Balaam would die the Death of the Righteous but not live his Life Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his As it is said of the Snake that when it is stricken with Death stretcheth out it self straight though crooked before at oportuit sic vixisse you should have so lived You should be sober righteous and godly Enoch before his Translation had this Testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 Some-thing must be done here there is no Triumph without a Warfare 2 Tim. 2.5 If a Man strive for Masteries yet is he not crowned unless he strive lawfully that is according to the Laws of the Race or Exercise so we cannot expect to die in the Lord unless we live in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Your Works die not when you die Eccles. 11.3 If the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the Place where the Tree falleth there it shall be In the time of the Law there was nothing to be gathered upon the Sabbath-Day but a double Portion to be gathered before those that provide nothing on the sixth Day had nothing on the Sabbath-Day The Sabbath is a Figure of Heaven of that eternal Rest we shall have there if we do not make Provision during the time of Life there can be nothing done afterwards 2. It is only here this is the fittest Place for Exercise Here are Difficulties Snares and Temptations and these serve to discover the Glory of Grace and this makes it worthy of Praise that we can act for God in the present World where so many miscarry 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present World Here is the fit Place for our Trial where we have so many Difficulties Snares Baits Avocations and Scandals to take us off from performing the Duty of our Heavenly Calling As Death leaves us so Judgment finds us Upon our Behaviour in the present Life both our everlasting Woe or Weal depends Hereafter is not a time of Labour but of Reward and Punishment there is no room for Exercise and Trial there no Snares in the next World Grace cannot be found worthy of Praise there for that is God's Day called the Day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.10
will be little enough to repent the loss of that which is past Consider a Man can never come soon enough into the Arms of Mercy nor soon enough out of the Power of Satan Present Necessity admits of no Deliberation therefore charge your selves to be more solid and serious Sin if you let it alone will gather more Strength Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots then may ye also do Good that are accustomed to do Evil. When a Stick hath been long bent it will hardly ever be set right again Some that have been late converted have much bewailed their Disadvantage their standing out so long till their Inclinations were fixed and that they have got a stubborn Nature so strong and ever apt to recoil upon them Consider we would not have God to put us off when we come for Mercy and are in present need and shall we put off God We would count a Delay to be as bad as a Denial therefore take heed of Delays in this kind for if ever you be called to Grace you will smart for it soundly Christ waited upon the Spouse for Entrance Cant. 5.2 My Head is filled with Dew and my Locks with the drops of the Night and then the Spouse waited for Comfort ver 6. I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my Soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no Answer What is the Reason when the Work is begun and the first stroke is given to Sin that Christians walk so mournfully for a great while O they have made God wait long and stood out many a Call therefore the Lord exerciseth them with waiting Let all this work thee to comply with the Importunity of the present Conviction of the Holy Ghost Vse 2. Is to reclaim us when we are greedily set upon other Businesses and Projects than the great Business of our Lives as to get Wealth Honour and great Estates Remember what is thy Duty and Work in this present World Consider 1. The shortness of Life We have a great deal of Work to do in a little time therefore we should not waste it every day we are nearer to the Grave We are sensible of the Decays of others but not of our own thou seest others wax old and die remember thou thy self art going that way When two Ships meet one another in the Sea the other Ship seems to fail faster than yours tho both pass away alike because you are not sensible or do not observe your own Motion We see others are mortal but do not number our own Days This is a Point of Prudence Psal. 90.12 So teach us to number our Days that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom A Man would think of all Points that were plainest and soonest learned yet it is very hard to learn the lesson of our own Frailty I mean to learn it by Heart to learn it practically 2. The Uncertainty of Life We know not when Death will surprize us it is ill to be taken unprovided when Death comes to say Hast thou found me O my Enemy Every day we have cause to look to it more are mistaken in reckoning upon Life than upon Death Thou art asleep in the Wolf's Mouth there is no Remedy but imploring the Shepherd's Help A Carnal Man that goeth on in Sin provoketh God to his Face and trieth whether he will cut him off yea or no. We are sure to live to enjoy what we provide for Heaven but we are not sure to live to enjoy what we provide for the World A Man may not rost what he took in hunting but when he cometh to enjoy his Estate God cutteth him off Luke 12.20 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided And shall my Master come and find me idle 3. After Death followeth Eternity the great Amazement of the Soul Now if Death find you at Peace with God Eternity will be comfortable and Death sweet Body and Soul part but God and the Soul meet When we can see Angels ready to do their Office and Conscience becometh our Compurgator I bear you witness you have spent your time in this World in obeying and serving God and then Body and Soul take leave of one another it is a blessed parting But now when you have not regarded your Work you are then delivered up to Satan by such an Excommunication as shall never be reversed Accursed till the Lord come and then Body and Soul meet to be tormented for ever It is a sad parting when Conscience falls a raving and we curse our selves and the day of our Birth O that ever such a Creature were born O that I had been stifled in the Womb and never seen the Light 4. The necessity of working out our own Salvation God's Stipulation with Mankind is not made up all of Promises something is required Holiness is the way to Salvation Men that live as they list can claim nothing The World is a common Inn for Sons and Bastards in the time of God's Patience he keeps open House for just and unjust but no unclean thing entreth into Heaven At the great Rendezvouz God maketh a Separation Psal. 1.5 The Vngodly shall not stand in the Iudgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous The wicked shall not be able to look Christ in the Face nor vail themselves in the glorious Assembly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Our Desires settle into Opinions we think God will not damn his own Creatures and an universal Hope is natural 5. The Folly of not doing our Business To get bodily Supports is but our Errand by the by these Souls were not given us to scrape up Wealth and only to provide and purvey for the Body Let us use them to the end that God gave them to think of Eternity Luke 10.41 42. Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful And Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her Martha was careful to entertain Christ in her House but Mary to entertain him in her Heart The one thing needful is the Care which every one ought to have of his own Salvation Every thing is best that helpeth us on towards Heaven and that is evil that hindreth us in our pursuit of Heaven This will appear to be the greatest Wisdom at length and not to spend your Lives in getting Honours or Pleasures or screwing your selves into the Favour of great Personages It is commonly said of a Man that hath gotten an Estate that he
hath spent his Time well but the Apostle commands Eph. 5.15 16. See that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the Time because the days are evil Those other are the worst Fools who make no Provision for the future they part with Jewels for Trifles SERMON XII TITUS II. 13 Looking for that blessed Hope c. I Observed 1. The Teacher The Grace of God 2. The Lesson the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling To deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly c. 3. I come to the third general Branch The Encouragements to Learning here are two Eternal Life and Christ's Death There are two great Principles of Obedience Gratitude and Hope Gratitude or Thankfulness because of the Obligation that is left upon us from Christ's Death and then Hope because of the glorious Reward that is set before us So that whether we look backward or forward we meet with Obligations to Obedience Backward there is an excellent Merit ver 14. Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity c. Forward there is a glorious Hope Looking for that blessed Hope c. There is nothing lost by God's Service the Lord might deal with us out of Soveraignty and rule us with a Rod of Iron but he is pleased to draw us with the Cords of a Man and with Bands of Love Hos. 11.3 to indent with us and propound Rewards as if we were altogether free before the Contract Men do not use to covenant with their Slaves we are bound to serve him whether there had been any Reward or no but the Lord will not leave us without an Encouragement We are apt to have hard Thoughts of God and to think him harsh and austere requiring Work but not giving Wages But consider we have the highest Motives as well as the noblest Work we are not only to live soberly righteously and godly in the present World but to look to the blessed Hope Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel There is no such Encouragement to vertuous living any where as in the Gospel Lactantius saith of the Heathens Virtutis vim non sentiunt cujus premium ignorant They do not feel the force and transforming Power of Vertue because they are ignorant of the Reward of Vertue The Heathens had no such Encouragement as Immortality and Eternal Life and the happy Enjoyment of God and Christ for evermore But to handle the words a little more distinctly We have here 1. the Reward it self called a blessed Hope Then 2. the time when it shall be accomplished to the full at the coming of the Lord. Both these things you must look for Christians as often as you think of Eternal Life you must also think of Christ's Appearing Before we enter into Glory we must first give an Account Carnal Men fancy a Heaven without a Day of Judgment they would be saved but they would not be called to an audit and reckoning with God Many can brook sitting upon the Throne with Christ but not coming before his Tribunal but they that would live holily must look for both the blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of Christ. Many Points may be observed out of this Verse Doct. I. That looking for the blessed Hope conduceth much to the Advancement of the Spiritual Life I. What this Looking is II. What Influence and Power it hath to work us to the Spiritual Life I. What this Looking is It implies Patience but chiefly Hope 1. Patience in waiting God's Leisure Patience is a Grace very needful in our Pilgrimage where we are exercised with so many Difficulties Heb. 10.36 For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye might receive the Promise you do not only need Holiness but Patience It is long before we can bring our Hearts to do the Will of God but after that is done you have need of Patience that you may wait God's Leisure for your Reward For the Reward is not given till there be time for Labour and Exercise and Troubles coming on make time seem very long Whatever Grace we may spare we cannot spare Patience if we would persist in well-doing for we are to wait for the blessed Hope The good Ground bringeth forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 Look as the Ground endures the Plough the Harrow the Cold the Frost that in due time the Seed may spring up so we have need of Patience that we may wait upon God for the blessed Hope And as Patience is very needful in the present Life so it is inseparable from Hope 1 Thess. 1.3 it is called the Patience of Hope To every Grace he gives a proper Action there is the Work of Faith the Labour of Love and the Patience of Hope Faith propounds Work Love makes us to labour and sweat at it and Hope makes us wait with Patience for our Reward and Recompence Rom. 8.25 But if we hope for that we see not then do we with Patience wait for it What we hope for we wait with Patience for between Hope and Having there is an intervening time to exercise Patience There is want of the thing desired and Delays are troublesome Now to keep looking is a Work of Patience 2. It chiefly implies Hope This looking for is the formal Act of Hope an actual Expectation of Blessedness to come Now because there 's a bastard and blind Hope and there is a regular and good Hope 2 Thess. 2.16 Who hath given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace therefore let me tell you First What this Expectation is not Secondly What it is First Negatively what it is not 1. It is not a blind Hope such a Hope as is found in Men ignorant and presumptuous that regard not what they do Presumption is a Child of Darkness as Hope is a Child of Light Presumption is the Fruit of Ignorance and Inconsideration When Men are once serious they find it the hardest matter in the World to hope for guilty Nature in it self is more presagious of Evil more inclinable to Fear and Sorrow than to Joy and Hope But yet a blind Confidence is very common because Men do not consider what they do but hand over head make a full account that they shall go to Heaven without Warrant and without Evidence And therefore you shall find it is one of the first things God works by the Word to break down our former carnal Hopes and make Men see they are out of the way lost and undone Creatures Paul in his presumptuous State thought he had as much to shew for Heaven as any Man in the World Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died The Commandment coming in full Conviction upon his Heart he began to be serious and then he found himself lost and obnoxious to God's Judgment The Excellency of Hope doth not lie in the Strength
Intercession for us By his Merit our Right to Heaven is purchased and by his Intercession it is maintained for us SERMON XIV TITUS II. 13 That Blessed Hope c. Doct. II. THE Hope of Christians is a blessed Hope Hope is here put for the thing hoped for as Col. 1.5 For the Hope that is laid up for you in Heaven Where Hope is put for the Object of Hope Now this Matter or Object of our Hope is sometimes called Life sometimes Glory sometimes Joy and Pleasure It is a Life that never shall be quenched or put out Iude 21. Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal Life It is a Glory that is Eternal for Duration 2 Cor. 4.17 it is called a far more exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory for the measure of it it is above our Conceit and Expression as much as a Creature can bear It is Joy and Pleasure without Mixture and without End Psal. 16.11 In thy Presence is Fulness of Ioy at thy right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore Now this Hope is said to be blessed because it puts us into the Fruition of absolute Blessedness We cannot conceive of it now to the full when we come to injoy it we shall find it above all that ever we could conceive or hear of it As much as we see and know of it sheweth it is a blessed thing but we shall understand it best when we hear the great Voice calling us Come up and see But a little to set it before you In Blessedness there must be a Removal of all Evil and a Coacervation and compleat Presence of all that is Good As long as the least Evil continueth a Man is not blessed only he is less miserable If a Man had all things that Heart could wish for what would it avail him as Haman when he wanted Mordecai's Knee Esther 5.13 All this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the King's Gate Ahab had the Kingdom of Israel but yet he fell sick for want of Naboth's Vineyard If a Man were never so well fitted for a Journey a little Gravel in his Shoe would founder him As in Carriages of War though there be a great Train yet if one Peg be missing or out of Order all stoppeth Or in the Body if one Humour be out of Order or one Joint broken it is enough to make us sick or ill at Ease though all the rest be sound and whole so if there be the least Evil a Man cannot be a compleat happy Man Complaining will not suit with Blessedness Now First In the Hope that we look for there is a Removal of all Evil. Evil is twofold either of Sin or of Punishment and in Heaven there is neither Sin nor Misery 1. To begin with Sin that is the worst Evil. Affliction is Evil but it is not Evil in it self but only in our Sense and Feeling if a Man had a Dedolency it is no Pain to a benummed Joint to be scourged But Sin is evil whether we feel it or no but it is worst when we feel it not Certainly that is Evil which separateth from the chiefest Good Affliction doth not separate from God it is a means and an Occasion to make us draw nigh to him many had never been acquainted with God but for their Afflictions but Sin separateth us from God Isa. 59.2 Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear Let a Man be never so loathsome yet if he be in a State of Grace he is dear to God the Lord taketh Pleasure in him though rough-cast with Ulcers and Sores and thrown into a Prison yet God will kiss him with the Kisses of his Mouth There is nothing so loathsome and odious to God as Sin This grieveth the Saints most Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death If any Man had Cause to complain of Afflictions Paul had he was often in Perils whipped imprisoned stoned but he doth not cry out When shall I be delivered from these Afflictions O but this Body of Death was worst of all Lusts troubled him more than Scourges and his Captivity to the Law of Sin more than Chains and Prisons This is the Disposition of the Saints they are weary of the World because they are sinning here whilst others are glorifying God not only that they are suffering here whilst others are injoying God A Beast will forsake the Place where he hath neither Meat nor Rest. Carnal Men when they are beaten out of the World have a Fancy to Heaven as a Place of Retreat but that which troubles Godly Men is their Sin Well but in Heaven there is no Sin Eph. 5.27 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 There is neither Spot nor Wrinkle upon the Face of the glorified Saints Their Faces were once as black as yours but now Christ presenteth them to God as a Proof of the cleansing Virtue of his Blood And how pure and clean they are without Spot or Wrinkle the Apostle's Words that he might present it imply as if Christ did glory and rejoice in their Purity as the Fruits of his Purchase There you are freed from all Sins With much ado we mortify one Lust but Nature recoileth as Ivy in the Wall if you cut it down it breaketh out again It is much here if the Dominion of Sin be taken away there the being of it is abolished in Heaven it is not at all you will displease God no more and are freed from all the immediate and inseparable Consequences of Original Sin detraction in Duty and the like Here is no perfect Love and therefore the Soul cannot be fixed in the Contemplation of God that 's the Reason of wandring Thoughts but there the Heart cleaves to God without stragling In Heaven we shall be freed from Pride which lasts as long as Life therefore called Pride of Life 1 John 2.16 We cannot have a Revelation now but we grow proud of it 2 Cor. 12.7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Nor can there be an Influence of Grace but we are apt to be proud of it There is a Worm in Manna but then we are most high and most humble because most holy O Christians is not this a blessed Hope that telleth you of a sinless State of being like Christ in Purity and Holiness 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is What is it
Grace is to raise and beget this Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Who hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope 2. There may be sometimes a Drousiness and Indisposition when their Lamps are not kept burning Luke 12.36 And be ye always ready as those that wait for their Lord. When they are fallen asleep they may for the present wish that Christ may not come and take them in this condition As the wise Virgins slept as well as the foolish so God's own Children many times find themselves indisposed for his coming careless Carriage weakens their Hope and the Remisness of their Watch yet in all there is a Spirit this way which beginneth with the new Birth A Wife desires her Husband 's coming home but it may be all things are not ready and in so good order as they should So all Christians desire the coming of Christ but sometimes they are not so exact and watchful and therefore their Affections are not so lively Drousiness creeps upon their Hearts and then God rouzeth them by Afflictions Obj. 3. But is this the Property of God's Children when we see carnal Men sometimes out of Weariness of the present Life and Trouble of the World will even long for his coming and wish for Death Answ. That is an Offer of Nature after Ease this is a Desire stirred up by the Spirit Sometimes God's Children in their Passions desire to be taken out of the World as Ionah 4.8 He fainted and wished in himself to die and said It is better for me to die than to live And Elijah 1 King 19.4 He requested for himself that he might die and said It is enough now O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers But this is but a shameful Retreat from Duty and the Heat and Burden of the Day and the Labours of the present Life these are froward Thoughts not sanctified Desires Words of a feaverish Distemper not of Affection but it comes from the Sickness and Weakness of their Souls But this I speak of is a solid looking for desire and longing for the glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ. Vse 1. It sheweth what they are who wish that it may never come Some would be glad in their Hearts to hear such News that Christ's Coming would never be it is their Burden and Torment to think of it as Felix trembled when he heard of Judgment to come These Men have the Spirit of the Devil in them if they had the Spirit of God in them would it be so Surely no. A carnal Man cannot say the Lord's-Prayer for he is afraid he shall be heard Optas ut veniat quem times ne adveniat saith Austin How canst thou say Thy Kingdom come when thou art afraid lest God should come Vse 2. To press us to this earnest Looking Christ looketh he is not slack 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise If all things were ready he would come presently Before he came in the Flesh his Delights were with us Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable Parts of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. And he longeth now he is in Heaven Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me The Angels expect it they would not be found Liars they told us of it Acts 1.11 This same Iesus that is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven The Saints groan How long O Lord how long Devils tremble at the thoughts of it Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Creatures expect it in their kind Rom. 8.19 For the earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God All things by a natural Instinct are carried to their Perfection Evil Men cannot endure to think of it as Felix trembled at the thoughts of Judgment to come Let not the Saints stand out but expect it earnestly How much was the first coming of Christ wished for and desired Abraham rejoiced at the thoughts of it Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad Kings and Prophets desired to see these things Luke 10.24 For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Old Simeon Luke 2.25 was just and devout waiting for the Consolation of Israel yet then he was a Child in the Cradle now in Glory riding on the Clouds then he came in the Similitude of sinful Flesh Rom. 8.3 God sent his own Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh but now he shall appear without Sin Heb. 9.28 Vnto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation This earnest looking implieth strong Faith longing Desires frequent Thoughts 1. Strong Faith Reason saith it may be Faith saith it shall be Divine Justice must have a solemn Triumph Conscience is afraid of it Our Reward may be delayed but it cannot stand with the Justice of God that it should be abolished and taken away There is Confusion in the World Dives flowed with Ease and Plenty when Lazarus was rough-cast with Sores We need to be awed with Shame as well as Fear Faith saith he will come we have his Word for it as unlikely things have come to pass that have been foretold Were the old Believers deceived that expected his coming in the Flesh That a few Fishermen should preach the Gospel to all Nations this is already done Christ is contracted with us now he will come to marry us he went not away upon Discontent He that loved us so as to as to come from Heaven to Earth to take our Nature will he not come in Glory We have of his Spirit and we enjoy his Ordinances as a Memorial till he comes and we have many Love-tokens sent us as a Pledg that he will come 2. Longing Desires Our Hearts should even spring and leap within us when we hear of Christ's coming Thus the Believers of the Old Testament how did they rejoice to hear of a Messiah to come Iohn 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad Abraham rejoiced to think that a Son should come of his Loins in whom all the World should be blessed Heb. 11.13 These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them How did the Patriarchs hug the Promises O sweet Promise this will yield a Messiah a Christ to the World 3. There should be frequent Thoughts of his coming as if you always heard the Trumpet Every time thou lookest to Heaven think I have a Christ there a rich Jewel kept safe and when ever you see the Clouds think of Christ's coming and going These Clouds were Chariots by which Christ
was lost The sinking Disciples cried Lord save us we perish Mat. 8.25 It is long e're God bringeth us to this we never look after Christ till we are ready to perish and be undone Why should we make choice of a Saviour but in case of Danger Faith necessarily implies this a renouncing our selves not in Words but in the Temper and Frame of our Hearts You cannot practise swimming on shore or on the firm Land but then we strive to swim when we are ready to perish in the Flood so when you are utterly lost in your selves then you will look after Christ. 2. Be earnest with God for an Interest in Christ and for the Manifestation of it cry out with David Psal. 35.3 Say to my Soul I am thy Salvation You must chuse Christ as a Saviour Faith is a Consent to take Christ as God offers him you must consent to the Articles of the Covenant of Grace that you will have no other Saviour but Christ Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul And go to God that he would ratify your Choice by his Consent desire God that he would say Amen that Christ might be thy Saviour You had better be a Beast than a Man if you have not an Interest in this Salvation The Death of a Beast is the end of his Wo and Labour but then yours begins The greatest part of Salvation is to be delivered from Evil to come therefore be earnest with God that your Interest in this Salvation might be cleared up SERMON XIX TITUS II. 14 Who gave himself for us c. IN this Paragraph I have observed 1. The Teacher 2. The Lesson 3. The Encouragements to Learning The Teacher is the Grace of God The Lesson is the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling The Encouragements to Learning are twofold some taken from the Hope of eternal Life and some from the End and Effect of Christ's Death I have finished the former and now come to the latter sort taken from the End and Effect of Christ's Death So that whether we look forward or backward we still meet with Obligations to Obedience Forward there is a glorious and blessed Hope backward there is a great Obligation established upon the Creature The Lord Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity Certainly there is a lawful use of Hope that hath a great Influence upon Grace but the great Principle of the Gospel is Gratitude and Thankfulness to Christ therefore let us look upon this second Encouragement We enter upon other Services out of Hopes but we enter upon Christ's Service out of Thankfulness and Gratitude it is an ingenuous Service In this Verse you have 1. Christ's Act He gave himself for us 2. His Aim to redeem us c. And this is express'd partly by the Privative Part to redeem us from all Iniquity and partly by the Positive Part of it and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Here is Redemption and Sanctification I observe it the rather because both parts are suted to the Exhortation There was the Privative Part denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and sutably hereunto we are redeemed from all Iniquity then the Positive Part living soberly righteously godly So Christ did not only die to free us from Hell but to make us holy where we have the inward Constitution to purify unto himself a peculiar People and the outward Conversation or the Sign and Manifestation of it zealous of good Works All these things are Arguments to enforce the Matter in hand There is the Act of Christ Shall Christ die for us and we cherish his Enemy Shall he be our Saviour and we hug and cherish that which is contrary to him Worldly Lusts and Ungodliness in the Heart Then his Aim he died to free us from the Bondage of Sin therefore they that would have their Sins live are said to put their Redeemer to Shame and make his Kindness void Then Christ died to make us a peculiar People and shall we live as the rest of the Multitude do We expect great Benefit from him therefore certainly we must be holy and not pick and chuse how we would have him a Saviour unto us I begin with the first thing Christ's Act He gave himself for us that is to be an Expiatory Sacrifice he gave himself to die for us Iohn 17.19 I sanctify my self for their sakes that is set apart my self as a Sacrifice 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for all The Point is Christ's Willingness to suffer for the fallen and lost Creature I. I shall demonstrate it by some Expressions by which it is discovered II. Give the Grounds why Christ gave himself by such a willing Resignation to be our Propitiatory Sacrifice to be a Ransom to God I. For the Expressions of his Willingness And there I shall begin with his Eternal Longings to be with the Sons of Men before ever there was Hill or Mountain in the World Prov. 8.31 Rejoicing in the habitable Parts of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Mark long before ever the World was Jesus Christ was feasting himself with the thoughts of his own Grace and what he would do for Men. He desired the making the World and fixing the Bounds of our Habitation that he might be with us there was his End Angels were the Workmanship of his Hands as well as Men nay in their Frame and Constitution they were more noble Creatures than Man yet Christ doth not say My Delight was to be with Angels but with the Sons of Men. I was thinking of the Day I should come into the World and die for Men and purchase exceeding Grace for them The next Expression is Psal. 40.7 8. when God's Decree came to be express'd and made known to the Church see what Christ saith Lo I come In the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart For the understanding of this place you must know the Divine Justice is there introduced as proposing its Demands God in his Justice as it were speaking thus to Christ Son I am weary of Sacrifice and Burnt-Offerings Hitherto I have shewed my self gracious to the World whilst Burnt-Offerings stood now I resolve to shew my self Just as the Apostle explains this Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this time his Righteousness that he might be just As long as God accepted of Burnt-Offerings he was a God of Patience and Forbearance and not willing to execute his Wrath upon Creatures Burnt-Offerings served the turn But saith God the World shall know though I pardon yet I will be just therefore now you must take a Body Man's Blood is tainted and you must be formed in fashion like one of them and stand in the Sinner's stead I shall expect from you Satisfaction for every Elect Person you must give your Cheeks to the Nippers and your Back to
Judgment and Hell are a part of our Bondage But now what cause have we to bless God Rom. 8.1 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Then to be under the Power of Sin is a woful Bondage to be at the beck of every Lust and carnal Suggestion Men rejoice in their Bondage they think there is no such Life as to live at large and to do as we list but the more liberty we take in Sin the greater Slavery the Work is Drudgery and the Reward is Death Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5.21 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same is he brought into Bondage It is the saddest Judgment to be given up to our own Will to be given up to Satan to be given up to Self What a Slavery is this when we see Mischief and know not how to avoid it Conscience is held a Prisoner we cannot see a Vanity but the Heart lingereth after it and groweth sick as Ahab for Naboth's Vineyard Duties of Godliness are esteemed an heavy Task the Law of God is impelling to Duty and the Law of Sin impelling to Evil. What Thanks is due to God for delivering us from so great a Bondage Vse 2. To press us to avoid Sin Mortify the Lust and prevent the Action let it not reign in the Heart nor be discovered in the Life and Conversation Christ died that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 And he died to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Consider when Sin remains in its Power and while you serve Sin what Dishonour you do to God and what Disadvantage it is to your selves 1. The Dishonour you do to God to all the Persons in the Godhead To the Father by making void the whole Plot of Redemption This was the eternal Project and Design as it were of God the Father the wise Counsel his Wisdom found out to remedy the Fall of Man Jesus Christ was ordained before all Worlds to redeem us from our vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World The Lord projected this way of Restitution from all Eternity that this Course should be taken to destroy Sin Now will you go about to make all this void Then you wrong God the Son and that many ways You disparage the worth of his Price as if it was not sufficient to purchase Grace and so seek to put your Redeemer to shame Nay you disparage the Purity of his Person for you were redeemed with the Blood of Christ as a Lamb without spot and blemish Nay you disparage the Greatness and Extremity of his Sufferings It cost him dear to purchase Grace and Deliverance from Sin and you slight it and make nothing of it Then you rob him of the Greatness of his Purchase he bought us with this great Price that we might not be our own and live to our Lusts. Such as are bought with Money are theirs who bought them 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with a Price therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are his Did Christ pay our Debts and shall we like desperate Prodigals do nothing but encrease them by our Sin Then you disparage the Holy Ghost the Spirit whom Christ doth shed abroad to accomplish his Work 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty The great Work of the Holy Ghost is to free us from the Bondage of Sin Have you the Assistance of such a Spirit and can you not resist carnal Motions And are you taken with every vain Delight a Fashion a sensual Bait Thus consider what a dishonour it is to God to let Sin live if Christ died to redeem us You do as much as in you lieth to defeat the Project of God the Father the Purchase of the Son and the Work of the Spirit 2. It is a Disadvantage to your selves You cut off your own Claim and declare you have no Interest and Share in Christ if Sin live for he came to redeem us from Iniquity We cannot have an Interest in any part of Christ's Redemption till this be for all these go together God's Anger is not appeased the Devil's Power is not restrained the Law 's Curse is still in force as long as Sin lives You can have no Comfort if you be not freed from Sin the Wrath of God is against you and Hell is your Portion nay if you are not redeemed from all Sin for he redeems us from all Iniquity A Bird that is tied by the Leg may make a shew of escape but it is fast enough So though many may abstain from gross Sins for they that commit such shew plainly they are acted by the Spirit of the Devil yet if one Sin remains unmortified it enthralleth as well as many but if it reigns in the Soul you have no Interest in Christ. Object You will say Why should we mortify what should we trouble our selves about this Christ hath done all this Answ. No Christ hath redeemed us from all Iniquity but his Redemption doth not make void but oblige our Endeavours for he undertook as God's Surety that Sin should be destroyed and as our Surety that we should not serve Sin Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin There 's a Work on God's part he undertook for the pouring out of Grace and on our part that we should be watchful and strive against Sin and watch against all Occasions of it And he hath given us encouragement so to do Non pugna sublata est sed Victoria It is not the Conflict against Sin that is taken away by Christ but the Victory of Sin Look as when the Israelites had a Promise that God would give their Enemies into their Hands the meaning was not that they should not strike a Stroke but they were to fight the Battels of the Lord So when Christ hath redeemed us from Iniquity yet we are to use all spiritual means of Mortification to subdue the Lusts and to prevent the Act of Sin It will be our great Condemnation when we have so much help that still Sin should remain Certainly he is very lazy that will not ply the Oar that hath both Wind and Tide on his side And when the Lord Christ hath purchased Grace and the Spirit yet we will not endeavour against Sin Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again in the Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5.1 Vse 3. Direction When-ever you are troubled with your Sins and Lusts are too hard for you go to Christ. It is his Office to redeem you from your Iniquity and the Tyranny of Sin Therefore when you feel any Corruption stir go and complain to him as Paul did I cannot do the things
God will not linger but fly Delays are a Sign of Unwillingness To say Non vacat I am not at leisure rightly interpreted is Non placet it doth not please me When Men are not at leisure for the things of their Peace it is a Sign they have no Mind to go to Christ and are not earnest in this matter Excuses are but a real Denial as they that have no Mind to pay their Debts they put off their Creditors and troublesome Suitors until another time only to be rid of them When Men have a true sense of their Case they can trifle no longer In a matter of Life and Death Delays are dangerous God is for present Obedience Heb. 3.7 To day if ye will hear his Voice And so a Soul that is affected with its Condition cannot dally with God any longer Gal. 1.16 Immediately I consulted not with Flesh and Blood When Christ called Andrew and Peter they straitway left their Nets and followed him Mat. 4.20 And Zacheus made haste and came down and received him joyfully Luke 19.6 When Men have but a slight Conviction they think of a more convenient Season when such a Business or such a Temptation is over but alas modò modò non habet modum a Sinner's Morrow will never come 2. Running to the City of Refuge implieth avoiding all By-ways A Soul that is rightly affected cannot be satisfied with any other thing Another place would not secure the Man nothing but the City of Refuge Worldly things to a wounded Conscience are as unsavoury as the White of an Egg. Surely the Wound is not deep enough when it can be healed with other Plaisters and that Thirst is not urgent which we can quench at the next Ditch I mean when the Comforts of the Creature can satisfy the Soul our Thirst was not very deep Many have a Trouble upon them but they quench it in Mirth and carnal Company and by little and little wear out all Feelings of Conscience A Man that ran to a City of Refuge would not turn aside but went a strait way thither another Town could not secure him So all things else are but Dung and Dross in comparison of being found in Christ Phil. 3.8 9. There are two things which are apt to keep us from Christ when we begin to be touched with any sight of Sin or God's Wrath pursuing us either the Delights of the World or some formal Duties When a Man begins to be in want with the Prodigal he first feeds upon Husks with the Swine takes up with Worldly Delights which serve to benum and stupify the Conscience Or if that will not do then some outward formal Duty That Trouble never went very deep that can be cured with any thing on this side Christ. 3. This Running implies an unwearied Diligence The Man was running still till he was gotten into the City of Refuge for it was for his Life so we are unwearied until we meet with Christ Cant. 3.2 The Spouse sought her Beloved throughout the whole City from one Ordinance to another Where is Christ They run here and there to the Word and to Prayer to see if God will let in any glimpse of Love They do not presently give out tho they find not what they look for but are born up by Encouragements of the Word Many that have Trouble upon them are anxious and make a kind of Essay whether God will give them Christ or no and if not presently answered throw up all But they which run to Christ in good earnest wrestle with many a Discouragement and Delay it is for the lost Sheep of the House of Israel it is Childrens Bread and not to be given to Dogs but they are resolved to hold fast and take no Denial 4. When they are got into their City of Refuge they stay there having once taken hold of Christ they will not quit their hold-fast for all the World Many times the Children of God have that which Divines call a Negative Adherence that is they do not stick to other things tho they dare not apply Christ to their Souls tho they have but a Twilight and make but a blind Adventure they dare not say Christ is theirs yet they will not let go that kind of loose Hope for all the World Much more when it comes to some Positive Adherence tho not a full Assurance that is when they are resolved to cast their Souls on Christ to see what God will do with them as Ioab when he took hold of the Horns of the Altar he said If I die I 'll die here 1 Kings 2.30 So whatever Discouragements they meet with their Hearts hold Christ fast and will not let him go II. For the second Branch To lay hold upon the Hope that is set before us and you must repeat the word flying or running again Here is another Metaphor implied the Apostle having spoken of flying alludeth not only to the City of Refuge but to that speed and haste Men make in a Race to take hold of the Prize for he speaks of laying hold of a Hope set before them the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to seize upon it and ver 20. of a Fore-runner that is entred before us 1 st What is this Hope Hope is put for the thing hoped for Heaven with all the Glory thereof for it is a Hope that lies within the Vail ver 19. or a Hope laid up for us in Heaven Col. 1.5 Mark the double end of him that cometh unto Christ Refuge and Salvation for in Christ there is not only Deliverance from pursuing Wrath but Eternal Life to be found First we fly from deserved Wrath then we take hold of undeserved Glory This is more easy of the two Rom. 5.10 11. For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement The greatest Brunt is at first because of the great fear upon us to fly from Wrath then we encourage our selves to take hold of Eternal Life In the temporal Refuges they had Security but not Possessions there was no Heritage there but here we are not only secured against the Avenger of Blood but we are called to great and glorious Hopes Our Privileges in Christ are not only privative but positive Cant. 2.3 I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his Fruit was sweet to my Taste Christ is not only a shady Tree to afford a cool and wholsome Shade to shelter us from the Scorchings of the Sun but a fruitful Tree we are not only sheltred from Wrath but called to eat of the Apples of Paradise In the Covenant of Grace God doth not only enter into a League with us that he will not hurt us but he openeth all his Treasure to us So Psal. 84.11
5.14 Wherefore he says Awake thou that sleepest 2. Have you been drawn to Christ by the Cords of the Gospel Have you been brought to him as a Sanctuary for your distressed Souls as the Man shut up himself in the City of Refuge 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day Here is my Anchor and Safety 3. Are you begotten to a lively Hope Do you often look within the Vail and groan and long for your everlasting Hopes Do you send Spies before-hand into the Land of Promise a few Thoughts thither What hearty Groans are there and Sighs of that happy State Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also who have the First-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Doth it quicken you and make you mend your pace whatever Difficulties you meet with Rom. 5.2 We rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Vse 2. Conviction It sheweth the hardness of their Hearts who have neither felt the Law-work nor the Gospel-work but remain like the Smith's Anvil softned neither with Hammer nor Oil neither driven by the Threatnings of the Law nor drawn with the glad Tidings of Salvation neither Iohn nor Iesus worketh on them Of such Christ speaketh Mat. 11.17 We have piped unto you and you have not danced we have mourned unto you and you have not lamented A rude and stupid People not affected with any kind of Musick In times of Rejoicing the Jews had their lighter Notes fitted for Mirth in times of Lamentation they had their Minstrels and mourning Women that had venales lachrymas beating their Breasts and crying Alas my Brother and ah Lord and ah his Glory Jer. 9.17 Consider ye and call for the mourning Women Notable movers of Passions they were It was a thing so common among them that the Boys would imitate them in the Streets To these Christ likeneth a stupid People that are moved with no kind of Doctrine neither with Judgment nor sweet offers of Grace Alas they are far from the strong Comfort here spoken of Vse 3. To perswade you to this Temper Three sorts of People usually we speak to 1. The carnally Secure 2. Those that are affected with their Condition 3. Those that esteem Christ and embrace him that own him as ready and willing to save Sinners 1. For the carnally Secure that never made their Peace with God never fled for Refuge nor took Sanctuary at the Grace of Christ. Our Work is to make them sensible of the Avenger of Blood that is at their Heels O poor Wretches will you sleep when your Damnation sleeps not Within a little while what will become of you In the ordinary Course of Nature you have but a few Years to pass over in this World but for ought you know the Wrath of God which makes Inquisition for Sinners may seize upon you a great deal sooner you may not live out half your Days that is so long as in an ordinary Providence you might expect Psal. 68.21 God shall wound the Head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his Trespasses God may take you by the hairy Scalp while you are in your youthful Freshness before Baldness and old Age cometh and Infirmities seize upon you That which is measured by Time will soon come about Every Day you are a step nearer to Eternity O what will become of you When you are at odds with God Death way-layeth you in every place it may take you Sleeping Eating Drinking Ah poor Man what Refuge hast thou What Buckler to catch the Blow of God's angry Indignation and ward off the Strokes of his Vengeance O fly Sinners for Refuge the Lord knows how soon Destruction may seize upon you while you are yet in Health and Strength there is no other means but Christ. Surely this driving Work would prosper more if Men were not wanting to themselves to improve the Conviction of the Word When God shews you your natural Face and begins to startle and awaken you O let not Conviction die No Iron so hard as that which hath been often quenched and often healed So no Heart so hard as when it hath worn out many Convictions Make use of Remorses of Conscience and your own trembling Fears lest you are given up to a Spirit of Slumber 2. To those that are affected with their Condition to seek for Salvation in Christ alone You which are troubled about your Eternal State own Christ as a City of Refuge his Arms are always open to receive poor trembling Sinners that fly thither from the Wrath of God You do but go about while you seek else-where Jer. 31.22 How long wilt thou go about O thou back-sliding Daughter for the Lord hath created a new Thing in the Earth A Woman shall compass a Man that is when God hath set forth Christ born of a Woman why will you weary your selves to go about This City of Refuge stands open for all Corners own Christ as the only Remedy One who was long exercised with Troubles of Conscience and at length came to some establishment gave this Advice I will never look for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel and I will never look for that in my self which is only to be found in Christ and I will never look for that on Earth which is only to be found in Heaven These three things are the Causes why Men are kept in Trouble You will get nothing but Weariness and Discomfort by running about and looking to Duties and legal Qualifications and therefore while you are affected with your Condition own Christ. 3. To those which are fled to Christ and owned him as the only Sanctuary for poor Souls Press onward to take hold of eternal Life Now you have fled from deserved Wrath run to take hold of undeserved Glory You are past the worst the rest is more easy The Apostle Rom. 5.11 12. puts a much more upon this Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life as if that were a more easy thing Now the worst Brunt is over And not only so but we also joy in God through the Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement When you are reconciled to God you may look to be entertained as Friends being adopted in Christ you may look for a Child's Portion If God would pardon your Sins and take you with all your Faults quicken your selves to be more diligent in the pursuit of Eternal Life and put to your best Strength You will have many ups and downs in the World but bear it with Patience Heaven will pay for all But here is a Doubt May we look to the Rewards I answer Yes else there were no room for Hope for Hope is nothing else but a longing
