those that have any reference unto God Reade over the Epistles where so much of the Gospel is revealed for indeed there 's the chief of the Gospel though we call those four Evangelists the Gospel because they are the story of Christs coming into the world and his Actions yet there is more of the Doctrine of the Gospel in the Epistles for the time of the law was not fully expired till the destruction of the Temple which was after Christs death and therefore though the Gospel began to shine forth yet till after the time of the destruction of the Temple there was not so much of the Gospel and therefore reade I say the Epistle and you shall find there is no one particular duty that the Gospel so calls for from men besides faith in Jesus Christ as it doth love in Christians one towards another yea love to all if you reade the Epistles of Paul divers places in the Romans and in the Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians continually still they are beating upon love and especially in the Epistles of John that was the beloved Disciple and lay in the bosom of Christ nothing so much as love because this indeed is the Conversation that becomes the Gospel for the main thing in the Gospel it is the declaring of the love of God and therefore Christians that would live as becomes the Gospel they must live so as acted by love And so in the story of the Acts presently as soon as you reade of any that the Gospel did prevail withal they had one heart and one mind Oh how did they cleave one to another their hearts were one And so we find in the stories of the Primitive times I remember Tertullian saith that that was the way that the Heathens and persecutors did use to find out who were Christians for the Christians did meet at nights for fear of danger did as wisely as they could to keep themselves from their persecutors but they found this by experience that when they were converted to Christian Religion then there was another kind of spirit in them that did act them and especially a spirit of love one to another there was another kind of love of Christians one towards another then than of any other society of man kind the Heathens saw this and wondred at it and it was by this that they found out who were Christians if they saw any people beginning to have a spirit of love more than before they would think surely these have heard of this Christian Religion and they begin to be Christian this was the glory of Christian Religion in those times that there was such intire love and union of hearts amongst them The Apostle John would have such love as that Christians should be willing to die one for another and they did so in the primitive times Oh this were becoming the Gospel indeed But Oh how far how far are we from such a Conversation in such times as we live in now as if so be that the Gospel were gone from us we speak of the Gospel as if it were reveal'd more now than ever and much concerning free grace in the Gospel but look upon the Conversations of men they were never more unsutable to the Gospel and in this particular in respect of the sincere love in the hearts of Christians My brethren malitious dispositions are extreamly unbecoming the Gospel hateful and malitious dispositions What doth a beastly brutish savigeness do the fierceness of beasts do in the breast of a Christian Oh it is infinitely unbeseeming a Christian to have an unloving disposition a hateful disposition to be hating one another and to have a spirit of opposition and contradiction and frowardness one against another there is nothing more unbeseeming the Gospel of Jesus Christ than this I remember I have read even of one of the Heathen Emperors that being convinced somewhat about Christ and hearing much of him saw two that professed the name of Christians to fall out bitterly one with another which as soon as he perceived he cals them to him and gives a straight command that they should never afterward presume to call themselves by the name of Christians No saith he you do not do according to your Master that you profess your life is unsutable to your Master even one that was but a Heathen himself speak this Oh if we profess our selves Christians let our Conversations be as becomes the Gospel in point of love and make that to be the argument of love the love of God revealed in the Gospel there are a great many arguments of love from humane society from reason that men that live together they should love one another as men and that there comes a great deal of hurt from frowardness and bitterness and that it is against the rules of society and that men cannot live quietly except there be some way of sodering by love these arguments are somewhat and yet these would be among Heathens Oh but now those that profess the Gospel of Christ have one argument that is infinitely beyond all arguments that can be imagined and that is in John 3. 16. before named So God loved the world loved the world that he gave his only begotten We hear how the love of God that was in the heart of God from all eternity is brought forth and revealed in the Gospel Oh let this inflame our hearts with love Oh that there might be never a Christian that professes the Name of Christ but that it might appear in him that his heart is sweetened with love and that he doth live as it were in the very element of love and acted by love in all that he doth O this would beautifie your Christian profession more than all your talking of this and the other things Oh that it were come again that this becoming Conversation of Christians were come again into the world I remember I have heard a speech of Dr. Whittacre rebuking the Conversation of the Scholers in Cambridg he had this speech Surely saith he this that we preach is not the Gospel or otherwise we are no Gospelers because our Conversation is so different from the Gospel and so we may say of this one particular in respect of love either it is but a fansie that we hear so much of the love of God in Jesus Christ in the Gospel or otherwise we are no Gospelers we are no true Professors of the Gospel whatever profession we make of the Gospel yet except there doth appear divine love to act us in all that we do God will not own us for Gospelers for certainly it is a main scope that God hath in the revealing the Gospel to sweeten the hearts of men with love either deny the profession or walk more lovingly than thou hast done towards those that make the same profession yea thou shouldest walk lovingly towards thy enemies for the Gospel reveals much of Gods goodness even towards the whol world
in general so that there should be love even towards all from the knowledge of the Gospel Oh that it might be said of men and women that were of rugged harsh and malitious dispositions before yet since it pleased God that they came to the Ministry of the Gospel and heard the Truths of the Gospel opened to them Oh since that time their hearts have been altered and changed Oh of what sweet dispositions they are of now the husband towards the wife and the wife towards the husband in a family there was nothing but harshness and brawling but now nothing but sweetness and love and this from the knowledg of the love of God in Jesus Christ that love will be a Divine grace indeed that 's raised in the hearts of men and acted from this principle of the knowledg of the love of God in Jesus Christ This is the first thing and the great thing that is held forth in the Gospel namely the love of God to man-kind I 'le but name one or two things more now and the next is this The infinite willingness of God to be at peace and to be reconcil'd unto those who have offended him yea to his enemies what is the scope of the Gospel the eternal love of God to man-kind in Christ That 's the first thing Then the second thing is the infinite willingness that there is in God to be at peace to be reconciled to such as have offended him this is held forth in the Gospel the Gospel is the Ministry of reconciliation now what Conversation should be in us becoming this in the Gospel that is held forth And then the infinite mercy of God in the Gospel in delivering poor creatures out of a depth of misery that 's a main thing in the Gospel and many other particulars as the infinite hatred that God hath against sin and the great price paid for souls that 's held forth in the Gospel too with divers other things that might be spoken of But I beseech you consider of the point that we are about namely to shew you what the Gospel holds forth to us and then what Conversation becomes all these things and is sutable to them If God would but be pleased to go along even with this one point that we are now upon we hope it may lighten the Conversation of Christians and withal may commend this word of grace to those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and may if God will say Amen unto it in some measure recover the dishonor that hath been cast upon the Gospel of Christ in these latter times by that loose and uneven walking amongst professors themselves which hath very much darkned the glory of this marvellous great light Which should be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their paths Oh that Jesus Christ from whose hand and heart this Gospel came would now preach it home to every heart of us that the truths thereof may be turned into grace spirit and life in the midst of us so that our lives and Conversations may be a daily practical sermon of holiness in particular That we love one another as becomes the Gospels SERMON IV. PHIL. