Termes yet in a strict acceptation Suidas makes some difference And ‖ Chrysostome makes Forma de animat is species de Inanimat is dicitur Suidas a greater difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not be over-curious in Criticall Punctilloes For if the Rule amongst Lawyers hold good Vbi lex non distinguit distinguendum non est Much more doth the Rule hold good amongst Divines Vbi Scriptura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in Loc. non distinguit non est distinguendum Now I find the words used in one and the same sense As for Instance Matih 17. 2. It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And was transfigured And Phil. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who shall change or transfigure c. Secondly From the Notation of the name I should come to the thing it selfe but that I must first prepare my way by a distinction having in my eye the Rule observed amongst Logitians Distinguendum est priusquam definiendum Now we are to consider of a two fold Metamorphosis or Transformation one is in substance from one substance to another so Lots wife was changed into a Pillar of salt We read of many fabulous and ridiculous stories in Ovids Metamorphosis not worth the nameing in such a place as this especially But of such a kind of transformation we are not to speak as no way concerning our businesse in hand But there is another Transformation and that is of Faculties and Qualities as when men are changed from darknesse to light from waies of sinne and wickednesse to waies of holinesse When bad men proove good and profane men become holy when Formalists become sincere halfe-Nominall Professors become whole Reall Professors when from a forme there followeth the power of Godlinesse this kind of change is that Transformation mentioned and injoyned in the Text. Hence learned * Homo est formatus per Creationem deformatus per culpam Reformatus per gratiam Conformatus per assimilationem transformatus per contemplationem Reformatus per gloriam Goran in Loc. Gorran gives an observation That a man was formed by Creation deformed by sinne reformed by grace conformed by assimilation unto Christ transformed by Contemplation and to be further reformed in the state of glory So that in the Text Regeneration and transformation which are an effectuall change wrought by the spirit of God are all one And this as Learned †Est mutatio sui à veteri conditione in novam Rol. Rolloc observes is a change of a mans selfe from an old condition into a new And this change is of absolute indispensible necessity Of this change notwithstanding how farre our progresse is we have need as ‖ Semper in hac vitâ quatumcunque etiam profecerimus hac transformatione de reformatione opus est Est in Loc. Eâ—ius observes It 's sufficiently knowne that amongst Philosophers there are reckoned six species of Motion and accordingly there are so many mutations As for Instance there is a change in Generation and Corruption and these are reduced to the Predicament of substance Yet the same man whether alive or dead hath the same integrall parts of leggs armes and thighs c. The carcasse of a man although the spirit be gone was infinite hath those integrall parts they are yet remaining Another change is in Augmentation and Diminution Now to change from lesse sinnes to greater is most abominable and to change from greater to lesser is but a partiall-halfechange altogeather rejected by God Another change is in place when a person removes from one place to another yet he is one and the same man notwithstanding In case of bodily sicknesse and diseases we know by experience that change of ayre remooving from Towne to Towne from one bed to another doth not a whit remoove the disease Likewise in case of soule diseases which are most dangerous change of place doth not produce amendment of life and conversation As for such although their pretences be specious who betake themselves to Cells Cloysters Wildernesses and relinquish humane society yet let them go where they will to the uttermost parts of the earth still they carry with them a body of sinne a corrupt nature in which are sowne all the seeds of rebellion against God Such as pretend out of conscience to seperate from the company of the wicked yet they keep company with one wicked man i. e. every one with himselfe Basil an Eminent Greek Father being much troubled with the incursions of daily corruptions which brake in upon him resolved to remoove from all company and to live holily and retiredly in the wildernesse But upon second thoughts he acknowledged Alas saith he I carried with me my wildernesse sinnes and there I was haunted with my own hearts corruptions The last change I shall mention which only is to my purpose is in Quality and affections and dispositions When sinne and wickednesse are abominated and the way of holinesse is embraced when there is a new frame upon the heart and it 's alter'd from bad to good from sinne to grace this is that Transformation which alone concernes our present discourse This distinction being previously explained the Definition which results from the Premisses is this Definition of Conversion That a true Converted man is one truely changed in Qualities endowed with new dispositions and affections and thoroughly renewed in his mind 2. In the second place in order I am to inquire what 's meant 2. What 's meant by the renewing of the mind by the renovation of the mind The Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome expresseth this renewing by a Similitude drawne from an old house where although the same roomes remaine still yet they are adorned beautifi'd and repaired so although the same man and the same faculties remaine yet they are rectified reformed and altered for the better when the old Adam is mortified and the new Adam quickned day by day The nature of man is a Fountaine poysoned but as soon as Christ comes with his grace he heales that fountaine Now by the mind we understand the will and understanding both which are repaired renewed and altered for the better This is properly an after wit which is an Individuall companion of true conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fore-wit was wanting wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an after-wit is required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie significat post factum sapere de errore admisso ita dolere ut corrigas Bez. Matth. 3. 2. especially The Understanding is as it were a Queen Regent in the soule the Commander of an Army as a Pilot to a ship It 's called by Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for guiding ordering and directing all our affaires But if this understanding be blinded If as our Saviour saith the light that is in thee be darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How great is that darknesse The Apostle although he mentions the mind
a new pretended light or revelation from the old Prophet he forsook the true word and believed a lying word what a sad Catastrophe befell him v. 24. When he was gone a Lyon met him by the way and slew him and his carcase was cast in the way and the 1 King 13. 24. Ass stood by it and the Lyon stood also by the carcase Yet notwithstanding extraordinary Revelations Dreams Visions Extasies Enthusiasms though they have ceased long ago and we have no warrant to expect them because we are to keep close to the revealed will of God written in his holy word Yet I say we are to take notice of the sweet motions and spiritual illapses upon our souls Though Prophesies cease yet there are manifold discoveries of Christ unto the soul The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soul with Christ the souls ravishing consolations the breaking in and flashes of heavenly light upon the soul the heavings aspirings and harmony of the heart with Christ experience of mercies issues out of temptations protections of Angels all these are Heavenly constant revelations out of the Word of God manifested to the souls of the faithful by the Spirit according to the word Let us therefore embrace and cherish the gracious motions of the Spirit of God Where the spirit of Grace is in the heart it cannot be idle or lie dead but it 's exceeding operative The Spirit gives light to teach thee it gives heat to warm and comfort thee It is a spirit of burning and purging to burn up the stubble of corruption to purge out thy sins It is a spirit of refining and purifying Therefore when the spirit of God strives by its gracious motions inlightning purging inflaming comforting wooing thee to walk closely with God bidding thee beware of wounding thy conscience of resisting the light and going against known truth O beware of grieving this holy Spirit of God! Do not O do not force the spirit to depart sadded and grieved from thee This is one way whereby the spirit strives viz. by its motions and whispers A second way whereby the spirit strives is by the Ministry of 2. The Spirit strives by the Ministery of the Word the word It is said Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me The Spirit of God knocks at the doors of your hearts by the hammer of the word The spirit knocks louder and louder and the Ministers are to cry aloud and spare not Isa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew thy people their transgressions and the House of Jacob their sins The Lord calls upon us by every Sermon we hear Why will ye die Why will ye bolt the door against the frequent knocking 's of the Spirit of God The Spirit of God hath strove with some of us ten years some twenty some foâ—ty some sixty years How many years have we lived under the sound of the Gospel having heard the voice of the Turtle crying in our Land How many powerful Preachers have spent their strength their breath wasted their spirits wooing intreating beseeching us to be reconciled unto God many of them are gone to their rest their works praise them in the Gate their memory is blessed and their name is like sweet Oyntment poured forth How many are yet alive to this day who Preach Jesus Christ faithfully and experimentally how do they pray and wrestle with God how zealously do they preach how many admonitions reproofs exhortations warnings do they give us And if we will not take warning the Ministers shall deliver their own souls and our blood will be upon our own heads and the time will come when it shall be known that we have had Prophets amongst us I shall make an allusion to that Scripture Deut. 20. 11 12 13. It shall be if it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee and they shall serve thee And if it will make no peace with thee but will make war against thee then thou shalt besiege it and when the Lord hath delivered it into thy hands thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword Just so God proclaims peace and the Ministers are Ambassadors of Peace and deliver their commission after this manner Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to Luke 10. 5 6. this house And if the son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again The Lord now beseâ—â—eth your hearts by the Ministry of the word and offers you peace and reconciliation if you will submit unto his Scepter and cast down your rebellious weapons the Lord will have mercy on you but if you hold out the flag of defiance and will not come in to Jesus Christ what remains but utter ruine and destruction Every Sermon you hear is like the water of Jealousie when he hath made her to drink the water then it shall come to pass that if she be defiled and hath done trespass against her Husband that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter Num. 27. 28. and her belly shall swell c. but if she be not defiled she shall be free When the word is received into an honest and good heart it doth it good and makes it fruitful when into a corrupt heart it rots it and makes it worse It s an observation of a Reverend Divine That it is an indignity beyond all apprehension to the spirit of Dr. Ed Reynolds grace when we suffer him to wait daily at our Bethesda's our houses of mercy and all in vain to spend his sacred breath in the Ministry of reconciliation in doubling and redoubling his requests unto our souls that we would be content to be saved Yet all this while we harden our hearts and stop our ears and set up the pride and stoutness of our own reasonings till we even weary the spirit of God chide him away and cause him to depart sadded and grieved from us O my Brethren despise not prophecying undervalue not the Ministry of â— Thess 5. 20. reconciliation An indignity or affront offered unto Christs Messengers Christ takes it as done unto himself Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Be then exhoâ—ted to set an high price of the Gospel and make much of the motions of Gods holy Spirit in the Ministry of the word Ursin relates in his Preface to his Catechism That those godly Vrsini Praf Catech. Protestants that fled beyond the Seas for their Religion in that Marian quinquenium of Persecution acknoâ—ledged That that great innundation of misery
4. 7. 2. Repent seriously and Evangelically make not a slight matter of so great a work neither rest satisfied in a legal repentance extorted from the fear of Hell and the wrath of an angry God but let it be done Evangelically from the love of God the consideration of the displeasure of so good a God and the sinfulness of sin let those considerations melt thee into tears and cause thee to mourn ingenuously 3. Be continually renewing thy repentance and when thou hast 3 Be renewing thy repentance frequently felt a pardon get it fairer transcribed and renewed through the Blood of Christ His blood cleanseth from all sins And there is redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins 4. Be thankful for the space that God gives thee thou canst never 4 Be thankfull for the space given thee 5. Improve every mercy to more saith full performance of duty acknowledge enough the patience and forbearance of God who gives thee time and allows thee space and wher 's his Sword and bends his Bow to give thee warning to escape the blow What shall I render unto the Lord for all his mercies and loving kindnesses Will Eternity be enough to praise the Lord 5. Improve every mercy to more faithful performance of duties The last Use is for comfort unto those who make much of the strivings of Gods Spirit and make the best improvement of the Use 6. For consolation time that God alots them for repentance This will yield them comfort in their lives on their death-beds 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And to all Eternity Happy are they that have hearkned to Gods call and made a good use of all the means of Grace and spent the allotted time to Gods glory Here they shall reap the first-fruits of Joy and Comfort and hereafter the full Harvest unto all Eternity An Ingagement unto Holyness from the consideration of the Day of Iudgement Unfolded from 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and Godliness THat Christ shall come to Judgement is an Article of our Ser. 4. at St. Maryes Oxon July 27 1651. Faith We profess we believe it yet how many deny it in their practices Some put far from them the evil day or think not of a day of account like desperate Bank-rupts adding more to the score not considering an after reckoning Hence multitudes live as they list without God in the world running into all excess of riot frolicking it in all manner of Epicurism and Voluptuousness thus denying the Day of Judgement by the wickedness of their lives Others are much offended because the day is so long a coming because Christ stays so long they are hot-spurs and will not wait If Gods cloâ—k strike not according to their Dyal If the Resurrection Day of Judgement Christs second coming be not assoon as they expect they call all in question and propose a question full of Blasphemy and Infidelity both ver 4. Where is the promise of his coming These blasphemous Scoffers ver 4. Arg. 1. Ver. 5. the Apostle consures by several Arguments The world was created by the word of God v. 5. It was not ab aeterno as Philosophers dreamed now the Argument is valid The same God who by his word made the world can by his word destroy it when he pleaseth A second Argument is drawn from experience v. 6. By the Deluge Arg. 2. Ver. 6. the old world was destroyed God bade the water over-flow and destroy man and beast and it did so And the time will come that he will bid the fire to destroy this visible World wherein we noâ— live and it shall be so v. 7. A third Argument is drawn from the Eternity of God We Ver. 7. Arg. 3. poor Creatures measure things by time we speak of days weeks moneths and years of times past present and to come thus we apprehend but time past present and to come are all one in God His Decree delays not He 's not measured by time Ver. 8. v. 8. If God seem to defer this day yet this is an argument of singular patience mercy and loving kindness not of any slackness Ver. 9. v. 9. Gods long-suffering should be our salvation Gods patience and waiting upon us roads us a Lecture of Repentance O infinite forbearance bowels of mercy opened when as the Lord might cut us asunder in the midst of our rebellions and send us to Hell immediately yet he wooes invites and beseecheth us to repent and he waits and trys us whetting of his Sword bending of his Bow that whil'st the Sword is a whetting and the Bow a bending we should prudently fore-see and take warning that so we might escape the blow The fourth and last Argument to confute those scoffers who Arg. 4 are over curiously inquisitive hasty unbelieving rashly expostulating Where is the promise of his coming This I say is drawn Ver. 10. from the manner of Christs coming v. 10. Hoc additum est saith Calvin ut semper sint in excubiis fideles nec crastinum sibi promittant This may be considered three manner of ways 1. It 's unexpected as Thieves come unlook'd for when men 1. are asleep and most secure then the Thief comes When the old World was secure in the midst of their jollity then came the Flood and swept them away 2. There will be a change of the whole frame of the Universe 2. Matth. 24. 38. 39. Beza Erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. v. 10. The heavens c. Impetum veluti Sibillantis procella declarat So Beza In morem procellae in manner of a storm So Erasmus 3. There shall be an utter conslagration of all things even of those wherein worldlings place their happiness The Mannors Lands goodly Buildings the Wonders and Idols of the World shall be burnt up at that day Now it will be our wisdom neither to question the truth of these things for Truth it self the Lord Jesus Christ hath told us that these things shall come to pass neither ought we to be curiously inquisitive after the particular time when as some of the Jewish Rabbins have been too bold in this paâ—ticular neither ought we to be impatient or querulous because it s not yet accomplished 4. Our duty to wait and believe And our main duty and wisdom will consist in this to make preparation to be in Procinctu 4. Hab. 2. 3 4. to have our Garments girt about us to have our Lamps burning and Oyl enough in them against that great day Far be it from me to raise a dust or rake into the Dung-hill of those ancient lately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereticks who deny the Resurrection the Day of
to love Jesus Christ so the Martyr in the flames cried out None but Christ Thus highly did John Baptist testifie of Christ Joh. 3. 30. so Christ may be exalted hee cares not what becomes oâ— himself So every faithful Minister puts the highest value upon Jesus Christ so Christs honour may be advanced Christs cause and interest promoted he cares not what sufferings what persecutions he meeâ—s withall Though he encounter with Beasts at Ephesus Sons of Anak and frie at a stake none of these things move him so Christ may be glorified in him and by him It 's a signe of true grace to prize Christ highly and enhaunce his esteem and honour above all things besides 3. The heart is in love with holynesse for it self â—olynesse is Charact. 3. The heart is in love with holyness the image of God Ephes 4. 24. and there is beauty in Gods imâ—ge to enamour the soul What was said of Moral virtue may be much more said of Theological Si â—erreno oculo possit cerni admirabile sui desiderium excitaret Could we discern by a spiritual eye the lustre and excellency of Holynesse O how would our hearts bee in love with it Multitudes followed Christ for the Loaves and accounted gain their godlynesse Self-seeking interests covetousnesse is that Master-wheele that sets many on working but a true Beleever accounts Godlynesse his gain Christ his honour â—eligion his preferment His eye is single his heart sincere He 'l do his duty do his work faithfully and trust God for his wages Nay Jsa 49. 4. Psal 119. 7 the work is a reward O how I love thy law saith David It was his delight he loved the Commandements above sine gold And what was the Law it was holy just and good Holynesse was the object of his love To love God for himself Holynesse for it self is a good sign 4. There must an ingenuous sorrow for sinne I call it ingenuous Charact. 4. An ingenuous sorrow for sinne in opposition to all slavish howling under the rod. There is a vast difference between Ahab and Paul between that sorrow which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 10. and you have there seven Apostolical characters of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. There 's a vast difference between the howling of dogges and crying of children between the crying of wicked persons as Pharaoh Ahab Cain under a heavy judgement for the punishment and smart upon them and the crying of Paul Peter and Mary Magdalen Pharaoh said Take away this plague the plague of Locusts Caterpillars c. he never was affected with the plague of his heart which was the greatest plague of all But take away my sinnes cries David Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinnes here 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of godly sorrow it mourns for sinne more than the punishment it mourns for sin because it is sinne because it is a breach of Gods holy Law because thereby God is dishonoured this sorrow is kindly ingenuous when the heart is melted and mourns and is broken for displeasing so good and gracious a Lord God 5. There wil be a cordial mourning for others sinnes This affection Charact. 5. Thheres mourning for others sins Psal 119. 136 was singular in David Rivers of water run down mine eyes because men keep not thy Law A godly man layes to heart the sins of the times and the place where he lives It grieves him at the heart to see God dishonoured by any Bradford that rare spirited man grieved at the miscarriages of one of his Scholars and laid the fault upon himself for not looking better to him If he so charged himself surely our faces will gather blacknesse and a great deal of guilt will lye at our doâ—es for not discharging our trust as we ought to doe concerning so many Scholars as so many Depositums committed to our charge But let 's doe our duties and mourn over them that are refractory and keep them strict to discipline Le ts pray for them and mourn over them and questionlesse praiers and tears are prevalent weapons When thou hearest a man swear feest him drunk break Sabbaths takes no heed nor makes any conscience to walk in the way of the Lord O mourn for him and weep that God is dishonoured and reflect upon thy self thy nature is as bad as his Who art thou that differs from thy brother What difference there is it is not of thy making it 's Grace free Grace that makes all the difference 6. The heart approves it self to God so did David put himself Charact. 6. The hearts approving it self to God upon Gods Examination Such a one walks alwaies as in the presence of God knowing that God is all eye to see all ear to hear all hand to write down all He stands not to mans day and mans judgement he appeales to God the searcher of all hearts whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun Hereupon Job raised a ground of comfort and confidence because his Redeemer was his Judge he that was his Saviour should acquit him his Witnesse was on high See his excellent protestation that his heart should not reproach him Job 27. 4 5 6. Now when a Christian is hardly censured and condemned by the world yet if he can approve his heart to God that hee hath walkt before God with an upright heart here 's ground of abundant comfort If God be for us who can bee against us If God speake peace who can speak trouble It 's God that justifieth who 's he then that condemneth Let 's all then labour to tread even paths to keep close to the rule of the Word alwaies Rom. 8. 31. to set the fear of God before our eyes that whatsoever evil entreaties we may meet withall from abroad wee may have comfort at home having approved our hearts to God who searcheth all hearts and tryeth the reins and rendereth unto every one according to the fruits of their doings 7. There wil be a pressing forward toward perfection A heart Charact. 7. There will be a pressing forward towards perfection that approves it self to God as it labours for truth of every grace so it labours for growth of them Joshuahs Sun stood stil Hezechiahs Sun went back Neither of these are for their imitation but they are like Davids Sun which like a Giant refresht with wine runnes its course I wel know that there are Lambs as wel as Sheep weak as well as strong Christians Christians of the Lower and of the Vpper Form and that Faith admits degrees yet every true Beleever contents not himself with that measure of grace whereunto he hath attained but labours after perfection as you may see Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Psal 48. 6 7. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. There are many things which a godly man finds lacking in his Faith Love Humility and therefore
Christ and him crucified And he calls other things in comparison of this knowledge Phil. 3. 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above all knowledge labour to get this knowledge and above all your gettings labour to get this understanding And unless you be newborn you can never attaine unto a savory knowledge of Christ An ignorant person will ask what is thy beloved more then an other beloved but the Spouse answered my beloued is white and ruddy the cheifest of ten thousand Here lyes our duty to pray for the spirit and wait upon God in his word the word is the seed the spirit that formative vertue that makes it effectuall O prize Gods ordinances and wait upon God in them Happy will it be for any of you of whom it can be truely said Loe there was he born Loe there was he new born and wash'd with the laver of Regeneration In such a place and at such a Sermon God came in and chang'd the heart This is the Nail we are a driving we let down the Casting-net of the Gospel hopeing to catch some and it 's the desire of our soules to be instrumentall to beget soules unto Jesus Christ Let 's all doe our duties faithfully and leave the success with God The 2d Use is for Information To handle this use more distinctly 2 For Information my work will be 1. To shew you negatively what Regeneration is not 2. To shew positively what it is 1. Negatively and this I shall discover in these ensuing particulars 1. It consists not as Nicodemus grosly apprehended in a second 1. Regeneration is not understood in Nicodemus his sense entring into the wombe Suppose that a naturall man could be born in a natural way a thousand times over yet there is such defilement in his naturall being and birth by reason of Original sinne that it 's infinitely different and disagreeing with spiritual Regeneration this natural birth would be but flesh and our Saviour tells us that which is born of the flesh is flesh 2. Regeneration consists not in a New Physicall being i. e. to 2 Regeneratiom consists not in a Physicall being loose the essentials we had of a soul and the faculties thereof We have some Familists and vain Dreamers who talk of being Goded and Christed and tell of a strange Deification of being made God with God This is Blasphemy in a high measure see 1 Pet. 1. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have by Christ not a new substance put into us but new qualities In a Theologicall sense he is wholly a new man who is changed in quality from bad to good yet the substance remaines still the same The alteration is not in the essence but in the operations and qualities of a man 3. Regeneration is not Civility and morall honesty 3. Regeneration is not civility and morall honesty though civility and moral honesty are both commendable and a shame for any Christians to be strangers to them yet men may be morally honest just in dealings and yet not outstrip heathens who never heard of Christ A Socrates a Plato a Regulus a Fabritius by their principles may goe a great way walk inoffensively to the eye of the world and yet may be a meer Ignoramus of Regeneration What 's the reason the Apostle will tell us 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receives not the things of the spirit of God Heathens have called the new moulding of their life a new birth Seneca tells us Nobis ad arbitrium nostrum nasci licet Yet this is farre short of that heavenly birth which the Scripture discovers How were Heathens new moulded but according to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common naturall principles according to those institutions which they had in the Schooles of Plato Zeno and Aristotle It s the property of Gods word only to beget this new nature It 's call'd Incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. Now not only a proâ—ane man must be born again but a civill man Joh. 3. 3. It 's spoken Indefinitely except a man be born again c. A man outwardly vertuous a man of a sweet disposition a man of a good nature he must be born againe It was a Blasphemous Hyperbole used in commendation of Bonaventure In hoc homine non peccavit Adam yet let the nature be nere so ingenuous it must be born from above 4. Regeneration consists not in great parts and abilities Many 4. Regeneration consists not in great Parts and Abilities may have great learning both naturall and acquired parts to admiration and yet remaine altogether ignorant of Regeneration The learned Orators and Philosophers attain'd unto a great measure of knowledge and yet were ignorant of the mystery of Regeneration Where Regeneration is ther 's a wonderful change wrought upon the heart the inward man is purified the thoughts are sanctified the heart cleansed But all the Documenta and Principia of the cheifest of Philosophers and Orators mention not one syllable of heart cleansing heart purifying they direct no further then the outward man 5. Regeneration consists not in common graces There may be a 5. Regeneration consists not in common Grace coÌ„mon Faith a coÌ„mon Love and a coÌ„mon Hope in such as are unregenerate To have a temporary opinionative Faith to have a coÌ„mon verbal Love a presumptuous Hope these are common to those that perish But to have a Faith that purifieth the heart a Love without dissimulation a Hope that maketh not ashamed these appertain only to regenerate persons 6. Regeneration consists not in a bare profession of Christ and 6. Regeneration consists not c. acknowledgement of the Gospel Many have an external profession and profess that they believe in Christ and yet cannot tell what this New birth means Many may be turned from Paganism to Popery from Popery to Protestantism and yet be unregenerate all the while There must be a conversion from an outward profession at large to a holy conversation There must be a saving work of grace upon the heart Wee must not onely be externally professors but internally and really changed in our natures we must be took off the old stock and planted into the new we must not be contented to be accounted nominal professors unlesse we be really wrought upon and throughly changed Now as I have shewed you in six particulars wherein Regeneration is not I shall now endeavour to shew in six particulars wherein it consists viz. in a new Nature a new Understanding new Will new Affections a new Heart and a new Life and Conversation 1. For the new Nature this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 1. There 's a new nature 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 7. This consists not onely in the change of some particular actions but the change of the whole Nature 2. There 's a new Understanding Eph. 4. 23. Rev. 3. 18. 1 Joh. 2.
