propension of his heart towards them The Eye is the servant of the affection turns readily that way most where the heart is Therefore thus the Lord is pleased to speak of his love to his own he views still all the world but he looks upon them with a peculiar delight his eye still on them as it were towards them from all the rest of the world tho he doth not alwaies let them see these his looks for 't is not said they alwayes are in sight of it no not here yet still his Eye is indeed upon them by the beauty of Grace in them his own work indeed the beauty that he himself hath put upon them And so the other of his Ear too he is willing to do for them what they ask he loves even to hear them speak finds a sweetness in the voice of their Prayers that makes his ear not only open to their Prayers but desirous of them as sweet Musick Thus he speaks of both Cant. 2. 14. My dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely 2. His good Providence and readiness to do them good to supply their wants and order their affairs for them to answer their desires and thus to let them find the fruits of that love that so leads his eye and ear towards them his eye is upon them he is devising and thinking what to do for them 't is the thing he thinks on most his eyes are on all but they are busied as he is pleased to express it they run to and fro through the earth to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him c. 2 Chron. 16. 9. so Deut. 11. 12 his Eyes all the year on the land And no wonder then he answers their Suits in what is good for them when it is still in his thoughts before he prevents they cannot be so mindful of themselves as he is of them This is an unspeakable Comfort when a poor Believer is in great perplexity of any kind in his outward or spiritual condition Well I see no way I am blind in this but there are eyes upon me that see well what is best the Lord is minding me and bringing about all to my advantage I am poor and needy indeed but the Lord thinketh on me that casteth the ballance Would not a man tho he had nothing think himself happy if some great Prince were busily thinking how to advance and inrich him much more if a number of Kings were upon this thought and devising together yet these thoughts might perish as the Psalmist speaks how much solider happiness is it to have him whose power is greatest and whose thoughts sail not eying thee and devising thy good and asking us as it were What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour And his Ears What suits thou hast thou mayst speak freely he will not refuse thee any thing that is for thy good O! but I am not righteous and all this is for them only yet thou wouldst be such a one wouldst thou indeed then in part thou art as he modestly and wisely chang'd the name of Wisemen into Philosophers art thou not righteous yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Righteousness thou art then one of these but if still thine own unrighteousness be in thine eye it may and should be so to humble thee but if it should scare thee from coming unto God and offering thy suits with this perswasion that his ear is open make thee think that his favourable eye is not toward thee yet there is mercy creep in under the Robe of his Son thou art sure he is Iesus Christ the righteous and that the Father's eye is on him with delight and then it shall be so on thee being in him and put thy petitions into his hand that is Great Master of Requests thou canst not doubt that he hath access and that ear open which thou thinkest shut to thee The Exercise of Prayer being so important and bearing so great a part in the life and comfort of a Christian it deserves to be very seriously considered We will therefore subjoyn some few Considerations concerning it 1. Prayer is considerable in a threefold Notion 1. As a duty we owe to God being he from whom we expect and receive all 't is a very reasonable homage and acknowledgement thus to testify the dependance of our Being and Life on him and the dependance of our Souls upon him for Being and Life and all good that we be daily Suiters before his Throne and go to him for all 2. As the Dignity and the delight of a spiritual Mind to have so near access unto God and such liberty to speak to him 3. As a proper and sure means by Divine Appointment and Promise of obtaining at the hands of God those good things that are needful and convenient for us And altho some Believers of lower Knowledge do not it may be so distinctly know and others not so particularly consider all these in it yet there is a latent Notion of all these in the heart of every Godly Person that stirs them and puts them on to the constant use of prayer and to a love of it And as they are in these respects inclin'd and bent to the exercise of prayer the Lord's ear is in like manner inclin'd to hear their prayer in these respects 1. He takes it well at their hands that they do offer it up as due worship to him that they desire thus as they can to serve him accepts of those offerings graciously passes by the imperfections in them and hath regard to their sincere intention and desire 2. It pleases him well that they delight in Prayer as converse with him that they love to be much with him and to speak to him often and still aspire by this way to more acquaintance with him that they are ambitious of this 3. He willingly hears their prayers as the Expressions of their Necessities and Desires being both rich and bountiful loves to have blessings drawn out of his hands that way as full breasts delight to be drawn the Lord's Treasure always full and therefore always Communicative In the first respect prayer is acceptable to the Lord as Incense and Sacrifice as David desires the Lord receives it as Divine Worship done to him In the second prayer is as the Visits and sweet Entertainment and Discourse of Friends together and so pleasing to the Lord the free opening of the mind pouring out of the heart to him as 't is called in the Psalm and so done calls it his Words and his Meditation and the Word for that signifies Discourse or Conference And in the third sense he receives prayer as the suites of petitioners that are in favour with him and that he readily accords to And thus the words for Supplication in the Original and the word here for Prayer and
united by that purest and strongest tie as you are one in your head in your life derived from him in your hopes of glory with him seek to be more one in heart in fervent love one to another in him Consider the combinements and concurrences of the wicked against him and his little flock and let this provoke you to more united affections Shall the Scales of Leviathan as one alludes stick so close together and shall not the Members of Christ be more one and undivided you that can resent it stir up your selves to bewail the present divisions and fears of more suit earnestly for that one Spirit to act and work more powerfully in the hearts of his people 2dly The eminent degree of this love 1. It s eminency amongst Graces above all 2. The high measure of it required fervent love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a high bent or strain of it that which acts strongly and carries far 1. 'T is eminent that which indeed among Christians preserves all and knits all together therefore called Col. 3. the bond of perfection all bound up by it How can they pray together advance the name of their God keep in and stir up all Grace in one another unless they be united in love how can they have access to God or fellowship with him who is love as St. Iohn speaks if instead of this sweet temper there be rancours and bitterness amongst them so then uncharity and divisions amongst Christians doth not only hinder their civil good but their spiritual much more and that not only lucro cessante as they speak interrupting the ways of mutual profiting but damno emergente it doth really damage them and brings them to losses preys upon their Graces as hot withering winds on Herbs and Plants where the Heart entertains either bitter malice or but uncharitable prejudices there will be a certain decay of spiritualness in the whole Soul 2. Again for the degree of this love required it is not a cold indifferency a negative love as I may call it or not willing of evil nor a lukewarm wishing of good but fervent and active love for if fervent it will be active a fire will not be smother'd it will find way to extend it self 3. The Fruits of this Love follow 1. Covering of evil in this verse 2. Doing of good verse 9. c. Covers This from Solomon and here as it s represented to be thus done as a main act of love so love is commended by it as a most useful and laudible act of it covers sins and a multitude of sins Solomon saith as the Opposition clears the Sense hatred stirs strife aggravates and makes the worst of all but love covers a multitude of sins delights not in undue disclosing of Brethrens failings doth not eye them rigidly nor expose them willingly to the eyes of others Now this commends charity in regard of its continual usefullness and necessity this way considering human frailty and that in many things as St. Iames speaks we all offend so that this is still needful on all hands what do they think that are still picking at every appearing infirmity of their Brethren know they not that the frailties that cleave to the Saints of God while they are here doth stand in need of and call for this mutual office of love to cover and pass by who is there that stands not in need of this if none why are there any that deny it to others there can be no society nor entertaining of Christian converse without it giving as we speak the allowance reckoning to meet with defects and weaknesses on all hands covering the failings one of another seeing its needful from each to another Again as the necessity of this commends it and the love whence it flows so there is that laudible ingenuity in it that should draw us to the liking of it 't is the bent of the basest and worthlessest Spirits to be busie in the search and discovery of others failings passing by all that is commendable and imitable as base Flies readily sitting on any little sore they can find rather than upon the sound parts but the more Excellent Mind of a real Christian loves not unnecessarily to touch no nor to look upon them rather turns away never uncover their Brothers sore but to cure it and no more than of necessity must be for that end would willingly have them hid that neither they nor others might see them This bars not the judicial trial of scandalous offences nor the delation of them and bringing them under due censure the forbearing of this is not charity but both iniquity and cruelty and this cleaves too much to many of us they that cannot pass the least touch of a wrong done to themselves can digest twenty high injuries done to God by prophane persons about them and resent it not and such may be assured they are yet destitute of love to God and of Christian love to their Brethren which springs from it The uncovering of sin necessary to the curing of it is not only no breach of charity but is indeed a main point of charity and the neglect of it the highest kind of cruelty But further then that goes certainly this rule teaches the veiling of our Brethrens infirmities from the eyes of others and even from our own that we look not on them with rigour no nor without compassion First Love is witty in finding out the fairest constructions of things doubtful and this is a great point Take me the best action that can be named pride and malice shall find a way to disgrace it and put a hard visage on 't Again what is not undeniably evil love will turn all the ways of viewing it till it find the best and most favourable 2. Where the thing is so a sin that this way of covering it can have no place yet then will love consider what may lessen it most whether a surprize or strength of tentation or ignorance as our Saviour Father forgive them for they know not what they do or natural complexion or at least will still take in humane frailty to turn all the bitterness of passion into sweet compassion 3. All private reproofs and where conscience requires publick delation and censure even these will be sweetned in that compassion that slows from love if such a sore as must not be let lie covered up least it prove deadly so that it must be uncovered to be lanc't and cut that it may be cur'd this to be done as loving the Soul of the Brother Where the rule of consciences urges it not then thou must bury it and be so far from delighting to divulge such things that as far as without partaking in it thou mayest thou must veil it from all eyes and try the way of private admonition and if the party appear to be humble and willing to be reclaimed then forget it cast it quite out of thy thoughts that as much as may
he is the Lord our maker Power Is here not only ability but authority and Royal Soveraignity that as he can do all things he rules and governs all things is King of all the World Lord paramount all hold their Crowns of him and the Shields of the Earth belong unto God he is greatly to be exalted disposeth of States and Kingdoms at his pleasure establisheth or changeth turns and overturns as seems him good and hath not only might but right to do so He is the Most High ruling in the Kingdoms of the Children of Men and giving them to whomsoever he will and readily pours contempt upon Princes when they contemn his power The term for ever Even in the short Life of Man Men that are raised very high in place and popular esteem may and often do out live their own Glory but the Glory of God lasteth as long as himself for he is unchangeable his Throne is for ever and his wrath for ever and his mercy for ever and therefore Glory for ever Inf. 1. Is it not to be lamented that he is so little glorify'd and prais'd that the Earth being so full of his goodness is so empty of his praise from them that enjoy and live upon it How far are the greatest part from making this their great work to exalt God and ascribe power and glory to his name for that all their ways are his dishonour seek to advance and raise themselves to serve their own Lusts and pleasures and altogether mindless of his glory the Apostles complaint holding good against us all seeking our own things and none the things of the Lord Iesus Christ true some there are but as his meaning is so few that they are as it were drown'd and smother'd in the crowd of self seekers so that they appear not After all the judgments of God upon us how doth still luxury and excess uncleanness and all kind of profaness out-dare the very light of the Gospel and rule of holiness shining in it scarce any thing a matter of common shame and scorn but the power of godliness turning indeed our true glory into shame and glorying in that which is indeed our shame Holiness not only our true glory but that wherein the ever glorious God doth especially glory and hath made known himself so much by that name the holy God And that which is the express stile of his glorious praises uttered by Seraphims Isa. 6. Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory Instead of sanctifying and glorifying this holy name how doth the Language of Hell oaths and cursâ—s abound in our Streets and Houses that blessed name that Angels are blessing and praising abused by base worms Again notwithstanding all the mercies multiply'd upon us in this Land where are our praises our Songs of deliverance our ascribing glory and â—ower to our God who hath prevented us with loving kindness and tender mercies hath removed the stroaks of his hand and made Cities and Villages populous again that were left desolate without Inhabitants Oh! why do we not stir up our hearts and one another to extol the name of our God and say give unto the Lord Glory and strengthâ— give unto the Lord the glory due to his name have we not seen the pride and glory of all flesh stain'd and abased were there ever affairs and times that more discovered the folly and weakness of Men and the Wisdom and power of God Oh! were our hearts set to magnifie him that word often repeated in that Psalm Psal. 107. Oh! that Men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Inf. 2. But what wonder that the Lord loses the reverence of his praises at the hands of the common ungodly World when even his own people fall so far behind in it as usually they do the dead cannot praise him but that they that he hath quickned by his Spirit should yet be so surprised with deadness and dullness as to this Exercise of exalting God this is very strange for help of this 1. We should seek after a fit temper labour to have our hearts brought to a due disposition for his praises and 1. That they be spiritual spiritual services require that but this most as being indeed the most spiritual of all affection to the things of this Earth draw down the Soul and make it so low set that it cannot rise to the height of a Song of praise and thus if we observ'd our selves we would find that when we let our hearts fall and entangle themselves in any inferiour desires and delights as they are unfitted generally for holy things so especially for the praises of our holy God Creature loves abase the Soul and turn it to Earth and praise is altogether heavenly 2. Seek a heart purify'd from self-self-love and possest with the love of God the heart that is ruled by its own interest is scarce ever content still subject to new disquiet self is a vexing thing for readily all things do not sute our humours and wills and the least touch that is wrong to a selfish mind distempers it and disrelishes all the good things about it a childish condition it is if crost but in a toy throw away all Whence are our frequent frettings and grumblings and that we can drown a hundred high favours in one little displeasure and still our finger is upon that string more male-content and repining for one little cross than praises for all the mercies we have received Is not this evidently the self-love that abounds in us Whereas were the love of God predominant in us we would love his doings and disposals and bless his name in all whatsoever were his will would in that view be amiable and sweet to us however in it self harsh and unpleasant Thus would we say in all this is the will and the hand of my Father who doth all wisely and well blessed be his name The Soul thus framed would praise in the deep of troubles not only in outward afflictions but in the saddest inward condition would be still extolling God and saying however he deal with me he is worthy to be loved and praised he is great and holy he is good and graâ—cious and whatsoever be his way and thoughts towards me I wish him glory if he will be pleased to give me light and refreshment blessed be he and if he will have me to be darkness again blessed be he glory to his name yea what though he should utterly reject me is he not for that to be accounted infinitely merciful in the saving of others must he cease to be praise worthy for my sake if he condemn yet he is to be praised being merciful to so many others yea even in so dealing with me is he to be praised for in that he is just Thus would pure love reason for him and render praise to him but our ordinary way is most untoward
can digest much frowardness of a Husband and make that her patient subjection a sacrifice to God Lord I offer this to thee and for thy sake I humbly bear it The worth and love of a Husband may cause that respect where this Rule moves not but the Christian Wife that hath love to God tho her Husband be not so comely nor so wise nor any way so amiable as many others yet because her own Husband and because of the Lord's command in the general and his Providence in the particular dispose of his own therefore she loves and obeys That if any obey not the Word This supposes a particular Case and applies the Rule to it takes it for granted a believing Wiâ—e will chearfully observe and respect a believing Husband but if an Unbeliever yet that unties not this engagement yea there is something in it presses it and binds it the more a singular good that probably may follow upon obeying such by that good Conversation they may be gained that believe not the Word not that they could be fully converted without the Word but having a prejudice against the Word that may be remov'd by the carriage of a believing Wife and they may be somewhat mollified and prepar'd and induc'd to hearken to Religion and take it into consideration This gives not Christians warrant to draw on this Task and make themselves this Work by chusing to be joyned to an Unbeliever either a prophane or meer natural Husband or Wife but teaches them being so matched what should be their great desire and their suitable carriage to the attainment of it And in the primitive Christian times this fell out often that by the Gospel preached the Husband might be converted from gross Infidelity Judaism or Paganism and not the Wife or the Wife which is the supposition here and not the Husband and there came in the use of this consideration And in this is the freedom of Divine Grace to pick and chuse where he will one of a Family or two of a Tribe as the Prophet hath it and according to our Saviour's word two in one Bed the one taken and the other left Some selected Ones in a Congregation and in a House a Child possibly or Servant or Wife and leave the rest The Apostle seems to imply particularly that there were many instances of this Wives Converts and Husbands unbelieving We can determine nothing of their conjecture that think there shall be more of that Sex here call'd the weaker Vessel than of the other that shall be Vessels of honour which God seasons with Grace here and hereafter will fill with Glory but this is clear that many of them are converted while many Men and divers of them very wise and learned Men having the same and far greater means and opportunities do perish in unbelief This I say evidences the Liberty and the Power of the Spirit of God that Wind that bloweth where it listeth and withal it suits with that word of the Apostle that the Lord this way abases these things that men account so much of and hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the mighty c. Nor doth the pliableness and tenderness of their affections tho Grace once wrought may make good use of that make their conversion the easier but the harder rather for through Natures corruption they would by that yield more to evil than to good but the efficacy of Grace appears much in establishing their hearts in the love of God and making them once possess'd with that to be inflexible and invincible by the tentations of the World and the strength and â—lights of Satan That which is here said of their Conversation holds of the Husband in the like case and of Friends and Kindred and generally of all Christians in reference to them with whom they converse that their spotless holy carriage as Christians and in their particular stations as Christian Husbands or Wives or Friends is a very likely and hopeful means of converting others that believe not Men that are prejudic'd observe actions a great deal more than words In those first times especially the blameless carriage of Christians did much to the increasing of their number Strive ye Wives and others to adorn and commend the Religion you profess to others especially those nearest you that are averse Give no just cause of scandal and prejudice against Religion beware not only of gross â—ailings and ways of sin but of such imprudencies as may expose you and your Profession study both holy and wise carriage and pray much for it Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdom lâ—t him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him But if Wives and other private Christians be thus oblig'd how much more the Ministers of the Wordâ— Oh! that we could remember our deep engagement to Holiness of life he said right either teach none or let your life teach too Cohelleth anima conciâ—natrix must the Preacher be the Word of Life springing from inward Affection and then Vita conciâ—natrix The Sundays Sermon lasts but an hour or two but holinesâ— of Life is a continued Sermon all the Week long They also without the Words may he won The Conversion of a Soâ—l is an inestiâ—â—aâ—â— gaiâ— 't is a high trading and design to go about it Oh! the precious Soul but disvalu'd by most Will we believe him that knew well the price of it for he pâ—id it that the whole visible World is not worth one Soul the gaining it all cannot countervail that less This Wives and Husbands and Parents and Friendâ— iâ— themselves converted would consider seriously and apply themselves to pray much that their unconverted Relations in nature dead may be enliven'd and they may receive them from death and esteem of nothing rest in no natural content nor gain without that at least using uncâ—sâ—â—nt diligence in seeking it and their utmost skill and pâ—â—ns in it but above all this is the peculiar task of Ministers as the Apostle often repeats it of himself 1 Cor. 9. all gains on earth base for this a Soul converted is gained to it self gained to the Pastor or Friend or Wife or Husband that sought it and gained to Jesus Christ added to his Treasury who thought not his own precious Blood too dear to lay out for this Gain Verse 2. While they behold your chast Conversation coupled with fear AS all Graces are connexed in their own Nature so 't is altogether necessary that they be found so for the end here propounded the conversion of those that are strangers to Religion and possest with false notions of it and prejudices against it 'T is not the regularness of some particular actions nor the observance of some duties that will serve but it is an even uniform frame of Life that the Apostle here teaches Christian Wives particularly in reference to this end the gaining or conversion
mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
diligent endeavour to observe them that vehemently hate what most pleases their corrupt Nature and love the command that crosses it most this is an imperfect kind of perfection Phil. 3. 12 15. On the otherside Evil-doers are they that commit sin with greediness that walk in it make it their way that live in sin as their Element take pleasure in unrighteousness as the Apostle speaks their great faculty and their great delight lyes in sin they are skillful and cheerful Evil doers not any one Man in all kind of sins that 's impossible there is a concatenation of sin and one disposes and induces to another but yet one ungodly Man is readily more vers'd in and delighted with some one kind of sin another with some other forbears none because evil and hateful to God but as he cannot travel over the whole globe of wickedness go the full circuit he walks up and down in his accustomed way of sin No one Mechanick is good at all Trades nor any Man expert in all Arts but he is an evil doer that follows the particular Trade of the sin he hath chosen is active and diligent in that and finds it sweet In a word the main of this opposition lyeth in the bent of the affection what way it is set The godly Man hates the evil he possibly by tentation hath been drawn to do and loves the good he is frustrate of and having intended hath not attain'd to do the sinner that hath his denomination from sin as his course hates the good that sometimes he is forc'd to do and loves that sin which many times he does not either wants occasion and means and so cannot do or through check of an enlightened conscience possibly dares not do tho'so bound up from the act as a Dog in a Chain yet the habit the natural inclination and desire in him is still the same the strength of his affection is carried to sin As in the weakest godly Man there is that predominant sincerity and desire of holy walking according to which he is call'd a righteous person the Lord is pleas'd to give him that Name and account him so being upright in Heart tho' often failing There is a righteousness of a higher strain upon which his Salvation hangs that is not in him but upon him he is cloath'd with it but this other of sincerity and of true and hearty tho' imperfect obedience is the righteousness here meant oppos'd to evil doing 2dly Their opposite condition or portion is express'd in the highest notion of it that wherein the very being of happiness and misery lyeth the favour and anger of God As their natures differ most by the habitude of their affection towards God as their main distinguishing character so the differences of their estate consists in the point of his affection towards them spoke here in our language by the divers aspects of his countenance for that our love and hate usually look's out and shews it self that way Now for the other word expressing his favour to the righteous by the openness of his Ear the opposition in the other needed not for either the wicked pray not or if they do 't is indeed no Prayer the Lord doth not account nor receive it as such and if his face be set against them certainly his ear is shut against them too and so shut that it openeth not to their loudest Prayer Tho they cry in mine ears with a loud voice yet will I not hear them sayes the Lord. And before we pass to the particulars of their condition as here we have them this we would consider a little and apply it to our present business what are these Persons the Lord thus regards and opens his ear to their Prayer This we pretend to be seeking after that the Lord would look favourably upon us and hearken to our Suits for our selves and this Land and the whole Church of God within these Kingdomes Indeed the fervent Prayer of a faithful man availeth much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is of great strength a mighty thing that can bind and loose the influences of Heaven as there is instanc'd and the Prayer of a Righteous Man be it but of one Righteous Man how much the combined cries of many of them together And that we judge not the Righteousness there and here mention'd a thing above human estate Elias sayes the Apostle was a man and a man subject to like passions as we are and yet such a righteous Person as the Lord had an eye and gave ear to in so great a matter but where are those righteous fasters and prayers in great Congregations How few if any to be found that are but such in the lowest sense and measure real Lovers and Inquirers after holiness What are our meetings here but Assemblies of Evil doers rebellious Children ignorant and prophane Persons or dead formal Professors and so the more of us the worse incensing the Lord more and the multitude of Prayers tho we could and would continue many days all to no purpose from such as we Though ye make many prayers when ye multiply prayer I will not hear And when ye spread forth your hands I will hâ—de mine eyes from you your hands so filthy that if you would follow me to lay hold on me with them you drive me further off as one with foul hands following a Person that is neat to catch hold of him and if you spread them out before me my eyes are pure you will make me turn away I cannot endure to look upon them I will hide mine eyes from you And fasting added with prayer will not do it not make it pass when they fast I will not hear their cry Jer. 14 'T is the sin of his People that provokes him instead of favourable looking on them to have his eyes upon them for evil and not for good as he threatens and therefore without puting way of that prayer is lost breath doth no good They that retain still their sins will not hearken to his voice how can they expect but that justly threatned retaliation Prov. 1. and that the Lord in holy scorn in the day of their distress should send them for help and comfort to these things they have made their Gods have preferr'd before him in their trouble They will say arise and save us but where are the Gods that thou hast made thee let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble Jer. 2. 28. And not only do fouler Impieties thus disappoint our prayers but the lodging of any sin in our affection if I regard iniquity in my heart says the Psalmist the Lord will not hear my voice if I see iniquity the word is if mine eye look pleasantly upon it his will not look so upon me nor shall I find his ear so ready and open Says not if I do sin but if I regard it in my heart The heart entertaining and embracing a sin be
