and it was done he commanded and it stood fast 2. God made all things without any Assistant or Heiper Isa 44.24 I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the Heaven alone that spreadeth abroad the Earth by my self 3. There was none that invented a Pattern or drew a Scheme or Draught to direct God to Work by 4. None gave God Counsel or Instructed him what he should do or how he should Work Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord or being his counsellor hath taught him With whom took he counsel and who instructed him and taught him in the path of judgment and taught him knowledge and shewed to him the way of understanding Isa 40.13 14. 5. God hangs the earth on nothing Job 26.7 This amazed Aristotle de Mundo That if you did throw up a clod of Earth into the Air it would not hang there and that yet the whole Globe of the Earth and Water should hang in the Air and all things be born up by the Word of God's power Heb. 1.2 It is said of God in Psal 95.4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth God's Hand carries the whole Globe of the Earth its Foundation is laid in his Hand and is supported by him 6. There is a daily strong confirmation of the History of the Creation and such an evident demonstration of the power of God it plainly appears that it is true That all things came from nothing at first because they daily spring and rise from such small contemptible beginnings as are next kin to nothing As that from an Acron should grow an Oak of above twenty four Tun of Timber In the New Forest it is said there was cut an Oak that Top Lop Root and Body was eight and twenty Tun of Timber That from a small Grain of Mustard-Seed such a Tree should grow as Christ speaks of Matt. 13.31 32. 4. The Creatures declare the Wisdom of God That out of a Chaos without Form Beauty or Order God should draw forth and raise so beautiful a World Athenagoras in his Legat. for the Christians tells us That Plato called the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Art of God The Apostle Paul uses a Word much to the same Sense 1 Cor. 1.21 The World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Wisdom of God that is in the Frame of Heaven and Earth in which the Wisdom of God doth so eminently shine by their Natural Wisdom or Understanding did not know God The Wisdom of God appears in the making of the World 1. In making such various sorts of Creatures Sixteen hundred sorts of Herbs are said to grow in England and four thousand distinct Vegetables Plants and Trees are reported to be and grow in the Physick Garden at Oxford None but an Infinite Understanding could form the different Ideas of so many thousands of sorts of Flowers Trees Birds Beasts and Fishes 2. That Objects should be so exactly fitted to the Senses of Men Colours to the Eyes fragrant Smells to the Nose sweet and grateful Relishes to the Taste Sounds to the Ear this could not be a Work of Chance but of Infinite Wisdom 3. That God should form several Creatures one higher than another and subordinate to another God is said to build his Stories in the Heaven Amos 9.6 There is the lowest the middle the highest Heavens as several Stories in a great and high Building so God buildeth up Stories of Creatures on the Earth There are Plants that are the lowest Story Beasts that are a higher Story and Man that is the highest Story in this lower World and these are subservient to each other The Plants and Grass seed the Beasts and Beasts do nourish Men and they should devote themselves to the Service and Worship of God 4. That God should put such Shapes and Signatures on Herbs to shew something what they were made and are good for Eye-bright hath the figure and shape of an Eye and is an excellent Herb to cure the Maladies of the Eye Pimpernel hath something like the Plague-spots under its Leaves and is of excellent Virtue against the Plague 5. That Herbs proper to cure Diseases do naturally grow in the Country where the Disease reigns As Scurvy-grass in England and in other Northern Countries doth spring up Naturally And yet an Experiment hath been made and much Art used and Care taken to Plant and Cultivate Scurvy-Grass in some parts of France where the Disease is not known and it would not grow 6. Some Herbs do Figure the Part that they are good to Heal As Adders-Tongue Hearts-Tongue Rib-wort Wood-Sorrel that hath the shape of a Heart is accounted a good Cordial Herb. 7. How doth God's Wisdom appear in placing the Sun Psal 19.4 In the Heaven God is said to have made a Tabernacle or Dwelling-place for the Sun That part of the Heavens that is between the two Tropicks of Cancer and Capricorn in which the Sun still moves or is may be stiled the Tabernacle of the Sun This is wonderful Wisdom that the Sun should be so situated in the midst of the Heavens to communicate Light and Heat to the whole World successively That the Sun never goes beyond the Tropicks but doth in so orderly a way return to us again and observe such an exact Course in the lengthning or shortning of the days the Sun doth not Rise or Set two days in the same place God puts this Question to Job Job 38.12 Hast thou commanded the morning Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place And Psal 104.19 The Sun knoweth his going down The Sun doth Rise and Set in different places every day yet it is said to know the place of its Rising and Setting as if it had a Principle of Reason and Understanding that the Days and Heat should increase and decrease in such a stated course That we do not pass from the extremity of Cold into the scorching Heat of Summer but through a Spring that doth partake of Gold and Heat mixed And that we do not pass out of the heat of the Summer into the extremity of Winter cold but through an Autumn that hath a mixture of some heat and cold This is wonderful Wisdom that God hath clothed and beautified the Sun with such a glorious Garment of Light Psal 19.5 6. Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber that God hath given him so swift a motion that he rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it O how wonderful is God's Wisdom and Power to make a Sun that should run round the World every day with so swift a motion That God should furnish the Sun with so great a heat that it is said there is nothing hid from the heat of it It pierces even to the Roots of Plants and Trees and reaches into the bowels of the Earth This also is wonderful That the Sun rising
