us to repentance to Dan. 4. 27. break off our sins by repentance that our tranquillity may be lengthned and that there may be a healing of our errors The use we are to make is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Let us not pass uncharitable censures upon others as greater sinners for greater sufferings but remember that except we Luke 13. 5. repent we shall likewise perish Seventhly and lastly Let us consider how the Spirit of God 7 The Spirit strives by personal judgements strives by personal Judgements inslicted on our selves There is a Judgement of chastisement and a Judgement of revenge God sends Judgements by way of revenge upon the wicked of the World but by way of chastisement unto his own children When God takes away thy riches and other outward comforts as a childe a wife c. by these the Spirit of God strives with thee and sends thee to God to inquire into the cause and walk more closely and humbly with God and thy duty is to pray to God to teach thee what thou understandest not If God send thee a sore disease a grievous pain suppose the Stone Strangury Collick c. by all these the Spirit strives with thee and reads thee a Lecture of thy Mortality and warneth thee to make a serious and speedy preparation for death Afflictions are sent by God as Scullions to scour away the rust and canker of Gods children They are the Shepheards Dogs to bring home the straying Sheep Luther saith Afflictions teach us to understand Scripture Where God teacheth with the rod there he bestoweth a choice blessing Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law God sends affliction on an errand Go affliction take down such a mans pride goe awaken another from his security Affliction is Gods Ordinance and with the same hand he gives Jesus Christ that he gives correction to his own children Thus the Spirit strives by personal judgements and afflictions The use we must continually make is Heb. 12. 5 6. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Hence saith the Apoâ—â—le Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and Jamâ—s 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations The rod hath a voice and we are call'd upon Mich. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Thus you have heard how Gods Spirit strives by its motions by the Ministery of the Word the checks of Conscience tenders of Mercy exercise of patience and long-suffering inslicting of exemplary and signal Judgements upon others and personal Judgements upon our selves Now the Lord give us his Grace and teach us to make much of and cherish the strivings of his holy Spirit and let us all deprecate the fearful judgement in the Text My spirit shall no longer strive with you Iudgement and Mercy Set forth from Gen. 6. 3. HAving dispatcht those two Particulars according to my Serm. 3. at St. Mary's Oxon Jan. 19. 1651. Three Reasons of the Doctrine Reas 1. From the Text because man is flesh method propounded in the unfolding of this Text In the third place I am to enquire into the Grounds and â—easons for the further confirmation of the Point Amongst many that may be given I shall reduce the Reasons of the Text into three Heads The first shall be drawn from the very reason in the Text for that he also is flesh Man is corrupted by reason of sin Man was created statu integro in integrity and innocency resembling the Image of God in righteousness and holiness but now statu corrupto by reason of Adams prevarication he became depraved in the faculties of his soul and all the members of his body and they are become instruments unto wickedness The Holy Ghost sets forth sinful man in a full Character Psal 14. 1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see whether there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are become altogether filthy there is none that doth good no not one Suppose we heard the Lord thus expostulating the case Is this man Is this he that I advanced to the highest rank of visible Creatures whom I created after mine own Image whom I endowed with noble faculties an understanding the bright luminary of the soul to know his Maker and a will to obey him Is he now become flesh fleshly in his imagination fleshly minded Doth he walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh Hath he thus turn'd Apostate rebell'd against his Lord and Maker This charge being all very true wherefore should I have any more to do with him wherefore should my Spirit strive with vile sinful flesh Thus God might plead and in judgement withdraw the strivings of his holy Spirit Betwixt the spirit and the flesh what agreement can there be The Spirit will not thus be unequally yoaked since man is become thus fleshly thus depraved such a degenerate Plant so corrupt its just with Gods spirit to strive no longer with man By flesh in Scripture is comprehended a Mass of corruption Apostoli verba docent haec duo affectuum genera esse opposita Quae ut intelligamus constitutuÌ„ fit affectum carnis nihil aliud esse quam usum virium humanaruâ— semotâ gratiâ Affectus autem spiritus est impulsus divini afflatus usus gratiae Christi Pet. Mart. in Loc. man in his worst estate Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh What is predicated of it v. 6 7 8 9. To be carnally minded is death because the carnal minde is enmity against God So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And what an Antithesis is there between flesh and spirit v. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The same disproportion there is as between death and life heaven and hell salvation and damnation That God strives with any is a great mercy that the Spirit waits knocking at our doors when as he might knock us down dead O great mercy But when the Spirit strives and flesh resists its motions the Spirit spends his sacred breath wooing us and inviting us to do good unto our own souls and the carnal minde bids defiance unto the Spirit of grace when notwithstanding all the beseechings wooings and sollicitations of the Spirit the flesh rebels carnal
that are Masters of Families be exhorted to set up Holynesse in your Families Teach your children and servants to know God keep up your authority give not liberty to them under your roofe to live as they list Abraham gave no toleration he commanded his houshold to keep the way of the Lord. Let all sorts and sexes old and Gen. 18. 19. young learned and unlearned lay this Exhortation to heart I presse holynesse upon you all O that the Priests Motto were writ upon your hearts and lives Holynesse unto the Lord. You cannot say as Sheba the Son of Bichri said We have no portion in David c. as if this concerns not us but holynesse concerns you all you must all follow after holynesse To excite you to your duty I 'll lay down some moving considerations Consid 1. We are elected unto holinesse 2 Thes 2. 13. 1. Consider you are elected unto holynesse not for holynesse nor through praevision of holyness that 's a false Arminian glosse but unto holynesse 2. We are created unto holynesse All the members of our bodies Consid 2. We are created in holynesse Ephes 4. 24. and faculties of our soules should be instruments of holynesse The tongue should speak holily holy communication should drop from the tongue the heart and hand both should be clean as James specifies c. 4. 8. The feet must keep the wayes of Gods commandements Consid â— We are redeemed to be holy Luk. 1. 74. 75. the understanding will affections the whole man all must be holy to this purpose they were created 3. Consider we are redeemed for this end and purpose that we may be holy 4. It 's Gods will that we should be holy 1 Thes 4. 3. Now our Consid 4. It s Gods will that we should be holy wils must be subject unto Gods will He commands us to be holy we should pray for his grace to enable us to perform his command Holynesse is suitable to Gods will and wee have an encouraging promise 1 Joh. 5. 14. 5. â—olynesse is our calling 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 Thes 4. 7. Wee can Consid 5. Holyness is our calling have no comfort but when we are in a lawfull calling when our wayes are according to Gods wayes wee may hope for Gods gracious protection according to the promise Psal 91. 11. When any commit wickednesse are unclean drunk associate themselves with wicked persons they are out of their calling and so out of Gods special pâ—ovidence Consider this seriously when you are tempted to Whoredom or any oâ—her sin God hath not called you unto unâ—eannesse but unto holynesse 6. Heaven is an holy place only appointed for holy persons Nothing Consid 6. Heaven is a holy place that 's defiled shall enter there Rev. 21. 27. Onely holy persons shall be acquitted before Christs Judgement-seat They only shall enter into the new Jerusalem 7. In heaven there shall bee no other but holy employment Consid 7. In Heaven there is holy employment singing Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for evermore A prophane person hates holy Ordinances and holy employments here on earth Were it possible for him to be in heaven hee would be weary of the employment whereas the Saints shall have their hearts put into such an high and excellent frame as they shall without molestation weariness or intermission be ever setting forth the praises of the Lord. 8. And there will be in heaven the most holy company the holy Consid 8. In heaven there is holy company Trinitie God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost the most holy blessed and glorious Trinity There will be holy Angels the spirits of just men made perfect holy Martyrs holy Ministers holy people No company there but all holy company 9. And lastly to close up all Now whilst we live on earth is Consid 9. The present time is the time to labor after holynes the time or never to labour after holynesse now I mean in this time of life we must make provision for eternity This is Gods summons to day if you will hear his voice Delay not a minute longer Resist not the movings of the Spirit great is the danger of resisting the Spirits movings The Lord set home all these considerations upon your hearts and if hereby the Lord should be pleased to gaine any soul to the love and practise of holynesse I should never be enough thankful for the mercies of this day The third Use is for Examination and Tryal Every one will Use 3. For Examination plead for himself and pretend to an holy conversation As it was said When the Son of man comes shall he finde faith on the earth So shall he find an holy conversation a formal Professor a Christian at large are every where to be found like Sycamoâ—es in the valley for abundance but the power of holynesse an holy circumspect walking are rarely found Now then because its the grand Ministerial duty to distinguish the precious from the vile according to that high commendation and priviledge given as to be the mouthes of God Jer. 15. 19. And because God hath gone forth in a signal exemplary blessing upon this way which hath been so frequently used by old Disciples faithful labouring Ministers whose plain Preaching would it were more revived now adaies It shall therefore be my task to lay forth some distinguishing characters and signs of a gracious sincere heart whose life is accordingly ordered in an holy conversation and by them you may put your selves upon the test and tryal as in the presence of God whether you are such manner of persons in all holy conversation and godlinesse The first sign is spiritual poverty and this consists in the emptying Charact. 1. Spiritual Poverty of the heart of self-confidence self-opinion self-sufficiency and self-righteousnesse whereby a Christian becomes nothing in himself altogether lost undone blind miserable poor and naked He is thoroughly sensible of his own misery and wretchednesse He is apprehensive of his own undone condition and what need he hath of a Saviour such an one Christ pronounceth to be in the state Mat. 5. 3. of blessednesse 2. There followeth the highest prizing and estimate of Jesus Charact. 2. High prizing of Jesus Chr. Christ That soul which is spiritually poor accounts Christ the greatest treasure it apprehends it self blind that Christ may give it eye-salve miserable and lost that Christ may save it naked that Christ may cloath it with his righteousnesse See what an high price the Spoâ—se puts upon Jesus Christ Cant. 5. 10 11 12 c. He is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. a plant of renown Ezek. 34 29. Such an high price had the wise Merchant to sell all for him Mat. 13. 45 46. So Moses who preferred the reproach of Christ before Egypts treasure Bradford wept often even at meales because he could not bring his dul heart
opinion of Religion and think any thing will serve as if any thing were good enough for God Such a slight service was done by Gehazi he went on before and layd his staffe upon the child and there was no appearance of life in the child but the Prophet Elisha layd his hand on the childs hand his mouth on the childs mouth c. and in good earnest set upon the work and the spirit of the child revived It 's the observation of a Reverend Mr. Jerem. Burroughs and precious Divine that of all spirits hee desired to be delivered from a frothy spirit it 's therefore a matter of lamentation and ought in good earnest to be bewailed to consider with what irreverence formalities and slightnesse of the spirit many set upon duty some will pray partly between sleeping and waking so drowsily that they can scarce pronounce their words aright Others will mumble over a few words of course in their beds Neither of these think of that reverence that belongs to the great God of heaven and earth and that he requires the Male the best we can offer unto him A third Impediment is a worldly spirit A heart swallowed up Imped 3. A wordly spirit with the love of the world will never give God the best such spirits wil grudge any thing for God because the world hath seized on their spirits and took up their affections Their breath words conversations even all favours of the world Now this love of the world is the root of all evill and enmity against God Demas forsook the Apostles society The young man preferred earthly treasures before heavenly where the world sits close and the heart is enamoured with the love of the world there Christs riches and his excellencies are undervalued A fourth Impediment is an unbeleeving heart Christ is not a Imped 4. An unbeleeving heart whit regarded amongst unbeleevers onely beleevers account him precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. He that knew the worth of the pearl of price and beleeved there was such vertue in it sold all to purchase it Mat. 13. 46 47. These Impediments being removed some speciall duties ought to be practised 1. Alwaies set before thine eyes the great God of heaven and Dut. 1. Set God before thine eyes earth as omnipresent pure and omnipotent who seeth knoweth and searcheth all hearts This consideration will make thee afraid to present any thing vile and refuse unto so great so holy a Lord God How thou prayest in thy closet what thy secret reserved thoughts are what thy intentions are in any duty all are naked unto that great and glorious Majesty with whom thou hast to deale 2. Labour for sincerity of heart That 's it which will carry thee Dut. 2. Labour for sincerity of heart through all brakes bryars difficulties and perplexities whatsoever It 's said Asa's heart was upright there 's a neverthelesse put in 2 Chron 15. 17. It 's this which comforted Hezekiah when the sentence of death was past against him 2 King 20. 3. It 's that which God requires even truth in the inward parts Ps 51. 6. It 's that which is the cause of rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. Nathaniels character to be an Israelite indeed without guile Joh. 1. 47. The upright are they which love Christ Cant. 1. 4. And they are Gods delight Prov. 11. 20. Their Tabernacle shall flourish Prov. 14. 11. Their high way is to depart from evill Prov. 16. 17. They walk surely Prov. 10. 9. and no good thing will God withhold from them Ps 84. 11. Their end is peace Psal 37. 37. Upright walking with God will carry a man through all troubles whatsoever and in life and death will yeeld matter of abundance of consolation 3. Embrace the present season of Grace Seek ye the Lord whilst Dut. 3. Embrace the present season he may be found call ye upon him whilst he is near Isa 55. 6. Now give God your strength and marrow and lay aside all delayes Apologies and Procrastinations 4. Be much in Prayer and Supplication that what ever thou Dut. 4. Be much in Prayer dost what duty whatsoever service thou offerest unto God that he would accept thee through Jesus Christ As the Ancients held the Plough and prayed so hear and meditate on Gods Word keep the Lords Sabboth holy and pray for a blessing upon all from heaven Blesse Lord his substance Deut. 33. 11. 5. Make Religion thy work the grand design thou drivest Let Dut. 5. Make Religion thy work thy generall calling as a Christian have the preheminence of thy particular calling in the world Seek first the Kingdome of God Mat. 6. 33. The last Use is for Consolation unto those who to the utmost in Vse 5. For Consolation sincerity of heart endeavour to walk before the Lord. Thus Enoch walked with God Gen. 5. 24. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods Commandments blameless Luk. 1. 6. David was a man after Gods own heart Yet the best of Gods children have their failings Jacob confest himself not worthy of the least of Gods mercyes c. David confest himself as foolish as a bruit Beast and wise Agur acknowledged that he had not the understanding of a man It 's a great cause of greif and a burthen to the spirits of Gods dearest children to consider how much they faile in duties Their dulnesse deadnesse disorder of spirit much afflicteth them What I shall further adde shall be comprised in these ensuing considerations Consid 1. Infirmities are incident to the best 1. Infirmities are incident unto the best of Christians I sleep saith the Spouse Paul complains of a body of sin and of flesh and of an antipathy between flesh and spirit 2. Gods children allow not themselves in sinne but mourn Consid 2. Gods childrē allow not themselves in sin Consid 3. Sincerity is accepted Consid 4. Where sincerity is there is an endeavour after more grace Consid 5. Others examples are not just standards Consid 6 Perseverance shall obtaine the Crown for sinne Sinne is their exceeding great grief and burthen 3. Where the heart is sincere it is accepted a willing mind is accepted 2 Cor. 8. 12. 4. Where the heart is sincere it is not contented with what it hath already attained but labours for more grace Phil. 3. 13 14. 5. Consider that others examples and attainments are not that standard for every one to measure himself by No examples but that of Jesus Christ is every way authentique Some will say on one hand Such and such goe no further and will not this serve my turne others say such goe so farre and if I cannot come near them I may justly suspect my self to be an Hypocrite Neither this nor that must determine us 6. And lastly consider that Perseverance shall obtain the Crown Rev. 2. 15. Many beginne well and fly back Of all Apostates are most hated by God But as for such who persevere in Grace and
of Jordan If lesser afflictions cast thee down low will not greater quite overwhelme thee consider of those things in thy most serious composed thoughts The 4th Use and last is for direction The Question will be askt Use 4. For Direction 1. Direction Come to the mankets what meanes must bee used for the purchase of this pearle In the winding up of all I 'le prescribe a few principall means and forthwith conclude 1. You must come to the markets whilst they last and whilst the shops are open To day is the market and the Ministry of the Gospell shewes forth the most pretious wares Now then come here and buy Mary found Christ in the midst of the Doctors and the blind man lay in the way where Christ came by Jacobs sons must goe to Aegypt to fetch corne The five Virgins are bid to goe to them that sell Matth. 25. 9. The Minister tenders these commodities Sabboths are market daies and the publick assemblies market places sit then at the feet of your teachers come frequently to the meanes of grace This coming is accepted as a kind of price though not meritorious paid to purchase Christ Though grace be free and we cannot bring mony in our hands yet come come come t is thrice ingeminated Isay 55. 1. 2. When you are gone from hence give your selves to reading 2. Direction Give your selâ—es to Reading and Meditation meditation and conference Read and search the Scripture bring all with the Beraeans to the touchstone of the word John Husse was converted by reading the Scripture then there was no open vision But the word preached is like the breast milke most nourishing To reading adde meditation meditate of the worth of this Pearle What you read or heare labour to digest by meditation and to meditation adde conference Mal. 3. 16. so those old Disciples spake often one to anothâ—r c. 3ly Seek the face of God by prayer They that seek have a promise of finding To aske for Christ and his grace is a Petition suteable to the will of God And as king according to God's will wee have a promise of being heard Let us cry after Christ as hid treasures Lord give me this pearle or else I am undone Le ts resolve with Bernard Nunquam 1 Joh. 5. 14. discedam à te Domine sine te Le ts herein be importunate beggars take no nay no repulse resolving never to be driven away from our Fathers doore 4ly Buy the truth Prov 23. 23. Bee at any cost paines or charges for the Purchase of truth and what 's the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 14 6. I am the way the truth and the life Give all diligence to know the truths recorded in the word of God Bee unwilling to part with the smallest truth Take such a delight and love to the truth as thou wilt leave no meanes unattempted for the purchase of it Every truth is gold and the least shaving of gold is pretious One truth is more worth than a world Not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of truth shall fall to the ground Therefore thou must study the truth read pray meditate conferre and hear to attain unto the knowledge of the truth 5ly Lastly buy this pearle of price in the season and opportunity when it 's tendred Take the benefit of the present time To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven Eccles 3. 1. Let that excellent covnsell make deep impression upon your spirits Is 55. 6. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found c. And let Jerusalems misery be our warning peece Luk. 19. 42. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid frâ—m thy eyes Now is the market it yet lasts blessed be God other the opportunity Neglect not these golden seasons now tendr'd to you It 's now day fall a working whilst its day the night cometh when no man can work Joh. 9. 4. You have here a tender of the pearle of price this day you know not whether you shall live to have a second tender The Lord of heaven set home this word upon your consciences and perswade you speedily readily and cheerfully to sell all you have to purchase this Pearle of price the Lord Jesus who is of superlative value more worth then millions of worlds A Suffering Faith Discovered from Philip. 1. 29. For unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely SERM. 5. At St. Maries Oxon. Decemb. 24. 1648. to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake THe Apostle having encouraged the Philippians to contend for the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 27. prepares them for encounters with adversaries vers 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God he tells them plainly what they must meet withall in the reason of the Text. The words containe three generalls A Duty An Object An Ability to performe the same 1. For the duty and that is double to believe and to suffer or Thetext divided it 's but one even a suffering faith 2. For the Object it s twice repeated but one and the same on Christ and for Christ Christ is the object of faith and for his sake we must be willing to suffer 3. Here 's the abilitie to performe both duties of believing and suffering To you it is given None can believe in Christ nor suffer for Christ except it be given from above Before I draw forth the Doctrine I will insist a while in the explanation of the words It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s gratia gratis data gratia gratum faciâ—ns Faith is no hearb that groweth in our gardens but it s a plant of our heavenly Father's plantation It s an habit infus'd by the spirit the supernaturall worke of God No morall perswasion no principle of nature no volumes of glimmering Philosophers can make discovery of this pearle Nature is as dimme-sighted as a mole in divine mysteries It s beyond the kenne of a naturall man to discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned As John gave Testimonie of Christ John 3. 27. That a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above so it may be said of Faith except it be given thee from above thou canst not receive it It followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence its evident that every faith is not a suffering faith when the sonne of man comes shall he find faith on the earth A temporary verball dogmaticall or historicall faith are every where to be found like the Sycamores in the valleyes for abundance But a true saving justifying faith that