and Body do not and possibly cannot well joyn with it Fears and Loves and Trusts in him which properly the outward Man cannot do tho' it does follow and is acted by these affections and so hath share in them in its capacity Beware of an external superficial sanctifying of God for he takes it not so he will interpret that a prophaning of him and his name be not deceived he is not mocked he looks through all Visages and Appearances in upon the Heart â—ees how it entertains him and stands affected to him if it be possess'd with reverence and love more than either thy tongue or carriage can express and if it be not so all thy seeming-worship is but injury and thy speaking of him iâ— but babling be thy Discourse never so Excellent and the more thou hast seemed to sanctifie God while thy heart hath not been chief in the business thou shalt not by such service have the less but the more fear and trouble in the day of trouble when it comes upon thee No estate so far off from true consolation and so full of horrors as that of the rotten-hearted Hypocrite his rotten Heart is sooner shakt to pieces than any other If you would have heart-peace in God you must have this heart sanctifying of him 'T is the heart that is vex'd and troubled with fears the disease is there and if the prescribed remedy reach not thither 't will do no good but let your hearts sanctifie him and then he shall fortifie and establish your hearts This sanctifying of God in the Heart composes the Heart and frees it from fears 1. In general the turning of the Heart to consider and regard God takes its off from those vain empty windy things that are the usual causes and matter of its fears it feeds on wind and therefore the bowels are tormented within the Heart is subject to disturbance because it lets out it self to such things and lets in such things into it self as are ever in motion and full of instability and restlesness and so cannot be at quiet till God come in and cast out these to keep the Heart within that it wander out no more to them 2. The particulars of Fear and Faith work particularly in this 1. That Fear as greatest overtops and nullifies all losser fears the Hearâ— possess'd with this fear hath no room for the other it resolves the Heart in point of duty what it should and must do not offend God by any means lays that down as indisputable and so eases it of doubtings and debates in that kind whether shall I comply with the World and abate somewhat of the sincerity and exact way of Religion to please Men or to escape persecution or reproaches no 't is unquestionably best and only necessary to obey him rather than Men to retain his favour be it with displeasing the most respected and considerable Persons we know yea rather chuse the universal and highest displeasure of all the World for ever than his smallest discountenance for a moment counts that the only indispensible necessity to cleave unto God and obey him If I pray I shall be accused might Daniel think but yet pray I must come on 't what will so if I worship God in my Prayer they will mock me I shall pass for a Fool no matter for that it must be done I must call on God and strive to walk with him this puts the mind to an ease not to be hanging betwixt two but resolv'd what to do we are not careful said they to answer thee O King our God can deliver us but however this we have put out of deliberation we will not worship the Image As one said non oportet vivere sed oportet navigare 't is not necessary to have the Favour of the World nor to have Riches nor to Live but 't is necessary to hold fast the Truth and to walk Holily to sanctifie the name of our Lord and Honour him whether in Life or Death 2. Faith in God clears the mind and dispels carnal fears the most sure help what time I am afraid says David I will trust in thee It resolves the mind concerning the event and scatters the multitude of perplexing thoughts that arise about that what shall become of this and that what if such an enemy prevail what if the place of our abode grow dangerous and we be not provided as others are for a removal no matter says Faith though all fail I know of one thing will not I have a Refuge that all the strength of Nature and Art cannot break in upon or demolish a high Defence my Rock in whom I trust c. Psal. 62. 5 6. The firm belief of and resting on his Power and Wisdom and Love gives a clear satisfying answer to all doubts and fears It suffers us not to stand to jangle with each triffling grumbling objection but carries all before it makes day in the Soul and so chases away those fears that vex us only in the dark as affrightful fancies do This is indeed to sanctifie God and give him his own Glory to rest on him and it is a fruitful homage done to him returning us so much Peace and Victory over Fears and Troubles perswades us that nothing can separate from his Love and that only we fear'd and so the things that cannot reach that can be easily despised Seek to have the Lord in your Hearts and sanctifie him there he shall make them strong and carry them through all dangers though I walk says David through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no ill for thou art with me Psal. 23. so Psal. 27. 1. What is it makes the Church so firm and stout though the Sea roar and the Mountains be cast into the midst of the Sea yet we will not fear that 's it God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved No wonder he immoveable and therefore doth establish all where he resides If the World in the middle of the Heart it will be often shaken for all there is continual motion and change but God in it keeps it stable Labour to get God into your Hearts residing in the midst of them and then in the midst of all Conditions they shall not move In your hearts Our condition universally exposed to search and troubles and no man so stupid but studies and projects for some Fence against them some Bulwark to break the incursion of Evils and so put his mind to some ease ridding it of the fear of them thus the most vulgar Spirits in their way for even the Brutes from whom such do not much differ in their actings and course of Life too are instructed by Nature to provide themselves and their young Ones of Shelters and the Birds their Nests and the Beasts their Holes and Dens Thus men gape and pant after gain with a confus'd ill-examin'd fancy of quiet and safety in it once to reach such a day as
he likes and desires and alters not so now thou knowest whom thou hast to do withal and what to do whom to please and what will please him and this cannot but much settle thy mind and put thee to ease and thou maist say heartily as rejoycing in the change of so many for one and such for such a one as the Church says Isa. 26 13. O Lord our God other Lords beside thee have had dominion over me but now by thee only will I make mention of thy name now none but thy self not so much as the name of them any more away with them through thy Grace thou only shalt be my God It cannot endure any thing be named with thee Now that it may be thus that we may wholly live to the will of God we must know his will what it is Persons grosly ignorant of God and of his will cannot live to him we cannot have fellowship with him and walk in darkness for he is light This takes off a great many amongst us that have not so much as a common Notion of the Will of God but besides that Knowledge which is a part and I may say the first part of the renewed Image of God is not a Natural Knowledge of Spiritual Things meerly attained by human teaching or industry but it s a beam of God's own issuing from himself both enlightening and enlivening the whole Soul gains the affection and stirs to action and so indeed it acts and increases by acting for the more we walk according to that of the Will of God which we know the more we shall be advanced to know more that is the real proving what is his good and holy and acceptable will Rom 12. 2. so says Christ if any will do the Will of my Father he shall know of the Doctrine our lying off from the lively use of known Truth keeps us low in the Knowledge of God and Communion with him 2. So then upon that Knowledge of God's Will where it is Spiritual and from himself follows the suiting of the Heart with it the affections taking the stamp of it and agreeing with it receiving the Truth in the love of it the Heart transformed into it and now not driven to obedience violently but sweetly moving to it by love within the Heart framed to the love of God and so of his Will 3. As Divine Knowledge begets this affection so this affection will bring forth action real obedience For these three are inseparably linkt and dependant on the product of another in this way the affection is not blind but flowing from knowledge nor actual obedience constrained but flowing from affection and the affection is not idle seeing it brings forth obedience nor the knowledge dead seeing it begets affection Thus the renewed the living Christian is all for God a sacrifice entirely offer'd up to God and a living sacrifice lives to God Takes no more notice of his own carnal will hath renounc't that to embrace the holy will of God and therefore though there is a contrary Law and will in him yet he does not acknowledge it but only the Law of Christ as now establisht in him that Law of Love by which he is sweetly and willingly led Real Obedience consults not now in his ways with Flesh and Blood what will please them but only enquires what will please his God and knowing his mind thus resolves to demur no more nor to ask consent of any other that he will do and its reason enough to him my Lord will's it therefore in his strength I will do it for now I live to his will it is my Life to study and obey it Now we know what is the true Character of the redeemed of Christ that they are freed from the service of themselves and of the World yea dead to it and have no Life but for God as all his Let this then be our study and ambition to attain this and to grow in it to be daily further freed from all other ways and desires and more wholly addicted to the will of our God displeased when we find any thing else stir or move within us but that that he Spring of our Motion in every work 1. Because we know his Soveraign Will and most justly so is the Glory of his Name therefore not to rest till this be set up in our view as our end in all and to count all our plausible doings as hateful as indeed they are that are not aimed at this end yea endeavouring to have it as much frequent and express before us as we can attain still our eye on the mark throwing away yea undoing our own interest not seeking our selves in any thing but him in all 2. As living to his will in the end of all so in all the way to every step of it For we cannot attain his end but in his way nor can we intend it without a resignation of the way to his prescript taking all our directions from him how we shall honour him in all The Soul that lives to him hath enough not only to make any thing warrantable but amiable to seek his will and not only does it but delights to do it that 's to live to him to find it our life as we speak of a work wherein Men do most and with most deligh employ themselves In that such a lust be Crucified is it thy will Lord then no more advising no more delay how dear soever that was when I lived to it it is now as hateful seeing I live to thee who it thou hatest Wilt thou have me â—orget an injury though a great one and love the person that hath wronged me While I lived to my self and my passions this had been hard But now how sweet is it seeing I live to thee and am glad to be put upon things most opposite to my corrupt heart glad to trample upon my own will to follow thine and this I daily aspire to and aim at to have no will of my own but that thine be in me that I may live to thee as one with thee and thou my rule and delight Yea not to use the very natural comforts of my Life but for thee to eat and drink and sleep for thee and not to please my self but to be enabled to serve and please thee to make one offering of my self and all my actions to thee my Lord. Oh! it s the only sweet life to be living thus and daily learning to live more fully thus it is Heaven this a little scantling of it here and a pledge of whole Heaven this is indeed the life of Christ not only like his but one with his it is his Spirit his Life derived into the Soul And therefore both the most excellent and certainly most permanent for he dieth no more and therefore this his Life cannot be extinguisht hence is the perseverance of the Saints Because being one Life with Christ alive unto God one for all for
of God And perceiving their short day so far spent ere they set out will account years precious and make the more hast and desire with holy David enlarged hearts to run the way of God's commandments will study to live much in a little time having lived all the past time to no purpose none now to spare upon the lusts and ways of the flesh and vain societies and visits yea will be rescuing all they can from their very necessary Affairs for that which is more necessary than all other necessities that one thing needful to learn the Will of our God and live to it this is our Business our high Calling the main and excellent of all our Employments Not that we are to cast off our particular Callings our due diligence in them for that will prove a snare and involve a Person in things more opposite to godliness But certainly this living to God requires 1. A fit measuring of thy own ability for affairs and as far as thou canst chuse â—itting thy load to thy shoulders not surcharging thy self with it overburden of businesses either by the greatness or multitude of them will not fail to entangle thee and depress thy mind and will hold it so down that thou shalt not find it possible to walk upright and look upwards with that freedom and frequency that becomes Heirs of Heaven 2. The measure of thy affairs being adapted look to thy affection in them that it be regulated too thy heart may be engaged in thy little business as much if thou watch it not a Man may drown in a little brook or pool as well as in a great river if he be down and plunge himself into it and put his head under water Some care thou must have that thou maist not care these things that are thorns indeed thou must make a hedge of them to keep out those tentations that accompany floth and extream want that waits on it but let them be the hedge suffer them not to grow within the Garden though they increase set not thy heart on them nor them in thy heart That place is due to another is made to be the Garden of thy beloved Lord made for the best plants and flowers and there they ought to grow The love of God and Faith and Meekness and the other fragrant Graces of the Spirit and know that this is no common nor easie matter to keep the heart disingaged in the midst of affairs that still it be reserved for him whose right it is 3. Not only labour to keep thy mind Spiritual in it self but by it put a spiritual stamp even upon thy temporal employments And so thou shalt live to God not only without prejudice of thy Calling but even in it and shall converse with him in thy Shop or in the Field or in thy Journey doing all in obedience to him and offering all and thy self withal as a sacrifice to him thou stâ—ll with him and he still with thee in all This is to live to the will of God indeed to follow his direction and intend his glory in all thus the wife in the very exercise of her house and the husband in his affâ—irs abroad may be living to God raising their low employments to a high quality this way Lord even this mean work I do for thee complying with thy will who hast put me in this Station and given me this task thy will be done Lord I offer up even this work to thee accept of me and of my desire to obey thee in all and as in their work so in their refreshments and rest all for him whether you eat or drink doing all for this reason because it is his will and for this end that he may have glory bending the use of all our strength and all his mercies that way setting this mark on all our designs and ways this for the glory of my God and this further for his glory so from one thing to another throughout our life This is the art of keeping the heart spiritual in all affairs yea of spiritualizing the affairs themselves in their use that in themselves are earthly This the Elixir that turns lower mettal into gold the mean actions of this life in a Christians hands into obedience and holy offering unto God And were we acquainted with the way of intermixing holy thoughts ejaculatory eyings of God in our ordinary ways it would keep the heart in a sweet temper all the day long and have an excellent influence into all our ordinary actions and holy performances at those times when we apply our selves solemnly to them our hearts would be near them not so far off to seek and call in as usually they are through the neglect of this This were to walk with God indeed to go all the day long as in our Fathers hand whereas without this our praying morning and evening looks but as a formal visit not delighting in that constant converse which yet is our happiness and honour and makes all estates sweet This would refresh us in the hardest Labour as they that carry the spices from Arabia are refresht with the smell of them in their Journey and some observe that it keeps their strength and frees them from fainting If you would then live to God indeed be not satisfied without the constant regard of him and whosoever hath attained most of it study it yet more to set the Lord always before you as David professeth and then shall you have that comfort that he adds â—e shall be still at your right hand that you shall not be moved And you that are yet to begin to this think what his patience is that after you have fitten so many calls you may yet begin to seek him and live to him and then consider if you still despise all this goodness how soon it may be otherwise you may be past the reach of this Call and may not begin but be cut off for ever from the hopes of it Oh how sad an Estate and the more by the remembrance of these flighted offers and invitations will you then yet return you that would share in Christ let go these lusts to which you have hitherto lived and embrace him and in him there is Spirit and Life for you he shall enable you to live this heavenly life to the will of God his God and your God and his Father and your Father Oh! delay no longer this happy change how soon may that puff of breath that is in thy Nostrils that hearest this be extinguisht and art thou willing to dye in thy sins rather than that they dye before thee thinkest thou it a pain to live to the will of God sure it will be more pain to lie under his eternal wrath Oh! thou knowest not how sweet they find it that have tryed it or thinkest thou I will afterwards who can make thee sure either of that afterwards or of that will if but afterwards why not now presently without
further advisement hast thou not served sin long enough may not the time past in that service serve is it not too much wouldest thou only live unto God as little time as may be and think the dregs of thy life good enough for him what ingratitude and gross folly is this yea though thou wert sure of coming in to him and being accepted yet if thou knowest him in any measure thou wouldest not think it a priviledge to defer it but willingly chuse to be free from the World and thy Lusts to be forthwithal his and wouldest with David make hast and not delay to keep his righteous Iudgments all the time thou livest without him what a filthy wretched life is it if life it can be called that is without him to live to sin is to live still in a dungeon but to live to the will of God is to walk in liberty and light to walk by light unto light by the beginnings of it to the fullness of it that is in his presence Verses 4 5. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead GRace until it reach home and end in glory is still in conflict a restless party within and without the whole World against it it is a stranger here and is accounted and used so they think it strange that you run not with them and they speak evil of you these wondring thoughts they vent in reproaching words In these two verses we have these three things 1. The Christians opposite course to the World 2. Their opposite thoughts and speeches of this course 3. The supream and final Judgement of both 1. The opposite course in that They run to excesses of riot 2. You run not with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riâ—t or luxury though all natural Men are not in the grossest kind guilty of this yet they are all of them some way truly riotous or luxurious lavishing away themselves and their days upon the poor perishing delights of sin each according to his own palate and humour as all persons tâ—at are riotous in the common sense of it gluttons or drunkards do not love the same kind of meats or drink but have several relishes and appetites yet agree in the nature of the sin so the notion enlarged after that same manner to the different custome of corrupt nature takes in all the ways of sin some glutting in and continually drunk with pleasures and carnal enjoyments others with the cares of this life which our Saviour reckons with surfeiting and drunkenness as being a kind of it and surcharging the heart as they do as there he expresses it take hâ—ed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life Whatsoever it is that draws away the heart from God that how plausible soever doth debauch and destroy us we spend and undo our selves upon it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies making havock of all And the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profusion and dissolute lavishing pouring out the affections upon vanity it is scattered and defiled as water spilt on the ground that cannot be cleansed nor gathered up again and it passes all our skill and strength indeed to recover and recollect our hearts for God only he can do it for himself he that made it can gather it and cleanse it and â—ake it new and unite it to himself Oh! what a scatter'd broken unstable thing is the carnal heart till it be changed falling in love with every gay folly it meets withal and running out to rest profusely upon things like its vain self that suit and agree with it and serve its Lusts can dream and muse upon these long enough any thing that â—eeds the earthliness or pride of it can be prodigal of hours and let â—ut floods of thoughts where a little is too much but bounded and pincht where all are too little hath not one fixed thought in a whole day to spare for God And truly this runniâ—g out of the heart is a continual drunkeness and madness is not capable of reason will not be stopt in its current by any perswasion it is mad upon its Idols as the Prophet speaks You may as well speak to a River in its course and bid it stay as speak to an impenitent sinner in the course of his iniquity and all the other means you can use is but as the putting of your finger to a rapid stream to stay it but there is a hand can both stop and turn the most impetuous torrent of the Heart be it even of a King that will least endure any other controulment Now as the ungodly World naturally moves to this profusion with a strong and swift motion runs to it so it runs together to it and that makes the current both the stronger and swifter as a number of Brooks falling into one main Channel make a mighty stream and every man naturally is in his birth and the course of his liâ—e just as a Brook that of it self is carried to that stream of sin that is in the World and then falling into it is carried rapidly along with it And if every sinner taken a part be so inconvertible by all created Power how much more harder a task is a publick Reformation and turning a Land from its course of wickedness all that is set to dam up their way doth at the best but stay them a little and they swell and rise and run over with a noise more violently than if they had not been stopt thus we find outward restraints prove and the very publick Judgements of God on us may have made a little interruption but upon the abatement of them the course of sin in all kinds seems to be now more fierce as it were to regain the time lost in that constrain'd forbearance so that we see the need of much prayer to intreat his powerful hand that can turn the course of Iordan that he would work not a temporary but an abiding change of the course of this Land and cause many Souls to look upon Jesus Christ and flow into him as the word is Ps. 34 5. This is their course but you run not with them The Godly a small and weak company and yet run counter to the grand Torrent of the World just against them and there is a Spirit within them whence that their contrary motion flows and a Spirit strong enough to maintain it in them against all the crowd and combinâ—d course of the ungodly 1 Joh. 4. 4. greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World as Lot in Sodom his righteous Soul not carried with them but vexed with their ungodly doings There is to a Believer the Example of Christ to set against the Example of the World and the
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt And besides many other things to animate this that is here exprest Oh! how full is it They shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead And this in readiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the day set and it shall surely come though you think it far off Though the wicked themselves forget them and the Christian slight them and let them pass they pass not so they are all registred and the great Court-day shall call them to account for all these riots and excesses and withal for all their reproaches of the godly that would not run with them in these ways Tremble then you despisers and mockers of Holiness though you come not near it What will you do when these you reviled shall appear glorious in your sight and their King the King of Saints here much more glorious and his glory their joy and all terror to you Oh! then all faces that could look out disdainfully upon Religion and the Professors of it shall gather blackness and be bathed with shame and the more the despised Saints of God shall shout for joy You that would rejoyce then in the appearing of that holy Lord and Judge of the World let your way be now in holiness avoid and hate the common ways of the wicked World they live in their foolish opinion and that shall quickly end But the Sentence of that day shall stand for ever Verse 6. 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit IT is a thing of prime concernment for a Christian to be rightly inform'd and frequently remembred what is the true estate and nature of a Christian for this the Multitude of those that bear that name either knows not or commonly forgets and so is carried away with the vain fancies and mistakes of the World The Apostle hath charactered Christianity very clearly to us in this place by that which is the very nature of it conformity with Christ and that which is necessarily consequent upon that disconformity with the World And as the nature and natural properties of things hold universally thus it is in those that in all ages are effectually called by the Gospel are moulded and framed thus by it thus it was says the Apostle with your Brethren that are now at rest as many as received the Gospel and for this end was it preacht to them that they might be judg'd according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit We have first here the preaching of the Gospel or suitable means to a certain end 2. The express Nature of that end 1. For this Cause There is a particular end and that very important which the preaching of the Gospel is aimed at this end many consider not hearing it as if it were to no end not propounding a fixed determined end in our hearing This therefore is to be considered by those that preach this Gospel that they aim right in it at this end and no other no self end The legal Priests not to be squint eyed nor evangelical Ministers thus squinting to base gain vain applause and also that they make it their study to find in themselves this work this living to God otherwise they cannot skillfully nor faithfully apply their gifts to this effect on their hearers and therefore acquaintance with God most necessary How sounds it to many of us at the least but as a well couched story whose use is to amuse us and possibly delight us a little and there is an end and indeed no end and turns the most serious and most glorious of all Messages unto an empty sound and if we awake and give it hearing it is much but for any thing further how few deeply before hand consider I have a dead heart therefore will I go unto the word of Life that it may be quickened it is frozen I will go and lay it before the warm Beams of that Sun that shines in the Gospel my corruptions mighty and strong and grace if any exceeding weak there is in the Gospel a power to weaken and to kill sin and to strengthen grace and this being the intent of my wise God in appointing it it shall be my desire and purpose in resorting to it to find it to me according to his gracious intendment to have faith in my Christ the Fountain of my Life more enabled and more active in drawing from him to have my heart more refined and spiritualized and to have the Sluse of Repentance opened and my Affections to Divine things enlarged more hatred of sin and more love of God and communion with him Ask your selves concerning former times and to take your selves even now enquire within why came I hither this day what had I in mine eye and desires this morning ere I came forth and in my way as I was coming did I seriously propound an end or no and what was my end Nor doth the meer custome of mentioning this in prayer satisfie the question for this as other such things usually do in our hand may turn to a lifeless form and have no heat of spiritual affection none of David's panting and breathing after God in his ordinances such desires as will not be still'd without a measure of attainment as the Childs desire of the breast as our Apostle resembles it chap. 2. And then again being returned home reflect on your hearts much hath been heard but is there any thing done by it have I gained my point it was not to pass a little time simply that I went or to pass it with delight in hearing rejoycing in that light as they did in S. Iohn Baptists for a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as the hour lasts it was not to have my earpleased but my heart changed not to learn some new notions and carry them cold in my head but to be quickened and purified and renewed in the Spirit of my mind is this done think I now more esteemingly of Christ and the life of faith and the happiness of a Christian and are such thoughts solid and abiding with me what sin have I left behind what Grace of the Spirit have I brought home or what new degree or at least new desire of it a living desire that will follow its point Oh! this were good repetition A strange folly of multitudes of us to set our selves no mark to propound no end in the hearing of the Gospel The Merchant sails not only that he may sail but for traffick and trafficks that he may be rich The Husband Man plows not only to keep himself busie with no further end but plows that he may sow and sows that he may reap with advantage and shall we do the most excellent and fruitful work fruitlesly hear only to hear and look no
the heart But sure this one thing would make the Soul more calm and sober in the pursuit of present things if their term were truly computed and considered How soon shall youth and health and carnal delights be at an end how soon shall State craft and King-craft and all the great Projects of the highest Wits and Spirits be laid in the dust This casts a damp upon all those fine things but to a Soul acquainted with God and in affection removed hence already no thought so sweet as this helps much to carry it chearfully through wrestlings and difficulties through better and worse they see Land near and shall quickly be at home that 's the way The end of all things is at hand an end of a few poor delights and the many vexations of this wretched life an end of tentations and sins the worst of all evils yea an end of the imperfect fashion of our best things here an end of prayer it self to which succeeds that new Song of endless praises Verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THE Graces of the Spirit are an entire frame making up the new Creature and none of them can be wanting therefore the Doctrine and Exhortation of the Apostles speak of them usually not only as inseparable but as one But there is amongst them all none more cemprehensive than this of Love insomuch that St. Paul calls it the fullfilling of the Law love to God the sum of all relative to him and so likewise is it towards our Brethren Love to God is that which makes us live to him and be wholly his that which most powerfully weans us from this World and causeth us delight in communion with him in holy Meditation and Prayer Now the Apostle adding here of the duty of Christians to one another gives this the prime yea the sum of all Above all have fervent love Concerning this Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Eminent Degree of it 3 The Excellent Fruit of it 1. It is an union therefore called a bond or chain that links things together 2. 'T is not a meer external union that holds in customs or words or outward carriage but an union of hearts 3. 'T is here not a natural but a spiritual supernatural union it is that mutual love of Christians as Brethren There is a common benevolence and good-will due to all but a more particular uniting affection interchangeably one amongst Christians The Devil being an Apostate Spirit revolted and separated from God doth naturally project and work division This was his first exploit and still his grand design and business in the World he first divided Man from God put them at an enmity by the first Sin of our first Parents and the next we read of in their first Child was enmity against his Brother so Satan is called by our Saviour justly a liar and a murderer from the beginning murdered man by lying and made him a murderer And as the Devil's work is Division Christ's work is Union he came to dissolve the works of Satan by a contrary work he came to make all Friends to recollect and reunite all Men to God and Man to Man and both those unions hold in him by vertue of that marvellous union of Natures in his Person and that Mysterious Union of the Persons of Believers with him as their Head so the word Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unite all in one head Thus his great project in all this he died and suffered for and this he prayed for Iohn 17. and this is strong above all ties natural or civil union in Christ this they have that are indeed Christians this they pretend to have if they understood it that profess themselves Christians If natural friendship be capable of that expression one spirit in two bodies Christian union hath it much more really and properly for there is indeed one Spirit more extensive in all the Faithful yea so one Spirit that it makes them up into one body more intensive they are not so much as divers bodies only divers members of one body Now this love of our Brethren is not another from the love of God 't is but the streaming forth of it or the reflex of it Jesus Christ sending in his Spirit into the heart unites it to God in himself by love which is all indeed that loving of God supreamly and entirely with all the mind and soul all the combined strength of the heart and then that same love first wholly carried to him is not divided or impared by the love of our Brethren 't is but dilated and derived from the other he allows yea commands yea causes that it stream forth and act it self toward them remaining still in him as in its source and center beginning at him and returning to him as the Beams that diffuse themselves from the Sun and the Light and Heat yet are not divided or cut off from it but remain in it and by emanation issue from it Loving our Brethren in God and for him not only because he commands us to love them and so the Law of Love to him ties us to it as his Will but because that love of God doth naturally extend it self thus and acts thus in loving our Brethren after a Spiritual Christian manner we do even in that love our God Loving of God makes us one with God and so gives us an impression of his divine bounty in his Spirit and his love the proper work of his Spirit dwelling in the Heart enlarges and dilates it as self-self-love contracts and streightens it so that as self-love is the perfect opposite to the love of God it is likewise so to brotherly-love shuts out and undoes both and where the love of God is rekindled and enters the Heart it destroys and burns up self love and so carries the affection up to himself and in him forth to our Brethren This is that bitter root of all enmity in man against God and amongst Men against one another Self Man's Heart turned from God towards himself and the very work of renewing Grace is to annual and destroy Self to replace God in his Right that the Heart and all its Affections and Motions be at his dispose so that instead of self-will and self-self-love that rul'd before now the Will of God and the Love of God commands all And where it is thus there this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this love of our Brethren will be sincere Whence is it that Wars and Contests and mutual Disgracings and Despisings abound so but that men love themselves and nothing but themselves or in relation to themselves as it pleases or is advantageous to them that 's the Standard and Rule all is carried by interest so thence are striâ—es and defamings and bitterness against one another but the Spirit of Christ coming in undâ—es all selfishness And now according to God what he
