some few particulars 1. It is an Union of Believers with God with the Father and the Son not an Union of Believers among themselves at least not this only For the Union expressed in those first words that they may be one is declared or illustrated in these following as thou Father art in me and I in thee and so is the same Union with that in the last words which is taken to be an Union with the Father and the Son that they may be one in or with us or else the words here used to illustrate one thing would not illustrate that but another That they may be one how as thou Father art one in me and I in thee so they may be one in us Besides the same words in effect are used ver 22. that they may be one even as we are one and the same explained immediately ver 23. I in them ver 26. I in them by which without question Christ both here and elsewhere expresses the Union of Believers with himself though I will not deny that the Union among Believers themselves may be included being a consequent of the other and that which Unites them with Christ unites them among themselves 2. This Union hath some resemblance of that between the Father and the Son that they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as denotes not any thing of equality but only something of likeness That we may know what of resemblance there is we must inquire but very modestly as becomes those who are so much in the dark how the Father is said to be in the Son and he in the Father For this purpose Christ may be considered either as God or as Man As God he is in the Father and the Father in him or which is the same he is one with the Father because they are of one and the same Nature and Essence the same Infinite Excellencies and Essential Perfections that are in the Father are also in the Son upon this account the Son is said to be in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14.10 11. Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me so that he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father ver 9. and he that hath known the Son hath known the Father ver 7. because they are one and the same in Nature and Essence the very same as to all divine perfections And thus the Father and Son with the Spirit are said to be one 1 John 5.7 For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one one in Essence and all the perfections which are Essential to God though distinct in personality and manner of subsistence There is an Essential Union between the Father and the Son as he is God no such Union must be imagined between them and Believers the distance is no less than infinite and if there can be any resemblance it must be very remote If we consider Christ as Man he may be said to be one with the Father and is so because the same Spirit which is called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Father dwells in the Humane Nature of Christ Matth. 12.18 Joh. 3.34 And this may help us better to apprehend how we may be said to be one in or with the Father and the Son Therefore 3. The most intelligible way of expressing this Vnion which I meet with is this believers are said to be one with the Father because that Spirit which proceeds from him and is called his Spirit is in them They are said to be one with the Son not only because that Spirit which proceeds from the Son and is called the Spirit of Christ resides in Believers but because the same individual Spirit which dwels in the Humane Nature of Christ dwels also in them 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit he that is one with the Lord hath one Spirit with him he is quickned and acted by the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in him They are not one essentially as the Father and the Son are one being of one and the same Essence nor one personally as the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ being united in one person nor one morally only as he whose Heart cleaves to another by love is one with him but one spiritually or one Spirit because one and the same Spirit is in both So elsewhere our Union with God and Christ is said to be by the Spirit in us Eph. 2.22 In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit We are in Christ and God is in us as his habitation as those in whom he dwels how through his Spirit By his Spirit dwelling in us as it is expressed Rom. 8.9 10 11. But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in you and if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you c. Ye are Spiritual if the Spirit of God dwell in you but if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his none of his Members not united to him but if Christ be in you as is before signifyed by the Spirit of God dwelling in you c. So that this Union by the Apostles account consists in the Spirits dwelling in us and it will be farther cleared by shewing how the Spirit dwels in us 4. The Holy Spirit by virtue of whose inhabitation Believers are said to be united unto the Father and the Son dwells in them as a Principle of Spiritual Life and Motion quickens them to a new Life and all the acts of it There are some who will not have the person of the Holy Ghost to be in the Saints but I know not how this can be denyed without denying either the immensity or personality of the Divine Spirit For if he be a person and if he be every where his person will be present and reside in them It is true upon this account meerly nothing singular is ascribed to them for his person is not with them only but every where The peculiarity of this priviledge lies here that he is in them as a principle of spiritual Life and motion and thus he is not in any other Creature on Earth he quickens and acts them as a vital Principle like as an Humane Soul united unto the Body gives it Life and Motion suitable to its Nature so does the Spirit of God taking possession of the Soul of a Believer enliven and act it with the Life and Motions of a Divine and Spiritual Nature Not that the Spirit is united to the Soul as the Soul
glorious and that in an eminent manner above all the outward Worship of the Old Testament in the Tabernacle and Temple whose Glory was great and as unto external Pomp inimitable To this purpose the Apostle disputes at large 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9 10. This therefore is agreed that there ought to be Beauty and Glory in divine Worship and that they are most eminently in that which is directed and required in the Gospel But withal the Apostle declares in the same place that this Glory is Spiritual and not Carnal so did our Lord Jesus Christ foretel that it should be and that unto that end all distinction of places with all outward advantages and Ornaments belonging unto them should be taken away John 4 20 21 22 23 24. It belongs therefore unto our present Design to give a brief Account of its Glory and wherein it excels all other ways of divine Worship that ever were in the world even that under the Old Testament which was of divine Institution wherein all things were ordered for Beauty and Glory And it may be given in the Instances that ensue 1. The express Object of it is God not as absolutely considered but as existing in three Persons of Father Son and Holy Spirit This is the principal Glory of Christian Religion and its Worship Under the Old Testament the Conceptions of the Church about the Existence of the Divine Nature in distinct Persons were very dark and obscure for the full Revelation of it was not to be made but in the distinct actings of each Person in the works of Redemption and Salvation of the Church that is in the Incarnation of the Son and Mission of the Spirit after he was glorified John 7.39 And in all the ways of Natural Worship there was never the least shadow of any respect hereunto But this is the foundation of all the Glory of Evangelical Worship The Object of it in the Faith of the Worshipper is the Holy Trinity and it consists in an Ascription of Divine Glory unto each Person in the same individual Nature by the same Act of the Mind where this is not there is no Glory in Religious Worship 2. It s Glory consists in that constant respect which it hath unto each Divine Person as unto their peculiar work and actings for the salvation of the Church so it is described Eph. 2.18 Through him that is the Son as Mediator we have our access by one Spirit unto the Father This is the immediate Glory of Evangelical Worship comprehensive of all the Graces and Priviledges of the Gospel And to suppose that the Glory of it doth consist in any thing but the Light Graces and Privileges which it doth it self exhibit is a vain Imagination It will not borrow Glory from the Invention of men we shall therefore a little consider it as it is here represented by the Apostle 1. The Vltimate Object of it under this consideration is God as the Father we have an access therein unto the Father And this Consideration in our worship of God as a Father relating unto the whole dispensation of his Love and Grace by Christ Jesus as he is God and our God his Father and our Father is peculiar unto Gospel-worship and contains a signal part of its glory We do not only worship God as a Father so the very Heathens had a Notion that he was a Father of all things but we worship him who is the Father and as he is so both in relation to the eternal Generation of the Son and the communication of Grace by him unto us as our Father so no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 This Access in our worship unto the Person of the Father as in Heaven the holy Place above as on a Throne of Grace is the glory of the Gospel See Mat. 6.9 Heb. 4.16 châ—p 10.19 20 21. 2. The Son is here considered as Mediator through him we have this access unto the Father This is the Glory that was hidden from former Ages but brought to light and display'd by the Gospel So speaks our blessed Saviour himself unto his Disciples Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive Iohn 16.23 24. To ask God expresly in the Name of the Son as Mediator belongs unto the Glory of the Gospel-worship The chief of them may be reduced to these three Heads 1. It is he who makes both the persons of the Worshippers and their Duties accepted of God See Heb. 2.17 18. chap. 4.16 chap. 10.19 2. He is the Administrator of all the worship of the Church in the holy place above as its great High Priest over the House of God Heb. 8.2 Rev. 8.3 3. His Presence with and among Gospel-worshippers in their worship gives it Glory This he declares and promises Mat. 18.19 20. If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven for where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them All Success of the Prayers of the Church dependeth on and ariseth from the presence of Christ amongst them He is so present for their assistance and for their consoâ—ation This presence of a Living Christ and not a dead Crucifix gives Glory to Divine worship He who sees not the Glory of this Worship from its relation unto Christ is a stranger unto the Gospel with all the Light Graces and Privileges of it 3. It is in one Spirit that we have Access unto God in his Worship and in his Administration doth the Apostle place the glory of it in opposition unto all the glory of the Old Testament as doth our Lord Jesus Christ also in the place before referred unto for 1. The whole Ability for the observance and performance of it according to the Mind of God is from him alone His communication of Grace and Gifts unto the Church is that alone which makes it to give glory to God in his Divine Service If this should cease all acceptable Worship would cease in the world To think to observe the Worship of the Gospel without the Aid and Assistance of the Spirit of the Gospel is a lewd imagination But where he is there is Liberty and Glory 2 Cor. 3.17 18. 2. By him the sanctified Minds of Believers are made Temples of God and so the principal Seal of Evangelical worship 1 Cor. 3.16 chap. 6.8 This Temple being of God's own framing and of his own adorning by his Spirit is a much more glorious Fabrick than any that the hands of men can erect 3. By him is the Church led into internal Communion and Converse with God in Christ in Light Love and Delight with holy boldness the glory whereof is expressed by the Apostle
Col. 2.14 but withal it did direct them to the Lord Jesus who was to appear once in the end of the World to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself The Moral Law discovered their duty convinced them of Sin and declared the necessity of a Mediator to make an Atonement The Apostle when he witnessed that Christ should suffer and be the first that should rise from the dead and shew Light to the People and to the Gentiles he sticks not to affirm that he said no other things â—â—an what Moses and the Prophets did say should come Act. 26.22 23. Moses saw Christ and his Cross and esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches thâ—â— the Treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 Abraham rejoyced to see his day hâ— saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 Nay several thousands of years before the actual rising of this Sun of righteousness there was some Light which caused a day break presently after the fall That promise the seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head shews that the First Adam was not altogether ignorant of the Second 5. The Revelation of Christ under the new Testament is more clear therefore to be ignorant of him is the more without Apology the veil upon the Face of Moses did signifie the obscurity of the Mosaick Dispensation but that vail is done away in Christ and we all may now with open Face behold as in a Glass the Lords Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 The New Testament helps us to understand the Old and adds de novo a far more glorious Light than ever shined before God spake more by his Son than he had done by his Servants the Prophets that lived in the Ages before his Manifestation in the flesh Such a clear Discovery of things which before were but darkly intimated is a priviledg which should be taken notice of and thankfully improved Mat. 13.16 17. Blessed are your Eyes for they see and your ears for they hear for verily I say unto you that many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them 6. All true Believers in Christ have some Knowledg of him Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard As it was in the first Creation God said let there be Light and there was Light so it is in the New Creation Darkness overspreads the Soul but God does shine into the heart and gives the Light of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ And Christ being thus revealed the heart is taken with him gladly opens and receives him relies and believes in him to Life everlasting Let the Church of Rome boast of the conveniences of Ignorance and the sufficiency of implicite Faith we shall shew our selves Children of Light by pleading for Light and it shall be our desire That God would deliver us from the Ignorance of the Church of Rome as well as from the Tyranny of the Bishop there 7. Those that know most of Christ know him but in part therefore are to be urged to grow in Knowledg The Apostle Paul who equalled James Cephas and John for in conference they added nothing to him Gal. 2.6 who was caught up to the third Heaven and there had abundance of revelations and heard words which was not lawful to utter yet humbly acknowledges that he knew in part and prophesied in part 1 Cor. 13.9 and that he saw but through a Glass darkly v. 12. Knowledg in this World is imperfect as well as Holiness and where both these are true there will be an industrious longing that both may be still carried on towards perfection These things being premised I shall tell you what it is to grow in the Knowledg of Christ in these particulars I. Growing in the knowledg of Christ implies a fuller apprehension of his Godhead Here is Majesty Immensity Glory that may presently amaze and overwhelm us Alas 't is but a small portion of this that we can understand but this must be known that the self same perfections which are in the Father are likewise in the Son for He and his Father are one Christ is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 't is a destructively heretical Gloss to say he is styled God only by a Figure He is affirmed to be over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 He created all things in Heaven and in Earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or Principalities or Powers and he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.16 17. And those excellent Creatures all the Angels of God are commanded to worship him Heb. 1.6 This Truth that Christ is God is more and more to be lookt into He that denyes it loses his Christianity according to * Necessarium est credere confiteri articulum de divinitate Christi quem ubi Arrius negavit necesse fuit etiam negare articulum Râ—demptionis vincere enim peccatum mundi mortem maledictionem iram lei in semetipso â—on est ullius â—reaturae sed â—ivinae potentiae opus Quare negantes divinitatem Christi amittunt tandem totum Christianismum fiuntque prorsus Gentiles Luther Tom. 4. p. 92. b. Luther and the prop and foundation of his Faith Here is the Rock upon which the Church is 〈◊〉 so as the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16.18 The Godhead of Christ makes his blood a price of infinite value full satisfaction has been made to divine Justice by the payment of it The Godhead of Christ puts merit into his obedience and sufferings so that believers cannot ask for more than he has deserved they should receive The Godhead of Christ gives efficacy to Ordinances so that the dead are quickned the blind are enlightned the weak are strengthened and confirmed The Godhead of Christ puts life and vigour into the Christians Faith he may safely be trusted who is God only wise who is the Lord Almighty whose mercy and faithfulness endure for ever 2. Diabolus lapsus est invidia illa qua invidit hominibus tantam dignitatem quod Deus futurus esset homo Bernard Growing in the knowledge of Christ implies a clearer sight of his humanity how often is he called the Son of Man as well as the Son of God One of the Fathers imagined that this was the fault and the fall of the reprobate Angels a proud enviousness at the forethought of the Son of God his advancing by taking upon him the humane nature And Luther supposed this was the occasion upon which Satan suggested to Mahomet in his Alcoram that many of the good Angels became Divels because they refused to worship Adam 'T is a great Mystery of Godliness that God is manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Videtur Diabolus ipse autori Alcorani suggessisse quod id o Daemones facti essent ex bonis Angelis quia
of the Creature as Water and Wine are mingled together so that the Nature of them both is lost in that mixture For it is not thus with Angels in Heaven or the Glorifyed Spirits there for they still retain their own distinct Nature and Being though they are in the Highest Communion with God Neither is it thus between the Humane and the Divine Nature of Christ as if these two were mingled together and did lose their proper and distinct Natures in each other though the Humane and Divine Nature of Christ have a most near Union and Communion with each other But this Communion it is a Sacred and Mutual Intercourse that is between God and his People whereby they go forth and act in the Divine exercise of their faculties towards him and he comes forth in the Communication of himself in Light Life and Love to them II. I next proceed to speak of some Distinctions about Communion General II with God 1. Communion with God may be considered either with respect to this World or the World to come the one is Imperfect the other is perfect one is Mediate the other Immediate the one is Inconstant and often interrupted the other is constant fixed and uniform without any Interruption for ever 2. This Communion with God hath higher and lower degrees both in the Nether and Vpper World Both among the Saints here below and the Saints and Angels above As there are Orders of Angels in Heaven and some nearer to the Throne of God than others and receive higher Communications of God to them so it is with the Saints made perfect in that Heavenly State 3. This Communion with God is either Internal or External By Internal I mean that sacred Intercourse between God and the Soul which is managed only in the inward Man And by External I mean this Communion with God managed in some External Ordinance of his Worship in the Communion of Saints General III III. I next proceed to shew how this Communion with God is attained and then maintained I answer in General It is attained only in that way which God himself hath appointed thereunto The Heathen did aim at having Fellowship with their Gods and therefore they built them Temples to dwell in Erected Oracles for them to speak to them by and they built Altars to sacrifice to them and appointed Priests to be their Mediators or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers of Friendship between them and their Gods they used several Charms to bring their Gods to them and keep them with them they made use of various Modes and Rites of Worship which they thought best pleased their Gods and whereby they might invite their favour to them and presence with them Yea they worshipped several Creatures though not as Gods but yet that in worshipping them they might have some Communion with those Gods that they thought did preside over those Creatures they Worshipt as Vulcan over the Fire Neptune over the Sea Ceres over the Fruits of the Earth c. But notwithstanding these vain apprehensions of the Heathen by such means to have Fellowship with their Gods yet the Apostle says they sacrificed to Devils and not to God and had Fellowship with Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 I would not saith he that ye should have Fellowship with Devils But the ways of this Communion as I said must be those which God himself hath appointed the principal whereof are Jesus Christ himself and the Holy Spirit 1. By Jesus Christ who was figured upon this account by Jacobs Ladder that stood betwixt Heaven and Earth as the Person wherein Heaven and Earth are united God and Man have Communion with each other who was also figured by the Temple whither the people came up to meet and have communion with God and God with them And particularly by the Mercy Seat where God promised to meet his people and commune with them and therefore the Apostle addeth here in the Text Our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ for on our part all our access to God is by him Eph. 2.18 Through him we both have an access unto the Father 2. All Gods approaches to us are also through him All that Light Life and Love which God communicates to his people is through him alone And we have this Communion through Christ with God First By virtue of his Incarnation He assumed our Nature into Union and Communion with God and so made way for our Persons Secondly By virtue of his Life he lived here in the World considered either in the Holy Example he hath left us to walk by or the Doctrine that he here preached by both which he did guide and lead Men in the right way to Fellowship with his Father Thirdly By virtue of his Death and making reconciliation for us by his Blood for if there had not been a Reconciliation and an agreement made between God and us we could never have had Communion with him How can two walk together if they be not agreed 1. This Communion with God it is some lower entrance into the Holyest of all in this World and this is said to be by the Blood of Jesus as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.19 Fourthly By vertue of his Resurrection whereby Believers come to be raised up to newness of Life Rom. 6.4 And it is only in this New Life that we have all our Communion with God the Old Man in us is not capable of it nor the Powers of Nature till they be renewed raised and quickned through the power of Christs Resurrection Fifthly By vertue also of his Ascension into Heaven from whence descends upon Believers a Divine Influence and Power through Faith whereby they are carryed up above this World and ascend up to Heaven and into Communion with God as the Apostle argues Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right hand of God Sixthly By virtue of his Intercession For this is one great thing that he Intercedes for with his Father in Heaven that his People might have Union and Communion with them as appears by what Christ prays for John 17.21 in the behalf of his Disciples that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us and so have Communion with us so that all these things I have spoken concerning Christ ye see tend to this great end to bring up the Saints of God into this Communion with him 2. This Communion with God is also by the Spirit of God as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.13 14. speaks of the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Grace of Christ and the Love of God are communicated by the Holy Ghost So that all our Fellowship with the Father and the Son are by the Spirit Now the Spirit doth effect this Communion with