opinion of Religion and think any thing will serve as if any thing were good enough for God Such a slight service was done by Gehazi he went on before and layd his staffe upon the child and there was no appearance of life in the child but the Prophet Elisha layd his hand on the childs hand his mouth on the childs mouth c. and in good earnest set upon the work and the spirit of the child revived It 's the observation of a Reverend Mr. Jerem. Burroughs and precious Divine that of all spirits hee desired to be delivered from a frothy spirit it 's therefore a matter of lamentation and ought in good earnest to be bewailed to consider with what irreverence formalities and slightnesse of the spirit many set upon duty some will pray partly between sleeping and waking so drowsily that they can scarce pronounce their words aright Others will mumble over a few words of course in their beds Neither of these think of that reverence that belongs to the great God of heaven and earth and that he requires the Male the best we can offer unto him A third Impediment is a worldly spirit A heart swallowed up Imped 3. A wordly spirit with the love of the world will never give God the best such spirits wil grudge any thing for God because the world hath seized on their spirits and took up their affections Their breath words conversations even all favours of the world Now this love of the world is the root of all evill and enmity against God Demas forsook the Apostles society The young man preferred earthly treasures before heavenly where the world sits close and the heart is enamoured with the love of the world there Christs riches and his excellencies are undervalued A fourth Impediment is an unbeleeving heart Christ is not a Imped 4. An unbeleeving heart whit regarded amongst unbeleevers onely beleevers account him precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. He that knew the worth of the pearl of price and beleeved there was such vertue in it sold all to purchase it Mat. 13. 46 47. These Impediments being removed some speciall duties ought to be practised 1. Alwaies set before thine eyes the great God of heaven and Dut. 1. Set God before thine eyes earth as omnipresent pure and omnipotent who seeth knoweth and searcheth all hearts This consideration will make thee afraid to present any thing vile and refuse unto so great so holy a Lord God How thou prayest in thy closet what thy secret reserved thoughts are what thy intentions are in any duty all are naked unto that great and glorious Majesty with whom thou hast to deale 2. Labour for sincerity of heart That 's it which will carry thee Dut. 2. Labour for sincerity of heart through all brakes bryars difficulties and perplexities whatsoever It 's said Asa's heart was upright there 's a neverthelesse put in 2 Chron 15. 17. It 's this which comforted Hezekiah when the sentence of death was past against him 2 King 20. 3. It 's that which God requires even truth in the inward parts Ps 51. 6. It 's that which is the cause of rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. Nathaniels character to be an Israelite indeed without guile Joh. 1. 47. The upright are they which love Christ Cant. 1. 4. And they are Gods delight Prov. 11. 20. Their Tabernacle shall flourish Prov. 14. 11. Their high way is to depart from evill Prov. 16. 17. They walk surely Prov. 10. 9. and no good thing will God withhold from them Ps 84. 11. Their end is peace Psal 37. 37. Upright walking with God will carry a man through all troubles whatsoever and in life and death will yeeld matter of abundance of consolation 3. Embrace the present season of Grace Seek ye the Lord whilst Dut. 3. Embrace the present season he may be found call ye upon him whilst he is near Isa 55. 6. Now give God your strength and marrow and lay aside all delayes Apologies and Procrastinations 4. Be much in Prayer and Supplication that what ever thou Dut. 4. Be much in Prayer dost what duty whatsoever service thou offerest unto God that he would accept thee through Jesus Christ As the Ancients held the Plough and prayed so hear and meditate on Gods Word keep the Lords Sabboth holy and pray for a blessing upon all from heaven Blesse Lord his substance Deut. 33. 11. 5. Make Religion thy work the grand design thou drivest Let Dut. 5. Make Religion thy work thy generall calling as a Christian have the preheminence of thy particular calling in the world Seek first the Kingdome of God Mat. 6. 33. The last Use is for Consolation unto those who to the utmost in Vse 5. For Consolation sincerity of heart endeavour to walk before the Lord. Thus Enoch walked with God Gen. 5. 24. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods Commandments blameless Luk. 1. 6. David was a man after Gods own heart Yet the best of Gods children have their failings Jacob confest himself not worthy of the least of Gods mercyes c. David confest himself as foolish as a bruit Beast and wise Agur acknowledged that he had not the understanding of a man It 's a great cause of greif and a burthen to the spirits of Gods dearest children to consider how much they faile in duties Their dulnesse deadnesse disorder of spirit much afflicteth them What I shall further adde shall be comprised in these ensuing considerations Consid 1. Infirmities are incident to the best 1. Infirmities are incident unto the best of Christians I sleep saith the Spouse Paul complains of a body of sin and of flesh and of an antipathy between flesh and spirit 2. Gods children allow not themselves in sinne but mourn Consid 2. Gods childrē allow not themselves in sin Consid 3. Sincerity is accepted Consid 4. Where sincerity is there is an endeavour after more grace Consid 5. Others examples are not just standards Consid 6 Perseverance shall obtaine the Crown for sinne Sinne is their exceeding great grief and burthen 3. Where the heart is sincere it is accepted a willing mind is accepted 2 Cor. 8. 12. 4. Where the heart is sincere it is not contented with what it hath already attained but labours for more grace Phil. 3. 13 14. 5. Consider that others examples and attainments are not that standard for every one to measure himself by No examples but that of Jesus Christ is every way authentique Some will say on one hand Such and such goe no further and will not this serve my turne others say such goe so farre and if I cannot come near them I may justly suspect my self to be an Hypocrite Neither this nor that must determine us 6. And lastly consider that Perseverance shall obtain the Crown Rev. 2. 15. Many beginne well and fly back Of all Apostates are most hated by God But as for such who persevere in Grace and
into the Nature of this 2. Concerning the Nature of Providence Providence Waving impertinent questions amongst * Inter Stoicos Epicuri sectam secutos pugna perpetua est regaturne Providentia mundus Quinctil L. 5. C. 7. Epicures and Stoicks and likewise avoyding their Phrases I shall accord with Orthodox Divines who give this Definition of Providence viz. It Definition of Providence is a temporary action of God whereby he moveth and directeth all things after the counsell of his own will to their proper ends 1. I call it an Action to distinguish it from the Attributes of 1. It s an Act. God 2. I call it temporary to distinguish it from the eternall decree 2. A Temporary Act. 3. I say that by this Providence God moveth and directeth 3. It s Operative all things to shew that God is not idle in heaven as Epicures ignoranâ—ly and foolishly dreame this Providence is operative this Job 38. 41. Providence goeth through the whole world It feedeth the Ravens in the nest when the damme forsakes them By this Providence Job 39. 15 16. the Oâ—triches egges are hatcht when they are forsaken and left to the wild beast by the unnaturall damme 4. By Providence God acts after the counsell of his own will 4 God acts by Providence This sheweth that God doth nothing unadvisedly and rashly but useth his owne knowledge whereby he perfectly understands all things and his wisdome whereby he doth dispose all things being known And this God doth of his owne will He is a most free agent and he is not in the least compell'd and he needeth not the Mr Pemble of Magd Hall Oxon. advice of any other For as a Judicious Divine observes God directs both to the mediate ends to the last ends of all after a set and determinate manner according to the most free decree and counsell of his own will that himselfe in all things may be glorified 5. God doth direct all things to their proper ends to shew that 5. God doth direct all things to their proper ends â— God doth not only govern things generally by ordering and disposing of all the creatures but every thing particularly taking care of every worme every sparrow even the meanest of all the creatures Now then by what I have said will evidently appear that there are these eminent properties in divine Providence 1. It 's permissive of all sorts of Actions God permits not only 1. There is a Permissive Providence the Act but the obliquity of it He suffers and beares with the Iniquities of the Amorites And yet God is not author sed ultor peccati God hardned Pharaohs heart He may withdraw his grace being not bound to give it 2. This Providence is only effective of and approoves what is 2. Gods Providence approoves only what is good good The Providence of God allowes no mans wâ—ckednesse God is good and doth good and nothing can come from God but goodnesse As for sin it 's a saying no more common then true malum non habet causam efficientem sed deficientem 3 This Providence is Omniscient All qualities properties motions 3. Gods Provâ—dence is Omniscient Act. 15. 18. and Designes are all known to God with all their circumstances so saith the Apostle Known unto God are all his workes frâ—m the beginning of the world 4. This Providence is most wise If we speak of wisdome God 4. This is a wise Providence is wise With God is strength and wisdome The Apostle admireth the depth of his wisdome 5. This Providence is distinct particular to every worme to 5. This Providence is distinct every sparrow to all the creeping things to every herbe to every pile of grasse They all grow by Providence 6. This is alwaies a working alwaies protecting providing careing 6. This Providence is alwaies working Epicures deny a Providence Stoicks acknowledge a fatall necessity Peripateticks deny a government of the world But christians fully believe the power and Providence of God in the government of the world This then being so 1. Here 's matter of confutation of Epicures who denied all Providence Vse 1. For Confutation Stoicks who maintained a fatall necessity And of Peripateticks who denied the ruling and governing power of God These V. Dr. Hackwills Apollogy opinions the Scriptures fore recited confutes and I may say the less because such excellent paines hath been taken on this Argument by a Learned Dr. of our University 2. This yeelds matter of reproofe unto two sorts Of Reproofe 1. Such as observe no Providence heedlesse carelesse persons of Gallioe's indifferent temper so they fare well themselves they care not how it is with others 2. Such as abuse Providence who run on in mad wicked waies and then father their Actions upon Providence Solomon saith The Prov. 19. 3. foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord. 3. Here 's matter of Instruction Let us hence learne our duties Vse 3. For Instruction 1. Take especiall notice of Providencesâ— study these wheeles of Providence These are wheeles in the middle of wheeles and these require our speciall inquiry and observation 2. Be inquisitive and observe how Providences fulfill Promises how God is in every particular as good as his word 3. Be thankfull for all passages of Providence for prosperity Job 2. 10. and adversity shall we not saith Job receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive all 4. Learne by all Providences to be more holy and more circumspect in thy life He makes best use of Providences who learnes more holynesse humility and conformity to the will of God 5. Serve Gods Providence in the lawfull use of meanes Men may not lye in a ditch and cry Lord help us God that appoints the end appoints the meanes We may not make a separation between them 6. In all straits and diâ—ficulties comfort thy selfe with the consideration of Gods Providence O do not distrust Providence It 's the Apostles exhortation Cast thy care upon him for he careth for 1 Pet. 5. 7. Mat. 6. 31. thee And our Saviours exhortation is take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drinke or wherewithall shall we be cloathed As there is a generall Providence towards all So there is a speciall Doct. 2 diâ—tinguishing Providence towâ—rds all Gods Children This is the second doctrine That the speciall Providence of God is extended Method towards the Protection of Gods Children will fâ—lly appeare by Scripture examples and Scripture Reasons which when we have prooved we shall reduce all unto point of practice by some usefull Application 1. For Scripture examples amongst many these are most eminent 1. For Scripture examples Gen. 22. 12. A Providence in an especiall manner delivered Isaac between the Knife and the Altar The Angell calls out of heaven saying Lay not thine
characters This is a fundamentall an excellent and a soule-saving knowledg 1. I say this is a fundamentall knowledg The knowledg of 1. Fundamentall Christ is the summe and substance of all Divinity the scope of all the Scriptures the very pith and quintessence of all religion even that which is without controversy the great mystery of Godlinesse The Scripture is the field and Christ the pearle of price The Scripture the Box and Christ the pretious oyntment Pretiosum oppâ—balsamum in gemmeo myrhothecio Christ is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though every word in Scripture didre-echo this pretious word The Apostle sets it downe unto the life Eph. 2. 20 21. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the cheife corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. 2. Excellent 2. Adde hereunto this is an excellent knowledge The Apostle though a man of incomparable gifts yet accounted all things but losse and dung in comparison of this Phil. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be they what they will honours riches in their greatest estate and confluence arts and sciences in their resplendent lustres let them be virtues which beautify the mind yet when they come in competition with Christ they passe under such a censure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 losse and garbidge the most vile and contemptible things in the world This knowledge must needs be amiable because it proceeds from Christ the fairest of ten thousands And lastly for the complement of all this is a soule-saving-knowledge 3. Soule saving 1 〈◊〉 2. 14. When all Philosophicall speculations puzzle non plus thy understanding and cannot administer the least auxiliaries unto thee For the naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God then when thou hast the spirit of discerning to see their emptinesse and impotency Christ darts a ray of supernaturall knowledge into thy soule infuseth into thee new principles a renewed nature And now thou discernest with another manner of eye for the spirituall man knoweth all things Thou must then have a better master then Aristotle to teach thee This knowledge can no where be learnt but in the schoole of Christ A man may be admired for a great Gnostick as accurate a Text-man as Buxtorfe records of the Jewes as to know every letter in the Bible and observe every point as the Masorâ—tâ—es doe yet all this while he may be a meere stranger to this soule-saving knowledge For if the Doctrinall truth of Scripture be not made an experimentall truth unto thy soule and conscience though thou mayst be reputed a great schollar yet thou art farre from being a good Christian When Christ comes into thy soule by his grace he renewes thee in the spirit of thy mind he purifies thy nature reformes thy life redeemes thee from thy vain conversation When his gracious face shines upon thee he makes his waies and saving health known unto thee as it is Psal 67. 2. Thus I have endeavoured to describe the object of this knowledg positively considered lett 's now view it as privatively and by way of Antithesis set down in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely or nothing else besides Jesus Christ Q. But doth no other knowledge passe currant Doth my Apostle use a kind of Ostracisme to banish all secular learning out of the schoole of Christ A. Doubtlesse such an interpretation stands not with the sense Calvinus in locum Aquin in locum of my Apostle Nulla mihi scientia tanti fuit ut aliud cognoscere appeterem quam Christum licet crucifixum So Calvin He esteemed no knowledg equall to the knowledge of Christ Per sapientiam verbi â—vacuatur crux Christi By eloquence of words the Crosse of Christ is made of none effect so Aquinas upon the place But these two agree with Estius and Paraeus who are no enemies unto humane learning but they much disrellished the affected eloquence of new-fangled preachers who rent the people a sunder from unity to mutiny from faith to faction and so teare the seamlesse coate of Christ They bragd of Cardans vaine glorious humour otherwise a man of wisdome who making a catalogue of renowned worthies inserted himselfe Hiâ—ronymus Cardanus in the number So these instead of preaching Christ in all humility are not ashamed to vent the frothy issues of their abortive braines rather to tickle their auditors eares then to affect their consciences Therefore to this poyson my Apostle prescribes a soveraigne antidote and that Paraeus inlocum is to preach Christ and him crucified Sola Christi cognitio sufficit ad salutem saith Paraeus The knowledg of Christ is alone sufficient unto salvation but he addes further sed cum aliis conjuncta tanto erit jucundiâ—r but mixt with other sciences will rellish some palates the better Having a spice of humane learning it may winne upon mens affections and so take the learned in their own Art Augustine going to have his eares tickled had his heart touched and got Christ to boote with the eloquence of Ambrose A Minister ought to preach in the most winning way and ought to endeavour by a pious kind of fraud not in a Popish nor Machiavilian sense to insinuate himselfe into the affections of his Auditors I ground my assertion upon the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 16. beeing crafty I caught you with guile The preacher studied acceptable words Elegant composures and apposite expressions are commendable I know not any thing to the contrary but an Aegyptian jewel may be dedicated to the service of the sanctuary The Apostle quotes Menander Videmus non satis esse si sidem nostrae integritatis faciamus nisi â—ales deprehendantur quorii usâ— fucrimus opera Quare delectus habendus est non levis neque perfunctâ—rtus sed exquisita diligentia Calv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Dan. 2. 34. Aratus Epimenides Heathen Poets that so he might foile the Gentiles with their own weapons Chrysostome upon my Text saith The Apostle who knew greater things of art could not be ignorant of these lesser things yet he would relinquish his learning deny his parts seeme to be ignorant of his gifts that by this meanes he might gaine the people to the knowledge of Christ The Apostles Acts 4. 13. were accounted by the Counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illiterate men even Ideots as the word is commonly Englished yet these God used as instruments to confound the wisdome of the wise and to put to silence the most knowing men We read in Daniel of a stone without hands cut out of the mountaines which battered all the rest in pieces so the Gospell of Christ in its purity and simplicity without the help of humane policy or contrivances throwes down all the towring thoughts of men it levels mountaines as low as the vallies and casts
tidings but rather hearing them as it were in a dreame he cuts the role in peices and casts it into the fire O the Sottish Lethargy of a rebellious sinner Hee 's setled upon his lees at ease in Zion come what will come he thinks himselfe secure that no evill shall happen unto him Security is the harbinger of ruine But wickednesse stands not still it 's a teeming mother though of a spurious issue To make his sinne compleatly sinfull he sends hue and crie to apprehend the prophet and the scribe Heel 'e be reveng'd on the instruments though for the performance of their obliged duty O ungratefull patient who when he hath trampled soveraigne physick under his feet straightway plots the destruction of his physitian but humane power is circumscrib'd with certaine limits and compasses and cannot goe one jot further then the supreme overruling hand permits the motion Man purposeth but the Lord disposeth of that purpose as it pleaseth him God himselfe becomes an hiding place unto his servants But the Lord hid them Jer. 36. 26. the kings expresse commands must be frustrated his messengers must returne without their errand for God hath more worke for the prophet and the scribe A new role must be writ The nationall rebellions must stand upon record legible to posterity This God gives in precept and they immediatly put in execution And over and above the text is expresse in the close of the forecited chapter that there were added besides unto them many like words New rebellions renew their sorrowes and continuance in sin abundantly aggravates the punishment By this time Baruch is perplex'd with multitudes of sorrowes the apprehension of the Kings wrath makes him feare and tremble he is sensible of a burthen too heavy for him to beare the weight whereof mak's him fall groveling unto the ground The Lord becomes the remembrancer of his passionate expressions Thou didst say woe is me now for the Lord hath added greife to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and find no rect v. 3. Addidit dominus scriptionem Scripti vi one writing after another I hardly scap't for my former writing and now I put my selfe into the very mouth of the lyon adding a second danger to the former and so expose my selfe unto a continuall succession of miseries In the mount in the greatest straits and extremities the Lord will be seene Now comes the Lord and brings out a precious cordiall which he reserv'd for a languishing condition Now he shewes himselfe indeed a very present helpe in this needfull condition and time of trouble Hee 's the good Samaritan he powrs oyle into the wounds and binds them up hee 'l in no wise quench this smoking flax nor breake this Matth. 12. 20. bruised reed O tast and see O Baruch how good and gracious the Lord is to thee in particular There 's an universall conflagration and yet thou art as a brand pluck't out of the burning There 's a generall massacre and yet thy life is given thee for a prey whithersoever thou goest The Prophet brings this tidings from the mouth of God v. 4. behold that which I have built I will breake downe Goodly edifices must be leveld with the ground and not one stone left upon another It followeth and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land The vineyard of Gods own plantation must be laid wast and pluck't up root and branch The Lord when he begins will make an end Laesa patientia fit furor Patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury his wrath is incens'd and his jealousy burnes hot like fire If any thing questionlesse a showre of teares might quench this burning but their hearts are unbroken their fallow-ground is not plowed up they are past relenting and so shut against themselves a dore of mercy And now O Baruch thou sonne of Neriah where 's thy sympathy why dost not thou call thy comforts Ichabods Dost thou thinke to fare well at home whilst the Church of God is under hatches abroad wouldst thou be in the floate of prosperity whilst the Church is in the ebbe of adversity As the marriners in a tempest rows'd Jonah and cryed what meanest thou O sleeper arise call upon thy God Jonah 1. 6. so say I arise and lay to heart the afflictions of thy brethren When private calamities come in competition with publick let the latter preponderate Thou must not stick to foregoe thy own rest ease tranquility nay thy life it selfe when thou hast a lawfull calling to lay it downe in these times of horrour and confusion Let this advice from heaven in my text have an effectuall influence upon thy spirit tu quaerâ—res tibi res magnas ne quaerito and seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not My text may be stil'd Baruch's hurt and cure If he or any other Baruchs Hurt and Cure would with the sorcerer bost himselfe to be some great one in the world if he set upon the pursuite of great things in this world an arrow from God will be sent and pierce his soule through with many sorrowes there 's his hurt But if so be he become endowed with a selfe denying spirit so that sublunary things are below his notice he can bid adieu unto them as unsutable to his elevated affections hee 's a man of a singular temper hee 'l discerne a sun of righteousnesse with healing wings there 's his cure So then in the words formally considered there 's a Question and an answere In the Question I recommend three particulars unto 1. An Act. 2. An Object 3. The person your observation 1. An act and seekest thou 2. The Object great things 3. The persons one and the same thou for thy selfe The Prophet anticipates Baruchs answere and gives it himselfe seeke them not This dehortation is diametrically opposite It stands like the Cherubims with a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life A sinner rides full speed in a swift career of ungodlinesse Here 's a Remora which purposely meets him and stops his passage Hee 's bid to stand by the watchman of the Lord of Hosts You see then my Brethren what I am to presse upon your affections that ye would get rays'd spirits and sue out a divorce between your selves and the world The Argument of my discourse is Heavenly mindednesse The enlargement of this Theme is most sutable to these present distractions where there are such sad thoughts of heart for the afflictions of Joseph and for the divisions of Reuben Is it now a time for purchasing of Lands and revenues eating the fat and drinking the sweet to solace our selves in all variety of voluptuousnesse and epicurisme to stretch out our selves in beds of Ivory to drinke wine in bowles and yet remaine insensible of the afflictions of Joseph If by such projects as these we seeke to get a name upon earth we may build a Babel of our own confusion
