so much as this Holy Joy There is no true Thanksgiving if this be not at the bottom of it 2. For the Degree The Heart doth delight in Christ above all other Things As to the sensitive Expression in the lively stirring of Joy we may to appearance be more affected with outward Benefits because fleshly Objects do more work upon our fleshly senses as carrying a greater suitableness to them Religion is a grave severe thing not seen so much in actual Transports as in the habitual complacency and well-pleasedness of the Mind yet in solâ—mn Duties thâ—re may be as great Ravishment of Soul Psalm 6. 35. My Soul shall be ravished as with Marrow and Fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips When they feel the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts they are in effect transported with it more than with all the Delicates and Banquets of the World and cannot hold from praising God But generally it must be measured by our solid complacency and judicious esteem What we prize most and would least want and would not forgo for all other things so the Saints rejoice in God and Christ more than in any worldly Matter whatsoever Psalm 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us That hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Psalm 63. 3. Because thy loving Kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee This is that which they love most and keep best and are most loth to want This is that which giveth a value to Life it self and without which that which is most precious and desirable is little or nothing worth and giveth them more comfort then what is most comfortable in this World and is the most chearful Employment for their Thoughts to think upon This is delight in Christ. Q. Whether this may be had without Assurance And can those who are dark in their interest in Christ and know not whether they have any Grace or no rejoice in him To this I Answer Yes certainly For there are general Grounds of rejoicing for the Gospel bringeth glad Tydings to Sinners as it offereth to them a way how to escape out of their misery and enter into the Peace of God But more distinctly 1. The Scripture speaketh of a two-fold rejoicing in Christ Before Faith and After Faith Before Faith is full grown and is but in the making as those Acts 13. 48. When they heard this they were glad c. And he that had found the true Treasure for Joy thereof sold all that he had Matth. 13. 44. There was Joy before the thorow consent though introductive of it yet antecedent to it And the reason is because God hath shewed them the way how to free themselves from Misery and to enjoy true Felicity and Happiness Now if there may be a Joy before Faith certainly before Assurance The very offer of a Remedy is comfortable when in misery And then there is a Joy after Faith as Joy and Peace in Believing when they take the course to get this Liberty and Deliverance by Christ yet this is Faith not Assurance As a sick Man when he heareth of an able Physician who hath cured many of the same Disease wherewith he is oppressed he rejoiceth and conceiveth some hope that he may be cured also When he hath lighted upon this Physician and beginneth to make use of his Healing Medicines he is more glad and expecteth the Cure But when he is perfectly recovered and feeleth it then he is glad indeed So when a broken-hearted Creature heareth the glad Tidings of the Gospel that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners he rejoiceth that God hath found out such a Saviour to recover the lapsed Estate of Mankind But when he submitteth to Christ's Healing Methods and trusts himself with his skill and fidelity he is more comforted and doth more intimately feel the benefit of this course in his own Soul but as he groweth more assured of his Health and Salvation his Comfort still increaseth and his Joy is more unspeakable and glorious So that this Joy may be without assurance for the Causes of it at first are Knowledg and Faith 2. There is a Joy that accompanieth seeking even before we attain what we seek after Psal. 105. 3. Let the Heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. There is a great deal of Contentment in this course though that complacential Joy which is our full Reward be yet reserved for us yet there is a Joy in seeking Better be a Seeker than a Wanderer This Blessed Saviour am I waiting upon Though we have attained to little Communion with him yet 't is a comfort that we are seeking farther measure Delight and Joy keepeth up our endeavours 3. When our Right is cleared then we have more abundant Joy 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things you shall never fall For so an Entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Some are afar off others not far from the Kingdom of God Others make an hard shift to go to Heaven through many Doubts and Fears some sail into the Haven of Glory with full Sails with much Joy and Peace of Soul 3. I shall shew you the Spiritual Profit of this Joy 1. 'T is such a Joy as doth enlarge our Heart in Duty and strengthens us in the way of God Nehem. 8. 10. The Ioy of the Lord is your strength There is a natural deadness and dulness in Holy Duties which we often find in our selves which cometh to pass partly from the back-bias of Corruption weakning our Delight in God and partly from the remissness of our Will towards Spiritual and Heavenly Things Now the most proper and kindly cure of it is this Delight and Rejoicing in Christ for a Man will readily do those things which he delighteth in though â—oilsom and difficult Let the Heart be but affected with the Grace of Christ and our Joy will soon vent it self in a thankful and delightful Obedience 1 John 5. 3. For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous Psalm 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy Will O my God yea thy Law is within my Heart The hardest Services are pleasant to one that delighteth in Christ they are sweetned by his Love and quickned and inlivened by the sense and esteem that we have of the Benefits
all Weathers they take up Religion rather as a Walk for Recreation than as a Journey or serious Passage to Heaven Therefore we must all of us prepare for Sufferings in this World looking for no great matters here We must expect Persecutions Crosses Losses Wants Defamation Injuries and we must get that Furniture of heart and mind which may support and comfort us in such a day of tryal 2. It informeth us what Fools they are that take up Religion upon a carnal design of Ease and Plenty and will follow Christ to grow rich in the World As this Scribe thought to make a Market of the Gospel as Simon Magus did Acts 8. 19 20. He thought to make a gain by the Power of Miracles There are Conveniences which Religion affordeth in peaceable Times but the very Profession at other Times will ingage us in great Troubles And therefore Men do but make way for the shame of a Change and other Mischiefs that hope for Temporal Commodities by the Profession of the Gospel There are few that are willing to follow a naked Christ upon unseen incouragements but this must be for they that aim to seek the World in and by their Religion are disclaimed by our Lord as unfit to be his Servants and indeed sorry Servants they are who cannot live without Honour Ease and Plenty therefore turn and wind to shift the Cross put many a fallacy upon their own Souls Gal. 6. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the Flesh compel you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. If that be their only Motive they are apt to desert or pervert Christ's Cause Again the Apostle telleth us of some who are Enemies to the Cross of Christ whose God is their Belly who mind earthly Things Phil. 3. 