thee unto the prejudice of thy best affairs and that he never be defective in ministring those supplies to thee which his own Glory the credit of Religion the publick Good and the great Duties of thy Place and Station do require And that he never call the out to any thing beyond thy Strength and Furniture but that he suit thy Strength and Spirit unto the Work and Burthens of thy Place and Day 1 Cor. 10.13 God will not be offended at thee for such trust as this supposing thy devotedness and thy due diligence and prudence in the choice and using of all meet Subordinate means and helps and thy fervent cryes to him 3 Think upon those Encouragements which God hath given to this trust Isa 26.3 4. Psal 112.7 thou hast Gods Promises and Engagements Heb. 6.17 18. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Heb. 10.23 24. Psal 119.75 76. and these are certain suitable large and precious and the genuine product of infinite generous and resolved Love Thou hast those near and dear Relations which God hath assumed and owns to thee an Husband Father King c. Isa 54.5 10. 2 Cor. 6.18 Rev. 21.7 Thou hast the exhibition of his own Son Jesus Christ Heb. 10.19 23.4 14 16. 2.17 18. John 6.39 40. 1 Pet. 1.3 21. Rom. 8.32 35. Thou hast the earnest of the indwelling Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 5.5 and of that new Nature which he hath formed and cherished in thee as in 2 Tim. 1.7 Rom. 8.15 23 28. thou hast a sealed Covenant with Sacramental confirmations and experiences of prosperous trust both in others and thy self Psal 9.10 Rom. 15.4 Dan. 3.28 Heb. 11. Do then as David did Infer from known experience all that may strengthen regular Confidence for thus did he Psal 32.7 10. and thus did Paul 2 Cor. 1.8 10. The Lord is my Shield and Strength my Heart trusted in him and I am Helped Psal 28 7. And thou hast the Glory of thy God concerned in the prosperousness of thy Trust Ephes 1.12 Rom. 4.20 And now to close up all Why such manifold Encouragements to Trust in God if they were either Vain or Needless And how can any keep up their Trust in God without their deep and sober Thoughts about and their intent and most deliberate Pauses on these weighty things upon Record which God hath left to Justifie and Encourage your Trusting in him It is both Strange and Sad to see many Christians come to their Ministers with Complaints or put up Bills for Prayers in Congregations and to desire Solemn Days to be set apart for them whilst they rest only here as if they looked to be comforted and supported by some Charm or Miracle they look to be healed by a Word and they neglect their own Work they do not search into themselves that they may know whether or no the Grace of God hath made them capable of Trusting in the Lord as their God They bring not their Calamities and Dejections to the Test that they may clearly know under what hand of God they are cast and how far God hath hid his Face from them and how far not God enters not into their close and serious Thoughts that they may plainly see and know what there is in him to draw their Spirits forth to Trust in him Nor will they studiously revive that Sence of God upon themselves whereby their Trust in him may be Engaged Establish'd and Emboldned and yet they cry What shall we do to Trust in the Lord as our God Why Sirs I will tell you what to do 1. See that your Interest in God be cleared up this you may know by the prevalency of your Desires Pursuits and Satisfactions and by the Practical Resignments of your selves to him 2. See what this Interest in God refers viz. Nothing is desperately lost at present and all will be well at last and that all lies safe that can concern you see Psal 23.1 4. The truth is all that can be grateful great and sure may be inferred from hence 3. Accommodate and apply what you infer as skilfully and faithfully as you can to your distressing and discouraging Case and Circumstances there are Histories to tell us what God hath done and there are Doctrines to tell us what God is and can do and there are Precepts and Instructions to direct us what we are to do in what Cases upon what Grounds and Reasons and to what Ends and Purposes we may Trust in God and God hath given us marks to know what Interest we have in him and a Directory and Helps to get it if we have it not and he hath shewed us fully and plainly what it is and what at last it will amount to to want or have this Interest in himself and when as we have gotten it he hath taught us how to apply it fitly and how to bear our Spirits up in Hope and Trust thereby and after all this and much more shall we be negligent and lazy and cry out like Fools and Drones We know not how to Trust in God nor whether he be Ours or not let us not thus abuse our selves 4. Think on these Means and Helps whereby we may attain to an Ability and Faculty of Trusting in God and let them be most Faithfully improved such as the Word Sacraments Sabbaths Conferences Meditation upon the Word and Works of God but these need no Enlargements on them and my Limits are transgrest already READER Expect not Accuracy here I am very sensible of many Imperfections in this Sermon I am separated from my helps having my Bible only and my God to help me in my wandring Solitudes and Retirements these things are what I have discoursed with my own heart and if some Censure them others I hope will Pity and Pray for me and the God of Heaven accept and prosper these though weak Endeavours I had some Inferences prepared but because I would not be too tedious I forbear to add them so as to Enlarge upon them I will but mention these 1st Infer Hence it follows That Humane Souls are Excellent and Capacious Principles and Beings 2d Infer Graceless Sinners are under dark and dreadful Circumstances when God Afflicts and hides his Face from them they need not say Why cast down so much but rather why not more 3d Infer Excellent is the Temper and Condition that Grace puts Mens Souls into in that they are enabled prompted and directed to such ways to know and help themselves 4th Infer Right and due Thoughts of God do mighty Service to the Gracious Soul in all the Eclipses and Distresses that do or can befall it Psal 42.11 Infer I. Mans Soul is a Noble and Capacious Being Mark 8.36 37. It is called by Solomon the Lamp or Candle of the Lord searching all the Inward parts of the Belly Prov. 20.27 It is the great Treasure that ought to be kept and used well for out of it are the Issues of Life Prov. 4.23 Its Joys
will Now where 's that Man in all the World that can do this beside the Christian Serious Godliness will make every change of Condition good for us thô the change shock both Nature and Grace A change of condition is either the hope or fear of every one in this World and 't is not the least part of Heavens happiness that there 's no fear of change In that state of Happiness wherein Men and Angels were created Mutability was their Out-let into Sin and Misery but now through Grace there 's no change formidable Alas we change more or less every day and who is it that meets not with some almost overwhelming changes in his life and doth or should preparingly expect his greatest change at Death And let the Consciences of all that are not worse than dead say whether any thing on this side now-despised Godliness can so much as endure the thoughts of such a Change In the comparatively petty changes of our life when we but change Plenty into Want or Credit into Disgrace or Health into Sickness how do Persons fret and toss like a wild Bull in a Net or lye down sullen under God's hand as if he had done us wrong or were to give us account why he grieves us But now Grace in exercise turns our eyes inward and shews us what we have more cause to lament no evil comparable to the evil of Sin whatever God doth against us on this side Hell 't is less than sin deserves Will God any way prepare us for our unchangeable change glory be to Free Grace Serious Godliness will make Relative Afflictions which of all outward Afflictions are the most grievous good for us and nothing else can do it I confess 't is morally worse for all the Relations of a Family to go the broad way to ruine and thô their Lusts clash one against another yet to be all agreed to be the Devils willing Servants 'T was sad in Egypt n Exod. 12.30 when there was not an house whore there was not one dead but 't is far worse to have whole Families where there is not one Spiritually alive but thô 't is Sinfully worse than Divisions in Families about Religion yet 't is at present more dolefully Afflictive to have those whose Souls welfare we desire as our own to be Devils incarnate For a David a man after Gods own heart when he comes from publick worship o 2. Sam. 6.20 c. to bless his houshold to be so revil'd by Michal as to divert his Zeal to a twitting her with her Fathers rejection and his Blessing of his Houshold into Gods Curse upon her Self On the other hand for a most obliging Abigal p 1 Sam. 25.17 c. to have such a Son of Belial to her Husband that a man cannot speak to him that when by her prudent fore-sight he was preserv'd from sudden death he was so drunk as not to be capable of hearing of his danger Again for Abraham the Father of the faithful to have a seven years Promise of a Son and for God to give that Son his Name and this Son to prove a scoffing Ishmael for Isaac the quietest of all the Patriarchs to pray twenty years for a Son and to have his first-born prove a profane Esau for good Eli to have such Children as †1 Sam. 2.17 made the Offerings of the Lord to be abhorred And on the other hand for Hezekiah of whom 't is said q 2 Kings 18.5 After him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him to have such a Father as Ahaz that as it were r 2 Kings 16.3 devoted his Children to the Devil and hath this peculiar brand upon him ſ 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of his distrests did he trespass yet more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz How might every one of these complain as Rebekah did t Gen. 27.46 I am weary of my Life because of some wicked Relations and if I should have more such what good shall my Life do me Again for Masters to have such Servants as Mephibosheth had of Ziba * 2 Sam. 16.1 4. who irreparably blasted him in his Reputation and ruin'd him in his Estate For Servants to have such a Master as Laban was to Jacob who gives this account of his twenty years Service †Gen. 31.40 c. In the day the Drought consumed me and the Frost by Night and my sleep departed from mine Eyes and had not God relieved him by little less than Miracle Surely thou hadst sent me away empty And now having mentioned sinful relative Afflictions I 'le mention no other for there 's no Evil comparable to Sin nor any Evil so intolerable to a Gracious Soul that if Serious Godliness can keep from sinking under this burden you need fear no other to be inseparably related to one that is loaded with infamy or even famisht thrô Poverty loathsomely diseased or incurably distracted these are but flea-bitings to the stabbing wounds of wicked Relations But now serious godliness doth not only support but grow under this burden which is a priviledge they are injurious to themselves to overlook Christ takes upon him all those Relations that are impossible to meet in any other that what is grievous in any Relation may be comfortably made up in him and God usually increaseth their Graces thô not alwayes their present Comforts Serious Godliness will make horror of Conscience and divine Desertions good for us These where there is no godliness nor working towards it they are none of the least of Hell torments but where they befall any one that is godly or that God is about to make so they prove healing thô rough Physick When God thorowly awakens the Conscience thô with a fright and drops spiritual influences thô withdraws he makes Convictions more deep and Repentance more sound you may take this for a tryed case Those serious Christians whom God is pleased to exercise with tremblings of Conscience temptations of Satan and apprehensions of Desertion God thereby makes them eminently gracious and compassionately useful they walk most humbly with God justifying and praising him under his most astonishing Providences And thô above all temptations these are so far from joyous that they are most grievous yet these even these u Heb. 12.11 afterwards yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Serious Godliness will force something good out of the evil of Sin Here it concerns me to speak with more Caution than in any other Case whatsoever for we must not dare to venture upon Sin thrô hopes of extracting good out of it as Chymists extract Spirits out of Soot and Vrine c. No The Apostle tells us * Rom. 3.8 That those that do but say that offer to say we may do Evil that Good may come of it the Damnation of those slanderers is just So that
Heart such as that is such he is now if a mans chief work be about his heart to watch that to purifie that to suppress the corruptions of it to reduce it into order and keep it in ordâ—â— to bring it into an holy frame and maintain it in such a frame when he hath so much reason for it it cannot be the effect of Fancy or a meer pretence 4. Let Grace influence you in all you do even in your ordinary Civil actions do all graciously do your common work as your Duty labour in your Callings enjoy your Refreshments visit your Friends make use of your Recreations with a sense of Duty and an eye to God do all as commanded by him and with a respect to his Glory and your own Salvation in a word Interest God in all let all be done by his Grace as the ruling and directing Principle and when ye find it so powerful ye may well believe it to be real 5. Labour to out do all you ever did while in a state of Nature Think what have been the highest actions you have ever been put upon not only by Fancy or humour but by the best Reason you then had by natural Conscience or good Education or legal Convictions or any present impressions from things without and then make it your business to outdo them all labour so to act as nothing less than a settled principle of Holiness in your Hearts could ever make you act living in the Love of God delighting in his wayes rejoycing in Christ Jesus mortifying your beloved Lusts your most secret or most pleasant or most creditable or most profitable Corruptions renouncing all trust in your own Righteousness when yet you do your utmost to work Righteousness are such acts as nor meer nature nor any thing in Nature can reach unto and for any to say that Fancy can put a man upon so acting is it self the veriest Fancy 6. Keep an even Course of holy walking in the most different or contrary Conditions If you can hold on in Gods wayes when most disheartned in them Serve him never the worse for his Afflicting you walk holily when you have least of the Comfort of Holiness not only keep to God when the World is against you but you fear he is himself against you trust in him when you think he is slaying you follow him when he withdraws from you and on the other side not abuse his Goodness not grow wanton with his Smiles not presume upon his Encouragements if the taste of Gods graciousness k 1 Pet. 2.3 whet your desires after him his Comforts do not cloy you nor dull you nor make you grow more loose or slack in his wayes if when you rejoyce most in God ye rejoyce most in his work the Comfort of your Hearts purifies and spiritualizeth your Hearts so that the more ye enjoy of God the more ye do for him and so in a word all Gods dispensations help you forward in his wayes his Rods drive you on his Gifts draw you out and both further your Progress in Faith and Holiness neither his Consolations puff you up nor his Corrections cast you down so as to abate your Affections to him and care of pleasing him you can love the Lord and his Holiness and fear the Lord and his Goodness l Hos 3.5 love him when he Frowns and fear him when he Smiles this will certainly speak the reality of that holy Princiâ—â—â— which is in you nothing not real could ever have so real so great effects upon you 7. Be much in the exercise of those Graces which have least affinity with your Natures least footing in them and in mortifying those Corruptions which your Natures are most inclined to and that will evidence a real change in you and a real Principle Some Graces may be further off from your natural tempers than others be more in the exercise of them and some Corruptions may be more agreeable to them so in some Pride is in others Anger in others Fear be sure exercise your selves especially to beat them down go contrary to the stream and current of your own inclinations it must be something more than a Fancy that can either outdo the best of nature or mend its worst Mans Fancies usually have some foundation in their tempers and dispositions and therefore as their tempers are various so are their Fancies too some carry them one way some another but for the most part it is for the promoting or gratifying some natural inclination and then that which crosseth such inclinations most is most like to be something constant and fixed Fancy will hardly overcome Nature in a wrathful man and make him become meek and gentle nor make one that is dull and phlegmatick active and zealous nor a proud person humble nor a churl liberal though where Grace meets with a good disposition it makes the greater shew as suppose gracious Meekness in one who hath already a natural meekness yet the power of Grace is especially seen in its influence upon such inclinations in mens natures as are most contrary to it when it corrects them regulates them or makes men act most oppositely to them And that which thus rectifies the most crooked dispositions sweetens an harsh Nature moderates a furious one elevates a dull one whatever it be it is more than a Fancy 8. Labour to act to such an height of Holiness and walk so closely with God that ye may have some sensible Communion with him in Duties and Ordinances that you may see his Power and his Glory in his Sanctuary Psal 63.2 May tast his Graciousness 1 Pet. 2.3 David did tast sweetness in the Word Psal 19.10 and why may not you Why may not the spiritual senses of a Believer an enlightned Understanding and renewed Conscience take as real pleasure in spiritual Objects as his natural Senses may in natural ones God may beam in his Love into your Souls shed it abroad in your Hearts m Rom. 5.5 make you tast its Sweetness and feel its Power chearing up your Spirits and filling them with Joy unspeakable and glorious n 1 Pet. 1.8 the Father may come and the Son come and manifest themselves to you and take up their abode with you o Joh. 14.21 23. so that you may say in the joy of your Hearts This is the Lord and we have waited for him this is our God and he will save us p Isa And if you experience this in your selves in your conversing with God in his Ordinances find something you never found any where else and can scarce express or make others understand that have not felt the same like the white stone with the new Name which none knows but he that hath it Rev. 2.17 You will find Gods Consolations carry their own Evidence along with them and speak their own reality they have something Divine in them such a Stamp of God upon them that they will satisfie your Hearts
to the end and ye see what power he had with God in Prayer for wicked Sodom God communicated his Secrets to him as one Friend to another and Abraham made Intercession to him as Favourites of Princes for Malefactors So did he for Sodom and ye know how far he prevailed for he was a Righteous man Jam. 5.16 and such a mans Prayer prevaileth much And what was Abrahams Righteousness even the Righteousness of Faith by Imputation Rom. 4. and this Faith living and working XV. We keep our selves in the Love of God when we declare a publick Spirit for the Cause of God in his Church against the Enemies of it by being zealous for his Glory and valiant for his Truth in our Station Judg. 5. This is lively asserted in the Song of Deborah and Barak who after she had praised some for their appearing and others for not appearing in this Cause dispraised the Lord she praised above all for his presence with his People and for that Spirit of Love he poured out upon them in these Words vers 31. So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Now the Reason why this publick Spirit in the Cause of God is expressed by our Love to God is this Because God is so much concerned in it 1. As to his Honour to defend and deliver his People from his and their Enemies as the Midianites were 2. As to his Power in reducing thirty thousand to three hundred Jud. 7. as in Gideons case all that lapped He as a poor Barley Cake tumbled all the Enemies down and by a small company And a Woman in Deborahs case that is by her self and Jael Judg. 4.21 destroyed Jabin and Sisera's mighty Host To omit many other instances of publick Hearts in this case signally owned by God because they signally appeared for God Thus Moses Exod. 2.11 13. Judg. 5.9 This was their Love Thus saith Deborah My Heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offer themselves willingly bless ye the Lord. Zebulun and Napthali jeoparded their lives unto Death in the high places of the Field and thus did Issachar ver 15. But Reuben Gad Manasseh Dan and Asher are branded for their Cowardise I say all this appearing in the defence of all that was dear to God and them is called Love to God Therefore we may in no wise exclude this Noble publick Spirit in the cause of God and his People from the Love of God for there is no principle in the World like to the Love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3.8 Deum odisse in sacris literis peculiariter illi dicuntur qui falsos deos colunt Maimon Which love me and keep my Commandments Illa praecipuè quae ad arcendas pravas superstitiones pertinent Grot. Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pij dicti sunt Ezek. 16.33 36 37. chap. 23.5 Jer. 2.2 I remember the love of the Espousals to animate and inflame the Soul to do great things for God This Spirit was marvellous in David whose very Name was from Love Therefore it is the duty of every Child of God to pray for the Spirit of God which only sheds all divine Love abroad in the Heart Rom. 5.5 which God inspires as he pleaseth XVI A great means of keeping our selves in the Love of God is to be Sincere and Sound in the Worship of God Mark this well for herein lyes the Love or Hatred of God as appears plainly in the second Commandement Exod. 20. ver 6. Therefore Idols and Idolaters are called our Lovers Hosea 2.5 7. Jer. 8.1 Hosea 13. They kissed the Calves ver 2. Therefore our Hankering and embracing of a false Worship provokes God to jealousie Therefore the Lord deals with Superstition and Idolatry in his People after the Law of Harlots and Adulterers The Scripture is full of this Language There is no higher Act of Love in God than to espouse a People to be his own and to give them a Rule of Worship of his own Institution and to hold them to it as he did Israel And when a People follows God and serves God according to his own appointments there are no higher Acts of Love towards him in Gods account God is enamoured with such a People God in his highest acts of jealousie was inraged against his Idolatrous people Psal 78.59 They kissed their Idols giving them all the tokens of Love and Homage 1 King 19.18 Job 31.27 They burnt their Children to them as the costlyest Sacrifice as Abraham would his Isaac in Love to God but God only tryed him by it Mark 7.7 Colos 2.22 Mat. 15.2 3 6. Rev. 17.4 5. he calls them his Hephsibah and his Beulah Isa 62.4 We see it also in the instance of good Kings how the Lord prized and praised them for this very thing for Reforming and setting up the true Worship of God as David Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah how the Lord prospered them because their Hearts were right and perfect with God in this thing On the other side how he hath branded and blasted all those that were false herein For this was David a man after Gods own Heart fulfilling all his Wills which is chiefly meant in the point of Gods Worship Act. 13.22 As for the Wills of men in the Worship of God by their Inventions Traditions and Commandements he tells you he hates them and they are Abomination to him And no wonder for what intrencheth more upon the Honour of Gods Wisdom and Soveraignty than this That he doth not know best how to appoint his own Worship but must be fain to be beholding to Man for his devices and dictates in the Case This though it seems very gay is Whorish and Poysonous this golden Dress and Cup is intoxicating XVII A great Means of keeping in the Love of God is keeping up the Communion of Saints in all the parts and duties of it What this is we shall see according to Scripture The Communion of Saints is our Participation of all the good things of God in common whereunto all the Saints and only they have right consisting in our Union to God as our chiefest good this is with God as a Father with the Son and Holy Spirit 1 Joh. 1.3 2 Cor. 13.13 1. We have Communion with the Father as Children and all in the greatest Love 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 8.16 17. This is procured by Christ 1 Joh. 2.23 only obtained by Believing Joh. 1.12 And maintained by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 Who walk not in darkness but in light 1 Joh. 1.6 7. 2. We have Communion with Jesus Christ the Son of God By which we are made partakers of him of his Nature and of his Grace and of his Glory all which is done by Faith that uniteing and marrying Grace and this works such Conjugal Love between Christ and his Church as makes them
spiritually Bone of each others Bone and Flesh of each others Flesh Ephes 5.25 to vers 33. ¶ We maintain our Communion with Christ not only by Eating with him Joh. 6.53 to ver 57. but also by Eating of him ¶ God the Father calls us into Fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes 3.12 ¶ Christ is said to dwell in our Hearts by Faith and by his Spirit also for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Heb. 3.14 This our fellowship and Communion with Christ is evidenced by our Perseverance in Grace firmly to the End This our Fellowship with Jesus Christ is confirmed by the Sacraments 1. He that is Baptized into Christ hath put on Christ Gal. 3.27 2. By the Supper which is therefore called the Communion because the Saints gather together in that as the highest act of their Fellowship with the Lord and with one another 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread that we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ The Cup that we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Children of God walking in the light have thereby fellowship with Christ and one with another 1 Joh 1.7 As Christ is God and Man in one Person so we have fellowship with him in both Natures 1. In his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 2. In his Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Partaking with him in the same Flesh and Blood ¶ In the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Rom. 8.11 There is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 ¶ In Afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death ¶ We have Communion with Christ in Glory Rom. 8.17 18. If so be we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Who shall change our vile Body and fashion it like to his glorious Body So Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. ¶ In all good things Wisdom Righteousness Redemption Faith 1 Cor. 1.30 Repentance Regeneration Adoption Justification Sanctification and Spiritual Liberty All these are Benefits and high blessings communicated from the Father by the Spirit through the Purchase and Merit of Jesus Christ See that place it is very Pregnant 2 Cor. 5.17 and apposite 1. He tells you We know Christ no more after the Flesh Because that Dispensation is over we are now under the dispensation of the Spirit 2. Therefore If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 3. Our Communion with Christ is not hereby lost but advanced Higher if any be in Christ he is a new Creature In Christ still and a New Creature by Christs Spirit working in us all new things and working out all old 4. All this is the Work of God in us and for us by the Son reconciling us and the Spirit perfecting us in the Ministry of Reconciliation ver 18 19.5 All this arose from Love ver 14. the Root of the Communion of Saints with the Blessed Trinity 6. As ye have heard founded in Union expressed in a Communication of all good things by Christ our Head and Husband with Reciprocation and returns of Love on our part in all the Acts of it by intire and Sincere Obedience also in mutual Interchanges of Dutyes respecting our fellow-members of the same Body This is so fully set forth by the Apostle Paul according to the Grace of God given to him that I need say no more about it but commend the reading of that whole Chapter to you 1 Cor. 12. from ver the 4th to the end I fear this Relation and Fellowship is little minded with the Dutyes of it by many that yet think themselves in the Body and presume of the Priviledges of it Mark these few things for your help 1. The differences of Gifts and Administrations Offices and Services in the Body Spiritual as in the Body Natural vers 4. 12. 2. All these coming from one Spirit and one Head Jesus Christ the Fountain Head of all ver 13. 3. That all these Gifts and Graces are divided to every member as the Lord pleaseth for the same use and end to profit withall without Schism without a conceit of self-sufficiency and unconcernedness for others ver 7. 11. 4. All this called Christ to shew the near and Blessed Communion of Saints ver 12. XVIII The last Means I shall name to you is in the words immediately following my Text Vers 21. in the same verse Which doubtless the Holy Ghost points us to as an Effectual means to keep our seives in the Love of God Reason 1. Because it is the Highest Act of Gods Love to us to bestow Eternal Life on us 2. The Lord that hath provided Eternal Life for us will have us alwayes walk in Expectation of it Gen. 49.18 Tit. 2.13 3. We have no Ground at all to expect Eternal Life from God without keeping our selves in the Love of God Rom. 8.23 compared with the last verse 4. We keep our selves in Gods Love by being found in such a State and in such a Way as leads to Life which is chiefly Faith and Obedience 5. Such as are found out of this Way and State are not Children but Strangers and Enemies therefore have no Reason to expect an Inheritance they have no Title nor Right to it Now a Son that 's Heir apparent by Adoption in Christ to such an Estate of Eternal Life in Heaven he will not only be alwayes in Expectation of it but will judge himself bound to study all the wayes he can possibly do to please God to keep in his Love and favour and withall fear and take heed of forfeiting the Love of God 1. Because it is an Act of Mercy and free Grace it is not a Debt or any thing thou canst challenge the Lord Jesus is sole purchaser Text. Rom. 6. ult The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. If we look for all as an Act of Mercy it will keep the Soul humble Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 and thankful Such a frame of Soul the Lord loves and favours Micah 6.8 2 Cor. 4.18 chap. 5.1 3. The Prospect of Eternal Life will keep us from being much enamoured with this Life which is Vain and Sinful and Sorrowful and Transient 4. The Prospect of a better Life will make us prepare for it 1 Tim. 6.12 Rev. 21.2 Phil. 3.12 13 14. and lay hold on it 2 Pet. 11.12 13 14. By Watchfulness as the wise Virgins Math. 25.4 10. By Constancy in our course and race 1 Tim. 6.19 By casting away every Clog Heb. 12.1 2. 5. Because all Creatures wait for this Glory and are Rom. 8.19 in earnest Expectation of it 6. Because all Saints have ever lived up to it 1 Thes 4. ult Heb. 4.1 9 Heb. 6.19 20. this is the Haven of their rest here they cast Anchor with this they comfort themselves for this they groan
