11.6 4.4 then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Now to him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt 1. The Answer to the Objection from these Texts is clearly suggested in the last of them wherein the strength of the Objection chiefly lies to wit in the specification First of this Gift or Grace by the relative term of a Reward And secondly of the Work as being such as makes the Reward to be of Debt 1. Thus Grace is termed a Reward as it is also called in other Texts The Reward of the Inheitrance And the Recompence of the Reward Rev. 22.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.18 3.24 Heb. 11.26 My Reward is with me to give to wery man according as his Work shall be A Reward cannot be without respect to some Work A free Gift may be without any Condition but not such a one as is reckon'd for a Reward Whereas therefore the Apostle saith To him that worketh the Reward is not reckon'd of Grace but of Debt He cannot be understood to speak of all manner of Work without contradiction to himself in the term of a Reward but of such only as is inconsistent with Free Grace that is Meritorious Work and such as makes the Reward to be a due debt But no such work can be done by a Creature Though God may oblige himself in point of Truth to his Creature by his free Promise yet he can never be obliged by it in point of Justice by any Work of his Creature to any Reward much less to such an one as is so infinitely disproportionable to any possibility of their Works Because all that can be done by a Creature in conformity to God's Will that is all the good that can be done by him is a due Debt to the Creator But where the Work is a Debt the Reward if any be given can be none Besides it is absurd to think that any man can be bound to reward his own Works But every good Work is the Effect of God's grace For it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure So that this Condition of Evangelical Works doth not evacuate the freedom of God's grace nor yet diminish it but rather advance it Seeing those Works as well as the Reward are the Effects of his grace 2. But how little moment there is in this Objection must needs appear to him that first believes that which no body but an Atheist or an Epicurean will deny viz. that there is no temporal Salvation of the Body Life Health or any other good thing in this World but is also the gift of God And secondly considers what necessity there is of humane industry care and pains to the obtainment of some at least of these Gifts And this Answer if it be duly adverted will suffice to solve an other Objection against the necessity of Working in order to Salvation drawn from 2. Object the Doctrine of Predestination Because that Salvation which the Text speaks of is not only a free Gift of God but such a one as is given to none but them to whom it is predestinated And to them it is so certain as can never fail without the frustration of the Divine Decrees What need then of our sollicitude or labour to work it out Is it our part to take care that God be not deceived in his Providence or disappointed in his Decrees They that make this Objection Answer shall need no other Answer than that which they shall be able to make to themselves in reference to the following Questions 1. Whether they do believe that any kind of temporal bodily salvation or any other worldly good thing is given to any but them to whom it is predestinated Or which is all one whether God's Decrees do not extend as well to things Temporal as to eternal Secondly supposing they do What need is there of any work or care of man's for any end or purpose whatsoever What need so much toil of the Husbandman to plow and sow and mannure his ground seeing his Crop if he shall have any is predestinate What need any working for meat drink or rayment Nay what need of Meat Rayment Physick what need of Eating or Drinking in order to the presevation of life or health what needs any care or defence to preserve the body from the most imminent danger that can be seeing that all preservation of life and health is decreed by God The answer which any sober man can make to himself as to these questions will fully suffice to discharge his mind from the temptation of this old Objection Seeing he cannot but understand that it may be altogether as true that no body is predestinate to Salvation but he that indeavours to work it out with fear and trembling as it is that no body is predestinate to live in bodily health and safety but he that eats and drinks and avoids such things as would necessarily destroy his life And that the certainty of the End doth not take away but rather inferre the necessity of the Means 3. The third Motive may be taken from the equity and reasonableness of this work There is nothing required of us in order to the obtainment of this great Salvation but what as reasonable men we must conclude to be altogether just and indispensably necessary To believe in the Son of God after that he hath been sufficiently declared to be so by all reasonable evidences obey Him to whom all power in Heaven and Earth is given and whom God hath made Lord of quick and dead To repent of and to forsake all known sin To deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world To love God with all the heart and all the soul and all the might and our neighbours as our selves To do to others as we would they should do to us These and whatever other Christian duty is required as part of the condition of Salvation are things so apparently just and reasonable as will admit of no colour of exception against them Let us but examine what those things are which are required of us to render us capable of Salvation and judg Which of them we could wish with any face of reason to have been abated Would we be saved by Christ without believing in him without acknowledging him for a Saviour without any dependence upon him Would we have the Son of God to be sent from Heaven on purpose to preach the Gospel of Salvation to us and our selves not bound to believe on him Or would we be bound to believe his Doctrine to be the Will of God but not be obliged to practise it Would we believe in him for a Saviour and have liberty to reject him as a Lord Would we that he should have nothing to do to exact any service or obedience from us that hath bought us with the price
