the tenor of our conversations to this God whom we serve If there be not that exact and punctual walking up to what God in strict justice may expect yet there must be that accuracy and circumspection which God in mercy will accept we must be holy as the Lord our God is holy Spiritual because we walk before him that is a Spirit sincere as being always under his omniscient Eye acting our faith upon him that is faithful and true casting our care and burden upon him that has undertaken to care for us and in all things proving what is the will of God and then approving that will and practising what we have thus approved § 5 V. Let us pray and strive let 's add holy endeavours to humble Prayers and second again those endeavours with our Prayers That we may be fruitful in every good work That there may be Grace in the root Grace in the fruit Grace in the habit strengthned Grace in the exercise multiplyed Let 's pray that our Faith may not be a dead Faith for want of the Grace of obedience that our obedience be not a dead obedience for want of a living Faith and a lively active Love that our Fruit may be of the right kind new obedience from a new heart that it may be right for its proportion for herein is our Father glorified that we bring forth much fruit John 15.8 that it be rightly directed that we may bring forth fruit to God and not to our selves And to all our Prayers we must add this that we may encrease in the knowledge of God That knowing God better we may love him better and loving him more we may serve and glorifie him more and be riper every day for the enjoyment of him And thus much in answer to the first Branch of the Question I proceed to the Second Second Branch of the Question What is the measure of that fulness of God with which every true Christian ought to pray and strive that he may be filled There is Plenitudo fontis Plenitudo Vasis the Fulness of the Fountain and the Fulness of the Vessel There is again Plenitudo Solis Stellae the fulness of Light in the Sun and the fulness of Light in a Star Again there is Plenitudo Capitis Membri the Fulness of the Head and the fulness of a Member A Fountain is full a Vessel may be full but with different measures Jesus Christ as Head of the Church has the Fulness of the Spirit without measure John 3.34 A gracious Soul may be also full but it is with the residue of the Spirit which Christ can spare for the use of those that are his Mal. 2.15 God is full of all Grace with the fulness of the Fountain he is full with his own fulness but not filled from another A Believer may be full too but he is filled from the fulness of God Thus John the Baptist is said to be filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.15 And so Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost v. 4. So was Zechariah v. 67. And thus were the Disciples all filled with the Holy Ghost Acts 2.4 All these were full but their fulness was borrowed they were filled It was of Christs fulness that they received grace for grace John 1.16 They were filled but they could not fill others from thelr fulness they had Grace but none to spare And every Believer must answer his Brother that would borrow of him as the wise Virgins did Matth. 25.9 Not so lest there be not enough for us and you There is an All-sufficiency of Grace in Christ it s well if Believers have a sufficiency according to Christs promise to the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.19 My grace is sufficient for thee And having premised this little I shall give the direct Answer to the Question in these following particulars 1. Every gracious Soul ought to pray and strive to be filled with such a measure of the fulness of God and of his Grace as the Holy Spirit who is the proper Judge of that measure shall see fit to communicate to us The Holy Spirit has these parts in this matter 1. He is the immediate Worker of Grace 2. He is the Distributer of all Grace 3. He is the Arbitrator of that Quota and proportion of Grace which every Believer has need of 1 Cor. 12.11 All these worketh one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will where you may observe the several parts that the Spirit of God hath in this matter 1. He works this Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is by his Energy or powerful working that there is root or fruit habit in us or Act of Grace proceeding from us 2. He divides and distributes to every one severally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the great Steward of the Houshold of Christ and dispenses the measure of Grace to Individuals 3. This measure is distributed by his absolute power 't is according to his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he pleases for the Grace being his own he may do with and dispose of his own Grace according to his own will And tho' he will be faithful in the discharge of his trust yet will he be sought unto to do it for us Thus when there was a promise