18 19. Men that have no love to God but only serve their fleshly Appetites and look no higher than Honours Riches Pleasures and applause with Men will never be faithful to Christ They are such as study to save themselves not from Sin but from Danger and accordingly accommodate themselves to every Interest As the Men of Keilah dealt with David entertained him for a while But when Saul pursued him were resolved to betray him They would come into no danger for David's sake So they deal with Christ and Religion They profess Christ's Name but will suffer nothing for him If they may injoy Him and his Ways with peace and quietness and conveniency and commodity to themselves well and good But if Troubles arise for the Gospel's sake immediatly they fall off not only these Summer-Friends of the Gospel but the most yea the best have a secret lothness and unwillingness to condescend to a condition of Trouble or Distress This is a Point of hard digestion and most Stomachs will not bear it 3. It informs us what an unlikely design they have in hand who would bring the World and Christ fairly to agree or reconcile their worldly Advantages and the Profession of the Gospel And when they cannot frame the World and their Conveniences to the Gospel do fashion the Gospel to the World and the carnal courses of it 'T is pity these Men had not been of the Lord's Council when he first contrived and preached the Gospel that they might have helped him to some discreet and middle courses that might have served turn for Heaven and Earth too But do they what they will or can the Way is narrow that leadeth to Life and they must take Christ's Yoke upon them if they would find rest for their Souls They will find that pure and strict Religion will be unpleasing to the Ungodly and the Carnal that the Enmity between the two Seeds will remain and the Flesh and the World must not always be pleased that there is more danger of the World smiling than frowning As to the Church in general in Constantine's Time Ecclesia facta est opibus major virtutibus minor so to Believers in particular that the Heart is corrupted by the Love of the World and Men never grow so dull and careless of their Souls as when they have most of the World at will And that we are more awakened and have a more lively sense of Eternal Life when under the Cross than when we live in the greatest ease and pomp That Christ permitteth Troubles not for want of love to his People or want of Power to secure their peace but for holy and wise ends to promote their good Vse 2. Is Instruction When you come to enter into Covenant with Christ consider 1. Christ knoweth what Motives do induce you John 2. 25. He needeth not that any should testifie of Man for he knoweth what is in Man Some believed but Jesus committed not himself unto them He knoweth whether there be a real bent or carnal biass upon the Heart 2. If the Heart be false in making the Covenant it will never hold good An error in the first Concoction will never be mended in the second Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever So Mat. 13. 21. The stony Ground received the Word with joy Yet hath he not root in himself but dureth but for a while for when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended Some temporal thing sitteth too near and close to the Heart you are never upright with God till a Relation to God and a Right to Heaven do incomparably weigh down all temporal Troubles and you can rejoice more in the Testimonies of God fatherly Love and right to eternal Life than in outward things Psalm 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased David speaks in his own Name and in the Name of all those that were alike minded with himself And Luke 10. 20. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven 3. That Christ cannot but take it ill that we are so delicate and tender of our Interests and so impatient under the Cross when he endured so willingly such great things for our sakes we cannot lose for him so much as he hath done for us and if he had been unwilling to suffer for us what had been our state and condition to all Eternity we should have suffered eternal Misery If you would not have Christ of another mind why will you be of another mind 1 Pet. 4. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin 4. If you be
in the Book of the Maccabees concerning Eleazar and the Woman with her seven Sons so cruelly tortured But these Commands were contrary to the Laws of God Should they have said God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice No in such a case God will have Sacrifice and not Mercy Tho often advised to yield they would not abate a Jot of their Zeal For tho the Case be but in Externals yet there is a Renunciation of our Relation and Obedience to God's Law So Daniel opening his Windows and praying three times a day as he was wont to do Dan. 6. 10. That Circumstance might have been forborn you will think in a Case of such imminent Peril of Life No he would neither forbear praying nor opening his Windows he had wont to do so before and without dishonouring God and renouncing his Profession he could not forbear to do so now The Promise of Audience made to Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple required this Ceremony as an Effect of Faith 1 Kings 8. 42 43. When they shall pray towards this House then hear thou in Heaven And David saith Psal. 5. 7. In thy Fear I will worship towards thy holy Temple The Temple did shadow forth the Body of our Lord Christ the Mediator in whom only our Prayers and Services are accepted with the Father which Solomon respected in looking towards the Temple But the chief Reason is the Necessity of Profession and open Profession too against this impious Law contrived by the Malice of his Enemies to make him afraid Now to shew he was not frighted from his Duty he openeth his Windows and would not forgo any Circumstance of his Duty to God I might instance in Circumcision as urged by the false Apostles as necessary to our Justification Gal. 5. 2 3 4. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testify again to every Man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you Whosoever of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from Grace Such is the difference when God calleth us to the profession of a lesser Truth Therefore the Case may be such that Externals may bear great Weight 7. If the Externals of God's Worship instituted by himself must give place to Mercy then Externals of Humane Institution ought much more to give place to Mercy Sacrifices were of God's Institution and a way of expressing their Obedience and Thankfulness in his Worship yet God saith I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And twice is this applied by Christ to Mercy towards the Souls of Men in the Text and Mercy concerning the Bodies of Men Mat. 12. to defend the Disciples rubbing the Ears of Corn because they fainted for Hunger Then by like Reason where the urging of Externals may cross Mercy to the Souls of Men by depriving them of the Means of Edification and the Gifts of a lively Ministry or crossing Mercy to the Bodies of Men by depriving them and their Families of their necessary Support and Maintenance in such a case they should learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And the Peace and Edification of the Church is more valuable than that of a private Man In all External positive Institutions the Apostles often urge Charity to the Souls of Men for which Christ died that we neither wound them with Sorrow or Sin as the sure Rule to guide us either in practising or forbearing our Liberty Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died So 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy Knowledg shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ died That is the scandalous Abuse of this Knowledg In short if any great dammage to the Souls or Bodies scandal or inconveniece should come upon urging these Externals surely they should be forborn for if it be the Will and Pleasure of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Matters commanded by his Affirmative Precepts should be forborn for Charity 's sake Men should be perswaded to remit of the rigor of their Impositions in this kind though the things imposed were indifferent and the practice of them in some Cases a Duty yet if it would destroy Charity we are to leave our Prayers publick and private forsake a Sermon to save the Life of our Neighbour nay to quench the Fire burning his House nay to help his Cattle out of the Ditch But I will prosecute this no further Let me now make some use of what hath been said 1. Let us take heed that we be not of the number of them that are serious and zealous in some things but not in all Partial Zeal hath always been the Note of Hypocrites as the Pharisees were earnest for Externals but neglected Justice and Charity Saul is an Instance of Partial Zeal in destroying the Gibeonites and sparing the Amalekites 2 Sam. 21. 2. Saul sought to sâ—ay them in his zeal to the Children of Israel and Iudah He was expresly commanded to root out the Amalekites but he spared Agag out of seeming pity but useth barbarous Cruelty in seeking to root out the Gibeonites who were to be preserved by Oath and Covenant and this he is said to do in his Zeal Not a true Zeal surely as aiming at God's Glory for it tended much to his dishonour to have them destroyed who were new Proselytes and professing Religion and had put themselves under God's Protection but a preposterous hypocritical Zeal of aiming as he pretended at the welfare of the Common-Wealth of Israel his main Intent was popular Applause and to gratify them who envied the Gentiles should be incorporated into God's People An Hypocrite's Conscience is not uniform but brought upon the Stage for a Turn I shall give you another Instance in Iehâ— mighty zealous in destroying the Idolatry of Baal which was the Idolatry of the House of Ahab but not only cold and indifferent but resolute against the destroying the Calves of Dan and Bethel which was the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2 Kings 10. 