they will say arise and save us Exod. 10.17 Intreat the Lord that he may take away this death only So that all cometh from mere self-love partly because those relentings which they have for sin go not deep enough to divorce their hearts from it Psa. 78.36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter with their mouth and they lyed to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant Even then when they sought God right early and remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer the Judgments of God had some slight effect upon them reduced them to some degree of repentance and good behaviour and temper for a while but all this while they were but like ice in yielding weather thawed above and hard at bottom partly because if they pray for spiritual things 't is but a dictate of conscience awakened for the time not the desires of a renewed heart seconded with constant endeavours to obtain what we ask of God and so The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing Prov. 13.4 They are not urging desires that quicken to diligence But what prayers then come from the spirit 1. When there is something divine in them such as are suited to the Object to whom we pray and looketh like worship relating to God when it hath the stamp of his nature upon it we apprehend in God two sort of Attributes some that belong to his Mercy and Goodness some to his Majesty and Greatness now his Mercy and Goodness is seen in the joy of our faith and confidence his Majesty and Greatness in our Humility and Reverence both prompt us to serious worshipping 2. When there is something beyond the work of our natural faculties and prayer is not the fruit of memory and invention but of faith hope and love a man by the help of memory and invention may frame and utter a prayer which his heart disliketh 3. Whatever prayers are according to the will of God v. 27. And he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God 3. VSE is to exhhort you to get this spirit of prayer and supplication 1. Beg the Spirit of God From his fatherly Love Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him 2. Beg it as purchased by Christ as one of his Disciples as one that hath consented to the Covenant of Grace which is a dutiful and obediential acceptance of Christ Jesus as our alone remedy so doth Paul pray for it Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So doth God offer it 3. Obey the spirit in other things and then he will help you in prayer Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God That implyeth that he not only directs but we follow his direction therefore make it your business to obey his motions when he would restrain you from sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the spirit moriifie the deeds of the body ye shall live When he inviteth and leadeth you into Communion with God which is called by the Apostle walking in the spirit Gal. 5.25 Obey him speedily for delay is a plausible denial thoroughly doing all that he requireth of you constantly not sometimes only when generally you neglect him the spirit is a stranger to you in prayer when you neglect his other motions there is a grieving the spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption A resisting the spirit Acts 7.51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the holy ghost And there is a quenching the spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 Quench not the spirit 4. Do not pride thy felf with the assistance he giveth Psal. 91.15 He shall call upon me and I will answer him and will be with him in trouble and I will deliver him Simon Magus would fain have the power to work miracles Acts 8.19 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the Apostles hands the holy ghost was given he offered them money saying give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy ghost SERMON XXXVI ROM VIII 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God IN these words the former priviledg is amplified He had spoken of the assistance we have from the spirit now acceptance Those sighs and groans which are stirred up in us by the spirit are not without fruit and success for they are taken notice of and accepted by the Lord. If they were confused and unintelligible groans or hasty sighs that die away and are gone like a puff of wind the priviledg were not so much no they are of greater regard than so they are observed and rewarded by God And he that searcheth c. In the words we have 1. A property of God mentioned that he searcheth the hearts 2. An Inference thence or an application to the matter in hand he knoweth the mind of the spirit 3. A reason why those groans are not unprofitable because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God God knoweth the meaning of them and accepteth what is agreeable to his will 1. Let us consider the property of God which is here mentioned he that searcheth the hearts God needeth no search but knoweth all things by simple intuition but 't is spoken after the manner of men who enquire and search into those things which they would know more accurately and exactly And so it sets forth the infinite knowledge of God Doct. They that come to worship God had need have their hearts deeply possessed with a sense of his Omnisciency I shall prove two things 1. That God is Omniscient and in particular doth know the hearts of men 2. That those that would worship before the Lord must soundly believe and seriously consider this 1. That the hearts of men lie open to the view of God is a truth often inculcated in Scripture as in that speech of God to Samuel the Prophet 1 Sam 16.7 When Eliab Jesses eldest son was brought before Samuel surely the Lords Anointed is before him And the Lord said Look not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature for I have refused him the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh
to this hour There was the innocent desire of his humane nature to be freed from the burden but his greater respect to Gods glory and the publick benefit of mankind made him submit to it His humane nature was to shew a reasonable aversation from what was destructive to it but his resolved will was to submit to God and overcome all impediments Take the instance lower Nature prompted Paul to ask freedom from the Thorn in the flesh but grace taught him to submit to Gods will Paul sinned not in having or giving vent to the natural inclination but the spiritual instinct must guide and overrule it So when we ask natural conveniences we sin not but yet this is not the spirit which God heareth in prayer Christ was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 Yet the cup did not pass away but he was supported so Paul was heard not for the removal of the thorn in the flesh but for sufficient grace 2 Cor. 12.9 And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness 2. There is a carnal sinful spirit which may be working in prayer as when the Disciples called for fire from Heaven Christ telleth them Luke 9.55 Ye know not of what spirit ye are of Men often miscarry in prayer being blinded either by an erring Judgment or their carnal Passions 1. By an erring judgment They put their false conceits and opinions into their prayers and so would engage God as Balaam sought by building Altars against his own people This kind of praying 't is a begging of God to do the Devils work to destroy his own Kingdom and suppress his most serious worshippers to gratifie the faction that opposeth them Nothing is so cruel and bloody but false and partial zeal will put men upon if their judgments be once tainted they think the killing of others is doing God good service John 16.2 Their devotions will be soon tainted also for men that follow a blind conscience will hallow and consecrate their rage and cruelty by prayer and solemn worship Isa. 66.5 Your brethren that hate you that cast you out of my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified Thence the old by-word in nomine Domini incipit omne malum Prayer is made a Preface to cruelty Now 't is a comfort to the faithful that God will not hear these prayers he knows what is the mind of the spirit 2. By carnal passions and desires Fleshly interest breedeth partiality and men think God should hear them in their worldly requests the motions of the flesh are very earnest for corrupt nature would fain be pleased Jam. 4.3 Ye ask have not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts 'T is the flesh prayeth and not the spirit You ask meat for your lusts Psal. 78.18 When their wants were abundantly supplyed yet they remained querelous and unsatisfied They must have dainties as well as necessaries as if Gods providence must serve their carnal appetites In these and such like cases the flesh prayeth and not the spirit but Christ will not put this dross into his golden Censer nor perfume our lusts with his sweet incense 3. The new Nature called also spirit which incineth us to God and Heaven Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication This prompteth and urgeth us to ask spiritual and heavenly things And such kind of requests are most pleasing to God 1 Kings 3.10 those things which are necessary to Gods glory and our salvation There is what the flesh savoureth and what the spirit savoureth the wisdom of the flesh perverteth and diverteth hearts from God and heaven to base low things such as the good things of this world pleasures riches honours But the spirit or the renewed part savoureth other things What is the savouring of the spirit What the new nature would be at or chiefly desireth And 't is a truth that the same spirit which is predominant at other times will work in prayer for the desires follow the constitution and frame of the heart Rom. 8.5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit As their constitution is so will their gust be and this tast and relish will shew its self in all things even in their prayers and devotions and whatever their words be the working of their hearts and according to their universal bent and temper 4. The holy spirit of God Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost His assistance is necessary to prayer not only to sanctifie our hearts but to excite our desires and direct our addresses to God so that we are inabled and raised to perform this duty with more ardency and regularity than we of our selves could attain unto A Christian hath both flesh and spirit in him and they remain in him as active principles always lusting against each other Gal. 5.17 In prayer we feel it for the Saints speak sometimes in a mixt dialect half the language of Ashdod and half of Canaan both of the flesh and of the spirit only the one overruleth the other by the power of the Holy Ghost take it in either property of prayer confidence or fervency of desire 1. For confidence Jonah 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again to thy holy Temple There is a plain conflict between faith and unbelief unbeliefs words is first out as if we were utterly rejected out of Gods care and favour yet faith will not suffer us to keep off from God and therefore corrects and unsaith again what unbelief had said before yet I will look again to thy holy Temple Try what God will do for me so Psal. 94.18 When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up yet there is relief in God when all their own confidence and courage faileth them 2. In point of fervency The flesh valueth esteemeth earnestly craveth temporal mercies fancieth a condition of health wealth liberty and worldly conveniencies as best for us We admire carnal happiness Psal. 144. But the spirit corrects the judgement of the flesh There is an higher and better happiness and that we should mainly seek after and all our worldly interests should be subordinated thereunto Now 't is not meerly the spirit or new nature in us which doth hold out in these conflicts but the new nature assisted by the Spirit of God who helpeth us in all our infirmities and to whom Religious manners sheweth we must ascribe all that we have and do All our faith and fervency cometh from him and without his assistance we should either sink under the difficulties or be cold and careless in our requests 2. In what sense God is said to know the mind of the spirit 1. By way of distinction 2. By way of approbation 1. By way of distinction God perfectly knoweth the mind and intention of those
according to the mind of the spirit 2. Gods knowing by way of approbation that he will accept and regard the prayer stirred up in us by his spirit the reason is given in the Text because he maketh requests for the saints according to the will of God In which clause we have 1. The work he maketh intercession 2. The persons for whom for the saints 3. The rule nature or kind of intercession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the will of God Let us first open these things 2. Consider why the prayer so made must needs be acceptable and pleasing to God 1. The work of the spirit he maketh intercession that is exciteth and directeth us to pray he imployeth and maketh use of our faculties mind and heart and tongue yea of our graces faith hope and love of faith to believe Gods being and providence both as to his present government internal or external or as to the future and eternal recompences This faith is the life of prayer for how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10.14 And Heb. 11.6 of our hope looking for these things we ask of him according to his will otherwise prayer is but a wearisome fruitless task Mal. 3.14 'T is in vain to serve God what profit is it to call upon him When we expect what we ask there is more life in asking Psal. 130.5 I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope That 's the posture of the soul in prayer And for love for here we come to shew our hearty groans after every thing which will bring us nearer to God Surely they that call upon God aright are they which delight themselves in the Almighty Job 27.10 The duty is an act of love and the life of the duty cometh from the fervency of our love for 't is a solemn expression of our desires if God be our portion we will thirst after him and express our desires after what conduceth to communion with him Thus the spirit maketh use of our faculties and graces he strengtheneth our faith quickneth our love and stirreth up our hope so that as 't is said Matth. 10.20 'T is not ye spake but the spirit of your Father that spaketh in you when he doth inable us to speak what is fit and proper before the Tribunals of men So he maketh intercession when he inableth understanding creatures to speak what is fit and proper before the throne of grace what will become faith hope and love 2. The persons for whom he prayeth for the Saints for two reasons 1. Because the saints only are acquainted with these operations 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit and John 14.17 Whom the world cannot receive because they know him not and see him not They do not regard his motions and operations but have their eyes fixed upon this world and the sins and vanities thereof They have no mind to imploy him though he offereth himself to them but the Saints cannot live without him 2. These are only fit to converse with God in prayer the persons are qualified for audience and acceptance with God and may obtain whatsoever in reason and righteousness we can ask of him 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight None else are in grace and favour with God and in a receiving posture according to the terms of the promise none but such as are justified sanctified and live in obedience to him Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight John 9.31 God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth And James 5.16 The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much And Psal. 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me So Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer is an abomination These and many more places shew who are they who have Gods ear the Saints and none but they who are careful to avoid all known sin and make conscience of performing all known duty then you will have a large share in his heart and love and he will be near you when you call upon him to counsel quicken and direct you and give you answers of grace upon all occasions 3. The rule nature or kind of this intercession he puts us upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 26. according to the will of God for matter and manner and ask lawful things to an holy and lawful end 1. The matter of the prayer 1 John 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him That if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us What is the meaning of that According to his will Answer 1. With conformity to his revealed will 2. With due submission to and reservation of his secret will 1. With conformity to his revealed and commanding will that we ask nothing unjust and unholy as if we would have God to bless us in some unlawful purpose or being byassed by envy revenge or any corrupt and carnal affection ask any thing contrary to piety justice charity or that holy meek spirit which should be in Christians Unlawful desires vended in prayer are a double evil as they are contrary to Gods commanding will and as they are presented to him in prayer to accomplish what we desire by his help as we would have him accommodate his providence to fulfil our lusts 2. With a due reservation of and submission to his secret and decreeing will The things we ask of God are of three sorts 1. Barely lawful so is every indifferent thing as when Moses would said enter into Canaan We cannot say God will give us such things God denied it to Moses Let is suffice thee speak no more of this matter Deut. 3.22 God would only give him a Pisgah sight 2. Not only lawful but commanded such a thing as may fall within the compass of our duty as when parents ask the conversion of their children or children beg the continuance of their parents life 't is not only lawful but commanded yet God disposeth of the event as it pleaseth him 3. Some things are absolutely good and necessary for us as the gift of the holy spirit Luke 11.13 such God will give But in the two former things we must use the means but refer the event to God who can best dispose of us to his own glory for though the thing be lawful though it be good yet it beareth these exceptions 1. If it be not contrary to any decree of God and cross not the harmony of his providence Would we have God rescind and disorder his wise counsels for our sake 2. If it be not inconvenient and
which is forced is not sincere Many own Christ in their sickness and distress that never care for him when they are well at ease then they forget all live as they did before when their turn is served There is a difference between a Womans coming to a Physician for cure and her coming to a Husband to dwell with him True Conversion doth begin in fear but it doth not end there it endeth in a change of Heart and a settled love to God and Holiness and an hatred of Sin This is not only seen in men when the fear of Death affrights them but in their whole lives Others under some Conviction they would have Christ for their Consciences and the World for their Hearts Secondly It must be a full and unbounded Consent to all the terms and demands of the Gospel to be what he would have you to be and to do what he would have you to do Mat. 13.44 The man sold all to buy the Pearl of great price You must not stick at any thing Though you are unwilling to let the match go yet it is no full consent Christ will be taken for better for worse you must renounce your dearest Lusts devote and resign your choicest Interests or else you are unworthy of him The bargain is not made till all your Interests be laid at his feet Luk. 14.26.33 So for Lusts Mat. 5.29.30 Here men usually stick and had rather undergo any cost and pains than undergo the mortification of Sin as you may see in Mica 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the most high God shall I come before him with Burnt Offerings and Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my First-born for my Transgression and the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul Now before it comes to this man hath many debates of Soul They are convinced that Sin is evil contrary to God and hurtful to themselves and have some mind to let it go But in fine their Hearts are more for it than against it and so do not come up to a saving consent to take Christ for their Lord and Husband The pleasures of sin are so bewitching that they cannot come up roundly to Christs terms or to the whole business of Christianity Thirdly It must be a firm and habitual Consent and such as is not retracted in our after Conversation Weak and wavering purposes soon come to nothing but when this is your ordinary frame and the new Nature and the inclination of your Souls is this way when there is a new bent put upon your Spirits then it will hold out Psal. 119.112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes alwayes to the end The Second thing remarkable in the Text is the Entrance of those that were ready in to the Nuptial Feast And 1. Who are the Persons They that are inwardly renewed and endowed with the saving Graces of the Spirit 2. What 's their Priviledge They went in to the Marriage to the Festivities of the Marriage Chamber or place of Nuptial Entertainment Marriage Feasts are often spoken of in Scripture Judg. 14.10 And Sampson made a feast for so used the young men to do And Gen. 29.22 And Laban gathered all the young men of the place and made a feast This figureth the joys of Eternal Life and that full and sweet Communion we shall have with Christ in Heaven Doct. Those only who are ready and prepared for Christ shall enter into eternal joys when others are excluded Luk. 12.37 Blessed are those Servants whom when the Lord cometh he shall find watching So Mat. 24.44 Therefore be ye also ready 1. I shall enquire What it is to be ready 2. Shew you why they only shall have eternal and immediate Communion with Christ. 1. What it is to be ready There is a Twofold Readiness 1. An Habitual and Constant Readiness 2. An Actual Readiness when you specially compose your selves to meet with Christ. 1. Of the Habitual and Constant Readiness that concerneth the state of the Person the frame of the Heart and the course of our Conversations as represented by Oyl in the Vessel and the Lamps kept burning 1. The State of the Person He must be one reconciled and one at peace with God There are two Expressions in Scripture that speak of the state that we must be found in when Christ cometh 2 Pet. 3.14 That we may be found of him in peace The other is 2 Cor. 5.3 That we may not be found naked And both do principally relate to Justification Our Peace depends upon our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 And till your Pardon be sued out in an humble and broken-hearted manner how will you be able to stand before the Lord till you be rectus in Curia and have a discharge of Sin and the Curse and be not found in a natural and unconverted Estate The other Expression is That we may not be found naked 'T is sad to appear before God with no other covering but our own Skins No there is no getting the Blessing but in the Garment of our Elder Brother Therefore we are so often bidden to put on the Lord Jesus Rom. 13.14 and Gal. 3.27 and that you buy of Him white Raiment to cover your nakedness Rev. 3.17 18. These places are principally to be interpreted of Justification though it will not exclude Sanctification For that is a Garment of Salvation to cover our loathsome nakedness from the sight of the Lord. 2. As to the frame of the Heart that it be renewed and Sanctified Habitual Grace is Oyl in the Vessel that there may be a Spring or Fountain of Grace in the Heart Joh. 7.38 but that I spake of before The Graces of the Spirit are the Brides Jewels and Ornaments are the things which the Bridegroom delights in Isa. 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my Soul shall be joyful in my God For he hath cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robes of his Righteousness As a Bridegroom decketh himself with Garments and as a Bride adorneth herself with Jewels c. The more these things are in us and abound in us the more lovely in Christs eyes 3. Something as to the course of our Conversation 'T is not enough to have Oyl in the Vessel but the Lamp must be kept burning our Graces in actual and continual exercise and we must alwayes make it our study to please the Lord. This is part of our Preparation For men are judged according to their works therefore what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.10 The life of Grace is seen in the fruits of it for that end was it given us not to lie idle in the Heart but to discover its influence and efficacy in every part of our Conversation 2 Pet. 1.8
Negligence in God's Service To undeceive you First Take these general Considerations 1. That Carnal Men are ill versed in the Art of excusing Evil when they have a right Principle to go upon and that which they think maketh for them usually maketh against them Solomon telleth us Prov. 26.9 That a Parable in a Fool 's Mouth is like a Thorn in the Hand of a Drunkard The Thorn was their Instrument of Sewing as the Needle with us Now a Drunkard woundeth and goreth himself because of his uneven Touch when his Spirits are disturbed with excess of Drink Do but observe how contrarily and perversely wicked Men will reason and what Inferences and Conclusions they will draw from those very Principles the Godly make a good use of As in 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Now compare this with 1 Cor. 7.29 30. But this I say Brethren the Time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use the World as not abusing it For the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Kings 6.33 And while he yet talked with them behold the Messenger came down unto him and he said Behold this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer Compare this with 1 Sam. 3.18 And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good So Haggai 1.2 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts The People say the Time is not come the Time that the Lord's House should be built Compare this Scripture with 2 Sam. 7.2 And the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains When David dwelt in a stately House his Heart was set upon building an House for the Lord. So Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance with Titus 2.11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Jude 4. Vngodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness 2. Sometimes Carnal Men pretend certain Causes and Excuses when their Conscience knoweth 't is otherwise and then the things alledged are not the real Opinions and inward Sentiments of their own Minds but something said or taken up to justifie their Sloath. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor Esseminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind c. As Hopes of Impunity though they live a Godless and sinful Course of Life If they were serious Conscience would tell them Men may be deceived with these things but God cannot Ye may stifle Conscience for a while with these Allegations but it will speak and then these sorry Fig-leaves will not serve the turn to hide your Nakedness 3. Sometimes these Excuses are the Fruit of Blindness Sottishness Ignorance and Infatuation and the Sluggard hath an high Conceit of his own Allegations Prov. 26.16 The Sluggard is wiser in his own Conceit than seven Men that can render a Reason He thinketh others are mopish giddy and crack-brain'd People that make more ado with Religion than needeth are too nice and scrupulous take it to be good Prudence to keep out of harms way His very foolish Thoughts he thinketh are wise Reasons that Religion is a merry thing Prov. 15.19 The way of a sloathful Man is a Hedge of Thorns but the way of the righteous Man is made plain He imagineth Difficulties and intolerable Hardships in a course of Goodliness 'T is our Cowardise and Pusillanimous Ignorance maketh the Ways of God seem hard All things are comfortable plain and easie to the pure and upright Heart Thus he bloweth hot and cold speaketh contrary things according as he looketh upon them with a sleight or pusillanimous Heart 4. Excuses argue an ill Spirit and an unwilling Heart When they should do something for God there is something still in the way some Danger or some Difficulty which they are loath to encounter withal Prov. 26.13 The sloathful Man saith There is a Lyon in the way They are fruits of the Quarrel between Conviction and Corruption and are usually found in us when we first begin to understand the way of the Lord but are loath to come up to the Terms Certainly 't is better be doing than excusing Doing is safe but Excuses are but a Patch upon a sore Place If we have done a Fault 't is better confess and seek a Pardon than to excuse and extenuate 5. Consider the Invalidity of all things that are usually alledged by Sinners And to help you consider 1. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which God's Word disproveth The Scriptures were purposely penned to refute the vain Sophisms that are in the Hearts of Men. Hâ—b 4.12 To divide between Soul and Spirit Joynts and Marrow and to discern the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart To discover the Affections of a sensual Heart how ever pailiated with the Pretences of a crafty Understanding to hide the Evil from themselves and others You must not lift up your private Conceits against the Wisdom of God 2. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which your Consciences are not satisfied with as Reason That is the Reason there are so many Appeals to Conscience in Scripture Do not your Consciences tell you you ought to be better to mind God more That if these things be true 2 Pet. 3.11 That all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 3. Nothing can be pleaded by way of Excuse which reflects upon God as if he had made an hard Law We are apt to plead so The way of the Lord is not equal The Woman thou gavest me she gave me and I did eat Will you excuse your Idleness and sin by the Severity of your Master and cast your Brat at his Doors 4. There can be no Excuse for a total Omission of necessary Duties In a partial Omission the Law it self alloweth a Dispensation as in case of Sickness we are taken off from some Work which God requireth at other times But some things are indispensibly required John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. Here is Necessitas precepti medii 5. You should harden your selves with no Excuse or Reason but what you dare plead when you stand before the Bar of Christ
Partakers of an Heavenly Calling 'T is unnatural for them to live alone They feed in Flocks Heb. 10.25 Man by Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath a Nature that is apt to make him gather into a Community and Society We are social not only upon Interest as weak without others but upon natural Inclination We have a desire to dwell and live together Eccles. 4.10 The Voice of Nature saith 'T is not good to be alone So 't is true of the new Nature there is a Spirit of Communion that inclineth them to some other and to joyn with them 2. Sheep they are innocent and harmless Creatures They that belong to Christ are not Bears and Tygers and Wolves but Sheep that often receive Harm but do none Christ was holy and harmless Phil. 2.9 and so are they 3. Sheep and obedient to the Shepherd The meek and obedient Followers of Christ are like Sheep in this who are docile and sequacious Joh. 10.4 He goeth before them and they know his Voice And Vers. 16. Other Sheep must I bring in also and they shall hear my Voice And Vers. 27. My Sheep hear my Voice I know them and they follow me All Christ's Comforts in all Places and all Ages have the same Properties and the same Impression 4. They are poor dependant Creatures They are ever attendant on the Shepherd or the Shepherd on them 1. Because of their erring Property They are Creatures plient to stray but being straved do not easily return Swine will run about all Day and find their way home at Night Domine errare per me potui redire non potuissem saith Austin Christ bringeth home the stray Lamb upon his own Shoulders Luk. 15. And Psal. 119.176 All we like Sheep have gone astray If God leave us to our selves we still shall do so 2. Because of their Weakness They are weak and shiftless Creatures unable to make Resistance Other Creatures are armed with Policy Skill or Courage to safeguard themselves but Sheep are able to do little for themselves They are wholly kept in dependance upon their Shepherd for Protection and Provision All their Happiness lieth in the good Wisdom Care and Power of the Shepherd Wolves Lyons and Leopards need none to watch over them Briars and Thorns grow alone But the noble Vine is a tender thing and must be supported pruned and dressed The higher the Being the more necessitous and the more kept in dependance There needs more care to preserve a Plant than a Stone a Stone can easily aggregate and gather Moss to its self There needeth more Supplies for a Beast than a Plant and more Supplies to a Man than to a Beast Thirdly The Wicked are as Goats They are as Goats both for their Vnruliness and Vncleanness Unruliness thâ—â— have not the Meekness of Sheep are ready to break through all Fence and 〈◊〉 So a wicked Man is yokeless They are also wanton and loathsom 't is a 〈◊〉 sort of Animal than the Sheep Therefore chosen to set forth a wicked and ungâ—â—ly Man The Second Point expressed is this That though now there is a Confusion of Godly and Wicked as of Goats and 〈◊〉 in the same Field yet then there shall be a perfect Separation There will not then be one of one sort in company with the other Psal. 50 5. He will gather his Saints together And Ezek. 34.17 I will judge between 〈◊〉 and Cattel the Sheep and the Goats Psal. 1.5 The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous When the Saints meet in a general Assembly not one bad shall be found among them 〈…〉 together in the same Kingdom in the same Village in the same visible Church in 〈◊〉 same Family yet then a perfect Separation The Reasons are briefly these two 1. The Judges Wisdom and Perspecuity 2. His Justice They that will not endure them now shall not then abide with them in the same Fellowship 1. VSE Here is Comfort to them that mourn under the degenerate and corrupted State of Christianity The Good and the Bad are mixed together many times they live in the same Herd and Flock 'T is a trouble to the Godly that all are not as they are And we feel the Inconveniency for the Carnal Seed will malign the Spiritual Gal. 4.29 But God will distinguish between Cattel and Cattel Discipline indeed is required in the Church to keep the Sound from being infected and the Neglect of it is matter of Grief But the Work is never perfectly done till then Then there is a perfect Separation and a perpetual Separation never to mix more 2. VSE This may serve to alarum Hypocrites Many hide the Matter from the World and themselves but Christ shall perfectly discover them and bring them to Light and shew themselves to themselves and all the World All their shifts will not serve the turn Here are mixed together the Sheep and the Goats the Chaff and the solid Grain Tares and Wheat Thorns and Roses Vessels of Honour and Dishonour Many do halt between God and Baal A Man cannot say They are Sheep or Goats neither do they themselves know it Therefore it calleth upon us to make our Estate more explicite Yea many that seemed Sheep shall be found Goats Then 't will appear whether they are Regenerated to the Image of Christ or destitute of the Spirit of Sanctification yea or no Whether they loved God above all or continued serving the Flesh making it their End and Scope 3. VSE Are we Sheep or Goats There is no neutral or middle Estate Is there a sensible Distinction between us and others then we shall have the Fruit and Comfort of it at that Day 1 Pet. 2.25 Ye were as Sheep going astray but now are returned to the Bishop and Shepherd of your Souls We all should look back upon our former Courses betaking our selves to Jesus Christ seeking to enjoy his Favour and Fellowship submitting to him as our Ruler and Guide resigning up ourselves to be at his Disposal both for condition of Life and choice of Way and Course I say when by his powerful Grace we are thus brought back from our sinful Way and Course and made to follow him as our Lord we are his Flock and he will mind us Time was when you did run wild according to your former Fancies and the bent of your unruly Hearts and were wholly Strangers to God and could spend Dayes Nights and Weeks and Months and yet never mind Communion with him But now the Business of your Souls is to give up your selves to him to take the Way which he hath prescribed to Everlasting Glory Resolve no longer to live to your selves but to be under his Discipline Secondly As to Place He shall set the Sheep upon the Right Hand and the Goats upon the Left In the Right Hand there is greater Strength and Ability and fitness for all kind of Operations therefore that Place is counted more