to Christ that there be nothing save the matter of your rod keep the quarrel as clean and unmixt as you can and this will advantage you much both within and without in the peace and firmness of your minds and in the refute of your enemies This will make you as a brazen wall as the Lord speaks to the Prophet they shall fight against you but shall not prevail Keep far off from all impure unholy ways suffer not as evil doers no nor as busie bodies be much at home setting things at rights within your own breast where there is so much work and such daily need of diligence and then you will be vacant to unnecessary idle pryings into the wayes and affairs of others and further then your calling and the rules of Christian charity engage you you will not iuterpose in any matters without you nor be found proud and sensorious as they are ready to call you 2. Shun the appearances of evil walk warily and prudently in all things be not heady nor selâ— will'd no not in the best thing walk not upon the utter brink and hedge of your liberty for then you shall readily overpass it things that are lawful may be inexpedient and in case our fear of scandal ought either to be wholly spared or used with much prudence and circumspection Oh! study in all to adorn the Gospel and in sense of your own unskillfullness and folly beg wisdom from above that annointing that will teach you all things much of that Holy Spirit that will lead you in the way of all truth and then in that way whatsoever be suffer it and however indignified and reproached happy are you for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you Inf. 2. But if to be thus reproached be happy then certainly their reproachers are no less unhappy if on those rest the spirit of glory and of God what Spirit in those but the Spirit of Satan and of shame and vileness Who is the basest most contemptible kind of person in the world truly I think an avowed contemner and mocker of holiness Shall any such be fouâ—d amongst us I charge all you in this name of Christ that you do not entertain godless prejudices against the people of God Let not your ears be open to nor your hearts close with the calumnies and lies that may be flying abroad of them and their practises much less open your mouths against them or let any disgraceful word be heard from you and when you meet with undeniable real frailties know the law of love and practise it Think this is blameworthy yet let me not turn it to the reproach of those persons who notwithstanding may be sincere much less to the reproach of other persons professing Religion and then cast it upon Religion it self My Brethren beware of sharing with the ungodly in this tongue persecution of Christians There is a Day at hand wherein the Lord will make enquiry after those things if we shall be made accountable for idle words as we are warned how much more for bitter malicious words uttered against any especially against the Saints of God whom however the World reckon he esteems his precious ones his treasure You that now can look on them with a scornful eye which way shall you look when they shall be beautitiful and glorious and all the ungodly cloathed with shame Oh! do not reproach them but rather come in and share with them in the way of holiness and in all the sufferings and reproaches that follow it for if you partake of their disgraces with them you shall share of glory with them in the Day of their Lords appearing The words have two things The evil of these reproaches suppos'd and the good exprest The evil suppos'd that they are trials and hot trials of this already The good exprest ye are happy even in present in the very midst of them they do not trouble your happy estate yea they advance it Thus solid indeed is the happiness of the Saints that in the lowest condition it remains the same disgraces caves prisons and chains cast them where you will still happy a Diamond in the mire foyled and trampled on yet still retains its own worth But this is more that the very things that seem to make them miserable do not only not do that but on the contrary do make them the more happy they are gainers by their losses and attain more liberty by their thraldomes and more honour by their disgraces and more peace by their troubles the World and all their enemies are exceedingly befool'd in striving with them not only can they not undo them but by all their enmity and practises they do them pleasure and raise them higher with what weapons shall they fight How shall they set upon a Christian that are his enemy where shall they hit them seeing all the wrongs they do him do indeed enrich and ennoble him and the more he is deprest he flourishes the more certainly the blessedness of a Christian is matchless and invincible But how holds this Happy in reproaches and by them 't is not through their nature and vertue for they are evil so Mat. 5. 20. But 1. By reason of the Cause 2. Of the accompanying and consequent Comfort First the Cause Negatively we have it verse 15. Positively ver 14 16. Not as an evil doer that stains thy holy profession and damps thy comfort and clouds thy happiness disprofits thee and dishonours thy Lord. But for the name of Christ and what is there so rough that that will not make pleasant to suffer with Christ and for Christ who suffered so much and so willingly for thee hath he not gone through all before thee and made all easie and lovely hath he not sweetned poverty and persecutions and hatred and disgraces and death it self perâ—um'd the grave and turn'd it from a pit of horrour into a sweet resting bed And thus love of Christ judgeth thinks all lovely that is for him is glad to meet with difficulties and ambitious of suffering for him scorn and contempt a thing of hard digestion but much inward heat of love digests it easily reproaches bitter but the reproaches of Christ sweet Take their true value Heb. 11. The reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt his very worst things better than the best of the World A touch of Christ turns all into gold his reproaches riches as there and honour as here Happy not only afterwards ye shall be happy but happy in present and that not only in apprehension of that after happiness as sure and as already present which Faith doth but even for that they possess the presence and comforts of the Spirit For the Spirit of Glory This accompanies disgraces for him his Spirit the Spirit of Glory and of God with your suffering goes the name of Christ and the Spirit of Christ take them thus when reproaches are cast upon you for his name and
sure if God be able to make his party good pride shall not escape ruin he will break it and bring it low for he is set upon that purpose and will not be diverted But he giveth grace Pours out plentifully upon humble hearts his sweet dews and showers slide off the Mountains and fall on the low Valley of humble hearts and make them pleasant and fertile The swelling heart puft up with a fancy of fullness hath no room for Grace is lift up is not hollow'd and sitted to receive and contain the graces that descend from above and again as the humble heart is most capable as emptied and hollowed can hold most so it is most thankful acknowledges all as received but the proud cries all his own the return of Glory that is due from Grace comes most freely and plentifully from an humble heart and he delights to enrich it with Grace and it delights to return him Glory the more he bestows on it the more it desires to honour him withal and the more it doth so the more readily he bestows still more upon it and this is the sweet intercourse betwixt God and the humble Soul this is the noble ambition of humility in respect whereof all the aspirings of pride are low and base when all is reckoned the lowliest mind is truly the highest and these two agree so well that the more lowly it is 't is thus the higher and the higher thus it is still the more lowly Oh! my Brethren want of this is a great cause of all our wants why should our God bestow on us what we would bestow on our idol-self or if not to idolize thy self yet to idolize the thing the gift that grace bestowed to fetch thy believing and comforts from that which is to put it in his place that gave and to make Baal of it as may be read Hosea 2. 8. Now he will not furnish thee thus to his own prejudice therein seek to have thine heart on a high design seeking Grace still not to rest in any gift nor to grow vain and regardless of him upon it If we had but this fixed with us what gift or grace I seek what comfort I seek it shall no sooner be mine but it shall all be thine again and my self with it I desire nothing from thee but that it may come back to thee and draw me with it unto thee this is all my end and all my desire The thing thus presented would not come back so often unanswered This is the only way to grow quickly rich come still poor to him that hath enough ever to enrich thee and desire of his riches not for thy self but for him mind entirely his Glory in all thou hast and seekest to have what thou hast use so and what thou wantest vow it so let it be his in thy purpose even before it be thine in possession as Hanna did in her suit 1 Sam. 1. 11. for a Son and thou shalt obtain as she did and then as she was be thou faithful in the performance Him whâ—m I received says she by petition I have returned to the Lord. It is no question the secret pride and selfness of our hearts that prejudges much of the bounty of his hand in the measure of our Graces and the sweet embraces of his love which we should otherwise find The more we let go of our selves still the more should we receive of himself Oh foolish we that refuse so blessed an exchange To this humility as in these words 't is taken in the notion of our inward thoughts touching our selves and carriage in relation to others the Apostle joyns the other Humility in relation to God being indeed the different actings one and the same Grace and inseparably connexed each with the other Verse 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time THIS is prest by a reason of equity and necessity both in that word the mighty hand of God he is Sovereign Lord of all and all things do obeisance to him Therefore it is just that you his People professing Loyalty and Obedience to him be most submissive and humble in your subjection to him in all things Again the necessity his mighty hand There is no striving it is a vain thing to flinch and struggle for he doth what he will and his hand is so mighty that the greatest power of the creature is nothing to it yea it is all indeed derived from him and therefore cannot do any whit against him if thou wilt not yield you must yield if thou will not lead you shall be palled and drawn therefore submission is your only course The third reason is of Utility or certain Advantage as there is nothing gain'd yea you are certainly ruin'd by reluctance so this humble submission is the only way to gain your point What would you have under any affliction but be delivered and raised up thus alone you attain that humble your selves and he shall raise you up in due time This is the end why he humbles you lays weights upon you that you may be deprest Now when it is gained that you are willingly so then the weights are taken off and you are lifted up by his gracious â—and otherwise it is not enough that he hath humbled you by his hand unless you humble your selves under his hand many have had great and many pressures 〈◊〉 afâ—liction after another and been humbled and yet not humble as they commonly express the difference humbled by force in regard of their outward condition but not humbled in their inward temper and therefore as soon as the weight is off as heaps of Wool they rise up again and grow as big as they were â—nf If we would consider this in our particular trials and aim at this deportment it were our wisdom are they not mad that under any stroke quarrel or struggle against God what gain your Children thus at your hands but more blows not only is this an unâ—eemly and unhappy way openly to resist and strive but even secretly to fret and grumble for he hears the least whispâ—â—ing of the heart and looks most how that behaves it self under his hand Oh! humble acceptance of his chastisement is our duty and our peace that which gains most on the heart of our Father and makes the rod soonest fall out of his hand And not only would we learn this in our outward things but in our spiritual condition as the thing the Lord is much taken with in his Children there is a stubbornness and freting of Heart concerning our Souls that arises from pride and untamedness of our nature and yet some take a pleasure in it touching the matter of comfort and assurance if it be with held or which they take more liberty in be it sanctification and victory over sin they seek and yet find little or no success but the Lord holding them at under in these they then vex
that there is a 〈◊〉 need of this honouring that consists in not dâ—spiâ—â—g and in covering of â—railties as is even imply'd in this that the Woman is not called simply weak but the weaker and the Husband that is generally by Natures advantage or should be the stronger yet is weak too for both are Vessels of Earth and therefore frail both polluted with sin and therefore subject to a multitude of sinful sollies and frailties but as that particular frailty of nature pleads for Women that honour so the other reason added is not from particular disadvantage but from their common priviledge and advantage of grace as Christian that the Christian Husband and Wife are equally Co-heirs of the same grace of life As being Heirs together of the grace of life This is that which most strongly binds on all these duties on the hearts of Husbands and Wives And most strongly indeed binds their hearts together and makes them one 〈◊〉 each be reconciled unto God in Christ and so heirs of life and one with God then are they truly one in God each with other and that 's the surest and sweetest union that can be Natural love hath risen very high in some Husbands and Wives but the highest of it fallâ— far very short of that which holds in God hearts concentring in him are most and excellently one that love which is cemented by youth and beauty when these moulder and decay as soon they do it â—ades too that is somewhat purer and so more lasting 〈◊〉 holds in a natural or moral harmony of Minds yet these likewise may alter and change by some great accident but the most refin'd and spiritual and most â—â—disâ—olubleâ— is that which is knit with the highest and 〈◊〉 Spirit And the ignorance or disregard of this 〈◊〉 great cause of so much bitterness or so little true 〈◊〉 in the life of most married Persons because 〈…〉 meet not as one in him Heirs together Loath will they be to despise one another that are both bought with the precious blood of one Redeemer and loath to grieve one another being in him brought into peace with God they will entertain true peace betwixt themselves and not suffer any thing to disturb it They have hopes to meet one day where is nothing but perfect Concord and Peace they will live as heirs of that life here and make their present estate as like to Heaven as they can and so a pledge and evidence of their title to that Inheritance of peace that is there laid up for them and they will not fail to put one another often in Mind of thâ—se hopes and that Inheritance and to advance and further both each other towards it where this is not 't is to little purpose to speak of other rules where neither party aspires to this heiâ—ship live otherways as they will there is one common Inheritance abiding them one Inheritance of everlasting flames and as they do increase the sin and guiltiness of one another by their irreligâ—ous Conversation so that which some of them do wickedly here upon no great cause they shall have full cause there to curse the time of their coming together and that shall be a peice of their exercise for ever but happy those persons in any Society of Marriage or Friendship that converse so together as those that shall live eternally together in glory This indeed is the Sum of all duties Life A sweet word but sweetest of all in this sense that Life above indeed only worthy the name and this we have here in comparison let it not be called life but continual dying an incessant journey towards the Grave if you reckon years but a short moment to him that attains the fullest old age but reckon miserieâ— and sorrows 't is long to him that dyes young Oh! that that only blessed liâ—e were more known and then it would be more desir'd Grace This the tenor of this Heirship Free Grace this Life a free Gift Rom. 6. ult No life so spotless either in marriage or virginity as to lay claim to this life upon other terms if we consider but a little what it is and what we are this will be quickly out of question with us and we will be most gladly content to hold it thus by deed or gift and admire and extol that Grace that bestows it That your Prayers be not hindred He supposes in Christians the necessary and frequent use of this takes it for granted that the Heir of Life cannot live without prayer this is the proper breathing and language of these Heirs none of them dumb they can all speak these Heirs if they be alone they pray alone if Heirs together and living together they pray together Can the Husband and Wife have that love and wisdom and meekness that may make their life happy and that blessing that may make their Affairs successful while they neglect God the only giver of these and all good things You think these needless motives but you cannot think how it would sweeten your Converse if it were used 'T is prayer that sanctifies and seasons and blesses all and not enough that they pray when with the Family but even Husband and Wife together by themselves and with their Children that they especially the Mother as being most with them in their Child-hood when they begin to be capable may draw them apart and offer them to God often praying with them and instructing them in their youth for they are pliable while young as glass when hot but after sooner break than bend But above all Prayer is necessary as they are Heirs of Heaven often sending up their desires thither You that are not much in prayer look as if you look'd for no more than what you have here if you had an Inheritance and Treasure above would not your heart delight to be there Thus the Heart of a Christian is in the constant frame of it but after a special manner Prayer raises the Soul above the World and sets it in Heaven 't is its near access unto God and dealing with him especially about those Affairs that concern that Inheritance Now in this lies a great part of the comfort a Christian can have here and the Apostle knew this that he would gain any thing at their hands that he press'd by this Argument that otherwise they would be hinder'd in their prayers He knew that they who are acquainted with prayer find such unspeakable sweetness in it that they will rather do any thing than be prejudic'd in that Now the breach of conjugal Love the jarrs and contentions of Husband and Wife do out of doubt so leaven and imbitter their Spirits that they are exceeding unfit for Prayer which is the sweet Harmony of the Soul in God's ears and when the Soul is so far out of tune as those distempers make it he cannot but perceive it whose ear is the most exact of all for he made and tun'd the Ear and is the
in Heaven it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven But alas where is ours The greatest part of Hearts say nothing and others with such wavering and such a jarring harsh noise being out of tune earthly too low set that they spoil all and disappoint the Answers Were the Censer fill'd with those united Prayers Heaven-wards it would be fill'd with Fire Earth-wards against the Enemies of the Church And in your private Society seek unanimously your own and each anothers Spiritual Good not only agreeing in your affairs and civil converse but having one heart and mind as Christians to eat and drink together if no more is such Society as Beasts may have to do these in the excess to guzzle and drink intemperately together is a Society woâ—se than that of Beasts and below them to discourse together of civil business is to converse as men but the peculiar converse of Christians in that notion as born again to Immortality an unfading Inheritance above is to further one another towards that to put one another in mind of Heaven and things that are Heavenly And 't is strange that men that profess to be Christians when they meet either fill one anothers ears with Lies and prophane Speeches or with Vanities and Trifles or at the best with the Affairs of Earth and not a word of those things that should most possess the Heart and where the minds should be most set but are ready to reproach and taunt any such thing in others What are you asham'd of Christ and Râ—ligion Why do you profess it then Is there such a thing think ye as Communion of Saints if not why say you believe it 'T is a Truth think of it as you will the Publick Ministry will profit little any where where a People or some part of them are not thus one and do not live together as of one mind and use diligently all due means of edifying one another in their holy Faith How much of the primitive Christians praise and profit is involv'd in the word they were together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord with one mind and so they grew the Lord added to the Church Consider 1. How the Wicked are one in their ungodly Designs and Practices the Scales of Leviathan as Luther expresses are linkt together shall not the Lord's Followers be one in him They unite to undermine the Peace of the Church shall not the Godly joyn their Prayers to countermine them 2. There is in the Heart of all the Saints one Spirit how can they be but one since they have the same purpose and journey tend to the same home and why shall they not walk together in that way When they shall arrive there they shall be fully one and of one mind not a jar nor difference all their Harps perfectly in tune to that one new Song Having Compassion This testifies that 't is not a bare speculative agreement of opinions that is the badge of Christian Unity for this may accidentally be where there is no further Union but that they are themselves one have one life in that they feel how it is one with another there is a living sympathy amongst them as making up one Body animated with one Spirit for that 's the reason why the Members of the Body have that mutual feeling even the remotest and distantest and the most excellent with the meanest this the Apostle urges at large Rom. 12. 4. and 1 Cor. 12. And this lively Sense is in every living Member of the Body of Christ towards the whole and towards each other particular part This makes a Christian rejoyce in the welfare and good of another as if it were his own and feel their griefs and distresses as if himself were really sharer in them for the word comprehends all feeling together feeling of jâ—y as well as of grief Heb. 13. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 26. And always where there is most of Grace and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ there is most of this Sympathy The Apostle St. Paul as he was eminent in all Grace had a large Portion of this 2 Cor. 11. 29. And if this ought to be in reference to their outward condition much more in spiritual things rejoycing at the increases and flourishing of Grace in others That base envy that dwells in the hearts of rotten Hypocrites that would have all ingross'd to themselâ—es argues that they move not further than the compass of self that the pure love of God and the sincere love of their Brethren flowing from it is not in them but when the heart can unfeigneâ—ly rejoyce in the Lords bounty to others and the lustre of Grace in others far out-shining their own truly 't is an evidence that what Grace such a one hath is upright and good and that the law of Love is engraven in their hearts And where that is there will be likewise on the otherside a compassionate tender sense of the infirmities and frailties of their Brethren Whereas some accouâ—t it a sign of much advancement and spiritual proficiency to be able to sit upon the qualifications and actions of othâ—rs and to lavish out severe censures round about them to sentence one weak and of poor abilities and another proud and lofty and a third covetous c. And thus to go on in a Censor-like-magisterial strain it were truly an evidence of more Grace not to get upon the Bench to judge them but sit down rather and mourn for them when they are manifestly and reaâ—ly faulty and for their ordinary infirmiâ—ies to consider and bear them These are the characters we find in the Scriptures of stronger Christians Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 1. This holy and humble sympathy argues indeed a strong Christian and nothing truly as one says shews a spiritual Man so much as the dealing with another Mans sin far will he be from the ordinary way of insulting and trampling upon the weak or using rigour and bitterness even against some gross falls of a Christian but will rather vent his compassion in tears than his passion in fiery raylings will bewail the frailty of Man and or dangerous condition in this Life amidst so many snares and tentations and such strong and subtle enemies 2dly As this sympathy works to particular Christians in their several conditions so by the same reason it acts and acts more eminently towards the Church and the publick Affairs that concern its good And this is it that we find hath breath'd forth from the hearts of the Saints in former times in so many pathetical complaints and Prayers for Sion Thus David in his saddest times when he might seem most dispensable to forget other things and be wholly taken up with lamenting his own fall Psal. 51. yet even there he leaves not out the Church ver 17. in thy good pleasure do good to Zion And his heart broken all to pieces yet the very pieces cry no less for the building of
Father which is in Heaven to love them that hate you and bless them that curse you 't is a kind of perfection ver 48. He makes his Sun to shine on the Righteous and the Wicked c. Be you like it howsoever Men behave themselves keep you your course and let your benign influence as you can do good to all And Jesus Christ sets in himself these things before us Learn of me not to heal the sick or raise the dead but Learn for I am meek and lowly in Heart And if you be his Followers this is your way as the Apostle here addeth hereunto are you called and this is the end of it agrecable to the way that you may inherit a blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowing that Understanding â—right the Nature of your holy calling and then considering it wisely and conforming to it They that have nothing beyond an external calling and profession of Christianity are wholly bliud in this point do not think what this imports a Christian. Could they be drawn to this it were much it were indeed all to know to what they are called and to answer it to walk like it but as one calls a certain sort of Lawyers indoctum doctorum genus we may call the most an unchristian kind of Christians But even they that are real partakers of this spiritual and effectual Call yet are much to seek in this often viewing their rule and laying it to their Life their hearts and words and actions and squaring by it and often posing themselves suits this my calling Is this like a Christian 'T is a main point in any civil Station to have a suitable convenient carriage to a Man's Station and condition that his actions become him but how many incongruities and solecisms do we commit forgetting our selves who we are and what we are called to to what as our duty and to what as our portion and inheritance and these indeed agree together we are called to an undefiled a holy Inheritance and therefore likewise to be Holy in our way to it for that contains all We are called to a better estate at home and called to be sitted for it while we are here to an Inheritance of light and therefore to walk as Children of light and so here to blessing as our inheritance and to blessing as our duty for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thereunto relates to both looks back to the one and forward to the other the way and the end both Blessing The fulness of this inheritance is reserv'd till we come to that Land where it lyeth there it abideth us but the earnests of that fulness of blessing are bestow'd on us here spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ they descend from those heavenly places upon the heart that precious name of our Lord Jesus powred on our hearts if we be indeed interessed in him as we pretend and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ we are put in possession of that blessing of forgiveness of sin and in terms of love and amity with the Father being reconciled by the blood of his Son and then blessed with the anointing of the Spirit the graces infus'd from Heaven now all these do so cure the bitter accursed distempers of our natural Hearts and so perfume it that it cannot well breath any thing but sweetness and blessing towards others being it self thus blessed of the Lord it eccho's blessing both to God and Men to his blessing of it and its words and whole carriage are as the smell of a Field that the Lord hath blessed as old Iacob said of his Son's Garments The Lord having spoke pardon to a Soul and instead of the curse due to sin bless'd it with a title to glory it easily and readily speaks pardon and not only pardon but blessing to the advantage even to these that outrage it most and deserve worst of it reflects still on that Oh! what deserv'd I at my Lords hands so many talents forgiven me shall I stick at forgiving a few pence And then call'd to inherit a blessing so every Believer an heir of blessing and not only are the spiritual blessings he hath received but even his largeness of blessing others is a pledge to him an evidence of that heirship as those that are bent to cursing though provok'd yet can look upon that as a sad mark that they are heirs of a curse Ps. 109. 18. shall they not that delight in cursing have then enough of it when they shall hear that doleful word go ye cursed c. And on the other side as for the Sons of blessing that spar'd it not to any the blessing they are Heirs to is a blessedness it self and they to be enter'd into it by that joyful speech come ye blessed of my Father c. Men can but bless one another in good wishes and the Lord in praises and applauding to his blessedness but the Lord's blessing is really making blessed an operative word brings the thing with it Inherit a Blessing Not called to be exempted from troubles and injuries here and to be extoll'd and favour'd by the World but on the contrary rather to suffer the utmost of their malice and be the mark of their arrows of wrongs and scoffs and reproaches but it matters not this weighs down all you are called to inherit a blessing which all their cursings and hate cannot prejudge you of for as this inheriting of blessing binds on the duty of blessing others upon a Christian so it encourages to go through the hardest contrary measure they receive from the World if the World should bless you and applaud you never so loud yet that blessing cannot be call'd an inheritance they fly away and dy out in the air have no substance at all much less that endurance that may make them an inheritance and more generally is their any thing here so to be called the surest inheritances are not more than for term of Life to any one Man their abiding is for others that succeed but he removes and when a Man is to remove from all he hath possess'd and rejoyc'd in here then fool indeed if nothing provided for the longer O! how much longer abode he must make elsewhere Will he not then bewail his madness that he was hunting a Shaddow all his Life time and may be turned out of all his quiet possessions and easie dwelling before that and in these times we may the more readily think of this but at the utmost at night when he should be for most rest when that sad night comes after this day of fairest prosperity the unbeleiving unrepenting sinner lies down in sorrow in a woful bed then must he whether he will or no enter possession to this inheritance of everlasting burnings he hath an inheritance indeed but he had better want it and himself too be turn'd to nothing Do you believe there are treasures that neither Thief breaks
Conquest 1. It must begin at the heart otherwise it will be but a Mountebank cure a false imagin'd conquest the weights and wheels are there and the Clock strikes according to their motion even he that speaks contrary to what is within him guilfully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge yet speaks conformably to what is within him in the temper and frame of his heart which is double a heart and a heart as the Psalmist hath it A guileful Heart makes guileful Tongue and Lips it is the Work-house where is the Forge of Deceits and Slanders and other Evil-speakings and the Tongue only the outer shop where they vent and the Lips the Door of it so then such Ware as is made within such and no other can be set out from evil thoughts evil speakings from a prophane heart prophane words and from a malicious heart bitter or calumnious words and from a deceitful heart guileful words well varnish'd but lin'd with rottenness And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh as our Saviour teaches That which the heart is full of runs over by the Tongue if the heart be full of God the Tongue will delight to speak of him much of heavenly things within will sweetly breath forth something of their smell by the mouth and if nothing but earth there all that man's discourse will have an earthly smell and if nothing but wind vanity and folly the Speech will be airy and vain and purposeless Ps. 37 30 31. Ps. 40. 8 9. in the midst of my bowels and as from the center thou sends forth the lines and rays of sutable words and will not cannot refrain as there it is so no more can the evil heart refrain the Tongue from evil as here is directed The Tongue of the Righteous says Solomon is as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth makes the Antithesis in the root his heart little worth and therefore his tongue no silver in it he may be worth thousands as we speak that is indeed in his Chests or Lands and yet himself his heart and all the thoughts of it not worth a penny If thou art inur'd to oaths or cursing in any kind or fashion of it taking the great name of God any ways in vain do not favour thy self in it as a small offence to excuse it by custom is to wash thy self with Ink and to accuse thy self deeper that thou art long practic'd in that sin but if thou would'st indeed be deliver'd from it think not that a flight dislike of it when reprov'd will do but seek for a due knowledge of the Majesty of God and thence a deep reverence of him in thy heart and that will certainly help that habituated Evil of thy Tongue will quite alter that bias that the custom thou speakest of hath given it will cast it in a new Mould and teach it a new Language will turn thy regardless abuse of that name in vain Oaths and Asseverations into a holy frequent use of it in Prayers and Praises thou wilt not then dare to indignifie that blessed name that Saints and Angels bless and adore but will set in with them to bless it None that knows the weight of it will dally with it and lightly lift it up as that word of taking in vain in the command signifies they that do continue to lift it up in vain as it were to sport themselves with it will find the weight of it falling back upon them and crushing them to pieces In like manner a purified heart will unteach the Tongue of all filthy impure speeches and will give it a holy strain and the Spirit of Charity and Humility will banish that mischievous humour that sits so deep in the most of reproaching and disgracing others in any kind either openly or secretly for 't is wicked self-love and pride of heart whence those do spring searching and disclosing the failings of others which love will rather cast a Mantle on to hide them 'T is an argument of a candid ingenuous mind to delight in the good name and commendation of others to pass by their defects and take notice of their vertues and to speak and hear of these willingly and not endure either to speak or hear of the other for in this indeed a Man may be little less guilty than the evil Speaker in taking pleasure in it tho' you speak it not And this is a piece of Men's natural perversness to drink in tales and calumnies and he that doth this will readily from the delight he hath in hearing slide insensibly into the humour of evil speaking and it is strange how the most dispence with themselves in this point and that in no Societies almost shall we find a hatred of this ill but rather some touches of pleasingness in it and until a Christian set himself to an inward watchfulness over his heart not suffering in it any thought either of uncharity or vain self esteem upon the sight of others frailties they will still be subject to somewhat of this in the Tongue or Ear at least So for the evil of guile in the Tongue a sincere heart truth in the inward parts that powerfully redresses therefore Psal. 15. 't is express'd that speaketh the truth from his heart Thence it flows seek much after this to speak nothing with God nor Men but what is the sense of a single unfeigned heart O sweet truth excellent but rare sincerity He that loves that truth within alone can work it seek it of him 2dly Be choice in your society sit not with vain persons whose Tongues have nothing else to utter but impurity or malice or folly Men readily learn the dialect and tone of the people amongst whom they live If you sit down in the chair of scorners take a seat with them you shall readily take a share of their diet with them and sitting amongst them take your turn by time of speaking with them in their own language but frequent grave and Godly Persons in whose hearts and lips piety and love and Wisdom are set and 't is the way to learn it 3dly Use a little of the Bridle in the quantity of speech incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing for in many words there wants not sin That flux of the Tongue that prating and babling disease is very common and hence so many impertinences yea so many of these worse ills in their discourses whispering about and enquiring and censuring this and that A childish delight and yet most Men carry it with them all along to speak of Persons and things not concerning us and this draws Men to speak many things that agree not with the rules of wisdom and charity and sincerity he that refraineth his Lips is wise saith Solomon A Vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness and much might be avoided by a little refraining of this much infection and sin by the many bablings