Ezek. 36.25 that God would sprinkle clean water upon his people and cleanse them from all their filthiness and from all their Idols And v. 26. That he would give them a new heart and a new Spirit and take away the Heart of stone and give them a Heart of Flesh and put his Spirit within them v. 27. c. Yet still v. 37. I will yet for all this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 2. Every gracious Soul ought to pray for such a measure of Grace as may fit his Capacity none are so full but they may receive more We have so little of Grace because we ask no more Jam. 4.2 Ye have not because ye ask not We are but poor in our selves we might be enriched from Christ and if we were more poor in Spirit we should be more enriched with Grace from him John 16.24 Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full We should not satisfie our selves with the present measure of Grace received but pray and strive that we may have grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.7 3. We ought to pray and strive that our narrow Vessels may be widned our Capacities enlarged that we may be more capable of Grace The Vessels of Divine Grace are of different sizes as one Star differs from another in glory so one Saint differs from another in Grace And as the Spirit enlarges the Heart he will enlarge his own hand Psal 18.10 I am the Lord even thy God open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Our blessed Saviour may say to us as the Apostle to the Corinthians 2 Cor.
low vallies that are most fruitfull (a) 1 Cor. 27.28 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world God picks up those that seem to others to be the Refuse of the World to confound the wise As Christ chose the poor Fisher-men to convince the most knowing part of the World God hath chosen the weak things of the world such Persons as seem most uncapable of understanding the Mysteries of the Gospel to confound the things that are mighty to put to silence those that are far above them And base things of the world and things which are despised God hath chosen Yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are God by those who are as contemptible as if they had no Being to be taken notice of manifests the emptiness of those that seem most excellent Pray consider when the whole World was drown'd and when Sodom and the neighbour Cities were burn'd there was not one Servant saved But now under the Gospel (b) Tit. 2.10 they are in a special manner charged and honoured by the charge To adorn the Doctrine of God in all things and they stand upon even ground as to Spiritual Priviledges with any rank of men in the World There is (c) Col. 3.11 neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all It 's neither the Grecians being the most learned part of the World nor the Jews being the only National Church in the World 't is neither the observing the Ceremonial Law t is not the Barbarian that wants Accomplishments nor the Scythians who are of all Barbarians most barbarous t is not bond i. e. those who are in the worst of humane slavery nor free i. e. those who were never in bondage to any but Christ is all and in all i. e. He infinitely supplies all outward defects he 's infinitely better to them than all outward Priviledges so that you have comparatively nothing else to do but to clear up your Union with Jesus Christ 2. Practise what you know tho it be never so little improve what helps you have thô they be never so few 〈◊〉 your Graces will grow more than you are aware of (d) Mar. 4.26.27 So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how Those that receive the good Seed of the Word into good honest hearts or the Word hath made 'em so it hath an insensible efficacy which produceth a gradual increase of Grace even beyond observation But you complain that you see no such thing in some respect I may say The less you take notice of your own Graces the better provided you do not bely the Spirit of God in overlooking and denying what he hath wrought Things necessary to Salvation are but few and plain easie to be thrô Grace sufficiently understood and practised thô there is not any thing so inconsiderable but may exercise the greatest Parts and Learning attainable in this life yet there is not any thing necessary to be known but Jesus Christ who is our Prophet to teach us will both give Instruction and Capacity to receive it to all his willing Disciples and Christ will require an Account for no more Talents than he gives 3. Endeavour to make a true Observation how those things which are in their own nature Hinderances to the Soul are graciously and powerfully governed by God for our Souls profiting by them that as the Apostle I would ye should understand (e) Phil. 1.12 brethren that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel When Paul was first taken off from preaching and cast into Prison who would not at first hearing be ready to cry Oh! many a poor Soul will