account of what we have done and received in the Body And therefore it is best while we are in the way to make our Peace with God and to break off our Sins by Repentance Otherwise what Quiet can we have in our selves or how can we keep our selves when we are serious from trembling at Wrath to come We may smother Conscience and baffle all Convictions for the present but Christians you and I must be judged Now when God riseth up to the Judgment what shall we answer him Iob 31.14 What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him That must be thought on before-hand If we have no Answer which will satisfy now much less then 2. From the manner or strictness of that Day 's Account he will judg the World in Righteousness Eccles. 12.14 God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Hypocrisy shall be disclosed Sincerity shall be rewarded nothing shall be hidden from God's Search no Person shall be exempted no Work either open or secret but God will bring it into Judgment His infinite Wisdom knoweth all and his infinite Justice will give due Recompence to all The Businesses of all Nations and Persons shall be openly examined What then is our Duty but to exercise our selves both in Faith and Repentance that our Judg may be our Saviour and it may go well with us when this Search is made 3. Chiefly from the Person sufficiently attested by the Miracles of his Life and Resurrection from Death God hath determined and ordained the Person by whom the whole World shall be judged And from thence we may judg of the Rule it is by his Doctrine and by our receiving or not receiving Christ. Surely it is our Interest to be in with him who will cite us before his Tribunal To accept his Person as our Lord and Saviour Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God To believe and entertain his Doctrine as the Message of God Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death to Life To imitate his Example 1 Iohn 4.17 Herein is our Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Iudgment because as he is so are we in this World To trust in his Merit Psal. 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his Wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their Trust in him To love him and live to him 1 Cor. 16.22 If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha If he say Come ye Blessed or Go ye Cursed we must abide by it to all Eternity Wo to them that neglect his Offers contemn his Ways oppose his Interest oppress his Servants But blessed are they whose Redeemer is their Judg he who shed his Blood for them must pass the Sentence on them and one that is Flesh of our Flesh and Bone of our Bone is the final Judg between us and God Will he be harsh to his sincere Disciples But to say all in a word Surely this Consideration should do the Work effectually because his Gospel and Covenant is nothing else but a free Promise of Pardon upon Condition of Repentance Luke 24.47 That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations And to this end the Apostles were to preach that Christ is Judg Acts 10.42 43. He hath commanded us to preach unto the People and to testify that it is he who was ordained of God to be the Iudg of Quick and Dead To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins Nothing sheweth the necessity of Remission of Sins so much as the Judgment and the necessity of Repentance to Remission so much as the Judg who in his Covenant hath made this Condition Nothing doth befriend the great Discovery of the Gospel which is free Pardon of Sin by Christ upon Repentance so much as the sound Belief of this Truth that Christ is Judg. Doct. That the great Purpose and Drift of the Gospel where it is sent and preached is to invite Men to Repentance This appeareth abundantly by the Scripture that Repentance is one of the first and chief Lessons which the Gospel teacheth When the Gospel-Kingdom was to be erected or set up Iohn the Baptist crieth Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3.2 So when Jesus himself began to preach his Note is the same Mat. 4.17 He began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand His Doctrine and the Doctrine of the Baptist is all one in substance and necessarily it must be so The Gospel findeth Men under the Tyranny of Sathan and offereth to bring them into the Kingdom of God So when he sent abroad his Disciples first to the Iews Matth. 10. and afterwards to the World Luk. 24.47 That Repentance and remission of Sins should be preached in his Name The Disciples were faithful to their Commission Acts 2.38 Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Sins But to give you some Reasons of it I shall 1. Enquire what is Repentance 2. What the Gospel doth to promote it 3. How convenient and necessary this is for all those that are willing to come out of the Apostacy of Mankind and to return to their Obedience to God First What is Repentance Sometimes it is taken largely for our whole Conversion to God through the Faith of Christ as in the Text He commandeth all men to repent that is to turn from their Sins and believe the Gospel 2 Tim. 2.25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth Where the owning of the Christian Faith is called Repentance Sometimes strictly as opposed to or rather distinguished from Faith as Acts 20.21 Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Greeks Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. Where Repentance is said to be towards God as the End as Faith is conversant about Christ as the Means And there it signifieth a return to the Love and Obedience of our Creator which was our Primitive Duty before the Fall as Faith implyeth all the Duties that belong to our recovery by Christ. In short in the strict sense there is not only a Sorrow for what is past which is a beginning and help to the other part for 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow working repentance unto Salvation not to be repented of but also a full purpose of Heart to live unto God Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to
only mentioned 3. Why seeing it is plain that the Six Commandments of the Second Table are alluded unto Defraud not is put for the last Commandment Thou shalt not Covet for of the Method wherein they are recited we need not move any doubt for Christ beginneth with the Negatives and the Affirmative Precept is put last as a thing not accurately to be stood upon 1 Question Why Christ referrs him to the Commandments The Reason of the Doubt is this Because the fallen Creature can never be Justified or Saved by his own Works Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified in his sight Tit. 3.5 Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace Eph. 2.8 9. For by Grace ye are saved thrô Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of works lest any man should boast The Scripture doth always run in this Strain yea Christ himself puts Salvation upon another Score upon Believing in him Iohn 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life Why then doth Christ referr him to the Commandment I answer Christ speaketh not this as if any Man could be Saved and Justified by the Works of the Law It was far from our Saviours meaning to foment such an Error but the scope of his Speech is to shew that it is in vain to enquire for the Way to Heaven while men trust to their own Righteousness And therefore good Works and Obedience to the Law are proposed to convince him of his Impotency to humble him in the sense of his Guilt to drive him out of himself and to draw him to seek Salvation by a better Covenant or if not to leave him without Excuse That this was Christ's aim to shew him his Sin and miserable Condition and disability to be justified by the Law will appear by these following Considerations 1. It was necessary this Man should be treated in this way for the many Errors wherewith he was tainted required it As 1. To draw him again to the Service of God from those Traditions and humane Observances in which the Pharisees placed most of their Religion and Piety and therefore Christ mentions not the Traditions of the Elders but the Commandments of God 2. To draw him from the Law Ceremonial which was to be abolished to the Law Moral He mentioneth not the Ceremonial Law which the Iews strictly observed but Moral Duties 3. To beat down his Presumption whereby he believed that the Law was easie for him to accomplish such as seek Justification and Eternal Life by Works must be taught that to keep the whole Law in all Points without the least Sin is the only Way to Heaven by Works which Way to every Man now polluted by Sin is impossible There was no better Course to humble a Pharisee than by referring him to his own Covenant rightly understood to let him see the Perfection and Spiritual Sence of it and so to bring him to a Knowledge of Sin that he might learn to seek God's Favour by the Mediator who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 That is to say The end of giving the Law by Moses was that Men might thereby be brought to the Knowledge of their Sins and so be necessitated to fly for Refuge to Christ and his Righteousness who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us If any Man think that this consisted not with the Simplicity of Christ's Instruction especially when such a serious Question was proposed to him What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life And that it may seem to countenance their Error who sought Righteousness by the Law to referr such to the Commandments I answer 1. Christ used the same Method that God did in giving the Law upon Mount Sinai Why did God give it then but to break a stiff-necked People trusting to their own strength by this exact Yoke of Duty which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear That seeing their manifold Guilt in which all are inevitably involved by the violation of the Law they might be burdened and condemned in themselves and so fly to the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World as he was represented to them in the Sacrifice and burnt-offering That this was God's End in giving the Law see Rom. 5.20 21. Moreover the Law entred that the Offence might abound but where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto Death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Iesus Christ our Lord. And Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made Suitably here Christ having to do with a Man that was puffed up with an Opinion of his own Righteousness and Strength as if he had already discharged the whole Duty of the Law and was ready and able to do whatsoever should be further required of him in order to Eternal Life to humble him Christ referreth him to the Commandments and so layeth a ground work of convincing him of base Idolatry in loving Riches more than God and Eternal Life So that his End was not to foster and increase his Presumption but by urging the Law which he professed to stand to to convince him of his own baseness and the necessity of seeking another Righteousness 2. Practical Conviction is best and Men never see their unworthiness so much as when they are held to their own Covenant and we are so far to condescend to the humours of Men as to convince them and condemn them in their own way As Festus told Paul Acts 25.12 Hast thou appealed unto Caesar unto Caesar shalt thou go As a presumptuous Sick Man that is strongly conceited he is able to leave his Bed and walk up and down the best way to confute him is by tryal Or a Phrenetick Person or a Man that is distempered with melancholly Fancies wise Physicians indulge the Humour a little that by dealing with them in their own way they may afterwards the better dispossess them of their vain Conceits If men will go to Heaven by Doing let them know what Doing is required Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law do ye not hear the Law If men will betake themselves to stand to or fall by the Sentence of the Law or Covenant of Works let them see how it will succeed with them 3. It was a Truth Christ spake If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments but we must consider his Intention Thô Mens trusting in their own Works is displeasing to God
himself with a spurious Covenant of Works of his own making which is the main Lett and Hinderance to keep him from Christ and Salvation There is a two-fold Covenant of Works one genuine and true and of God's own Institution another Apocryphal and feigned a Bastard-Covenant of Works and of Mans Invention namely that which a Creature unable to perform the Duty of the Law or to get from under the Curse thereof frameth out of his own Brain as by doing something in order to our acceptation with God thô not doing all that is required and to make recompence for the defects in the weighty things by abounding in Externals There is a Covenant Man makes of himself by a short Exposition of the Law that he may have a large Opinion of his own Righteousness It is not for the Interest of their Quiet and Peace that the Ell should be longer than the Cloath therefore because they know they are not able to stand by the true genuine Covenant of God's making they make a Covenant of their own that so a blameless Conformity to the outward Letter of the Law may make a recompence for their other Defects abounding in humane Inventions and Observances of vain Riâ—es as if this would make them acceptable with God This is the great thing which keeps him off from submitting to the Gospel-way of Faith and Repentance and humbling himself before the Lord. 2 Reason It must needs be a powerful Instrument to prepare Men for Christ because this Covenant shuts up a Sinner without any hope of Relief unless Christ and Grace open the Door to him There are three places of Scripture which speak fully to this purpose Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the World may become guilty before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyable to his Process and Wrath nothing to say for themselves no Plea to make by the first Covenant Rom. 11.32 speaking of the Iews he saith For God hath concluded them all in Vnbelief By this Covenant they are as it were shut up in Prison but no way to escape unless Grace and Mercy open the Door So Gal. 3.22 The Scripture that is the Law-Covenant hath concluded all under Sin that the promise by Faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that believe This Covenant accusing convincing and condemning all Mankind for Sin it doth as it were shut them up under the fearful Curse as a Malefactor is shut up in Prison So that a Man is forced to lay aside all confidence of any Righteousness in himself and fly for Refuge to the Promises and to the Righteousness of Christ. Let us see how this Covenant shuts Men up and inevitably concludes them Lost and Undone If this could be powerfully and throughly done the Work of Conversion would not be at such a stand Thô all men be in such a Cursed Condition yet it is a matter of no small difficulty to convince Men of it or to affect their Hearts sensibly with it Therefore if there were any way to shut them up without all Hope where there is not the least Wicket or Door open for escape from deserved Wrath then the Work would powerfully go on and they would be necessitated to fly to Christ. Let us see then how this Law shuts Men up because the Duty of it is Impossible and the Penalty Intollerable 1. The Duty is Impossible So full and exact is that Righteousness that is required by the Law-Covenant in order to Life that it is impossible for the fallen Creature ever to perform it Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh. The Law promiseth no good to Sinners but only to the Innocent it reveals no way of taking away Sin past but only of punishing Sin no way for Man once a Sinner ever to recover himself therefore it is become weak that is impossible through our Flesh the weakness of the Flesh will not permit it to be fulfilled in that exactness which is required of us if it could be exactly fulfilled for the future yet there would be no hopes of Life because of Sins past Therefore to hope our good Meanings good Intentions and Endeavours should help us is to no purpose A Man must from the first moment of Life to the last minute thereof be perfectly exact with God Now Man that could not keep himself in Innocency it cannot be thought that he can recover himself when Lost. 2. The Penalty is Intollerable Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them The Law is a mouth that speaketh terrible things it curseth a Man in his Person Comforts Basket Store in all things that he hath all the Miseries of this Life are included in this Curse Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sins Death it self is part of it it is the wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 and the pains of Hell Mark 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire When the Law shall take a Sinner by the Throat and say Pay me what thou owest Alas what can a poor Creature do to avoid the Curse or overcome it Every one of us in Thought Word and Deed have broken the Law of God now wherewith shall we appease his Wrath We have nothing to give God or that he will accept at our hands we cannot hide or withdraw our selves from the presence of the Lord for we must all appear before the Iudgment Seat of Christ We cannot abide this Curse for who can dwell with devouring Burnings O what shall we do then to escape this horrible Curse There is no way but by flying from the Sentence of the Law to the Throne of Grace for Mercy and Pardon There is no other Hope left us for they that do not betake themselves to the Covenant of Grace must stand or fall by the Sentence of the Law So that this is the most powerful Engine to awaken Mens Consciences and prepare them for Christ. Therefore for good Reason Christ sends this Confident Young man to the Law Thou knowest the Commandments 3 Reason There is none passeth into the New Covenant till he be driven by the Old and therefore certainly this is the Way to prepare a Man for Christ to have some sense and feeling of it in our own Heart and we see we are cursed and Undone Creatures and so lye at God's feet with Brokenness of Heart Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There is a Spirit that goes along with every Covenant the Spirit of Bondage begets fear in all that are under the first Covenant and the Spirit of Adoption begets Hope in all that are under the second Covenant Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God Before we can
lay hold of the second Covenant we must be dead to the Law Men are slight and careless untill the Curse of the Law puts them so hard to it that they are made to despair of getting Heaven and Salvation by Obedience to it O then they think of a New Life and a New Claim The Curse of the Law follows them close makes them utterly despair in themselves then they are fit to live unto God The Apostle tells us this is the great Use for which the Law now serveth Rom. 5.20 The Law entred that the Offence might abound Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of trangression that is to convince Sinners of their lost Estate that men might be sensible of their Sins and so forcibly constrained to make after another Righteousness None pass from one Covenant to another but they have a taste of the first I. VSE To inform us how the two Covenants agree and are subservient to one another For these two are not contrary being both Truths revealed by God they have a mutual respect the Law serveth to make Sin known Rom. 3.20 For by the Law is the knowledge of Sin and the Gospel holdeth forth the Remedy of Sin Iohn 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the World The Law paints out our need oâ— Christ who is the end of the Law for Righteousness Rom. 10.4 The Gospel maketh an offer of Christ that in him we may have what we could not attain by the Law 1 Cor. 1.30 For of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption The Law discovers those Duties wherein a Man made Righteous ought to walk and testifie his Thankfulness Eph. 4.1 2. I beseech you that you walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness c. The Gospel furnisheth him with Spiritual Strength to walk in those Duties which the Law prescribeth 2 Cor. 3.6 The Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Lex jubet Gratia juvat The Law commands but Grace helps us Thus they fairly agree and are mutually useful II. VSE To awaken our Consciences to consider upon what Terms we stand with God and by what Covenant we can plead with him by the Covenant of Works or by the Covenant of Grace If we be yet under the Covenant of Works and have not got the Sentence of the Law repealed O miserable Creatures there is no hope Psal. 130.34 If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquity O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If God should deal with us in a way of strict Justice according to the tenor of the Law and the Covenant of Works no Man can escape Condemnation and the Curse There is another Covenant but how will you decline Judgment according to the first Covenant 1. There is no hope of your pleading another Covenant till you own the first Covenant to be just and with Brokenness of Heart you look upon your selves as shut up under the Curse and you acknowâ—edge your selves lost and undone Sinners The great thing that this Young man wanted was Brokenness of Heart and therefore Christ would have him see himself in the Law The Heirs of Promise are described to be those that have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before them Heb. 6.18 It is all Allusion to those that fled for their Life If one had kill'd a Man by chance and not out of Malice prepense there was a City of Refuge appointed and if he fled there before the Avenger of Blood the next of kin seized upon him the Man was safe None are brought in to Christ but they come as those that have the Avenger of Blood following them they are driven and must away from the first Covenant by a deep sense of their Misery Men that are Heart-whole and have only Doctrinal Notions about the two Covenants without feeling the force of either and being driven out of themselves to ly at God's Feet for Mercy they as yet remain under the Old Covenant and need be prepared by this breaking Work Indeed Degrees are different but all feel some Trouble some with great Horror and Despair but others with Anxiousness and Solicitude the Curse is at their heels therefore they desire to be found in Christ Now have you felt any thing of the Spirit of Bondage The deepness of the Wound is not to be looked after but the soundness of the Cure but yet some Wound there will be And therefore till there be some Grief and Shame and Sorrow and bitter Remorse because of Sin a smiting upon the Thigh because of the Indignation of the Lord and humbling our selves before God we are not fit for Mercy We are not Heirs of the Promise if we do not hasten to the Hope set before us 2. They that do as yet trust to their good Meanings and Endeavours and seek Salvation by their own Doing must yield perfect Obedience to the Law of God or else they cannot obtain Eternal Life we make this to be our Covenant by sticking to any one Work of ours Gal. 5.2 3. Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie again to every one that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law If another Man had spoken this possibly you would have judged him rash and uncircumspect But I Paul say unto you I that have an Apostolical Authority I that know the mind of Christ I testifie this again and again that observing any one Ceremony as part of a Mans Righteousness necessary to Salvation cuts off the Observer from all Benefit by Christ he is a Debtor to the Duty of the whole Law he obligeth himself to perfect Obedience without which the Law cannot justifie any he saith it again and again that Man might take heed This trust in his own Righteousness in effect is a renouncing the Gospel Covenant Christ must be our whole Righteousness and a compleat Saviour or not at all If we rely upon any thing besides him or joyntly with him as a meritorious Cause of Salvation we lose all Hope and Comfort by Christ. This is the great Concernment of the Soul therefore to be inculcated with such Seriousness and Earnestness 3. By living in any known allowed reigning Sin shews we have no Claim to the second Covenant Saith David Psal. 19.13 Keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have Dominion over me so shall I be upright and shall be innocent from the great transgression Our Qualification under the second Covenant is not a Soul exactly perfect but a Soul sincere Now if any Sin hath Dominion over us our Sincerity is gone Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not havâ— dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace There were no cogency in the Argument
them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own for they had all things common And the reason of the Command Christ gives Luk. 12.33 Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves baggs which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no Thief approacheth neither Moth corrupteth It was a prudent Course when there was such a General Destruction to come upon them Doct. That we ought upon God's Call to be ready to forsake all that we have in the World Here I shall 1. Consider when God calls us to forsake all 2. Why we ought to do so First When God calls us to forsake all that we have such a particular Precept or Command we cannot now expect Now Christ is ascended into the Heavens and governs us not by Oracle but by his Word not by his personal Presence but by his Spirit But yet still in some Cases wherein we are to forsake all they may be referred unto two Heads 1. When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition 2. When we cannot obey any particular Precept of God without danger of being undone by it 1. When God by his Providence reduceth us to a poor Condition either for our Chastisement or our Tryal then we are willingly and chearfully to forsake all This is no strange thing to hear of those that have flowed in Wealth and yet by the meer Providence of God though not by their own misgovernment or default have been reduced to great necessity Our Estates in the World are lyable to many hazards by which this may be brought about as by Fire Innundation or Hostile Depredations by State Injury false Witness of others or negligence of Servants or Sureâ—yship for Friends or oversight of reckoning or trusting of Customers or unfaithfulness of Factors or Piracy by Sea by these and many other such like means may our Estates be wasted and come to nothing and we brought to great Poverty Iob the richest Man in the East was brought to sit upon the Dunghill Belizarius that great Captain that had twice relieved Rome and vanquished so many Enemies was brought to begg for a half-penny to sustain his Life Date obolum Belizario Now we ought to have a ready mind prepared for all Providences and this is the true voluntary Poverty of Christians not Monkish Vows but this willingness to be at God's disposing It ought not to be sought for but we must not be over-sorrowful if it happens but humbly acquiesce in the Will of God and bear Poverty if laid upon us with a constant patient mind Iob 1.21 Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 2. God still calls us to forsake all when we cannot obey any particular Precept of God without danger of being undone by it When God by his Providence maketh it impossible for us to preserve our Fidelity to him or Obedience to any known Command of his without sacrificing our Interests and parting with all that we have in the World we must impartially perform it and do our Duty tho' it be with the loss of Estate and Life it self Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of his Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Be ye faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life And Moses when all the Pleasures and Treasures he enjoyed in Pharaoh's Court came once to be the Pleasures of sin and he could continue there no longer without sin he left all Heb. 11.24 25 26. By Faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward In these two Cases we are to sell all Secondly For the Reasons why we must do so 1. God hath an absolute Right to all that we have by his own Eminency and Prerogative He is called the Possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14.19 not only the Maker but the Possessor We are not Lords but only Stewards Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward A Steward must be ready to give up the Estate when the supream Lord calls for it We have not Dominium the Dominion and Sovereignty only Dispensationem a Dispensation and Trust and when the supream Lord calls for all we have we must willingly resign all into his hands I will take away my Corn my Wine and my Wooll and my Flax saith God Hos. 2.9 Every one is allow'd to do with his own as it pleaseth him God cannot injure his Creature for when he takes these things from us he doth but dispose of his own The Lord of his Bounty communicates many good things to us but still he retains the Dominion of them in his own Hands that he may dispose of them according to his own pleasure If God saith Keep you may keep it but if he saith Vade vende omnia Go sell all who art thou O Man that replyest upon God We are not absolute and perpetual Owners and must part with it when the Lord shall require it We are not Possessors but Stewards or Tenants at Will God allows us to dispense and use these things for a time for his glory and for the supply of our selves and ours and to do good to others and then we are to resign and give up all again when he calls for it or shall be pleased to take it from us by his own immediate hand or by other means He giveth us Wealth with this Condition 2. Because it is impossible we should be Christians if we come not to Christ with this Mind and Resolution to forsake all for our Duty to him All hath been ratified by our own Consent see Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple How forsake all not actually but so as to be ready to forsake all if Christ please Christians whoever comes to Christ he lays himself and all he hath at Christ's Feet his Life Goods and Lands to be used and disposed of as Christ shall direct and not to take them up again but as Christ will 〈◊〉 and so he forsaketh all things tho' not actually till God calls him to it yet Preparatione animi in a full Resolution to run all hazards and Extremities that his Duty to Christ shall expose him to Esse Christianum grande non videri it is a costly thing to be a Christian indeed thô it
stiffle our Convictions so as they come to nothing Matth. 13.22 He also that receiveth seed among the thorns is he thâ—t heareth the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the word and he becometh unfruitful They will distract the Head with Cares and put out all Thoughts of our Eternal Condition If a Man begins to do some outward thing it wiil make us soon weary of Religion and attendance on Holy Duties as if all time laid out upon God were lost and they cry out When will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat Amos 8.5 The Heathens counted the Jews a foolish People as Seneca saith because they lost a full seventh part of their lives he speaks it with respect to the Sabbath So other Men are of his Mind they think all lost that is laid out upon God And it distracts us in Duty and carries away our Heart Ezek. 33.31 They come unto me as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy word but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness It interlines our Prayers and holy Services with worldly Projects and Thoughts Nay it turns Religion into a Trade and Market Men live by it it makes Religion to serve their worldly Ends they make a Market of their Devotion as the Sechemites for then say they their Substance and their Cattle will be ours VSE To inform us of the Evil of Worldliness We need to be set right in that for most Men stroke it with a gentle Censure They will say he is a good Man but a little worldly as if it were no great matter to be so nay Men are apt to applaud those that are guilty of this Sin Psal. 10.3 They bless the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth He that by hook and crook gets Honour and Riches is the only prudent Man in their Account If our Children are Loose and Drunkards and Riotous we are offended but if we see them worldly we are not troubled O it is a foul Sin but the Men of the World will not believe it surely we have too mild thoughts of it and therefore we do not watch and strive against the Love of the World Luke 12.15 Take heed and beware of Covetousness the words are doubled for the more vehemency he doth not say take heed only but take heed and beware of Covetousness Sins that are more gross and sensual are easier discovered and such a Sinner is sooner reclaimed but this is a secret Sin that turns away the Heart from God And to make you more careful to avoid it in Scripture a Covetous Man is called an Idolater Eph. 5.3 and Covetousness is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 and is that a small Crime What to set up another God who are you that dare to harbour such an Evil in your Bosoms and make no great matter of it Will you dethrone that God which made you and set up the World in his stead It is called Adultery Iames 4.4 It is a breach of your Conjugal Vow You did promise in your Baptism to renounce the World and give up your selves unto Christ's Service and will you cherish such whorish and disloyal Affections as will carry you to the Creature instead of God O we cannot think bad enough of such a Sin 4 Doct. A Carnal worldly Man may be sorrowful when he cannot win Heaven in his own way When he cannot get Heaven and his own will in the World also as this Young man was when he could not be a Christian at a cheaper rate He departed from Christ sad as loth to miss this Felicity and yet loth to pay so dear for it There is a Sorrow that worketh Repentance to Salvation never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 but this is of another Nature it makes a wound in the Conscience and doth no more It troubled him much that he had moved this Question when he did not find Christ's Answer according to his desire and expectation And this is just the Disposition of a Man that hath a sense of Eternity and yet is wedded to his Lusts Fain he would be happy hereafter but will not leave his Lusts now so they are troubled they cannot have Christ and the World too Christ for their Consciences and the World for their Affections They love this World and yet would fain be saved in the world to come and therefore are grieved when they cannot have both On the one side they are troubled with a sense of Religion and on the other side with a fear of losing their worldly Interests See a like trouble in Herod Matth. 14.9 The King was sorry nevertheless for his Oaths sake and for them that sat with him at meat he commands it to be given her He was loth to put Iohn to Death and yet loth to deny her So Balaam would have the Reward and yet loth to go against the Express Command of God 21 st and 22 d. Chapters of Numbers So Pilate was loth to condemn Christ against his own Conscience Thus shall we be affected till we seek God with our whole Hearts This Sorrow of the Young Man will give us some Light as to the difference between those conflicts that are in a Gracious and Renewed Man and those conflicts that are in the Unregenerate There are conflicts in both yet they differ much In the Unregenerate Graceless Soul the conflict is between Conviction and Corruption Conscience wrestles with their Lusts and Lusts wrestle with Conscience and so Men are sorrowful upon Carnal not Godly Reasons whereas the conflict in the Regenerate is in the same Faculty Carnal Reason against Spiritual Reason and Carnal VVill against Spiritual Will Carnal Affections against Spiritual Affections the Battle is fought in every Faculty In the Conflict betwixt the Flesh and Spirit in the Regenerate the Spiritual part prevails Herod and Pilate and Balaam had a Conflict Natural Conscience did restrain them for a while but at last they yielded And here the Young Man yielded and went away sorrowful This Conflict and Sorrow may have a wound in the Conscience but it doth not prevail to cause them to look after Heaven on Christ's own Terms The last Point is taken from the Reason of his heavy and sorrowful Departure For he had great possessions He had them is that a Fault Here is no Note of Crime put upon him as to his getting of them He is not taxed with an insatiable desire of Riches nor with unconscionable means to get them only it is said that he was marvellously Rich and had great Possessions and therefore he went away sorrowful so that the Point will be this 5 Doct. That the Disease of Worldliness is very incident to great Persons and Men of Quality If we have not a mortified Heart the very having an Estate may prove a Snare to us I observe this because many please
down from Heaven for their aspiring But the Son of God was equal with God the Father He thought it no robbery to be equal with God Ver. 6. and yet he made himself of no reputation took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man be humbled himself Ver. 7 8. Certainly if any had Cause to stand upon his Terms Jesus Christ had much more That Preface is notable and very magnificent Ioh. 13.3 Iesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God And what follows He washed his Disciples Feet Ver. 4 5. Thus the Boughs that are most laden hang their heads and the Sun at the highest casts the least shadow Jesus Christ indeed was high excellent and glorious yet he would condescend to set his Disciples such a Pattern of Humility But now who more proud and disdainful than the Rich when Men have any thing in the World they grow high and lofty On when we consider the Pride of Man to Man we may more stand wondering at the Condescentions of God to Man As soon as a Man hath any Estate in the World he is altered presently 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not high-minded Many that in their low Estate were humble and meek in Prosperity grow proud and disdainful Many that were forward and zealous grow cold and slothful in spiritual things many that while they were kept dependant upon God were diligent in Hearing profitable in Conference thought it no disgrace to instruct their Families were patient of Reproof but when the World comes in upon them no such matter As the Moon is never Eclips'd but in the full so all the Grace that they seemed to have it is under an Eclipse when they are in the full of Prosperity 2. In Purity and Holiness He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And 1 Ioh. 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him puriâ—ieth himself even as he is pure And 1 Ioh. 4.17 As he is so are we in the World Now Prosperity and true Holiness seldom go together they are Afflictions that promote Holiness They verily for a few dayes chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.10 11. Then are men most serious when they feel the Rod and are pinched with some Necessity but when they are full they wax wanton kick with the Heel and throw off all respects to God and Godliness Secondly As the Difficulty ariseth from the General Duties that are common to them with others so it ariseth also from this More is required of them that are rich and great in this World than of others They should be Eminent and Exemplary for Holiness They have larger Accounts to make to God than others for our Account must be according to our Receipts Luk. 12.48 Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom Men have committed much of him they will ask the more Among Men this is a constant Rule and so it is with God the Account is according to the thing with which ye are trusted they that have more must account for more Now certainly more is required of Great and rich Men than of others upon four accounts They have greater Obligations more Opportunities for spiritual Improvement they have larger Abilities and Advantages of honouring God and because of the Influence of their Example 1. They have greater Obligations Certainly they to whom God hath been more bountiful are bound to be more dutiful than others It is not enough to render to God but we must render according to what we have received It was Hezekiah's Fault 2 Chron. 32.25 Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him The Rent must be paid according to the Value of the Farm God will not accept that at the Hands of a Rich Man which he would accept from a Poor Man which hath not such great Obligations A Man that hath tasted of the Bounty of God's Providence and hath had Fulness and Plenty of all things it is required he should serve God more chearfully than others Deut. 28.47 Their Duties are greater and their sins are greater As you know the Prophet aggravates David's sin by the Mercies he had received in the 2 d Sam. 12.7 8 9. I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul And I gave thee thy Master's House and thy Master's Wives into thy bosom and gave thee the house of Israel and of Iudah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight They have tasted more of the Bounty and Goodness of his Providence and have had more than others to revive the sense of God and keep up the memorial of God in their Hearts 2. They have more Opportunities of being free to good Duties as being not so straitly bound to bodily Labour for present Maintenance nor burdened with so many Cares and Distractions of this Life and so have more time and leisure for studying the Mind of God in his Word and improving themselves in the Knowledge of the Truth and Meditating the Statutes of God as David professeth he did all the day long And look as the Apostle speaks of married and single Persons 1 Cor. 7.32 33. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that is married careth for the things that are of the World how he may please his Wife They that are in a single Estate have more leisure to attend the Service of God greater Opportunities of Holy Privacy and Meditation upon the Promises of God are less distracted and divided with the Cares of the World and have nothing else to do but to serve God and study to please him So it is true of Poor and Rich those that live in a plentiful Condition O what a great deal of Time and Leisure have they for religious Duties better Education more Helps more Advantages therefore they are more bound to addict and give up themselves to the study of Divine things A little Knowledge of God he will accept of in a poor Tradesman that is divided and distracted with the Cares of the World and have not such leisure to attend the Service of God and the Opportunities of holy Privacy and Meditation which he will not accept of in the Rich that have so many Opportunities to furnish themselves with Knowledge and have little else to do but
like Men be strong let all things be done with Charity And therefore that qualification which entituleth us to the Priviledges of the New Covenant is made to be Faith working by Love Gal. 5.6 The one Grace without the other is not saâ—ing and sincere Faith without Love is dead Iam. 2.17 and Love without Faith is but a little good Nature or facile Inclination to others not derived from the Spirit of God nor built on our Belief of his Grace in Christ they depend upon one another as the Effect upon the Cause Faith produceth Love as it sheweth the true grounds of Union and from a sense and apprehension of God's Love to us causeth us to love others In short both Graces are recommended by the same Authority 1 Ioh. 3.23 And this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement He that maketh Conscience of the one will make Conscience of the other also Again the one referreth to God the other to Men Faith for God Charity for our Brethren The one keepeth us from defection from God the other preventeth a Schism and a Breach with our Fellow Christians Well then here was the Commendation of those Thessalonians their Adherence to the Faith was very Constant and they lived in Unity and Amity with one another There is no surer Argument of Sincerity and Proficiency in Christianity than this growth of Faith and Love they are the Fountain of all other Duties and if you would be accounted thorough and growing Christians you must excel in both these Graces for true solid Godliness is rooted in Faith and acted by Love towards God and Men which is the All of Christianity 5. This Growth and Proficiency was found in all Not only some among them were Eminent for Faith and Love but all If the Apostle had only said The Charity of you all aboundeth it might seem to refer to the Church that there was no Schism there but he saith of every one of you all towards each other In other Epistles the Believers to whom the Apostle wrote have all the Style of Churches or men sanctified c. but afterwards notorious and particular miscarriages are reproved which sheweth that the Denomination was a potior parte from the better part but here he mentions all and every one they were a choice sort of Christians where shall we find their Fellows It is our Duty to be such and it should be our Care for here we see what the Grace of God can do if we be serious and what an Advantage it is to be in good Company and to have good Examples about us and how much living Coals do inkindle one another when they lye together 6. He saith Faith groweth but Love aboundeth Love must not only increase but abound to each other A thing may be increased Intensivè or Extensivè Intensively when it is more rooted when there is a greater Fervour and Vigour of Faith and Love Extensively either as to Effects or Objects as to Effects in doing more good as when we abound in Works of Mercy or as to Objects by doing good to more Persons not confining our Love to one only or a few but extending it to all This was the Case of those Thessalonians their Love was not a lank or lean Love but an abounding Love full of all good Fruits and this not to some but to all even the meanest Christians among them If we would give others occasion to Bless God for us let us imitate their Example Occasions are many Objects are many to whom we may be beneficial therefore our Charity must not be streightned but abounding 1. The Internal Affection must increase Phil. 1.9 This I pray that your Love may abound yet more and more that is both their Love to God and their Neighbours especially to those who are God's There are so many things to extinguish it or make it grow cold that we should always seek to increase this Grace that it may be more fervent and strong and not grow cold and dead 2. The external Expressions should abound both as to Acts and Objects 1. As to Acts In Duties of Charity we should not be weary Now we may be weary upon a double Occasion either because we meet not presently with our Reward to that the Apostle speaketh Gal. 6.9 Be not weary of well-doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not Duties of Charity have their Promises annexed which are not presently accomplished but in their season they will be either in this Life or in the next Or because of continual Occasions when there is no end Heb. 6.10 11. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the end Meaning that formerly they had a Courage to own Christ and his despised wayes and to be Charitable to poor Christians now he desireth them to be so still as long as the Occasion continueth so long should the Charity continue that at length they might reap the Reward Ye have ministred and do Minister This is tedious to Nature and to a Niggardly and base Heart but Love will be working and labouring still and ever bringing forth more Fruit. Where this Heavenly Fire is kindled in the Soul it will warm all those that are about them but Love is cold in most it will neither take Pains nor be at Charge to do any thing for the Brethren But Christian Love is an Immortal Fire it will still burn and never dye therefore we should continue the same Diligence Zeal and Affection that formerly we had 2. As to Objects Christ telleth us The poor ye have always with you Matth. 26.11 As long as God findeth Objects we should find Charity and the Apostle saith Gal. 6.10 As we have opportunity let us do good to all Men. Expensive Duties are distastful to a Carnal Heart it may be they would part with something which the Flesh can spare and will snatch at any thing to excuse their neglect they have done it to these and these but as long as God bringeth Objects to our View and Notice and our Ability and Affection doth continue we must give still If our Ability continueth not Providence puts a barr and excuseth but if our Affection doth not continue the Fault is our own Now I come more particularly to speak of the Growth of Faith Your Faith groweth exceedingly Doct. That 't is well with Christians when their Faith groweth and doth considerably increase The Scripture speaketh of a weak Faith and a strong Faith therefore it concerneth us to consider whether our Faith be weak or strong in the wane or in the increase Now we shall best Judge of the growth of Faith 1. By