parva little small things or else the quite contrary Thus you see honours and high places are not the great things worthy of our search and labour 3. Another man seeks after riches and worldly wealth they A third man seeks riches they are his great things are those great things which set his endeavours a working This man is still a compassing of corne and oyle he riseth early goeth to bed late eateth the bread of carefulnesse and looseth his beloved sleepe Is there a good penny-worth a good bargaine stirring how doth he labour to compasse it He racks his rents grinds the faces of the poore he makes hast to be rich and this he thinks is the right course but hee s not aware all this while that he hath put his monies into a broken bag and that the timber and stones in the wallwill prove vocall and cry out against him the prophet acquaints him with his fatall doom Jer. 17. 11. As the partridge sitteth on egs and hatcheth them not so he thatâ—eteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst â—â— his daies and at his end shall be a foole That wedg of gold which he so idoliz'd will in conclusion prove his greatest curse his table will prove his snare his meat his gravell his cup his poyson his bed a bed of thornes because these creatures are not sent in mercy and so not sanctifyed by God And besides we mâ—y discerne by experience how these covetous earth-wormes are crost in their intentions They scrape up riches and know not who shall enjoy them Oft times God punisheth sin by it's contrary the sin of covetousnesse in the parents with the sin of prodigality in the children so that they scatter as fast as the other gather'd and wast as profusely as the other got greedily God crosseth men in their darling sins as David was crost in his beloved Absalon Absalon in his Kingdome Amnon in his Tamar So the covetous are crost in their greatest confluence of riches Those very things which they have pursued with the strongest affections prove unto them the most bitter afflictions Hereupon Reverend Latimer inculcates Latimer in his Sermons this lesson againe and againe beware of Covetousnesse beware of Covetousnesse Of all other sins Luther confest that he found his heart least inclin'd to covetousnesse when some bad stop his mouth with preferment another answered hem Germana ista bestia non curat aurum So Melchior Adamus in his life Hence Seneca very divinely Melchior Adamuâ—â—n vitâ Lutheri Seneca de Brevitate â—â—tae A fourth man proposeâ—h mirth c. Brevissima ad divitias per contemptum divitiarum via the contempt of riches is a price paid to purchase them 4thly and Lastly not to multiply any more instances Others propose unto themselves mirth and jollity these are their great things Many have thoughts of Heaven they promise to redeeme their time as Elimelech promis'd to redeeme the inheritance but when there came a condition thou must take Ruth with it then he fly'd off I cannot redeeme it lest I marre mine own inheritance Ruth 4. 6. So men are apt to say O if I should take a precise course of life I should marre my hopes then farewell all pleasures and comforts whereas indeed if we had the spirit of discerning we should see that there 's no reall pleasure but in the waies of godlinesse The waies of wisdome are waies of pleasantnesse and her pathes are peace Prov. 3. 17. of all other pleasures I may say inter amplexus strangulant What 's all the mirth and jollity of the world but madnesse as Sâ—lomon concluded by wofull experience I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it Eccles 2. 2. All the mirth of the wicked is like the crackling of thornes but a blaze and extinguished Their hearts are full of gravell there 's a dampe upon their consciences The terrors of God afright them amidst all their mirth an jollity The Epicure makes his belly his God Clemâ—ns calls his vice by two words which expresse them to the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belly phrensy the brutish drunkard makes his cups Clemens Alex his Idols Hee 's mighty to powre in strong drinke but he considers not that cups of trembling will follow cups of healthing and carousing and that the time will come when he shall be cald to a fevere accompt for those cups which he hath powred down his own throate and for those which he least thinks of that he hath forc't upon his brother O thinke upon this in your most sad and composed thoughts you who ever you are that are addicted to your pleasures that make your recreation your profession and imployment who eat and drinke and rise up to play when cards and dice to say no worse shall be more exercis'd then the booke of God when men can have time enough for vaine and unprofitable pastimes and can have mony enough to spend upon a base lust yet if they be requir'd to set upon a businesse of weight and consequence then they complaine of want of time and if they be entreated to extend their bowels of compassion to any of Christ's afflicted members then they plead poverty where there are such symptomes as these you may guesse what 's the disease of the ill-affected parts and the issue will be lamentable I have read of a young man who stood by St Ambrose and saw his excellent death he presently said to some of his boone companions O that I might live with you and die with him So many we have who with Balaam would faine die the death of the righteous but take no care to live the life of the righteous What wilt not thou foregoe a pleasure a beloved sinne for Christ Christ will one day say to thee could I be content to part with my blood and could'st not thou be content to part witha lust Augustine in his confessions hath August Confession this notable expression Quà m suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum How sweet is it to mee of a sudden to want those sweet vanities One drop of a racking conscience swallowes up an ocean of ungodly joy Onely soule delights leave a sweet rellish in the spirit but carnall pleasures leave a sting in the conscience By these instances ye may guesse at the rest suffer me to make a briefe recapitulation of the premisses Suppose rest and quietnesse be the great things sought after whilst we pursue them greedily vexations troubles disquietnesse of spirit come in thick and threefold and dash all Promotions and preferments if they be the great things we seeke after they resemble Jonah's gourd which in one night had it's originall and it's period Riches and wealth if they be the great things sought after these fly away they prove Aegyptian reeds wells without water and they start aside like broken bowes Admit pleasures and carnall jollity be the great things sought
hath made Rulers iâ— Israel to be conscientious in the discharge of their duties that so they may hold up their heads with comfort before their judge When a man is cast upon the bed of sicknesse and all his sins are set in order before him then a man would part with all his wealth for the purchase of a good conscience and he would prize one glimpse of Christs reconcil'd countenance before the Empire of the world Now whither should a man goe for succour The world 's his enemy and it's madnesse to goe to my enemy for comfort Only the richeâ—â— of Christ those glorious things above must comfort thee or else thou canst never be comforted Those whom thou hated'st in thy health must be thy comforters in thy sicknesse Now thou art sensible what need thou hast of their prayers whom thou accounted'st the very abjects of men and refuse of the wotld Surely men speake not as they think when they revile many sincere Christians under the notions of hypocrites and dissemblers these they will be readiest to send for and apply themselves most unto them when a fit of sicknesse seiseth upon them You see then how great things in this world cannot helpe a man in the evill day in a languishing condition they fayle a man in his greatest necessity and therefore unworthy of our search and labour I inferre with my Prophet Ne quaerito seek them not 4ly and lastly the greatest things on earth cannot lead 4. Consider The greatthings of the world cannot carry a man beyond this life a man beyond this life they cannot carry him unto eternity A man cannot carry his honours and riches into another world Can a man carry the things of this world into the place of torments to bribe the flames or corrupt his tormentour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Aristotle is an Epithite attributed to something of excellency Now the greatest things on earth are uncertaine transitory sading things when death shall strip us of lands and revenues of all our gorgeous attires and leave us naked if then we are not cloathed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse we are of all men the most miserable This garment alone of our elder brother must cover all our nakednesse Behold then we all stand at the dore of eternity severall waies God hath to call us and then we are utterly depriv'd of all Now a good conscience alone must stand us instead when all other comforts are defective Hic Murus aheneus esto c. this is the best bulwarke of defence Let 's no more trust to uncertainties to such things that will faile us Le ts lay up treasure for our selves in another world and now make provision for eternity whence all our comfort is deriv'd When once we are involv'd in eternity then we are in an unalterable estate no postibility of returning back to the land of the living Me thinks that the serious and frequent meditation of aeternity should rayse up our spirits and put us upon a dayly provision for our immortall soules The great things of the world are below our cognizance We call them great but by an Antiphrasis For they are little and lighter then vanity so multitudes find them by sad experience My conclusion shall be the Apostles patheticall exhortation Col. 3. 1 2 3. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God The wisest Preacher Set forth in a SERMON Upon Prov. 11. latter part of vers 30. He that winneth soules is wise THe Areopagites had a custome that such SERM. 3. at St Maries OXON Aprill 16. 1648 as pleaded before them should pleade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without prefacing and without passion For passion of my own let it be discarded altogether All my designe is this to be inflamed with zeale to the glory of God and so to be transported with a passion of love towards your soules as to winne them to Jesus Christ And for prefacing I looke upon all slattering Apologies as superfluous and beneath the dignity of that worke I have in hand The words read are a sacred Proverb or a divine select Aphorisme deciphering forth in a Character the truely wise man Not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Greece nor the Philosophers of old not the accurate Linguists not the eloquent Orators nor the learned Rabbies nor Machiavilian Politicians not an elixar and quintessence drawn forth out of all the elaborate volumes of Philosophers and Orators can denominate the author truely wise in a spirituall and Theologicall acception My ground 1 Cor. 2. 14. is from the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. compared with 1 Cor. 3. 19. But here the spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celebrates the praises and stampes a character of wisdome upon him that winneth soules He that winneth seues is wise You know that Proverbs for the most part are entire sentences without connexion or dependance on the precedent words yet Context here And in the front of the text denotes a relation to what went before so that the precedent and subsequent parts of this verse referre each to other You have a rare description of the righteous man such a one whose heart is upright with God is resembled to a tree of life Alluding to the tree of life in Paradise As that was of Gods own plantation and had the preheminence of other trees so the graces of a godly man are of Gods own plantation None are borne holy but created so Grace is no plant that naturally growes in our Gardens but is a plant of our heavenly fathers plantation And as the tree of life had the preheminence of John 15. 5. other trees so the godly over all other men And it s observed by a judicious commentator on the place That the scope of this Proverbe Proverbil summa recidit ut discant homines quo pretio virum justuÌ„ aestimare convenit Carthwâ— Ehp. 5. 4. is to inhance the esteeme of the righteous man Though Godly men be held at a cheape esteeme and are accounted the scumme of the world yet the Allegory in the text gives in Gods Probatum est of them that they are as a tree of life And further it s said the fruit of the righteous i. e. the words and actions the counsell example life and conversation of a righteous man are the pretious fruits which the tree of life doth beare His words are savory ministring grace to the hearer Hee 's grave and edifying in his discourse His conversation is exemplary such as adornes his profession In a word the fruite of a righteous man is pretious fruite And if you would have a tast of it here you may gather one of the choicest that growes on this tree and that is to
Churches of Asia onely Laodicea Rev. 3. 16 19. excepted because they wanted zeal they were luke-warm neither cold nor hot and therefore God will spew them out of his mouth Wherefore God commands the Angel or Minister of the Church v. 19. Be zealous and repent He that will gain souls must have his heart boyling in zeal to Gods glory Paul when he came to Athens and observing their Superstition was not afraid of the Philosophers encounter neither was he mealy-mouthed for all their reproaches but tells them plainly to their faces Ye men of Athens I Acts 17. 22. perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious Sin must not be connived at though in Athens nay rather the more to be reproved because in such a place eminent for Learning more is given and more is to be required and he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beatâ—n with more stripes Who can refrain speaking in the cause of God unless he be spiritually stupified and have a dumb Devil within him It was Luthers brave resolution to go to Melch. Ad. in vira Lutheri Wormes and preach the Gospel though every tile was a Devil to oppose him However zeal may be censured for phrenzy it s but the same Livery that Festus bestowed on Paul And thou mayest urge Pauls Apology I am not mad but speak forth the words of truth and soberness Act. 27. 24 25. And resolve with David if to be zealous for God be accounted vileness resolve to be more vile 5. He that would win souls must be a man of knowledge Charact. 5. He must be a man of knâ—wledge Where God gives a calling he furnisheth men with a competent measure of gifts for the discharge thereof Blinde guides Ignoramusses are none of Gods sending They run before they are sent Prophets were called Seers and the Priestslips should preserve knowledge As the Mal. 2. 7. Priest under the Law so the Minister under the Gospel must be a man of knowledge How should the Minister be able to grapple with the Hydra of Heresies to contend for the Faith to convince gain-sayers unless he be a man of knowledge There 's much use of secular Learning Arts and Sciences are Hand-maids to Divinity As long as they keep their distance they contract a good esteem but if the Hand-maid will have the preheminence of her Mistress 't is high time she should be casheered And there 's exceeding great use of Nurseries of Learning and Schools of the Prophets But here 's the knowledge which above all others you must get even the knowledge of Jesus Christ All the Fathers and Schoolmen and philosophers though in their due place they must be reverenced yet all their Learning put together cannot make you gainers of Souls It s Christ alone that can do it He can infuse Divine knowledge and give you eye-Salve as he promiseth Rev. 3. 18. He can give you that Vnction whereby you shall know all things This is a rare 1 Iohn 2. 20. knowledge to know how to gain a soul This onely is to be learnt in the School of Jesus Christ 6. He must be a man Orthodox in judgement one that hath the Charact. 6. He must be a man Orthodox in judgement Spirit of discerning to understand the ways of God able to distinguish truth from falshood otherwise being blinde and ignorant the blinde leading the blinde both must fall into the ditch God goeth not forth with the Ministry of false Teachers They may deceive souls but cannot gain them unless in that sense which is said that the Scribes and Pharisees did which compassed sea and land to gain a Proselyte and when he is made he becomes seven Matth. 23. 15. times worse the childe of the devil then before Such a gain is a dreadful loss not a winning but a destroying of souls It should therefore be our principal business to study the Scriptures and to be well grounded in the truth to be stedfast and setled in the faith not being carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 14. There are three emphatical words in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dye counterfeit Teachers imitate counterfeit Gamesters they can cog a Dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every work any trick any shift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wiley art of legerdemane To be fenced against these what need have we to pray for a spirit of discerning to know the truth and to have our hearts stablisht with grace as the Apostle exhorts Heb. 13. 9. 7. He must be a man of an holy life and exemplary conversation 7. He must be a man of a boly life Concionatoris vita Concionis anima Gregory de Pastorali curâ tells us Necesse est ut esse munda studeat manus quae diluere aliorum sordes curat That hand must be clean that 's imployed in wiping of others filthiness The Exhortation is urgent Isa 52. 11. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. A good life is a good Commentary upon a good Sermon The Apostle is earnest in his Exhortations Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest others teachest thou not thy self c. Ministers lives should be standing Sermons their whole conversation a pattern of Piety They are Beacons set upon an Hill the eye of the whole Countrey is upon them As the godly observe So the eye of the wicked watch for their halting ready to make them an offender for a word It 's a common observation that the contention of Abrahams and Lots Herdsmen hath a greater aggravation because the Canaanite was then in the Land The observation of the wicked Gen. 13. 7. is not a small motive to engage us unto circumspect walking The very breathings of a Minister should be spiritual full of grace in his lips ministring grace to the hearers his words savory tending to edification his carriage serious grave exemplary adorning his Profestion as becometh the Gospel What an efficacy hath a good Phil. 1. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermon when it s backt with an holy life and conversation We should therefore pray for a serious heavenly frame of spirit 8. He that would win souls must be a man of industry This is Charact. 8. He must be a man of industry that Apostolical Character To be a work-man that needeth not to be ashamed 2 Tim. 2. 15. Christ admits no Truants in his School no Droans in his Hive no Loyterers in his Vineyard It 's said The labâ—râ—r not the loyterer is worthy of his hire Ministers are in Scripture called Pastors Seers Watch-men Work-men It s a palpable contradiction for to be a Pastor and not to feed a Seer and to be blinde a Watchman and to sleep and a Work-man to be idle Pharaoh bids Joseph set any of his Brethren that were men
offer sacrifice of free-cost but gave fifty shekells of silver the full price Neither is Christ the pearle of price to be had for nothing We have sacrifices to offer Our sins must be slaughter'd Our corruptions crucisi'd and we are to offer our selves as an Holocaust a whole burnt offering unto the Lord. Q. Q. But some will say Is not here a gap open'd for merit Can heaven and Christ be bought and purchas'd Hereupon the Papists lay the rotten foundation of their owne merits A. For answer we may not lay too much weight upon a Parable or similitude Few similitudes runne as they say quatuor pedibus Compare this Parable with Is 55. 1. Come buy wine and milke without money and without price We must come and buy we must be industrious in the use of the meanes which God hath appointed and yet without any meritorious price In commutative justice inter vendenda emenda One gives one thing and receives another worth it so that in equity the price must be worth the commodity and the commodity worth the price But the greatest price we can give for Christ comes more then ten-thousand times below his worth Yet then in a true sense are we say'd to buy this Pearle when we industriously pursue all good meanes to get it when we deny our selves pray heare the word entertaine Christ in our hearts and lives And notwithstanding the grace of Christ is free without money or price 'T is our duty to come unto the waters to frequent the meanes of grace Though what ever we give is but as a drop to the Ocean a sand to the Ballance an Atome to the sun and when we have done all we can we must acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants Secâ—ndly The pearle of price is the most necessary purchase in all Reason 2. The pearle of price is the most necessary purchase in all the world the world 'T is no good husbandry to lay out our moneyes upon trisles and superfluityes but this is Maries choyce that one thing needfull Thou canst not live without necessaries for thy body as bread to eate drinke to drinke and Rayment to put on Take away these and you starve the body Now Christ is the bread of life a fountaine inexhausted to quench the thirst of his people and the robes of his righteousnesle are a pretious garment to cover all our nakedness Take away these and you starve the soule We cannot live one moment without Jesus Christ Enemies may take away thy meat drinke rayment and such like outward comforts but they cannot take away Christ In the absence of all these if thou hast the presence of Christ thou mayest say with Jacob I have enough As it was say'd to the Boat-man Be not afraid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipse unus Christus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia August so say amidst tempestuous Euroclydons be not affraid if thou hast interest in Jesus Christ Christ is of absolute necessity insomuch as thou can'st not subsist without him For riches they are contingent to be or not to be For honours pleasures and promotions unlesse they be sanctifi'd t' is far better to be without them then with them They are but the blessings of the left hand But in the want of all these thou art made up abundantly with Christ and in Domine Iesu te plus diligo quam mea meos meipsum Bernard the fruition of them all in their greatest estate and confluence thou art utterly undone without him The Martyr in the flames cryed out none but Christ and so doth every true beleever cry out importunately with Rachel give me Christ or else I die Christ is more to be loved then all Thirdly This pearle of price is a commodity infinitely more pretious Reason 3. This pearle of price is a Commodity infinitely more pretious then all other pearles then all other pearles or gemmes in the universe No man of discretion will buy refuse stuffe and worthlesse wares but the excellent pretious worth of a commodity allures the Merchant to bid a price for it Now Christ is of such value and superlative excellency as that all we can compare with him comes far short and no waies able to reach him v Prov. 3. 13 14 15. and Job 28. beginning at v. 15. We read 1 Peter 2. 7. Vnto you therefore which beleeve he is pretious we render it in the concrete but the Originall is an abstract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honour Christ is honour it selfe A plant of renowne Ezek 34. 29. We cannot set a price high enough answerable to the worth of Jesus Christ Fourthly The pearle of price is the most gainefull profitable Reason 4. The pearle os price is the most gainefull Commodity 1 Tim. 6. 6 Gen. 26. 12. Mat. 19. 29. and inriching commodity Godliness is great gaine Christ is an inriching pearle and his Graces faith hope love even all the graces of the spirit are inriching graces It was great gaine for Isaak to receive in one yeare a 100 fold increase There is a rich and pretious Promise Every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an 100 fold and shall inherit eternall life Godliness is profitable to all things It hath the Promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim 4. 8. so far are we from being loosers or onely bare savers as that we shall be exceeding great gainers by this commodity Religion is the Rom 6. 21. gainfullest profession No profit comes by the service of sin What profit had you in those things wherein yee are ashamed Get Christ and thou art made for ever Hast thou this pearle thou art richer then the greatest Emperour without it Fifthly There 's no possibility of being cheated or any way over-reached There 's no possibility os being cheated in the purchase of this commodity For worldly things are not Bread and a great deale even too much of time cost and charge are thrown away upon them but Christ is the best penny-worth the best bargaine that ever thou mad'st all the daies of thy life If thou sell'st all thy pleasures riches prosits honours for Christ thou hast got that which is of more incomparable value then them all There 's no feare of fraud or couzenage in traffiquing for this commodity Stand not therefore dodging and cheapning at the market saying I must keepe this sin or delight custome or profit for these I hope to obtaine a dispensation I assure thee in the next which is the last Demonstration I shall lay downe for confirmation of the point That there 's no possibility of purchasing Christ for lesse than all If thou wilt sit upon a sinne as Rachel upon the images and interpose an exceptive with Naaman foster a Delilah an Herodias entertain a Gibeonite a pretending sinne spare an
you come without a wedding garment You must bee qualified as I mentioned before I call upon the young ones this day O bewaile your mispent time your trading in the vanitie of the world T is too too much that you have given so much of your fresh green yeares unto Satan Now come and O that God would draw you else you can never come Give up your strength and marrow to God You have tried the flesh the Divell the world they cannot help nor comfort you You have gone to King Jareb Hos 5. 13. When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jarâ—b yet could hee not heale you nor cure you of your wound Youthfull pleasures and vanities cannot afford any reall satisfaction O! that God would perswade you to make a better choice to goe to Christ for Physick to make him your Physitian You have spent all upon Physitians of no value imitate the poore woman and come unto Jesus Christ let not the Devil steale this precious truth out of your hearts that the present time is the time of repentance and tempt you to put off Repentance 'till your spectacle dayes Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them I call also upon old ones you that have lived so many yeeres spent so much time as is not worthy of reckoning in the sacred Chronologies Though I dare not flatter or give the least advantage to any to put off repentance 'till old age yet I dare not set a barre against you If now God open your eyes and give you a hungring and thirsting after Christ and discover to you more of Christ in your old age than in your young happy is it for you Some God cals at the eleventh houre and they receive their peny Now then though you begin late yet set upon the worke seriously Commend God in your old age that now hee hath opened your eyes to see this fountaine and because you have set out late therefore you must worke the harder To every one young and old to all sorts of sinners single double died I address my invitation come come unto this fountaine Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the water and hee that hath noe money come yee buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Joh. 7. 37. In the last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Rev. 22. 17. And the spirit and the bride say come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let hiw take of the water of life freely Neither doe I proclaime universall grace but free grace Come and take Christ upon the Gospel termes and conditions Cast downe your rebellious weapons try conclusions noe longer with God Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found call yee upon him while hee is neare Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and unto our God for hâ—e will abundantly pardon 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ's stead bee yee reconciled unto God Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service O! that God would move some soule this day open some heart this day O! that God would plucke some soule out of the Devil's snare wash some Aethiopian some polluted sinner in this fountaine My Errand and Embassie this day is to proclaime free grace to offer Jesus Christ what message shall I returne to him that sent mee I have the office of a Barnabas to bee a son of Consolation to tender the riches of Christ What will you not accept of Christ Will you undervalue the glorious excellencies of the Gospel Will you not have this man to raigne over you Your blood bee upon your own heads you are left without all excuse 2. My exhortation is speciall to the house of David and inhabitants of Ierusalem to those that have received virtue from this fountaine Goe goe often to this fountaine wash and wash againe take heed of thinking you have enough of grace enough of Christ already The oftner you have been at the fountaine the more your desires will bee enlarged Quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae This is a holy warrantable covetousness to covet grace never to think you have enough of Christ still labour for more of him Cry with the Horse-leech's daughter give give Lord give mee more of Christ I want grace more grace more grace Thou that hast tasted of Christ wilt desire to drink a full draught Thou that hast a sparkle of true grace wilt desire it may increase into a flame Phil. 3. 13 14 15. Brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Let therefore as many as bee perfect bee thus minded and if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you Then goe againe and againe to the fountaine never leave going Whilest thou hast pollutions thou canst never get rid of the body of sin in the Church militant thou hast need of dayiy washing and cleansing in the fountaine None other can cure thee none can cleanse thee but this fountaine but this laver of Christ's blood The 4th and last use shall bee for direction Vse 4. For Direction 1. Bee broken of all those cisternes that are broken and can hold no water Say not with Naaman are not Abana and Pharphar c. No other streames are healing but those that are from this fountaine 2. Neglect not the due season of comming to the fountaine The five foolish Virgins mist their opportunities and so did Esau Heb. 12. 17. For yee know how that afterward when hee would have inherited the blessing hee was rejected for hee found no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares 3. Make use of all the right keyes knowledge faith love repentance prayer 4. Waite patiently upon God who will open the fountaine Tarry at the poole of Bethesda wait at the posts of wisdome's gates Continue knocking never give over 'till God open the fountaine Bee not impatient of delayes but still tarry at thy Father's dore resolve to take no repulse no put off with Esther resolve If I perish I perish 5. VVash in this
