can not change who is one and the same yesterday and the day and for ever Secondly Christ his becoming our strength for duties suits well to the great designe of the Gospel which is the advancing of his own glory For 1. This tends to keep up his peoples dependence upon him This makes a thick court of supplicants which is much for the honour of a Prince If we had a stock of grace in our hand we would readily say as Israel did We are Lords and will come no more near thee He that hath riches enough of his own despyseth begging and he that hath health enough seeks not after a phisitian It is true there is inherent grace given in ef\fectual calling to beleevers But it is as ane spark of fyre in greenwood which if it be not continually blown upon it would dye out whither Adam needed the influences of assisting grace notwithstanding of all his inherent grace is to me beyond controversy Neither did it derogat from the perfection of his estat But that we constantly need it and ought to be still dependent for it who will deny 2dly As this dependence is honourable for God so by putting our strength for duties in Christs hand his people hes still fresh and new matter of praises Every new enlargement of heart for any performance affoords thee subject of a new songe and thus He is still glorified by them Thirdly our strength being in the hand of Christ tends not only to advance the honour of Christ but our obedience in the great duties which are eminently advanced by puting our strength in Christs hand Faith and self-denyal 1 This way makes a great deal of work for faith especially as we live by faith a lyfe of sanctification every branch of holyness calls for ane new act of faith not only is faith to be acted in order to the acceptation of our duty but for strength to performe and this eminently promoves self-denyalâ— when there is most inlargement of heart in duties we must remember it is dereived from ane-other there is a remarkable word Deuter. 8. He fed them in the wilderness with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that he might humble them How could this humble them Was it not Angels food But it was food He behoved to give them dayly and this tended to humble them How excellent soever the influences of grace from Christ be yet since there is fresh need of them dayly this tends to humble thee Fourthly This putting our strength in Christs hand makes Christs yoke both easier and sweeter to his people then if their strength were in their own hand 1. It makes it easier If a Father shall undertake to pay his sons expence at every taverne he comes to it s more easy nor if he had given him money in his purse to pay for himselfe We have no more to doe now but ask and it will be given us and knock and it shall be opened unto us Israel had more ease in getting their food in the wilderness nor they had when they tilled and sowed for it in their owâ— possessions they had here no more to do but gather what was rained down to them It makes his yoake also sweeter then if our strength were in our hand My beloved put in his hand a the hole of the door and his fingers dropped myrrhe that which drops from his fingers it hath to his spouse the relish of myrrhe that he as our nurse must pout our meat in our mouth and that we are to be strong iâ— the grace that is in Jesus Christ is the sweetesâ— ingredient in our performances It were very pertinent with the point to enter here with Pelagians who of old did talk so much of mans being able by the power of natural qualifications to prevent God and merit the first graces from God by a merit of congruity against whom Augustin among the Fathers and profound Bradwardin in his Book De causa Dei have written at great length the Patrons of universal grace Papists Arminians who also are at best Semi-pelagians in opposing the truth extolling man to the dishonour of Christ but how pextinent soever this were to the point the unsuitableness of it to the present occasion shall make me wave it and come to the practick application of the point Application Use 1. Is it so that our strength for duties is put in the hand of Christ in the first place take heed of making the wrong use of it as if no attempt were to be made at duties but when we had actual influences of strength from Christ how frequent is this Especially at Sacraments How can I sail without wind Or can such a lame ones as I walk If I be not borne To obviat this I shall offer these confiderations First Our obligation to duties remains though Christ should withdraw strengthening influences of grace our impotency is much acquired and God loseth not his right to require obedience though we have lost our strength to perform it a creditor hath sufficient right in law to crave his debt though the debitor hath deboshed away all his estat and thereby becomes incapacitat to pay him Secondly we may do much as to the substance of duties even under a desertion though the actual influences of grace be simply necessary for the gracious qualifications of them there is yet more in our power yea even suppose in an unregenerat estate farr more when only under a desertion and wanting assisting grace then we do yea usually assisting grace is given when we are active in exerting and stirring up inherent grace Psal 27. vers last Wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He shall strengthen thy heart Thirdly The Lord often denyes assisting grace that his accepting grace may shyn thâ— brighter as he gave the poor woman but two myts yet he commended the two myts shâ— did cast into the treasury usually our praisâ— are loudest when we find him accepting thâ— duties that are mixed with manifest imper fections Psal 116. David sayes The Lord heart him when he cryed and gratiously inclyned hâ—â— eare when the cords of death took hold on him anâ— with all when he considers the faintness anâ— defects of his cry that it was then when hâ— was in hast saying all men are lyars that sucâ— a cry should be heard see how he is enlarged in praises I will call on the Lord whill I live 〈◊〉 love him what shall I render to him thy servant Lord thy servant If he give thee only to groane what if he commend that groane and look on it as the groand of a dear Child as he did on Ephraims bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 Fourthly Christ sometimes gives strength for duties and it is not discerned Hosea 12â— v. 3 and 4. Jacob by his strength he prevailed with God and had power over the Angels the Angel wrestled all night with Jacob and yet gave Jacob even when he was wrestling with him the strength of a