28 29. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel Howbeit from the Sins of Jeroboam wherewith he made Israel to sin Jehu departed not from them to wit the Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel Reason of State perswaded the one and disswaded the other His Interest lay in ruining the House of Ahab and in taking care that the Tribes might not revert to the House of David Thus you see Men zealous in some things may griâ—vously sin in others Therefore my Beloved be you careful to regard all God's Commands in their place Piety in its place Justice in its place Mercy in its place The Jews after they had smarted in Babylon were zealous against Idols but robbed God of his Dues never took care to restore the Riches of the Temple Therefore the Apostle taxeth this partiality of Zeal Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit
by Christ and freed from having his Portion with Unbelievers yet it goeth hard with him as one involved in a common Fire hardly escapeth out of it their Salvation is more difficult In short every one is more happy as he is less apt to be offended in Christ but they are most unhappy that are most offended in him I now come to shew you Fifthly How it is true that those that escape this Sin are in the ready way to Salvation To this I answer 1. The Negative includeth the Positive and must be thus explained He that is not offended but evangelized hath the Power and Vertue of the Gospel stamped upon his Heart Blessed is he Among them that are offended some forsake and fall off from Christ others never come at him But these believe so as to be changed and converted Nothing hindereth them when Christ hath gained their liking and esteem for this esteem that we speak of now is not a simple speculative Approbation for that may be and no change follow Rom. 2. 18. Thou approvest the things that are excellent but a practical comparative approbation all things considered Christ is best for their turns always a change followeth this esteem Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord. And till we have this esteem there is some secret Offence that we take at Christ either at his Person Doctrine Precepts or the bad entertainment they have in the World and for the contrarieâ—y of our Affections Christ and we do not close with full complacency and delight 2. This esteem produceth an uniform Obedience For they that thus esteem Christ will study to please him Delight in our Master breedeth delight in our Work Col. 1. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work and increasing in the Knowledg of God And 1 Thess. 2. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory The only way to know whether we be more or less offended in Christ is to compare our Conversation and Practice with his Precepts His Benefits commend themselves to our Affections his Precepts to our Consciences the one sweeten the other We have such a good Master we can never do enough for him If we like Christ nothing will be grievous that he giveth us in charge 1 John 5. 3. His Commandments are not grievous 3. When we are not offended in Christ we are the better fortified against Temptations to Apostacy They are of three sorts Errors Scandals Persecutions 1. Errors Many are drawn away with vain Pretences But we have an unction from the Holy One and know all things John 2. 20. But they are an offence not only of Seduction but Contristation Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause Errors and Offenses contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avid them these are Wens of Christ's Mystical Body not Parts Errors in the Church breed Atheism in the World Many question the Ways of God and give over all Religion because there are so many Differences and Sects therefore they think nothing certain Certainly God saw this Discipline to be fittest for his People he hath told us there must be Errors he would not have us to take up Religion upon trust without the pains of Study and Prayer Lazy Men would fain give Laws to Heaven and teach God how to govern the Affairs of the World they would have all things clear and plain that there should be no doubt about it But the Lord in his wise Providence seeth it fit to permit these things That they which are approved may be made manifest To excuse the trouble of a Search Study and Prayer Men would have all things agreed else they take offence at Religion and that is one means to draw them off even after profession The Canonists say Non fuisset discretus Dominus Deus nisi unum constiâ—uerit Vniversalem Iudicem This was their Blasphemy that God were not discreet and wise unless he had appointed one Universal and Infallible Interpreter This is Mens natural thoughts the Jews say That Christ was not the True Messiah Why Because if he had been he would not have come in such a way as to leave any of his Country-men in doubt but would so plainly have discovered himself that all might know him So many think Religion is but a Fancy and so fall off to Atheism and Sceptieism at last and irresolution in Religion because there are so many Sects and Divisions and all upholding it with plausible pretences And to excuse Laziness or Prejudice Men pretend want of certainty But God's Word is plain to all that will do his Will Iohn 7. 17. 2. The scandalous aâ—d â—vil Practices of Professors These do not only infect but offend many and cause them to stumble at Religion or fall into a dislike of the Way of Salvation Scandal is far more dangerous than Persecution In Persecution though many be discouraged yet others are gained to a liking of Religion There are many that have been gained by the patience courage and constancy of the Martyrs but never any were gained by the scandalous falls of Professors Persecutions do only work upon our Heart which may be allayed by proposal of the Crown of Life But by scandalous Actions how many settle into a resolved hardness of Heart In Crosses and Persecutions many Men may have a secret liking of the Truth and a purpose to own it in better times But by this kind of scandal Men grow into an open and professed dislike thereof In Persecutions there is not a dislike of Religion it self but of the hard terms upon which it must be received But by Scandals Men dislike Religion it self and nourish a base and vile Opinion thereof in their Hearts and so they grow loose and fall off And this mischief doth not only prevail with the lighter sort of Christians but many times those which have had some taste it makes them fly off exceedingly Matth. 18. 7. There will be Offences but wo unto them by whom they come Christ hath told us all will not walk up to the Religion they own But a Man that is not offended in Christ will not be offended at the Disorders of those that profess his Way 1 Ioh. 2. 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no occasion of stumbling in â—im All things that offend will not be taken away till the Reapers come Matth. 13. 41. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity In the mean time he that loveth Christ and loveth his Brother dareth not reason from some to all from Persons to the Religion for Religion is not to be judged by the Persons that profess it but the Persons by the Religion These things must ever be distinguished the Rule