rue this day this is the blackest Cloud that ever darkened our Gospel day The Apostle doth as it were tell 'em They are greatly mistaken at present the same of his Sufferings rung through Court City and Countrey and persons were so far from forsaking the Truth through discouragement that they boldly own the Gospel And now was he more at leisure to write those Epistles which would benefit the Church in future Ages But to bring this down to ordinary Christians You know that groundless fears and trembling mis-givings of heart are the ordinary diseases of a scrupulous Conscience these now dispirit us and hinder us from that chearful behaviour that might render Religion more amiable and so hinder the spreading of it And besides this Satan that subtile Angler for Souls strikes in with our Spiritual Diseases and plyes the Soul with next to overwhelming temptations and he never fails of success through want of skill or through want of industry But blessed be God for over-ruling all this God by but upholding the Soul under not delivering the Soul from its fears keeps it humble and makes it more usefull throughout the whole course of its Regeneration and as for the advantage that Satan takes God is pleased to give the poor trembling Soul those experiences that it is our sin not to take notice of them e. g. That Christian that is in his own eyes the poorest weakest filliest Sheep in Christs Fold shall out-wit Satan in all his Stratagems and over-power him in all his Assaults though he knows not how he does it Thus the poor Soul when he is hard beset retreats to Christ and though he dare not call his carriage an acting Faith upon Christ Christ will own it as such and reward it as such For how is it that such a poor Soul hath held out so many years under its own fears and Satans Temptations but that Christ upheld both it and its Faith Here 's Faith not discern'd yet victorious 4. Endeavour thankfully and impartially to take notice of the Advantages of your Condition Do not so much look at what you apprehend more desireable in anothers Condition as to know and consider the circumstances of your own Condition Anothers condition is better for them God sees your condition to be better for you 't is the station wherein God sets you (f) 1 Cor. 7.24 Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God your station in the World is not so high as others and your distractions in the World are not so great as others God hath not set you in his Church so high as others God doth not require so much of you as he doth of others But alas you have not the Graces that others have neither have you the temptations nor desertions that others have Those who have the largest measure and the highest degrees of Grace have always exercises suitable to their Receipts they have sometimes the sorest Tryals sometimes the greatest Corruptions and if not that yet you 'll find 't is such as Job and Asaph and Heman
1 Jer. 31.13 with Mat. 2.18 and as Civil Lawyers propose a Case under the Name of Titius Considering further to speak properly the Rich-man could have no tongue to cool when his body was in the cold grave nor Lazarus a tip of a finger to dip in water whiles in a state of separation But that which we are mostly to regard in this Dialogue is the main scope and design of our Saviour which is as to set forth the misery of the covetous uncharitabe rich who died impenitently and the happiness of the godly charitable poor who walk'd according to Scripture Canon Gal. 6.16 so to teach us there is no mercy to those who die in their sins unrepented of there being a great gulf fixed betwixt them and those in Abrahams bosom advanc'd to chief dignity in Heaven vers 26. and that there are no revelations concerning eternal rewards and punishments to be expected now from the other World for Conversion in order to Salvation by those who do not really give credit to the written Doctrin of Moses and the Prophets Christ here intimating the approaching ruin of the unbelieving Jews not willing to come to him for life 2 John 5.40 tho' one even he himself should rise again from the dead For this He aims at here in my Text. Wherein we have Abrahams concluding answer to the Rich-mans request of one from the Dead in an Hypothetical form as it were from the Denial of the Consequent or that which doth necessarily follow from the Antecedent which is here having Moses and the Prophets whom they should have believed but did not and therefore from more than a parity of Reason my thinks he doth infer even as from the greater to the less it certainly follows by a sure sequel or consequence that if they did not give credit to that which Peter calls a surer word of Prophesie 3 Pet. 1.19 yea which cannot be shaken 4 Heb. 12.28 v. 34 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would not to that which could have no such appointment and attestation as the other already had even of divine Authority upon their own concession