on his head nor the Entertainments made him when he lived upon earth but the feeding and cloathing of his hungry and naked Servants The greatest part of Christians never saw Christ in the Flesh But the Poor they have alwayes with them Kindness to these is Kindness to him Again Among these he doth not mention the most Eminent the Prophets and Apostles or the great Instruments of his Glory in the World but the least of his Brethren even those that are not only little and despicable in the esteem of the World but those that are little and despicable in the Church in respect of others that are of more eminent Use and Service Again The least Kindness shewn unto them Mat. 10.42 Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward He had spoken before of kindness to Prophets and righteous Men Men of Eminent Gifts and Graces then ordinary Disciples among these the least and most contemptible either as to outward Condition or State of Life or to Use and Service and it may be inward Grace Now all this sheweth what value Christ sets upon the meanest Christians and the smallest and meanest Respect that is shewed them The smallness and meanness of the Benefit shall not diminish his Esteem of your Affection any thing done to his People as his People will be owned and noted When the Saints that newly came from the Neglects and Scorns of an unbelieving World shall see and hear all this what cause will they have to wonder and say Lord who hath owned thee in these Alas in the World all is quite contrary Let a Man profess Christ and resemble Christ in a lively manner and own Christ thoroughly presently he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set up for a Sign of Contradiction and that not only among Pagans but Professing Christians yea by those that would seem to be of great note in the Church as the Corner-stone was refused by the Builders 1 Pet. 2.7 And therefore when Christ taketh himself to be so concerned in their Benefits and Injuries they have cause to wonder Christ was in these and the World knew it not 3. At the Greatness of the Reward That he should not only take notice of these Acts of Kindness but so amply remunerate them In the Rewards of Grace God worketh beyond humane Imagination and Apprehension 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things God hath prepared for them that love him We cannot by all that we see and hear in this World which are the Senses of Learning form a Conception large enough for the Blessedness of this Estate Enjoyers and Beholders will wonder at the Grace and Bounty and power of their Redeemer 'T is transcendent hyperbolical weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Where is any thing that they can do or suffer that is worthy to be mentioned or compared with so great a Recompence When these Bodies of Earth and Bodies of Dust shall shine like the Stars in Brightness these sublime Souls of ours see God face to face these wavering and inconstant Hearts of ours shall be immutably and indeclinably fastned to love him and serve him and praise him as without Defection so without Intermission and Interruption and our Ignominy turned into Honour and our Misery into everlasting Happiness Lord what Work of ours can be produced as to be rewarded with so great a Blessedness VSE That which we learn from this Question of theirs supposed to be conceived upon these Grounds is 1. An humble Sense of all that we do for God The Righteous remember not any thing that they did worthy of Christ's Notice and we should be like-minded Nehem. 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the Greatness of thy Mercy When we have done our best we had need to be spared and forgiven rather than rewarded On the contrary Luk. 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus to himself God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extorioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican And those Isa. 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have have afflicted our Souls and thou takest no Knowledge They challenge God for their Work None more apt to rest in their own Righteousness than they that have the least Cause Formal Duties do not discover Weakness and so Men are apt to be puffed up they search little and so rest in some outward things 'T is no great Charge to maintain painted Fire The Substantial Duties of Christianity such as Faith and Repentance imply Self-humbling but external things produce Self-exalting They put the Soul to no stress Loaden Boughs hang the Head most so are holy Christians most humble None labour so much as they do in working out their Salvation and none so sensible of their Weaknesses and Imperfections Old Wine puts the Bottles in no danger there is no Strength and Spirits left in it So do formal Duties little put the Soul to it On the other side they are conscious to so many Weaknesses as serious Duties will bring into the View of Conscience and have a deep Sense of their Obligations to the Love and Goodness of God and a strong Perswasion of the Blessed Reward None are so humble as they They see so much Infirmity for the present so much Obligation from what is past and such sure Hope of what is to come that they can scarce own a Duty as a Duty None do Duties with more Care and none are less mindful of what they have done They discern little else in it that they contribute any thing to a good Action but the Sin of it This is to do God's Work with an Evangelical Spirit doing our utmost and still ascribing all to our Mediator and blessed Redeemer 2. What Value and Esteem we should have for Christ's Servants and Faithful Worshippers Christ treateth his Mystical Body with greater Indulgence Love and Respect than he did his Natural Body for he doth not dispense his Judgment with respect to that but these He would not have us know him after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Please our selves with the Conceit of what we would do to him if he were alive and here upon Earth but he will judge us according to the Respect or Disrespect we shew to his Members even to the meanest among them To wrong them is to wrong Christ Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his Eye The Churches Trouble goes near his Heart which in due time will be manifested upon the Instruments thereof To sleight them is to sleight Christ He that despiseth you despiseth me To grieve and offend them is to grieve and offend Christ. Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little Ones for I say unto you That in
of our Mercies we should bless God for our Relations Our Relations are the Sphere of our Activity 2. The Duty of our Vocation and Calling Every Christian hath his way and place some work which God gave him But of this see more by and by 7. When God is the great Scope and End of our Lives and Actions of all that we are all that we do all that we desire God must be the ultimate End In our ordinary Actions 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the Glory of God Not offer a Meat-Offering and Drink-Offering to Appetite The Apostle instances in these things partly because in these natural Actions we are most apt to offend Such is the unthankful Nature of Man that we forget God when he remembers us most when he is most present in the fruits of his Bounty then he is usually banished from our Hearts Corruptions are most stirring when we are warmed with the liberal use of the Creatures Job sacrificed when his Children feasted Job 1.5 And it was so when the Days of their Feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts The Devil bringeth his Dish usually to our Tables Disdain of the slenderness of our Provision Quarrels Contentions Censures of the People of God c. Partly for greater Emphasis If in common Actions we are to design God's Glory as our End much more in such Actions as we make a business of So in Acts of Grace the Creature cannot be the ultimate End and God's Goodness only a Means thereunto There is a great deal of learned Folly and Atheism vented branding those as mystical Divines that call upon Men to mind things as God minded them who aims at his own Glory as his ultimate End Eph. 1.6 They say Man's ultimate End is his own Happiness some cry up the Principle of Self-Love then belike all the Goodness of God is to be estimated by the Felicity of Man this were to make Man his own Idol and to measure all good and evil by his own Interest The fulfilling of God's Will and promoting his Glory should be the end of all Obedience otherwise we make not the Creature for God but God for the Creature and so make the Creature better than God as being the ultimate End of God himself at least to us as if the highest End of all his Goodness were the Felicity of the Creature Secondly Vbi Where On Earth I have glorified thee on Earth 1. Where so few mind God's Glory where all seek their own Things their own Honour their own Profit their own personal Contentment A Christian should walk in counter-motion to the generality of the World Phil. 3.20 But our Conversation is in Heaven Mal. 4.1 2. The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble c. But unto you that fear the Lord c. He is an Exception from the common use and practice of Mankind 2. On Earth which is the place of our Trial where there are so many Difficulties and Temptations to divert us We must glorify him on Earth if we expect that he should glorify us in Heaven Many expect to glorify God in Heaven but take no care to glorify God here on Earth The Saints in Heaven glorify God but without any Difficulty Strife and Danger it costs them no Shame no Pain no Trouble no loss of Life or Limb but here where the Danger is there is the Duty and Trial. Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before Men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Christ will remember them and their labour of Love When he cometh in his Majesty he is not ashamed of his poor Clients and Friends these owned me in my Abasement and I will own them in my exalted State You cannot honour Christ so much as he will honour you Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Ye who are here exposed to Sorrows and Sufferings for his Sake It is fond to think of glorifying God in Heaven and singing Hallelujahs to his Praise when thou dost not stand to his Truth on Earth Esse bonum facile est ubi quid vetat esse remotum The Trial of Duty is Self-Denial Thirdly Quomodo I have finished the work which thou hast given me to do 1. It is Work that glorifieth God It is not Words and empty Praises but an holy Conversation Job 31.20 If his Loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Psal. 50.23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples A godly fruitful Life is the real Honour the other is but empty Prattle It is our Work and Actions not our bare Profession only you may pollute God else Ezek. 36.20 You may exalt him in Profession and pollute him in Conversation Many Christians Lives are the Scandal of their Religion Again it is not Wishes that glorify God but Practice We would have God glorified but do not glorify him We would have him glorified Passively but do not glorify him Actively and are more careful of Events than Duties We are troubled about God's Name and are more ready to ask Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name than Lord what wilt thou have me to do A Christian should rather be troubled about what he should do than about what he should suffer 2. That every Man hath his Work Life was given to us for somewhat not meerly that we might fill up the number of Things in the World as Stones and Rubbish not to grow in Stature so Life was given to the Plants that they might grow bulky and increase in Stature nor meerly to tast Pleasures that is the happiness of the Beasts to enjoy Pleasures without remorse God gave Men higher Faculties of Reason and Conscience to manage some Work and Business for the Glory of God and his own eternal Happiness The Rule is general that all Adam's Sons are to eat their Bread in the sweat of their Brows to follow some honest Labour and Vocation Adam's two Sons were Heirs Apparent of the World the one imployed in Tillage the other in Pasturage The World was never made to be an Hive for Drones and Idle Ones It is true there is a difference between Callings
Molestations of the World but you have a sanctified use of them John 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have Peace in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good comfort I have overcome the World The Victory consisteth not in not suffering and not fighting but keeping what we fight for 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliver me from every evil Work not from the Lion but Sin Vse 5. The Example of Christ. When we die let us be mindful of the Danger of our Relations that we leave behind us our Families Church Ministry commend them to God Dying Christians should be best at the last dying Moses left a Song Do not leave the World without a testimony of your Love and Zeal 2. Pet. 1.14 15. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my Decease to have these things always in remembrance SERMON XVI JOHN XVII 11 And now I am no more in the World but these are in the World and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are I Come to the Compellation of the Party to whom the Prayer is made Holy Father This Compellation is to be observed Titles of God in Scripture are suited to the Requests made to him as 2 Thess. 3.16 The God of Peace give you peace always by all means So Rom. 15.5 The God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another He prays for brotherly-forbearance and sweetness In the several Paragraphs of this Chapter Christ speaketh to his Father in a different Stile according to the Nature of the Address Vers. 1 5. it is Father only In Verse 28. it is Righteous Father because of the Truth and Equity which he observeth in his gracious Dispensations and here it is Holy Father When he beggeth things suitable to his commutative Justice then it is Righteous Father but when he asketh things suitable to his Holiness it is Holy Father Certainly it is a great Relief to Faith in Prayer to pitch upon such a Name and Title in God as suiteth with the Nature of the Request it begetteth a Confidence that he both can and will do us good When we call a Man by his Name he will look about upon us and when we ask things according to his Nature he will pity us But why doth Christ use this Title at this Time I Answer Some take Holiness more largely for the general Goodness and Perfection of the Divine Essence a branch of which is his Veracity or Truth in keeping Promises and conceive the Argument thus The Holy God cannot break his Word nor be stained with any Unfaithfulness therefore unless God should deny himself he will keep them through his own Name But I rather think it is specially put for his Purity Christ goeth to his Father as a pure Fountain of Grace for Sanctification for his Disciples Holiness it is the Object of God's Approbation the Effect of his Operation he worketh Holiness and he delighteth in it Holy Father that art Holy in thy Essence Holy in thy Influences Holy in thy Dispensations sanctify them by thy Truth thou that abhorrest all that is Evil workest all that is Good keep them from the Evil God hateth Sin as much as we do and infinitely more and therefore it is some hope that he will help us against it Doct. When we deal with God in Prayer especially for Grace and Sanctification we must look upon him as an Holy Father I. I will open the Holiness of God Holiness implieth a freedom from Sin and Defilement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the privative Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra in whom there is no Earth no Pollution but all Heavenly Purity When God speaketh to us he crieth out Jer. 22.29 O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord. We are Earth in our Understandings in our Affections is our Practices But when the Seraphims speak to God they cry Holy Holy Holy as if it were said without Earth without Earth without Earth Briefly God's Holiness is an Attribute by which we understand his Essence to be most perfectly just and pure at the utmost distance from sin and weakness loving and liking himself above all and the Creatures as they do more or less partake of his Glory Now God is called The Holy One not An Holy One but The Holy One. 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none Holy as the Lord. He doth not say There is none Holy but the Lord but there is none Holy as the Lord. Therefore let us see the difference between the Holiness of God and the Holiness of the Creatures This is an Argument fit for a Seraphim it becometh an Angel's Mouth rather than Man's the Angels that come nearer to God in Essence can best proclaim his Holiness But our Ear hath received a little thereof None is Holy as the Lord because God is essentially Holy infinitely Holy and originally Holy 1. He is Essentially Holy God is not only Holy but Holiness self Goodness it self it is his very Essence The Creatures when they are Holy they are Holy according to the Law the Holiness of Angels or Men is a Conformity to the Law of their Creation as we say he is Holy whose Heart and Life doth exactly agree with God's Law But God's Will is his Rule his Essence is his Law and therefore all his Actions are necessarily Holy The Divine Esse and Being as it is the beginning of all Beings so it is the Rule of all Moral Perfections all created Holiness is but a resemblance of God's either a conformity to God's Nature or a conformity to God's Will Habitual Holiness is a conformity to God's Nature Actual Holiness is a conformity To God's Will his Will is the Rule his Nature is the Patern But now God is a Rule to himself there are no eternal Reasons of Good and Evil beyond God Things are not first Holy and then God doth them but God doth them and therefore they are Holy He himself is his own Rule Andy one may err that hath not the Rule of Righteousness in himself God's Act is his Rule therefore he cannot sin The Hand of the Artificer faileth often in cutting because his Hand is not the Rule by which he worketh there is a Rule or Line without him sometimes he striketh right sometimes wrong If the Hand of a Man were the Rule it were impossible he should work amiss There is a Rule prescribed to Angels and Men their Will is one thing their Rule another for no Creature is Holy by its own Essence This Notion is of practical use there is Holiness in all that cometh from God when he afflicteth us and our Friends or suffereth us to be unjustly afflicted by Men when he
have done how to preserve Peace as well as Truth Certainly we that have one Father are born of one Mother acknowledg one Elder Brother even Christ by whom we are adopted hope for one Patrimony we should be more careful to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace We have a great many Contentions now for one holy Contention Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to Love and to good Works What Arguments shall I use The danger of the Papists on one hand of Sects on the other Of Papists If ever the Beast were likely to recover of his Wounds now it is Our Divisions make us first a Laughing-Stock to the Enemy and then a Prey first we are had in contempt then they use violence And it may be just with God to suffer it when Piety decreaseth Charity is exiled and Bitterness Partialities Strife Suspicions are only left to reign and flourish Certainly if once a Peace were setled in the Reformed Churches the Prophecies concerning Antichrist would soon be accomplished those Relicts of God's Election which do as yet remain in Spiritual Babylon would soon come out from amongst them who are now scandalized at our Divisions As when a Boat is to take in Passengers when all the Passengers are in the Boat they lanch out and hoist up Sail. They are weary of the Idolatry and Superstitions of the Romish Church and would soon break the Cords wherewith they are now held Truth would have a greater Power Acts 4.32 33. And the multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common And with great Power gave the Apostles witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and Grace was upon them all As to Sects on the other side Libertines daily increase by means of the Divisions amongst them that fear God and grow formidable in the variety of their Combinations and Endeavours Jude 11. Wo unto them for they 〈◊〉 gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the Error of Baalam for Reward and perished in the gain-saying of Core There would be an end of this Itch if all that fear God would join together as one Man in the defence of the Gospel Alas we have striven long enough hindred the common Salvation long enough Scandals enough have been given it is high time to renounce all Fruits of Revenge and Ambition and think of Peace and Unity But you will say What would you have us to do I Answer Something with God something as to Men. Something with God Pray and Mourn lay to Heart the Divisions that are among God's People I speak for Sion's sake we should be very earnest with God for Sion Isa. 62.1 For Sion 's sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalem 's sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof go forth as Brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth A great House is smitten with Breaches and a little House with Clefts not only Kingdoms but particular Families are destroyed when the Members of them are divided in Opinions and Affections Psal. 122.6 Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Let this be your constant Request to God be not acted with a private factious Spirit Something is to be done with Men. I do not speak now how to keep Peace it is past that but how to restore it now it is lost What shall we do The Apostle telleth you Phil. 3.15 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto ye have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same Thing There is no Remedy now left but brotherly-forbearance towards those that hold the Foundation It were to be wished that we could agree not only in Fundamentals but in all other the Accessaries of Christian Doctrine But this cannot be hoped for What then shall the Rent go further and further without any Remedy No let therefore all Parties that in the judgment of a regular Charity may be presumed to have owned Christ walk together as far as they have attained And how is that I can only propound my Wishes and Desires let them reserving their private Differences to themselves come under some common Rule or solemn Acknowledgment of the Foundations of Religion What if there were a Form drawn up to that purpose to which both should stand I think to state Fundamentals is a Matter of great difficulty God would make us cautious of every Truth therefore the Canon of the Scripture is very large But there are some things propounded in the Scriptures as absolutely necessary without which Salvation cannot be had If we were mutually engaged to the Profession of these patiently bearing with one another in other things undecided mutually abstaining from Magisterial Decisions and Enforcements and obtruding Opinions upon one another by Violence and all rash Condemnations castings out of Christ limiting Religion to our own Party saying Here is Christ and there is Christ as if Christ were divided commending one another's Prosperity to God by mutual Prayers this were a healing Course Let us perform all mutual Offices of Love and Spiritual Counsel to one another strengthning one another in solid Piety holding forth light in the lesser Differences with all modesty and candor and in Civil Matters standing as one Man against the common Enemy and using Endeavours to promote the Kingdom of Christ without any Reflections on our private Honour Profit and Interests If this were once done I doubt not but the Fog would vanish and we should find our selves nearer to one another than we do imagine I am not altogether out of hope that this will be done because of the Promises It is done already in the Kingdom of Poland between the Lutherans and the Calvinists Vse 3. To perswade the Ministers of the Gospel to a greater Concord and Amity in the joint discharge of their Work Christ prayeth here for the Apostles that they may be One How should we agree together in pressing Duty reprehending Sin This would be an effectual and potent Means not only to the Peace of the Church but Success of the Gospel Schism in the Church of Corinth arose from the Emulation of Ministers among themselves one striving to excel the other in Eloquence and Favour among the People and contemning Paul and others that followed the simplicity of the Gospel So the Apostle noteth it elsewhere Phil. 1.15 Some preach Christ out of Envy and Strife and some also of Good-will It is usual that one carpeth at another's Gifts one standing in the way of another's Honour and Profit like Men in a Boat justling at one another till the Boat it self be sunk One faileth and yieldeth to the Promises and Threatnings
he might enjoy the World always They have their Reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.2 They discharge God of all his Promises and look for no more A thousand Worlds will not satisfy a craving Heart but a Child of God is content with the least Mercies but not satisfied Contentment respects God's Allowance but this is not their portion they do not murmur but yet they desire more A Reprobate's Portion will not serve the turn Nothing is more acceptable to a Carnal Heart in conceit than to live here for ever and to delight themselves in Meat and Drink and the Sports and Glory of the World Now this is quite contrary to the Example of Christ a Disposition that seeketh to make the Life and Death of Christ of none effect Christ came from Heaven to Earth to fetch us to Heaven if thou cleavest to the World Christ's coming is in vain he lived in a poor Estate to teach us to despise the World his Life was a Sermon of Mortification he died to deliver us from the present World he ascended that we might follow him with our Hearts while we live here 2. The Courage of Christ's Example He was not for the Humor of that Age. John 8.23 Ye are from Beneath I am from Above ye are of this World I am not of this World He speaketh to the carnal Jews that looked for a Pompous Messiah that should maintain their Worship and State and deliver them from the Roman Yoke and Servitude Christ was not a Messiah for their turn if Christ had complied with their Humors he had been more generally received So a Christian's Courage is a Counter-motion to the Fashions and Humors of the Age. We must not be afraid to be singular in Holiness So was Christ Acts 2.40 Save your selves from this untoward Generation not only in purpose and thought of Heart but externally in course of Life When Men are afraid to estrange themselves from the corrupt and carnal Courses of the World that are in fashion they do not write after Christ's Copy What Father would endure his Son should be intimate with his Enemies and symbolize with them in Practice and Conversation Therefore you must look to this you are in danger Christ's Example is only left upon Record and the World's Example is before your Eyes living Examples work much and taint insensibly The Prophet complained Isa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips An estrangement in course of Life will draw trouble upon you but Persecution is not as bad as Hell nor is Man's Wrath to be feared as much as God's Judgments Carnal Men may make great Profession of the Name of Christ but they humour the World 1 John 4.5 They are of the World therefore speak they of the World and the World heareth them they comply to humor the Carnal World in their inveterate Customs and Superstitions Vse 2. To press Christians not to conform to the World It is Paul's Exhortation Rom. 12.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not conformed to the World It is a sad thing when Christians are cast into the World's Stamp and Mould to symbolize with them in Practices and Affections Two things you should take heed of The World's Spirit and the World's Courses and Practices First The World's Spirit A Man is Good or Evil according to the disposition of his Heart Phil. 3.19 They mind earthly things The Apostle doth not describe Carnal Men there by any notorious scandalous Sin but by the inward frame of the Spirit This is most odious in the Eyes of God the Carnal Conversation is an effect of a Carnal frame of Spirit first Men mind Earthly Things and then in time they come to hate the Gospel and to symbolize with the World in Practices 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present World James 4.4 Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God Now the Frame of the Heart may be known 1. By the working of the Thoughts Counsels and Deliberations Therefore we should observe what we think of and meditate most upon Inventions serve Affection As the Heart is so are the Thoughts and Counsels A worldly Man is always thinking of the World and framing endless Projects how to grow great and high Therefore it is said 2 Pet. 2.14 They have an Heart exercised with covetous Practices that is always plotting how to bring the World into their Net As the Apostle would have Timothy to exercise himself unto Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 that is to be much in consulting and contriving how to carry on the Holy Life with most advantage So their Hearts are exercised with covetous Practices that is with worldly Purposes and Thoughts All Sins do more or less discover themselves by the Thoughts for a Man will deliberate to accomplish that which he aimeth at and chiefly VVorldliness occupieth the Thoughts for it is a serious Madness full of carking and caring and vain Projects VVhen our Saviour would represent a VVorldling he bringeth him in musing Luke 12.17 18. And he thought with himself saying I will do thus and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum mire appositum saith Beza for a worldly Man is always framing Dialogues within himself between his Reason and his carnal Desires Distractions in Worship are chiefly ascribed to Covetousness Ezek. 33.31 With their Mouth they shew much Love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness The Prophet instances in that Sin tho other Lusts withdraw the Heart and distract in Hearing as unclean Glances vain Glory c. Words are but Thoughts expressed there is a quick intercourse between the Mind and the Tongue Now it is said John 3.31 He that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth There is nothing of Heaven in their Thoughts nothing in their Language and Communication a heavy Clod cannot move upward of it self Observe the drift of your Thoughts your first and last Thoughts Morning and Evening what Guest haunteth you in Duties When the Heart is deeply engaged the Mind cannot be taken off from thinking 2. By your esteem When a Man prizeth worldly Things when you over-rate them have too greatning Thoughts of the World the Devil is at your Elbow and the Spirit of the VVorld is set a-work Happy is the People that is in such a Case Psal. 144. ult VVhat is the Treasure of the Soul Carnal men have no savour of Christ. God's People sometimes may be taken with a glittering shew of worldly Things but their solid esteem is in Christ he is their Treasure the Soul feasts it self with the Riches of Grace To a Carnal Heart heavenly things are but a Notion it worketh no more than a Dream To a gracious Heart the Substance of the VVorld is but a Fancy John
the Sickness as being the chief of the kind Before I come to the Observations I must clear up the latter part of the Text Thy Word is Truth Why is this added I Answer Either by way of Explication or by way of Argument and Reason 1. By way of Explication Christ would pray intelligibly some might ask as Pilate did What is Truth John 18.38 Christ answereth Thy VVord is Truth The Word is the authentik and publick Record of the Church the Truth whereby we are sanctified is no where else to be found all pretended Truths are hereby to be examined 2. Or else by way of Argument and Reason why Christ would have them to be sanctified by the Truth that they might have a saving experience of the Power of it and so the better preach it to others then we know the Truth of the Word when it sanctifieth This premised I come to the Point Doctrine That God sanctifieth by his Truth I shall open the Point in these Propositions 1. God's way of working is by Light and in infusing Grace he beginneth with the Understanding He dealeth with Man as a rational Creature and therefore not only teacheth but draweth and sanctifieth the Heart by enlightning the Mind As the rising of the Sun doth not only dispel Darkness but Mists and Vapors so doth a saving Light not only dispel Ignorance but Lusts. This way is Spiritual Life begun Ephes. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light A Man would have thought the Apostle should rather have said and Christ shall give thee Life than give thee Light It is the Apostle's word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall shine upon thee rather than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken thee But Light is enough the Power of Grace breaketh in upon the Soul by the Light of the Gospel As it is said of the Natural Life John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Reason and Understanding are the Fountain of Life to Men so is Spiritual Reason and Spiritual Understanding to the Soul If the Mind of a Man were once Spiritual inlightned and possessed of the Ways of God the Heart could not utterly reject them There is a notional Illumination that like a Winter-Sun shineth but warmeth not leaveth no comfort and profit upon the Heart But a Spiriâ—â—al Light is always effectual for tho the Will and the Judgment are distinct Facâ—lties and the Will is averse as the Understanding is blind yet God doth never soundly and throughly convince the Judgment but he moveth and inclineth the Will If we know things as we ought to know as the Truth is in Jesus Ephes. 4.21 the Heart must needs close with the Ways of God for the Will of Man is not brutish but reasonable and acteth reasonably Answerably â—o the discovery of Good or Ill in the Understanding there is a Prosecution or Aversation in the Will Therefore a through conviction of Judgment must be the ground of Grace in the Heart for God worketh in us not only by a powerful and real Efficacy but agreeably to an intelligent Nature by teaching perswading counselling nothing can be wrought in this moral way unless Light and Knowledg go before 2. It must be a true and not a false Light Truth sanctifieth and Error defileth Titus 1.1 According to the acknowledgment of the Truth that is after Godliness Right thoughts of God and his Ways preserve an awe in the Heart which both restraineth and reneweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom It is Truth that cleanseth the Heart Error leaveth a stain and defilement The Understanding and the Will are like the Head and Stomach a corrupt Heart blindeth the Mind and a blind Mind corrupts the Heart they mutually vitiate one another As in a ruinous House the upper Room being uncovered lets down the Rain to founder the Supporters â—â—low and the rottenness of the Supporters below weakeneth all above Erroneous Persons are generally represented in Scripture as vain and sensual Jude 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the Flesh First there is Dreaming and then Defilement Error maketh way for Looseness and a vain Mind for vile Affections Partly by God's just Judgment some Opinions seem to be remote and lie far enough from practice yet the Persons that profess them are generally loose Nay some Errors seem to encourage strictness as Doctrines concerning the Power of Nature and the Merit of good Actions but we find it is otherwise Duty is best pressed upon God's Terms Phil. 2.12 13. Wherefore my Beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure By the Judgment of God such are of loosest Life God will have his Glory kept unstained Idolatry is expressed by Whoredom Bodily Uncleanness ends in Spiritual Hosea 4.12 13. My People ask counsel of their Stocks and their Staff declareth unto them for the Spirit of Whoredoms have caused them to err and they go a whoring from under their God They sacrifice upon the tops of the Mountains and burn Incense upon the Hills under Oaks and Poplars and Elms because the shadow thereof is good Therefore your Daughters shall commit Whoredoms and your Spouses shall commit Adultery So Rom. 1.23 24. They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the Lusts of their own Hearts to dishonour their own Bodies between themselves Partly by a natural Efficacy the Spirit is embased by Error and all false Principles have a secret and pestilential influence on the Life and Practice We lose a sense and care of Piety if we have not a right apprehension of God's Essence and Will a frame of Truth keepeth an awe Therefore where there is so much Truth as to sanctify yet because it is mingled with Falshood there is no such reverence of God no such strictness Unbelief is the Mother of Sin Misbelief is the Nurse of it In Error there is a sinful confederacy between the rational and the sensual Part and so carnal Affections are gratified with carnal Doctrines 3. Every true Light will not serve the turn but it must be the Light of the Word God hath reserved this honour of sanctifying the Heart to the Doctrine of the Scriptures to evidence their Divine Original James 1.18 Of his own Will begaâ— he 〈◊〉 with the Word of Truth The great change that is wrought in the Heart of Man is by the Word a Moral Lecture may make a Man change his Life but the Word of God maketh a Man change his Heart as Xenocrates's Moral Lectures made Pollemo leave his vitious and sensual course of Life But Regeneration is only found in