1. 3. Because of the savour of thy good oyntments thy name is as oyntment poured forth therefore do the virgins love thee Cant. 4. 13 14. Thy plants are an orchard of pomgranates with pleasant fruits camphire with spikenard Spikâ—nard and saffron calamus and cynamon with all trees of frankincense myrrhe aloes with all the chief spices As for instance Faith is a sweet pleasant Grace it s our life nothing sweeter then life Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by faith So Hope is sweet pleasant Pro. 10. 28. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness but the expectation of the wicked shall perish Then patience is sweet for it sweetens all hardships and bears all crosses It makes a vertue of necessity Heb. 10. 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Likewise Love is pleasant for it by a Divine Alchimy turns the basest Metals into gold Cant. 8. 6 7. Set me as a seal upon thine heart and as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Another delightful Grace is Meekness A meek spirit is chearful and reviv'd amidst storms of persecution And so is Humility Passionate and Proud men take no joy in any thing they are of Haman's humor But meek humble self-denying spirits are full of joy and tranquility when the minde is quieted and setled whatever makes against it there 's something to make for it something coming in to support the soul and carry it on chearfully There 's the exercise of no Grace but it 's joyous and delightsom to Gods children Faith Hope Patience Love Meekness Humility are the delight of Gods children 4. Lastly There 's much delight and joy in obedience to Gods 4. There 's much delight and joy in obedience to Gods commandments commandments O how love I thy law Thy law is my delight said David All the Duties of obedience are pleasant to Gods children When the Spouse is once drawn she will be a running Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and I will run after thee So David Psal 119. 32 77. I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart It was Pauls delight in the place above mention'd and it was Davids rejoycing Psal 119. 14 15 16. I have rejoyced in the ways of thy testimonies as much as in all riches I will delight my self in thy statutes and not forget thy word Obedience to the commandments is easie to Gods children They do it with as much delight as David danced before the Ark. But profane persons do duties as Phaltiel followed Micâ—l 'T is said 1 John 5. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 'T is easie with Gods children to forbear Swearing they covenant with their tongues It 's easie to forbear Whoredom they covenant with their eyes It 's easie to keep the Sabbath for they call it a delight It 's easie to hear the word and tarry it out patiently for it is a joy unto them Matth. 11. 28 29 30. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am lowly and meek For my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Do not therefore discourage any from the ways of Religion as the Spies did from entring into Canaan You can subscribe to this by experience you can do much more work when your spirits are chearful when you do your business willingly A chearful minde will facilitate the weightiest enterprize Many use Recreations to refresh their spirits And Recreation may not be us'd otherwise then as a File to Devotion Now the practice of holy Duties is the godly mans recreation It was Christs meat and drink to do his Fathers work and so it is of the godly Therefore they Pray Read Hear Meditate and live chearfully Their souls are delighted and quieted in the performance of duty Carry home this truth with you that there 's more real sollid joy in the ways of Religion then all the delightful ways in the Universe And Oh! that this might stir your affections to be in love with the ways of godliness I now come to the confirmation of the Point by some evident Demonstrations 1. Whatever pleasure men finde in the world is much more to Demonst 1. No pleasure in the world like to the pleasure of godliness be found in the ways of godliness Prov. 3. 14 15. For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold She is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Prov. 8. 14 15. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice I shall instance in all the senses The eye takes delight in beautifull Objects It 's a pleasant thing to behold the Sun the Light is pleasant but no such beauty as in the ways of God Solomon speaks much of the Ruby and compares Wisdom to it for its resplendent Lustre Could the beauty of godliness be seen with these eyes they would be dazled Excellens sensibile corrumpit si sensuÌ„ The eye of man hath seen stately Buildings rich Treasures precious Commodities but the eye of Faith in a Believer seeth the holy Trinity the Throne of God In comparison whereof the bravest sights in the World are nothing even less then nothing 2. The eare is delighted with melodious musicke Men love to heare a skillfull Musitian But in a transcendent manner the eares of the godly are delighted with hearing the word the strong cryes and prayers of God's people the singing of Psalmes Psal 89. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance Some antient Philosophers phansied musick in the Orbes and Intelligences to wheel them about That opinion is much controverted amongst themselves But this is an undoubted truth that there 's no musick so delightfull to the eare as duties of religion They are pleasant to God's eare For hee loves to heare his people praying and should not they bee pleasant to ours And besides what wee heare of God now is but for a moment what wee shall heare heareafter shall bee to eternity When the damned are a roaring skriking howling blaspheming cursing weeping and heare nothing else Then the Saints shall heare Hallelujah's praising singing and joyne themselves in a Celestiall Consort 3. The tast shall bee delighted in the ways of godlinesse Gluttons and drunkards delight much in their tast Curious tasts will not bee pleased but with sweet and delightfull things Now O Christian get another tast a spirituall relish of heavenly thinges Psal 34. 4. O tast and see that the Lord is good
receive benefits by others and are beneficiall to others 4. To these I adde a fourth Bonum Honorabile Riches and honour are with wisdome None so honorable as God's servants Noe such honourable wayes as the wayes of Religion The pathes of wickedness are base and ignoble Antiochus is cal'd a vile person Dan. 11. 21. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdome but hee shall come in peaceably and obtaine the Kingdome by slatteries But godliness is honourable Honor est in honorante What shall be done to the man whom the King of Heaven delights to honour And wee read Act. 17. 11. These were more noble than those in Thâ—ssalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures dayly whether those things were so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence Ignatius sayd Nobilitas antiquitas mea Jesus Christus Godlinesse is an honourable service The wayes of Wickednesse most ignoble and dishonourable 5. It 's bonum conveniens a good suteable and commensurate to the desires of the soule The soule is a heavenly borne being spirituall immateriall and nothing can bee suteable but that which beares a like proportion The soule is not nourished with huskes pleasures profits delights of the world No earthly thing can satisfie the vast and boundless desires of an immortall soule when the Depth says It 's not in mee the sea it 's not in mee the easterne and westerne treasures of gold spices say It 's not in us from God alone commeth satisfaction Hee alone can fill up the Angles of our heart Psal 90. 4. O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee may rejoice and bee glad all our dayes Wee may eat and not bee satisfied that 's a curse threatned Micah 6. 14. Thou shalt eat but not bee satisfied and thy casting downe shall bee in the mid'st of thee c. Wee may see varieties of delightfull objects and yet not bee satisfied Eccles 1. 8. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare fild with hearing Wee may love silver and yet not bee satisfied Eccles 5. 10. Hee that loveth silver shall not bee satisfied with silver nor hee that loveth abundance with increase But Jer. 31. 14. And I will satiate the soules of the Priests with fatness and my soule shall be satisfied with goodness saith the Lord. Pleasures riches honours profits are not suteable goods But holyness is suteable and satisfactory to the soule 6. Bonum permanâ—ns Riches make themselves winges and fly away Friends are perfidious Creature comforts are like Job's deceitfull brook But godliness is durable Prov. 8. 18. Riches and honour are with thee yea durable riches and righteousness Holynesse lasts to eternity When all leaves thee a good Conscience keeps thee company in Heaven Doe you then desire an eternall permanent good get the feare of God principled in your hearts Demonstrat 6. Drawne from incouraging delight which God hath promised The 6th and last demonstration shall be drawne from the many incourageing delights that God hath provided for them They enjoy the garden of Eden a paradise of delights here upon earth their lives are sweet and delightfull for they have a God to goe to to call him Abba father They have Christ their Mediatour the spirit of truth their comforter They have thee the sweet springes and Rivers of Ordinances to refresh them and rich and precious promises They have in them a grand Charter full of immunities and glorious priviledges And they have a Christ the tree of life and what hee hath is put forth for their good Hee 's a counsellour to instruct them a fountaine to cleanse them a mighty God to defend them so that having all these helpes and Incouragements from the holy Trinity from the promises from the ordinances they must needs suck sweetness out of these breasts of consolation Review all these demonstrations and from them learne to set a high price of and delight your selves in the wayes of Godlynesse Therefore this doctrine serves 1. For an Use of conviction to convince Use 1. For conviction the world of their exceeding great folly in their prejudicate opinions against the wayes of godlyness They are unacquainted with the amiable beauty sweet refreshings of divine wisdom and therefore they speak evill of that which they know not prejudging and rashly censuring God's people for melancholy dumpish spirited persons These deale with the wayes of God as the Pagan Persecutors with the primitive Christians They put them in Beares and dogges skinnes so to render them odious to the multitude then they baited and worried them Just so prophane men now adayes put religion into ugly conceits they censure Professours of religion for dissemblers and hypocrites and the profession it selfe sowre unpleasant and burdensome and thus they revile the wayes of God But these peoples tongues are no slanders They even fight against their own shaddowes or else make a man of clouts and then fight against him This is their fancy their conceit and their groundlesse misprission Not that ther 's any such thing as they fancy in the wayes of godliness For all the wayes of Godliness are lovely and excellent sweet and delightfull unto the Saints of God only thou judgest ignorantly and rashly Thy eye is like one that hath the yellow Jaundice which seest all things yellow Thou hast a naturall eye and therefore canst not discerne aright of the wayes of God 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hâ—e know them for thâ—y are spiritually discerned But hee that is spirituall judgeth all things yet hee himselfe is judged of no man Thou hast a dull eare therefore wilt not hear the voice of a spiritual charmer charme hee never so wisely Thou hast a carnal tast and therefore canst not relish and tast sweetness in God's wayes Thou hast all thy affections disordered and out of frame thy love joy desire are upon the world Thou followest other lovers pleasures lusts profits These have bewitched thy heart and took up thy delight and therefore thou art a mere stranger unto the wayes of godliness I would gladly convince carnall men that ther 's no delight in carnall sinfull pleasures I have proved largely that the wayes of godliness are the only wayes of pleasantness I le propound some convictions that the wayes of sinne and wickednesse have no reall solid pleasure no true delight and contentment in them 1. The wayes of wickedness afford only sensuall fleshly pleasures Convict 1. The wayes of wickedness afford sensuall pleasures The drinking gameing epicurizing of ungodly men only reacheth to the sensuall part And what shall I pamper a carcass that which must bee wormes meat and shall I neglect my precious soule what shall Christ heaven eternity bee neglected for satisfaction of a base lust a few paltry
in Prayer What sweetness in Hearing What activity in Meditation Are your affections on the wing soaring aloft to Heaven Doth this joy quicken your spirits to a chearful performance of duty and make the Chariot Wheels of your souls move swiftly Then this is a spiritual joy Whereas natural joy makes a mans heart dead in spiritual things When men are full of worldly joy if you interpose some savory discourse of God and his ways those men who had fluent tongues before can say nothing they are as it were dead men their hearts are as Nabals as a stone within them Sixthly and lastly Spiritual joy will support the spirit and bear up Qual 6 the heart in the want of all outward joy and pleasantness Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation A soul that hath onely natural pleasantness is all amort and quite cast down when any affliction befalls it But a soul that hath spiritual pleasantness amidst all sorrows findes comfort in God to swallow them all up When crosses and afflictions befall a childe of God then is the time for tryal of his joy Rom 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoye in hope of the glory of God He kisseth the rod Amidst outward sorrows he feels inward consolations an exchange of worldly for spiritual joys The fourth Use shall be for Direction you will ask How shall we Vse 4. For Direction carry on the work of God chearfully A. 1. Take heed of allowing thy self in any secret sin A secret sin allowed of will dash all thy mirth I told you before aâ— saying of Luther for its excellency I reminde you of it again Vnaguâ—tula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet No way in the world so conducible hereunto as the purging out thy corruptions the exterminating of sin out of thy soul The fewer sins the more will be thy joy as I may instance in David who complain'd of broken bones and Prayes Restore unto me the joys of thy salvation that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce 2. Study seriously and frequently all the ways of godliness The more knowledge thou hast of the ways of God the more delight wilt thou take in them The saying is Ignoti nulla cupido Principle thy heart therefore aright in the ways of godliness and labor for more knowledge of them Labor to know the beauty and excellency and incomparable riches of Christ The ignorant people ask What is thy beloved more then another beloved Labor to comprehend with all Saints the heighth depth length and breadth of the love of God Be not content with that measure of knowledge which thou hast already attained but get accessions and additions to it Psal 9. 10. And thâ—y that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou O Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 3. Put in practice the Divine Art of Meditation This is the spiritual digesting of the Food of Heaven O what abundance of comfort do Christians feel by Meditation Meditation is Animae vehiculum it carrys up thy Devotions to Heaven To go to duties with a barren dull spirit there 's no delight but to go to them after spiritual Meditation this is sweet and pleasant indeed Thus Isaac meditated in the fields Mary pondred Christs words in her heart Sequester therefore your souls apart from all worldly intanglements and meditate of the riches of Christ of the excellency of his ways and by this means your spirits will be elevated and you 'l perform duties with more vigour and alacrity of spirit Fourthly and lastly Be sure to walk uprightly Get an upright heart and thou mayest take comfort in whatsoever thou doest Pro. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverteth his way shall be known Many complain I cannot do as others do I want those joys they have I cannot perform duties as well as they I direct thee to be sure that thy heart be upright that what thou doest is in sincerity and God will accept sincerity in lieu of perfection Is then thy heart upright Is it the desire and endeavour of thy soul to close with God Dost thou not willingly allow thy self in any sin be of good comfort It becometh the upright to be joyful I have one Use more for consolation to the people of God who Vse 5. For Consolation by experience subscribe to the truth of the Doctrine That all the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness To these comfort appertains as their peculiar right and interest They find comfort coming in amidst all their religious services amidst their tears and sorrow for sin they feel joy coming in they have tasted and felt how sweet the Lord is And if there be now such comfort in via what will there be in patria Si adeo dulcis quaerenti saith a Father quid invenienti You therefore that are acquainted experimentally with these truths That the ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness I beseech you manifest the truth of these things Tell and discourse to one another speak what good God hath done for your souls Many are kept back from God hy reason of scandals and calumnies that Religion makes men of melancholy and dumpish spirits Confute therefore these mistakes both by your words and actions Tell others and strive to win them to God and allure them with the narration of the delights and soul-ravishing comforts that you have found in these ways O â—abor to comfort others with those comforts wherewith you your selves have been comforted in particular And so walk in the ways of God Let your actions be so carryed and the whole frame of your soul so ordered that it may appear to the whole world That all the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness Rejoyce therefore in the Lord. Delightfulness in the ways of godliness put a beauty upon them We have a sweet promise Isa 65. 18. But be ye glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for bâ—hold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy A joy in the abstract and it 's Gods work of creation You therefore to whom God hath darted the beams of his reconciled countenance I counsel in the language of our Saviour Sons and Daughters be of good comfort and go on chearfully Let your hearts as Jehoshaphats was be lifted up in the ways of God When the Spirit of God witnesseth to your spirits that ye are the children of God there must needs be abundance of joy in your souls And here 's your ground of rejoycing that your names are written in the Book of
Mourning for others sins p. 82. 6. The heart approves it self to God ibid. 7. There will be a pressing forward towards perfection p. 83. 8. A strict watch over the heart ibid. 9. The desire and endeavour must be universally extensive ibid. 10. The Spirit is without guile p. 84. 11. There will be the practise of Mortisication and Vivification p. 85. 12. A burning in love to Jesus Christ ibid. Use 4. for Direction in 6. Particulars 1. Pray for the spirit of sanctisication p. 85. 2. Wash and cleanse thy heart ibid. 3. Be exercised in Meditation p. 86. 4. Consider the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God ibid. 5. Set an high estimate on Gods Ordinances ibid. 6. Associate your selves with holy company p. 87. Use 5. for Consolation SERM. V. Joh. 3. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things The Text divided and expounded p. 91. Doct. There may be and are many men otherwise of great Learning yet grosly ignorant in the maine Fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration p. 92. This is proved by Scripture Instances p. 92. and by 3. Reasons 1. From the nature of Regeneration p. 93. Reas 2. Drawn from the Nature of Unregeneracy in a foursold estate 1. Of Impurity p. 94. 2. Of Enmity ibid. 3. Of Blindnesse ibid. 4. Of Death p. 95. Reas 3. From the Free workings of Gods Spirit Application in 5. Uses 1. For Exhortation and that to Teachers p. 96 97. and to Disciples p. 98 99. Use 2. For Information 1. What Regeneration is not 1. Not in Nicodemus his sense p. 100. 2. Not in a new Physical Beeing ibid. 3. Not in Civility and Morality ibid. 4. Not in great parts and abilities p. 101. 5. Not in common graces ibid. 6. Not in a bare Profession of Christ ibid. 2. What Regeneration is 1. The new Nature p. 102. 2. A new Vnderstanding ibid. 3. A new Will ibid. 4. New Affections ibid. 5. A new Heart ibid. 6. A new life ibid. Use 3. for Excitation Mot. 1. From the Necessity p. 102. 2. Unregenerate persons can obtaine no acceptance p. 103. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever come into heaven ibid. Use 4. for Direction 1. Pray hard for Divine Wisdom 2. Wait upon God in his Word 3. Pray for the Spirit Use 5. for Consolation And their duty is 1. To praâ—se God 2. To walk as becommeth Converts 3. To set an high price on Gods love SERM. VI. Esth 9. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not faile that they might keep these two daies according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year c. The Text divided and expounded Doct. That it 's the duty of a delivered people to keep mercies upon Record and make a thankfull remembrance of signal deliverances and perpetuate the Memorial thereof from Generation to Generation p. 108. Reas 1. Because Gods name and honour is from Eternity to Eternity p. 109. Reas 2. Because Thankfulness is Gods Tribute ib. Reas 3. Drawn from the excellency of the Duty Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations viz. 4. Vinculo Creationis Redemptionis Gratitudinis Gloriae divinae promovendae p. 110 111. Vse 1. For Information In the Popish Treason eight particulars are considered 1. Length of time in projecting p. 112. 2. Vnwearied pains p. 113. 3. Cunning conveyance ibid. 4. Inveterate malice ibid. 5. The persons acting p. 114. 6. The persons against whom p. 115. 7. The place ibid. and 8. their cruelty ibid. Observe 1. The Means of discovery by Auricular Confession p. 116. 2. The seasonablenesse p. 117. 3. The just Retribution ibid. Vse 2. for Caution 7. Popish opinions 1. That the Pope is Christs Vicar p. 119. 2. That he hath power of bâ—nding and loosing 3. That he may depose Princes ibid. 4. That Protestant Princes may be Excommunicated ibid. 5. That they may be murthered ibid. 6. That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks ibid. 7. That Equivocation is lawfull Protestants Principles 1. That the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 120. 2. That a Papist cannot goe beyond a Reprobate ibid. 3. That the eâ—ought to be no peace with Rome ibid. 4. That a Papist living and dying in the opinion of his own merits cannot be saved p. 121. 5. That Babylon is Rome ibid. Vse 3. for Exhortation 1. Remember and transmit the memory of this day to Posterity p. 121. 2. Praise God for the Deliverance p. 122. 3. Remember and be vigilant ibid. SERM. VII Rom. 2. 16. In the day that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel The Text divided and expounded p. 124 125 126. Doct. 1. There shall be a day of Judgement p. 126. Doct. 2. At that day the secrets of all mens hearts shall bee judged Doct. 3. Christ shall be Judge at that day Method of handling The first Doctrine proved by Scripture out of the Old and New Testament p. 126. and confirmed by six Arguments 1. From Gods Decree p. 127. 2. From Gods Iustice ibid. 3. From conviction of conscience p. 128. 4. From the dependance and connexion between the Resurrection and day of Iudgement ibid. 5. From the generall expectation of the Saints p. 129. 6. From Gods glory ibid. Vse 1. For Reproof to ungodly persons p. 131 132. Vse 2. for Instruction to Magistrates and Ministers 6. Lessons commended 1. Entertain serious thoughts concerning the day of Iudgement p. 134. 2. Let this consideration engage us to holynesse of life and conversation ibid. 3. Let this read us a Lecture of Patience p. 135. 4. Le ts be engaged to watchfulnesse 5. Le ts learn to fear God ibid. 6. Le ts learn compassion and charity ibid. Vse 3. for Consolation 1. From the nature of the day p. 136. 2. From the Iudge Christ ibid. 3. From the sentence ibid. 4. From the eternal happinesse ibid. Doct. 2. That at the day of Iudgement the secrets of all mens hearts shall be judged p. 136. Reas 1. Drawn from Gods Omniscience p. 136. Reas 2. From Gods justice p. 137. Reas 3. For the acquitting of the godly ibid. Reas 4. For the further condemnation of the wicked p. 138. Vse 1. for terror unto the wicked ibid. Vse 2. for comfort to the godly p. 139. 3. For counsel to both p. 140. Doct. 3. At the day of Judgement Jesus Christ shall be Judge p. 140. 1. Proved by Scripture p. 140. 2. By 3. Reasons 1. From Equity and Retaliation ibid. Reas 2. For the comfort of the godly ibid. Reas 3. For the terrour of the wicked ibid. Q. 1. Is the Father excluded A. p. 141. Q. 2. How shall Christ appear A. p. 141. Q. 3. Whom shall Christ judge A. ibid. Q. 4. What will be the manner of Christs judging A. ibid. Q. 5. What signs are there of this day A. p. 143. Q. 6. Why God defers the day