If the ordinary means which was granted by themselves to be of Divine institution was not effectual to Conversion 't is not easie to imagine how a Novel means extraordinary which they had no proof of only in their own conceit should become successful Which may be a sufficient ground to found the Case upon that I am desired as I can practically to resolve this Morning in the terms given me viz. How are the ordinary means of Grace more certainly succesful for Conversion than if persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there In resolving of which I shall endeavour to shew I. That this Proposition The ordinary means of Grace are more certainly succesful for Conversion than if persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there may be clearly deduced from the words according to the purport of it in a short explication II. How or upon what grounds it so comes to pass And then III. Make some improvement of it in a short Application I. To explain the Proposition That the ordinary means of Grace are more certainly succesful for Conversion than if some from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there That we may see it doth clearly result from the Text I shall speak to a few Particulars I. Concerning the ordinary means of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I understand what is here meant and prescrib'd by Moses and the Prophets which they had and were to observe v. 29. with 16. and elsewhere 5 Matth. 11.11 Luke 24.27 namely the Holy Scriptures and what is thereby required the true and saving Doctrin contained in the Oracles of God which were committed to the Jews 6 Rom. 3.2 9.4 Psal 147.19 Deut. 4.10 31 9 10. Isa 2.3 Zach. 8.13 and admirably preserved by the diligence of the Massorites who were very solicitous that one iota or tittle of it might not perish Neither hath the Providence of God been less concern'd in the preservation of the Doctrin therein contained than of the Holy Writings And if in preserving the whole entire it hath suffered a variety of Reading to creep in about things of less or no importance amongst the Copies we have it may serve but as a Spur to quicken us to search the Scriptures 7 John 5.39 most frequently put absolutely in the New Testament for the written word of God the Bible * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 2.22 Mat. 22.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 4.17 John 20.30 So the Holy Scriptures 8 Rom. 7.2 and all Scriptures of Divine Inspiration 9 2 Tim. 3.15 16. And tho' Christ here by Abraham doth expresly mention only Moses and the Prophets yet he coucheth the Historical Books under the Prophets according to the common acceptation of the Jews and their usual manner of reading them in the Synagogues * Dr. Lightfoot Canonizing them as he doth elsewhere 10 Luke 11.49 the Prophets and Apostles Not only importing the Law given by Moses his Ministry and the writings of the Prophets but also the Preachers of the same Doctrin which Moses wrote even of Christ 11 John 5.46 with Gen. 3.15 22.18 49.10 Nu. 24.17 c. Deut. 18.15 whose practice it was to demonstrate himself from Moses and the Prophets 12 John 5.33 Luke 24.47 Mat. 21.42 22.43 44. which method the Apostles also used 13 Acts 18.28 24.14 28.23 For Moses and the Prophets spake of the Person of the Messiah and his Natures both Divine 14 Jer. 23.5 Mic. 5.2 Prov. 8.12 22. and Humane 15 Gen. 3.15 Isa 7.14 his Offices Prophetical 16 Deut. 18.15 John 1.45 Priestly 17 Psal 110.4 Kingly 18 Psal 〈◊〉 and States both of Humiliation 19 Isa 52.2 c. Psal 22.18 and Exaltation 20 47.2 68.18 118.22 with the benefits thereof 21 Psal 23.5 I might add that the whole Scope of the Ceremonial Law was to prefigure Christ coming to suffer for man's Redemption being the end of the Law to every one that believeth for righteousness 22 Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.24 Acts 7.2 37. what was taught by Moses about Sacrifices having relation to the Sacrifice of Christ foretold by the Prophet Isaiah 23 Is 53. p. tot This was acknowledged by Tryphon the Jew in his Discourse with Justin Martyr tho' deny'd by the Modern Jews So that there is an Harmony and Identity or Sameness of Doctrin and Rules of Practice for substance in the Old and New Testament the Old having in it the Life and Soul of the New tho' different in degrees the same Object Christ to whom all the Prophets witnessed 24 Acts 10.43 And therefore tho' the generality of the stiff-necked Jews did not give credit to the main