Means how hainous a Sin must it needs be To tread under foot the Bloud of the Son of God! I shall conclude my Discourse with some special Directions how to prosecute this Work with the best advantage 1. Because as we read in the following verse It is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure it behoves us to pray earnestly frequently and constantly for the effectual assistance of his grace That Godly fear and trembling which the Text requires serves to drive us to God in the humble sense of our own danger and impotency And we have a promise that Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 Not that this is all that is required to Salvation but that he that doth so shall not want any assistance of Gods grace necessary to Salvation And that he will give the holy Spirit to them that aske it Luk 11.13 Alwaies supposed that we aske aright with sincere and earnest desire to receive and improve the gift which requires that we be carefull not to receive the grace of God in vain not to resist or quench the spirit as is usually done by many that daily pray for his grace in a formal and hypocritical manner The successe of our prayers depends upon the sincerity of our desires which is only verified by our diligent indeavors to obtain the things we pray for Secondly Because the Word of God and especially the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation able to save our soules to make us wise unto Salvation it concerns us to attend diligently to the reading hearing and meditating of this Divine Word and that not only because it affords unto us direction how to attain this end by informing us concerning the conditions thereof but also because it is a powerfull mean to work them in uâ— The holy Spirit by which God worketh in us both to Will and to do breathes in the Word and is ordinarily conveyed thereby into the souls of men Thirdly Because although this work cannoâ— be done for us by any other persons yet it may bâ— promoted by their assistance we have great reason to desire the assistance of Christian brethren by their charitable admonitions counsel conference and prayers And this help is most desirable from them that are best qualified to afford it and therefore especially from our spirituall Pastors and Teachers without neglect of faithful brethren It is Saint James his advice Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another Jam. 5 16. the effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much When men are to work out some temporall interest to save themselves from danger or to obtain any preferment they will desire the assistance of others especially such as are most able to further them in it And have we not as much and a great deal more reason to do so in this spiritual design Fourthly It behooves us to take great heed not only of all such things as do directly oppose this work as being contrary to it such are all sinful practices and customes but also of all hinderances and divertisements from it Such as are found in the world The men of the world and the things of the world First The men of the world by their vain company evil example and otherwayes are great impediments to the serious prosecution of this work And therefore it behooves Christians to have as little familiarity with them as they may Depart from me saith David for I will keep the commandments of my God Psal 119.115 it is not an easie thing to keep the commandements of God in the company of evil doers I have not sate with vain persons saith he again neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked As we shall have none of their company in Heaven so neither should we desire or delight in it on Earth because it hinders us in our way to Heaven Secondly The things of the World are very great incumbrances and lets in this holy work The profits Pleasures and Preferments of this world though innocent in themselves yet do very much â—ivert men from the pursuit of true holiness and happiness They that will be rich saith Saint Paul fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 which drown men in destruction and perdition 2 Tim 2.4 No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier Take heed of being too sollicitous for thy portion in this world lest that prove to be all that thou shalt have The generality of men lose all the treasures joys and glories of Heaven by being too covetous of the supposed lawfull riches pleasures and honours of this world Remember the words of our Saviour how hard a thing it is though not impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven If thou wouldest be sure to save thy soul Love not the world nor the things of the world 1 Joh. 2.15 If thou wouldst once be happy indeed content thy self here in this world with the hopes of it in an other life and doe not seek to anticipate it in the injoyments of this world Fifthly Examine thy self often and seriously whether this work be truly begun and how it goes