Root and brought death unto all his Posterity And Christ was a common Root and brought life unto all his Posterity They urge likewise Joh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world A. Those in the world whom he loveth washeth and justifieth it 's not universall not singula genâ—rum but genera singulorum Compare this with Mat. 1. 21. And shee shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes The third false key is presumption of long life and mercy Neither A third false key Presumption of long life space nor grace are in thine own power God gave Jezabel space but denyed her grace Rev. 2. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not This presumption hath ruined many a soule Many neglect their opportunities run their swinge and career in sinne and presume of mercy but the dore of mercy is shut against them and this key cannot unlock it Now God affords foure true keyes 1. Knowledge The eyes are opened to see the fountaine to 1. True key knowledge look up to the brasen serpent The knowledge of the worth of Christ provokes us to come to him God's people have inlightned judgements they are renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. 2. Faith to believe that ther 's virtue enough in Christ to cure all 2. True key Faith our diseases both of body and soule Matth 9. 21. For shee said within her selfe if I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 3. Love And this will make us take many journies long and dangerous through fowle weather and it will sweeten all The 3. True key Love beloved object when enjoyed will make amends for all the waiting for it 4. Repentance mourning for sinne Repentance in us causeth 4. True key Repentance God to repent and make his bowels like the sounding of an Harp Jer. 31. 18 19 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoake turne thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed even confounded I did bâ—are the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my deare son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. You must understand these clave non errante not as if the fountaine was merited for any of these duties for when wee have done all wee can we must acknowledge that wee are unprofitable servants But God hath afforded these meanes keyes and helpes we must make use of them but may not make them our Christs and our Saviours 5. I will adde a 5th Praier This is a key to open and shut 5th True key prayer Heaven James 5. 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not upon the earth by the space of three yeares and six months And he prayed againe and the hâ—aven gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Pray that God would wash thee and cleanse thee Psal 51. 10. Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renâ—w a right spirit within mee 3. I proceed to the third head propounded For whom is this 3. For whom is this Fountaine opened fountaine opened To give in my answer ' I le lay down this truth by way of corollary inferred from the premises That the fountaine of free grace is only opened to the adopted children of God This I shall open and apply briefly for opening whereof I shall propound these ensuing considerations 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe Consid 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe according to his owngood pleasure and purpose of his will Now election is of here and there one It 's an act of choice taking some and passing by others Jer. 3. 14. Turne O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a familie and I will bring you unto Zion Like gleaning grapes Isai 17. 6. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it as the shakâ—ing of an olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough foure or five in the utmost fruitfull branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel This election hath no other motive but free love and grace Wee were in our blood Ezek. 16. 5 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live No provision of faith or Repentance mooved God to set his heart upon us as appeares Rom. 9. 11. For the children being not yet borne neither haveing done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workâ—s but of him that calleth c. This Postulatum being laid down for undeniable God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people Hence I frame this syllogisme only the elect have interest in the fountaine of free grace and mercy But only God's adopted children are elect ergo they only have interest in it 2. There are a peculiar people who alone are justified by the free grace of God in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith wee have Consid 2. There are a peculiar poople justified by free grace pâ—ace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Now thus I argue Only justified persons have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood But the sons of God by grace and adoption are only justified persons Ergo they alone have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose trangression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guilâ— Iustification is a forensicall terme took from an earthly Tribunal where a person arraign'd and condemned is afterward by virtue of a pardon acquitted 3ly Consider there are a peculiar people effectually called Many Consid 3. There are a peculiar people effectually called have an outward calling and take upon them an outward profession few are inwardly and effectually called This the Apostle presseth 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall never fall There are a few and but a very few called out of the world partakers
marroâ— in your bones you are in the flower and prince of your age your spirits are vigorous your memories mosâ— retentive O then consecrate all the members of your bodies and faculties of your soules to the service of the Lord. We usually say Spes Ecclesiae in Juventute There are many hopefull young plantâ— in Gods garden they must bring â—orth more favory fruit in their elder age In a word let me exhort you so to spend your time as when you come to be old you may look back upon your young dayes with comsort and blesse God that hath seasoned you with his fear from your youth Both to old and young let me apply my self and fasten on them these few moving considerations which may be as so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preservatives and meanes to prevent sinne 1. Consider seriously the omniscience of God so did Joseph 1 Consider the omniscience of God †Metaphora ab animalibus dissectis excoriatis Hyperius Gen. 39. 9. This was a Monitour to Job chap. 10 14. and Heb. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I may say naked and anatomized before him Imagine God to be as the Arabians fansied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all eye to see thee He knowes thy thoughs penetrates thy secretest recesses knowes the Meanders windings and diverticles of thy heart Did men seriously consider that they are alwayes in the presence of an Omniscient Lord This consideration might prevent sinne 2. Consider as God knowes thy wayes so he keeps exact Records 2 Consider God keeps exact records Here is a Chirograph in the text for iniquities and he keeps a Book of remembrance of the Saints religious conferences together Mal. 3. 16. In a proper sense we cannot say that God keeps a Book the formality of writing down is infinitely below God This is a sigurative speech the meaning is that all that is thought done or spoken is alwayes before him Conscience likewise keepes a Book that one day will act the part of witness accuser and judge 3. Consider before hand what sinne will cost thee Reckon the 3 Consider before hand what sinne will cost thee cost of it Rom. 6. 21 old and young will have cause of shame as Peter Martyr * observes Who of understanding would be a slave to so unprofitable a master as sin is When you are tempted to sinne aske †Si vel Seni vel Juveni aliquid revocetur inmemoriam quod non recte videatur factum erubescunt ob dolorem dedecoris in quod sevident incurrisse Pet. Martin thy self the Question shall I displense an holy God shall I defile my soul wound my Conscience by sinne will there not be bitternes in the end When thou art tempted to uncleannesse consider â—ore hand that he that is abhorred of God is enticed of a Whore â—nd wouldest thou be abhorred of God I'have read that a young â—â—an thus tempted by a Whore bit off a peece of his Tongue that so he pain of it might divert him from so wicked a Temptation Say â—ot Whoâ—edome is a Trick of youth such youthfull tricks unless â—epented of will damne thy soule to all eternity When thou art empted to Immoderate Drinking consider before hand thy body â—hould be the Temple of the Holy Ghost shall I make it a Temâ—le for Bacchus will not dayes of mourning follow dayes of Jolliâ—ye â—nd Carrousing will not cups of trembling follow cups of healthâ—ng may not there be such an Hand-writing against me as was against Belshazzar In a word could men seriously premeditate aâ—orehand what sinne would cost them they would not so rashly â—dventure upon it to wound their conscience and displease so holy a Lord God 4. Consider the four last things Death and Judgment Hell and 4 Consider the four last things 1 Consider Death Heaven 1. Consider Death It s the statute law of Heaven That all shall dye and every one shal see death as we read Heb. 9. 27. Psal 8. 9 40. This life is of a short continuance compared to a flower a vapour a Weavers Shuttle Young dye as well as Old Upon this moment depends eternity And in eternity we return to the Land of the living We all stand at the doore of eternity we may be summond by death presently for ought we know So ought we to live every day as if it were our last day that we may have nothing to doe but to dye Wouldest thou have death call thee suddainly art thou prepared Dost thou so live as thou canst look the King of â—errours in the face and with comfort and confidence breath out thy soul unto Jesus Christ O therefore cleanse thy soul set upon the work of purification Trimme up thy soul to entertain Jesus Christ 2. Consider of the day of judgment 2 Cor. 5. 10 Consider before 2 Conâ—ider the day of Judgment hand that of Solomon Eccles 11. 9. Consider there will come a day of account As death leaves thee so judgment will find thee If thy peace be not made with God before thou dyest Judgment will return thee an enemy to Jesus Christ And if Christ be thy enemy who is thy Judge thou wilt wish that the hills might fall upon thee and that the mountaines might cover thee from the face of the Lamb. Let the consideration of the day of â—udgment be always in your thoughs and aske thy self the Question Doe I that which I can answere at the day of judgment shall I not be called to an account for these things 3. Consider the Torments of Hell the lot and portion of all 3 Consider the torments of Hell those who are unreconciled to Jesus Christ Aske thy self the Question doth not Whoredome Drunkeness c. lead thee away into the pit will not cursed delights in burning lusts end in eternall burnings Will not sinne cry aloud for its wages and bring with it but a dead pay 4. Consider of the joyes of Heaven the inheritance of the 4. Consider the joys of Heaven Saints noe unclean thing shall enter there nothing that defiles shall ever enter into the new Jerusalem Would I then be in Heaven hereafter Heaven must begin in me upon earth Doe I desire happiness I must labour to be holy Mark to whom blessedness is appropriated Psal 119. v. 1 To the undefiled and pure in heart Matth. 5. 8. Every one of these considerations seriously layd to heart may be preservatives against sinne In the next place I must prescribe some Directions which that I may doe I le descend to A third Use which shall be for direction You that would Use 3. For direction gladly have this Châ—rographum in my Text cancelled and be healed of the sores and wounds of sin I prescribe these means 1. â—e humbled to the dust for all your sins Be afflicted and Dir. 1. Be humbled for all your sins mourn let your laughter be turned into heavyness and your joy into mourning Let there
lives and keep strict Luk. 16. 2. sentinell over both That saying give an account of thy stewardship should be still ringing in the ears of Ministers Governours and Tutors We shall one day be called to an account let 's labour to be faithfull Stewards that so we may give up our account with joy and not sorrow It 's a known story that the young man committed by Euseb Hist the Apostle to the Elders care was dissolute and a companion of Theives and is there termed a dead man i. e. dead to God and goodness O let it not be our default our negligence that any under our charge are dead souls As the Captain beseeched that his life and the life of his fifty might be pretious in the Prophets eyes 2 Kings 1. 13 Whe her we have more or fewer let their souls be pretious and let us put forth our selves in all our places and capacityes to give one another a lift toward heaven A day of judgment is coming let that be a Frontlet before our eyes upon this consideration let Christians doe brotherly offices and manifest their love to the souls of their brethren Hereupon we are exhorted to avoid rash judgment Rom. 14. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 5. There 's wisdome understanding consideration all joyned together Deut. 32. 22. It s a patheticall speech and he 's a wiseman in the esteem of the Holy Ghost who considers his of latter end We should all of us fix this meditation upon our hearts entertain serious thoughts what will become of our our precious souls to all Eternity Will not a day of Judgement come May not thou or I be summon'd forthwith at that impartial Tribunal This being so What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness In the second place to confirm the Point by evidence of Reason why the consideration of the Day of Judgement should engage us unto holiness 1. Because onely holy persons shall be able to stand in Judgement Reas 1. Because only holy persons shall stand in Judgement When the wicked the Goats that stand on the left hand and shall wish that the Hills might â—all on them and that the mountains might cover them from the face of the Lamb Then shall the godly lift up their heads and behold Christ who is their Judge their Redeemer This comforted Job on the Dung-hill Rev. 20. 6. Job 19. 25. Matth. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. I Know that my Redeemer liveth They that are holy here shall be happy to all eternity They onely shall be partakers of the blessed Visâ—on Now it s much controverted whether the Saints shall have their sins mentioned at all at the day of Judgement some conceive that their sins shall be brought in onely as a cancell'd â—ond others are of opinion that they shall be mentioned that Gods mercy may the more be glorified in the greatness of the Pardon And others say they shall not be mentioned at all because in several Scriptures the Lord saith He will remember their sins no more and that he will câ—st all our sins into the depth of the Sea and that he casteth Isa 43. 25. Mich. 7. 19. Isa 38. 17. our sins behinde his back without all controversie that shall be done that conduceth most to â—ods glory and their happiness There 's no condemnation to the Saints the day of Judgement will be a day of refreshing to them an addition to their happiness soul and body being re-united and made companions in bliss unto all â—ternity Seeing then holy persons shall be able to look the Judge in the face since they onely shall stand in judgement the consideration of this great day should sink deep into our hearts and make deep impression upon our spirits exciting alluring and prevailing with us to a sanctified life and conversation 2. â—ecause the time of this life is the onely Season appointed 2 Reas This is the present time by God to labor after holyness The Exhortation runs in the present â—ense 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 John 3. 3. Q. 3. But can we be perfectly holy A. We must have perfection of parts i. e. Sincerity In Heaven there will be perfection of degrees we must have truth of holyness we must begin here and strive after more In Heaven we shall attain the complement thereof we may not content our selves with what we have attained unto but we must labor after perfection pressing forward toward the mark for the price of the high calling that is in Jesus Christ as Id qui faciunt fructum colligent satione sua dignum coacervabunt enim quod male dispereat Calv in loc Gal. 6. 8. the Apostle did Phil. 3. 14. Now then consider the time of this life is the Seed-time the Harvest is reserved in Heaven As you sow so you shall reap If you sow to the flesh you shall of the flesh reap corruption if you sow to the spirit you shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Therefore in your most serious thoughts consider that you deal for life and immortallity your negotiations are for the great things of Eternity In this World in this present time of life you must labor to be holy Purgatory is a Blasphemous Popish dream No purgation left for another World No Prayer no Sermon will work upon thee after this life Here then holyness is wrought lay these things to heart 3. Because Judgement returns us just as death leaves us As the 3. Reas Because judgment returns us as death lest us Tree falls so it lies and as death leaves us so judgement will finde us He that is filthy let him be filthy still He that dies unreconciled to Jesus shall be so returned The day of Judgement is most impartially just in all proceedings And Judgement returns none neither better nor worse but as death leaves them Now then if thou livest and diest in an unregenerate estate so thou wilt remain unto all Eternity After death no tears no crys will prevail There 's no door of hope the damned are without hope and this heightens their misery Time is past time is past The Judge hath vail'd his face having past a Sentence irrevo cable Noâ— whilest you are alive on this side Hell and Eternity there 's hope left you are under the sound of the Gospel and the Ambassadoâ— are sent offering unto you terms of reconciliation We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God O follow after holyness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursue it hard give not over This day is a working 2 Cor. 5. 20. Heb. 12. 14. day and it 's but short a day of Judgement which is a day of restitution and recompense is approaching So live as you desire to die Do you desire to be happy in your deaths Labor to live holy in your lives Thus much for the Doctrinal part Now to set all home by particular Application I have five Uses to make of this Doctrine
of the Laborer in Gods Vineyard upon pretence that his maintenance is Jâ—wish or Anti-Christian will not be excused at the day of account when as covotousness and self-interest is the usual moving cause of defrauding the Ministers It plainly appears that many like Water-men look one way and row another they serve the Ministers in these days as the Pagans did the Primitive Christians They put them first into Bears skins and then they worryed them For there are many who stigmatize their â—alling and Maintenance as Anti-Christian that so they may the more securely run away with their maintenance Just like Demetrius and the Crafts-men who cryed up Diana Great is Diana of the Ephesians but he had more minde to Act. 19. 34. ver 25. the Silver Shrines By this craft saith he we get our living Now all these things one day shall come to light even the most hidden things of darkness All the Machivialian politick juglings of men all the secret designs men drive at for advantage all the Hypocritical defalkations and reservations such as were in Ananias and Saphyra all the Meanders Windings Diverticles shall all be made naked at the day of Judgement then unjust persons Hypocrites Time-serving Politicians false-hearted persons shall appear pourtrayed forth in their proper colours and be the astonishment and open disgrace â—â— men and Angels But I proceed to a second Use and that is for Exhortation I Use 2. For Exhortation beseech you in the fear of God in the Bowels of Jesus Christ to labour after holyness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let the motive of the Text be set home upon your hearts What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness You that are young vigorous and have marrow in your bones labor to be holy Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth God loves the Eccles 12. 1. Mich. 7. 1. first ripe fruits our best service away with that wicked Proverb Angelicus juvenis senibus satanizat in annis The Sun cannot rise too early unless it be to a sluggard You cannot begin too soon Defer not a day not a moment longer O that in this Garden of Learning there might be a great increase of Plants of Righteousness that as Plants planted in Gods garden they may bring forth more fruit in their elder age It 's usually said Spes Ecclesiae est in juveâ—tute Far be it from me to envy but I desire to be thankful and rejoyce to see a sprinkling of holy young men who are grave serious and studious and breath after God and bend their studies to attain to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ The Lord of heaven adde unto their number an hundred-fold It s oftentimes observed that the Universitie proves the marring or making of many insomuch as a Scholar hath a censure given him like that of Origen Vbi bonus nemo melior ubi malus nemo pejor Look to it you are in your prime and fresh green years O consecrate your selves unto the service of God It was the exhortation of Joshuah Josh 3. 4. Sanctifie your selves for the Lord will do wonders amongst you The Lord may imploy you in great services and make you instruments of great good What a wonder is it for a young Timothy to be able to grapple with the old Leviathan and throw him on his back Consider with your selves all your Philosophical learning though I discard not but â—commend in its due place and distance will doe you no good at the great day It 's holynesse an holy life that will comfort you when you come to dye It 's the knowledge of Jesus Christ that will stand you in stead when all vain Philosophy will Mat. 27 3. doe you no more good than the High Priests did Judas They said what 's that to us see thou to that Mat. 27. 3. O therefore now in your youth labour to be holy Happy is it for any of you with whom God begins betime And to you that are old I addresse my Exhortation you should be examples of holyness you are Beacons Job 32. 7. set upon a hill the eyes of thousands of young ones are upon you Let daies speak and multitude of years teach wisdom You have one foot in the grave would you have comfort in your death O labour to lead holy lives Would you die the death of the righteous O labour to live the life of the righteous your riches your dignities your learning will doe you no good when you come to dye you shall then be degraâ—ed levelled stript naked of all and if you have not the robes of Christs righteousnesse for your cover you had better never have been born What was that which comforted Hezechiah when he received the sentence of death you may read it to be the walking before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart This 2 King 20 3 is that which will give you comfort and this alone even the remembrance of an holy lise The assurance of a God reconciled in Christ will cause you to bid welcome to the King of terrours That which the Philosopher accounts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be your Marriage day the welcomeâ—â— day that ever your eyes beheld And because I love from myheart plain dealing give me leave yet a litle more plainly particularly to set home a seasonable word of Exhortation You Fathers and Brethren whom God hath made â—ulers in Israel Govern in the University O labour for holyness your selves and to plant holynesse in your societies Root out scossing Ishmaels prophane Esaus suffer not a scoffer at holynesse to be within your walls Let Joshuahs resolution be your continual Monitor I and my house will serve the Lord Set up holy Ordinances Preaching Divinity Lectures and a plain way of Catechizing what abundance of good may this doe Some doe give good examples in this kind I hope the rest will follow after that all our societies may be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there In your Elections principally look after holynesse Incourage such as have the Image of Christ stampt on them and are willing to receive Instruction You that are Tutors have great prices put into your hands you have young tender twigs flexible tractable they are some of them instar tabulae rasae in some sense pray with your Scholars Catechize them ground them in the Principles of Religion and season them with grace betimes Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem testa diu Trouble not young heads with disciplinarie Controsies and doubtful Disputations Instruct them in the mystery of Regeneration in the Doctrines of Holynesse Faith and Repentance and Self-denial these are the most needfull things In doing good to one Scholar you may do good to a whole City or Parish if you quit your trust and be faithfull and play the men thousands may have cause to praise God and rise up and call you blessed You
fruition thereof There 's great reason to perswade us to labour and secure our everlasting estate if we consider 1. When once wee are in eternity consider what we are freed from There are severall privative Immunities which glorified Reas 1 Saints are partakers of and Militant Saints have onely in their eye heart desires and expectation of that happy welcome day These things are in the desire hope and earnest longing of Militant Saints but gloryfied Saints have their desires accomplished and the fruition of that which on earth they hoped for And what are these privative immunities 1. Freedome from sinne Nothing that defileth is in heaven â— We are fâ—eed from sinne there is no conflict between the flesh and spirit no struggling against lust no combating with the flesh It 's the greatest desire of Gods children that they may sinne no more In this world the best of Gods children are subject to many infirmities they carry about with them a body of sinne But then there shall be no infirmities no corruptions no lusts to conflict withall as appears more fully from Isai 44. 22. Jer. 50. 20. All which Prophesies have reference unto the Triumphant Church Jerusalem which is above the Mother of us all 2. We shall in eternity be freed from all tentations to sin from 2. We are freed from all tentations the Flesh the Devil and the World 1. There we shall not be troubled with corrupt flesh to lust against the spirit There we shall not be troubled with the deeds of the flesh Envy Hatred Malice Heresies Variances c. Here we are in part carnal there we shall be wholly spiritual 2. There we shall not be troubled with the Devils temptations his methods snares depths shall doe us no harm In this world he is a Lyon let loose running about seeking whom he may devoure there he is a Lyon chained shut up he may like as dogs bark at the Moon rayle against the Saints but he can doe them no harme This Accuser of the Brethren is shut up In this world the Devil is busie to winnow the Saints as Wheat but in the world to come the Saints are like Wheat layd up in the Garner out of his reach and meddling withall as we may read Rev. 20. 10. 3. The Saints shall be freed from all the worlds temptations what 's in the world is reckoned up 1 Joh. 2. 16. viz. the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life But in that day the world shall be burnt up and be dissolved There shall not remaine a wicked world to seduce the Saints The Devil cries come to me but he will deceive thee The flesh cries come to me but it will assuredly faile thy expectation The world cries come to me but it will destroy thee But in the world to come there will be neither a devil to deceive nor a flesh to faile nor a world to flay And lastly we are freed in heaven from all punishments of sin 3. Wee are freed from punishments all sorrows calamities afflictions of all sorts and sizes Rev. 21. 4. Heaven is a place of rest There the weary goe to rest Heaven is a place of security no enemy can pursue thee there no persecutor can reach thee there no slanderous tongue can there do thee harm there thou shalt be hid from the scourge of tongues there shall be neither thirst nor hunger no sorrow nor mourning All teares are then wiped away sorrow and mourning shall flee away In heaven thou shalt not bee troubled with an aking head nor with a sad heart None shall complaine there of fainting fits nor of stone chollick gout strangury tooth-ake or such like pains full of dolour and anguish Nay more than this after once thou art in heaven thou shalt no more tast of death a temporal death thou sufferedst before that was the wages of sinne but a second death thou shalt escape as we may read Rev. 20. 14. When once thou gettest into heaven thou art out of gun-shot out of all dangers out of the rage and malice of wicked men the Whip the Rack the Block the Gibbet all the threats of ungodly men can do thee no harm Thou hast a life secured from the malice of men and devils it 's a hidden life 't is in the safest custody Col. 3. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God These are privative immunities But in the second place another Reason to perswade us to the Reas 2. Drawn from Positive Benefits search study and inquisition after eternal things shall be drawn from those positive singular benefits which the Saints shall reap in eternity Particularly 1. They shall enjoy the blessed presence of the holy Trinity the vision and fruition of God This is a transforming sight They are like unto God so far as a creature can be capable of assimilation unto a deity Though Saints are not deified become Gods yet they are in an eminent manner partakers of the divine nature They shall see in heaven God the first being of all and their gracious Father reconciled to them in Jesus Christ They shall see Christ God and man in one person their Redeemer and Intercessor and they shall see the holy Ghost their comforter Neither shall they as strangers and travellers see other mens Lands or as men by maps see farre Countries wherein they have no interest But they shall see the blessed Trinity as haveing themselves a special interest therein God as their God Christ as their Redeemer the Holy Ghost as their Comforter Tolle meum saith a Father tolle Deum In My God and my Lord there liâ—th the great consolation 2. Glorified Saints enjoy the society of Saints and Angels the 2. Glorified Saints enjoy the society of Saints spirits of just men made perfect There they shall see Abraham the father of the faithful David a man after Gods own heart Moses and Job Mirrours of meekness and patience Paul the great Dr. of the Gentiles There the godly Pastor and godly People the godly Husband and godly Wife the godly Father and godly Children shall meet together O what pretious company is there None but holy persons are admitted into the new Jerusalem Whether the Saints shall know one another in heaven who have been so well acquainted on earth is a question much controverted But there are two Scriptures that make much for the affirmative viz. Mat. 17. 4. At Christs transfiguration which was a type and glimpse of heaven Peter knew Moses and Elias who were dead many hundred years before Another is 1 Thes 2. 19 20. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy 3. The glorified Saints shall be busied in a rare transcendent 3. Glorified Saints shall be busied in a high emâ—loyment imployment In heaven they shall be for ever praysing of