only give an uncertain sound till evidenc'd to be from Heaven as the Word is 3. For Conversion i. e. From all sin to God which imports a thorow change of Heart and Life and that it is indeed from God the Author by his Spirit 3 2 Thess 2.13 Tit. 3.5 above the creatures power and activity 4 John 1.13 yet God useth Christs Embassadors in the Ministry of Reconciliation 5 2 Cor. 5.19 20 Acts 26.18 and those who are Instructors in him 6 Job 22.21 that we may be acquainted with God receive forgiveness and be built up 6 even an habitation of God through the Spirit upon the foundation doctrinal of the Prophets and Apostles Christ personally being the chief Corner-stone 7 Eph. 2.20 Wherefore Paul urgeth Timothy to read the Divinely inspired Scriptures in that they were able as an Instrument in God's hands to make him wise to Salvation 8 2 Tim. 3.15 as they were a ground of hope and comfort to others 9 Rom. 15.4 by means of which we are begotten or born again 10 Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 yea and from God's appointment and ordination or as it were Common Law we are not only first converted from Sin to God but are carried on in a state of grace till we in exercising our selves unto Godliness are afterwards brought unto glory It remains before I leave the Explication that I touch upon 4. The Persons whom the Rich Man is here represented to desire to come from Heaven or Hell to give an Information to his Relatives how things go in those unchangeable States of Happiness or Misery are only brought in ex hypothesi upon supposition or condition granting it were so Not that there is a ground for the expectation of any new Messengers from the other World we may yield the thing possible tho not probable we are not to limit the Holy One who is most perfect he is not bounded as to his Omnipotency any more than his Omnisciency He could if he would reveal himself now as he did to John in the Isle of Patmos 11 Rev. 1.9 He might if he would in the dispensation of his Grace and Providence use the Ministration of Angels 12 Heb. 1.14 without giving any account of his matters 13 Job 33.12 13 and put them upon Obedience extraordinarily for those Heavenly Spirits must be at his Service in the affairs of his Kingdom 14 Rev. 22.9 Indeed the great instance of their Ministry was about the Person of Christ yet he did use them afterwards to reveal his mind 15 Rev 1.1 19.10 How far he is pleased to do it at this day in any rare instance is not for me to determine but some have pretended to have Revelations from Angels which have prov'd Delusions There is it 's true a Ministry of them in this Chapter where my Text is vers 22. to carry holy Souls to Abraham's bosom which is ordinary But we will suppose there should be any extraordinary yet that would not be any more if so much regarded than the ordinary means and we should through the Grace given be careful not to be wise above that which is written 16 Rom. 12.3 Having thus explained the sense of the Answer to the Case before me I hope according to the Explication given you will come to conclude with me that it doth clearly result from my Text and is proved thence II. The Second General is to shew How or upon what grounds the ordinary means of Grace are more certainly succefsful for Conversion than if Persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there as hath been explained That I may do this as well as I can in a little room I shall be concern'd like Bezaleel and Aholiab 17 Exod. 36.7 tho' not with the like Wisdom to lay by much of the good stuff would offer it self to me in this case Somewhat methinks I should premise in the General and then proceed to particular grounds 1. Let me premise in the general these two or three things 1. From my Text and in a Christian Congregation I am not necessitated in shewing how this comes about which I have deduced from it to prove Moses and the Prophets or which is all one for substance more largely the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God That being the Hypothesis or what is presupposed and not Question'd in this Dialogue between the Richman and the Father of the Faithful as we find vers 29th as well as in the words compared with vers 16th of this Chapter The Jews did acknowledge it and never denyed it when our Saviour and his Apostles did ever and anon shew them how the Scriptures were fulfilled manifested and accomplish'd So that not to grant this were to take away the substratum or foundation of the Case Which the Jews frankly yielded 17 John 9.29 We know that God spake unto Moses indeed it was evident enough when he refuted any objection against it 18 Exod. 3.2 6 14 4.1 2 c. 14.31 20.1 c. Numb 11.17 comforting of them by shewing them that God was with him We find they did readily agree to it that God was the Author of the Old Testament Apollos we read 19 Acts 18.24 28. did mightily convince many of the Jews from the Scriptures i. e. those Books which they did own to be of Divine inspiration And by consequence if people be not worse than Jews the New Testament should be owned to be so too being the Old directs to it When Christ was transfigur'd Moses and Elias appear'd talking with him 20 Mat. 17.2 3 and so gave their Testimonies to the main subject and substance of the Gospel sith In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 21 Col. 2.3 2. Man in his