Carieer to their own Destruction And therefore take heed do not indulge them in their foolish Humours but bring them up c. Having thus fixed our Corner-stones now to our Building In the CASE before us I find two Truths supposed and one question in form but really bipartite proposed 1. The two Truths and those sad ones suppos'd 1. That it hath been is and may be the Lot of gracious Parents to have unconverted wicked Children 2. That this wickedness of these unconverted Children hath been and is too too often occasion'd by their gracious Parents sinful 1. Severity 2. Indulgence 2. The Question or case of Conscience to be resolved which is Bipartite What may gracious Parents best do towards the Conversion of those their Children whose wickedness is occasion'd by their sinful 1. Severity 2. Indulgence I. Of the First Truth 1. The first Truth suppos'd viz. That it hath been is and may be the Lot of gracious Parents to have unconverted wicked Children Let me adde of the Best of Parents to be afflicted with very wicked yea the worst of Children Had not Adam an envious murtherous Cain Gen. 4.8.11 The first branch of the Universal Root wholly rotten Noah a cursed †Gen. 9.22 Cham Abraham a mocking persecuting Ishmael Gen. 22.9 Gal. 4.29 Lot a Moab and Ammon the Sons of Incest and the Fathers of an Idolatrous brood that to the death hated Gods chosen Israel Gen. 19.37 38. Isaac a profane Esau Gen. 25.25 Heb. 12.16 Eli two Sons Hophni and Phineas both Sons of Belial prodigies of Lust and Wickedness 1. Sam. 2.12 to 17. ver 22. David an ambitious Adonijah 1 King 1.5 2.13 an incestuous Amnon 2 Sam. 13.14 a murtherous traiterous rebellious Absolom 2 Sam. 13.28 29. 15.10 Jehosaphat a bloody idolatrous Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.4 6 11 13. Josiah a wicked Jehojachin and another as bad if not worse a wretched false perjur'd Covenant-breaking Zedekiah 2 Chron. 36.5 12 13. Ezek. 17.15 18. But enough of this sigh even to the breaking of your hearts when you think of many very many others in former Ages and in our Own dayes and City that might be added to fill up this Black Catalogue 2. This wickedness of these unconverted Children hath been and is too too often occasion'd yea advanced by the Sinful severity or indulgence of their unwary thô gracious Parents This Head divides it self into TWO Branches viz. Parents Sinful severity and indulgence 1. Sinful severity and of this 1. What it is not 2. What it is 1 What it is not 1. A grave wise holy strict demeanour towards our Children such a carriage as whereby we may procure Glory to God Honour to our selves and so to preserve and keep up that Authority which God hath stampt upon us is not sinful Severity To carry it so and so to keep our distance as to give our Children no occasion to undervalue or despise us 1 Tim. 4.12 * Tit. 2.15 So as that they may see and own the Wisdom of God shining in us that our Children may pay us that reverence and respect that God requires of them 1 King 3.28 This is not to be accounted sinful Severity but behaving our selves worthily in Ephratah Ruth 4.11 2. All just anger or the rising up of the Heart in an holy displeasure against Sin in our Children is not sinful severity Parents may be angry and yet not sin Eph. 4.26 Nay Parents would certainly sin if on just occasion given by their Children they should not be angry but with these proviso's 1. That the cause for which they are angry be good and warrantable Such as we can give a good Account of to God An anger like that of our Saviour who looked round about on his malicious observers with anger being griev'd for the bardness of their hearts Mark 3.5 When our anger is accompanied with grief because God is dishonour'd by our Childrens offending against Truth Piety Justice Humanity because we see them neglect their duty hurt their own or others Souls or Bodies 2. That the Object of this anger be right i. e. when that which we are angry at is not so much the persons of our Children that offend as their offence it self their Sin Fault Disobedience Not so much the Patient as the Disease 3. That the End be right viz. that the fault we are offended at may be amended by our Children and that they for the future may be warned not to offend in the like again 4. That a due decorum may be observed both as to the measure and duration of our Anger When it is neither too hot nor too long When it is a Rational Holy Temperate displeasure a moderate anger when right Reason and Scripture fit in the Box and Guide the Chariot saying as the Lord to the Sea Thus much thus long and no more no longer Thus far no sinful severity 2. Grave counselling and admonishing our Children in and to that which is truly good Eph. 6.4 All serious discountenancing of and severe frowning on them when in an evil way nay sharp reproofs and rebukes Tit. 1.13 Yea being so far a terror to them as to let them know we bear not the stamp of Gods Authority in vain Rom. 13.3 4. Nay farther smart chastising of them proportionable to their Age and offence Prov. 29.15 Provided we express fatherly love and tenderness in all out of a true desire of their Repentance and Reformation All this is not to be lookt upon as sinfull Severity but as the faithful discharge of a necessary parental duty which is by so much the more excellent because it is so much neglected and so hard to be performed in a right manner 2. What Sinful Severity is or wherein it discovers it self Sinful Severity betrayes it self in and by the irregular passions austere looks bitter words and rigid Actions of those Parents who abuse their Parental Power 2. That the wickedness of unconverted Children is oftentimes occasion'd by this Sinful severity of their Parents They are provok'd and that to Sin 1. By irregular Passions specially that of an inordinate and immoderate Anger 1. Rash anger when Parents are soon angry with their Children when they will not give leave to their Judgments to consider before they are angry The wise man tells us Jam. 1.19 Multos absolvemus si prius coeperimus judicare quam irasci Sen. de ira the discretion of a man defers his anger and that it is his Glory to pass over a Transgression Prov. 19.11 But brands rash anger with the mark of folly He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly Prov. 14.17 'T was grave advice to one not to be angry at any time till he had first repeated the Greek Alphahet To be angry without any cause or upon every trivial slight occasion for any thing that is not material in it self or in it's consequent for meer involuntary and casual offences and slips in our Children such as without great care could
design'd by God himself to succeed in the Throne of Israel yea and against his solemn Oath sworn unto him to bring him to him that he might be murthered 1 Sam. 20.31 This both griev'd and provok'd Jonathan ver 34. Or with that incestuous bloody Creature Herodias who commands Her Dancing Daughter to ask of Herod more than half His Kingdom viz. John Baptists head Mat. 14.8 3. When Parents meerly to gratifie their Humour Self-will Lusts Passions Fury chastise beat and almost kill their Children with unjust and immoderate lashes stripes punishments 1. Vnjust when the Parent hath no lawful cause or reason so to do What just Plea could that unnatural Saul make for casting his Javelin to smite his Innocent Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.33 After he had spit out the Poison of his Heart in his words he fills up the measure of his wickedness in this bloody deed suitable to his murtherous Heart 2. Immoderate when the sharpness of the punishment exceeds the greatness of the Crime Here the Lord the Righteous-Judge takes care by his Supream Authority that those that have authority over others should not according to their own Lusts Will and Pleasure rage and vent their fury and passion on criminals Deut. 25.2 3. Now if Justice oblige us to keep our mind free and compos'd in punishing the greatest Strangers and most hainous Malefactors that we may exactly proportion the penalty to their fault how much more should a Father whose Name breathes nothing but benignity and sweetness observe the same moderation when his business is to chastize the Child of his own Bowels And if not instead of reforming he doth but provoke his Child Thus much concerning Sinful Severity what it is and how far provoking in all which I neither have nor could bring one instance either Father or Mother in the whole Scripture that had the Character of a Godly Person that is charged with the crimson-guilt of a Sinfully severe Parent 3. What may godly Parents best do for the Conversion of those Children whose wickedness is occasion'd by their sinful Severity To this I answer 1. More generally Physician heal thy self To cleanse the polluted stream let 's begin at the puddl'd fountain 1. As much as may be cease your complaints to men of finding so much cause of grief and sorrow in your untoward Children instead of Joy and Comfort That they are pungent thorns instead of refreshing roses stabs instead of staffs Exclaim no more at least not morosely or in passion against thâ— pride Levity vanity frowardness obstinacy debauchery incorrigibleness of your wretched Children especially in the hearing of those Children 'T is too probable they will be apt to lay their own Bastards at their Fathers door and impute all their gross miscarriages to their rigid Fathers harshness contempt and want of Love Had not I been unhappy in so stiff a Father he might have been happy in a more complaisant Son Had my Father treated me with more Bowels 't is possible I should have readily answer'd his tenderness with a melting heart bended knee and sincere obedience 2. Instead of opening your mouths to men go immediately and in sincerity unbosom your whole Souls to God Cast your selves at his foot humbly acknowledge your great defects and failings in the management of that Authority that God the supream Father hath stampt upon you Humble your self deeply before the Lord for all your former Irregular and exorbitant Passions stabbing looks hard speeches morose behaviour partial demeanour dreadful Omens and forejudgeings of the sad fate of your at present disobedient Child Weep I say not not so much but not only for your Child but for your self Had the root been sound as it ought the branch had not been so rotten as it is Had the Father been more a Fig-tree the Son had not been so much a Thistle If the Vine hath the least taint of Sodom no wonder if the Wine hath an ugly tang of Gomorrha Weep I say and pray pray and weep and instead of a Bead drop a Tear at the close of every Petition for the full and free pardon of these thy Relational Sins in and through the Blood of that Son that never offended his and thy Father Begg and Begg earnestly for Grace Strength Wisdom which is first pure then peaceable that thou mayst be kept from the like misdemeanour for the future 3. Act towards your Children in all things as a Father Keep your Relation in your Eye 1. Love your Children as a Father A Man would think this advice were * 1 Thes 4.9 As touching Love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to Love Isa 49.15 needless It seems all one as if I should perswade the Sun to shine the Fire to burn nay a man to be a man This Law of Love to Children is written by the Finger drawn by the Pencil stampt and ingraven by the deepest impress of Nature on the Hearts and bowels of all Parents Indeed I have spent more than a few minutes in searching the Scriptures on this account and thô I find many express Texts that oblige us to Love God Christ our Neighbour the Brother-hood our Wives yea our Enemies yet I can light but on one that doth in express Terms command Parents to Love their Children viz. Tit. 2.4 where we find the young Women are to be taught to Love their Children For which the Best reason that I can give for the present is the same that he gave why the Romans among all their Laws had enacted none against the horrid Sin of Parricide viz. Because the Romans either could or would not suppose men to be such Monsters as to be guilty of so black a Crime The Scripture supposes that while we retain the Nature of men or own the Name of Fathers we cannot but love our Children Well then Love your Children but Love them as Fathers Fathers This very single Word contains an Iliad of Arguments Were I at leisure 't were easie to draw out all the Rhetoricans Topicks of Perswasion out of its Bowels Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Name is as an ointment poured forth it sends forth nothing but the perfume of Lâ—ve meekness tenderness Do but sincerely Love your Children as Fathers and then be sinfully severe if you can Love your Children not so much for their lovely countenance their pleasing Grace and sweetness which how charming soever is but a fading flower a skin-deep vanity but principally as those that are bone of your bone flesh of your flesh to whom you have communicated your blood and very nature And let not this Love be like a dead picture or Idol in your breast without Life or Action but a living active principle a spring that may vigorously and effectually influence all the powers of your Soul for the procuring of all that which is truly good to your poor Children Obj. But how can I possibly love such naughty
such provoking Children 1. Doth your Duty of loving your Children admit of that exception Love them i. e. If they are or while they are free from all fault did not the Lord that enjoyns this Duty know full well that no mortal man is without his Spots Imperfections Failings In vain is that Precept that is limited to a Condition which is impossible to fulfil Jam. 3.2 Tangat memoriam communis fragilitas 2. Look inward and then look upward Are not you naught have not you often and do not you daily hourly provoke your Heavenly Father and yet would you not desire that he should Love you Let your own Prayers and Tears be Witnesses in the Case Had a man laid his ear close to your Closet might he not have heard you Ephraim-like bemoaning your self thus Heavenly Father I am vile I have done Iniquity I have not only toucht upon the verge of Vice but entred the Circle nay my sins are aggravated by Perverseness in ill-doing and by resisting counsel I cannot dare not clear my self by a just defence nor being rightly depriv'd of thy love and favour seek for any other Mediators but thy Christ and free Grace for my relief And therefore give me leave to hope that a Fathers Bowels are as Potent Orators as a Sons Misery and that while my Transgressions Damm up the way to favour fatherly Compassion will not forget to be merciful he that bears the name of a Father cannot forget the tears of a Child Tell me severe Parents is not this a true Echo of some of your most pathetick Prayers But what answer have you expected and your Heavenly Father return'd 3. Possibly while you have been speaking God hath answer'd as he did Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child No no he is naught he is a Prodigal True but yet he is a repenting a returning Prodigal though not a pleasant Son yet a Son a Child and therefore since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still Therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Read consider and often Pray over those pertinent Texts Deut. 32.36 Isa 63.15 16. Hos 11.7 8 9. Luk. 15.19 20. All this is true to a repenting Ephraim but my Child lies stinking in his filth 4. But I pray In what case and posture did your Heavenly Father find you when he first manifested his Love unto you Ezek. 16.6 8. I saw thee polluted in thine own blood and I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live ver 8. Behold this time was the time of thy Gods Love God the Father commended his Love towards you in that while you were yet Sinners Christ died for you Rom. 5.8 2. Govern your Children as a Father and so remember 1. That your Parental power is not absolute or despotical but regulated and circumscrib'd within due bounds and limits Parents may not think they may do what they list according to their own Will and Pleasure with their Children Stat pro ratione voluntas is the language of a Tyrant not of a Father And here 1. Beware of secret Pride of inordinate self-exalting of magnifying your Office and overvaluing your selves and of esteeming your selves to be greater than indeed you are and an Eager desire that your Children should so think of you and so treat you 2. Beware of thinking more of the dignity of your place than of your duty you owe to God and your Children in that Station wherein God hath fixt you 3. Beware of being excessively hard and difficult to be pleased and of being too rigid an Exactor of observance and respect from your Child and of slighting undervaluing vilifying of him when he hath done his utmost of discontent and murmuring if you have not all you desire in your Child 4. Beware that you respect not your Child more for the seeming regard he shews to you than for any real worth that is in him All these are dangerous Rocks to which your secret Pride exposes you enough to destroy Pilot and Vessel 3. Be Angry with your Child but be Angry and sin not Eph. 5.26 Be angry but then let it be the Anger of a displeased Father against an offending Child not the Anger of a Bloody enemy against an Irreconcilable Foe be angry as your Heavenly Father is said to be Angry Of this before 4. Exhort admonish reprove rebuke chastize offending Children but then still Remember whose deputy you are whom you represent even your heavenly Father Fury is not in him Judgment is his strange work But he delights in mercy When he is as it were forced to put forth his Anger he then makes use of a Fathers rod not an Executioners Ax Psal 89. from 30. to 35. 2 Sam. 7.14 He will neither break his Childrens bones nor his own Covenant He lashes in Love Heb. 12.6 Rev. 3.19 in measure in pity and compassion In all their Affliction he is afflicted Every stroke on his Childs back recoils on his own Bowels and if the member be gangren'd and there is an absolute necessity to cut it off to save the Life the Soul of his Child then like a Chyrurgeon who is the Father of the Patient He makes use of the Saw not forgetting that he is now cutting off his own flesh and would never do it but for the Child 's good Rom. 8.28 Go you and do likewise 5. In all you do take heed you do not provoke them on the one hand nor discourage them on the other 1. Not provoke them Of this somewhat before Let me adde when Children find themselves contrary to their hopes and it may be their deserts to be hardly and sharply dealt withall and that nothing which they attempt or perform finds acceptance with their morose and rigid Parents specially if of fiercer Spirits in the heat and bitterness of their inraged Souls they are apt to throw off all Reverence to break their bands asunder and to cast away their cords from them Like wild and untamed Colts to kick and winch and harden their necks foreheads hearts against all admonitions and threatnings against all words and blows Their Father hates them say they sink they must and sink they will but not alone if possible they 'l draw their cruel Fathers Heart and Peace into the same gulf with them Oh dreadful Take heed therefore do not provoke Nè animam despondeant 2. Not to discourage dishearten dispirit them Col. 3.21 Fathers provoke not your Children least they be discouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing that doth more deject and sink the heart of a poor Child specially if ingenious and of a softer and more meek temper than the severe rigour and roughness of a Father It quite unsouls the poor Child when in the countenance and deportment of his Father to whom of all men in the World he should in reason be dearest he sees nothing but anger and
beck at his command When the Child may and must speak or do what he pleases and the Parent either may or dare not say What dost thou let him act what and when and how he pleases he must not be displeased disturbed contradicted in the least When the Child grown insolent and intolerable is too gently treated and born withall when a forced frown or a gentle soft whisper is lookt upon as a smart Rebuke and the lash of a Rod no less than the wound of a Sword When it may be we mildly snip the unthrifty Darling and at the same time that we pretend to chide do fondly adde fuel to his excess This O this is sinful Indulgence A sin of a crimson dye and dreadful consequence More particularly 1. When our extravagant Love prevails with us in too mild and gentle a manner to bear with our wicked Children in contemning of or Rebellion against Gods Laws or our own lawful commands and counsels Isa 3.5 1 Sam. 15.1 to 12. 1 Sam. 3.13 Math. 14.8 2. When our inordinate love to them causes us to counsel them to or encourage them in that which is evil This was a deep blot and indeed the only one I find in that godly Mothers Gen. 25.28 27.6 c. good Rebekah's Scutcheon Gen. 25.28 'T is said that Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his Venison but Rebekah loved Jacob Isaac being old was too much held by the teeth and too fond of Esau for his Venisons sake but Rebekah her self was not a little in fault Her Jacob by his red Pottage had got the Birthright and now she is resolv'd that he should have the Blessing too On this account she furnishes him with a lye in his mouth and skins on his neck and hands and so in her great love exposes her drest Jacob instead of a Blessing to his Fathers Curse and his own Damnation 'T is true he narrowly escaped and ran away with the Blessing But both Mother and Son had both their Bellies full of the Sauce in which the Mothers Indulgence had sinfully soakt it 'T was this chiefly that made poor Jacob go halting to his Grave 3. When Parents will not endure to see that Natural Fierceness Pride Self-will Impatience that peeps out in their Children to be severely checkt and grubb'd up by the Roots When Children must not be nurtur'd in Truth Modesty Bashfulness Reverence Courtesie Obedience Diligence No no this is Harshness But even whilst little Children scarce out of the shell shall be taught and encouraged to brazen their Foreheads to throw off all humble Shamefacedness all Respect of Superiors to talk and strut and swagger Their Tongue is their own and who is Lord over them Oh intolerable tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon 4. When we feed our Children with more dainty Fare trick them up with more gorgeous Apparel and even loosen and break the nerves of their Souls and Bodies with too soft and delicate an education no way sutable either to our own Estates or their Condition Which was the serious complaint of Quintilian of old and is the sin and shame of this present Age. This this is that sinful Indulgence here intended This is that that too often occasions yea inflames and heightens our Childrens daring Wickedness and prepares them makes them fit Vessels for Temporal and Eternal ruine Now concerning this I shall give you my thoughts under these two generals 1. I shall lay before you plain Instances of this sinful Indulgence in three Parents all of them Fathers for after a most exact search throughout the whole Scriptures I cannot find one no not one of all the godly Mothers in Israel guilty of or charged with this sin Rebekah only excepted two of these Fathers were beyond all contradiction truly yea eminently godly the third probably so by the tender respect he shew'd the Levite We begin with him 1. That the Indulgence of Parents is the bane of Children a Pandar of their wickedness the Asylum of their vanity How easily is the Thief induced to Steal when he knows his Receiver When the loosness of Youth knows where to find pity and toleration what mischief can it forbear See this in the Levites Concubine or Wife Judg 19.1 2. This Concubine plays the Whore against the Levite whom she own'd at least as an Husband Her guilt makes her fly but whither shall she cause her shame to go whither indeed but to her own dear Fathers House She that had deserv'd to be abhorr'd by her loving and faithful Husband doubts not to find shelter from her fond and indulgent Father his heart and house and bosom she knew would all be open to her Well home she speeds to her Father at Bethlehem Ephratah But doth her good old father receive her what doth he suffer his house to become a Brothel-house to be defiled with an Adulteress though she sprang out of his own Loyns Methinks I hear him in a just indignation thus accosting her Why How now Impudence what makest thou here dost thou think to find my house a shelter for thy sins the Stews are a fitter receptacle for thee Whilst thou wert a faithful Wife to thy Husband thou wert a beloved Daughter to me But now thou art nâ—ither Thou art not mine I gave thee to thine Husband Thou art not thy Husbands thou hast betray'd his Bed Thy filthiness hath made thee thine own and thine Adulterers go seek thine entertainment where thou hast lost thine honesty thy Lewdness hath brought a necessity of shame upon thy abettors How can I countenance thy person and abandon thy sin I had rather be a just man than a sinfully-kind Father Get thee home therefore to thy Husband crave his Forgiveness upon thy Knees redeem his Love with thy Modesty and Obedience When his Heart is once open to thee my doors shall not be shut in the mean time before thou art humbled both before God and man Know I can be no Father to an Harlot Thus methinks I should have heard him say but lo fond Father that he was he treats and caresses her at another rate and seems to bespeak her as Jael did Sisera Judg. 4.18 Turn in my dear Child turn in to me He brings her into his House covers her with a Mantle instead of Water gives her a Bottle of Milk yea he brings forth Butter in a Lordly dish treats her at the Kindest rate and that for four whole Months And now let the most indulgent Parent judge whether this was a just dealing with this Strumpet whose Crime God had long before Sentenced with Death Lev. 20.10 But yet remember that this Courting Jael prov'd a most fatal Executioner The vile Sisera bow'd and fell at her feet Judg. 4.21 5.25 26 27. For ought I know had her Father been more severe he might have prevented her farther defiling and Murder by the filthy Gibeathites Judg. 19.25 28. Indulgence is a Syren that