to become a painful promotter of it and to lose so much for it and at last cheerfully to seal the truth of it with his blood was it any thing strange that this did draw Agrippa as with a cable-tow to be a Christian But in those and many moe that are commonly brought I shall not insist Only in prosecuting the point I shall propose these things to be followed 1. I shall prove by ane induction of some particular instances that though Christian Religion stand upon so rational grounds yet many are but almost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians 2dly Shall enquire whence it is that it is so 3dly Shall apply the point For the first There be these instances under which a great multitude who are but almost Christians may be comprehended 1. What a multitude deny many of the very foundamentals of Christian Religion as the satisfaction of Christ which Socinians doe the deity of Christ as Arians doe the humanity of Christ as Nestorians doe Yea not to insist in particulars any acquainted in the least either with ancient or modern Histories of the tenets of divers Hereticks will find what a multitude of the fundamentals of it have been questioned and denyed and so they but almost perswaded to be Christians who have denyed them 2dly Some though they deny not Christs satisfaction yet they joyn togither their own works and duties with Christs satisfaction as causes of justification before God and so there is somewhat ascribed to Christ but not all they are Christians in some part this is the common opinion and doctrine of the Papists and the practise of many Protestants 3dly Such are guilty of this who leave or embrace the Law of Christ as it maks for or against them the lesser duties they goe about and if God will be content with what they can spare they are content to give it him But for the greater duties of the Law or such as have any difficulty in them with these they can dispense except the shew of practising these can promove their interest Under this Head what a multitude are comprehended 4thly Time-servers in Religion come also under this to be almost Christians who change their Religion with every spet and current that set their watch according as the toun clock they dwell into goes these are but almost Christians They are led by example and the practise of the multitude in their way and not by any of the precepts of Christ Lastly Such as profess Christ but are given up to the Common sins and scandalous outbreakings that Christ hath so straitly forbidden haveing eyes full of adultery their faces inflammed with wyne that declare their fin as Sodom such sayes the Apostle Tit. 2. vers last They profess they know God but in works they deny him being reprobat unto every good work Now how many are there professing Christ that are in one of these fyve but almost or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswaded to be Christians For the Second we proposed whence it is that since Christian Religion is so rational so many are but almost Christians For clearing this 1. There be somethings that are proper causes of it haveing a proper causal influence upon it 2dly Something 's that are but causes by accident of it The First That are proper causes of it we shall name but these fyve 1st There may be a specious outward profession of Christ where there is a great deal of Atheisme within The whisperings of a natural conscience and the fear of being defamed may cause one take on a profession of Christ and where Atheism is no wonder one be but in somethings a Christian For 1. The fundamental principle that leads to respect the commands of any deity is the faith of his being If this be questioned who will regard the command He that cometh to God must beleeve that God is yea all the incouragments to duty and all the threatnings against sin are undervalued where the faith of the being of God is wanting If this be not they are but as devised fables Now take away the encouragements from promises and threatnings and ye take off the pace that which makes the wheels goe No wonder then but almost a Christian 2dly Many are but almost perswaded to be Christians because of the unbeleefe that the Scriptures have proceeded from God and consequently cannot hold true Notwithstanding they own a profession of Christ like Gallio who accounted the question of the resurrection only a question of names and words That the Scripture are given by divine inspiration and that they are surer then Heaven and Earth are things not credited Paul moved a question if Agrippa beleeved the Prophets No wonder then he was but almost a Christian 3dly The heart in many is wedded to carnal interests whichlyes as a mountain in the way of their becoming altogither Christians Man hath but one soule and cannot leave it to two contrarieties in any bensil the love of the World and the love of the Father are inconsistant like fyre and water they expel one another out of the same subject desire of the World is so great and men so intent upon it that when Christ calls he is not heard or in part only 4thly Most of the principles in man are contradictory to the principles layd in the Gospel Let us take but a short view of some of them 1. Self-love is natural to man When thou does well unto thy self all men will praise thee But it is one of the first lessons that he that is Christ's Disciple learnes If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself 2dly It is natural to men to love ease the Gospel puts him to labour stryve take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence 3dly Nature teacheth men to esteem much of things present as more certain then these that are absent and to come it is contrary quite here these things that are present are but shaddows compared with those that are absent 4thly Doe and be happy is a principle nature teaches to men What shall I doe to be saved Renounce it and trust in what another hath done to make us happy is taught here a multitued of such contradictory principles are natural to us Now where there is such contradiction in principles No wonder many be but almost Christians 5thly Tentations from Sathan and the World have a causal influence upon those If this Gospel be hide it is hide to these whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded Though Sathan beleive himself and tremble James 2. yet he knowes it is much for the designe he is advancing in the World to keep men off from coming over wholly to Christ Beside man is a creature much led by example and given to imitation and often ungodly company if they doe not more yet they blunt his zeal and keeps back from altogither being a Christian Beside these things which have a proper causal influence on many's being but almost Christians There be
