ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandment Observe the Commandments are there mentioned in the plural number as many as do these things that are pleasing in his sight in ver 23. And this is his Commandment it is mentioned in the singular Number that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment A new Commandment saith our Saviour I leave with you that ye love one another New Was it not old Yes But it is said to be new upon a double account 1. Because it is prest upon us by new Motives and arguments 2. And it is commended to us by a new pattern and example such an example of love as the world never had before nor can ever have again Now the first and principal Object of our love is God himself in whom is every thing that might attract our love the next and secondary Objects of our love are all those Creatures which according to their degree do participate of Divine excellencies in this respect the Saints are stiled The excellent in the earth as David declares them to be them in whom is all my delight and therefore are excellent because they partake of and are neerer in their resemblance to the Divine nature than others 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature a high expression This is clear this debt of love though we owe it to all and shall be owing it while we live yet we owe it especially to our fellow Christians and that upon these accounts 1. Because the Glory of God and the honour and credit of Religion is more concerned in their well doing they are nearer to God than others are 2. Because Christ takes all good offices that are done to them as done to himself a full place to this purpose is that Matth. 25.40 when Christ shall speak encouragingly to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you c. in as much a ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me 3. It is a special evidence of our sincerity our love to the Brethren Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.17 4. It is upon this account principally that God intrusts some of his servants with greater talents than others that they may be more capable of expressing their love and tenderness to their Brethren 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle compares the Church of Christ to an organical body a body that consists of many members and he speaks of a diversity of gifts that those members are eudued with v. 4 5 6. but upon what account are these gifts given v. 7. It is given to every man to profit withal to be useful with not meerly to enrich them but to be imployed by them there are some to whom God gives a larger talent of riches and worldly comforts and to others of parts and abilities gifts and graces but all is to profit withal therefore as one observes there are Christians of divers ranks and divers forms some that are weak but God hath inricht others with more strength some are strong in grace and gifts God gives those talents to them that they may by converse help them that are weak and have not their measure of strength and Grace that all may be helpful one to another those that have less than others should provoke them that have more to thankfulness and to have their bowels drawn out towards others that have need of their help Consider the many strict obligations and bonds that Christians are in one to another beyond what other Relations have at least how much more significant those Relations are between them they are servants to one and the same Master to wit the Lord We have one Lord 1 Cor. 12. they are of the same family and houshould nay that is not all though this obligeth us to a spetial degree of love but they are Children to one Father born from above not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God John 1.14 yet higher they are members of one body Col. 3.15 now there is a tenderness that all the members have one of another Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you are called in one body and be thankful This notion is improved to the full 1 Cor. 12.25 26. That there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another But you have a higher expression than this not only members of the same body but members one of another ver 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member as Eckius in loc members of every part members one of another this shews the unity oneness and nearness that should be between the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they are said to be acted by the same Spirit as the same Soul in the body acts the several parts of the body but with a great diversity in respect of the divers parts of it because of the diversity of the organs in one part the eye in that the Soul sees in the ear it hears in the hand if works it acts in every part but according to its different constitution So is the Spirit of God in this body the Church it acts in all in common now how strange would it be if the several members in one body should be at varience and difference one with another shall the hand not be helpful to the foot or the foot not helpful to the hand or shall the hand be imployed to pluck out the eye or to cut off the leg this would be monstrous and strange to see â—â—sentions among persons so neerly related it is looked upon as a great failing in many good men who were united in the same faith who were imployed in the same work and carrying on the same designe Gods honour and service in the world yet that they have shewed so much weakness that they have had so many diffentions which nothing could reconcile but the common sufferings of both and that from those who were enemies against both It is observed in the Book of Martyrs that when Bishop Cranmor Hooker Ridley and Sanders were in prison they did agree they then laid aside all differences between them You see upon these accounts it doth very much concern us to exercise this duty of love especially to our fellow Christians Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Eph. 5.2 Q But wherein should we express our love to our Brethren so as thereby to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour A. 1. In watching over them to do what we