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ WEE closed with this the last day that we should love one another This holds forth unto us not only the love of God the Father but the infinit love of Jesus Christ the second Person in Trinity and this cals for love one to another And I 'le hint unto you one or two Scriptures more about this there is union of Christian hearts in one bend of love No duty more inculcated in the new Testament next unto Faith that great engin of the Covenant of grace than Love and love one unto another and upon the consideration of the infinit love of God and of Jesus Christ unto us Ephesi 3. 19. compared with Ephesians 4. 1. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all fulness of God Then in the beginning of the 4. Chapter I therefore here 's an inference with the use of it the prisoner of the Lord beseech you That you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called You are called to Christ to the Gospel and there you have the love of Christ made known How shal they walk worthy of this vocation with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace He prayed before that they might know the love of Christ therefore upon that he doth exhort them and builds his exhortation or rather his beseeching that they would with all lowliness meekness and long-suffering forbear one another in love for you are called to the profession of the Gospel and there you have the love of the Father and of Christ set forth unto you now would you walk worthy of this calling then let there be much meekness and forbearing one another in love In Ephes 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Walk in love as Christ hath loved us that is sutable as if the Apostle should say would you walk sutable to the Gospel of Christ that you profess Walk in love then as Christ hath loved us this is a principal thing In the Gospel you come to know the love of Christ otherwise than other men do know it therefore walk in love Walk in love as Christ hath loved us make the love of Christ to be a pattern for your love there is nothing as I told you that is more unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ than a hateful malitious rugged dog star disposition than for Christians to be tearing one another falling out one with another as those beasts at Ephesus that Paul complains of Oh this is infinitely unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ Do you know what the love of God means in Jesus Christ are you sensible of the love of Christ Oh this love should sweeten your hearts that there should be no more bitterness in you but you should live in this Element of love Saith an Ancient what doth beastly fierceness and cruelty and savigeness do in the breast of a Christian it is unbeseeming the name of a Christian Therefore let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that holds forth love Oh let there be much love in you be you acted by love in all your waies so that they that run may reade this new Commandment which Christ left unto his followers That they love one another in deed and in truth Secondly The Gospel of Christ it holds forth this The infinit willingness of God to be at peace with man-kind to be reconciled unto man unto those who have offended him yea to those who are enemies unto him This is the
of this world John 8. 23. Are all the good things that the Father hath to cōmunicate of this world and not Christ Himself of this world Let me tell you Christ is the greatest gift that ever was given or possibly could be received and yet Christ is not of this world therefore there is somwhat else besides the things of this world that God hath for some of the children of men that He intends good unto Ninthly The Saints are said not to be of this world Joh. 15. 19. 17. 14. If they be not of this world then their happiness is not here God hath other happiness for them than that which is here Tenthly The Scripture makes it to be a sign of a child of wrath that he walks according to the course of this world in 2 Joh. 2. this is enough to describe a child of wrath Eleventhly It 's made a sign of one that is an enemy to God and that 's hateful before God that is a lover of this world Jam. 4. 4. And 1 Joh. 2. 15. He that loves the world the love of the Father is not in him and the friendship of the world is enmity to God saith the Holy Ghost in those two Scriptures If so be that in the world there were the special things that God hath to communicate to the Children of men certainly then God would have his people to love the world He would say Love these things for these are the fruits of my favor and love these are part of the riches that I have to communicate to those that I intend good to and therefore delight in these expatiate your heart in these Oh me saith the holy Ghost whosoever loves the world is an enemy to God And if the love of the world be in you the love of the Father is not in you surely then here are not the things that God intends for the children of men Twelfthly The world is that that shall be condemned 1 Cor. 11. 32. That ye may not be condemned with the world that notes that God intends to condemn this whol world all these things are under the sentence of death and all the men of the world are condemned before God and therefore these are not the things that men should so much look after to make them happy Thirteenthly Take all the world together the Scripture speaks by way of supposition That a man may gain the whol world and yet his soul be lost for ever If one man could get all the world in to his possession and thereby lose his soul it would be an ill bargain the world then hath no such excellency in it as we should place our happiness in it God hath something else for His people than these things that are at the best under Moon-vanities Fourteenthly If Christs Kingdom is not of this world then certainly those that are of the world are not of His Kingdom for these two cannot stand together that Christs Kingdom should not be of this world and yet that these that are of the world should be of his Kingdom if such as are of the world are none of his kingdom then certainly a worldly man or woman is not of the kingdom of Christ Christ owns them not as under His kingdom they are Vagabonds and Runnagates not under the protection of Jesus Christ not partakers of any priviledg of Jesus Christ Quest You will say to me How should one know when a man is a man of this world The Scripture makes a plain distinction of some that are of this world and some not the best of all you will say they have hearts worldly enough and they desire to have the comforts of this world as well as others well though there are some yet we had need look to our selves to examine whether we be of the world yea or no for there lies thus much upon it that if we be of the world we are not of the kingdom of Christ now I would give you but these three notes of a man of the world Answ The first is this One that is a man of the world is such an one as could be content if God would let him live here in this world and enjoy what he doth he would be content for to live here for ever and could be satisfied though he never enjoyed any thing from God but what he hath received here if he might alwaies bold it Here 's an evident Argument of a man of the world I mean such a man as hath health of body in this world he hath for outwards as much as the world can afford any man that for the properness of his body his comliness his health he hath as much as the world can give he hath convenient dwelling with all accommodations belonging thereunto and he hath the comings in of the world as much as his heart can desire he hath his wife and children about him in which he hath a great deal of delight and content now I would but put it to this man What sayest thou would not this satisfie thy heart if thou