other things that by accident occasion this As First Many of the contents of the Gospel are altogither supernatural Mahomet his Lawes were suited well to mans corrupt nature so were these which Apolonius Lyanaeus gave to the Heathens But here if we shall either look to the duties or promises of the Gospel they are altogither supernatural 1. The duties are supernatural as beleeve deny thy self take up thy cross despise things present the promises are also of this nature if they were but such as these had under the law such as if any man come not up to the feast of Tabernacles the rain shall not fall upon his land how would this make many run to ordinances who are nothing moved with the promises of being in Christ joy in the Holy Chost and such like Beside Secondly As the contents of the Gospel are supernatural so must they be supernaturally discerned as mere sensitive faculties cannot reach the objects of reason a man cannot with his eyes ane argument so such as are truly rational cannot reach what is purely spiritual without illumination from the Spirit Rom 8 7. The wisdome of the flesh is enemity against God neither can it be subject to the Law of God for it is spiritually dicerned From all these it comes to pass that many are but almost Christians But I goe to the Application Application First Is it so that many are but almost Christians It serves for humiliation to all such as are but almost so I shall not insist in prosecuting this use in reference to such as are so in point of doctrine in regard all of us own such doctrinal principles as lead us up to be altogither Christians but shall follow it in reference to such as are so in point of practice of how many may the Lord complain as he did of Ephraim Hosea 7 8. Ephraim is a cake unturned that is raw on the one side and baken on the other In somethings Christians especially such things as may consist with their interest but in other things denying it especially such things as are most difficult and of most absolut necessity And that this use of humiliation may prove the more pressing we shall offer these things to evidence what manner of humiliation is meet First There is in resting upon the being almost a Christian a secret contempt of God He that cuts and carves upon the lawes of his Soveraigne taking what makes for him and rejecting what he pleases contemnes the authority that enjoyned them To doe something at the command of God and to reject others must flow either from some apparent iniquity in the Law which is a high reflection or a despising of the authority that enjoyned it and both reflect on God Secondly To be in part a Christian and not altogither is a temper God loaths This was the temper of the Church of Laodicea which was neither cold nor hot lukewarme which hath some degrees of heat and some of cold and he threatens he will spew her out of his mouth as one doth a thing his stomache loaths Thirdly This puts a man to serve two masters to be in some things for God and in somethings for his enemie A double minded man sayeth James is unstable in all his wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that hath a minde and a minde he must be like Israel in Elijahs time halting betwixt two Fourthly one may loss Heaven though he doe much for God for not doeing more there are some things absolutly necessary for salvation if we should be never so righteous in our dealing with men yet he that beleeves not is condemned already because he bath not beleeved in the only begotten Son of God Now how lamentable is it to doe much for Christ and yet come short of Heaven for not doeing more Lastly This to be in part a Christian deprives a man for the present of the sweetest part of Christian Religion the peace and joy promised in the Gospel is attained by performing the most in ward duties of it the neglect of which makes many find godliness a kinde of Labyrinth to them they are continually breaking shells that hath no kirnel in them All these laid togither evidence what matter of humiliation ariseth from this to be almost only a Christian Use second Is it so that many are but almost most Christians then in the next place labour thou to be not only almost but altogither a Christian In this Use I shall 1st Open to you the scope I dryve at into it 2dly Give you some directions for promoving it The scope of it is not First To press you to eshew a manger I hotchpotch Kinde of Religion such as sometimes the Jewes had of old and the Papists have of late I shall suppose our tentations blessed be the Lord shall not carry to so great ane evil as this Neither 2dly Is the scope of this use to condemne that Christian moderation which in lesser truths may be somtimes very profitable for the peace of the Church Neither 3dly Is it to condemne all kinds of zeal in following our greater duties in Christian Religion which ought alwayes to be regulat with wisdom and knowledge Neither Lastly Doe we suppose that a Christian in this life can reach ane absolut perfection in his Christian course without any defect at all At these things this use does not drive But it drives at pressing these things 1 To exhort all while they are eshewing some sins in practice whereby they become in part Christians that they sitt not down contenteldy there while they are practising others no less dangerous While they eshewe for instance scandalous breach of the Sabboth they doe not contendedly practise hypocrisie naked formality Or 2dly While there is the practise of some duties whereby one becomes almost a Christian and not far from the Kingdome of God there be not a voluntary neglect of others possibly more necessary Or 3dly To exhort the eshewing the practice of Christianity at sometimes when there is the quite contrary at another time ebbing and flowing in Christianity as the Sea with the course of the Moon serving times and occasions with our Religion and not keeping ane even pace at these the point dryves and that we may be helped thus to labour to be not only almost but altogither Christians I shall offer these following directions First Christian labour to be very serious in the performance of holy duties be careful to joyne therein attention of minde Ezek 33. vers 32. Singleness of heart Psal 145 18. Intention of affection Rom. 12 11. Holy fear and reverence Heb 12 18 The want of these makes even our Religious duties to be performed but almost as Christians There is not that reverence of God in them that delight that intercourse and communion with God which they that endevour to be altogither Christians doe attain Therefore consider well the nature of God whose service it is His Majesty Mal. 1. v last His