Godward there is no looking back There must be no more consulting with Flesh and Blood The Divine Instinct must be obeyed speedily and wholly and Christ followed without Reserves and Conditions Of these in their order I begin with the First And it came to pass as they went on the way a certain Man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest c. In which words observe 1. The Time It came to pass as they went on the way a certain Man said to him 2. A Resolution professed Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 3. Christ's Reply And Iesus said unto him Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head 1. The Time In Matth. 8. 19. 'T is when Christ had a mind to retire and had declared his purpose to go into the Desert In Luke when he stedfastly set his Face to go to Ierusalem Both may agree the one more immediatly the other more remotely first to the Desert then to Ierusalem About that time a certain Man seeing Christ about to remove from the place where he then was offereth himself to be one of his Disciples This certain Man is by St. Matthew said to be a Scribe Men of that Rank and Order had usually a Male Talent against the Gospel and are frequently coupled with the Pharisees Men covetous and of a bitter Spirit This Man seeing Christ did great Miracles and hoping that he would set up a Temporal Kingdom he puts in for a place betimes that he might share in the Honours of it 2. Here is a Resolution professed Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Where take notice 1. Of the ready forwardness of the Scribe He was not called by Christ but offered himself of his own accord 2. Observe the largeness of the Offer and unboundedness of it Whithersoever as indeed it is our Duty to follow Christ through thick and thin In the Revelations Christ's undeâ—iled Company are described to be such as follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14. 4. That is obeyed him though to their great peril and loss Well then here is readiness here is largeness it is well if all be sincere Therefore let us see 3. Christ's Answer and Reply And Iesus said unto him Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head By the tenour of Christ's Answer you may know what ails him and on what Foot he limped For this is spoken either by way of preparation to enable him to keep his Resolution or rather by way of probation to try the truth and strength of it whether it were sincere and sound yea or no As the young Man was tried Mark 10. 21. One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and come and take up thy Cross and follow me But he went away sad at that saying So here we hear no more of this Scribe our Lord knew how to discover Hypocrites Two things were defective in this Resolution 1. 'T was suddain and rash not weighing the Difficulties They that rashly leap into a Profession usually fall back at first trial Therefore we must sit down and count the Charges Luke 14. 28. 2. There was a carnal Aim in it He minded his own Profit and Honour Therefore Christ in effect telleth him you had best consider what you do for following of me will be far from advancing any temporal Interest of yours The Scribe was leavened with a Conceit of a worldly Kingdom and had an Eye to some Temporal Advantage Therefore Christ telleth him plainly There was no worldly Ease and Riches to be expected from him And so Non repulit valentem sed fingentem prodidit He did not discourage a willing Follower but discover a worldly Hypocrite saith Chrysologus The Doctrine we learn from hence is this They that will sincerely follow Christ must not look for any great Matters in the World but rather prepare themselves to run all hazards with him This is evident 1. From Christ's own Example And the same Mind should be in all his Followers John 17. 16. They are not of the World even as I am not of the World Our estranging of our Hearts from the World is an evidence of our conformity to Christ. Christ passed through the World to sanctify it as a Place of Service but his constant Residence was not here to â—ix it as a Place of Rest And all that are Christ's are alike affected We pass through as Strangers but are not at home as Inhabitants or Dwellers and if we have little of the World's Favour 't is enough if any degree of Service for God 2. From the Nature of his Kingdom His Kingdom is not of this World Iohn 18. 3 6. 'T is not a Kingdom of Pomp but a Kingdom of Patience Here we suffer with Christ hereafter we reign with him The Comforts are not earthly or the good Things of this World but heavenly the good Things of the World to come This was the Scribes Mistake 3. From the Spirit of Christ. His Spirit is given us to draw us off from this World to that which is to come 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the Things which are given us of God The Spirit of the World is that which possesseth and governeth worldly Men and inclineth them to a worldly Happiness this is in all Men naturally Corrupt Nature doth sufficiently prompt and incline Men to look after the Honours and Pleasures and Profits of this World Iames 3. 15. the Apostle when he would describe the Wisdom which is not from above he saith that it is earthly sensual devillish this Wisdom cometh not from above Present Things are known by Sense and known easily and known by all But there is a Divine Spirit put into Christians which inclineth them to Things to come and worketh Graces suitable Some of which give us a sight of the Truth of those Things as Faith some a Taste or an Esteem of them as Love some an earnest Desire as Hope This Spirit cometh from God and Christ Ephes. 1. 17 18. And without these Graces we can have no sight nor desire of heavenly Things 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned They think 't is folly to hazard present Conveniencies for future Rewards and the truest Wisdom to live in Ease Plenty and Honour On the contrary the Divine Spirit convinceth us that there is no such Business of Importance as looking after eternal Life That all the gay Things of Sense are but so many Maygames to Heavens Happiness the terrible Things of the World are
too early he might meet with a Lion in his range and walk before they were retired into their Dens Thus do Men alarm themselves with their own foolish fears to excuse their idleness and negligence So again Prov. 15. 19. The way of the slothful is as an hedg of thorns but the way of the Righteous is made plain They imagine difficulties and intollerable hardships in a course of Godliness but 't is their cowardise and pusilanimous negligence which maketh the Ways of God seem hard they are all comfortable plain and easy to the pure and upright Heart and willing Mind Come we to the New Testament Luke 14. 18 19 20. They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought me a piece of Ground and I must go to see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And another said I have married a Wife and cannot come The meaning is Many were invited to everlasting Happiness but they preferred their designs of worldly advantages Mark they do not absolutely deny but make excuse Excuses are the fruit of the quarrel between Conviction and Corruption They are convinced of better things but being prepossessed and biassed with worldly Inclinations they dare not fully yield nor flatly deny therefore they chose a middle course to make excuses Doing is safe or preparing our selves to do but excusing is but a patch upon a filthy sore or a poor covering of Fig-leagues for a naughty Heart 3. The usual excuses which Sinners may and usually do allege are these four The Difficulty of Religion The danger that attendeth it Want of Time And that they have no power or strength to do good 1. For the first 'T is troublesome and tedious to Flesh and Blood to be held to so much Duty and to wean our Hearts from things we so dearly love and the World thinketh that we are too nice and precise to urge Men to such a strict and holy and heavenly Life and less ado will serve the turn To this I answer 〈…〉 deligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And therefore if you cannot deny the ease and sloth of the Flesh you are wholly unfit for the Work of Godliness 2. This Diligence is no more than needeth whatever the carnal World thinketh who leave the Boat to the Stream and hope to be accepted with God for a few cold and drowsy Devotions or some superficial Righteousness A Painter-stainer will think a Painter-limner too curious because his own work is but a little daubing The broad way pleaseth the World best but the narrow way leadeth to Life 3. This Diligence may be well afforded considering that eternal Life and Death is in the case Life Will you stop a Journey for your Lives because 't is a little tedious or there is Dirt in the way or the Wind bloweth on you and the like Since 't is for God and Heaven we should not grudg at a little labour 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. There is also Death in the case Now which is better To take a little profitable pains in Godliness or to endure everlasting Torments to save a little labour or diligence in the holy Life and run the hazard of being miserable for ever Which is worst the trouble of Physick or the danger of a mortal Disease 2. Another Excuse is the Danger which attendeth it It may expose you to great Troubles to own God and Religion heartily And if there be Peace abroad and Magistrates countenanâ—â— Religion yet many times at home a Man's greatest Foes may be those of his own Houshold Mat. 10. 