Signs and Wonders were not ordained for the Stage and Scene to cause admiration and pastime for every wanton Spectator Again I observe that generally these Miracles were Actions of Relief and Succour not meerly of Pomp and Glory and tended to deliver from the Miseries of Soul and Body as Blindness Sickness and Devils I remember but two of Christ's Miracles that were destructive blasting the Fig-tree and drowning the Herd of Swine in other Miracles he was exercised in curing the Sick raising the Dead casting out Satan c. Object 1. Ay but we have none now Answ. It is not necessary because the same Doctrine and Rule is continued to us without change That which is extraordinary must be proved by extraordinary Means Miracles wrought where there is no necessity are liable to suspicion When Christ's Doctrine was new and the Calling and Function that he exercised in the Church new then were Miracles wrought to confirm them The Lord's manner hath always been when he erects any new Worship and Service to give testimony to it from Heaven as Trees newly set need watering which afterwards we discontinue Upon the delivery of any new Law or Truth to the World natural and ordinary means of Conviction are wanting None now pretendeth to be an extraordinary Messenger from God the Doctrine is ordinary and the Call ordinary and why should we expect extraordinary Confirmation the Old sufficeth And by the consent and experience of many Ages and its own Reasonableness Christianity hath gotten a just Title to humane Belief and there we must submit John 20.30 31. And many other Signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book But these were written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God God hath given us the Report and Record of the old Miracles which is enough to beget Faith in them that have a mind to believe rather than wrangle We think it had been better if God had continued this sensible Confirmation but we must not give Laws to Heaven Because we have so much Light and other Inducements of Faith God will govern us by Wisdom and not by Power It is true Men are less apprehensive of his Wisdom than of the sensible effects of his Power but because we have otherwise Confirmation sufficient now doth God try us whether we will turn Atheists and Antiscripturists and upon light suspicion misbelieve Object 2. How shall we know that those Miracles were done since we saw them not we have but Fame and Report which oftentimes is no Friend to Truth Answ. We have the Report of Men that lived in that Age who were only fit Witnesses in this Case and were Persons of singular Holiness and Credit and they were those that sealed it with their Blood and therefore their Report is of as great Authority and Certainty as if we had seen them our selves And besides the Report is ancient constant not contradicted by the vigilant Adversaries of that Age with them which would be a madness if they were false and counterfeit since they might so easily enquire into the Truth of the Report Foreign Histories testify that such things were done tho they seek to deprave the Actions as if done by the Power of Satan And hitherto the Church hath maintained the Truth of them against all Opposers But of this hereafter Vse To press us to reverence the Word of God since God hath owned it by Miracles and sealed up Instruction as the Expression is Job 33.16 that is ratified it by extraordinary Dispensations The Apostle proveth that the Despisers of the Gospel will have a sorer Judgment than the Despisers of the Law Heb. 2.2 3 4. For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will The Transgressors of the Law tho they did not see God giving it upon the Mount were punished and so will the Disregarders of the Gospel tho they did not see the Miracles It is better to believe than to make trial there are no Atheists and Antiscripturists in Hell they feel the Truth of what they would not fear Nay when God hath owned it if you neglect it or receive it carelesly or do not study it tho you do not openly oppose or secretly question the Authority of it if you neglect it God will deal severely with you The Miracles were then wrought and the Doctrine needeth not often Confirmation Thirdly The Accomplishment of Prophecies Threatnings Promises as if God had made the Word a Rule of proceeding and the whole Government of the World were managed in a conformity to the Scriptures for his whole Providence is but a Comment upon it 1. Prophecies How have they always been accomplished as set down in the Word Isa. 41.23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods A Man may foretel things that depend on Natural Causes as Snow Rain Heat Cold Eclipses but things meerly contingent depending upon the Free Grace of God or Free Will of Man are foretold in the Word as the Rejection of the Jews and the Calling of the Gentiles are clearly spoken of and clearly accomplished The Scripture is not only an Authentick Register of what is past but an infallible Prognostication of what is to come nothing good or bad befel but that which was foretold 2. So for Threatnings God governeth the World by this Rule Threatnings have been accomplished Hosea 7.12 I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard A Man might have the History of the Jews from Time to Time out of the Threatnings of Moses and prophetical Predictions and extract the Life of Christ out of the Writings of the Prophets Object But Threatnings many Times are not accomplished Answ. The Prerogative of Free-Grace many times doth interpose and God worketh extra ordinem God hath reserved this Liberty to himself he is not bound tho we are It is for his Honour that it should be so as all humane Laws allow the chief Magistrate a liberty of Pardoning There is difference between Laws and Decrees the Threatnings are the Sanction of the Law 3. Then for Promises We never waited upon God and put forth Hope according to a Promise but it was made good to a tittle Joshua 23.14 Behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth and ye know in all your Hearts and in all your Souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof He was about to die and therefore
Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the Children of Israel 4. Another Quality to be discerned in the Manner and Form of the Scriptures is the Harmony and Agreement that is to be found in them all along notwithstanding the diversity of Times Places and Persons still there is an increase of Knowledg and Dispensations rise higher and higher as the Light increaseth till Noon-day but there is no difference Luke 1.70 As he spake by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets which have been since the World began One Mouth many Prophets They lived in such distant Ages handled such diversity of Arguments yet all conspired in promoting the same Truth which is now revealed to us in the New Testament There is a great difference of Style some speak with more loftiness and majesty others with greater familiarity and humility of Expression yet all promoting the same thing There is a difference in the manner of Prosecution yet an exact harmony in the Substance and essential Quality of their Writings not only in their general drift and scope to set out the Glory of God and the Good of Mankind but in the matter handled without any spice of secular Vanity as is to be seen in other Writings So that one and the same Spirit appeareth throughout the whole 1 Cor. 12.4 Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit Yea there is not only a diversity of Style but a different degree of Light according to the increase of God's Dispensations yet there is an Harmony God's Name and Style and the Mystery of Christ was made known to the Church by degrees the solemn Title and Style of God was not one and the same from the beginning of the World but tho they were divers yet they were not one contrary to another but one perfecting the other He is called by Melchisedeck The most High God Possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14.19 Afterwards by reason of his Covenant with Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Alsufficient Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God or the Alsufficient God walk before me and be thou perfect Then when he was put to it he made known himself by the Name of Jehovah Exod. 6.2 3. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him I am the Lord. And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my Name IEHOVAH was I not known unto them And after the appropriation of the Covenant to the Family of the Patriarchs he is called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob Exod. 3.15 The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you This is my Name for ever and this is my Memorial unto all Generations Then upon experience of God's care of them he is called Exod. 20.2 The Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Then the Lord that brought his People out of the North Country Jer. 23.7 8. Therefore behold the days come saith the Lord that they shall no more say The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the Seed of the House of Israel out of the North Country and from all Countries whither I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own Land Then when the Sun of Righteousness was risen the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope c. 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. So for the Mystery of Redemption First it was revealed to Adam to be by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Then to Abraham by thy Seed Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed which was repeated to Isaac to cut off Ishmael then to Jacob to cut off Esau. Then it was revealed out of what Tribe he should come viz. out of Judah Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the Law-giver from between his Feet until Shiloh come Then that he should come of David's Line Isa. 11.1 There shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots And that he should be born of a Virgin Isa. 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bear a Son and shall call his Name Immanuel There is a difference of manifestation yet still an Harmony as there is a difference between a small Print and a great Print but the Matter is the same The Mystery of God manifested in the Flesh is set forth in a fairer Edition 5. There is one Character more in the Form and Manner of these Writings and that is Impartiality Kings and Subjects are bound by the same Laws liable to the same Punishments encouraged by the same Promises If the Scriptures were only a Politick Device to keep Subjects in awe there would be some exemption for Potentates but they are alike obnoxious to God's Judgment and the same Tophet that is provided for the Peasant is provided for the Prince Isa. 30.33 For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large c. Tophet was a Valley where the Idolatrous Jews were wont to burn their Children therefore as a fit Type of Everlasting Punishment it is put for Hell it is capacious enough to receive all King and Subject Now the Scriptures that threaten Potentates as well as others must needs be a Law that cometh from an higher than the Highest Who would presume else to threaten those in Power Rev. 20.12 And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which was the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works On this side the Grave there is a distinction between Man and Man but all are alike obnoxious to Christ's Judgment and all stand in dread of it There is enough in the Scriptures to astonish the Heart of the mightiest Potentate and make it tremble II. Now from the Matter of the Scriptures I am much prevented from what is published on James 1.18 But let me speak something now All that is spoken in the Scripture may be reduced to these five Heads Precepts Promises Doctrines Histories Prophecies Now all these
were with the Sons of Men But he is in us in a Mystical and gracious Way John 17.26 That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them He is in us as the Soul is in the Body to give us Life Sense Vigor and Operation Vse 1. To press us to labour after an Interest in this Privilege that Christ may be in us It is the saddest mark if Christ be not in us 1 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Reprobates disallowed of God Let me press it 1. If Christ be not in us the Devil is Ephes. 2.2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Man's Heart is not a Waste it is occupied by Christ or Satan The Children of Disobedience are acted by the Devil and governed by the Devil Those that are cast out of the Church which is a Figure of cutting off from Communion with Christ were given up to Satan to shew that he reigneth there where Christ doth not take possession the Devil entreth into them and sendeth them headlong to their own destruction 2. Where Christ is there all the Trinity are John 14.23 We will come unto him and make our abode with him there is Father Son and Spirit Such an one is a consecrated Temple wherein God taketh up his Residence They do not only come as Guests to tarry with us for a Night as the Angels came to Abraham Gen. 18.2 Or as Friends come to visit and away and so leave more Sorrow on their departure than Joy in their Presence but they will abide with us for ever Heaven is where God is this Heaven we have upon Earth that all the Persons take up their abode in our Hearts God knocketh at the Door of a Wicked Man's Heart but doth not enter much less have his Abode and Residence there Here is the Father as a Fountain of Grace Christ as Mediator and the Spirit as Christ's Deputy to work all in us This is his second Heaven one above the Clouds and another in our Hearts Oh what a condescension is it that God should not only pardon us and admit us into his Presence hereafter be familiar with us when we have put on our Robes of Glory but dwell in us here When Christ was about to go to Heaven and his Disciples were troubled at it then he leaveth us this Promise We cannot go to God but God will come to us not only give us a Visit but take up his Abode in us 3. Where-ever the Trinity are there is a Blessing left behind The presence of Earthly Princes is costly and burdensome because of their Train and the Charges of Entertainment But the Trinity are Blessed Guests they never come but bring their Welcome with them and a Blessing in their Hands The Father Son and Holy Ghost do not come empty-handed Gen. 18. The Son of God came to Abraham with two Angels but he came not without a Gift a Promise of a Child tho their Bodies were dry and dead Wheresoever Christ came in the days of his Flesh he left some Mercy behind While in the Womb of the Virgin he came into the House of Zacharias and Zacharias and Elizabeth his Wife were both filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.41 He came into Peter's House and brought deliverance for Peter's Wive's Mother from a Feaver Mat. 8.15 He came to Capernaum and brought with him to the Man sick of the Palsie Health for his Body and a Pardon for his Soul Mat. 9.2 He came to the House of Jairus and raised his Daughter Vers. 23. He came to the House of Zacheus and brought Salvation with him Luke 19.9 Every where where-ever he went trace him you will find he left a Blessing behind him Laban thrived better for Jacob the House of Obed-Edom for the Ark. In these short visits Christ left a Blessing but in a Gracious Soul they have a perpetual Residence it is fit these Blessed Guests should have good Entertainment 4. It is a Pledg that we shall have more Christ in us the Hope of Glory Col. 2.29 He dwelleth in us to fit us for Heaven It is Heaven begun it makes our Exile a Paradise It is still growing till it cometh to a compleat Presence in Heaven Where he is once in Truth there he is for ever Temples built may stand forsaken but God never forsaketh his Spiritual Temples Vse 2. Direction What must we do that Christ may be in us 1. Make way for him Empty the Heart of all Self-confidence When the Heart is full of Self there is no room for Christ. Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith First There must be a cutting off from the wild Olive-Tree by a sound Conviction we must know what Strangers we are to the Life of God Was there a Time when we were convinced of this Ephes. 4.18 Having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart How can a Man that was never convinced of the sadness of his Estate say Not I but Christ 2. Wait for him in the Ordinances Where should a Man meet with Christ but in his Ordinances in the Shepherds Tents All the Ordinances have an Aspect upon our Union with Christ either to begin or continue it God offereth him to us in the Word 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye are called to the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. We are intreated to take him As long as they see nothing but Man in it it cometh to nothing but many times in hearing they see God in the Offer the Matter is of the Lord as Rebekah yielded out of an over-ruling Instinct So for the Religious use of the Seals We are baptized into Christ Gal. 3.27 It is the Pledg of our Admission into that Body whereof Christ is the Head God is aforehand with us we were engaged to make a profession of this Union before we had liberty to chuse our own way Let us not retract our Vows and make Baptism only a Memorial of our Hypocrisy to profess Union when there is no such Matter I profess to be planted into Christ by Baptism but I feel no such Matter O you should groan for this Then for the Supper of the Lord. 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ
strengthened with all might with Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power And this Power doth effect that great change in us which fits us for the new life as Eph. 1.19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead It is the mighty Operation of God that beginneth this life in us the same Power raiseth us first to a new life then to a glorious Eternity 2. The Apodosis wherein it is applied even so we also should walk in newness of life The Similitude holdeth good in these things 1. As the Resurrection of Christ followed his Death so doth newness of life our death to sin 2. As Christ was raised to a blessed immortal Life by the glorious Power of the Father so are we renewed and quickened by the same Power 3. The Effect of the new Birth is mentioned our walking in newness of life rather than Regeneration or the new Birth it self which yet is signified by Baptism and Christs Resurrection is the Pattern and Cause of it the Similitude holdeth good in the Power and in the new state of Life which supposeth such a Principle Doctrine That Baptism strongly obligeth us to walk in newness of Life I. Let me speak of the Nature of this new Life II. How strongly we are obliged by Baptism to carry it on through the Power of God 1. This newness of Life it may be considered First In its Foundation which is the new Birth or Regeneration for till we are made new Creatures we cannot live a new life Joh. 3.5 6. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new A Bowl must be made round before it can run round all creatures are first made and fitted for their use before they can perform the operations belonging to that creature so a new Being and holy Nature is put into us and we are powerfully changed before we can live unto God Mans nature is not in such a condition as to need some reparation only but is wholly corrupt Therefore we must be born again there must be a change of the whole Man from a state of Corruption to a state of Holiness and a Principle of new Life must be infused into us whence flow new actions and delights Secondly The first Regeneration consists of two parts Mortification and Vivification Mortification doth conquer the fleshly inclination to things present and Vivification doth quicken us to live unto God There is need of both Of Mortification that we may dye to the Flesh and to the World for there is a seducing Principle within and a tempting Object without within there is the Flesh without the World we dye to both To the Flesh Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts To the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world While the mind and heart is captivated to the flesh we can never cease to sin There is need of Vivification that you may live to God for the recess from the world is not enough unless there be an access to God and therefore the immediate Principles that carry us to God are Love kindled in us by Faith in Christ. For the new Creature being interpreted as to Vivification is nothing else but Faith working by Love Compare Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by love with Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature These two Faith and Love are the Principles and Springs of all Christian Practice and Conversation You are never changed till the Heart be changed and the Heart is never changed till the Will and Love be changed Well then it is not enough to dye to sin but we must walk in newness of life both must be minded but we begin first at Mortification and then proceed to the positive duties of a new life Holiness consists not in a meer forbearance of a sensual life but principally in living to God the Heart of it within is the Love of God its inclination towards him delight in him desire after him care to please him lothness to offend him and the expression of it without is the exercise of Grace according to the direction of Gods Word Yea these two branches are not only seen at first but every step of the new life is a dying to sin and a rising to newness of life a retiring from the world to God Thirdly As to the Rule which is the infallible Revelation of God delivered to the Church by the Prophets and Apostles comprised in the Holy Scriptures and sealed by Miracles and Operations of the Holy Ghost who was the Author of them The new Creature is very inquisitive to know Gods Will Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Grace is sometimes called Light and sometimes Life for there is direction in it as well as inclination This Light we have from the Word and Spirit In the Word our Duties are determined and the new Creature is naturally carried to the Word it is the seed of that life it hath 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and it is the Rule of acting and exercising this life Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them c. There is a Cognation between the Word and the renewed Heart Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws in to their mind and write them in their heart as the stamp and impress answereth to the Seal or the Law within to the Law without the Law written on the heart to the Law written on Tables or in the Bible Fourthly As to the End which is the pleasing glorifying and injoying of God it is a living to God Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether
you Jer. 44.4 O do not this abominable thing that I hate Conscience calleth to you as Davids heart smote him it is time to stop then Is this becoming your solemn Vow Will it consist with the Love of God Vse 4. It puts us upon Self-reflection Do I know that my Old man is crucified with Christ There is a knowledge of Faith and a knowledge of spiritual Sense 1. Have you experimentally felt the power of his Death Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Is the body of sin destroyed or at least considerably weakened 2. Whom do you serve God or Sin Have you changed Masters Are you as free from sin as before from righteousness And do you as much for God as before for sin Rom. 6.19 20. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness For when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness SERMON VI. ROM VI. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin THE words are a Reason to prove what was asserted in the former Verse Two things were there asserted 1. That their old man is crucified with Christ. 2. That therefore we must not serve sin This the Apostle proveth This Reason is taken from the Analogy between Death natural and spiritual He that is dead naturally is freed from the Authority of those who formerly had power over him humane slavery endeth with death in the grave the servant is free from his master Job 3.19 Death levelleth the ranks of persons and the imperious Lord and Master hath no more priviledge than his vilest slave and servant So he that is dead to sin is delivered from the power of sin acting formerly in him For he that is dead is freed from sin In the words 1. A Subject 2. A Predicate 1. A Subject He that is dead A man may be said to be dead properly and naturally or improperly and metaphorically First Properly and naturally when the Body is deprived of the Soul Jam. 2.26 The body without the spirit is dead Secondly Improperly and metaphorically for Death spiritual and this either with respect to Unbelievers who are said to be dead in sin Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins And vers 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ. And therefore when we come out of that estate we are said to pass from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 Or with respect to Believers who are dead to sin Col. 3.3 For ye are dead Real Believers are dead not in sin but to sin the Dominion and Reign of it being broken though it be not totally subdued This is here intended 2. The Predicate Is freed from sin The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar hath justificatus est à peccato Beza with many of the Ancients liberatus est Our Translation hath both in the Text freed in the Margine justified Whether you take one or the other word it importeth deliverance from the yoke and dominion of sin so as not to obey its motions and commands For the Apostle doth not speak here of the Forgiveness of sin but the Abolition of its power and dominion for it is brought as a Reason why those whose Old man is crucified with Christ should not serve sin and the word justified is the rather used because one justified and absolved by his Judge is also released and set free from his bonds so are we Doctrine That freedom from sin is the consequent of our dying with Christ. I shall handle 1. The Nature of this Freedom from Sin 2. The Degree to which we attain in this Life 3. The value of this Benefit 4. How it is the Consequent of our dying with Christ. I. The Nature of this Freedom from Sin I told you before it is an exemption from the Dominion and Reign of Sin 1. We quit the evil disposition and temper of our Souls we are dispossessed of every evil habit Our first work is to put off the habit and then the act ceaseth The Apostle telleth us 1 Pet. 2.11 12. Dearly beloved abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles c. In vain do we lop off the branches till the root be first deadned The life and reign of sin lyeth in the prevalency of our lusts within all outward sins are but acts of obedience to the reigning lust 2. We renounce our former course of living after the Habits we are free from the Acts we do not and durst not to live in sin the former conversation is cast off as well as the former lusts Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Sin must not break out in our conversations for it is but a deceit to think we have quelled the lust when the acts appear as frequently and easily as they did before A change of heart will be made manifest by a change of conversation So 1 Pet. 1.14 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance They must not shape and mould their actions and endeavours according to the sinful motions of their corrupt Nature So 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your conversation honest If sin be weakened in the heart the fruit of it will appear in the conversation Now this Freedom is expressed by a word that signifieth Justification and fitly 1. Because of the Nature of Justification in which there are two Branches liberatio à poenâ and acceptatio ad vitam The punishment incurred by the Fall is poena damni and poena sensûs the loss and the pain Both may be considered as in this life or the life to come To begin with the highest and most dreadful part of the punishment the loss of Gods eternal and blessed Presence or the Fruition of him in Glory Mat. 25.41 Depart ye cursed The pains are those eternal Torments which are appointed for the wicked when they shall fall immediately into the hands of an angry and offended God Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God But in this life we must also consider the loss and pain The pains are all those miseries and afflictive evils which came into the World by reason of sin The loss is loss of Gods Image that Threatning Thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 implied spiritual death as well as temporal and eternal Now we are justified when we are freed from punishment and among other punishments from the punishment of loss when God giveth us the blessing which sin had deprived us of As for instance when he giveth us the sanctifying Spirit this is called a receiving the Atonement Rom. 5.11 We had forfeited it by
other Obedience hath Righteousness your Title to Glory is more unquestionable God would not have you to obey him to your hurt and ruine no he is leading you to endless Joy and Bliss Holiness directly leadeth to eternal Life and for the present your Right is clear Heaven is the Portion of serious Believers that love God and live to him 5. Because the heart is fickle and the force of an old Consent may be spent you must often renew your Dedication and afresh yield up your selves to God to obey him For our Obedience is founded in Consent and the more fixed and firm it is the more even will your Obedience be Therefore we should often solemnly renew the Covenant made in Baptism and deliver up our selves to God as his professed Servants and Subjects firmly resolving upon a stricter course of future Obedience 2 Chron. 30.5 So they established a Decree to make Proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even unto Dan that they should come to keep the Passeover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem for they had not done it for a long time in such a sort as it was written 6. When you have again yielded your selves to God make more Conscience of obeying him partly because the Devil loves to tempt those who are newly consecrated to God as Christ after his Baptism the Israelites at the giving of the Law the Disciples quarrelling for greatness after Christs Transfiguration those that were drunk at the Love-feasts partly because obeying sheweth the truth of your Consent 2 Cor. 5.15 And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again SERMON XVIII ROM VI. 17 But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine that was delivered you IN the sixteenth Verse the Apostle had laid down a general Maxim which he applieth first to the matter in hand in the same Verse now to the Persons to whom he wrote the believing Romans in the Text But God be thanked c. In the words there are three things 1. Their past Estate by Nature or what they were before Conversion Ye were the servants of sin 2. Their present Estate by Grace But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of sound Doctrine which was delivered to you 3. The Praise of all is given to Gods Grace But God be thanked To open these I shall begin with 1. Their past Estate They had been servants of sin that is lived long in a course of sin Joh. 8.34 Whoso committeth sin is the servant of sin that is whosoever doth voluntarily and ordinarily indulge sin and goeth on in an open course of sinning he is a servant or slave to sin for he doth not yea cannot do that which Reason and Conscience judgeth to be good or the Word of God requireth from him but doth the contrary that which the Word of God and Conscience disalloweth This was sometimes their Estate and ours also for we are all hewn out of the same Quarry and Rock Only let me tell you that the servitude of sin is either natural or acquired First Natural or hereditary from our first Parents so we are all prone to evil and averse from and unable to that which is good Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth The word which we translate Youth signifieth also Childhood and the Scripture elsewhere runneth up to the Womb Psal. 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me We see how early Children manifest sin Now the earliness and commonness and universality of these evil inclinations sheweth what Contagion hath invaded all Mankind Secondly Acquired when Time and Custom doth confirm these evil Habits in us Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good who are accustomed to do evil We use to say Custom is as a second Nature It is so here it is corrupt Nature confirmed or inbred and native Corruption improved Thus were they servants of sin and though all do not improve corrupt Nature to such an height and degree as others do yet all serve sin till Grace maketh a change 2. Their present or converted Estate where take notice 1. Of their Rule That form of Doctrine 2. The Manner of applying it Which was delivered unto you 3. The Effect Ye have obeyed from the heart 1. The Rule The form of Doctrine that is the whole Gospel or at least some Summary of the Christian Doctrine concerning things to be believed and done called The pattern of wholesom words 2 Tim. 1.13 Or the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.1 2. The manner of Application Which was delivered unto you or whereinto ye were delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctrine of the Gospel is the Pattern and Mould according to which the new Creature is framed as Metal taketh its form from the Mould into which it was cast there is a due impression â—eft upon the Soul or as the Stamp and Seal leaveth a suitable impression on the Wax but rather the former 3. The Effect Ye have obeyed from the heart There is 1. Obedience and 2. Obedience from the Heart The most precious Truths will do us no good unless they be digested into Love and Practice When Truth is turned into Love or received into the Heart it becometh a new Nature to us and when it is obeyed and practised it attaineth its proper use and effect For the Truths of the Gospel were not delivered to us to try the acuteness of mens Wits who can most subtlely dispute of these things nor the strength of Memory who can most firmly retain them or plausibleness of Discourse who can most elegantly speak of them but the readiness of Obedience who can best practise them Therefore here is Obedience spoken of Ye have obeyed that is begun to obey the Doctrine of the Gospel therefore you must go on still and not return to your old Slavery and Bondage And this from the heart which implieth both the Voluntariness and Sincerity of their Obedience First It was free and voluntary not compelled for that is said to be from the Heart which is not done grudgingly and of necessity but readily and chearfully 2 Cor. 9.7 Every one according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly not of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver Secondly It was sincere and not dissembled Col. 3.23 Whatsoever ye do do it heartily as unto the Lord not unto men God seeth all things what is done to him must be sincerely done 3. There is one thing yet to be explained and that is his giving thanks for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be thanked Here it may be inquired 1. Concerning the Object for what he giveth thanks 2. The Subject from whom he expects this performance 1.