mightest alwaies be here alwaies have thy house and gardens and walks and these comings in that thou hast now that thou mightest fare deliciously every day and have the sweet and fat of the world would it not satisfie thy soul though God should never give thee any thing else but this I beseech you in your own thoughts answer even to God this question and seriously look into your hearts for you may know very much of your hearts upon the answer to this question you may come to know what is like to become of you for ever even from the answer that your consciences would give to this question That man or woman whose conscience tels them that this would satisfie then we may conclude that surely that man or woman is of this world because the things of this world would be enough for his portion But now take a man or woman that is chosen out of this world that is of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ unto whom the Lord hath made known the things of another world and the excellencies of Jesus Christ and such a one though it had ten thousand times more than it hath though it had what possibly can be imagined it would say Lord it 's true I am unworthy of the least crum of bread that I eat or of the least drop of water but yet it is not all the world nor ten thousand worlds can satisfie my soul for the portion of it It is nothing but thy self the unsearchable riches in Jesus Christ those blessed things that thou hast revealed in that glorious kingdom of thy Son it 's only that that can satisfie my soul for the portion of it and if thou shouldest say well thou shalt have all the things in this world for thy portion and enjoy them for ever I should account my self in a miserable condition for thou hast revealed better and higher things to my
them First They begin to envie others that live better than themselves and after having envied them then they will begin to have their hearts rise against them and to hate them and after hating to speak against them and after speaking against them to persecute them and thus by degrees men that have been forward professors now they grow as bitter persecutors as others Oh therefore look to your Conversations And that should have been the exhortation Christians be careful of your Conversations in your families be careful there Psal 101. 1. you have an excellent Scripture of Davids professing his care of his Conversation in his familie how he would walk I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way when wilt thou come unto me I will walke within my house with a perfect heart Oh I beseech you look to this Scripture I will behave my self wiselie in a perfect way mark I 'le look that my way may be perfect everie way right and square to the world and when it is so I will labor to behave my self wiselie I will not carrie my self foolishlie in those waies that are good and then Oh when wilt thou come unto me Mark it was a time that God was absent from him and yet then he professes that he will behave himself wiselie in a perfect way and I wil walk in my house with a perfect heart There are some that make profession of Religion indeed and if you come to them before other companie then their conversations seem to be very fair and square but if you do but follow them to their families and see what they do there Oh those that live with them in their families after they have been abroad in companie shall see in what guiz they come home Shal they see their conversations to be holy as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ But thus it was with David saith David Let those that live with me in my house mark me as narrowlie as they can I will walk in my house with a perfect heart what I am in the Congregation or among those that are godly or any company I will be in my family that those in my family shall see my Conversation to be thus and thus Oh that professors of Religion would look to this not only to live before others in the parish or the town where they live but to walk in their familie with a perfect heart so as all in their family may even bless them and say Oh how doth my Master or Mistriss walk how graciously in their whol course from morning to night observe them in all their waies and you shall not be able almost to see anie miscarriage in them Oh that 's excellent when a man shall have a better testimony even from those in his familie than from those that are strangers it may be they think though thou makest profession of Religion yet all things are not answerable but those that see it everie day can testifie all things are answerable thus it should be w th every Christian that professes the Gospel to walk with a perfect heart in the midst of his family so to converse in the world Divers Arguments I shall give you to stir you up to look to your Conversations 1. Arg. First It is the mercy of God that you have your Conversations among men to this day that you have not your Conversations among Devils and Reprobates it might have been your portion that your Conversation might have been among Devils and Reprobates God might have sent you down to your own place to have conversed with them Let this be an Argument for you to look to your Conversations 2. Arg. Secondly consider this Wicked and carnal men among whom you live have no skill in the principles that you walk by but they have skill in your lives and Conversations they are able to pass judgment upon your lives and Conversations but not of your principles Godlie people are acted by such and such principles that are mysteries to carnal men but when it comes to their lives they can understand them they cannot search into their principles whether such a Doctrine be true or no or such a thing be according to such a Scripture whether there be a right interpretation of such a Scripture that carries them on in such a way they take no pains to look after this but they look to your lives there they have skill to discern how you walk and whether you walk to the rule or not in your lives and Conversations and therefore let it be your great care to look to your Conversations 3. Arg. A third motive is this There are some things that you cannot but do that will displease wicked men if you will act according to your Principles Well but this should make thee so much the more careful of thy Conversation in all other things that so wicked men may be convinc'd that if such men do some things that I do not understand yet surelie it is for some thing that God hath made known to them more than to me for I find this that in all things that I do understand there they walk exactly therfore though there be some things that they do that I cannot understand why should I be enraged against them As now in point of institution of Worship which doth not depend upon the light of Nature at all but meerly upon Scripture and such and such interpretations of Scripture and such principles wicked men have no skill in Now the professors of Religion they are tyed up by institution and by the words of Scripture thus interpreted which they think in their consciences is the truth they having compared all things together think this is the mind of Christ rather than the other and so long as they think thus they must follow it Now there 's many of these things that carnal men understand not for they take no pains to search into them and therefore they will be angry with you for them and indeed they will have cause to be angry with you for those things they understand not if they see you make no conscience of those things that they understand but if in other things that they do understand you walk circumspectly and that it appear to them that in those things they understand they walk conscionably then they will beleeve that it was meer conscience that made you differ from them in those things which they understood not or had no skill in this will make them ready to stand for you yea to speak and plead for you no such way to get true libertie of conscience as this is if you be careful to walk blameleslie in all those things that they understand with whom you converse they will be convinced in their consciences that if these men differ from us it 's conscience that makes them differ for say they we find that in all those things we understand these men walk conscionablie Certainlie a holie Conversation will