but granted assured it to Believers by the Promises of the Gospel 1 Ioh. 2.25 'T is so conveyed to us as that we may be sure of Obtaining it 3. 'T is more than a Prophecy or simple Prediction Scripture Prophecies will be fulfilled because of God's Veracity but Scripture Promises will be fulfilled not only because of God's Veracity but also because of his Fidelity and Justice As by our Promise another Man cometh to have a right to the thing promised therefore it is just it should be given unto him so 't is in God 't was his Mercy and Goodness to make the Promise but his Holiness and Justice bindeth him to make it good 1 Ioh. 1.9 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And as for Pardon so for Life 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the righteous Iudge shall give me on that day It becometh a Debt of Grace This may be illustrated by what Divines say of an Assertory Lye and a Promissory Lye An assertory Lye is when we speak of a thing past or present otherwise than it is and a promissory Lye is when we speak of a thing for the time to come which we never intend to perform and this is the worst sort of Lyes because it doth not only pervert the end of Speech which is Truth but also defeateth another of that Right which we seem to give him by our Promise in the thing promised which is a farther degree of Injustice Now we should apprehend God to be very far from this Titus 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began And Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which 't was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong Consolation Secondly 'T is the Promise of God In every Promise that it be certain and firm three things are required 1. That it be made seriously and heartily with a purpose to perform it 2. That he that promiseth continue in his Purpose without change of Mind 3. That it be in the Power of him that promiseth to perform what he hath so promised Now in the Promise of God there can be no doubt of any of these things Certainly God meaneth as he speaketh when he promiseth Eternal Life to the Faithful Servants and Disciples of Jesus Christ for what need had he to court his Creatures into a false and imaginary Happiness which he never meant to bestow upon them to send his Son with a Commission from Heaven to assure them of it who also wrought Miracles to confirm the Message that he brought from God dyed upon this Truth and rose again and entred into the Happiness that he spoke of to give us Assurance and a visible demonstration of the Truth of it sent abroad his Apostles to invite the World to embrace it his Holy Spirit accompanying them and sealing their Message also with divers Signs and Wonders And surely he doth continue in the same mind for there is no repeal of this Law of Grace and He is able to perform it for what difficulty is there which Omnipotency cannot subdue and overcome Surely what God hath promised he is fully able to perform 2. The Acts of Faith about the Word 1. We are to Believe and Credit it upon solid and sufficient Evidence 't is said Heb. 11.11 They saw these things afar off and were perswaded of them And Acts 13.48 When the Gentiles heard this they glorified the Word of God and believed that is Blessed God for his glorious Mercy revealed in the Gospel the sound Belief and firm Assent leadeth on other things for the most powerful Truths work not 'till they are believed 1 Thes. 2.13 Ye received the Word not as the Word of Man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Here beginneth the Efficacy Now usually we receive the Truth at first upon low and insufficient Evidence but afterwards our Assent is upon better grounds and more valid and strong as the Samaritans Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World Her saying was much for the Woman had testified that she had met with an Holy Person that had told her of all that ever she did So Nathaniel was drawn to Christ by Philip's perswasion but when he perceived that he knew the Heart and secret things Ioh. 1.48 49. He saith unto him whence knowest thou me Iesus answered and said unto him Before that Philip called thee when thou wast under the Figg-tree I saw thee Nathaniel answered and saith unto him Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel Christ then promiseth him farther Assurance and greater Evidence which should beget a more confirmed and strong Faith Verse the 50 th Iesus answered and said unto him Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Figg-tree believest thou thou shalt see greater things than these The Church is in possession of a Religion which God hath Blessed throughout successions of Ages and we received the Doctrine of the Gospel and New Covenant upon report and hearsay hereafter we see farther and better grounds and the Scriptures are owned with more certainty of Evidence Well then here is the first thing Assent or a receiving all Truths about Supernatural things upon the Credit of God's Word 2. The Work of Faith is to apply these things For the closer such Blessed Truths are laid to our own Souls the more we feel the vertue of them Iob 5.27 Lo this it is know thou it for thy good Rom. 8.31 VVhat shall we then say to these things The Promise includeth you as well as others and promiseth and offereth you Pardon and Life if you will believe in Christ Therefore the Application I press you to is not a Claim of Priviledges stay a while there but an exciting your selves to perform the Duties of the Gospel that you may turn away from all other ways of Felicity and choose this alone Faith must be Applicative and the closer the Application the better But there is a difference between the Application which is an Excitement of your Duty and that Application which is an assurance of your Interest Acts 13.20 To you is this word of Salvation sent 'T is my Duty to make general Grace particular but not presently and at first dash to enter my Plea and Claim but to oblige me to take God's Way God calleth upon me to Repent and Believe in Christ that I may have Pardon and Life 3. We are heartily to Consent to this Blessed Covenant which is contained in the Word of God taking the Promises offered for our Happiness resolving upon the Duties required as our Work Acts 2.41 They received the word gladly and were baptized There was a Precept and a Promise Verse 38. they accepted the Counsel and
waited for the Promise Our Respect to the Word is made up of a mixture of Obedience and Dependance there must be a Consent to both and we must resolve for the Holy and Heavenly Life Faith is an Act of the Will as well as of the Understanding Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them Besides being perswaded there is embracing The promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 And they are exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 In one place you have both 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the World to save Sinners Therefore embrace them you must with all your Hearts and submit to this way of Covenanting with God 4. Your Judgments must highly esteem these Promises and your Hearts find full Contentment and Satisfaction in them We read often of receiving the Word with Joy and the confidence and rejoycing of Hope Heb. 3.6 Usually the Word of God hath too cold and slight Entertainment in our Affections and we do not value those precious Promises as we ought to do they should be dearer to us than our Lives and give us more Satisfaction than all the Enjoyments of the World Psal. 119.111 I have taken thy Testimonies as an heritage for ever they are the rejoycing of my Soul they do you good to your very Heart and the more you are acquainted with them the more you will see the worth of them Luke 6.23 Rejoyce and leap for joy for great is your reward in Heaven And of the Eunuch when he had sealed Covenant with God Acts 8.39 It is said he went his way rejoycing Faith cannot do its Office that it begets an Holy Gratitude to God to draw us off from the Allurements of Sense and fortifie us against Adversities and Troubles and engage us to the Duties of Christianity which are distrustful to Flesh and Blood unless it did fill our Hearts with an higher and better Joy than the World yieldeth Surely 't is Comfortable to be pardoned and reconciled to God to be in the Way and under the Hopes of Eternal Life Thirdly The Effects which these Acts produce These may be stated by the several Uses for which the Word of God serveth 1. T is the Seed of a New Life 2. The Constant Rule of all our Actions 3. The sure Charter of our Hopes 4. Our Strength and Preservation against all Temptations from the Devil the World and the Flesh. 5. Our Comfort and Cordial in all Afflictions 1. 'T is the Seed of a New Life 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of Corruptible seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever And Iames 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures And also 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature When we so believe the Pardon and Grace and Blessedness offered that our Hearts are changed into the Life and Likeness of God for the Truth is not rightly owned and believed till this Change be wrought both in Heart and Life then we are cast into the Mould of this Doctrine Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine that was delivered to you Gospel Truths serve not for Speculation or meer Talk and Discourse but for Sanctification and therefore if this Seed be sown and engrafted in your Hearts and you begin to live to God an Holy and Heavenly Life you have the surest Evidence of your Faith for Causes are made sensible to us by their Effects 'T is usually brought as a proof of the Word the Sanctifying Vertue of it so 't is of the Sincerity of your Faith for the Word profiteth not unless it be mingled with Faith and since both Faith and the Word concurr to this Effect it may be ascribed to either Surely therefore if we believe the Word of God and value it as we ought it doth leave the Impression of God's Image upon us for it is the fairest Draught and Representation of God that ever was in the Law and Life of Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 If our Souls and Lives be a Transcript of the Word this Image is thence deduced to us by the Spirit and of necessity it must be so for Christs comforting Promises of Mercy and Glory are made to these New Creatures who live the Holy and Heavenly Life They have God's mark and Signature upon them and therefore are said to be sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 2.30 and Eph. 1.3 This Renovation of the Soul is the Seal of God the Pledge of his Love and the Earnest of the heavenly Inheritance 2. The Constant Rule of all our Actions There is a fixed determined Rule from whence we cannot swerve and vary without Sin and if we would have Communion with God here or enjoy him hereafter We must keep close to this Rule Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God This Rule that is the Word of God which directeth us as to our General Path and Way and all our steps or particular Actions Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths We must hide the Word in our Hearts Psal. 119.110 Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee We must consult with it upon all occasions as willing to understand our Duty Psal. 119.24 Thy Testiminies also are my delight and my Counsellors And because we may mistake thrô Error of Mind or be tempted aside thro' aversion of Heart and manifold Temptations Therefore we must earnestly beg it of God Psal. 119.133 Order my steps in thy VVord and let not any Iniquity have dominion over me And we must use all study our selves Rom. 12.2 and constant watchfulness Eph. 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Now that which I say is this When the Word ruleth the main Course of our Lives and teacheth us how to live in the World soberly righteously and godly the tenderness of the Word and high respect to it that we dare not transgress it whatever Temptations we have so to do sheweth that Faith hath obtained its effect in us For trembling at the Word fearing of a Commandment and whatever of that kind is spoken of in the Scripture they are all Fruits of Faith 3. 'T is the Charter of our Hopes Iohn 20.31 These things are written that ye might have life through his Name 1 Iohn 5.11 This is the Record that God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in his Son Now the Work of Faith
holding and drawing with the Almighty will not let him go till he bless them The Woman doth not turn her Back upon Christ but draws the nearer to him the more he seemeth to drive her away from him and keepeth arguing with him and beseeching of him till he giveth her Satisfaction But how shall we do to keep up Prayer in the midst of so many Discouragements 1. Our Necessity should quicken us And 2. God's Goodness and Power should support us Faith pressed with need is earnest in Prayer when it is dealing with a God gracious and powerful why should we give over the Suit 2. Her Humility We read of no murmuring and Impatience or Discontent at Christ's Carriage No if we will wrestle with God we must wrestle with Prayers and Tears with humble and broken Hearts there must be no complaining of God but to God The Woman doth not tax Christ as harsh and severe but only maketh Supplication Lord have mercy upon me Son of David help me It is said Matth. 15.25 She worshipped him But in Mark 7.25 it is said She fell at his feet She fell prostrate before him and owneth the Term of Dog that justly she might be accounted so and maketh it her Plea and Claim Humility is contented to be humbled as deeply as the Lord pleaseth but cannot bear this to be excluded from Christ and the Benefit of his Grace In all Faith there is always a deep Humility When Christ rebuketh her as a Dog she doth not make a murmuring Retort but an humble Plea That some of the Mercy provided for Israel might be spared to a poor Canaanite a Crumb at least 3. A resolved Faith under our greatest Pressures Iob 15.14 Tho' he slay me yet I will trust in him As Antisthenes told his Master that taught him Philosophy That he should not find a Club big enough to beat him from him Faith will not quit it's Adherence to God for any Difficulty whatsoever when God seemeth to quit the Believer the Believer will not quit God but take him as a Friend when he seemeth to deal as an Enemy and still put a good Construction upon his Providence This Resolute Adherence is seen in three things 1. An Adherence to his Way how little soever he seemeth to own it Psal. 44.17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our Heart is not turned back neither have our Steps declined from thy way Sharp Afflictions do not discharge us from our Duty in professing the Truth As our Steps must not decline so not our Hearts Dan. 3.17 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and â—e will deliver us out of thy Hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the Golden Image which thou hast set up However God disposes of us we must keep to our Duty 2. In Perseverance in the use of Means Rom. 12.12 Continuing instant in Prayer We are to use the Duty still though we have no Satisfaction as to the Event and as long as there is Life in the Duty it will come to something at the last Luke 5.15 We have toiled all night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy Word we will let down the Net It is enough that these means are appointed by God and we must use them though hitherto we have gained little Comfort and Success by them 3. In a Dependance upon his Promises and powerful Providence The Woman sticketh to Christ as only able to help her though there was little appearance of any help from him She runneth not away to another Helper but worshippeth him cleaveth to him Better lie dead at Christ's Feet than die in a state of Alienation from him We must resolve to be his though we cannot know that he is ours No Trouble how great soever is a Warrant to quit our Trust and whatever Disappointment saith to us it doth not say Put your Confidence elsewhere or trust no longer in God This resolute Confidence is justifiable upon these Grounds 1. His Providence will never give his Word the Lie Let God do what he will they are approved who are approved by his Word and they are condemned who are condemned by his Word Psal. 73.17 When I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end Job 3.3 I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his Habitation And on the contrary Psal. 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself the Lord will hear when I call unto him Isa. 3.10 Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eat of the Fruit of their doings 2. There is more good Will in his Heart than is visible in his Dealings The merciful Nature of God should be a support to us though we see nothing of the Effects of it in his Providence Iob 10.13 These things hast thou hid in thine Heart I know that it is with thee He speaketh of his favourable Inclination to shew pity to distressed Creatures We are not able always to reconcile his present Dispensations with his gracious Nature yet Faith must not quit it's Hold fast We must see what is hid in God's Heart and comfort our selves with that Favour and Mercy which we know to be Essential to him Tho' the Mercy and Pity be not visible and obvious to Sense the Disposition and Inclination abideth in God unchangeable and sure God is a merciful God still and Christ a compassionate Saviour though the Effects be suspended to try and sharpen our Faith 3. Because God loveth to bring Light out of Darkness to give the Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope to bring meat out of the Eater and sweetness out of the strong to bring about his Peoples Mercies by means very improbable and contrary that he may train us up to hope against Hope When Deliverance is a coming it is not always in sight Christ at a Wedding calls for Water when he intended to give Wine Iohn 2.7 And here he rebuketh the Woman as a Dog when he meant to treat her as a Daughter of Abraham 4. When he seemeth to resist and be opposite to his People he giveth them secret-Strength to prevail over him When Iacob wrestled with God it was by God's own Strength God in Iacob seemed to overcome God without him or against him Was not the Spirit of Christ at work in the Heart of this Woman all the while he seemed to be struggling with her He never striveth with his Servants but giveth them suitable Strength to the Task he imposeth on them 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Psal. 138.3 In the day when I
Comfort because they are so vile and unworthy and such Sinners If you be such a Sinner the more need of a Saviour You would laugh at him that would argue thus I am too Cold to go to the Fire too Sick to send for the Physician too Poor to take Alms too Filthy to go to the Water to be Washed You must not consider what you have been but what you would be Christ doth not Invite us because we are Holy but that we may be Holy The Objection were of weight if we did only advise you to be eased of your smart but not to be rid of your burden if this Consent were only a Claim of Priviledges and not an Obligation to Duties or a submission to Christ's Healing Methods Celsus objected against Christianity that it was a Sanctuary for naughty Persons and Men of a Licentious Life Origen answereth him That it was not a Sanctuary to shelter them only but an Hospital to cure them It is not the Worthy are Invited â—ut the Thirsty and the Needy you are unworthy to the very last but are you hungry You are unworthy to receive Christ but God is worthy to be oâ—â—yed it is not a matter of Priviledge only but Duty 2. Your Hearts are so loose and changeable you are afraid to bind your selves to God The truth is this consent implyeth a delivery over of your selves to Christ to seek Happiness in the way that he hath appointed it is the first Egress of the Soul towards the Execution of the Duty of a Christian our entry into the practice of the Holy Life and an entry withall into a resolved War with the Devil the World and the Flesh who will resist us herein and you must consider difficulties so as to fortifie your Resolution Matth. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me He will surprize no Man Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I drink of and to be baptized with the Baptism that I am Baptized with And not to consider is to discourage your Consent Obj. You will say You cannot do it by your own Strength and you are uncertain of God's Assistance Answ. Do not foretell the Event but charge your selves with your Duty It is your Duty to engage your Hearts to God tho' you cannot lay Wagers upon your own Strength You must resolve but continually depend upon Christ for the performing of your Resolutions He will maintain you in your way to Heaven 2 Tim. 1.12 For I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day In a sense of your own Insufficiency and Deceitfulness of Heart you must still relye upon his Grace and Spirit who hath made many Promises to support and to keep you by his Power through Faith unto Salvation 3. For Affiance in the great Promise of the Gospel or offer of Pardon and Life by Christ. There seemeth to be an impossibility to Sense and Reason from first to last If the 〈◊〉 of Salvation were sufficiently understood we should see from the beginning to the end from the first step to its last Period in everlasting Glory it is the meer Grace and Power of God that carrieth it on in despite of Men and Devils and therefore it is said Eph. 1.19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us word who believe according to the working of his mighty power As for instance the reconciling of a guilty Soul to God Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we had oâ—r Conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nâ—â—ure Children of Wrath even as others The changing of a naughty and obstinate Heart Ier. 17.9 The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And the giving us an Holy Nature and Life Iob 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean nâ—t one Or to quicken us that were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 You also hath be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins To strengthen a feeble and weak Creature 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God That things meet with so much opposition by the way Eph. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this World against spiritual wickedness in high places What can maintain us in the midst of so many Temptations We at length dye and rot in the Grave as others do now the rising of our Bodies after it is eaten by Worms and turned to Dust is a thing incredible and to Flesh and Blood wholly impossible 't is wholly within the reach of God's Power Now since we have ground to hope for all this from the Word of God even to Pardon our many sins 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 To change this sinful Nature that we may become an holy People to God Titus 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saveth us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost To overcome our Obstinacy perverseness in evil fickleness in good To maintain Grace in the midst of Temptations Iude 24. To him that is able to keep you from falling And finally to raise us up out of the Grace We must not consider and plead the difficulties to damp Faith but to quicken it going on with our Duty and wait for his Salvation III. He staggered not at the Promise through Vnbelief Strong Faith is so satisfied with God's Promise that it leaveth no place for considerable doubtings as Abraham here admitted no doubts or questionings touching the Promise of God but without disputing or arguing to the contrary depended fully upon the Lord being perswaded he could do what he had promised There are two Reasons hereof The Immutability of his Nature Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation And his Tenderness of his Word Psal. 138.2 For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Both these breed this assured Perswasion of God's Faithfulness and Stedfastness and make his Promise the great Prop and Support of Faith Now this staggering or not staggering at the Promise and so the Weakness and Strength of our Faith may referr to three Acts or Parts of Faith 1. A strong Assent or clear sight of the Evidence of the Truth If we have the Word and Promise of God we should believe any thing as surely as if we had the greatest Evidence in the World
and would give the whole World for one favourable Look from God But O no! not a Glimpse not the least Answer God's Children meet with sad Suspensions sometimes Cant. 5.6 I sought him but I could not find him I call'd him but he gave me no Answer He seemeth not to hear their Prayers when they are deaf to his Counsels He will make them sensible of their unkind ungracious treating of him 4. It is the great hindrance in the spiritual Life it depriveth you of Grace the Spirit of God will not animate a stony Heart A Body of Flesh is only fit to be animated with a living Soul so the Heart of Flesh or tender Heart by the Spirit of God Ezek. 11.19 20. I will give them one Heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony Heart out of their Flesh and will give them an Heart of Flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep my Ordinances and do them and they shall be my People and I will be their God So Isa. 57.15 Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the Humble and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones There is God present with his Graces God hath two Places of special Residence the highest Heaven and the humblest Heart In the one is the Presence of his Glory in the other of his Grace When the Spirit is humbled and softned it is a fit Pillow for God to rest on The hard Heart hindreth us in Duty 'T is an hard Heart that maketh our Work hard If once the Will were gained all things would be easy in Religion Rom. 8.7 The carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be It is not subject to God but averse from him VI. The Observations concerning this spiritual Malady 1. With spiritual Hardness of Heart there may be a natural and sinful Tenderness Some Men have a natural Softness and Sweetness of Spirit as to Commerce with Men yea rather a faulty Easiness yet they are very hard-hearted as to God As Zedekiah Jer. 38.5 The King is not he that can do any thing against you He was easily drawn by Company and evil Counsel Usually it is so an hard Heart is like Wax to the Devil but as a Stone to God hardned against Goodness but exorable and easy to be intreated by Sin and Satan If the Devil do but whist they find an irresistible Power in his Temptations If carnal Men do but hold up the Finger it is a strong Cord to draw them to Excess the Looks and Speeches of the Harlot are enough to cause them to follow though it be like an Ox to the Slaughter Prov. 7.21 22. With much fair Speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her Lips she forced him he goeth after her straight-way as an Ox to the Slaughter or as a Fool to the Correction of the Stocks God may plead and tell us of Grace and Glory but we mind it not A Diamond is not wrought upon but by its own Dust. On the contrary Men may have a stout Heart in Dangers that are very yielding and trembling in Point of Sins Prov. 28.14 Happy is the Man that feareth always but he that hardneth his Heart shall fall into Mischief David could encounter Lions Bears and Giants yet in what a weeping humble Posture is he when he hath to do with God It is good to be a Coward in Sin pulling and weak-hearted as to any Contest with God 2. Small Sins harden as well as great Sins it is hard to say which most It is confessed for the present little Sins do not deaden and harden the Heart so much as great As a Prick of a Pin maketh a Man start but an heavy Blow stunneth him and leaveth him dead for a while David when he cut off the Lap of Saul's Garment and had some revengeful Intention against his Soveraign he quickly perceived his Error His Heart smote him 1 Sam. 24.5 But when he committed the foul Sin of Adultery he lay insensible for a long space of time But on the other side little Sins do by Degrees harden Great Sins are apparent and liable to the Judgment of Conscience but we neglect small Sins and so a Custom groweth upon us and we are insensibly hardned by our Carelesness and constant Neglect of our Souls A Surfeit or violent Distemper maketh us run to the Physician but when a Disease groweth upon us by degrees it proveth mortal e're we regard it Therefore we should make Conscience of daily Failings Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin Great Falls as they astonish us for the present so they awaken Conscience afterwards and so we regard that and other Sins As when a great Sound hath awakned us out of a deep Sleep we easily hear lesser Sounds But Men slide into a carnal Frame of Heart unawares Qui nunquam delirat semper erit fatuus We would never grow wise but for some notable Acts of Folly Chrysostom saith that we should be more watchful of small Sins than of great Nature abhorreth these but the other slide into us A little Leak unespied drowneth the Ship as well as a great Breach If we would look more to small Sins so many great Mischiefs would not ensue 3. Sins of Omission harden as well as Sins of Commission yea sometimes more a neglect of Duties as well as the practice of gross Sins because they use not the means whereby the Heart may be kept soft and in a due Remembrance of God and their Duty to him An Instrument never so well in Tune if it lie by it soon groweth out of Kilter In every Sin of Commission there is a Sin of Omission but not the contrary A Man may be civilly harmless in offensive and yet have a very hard Heart if he hold no Communion with God and neglect the means whereby the Heart may be kept tender The Neglect of good Duties is a more general means of Destruction than the commission of Evil Men are estranged from God by the neglect of the Word and Prayer Psal. 14.4 They call not upon the Lord attend not upon the means of Grace with that Life and Seriousness they ought to do 4. None are so confident of the Goodness of their Hearts as those that have an hard Heart For the more any spiritual Disease increaseth upon us the less it is felt There is Hope whilst there is some complaining of Sin that there is some Tenderness left The hardest Heart must needs be the most confident because they use no Recollection and Reflection upon themselves Ier. 8.6 No Man repented him of his Wickedness saying What have I done What
1 John 3.8 The Devil sinneth from the beginning Therefore he is not so destroyed as if he did no more desire the Ruine and Destruction of Men. He is as malicious as ever The Devil is always at the old Trade of destroying Souls and watcheth all Advantages and observeth our Motions and Inclinations to make use of them 2. Affirmatively it remaineth that it is ratione Potentiae in regard of his Power But the Question returneth How far is his Power destroyed For he still governeth the Wicked and possesseth a great part of the World Therefore the Devils are called Ephes. 6.12 the Rulers of the Darkness of this World He molesteth the Godly whether considered singly and apart or in their Communities and Societies Singly and apart he may sometimes trouble them and sorely shake them as Wheat is winnowed in a Sive Luke 22.31 Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat And in their Communities and Societies Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth Answ. Though he may afflict and molest the People of God yet he cannot totally prevail over them 1. There is enough done by way of Merit to break the Power of Satan or that whole Kingdom of Darkness which is united under one Head called the Devil The Price and Ransom is fully paid for captive Souls The Lamb of God taketh away the Sin of the World John 1.29 There need no more to be done by way of Merit and Satisfaction to bruise the Serpent's Head and to dissolve that woful Work which he hath introduced into the World Now not only the Comfort of particular Believers is ascribed to the Death of Christ but the Success of the Gospel over false Religions as 1 Pet. 1.18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Christ. He purchased the Power of recovering Souls out of their Apostacy at a dear rate Therefore though the Superstitions of the World were entailed on People by a long Descent yet when we go forth to preach the Gospel in the Virtue and Value of the Blood of Christ that will work mighty Wonders for the Destruction of the Kingdom of the Devil 2. Christ is upon the Throne and we are under his Protection therefore the Devil cannot totally prevail as to those who have Interest in him As to single Believers Iohn 10.28 None is able to pluck them out of my Hand Or as to their Communities and Societies Matth. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Gates of Hell signify the Power and Policy of Hell for there was their Armoury and their Counsel Christ expecteth their most subtile and furious Assaults but all should be but as the dashing of Waves against a Rock end in Foam and Shame to the Aggressors and Assailants So that besides his Merit on the Cross there is his Power in Heaven as now sitting upon the Throne 3. The Victory is carried on so as that our Duty and Trials may not be excluded 1 st Though Satan's Head be crushed yet still there is room for our Duty that we may use the Means for our Safety as good Souldiers of Christ and live as in a continual Fight These are set down 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1. Sobriety or an holy Moderation as to the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesh and the World are in Conspiracy By the Baits of the World he inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and heavenly things therefore we must use the World as if we used it not lest our Hearts be burdened and depressed and disabled from seeking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilancy and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares and forecasting Hazards lest we fall as a ready Prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit your selves like Men be strong The first Point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door examining what cometh in and what goeth out The Devil watcheth all Advantages against us that he may spy where we are weakest and if the Enemy watch and we sleep we cannot be safe 3. Stedfast Resistance in the Faith When we are yielding Satan gets ground but when we believingly and stedfastly resist he is discouraged This stedfast Resistance in the Faith is first Adhering to the Privileges of the Gospel as our Happiness secondly Persevering in the Duties thereof as our Work resolving not to let go our hold but by patient Continuance in Well-doing to wait for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal Life Now if Christ should so destroy the Devil as to exempt from this Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all the Furniture of Grace which Christ hath purchased for us and promised to us be lost and useless Surely Christ hath not so crushed the Serpent's Head but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith otherwise we were not his Souldiers but his Enemies 2 dly Not to exempt us from Trials of our Sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tried and honoured by Opposition and sometimes by sharp and grievous Opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may be tried Thus Iob was remitted to Satan for his Trial chap. 1.12 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy Power And Paul had his Messenger of Satan for his Trial to see what shift he could make with sufficient internal Grace under outward and vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now better undergo the fiery Trial than the fiery Torment Tried we are then but not destroyed God may let loose the Wolf to drive us into the Fold and exercise us with Temptations but not suffer us to be overwhelmed 4. In the external Management of the Mediatorial Kingdom there are many Vicissitudes and Interchanges of the outward Condition of the Church Sometimes God doth notably defeat Satan and his Instruments and the Devil's Kingdom visibly goeth to wrack As at the first Promulgation of the Gospel though the World was captivated under Satan rooted in former Superstitions yet Christ prevailed and got ground by the Rod of his Strength and the Word of his Kingdom Tho Satan every-where had his Temples wherein he was worshipped and his Oracles were resorted to with great Reverence Till the Hebrew Child silenced him he are the Fat
without some Remark and Observation Isaac goeth to meet with God and he meeteth with God and Rebekah too Godliness hath the promises of this Life and that which is to come there is nothing lost by Duty and Acts of Piety and Worship Seneca said The Iews were an unhappy People because they lost the Seventh part of their Lives meaning the time spent in the Sabbath This is the Sense of Nature to think all lost that is bestowed on God Flesh and Blood snuffeth and cryeth What a weariness is it And what need all this waste Oh let me tell you by serving God you drive on two cares at once Worldly Interests many times are cast into the way of Religion and besides the main design these things are added to us Wonderful are the Providences of God in and about Duties of Worship some have gone aside to pray and escaped such as lay in wait to destroy them and Luther tells a story of one that balked a Duty and fell into a danger passed by a Sermon and was presently surprized by Thieves Others there are that thought of nothing but meeting God in his Worship and God hath made their Duties an occasion of advancing their outward Comforts Certainly it is good to obey all impulses of the Spirit there may be somewhat of Providence as well as Grace in it Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide and he lift up his eyes and saw and behold the camels were coming In the Words you have several Circumstances The Person Isaac his Work he went out to meditate the Place in the Field the Time at even-tide 1. For the Person Isaac I need not say much because I would not digress He was Abraham's Son and God said of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Good Education leaveth a Savour and Tincture upon the Spirit at least an Awe and a Care of Duties and Exercises of Religion and therefore it is no wonder to hear of Abrahams Son that had been trained up in the way of the Lord to go out to meditate it is a Seal of the Blessing of Education Again Isaac was now in his Youth certainly he could not be very old Sarah was Ninety years old when the Promise was first made to her of a Son Gen. 17.17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear Now Sarah was but One Hundred Twenty Seven old years when she dyed Gen. 23.1 And this Match was immediately after her Death for just as he received Rebekah he left off his Mourning for Sarah Gen. 24.67 And Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarahs tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her And Isaac was comforted after his mothers death Probably Isaac now was a little above Thirty Isaac a Young Man that was now entring into the World goeth out to meditate Usually we make Religious Exercises the Work of Gray Hairs and after we have spent the heat and flower of our Spirits in the vanities of the World we hope to make amends for all by a Severe and Devout Retirement Young and Green Heads look upon Meditation as a dull melancholly work fit only for the phlegme and decay of Old Age vigorous and eager Spirits are more for Action than Thoughts and their Work lyeth so much with others that they have no time to descend into themselves But the Elder World was more Innocent the Exercises of Isaacs Youth were pious he went out into the Fields to meditate 2. To open his Work to you to meditate or as it is in the Margin to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word used in the Original is indifferent to both Senses it properly signifies muttering or an imperfect and suppressed sound the Septuagint sometimes renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing but here they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to exercise himself and most properly a Sportive Exercise as if his going abroad had been only to sport and recreate himself after the toyl of the day But that is not so probable the Holy Ghost would not put such a Mark upon such a Circumstance Therefore I suppose the Septuagints word must be taken more largely to comprise also a Religious Exercise But how is it To Pray or Meditate I would not recede from our own Translation without weighty Cause most other Translations look that way Symachus renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discourse as with others that is with God and his own Soul and so it suiteth with the force of the Original Word which properly signifies to mutter or such a speaking as is between Thoughts and Words So that the meaning is he went aside privately to discourse of God and the Promises and of Heavenly Things 3. The Place in the field Partly for Privacy deep Thoughts require a Retirement Many of Davids Psalms were penned in the Wilderness He that would have the Company of God and his own Thoughts had need go aside from other Company and be alone that he may not be alone that the Mind being sequestred from all Distractions may solace it self the more freely in these Heavenly Thoughts Exod. 3.1 Moses led the flock to the back-side of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. He goeth aside from the other Shepherds that he might converse with the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls and there he seeth the Vision of the burning Bush. When God would communicate his Loves to the Church he inviteth her into the Wilderness Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her The most familiar and intimate Converses between God and the Church are in private So the Spouse inviteth the Bridegroom Cant. 7.11 Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages In these Solitary and Heavenly Retirements to which no Eyes are conscious and privy we have most Experience of God and of our selves Duties done in Company are more easie by ends and Mans Eye and Observance may have an influence upon our Worship and therefore Meditation is difficult and tedious because it is a work of Retirement that hath approbation from none but our Father that seeth in Secret Partly because the Field is an help to Meditation fancy and invention being elevated and raised by the sweetness variety and pleasure of it there being on every side so many Objects and lively Memorials of God However in this sense the Circumstance is not binding some do better in a Closet than in a
are slight and vanishing but deep musing maketh the Fire burn and keepeth a constant heat and flame in the Spirits not by flashes And as for Duty so for Comfort a Man that is a Stranger to Meditation is a Stranger to himself In Acts of review you enjoy your selves and you enjoy your selves with far more Comfort in these private recesses you have most experience of God and most experience of your selves Moses when he went aside to meditate had the Vision of the Fiery Bush usually God cometh in in the time of deep Meditation and an Elevated Heavenly mind is fittest to entertain the Comforts and Glory of his Presence Thus you see it is a necessary Duty Many think it is an excuse to say it doth not suit with their temper that it is a good help but for those that can use it I Answer 1. It is true there is a great deal of difference among Christians some are more serious and consistent and have a greater Command over their thoughts others are of a more slight weak Spirit and are less apt for Duties of retirement and recollection But our unfitness is usually Moral rather than Natural not so much by temper as by disuse and Moral Unfitness cannot exempt us from a Moral Duty Inky water cannot wash the hand white or a Sin exempt me from a Duty Indisposition which is a Sin in me doth not disanul my engagements to God as a Servants Drunkenness doth not excuse him from work That it is a Moral unfitness appeareth by two things 1. Disuse and Neglect is the cause of it Those that use it have a greater Command over their thoughts Men count it a great yoak but Custom would make it easie Every Duty is an help to it self and the more we meditate the more we shall It is pleasant to them that use it Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Fierce Creatures are tame to those that use to command them and if a Man did use to govern his thoughts he would find them more obedient 2. Want of Love Thoughts are at the Service of Love we pause and stay upon such Objects as we delight in Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Love naileth and fastneth the Soul to the Object or thing beloved as we see we can dwell upon Carnal Pleasures because our Heart is there As Solomon gives this reason why a Carnal Man cannot dwell upon a sad and solemn Object because his heart is in the house of Mirth Eccles. 7.4 We usually complain we want Temper and we want Matter but the truth is we want an heart David saith Psalm 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my Meditation all the day Delightsome Objects will engross the thoughts Therefore see if it be not a Moral Distemper 2. Suppose it be a Natural Unfitness yet while you have Reason it is not Total and Universal and therefore cannot excuse We see in other Duties some have the gift of Utterance and have a great savoryness and readiness of Expression for Prayer others are more bound up and restrained but this can be no plea for them wholly to neglect Prayer Duty must be done as we are able God will hear the breathing panting Soul as well as the rowling Tongue so it is in Meditation some are more for musing and can better melt out their Souls in Devout Retirements other can shew their Love better in Zealous Actions and Publick Engagements for the Glory of Christ yet still though there be a diversity of Gifts we are all bound to the same Duties and though we be fitter for some rather than others yet none must be neglected in their Order and Course 3. The Rank and Place that Meditation hath among the Duties Meditation is a middle sort of Duty between the Word and Prayer and hath respect to both The Word feedeth Meditation and Meditation feedeth Prayer we must hear that we be not erroneous and meditate that we be not barren These Duties must alwayes go hand in hand Meditation must follow hearing and precede Prayer 1. To hear and not to meditate is unfruitful We may hear and hear but it is like putting a thing into a bag with holes Haggai 1.6 He that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes Iames 1.23 24. He is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was Bare hearing begets but Transient Thoughts and they leave but a weak impression which is rather like the glance of a Sun-beam upon a Wall there is a glaring for the present but a Man never discerneth the Beauty the Lustre and the Order of the Truths delivered till he cometh to meditate upon them then we come clearly to see into the Truth and how it concerneth us and how it falleth upon our Hearts David saith Psalm 119.99 I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation The Preacher can but deliver general Theorems and draw them down to Practical Inferences by Meditation we come to see more clearly and practically than he that preacheth We see in outward Learning they thrive best that meditate most Knowledge floateth till by deliberate thoughts it be compressed upon the Affections 2. It is dangerous to meditate and not to hear because of Errors Man will soon impose a deceit upon himself by his own thoughts Fanatick Spirits that neglect hearing pretend to Dreams and Revelations we have a Sophister and an Heretick in our own bosoms which soon deceiveth without a Stock and Treasure of some Knowledge for Men would be vain in their Imaginations were not their thoughts corrected by an External Light and Instruction Iude calleth those Fanatick Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy dreamers Iude 8. All Practical Errors are Mens Natural Imaginations gotten up into a Valuable Opinion 3. It is rashness to pray and not to meditate What we take in by the Word we digest by Meditation and let out by Prayer These three Duties must be so ordered that one may not justle out the other Men are barren dry and sapless in their Prayers for want of exercising themselves in Holy thoughts Psalm 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter and then it follows I will speak of the things which I have made touching the king my tongue is the pen of a ready writer The Heart yieldeth Matter to the Tongue the word signifieth boyleth and fryeth a word from Mincha their Meat-Offering the Oyl and the Flower was to be kneaded together and then fryed in a Pan and then offered to the Lord implying we must not come with raw dough-baked-offerings till we have concocted and prepared them by Mature Deliberation It is notable that often in Scripture Prayer is called by the name of
to your Souls Some Sins are catching like Fire in Straw and we cannot think of them without Infection and Temptation the very thoughts may beget a sudden delight and tickling which may pass through us like Lightning and set us all on fire Ezek. 23.19 She multiplyed her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt though the Prophet speaketh of Spiritual Fornication yet there is a plain allusion to outward it is an allusion to an Unchast Woman who feeleth a New Fire by remembring her Vile Lusts. Some Temptations cannot be supposed without sin it is less dangerous to suppose the Temptation of Peter than the Temptation of Ioseph of Peter that was tempted to deny his Master than of Ioseph who was tempted to folly with his Mistress This Direction is not unnecessary you know not how apt a Carnal Heart and Busie Devil may be to taint the best Duties and how soon an Innocent Thought may degenerate into an unclean glance The Apostle would have some Sins not named among the Saints Ephes. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints 6. Meditate of those things especially which you have most need of There is the greatest Obligation upon the Heart the Matter is not Arbitrary there you will find most help and there the benefit will be most sensible Seasonable thoughts have the greatest influence The Servants of God have sometimes meditated on his Power sometimes on his Mercy sometimes on his Providence according as their Affairs and Temptations call for it Psalm 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In a time of fear he would think of Arguments of Trust. 7. Whatever you meditate upon take heed of slightness Transient Thoughts leave no Impression See that you meditate but of one thing at once Hoc age mind the Work you are about is a good Rule in Meditation as well as Prayer the Thoughts should be under a Restraint and wise Confinement A skipping Mind that wandreth from one Meditation to another seldom profiteth In Meditation be not like the Dogs of Nile that snatch here and there or like the Bee that passeth from Flower to Flower A constant fixed Light worketh most The Apostle speaketh of Apostates that they have flashy tasts Heb. 6.4 5. They were once inlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come They had vanishing and fleeting motions Iames 1.25 He that looketh into the law of liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that boweth down to take a deliberate view it is a Metaphor taken from them that stoop down and bend their Bodies toward a thing that they may narrowly pry into it The same word is used to imply that narrow search which the Angels use to find out the Mysteries of Salvation by 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look into An allusion to the Cherubims whose faces bowed down towards the Ark as desirous to see the Mysteries therein contained There must be a deep sight and serious inculcation Luke 2.19 But Mary kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she examined compared them traversed them too and fro in her mind which is afterwards expressed verse 51. She kept all these sayings in her heart There is a folly in Man when once we apprehend a thing Curiosity being satisfied we begin to loath it the first apprehension having as it were deflowred it but at last they loose their Power and Vertue When Digestion is precipitated there is no nourishment and when the Meditation is not deep and ponderous we have no comfort no lively perception and feeling of it in our hearts A glance doth not discover the worth of any thing he that doth but cast his eye upon a piece of Embroidery doth not discover the Art of it 8. Come not off from Holy Thoughts till you find profit by them either sweet tasts and relishes of the Love of God or high Affections kindled towards God or strong Resolutions begotten in your selves Usually God droppeth in sweetness into the Hearts of his People as all those Extasies of Love in the Canticles were occasioned by Meditation But we cannot alwaies expect Raptures and high Elevations it is some fruit if it maketh you fall to Prayer and Holy Complaints 9. Be thankful to God when he blesseth you in Meditation or else you will find difficulty in the next Christians often forget to return God the Glory Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee the king hath brought me into his chambers we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy loves more than â—ine the upright love thee That which goeth up in Vapours cometh down in Showers So the Psalmist Psal. 67.5 6. Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yield her increase and God even our own God shall bless us There is a Mutual access and recess between the Rivers and the Sea so there is between Blessings and Praises In this Duty God is jealous lest we should give the Honour to our selves because there is so much work of our own Thoughts Psal. 63.4 5. Because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name Not only in my necessity but for ever for such sweet Experiences 10. Do not bridle up the free Spirit by the Rules of Method That which God calleth for is Religion not Logick when Christians confine themselves to such Rules and Prescriptions they streighten themselves and Thoughts come from them like Water out of a Still not like Water out of a Fountain Voluntary and free Meditations are most smart and pregnant In all Arbitrary Directions that make only for the conveniency of the Duty you must remember we come to you like Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7.12 To the rest speak I not the Lord we do not prescribe but advise 11. Your success in the Duty is not to be measured by the multitude and subtilty of the Thoughts but the sincerity of them Christians puzzle and disquiet themselves because they look too much at gifts you should covet the best gifts but not inordinately Psalm 51.6 Thou desirest truth in the inward parts In Prayer God looketh more to the Impulses of Zeal than the Flowers of Rhetorick So in Meditation if we are less Subtle it is no matter so we be more Devout 12. You must begin and end all with Prayer Duties are subservient one to another In the beginning you must pray for a Blessing on the Duty and in the end commend your Souls and Resolutions to God There is no hope in your own Promises