not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Promise but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good News that this Promise is performed Acts 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again These glad Tidings are brought by the Son out of the bosom of the Father John 1.18 It is good News of the best Good the sweetest Feast the richest Inheritance the most Noble and Honorable Relation to God and that when a Sentence of Death might have been dreaded and an Eternal Vengeance felt It is a Gospel of grace Acts 20.24 A Gospel of salvation Eph. 13.1 24. The gospel of the kingdom Matt. 4.23 Here is Salvation from the most dreadful Evils the possession of a glorious and everlasting Kingdom and all bestowed in a way of pure Grace 2. What is it to obey the Gospel we read of obeying the Truth Gal. 3.1 and what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God 1 Pet. 4.17 These expressions of obeying the Truth and obeying the Gospel do seem to intimate that the Gospel is something more than a meer Promise To obey the Gospel is to Believe and Repent we must credit God's Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 Is 5.3 Rom. 15.17 Believe the Report he gives receive the Gifts that he offers else we reject the highest Mercy and make God a Liar 1 John 5.10 if we believe not the Gospel 2. We must also Repent of our Sins To be called to Repent of our Sins and to have such sweet great and strong Incouragements to Repent is certainly Gospel-grace Musculus on Matt. 10.5 saith He doth not preach the Gospel that doth not preach Repentance That Repentance is a Gospel Duty these three things do evidence and demonstrate 1. It is a Call from an offended provoked Husband to return from our Whoredoms and to be Loyal to him Thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 God acting according to the Covenant of Works would for ever divorce and eternally punish Sinners for their Adulteries not call 'em to be reconciled 2. The Call to Repentance is a Call from Christ as a Physician Matt. 9.12 13. The whole have no need of a Physician I am come to call sinners to repentance Christ in this acts as a Physician in calling Sinners to Repentance that they may be his Patients and that he may heal and recover them from their Diseases 3. A Call to Repentance flows from God and Christ as a Shepherd He seeks out that which was lost and brings back that which was gone astray Luke 19.10 These are Acts proper to Christ as a Shepherd and therefore Repentance must needs be a Duty of the Gospel Zech. 10.8 I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them Here is a plain Allusion to the Shepherds hiss to gather the Sheep that are scattered and he gathers them because he hath Redeemed them This still more evidences that a Call to Repentance is grounded on the Gospel 3. I shall shew you what a heinous Sin it is not to obey the Gospel 1. The Gospel requires us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 1.20 O what Mercy is it that Reconciliation is possible we could not be Reconciled but by the death of God's Son We could not be healed but by his stripes Isa 53.5 God could not make Peace with us but he must make War with his Son Zech 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and smite the man that is my fellow Devils are not invited to be Reconciled the blind Heathen World are not called to be Reconciled Let Heaven and Earth be Witness and Judge whether it be not reasonable that Sinners should be reconciled to God that is Love and Goodness that never did them any wrong that is their Creator Preserver and Benefactor Is not the enmity of Men unjust foolish and pernicious to themselves Shall Grashoppers leap up against Heaven Is 40.22 Shall Worms Job 25.6 contend with the Almighty Shall Potters Vessels challenge a Rod of Iron Ps 2.8 9. Shall Stubble and Chaff Briers and Thorns set themselves in Battle against devouring Fire Hath God found out a way to appease his own wrath Is 27.4 5. To cut off his own plea and advantages against us Nahum 10.3 To end the dreadful Controversie between Heaven and Earth and to sheath his glittering Sword and will you yet persist in your enmity and continue the War against God Do you resolve to pluck down his wrath and vengeance on you Will the short momentary pleasures of Sin countervail eternal Torments When God calls you to be Reconciled what is contained in it but that you should lay down your weapons of Hostility and lay hold on Christ's atoning Sacrifice as the only means of Reconciliation O shall not your Scum go out of you Shall not your Dross be separated from you Shall not all the Transgressions be cast away by you Should you not return to your place submit and be subject to God You must turn from your Iniquity God will never change and depart from his Holiness 2. The Gospel calls men to be Espoused to Jesus Christ Cant. 8.8 The little Sister that is the Gentiles are said to be spoken for that