to the Method propounded 1. For Scripture Testimony we have many parrellel places Let your conversation be aâ—â—ecometh the Gospell of Christ The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should be soberly righteously and godly in this present world There are three choyce Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as God is pure They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good Conversation his workes with meekness of wisdome As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Two things saith learned * Ambulare in Christo duo de notat perseverare progredi in doctrinâ fide Christi vitam agere juâ—ta hanc fidem Davenant in Col. 2. R. 1. A holy Conversation is an Evidence of election 2 Pet. 1. 10. Rom. 12. 9. Davenant are imployed in that Exhortation viz Perseverance in the doctrine of faith and a life regulated accordingly 2. In the second place for confirmation amongst many Reasons that might be mentioned I shall insist only on foure 1. A holy Conversation is an Evidence of election Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure There 's great care and diligence required in the work We need not ascend into heaven and curiously enquire after the Decree of God but our duty is to descend and make strict Inquisition into our own hearts whether we be sanctified and renewed in the spirits of our minds whether we depart from iniquity whether as the Apostle exhorts We abhor that which is evill and cleave to that which is good We must be assured in this grand Truth That God who 2 Thes 2. 13. hath ordained to the end hath ordained unto the means We are bound saith the Apostle to give thanks alwaies to God for you because he hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth 2. When the profession and practice of Christianity meet together R. 2. This sheweth the sincerity of our Profession 2 Cor. 1. 12. here 's an infallible evidence of the truth and sincerity of our profession For our rejoycing is this the testimony for our Conscience that in simplicity and godly â—incerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Multitudes plead an interest in Christs redemption But here 's the Criticall note To be redeemed from their vaine conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. To be new creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. To be renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. To be made partakers the of divine Nature 2 Pe. 1. 4. These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Markes and Characters of those that have interest in Christ And whoever make a profession and practiceth not what they profeffe they are strangers from the life of Christ and no otherwise to be accounted of then such who by Mapps and reading of Authors discourse of farre countreys where they have never beene themselves but only they receive things by an implicite faith upon others reports and not by an experimentall knowledge But hereby we have evidence of the truth of our profession when Words and Actions Profession and Conversation concurre together in a sweet harmony and mutuall equipage R. 3. Here the Gospell is adorned 3. When Profession and Conversation meet togeather there the Gospell is adorned The Gospell gives not a Writ to licentiousnesse it opens no gapp to carnall liberty It ought to be our study and endeavour to adorne a holy Profession by a holy Conversation Tit. 2. 10. Exhort servants saith the Apostle to be obedient c. not purloyning but shewing all fidelity that they may adorne the doctrine of our Saviour in all things The great designe of Christians ought to be to keep up the reputation of the Gospel It is adorned when people walk according to the Apostles charge See that yee Eph. 5. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. walk circumspectly not as fooles but as wise The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall we should be likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot and blamelesse Holinesse only adornes our profession and they are most beautifull who are adorned with the graces of Gods spirit 2 Pet. 3. 14. The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Psal 45. 13. Gold And we read of broidered workes badgers skins bracâ—lets chaines jewells gold ear-rings Ezek. 16. Hence it eminently appeares that only the graces of the spirit can adorne a soule Now when what we professe in our mouths we make good by our practice When we name the name of Christ and depart from iniquity When we professe holinesse and live accordingly then we adorne the Gospell For the Gospell requires holinesse righteousnesse circumspect walking and the more holy righteous and circumspect a man is the more he adornes the Gospell 4. And lastly Hereby we bring the greater glory to God For R. 4. Here we bring the greater glory to God Joh. 15. 8. God is gâ—orified by the fruitfulnesse of his servants Herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit What is this fruit but such as is meet for Repentance Mat. 3. 8. Fruit unto holinesse Rom. 6. 22. Fruits of Righteousnesse Jam. 3. 18. And this is the fruit the Apostle prayeth might abound in the Philippians chap. 4. 17. That fruit might abound to their account Now put all these Reasons together I conceive there is strength of Argument to persuade us to the duty of the Text viz. To depart from iniquity i. e. to make our Profession and Practise meet in one as lines in their proper center considering that hereby we prove our election sure and our profession to be sincere and that we adorne our profession and bring greater glory to God To these foure Reasons I l'e adde only foure Uses which are to be handled in the particular application as I promised and so I shall put a Period to my discourse 1. Here 's matter of Information that a name or forme of a Profession Vse 1. For Information an outward title or claime to Christ are altogether insufficient to Salvation What 's the forme without the power of Godlinesse what 's the name without the thing No better then the body without the spirit or the carcasse without the soule to animate it Concerning Formalists we have a Caution Having a 2 Tim. 3 5. forme of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne aside I know thy workes saith Christ unto the Angells of the Rev. 3. 1. Church of Sardis that thou hast a name that thou livest yet art dead How many are there that rest contented with an externall
not be bitternesse in the end but where God is the most bitter pill of affliction is sweet and pleasant St Bernard hath a speciall Bernard Orat de bonis deserendis observation in a declamation de bonis deserendis non Isaac sed aries morietur c. If you be willing to sacrifice your Isaac which signifies laughter i. e. your pleasure your Isaac your pleasure shall not dye it is the Ramme the stubbornesse of spirit which shall dye but your Isaac shall live you shall have pleasure still Wherefore cast downe all your joyes comforts and pleasures at Gods feet in an humble submission saying Lord here they are do with me and them what seemes good in thine eyes When the heart is thus took of the world it 's in a fit temper and is best qualified for the comforts of God and over and above when thy spirit is in this frame of resignation of all unto God he in mercy may vouchsafe unto thee the comfortable fruition of them Thus you have heard what Demonstrations I have propounded for the evincing of this pretious Doctrine that all joy and comfort amidst the greatest discomforts is to be found in God Now that I may presse what hath been said home unto your Applicat practice 1. I shall inferre something by way of comfort unto those that make the Lord the joy of their soules 2. In the next place I shall exhort you unto so excellent and necessary duty 3. In the last place I shall lay downe some Directions how this sacred duty of rejoycing in God ought to be exexercised within these limits I shall confine my ensueing Application In the first place this discovers unto us the comfortable condition Vse 1. For Comfort of the Children of God O blessed men whose hope and comfort the Lord is comfort yee comfort yee my people saith the Lord to these comfort appertaines as their peculiar right and interest let them amidst greatest calamities lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh All the sufferings of Christ his sweating of drops of blood were for them Christ wept that they might rejoyce he drunk a cup of gall and vinegar that they might drink a cup of new wine in the Kingdome of Heaven and he wore a Crowne of Thornes that they might weare a Crowne of Glory Oh! be not dismayed at any evill tydings and mourne not as men with out hope notwithstanding the confusion and troubles of the Land of our Nativity Let faith hope and patience be exercised Hope is the propp of the righteous that stayes the soule from falling were it not for hope the heart would breake in these conflicting daies of sin where there are such sad thoughts of heart for the afflictions of Joseph and for the divisions of Reuben We know not what to do we have no strength of our selves but let me tell you as Nehemiah did the Jewes Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength Hee 's a fountaine inexhausted though the Cisternes of the Creatures are drawne dry he continues a God of strength though all sublunary things are as weak as water when Parents forsake a man then the Lord takes pitty upon him when riches make themselves wings and flye away as an Eagle towards heaven God becomes thy riches and inricheth thee with grace and so thou gainest by thy lossesse As Joseph told Pharaoh God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace so say I God shall answer thy doubts and let in peace and tranquility into thy soule Melchior Adamus records this observeable passage in Melchior Adamus In vita Oecolampadii the life of Oecolampadius when some of his friends askt him whether the light did not offend him Tangens pectus inquit abunde lucis est he clapt his hands upon his breast and said here 's light enough When the light of God shines in thy bosome and thou discernest Gods reconciled countenance in Christ thou hast enough Strive therefore to exterminate all thoughts of doubtting and diffidence feare not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord. However things go with thee though clouds hang over thee and they resolve and melt thy heart into abundance of teares and sorrowes yet let my Prophets resolution set thy affections a working yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation 2. In the second place suffer I beseech you my brethren the Vse 2. For Exhortation word of Exhortation Oh! that I could perswade you to your duty I shall branch it out into three particulars 1. To make God your joy 2. To account him your treasure 3. To have recourse to him as your refuge 1. Make God your joy There 's no man but hath some principle Dut. 1. Make God your joy of joy or inward working motion within his own bosome and according to the variety of fansies and humours the joyes and comforts are bottom'd upon a various and different ground 1. One man fixeth his joy upon his riches A 2. Upon his honour and reputation A 3. Upon his delights and pleasures But the Godly mans honours riches pleasures are wholly terminated upon the Lord his God When the man in the Gospell had bought the field wherein he found the pearle of price he was ravisht with joy beyond expression and apprehension The grace of God revealed to the soule of man is this Gemme of superlative estimation thou must part with all thy riches pleasures and comforts nay with all the world for this and thou hereby makest the wisest bargaine that ever was made For by the losse of earth thou gainest heaven what joy possest the spirit of the Eunuch after Phillip had baptized him and brought Christ home unto him the Text saith he went away rejoycing Such is the joy of a spiritualliz'd man whose God is his joy and Consolation though troubles and miseries come thick and threefold yet his heart is fixed upon Mount Zion that it cannot be removed nay upon the God of Zion There 's some inward working principle that will swallow up all discomforts whatsoever This spirituall joy dasheth all carnall joyes This is the only true sollid joy arising from Gods reconciled countenance in Christ which makes a man rejoyce in the Holy Ghost with joy unspeakable and full of glory It 's said in Judges that the young Levites heart was glad when the children of Dan proffer'd promotion to him much more joy resides in the spirituall mans soule and conscience when he thinks of his Crownes and of the joyes of Heaven and of the sweet uninterrupted Communion with Jesus Christ unto all eternity Oh! then make God thy joy The serenity of his countenance will dissipate all these clouds the refreshings and those soule ravishing comforts of Christ will infinitely exceed the greatest discomforts in the Universe The joy of the world may be took from thee by the men of the world There are many Anabaptisticall Antiministeriall spirits
tidings but rather hearing them as it were in a dreame he cuts the role in peices and casts it into the fire O the Sottish Lethargy of a rebellious sinner Hee 's setled upon his lees at ease in Zion come what will come he thinks himselfe secure that no evill shall happen unto him Security is the harbinger of ruine But wickednesse stands not still it 's a teeming mother though of a spurious issue To make his sinne compleatly sinfull he sends hue and crie to apprehend the prophet and the scribe Heel 'e be reveng'd on the instruments though for the performance of their obliged duty O ungratefull patient who when he hath trampled soveraigne physick under his feet straightway plots the destruction of his physitian but humane power is circumscrib'd with certaine limits and compasses and cannot goe one jot further then the supreme overruling hand permits the motion Man purposeth but the Lord disposeth of that purpose as it pleaseth him God himselfe becomes an hiding place unto his servants But the Lord hid them Jer. 36. 26. the kings expresse commands must be frustrated his messengers must returne without their errand for God hath more worke for the prophet and the scribe A new role must be writ The nationall rebellions must stand upon record legible to posterity This God gives in precept and they immediatly put in execution And over and above the text is expresse in the close of the forecited chapter that there were added besides unto them many like words New rebellions renew their sorrowes and continuance in sin abundantly aggravates the punishment By this time Baruch is perplex'd with multitudes of sorrowes the apprehension of the Kings wrath makes him feare and tremble he is sensible of a burthen too heavy for him to beare the weight whereof mak's him fall groveling unto the ground The Lord becomes the remembrancer of his passionate expressions Thou didst say woe is me now for the Lord hath added greife to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and find no rect v. 3. Addidit dominus scriptionem Scripti vi one writing after another I hardly scap't for my former writing and now I put my selfe into the very mouth of the lyon adding a second danger to the former and so expose my selfe unto a continuall succession of miseries In the mount in the greatest straits and extremities the Lord will be seene Now comes the Lord and brings out a precious cordiall which he reserv'd for a languishing condition Now he shewes himselfe indeed a very present helpe in this needfull condition and time of trouble Hee 's the good Samaritan he powrs oyle into the wounds and binds them up hee 'l in no wise quench this smoking flax nor breake this Matth. 12. 20. bruised reed O tast and see O Baruch how good and gracious the Lord is to thee in particular There 's an universall conflagration and yet thou art as a brand pluck't out of the burning There 's a generall massacre and yet thy life is given thee for a prey whithersoever thou goest The Prophet brings this tidings from the mouth of God v. 4. behold that which I have built I will breake downe Goodly edifices must be leveld with the ground and not one stone left upon another It followeth and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land The vineyard of Gods own plantation must be laid wast and pluck't up root and branch The Lord when he begins will make an end Laesa patientia fit furor Patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury his wrath is incens'd and his jealousy burnes hot like fire If any thing questionlesse a showre of teares might quench this burning but their hearts are unbroken their fallow-ground is not plowed up they are past relenting and so shut against themselves a dore of mercy And now O Baruch thou sonne of Neriah where 's thy sympathy why dost not thou call thy comforts Ichabods Dost thou thinke to fare well at home whilst the Church of God is under hatches abroad wouldst thou be in the floate of prosperity whilst the Church is in the ebbe of adversity As the marriners in a tempest rows'd Jonah and cryed what meanest thou O sleeper arise call upon thy God Jonah 1. 6. so say I arise and lay to heart the afflictions of thy brethren When private calamities come in competition with publick let the latter preponderate Thou must not stick to foregoe thy own rest ease tranquility nay thy life it selfe when thou hast a lawfull calling to lay it downe in these times of horrour and confusion Let this advice from heaven in my text have an effectuall influence upon thy spirit tu quaerâ—res tibi res magnas ne quaerito and seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not My text may be stil'd Baruch's hurt and cure If he or any other Baruchs Hurt and Cure would with the sorcerer bost himselfe to be some great one in the world if he set upon the pursuite of great things in this world an arrow from God will be sent and pierce his soule through with many sorrowes there 's his hurt But if so be he become endowed with a selfe denying spirit so that sublunary things are below his notice he can bid adieu unto them as unsutable to his elevated affections hee 's a man of a singular temper hee 'l discerne a sun of righteousnesse with healing wings there 's his cure So then in the words formally considered there 's a Question and an answere In the Question I recommend three particulars unto 1. An Act. 2. An Object 3. The person your observation 1. An act and seekest thou 2. The Object great things 3. The persons one and the same thou for thy selfe The Prophet anticipates Baruchs answere and gives it himselfe seeke them not This dehortation is diametrically opposite It stands like the Cherubims with a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life A sinner rides full speed in a swift career of ungodlinesse Here 's a Remora which purposely meets him and stops his passage Hee 's bid to stand by the watchman of the Lord of Hosts You see then my Brethren what I am to presse upon your affections that ye would get rays'd spirits and sue out a divorce between your selves and the world The Argument of my discourse is Heavenly mindednesse The enlargement of this Theme is most sutable to these present distractions where there are such sad thoughts of heart for the afflictions of Joseph and for the divisions of Reuben Is it now a time for purchasing of Lands and revenues eating the fat and drinking the sweet to solace our selves in all variety of voluptuousnesse and epicurisme to stretch out our selves in beds of Ivory to drinke wine in bowles and yet remaine insensible of the afflictions of Joseph If by such projects as these we seeke to get a name upon earth we may build a Babel of our own confusion
the City of God which St Peter cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 4. an immarcessible crowne of glory then thou would'st be transform'd into another manner of man thy tongue will be toucht with a coale from the altar Thy language wouâ—d bewray thee to be a denizon of Canaan thy love joy and hope would be alienated from the world and wholy center upon God who is the love joy and hope of thy soule Were there no future reward of godlinesse the beauty that is in it selfe is more amiable and desiderable then all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them What Cleopatra said Cleopatra to Marcus Antonius It 's not for you to be a fishing for small fish but for townes forts and castles And so for those who have the beames of Gods reconcil'd countenance darted into their soules who have a spirituall acquaintance and a sacred communion with the great â—â— God of Heaven and Earth It 's not for them to be trading for meane things for the trash and pelfe of this miserable world but their spirits must aspire unto great things eternall life v. Fox Martyr de Edvardo primo glory and immortality even the price of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It 's story'd of Edward the first that he had a vehement desire to goe to Jerusalem but being prevented by death he gave in charge on his death-bed that his sonne should convey his heart thither and for that purpose he left a great Masse of mony so the Saints though their bodies are not in Heaven yet their hearts are there and their conversation is above though their bodies are here below O that my words might make a firme impression upon your consciences that you would put the highest price upon godlinesse and account it your honour and preferment whilst others labour for corne and oyle and joyne house to house for the perpetuating of their memories let me perswade you to labour for the riches of faith and the riches of Christ that you may be rich in holinesse and may be truly noble by the divine image stamp't upon your soules you that are cald to be Gods Embassadours his mouth to his people how dare ye chuse rather to be schollars to Pythagoras then to Christ by affecting a stupendious silence you that have tooke upon you the charge of soules doe not O doe not maintaine your bravery by the price of blood The time will come when it will be said sheapheard give accompt of the flock committed to thy charge When Andrew shall come in with Achaia by him converted to the saving knowledg of the faith John with Asia Thomas with India Peter with the Jewes and Paul with the Gentiles where then shall the idol shepheard appeare will such an Apology hold I could not brooke the rusticity of the people it would be a crushing of my hopes of preferment if I should spend my spirits upon such illiterate men But how darest thou deny thy breath to those poore soules for whom Christ powred out his pretious blood out of his veines My hearts desire is that all men in place of quality would herein anticipate authority and feed their flocks themselves and labour to approve themselves workemen not to be ashamed not handling the word of God deceitfully Happy were it for us if we could keep a Parliament within our selves and save them a labour by setting upon the worke of reformation every man in his own soule and conscience Hee 's the best Critick who makes a Critica Sacra upon his own heart who labours to understand the Errata of his own life and to wipe them out with the spunge of Godly sorrow Whilst we have an heart and a heart a heart for God and a heart for Mammon whilst worldly pompe and high place come in competition with the glory of God so that we would gladly carry a faire correspondence on both sides if these be our humours we can never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walke with a right foote in the waies of godlinesse When thou flatterest thy heart on this wise O if I shone in an higher sphere if I had such and such a place of dignity I should then labour to bring more glory to God thou colludest with thy conscience and art not acquainted with thy selfe-deceiving-spirit how higher places might cause greater precipices If thou art not qualifi'd for the present condition I feare thou wilt be more unfit to manage another This is an hard lesson which I inculcate what shall the wise man deny his wisdome the honourable man his honours the rich man his riches we say t is a strong stomack that can digest much honey so it 's a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweetnesse of much prosperity It 's a true signe that the Eunuchs were on Jehues side when they cast down Jezebell who had painted her face in pompe and glory so when the world comes in its harlots dresse and inticeth us to all manner of impurity if we can lend a deafe eare unto its syrenicall inchantments if we can bid defiance unto its bewitching allurements this is an argument that we set our faces towards Heaven that we seek a citty which is above whose maker is the Lord of Hosts In the second place I le adde a few directions how we should Use 2 1. For Direction doe to slacken our pursuit after great things and get our hearts estrang'd from them 1. For direction amongst many I shall only advise you to these foure things 1. Labour for a contented mind 2. Learne to deny your selves 3. Study the vanitie of the creature 4. Be acquainted with the fulnesse that is in Christ 1. You must labour for contentation of spirit It 's a lesson worth Dâ—rect 1. Labour for acontented mind the learning Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in what state soever I am therewith to be content what 's the reason that the ambitious never ceaseth climbing the covetous never ceaseth scraping the Epicure never ceaseth swallowing but because he is not contented with his present condition No life to a contented mind it accounts its poore cottage a kingdome it accounts its gleanings a granary its russet beyond all the rufflings in silk and sattin satis est divitiarum nihil amplius velle So Quintilian This is reckned by Seneca Quintil. Orat. 13. Seneca de vita beatâ Solum certe Beatum Cortina Aglium judicavit qui in angustissmo Arcadiae pauperis soli Dominus nunquam egâ—essus paterni Cespitis Teâ—minos invenitur Jul Sol. Polyhist amongst his beatitudes beatus est praesentibus qualiacunque sunt contentus amicusque rebus suis He indeed is a happy man who is contented with his present condition whatsoever it be Imagine thy present condition to be that which is allotted unto thee by God and that best which he in wisdome sees most convenient for thee this was Agars prayer Prov. 30. 8.