forward It is the exhortation of the Apostle Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves 1 Cor 13.5 It behooveth Christians to put the question to themselves whether they be in the right Faith whether they be true beleevers or no whether they be duly qualified for this Salvation according to the conditions declared in the promises Do I indeed believe in the Lord Jesus with an unfained Faith How is this Faith perfected or verified by my works Have I truly repented and brought forth fruits worthy of repentance Do I live after the flesh or after the spirit Is it my study and diligent indeavour to cleanse my self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God Am I in the right way to Heaven or no This practice of self examination is so much the more necessary as it is easie to be deceived in a mans pretended title to this salvation multitude of persons are deceived and wil finally perish that make account to be saved and do not suspect their own condition This is certainly the case of most men For almost all men do hope to be saved and yet our Saviour tells us that the gate is so narrow and the way so straight that they are but few that will find it How much then doth it concern us To work out our Salvation with fear and trembling to be exact and curious in this business and to take heed of flattering our selves with vain hopes and false grounds 6. Lastly To secure this work let us remember and observe carefully the precept of our Saviour and his Apostles Mat. 13.13 Take heed watch and pray Watch ye stand fast in the faith 1 Cor. 16.13 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil 1 Pet. 5.8 as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour 1 Thes 5.6 Let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober Take heed of spiritual sloth and that thou fall not asleep in sin and security Remember the parable of the foolish Virgins that slept away their opportunity of meeting their Lord and were shut out of his company There is no general practice so usefull and necessary to the keeping of a good conscience and the perfecting of holmess as this of constant watchfulness over our selves The want whereof is the cause of mens neglect of and miscarriage in this work THE END
his journey every step or every refreshment he takes in the way yet may he be truly said to intend that end in every step of the way yea even in those wherein he seems to go out of the way only to to take in refreshments to inable him to go on with the more cheerfulness The common ends of those Actions-which are named in the Text viz. eating and drinking were the preservation of life health and strength and men are truly said to eat and drink for those ends although they do not think of those things as oft as they eat Thus may a man glorifie God in his sleep when he doth not think of him by designing that Rest to his glory as a means of refreshing the body for his service This habitual devotion of the whole man to the glory of God doth mainly consist in two things 1. In a sincere desire and purpose of heart to obey the Will of God in all things and that for this end that thereby God may be glorified For as it is true which before was said that God cannot be dishonoured by any thing which is not contrary to his Will beeause every dishonour of God is a Sin and every sin is a transgression of the Will of God So is it as manifest that the greatest honour and glory that can be given to God consists in the performance of his Will For as God willeth nothing so much as his own glory nor any thing but for it so neither can any thing promote or serve his glory so much as what he willeth nor any thing at all but what is at least agreeable to his Will But whereas there are some things approveable and agreeable to his Will which are not thereby commanded it is to be noted that our duty of serving his glory doth consist especially in doing those things which are commanded which Obedience saith Samuel is better than Sacrifice Therefore I limit the extent of this habitual purpose as it is a duty required in the Text to the matter of obedience not conceiving that a man is bound to have the like general purpose for the doing of whatsoever may tend to the glory of God For the Text doth not absolutely require us to do whatsoever may be done to the glory of God but whatsoever we shall do to do all to the glory of God Not that I intend to deny that a Christian is ingaged in point of love and gratitude to promote and advance the glory of God as much as morally he can but that the Duty commanded in this general Precept doth not expresly extend so farr which yet doth extend to all the actions which a man actually doth or should do 2. A second thing wherein this habitual devotion to Gods glory doth consist is in an humble and cheerful willingness to submit himself and all that belongeth to him to the appointment and difposal of the Will of Gods providence willing that God should serve his own glory in the disposal of any thing that is his and therefore also willing to suffer any thing that the wisedome of God shall think fit to impose upon him 3. But thirdly Men do then act to the glory of God most expresly and perfectly when in their particular actings they do actually and explicitly consider design and intend this end when they have it in their eye minding and setting it before them as the highest end of their doings and are therefore careful to do such things and in such manner as may make most for that end when a man acts all for this end denying himself and all other ends in comparison of this when he doth set aside all other ends besides this acting purely and solely for