est amor said blessed Austin nisi quaedam vita duo aliqua copulans vel copulare appetens quod scilicet amat quod amatur This indeed is ane love which cannot be satisfied without enjoying of Christ is thine of this nature or art thou content without him Thirdly love to him darkens and abats love of all other things in the soul This Character usually practick divins give of it Tanto quisque said Bernard à superno amore disjungitur quanto inferius delectatur It sets well in tryall of our love to ask our hearts the question he himself asked Peter Symon sone of Jonas lovest thou me more then these Lastly love to him is alwayes attended with love to his people and interests 1. Epist Joh. 2. The Apostle is large in proveing this If we love him that begetts we love also them that are begotten It is true our love to them ought not to be so fervent as to him but yet it still keeps a proportione to it as the sune in the dyall though it move not so fast as in the firmament yet it keeps a proportione to it it cannot be goeing forward in the firmament and backward or standing still in the dyall Try by these your love and finding it ye may the ore chearfully come to a banquet of love SERMON On Jonah 1 6. So the Ship-master came to him and said what meanest thou O Sleeper THis Prophet prophesied in the dayes of Jeroboam the second wee find him mentioned 2 Kings 14 25. where he is called a Prophet and servant of the Lord and though he prophesied of prosperitie yet with small success in so corrupt a tyme. Wherefore the Lord sends him to Nineve the Chief city of the Assyrian Empyre which he is loath to undertake partly from fear and partlie as some think loath to Carry a Message from the Jews to the Gentills wherefore he resolves to flee by sea to Tarshish The Lord followes him with a storme and when all in the Ship are at prayer to their Gods he is asleep For which in the words read he is reprehended by the Shipmaster what meanest thou o sleeper The words though they be the words of ane heathen yet they contain a deserved reprehension of a prophet of Israell and in them are 2. things 1. A description of the persons reprehending and reprehended and both descryved from their present work and conditione the one is the Shipmaster and the other a sleeper 2dly The reprehension itself what meanest thou or as the word in the first language what to thee A short pathetick speach expressing anger in the reprehender and unreasonablness in the reprehended There is nothing difficult in the words that we need to insist in explicating sleeping however in be taken figurativly in scripture some tymes denoting the carnall security of one in a naturall conditione as Eph. 4. awak thou that sleepest sometyms the quiet repose a beleever hath in God as Psal 3 4. I will lay me downe and sleep yet here it is taken properly yet so as it denotats also untymous security when there was so great a storme and all at prayer that were in the Ship with them There is one Observation I purpose to insist upon but we shall speak a word of ane other ere we come to it Observat 1. That security when dangers are imminent is unreasonable even in the eye of nature For 1. Sudden and unexspected surprises add much to the weight of any danger as in the dayes of Noah Peter makes it a great agravatione of their stroak that they wer eating drinking marying and giveing in mariage and the deludge came a tryall hath no small advantage of us when it finds us asleep David could take Sauls spear from his head in the midst of his Army when he assaults him asleep Nature teaches men to flee to some beeld when clouds gather that threatten rain It s true the Lord would not have his people anxiously vex themselves with thoughts of the crosse before it come sufficient for the day are the sorrows of it If he bring thee to the Wilderness he can also rain Manna In it the promises of God are the promises of a Father and such a Father as in the First Article of our Creed we call a Father Almighty and so let our sorrowes which are threatning us let them be what they will there is sufficient ground of a sweet and quyet repose in God But this maks nothing against the truth of the poynt we doe not onely counteract to the positive Lawes of God but to the very dictats and precepts of nature If tryals that are makeing so lowd a noise shall find us secure and asleep As it is our great mercy to be so long warned before the stroake the axe as it were lying at the root of the tree before it smit So they rightly improve these warnings that does as the Apostle Heb. 11. sayeth Noah did By faith Noah being warned by God and moved with fear prepared ane Arke to save himself and his Family But I come to the observation I purpose to insist on Observat 2d That the worshipers of the true God are sometyms outstriped and may be justly reprehended for their neglect of worship by the worshipers of Idols Thus is Jonah a Prophet of Israel and a Servant of the Lord here by a Heathen Mariner The lyke we find Gen. 20 6. Thus was she reproved this word is very remarkable to our purpose Abimelech said to Sarah behold I have given thy Brother a thousand peices of Silver and then it is added thus was shee reproved Abimelechs upright and liberal dealing reproves Sarahs deceit Sarah is not only outstriped but even deservedly reproved by Abimelech ane Heathen My purpose is not in prosecuting this poynt to compare togither Idolaters in their moral induements or the performing of the duties of the second Table with the worshipers of the true God none that are acquaint with the Histories of their lives or their writings but will easily discerne how far they have outstriped us Here it is no disparagment to Constantine the Great notwithstanding of all his victories recorded by Eusebius to say that Alexander the Great outstriped him in magnanimity and fortitude And if I should insist but upon three of them who among the worshipers of the true God can go beyond them for excellent moral precepts Plato who for his precepts is called divinus and is thought by some to have conversed with Jeremiah in Aegypt which opinion Augustin at length conâ—uts in his book of the City of the God shewing that Plato lived ane hundreth Years after Jeremiah his being in Aegypt and flowrished threescore years before the septuagints translatione or if I should name Seneca whose Epistles containe such excellent precepts for a moral life that some think he exchanged Epistles with Paul at Rome Or Cicero for whose salvation Erasmus does plead as one who had improved nature to the outmost