is to give her Heart to and set her love on Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6.17 Christ doth wooe you to be joined to him to give your selves to him and to be his 2 Cor. 8.5 Is not Christ the most beautiful rich loving and glorious Bridegroom Can you find any other Match that may compare with him He is fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 He is white and ruddy and the chiefest of ten thousands Cant. 5.10 He hath unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 He is love it self Cant. 3.5 All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him He was dead but he is alive and lives for more Matt. 28.18 Rev. 1.15 He will never put you away or leave you a desolate disconsolate Widow Is it not amazing that Beauty should wooe Deformity Riches solicit Poverty Nobility suit Vileness and Baseness and yet be rejected If you match not with Christ who shall pay your Debts Protect and cover you from Arrests Who shall make you a Jointure or provide you a House and Home in another World Who shall wash away your Guilt and Filth Supply your Wants Cloth and Cover your Nakedness If Jesus Christ be not your Husband will you still dote on base and beggarly Objects Will you still go a Whoring from God Psal 13.27 Will you continue Aholah dwelling in your own Tent and broken off from the House of God Those that slight and spurn at Christ's love are they not worthy to feel the scorching Fire of his wrath Carnal Creatures do not love a Spiritual Bridegroom they rush into the embraces of carnal and present Objects but Souls consider not
They that should have used violence to press into God's Kingdom but now Christ will use force to thrust them out of his Kingdom They wish now to see the excellency and glory of the Kingdom of God that they would even with violence force into it but they shall be violently thrust out of it they shall never tast of Christ's Supper They would not come into Christ's Righteousness and this was their great sin and they shall not come into Christ's Righteousness and this will be their grievous punishment They shall not enter into God's rest Heb. 3.18 They shall not partake of Christ's joy or glory They would not open their Hearts to Christ and Christ will not open his Heaven to them They would not know Christ's voice when he knocked and called saying Open to me And Christ will not hear their voice when they cry Lord open to us They would not give entertainment and rest to Christ in their Souls and Christ will not give them entertainment and rest in his Kingdom 3. This will cause wailing when Sinners see what they must suffer and endure they that in their whole time did drink iniquity like water must during God's eternity drink the wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 They must be drunk with the Cup of God's fury feel the edge of his glittering Sword and the weight of his punishing hand His face will be unveiled to frown and scorch and his arm be made bare to smite and wound Christ will come to express his most fierce resentments of Sinners slighting the Grace offered to 'em and despising the mercy pressed on them Children of Disobedience shall be broken with Christ's Iron rod and Vessels of wrath shall be filled up to the brim with the fury of God This Mourning will be dreadful because there is no comfort to be administred no peace to be spoken to these Mourners There will be no banishing of their fears removing of their burdens no sweetning of their cup or healing of their wounds for ever God will set his face against them and will never hide or turn away his angry countenance from them Those that have been secure stupid hard-hearted even till now shall then begin to mourn but the first fruits of their sorrow will be the first fruits of their woe and prove the earnest and presages of their eternal misery They begin to sorrow on the utmost confines and bounds of Time and must continue sorrowing to an endless and unbounded Eternity Godly sorrow for sin may somewhat avail to remove the Transgressor's burden but Worldly sorrow under the feeling of present anguish or the fear of further future approaching misery will not advantage Sinners to roul away their guilt to prevent or diminish their punishment their mourning is a part of the punishment threatned Prov. 5.11 12. and thou mourn at last and say How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof Therefore this punishment shall never cease shall never be taken off Saints have but days of mourning and these shall have an end Is 60.20 but Sinners shall have an eternal mourning which shall have no end The day of Christ's Revelation will be a time of joy to his Loyal Spouse to his Living Members to his Faithful and Sincere Servants when he appeareth they shall rejoyce with exceeding great joy 1 Pet. 4.13 But this appearing will cause eternal sorrow to Rebels and Enemies when their sins shall be remembred and revenged 3. When will the Lord Jesus be Revealed Tho' the end of the Old World and the punctual time of its destruction was foretold that after a hundred and twenty Years the Flood should come yet the exact day or time of the end of the second World none knows no not the Angels of God Matt. 24.36 yet the Scripture gives us some general hints and intimations when Christ will come 1. When he hath received a Kingdom Luke 19.12 He was to travel into a far Country to receive a Kingdom and to return Jesus Christ hath not yet fully received his Kingdom all the Elect are not yet born they are not all gathered and converted they have not all yet visited the Son Psal 2.12 performed their homage and yielded obedience to him It is a Work for a long time for Christ to ride forth prosperously