a wonderful mercy before or as when recovered and in health we forget the rediousness of sickness and are not thankful for the comfortable days and nights we enjoy when we go about our business and sleep without pain So we undervalue the present state of Grace by forgetting the unfruitful works of darkness or the evil dispositions and practices of our Unregeneracy and have not such comfortable apprehensions of the mercy which the Spirit of God shewed in our Cure Cannot you remember when it was once much otherwise with you that you are not now the persons you were then 2. Here is a Description of their present state by Grace which deserveth to be weighed by us In it I observe 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel is in Conversion imprinted on them for it is said That they have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine into which they were delivered Their very heart and Soul was modelled according to the Tenor of the Gospel and the Truths revealed therein 1. I will prove that it is so with all Converts by that Promise of the new Covenant Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts The thing written is the Law of Christ or the new Covenant or the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel not every lesser Opinion or minute Circumstance of their Duty but those Points which are essential to Christianity smaller matters depend upon a particular gift The Book is the mind and heart of the Believer by the Mind is meant the Understanding by the Heart the Will or rational Appetite in the one is the directive Counsel in the other the imperial and commanding Power of the Soul the one is compared to the Ark in which the Law was put I will put my Laws into their minds the other to the Tables of stone upon which the Law was written God will convince their Understandings of their Duty and incline their Affections to receive and obey it The Writer I God challengeth it as his proper work 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God By this Spirit the mind of man is inlightened the heart is inclined but yet we must do our Duty both to understand the Will of God and set our hearts upon it and do the things required of us To understand we must dig for knowledge and cry for understanding Prov. 2.3 4. and for inclining our hearts Psal. 119.112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always even unto the end and for actual Obedience we are solemnly consecrated to God in Baptism that we may take up that course of living that is prescribed of God in the Gospel and therefore it is said 1 Pet. 1.14 Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts of your ignorance We must not mould our selves to any form but that of this Doctrine cast all our actions into this mould 2. I will shew the fruits of it They are either internal within the man or essential to this work or resulting from it by immediate consequence Such as an abhorrence from sin and a promptitude and readiness to holy actions 1. For the first where the Doctrine of the Gospel is imprinted on our hearts it is an awing Principle which restraineth us from sin Psal. 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide he that knoweth and loveth what is commanded knoweth and hateth what is forbidden therefore his heart giveth back when any thing contrary is offered to him 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God Still something riseth up by way of dislike he looketh upon sin not only as contrary to his Duty but his Nature Gen. 39.9 How can I do this wickedness and sin against God The heart as thus constituted is not easily brought to it By this Temptations are defeated whether from Satan or our own hearts from Satan 1 Joh. 2.14 I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Or from our own hearts Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Our hiding the word in our hearts is subordinate to Gods writing it in our hearts we must use the means the Grace is from him 2. A promptitude and readiness to holy actions for all holy and heavenly actions are suited to them and there is a Cognation between the Law within and the Law without so that they are carried after them with more love delight and pleasure Psal. 40.8 Thy Law is within my heart I delight to do thy will O God There is an inclination and propensity to do the Will of God and to please and serve him which maketh our obedience more easie and even 3. The Benefits of being stamped and moulded into the form of this Doctrine 1. It is ready for our use they have Principles laid up to be laid out upon all occasions either of trouble or temptation or business and affairs Prov. 6.21 22. Bind them continually upon thine heart tye them about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee So that the Christian is a Bible to himself as the Heathens were said to be a Law unto themselves there was something urging them to Duty restraining them from sin 2. It preventeth vain thoughts what is the reason evil is so ready and present with us because our hearts are not stocked with the knowledge of heavenly Truths Vain thoughts cannot be prevented unless the Word dwell richly in our hearts If a man have many brass Farthings and but a few pieces of Silver he will more readily draw out Farthings than pieces of Silver But a Christian when alone and destitute of outward helps Psal. 16.7 His reins instruct him in the night season when he hath no benefit of the Bible or other literal Instruction 3. It furnisheth and supplieth our Speech for the Tap runneth according to the Liquor with which the Vessel is filled In Prayer the new Nature beareth a great part for its desires and inclinations furnish us with Requests its annoyances and grievances with Complaints its solaces and satisfactions with Thanksgivings and where it is not obstructed there cannot be that leanness and baseness of Soul wherewith we are often surprized Psal. 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter I will speak of the things that I have made touching the King my tongue is the pen of a ready writer As to ordinary Converse Mat. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things When the Spring is dryed
up there can be no water in the stream 4. It giveth us greater certainty of the Religion we profess when we feel the Power of it in our Hearts 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he hath a sense of what he hath heard he hath felt the power of the Spirit inclining him to God and heavenly things and subduing his carnal affections he hath tasted the sweetness of Gods Love in Christ and you cannot perswade a man against his own sense therefore when men have tasted and tryed and found the admirable Effects of the Gospel upon their hearts they will know that which bare Speculation could never discover to them in order to love certainty and close adherence they find all made good and accomplished to them they find the Truth doth make them free heal their Souls and sanctifie their Natures appease their Anguish offer them help in Temptations relieve their Distress bind up their broken Hearts c. 5. Then the Truth hath a power upon us when it is put into their mind and heart they have an inward ingrafted Principle Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls they find not only Truth in the Word but Life and obey God not only as bound to obey but as inclined to obey there needeth no great inforcing 1 Thess. 4.9 Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and Prov. 2.10 Wisdom entreth into thy heart it becometh another Nature to us if it enters upon the mind only it begets but a lazy and faint inclination 6. It begets a holy Conversation for those who have the Word of God stamped upon their hearts and minds will shew it in their actions So it is said 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Believers are Christs Epistle by which he doth recommend himself and his Doctrine to all men when they see what excellent Spirits his Religion breedeth So Phil. 2.15 16. That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Holding forth the word of life 2. I observe That the fruit of this imprinting of the Doctrine of the Gospel upon their hearts was Obedience For so saith the Apostle Ye have obeyed All that Knowledge we have must still be directed to Practice Deut. 4.6 Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding otherwise we do little more than learn these Truths by rote or at best to fashion our Notions of Religion that we may make them hang together 1. We are bidden to inquire after the ways of God not to satisfie Curiosity but to walk therein Jer. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls But they said We will not walk therein Their disobedience was not so much against the knowledge of the Truth as against the practice thereof Men are not against Truth so much in their minds as in their hearts they will not do what they know 2. The comfort and sweetness is in keeping and obeying Psal. 19.11 In keeping thy commandments there is great reward not only hereafter but now There is a sweetness in knowing for all Truth especially heavenly Truth is an oblectation of the mind but there is more in keeping and obeying because Practice and Obedience giveth a more experimental knowledge of these things as a taste is more than a sight and by a serious obedienceâ—he taste of these blessed Truths is kept upon our hearts It is but a flush of joy that is stirred up by Contemplation the durable solid joy is by Practice and Obedience Besides that God rewardeth acts of Obedience more than acts of Contemplation with comfort and peace for Contemplation is an imperfect operation of man unless the effect succeedeth yea we are not capable to receive this comfort for knowledge doth not prove the sincerity of our hearts so much as obedience therefore it is Practice that hath the Blessing in the bosom of it 3. Where men receive the Doctrine of the Gospel rather in the Light than in the Love of it they do but increase their punishment Luke 12.47 That servant that knew his masters will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will he shall be beaten with many stripes all the Priviledge of their exact Knowledge shall be but an hotter Hell 3. I observe That it is Obedience from the Heart and so it must needs be if we consider the contexture of the words or the imprinting the Doctrine of the Gospel it is first upon our Hearts and then upon our Lives Isa. 51.7 The people in whose heart is my Law So Deut. 6.6 These words that I command thee this day shall be in thy heart for by the love of it we are brought to the obedience of this holy Law So Prov. 4.4 Let thy heart retain my words Prov. 22.22 Lay up my words in thy heart there is the proper Repository of the Law of God it cannot work any good effect upon us till we get it there there is its proper seat thence its influence I shall urge but two Arguments First It is Terminus actionum ad intra it is the end of all those actions that come inward The heart is that which God looks after Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart He commandeth the Ear but still his commands reach the Heart It is the Heart wherein Christ dwelleth Eph. 3.17 not in the Ear Tongue or Brain till he take possession of the Heart all is as nothing The Bodies of Believers are Temples of the Holy Ghost but still in relation to the Heart or Soul nothing is prized by God but what cometh thence Men care not for obsequious compliances without the heart 2 Kings 10.15 Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart Some content themselves with a bare profession of Religion or some superficial Practices but all is nothing to God though thou pray with the Pharisee pay thy Vows with the Harlot Prov. 7. kiss Christ with Judas offer Sacrifice with Cain fast with Jesabel sell thine Inheritance for a publick good as Ananias and Sapphira yet all is nothing without the heart Judas was a Disciple yet Satan entred into his heart Luke 22.2 Ananias joyned himself to the People of God but Satan filled his heart to lye unto the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Simon Magus was baptized but his heart was not right with God Acts 8.22 the great defect is in the Heart Secondly It is Fons actionum ad extra the Well-spring of all those actions which look outward as Prov. 4.23 Keep thy
living And Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ and Psal. 2.7 8 9 10 11. So that he is Lord of the new Creation and man doth owe Obedience not only to God as Creator but to Christ as Redeemer and Ruler 2. Christ being possessed of this Lordship and Dominion hath made a new law of Grace which is propounded as a remedy for the relieving and restoring the lapsed World of mankind to the grace and favour of God granting pardon and life to all that sincerely repent and believe in him and live in new Obedience and peremptorily concluding and damning those to everlasting Death that shall refuse these terms 3. This new constitution and Gospel Covenant hath all the formalities of a Law and here I shall shew you first wherein it agreeth and secondly wherein it differeth from the laws of men 1. Wherein it agreeth First in the promulgation of it with full Authority 't is not only enacted pleno jure by an absolute and uncontrollable right but proclaimed by authorized Messengers sent by the Lord Christ who in his name were to require the Obedience of the World to his new Law Matth. 28.19 20. All power is given to me in heaven and earth go ye forth therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you he sendeth abroad his Heralds summoning the World to Obedience Act 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins And Acts 17.30 The times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent He commandeth all men to repent because he will judg the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 And Acts 10.36 We preach peace by Jesus Christ who is Lord of all In these places Christs Right and Authority is asserted and the Gospel is preached in his Name and the World invited and commanded to obey 2. In the obligation and force There is not only direction given to us to obey the Gospel but a Charge and Obligation is laid upon us The Gospel is sometimes called the counsel of God Luke 7.30 they rejected the counsel of God against themselves Sometime the law of God is called his Counsel as 't is the result of his wisdom and his Law as 't is the effect of his legislative Will he would not only direct and instruct the Creature by his counsel but oblige him by his Authority Decretum necessitatem facit exhortatio liberum voluntatem excitat saith the Canonist Exhortation or Advice serveth to direct or excite one that is free but a Decree and Law implyeth a necessity to obey So Hierom Vbi consilium datur offerentis arbitrium est ubi praeceptum necessitus servitatis Counsel and Precept differ Precept saith not only we shall do well to do so but we must do so Counsel respects friends a Preeept subjects There is a coactive power in Laws God hath not left the Creatures to comply with his directions if they please no there is a strict charge laid upon them they must do it at their peril Laws have a binding force from the authority of their Law-giver God giveth us counsel as a friend but commandeth us as a Sovereign Therefore we read much of the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 The Gospel was manifested to all nations for the obedience of faith And Rom. 1.5 We have received Apostleship for the obedience of faith among all Nations So Acts 6.7 and a great company of priests were obedient to the faith And 2 Cor. 10.5 bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. And 1 Pet. 1.22 having purified your hearts in obeying the truth through the spirit And Acts 5.32 The holy Ghost which is given to them that obey All this is said to shew 't is not Arbitrary or Indifferent but we are bound by the authority of this new Law 3. This Law hath a sanction otherwise it were but an arbitrary Direction though delivered in a preceptive form the sanction is by promises of reward or by threatnings of punishment the precept establisheth mans duty and is the rule of our obedience which if it be neglected infers culpam fault or blame the sanction is the rule of Gods proceeding and so it inferreth poenam punishment Mark 16.16 The law of grace threatneth us with the highest penalties John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light and Heb. 20.9 of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy c. though in the loss all are equal yet Conscience in Hell hath a kind of Accusation or self-tormenting in reflecting upon the refusal of the remedy or losing the special advantages we had by the Gospel As the breach of the Law is vindicated on the Jew first Rom. 2.9 so the Gospel when known to be the only way of Peace and Life 't is the worse for us in the Judgment if we neglect it Secondly The promises are given to sweeten the precepts to us that we may obey in love not as slaves for fear of punishment only Forced motives change not the heart endure not long therefore in Christs Law there are promises of pardon of Sin Adoption into Gods Family and finally eternal life We make the precept to be the way to the promise and God maketh the promises to be the motive to the precept we keep the precept to obtain the promise but God propoundeth the promise that we may keep the precept more comfortably We aim at happiness but God aimeth at obedience and maketh that the end of all his promises so that we must obey the command that we may obtain the blessing of the promise and be assured of it and we believe the promise that we may obey the precept 4. This sanction supposeth an exercise of government according to law and so that there is a just Governor and Administrator who will take account how this new law of grace is kept or broken So there is here now in part both in the way of internal or external Government First internal government as the kingdom of God is within us Luke 17.20 Soul-government is carried on according to this rule of commerce between us and God as there is a sense of our Duty written upon our hearts a remaining inward principle inclining us to it Heb. 8.10 so there is a fear of our Judg who will call us to an account for the violation of his Law an inward sentence of life or death upon us as we do good or evil the bitter afflictive sense of Gods displeasure in case of evil and the rewards of love and obedience as tasts of Gods acceptance given us by his Spirit upon
the nations of the earth be blessed That is in Christ But how blessed That is expounded Acts 3.25 26. Ye are children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers saying to Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus Christ hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Observe there what is the Mediator's Blessing To turn away his people from sin Man fal'n was both unholy and guilty liable to the wrath of God and dead in trespasses and sins and Christ came to free us from both We cannot be sufficiently thankful for our freedom from wrath but we must first mind our freedom from sin So when Christ is promised to the Jews Rom. 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob There is his principal work So from the end why he actually came and was exhibited to the World Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to give repentance and remission of sins Repentance is nothing but a serious purpose of returning to God and to that obedience we owe to God 1 John 3.5 And we know he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin To conform us to the Law of God by his own blessed pattern and example Again Titus 2.14 who hath redeemed us from all iniquity And this was the intent of his Death Eph. 5.26 It were endless to bring all that might be said upon this Argument 2. I prove it by Reasons taken from the Scripture It must needs be so 1. Because the Plaister else would not be as broad as the Sore nor our reparation by Christ be correspondent to our loss by Adam We lost not only the Favour of God but the Image of God and therefore till the Image of God be restored in us we do not return to our first estate nor are we fully recovered The evil Nature propagated from him is the cause of the misery and disorder of Mankind Guilt is but the Consequent of sin Now is he a good Physitian that only taketh away the Pain and leaveth the great Disease uncured Certainly we cannot recover God's favour till we recover his Image A sinful Creature till he be changed cannot be acceptable to God neither live in communion with him for the present nor enjoy him hereafter We cannot enjoy communion with him now 1 John 1.5 6 7. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another Will the Lord take us into his bosome while we are in our sins The New Nature giveth us some knowledg of the Nature of God Can a New Creature delight in the wicked 2 Pet. 2.8 Lot's righteous soul was vexed from day to day You cannot imagine so without a reproach to the Divine Nature nor can we be admitted into his blessed presence hereafter Heb. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. The ungodly and the unsanctified are banished out of his presence Christ came not to make a change in God to make him less holy or represent him as less hating of sin Otherwise 2. Christ s undertaking would not answer the trouble of a true penitent nor remove our sorest burthen A sensible and compunctionate sinner is troubled not only with the guilt of sin but the power of sin There is the root and bottom of his trouble His language is Hosea 14.2 Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Pharoah could say Take away this Plague but an awakened penitent broken-hearted sinner will say Take away this naughty heart Therefore the Promises are suited to this double distress 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Micah 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He will return again and have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea They do not only desire pardon and release from punishment but Grace to break the power of sin as a man that hath his Leg broken desireth not only ease of the pain but to have it well set again Therefore to them that are pricked at heart there is offered the promise of the Spirit Acts 2.37 38. A Malefactor condemned to die and sick of a mortal disease needeth and desireth not only the pardon of the Judg but the cure of the Physitian 3. To make way for the work of the Spirit For the Divine Persons work into each others hands as the Election of the Father maketh way for the Redemption of Christ so the Redemption of Christ maketh way for the Sanctification of the Spirit All the Divine Persons are glorified in the reduction of a sinner and they take their turn The application of the merit of Christ and the grace of the Spirit are inseparable Titus 3.5 and 1 Cor. 6.11 These individual Companions Sanctification and Justification must not be dis-joyned under the Law the Ablutions and Oblations still went together the Leaven and the Altar the Washings and the Sacrifiâ—es 4. Christ's undertaking was not only for the benefit of man but for the glory of God to redeem us to God Rev. 5.9 and therefore in the work of Redemption our Happiness is not only to be considered but God's Honour and Interest Impunity and taking away the guilt of sin doth more directly respect our good but sanctifying and fitting us for obedience and subjection to God doth more immediately respect his glory and honour That he may be glorified again in mankind who are fall'n from him it was for that man was made at first and for that are we restored and made again I proceed to the Second Consideration propounded 2. That our Natures being renewed and healed we are to walk in newness of life according to the directions of the Law of God for Principles are given for Operation and Habits for Acts and a new heart for newness of life and therefore Regeneration first maketh us good that afterwards we may do good But that which I am to prove is That this righteousness is to be carried on according to the Law for God having made a Law is very tender of it I shall prove it by Four Reasons 1. Christ came not to dissolve our obligation to God but to promote it rather Certainly not to dissolve it to free us from obedience to the Law for that is impossible that a Creature should be sui juris or without Law for that were to make it supreme and independent and so to establish our Rebellion rather than to suppress it No he came upon no such design to leave us to our own will to live
as we list without Law and Rule He came to restore us to obedience to bring us back again in heart and life to God Luke 1.75 He hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives To this end tended his Doctrine I came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it Matth. 5.17 His example He came to do what God had commanded and to teach us to do the same Matth. 3.15 For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness and Heb. 58.9 Tho he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him 2. Christ dispenseth by vertue of his merit regeneration or the spirit of holiness that all new creatures might voluntarily keep this law tho not in absolute perfection yet by sincere obedience This Grace is dispensed to put us into a capacity of loving pleasing and obeying God this is that he promiseth in the new covenant Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them so Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts He doth not say I will prepare them another law as if the old law of God were to be abandoned and abolished and some other precepts substituted in their Room no but to make them conformable to it in heart and life the new man is created after God for this end and purpose Eph. 4.24 fitted to obey the law so that the great Blessing of the Gospel is Grace to keep the law 3. None enter into the Gospel State but those that intirely and readily give up themselves to do the will of God and therefore none can have benefit by the sin-offering and satifaction of Christ but those that consent to return to the duty of the law and live in obedience to God Surely God never pardoneth any while they are in Rebellion and live under the full power and dominion of sin no they must consent to forsake and return to the Allegiance due to their proper Lord. This is evident for the way of entring into the new covenant is by Faith and Repentance and Repentance is nothing else but a sincere purpose of new obedience or living according to the will and law of God 'T is defined to be a breaking off of sin Dan. 4.27 and therefore the Scripture runs in this strain Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to me saith the Lord and I will abundantly pardon and Isa. 1.16 Wash you make you clean and then tho your sins were as scarlet they shall be as white as snow The least that can be gathered from these places is That a serious vow and thorough resolution of new obedience is necessary to begin our interest in the Grace of the new covenant 4. The more we fulfill our covenant vow and resolution by obeying the law our right is the more clear and evident and more confirmed to us our participation of the blessings of the Gospel is more full and our comfort more strong Psal. 119.165 Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them and Gal. 6.16 as many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them God loveth us the more the more we obey his law 'T is holiness maketh us more amiable in his eyes and the Objects of his delight God loveth us as sanctified rather than pardoned we love him as pardoning and forgiving so great a debt to us but he delights in holiness or the impress of his own image upon us Prov. 11.20 The upright in the way are his delight When the spirit hath renewed us according to the Image of God we are made objects of his complacency now we know Gods love by the effects and therefore the more we act and draw forth this grace the more God rewardeth our obedience with the sense of his love and the comforts of his Spirit The sum of all Religion is to love God and to be beloved of him to love him and obey him is our work and to be beloved of him is our reward and happiness Now the one followeth the other John 14.22 23. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said unto him if a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As we increase in Holiness and Obedience we increase in the Favour of God 1. VSE is Information it informeth us of several important truths 1. That the law is a law of perfect purity and holiness for he speaketh here of the righteousness of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so David Psal. 119.140 Thy law is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it and Psal. 19.8 The commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the eyes It must needs be so if we consider the Author of it God himself and every thing that hath passed his hand hath his Character and Impress upon it 't is a law not only fit for us to receive but for God to give 't is the copy of his holiness It is all one with the image of God which man had in innocency now the image of God consisted in righteousness and true holiness Adams Principle of Obedience was also his law and rule he had that written upon his heart which was afterwards written upon tables of stone and therefore if a man would cleanse his heart and way he must study the Word of God Psal. 119.9 By what means may a young man cleanse his wâ—y by taking heed thereunto according to thy word 'T is not guide his way but cleanse his way for even the youngest are defiled Mans heart naturally is a sink of sin and there is no way to make his heart clean and his way clean but by taking Gods counsel in his Word A young man that is in the heat and strength of his lusts may learn there how to be purified and cleansed 2. That this law standeth in force We are freed from the condemning but not from the directing power thereof but it always remaineth as a rule of our new obedience Surely 't is in force now for there is no liberty given to men to live in sin God will not spare his people when they transgress it by scandalous or hainous sin Prov. 1.31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Tho they be the dearly beloved of his soul the eternal punishment shall not be inflicted upon them yet they shall smart for the breaches of his law On the other side they find much incouragement comfort and peace when they set
mortifie and subdue them Good motions are as a dash of Rain and those weak inclinations and good dispositions which are in temporaries are as a Pond or Pool which may be dryed up but this saving and sanctifying work is as a Spring John 4.14 Two things are considerable in it 1. It 's Continuance and Radication 2. It 's Efficacy and Predominancy 1. The radication is set forth by the notions of the Spirits dwelling in us John 14.17 He shall be in you and dwell in you It s resting upon us 1 Pet. 4.14 The Spirit of God and of Glory rest upon you He taketh up his abode with us John 14.23 We will come to him and make our abode with him 'T is not a visit and away or a lodging for a night but a constant residence he taketh up his Mansion in our hearts Some have fits and qualms of Religion motions of conviction and joy but not a settled bent of Heart towards God and Heaven 2. It s prevalency and predominancy for where the Spirit dwelleth there he must rule and hath the command of the house he dwelleth in the Soul he dwelleth so as to govern directing and inclining us so as to do things pleasing unto God weaning us from the World 1 Cor. 2.12 This is called the receiving not the Spirit of the World but that which is of God Mastering and taming the Flesh both its gust and savour Rom. 8.5 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Its deeds and motions Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Flesh will rebel but the Spirit gets the upper-hand for the Dominion and sovereignty of the Flesh is not consistent with the having of the Spirit the Flesh is subdued more and more where the Spirit cometh he cometh to govern to suit the heart to the will of God and to give us greater liberty towards him 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The objects of sense which feed the flesh make less Impression upon us and the love of sin is more and more conquered Now take it thus explained you may know what it is to have the Spirit namely the dwelling and working of the Spirit in our Souls mortifying the flesh and causing us to live unto God 2. Why is this an evidence that we are true Christians here I shall prove two things 1. That all true Christians have this sanctifying Spirit 2. That 't is the certain evidence and proof of their being Christians or having an interest in Christ. 1. That all that are true Christians have it I prove it 1. From the promise of God who hath promised it to them and surely his love and faithfulness will see it made good Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplications and Prov. 1.23 Turn unto me and I will pour out an abundance of spirit unto you and Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely By the water of life is meant the spirit as appeareth John 7.38 39. So in many other places Now surely Gods word will not fall to the ground but must be accomplished 2. From the merit of Christ. Two Things Christ purchased and bestowed upon all his people his righteousness and his spirit 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Gal. 3.14 That we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith the Rock was smitten by the rod of Moses twice 1 Cor. 10.4 And these two gifts are inseparable where he giveth the one he giveth the other We have both or none 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God And Tit. 3.5 6 7. But according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life He freeth us at the same time a malo morali which is sin and a malo naturali which is punishment 3. When we enter into the covenant of Grace we enter into covenant with Father Son and Holy Ghost With God and with the Redeemer and with the Sanctifier Mat. 28.19 We are baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost What is our Covenant with the Holy Ghost It implieth both our duty and our benefit our benefit that we expect is that the Holy Ghost should regenerate us and renew us to the Image of God and plant us into Christ by faith and then dwell in us and maintain Gods Interest in our souls and so make us Saints and Believers And our duty is to consent to give up our selves to him as our Sanctifier and to obey his powerful Motions before we are made partakers of the Holy Ghost 4. The necessity of having the Spirit appeareth in that without him we can do nothing in Christianity from first to last 'T is the Spirit uniteth us to Christ and planteth us into his mystical body 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are baptized into one body 'T is by the Spirit we give up our selves to God as our God and reconciled Father in Christ and to Christ as our Redeemer and Saviour and so are planted into his Mystical body 1 Cor. 6.17 But he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit As a Man and a Harlot are one flesh so we are one Spirit ' The union is Spiritual for kind and the Spirit is the author of it So for further Sanctification and Consolation and Mortification take it either for the purging out lusts or suppressing the acts of sin For the purging out of lusts 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit Pride worldliness and Sensuality these are purged out more and more by the Spirit Or suppressing the acts of sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body So for vivification he infuseth Life and quickneth and maintaineth it in our Souls Gal. 5.25 If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit Strengthning it Eph. 3.16 That he would grant according to the riches of his grace to be strengthned with might by his Spirit He maketh it fruitful and exciteth it Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walk in my ways For Consolation to uphold our hearts in the midst of all trials and difficulties then we may go on cheerfully and in a course of holiness Acts 9.13 They walked in the fear of God and the comforts of the Holy ghost To comfort us with the sense of Gods love in all our tribulations Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy ghost which is given unto us To