of Iudgement A. ibid. Q. 7. Whether man can determine when the day of Iudgement shall be A. p. 143. Q. 8. Whether we must desire this day A. p. 144. 4. Obâ—ections answered p. 144 145. Vse 1. for comfort unto the godly ibid. Vse 2. for terrour unto the wicked ibid. Vse 3. for Exhortation to prepare for the coming of Christ p. 148. SERM. VIII Mat. 10. 17. Good Master what shall I do that I may inheherit eternall life pag. 148. The Text divided and expounded p. 148 149. Doct. The main inquirie and businesse of Christians ought to be employed concerning their eternal condition p. 150. Method propounded 1. What Eternity is It is answered negatively by four Propositions 1. Eternity admits no succession of time p. 150. 2. Eternity admits no alterations ibid. 3. Eternity admits no augmentation nor diminution p. 151. 4. Eternity admits no revocation ibid. Eternity is defined and explained particularly p. 152 153. 2. The Doctrine is illustrated by Scripture examples p. 153. 3. By Scripture Precepts p. 153 154. 4. By Scripture Reasons 1. Privatively Because 1. We are freed from sin 2. From Tentations of Flesh Devil and World p. 154 155. 3. We are freed from Punishments p. 155. 2. Positively 1. The Saints shall enjoy the blessed vision p. 155 156. 2. They shall enjoy the Society of Saints and Angels ibid. 3. They shall be busied in rare employments p. 156. 4. This employment shall be in our Fathers house p. 157. 5. Glorifyed Saints shall keep an Eternal Sabbath in heaven ib. Vse of Exhortation p. 157. 4. Motives pressed 1. The study of Eternity is an honourable study p. 159. 2. This is a sweet study p. 160. 3. This is a profitable study ibid. 4. This is a seasonable study p. 161. SERM. IX Mal. 1. 14. But cursed be the Deceiver which hath in his flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing For I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadfull among the Heathen The Coherence and Text expounded p. 162 163 164 165. Doctrine handled In all our services its Gods expectation and our obliged duty is offer the best we can possible unto the Lord p. 166. Method propounded 1. How must our services be performed in the best way A. In six distinguishing Characters 1. All must be performed with a pure heart p. 167. 2. The beauty of the season must be regarded ibid. 3. We must make Religion our businesse p. 168. 4. We must do all in Faith p. 169. 5. We must do all in the Name of Christ ibid. 6. We must doe all with reverence and godly fear p. 170. 2. The Doctrine is asserted and proved by Scripture p. 171 172. 3. By Application 5. Vses are made Vse 1. For Exhortation 1. To all in generall p. 173. 2. To Magistrates and Ministers in particular ibid. SERM. X. upon the same Text. 7. Considerations 1. From the Majesty of God p. 176. 2. From the Holynesse of God ibid. 3. From the Equity of the Duty p. 177. 4. From the credit of the Gospel p. 178. 5. From the greatnesse of the sin made up of 4. Ingredients viz. Folly Contempt Presumption Sacriledge p. 179 180 181. Notwithstanding failings all will be accepted through Christ p. 181 182. 7. Consider the dreadfull curse against Hypocrites p. 182. Vse 2. for Reproof 1. Of the Hypocrite p. 183. 2. Of negligent lazy persons p. 184. 3. Of such who put off Repentance to old age p. 185. Vse 3. for Examination 1. Whether we give God the best in Duties p. 186 187 188 189 190. 2. Whether we give God the best in our Graces p. 191. 3. Whether we give God the best in our lives and conversations ibid. p. 192. Vse 4. for Direction 1. What impediments are to be removed A. 1. An ignorant mind p. 192. 2. A frothy vain spirit p. 192 193. 3. A worldly spirit ibid. 4. An unbeleeving heart ibid. 2. What duties are to be practised A. 1. Set God before thine eyes p. 193. 2. Labour for sincerity of heart ibid. 3. Embrace the present season p. 194. 4. Be much in prayer ibid. 5. Make Religion thy businesse ibid. Vse 5. for Consolation Consid 1. Infirmities befall the best p. 194. 2. Gods Children allow not themselves in sinne p. 195. 3. A sincere heart is accepted ibid. 4. A sincere heart labours for more Grace ibid. 5. We must not goe by others examples ibid. 6. Perseverance obtaines the Crown ibid. ERRATA PAge 96. lin 5. r. 6. Vses p. 110. l. 21. r. upon us p. 113 l. 23. r. implacable p. 115. l. 33. r. King p. 116. l. 1. r. on one stone p. 119. l. 29. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 120. l. 12. r. of our own p. 121 l. 17. r. Revelations p. 125. l. 4. r. In the which p. 129. l. 15. r. 2 Cor. 5. 1. p. 131. l. 4. r. and such like p. 137. l. 13 r. 2 Cor. 5. p. 140. l. 5. r. peace p. 158. l. 20. r. of our p. 180. l. 20. r. Isa 43. p. 189. l. 28. r. accepted For litteral faults and want of points the Reader is desired to amend them DECAD II. OF SERMONS Preach'd at St. Mary's Oxon. JOB 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my youth YOU are all well acquainted with the History of Serm. 1. at St. Maries Oxon. Iune 25. 1650. Job this eminent pattern of Integritie as to his sufferings and patience which are upon Divine Record both for our instruction and imitation Jam. 5. 10 11. I shall wave the Narrative being so abundantly known even to a Proverbial Speech Onely thus much I shall premise to make my passage clear unto my Text Job being on the Dung-hill sorely afflicted with variety of sufferings his Friends came with an intention to comfort him but through mistakes they proved miserable Comforters even Physicians of no value and added affliction to affliction passing uncharitable Censures upon him and looking upon all his Sufferings as just Punishments of his Hypocrisie Many Dialogues there passed between Job and his Friends with several Answers and Replyes At this time he hath to deal with Zophar the Naamathite Zophar gives him good counsel indeed To put iniquity far away Job 11. 13 14. It 's true in Thesi but not in Hypothesi The Doctrine is good the Application as to this upright man Job altogether impertinent thereby he insinuates as if some Bribery was in the hands of Job being an innocent Person as to Men and indeed chastened thus by God not because he was a greater Sinner then others but for his tryal the demonstration of his Faith and Patience and to make it appear to all the World that the Devil was a Lyar Job I say vindicates himself from his Friends aspersions and betakes himself in the 12 13 and 14 Chapters to a plenary answer his affliction makes him to speak
sins with delight which in their elder age will prove Gall and Wormwood even Gravel as Solomon speaks Prov. 20. 17. Give me leave out of love to your souls to deal plainly with you and to be your Remembrancer of some peculiar reigning sins which upon observation I finde more ripe amongst young men I exclude not nor excuse them from other sins for who can say his heart is clean whose heart is not a Womb to bring forth the most hideous Monsters whose heart is not a Garden to bring forth the most rank poisonous weeds whose heart is not a sink to entertain the most noisom carrion but that Grace preventing renewing and sanctifying Grace steps in and keeps a soul from such foul acts â—ut I say upon grounded experience these sins amongst young men are most notorious for which there is exceeding great cause of humiliation The first sin I shall mention is Voluptuousness Young men 1. The sin of Voluptuousness are all for their pleasures addicted to their sports and vanities It 's lamentable to consider what a great deal of precious time is thrown away in vain pleasures by some young men I wish there were none such within our Walls What abundance of time is spent I say mis-spent by many young men in Ball-courts Cards Dice Tables with Hawks Hounds one of which hours cannot be recalled I have read the Story of John Husse whom Luther calls Sanctissimum Martyrem when the Bishops put a ridiculous Crown upon his head to make him their Ludibrium he made this Answer My Lord Iesus for my sake did wear a crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this lâ—ght crown be it never so ignominious Truly I will do it and that willingly You know saith he In my younger years which grieveth me now I have dâ—lighted oftentimes to play at Chesse have neglected my time and have unhappily provoked both my self and others to anger many times by that play You may make good use of the words of this Holy Martyr which were the words of a dying Man and an eminent Martyr for Christ I shall not dispute at present the lawfulness or unlawfulness of that Play Be it never so innocent never so indifferent where those ill consequences are produced viz. Loss of much time and provocation to much anger it s the safest way to lay it aside and the like may be said for other Games which Cicero are doubtful disputable Abundans cautela non nocet Aristotle by no means will have happiness to consist in pleasure He calls voluptuous persons Slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lead a life more beseeming a Beast then a Man The best of Orators gives this character of Pleasure That it is esca omnium malorum and looks upon a voluptuous person as one that hath un-manned himself and not worthy the name of a man It was a famous Speech of Titus Caesar That he had lost that day wherein he had done no good Consider of O amici perdidimus diâ—m Tit. Caes this that day is lost wherein you have done God no service when you have wasted your time in idle Company Drinking Gaming Carowsing What comfort can you take when you come to die What good will your boon Companions do you They will prove as miserable Comforters as the High Priests to Judas Matth. 27. 3. They said What 's that to us see thou to that O this sin of Voluptuousness reigns thorowout the Land How many make their Recreation their business their imployment eating and drinking and rising up to play with the Idolatrous Israelites Believe it my Brethren mis-spent time will lie heavy upon your consciences when you come to die Then thou wilt cry Call time again call time again as some have done on their Death-beds Then what promises would'st thou make if thou might'st live a little longer Thou would'st redeem every vanity with an age of preciseness O how thou wilt curse those prophane Companions that called thee from thy Study to the Tavern that inticed thee from a Sermon to a Whore-house Then thou wilt finde by experience that thou hast been mistaken all the while and that there is no solid real pleasure in the ways of sin May these considerations disengage and wean your hearts from sensual Pleasures Neither do I cry down all Pleasures this day onely I perswade you to make the best choice to turn the stream of Carnal and Sensual into Spiritual and Heavenly Pleasures Would you have Pleasures follow Wisdoms Tracts Prov. 3. 17. Are you all for Delights Delight your selves in God Psal 37. 4. Are you for Joy rejoyce in God The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. A Second sin I shall name is contempt of superiours Young 2. Contempt of Superiors men would gladly have the reynes of government let loose they will fain be lawlesse left to their own liberty every one to doe that which is good in his own eyes no Bonds will hold head strong refractory spirits they joyne with those in their resolution to breake of all bands Psal 2. 3. I could wish heartily those complaints were not verified of our times Isa 3. 5. Lam. 5. 12. Lam. 4. 16. I am sure the 5th commandement is obligatory so is the precept Heb. 13. 17. God is the God of order and not of confusion if the order primi secundi be not observed If there be not governing and obeying But if Levelling designes of a rude multitude that bellua multorum capitum take place there will be a dissolution of the continuum and we shall be reduced into the first Chaos Therefore to you my Elder Brethren I addresse my exhortation to keep up that authority that God hath put into your hands Let no man despise you Keep up good discipline Set up Catechising in all your houses Teach those under your charge their particular dutyes season them with the knowledge of God in their youth and train them up in their duty and when they are old they will This I heard Mr. Herbert Palmer preach at Aldermanbury never forget it I have heard that in the beginning of that horrid Irish rebellion some Servants cut their masters throats and told them they should have taught them better Were there better Masters there would be better servants You that are Tutors and have the inspection of others look upon your selves as Pro-parents and be faithfull in your trust Doe you read diligently to them I wish you all did else Take heed of sloathfulness of hiding your Talents in a Napkin But let me ask you plainly you that find young men licentious head-strong and refractory doe you pray frequently with them and for them Doe you Catechise them Doe you teach them knowledge in Aristotle and doe you not much more teach them knowledge in Jesus Christ Let us then all in our places and capacityes look to our charge and doe our duties with diligence and fidelity
be such a bitter sorrow for sin as for the losse of a first-born like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo Peter denyed shamefully and wept bitterly David watered his Couch with his tears Mary Magdalen out of whom Christ cast seven Devils washt Christs feet with her tears and wip'd them with the hair of her head Let it be bitter to remember that thou hast been so undutiful to so gracious a God that thou hast provoked such a merciful God to wrath whose nature is to shew mercy O how this consideration should melt thy heart into a soul-reforming sorrow Sins may be compared to the waters of Marah so bitter as none could drink of them Sin is a very bitter thing it produceth bitter effects But God shewed Dir. 2. Look through all Humiliations unto Jesus Christ Moses a Tree which made the Waters of Marah sweet The bitter Tears of Repentance and the most bitter afflictions which sin produceth will end in joy to those that are truly penitent 2. Though thou must be humbled and he that was never humbled never truly believed yet thou must not rest in thy humiliation but look unto Jesus Christ for a cure Thou must be sensible of the stings and wounds of sin and look unto Jesus Christ by the eye of Faith for a cure He is our peace Eph. 2. 14. No reconciliation but by him 2 Cor. 5. 19. No way to get healing pardon salvation but by him sue then out a Pardon sealed by the Blood of Christ O pray that be would cancel the hand-writing against thee and that by his Blood he would Justifie Sanctifie and Save thee No name no Mediator no Blood can make an Atonement for thee but this Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things then the Blood of Abel 3. Having got a pardon through the Blood of Christ walk Dir. 3. Walk circuâ—â—spectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui exacte vivunt nolunt vel in minimis deficere cedere solent enim vel minutissima observare Favorinus circumsâ—ectly in thy whole conversation Eph. 15. 5. There is an Emphasis in the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids be watchful and circumspect take heed of re-acting thy youthful sins â—ill be renewing thy repentance and pray for more manifestation of Gods love unto thy soul 4. And lastly To conclude here is one word of comfort unto those upon whom God hath poured the Spirit of Repentance Old people that have truly repented of their sins shall have them imputed unto Christ and Christs righteousness unto them for Justification and let them read their blessedness Psalm 32. 1 2. Happy are they whose souls are washt white in the blood of the Use 4. For Consolation Lamb You that mourn for sin you shall be comforted You that bewail your sins and hate them and endeavor to walk closely with God in a holy conformity to his will you shall have this hand-writing blotted out And whether your sorrow be right and genuine you must try it by those Apostolical Characters 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Let no man apply comfort to himself but upon Gospel terms And to you that are young upon whose hearts God hath wrought saving Grace in your tender years I must pronounce comfort to you Happy is it with you that God hath begun with you betimes and hath planted his fear in your hearts betimes You have heard how dear youthful sins cost many in their elder years O now be advised take warning fly youthful sins labour to be grave and serious in your carriages God hath done much for you what will you do for him speak good of his name advance his glory incourage your fellows to come unto God Remember that counsel which Christ gives Peter When thou art converted streng then thy brethren I beseech you all in the fear of God in the close of my Sermon to beware of youthful levity There is Mr. Jeremy Burroughs a great deal of frothy with amongst young men A Reverend Divine now with God used to pray That of all spirits God would be pleased to deliver him from a frothy spirit Beware of foolish Jesting Though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be allowed in Aristotle yet it is condemned by St. Paul Eph. 5. 4. Let young Timothy be a patern for your imitation of whom Paul had such confidence And always labor to cleanse your ways according to that rule which I shall leave with you for a close of all Psal 119. v. 9. By taking heed thereto according to the word Iudgement and Mercy Set forth upon Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said My spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years IN the precedent Chapter you have the Genealogy of the long Serm. 2. At St. Mary's Oxon. Jan. 12. 1652. Gen. 5. 27. liv'd Patriarchs of the old World It 's observable that every ones particular age is exactly reckon'd and though they lived some more some fewer years yet every one agrees in the same conclusion And he dyed Methuselah who lived the longest of all lived nine hundred sixty and nine years and he dyed The longest livers saw death and could not deliver themselves from the hand of the Grave These ancient Fathers though dead may be said to live in their Posterities They left behinde them a numerous off-spring the Earth is full of people and mankinde is now multiplyed into multitudes v. 1. And as the People so their wickednesses are multiplyed The more people the more sinners O stupendious ingratitude God multiplies their off-spring and revives their memory in the fruit of their loyns For what are Parents of many Children but themselves so much the more multiplyed yet these wicked Wretches by how much the more God encreased and multiplyed them in their Posterity by so much the more they encreased and multiplyed their wickedness against him their Creator And now their abominations are come to the full and they are ripe for destruction The Lord exercised Mercies bowels of Mercies patience long-suffering towards them waiting upon them many years Preaching to them by the Patriarchs calling them to Repentance and notwithstanding all the loving kindnesses forbearances patient expectations of a gracious God yeâ— they remain obstinate refractory incorrigible whereupon the Lord will not suffer his patience to be abused any longer his Servants and Ministry to be contemned his Holy Spirit to be grieved v. 7 8. The Creatures were made for the service of Man both he and they should be took away together Man was the Lord over the Creatures and when he was took away what use would there be of them as Chrysostome observes Man had abused the Creatures over which he had dominion Master and Servants both fall together thus the whole Creation groâ—neth by reason of mans Apostacy from God As the Beasts were made for Man so they became subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod
subjiciuntur Contra ingenium naturae suae agnoscamus naturam Dei quae cogit illa nostris usibus inservire Pet. Mart. Poenitentia Dei est MutaÌ„dorum immutabilis ratio August Hunc adulterinum degenerum pro meo jam agnoscere dedignor Calv. in Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Inter. Sedes vitae sedes animae principium intellectus vo luntatis affectnum moâ—um to vanity and destruction through Mans iniquity Rom. 8. 20 22. But this sharp Sentence God pronounceth with a great deal of reluctancy he is said to repent in this verse and v. 6. both to repent and be grieved at his heart This is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance cannot in a proper sense be attributed to God Repentance in God is the unchangeable disposition of changeable things as Augustine observes God may will a change where he doth not change his will There 's no change in the Creator the change is in the Creature and here we may see how God takes upon him our affections and so condescends to our capacity As we repent and are grieved when any thing displeaseth us so God here speaking after the manner of men is said to repent and grieve Hence we may observe what an hainous and abominable thing sin is that causeth God to grieve Calvin on the place supposeth God pleading on this wise This is not my work this is not the man created after mine Image endowed with such noble faculties this adulterous and degenerate world I scorn to own for mine But wherein consists the greatness of the sins of the old World against whom the Lord threatens destruction You have a general charge given in by God himself v. 5. compared with Gen. 8. 21. It 's said there The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth They were habituated in wickedness generally both heart and life stark nâ—ught they were gray hair'd in wickedness and now arrived at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest point and degree of impiety and the heart which the Philosophers say is the seat of life and Scripture saith It is the seat of the soul and principle of the understanding will affections and motions this is depraved and become the forge of all abominations It 's said Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were onely evil continually Of this change in general the Lord gives a clear proof by particulars v. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair c. By sons of God some understand Angels This was the conjecture of Tertullian Justin Martyr Clemens Alexardrinus and others But Chrysostome urgeth that Scripture which to me seems a full confutation of their opinion Matth. 22. 30. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven Others understand by sons of God the sons of Princes and those great Personages that liv'd in those days I shall rather wave these â—xpositions and concur with Calvin Luther Musculus Ainsworth and other solid Commentators who unanimously by Sons of God understand the Posterity of Seth such as were the sons of God by external Profession the men of the Church of God and these took the daughters of men i. e. The Posterity of Cain The holy Seed mingled themselves with the prophane Seed they looked at naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Interp. else besides Beauty and satisfaction of â—usts Beauty was the * object of their Love This desire of Beauty was the Harbinger of their ruine It seems they took any Women whatsoever having no regard to goodness no regard to God none to their Parents advice they made their own choice Beauty Lust Violence their own will was the rule they went by and might prevail'd above right Violence and power carryed all before them v. 4. some derive the word quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of the Earth This Etymology savors of a Poetical Figment therefore I discard it altogether The word in the Original is Nephilim it comes from Naphal to fall they were Apoâ—ates and fell from God and by reason of their tyranny and cruelty caused many to fall before them It 's said Haggibburim they were mighty men The Caldee calls them Gibbaraja mighty men So Nimrod was Gibbor mighty Gen. 10. 8. He hunted souls he was a monstrous Tyrant and Persecutor of the Church of God These men were famous they had a great name but they were famous onely for oppression and cruelty their Will was their Lâ—w and their strength and might bore down all before them They got power and a name by the Injuries and Persecutions which they exercised upon the Church of God Calvin gives a remarkable observation That it was the Haec prima fuit mundi nobilitas nequis longa famosa imaginum serie nimium sibi placeat Calv. in Loc. first Nobility of the world That no one should too much please himself with a long and famous series of Images of Ancestors And Luther gives another note writing of the fame of these wicked Gyants and the renown they got by their Villanies he compares them to the Popes Cardinals and Bishops who would not be called by those names they deserved they would not be called Tyrants Impious Qui salutantur principes regna tenerent non Tyranni c. sed clementissimi sanctissimi reverendissimi appellantur Luth. Sacrilegious but Merciful Holy Reverend So the renown of these Gyants is mentioned for their Villanies They were famous Oppressors cruel Blood-suckers wicked Tyrants And thus you have a draught of the old World set before your view Their crying sins were prophaneness of heart and life promiscuous Marriages Polygamies contempt of God and Parents Oppressions Cruelty and Persecution They had many warnings from God many reproofs and admonitions by the Ministry of the Patriarchs and all in vain wherefore the Lord threatens in the Text My spirit shall not always strive c. Which words are a Sermon Preach'd by the great God of Heaven and Earth to the old wicked World which Sermon is a Patern and the Archetipam for Ministers to Preach by and consists of Judgement and Mercy 1. Here 's a dreadful Judgement or a sad Commination of Divis 1. A Judgement and the reason thereof the heaviest punishment that can befall a people on this side Hell My spirit c. 2. Here 's a strong reason to enforce For that he also is flesh In the Mercy contained in the Text. 1. You have something implyed It s said Not always implying that it hath striven some time and a long time too In Justice God might cut sinners asunder in the midst of their rebellions and send them to Hell But O the infinite mercy and patience of God thus to strive at all and to strive so long with rebellious sinners 2. Here 's a mercy
1 Joh 3 3. Jam. 14 8 thy self to cleanse thy hands and purifie thy heart this is a needfull study its time well imployed in searching our hearts in washing and purifying of the inward man 3. Be much exercised in divine meditation Meditate frequently Rule 3. Be exercised the divine in art of meditation of the four last things Death Judgement Hell and Heaven Entertain frequent and serious thoughts of â—ternity It 's a poynt of understanding and wisdome to consider our latter end Meditate what a holy place heaven is what holy company and what holy employments aret here Nothing that defileth shall ever come there Get up into the Mount with Moses let thy affections soare aloft being carried aloft with the wings of heavenly meditation This was Isaacs practise Davids and Pauls Were you acquainted with the singular benefit of Meditation you would not lye groveling here below your words thoughts whole conversations would bee in heaven 4. Consider the omnipresence and omniscience of God whither Rule 4. Consider Gods omnipresence canst thou goe from his presence how canst thou escape his knowledge If I sinne saith Job he marketh me Job 10. 14 15. God seeth thy secret sinnes hee knoweth all thy reservations and cunning conveyances All things are naked unto him with whom thou hast to deale and without holynesse thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort The serious consideration of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God through the grace of God may prevaile with us to a circumspect and holy conversation 5. Set an high estimate upon and frequent diligently the holy Rule 5 Consider Gods Ordinances Ordinances of God They are called The beauties of Holynesse Psal 110. 3. There is a cleansing virtue in the Word of God Psal 119. 9. Gods face is beautifull his holynesse is his beauty Now by the face of God Calvin understands the Ordinances of God Psal 27. 8. Wait then O Christian at the posts of Wisdoms gate lye in the way where Christ comes by tarry at these Bethesdaes The Ordinances are the golden Pipes to conveigh the golden Oyle take heed of sitting loose from them Blesse God that your eyes behold your Teachers and that your Gospel is not driven into corners Improve these prices and spiritual advantages for the good of your precious souls 6. And lastly associate your selves with holy company Love Rule 6. Associaâ—e your selves with holy company where God loves now the Lord loveth his Saints It was Davids profession that his delight was in the Saints Psal 16. 2 3. Bee a companion to those that fear God If a dead coale be neare a live coâ—le it may be inkindled by it but if two live coales be together what abundance of heate will they give We read Mal. 3. 16. That they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Let not Christians be strange and shie of one anothers company But let 's unite as one man to conserre all our interests to give each other a lift to heaven Make them thy companions on earth whom thou hopest to enjoy in heaven to all eternity The last Use and so in a few words to conclude is a word of Use 5. For Consolation Consolation unto holy persons true beleevers the adopted sonnes and daughters of God when the day of Judgement comes and the whole world is in a flame they shall bee of good comfort That day which will be a day of terrour and revenge to the wicked shall be a day of refreshing and restitution unto them The Saints that sleep in the grave shall be awakned at the sound of the Trumpet and their bodies and soules shall bee reunited and they shâ—ll receive the consummation of their happynesse The Saints that are alive shall be caught up together with those that are dead in Christ in the cloudes to meet the â—ord in the air and so shall be ever with the Lord. The inference the Apostle makes should be ours wherefore 1 Thes 4. 18. comfort one another with these words O but I cannot see this in me I would be holy yet I cannot find this growth of holynesse in me Is this thy case goe thy way to God challenge him with his promise put his bond in suit Hee commands make you a clean heart but doth he not promise to give it Ezek. 36. 25. Comfort thy self with Christs praier to the Father He prayes Father sanctifie them through thy truth And know there may be grace where feeling may be wanting It s an excellent Joh. 17. 17. Eph. 1. 13. saying of Mr. Greenham We hold Christ by faith and not by feeling Feeling is an after thing After ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise Is it the desire and endeavour of thy soule to be holy Notwithstanding infirmities yet is thy heart single and without guile be of good comfort thou shalt hold up thy head with comfort at that great day of accompt when the wicked shall wish that the mountains might fall upon them and the hills cover them from the face of the Lamb thou shalt behold Christ in the face with comfort when all these visible things shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat thou shalt be glad and rejoice at that day and enjoy eternall felloship with the blessed Trinity in whose presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Did we but seriously consider of Psal 16. 11. these things wee should desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ we should cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly we should have the Moon under our feet we should negotiate for the great things of eternity May all things that have been said make deep impression upon our spirits and prevaile with us to the love and practise of holynesse looking for and hasting unto the comming of God Though at that day the world be on fire we shall be safe though there shall be a general Assize wee shall be acquitted and that day of Judgement will be the Saints refreshing day Christ is their Redeemer and Intercessour VVho would not now be in love with holyness holyness will be holyness indeed at that day Only holy persons shall hold up their heads with comfort they only shall be able to stand in judgement God onely that made the heart can cleanse it Christ doth love and wash his people Le ts therefore pray for holynesse follow after holynesse Thus our fruit being unto holynesse our end will be happynesse The Necessity of the Knowledge of Regeneration Discovered from Joh. 3. v. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things THE report of Christs Miracles being famous every where Serm. 5. at St. Maries Oxon. Aug. 14. 1654. v. 1. insomuch that multitudes followed him at last one of an eminent Rank comes to visit and conferre with Christ v. 1. By degree he