outward respects only but also in Spirituals these are dying persons The Prophets do they live for ever But when all our Creature-comforts die and vanish yet the Lord lives There are three things that I shall speak to in the opening of this observation 1. The first is this That the Lord whom we serve is the living God he lives This Title I shall shew how far it is appropriated to God above all Creatures whatsoever 2. That as he is the living God so he lives as Lord. 3. How much this is to the support and comfort of all his people 1. That however all other Creatures may be dying yet God liveth all those Names by which God hath made himself known in Scripture do strongly imply this Truth That great Name Jehovah which is so often mentioned in Scripture signifies A God of Being a God that gives being to all other Creatures and a God that is the Fountain of Being in himself When God send Moses upon that difficult Errand of treating with Pharaoh about the releasing Ifrael out of their for bondage Exod. 3.14 this is the Name by which God makes himself known I am that I am hath sent thee that is I that alone am the name by which the very Heathen spake of their God Zena qusia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one glosses upon that Name that is they thought him to be a living God But to be short We find that God is often stiled in Scripture the living God to denote him to be the true God 2 King 19.4 when Rabshekah came and put Hezckiah into those fears he sends to Isaiah to pray to the Lord It may be says he the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rabshekah whom the King of Assyria his Master hath sent to reproach the living God that is the true God So when David expresseth his earnest affectionateness in desiring Communtion with God he speaks of him as the living God Psalm 42.2 My Soul thirsheth for God for the living God that is for the true God When shall I come and appear before God And so Psalm 84.2 My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Coasts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God And so the Prophet Joremiah parahprasing a little farther upon this word Jerem. 10.10 But the Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall nto be able to abide his indignation he is the living God and this is the Argument to prove him to be the true God So Dan. 6. when Darius had been surprized in the DecreÌ„e against Daniel and had consented unawares to his being cast into the Den of Lyons he came to the Den and cried with a lamentable voyce unto Daniel and spake saying O Danicl Servant of the living God is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the Lions He is a God indeed But farther he is often stiled the living God in opposition to dead Idols which were the Gods of the Heathen So you have a notable description of those Idols which the sinners of that age did worship Psal 115.3 and so on But our God he is in the Heaven he hath done whatsoever he pleased their Idols are silver and gold the works of mens hands they have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but see uot they have ears but hear not noses have they but they smell not they have hands but they handie not feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through the throat but our God is the living God Again he is stiled the living God in opposition to dying men as Magistrates are sometimes stiled Gods Psalm 82.6 I said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men and so Deut. 5.26 For who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and lived When God would give his people the greatest assurance of the certain accomplishment of his promises he speaks in this language as I live he swears by his own life So you have it Isa 49.18 Lift up thiâ—â— eyes round about and behold all these gather them selves together and come to thee as I live saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an Ornament and bind them on thee as a Bride doth So Numb 14.20 21. when Moses interceded for that repining and murmuring people saith God I have pardoned according to thy word but as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord. When God would startle sinners and make them sensible of of what is coming upon them as sure as I live saith the Lord his iniquity shall not go unpunished So Ezek 5.11 But I have sufficiently cleared this from Scripture You see then all along that God in Scripture is stiled the living God and it is such a kind of life as no Creature is capable of that is here ascribed to God and that I shall shew in these 5 particulars 1. He lives Originally from himself Psal 36.9 For with thee is the Fountain of life he is the Fountain of life to others and he is the Fountain of life to himself That life which all Creatures have is a deriv'd life it is what they have receiv'd from God Acts 17.25 Neither is he worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things There is not that Creature that liveth upon the face of the earth but it hath its life from God and so ver 28. In him we live and move and have our being but that life which God liveth it is an underived life He is as one speaks One that hath his life from himself The Moon shines with a borrowed light and all Creatures have nothing but what they have receiveâ— their very light it is from God it is his light that we see light there is no Creature but it is beholding to God for its very Being for it is impossible that any Creature should be the Author of its own Being That which once was not could never produce it self for whilst it was nothing it could do nothing and in all successions of being that are in the world here is one Creature proceeds from another and that other from another before it and so on so that in all successions we must needs come to some first Being now this first Being must needs be of himself uncreated and of himself unoriginated that 's one particular how God liveth he liveth originally and from himself 2. He lives intirely and of himself without dependance upon any other The life of poor Creatures as it is received from God so it is upheld by God Rom. 11.36 All things are of him and all things are by him our very breath in our Nostrils he keeps it in