attended with shame and sorrow even at the very best 't is a sowing of the wind no solid good in it and withal a reaping of the Whirlwind vexations and horrors they that know it in the sense of this after-view attended with the wrath of an offended God ask them what they think of it if they would not in those thoughts rather chuse any trouble or pain tho great than willingly to adventure on the ways of sin Obedience is that good that beauty and comeliness of the Soul that conformity with the holy will of God that hath peace and sweetness in it the hardest of it truly delighful even in present and hereafter sully Would we learn to consider it thus to know sin to be the greatest Evil and the holy will of God the highest good it would be easie to perswade and prevail much in this to eschew the one and do the other These do not only reach the actions but require an intrinsecal aversion of the heart from sin and propesionn to holiness and love of it Eschew The very motion and bias of the Soul turn'd from sin and carried towards God and this is principally to be considered by us and enquir'd after within us an abhorrence of sin as the Scripture speaks not simple forbearing but hating and loathing it and this springing from the love of God Ye that love the Lord hate Evil you will do so cannot choose but do so and so know that Love to him to be upright and true And where this is the avoidance of sin and walking in holiness doing good will be 1. More constant not wavering with the variation of outwards of occasion or society or secrecy but going on in its natural course as the Sun is as far from the earth and goes as fast under a cloud as when 't is in our sight and goes cheerfully because from a natural principle rejoyceth as a strong Man to run Psal. 19. thus the obedience of a renewed Mind And 2. More Universal viz. of all sin as natural antipathies are against the whole kind of any thing 3. More exact keeping a far off from the very appearances of sin and from all the inducements and steps towards it and this is the true way of eschewing it Not a little time of constrain'd forbearance during a night or the day of participating of the Communion or a little time before them and some few days after them for thus with the most sin is not dispossess'd and cast out but retires inward and lurks in the heart being beset with those Ordinances knows they last but a while and therefore it gets into its strength and keeps close there till those be out of sight and disappear again and be a good way off that it thinks it self out of their danger a good many days past and then it comes forth and returns to act it self with liberty ' and with more vigour as it were to regain the time it hath been forced to lose and lie idle in They again miss in the right of this eschewing that think themselves possibly some Body in it in that they do avoid the gross sins wherein the vulgar sort of sinners wallow or do eschew such evils as they have little or no inclination of nature to but where the heart stands against sin as a breach of God's Law and an offence against His Majesty as Ioseph shall I do this evil and sin against God there it will carry against all kind of sin the most refined and the most beloved sin wherein the Truth of this aversion is most try'd and approv'd as they that have a strong natural dislike of some kind of meat dress it as you will and mingle it with what they love best yet will not willingly eat of it and if they be surpriz'd and deceiv'd some way to swallow some of it yet they will find it after and be restless till they have vomited it up again Thus is it with the heart that hath that inward contrariety to sin wrought in it by a new Nature no reconcilement with it nor with any kind of it as those deadly Feuds that were against whole Families and Names without exception No fellowship with the unfruiâ—ful works of darkness as the Apostle speaks for what agreement betwixt light and darkness And this hatred of sin works most against sin in a Man's self as in things we abhor our reluctance rises most where they are nearest us a Godly Man hates sin in others as hateful wheresoever 't is found but because 't is nearest him in himself he hates it most there They who by their nature and breading are somewhat delicate like not to see any thing uncleanly any where but least in their own House and upon their own Cloaths or skin This makes the Goldly Man indeed sly not only the Society of Evil Men but from himself goes out of his old self and till this be done a Man does not indeed sly sin but carries it still with him as an evil Companion or an evil Guide rather that misleads him still from the Paths of Life And there is much first in the true discovery and then the through disunion of the heart from that sin which is most of all a Man's self that from which he can hardliest escape that besets him most and lieth in his way on all hands hath him at every turn to disengage and get free from that to eschew that evil And the task in this is the harder if this evil be as oftentimes it may be not some gross one but more subtile that is less seen and therefore not so easily avoided but for this an impartial search must be used if it be amongst those things that seem most necessary and that cannot be wanting an Idol hid amongst the stuff yet thence must it be drawn forth and cast out The right eschewing of evil is a wary avoidance of all occasions and beginnings of it fly from sin says the Wiseman as from a Serpent not to be tampering with it and coming near it and thinking to charm it fâ—r who will not laugh at the Charmer that is bit with a Sâ—rpâ—nt as he says he that thinks he hath power and skill to handle it without danger let him observe Solomon's â—â—vice concerning the strange Woman he says not only go not into her House but remove thy way far from her and â—ome 〈◊〉 near the Door of her House So teaches he wisely for the avoiding that other sin near to it look not on â—he Wine when 't is red in the Câ—p. They that are bold and adventurous are 〈◊〉 wounded thus he that reâ—â—â—â—th 〈◊〉 shall be hurt thereby If we know our own weakness and the strength of sin we will fear to â—â—pose our selves to hazards and even abridge our selves of some things lawful when they prove dangerous for he that will do always all he lawfully may shall often do something that lawfully he may not Thus for the other
doing of good The main is to be inwardly principled for it a heart stampt with the love of God and his Commandments for conscience of his Will and Love to him and desire of his Glory to do all a good action even the best kind of actions in an evil hand and from an evil unsanctified heart passes amongst evils Delight in the Lord and his ways David's Oh! how I love thy Law can tell that he esteems it above the richest and pleasantest things on Earth but how much he esteems and loves it he cannot express And upon this will follow as in the former a constant tract and course of obedience even contrary to the stream of wickedness about a man and the bent of his own corrupt heart within him moving against all a serious desire and endeavour after all good within our calling and reach but especially that particular good of our calling that which is in our hand and is peculiarly requir'd of us For in this some deceive themselves look upon such a condition as they imagin were for them or such as is in their eye when they look upon others and think if they were such and had such place and such power and opportunities they would do great matters and in the mean time neglect that good to which they are called and have in some measure power and place to do this is the roving sickly humour of our minds and speaks their weakness as sick persons that would still change their Bâ—d or Posture or place of Abode thinking to be better but a staid mind applies it self to its own station and seeks to glorifie him that set it there reverencing his Wisdom in disposing of it so and there is certainty of a a blessed approbation of this be it never so low 't is not the high condition but much fidelity cures it thou hast been faithful in little We must care not only to answer occasions when they call but to catch at them and seek them out yea to frame occasions of doing good whether in the Lord 's immediate Service delighting in that private and publick or to Men in assisting one with our means another with our admonitions another with counsel or comfort as we can labouring not only to have something of that good that is most contrary to our Nature but even to be eminent in that setting Christian resolution and both the example and strength of our Lord against all oppositions and difficulties and discouragements Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith c. We see our rule and 't is the rule of peace and happiness what hinders but we apply our hearts to it this is our work and setting aside the advantage that follows consider the thing in it self 1. The opposition of Sin and Obedience under the Name of evil and good 2. The Composition of our rule in these Eschew and do Consider it thus evil and good and it will perswade us to eschew and do And if perswaded to it then 1. Desire light from above to discover to you what is evil and offensive to God in any kind and what pleaseth him what is his will for that is the rule and reason of good in our actions that ye may prove what is the good and holy and acceptable will of God And to discover in your selves what is most enemy and repugnant to that will 2. A renew'd mind to hate that evil the closest and most connatural to you and to love that good even that is most contrary 3. Strength and skill that by another Spirit than your own you may avoid evil and do good and resist the incursions and sollicitings of evil the slights and violences of Satan who is both a Serpent and a Lyon and Power against your own inward corruption and the fallacies of your own heart And thus you shall be able for every good work and be kept in such a measure as suits your present estate blameless in Soul and Body to the coming of Iesus Christ. Oh! but I am often entangled and plunged in Soul-evils and often frustrate in my Thoughts against these evils and aims at the good which is my task And was not this Paul's condition may you not complain in his Language and happy if with some measure of his sense happy in crying out of wretchedness was not this his malady when I would do good evil is present with me But know once that tho' thy duty is this to eschew evil and do good yet thy Salvation is surer founded than on thine own good that perfection that answers Justice and the Law is not required of thee thou art to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit but in so walking whether in a low or high measure still thy comfort lyeth in this that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus As the Apostle begins the next Chapter after his sad complaints Again consider his thoughts in the close of the same Chapter perceiving the Work of God in him and differencing that from the corrupt notions of himself and so finding at once matter of heavy complaint and yet of cheerful exultation O! wretched Man that I am and yet with the same Breath thanks to God through Christ Iesus our Lord. So then mourn with him and yet rejoyce with him and go on with courage as he still fighting the good fight of Faith when thou fallest in the mire be asham'd and humbled yet return and wash in the Fountain open'd and return and beg new strength to walk more surely learn to trust thy self less and God more and up and be doing against thine enemies how tall and mighty soever be the Sons of Anak Be of good courage and the Lord shall be with thee and shall strengthen thy heart and establish thy goings Do not lye down to rest upon lazy conclusions that 't is well enough with thee because thou art out of the common puddle of profaneness but look further to purge from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Do not think thy little is enough or that thou art desperate of attaining more but press press hard toward the mark and prize of thy high calling do not think all is lost because thou art at present foyled the experienc'd Souldier knows that he hath often won the day after a fall or a wound receiv'd and be assur'd that after the short combats of a Moment follows an Eternity of Triumph Let him seek peace and ensue it Omitting the many acceptations of the word peace here particularly external peace with Men I conceive is meant and this to be sought and not only so to be sought when'â—is willingly found but to pursue and follow it when it seems to fly away but yet so to pursue it as never to step out of the way of holiness and righteousness after it and to forsake this rule that goes before it of eschewing evil and doing
poor vanity or other instead of him Surely the Godly Man when he thinks on this is exceedingly ashamed of himself cannot tell what to think of it God his exceeding joy whom in his right thoughts he esteem's so much above the World and all things in it yet to use him thus when he is speaking to him to break off from that and hold discourse or change a word with some base thought that steps in and whispers to him or at the best not to be stedfastly minding the Lord to whom he speaks and possess'd with the regard of his presence and of his business and errand with him This is no small piece of our misery here these wandrings are evidence to us that we are not at home but yet for this tho we should be humbled and still labouring against it yet not so discourag'd as to be driven from the work Satan would desire no better than that it were to help him to his wish and sometimes a Christian may be driven to think what shall I do still thus abusing my Lords name and the priviledge he hath given me I had better leave off no not so by any means strive against the miserable evil in thee but cast not away thy happiness be doing still 'T is a froward childish humour when any thing agrees not to our mind to throw all away thou mayest come off with halting from thy wrestlings and yet obtain the Blessing for which thou wrestled 4. Those Graces which are the due qualities of the heart disposing it for prayer in the exercise of it should be excited and acted as Holiness the Love of it the Desire of increase and growth of it so the humbling and melting of the heart and chiefly Faith which is mainly set on work in prayer draw forth the sweetnesses and vertues of the Promises to desire earnestly their performance to the Soul and to believe that they shall be performed to have before our eyes his Goodness and Faithfulness who hath promised and to rest upon that and for success in Prayer exercising Faith in it it is altogether necessary to interpose the Mediator and look through him and to speak and petition by him who warns us of this that there is no other way to speed no man cometh to the Father but by me As the Jews when they prayed look'd toward the Temple were was the Mercy-Seat and the peculiar presence of God thus ought we in all our praying to look on Christ who is our Propitiatory and in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily The forgetting of this may be the cause of our many disappointments 5. Fervency not to seek coldly that presages refusal fire in the Sacrifice otherwise it ascends not no sacrifice without incense and no incense without fire Our remiss dead hearts are not likely to do much for the Church of God nor for our selves where are those strong cries that should pierce the Heavens his ear is open to their cry He hears the faintest coldest Prayer but not with that delight and propenseness to grant it his Ear is not on 't as the word here is he takes no pleasure in hearing on 't but cries heart-cries Oh! those take his Ear and move his Bowels for these are the voice the cries of his own Children A strange word of encouragement to importunity give him no rest Is. 62. 7. Suffer him not to be in quiet till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth A few such Suiters in these times were worth thousands such as we are our prayers stick in our Breast scarce come forth much less go up and ascend with that piercing force that would open up the way for deliverances to come down But in this must be some difference of temporal and spiritual things the Prayer in the right strain cannot be too fervent in any thing but the desire of the thing in temporals may be too earnest a feverish distemper'd heat which diseases the Soul therefore in these things a holy indifferency concerning the particular may and should be joyn'd with the fervency of Prayer but in spiritual things there is no danger in vehemency of desire covet these hunger and thirst be uncessantly ardent in the suit yet even in those in some particulars as for the degree and measure of Grace and some peculiar furtherances they should be presented so with earnestness as that withal it be with a reference and resignation of it to the Wisdom and Love of our Father For the other point the answer of our Prayers which is in this openness of the ear it is a thing very needful to be considered and attended to if we think that Prayer is indeed a thing that God takes notice of and hath regard to in his dealing with his Children 't is certainly a point of Duty and Wisdom in them to observe how he takes notice of it and bends his ear to it and puts to his hand to help and so answers it this both furnishes matter of praise and stirs up the heart to render it therefore in the Psalms so often the hearing of prayer observed and recorded and made a part of the Song of Praise and withal it endears both God and Prayer unto the Soul as we have both together Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications the transposition in the Original pathetical I love because the Lord hath heard my voice I am in love and particularly this causes it I have sound so much kindness in the Lord I cannot but love he hath heard my voice And then it wins his esteem and affection to Prayer seeing I find this vertue in it we shall never part again I will call upon him as long as I live seeing Prayer draweth help and favours from Heaven I shall not be to seek for a way in any want or strait that can befall me In this there is need of direction but too many Rules may as much confuse a matter as too few and do many times perplex the mind and multiply doubts as many Laws do multiply pleading Briefly then 1. Slothful minds do often neglect the answers of God even when they are most legible in the very thing it self granted that was desired It may be through a total inadvertence in this kind never thinking on things as answers of our requests or possibly a continual eager pursuit of more turns away the mind from considering what it hath upon request obtain'd still so bent upon what further we would have that we never think what is already done for us one of the ordinary Causes of ingratitude 2. But tho' it be not in the same thing that we desire yet when the Lord changes our petitions in his answers 't is always for the better regards according to that known word of St. Augustine our well more than our will We beg deliverance we are not unanswered if he give patience and support be it under
as I am of Christ. Is it thus with us are we zealous and emulous followers of that which is good exciting each other by our example to a Holy and Christian Conversation provâ—king one another so the Apostles word is to love and to good works Or are not the most mutual corrupters of each other and the Places and Societiâ—â— where they live some leading and others following in their ungodliness not regarding the course of those that are most desirous to walk holily or if at all doing it with a corrupt and evil eye not to study and follow what is good in them their way of Holiness but to espy any the least wrong step to take exact notice of any imperfection and sometimes malign'd only and by this either to reproach Religion or to hearten or harden themselves in their irreligion and ungodliness seeking warrant for their own willing licentiousness in the unwilling failings of God's Children And in their converse with such as themselves following their prophane way and flattering and blessing one another in it What need we be so precise and if I should not do as others they would laugh at me I should pass for a fool well thou wilt be a fool in the most wretched kind rather than be accounted one by such as are fools and know not at all wherein true Wisdom consists Thus the most carried with the stream of this wicked World their own inward corruption easily agreeing and suting with it every man as a drop falling into a Torrent and easily made one and running along with it into that dead Sea where it empties it self But they whom the Lord hath a purpose to sever and save he carries a contrary course even to that violent sâ—ream and these are the Students of Holiness the Followers of Good that leâ—d their endeavours thus and look on all sides diligently on what may animate and advance them on the example of the Saints in former times and on the good they espy in those that live together with them and above all studying that perfect Rule in the Scriptures and that highest and first pattern there so often set before them even the Author of that Rule the Lord himself to be holy as he is hâ—ly to be bountiful and merciful as their Heavenly Father and in all labouring to be as the Apostle exhorts Fellowers of God as dear Children As Children that are beloved of their Father and do love and reverence him will be ambitious to be like him and particularly aim at the following any Vertues or Excellency in him now thus 't is most reasonable in the Children of God their Father being the highest and best of all Excellency and Perfection But this Excellent pattern is drawn down nearer their view in the Son Iesus Christ where we have that highest Example made low and yet losing nothing of its perfection may study God in Man and read all our Lesson without any blot even in our own Nature and this truely the only way to be the best Proficients in this following and imitating of all good In him all even those blessings that men most despise God teaching them by acting them and calling us to follow Learn of me for I am â—eek and lowly in heart but this is too large a subject Would you advance in all Grace study Christ much and you shall find not only the pattern in him but strength and skill from him to follow it 2. The Advantage who is he that wâ—ll harm you The very name of it says so much a good worthy the following 〈◊〉 it self but there is this further to perswade it that besides higher benefit it oftentimes cuts off the occasions of present evils and disturbances that otherwise men are incident to Who is he Men even evil men will often be overcome by our blameless and harmless behaviour 1. In the Life of a Godly Man taken together in the whole body and frame of it there is a grave beauty or comeliness that oftentimes forces some kind of reverence and respect to it even in Ungodly minds 2. Though a Natural man cannot love them spiritually as Graces of the Spirit of God for so only the partakers of them are Lovers of them yet he may have and usually hath a natural liking and esteem of some kind of vertues which are in a Christian and are not in their right nature in any other to be found tho a Moralist may have somewhat like them Meekness and Patience and Charity and Fidelity c. 3. These and other such-like Graces do make a Christian life so inoffensive and calm that except where the matter of their God or Religion is made the Crime malice it self can scarce tell where to â—asten its Teeth or lay hold hath nothing to pull by though it would yea oftentimes for want of work or occasions 't will fall a sleep for a while whereas Ungodliness and Iniquity sometimes by breaking out into notorious Crimes draws out the Sword of Civil Justice and where it rises not so high yet it involves Men into frequent contentions and quarrels Prov. 23. 29. how often are the lusts and pride and covetousness of men paid with dangers and troubles and vexations that besides what is abiding do even in present spring out of them now these the Godly pass free of by their just and mild and humble carriage whence so many jars and strifs amongst the greatest part but from their unchristian Hearts and Lives from their lusts that war in their members their self-self-love and unmortified Passions he will bate nothing of his Will nor the other of his Thus where Pride and Passion meets on both sides it cannot be but a fire will be kindled when hard Flints strike together the sparkles will fly about but a soft mild spirit is a great preserver of its own peace kills the power of contest as Wooll packs or such like soft matter most deaâ— the force of Bullets A soft answer turns away wrath says Solomon beats it off breaks the bone as he says the very strength of it as the bones are in the body And thus we find it they that think themselves high-spirited and will beâ—r least as they speak are often even by that forcâ—d to low most or to burst under 't while Humility and Meekness escape many a burden and many a blow always keeps peace within and often without too Obs. 1. If this were duely considered might it not do somewhat to induce your minds to love the way of Religion for that it would so much abate the turbulency and unquietness that abounds in the lives of men a great part whereof the most do procure by the earthliness and distemper of their own carnal minds and the disorder in their ways that arises thence 2. You whose hearts are set towards God and your Feet entred into his ways I hope you find no reason for a change but many to commend and endear that way to you every day more
to say with him in the Gospel Soul take thine ease thou hast much Goods laid up for many years c. though warn'd by his short ease there and by many watch words yea by daily experience that days may come yea one day will where fear and trouble shall rush in and break over the highest Tower of Riches that there is a day call'd the Day of Wrath wherein they profit not at all thus Men seek Safety in Greatness or Multitude or supposed Faithfulness of Friends seek by any means to be strongly underset this way to have many and powerful and confident Friends But wiser mâ—n perceiving the unsafety and vanity of these and all external things have cast about for some higher Course they see a necessity of retiring a Man from externals that do nothing but mock and deceive most those that trust most to them but they cannot well tell whither to direct him the best of them bring him into himself and think to quiet him so but the Truth is he finds as little there nothing truly strong enough within him to hold out against the many sorrows and â—ears that still from without do assault him so then though 't is well done to call off a a Man from outward things as moving Sands that he build not on them yet 't is not enough done for his own spirit is as unsettled a piece as is in all the World and must have some higher strength than its own to fortifie and fix it This is the way that is here taught fear not c. but sanctifie the Lord c. and if you can attain this latter the former will follow of it self 1. Generally God taking the place formerly possess'd by things full of motion and unquietness solids and establishes the Heart 2. Particularly Consider 1. Fear of him 2. Faith in him His Fear turns other fears out of doors no room for them where this great Fear is and being greater than they all yet disturbs not as they do yea brings as great quiet as they brought trouble 't is an ease to have but one thing for the heart to deal withal for many times the multitude of carnal fears is more troublesome than their weight as flies that vex most by their number Again This fear is not a terrible apprehension of God as an Enemy but a sweet composed reverence of God as our King yea as our Father very great but no less good than great so highly esteeming of his favour as fearing most of all things to offend him in any kind especially if the Soul have been formerly either under the lash of his apprehended displeasure or on the other side have had some sensible tastes of his love and hath been entertained in his Banqueting-House where his Banner over it was Love Faith carries the Soul above all doubts that if sufferings or sickness or death come nothing can separate it from him this suffices yea what though he may hide his face for a time the hardest of all yet no separation His Children fear him for his Goodness are afraid to lose sight of that or prejudge themselves of any of its influences desire to live in his favour and then for other things they are not much thoughtful 2. Faith sets the Soul in God and if there be not safety where is it rests on those perswasions it hath concerning him and that interest it hath in him Believes that he sits and rules the Affairs of the World with an all-seeing Eye and all-moving Hand the greatest Affairs surcharge him not and the very smallost escape him not orders the march of all Armies and the events of Battels and yet thou and thy particular condition slips not out of his view the very hairs of thy head are numbred are not all thy steps and the hazards of them known to him and all thy desires before him doth he not number thy wandrings every weary step thou art driven to and put thy tears in his Bottle thou mayest assure thy self that however thy matters seem to go all is contriv'd to subserve thy Good chiefly thy chief and highest Good there is a regular Motion in them though the Wheels do look to run cross all those things are against me said old Iacob and yet they were all for him In all estates I know no hearts ease but to believe to sanctifie and honour thy God in resting on his Word if thou art perswaded of his Love sure that will carry above all distrusting fears if thou art not clear in that point yet depend and resolve to stay by him yea to stay on him till he shew himself unto thee thou hast some fear of him thou canst not deny it without gross injury to him and thy self wouldst willingly walk in all well-pleasing unto him well then who is among you that feareth the Lord though he see no present light yet let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Press this upon thy Soul for there is not another charm for all its fears and unquiet therefore repeat it still with David sing this still till it be stilled chide thy distrustful heart into believing why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him though I 'm all out of tune for the present never a right string in my Soul yet he will put to his hand and redress all and I shall yet once again praise and therefore even now I will hope 'T is true God is a safe shelter and refuge but he is holy and holy Men may find admittance and protection but can so vile a sinner as I look to be protected and taken in under his safe guard Go try knock at his Door and take it not on our word but on his own it shall be opened to thee and once thou shall have a happy life on 't in the worst times Faith hath this priviledge never to be asham'd it takes Sanctuary in God and sits and sings under the shadow of his wings as David speaks Ps. 63. Whence the unsettledness of minds in trouble when 't is near but because they are far off from God the heart shak't as the leaves of the Tree with the wind no stability of Spirit God not sanctified in it and no wonder for not known Strange the ignorance of God and the precious Promises of his word the most living and dying strangers to him when trouble comes have not him a known refuge but are to begin to seek after him and to enquire the way to him cannot go to him as acquainted and ingaged by his own covenant with them others have empty knowledge and can discourse of Scripture and Sermons and Spiritual Comforts and yet have none of that fear and trust that quiets the Soul notions of God in their heads but God not sanctified in their hearts If you will be advised this is the way to have a high and strong spirit indeed