first sings and then slayes worse than Jael her Hammer and Nail destroy only the Body but this destroyes the Soul and that even by its Lullabys when the unhappy fondling sleeps and snoars in the Parents bosom 2. Indulgent Parents are really cruel to themselves their Posterity and the Church of God For this we have two such instances in two Stars of the greatest magnitude that ever shone in the Churches Horizon such indeed as are not to be mention'd without the greatest dread and trembling with respect to their plunge into this deep pit of gross Indulgence ELI and DAVID Nay startle not These are the men even good Eli and better David The best of men and I had almost said the worst of Parents and then no wonder if Plagued with the worst of Children 1. Eli. His Tragical Story we find 1 Sam. 2.12 to the 4th chap. v. last He had two Sons Sons of Belial a brace of Hell-hounds Hophni and Phinehas whose names do almost stain the Sacred Writ wretches that were as desperately lewd as himself was eminently holy And this appears on these acounts 1. If the goodness of Example Precept Education Profession could have been Antidotes against the extremity of sin these Sons of so holy a Father had not been so hellishly wicked But now neither Parentage nor Education nor Priesthood could restrain the Sons of Eli from degenerating into the Sons of Belial Yea their wickedness was most desperately improv'd boil'd up and fermented to the highest Paroxysm 2. Had they not been the Sons of Eli a Priest yet being themselves by Office Priests of the most high and Holy God who would not have thought hoped concluded that their very calling and function should not have at least dictated if not infused some Holiness into them But Oh dreadful even their white and clean Ephods are but Cloaks of their fouler sins Nay though they serve at the Altar yet degenerating from their duty their wickedness is so far from being extenuated and made less that it rises so much above others as their Place and Station is holyer than others A wicked Priest is the worst the Vilest Creature on Gods Earth Devils in Mascarade Who are Devils now but they that were once Angels of Light The worst of Dung comes from the best of Meat The most deadly Poyson out of the sweetest Mineral 3. That God who had promis'd to be the Levite's Portion had set forth the fair Portion of these Levites and God will not only feed them but feast them too and that at his own Table at his own Altar They shall eat of his own Morsel and drink of his own Cup. The breast and the right Shoulder of the Peace-offering was their allowed Commons Lev. 7.14 15. Well They are satisfied they are thankful are they not No such matter These bold and saucy Priests will rather have their Flesh-hook their Arbiter than God and whatever theiâ— Trident fastens on shall be for their dainty Tooth 1 Sam. 2.13 to 17. They were weary of one or two Joints their delicacy affects more variety God is not worthy to carve for these men but their own hands And thus they do not receive but take or snatch violently audaciously unseasonably sacrilegiously It had been but fit that God should have first been serv'd but their presumption will not stay Gods leisure E're the fat be burnt e're the flesh be boyl'd they must and will snatch their share from the Altar as if the God of Heaven should wait on their curious Palate as if the Jews had come thither not so much to Sacrifice to the Lord Jehovah as to these Priests Bellies But beyond all this 4. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth and be astonisht with all those that bear the name guilt and shame of such debauched Priests of the Altar even then and there at the very Altar the most Holy God his throne on Earth even there they are no sooner fed but like cursed Stallions they neighed after the modest Mothers of Israel Holy women assemble at the door of the Tabernacle and these Varlets blackest Miscreants worse by far than Zimri and Cozbi all Circumstances considered Numb 25.6 and well it had been if that other Phinehas had been nigh them with his avengeful Javelin tempt if not force them to adultery that came thither for devotion These wretches had Wives of their own yet their unbridled desires rove after strange flesh and fear not to pollute even that holy place with abominable filthiness Oh! sins too shameful for common men much more for the spiritual guides of Israel That Ark which expiated other mens sins dreadfully added to the sins of these Sacrificers Jer. 2.8 Ezek. 23.38 Rom. 2. 17.25 Thus far as to the Sin and Wickedness of these miscreants the Children and Sons of Eli. 2. As to old Eli. Did he Know all this 'T is true especially of Great men that they usually are the very last that are informed of the Evil of their own House but yet as to Eli 1. It could not probably be but when all Israel rang of the lewdness of his Sons he only should be ignorant of it But 2. Or if He knew it not can his Ignorance be excus'd It being not an Ignorance merae privatis but pravae dispositionis for where should Eli have been but in the Temple either for action or oversight The very presence of the Priest keeps Gods House in order 'T was his grand duty carefully to inspect them at least diligently to enquire after the due administration of Gods Ordinances and a just and seasonable rebuke and restraint might have happily prevented this extremity and heighth of prodigious debauchery Nothing but Age can plead and apologize for Eli that he was not the first Accuser of these his Sons will you call them or monsters But 3. Now when their Enormities come to be the cry of the Multitude when it thunders and he must perforce hear it and this loud clap must of necessity pierce not his ears only but his heart bowels conscience But with what holy fervour zeal justice indignation 1. Was it as with Judah when 't was told him Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath playd the harlot bring her forth and let her be burnt Gen. 38.24 * These my Sons are Adulterers 2. Or as the Parents of the stubborn and rebellious Son lay hold of them and carry them forth to the Elders of the City and say to the Elders of the City These my Sons are stubborn and rebellious they have not will not obey my voice let them be stoned to death So God commanded Deut. 21.18 to 22. Thus even thus should Eli who was not only the chief Priest but the supreme Judge of Israel impartially have judged his own corrupted flesh and never could he have offer'd a more pleasing Sacrifice than the corrupt gore blood of so wicked Sons 1. Doubtless Eli knew full well that 'T was in vain to rebuke those sins abroad which we tolerate at
thee and give in this as their Just and unanimous Verdict that thou art guilty of the death of Father and Children of Priests and People of the captivity of the Ark at least if not the destruction of Religion By this time I suppose your Ears and Hearts may be full if not loaden If not take the third and last and that who is but 3. DAVID who was no less unhappy in than indulgent to three of his Children Adonijah Amnon Absalom 1. Adonijah is much made of greatly Cocker'd his Fathers darling and delight from his Infancy his Father David had not displeas'd him at any time do he what he would no not in so much as saying Why hast thou done so 1 King 1.6 And well might the cocker'd youngster think since he had got the Throne of his Fathers Heart 't would not be so high a leap to usurp the Throne of his Fathers Kingdom ver 5.25 and that whilst his Father was yet living specially since his elder Brother Absalom was now dead but yet he might have remembred how that Phaeton fell nay more thô he knew that his Father according to Gods special Appointment had declared Solomon to be the Heir apparent of his Crown and Kingdom For all this David did or durst not reprove him No. His Treason is no such great matter but a light thing and to be lookt upon only as the brisk effort of a vain if not a gallant Spirit For all this yet not such a word from David as Why hast thou done so Adonijah Well if the fond Father will not the Wise Son shall and will make this vain fondling know himself especially when his subtil ambition so far discover'd it self in asking Abishag the Shunamite Davids Concubine by creeping into his Fathers Bed to make his way to his Brothers Throne This Solomon was well aware of and commands him to be put to death as a Just reward of his old practis'd and new intended Treason 1 Kin. 2.25 There 's Adonijahs exit 2. The next is Amnon guilty of Incest with his own Sister yea and this incest committed with rape 2 Sam. 13.14 Amnon a person to be anathematiz'd by the whole Congregation Deut. 27.22 and to be punisht with Death Lev. 20.17 But what doth David do in the Case The Text saith When King David heard of all these things he was very wroth ver 21. 1. But was that all Alas what was that but a great flash and noise without a Bullet and this Absalom that ravisht Virgins own Brother deeply resents and is resolv'd upon a Just revenge ver 22. Certainly the incestuous Son might justly have expected more than a suddain Aguish fit of hot displeasure of a Father viz. The danger of the Law the indignation of a Brother the shame and out-cry of the World 2. What a stab in the Heart a Sword in the Bowels must this needs be to Tamars Father David whose command out of Love to Amnon had cast his dearest Daughter into the Den and jaws of this Lyon ver 7. What an insolent affront must he needs construe this to be offer'd by a Son to a Father that the Father shall be made as it were a pandar of his own Daughter to his own Son 3. David that tender Father that lay upon the ground and would eat no bread for the sickness of a Child which yet was but the spawn of an Adulterous bed How vexed enraged inflamed must he needs be with the villany of His Son with the Ravishment of his Daughter both of them more deeply wounding than many deaths What revenge can he think of for so hainous a crime less than death and that in its most bloody dress 4. And yet what less than death is it to this indulgent Father to think of a due revenge Rape was by the Law of God capital Deut. 22.35 How much more when seconded with Incest Anger thô never so hot and eager is not punishment enough for so high so complicated an offence Such mild injustice is no less provoking to Heaven and perilous to a Common-wealth than the fiercest cruelty For ought I know the blood of Souls murther'd by foolish Pity cries as loud in the ears of divine Justice as the Blood of Bodies slain by cruel Severity And yet this is all we hear of from so indulgent a Father unless perhaps he makes up the rest with Sorrow and so punishes his Sons miscarriage on himself v. 37. But 5. If David perhaps out of the Consciousness to himself of his late Adultery and Murther will not punish this horrid fact his Son Absalom shall And that not so much out of any Zeal or of Justice as desire of Revenge 2 Sam. 13.28 29. See Amnon there weltring in his blood murther'd by Absaloms command when he was drunk and so for ought we Know Soul and Body sunk at once and that eternally One Act of Injustice draws on Another The injustice of indulgent David in not punishing the Rape of Tamar procures the injustice of Absalom in punishing Amnon with Murther That which the Father should have justly reveng'd and did not the Son revengeth unjustly However in all this the Lord the Supreme Judge is Righteous To reckon for those Sins which humane Partiality or Negligence had omitted and whilst he punisheth Sin with sin to punish sin with death Had David called Amnon to a severe Account for this unpardonable Villany the Revenge had not been so desperate Thus to Davids Horror fell Amnon The third and last that brings up the Rear of those Serpents that lay so warm in Davids Bosom was that great Gallant the glistring Minion of the Court 3. Absalom Absalom the Murtherer Absalom the Rebel and yet for All that Absalom the Beloved 1. Absalom the Murtherer and that of his own Brother Amnon as we have heard that for two full years had sat close brooding the deepest Revenge Having dispatcht his Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 away he flies to Geshur and for three years hides and shelters himself in his Grandfathers Court 2 Sam. 13.34 37. 3.3 But doth not David post his Embassadors after and demand him thence to be returned and delivered up as a Sacrifice to stop the cry of his Brothers Blood that roar'd for Vengeance At least in three years time No not a Word of that But see and be amazed at the quite contrary workings of his distemper'd Heart v. 39. The soul of King David longed or was even consumed to go forth for he was comforted concerning Amnon The three years absence seemed not so much a Banishment to the Son as a Punishment to the Father 'T is true David out of his Wisdom so inclines to favour as that he conceals it and yet so conceals it as that Joab who could see Light through the smallest chink by his piercing Eye could clearly discover it Joab reads Davids Heart in his Countenance and knows how to humour and serve him in that which he would and yet seem'd he
all that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is 5. And what sayes King David to this Methinks I hear him say Psal 81.1 c. Come my dear People Come and let us sing aloud unto God our strength and make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. 2. Take a Psalm and bring hither the Timbrel the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery 3. Blow up the Trumpet as in the new Moon as on a solemn feast day 4. Let this be a Statute for Israel for this is the day that the Lord hath made we will rejoice and triumph in it The King shall joy in thy strength and greatly rejoice in thy Salvation The Lord is known by the judgment that he hath executed the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion-Selah Is this the Io Triumphe wherewith he makes the Earth to ring again No but on the contrary the poor Father being as it were Thunder-struck with the words of his Blackmore forgets that he was a King and Father of his Countrey looks like Jephthah when he met his devoted Daughter and as if bereav'd of all Comfort breaks out into a flood of tears and into such an indecent Lamentation as no Records either Sacred or Humane can parallel The King was much moved and wept v. 33. and as he went he said O my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son My just Indignation at this more than Womanish Transport forbids me to descant on it I shall barely lay before you Joab's smart Repartee whereby he endeavour'd to stop this Deluge 2 Sam. 29.5 6. Joab said to the King Thou hast this day shamed the faces of all thy Servants which this day have saved thy Life and the Lives of thy Sons and of thy Daughters and the Lives of thy Wives 6. In that thou lovest thine Enemies and hatest thy Friends For thou hast declared this day that thou regardest neither Princes nor Servants For this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day then it had pleased thee well And thus we have seen the Malady Turn we now to the Remedy The Plague-sore has been open'd now for the Bunch of Figgs II. What may gracious Parents best do for the Conversion of those their Children whose Wickedness have been occasion'd by their own sinful Indulgence 1. Reflect seriously on your heart and wayes Begg and begg sincerely earnestly believingly constantly of the Lord effectually to convince you of the great sinfulness and mischief of your Indulgence and to humble you deeply for it O cast your selves at the foot of God lament it weep over it mourn as Doves before the Lord when you see if indeed you can see and fondness hath not quite put out your eyes Pride Stubborness Profaneness Averseness from God all sorts and degrees of sins and corruptions break forth in your Childrens Lives And that 1. With respect to your Children And this 1. Not only as the natural roots from whom all this their Lewdness springs They drew it from the Womb and breast They were poyson'd in the very Spring Psa 51.5 Job 14.1 15.14 25.4 This consideration only if no more to see your Children rotting sinking dying with a loathsome Disease which they drew from your Loins were enough to rend your hearts and Caul But 2. By your wretched Indulgence you have added much fuel to this flame you have heated your Furnace seven times hotter Your Indulgence hath fomented yea inflam'd their Wickedness You have heightned their feavour into a Plague and that worse a thousand times than that of the Body which ends in a temporal Death but this is of their Souls and is like to sink them for ever into a gulph of fire and brimstone 2. With respect to God The Lord was wroth with the Serpent and curs'd him for ever because but an instrument us'd by Satan for corrupting our first Parents though no cause at all of it Gen. 3.14 May not the Lord be much more angry with us and cause his Wrath to smoak against us that have not only been instruments really to convey this Poyson and corruption of nature into our Childrens bosoms but the principal occasions of of their superadded Wickedness You see on both these accounts matter of deep Humiliation 2. Love your Children hearken indulgent Parents I say it again Love your Children Yea Love them I say not more but better than ever yet you Lov'd them you can never Love them too well You may and have Lov'd them too much One saith well None is to be Lov'd much but He only whom we can never Love too much Love them with all the kinds degrees properties of Love before mention'd 1. Love them so as to be tender of their Bodies their outward man let that want nothing that is necessary convenient comfortable suitable to their age or quality but above all Love their Souls their inward man The Cabinet must not be neglected but the Jewel is to be most regarded The Ring is to be only esteemed but the Diamond in it most highly to be prized The Love of our Childrens Souls is the very Soul and Spirit and Elixir of True parental Love If we truely Love their Souls we shall unfeignedly desire and vigorously endeavour their Spiritual and Eternal Salvation If you Love their Souls indeed your Hearts desire and prayer to God for them will be that they may be saved Rom. 10.1 You will put forth your utmost affections and strength to lift them up out of that pit of Sin and Misery in which they lye and to raise them into and fix them in a state of Grace If we do not really grieve to see our Children lye weltring in their Sins of Ignorance unbelief folly profaneness and so under the power and paw of Satan If we do not faithfully labour to preserve them from perishing but suffer sin upon them pretend what we will let us shew never so much Love with our mouth God sayes we really hate them in our Hearts Lev. 19.17 See how Solomons Parents exprest their Love to Him Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother 4. He taught me also and said unto me Let thy heart retain my Words keep my Commandments and Live If you Love them indeed and in truth you will you can have no greater joy than to see your Children walking in the Truth Joh. 3. Ep. 4. That foolish Son who is now an heaviness to his Mother being made Truely wise will make a glad Fatther Prov. 10.1 Oh what a lovely sight what a Soul-ravshing object in a godly Parents eye is an hopeful Timothy an obedient godly Joseph Prov. 23.24 25. Well then Love your Children and in the first place their precious Souls If you find your Love and care goes out more for their Bodies than Souls so far mistrust your
noluerint Adamum adorare Hoc suum peccatum non potuit celare Satan Luther Tom. 3. p. 82. b. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us says the beloved Disciple Joh. 1.14 He had a true body and a reasonable soul which soul of Christ considering its nearest union to the Divine nature and the light and joy and glory it must needs be full of may be look't upon by Milions of Degrees as the highest of Creatures and the chief of all the ways of God The Holy Ghost took care in the conception of Christ that his human nature should not be in the least defiled and his whole life was perfectly free from sin he did no evil neither was guile found in his mouth and his heart was alwayes pure And having taken mans Nature God is well pleased with that nature in Christ The man Christ Jesus always did those things which were pleasing to the Father The Sons of men may come with boldness to this Mediatour who is bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh He bears good will to men as the Angels sang aloud at his Nativity Man may be confident of a kind reception since Christ is so near akin to them and was in all things excepting sinful infirmities made like unto them that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest to make Reconciliation for their Iniquities Heb. 2.17 Christ is man and this man is Gods greatest favourite far greater than Joseph to Pharaoh or Mordecai to Ahasuerus Extra Christum oculos aures claudatis Vbi Iesus est ibi est totus Deus seu tota divinitas ibi Pater Spiritus Extra hunc Christum Deus nusquam invenitur Deus in carâ—e illa sic apparet ut extra hanc carnem coll cognosci non possit Luther Tam. 4. p. 491. a. He has the highest place in Heaven as well as in his Fathers heart let Saints search into his truth and they will find matters of unspeakable encouragement Here is the way to know the Father to worship him acceptably and to attain to fellowship with him here and for ever 3. Growing in the knowledge of Christ implies a more plain discerning and ful perswasion that he was foreordained to be a Redeemer Christ was the person pitched upon from eternity to be the Saviour of the Elect of God 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was foreordained befoâ—e the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you He is therefore caled the elect One in whom Gods Soul delights There was a compact and agreement made between the Father and the Son The Son agrees in fulness of time to be made of a Woman to take a body to offer up himself without spot to God and the Father promises eternal Life and Salvation and that he should have a Church givâ—â— him out of the world though the world is faâ—â—en into wickedness upon which Church this eternal life is to be bestowed The Prophet Zachariah tells â—s of a Counsel of Peace between the Lord of Hâ—â—â— and Christ whose name is the Branch Zach. 6.12 13. And the Apostle speaks of the promise of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised before the world began Tit. 1.2 This promise may very well be conceived to be made to the Son that he should give eternal life to all that were given him of the Father And when the Saints behold that Christ is the Person from eternity designed to be a Saviour they may include that God hath a love to them a care of them and a purpose of Grace towards them from everlasting and how securely and sweetly may they rest upon the blessed Jesus not doubting but he is a person every way fit and sufficient to finish that work of Redemption which he undertook according to the appointment of his Father 4. Growing in the Knowledge of Christ implies a greater insight into his sufferings It is not without reason that the History of these is so largely penned by all the four Evangelists certainly there is much in his Crucifixion which it concerns Believers to pry into The sufferings of Christ were great and that both in his body and in his soul his body was in a bloody sweat and his soul was amazed sore and full of heaviness and sorrow and in an Agony before he was condemned and fastned to the Cross but then all the pain and shame which he did undergo his Death was violent and accursed and just before he breathed out his last his Father hid his face his sufferings were unconceivably increased by a dreadful desertion which made him roar out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me When Christ died the sins of the whole Church were laid upon the head of the Church how many stings then had the death of Christ Isa 53.6 All we like sheep have gone astray we haâ—e turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all And if all were laid upon him none shall be laid to the charge of them who believe in him But how came it to pass that Christ did not sink under such a burthen The first sin of the first man was enough to sink all the world into Hell how could Christ bear up under all the sins of so great a multitude The reason is because he is God the blood of Christ is the blood of God how loud does it cry for Pardon and Salvation and how easily does it drown the cry of sin for vengeance The blood and sufferings of Christ applied and relyed on by Faith justifie the sinner silence Satan the accuser purge the conscience from dead works and open a way into the holiest of all by the Cross of Christ we are to climb up to the Throne of Glory The more the death of Christ is studied the Spirit will be more contrite the heart more clean the conscience more calm and quiet The death of Christ puts the sin to death but delivers the sinner from it 5. Growing in the Knowledge of Christ implies a more fruitful eying of his Resuâ—rection and going to his Father Hark to the Apostle Phil. 3. 10. That I may kâ—â—â— him and the power of his Resurrection The Justice of God had Christ under an â—rrest and hath cast him into the Grave as â—nto a Prison and if he had not fully paid the debt of those whose surety he became it would have held him in prison to this hour If Christ were not risen faith would be vain the guilt and power of sin would refrain But being risen true believers are delivered from sins punishment and power Sin and death and Satan are triumphed over Know that there is a very great power and vertue to be derived from the resurrection of our Lord. A power to raise a drooping Spirit When Christ was riseâ— dâ—e sends this Message to his Disciples that they might be well assurâ—â— his God was theirs his Father their Father