do to remedy this 1. Get your Conscience cleansed by the hearty application of the Blood of Christ a galled Conscience is much discomposed and unsettled and unfit for such an Exercise Musing requireth a quiet sedate Mind 2. There are matters comfortable that may be of excellent Relief to the Spirit When the Soul is sadly humbled and Bondage is indeed revived there is an Hope set before us to which we may fly for refuge Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we may have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us The wounded Soul may run up to the Mountains of Myrrhe and Frankincense So David Psalm 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 4. Another Lett and Hindrance is unweildiness of Spirit to Spiritual and Heavenly Duties The Heart is many times burdened and oppressed and sunk down with its own burden and weight that it cannot be lifted up to any Holy Duties and so is unfit for any Exercise of Religion This our Saviour bids his Disciples have a care of Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life Pleasures and Cares do as it were hang a weight upon the Soul that it cannot mount up to God in Heavenly Exercises This is expressed by a fat heart Isa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat That is Spiritually dull as it is observed of the Ass which is the simplest of all Creatures it hath the fattest heart There is a Spiritual dullness and listlessness that is apt to seize upon us What shall we do to help this 1. Learn a Holy Moderation and Sobriety in outward Businesses and Pleasures As the Apostle saies of Prayer Ephes. 6.18 watching thereunto The same Rule holds good in Meditation watch that you may alwaies keep the Soul in a fitness for the Duty order your Affairs with great wisdom that you may not justle out so necessary a Duty when a Man is incumbered with business there is no room left for such an exercise if he let loose his heart disorderly all the day he will find this Spiritual dullness to seize on him 2. Keep the Body in a fit frame that it may not be a clog to the Soul but a dexterous Instrument There is a Sanctification of the Body 1 Thess. 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. And the Apostle commands 1 Thess 4. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour Men emasculate and weaken their Strength and Spirits and so the Body loseth its fitness Secondly There are Hindrances that are peculiar to the Duty of Meditation I shall name but two Barrenness of Thoughts and Inconstancy 1. Leanness and Barrenness of Thoughts When we go about to meditate we have no Matter whereupon to bestow our Time and Thoughts and so Christians are much discouraged This is opposite to that which the Scripture calls the abundance of the heart Matth. 12.34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh That is when there is a Holy Treasure in the Soul Now to remedy this 1. You must not give way to it but try and use constant Exercise When we give way to such indispositions they prove an utter Bondage voluntary neglects are punished with penal hardness and evils grow upon us as to lie in the dirt will make us more filthy and by little and little Men are hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin The Apostle speaks of them that have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.14 Who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil All Habits are increased by frequent Acts long disuse makes the Duty uncouth Wells which are at first a puddle are the sweeter for draining If we are under Indisposition should we not strive to come out of it The more we work the more vigorous and free is the Soul for the Work of God 2. Get a good stock of Sanctified Knowledge Let there be a Treasure in your Hearts Matth. 13.52 Every scribe which is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old Those that buy by the Penny will be sometimes in want Prov. 6.21 22. Bind them continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee This is the way to make Truths present and ready in the Thoughts when we have layed them up we can the better lay them out 3. When the Heart is barren think of your own Sins and Corruptions and the Experiences of God to your own Souls If we did not want an Heart we could never want Matter did we but consult with our own Experiences Psal. 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore mine heart faileth me And if nothing else will come to hand meditate upon your present unfitness for any Holy Duty 4. You may season and affect your mind before Meditation with some part of Gods Word Reading is a good preparative and when we have taken in Food we may exercise our Depastion and Digestion upon it 2. A loose garish Spirit that is apt to skip and wander from thought to thought There is a Madness in Man his thoughts are light and feathery tossed too and fro and like the loose Wards in a Lock only kept up whilst we are turning the Key This doth much discourage Christians that they cannot keep up their Affections and command their Thoughts How shall we help and remedy this 1. When you go to meditate you should exercise a Command and Restraint upon your selves This is expressed in Scripture by trussing up the Loins of your Minds Luke 12.30 Let your loins be girded about An allusion to their hanging Garments that they trussed up when they went about any work that they may be compact and succinct Lay a Command upon your selves Zephan 2.1 Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not desired 2. Pray and call in the help of God's Holy Spirit Psalm 86.11 Vnite my heart to fear thy Name Lord make my Heart one He that could stay the Sun can stay the sleeting of your thoughts 3. Dry up these swimming Toyes and Fancies with the flame of Heavenly Love Love unites the Heart and where we have a pleasure there we can stay Psalm 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 4. Let the course of your Lives
It is a pleasure to see things by Picture though we know the Person so though we have an Image of Christ in the Word and may know his Person there yet it is a great relief to us to see Christ in the Supper by these outward Symbols where Sense may teach Faith what strength of Grace and what sweetness of Comfort to expect from Christ. These thoughts through the blessing of God will raise the Soul into a frame of Religion that when you come to this Ordinance you will not be so dry and barren 2. Wandring when the Heart is prepared and set towards God how shall we do to keep it from roving and prevent those excursions which are apt to carry away the Heart 1. Get an Awe and Dread of God Labour to have the deepest Apprehensions of the Presence of God as possibly may be Strong Affections especially Fear lock up the Mind and do not suffer it to flit abroad Now Fear is not unseasonable to this Duty but rather proper because of the Excellent Mysteries by which God condescendeth and approacheth us Chrysostome calls it terribilis mystica mensa the dreadful Mysterious Table and therefore now our Apprehensions should be most awful When Iacob had a sight of God saies he Gen. 28.17 How dreadful is this place And the Psalmist saith Psal. 68 35. Oh God! thou art terrible out of thy holy places Mixt Affections do best in the sweetest Worship Psalm 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes Here we are to have distinct thoughts of his Holyness and Goodness and therefore we should fear before him lest we forget our selves to be poor guilty Creatures and Fear confineth the Soul and will not suffer it to run abroad 2. Chide the Heart for your vain Excursions Christians might have more command over their Hearts if they would but hold the Reins a little straiter and check their Souls they are not so sadly sensible of the idle roving of the brain which do not so directly carry them after the evil as when they make them to neglect the good Take up your selves as David doth about his lumpishness Psalm 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted in me Did I come hither to think of any thing but Christ and Heaven Did I come to think of News Vanity Business and Lust My work is to discerne the Lords Body not to think of Worldly Toyes Is this to remember and fruitfully to insist upon his Death Look as Christ did chide his Disciples Matth. 26.40 What! could ye not watch with me one hour So chide your Heart cannot I keep my Heart free for God a little while In Heaven Duty will be my constant work and if my Heart wander now How shall I be able to hold it for ever In the Supper God tyes my Soul by outward Rites least my Eyes should carry away my Heart God would exercise my Eyes Certainly if you would chide your Souls the Heart would not steal so many glances But usually our Hearts do not steal away we dismiss them and let them go God gave Reason a command of your Thoughts at first and we might exercise it more than we do 3. Stupidness Many times the Soul is surprized with deadness and amazement it neither actually thinks of Evil nor of Good but is at a dead pawse and stay For this I shall urge a double help 1. By earnest Ejaculations call in the help of the Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O north-wind and come thou south blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Desire God to breathe upon the Soul with a fresh gale and excitement that he would take a Coal from his own Altar that the perfume might burn bright Censers must not be kindled with strange Fire Oh raise and quicken this dead Soul Remember the first Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 2. Call upon your own Hearts It is a mistake of Christians to think they are only to call upon God you are also to call upon your selves and to deal with your own Souls by way of quickning Psalm 57.8 Awake my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Charge your Souls awake to the consideration of Heavenly Mysteries Speak to your own Hearts as David layes a charge upon himself Psalm 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name The Children of God are brought in speaking to themselves Oh my drousie blockish Heart How coldly dost thou think of Christ This dead Heart will not become the Service of the Living God 4. A lazy Formality Either we cannot get the Soul to this Worship or we performe it slightly We content our selves with a few careless glances and lazy baren thoughts To remedy this consider in so sweet a Duty God doth not only require Affection but height of Affection an Holy ardor earnestness and raisedness of Spirit Cant. 4.6 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense an allusion to the Censers used in the Levitical Worship God requires such thoughts as will comfort revive and quicken our Souls Such thoughts as end in Affection Leave not off till you can say as the Spouse Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Do not leave meditating of Christ till you can bring your Souls to a Holy ravishment and your Hearts are wounded with impatient Desires after Communion with Christ. No thoughts will work but those that are serious Secondly I will propound some cases which shall not only concern the Duty of the Lords Supper but some of them the Duty of Meditation in general 1. Case How can we do because of variety of Matter that is to be meditated upon that plenty makes us barren And in such streights of time how can we run through all I shall answer to this in three Propositions 1. The Mind of Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working and much may be done by thoughts in a short time The Minds motion is not so slow as that of the Body which is burdened with a mass and clod of flesh and therefore must have time for its Action but the Soul is quick There are two sorts of Meditations in the Supper as indeed in all other Matters pregnant Apprehensions and enforcing Reasons 1. Pregnant Apprehensions sutable to each Circumstance of the Duty Now these are absolutely necessary as in blessing the Elements and setting them aside for this use think of the Eternal Decrees of God by which Christ was separated to the Office of Mediator In breaking the Bread your Thoughts must act afresh on the Sorrows of Christ's Cross and those bruises wherewith he was broken for our Iniquities Thus it is good
So Psalm 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good It should be translated The many say c. For this is the voice of the Multitude all are for good for something that is every way satisfying and contentful There are some remains of intire Reason and right Nature as Iob's Messengers said Iob 1.15 And I only am escaped alone to tell thee There are some obscure instincts that are alone escaped out of the Ruins of the Fall to tell us that God is our chiefest good and therefore must be our utmost End But the Scriptures go further and teach us that there is no way of enjoying God but in Christ and till then Man can never be happy God is the Center of the Soul the place of the Souls Rest all things move to their own place so should Man to God It is monstrous to see things move contrary to the Impulse of Nature to see Fire to descend or a Stone to leap upward so it is as monstrous in Grace for our Souls to descend and to cleave to those things which are without us which were made only to rest in God our Souls are of a Heavenly Original and therefore should tend thither Say then this is that which will make me happy here and hereafter and therefore why should I run elsewhere It is against Grace and Nature there is a Principle in Natures by which all Creatures aim at their own satisfaction there is a weight and propension that poyseth them to their happyness if I would shew my self a Christian or a Man all my Comforth lyeth in enjoying God in Christ Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves men He is a Beast that can satisfie his Soul with the World and he is a Devil that can satisfie his Soul with Sin let me shew my self a Man and return to my own rest Things are miserable when they do not attain their End so shall I be out of my place tossed to and fro till I return to God the Faculties of the Soul are mis-placed and are as a Member out of joynt 2. He was made to glorifâ—e God The Creatures do it necessarily we must do it voluntarily and by choice This must be the care of our Hearts 1. In every Business 2. In every Enjoyment 1. In every Business be it never so trivial and low even in the ordinary refreshments of Nature 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God These common actions of Eating and Drinking must be done upon Reasons of Religion In a Kings House there are many Officers but they are all to please the King so in my Calling in my Duties all must be done for the Glory of the Great God all things must be measured by this Rule and give place to this great End how I may glorifie God whether in the Shop or in the Closet in my outward Calling or in my Private Duties or in my Publick Relations or Engagements so far am I to mingle with any outward Business as I may still enjoy God and be serviceable to his Glory This is to make Religion your Work and not your Play and Recreation when still in every business God is at the utmost End whatever present ends I have If Nature interpose to make us look after our particular Conveniences yet this is but in subordination to Gods Glory 2. In every Enjoyment whether it be Natural or Spiritual I am to desire outward increase and estate but I cannot desire it lawfully but so as I may honour God with it Agur measureth every Estate by Ends of Religion Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me Lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of God in vain As God should be at the end of every business so at the end of every Enjoyment though it be Spiritual It is a mistake in Christians to think that Spiritual Blessings are only to be desired for themselves I must desire the Pardon of my Sins not meerly for it self but that God may be glorified in Pardon I must desire Grace not only that I might be saved but that God may be glorified in my Salvation Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved The Creatures aims are never regular but when they suit with Gods In the work of Redemption Jesus Christ pleased not himself but had an aim at the Fathers Glory Rom. 15.3 For even Christ pleased not himself So should we in the Comforts of Redemption not please our selves meerly in the consideration of our own happyness but rejoyce in it as Gods Ends are promoted in it that God is glorifyed in pardoning my Sin or giving me Grace and Salvation Though it be a difficult yet it is a necessary piece of Self-Denyal to desire Salvation in a Subordination to Gods Glory Secondly For the contriving plotting Work The End being once fixed we are to consider Generally by what means it may be accomplished and more particularly how you may observe and carry it on to the Glory of God 1. Generally By what means we may accomplish it Every End is obtained by apt and fit means and God as he hath ordained the end so he hath appointed the means The whole Duty of Man is to fear God and keep his commandments Eccles. 12.13 The whole Duty is comprized in Obedience and Fear Obedience respects the Rule and Fear the Principle Or Obedience and Love he instanceth in that Principle that was most sutable to the present Dispensation In the Old Testament Fear is the beginning of Wisdom Fear is represented as the great Principle of Duty and Worship as in the New Testament Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments the meaning of that place is that God hath required intire Obedience out of an Holy and Upright Principle Look as God hath appointed to the Creatures a Law of Creation by which they are bounded to their stated times and paths as the Psalmist saith of the Waters of the Sea Psal. 104.9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the earth So God hath given a Moral Law and Rule to the Rational Creature which must be observed by Love and Reverence So it is said Ephes. 2.10 We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk therein God having by the same Decree and Wise Council ordained both End and Means he hath given us a Rule by which we are to be guided in serving his Glory 2. More Particularly How you may observe and carry it on in this way according to the Will of God A Christian is to
day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil 2. Consider the Nature of Sin with respect to your selves and so the evil of it appears in these respects 1. It is a degradation of your Natures and sets you beneath the rank of Men and equals you with Beasts Psal. 49.12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish In the Original it is he abideth not for a Night Adam sinned the very same day that he was created So Psalm 32.9 Be ye not as the horse or as the mule that have no understanding implying that inconsiderate and rash Men that never consider their wayes are like the Horse and Mule which are void of Understanding and are guided only by their own Instinct to what use do Men put their Reason that do not reflect upon their Consciences It would be an odd sight to see a Man with the head of a Mule or the feet of a Horse yet there is a greater affinity between the Body of a Beast and the Body of a Man than between a Beast and a Mans Soul the former are in the same degree of Being as Material substances 2. It is the defilement of your Natures The Scripture when it speaks of Sin sets it out by filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness Iames 1.21 An allusion to the Brook Hedron where the Garbages of the Sacrifices were wont to be cast So it is called a blot these Notions are to heighten our Souls into a detestation of it Omne malum naturam aut timore aut pudore perfudit There is such a filthiness in Sin that it is ashamed out of it self and therefore it alwaies seeketh for a disguise there needeth no Argument against it but to be seen in its proper colours it either seeketh a shew of Vertue or a vail of Darkness Pray why doth the Adulterer seek for the twi-light Prov. 7.9 In the twi-light in the evening in the black and dark night but that he is ashamed of Sin Sin is so Monstrous and Deformed that it seeks to hide it self from those that love it most from the Conscience of the Party that committeth it or from the sight of others Nay there is such a Turpitude in it that some Sins beget shame in their very name and mention The Apostle speaks of a Sin that is not so much as named among the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 and Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Socrates hid his face whenever he spake against wantonness 3. It is the Bondage of your Natures Oh what worser Captivity can there be than this for Reason to be put out of its Empire and that you should be under the command of vile Affections a Slave to Pride and a Drudge to your Lusts and Carnal Pleasures Sin is a Bondage here and hereafter here it binds you with the Cords of Vanity and hereafter with the Chains of Darkness This is the preposterous Judgment of Men that they look upon the Service of God as their greatest Bondage Psalm 2.3 Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us but it is otherwise there is no greater freedom than to be employed in the Service of God and to be free for the Actions of a Holy Life Psalm 119.45 I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts The Bonds of Duty are not Gives but Ornaments And there is no greater Bondage than to be a Slave to Sin 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage What a Bondage is this to be a Vassal of Hell to be at the command of our Lusts a Slave to Pride and Uncleanness and we know not how to help it SERMON VIII GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide 2. ANother Argument to prove the Evil of Sin is taken from the Effects of Sin We being in a lower Sphere of Understanding know Causes by their Effects Ier. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God When they had seen the sad Effects of it their Cities wasted and destroyed And where shall we not find the sad Effects of Sin Survey the story of Sin since it came into the World The first news we hear of Sin is in the fall of the Angels and what a dreadful instance is that The Angels that were the most noble part of the Universe the Courtiers of Heaven and assoon as they had sinned in a moment of Angels they were made Devils and cast down into the pit of Darkness for one aspiring thought against Gods Imperial Majesty If we should see Ten Thousand Princes executed in one day we would wonder at the Cause of it and yet this is but a short resemblance of this case Think of those Princes of the Creation those Morning-Stars those Sons of God now if one Sin cast down these Angels what will become of us who have Millions of Sins If God be so angry with the Nobles how may the Scullions tremble If God will cast Angels out of Heaven for one Sin of Thought what will become of us poor Dwellers in Clay who are but a little enlivened Dust that may be soon crumbled into nothing Yet Christ was not made an Angel for Angels as he was made a Man for me If you should hear of a drop of gall that should imbitter an whole Ocean of sweetness you would wonder at the Pestilential influence of it here is one sin of thought imbittered the whole Ocean of the Angelical sweetness The next news we hear of Sin is in the Fall of Man Who would taste of that Poyson that poysoned all Mankind at once Adam did but taste of the forbidden Fruit and all his Posterity were poysoned in the Morning he was Gods Favourite and in the Evening the Devils Slave he slept not one Night in Innocency Nay this is not all you shall see the venom of Sin went further it did not only ruine all Mankind but it gave a crack to the whole Creation All the Creatures groan under Sin Rom. 8.20 21. For the creature is made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God When God looked upon the Creatures that he had made he saw all was good but when Solomon looketh upon Gods Works he seeth nothing but Vanity what is the Reason of this Sin intervened so that the Creatures are not only the Monuments of Gods Power but of Mans Rebellion The next dreadful instance of Sin is in the Old World and there all Mankind except Eight
idolize every petty and vain thing in the World therefore in Christ the Lord would shew us the highest Self-denyal when he took the Humane Nature on him and endured the Wrath of the Father The whole World wondred after the Beast and the Disciples wondred at the goodly Stones of the Temple Matth. 24.1 Oh what will you do at the Son of God in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily This should beget a special Veneration and Reverence towards God 3. To overcome us by Love There is a great engagement laid upon a Sinner hereby When the King of Moab was pressed hard by Israel He took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead and offered him for a burnt-sacrifice upon the wall 2 Kings 3.27 according to their superstition who were wont in extream Dangers and desperate Cases to sacrifice their Children whereupon they raised the Siege and went home God hath took his own Son and sacrificed him that we might leave off fighting against Heaven God would overcome Sin by the highest Act of goodness and kindness imaginable hereby he would shame and overcome the heart of a poor Sinner 4. That we might have a High and Glorious Pattern of Obedience We are referred to Angels and to Christ himself who would leave us a more glorious Example 3. Magnifie this great contrivance of your Salvation by Comparisons Compare it with Creation with other Deliverances and with the Works of Nature 1. Compare it with Creation The Lord discovered much of his Glory in making the World out of nothing but he discovered more of his Glory when Jesus Christ was born of his own Creature a Vine out of the Berry or Grape This was his Master-piece and grand design in which he purposed to gain to himself most Honour and Glory The World was made with a Word but redeemed with a serious Plot and Contrivance The World was made for Man and Woman but Christ was made out of a Woman In the Creation God made us like himself but here the Lord made himself like us In the Creation all things were made out of nothing here Order came out of Confusion In the Creation Man was made out of the Earth but here God was made Man In the Creation God went the high way to do us good in Redemption he came the lower way Jesus Christ abased himself for our sakes 2. Compare it with other Deliverances It was a great thing to be delivered out of Egypt and Babylon but it is far greater to be delivered out of Hell and from Damnation and Wrath to come Read the Story of the Children of Israels Deliverances Psalm 107. They were delivered from the oppression of Pharaoh but we from Satan God gave them Food and satisfied the longing Soul and filled the hungry But Jesus Christ incarnate is made Bread and Food to the Soul They had Deliverance from Diseases but we from Sin the Sickness and Disease of the Soul and from the Vanity of our own Spirits Then he goes on to the Wonders in the deep but we may see the depth of Mercy swallowing up the depth of Sin and the glorious Love of God breaking out in such a wonderful Deliverance by Jesus Christ that we may well cry out with them verse 31. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men 3. Compare it with the Miracles of Nature There are strange things among the Creatures yet there may be some footsteps of Reason seen but it cannot enter into the heart of Man to conceive of this glorious Salvation brought about by the Son of God Therefore bless God for the Revelation and complain of thy self for not thinking of these things with serious admiration scarce vouchsafing to look into these things but art more pleased with every bawble and vain contrivance than the great and serious Plot of the Gospel SERMON X. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Fourthly THE Object which I shall now propose is Providence a large Field and full of useful matter It is a draught which God hath been plotting from all Eternity and accomplishing these thousands of years 1. Take it altogether and it is a continued contexture or concatenation of Decrees Actions and Events from the Creation to the day of Judgment It is our Duty to understand it for the present and it will be our happiness to understand it perfectly hereafter Psalm 107.43 Whoso is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. It is an excellent piece of Wisdom to be able to link Events together that we may see the Wisdom and Love of God in the usual occurrences that happen out We being of short narrow thoughts fail most herein Power is such an Attribute as is visible and obvious to a common and careless Eye the Heathens knew it Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead But to find out the Beauty and Wisdom of Gods Work there needs the Light of Faith and some acquaintance with God himself therefore it is said Iob 11.5 6. Oh that God would speak c. and shew me the secrets of wisdom that they are double to that which is Power is obvious to Sense and Reason but Wisdom is scarce discernable to Faith There is an out-side and an in-side in all Divine Dispensations the out-side is full of Beauty but that is but dark to the in-side to the secrets of Wisdom Gods Works are full of Mysteries as well as his Word and we cannot understand them unless God himself be our Teacher we are blind and see not and then we murmur But the full knowledge of the Mysteries of Providence is reserved for our Portion in Heaven when we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know even as also I am known We shall view all the passages of Providence by which we have been brought to Glory and see the beautiful Order and Links of them Now we have known God or rather are known of God Gal. 4.9 God knoweth what is the meaning of such a Providence what is in the Womb of such a Dispensation Here there is a hand-writing upon the Wall but we as Beltshazzar cannot read it As when we see a Woman with Child we cannot tell what it will prove but when we are on the top of the Mount we shall look back and see how many are the crooked Lanes we have passed the up-hill and down-hill we have trod and God knew us all along and did not only lead us in but lead us out Then we shall know the multitude of his thoughts and what the great number of them is I confess by narrow
and Conscience saith the contrary Or are we innocent Or hath God provided another way than Christ 2 Obedience Every thing is written and must be reviewed If things were forgotten assoon as we forget them we need not revise our Acts or be so careful of our Conversations Oh but we must come to an account Iames 2.12 So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty Psalm 1.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous What a shameful story will there be produced against careless Sinners All the business of our lives is to stand in the great Congregation and to appear with confidence Would a Man give way to vain thoughts if he knew he were to give an account or to vain Discourse if he thought every idle word would be brought to Judgment or to Carnal Actions though never so secret if he thought that all these would come to a review or neglect the Duties of his Calling if he knew he were to give an account of his Stewardship or be unmerciful to the Poor if he did think of Have you fed Have you cloathed Or that he should be examined upon these questions 3. The Consideration of Hell or the Dreadful Punishment of Sin For this is the matter in this Text. This is useful to think of Hell that we may shun it presumption is a Coward Matth. 3.7 8. O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance There is a forced Repentance they that do not weep for their Sins for a while here shall there mourn for ever with a fruitless Repentance It is peace upon Earth What is Hell 1. There is poena damni the Punishment of loss a separation from the presence of God and Everlasting Exile Depart from me ye cursed Matth. 25.41 Luke 13.25 26. When once the master of the house is risen and hath shut the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us and he shall answer and say unto you I know ye not whence ye are and verse 28. When ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out When God turned Adam out of Paradise it was sad but then he cloathed him made him Coats of skins Adam was a Rebellious Child and was turned out of Doors but God had a care of him would not turn him out of Doors without his Garments gave him the promise of the Seed of the Woman hopes of a better Paradise This is the worst part of Hell to have a glimpse of God the remembrance of which shall remain with them for ever and then to be shut out Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but not taste it As a Prodigal reduced to Rags goeth by the Lands and Houses he hath sold with a sad Heart 2. The poena sensus The Punishments of Sense the Worm of Conscience and the Fire of Gods VVrath The worm of Conscience the Sting of Conscience when we think of our folly and imprudence A Man may run away from his Conscience now by sleeping reading working drinking sporting as Cain built Cities and Saul called for Musick But in Hell there are no such Diversions not a Thought free Day nor Night but Memoria praeteritorum the remembrance of what is past slighted Means abused Comforts wasted Time and Sensus praesentium a Sense of what is present the understanding maketh Heaven or Hell and metus futurorum a fear of what is to come for ever and ever Oh blind Fools that we did not think of these things aforehand The pleasures of the VVorld for a Thousand years will not countervail one minutes torment And then the Fire shall never be quenched Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the the living God Do but make tryal and put your finger in the Candle and see how you can bear it Isa. 33.14 Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings III. How to improve the Scriptures to Repentance 1. Believe them as you would an Oracle or one from the dead Consider the Authority and Veracity of God The Authority of God God Commandeth Men to repent charge the heart in the Name of God as it will answer to him another day If God had bidden thee do some greater thing wouldst not thou have done it VVill you contradict your Maker The Veracity of God these things are true If you had heard a voice from Heaven as Abraham or had a Vision or a Messenger sent out of the other VVorld you would believe you would think him to have a very hard heart that is not warned by an Oracle or frighted by an Apparition God himself hath spoken in his VVord and is not he of Credit You would fly in the face of him that should give you the lye and will you give the lye to the God of Truth VVe should be ashamed that the VVord which is a greater and surer Revelation than Oracles or Apparitions should prevail no more with us and that all those Arts of Grace which are used in the Scriptures do not perswade us to Obedience and Amendment of Life There is more Reason to perswade a Rational Man that the Scriptures are true and worth the heeding than to perswade him of the Truth of any voice from Heaven or Message by one from the Dead There you are warned that if you are un-believing un-holy or un-charitable you shall go to Hell and as Lot seemed to his Sons in law as one that mocked e n. 19.14 so we are looked on as if we were in jest and it were a matter of course to make one another sad by repeating of Matters mournful and lamentable If thou hadst seen a Ghost this last Night or a Devil had appeared to thee in Mans shape thou wouldst have been terrified and shall not the threatnings of the word startle thee So when you are spoken to concerning the joyes of Heaven it should not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an idle tale as it is said Luke 24.11 And their words seemed unto them as idle tales and they believed them not The Report of Christ's Resurrection was an idle tale If an Angel had told you that within such a compass of years you should be in another world he would have been credited but you have a more sure word of Prophesie we tell you the same from Gods word and yet we are not regarded as the Israelites did not believe the Spies 2. Urge thy Heart with it Recollect your selves Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things Come to your selves Luke 15.17 And when he came to himself The Prodigal came to himself before he thought of returning to his Father Psalm 22.27 All the ends of the
in their mouth Psalm 149.6 There are higher and lower Praises more and less solemn according to the proportion and size of our Mercies The Spouses Eyes were as Doves eyes Cant. 4.1 to peck and look upward 2. If in deed some notable thing must be done for God When Ahasuerus had heard of a good deed done by Mordecai he saith what Honour and Dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Esther 6.3 So what Honour hath been done to the Lord What have we done for him saith David 2 Sam. 7.2 I dwell in a house of cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains The Lord hath advanced me from a Sheephook to a Scepter what Love have I shewed to God What excellent thing have I done for God Wherein am I carryed out with Zeal for God VSE To Reprove 1. Those that instead of rendring according render the quite contrary who the more God hath blessed them grow unthankful proud sensual dead formal in Prayer less in communion with God more licentious in their actions They are like Tops never well but when they are scourged abuse their Mercies to the contempt of God as the Israelite took the Ear-rings of Gold and Silver which were the Spoils of the Egyptians and made a Golden Calf of them As the Sea turneth all the sweet dews and influences of Heaven into salt Water so they turn all their Mercies into occasions of Sin 2. Those that do not render ought at all They are crying for Mercy but think not of returning thanks to God but when they have what they would have turn the back upon God not the face Ier. 2.27 In the time of their trouble they will say Arise and save us then their face is to God There was a Law in the 46. Ezâ—kiel 9. He that entreth in by the way of the north-gate to worship shall go out by the way of 〈…〉 c. He that went in at one gate was not to go out at the same gate but an opposite Some say least he should turn his back upon the Mercy-Seat 3. Those that render something but not suitable If you would render according you must be in a capacity Under the Law the Peace-Offering was brought at the top of a Burnt-Offering Levit. 3.3 We must be first reconciled to God before we can do any thing acceptable Awaken the Heart to the work David awakens his Soul Psalm 103.1 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Search out the works of God Psalm 111.2 The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure in them Consider what the World gaineth by every discovery of God what Attributes of God are manifested what Promises are accomplished how Church-hopes thrive Desire God to give you the Heart to render that he that gave the occasion would give the disposition Psalm 51.15 Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise We are Spiritually dumb and tongue-ty'd Reason and argue from your experiences to your Duty Ezra 9.13 Seeing thou hast gievn us such a deliverance as this shall we again break thy commandments When you have done all you will be at a loss Psalm 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me He that hath a right sense of Gods Mercies will be forced to say so and therefore be striving more and more Doctrine 2. That it is a sign we are unthankful under Mercies when the heart is lifted up upon the injoyment of them The Spirit of God bringeth this as the Evidence against Hezekiah Reasons of the Point 1. Because God can never be rightly praised and exalted while the heart is proud Isa. 2.17 And the loftiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day God is exalted in the Creatures self-abasement As two Buckets in a Well when one goeth down the other cometh up The Ark and Dagon cannot stand together 1 Sam. 5.3 Set up the Ark and Dagon must come upon his face If you would have God exalted in the Riches of his Grace you must lye in the Dust. 2. A proud lifted-up Heart cannot be rightly conversant about Blessings It doth not give them their due rise nor their due value nor their due end 1. Not their due rise Many will say God did it God! I thank thee was in the Pharisees Mouth Luke 18.11 but they do not stand wondring why God should do it As David 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God! and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto That God should look upon a Worme Whence is it What did God see in me They actually disclaim all respect and worth and merit in themselves that praise God aright 2. A proud Heart doth not give Blessings their due value He looketh for more still he entertaineth Crosses with Murmuring and Blessings with disdain It is but thus and thus and still set God a new Task to do Psalm 78.20 Behold he smote the rock and the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people They slight what is past if they have not what they look for All this availeth me nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the kings gate Esth. 5.13 Mal. 1.2 I have loved you saith the Lord yet they say Wherein hast thou loved us Where are all those Mercies and Glorious Experiences It is all forgotten and undervalued If the Mercies fit not our Mould all is nothing 3. It doth not give Blessings their due ends God giveth us Mercies that we might be more Holy and Humble and Pride maketh us more Carnal and Insolent and Sâ—cure and so we feed our Lusts of the Lords Provision He gives Mercies that â—e may be lifted up in his wayes 2 Chron. 17.6 That we might promote his Interest the more chearfully without baseness fear or carnal respects But Pride abuseth it to carelesness contempt of Holy things insultation over those that are fallen under God's hand Deut. 32.15 Iesburun waxed wanton and kicked They despise the Ordinances of God and dispute away Duties and cavil at Religion Is this the Fruit of our Deliverances How shall we know when the heart is lifted up Pride is a capacious Sin therefore called pride of life 1 Iohn 2.16 because it is a Sin that diffuseth its self throughout all Affairs and Conditions of Life Children Estate Beauty Strength Parts Honours Graces A Worm may breed in Manna Paul was puffed up 2 Cor. 12.7 â—est I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above Measure But the Text speaketh of a Pride after Deliverances which is a self-blessing and self-depending confidence which is mainly shewed first in Security Secondly in Insolency 1. In Security Men
Obedience to his Holy Will The Sap is not seen but the Apples and Fruit appear Acts 26.20 That they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance we can else have no comfortable evidence of it 3. It is for the honour of Christ as well as our own comfort and safety Obedience maketh Faith visible and sensible 2 Thess. 1.11 12. And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him An Holy Conversation bringeth Doctrines near to our Senses and thereby it is more clear and powerful to gain upon others Christ hath the Honour we the Reward Iohn 15.8 Herein is my father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my disciples And Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Uniform practice is such a fruit of Grace as representeth the Doctrine of Life with advantage to the Consciences of others otherwise we shall never do any great things for Christ in the World A Second SERMON On ACTS xxiv 14 15 16. Believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man VSE I. IS disproof of the Nullifidians and Solifidians Those that cry up good Life without Faith and on the other side that cry up empty Faith without Obedience and Holiness 1. Nullifidians who are very rife among us who do as wisely as those that would plant a Tree by the Top and not by the Root so they cry up a Morality without the Faith and Hope of the Gospel and that Love to God which is ingendred by it and so out of a Fondness of Pagan strictness and Philosophick institution defie the Religion they were bred up in There can be no true Love to God or Man without the Faith of the Gospel the Apostle telleth us Rom. 7.4 That we are married to him who was raised from the dead that we may bring forth fruit to God As the Children who are born before Marriage are Illegitimate so all that Justice and Temperance and Charity which is not cherished in us by the Love of God and Faith in Christ and the Hopes of the other World is but Mock-Grace and Bastard-Holiness and is not acceptable to God I shall prove two things 1. That Morality is not kindly unless it be founded on the Gospel and never so thoroughly promoted as by the Principles laid down there Titus 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world The more we believe all things contained in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles the more we are taught how to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in the present World There we have the true Principle of Obedience viz. Love to God fed and bred in us by his Love to us in Christ the true Incouragement and Motive of Obedience the Hopes of the other World the true Rule of Obedience Gods Mind revealed in his Word and perfecting the Light of Nature so far as it discovereth any thing of our Duty to God Neighbour and Self Here is better Furniture than we can have elsewhere a forcible Principle and a Glorious Hope and an exact Rule Now they that would cry up right Reason in defiance of these are not Christs Disciples but would make him theirs and teach him and his Apostles how to speak and teach the way to true Happiness and so are guilty of great unthankfulness for this Blessed Revelation which we have in the Gospel 2. That true Morality and good Conscience cannot be had without the Faith of the Gospel So that we are not only better provided but indeed cannot performe such Obedience as is acceptable to God without Faith in Christ. And therefore I shall shew you the defects that are in Mens Obedience till they believe in Christ. 1. There is a defect in their State they are not reconciled to God till they be in Christ and therefore he will not accept an Offering at their hands who neglect his Grace and will not sue out their atonement with him in that penitent and broken-hearted way which he hath appointed in the New Covenant Let them first sue out their pardon in the Name of Christ and then begin with a new Course of Obedience God is first placandus then placendus First his Wrath is to be appeased and then he will accept of our Duties and Actions First our Persons are accepted and then our Duties and Offerings Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering Abel being a Believer and under Grace as the Apostle explaineth it Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh That is he was justified and accepted with God this is such a principle of Reason that Lilius Gyraldus saith it was the Custom of the Heathens Vt prius iratos Deos placarent postea invocarent propitios First To appease their Gods and then to pray unto them Man cometh as a Sinner to God and therefore first he must deprecate his Wrath and use all Means how God may be pacified and appeased 2. There is a defect in the Actions themselves 1. In the Root there is not a clear Fountain or Principle of Grace in their Hearts and then Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Iob 14.4 A clear Stream out of a dirty Puddle How can he performe a good Action which is naturally corrupt Without the Spirit of Christ all our good Actions have a blemish The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 It is but wild Fruit unless it be the Fruit of the Spirit and floweth from the Grace of Regeneration and that new State of Heart into which we are put by Jesus Christ Iohn 15.5 I am the vine ye are tht branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing One that is in Christ will be fruitful to God but without him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim a me or apart from him there is no bringing forth Fruit to God it is not nihil magnum some great thing ye cannot work Miracles without me but nihil nothing nothing saving and acceptable to God 2. In a manner they do not obey God with that Purity that