wait for Eternal life Gal. 5.5 But we through the spirit do wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith That is which is built upon it 2. This spirit is the evidence of mens being true Christians the only sure and proper Evidence this will appear 1. By the Metaphors and terms by which the Spirit is set forth he is called a Seal a Witness and an Earnest Who hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 and Eph. 1.13 14. After ye believed ye were seald with the holy spirit of promise Men used to set their mark and stamp upon their wares that they might own them for theirs God sealeth by his spirit his stamp is his Image 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed into his image from glory to glory So he is also set forth under the notion of a Witness Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it's self beareth witness What is the Witness of the Spirit Not an immediate revelation or oracle in your bosomes to tell you that you are Gods Children but the renovation of the Soul and the constant operation of the holy Spirit dwelling and working in you this testifieth to our consciences or Spirits that God hath adopted us into his Family thus the Spirit is a Witness to the Scriptures So he is set forth as an Earnest 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us to this self same thing is God who hath also given us the earnest of his spirit An Earnest is part of the sum we have somewhat of the Life and peace and joy of the Spirit now which inableth us to wait with the more comfort and assurance for our future Blessedness 2. From the congruity of this Evidence 1. The coming down of the Holy ghost upon him as the evidence of Gods love to Christ and the visible Demonstration of his filiation and Sonship to the world The Evidence of Gods love Joh. 3.34 The Father loved the Son and gave him the spirit without measure Now Christ prayed John 17.26 That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and v. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me None will think in degree therefore in kind that God would manifest his love to us as he did to him by the gift of the Holy Spirit or his filiation John knew Christ to be the Son of God by the spirit descending and abiding on him Joh. 1.32 I saw the spirit descend from Heaven like a Dove and it abode on him Yea God himself owned this as a demonstration of his Sonship Matt. 3.17 This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased So do we know our selves to be the children of God by the spirits inhabitation and sanctifying work upon our souls 2 The pouring out of the spirit was the visible evidence given to the church of the sufficiency of Christs satisfaction When God was reconciled then he shed forth the spirit Acts 2.33 Therefore being at the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear so Joh. 7.38 39. He that believeth in me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water this he spake of the spirit which they that believed on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified Now this is true of Gods Love and Reconciliation to us in particular when he is pacified he giveth the spirit because the part followeth the reason of the whole and the atonement made and the atonement received Rom. 5.11 are evidenced the same way even by this fountain of living water which is given to all believers 3. This is the witness of the truth of the Gospel and therefore the best-pledg of the Love of God we can have in our hearts for the believers hopes are confirmed the same way the Gospel is confirmed that which confirmeth Christianity confirmeth the Christian The Extract and original Charter are confirmed by the same stamp and impression the spirit confirmeth the love of God to sinners and therefore the love of God to me Act. 5.32 And we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him The word was confirmed by the great wonders wrought by the Holy Ghost Heb. 3 4. God bearing them witness with signs and wonders and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost The sanctifying spirit John 17.17 Sanctify them through the truth thy word is truth 1 John 5.10 He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself The spirit comforting the conscience by the blood of Christ and sanctifying the heart and cleansing it as with pure water This also is our evidence 3. From the Qualities of this evidence and so it is most apt to satisfie the doubting conscience concerning its interest in Christ and his benefits 1. 'T is a great benefit becoming the love of God to give us his holy spirit 'T is more than if he had given us all the world Persons that have been at variance will not believe one another unless their Reconciliation be verified by some remarkable good turn and visible testimony of love A great Offender reconciled to Augustus yet would not believe it unless he put some notable mark of his favour upon him as David to Amasa making him General of his Army Surely the breach hath been so great between us and God that we shall have no peace and joy in believing till we have some gift that may be a perfect demonstration that he is at peace with us Rom. 5.11 We joy in God as those that have received the atonement The pledg of it is in the gift of the spirit Most mens patience cometh from their stupidness their confidence from their security their quiet from their mindlesness of heavenly things but the soul that is in good earnest must have a witness of Gods love or a sufficient proof that he is reconciled and taken into Gods Family made an heir according to the hope of eternal life which is the spirit of adoption Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father 2. 'T is most sensible as being within our own hearts The death of Christ was a Demonstration of Gods love but that was done without us on the Cross and before we were born Justification is a blessed Priviledg but either that is Gods act in Heaven accepting us in Christ or else in the sentence of the law by which we are constituted just but this cometh into our hearts Gal. 4.6 God hath sent the spirit of his son into our hearts so 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts so 1 John 5.11 He that believeth hath the witness in himself compare the eighth Verse 3. 'T
getting into the Pool see Jam. 1.23 If a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass c. If so there is a season lost there is some duty pressed some sin discovered some want laid open mortification is much promoted by observing and improving these seasons 1 Pet. 1.22 seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit and Psa. 119.104 Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way By attending on the word we get new degrees of light and hatred against sin sometimes God weakneth this lust sometimes that according as he is pleased to direct it to your consciences 3. After some notable fall or sin against God See the coar of the destemper pulled out to get a pardon is not enough but mortification must be looked after the longer sin defileth the Heart the deeper it is rooted therefore speedily recover your selves at such a time a green Wound is more easily cured than an old rankled Sore and David complaineth his wounds did stink through his foolishness Psa. 38.5 The longer these Wounds be neglected the worse if a Member is sprained or out of joynt if you delay to set it it never groweth strong or straight Peter did not lie in the sin but went out immediately and wept bitterly Matth. 26.75 The longer corruption is spared it acquireth the more strength secureth its interest more firmly and is more deeply rooted in the Soul and bringeth a custom on the body also 2. Why justifyed persons must mortifie the deeds of the body 1. With respect to Christ. 2. With respect to sin 3. With respect to grace received 1. With respect to Christ and there 1. What he did and is to us 2. Our relation to him 1. What he did and is to us For what end he suffered for us and for what end he is offered to us He suffered for us to take away sin or to purchase grace whereby sin may be mortified he paid the price to provoked justice 1 Pet. 2.24 He bore our sins in his body upon the tree that we being dead unto sin should live to righteousness Naturally we are dead to Righteousness and alive to sin but Christ intention in dying for sinners was to remedy this that sin might die and grace live and therefore our old man is said to be Crucified with Christ Rom. 6.6 Then the Price was paid and grace purchased He came not only to free us from punishment but cut also the power of sin The guilt of sin is contrary to our happiness the power of sin to Gods Glory 2. The end for which he is offered to us God propoundeth Christ not only as a foundation of Comfort but as a Fountain of grace and Holiness 1 Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption to be our Sanctification as well as our Righteousness where he is the one he is the other one principal blessing is to turn us from our sins Acts 3.36 and that is mortification or weakning the power and love of sin in our hearts now that we may receive him as God offereth him and not rend and divide him by a broken and imperfect Faith as we look for Comfort in Christ in the sense of our justification and pardon so an experience of his power in mortifying sin otherwise we have but half of Christ. 2. Our relation to him both by external profession and Real implantation both bind us to mortifie sin 1. External profession obligeth us to die unto sin 't was a part of our baptismal vow and we quite nullifie and frustrate the intent of that Ordinance unless we Mortifie the deeds of the body The Flesh was renounced in our answer to Gods Covenant-Questions 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism is called the answer of a good conscience towards God 'T is an Answer to the Lords offers propounded in the Gospel when we were first consecrated to this warfare and that dedication must never be forgotten 2 Pet. 1.19 And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins To neglect is to forget as to distribute and communicate forget not that is neglect not So here hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins while they please the flesh they neglect their Baptismal vow and so make that Ordinance of none effect to them we are said Col. 2.13 To put of the body of the sins of the flesh That is in vow and obligation being buried with him in baptism Now if we do not stand to our vow our solemn admission into Christs family was in vain 2. By real implantation surely they that are united to Christ cannot live in the servitude and slavery of sin for by this union with him they are assimulated and conformed to him Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ and 't was not his priviledg alone but all the justifyed Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof This conformity is called by the Apostle a being planted into the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 Christ was crucified in his human nature and we in our corrupt nature We crucified him by our sins and we are crucified with him by his spirit Christ dyed for sin and a Christian unto sin 2. With respect to sin which remaineth in us after we are justified Here are three considerations demonstrating why we should mortify sin 1. That sin still abideth in us after we are taken into the justifyed estate while we dwell in flesh this woful and sad companion dwelleth with us we cannot get rid of this cursed inmate till the house its self be pulled down we die struggling with it and when one of our feet is within the borders of eternity yet it departeth not as hair groweth after shaving as long as the roots remain so is corruption sprouting therefore must be always mortifying always cleansing 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit Always purifying 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure Always laying aside the weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 Since sin is not nullified it therefore must be mortified the war must last as long as the enemy liveth and hath any strength and force 2. It still worketh in us is very active and restless not as other things which as they grow in age grow more quiet and tame James 4.5 The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy The flesh is not a sleepy habit but a working stirring principle Rom. 7.8 Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence That is sinning nature 't is always inclining us to evil hindring that which is good 1. Inclining us to that which is evil It doth not only make us flexible and yielding to temptations but doth urge us and impel us
of Adoption no less Agent or Witness will serve the turn Rom. 8.16 The spirit its self beareth witness to our spirits that we are the children of God When that is done yet the glory intended to be revealed in us is not sufficiently known we have not now an heart to conceive of it 1 Cor. 2.9 And Prophesie is but in-part 1 Cor. 12.9 And the Apostle when wrapt up in Paradise heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.4 Heavenly joys cannot be told us in an earthly dialect the Scripture is fain to lisp to us and to speak something of it as we can understand and conceive of things to come by things present therefore our glory is in a great measure unknown and will be till the day of manifestation and then there shall be a Crown of Glory prepared for us 3. Why this Glory is hidden 1. Because now is the time of tryal hereafter of recompence Therefore now is the hiding time hereafter is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God if the glory were too sensible there were no trial neither of the world nor of the people of God Christ himself might be discerned by those who had a mind to see him yet there was obscurity enough in his Person to harden those that were resolved to continue in their prejudices therefore 't is said Luke 2.39 This child was set for the rise and fall of many in Israel So if the whole excellency of a Christians estate were laid open to the view of fense there would be no trial Christ had his bright side and dark side a glory to be seen by those whose eyes were anointed with spiritual eye-salve John 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the father And affliction and meaness enough to harden those who had no mind to see So God hath his chosen ones in the world who keep up his honour and interest and he hath his ways to to express his love to them but not openly they are called his hidden ones Psal. 80.3 They are under his secret blessing and protection but not visibly owned but in such a way as may be best for their trial and the trial of the world The Lord Jesus came not with external appearance his Divine Nature was hidden under the vail of his flesh and his Dignity and Excellency under a base and mean outside in the outward estate there was nothing lovely to be seen by a carnal eye Isa. 53.2 He hath no form and comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Yet in himself he was the brightness of the Divine Glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1.3 2. God hath chosen this way to advance his glory that he may perfect his power in our weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 By wants and weaknesses his fatherly love appeareth to us more than in an absolute and total exemption from them God would not so often hear from us nor would we have such renewed experiences to revive the sense of his fatherly love and grace which would otherwise be dead and cold in our hearts were it not for these wants and afflictions during our minority and nonage 3. To wean and draw us off from things present to things to come That we may be contented to be hidden from and hated by the world if the course of our service expose us to it for we must not look upon things as they are or seem to be now but what they will be hereafter Now is the trouble then the reward present time is quickly past and therefore we should be dead to present profits and present pleasures and present honours and look to eternity that is to come 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not to 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 Oh how glorious will the derided vilified Believer be then It should be our Ambition to look after this honour 't is the day of the manifestation of the Sons of Cod tho the wicked have a larger allowance by the bounty of Gods common Providence yet you have his special love We think God doth not place his hands aright no! God doth not misplace his hands as Joseph thought of his Father Gen. 48. when he preferred Ephraim befor Manasseh What a poor condition was the only Begotten Son of God in when he lived in the world When you are poorer than Christ then complain tho you do not enjoy Pleasures Honours Riches Esteem yet if you enjoy the Favour of God 't is enough tho mean yet if heirs of glory Jam. 2.5 God doth not esteem persons according to their outward lustre 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his countenance or the height of his stature for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh upon the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 2. How manifested Their persons shall be known and owned Rev. 3.5 But I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels 'T is no litigious debate then no more doubt when owned not by Charracter but by Name they shall be manifested to themselves and their glory also revealed to the world by the visible marks of favour Christ will put upon them when others are rejected Isa. 66.5 But he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Yea the world shall stand wondring 2 Thes. 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2. Doct. That the state of the creatures shall he renewed when Gods children come to be manifested in their glory For he saith the whole Creation groaneth and waiteth 1. This is clear that heaven and earth that is the lower Heavens and the Elementary Bodies as well as the earth shall suffer some kind of change at the last day for 't is said Psal. 102.26 As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed He will change them quite from the condition wherein they now are 2. That this change of the world and the heavenly and elementary bodies shall be by fire 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth which are now reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men 3. That notwithstanding this fire and universal destruction rational creatures shall subsist to all eternity in their proper place assigned to each of them the Godly in Heaven the wicked in Hell Matth. 25.46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life 4. 'T is probable that the bruits and plants and all such corruptible bodies as are necessary to the animal life but superfluous to life everlasting shall be utterly destroyed 5. That the world and elementaty bodies shall be refined and purged by this fire and
of ours cannot be received into Heaven till they be changed and immortalized vers 53. This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality As a man to build his house better razeth it to the very bottom so God will have the body resolved into dust before he will set it forth in this new fair Edition As the creature is dissolved that is delivered from the Bondage of Corruption first the creature is set free and discharged from being obnoxious to change and alteration so we must first die then be raised in Incorruption which should make us the more ready and willing to submit to the appointed course and not only even dare to die but to be willing to dye since Death puts an end to sin and all our calamities and is the gate and entrance by which we pass into Glory 2. Doct. That the liberty to which Gods people are reserved is a glorious liberty Here I shall first speak of the liberty of Gods children in this life 2. The glorious liberty in the world to come for the one is a step to the other for 't is called a glorious liberty to distinguish it from the liberty of Gods children here in this world which is not glorious but gracious to shew how it exceedeth this estate in glory Therefore I must shew 1. What is the liberty of Gods children in this world 2. What in the world to come 1. What is the liberty of Gods children in this world There are three practical notions in which man is greatly mistaken Misery and Happiness Wisdom and Folly Liberty and Bondage Misery and Happiness Men count none miserable but the afflicted none happy but the prosperous because they judg by the present ease and commodity of the flesh Wisdom and Folly we all affect the repute of Wisdom Job 11.12 Please our selves with a false shew of wisdom neglecting what is true and solid which is to be wise to salvation Liberty and Bondage Man accepteth of a false liberty rather than none every man would be at his own dispose live as he list whereas the true liberty must be determined by our condition as creatures by our end as creatures that are in pursuit of true happiness To think the only true liberty is to be at the command and controul of none above our selves or to live at large according to our hearts desire is to affect a thraldom and bondage instead of liberty therefore it concerneth us to state exactly what is the liberty of Gods children now it either relateth to our duty or to our felicity 1. To our duty and so our liberty must he stated by these four Things 1. It must be such a liberty as becometh a creature who is in subjection to God 'T is not a power to live as we list but a power to live as we ought to affect a power to live as we list and to be accountable to none is to revive the arrogancy of Adam and to sup up again the poyson of the old Temptation ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 'T was mans Original Ambition to be at his own dispose and Lord of his own Actions to think and speak and do as he pleaseth Psal. 12.4 Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us And the Rebellion of the Libertine World is set forth by casting off the Yokes and Cords of Duty Psal. 2.3 Let us break their â—ands asunder and cast away their cords from us Meaning there the Laws of God and Christ who are impatient of any restraint But this is a liberty cannot be justified for since man hath principium finem A principle upon which he dependeth in his Being and Operations and an end unto which he is appointed he must wholly give up himself to the will of another and his liberty lyeth in a readiness to comply with Gods commands who is his proper Lord to whom he is to subject himself and to give an account of all his Actions So that mans true liberty is Gods Service Psa. 119.45 I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts To will and do things pleasing to our Creator is the only liberty proper to us 2. It must be such a liberty as will leave us in a capacity to pursue our chief good and last end For all creatures are by natural instinct carried to their last end and the more fettered and restrained from this the more they are in Bondage the less the more free which holdeth good in all creatures but principally in the reasonable Certainly the reasonable nature is dishonoured and debased and under a defect as 't is disabled from the fruition of God or seeking after it we are in Bondage as we are captivated and intangled with the love of inferior things and so perverted and diverted from the pursuit of true happiness The restraining of our irregular desires is not Bondage but the gratifying of them for that is a snare to us Men live in sin with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element yet they are in bonds still as they are detained from God and turned aside from him our liberty is our power over inferior things and our Bondage is their power over us 1 Cor. 6.12 When we love God with all our hearts and serve him with all our minds we are free Liberty in the root implyeth an inclination to God as the supream Object of our love In the first Act In a power of chusing the means whereby we may injoy him In the second Act in an exercise of this power or in an actual pursuing the end by these means The elective power and a governing our Actions in order to our great end is our liberty the Angels that immutably and indeclinably adhere to their last end are freer than us who may err from it Well then None are such slaves as they that cannot use the means which should make them happy but imploy their whole time in seeking after Pleasures and Honours and Profits like dissolute Servants who being sent by their Masters to a Mart or Fair to buy Commodites spend their time and money in some Inn or House of Entertainment by the way and neglect their Fair or Mart to which they were sent to imploy their Money to the best advantage So we are inslaved by the way and neglect our main business 3. It must be such a liberty as will suit with the dignity of a rational creature as man is For that is the liberty of a man when he acteth with a condecency to the reasonable nature Man was at first made to be happy his happiness consisted in the Fruition of God and his subjection to him was no captivity and restraint but rather a part of that blessedness but we became bondmen not only by breaking the Law of God but by disordering the constitution of our Souls by submitting conscience and reason to our lusts so suffering the beast to ride the man for the rule of
on the heart Man seeth things slightly and superficially and judges of all things according to the shew and outside for his sight can pierce no deeper But God searcheth the heart and reins knoweth who is and will continue to be a faithful instrument of his glory 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts A man cannot sincerely frame himself to the service of God unless he doth first believe him to know all things even our very thoughts yea the imaginations of the thoughts the first motions of the soul which set on men to do what they do so Prov. 15.11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the children of men He compareth two things which are most unknown to us The state of the dead and the hearts of men God knoweth all those that are in Sheol the state of the dead though they are unknown or forgotten by the most of men we know not what is become of the bodies or souls of men the number of the damned or the blessed But God keepeth an exact account of all he knoweth where their souls are and their bodies also what is become of their dust and how to restore to every one their own flesh And as he knoweth who are in the state of the dead so what are the thoughts and hearts of men now alive The thoughts of the heart are hidden from us till they be revealed by word or action Who can know our thoughts What more swift and sudden What more various What more hidden than our thoughts yet he knoweth them not by guess or interpretation but by immediate inspection he seeth them before they are manifested by any overt-act he knoweth with what hopes and confidences and aims we are carried on in whose name we act and upon what principles and ends Again Jer. 17.9 10. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked Who can know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reins even to give every man according to his wayes and according to his doings The heart of man is altogether unknown to others and very hard and difficult to be discovered by our selves there are so many slights and shifts and circuits and turnings to conceal and colour our actions But there is no beguiling of God who hath an eye to discover the most secret motions and inward intentions and will accordingly deal with men according to their deserts But the Scripture doth not only assert but argue this point 1. From the Immensity and greatness of God God is in all and above all and beyond all no where included no where excluded And so his Omnipresence doth establish the belief of his Omnisciency Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar off do not I fill heaven and earth can any hide himself where I shalt not see him God is every where here where you are nearer and more intrinsick to us than our very souls Therefore all we think speak or do is better known to him than it is to our selves We do all as in his sight speak all as in his hearing think all as in his presence that which can be absent is not God you may be far from him but he is not far from every one of you 2. From Creation He hath made our hearts and therefore knoweth our hearts Psal. 94.9 10. He that planted the ear shall no he hear he that formed the eye shall not he see surely he that made man knoweth what is in man and observeth what they do The same Argument is urged Psal. 139.13 Thou hast possessed my reins for thou hast covered me in my mothers womb And again Psal. 33.15 He fashioneth their hearts alike he considereth all their thoughts He that hath so much wisdom to give you the power to think knoweth the acts if he hath given knowledge to the Creatures He himself hath it in a more eminent degree nothing can be concealed from him who hath Creating power As he hath Created all alike he is able to discern them severally one by one and to understand all the operations of their very hearts 3. From Gods government which is twofold First Powerful by his effectual providence as he governeth all Creatures Secondly Moral by his laws as he governeth the reasonable Creature Both infer the point in hand 1. The government of his effectual providence which is necessary to all our actions for in him we live move and have our being Acts 17.28 all things move as he moveth them in their natural agency the Creature can do nothing without him and actually doth all things by him his wisdom guideth his will intendeth his power moveth and disposeth all This is urged Psal. 139.10 His hand leadeth us his right hand holdeth us up whereever we go That is we are still supported by his providential influence and therefore we cannot be hidden from him doth God support a Creature whom he knoweth not in an action he understandeth not therefore he is not regardless of thy thoughts words and ways 2. His moral government He hath given a law to the reasonable Creature and he will take an account whether it be kept or broken And therefore since all persons and causes are to be judged by him He doth perfectly understand them and every one of us is clearly and fully known to God both as to our hearts and actions or else He were uncapable to judg us This is often urged Psal. 94.10 He that chastiseth the Nations shall not he correct He that teacheth men knowledge shall not he know He that giveth laws to men demandeth exact obedience to these precepts and will chastise and punish mens disobedience So Heb. 4.13 All things are naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do that is in the judgment 2. That they that would worship God aright had need be deeply possessed with this 1. From the nature of worship in general which is a Converse with God or a setting our selves immediately before the Lord. In solemn duties we come to act the part of Angels and to behold the face of our Heavenly Father As in prayer we come to speak to God and in the word we come to hear God speak to us in the Lord's Supper to be feasted at his Table God is every where with us but we are not always and every where with God We profess to be with him when we come to worship to turn back upon all other things that we may stand before the Throne of God Prayer is the most familiar converse with God that we are capable of while we dwell in flesh called therefore a visiting of God and an acquainting our selves with him a drawing nigh to him a calling upon God 'T is unnecessary to cite places Now none of