Gods glory or when he sets all ends behind or below this and makes them subordinate to it For when the Apostle teacheth us to do all to the glory of God his meaning is not that this should be the sole End of all our Actions but that it should be the highest End and that which should Rule and Govern all other Ends whereunto all other Ends should be subservient or at least-wise consistent For God allow's us to love our selves and requires us to love our Brethren and therefore we may propound the good of our Selves and our Brethren as some End of our Doings God himself hath propounded to us other ends than this in our Well Doing in his Promises of Reward Something we may do for the Honour of our Prince and Countrey yea and for our own Honour too so it be without Ambition and Vanity This End of God's Honour or Glory is not inconsistent with other honest Ends much less repugnant but Superior to them And as it is not necessary a man should have no other End but this so neither is it necessary nor possible that a man should expresly propose this End to himself by an actual Intention in every Act of his Life yet it is the part of a godly man frequently to consider and reflect upon this End and to have regard unto it especially in all serious and deliberate Actions constantly in all Religious Actions and carefully in all doubtful Actions I have now done with the Explication of this Doctrine and am to proceed to matter of Confirmation which though it be not necessary in respect of the Evidence of the Doctrine which is no other than an express Sentence of holy Scripture yet may it be useful in order to the urging of the Practice 1. To consider how the same Duty is taught and required in some other Scriptures 2. To shew the Equity Reasonableness and Advantage of it in several respects Another Text where this Duty is expresly taught is in 1 Pet. 4.11 That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ This is that which Christians ought to aime at that God in all things may be Glorified And that this should be the Desire and Scope of every Christian is to be noted from the first Petition of the Lord's Prayer Hallowed be thy name that is sanctified for I think the Latin word is better understood than the English or Glorified be thy name Hereby we are taught what should be the first and chiefest defire of a Christiau namely the honour and glory of God's name and that which is or ought to be the first and chiefest of our Desires ought to be the highest end of all our Actions That which men pray for they ought in their practice to aime at and labour for else their prayers are hypocritical as going out of fained lips Seeing therefore we are taught before all things to pray that God's name may be hallowed and glorified this ought to be our study and practice The same may be also inferred from the following petitions wherein we pray that Gods Kingdom may come and his will be done on earth as it is in Heaven Gods name is glorified when his Kingdom is advanced and established and his will is done His glory is
the prime object and end of his Will the holy Angels in Heaven do all things according to the Will of God and to his glory their only design is to promote his glory and we are to pray and therefore to desire intend and indeavour as far as lies in us that God may be glorified here on earth by our selves and others as He is in Heaven The same thing is taught us in the Doxology in the close of that prayer For thine is the kingdome the power and the Glory that is All glory is due to thee Which may mind us of another Text of the Psalmist which together with a Precept for this duty gives us the general reason declaring the equity of it Psal 29.1 Give unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name Therefore is Gods glory to be sought in all our doings because this glory is due unto his Name All glory is due to God and that because all things are from him and by him as Creator Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy ô Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Most just and reasonable it is the author of any thing should have the honour of his own work This reason is expresly given by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God with your bodies and with your souls for they are Gods God made all things for himself that is for his own glory and that which was His end ought to be made ours too else we shall disappoint him as far as lies in us To strengthen this Argument we are to consider That not only our Being is from God which were enough to intitle him to the honour of all our doings but also all our Actions are dependent upon him we do not only live and have our Being from him but in him we move too we act all things by a constant supply of power from him our meat and drink and every thing else that we use are his gifts so is also our stomach appetite and power of eating and drinking therefore it is most unjust to use them to his Dishonour and most equitable to use them to his Glory We have all from him jure beneficiario and as Feudatories with reservation of service and honour to the donor in the use of them All rivers run into the Sea All our store is from the Fountain of Gods grace and therefore ought in course of highest Reason to be directed again into the Ocean of his glory seeing we have nothing but from his bounty and can do nothing but by his power it is most unreasonable we should do any thing by his power against his honour 2. But secondly It is not only a point of manifest Equity and Justice to promote and serve his Honour in all our doings because we depend upon him not onely for the original of our Being but also