Brydegroom is with them but the day shall come he shall be taken from them then they shall fast does thy joy eb and flow with his presence and absence this is a good symptome he is thine Thirdly Try it by thy subjection to his lawes The woman is bound by the law of the Husband so longe as the Husband liveth Rom. 7 2. by his being a Husband he ceases not therefor to be a Lord Psal 45. For He is thy Lord and worshipe thou him The more love the more obedience If ye love me keep my Commandements It s not some flash of a desire after him at such a time as this will prove a mariage but where there is a constant tract of obedience to him as a Lord there is a sweet proof of his being thy Husband Amen SERMON On Isai 45 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength IN the entry of this Chapter we have the Lord comforting Israel who were hopeless that ever they should return out of Babilon by nameing Cyrus an hundreth years before his birth whose right hand he would uphold and that they might the better beleeve that notwithstanding all the power of the Babilonians Cyrus should deliver the Lord tells them He had done greater things then that came to He formed the light vers 7. and vers 18. He formed the earth and established it this incouragment continues from the beginning of the Chapter to the 22. vers from thence to the end of the Chapter we have a prophecy of the calling in of the Gentils Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved and in the words read we have the happy condition of the beleeving Gentils when they shall be called in they shall find in the Lord righteousness and strength and in this they shall triumph and glory This being the scop of the words In them these three particulars are considerable 1. A compend of the priviledges of the beleeving Gentils righteousness and strength 2. The fountain of the priviledges In the Lord. 3. The triumphe the Gentils shall make because of their priviledge Surely shall one say Two things in them are necessary to be cleared 1. What is meant by righteousness and strength 2dly What is implyed in these words Shall one say For the 1. Some referr the two only to times of trial making them to relat to captivity in Babylon and the meanning to be in the Lord I shall find righteousness supporting strength and faithful dealing under the captivity But with Calvin we take the words as the priviledge of the Gentils who should come to Christ and so as Calvin observes comprehend the two main points of our salvation strength in Christ and righteousness for covering our defects in Christ For the other what is implyed in shall one say It imports a triumph and glorying in these priviledges as usually the like expression imports in this prophecie In that day shall ye say 12. Chapt. So that the whole meaning of the words comes to this that when the Gentils should look to Christ they should triumph in their condition because of the righteousness and strength they should find in him There be several Observations we might take notice of from the words but I shall only pitch upon one and prosecut it in this Sermon Observat That the strength whereby beleevers act in duties and the righteousness whereby the imperfections of their dueties is covered are both to be found in Christ This point is clear from the words the bleeving Gentils who look to him and are saved triumph in this that they find righteousness and strength in him In prosecuting of it we shall take the doctrine in two parts 1. Shall shew that our strength for duties is in Christ and 2dly That the righteousness that covers the defects of our duties is also to be found in him For the 1. that the strength whereby we performe duties is in Christ we shall 1. prove it from Scripture 2dly Give some grounds of it 3dly Apply it For the proofe of it from Scripture there be these things in the Scripture that tend to confirme it First The Scripture every where declares man utterly impotent for performing the meanest duety without God If he be called to will it is God that must worke it in him If to do it must proceed from the same God Philip. 2 13. If to pray the Spirit must help our infirmities Rom 8. If to hear He must awaken our ear Isai 50 Yea what ever we do there is nothing of it we are able to doe of our-selves no not of ourselvs to think so much as that that is good 2dly What duties we are comanded to doe we are expresly commanded to do them in the strength of Christ If to resist tentations we are to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might Ephes 6 11. If to walk according to the rules of the Gospel we are to walk in him Coloss 2 12. If to hope he most strengthen the heart Psal 27. Last If to carry a right under desertions we must trust in the name of the Lord Psal 42 6. and last If fruitful in any duty we must abyd in him as the branch in the root John 15 4. Thirdly It is evident also from the names that Christ hath given unto him in the Scripture as Our lyfe Col. 3 4. Our light Ps 27 1. Our hope Coloss 1 27. Our root John 15 4. Our consolation Luke 2 19. Our wisdom our sanctification all which prove the truth of the point Fourthly In the Scripture the Saints have ascribed the praise of whatsoever they have either of active or passive obedience to him If they suffer patiently I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me Philipp 4 v. 13. If they act in their duty Not I but the grace of God in me sayes Paul Yea if they persever thy right hand upholdeth me Psal 63 8. Yea the praise of their life to him I live not I but Christ that lives in me Gal. 2 20. All these laid togither prove aboundantly from Scripture that our strength for duties is in Christ As for the grounds of it why the Lord hath put our strength in the hand of Christ and not in our own I shall name but these four First By this our strength under the Covenant of grace is surer laid up then it was under the Covenant of works once our strength for works was in our own hands Adam though the perfectest meer man that ever was both for moral and gratious induements yet how soon did he make shipwrak of it Yea the patrons of universal grace who assert that God hath given sufficient grace to men for attaining salvation can neitehr say that it would be effectual for salvation or that it is not often lost without the influences of assisting grace but by this way of making Christ the fountaine of strength our strength is put into the hand of one who