12. 5. If thou canst not brook a by-word a nick-name a scoff or a reproach for Christ how wilt thou resist unto blood Art thou loath to venture thy breath to plead the cause of God how wilt thou venture thy life when the water is but to the ancles and then you will not wet your feet how will you pass over when it becomes a river Bilney the Martyr tryed the fire with his finger If thou canst not endure the burning of thy finger how wilt thou endure the burning of thy body If a lesser cross foyl thee how wilt thou grapple with a greater If a reproach a jear the fear of displeasing a Relation carnal interests and selfishness make thee flie of and apostatise surely thou wilt never kiss the stake and welcome fire and fagot when Persecution comes The glozing Hypocrite and Machivilian Politician will never 2. The Hypocrite and Polititian will not suffer suffer for Christ his Policy is not to follow Religion too close in the heels lest it dash out his brains not to launch further in the deep then he can come safe unto the Haven his design is not to discover his conscience farther then he can save his skin This is the man that chooseth sin rather then affliction Job 36. 21. The Hypocrite hath no sure rooting nor firm foundation for he builds on the Sands Superficial outsides Popularity Relations Revolution of times byass his motions and stears all his practices and not the glory of God nor the love of Jesus Christ The carnal Mamonist will not suffer for Christ The world is his master he serves it and makes it his Idol and no man can serve two masters 3. The carnall Mamonist will not suffer His Gold Corn Buildings Dignities Revenues are his Gods he sets up these as the Idols and stumbling blocks of his own heart Demas loved the world and therefore deserted the society of the Apostles Judas loved money and therefore betrayed Jesus Christ The foolish Gadarenes preferred their Swine before a Jesus The young man preferr'd Treasures on Earth before Treasures in Heaven Mark 10. 22. And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions The root of this lamentable choice was covetousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Apostles Character is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil which will become coveted after they have errid from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows The covetous man dreams of an Eternity upon Earth he 's earthed before his time he will not forgoe his Oxen his Farm his Gold or Silver for Jesus Christ he 'l follow Christ no farther then he may gain by and make a good Market of him as the people followed Christ for the loaves But if it come to the parting with some of his Idols of gold silver he 'l not let them goe he 'l sit on them as Rachel did on the stuff They are his Gods and what hath he more whoever you are that are in love with the world whose breath smells of earth whose discourse is earthly and whose hearts are glued fast to the Pelf of the world and swallowed up with worldly intanglements of all men you are unlikely to suffer for Jesus Christ And as for you the younger sort are herein most faulty that follow the fashions of the world the Antick Exotick garbs and weare ridiculous monstrous fowl heads of Hair borrowing other folks Hair I may thus argue with you if you will not part with a fashion of ill report how will you part with your lives for Christ Tertullian hath a saying Timeo Tertul. lib. 3. de cultu Faeminarum cervicem c. I fear that Neck that hath on it a Neck-lace of Pearls that it will not lay it self down upon the block for Jesus Christ 4. The formal Professor will not suffer for Jesus Christ these are 4. The formal professor will not suffer for Jesus Christ the high-way hearers mentioned Matth. 13. 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart this is he which received seed by the way side A formal Gospeller that doth all for form will fly off and flinch when suffering comes Many reduce Religion to a meer form and come to the Ordinances as a fashion and a custom and many Scholars come to Prayers and Sermons because they are engaged to it by local Statutes But what doe they in their Studies Doe they pray there in secret I beseech you chatechife every one his own heart ask thy felf Do I keep time and touch with God in private Do I pray when no eye of man seeth me Doe I walk closely with God how doe I carry my self in my private addresses to God Fly from Formality beware of resting on a formall out-side Profession Formalists are so odious as that we may not associate our selves with them 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away 5. Your luke-warm Laâ—diceans will not suffer for Christ These 5. Lukewarm Laodiceans will not suffer for Christ halt between two Opinions and have two Faces they are of the worst temper neither hot nor cold some calls them Ambidexters other Neuters some Vterques some omnia These will not suffer for Christ these will not stand for Religion when it 's under Hatches Many that pretend to this moderation are much of this Laodicean temper Erasmus like hanging between Heaven and Hell you cannot tell what to make of them like cunning Gaimsters who will stand by a great while and then bet on the winning side I would saith the Spirit that thou wert either hot or cold Rev. 3. 15 16. I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then because thou art luke-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Those are either of Gallio's temper that will not take pains in the work of God or else with Agrippa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some small things they will appear for Christ so far forth as it will not cross shins with their ovvn Politick Designs Of all others these are the greatest enemies to reformation and because they would comply with both sides God in Judgement will make them odious unto both Lastly Profane Libertines will not suffer for Jesus Christ these 6. Profane Libertines wil not suffer for Christ are enemies unto the Cross of Christ running headlong into all excess of riot these are drunk with the Drunkards and swear with the Swearers how can these be put into any possibility of suffering For first They will not bate a Lust forgoe a Corruption for Christ how then can they suffer for him Secondly They hate Christ and his Servants now its love
in Prayer What sweetness in Hearing What activity in Meditation Are your affections on the wing soaring aloft to Heaven Doth this joy quicken your spirits to a chearful performance of duty and make the Chariot Wheels of your souls move swiftly Then this is a spiritual joy Whereas natural joy makes a mans heart dead in spiritual things When men are full of worldly joy if you interpose some savory discourse of God and his ways those men who had fluent tongues before can say nothing they are as it were dead men their hearts are as Nabals as a stone within them Sixthly and lastly Spiritual joy will support the spirit and bear up Qual 6 the heart in the want of all outward joy and pleasantness Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation A soul that hath onely natural pleasantness is all amort and quite cast down when any affliction befalls it But a soul that hath spiritual pleasantness amidst all sorrows findes comfort in God to swallow them all up When crosses and afflictions befall a childe of God then is the time for tryal of his joy Rom 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoye in hope of the glory of God He kisseth the rod Amidst outward sorrows he feels inward consolations an exchange of worldly for spiritual joys The fourth Use shall be for Direction you will ask How shall we Vse 4. For Direction carry on the work of God chearfully A. 1. Take heed of allowing thy self in any secret sin A secret sin allowed of will dash all thy mirth I told you before aâ— saying of Luther for its excellency I reminde you of it again Vnaguâ—tula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet No way in the world so conducible hereunto as the purging out thy corruptions the exterminating of sin out of thy soul The fewer sins the more will be thy joy as I may instance in David who complain'd of broken bones and Prayes Restore unto me the joys of thy salvation that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce 2. Study seriously and frequently all the ways of godliness The more knowledge thou hast of the ways of God the more delight wilt thou take in them The saying is Ignoti nulla cupido Principle thy heart therefore aright in the ways of godliness and labor for more knowledge of them Labor to know the beauty and excellency and incomparable riches of Christ The ignorant people ask What is thy beloved more then another beloved Labor to comprehend with all Saints the heighth depth length and breadth of the love of God Be not content with that measure of knowledge which thou hast already attained but get accessions and additions to it Psal 9. 10. And thâ—y that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou O Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 3. Put in practice the Divine Art of Meditation This is the spiritual digesting of the Food of Heaven O what abundance of comfort do Christians feel by Meditation Meditation is Animae vehiculum it carrys up thy Devotions to Heaven To go to duties with a barren dull spirit there 's no delight but to go to them after spiritual Meditation this is sweet and pleasant indeed Thus Isaac meditated in the fields Mary pondred Christs words in her heart Sequester therefore your souls apart from all worldly intanglements and meditate of the riches of Christ of the excellency of his ways and by this means your spirits will be elevated and you 'l perform duties with more vigour and alacrity of spirit Fourthly and lastly Be sure to walk uprightly Get an upright heart and thou mayest take comfort in whatsoever thou doest Pro. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverteth his way shall be known Many complain I cannot do as others do I want those joys they have I cannot perform duties as well as they I direct thee to be sure that thy heart be upright that what thou doest is in sincerity and God will accept sincerity in lieu of perfection Is then thy heart upright Is it the desire and endeavour of thy soul to close with God Dost thou not willingly allow thy self in any sin be of good comfort It becometh the upright to be joyful I have one Use more for consolation to the people of God who Vse 5. For Consolation by experience subscribe to the truth of the Doctrine That all the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness To these comfort appertains as their peculiar right and interest They find comfort coming in amidst all their religious services amidst their tears and sorrow for sin they feel joy coming in they have tasted and felt how sweet the Lord is And if there be now such comfort in via what will there be in patria Si adeo dulcis quaerenti saith a Father quid invenienti You therefore that are acquainted experimentally with these truths That the ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness I beseech you manifest the truth of these things Tell and discourse to one another speak what good God hath done for your souls Many are kept back from God hy reason of scandals and calumnies that Religion makes men of melancholy and dumpish spirits Confute therefore these mistakes both by your words and actions Tell others and strive to win them to God and allure them with the narration of the delights and soul-ravishing comforts that you have found in these ways O â—abor to comfort others with those comforts wherewith you your selves have been comforted in particular And so walk in the ways of God Let your actions be so carryed and the whole frame of your soul so ordered that it may appear to the whole world That all the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness Rejoyce therefore in the Lord. Delightfulness in the ways of godliness put a beauty upon them We have a sweet promise Isa 65. 18. But be ye glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for bâ—hold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy A joy in the abstract and it 's Gods work of creation You therefore to whom God hath darted the beams of his reconciled countenance I counsel in the language of our Saviour Sons and Daughters be of good comfort and go on chearfully Let your hearts as Jehoshaphats was be lifted up in the ways of God When the Spirit of God witnesseth to your spirits that ye are the children of God there must needs be abundance of joy in your souls And here 's your ground of rejoycing that your names are written in the Book of
expectation of Novel Opinions and Phrases and as for the failings either of Author or Printer be pleased to cover them with the Mantle of a charitable Interpretation I beg thy Prayers and commend these Labours to thy acceptance and commit thee unto Gods gracious providence I remain Thy Servant for Christs sake Henry Wilkinson The Contents of this Second Decad. SERM. I. JOb 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest to possesse the inquities of my youth The Text divided p. 2. and explained by answering 5. Queries 1. What 's meant by bitter things p. 3. 2. What 's meant by writing of them p. 3. 3. What 's meant by the sins of youth p. 4. 4. What 's meant by possessing the sins of youth p. 5. 5. Why doth Job a holy man whose sins were pardoned complain of himself p. 6. Doct. That sins committed in our youth will cause much smart and bitternesse in our elder years Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By Scripture proof p. 7. 2. By three Reasons 1. Dâ—awn from the rule of Justice p. 8. Reas 2. Drawn from the nature and quality of sin p. 9. Reas 3. Drawn from four Aggravations of youthfull sins viz. 1. They are committed with a great deal of violence p. 9. 2. They are committed with abundance of delight p. 10. 3. Young men make many vain pretences ibid. 4. Youthfull sinnes are committed after many Invitations Calls and Warnings p. 11. 3. By improving all in four Uses 1. For Humiliation p. 12 13 14. Here are four sins especially reproved 1. Voluptuousness p. 15. 2. Contempt of Superiours p. 16. 3. Affectation of Novelty p. 17. 4. Pride p. 18. Use 2. For Exhortation p. 19. Four Considerations are prest 1. From Gods Omniscience p. 20. 2. God keeps Record ibid. 3. Consider what sinne will cost thee ibid. 4. Consider the four last things p. 21 22. Use 3. For Direction 1. Be humbled for all sins p. 22. 2. Look through thy Humiliation to Christ p. 23. 3. Walk circumspectly ibid. Use 4. For Consolation ibid. SERM. II. Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said my Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty years The Text Divided and Explained p. 28 29. Doct. 1. That it is a most dreadfull judgement upon a people when the Spirit of God refuseth to strive any longer with them p. 30. Doct. 2. That it 's an exceeding great mercy to a people when the Lord vouchsafeth them time and space of Repentance ibid. Method of handling the first Doctrine 1. From Scripture Testimony p. 30 31 32. Three signes of Night 1 When shadows grow long p. 32. 2. When wild beasts goe abroad and 3ly when Labourers go to their rest p. 33. 2. Seven wayes the Spirit strives 1. By its Motions p. 35. 36. 2. By the Ministery of the Word p. 37 38. 3. By the checks and convictions of conscience p. 39 40. A fourfold Rule for examining of conscience p. 40. 4. By the tenders of mercies p. 41. 5. By the exercise of patience p. 42. 6. By National Judgements p. 43. 7. By Personal Judgements p. 44. SERM. III. upon the same Text viz. Gen. 6. 3. 3. Reas 1. Because man is flesh p. 45 46. Reas 2. Because the Spirit is a free Agent p. 47. Reas 3. Drawn from the rule of Divine Justice p. 48 49. 4. For Application Use 1. For Information of the greatnesse of the Judgement when the Spirit ceaseth striving in 4. Aggravations 1. God takes away his Ordinances p. 50. 2. God suffers not the Spirit to work by the Ordinances 3. God gives them over to a Spirit of delusion ibid. 4. God gives them over to a hard heart p. 53. â—se 2. For Exhortation Three Morives 1. From the brevity of our lives p. 55. 2. From the Vncertainty of the Spirits striving ibid. 3. From the certainty of the Day of Judgement p. 56. Use 3. For Reproof of 4. sorts of persons especially 1. Such as contemne the Spirit p. 56. 2. Such as are barren and unfruitfull p. 57. 3. Such as are secure p. 57. 4. Impenitent persons p. 57. Use 4. for Examination in three Queries 1. How we may distinguish the strivings of Gods Spirit from a spirit of error and delusion p. 58 59. 2. How we may distinguish the strivings of Gods Spirit from our own spirit p. 59. 3. How we may know whether Gods Spirit hath effectually stroven with us p. 59 60. Use 5. for Direction in four particulars p. 60. Use 6. for Consolation Doct. 2. That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for Repentance p. 60. Reas 1. To glorifie the Riches of Gods Mercy p. 61. Reas 2. To glorifie his Justice ibid. Reas 3. At the request of Gods servants many are spared ibid. Vse 1. For admiration of Gods infinite mercy Vse 2. For terrour unto presumptuous sinners Convictions 1. It 's great folly to put off Repentance 2. It argues great contempt 3. It argues high presumption Use 3. for Exhortation in four Considerations 1. Now the Spirit strives 2. Now is the limited time 3. Now is the accepted time 4. Now once past cannot be recalled Use 4. for Caution in five particulars 63 64. The 5. â—se for Admonition in five particulars p. 64 65. The 6. Vse is for Comfort ibid. SERM. IV. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlynesse The Coherence and Text explained and divided p. 65 66 67 68. Doct. That the serious consideration of the day of Judgement should in an especial manner engage us unto an holy life and conversation p. 69. Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By Scripture Testimony p. 69 70. 2. By evidence of three Reasons 1. Because onely holy persons shall be able to stand in judgement p. 71. Q. Whether the Saints shall have their sins mentioned at the day of Judgement p. 71. Reas 2. This is the present time ibid. Reas 3. Judgement returns all as death leaves them p. 72. 3. By particular Application in five Vses 1. For terrour unto three sorts 1. Scoffers at holynesse p. 73. 2. Hypocrites p. 74. 3. Secret sinners p. 75. Vse 2. for Exhortation p. 76 77. 9. Motives 1. We are elected unto Holynesse p. 78. 2. We are created unto Holynesse ibid. 3. We are redeemed to be holy ibid. 4. It s Gods will that we should be holy ibid. 5. Holynesse is our calling p. 79. 6. Heaven is a place for holy persons ibid. 7. There shall be holy employment ibid. 8. There shall be holy company ibid. 9. This is the time of labouring after holynesse ibid. Use 3. for Examination in 12. Characters 1. Spiritual poverty p. 80. 2. High estimation of Jesus Christ ibid. 3. The heart is in love with holynesse p. 81. 4. Irgenuous sorrow for sinne ibid. 5.