36. But for the pleasing or displeasing of your Relations you must not neglect your Duty to God as Ierom to Helidorus Per calcatum perge Patrem If thy Father lie in the way tread upon his Bowels rather than not come unto Christ. Our Lord hath expresly told us Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Neither favour nor disfavour of our Friends is a just lett or impediment to our Duty The Advantages we can or are likely to receive from Parents are not worthy to be compared with those we expect from God nor is their Authority over us so great as God's is Luke 14. 26. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father or Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Though Christianity doth not discharge us from obedience to Parents yet the higher Duty must be preferred namely obedience to Christ and loving less is hating 3. Another excuse is I have no time to mind Soul-affairs My distractions in the World are so great and my course of life is such that I have no leisure I answer Will you neglect God and Salvation because you have worldly things to mind Whatever your business be you have a time to eat and drink and sleep and have you no time to be saved Better incroach upon other things than that Religion should be cast to the Walls or justled out of your thoughts David was a King and he had more distracting cares than most of us have or can have yet he saith Psal. 119. 147 148. I prevented the dawning of the Morning and cried I hoped in thy Word Mine Eyes prevent the Night-watches that I may meditate in thy Word And v. 164. Sâ—ven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments Do you spend no time in idleness vain talking and carnal sports and might not this be better employed about heavenly things Ephes. 5. 15 16. See then that â—e walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days arâ— evil Vitam non accipimus brevem sed fecimus nec inopes temporis sed prodigi sumus God hath not sâ—t you about Work that he alloweth you no time for but we waste our time and then God is straitned Many poorer than you have time because they have an heart and will to improve it 4. I have no power or strength to do good And what will you have us do This is the excuse of the idle and naughty Servant Mat. 25. 24. I knew that thou wert an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed God sets you about work but giveth you no strength is your â—xcuse but certainly you can do more than you do but you will not make trial God may be more ready with the assistances of his Grace thau you can imagine The tired Man may complain of the length of the way but not the lazy who will not stir a foot If you did make trial you would not
into a place of Rest and Safety Partly because they sin against Experience after they have had some relish and taste of better things Heb. 6. 4. Partly because their Conversion again is the more difficult the Devil having a greater hold of them Mat. 12. 44. 4. With respect to the disproportion that is between the things that tempt us to look back and those things that are set before us 1. The things that tempt us to look back are the Pleasures of Sin and the Profits of the World both are but a tempory injoyment Heb. 11. 25. The Pleasures of Sin which are but for a Season The pleasures of Sin are base and brutish which captivate and bring a slavery on the Soul Titus 3. 3. The enjoiments of the World cannot last long your gust and relish of them within a little while will be gone 1 Iohn 2. 17. yet these are the things that tempt you to forget and draw you off from God And will you marry your Souls again to those Sins from which they were once divorced and for such paltry Vanities repent of your Obedience to God even after you have made trial of him Are these things grown better or God grown worse that you should turn your Hearts from him to them 2. The things that are before you are God and Heaven Reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory 1. Reconciliation with God with the consequent Benefits Communion with God now Peace of Conscience the Gift of the Spirit and the Hopes of Glory If there were no more than these Shall we look back Can we find better things in the World Alas there is nothing here but Fears and Snares a vexatious Uncertainty and polluting Injoyments such as may easily make us worse but cannot make us better What is this but to forsake the cold flowing Waters for a dirty Puddle Ier. 18. 14. Our own Mercies for lying Vanities Ionah 2. 8. 2. The everlasting Fruition of him in Glory Shall we look back that are striving for a Crown of endless Glory as if we were weary of the pursuit and give it over as an hopeless or fruitless Business If Christ will lead us to this Glory let us follow him and go on in what is well begun without looking back Never let us leave a Crown of Glory for a Crown of Thorns Vse 1. Is for Instruction to teach us what to do if we would set about the strict practice of Religion 1. See that your worldly Love be well mortified For till you be dead to the World God cannot recover his Interest in your Souls nor the Divine Nature be set up there with any Life and Power 2 Pet. 1. 4. see also 1 Iohn 2. 15. and 1 Iohn 5. 4. Till this be done God and Glory cannot be your ultimate End nor the main design of your Life for the World will turn your Hearts another way and will have the principal ruling and disposing of your Lives The World will have that Love Trust Care and Service that belongeth to God and be a great hindrance to you in the way to Heaven and you will never have peace The World doth first delude you and then disquiet you And if you cleave to it as your Portion you must look for no more Well then mortified it must be For how can you renounce the World as an Enemy if your Hearts be not weaned from it so far that it is a more indifferent thing to you to have it or want it and that you be not so eager for it or so careful about it 2. Let not the World steal into your Hearts again nor seâ—m so sweet to you â—or thâ—n you are under a temptation 't is our remaining-Folly and backsliding-Nature that is ever looking to the World which we have forsaken Now when you find this whenever the World hath insinuated into your Affections and chilled and cooled them to God and Heaven see that the Distemper be presently expelled pray as David Psal. 119. 36. Incline my Heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto Covetousness Be sure to be more fruitful in good Works Luke 11. 41. Give Alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you We renounced the World in our Baptismal Vow we overcame the World in our whole after-course 'T is not so got out of any but that we still need an holy jealousy and watchfulness over our selves Now that we may do both of these I shall give you some Directions 1. Fix your End and Scope which is to be everlastingly happy in the injoyment of God The more you do so the less in danger you will be of looking back We are often pressed to lay up Treasures in Heaven Mat. 6. 20. And as those that are risen with Christ to seek the things which are above Col. 3. 1. Our Lord himself saith to the young Man Mark 10. 21. Go sell all that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasures in Heaven If our Life and Business be for Heaven and your mind be kept intent on the greater Matters of Everlasting Life nothing will divert you therefrom you will almost be ready to forget Earth because you have higher and better things to mind 'T is not barely thinking of the Troubles of the World or confessing its Vanities will cure your Distempers but the true sight of a better Happiness A little in hand is better you will think than uncertain Hopes but a sound Belief which is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen that openeth Heaven to you and will soon make you of another mind 2. Intirely trust your self and all your Concernmenâ—s in the Hand of God Christ expected from all those whom he called in an extraordinary manner that they should leave all without any thought or solicitude about it trusting in him not only for their â—ternal Reward but for their Provision and Protection by the way during their service And the same in effect is required of all Christians not to leave our Estates or neglect our Calling but renouncing the World and resolving to take such a lot in good part as he shall carve out to them All that enter into Covenant with God must believe him to be God All-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. The Apostle when he diswadeth from Worldliness he produceth a promise of God's not forsaking us and leaving us utterly destitute Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as you have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee On the other side certainly 't is Unbelief that is the cause of Apostacy or falling back from God Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the living God Certainly when we have resigned up our selves to Christ to do his Work we may trust him boldly and serve him chearfully we need not