times Doct. God in and by the Gospel will effect an eminent and notable sanctification both of Things and Persons 1. Let us consider how Gospel Holiness is set forth in this Prophesie 2. I shall speak of Holiness in the General 3. Give you the Reasons I. That degree of Holiness which is here prophesied of 1. All such things as were before imployed against God should be then imployed and converted to his service for the Horse-Bells shall be inscribed He speaketh before of Horses imployed against the Church which God would overthrow verse 15. It was the fashion of those Oriental Countreys to adorn their War-Horses and Camels with Golden Chains and Bells Iudges 8.26 This Prophesie intimateth that now these Bells should be converted to another use to make Golden-Pots and Bowles for the Temple and be inscribed by Gods Motto and Impress In our Natural Estate we imployed our Time and Wit and Parts and Strength against God but if converted then for him As one of the Fathers glosseth upon Eves seducing Adam She was a Rib but she proved a Dart. We fight against God by his own Weapons but Conversion maketh a change Rom. 6.13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Weapons or Instruments of unrighteousness are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruments of righteousness So verse 22. For now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness There is a manifest change in the use of all things 2. Upon all the Utensils of the Temple there shall be Holiness to the Lord whether Pots or Bowles The great and immediate Duties of the Worship of God should have special Holiness in them for God will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified There should be a special Awe and Reverence upon our Hearts in our conversing with God when the Blood of the Sacrifice is presented to him as it was in the Bowles or the Flesh of the Sacrifice eaten by our selves as it was by the Priests when it was sodden in the Pots of the Lords House We read of discerning the Lords body 1 Cor. 11.29 We receive it not in an Holy manner if our eating be not in a different manner from eating our ordinary Meal The Impression of our great end should be upon our ordinary and common Actions but in Worship the Nature of the Work is Holy and the Manner of our Deportment should be very reverend and serious 3. The Expressions imply a proficiency and growth in Holiness For the Pots of the Kitchen of the Temple shall become as the Bowles of the Altar for purity and Holiness There were degrees of Holiness in the several Vessels belonging to the Temple the meanest things in Sacred use shall be advanced to an higher degree of Esteem and Holy Employment than before which some understand thus that the meanest things in the Christian Church shall be as precious as the most glorious things in the Iewish Church rather that Holiness should be upon the growing hand and increasing from degree to degree till all be perfected in the Everlasting Estate The Bells or Neck-Ornaments of their Horses shall be turned into Pots of the Lords House and the Pots in the Kitchen become as the Bowles on the Altar Oh Christians the Holiness of the Gospel is a growing Holiness we should go on from strength to strength Psalm 84.7 from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.28 The inner Man must be renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 There should be a continuance in Gospel-Holiness Carnal Men seek to grow greater and greater and higher and higher and attain further degrees of their Worldly Happiness and shall not we seek to grow better and better One dramm of Holiness is worth a whole World of Greatness Holiness is the Glory of Saints the Beauty of Angels the Delight of God you cannot be too holy But alas Many lose ground in Religion Holiness is in the wane not in the increase Sin is not so hateful as it was before What will this come to at length How can he be rich who groweth every day poorer Or reach the Goal who goeth every day a step back who loose their Zeal and the elder they grow live in more indulgence to the Flesh 4. As it is a progressive Holiness so it is also a diffusive Holiness that spreadeth its self throughout all Actions Civil and Sacred in things which belong to Peace and War 1. In things Civil and Sacred all the Pots of the Lords House and all the Pots in Ierusalem 2. In things of War and Peace for here are Horse-Bells and Pots all things should now become Holy and holily used In every point and ordinary Action of the Christian Life a Christian should devote himself to God True Holiness will extend its self and shine forth in a Mans most common things and imployments and the sincere Man referreth all to God even in his ordinary Conversation as if he were about immediate Worship 1 Pet. 1.15 For as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all manner of conversation In every creek and turning of your Lives or in every particular passage of your Christian Course Oh what a blessed thing is it when Godliness runneth through a Mans whole Life as the Woof through the Web when our whole Conversation savoureth of Godliness and True Holiness and our Common and Civil Actions are done in the Lord and for his Glory and upon all occasions you shew your selves haters of Sin and lovers of what is good Every thing that passeth Gods Hand discovereth the Author there is not a Gnat or a Pile of Grass but you may see God in it as well as in the more stupendious Works of the Creation So should a Christian in every condition prosperous and adverse in an high or low Condition whether he be abased or do abound carry himself like a Christian Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need Hosea 7.8 Ephraim is a cake not turned baked but on one side and dough on the other So in every Action Civil or Sacred there must not only be a Spirit of Holiness breathing in our Duties but shining forth in our ordinary Employments and Recreations Every Action morally considered is in its self a step forward to Hell or to Heaven In every Relation in Love to our Maker in Duty to our fellow Creatures Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men
a Man should be Holy before his Actions shall be Holy for till a Man be Regenerated and act from a Principle of Grace in his Heart all that he doth is but the shadow and imperfect imitation of a good Action as an Ape would imitate a Man or as a violent Motion doth resemble that which is Natural We are bidden to be Holy as God is Holy 1 Pet. 1.15 But as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation God as to his Essence and Being is Holy and all his Acts carry a condecency with his Nature He is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psalm 145.17 So we are made partakers of a divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and so live and walk in a God-like manner 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godliness Grace is given to beget Life and then we are visibly to express it in a course of Godly walking Grace is planted in the Heart and then the influence of it is defused throughout all the parts of his Life First there is Internal Holiness in the hatred of Sin and the love of that which is good and then External Holiness is expressed in avoiding the one and pursuing after the other In short Actions without Life are the motions of Puppets not living Creatures on the other side if there be a change of Heart there must be fruits becoming it Habits are known by their Acts and Resolution by our Practice and the new Nature by newness of Conversation A Principle of Grace there must be and a prevalent Principle such as gets the Mastery of Sin before a Man can be denominated Holy There are mixt Principles and mixt Operations in a Christian but one is in praedominancy though there be a mixture of Principles and of Operations yet there is not a mixture of Interests there is but one chief good their great design is to please God in all things 2. As a Person is Holy by his Principle so an Action is Holy by the Rule when it agreeth with it as to Manner and Matter and End The substance of the Matter must be such as is warranted by the Law of God which melteth and sets out the bounds of Sin and Duty For by the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 Rom. 12.2 That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God So for the Manner it must be done in such a way as will suit with the Nature of the Action we are about A Man may sin in doing good when he doth not do it well Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil And in our ordinary Conversation Eph. 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Prov. 4.26 Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established The end must be to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God Coloss. 3.17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him A common Rule for all our Actions that they be undertaken in Christs Name and Thanks be given unto God for the event and success of them In short to be ruled by Christs Command depending on his help aiming at his Glory the Heart must be habitually inclined to all things in him and for him so as in the issue and close of their Actions to yield them matter of Thanksgiving to God this is that Universal Holiness which is required of all Christians III. Reasons why this Eminent Holiness both of Persons and Actions should take place in the Gospel above the times of the Law 1. Because of our Principle the new Nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God which is suited to the whole Will of God Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness As thou art a Creature thou art bound to do the whole Will of God for no Creature can be exempted from subjection to his Creator But now as New Creatures so are we fitted and prepared or put into a capacity to serve and please God in all things Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Every Creature is fitted for the Operations which belong to that Life which it hath so the New Creature if created a new is fitted a new and therefore the New Nature must shew it self in all our Actions towards God and Men. The New Nature must still shew it self in all our Actions with God our Neighbour and our selves Titus 2.12 Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present world In our Worship taking all occasions of conversing with God as Cornelious a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much almes to the people and prayed to God alway Acts 10.2 In our dealings with Men Rom. 12.17 Provide things honest in the sight of all men In Charity Acts 9.36 Dorcas a Devout Woman full of good works and alms-deeds which she did Nay in our Recreations and Delights of the present Life use them still in order to God 1 Tim. 4.4 5. For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving For it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer Gods Permission and Prayer calling for a Blessing on it The Word sheweth what is commanded as necessary what is lawful or indifferent Prayer on all things sheweth the seriousness of a Christian in lesser Matters he would go about nothing but what is recommended to God 2. Because of the Exactness of our Rule which teacheth us how to walk in our several Businesses and Imployments A Christian in his Walk either as to Faith or Manners is not left indifferent to choose what Rule pleaseth him best but there is a fixed determinate Measure of all our Actions how we shall enter into a state of Grace how we should behave our selves in it Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God And Psalm 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Carnality is a walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the course of this world Eph. 2.2 Holiness is walking
pricked in their heart 2. Desire Would not the stung Israelite desire a cure So must you Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Saith the Church Lament 3.51 Mine eye affecteth my heart 3. Trust. You see nothing by the Eye of Sense but his Memorials which God hath instituted as helps of Faith yet to appearance as despicable and as unlikely to produce any great effect as a Figure of Brass to cure a raging wound But things under an Institution are under a Blessing 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe You may think a Crucifix a more lively representation no that is not under the blessing of an Institution as Bread broken and Wine poured forth is that is too much a matter of Sense and begetteth bare thoughts which stirreth up fond pity and gross and wrong thoughts this conveyeth a Blessing You are to behold not only a dying Man put to a cruel Death but the Son of God in his deep kxinanition not carnally to pity him but to see his Love and the Wrath of God and the desert of Sin that you may abhor it to see the great price paid for our Ransom the necessity of having the vertue of his Cross and finally our thankful subjection to God Behold him that you may bless and praise God for your Redeemer The Type had its effect and shall not Christ Oh labour to feel the comfortable effects of his Death 3. Beg of God the Spirit to open your Eyes Christ crucified is only seen in the Light and Evidence of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 My speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power The Eyes of our Minds are opened by the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for our Light is but darkness 4. See him so as to expect not only Comfort but Healing Isa. 53.5 With his stripes we are healed That Heart is to be suspected that looks to Comfort more than Duty Look to him that you may live by him Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Look to him that you may be like him 2 Cor. 3.18 For we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Look to him that you may loath Sin Ezek. 36.31 Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations The First SERMON On I. Thessalonians v. 16 Rejoyce evermore THE words are brief and short and therefore they may be easily carried away They are independant on the Context and therefore will need no long deduction They press you not to a painful but pleasant Duty therefore you should be readily induced to practice it But yet when we look more intrinsecally into the Nature of it it is not so easie as we first imagined every one cannot receive this saying it is hard to keep the Heart in such an exact frame as to rejoyce evermore pray without ceasing and in every thing to give thanks as Christ saith in another case He that is able to receive it let him receive it Matth. 19.12 But what if we prove it to be a Duty incumbent on all Christians and that at all times The Text seemeth to enforce it rejoyce evermore In which words take notice of two things 1. The Duty to which we are exhorted rejoyce 2. The constancy and perpetuity of it in the word evermore Delight and Pleasure are greedily sought after in Christianity it is not only part of our Wages but much of our very Work Doctrine That Gods Children should make conscience of rejoycing in God at all times and under all conditions Here is a Precept for it not only a liberty given but a Command If you look upon the Words as a License or Liberty given you may conceive of them according to the Apostles Speech of Marriage 1 Cor. 7.39 She is at liberty to be married to whom she will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but only in the Lord. But it is not only a liberty given but a command for he addeth verse 18. This is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you The will of God is the Supream Reason of all Duties and the Will of God in Christ Iesus falleth upon the Conscience with a double force the Law of the Mediator binding us to delight in God as well as the Primitive Duty which we owe to God as the Creator And that this Clause respects all the Three Duties is evident to any considering Mind In the opening of this Duty I shall shew you 1. What Rejoycing the Apostle intendeth 2. How this must be constant and perpetual 3. The many Reasons which do inforce this Duty upon us I. What Rejoycing the Apostle speaketh of There is a double Rejoycing A Carnal Rejoycing and a Spiritual Rejoycing 1. The Carnal Rejoycing is in the World and the good things of this World apart from God Luke 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 2. The Spiritual rejoycing is in God Phil. 3.1 Finally my Brethren rejoyce in the Lord Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce These two sorts of rejoycing must be carefully distinguished for they differ in their Causes to the one we are prompted by carnal Nature which taketh up with present things and the other is excited in us by the Spirit of God therefore often called joy in the Holy Ghost The one is called the joy of Sense the other the joy of Faith the joy of Faith is in God the joy of Sense in the Creature the joy of Faith is most in future things the joy of Sense in present things the joy of Faith is in the good of the Soul the joy of Sense in the good of the Body or the provisions of the Flesh the joy of Faith is built on the Covenant and the Promises of God Psalm 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever they are the rejoycing of my heart The joy of Sense on the Blessings that flow in the Channel of Common and General Providence Now the first sort of rejoycing the Apostle would not press us unto Nature there needeth a Bridle rather than a Spur but to the latter in delight in God and in all things that come from God and lead to him This delighting our selves in God must be the thing which must be further explained 1. God himself as God is a lovely Nature and the Object of our Delight for he is good even before and
their trust in thee rejoyce let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them Let them also that love thy Name be joyful in thee These common Favours and Benefits manifest Gods respect to us and should be as a step to the Lords People to lead them up to rejoyce in God This was Gods quarrel with his People Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and thirst and nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he hath destroyed thee Whatever we have we should look upon it as a token of Gods Love to us and so rejoyce in them not as satisfied with these worldly things but as they direct us to God Carnal Men rejoyce in the Creature but in a carnal and sensual manner their joy neither ariseth from God nor endeth in God they neither look to God as their Author nor make him their end and it is a naughty Heart that can rejoyce in any thing without God and apart from God II. How this must be constant and perpetual Rejoyce evermore 1. In all Estates and Conditions this joy must not be infringed Gods Children have or may have cause of rejoycing in God whatever their outward Condition be and therefore they should make Conscience of it whether their Affairs be adverse or prosperous 1. A State of Worldly Sorrow and Affliction is reconcilable and agreeable enough or consistent with our rejoycing in the Lord. The Scriptures abound in the proof of this 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet alwaies rejoycing 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 2 Cor. 7.4 I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations So David Psalm 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Paul and Silas sung in the Dungeon at Midnight Acts 16.25 At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and saâ—g praises unto God Tribulation disturbeth not the Harmony of a wellcomposed mind the reason is because there is more matter of delight in God than can be taken from him in the Creature Iohn 16.22 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you Whatever falleth out Gods All-sufficiency and Heavens Happiness are everlasting grounds of rejoycing 1. Gods All-sufficiency Hab. 3.18 Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Your Right and Interest in God is not made void by the blasting of the Creature So 2. Hopes of Glory remain unshaken Matth 5.12 Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Though the World be bent against us with all manner of spight and hatred yet there is more cause of Joy than Sorrow There cannot be more evil in our Sufferings than there is good in God and happiness in Heaven 2. A State of Sorrow and Affliction is not only consistent with this Holy rejoycing but doth much promote it Partly as Afflictions conduce to refine and purge the Soul from the Dregs of Sense and make it capable of the Comforts of the Spirit Iude 19. Sensual having not the spirit Till our taste be clarified from the foeculency and dreggs of Sense we cannot rellish Spiritual Comforts nor know their worth and value Whilest we flow in Worldly Comforts the Carnal gust and taste is too strong upon us and so we have mean thoughts of Gods Consolations They do best rellish with the afflicted as Cordials are for the fainting not for those whose Stomacks are full of phlegm and filth Partly as they occasion greater Experiences of God 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for when I am weak then am I strong So Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Partly as they are sanctified and increase Grace and an increase of Grace will bring with it an increase of Comfort Heb. 12.11 Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Now from all these Considerations though Afflictions may a little damp it yet they do not extinguish it 2. We must rejoyce evermore because it is not a Duty to be done now and then or which doth only belong to some eminent Christians that are assured of Gods Love but from our first acquaintance with Christ till the last period of our Lives it is of use to us and some act of Joy our first entrance into Christianity 1. Some act of joy our first entrance into Christianity is begun with 1. Before our Interest is well settled and cleared There are general grounds of rejoycing which oblige all as that there is a good God and poor drooping Spirits should apply themselves to him who hath Comforts for his Mourners Isa. 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones That there is a merciful and able Saviour a Gospel or New Covenant that bringeth glad tydings to Sinners Luke 2.10 11. Fear not for behold I bring you glad tydings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. The World being faln under Gods Wrath and deserved Condemnation it is matter of joy that God hath found a Ransom and that he offereth Pardon and Life to those who will seek it and accept it upon his Blessed Termes It is matter of joy before we have interest in these things A possible conditional Reconciliation with God that dreadful Controversie taken up Heaven and Earth kissing each other that Life and Immortality is brought to Light and such a Blessedness discovered as satiateth the Mind of Man without which Man would have been but as Leviathan in a little Pool In short the Gospel shewing a sure way of Reconciliation with God and the Everlasting Fruition of him in Glory the very offers of it stir up a joy in us And wherever the Gospel cometh it hath at his first coming upon these accounts been entertained with joy As when Philip preached the Gospel in Samaria Acts 8.8 There was great joy in that city not only joy but great joy So it is said of the Goaler that
and draweth us away from God Iames 1.14 But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed This carnal savour is our undoing pleasure being born and bred with us and deeply ingrained in our Natures is hardly removed Yet if it should be cherished it would wholly fasten our Souls to Earthly things to Riches Pleasures and Honours Now that we may not be deceived and inveigled with the delights of the flesh we should think of another joy which may be continual and perpetual that so this higher joy may drive out the carnal joy as a greater Nail driveth out the lesser Man cannot be without some joy nor can delight lie idle in the Soul it must be occupied and taken up either with the delights of the flesh and the toyes and trifles of the World or acted upon God and Heavenly things The brutish part of Mankind imploy their oblectation about trifles and love-pleasures more than God but the renewed part make God their exceeding joy and savour the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit These latter imploy their oblectation aright and being acquainted with better things the carnal gust dyeth away in them by degrees As Men left off the use of Acorns when they found out the use of Wheat or Bread-Corn or as dainty Fare maketh us despise courser Viands When our delight findeth a better Object it is a great check to those dreggy contentments and petty satisfactions which obtrude themselves upon our Senses at every turn the tast of them is marred they become sapless to a Christian who hath higher and chaster delights Every Life hath its tast and every Mans Joy is in Worldly Vanities or in God and other things as they have respect to God He that is acquainted with God and hidden Manna cannot relish the Garlick and Onions and Flesh-pots of Egypt We will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more than wine Cant. 1.4 So that you see it is a great help to Mortification to rejoyce evermore in God Delight puts out Delight as the Sun doth the Fire 2. As to Vivification It quickneth us to the life of Holyness the joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8.10 There is a Natural dulness and deadness in Holy Duties which we find in our selves which is only cured by delight in God which is as Oyl to the Wheels Every thing goeth on easily and smoothly which is carryed on with joy and delight that maketh us yield to Duties which otherwise would be tedious and irksome to us Sechem yielded to be circumcised for the delight which he had in Dinah Gen. 34.19 So the Apostle saith But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I may finish my course with joy Acts 20.24 Whatever is done without delight is ingrate and harsh the mortifying of a lust is like the cutting off an Arm with a rusty Saw the performing of a Duty like the bringing of a Bear to the Stake Delight sweetens things and puts a Life into them Obedience is done readily when it is done out of a thankful and delightful sense of our Redeemers Love Psalm 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy law is in my heart So 1 Iohn 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous Well then this joy is very profitable both as to Mortification and Vivification it is a joy that maketh us better Carnal Joy maketh us worse it filleth the minds with vanity and folly and bringeth a slavery upon the Heart Titus 2.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures but this delight doth not corrupt you but perfect you 2. With respect to Gods acceptance This rejoycing evermore is more honourable to God and more pleasing to God 1. It is more honourable to God to rejoyce in him evermore as a chearful Servant is a credit to his Master We shew forth the goodness of God by the Joy of our Faith and continual delight in God how ever it be with us in the World God standeth upon his credit that he doth not weary his people Micah 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me He is not a rigorous and an hard Master but every way good and kind The Thessalonians that received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy ghost were ensamples of all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia and from them sounded out the word of God to others 1 Thess. 1.6 7 8. These propagate their profession and recommend it to others Surely God is a good Master he hath made joy both our work and our wages our way and our end What is our great end and hope but to enter into our masters joy And what is our constant business and work but to rejoyce evermore Why then should we dishonour God by our unchearfulness and justifie the prejudices of the World who draw an ill picture of Religion in their minds as if it alwayes looked sowre and with a tormenting and discontented look 2. It is most pleasing to God the Life that he is best pleased withal God that loveth a chearful giver loveth a chearful sufferer a chearful practicer of Godliness Men love a thing done chearfully because it betokeneth Love in the Party that doth it Surely this rejoycing evermore is very pleasing to God because he doth so often call for it Psalm 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and again I say rejoyce Psalm 68.3 Let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce and in many other places Surely that which God calleth for so often and so earnestly should be more cared for by a Christian. Be sure of this that a chearful Spirit is more pleasing to God than a troubled discontented Spirit When Isaac longed for savoury Meat such as his Soul delighted in a prophane Esau taketh his bow to get it for him When God hath told us how much this is pleasing to him should we not make more Conscience of it Thirdly I must direct you how to performe this great and necessary Duty 1. Be prepared for it The Precept belongeth to the renewed and reconciled Psalm 31.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright Delight is not forced by Arguments but drawn forth by Inclination therefore till we have a Nature and Heart suited to it we shall never perform it Canticum novum vetus homo male concordant the New Song and the Old Man do not well agree Well then be prepared It is easie to rejoyce after a Natural and Worldly manner but not easie to rejoyce in the Lord.
and morning and noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Extraordinary Prayer is upon special weighty occasions which requireth more than ordinary continuance of time and affection Ioel 1.14 Sanctifie ye a fast call a solemne assembly gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God and cry unto the Lord. Now all these kinds of Prayer are to be made conscience of and none to be neglected and in none of these cases must we cease to pray when God requireth it at our hands II. What it is to pray without ceasing This needeth to be explained because some strain it too far others streighten it too much and we must state the matter so as to avoid the extreams on both sides 1. One Extream is that of the Ancient Euchites and because they seem to be befriended by the Letter of the Text we must clear the Matter a little Their sensless errour was as if the act of Prayer were never to be discontinued and therefore they omitted all other Duties and would only pray 2. The other extream is of those who keep not up a constant frequent return of this Duty We must obviate both 1. For those that would never intermit this Exercise 1. We must shew them their error by explaining the Word A thing is said to be done continually and without ceasing which is done at the constant times and seasons as often as they return As David told Amasa 2 Sam. 19.13 Thou shalt be captain of the host before me continually That is as often as the Army was led forth So 2 Sam. 9.12 Mephibosheth did eat bread at the kings table continually That is at the constant stated times of eating So Rom. 9.2 I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart That is as often as he thought of them So also is the word without ceasing used 1 Thess. 2.13 For this cause we thank God without ceasing That is as often as he was with God So 2 Tim. 1.3 Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day That is Evening and Morning as often as he went to God 2. The Matter may bear a good sense if you interpret the Apostles direction either 1. Of the Habit of Prayer or the praying temper that frame of Spirit or Affection which is fit for Prayer must never be lost Psalm 104.9 But I give my self unto prayer In the Original there is no more but I prayer as if he were wholly made up of Prayer and Supplication this was the work he was given to or most intent upon 2. It may be interpreted of a Vital Prayer All Duties may be resolved into Prayer and Praise Now as the Life of a Christian is a Life of Love and Praise a kind of Confession or Hymn to God so in other respects it is a Prayer Semper orat qui semper bene agit he that liveth in a constant Obedience to God and dependance upon him doth in effect alwaies pray to him Now thus doth a Christian both as to Life Natural and Spiritual Psalm 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Every Minute we depend upon him for the direction and support of his Holy Spirit So Prov. 23.27 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long He liveth in an awful regard loath to displease God because all cometh from him Now this is vertually a Prayer because he still elevateth his thoughts and desires towards him and looketh for all from God 3. This Praying without ceasing may be interpreted of our continuance in the Duty till we obtain the ends of Prayer and that some competent time is to be spent in it Prayer is the lifting up of the Heart or the offering of our desires to God in some affectionate manner in extraordinary occasions the time may be longer as Christ spent whole Nights in Prayer Luke 6.12 He went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God On ordinary occasions the time may be shorter but the general Direction is continue in Prayer Rom. 12.12 Continue instant in prayer A short good Morrow is too slight a Complement for the Great God such interparleance with him is necessary as may warm the heart and serve the ends of Prayer 4. Praying without ceasing may express our perseverance in Prayer without fainting Luke 18.1 He spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint when we will not let God alone until he bless us We must not yield to despondency though we be not heard presently but let us pray the more earnestly though the Prayer seemeth to be checked and contradicted by Gods Providence as the Woman of Canaan gets ground by discouragements Matth. 15.22 to the 28. We must reiterate our Petitions for one and the same thing till it be granted As Paul prayed thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me A seeming repulse and denyal maketh us the more vehement for the Language of Gods rebukes is not to pray no more but pray on still It is yielding to a temptation to desist 5. This praying without ceasing is to be interpreted of the universality and the frequency of the return of the occasions and opportunities of Prayer and we may be said to do that without ceasing which we do very often So that though the Act of Prayer be intermitted the course of Prayer should not be interrupted for we are to pray at all times in all conditions and in all businesses and Affairs 1. At all times never omitting the Seasons of Prayer stated or occasional There are stated times of Prayer something must be done every day Thus our Lord directeth us to pray Matth. 6.11 Give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this day our daily bread Though it be mentioned but in one Petition yet it referreth to all the rest We need daily Bread daily Pardon daily Strength against Temptations Yea there seemeth to be a double standing occasion every day in the Morning for direction in the Evening for protection as God appointed a Morning and Evening Sacrifice Numb 28.4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even If any be contentious let me tell you it is an ill spirit that doth dispute away Duties rather than practice them So there are occasional times when God by his Providence inviteth us to it as by some special Affliction Psalm 51.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble or some business in hand wherein we are to ask his leave counsel and blessing Ezra 8.21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava that we might afflict our selves before our God to seek of him a right way for us and our little ones 2. In all Estates and Conditions afflicted and prosperous In an adverse or afflicted Estate Iames 5.13 Is
willing to return to their Obedience to God expecting their help and discharge from Gods Grace in Christ. It is opposed to such as are Righteous in their own Eyes Such as do in some measure feel their Sins are humbled for them desirous to be freed from them lost Sinners broken-hearted and grieved and wounded for their transgressions These are respected in Christs Commission Isa. 61.1 2. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening the prison doors to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Here is Christs calling to his Ministry and the exercise of his prophetical Office described Sent to preach the spiritual deliverance from sin and Sathan But to whom To such as are humbled and thoroughly touched with a lively sense of their Sin for which purpose God maketh use of legal sorrow to awaken Sinners and prepare them before Conversion II. That Christ recovereth us out of this lapsed Estate by Calling There is a two-fold Calling of Christ by which he calleth Men 1. Outward 2. Inward 1. Outwardly By the Ministry of the Word by which he inviteth Men to come out of their Sins offering Grace and Salvation in the outward means Thus Iohn preached Repentance Mat. 3.20 Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand When the Kingdom of Grace was about to be set up by the Gospel the great Duty called for was Repentance For the Gospel findeth Men involved in an evil way like mad Men out of their Wits and they must return to their Wits again if they would be capable of it Now they must change their course if they will receive benefit by it Thus Iohn preached and Jesus Christ came with the same form of proclamation Mark 1.15 The kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe the gospel The great business to which he called was to be willing to own the benefit offered by Christ and to return to the Duty which they owed to their Creator So his Apostles when sent abroad by him spake to Men in the same note Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins And Acts 3.19 Repent that your sins may be blotted out They offered Pardon and Life upon these termes 2. Inwardly By the effectual working of the Blessed Spirit inclining and moving their hearts to obey that outward Calling in forsaking their Sins and turning to the Lord by true Repentance We have need of a Saviour to help us to Repentance as well as to help us to pardon And God hath exalted him to such an end Acts 3.26 God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins He by the Gospel giveth leave to repent Acts 11.18 And when they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying That then God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life Which is a great Mercy The Law doth not say I will not the Death of a Sinner but that he turn and live but the Lord saith do and live sin and dye This favour was not vouchsafed to Angels Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He took not hold of Angels That he giveth us space to repent as well as leave that by his Providence he may do and doth to many that perish Revel 2.21 I gave her space to repent and she repented not God is not quick and severe upon every Miscarriage He might have cut us off betimes as we crush Serpents in the Egg and destroy venomous Creatures when they are young But this is not all he giveth Grace to repent yea Repentance its self whereby Mans Heart is changed This is by his Spirit 2 Tim. 2.25 If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth The Evangelical Call carries its own blessing with it III. The Means of Application or the Duty on Mans part is Repentance For to that he calleth them here Here let me shew you these four things 1. What Repentance is 2. The kinds of it 3. That this is the way of our Recovery 4. The suitableness of this qualification to the Grace of the New Covenant I. What Repentance is It is turning of the whole heart from Sin and Sathan to serve God in newness of Life Or a turning from Sin because God hath forbidden it to that which is good because God hath commanded it There are in it as in every action two tearms a quo and ad quem We turn from something and we turn to something 1. The terminus a quo we turn from something From Sin Acts 8.22 Repent of thy wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from thy wickedness and from dead works Heb. 6.1 from Sathan Sathan is sometimes made the terme because the Sinner falleth to his share Acts 26.18 To turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan to God 2. The terminus ad quem is to God Acts 20.21 To the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth To holiness and newness of Life Rom. 6.4 To life Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life 2. The kinds of it There is a general Repentance which consists in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2.11 When a Man renounceth all sin and devoteth himself to God And there is a particular repentance for any provoking Sin Acts 8.22 Repent and pray that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Again There is a Repentance at our first Conversion which is our passing from Death to Life or our entrance by the strait gate Matth. 7.14 And there is a Repentance afterwards which belongeth to our walking in the narrow way For after Conversion we need it still and not in our Natural Estate only 'T is not only necessary for a Sinner yet unregenerate yet unreconciled to God without which he cannot expect any peace with God or benefit by the New Covenant but also for a Believer till his full and final Recovery This Repentance after Conversion is either occasional or constant 1. Occasional After any offence given or breach between us and God Repentance is necessary to obtain pardon of Sins after Justification as well as before it God saith to the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2.5 Repent and do thy first works So verse 19. Whom I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Where Repentance is put for a necessary means of removing Gods rebuke and quarrel from them whom he loveth The promise is made
it Sin dyeth when the Love to it dyeth All that are converted to God are possessed with an Enmity to Sathan and his wayes such as they had not before when they remained in the degenerate State They have a New Heart and a New Spirit not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God The Natural Spirit that Spirit that dwelleth in us is the Spirit of the World The Spirit that inclineth us to worldly and sensual satisfactions but the Spirit maketh them look after the things promised by Christ and required by Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 For we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God The Natural Spirit was a Spirit that lusteth to envy Iames 4.5 And so the Satanical Spirit But this is a Spirit of Love to God and Man that maketh us to seek his Glory and the good of others 'Till this Spirit be planted in us we have not changed Masters 2. As to Confirmation and Perseverance Christ will not loose the prey that he hath recovered out of the hands of Sathan Indeed while any thing of Sin remaineth there is somewhat of Sathan left which he worketh upon There is a remnant of his Seed in the best The Godly are yet in the way but not at the end of the Journey Therefore Sathan hath leave to assault them while they are here but Christ will perfect the Conquest which he hath begun and the very being of Sin shall at length be taken away At Death Sin is totally disanulled Iude 24. And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory Eph. 5.27 That he may 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 When the Vail of the Flesh is rent once there is a ceasing from Sin The Physician of Souls will then perfect the Cure and finish the Work The question then is how far Sathans power is destroyed as to the Converted I Answer Negatively not so far as to exclude our Duties or Tryals but affirmatively the Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian. 1. Negatively Not to exclude our Duty There is still room left for Prayer Watchfulness Sobriety Serious Resistance that we may use the means appointed for our safety 1. There is required of us Sobriety or an Holy Moderation of the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesâ— and the World joyn in Conspiracy against us By the baits of the World Sathan inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and Heavenly things therefore we must be sober 1 Pet. 5.8 use the World as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7.31 that our Hearts be not depressed and disabled from looking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilance and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares fore-casting Hazards least we fall as a ready prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand ye fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong The first point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door of the Soul examining what goeth in and what cometh out The Devil watcheth all advantages against us to espy where we are weakest Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience fear not much the loss of their Souls and are most easily wrought upon by Sathan Eph. 4.27 Neither give place to the devil If you but set open the door to Sathan the Capital Enemy of Mans salvation he will re-enter his old Possession and seek to exercise his old Tyranny therefore watch 3. A stedfast resistance Whom resist stedfast in the faith When we are yielding Sathan gets ground but he is discouraged by stedfast resistance This must be in the Faith or by a close adherence to Gods Word 1 Iohn 2.14 I have written to you young men because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Adhering to the Priviledges of the Gospel as our Happiness and persevering in the Duties as our work or resolving by a constant continuance in well-doing to wait for Christs Mercy 4. We are also to pray earnestly Psalm 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over me We had need to pray earnestly because sin will put strongly for the Throne again therefore beg Direction 5. All is bound upon the Conscience by continual mindfulness of our Baptismal-Vow and Covenant which must be often called to remembrance Rom. 6.11 Likewise also reckon your selves dead unto sin and alive unto God Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh If Christ had so destroyed the Devil as to exclude our Endeavours and our Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all that furniture of Grace which he hath provided for us lost and useless Surely the Enemy and Avenger is not so stilled but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith and much in Prayer and ever mindful of our Covenant and vowed Death to sin A Man that is baptized he hath a Debt and Bond upon him Secondly Christ hath not so stilled the Enemy and the Avenger to exempt us from Tryals of our sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tryed and honoured by opposition and sometimes sharp and grievous opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed Iob was permitted to Sathan for his Tryal Iob 1.12 Paul had his Messenger of Sathan for his Tryal to see what shift he could make with sufficient Internal Grace under Outward and Vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Tryal than the fiery Torment Tryed we are but not destroyed exercised with Temptation but not over-whelmed 2. Affirmatively 1. 'T is so far broken and destroyed that we have necessary assistance provided for us 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Perfect That is manifested to be perfect When the World is of Sathans side God is of our side 2 Tim. 4.17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape 2. The final Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly 2. As to his Interest in the Corrupt World the Kingdom of Sathan is more and more subdued For Christ must divide the spoil with the strong Isa. 53.12 Christ prevails upon Opposition and against Opposition and by Opposition For 1. Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations is every way furnished with Power to obtain it by Means
is just and equal knowing that ye have a Master in Heaven So also to Equals not invading each others rights not detaining from them any thing that is their's Rom. 13 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law That is a debt still owing and still to be paid Mat. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets The Rule of Justice of doing to others as you would they should do to you standeth on these Suppositions The actual equality of aâ—l Men by Nature did not he that made you make them And the possible equality by Providential disposure you may stand in need of them as they do of you and be under them as they are under you 4. Whatsoever things are pure Therefore nothing that is obscene or unchast should be seen in or heard from a Christian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Chast and Clean as well as Pure Eph. 4 29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of Edifying that it may Minister Grace to the Hearers Rotten Communication argueth a naughty Heart as a stinking breath doth rotten and putrid Lungs So also for Actions nothing filthy or unclean should be done by us Eph. 5.12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret A Christian is ashamed to speak what others are not ashamed to do but God seeth in secret and his Law that is our Rule and his Eye should be enough 5. Whatsoever things are Lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are certain things which are not only commanded by God but are grateful and acceptable to Men. Such are a loving affable carriage peaceable behaviour meekness lowliness of Mind Charity Usefulness Rom. 5.7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die The Apostle telleth us of some things which are acceptable to God and approved of Men Rom. 14.18 Now these things a Christian must make Conscience of Rom. 12.17 Recompense to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the â—ight of all men What are those To live Charitably and Peaceably 1 Thes. 5.15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men As in the Body there is something that is lovely and appeareth so to all men so in the Soul Now these are things which we should look after When the Disciples lived Christianly and in Peace and Charity they had favour with all the People Acts 2.46 47. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking Bread from House to House did eat their Meat with Gladness and Singleness of Heart praising God and having favour with all the People Therefore by this lovely Carriage we should commend our Profession to the World 6. Whatsoever things are of good Report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is another boundary for there are some things which have no express evil in them but they are not of good fame as generally Condemned by the wise and sober Now a Christian is first to look to his Conscience but because the Honour of God and the credit of his Profession is concerned he must avoid those things which have an appearance of evil 1 Thes. 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of Evil. And the rather because they are not over tender of their Conscience who are lavish of their Name Indeed a Christian is not to hunt after the applause of men yet he is to do his Duty so that the holy Profession be not blamed nor evil spoken off for his sake It is a good and short decision of Aquinas Gloria humana bene contemnitur nihil malè agendo propter ipsam bene appetitur nihil malè agendo contra ipsam Then we rightly contemn the applause of men when we do nothing ill to gain it and then we rightly desire it when we do nothing ill to forfeit it It is to be contemned if we must do evil to gain it 2 Cor. 6.8 By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true Be contented with the Glory that cometh of God only else we do not believe in Christ Iohn 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only You cannot be the Servants of Christ if you honour men As for our own Credit we must be content to be evil spoken of for the Gospels sake and our Duties sake And it is well deserv'd by doing nothing on our part to hazard it So 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentâ—les that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they sâ—all behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation We are to stop the Mouth of Iniquity and to put to silence the Ignorance of foolish men not justly to cause our Names to stink and be unsavory but live down the reproaches of the World as much as in us lieth and bring the Holy ways of God into request 7. The last Limitation is If there be any vertue or any praise I join both these things together because they are linked to one another That is if they found any thing praised and esteemed in the World provided it be a vertue Many things gain applause in the World which yet are not vertuous and praise-worthy as the revenging of an injury zeal for a mans Faction Gal. 1.10 For do I now persuade men or God or do I seek to please men For if I yet pleased men I should not be the Servant of Christ. So for peaceable compliance with Sin and good Fellow-ship Luk. 16.15 And he said unto them Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your Hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God Now Christians should abhor such things though never so much cryed up in the World there is a praise of such things but they are not Vertues Or else you may understand this Limitation thus If there be any vertue that is something lower than Grace any good thing among the Heathens with whom they conversed they should take it up and adorn Religion with it So if there be any praise among good things some are more eminâ—nt others as they are not disproved so they are not praised Now any such praise-worthy or commendable action they should imitate and adorn their Profession with it The Gifts of the Holy Ghost are called Graces but these commendable actions are called vertues Well then these are the general Heads of Christian Duties which they should seriously think upon and propose them to themselves for the Regulation of their