Mourning for others sins p. 82. 6. The heart approves it self to God ibid. 7. There will be a pressing forward towards perfection p. 83. 8. A strict watch over the heart ibid. 9. The desire and endeavour must be universally extensive ibid. 10. The Spirit is without guile p. 84. 11. There will be the practise of Mortisication and Vivification p. 85. 12. A burning in love to Jesus Christ ibid. Use 4. for Direction in 6. Particulars 1. Pray for the spirit of sanctisication p. 85. 2. Wash and cleanse thy heart ibid. 3. Be exercised in Meditation p. 86. 4. Consider the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God ibid. 5. Set an high estimate on Gods Ordinances ibid. 6. Associate your selves with holy company p. 87. Use 5. for Consolation SERM. V. Joh. 3. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things The Text divided and expounded p. 91. Doct. There may be and are many men otherwise of great Learning yet grosly ignorant in the maine Fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration p. 92. This is proved by Scripture Instances p. 92. and by 3. Reasons 1. From the nature of Regeneration p. 93. Reas 2. Drawn from the Nature of Unregeneracy in a foursold estate 1. Of Impurity p. 94. 2. Of Enmity ibid. 3. Of Blindnesse ibid. 4. Of Death p. 95. Reas 3. From the Free workings of Gods Spirit Application in 5. Uses 1. For Exhortation and that to Teachers p. 96 97. and to Disciples p. 98 99. Use 2. For Information 1. What Regeneration is not 1. Not in Nicodemus his sense p. 100. 2. Not in a new Physical Beeing ibid. 3. Not in Civility and Morality ibid. 4. Not in great parts and abilities p. 101. 5. Not in common graces ibid. 6. Not in a bare Profession of Christ ibid. 2. What Regeneration is 1. The new Nature p. 102. 2. A new Vnderstanding ibid. 3. A new Will ibid. 4. New Affections ibid. 5. A new Heart ibid. 6. A new life ibid. Use 3. for Excitation Mot. 1. From the Necessity p. 102. 2. Unregenerate persons can obtaine no acceptance p. 103. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever come into heaven ibid. Use 4. for Direction 1. Pray hard for Divine Wisdom 2. Wait upon God in his Word 3. Pray for the Spirit Use 5. for Consolation And their duty is 1. To praâ—se God 2. To walk as becommeth Converts 3. To set an high price on Gods love SERM. VI. Esth 9. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not faile that they might keep these two daies according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year c. The Text divided and expounded Doct. That it 's the duty of a delivered people to keep mercies upon Record and make a thankfull remembrance of signal deliverances and perpetuate the Memorial thereof from Generation to Generation p. 108. Reas 1. Because Gods name and honour is from Eternity to Eternity p. 109. Reas 2. Because Thankfulness is Gods Tribute ib. Reas 3. Drawn from the excellency of the Duty Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations viz. 4. Vinculo Creationis Redemptionis Gratitudinis Gloriae divinae promovendae p. 110 111. Vse 1. For Information In the Popish Treason eight particulars are considered 1. Length of time in projecting p. 112. 2. Vnwearied pains p. 113. 3. Cunning conveyance ibid. 4. Inveterate malice ibid. 5. The persons acting p. 114. 6. The persons against whom p. 115. 7. The place ibid. and 8. their cruelty ibid. Observe 1. The Means of discovery by Auricular Confession p. 116. 2. The seasonablenesse p. 117. 3. The just Retribution ibid. Vse 2. for Caution 7. Popish opinions 1. That the Pope is Christs Vicar p. 119. 2. That he hath power of bâ—nding and loosing 3. That he may depose Princes ibid. 4. That Protestant Princes may be Excommunicated ibid. 5. That they may be murthered ibid. 6. That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks ibid. 7. That Equivocation is lawfull Protestants Principles 1. That the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 120. 2. That a Papist cannot goe beyond a Reprobate ibid. 3. That the eâ—ought to be no peace with Rome ibid. 4. That a Papist living and dying in the opinion of his own merits cannot be saved p. 121. 5. That Babylon is Rome ibid. Vse 3. for Exhortation 1. Remember and transmit the memory of this day to Posterity p. 121. 2. Praise God for the Deliverance p. 122. 3. Remember and be vigilant ibid. SERM. VII Rom. 2. 16. In the day that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel The Text divided and expounded p. 124 125 126. Doct. 1. There shall be a day of Judgement p. 126. Doct. 2. At that day the secrets of all mens hearts shall bee judged Doct. 3. Christ shall be Judge at that day Method of handling The first Doctrine proved by Scripture out of the Old and New Testament p. 126. and confirmed by six Arguments 1. From Gods Decree p. 127. 2. From Gods Iustice ibid. 3. From conviction of conscience p. 128. 4. From the dependance and connexion between the Resurrection and day of Iudgement ibid. 5. From the generall expectation of the Saints p. 129. 6. From Gods glory ibid. Vse 1. For Reproof to ungodly persons p. 131 132. Vse 2. for Instruction to Magistrates and Ministers 6. Lessons commended 1. Entertain serious thoughts concerning the day of Iudgement p. 134. 2. Let this consideration engage us to holynesse of life and conversation ibid. 3. Let this read us a Lecture of Patience p. 135. 4. Le ts be engaged to watchfulnesse 5. Le ts learn to fear God ibid. 6. Le ts learn compassion and charity ibid. Vse 3. for Consolation 1. From the nature of the day p. 136. 2. From the Iudge Christ ibid. 3. From the sentence ibid. 4. From the eternal happinesse ibid. Doct. 2. That at the day of Iudgement the secrets of all mens hearts shall be judged p. 136. Reas 1. Drawn from Gods Omniscience p. 136. Reas 2. From Gods justice p. 137. Reas 3. For the acquitting of the godly ibid. Reas 4. For the further condemnation of the wicked p. 138. Vse 1. for terror unto the wicked ibid. Vse 2. for comfort to the godly p. 139. 3. For counsel to both p. 140. Doct. 3. At the day of Judgement Jesus Christ shall be Judge p. 140. 1. Proved by Scripture p. 140. 2. By 3. Reasons 1. From Equity and Retaliation ibid. Reas 2. For the comfort of the godly ibid. Reas 3. For the terrour of the wicked ibid. Q. 1. Is the Father excluded A. p. 141. Q. 2. How shall Christ appear A. p. 141. Q. 3. Whom shall Christ judge A. ibid. Q. 4. What will be the manner of Christs judging A. ibid. Q. 5. What signs are there of this day A. p. 143. Q. 6. Why God defers the day
he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price A second is Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third invitation is John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is The Spirit the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely The lâ—st I shall name is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God they exceed all Arithmetick measure them their dimensions are infinite The Apostle makes four dimensions breadth length heighth and depth Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens his faithfulness to the clouds All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and testimonies Psal 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is above all his works Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies and all the faculties of our Souls to praise the Lord for his mercies and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received and we yet are in peace even to a miracle of mercies our fleece is yet dry whil'st others are wet with blood Thousands have faln beside us and ten thousand at our right hands and no evil comes nigh our dwelling What variety of personal mercies do we receive How many deliverances have we received from the Grave being ready to fall in and yet we are reprieved and have space to repent How many deliverances have we received from Fire Water Pobbers unreasonable men and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Further What mercies do we receive for our souls Do we not injoy Sabbaths Ordinances publick assemblies Blessed be God our eyes yet behold our teachers and our Gospel is not driven into corners How many mercies Quot misericordiae tot ora Isa 30. 20. so many mouthes All these mercies have so many mouthes calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance It is our obliged duty as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives Every mercy should be a Lord-stone to draw us up to Christ Every mercy should be as a foot-stool to raise us up higher to Heaven Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God O then take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit when he calls by mercies For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet musick of mercies he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgement 5. The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience 5. Yet further The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners God is not willing that any should perish but that they should repent and be saved O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father How long did God bear with the old world with the Amorites Jerusalem The Lord waits to be gracious he delights in mercy It is his nature to be merciful Judgement is called his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act This is to shew his unwillingneâ—s to punish sinners till needs must He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them as if he had none of his own Isa 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet See and admire the wonderful patience of God though we provoke him every day O wonderful patience that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit that the Swearers Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners He whets his Sword and bends his Bow Psal 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently but there we have experience of singular patience God was but six days in creating the world yet as Chrysostome observes he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho before he destroyed it Patientia laesa fit furor but let us take heed of abusing patience patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury Mercy pleads I am slighted I am abused I will no more have mercy on them then patience interposeth I will wait longer but patience being abused it pleads I will be no longer tired out nor abused At last comes long-suffering I am gentle and merciful and I will wait longer and longer but if long-suffering be wearied out What will plead for us What will become of us The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilest the Ark was preparing as the apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance We should account the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance 6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgements 6. The spirit strives by many signal and exemplaâ—y Judgements inflicted upon others inflicted upon others We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus but more pathetically set forth in the â—ook of the Lamentations We have read of the heavy Judgements of God upon Germany and Palatinate We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland upon the Protestant Party We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland good blood and bad blood being let out together the Sword destroying one as well as another We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade By all these Judgements the Spirit of God strives with us and woes
and the Lord in judgement left them to their choice and in their extremities bade them goe to their gods and see whether they would deliver them The Lord punished contrariety with contrariety If ye will not be reformed by these things Lev. 26. 23. 24. but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary to you and punish you yet seven times for your sinns And when we refuse to hearken to him when he calls he will refuse to hearken to us in our greatest extremities when we call upon him It 's a broken but a very pathetical speech of Christ to Jerusalem O that thou hadst Luke 19. 4â— known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes There is a Critical day set down there is a dreadfull judgement upon those that brought not the Lords offering in its season The man that is clean and is Numb 9. 13. not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passeover even the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sinne The old world gave no heed to Noahs Preaching they neglected the time that God allowed them for repentance No moâ—e time was Matth. 25. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allowed when that was once expired a deluge overwhelmed them The five foolish Virgins slâ—mbred and slept when they should have been preparing of their lamps they went to buy oyle and in their absence Christ came and perpetually shut them out Esau sought Heb. 12. 17. â—enedictionem illam exquisissâ—t Beza the Blessing carefully with rears yet hee was rejected hee came when it was too late How many mischiefs befall men for neglecting their opportunities All these considerations should be as so many warning-pieces unto us and as so many prevalent incentives to cherish the whispers of the Spirit to take the benefit of the season Now whilst the Lord bids us seek his face our hearts must eccho back Thy face Lord we will seek Let us hearken to the motions of the Spirit and the checks of our conscience let us make much of the Spirit let us take heed of quenching and grieving of the holy Spirit whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption An Angel swears in the Revelations There shal be no more time How soon Revel 10. 6. â— time may cease the Spirit cease working we cannot tel and time may be swallowed up in Eternity And therefore take this Caution as a word spoken in due season Beware of sadding the Spirit drive him not away from you for once having a repulse for ought you know he may come no more And thâ—â—â— have dispatch'd three Heads propounded of my Method I have asserted the truth of the point from Scripture â—eâ—timonies plainly evidencing the greatnesse of the Judgement when the Spirit of God departs from and will strive no longer with a people I have shewed how many wayes the Spirit usually strives with a people I have given in the reasons for the confirmation of the point In the next place it remains that I should reduce al home unto point of Practise by way of Use and particular Application This Doctrine affords six special Uses For Information Exhortation Reprehension Examination Direction and Consolation In the first place this serves for Information what a dreadfull Vse 1. For Information judgement lyes heavy upon any person whatsoever with whom Gods Spirit will strive no longer Was it not an heavy judgement when Gods Spirit left Saul and an evil spirit was sent to torment him Was it not an heavy case and dreadfull when the Philistines made war upon him and the Lord was departed from him And Samuel said to Saul why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up 1 Sam. 28 15 And Saul answered I am sore distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more neither by Prophets nor by dreames therefore I have called thee c. When Gods Spirit quite leaves a soul then the evil spirit takes possession of it Satan entred into Judas his heart and set him on work to betray Christ and when conscience gave him a bang and made him throw down the mony he felt Hell-fire flashing in him and betook himself to a desperate remedy to be his own executioner So I have read of Julian after he had departed from God and turn'd Apostate he had in his conscience more blows and butcherings Plures ictus laniatus At last when a dart hit him and gave him his fatal wound no man knowing from whence that dart came for it was a signal blow from heaven and was indeed the immediate hand of God at last he confest Thou hast overcome O Galilean thou hast overcome Vicisti Galilaee vicisti Now a little to set forth the greatnesse of the judgement upon those with whom Gods Spirit will strive no longer I le represent it you in these ensuing aggravations When God takes away his Spirit he usually takes away his Ordinances Whilst the Palladium remain'd with the Trojans they Aggrav 1. When God takes away his Spirit he usually takes away his Ordinances thought themselves secure The Jews put great confidence in the Ark they fet the Ark and went to battle with it against the Philistines and afterwards cryed up the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Herein they were superstitious they fâ—iled in putting too much confidence in the Temple They were Idolaters and followed Baal and Ashtaroth and thought the Ark would secure them The Ark would no more shelter prophane idolatrous people than the horns of the Altar would secure and shelter a Murtherer Yet questionlesse the Ark of Gods presence was a very great mercy and priviledge The Ark was kept away twenty yeares and they thought it long and the Text saith all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. The sad report of the losse of the Ark brake Elies heart first and he fell down backward and his neck brake He heard 1 Sam. 7. 2. of the death of his sonnes their death went near but the losse of the Ark went nearer and Phinehas his wife named the child Iâ—habod saying the glory is departed from Israel because the Ark of God was taken She fell in travel upon that sad news and dyed presently 1 Sam. 4. 18 21 22. The taking away Ministers Ordinances Sabbaths are dreadfull judgements upon a people This the Prophet Amos foretels of Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will send a famine in the Amos 8. 11. land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord. And Christ himself threarens The kingdom of Matth. 21. 43. God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the
as quench the Spirit which is forbidden 1 Thess 5. 19. such as deride praying by the spirit such as slight and scorn men of the spirit I mean such as are of a pretious annointing in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells O how sad will their Audit be 2. It reproves barren and unprofitable hearers who notwithstanding all the strivings wooings and waitings of Gods Spirit by the Ministry of the Word yet remain barren and unfruitful The Apostle tells their doom The earth that drinketh in the rain that Heb. 6. 7 8. cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth a blessing from God but that which beareth thorns and bryars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned When Christ found nothing on the Fig-tree but leaves he said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever and Matth. 21. 19 Luke 13. 7. presently the Fig-tree withered away And the Vine-dresser said Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and finde none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground 3. It reproves secure persons setled on their Lees Let Gods Spirit strive never so often it is all in vain They think all is well with them they conceive their Estates very good Multitudes now adays are possest with a spirit of slumber and drousiness and this is a dreadful sin and a judgement both Rom. 11. 8. God hath given them a spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day Is not he a desperate fool that dares sleep upon the top of a Mast Is not he much more that notwithstanding judgements threatned in Gods Word against rebellious sinners yet is secure heedless and satisfied in his present condition This is that carnal security mentioned which is under such terrible woe Deut. 29. 19 20. It shall come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven 4. And lastly This reproves all impenitent persons who notwithstanding all the Sermons they hear notwithstanding all the reproofs admonitions wooings knocking 's of Gods spirit yet remain impenitent Impenitency is that great soul-damning sin Christ tells us Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3. 20. Ezek. 18. 31. if any man open to me I will come in and sup with him And the exhortation of the Prophet runs Cast away from you all your transgressions for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth wherefore turn your selves and live So God expostulates the case with them Though by our own strength we cannot stand not by our own poweâ— will any good thing yet we may doe much more good then we do Can not the same legs carry a man to the Church which carry him to an Ale-house oâ— Tavern It s want of a good heart and love to the Ordinances of God that make men so negligent of the good of their souls Who forceth thee to swear thou saist thou canâ—â— not leave it custom is become another nature Is it not thine own corrupt heart that causeth corrupt communications The Devil cannot compel to sin he perswades and enticeth neither doth God tempt any man Jam. 1. 13 14 15. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed then Jam. 1. 13 14 15. when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Tremble and stand amazed thou impenitent person that resisteâ—â— so many strivings of Gods Spirit so many checks of conscience so many warnings from the word O that thy heart might be touched with remorse and repentance for thine impenitency yet thou livest under the sound of the Gospel who knoweth but the spirit may this day once more move woe and beseech thee to be reconciled O do not refuse O do not slight these invitations A City besieged as we read Deut. 20. 11 12. If it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee thea the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee but if it will make no peace with thee then thou shalt besiege it and smlte every male with the edge of the sword Just so now the Lord besiegeth thy heart offers thee peace intreats thee to repent of thy Oathes Sabbath-breakings contempt of the Gospel Drunkenness Uncleanness If thou wilt not receive such a gracious offer of peace to thy peril be it thou art the murtherer of thine own soul 4. I proceed to a fourth Use which is for examination Three Vse 4. For Examination Q. 1 Quaeries by way of tryal I shall propose and answer Q. 1. How may we distinguish of the strivings of Gods spirit from a spirit of error and delusion I answer in this wise 1. Gods Spirit strives by the Ministry of the word and directs A. 1 1. Gods spirit strives by the Ministry of the word us according to that rule Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God But a spirit of delusion deviseth ways of its own and is wise above what is written whereunto a curse appertains Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from heaven preach aâ—other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed 2. Gods Spirit leads into all truth It is a sâ—irit of truth But 2. Gods spirit leads into all truth the spirit of delusion leads us into all errors God will send strong delusions that they shall believe a lie 2 Thess 2. 11. 3. Gods Spirit makes us humble meek gentle A spirit of delusion 3. Gods spirit makes usâ— humble and meek makes us to swell with pride and pride and passions Gods Spirit meekens our spirit An Antichristian deluded spirit makes us boysteroâ—s inoâ—dinate in our affections But secondly The Quaery will be How we may distinguish the Q. 2 strivings of Gods Spirit from the strivings of our own spirits or natural conscience I answer thus 1. A natural conscience acts from a principle of A. 1 A natural conscience acts from a principle of fear fear of punishment and upon legal convictions hence come many torturings and strivings in natural mens consciences as in Ahab c. Herod feared John Baptist But Gods Spirit strives and moves the soul to act from a principle of love to Jesus Christ when the love of Christ constrains to duty that is genuine altogether 2. The striving of a mâ—ns own spirit and a natural