A new understanding 2. 20. when Saul was converted he had a new understanding he was another manner of man he was inspired from heaven and had divine illumination 3. There 's a new Will Psal 110. 3. Paul askt Lord what 3. A new will wouldst thou have me to doe after Christ met with him by the way 4. New Affections Col. 3. 2. 4. New affections 5. A new heart 6. A new life 5. A new Heart It 's commanded Ezek. 18. 31. and promised Ezek. 36. 26. 6. A new Life there are new paths there are new waies the fruit of Regeneration is newnesse of life and conversation the fruit of a regenerate man is to holynesse he brings forth fruits meet for repentance as we are commanded Mat. 3. 8. I proceed to another Use for Exhortation to exhort and excite Vse 4. For Exhortation every one to search and enquire and let every one ask his own heart whether or no he be regenerated This is a matter of eternal consequence and therefore we should make it a Question and ask every one himself particularly Am I regenerated yea or no. For Motives consider 1. The necessity Joh. 3. 3. No comming to heaven withou Mot. 1 Regeneration 2. All the Actions Services and Duties performed by unregenerate Mot. 2 men can no waies be acceptable and pleasing unto God For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Now the most gaudy specious pretences of unregenerate men arise not from a Principle of Faith there 's Self-love Vain-glory at the bottom Now without Faith â—ere is an utter impossibility of pleasing God Heb. 11. 6. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever enter into heaven Now an unregenerate Mot. 3 person is unwasht left to lye in his blood and pollution his wayes are foul his mind and conscience are defiled No sink so filthy as the state of unregeneracy The fift Vse is for Direction Vse 5. For Direction First Pray hard for Divine Wisdome Jam. 1. 17. All Secular Learning all the accomplisht knowledge in the Arts and Sciences are not able to teach this Mystery of Regeneration It comes from heaven it 's the work of the Spirits illumination to open the understanding to bring a soul from darkness unto light 2. Wait upon God in his Word the Word is the â—eed of Regeneration it 's immortal incorruptible Seed 3. Pray for the Spirit the Spirit causeth this Seed to fructifie The sixth Vse is for Consolation O how happy are their conditions Vse 6. For Consolation Rev. 1. 5. who are savingly wrought on by the Spirit of God! It 's God that hath loved them and washt them and made them Kings and Priests unto God They are new born and are of the family of the First-born Not flesh and blood not the greatest birth nor accomplisht parts hath revealed this Mysterie of Regeneration this is onely the work of Gods Spirit Now what 's the Duty of regenerate persons 1. To praise God and tell of his goodness So did Paul reciting the History of his Conversion break forth into Praises 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2. To walk as becommeth converted children Eph. 5. 8. Regeneration must be evidenced by the fruits of a sanctified conversation 3. To set an high price on so great a distinguishing love and mercy That God should change thy heart and purifie thy nature This is 1 a work of an Omnipotent God 2. In instanti 3. Ex nihilo it 's a pure Creation pray then with David Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Unconverted must pray for Regeneration and Converted must pray foâ— further Manifestations and Evidences there 〈…〉 that this great work is effectually wrought upon their soules The Feasts of Purim OR Two Solemn Festivals instituted ordained in remembrance of that wonderfull Deliverance from Hamans bloody Plot applyed to our Anniversary Commemoration of Gods gracious Deliverance from the GUN-POWDER TREASON upon Esther c. 9. v. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not fail that they would keep these two dayes according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year And that these daies should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation every Family every Province and every City and that these dayes should not faile from among the Jews nor the memoriall of them perish from their seed THE Text and Solemnity of this day of Thanksgiving answer Serm. 6. at St. Maries Oxon. Nov. 5. 1654. each other as in water face answers face The Jews having obtain'd a signall deliverance from a barbarous Massâ—cre plotted and contrived by Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite their inveterate and implacable Adversary set apart by way of gratulatory Commemoration the foâ—rteenth and fifteenth day of the Month Adar that they should make them daies of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Ver. 22. And wee of this Nation being wonderfully delivered from a Romish Devillish design of the Gun-powder Treason are here on purpose met to commemorate with thankfulnesse this fifth of November when the Blow was intended to be given but through Mercy was disappointed Some Parallels might easily be drawn between Hamans hortid Assassination and the bloody Butchery intended this day though in many things this Popish Plot wants a parallel Haman was an old enemy to the Jews he was an Agâ—gite of the Family of Agag King of Amalek and therefore upon an old grudge the greater enemy And this Haman was a â—avoâ—rite in the highest degâ—ee of King Ahasuerus and so in a fitter capacity to bring his mischief to â—ass The occasion of the first quarrel was but a petty trissing inconsiderable matter Mordecai did not bow nor do reverence to Haman The want of a bended knee first blew Esâ—h 3. 2. the coâ—l of contention firâ— incensed Haman against Mordecai Several Questions are raised whether Haman expected from Mordecai more than a civil worship or whether Mordecai refused to do reverence because Haman was a Persian and as their custome is had the Sun pictured in his breast or because he was of the Family of Amalck with whom God would have War from generation to generation Exod. 17. 16. Hence there are raised several disputes and many coÌ„jectures neither is it necessary to be too peremptory in our determination seeing the Scripture is silent but Human thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone Esth 3. 6. Aquila non â—aptat muscas he aims at the utter ruin of Mordecai and all his people Tutum est nescire quod tegitur Ambr. He complains to the King against the Jews pleads an argument ab inutili that it 's not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esth. 3. 8. The King gives Haman his â—ing and gives the Jews into his hand ver 10. The Scribes write the Letters the Posts
presence of God deale plainly and impartially in this Examination 1. Then do we give God the best in our duties doe we give God our hearts our affections and wills Do we doe all our duties as in the presence of God in obedience to God with a single eye and respect unto Gods glory Such questions as these put home will search to the quick Amongst others I shall fix only upon these three instances eminenter non exclusive For in all the best is to be given to God This Rule admits no exception The question is 1. Whether in hearing of Gods Word we give God the best Q. 1. Whether in hearing wee give God the best This is a very weighty duty And we are often enjoyned to hear Jer. 22. 29. Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. It 's a mark of Christs Sheep to hear his voice Joh. 10. 27. But amongst hearers three sorts in four miscarry according to Christs own computation for there are stony high-way thorny hearers the Word of God is lost in all these Onely the good hearer profits by the Word and brings forth fruit with patience Wherefore we are not only exhorted to the duty of Hearing but to the right manner of performing this duty Take heed therefore how ye hear Luk. 8. 18. Now whether in our hearing we give God the best we are to examine three particulars 1. How we prepare our selves before hearing 2. How we demean our selves in hearing 3. How we behave our selves after hearing First before hearing there is required preparation Eccles 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God Publius Scipio first went unto the Capitol to pray before he went to consult amongst the Senators Before we come to a Sermon our duty is to sequester our selves from earthly entanglements Abraham when he went up to the Mount to Sacrifice he left his Asses at the foot of the hill Before the Jews offered Sacrifice they used many washings and purifyings Exod. 19. 14. Mephibosheth dressed his feet when hee went to David O how should we wash our hearts before we come into Gods presence Before we come into the place where the name of God is recorded we should consider of that soveraignty power purity and Majesty of God We should get our hearts sequestred from the world our pride passion and all inordinate affections should be mortified we should have our spirits meekned we should approach with trembling reverence and awfull fear of the great and glorious presence of God 2. In hearing there are two things required Atteâ—tion of the ear and Intention of the heart 1. There must be a serious attention we read Luke 4. 20. The eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastned on him When we go to duty we should consider of the presence of God and Angels and should behave our selves with all reverence in the publick Assemblies The Preacher should be serious grave reverend and avoyd all affected phrases uncouth unscriptural speeches He should hold fast the form of sound words And hearers should deport themselves with all reverence Laughing at one another idle gazing wanton glances roving eys O! how unfit and unsuitable are they as at other times so especially in places of Worship 2. In hearing there is required intention of the heart The heart must goe along with the eare and what we hear we must labour to let it sink into our hearts and there make its residence The heart must be affected in hearing the heart must act vigorously and be fully bent upon God His Word is precious and none ought to fall to the ground Wherefore we must ruminate ponder meditate apply and labour for retentive memories This caution is of great concernment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 1. VVe must remember that in hearing we deale for life and immortality we negotiate for Eternity and drive a trade for our immortall soules so we must hear to day as for ought we know we may never live to have another opportunity Wherefore the heart must be in good earnest with all the affections thereof set a worke The Love Joy Hope Desire all must bee seriously fixt and intent upon what wee hear Thirdly how we must demeane our selves after hearing To this purpose I shall mention onely two Duties which if put in practise it 's without all question that wee give God the Male. First it 's required that we meditate on what we have heard 1. We must meditate in the Word For Meditation is the spiritual digestion of a Sermon This Moses Isaac and David much practised It fareth with a good Sermon for the Soul as with a good meales meat for the Body By digesting what we receive we thrive the better Wherefore after we have heard a Sermon we must call our selves to a strict accompt rubbe up our memories and labour to make what we have heard our owne that this food may turne into our nourishment that we may eat and make a good meale and digest the food of our souls even to eat the roll as the Prophet did Jer. 15. 16. Secondly it 's required that wee yeeld ready obedience unto 2. Wee must yeeld obedience unto the Word the VVord of God For not the Hearers but the Doers of the Word shall be justified The life of a Preacher is the Application and the life of a Sermon in Preaching and hearing consists in the particular Application what wee heare wee must apply and practise in our lives Thus we give God the Male in our hearing A Second Duty wherein we are to examine our selves in is Q. 3. Whether we give God the Male in our prayers whether we give God the Males in our prayers and supplications Prayer is a great part of our religion a great part of worship wherein God is gloryfied wherefore I must take the best paines I can to examine this point whether in our prayers we give God the best whether we offer a Male and not a corrupt thing For tryall whereof I l'e lay down some distinguishing characters to differrence the pretious from the vile 1. Prayer must be humble so did Abraham pray Gen. 18. 27. so David prayed in a most humble manner 2 Sam. 7. 19. so Jacob 1 Prayer must be humble Gen. 32. 9. There 's required an humble reverentiall frame of spirit in our approaches and applications unto the throne of grace Consideration of Gods transcendent majesty and greatnesse and the apprehension of our own vilenesse should cause us in an humble manner to make our addresses and preferre our supplications unto the great God of Heaven and Earth Consider likewise thou art a Creature dust and ashes a worme and no man a sinner a Rebell an enemy to God by nature a child of wrath This Consideration should humble thee in the presence of the Lord. 2. Prayer must be in faith Mat. 21. 22. No prayer but that of faith can be accepted No service but of a Beleever
as a correction of the Premises saying It 's the safest way to relye only on the mercies of God in Christ Wherefore let Papists discard their own merits however they distinguish de congruo condigno to elude their consciences and let Socinians abhorre their blasphemy who conceit that their obedience without Christ merits can justify them Yet notwithstanding let us wholly betake our selves to Christs righteousnesse His robes are broad enough to cloath us His merits are of Infinite dignity and estimation The great Apostle desired not †Phil. 3. 9. Deo homines examinante probante inveniar insitus Christo ut pâ—lmes viti qui non meos ex lege Mosaica sed ex virtute Christi me efficientis fructus proferam deo gratos Arias Mont. in loc to be found in his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith And Job that holy man propounds the Question * Job 9. 2 3. Quasi dicat frustra se defendere apud ipsum prae ipso conetur Nulla comparatio Dei hominis justitiae Mercer in loc How should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Should the holiest of men such as were Enoch Noah Moses Abraham David c. Stand upon their own righteousnesse and joyn issue with Gods Justice not one of them could be able to stand in judgment Wherefore we lay this down for a foundation and a certaine truth That all reconciled Persons account Christ their only Peace-maker their rock and refuge their Counsellour saviour their only Intercessour and * 1 Cor. 1. 30 him who of God is made unto them Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption This then is the first note of triall whether we come off clear whether we throw away our own reason merits righteousnesse and venture all upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ He is a †Isa 27. 16. stone a tryed stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation Wherefore we must as the Persians when the King was offended brought his Son in their Armes offer Christ unto the Father in the Armes of faith and venture all upon his meritorious satisfaction There 's no danger of miscarrying if with a lively faith we cast our selves upon Jesus Christ Secondly This foundation being necessarily laid a superstructure Charact. 2. The heart is new framed and fashioned may the better be raised on it Therefore another note of triall I shall assigne to be the new framing new moulding and fashioning of the heart For the heart of an unreconciled Person is rebellious against God As it 's recorded of Julian the Apostate that he shot up arrowes into the skie with a malicious intention to hit Christ So every naturall man that lives without God in the World would dethrone God if he could he hates God his wayes his people But as soon as the conquering power of the Spirit of God subdues the heart there is a marvelous change and alteration for the better There 's a * Rev. 3. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to anoint the eyes So that the understanding is inlightned and those that are Gods Children are †Eph. 4. 23. renewed in the Spirit of their minde They are all men and women of a pretious anointing which is that * 1 Joh. 2. 20. unction from the holy one whereby they know all things And as for the wills of these regenerate reconciled Persons they are now yielding obedient and pliable to the will of God For instance Saul before his conversion raved in a distemper'd zeal against the Disciples breathed threatnings slaughter against the Church and through his distemper'd zeal thought he did God good service by persecuting of the Church of God but as soon as ever Christ met him in the way and threw down Horse and Man and told him that †I am Jesus whom thou * Act. 9. 5. persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the prickes then his will was changed and he wholly devolved himselfe upon Christs will as appears by his humble answer Vers 6. Lord what wilt Vers 6. thou have me to do Further all the affections are changed These a reverend †Mr. Dyke in his book called the Deceit fulnesse of mans heart Divine in an excellent and Singularly usefull book calls the feet of the soul By these the soul is carryed along And indeed the affections are the wings of the soul to help it to soar aloft in Divine raptures and contemplations Now in a reconciled Person all his a fections are alterd for the better His love was formerly upon sin now it is placed upon God and all the wayes of holynesse So that now what God hates a true believer hates and what God love's a true believer loves It 's that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Psalmist gives * Psal 97. 10. Psal 97. 10. Ye that fear the Lord hate evill And the best of Orators tells us That to will and nill Idem velle ac idem nolle est summa pars amicitiae Cic. the same is the chiefest part of Friendship And as for the joy hope desire they are all changed in a regenerate man Whereas formerly they were placed upon worldly vanities now they are placed upon God and the great things of eternity In a word where a Person is reconciled unto Christ there 's a new heart and clean water is sprinkled upon it the proud heart is become humble the hard become soft so that a new vergency and bent of the heart evidenceth it selfe throughout the continuall practice of the life and conversation And this put 's me in mind of the third Character which I Charact. 3. drawn from the fruits of a Reconciled estate intended drawn from the fruits of a reconciled estate which put forth themselves in the whole carriage of the life Now we must know that the selfe same fruits which belong to a justified estate because none are justified but those who are reconciled appertain to a reconciled estate The Apostle set's them forth †Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. His ostendit competere quaecunque plenissime justificatis in gratiam Dei reposit is tribui possunt eoque probat hac fide Evangelii Domini nostri Jesu Christi justificationem haberi consummatissime Bucer in loc Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope Likewise the fruits of the Spirit belong to every reconciled Person and by them as a touchstone he ought to examine himselfe The Apostle names one Catalogue
spoken 2. Consider those that pray most for Jerusalem shall reape 2. Mot. Those that pray for Jerusalem shall reap the greatest comfort the greatest comfort in Jerusalem's establishment They that have ventured most in the flock shall receive most in the return In Jerusalem's peace we shall have peace Our fraught is imbarkâ— in this ship As we have sowen so shall we reape We have had a wet seed time and have wept and fasted for the Church but we shall have a joyfull harvest Wherefore confirme the weak knees and strengthen the feeble hands But I proceed to a third use for Direction How must we give Vse 3. For Direction God no rest After what manner Must we thus present our supplications to the Throne of grace Amongst many I shall fix only on three properties of such a prayer as consists in giving God no rest according to the Text and they are Faith Fervency and perseverance 1. We must pray in faith The promise is that what we ask believing 1. We must pray in faith we shall receive No prayer unlesse coming from a Principle of faith can obtain acceptance Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God And whatsoever is not of faith is sinne All prayers must be put up in faith believing in Christ and expecting from him only help and comfort In all our approaches to the Father let us come in the name of Christ believing and relying only on his merits Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church his spouse Christ is the Head the Church his body Faith is an Instrument of Union to unite the members unto the Head 2. We must pray with fervency as Jacob wrastled Hannah 2. We should pray with fervency poured out her Heart We must imitate the Importunate widdow Luk. 18. 1. Christ spake a Parable to this end that men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint The woman of Canaan who would have no nay And so Luk. 11. 8. Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his Importunity he will rise c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must besiege Heaven and offer an holy Violence to the Throne of grace The violent take it by force and the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much James 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward working or an inwrought prayer Those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did great things 3. We must pray with perseverance We must pray and not faint 3. We must pray with perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 18. 1. The Word as Eustathius observes is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à cedendo from shrinking back as some cowardly Souldiers do in time of danger Our duty is to pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 19. Job makes it the mark of an Hypocrite that he will not pray alwaies he will not alwaies call upon God The fourth and last Use is a word of Consolation to praying Vse 4. For Consolation Christians Such as are much in Prayer who tugg hard at the Throne of grace and in joy frequent Communion with God in this Ordinance They use prayer not only as a duty commanded but as a meanes to obtaine a blessing Their Hearts are heated their affections warmed and prayer is their Priviledge as well as service For they have accesse unto the Throne of grace they cry Abba Father they pray from a spirit of Adoption they come to God as Children to a Father and such have strong hopes to speed The Lords secret is with the Righteous they are his jewells his peculiar treasure Now the Prayers of the righteous availe much for themselves and for the publick wherefore O Christians hold on praying lift up your Hearts with your Hands to God in the Heavens continue to be Jerusalems Advocates and what ever things you see coming as the Answers of Prayers those will be most highly valued Go on then pray for Jerusalem fast and weep for Jerusalem and in Gods good time you shall see Jerusalem a praise in the earth THE CRUCIFIED CHRISTIAN REPRESENTED From Gal 5. vers 24. And they that are Christ's have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts UPON a review of the precedent verses you will Sermon 5. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Feb. 13. 1658. observe a double Catalogue one of the deeds of the flesh vers 19 20 21. Another of the fruits of the spirit vers 22. Concerning these the Apostle determines that against such there is no law i. e. 1. There is no law to Condemne them 2. There is no law to compell them Because they as freely obey God as if there were no law Their freedome obligeth more to obedience not in the least to disobedience Now the scope of my Text is to prove what was immediatly delivered before that there is no law against spirituall men and the Text gives a double reason one is because spirituall men are Christ's therefore there is no law against them the other is because that is crucified in spirituall men which the law condemneth namely the flesh with the affections and lusts therefore there is no law to condemne the spirituall man The words then in their dâ—ift and Latitude containe a description or a Character of true believers and the scope of the Words lyes obviously before us in these fundamentall Doctrines 1. That there are a peculiar people that are Christ's and have speciall Doct. 1 interest in him 2. All those that are Christ's and have speciall interest in him are Doct. 2 such as have crucified the flesh with it's affections and lusts These two points contain the full scope and substance of the words and what needs explication in the Text shall be given in upon the prosecution of the Doctrines as I go a long I resume the first That there are a pâ—culiar people c. This I Doct. 1 Method propounded shall endeavour to cleare from severall distinguishing names the nature grounds and benefits of those that are Christs and have interest in him and after this manner I shall handle the Doctrinall part of my Text which done I shall inquire how all this may concerne us as reducible unto point of practise this shall constitute the particular Use and Application of all 1. To prove my Assertion It 's plain if we inquire into Scripture 1. The Doctrine proved Testimony what speciall distinguishing names and Titles are appropriated unto those who are Christs and have speciall interest in him Sometimes Christ calls them his friends Joh. 15. 14 15. Sometimes he calls them disciples Joh. 13. 35. Children Matth. 17. 26. They are a chosen Generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. They are Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. They are a peculiar treasure unto God Exod. 19. 5. A Crowne of Glory a Royall Diadem in the hand of God Isai 62. 3. The dearly beloved