use and application of this point 1. What folly is it then to judge of them that are sincerely gracious by what is present Alass if you judge of things or persons by what is present as to outward things this is a falliable rule In the 73. Psal the Psalmist eying this rule so much was in great danger of mistaking but be at last recollects himself and says If I should speak thus I should offend against the generation of the righteous So 37. Psal 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace His beginning may be trouble his continuance may be with oppositions but his end shall be peace 2. In the next place Is it so Then let us make no misconstructions of Gods dealings with us If we can but answer this great question that we are in the number of them that have a right to this future inheritance we have reason to entertain good thoughts of God what ever he is pleased to do with us as to other things If God hath been gracious to us in the choicest mercies we should not entertain hard thoughts of him if he with hold or remove smaller mercies If he hath been gracious to us in distinguishing blessings we should not be so apt to challenge God concerning these outward blessings 3. If this is so Then let this engage us quietly and patiently to bear what ever afflictions God may be pleased to exercise us with But you will say It is a hard matter to be patient under present afflictions when we are in doubts concerning our future estate and condition to be under troubles now and not to know when an end of these troubles shall be this must needs be uncomfortable and therefore let this engage us 1. To labour to resolve this great question whether we are in the number of them to whom this Inheritance belongs You see it is the portion of all the Children of God every one that is born again that is born of God is born to this inheritance but I shall speak more to this when I shall speak of that part of the text of being made meet and thus we may know it by examining the work of grace in our own hearts but because I shall insist on that afterwards I shall wave it now Now those that have once resolved this querie it becomes them to be patient in bearing what God doth exercise them with Consider how patient God hath been towards us shall we be impatient towards him and let us consider our future comforts and they will more then sufficiently recompence all our present sufferings I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed 8. Rom. 18. Nay how helpful and how conduceable is this quietness of Spirit to fit us for this Inheritance But you will say What is it to be quiet and patient under the hand of God Ans It is not every kind of stilness of spirit there may be a stupidness and blockishness of Spirit therefore in one word to be patient under afflictions doth not exclude a sense of afflictions but a dejection of spirit under afflictions You find 5. Jer. 3. that God complains of his ancient people though he had smitten them yet they would not receive correction O Lord are not thy eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return God had spoken to them by the voice of mercy that was a still voice they turned a deaf ear to that Language God spake to them in a louder Language by the voice of Judgement Now God takes it ill that this would not awaken them We should be sensible of afflictions but not cast down by affliction it is the middle between these extreams insensibleness and dejection 2. Though it does exclude dejection under afflictions yet it doth not exclude humiliation for sin The People of God that have the most experience of their sincerity being sensible of the hand of God upon them must be careful to humble themselves Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God 3. It doth not exclude a desire to have afflictions removed but rather increases a desire to have them sanctified Some are all for ease but a gracious Person would have the sore cured before the plaister be taken off he would not be excluded from a course of Phisick till he finds Spiritual health afflictions are Gods Spiritual Medicines 4. Again to be patient under Gods afflicting hand does not silence prayer but silenceth peremptoriness in prayer it makes us submissive in our prayers to God Father if it be possible let this cup pass yet nevertheless not my will but thine be done If God sees it good if it may make for his glory God will intrust us with these mercies he at present deprives us of 5. Farther it doth not cause us to neglect means but it restrains us from the use of unwarrantable means how many in times of danger if they can but shift off danger though they run their souls into danger by it they care not but patience keeps the soul in an even frame between these two extreams it neither doth neglect those means that God hath appointed nor dare it break Gods fence nor trample down his hedge to escape danger that is the word by which the New Testament describes sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression a breaking of Gods fence 6. Lastly It doth not hinder the soul from duty but it quickens it unto duty and does inliven it in duty such a frame of spirit does very much become them who are able in any measure to clear up their title to this Inheritance I have spoken now only in the general What ever the condition of Gods people may be for the present yet this is their advantage they have an Inheritance for the future The second Doctrine is this 2. Doct. That this inheritance of the Saints is no mean slight nor contemptible matter but it is an excellent and glorious inheritance It is called an inheritance in light and for the persons to whom it belongs it is peculiar to the Saints Observe the manner of S. Pauls speaking of it he cannot so much as mention it without a holy kind of admiration Giving thanks to God which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Now all these expressions do demonstrate 〈◊〉 high esteem that S. Paul had of this inheritance it is in his esteem a mercy more then ordinary and the partaking of it a mercy beyond all other mercies and if the speaking of this inheritance be a thing so admirable what will the full possession of it be I shall a little in general before I come to particulars set before you something of the excellency of this