Christ in whom all our rights and evidences hold good his death assuring us of freedom from condemnation and his life and possession of glory the foundation of our hope Heb. 6. 19. If you would have it immoveable rest it there lay all this hope on him and when assaulted feteâ— all your answers for it from him for 't is Christ in you that is your hope of glory Coloss. 1. 27. Verse 16. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ. THE prosperity of fools is their destruction says Solomon none of God's Children die of this disease of too much ease he knows well how to breed them and fit them for a Kingdome he keeps them in exercise but yet so as they are not surcharg'd he not only directs them how to overcome but enables and supports them in all their conflicts and gives them victory One main thing tending to their enablement and victory is this which is here requir'd in the Saints and is withal wrought and maintained in them by the Spirit of God Having a good Conscience c. 1. Two parties here opposed in contest the evil Tongues of the ungodly and the good Conscience and Conversation of the Christian they speak evil of you and falsly accuse you but have you a good Conscience 2dly The success of their contest the good Conscience prevails and the evil-speakers are ashamed They speak evil This is a general evil in the corrupt nature of Man though in some it rises to a greater height than in others Are not Tables and Chambers and almost all Societies and meetings full of it and even they that have some dislikings of it yet readily carried with the stream and for company's sake take a share if not in sending in their word yet lending their ear and willingly hearing the detractions of others and unless it be of their friends or such as they have interest in do insensibly slide into some forc'd complacency and easily receive the impression of calumnies and defamings But the most are more active in this evil can cast in their penny to make up the shot have their taunt or criticisme upon some body in readiness to make up the feast such as most companies entertain one another withal but 't is a vile diet Satan's name as the Syriack calls him an eater of calumnies This tongue-evil hath its root in the heart a perverse constitution there pride and self-self-love an overweening esteem that Men naturally have of themselves mounts them into that Chair gives them a fancied authority of judging others and self-love a desire to be esteem'd and for that end spare not to depress others and load them with disgraces and missensures upon their ruins to raise themselves But this bent of the heart and tongue unrenew'd to evil speaking works and vents most in the World against those that walk most contrary to the course of the World This Furnace of the tongne is kindled from hell as St. Iames tells us and is made seven times hotter than ordinary As for sincere Christians a Company of hypocrites say they who so godly but yet they are false and malicious and proud c. And no kind of carriage in them shall escape there shall be some device to wrest and misname it if they be cheerful in Society that shall be accounted more liberty than suits with their profession if of a graver sad temper that shall pass for sullen severity thus Iohn Baptist and Christ Matth. 11. If they be diligent and wary in their affairs then in the World's construction they are as covetous and worldly as any if careless and remiss in them then silly wiâ—less bodies good for nothing still somthing stands cross The Enemies of Religion have not any where so quick an Eye as in observing the ways of such as seek after God my remarkers David calls them they that scan my ways as the word is will not let piss the least step unexamined If nothing be found faulty then their invention works either forges compleat falshoods or disguises somthing that lyes open to mistake or if they can catch hold on any real failing no end of their triumph and insultations 1. They aggravate and raise it to the highest 2. While they will not admit to be judged of themselves by their constant walk they scruple not to judge of the condition of a Christian by any one particular action wherein he doth or seems at least to miscarry 3. They rest not there but make one failing of one Christian the reproach of all take up your Devoto's there 's never a one of them the better 4. Nor rest they there but make personal failings of those that profess it the disgrace of Religion it self Now all these are very crooked Rules and gross injustice 1. There is a great difference betwixt a thing taken favourably and the same action misconstrued 2. A great difference betwixt one particular act and a mans estate or inward frame which they either consider not or willingly or maliciously neglect 3. How large is the difference that there is betwixt one and another in the measure of Grace and of their prudence either in their Naturals or in Grace or possibly in both that some who are honest in matter of Religion yet being very weak may miscarry in such things as other Christians come seldome near the hazard of and though some should wholly forsake the way of Godliness wherein they seem'd to walk yet why should that reflect upon such as are real and steadfast in it they were amongst us sayes the Apostle but were not of us Offences of this kind must be but the woe rests on him by whom they come not on other Christians and if it spread further than the party offending 't is to the prophane World that take offence at Religion because of him as our Saviour hath express'd it Woe to the World because of offences they shall stumble and fall and break their necks upon these stumbling blocks or scandals Thou that art prophane and seest the failing of a Minister or Christian and art hardened by it this is a Judgment to thee that thou meetest with such a block in thy Way Woe to the World Its judgement on a place where God makes Religion in the Persons of some to be scandalous 4. Religion it self remains still it self whatsoever be the failings and blots of one or more that profess it it is pure and spotless if it teach not Holiness and Meekness and Humility and all good purely then except against it but if it be a streight golden Reâ—d by which the Temple is measured then let it have its own esteem both of streightness and preciousness whatsoever unevenness be found in those that profess to receive it Suspect and search your sâ—lves even in general for this evil of evil-speaking Consider that we are to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an account of words and if for idle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worklets words how much more of lying or biting words Learn more humility and self-censure blunt that fire-edge upon your own hardand disordered hearts that others may meet with nothing but charity and lenity at your hands But particularly beware this in more or less earnest or in jest to reproach Religion or those that profess it know how particularly the glorious name of God is interess'd in that and they that dare to be assronting him what shall they say how shall they stand when he calls them to account If you have not attained to it yet do not bark against it but the rather esteem highly of Religion love it and the very appearance of it where you fâ—â—d it give it respect and your good word at least and from an external approbation Oh! that you would aspire to inward acquaintance with it and then no more were needful to be said in this it would commend it self to you sufficiently but in the mean time be ashamed be 〈◊〉 of that prosess'd enmâ—y against God that is amongst you a malignant hateful Spirit against those that desire to walk holily whetting your Tongues against them 1. Consider What do you mean this Religion we all profess is it the way to Heaven or is it not do you believe this word or no If you do not what do you here If you do then you must believe too that they that walk closest by this Rule are surest in that way they that dare not share with your Oaths and excessive Cups and prophane Conversation what can you say it is not possible to open your mouth against them without renouncing this Word and Faith Therefore either declare you are no Christians and Christ not yours or in his name I enjoyn you that you dare no more speak an ill word of Christianity and the power of Religion and those that seek after it There be not many higher signs of a reprobate Mind than to have a bitter virulent Spirit against the Children of God Seek that tie of affection and fraternity for hereby we know says the beloved Apostle St. Iohn that we are translated from death to life because we love the Brethren But because those hissings are the natural Voice of the Serpents Seed expect them you that have a mind to follow Christ and take this guard against them that is here directed you having a good Conscience 'T is a fruitless verbal debate whether Conscience be a Faculty or Habit or not and as in other things so in this that most of all reqaires more solid and useful Consideration the vain mind of man feedeth on the wind loves to be busie to no purpose How much better is it to have this supernatural goodness of Conscience than to dispute about the Nature of it to find it duely teaching and admonishing reproving and comforting rather than to define it most exactly When all is examin'd 't will be found to be no other but the mind of man under the Notion of a particular Reference to himself and his own Actions And there is a twofold goodness of the Conscience Purity and Tranquillity and this flows from the other so that the former is the thing we ought primely to study and the latter will follow of it self for a time indeed the Conscience that is in a good measure pure may be unpeaceable but still it is the apprehension and sense of present or former impurity that makes it so for without the consideration of guiltiness there is nothing that can trouble it it cannot apprehend the wrath of God but with relation unto sin The Goodness of Conscience here recommended is the integrity and holiness of the whole inward Man in a Christian so the Ingredients of it are 1. A due Light or Knowledge of our Rule that as the Lamps in the Temple must be still burning within as filthiness is always the companion of darkness therefore if you would have a good Conscience you must by all means have so much Light so much Knowledge of the Will of God as may regulate you and shew you your way teach you how to do and speak and think as in his presence 2. A constant regard and using of this Light applying it to all not sleeping but working by it still seeking a nearer conformity with the known will of our God daily redressing and ordering the affections by it not sparing to knock off whatsoever we find irregular within that our hearts may be polish'd and brought to a right Frame by that Ruiâ— and this is the daily inward Work of the Christian his great business to purifie himself as his Lord is pure And 3. For the advancing of this work is needful a frequent search of our Hearts and of our Actions not only to consider what we are to do but what we have done these reflex inquiries as they are a main part of the Conscience's proper work they are a chief means of making and keeping the Conscience good 1 Acquainting the Soul with its own estate with the motions and inclinations that are most natural to it 2. Stirring it up to work out and purge away by repentance the pollution it hâ—th contracted by any outward act or inward motion of sin 3. This search both excites and enables the conscience to be more watchful teaches how to avoid and prevent the like errors for the time to come as natural wise Men labour to gain thus out of their former oversight in their affairs to be the wiser and warier by them and lay up that as bought wit that they have payed dear for and therefore are careful to make their best advantage on 't God makes the consideration of their falls preservatives to his Children from falling makes a medicine of this poyson Thus that the Conscience may be good it must be enlighten'd and it must be watchful both advising before and after censuring according to that light The most little regard this they walk by guess either ignorant Consciences and the blind you say swallow many a fly yea how many Consciences without sense as feared with an hot Iron stupified that feel nothing others satisfied with a civil righteousness an imagin'd goodness of conscience because they are free from gross crimes others that know the rule of Christianity yet study not a conscientiou respect to it in all things some transient looks upon the rule and their own hearts it may be but sit not down make it not their business have time for any thing but that share not with St. Paul do not exercise themselves in this to have a conscience void of offence towards God and Men. Those were his asceticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he breath'd himself in striving against what might defile the Conscience or as the word signifies elaborately wrought and dress'd his conscience Think you that other things cannot be done without diligence and
he still asks what you mean by this those things answer not me do ye think I can find Comâ—â—â—â— in them so long as my sin is unpardon'd and there is a 〈◊〉 of Eternal Death standing above my head I feel even an impress of somewhat of that hot Indignation some flashes of it flying and lighting upon the face of my Soul and how can I take pleasure in these things you speak of And though I should be sensless and feel nothing of this all my life yet how soon shall I have done with it and the delights that reach no further and then to have Everlasting burnings Eternity of wrath to enter to how can I be satisfyed with that estate All you offer a Man in this posture is as if ye should set dainty fair and bring musick with it to a Man lying almost pressed to death under great weights and ye bid him eat and be merry but lift not off his pressure you do but mock the Man and add to his misery On the other side he that hath got but a view of his Christ and reads his own pardon in Christs sufferings he can rejoyce in this in the midst of all other sufferings and look on death without apprehension yea with gladness the sting is out Christ hath made all pleasant to him by this one thing that he suffered once for sins Christ hath perfum'd the Cross and the Grave and made all sweet The pardoned Man finds himself light skips and leaps and through Christ strengthning him he can encounter with any trouble If you think to shut in his Spirit within outward sufferings it is now as Sampson in his strength able to carry away the Gates on his back that you would shut one withal yea can submit patiently to the Lords hands in any correction Thou hast forgiven my sin therefore deal with me as thou wilt all is well 1. Learn to consider more deeply and esteem more highly of Christ and his suffering to silence our grumbling at our petty light crosses for so they are in comparison of his will not the great odds of his perfect Innoâ—ency and oâ— his nature and measure of his sufferings will not the sense of that Redemption of our Souls from death by his death will none of these nor all of them argue us into more thankfulness and love to him and patience in our tryals Why will we then be called Christians it is impossible to be fretful and malecontent with the Lord 's dealing with us in any kind till first we have forgot how he dealt with his dearest Son for our sakes But these things are not weigh'd by the most we hear and speak of them but our hearts receive not the impressions of them therefore we repine against our Lord and Father and drown a hundred great blessings in any little touch of trouble that befalls us 2. Seek surer interest in Christ and his suffering than the most either have attained or are aspiring to otherwise all that is here suffered will not ease or comfort thee any thing in any kind of suffering no though thou suffer for a good cause even for his cause still this will be an extraneous foraign thing to thee to tell thee of his sufferings will work no otherwise with thee than some other common story And as in the day of peace thou regardest it no more so in the day of thy trouble thou shalt receive no more comfort from it Other things you esteemed shall have no comfort to speak to you though you persue them with words as Solomon says of the poor Man's friends yet they shall be wanting to you And then you would sure find how happy it were to have this to turn you to that the Lord Jesus suffered for sins and for yours and therefore hath made it a light and comfortable business to you to undergo momentary passing sufferings Days of tryal will come do you not see they are on us already Be perswaded to turn your eyes and desires more towards Christ. This is the thing we would still press the support and happiness of your Souls lyes on it But you will not believe it Oh! that ye knew the comforts and sweetness of Christ. Oh that one would speak that knew more of them were you once but entered into this knowledge of him and the virtue of his sufferings you would account all your days but lost wherein you have not known him and in all times your hearts would find no refreshment like to the remembrance of his love Having somewhat considered these sufferings as the Apostles Argument for his present purpose Now to take nearer notice of the particulars by which he illustrates them as the main point of our Faith and Comfort Of them here two things 1. Their Cause 2. Their Kind Their Cause both their meriting cause and their final cause 1. What in us procured these sufferings unto Christ. 2. What those his suffering procured unto us Our guiltiness brought suffering upon him and his suffering brings us unto God 1. The evil of sin hath the evil of punishment inseparably ty'd to it We have a natural obligation of obedience unto God and he justly urges it so that where the command of his Law is broke the Curse of it presently followeth And though it was simply in the Power of the supream Lawgiver to have dispensed the infliction yet having in his Wisdom purposed to be known a just God in that way following forth the tenor of his Law of necessity there must be a suffering for sin Thus the Angels that kept not their Station falling from it fell into a Dungeon where they are under chains of darkness reserved to the Iudgement of the Great day and Man fell under the sentence of Death But in this is the difference betwixt Man and them they were not of one as parent or common root of the rest but each one fell or stood for himself alone so a part of them only perisht but Man fell altogether so that not one of all the Race could escape condemnation unless some other way of satisfaction be found out And here it is Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust Father says he I have glorified thee on Earth In this Plot indeed do all the Divine Attributes shine in their full infinite Mercy and immense Justice and Power and Wisdom Looking on Christ as ordained for that purpose I have found a Ransom says the Father one fit to redeem Man a Kinsman one of that very same Stock the Son of Man one able to redeem Man by satisfying me and fullfilling all I lay upon him my Son my only begotten Son in whom my Soul delights And he is willing undertakes all says loe I come c. We are agreed upon the way of this Redemption yea upon the Persons to be redeemed it is not a roving blind Bargain a price paid for we know not to whom Hear his own words Thou hast given the Son
guilt of sin setting his strong shoulder to remove that Mountain he made way or access for Man unto God This the Apostle hath excellently Eph. 2. He hath reconciled us by his cross having slain the enmity he kill'd the quarrel betwixt God and us killed it by his death brings the Parties together and hath laid a sure Foundation of Agreement in his own Sufferings appeases his Fathers wrath by them and by the same appeases the Sinners Conscience All that God hath to say in point of Justice is answered there all that the poor humbled sinner hath to say is answered too Offered up such an Attonement as satisfies the Father so he is content that sinners come in and be reconciled and then Christ gives notice of this to the Soul to remove all Jealousies it is full of fear though it would dare not approach unto God apprehending him a consuming Fire They that have done the offence are usually the hardest to reconcile because they are still in doubt of their pardon but Christ assures of a full and hearty forgiveness quenching the flame and wrath of God by his blood No says Christ upon my Warrant come in you will now find my Father otherwise than you imagin he hath declared himself satisfied at my hands and is willing to receive you to be heartily and throughly Friends never to hear a word more of the quarrel that was betwixt you a full Oblivion And if the Soul bear back still through distrust he takes it by the hand and draws it forward leads it into his Father as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports presents it to him and leaves not the matter till it be made a full and sure agreement But for this purpose that the Soul may be able and willing to come unto God the sufferings of Christ take away that other Impediment as they satisfie the sentence and so remove the guiltiness of sin so he hath by them purchased a deliverance from the tyrannous power of sin that detains the Soul from God after all the way made for it And he hath a power of applying his Sufferings to the Souls deliverance in that kind too he opens the Prison Doors to them that are led Captive and because the great chain is upon the heart willingly enthralled in sin he by his Sovereign power takes off that frees the heart from the love of sin shews what a base slavish condition it is in by representing in his effectual way the goodness of God his readiness to entertain a returning sinner the sweetness and happiness of Communion with him powerfully perswades the heart to shake off all and without further delay to return unto God as to be received into favour and friendship so to walk in the way of friendship with God to give up it self to his Obedience to disdain the vile service of sin and live sutable to the dignity of fellowship and Union with God And there is no other but the power of Christ alone that is able to effect this to perswade a sinner to return to bring home a heart unto God Common mercies of God though they have a leading faculty to repentance Rom. 2. yet the rebellious heart will not be led by them The Jâ—dgements of God publick or personal though they should drive us to God yet the heart unchanged runs the farther from God do we not see it by our selves and other sinners about us look not at all towards him that smiles much less return or if any sadder thoughts arise that way upon the surprize of an affliction how soon vanish they whether the stroke abateing or the heart by time growing hard and sensless under it Indeed where it is renewed and brought in by Christ thâ—n all other things have a sanctified influence according to their quality to stir up a Christian to seek after nearer Communion closer walk and more access to God But leave Christ out I say all other means work not this way neither the works nor word of God sounded daily in his ear return return Let the noise of the rod speak it too and both joyn together to make the cry the louder yet the wicked will do wickedly will not hearken to the voice of God will not see the hand of God lifted up will not be perswaded to go in and seek peace and reconcilement with God though declaring himself provoked to punish and to behave himself as an enemy against his own people How many are there that in their own particular have been very sharply lasht with divers scourges on their bodies or families and yet are never a whit the nearer God for it all hearts as proud and earthly and vain as ever and lay on as much and they will still be the same Only a Divine Vertue going forth from Christ lifted up draws Men unto him and being come to him he brings them unto the Father Obs. 1. You that still are Strangers to God who declare your selves to be so live as Strangers far off from him do not still continue to abuse your selves so grosly Can you think there is any consolation yours that is in the sufferings of Christ while it is so evident they have not gained their end upon you have not brought you to God Truly most of you seem to think that our Lord Jesus suffered rather to the end we might neglect God and disobey him securely than to reduce us to him Hath he purchas'd you a liberty to sin or is not deliverance from sin which alone is true liberty the thing he aimed at and agreed â—or and laid down his life for 2. Why let we still his blood run in vain as to us He hath by it opened up our way to God and yet we refuse to make use of it Oh! how few come in They that are brought unto God and received into friendship with him they entertain that friendship they delight in his company love to be much with him is it so with us 2. By being so they become like him know his will daily better and grow more sutable to it in the most nothing of this 3. But even they that are brought unto God may be faulty in this in part not applying so sweet a Priviledge can comply and be too friendly with the vain World can pass many days without a lively Communion with God not aspiring to the increase of that as the thing our Lord hath purchas'd for us and that wherein all our happiness and welfare lyes here and hereafter your hearts cleaving to folly and not delighting your selves in the Lord not refresht with this nearness to him and Union with him your thoughts not often on it and your study to walk conform to it Certainly it ought to be this and you would be perswaded to endeavour it may be thus with you 4. Remember this for your Comfort that you as are brought unto God by Jesus Christ you are kept in that Union by him it s a firmer knot than
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
Arrows to some few of his own to call them home The full and clear distinction of the godly and wicked being reserved for their after Estate in Eternity it needs not seem strange that in many things it appear not here one thing above all others most grievous to the Child of God may take away the wonder of other things they suffer in common that is the remainders of sin in them while they are in the flesh though there is a Spirit in them above it and contrary to it which makes the difference yet sometimes the too much likeness especially in the prevailings of corruption doth confuse the matter not only to others eyes but their own 4. Though the great distinction and severing be reserved to that great and solemn day that shall clear all yet the Lord is pleased in part more remarkably at sometimes to difference his own from the ungodly in the execution of temporal Judgments and to give these as preludes of that final and full Judgment And this of Noah was one of the most eminent in that kind being the most general Judgment that ever befel the World or that shall till the last and so the liveliest figure of it it was by water as the second shall be by fire it was most congruous that it should resemble in this as the chief point saving of righteous Noah and his Family from it prefiguring the eternal Salvation of Believers as our Apostle teacheth Wherein few that is eight persons were saved by water This great point of the fewness of those that are saved in the other greater Salvation as in this I shall not now prosecute only 1. If so few then the inquiry into our selves whither we be of these few would be more diligent and followed more home than it is yet with the most of us we are wary in our trifles and only in this easily deceived yea our own deceivers in this great point Is not this folly far beyond what you usually say of some penny wise and pound fool to be wise for a moment and fools for eternity 2. You that are indeed seeking the way of life be not discouraged by your fewness it hath always been so you see here how few of the whole World and is it not better to be of the few in the Ark than of the multitude in the waters let them fret as ordinarily they do to see so few more diligent for Heaven as no doubt they did of Noah and this is it that galls them that any should have higher names and surer hopes this way what are none but such as you going to Heaven think you us all damned what can we say but there is a flood of wrath wasting many so and certainly all that are out of the Ark shall perish in it 3. This is that main truth that I would leave with you look on Jesus Christ as the Ark of whom this was a figure and believe it out of him there is nothing but certain destruction a deluge of wrath all the World over out of Christ. Oh! it is our life our only safety to be in him But these things are not believed Men think they believe them and do not Were it believed that we are under the Sentence of eternal death in our natural estate and no escape but by removing out of our selves unto Christ Oh! what thronging would there be to him whereas now he invites and calls and how few are perswaded to come to him Noah believes the Lord's word of Judgment against the World believed his Promise made to him and prepared an Ark is it not a high sign of unbelief that there being an Ark of everlasting Salvation ready prepared to our hand we will not so much as come to it Will you be perswaded certainly that the Ark Door stands open his offers are free do but come and try if he will turn you away no he will not him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out And as there is such acceptance and sure preservation in him there is as sure perishing without him trust on what you will be you of a Giants stature as many were of them to help you to climb up as they would sure do when the Flood came on to the highest Mountains and tallest Trees yet it shall overtake you make your best of your worldly advantages or good parts or civil righteousness all shall prove poor shifts from the flood of wrath which rises above all those and drowns them only the Ark of our Salvation is safe think how gladly they would have been within the Ark when they found Death without it and now it was too late how would many that now despise Christ wish to honour him one Day Men so long as they thought to be safe on the Earth would never betake them to the Ark would think it a Prison and could Men find Salvation any where else they would never come to Christ for it this is because they know not But yet be it necessity let that drive thee in and then being in him thou shalt find reason to love him for himself besides the Salvation thou hast in him 2. You that have fled into him for refuge wrong him not so far as to question your safety what though the floods of thy former guiltiness rise high thine Ark shall still be above them and the higher they rise the higher he shall rise shall have the more glory in free justifying and saving thee though thou find the remaining power of sin still within thee yet it shall not sink thine Ark there was in this Ark sin yet they were saved from the flood if thou doest believe that puts thee in Christ and he will bring thee safe through without splitting or sinking 3. As thou art bound to account thy self safe in him so to admire that love that set thee there Noah was a holy Man but whence was both his holiness and preservation while the World perisht but because he found favour or free grace as the word is in the eyes of the Lord. And no doubt he did much contemplate this being secure within when the cries of the rest drowning were about him thus think thou seeing so few saved in this blessed Ark wherein I am in comparison of the multitudes that perish in the deluge whence is this why I chosen and so many about me left why but because it pleased him But all is streight here we have no hearts nor no time for ample thoughts of this love till we be beyond time then shall we admire and praise without ceasing and without wearying Verse 21. 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. AS the Example the Apostle here makes use of is great and remarkable so its fit and sutable for the instruction of Christians this he clears in
save as the Apostle here avers of Baptism Now that which is intended for our help our carnal minds are ready to turn into a hinderance and disadvantage The Lord representing invisible things to the eye and confirming his Promises even by visible seals we are apt by the grossness of our unspiritual hearts instead of steping up by that which is earthly to the Divine Spiritual things represented to stay on the outward Element and go no further therefore the Apostle to lead us into the inside of this Seal of Baptism is very clear in designing the effect and fruit of it Not says he putting away the silth of the flesh and water if you look no further can do no more There is an invisible impurity upon our Nature chiefly on our invisible Part our Soul this washing means the taking away of thatâ— and where it reaches its true effect it doth so purifie the Conscience and makes it good truly so in the sight of God who is the â—udge of it Consi 1. â—s a pitiful thing to see the Ignorance of the most professing Christianity and partaking of the outward Seals of it and yet knowing not what they mean know not the spiritual dignity and vertue of them blind in the Mysteries of the Kingdom and not so much as sensible of that blindness And being ignorant of the Nature of these holy things cannot have a due esteem of them which arises out of the view of their inward worth and efficacy A confused fancy of some good in them and this rising to the other extream to a superstitious confidence in the simple performance and participance of them as if that carried some inseparable Vertue with it which none could miss of that are sprinkled with the Waters of Baptism and share in the Elements of Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper And what is the utmost Plea of the most for their Title to Heaven but in these relative and external things they are Christians are Baptized hear the Word and are admitted to the Lord's Table not considering how many through all these have gone and daily are going on in the ways of death never coming near Jesus Christ who is the Way and Truth and the Life whom the Word and the Seals of it hold forth to Believers and they are washt in his Blood and quickened with his Life and made like him and Coheirs of Glory with him 2. Even thâ—y that have some clearer Notion of the Nature and 〈◊〉 of the Seals of Grace yet are in a practiâ—â— Error that they look not with due diligence into themselves enquiring after the efficiency of them in their hearts do not study the Life of Christ to know more what it is and then to search into themselves for the Truth and the growth of that Life within them Is it not an unbelieving thing for a Christian when he is about to appear before the Lord's Table and so looks something more narrowly within to find as little Faith as little Divine Affection a Heart as unmortified to the World as cold towards Christ as before his last Address to the same Table after the intervening possibly of many Months in which time had he been careful often to reflect inwards on his Heart and look back upon that new sealing in his last Participation he might likely have been more suitable And truly as there is much guiltiness cleaves to us in this so readily much more in reference to this other Sacrament that is here the Apostles Subject Baptism because but once administred and that in Infancy very seldom and slightly considered by many even real Christians And so we are at a loss in that Profit and Comfort that increase of both Holiness and Faith that the frequent recollecting of it after a Spiritual manner would no doubt advance us to And not only neglect to put our selves upon the thoughts of it in private but in the frequent opportunities of such thoughts in publick let it pass unregarded are idle inconsiderate and so truly guilty beholders and the more frequent we have them are the less toucht with them they become common and work not and the â—lighting of them grows so common with us as the thing Yea when the Engagement is more special and personal when Parents are to present their Infants to this Ordinance and then might and certainly ought to have a more particular and fixed eye upon it and themselves as being sealed with it to ask within after the Fruit and Power of it and to stir up themselves anew to the Actings of Faith and Ambition after newness of Life and with earnest prayer for their Children to be Suâ—ters for themselves for further evidence of their interest in Christ yet possibly many are not much in these things at such times but are more busied to prepare their House for entertaining their Friends than to prepare their hearts for offering up their Infant unto God to be sealed and withal to make a new offer of their own hearts to him to have renewed on them the inward Seal of the Covenant of Grace the outward Seal whereof they did receive as it is now to be conferr'd upon their Infant Did we often look upon the Face of our Souls the seeing of the many spots we have defil'd them with after our washing it might work us to shame and grief and would drive us by renewed Application to wash often in that blood which that water figures which alone can â—etch out the stain of sin and then it would set us upon renewed Purposes of Purity to walk more carefully to avoid the pollutions of the World we walk in and to purge out the pollutions of the Hearts that we carry about with us that deâ—ile us more than all the World besides It would work an holy disdain oâ— sin often to contemplate our selves as washed in so precious a â—aver shall I would the Christian say considering that I am now cleansed in the precious blood of my Lord Jesus run again into that puddle where he so graciously took me out and made me clean Let the Swine wallow in it he hath made me of his Sheâ—pâ—old he hath made me of that excellent order for which all are consecrated by that washing that partake of it washt us in his Blood and made us Kings and Pâ—â—ests unto God the Father Am I of these and shall I debase my self to the 〈◊〉 pleasures of sin No I will think my self too good to serve any sinful lust seeing he hath lookt on me and taken me up and washt and dignified me I am wholly his all my study and business shall be to honour and magnifie him The Answer of a Good Conscience c. The taking away of Spiritual 〈◊〉 as the true and saving effect of Baptism the Apostle here expresses by that which is the further result and effect of it The answer of a good Conscience unto God For its the washing of that filthiness which makes both the Conscience