this can be done unless we believe him to be present and conscious to all that we do or say for all else is but an empty formality Therefore when we pray we must remember that we converse with him that searcheth the heart and knoweth what and how we ask as 1 Kings 8.39 Hear thou in thy dwelling place and forgive and do to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men All the faith the seriousness the comfort of prayer dependeth upon the belief of this for who would call upon him of whom he is not perswaded that he heareth him or be serious in a duty that knoweth not whether God regardeth yea or no or what comfort can be taken in having prayed and made known his desires to God unless he be perswaded those prayers come unto the ears of the Lord of Hosts So for hearing the word that which bindeth us to reverence is that we are in the sight of God Acts 10.33 We are all here present before the Lord to hear all things which are commanded thee of God otherwise men will come to see and be seen rather than to be taught and instructed God is every where but he is especially there where his ordinances are and we are to be so seriously attentive as if God himself did speak to us by oracles when his message is brought to us otherwise it will have no effect upon us 1 Thes. 2.13 Ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe 2 Cor. 5.20 As though God did beseech you by us We lift up our hearts to him and set him before our eyes as having to do with God himself this only begets seriousness in hearing So for the Lord's Supper which is a middle duty between the word and prayer and compounded of both we hear God tendring his Covenant assuring us of his blessings promised and commanding us to fulfil the requisite duties that we may be capable of them We promising and praying by resolving and promising testify our consent to the Covenant thus stated by prayers and groans our dependance Now there is no Covenanting with one that is absent you will say he is present in his institution he is so and that is an help to faith therefore visible signs are appointed to be an instance of Gods presence with us but all his internal work is immediately transacted between our souls and God himself We look on him as present that seeth and heareth all Deut. 10.12 'T is to the soul God speaketh I am thy God Psal. 35.3 Say unto my soul I am thy salvation And the soul spake unto God Thou art my portion saith my soul. Either as to promise of obedience Psal. 119.57 or dependance Lam. 3.24 Two outward witnesses are conscious to what is done between God and our souls So Psal. 16.2 O my soul thou hast said unto God thou art my God upon this inward soul covenanting do all our priviledges depend and if God knoweth not all things nor engageth his heart to draw nigh unto him How can this be 2. From the danger of dissembling with God in acts of worship or putting him off with feigned pretences The Scripture sets forth three phrases a mocking of God a lying to God and a tempting of God A mocking of God Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked That is Impune there is no escaping the accurate search of the all-seeing God Ananias Saphirai's sin was hypocrisie in keeping back part of what was devoted They would seem liberal and pious as others who were joyned to the Church and so by a part of godliness seek to be excused from the whole And whilest they observe externals neglect internals own Religion when profession is not costly put on a garb of devotion at times but lay it aside ordinarily do what is plausible to men but neglect what is acceptable to God now this is called a lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Why to the Holy Ghost rather than the Father and the Son Because of his special precedency and inspection over Church-Affairs Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers Act 15.28 For it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things They pretended to do it by his instinct as all Christians that pray profess or pretend to pray by the Holy Ghost Oh! Observe this many make a false confession of faith or promise of obedience this is called a lying not to men but to God Acts 5.4 Oh then we should be exceedingly fortified against hypocrisie in worship 't is to think to deceive God whom we profess to be Omniscient nay 't is a tempting of the Spirit of the Lord v. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord A putting it to the proof whether he will discover us or no now rather than run this hazzard it concerneth us greatly and thoroughly to be possessed of this truth That God searcheth the heart 3. There can be no true worship unless we be deeply possessed with a thorough sence of the infinite knowledg of God 1. There can be no faith unless the worship be performed and tendred to God as an all-seeing Spirit Heb. 11.6 Without faith 't is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him If God know me not nor in what manner I serve him 't is all one whether I serve him religiously or with a cold faint formal worship for he seeth not with what heart I go about it if we pray and think to be never the better for praying there can be no life in prayer for a perswasion to be heard and accepted must be at the bottom of all duties therefore all that would serve him diligently must believe that he is Omniscient and knoweth all things 2. There can be no reverence For 't is all one to pray to an Idol and to a God that heareth not and seeth not yea 't is worse for they were perswaded of a Vertue or a Divine Power belonging to their Idols therefore all your worship will be but a conformity to the common custom and fashion Ezek. 31.31 They come before thee as thy people cometh and sit before thee as thy people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness 'T is but a shew of Devotion USE Is comfort to sincere worshippers 1. God knoweth their persons that there is such a man in the world the desires of whose soul are to the remembrance of his name 'T is an usual temptation which haunteth the
hâ—rtful for us but of that God will be judg some present temporal good may be a cause of future inconvenience and something bitter how may be afterward found wholesome God knoweth whether life or death be best a present riddance of troubles or a continuance of them therefore it followeth verse 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God That which is apprehended as evil may turn to good therefore these things should not be peremtorily asked but with limitation and exception of Gods will as our Lord Christ Matth. 26.39 And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt 'T is one thing to believe for certain that God will grant our petition with this condition if the grant be for his glory and our good and another thing to bâ—lieve absolutely that he will not deny the particular thing we ask of him without such exception and reservation 'T is not for us to determine what is most conducing to Gods glory and desirable for us We must commit and submit to God to our Heavenly Father who is never backward to our good and will certainly guide all things for the best 2. The manner 1. With faith What faith have we in prayer With respect to God that he is able and willing to help his people that we need not run to other shifts and be divided between God and carnal means Jam. 1.6 7 8. As to the acceptance of our persons we must pray that we do not weaken our confidence by any allowed sin 1 John 3.20 21. For if our hearts condemn us not God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God We sin a way our peace and then cannot come cheerfully to God As to the particular blessings asked necessary that are absolutely promised must be absolutely expected But the promise of the common blessings of this life is not absolute these things are dispensed as shall be for Gods glory and our good The saints themselves express themselves with some hesitancy about these things though inclined to hope the best as David 2 Sam. 12.22 Who can tell whether the Lord will not be gracious to me that the child may live God knoweth what we most really want and what is most agreeable to our desires being able to choose for us better than we can for our selves Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will return and leave a blessing 2. With fervency or that life and seriousness which will become addresses to God Matth. 7.7 Ask seek knock we are not in good earnest unless we set our selves to seek the Lord Dan. 9.3 Christ taught us to pray in two parables one for the spirit Luke 11. By a man coming to his friend for loaves at midnight For right done to the Church Luke 18.1 In the parable of the widow and unjust Judg. Persevere till prayer be answered Matth. 15.26 27. Keep wrestling and striving with God Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 3. With humility we must come as less than the least of his mercies Gen. 32.10 Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God As the Publican Luke 18.13 God be merciful to me a sinner as Abraham Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes 4. With holy ends that God may be glorified John 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son In the spirit John 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Psal. 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord our God 2. The reasons why the prayers so made must be acceptable to God 1. Because here all the divine persons concur we pray according to Gods will in Christs name and mediation by the motion and instinct of the spirit every one is a ground of hope therefore it will not be lost labour or breath poured out into the air 2 Sam. 14.1 When Joab perceived that the kings heart was towards Absalom he makes use of the advantage Christs merit breeds confidence Heb. 10.19 Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus And then the spirits motion God accepteth what cometh from himself Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear What is excited and stirred up in us by his spirit 2. On mans part the person is qualified the petition just the end right and the heart excited USE Is to shew us what prayers are heard such as cometh from God and are made to God certainly such shall be dealt with as friends God will bestow marks of abundant favour upon them and reward their love and obedience by hearing their prayers he delights to do great things for their sakes and will have it known that their suppplication is acceptable to him Oh pray thus by the spirit 1. Is your prayer such a prayer as cometh from God such a prayer as is inspired by the spirit holy and fervent Holy for he is an holy and heavenly spirit and puts us mainly upon holy and heavenly things things that always make us better not worse and in other things referring our choices to God what he liketh and thinketh best for us not what we do for our selves not my will but thine be done Then Fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.16 The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man when it looketh like wrestling with God 2. To God like worship relating to God it hath the stamp of his nature upon it some of his Attributes relate to his Mercy and Goodness some to his Majesty and Greatness the one is seen in the joy of our faith and confidence by our delight to converse with him The other in our humility and deep reverence of God when we come to him as poor undone creatures without his grace SERMON XXXVII ROM VII 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose IN the former Verse the Apostle telleth us how the spirit maketh Intercession for the Saints what God liketh and thinketh best for them not what they like themselves most profitable tho not most pleasing Green Fruit is most pleasing to the appetite of the Child but the Parents knoweth 't is
he loveth them more than a mother loveth her tender infant Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee If the mother be so tenderly affected to the child whom she carried in her womb for some few months will not God much more He is as tender of them as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He hath secured his Covenant-love by promise 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able he will never leave you to insupportable difficulties Secondly To give a more general state of the case 1. This good is not to be determined by our fancies and conceits but by the wisdom of God for God knoweth what is better for us than we do for our selves we judg according to present appearance but he hath a sight or inspection of our hearts and a prospect or foresight of all future events And therefore his divine choices are to be preferred before our foolish fancies what he sendeth or permitteth to fall out is fitter for our turn than any thing else could we once be perswaded of this a Christian would be prepared for a cheerful entertainment of all that should come upon him Besides he is a God of bowels and loveth us more dearly than we do our selves Therefore we should be satisfied with his dispensations whatever they are Should the shepherd or the sheep chuse his pastures The child be governed by his own fancy or the Fathers discretion The sick man by his own appetite or the physitians skill 'T is necessary sometimes that God should displease his people for their advantage John 16.6 7. Because I have said these things to you sorrow hath filled your heart nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away We are too much addicted to our own conceits Christs dealing is expedient and useful yet very unsatisfactory to his people He is to be judge of what is good for us his going or tarrying not we our selves who are short-sighted distempered with passions whose requests many times are but ravings and ask of God we know not what Peter said Matth. 17.4 Master it is good for us to be here He was well pleased to be upon Mount Tabor but little thought what work God had to do by him elsewhere so Jer. 24.5 The basket of good figs were sent into the land of the Chaldeans for their good What good in a dispersion but God foresaw worse evil would befall the place where they then lived The selling of Joseph for a slave was to appearance evil but God meant it for good Gen. 50.20 God may keep us low and bare expose us to difficulties prejudices reproaches bitter sufferings yet all is for good 2. Good is to be determined by its respect to the chief good or true happiness Now what is our chief happiness but the vision and fruition of God it consists not in outward comforts riches liberty health honour or comfortable relations but our acceptance with God other things are but appendages to our felicity Matth. 6.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But first seek the kingdom of God and these things shall be added unto you Affliction taketh nothing from our solid and essential happiness rather helpeth us to the injoymenâ— of it as we increase in grace and holiness That 's evil that separateth us from God that 's good which bringeth us nearer to him Sin separateth us from God therefore always evil Isa. 59.2 But affliction are not always evil but make us more earnestly to seek after him Hosea 5.16 And so to be trained up under the cross in a constant course of obedience and subjection to God is good Lam. 3.27 It is good that a man bear the yoke from his youth because it keepeth him modest humble and sober 3. This good is not always the good of the body or of outward prosperity and therefore our condition is not to be determined by the interest of the flesh but the welfare of our soul. If we had the world at will we cannot be said to be in a good condition if the Lord should deny us spiritual blessings We are more concerned as a soul than a body Heb. 12.10 He verily for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness He doth not call the good things of this world that pelf which all desire profit but the participiation of the divine nature Affliction is good if it be sanctified Holiness wrought by affliction should be more to us than all our outward comforts 4. 'T is not good presently injoyed and felt but waited for and therefore our condition must not be determined by sense but faith Heb. 12.11 Affliction for the present is not pleasing to natural sense nor is the fruit for the present evident to spiritual sense but 't is good because in the issue it turneth to spiritual good While under the affliction we feel the smart but do not presently find the benefit Physick must have time to work that which is not good may be good though it be not good in its nature 't is good in its use Faith should determine so though we feel it not Psal. 73.1 Yâ—t God is good to Israel 5. A particular good must give way to a general good and our personal benefit to the glory of God and the advancement of Christs Kingdom 'T was good yea much better for Paul to be in Heaven yet if it was needful for the Saints to continue in the flesh he submitteth Phil. 1.24 We must not so desire good to our selvâ—s as to hinder the good of others All Elements will act contrary to their particular nature for the conservation of the Universe That may be good for the glory of God which is not good for our personal contentment and ease John 12.27 28. The sense of our duty and the desire of glorifying God should overcome our natural inclination 6. In bringing about this good we must not be idle spectators but assisi under God When we are diligent to exercise our selves unto godliness then evil is turned into good and all crosses and afflictions into means of salvation besides the elective love of God at the bottom of all there is the actual power and influence of the Spirit and prayer on our part Phil. 1.19 Through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and Heb. 12.11 Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 'T is not the bare nature of the Cross doth it we must labour for that we look for the Saints are not only passive objects but active instruments of Providence there is an exercise on our parts we are to make use of all things then God will bless us 7. If it be true
then have we conâ—idence towards God 3. This external and internal calling may be ineffectual or effectual 1. The ineffectual call consists in the bare tender and offer of grace but is not entertained God may knock at the door of the heart that doth not open to him knock by the word knock by the motions of the Spirit and checks of conscience so many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 There is not the fruit of election nor are these the called according to purpose 2. The effectual call is when God changeth the heart and bringeth it home to himself by Jesus Christ we are not only invited to Christ but come to him by the strength and power of his own grace John 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him When we yeild to the call as Paul who was extraordinarily called saith Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision we have his consent and resignation recorded Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do He yeildeth up the keys of his heart that Christ may come and take possession In an ordinary call 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave themselves to the Lord 'T is in other places expressed by our receiving or imbracing Christ John 1.12 both are implyed our thankful accepting of Christ and our giving up our selves to him they both go together and where the one is the other is also In every Covenant there is ratio dati accepti something given and something required Christ and his benefits and what we have are and do both are an answer to Gods call 2. The properties of effectual calling 1. 'T is an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath called us with an holy calling And 't is also an Heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 Partakers of the heavenly calling because we are called to duties and priviledges these must not be severed some are forward to the priviledges of the calling but backward to the duties thereof A good Christian must mind both the priviledges to take him off from the false happiness and the duties that he may return to his obedience to God the one is the way and means to come to the other for 't is said he hath called us to glory and virtue 2 Pet. 1.3 Meaning by glory eternal life and by virtue grace and holiness in the way that God offereth it we embrace it we heartily consent to seek after eternal glory in the way of faith and holiness and so by it the heart is turned by Christ from the creature to God from sin to holiness 3. The ends of effectual calling both on Gods part and the creatures 1. On Gods part That God may shew his wisdom power and goodness 1. His wisdom is seen partly in the way and means that God taketh to convert sinners to himself There is a sweet contemperation and mixture of wisdom and power there is no violence offered to the will of the creatures nor the liberty of second causes taken away and yet the effect is obtained The proposal of good to the understanding and will by the secret power of the Lords grace is made effectual and at the same time we are taught and drawn John 6.44 45. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him as it is written in the Prophets They shall all be taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me There is opening blind eyes and turning an hard heart Acts 26.18 He worketh strongly like himself sweetly with respect to us that he may not oppress the liberty of our faculties and the Convert at the same time is made willing by his own choice and effectually cured by Gods grace so that Christ cometh conqueringly into the heart and yet not by force but by consent We are transformed but so as we prove what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is Rom. 12.2 The power of God and the liberty of man do sweetly consist together and we have at the same time a new heart and a free spirit and the powerful efficacy of his grace doth not destroy the consent and good liking of the sinner The will is moved and also changed and renewed In the perswasive and moral way of working God taketh the most likely course to gain the heart of man discovering himself to us as a God of kindness and mercy ready to pardon and forgive Psal. 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared For guilty creatures would stand aloof off from a condemning God no God hath laid the foundation of the offer of his grace in the highest demonstration of his love and goodness that ever could come into the ears of man to hear or could enter into the heart of man to conceive viz. in giving his Son to dye for a sinful world 2 Cor. 5.19 20. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God And not only in the offers of pardon but eternal life and blessedness so infinitely beyond the false happiness that our carnal self-love inclineth us unto that 't is a shame and disgrace to our reason to think that these things are worthy to be compared in any serious debate or that all the pleasures and honours and profits we dote upon should come in competition with that blessed immortality and life which is brought to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And powerful grace goeth along with all this to make it effectual partly in the time of conversion taking us in our month and that season which is fittest for the glory of his grace some are called in the morning some at noon some in the evening of their age as Matth. 20.3 4 5 6. c. some were hired to go into the vineyard at the third some the ninth some the eleventh hour That any believe in Christ at all is mercy that some believe in him sooner some later is the Lords wise ordering He that is called betimes may consider Gods goodness which broke out so early before he longer provoked him and contracted an habit of evil customs and that God instructed him betimes to take heed of sin and spending his fresh and flowry youth in the service of the Devil whereas otherwise lost days and months and years would have been a perpetual grief to him He that is called at the latter end of his days having so many sins upon him may be quickned to glorifie God that he would not refuse him at last nor despise him for all his rebellions nor remember against him the sins of his youth That a long and an old enemy should be taken into favour God knoweth how best to gain upon every heart
us Is it a good temper and disposition of mind so that grace is represented to us congruously so that it findeth us fitly prepared Certainly seasons should not be over-slipped but yet this is not the adequate cause of conversion that some believe others not because we are so happy to find them in a disposition of mind to obey the word we see that many that come with an ill disposition and temper of soul to hear the word of God yet God taketh them by the heart people should bring a prepared mind free from distractions and prejudices but that is not all that is necessary we are to use the means but the success is from God who will take his own time Christians when they think themselves best prepared find not that efficacy in the word they could desire 2. All good is of God 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ And what hast thou that thou hast not received And Jer. 24.7 I will give them a heart to know me 'T is his grace maketh the difference Matth. 13.11 'T is given you to know the mystery of the kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given The cause of putting a difference between the one and the other is in the will of God the giver The advantages in the means of better temper better ministry somewhat there is in that Acts 14.1 They so spake that a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed all this is to be imputed to Gods external providence one way of preaching may be more apt to convert souls than another a dart headed and feathered and sent out of a strong bow will pierce deeper than falling of its own weight pure solid Doctrine rationally enforced is more likely to do the deed But yet the thorough cause of the difference is internal grace changing the heart and powerfully inclining it to God Acts 11.21 The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 'T is Gods mighty power maketh the difference 3. Whatever God doth in time he purposed to do before all time for God doth nothing rashly and by chance but all by counsel and predestination 't is according to his purpose especially in mans salvation nothing is done but what he decreed to be done even the least circumstance time means and occasion 't is all according to purpose not of yesterday but from all eternity Acts 9.11 Gods sending Ananias to Paul and was not that foreknown and determined VSE Is to press us to admire grace Nothing moved God to let out his love upon us but his free eternal distinguishing love nothing keepeth the heart so right with God as a due sense of his free grace and love for the glory of his grace was the great thing God aimed at in all his dealings with us Eph. 1.6 12. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. Rom. 9.23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory This is the study of the saints Eph. 3.18 19. May be able with all saints to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 'T is the great excitement to duty 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us Rom. 12.1 I beseech you by the mercies of God 1 John 4.19 Titus 2.11 12. It breedeth a good spirit if love is at the bottom of all our duties 2. We have the truest view of our obligations to God in his elective love aulcius est ipso fonte Nothing will so much excite our love and gratitude as to consider 1. That God All sufficient who needeth nothing should chuse us He might have possessed himself if he had never created any thing without himself if you remove all Creatures from him you detract nothing from God if you add all to him you increase nothing in God 'T is the Creatures indigent condition that maketh him go without his own compass for the happiness of his being man cannot be happy in loving himself nor be satisfied in his own intrinsick perfections therefore seeketh supplies from abroad but Gods happiness is to love himself and delight in himself 2. That when God would look abroad among the Creatures he would chuse us whom he found in the polluted mass of mankind and make us objects of his grace and when he came to call us found us intangled in other sins as Abraham the father of the faithful an Idolater Joshua 24.2 every one that looketh into himself will find they were in temper to chuse any thing rather than Christ unless the Lord had prevented us by his goodness and turned our crooked wills and if we consider why we taken and others left Jer. 3.14 I will take you one of a city and two of a family And lastly if we consider this powerful prosecution of his eternal purpose This certainly will excite our love and gratitude SERMON XXXIX ROM VIII 29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first born among many brethren HEre is a reason why all afflictions work together for good to the called according to purpose because they were predestinated to be like Christ in all manner of likeness in sufferings holiness felicity In sufferings they must be afflicted as Christ was he had his share and they have their share Col. 1.24 I rejoice in my sufferings that I may fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh Christ mystical is to suffer so much he was appointed and they are appointed 1 Thes. 3.3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto Holiness we are to be holy as he is holy as well as afflicted as he was afflicted 1 Pet. 1.15 and again for felicity his sufferings had a good end so shall ours he bore afflictions and passed through them to eternal glory The captain of our salvation was made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2.20 So in us the cross maketh way to the Crown we can go no other way to Heaven than Christ did Therefore the conclusion out of all is That afflictions work for good they do not infringe our holiness but promote it rather if we be humble meek and patient as Christ was they do not infringe our happiness for still it fareth with us as it did with Christ as he was a pattern in bearing afflictions holily and couragiously so in the Crown of glory to be obtained after the victory He was the leader of a patient and obedient people to everlasting happiness so that here is a double argument Why all afflictions must turn to good because our afflictions fall not out besides the purpose
back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of their Souls The great satisfaction that the immortal Soul hath by Faith is that it seeth a place of Eternal abode and therefore it cannot settle here it must look higher than the present World Faith perswadeth us that the end of our Creation and Regeneration was far more noble than a little miserable abode here There is no man in the world but if he follow the light of reason much more if he be guided by the Light of Grace will seek a place and an estate of rest wherein he may finally quiet his mind Therefore Faith cannot be satisfied till we reach our Heavenly Mansion he is unworthy of an Immortal Soul that looketh no further than earthly things 2. Hope was made for things to come especially for our full and final Happiness God fits us with grace as well as with Happiness he doth not only make a grant of a glorious estate but hath given us grace to expect it Hope would be of no use if it did not look out for another Condition Rom. 8.24 Hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for it No there is something to come and therefore because we have it not in possession we lift up the head and look for it with a longing and desirous expectation 'T is said Col. 1.5 That our Hope is laid up for us in Heaven A Believers portion is not given him in hand he hath it only in hope He hath it not but 't is safely kept for his use and that in a most sure place in Heaven where Thieves cannot break thorough and steal 3. Love The Saints have heard much of Christ read much of Christ tasted and felt much of Christ they would fain see him and be with him 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye Love Many Love Jesus Christ whom they have not seen in the flesh or conversed with him bodily but though they have not seen him they desire to see him for Love is an affection of union it desireth to be with the party loved The Spirit in the Bride saith come Rev. 22.17 The Adulteress saith stay away but the loving Spouse and the Bride saith come Carnal men will not give their vote this way but the Soul that loveth Christ would have him either come to them or take them up to him their Souls are not at ease till this be accomplished 1. Use. Let us give in our names among them that profess themselves to be strangers and sojourners here in the World This Confession must be made not in word only but indeed and in truth We must carry our selves as strangers and pilgrims 1. Let us be drawing home as fast as we can A Traveller would be passing over his Journey as soon as may be so should we be hastening home in our desires and affections 'T is but a sorry home to be at home in the Body when all that while we are absent from the Lord. There is a tendency in the New Nature to God a perfect enjoyment of God and a perfect subjection to God therefore our desires should still draw homewards Heb. 11.16 They desire a Countrey that is an heavenly All that have gotten a new heart and nature from the Lord their hearts run upon the expectation of what God hath promised they cannot be satisfied with any thing they enjoy here 2. By making serious provision for the other World Matth. 6.33 But first seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Men that bestow all their labour and travel about earthly things and neglect their precious and immortal Souls they are contented to be at home in the Body and look no farther But when you are furnishing the Soul with Grace and grow more heavenly strict and mortified you are more meet Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light They that wallow in the delights and contentments of the flesh dislike strictness and holiness What should they do with Heaven they are not fit for it Every degree of Grace is a step nearer home Psal. 84.7 They shall go on from strength to strength Get clearer Evidences of your right to everlasting Life 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of eternal life The comfort of what you have done for God will abide with you therefore let it be your care and great business not so much to live well here as to live well hereafter our wealth and honours and dignities do not follow us into the other world but our works do Consider the place you are bound for and what Commodities grow currant there what will stead you when other things fail 3. Mortifie Carnal desires 1 Pet. 2.11 As strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul The Flesh-pots of Aegypt made Israel despise Canaan Fleshly lusts do only gratifie the Body as corrupted with sin and therefore they must be subdued and kept under by those who have higher and better things to care for If we were to live here for ever it were no such absurd thing to gratifie the flesh and please the body though even so it were not a practice so suitable to the rational life yet not altogether so absurd as when we must be gone and shortly dislodge and when we have great and precious Promises of happiness in another World 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit That bindeth it more upon us These lusts blind the mind besot the heart burden us in our Journey homeward divert our thoughts and care yea being indulged and allowed they make us forfeit Heaven and will prove at length the ruine of our Souls Sowing to the flesh cuts off the hopes of happiness Gal. 6.8 Well then bethink your selves if you look for Heaven will you cherish the flesh which is the Enemy of your Salvation Do you expect a room among the Angels and will you live as those who are slaves of the Devil The World is not your Countrey and will you wholly be occupied and taken up about worldly things what you shall eat and drink and what you shall put on 4 Patiently endure the inconveniencies of your Pilgrimage Strangers will meet with hard usage 'T is no news that all things do not succeed with the Heirs of Promise according to their hearts desire here in the World The World will love its own but they are chosen out of the World Joh. 15.19 Christ died not for this that we should be dandled upon the Worlds knees As long as the end shall be happy let us bear the inconveniencies of the way with the more patience A Christian that is convinced of a Life to come should not be greatly dismayed at