beget love to God Father and Christ If there be any spark of love it will inkindle into a flame of Serapicall affections David professeth Psal 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength 4. This should beget love to the Brethren Joh. 13. 35. By 4. Gods love to us should cause us to love our brethren this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee love one another 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 Joh. 4. 21. And this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God loveth his brother also 5. We should place our love where God placeth his and our 5. love where God loveth hatred where he placeth his hatred God loveth holinesse holy people holy Ordinances so should we God hateth every sinne so should we Psalm 97. 10. Yee that love the Lord hate evill 6. We should be often inquiring whether we be of the number 6. Enquire whether thou hast interest in Christs speciall love Vse 4. For Consolation of those that have Interest in Christs speciall love for whom he died This we should frequently and seriously examine our hearts about as I gave some evidences before unto which I referre you The fourth and last Use is for comfort unto all those who have interest in this speciall love Their speciall Benefits are these 1. They are admitted to the Throne of Grace through Christ Benefit 1. They are admitted unto the throne of grace Eph. 2. 18. For through him we have both an accesse by one spirit unto the Father They are his favorites friends Jewells a Crown and Diadem of Glory and therefore they are exhorted to draw neare with full assurance of faith Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to help in time of need It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with freedome boldnesse or confidence 2. All things work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. And Benefit 2. All things worke together for their good we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose They love God God loveth them and nothing shall be able to hinder God's love Their crosses hardships reproaches all shall conduce unto their good 3. They shall feele the benefit of this love unto all Eternity Heb. Benefit 3. They shall feele Christs love unto all Eternity 7. 25. Christ ever liveth to make Intercession for them Though Satan roare and men condemne yet the love of Christ will comfort thee against all Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that Justifieth Thy sinnes and corruption administer continuall matter of Humiliation and these will cost thee deare whilest thou art in the valley of Bacha but the time will come when there will be no more sighing for sinne Sorrow and sighing will flye away For there shall be no sorrow in heaven 4. This may Arme us with courage against feare of death Ben 4. Gods love armes us wth courage against fear of death Christ hath died and tooke away the sting Christ hath perfumed the grave He hath conquered sinne Satan lead captivity captive Therefore in doubts feares troubles inward and outward have recourse to this love of God in Christ and this will be a Cordiall a Salve for every sore The consideration of Gods love unto thy Soule will make thee undergoe hardships cheerefully kisse the Rod that beates thee Gods love manifested in Christ will make thee willing to live and willing to dye so that God may be glorified in thee and by thee For thou that hast Interest in this distinguishing love of God reconciled in Christ know to thy comfort that whether thou livest or whether thou dyest Jesus Christ will be unto thee in life and in death advantage THE REALL PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIANITY DISTINGUISED FROM THE NOMINALL 2 Tim 2. vers 19. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity THE Apostle in the precedent words gives advertisement Sermon 7. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. July 24. 1659. concerning some notorious Hereticks such whose words eat as a canker or Gangren Their names are upon record to their eternall infamy V. 17. Their words will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus And their Heresy likewise hath a brand upon it V. 18. Who concerning the truth have erred saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some * Allegoricam nescio quam resurrectionem fingendo Calv. in loc Calvin understands that they feigned an Allegoricall resurrection Estius and Gorrâ—n concurre in the same judgment and †Non suo tempore defuisse quâ—â—esurrectionem â—ortuorum manifeste annâ—â—tiatam in imagâ—â—ariam resurrectionem distorquerent Tertull. de Resurrectione carnis cap. 19. Tertullian is cited in his Book de resurrectione carnis cap. 19. In whose time there were not wanting some who did openly say that the Resurrection of the dead was imaginary The names of the men are Hymeneus and Philetus a Anuptiarum â—eo Hymeneus from the God of marriage b Nomen quasi Optatum Desideratum Hugo Grot. Philetus that is a name as it were desirable as some of the Learned observe Their doctrine and their mischievous consequences follow First For their doctrine an erroneous and hereticall tenet is there laid downe viz. That the resurrection is past already i. e. as Gorran and Estius produce the opinions of those times that the resurrection was compleated by Regeneration And * Completam ex mente istorum interpretantur resurrectionem in quotidiana animarum renovatione Aug Ep. 119 ad Januarium Augustine himselfe in Epist 119. unto Januarius fastens the same opinion upon them Or else they might incline to the opinion of Marcion that Notorious Heretick That there was no resurrection of the body but of the soule only 2. Secondly Let 's consider the great mischiefe of this opinion The Apostle tâ—llâ— us that their words eate as doth a Gangren The Gangren some assimilate to a Canker or a wolfe which spreadeth further and further to the consumption of the whole body The Originall as Hesichius observes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depascor †Gangraenam medici de carnosa parte inflammationis emortuâ intelligunt Scultet Scultetus saith that by Gangren Phisitians understand a fleshy and dead part of inflammation What further I shall say is this that as a Gangren frets the flesh runs thorough the blood and creepeth further and further till it infect the whole body so Heresies infect the whole man speedily mortally and uncurably Wherefore let not any make a slight matter of Error and Heresy and plead that every one should have liberty of judgment and that a Toleration of all sorts of opinions
portion for eternall life is their inheritance Joh. 10. 28. Secondly Faith is a hand to lay hold on Christ But not a working hand as that hand of a labourer that earnes his living upon his desert and for his work receives his wages But faith is a receiving hand of a poore man that layes hold on a pearle and receives all of mercy and favour from God Hence faith is exprest by receiving Joh. 1. 12. Thirdly Faith gives insight into heaven and communion with God Heb. 11. 27. Fourthly From Justification by faith flowes all our comforts and priviledges Rom. 5. 1. 2. But if the Consideration of the benefit of Faith take no Motive 2. From the mischiefe of unbeliefe place on the contrary take notice of the mischiefe of Insidelity You heard before the reasons of the Doctrine after another sort how Infidelity bound Gods hands refused the remedy I will adde other great mischiefes which spring from the fountaine of unbeliefe viz. these following 1. Unbeliefe makes all our prayers unavailable To pray and not in faith is sinne for whatever is not of faith is sinne 2. Unbeliefe causeth diffidence of and staggering at promises Rom. 4. 20. 3. It hinders and deprives men of Communion with believers 2 Cor. 6. 15. 4. Every thing is uncleane and desiled to unbelivers Tit. 1. 15. Their spirituall uncleannesse makes every thing uncleane unto them The distinction of cleane and uncleane meates is disanulled by the Gospell the use of them is pure to them who are cleansed by Christs blood and sanctified by his spirit but of unbelievers it is said Their mind and Conscience is defiled 5. Unbelievers are given up to damnable delusions 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth The fourth Use is for Examination and Triall of Faith and Vse 4. For Examination Infidelity Every one is ready to say he believes but the number of believers is very small But where there is true faith it hath these singular Qualifications to inlighten the understanding to purify the heart to sanctify the life and Conversation to trust God with all to live by faith for that is the life of a Christian To inlarge a little these Qualifications First True faith inlightens the understanding Paul when of Qualific 1. True faith inlightens the understanding an unbeliever he became a believer it 's said And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had been scales Act. 9. 18. Where God worketh faith he illuminates the understanding Act. 26. 18. Joh. 2. 20. Secondly faith purifieth the heart it 's a purifying grace Act. Qualific 2. Faith purifieth the heart 15. 9. The heart is purged and cleansed from malice this God calleth for Jam. 4. 8. Jer. 4. 14. Thirdly Faith reformes the life hence faith is called a holy faith Jude 20. An unfained faith the Faith of Gods elect a Pretious Qualific 3. Reformes the life Faith For a true believer is a man of another Conversation As it was said of Caleb Num. 14. 24. He had another spirit with in him So true believers are of another spirit i. e. of a gracious spirit farre different from what they were in the State of unregeneracy and farre different from the men of the world Qualific 4. Faith trusts God with all Qualific 5. the juâ—t lives by faith Fourthly Faith trusts God with all David calls God his Rock Fortresse Bulwark c. Psal 18. 2. Psal 27. 1. A Believers heart is fixed and setled in unsetled times Psal 112. 7. Fiftly Faith is that whereby the just lives Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. A believer in a storme gets himselfe upon a Rock he hides himselfe in the clefts of a Rock Christ is the Rock of Ages A believer climbes up thither and there rests In dangers he goeth to God hee 's his Refuge strong Tower and Bulwark of defence In doubts God is his Counsellour in distresse God is his comforter Now le ts inquire after some signes and symptomes of an unbeliever The first which is to be reckoned in the fore front is partiall Signe 1. Partiall obedience obedience an unbeliever whatever he pretends is but obedient to halves so was Saul in sparing Agag c. So was Ananias and Saphira in keeping back part of the price Agrippa would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26. 28. We have many such al-most Christians halfe baked cakes like Ephraim a cake not turn'd Hos 7. 18. The second signe of Unbeliefe is murmuring and impatience Signe 2. Murmuring The Lord complaines often of the murmuring of the Children of Israell Psal 106. 25. vers 29. And this is forbidden 1 Cor. 10. 10. See their impatience Num. 14. 44 45. Murmuring and impatience go togeather when God answers not at our time we begin to murmur and wax exceeding impatient so did they Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the wildernesse Thirdly Unbeliefe appeares evidently by that refuge which Signe 3. Broken Refuge men betake themselves unto in streights and difficulties Saul went to a witch Judas and Achitophel to a halter Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron The Foole in the Gospell comforts himselfe with his riches voluptuous men betake themselves to their pleasures Ambitious men to their titles of honour but all these are broken and deceitfull refuges and wiâ—l faile in the greatest difficulties like cloath that shrinks in the wetting The fifth Use is for Direction And this I shall branch into a Vse 5. For Direction few Duties First be sure to act faith upon the promises have a word for Dir. 1. Act Faith upon promises your warrant I trust in this word saith David I hoped in this word Study promises and apply them live upon them we read Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth hath eternall life But I am a believer c. make good this Assumption and thou maist conclude that thou shalt be saved Secondly Content not your selves with those attainments and Dir. 2. Content not thy selfe with former attainments measures of faith you have already got but pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith we read of some thing lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3. 10. Labour to get thy faith strengthned and thy heart established upon God It s no easy matter to believe when the Son of man comes shall he find faith in the earth Dir. 3. Be Conscientious in the use of Ordinances Dir. 4. Often search thy heart Vse 6. For Consolation Thirdly Be diligent and conscientious in the Use of Ordinances as hearing Gods Word Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. And adde praying and receiving the Sacraments Fourthly Often search thy heart for feare least a Temporary Faith lurke there Much unbeliefe lurketh in thy heart therefore watch and pray against it labour to get it rooted out The last Use is for Consolation unto Gods
Conscience worketh by love and labour for more accession of it and God will accept the quality for the quantity pence for pounds the will for the deed We read Heb. 11. 17. By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac The faithfull intentions of Abraham was accepted in the accompt of God as a reall performance Let 's all labour to be sincere and upright hearted and this perfection of parts i. e. sincerity will be accepted instead of perfection of degrees which is an absolute perfection without spot or wrinkle which cannot be attained on earth by Militant Saints who are Viatores but only by such who are Comprehensores glorified Saints in Heaven JOY IN THE LORD AS A STRONG GROUND OF COMFORT AGAINST ALL DISCOMFORTS Unfolded from Hab. 3. 18. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation MY Text is an apposite close of a devout Prophets Sermon 9. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Jan 8. 1659 60. Prayer composed of two excellent ingredients faith and fervency for in the time of Jacobs troubles when sad tidings were renewed every moment and each relation like Jobs disconsolate messengers aggravated the miseries and made them exceeding miserable then my Prophet Habakkuk could discerne a Sun of righteousnesse with healing wings dissipating all Mal. 4. 2. the clouds of sorrowes and miseries I say amidst all these diastrous occurrences this spirituall man by the eye of faith could see a Believer and apprehend his Jesus the God of his salvation this is an evidence of the strength of faith and where faith is it sets the affections a working it 's never idle but alwaies operative as soone as faith gives thee an insight into the beauty and excellency of thy God how sweet and amiable will he be unto thy soule thy affections will be transported with my Prophet I will rejoyce I will joy his expressions were too short they cannot reach his heart and therefore he iterates his resolution hee 's a true lover indeed who delights to discourse of his beloved odject and make frequent repetitions of his love this is an argument of his fervency So then you see as I before intimated that faith and fervency are the essentiall parts of this accurate prayer The words read are promissory and by way of covenant or you may call them a comfortable conclusion drawne from sad and dolefull premissesse Upon perusall of the precedent words you will find matter of terrour and astonishment enough to make you quake and tremble Before him went the Pestilence and burning coles went forth at his feet vers 5. The earth is measured and the Nations are drove a sunder and the everlasting mountaines were scattered and the perpetuall hills did bow vers 6. Unheard of miracles earthquakes against the course of nature the mountaines tremble there 's a great inundation of waters the Sun and the Moon cease from their motion vers 10. 11. And as before there went out pestilence and burning coles or burning diseases so now to adde a complement to the judgment here are arrowes by day which wound as much as the other in the night the speares glitters and the Lord marcheth on in his indignation the heathen feele the sore brunt of it vers 12. Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger Yet out of all these bitter hearbs Gods people can suck sweetnesse For God is good to his Israel Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people vers 13. It 's worthy of your notice that amidst greatest extremities God extends his speciall eye of care and providence unto his owne people he never failes to be their Protector It followeth Thou woundest the head of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck i. e. God will pluck these up by the roots that they shall never grow againe By this Meâ—aphor of a foundation according to * Intelligit quicquid erat stabilitatis in ipsis hostibus hoc fuisse evulsumusque ad collum Calv. in loc Calvins interpretation I understand Whatsoever strength and stability they seem'd to have was quite overthrowne from the top to the bottome The weapons God useth are described vers 4. Thou didst strike through with his staves i. e. God gives them over to themselves and they proove their own executioners and every mans hand was against his fellow Their particular sinnes are mentioned They came out as a whirlewind to scatter me their rejoycing was to devoure â—he poore secretly Behold their insolent rage and precipitant fury Their motions are too violent to hold their rage was against God like unto Senacherib but their tumult came up unto his eares and they fare alike I will saith the Lord put a bridle in thy lipps and a hook in thy nostrills Isa 37. 29. And thus God abaseth the sons of pride but yet their malice ceaseth not their doggish nature discovers it selfe they rejoyce and devoure the poore and that secretly one way or other they are a working if not by open hostility yet by secret plots and underminings so as they may contrive their ruine But view further Gods power and method which he useth for the preservation of his people Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses through the heapes of great waters this is an Allusion to that wonderfull passage over the red sea Hence learne that in the greatest dangers God makes away for his servants escape And now le ts see how all these wonders affect the Prophet you may guesse at his disease by these symptomes trembling in his belly quivering in his lipps rottennesse in his bones here 's a man of the right stamp you may discerne of what currant mettall he is by his sympathy and fellow feeling of the afflictions of others It 's the duty of a good man to be alike affected with others calamities and miseries as if they were his own To draw downe the Context unto the Text my Prophet is no idle Spectator but he with Mary keepes all these things and ponders them in his heart he makes a soveraingne Compound of bitter Ingredients and with the Laborious Bee he suckes sweetnesse out of the sowrest herbes and with Sampson findes a honey comb in a Lions mouth I meane he makes a dungeon a paradise an abounding misery a superabundant comfort by a wise and spirituall application for come what will come his resolution is inviolably fixt upon a principle of faith that although the figg tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Here is an enumeration of the choysest comforts such as are of highest estimation amongst men The Fig-tree hath much sweetnesse and brings forth good fruit the fruit of the Vine makes
only yet by a Synecdoche totius comprehends the whole man so that the understanding will affections and heart all must be renewed changed and regenerated The reason which judicious Mr Calvin gives is very apposite Calv. in loc to our purpose Quandoquidem mente corde alieni sumus à Dei Justitiâ Estius gives a good Note Studeto quotidianae renovationis Estius in loc mentis vestrae per mortificationem malorum affectum cupiditatum To him I l'e only adde the exposition of Oecumenius Oecumenius in loc on the place Qâ—ia homo cum quispiam est non potest non peccare ideo semper renova te ipsum inquit per poenitentiam The result of all is this that in transformation and renovation no new substance is added to the regenerate man but only new spirituall Qualities are infused into him The Faculties of heart and life are all put into a new frame I acquiesce in the Apostles exposition being instar omnium 1 Thes 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 3. I proceed in the third place to make good the proofe of the 3. The Doctrine prooved Doctrine That every really converted person is transformed and changed in the renovation of his mind This I shall endeavour to proove by Scripture and Reason 1. For Scripture proofe the Apostles Exhortation is Eph. 4. 23. 1. Prooved by Scripture And be renewed in the spirit of your mind The same Apostle professeth 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day This is the Laver of Regeneration mentioned Tit. 2. 5. It is the washing of the Ethiopian and the cleansing of the Leopards spots Of this the Apostle James speaks Jam. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands yee sinners and purify your hearts yee double minded And what their happy change is the Apostle mentions 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 2. Prooved confirmed by Scripture Reas 1. This change is wrought only by the Power of God 2. For fuller Proofe and Confirmation by Evidence of Reason Amongst others some Reasons may be these Especially 1. Every Converted person is changed and renewed in his mind by vertue of the power and irresistable operation of the spirit of God which bloweth where and when it listeth and when it worketh none can hinder It was Gods spirit that breathed upon those dry bones mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 37. That had sinewes flesh and life given them So in our Regeneration it 's Gods spirit that breatheth life into us and quickeneth us Who were dead in trespasses and sinnes So saith the Apostle You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes And Rom. 8. 13. Eph. 1. 2. If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye but if yee through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body yee shall live This the Apostle further expresseth 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 2. The Word of God is an Instrumentall meanes to work Reas 2. The Word is an Instrumentall means of Renovation this Change It 's an immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 18. It 's the arme of the Lord Isai 53. 1. The power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. 3. Without this Renovation and change there can be no Salvation For whoever hath Interest in Christ is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whoever comes to Heaven must be borne againe R. 3. Without Renovation there can be no Salvation Joh. 3. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He must be borne from above whoever is saved hath put off the old Adam and put on the new he is cut off the old stock i. e. the old Adam and implanted in the new Adam But before I come to Application I l'e lay down a few Cautions 1. We must know that every by Nature is blind and ignorant Caut. 1. We must know that every man is blind by nature of God Eph. 4. 8. Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Even the mind the noblest part is depraved with ignorance vanity unbeliefe doubtings and errours 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Col. 1. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked workes yet now hath he reconciled The state of unregeneracy Eph. 5. 8. is a state of darknesse even darknesse in the abstract Cau. 2. This work of Illumination is not attained by mans Industry 2. That this great work of Illumination the opening of the eyes is not attained by the studies and endeavours of mans industry This is the work of the great God to bring a soule from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Caut. 3. The best of believers are but sanctified and renewed in part 3. The best of Believers are but sanctified and renewed in part still there is some blindnesse some ignorance in the best This imperfection Paul himselfe although the chiefest of the Apostles acknowledgeth Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if I may apprehend that for which I also am apprehended of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 13. 9. For we know in part and we prophecy in part These Cautions premised I proceed to particular Application of all For Application I shall fix on foure Uses Applicat 1. For Information 2. For Examination 3. For Exhortation And 4. For Consolation 1. For Information Be informed of the miserable condition Vse 1. For Information of all unconverted Persons and they are such as are not transformed in the Renovation of their mind Some there are that lye in darknesse even are darknesse it selfe as Eph. 5. 8. For yee were sometimes darknesse but now are yee light in the Lord walk as children of light These neither perceive nor receive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Now let none think that Ignorance will excuse them The wise man tells us without knowledge the heart is not good Others there are who