which from the creation of the world to the tymes of the judges in Israel the Apostle by the experience of many beleevers shewes what great things have been brought to pass by saith The scope of this verse and of the Chapter to the 14. verse is to press constancy in adhering to the profession of faith of the Gospel on these Hebrews amids the many tribulations they met with from the experience of these worthies And I know nothing more suitable to Gods present dispensations and our condition then to open the force of the Apostles incouragement in the verse to you which that I may doe In the words consider these two 1. A brief abrigment of the doctrine delivered in the former Chapter Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses 2dly Ane inferrence from it Let us lay aside c. Of the first of these in this Sermon The other to morrow The words in the first language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cloud of Martyrs But here it is not put for such as did witness for Christ only passivly but also actively especially they did testify the great things that can be brought to pass by faith they are called a cloud for their multitude Densum saith Calvin on the place opponitur raro And they compass us about There is ane alusione to the pillar that guided Israel through the wilderness that went before them in the day tyme but this cloud compasseth us about so that wherever we cast our eyes in what ever estait they may be in our view There be some questions staited by interpreters on the words which I pass not being of great weight nor futing the present scope I intend to take only one Observation from the words and handle it in this Sermon Observation That it is a great incouragement to patient running in our Christian course that we are compassed with such a cloud of witnesses as are from Abel in the former Chapter Or more clearly That the examples of the famous worthies under the Old Testament ought to influence our Cheerfulness in wrestling with the cross in our Christian course This Observation is the Apostles scop here and we have the same Argument used by other Apostles to press the same conclusion Iam. 5 10. Take my Brethren the Prophets for ane example of suffering affliction and of patience The Prophets for ane example Let Romans talk of their Camilli their Fabricii their Scipio's Philosophers of their Aristotle Plato or Pithagoras We are to take our copy from the Prophets all of which have been eminent for patient sufferings It is not my purpose to insist in opening what force there may be in example to induce us to patient sufferings I shall briefly say only these things of it First That example is not that which formally oblidges us to patience in-sufferings The obligation refults from the Law of God His precepts though there were no example at all make patience our duty we ought in this case to say with Josua Though all men should forsake the Lord I and my house will cleave to him But they are excellent incouragements to excit and incourage to obedience to the precept Secondly They are incouragements suited well to mans nature who is more led by his eye then his ear What am I better then my Fathers said Elijah Can we look for more priviledges nor the Prophets Minors are ashamed when they cannot endure what men of an higher order indures such reasonings as these suit better with our nature then any precepts whatsoever I cannot here pass what a lait Author Doctor Stilling fleet hath written in a lait Book for the Churches peace that scriptural examples except they be practises consonant to the principles of morall equity or to some positive Law of God have no force to oblidge to imitation although they were Prophets and Apostles This doctrine hath need to be better cautioned then that author does for if it hold true in the latitude He delivers he shall not only depryve the Church of several things constantly practised in it which have no other foundation at all but Apostolick practise such as Imposition of hands in ordination of Ministers the keeping of the first day of the week for the Sabboth But upon his principle Apostolick practise hath no more force to oblidge then Diabolick For if what they doe be consonant to the principles of moral equity or to some prositive Law as their confessing of Christ why may not we doe the like The Apostle thinks so 1 Cor. 10 vers 11. But not purposeing to insist on the force of example since the A postle proposes the example we are to imitat here under the metaphor of a cloud of witnesses I shall that we may the better find out what ground of incouragement we have from it 1. Enquire what these witnesses does depon 2dly How valide their testimony is which the Apostle furnishes ground for in calling them a cloud and such a cloud and a cloud compassing us about For the First What is it that these witnesses does depon that may be for our incouragement And here I shall only pitch upon these things 1. They depon what will be the lot of a Christian in following Christ 2. What is his duty under this lot 3. What are his fittest in couragements First They depon what will be a Christians lot in following Christ They all depon that this will be the crosse see in the preceeding Chapter from Abel who is the first of the witnesses to Samuel who is the last and you shall find all their experiences witnessing to this It is true their crosses were of different natures Abel murthered Noah tossed with a deludge Abraham to sojourne in a strange land and Moses to be hide when new borne for fear of Pharaoh's Murderers some met with the violence of the fyre some with the edge of the sword some tortured yet all met with some kinde of crosse or another But ye may say what incoutagement is there in this part of these witnesses testimonie There is very much init For 1. It takes away the opinion of the singularitie of the crosse 2dly It taks away the reproach of the crosse First It takes away the opinion of the singularity of the crosse The Apostle Peter proposes as ane incouragement to the Christians to whom he wrott Think not strang concerning the fyrie tryal as if some strang thing did befall you It discouraged even Elijah I alone am left and they seek my life But when Abel killed Abraham banished Isaiah sawn asunder c. We are not left alone Secondly It takes away the reproach of it The cross usually carries with it in the esteem of the world ane challenge of guiltiness you are ane Hypocryt said Jobs Friends to him because so corrected But when we see the righteous Abel murthered and faithful Abraham so tryed and Moses the Friend of God Where is there place for this