but afterward to Books but certainly both Memory and Books are little enough to preserve those things that should be remembred The Holy Ghost teaches better Deuter. 11 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine House and upon thy Gates yea Chap 17 18. The King himself was to write him a Copy of the Law in a Book that he might remember it the better The very writing of any thing fixes it deeper in the mind And therefore I should still recommend the writing of Sermons not only as a help to the memory but also as a good preservative from sleeping under Gods ordinance as also from gazing about to the great distraction of the thoughts at that Sacred imployment For alas how many excellent Doctrines Directions and Marks have you heard that are quite forgotten which a discreet use of writing might have preserved unto you b I have seen a large Common Place-Book of famous Mr. Bruâ—n filled with choice sentences out of good Authors and digested under fit heads for his own use being a private Gentleman 3. Custom or Vsing your Memories is an excellent way of improving tâ—â—â— Thus many wise persons charge their memories at the present and thereby strengthen them and then commit what they have remembred to writing when they come home that no time may wear it away For every Faculty is improv'd and strengthen'd by imploying it We say use legs and have legs and so use the memory and thou 'lt have a memory So if you oblige your Children and your Servants to bring you away an account of a Sermon or so much of a Catechism you will see that use and custom will make that easy which before they thought impossible I have seen some of an old mans girdle who could not read a word yet by the only help of a girdle which he wore which was hung about with some knotted points he could bring home every particular of a Sermon And therefore charge your memories with those things that are sit to be remembred and doubt not but use will make you perfect I purposly avoid discoursing of that which is call'd an Artificial Memory both because the inconveniences thereof are great and the handling of it unfit for a Sermon 3. The Spiritual Helps for Memory are these 1. Bewail your Forgetfulness There Reformation and amendment when it is sound begins The Jews say that when Adam look't towards Paradise he wept in the remembrance of his Fall I am sure we have cause to mourn and weep and weep again at the remembrance of it To consider not only the great guilt but the sad fruit of that Apostacy and that as in other particulars so in respect of our Memories which have born their share in that convulsion And we have cause to mourn also for all such excesses and follies which have concurr'd to make them worse wherein no man is guiltless so that though you may reckon a sorry memory but a small fault yet you will find that it is both the effect and the sign and the cause of much evil In so much that Idolatry and the worst Sins are in Scripture stil'd the forgetting of God Psal 9 17. c. Few of us would reckon it a small fault to have a Servant frequently neglect his business and run into Errors and still to excuse all by saying I quite forgot it For generally such forgetfulness is the effect of supine negligence and therefore we have the more cause to be humbled seriously for this Sin 2. Prayer is a second Help For every Good and perfect Gift whereof this is one is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1 17. and therefore is to be sought by frequent and earnest Prayer which is the Golden Key to unlock the Treasures of Heaven to the needy soul O beg it then of him that as he sanctifies the Soul he would sanctifie this with the rest And you have a ground for your Prayer in that Joh. 14.26 where our Saviour hath said that the Father will send the Holy Ghost to teach us all things and to bring all things to our remembrance And this Spirit you may have for asking Luke 11.13 Your Heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him understand that God will grant your Prayer herein there being joyn'd with the same a due use of all other means on which earnest Prayer brings a Blessing And you must not only crave this in your solemn Prayers but also when you are reading or hearing you should dart up an Holy Ejaculation or short desire Lord write this Truth in my heart and bless it to me This is like the clenching of a nail And when you have heard a Sermon look the Chest with Davids Prayer 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart And be assured that God will hear the breathings of his own Spirit and give thee a Memory to serve thy turn 3. Diligent Attention If the mind wander in hearing the Memory will be weak in remembring Confine therefore your thoughts to the Holy Work you are about and fetch in your stragling Fancies with a hearty sigh Remember that Almighty God speaks to you by every good Book or Sermon that you read or hear every Chapter and Sermon is a Letter from the God of Heaven and directed in particular to you and you know we read with attention the meanest Letter that is directed to us and we observe every period of it The Gospel is our Saviours Will and Testament and how carefully doth every Child attend to every Clause in his Fathers Will Now the more diligent your Attention is the better you will remember As you know the greater weight we lay on the Seal the deeper Impression it doth make Holy David could say Ps 119.93 I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me The Scripture the Sentence that hath quickned us we shall not easily forget when all the heart is engaged then all the head is imployed also And it is no marvel that divers remember so little when they are so palpably careless in hearing and their wandring Eyes do plainly discover their wandring minds 4. Due Estimation The more we love and admire any thing the better we remember it This is the reason given of Childrens remembring things so well because they admire every thing as being new to them And of old People the saying is known That they remember all such things as they care for For when we esteem and affect any thing the Affections work upon the Spirits which are the Instruments of the Memory and so seat things upon it Why is it that a Woman cannot forget her sucking Child because she doth vehemently love it and the like affection in us to good things would keep us from forgetting them And to this accord that saying of Mr. Guentianus Pag 25. That the best Art of Memory
Divine Perfections I. The many Doctrines which more immediately respect the Nature of God his Acts and Modes of Operation 1. More generally they are all such as represent somewhat of him who in all Perfections is infinite and infinitely above us God is a Spirit infinite infinite in his Essence or immense infinite in his existence or external There is according to the Conceptions we must form of God at least quoad nos a difference between Immensity and Externity Immensity denotes the Essence of God to be more large and comprehensive than can be measured but the import of Eternity is to be considered with regard to the Duration of the Divine Essence whence although we must assert the Essence and Existence of God to be so much the same that necessary Existence is included in the very Essence of God yet we may look on the divine Existence to be a pressior conceptus to that of the divine Essence for essence includes somewhat more than meer existence namely other perfections of the divine Nature which when considered as it fills Heaven and Earth and is infinitely beyond all without all bounds or limits 't is said to be immense but considered as enduring from everlasting to everlasting 't is Eternal The like of the other Attributes Thus our finite capacities may form some partial and inadequate Conceptions of these things but comprehend them we cannot If we look into any particular Attribute of God we are swallowed up as in a bottomless Ocean For there is not any one Divine Perfection that includes not in it Infinity the which is so far above us that we cannot reach unto it We cannot know him unto Perfection nor by searching find him out He is higher than the Heavens deeper than Hell longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea we cannot comprehend him His Nature his Attributes all his glorious Perfections being infinite are infinitely above us and seeing the Revelations made of God do after a sort represent somewhat of his glorious Nature they are not fully comprehended by us They point â—nto somewhat that is beyond us But to be more particular 2. God who is a Spirit Infinite is absolutely and simply One he is a pure Act but yet Three One absolutely and simply One God and yet Three Three Persons None can be more concerned in asserting the Oneness or Unity of the Godhead than the Christian how vehement soever the Mahometane Jew or Socinian may be in asserting the Simplicity and Oweness of the Divine Nature they cannot be more so than We are but yet a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead we must also affirm or our Religion is lost Whoever will but seriously acquaint himself with the Essentials of the Christian Religion will find that the believing a Trinity is as necessary to the being of our Religion as the believing the existence of God is to any Religion The Spirit of God has not only here and there expresly asserted the Doctrine of the Trinity but every momentous Doctrine of our Religion which is appropriate unto it as 't is Christian supposes it There are Three Fundamentals of our Faith all which conjunctly considered suppose a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead even God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost There is the Fall of Man his Redemption and Sanctification God at first made man upright and gave him a Holy Just and Good Law which was sanction'd with the Promise of a glorious Reward and with the severe Threat of Divine Wrath and Indignation Do this and Live but in the Day thou eatest thou shalt die Man transgresses this Law and is obnoxious unto the Threatning he must die For God who is Infinite in all Perfections is a God of Truth and must accomplish his Word He is essentially just and righteous and must proportion the punishment to the nature of the Crime An Infinite God is offended his Law is violated and this by Man by Adam the Head of Human Nature and therefore 't is impossible that any escape Infinite which is on finite Worms Eternal Wrath unless the Justice of God be satisfyed by proportionable Sufferings in that nature that sinned But if there had been but One Person as there is but One God there could not be an Infinite Person to undertake for us That one Person who was offended would be alone able to satisfie his own Justice but he is angry he demands satisfaction from another and should he enter into judgment with us we should not be able to stand He demands satisfaction and is ready to consume us unless an Infi-Person interposes on our behalf should he himself begin to capitulate with us singly he would be so far from offering himself to satisfie himself for us that he would immediately let out all his wrath Thus we see that the Doctrines about mans Fall and Redemption do necessarily infer that there is God the Father who gave us a righteous Law and who is highly provoked by the violation of it and as a righteous Judge proceeds to condemn us unless satisfaction be made unto his Justice and that there being God the Son a Person distinct from the Father who is also God sent by the Father and who assumed Humane Nature in which he suffered and satisfied the Justice of the Father whereby fallen man is in a way of recovery thus mans Fall and his Recovery suppose two Persons But whoever will more closely attend unto this Point will find that God being as Holy as he is Just and Righteous is as much concern'd for the Vindication of the Honour of his Holiness as that of his Justice whence our Sanctification becomes as necessary an Antecedent unto our Salvation as our Justification Though Justification and Sanctification are in their own natures formally and really distinct yet are ever in one and the same Subject You may and must distinguish them from each other but cannot separate them And the Reason is because God is as Holy as he is Righteous and as much concern'd for the Glory of his Holiness as for the Glory of his Justice And therefore the Holy as well as the Righteous Will of God must be satisfied But such are the Corruptions of our Nature so strong and powerful and we so weak and feeble that unless some one Almighty be our help we shall remain under the power of Sin unsanctified and no way advantaged by the Redemption of Christ's Death 'T is true Christ has died but not to save us in but from our sins It was never the Design of Christ that men should receive any special Blessings as the fruit of his Death while they continue under the power of Sin Enemies unto him He has made a purchase of Heavens Glories but will give it to none but such as submit themselves unto him He will that we humble our selves before him and be holy or continue in the state of Condemnation in which we are all by Nature but Holy we cannot
are given for as the rigid Dominicans do certainly make God the Cause of Sin whether culpable or not culpable is not the Question even so do the Scotists and Molinists for they both include in the matter of Sin somewhat more than what is meerly Natural even somewhat that is morally Vicious and yet assert that this Matter is the immediate effect of Gods Causality only the one says That God does as it were take man by the hand and lead him to Sin the other That man determines the Efficiency of God and the Scotist says That the first and second Cause do walk hand in hand to the Sin but whether I lead another to the Sin and help him to commit it or whether I am taken by the Sinner and determined to help him to produce what is sinful in the Act or whether I walk with him stil I am at least a Concauser of what is sinful in the Act so that neither the Scotist nor the Molinist give me any satisfaction in this Matter The Result therefore of my thoughts is as follows I am sure that no Natural Being ever has been is or can be without the Efficiency of God the first Cause and yet I am as confident that no Moral Evil is in any sense the Effect of the Physical Efficiency of God The Moral Undueness that is considered as that which is the Foundation of Sin cannot be from God but yet how satisfactorily to reconcile these things or how to comprehend the Modes of Divine Operation is above us we cannot reach unto it it transcends our Understandings 5. There are also several Doctrines which have a special Aspect on those Transactions that are about the carrying on Fall'n Mans Salvation to the Illustrating the Glory of the divine Perfections which are very profound The Doctrines of the Fall of Man the Transition of Original Sin from Adam to his Posterity the Methods taken for the Recovery of the Elect the Covenant of Reconciliation between the Father and the Son from all Eternity the Incarnation of the Son of God and the many surprizing Doctrines with reference thereunto even about his several Offices as Mediator and in special That of his Being a Priest after the Order of Melchisedek his Suretyship how our Sins were imputed to him and his Righteousness made ours beside those Doctrines about the Nature of the Mystical Vnion that is between Christ and Believers and how this is the ground of Imputation and many other momentous points might be spoken unto to evince That though there is nothing of Contradiction in these Doctrines yet there is very much that transcends the most enlarged Capacity They are points that the Angels themselves are prying into but cannot fully comprehend But these things I must wave and go on to acquaint you with some of the many Providences that do in like manner transcend our Understandings II. Among the many amuzing Providences that are before Us I will single out a few 1. That the greatest part of the World should lye in Wickedness unacquainted with the Methods of Salvation is an amuzing Providence Look we into the remotest parts of the World we find nothing but a strange Ignorance of the true God or of the true Worship of God Oh how great a part of the World is over-run with Paganism Mahometanism and Judaism Come we nearer home and take a view of the Christian World behold how small is it in comparison of those parts where the abovemention'd false Religions prevail and of the many thousands who are called Christians how many Invelop'd with the thick clouds of Ignorance and Error and how â—ew free from the Influence of Idolatry and Superstition A multitude of those who have been baptiz'd into the name of Christ have not the opportunity of looking into the sacred Oracles which reveal the true way to Life everlasting and of those who have the happy Advantages of consulting the sacred Scriptures how few can understand them The which is not without a Providence of God But can we compare these Providences with those discoveries that are made of the Infinite Compassions of Almighty God towards the Children of men and comprehend a consistency between them In the Scriptures 't is said That God would have all men be saved and to that end come to the Knowledg of the Truth even when but a very small spot of the Earth have any suitable means afforded 'em for the obtaining such knowledg In the Scriptures the Proclamation is general to all Ho every one and the Expostulation with Sinners is Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye as I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a Sinner of a Sinner indefinitely q. d. of any Sinner but rather That he would Turn and Live Besides did not Christ die for this end namely to shew the unexpressible greatness of Gods Love to the world God so loved so so loved the World as if it had been said the Love of God to the World is so transcendent that no words could sufficiently express it nothing would fully represent it but the Delivery of the Son the only begotten Son of God to the Death the cruel the shameful and the reproachful Death of the Cross for the salvation of the World on their Believing and this even when God left Millions of Angels to continue in everlasting Chains of Darkness notwithstanding all which it is manifest That they cannot believe in him of whom they have not heard and cannot hear unless a Preacher be sent unto them and that no such thing has been done no Preacher has been sent or if in one Age yet not in another How can we reconcile these Providences with the Discoveries that are given us of the infinite Compassions of God to Mankind when so few are made partakers of it What of Grace is there in leaving the greatest part of the World in a very little better condition than the fallen Angels I know that there are many things offered towards the satisfaction of a thoughtful Person as Who can tell but there are thousand of Worlds above us whose Inhabitants are in a better capacity to receive and improve the Instances of Divine Love and that this world is but a Spot in comparison of them and if this whole World should perish 't is but as the hanging up a few Malefactors to shew that God is just as well as merciful but how does this solve the Difficulty which is not meerly taken from the Notion we have of Gods meâ—ciful Nature in it self considered but from the Revelations made thereof unto the Children of men in the Scripture about which we cannot have any solid satisfaction but from things which are obvious before us not from what is so fully out of our view and knowledge and concerning Creatures of another kind 'T is true there are some intimations in the Sacred Scriptures which apart and by themselves considered afford Relief such as these The Gentiles which have not
the written Law doing the things contained in the Law are a Law unto themselves by which Law they shall at the last be judged but not by the written Law and who walking according to this Law will find their Consciences to excuse them as the Transgressors thereof shall be under the Accusations of Conscience Rom. 2.13 14 15. Besides it is said in the foregoing Chapter that the great reason why Divine Vengeance was against them was not so much because they knew not God or were unacquainted with the Methods of Salvation but because when the Gentiles who had not Moses nor the Prophets for their guide but only the Light of Nature the things made for their help glorified not God as God but were unthankful and became vain in their Imaginations And to these Considerations if we add what Peter in Acts 10.34 35. has it seems as if many of the Gentiles who were strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel were saved for saith the Apostle I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him every one that walketh according to that Light he has received shall be saved If this be minded without a fixing our thoughts on other Scriptural Considerations the difficulty would be removed but when we reflect on the many other Texts that assert Christ Jesus to be the only Door to Glory and that there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we can be saved but that of Jesus Christ and the Reason of this Doctrine namely That all have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God that such is the essential Righteousness of God as engageth him to demand Satisfaction and that unless his Justice be satisfied no Salvation can be had and that there is none other able to satisfie the Justice of God but Jesus Christ God-Man and that all who are interested in his Merits must submit unto him I say whoever will consider the foregoing Passages with these will find himself still at a loss so that on the whole I am brought to this Result that is That notwithstanding the Spirit of God doth so very much insist on the largeness of Divine Love to the World the least part thereof are made partakers of it unless Salvation is to be had out of Christ or unless a very implicit Faith be sufficient to entitle the Heathen unto any of those special Blessings that are the purchase of Christ's Blood but when we come so far if we do but intentely mind these things we shall find our selves in the dark and though we have the greatest reason to conclude That these things are reconcileable yet must we acknowledge that they are above us they are too high we cannot attain unto the height thereof 2. That such whose Lot hath been cast into more pleasant places and who have had the advantageous Helps of Sacred Scripture for their direction in the way of Life have yet been by Providence plunged into many an inextricable Labyrinths of Difficulties is surprizing Concerning the Old Testament who can without surprize converse with the Disputes there are among the Learned about the Hebrew Copy we now have or the Septuagint as whether the former or the latter is more Authentick and must be taken for the Canon There are some momentous differences between them and therefore 't is our Concern to enquire after that which is to be our Rule if it be the Septuagint we are at a loss about its Rise for it is well known that the Greek is not that Language which the Holy Ghost used with Moses and the Prophets 't is but a Translation but where is the Original Beside whatever is said by some of the Fathers concerning the miraculous Agreement of the 72 Israelites sent from Jerusalem to Ptolomy as Translaters of the Law of the Jews 't is manifest enough out of Aristaeus of whom the Learned Vsher has writ so much that they only Translated the Law of Moses and no more Neither is it very difficult to shew that the LXX we now have is more Novel than that of the New Testament But if the Hebrew must be taken for the Canon yet as to the Books of Moses some are at a loss whether the Samaritan or the Hebrew be most Authentick But whether the one or the other 't is still queried whether we have the Autograph Yet we are still in a Labyrinth not only about the various Readings the Keri and the Chetir but about the Antiquity of the Points whether they are Coaeval with the Letters or not The Points are so necessary towards the right understanding the true Import of a Hebrew Word that without them 't is not easie to find out the true sence of the Text the least alteration of a Point makes an unaccountable change in the signification of the Words Notwithstanding which the Novelty of the Hebrew Points doth now take with many whereby we are still at a loss where to find a firm Foundation on which our Faith may lean for seeing the Sence of the Text so very much depends on these Points if these Points are of late and humane Rise so is the present Sence of the Scripture and if so how can our Faith which is grounded on the Sence of Scriptures which leans only on this Humane Invention be Divine and Unshaken But might these Difficulties be removed yet as to the greatest number of professed Christians there are others which to them are as insuperable for they understand not the Original and have for their Guidance and Conduct no other help but what either some ignorant or prophane Priest affords them Such is the Neglect the greatest part of Christendom is guilty of that where there is one learned and pious Minister to direct there are two who are either very ignorant or scandalous for which reason the greatest part of the People who are under the Ministers Conduct are either to receive help from the Ignorant who cannot relieve them or from the Scandalous who cannot be confided in How can the People put any Trust in the Honesty and Truth of such who are strangers to nothing more than to such Vertues There is very much may be said to solve these Phaenomena but yet when all that can be offered has been insisted on we shall find somewhat in the Providence that doth transcend our Understandings 3. I will mention only one Providence more that does greatly amuse and astonish many that do truly fear the Lord and that is this viz. Although it be frequently asserted in Scripture That to the Godly the Promise of the good things of this Life as well as of that to come is given yet we find the godly to be without them even when the wicked who know not God do abound Many are the Afflictions and Tribulations of the Righteous Job 21.7 c. They are hated reproached and counted as sheep for the slaughter but the wicked they live become