14.22 4. A Reverent esteem of the wisdom goodness and faithfulness of God in all his dispensations that all his works are in weight and measure and that he who hath the disposal of all things does dispose of all things to the best though we cannot many times see these truths because the ways of God are so great a deep Yet to believe it is necessary to our waiting upon God to entertain good thoughts of him what ever thoughts he seems to entertain concerning us 5. A resignation of our selves into the hands of God a submitting our wills unto his a laying our selves down at his feet that if God see it best both in reference to his glory and our own good that we should rather honour him in away of suffering than doing to pray with our Saviour If it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 Vse What height of folly then is it when God seems to cast off all regard of us for us to cast off all regard of him as do all impatient and froward persons who upon every withdrawing of God are so bold as to call the glorious Majesty of Heaven before their petty Tribunal and charge him either with rigorousness or unfaithfulness as 2 Kings 6.33 And oh how apt are all men so far to forget their subjection and dependence upon God as when he breaks in upon them by his judgments they break out against him in their complaints and murmurings Others there are who in their distresses betake themselves to indiredct and sinful means of safety as the Jews here to their confederacies with the bordering Heathens How many are there who think no course bad by which they may shift off dangers and shelter themslves from an approaching Storm But this is not to wait upon the Lord but a course quite contrary to what is commended here Now in these perilous times lest we should make use of deceitful refuges consider these few Arguments 1. The absolute impossibility of ever finding benefit by any way of Sin Sin is a depargting from God and in departing from him we forsake our strength and refuge Can we ever be safe while we are from under Gods Protection Sin is a putting our selves out of Gods Protection The lord is with you while you are with him but if you forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 Can any kind of means do us good without Gods concurrence whatever there is of virtue in them it is derived from him does Food nourish 't is God that makes it nourishing Mat. 4.4 Does Physick cure 't is God that makes it effectual Do Creature helps Friends c. stand us in stead 't is God that gives them both hearts and power To use indirect means is to blast means and render them ineffectual It 's true that God sometimes permits many to flourish not only in their sinful courses but by their sinful courses This was Asaphs temptation Psal 73. But alas much better would it have been for such rather to have been without their comforts than to have purchased them thus 2. This kind of carriage in stead of relieving us in our distresses does but increase them Those towards whom God hath any purpose of mercy if gentler means prevail not God like a careful Physitian applys sharper if milder corrections do not humble them like a tender Parent he is more severe if cords of love will not draw them he uses the bonds of affliction but if mercies move not and afflictions prevail not God takes another course with them and never leaves till he brings them upon their knees In natural causes resistance does but increase the vigour and operation of contraries When fire and water meet in strong opposition how does the stronger rage till it hath got the victory God tryed many ways with Ephraim but his heart yielded not God sometimes over till he hath humbled him Isa 57.16 17. with Jer. 31. 19. As for others God sometimes deals with them as he did with Pharaoh who by his stubbornness encreased his Plagues or else as he dealt at last with Ephraim Hos 4.17 He gave him up to his incorrigibleness either they hasten their ruine in this world by their perverseness or else they ripen themselves for judgment in another world 3. In stead of removeing or shortning our tryals this carriage does prolong and continue tthem The Chyrurgeon continues his Plaisters while the Sore is unhealed the Child does but prolong his Fathers displeasure by his obstinacy A Prince that hath once begun to reduce rebellious Subjects leaves not off till he hath subdued them there 's no standing it out against God no other way to prevail with him but by repentance and submission Vse Exhort To follow the Prophets Example here in taking the same course in this day of Jacobs trouble as he did in that God had hid his face from Jacob then he hath hid his face from Jacob now let us be persuaded to wait upon the Lord to look for him 1. The recovery of those pledges of Gods love whereof we are at present deprived is a mercyworthy th waiting for Hath God hid his face from this Nation in general by depriving us in a great measure of the means of Communion with himself remember how supporting how refreshing how improving and strengthning you have found those Ordinances of which you are at present in a great measure scanted and yu cannot but be sensible that there are Priviledges worthy the waiting for God hath exercised us in this Nation with many years of affliction but what affliction ever like to this hath God hid his face from any soul in particular be persuaded to wait 't is a mercy worthy the waiting for to regain his favour 1. There are no comforts in all the world like the comforts of Gods presence he that hath once tasted the sweetness of these conforts can not but comparatively despise all other as in the primitive Christians they despised estates liberties Friends yea and life it self rather than submit ot any thing that might endanger Gods withdrawing from them 2. 'T is not the baâ—e presence and favour of God but the evidence and sence thereof that renders our condition comfortable In the favour of God is life his loving kindness is better than life but while the soul hath its evidences blotted its hopes darkned the higer it prises the favour of God the more afflicting is the inevidence thereof Is God the fountain of all good and is this God mine enemy are all my fresh springs in him and are all these stop'd and shut up against me Is he the supreme disposer of all things and am I under his displeasure that soul that considers what God is in himself what he is to others of his servants and what he hath been to it self in times past cannot but be sensible how grievous a thing it is to lose such a Friend such a Father c.