look back to shift for our selves If you are willing to be his People he will be your God and your Saviour and then you may conclude that God even our God shall bless us Psalm 67. 6. He will not be wanting to those that unreservedly yield up themselves to his Obedience 3. Consider that they are deluded Hypocrites that will meddle no farther with Religion than they can reconcile it with their worldly Happiness What-ever glorious Notions they have of God or pretences of admiring free Grace 't is Self-denial that Christ calleth for and taking up our Cross is the first Lesson in his School And true Conversion is a turning from the Creature to God and beginneth in Mortification and Baptism implieth a renunciation of the Devil the World and the Flesh. Therefore those that will save their wordly State and launch out no farther in the Cause of Religion than they may easily get ashore again when a storm cometh and love and serve God no farther than will stand with the contentment of the Flesh and divide their Hearts between God and the World give God but half and the worst half surely these were never sincere with God 'T is an impossible Design they drive on to serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. You must let go Christ and Glory if you be so earnest after the World and so indulgent to the Flesh. 4. Consider how much 't is your business to observe what maketh you fit or unfit for the Kingdom of God The aptitude or inaptitude of means is to be judged with respect to the end as they help or hinder the attainment of your great End For Finis est mensura mediorum Mat. 6. 22. The Light of the Body is the Eye If therefore thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light Now our great end is to enjoy God for ever And what fitteth you for this looking back or keeping the Heart in Heaven Experience will shew The observant and watchful Christian will soon find where his great hindrance lieth How much he findeth his Heart down by minding the World and how he needeth to wind it up again by Faith and Love Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul The World is the great Impediment that keepeth him from God and indisposeth him for his Service dampeth his Love and quencheth his Zeal and abateth his Diligence he will soon find how much more he might do for God if he could draw off his Heart more from those inferior Objects This is the weight that presseth us down and maketh us so cold and cursory in God's Service 5. Consider in the Text here is the Kingdom of God which is double The Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory The one is called The Kingdom and Patience of Iesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. The other is called His Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess. 2. 12. By the first we are prepared for the second and the second is the great Incouragement Now they that look back are unfit for either the Duties of Christians or the Reward of Christians he slincheth from his Duty here and shall be shut out of Heaven at last 2 Thess. 1. 5. That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer They are only counted worthy who constantly and patiently look for it and venture something on it 6. Consider the great loss you will incur by looking back after you have put your hand to the Plough You will lose all that you have wrought and all that you have suffered 1. What you have wrought 2 Ep. Iohn 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not the things which ye have wrought but that ye receive a full Reward You forfeit the Reward of your good Beginnings A partial Reward they may have in this Life while they continue their well-doing for no Man is a loser by God but not a Compleat and full Reward till the Life to come Some overflowings of God's Temporal Bounty they may have but not the Crown of Life and Glory So Ezek. 18. 24. All his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned All is obliterated and forgotten and made void as to any Interest in the great Reward This was represented in the Type of the Nazarite Numb 6. 12. The days that were before shall be lost because his separation was defiled He was to begin all anew 2. All that you have suffered as a Man may make some petty losses for Jesus Christ. Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain This maketh all the cost and expence that you have been at to be to no purpose FINIS THE Nature and Excellency OF Saving Faith IN TWO SERMONS FROM Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To which is added A Wedding Sermon On Gen. 2. 22. THE EXCELLENCY OF Saving Faith HEB. 10. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul IN the Verse immediatly preceding there is a dreadful Doom pronounced on Apostates that God will take no pleasure in them Now lest they should be much afrighted with the terror of it and suppose that he had too hard an Opinion of them he sheweth That tho he did warn them he did not suspect them presuming other things of them according to their Profession But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul In the words two things are observable 1. The denial of the suspicion of their Apostacy 2. An Assertion of the Truth and Constancy of their Faith That Clause I shall insist upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where first take notice of their Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Their Perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth their purchasing acquiring obtaining finding the Soul meaning thereby that though they lost other things they did not lose their Souls Doct. That a true and sound Faith will cause us to save the Soul though with the loss of other things 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ye are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 'T is the Power of God indeed that keepeth He that reserveth Heaven for us reserveth and keepeth us for Heaven But by what Instrument or Means By Faith to depend upon an Invisible God for an Happiness that lieth in an invisible World when in the mean time he permitteth us to be harrased with Difficulties and Troubles requireth Faith And by Faith alone can the Heart be upheld till we obtain this Salvation So vers 9. Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls 'T is Faith maketh us row against the stream of Flesh and Blood and deny its Cravings that we may obtain eternal Salvation at length The Flesh is for sparing and favouring the Body but Faith is for saving the Soul That 's the End and Aim of Faith To make this
evident to you 1. I shall prove That all other things must be hazarded for the saving of the Soul 2. That nothing will make us hazard all things for the purchasing or acquiring the Salvation of the Soul but only Faith 1. That all other things must be hazarded for the saving of the Soul Mat. 10. 39. He that findeth his Life shall lose it and he that loseth his Life for my sake shall find it So 't is repeated again upon the occasion of the Doctrine of Self-denial Mat. â—6 25 26. The saving of the Soul is more than the getting and keeping or having of all the World For the World concerneth only the Body and bodily Life but the saving of Soul concerneth Eternal Life If Life be lost Temporally 't is secured to Eternity when we shall have a Life which no Man can take from us And the Case standeth thus That either we must bring Eternal Perdition upon our selves or else obtain Eternal Salvation They that are thrifty of Life bodily and the Comforts and Interests of it are certainly prodigal of their Salvation But on the other side If we are willing to venture Life Temporal and all the Interests thereof for the saving of the Soul we make a good Bargain That which is left for a while is preserved to us for for ever In short so much as God is to be preferred before the Creature Heaven before the World the Soul before the Body Eternity before Time so much doth it concern us to have the better part safe And as Men in a great Fire and general Conflagration will hazard their Lumber to preserve their Treasure their Mony or their Jewels So should we take care that if we must lose one or other that the better part be out of hazard And what-ever we lose by the way we may be sure to come well to the end of our Journey 2. That nothing will make us hazard all things for the purchasing or acquiring the Salvation of the Soul but only Faith The Flesh is importunate to be pleased Sense saith to us Favour thy self that is spare the Flesh But Faith saith Save thy Soul Faith which apprehendeth things future and invisible will teach us to value all things according to their worth and to lose some present satisfaction for that future and eternal Gain which the Promises of God do offer to us Now Faith doth this two ways By convincing us of the Worth and of the Truth of things promised by God through Christ. The Apostle when he bloweth his Trumpet and summoneth our reverence and attentive regard to the Gospel in that Preface 1 Tim. 1. 