that was posed lovest thou me Lord I appeal to thine own eye who seest my heart Lord thou knowest that I love thee at least I desire to love thee and to desire thee and that is love Willingly would I do thee more sutable service and honour thy name more and do desire more Grace for this that thou maist have more Glory and intreat the light of thy Countenance for this end that by seeing it my heart may be more weaned from the World and knit unto thy self thus it answers touching its inward frame and the work of holiness by the Spirit of holiness dwelling in it But to answer Justice touching the point of guilt it flies to the blood fetches all its answer thence turns over the matter upon it and answers for it for it doth speak and speaks better things than the blood of Abel speaks full payment of all that can be exacted from the sinner and that 's a sufficient answer The Conscience is then in this point once made speechless driven to a nonplus in it self hath from it self no answer to make then turns about to Christ and finds what to say Lord there is indeed in me nothing but guiltiness I have deserved death but I have fled into the City of refuge thou hast appointed there I resolve to abide to live and die there if Justice pursue me it shall send me there I take sanctuary in Jesus my arrest laid upon me will light upon him and he hath wherewithal to answer it He can straightway declare he hath pay'd all and can make it good hath the acquittance to shew yea his own liberty is a real sign of it he was in Prison and is let free which tells all is satisfied Therefore the answer here rises out of the resurrection of Iesus Christ. And in this very thing lies our peace and way and all our happiness Oh! its worth your time and pains to try your interest in this it is the only thing worthy your highest diligence But the most are out of their wits running like a number of distracted Persons and still in a deal of business but to what end they know not You are unwilling to be deceived in those things that at their best and surest do but deceive you when all is done But content to be deceived in that your great concernment You are your own deceivers in it gladly gull'd with shadows of faith and repentance false touches of sorrow and and false of Joy and are not careful to have your Souls really unbottom'd from themselves and built upon Christ to have him your treasure your righteousness your all and to have him your answer unto God your Father But if you will yet be advised let go all to lay hold on him lay your Souls on him and leave him not he is a tried Foundation Stone and he that trusts on him shall not be confounded Verse 22. 22. Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject to him THIS is added on purpose to shew us further what he is how high and glorious a Saviour we have Here four points or steps of the Exaltment of Christ. 1. Resurrection from the Dead 2. Ascension into Heaven 3. Sitting at the right Hand of God 4. In that Posture his Royal Authority over the Angels The particulars clear in themselves Of the sitting at the right Hand of God you are not ignorant that it is a borrowed Expression drawn from Earth to Heaven to bring down some Notion of Heaven to us to signifie to us in our Language suitably to our Customs the Supream Dignity of Jesus Christ God and Man the Mediator of the New Covenant his matchless nearness unto his Father and the Sovereignty given him over Heaven and Earth And that of the subjection of Angels is but a more particular specifying of that his Dignity and Power as enthron'd at the Father's right Hand they being the most elevated and glorious Creatures so his Authority over all the World implyed in that subjection of the highest and noblest part of it His Victory and Triumph over the Angels of Darkness is an evidence of his Invincible Power and Greatness and matter of Comfort to his Saints but this here is his Supremacy over the glorious Elect Angels That there is amongst them Priority we find that there is a comely order in their differences cannot be doubted but to marshal their Degrees and Stations above is a point not only of vain fruitless Curiosity but of presumptuous intrusion whether these are names of their different particular Dignities or only different names of their general Excellency and Power as I think it cannot be certainly well determin'd so it imports us not to determine only this we know and are particularly taught from this place that whatsoever is their common Dignity both in names and differences they are all subject to our glorious Head Christ. What Confirmation they have in their Estate by him though piously asserted by Divines is not so infallibly clear from the alledged Scriptures which may bear another sense But this is certain that he is their King and they acknowledge him so and do incessantly admire and adore him they rejoyce in his glory and in the glory and happiness of Mankind through him they yield him most cheerful obedience and serve him readily in the good of his Church and each particular Believer as he deputes and imploys them Which is the thing here intended having in it these two 1 His Dignity above them 2. His Authority over them 1. Dignity that even that Nature which he stoopt below them to take on he hath carried up and raised it above them the very Earth the flesh of Man exalted in his Person above all those heavenly Spirits who are of so excellent and pure a Being in their Nature and from the beginning of the World cloathed with so transcendent Glory that a parcel of Clay is made so bright and set so high to outshine these bright flaming Spirits these Stars of the Morning that flesh being united to the Fountain of Light the blessed Deity in the Person of the Son In coming to fetch and put on this Garment he made himself lower than the Angels but carrying it with him at his return to his eternal Throne and sitting down with it there it is high above them as the Apostle teaches excellently and amply Heb. 1. 2. To which of them said he sit on my right Hand This they look upon with perpetual Wonder but not with envy nor repining no amongst all their eyes no such eye to be found yea they rejoyce in the infinite Wisdom of God in this Design and his infinite Love to poor lost Mankind its wonderful indeed to to see him filling the room of their fallen Brethren with new guests from Earth yea such as are born Heirs of Hell not only thus sinful Man raised to a participance of Glory with them
who are spotless sinless Spirits but their flesh in their Redeemer dignified with a Glory so far beyond them This is that Mystery they are intent in looking and prying into and cannot nor never shall see the bottom of it for it hath none 2. Jesus Christ is not only exalted above the Angels in absolute Dignity but in relative Authority over them he is made Captain over those Heavenly Bands they are all under his Command for all Services wherein it pleases him to employ them and the great Employment he hath is the attending on his Church and particular Elect Ones are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth c. They are the Servants of Christ and in him and at his appointment the Servants of every Believer and are many ways serviceable and useful for their good which truely we do not duly consider There is no danger of overvaluing them and inclining to Worship them upon this Consideration yea if we take it right it will rather take off from that The Angel judg'd his Argument strong enough to St. Iohn against that that he was but his fellow Servant but this is more that they are Servants to us although not therefore inferiour it being a honorary service yet certainly inferiour to our Head and so to his mystical body taken in that Nation as a part of him Obs. 1. The hight of this our Saviour's Glory will appear the more if we reflect on the descent by which he ascended to it Oh! how low did we bring down so high a Majesty into the pit wherein we had fallen by climbing to be higher than he had set us it was high by reason we fell so low and yet he against whom it was committed came down to help us up again and to take hold of us took us on so the Word is Heb. 2. he took not hold of the Angels let them go hath left them to die for ever But he took hold of the Seed of Abraham and took on him indeed their flesh dwelling amongst us and in a mean part emptied himself and became of no repute and further after he descended into the Earth and into our flesh in it he became obedient to death upon the Cross and descended into the Grave And by these steps was walking towards that Glory wherein now he is Phil. 1. he abased himself wherefore says the Apostle God hath highly exalted him so he himself Luk. 24. Ought not Christ first to suffer these things and so enter into his Glory Now this indeed it is pertinent to consider and the Apostle is here upon point of suffering that 's his theam and therefore he is so particular in the ascending of Christ to his Glory who of those that would come thither will refuse to follow him in the way where he led 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader of our Faith Heb. 12. and who of those that follow him will not love and delight to follow him through any way the lowest and darkest its excellent and safe and then it ends you see where 2. Think not strange of the Lord's method with his Church bringing her to so low and desperate a Posture many times can she be in a more seeming desperate condition than was her head not only in ignominous sufferings but dead and laid in the Grave and the Stone roll'd to it and sealed and made all sure and yet arose and ascended and now sits in Glory and shall sit till all his Enemies become his Footstool do not fear for him that they shall overtop yea or be able to reach him who is exalted higher than the Heavens be not affraid neither for his Church which is his Body and if his Head be safe and live cannot but partake of safety and life with him though she were to sight dead and laid in the Grave yet shall she rise thence and be more glorious than before and still the lower brought in distress shall rise the higher in the day of deliverance Thus in his dealing with a Soul observe the Lord's method think it not strange that he brings a Soul low very low which he means to comfort and exalt very high in Grace and Glory leads it by Hell-gates to Heaven that it be at that point my God my God why hast thou forsaken me was not the Head put to use that Word and so to speak it as the Head speaks for the Body seasoning it for his Members and sweetning that bitter cup by his own drinking of it Oh! what a hard condition may a soul be brought unto and put to think can he love me and intend mercy for me that leaves me to this And yet in all the Lord preparing it thus for comfort and blessedness 3. Turn your thoughts more frequently to this Excellent Subject the glorious high Estate of our great high Priest The Angels admire this Mystery and we flight it they rejoyce in it and we whom it certainly more nearly concerns are not moved with it do not draw that comfort and that instruction from it which it would plentifully afford if it were drawn It comforts us against all troubles and fears is he not on high who hath undertaken for us doth any thing befall us but it is past first in Heaven and shall any thing pass there to our prejudice or damage he â—its there and is upon the Counsel of all who hath loved us and given himself for us yea who as he descended thence for us did likewise ascend thither again for us hath made our Inheritance he purchas'd there sure to us taking Possession for us and in our name since he is there not only as the Son of God but as our Surety and as our Head and so the Believer may think himself even already possest of this Right in as much as his Christ is there The Saints are glorified already in their head where he reigns Where he reigns there I believe my self to reign says Aug. And consider in all thy straights and troubles outward and inward they are not hid from him he knows them and feels them a compassionate high Priest hath a gracious sense of thy frailties and griefs and fears and tentation and will not suffer thee to be surcharg'd is still presenting thy Estate to the Father and using that interest and power he hath in his affection for thy good And what wouldst thou more art thou one whose heart desires to rest upon him and cleave to him thou art knit so to him that his resurrection and glory secures thee thine his life and thine are not two but one life as that of the Head and Members and if he could not be overcome of death thou canst not neither Oh! that sweet word Because I live you shall live also Let thy thoughts and carriage be moulded in this contemplation rightly ever to look on thy exalted head consider his glory see not only thy Nature raised in him above the Angels but thy person interested by
not through fire and water yea through death it self yea were it through many deaths to go after him 2. Consider as its due so it is made easie by that his suffering for us our burden that pressed us to hell taken off is not all as nothing that is left to suffer or do our Chains that bounds us over to eternal Death being knock'd off shall we not walk shall we not run in his ways Oh! think what that Burden and Yoke was he hath eased us of how heavy how unsufferable it was and then we shall think what he so truly says that all he lays on is sweet his yoke easie and his burden light Oh! the happy change rescued from the vilest slavery and called to conformity and Fellowship with the Son of God 2. The Nature of this Conformity to shew the nearness of it is exprest in the very same terms as in the pattern it is not a remote resemblance but the same thing even suffering in the flesh But that we may take it right what suffering is here meant it is plainly this ceasing from sin so suffering in the flesh here is not the enduring of afflictions which is a part of a Christians Conformity with his head Christ Rom. 8. But this is a more inward and spiritual suffering it is the suffering and the dying of our Corruption the taking away the life of sin by the death of Christ and that death of his sinless flesh works in the Believer the death of sinful flesh that is the Corruption of his Nature which is so usually in Scripture called flesh Sin makes Man base drowns him in flesh and the lusts of it makes the very Soul become gross and earthly turns it as it were to flesh so the Apostle calls the very Mind that is unrenewed a carnal mind Rom. 8. And what doth the mind of a Natural Man hunt after and run out into from one day and year to another is it not on things of this base World and the concernment of his flesh What would he have but be accommodated to eat and drink and dress and live at ease he minds earthly things savours and relishes them and cares for them examin the most of your pains and time and your strongest desires and most serious thoughts if they go not this way to raise your selves and yours in your Worldly condition yea the highest projects of the greatest natural Spirits are but earth still in respect of things truly spiritual all their State Designs go not beyond this poor life that perishes in the flesh and is daily perishing even while we are busiest upholding it and providing for it present things and this lodge of clay this flesh and its interest take up most of our time and pains the most yea all till that change be wrought the Apostle speaks of till Christ be put on Rom. 13. put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and then the other will easily follow that follows in the Words make no provision for the flesh to fullfil it in the lusts thereof Once in Christ and then your necessary general care for this natural life will be regulated and moderated by the Spirit And for all unlawful and enormous desires of the flesh you shall be rid of providing for these instead of all provision for the life of the flesh in that sense there is another guest and another life for you now to wait on and furnish for in them that are in Christ that flesh is dead they are frâ—ed from its drudgery he that hath suffered in the flesh hath rested from sin Ceased from sin â—e is at rest from it a Godly Death as thâ—y that die in the Lord rest from their labours he that hath suffered in the flesh and is dead to it dies indeed in the Lord rests from the base turmoil of sin it is no longer his Master As our sin was the cause of Christs death his death is the death of sin in us and that not simply as he bear a moral pattern of it but the real working cause of it hath an effectual influence on the Soul kills it to sin I am crucified with Christ says S. Paul Faith so looks on the death of Christ that it takes the impression of it sets it on the heart kills it unto sin Christ and the Believer do not only become one in law so as his death stands for theirs but are in nature so as his death for sin causes theirs to it Rom. 6. 3. This suffering in the flesh being unto death and such a death Crucifying hath indeed pain in it but what then it must be so like his and the believer like him in willingly enduring it all the pain of his suffering in the flesh his love to us digested and went through it so all the pain to our nature in severing and pulling us from our beloved sins and our dying to them if his love be planted in our hearts that will sweeten it and make us delight in it love desires nothing more than likeness and shares willingly in all with the party loved and above all love this Divine Love is purest and highest and works strongliest that way takes pleasure in that pain and is a voluntary death as Plato calls love it is strong as death makes the strongest body fâ—ll to the ground so doth the love of Christ make the activest and liveliest sinner dead to his sin And as death fevers a Man from his dearest and most familiar friends thus doth the love of Christ and his death flowing from it fever the heart from its most beloved sins I beseech you seek to have your hearts set against sin to hate it to wound it and be dying daily to it Be not satisfy'd unless ye feel an abatement of it and a life within you disdain that base service and being bought at so high a rate think your selves too good to be slaves to any base lust you are called to a more excellent and more honourable service And of this suffering in the flesh we may safely say what the Apostle speaks of the sufferings with and for Christ that the partakers of these sufferings are co-heirs of glory with Christ if we suffer thus with him we shall also be glorified with him if we die with him we shall live with him for ever 3. The actual improvement of this Conformity Arm your selves with the same Mind or thoughts of this Mortification Death taken Naturally in its proper sense being an intire privation of life admits not of degrees but this figurative death this Mortification of the flesh in a Christian is gradual in so far as he is renewed and is animated and acted by the Spirit of Christ he is throughly mortified for this death and that new life joyned with it and here added ver 2. go together and grow together but because he is not totally renewed and there is in him of that corruption still that is here called flesh therefore is
this great task to be gaining further upon it and overcoming and mortifying it every Day and to this tend the frequent Exhortations of this Nature Mortifie your members that are on the earth So Rom. 6. Likewise reekon your selves dead to sin and let it not reign in your mortal bodies Thus here Arm your selves with the same Mind or with this very thought Consider and apply that suffering of Christ in the flesh to the end that you with him suffering in the flesh may cease from sin Think it ought to be thus and seek that it may be thus with you Arm your selves There is still fighting and sin will be molesting you though wounded to death yet will it struggle for life and seek to wound its enemy will assault the graces that are in you Do not think if it be once struck and you have a hit near to the heart by the Sword of the Spirit that therefore it will stir no more No so long as you live in the flesh in these bowels there will be remainders of the life of this flesh your natural corruption Therefore ye must be Armed against it Sin will not give you rest so long as there is a drop of blood in its vein one spark of life in it and that will be so long as you have life here This old Man is stout and will fight himself to death and at the weakest it will rouze up it felt and act its dying Spirits as Men will do sometimes more eagerly then when they were not so weak nor so near death This the Children of God often find to their grief that corruptions which they thought had been cold dead stir and rise up again and set upon them A â—assion or Lust that after some great stroke lay along while as dead stirred not and therefore they thought to have heard no more of it though it shall never recoverfully again to be lively as before yet will revive in such a measure as to molest and possibly to foyl them yet again Therefore is it continually necessary that they live in Arms and put them not off to their dying day till they put off the body and be altogether free of the flesh you may take the Lord's promise for victory in the â—nd that shall not fail but do not promise your self ease in the way for that will not hold if at somtimes you be at under give not all for lost he hath often won the Day that hath been foiled and wounded in the fight but likwise take not all for won so as to have no more conflict when sometimes you have the better as in particular battels be not desperate when you loose nor secure when you gain them when it is worst with you do not throw away your Arms nor lay them away when you are at best Now the way to be armed is this the same mind how would my Lord Christ carry himself in this case and what was his business in all places and Companies was it not to do the will and advance the glory of his Father If I be injured and reviled consider how would he do in this would he repay one injury with another one reproach with another reproach No being reviled he reviled not again Well through his strength this shall be my way too Thus ought it to be with the Christian framing all his ways and words and very thoughts upon that model the mind of Christ and to study in all things to walk even as he walked 1. Studying it much as the reason and rule of Mortification 2. Drawing from it as the real Cause and Spring of mortification The pious Contemplation of his Death will most powerfully kill the love of sin in the Soul and kindle an ardent hatred of it The Believer looking on his Jesus crucified for him and wounded for his transgressions and taking in deep thoughts of his spotless Innocency that deserved no such thing and of his matchless love that yet endured it all for him then will he think shall I be a friend to that which was his deadly enemy shall sin be sweet to me that was so bitter to him and that for my sake shall I ever have a favourable thought or lend it a good look that shed my Lord's blood shall I live in that for which he died and died to kill it in me Oh! let it not be To the end it may not be let such really apply that Death to work this on the Soul for this is always to be added and is the main indeed by holding and fastning that Death close to the Soul effectually to kill the effects of sin in it to stiâ—â—e and crush them dead by pressing that death on the heart looking on it not only as a most compleat model but as having a most effectual vertue for this effect and desiring him intreating our Lord himself who communicates himself and the vertue of his death to the Believer that he would powerfully cause it to flow to us and let us feel the vertue of it It s then the only thriving and growing life to be much in the lively Contemplation and Application of Jesus Christ to be continually studying him and conversing with him and drawing from him receiving of his fullness grace for grace Wouldest thou have much power against sin and much increase of holiness let thine eye be much on Christ set thine heart on him let it dwell in him and be still with him When sin is like to prevail in any kind go to him tell him of the insurrection of his enemies and thy inability to resist and desire him to suppress them and to help thee against them that they may gain nothing by their stirring but some new wound If thy heart begin to be taken with and move towards sin lay it before him the beams of his love shall eat out that fire of these sinful lusts Wouldest thou have thy Pride and Passions and love of the World and self love kill'd go suit for the vertue of his death and that shall do it seek his Spirit the Spirit of Meekness and Humility and Divine Love Look on him and he shall draw thy heart heavenwards and unite it to himself and make it like himself And is not that the thing thou desirest Verses 2 3. Ver. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine revellings banquetings and abominable idolatries THE Chains of sin are so strong and so fastened on our Nature that there is in us no power to break them off till a mightier and stronger Spirit than our own come into us The Spirit of Christ dropt inâ—o the Soul makes it able to break through an host and leap over a Wall as David speaks of himself furnisht with
of a ready memory nor rich invention acting it self in the performance these may draw a neat picture of it but still the life is wanting The motion of the Heart Godwards holy and divine affection makes prayer real and lively and acceptable to the Living God to whom it is presented the pouring out of thy heart to him that made it and therefore hears it and understands what it speaks and how it s moved and affected in calling on him It is not the guilded Paper and good writing of a Petition that prevailes with a Man but the moving Sense of it and to the King that discerns the heart heart sense is the sense of all and that which he alone regards listens what that speaks and takes all as nothing where that is silent all other excellence iâ— prayer is but the outside and fashion of it that is the life of it Though Prayer precisely taken is only petition yet in its â—uller and usual sense it comprises the vent of our humble sense of vileness and sin in the sincere confession and the extolling withal and praising the holy name of our God his excellency and goodness and thankful acknowledgment of received mercies Of these sweet ingredient perfumes is the incense of prayer composed and by the divine fire of love ascends unto God the Heart and all with it and when the Hearts of the Saints unite in joynt prayer the Pillar of sweet smoke goes up the greater and fuller Thus says that Song of the Spouse going up from the Wilderness as Pillars of smoak perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincense and all the Powders of the Merchant and as the word there signifies streight Pillars like the tallest streightest kind of trees Indeed the sincerity and unfeignedness of prayer makes it go up as a streight Pillar no crookedness in it tending streight towards Heaven and bowing to no side by the way Oh! the single and fixed viewing of God as in other ways it is the thing makes all holy and sweet so particularly in this Divine Work of Prayer It is true we have to deal with a God who of himself needs not this our pains either to inform or excite him he fully knows our thoughts before we express them and our wants before we feel them or think of them Nor doth his affection and gracious bent to do his Children good wax remiss or admit the least abate and forgetfulness of them But instead of necessity on God's part which cannot be imagined we shall find that Equity and that singular Dignity and Utility of it on our part which cannot be denied 1. Equity that thus the Creaturesignifie his homage to and dependance on his Creator for his being and well-being takes all the good he enjoys or expects from that Sovereign Good declaring himself unworthy waiting for all upon the terms of free goodness and acknowledging all from that Spring 2. Dignity Man was made for communion with God his Maker 't is the Excellency of his Nature to be capable of this end the happiness of it to be raised to enjoy it Now in nothing more in this Life is this communion actually and highly enjoyed than in the exercise of prayer that he may freely impart his affairs and estate and wants to God as the faithfullest and powerfullest Friend the richest and lovingest Father may use the liberty of a Child telling his Father what he stands in need of and desires and communing with him with humble confidence admitted to so frequent presence with so great a King 3. The Vtility of it 1. Easing the Soul in times of strait when it is prest with griefs and fears giving the vent and that in so advantageous a way emptying them into the bosom of God The very vent were it but into the Air gives ease or speak it to a Statue rather than smother it much more ease poured forth into the lap of a Confident and sympathising Friend though unable to help yet much more of one that can and of all Friends our God the surest and most affectionate and most powerful so Isa. 63. 9. both compassion and effectual salvation exprest In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old And so resting on his Love Power and gracious Promises quiets it self in God upon this assurance that it s not vain to seek him and that he despiseth not the sighing of the poor 2. The Soul is more spiritually affected with its own condition by opening it up before the Lord more deeply sensible of sin and ashamed in his sight in confessing it before him more dilated and enlarged to receive the mercies suited for as the opening wide of the mouth of the soul that it may be filled more disposed to observe the Lord in answering and to bless him and trust on him upon the renewed experiences of his regard to their distresses and desires 3. All the Graces of the Spirit in Prayer are stirr'd and acted and by acting strengthned and increased Faith in applying the Divine Promises which are the very Ground that the Soul goes upon to God and Hope looking out to their performance and Love particularly expressing it self in that sweet converse and delighting in it as love doth in the company of the Person loved thinks all hours too short in speaking with him Oh how the Soul is refresht with freedom of Speech with its beloved Lord and as it delights in that so it is continually advanced and grows by each meeting and conference beholding the excellency of God and relishing the pure and sublime pleasures that is in near communion with him looking upon the Father in the face of Christ and using him as a mediator in prayer as still it must is drawn to further admiration of that bottomless love that found that way of agreement that new and living way of our access when all was shut up and we to have been shut out for ever And then the affectionate expressions of that reflex love to find that vent in prayer do kindle higher as it were â—ann'd and blown up rise to a greater and higher and purer flame and so tend upwards the more strongly David as he doth profess his love to God in Prayer in his Psalms so no doubt it grew in the expressing I will love thee O Lord my strength Psal 18. and Psal. 116. doth raise an incentive of love out of this very consideration of the correspondence of prayers I love the Lord because he hath heard and resolves thereafter upon persistence in that course therefore will I call upon him as long as I live And as the Graces of the Spirit are advanced in prayer by their actings so for this reason further because prayer sets the soul particularly near unto God in Jesus Christ 't is then in his presence and being much with God in this way it is