conquer a Kingdom and subject Rebels to himself and then to reign prosperously over them Jer. 23.5 more to refine sanctify and fit them for himself All Christs Servants must have time to occupy and trade with his Pounds and Talents before he will come call them to an account and reckon with them Matt. 25.16 19. Christ must wound the hearts of his Enemies and cause them as foiled to fall under him and as worshippers to fall before him Christ must also shew his glorious power for some time in ruling in the midst of his enemies Ps 110.2 2. That notwithstanding all their rage they cannot hinder Christ's Kingdom to rise or cause it to fall but Christ will go on more Levening the World with his Doctrine more subduing the Nations by his Word till this stone did fill the whole Earth and the Name of this Shepherd was great to the ends of the Earth 2. Jesus Christ will come when all his Members are compleat and he hath the fulness of his Body Ephes 1.23 When his Spouse hath made her self ready Rev. 19.7 The marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready When she is cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean and adorned with Clothing of wrought Gold and Raiment of Needle-work 3. Jesus Christ will come when he hath prepared a place to lead and bring his people to John 14.3 If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am you may be But when may Christ be said to have prepared a place for all his Members Surely when Christ hath sprinkled the Throne and the Heavenly Sanctuary with his Blood when he hath pleaded his Sufferings and Death for each of them that they may be let into the glorious Presence and Kingdom of God then he may be said to have prepared a place for them 4. When Christ's Corn and Harvest is fully ripe then he will come to reap Mark 4.28 29. When the earth bringeth forth the blade then the ear then the full Corn in the ear but when the fruit is brought forth immediately he putteth in the sickle because the harvest is come Christ will not delay or lose time when the Harvest is ripe when the Members are grown up to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 2. Jesus Christ will be Revealed from Heaven 1. To justifie the History and Doctrine of the Gospel that he was received up into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God Mark 16.19 That he entred into Heaven Angels Principalities and Powers being made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 that
he was received up into glory 2. To answer the hopes and expectation of his People they wait for a Saviour from Heaven Psal 3.20 and look for God's Son Jesus from Heaven 1 Thes 1.10 3. Christ will be Revealed from Heaven to shew the Spiritual Nature of his Kingdom that it is a heavenly Kingdom That he hath had his Throne in Heaven and from thence his Kingdom hath ruled over all He hath observed all the rage and actings of his enemies and all the love and obedience of his friends He hath inspected all the concerns of his Members and transacted all the affairs of his Kingdom This hath been honorable and glorious to Christ that he hath had a rest Is 1.10 in Heaven and yet neglected none of his work in repressing the rage of his enemies and in reviving the fainting spirits of his friends and steering all the affairs of his Church to a safe and happy Port. He hath supplied his poor and supported his weak Members 4. Jesus Christ will be Revealed from Heaven for the greater confusion and terror of his Enemies How will this affright and amaze them that he who they thought slept under the clods of the Earth should appear riding on the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 that he who the Jews thought was suffering in Hell for deluding and deceiving the World should come to Judge the World and to Condemn Men to Hell for not believing on him Mark 6.16 Joseph was thought by his Brethren to be lost or dead but how were they confounded and troubled when they found him alive Gen. 45.3 heard him speaking to them saw him under Pharaoh Ruling over all the Land of Egypt So how will it dismay and overwhelm the unbelieving World when Christ that was thought to remain dead shall be presented to their eyes as alive When he that was ill treated by Men in the form of a Servant shall appear in the glory of a Lord to judge both the Quick and the Dead and shall be manifested as having all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him and can justifie and crown those that have believed on him and condemn and punish those that have rebelled against him who neither have believed his Doctrine or obeyed his Commands USE of Examination Examine your selves under what Notion Christ will be Revealed and come to you at last Whether he will appear as your Friend or as your Enemy To your joy or sorrow As a loving Bridegroom to receive you to himself John 14.3 Or as an incensed Judge to Sentence and Cast you from himself saying Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matt. 25.41 Will Christ come to give you any thing Will he bestow a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.18 A Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Will he call you to inherit an everlasting Kingdom Matt. 25.34 Or will Christ come upon you as a Thief in the Night to impoverish spoil deprive you of all the good things you now possess and enjoy Will not your Cisterns then be broken your Candles and Lamps be put out Will not your whole Paradise of sensual and sinful delights be lighted and blasted Will not Creatures be withdrawn from you and God himself also depart The floor and the Wine-press shall not feed you and God himself will leave and forsake you Hos 9.2 12. Will you not at once be turned