15. he saith This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners Salvation by Christ is worthy to be regarded above all things And if it be true all things should give place unto it Now Faith convinceth us of the Worth and Truth and maketh us to take the thing promised for all our Treasure and Happiness and the Promise it self or the Word of God for our whole security 1. It maketh us to take the thing promised for all our Treasure and Happiness Mat. 6. 19 20 21. Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon Earth where Moth and Rust doth corrupt and where Thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal For where your Treasure is there your Heart will be also It highly concerneth us to consider what we make our Treasure Worldly things are subject to many Accidents and deseâ—ve not our love nor esteem only heavenly things deserve to be our Treasure If our Hearts be set upon these things 't is a sign we value what Christ hath offered So 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal We make these things our End aud Scope and Happiness 'T is easy to prove the worth of these things in the general as 't is easy to prove that Eternity is better than Time that things incorruptible are better than those which are subject to corruption That things exempted from Casualty are better than those things which are liable to Casualty and are not out of the reach of Robbery and Violence But to Creatures wedded to sense and present enjoyment 't is difficult and hard to cause them to set their Hearts in another World and to lay up their Hopes in Heaven and to part with all things which they see and love and find comfortable to their Senses for that God and Glory which they never saw This is the Business of Faith or the Work of the Spirit of Illumination changing their Hearts and Minds This general Truth all will determine as that things Eternal are better than things Temporal But we undervalue these gracious Promises whose accomplishment must with patience be expected whilst their future Goodness cometh in actual competition with these bodily Delights which we must forgo and those grievous bodily Afflictions which we must endure out of sincere respect to Christ and his Ways Therefore before there can be any true self-denial Faith must incline us to this offered Benefit as our true Treasure and Happiness whatever we forgo or undergo to attain it 2. For the truth of it the Word of God must be our whole security as being enough to support our Hearts in waiting for it however God cover himself with Frowns and an appearance of Anger in those Afflictions which befal us in the way thither The Word of God is all in all to his People Thy Testimonies have I taken as my Heritage for ever they are the rejoicing of my Soul Psal. 119. 111. If a Man hath little ready Mony yet if he have an Heritage to live upon or sure Bonds he is well â—paid So is a Believer rich in Promises which being the Promises of the Almighty and Immutable God and built upon the everlasting Merit of Christ are as good to him as Performances and therefore cause joy in some Proportion as if the things were in hand Heb. 11. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen then afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them And Psalm 56. 4. In God will I praise his Word in God have I put my trust I will not fear what Man can do unto me Faith resteth upon God's Word who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him by Christ. 1. Vse is Information concerning a weighty Truth namely what the Faith is by which the Just do live 'T is such a trust or confidence in God's Promises of eternal Life through Iesus Christ as that we forsake all other hopes and happiness whatsoever that we may obtain it To make good this Description to you let me
to quit all other things to obtain it Vse 2. Is for Examination Let us examine our Spiritual Condition whether it be good or bad whether our Faith be sincere our Profession real whether we tend to Perdition or to Salvation whether we believe to the saving of the Soul that is if we care not what we lose so we may obtain the heavenly Inheritance Have you such a trust as that you can venture the loss of something which is dear to you for this Trust yea not only something but all things Certainly we have not a true belief of the promise of eternal Life if we can venture nothing upon it hazard nothing for it Now we venture things upon the account of God's Promise four ways 1. In a way of Mortification 2. In a way of Self-denial 3. In a way of Charity 4. In a way of submission to Providence 1. In a way of Mortification Denying our selves the sinful Pleasures of the Senses Our Sins were never worth the keeping these must always be parted with other things but at times therefore I can venture but little upon the security of eternal Life if I cannot deny my fleshly and worldly Lusts and a little vain Pleasure for that fulness of Joy which is at God's right hand for evermore I have God's Word for it that if I mortify the Deeds of the Body I shall live Rom. 8. 13. 'T is yet hard to abjure accustomed Delights and to Hearts pleasantly set the strictness of an holy Life seemeth grim and severe but a Believer that hath a prospect into Eternity knoweth that 't is better to deny the Flesh than to displease God To take a little pains in rectifying our disordered Hearts and distempered Souls than to endure pains for evermore And that a little momentany Delight is bought too dear if it be bought with the loss of eternal Joys No let me lose my Lusts rather than lose my Soul saith he Every Man's Heart cleaveth to those things which he judgeth best and the more it cleaveth to better things the more 't is withdrawn from other things Therefore Faith shewing us the truth and worth of heavenly Things and taking God's Word for its security it mastereth our Desires and carnal Affections 'T is the Stranger and Pilgrim whose Mind is perswaded of things to come and whose Heart is set upon them that abstaineth from fleshly Lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Upon the assurance of God's Word he is taking his journey into another World Tho the Flesh will rebel yet he counterballanceth the Good and Evil which the Flesh proposeth with the Good and Evil of the other World which the Word of God proposeth and so learneth more and more to contemn the pleasures of Sin and curb his unruly Passions Mortify your Members upon Earth for your Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 â—5 And they that look for a Life of Glory hereafter will chuse a Life of Purity here upon Earth 'T is the Unbeliever findeth such an impotency in resisting present Temptations he hath not any sense or not a deep sense of the World to come 2. In a way of Self-denial What can you venture and forgo that way upon the security of God's Promise Mortification concerneth our Lusts and Self-denial our Interests What Interest can you venture upon the warrant of the Promise Christ saith He that denieth me before Men I will deny him before my Father in Heaven Luke 12. 9. And again Whosoever shall save his Life shall lose it c. Luke 9. 24. And once more vers 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in his Glory Now urge the Soul with the Promises Am I willing to hazard my temporal Conveniencies for the enduring Substance to incur shame and blame with Men that I may be faithful with God and own his Interest in the World and do I so when it actually cometh to a trial The Heart is deceitful and a Temptation in Conceit and Imagination is nothing to a Temptation in Act and Deed Therefore when your Resolutions are assaulted by Temptations of any considerable strength Do you acquit your self with good fidelity Can you trust God when he trieth your Trust in some necessary Point of Confession which may expose you to some loss shame and hazard in the World 3. In a way of Charity and doing good with your Estates That Religion is worth nothing that costs nothing and when all is laid out upon Pomp and Pleasure and worldly Ends as the advancing of your Families and Relations and little or nothing for God upon the security of his Promise or only so much as the Flesh can spare to hide your self-pleasing and self-seeking in other things Can you practise upon that Promise and try your Faith Luke 12. 