shall be called Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins This is the Salvation for in saving from sin he saves from all present and future miseries But How does Christ save from sin By Justifying our Persons by his Blood in satisfying for all the guilt we have contracted 2. And by sanctifying our Natures by his Spirit in subduing those perverse and crooked dispositions that are in the hearts of all by nature Again it points out how we may come to have an interest in Christ and how Christ is willing to be ours if we are but willing to be his He is willing to be our Saviour if we are but willing to be his Subjects and to accept of his Government It directs us where to go for strength to be able to make a full resignation of our selves to him that we may go to the promises of God and to the spirit of God and fetch strength from them 3. That the full enjoyment of God is not in this world The happiness of Gods people here is but in its infant state the Apostle says Whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord they that enjoy most of Gods presence here have but a kinde of absence if compared with the presence that they shall have of God hereafter 2 Corinth ver 5.6 7. We walk by faith and not by sight that is we have not the fruition of God in that fulness but by faith we expect it we have not our happiness in hand but we have it in hope the knowledge that we have of God now is but in part our graces are imperfect here we see God now darkly as in a glass in the glass of his Creatures in the glass of his Ordinances in the gless of his Experiences but then we shall see 〈…〉 face Now the design of this Doctrine is not only to teach the people of God where to 〈◊〉 happiness but also when to expeâ—â— it 〈◊〉 in this world but hereafter though we are to strive after it here on earth And though this Doctrine is unpleasing to many who are all for present delights of this world yet there is enough in it to prevent all such disparagement as some would cast upon it and all such â—â—â—â—eartning as the People of God are subject unto This Doctrine tells us that happiness is here only inchoative but hereafter it will be Consummated and that this future happiness is as sure as if it was now enjoyed to all who are truly called to ascertain this God hath given his people many foretasts of their blessed estate hereafter 2 Cor. 5.5 He hath given to us the earnest of his spirit viz. The Graces and Comforts of his Spirit those refreshings and revivings which only the Spirit of God can work in the hearts of his people these are enough to support and secure them 4. That the great work and business of Man here upon the Earth is to glorifie God All things as they are of God and by God so they are to God Rom. 11. last 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God Every man hath his work appointed here upon the Earth and this life is the time wherein this work is to be finished therefore our Saviour saith John 17.4 Father I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do The work he had to do was to glorifie God thus the same work is given proportionably to all Believers Our work is to purge our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God This is the design both of the Threatnings and Promises all the parts of this Doctrine of God our Saviour is to engage us upon the serious undertaking of purging out of all filthiness 2 Cor. 7.1 That it is the design of the threatnings is clear to all and that it is the design of the Promises saith the Apostle Where fore having so many gratious Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit All the kindness that that the Promises discover and hold out to us allow of no Latitude to sin and wickedness no they are the strongest engagements to Sanctity and Holinerss that can be Having thess Promises what Promises are those I will be their God and they shall be my people ple 2 Cor. 6.16 that one Promise is the sum and substance of all So our work here upon the Earth is to mind especially the work of our Souls this is a great and choice thing that God hath instructed us in And also to promote the Spiritual good especially of otheres not only to be blessed our selves but to be blessings to others that Gods Word may run and be glorified not only amongst our selves but amongst others In one word our work here upon the Earth is to devote our whole selves our all to Gods service to give all we have to him that holiness to the Lord may be written upon our hearts and acted in our lives 5. That it is impossible that we should ever live to so mucxh purose so much to the true Comfort and real Happiness as by living unto God and in Communion with him The design of the Doctrine of God our Saviour is to fix this Principle in our hearts As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and upon the whole Israel of God This is the Character of the whole Israel of God that they do walk according to this Doctine of God our Saviour 6. Though there be many discouraging weaknesses and infirmities in the best of Saints yet we are to hearken to what relief this Doctrine propounds against both it is the Affliction of many a poor Soul of every awakended Soul that is gratious it dare scarcely pray or hear or engage in any duty because it finds so great unfitness and unsuitableness for duty But this Doctrine directs us how we may be relieved and how of weak we may be made strong it dirextrs us to go to the Spirit for its assistance and to Jesus Christ for acceptance 7. That all the Afflictions and Oppositions we can meet with in this world upon th account of our cleaving to God are not so confiderable as to render the ways of God unlovely St Paul had cast up the account Rom. 8.18 he tells us the result of his thoughts after he had Computed he had weighed and Considered what it would cost him to follow God fully and what it would cost him to forsake God and savs tâ—â—â—â—he I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Our light affliotion which is but for a moment works out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory This Doctrine of God our Saviour sets forth the glory of Heaven