out of your Stewardship and also be cut off from all hope of the heavenly Inheritance Will not Christ's coming be your utter undoing Will you not sustain a damage and loss never to be repaired For your wooing and buying time will be over the Spiritual Market will be at an end Will it not be sad when others are rich Heirs for you to be poor Bankrupts emptied and stript of all valuable and desirable good for ever Inquire therefore seriously and diligently how it stands with you in relation to Christ's coming Is Jesus Christ Revealed in you and to you and is his new Nature formed in you It is not Flesh and Blood but our Father that is in heaven that must reveal Christ to us Matt. 16.17 he that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to the Son Hath the spirit ever glorified Christ in your eyes Is he most precious to you If Christ be not Revealed to you while you are on Earth he cannot be Revealed from Heaven to your joy and comfort Have you an understanding to know the worth excellency and preciousness of Christ so that you give your selves to him and are in him If Christ do dwell in your hearts below you may be assured that you shall dwell in his House above Are you related to Christ Are you really his Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh They that are Christs shall be made alive at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Is the Match made up between Christ and you by a mutual Spiritual kiss Doth Christ kiss you expressing his servent love towards you and speaking powerfully and effectually to you the Doctrine of Grace the Word of Reconciliation The Gospel of Salvation is your own Interest in Christ's precious Promises sealed and delivered to you 2. Do you kiss Christ the Son of God Ps 2.12 Cant. 8.1 When Ishould find thee without I would kiss thee And Abraham Isaac and Jacob are said to salute kiss or embrace the Promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the mouth of Faith doth meet with the mouth of Christ speaking the Word of Life and the promises of Spiritual Benefits is perswaded of them doth embrace them then the Soul kisses Christ There is also a kiss of Homage as Samuel kissed Saul acknowledging him as the Lord 's Anointed When we receive the Law from Christ's mouth and profess our subjection to his Scepter and obedience to his Laws then we kiss Christ 3. Are you willing that Christ should come Do you desire long for and love Christ's appearing The Church saith Make haste my beloved Cant. 8.14 When Christ said I come quickly she adds her Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Rev. 22.20 Christians are said not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by their wishings longings earnest desires Do you fervently love the appearing of Christ as that which will be exceeding honorable to him comfortable and beneficial to you Do you love Christ's appearing as that which will be exceeding glorious to him For by his voice he shall quicken raise call forth all that are in their Graves John 5.28 That Christ knows all that ever lived can distinguish their dust from the dust of one another and from the dust of the Earth That he knows all their thoughts words and actions remembers them and will call them to an account for them 1 Pet. 4.5 Then Christ will sit on the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him to be judged by by him This is the perfection of Christ's Kingdom and his
Light that shines in the Gospel lest their deeds should be reproved and themselves condemned Tho' Men may please themselves with Notional and Speculative Knowledge as it may swell their Pride and commend them to the Esteem of Men yet when it should touch and wound Conscience affect the Heart be reduced to Practise and reform the Life then they hate knowledge Prov. 1 29. Thus those two Texts are to be reconciled Is 58.2 They seek me daily and delight to know my ways Yet this is charged even on Israelites That they hated Knowledge and would not chuse the Fear of the Lord they did not like to please fear worship and serve God in sincerity Quest But is there no distinction of Persons meant in these words Are they to be understood of the same Unregenerate Persons within the visible Church that both know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Answ It is true that there are Carnal Unconverted Persons within the Church that may be said neither to know God nor yet to obey the Gospel of Christ Eli 's Sons tho' they were Priests are said not to know the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 And the Jews are thus charged Through deceit they refuse to know me saith the Lord. Jer. 9.6 Either they thought they had found some better Good some sweeter Portion than God or that the knowledge of God would disturb their Peace and imbitter their Pleasures and Lusts to them and thus thro' deceit they did refuse to know God God complains That his People are destroy'd for lack of knowledge Hos 4.5 6. It may be Day without as Men are under a clear dispensation of the words of Reconciliation Righteousness and Salvation yet it may be Night within by reason of the blindness of the Mind and obstinacy of the Will If Men did rightly know God they would trust in him Ps 9.10 and set their love on him Ps 91.14 They that know Gods name are said to give their hearts to him to set their love on him But it is apparent that the Trust of many called Christians is with-held and their love withdrawn from God They cast God himself and his Word too behind their backs Psal 50.17 and therefore do not know God If they did indeed know the perfect Holiness of God the Purity of his Word the strictness of his Law the Severity and Terror of his Threatnings they would fly