33. Sell that you have and give Alms provide your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not What have you ventured in this kind Do you believe that he that giveth to the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that he will be your Pay-master Do you look upon no Estate so sure as that which is trusted in Christ's Hands and are you content to be at some considerable cost for Eternal Life Most Men love a cheap Gospel and the Flesh ingrosseth all Faith gets little from them to be laid out for God Do not these Men run a fearful hazard And while they are so over-careful to preserve their Estates to themselves and Families Do they believe to the saving of their Souls Or if they do not preserve their Estates but waste them and are at great costs for their Lusts they do nothing considerably or proportionably for God this is saving to the Flesh and they shall of the Flesh reap Corruption 4. In a way of submission to Providence Whether you will or no you are at God's disposal and cannot shift your selves out of his Hands either here or hereafter But yet 't is a part of your Duty voluntarily to surrender your selves to be disposed of and ordered by God according to his pleasure to be content to be what he will have you to be and to do what he will have you to do and suffer is included in selling all You must submit to be at God's finding which is that poverty of Spirit spoken of Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit Such whose Minds and Spirits are subdued and brought under Obedience to God you must be content to injoy what God will have you to injoy and to want what he will have you want and to lose what he will have you lose 2 Sam. 15. 26 27. and Iob 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Many seem to resign all Goods Life and All to the Will of God But 't is because they secretly think in their Hearts that God will never put them to the trial or
take from them what they resign to him but they are not prepared for a submission to all Events Like those that make large Promises to others when they think they will not take them at their words So their Hearts secretly except and reserve much of that they resign to God But this is false-dealing and is shewn in part in murmuring when God taketh any thing from us 1 PET. 1. 9. Receiving the End of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls THE Apostle here giveth a reason why Believers rejoice in the midst of Afflictions they are qualified thereby to receive Salvation yea in part have it already Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls In which words observe 1. The Benefit The Salvation of our Souls 2. The Grace which qualiâ—ieth us for that Benefit Faith 3. The respect between the Benefit and the Grace 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or Reward 1. The Benefit Which may be considered as consummated or as begun And accordingly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be interpreted If you consider it as to Consummation and actual Possession so we receive it at Death when our Self-denying Obedience is ended And for the present we are said to receive it because we are sure to receive it at the close of our days We believe now that we shall at length have it and therefore rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 2. If you consider it with respect to Inchoation or begun Possession We have an undoubted Right now and some beginnings of it in the Consolations of the Spirit Now we receive it in the Promises we receive it in the first Fruits which are some forerunning Beams of the day-light of eternal Glory 2. The Grace which qualifieth and giveth us a Title to this Benefit is Faith The word Faith is taken in Scripture sometimes for fides quae creditur sometimes for fides quâ creditur for the Doctrine or Grace of Faith The first Acceptation will make a good sense here namely that the whole Tenor of Christian Doctrine leadeth us to the expectation of and diligent pursute after eternal Salvation 'T is the whole drift of the Christian Religion But I take it rather for the Grace This is the prime Benefit which Faith aimeth at as I shall shew you by and by 3. The Respect between Faith and Salvation 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or the word signifieth the Fruit and the Reward As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for an End and Scope the Scripture favoureth that Notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I press towards the Mark or Scope Phil. 3. 14. And 2 Cor. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Salvation of our Souls is the prime Benefit which Faith is not only allowed but required to aim at A Believer levelleth and directeth all his Actions to this end that at length he may obtain eternal Life Sometimes 't is put for the Fruit or Reward Rom. 6. 22. Being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life The issue of all the final result was your Salvation The Point that I shall inâ—ist on is this Doct. That the End and Reward of Faith is the Salvation of our Souls I shall open the Point by explicating three Questions 1. What is this Salvation of our Souls 2. What Right the Believer hath to it 3. What is that saving-Faith which giveth us a Title to it The last is most important 1. What is the Salvation of the Soul 'T is not meant of temporal Deliverance or an escape from Danger as some would affix that sense upon it but of eternal Life or our happy Estate in Heaven This belongeth to our whole Man the Body as well as the Soul but the Soul is the chief part of Man and that which is first glorified When Men come first into the World first the Body is framed and then the Soul cometh after As we see in the Creation of Adam first his Body was organized and then God breathed into him the Spirit of Life And we see it in common Generation when the Body is first framed in the Womb then 't is quickned by a living Soul This lower Region of the World is properly the place of Bodies therefore Reason requires that the Body which is a Citizen of the World should first be framed that it may be a receptacle for the Soul which is a stranger and cometh from the Region of Spirits that is above But when we must remove into these heavenly Habitations then 't is quite otherwise for then the Soul as a Native of that place is presently admitted but the Body as a stranger is forced to recide in the Grave till the Day of Judgment and then for the sake of the Soul our Bodies also are admitted into Heaven This is the ordinary Law for all private Persons Christ indeed who is the Head of the Church and the Prince of this World and that which is to come his Body as well as his humane Spirit was made a Denizon of Heaven as soon as he ascended He entred into Heaven not as a private Citizen but as King and Lord of the Heavenly Jerusalem and therefore carried both Body and Soul along with him But as to us first the Soul goeth there as into his ancient Seat and proper Habitation and afterwards the Body followeth Well then 1. at Death our Souls go to Christ and enter into a state of Happiness Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Soul is not annihilated after Death nor doth it sleep till the Resurrection nor is it detained by the way from immediate passing into Glory but if it be the Soul of a Believer as soon as it is loosed from the Body it is with Christ Luke 23. 43. Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He asked to be remembred when Christ came into his Kingdom and Christ assureth him of a reception there that day as soon as he should expire 2. In due time the Body is raised and united to the Soul and then Christ will be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1. 10. Such glory and honour will be put upon those who are but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness the Saints themselves and all the Spectators shall wonder at it 3. There is another Period in this Happiness Our everlasting habitation in Heaven near unto the Throne of God and in the presence of his Glory John 14. 2. In my Father's House are many Mansions There we shall also have the company of Angels and blessed Spirits and make up one Society with them Heb. 12. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudg of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect This is the