becomes the Gospel as becomes this great thing in the Gospel that is the chief thing indeed that the Gosspel holds forth in every line of it and discovers his eternal love towards them in particular in the Son of his love Christ Jesus in whom he is well pleased Quest You will say What is it that becomes this thing in the Gospel Ans Surely love answerable love that we should return love for love he that dwels in God dwels in love God Himself is love Reade but the first Epistle of that beloved Disciple John what abundance of love is there made known of God every letter thereof is a character of love and what commendations of love in heavenly expressions But you reade no such thing in the Scripture before the Gospel was revealed in that cleerness as it was then now nothing but Love love and how it called for love Then there must be this conversation Love to God as God to us And that must be real as Gods love in Christ was Quest How did God manifest his love Answ A Conversation becoming the Gospel must be a manifestation of our love in some proportionable way So God loved the world as He gave His only Son that is as if he should have said thus God so loved the world so dearly as that which was the dearest thing unto God he gave for a testimonie of his love to man-kind The dearest thing What 's that His Son If God should have said That I might testifie my love to mankind as I have made one world for them I will make ten thousand more yea I will make so many worlds as every one of the children of men shall have a world to possess you would think this were very much Oh this were nothing in comparison of that expression So God loved the world as He gave His Son the Son of God is infinitly dearer to God than ten thousand thousand millions of worlds are Now a conversation that becomes the revelatio of such love must needs be this Whatsoever then is dearest to our souls let that be given up to God As it was a testimony of the love of Abraham to God Hereby I know thou lovest me Why Because he gave up his Isaac to God he would not spare his only Son whom he loved so God shewed his love to us we may say Lord hereby we know thou lovest us that thou hast given thine Isaac thine only Son for us and hereby Lord shal men and Angels know that we love thee that whatsoever is dear to our souls thou shalt have it we will offer it up to thee in way of sacrifice this is a conversation that becomes the Gospel So that when God cals for anything never think it much Oh this is hard and costly and dear to me and how shall I part with this Is this becoming the Gospel to stand with God for any thing for thy love must be somewhat sutable to Gods His love was such as he gave the dearest to thee and thy love therefore if it runs paralel with his must give the dearest to him And then if we be acted by love for that 's the conversation that becomes the Gospel to be acted in all that we do with love to God to be in a flame of love continually as the Salamander they say doth alwaies live in the fire so should we do in the fire of love not in the fire of contention But now Love hath no need of any argument to do any thing but only this this thing will be pleasing unto him that I do tender it unto it will please my Father that 's argument enough for Love that if I do such a thing it will please my beloved therefore never stand arguing thus Such a thing is a duty but is it necessity Must I do it Cannot a man be saved unless he do it Be all damn'd that do not this These are arguments from base sordid spirits but here 's enough for love here 's a thing would please God if we did thus we should please God better than in not doing it Therefore that place that you had before in the first of the Colossians Walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing let the heart presently spring upon this There 's such a thing propounded out of the Word at such a time and I heard it would be well pleasing to God if I did this If we put but this upon you you that do not set up the worship of God in your families Do not you think that it would please God better to set up his Worship in your families than not Is there no Conversation that your consciences tell you would please God better than that Conversation which you live in Would it not be more pleasing to God ask but your conscience now if your hearts were acted by love you would presently fall upon that which your consciences tel you would be more pleasing to God And then Love This is a maxim of Love Love never knows when it hath done enough it knows no such thing as too much for men to say What need we be so strict as to walk circumspectly what need we do so much why must we be so holy This is a base kind of reasoning Is this as becomes the Gospel If thou wert acted by Love then thou wouldst never think that thou hadst done enough for God Oh thou wouldst rather think had I ten thousand thousand times more strength than I have Lord thou art worthy of it all what soever I have whatsoever I am whatsoever I can do thou art worthy of it all never stand arguing thus what need so much is the thing a good thing love never knows any such thing as too much We know love It cannot bear with dishonor done unto those that we do love if any wrong any one that we love if our hearts be inflam'd with love we know not how to bear it such strike us in the apple of our eye Oh that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel that when we see the Name of God dishonored our hearts rise more against any thing that is done against God than it doth against any thing that is done against our selves we are inflam'd for God when we see any thing done that is a dishonour to the Name of God And love we know it will make us mourn and melt for any offence to those that are beloved of us So that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel when we manifest melting hearts and mourning spirits Love makes us delight in the presence of those that we do love so that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel when we manifest that there is nothing in the world that we delight in more than to be in the presence of our Beloved Oh to be alwaies with God in the arms of Christ it is our Heaven on Earth And then a Conversation that becomes this Gospel It is to be of a loving disposition towards
of Nature will tel us something of the mercy of God but there 's nothing that sets out the bowels of Gods mercy so as the Gospel of Jesus Christ doth there you have the very bowels of Gods mercy indeed made legible to all the world in Luke 1. 78. Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us The tender mercies of our God the bowels of mercy so the words are here 's the depth of the bowels of mercy held forth in the Gospel of Jesus Christ it 's imposible that we could have understood the depth of those bowels of mercy but by the Gospel Adam in innocency knew little of the mercy of God for he not being in misery had no need of that mercy to help out of misery but though he by his understanding must needs know that mercy was a good thing and therefore in God the First being of all but yet he did not understand that mercy that the Gospel holds forth yea the Angels in Heaven know it not but by the Gospel and so they desire to pry into those deep mercies of God unto man kind Oh here are the mercies of God that shall be the subject of the praises of Angels and of the Saints to all eternity held forth in the Gospel You think 't is a great mercy when a child is sick that God recovers it you think it is a great mercy when you are at Sea that God turns the wind when if it had stood but one half hour more that way it did you had lost Vessel lives and all when you have been in any danger abroad in forraign parts that the Lord was a present help in time of trouble when there hath been any affliction upon your family that God hath sent deliverance to you these are mercies that God is to be praised for Oh! but what are all these to the mercies of God in Jesus Christ His right-hand mercies and indeed this would be a good argument of a gracious heart when any particular mercie is granted unto them either family mercies or personal mercies Thus to meditate Lord I am less I am less than the least of all thy mercies yet here is seasonable comfortable mercies to me and mine c. but O Lord what is all this to that infinite fountain of mercy in Christ thy mercies in the Gospel thy mercies in thy Son there 's depths infinite depths of mercy indeed this is but a drop and indeed that 's sweet but the infinite Ocean of mercy it is in Jesus Christ Christ is the mercy of God to mankind in the bowels of which all other mercies are conceived and brought forth in the world All my fresh springs both upper and neather springs are in him who is All in All. Oh it were a good argument that the Gospel is revealed to you if you admire at Jesus Christ as the great mercy of all mercies though thankful for every mercy yet when you come to consider of the mercy of Christ look upon that as mercy of wonder stand amazed at the thought of that mercy well it 's the Gospel that