mentioned in Scripture one imputed righteousness which is wrought by Christ for the beleever ane other imparted which is wrought by Christ in the beleever The 1st is the righteousness of our justification The 2d Of our sanctification Some would have the meaning of your righteousness in the words to be understood of Christs imputed righteousness It is true our righteousness in this sense exceeds not only the righteousness of the Pharisees but of Adam before his fall But to understand it so here suits not to the scope of the place which is to press more exact holiness and obedience to the moral law then the Pharisees had Therefore we understand it of a righteousness of sanctification with best interpreters on the place But here there seems to be some seeming foundation for a very dangerous errour which some of lait who profess to abhor the way of Papists have appeared very violent for if there be say they in man ane inherent righteousness or holiness that the Scripture calls righteousness why doth it not in some sense justify Posita say Philosophers causa formali ponitur etiam effectus formalis But the truth is the way they take in this is so contrary to the Scripture which speaks of our righteousness as ane unclean thing it is so derogatory to Christ establishing a righteousness besides whereby a sinner is just befor God it so exalts proud man and in a word the difference betwixt it and the way Socinians take who talk of the imputation of faith in sensu formali for a mans justification before God is so small that it is justly abominat by all orthodox as for the name righteousness on which they build so much why may not they also on this ground plead for the justification of the Pharisies before God For their way hath also the name of righteousness But leaving this debate the meaning of the words briefly is that except their holiness was more exact then the Pharisies who pretended to very much they could not enter into Heaven I shall only take one Observation which is the very words of the Text. Observation That except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisees we can in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This truth being the very words of the text and so a doctrine which even ane Anabaptist who admits not of consequences would admit of We need not seek after other Scriptures to confirme it Only for confirmation of it we shall a little consider the proofe brought in the verse itselfe I say unto you there be three proofs divyns usually bring to confirme any truth 1. Scripture 2. Reason And 3. Authority We have all the three concurring in this point I say unto you all that Scripture resolves in what God hath said either by himself immediatly or by the penmen whom he hath inspired And there is no reason to prove a theologick conclusion like that however Schoolmen have laboured to turne up the body of divinity into aristotles principles lying axioms and maximes of natural reason to demonstrat Theologick conclusions by yet this is the primum credibile in divinity Deus hoe dixit and a conclusion stands only then firm in divinity when ultimatly it resolves in this God hath saeid this Yea these things that are esteemed parts of divine truth and have no other foundations but from Pops Decretals or Canons of some Councils are conclusions that can never be resolved into the principles of divinity Yea 3dly There is no authority like unto this if it were never so ancient yea if all antiquity unanimonusly conspired in one it is but as the dust in the ballance that cannot weigh downe this I say unto you He is our King he is our Law-giver and his dominion is so absolut that though there were no other reason yea though there were never so many appearances of reason against what he hath said as in the doctrine of the Trinity or resurrection of the body yet we are to silence reason and rest upon his naked authority So that in this Isay unto you the point is fully confirmed both by reason Scripture and authority Yet ere I apply it for clearing of the point it shall be necessary to enquire a little wherein the righteousness of the Scribs and Pharisees failed that thereby we may the better know wherein we are to exceed them and what righteousness is required ere we can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven There be especially two things in general wherein the righteousness of the Pharisies failed and a righteousness failing in these two makes it impossible for one that hath no more to enter into the Kingdome of God 1. There was something they omitted and did not that was necessary to qualify those who enter into the Kingdom of God 2dly the thing they did was defective in the qualifications necessary to qualify the righteousness of those who enter into the Kingdom of Heaven First There was something they omitted and did not that was necessary Though they were exact observers of the external letter of the law yet they did not regard the spiritual sense of it at all and consequently neglected all the parts of inward obedience to God such as the mortification of inward lusts or performing acts of inward holiness Now a righteousness failing in this cannot qualify a man for entering into the Kingdom of Heaven For 1st That righteousness that does not exceed the righteousness of Heathens cannot be sufficient to qualify for the Kingdom of God Doe not even the Heathens the same is sufficient to cast our most specious performances And how unblamably Heathens have walked as to the external duty the moral law any acquainted with the of Histories of some of their lives may easily discerne Beside 2dly There are none in the visible Church farther from Heaven then Hypocrits what a multitude of woes find we in one chapter denounced against them And if they were not outwardly blameless they should not be Hypocrits 3dly To neglect the Spiritual sense of the Law is to be partial in the Law and to ommit that wherein the soul and life of Religion consists Heaven is a place wherein no unclean thing can enter but he that is only outwardly blameless is a rotten sepulcher that is full of dead mens bones within Secondly As they ommitted the spiritual sense of the law so their righteousness was defective in the qualifications absolutly necessary to qualify our righteousness if we would enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Among many qualifications in which their righteousness was defective I shall insist only upon these two 1. It proceeded not from a right principle a principle of regeneration to this the Pharisies were altogither strangers they not only wanted it but did not so much as beleeve the necessity of it Now a righteousness not proceeding from a principle of regeneration as it is not acceptable to God so he that hath but this cannot expect to enter