for and in all our actions but it becomes us upon the same account in point of gratitude to honour him A most ingrateful part it is for us that are so much obliged to him for all that we have or have had to do any thing willingly or negligenly to his dishonnor And this obligation of gratitude is increased according to the Degrees of Gods bounty and mercy towards us aâ— men above other Creatures and as Christians above other men and as we have in both respects partaked more of his liberality and grace thaâ— is more natural and temporal blessings thaâ— other Men and more grace or means of grace thaâ— other Christians 3. And as in point of Equity and Gratitude we are obliged to honour and glorifie God for whaâ— we have already received from him so in poinâ— of prudence it concerns us to take heed of dishonouring him and thereby displeasing and provoking him upon whom we still depend intirely and absolutely for all that we do or may need and all that we may desire or hope for Let vulgar Reason judge whether it be not againâ—â— common prudence for a man wilfully to neglecâ— him upon whom he hath such an absolute dependence or whether it be not a point of necessary wisdom to seek to gain and keep his favour by being carefull to please him in that which wâ— know to be his only interest which is hâ—â— glory The Equity and obligation of this duty might fuâ—ther be demostrated from the Excellency of God nature from whence he is called the Lord of Glâ—ry Psal 24.10.29.3 Eph. 1.17 the King of glory the Father glory and the God of glory Hâ—â— we no such dependence upon him as hath been mentioned nor anâ— relation to him yet ought he to be glorified for hâ—â— own excellency glorious Essence and workâ— Amongst men honour is due to them who aâ— nonourable especially in their personal qualifications from them that have no relation to them nor dependence upon them But our duty of giving glory to God ariseth most clearly from our Relations to him and his to us For he hath assumed to himself all titles of Relation which require the greatest honour and respect from their subjected Relatives such are the Titles of King Lord Father Husband c. If we will demean our selves as becometh good Subjects to their King as good Servants to their Lord Children to their Father Wives to their Husbands then are we in all things to be carefull to preserve and seek his honour who by the assumption of those Titles hath as well honoured us as obliged us to honour him It were easie to multiply reasons to shew the abundant Equity and Obligation of this duty but I shall add no more at this time than the consideration of two special duties whith every man ow's to God and whereby in Scripture the whole duty of man is frequently described these are to fear God and to love him with all the heart and all the soul and all the might Neither of which duties so often urged in Scripture can be truly performed without the observation of this rule of giving God the glory of all we do at least in the first sense that is Without being carefull to preserve the glory of God and our respects thereto in all that we do For To Fear God as it is an act of Religion distinguished from that slavish fear which is found in Devils and wicked men is to reverence his Majestie and to have an aweful respect to his honour in all things being ever jealous and fearfull of doing any thing that may dishonour or displease him It is a fear of Reverence and highest Honour which is the duty of men to God Rev. 14.7 as the highest Majesty such as is that fear which is expressed by the Attribute given by men to their Soveraign Princes when they call them Dread Soveraigns The like regard to the glory of God must needs be in all them that love God with that Divine holy and peculiar love which is due to God
somtimes by accident through infirmity or inadvertency act such things as are opposite to this end but make it their constant work study and chief business so to do Living so as if their design were to work out and assure their own damnation As if they were not only contented to be damned but ambitious of preferment in the Kingdom of darkness Treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Instead of labouring to be reconciled to God they strive continually to augment the anger of God who is a consuming fire and make themselves irreconcilable to him blowing up the fire of his wrath instead of studying to fulfil the conditions of the Promises they do as it were set themselves to accomplish the conditions of the Threatnings Working with both hands earnestly as the Mica 7.3 Prophet speaks i.e. with might and main such things as they do themselves believe and know to be inconsistent with any present hopes of Salvation How many Gallants are there that think they have nothing else to do no work that they can or will find Tit. 3.3 but to serve diverse lusts and pleasures Are there not many that make it their whole imployment and travail to pursue ungodly designes of lawless pleasure ambition covetousness malice revenge or saction Yea and many so professedly vitious and debauched as to glory in their wickedness striving to outvie other men in sin that affect and are ambitious to seem more vile vitious than they are greater Drunkards Whoremasters or Cheats than indeed they are Making themselves guilty by their vain pretentions of many acts of sin which they never were able to commit Hear ô Heavens and be astonished ô Earth that men that are reasonable should as it were in despite and affront of their own reason wilfully prefer the depths of Eternal misery before the utmost Height of all possible Felicitie That they should despise all promises