holds forth the glory of the riches of the mercy of God God is said in the word to be rich in mercy He is not said so much to be rich in power as rich in mercy Now what Conversation is sutable to this What 's that but as Christ himself saith Be ye merciful as your heavenly father is merciful Oh have you a merciful heart one towards another look with a merciful eye upon those who are in great misery this is it that becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ Oh a harsh rugged and cruel disposition it is infinitely unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ To see a Christian one that professes the Gospel that makes more profession of the knowledge of God and of the free grace of God in Christ than others and yet when it comes to it that he hath to deal with such as are in misery to have a hard heart Oh a hard hearted Christian is a monster I say a hard hearted Christian is a monster in the world not to be ready to forgive others and to do any thing for others that are in misery is devilish but to rejoyce that they may have any object to shew pity and compassion unto Oh this is that which becomes the Gospel of Christ though they be strangers to you that are in misery yet be merciful to them for you were strangers to God Yea Be merciful to your enemies not only be willing to be at peace but be merciful Do you see any that have wronged you to be in misery do not let them perish but let bowels of compassion even work towards them Oh that our hearts did yern towards all Christ when He came neer unto Jerusalem He wept over it Oh that the like spirit were in us as was in Jesus Christ There 's no such argument for mercy to others as the consideration of the mercies of God in Jesus Christ Oh bowels of mercy beseems the Gospel of Christ and it should be manifested really Let not people that are in misery have verbal mercies from you that is you seem to pity them in words Oh but let there be real mercies to them open your hearts and let something drop from you for releef of them that are in misery it is a notable Scripture in Ephes 4. 31 32. and sutable to that in Col. 3. 13. in the 4. of the Ephes there the Apostle speaking of the mercies of Christ saith he Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Be tender hearted Oh God manifests the tenderness of His heart in the Gospel and this is beseeming the Gospel to set forth this as a pattern the tenderness of Gods heart to poor sinners in the depth of misery do you see any to be in misery and do not you find your heart begin to break towards them if you do not find your heart breaking Oh set before you the infinite tenderness of Gods mercies in Jesus Christ and 't is that will break your hearts if any thing in the world will And so in Col. 3. 13. a place somewhat paralel to this Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and above all these things put on charity You see the Apostle accounts this the great argument of all and therefore know that the Lord takes it very much to heart when the bowels of Professors are turned into gravel Search into that remarkable Parable Matthew 18 from vers 28. to vers 35. where Jesus Christ Preacheth down all cruel and unchristian like dispositions in those that are fellow servants belonging to one and the same Master and
did enlighten us in the things of the Gospel that we have been brought to beleeve it 's a Scripture that would mightily work upon our hearts to live godlily and holily The grace of God that bringeth Salvation what doth it teach us Not to be licentious and vain and slight and bold in our sinful courses but teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Mark it is not enough to live soberly not to be a drunkard to live righteously that is not to wrong any body many think that 's enough But mark indeed the light of nature as I told you would teach us that but now the grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth us more To deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly and that in this present world though we live in the midst of a wicked tempting world yet to live godly And what 's the great argument in the Gospel to cause us to live godly in this present world Looking for the blessed hope Oh we look for a blessed hope that the Gospel reveals Oh we did not understand this hope this blessed hope till the Gospel was preached to us but since we apprehend a blessed hope the holy Ghost hath raised in our hearts a blessed hope of glorious things What glorious things Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ We have some little glimps of the great God when we set forth to Sea and launce into the deeps we see the glory of the great God who rideth upon the wings of the wind and whom both the Winds and the Seas obey Oh but we look for another manner of the glorious appearing of the great God than ever yet hath appeared I beseech you consider of this text God did never appear great and glorious in comparison of what he will appear and blessed are those whose Conversations shall be such that can look upon the face of this great God with joy when He shall appear in glory we look for this blessed hope and then when this great God shall appear in His glory then we shall have our blessed hope and this teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts the knowledge of this Oh do you look to be saved have you a blessed hope and do you expect the appearing of the great God in glory hath the Gospel revealed these things unto you O let this that the Gospel reveals teach us to deny all ungodliness and all worldy lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world But there are yet some other things that the Gospel holds forth that are very remarkable for the furtherance of our godly Conversation in this world and if we would live as becomes the Gospel we must have a right understanding of these things or else we shall never sute our selves to the Gospel except we do therby apprehend these great points that are published to us in and by the Gospel As now this is a great point That the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world The Gospel holds forth this to us that Jesus Christ the Son of God having taken our nature upon him he is a great King He hath a Kingdom but He hath a Kingdom that is not of this world neither is Christ of this world nor His Kingdom of this world nor the Saints those that are the Subjects of His Kingdom are not of this world the right understanding of this would much help us in our Conversations and a Conversation beseeming this would much honor the Gospel First We shall shew how the Gospel holds forth this That the Kingdom of Christ is not in this world mark those Scriptures in John 18. 36. Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Therefore as if he should say you must not wonder or think much that I am thus apprehended and delivered up to men that they do with me what they please though I be the great King of my Church appointed by my Father yet my Kingdom is not of this world and I came not hither for pomp and glory The glory of Christ in His Kingdom here is Spiritual Indeed when this world shall be at an end then Christ will appear gloriously though the Scripture speaks of a world hereafter wherein Christ shall appear gloriously but whether personally or otherwise that we speak not of But that Christ shall appear a glorious King even in the world not this world but upon the earth and yet the Scripture speaks of that as another world a new Heaven and a new Earth but for the present for that that the Scripture cals this world we must not expect a pompous and glorious Kingdom till ther ebe a new world till there be new heavens and a new earth this the Gospel holds forth Whereas the people of the Jews they thought as soon as the Messias came He presently should be an outward Monarch in outward pomp and glory no saith Christ this world must pass away first I must come first and reign spiritually in another way and for my Kingdom there is a time for the glory of it to appear when another world shall come but while this world lasts never expect any such outward pomp and glory in the way of my Kingdom I have a Kingdom indeed here in this world but it is not of this world I have a Kingdom wherein I reign spiritually in the hearts of my people there I have set up my Throne and therein I have writ my Laws by which I guide and order all things for their eternal salvation but my Kingdom is not of this world yea and he saith likewise in John 8. 23. I am not of this world neither And John 15. 19. for John that beloved Disciple who lay in the bosom of Christ he knew much of the mind and heart of Christ and was much instructed in this mystery and indeed none of those that did converse with Christ knew more of the bosom of Christ than John did If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world So that as Christ is not of the world so the Saints are not of the world in the 17. of John 14. I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world Mark as I am not of the world so they are not of the world thus Scripture is cleer that neither Christ nor his Kingdom is of this world and therefore beleevers are not of this world And hence then what Conversation becomes this Gospel of Christ even a Conversation sequestred