to Christ submit to the Righteousness of God obey the Gospel and Trust on the Lord Jesus both for Reconciliation and Sanctification Matt 5.6 It is too evident that all Unconverted Persons in the Church though called Christians do not know God Their Light doth not shine before men Phil. 2.15 16. And they do not hold forth the Word of Life in their Conversations Psal 10.4 3. They do not think of God he is not in all their thoughts Eph. 2.2 They do not trust in him They do not love God Christ saith to the Jews I know you that the love of God is not in you John 5.42 They delight not in the Almighty Job 27.10 they fear not God My fear saith God is not in thee Jer. 2.19 There is no fear of God before their eyes Rom. 3.18 They lightly esteem of God are unmindful of him and forget him Deut. 32.5 18. They do not seek after God draw near to him converse and enjoy communion with him Rom. 3.11 If Men designed to please God would they pass the bounds that he sets to them Eph. 2.2 break the yoke he puts on them Would they affront and reject his Authority Would they make God's Laws void and live in the open and notorious breach of his Commands If Men did know God could they allow themselves in Envy Hatred Malice In Cursing Swearing Lying Stealing Whoredom Adultery Could they go on in vain unprofitable Talks yea in filthy and rotten Communication in Wanton and Lascivious Language Could Men be so unjust one to another as to Plow away one anothers Land at Seed-time and to cut over their Furrows and take away their Neighbours Corn at Harvest Could Men so gripe and oppress one another Could they live without Prayer and not call upon God in their Families Would they so neglect their Children Not Teach Instruct and Educate them for God but rather yield and give them up to Satan by leaving them under the Power of Darkness and the Law of Sin Could they so connive at their Sins and not severely check and chastize them for and restrain them from their Vices if they did know God If Men neither own God as a Father and do not acknowledge Men as Brethren do not all these Evils loudly proclaim and strongly evidence that many called Christians do not know God Therefore Christ will come to Execute Vengeance on them to thrust them into a dark dreadful Prison and to cast them into a Furnace of unquenchable Fire But this expression those that know not God doth mainly and chiefly concern the Heathen World Galat. 4.8 While the Galatians did not know God they did service to them that were no Gods And the Corinthians were carried to Dumb Idols even as they were led They did not know the right Object of Adoration but did Service to them that were no Gods by Nature They did endow a false God with their Religious Adoration Many of the Heathen did think the World was from Eternity and never made They did not acknowledge the Author of their Being or the end for which they were made They sought after nothing but what they should eat what they should drink and wherewithal they should be clothed Matt. 6.32 as if they were all Body and there were no other Life but this present Life Now this is a heinous Sin for Heathens not to know God not to seek after him This is a great and inexcusable sin not to know when there are so many Witnesses that do testify for God He hath not left himself without witness Acts 14.16 17. These Witnesses should be called and examined Job 12.7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee There is a great Cause depending about the Being of God When this weighty Matter is to be tried surely we should by Meditation call and ask the Witnesses what they can testify for God his Being Power and Goodness 2. There are so many Preachers that declare his Glory and shew forth his Handy-work As this is Engraven on the Scriptures God spake me so this is in Capital Letters written on the Creature God made me That Hand that stretched out that spangled Canopy above our Heads and that hath spread this flowery Carpet that is under our Feet day unto day uttereth speech Psal 9.2 Every day doth abundantly utter something of God And the same word is used of the Righteous Psal 145.7
I shall abundantly utter the memory of that Goodness Two things are here to be observed 1. That the Creatures are such Preachers as never do keep silence day unto day uttereth speech It offers new Matter of Contemplation and Admiration and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge Every succeeding Night instructs the preceding Night and makes some farther and new Discoveries of God that should more enlighten the Minds and affect the Hearts of Men towards God 2. The Creatures preach God in a Speech and Language that all Nations may understand though their Languages are so confounded and are not understood by other People and Nations there is no Speech or Language where their voice is not heard The most ignorant and brutish Barbarians may understand the Speech and Language that the Creatures do preach in The confusion of Babel doth not hinder the Creatures from being understood in what they publish and declare of God 3. There is a great Book in which Men may read God Psal 19.4 Their Line is gone forth into all the Earth and their Words to the end of the Earth The Pages of this great Book are the Sea the Heavens and the Earth And this Book still lieth open and the most ignorant illiterate and unskilful may read in this Book and understand somewhat of its Contents This is a long Line that reacheth to the ends of the Earth and it is written in such great and Capital Letters that all may read it 4. Men are in the World as in a great Room all hung round with Glasses he that is in such a Room may clearly and plainly see the Attributes and Excellencies of