cannot consist with the love of God as St. Iohn tells us drunk with the inordinate unlawful love even of their lawful calling and the lawful gain they pursue by it their hearts going after it and so reeling to and fro never fixed on God and heavenly Things but either hurried up and down with uncessant business or if sometimes at ease it is as the ease of a drunken man not compos'd to better and wiser thoughts but falling into a dead sleep contrary to the watching here joyned with sobriety Watch. There is a Christian Rule to be observed in the very moderating of bodily sleep and that particularly for the interest of Prayer but Watching as Sobriety here is chiefly the spiritual circumspectness and vigilancy of the mind in a wary walking posture that it be not surprized by the assaults or slights of Satan by the World nor its nearest and most deceiving enemy the corruption that dwells within that being so near doth most readily watch unperceived advantages and easily circumvents us Heb. 12. 1. The Soul of a Christian being surrounded with enemies of so great both power and wrath and so watchâ—ul to undoe it should it not be watchful for its own safety and live in a military vigilancy continually keeping constant watch and sentinel and suffering nothing to pass that may carry the least suspicion of danger to be distrustful and jealous of all the motions of his own Heart and the smilings of the World and in relation to these it will be a wise course to take that word as a good caveat be watchful and remember to mistrust Under the Garment of some harmless pleasure or some lawful liberties may be conveyed into thy Soul some thief or traytor that will either betray thee to the enemy or at least pilser and steal of the preciousest things thou hast Do we not by experience find how easily our foolish hearts are seduc'd and deceived and so apt to deceive themselves and by things that seem to have no evil in them yet are drawn from the height of affection to our highest good and from our Communion with God and study to please him which should not be intermitted for then it will abate but ought still be growing 2. Now the Relation of these is clear they are inseparably link't together each of them assistant and helpful to the other in their nature as they are here in the words Sobriety the friend of watchfulness and prayer of both Intemperance doth of necessity draw on sleep excessive eating or drinking sending up too many and so gross vapours surcharge the brain and when the body is thus deaded how unfit is it for any active imployment Thus the mind by a surcharge of delights or desires or cares of earth is made so heavy and dull that it cannot awake hath not spiritual activeness and clearness that spiritual exercises particularly Prayer do require Yea as bodily insobriety full feeding and drinking not only for the time indisposes to action but by custome of it brings the body to so gross and heavy a temper that the very natural spirits cannot stir to and fro in it with freedom but are clog'd and stick as the Wheels of a Coach in a deep miry way Thus is it with the Soul glutted with earthly things the affections bemir'd with them make it resist and unactive in spiritual things and the motions of the spirit heavy and obscured in it grows carnally secure and sleepy prayer comes heavily off But when the affections are soberly acted and even in lawful things that they have not liberty with the reins laid on their Necks to follow the World and carnal projects and delight when the unavoidable affairs of this life are done with a spiritual mind a heart kept free and disingaged Then is the Soul more nimble for spiritual things for Divine Meditation and Prayer it can watch and continue in these things and spend it self in that excellent way with more alacrity Again as the Sobriety and the watchful temper attending it enables for Prayer so Prayer preserves these it winds up the Soul from the Earth raises it above these things that intemperance feeds on acquaints it with the transcending sweetness of Divine Comforts the love and the loveliness of Jesus Christ and these most powerfully wean the Soul from these low creeping pleasures that the World gapes after and swallows with such greediness He that is admitted to nearest intimacy with the King and is called daily to his presence not only in the view and company of others but likewse in secret will he be so mad as to sit down and drink with the kitchin boys or the common guards so far below what he may enjoy surely no. Prayer being our near Communion with the great God certainly it sublimates the Soul and makes it look down upon the base ways of the World with disdain and despise the truly besotting pleasures of it Yea the Lord doth sometime fill these Souls that converse much with him with such beautiful delights such inebriating sweetness as I may call it that 't is in a happy manner drunk with those and the more of this the more is the Soul above base intemperâ—nce in the delights of the World as common drunkenness makes a Man less than a Man this makes him more that throws him below himself makes him a beast this raises him above makes him an Angel Would you as sure you ought have much faculty for Prayer and be frequent in 〈◊〉 and find much the pure sweetness of it then 〈…〉 selves more the muddy pleasures and sweetness of the World if you would pray much and with much advantage then be sober and watch unto prayer 〈…〉 your hearts to long so after ease and wealth 〈◊〉 esteem in the World these will make your hearts if they mix with them become like them and take 〈◊〉 quality will make them gross and earthly and unable to mount up will clog the wings of prayâ—r and you shall find the loss when your Soul is heavy and drowsie and falls off from delighting in God and your Communion with him Will such things as those you follow be able to countervail your damage can they speak you peace and uphold you in a day of darkness and distress or may it not be such now as will make them all a burden and vexation to you But on the otherside the more you abate and let go of these and come empty and hungry to God in prayer the more room shall you have for his consolations and therefore the more plentifully will he pour in of them and enrich your Soul with them the more the less you take in of the other 2. Would you have your selves raised to and continued and advanced in a spiritual heavenly temper free from the surfeits of earth and awake and active for heaven be uncessant in prayer But thou wilt say I find nothing but heavy indisposedness in it nothing but roving and vanity of
wills and loves that 's Law and a powerful Law so written on the Heart this Law of Love that it obeys not unpleasantly but with delight no constraint but the sweet constraint of love to forgive a wrong to love even thine enemy for him is not only feisible now but deâ—ectable that ere while thou thoughtest impossible That Spirit of Christ is all sweetness and love so calms and composes the Heart that peace with God and that unspeakably blessed correspondence of love with him doth so fill the Soul with lovingness and sweetness that it can breath nothing else hates nothing but sin pities the sinner and carries to the worst that love of good-will desiring their return and salvation but to those in whom appears the Image of their Father those their heart cleaves to as Brethren indeed No advantages natural no birth no beauty nor wit draws a Christian's love so much as the resemblance of Christ wherever that is found it is comely and lovely to a Soul that loves him Much communion with God sweetens and calms the mind cures the distempers of passion and pride that are the avowed enemies of love particularly Prayer and Love suit well 1. Prayer disposes to this love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the beloved Apostle for God is love he that is most conversant with love the spring of where 't is purest and fullest cannot but have the fullest measure of it flowing in from thence into his heart and flowing forth from thence unto his Brethren if they that use the society of mild and good men are insensibly assimilated to them grow like them and contract somewhat of their temper much more doth familiar walking with God powerfully transform the Soul into his likeness makes it merciful and loving and ready to forgive as he is 2. This love disposes to prayer to pray together hearts must be consorted and tun'd together otherwise how can they sound the same Suits harmoniously How unpleasant in the exquisite ear of God that made the ear are the jarring disunited hearts that often seem to joyn in the same prayer and yet are not set together in love and when thou prayest alone thy heart imbitter'd and disaffected to thy Brother altho' upon an offence done to thee 't is as a mistuned Instrument the Strings are not accorded so are not in tune amongst themselves and so the sound is harsh and offensive try it well thy self and thou wilt perceive it how much more he to whom thou pray'st when thou art stirr'd and in passion against thy Brother or not on the contrary lovingly affected towards him what broken disordered unfastened stuff are thy requests therefore the Lord will have this done first the Heart tun'd go thy way says he leave thy Gift and be reconcil'd to thy Brother c. Why is this so much recommended by Christ and so little received by Christians given by him as the cognisance and badge of his Followers and of them that pretend to be so so few that wear it Oh! little real Christianity were more worth than all that empty profession and discourse that we think so much of Hearts receiving the mould and stamp of this Rule these were living Copies of the Gospel ye are our Epistle says the Apostle We come together and hear and speak sometimes of one Grace and sometimes of another and the most never seek to have their hearts enricht with the possession of any of them We search not to the bottom the perversness of our Nature and the guiltiness that is upon us in these or we shift off the Conviction and find a way to forget it when the hour 's done That accursed root self-self-love that makes man an enemy to God and Men enemies and devourers one of another who sets to the discovery and the displanting of it bends the force of holy Endeavours and Prayer supplicates the hand of God for the plucking of it up Some Natures are quieter and make less noise but till the heart be possest with the love of God it shall never truely love either men in that way due to all or the Children of God in their peculiar relation Among your selves c. That is here the point the peculiar love of the Saints as thy Brethren glorying and rejoycing in the same Father the Sons of God begotten again to that lively hope of glory now these as they owe a bountiful disposition to all they are mutually to love one another as Brethren Thou that hatest and reproachest the godly and the more they study to walk as the Children of their holy Father the more thou hatest them art glad to find a spot to point at on them or wilt dash mire on them where thou findest none know that thou art in this the enemy of God that the indignity done to them Jesus Christ will take it as done to himself truely we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death So then renounce this Word or else believe that thou art yet far from the Life of Christ that so hatest it in others Oh! but they are but a number of Hypocrites wilt thou say Brethren if they be so this declares so much the more thy extream hatred of holiness that canst not endure so much as the Picture of it canst not see any thing like it but thou must let fly at it and this argues thy deep hatred of God holiness in a Christian as the Image of God and the Hyprocrite in the resemblance of it is the Image of a Christian so thou hatest the very Image of the Image of God for deceive not thy self it is not the latent evil in hypocrisie but the apparent good in it that thou hatest The prophane Man thinks himself a great Zealot against Hypocrisie he is still crying out of it but it s only this he is angry at that all should not be ungodly wicked enemies of Religion as he is either dissolute or meerly civil and the civil man is readily the bitterest enemy of all strictness beyond his own size as condemning him and therefore he cries it down as all of it false and counterfeit wares Let me intreat you if you would not be found fighters against God let no revilings be heard amongst you against any that are or seem to be Followers of Holiness if ye will not reverence it your selves yet reverence it in others at least do not reproach it It should be your ambition else why are you willing to be called Christians but if you will not pursue holiness yet persecute it not if you will not have fervent love to the Saints yet burn not with infernal heat of fervent hatred against them for truly that is one of the likliest pledge of these flames and society with damned Spirits as love to the Children of God is of that inheritance and society with them in glory 2. You that are Brethren and
The Apostle St. Paul 2. Timoth. 3. 2. tells that in the last days Men shall be covetous slanderers lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God But how from whence all this confluence of evils The spring of all set first and that is the direct opposite of Christian love they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of themselves This is it that kills the love of God and the love of our Brethren and kindles that infernal fire of love to please themselves riches make Men voluptuous and covetous c. Truly whatsoever become of Mens curious compute of times this wretched selfness and decay of love may save us this labour of much Chronological debate in this and the certain character of them conclude these to be the latter times in a very strict sense All other sins are come down along and run combined now but truly uncharity is the main one as old age is a rendevouze or meeting place of maladies but especially subject to cold diseases thus is it in the old Age of the World many sins but especially coldness of love as our Saviour foretells it that in the last days the love of many shall wax cold as the diseases of the youth of the World was the abounding of last Gen. 6. so of its Age decay of love and as that heat called for a total deluge of waters so this coldness for fire to the kindling an universal fire that shall make an end of it and the World together But they 〈◊〉 are the happy Men and have the advantage of all the World in whom the World is burnt up before hand by another fire that Divine Fire of the love of God kindled in their hearts by which they ascend up to him and are reflected from him upon their Brethren with a benign heat and influence for their good Oh! be unsatisfied with your selves and reâ—dess till you find it thus your hearts possest with this excellent grace of love that you may have it and use it and it may grow by using and acting I could methinks heartily study on this and weary you with the iterated pressing this one thing if there were hopes in so wearying you to weary you out of these evils that are contrary to it and in pressing this grace to make any real impression of it upon your hearts besides all the further good that follows it there is in this love it self so much peace and sweetness that aboundantly pays it self and all the labour of it whereas pride and malice do fill the heart with continual vexations and disquietness and eat out the very bowels wherein they breed Aspire to this to be wholy bent not only to procure or desire hurt to none but to wish and seek the good of all and for those that are in Christ sure that will unite thy heart to them and stir thee up according to thy opportunities and power to do them good as parts of Christ of the same body with thy self Verse 10. 10. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God THIS is the rule concerning the Gifts and Graces bestow'd on Men and we have here 1. Their difference in their kind and measure 2. Their Concordance in their source and use 1. Different in their kind that exprest in the first clause as every one hath received Then again in the last clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 various or manifold Grace where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and largely taken in all kind of endowments and furniture by which Men are enabled for mutual good One Man hath Riches another Authority and Command another Wit or Eloquence or learning and some tho' eminent in some one yet have a fuller conjuncture of divers of these We find not more difference in visages and statures of body then in qualifications and abilities of the mind which are the visage and stature of it yea the odds is far greater betwixt Man and Man in this than it can be in the other Now this difference accords well with the accordance there exprest in their common spring and common use For the variety of these many gifts suits well with the singular riches and wisdom of their own giver and with the common advantage and benefit of the many receivers And in the usefulness of that variety to the receivers shines forth bounty and wisdom of the giver in so ordering all that diversity to one excellent end so this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here commends that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle speaks of Eph. 3. 10. There is such an admirable beauty in this variety such a symmetry and contemperature of different yea of contrary qualities that speaks his riches that so divers gifts are from the same Spirit A kind of embroidering of many collours happily mixt as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as it s in the frame of the natural body of Man as the lesser World and in the composure of the greater World thus in the Church of God the mystical Body of Jesus Christ exceeding both in excellency and beauty And as there is such art in this contrivance and such comeliness in the resulting frame so 't is no less useful and that commends mainly the thing it self and the Supream Wisdom ordering it that as in the body each part hath not only its place for proportion and order but each its use and as in the World each part is beneficial to another so here every mans gift relates and is fitted to some use for the good of others Inser 1. The first thing meets us here is very useful to know that all is received and received of gift of most free gift so the words do carry Now this would most reasonably check all murmuring in those that receive least and insulting in those that receive most whatever 't is do not repine but praise how little soever it is for its a free gift Again how much soever it is be not high minded but fear boast not thy self but humbly bless thy Lord for if thou hast received it how canst thou boast 2. Every man hath received some gift no man all gifts and this rightly considered would keep all in a more even temper as in nature nothing altogether useless so nothing self sufficient this would keep the meanest from râ—pining and discontent that have the lowest rank in most respects yet something he hath received that is not only a good to himself but rightly improved may be so to others likewise And this will curb the loftiness of the most advantaged and teach them not only to see some deficiences in themselves and somâ— gifts stand lower in far meaner Persons which they warâ— but besides the simple discovery of this it will put them upon the use of what is in lower persons not only to stoop to the acknowledgment
partakes life with the rest it imparts service to the rest but there be some more eminent and as I may say organick parts of this body and these are more emineâ—tly useful to the whole body Therefore the Apostle having enlarg'd himself into a general precept adds a word in special to these special parts the Preachers of the Word and which here I conceive is meant by Deacons or Ministers the other assistent Officers of the Church of God These are coordained by Jesus Christ as Lord of his own house to be serviceable to him in it he fits and sanctifies for this great work all that are called unto it by himself And they are directed for the acquitting of their great Work 1. By a clear rule of the due manner 2. The main end of it Particular rules for the preaching of the Word may be many but this is one most comprehensive that the Apostle gives if any speak let him speak as the Oracles of God If any speak that is clear from the rule what speaking is regulated and for brevity once exprest If any speak the Oracles of God let him speak them like themselves as the Oracles of God It is a chief thing in all serious actions to take the nature of them aright for this mainly regulates them and directs in their performance And this especially would be regarded in those things that are of highest worth and greatest weight in spiritual imployments wherein it is most dangerous and yet with us most ordinary to mistake and miscarry Were prayer considered as presence and speech with the great God the King of Glory Oh! how would this mould the mind what a watchful holy and humble deportment would it teach so that truly all directions for prayer might be summed up after this same model in this one if any Man pray let him speak as speaking with God just as here for preaching if any Man speak in that way let him do it as speaking from God that is as the Oracles of God Under this all the due qualifications of this holy work are comprised I shall name but these three which are prime and others may be easily reduced to these 1. Faithfully 2. Holily 3. Wisely In the first it s supposed that a Man have competent insight and Knowledge in these Divine Oracles that first he learn before he teach which many of us do not though we pass through the Schools and Classes and through the books too wherein these things are taught and bring with us some provision such as may be had there He that would faithfully teach of God must be taught of God be God-learned and this will help to all the rest to be faithful in delivering the message as he receives it not detracting or adding nor altering and as in setting forth that in general truths so in the particular setting them home declaring to his people their sins and his judgements following sin especially in his own people 2. Holily With that high esteem that reverence of the great majesty whose message he carries and the Divinness of the Message it self those deep mysteries that no created Spirits are able to fathom Oh! this would make us tremble in the dispensing of these Oracles considering our impurities and weaknesses and unspeakable disproportion to so high a task He had reason that said I am seiz'd with amazement and horrour or often as I begin to speak of God And with this humble reverence is to joyn ardent love to our Lord to his truth to his glory and his peoples Souls These holy affections stand opposite to our blind boldness in rushing on this sublime exercise as a common work our dead coldness in speaking things that our hearts are not warm'd with and so no wonder what we say doth seldom reach further than the ear or at furthest than the understanding and memory of our hearers There is a correspondence it is the heart speaks to the heart and the understanding and memory the same and the tongue speaks but to the ear further this holy temper shuts out all private passion in delivering Divine Truths it is high prophaning of his name and holy things to make them speak our private pleas and quarrels yea to reprove sin after this manner is a heinous sin to fly out into invectives that though not exprest so yet are aimed as blows of self revenge for injuries done to us or fancied by us this is to wind and draw the Holy Word of God to serve our unholy distempers and make it speak not his meaning but our own sure this is not to speak as the Oracles of God but basely to abuse the Word as impostors in Religion of old did their Images speaking behind them and through them what might make for their advantage True that the Word is to be particularly applyed to reprove most the particular sins that most abound amongst a people but this to be done not in anger but in love 3. Wisely By this I mean in the way of delivering it that it be done gravely and decently that light expressions and affected flourishes and unseemly gestures be avoided and that there be a sweet contemperature of authority and mildness But who is sufficient for these things Now you that hear would certainly meet and suit in this too If any hear let him hear as the Oracles of God not as a well tuned sound to help you to sleep an hour not as a humane Speech or Oration to displease or please you an hour according to the suiting of its strain and your palate Not as a School lesson to add somewhat to your stock of Knowledge to tell you somewhat you knew not before or as a feast of new notions Thus the most relish a preacher while till they try his gift and its new with them but a little time disgusts them But hear as the Oracles of God the discovery of sin and death lying on us and the discovery of a Saviour that takes these off the sweet word of reconciliation God wooing Man the great King intreating for peace with a company of rebels not that are too strong for him Oh! no but on the contrary he could utterly destroy in one moment These are the things brought you in this word Therefore come to it with sutable reverence with ardent desires and hearts open to receive it with meekness as the engrafted word that is able to save your Souls it were well worth one days pains of speaking and hearing that we could learn somewhat at least how to speak and hear henceforward to speak and hear aâ— the Oracles of God The other of ministring as of the ability that God giveth In this 1. Ability and that received from God for other there is none for any good work least for the peculiar ministration of his spiritual affairs in this House 2. The using of this ability received from him for them And this truly is a chief thing for Ministers and for each Christian still to
than all fires kindled against it The love of Christ conquers and triumphs in the hardest sufferings of life and in death it self And this hath been the means of kindling it in other hearts that were strangers to it when they beheld the victorious patience of the Saints who conquer'd dying as their head did that wearied their tormenters and triumpht over their cruelty by a constancy far above it Thus these fiery trials made the lustre of faith appear most as gold shines brightest in the furnace and if any dross is mixt with it its refined and purged from it by these trials and so it remains by the fire purer than before And both these are in the resemblance here intended that the fire of sufferings is the advantage of Believers both trying the excellency of faith giving evidence of it what it is purifying it from earth and drossie mixtures and making it more excellently what it is raising it to a higher pitch of refinedness and worth In these fires as faith is tryed the word on which faith relies is tried and is found all gold most precious no refuse in it the truth and sweeetness of the promises much confirmed in the Christians heart upon his experiment of them in his sufferings his God as good as his word being with him when he goes through the fire preserving him that he loses nothing except dross which is a gainful loss leaves of his corruption behind him Oh! how much worth is it and how doth it endear the heart to God to have found him sensibly present in the times of trouble him refreshing the Soul with dews of spiritual comfort in the midst of the flames of fiery trial One special advantage of these fires is the purging of a Christians heart from the love of the World and present things its true at best it is base and despicable in respect of the high estate and hopes of a Believer yet still there is somewhat within him that would bend him downwards and draw him to too much complacency in outward things if they were much to his mind too kind usage might sometimes make him forget himself and think himself at home at least so much as not to entertain those longings after home and that ardent progress homewards that became him It is good for us certainly to find hardship and enmities and contempts here and to find them frequent that we may not think them strange but our selves strangers and think it were strange for us to be otherwise entertained This keeps the affections more clear and disingaged sets it upward Thus the Lord makes the World displeasing to his own that they may turn in to him and seek all their consolations in himself Oh! unspeakable advantage 2. The composure of a Christian in reference to sufferings is prescrib'd in these two following Resolving and Rejoycing 1. Resolving for them reckoning so think it not strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Rejoycing in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be glad in as much c. Be not strangers in it Which yet naturally we would be are willing to hear of peace and ease and would gladly believe what we extreamly desire It is a thing of prime concern to take at first a right notion of Christianity which many do not and so either fall off quickly or walk on slowly and heavily do not reckon right the charges take not the duties of doing and suffering but think to perform some duties if they may with ease and have no other foresight do not consider that self denial that fighting against a Mans self and vehemently with the World these trials fiery trials which a Christian must encounter with As they observe of other points Popery in this is very compliant with nature which is a very bad sign in religion we would be content it were true that the true Church of Christ had rather Prosperity and Pomp for her badge than the Cross much ease and riches and few or no crosses except they were painted and guilded crosses such as that Church hath chosen instead of real ones Most Men would give religion a fair countenance if it gave them fair weather and they that do indeed acknowledge Christ the Son of God as St. Peter did Matt. 16. Yet are naturally as unwilling as he was to hear the hard news of suffering and if their advice might have place would readily be of his mind Be it far from thee Lord. His good confession was not but this kind advice was from flesh and blood and from an evil Spirit as the sharp answer tells get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me You know what kind of Messiah the Jews generally dreamt of and therefore took scandal at the meanness and sufferings of Christ expecting an earthly King of him and an outward flourishing State and the Disciples themselves after they had been long with him were still in that same dream when they were contesting about imaginary places yea they were scarce well out of it even after his suffering and death all the noise and trouble of that had not well awakt them Luk. 24. we trusted it had been he which should have restored Israel And after all that we have read and heard of antient times and of Jesus Christ himself his sufferings in the flesh and of his Apostles and his Saints from one Age to another yet still we have our inclinations to this of driving troubles far off from our thoughts till they come upon our backs and fancying nothing but rest and ease till we be shaken rudely out of it How have we of late flatter'd our selves many of us one year after another upon slight appearances Oh! now it will be peace and behold still trouble hath increased and these thoughts proved the lying visions of our own hearts while the Lord hath not spoken it And thus of late have we thought it at hand And taken ways of our own to hasten it that I fear will prove fools hast as you say You that know the Lord seek him earnestly for the averting of further troubles and combustions which if you look aright you will find threaten us as much as ever And withal seek hearts prepar'd and fixed for days of trial fiery trial yea though we did obtain some breathing of our outward peace yet shall not the followers of Christ want their trials from the hatred of the ungodly World if it persecuted me says he it will also persecute you Acquaint therefore your thoughts and hearts with sufferings that when they come thou and they not being strangers may agree and comply the better Do not afflict your selves with vain fears before hand of troubles to come and so make uncertain evils a certain vexation by advance But thus fore think the hardest things you may readily be put to for the name and cause of Christ and labour for a holy stability of mind for encountering it if it should come upon you things certainly fall the lighter