these Principles oblige those that own this Doctrine to put in practice Certainly it is only the want of living up to these Rules that brings this Doctrine under such contempt and reproach Now as I have spoken of our adorning this Doctrine by our carriage in reference to God and to all men in general so I should now come in the 3. How we must adorn this Doctrine by our carriage to our enemies 1. What ever injuries we meet with from enemies this Doctrine teacheth us not to be our own avengers How many unjust injuries did David suffer from Saul and how often did God deliver Saul into his hands in so much that his followers said the Lord hath delivered his life into thy hand Now he is in thy power O says David 1 Sam. 24.12 The Lord Judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but my hand shall not be upon thee ver 11. Moreover my Father see yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand c. how often had David the like opportunity to destroy Saul but no saith he God will avenge me he will either fall in battle or however the hand of God will come upon him for his unrighteous dealings with me So it is said of our Saviour who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again who when he suffer'd he threatnld not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously he committed all to God This is that that we are taught by this Doctrine to commit all to God and not to avenge our selves 2. To be so far from being overcome with evil as to overcome evil with good To pray for them that persecure us and despitefully use us to be instruments of all the kindness we can to their Souls who are instruments of all cruelties to our bodies This was our Saviours temper Luke 23.34 Father so give them for they know not what they do he pitied them and prayed for them even then when they were acting all the cruelty they could against him and he hath left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet 2.21 Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not you selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he be thirsty give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire â—â— head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good This would be a noble Principle in you 3. Be ready to forgive them it is an high expression of the Apostle Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you O! how much hath God forgiven you how many and how great were those scores that you have run into with Divine Justice hath God forgiven you for Christs sake think of that expression when you find any thing of revenge stirring in your hearts This is the Rule our Saviour prescribes that when ever we pray for pardon for our selves we should pray for it with a willingness to pardon others Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors They who expect forgiveness from God and are not willing to forgive others are never like to prevail in their requests O what high engagements does this Doctrine lay upon us and how lovely would this Doctrine appear to the world if these Rules were but strictly observed 4. To love our enemies This is a hard Doctrine Nature teacheth us to love our Friends but this goes higher it teacheth us to love our Enemies Herein we are required to shew our selves to be children of our Heavenly Father Mat 5. If you love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same vers 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven The Publicans were looked upon as the vilest sort of sinners yet these men came up to this good nature but this Doctrine teacheth us to love our Enemies and to do all the good we can to them that labour to do all the evil they can to us Indeed in some cases our Saviour gives a dispensation we must not cast Perls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet so not to throw these reproofs to them that will turn again and rend them In a word this Doctrine prescribes to us to do all we can to win our Enemies over to a liking of what they oppose and thus as to our Enemies as well as our Friends we should do what we can to commend the ways and services of God to them and to bring them into a love of them 1 Pet. 2.15 For so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men You should by well doings silence them that they may not be able to speak against your persons or professions or Principles such a carriage would be hugely to the advantage of the Gospel 3. A third head is this Our carriage towards our Brethren and fellow Christians should be such as to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and in respect of our carriage towards them take this in general Whatever friendly Office whatever expression of tenderness and care we are to shew to men in general and to Enemies we are under a stricter obligation to shew the same to our fellow Christians though we are commanded to do good to all men Gal. 6.26 yet especially we are commanded to do good to the household of Faith The whole duty of man is summed up by our Saviour in this one word Love When the Lawyer came to Christ tempting him Mat. 22. Master which is the grace Commandment in the Law vers 36 37 Jesus answered and said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets our Saviour makes this duty of Love an universal duty Some of the Philosophers thought Love was an universal affection and all the other affections but a diversication of Love Love branched out in different ways and there is some reason in this The reason why we have any thing is because it opposeth what we love and the reason why we grieve for any thing is because it stands between us and what our love is set upon so I might speak of all the other affections But to be sure this will hold in Love to be a debt that we owe both to God and Man This is the sum of all the debts we owe and this debt though we are still paying it yet we are still owing it especially to the houshold of Faith our fellow Christians 1 John 3.22 23. compared with ver 22. And whatsoever we