innocent state had an innate pure light consisting in the knowledge of God the Creator Lawgiver Governor and Rewarder presently enlarg'd by Revelation from without in the Sacramental precept of the Divine will under the first Covenant 22 Gen. 2.17 and from the consideration of Gods works which were all very good 23 Gen. 1.31 and this was necessary to that state But sith Man being mutable sought out many inventions 24 Eccles 7.27 and harken'd to the Serpents suggestion 1 Gen. 3.5 had obscur'd this light God of his infinite goodness pitying the vanity of faln Man as mortal not knowing how to deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave Ps2al. 89.47 48 2 did think it necessary to reveal himself and magnifie his grace in condescending to enter into a new Covenant with this faln creature giving his Word or first Promise that the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head 3 Gen. 3.15 John 1.14 Herein Christ was promised and hence called the Word being He indeed concerning whom that saving Word of God or Word of Promise is made As we
is God blessed for evermore Here study well these following Texts as shadowing forth that only holy One of whom comparatively the Universe how vast in it's Expansions how gloriously rich in Furniture and Treasures how variously replenished with Inhabitants and how accurately framed and governed who knows is but as one small hint See I say Exod. xv 11. xxxiv 6.7 i Chron. xxix 10 13. Job xi 7 9. Isa vi 3 i Tim. i. 17. and vi 15 16. i Joh. i. 5. To name no more save only One that pertinently tells us That God is love i Joh. iv 16. Here Love and Goodness are essentially in their incomprehensible and immense perfection from hence are all the Communications of derived goodness and all the issuings forth thereof that all the Creatures can any way receive and of this boundless Ocean are they all swallowed up Eternally at last 2. God in the sallyings forth of his communicative and endearing Name and in all those Mirrours and Testimonies of himself which he affords us Rom. i. 20. Act. xvii 24. 29. i Tim. iii. 16. Heb. i. 3. Eph. iv 6. 24. O what a Mirrour of Divine perfection is the vast fabriâ—k of the Universe How far doth it extend it self How richly hath it's Maker furnish'd it with glorious Luminaries vast in their bulk beautiful in their orderly Scituations constant and regular in their courses and highly useful and as liberal in their dispensings of those influences which serve more glorious and various purposes than any man can reach at present or perhaps in all the proficiencies of Eternity if such things may with modesty be supposed to be there O wonderful Power in its Production Wonderful Wisdom in it's harmonious contrivance and compagination and as great goodness in those stores and Magazines which are so generously provided for and accommodated to all the capacities and necessities and concerns of the whole frame and of every part thereof Is not Gods glorious Name here legible and his kind Heart and Hand as fully and even sensibly discernible herein We are hereby both rendred and constrained to be his Witnesses that he is God and the best Object of our Love Here therefore must our Love both look and fix Should I here speak of God-Redeemer in all the glorious appearances performances and dispensations of his Indwelling Deity in our Nature Or of what the Spirit is and doth of all the Scenes and Systems of common and special Providence of all the Constitutions and Administrations of the upper and lower World and of the Church Militant and Triumphant Or should I shew you Man in his natural State as the workmanship of the God of Nature Or in his Christian State as in his Renovation by the God of Grace Or in his Glorified State at last as the Eternal Temple of the Spirit of Grace Should I shew you the Angelical State or all the excellencies of the end and of the orderly Means and Instruments which relate thereto the Name Seed Things of God You would see with whom and what Love hath to do But to sum up all 1. God is the Object of this Love as considered in his essential Perfections Trinity of Persons 2. In his Creation of the Universe of Beings 3. In his Relations consequent upon Creation and avouchedly assumed by him 4. In those various Signatures and Explications of his Name that are upon the whole and every part of his Creation according to the various Habitudes and States thereof 5. And in his relative deportments towards them and Communications to them as they are capable of receiving them 2. Jesus Christ in all his Mediatorial Excellencies Dignities and Prerogatives in his Relations Offices Unction Performances and Acquests both for himself as one exalted now to his Fathers right hand And for us as our exalted and engaged Head in all his Sympathies and Endearments 3. The Holy Ghost as God our Sanctifier in all those Counsels Quicknings Comforts which he provideth for us offereth to us and succeedeth in us