was able to do them good he not only gave them bread in their hunger but nourished and comforted them and was a shelter to them in a strange Land as long as he lived As we should do them all the good we can so we ought to prevent any evil that might fall upon them Saul had been very defective in his duty to David both as a Prince and a Father As a Prince he ought not only to have protected but rewarded so deserving a Subject As a Father he ought to have cherished such an obedient Son who went whither soever Saul sâ—nt him 1 Sam. 18.5 But on the contrary he not only encourages some of his Followers to kill him but endeavours to take away his life by his own hand 1 Sam. 19.1 10. Now how doth David carry it in this case He endeavours to save himself as well as he could by withdrawing and giving place to Saul's wrath And when he in pursuing after him 1 Sam. 24.6 7. 1 Sam. 26.8 9. falls into his hands more than once he doth not only not destroy him himself but withholds those that would The tenderness that was in him toward such an enraged Enemy appeared in this that his heart smote him but for cutting off the skirt of his Garment tho this was done only to shew that he was in his power and that he could have done him a mischief if he would What effect this had upon Saul may be seen in the Story When David shewed him the skirt of his Garment and spake a few words to shew his innocency he tho a King and mightily enraged against him is melted into tears 1 Sam. 24.16 17. Saul lifted up his voice and wept saying Thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil There is nothing like to overcome the rough temper and rugged carriage of others sooner than a kind and gentle behaviour toward them When Paul came first to Thessalonica he found them or at least many among them Constat apud Graecos translatitiè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad mores ad animum accommodari Beza to be a rough and untractable people The Bereans Acts 17.11 are said to be more noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of better breeding and more ingenious than they who upon Paul's preaching there took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gatheted a Company and set all the City in an uproar ver 5. Hence it is that he saith 1 Thes 2.1 2. That at his entrance in unto them he spake the Gospel of God with much contention that is on their part For as for his own part he was otherwise disposed It was the Rule he gave to Timothy 2 Epist 2.24 The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth This was his own practise at this time for ver 7. he says We were gentle among you as a nurse cherisheth her children As a Nurse bears with the frowardness and peevishness of Children and by all ways imaginable endeavours to quiet them and bring them to a good humour so did the Apostle with them And it is probable that those of them that did believe partly by the Apostle's Doctrine and partly by his Example were of the like disposition and carriage toward them that believed not And what the effect of this was in that place where the Gospel was so much opposed at first we may gather from what he says in his second Epistle to them Chap. 3.1 Pray for us that the word of the Lord may have a free course and be glorified even as it is with you 2. As we should do them all the good we can and prevent the evil that might hurt them so we ought to pray that God would do them the good and prevent the evil we cannot Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you And if for such much more for such who tho they may be in some particular instances prejudicial to us have a love to and kindness for us David complains Psal 57.4 That his soul was among lions and that he did lie among them that were set on fire even the sons of men whose teeth were spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword And of these or such as these he says Psal 35.15 They did tear me and ceased not What did David now Did he rend and tear as they did No ver 13. As for me when they were sick my cloahting was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosom What could he have done more for his nearest Friend or dearest Brother So he says ver 14. I behaved my self as tho he had been my friend or brother Take an instance also of what was done for Friends who in a day of temptation did not the good they should When Paul came to Rome he preacht the Gospel among them for two whole years together Acts 28.30 31. And no doubt but that he that was sure that when he came Rom. 15.29 he should come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel was kindly received by them And we may well think that he who before he came to them did so earnestly beseech them for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit Rom. 15.30 31. to strive with him in prayers to God that he might be delivered from them that did not believe in Judea did confidently expect that they would use not only that but other good means that he might be delivered from them that did not believe at Rome But it fell out otherwise For when a day of tryal came these Romans Faith did so far fail that not a man of them stood by him when he was in that great danger to be devoured by the mouth of the Lion 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me This must needs greatly affect and afflict him yet in the next words he prays that this sin might not be imputed to them I pray God it may not be laid to their charge You see this is the will of God and this hath been the Saints practise But if you find holy men as sometimes you may David and Paul uttering themselves in another manner against God's and their enemies Psal 59.13 2 Tim. 4 14 as if they desired evil to fall upon them either the evil was Temporal or Eternal 1. If the evil were Temporal they cannot be thought to desire it absolutely sub ratione mali as evil but as it had a tendency to their good Deliberata imprecatio mali sub ratione mali contra homines quae est formalis maledictio non potest non esse mala Ames Cas lib. 4. Augustine de ser D. in monte As David Psal 9.20 Put them
made me free from the Law of sin and death v. 2. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live v. 13. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God v. 16. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities v. 26 27. But I must confine my self to that One in the Text the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Conduct Manuduction which this Blessed Spirit vouchsafes to the people of God He is the Saints Leader their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dux viae the Guide of their Life Look as by Christ they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Accesse Admission to God the Father in Prayer Eph. 2.18 and 3.12 So by the Spirit they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading and Guidance in their whole course of Life In the discussing of this weighty Point I will 1. Open the nature of the Act the Leading of the Spirit 2. Propound and answer some practical Enquiries about it For the better opening of it I must 1. Lay down some things more Generally concerning it 2. Then come to the closer and stricter Explication of it Under the First I shall commend the following Particulars to you Distinctions premis'd about the Spirits Leading 1. The Leading of the Spirit is either General and Common or Peculiar and Special If we consider him as God in his joint participation of the Deity with the Father and the Son and in his joint Operations with them according to their Divine Essence so there is a Leading by him which does extend to all Creatures whatsoever For all of them by his Divine Power and Influxe in their several Beings Actions Motions and Tendencies are disposed ordered governed and overrul'd to the Glory of the Creator and the good of the Universe Take them in all their Faculties and in all their Operations they are all excited directed actuated by this Spirit And so in a general Sence they all come under his Guidance and Regency This also may be said to extend to all men to the Unregenerate as well as to the Regenerate How why as they all doe act and move * Acts 17.28 in and by him as He in a Common and Providential way does order and regulate all their several Actions and Motions For this he does in all as he is the first cause and the supream Soveraign So that as there is his common Illumination common Conviction common Restraints common Gifts which even the Graceless partake of so there is too a common Leading by Him which they also have Now most certainly this is not that Leading which the Text speaks of for this cannot be the Foundation or Evidence of the Priviledge mention'd A common Act will never entitle to a special Relation Ductus spiritus quo Filij Dei aguntur non est Generalis Dei Actus quo omnia moventur sed est specialis Gratia quâ Filii Dei Sanctificantur in viâ salutis diriguntur ad Deum Pareus Observare convenit esse multiplicem Spiritus Actionem Est enim Vniversalis quâ omnes Creaturae sustinentur ac moventur sunt peculiares in Hominibus illae quidem variae sed hic sanctificationem intelligit quâ non nisi Electos suos Dominus dignatur dum eos sibi in Filios segregat Calv. in loc How many are thus led by the Spirit who yet are far from being the Sons of God! That Leading therefore must be here intended which is special and peculiar to Gods people such as will amount to the making of the Proposition here Reciprocal and Convertible thus All the Sons of God are led by the Spirit and All that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God 2. The special Leading of the Spirit is Extraordinary or Ordinary The former was confin'd to some Persons and to some Times and was not to extend to all Saints nor to continue in all Ages Thus the Holy Prophets the Apostles were led by the Spirit as they were immediately inspir'd guided and moved by Him in the discharge of their Extraordinary Work and Office These in the penning of the Holy Scriptures and in all that they revealed of and from God were acted and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 and hereupon they were infallible in what they reveal'd But this was extraordinary and so Limited and Temporary The latter Leading of the Spirit therefore must be that which is here spoken of that which appertains to all Gods Children and at all times Did the Apostle when he says As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God mean that as many as have Extraordinary Visions Revelations Inspirations Impulses from the Spirit of God are thus related to God and none Other surely no! Should we carry it thus high we should exclude all but the foremention'd Prophets and Apostles from being Gods Children which would be both sad and also false Wherefore 't is unquestionable that the Ordinary Abiding and Permanent Leading of the Spirit and that which reaches to all Believers is here intended 3. This Act of the Spirit may be consider'd either as 't is exerted at the first Conversion or after For as we distinguish the Grace of God into Prevenient and Subsequent so we may also distinguish of the Leading of the Spirit He leads at and in order to the first Conversion as he then does irradiate the Mind incline the Will spiritualize the Affections and so lead or guide the whole Soul to God and Christ Then he leads after Conversion as this is done by him all along in the whole course of a Christians Life for it is a continued Act. The Guidance of the Sp rit to bring a man into the state of Grace that 's done but once but the Guidance of the Spirit in the state of Grace that 's done Daily and Renewedly The first imports the infusing of a Living Vital Principle into the Soul the latter supposes this Principle and makes use of it in the Conduct of a Child of God in the way of Holiness Both are here to be taken in yet I conceive the last may be most proper And Observe these two Leadings of the Spirit have a different respect to our Sonship with God For the former Constitutes it the latter only Discovers and Evidences it The Spirit as leading me to God at the first Conversion makes me a Child of God the Spirit as leading me after Conversion causes it to appear that I am a Child of God 4. There is the Having of the Spirit and there is the Leading of the Spirit We have both in this Chapter the One v. 9. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his the other in the Text. Now although these two be conjunct and inseparable whoever have the Spirit they are led by the Spirit yet they are distinct things To have the Spirit is to
destroy Natural Liberty Where the Spirit does not find sinners willing by his sweet Methods he makes them willing Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power a day of power yet willing Even the Spirits Drawing is managed with all consistency to the freedom of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys he draws but 't is one that he makes willing to follow Hos 2.14 Behold I will allure her ay there 's the Spirits leading This being the constant and avowed Doctrine of the Protestants and †Ductus spiritus non est impulsus violentus quo rapimur inviti ut stipites sed est efficax persuasio quâ ex nolentibus efficimur volentes Par. with many others particularly their Explication of the Spirits leading in the Text how injurious and invidious are the Popish Writers in their traducing and calumniating of them as if they asserted the Spirit in This or any Other Act to work with Compulsion or in a way destructive to mans Essential Liberty 'T is a vile scandal And yet how do Esthius Salmeron Contzen upon the Words charge our Divines with it We perfectly concurr with Blessed St. * Enchirid. Cap. 64. de verbis Apostol Serm. 13. c. 11 12. Austin in that excellent passage of his cited by the Rhemists As many as are led by the Spirit he meaneth not says he that the Children of God are violently compelled against their Wills but that they be sweetly drawn moved or induced to do good But no more of this IV. The Extent of this Leading of the Spirit The Extent of it A threefold account may be given of that 1. In regard of the Subject or person led So it extends to the Whole Man First to the Interior Acts of the Soul in its several Faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections And then to the Exterior Acts of the Body yea to the whole Conversation For all these are comprehended within and fall under the Spirits Leading For as his Sanctifying Operation extends to all of these the God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So does his Guiding Operation also these two being Commensurate and Coextensive This might be made out in Particulars was I not afraid of too much prolixity 2. In regard of the Object or Matter that the Spirit leads unto So it extends to the whole Duty of a Christian to all that he is to Know Believe and Do. Look as the Word in its External Leading guides us in all things that concern Faith and Practice it being a compleat and perfect Rule 2 Tim. 3.16 17. so 't is with the Spirit in his Internal Leading too Joh. 14.26 For Knowledge and Faith the Promise is But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 16.13 And again Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth see 1 John 2.20 27. And so 't is as to Holiness also this Spirit directs those who have him to and in the Practice of Holiness in its full and utmost Extent and Latitude Tit. 2.12 As the Grace of God the Gospel Without teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in this present world which is the summe of all Duty towards God towards Men and towards our selves So the Spirit Within teaches guides inclines to all these His Gracious Conduct is not confin'd to does not terminate in this or that particular Duty of Religion no but it extends to every Duty to the whole Obedience of a Christian 3. In regard of the Degree and Measure of it Concerning which 't is clear that this Leading of the Spirit in the Directing Inclining Governing Notions of it is not as to Degree equal in all God's Children All have the Thing in the Necessary and Substantial part of it yet so as that there is a Gradual Difference in their having of it Some having more and some less He being a Free and Arbitrary Agent does proportion this Act of his Grace to different Persons as he pleases And he making Some more ductil to his Leadings than Others accordingly he vouchsafes more of Them to Those than he does to Others But in None does it reach so high as to render them perfect here For although we should grant which I do not that the Spirit should advance his Guidance consider'd in it self and as it comes from Him to such a Degree and Pitch as to lay the Foundation of Perfection in Saints here below yet considering what the Capacity of the Subjects of this Act is here they being Flesh as well as Spirit 't is not imaginable that de Facto and in Eventu they should ever here be perfect upon it Wherefore it must be bounded and limited though not from what the Spirit could do yet from what he is pleased to do in Believers in their present imperfect state He shall guide you into all Truth what so as to make Saints Omniscient or Infallible He guides unto all Holiness what so as to render them sinless and impeccable here on Earth we must by no means carry it thus high It therefore must be qualified thus He shall guide you into all Truth i. e. into the Knowledge of all Necessary and Fundamental Truths And he shall guide you into all Holiness i. e. so far as your present state admits of and so far as is necessary for your future Glory Beyond this Measure we must not extend or heighten the Spirits Leading For the truth is if we take it in this bounded Notion we secure the Thing but if we go higher we totally undermine and nullifie it as all Experience proves And by the way Observe that this Guidance of the Spirit in the General and that Guidance of His in Particular in the Duty of Prayer do much stand upon the same level Insomuch that as the Former the Spirits immediate Guiding of Believers in the Matter and Manner of their Actions does not thereupon render Them or Their Actions perfectly Holy and free from all mixtures of sin So neither does the Latter the Spirits immediate Guidance and Assistance in the Matter and Manner of Prayer render the Prayers of such infallible or of equal Authority with the Scriptures as some Object Because as to Both this Agency of the Spirit is to be limited partly from the Consideration of the present State of the subject in whom it is exerted and partly from the Spirits Aim and End therein 'T is true to obviate a bad Inference that may be drawn from hence the Apostles themselves considered as but Men and as men in the State of Imperfection so they were fallible as we are But as they had in matters of Faith
himself no more about us Oh take heed how you carry your selves towards him Not only upon Ingenuity Jer. 2.17 its base to be unkind to our Guid Hast thou not procured this to thy self in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way But also upon the account of self-Love for as we behave our selves to him so he will behave himself to us Ita nos tractat ut a nobis tractatur 3. Labour after the having of the Leading of the Spirit in an higher Degree and Measure than what as yet you have attained unto 'T is not enough meerly to keep it but there must be a Getting more of it As there should be a Rise in our following so we should press after a Rise in the Spirits Leading of us And that in a threefold respect that he lead us 1. More Extensively as to the Object 2. With greater Light and Clearness Power and Efficacy as to the Manner 3. With more Eavenness and Constancy as to the Duration and Continuance of it He guides you to Truth but does he guide you to all Truth He guides you unto Truth but does he guide you into Truth and is this his Constant and Continued working in you Oh this high Measure of it we should aspire at and pant after taking up with nothing short of it And so as to Holiness and Practical Godliness the same is to be endeavoured after There is indeed much Mercy in the lowest Degree of this Act and they that have the lest should be thankful but yet a fuller Proportion may and ought to be desired by every Child of God And surely they who experience what this Leading of the Spirit is never think they have Enough of it 4. So live as that it may appear to others that you are led by this Spirit Christians your Actions and Conversations should be such as may suit with the Spirit that leads you Such as may evidence to the world that you are not in pretence only but in truth and reality under a Divine and Supernatural Conduct Do we lay claim to this Oh then what Good do we do more what Evil less than Others do VVhat live in sin do Evil things be Proud Worldly Covetous Passionate Unclean Malicious Fraudulent and yet pretend you are led by the Holy Spirit Lord what an Indignity and Affront do you put upon Him what a Cheat and Fallacy upon your own Souls Pray never talk of This unless your Lives be Holy and Good For ye who are real Saints oh that you would oft think of this and look upon it as one of the highest Engagements to Circumspect Walking You that are Guided by such a Word without and such a Spirit within What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 5. Be very thankful for this glorious Mercy Led by the Spirit admirable Love VVhat Thankfulness is due to Father Son and Spirit for it for all These have an hand though the last be more Immediately concerned in it VVhen you know not your way this Spirit shews it to you when you are weak and feeble not able to go this Spirit strengthens you I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms Hos 11.3 VVhen Others are left to the Conduct of their Own Light Vnderstanding Inclinations which lead them to Sin and Death you are under the Conduct of this Gracious Spirit which leads you to Grace and Glory what cause have you to admire this Distinguishing Grace How great is the Fathers Love in this who as Fathers here when they send their Sons into Foreign Countreys and they themselves cannot be with them they send a Tutor or Governour with them in all their Travels to instruct and govern and take care of them Just so does your Heavenly Father do for you in and by his Spirit in this state of your Pilgrimage and absence from him How great is the Love of the Son in this for he has Purchased and now does Actually send this Spirit to be your Teacher Monitor and Guid. And how great is the Love of the Spirit too in this All his Operations carry infinite Goodness and Condescension in them but none more than this his tender and patient Guiding of us Should not all the Persons therefore be heartily sincerely and with the greatest enlargedness of Heart blessed and adored for it Especially considering how they design and aim at the exalting of Themselves by this very Act. As in the Miraculous Leading of the People of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and so on set forth Isa 43. V. 12. that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the Water before them V. 13 14. that led them through the deep as an Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble As a Beast goeth down into the Valley the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy people for what end to make thy self a Glorious Name Surely so in that Spiritual and Gracious Leading that I am treating of the great God whether Essentially or Personally considered designs much Glory and Adoration to Himself And let him have it for he well deserves it from all that have any Experience of this Grace A Fifth Enquiry May such who are led by the Spirit fetch comfort from it 5. Enquiry Is this a solid Bottom for any to build Holy Joy upon Undoubtedly it is You who have it may rejoyce and that greatly For 1. It 's a clear Evidence a deciding Argument of your being the Sons of God And what a Soul-rejoycing Priviledge is that Sons of God this assures of dear Affection tender Care strong Protection constant Provision free Access to God ready Audience of Prayer a gracious Presence in every Condition a favourable Acceptance of all Duties a good Inheritance and Portion and what not All These Blessings are yours if ye be the Sons of God and so you are if led by the Spirit Oh then what a Ground of Comfort is this 2. As 't is a certain Evidence of Sonship here so 't is a certain Pledge of Heaven and Salvation hereafter And that both upon the account of the Relation which it instates in For if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 And also upon the account of the Leading it self For whereever that is as 't is in Order to Salvation so this Salvation by it shall certainly be obtained Never did any perish that liv'd under the Spirits Guidance and Conduct God ever saves where the Spirit leads All that he guids come safe to the End of their Journey to their Eternal Rest 3. Besides the Things which are wrap'd up in this Leading besides the Matter and Manner of it all of which carry in them Ground of the highest Joy consider but two things Further about it 1. That it is Abiding Permanent Continuing The Spirit does not lead and
the Divine Nature and Person of Christ which being infinite an answerable value and excellency is derived upon this Prayer So that though it be but finite in it self as it is the proper Act of a finite Being yet it is of infinite excellency and value relatively and so far of infinite efficacy Let us suppose that all the Angels and Saints in Heaven and Earth should agree to prostrate themselves before God and joyn together in one Prayer for us and that influenced with all the Holiness inforced with all the fervour and importunity that those Heavenly Spirits and Holy Souls are capable of we would conclude such a Prayer would be undoubtedly prevalent and yet we may believe upon unquestionable grounds that this one Prayer of our Blessed Redeemer is incomparably yea infinitely more prevalent and effectual In short this Prayer is nothing else but the Will and desires of him who is God offered in manner of a Supplication and there can be no question but that Will and those Desires shall be fulfilled to the utmost 3. This Prayer was founded on merit He prayed for nothing but what he was worthy to obtain sought nothing on our behalf but what he did purchase for us and deserve of his Father He might present this Supplication for his own righteousness as the best of his people could not durst not do Dan. 9.19 he might expect to obtain what he asked from the hand of Justice not as we only from meer bounty and free mercy Christ's obedience unto Death it was meritorious and did deserve for his people all that he prayed for All the ingredients of strict and proper merit concur in the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ as I might shew particularly but that I hasten they were of equal worth with the recompence which he prays for in the behalf of his people he thereby fully satisfyed the demands both of Law and Justice and though it was the Life and Pardon and Happiness of a World of condemned Persons that he prays for yet his Obedience and Blood is of more worth than all these for they are of infinite value being the Obedience and Blood of him who was God So that Christs Obedience Active and Passive is meritorious not only ratione pacti by reason of the agreement betwixt the Father and Him he having performed all the Conditions required in order to our Redemption but ratione pretii by virtue of the intrinsick value of what he paid and performed Now to use the Apostles expression Rom. 4. to him that thus worketh the reward is reckoned not of Grace but of Debt It is Grace to us but 't is Debt to Christ and so the plea on our behalf being for a just Debt it cannot but be most effectual with the righteous God 4. It is the Prayer of him for whose sake all other Prayers were heard We have direction if we would have our Prayers not fail of success to present them in the Name of Christ i. e. to beg what we desire for his sake and he gives assurance that what we so pray for in his name or for his sake shall be granted Joh. 16.23 and 15.16 and 14.13 14. Now if the Prayers of his people will prevail for his sake there can be no question but his own Prayer will be prevalent all our Prayers are accepted through him upon his account nor can they be acceptable otherwise 1 Pet. 2.5 There is that corruption in our Natures which depraves and vitiates our Spiritual Sacrifices our Prayers particularly there is more or less of a sinful tincture in them they cannot be well-pleasing to that Holy of God who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity till they be purged and the guilt expiated nothing is sufficient for expiation but the great Propitiatory Sacrifice by virtue whereof this guilt is expiated and we are said to be Sanctifyed in a Sacrificial Sense that is purged from guilt Heb. 10.10 Thus himself purged our sins Heb. 1.3 and thereby that which was occasion of Offence to God being removed our Prayers became acceptable through Jesus Christ in this sense he saith ver 19. and for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified I sanctifie that is I offer my self an expiatory Sacrifice that they may be truly sanctifyed that is freed from guilt and so render'd well-pleasing and acceptable Now the Prayers of others being acceptable through the Mediation of Christ the Prayers of the great Mediator himself will undoubtedly be most acceptable most prevalent 3. As to the Persons prayed for they are such as on whom the Father is no less willing to bestow what is here desired than Christ was to seek them on their behalf This appears by several Expressions in this Chapter First They belonged to the Father in a special manner Thine they were ver 6. and thine they are ver 9. They were his in design and purpose before the Foundation of the World chosen Vessels set apart for him as his own peculiarly 2 Tim. 2.19 And his Actually by Effectual Calling they resigning up themselves unto him and he taking possession of them as his own ver 8. and Rom. 9.24 25. Now to whom is the Lord willing to grant these favours if not to those who are so much his own Secondly Those whom he prayes for are given to him as is many times expressed ver 2 6 9 11 12 24. and given to him that he might redeem and save them or as it is expressed ver 2. that he should give eternal Life unto them this comprizes all that he prays for on their behalf and that is the end why they are given him now the Father is as willing to promote his own end and design as the Son and so no less willing to grant what is desired in order thereto than the great Intercessour was to pray for them Thirdly Those for whom he prays are such as the Father loves with a transcendent a wonderful love ver 23. and hast loved them as thou hast loved me not with the same love which the Father hath for the Son nor with a love equal to it but a love so great as comes nearest to it of all others A greater love than any Creatures Men or Angels have for them or for one another a far greater love than he hath for any other Creatures in this World A demonstrative instance hereof we have in that he gave his Son for them which was the greatest expression of love that ever the World saw or heard of and greater than could ever have been believed if truth it self had not declared it that he should send his Son to reside on Earth not gloriously like himself but to take the form of a Servant and live as a man of sorrows and sufferings and die as a Sacrifice under the Sin and Curse of those for whom he was offered oh what manner of love was this Now as the Apostle argues Rom. 8.32 He that spared 〈◊〉 his