God The invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen Rom. 1.20 They are evidenced and demonstrated to Sense yet so that the Understanding doth help the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are understood by the Mind that contemplates the things that are made and so Sense by the assistance of the Mind doth clearly see invisible things 5. There are Garments with which God is Clothed and in which he may be seen Psal 104.2 David saith to God Who coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment The Psalmist plainly refers to God's Creation of Light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light God did then put on this bright and glorious Creature as a Garment As the Greatness Majesty and Glory of Kings is seen in their Clothing so God is known how Powerful how Good how Wise he is by his Works Scultetus saith on Psal 104. Vestis Dei Contemplanda si Deum Contemplari volueris You must view God's Garment if you will Contemplate God himself for God himself otherwise is invisible We cannot come to the naked Divine Essence but we must see the first Cause clothed with Effects in the Works of Creation and Providence As when God comes forth to execute Justice he is said to Clothe himself with the Garments of Vengeance Isa 59.17 He puts on the Garments of Vengeance for Clothing and was clad with Zeal as a Cloak Hath God Clothed himself with so many and such glorious Garments Are his Attributes so visible in his Creatures And are not Men inexcusable that know not God who daily comes forth to us Clothed in his Works of Creation and Providence and thereby renders himself visible to us Quest But what do these Witnesses Preachers Books Glasses Garments of God discover and make known Answ The Being the Eternity Wisdom Power and Goodness of God 1. The Being of a God the invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead or his Divine Being Where there are Effects there must be a Cause where there are Streams there must be a Fountain If you will trace follow and persue the smallest stream it will at last bring you to the Ocean so follow the smallest Rivulet of Creature-Beings and it will bring you to God the infinite Sea of Being Where there is so great a House raised with so much Art and Skill there must needs be a Builder None ever saw a House built by Chance or Accident and what Folly and Madness is it to think that this great House of the World was built by a Casual yet Lucky meeting of Stones together The Creatures are not of themselves and therefore cannot be from Eternity That only that is Infinite Omnipotent All wise can be from Eternity Creatures are not so and therefore cannot be from Eternity Ask any Man living did you make your self none can be so impudent to affirm that he made himself And there is the same Reason against his Father or any other Man that he did not make himself therefore Men must necessarily come to a First Man and to a God that made him Thus the Creatures do demonstrate the Being of a God 2. The Creatures declare the Eternity of God He that made all things must necessarily be before them Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things were made and consist Col. 1.16 17. From everlasting to everlasting he is God Psal 90.2 If God were not from Eternity the World could not have had a beginning or any Creature have been formed 3. The Creatures proclaim the power of God Rom. 1.20 his eternal power Men speak words but God speaks things by his word he calls things that are not Rom. 4.17 And their answer is to rise spring up and exist that which is nothing yet hears and obeys God God said let their be Light let the Earth bring forth Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers and it was so and yet the Earth had no Seed of these things in it self Gen. 1.11 12. And as God speaks Creatures so he breaths the Soul Gen. 2.7 God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul And God writes in the Minds and Wills of Men none but he can reach or come at these Tables and write in them And God doth not as Men write Syllables and Words but he writes new Principles Habits Dispositions and Inclinations he writes Light in the Mind and Love in the Will Consider of these three glorious Effects of the power of God That he speaks Creatures breathes Souls writes new Principles and Inclinations in the Soul The power of God gloriously shines in the Work of Creation 1. That he made all things out of nothing Heb. 11.3 Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear That is They were made out of nothing There did not appear any eternal First Matter out of which God made all things Other Artists do not make their Matter but they must have it made to their Hands but God made all things out of nothing 2. God made all things By the Word of his Power Psal 33.6 were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.9 He spake