and should not God keep it in it would be every moment going out and therefore God is not only stiled the Fountain of life in that Psalm quoted before but he is also stiled the Lord of life i. e. he prolongs and shortens the lives of his Creatures as himself pleascth Deut. 32.39 See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hands and so you read that God hath set to every man his bounds beyond which he cannot pass Num. 14.5 The Number it is not said of our years but even the Number of our very months it is with God seeing his days are determined the Number of his months is with thee Thou hast appointed bounds that he cannot pass But now God lives of himself we live altogether in dependance upon him It is true there are many Creatures we depend upon in the ordinary course of God's Providence how many Creatures lose their lives to support and preserve ours but God hath no dependances upon any other but he lives of himself 3. He lives most perfectly not only origial from himself and intirely in himself without dependance upon others but he lives most perfectly in the enjoyment of himself how many things concur together to piece out our lives to us Look upon man in his natural condition and he is the most necessitous indigent Creature in the whole world made up of nothing but wants and weaknesses we are flesh and blood we stand in need of food and rayment and 20 such things and when God hath translated us into a stare of Grace though we have rcceived never so much yet still we want more 'T is no life of perfection whilst we are here on earth there may be a perfection of parts but not of Degrees and indeed observe it absolute perfection is to be found no where but in God alone he lives perfectly we read of Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect but how it is not spoken nor to be understod of absolute perfection but that may be said to be perfect in which nothing is defective that is necessary to its being thus Angles are perfect in their kind i. e. they have their compleat nature which becomes their Rank and so the spirits of just men are made perfect because they are restored to that perfection by Grace which they had lost by sin But absolute perfection is no where to be found but in God alone in him is that infinite fulness and therefore it is that his happiness is infinitely perfect and such happiness that no Creature is capable of For though the happiness of all Creatures consists in the enjoyment of God yet these enjoyments are onely according to the capacities of Crcatures And therefore a Learned Writer compares several Believers to several vessels thrown into the Sea here is a vessel of a lesser size and there is a vessel of a larger size but every vessel being thrown into the Sea is full and hath as much as it can contain And this is the happiness of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect But the happiness of God is unspeak because of his infinite fulness in himself 4. God lives immutably Our life is full of changes every moment as one speaks there is no person that is two moments the same he hath one moment past over him more than he had before when the second comes When we come into the world we pass from Childhood to Youth from Youth to riper Years but when we are come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and heighth of our strength then we decline and pass to old age again As the Sun is always in Motion and never stands still but is either rising higher and higher until it come to the Meridian and when once it is there then it declines lower and lower again thus it is with man he is never at a stop But it is not so with God there is no variableness or shadow of turning in him Take the most immutable things in nature and they are changeable even the Heavens themselves Psal 102.25 26 27. Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish hut thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end God therefore lives immutably he is said to be the same yesterday to day and for ever He is the same in himself in all his excellencies and perfections and he is the same to his people 5. God doth not only live immutably for a Time but Aeternally for ever 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto who only bath Immortality Why are not Angels immortal and are not the Souls of men immortal it would be good news to wicked men if their Souls could die with their Bodies and if death were no more to them than to other ereatures that when they die there were an end of them that they were not subject to an after-account in another world That is not the meaning of it but he only hath Immortality in himself For though Angels be Immortal yet this Immortality is not per naturam but per Gratiam it is not so much from their nature as the support of God for God supports all things in their Beings and the infinite power of God doth as much appear in his works of supportation and preservation as in his works of Creation at the first And so for the Soul of man it is immortal but still all this is because God upholds it to all Eternity But God hath Immortality Psalm 90 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst framed the earth or the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God From everlasting yes and to everlasting and so Psalm 92.8 9. you have the like expression But thou Lord art most high for evermore for loe thine enemies O Lord loe thine enemies shall perish but thou shalt abide for ever and so Psalm 102.12 But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance to all Generations I might multiply places for this is so often mentioned in Scripture that I must needs forbear farther Quotations A thousand years with the Lord are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 He is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last without beginning or and of days that is spoken of Christ This is the first thing propounded to be spoken to That the God whom we own and whom we serve is the living God in opposition to dead Idols and all dying Creatures He lives originally from himself Intirely of himself Perfectly in the enjoyment of himself He lives immntably and he lives eternally 2. The