whom Christ prayed shall obtain all the rich and glorious things which he desired Finally Here is the greatest encouragement for our Prayers that can be desired for hereby it is manifest that whatever we can beg of God which is needful for our Happiness here or hereafter it hath been already prayed for on our behalf by Christ Himself who was not who could not be denyed When we pray for our Relatives or others who are given to Christ but do not yet believe that they may have Faith When we pray for Union with the Father and the Son for the comfort improvement and continuance of this Union When we pray for pardon of sin and the purging of guilt by the grand Sacrifice of Expiation when we pray for Holiness the increase and exercise of it when we pray to be kept from the evil of the World which is all in the World we need to fear from the evil of Suffering or whatever may be destructive to our Souls in a word when we pray for Eternal Glory it is evident by the premisses that all these and what else is necessary for these purposes were on the behalf of those that do or shall believe the requests of the great Mediator who was God and Man in one Person and could no more be repulsed than God can deny Himself in a Prayer that was not lyable to the least exception from Justice or Holiness it self that was in all points exactly agreeable unto the Will of God and infinitely acceptable to the Divine Majesty therefore praying for any or all these things expressed or included in this Divine Prayer as we are required we may be as fully perswaded that they will not be denyed us as we may be confident that the requests of our great Advocate Jesus Christ the Righteous will be granted SERMON XXVIII Quest How we should Eye ETERNITY that it may have its due Influence upon us in all we do 2 COR. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal ETernal What a sound doth this word Eternal make in my Ears What workings doth it cause within my Heart What casting about of Thoughts what word is next to be added to it Is it Eternal World Where For this is Temporal Oh! that Eternal World is now by us unseen and as to us is yet to come But yet my trembling Heart is still solicitous to what other word this word Eternal might be prefixed as to my self or those that hear me this day when they and I who through the long sufferance of God are yet in this present and temporal shall be in that Eternal World Shall it be Eternal damnation in that Eternal World How after so many knocking 's of Christ Strivings of the Spirit Tenders of Mercy Wooings of Grace Calls of Ministers Warnings of Conscience Admonitions of Friends Waitings of Patience All which put us into a fair probability of escaping Eternal damnation O dreadful words can more terror be contained can more misery be comprehended in any two words than in Eternal damnation But we in time are Praying Hearing Repenting Believing Conflicting with Devils Mortifying Sin Weaning our Hearts from this World that when we shall go out of time we might find Life or Salvation added to Eternal Eternal Salvation these be words as comfortable as the other were terrible as sweet as they were bitter What then This word Eternal is the horror of Devils the amazement of damned Souls which causeth desperation in all that Hellish Crew for it woundeth like a Dart continually sticking in them that they most certainly know that they are damned to all Eternity Eternal it is the Joy of Angels the Delight of Saints that while they are made happy in the beatifical Vision are filled with perfect Love and Joy they sit and sing all this will be Eternal Eternal this word it is a loud alarm to all that be in time a serious caution to make this our grand concern that when we must go out of time our Eternal Souls might not be doomed down to Eternal Damnation but might obtain Salvation that shall be Eternal of which we have hope and expectation while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal The Consideration of these words may be twofold 1. Relative As they are a reason of stedfastness in shaking troubles as a Cordial against fainting under the Cross ver 16. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day v. 17. for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 18. While we look c. Not only the experience of present spiritual good in the inward by the pressing afflictions on the outward man in weakning of sin in purging away our dross in weaning us from the World in humbling us for our miscarriages in reducing us from wandring in emptying us of self-conceit in trying our Faith in exercising our Patiance in confirming our Hope in awakening of Conscience in bringing us to examine our Ways in renewing our Repentance in proving our Love in quickning us to Prayer but also the clear and certain prospect of Glory after Affliction of a Weight of Glory after light Affliction of Eternal Glory after short Affliction of a Weight of Glory far more exceeding all our present Sorrows Burdens Calamities than Tongue can express or Pen describe or the Mind of Man conceive being more than Eye hath seen or Ear hath heard or have entred into the Heart of Man must needs be an alleviation of our Sorrows a lightning of our Burdens comfort in our Grief joy in our Groans strength in our Weakness though we are troubled on every side yet not distressed though perplexed yet not in despair though under Afflictions both felt and seen yet we faint not while we keep our Eye fixed upon the Glorious things in the other World that are unseen and Eternal too 2. Absolute As they set before us the mark and scope we should have in our Eye all the while we are in time viz. unseen Eternal things you stand in time but you should look into Eternity you stand tottering upon the very brink of time and when by Death thrust out of time you must into Eternity and if in any case the old Proverb should prevail it should not fail in this to look before you leap The Analysis of the Text breaks it into these parts 1. The Objects that are before us 1. Things seen 2. Things not seen 2. The Act exerted on these Objects Looking expressed 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Not at things which are seen The Men of the World stand gazing at these till their
my Mothers Womb was liable to a dissolution yet since this Body did arise out of the Bosom of the Earth and is reunited to its Soul admits of no separation for ever and which still is worse this Soul and Body now separated from God and Christ and all that be above in that Blessed Eternity must Never Never be admitted near unto them Oh cursed be the day that ever I was born Cursed be that folly and madness that brought me to this cursed place for here I lye under extremity of pain which if it were for an year or two or many Millions and then end would be in this respect exceeding heavy because it were to last so long but that then should be no longer would make it in the mean while to be the lighter but when Eternity is added to Extremity nothing can be added to make me extremely because in this extremity I am eternally miserable Oh Eternity Eternity in my condition what is more dreadful than Eternity This Fire burns to all Eternity the heavy stroaks of revenging Justice will be laid on me to all Eternity I am banished from God and Happiness to all Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity nothing cuts me to the heart like the corroding thoughts of this Eternity I am an Object of the Wrath of God of the contempt of Angels of the derision of Saints of the mockings of Devils and cursed Fiends to all Eternity I burn but cannot be consumed I toss and rowl and cannot rest to all Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity thou art enough to break my heart and make it dye but that it cannot break nor dye to all Eternity And if this shall be the doleful Language the direful Lamentations of Souls that went Christless out of time into Eternity do ye while ye are in time Eye Eternity in all you do and get a Title to Eternal Happiness or else when ye are in Eternity ye shall remember that in time ye were fore-warned which warning because ye did not take shall be a vexation to your Hearts to all Eternity SERMON XXIX A Discourse of the right way of obtaining and maintaining COMMUNION with GOD. 1 JOHN 1.7 But if we Walk in the light as he is in the light we have Fellowship one with another THE Subject I am to treat upon is Communion with God how to attain it and how to maintain it in as constant a course as we may be capable of in this World And for that end I have chosen this Text. My usual course is to provide matter for a Text but in this Lecture I provide a Text for the matter I am to treat upon The Subject is high and copious much spoken of but I fear not so well understood and less experienced though the Subject mainly relates to Christian Experience Before I come to the Subject I shall speak something of the Text upon which it is grounded The Author of this Epistle is St. John John the Apostle John the Divine as he was anciently called and he writes this Epistle some think to the Believing Jews only others think rather to the whole Catholick Church and the matter of the Epistle is partly to distinguish the true and the false Christian and for that end layes down many signal Characters to distinguish and partly to vindicate the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ the true Messiah his Person his Natures and Salvation by him alone from the many errors that were crept in by false Teachers and Seducers in his time as Cerinthus Ebion c. as he intimates in the 1 John 2.26 These things I speak concerning them that seduce you He also vindicates the Holiness of the Christian Profession from the impure practices of the Nicolaitans and the Gnosticks who began early to abuse the true liberty of the Gospel and to turn the Grace of God into wantonness And lastly he doth earnestly press them to the Christian Love of one another because of the Persecutions he saw were coming upon the Church from the Roman Empire and the divisions that would arise amongst themselves from many false Brethren And hereupon to strengthen their Faith and Profession the more he shews forth the Gospel in the beginning of this Epistle 1. In the Antiquity of it That which was from the beginning c. 2. In the Certainty of it as in the third verse That which we have seen and heard and our hands have handled of the word of Life declare we unto you 3. In the main Scope and End of it These things have we written unto you that ye may have Fellowship with us with us the true Apostles of Christ and not go out from us as he complains of some that did in this Epistle They went out from us because they were not of us And then tells them what their Fellowship was Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ So that he proposeth Fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ as the great scope and end of the Gospel and he mentioneth Christ as well as God because all our Fellowship with God is by Jesus Christ So that the Apostle doth invite and perswade the believing Jews to Fellowship with himself and other Apostles in the Doctrine and Ordinances of the Gospel dispensed by them or more generally the whole Catholick Church of God consisting both of believing Jew and Gentile but all this was in order to their having Fellowship with God and Jesus Christ 4. He shews the way how to have this Fellowship with God which he setteth down both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Negatively in the sixth verse If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 2. Affirmatively in the words of the Text But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another And this the Apostle proves by an Argument taken from the Nature of God in the fifth verse God is light and in him is no darkness at all and therefore they that would have Fellowship with him who is Light must walk in the Light for what Communion hath light with darkness But by Light is not meant any visible material Light either Natural or Artificial but a Light that is Divine Spiritual and Intellectual For though God expresseth himself to us by things Natural when he is call'd Light or Life c. yet he is Ens transcendens a transcendent Being and it is a true rule nothing can be predicated univocally of God and the Creature And he doth not say only of God that he is in the Light as verse the seventh Or that he dwelleth in the Light as the Apostle Paul elsewhere expresseth it But He is Light Light Essentially Originally Eternally Light it self and in him he saith there is no darkness at all He is a pure simple immixt and perfect Light As we say of that which is perfect it is plenum sui full of it self
Would you then have Communion with God you must not abide in Ignorance but read the Scriptures Enquire into the Mysteries of the Gospel and know the way of coming to God and Communion with him by Christ Jesus and to an Everlasting Communion with him in Heaven And Thirdly Truth is Light and Error is Darkness Take heed therefore of false Doctrines especially such as may tend to the obstructing this Communion with God Take heed of Socinian Doctrines in denying Christs satisfaction the Trinity and the Godhead of Christ c. Take heed of Popish Doctrines which tell you of other merits besides the merits of Christ other satisfaction other Mediation and other Headship of the Church besides Jesus Christ c. Take heed of the Leaven of Quakerism which sets up the Light of Nature for Christ and cast off the use of those Ordinances which Christ hath appointed for our Communion with God Take heed of the old Pelagian Doctrines that set up the Power of Nature and are since revived under other Names to the denyal or neglect of that help of the Spirit which is necessary to our Communion with God And lastly I said Holiness is Light and Sin and Wickedness are Darkness He therefore that would have Communion with God must break off from his Sin betake himself to a course of Godliness and Holy walking with God In the Apostles time rose up a Sect of carnal Professors who would talk high of Fellowship with God and yet walk after the Flesh and indulge their Lusts Whom he is thought especially to referr to in this Chapter that they thus walking in Darkness cannot have Fellowship with that God who is Light The next branch of the Exhortation I direct to such as are in the practice and experience of this Communion with God First Maintain it in what Constancy you can The fewer interruptions are admitted therein so much the better Take heed of violent passions take heed of distracting Cares take heed of Diversions from Duties and Ordinances you ought to attend unto Take heed of the snares of bad Company of the influence of bad Examples of the carnal Counsels of your own Heart of any Complyances against your Consciences of any doubts and disputes in your Mind about the Fundamental Principles of all Religion especially that Christian Religion that you make profession of And watch over the Levity and instability of your own minds which of it self alone may hinder our constancy in this duty Yea and the very lawful Affairs of our calling especially if much incumbred may interrupt us herein Secondly Advance it to an higher degree That your Communion with God may grow up into a greater intimacy such as the Church the Spowse of Christ is represented to have in the Book of Canticles He that can attain it let him attain it In Jacob's Ladder which stood betwixt Heaven and Earth there were many rounds In an high Mountain there are several degrees of ascent At Mount Sinai the people stood at the bottom some of the Priests and the Seventy Elders of Israel went up a little way but Moses was at the top Let us ascend this Mount as high as we can only know it is not Mount Sinai but Mount Sion we must ascend to have Communion with God And be not discouraged if you meet with some difficulties in your ascent through the Natural bent of your Hearts towards things below The sweetness and advantage you will reap herein will abundantly recompence all the labour and endeavours after it And may not some eminent degree of Communion with God be expected of such as do not only live in the times of the New Testament but have had a long standing in the Church of God that your growth herein may in some measure be proportion'd to your time and advantages for it And that which should quicken you the more is the present Complexion of the times both at home and abroad We know not what dayes are coming Mens Hearts are failing them for fear of what Evils are coming upon the Earth as our Saviour foretold Matth. 24. now nothing will so fortifie the Soul against an evil day and an hour of Temptation as this Communion with God This will sweeten a Prison sweeten Poverty sweeten Banishment sweeten the very sorrows of Death This sweetned the Martyrs sufferings of old that Fellowship they had with God in those sufferings wherein they had fellowship also with Christ in his Death Now let these things put you on to this great work And be not discouraged because of the infinite distance betwixt God and us He is come down to us in our own Nature in Christ that we may have access to him and his terror not make us afraid And hear what he speaks himself to our encouragement Isa 57. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite Spirit c. The most high God thus humbleth himself to men But God is invisible Object and how can I have Communion with one whom I see not It s true We cannot have a sensible Communion with Him Answ as Men have with one another but Spirits that are invisible have converse together as well as sensible Creatures God is a Spirit and the Soul of Man is a Spirit and so may be capeable of Communion with that God who is a Spirit Had not the Apostle Communion with invisible things when he saith We look not to the things which are seen but to the things which are not seen And doth not the Apostle Peter say Whom having not seen you love 1 Pet. 1.8 And is not Faith the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And though in himself he is invisible yet he made himself visible in Christ who is the Image of the Invisible God Col. 1.15 Vse V V. Having spoke of this Communion with God I shall add one Use about the Communion of Saints We know it is one of the Articles of our Creed And that which the Apostle in this Chapter exhorts to These things have we written to you that ye may have Fellowship with us with us as Apostles and with us as Believers So that the fellowship of Saints comprehends their fellowship with the Father and their fellowship with the Son and their fellowship with the Apostles and from thence fellowship with one another All Saints and Churches that hold fellowship with these three ought to have fellowship among themselves To bring in new Doctrines or new Rules of Worship not delivered by the Apostles is to forsake Communion with the Apostles The terms of Communion laid by the Apostles for the Churches of Christ ought to be kept inviolable in all Churches to the end of the World and be the Foundation of their Communion among themselves And for my part I can hold Communion with any Church where these are maintained though there may be some Circumstantial differences either in
Opinion or Practise especially if they are not imposed as necessary For this hath made such woful Divisions in the Church the making things unnecessary and doubtful the necessary terms of Church-Communion Was the Church of Rome it self the truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Church as she stiles her self I could have Communion with it They that leave the Apostles shake the Foundation of the Churches stability and forsake the center of its Unity The Lord help us all to understand the way of Peace and Union in this miserably divided Age. Vse VI Lastly And now from all that hath been said we may take a prospect of Heaven Heaven is not a Turkish Paradise it is Communion with God that is the very Heaven of Heaven as the loss of it is the very Hell of Hell And this makes Heaven not desirable to the Carnal Man who hath no desire after or delight in Communion with God but it doth commend it the more to the Spiritual Man that he shall then enjoy that in its highest perfection which he hath been pursuing and had the fore-tasts of in this World Quest What is the best way to prepare to meet God in the way of his Judgments or Mercies SERMON XXVIII 1 John XII 28. Beginning of the Verse Father Glorify thy Name IN this Chapter we find the Lord Jesus under two very different Exercises in the one attended with much Solemnity in the other under great Perplexity much Courted much cast Down highly Honoured and exceedingly Troubled and he beareth both with wonderful Equanimity He is Feasted at Bethany v. 1 2. Anointed with Oyle of Spiknard very costly v. 3. Rideth Tryumphantly into Jerusalem v. 12 13. c. His Disciples bless and entertain him upon the way with Hosannas v. 13. Matth. 21.8 9. Strangers desire to see him and give him their Acknowledgments v. 20. And the Multitude throng after him v. 12. And strow his way with Palm Branches v. 13. But immediately the Scene is changed As our blessed Lord was not much affected with these things so contrary to all Expectation he enters upon a discourse of another Nature v. 23. The hour is come that the Son of Man should be Glorified Why Had he not been Glorifying throughout this Chapter yea But not comparably to what he here intends q. d. my Feast my Tryumph my applause bear no Proportion to the glory I am hasting to These are but Dull low Glories to what is at Hand The hour is come i. e. is near That the Son of Man shall be Glorified upon the Cross by Expiating the Sins of his Elect Glorified thereupon in Heaven at the right hand of the Father Christ had his Eye upon an higher Glory which would redound to him upon the Performing and Finishing our Redemption And a true Christian frame overlook's present Comforts and Honours from Men and fixeth mainly upon the Honour to be received from God in the way of Obedience here and hereafter Nor will our Lord Jesus pass over this Meditation till he have improved it 1. Inferring thence the Fruitfulness of his Death Verrily Verrily I say unto you v. 24. Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and Dye it abideth alone but if it Dye it bringeth forth much Fruit. Alluding to the Propagation of his Church by his Death 2. The Proportionable advantage of the Death of his Saints for his Sake v. 25.26 and Testimony and the disadvantage of forbearing and refusing to suffer for his Name But passing thence to the consideration of his Dreadful Agony and Passion ensuing v. 27. beginning His Thoughts are at a Stand his Soul is Troubled yea the Extremity of his grief stopt his Mouth so Amazing so Astonishing was the Fore-sight of his Sufferings At last Prayer breaks out Father Save me from this Hour and is presently Corrected But for this cause came I to this Hour q. d. I would escape but must not resist thy Will I 'd save my self yet not without a Salvo to thy purpose and councel I am in a Strait between Nature and Faith between Fear and Subjection between Death and Duty First Meer Trouble is no Sin Christs Soul was Troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Water when it is Mudded Jo. 5.4 7. Not that thier was any mixture of Sin in his Trouble it was such as might consist with his pure unspotted Nature If grief be not groundless if not extravagant no Sainted with unbelief or effected of disobedience 't is but Natures Weakness Grace induceth no Stoical Stupidity 'T is no property of the Gospel to make Men Sensless Secondly Fear of Death and sense of the Wrath of God are of all things most Perplexing Now is my Soul Troubled Now I am to conflict with the Father's Anger Mens Malice and Death's Pains and Terrours and now not my Flesh only but my Soul is Troubled Thirdly Extream distress of Spirit is of an amazing Nature Christ had not the Freedom of Prayer What shall I say and then what he did say was corrected Matt. 26.39 42. Fourthly No Extremity can Ordinarily or should really put an Holy Soul by the Plea of or hope in his Relation to God Christ calls God Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27.46 Fifthly Prayer must be suited to the Occasion Save me from the Hour c. A great Argument against most forms is that an Holy Soul cannot relish them nor can I see how God accepts them because they are impertinent or not full to the case Sixthly In our Extremitys we may be importunate must not be Peremptory with God in Prayer Our Saviour here Prayed not more Heartily then submissively Matt. 26.39 Our Text is the Result of the Lords Wrastling both with his own Soul and with his Father Here is first Christs Prayer Father Glâ—rify thy Name And the Fathers Answer in the next words but I meddle not with that now In the Text we have Two things 1. The Compellation Father 2. The Petition Glorify c. 1. The Compellation Father Prayer ought to be Ushered in with some Suitable Title of God which is expressive of his Supremacy our Reverence of him and Relation to him All these are Couched in the Single word Father Read Matt. 6.10 Malach. 1.6 Rom. 8.15 1. This Title expresseth God's Authority and Chirst's Allegiance both owned by him in this little Word 2. Relation The Lords Petitioners must ask so as to assure themselves of Acceptation which the Recognition of our Interest in God Read Isa 63 16. as our Father in Christ is very proper to Effect Hence the Rule of Prayer enters with Our Father And it is most Suitable to the Spirit of the Gospel that believers call God Father in Prayer having the Spirit of the Son poured out upon them to this End Gal. 4.6 2. The Petition Father Glorify thy Name q. d. Be thou rather Glorified then I Spared If I dye thy Glory will make amends for my Torment and