Judgement Hac fide vivo the rule of the Scripture is clear and infallible there shall be a day of Judgement All this world shall be dissolved This is a Doctrine most true My Text makes the Application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Divis. Which words contain a Supposition and an Inference 1. Here 's something supposed Seeing c. It s a Principle undoubtedly 1. to be believed That the Heavens and Earth shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent â—eat Compare this with Psalme 102. 25 26 27. Let 's not introduce nor beleive vain Philosophy which holds amongst many other dotages Quod coeli sunt incorruptibiles To me it 's out of question that he that made them by his word will one day by his word destroy them Now whether the heavens are so perfectly made as in their own nature uncapâ—ble of corruption is not here to be disputed of or whether the coelestiall influences be as vigorous as at first though a learned Dr. of our own holds the affirmative in that excellent Dr. George Hackwill in his Apology book entitled The Power and Providence of God in the government of the world Yet I shall wave this Question being loath to intermixe any Philosophicall dispute in matters of faith We beleive it We have sure ground plain scripture for our assertion that all these things shall be dissolved 2. Here 's an inference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jts infer'd by way of admiration what manner of persons i. e. we should be eminent in holyness we should act in an extraordinary manner we should be rare singular even a non-such for pietie its Diodats observation upon the place If heaven and Earth be purified by fire what care ought Diod. in loc Calvin in loc we to take to be purged and clensed from our corruptions An ergo nos in terra demersos esse convenit c. saith Calvin on the place The heavens earth shall pass away and shall we be sâ—allowed up in the earth and not rather meditate on a holy and a godly life The argument I may thus frame There shall at the day of judgment be a dissolution of this visible Globe of heaven and earth therefore we ought in an especiall manner to labour after holyness This is the argument of the Text of incomparable strength But why is it in the Plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is an Hebraisme when the Scripture would express a thing with a greater emphasis it useth the plurall number so Cant. 1. 4 We will remember thy loves thereby inhancing the greatness and multitudes of Christs loving kindness Likewise we read Psal 20. He is the God of our Salvations i. e. that he is the God from whom all Psal 110. 3. salvations come in the most high and eminent way And the Psalmist further specifies Psal 100. 3. Thy people shall be a people of willingnesse to shew their singular readinesse and willingness as if they were all made up of a willing mind and ready spirit for Jesus Christ Thus in the text in all holy conversations and Godlynesse Which expression some referre to dutyes of both tables it s most true that a godly man respects both and labours to keep a Good conscience both towards God and men For the genuine sense of the text Beza gives me full satisfaction Vsurpatur numerus multitudinis ex Haebreorum more ut pietas significetur omnibus suis partibus constans quam pro viribus sectari nos oporteat The scope of all I conceive to be this as if the Apoâ—â—le should thus inlarge himself You are secure and careless you shall be suddenly surprised The day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night You commit Idolatry with the world your hearts are married to these outward things on a sudden all shall be consumed all wherein you trust shall be burnt up â—owever you put the day of judgment farre of yet it s a coming it s nigher then you are aware of and the heavens and the earth shall be dissolved At that day none but holy persons can hold up their heads with comfort Therefore seriously bethinke your selves anticipate the terrour and sorrow of that day by an holy conversation Make timely provision for that day Labour for holynesse and then you need not fear notwithstanding the burning up of the present world you that are holy here shall behold that day with comfort Therefore now have that day in your eyes in your thoughts in your frequent meditations in your prayers that you may be found blamelesse at that day The words thus divided and expounded presents unto you one entire plain and practicall Doctrine That the serious consideration of the day of Iudgment should in an especiall Doct. manner ingage us unto an holy life and conversation For the unfolding of this excellent and practicall poynt my work will be 1. To prove it by scripture testimonies Method 1. 2. 3. 1. For Scripture Testimony 2. To confirme it by evidence of Reason 3. To improve all to your consciences by particular application 1. For Scripture it contributes abundant testimony to the proof hereof I shall gather sparingly from so great an heap selecting only some more eminent proofes leaving the rest to be supplyed in your serious meditations Peruse v 14 of this chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But can any walk so Yes Zechary and Elizabeth walk'd so they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamlesse It was Pauls exercise Acts 24. 16. goe thou and doe likewise Labour to make strait paths Labour to approve thy heart to God always walking as in the presence of God Begge strength from Christ and thou canst doe all things through Christ that strengthneth thee Another proof we have 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer The consideration of our latter end should be a forcible argument to perswade us unto sobriety and watchfullness That 's a pregnant proofe of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. Vpon this consideration he layeth down those 3 adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hopeing to gain them over to the practise of them Tit. 2. 11 12 13. This was a motive to him and the rest of the saints to have their conversation in heaven because hence they look for the Lord Jesus Christ You read of a sacred Irony Eccles 11. 9. The meaning is rejoyce in God walk in the wayes of Gods commandements that Ironicall speech commands the contrary Now what 's used by the wise man as a moveing consideration But know that there will be a day of judgment Entertain frequent and serious thoughts concerning it which through the grace of God set home upon thy heart may prevail with the circumspect walking in all holy conversation and Godlyness The consideration hereof should make us look better to our hearts and
for Terrour Exhortation Examination Direction and Consolation 1. This Doctrine breathes forth terrour and dreadful Judgement Use 1. For Terrour unto all unholy persons If the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall all unholy persons appear If onely holy persons are blessed surely then unholy persons are cursed If holy persons shall be admitted into Gods presence and enjoy communion with God and see God the Father reconciled God the Son their Redeemer God the Holy Ghost their Comforter where shall unholy persons appear They shall stand without they are the dogs whipt out of Gods presence they shall see God no otherwise then the Malefactor a Judge condemning of him Then all the Attributes of God shall plead against prophane persons My mercy saith God my patience my loving kindness my goodness have been despised All the Sermons they have heard shall plead against them so many Sermons of Repentance so many Sermons of Reconciliation of Holyness bring in black Bills of Indictment against them All the Messengers of God plead We have spent our breath and strength in vain We have labored all night and caught nothing We have tendred Christ offered to these prophane Wretches terms of peace and reconciliation but they have scorned them all and undervalued the glorious excellencies of the Lord Jesus All the passages of Providence will come in against unholy persons Providence will plead I have cloath'd and fed thee I gave thee the dew of Heaven and fatness of the Earth I sustain'd preserv'd thee but thou hast abused all the Creatures not eating for health but for gluttony not drinking for strength but drunkenness All thy friends will plead against thee such as have been real friends to thy soul as have spent their spirits in Exhortations Counsels Admonitions all these are upon Record and will cry out for vengeance against thee O that God would smite the hearts of all unholy persons and loosen the joynts of their loyns as Belshazzars were and make their knees smite one against another that now in this time of life this short day they might be effectually wrought upon to a holy conversation This Use in an especial manner reproves those that scoff at holyness Use 1 I would there were none such in the Walls of Athens That which is the true Believers honour to be a Saint is cast by some prophane persons into the teeth of Professors as if it were a Character of infamy These are your Saints In the Act and Monuments v Fox Acts Mon in Q. Maries dayes a Martyr reproved a proud Prelate for Swearing He answered prophanely I am no Saint What was he then surely an incarnate Devil If you be no Saints here in the Militant Church you shall never be Saints in the Triumphant Church What shall we say to such as deride holyness and exercise their wits to cast a flam or a jeer upon Religion and make a mock at praying by the Spirit Let them read that dreadful Sentence each word is a thunder-bolt Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his whose are they then the Devil 's questionless either Christs or the Devils If none of Christs Sheep then surely of the Devils Goats Of all others a Scoffer is hardest to cure seldom are such brought home if they are it costs them dear If any such be present though I hope better things of you let me tell you when you come to die holyness will be holyness indeed then holy persons will be holy persons Then when conscience is awakened you will wish you were in their stead whom you so much contemned you wil wish your tongues had fallen out of your heads when you spake against holy persons You that make Gods children even real Saints your subject of obloquy What will you say at the day of Judgement when they shall be at the right hand and the Judge shall say Come ye blessed and you shall be on the left hand and the Judge shall say Goe ye cursed when you shall Luke 14. 28. see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints in the kingdom of Heaven and you your selves shut out of doors Are any such present are any young wanton wits that will rather loose a friend then a jest rather loose the friendship of a good conscience then the frothy issue of a scurrilous wit To such let me speak with abundance of love to their souls Non est tutum ludere cum sanctis It 's not safe to make a jest of holy persons or holy things If ever Qui ludit in Cathedra lugebit in Gehenna they belong to God they will with Austin make Confessions and Retractations University sins abuse of wit and parts contempt of holyness neglect of seasons of Grace will cry loud and make such a gash in the conscience as may be a long time clawing off 2. This Doctrine reproves Hypocrites These seem better then they are and put on a Vizard of sanctity these are painted Sepulchres rotten at the core gilded rotten Nut-megs and by how much they pretend to Religion they are so much the worse because they satisfie themselves in a bare pretence There shall be a day of Judgement and that will be a day of terror and vengeance unto them Seldom as a Reverend Divine saith an Hypocrite dies undiscovered It pleaseth God to unmask him and discover his Tor shell of Hypocrisie counterfeit profession before he dieth so that usually in this world a â—ypocrite is discovered However in the world to come all shall be laid open his glozing formalities outside glorious shews all his painted dresses shall be made known to men and Angels And what 's the portion of Hypocrites If there be one place in Hell lower then another any torment greater that 's his portion Matth. 14. 15. 3. This Doctrine reproves all secret sinners who by reason of their secret cunning conveyance hope for impunity They little think of the all-seeing eye of God Could a Homer say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall not Christians believe that the God of Heaven knows all things All thy Reservations Equivocations subtile Distinctions and Evasions are obvious and naked to the All-seeing eye of God The Adulterer waits for the twy-light he would fain escape the sight of men but he cannot escape the sight of God Speculative as well as practical defilements are all known to God Thy Curtain Closet-sins thy Imageries in the dark the sins that no man living knows of are made manifest unto God The Trades-mans Sophisticated Wares his false Lights scant Measures all his mysteries of Cousenings in the Trade are apparent unto God the Lyars obstinate standing in a lie cannot escape Gods knowledge all his tricks of wit and collusions to baffle his conscience will not serve his turn at the day of Judgement The Popish distinctions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not acquit them at Gods Triâ—â—nal The cheating
1 Joh 3 3. Jam. 14 8 thy self to cleanse thy hands and purifie thy heart this is a needfull study its time well imployed in searching our hearts in washing and purifying of the inward man 3. Be much exercised in divine meditation Meditate frequently Rule 3. Be exercised the divine in art of meditation of the four last things Death Judgement Hell and Heaven Entertain frequent and serious thoughts of â—ternity It 's a poynt of understanding and wisdome to consider our latter end Meditate what a holy place heaven is what holy company and what holy employments aret here Nothing that defileth shall ever come there Get up into the Mount with Moses let thy affections soare aloft being carried aloft with the wings of heavenly meditation This was Isaacs practise Davids and Pauls Were you acquainted with the singular benefit of Meditation you would not lye groveling here below your words thoughts whole conversations would bee in heaven 4. Consider the omnipresence and omniscience of God whither Rule 4. Consider Gods omnipresence canst thou goe from his presence how canst thou escape his knowledge If I sinne saith Job he marketh me Job 10. 14 15. God seeth thy secret sinnes hee knoweth all thy reservations and cunning conveyances All things are naked unto him with whom thou hast to deale and without holynesse thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort The serious consideration of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God through the grace of God may prevaile with us to a circumspect and holy conversation 5. Set an high estimate upon and frequent diligently the holy Rule 5 Consider Gods Ordinances Ordinances of God They are called The beauties of Holynesse Psal 110. 3. There is a cleansing virtue in the Word of God Psal 119. 9. Gods face is beautifull his holynesse is his beauty Now by the face of God Calvin understands the Ordinances of God Psal 27. 8. Wait then O Christian at the posts of Wisdoms gate lye in the way where Christ comes by tarry at these Bethesdaes The Ordinances are the golden Pipes to conveigh the golden Oyle take heed of sitting loose from them Blesse God that your eyes behold your Teachers and that your Gospel is not driven into corners Improve these prices and spiritual advantages for the good of your precious souls 6. And lastly associate your selves with holy company Love Rule 6. Associaâ—e your selves with holy company where God loves now the Lord loveth his Saints It was Davids profession that his delight was in the Saints Psal 16. 2 3. Bee a companion to those that fear God If a dead coale be neare a live coâ—le it may be inkindled by it but if two live coales be together what abundance of heate will they give We read Mal. 3. 16. That they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Let not Christians be strange and shie of one anothers company But let 's unite as one man to conserre all our interests to give each other a lift to heaven Make them thy companions on earth whom thou hopest to enjoy in heaven to all eternity The last Use and so in a few words to conclude is a word of Use 5. For Consolation Consolation unto holy persons true beleevers the adopted sonnes and daughters of God when the day of Judgement comes and the whole world is in a flame they shall bee of good comfort That day which will be a day of terrour and revenge to the wicked shall be a day of refreshing and restitution unto them The Saints that sleep in the grave shall be awakned at the sound of the Trumpet and their bodies and soules shall bee reunited and they shâ—ll receive the consummation of their happynesse The Saints that are alive shall be caught up together with those that are dead in Christ in the cloudes to meet the â—ord in the air and so shall be ever with the Lord. The inference the Apostle makes should be ours wherefore 1 Thes 4. 18. comfort one another with these words O but I cannot see this in me I would be holy yet I cannot find this growth of holynesse in me Is this thy case goe thy way to God challenge him with his promise put his bond in suit Hee commands make you a clean heart but doth he not promise to give it Ezek. 36. 25. Comfort thy self with Christs praier to the Father He prayes Father sanctifie them through thy truth And know there may be grace where feeling may be wanting It s an excellent Joh. 17. 17. Eph. 1. 13. saying of Mr. Greenham We hold Christ by faith and not by feeling Feeling is an after thing After ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise Is it the desire and endeavour of thy soule to be holy Notwithstanding infirmities yet is thy heart single and without guile be of good comfort thou shalt hold up thy head with comfort at that great day of accompt when the wicked shall wish that the mountains might fall upon them and the hills cover them from the face of the Lamb thou shalt behold Christ in the face with comfort when all these visible things shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat thou shalt be glad and rejoice at that day and enjoy eternall felloship with the blessed Trinity in whose presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Did we but seriously consider of Psal 16. 11. these things wee should desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ we should cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly we should have the Moon under our feet we should negotiate for the great things of eternity May all things that have been said make deep impression upon our spirits and prevaile with us to the love and practise of holynesse looking for and hasting unto the comming of God Though at that day the world be on fire we shall be safe though there shall be a general Assize wee shall be acquitted and that day of Judgement will be the Saints refreshing day Christ is their Redeemer and Intercessour VVho would not now be in love with holyness holyness will be holyness indeed at that day Only holy persons shall hold up their heads with comfort they only shall be able to stand in judgement God onely that made the heart can cleanse it Christ doth love and wash his people Le ts therefore pray for holynesse follow after holynesse Thus our fruit being unto holynesse our end will be happynesse The Necessity of the Knowledge of Regeneration Discovered from Joh. 3. v. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things THE report of Christs Miracles being famous every where Serm. 5. at St. Maries Oxon. Aug. 14. 1654. v. 1. insomuch that multitudes followed him at last one of an eminent Rank comes to visit and conferre with Christ v. 1. By degree he
was a Doctor by his Sect a Pharisee by his place and calling a Ruler as is supposed an Ecclesiasticall Governour one of the Jewish Sanedrim his name was Nicodemus The time when he came to Christ was by night VVhat a Tenebrio a night Bird surely he was afraid to be seen or known by his fellow Pharisees He had riches honours dignities to lose and therefore he would carry his designs with all privacie for feare of being put out of the Synagogue Thus preferments riches degrees Joh. 9. 22. dignities fear of men are oftentimes as so many fetters and shackles to clog men and keep them off from comming unto Christ Now followeth a Dialogue between Christ and Nicodemus First Nicodemus makes a declaration of his faith in Christ grounded upon v. 2. v. 3. the great Miracles that he wrought v. 2. Christ giveâ— him an answer concerning Regeneration A Sophister would cavil as if this answer had been impertinent and not suitable to what Nicodemus spake but indeed it was the most pertinent Answer that ever was given For Christ spâ—ke to the spiritual necessities and wants of Nicodemus Hee knew wherein this Learned Doctor was ignorant and therefore Christ teacheth him his A B C the Llements and first â—udiments of Christianity Christ took the Doctor out of the School of the Pharisees and he himself becomes his teacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Here is a vehement asseveration in a matter of highest importance It s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From above some Beza Erasm reâ—d it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Heaven Beza and Erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again and the second time come to the same pass all which produce this fundamental assertion No Regeneration no Salvation Now Nicodemus proposeth an ignorant and un-doctorlike question v. 4. concerning entring the second time into his mothers wombe Christ takes yet more paines to instruct him v. 5. of being born of water and of the Spirit The Spirit of God is the sole Author of our Regeneration The Spirit sanctifieth and worketh like water As water washeth away the filth of our bodyes so the Spirit besprinkleth us with the blood of Christ and washeth away the filth from our soules This washing of water is mentioned Ezek. 16. 9. Hence some understand these expressions of Water and the Spirit of Spiritual water opposed to the ceremoniall washings of the Pharisees to which Nicodemus ascribed too much or else which is in effect all one to the Spirit working like water and thus Calvin and Musculus understand the words Aqua nihil aliud est quam interna Spiritus Sancti purgatio so Calvin Calvin in loc Musc in loc Omnis regenerationis operatio est Spiritus Sancti so Musculus Aqua tanquam operationis Sancti Spiritus Symbolum ac Signum adhibetur Further Christ confirmes his assertion in 2 Propohtions v. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit By Flesh we are to understand the corruption of our nature by reason of original sinne by Spirit the renovation of our nature by the holy spirit of God Here Christ distinguisheth of a two fold birth Natural and Spiritual to instruct Nicodemus who though a Doctor of the Law and had read Jeremy Ezekiel and other Scriptures speaking of a new heart a heart of flesh and circumcising of the heart washing of the heart yet understood not at all what those Scriptures meant and was altogether ignorant of the distinction of a naturall and spirituall birth Christ leaves not his Scholar suddenly but takes more paines yet to teach him to understand so hard a lesson v. 7 8. Christ sets it out by a similitude of the wind Motum scimus modum nescimus a man may be regenerate and yet not know how and when he came to be so How a man is made in his mothers wombe who can tell How a man lives may be told by the effects and so we may tell we are regenerate by its effects and operations as the tree is known by its fruit Som know how and when they came to be converted so Paul Lydia others say as was said of the blindman we know he was born blind but by what meanes he now sees we know not Notwithstanding all that hath been said Nicodemus is still ignorant and cannot by his reason Joh. 9. â— 21. understand these things though he cannot gainsay and disprove what Christ said yet he holdeth his conclusion and proposeth a question full of doubting and unbeleife v. 9. How can these things be Now Christ deals roundly with him and sharply rebukes him him that was a Doctor of the Law an Interpreter of Moses and the Prophets a man ocherwise of great learning and yet unlearned in the main fundamentall doctrine A man that was a teacher of others and yet one that needs a great deal of teaching himself in the maine principle of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which words contain a person reproving a person reproved and the Crime for which he was reproved 1. The reprover is Jesus Christ the great Prophet and Teacher Division 1. The Person reproving Christ. he that spake as never man spâ—kâ— He is a reprover and an Instructor both to Nicodemus Christ knew with whom he had to deal with a Pharisee one that stood upon outward righteousness and legall ceremonies one that was a teacher of others and yet had need of teaching himself 2. The person reproved is Nicodemus described by his degree and imployment The Article presixt is Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Persons reproved Beza in loc ille Doctor hoc loco videtur Articulus suum pondus habere quo significatur Nicodemum non modo pro doctore sed etiam pro excellenti Doctore habitum fuisse ab Israelitis So Beza Nicodemus was the Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctor of the greatest repute and eminency among the Jewes he was not a Disciple but a Master the renowned teacher of all Israel as if all Israel had been his Scholars and yet this great Schollar must goe to School to Jesus Christ He Jun. in loc that was ille doctor Israelis tanta authoritate existimatione as Junius observes yet was ignorant in the maine things 3. For what was Nicodemus reproved Ans For his grosse ignorance 3. The things reproved and that not in circumstantialls but in Fundamentalls not in smaller matters but in the greatest of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. knowest not thou these things concerning regeneration this birth from heaven the new and second birth this being born of water and of the spirit Tu es ille magister Israelis magister insignis ad Israelitas verbo Dei erudiendos Praefectus ideoque indignissimum est c. so Calvin on the place Because the Scripture so often inculcats Calvinus in lâ—c this doctrine