worldy Spirit we are not fit for Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God So much as the Spirit of the World is deadned in us so far doth Christ prevail upon us So for the Flesh Men are given up to their own Hearts Lusts till God changeth them and care not for God nor Christ and his Salvation bruitish Appetite and Sense governeth them But what will be the issue of these things see Rom. 8 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die Well then to bring us back again to God that we may totally resign up our selves to him you see what a power is necessary to vanquish the Devil and save us from the World and change our own Flesh by his Spirit 4. It informeth us of the reason why so many Nations shut the Door against Christ or else grow weary of him you see frequently Men can bear any Religion rather than Christianity in its power sottish superstitions such as were practised and in vogue among the Gentiles Popery which is palliated Atheism or Gentilism trick'd up in a Christian dress and form half Christianity the form not the power priviledges not the duties The World disputeth it with Christ by inches what 's the reason His Spiritual Kingdom which is not calculated for the interest of the Carnal World and altogether draweth us to an Heavenly Life and State those that submit to it or would speak of it exasperate the World against them as upbraiding their course of Life 5. It informeth us how ill they deal with Christ who have only notional opinions about his Authority but never practically submit to it Many will say we must receive Christ as a King as well as a Priest and Prophet but do we live accordingly Luke 6.46 why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Professed opinions unless followed with suitable actions are but a mockage of Christ and a cheat and fallacy that we put upon our selves A mockage of Christ Cui res nomini subjecta negatur is nomine illuditur He that wants the thing signified by the name is deceived by the name They did little honour to Christ who Buffeted Him and Spit upon him and all the while cried Hail King of the Iews so whilest we call him Lord and King but make little Conscience of his Precepts we deny him the honour in deeds which in words we ascribe to him So that a practical sense of Christs Authority and Right to Govern should be deeply impressed upon our Hearts When is it practical when it breedeâ—h an awe upon us and checketh sin As the Rechabites were afraid to transgress the commandment of their Father Ier. 35.6 They said We will Drink no Wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying Ye shall Drink no Wine neither ye nor your Sons for ever So Ioseph Gen. 39.9 when Tempted by his Mistress to lye with Her he repels the Temptation saying How can I do this great Wickedness and Sin against God So all that have a reverence of their supream Lord you shall find that it works upon all occasions if tempted to Fleshly Lusts do this to please thy Flesh They answer as the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh. If they be assaulted by the Persecutions of the World still they have the authority of the Great Lord If threatned for speaking in his Name and commanded not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus as the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God Iudge ye so I dare not obey the Wills of Men or the Inclinations of the Flesh but my Great Lord. If Satan would draw you to any Inconvenience answer as Christ Himself did to Peter dissuading Him from suffering Mat. 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. When there is something that doth constrain within us and urgeth us to a constant obedience For Christ that requireth us to die unto sin doth also require us to live unto Righteousness When the sense of this becomes as an Habit or new Nature in us or the principle of our course of living it puts the Soul upon obedience it constraineth us most powerfully to live in him and to him Col. 2.6 and 10. verse the 6th As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him ver 10. ye are compleat in Him and Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Vse 2. is Exhortation If we would distinguish our selves from the Carnal World let us resolve upon a thorough course of Christianity owning Christs authority in all things 1. If we be to begin and have hitherto stood against Christ Oh let us repent and reform and return to our Obedience Mâ—t. 18.3 Except ye be Converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Remember that Faith is a great part of your works from first to last Iohn 6.27 Iesus answered and said unto them This is the Work of God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent All the Grace and Mercy of the new Covenant it is begun kept up and carried on by Faith we are sincerely to believe on Him before we can rightly obey him 3. Your obedience must be delightful and such as cometh from love 1 Ioh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Believers are not called to the Obedience of Slaves nor to be acted only by the fear of Hell but to the Obedience of Sons and Children that you may obey with love and delight Forced motives endure not long fears will abate and then your duty be neglected Love should be as a new Nature and the habitual constitution of our Souls and you should act not as driven to Obedience but as inclined to it and delighted in it Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy Will O God for this is a Soveraignty not forced upon us â—ut consented unto 4. Your Obedience must be very circumspect and accurate Heb. 12.28 Having received a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace that we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear A Kingdom may be received either by a King to Govern or Subjects to be Governed a King to Govern Luke 19.12 A certain Nobleman went into a far Country to receive a Kingdom Or Subjects to be governed when we submit to the Sovereign to injoy the priviledges which belong to that Kingdom So we must serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear For boldness in Sinning and coldness in Duty is a depreciation of his Majesty He is
that But so as first that which is necessary to be done by his Man-hood be done for us first the merit of his humiliation was to be interposed before we could be acquainted with the power of his exaltation God took this way partly because we were to be restored in a way contrary to that by which we fell We fell by Pride and we must be restored by humility We would be as God not in a way of blessed conformity but cursed self-sufficiency therefore to expiate this pride God must become like Man take our Nature and suffer in it Once Man in the pride of his Heart attempted to be like God and God by a Mystery of humility became like Man that he might bring Man into a nearer degree of likeness to God Partly because the honour of his justice required it Reconciliation supposeth satisfaction for we are not at peace with God till his justice be appeased And the Spirit of God had not been sent if God had not been at peace with us for this is the token of his friendship And till the Spirit be given to change both our Natures and Estate we have no title to the pardon of sin and Eternal Life Therefore the Merit of Christ's humiliation is at the bottom of all the good we expect from God Partly because he delighteth to carry on our Salvation by contraries Christ emptied himself to fill all things became poor that we might be rich brought life out of death covered his glory wherewith he would inrich the World under shame and disgrace In the same way that Christ purchased it we obtain it a Christian is tossed with Tempests and yet the peace of God preserveth his Heart He hath nothing and yet hath all things was disgraced in the World and yet approved of God There was nothing stronger than Christs seeming weakness in his lowest abasement he discovered the greatest power of his God-head He satisfied the Justice of God overcame Death and his Fathers wrath triumphed over Satan crushed his Head when he bruised his Heel The Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 1.25 The foolishness of God is wiser than Men and the weakness of God is stronger than Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foolish part and the weak part that which in Mans opinion hath least Wisdom or strength in it Nothing is such a glorious act of Wisdom and Power as Salvation by Christ dying Christ abased as also to bring a Christian to Heaven by Afflictions rather than to suffer him to be prosperous in the World 2 â—y way of Pattern and Example Christ that came to set open the way to Heaven would also teach us the way to Heaven not only by his Doctrine but Example Christ made himself of no reputation and therefore we should be dead to the reputation and grandeur of the World which is the great diversion and hinderance to the Heavenly Life The Apostle when he bringeth this instance he saith Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Iesus Phil. 2.5 This very thing is propounded to our imitation The Son of God had wisdom to chuse right to injoy power to procure the best condition which the World affordeth but yet he chose a mean state of life subject to many afflictions and sorrows Here I shall shew 1. The power of Christ's example in the general 2. What he teacheth us by emptying himself or making himself of no reputation 1. All example hath an alluring power or great force in moving this is the example not of an equal or inferiour but of a great person one far above us This great person is Jesus Christ our Lord the great Messenger of the God of Heaven who came to reclaim Mankind from their vain courses and to instruct them in the way 〈◊〉 Life His example is a perfect and unerring Pattern for his Life is Religion exemplified a visible Commentary on God's Word He came not only to restore us to God's favour by his merit but to set us an example 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ. Then you cannot err if you follow Christ in his imitable actions 2. It is an ingaging pattern Christs submission to a duty should make it lovely to us The Disciple is not above his Lord nor the Servant above his Master If I then you Lord and Master have washed your Feet ye also ought to wash one anothers Feet Iohn 13.14 Shall we decline to follow such a Leader 1 Ioh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Alexander Conqueror of the World atchieved most of his great exploits by his example when hardly beset he would make the first in every danger and desperate action when his Army grew sluggish as laden with spoils of their Enemies he commanded all his Carriages to be fired and when they saw their King devote his rich treasures to the Flame they could not murmur if their mite and pittance were consumed also If Christ had only taught us contempt of the World and not given us an instance of it his Doctrine would be less powerful 3. It is an effectual pattern The Spirit of Christ goeth along with it as well as his Doctrine 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. His steps drop fatness He hath left a blessing behind in all the way that he hath trodden before us and sanctified it to us that we may follow after him with comfort 4. It is a very incouraging pattern For he sympathizeth with us in all our difficulties having intendered his own Heart by experience Heb. 2.18 In that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 4.15 We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are He knoweth the weaknesses and reluctancies of humane Nature in our hardest duties and will pity and pardon our infirmities 5. The example of Christ will be Armour of Proof against all Temptations The Apostle saith here ver 5. Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Iesus And in 1 Pet 4.1 For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh Arm your selves also with the same mind If this mind be in you temptations will have little force upon you 2. What he teacheth us hereby 1. Patience under all the indignities we undergo for God's sake in the course of our Pilgrimage 1 Pet. 2.21 It is said Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps So Heb. 12.2 Looking to Iesus the Author and fiâ—isher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame Let us be contented to be abased for him He descended from Heaven to the Grave as low as he could for us therefore let us
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God and that thou mayest obey his Voice and that thou mayest cleave to him for he is thy Life and the length of thy days How thankful are we to him that restoreth the use of an Eye or of decayed Limbs Is nothing due to God who preserveth all these things to us yea continueth Life it self and defendeth and protecteth us against all dangers Psal. 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud Doer Many times when they have no friends to uphold them God standeth by them to preserve them against the Powers of Oppression So he heareth Prayers Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication Every answer is a new ingagement and new fuel to kindle this holy Fire Surely his constant mindfulness of us should induce us heartily to love God and admire his goodness 4 The Rewards of Grace which are provided for them that love him Many blessed Comforts and Supports here in the World and the Happiness of the World to come 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 John 3.1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew not him Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Thus is God propounded to us as an object of our love as amiable and as beneficial In short to have Life and being and all kind of Benefits which may sweeten Life to be freed from Sin which is the ground of all our trouble and the wrath of God which is so deservedly terrible to have our Natures sanctified and healed and at length to be brought into that happy Estate when we shall be brought nigh to God and be made Companions of the Holy Angels and for ever behold our glorified Redeemer and our own Nature united to the Godhead and have the greatest and nearest Intuition of God that we are capable of and live in the fullest love to him and delight in him What can be said more Secondly The Act Love Love to God is taken largely or strictly 1. Largely for all the Duties of the upper Hemisphere of Religion or first Table As when Christ distinguisheth the Duties of the two Tables into love to God and love to our Neighbour Mat. 22.37 38 39. Iesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandment And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self So it is confounded with Faith Repentance new Obedience for all Religion is but love acted Faith is a loving and thankful acceptance of Christ and his Grace Repentance is a mourning love because of the wrongs done to our Beloved and the loss accruing to our selves Obedience is but pleasing Love A Christian if he fear it is to offend him whom his Soul loveth If he hope it is to see and possess him who is the Joy and Delight of his Soul If he rejoice it is because he is united to him If afflicted it is because he is separated from him 2. More strictly it implieth that particular Grace which is distinct from Faith and Hope 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Which because of it's various Operations is diversly spoken of in Scripture 1. Sometimes as a seeking and desiring Love 2. Sometimes as a complacential and delighting Love 3. Sometimes as the Love of gratitude or returning Love 1. Sometimes it is put in Scripture for that which is properly called a desiring seeking Love Which is our great Duty in this Life because here we are in viâ in the way to home in an Estate of imperfect Fruition therefore our love mostly venteth it self by desires or by an earnest seeking after God This Love is desiderium unionis a desire of his Presence or an affection of Union It is often set forth in Scripture Psal. 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God! Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee So Psal. 84.2 My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cryeth out for the living God It noteth such vehement Affections as left an Impression upon the Body So Isa. 26.9 With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee right early Thus do the Saints express their desires to enjoy God and his Grace Now 1. This desire is acted towards his sanctifying Grace and Spirit called an hungering and thirsting after Righteousness Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Or the Comfort and effect of Ordinances and Holy Duties that we may get more of God and Holiness into their Hearts 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cryeth out for the living God Psal. 84.2 Not the formality of an Ordinance but to see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal. 63.2 They would not go from God without him The sanctifying Spirit is the sure pledge of Gods love and they do so earnestly desire to be like God in Purity and Holiness that they are instant and assiduous in calling upon God and using all Holy means whereby they may obtain more of his Spirit This doth shew us most of God himself for we know his Love by his Spirit and doth most help us to love him Prov. 4 7. Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy getting get Vnderstanding Wealth Honour and secular Learning or whatever serveth the Interest of the Flesh may be an Hinderance and Impediment in the ascending of our Hearts and Minds to God These things often keep us from God and allure us to please the Flesh but saving Grace as it immediately cometh from God so it carrieth us to him 2. The perpetual Vision of God hereafter Phil. 1.23 I am in a streight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 2. Cor. 5.6 8. Knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord We are Confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be
present with the Lord. They have a great natural Love to the Body and would not be uncloathed but this natural Love is overcome by an higher love the longings of their Soul after the Lord so that they groan and wait and in the mean time endeavour to make it sure that they shall be accepted of the Lord into this blessed Estate all which is comprized in this desiring and seeking Love 2. There is the Complacential and Delighting Love Divines use to distinguish of a two fold Love Love of Benevolence and Love of Complacency Love of Benevolence is desiring the Felicity of another Love of Complacency is the pleasedness of the Soul in a suitable good Apply this to the Love of God to us he loveth us both these ways Amore benevolentiae with a Love of Benevolence or good will Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth him should not perish but have Everlasting Life And Amore complacentiae with a Love of Complacency or Delight Zeph 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is Mighty he will save he will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing Prov. 11.20 They that are of a froward Heart are Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight And Prov. 12.22 Lying Lips are Abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his Delight But now the Question is whether one or both of these be compatible with our Love to God With the Love of Delight certainly we may and should love him Psal. 16.6 7. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly Heritage I will bless the Lord who hath given me Counsel my reins also instruct me in the Night season But as to the Love of Benevolence he is above our Injuries and Benefits and needeth nothing from us to add to his Felicity unless improperly when we desire his Glory and the advancement of his Kingdom and Interest in the World But there is no scruple as to the Love of Complacency Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine Heart There is a Joy and Pleasure of Mind in thinking of him Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Much more in enjoying of him in part here Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased But most of all in our full Enjoyment of him Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are Pleasures for evermore The Soul is well pleased in God as an all-sufficient Portion It is good to observe what puts gladness into our Hearts Joy in Heaven is our Everlasting Portion but there is Joy by the way as we are going thither 3. The returning Love or the Love of gratitude or thankfulness 1 Ioh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us As fire begetteth fire or as the Echo returneth what it receiveth It is a Reflection a Reverberation or a beating back of Gods own beam upon himself Thus we love God as willing to be reconciled to us in Christ so as we devote our selves to his Service Will and Honour to serve him with all our Power and to use all our Mercies for his Glory We Consecrate our selves to him Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy Acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service We use our selves for him 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods Thirdly The Qualification of the Act If we sincerely love him The Sincerity of our Love to God is seen in two things 1. The Eminency of the degree 2. The Genuine and proper Effect Both together discover the Sincerity of Love 1. For the Degree God must be loved above all so as he may have no Rival and Competitour in the Soul Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee There is a partial half Love to God when a greater Love is to other things This cannot be consistent with Sincerity for then Religion will be an Underling and Gods Interest least minded Our Lord telleth us Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me If any thing be nearer and dearer to us than God and any advantages we expect from men be preferred before our Duty to him we are no way fit for Christs service or qualified for our Duty to him because these worldly Interests will soon draw us to some unbecoming Practice or Action contrary to our Fidelity to him Therefore the Saints are ever liberal in professing how much they value his favour above all things Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than Life There is nothing so comfortable in this World that we should prefer before the feeling or the hope of feeling of God's Love to us 2. The genuine and proper effect of this love which is a ready obeying of his Will or making it our chief care to please God and keep his commandments Iohn 14 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Our love is a love of duty as God's love is a love of bounty for it is not the love of a superiour to an inferiour or equal but like the love of a Wife to a Husband of Children to Parents of Subjects to their benign Lord all which Relations infer a dutiful subjection on our part II. What it is to be known of God In Scripture 1. It importeth his Eternal Election before all time Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did praedestinate 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his God's love made inquisition for us whilst as yet we lay in the confused heap of nothing and singled us out from the rest of the corrupted Mass of Mankind And so it may make a good sense here Whosoever loveth God is known of God He did not prevent God but God prevented him knew him and loved him long before he knew and loved God 2. His gracious conversion in time So God is said to know us when he calleth us to Faith in Christ Gal. 4.9 But now after that ye have known God or rather were known of God That is after ye were converted to Christ or rather
the liberty of the Gospel and not to be intangled again in the Bondage of legal Ceremonies as if they were necessary to Justification or Acceptance with God He is earnest in the case for the glory of his Master and the good of Souls was concerned and therefore useth divers motives 1. They lose all benefit by Christ ver 2. 2. They are Debtors to the whole Law ver 3. 3. They are fallen from Grace ver 4. And now in the fourth place the consent of the Christian Gospel Church who upon Justification by Faith expect Remission of sins and eternal life Their judgment is the more to be esteemed because they are taught by the Spirit of God to renounce the legal Covenant and expect their acceptance with God by Faith only For we c. In these words observe 1. The end scope and blessedness of a Christian in the word hope 2. The firm ground of it the Righteousness of Faith 3. The carriage of Christians We wait 4. The inward moving cause of waiting for this Hope in this way Through the Spirit They are taught by him inclined by him so to do 1. The blessedness of a Christian is implied in the word Hope For Hope is taken two ways in Scripture for the thing hoped for and for the affection or act of him that hopeth Here it is taken in the first sense for the thing hoped for As also Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope So Col. 1.5 For the Hope which is laid up for us in Heaven 2. The Ground and Foundation of this Hope the Righteousness of Faith What it is I will shew you by and by Only here it is opposed partly to the Covenant of Works which could not give Life Partly to the legal observances for it presently followeth neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision c. But by no means is it opposed to evangelical obedience for the whole New Testament obedience is comprized in this term the Righteousness of Faith as appeareth by the Apostles explication in the next verse But Faith which works by love 3. The duty of a Christian We wait De jure we ought de facto we do All true Christians wait for the Mercy of God and Life everlasting And he calleth it waiting because a Believer hath not so much in possession as in expectation And this waiting is not a devout sloath but implieth diligence in the use of all means whereby we may obtain this hope 4. The inward efficient cause Through the Spirit We are taught by the Spirit inclined by the Spirit so to do 1. Taught For the Doctrine is mystical Flesh and Blood revealeth it not to us but the Holy Ghost Mat. 16.17 2. Inclined to this Spiritual course of Life wherein we obtain this blessed hope by the same Spirit For this Holy and Humble way is contrary to the interest of the Flesh. And we are told afterward Gal. 5.25 that we live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit So that in effect here is all Christianity abridged Our blessedness the way to it Our help or how we are brought to walk in that way Doct. That by the Spirit all true Christians are inclined to pursue after the hope built upon the Righteousness of Faith 1. What is the Righteousness of Faith 2. What is the Hope built upon it 3. What is the Interest and Work of the Spirit in bringing us to wait for this Hope I. What is the Righteousness of Faith We told you before It is opposed either to the Law of Works or the ceremonial observances of the Law of Moses But more particularly it may be determined either with respect to the object of Faith or 2. To the Act or Grace of Faith it self 3. With respect to the rule and warrant of Faith which is the Gospel or New Covenant 1. This Righteousness of Faith may be considered with respect to the object of Faith And the proper and principal object of Faith is Jesus Christ and his Merits And so the righteousness of Faith is the Obedience and Death of Christ which because it is apprehended by Faith it is sometimes called the Righteousness of Christ and sometimes the Righteousness of Faith Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is by the Law but that which is by the Faith of Christ even the righteousness which is of God by Faith This certainly is the ground of our acceptance with God and therefore the bottom and foundation of all our hope Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous that is by Christ's Merit and Obedience And 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him This is it we rely upon as the only meritorious cause of whatever benefit we obtain by the new Covenant 2. With respect to Faith it self whereby the merits of Christs Obedience and Death are applied and made beneficial to us When we believe we are qualified And therefore it is said that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Rom 4 3. That is God accepted him as Righteous for Christs sake And so he doth every one that believeth for Rom. 3.22 The Righteousness of God is by Faith of Christ Iesus unto all and upon all them that believe without any difference If Abraham was justified by Faith we are justified by Faith Now if you ask me what kind of Believer is qualified and accepted as Righteous I answer it is the penitent Believer and the working Believer 1. The Penitent Believer For Faith and Repentance are inseparable Companions Mark 1.15 Repent and Believe the Gospel Act. 12.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Act. 11.21 The Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. These two cannot be severed for till we are affected with that miserable estate whereinto we have plunged our selves by our sins and there be an hearty sorrow for them and a perfect hatred and detestation of them and a full and peremptory resolution to forsake them that we may turn to the Lord and live in his obedience we will not prize Christ nor his benefits nor see such a need of the Spiritual Physitian to heal our wounded Souls Nor will God accept us as Righteous while we continue in our unrighteousness So that though it be Righteousness of Faith and the Believer be only accepted as Righteous yet it is the Penitent Believer whose Heart and Mind is changed and is willing by Christ to come to God 2. It is the working Believer For so it is explained in the next verse Faith working by Love And so expressed elsewhere Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he became an
For Explication The words shew us Two things I What is the Tenour of the Legal Covenant II. What is the Tenour of the Righteousness of Faith I. What is the Tenour of the Legal Covenant Verse 5th For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doth those things shall live by them For understanding his drift you must consider this That at the first promulgation of the Gospel both Iews and Gentiles were rivals for the favour and mercy of God They did both at the same time start and set forth as two Racers striving who should win the Goal or carry away the Prize of Justification So the Apostle represents them Rom. 9 30 31 32. What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained righteousness even the righteousness which is of Faith but Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law For they stumbled at that stumbling-Stone It is agreed among the Learned that the terms there used are Agonisâ—ical and that there is an allusion to Racers The Approbation or Mercy of God was the Prize that all ran for both Iews and Gentiles These were the two Competitours And as in all Racing they had a Law prescribed which they were to observe So both took their several ways Now VVho got the Goal The Iews strained themselves all that they could to get it by their Law And the Gentiles by the Law of Faith the business is VVho would soonest come to the Goal or be accounted Favourites of God The Gentiles upon Faith and Repentance though formerly they had been Idolaters Or the Iews that would be Justified by the Observances of their Law rejecting Christianity The Apostle determineth that the Iews though they did most earnestly contend to be Justified by the Law yet did not out-run the Gentiles so as to get to the Goal or obtain the Prize of Justification from them VVhy Because they sought it not by the Evangelical way and could not endure that when it was revealed to them but thought their Legal Observances would Commend them to God and so stumbled in the very midst of their Race out of Impatiency that their Law should be abolished and they levelled with the Gentiles and required to believe in a Messiah who lived and died in a mean condition and so they utterly miscarried in their pursuit of Justification and Acceptance with God These were the two Litigant Parties and the case in debate at that time Now to take off the Iews from this vain and dangerous attempt the Apostle bringeth the two ways to a fair hearing And proveth that the Law can be no way to justifie Sinners even from Moses himself whose Authority they so much cried up He proveth it from his description of the Righteousness which is by the Law The sum of his Argument is this There is no Justification but either by the Law or by Faith you must Foregoe the one and Cleave to the other for you cannot hold by both Now you are left to your choice which way you will take to run to the Goal and obtain the Prize If you will hearken to Moses he himself propoundeth two ways of Justification by the Law and by Faith What he saith of the Righteousness of Faith we shall see by and by But what he saith of the Righteousness of the Law is evident The Man that doth these things shall live by them The Law is no way to Justifie Sinners for by the Law you are Accursed if you sin we cannot live if we do not all that is required of us and contained in the Law Now we that are conscious to so many frailties have no reason to be fond of Justification by the Law which exacteth such a strict rigid obedience in all Moral Duties even to the least tittle and addeth so many burdensome Ceremonies The Law promiseth Life on doing all that was required of them to do and threatned a Curse on them that did it not without allowing Repentance But in the Law of Faith sure Mercy and Pardon is provided for the Penitent Believer And therefore Justification is not put upon such Impossible and Difficult Terms It dependeth upon what Christ did for us as he died and rose again and what we are to do our selves is plain and easie plain to be understood and easie by Grace to perform II. What is the Tenour of the Righteousness of Faith This is set forth Negatively and Positively what it saith not and what it saith 1. Negatively what it saith not Verses 6 7. But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead Here Two Questions are removed as inconsistent with or improper to the Righteousness of Faith First The First Question Who shall ascend into Heaven That is to fetch the Knowledge thence of Heavenly Mysteries or to bring down Christ from above as if he had never been on Earth to make known the Doctrine of Salvation but were as yet to be called from Heaven for this purpose No that is sufficiently done already John 3.13 No Man hath ascended up into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven To comprehend Heavenly Mysteries is Christ's Prerogative who came from the bosom of the Father in our Nature to communicate this knowledge to us and to shew us upon what terms we may be Justified before God and enjoy his Grace and Favour Secondly The Second Question is in the 7th Verse Or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead In Moses it is Deut. 30. 13. Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it But the Sea is sometimes considered for its latitude and breadth and sometimes for its profundity and depth and so is often put in Scripture for the Bottomless Pit as opposite to Heaven Heaven being highest and the bottom of the Sea lowest and is frequently used for the Bottomless Pit or the state of the Dead The meaning is You need not say Who shall bring up Christ again from the â—ead as if he were yet in the Grave and all hopes of Salvation were buried with him since long ago he is risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven and hath sent abroad his Messengers to Proselyte the World indowing them with power from on high for this Work 2. Positively But what saith it Where take notice of First The Words Secondly The Sense First VVhat VVords are put into the Mouth of the Righteousness which is by Faith
fellowship of the guilt of undermining Truth and Godliness 2. The ways by which we make this profession The Mouth is only mentioned in the Text but that implieth other things Briefly this Confession is made either in word or deed 1. Verbal and in word by a constant owning of Christ and our Hopes by him both publickly and upon all occasions by private conference or taking all meet opportunities to discover our selves that we are Christians so the Apostle saith of Timothy 1 Tim. 8.12 Lay hold on Eternal Life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many Witnesses He had openly confessed the Name of Christ. And the Apostle telleth us 1 Iohn 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Iesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God He meaneth it of times wherein this primitive and fundamental truth was mainly contradicted and opposed in the World Then for a Man to declare himself a Christian was hazardous and argued a great degree of self-denial and especially it is spoken in opposition to the Gâ—osticks and Nicholaitans who accounted it sufficient to believe with the Heart taking a liberty to confess what they listed see how they are taxed Iohn 12.42 43. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on Him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue For they loved the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God 2. Real or indeed and that was either by Action or Passion By Action and that is twofold either more publick or private 1. More publick by submission to Gods appointed Ordinances as hearing of the Word Baptism and the Lords Supper Christ instituted these visible duties to make the profession of his name publick and open Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved In the Lords Supper we commemorate his Death 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords Death till he come That is we publickly commemorate it and shew it forth as the ground of our hopes So in all the other duties which we observe in the Assemblies of the faithful they are a keeping up of our confession or a testimony that we are not ashamed of Christ. As Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is Faithful that hath promised Now this profession is solemnly made by our Communion with Gods People in their publick Assemblies as it followeth ver 25. Not forsaking the assembling our selves together as the manner of some is The assembling our selves that is with the Christians and their Assemblies wherein they did meet together to serve and worship God and mutually to promote their own Salvation now 't is not enough to have our private devotions in our Families and Closets but we must entertain publick converse with God to testifie our Union and Agreement with the People of God in the same Faith and Worship Now it was the manner of some to forsake these Conventions and Meetings which was a grievous sin and of very ill consequence not only as they deprived themselves of the benefit of these societies but as they seemed to love their Life Goods or Quiet and Peace and Reputation and liberty more than Christ. And though they were convinced of the truth of Christianity yet could not be noted as open Professors of it 2. More private and personal by Holy Conversation and Godliness for we are to confess and glorifie Christ both in Word and Deed. Confession indeed is a life of love and praise in perpetual acknowledgement of this incomparable benefit which we have by Christ. This confession is always necessary to true Christians that their works be holy and agreeable to their Faith for thereby they signifie that they do believe in Christ and expect Eternal Glory by him that he that is raised up by God from the dead at length will come again to bring us to himself As without Faith there is no Righteousness so without this Confession there is no Salvation for this distinguisheth the Christian from the Hypocrite Titus 1.16 They Profess to know God but in their works they deny him They confess fair but their lives shew they believe nothing The very Devils confessed Christ to be the Son of the most High God Mark 4.7 But it profited them nothing because it was a confession extorted and they were Creatures in Rebellion against God Therefore Holiness of Life is one means of our confession otherwise we deny the Lord that bought us Mat. 5.16 Let your light so â—â—ine before Men that others seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.9 That you may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Works are a sign as well as words the surer sign of the two of the Faith which is in our Hearts For t is a sign that Faith prevaileth in us when we do things consentaneous and agreeable to our Faith Our profession in words may be contradicted by our works and that is interpretatively a denial of the Faith 1 Tim 5.8 If any provide not for his own he hath denied the Faith 'T is an act of uncharitableness or dishonesty What profess Christ to be our Lord and live in such rebellion and disobedience to him 'T is as if you should assure a Prince of your Loyalty and yet actually be in Arms against him This Confession is never out of season and is our surest evidence 2. By passion or suffering enduring the hardest things that can befal you in the World for his sake Or this our Lord speaketh Mat. 10.31 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father in Heaven But whosoever will deny me him will I deny before my Father in Heaven His name his truth his ways must be avowed before all the World whatever it cost us we cannot honour Christ so much as he will honour us and therefore we must contemn the hatred of the World and all the pleasures and profits of this life that we may be faithful to him Confession is an harder matter than usually we take it to be and requireth good preparation 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you c. Not ready in point of knowledge only to argue for the Faith but ready as to courage fortitude and resolution of Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not an account of the reasons but of the Nature and Tenour of our Christian Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ready is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Paul saith Act. 21.13 I am ready not to be bound only but to die also at Jerusalem c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.15 Shod with the preparation of the Gospel
of Peace II. The respect that is between these two Faith and Profession There is a double respect such as between 1. The Cause and Effect First We Believe and then Confess our Faith is the cause of our Confession 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak David was sore afflicted and yet professed his Faith in God He could not suppress his boasting of the promises in his greatest distresses So we believe in Christ and therefore cannot but in word and deed express our confidence in him when such a Spirit of Faith cometh upon us there will not need many enforcemenâ—s or excitements publickly to own Christ For this Spirit of Faith cannot be shut up in the Heart but will break out into Confession There cannot be a true and lively Faith without Confession nor a true Confession without Faith For the effect cannot be without the cause nor such a powerful cause without the effect 2. Such as there is between the sign and the thing signified Faith hath always Confession and Obedience joined with it as its proper sign As Flame or Smoâ—k is of Fire or â—reathing of Life so is Confession with the Mouth or an Holy Life an individual companion and note of true Faith by which it is demonstrated to be sincere and real Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works Iames 2.18 Men know not our Hearts whether we believe in God yea or no or what we believe of him till they hear and see it in our profession and actions here is the sign the proof of it Look as an evil principle bewrayeth its self by its proper signs as Atheism by Mens ungodly and unholy lives Psal. 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my Heart There is no fear of God before his Eyes What could they do more in a way of sin or less in a way of duty if there were no God The current of a Mans life and actions doth best expound and interpret his Heart any considerate Man may conclude from their manner of living that they have no sense of the Being of God nor never expect to be accountable to him So for the belief of Christianity 't is discovered by owning Christ in the greatest dangers by a ready obedience to his precepts that seem to be most cross to the inclination and interest of the Flesh or by an Holy and Heavenly life 'T is a sign we believe those blessed sublime and weighty truths which are contained in the Gospel In short we judge others by external works alone for the Tree is known by its Fruits Mat. 7.16 we judge of our selves by external and internal together both by the belief of the Heart and the confession of the Mouth also III. The order God hath established appointing Faith as a means to be justified and confession as a means to be saved 1. Let us speak of what is requisite to righteousness so Faith is the means whereby this Righteousness is applied received and freely given us To explain this I shall enquire 1. What is Righteousness 2. Shew you that this Righteousness is applied by Faith 3. That the Cordial and Heart-believer is the Penitent Working Believer 1. What is Righteousness 't is here taken in a legal and judicial sense not for a disposition of Mind and Heart to please God but for the ground of a Plea before the Tribunal of God that we may be exempted from the punishments threatned and obtain the Grace offered or a right to the reward promised Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one Iudgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life 2. That we are qualified for this Righteousness by Faith So 't is said Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sins We get absolution from sin by free pardon through the Merit of Christ and are accepted as Righteous before God when we enter into the new Covenant taking God for our Lord and Happiness Christ for our Redeemer and Saviour the Holy-Ghost for our Sanctifier and Comforter More especially with respect to Christ when we subject our selves to him as our Lord and depend upon the Merit of his Death and Intercession for our acceptance with God Now that this believing with the Heart is required in order to righteousness is every where manifested in the Scriptures Therefore the new Covenant Righteousness is called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 9.30 The Gentiles have attained to Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith So Gal. 5.5 We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith Because Faith qualifieth us for it A righteousness we must have that we may be exempted from wrath which sin hath made our due and that we may be accepted with God unto Eternal Life which they that are destitute of all Righteousness can never attain unto A Righteousness of our own according to the Law of Works we are far from The legal way therefore can never stead us We must only run for Refuge to the Evangelical course or way set down in the Gospel namely that upon the account of the Merit and Obedience of Christ God will pardon the sins of all Penitent Believers and accept them to Grace and Favour Well then 't is by Faith that Christs Death and Obedience are applied and made beneficial to us Rom. 3 2â— The righteousness of God is by the Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe and there is no difference Well then every Believer is qualified If you ask me therefore 3. What kind of Believer is qualified and accepted as righteous I answer 1. The Penitent Believer 2. The Working Believer 1. The Penitent Believer for Faith and Repentance are inseparable Companions and always go together in our first introduction or entrance into the New Covenant Mark 1.15 Repent and Believe the Gospel And Acts 2.38 Repent and be Baptized for the Remission of Sins When we depend upon Christ for Pardon we are willing to return to God and live in his Obedience hating and detesting our former ways wherein we wandred from him Well then though the Righteousness be only the Righteousness of Faith and the Believer be only accepted as Righteous yet 't is the Penitent Believer whose Heart and Life is changed and who is willing by Christ to come to God 2. 'T is the Working Believer So 't is explained what is in Gal. 5.5 called The Righteousness of Faith is ver 6. called Faith working by Love Not all that is called by that Name but the working Faith And so 't is expressed else where Heb. 11.7 By