that are valuable to an immortal Soul nay that they should flie from Salvation and â—urt their own Destruction That they should be â— love with death and be so zealous for Hell â—hat men should be so malicious to their own â—ouls such Abaddons and Apollyons to themâ—lves as to combine with the Devil to bring â—emselves into the same cursed state with him 〈◊〉 is the Devil's business to work out the final and â—recoverable damnation of men and because he â—nnot do it alone without their own assistance he â—â—s men a work to do it themselves Oh that men should be so caitively disposed as industriously to â—dermine ruine and utterly subvert their own Salvation How dreadful it is to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil â—ow men will cark and care what â—fficulties perils and pains they will undergo to assure their own â—erdition what vehement distasts â—hey have to holiness purity and â—iety what passionate doting affectiâ—ons to vice How impatient and angry they will be at any thing or person that hinders their progress towards the mouth of the bottomless pit 2. With these are to be joyned such as do not only refuse to work out their own Salvation but under and discourage others as much as they can from this work by mocking and laughing at them that are so solicitous so careful for such a melanâ—holy design that are so tender-conscienced as not â—o run with them to the same excesse of riot that are so fearfull of doing any thing that may barr them from Salvation or leaving undone any thing that may be necessary to attain it that are so scrupulous of their words and actions that make such a do about this business of saving their Souls and spend so much time in the works of Religion Praying Fasting Watching Reading Hearing Meditating Such also as tempt and solicit men to neglect this work and to addict themselves to contrary practices Oh that these men would consider whose agents they are What direct adversaries they are to the Gospel taking up Arms against the design of the Saviour of the world joyning with the Devil to oppose the Salvation of Men and to promote their damnation How exactly Satanical they are How they out-malice the Jews and Turks and vie malice with the Devil himself whiles they tempt men and women to act contrary to that Gospel which they believe to be true as he doth whiles they mock and discourage men from doing such things as they know to be good as the Devil doth And like him are not willing to be damned alone but ambitious of gaining Proselytes to him and filling up the Regiments of that Prince of darkness I have no words sharp enough to pursue the reproof of these men And therefore must leave them to the more powerful rebukes of their own Consciences Which if they be not possessed with a dumb Devil cannot but tell them they must never look to be saved til that comfortable heresie of Origen be approved for sound Doctrine that is That God not only would have all men to be saved but will save all Devils and all at last 3. An other sort of men there are not altogether so desperate as these elder sons of Belial no such zealous servants of Beelzebub but yet as negligent in the service of God as these are diligent in the Devil's work as careless in the working out their â—wn Salvation as others are despeate in seeking their â—wn destruction Men that are something afraid â—f Hell but have very cold and faint affections for deaven Men that could be content to be saved â—ather than be damned to Everlasting fire but â—ave little or no ambition care or sollicitude for â—heir own Salvation They dare not make such post â—ast to Hell-ward but withall have as little hast towards Heaven That live as if they were indifferent whether they be saved or no That can â—â—â— and hear Preachers discourse of Heaven and â—alvation with as little or less affection than they will hear or read a good Tale or a Romance and regard it no more than if it were but a Poetical description of the Elizian fields a Platonical Idea or a good fashionable piece of religious Invention and speculation a good honest Fraud devised to â—osen men of the pleasure of their lusts and to fright or flatter them into a civil life That seem by their carriage to imagin we are not in earnest when we perswade men to take so much care for an other world O how do the greatest number of Christians by profession slight vilisie and neglect this great Salvation and all those rich and precious promises of the Gospel as if they were some inconsiderable trifles not worth the regarding whereas if it be but a carnal or worldly interest that a man hath to work out some good purchase or bargain a good place of preferment or some choice piece of pleasure he will never leave working by himself and his friends till he hath effected it his head will be waking and plotting night and day to bring it