and upon us And 4. Those that are near and dear to God according to the various measures of their Unction Stations and Serviceableness unto God and here comes in the main design both of my Text and Case viz. That we Christians be so considered each by other as that Christian Excellencies be observed to mutual Inflammations of Endearments where they are that Christian Principles and Affections may be awakened invigorated and advanced where they are dormant idle or decayed and that accordingly those Gospel means and helps be valued duely and pertinently applyed and improved which may reduce us to and keep us in the fervours and vigours of our Christian love that so the love of our espousals may fix and center in the God of Love and have its orderly and kindly Circulations and Diffusions through the whole Body and every thing abhorred resisted and rejected that shall or would attempt a rape thereon For towards these glorious and lovely Objects there should be no indifference nor cold affections nor the least possibility of a divorce therefrom that we by any Diligence Providence or Resolution can prevent Whatever as to Things and Persons is really and evidently of God and for him be it in us with us or about us must not sit loosly on our Hearts for it is the Christian Religion as it imprinciples Souls for God and Christ and forms them after God and Christ and keeps them faithful and proficient in their practical devotedness to the Divine design upon us that fits us for and keeps us in the State and Spirit of endearment unto God ii Pet. i. 2. 11. and that must imprinciple and actuate our reciprocal affections and endearments each towards other See i Cor. vii 19. and Gal. vi 15. and v. 6. ii Cor. v. 16. 18. Parties and Persons no nor ecentrical Opinions nor Magisterial Impositions of dividing terms of Concord in pretence and shew nor multitudes of Proselytes to our novel darling self-conceited Notions such things as these cannot commend us unto God why should they then be thought luke-warm whose fervours draw not forth themselves upon such pitiful mean unworthy things Rom. xiv 17. 19. The Kingdom of God and Christ must be endeared to us with all the Subjects of that Kingdom in all their universally holding Principles and Interests And the great fervours vigours and effects of Love must be directed to and setled upon these objects proportionably to their excellencies and postures towards us and our concerns with them and Relations to them This for the Objects 2. The formal nature of this Love and here I shall premise that it is best understood and known by its own exercised and experienced vigour Sensation helps us to the clearest and most lively apprehensions the most accurate Definitions and Descriptions that can be given us by the most sagacious and exact Persons can never tell you to such degrees of satisfaction in your information what Health or Sickness Hunger or Thirst
Pain or Ease Light or Darkness Sweetness or Bitterness c. are as one hours experience of your own will do Men that are born blind have not by all the advantages of reading to them or discoursing with them such clear discerning of light as a little opening of their own Eyes will help them to Beauty and Melody are and must be seen and heard before they can be duly understood but as far as I am able I shall adventure to describe it thus Love is the Pleasure of the Heart or Will in the discerned and valued excellency of its object So as delightfully to make it accommodate it self unto the Nature Pleasure and concerns thereof Or it is the endearment of apprehended excellence so as to sweeten all our contemplations and esteem thereof our motions towards it our reposes in it our sufferings and adventures for it and our reposes and abode therein Here we may briefly note these things 1. When its Object doth evidently transcend our reach and pitch in excellence then the formal Act of Love is a delightful Admiration of Perfection Infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness cast us upon the heighths and depths of wonder and astonishment and entertain us with the highest satisfactions in our severest and most awful Contemplations thereof these ravishing views or thoughts of the incomprehensible source and abyss of Perfection which is Essential Goodness and the very heighth thereof for what is Goodness but the heighth of Excellency affect us with the most reverend sence thereof 2. Where excellency appears as capable of being shadowed forth by imitations and resemblances and challenges our Conformities thereunto the formal act of Love is a pleased attempering of it self unto its much valued and endeared object joyfully loving and endeavouring a correspondency and agreement with all the communicable excellencies and allurements of such a valuable and admired pattern and exemplar thus love is an ambitious imitation of admired worth pleasing it self in all it 's gradual approaches to it's Object