the God of my Salvation And Psa. 23.4 Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth comfort me To make the promise yield us that which the creature cannot health strength life peace house and home and maintenance for our selves and Children When we die and have little or nothing to leave them and all means of subsistance are cut off and blasted then to live yea to grow rich by Faith as having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 'T is enough that God carryeth the purse for us Many talk of living by Faith but 't is when they have something in the World to live upon As those Isa. 4.1 Only let us he called by thy name So in other cases why do the vain delights and dignities and honours of the World so prevail with Men that all the Promises of the Gospel cannot reclaim them yea fell their birth-right for one morsel of meat Heb. 11.15 The life of Sense is lifted up above that of Faith The Soul dwelleth in Flesh looketh out by the senses and knoweth what is comfortable to sense that God is unseen our great hopes are to come and the Flesh is Importunate to be pleased 2. Pet. 1.9 They that want these things that is Faith and other graces are blind and cannot see afar off Doct. 2. That Faith is for Earth and sight is for Heaven So the Apostle sorteth these two Here we believe in God and there we see him as he is As soon as we are reconciled to him God will not admit us into his immediate presence as Absolom when he had leave to return yet he could not see the King's face 2 Sam. 14.24 So God causeth us to stay a while in the World ere we come before him in his Heavenly Temple 1. Because now we are in our minority and all things are by degrees carryed on towards their state of perfection as an Infant doth not presently commence into the stature of a man In the course of Nature there is an orderly progress from an Imperfect state to a perfect The dispensations of God to the Church Gal. 4. And the Apostle compareth our estate in Glory and our estate by grace to Child-hood and manly Age 1 Cor. 13.11 12. Our words inclinations affections are quite changed in the compass of a few years so as we neither say nor desire nor understand any thing as some years before we did so it is with this and the next life Now our vision is very dark and imperfect looking upon things when they are shewed us as through a glass on purpose to give us a Glimpse of them but when we come to Heaven we shall see perfectly as we see a person or thing that is before our Eyes 2. We are now upon our tryal but then we are in termino in our final state now we are in our way but then we are in our Country Therefore now we walk by faith but then by sight God would not give us our reward here A tryal cannot be made in a state of sense but in a state of Faith We are justified by Faith we live by Faith we walk by Faith This state of Faith requireth that the manner of that dispensation by which God governeth the World should neither be too sensible and clear nor too obscure and dark but a middle thing as the day break or twilight is between the light of the day and the darkness of the night that as the World is a middle place between Heaven and Hell so it should have somewhat of either If all things were too clear and liable to sense we should not need Faith if to obscure we should wholly lose Faith Therefore 't is neither night nor day but towards the evening If the Godly should be presently admitted to their Happiness and have all things according to Hearts desire it would make Religion too sensible a thing not fit for that kind of Government which God will now exercise in the World Heb. 6.12 But followers of them who through Faith and patience have inherited the promises And Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Every man must be tryed and approved faithful upon tryal and then God will admit him into his presence 3. There is no congruity between our present state and the beatifical vision the place is not fit nor the persons 1. The place is not fit because 't is full of changes Here time and chance happeneth to all and there is a continual succession of Night and Day Calm and Tempest Winter and Summer There is neither evil nor only evil not all good nor all Blessing but a mixture of either The World to come is either all evil or all good This is a fit place for our exercise but not for our injoyments here is the patience of the Saints But there is the reward of the Saints 'T is a fit place to get an Interest in but not a possession 'T is Gods Foot-stool but not his Throne Isa. 66.1 Now he will not immediately shew himself to us till we come before the Throne of his Glory He manifesteth himself to the Blessed Spirits as a King sitting in his Royal Robes upon his Throne but the Church is but his Foot-stool as he filleth the upper part of the World with his Glorious presence so the lower part with his powerful presence This is a place wherein God will shew his bounty to all his Creatures a Common Inn and receptacle for Sons and Bastards a place given to the Children of men But the Heaven of Heavens he hath reserved for himself and his people Psa. 115.16 2. The persons are not fit Our Souls are not yet enough purified to see God Matth. 5.8 1 John 3.3 Till sin be done away which will not be till Death we are unmeet for his presence when Christ will present us to God he will present us faultless before the presence of his Glory Jude 28. Our Bodies also are not fit till we have passed the Gulph of Death We are not able to bear Eternal Happiness Old bottles will not hold the new wine of Glory a Mortal Creature is not capable of the Glorious presence of God and cannot endure the splendour of it Matth. 12.6 They fell on their Faces and were sore afraid Upon any manifestation of God the Saints hide themselves Elijah Wrapt his Face in a mantle Moses himself when God gave the Law trembled exceedingly 3. Point That till we have sight 't is some advantage that we have Faith There is no other way to live spiritually and in holy peace joy and the love of God but by sight or faith either by injoyment or expectation therefore sight being reserved for the other world if we would live holily and comfortably we must walk
a wedding Garment and he was examined the man was speechless Matth. 22.12 When every one is particularly observed and tryed there is nothing to reply but glorifying God Jude 15. 2ly Satisfaction of the World in the righteousness and justice of Gods proceeding When every person is arraigned and every work is manifest it cleareth Gods Justice in rewarding his own and in punishing the wicked and ungodly 1. It cleareth his justice in rewarding the faithful they undergo the tryal and though they have failings yet for the main their faith is found to praise and honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 When his people come to be Judged and have been found obedient to his commands Faithful under tryals patient under all sufferings and inconveniencies 'T is a faith that may be owned before men and Angels Christ will confess them before God Men and Angels Rev. 3.5 So in punishing the wicked Josh. 7.19 God is glorifyed by the Creatures conviction and acknowledgement Psal. 51.4 I acknowledge mine iniquity that thou mayst be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou Judgest God is justified when the Creature is rewarded according to his own deservings God overcometh and we are cast in the plea and suit 2. The word signifieth to be made manifest And so importeth that we must all be manifested or laid open before the Judgment seat of Christ our persons must not only appear but our hearts and ways be tryed 'T is said Luke 12.2 There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor hid which shall not be made known 'T is brought as a reason against Hypocrisy the innocency of Gods Servants is beclowded for a while and the sin of men lyeth hid for a while but at length all shall be open hypocrisy shall be disclosed and sincerity shall be rewarded So 1 Cor. 3.13 Every mans work shall be manifested All the ways and works of wickedness though acted in never so secret a manner shall be laid open The Scripture telleth us at the Judgment Eccl. 12.14 God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil The final doom shall repeal all the Judgments of this life and repair them abundantly many things that are varnished with a fair gloss and pretence here shall then be found filthy and abominable and many things disguised with an ill appearance to the World shall be found to be of God approved and allowed by him So 't is said 1 Cor. 4.5 That Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God When every mans intentions and purposes actions and spring of actions shall be displayed then they that deserve blame shall be discovered and the sincere and upright Justifyed and commended Well then the Scripture shews they shall be made manifest and when made manifest In the general there are two places demonstrate it one is Psal. 50.21 I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thine Eyes All the ways and circumstances of sin shall be so represented to the conscience that the sinner shall not be able to deny or excuse evade or forget but ever be vexed with the remembrance of his past folly and ever see his sins before him as if fresh committed The other place is Rev. 12.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before the Lord and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were Judged out of these things which were written in the Books according to their works There are Books and another Book there is the Book of conscience and the Book of Gods remembrance Mal. 3.16 In these Books all things are written which belong to the Government and Judgment of the Rational Creature our good and evil is all upon record our means and mercies and our unthankfulness and unprofitableness under them Jer. 17.1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond Not only in their consciences but before God Isa. 65.6 Behold it is written before me God doth not forget or pass over but note and remember Now these Books are opened at the last day there is not one Book but Books the Book of Scripture is opened as a rule the Book of Conscience as a witness and the Book of Gods remembrance as the notice or Judges knowing both persons and facts But more particularly how are we manifested 1. By the knowledge of the Judge We may hide our sins from men but not from God from the World and from our selves but Christ shall perfectly discover them and bring them forth into the light and shew themselves to themselves and to the World and all their shifts will not serve the turn God observeth men now and observeth them in order to judgment Psa. 33.13 14 15 16. The Lord looketh from Heaven he beholdeth all the Sons of men from the place of his Habitation he beholdeth all the inhabitants of the Earth he fashioneth their hearts alike he considereth all their thoughts Though God resides in Heaven yet he beholdeth all and every of their actions yea their most secret thoughts He fashioneth their hearts alike Sept. One by one He is the former of their Souls as well as their Bodys and knoweth the Operations of their hearts as well as their outward actions Men think otherwise Ezek. 9.9 They say the Lord hath forsaken the Earth the Lord seeth not When he came to mark the Mourners and to distinguish them from the Sinners Psa. 94.7 They say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it These are mens Brutish Atheistical thoughts and so go on and are regardless of the Judgment But then your Judge shall Convince you upon his own knowledge A Judge is not disabled from being a witness The Woman of Samaria said John 4.29 Come and see a man that told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ Christ knoweth all that men do and is able to produce their lives by tale and number even those passages which were most secret there needeth no proof to our Judge for all is open and naked before him 2. The Good Angels may be produced as witnesses they have an inspection over this lower World are Conversant about us in all our ways and are conscious to our conversasations Psa. 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee they shall keep thee in all thy ways Reverence is pressed upon us in Scripture in this respect Eccl. 5.6 Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel it was an errour All the business is what is meant by the Angel There some understand it of the Angel of the covevenant the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Searcher of hearts who will not be mocked who cannot be deceived
The Godly will be brought in as one evidence to make them manifest parâ—ly as they endeavoured to do them Good Heb. 11.7 Noah condemned the World and the Saints shall Judge the World 1 Cor. 6.2 Now by their conversations hereafter by their vote and suffrage And partly as they might receive good from them As the Godly relieved Luke 16.9 And neglected Mat. 25. As they might have been visited and cloathed the Loins of the Poor Blessed Job Chap. 31.20 10. The circumstances of their evil actions Jam. 5.3 Your Gold and Silver is caâ—kered the â—â—st of them shall be a witness against you The circumstances of your sinful actions shall be brought forth as arguments of conviction Hab. 2.11 The stone shall cry out of the Wall and the beam out of the Timber shall answer it Though none durst complain of oppressors yet the materials of their buildings shall witness against them A kind of Antiphony heard by Gods justice The stones of the Wall shall cry Lord we were built by rapine and violence the beam shall answer true Lord even so it is the stones shall cry vengeance Lord upon our ungodly owner and the beam shall answer woe to him because his house was built with blood though all should be silent yet the stones will not hold their peace Vse 1. If we must appear so as to be made manifest Oh then let us take heed of secret â—in and make Conscience of avoiding it as well as that which is open for in time it will be laid open Achan was found out in his Sacriledge how secretly soever he carryed it Joshua Chap. 7. Ananias and Sapphirahs Sacriledge in keeping back part of what was dedicated to God Acts 5. Gebazi in affecting a bribe 1 Kings 5.26 Went not my spirit with thee Meaning his Prophetick Spirit Doth not God see and will not he require it Alas we many times make conscience of acts but not of thoughts and yet according to Christs Theology malice is heart-murther lustful inclinations are heart Adultery proud Imaginations are heart-Idolatry and there may be a great deal of evil in discontented thoughts and repinings against Providence Psal. 73.22 shall we repent of nothing but what man seeth Eph. 5.12 It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret A serious Christian is ashamed to speak of what secure persons are not ashamed to practice if they can hide it from men the all seeing-eye of God layeth no restraint upon them uncleanness usually affecteth a vail of Secresy but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 'T is said God will Judge them because usually this sin is carryed so closely and craâ—tily that none but God can find them out but certainly God will find them out none can escape Gods discovery all things are naked in his sight Let no man then Imbolden himself to have his hand in any sin in hopes to hide his Counsel deep from the Lord and his works in the dark Isa. 29.15 God knoweth the thoughts of the heart afar off and Psa. 139.2 Whither shall I go from thy presence and whither shall I fly from thy Spirit God knew what the King of Assyria spake in his secret Chamber 2 Kings 6.12 Knew the secret thoughts of Herods heart which it is probable he never uttered to his nearest friends concerning the murthering of Christ Matth. 2.13 But to end this consider the aggravations of these sins that are secret and hidden although to be an open and bold sinner is in some respects more then to be a close private sinner because of the dishonour done to God and Scandal to others and impudency in the sinner himself yet also in other respects secret sins have their Aggravations 1. The man is conscious to himself that he doth evil therefore seeketh a vail and covering would not have the World know it if open sins be of greater infamy yet secret sins are more against knowledge and conviction To sin with a consciousness that we do sin is a dreadful thing Jam. 4.17 You live in secret wickedness envy pride sensuality and would fain keep it close This is to rebel against the light and to stop the mouth of conscience which is awakned within thee 2. This secret sinning puts far more respect and fear upon men than God and is palliated Atheism What unjust in secret unclean in secret Envious in Secret disclaim against Gods Children in secret neglect duties in secret sensual in secret Oh then wicked wretch thou art afraid men should know it and art not afraid God should know it What afraid of the eyes of man and not afraid of the Great God Thou wouldest not have a Child see thee do that which God seeth thee to do A Thief is ashamed when he is found Jer. 2. Can man damn thee Can man fill thy Conscience with terrours Can man bid thee depart into Everlasting Burnings Why then art thou afraid of man and not of God 3. The more secret any wickedness is it argueth the heart is more studious and industrious about it how to contrive it and bring it about as David plotted Vriahs death And Joshua 7.11 They have stolen and dissembled also and even put it among their own stuff And Acts 5.9 How is it that ye have agreed together to Tempt the Spirit of God In Secret sins there is much Premeditation and Craft and Dissimulation used 2. VSE is to shew the folly of them who rather take care to hide their sins then get them pardoned 1. God hath promsed pardon to an open confession of sin Prov. 28.13 He that hideth his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy He hath promised it in mercy but bound himself to perform it in righteousness 1 John 1.9 If we confess and forsake our sins he is just and faithful to forgive them David pleadeth it Psal. 51.3 Cleanse me from my secret sin for I acknowledge my transgression And God doth certainly perform it to his Children When David said I have sinned 2. Sam. 12.13 against the Lord Nathan said the Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die And this he acknowledged with thankfulness Psa. 32.5 I said I would confess and thou forgavest This is the right course which men should take confess their sin with grief and shame and reformation we have not our quietus est till this be done 2. Notwithstanding all this man naturally loveth to hide and cover his sin Job 31.33 If I have covered my transgression as did Adam by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom More hominum so Junius Hos. 6.7 They like men have transgressed the covenant 'T is in the Hebrew like Adam or Adams name is mentioned because we shew our selves to be right Adams race by hiding and excusing our sin First From men we hide them as Saul dealeth with Samuel 1 Sam. 15.13 15. Gehazi with Elisha Ananias and Sapphira with Peter Acts 5.8 They
Remunerative Justice There is a threefold Justice in God his General Justice his Strict Justice his Justice of Benignity or Fidelity according to his Gospel Law 1. His General Justice requireth that there should be a different proceeding among them that differ among themselves that every man should reap according to what he hath sown whether he hath been sowing to the Flesh or to the Spirit that the fruit of his doings should be given into his Bosom And therefore though this be not evident in this life where good and evil is promiscuously dispensed because now is the time of Gods patience and our tryal yet in the life to come when God will Judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 it is necessary that it should go well with the good and ill with the bad And as the Apostle saith 2 Thes. 1.6 7. It is a Righteous thing with God to recompense Tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels There is generalis ratio justi in the difference of the recompenses And therefore the different actions of the persons to be judged must come into the discussion whether good or evil 2dly There is Gods strict Justice declared in the Covenant of works whereby he rewardeth man according to his perfect obedience or else punisheth him for his failings and coming short This also is in part to be declared at the day of Judgment on the wicked at least for the Apostle declareth that there will be a different proceeding with men according to the divers Covenants which they are under some shall be judged by the Law of liberty according to which God will accept their sincere though imperfect obedience Others shall have Judgment without any temperament of mercy Jam. 2.12 13. And justly because they never changed Copy and tenure When God made man he gave him a Law suitable to that perfection and innocency wherein he made him Our Fact did not make void his right to require the obedience due by that Law Nor our obligation to perform it but yet because man was uncapable of performing this Law or obtaining Righteousness by it Having once broken it he was pleased to cast out a plank to us after shipwrack to offer us the remedy of a new Law of grace wherein he required of us repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20 21. That we should return to our duty to our Creator depending upon the merit Satisfaction and Power of the Mediator Now we are all sinners and have deserved death according to the Law of Nature and wo and wrath an hundred times over and if through our impenitency and unbelief we will not accept of Gods remedy we are justly left to the old Covenant under which we were born and so undergo Judgment without mercy 3dly There is his justice of bounty and free beneficence as judging according to his Gospel Law which accepteth of sincere obedience and so God is just when he rewardeth a man capable of reward upon terms of Grace So 't is said Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work of Faith and labour of love which ye have shewed to his name His promises take notice of works and the fruits of Faith and Love as one part of our Qualification which make us capable of the blessings promised 3. His veracity and faithfulness God hath promised Life and Glory to the penitent and obedient and the faithful And God will make good his promises and reward all the labours and patience and faithfulness of his Servants according to his promises to them To whom hath he promised Salvation To the obedient to the patient to the pure in heart to the diligent and studious every where in the Word of God John 12.26 There shall my Servant be Jam. 1.12 And Rom. 2.6 7. He will render to every one according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour Immortality Eternal Life On the contrary he hath interminated and threatned verses 8 9. To them that are contentious and obey not the truth who wrangle and dispute away duty See promises mixed with threatnings to the carnal and the mortified Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live And Gal. 6.8 If ye sow to the flesh of the flesh ye shall reap corruption but if ye sow to the Spirit ye shall reap Life Everlasting Now that Gods truth may fully appear mens works must be brought into the tryal 4. His free grace The business of that day is not only to glorifie his Justice but to glorify his free Love and Mercy 1 Pet. 1.13 Hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this grace is no way infringed but the rather exalted when what we have done in the Body whether it be good or evil is brought into the Judgment 1. The evil works of the faithful shew that every one is worthy of death for sinning though we do not die and perish everlastingly for it as others do Gods best Saints have need to deprecate his strict Judgment Psa. 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant he doth not say with thine enemy but thy Servant They that can continue with most patience in well doing have nothing to look for at last but mercy Jude 21 'T is their best plea Revel 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life When we have done and suffered never so much for God we must at length take Eternal Life as a gift out of the hands of our Redeemer but for the grace of the new Covenant we might have perished as others do In some measure we see grace here but never so fully and perfectly as then Partly because now we have not so full a view of our unworthiness as when our actions are scanned and all brought to light And partly because there is not so full and large Manifestation of Gods favour now as there is in our full and final reward 'T is grace now that he is pleased to pass by our offences and to take us into his family and give us some tast of his Love and a right to the Heavenly Kingdom but then 't is another manner of grace and favour then our pardon shall be pronounced by our Judges own mouth and he shall not only take us into his family but into his immediate presence and Heavenly Palace not only give us right but possession Come ye Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And shall have not only some remote service and Ministration but be everlastingly imployed in loving and delighting in and praising of God this is grace indeed The grace of God or his free favour to
into the hands of God A metaphor taken from one that is faln into the hands of 〈◊〉 enemy who lyeth is wait for him to take full revenge upon him if he catch him he is sure to pay for it Now we are let alone but then we fall into his hands and he will be righted for all the wrongs which we have done him Now when God shall have an immediate hand in the punishment of the wicked it will make it terrible indeed When God punisheth by the creatâ—re he can put a great deal of strength into the creature to overwhelm us by hail locusts flyes frogs if they come of Gods errand they are terrible but abuckeâ— cannot contain an Ocean as a Gyant striking with a sâ—raw in his hand he cannot put forth all his strength when God punisheth by creatures it 's like a Gyants striking with a straw in his hand But now by himself we fall into his own hands Again observe 't is the living God God liveth him self and continueth the life of the Creature God liveth for ever to reward his friends and punish his Adversaries A mortal man cannot extend punishment beyond death when they have killed the Body they can do more Matth. 10.28 We are mortal and they that persecute and hate us are mortal But since he liveth to all eternity he can punish to all eternity So long as God is God so long will Hell be Hell 'T is tedious to think of a short fit of pain In a â—eaverish distemper we count not only hours but Minutes when in such a distemper we cannot sleep in the night how tedious and grievous is it to us But what will it be to fall into the hands of the living God Thirdly The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wrath of God is no vain Scar-crow and if any thing be matter of terrour the terrour of the Lord is so But alas who consider it or mind this Psa. 90.11 Who knoweth the power of his Anger According to his fear so is his wrath Who layeth it to heart so as to be sensible of his own danger while he is permitted to live We divert our thoughts by vain pleasures as Saul cured the evil Spirit by musick The delights of the flesh benum the conscience and exclude all thoughts of eternity Again 't is called wrath to come Matth 3.7 And 1 Thes. 1.10 'T is so called to denote the certainty and the terribleness of it The certainty of it it will most certainly come upon the wicked the day is not foretold but it is coming wrath hovereth over our heads 't is every day nearer as the salvation of the elect is Rom. 13.4 A pari Whether we sleep or wake we are all a step nearer a day nearer a night nearer to eternity They that are in a ship are swiftly carryed on to their Port by the wind though they know it not security sheweth 't is coming on apace Whose Judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not 2. Pet. 2.3 They sleep but their damnation sleepeth not But Secondly 't is called wrath to come in regard of the terribleness of it There is a present wrath that men suffer and there is a wrath to come this is such a wrath as never was before present wrath may be slighted but wrath to come will stick close Jer. 5.3 I have stricken them but they have not grieved There is a sensless stupidness under judgments now but then men cannot have hard or insensible hearts if they would Present wrath may be reversed but men are then in their final estate and God will deal with them upon terms of grace no more Present wrath seiseth not upon the whole man the Body suffereth that the Soul may be saved but there Body and Soul are cast into Hell Present wrath is executed by the creatures but in the other World God is all in all Present wrath is mixed with comforts but there 't is an evil and an only evil Ezek. 7.5 There is no wicked man in the day of Gods patience but hath somewhat left him but there they shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture Rev. 14.10 'T is not allayed and tempered with any mercies There is a difference in duration present wrath endeth with death The drowning of the World the burning of Sodom was a sad thing if a man had been by and seen the poor miserable creatures running from vallies to hills from hills to mountains from the mountains to the tops of trees and still the floods increasing upon them Or had heard the screechings when God rained Hell out of Heaven and seen the scalded Sodomites wallowing up and down in a deluge of Fire and Brimstone but all ended with death But this fire is never Quenched and the worm never dyeth Now should man know this and not perswade or be perswaded and take warning to flee from wrath to come Surely the thoughts of falling into the hands of God should shake the stoutest heart and awaken the dullest sinner rowse up the most careless to use all possible means to prevent it 2. The nearer it approacheth it should the more affect us 'T is but a short time to the general assizes we live in that Age of the World upon which the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10. â—â— Little Children it is the last hour 1 John 2.18 And let us stir up one anotherâ—punc so much the rather as ye see the day approacheth Heb. 10.25 It cannot be long to the end of time if we compare the remainder with what is past or the whole with eternity But for our particular doom and Judgment every man must die and be brought to his last account now the day of death approacheth apace the more of our life is past the less is yet to come every week day hour minute we approach nearer to death and death to us But alas we little think of these things every Soul of us within less than an hundred years it may be but ten or five or one shall be in Heaven or Hell The Judge is at the door Iâ—â— 5.9 We shall quickly be in another World Now should we hold our peace and let men go on sleepily to their own destruction or to suffer men to wasâ—e away more of their precious time before they get ready 'T is said Amos 6.3 They put far away the evil day And therefore it did not work upon them That is they put off the thoughts of it for as to the day its self they can neither put it on nor off 3. The more certain and unavoidable any evil is the greater matter of terrour Now 't is as certain as if it were begâ—n and there is no way to escape either tryal sentence or execution Solomon saith 〈…〉 4. The wrath of a King is as the messengers of death Because they have long hands and power to reach us The wrinkles of