Holyness Jer. 48 10. Consider the nature of the service wherein thou hes to doe with him Consider them as duties and a part of thy homage not parts of thy Christian liberty Consider them as priviledges as indeed they are as talents of which thou art to give ane account to God These and such like considerations may influence more seriousness in our performances Secondly If thou would not be almost but altogither a Christian Labour to get right thoughts of God especially in these three 1. In his Alsufficiency Gen. 17 1. And that would keep thy heart steady and fixed in Religion God is our happiness and not the creatur And therefore whither more or less of the creature it comes all to one if God be ours Next the faith of his omnipresence Psal 139 6 7. This will aw us when we have secret opportunities and tentations to sin Gen. 39 9. It will possess with godly fear and reverence 1 Cor. 11 10. It will comforty in afflictions Psal 23 4. 3dly Of his universal providence extending it self to every thing that comes to passe even the least things Math. 10 28. Beside the occasions we shall have hereby to adore the perfections of God Job 37 14. Psal 107 43. It will help to thankfulness Psal 40 5. And keep from abuse of mercies Hosea 2 v. 8. To submit patiently to afflictions 1 Sam. 3 18. Thirdly To avoid this be very careful not to neglect known duties Usually in Polemical divinity the plainest truths are least studied because they are taken for granted It is often so in practicals our zeal spent on things that are most doubtful when clear acknowledged duties are neglected as it was with the Jewes Micha 6 7. They were careful to enquire when they should fast but neglected the duties of moral equity The best way as one observes well to know more of the minde of God in what is duobtful is to be bussy in doing what is clear John 7 v. 17. He is the best Christian that is most in the fundamentals of a Christians duty Fourthly Every night take ane account of the passages of the day and examine what the strain of the heart hath been what you have done and upon what grounds for what ends what ye have neglected hereby ye come to know what ground ye gain of your corruption how long time yely in any sin unrepented of This record or journal of our dayly walkings hath been the practise of many Godly men as the writters of the records of their lives have mentioned and there is nothing will tend more to prevent our resting upon being almost Christians Fifthly Propose the perfect patterne of Christs life before you It is true all the actions of Christ are not imitable He was not a mere man but God and man and what he did as God or as Mediator betwixt God and man we cannot imitat but there are divers things wherein the Scriptures expresly proposes him as ane example as love Eph. 5 v 12. Meekness Matth. 11 29. Self-denyal Phil. 2 3. Patiencs 1 Pet. 2 21. Making it his work to doe good Acts 10 38. This serves not only for our example but for our incouragement There is nothing he calls us to but he did it and is now crowned This answers all the weight can be layed on any authority from men Since his is one of the greatest wisest noblest that can be Lastly If thou would indeed be above the being only almost a Christian then labour to doe all thou does in the name of Christ the stresse of Christianity lyes in this Col. 3 vers 17. to eye the authority of Christ as commanding or forbidding what we are or are not called to Math. 21 23. John 5 43. To doe in the strength of Christ Mark 16 17. Acts 3 12. And to doe for the sake of Christ as for his honour All these three are comprehended in doeing in his name But some may say if we labour to come up to so much exactness as these rules would carry us to we have done with a mirry life in the world and must goe under the repute of Phanaticks and such like I shall that I may not too farr transgress time only in answer to this say one thing Labour to know the true bounds of thy Christian liberty not that ye walk to the uttermost extent of it for the satisfying of your natural and carnal desires but that you lay nothing in your Christian course to make Christs yoke weightier then he himself hath made it from the want of the knowledge of this arises so many groundless censures of others casting them out of our charity for the practice of things wherein Christ possibly hath allowed them a liberty The knowledge of this would make us indeavour in many things to please our neighbour to his edification Rom 15 2. In a word if thou know not this thy work in Christianity may be more burdensome then thou art awarr of So follow these directions and by the blessing of God thou may become somewhat more then Agrippa who was only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 almost a Christian SERMON On Gen. 22 1. And it came to pass after these things that God tempted Abraham THe History of Abraham his offering Isaak is famous both amongst sacred and prophane writters The introduction to it or rather a compend of the whole History we have now read The words have dependance on the former chapter in which we have Abraham treating with Abimelech as one Prince doth with another and after these things after the Lord had made him so great as to be sought to by Princes Josephus in the first Book of his Antiquities Chap. 14 tells us that before the Lord told him of the sacrificeing of Isaack that He reckoned up to him all the mercies He had from tyme to tyme bestowed on him and after these tempted him And in the tentation there are three particulars remarkable 1st The tyme of it 2dly The Author it And 3dly The natur of it The tyme of it After these things The Author of it God The nature of it was atentation God tempted Abraham Pererius the Jesuit on the place goes near to tax Moses as defective in not reckoning what age Isaack was of when this came to pass and he spends a great deal of tyme in confuting Abenezra who said Isaack was but 12. years old and in proving the common opinion that he was 15. but we not looking on this as material it is sufficient the tyme is designed as it is After these things after so many and so great mercies bestowed on Abraham God tempted him The only considerable difficulty in the words is to reconcile this place with that of James 1 13. Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God God tempteth no man and here God tempted Abraham Passing the floorishes of Jesuits in reconciling these two places there is this one solide answer There is a tempting