here would be a mighty change thou wert a beast before but here is the soul of grace there 's a new birth when the Gospel comes to prevail and to enter in upon an heart and it 's call'd a new resurrection if there should be a voice come from Heaven that should open all the graves that you have here in the yard and all the dead bodies should stand up and live what a mighty change would there be Such a change doth the Gospel make when it conquers a people indeed the Gospel may be preached and little change may be wrought because the power of the Gospel prevails not with their hearts but when it doth prevail in their hearts there is such a strange change Oh then What Conversation become this it must be a Conversation that doth hold forth to the world that there is such a mighty change wrought in you Now I appeal to you you that make profession of the Gospel you know what you have been heretofore worldly and base and carnal and sensual and froward and peevish and prophane men altogether unsavory before the Gospel came to you now you profess that God hath begun to work upon you by the Gospel What change hath it wrought in you Can those that live with you see your Conversations so changed as to make them stand and admire at the work of the Gospel upon your hearts the husband to stand and admire at the work of God upon the heart of the wife as if she were another woman and so the wife to admire at the grace of God upon the heart of the husband as if he were another man and so your children and servants not the same that heretofore they were Oh what honour would this be to the Gospel that in places where it comes to be preached in power there might appear a change that becomes the Gospel of Christ Certainly if your Conversations be not such as holds forth a mighty change that God hath wrought in you then it is not such as becomes the Gospel of Christ It may be you are somewhat better than heretofore you have been as not to be a common drunkard you see that 's despised by men Who regards drunken fools mad-men very beasts Therfore you come to be of more understanding that you will not be so prophane and lascivious as you were wont to be but live somewhat better Oh but this change is not that change which holds forth the work of the Gospel for when the Gospel prevails it makes the greâ—test change that ever was made in the world we may boldly ascert this that since the Creation of God in the first six daies there was never such a change made in the world as the Gospel makes and therefore a Conversation becoming the Gospel must be a Conversation that must be a changed Conversation must be mightily different from what they were before sometimes we see it so through the mercy of God that when men and women come to hear the Word in the cleerness and power of it to be revealed they have such changes that al their friends stand wondring at them What shall we have of you now Oh such have cause to answer and say Blessed be God it is so it is the Gospel that hath made such a change in me I this becomes the Gospel when it shall appear that your Conversation is so changed so holy and godly and gracious now over it was before But you whose lives are not better than they were before before you made some profession only your profession now is greater than it was before but your lives no better know this is a Conversation that doth no way become the Gospel of Christ the Gospel of Christ hath no honor by this Conversation of yours And then The great difference that the Gospel makes between one man and another As now those that the Gospel doth not prevail upon the Scripture tels us they are the children of wrath they are dead in trespasses and sins they are under the curse of the Law they are even enemies to God this is the condition of al men before this Scepter of Christ conquers their hearts children of wrath enemies to God dead in sins under the curse But now when the Gospel comes to prevail over mens hearts then they come to be the Children of the living God Heirs of Christ Co-heirs with Him they come to be partakers of the life of God they encrease with the encrease of God and their lives are hid with Christ in God and they come to be reconciled to God to be friends with God to be at peace with God and to inherit blessings Oh the change that the Lord puts upon the heart and state of the Saints when the Gospel prevails How high are they raised above other men Therefore you must not make other men to be your example in your way you must not think to live as the world lives and to say I do as other men do the Gospel makes a mighty difference between your estate and the state of other men therefore never look to what other men do but consider as God hath made a vast difference between you and other men so let there be a great difference between your Conversation and the Conversation of other men Now this meditation should have a mighty deal of power to prevail upon the heart I beleeve that I have such and such priviledges beyond other men and I look for such and such mercies above others now what things I look for beyond others I must labor to be as much beyond them in holiness of Conversation as God hath made me beyond them in spiritual priviledges and spiritual mercies I think sometimes I would not be in the condition of such men as are in their natural estate for a world nay I would not be one our in their estates if I might have ten thousand worlds for fear I should die that hour and then I should be lost for ever Well hath God made such a difference then let not my life be like theirs for one hour nay for one moment Oh this meditation through Gods blessing would mightily help us in our Conversation Our Conversation should be such as becomes the Ordinances of the Gospel The Word and Sacraments they have a great deal more in them than the Ordinances of the Law but because I spake of the Gospels being higher than the Law heretofore and these things may fall something neer yet had I time I would speak a little concerning these and shew how we are to hold forth a Conversation sutable to them Our Conversations should be sutable to the power of the Gospel there is a great deal of power in the Gospel it 's call'd the power of God unto salvation in the 1. of the Rom. 16. The very light of the Gospel it is a transforming light it hath a mighty power in it the Gospel it 's called the Wisdom of God and the Power of
His subjects every subject of Christ hath his will and heart subdued to Jesus Christ It is not so in this world men may be subject to the Kings of this world meerly by constraint because they dare not do otherwise many Kings in this world have subjects whose hearts are not with them who love them not the Kings of this world they rule only the outward man But Christs Kingdom is another kind of Kingdom He rules in the hearts of men there is His Throne in the wills in the affections of men in the consciences of men Christ swaies His Scepter in mens souls men by conquest they subdue subjects to themselves Christ he subdues too in a way of conquest but he doth not subdue the outward man so much as the inward man the will is subdued to Christ He swaies His Scepter in their hearts this is a great mystery of godliness the swaying of the Scepter of Jesus Christ in the hearts of the Saints and therefore the Scripture tels us That the Kingdom of God is within us it is an inward Kingdom That 's the third thing wherein the difference between Christs Kingdom and the Kingdoms of the world consists Fourthly The Laws of Christ are Spiritual Observe the difference between the Laws of Christ in the government of His Church and the Laws that are for the government of the world it will be of very great use for you to know The Lord in His Providential Kingdom appointing Magistrates to govern here in the world in His room He leaves them to make Laws according to the general rules of prudence and justice such Laws are sufficient for the governing of the outward man and for the attaining to a Civil end for which their government is appointed But now Jesus Christ in His Mediatory Kingdom in His Church He