A new understanding 2. 20. when Saul was converted he had a new understanding he was another manner of man he was inspired from heaven and had divine illumination 3. There 's a new Will Psal 110. 3. Paul askt Lord what 3. A new will wouldst thou have me to doe after Christ met with him by the way 4. New Affections Col. 3. 2. 4. New affections 5. A new heart 6. A new life 5. A new Heart It 's commanded Ezek. 18. 31. and promised Ezek. 36. 26. 6. A new Life there are new paths there are new waies the fruit of Regeneration is newnesse of life and conversation the fruit of a regenerate man is to holynesse he brings forth fruits meet for repentance as we are commanded Mat. 3. 8. I proceed to another Use for Exhortation to exhort and excite Vse 4. For Exhortation every one to search and enquire and let every one ask his own heart whether or no he be regenerated This is a matter of eternal consequence and therefore we should make it a Question and ask every one himself particularly Am I regenerated yea or no. For Motives consider 1. The necessity Joh. 3. 3. No comming to heaven withou Mot. 1 Regeneration 2. All the Actions Services and Duties performed by unregenerate Mot. 2 men can no waies be acceptable and pleasing unto God For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Now the most gaudy specious pretences of unregenerate men arise not from a Principle of Faith there 's Self-love Vain-glory at the bottom Now without Faith â—ere is an utter impossibility of pleasing God Heb. 11. 6. 3. Nothing defiled shall ever enter into heaven Now an unregenerate Mot. 3 person is unwasht left to lye in his blood and pollution his wayes are foul his mind and conscience are defiled No sink so filthy as the state of unregeneracy The fift Vse is for Direction Vse 5. For Direction First Pray hard for Divine Wisdome Jam. 1. 17. All Secular Learning all the accomplisht knowledge in the Arts and Sciences are not able to teach this Mystery of Regeneration It comes from heaven it 's the work of the Spirits illumination to open the understanding to bring a soul from darkness unto light 2. Wait upon God in his Word the Word is the â—eed of Regeneration it 's immortal incorruptible Seed 3. Pray for the Spirit the Spirit causeth this Seed to fructifie The sixth Vse is for Consolation O how happy are their conditions Vse 6. For Consolation Rev. 1. 5. who are savingly wrought on by the Spirit of God! It 's God that hath loved them and washt them and made them Kings and Priests unto God They are new born and are of the family of the First-born Not flesh and blood not the greatest birth nor accomplisht parts hath revealed this Mysterie of Regeneration this is onely the work of Gods Spirit Now what 's the Duty of regenerate persons 1. To praise God and tell of his goodness So did Paul reciting the History of his Conversion break forth into Praises 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2. To walk as becommeth converted children Eph. 5. 8. Regeneration must be evidenced by the fruits of a sanctified conversation 3. To set an high price on so great a distinguishing love and mercy That God should change thy heart and purifie thy nature This is 1 a work of an Omnipotent God 2. In instanti 3. Ex nihilo it 's a pure Creation pray then with David Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Unconverted must pray for Regeneration and Converted must pray foâ— further Manifestations and Evidences there 〈…〉 that this great work is effectually wrought upon their soules The Feasts of Purim OR Two Solemn Festivals instituted ordained in remembrance of that wonderfull Deliverance from Hamans bloody Plot applyed to our Anniversary Commemoration of Gods gracious Deliverance from the GUN-POWDER TREASON upon Esther c. 9. v. 27 28. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves unto them so as it should not fail that they would keep these two dayes according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year And that these daies should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation every Family every Province and every City and that these dayes should not faile from among the Jews nor the memoriall of them perish from their seed THE Text and Solemnity of this day of Thanksgiving answer Serm. 6. at St. Maries Oxon. Nov. 5. 1654. each other as in water face answers face The Jews having obtain'd a signall deliverance from a barbarous Massâ—cre plotted and contrived by Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite their inveterate and implacable Adversary set apart by way of gratulatory Commemoration the foâ—rteenth and fifteenth day of the Month Adar that they should make them daies of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Ver. 22. And wee of this Nation being wonderfully delivered from a Romish Devillish design of the Gun-powder Treason are here on purpose met to commemorate with thankfulnesse this fifth of November when the Blow was intended to be given but through Mercy was disappointed Some Parallels might easily be drawn between Hamans hortid Assassination and the bloody Butchery intended this day though in many things this Popish Plot wants a parallel Haman was an old enemy to the Jews he was an Agâ—gite of the Family of Agag King of Amalek and therefore upon an old grudge the greater enemy And this Haman was a â—avoâ—rite in the highest degâ—ee of King Ahasuerus and so in a fitter capacity to bring his mischief to â—ass The occasion of the first quarrel was but a petty trissing inconsiderable matter Mordecai did not bow nor do reverence to Haman The want of a bended knee first blew Esâ—h 3. 2. the coâ—l of contention firâ— incensed Haman against Mordecai Several Questions are raised whether Haman expected from Mordecai more than a civil worship or whether Mordecai refused to do reverence because Haman was a Persian and as their custome is had the Sun pictured in his breast or because he was of the Family of Amalck with whom God would have War from generation to generation Exod. 17. 16. Hence there are raised several disputes and many coÌ„jectures neither is it necessary to be too peremptory in our determination seeing the Scripture is silent but Human thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone Esth 3. 6. Aquila non â—aptat muscas he aims at the utter ruin of Mordecai and all his people Tutum est nescire quod tegitur Ambr. He complains to the King against the Jews pleads an argument ab inutili that it 's not for the Kings profit to suffer them Esth. 3. 8. The King gives Haman his â—ing and gives the Jews into his hand ver 10. The Scribes write the Letters the Posts
c. O! consider seriously there will be a day of Judgment wherein thou shalt be called to an account for all by thoughts words and deeds It 's excellent counsell which Basil gives Cum senseris te ad aliquod peccatum provocari ad mentem revoca formidabile illud judicium hoc quasi fraeno paedagogo utere i. e. when thou art tempted to sin call to mind the dreadfull day of Judgement and this will be as a bridle to curb sinne and as a School-master to instruct us in our duty Let this be a Monitor a Frontlet before thine eyes a perpetual vade mecum In all places and companies consider there will be a day of an account a day of Judgement will come O that this consideration were more frequent in our thoughts Through the grace of God it would be a special preservative against sin 2. Let the consideration of the day of Judgement engage you to Less 2. Labour to be holy holyness of life and conversation That 's the practicall use which the Apostle commends to our practise 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Onely holy persons shall be able to stand in judgement This consideration moved the Saints to have their conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 3. This consideration should read us a Lecture of Patience Amidst Less 3. Learn Patience all sufferings persecutions losses crosses hardships evill entreaties amidst all perils at home abroad and among false brethren Let us consider that a day will come which will make amends for all sufferings Be patient saith the Apostle for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5. 8. Let us therefore bee patient under crosses yet a little while and the day of the Revelation of Christ will come when the righteous shall be delivered out of trouble and the wicked shall come in their stead Learne hence by patience to possesse your souls 4. Hence let us be put upon continual watchfulness The time Less 4. Learn watchfulness of Christs coming is like a theif in the night We know not the time to the intent we should alwaies keep strict sentinel alwaies stand upon our watch and be in procinctu like the wise Virgins with our Lamps trimmed and oyle in our Lamps Watchfulness is commended at all times Mark 13. 33 34 35 36. Shake off all security and drowsiness If the Watchmen sleep the City will soon be surprized Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam Let our Saviours caution ring aloud in our eares Luk. 21. 34. Take Less 5. Learn to fear God heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged c. 5. Hence learn to fear God Rev. 14. 7. Ungodly men though Preachers amplifie these things looke upon them but as so many Scare-crows But that which they now fear not shall make them tremble and wish that some Rock would so much favour them as to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of a sin revenging God O Christian fear God and walk in his fear all the day long tremble at the consideration of this day and let it be thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work out thy salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. Less 6. Learn compassion and charity 6. And lastly hence learn compassion and exercise of Charity towards the poor Members of Christ Not a cup of cold water but shall be rewarded in that day The visiting the sick the cloathing of the naked the releeving of the distressed shall be all remembred in that day Christ brings them all to remembrance Mat. 25. Let us then cast our bread upon the waters and after many dayes we shall finde it Eccl. 11. 1. The Apostle prayeth for Onesiphorus his benefactor that he might find mercy in that day 2 Tim. 1. 18. What day was that but the day of Judgement and recompense Then God will remember all the Saints good deeds but all their bad deeds shall be blotted out of the Book of Remembrance or brought in only like a cancell'd bond for the further manifestation of the riches of Gods mercy And now here 's onely one Vse more of the Doctrine which shall Use 3. For Consolation be for consolation unto the godly In these respects the consideration of the day of Judgement administers unto them abundance of consolation I shall name a few particulars and so conclude this Doctrine 1. From the nature of the day the Saints reap comfort for that 1 Comfort from the nature of the day day is a day of Redemption a day of restitution a day of deliverance Wherefore in expectation of this day they lift up their heads Luke 21. 28. This is the day of the appearance of Christ and this is the foundation of the Saints comfort Col. 3. 4. 2. Here 's comfort in respect of the Judge and that is Jesus Christ who is their Head their Husband their Elder Brother their 2 Comfort in respect of the Judge Advocate their Intercessour He is their Judge who is their Saviour and he will pronounce the sentence of Absolution Christ is their Judge who hath loved them and washed them in his blood Rev. 1. 5. Christ is their Judge who is their peace and reconciler Eph. 2. 14. 3. Here 's comfort in respect of the sentence which Christ shall pronounce Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared 3 Here◠comfort in respect of the sentence for you before the foundation of the world 4. And lastly their happynesse shall be to all eternity Psal 16. 11. 4 This comfort shall be to all eternity And of this presence the godly shall be partakers They shall see the blessed vision enjoy an uninterrupted communion with the holy Trinity I le close up the first Doctrine with leaving you to meditate upon 1 Thes 4. 16 17 18. And so much for the first Doctrine I proceed to the second Doctrine That at the day of Judgement the secrets of all mens hearts shall be judged Though men digge never Doct. 2 so deep yet shall they never bee able to hide any thing from God God will bring every work to judgement Eccles 12. 14. The reasons of the Doctrine may be drawn 1. From the Omniscience of God Psal 44. 21. Hee knew the secret whoredomes of Aholah and Aholibah all the chambers Reas 1. From Gods Omniscience of imagery and all their wickednesses done in the darke Ezek. 8. 12. Darkness and light are both alike to him Psal 139. 12. All things are naked unto him with whom we have to deale Heb. 4. 13. God knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. So that words secretly whispered actions secretly done nay more thoughts purposes intentions before ever they are thought purposed and intended are fully known to God Thou hast set saith the Psalmist our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance Psal 90. 8. A second Reason shall be drawn from the Justice of God which is to render
God and Selah shall be put to the end of each prayse Their spirits shall be raised and fitted for that great imployment Their work will be their delight for ever to sing Hallelujahs unto him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever more Thankfulness runneth parallel with the longest line of eternity It 's the language of militant saints on earth and of triumphant in heaven to celebrate the praises of God and blesse his name Praise is comely It 's both good and pleasant to express the praises of God Eternity it selfe will be too little to speak forth the pralses of God 4. This imployment shall be in our Fathers house When once 4. This employment shall be in our Fathers house we come to Heaven we have fixed mansions never to be removed There we shal not sing the songs of Zion in a strange land but in our fathers house Oh! how sad a reproach was it when the men of Babylon tauntingly called upon the children of Israel sing one of the songs of Zion v. Psa 138. 1 2 3 4. 5. And lastly Glorified Saints shall keep an eternal Sabboth in Heaven They shall have but one Sabboth in eternity but that 5. Glorified Saints shall keep an Eternal Sabboth in Heaven shall be continued and never cease And in that Sabboth there shall be no tediousness Their spirits shall be suited for the greatness of that imployment There shall be no intermission nor interruption But there shall be one continued strain one constant act of glorifying God to all eternity There will be no complaining of double duties of wearysomeness of the flesh there shall be no tireing of the spirits In this Paradise all the spirits of the Saints shall for ever be fresh and green There shall be no decay of strength abilities and fitness for such high imployments Now put all these things together consider what we are freed from and what we get by this future condition of glory who of understanding would not be in love with these things who is there that hath but once tasted that would not desire to drink deeper of these rivers of pleasure Who is there that knoweth what an excellent life that is which is to come that would not study enquire and labour to get assurance of it And yet this is the madness and folly of the men of the world that preferre dross before gold the transient base things of the world before the pretious treasures of eternity What now remains but that I should set all home in an Usefull Use Of Exhort Application and so at present dismisse you Men Fathers and Brethren suffer the word of Exhortation to make it your business inquiry and care to make sure of your eternal condition O eternity eternity This word eternity should ly upon our hearts it should be in our frequent serious thoughts and in our retired meditations In our conversings with men in the world the consideration of eternity should abide upon us In our studies let us study for eternity It was a boasting speech of a Painter that said Aeternitati pingo I am sure we ought to study and drive our designes for eternity We should so improve our time husband our talents and so lay out the gifts and graces which God gives us as we may take comfort therein to all eternity O! that men addicted to pleasure would consider that all the pleasures of sin are bitter sweets And for all these things God will bring them to judgement Eccles 11. 9. And what Will yee be such fooles as for a few paultry vaine pleasures to hazard your immortal pretious soules unto all eternity O! that covetous Mammonists would take the consideration of eternity into their thoughts Wherefore doe you spend your mony for that which is not bread Isai 55. 2. How greedily doe men graspe riches how doe they make hast to be rich and put both their hands and both their shoulders to purchasse great estates and never think they have enough like the horse leaches daughter crying still give give And all this while they set their hearts upon perishing things upon that which is not v. Prov. 23. 4 5. But eternity cometh not into their thoughts Transient riches take up their thoughts heart all but eternal riches a durable substance is no whit regarded There is a sad example of that miserable rich fool of whom you may read Luk. 12. 19 20 21. O! that all dissemblers and hypocrites would lay the thoughts of eternity to heart How many dissemble and bely their consciences and pretend one thing openly when as they intend another secretly Their hearts give their lips the ly Did these consider of another world of an everlasting estate either in happiness or misery surely they durst not baffle their consciences and turne any way for temporary advantage and in the mean time wound their consciences Questionless if eternity was more in our thoughts we should be better in secret we should pray with more faith and fervency and be more watchful over our hearts more conscientious in all our carriages Did we entertain in our hearts the frequent thoughts of eternity we should be better in our capacities and relations better masters and servants better parents and children better husbands and wives It was the Motto of Meursius a learned man Aeternitateâ— cogita Did we think of eternity we should not be so loath to lay out our selves for God did we consider often how fraile our life is as a vapour a bubble swifter then a weavers shutle swifter then an arrow out of a bow swifter then a post then a thought Certainly we should not then be so hardly entreated to labour in Gods vineyard Did such who are intrusted with the inspection of others consider of the account they must give in another life they durst not neglect those Depositums the parents choycest jewels committed to their trust and excuse themselves with a distinction per se per alium which in eternity will prove an unsound rotten distinction and will not in the least helpe them out who eat the bread of idleness If this consideration of eternity were in the tradesmans thoughts hee durst not vend sophisticated waâ—es and couzen in his trade as if in his trade a mystery of over-reaching were tolerable O miserable gaine to be penny wise â—nd pound foolish to get a little petty profit in the trade and in the mean time adventure the losse of an immortal soul for ever Behold Brethren we all stand at the dore of eternity Thousands of diseases casualties molestations may dispatch us and send us to our long home Here lieth our great wisdome and understanding in making timely provision for our eternal condition This should be oâ—â— study this should be our inquiry to aske what means must we use to inherit eternal life What must we doe to be saved How must we make our peace with God Yet a little while and our soules shall be separated
Scripture For the Inlargement whereof I shall propound severall questions and give in Answers to them that shall constitute the doctrinall part of the Text which done I shall draw inferences for our instruction and practice and those shall constitute the use and application For the resuming the first thing propounded The first question is what Angells are I have read many curious Q. 1. What Angells are observations of Fathers and School-men concerning Angells which I conceive not fit to communicate being altogether unwilling to stuâ—e a Sermon with Curiosities and conjectures which tend not to edification For if Moses knowing the originall of the world had it not revealed what to write of Angels if Col. 2. 18. Demissio illa animi vitiosa parit cultum superstitiosum Monentur hoc in loco Colossenfes ne decepti ab Impostoribus tribuant Angelis cultum divinum Daven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Nuntiando Stephen who had the heavens opened saw not those orders of Angells what they were if Paul who was taken up into the third heaven saw yet so little of Angells that whosoever will teach so curiously of them he saith they be puft up of a fleshly mind to speak of things which they never saw Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angells intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind If John in all his revelations had no such knowledge revealed of Angells then it 's a duty to be modest and sober in inquisitions to be wise unto Sobriety and to avoyd curious speculations of Schoolmen and confine our selves unto the Word of God Now what they are we shall shew from their names and Nature First from their names they are Messengers who carry a Their Name message they are Gods messengers * This name Angell is attributed unto Christ †Gen. 48. 16 The Angell that delivered me from all evill blesse the lads c. ‖ Ex. 23. 20. Behold I send an Angell before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared †Nomen non naturae sed officii Aug. * Isa 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angell of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the daies of old Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nuntius Dei Steph. the Angell of his presence and the Angell of the Covenant Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom yee seeke shall suddenly come unto his Temple even the Mal. 3. 1. messenger of the Covenant whom yee delight in This name of Angell is ascribed there unto John Baptist who came in the spirit of Elias and unto Christ also and likewise to our Ministers pastours and teachrs Rev. 2. 12. Rev. 3. 1. Angells are took for Spirits Messengers of God imployed for the fulfilling of his will and commands in Heaven or in earth And so in my Text. For their Nature Damascene giveth this definition of Angells 2. The Nature of Angells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Damasc A most pure and perfect intellectuall immateriall and immortall creature created and appointed to be Gods attendants and messengers between God and man Not that God hath any necessity of help or cooperation of his creatures but that he is pleased in his will and pleasure to imploy those Instruments So I will and so I command God only can say and we may not question what he doth But to set down their Nature more fully I 'le take notice of these properties 1. Angells are Spirits He maketh his Angells spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire In that they are called spirits that declares 1. Angells are spirits Psal 104. 4. Spiritus vox naturam declarat flammae vero â—oruÌ„ potentiam Gomarus Facit Deus instar ventorum velocissimos Ministros eosdemque facit flammam ignis hoc est celerrime instar fulgâ—ris exequendi jussa paratissimos Pareus in loc their Nature and flaming fire that shewes their power Windes and fire are swift in their motion and so are Angells God makes his Ministers swift like wind and like a flame of fire that is most ready like lightning speedily to execute his commands They are not compounded of matter and forme for Luk. 8. 30. Many Devills entred into one man and the Devills themselves were once Angells of light And though we read that they have appeared in bodily shapes yet we must know that those bodies were assumtitious They might assume a body for a time for the discharge of that particular service they went about And whereas we read of their wings faces hands and tongues all those are to be understood Metaphorically The disciples were terrified and afrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit And he said unto them why are ye troubled and why do thoughts Luk. 24. 37 38 39. arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Angells are incorporeall and though we read of their eating and drinking as the Angells with Abraham Lot and others we must know that when they assumed bodies God might give them those faculties that belonged to bodies or they might consume the foode and work miraculously above mans apprehension 2. Angells are invisible By him were all things created that are 2. Angells are invisible Col. 1. 16. in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And they acted invisibly when they took upon them shapes and assumed bodies for a time indeed they appeared unto men but as spirits they are as Invisible as a mans soule Who hath seen a spirit at any time or the soul of man or an Angell 3. They are Immortall Good Angells are so neither can theâ— 3. They are immortall Luk. 20. 36. dye any more for they are equall unto the Angells and are the children of God being the children of the resurrection Bad Angells are so Then shall we say to them on his left hand depart from me Matt. 25 41. ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill an his Angells 4. They neither marry nor are given in marriage Hence Chrysostome 4. They neither marry nor are given in marriage Luk. 10. 33. confutes their opinion who from Gen. 6. 2. by the Sons of God understand the Angells this must needs be a very corrupt exposition because they neither marry nor are given in marriage 5. They are most numerous a great multitude * Gen. 32. 1 2. Jacob went 5. They are most numerous on his way and the Angells of God met him