grace God undertakes for both Now the fulness and unchangableness of these decrees argue the love of God to be unchangeable As God hath intended some to glory as the end he intended by grace as the means to bring them to that end 2 Thes 2.13.14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ That is the glory purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ And if this love of God flows from his electing decree it must needs be everlasting because God cannot be frustrated in his decre 4. Arg. The fulness of that care that God takes of his People though they may be tempted and assaulted and meeâ— with sore buffettings yet he will not let them be tempted above what they are able 1 Cor. 1.13 and when they are the forest beset with difficulties and under the greatest fears and sad thoughts yet even then God hath the same care of them that he had of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for thee That one expression that we have 1 Pet. 1.5 is enongh to clear this truth Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation you read in the verse before of Gods reserving of Heaven for them and in this verse of God's preserving of them for it Though they may meet with many Rubs and Interruptions in the way to Heaven yet they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation they shall not fall short of glory God doth still love them and they shall find the Fruit of this love to be everlasting happiness His grace is omnipotent grace and therefore it is that our Saviour comforts his Disciples with this consideration Joh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and none can pluck you out of his hands Now if God takes such care of his People to preserve them then there is no fear of their falling short of his glory 5. Arg. Lastly The many assurances that God hath given his People of his everlasting love to them He hath given them his word he tells them whom he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 he hath told them I well never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 Nay he hath given them not only his word but his promise which is more than a solemn word Jer 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from then to do them good Nay he hath not only given them his promise but his promise confirmed with an Oath Heb. 6.17.18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel and confirmed it by an Oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation c. Nay he hath confirmed his Oath with a Seal he hath given us his hand and Seal and he hath given his People the first Fruits of the Spirit whereby they are Sealed up to the day of Redemption So that you see the love of God hath this transcendent excellency in it that it is everlasting There is nothing that enemies can do to put a period to it and there are all things in God that might give us an assurance of theeverlastingness thereof Vse Now to make some Application of this point in a few words First This may inform us of the folly of them who fix upon any thing on this side God There is no everlastingness no fixation no stability in any thing but in God only I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Alas all other things are but as Clouds that are passing away they are not why should we set our hearts upon things that are not they are not because they continue not In fixing our hearts and hopes and in building our expectations on any thing befides God and placing our comforts on any thing besides the love of God as we highly dishonour God so we highly wrong our own Souls Hereby we highly dishonour God because we prefer the Cistern before the Fountain yea we rather chuse to build on the Sand then upon the Rock of Ages we think our selves better in the hands of Creatures then in the hands of the Almighty and infinitely gracious God And we wrong our selves because we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of being frustrated and disappointed though we may be as industrious as the laborious Bee to wander from this to the other part of the world to go to this and that Flower yet we are sure to meet with nothing but disappointment but God is a sure refuge his love is stable and secure to our Souls Nay we do whtat we can to put God far from us when we fly from him and make the world our comfort We bid as it were God to depart from us We tell him we can do well enough without him we can do well enough with other things besides him we say as they did depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy love Job 21.14 2. It may inform us how such Discourses as this is may cause our hearts to burn within us as it is said of his Disciples who were going to Emaus Christ appeared to them and they knew him not but afterwards when he had left them then they recollected their thoughts and said How did our hearts burn within us whilst he spake unto us that God should love such as we are and that with an everlasting love and so as that nothing should be able to take off his love from us not our sins not our provocations this is a wonder Though these may be as so many Clouds to darken his love yet this is a priviledge peculiar to all true and sincere Believers Now since God doth love us so wonderfully how should this cause our hearts to burn within us To burn with the Fire of Repentance to purge away the dross of our sins that ever we should be so foolish unwise and disingenious to requite so good a God who hath so loved us And with the Fire of love to love God and to do what we can in acknowledging such love in him to us And with the Fire of Zeal for him that hath shewed so much of kindness to and care of and over us 2. Vse The next use is by way of Exhortation and in that I shall speak to two sorts of persons First To them who find themselves as yet Strangers to this love of God Let me speak to them Oh do but think how sad a condition you are at present labour to affect throughly your hearts with the sadness of this condition though you may have never so much of other Mercies yet if you have not