makes all the Laws Himself He doth not leave it unto the Church to make new Laws according to the rules of their own prudence what they conceive to be fit in way of prudence no but they must fetch the Laws out of His Word and impose none but the same Laws that are in His Word they must have a Scriptum est it is written here are these and these texts of Scripture for what is enjoyned nothing must be added unto what He hath in His Word revealed only there are Divine Laws for the government of His Church now 't is true that the Church because they are a society of men they have some things natural and some things civil among them so far as they have need of natural and civil helps so far there may be Laws made according to rules of prudence and justice and Magistrates may come in to be helpful to the Church so far as they have need here of natural and civil helps as a society of men But now to speak properly to that which belongs to them meerly as they are the Church of Christ besides that that they have need of as they are men and natural and civil societies I say what belongs to them meerly considered as a Church of Christ they are to be governed only by the Laws of Jesus Christ who is the only Law-giver only by the Laws of the Word and there is not that liberty of making new Laws in the Church as there is of making new Laws in the Common-wealth and State and that 's a great difference between the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdoms of this world That 's a fourth The Laws are different The Laws are different not only that they are by Divine revelation in the one and left to humane prudence in the other But 2 ly in the one the Laws bind conscience in the other they do not they do not bind conscience any further than the nature of the thing that is required binds except it be in case of scandal and contempt so our Divines that have been the most orthodox have gone that the Laws of men in the State they bind not conscience that is if a man should not do the thing that is required he should in conscience be bound over to eternal death for not doing it this is a very hard bondage a cruel yoke but thus if the thing that is required be right and just then the nature of the thing may bind conscience for then there comes in a Law of God if the thing be just and right that is required or however if I know nothing to the contrary but it may be just and right I must not break the Laws of man so as to give scandal or in a way of contempt but if it be privatly so as it be no scandal nor no contempt and the nature of the thing bind me not then my conscience is not bound over as guilty of eternal death if so be I do not every thing that man requires But now the Laws of Christ they are such as bind conscience as they come from him he is such a King that I say because they come from him and from his Will though we see no reason in the matter of the thing though they have nothing in the nature of the thing but meerly the Will of Christ it 's enough to tye conscience and to bind us even upon pain of eternal death to obedience Fiftly Christs Kingdom is not of this world That homage that the Saints do unto Christ it is not worldly but spiritual the Worship of Christ and the Ordinances of Christ they are not worldly but spiritual Now the Kings of this world they may appoint what kind of worship they please that is what Ceremonies they will whereby their subject should tender up their homage to them and now men have ventured to be so bold with Christ the King because men may tender up their homage unto their earthly Kings by any waies invented of their own therefore they have thought that they might presume to tender up their homage to Christ their spiritual King by any waies of invented worship and therein was a great error they lookt upon the Kingdom of Christ only in a carnal way whereas the Kingdom of Christ is such as all our homage that we tender up to Him must be Spiritual it must be Heavenly it must be from Heaven it must be from Christ Himself it must be from some Institution and Appointment of Jesus Christ and the more the kingdom of Christ doth prevail the more Spiritual shall that homage be that the subjects tender up to Him therefore you shall find that when the holy Ghost speaks of the Kingdom of Christ in the new Testament with reference unto that which was then in the old Testament He calls even those waies of worship in the old Testament worldly in comparison of the worship and homage that the Saints tender to Christ in the new Testament as in Gal. 4. 3. Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world The ceremonies of the Law are call'd here the elements of
the world and as Christ saith Wo to the world because of offences so wo to the world because of this great offence Christs Kingdom being so spiritual hence it is that the world receives Him not in 1. John 10. And so in John 14. 17. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Mark the world cannot receive the spirit of Truth the world receives not Christ and it cannot receive the spirit of Truth If you speak of the world to men then they savor of those things come to a man and tell him of a good bargain on the Exchange he will listen to you and remember what you say but come and speak to him of the great things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ of the glorious priviledges of that kingdom only there 's a sound in the air and it passeth away and takes no impression at all on the heart of one that is carnal 1 John 4. 5. there you have this exprest fully the very guize and way of a carnal heart They saith the text are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them those that are of the world they speak of the world and discourse of the world and savor the things of the world and the world heareth them but now let a man come and tell them of things that are heavenly of a goodly Pearl of Jesus Christ they savor not those things and they hear them not Oh! 't is from hence that men come not into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ because it is not of this world What 's the reason that there are more comes into the Kingdom of Antichrist than into the Kingdom of Christ Revel 13. 3. The whol world wandered after the beast saith the text because they are of the world and Antichrist doth set up a worldly kingdom instead of Christs kingdom and men that are of the world they flock after Antichrist and hence it was that your great rich men in places where the Gospel hath not been they were Papists or Popishly affected so that therefore the Papists make outward prosperity to be one badge or sign of the true Church hence it is that Popery is so sutable to worldly hearts and the holy Ghost prophesied before hand that the whol world should follow Antichrist only here and there a few poor ones Jesus Christ chuses out of this world to follow him for His Kingdom is not of this world One Particular more in a word seeing the Kingdom of Christ is not of the world then a worldly heart is the most unbeseeming thing in one that professeth himself to be a Christian of any thing that can be in the world If Christs Kingdom be not there certainly thy heart should not be there Thou that professest thy self to be of the Kingdom of Christ which is spiritual and heavenly and yet thou a worldly earthly heart I say it is the most unbeseeming thing that possibly can be what for a Professor of Religion to have an earthly covetous worldly heart By that that I have already spoken in shewing the vanity and the evil of the world and the great evil of loving the world were enough to strengthen this use but now that that I intended should have been to speakesp ecially to those that are Christians that have hopes that God hath made them partakers of Jesus Christ and would be loth to lose their hopes in the good things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for 10000. worlds yet there doth remain much worldliness in their hearts to this day surely this not beseeming one of the profession that thou makest it is no honor unto thy King the Lord Jesus Christ worldly Professors they are great dishonors to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ when there shall appear no difference between those that we account to be men of the world and such as we hope are chosen out of the world Oh! how is Christ dishonored by this Look but upon the lives of Christians that profess Religion and one would think that the Kingdom of Christ were a Kingdom of this world rather than any thing else for I say to outward appearance though it may be Christ may see some integrity within the heart yet to outward appearance there is even almost no difference between them