are partially changed Perhaps they now sweare not as formerly bloody oaths but they sweare petty oaths Perhaps they will not as formerly be drunk in the streets but they will sit along time tipling with vaine company telling idle vaine stories Others there are who in some few particulars may seeme to be better They perhaps formerly would stay at home in time of publick Administration of Ordinances now they will stay out a Sermon and as their Phrase is keep their Church diligently but when they come home they speak nothing of what they have heard they neither call themselves nor those under them to an account All this while the heart of these men the inward frame disposition and vergency of their spirits and affections are not cast into a new mold Many more there are of this branne on whom no reall work of grace is wrought no effectuall Change But I shall adde no more to this Use This comes to be inquired after more strictly in the second Use which is for Examination 2. We must all as in the presence of God put our selves upon Vse 2. For Examination this Apostolicall Character and note of triall whether we are transformed in the Renovation of our minds To this purpose that I may endeavour to distinguish the Pretious from the vile my businesse shall be to represent those many false glasses wherein multitudes behold their faces and deceive themselves with false representations which done I shall discover the true glasse of the Word of God which makes a true representation of our condition and accordingly it concernes us to put our selves upon Examination In the first place The first glasse wherein many behold themselves 1. False glasse is Civill Honesty is civill Honesty and Morality when men deale justly pay every one their own wrong not nor oppresse their neighbours they think all 's well with them and that their condition is very safe I know that morality may be a good stock to graft grace upon and many civill honest men even just dealing Heathens as Aristides Fabritius c. will rise up in judgment against many carelesse Professours yet all the morall Principles of Philosophers all the splendid actions of civill Justitiaries cannot bring any to the third Heaven To deale justly with men to live honestly in the world and unblameably is very commendable but Christians must arise higher than Principles of Nature and Morality There 's a new birth required Joh. 3. 5. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven There 's holinesse required 1 Pet. 1. 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of Conversation Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Holinesse and Righteousnesse are conjoyn'd Luk. 1. 74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our lives However others may differ from me in judgment I conceive that it 's easier for an open profane man to be converted then for a meere civill honest man who prides himselfe and blesseth himselfe in his morality and there rests satisfied I ground my assertion on Matth. 21. 31. Whether of them twaine did the will of his Father they say unto him the first Jesus saith unto them verily I say unto you that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you And what were those Pharisees but meere Formalists and Jusâ—itiaryes This is that which civill men boast off they live peaceably and pay every one his due I answer it 's well to live peaceably with men but dost not thou live at peace with thy corruptions dost not thou let thy sinnes lye quietly and harbour them in thy bosome unmortified uncrucified 2. Thou dost well in paying men their dues I would all would do so and such especially as make greatest profession of religion would they were more exemplary in their practice even in this particular and laying aside all delayes evasions and collusions I heartily wish these would deale justly with every one knowing that no unrighteous man shall inherit the Kingdome of God But let me aske thee dost thou pay God his due his due of prayer hearing reading meditation sanctifying his sabboths Here is a shibboleth that a meere Civill Morall man knoweth not how to accent ariâ—ht If he be a dishonest man who deales unjustly with his neighâ—ours in robbing and defrauding and going beyond him much more may he bâ— accompted dishonest who defrauds and robs God of his worship sabboths services and duties to be performed unto him A second false glasse is that of great parts gifts and endowments 2. False Glasse great parts and abilities whether naturall or acquired Many mistake parts for grace Such as are of excellent gifts and expressions men of voluble tongues are cryed up for Godly men who notwithstanding for all their gifts may be as meere strangers to Regeneration as Nicodemus was It 's sad to consider how many now adaies have abused their parts and have bent their wits to coyne new opinions and have borrowed from Gypsies a canting kind of language uncougth and unscripturall phrases more befitting Poets Stages Players Juglers then Preachers And these are cryed up amongst many for eminent Saints and converted persons whereas they never were acquainted with the great work of Mortification known and practised by such as are Saints indeed Let me tell you plainly for I affect plainnesse of speech A man may be as great a Scholler as ever Aristotle and Plato were and yet be a meere stranger from the life of God a meere Ignoramus in the Schoole of Jesus Christ Where ever parts are we may not envy the owners of them neither may we Idolize them It 's hard to tast much honey and not surfet and harder to have great parts and not to be proud of them Indeed good parts are great advantages and when sanctified do abundance of good but the greatest learning gifts nanaturall abilities and accomplisht parts may be in them that perish Wherefore gifts and abilities are no infallible Characters of saving Conversion The more parts any have the more lyeth upon their accompt and the greater is their sinne not to improove them to Gods glory And the greatest blindnesse it is to be inwardly blind And when men pride themselves in the quicknesse of their understanding volubility of speech c. When as in the meane time they favour not the things of God the mysteries of their salvation what will become of all their parts Perhaps God may take them away or continue them as aggravations of their greater sinne and judgment because they have a price put into their hands to get wisdome and are such fooles as want hearts to improove
among the best Wheat There 's no Church without spot or wrinkle till we come to Heaven Indeed to seperate from Heathens and from Idolaters we are commanded and this is a warrantable seperation But to seperate from a true Church must needs cause multitudes See Dr Harris his judgment in his life lately set forth by E. D. p. 100 101 102. of Scismes and Divisions as daiely experience witnesseth and we have no warrant in the Word of God for such a seperation Let all professours know that they are not therefore converted because they take upon them the bare name and forme For some there are as the Apostle mentions 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a forme but denying the power And such as are only Nominall Christians and content themselves with the bare name are really Atheists It 's the easiest matter in all the world to take upon one a bare profession Machiavel himselfe would allow an outward profession But to have the Profession adorned with a Holy life and Conversation to be a Christian in name and in truth this is the great thing required To name the name of Christ and depart from Iniquity to purify ones selfe as God is pure this is the great work indeed Now having discovered these false glasses I l'e set before you one true glasse wherein we must behold our selves and that is the Word of God This discovers our Pollutions this shewes us the way of cleansing Psal 119. 11. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word This discovers our Maladies and Remedies Now where there is a reall Change and a thorough transformation it will be known by three Characters 1. By Universality 2. By Sincerity And 3. By Perpetuity First For Universality and that lookes at five Subjects Char. 1. Vniversality 1. At the understanding Eph. 4. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind 2. At the will Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power 3. At the affections Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth 4. The heart Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idolls will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart and give you an heart of flesh 5. The life Newnesse of life is required For so it 's required that we should walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. Secondly Sincerity The aymes must be single and sincere Char. 2. Sincerity no change for selfe ends Interests Preferments c. The glory of God must be in thy eye 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our Conversation in the world and more abundantly to youâ— wards Thirdly Perpetuity Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull unto death Char. 3. Perpetuity and I will give thee a Crowne of life he that endureth unto the end shall be saved 3. The third Use is for Exhortation Let 's all labour to be Vse 3. For ExhortatioÌ„ Mot. 1. From the equity of the duty Mot. 2. from the necessity of the duty thus transformed By way of Motive 1. It is but equity that there should be a thorough change The whole man is defiled by sinne and the whole man should be transformed and changed 2. There 's a necessity necessitas precepti medii 1. How often are we cald upon to make us new hearts to turne unto the Lord to amend our waies 2. This change is an instrumentall meanes to pacify Gods wrath 2 Chron. 7. 1â— If my people which are calâ—ed by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked waies then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinnes and heale their land So Joel 2. 12. Therefore thus saith the Lord turne unto mâ— with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourning rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill 3. Consider the Utility God will however have his glory and Mot. 3. from the Vtility yet we are the gainers by this change By having changed hearts we can do more acceptable service unto God and are more in abled toperforme the will of God which is a good acceptable and perfect will 4. Now I l'e in the last place conclude with a word of comfort Vse 4. For Comfort unto those upon whom God hath wrought this gracious change i. e. Blessed are their eyes for they see They were afore this change as bad as others but now they are washed and cleansed Great is their comfort whose eyes are opened and they are brought from darknesse unto light from the power of Satan unto God By being converted and so becoming sons and daughters of God by grace and Adoption they obtaine these singular Priviledges 1. They have Union and Communion with Jesus Christ They Privil 1. Vnion and Communion with Jesus Christ are one with him mystically He is their Head they his body they injoy Communion with him in the exercise of graces in their approaches unto him in worship 1 Joh. 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard that declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 2. They have Interest in all the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all Pri. 2. They have Interest in all the Promises the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 3. They have Interest in all Christs purchases of Justification Sanctification and Glorification What can I adde more but the Pri. 3. They have Interest in all Christs Purchases complement of all from Rev. 1. 5 6. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And such honour have all his Saints even all such as are converted and borne againe upon whom this reall change and renovation is past These are here militant saints on earth and shall be triumphant Saints in the highest Heavens Dr VVilkinsons 3. DECADS of SERMONS
to Christ that onely constrains us to suffer for him Thirdly They cannot sympathize with the sufferings of Gods people they are so far from being afflicted with them that they rejoyce in their afflictions and adde affliction unto affliction They that are of this temper will never suffer for Iesus Christ The second use shall be for Tryal and Examination whether you Vse 2. For Tryal and examination have a suffering Faith yea or no Many springs move many to suffer as a natural Conscience and a natural Pride and stoutness of Spirit A man may give his Body to be burnt and yet want love to Iesus Christ Here 's the grand Question What 's that Faith which will be a true Q. What 's that faith which wil be a suffering faith A Faith is a Christians life effectual suffering Faith For Answ 1. That Faith which is thy life amidst all deaths thy supply amidst all wants thy supportation consolation amidst all troubles thy meat and drink houshold-stuff thy Riches and Revenues this will carry thee through sufferings that Faith which makes thee live upon Christ in all straights srovvns crosses losses and hardships this will make thee undergoe the worst of evils for him who is the chiefest good It 's not said that a man shall live by his Wits Lands or Labours but by his Faith Hab. 2. 4. The Just shall live by Faith 2. That Faith which is rooted and grounded upon the love of Christ will constrain thee to suffer for him Love made Jacob endure 2. Faith is grounded upon the love of Christ his hard service chearfully for his beloved Rachel Love made Moses wish himself to be blotted out of the Book of Life And Paul wisht himself Anathema for the Jews none so ready to die for Christ as the love-sick Spouse Many waters cannot quench her love Cant. 8. 7. It s love to Christ that will make thee willing to do and suffer any thing for him 3. If thy Faith can carry thee well through the temptations of 3. Faith carryeth through temptations of Prosperity and Adversity Foelix ille quem nec fortuita attollunt nec adversa deprimuÌ„t Senec. 4. Faith keeps up the heart in the use of means prosperity it is probable that it will carry thee through the tryal of Adversity If Faith will keep thee from swelling in prosperity it will keep thee from breaking in adversity 'T is a strong Stomack that will digest much Honey It 's a strong Faith that will not be allured by the sweetness pleasures and profits of the world He 's happy whom prosperity lifts not up nor adversity breaks 4. That Faith will make thee suffer that keeps thy heart up in the use of good means even then when all things goe against thee David then most repairs to the Sanctuary Psal 73 17. Vntil I went into the Sanctuary of God I knew it not but hereby I understood their end And see his behaviour at Ziglag 1 Sam 30. 6. And David was greatly distressed for the People spake of stoning of him because the soul of all the People was grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Rabshekah falls a railing and Hezekiah falls a Praying Observe well if Faith keep you in love to frequent Exercise of holy Duties though as yet you feel nothing coming in yet still continue in the practice of them and dare in no case sit loose from them but follow Christ from Ordinance to Ordinance and enquire every where after your Beloved this is that Faith questionless that will carry you through sufferings 5. That Faith which purifies thy Conscience reforms thy Life 5. Faith purifieth the heart and resigns thy Will wholly to the will of God this will make thee suffer for Christ Onely an holy unfained Faith will make thee to suffer Such a Faith the Apostle had which made him not be afraid of the King of Terrors Phil. 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ to die is gain That Faith will prove a sound suffering Faith that will engage thee to venture soul estate and body upon the free grace of God in Iesus Christ This will make thee to cast thy burthen upon the Lord and flie to him as a Sanctuary as a refuge from the Storm and as a shadow from the heat Examine whether thou canst produce these Symptomes of thy Faith The third Use shall be for Exhortation Be willing to undergoe Vse 3. For Exhortation any hardship loss or cross for Jesus Christ Consider what times you live in what contempt is powred out upon those great Ordinances of Divine Institution viz. Magistracy and Ministry Perhaps God intends thee for a Martyr A few preparations I conceive seasonable 1. Make account of suffering We may fear God is bringing confusion Prepar 1. Make account of sufferings and desolation upon the Kingdom If we consider the Ataxies and Anarchy's thereof we may take up that complaint Ezek. 19. 14. A fire is gone out of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit so that she hath no strong rod to be a Scepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation I neither profess my self Statesman nor Politician neither do I intermeddle out of my own Sphear and Calling onely as a Minister of God I counsel you in the Language of the Holy Ghost Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lâ—st my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Prepare for troubles and afflictions for the end of one trouble may be the beginning of another as when a man hath escaped a Beare a Lyon meets him and after he hath escaped the Lyon and leans his hand upon the wall a Serpent out of the Wall comes and bites him know then that you are fore-appointed unto sufferings so saith the Apostle 1 Thess 3. 3. That no man may be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are apointed thereunto Praecogitati mali mollior ictus Xeno suffering Ship-wrack said Jam didici Philosophari By our sufferings let us learn to be better Christians The second preparative is to get a self-denying spirit 't is self Prepar 2. Get a self-denying spirit that makes us shye of the Crosse selfe must be first denyed Severall selfes must be denyed selfe-opinion selfe-counsels selfe-righteousness self-excellencies self-will self-comforts selfâ—ends All these selves must be denyed for Jesus Christ let it suffice onely to mention these at present I proceed to another Preparative And that 3. Is to set upon the practice of Mortification The Apostle protesteth Prepar 3. Set upon the practice of Mortification that he dyeth daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily Strive to get thy corruptions mortified thy ill humors purged thy affections crucified thy filthy garments took away
and so thou wilt be better prepared to suffer A great power must be given thee from above over thy corruptions before thou canst grapple with a suffering Violent Storms and Thunder clear the air so strong afflictions clear the heart by them we are as it were by them powred from vessel to vessel Read Jer. 48. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his sent is not changed Hereby the ill savour and distemper of our heart comes to be took away Every affliction doth as it were preach to us a Sermon of Mortification An unmortified man and an unsanctified heart will never suffer 4. The last preparative is still to bear in minde the sufferings of Prepar 4. Bear in minde the suffering of the Lord Jesus our Lord Jesus Consider his innocency meekness and humility often keep in minde the dying of Christ an exact pattern for our imitation Let not the Disciple expect to be above the Master The ornament of Christs Livery is persecution But I proceed to another Use which Is for direction I shall onely direct in two particular cases Vse 4. For direction Q. 1. When have we a call for suffering 1. When have we call to suffer 2. When we have a call how must we behave our selves in suffering For the first of these In this case I conceive we have a clear call 1. When we have no warrant for active obedience So the three A. 1. When we have no warrant for our active obedience Children made choice of a hot Furnace rather then they would worship Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 3. 21. Then these men were bound in their coats their hosen and their hats and their other garments and were cast into the midst of the fiery furnace So Daniel made choice of the Lyons Den rather then he would obey an ungodly command Dan. 6. 16. Then the King commanded and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lyâ—ns The rule is infallible Acts 5. 29. We must obey God rather then man The Martyrs chose rather to embrace the flames then to worship a breaden God of the Papists devising we must rather suffer the greatest punishments then wound our consciences with the least sin 2 When it comes to this Dilemma that either thou must suffer 2. When either we must suffer or Gods glory must suffer or else Gods glory must suffer then thou must determine to suffer any thing rather then Gods glory should suffer rather then Religion should lie at stake or the Gospel lie a bleeding We must have a tender care of Gods glory we must not be afraid to be good we must not be ashamed of Christ dispossess then this dumb devil that makes thee silent when Gods glory suffers If God have given thee suffering graces as faith love zeal and 3. When God hath given thee suffering Graces patience and a brave heroical spirit assure thy self they are not given in vain to be buryed in a napkin but for duty and employment If God have given thee a Martyrs courage thou must endure a Martyrs tryal When God calls thee he intends thee for a Souldier but it s to fight his battles The second Case is how we must suffer least we spoil a good duty in the miscarriage I will leave with you a few rules Q. 2. How must we suffer A. 1. We must suffer as Saints 1. In suffering be sure that you suffer as Saints and not as evil doers Matth. 5. 10 11 12. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my names sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 19 20. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully for what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God 2. Suffer prudently Matth. 10. 16. Behold I send you forth as 2. Suffer prudently sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves Wisdom and innocency are joyn'd together Wisdom is a necessary ingredient in suffering When men rashly bring evils upon themselves they loose the glory of their sufferings And when men suffer and are boisterous clamoring and reviling and reproaching such and such instruments these do much discredit their suffering 3. Christians must suffer believingly Faith acts though the vision 3. Suffer believingly be dark Faith approximates a promise and amidst Euroclydons storms and tempests can say Nubecula est cito transitura 4. Suffer patiently By patience possess thy soul Heb. 10. 36. 4. Suffer patiently For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Moral men have had great patienco Do thou discover more patience that art a true Believer say with good old Ely It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and with David Psalm 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it and with Hezekiah Isa 39. 8. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken he said moreover for there shall be peace and truth in my days 5. Suffer joyfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 3. and James 1. 2. My 5. Suffer joyfully Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations The Apostle mentions this to their joy Heb. 10. 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance So did the Apostles Acts 5. 41. and they departed from the presence of the councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name 6. Suffer profitably labor to profit by the rod to get corruption 6. Suffer profitably purged out and grace wrought in Labor to suck sweetness as the Bee doth out of bitter hearbs and to eat honey out of the carcass af a Lyon A wise man will gain by every dispensation of providence The fifth and last Use in one word is for Consolation Many promises Vse 5. For Consolation are made to them and they shall get the performance of them Rom. 8. 17. And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Matth. 19. 29. And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father
Children they are true believers and must needs be such as to whom comfort appertaines for they have great priviledges As first Accesse unto the Throne of Grace Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have accesse by saith Secondly They have Interest in all the promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen Thirdly They have Interest in speciall providences distinguishing mercies viz. 1. For their provision Psal 34. 9 10. They shall want no good thing 2. For their Protection Heb. 1. ult The Angells are their Guardians 3. For their direction Christ is a Counsellour and he directs them 4. For their Consolation he comforts them Joh. 14. 18 26 27 5. They have all sanctified what ever they injoy The Creatures are sanctified unto them Fourthly Christ is theirs 1 Cor. 3. 20 21. Rom. 8. 32. And with Christ they have all things Fifthly They shall injoy the presence of God and be made pertakers of the blessed vision Mat. 5. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Here they injoy God in his Ordinances they have Communion with him and feele spirituall Illapses upon their soules but this Ebbes and flowes they have many Interruptions and Intermissions but hereafter they shall injoy an uninterrupted Communion with God to all Eternity Yet notwithstanding what hath been said there are many doubts and scruples raised for there are three sorts of persons who make objections viz. 1. Vnbelievers 2. Misbelievers 3. Weak-believers 1. I begin with Unbelievers and these are to be considered under a double capacity Either such as are Heathens to whom the Gospell hath not been preached in whose land the voice of the Turtle hath not been heard i. e. no publick preaching of the Gospell or else such as live under the sound of the Gospell who have heard of Christ and his Gospell preached and yet they remaine in a state of unbeliefe Obj. Concerning the first sort of unbelievers it 's objected that Obj. 1 the Heathens and Infidells have not had the meanes how then shall they believe on him on whom they have not heard can it agree with the Justice of God to damne them for their unbeliefe seeing they never had the meanes of grace afforded and never heard the Gospell preached Ans I answer God is a most free agent he is bound to none Ans On whom he will he hath mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Faith is Gods free gift to some he gives it to others he denies it And God may do what he pleaseth with his owne God is said to conclude some under unbeliefe Rom. 11. 32. The Phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shut them up hampered them And the God of this world hath blinded their minds 2 Cor. 4. 4. See what their Conversation is Eph. 4. 17 18 19. And see their doome Jer. 10. 25. Ignorance excuseth not nor exempeth from Judgment though Ignorance may sometimes extenuate and make a sinne lesse comparatively yet it is a damnable sinne For a sinne of Ignorance there was an offering to be offered unto God Lev. 4. 27. And a blind mind is both a sinne and a dreadfull judgment Act. 28. 25 26 27. Let none therefore lavish charity upon Heathens If ever they be saved they cease to be Heathens and become Christians For assuredly there 's no salvation but by Christ Act. 4. 12. And no coming to Christ but by faith Joh. 5. 40. Let God be true and every man a lyer God is Just in all his waies and proceedings Shall not the Judge of all the world do right Concerning the second sort of Believers who live under the meanes it 's commonly objected It is not in our own power we Obj. 2 cannot believe God commands things impossible for us to doe For Answer hereunto Those who thus argue do not say they Ans would believe if they could they lay not the fault upon their own will which is refractory and disobedient but they lay the fault upon God To give a full Answer I le lay downe these Propositions Prop. 1. Man cannot by his owne power turne himselfe to God Prop. 2. Conversion and all the fruits thereof are the Graces of Gods spirit Prop. 3. Good inclinations come from God Prop. 4. We may not neglect our duty Prop. 5. There is no Injustice in God to command things impossible 1. It is not in the power of man to turne himselfe unto God O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe c. Jer. 10. 23. 2. Conversion and all the fruits thereof even all the Graces of the Spirit are the gift of God so is faith and love Every good and perfect gift comes from above 3. Our wills and inclinations to any good all come from God He giveth to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. 4. Yet we are called upon to do our duty to thirst come to the waters buy and eate Isa 55. 1. We are called upon to believe and repent Mat. 4. 17. We must use the meanes that God hath appointed we must do all we can and put forth our endeavours to the utmost and yet expect no salvation from what we can do but when we have done all we can we must confesse we are unprofitable servants some complaine I cannot profit by a Sermon Will this be a sufficient excuse to say I can not profit thou must go to God and pray him to reach thee to profit dost thou pray and meditate and call thy selfe to an account and examination of what thou hearest let me aske such as complaine that they have no power to believe would you believe and do you study Scripture Do you read the promises Are you swift to heare Do you use the meanes to get faith If you neglect Gods meanes and Gods waies your destruction will be from your selves altogether Hos 13. 9. 5. It 's no injustice in God to command things which are impossible to flesh and blood to performe and that I will evince by these Arguments 1. God is not bound to give and keep a stock both he gave us power and liberty of will in Adam we lost it and therefore it s our duty to be made sensible of that great losse and to be thoroughly humbled for it 2. God hereby sheweth us our duty what we ought to do 3. Hereby we are put in mind to use the right remedy i. e. going to Jesus Christ for strength of assistance For through his strength we can do our duties and without him we can do nothing Let none therefore plead that they are not able to believe nor repent but though they are not able of themselves they ought to goe to Christ for strength for God hath laid help on one that is mighty Christ is mighty to save he it is that gives grace and glory Let men examine their wills are they not unwilling to come unto Christ though life and salvation is tendred yet they will not come unto Christ they frame multitudes of