by Impatience and he in his Wisdom and Love is resolved to bring us to his Foot Well! If we Comply before hand when we see the Storm approaching God's end is Attained and he either lay's down his Rod or Mitigateth the Chastizement yea he will e're long Embrace and Comfort broken and humble Ephraim Indeed this Frame superseed's Affliction for Judgment upon Saints are not to Destroy but Subdue them to their Fathers Will. And if we meet our angry Father in this Spirit he may Correct a little but he will certainly Comfort much 5. Lastly a resigned Soul meeteth God in the way of Judgments or Mercies to great advantage They are so far from doing him harm that they do good therefore it must needs be a blessed Preparation for either Physick never works so well as when the Body is antecedently prepared nor is any Person so certainly profited by Judgments or Mercies as he that is ready to entertain them I know God can do an unprepared Soul good by any Providence but I am sure none can come amiss to such as be prepared What then will prepare us to receive Chastizments Profitably The Apostle tells us Be Subject to the Father of Spirits and Live Heb. 12.9 Comply with his Will resign your selves to his Pleasure and what ever he doth will be a quickning in proving Providence Qu. What is the Nature of this Resignation to the Will of God for his Glory Or wherein doth it consist Ans I shall reply to this Quere by laying down something implyed in it and then speak to the Proper Nature thereof It implies many things I shall Instance only in a few for Brevity's sake 1. It supposeth a Lively exercise of Faith For as no Unbeliever ever did resign himself freely to the Will of God so no believer if Faith be not in Exercise can do it Yea it must be an active Faith will enable us to put our selves into the Hands of God especially in a Day of Affliction to deal with us according to his Pleasure I say that Soul must have a good Acquaintance with and a blessed Confidence in him whom he trusteth with his Life and All. Paul therefore tells us in case of Suffering he knew whom he had Trusted 2 Tim. 1.12 Therefore our Saviour here when he Referreth himself to God expresseth his Faith in that very Resignation Father Glorify c. He believed God to be his Father and that his Father loved him and now he is Satisfied that his Father dispose of him Psal 31.14 15. But I trusted in thee Lord I said thou art my God What then my times are in thy Hands q. d. 't is not only thy Perogative to dispose of me and my Days but I refer them Voluntarily to thee He put them into the hands of his God and trusted them with him There be many Perticulers that the Faith of a resigned Soul is Exercised in As That God is his God Faith must have Interest in him whom it Trusteth Isaac will Suffer his Father to Bind and Sacrifice him Why Abraham was his Father and God who had given the command for it was his God Gen. 22. And it believes that all the will of God is Good Good in it self and good for the resigned Soul A believer may know that there may be Pain and Affliction in Suffering according to the Fathers Pleasure but 't is withal assured 't is his good pleasure Heb. 12.10 And such a Soul believes that it 's God and Father is kind loving and tender that he will not oppress that he will not overwhelm He believes that God Glorifies not himself to the damage of his People but that his Glory and their Benifit are inseparably Linkt together Yea it is in Christ the Redeemer of the Soul putteth it self into the Fathers Hands and it expects Power and Strength from its God to bear the Sufferings and carry through them When Moses forsook Egypt and his Interest there and chose to Suffer Affliction with the People of God He did this in Faith Eying him who is Invisible Heb. 12.24 c. And David in the like case was well Satisfied in the good will of God to him 2 Sam. 15 25 26. Chap. 25. 5. 2. Consequently 't is an high act of Love He that loves his Heavenly Father will be disposed of by him but it must be above becoming the glorious Objection which it is fiâ—t Matt. 22.37 A Love that prefers his Will and Glory before all things else A Love in Comparison of which all other Love is hatred Luke 14.26 A Constraining love 2 Cor. 5.13 14. Abraham loved Isaac well why then did he offer him up at the Command of God O 't was because he loved God better This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and nine of his Commandments are greivous 1 Jo. 5.3 What no Command greivous Not Self-denial not bearing the Cross No! Those Commands are not greivous because the Soul loves God better then it self We have a great word Rev. 12.11 They loved not their Lives unto Death why because their love of Christ was stronger then Self-love Rev. 14.4 We Read of some that followed the Lamb where ever he went Into Tribulation of all sorts they followed the Lamb Why Love constrained them Christ therefore resigned himself into the Fathers hands for he loved his Father Love will lay the Soul at Gods Feet Love will follow and Obey the Fathers call in all things Love will keep stedfastly in the way of the Will of our beloved It argues little Love to Christ when we seek to evade Suffering for his Name by finding out Carnal Shifts He that loves the Father and Son is as to the main resolved into their Will 3. To come nearer to my Intendment This resignation of our Wills to the Pleasure of God for his Glory respect's Sufferings and Dutys Principally For there is no difficulty Ordinarily to comply with the good Will of God in Distributing Mercy and Favour But to have our Wills Resolved into his in case of difficult Duty and hard Sufferings which Cross our corrupt Nature and press upon our Pamper'd Flesh is a great Work far above the Sphear of an unregenerate Person and a special Effect of the Spirit of God in and upon the Hearts of Saints But because our Subject leads to consider the matter in case of Afflictions only I shall confine my Discourse thereto Only adding this by the way that where a Soul disputeth no Sufferings it Submits to all Dutys If it be resigned to the Will of the Lord in the one 't is Subjected to him in the other also 4. Therefore the Resignation I spake of consists in several things 1. In referring our selves to the Will of God in a Day of Tryal in the very things we fear Our Lord Jesus dreaded nothing like this Hour that was coming upon him It troubled and amazed his very Soul v. 27. gladly would he be saved from it had it been
be opprest Read Isa 49.14 15 16. Obj. This is an hard saying who can hear it Ans 1. 'T is hard to untamed wanton Proud Nature to make the Will of God our Rule and deny our own Wills but then how hard will Suffering be without it An unresign'd Soul in a day of Affliction is like a wild Bull in a Net full of the Fury of the Lord and the troubled Sea that cannot rest but casteth forth Mire and Dirt. 2. But it is easie to a gratious Soul as such Grace in the Heart is the Image of God and this Image mainly consists in the Conformity of the Will to Gods VVill. The Scripture call's it writing his Law in the Heart and putting it in the inward parts Jer. 31.33 VVell and what is the proper natural Effect or result hereof Psal 40.7 8. It makes the Soul not only Obedient in Suffering but to Submit with Delight Now none of Gods Commands nothing of his Will Scriptural or providential is greivous 1 Jo. 5.3 1. Hence I infer that God is not Glorified but in his own way for our VVills must be resigned to and resolved into his If he will that we Suffer 't is vain to dream of Honouring him otherwise suppose we resove to save our selves and make him amends by double and treble Duty we decieve our selves Obedience is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Lambs 1 Sam. 15.22 All the Manifestative Glory of God dependeth on his VVill Rev. 4.11 VVe may extol his Power Grace Justice Holiness c. and not give him Glory if in the interim we resist his VVill t is vain to think of Honouring God and doing our own VVill give him all but his VVill and we give him nothing For 1. His great design is his VVill Rev. 4.11 He both contriveth and Executeth according to it Eph. 1.11 All his word is but his VVill Collos 1.9 Truth is the Analagy of persons things word and thoughts unto the VVill of God And this is his great Contraversy with men in the VVorld they 'd have their VVill and he will have His And indeed Sin is only and that 's enough and too much a Contradiction of his VVill 1 Jo. 3.4 And the accomplishment of his VVill is his Glory 2. In relucting against his VVill we contend against all his Name and being 'T is a denial of his Soveraignty and perogative for what is that but his Pleasure We thwart his decrees for they are the Purpose of his Will VVe contradict his Power thereby as if he were notable to do his Pleasure many are our oppositions we thereby Disbeleive his Holiness as if his Will were not good and his Wisdom as if he had not ordered his matters accurrately yea we deny his Justice by resisting his VVill as if he required more then his due Indeed his VVill is the hinge upon which all his Attributes move disappoint it and you supplant them all so absolutely doth his Glory depend upon his Will 2. I infer that Gods Glorifiing his Name by our Sufferings is not inconsistent with his Parternal Relation Father Glorify thy Name If he be our Father then he Loves then he Careth for us when he Afflicteth us For nothing can deprive us of the Comfort of this Relation which is consistent with that Relation Christ in his Agony calls him Father Mat. 26.39 When he was betrayed and apprehended Jo. 18.11 When he was upon the Cross his expression implies as much Mat. 27.46 And he saith no more when he was Risen Jo. 20.17 Obj. There is not the same Reason why God should continue our Father in Suffering as that he should be Christ in his Passion Because he is his Eternal Son we only adopted Sons Ans This Objection proves only that Christ hath the first Right to his Paternity and we only secundarily in him but not that he is less constantly our Father then his Jer. 31.3 Though we be but adopted Sons our Adoption is Endless not Temporary And therefore our Father will be our Father in Affliction and we shall be his Children For 1. His Fatherly Love is the Reason of his Chastizements He would not Scourge and Correct his Childeren but because they are his Childeren He Chastizeth them as a Father he Condemneth others as a Judge Heb. 12.7 8. 2. We are Heirs of his precious promises even in Affliction 1 Cor. 10.13 It seems then his Faithfulness to his word of promise is engag'd when we are Tempted 3. Suffering Saints have the Image of their Father when they Suffer Christs Sufferings were consistent with the Clouding of his Divine Nature then it did not appear in its Glory but not with the seperation of it from his Humane Saints may be Black by Affliction but withal they are Lovely by grace Cant. 1.5 4. They then stand in most need of his Fatherly Care and Love and therefore shall not be deprived thereof Psal 89.30 31 32 33. Isa 40.12 43.23 5. Our Sonship dependeth on Christs Sonship if therefore God were his Father in his Sufferings he will be our Father in ours For we are chosen and predestinated in Christ to the Adoption of Sons Eph. 1.3 4 5. This is the Reason why Sin it self cannot Un-son us because we are Adopted in Christ not for our own Sake but his Rom. 8.38 39. While we cease not to be Christ's Members we cease not to be the Fathers Children Obj. But if God be our Father why doth he Suffer his Children to be so abused in the World Can it consist with the Love of our Father to see his Children Imprisoned and Slain c. before his Face and he not help and save them An. It is enough that the Scripture hath Reconciled these things Rom. 8.35 36 37 c. Psal 89.30 31 c. We may as well say how could the Father Love Jesus Christ yet Bruise him in that dreadful manner Isa 53.7 8 9 10. But I add 1. That be the Saints never so dear to their Father yet his own Name and Glory is more Dear Their Sufferings being for his Glory he 'l therefore permit them Is it fit that he Suffer in his Name rather then we in our Flesh Or must he loose his Glory to preserve our Estates Ease Liberty or Lives Nay faith the Lord Jesus Father Glorifie thy Name do any thing with me rather than neglect thy Glory and see the Fathers answer in the following words 2. Be his Love to his Saints never so great his hatred of Sin and his just Indignation against it are as great Now here lyes the case she must either Chastize as for our Sins or be unjust He must either dispence so far with his Love as to correct us or dispence with his Righteousness and Holiness And judge now which is most like a Father to correct a Sinning Child or Pamper him in Sins Psal 89.30 c. 3. Hence I infer that our Peace Ease joy Estates Liberty and Life are Subordinated
and must be Submitted to the Will and Glory of God Be sure Christ put these things in their proper place and behold his Life and all are resolved into the Fathers Will and Glory Nor did he undervalue himself or them in laying them at his Fathers Feet Certainly he was most tender of that which was most Valuable All the Baptist's Credit was to Vanish at Christs appearing upon the Stage VVell did he Bustle in his own behalf Nay he bare witness that he that came after him was to be preferred before him Jo. 1.15 and being demanded who he was he confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ v. 20. VVhat need all this but that John was render of the order wherein God had plac't him So v. 27. O that it were thus with us that we would lay down our Selves our Lives c. At the Feet of God and subordinated them to his Glory That we were willing that he be Glorified though we Suffer 4 Be we never so great and high yet our Father must do his Pleasure with us and get Glory by us Though Christ were a Son yet he Learned Obedience Heb. 5.8 Yea he was Equal with the Father in Nature Phil. 2.6 Yet having Covenanted to be the Fathers Servant in the Mediatory Dispensation he made himself of no Reputation c. v. 7 8. O let this mind be in us which was also in Christ v. 5. How was God pleased with Abrahams Resignation of his Son his only Son the Son of his Love of his Age his Darling Child Gen. 22.12 15 16 17 18. VVell as great as any of us think our selves we are not so great as Christ not so Considerable as Abraham let us be Content God should Glorifie himself by making us little and laying us low in the VVorld VVhat an abasement was it to Christ to be sold for 30 Peices of Silver See what himself saith of it Zach. 11.12 13. a goodly Price that I was Prized at of them yet he could bear in Submission to his Father O that high proud lofty Stately Professors who stand upon their greatness who affect grandeur would consider this Certainly the hight of Christians is a great part of the Controversy God hath with us in this Day Pray le ts bow our Spirits and lour our Top-sails willingly for God is bringing us down and for any thing I know he cannot otherwise have his VVill and Glory 5 See hence whither we must drive our perplexitys in Suffering if we would Conquer them even to this Holy Resignation of our selves into the Soveraign VVill of God Our Lord Jesus came to no Composure till he arrived at this Frame Compare with the Text the foregoing verse As long as you reluct against Providence expect nothing but Tumult He resisteth the proud c. James 4.6 7. who so proud as the unresigned Soul Well if we submit not God will fight against us and judge what composure we can then have When Jonah opposed the Lords Will had he any rest chap. 1.2 3 4. Job 9.4 'till we resign he 'l visit our Souls with darkness our Bodies with pain and our Matter with frustration and disappointment A Man that will Swim against Tyde and Stream and Wind may waste and spend his strength but the longer he strives the more unfeasable his Attempt is So while you strive against the Lords pleasure expect universal disturbance For when the debate is who shall yeild whether God shall abate his Will or we submit ours we may easily conceive how bitter unquiet and vexatious the greatest will be on our part Well but come and resign to the Will of God and all will be calm Isa 30.15 There are three things herein exceeding composing 1. Our spirits and thoughts are now come to a conclusion before there was a contest between Grace and Nature that would this would not submit this created unquietness but now Grace hath got the day the Soul is calm When there are two Armies in the Feild Fighting all is in a cumbustion but when one is conquered Peace ensueth That which created Christ's trouble was the struggle between his Natural and Divine Will Now that being concluded by resignation he is at rest 2. Now there 's no difficulty in our way for we follow providence 3. Having resign'd the burden of our suffering is roll'd upon God A resigned Soul casteth it self into his Arms as well as submits to his Will and now God is engaged if not to save us from the hour yet to help us in and through it 6. Lastly Let me advise the people of God to take this course If we must suffer Imprisonment loss of Goods or Liberty or Life let Providence find us in this frame Well then let 's be earnest with God and contend with our own spirits till we come to this temper till we can in some blessed measure say with the Lord Jesus Christ Father glorifie thy Name Friends it may be this Doctrine and Exhortation will find very slight entertainment with some but I will promise them they cannot meet God in the way of his judgments in any other frame If the Lord Jesus would not venture upon his Agony till he had attained it how shall we be able to meet our sufferings without it Quest T is true this was the frame of Christ but is it possible for us to attain it Ans Yea it is feasable It was not peculiar to Christ but t is common to his Member with him I have given several instances nor doth God oblige us unto impossibilities There are two things I have to say in the case 1. God gives this resignation sometimes unexpectedly If he surprize an holy Soul with affliction he 'l sometimes surprize it with submission and resignation Nay every Believer in suffering for the Name and Cause of God hath the promise of the Spirit to compose and carry him through Mark 13.11 Observe this promise takes place in persecution what then Take no thought what ye shall speak We must not confine this promise to the Spirits management of our Tongues only nay it extends much more to our Hearts and Thoughts If the Spirit dictate our words how much more will it influence our Souls And I add the Lord doth not say it shall be given before hand but in that Day 2. This Spirit of resignation is ordinarily the Blessing of Exercise Psal 131.1 2. As in all other Cases Grace is given in and upon our endeavour Hos 6.3 Psal 119.2 so in this Case And therefore 1. Do what you can to clear up your interest in God This once cleared submission is in a manner easie Why did Isaac resign himself to his Father Gen. 22. because he knew he was his Father My Father saith Jophtha's Daughter if thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth Jud. 11.36 A dutiful Child will not dare not cannot prophane it's Relation by
contending with its Father Upon this Principle our Lord Christ built his resignation in the Text. 'T is impossible to submit willingly to the pleasure of an Enemy Enmity excludes submission Rom. 8.7 let there be a sense of reconciliation and resignation will follow 2. We must be exercised in the mortification of pride and passion For pride will swell and passion tumultuate they who are used to have their wills shall find it hard if not impossible to let God have his without reluctancy No self-will will tumultuate against God himself according to custom You know how it was with peevish Jonah I do well to be angry with proud Joram this evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon him any longer And how with Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 they were persons used to have their wills When the Devil desired God to afflict Job chap. 1. 11. 2. 5 he presumed that Job having had much prosperity could not bear a great cross without flying in God's Face Consequently 3. If we have been inured to sufferings the Task is easier yet Lam. 3.27 28. Paul was accustomed to afflictions and see what he saith Acts 21.13 Phil. 4.11 12. 4. Keep the sense of your own great sinfulness upon your hearts This will stop your mouths when you would complain of the holy hand of God upon you Lam. 3.39 wherefore doth a living man complain I will bear the indignation of the Lord saith the Church elsewhere because I sinned against him 5. Christ pray'd himself into this frame Jo. 12.27 28. The more impatient and discontent we be the more need of Prayer Christ did not tarry till the hurry were over but cryed to his Father while it continued And observe How he Prayed and what He Prayed brokenly and uttered the Sense and very Case of his Soul No matter how abrubt the Prayer be so it be the Representation of our Hearts Thus did David Psal 61.2 Where doth he Pray in Banishment When when his Spirit is overwhelmed How doth he Pray he Cried Thus Hannah Prayed her self composed Remember Resignation is the work of the Spirit of God and therefore you must plead for it before you have it 6. Subdue your Carnal Reasonings by the Reasonings of Faith So did Holy David when the Flesh had Reasoned him into Impatience he went into the Sanctuary and was composed Psal 73.16 17. And to help in this Combat between Faith and Sense take these following Considerations 1. That all things are good from Gods Will. I am sure all Providences be They are good because he Willeth them Psal 119.68 Thou art good and thou doest good Himself is good and Will therefore are his ways good also No matter what Sense and Reason say God cannot do amiss And therefore Jeremy lays down this as a Principle before he dare Argue about Gods Judgments Chap. 12.1 And so David Psal 73.1 So Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.19 2. That what becomes God to do or order becomes us to suffer If God bring the Affliction we may bear it If it be for his Glory it cannot be for our Disadvantage God will not do what is Evil and we may very well submit to what is good Job 1.21 3. 'T is our Folly and Bruitishness when there is any Impatience of Gods Will. Jonah was Mad with Passion when he told God he did well to be Angry at the Dying of the Guord Jonah 4.9 Psal 73.21 22. 4. That God hath managed as unlikely Providences for the good of his People as these that he is bringing upon us and having such experience of his Wisdom and Faithfulness 't is reason we submit especially having the Promise too Rom. 8 28. 5. That when there is a contrariety of Will between Two Parties the Best the Wisest the Holiest should carry it If either God must not have his Will or we want ours 'T is all the reason in the World we should submit and imbrace the Cross patiently Methinks there should be no Debate about this matter 6. That God will be Glorified Levit. 10.3 This silenc'd Aaron and what are we This was Answer enough to Christ himself in the Text and are we too good or too proud to acquiesce in it 7. That God is Glorified upon others on harder Terms then any proposed to us Our Cup is nothing so bitter as the Lord Jesus's was nor like that of the Primitive Christians and Martyrs then and since They were scourg'd with Scorpions we in comparison but with small Rods. 8. Lastly That submission breaks the Blow God will not contend with a resigned Soul Satis est prostrasse But his Day falls heavily upon the Unquiet Proud and Obstinate With the froward he will behave himself frowardly Read Isa 2.11 12. As Incouragements to Resignation Consider 1. This frame is a greater Blessing then Deliverance Christ chose it rather then that the Cup should pass away And the Father rather granted it Certainly what the Father and Son preferred is best 2. This once attain'd Sufferings are Free-will-offerings Now Affliction is not an Absolute Necessity but the Souls Choice And what an Honour is it to be willing persons in such an hard case If we submit willingly we have a Reward if not a necessity of suffering however lies upon us to allude to 1 Cor. 9.16 17. David acknowledged that God put a special Honour upon him and his People when they offered willingly 1 Chron. 9.14 How much greater Honour is it to offer our selves to the pleasure of God in a suffering-season 3. This is evidently the Duty of the Day Fear is on every side The Fury of Bruitish Men is very high many of our Brethren are already opprest and bear it quietly God calls us to resignation to his Will in all Providences and aloud by the Voice of his Word And Refuge fails us Why that we may have no possibility of Evading this Duty And being it s now seasonable it should be beautiful and desirable in our Eyes Eccles 3.11 4. If we resign to the Will of God Faith shall be kept alive and our hold of our relation to and interest in God continued Christ in the height of his Sufferings could call God his God and commit his Spirit confidently into his hands Psal 31.5 5. If we survive and out-live the Storm God will make us eminently Vessels of Honour 1 Pet. 5.7 What great persons were Abraham and Isaac after they had resolved themselves into the Will of God Gen. 22.16 c. Nay the benifit thereof extended to their Posterity for many Generations What a blessed end had patient resigned Job James 5.11 6. If we Die in this Frame and Day according to the Will of God it shall be no loss but infinite advantage Isa 57.1 2. See it in David and Christ Psal 16.8 9 10. After Paul had submitted himself to the Will of God and the Lord Jesus Acts 20.24 21.13 How confident was he at his Dissolution and in what a Tryumphant Frame do we find him 2 Tim. 4.8