and the men of the world It doth become Christians to live so in their whol course as to make it appear that they are men and women above the world whose Conversations are in Heaven that they do beleeve the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that is not of this world SERMON III. JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world WHAT this Kingdom of Christ was and how different from the kingdoms of this world we have already opened unto you The fourth Use which we are to proceed in is If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world then of all dispositions a worldly spirit is most unsutable to those who profess themselves to be of the Kingdom of Christ Certainly then such as are Beleevers that are come under the Kingdom of Christ they must not be of earthly hearts We find the Apostle in the Epistle of the Ephesians doth rank Covetousness and Uncleanness together and saith of them both in the 5. Chapter 3. Verse Let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints So that a covetous heart after the things of the world it is such a disposition as it should scarce be named among Saints no more than whoredom they should abstain from it as from whordom as it becometh Saints It is the most uncomly thing for a Saint of God one of the Kingdom of Christ to have a covetous heart for the things of the world that possibly can be As it becomes them it doth not become you And Luther that was a great man for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ he is bold to profess it That of all sins he was scarce ever tempted to that sin he found nothing tending almost that way though it 's true there 's no sin but we have the seeds of it in our hearts but yet he found his spirit most above that worldly sin because he was so much taken up with Jesus Christ And indeed the more any soul is taken up with the excellency of Christ and with the glorious things of His Kingdom the more vile will the things of the world be to them We look not at the things that are seen saith the Apostle they are not things to be looked at But at the things that are not seen And in the 6. of the Gal. 14. ver The Apostle Paul that was the great man for the promoting of Christ in the world and the setting up of His Throne he professes That he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him That is he look't upon the world but as a crucified thing What esteem would you have of a man that is hanging upon a
this and if this man have not his portion here what man hath the Lord strike such a mans heart But on the other side A gracious heart when God blesses him in this world though there be but a little grace it wil work thus The Lord hath raised my condition above my brother therein the Lord gives me a larger opportunity to do him service than my brother hath or than I had before there is such a poor man he is an honest man but God knows he can do but little in the place where he is he hath but little means but God hath given me means and this means enlarges my opportunity to do God service and for this my soul blesseth God I count my estate happier in this because I now may be of more use and do God more service than otherwise I could do Have you such workings in heart you rich men if you have not never be at quiet til you get your hearts working in this manner this will be a blessed testimony that God gives you a portion here and intends another portion for you in the world hereafter 6. What is that thing that you strive to make most sure That which a man strives to make most sure that he counts his happiness to consist in Oh for thy Land and Debts thou strivest with all thy might to make that sure but as for the matter of thy Salvation and peace in Christ thou hast a good hope in God for but takest no pains to make it sure 7. What dost thou admire most men for O! such a man is happy he hath so much coming in and hath so much a yeer But dost thou call the vile man happy it is a sign that thou hast not thine eye enlightened by the Spirit of God but now Canst thou look upon even those that are poor and mean in this world that have the least portion here yet as most happy Creatures because the Lord gives them the Grace of His Spirit and think well 't is true I have a greater estate than such a poor man that is my neighbor or than such a poor man but God knows he doth God more service than I do he prayes more and more heartily in one day than I do in a whol yeer Oh! the Lord hath other manner of prayers and sighs come from his poor Cottage than ever he had from my brave Pallace I have my City-house and Country-house but they were never so perfum'd with prayers Some that live in poor Cellers send up more prayers and God hath more honor from them than He hath from me in my family perhaps there is cursing and blaspheming of God in such poor Cottages there is perhaps blessing and praising of God Now see if thou lookest upon them as the most happy people in the world 8. What art thou careful to lay up for thy Children That is like to be thy portion If the things of the world take up thy care for thy children most that is an argument thou thinkest thy Children have a good portion if thou canst leave them so many thousands it is like it is thy portion too if thou countest it theirs And then further 9. Examin thy services what they are 1. Dost thou put off God with slight services Then know thy portion is like to be of Gods slight mercies 2. Art thou hypocritical in thy service Dost thou aim at the praise of men in outward duties That is a sign thou hast thy reward here 3. And are thy services forc'd that thou art compel'd Is it meerly conscience compels thee and not an inward agreeableness between the frame of thy heart and holy things Then it 's like a servants portion is thine and not a childs portion 10. Further Hast thou heretofore been a forward Professor in Religion and hast thou forsaken the waies of God I 'le give you a dreadful Scripture for this In Jer. 17. 13. All you that forsake the Lord shall come to be ashamed and they that depart from him shall be written in the earth All that depart from God shall be written in the earth If thou hast been forward heretofore and now thou comest to be more ancient thou art dead and dull and careless here is a Text for thee go home and tremble lest thou be a man whose name is written in the earth 11. Doth not God for the present Curse thy portion thou findest the more thou hast the worse thou growest As if a man should eat meat at ones table and assoon as he hath eaten it begin to swell he will conclude certainly the meat was poysoned So when thy estate rises thy heart riseth with pride surely it was poysoned with the curse of God that was in it 12. Examin thy heart by this whether hath God convinced thee of that which stops the great Current of His mercy I spake of even now that soul that hath its portion in this world looks no further but to Gods general bounty and looks not to what stops the great Current of Gods grace he is not brought to be sensible of his need of Christ and of his satisfaction unto Divine Justice but now the heart of God intends Eternal good too such a heart the Lord causes to understand that there is such an infinite breach between God and it as cannot be made up but only by the Meditation of the Son of God and therefore Lord it is not in any righteousness of mine nor in any thing of any creature in Heaven and Earth can do it that I expect to have my portion from but in the Mediation of the Son of God that I look after and my heart closes with that Mediation and I look upon that as the spring of all my worth He is a man indeed that is not like to have his portion in this world and I 'le only name that one more What saiest thou to this 13. That man that spends his daies without having some fear lest God should put him off with the things of this world there may be some danger of that Jude 12. it is said of some That they did feed themselves without fear You can go now to a merry meeting and can go and feed upon the cheer and you eat without fear you 'l never have such a thought in your heart What if God should put me off with these things I hear indeed there are some men are put off so what if it should prove to be my portion what a miserable creature were I I fear there are some men never had such a thought in their lives What if it should prove so what a miserable creature were I The wicked are described to be men that eat without fear and thus we have done the Fifth Thing There is only the Sixth and that is Sixthly Exhortation to you all and then I have done all And this Exhortation it must be divided First Vnto you that have some Evidences that God hath given you a