to live to him daily mercies bind us to sweeten our service God being so good a Master 4. The new nature is requisite that we may in all things mind Gods Glory 'T is more easie to convince us of our obligations to live unto God than to get an heart and a disposition to live to God The new creature which is created after God ever bendeth and tendeth towards him As the flower of the Sun doth follow the Sun and openeth and shutteth according to the absence of the Sun so doth the heart of a Christian move after God We say aqua in tantum ascendit c. Nature riseth no higher than its spring head and center self is our principle and end Hosea 10.1 Israel is an empty vine He bringeth forth fruit to himself We live to our selves and seek after our own interests till God give us another heart when the heart is changed a mans felicity and last end is changed And therein the new nature doth most bewray its self 5. The more our lusts are mortified the more sincerely shall we aim at the Glory of God That which is lame is easily turned out of the way And if we have not a Command over our affections they will be interposing and perverting all our actions and when God should be at the end of all our actions the idol that our lust hath set up will be at the end of them We will subordinate them to our pleasure honour and profit any lust is a great ingrosser The belly will be God and honour command us as a God and Mammon will be God our hearts are corrupted and some created thing is set up in stead of God Therefore mortification is the guard of sincerity Otherwise we shall love the Creature for its self alone or for our selves alone and so be turned from God whom alone we should honour please and obey USE 2. Is this the temper and disposition of our Souls Do we make the glory of God our great end and scope If it be so then 1. We will prefer Gods honour above our own Interests though never so dear to us A notable Instance we have in our Lord Jesus Christ who came as Gods Servant in the work of Redemption and we read of him in the general Rom 51.3 That he pleased not himself That is he did not gratify his own natural and humane will More particularly Phil. 2.6 7 8. That he emptied himself and made himself of no reputation and humbled himself to the death of the Cross. To promote his Fathers glory he willingly submitted to all manner of indignities for this end purpose more expressly we have the workings of his heart set forth John 12.27 28. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour Father glorify thy name and there came a voice from Heaven saying I have glorified it and will glorify it again His desires of his own safety were moderated and submitted to the conscience of his duty and he preferreth the honour of God and seeks to advance it above his own ease for Christ endeth all debates with this Father glorify thy name Now certainly all that have the Spirit of Christ will be tender of Gods glory and account that dearer to them than any thing else and submit to the bitter cup so God may have honour thereby You will think Christs example too high who submitted the sensible consolations of the Godhead to the respects of Gods glory and this is not possibly practicable by any creature 'T is true every ordinary Christian doth not come to this height but the thing is imitable witness Paul who valued the glory of God above that personal contentment and happiness that should come to him by his own Salvation Rom. 9.3 For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh 'T is not an hasty speech he calleth God to witness that this was the real disposition of his heart he speaketh advisedly and with good deliberation But how then can it be made good There is an holy part and an happy part in religion he did not wish less love to Christ nor to be less beloved of him But you will say a regular love beginneth at home true but 't is not his Salvation and their Salvation that cometh in competition but his Salvation and the glory of God and he was much more affected with Gods glory then his own good This should shame us that stand upon our petty Interests We are not called to such self-denyal Surely we should be contented to do any thing and be any thing so God may be glorified poor or rich so God may be glorified by our poverty or riches As travellers take the way as they find it so it will lead to their journeys end Decline no service nor suffering for Gods sake when he calleth us to it Phil. 1.20 So also now Christ shall be magnified in my Body Whether it be by life or by death So Christ be glorified in his Body That is a lower and more moderate Interest the suspension and delay of Salvation laying it at Gods feet the glorifying of God in his calling was more welcome than his present entrance into glory So Acts 20.24 I count not my life dear to me so I may finish my course with joy When they told him of dangers he went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem Well then an heart that is truely affected with Gods glory standeth upon no temporal Interests and concernments and preferreth Gods honour before its own ease honour pleasure esteem yea life its self 2. If tender of receiving honour from men to Gods wrong The Apostles did not set up a trade for themselves Acts 14.15 They rent their Clothes and said what do ye do we are but men of like passions So Acts 3.12 Why gaze ye upon us as if by our power and holiness we had made this man to walk Herod received Applauses and was therefore blasted Act. 12. The concealer is as bad as the stealer to affect or admit Divine honour or too much attributing to our selves any good effected by us as Instruments as we must not assume so we must not reâ—eive honour when 't is ascribed to us by others The Apostles would not suffer the admiration and praise in the people to rest upon themselves Thy pound hath gained ten pounds Matth. 25. And 1 Cor. 15.10 Not I but the grace of God that was with me And I live but not I Gal. 2.20 3. If affected deeply with Gods dishonour though done by others Psa. 69.9 The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that have reproached thee have faln upon me Vehement passions waste the Body affected more with Gods dishonour than our own personal injuries On the other side when we rejoyce in his glory though we our selves be lessened Phil. 1.18 Whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and I therein
prepare us to entertain it with the more thankfulness 1. Of the impossibility of keeping the Law and so the necessity of the use of the Redeemer For to faln man the duty of the Law is impossible and the penalty of it intolerable Therefore all men by this Covenant according to this Covenant are inclosed within a curse shut up and necessitated to seek the grace of the Gospel Gal. 3.23 But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed The Law cannot be satisfied unless the whole man obey wholly in all things which to corrupt nature is impossible and so it inevitably driveth us to Christ who accepteth us upon more equitable terms 2. To make us thankful for our deliverance by Christ. When you read these words all the heart all the Soul all the might all the strength bless the Lord Jesus in thy heart that God doth not deal with us upon these terms that we are rid of this hard bondage exact obedience or eternal ruine That the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 i. e. Of that rigorous covenant which to man faln ferveth only to convince of sin and to bind over to death if God should sue us upon the old bond a stragling thought a wandring glance might make us liable to the curse 2. As a rule of the Gospel Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. With all this is not wholly antiquated and out of date in the Gospel we must distinguish what is required by way of Precept and what is accepted by way of Covenant for the rule is as strict as ever but the covenant is not so strict to wit that we must necessarily perish if we break it in the least joâ— or tittle The rule is as strict as ever and admitteth of no Imperfection either of parts or degrees but the Covenant is not so strict but accepteth of a perfection of parts and of such a degree as is dominating and prevailing or doth infer truth of Gods Image or a single hearted disposition to love and serve God to the uttermost of our power Let me prove both these 1. That the rule is as strict as ever That 's necessary Partly With respect to the Law-giver for no imperfect thing must come from God And Partly with respect to the time when it was given us in innocency And Partly With respect to us who are under the rule of Law for if the rule did not require a perfect love our defects were no sins for where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 And that this particular Law is still in force appeareth by that of Christ Matth. 22.37 40. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy self on these two hang the Law and the Prophets Surely that Law and Prophets include all known Scripture that is binding to us 2. But the covenant is not so strict For where weaknesses are bewailed striven against and in some measure overcome they shall not be prejudicial and hurtful to our salvation for in the new covenant God requireth perfection but accepteth sincerity and though we cannot bring our graces to the ballance t is enough that we can bring them to the touchstone Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou upright Though not perfect yet if upright though there be a double principle flesh and Spirit yet if not a double heart A sincere love in the language of the Holy-Ghost is loving God with all the heart and all the Soul So 't is said of David 1 Kings 14.8 He kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart to do only that which was right in mine eyes David had shrewd failings yet because of his habitual purpose so the Lord speaketh of him So of Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 Like unto him there was no King that turned to the Lord with all his heart and all his Soul and all his might according to all the Law of Moses Josiah also had his blots and Imperfections yet his heart was prevalently set towards God So that all the heart and all the Soul may be reconciled with the Saints infirmitys though not with a vitious life 2. I shall shew you how far we are obliged to love God with all the heart and all the Soul and all the mind and all the strength if we would not forfeit our covenant claim of sincerity 1. We are bound to strive after perfection and as much as may be to come up to the exactness of the rule The endeavour is required though as to success God dealeth graciously with us Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect or had already attained but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ. The perfection of our love to God is part of our reward in Heaven but we are striving after it we cannot arrive to the perfectness of the glorified estate but we are pressing towards it allowed failings cannot stand with sincerity for he that is contented with a little grace hath no grace that is to say he that careth not how little God be loved provided he may be saved doth not sincerely love God A true Christian will endeavour a constant progress aim at no less than perfection Christians this is still your rule all the heart and all the Soul and all the might the Lord hath such a full right to your love that coldness is a kind of an hatred And the grace which we received in conversion will urge us to it For tendentia mentis in Deum is the fruit of conversion and God is not respected as a means but as an end we do more unlimitedly desire the end then the means the whole latitude of understanding will and affections is due to him without division or derivation to other things 2. We are so far obliged as to bewail defects and failings As Paul groaneth under the relicks of corruption Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death A true Christian would love God more perfectly delight in him more abundantly bring every thought and practice into subjection to his will if not they are kept humble it is a burden and trouble they cannot allow themselves in this Imperfect estate the same new nature which checketh sin before it is committed mourneth for it after it hath got the start of us Resistance is the former dislike of the new nature and remorse the latter dislike after we are overcome none have such cause to bewail failing as the Children of God they sin against more light and love and if Conscience be in a right frame they will bemoan themselves and loath themselves for their sins and their love which is seen in a care to please is also seen in sorrow for offences when they break out and a
commit such things are worthy of death The dread of a God angry for sin is natural to us and the ground of all our trouble Man is afraid of death and some misery after death which is likely to come upon him Heb. 2.14 And till the forgiveness of sin be procured for us this bondage sticketh close to us and we know not how to get oft it God is an holy God and cannot endure iniquity and by his Law will not suffer the guilty to go free The Justice of the Supream Governour of all the World requireth that sin should be punished all mankind have a general presumption that death is penal these fears make pardon a very inviting motive to them These fears may be a while stifled in men but they easily return and can no way be appeased but by pardon and reconciliation with God carried on in such a way as they may be exempted from these fears Therefore God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their trespasses to them 3. Pardon of sins is very necessary to the end of reconciliation which is living in a course of holy amity and state of friendship with God till we live with him for ever in Heavenly glory Here I am to prove three things 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness 2. That this holiness is carried on in a state of love and friendship between God and us 3. That pardon is the fittest way to breed this holiness and increase it 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness for Christ died not to reconcile God to our sins but that reconciling our persons we might quit our sins and walk as those that are at good accord with him Amos 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed And 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with an other Now pardon of sin hath a mighty influence upon holy walking Justification and Sanctification are distinct priviledges but they always go together and the one doth exceedingly suit with the other These two priviledges pardon and holiness the one freeth us from the guilt the other from the stain of sin The one concerneth Gods interest our subjection to him the other our own comfort The one is the end the other thè means pardon is the means to Holiness and Holiness is the end of pardon our general pardon is to put us into a state of acceptable obedience our particular pardon to incourage us in it and quicken us and excite us anew The conditional and offered pardon is the means to work regeneration and regeneration Qualifieth for actual pardon Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life And Heb. 8.10 11 12. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more And Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith And then actual pardon quickeneth us by love to carry on that holiness of heart and life which God requireth For this mercy is the powerful motive to perswade us to obedience Because he hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Therefore we must love him and serve him all our days Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service His pardoning mercy and justification by Christ is the great enforcing Argument Those who are fetched up even from the Gates of Hell and delivered from under the sentence of the Law and called into the state of Gods Children should thankfully accept the benefit acknowledge the benefactour live in love to God and holiness hate that sin they have repented of and which hath been pardoned to them and still hold on their course in a way of obedience till their full recovery in the everlasting estate 2. That this holiness is carryed on in a state of love and friendship between God and us Love beareth rule in the Spiritual life and pardon is the great ground of love Luke 7.47 She loved much because much was forgiven her The great business of religion is to love God above all and a man that is uncertain whether there be any such thing as pardon how can he love God above himself and all other things Self love is very hardly cured for what is nearer to us than our selves Therefore self-love is very deeply rooted in us especially love of life that it must be some very strong and powerful thing which can subdue it now nothing will do it but the love of God Propound the terrors of the Lord that will not do it men will not be frightned out of self love It must be a powerful love that must divert us from it as one Nail driveth out another so doth one love drive our another Now what can be more powerful than the love of God T is as strong as death many Waters cannot quench it Cant. 8.7 This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we shall not only forsake the sins and vanities which we now love but also life its self Rev. 12.11 They loved not their lives unto the death This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we can lay all things at Gods feet and suffer all things and endure all things for Gods sake yea even life its self for his Glory 3. Pardoning mercy in Christ is the great argument which breedeth and feedeth this love How can I love a God which I think will damn me and may probably do it Our turning to God must be by love and our living to God and for God
take to bring about this peace how else should he give his consent or seek after the benefit in such a solemn and humble manner as is necessary And how else can we be sensible of our obligation and be thankful and live in the sense of so great a love John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift c. 2. As God will not do us good without our knowledge so not against our will and consent and force us to be reconciled and saved whether we will or no Man is a reasonable Creature a free Agent and God governeth all his Creatures according to their receptivity With necessary Agents he worketh necessarily with free Agents freely a will is required on our parts Revel 22.17 Whosoever will And Psa. 110.3 His people shall be a willing people in the day of his power Their hearts are effectually inclined to accept of what God offereth All that receive the faith of Christ receive it most willingly and forsake all to follow him Acts 2.41 They gladly received his Word then was that prophesy in part verified 3. God will not work this will and consent by an imposing force but by perswasion because he will draw us with the cords of a man Hosea 4.14 That is in such a way and upon such terms as are proper and fitting for men God dealeth with beasts by a strong hand of absolute power but with man in the way of counsel intreaties and perswasions as he acted the tongue of Balaams Ass to strike the sound of those words in the Air not infusing discourse and reason Therefore 't is said Numbers 22.28 He opened the mouth of the Ass But when he dealeth with man he is said to open the heart Acts 16.14 As inwardly by a secret power so outwardly by the Word so offered that they attended That 's a rational way of proceeding so to mind as to choose so to choose as to pursue Man is drawn to God in a way suitable to his nature 4. To gain this consent the word is a most accommodate instrument I prove it by two Arguments 1. From the way of Gods working Physically morally powerfully sapientially The physical operation is by the infusion of life the moral operation is by Reason and Argument Both these ways are necessary in a condescension to our capacities fortiter pro te Domine suaviter pro me God worketh strongly like himseâ—f and sweetly that he may attemper his work to our natures and suit the key to the wards of the lock Both these ways are often spoken of in Scripture John 6.44 45. No man can come unto me except the father draw him as it is written in the Prophets they shall all be taught of God They are taught and drawn so taught that they are also drawn and inclined and so drawn as also taught As it becometh God to deal with men Therefore sometimes God is said to create in us a new heart making it a work of power Psa. 51.10 And we are his workman-ship created to good works Eph. 2.10 Sometimes to perswade and allure Hosea 2.15 I will allure her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her Gen. 9.27 The Lord shall perswade Japhet By fair and kind intreaties draw them to a likeing of his ways The Soul of man is determined to God by an Object without and a Quality within The Object is propounded by all its Qualifications that the understanding may be informed and convinced and the will and affections perswaded in a potent and high way of reasoning but this is not enough to determine mans heart without an internal Quality or Grace infused which is his physical work upon the Soul There is not only a propounding of Reason and Arguments but a powerful inclination of the Heart and so we are by strong hand plucked out of the snares of death Both are necessary the power without the word or perswasion would be a bruitish force and so offer violence to our faculties Now God doth not oppress the liberty of the Creature but preserve the nature and interest of his workmanship On the other side the perswasion offers of a blessed estate without power will not work for if the Word of God cometh to us in word only but not in power the Creature remaineth as it was dead and stupid 2. If we consider the Impediments on mans part The word is suited as a proper cure for the diseases of mens Souls Now these are Ignorance slightness and Impotency 1. Ignorance is the first disease set forth by the notions of Darkness and Blindness Eph. 5.8 2 Pet. 1.9 We are so to spiritual and heavenly things Though men have the natural power of understanding yet no spiritual discerning so as to be affected with or transformed by what they know 1 Cor. 2.14 no saving knowledge of the things which pertain to the Kingdom of God or their everlasting happiness This is the great disease of Humane Nature worse than bodily blindness because they are not sensible of it Rev. 3.17 Thou thoughtest that thou wast rich and increased with goods and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Because they seek not fit Guides to lead them 2. Slightiness They will not mind these things nor exercise their thoughts about them Matth. 22.5 And they made light of it would not let it enter into their care and thoughts Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Non-attendency is the great bane of mens Souls 't is a long time to bring them to ask What shall I do to be saved 3. Impotency and weakness which lieth in the wilfulness and hardness of their hearts our non posse is non velle Psal. 58.4 5. They are like the deaf Adder which stoppeth her Ear and will not hearken to the Voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely And Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy Children together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not And Luke 19.14 We will not have this Man to rule over us John 5.40 They will not come unto me that they may have life Psal. 81.11 Israel would have none of me Prov. 1.29 But they hated Knowledge and did not choose the Fear of the Lord. You cannot because you will not the will and affections being engaged to other things You have the grant and offer of Mercy from God but you have not an heart to make a right Choice If you could say I am willing but cannot that were another matter but I cannot apply my self to seek Reconciliation with God by Christ is in true Interpretation I will not because your blinded Minds and sensual Inclinations have misled and perverted your will your obstinate and carnal wilfulness is your true impotency Now what proper cure is there for all these evils but the Word of God Teaching is the proper means to cure Ignorance for men have a natural understanding Warning us of our danger
and say it shall not be yea much reason to believe that God will give success to our endeavours for his glory in the world considering what hath usually befallen his servants in like cases tho we cannot draw a firm and certain Argument from thence yet 't is probable for the most part 't is so but in matters that concern eternal life somewhat of this hope may be observed as before conversion when we begin to be serious and seek after God we cannot say certainly God will give us converting and saving grace we must follow God tho we know not what will come of it as Abraham did Heb. 11.8 there the rule in such cases is I must do what he hath commanded God may do what he pleaseth Yet 't is some comfort that we are in a probable way Nay after conversion such hope men may have as to their own interest in eternal salvation They cannot say Heaven is theirs or that God will certainly keep them to his Heavenly Kingdom yet they dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world nor cease to walk in the way of salvation 't is probable they are Gods Children 2. There is a firm and certain hope when we have assurance of things hoped for by the promises and offers of the Gospel as Acts 24.15 I have hope towards God that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust Without this hope a man cannot be a Christian. We must certainly expect the promised blessing to be given to those that are capable and duly qualified and all that are inlightned by the spirit do see it and expect it and positively conclude that verily there is a reward for the righteous Psal. 58. last This hope is the life of Religion and doth excite us to look after it by due and fit means their eyes are enlightned with spiritual eye-salve that they get a sight of the world to come Eph. 1.18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and the richest of the glory of his inheritance in the saints And if they believe the Gospel it cannot be otherwise I am certain there is such a thing Col. 1.5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel There this truth is made known all that close with the Gospel receive it and by it is this blessed hope of Glory wrought in us 3. There is a two fold certain hope one sort necessary the other very profitable but not absolutely necessary to the life and being of a Christian the first sort is the fruit of faith the second the consequent of assurance The first grounded meerly upon the offers of the Gospel propounding the chiefest good to men to excite their desires and endeavours the other is grounded on the sight of our own qualification as well as the offers of the Gospel the one is antecedent to all acts of Holiness the other followeth after it an antecedent hope there must needs be before the effect of the Holy Life can be produced for since hope incourageth and animateth all human endeavours no man will engage in a strict course displeasing to flesh and blood but he must have some hope and this hope the conditional offers of the Gospel doth beget in us and all serious creatures have it that mind their proper happiness Rejoyceing in hope is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3.6 14. 'T is the first tast we have of the pleasures of the world to come Keep up this gust and tast and you are safe But then there is another hope that is grounded upon the evidence of our sincerity and is the fruit of assurance when we can make out our own claim and title to eternal life which is not usually done without much diligence Heb. 6.11 And we desire that every one of you do shew forth the same diligence to the full asurance of hope unto the end Much sobriety and weanedness from the world 1 Pet. 1.13 Much watchfulness that we be not moved away from the hope of the gospel Col. 1.23 That our hopes of eternal life begotten in us by the Gospel be not weakned and deadned in us 't is not enough thankfully at first to embrace the conditional offer but we must keep up this hope in life and vigour Much resolution in our conflicts with the Devil world and flesh 1 Thes. 5.8 Lastly some experience Rom. 5.4 of Gods favour and help in troubles and our sincerity therein when we are seasoned and tryed our confidence increaseth the frequent experience of Gods being nigh to us and honouring us in sundry tryals is a ground for hope to rest upon that he will not leave us till all be accomplished Phil. 1.20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death Paul gathereth his confidence for the future from former experience Now these two sorts of hope must be distinguished for the first hope may be accompanied with some doubts of our own salvation or the rewards of Godliness ex parte nostri at least not ex parte Dei for there all is sure and stedfast and to doubt there is a sin it would detract from the goodness power and truth of God but when our qualification is not evident this doubting may do us good as it may quicken us to more diligence to make our title more clear and explicate especially when we are conscious to our selves of some notorious defect in our duty and have a blot upon our evidences indeed the rather when more Godliness might be expected from us as having more knowledg or helps or are obliged by calling and profession to greater integrity and Holiness of life Doubting is right when it ariseth from a right and true judgment of our actions according to the new Covenant and we cannot truly say who hath the greatest interest in us God or the world Sin or Holiness Would you have men muffle their consciences and think that they have more grace than they have or judg their condition to be better than it is absolutely safe when they are not perswaded of their sincerity Indeed when conscience judgeth erroneously and a man thinketh he hath not that Godliness which is necessary to salvation which indeed he hath he overlooketh Gods work his judgment of himself is erroneous and therefore culpable tho it be not unbelief or a distrust of Christ. Well then as to these two Hopes 1. That hope which ariseth from faith must every day be more strengthned for tho there be no fallibility in Gods promise yet our faith may be weak or strong according to our growth and improvement and in some temptations Gods Children for a while may question articles of religion of great
importance and the eternal recompences not their own interest only as David Psal. 73.13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency As if he had said What reward is there of Holiness Mortification Patience and self-denyal In the lower world where God is unseen our great hopes yet to come the flesh being importunate to be pleased and the things of the world necessary for our use and present to our imbraces Christians are not certain and past all doubts of the truth of their everlasting hopes else there would be no weak faith nor faint hope Did not the Disciples in a great temptation doubt of an Article of Faith Luke 24.21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel And v. 25. O ye fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken To doubt of what the Prophets spake was not to doubt of their own Salvation but of the constant state of their Souls all the Godly are perswaded of the truth of the Gospel that ordinarily they have no considerable doubts about it but that still they resolve to cleave to God and Christ looking for their reward in another world whatever it cost them here and in some measure can fell all for the pearl of price 2. As to the hope which ariseth from your assurance 1. Make your sincerity more clear and unquestionable and every day your hope and your confidence will increase upon you to believe and hope that you your selves shall be saved is very desirable and comfortable but then you must do that which assurance calleth for give diligence to make your calling and election sure abound in the love and work of the Lord grow more indifferent to temporal things venture all in Christs hands for while your faith and repentance is obscure you will not have such full comfort tho you are confident of the truth of Gods promise to all penitent believers 4. This latter or consequent hope which dependeth on the assurance of our interest admits of a latitude it may be full or not full Heb. 6.11 To the full assurance of hope That is full which casteth out all fear that is not full which is accompanied with doubts but the certainty prevaileth Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh Now we should labour to go to Heaven with full sails or abound in hope Rom. 15.13 and 2 Pet. 1.11 For so an enterance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. With hearts full of Comfort 5. When 't is full it may be interrupted or continued to the end or at sometimes it may be full or nor full at another 1 Pet. 1.13 Hope to the end If we continue in our duty with diligence affection and zeal our full hope may be continued if we abate our fervour grow remiss and cold in the spiritual life we lose much of the comfort of our hopes 6. The hope which followeth after experience and much exercise in the spiritual life may result from an act of ours and from an impression of the comforting Spirit 1. From an act of ours From our considering the truth of Gods promises or his wonderful mercy in Christ and his grace inabling us in some measure to fulfil the conditions of the new Covenant when thereupon we put forth hope Phil. 3.20 21. For our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body 2. Or some impression of the comforting spirit supporting and relieving us in our distresses or rewarding our self-denial and obedience as Rom. 5.5 Hope leaveth not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost given unto us The one is an act of Godliness the other one of Gods internal rewards the one is a duty the other a felicity 2. VSE Is to press us to get and act hope Hope implieth two things 1. Certain Perswasion 2. An earnest Expectation The certainty is seen in the quiet and pleasure of the mind for the present The earnestness in the diligent pursuit after the thing hoped for by all holy means Now we must look to both acts of Hope 1. To strengthen the certain expectation There we must often revive the grounds of hope which are these 1. The mercy of God which hath made such rich preparation for our comfort in the Gospel The first ground of hope to the faln creature is the undeserved grace mercy and goodness of God 2 Thes. 2.16 He hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace And therefore it is our great invitation to hope Psal. 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption Apply your selves to God as a God of mercy otherwise such were our undeservings and our ill deservings there were no hope for us so Psal. 13.5 I have trusted in thy mercy my soul shall rejoyce in thy salvation Let others trust in what they will I will trust in thy mercy The serious remembrance of Gods mercy maketh hope lift up the head so Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life There 's our best and strongest plea to the very last Therefore the Heirs of promise are called Rom. 9.23 Vessels of mercy Because from first to last they are filled up with mercy 2. The promise of God which cannot fail Titus 1.2 The hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began he promised it to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption and he hath promised it to us in the Covenant of Grace that before time this in time now God will not fail to do what he hath promised when he made the promise he meant to perform it For what need had God to court his creature into a false hope or to flatter him into a fools paradise to tell them of an happiness he never meant to give them and if he meant it is he not able to perform it Men break their word out of weakness they cannot do all that they would their will exceedeth their power Or out of imprudence they cannot foresee what may happen or out of levity and inconstancy for all men are lyars but none of these things can be imagined of God We have Gods Word and Oath Heb. 6.18 We have his Seal the spirit who hath wrought miracles without to confirm this hope and assâ—re the world Heb. 2.4 God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy ghost Within preparing the hearts of the faithful for this blessed estate Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption And giving them some beginnings of it as an earnest 2 Cor. 1.22 Who