of his pleasant fruits Acts of moral Justice may profit Men may be beneficial to the Common-wealth and human Society yet if they flow not from a spiritual Spring grow not on the root of love to God they do not please God they are not accepted with him The Fathers as Vossius in his History of Pelagianism tells us did call these Opera Sterilia barren Works because they had no tendency to no influence on Eternal Life but if you break up the fallow Ground are renew'd by and sow to the Spirit you may receive in this life an hundred fold and at last reap and inherit everlasting life Mat. 10.29 Gal. 6.8 Judgment may dwell in your Wilderness Isa 32.16 and you that were formerly altogether unprofitable Rom. 3.12 Philemon's Epist may become profitable highly serviceable to God greatly beneficial and useful to Men unclean Creatures may be washed old and corrupt Creatures may be renew'd Tit. 3.5 2. Consider how bad it will be not to be plowed and sowed This is threatned as a terrible Judgment That the Land of Canaan should keep its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and ceaseth from Tillage Is it bad for the Ground to lay desolate to keep a Sabbath to cease from Culture how much worse is it for the Soul to keep its Sabbaths not holy but carnal and prophane Sabbaths while God's Plow doth not break it up nor his Seed be sow'd in it Men then will be far from Righteousness Isa 46.12 will serve divers Lusts and Pleasures and be without God in the World they will chuse their own ways and their Souls delight in their abominations The Adversaries of the Jews in the Babylonish Captivity saw their Sabbaths and mocked at them Lam. 1.7 but the great Enemy of Souls will rejoyce at the idle and prophane Sabbaths that wicked men keep when they cease to do good and leave off Righteousness in the Earth Amos 5.7 2. Those that are not broken up and sowed will be Satan's Possession as he claims Strays as his so he is the Lord of fallow Ground Such are of their Father the Devil and his lusts they will do John 8.44 It is sweet and honourable to be God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 but how dreadful is it to be Satan's Husbandry Satan will still be working in them Ephes 2.2 and filling of their Hearts Acts 5.3 he will be sowing planting and grafting in and on them he will tutor his Nursery by continual suggestions and temptations Satan will still be serving his turn on promoting his interest by and accomplishing bis designs in Souls that lye fallow how bad will it be to keep Sabbaths as resting from spiritual tillage This is to keep Sabbaths to gratifie and worship Satan these Sabbaths are working days to please the Flesh and rejoyce the Devil such do the Devil's Will in time and if Grace doth not prevent they must suffer God's Will to Eternity 3. Those that are as a fallow Ground do bitterly provoke God to anger Hos 12. last They bring forth Grapes of gall their clusters are bitter Deut. 32.33 Can the heavenly Husbandman feed on and delight in such Grapes doth not his Soul loath and abhor them but as to good Grapes are they not empty Vines Hos 10.1 These fallow Grounds are like the barren Fig-tree Christ hungred and came to this Fig-tree and found nothing on it but Leaves this so provoked Christ that he cursed it Mat. 21.18 19. and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever and presently the Fig-tree wither'd away In what danger are Souls that are barren Fig trees Christ may curse them so that their Leaves may wither their form of Religion decay and be utterly lost a Sentence may go forth against them Cut them down why should they any longer cumber the ground Luke 13.7 Those that are not Trees for Fruit shall be Trees for Fuel The Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 The Ground that after Rain and Dew have come often on it and yet it bringeth forth only Briers and Thorns it is nigh to cursing and its end is to be burnt Heb. 6.8 4. If you continue a Fallow Ground you will bring forth Fruit only to Death and fit your selves for Destruction Rom. 7.5 You will pile up fuel in the Infernal Tophet and fill the Treasury of God's wrath Rom. 2.5 as the clusters are bitter and so abhorred by God so your Wine is the Poyson of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps and so most fatal pernicious and destructive to your selves As Men now drink in iniquity like water Job 15.16 so they must shortly drink of the wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 O therefore cry mightily to God that he would remember you in your miserable and lost Estate There is a sweet Promise that God makes to the Mountain of Israel Ezek. 36.8 9. Behold I am for you and I will turn unto you and you shall be tilled sown and yield your Fruit. O plead this word with God put him in remembrance of it Confess you have long lain Fallow Perhaps some of you have kept a Sabbath of Years yea are come to a great Sabbatical Year Forty nine or Fifty Years you have ceased from Spiritual Tillage you have been idle all this while and done no work for God you have been barren and have brought forth no Fruit to God O will you not now send up strong cries to Heaven Will you not now wrestle mightily with God that he would be for you and turn to you in Grace and Mercy that you may be effectually filled skilfully sown and plentifully bear Fruit to God Doct. 2. It is the Duty of Unregenerate Men to break up their Fallow Ground They should not be idle or stand still or be contented with their present Barrenness that God who calls you to Act can breathe Life and put Strength into you to enable you to work As God in the first Creation spake to the Earth and said Let it bring forth Grass Herbs and Fruit-bearing Trees and it was so as the Father commanded and the Son was the Word so the Holy Ghost executed all The Earth had no Seed of Grass or Herbs or Roots of Trees within it self or power to bring them forth yet Gods Word was as Seed then and gave a productive Power to the Earth So God said Let the waters bring forth Fish to move in them and Fowl that may fly above the waters and earth in the open Firmament of Heaven and tho' the waters had no spawn of Fish or Eggs of Fowl in them yet the Word of God was powerful effectual and soon fulfilled So Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and the beginning of the Creation of God he can quicken dead Souls recover and heal a withered arm and hand Mark 3.5 so that it shall be stretched out and enabled to hold the Plough and carry on this Spiritual Tillage that