in it's attainments of what most resembles him whose mirrours we so much long and please our selves to be Thus our Christian love our Love to God and unto Christ his Image in it's nature it's operations and attainments is but the impress of Divine Perfections upon our selves with all the solaces which arise in and from our thus transformed selves 3. When excellency appears upon the Theater shewing it's lustre in exquisite performances and Productions bearing the Signatures of that Name whose works they are as the Invisible things of God are known by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead Rom. i. 20. Then the formal Act of Love is Pleasure in our notices and observations of the eminencies of the cause appearing in the effects thereof and in our delightful searches thereinto 4. When excellency appears upon the Throne of Government the formal Act of Love is our delightful acquiescence and satisfaction in and our chearful comporting with all the Laws and Interests of such Government Thus I delight to do thy will O God Psal xl 8. And this is love that we keep his Commandments i Joh. v. 3. And this is my meat to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Joh. iv 34. Authority owned Laws obeyed disposals rested in and all with chearfulness And then 5. When Goodness appears communicative designing and dispensing kindnesses directed and designed to the benefit and welfare of the Recipients of it's Communications The formal Act of Love in the thus befriended Persons is their thankful acceptances chearful acknowledgements and faithful improvement of what they thus receive in the service according to the Pleasure and Order and to the praise of him that gives them and as these favours are of several sorts and sizes Such as our beings and their receptiveness of Divine kindnesses and the kindness shewed us to make us good to do us good and to capacitate us to do good to others and to receive further good from God according to our different capacities stations relations opportunities and advantages conditions and other circumstances so hath our Love it 's diversified actings expressions and effects according to it 's various objects considered in their own proper Excellencies their several Relations to us their postures towards us and their concerns with us and ours with them which I here cannot mention much less enlarge upon even as they and we are related and concerned with the essential source of all communicative Excellence or Goodness and therefore I leave it to the deeper thoughts and further searches of better Heads and Hearts than mine 6. When Excellence espouses evidently some great Interests and Designs such as the recovery of lost Souls the reparation of declined Holiness the shaming and abandoning of all Sin the utter extirpation of Satans Interest and Kingdom the erecting of his Gospel House and Kingdom the Exaltation of his Son and the Edification of his Children in Christian Knowledge Holiness and Comfort and in all things fit to make them acceptable to himself and approved of men and to make them regular and easie in themselves When God designs and prosecutes the spreading of the Gospel the Sanctification of his Name in and before the eyes of all and the compleating the Divine Life and Nature in his own What then can be the formal Act of Love hereto in us but the endearment and espousal of these things to us as matters of the highest consequence and importance to the World the Church and us and as things more valuable and delightful to us in our contemplations and pursuits thereof than all our personal Interests and Pleasures in this World 7. When Excellence communicates it self discernibly to others then Love rejoyces in this Gift and Grace to them 8. When Excellence appears communicable to others and that through one another as appointed means and instruments for this end then Love is so far thankful and it covets enterprizes designs and prosecutes the thing and so it grieves or joyfully Triumphs as it discerns the matter to succeed or to be defeated or delayed and it forms and cherishes and exerts it Sympathies accordingly 9. When Excellence is rivall'd confronted and opposed then Love turns Jealous and Enraged and puts on fortitude and resolution to stand by it's darling Object and concerns in all the Agonies of Contention for them which they need and notwithstanding all the hazards cost and difficulties which attend them And 10. It accounts and uses all as Friends or Enemies as they appear against or for it's Object 3. The Genuine Practice and Productions of this love Here they are called Good Works a correspondent practice with this Divine and Active and diffusive Principle All Instances and Effects of this delightful conversation with God and man according to the Rules and Principles of Christianity must savour of illustrate and subserve this Principle and Grace Thus Love God and keep his Commandments think and speak of him