best known by those eternal Torments which are appointed for the punishment thereof Present punishments do somewhat discover it Now know that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Ier. 2.19 Briars and Thorns and sensible smart will teach us that which bare contemplation doth not But if the Temporal punishment maketh us know What an evil thing and a bitter it is What will Eternal do Go ask the Damned in Hell whether it be a light thing to Sin against God Mark 9.44 Where their Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Here is the great aggravation of Sin that for Temporal Trifles they have lost Eternal Joys and run the hazard of Eternal Pains for the ease mirth and pleasure of a Moment And then for things evil in opinion it sheweth how falsely we are deluded As Afflictions Sufferings and Losses for Christ Death c. It much concerneth us to have a true notion of these things For Afflictions It sheweth that they are not so bad as the World taketh them to be They are tedious for the present but 't is but for a season 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold Temptations All things are lessened by having eternity in our minds the delights of the World and the sorrows of the World 1 Cor. 7.29 Since the World passeth away and the fashion thereof we should rejoice as if we rejoyced not mourn as if we mourned not the good and evil will be soon over We cry out How long but 't is not for ever 'T is grievous but 't is not Eternal 't is not Hell yea they may be good Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been Afflicted that I might learn thy statutes All things are good as they help on a blessed eternity so Afflictions may be good that part of the World that is led by sense will never endure this but that part which is led by Faith will easily assent to it the World that is led by sense say to a Covetous Man that the loss of an Estate is good to a Worldly Rich Man that Poverty is good to an Ambitious Man that it is good to be despised and contemned to Voluptuous Man that it is good to be in Pain to Afflict the Body for the good of the Soul they will never believe you But go to them that measure all things by Eternity and they will tell you that Poverty maketh way for the true Riches Mourning for the true Glory Want for fulness of Pleasure at Gods Right Hand That misery mortifieth sin 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Sufferings for Christ If we win Eternity with the loss of all the World we are no losers For the World passeth away and the Lusts thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 Iohn 2.17 But on the contrary 't is a sorry bargain to lose Eternity for the injoyment of all the World Mat. 16.26 For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul And then Death the King of Terrors yet 't is not feared by a Christian because it is an entrance into Eternal Life when he dieth then shall he live Iohn 11.25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall be live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this If we have a sense of this why should we be troubled to be uncloathed that we may be cloathed upon with Immortality and Glory It separateth us from our Worldly Friends and Benefits but bringeth us to God with whom we shall abide for ever it puts an end to time that we may enter into Eternity so that death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 A Friend not an Enemy It maketh an end of Sin and Sorrow to make way for Blessedness and Glory For things Good Good seeming or Good real Good seeming There are many things which the vain deceived World doteth upon which are impertinencies to our great end As Foolish Sports and Recreations Eccles. 2.2 I said of Laughter It is Mad and of Mirth What doth it There are other things which are meer inconsistencies As many evils which we commit for a little Temporal happiness Then real good things Duties Ordinances Graces Christ the Favour of God We know how to value these things by looking to Eternity The good things of this World are not valuable only upon a natural account but as they are helps to Heaven If they be diversions from eternity they are the worst things that can befal us to be condemned to this kind of felicity is a part of Gods Curse Ier. 17.13 They that forsake thee shall be written in the Earth On the contrary to have our names written in Heaven is a great Blessing Luke 10.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven It is better to injoy a little as an help to Heaven than a great deal as an hindrance to it oh Blessed is the Man that taketh no farther content in the comforts of this life than they may further his Soul to Eternity If an Estate increase upon you 't is most valuable as you may be rich in good works and take hold of Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.18 When your Hearts rest in them without subordination to Eternal things your estate becometh a Snare whatever the Heart is set upon if it be not in order to this end and scope 't is cursed to thee The Spiritual Blessing of all our natural comforts is in order to this last end But then for Duties time spent with God in order to Eternity is the best part of your lives Acts 26.7 When we are imployed in the World we make provision but for a few Months or Days it may be Hours But in converse with God you lay up for everlasting the Throne of Grace will be the more sweet because 't is the Porch of Heaven Ordinances and publick means of Grace A Child of God valueth them more than the greatest Worldly advantages Psal. 84.12 One day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand I had rather be a Door-Keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness But why Because there is trading for Eternity there he gets a prospect into Heaven and heareth news of his Long-home And then Graces they are glorious things because they are the seed and earnest of eternal glory 'T is called Immortal Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 When this state is begun it cannot be dissolved and it is called the Earnest of the Spirit Graces as well as comforts are his Earnest By all these things the Holy
11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ. These holy Men had the same nature the same interests and concernments We have the same helps and incouragements the same God and Christ and Spirit and Rule and Hopes and Comfort and Glory which should shame us to come short of them Therefore you must be a going from strength to strength Yea the Angels Matth. 6. 10. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven It is but reason that they that would be like them for priviledges should be like them for service and duty If the Angels that are out of Gunshot and Harms-way hold on in God's service much more should we Wicked men think every thing in Religion enough and that we make more ado than needeth but Christ referreth us to the Angels Yea to God himself 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye holy as he that has called you is holy Matth. 5.48 Be ye Perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Now therefore we must by degrees be growing up unto this estate The holiest upon Earth are not a sufficient copy to us God is essentially Holy infinitely Holy originally Holy Now wherein must we imitate him We must be immutably holy we should aim at that state when we shall be in some sort so God is universally holy in all his ways and works we should get nearer and nearer to this Pattern 6. That we may answer our many experiences There is no man of any long standing in the profession of Godliness but he hath many experiences of the bitterness of Sin when he hath been medling with Forbidden Fruit. And on the vanity of the Creature when he hath doated upon it and at length he findeth that there is a lye in his right hand Eccles. 1.14 I have seen all the works that are done under the Sun and behold all is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Of the comfort of duty when done all things for God there is a sweetness accompanieth it Micah 2.7 Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Of the help of God in his difficulties and straights Psal. 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Of the truth of his promises Psal. 18.30 As for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tryed he is a buckler to all those that trust in him Of Answer of Prayers Psal. 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication Because he hath inclined his Ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Of the enterprizes of Satan 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Sathan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices Now to have all these experiences and to be nothing improved and bettered is very sad 29. Deut. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given them an Heart to perceive nor Eyes to see nor Ears to hear unto this day To be nothing better nothing wiser is an argument of spiritual stupidness and folly 7. To answer all the means and the care and cost that God hath been at with us and for us God expecteth growth where he has afforded the means of growth in great plenty Luke 13.7 He said to the Dresser of his Vineyard behold these three years I came seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground It must be understood De jure not De facto of what God might expect for God cannot be disappointed Have I been thus long with you and hast thou not known me 14. Iohn 9. It was a grief to Christ when they were not grown under the means of grace Luke 12.48 Where much is given much is required It is grievous to the spirit of God when we are no better for all that is done to us Application 1. As it is a priviledge of the sincere Christian whose heart is set Heavenward Use. So it is for his incouragement They go from strength to strength if there be new troubles there is new strength Many are ready to faint in the Valley of Bacha and think they shall never hold out There is a continual supply Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Eternal Life Luke 8.15 The good ground bringeth forth fruit with patience They have present support and shall have final deliverance 138. Psal. 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul God gives a power to bear up your Spirit in all your burdens God is no Pharaoh you shall have strength with your work strength with your tryals strength with your difficulties A good man will not over-burden his Beast And God will give final deliverance your troublesome journey will not last long it will be over in a little time and then you shall appear before God in Zion There is rest Rev. 14.13 That they may rest from their labours and their works follow them In Heaven you have nothing to do but to bless God and praise God and admire God to all Eternity Therefore be incouraged go in the strength of your present refreshings and God will find new grace for you while you continue upright with him 2. As it is a duty 1. Use. It sheweth the folly of them who count an earnest pursuance of Eternal Life to be more than needs and that a little holiness will serve the turn Oh no! a Christian should always be growing and always improving still pressing nearer and nearer towards the mark going on from strength to strength There is no nimium in Holiness you cannot have too much Holiness or too much of the love of God nor of the fear of God nor of faith in him There are many that come near and never enter Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Certainly he that knoweth what was lost in Adam and must be recovered in Christ cannot think he can do enough or too much How hard a matter is it to keep what we haveâ— Such is the vanity lightness and inconstancy of our Hearts in good and so furious are the assaults of sundry Temptations and so great is our impotency to resist them our proneness to turn from the ways of God so great so strong subtile and assiduous are our Spiritual Adversaries so many are those Difficulties Discouragements Diversions and Hindrances which we have to wrestle with and overcome in the way to Heaven that it concerneth us to give all diligence to advance in our Christian Course Once more there is so much promised that certainly a Man knoweth not what Christianity meaneth if he striveth not to be more holy So exact is our Rule and strict so holy is our God so great are our Obligations from all the Means and Providences of God that such a vain Conceit cannot possess the Soul of
every particular Circumstance 2. As he taketh notice of them so it is with Love Delight and approbation verba notitiae connotant affectus He embraceth them with special love delighteth in them as his peculiar people and approveth of them Knowing beareth this sense for approving as Pas. 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous but the way of the Ungodly shall perish So Matth. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye workers of Iniquity that is I do not approve you The Lord seeth and beholdeth them with Mercy and according to the gracious Tenor of the Evangelical Covenant he approveth and rewardeth all the good purposes and performances of the Godly Here the Lord rests in his Love Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty He will save thee He will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love He will joy over thee with singing as his peculiar people 3. Knowledge is put for the communication of saving Benefits Gal. 4.9 Now after ye have known God or rather are known of God Sinners in an unconverted estate are such of whom God taketh no notice and knowledge to wit so as to be familiar with them and to communicate saving Blessings to them But thus God knoweth his People that he will not suffer them to be taken out of his Hands 2. The Impression that suiteth with our part or our Duty in the Covenant Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity Where take notice 1. Of the description of the Parties concerned Whoso nameth the name of Christ That is maketh profession of being a Christian As the Wife is called by the name of her Husband Isa. 4.1 Only let us be called by thy name The Father's name is put on the Children Gen. 48.16 Let my name be named on them so every one that nameth the name of Christ that is so as to intitle himself to him to be one of his Disciples and Followers 2. The Duty required Let him depart from Iniquity Where note 1. That there is a Duty required of those that would possess those Blessed Priviledges Those that presume of their Election and cast away all care of Salvation and let loose the Reins to all Carnal Liberty they have no Title nor right to these Comforts No it belongeth to them who live in a Conscionable Obedience and careful endeavour to please God in all things No man immediately Knoweth his Election but by Holiness 1 Thess. 1.4 5. Knowing Brethren Beloved Your Election of God For our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost We understand Things by their effects God carrieth on the Business of Salvation in such a manner that he will have his People co-operate by the power they have received from Him taking heed of all Things which are contrary thereunto both in Life and Doctrine Phil. 2.12 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure And 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure God's Counsel is fulfilled by means and we can have no knowledge but by the effect 2. How his Duty is Expressed Let him depart from Iniquity Not only retain the Faith and Profession of Jesus Christ but depart from all manner of Sin 1. The Thing quitted is Sin It is an Indefinite expression which implyeth all Sin not only Sensual Lusts as Voluptuous Living but Pride Ambition Contention Animosity Vain-Glory See Verses 21. and 22. of this Chapter If a Man therefore purge Himself from these he shall be a vessel unto Honour sanctified and 〈◊〉 for the masters use and prepared unto every good Work flee also Youthful Lusts but folâ—ow aftâ—r Righteousness Faith Charity Peace In short our Duty is to keep close to God and the departing from Iniquity is by sound Repentance at First and by 〈◊〉 Holiness of Life afterwards which are as the Gate and the Way 2. Though it belongeth to our Care yet God affecteth and worketh this Obedience in the Hearts of the Elect or his peculiar People they must attend upon this work but all is done by the Grace and Power of the Holy Ghost Heâ— 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Ieâ—â—â— that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Use. We learn hence two things 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 2. The necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant 1. A comfortable dependance upon God till our Salvation be accomplished 1. You are his Psal. 119.94 I am thine save me 2. He knoweth you and will make a distinction between you and others Iohn 13.18 I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished 3. He that knoweth you is the Lord and what is too hard for the Lord His Divine Power can give you all things 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness And 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work 4. It is the Seal of his Foundation therefore he will unchangeably pursue what shall be for our good Isa. 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanul it Psal. 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed We often complain as Israel of old My way is â—idden from the Lord and my judgment passed over by my God Isa. 40.27 He hath forgotten us in the throng of Business that is upon his Hands and taketh no notice of us But here is sufficient Encouragement for a dependance upon God The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth those that are his 2. We learn the necessity of all holy Care and Diligence notwithstanding God's Undertaking in the Covenant Qui fecit te sine te c. God that made thee without thee will not save thee without thee God that decreed the End decreeth also the Means 1. If you name the name of Christ there must be Holiness joyned with Profession otherwise you are a dishonour to him and make him the Minister of Sin Gal. 2.17 But if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the minister of sin God forbid
and happy Wisdom will teach us to live for ever And in her left hand riches and honour all good Things in this World so far as not to hinder us of the Things of a better World shall be vouchsafed to us 3. The third Argument is in the Text the Pleasantness of Wisdom which is added to sweeten the Difficulties in attaining to it or pursuing after it or exercising the Virtue of it in the regulation of our Lives and Actions It is hard to get it and then to exercise it but it is recompenced with an answerable Sweetness Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Where note 1. The Subject Ways Paths The general Course or particular Duties which Wisdom prescribeth 2. The Predicate Pleasantness Peace They are not only pleasant but safe they are accompanied with spiritual Sweetness and produce solid Tranquility in the Mind of Man Doctr. That the Man whose Actions and Ways are guided by Heavenly Wisdom enjoyeth true Peace and Delight I. For stating the Point 1. By Wisdom is meant the Heavenly Doctrine revealed in the Word of God especially the Gospel or Salvation by Christ. For this is called The wisdom and power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 And it is said the Holy Scriptures through faith in Christ Iesus do make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 He is a Fool that is wise to other things and is not wise to the saving of his Soul for he is wise in Trifles and neglects necessary Things Well then the Ways and Paths of Wisdom are the Ways and Paths of Faith and Holiness Faith is necessary to solid Rejoycing For 't is said 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill ye with all joy and peace in believing And Holiness concurreth necessarily for it is not only a godly Man's Duty but his Delight and it is rewarded with Joy and Peace 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Some degree of Comfort followeth every good Action before our full and final Reward we have the solace of a good Conscience during our Service 2. That these Delights are not Carnal Delights but Spiritual Man is ever inviting himself to some Delight the oblectation of his Mind cannot lye idle but usually consults with Flesh and Blood in choosing his Delights and careth for the Body more than the Soul But bodily Delights and pleasing the sense were our old Slavery Titus 3.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures These draw down the Mind and dull our Desires and Endeavours towards better things therefore here we need not use the Spur but the Bridle and must refrain our selves because these Delights corrupt the Mind and such a kind of Peace is not the quiet and repose of the Soul in God but the numbness and deadness of Conscience carnal Security not a true Peace But the Delights and Peace which Wisdom inviteth us unto are chaste and rational such as innoble the Soul and raise it to God and do not put it in Vassalage to Sense When our Joy runneth out in a Spiritual Channel there is no Excess in it no Snare by it The Pleasures of Sense are base and dreggy but these are Heavenly and Spiritual 3. It supposeth that the Man be renewed and recovered out of the common Apostacy For while a Man remaineth in it the Beast rideth the Man and nothing is sweet and pleasant but what gratifyeth sensual Appetite Regeneration and change of Heart is necessary to taste the Pleasures which are in the Paths of Wisdom For nothing is pleasant to Men but what is suitable to their Natures And we use to say that one Man's Pleasure is anothers Pain Distempered Souls are not capable of this Peace and Delight for every Man's Gust is according to his Constitution Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Therefore the carnal Man that is wedded to his vain Delights is an incompetent Judge of the Pleasantness that is in the Paths of Wisdom Will he that is wholly addicted to the Flesh ever judge that there is more delight in the Exercises of Godliness than in the foolish Pastimes of the World That it is better to be mourning for Sin than rejoycing in the Creature and that the Congregation yieldeth a more solid Pleasure than the Theatre and that it is better to be mortifying the Deeds of the Body by the Spirit than to court the Senses If his Judgment may be convinced he will never yield to it in his Practice He doth not live by these Rules and Measures II. Let me now prove that the true Peace and Pleasure is no where else to be found but in obedience to Heavenly Wisdom 1. I prove it from the matter of this Peace and Joy and that is Wisdom heavenly Wisdom which leadeth us to Faith in Christ Love to God and an holy and heavenly Life And what is the consequent of these Things but the Pardon of all our Sins the assurance of the Love of God and the lively foresight and foretaste of endless Glory and Blessedness 1. The Wisdom that cometh from above doth teach us Faith in Christ as the whole Scripture manifesteth Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Well now can any Man be truly chearful till his Sins be forgiven Alas if Conscience were but a little awake in the midst of all his Mirth he would see a sharp Sword hanging over his Head by a slender thread and that all his Jollity is but like dancing about the mouth of the bottomless Pit into which he is tumbling every moment Nay let him stifle Conscience as much as he can yet he can never totally get the victory of it For he hath his Pangs and Qualms and hidden Fears if you dig him to the bottom and stinging Remorses of Conscience which though not always felt are soon awakened No this Man can never be truly merry Suppose none of this as yet ever felt yet this you must grant That he cannot be a Man recollect his ways or use any sober consideration why he came into the World and whither he is a going which every one that weareth the Heart of a Man should sometimes do but his Trouble is revived such Trouble as soureth his Contentments and puts a damp upon all his Mirth On the other side a Man that hath made it his business to enter into God's Peace by Jesus Christ and is humbly and broken-heartedly suing out his Pardon in his Name and hath the justice and faithfulness of God engaged to him that so doing he shall be pardoned hath not this Man true and
in peace without spot and 〈◊〉 Now the Devil will not let you alone in this earnest diligence but seeketh to break your Resolutions or deaden your Affections or damp and discourage your Zeal and the Flesh joyneth with him especially when the World frowneth upon your Endeavours and are set against you for being so faithful to Christ. 2. That they are not prepared till they are endowed with Faith Hope and Love To evidence this I shall shew 1. Their Nature 2. Their mutual respect to one another 3. Their use in the Spiritual Conflict I. Their Nature 1. Faith which is a firm and cordial assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel or such things as are revealed by God because revealed by him 1. The Object 1. The Material Object of Faith in general is such things as are revealed by God in his Word Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets The Precepts Promises Threatnings Histories Mysteries The general Faith goeth before the particular there is no Building without a Foundation The special Object is God's Transactions about Man's Salvation by Christ Ioh. 17.3 This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. The formal Consideration is because revealed by him Iohn 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and believe that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the World That is because they had heard his Words and were convinced and satisfied 1 Thess. 2.13 Ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Not as any Doctrine devised of Men but as sent by God from Heaven for the benefit of Mankind 2. The act of the Soul It is an Assent The Understanding hath a double act about Divine Truths First Knowledge or a due Apprehension of them Secondly Exercising a Judgment about them this is Acknowledgment or Assent And this Assent hath two Adjuncts 1. It is a firm belief of these things There is a Latitude and Difference in the firmness of Assent there is Conjecture or Opinion which is a weak Faith but Assurance doth best Coll. 2.2 That their Hearts might be comforted being knit together in Love and unto all Riches of the full Assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. I say there is a difference In the firmness of Assent there is Certitudo Notitia Certitudo Adherentiae a Certainty of Knowledge and a Certainty of Adherence But in all that are sincere it is so firm as to sway our choice incline our Hearts and govern our Resolutions that we see all the reason in the World to follow the way which Christ hath prescribed that we may be everlastingly happy whatever it cost they will venture Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of our Souls Sense saith Spare the Flesh but Faith saith Save the Soul 2. It is a Cordial Belief or such as engageth the Heart For Faith considereth not only the Evidence of things propounded but the Weight Worth and Greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Simon Magus believed but his Heart was not right with God Acts 8.13 compared with 21 Verse So Many believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did but Iesus committed not himself to them because he knew all Men John 2.23 24. This is Faith for first Men believe then love then hope then lift up the Head 2. Love Which is a Grace which inclineth our Hearts to God as our Portion and chief Happiness This over-ruleth all their Affections to their outward Interests Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Here we shall consider 1. The Qualification of the Object Love in the general considereth the Object as good God is good in himself and good to us Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good and we love God as a good God having received our Beings from him Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things And being redeemed by him when all was forfeited into the Hands of his Justice 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first And looking to expect more from him when all his Promises shall be fulfilled 1 Ioh. 3.1 2. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Therefore the World knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. The respect of Love to the Object It is such a respect as becometh the Chief Good and Happiness such a superlative and transcendent Love that our Love to other things should be as no Love when it is compared or cometh in Competition with our Love to God There are two acts of Love to God Desire after him and Delight in him 1. Desire is the pursuit of the Soul after God that we may get nearer to him It iâ— expressed usually by seeking after God and when God is sought after in the first place then are we said to love God as Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me All Duties and all Acts of the Spiritual Life are a seeking after more of God Psal. 63.8 My Soul followeth hâ—rd after thee Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the Days of my Life to behold the Beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple This ardent and burning desire is a great effect of love to God but when Men are cold and flat and more indifferent as to the distinguishing Testimonies of Gods love there is something on this side God which doth content us and divert us from him 2. Delight in God The highest exercise of this is reserved for the World to come when we shall enter into our Master's Joy but now it is a pleasing thing to think of him Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. And to speak of him Ephes. 5.4 Neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Iesting which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks And to converse with him Psal. 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me Come let us go into the House of the Lord. Yea it is the Pleasure of their Lives to serve and obey him Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments This Complacency or
the World it cannot be imagined that God should use such an Artifice 1. That God governeth the World by the Hopes and Fears of another Life is evident not only by the Tenour of the Christian Religion where the Covenant between God and Men is established by such Threatnings and Promises but by the Consent of all Nations where Government is secured and upheld by such a Perswasion Now if the Soul be not immortal and there be not firm Reasons to induce us to believe that it is so why hath such a Conceit been rooted in the Minds of Men of all Nations and all Religions not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized They all received this Opinion from Hand to Hand from their Ancestors and the nearer Men trace it to the Original of Mankind the more clear and pressing hath been the Conceit thereof Lapse of time which ordinarily decayeth all things hath not been able to deface it out of the Minds of Men the Sense of an immortal Condition after this Life hath ever been accounted the great Bridle upon the World and being spread throughout the Universe hath with all Forwardness been received among all Nations and hath born up against all Encounters of Sin and hath maintained it self in the midst of those Revolutions of humane Affairs wherein other Truths are lost 2. There is a Necessity of this Government as suting best with the Nature of Man which is much moved by the Hopes and Fears of Good and Evil after Death That Man is governed by Hopes and Fears common Sense teacheth us That the Hopes and Fears of the present Life are not sufficient to bridle carnal Nature and withstand Temptations and keep us in the true Obedience and Love to God to the End Experience also sheweth because for the Satisfaction of our Lusts we can dispense with temporal Evils as the Lecher in the Proverbs chap. 5.11 And thou mourn at the last when thy Flesh and thy Body are consumed Besides if it were so that these Motives of temporal Good and Evil were sufficient Man were more to be feared than God which killeth and stabbeth all Religion at the Heart for Man useth this Engine of temporal Punishments and Inconvenience they do Execution on those that break their Laws Now Christ teacheth us Luke 12.4 5. I say unto you my Friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you Fear him 3. The Necessity of it appeareth to meet with secret Sins such as Fornication privy Atheism Malice Adultery Murder Perjury Hypocrisy Treachery Theft Deceit He that believeth not a Life after this may secretly carry on these Sins without Impunity Man cannot see the Heart or make Laws to govern it therefore no Man can know or punish these secret Sins therefore if Men can but hide their Sins they are safe So for the Sins of Men powerful in the World for who can call them to an Account here for their Filthiness or Cruelty Iob 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked and to Princes Ye are ungodly There is no Restraint to those who have none above them and all secret Wickedness would be committed without Fear So that to deny the Immortality of the Soul or a Life after this would take away all Honesty and open the Flood-gates to all Villany and evil Practices Who would make Conscience of entire Obedience to God enter in by the streight Gate walk in the narrow Way row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling and consecrate their time to God if there were no other Life after this nor Happiness to be there expected Alas we plainly see the contrary Who are so lewd and hardned in their Sensualities as they that are tainted with this Conceit That not only the Denial but the Forgetfulness of this Estate worketh this Effect They make the best of the present Life 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Such Atheistical Thoughts are very common Ver. 33. Be not deceived evil Communication corrupts good Manners But a deep Sense of this immortal Estate is the Fountain of all Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness and all that is vertuous and Praise-worthy hath been done in the World upon this Account Therefore who are the better Men those that believe the Immortality of the Soul or those that believe it not And who are likely to be in the right wicked Wretches or holy serious and considering Men. 4. The Duties which God requireth of us shew it Man is obliged to divers Duties which are difficult and displeasing to the Flesh and which we should never perform without a serious Belief of the Soul's Immortality such as these to forsake the sinful Pleasures of the World to mortify and tame the Flesh diligently to exercise our selves to Godliness to suffer the Loss of all outward Comforts yea of Life it self All these are commanded the Mortification and keeping down the Body Col. 3.5 Diligence in the Heavenly Life Phil. 3.13 14. Forâ—itude and Patience under the greatest Trials as Moses is propounded for an Example Heb. 11.24 25 26. Not to faint in the greatest Tribulations 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Yea to expose Life it self Luke 14.26 Now would God who is so loving to Mankind bind us to displease the Flesh and enjoin us so many Duties which are harsh and troublesome yea some of them hurtful and detrimental to the Body if he had not provided some better thing for us Would he all whose Precepts are for our good and who hath made Self-love so great an help to our Duty be so hard to us but that he knoweth how to recompence this Diligence and Self-denial He saith Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Matth. 6.25 But he saith Keep the Soul with all diligence Deut. 4.9 Would he be so earnest in pressing us to look after the Soul and strengthning and adorning the inward Man if the Soul were to perish with the Body Surely if all depended upon the Body the Body should be more cared for but it is quite otherwise Scripture and Reason shew the Body is only to be cared for in Subordination to the Soul and that our chiefest Work should be to furnish our Souls with Knowledg and Grace And they are the worthiest Men who do most busy themselves about divine and heavenly things whereas they are the basest who care so much for the Body and make a business of those things which they should do only by the by Certainly if there were an end of us when the Body faileth we should abhor nothing so much as Death desire nothing so much as the good of the
have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. By whom also we have Access by Faith unto this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God Comfortable Access to God here in the World depends upon our Justification the more clear that is the more we are fitted to come before the Lord. From the Stain of Sin Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God Though all see enough of God to Satisfaction these see more than others do Therefore the more we cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit the more of God shall we see and the sooner shall we be admitted into his blessed Presence It was an old Observation even among the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he whom God loveth dieth young Not that all that die young are beloved of God But ordinary Observation will teach you this that let a Man more than ordinarily improve in Purity of Heart though God may lend him to the World for an Example for some time yet they are taken to God sooner than others or if they are continued in the World they are continued under more Weaknesses and do with more Earnestness expect their Translation to the everlasting Priesthood 2. Let us begin our Sacrifices and discharge our Priestly Office now and perform all the Duties which belong to our Ministration with more Fidelity Some of our Duties are proper only to the present State as consecrating our selves to God and using our selves for God that is out of date then for our Consecration is over before we come there It is undeniable that the blessed Spirits all live to God Luke 20.38 He is not a God of the Dead but of the Living for all live unto him But there is no need of giving up our selves to God for then we possess God Mercy is useless in an Estate where Misery cannot approach therefore now it must be exercised None are Priests in Heaven but those that have acted the Priests part upon Earth But Praise holds good now and then too Psal. 107.22 Let us sacrifice the Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare his Works with rejoicing This is to tune our Instruments and to be fitting our selves for our everlasting Work 3. Let us be more frequent and often with God For the Throne of Grace is the very Porch of Heaven by it we pass to the Throne of Glory Surely that Life upon Earth is best which is likest to the Life of Heaven Psal. 84.10 For a Day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Prayer giveth us the nearest Familiarity which a Man in Flesh can have with God and is the best Preparation for our Entrance upon our everlasting Priesthood A Man acquainted with a God before-hand is not to seek for a God to pray to when he cometh to die nor for a Mediator to intercede for him nor for a Spirit of Adoption to fly to God as a reconciled Father Having been frequently entertained and accepted by God he can the better resign his Spirit into his Hands and with more Confidence wait for this nearer Attendance Alas to go out of the World into unknown and unseen Regions where we are wholly Strangers how sad is that Who will venture into the Ocean who hath not learned to swim in the shallow Brooks and Streams Communion with God in a way of Grace is the way to Communion with him in a way of Glory We go to see him Face to Face whom we have seen by the Eye of Faith to live with him in Heaven with whom we have lived upon Earth Species non laetificat in Patria quem fides non consolatur in via Sight will not be joyful to him in Heaven whom Faith hath not comforted upon Earth He that hath often heard and accepted us will not reject us Thirdly Let us be more apprehensive of the Greatness of the Privilege of drawing nigh to God that we may improve it accordingly The Priests were sanctified to draw nearer to God than the common People and imployed in his holy Service yea Nearness of Ministration before the Lord is the Felicity of the Glorified How must we improve it 1. Partly to be ashamed of our Lothness to draw nigh to God and our Weariness of his special Service O let us not shun God as an Enemy and be loth to come into his special Presence or backward to converse with him 2. To Thankfulness to our Redeemer It was purchased by the Blood of Jesus Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus We may be the more confident of drawing nigh to him in a way of Grace for he hath purchased also our Entrance into Glory Ephes. 3.12 In whom we have Boldness and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him Vse 3. Comfort 1. Against present Weaknesses in Duty There will be a Time when we shall more perfectly express our Thanksgiving to God 2. Against Troubles and Sufferings It must be so now that we may be conformed to our Head but no Molestation should be an Impediment in our Work 3. Against Death It should make us willing to die that we may minister before the Lord. If David so longed for the Injoyment of God in the earthly Temple Psal. 63.1 2. O God! thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is to see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary How much more Cause have we to long for the time when we shall be made Priests to him for ever SERMONS UPON LEVITICVS XIX 17 SERMON I. LEVIT XIX 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him I Am to speak to you at this time concerning Christian and Brotherly Reproof Our first Care should be that we are not Sinners our selves Our next that we partake not of the Sins of others which may not only be by counselling and abetting their evil Actions but also by a faulty Connivance and Silence when the Glory of God and Love to our Neighbours Souls do loudly call upon us to mind them of their Duty and warn them of their Danger To this End I have made choice of this Scripture Thou shalt not hate c. Where take notice First Of the Removal of the Impediment Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart Secondly An earnest Excitement of the Duty of Reproof Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour Thirdly A Reason to enforce it Thou shalt not suffer Sin upon him or that thou bear not Sin for him First A Removal of the Impediment or Hindrance Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart Hatred is forbidden when Rebuke or
11 12. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto Death and those that are ready to be slain If thou sayest Behold we knew it not doth not he that pondreth the Heart consider it and he that keepeth thy Soul doth not he know it and shall not be render to every Man according to his Works Here is a Work of Charity delivering the Innocent from temporal Death the Sin is a Sin of Omission every Man is bound to do what he can to save his Neighbour from imminent Destruction It is our Duty not to be silent and see him perish with a safe Conscience we cannot do so it is against the Light of Nature and all Honesty to use Tergiversation in this Case when we have Probability to help it and will not this hold good in the Case of Brotherly Reproof when thou seest thy Neighbour likely to perish and be undone for ever The same Charity that bindeth us to deliver him from Temporal Death will much more bind us to deliver him from Eternal Death Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the living God Not only in you your selves but in any of you as will be clear in the Remedy prescribed But exhort one another daily while it is called To Day lest any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin This is a Work of Christian Charity which we owe to one another as Christian Brethren But see how God answereth the Excuse If thou sayest Behold we knew it not They knew not the Danger or Innocency of the Person Can you answer so to God Doth not he that pondereth the Heart consider c. He will be Judg whether you love your Brother yea or no whether this Pretence be Cowardice or mere Ignorance 2. How far the Obligation reacheth extensively It bindeth all For 1. All are to be able Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another And Rom. 15.14 I am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of Goodness filled with all Knowledg able also to admonish one another There are several Relations between Christians but all are bound to reprove some are Superiours some are Inferiours Superiours are bound in point of Justice Inferiours in point of Charity Superiours that have Charge of Souls are much more bound to reprove than others God 's Threatnings against them are more grievous if they neglect this Duty of Love The Watchman must not spare Yea they are bound though it be with the Danger of their Lives as Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Iohn the Baptist reproved Herod though it cost him his Life Mark 6.27 And the Reason is they have a double Tie and Bond upon them as their Office and Relation besides the common Bond of Charity But now whether Inferiours are bound to reprove those that are over them Yes certainly for David a King did receive with Meekness a Reproof not only from Nathan a Prophet but from Abigail a Woman 1 Sam. 25.32 33. And Iob produceth it as a Proof of his Integrity that he despised not the Cause of his Man-servant or of his Maid-servant when they contended with him Job 31.13 Certainly we owe this Duty to Superiours as their Danger is greater To save a private Person is not so much as to do good to one that shineth in a higher Sphere Well then we are bound to reprove all whom we are bound to love whether Superiours or Inferiours But then to Superiours we are to use great Modesty 1 Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father and the younger Men as Brethren It should be rather an Exhortation and Intreaty than a Reproof So Princes and Magistrates who are subject to Errors and Miscarriages may with Humility and Wisdom be admonished as Naaman's Servant 2 Kings 5.13 My Father if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it how much rather then when he saith Wash and be clean Dan. 4.27 Wherefore O King let my Counsel be acceptable to thee And Col. 4.17 Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it But yet this is still a Generality If every one be bound to reprove all and all every one when shall we know that this Duty is to be put in Act Answer The Admonisher should have a Calling to it through some Relation between him and the Offender So we may find it in all kind of Relations A Minister or Prophet as Nathan reproved David 2 Sam. 12.1 As a Counsellor Ioab reproveth him 2 Sam. 19.5 6. Thou hast shamed this Day the Faces of all thy Servants which have saved thy Life A Yoke-fellow as the Husband the Wife Iob 2.10 Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh The Wife the Husband as Abigail to Nabal 1 Sam. 25.37 And it came to pass in the Morning when the Wine was gone out of his Head and his Wife had told him these things his Heart died within him and he became as a Stone A Son as Ionathan to Saul 1 Sam. 19.4 And Jonathan spake good of David to Saul his Father and said unto him Let not the King sin against his Servant against David because he hath not sinned against thee A Servant admonisheth a Prince 2 Kings 5.13 A Subject so Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.27 A Friend to his Friend Prov. 27.6 Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend Yea a Stranger travelling by the way and seeing his Fellow-Traveller sin or sitting at the same Table it is a Call because he is then in his Company and there is the Sin committed For so Christ proveth the Samaritan was a Neighbour to the Iew when he lighted upon him Luke 10.29 So that the Duty though it universally obligeth yet it is not unpracticable there is something giveth us the Occasion 4 thly It is recommended When besides the Precept there is a Commendation it sheweth the Value of a Duty Now God not only commandeth but commendeth to us both the giving and taking a Reproof and that upon the highest and most pressing Motives 1. Let us see how the giving a Reproof is recommended to us as a Means to increase Knowledg Prov. 19.25 Reprove one that hath Vnderstanding and he will understand Knowledg that is profit in the Fear of the Lord. Yea as a Means to convey Life Prov. 6.23 And Reproofs of Instruction are the way of Life They are a means to reduce Men to God and eternal Happiness and it is called saving a Soul from Death Iam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that he that converteth a Sinner from the Error of his way shall save a Soul from Death and shall hide a Multitude of Sins So Prov. 24.25 But to them that
rebuke him shall be Delight and a good Blessing shall come upon him that is all will pray for him whereas they curse and detest Flatterers Many such Promises there are 2. Taking a Reproof is commended Eccles. 7.5 It is better to hear the Rebuke of the VVise than for a Man to hear the Song of Fools It sads the Heart for the present yet it is more wholesome and beneficial than vain Mirth that puts us off from Seriousness in Soul-Dangers and feedeth our Lusts and Corruptions So Prov. 13.18 Poverty and Shame shall be to him that refuseth Instruction but he that regardeth Reproof shall be honoured A head-strong wicked Man bringeth himself to Beggary and Shame but he that taketh Counsel betimes soon wipeth off the Stain of his Miscarriages So see two Proverbs together Prov. 15.31 32. The Ear that heareth the Reproof of Life abideth among the VVise He that refuseth Instruction despiseth his own Soul but he that heareth Reproof getteth Vnderstanding The one is a slight careless Person that despiseth God and his Salvation but the other giveth a Token of a wise and tractable Disposition So Prov. 17.10 A Reproof entreth more into a wise Man than an hundred Stripes into a Fool. Correption doth more good than Correction Now when God doth argue and perswade and not only interpose his Authority surely this is a Duty of Importance which we should make Conscience of 5 thly If God hath given Directions about it is is unquestionably a Duty belonging to us for Directions suppose the Duty and shew that God would not have it miscarry in our Hands As when God directeth to pray he supposeth Prayer when God directeth to hear he supposeth hearing so when he directeth to reprove he supposeth Reproof to be a Duty Now the Word of God doth every where abound with these Directions as with what Lenity and Meekness we should reprove 2 Cor. 2.4 For out of much Affliction and Anguish of Heart I wrote unto you with many Tears not that you should be grieved but that you may know the Love which I have more abundantly unto you Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a Fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted What Difference we should make of Faults Gnats and Camels Matth. 23.24 Ye blind Guides which strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Of Persons Iude 22 23. And of some have Compassion making a Difference Others save with Fear pulling them out of the Fire 6 thly The Duty is necessary to prevent a Sin such as Detraction Censure and Backbiting It is the usual Fashion of the World to change a Duty into a Sin it should be the Care of God's People to change a Sin into a Duty Ephes. 5.4 Not foolish Talking or Iesting which are not convenient but rather giving of Thanks So do not speak of them that sin but to them do not judg but reprove 7 thly That without which no Society can be maintained no Relation faithfully improved certainly is an unquestionable Duty but so is Reproof No Society can be maintained for Faults will arise the Injured will vent themselves in Passion or Reproof now which conduceth to the Welfare of Humane Society And for Relations how can I be faithful to God in them unless I make Advantage of this Nearness and Frequency of Converse for spiritual Use Even good Men will miscarry if we be privy to it must we hold our Peace Well then observe the Reasonableness of God's Ordinance III. What is Reproof It is an Act of Charity or Mercy by which we seek by fit Discourse to draw our Brother from Sin to his Duty 1. It is an Act of Charity and Mercy not of Pride and Vain-glory Iam. 3.1 My Brethren be not many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater Condemnation No it is not an Act of Mastery or rash Judging but of Mercy towards our Brother in his spiritual Misery as he hath rendred himself obnoxious to God's Wrath. 2. The Means it useth is fit Discourse not Correction and Chastening but Correption or Rebuke It must be dispensed in most wholesome ways such as may be most fit to gain a Sinner and heal his Soul To some we must use more Tenderness but more Sharpness to others In general we reprove from God's Word Col. 3.16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all VVisdom teaching and admonishing one another That the Offender may see God reproving him rather than Man as Christ reproved the Pharisees with mere Words of Scripture Matth. 15.7 8 9. Ye Hypocrites well did Esaias prophesy of you saying This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouths and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. The Reproof must be insinuated as the Matter requireth either by Exhortation Admonition or Caution 3. The End not to shame him but to gain him from Sin to his Duty If the Man be good to set him in joint again Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a Fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted If carnal to take this Occasion to turn him from Sin to Holiness or to save his Soul from Death Iam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the Sinner from the Error of his way shall save a Soul from Death and shall hide a Multitude of Sins IV. Let us see when this Duty bindeth or bindeth not For it being an Affirmative Precept it doth not bind at all times but as circumstantiated Affirmative Precepts non ligant ad semper do not always bind as negative Precepts do for evil Actions are never lawful Affirmative Precepts bind only when Time and Place and other Circumstances concur and then the Omission is faulty The Question then is At what times and in what Circumstances this Duty bindeth 1. It bindeth not if I do not certainly or probably know the Sin of my Neighbour For Reproof by way of Charge must be upon an apparent Crime as Gal. 2.11 But when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to the Face because he was to be blamed 1 Cor. 5.1 It is reported commonly that there is Fornication among you and such Fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his Father's VVife 1 Cor. 1.11 For it hath been declared unto me of you my Brethren by them which are of the House of Cloe that there are Contentions among you Mark the Grounds he goeth upon certain Knowledg publick Fame and valuable Testimony It is commonly reported And it is declared by the House of Cloe. Faults that we reprove must be certainly known and evident we may not reprove upon bare