of his own blood Is it reasonable to accept his Promises and refuse his Precepts Or would we have a pardon for all our sins past without the condition of Repentance that is with a licence or dispensation to continue in them still if we please Would we be happy but not holy Would we be Devils in this world and Angels in the next serve the Devill the professed enemy of God and our own Souls whiles we are here on Earth and yet expect to have communion with the most pure and holy God hereafter in Heaven Can we contrive a way How light and darkness righteousness and unrighteousness should have fellowship one with an other Would we have God to be reconciled to us in the free pardon of all our offences and we not reconciled to him but still be allowed to live in a course of rebellion against him Would we injoy his favour and love and not be bound to love him or would we be acknowledged to be true lovers of God without any respect to his commandments Would we injoy the grace of adoption the blessing of sons and the inheritance of the Kingdom with a despensation for the duty of filial obedience If these terms be so unreasonable as no man can have impudence enough to own the desire of them What objection can we have against any of the conditions of Salvation which consist in no harder matters than those which our own Reason is forced to acknowledg so just and indispensable that if we had been called to counsell about them and had had our negative vote in the passing of them or if we had been left to our selves to have set down our own terms for our Justification and Salvation we could never have set them lower than they are set in the Covenant of the Gospel The fourth Motive to the utmost of diligence to be used in this work is to be drawn from the difficultie of performing it If we have a design to work out a business of much difficulty is there not a great necessity we should attend it with proportionable diligence Most true it is in respect of the equity and reasonableness of this work above declared there is indeed nothing in it that is hard considered in it self which is enough to verifie the words of our Saviour My yoak is easie and my burthen is light Matth. 11.30 1 Joh. 5.3 as well as those of his Apostle His commandments are not grievous Christ's yoke is not like that of a cruel or hard Master nor his burthen like that of a tyrannical Lord His commandments are no harder than such as become the most gratious and mercifull Father so farre is he from requiring any thing of us which is either impossible or unreasonable Certainly it imports notorious repugnancy to the name and notion of the Gospel if not blasphemie of the Divine Goodness therein proclaimed to say or imagin that God should abuse mankind with pretences of such infinite grace and mercy promised under such conditions as we are in no capacity to perform as having neither any sufficiency thereunto of our selves nor any ground of expecting it from him who only is able to afford it If it be the Will and command of God as without doubt it is that every one to whom the promise of Salvation is made known by the Gospel should not only believe the general truth of it but also make particular application of it to his own comfort else how is it a Gospel or Glad tidings certainly that very command without any new promise implies a just warrant of confidence in him that gives it to supply us with a sufficiency of ability to perform the conditions of his promise if being willing to undertake them and sensible of our own insufficiency we shall sincerely seek this ability from him But to balk all matter of Dispute it is without controversie that such persons are as the proper objects of this exhortation that is such as have by the grace of God already begun this work have as sure promises of sufficient grace to go through withall as they have of the Reward of it being once finished Phil. 1.6 The promises before mentioned by way of interpretation of the words after my Text are indeed sufficient to secure us from any insuperable difficulty in this work But do not therefore inferr that there is none but rather the contrary Because if there were no difficulty we should need no such security for our assistance to overcome it But of the Difficulties which are to be expected and incountred in the pursuance of this work we are sufficiently advertised as well by Scripture as by our own sensible and continual Experience Strive to enter in at the straitgate Luk. 13.24 saith our Saviour For many I say unto you will seek he doth not say strive to enter in and shall not be able And in another Evangelist Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life Mat. 7.14 and few there there be that find it In which words there are no less than three severall Intimations of the difficultie of entering into life eternal The first is in the word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strive the second in the Epithets of the Gate and the Way Strait and Narrow the third in the paucity of them that enter and the ill success of many that seek so to do Few there be that find it and many shall seek to enter and shall not be able The word Strive in the Original is borrowed from the Olympick games wherein the parties contending for the victorie were stoutly opposed and therefore ingaged to put forth the utmost of their strength And with the same Allusion the Christian Course is by Saint Paul compared to three several kinds of those Games viz. 1. to Running 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. to Fighting or cuffing with the fist and 3. Wrestling 1 Cor 9.24.26 Know ye◠not that they that run in a Race run all but one obtaineth the Prize So run that ye may obtain I therefore so run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as uncertainly So fight I not as one that beateth the air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a Castaway And Ephes 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers c. 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith Christianity is a Warfare and Fight against spirituall adversaries within and without Within against fleshly lusts which warre against the Soul 1 Pet. 2 11 Jam. 4.1 Without against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spirituall wickedness or wicked Spirits in high places Ephes 6.12 All this matter of Combate Strife Wrestling is supposed in that repeated promise of the heavenly Reward to him only that overcometh Rev.