is hid with Christ in God The World sees here nothing of his Glory and beauty and his own not much have but a little glimmering of him and their own happiness in him know little of their own high condition and what they are born to But in that bright day he shall shine forth in his royal dignity and all eyes shall see him and be overcome with his splendour terrible shall it be to those that formerly despised him and his Saints but to them the gladest day that ever arose upon them and that shall never set or be benighted The day they so much longed and lookt out for the full accomplishment of all their hopes and desires Oh! how dark were all our days without the hope of this day Theâ— says the Apostle ye shall rejoyce with exceeding joy and to the end you may not fall short of that Joy in the participance of Glory fall not back from a cheerful progress in the Communion of these sufferings that are so close linked with it and will so sure lead unto it and end it For in this the Apostles expression this Glory and Joy is set before them as the great matter of their desires and hopes and the certain end of their present sufferings Now upon these grounds the motion will appear reasonable and not too great a demand to rejoyce even in the sufferings It is true that passage in the Epistle to the Heb. opposes present Affliction to Joy But 1. If you mark it is but in the appearance or outward visage it seemeth not to be matter of joy but of grief To look to it it hath not a smiling countenance yet joy may be under it 2. And though to the flesh it is what it seems grief and not joy yet there may be under it spiritual joy yea the affliction it self may help and advance that joy 3. Through the natural sense of it there will be some allay or mixture of grief so that the joy cannot be pure and compleat but yet there may be joy even in it Thus the Apostle here clearly gives rejoyce now in suffering that you may rejoyce exceedingly after it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaping for joy doubtles this joy at present is but a little parcel a drop of that Sea of joy Now 't is joy but more reserved then they shall leap Yet In present rejoyce even in trial yea in fiery trial This may be the Children of God are not called to so sad a life as the World imagines besides what is laid up they have even here their rejoycings and Songs in their distresses as those Prisoners had their Psalms even at midnight after their stripes in their chains before they knew of a sudden deliverance true there may be a darkness within clouding all the matter of their joy but even that darkness is the feed time of after joy and light is sown in that darkness and shall spring up and not only shall they have a rich crop at full harvest but even some first fruits of it here in pledge of the harvest And this they ought to expect and seek after with humble submissive minds for the measure and time of it that they may be partakers of spiritual joy and may by it be enabled to go patiently yea cheerfully through the tribulations and tentations that be in their way homeward and for this endeavour after a more clear discerning of their interest in Christ that they may know they partake of him and so in suffering are partakers of his sufferings and shall be partakers of his Glory Many afflictions will not cloud and obstruct this so much as one sin therefore if ye would walk cheerfully be most careful to walk holily All the winds about make not an earthquake but that within Now this joy is grounded on this Communion 1. Sufferings then 2. In Glory 1. In suffering even in themselves it is a sweet joyful thing to be a sharer with Christ in any thing all enjoyments wherein he is not are bitter to a Soul that loves him and all sufferings with him sweet The worst things of Christ more â—â—uly delightful than the best things of the World his afflictions sweeter than their pleasures his reproaches more glorious than their honours and more rich than their treasures as Moses accompted them Heb. 11. Love delights in likeness and Communion not only in things otherwise pleasant but in the hardest and harshest things that have not any thing in them desireable but only that likeness so that this is very sweet to a heart possest with this love what does the World in hatreds and persecutions and revilings for Christ but make me more like him give me a greater share with him in that which he did so willingly undergo for me When he was sought to be a King he escaped but when he was sought to the Cross he freely yielded himself And shall I shrink and creep back from what he calls me to for his sake yea even all my other troubles and sufferings I will desire to have stampt thus with this conformity to the sufferings of Christ in the humble obedient cheerful endurance of them and giving up my will to my fathers The following of Christ makes any way pleasant his faithful followers refuse no march after him be it through deserts and Mountains and Storms and hazards that will affright self-pleasing easie Spirits hearts kindled and acted with the Spirit of Christ will follow him wheresoever he goeth As he speaks it for warnings if they persecuted me they will persecute you so he speaks it for comforting them and it is sufficiently so if they hate you they hated me before you 2. Then add the other see whether it tends he shall be revealed in his Glory and ye shall be filled even over with joy in the partâ—king of that Glory Therefore rejoyce now in the midst of all your sufferings stand upon the advanced ground of the promises and covenant of grace and by faith overlook this moment and all that is in it to that day wherein everlasting joy shall be upon your heads a Crown of it and sorrow and mourning shall flie away believe this day and the victory is won Oh! that blessed hope well fixed and acted would give other manner of Spirits what zeal for God what invincible courage against all encounters How soon will this pageant of the World vanish that Men are gazing on these pictures and fancies of false stiled pleasures and honours and give place to the real glory of the Sons of God this blessed Son that is God appearing in full Majesty and all his Brethren in glory with him all cloathed in their robes And if you ask who are they why these are they that came out of great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Verses 14 15 16. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on
obedience to his command and in dependance on him that worketh all in you Thus here cast your care on him not that you may be the more free to take your own pleasure and sloathful ease but on the contrary that you may be the more active and apt to watch being freed from the burden of vexing carefulness that would press and incumber you you are the more nimble as one eased of a load to walk and work and watch as becomes a Christian and for that purpose is that burden taken oft from you that you may be more able and disposed for every duty that is laid upon you Observe those two connexed and thence gather First There is no right believing without diligence and watchfulness joyned with it that slothful reliance of most souls on blind thoughts of mercy shall undo them their faith is a dead faith and a deadly faith they are perishing and will not consider it do not duely cast their care on God for their Souls for indeed they have no such care Secondly The other thing is that there is no right diligence without believing There is as in other affairs so even in Spiritual things an anxious perplexing care which is a distemper and disturbance to the Soul seems to have a heat of zeal and affection in it but is indeed not the natural right heat that is healthful and enables for action but a diseas'd feverish heat that puts all out of frame and unfits for duty it seems to stir and further but indeed it hinders and does not hasten us but so as to make us stumble as if there were one behind a man driving and thrusting him forward and not suffering him to set and order his steps in his course this were the ready way instead of advancing him to weary him and possibly give him a fall Such is the distrustful care that many have in their Spiritual course a hundred questions about the way of their performances and their acceptance and their estate and the issue of their endeavours indeed we should endeavour to do all by our rule and to walk exactly and examine our ways especially in holy things to seek some insight and faculty in their performance suiting their nature and end and his greatness and purity whom we worship This would be minded diligently and yet calmly and composedly for diffident doubtings do retard and disorder all but quiet stayedness of heart on God dependance on him and his strength for performance and his free love in Christ for acceptance this makes the work go kindly and sweetly on makes it pleasing to God and refreshing to thy Soul Inf. Certainly thou art a vexation to thy self and displeasest thy Lord when thou art questioning whether thou shalt go on or no finding in thy service so much deadness and hardness thinking therefore that it were as good do nothing that thou doest but dishonour him in all now thou considerest not that in these very thoughts thou doest more wrong and dishonour him than in thy worst services callest in question his lenity and goodness takest him for a rigorous exacter yea representest to thy self as a hard master him that is the most gentle and gracious of all masters do not use him so indeed thou oughtest to take heed to thy foot see how thy heart is affected in his worship keep and watch it as thou canst but doing so or endeavouring to do so however thou find it do not think he will use rigours with thee but the more thou observest thine own miscarriages towards him the less he will and to think otherwise and fret and repine that thy heart is not to his mind nor indeed to thine own to go on in a malecontent impatience this is certainly not this commanded watchfulness but that forbidden carefulness Be sober This we have formerly spoke of the Apostle having formerly exhorted it once and again in this Epistle It were easie to entertain mens minds with new discourse if our task were rather to please than profit for there be many things that with little labour might be brought forth as new and strange to ordinary hearers But there be a few things that chiefly concern us to know and practise and these are to 〈…〉 frequently represented and prest This Apostle and other Divine Penners drew from too full a spring to be ebb of matter but they rather chuse profitable iterations than unprofitable variety and so ought we This Sobriety is not only Temperance in meat and drink but in all things that are of the fleshes concernment even that of diet is though not all yet a very considerable part of it and that not only hath in it that one exceed not in the quantity or quality but even requires a regulating our selves in the manner of using our repast as we make not careful and studious provision do not take up our thoughts how to please our palate so even in the use of sober mean diet we indeavour the mortifying of our flesh not to eat and drink to please our selves or satisfie our natural desire but for God even to propound this in our â—itting down to it in obedience to him to use these helps of life and the life it self to be spent in his obedience and endeavour of advancing his glory It is a most shameful Idol a Dunghill-God indeed to serve the belly and to delight in feastings or in our ordinary repast laying the reins loose on our appetite to take its own carreer And yet in this the most commonly offend even persons that are not notably intemperate neither gluttinous nor drunken and yet I say have not that holy retained bridled way of using their repast with an eye upon an higher end But this Sobriety in its ample sense binds not only that sense of lust but all the rest in the use of their several delights yea and in the whole man all the affections of the Soul in relation to this World and the things of it to be in it as weaned from it and raised above it in the bent of our minds to use it as if we used it not This we speak and hear of but do not apply our selves really to this rule each hath some trifle or earthly vanity one or more but especially some choice one that they cannot be taken off from as Children readily have some toy that they set more by than the rest We have childish hearts cleaving to vanity one some Preferment another some Estate Lands or Houses or Money and drunk in the pursuit of these that when our hearts should be fixed on Divine Exercises they cannot stand but reel too and fro or stumble down and fall asleep roving after these thoughts of it which we affect staggering ever and anon or else so implunged in them all the time that we are as asleep in them Therefore these two are here and ordinarily joyned be sober and watchful Glutting our selves either with the delight or with the desires and cares
Glory cannot endure the ballance is found too light a great Monarch and so many Principalities and Provinces put in one after another â—till no weight yea possibly as a late politick Writer wittily observes of a certain Monarch the more Kingdoms you cast in the scale is still the lighter Men are naturally desirous of Glory and gape after it but they are naturally ignorant of the true nature and place of it they seek it where it is not and as Solomon says of riches set their hearts on that which is not hath no subsistence nor reality But the Glory above is true real Glory and bears weight and so bears aright the name of Glory which in the Hebrew signifies weight and the Apostles Expression seems to allude to that sense speaking of this same Glory to come calls it a far more excellent weight of glory it weighs down all labour and sufferings in the way so far as they are not once worth the speaking of in respect of it it is the hyperbole other Glory is overspoke but this Glory over glorious to be duly spoke exceeds and rises above all that can be spoke of it Eternal Oh! that adds much the glory here such as it is yet were it lasting Men would presume upon some more reason so to affect and think if it stayed with them when they have caught it and they stay'd with it to enjoy it but how soon do they part they pass away and the glory passes away both as smoakâ— as a vapour our life and all the pomp and magnificence of those that have the greatest outward glory and make the fairest shew it is but a shew a pageant goes throâ— the Street and is seen no more But this hath length of days with it Eternal Glory Oh! a thought of that swallows up all the grandeur of the World and the noise of reckoning years and ages had one Man continued from the Creation to the end of the World and in the top of Earthly Dignity and glory admired by all yet at the end everlasting oblivion being the close how nothing were it to Eternal Glory but alas we cannot be brought to believe and deeply take the impression of Eternity and that is our undoing By Iesus Christ. Your portion out of him eternal shame and misery but by him even all Glory and this hath likewise an evidence of the greatness of this glory it can be no small estate that the blood of the Son of God was let out to purchase His. That which he gives and gives as his choice of all to his chosen his Children and if there is any thing here that hath delight or worth in it which he gives in common even to his enemies if such a World and variety of good things for them that hate him Oh! how excellent must those things be he hath reserved for his friends for those he loves and causes to love him As 't is his gift it is indeed himself the beholding and enjoying of himself Now this we cannot conceive Oh! that blessed Day when the Soul shall be full of God shall be satisfy'd and ravisht with full vision should we not admire that such a condition is provided for Man wretched sinful Man Lord what is Man c. and for me as wretched as any that are left and fallen short of this Glory a base worm taken out of the mire and washt in the Blood of Christ and within a while set to shine in Glory without sin Oh! the wonder of this how would it stir to praise when we think of such an one there who will bring us up in the way to this Crown how will this hope sweeten the short sufferings of this Life and Death it self which is otherwise the bitterest in it self most of all sweetned by this as being nearest it and setting us unto it what though thou art poor and diseased and despised here Oh! consider what is there how worthy the affection worthy the earnest eye look of an heir of this Glory what can he either desire or fear whose heart is thus deeply fixed Who would refuse this other clause to suffer a while a little while any thing outward inward he thinks fit how soon shall all this be overpast and then overpayed in the very entry the beginning of this Glory that shall never end Verse 11. To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen THEY know little of their own wants and emptiness that are not much in Prayer and they know little of the greatness and goodness of God that are not much in praises The humble Christian hath a heart in some measure fram'd to both he hath within him the best School Master that teaches him how to pray and how to praise and makes him delight in the exercise of them both The Apostle having added Prayer to his Doctrine adds here you see praise to his Prayer To him be Glory and Dominion for ever The living praises of God spring from much holy affection and that affection springs from a Divine Light in the Understanding so says the Psalmist sing ye praises with understanding or you that have understanding Psal. 47. It is a spiritual Knowledge of God that sets the Soul in tune for his praises and therefore the most can bear no part in this Song they mistune it quite through their ignorance of God and unacquain ance with him Praise is unseemly in the mouth of fools they spoil and mistune it Obs. 1. The thing ascribed 2. The term or endurance of it The former in two words Glory and Power Glory the shining forth of his Dignity the Knowledge and acknowledgment of it by his Creatures that his excellency may be confest and praised his name exalted that service and homage may be done to him which all adds nothing to him for how can that be but as it is the duty 't is the happiness of his creature to render it such as he hath sitted for that all the creatures indeed declare and speaâ— him glorious the Heaven's sound it forth and the Earth and â—ea resounds and â—cchoes it back but his reasonable Creature hath he peculiarly framed both to take notice of Glory in all the rest and to return it from and for all the rest in a more express and lively way And in this lower World 't is Man alone that is made capable of observing the Glory of God and offering him praises he expresses it well that calls Man the World's High-Priest all the creatures bring their oblations of praise to him to offer up for them and for himself for whose use and comfort they are made the Light and Motion of the Heaven's and all the variety of creatures below them speak this to Man He that made us and you and made us for you is great and wise and worthy to be praised and you are better able to say this than we therefore praise him on our behalf and your own Oh! he is great and mighty
and unbeseeming his creature the best of them much more such worms as we are that things must rather be to our mind than his and we must either have all our will or else for our part he shall have none of his praises 3. That which on these two will follow a fixed heart if it be refined from creature-creature-love and self-love spiritualness and love of God will fix it and then shall it be fit to praise but an unstable uncomposed heart can never be no more than an instrument can be harmonious and fit to play on that hath loose pins that are still slipping and letting down the strings pins that never fasten and thus are the most cannot fix to Divine Thoughts to consider God to behold and admire his excellency and goodness and his free love Oh! that happy word of David worthy to be twice repeated when shall we say it O God my heart is fixed well might he add I will sing and give praise Oh! that we would pray much that he would fix them and then he having fixed them we would praise him much 2. If any due disposition be once attained for praises then must the heart so disposed be set to study the matter of praises And that 1. The infinite excellency of God in himself which though we know little of yet this we know and should consider it that it is far beyond what all the creatures and all his works are able to testify of him that he transcends all we can speak or hear or know of him 2. Look on him in his works behold not the vast Heavens above nor the firm Earth beneath us nor all the variety of his works in both without holy wonder stir'd in us and that stirring us to sing praises Oh! his greatness and might and Wisdom shining in these Lord how manifold are thy Works in Wisdom hast thou made them all But above all that work that marvel of his works the sending of his Son forth of his bosom and that is the mystery the Apostles do so magnifie in their writings and that so much in this Epistle and that the chief incentive to this close in praise ascribing glory to him This praise looks particularly back to the stile in the prayer the God of all grace who hath called us to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ so many other mercies but chiefly for that choice of mercies to his glory who hath called us to his glory then look through the work of saving his Chosen so redeemed by the blood of his Son his maintaining his own work in them against all the enemies and oppositions about it the advancing it in the midst of them and even by them and bringing them safe to glory that perfecting and establishment as in the foregoing words it is that that so affects the Apostle in the very entry of this Epistle that there he must break forth into praise Chap. 1. ver 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead He begins there in praise and here ends in it and so incloses all within that Divine Circle And as we would consider these things in general so his particular dealing with us his good providence in spirituals and temporals would we search Oh! what a surcharge of innumerable â—ercies would each of us find and were we better acquainted with the Holy Scriptures had more our delight in them they would acquaint us better with all these things and give us light to see them and warm our hearts and excite them to his praises who is the God of all our mercies 3. The heart somewhat disposed to praise and then studying the matter of it would be applyed actually to render praise 1. To aim at God in all which is continued praise to eye his glory in every thing and chiefly to desire that that his name may be exalted this is the excellent way indeed whereas most are either wholly for their self ends or often squinting out to them That Soul is most noble that singly and fixedly aims at exalting God and seeks this stamp on all it speaks and does and desires all to the greater glory of my God 2. To abound in the express and solemn return of praise this way To him be glory not a customary dead saying of it over as is usual with us but the heart offering it up What is so pure and high as this exercise the praises of the ever glorious Deity What is Heaven but these and were it not best as we can to begin it here and long to be there where it shall never end To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Verses 12 13 14. 12. By Sylvanus a faithful Brother unto you as I suppose I have written briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true Grace of God wherein ye stand 13. The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and so doth Marcus my Son 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of Charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Iesus Amen THIS a kind of postscript and hath its testimony of the bearer and the Apostolick form of saluting Withal he expresses the measure of his writing that it was brief and the end of it that it was to testify c. And this indeed the end of our preaching and we ought each to seek it by the word and by mutual exhortations and sometimes a few words may have much to this purpose to have our hearty establishment in the faith and not only to believe but remember that we have the best of it that there is truth in our hopes and they shall not deceive us they are no fancy as the World thinks yea when all things else shall vanish their truth shall most appear in their full accomplishment The entertainment and increase of Christian love of esteem of one another and affection one to another is no matter of empty compliment but is the very stamp and badge of Jesus Christ upon his followers therefore most carefully to be preserved entire and unhappy they that by any means do willingly break it Oh! let us beware of it and follow peace even when it seems to fly from us This Peace that is the portion of those in Christ is indeed within them and with God but through him 't is likewise one with another and in that notion to be desired and wisht joyntly with the other They that are in Christ are the only Children and heirs of true peace others may dream of it and have a false peace for a time and wicked men may wish it to themselves and one another but 't is a most vain hope and nought but to wish it to them that are in Christ hath good ground all solid peace founded in him and flows from him Now the peace of God which
in his way to Heaven This the Apostle's scope here and doth it 1. By an Assertion 2. By an Exhortation The Assertion that in suffering for righteousness they are happy The Exhortation conform to the Assertion that they fear not why should they fear any thing that are assured of happiness yea that are the more happy by those very things that seem most to be feared The words are in part borrow'd from the Prophet Esay and he relates them as the Lord's words to him and other godly persons with him in that time countermanding in them that carnal distrustful fear that drove a prophane King and people to seek help rather any where than in God who was their strength fear not their fear but sanctify the Lord and let him be your fear c. Isa. 8. 12 13. This the Apostle extends as an universal Rule for Christians in the midst of greatest troubles and dangers The things opposed here are a perplexing troubling fear of sufferings as the Souls distemper and a sanctifying of God in the Heart as the Sovereign Cure of it and the true Principle of a healthful sound Constitution of Mind Natural Fear though not evil in it self yet in the Natural Man is constantly irregular and disorder'd in the actings of it still missing its due object or measure or both either running in a wrong Channel or over-running the Banks As there are no pure Elements to be found here in this lower part of the World but only in the Philosophers Books they define them so but find them no where thus we may speak of our natural Passions as not sinful in their Nature yet in us that are naturally sinful yea full of sin they cannot escape the mixture and allay of it Sin hath put the Soul into an universal disorder that it neither loves nor hates what it ought nor as it ought hath neither right joy nor sorrow nor hope nor fear a very small matter stirs and troubles it and as waters that are stirr'd so the Word signifies having dregs in the bottom become muddy and impure thus the Soul by carnal Fears is confus'd and there is neither quiet nor clearness in it A troubled Sea as it cannot rest so in its restlessness it casts up mire as the Prophet speaks Thus it is with the unrenewed Heart of Man the least blasts that arise disturb it and make it restless and its own impurity makes it cast up mire yea 't is never right with him either he is asleep in carnal confidence or being shak'd out of that he is hurried and tumbled too and fro with carnal Fears either in a Lethargy in a Fever or trembling Ague Readily when troubles are at distance he â—olds his hands and takes ease as long as it may be and then being surpris'd when they come rushing on him his fluggish ease is pay'd with a surcharge of perplexing and affrighting fears And is not this the condition of the most Now because those Evils are not fully cured in the Believer but he is subject to carnal security as David I said in my Prosperity I shall never be moved and with undue fears and doubts in the apprehensions or feeling of trouble as he likewise complaining confesses the dejection and disquietness of his Soul and again that he had almost lost his standing his feet had well nigh slipt therefore 't is very needful to caveat them often with such words as these fear not their fear neither be ye troubled If you take it objectively their fear be not affraid of the World's malice or any thing it can effect or it may be subjectively as the Prophet means do not you fear after the manner of the World distrustfully troubled with any affliction can befall you Sure it is pertinent in either sense or both together fear not what they can do nor fear as they do If we look on the condition of Men our selves and others are not the minds of the greatest part continually toss'd and their lives worn out betwixt vain hopes and fears providing uncessantly new matter of disquietness to themselves Contemplative Natures have always taken notice of this grand Malady in our Nature and have attempted much the cure of it bestow'd much pains in seeking out Prescriptions and Rules for the attainment of a settled tranquillity of Spirit free from the fears and troubles that perplex us but they have prov'd but Mountebanks that give big words enow and do little or nothing all Physicians of no value or of nothing good for nothing as Iob speaks Some things they have said well concerning the outward Causes of this inward Evil and of the inefficacy of inferiour outward things to help it but they have not descended to the bottom and inward Cause of this our wretched unquiet Condition much less ascended to the true and only Remedy of it In this Divine Light is needful and here we have it in the following verse Verse 15. 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear IMplying the cause of all our fears and troubles to be this our ignorance and disregard of God and the due knowledge and acknowledgment of him to be the only establishment and strength of the mind In the words consider these three things 1. This respect of God as 't is here express'd Sanctifie the Lord God 2. The seat of it in your hearts 3. The Fruit of it the Power that this sanctifie God in the heart hath to rid that heart of those fears and troubles to which 't is here opposed as their proper remedy Sanctifie He is holy most holy the Fountain of Holiness 't is he he alone powerfully sanctifies us and then and not till then we sanctifie him When he hath made us holy we know and confess him to be holy we worship and serve our holy God we glorifie him with our whole Souls and all our Affections we sanctifie him by acknowledging his Greatness and Power and Goodness and which is here more particularly intended we do this by a holy fear of him and faith in him these confess his Greatness and Power and Goodness as the Prophet is express sanctifie him and let him be your fear and your dread And then adds if thus you sanctifie him you shall further sanctifie him he shall be your Sanctuary you shall account him so in believing in him and shall find him so in protecting you you shall repose on him for safety and these particularly cure the heart of undue fears In your hearts To be sanctified in our Words and Actions but primely in our Hearts as the Root and Principle of the rest He sanctifies his own throughout makes their Language and their Lives holy but first and most of all their Hearts and as he chiefly sanctifies it it chiefly sanctifies him acknowledges and worships him often when the Tongue
hapned unto you 13. But rejoyce in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy THis fighting liâ—e when we consider it aright sure we need not be desired not to love it but have need to be strengthned with patience to go through and to fight on with courage and assurance of victory still combating in a higher strength than our own against sin within and troubles without This is the great Scope of this Epistle and the Apostle often interchanges his advices and comforts in reference to these two Against sin he instructs us in the beginning of this Chapter and here again against suffering and both in a like way and us to be armed armed with the same mind that was in Christ against trouble here after the same manner in the mortifying of sin we suffer with him as there he teaches verse 1. of this Chapter in the encountring of aâ—â—liction we suffer with him as here we have it and so the same mind in the same sufferings will bring us to the same issue Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you c. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye likewise may be glad with exceeding joy The words to the end of the chapter contain grounds of encouragement and consolation for the Children of God in sufferings especially in suffering for God These two verses have these two things 1. The cloâ—s conjuncture of sufferings with the estate of a Christian. 2. The due composure of a Christian towards suffering 1. It s no new and therefore no strange thing that sufferings hot sufferings fiery ones be the Companions of Religion besides the common miseries of humane life there is an accession of troubles and hatreds for that holiness of life to which the Children of God are called It was the Lot of the Church from her wicked Neighbours and in the Church the lot of the most holy and peculiar Servants of God from the prophane multitude Woe 's me my Mother says Ieremy thou hast born me a Man of contentions And of all the Prophets says not our Saviour handling this same argument in his Sermon So persecuted they the prophets that were before you and after tells them what they might look for Behold says he I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves And generally no following of Christ but with his badge and burden somthing to be left our selves left whosoever will be my disciple let him deny himself and what to take take up his Cross and follow me And doth not the Apostle give his Schollars this universal lesson as an infallible truth all that will live Godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and look in the close of that roll of Believers conquering in suffering what a cluster of sufferings and torture you have Heb. 11. ver 36 37. c. Thus in the Primitive times the tryal and fiery tryal even literally so continued long these wicked Emperours hating the very innocency of Christians and the people though they knew their blameless carriage yet when any evil came would pick this quarrel and still cry Christianos ad Leones Now this if we look to inferiour causes is not strange the malignant ungodly World hating holiness the light yea the very shadow of it and the more the Children of God walk like their Father and their home the more unlike must they of necessity become to the World about them and therefore become the very mark of all their enmities and malice And thus indeed the Godly though the Sons of peace are the improper causes the occasion of much noise and disturbance in the World as their Lord the Prince of peace avows it openly of himself in that sense I came not to send peace but a sword to set a Man at variance with his Father and the Daughter against the Mother c. If a Son in a Family begin to enquire after God and withdraw from their prophane or dead way Oh! what a clamour rises presently Oh! my Son or Daughter or Wife is become a plain fool c. And then all done that may be to quel and vex them and make their life grievous to them The exact holy walking of a Christian condemns really the World about him shews the disorder and foulness of their prophane ways and the Life of Religion set beside dead formality discovers it to be but a carcase and lifeless appearance and for this neither grosly wicked civil nor formal persons can well digest it There is in the life of a Christian a convincing light that shews the deformity of the works of darkness and a piercing heat that scorches the ungodly which stirs and troubles their consciences and this they cannot endure and hence rises in them a contrary fire of wicked hatred and hence the trials the fiery trials of the godly If they could get those precise persons removed out of their way think they then they might have more room and live at more liberty as 't is Revel 11. 10. a carousing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What a dance there about the dead bodies of the two witnesses the people and nations rejoyced and made merry and send gifts one to another because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth And from the same hearth I mean the same wickedness of heart in the World are the fires of persecution kindled against the Saints in the World and the bonefires of joy when they are rid of them And as this is an infernal fire of enmity against God t is blown by that Spirit whose Element it is Satan stirs up and blows the coal and raises the hatred of the ungodly against Christians But while he and they in whom he powerfully works are thus working for their vile ends in the persecutions of the Saints he that soveraignly orders all is working in the same his wise and gracious ends and attains them and makes the malice of his enemies serve his ends and undo their own It is true that by the heat of persecution many are fear'd from embracing it such as love themselves and their preâ—ent ease and others that seem'd to have embrac't it are driven to let it go and fall from it but yet all well computed Religion is still upon the gaining hand those that reject it or revolt from it are such as have no true Knowledge of it nor share in it nor in that happiness in which it ends but they that are indeed united to Jesus Christ do cleave the closer to him and seek to have their hearts more fastened because of these trials that they are or likely may be put to And in their victorious patience appears the invincible power of Religion where it hath once gained the heart that it cannot be beaten nor burnt out it self is a fire more mighty