one wounded with Thieves and he had Compassion on him and went to him and bound up his Wounds pouring in Oil and Wine and set him on his own Beast and brought him to an Inn and took Care of him ver 33 34. So here The Papists indeed make this Limitation Nisi probabiliter praesumatur aliunde nacturum qui eum corripiat Except he probably presume that another will reprove him But this Presumption must be evident and rational not probable only and where I am privy to it and know it and procure it and know how much better he is able to manage it than my self then I am not to take it out of his Hands or when others are present whose Gifts and Office more oblige them to it 6. When he doth expect a better Opportunity his Omission is not faulty for the present for all things must be gone about in their Season Eccles. 3.7 There is a time to keep Silence and a time to speak And in another Place Because to every Man there is Time and Iudgment therefore the Misery of Man is great upon him Eccles. 8.6 7 8. He speaketh of the Misery Men contract upon themselves by disproving publick Disorders especially in great Persons Princes and Potentates Therefore certainly it concerneth us to take a fit Season Not when a Man is drunk as Abigail told Nabal not a Word when the Wine was in his Head 1 Sam. 25.36 37. Not when they are in the Heat of Passion for then they are not capable of discerning Right and Reason Iam. 1.20 For the Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God Therefore Opportunity and Conveniency of Circumstances must be considered and improved Yet here is Caution still we must not adjourn it too far Life is short and Sin groweth Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin And it must be done at length if we have long waited for a Season and cannot find it we must make it and break a Rule of Civil Prudence rather than violate Conscience for Civilities must not prescribe to Religion 7. If it be uncertain whether that which you reprove for be a Sin as suppose some kind of Games or Sports which are questionable because usually they do hurt ingross time and inchant the Mind and are as the excelsa Mundi the High-places of the World that have a strange Blast and Judgment of God upon them though we cannot say that for the Nature of them they are utterly unlawful What shall we do in this Case Many weak People are importunate to have others reproved for these things but if once we give way to this it looketh like an Itch of reproving and if we reprove for doubtful Matters Men fly from our Reproof for what is clear and open Yet we may hold an Argument and prudently debate things and discourse about them but take heed you do not hinder your selves in Matters that are of more weighty Importance 8. When greater Loss and Damage may come to our selves by the Reproof than Benefit to the Reproved It is out of Question that he that can easily discharge this Duty without any considerable Inconveniency and only forbear it out of Sloth and Pusillanimity hath the greater Sin if he doth it not for he standeth with God for a Trifle But now if a considerable Damage shall redound to my self in discharging this Duty it is of Weight in this Matter Our Lord saith Matth. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto Dogs neither cast ye your Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their Feet and turn again and rent you As suppose there be a Danger of your Life having to do with a contemptuous Sinner if I carry my Life in my Hand and put it to hazard there must be many things considered in this Case But now in extream Cases if our Neighbour be in present Danger of losing his Soul with the Danger of my bodily Life I am to do what I can to save his Soul The Work is good the Danger depending upon a future Event is not absolutely certain God can preserve me however it is a part of much Self-denial to venture all in God's Hands 9. Publick Reproof is sometimes not always necessary If the Sin be publick either as committed in Sight before all 1 Tim. 5.20 Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear or as judged by a publick Judicatory Or if an hidden Sin tends to the Damage of the Community or a greater hurt follow upon it than the Loss of my Neighbour's Fame or if the Person have lost all Right to Fame or to a good Name as some have forfeited it I need not stand nicely upon their good Name but in such Cases I am to reprove publickly In other Cases the Reproof must be private and the Rule is Matth. 18.15 Go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone Vse 1. If we are to reprove others let us take Care that we be innocent our selves not culpable but blameless They that are faulty themselves cannot reprove others without Blushing and great Shame Pull out the Beam out of thine own Eye Physician heal thy self Matth. 7.3 4 5. And why beholdest thou the Mote that is in thy Brother's Eye but considerest not the Beam that is in thine own Eye Or how wilt thou say to thy Brother Let me pull out the Mote out of thine Eye and behold a Beam is in thine own Eye Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam out of thine own Eye and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the Mote out of thy Brother's Eye Rom. 2.21 Thou that sayest a Man should not steal dost thou commit Sacrilege The Iews were tender of Idolatry after they had smarted in the Matter of the Golden Calf yet all the latter Prophets condemn them for Sacrilege and robbing God of 〈◊〉 due If we are faulty our selves either in the same kind or worse we spoil our Reproof Psal. 141.5 Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a Kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oil. They may admonish with the greater Authority Others are remotely bound they nearly others not without special Repentance and Humility acknowledging their own Sins and desiring they may not be Examples to harden others A Sinner is not freed from the Debt of Love but he is bound humbly to acknowledge his Sin and forsake it that he may be fit to reprove others Vse 2. If others be bound to reprove certainly you are bound to take a Reproof Solomon brings in the wretched Sinner when his Sin hath found him out speaking thus Prov. 5.12 13. How have I hated Instruction and my Heart despised Reproof and have not obeyed the Voice of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me These are the Lamentations of one that is ready to perish in his Sin And Prov. 10.17 He is in
these little ones a Cup of cold Water only in the Name of a Disciple he shall in no wise lose his Reward The Smalness and Meanness of the Benefit Help and Refreshing done to any in Christ's Name shall not make it lose its Estimation and Recompence This though hardly credited by the unbelieving World is very true Verily I say unto you and he shall in no wise c. they are emphatical Expressions But now the more eminent Services which are carried on with Hazard and Difficulty and very considerable Self-denial surely they shall not fail of their Recompence Whatever we lose for Christ we shall receive again with infinite Advantage Mark 10.29 30. And Iesus answered and said Verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel's but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecution and in the World to come eternal Life He shall in this Life in the midst of his Persecutions and the time of his Trials and Troubles have an hundred-fold not in kind an hundred Wives and Mothers as Iulian and Nero scoffed at the Christians but in Value in Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the Satisfaction of having discharged his Duty But God will not rest there in the World to come he shall have eternal Life Now then the Argument groweth upon our Hands If self-denying Obedience would be not only Man's Loss but utter Ruin and he be made miserable by his Duty without any Recompence God would not only be not the best but the worst Master and they that suffer the Loss of Life and all things by the Cruelty of their Persecutors would be utter Losers by their Faithfulness and Obedience to God which is contrary to the Experience of all Mankind and all that natural Light and Sense of Religion that is in Mens Hearts Surely Christ would never proselyte us to a Religion that is our undoing nor shall any of his People be Losers by him or they that venture the most for him be in the worst Condition and therefore there must be another Life wherein he will fulfil the Good he hath promised and execute the Evil threatned 2. From the Nature State and Condition of Man 1. He is God's Subject not left at Liberty to break or keep God's Laws at his own Pleasure which he would seem to be if no harm would come to it yea present Good and Profit For we see here the Wicked live a Life of Pomp and Ease and often have their Will upon the Godly and oppress them at their Pleasure their Wickedness is their Advantage Now this is not only a great Discouragement to the Gracious and Heavenly-minded but would quite destroy all Obedience if there were not Assurance of a better Estate Therefore God expresses himself as particularly ingaged to punish such as flatter themselves with Hopes of Impunity though they go on in their Wickedness Deut. 29.19 20. And it came to pass when he heareth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine Heart to add Drunkenness to Thirst. The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his Iealousy shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven They that add the moist to the dry and the dry to the moist So Zeph. 1.12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with Candles and punish the Men that are setled upon their Lees that say in their Heart The Lord will not do Good neither will he do Evil. And on the other side he considereth the Case of the Faithful that they have an opposite Principle against their Duty within their Hearts which must be always curbed and suppressed and they meet with many Temptations from the Oppositions and Reproaches of those that like not that sort of Life which they addict and apply themselves unto and therefore if they have not sufficient Motives to keep them in the Love of God and Obedience to the End how shall they bear up against all these Blasts of Persecution when all the World is against them They need both their Cordials and their Solaces from another and better World Therefore God assureth them that their Fidelity and Obedience shall not be lost that they are blessed already and shall be perfectly blessed hereafter Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the Man that indureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoice in as much as ye are Partakers of Christ's Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding Ioy. That is that these Sufferings are sure Pledges of the Glory that shall insue Their Joy is suspended while the Glory of Christ is under a Vail but when he is manifested to the World they shall be manifested to be the Children of God Alas otherwise what would become of the best Servants God hath in the World when they are hooted at by the Clamours of the wicked Rabble and pursued with sharp Laws and exposed to great Difficulties and Hardships if they had no Life to live but this The bare Sense of our Duty would not support us in this State of Imperfection if there were not a great Recompence of Reward set before us So that the Perswasion of another Life is necessary to secure our Duty 2. Man is bound to be upright and sincere in God's Service or to get such a Constitution of Soul as to resolve to adhere to God whatever Temptations he hath to the contrary Our Lord describeth the good Ground to be that good and honest Heart which having received the Word keeps it and brings forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 This was a Principle not denied by many Heathens who esteemed the love of Honesty and Goodness better than this mortal Life with all its Appurtenances and thought that a Man was never sincere nor throughly honest till he did abhor the Practice of any Villany and Impiety more than Death and those things which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely good a Man ought to love them more than Life and lose Life rather than omit their Practice Now such Principles whether they saw it yea or no do necessarily conclude and infer a Life after this much better than this is and an Estate of Torment much worse than Death to those that have lived and died dishonestly For every thing that hath a Being doth by an indispensible Law of Nature desire the continuance of its Being but most of all its Well-being or the bettering of
to us An Earnest is a part of the Sum which is promised so is the Earnest of the Spirit a part of the promised Felicity God would not altogether weary us and burden us with Expectation but giveth us somewhat in hand Surely he that giveth us Earnest will give us the whole Sum the Earnest of the Spirit consisteth in Light Life Grace Joy one Dram of these is more precious than all the World and yet these are but an Earnest Now having such a Confirmation in the midst of our Doubts and Fears let us with more Confidence look to receive the whole in due Season 4. Some already have got home to God upon the same Terms and in the same Way in which you expect to get home to him Think often of the Happiness of the Blessed who are now enjoying what we expect and are in possession of that supreme Good which we hope for They are entred into the Joy of our Lord and have neither Miseries to fear nor Blessings to desire beyond what they enjoy they possess all that they love And tho the time of our Advancement to these Privileges be not yet come yet we should look and long for it We are all of the same Family Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named It is but one Houshold some live in the upper Room some in the lower some in Heaven some on Earth but we are all of the same Society and Community Heb. 12.23 To the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven We are said to be already come into this Fellowship only they have gotten the start of us and are made perfect before us that we should follow after We are reconciled to the same God by the same Christ Col 1.20 By him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And we expect our Portion from the Bounty of the same Father If he hath been so good to that part of the Family which is now in Heaven will he not be as good to the other Part also Therefore they that are working out their Salvation with fear and trembling may encourage themselves and look upon this Felicity as prepared for them tho not enjoyed by them It will one day be their Portion as well as those others who have passed the Pikes and are now triumphing with God A SERMON UPON ROMANS II. 7 To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life IN this Scripture we have a plain and full Character of the Heirs of Promise or a short but compleat Description of that Good which is necessary to Life The Words are occasioned by the Apostle's mentioning of the righteous Judgment of God which rendereth to every Man according to their Works That General mentioned in ver 6. is more distinctly explained in the next Verses wherein he sheweth how the righteous Judg will carry himself towards the Good and towards the Bad in the Judgment of Absolution and Condemnation towards the Good in the Text toward the Bad ver 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indignation and Wrath. The one is a Reward of Grace and the other is a Punishment awarded by his exact Justice We are to consider the first of these the Reward of Grace To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life In the Words observe the Qualification and the Reward 1. The Qualification or Description of the Heirs of Promise 1. By their End and Design They seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality 2. The Means or way wherein they seek it by well-doing 3. Their Constancy and Perseverance in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by patient Continuance Well then 1 st Here is a short and full Description of those who shall be saved They are those who out of the Hope of the eternal Reward persevere in the Obedience of the Truth for they that continue in well-doing are opposed to them that obey not the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Whereby is intended those that sin against the Light of Nature and refuse the Direction of the Gospel So that well-doing must be stated partly by the Light of Nature and partly by the Light of Scripture or rather by this latter alone as it comprizeth and explaineth the other And their Constancy and patient Continuance in this Work is as considerable as the Work it self Continuance implieth a constant Tenour of Righteousness and Holiness and patient Continuance implies Continuance notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary or bearing the Persecutions which they underwent for the Duties of the Christian Profession still going on in the Pursuit of that Reward which Christ hath promised 2. The Reward is Eternal Life This they looked and this they laboured for They were not carried on upon temporal Incouragements but eternal Bliss in the World to come And this is an excellent Counterpoise against the Loss or the Discomforts of the present Life Doct. That God will give Eternal Life to all those who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek after it The Point will be best opened by discussing the Circumstances of the Text. I shall speak I. Of the Qualification II. Of the Reward I. The Qualification And there I must speak First Of their Design and Aim They seek for Glory Honour and Immortality In all Businesses and Affairs the end must be first thought of Now these Persons which are here described propound to themselves the noblest and highest End which the Heart of Man can pitch upon even Glory Honour and Immortality Amongst Men the Ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms and aim at perpetual Fame by their Vertues and rare Exploits are judged Persons of greater Gallantry than covetous Muckworms and brutish Epicures yet their highest Thoughts and Designs are very base and low in comparison of sincere Christians who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality and whom nothing less will content and satisfy than the Injoyment of God himself in his Heavenly Kingdom and all that Happiness which he hath promised to his faithful Servants The Threshold will not content them but the Throne Their End is far more noble than the Designs of all the rest of the World And whereas others do carry themselves but as an higher and wiser sort of Beasts and so are unworthy of an immortal Soul these carry themselves as Men possessed with a Divine Spirit The Beasts have an Instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that Life which they have And a Man that is satisfied with his Portion here and only relisheth the Contentments of the rational and bodily Life carrieth himself more like a living Creature than a rational Creature more like a Beast than like a Man All their Business and Bustle is to have their
is necessary to all that would be faithful with God and are sure Notes of his People II. The Reward is eternal Life This will make amends for all By it is meant all manner of Happiness 1. Eternal Life is a Freedom from all Misery whatsoever in Estates Names Relations Bodies Souls As the Body is free from all Weakness so the Soul is free from all Sin faultless without Spot or Wrinkle 2. There is a perfect and intire Possession of all manner of Good God is all in all to them 3. This Estate is to abide for ever and ever Vse 1. Let us examine whether we be in the Number of those that shall be saved Eternal Life is believed of all Christians at least with a dead opinionative Belief they do not count it a Lie or a Fable Now who are those that shall injoy it for God will not give it to all I answer Here is a plain Note and Evidence by which you may judg your Claim 1. They are such as seek it 2. They seek it in a way of well-doing 3. They continue thus to do 1. They that seek it For God will never bring us to Heaven without our Wills nor against our Consent nor make that Man happy that doth not desire to be so yea that doth not seek it in the first Place Now this cutteth off a great many all them that do nothing towards the attaining of it and all them that seek nothing have no setled Design but live at hap-hazard as Occasion offereth and leave the Boat to the Stream That come into the World they know not why and go out of the World they know not whither All such careless and inconsiderate People can have no Claim all such have no higher End than to injoy their sensual Pleasures while they may Besides they that do not seek it in the first Place They do something but it is little or nothing to the purpose The Strength and Choice of their Desires and Indeavours are not directed this way Eternal Life must be esteemed and chosen above other things which draw our Hearts and must be chiefly sought after in our Indeavours and then something may be gathered from seeking 2. They seek it in a way of well-doing not only praying for it but living according to the Directions of God's holy Word That is to say by seeking his Favour in Christ and maintaining Communion with God in the Spirit by serious Converses with him in the Means of Grace governing our Affections and Passions and by a constant Self-denial Mortification and Temperance getting a Victory over the World and the Desires of the Flesh. And as to others by carrying our selves in all Meekness and Charity without Envy Malice Injury and Oppression and doing Good to all as we have Opportunity especially to the Houshold of Faith This is the well-doing recommended to us in the Scripture and this is our Beginning and Progress towards eternal Life for we must apprehend it not only under the Notion of Glory and Immortality but under the Notion of exact Holiness as well as compleat Happiness under the Notion of Conformity to God and Communion with God for God's Will is done in Heaven as well as upon Earth and the Heaven of Christians is to see God and to be like him Many seem to desire it as a State of Felicity but they hate it as a State of perfect Holiness which is the better part of it a sinless immaculate Estate Well then by this part of the Evidence many are excluded Partly all those who live according to their own Humours and Fancies and vain Desires and the Customs of Men or the Course of this World and were never acquainted with a Life of Holiness spent in Communion with God and Subjection to his Will Partly also all they that do Evil dishonour God oppress and wrong their Brethren by Violence or Slanders and live in Malice and Envy who were never acquainted with Self-government or bridling their sensual and worldly Desires so that the Honours Profits and Pleasures of the Flesh have the Preheminence in their Esteem Choice and Practice Partly too all those that do no Good that have not fed visited clothed relieved the Destitute comforted the Afflicted Matth. 25.41 42 43 44 45. Then shall he say also to them on the left Hand Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for I was an hungry and ye gave me no Meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in Prison and ye visited me not Then shall they answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or athirst or a Stranger or naked or sick or in Prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you Inasmuch as ye did it not to the least of these ye did it not to me In short all those who yield no Obedience to God but cast off his Yoke or that yield a partial Obedience submitting it may be to outward Acts of Worship but neglecting the Duties of Justice and Charity or on the other side make Conscience of Duties of Commerce with Men but delight not in Communion with God and trouble not themselves with seeking his Favour and Reconciliation by Christ. 3. They are such as continue patiently in a Course of well-doing to the end of their Lives For it is not enough to begin well but the Work must still be carried on till we come to receive our Reward Heb. 3.14 For we are made Partakers of Christ if we hold the Beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the end But you will say If our Comfort be suspended upon this Condition then we can never know that we are Heirs of Promise till we come to die I answer It is not Event us perseverandi not actual Perseverance to the end which maketh the Evidence but Labor Conatus Cura perseverandi the Resolution and Endeavour to continue in a diligent use of all Means to continue in the way of well-doing and to please God in all things And the more you thus give diligence to persevere in this holy Purpose the more Assurance you get of the Goodness of your Condition Heb. 6.11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same Diligence to the full assurance of Hope to the end that ye be not slothful c. A Christian may be assured and his Assurance groweth upon him the more he sets himself continually to obey God Now this part of the Evidence cuts off partly all those that are only good by Fits and Starts and good Moods sometimes they set their Faces Heavenward but their Lusts return and then they are worse than they were before partly those who prove final Apostates they began to build but they leave the Work unfinished and after they have escaped the Pollutions of the VVorld through the
time come when the Strength of your Comforts will be tried Here you sit a brooding upon Wealth as the Partridg upon rotten Eggs and what then At his latter End he shall be a Fool Jer. 17.11 Why at his latter End Then he shall be so in the Conviction of his own Conscience his own Heart will call him Fool O Fool O mad Man that I was in lavishing out my Time Strength and Care upon that which will yield me no Comfort Mr. Fox tells us of a rich Cardinal when about to die cried out And must I die that am so rich Will not Death be bribed Will Money do nothing now This will be your Case and Condition when you come to die if you get not an Interest in this strong Consolation As that Pagan Emperor warbled out to his Soul O animula blandula vagula quo nunc abibis c. O where is this Soul of mine going You that now shine in Bravery that eat of the fattest and drink of the sweetest when your Day is gone what will become of you you must die and go from all this Nothing then but Peace of Conscience and spiritual Comfort will serve the turn O for one Dram of this Comfort then when Death is nigh and God is angry Men keep a great deal of Bustle now to get Honour and break through all Restraints of Honesty and Conscience to work themselves into worldly Greatness O but when they come to die how will this be upon their Heart What would they give then for Peace of Conscience and this strong Consolation which God vouchsafeth to the Heirs of Promise But then no Price will be given to God That look as a Husband when he surprizeth his Wife in her Adulterous Imbraces He will not spare in the Day of Vengeance he will not regard any Ransom neither will he rest content tho thou givest many Gifts Prov. 6.34 35. So when God hath surprized you in the midst of your Whoredoms when you have diverted your Respects from and been disloyal to him it is the Day of his Vengeance and he will take no Ransom What will a Man give in Exchange for his Soul There will be such a dying-hour which thou must expect it is hard by Christians have you Comforts strong enough to encounter the Terrors and Horrors of Death within a little while you will be put to trial 4. It informs us that Christians put a Disparagement upon their Comforts when they are dejected with every Fear and Trouble This is much beneath God's Oath the Merit of Christ and the Joy of the Holy Ghost and all the Provision the three Persons have made As for Instance 1. When your Comforts are too weak as you fain in every Affliction Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is small Thou hast small Comfort if it will not bear thee out in outward Trouble God and Christ and the Spirit they are as it were trying their Skill I would speak it with Reverence to raise up a Confidence in Believers that shall be Affliction-proof now if you are presently gone when put to trial you disparage this strong Consolation and frustrate all the Provision they make for you Many a Heathen would do better upon moral Principles and behave themselves with a greater Generosity and Bravery of Spirit You know that Question Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee the meaning is Is all the Provision of Comfort and Grace and Joy in the Spirit too slender to bear you up in this Affliction What do you expect Christians Would you have better Provision than God hath made Dost thou expect greater Promises surer Mercies and a more able Christ to bear up thy Heart Are not all the Consolations of God able to raise you up Thus when you are overcome in every Trial. 2. When you are full of Doubts Bondage and servile Fears you disparage God's Consolation As for Instance when you cannot think of the Judgment without Horror Acts 24.25 As he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled or of Death without Bondage Heb. 2.15 Through fear of Death they were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christians now and then we should be making Experiments and trying the Strength of our Comforts and say thus Can I venture my everlasting Estate upon this Confidence Would I be thus found if Christ were coming to Judgment 1 John 4.17 Herein is Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the Day of Iudgment Take it for God's Apprehensions of his Love to us or our Apprehensions of our Love to God we should still be providing for that Day and citing our selves before Christ's Tribunal that we might see of what Strength our Consolation is SERMON IV. HEB. VI. 18 We might have a strong Consolation c. Vse 2. TO press you to look after this strong Consolation O! be not contented until you have the Fruit of God's Oath that you may be able to live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for your Comfort in the Covenant It is a Condescension that God will give us his Oath and this is the Fruit of it that we might have strong Consolation to see our Names in God's Book and our Heaven in Christ's Possession I shall press you with Arguments both of Duty and Profit First For Arguments of Duty 1. It is for God's Honour that his People should walk comfortably Two things there are which God glories most in the Holiness and the Comfort of his People in the Holiness as he is a God of Grace in their Comfort as he is a God of Consolation It is said in Scripture There is none holy as the Lord. God would have the World know that there is none can sanctify but he alone Moral Principles may change the Life but he only can change the Heart And then it is said there is none like him in Pardon Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity God would have the World know that there is no Comfort so strong and sweet as that which he conveyeth In your Lives God will be glorified in Holiness in your Deaths God will be glorified in your Comfort Ier. 6.16 Where is the good Way and walk therein and you shall find Rest for your Souls Is there any such Comfort to be had as my People have as they have found in the way they have beaten the beaten Path of Faith Repentance and Godliness 2. As it is for God's Glory so for our Profit we look upon Comfort with Jealousy knowing we have deserved none we are guilty Creatures therefore are loth to entertain it even upon God's Terms Joy is the strength of the Soul Neh. 8.10 The Ioy of the Lord is your Strength and that in all Duties Satan knoweth that while the Conscience is kept raw the Soul is unfit for Action A Christian never acts so strongly so regularly as when he is filled
with God's Love Again there are some special Duties which cannot be performed without Comfort as rejoicing in God Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice You cannot have comfortable Thoughts of God your Meditation of God will not be sweet until you have Apprehensions of his Grace And you cannot long for the Presence of Christ. It is the Spirit in the Bride that saith Come Rev. 22.17 God will not be sweet nor the Day of Judgment looked upon with Hope and Longing And so for Thankfulness for Mercies Thanksgiving is the Vent of Comfort and Joy 3. Tho it costs you Pains it will make amends at length All excellent things are encompassed with Difficulty Comforts would not be rightly prized nor rightly managed if they did not cost us Pains and Diligence The Heir that comes to his Estate without Labour spends it riotously many times whereas those that know the getting of an Estate are careful in spending it so when we come lightly by Comfort we are apt to abuse it It must cost Pains for it is the Nature of Man to slight things that are easily obtained 4. Consider Comforts were to be suspected if they cost you nothing Foolish Presumption is like a Night-dream soon gone like a Mushroom that grows up in a Night or like Ionah's Gourd Behold thou hast not laboured neither madest it to grow saith God Ionah 4.10 So an idle Conceit without Labour that you receive you know not how comes to nothing False Comfort casts a false shadow upon the Soul for a while to shelter it from the Wrath of God but the Worm of Conscience will soon devour it But a settled solid Comfort tho it costs much Pains yet it will stick by you and satisfy you for all the Expence of Labour and Travel of Soul to which it puts you Secondly Take notice of the Benefit that this Comfort will bring you how it will sweeten all things sweeten God Christ Providence Ordinances Mercies Afflictions nay Death it self 1. It will make God sweet to you Psal. 104.34 David saith My Meditation of him shall be sweet O how sweet is this when we can think of God without Horror and Trembling His Mercy will be sweeter to you because it is yours this is your Portion His Justice will not be your Terror but Support your Comforts are bottom'd upon God's Justice as well as his Mercy 1 Iohn 1.9 the Apostle doth not say he is faithful and gracious but faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness You have a hold-fast upon God by the Merit of Christ and so you may expect a Crown from a righteous Judg. Nay his very Wrath will increase your Comfort why because this you have escaped Look as a sense of Danger heightneth the Deliverance so for Reflections upon God's Wrath if it be opened to you in a Sermon or to your own Thoughts how may you rejoice that you are delivered from it No Man can look upon the Sea with more Comfort than he that hath escaped a danger of Shipwrack so will you with Comfort look upon all the Bitterness and Dregs and Sowrness of God's Wrath this you have escaped as the Israelites when they saw the Egyptians dead on the Shore sung a Song of Praise Nay this will make the Magnificence of his creating Power sweet when you walk in the Fields and view the Structure of the Heavens you will say Heaven is my Father's Palace and mine in Christ All things are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3.22 23. 2. This will make Christ sweet when-ever he is represented in the Word and crucified before your Eyes and you can say as Thomas My Lord and my God John 20.28 A possible Salvation is nothing so sweet as that which Assurance gives Conjecture gives but a Taste as those Hypocrites had but a Taste of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Heb. 6.5 but this is nothing to an actual Interest when you can say My God how doth it fill the Soul with Ravishment and Sweetness 3. This will make all his Providences sweet the dreadful Acts of his Justice and terrible things of Righteousness which God discovereth to the Sons of Men. Look as a Son is much delighted in a History wherein are recorded his own Father's valiant Acts so will you take Pleasure in meditating upon the Providences of God they are the mighty Acts of your God and Father 4. This will make Ordinances sweet As Prayer it brings the Soul sweetly into God's Presence It is a far greater Advantage to cry Our Father than to cry Lord Lord. Observe it when you will Duties are a Burden either when we have a false Peace or none When we have a false Peace for then we are loth to disturb our carnal Quiet it breeds a Quarrel between vile Affections and natural Conscience Or when we have no Peace Fears are revived and come upon us anew as Guilt ariseth at the Presence of the Judg or an offended Party O but when we can say God is our reconciled God! what a Comfort is this It is sweet to draw nigh in the assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 Let us draw nigh in full assurance of Faith This will make the Word sweet the Word relishes not unless we have some Interest in the Comforts of it Things which do not concern us affect us not Tho a Man come with never so much comfortable Promises they taste not sweet until we have a Propriety in them A Taste presupposeth Hope O but how sweet will it be when we shall come to the Word as to the reading of our own Charter as the Indenture which is drawn between God and us by which all Privileges are made over to us and can apply the Promises and say this was God's unchangeable Purpose given me in Christ And this makes the Supper of the Lord sweet for then you can come as one of God's Friends and invited Guests Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O Beloved Cant. 5.1 Others hope well but you are sure of Welcome and Entertainment 5. This makes all particular Providences of God to your selves sweet when they are dipp'd in Love for all things shall work together for good to you Rom. 8.28 Though a single Dispensation may seem to go cross to your Desires and Hopes yet there 's no Curse in it as a crooked Stick in a Faggot makes the whole more compacted Cant. 4.16 Awake O North Wind and come thou South Mark North and South Wind two contrary Blasts from different Corners however it be it doth Good to the Church Whencesoever the Blast comes be it a gentle Breath that comes this way or a cold nipping Wind that comes an other way it makes the Spices to flow out O how sweet are Mercies when they are wrapp'd up in the Bowels of Christ and sent to us as a Token from Heaven and we can see Love
he be our Judge we ought to take the Law from his Mouth and put our selves into his hands to be guided and ordered by him that we may find favour in that day This is evident every one would seek to be approved by his Judge and that Christ is our Judge is evident by his Resurrection and his Doctrine alone with any probability of Reason pretendeth to the reparation of Mankind and to set them in joynt again that they may live to God Let Men have but the sense of a Judgment to come soundly laid up in their Hearts and Consciences and they can have no Rest while they keep off from the Gospel 3. This doth best solve the doubts about present Providence Paul doth not teach Felix that the Christian Religion doth make any difference between the Just and Unjust as to their outward condition in the World or between the Temperate and Intemperate no for the Just may be oppressed and the Unjust thrive or else Felix had never been in power And as for the Temperate their Religion would make them miserable while they deny the desires of the flesh No here there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked and they be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous Eccl. 8.4 But there is a judgment to come wherein every Man shall be judged according to what he hath done in this Life All Men must appear and receive their doom and some go into everlasting life others into everlasting punishment 2. The manner is to be considered The word must be closely and prudently applied for here is both a close and prudent Application 1 Close he discourseth of Virtues opposite to the Vices wherewith this Man was blemished the Word hath force of its self yet managed with dexterity as a Dart that falleth by its own weight it will pierce but especially when feathered and directed and cast by a skilful hand and levelled at the mark This is Iesus whom ye have Crucified And when they heard that they were pricked at the heart Acts 2.36 37. Not when they saw the Miracle not while the Doctrine was delivered In the Doctrine delivered we do but bend the Bow in Application we let fly the Arrow and shoot at the mark A clap of Thunder when distant doth not startle me but when it is my own Zenith 2 Prudent Paul is here an example of Prudence as well as of Faithfulness when he spake to Felix and Drusilla he doth not charge them with Intemperance or Unchastity or Injustice but discourseth of Justice and Temperance that by that which is right they might understand that which is crooked and from the Rule know their own Enormity He lays the Looking-glass before their Eyes and lets them see themselves and behold their natural Face in a Glass III. The Effect or Fruit how it doth or may come to nothing 1. Through the levity of Man whose pangs of Devotion are soon spent the Righteousness of the Hypocrite is compared to the Morning Clouds and the early Dews Hosea 6.4 The righteousness of the upright to the Morâ—ing light Prov. 4.18 2. Their addictedness to their Lusts which is greater than their affection to Religion Luk 8.14 And that which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection Sentiments of Religion dye away through cares of the World or voluptuous living 3. Their unskilfulness in handling wounds of Conscience Some think they are never wound enough but it is not the deepness of the wound but the soundness of Cure that is to be regarded Some heal their wounds slightly a palliate Cure they skin it over when it Festreth within Others dissemble it till it proveth deadly Others run to a worldly Cure as if Soul-Thirst could be quenched at the next Ditch or an evil Spirit could be cured by Musick Some by a clatter and dinn of business put off that which they do not put away Amos 6.3 Ye put away the evil day Cain in anguish of Conscience fell a building of Cities 4. Want of God's Grace Acts 16.14 And a certain woman named Lidia which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened Which is forfeited by the party who hath common helps and advantages Some put away the Word Acts 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life lo we turn to the Gentiles Some put away trouble of Conscience Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is flesh Some lose their Tasts and Relishes of Christian Doctrine and relapse into a carnal Savour Heb. 6.3 4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to renew them to Repentance 1. Use Information we learn divers profitable Lessons from hence 1. The power of the Word Here is a notable Instance of it if we consider the person who trembled Felix 1 By Religion a Pagan who did not believe the Gospel The Devils believe and tremble and the Word worketh effectually in them that believe But here an Infidel is fain to stoop to the evidence of it and at the same time it breaketh upon his Heart and Mind so far as to make him afraid 2 By his quality a Judge the Prisoner maketh the Judge tremble Outward distance and disadvantages should not discourage us our Testimony rightly managed may alarm the Consciences of those who are ready to condemn us 3 By his Disposition not a Devout Man but a Man hardned in a course of sinning We should despair of none God can find his way into the Consciences of the most sensual 4 For his outward condition a Man glutted with worldly Happiness yet the thoughts of the other World will soon souer all the prosperitie of the present life 5 For his Temper now he sent for Paul out of Curiosity to satisfy his Jewish Wife or Minion but God can make use of Man's sins to Glorifie himself and his Truth This Power of the Word this convincing Power should be often thought of they that feel it not fear it Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 2. The profitableness of insisting upon the last Judgment that we may perswade you and you may suffer your selves to be perswaded It is the great awe-bond to beget in us a sense of our Duty and Sin For First 't is an impartial Judgment that must pass upon all high or low rich or poor Revel 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books
were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works Outward Friend or Foe Heathen or Christian Officer or private Person 1 Pet. 1.17 And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth every man according to his work Secondly It is a strict and just Judgment Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness Now God winks at many faults ver 30. Thirdly It is our final Doom our eternal Estate dependeth on it We must be judged to everlasting Joy or everlasting Torment Fourthly It is near and asure For the Iudge standeth before the door Jam. 5.9 Every Week Day Hour Minure we approach nearer to it 3. The â—oarness of a bad Conscience and what unsound terms it is with God Felix is set a trembling by Paul Belshazzer's edge taken off in the midst of his carowzing Daâ— 5.6 Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another So true is that Heb. 2.15 Who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondâ—ge 4. The necessity of a strict Obedience We should carry our selves so that the Word may comfort us not make us afraid discharging our Duties to God to our Neighbor and to our Selves Tit. 2.12 Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Paul mentioneth here two Parts as suiting to his purpose but there are three and Godly the chief part of which is to seek our Reconciliation with God by Christ then to love him and delight in him and serve him faithfully doing his Will seeking his Glory Righteously that we may be just to our neighbor doing to others as we would be dealt with our selves Soberly Sobriety and Temperance lyeth in Self-government that he possess his vessel in Sanctification and Honour keep himself unspotted from the World subdue the Flesh that it may not wax wanton that the heart be not hardned nor Conscience stupified and so become uncapable of Spiritual things and so still Crucify the Flesh and inure the Mind to Heavenly things 5. The sottishness of them who are not moved so far as Felix was who hear of Righteousness Temperance Judgment to come and are not a whit moved Object But you will say our Hearts are established by Grace why should we be afraid of the future Judgment Answ. 1. To be only moved with fear and terror is slavish 2. You should have a deep Reverence of His Majesty and so be afraid to displease him 3. You must distinguish between a perplexing distrustful fear and an Holy preventive eschewing Fear 4. There are great Reasons why this Fear should have an influence upon us while we dwell in flesh 1 Because the wrath of God was once our due 2 We still deserve it 3 It is certainly a great and extream difficulty to get free from so great an evil See the Authors Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.11 pa. 113. 2. Use. Caution which is double 1. Do not lose the advantage of this common work but when the waters are stirred put in for Cure It may be lost 1 partly by delays or dreams of a more convenient season The sinners Morrow will never come delay is but a plausible denial the sinners non vacat is non placet Luke 14.18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse 2 Partly by disobedience or relapses into our old crimes so Felix returned to his bribery and licentious course Therefore let us open our hearts to Christ's knocking Reasons 1. It is very dangerous None so bad as those that quench these Convictions The Holy Ghost by the power of the Word fetteth them a trembling many times at the thoughts of their condition and they have some kind of mind to let sin goe but it cometh to nothing Iron often heated and oft quenched is the more hard the parts are more united and condensed As water heated in cold weather being more rarified freezeth the faster Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy 2. You lose your season the time wherein God will be found There is a twofold season the time of God's Grace and our Capacity 1 The time of God's Grace God the Father's time is while he waiteth 1 Pet. 3.20 When once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah The Sons time is when the Gospel offers are made to us To day if you will hear his voice Heb. 3.7 2 Cor. 6.1 2. We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain for he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation The Spirit 's season is the time of the motions of his Spirit Gen. 6 3. My spirit shall not always strive with man Acts 7.5 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost 2. The time of our Capacity When Conscience is awakened the Word is most likely to make an impression upon us as when the Wax is hot it will receive the impression of the Seal 2. do not rest in a common Work that you hear the Word and are some way affected Herod rejoyced Felix trembled God hath never our Hearts till he hath gained our Love as well as our Fear Felix trembled God gained upon his Fear but he never hath our Hearts till he hath our Delight and such a Delight as is not controlled by other Delights when I love him above all and rejoyce in his Word more than in all Riches A Sermon on Prov. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace IN the Context you have an Exhortation to get Spiritual and Heavenly Wisdom The Argument is first Generally Propounded and then Particularly Amplified 1. Generally Propounded Vers. 13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding 2. Particularly Amplified 1. By the Worth and Excellency of Wisdom Vers. 14 15. The merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold c. 2. The Utility and Profit Vers. 16. Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour She is represented as a Queen having both hands full of Blessings In the right hand length of days in the left hand riches and honour He speaks Pro more faederis according to the manner of the Covenant wherein Temporal Things are explicitely promised though Spiritual and Eternal Things are implyed In her right hand length of days What do Men desire more than to live long