his Angells with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes from one end of heaven to the other The fourth question is whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to be his keeper and Protectour That every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to keep him is the opinion of Fathers School-men and many Protestants but although I am farre from a hasty censure yet I cannot assent unto their opinion because here in the text it 's laid down universally All. There are two Scriptures specially urged in behalfe of this opinion The one is Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angells do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven The other is Act. 12. 15. They said unto her thou art mad but she constantly Act. 12. 15. affirmed that it was even so then said they it is his Angell To the former place I answer the meaning is that men ought Ans not to contemne poore believers seeing God hath so farre honoured them as to give them his own Angells to be their Guardians and Ministers And though they are called their Angells it followes not hence that each Saint hath a peculiar Angell appropriated to himselfe but their Angells are appointed over aâ—l Gods children and are as serviceable unto them as if every one Angell had charge over one particular Saint Individuum So that one Angell may protect many as The Angell of Psal 34. 7. the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them One Angell may protect many and many Angells may protect one The meaning of this Scripture Calvin makes to be this That they are not to be contemned whose Angells are neere and ready Non impunè contemni eos quorum Angeli propinqui sunt familiares ut vindictam exigant Calv. to take revenge The Angells will take revenge upon those who afflict the children of God But there is more matter of doubt from Act. 12. 15. Then said Quest they it is his Angell For answâ—r 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred a Messenger Ans and so some rather render it It 's his Messenger 2. It 's spoken according to a vulgar opinion There is an antient opinion that there is a good and a bad Genius Empedocles the Philosopher taught that every man had two Angells one good another bad And Grecians used to say that every man hath his own Angell to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all his life And Plutarch records when Brutus was â—laine the night before one appeared unto him and said I am thine evill Angell oh Brutus But among the Jewes themselves there were frequent apparitions of dead persons and phantasmes which questionlesse were diabolicall and they were thought by the vulgar sort to be the spirits of the persons whom they represented and they had a conjecture that there was some good or some bad according to the diversitie of the persons and their forepassed life Now it should seem that these people amazed as it were at an unlooked for chance followed the popular opinion and would thereby inferre that Peters death was inevitable seeing his spirit did already begin to appeare 3. This may be understood It is his Angell that is some Angell that God had sent for his deliverance which was fully effected For the Angell of the Lord took away Peters chayne and delivered Acts. 12. 17. him out of Prison The fifth question is what is the knowledge of Angells Q. 5. What is the knowledg of Angells 1. We must premise that they are not omniscient Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells of Heaven but my Father Mat. 24. 14. only They increase in knowledge saith the Apostle Paul Mat. 13. 32. Eph. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And likewise the Apostle Peter concurres Vnto whom it was 1 Pet. 1. 12. revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did Minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospell unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angells desire to look into 2. The knowledge Angells have is by intuition and not discourse as men have 3. Their wisdome and knowledge is excellent So said the woman of Tekoah My Lord is wise according to the wisdome of an Angell 2 Sam. 14. 20. of God to know all things that are in earth 4. They are Creatures of great experience Even bad Angells have great knowledge They have had long experience and have made many observations of the Actions of men 5. God oftimes communicates unto good Angells the affaires of men I cannot neither will I say that the Angells know mens thoughts for That 's Gods sole Prerogative Neither can I say that the Angells know all our actions But they know very much because God communicates them unto them and they rejoyce in Luk. 15. 7 10 the conversion of a sinner and bad Angells know much of a mans waies The Devill observes and takes notice of our failings and though he knows not our thoughts yet he 'l guesse neer the matter and by circumstances and carriages put together he will easily find out which is the bosome and constitution sinne and so forme his temptation accordingly Q. 6. Whether Christ died for Angells Ans 1. Heb. 2. 16. The sixt and last question is whether Christ died for Angells I answer Negatively For first he took not upon him their Nature Verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angells but the seed of Abraham 2. God left the Apostate Angells without recovery What their sinne was whether pride or any other sinne though most are of opinion that pride was the chiefest sinne of them we will not curiously inquire But that they were Apostates from God and so became eternally miserable is evident from Scripture And Jude 6. the Angells which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day They it seems fell from their primitive condition once and irrecoverably 3. We affirme that Christs death is of great benefit unto the elect Angells For thereby they are confirmed in their happy estate Christs death established the holy Angells in their state of blessednesse The Apostle plainly proves our Assertion That in the dispensation Eph. 1. 10. of the fulnesse of times he might gather together into one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him Far above all Principality Power Might and Dominion vers 21. and every name that is named not only in this world but that which is to come And hath put all things
GODS PROVIDENCE COMMON AND SPECIALL SET FORTH From 2 Chron. 16. vers 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of those whose heart is perfect towards him THE best of men in the Church Militant have Sermon 3. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Oct. 12. 1658. Deut. 32. 5. 2 Chr. 15. 12. vers 16. their failings There 's no gold but hath some ore and drosse in it no wheate without some chaffe none of Gods children but have some spots We need go no further then the Instance of my Text. Asa King of Juda a zealous Reformer one that entred into a solemne Covenant with the Lord one so full of courage as to depose his Mother Maachah for her Idolatry and cut down her Idoll aâ—d of this King the Holy Ghost gives vers 17. this finall judgment Neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his daies Yet notwithstanding here are upon Record severall 2 Chr. 16. 10. faults of King Asa viz. putting the Seer into Prison unjustly for pronouncing a full and seasonable reproofe from the mouth of the Lord for oppressing some of the People and in his disease not seeking the Lord but the Physitians Hence the Apostles assertion Jam. 3. 2. is evidently proved That in many things we offend all The Apostles exhortation should be to every one of us instead of a particular Application Be not high minded but feare Let him that Rom. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 12. thinks he standeth take heed least he fall The sinnes of Saints should be our warning peece and hence we should learne caution vigilancy and heart-Inquisition We are men of the like passions and therefore ought to commiserate our Brethren and likewise entertain a holy jealousy over our own hearts considering that we also may be tempted To come to the Text These words were spoken by Hanani the Seer to Asa King of Judah And although they met with no better entertainment then a Prison yet are no whit lesse to be valued Plain faithfull dealing is highly to be prised notwithstanding it meets with course usage almost every where It was Asaes great fault to rely on the King of Syria and not on God vers 7. Likewise he sinnes against the experience of a signall deliverance from the Ethiopians and Lubims vers 8. But what are the best of men if left to themselves Hezekiah a rare King fail'd in the businesse of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon We read God left him to try 2 Chr. 32. 31. him that he might know all that was in his heart This plain-dealing Prophet having charged home and thoroughly aggravated the Kings faulâ—s layes downe in my Text a strong Reason or Ingagement for him to relye on the Lord For the eyes c. Wherein are observeable a description of Providence of Gods Divis Omni-presence and the speciall manifestation exhibition thereof 1. Here is a descriâ—tion of Providence by the eyes of the Lord. 1. A description of Provâ—dence The eye of the Lord is cleare and ten thousand times brighter then the Sun The eye of God searcheth and penetrates the most secret things It seeth any thing observes discovers pierceth converts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. revengeth All things are naked Diaphanous unto God With him the very inside is outside secret or open dark or light night or day are all one with the great All-seeing God God at once perfiâ—ly seeth knowes all things by one cleare act of Intuition unico actu simplicis Intelligentiae as Schoolmen say he universally suddenly knowes every thing Creatures know successively per prius posterius But the Creator knowes all at once Yet we must interpose a Caution that whâ—n we read of Gods eyes hands feet c. We must not understand them littâ—rally and properly but figuratively and improperly or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein God condescends to our capaciâ—y and apprehension and speaks after the manner of men And the Rule in Divinity is to be especially observed Qâ—ae dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligenda sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like passage we have in Zechary They are the eyes of the Lord i. e. his Providence Zech. 4. 10. which observes all that is done every where 2. Here is a description of Gods Omni-presence from these 2. A description of Gods Omni presence Deus est sphaera cujus centrum est ubique circumferentiâ— nusquam words Run to and fro throughout the whole earth Angells are said to be definitive in loco Bodies circumscriptivè but God is in loco repletive His Center is every where and his Circumference no where * Chrysost in Col. 2. Homil. 5. Deus totus in coelo est totus in terra non alternis temporibus sed utrumque simul Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 29. Chrysostome observes that God is every where i. e. because he fills all places and yet no where i. e. confind to no place Augustine goeth further and saith That God is wholly in Heaven and wholly in earth not by vicissitudes but all at once This is most fully confest by David Psal 139. 7 8 c. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there c. The scope of the Psalmist is to shew as judicious †Non est aliquis locus uspium in quo possim à faciè tuâ abscondi Musculus Musculus observes There is not any place any where in which I may be hidden from thy sight 3. Here 's a Manifestation of speciall Providence to the children 3. Gods speciall Providence is toward the upright of God thus described Whos 's heart is perfect toward him i. e. sincere A perfection of parts may and must be attained in this life A perfection of degrees is reserved for another world Now as the generall and common Providence of God extends it selfe towards all the creatures so there is a speciall distinguishing Providence which exerts it selfe and acts vigorously for the Provision Protection and Consolation of those that feare God and walke uprightly before him God puts forth his power to help them so ‖ Vt firmum se exhibeat verto ut robustum se exhibeat erga illos ut robustam potentiam suam exerat in opitulando ipsos Piscat in loc Piscator translates the words So then the sense of the words I conceive to amount to this effect that all things come to passe by Providence nothing by chance in respect of God For he seeth all things and knowes all things All the affaires and transaction in the Universe are manifest to Gods all seeing eye the hidden deeds of darknesse the secretest reservations of the mind and thoughts of the heart are all known to him Further there is no creature whether vegetive sensitive or rationall
thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live He found none at all godly lovely holy but made them so How many of those that imbrued their hands in Christ's blood were converted by one of Peters sermons Christ prayed upon the Cross for his enemies Luk. 23. 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they doe The Duties we ought to learne from the consideration of this great love of Christ in laying down his life for sinners are First That in Zach. 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of Dut. 1. To mourne over Christ David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and thâ—y shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne and shall be in bitnernesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne Seconly To crucify sinne which crucified Christ Thus the Dut. 2. To crucify sin Apostle professeth Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Thirdly Set an inestimable price upon the meanes of our redemption Dut. 3. Set a high value upon the price of our redemption that price of blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. For asmuch as yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your Fathers But with the pretious blood of Christ as of a lambe without blemish and without spot Fourthly Look for no salvation else where Act. 4. 12. Neither Dut. 4. Look for salvation through Christ only is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men that man Christ Jesus Joh. 17. 3. And this is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Fifthly Let us live unto Christ which died for us 2 Cor. 5. Dut. 5. Live unto Christ 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Sixtly Let our hearts be warmed with love to Christ 2 Cor. Dut. 6. Be warm'd with love to Christ 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraines us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead The apprehension of Christs great love unto us should ingage us to love him againe Qâ—ry 3. Is this so great a matter for Christ to dye and to lay downe his life for publick good Did not many others lay down their lives for the publick as Codrus for the Athenians Meneceus for the Thebans Curtius threw himselfe into a gulfe to preserve Rome from pestilence Nisus would have died for Euryâ—lus Pilades for Orestes c. Where then lieth the difference Ans 1. Heathens that laid downe their lives were not innocent persons they were sinners Christ was innocent no sinner a Lamb without blemish no gâ—ile was found in his mouth 2. Heathens laid downe their lives out of principles of praise and vaine glory Christ laid his life in love to his Father love to the elect 3. Heathens gave their lives at the instigation of Satan having no thought to please God but Christ gave himselfe in obedience to his Father to do his will 4. Heathens died that their deaths might be esteemed glorious and honourable but Christ offered himselfe to the ignominious death of the Crosse 5. They died for to obtaine some temporall deliverance but by Christ we obtaine eternall deliverance 6. They died for their Countrey and friends but Christ died for his enemies These things being premised by way of Explication I come now to the Confirmation of the point To which purpose I shall lay downe these Propositions and they are Aeternae veritaâ—is 1. God the Father from all Eternity contrived this admirable Proposit 1. God from all eternity contrived the way of Redemption by Jesus Christ way of redemption by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. To wiâ— that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Rev. 13. 8. And all that dwell upon the face of the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world This transaction was not of yesterday but decreed and contrived and intended from all eternity God reprobated the fallen Angells and left them without a Saviour for Christ shed not a drop of blood for them They before the foundation of the world were decreed to eternall punishments But for lost man a Saviour was decreed and this was God's intendment before all time Questionlesse this is exceeding great love and an evident Character of the love of God the Father 2. Christ was an innocent holy person without the least sinne Proposit 2. Christ was an innocent Person There was no deceit in his mouth Isai 53. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth He was most holy harmlesse undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 19. We were redeemed with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Christ was the beloved Son of God in whom the Father was well pleased Matth. 3. 17. And â—â—e a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased Christ was the only Son and beloved Son now for God the Father to send his Son his only Son his beloved Son not to raigne but to serve not to live a life of honour and glory in the world but to be despised rejected wounded and endure the shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Crosse Never was any love like unto this Of this we read Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And likewise 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes 3. Christ who was sent was God God-man in one person Proposit 3. Christ is God-man in one Person The divine person assumed an humane nature Christ was the Word and the Word was God and Christ that substantiall Word was made flesh Joh. 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only
profession because they are baptized Christians borne in the bosome of the Church where Christ is knowne descended of Christian Parâ—nts and yet notwithstanding are ignorant of the life of Christ of the Laver of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Some crye up their Baptisme too much though Infant-Baptisme in my judgment without question is Gods Ordinance as the Jewes did the Temple Templum Domini Templum Domini And yet were altogether unacquainted with the God of the Temple Let such remember He is not a Jew which is one outwardly Rom. 2. 28 29. neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew who is inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter But there are others who go yet higher in their own conceits and because they are admitted into Church-fellowship and called Saints and reputed Church Members therefore they think all 's well with them and their condition is very safe But who knoweth not that there are many Nominall Saints which are farre from being Reall Saints Many there are that think it religion enough to joyne in such or such a Society under such or such a Teacher who is a leading Popular man and yet many of them are acted by no other Principle but selfe-interest Compliance with men for carnall advantages Many Matth. 7. 20. shall say saith Christ in that day Lord we have prophecied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devills and in thy name done Luk. 13. 26. wonderfull workes We have eate and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I tell you I know not whence you are How many Protestants have we at large who are contented with the bare name of Christians yet in their lives are Antichristians To bid such deny their Baptisme renounce Christ they will tell you they would spit in your faces and yet their lives declare them no better then Turkes Jewes Atheists without God in the world It 's a sad thing to consider that the Profession of religion hath amongst many Tiâ—ular Professors justled out the practice and a bare forme and an outside profession many think sufficient just like one of Machivells principles Take the profession that will do no harme but not the practice of Religion Psal 51. 6. But be not deceived God is not God will not be mocked The Lord requireth truth in the inward parts God will be worshipped in spirit Joh. 4. 24. and in truth All the painted glosses faire outsides formall pretences will be accounted no better than chaffe straw or stubble at the great day of account I am fully perswaded that since Adams Creation there were never so many false conversions as now a daies Many think they are converted when only they are of such or such an opinion Some are turned from Brownists to Semi-Brownists and from Brownists to Anabaptists from them to Familists and afterwards to Quakers Ranters c. And all these boast themselves to be Saints and to be of the Church of Christ though many I censure not all are of the Synagogue of Satan Some poore soules are seduced by false teachers and run like Absoloms followers in their simplicity knowing nothing Such God may in mercy bring home by a thorough change and reformation and make them sensible of their evill waies and back-slidings and in due time deliver them out of Satans snare But multitudes there are which call themselves Saints and Christians and have nothing but the bare name witnesse their lives farre from Saintship and Christianity How greedy are some of filthy lucre ambitious proud boasters idle drones sleepy sluggards eating the bread of idlenesse when they were in a poorer condition they were industrious and laboured abundantly in their callings now being advanced they grow lazie Some in their younger yeares preached often but now they are elder they are more lazie neither preaching frequently themselves nor hearing frequently others that doe and yet none of these but will take it ill if you call them not Christians and Saints too But where 's any thing of the life of Christ Christ watched prayed went about doing good Can they count themselves Disciples who are so unsutable to their Master Is it lawfull to take a Writ of ease and to rest from our labours before we be dead But leaving them hopeing better things of you I proceed to a second Use viz. Examination 2. For Examination The question is wherein consists that Vse 2. For Examination conversaâ—ion which is answerable unto our profession I shall give an Answer in these distinguishing Characters 1. This Conversation must be a holy Conversation As he that Char. 1. This Conversation must be holy 1 Pet. 1. 15. Mat. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. Char. 2. This Conversation must be sâ—nâ—â—ere 2 Cor. 1. 12. hath called you is holy So be yee holy in all manner of Conversation Gods people are an holy people Heaven is an holy place The Society there an holy Society the imployment an holy imployment and only holy persons shall see the blessed vision Blessâ—d are the pure in heart for they shall see God Follow peace and â—olinesse without the which no man shall see God 2. This Conversation must be sincere This is our rejoycing even the testimony of a good Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our Conversation in the world It 's called there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not overcuriously stand upon Criticismes whether sincerus sine cerâ or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But yet I cannot let passe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicio an Allusion to the custome of Eagles who held their young ones before the Sun if they could not look up unto the Sun then were they accompted spurious Surely if our actions cannot endure the test and triall of the Sun of righteousnesse they are to be accompted spurious and illegitimate altogether Sincerity is the constitutive difference of a Child of God and a divisive difference which distinguiâ—â—eth one that feareth God from him that feareth him not This is that which will comfort a man in life and in death So it did Enoch whose commendation it was that he walked with God and Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 6. 9. was not for God took him It was Noahs comfort that he was a just man and perfect in his generation And it will comfort us in death if we can sincerely professe with Hezekiah Remember O Lord 2 King 20. 3. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Wherefore it especially concernes us all to labour after sincerity even truth in the inward parts that so we may approve our hearts unto God and make it our daily exercise to keep Consciences void of offence both towards God and towards men 3. This Conversation must be prudenâ—
to justify fulnesse of holinesse to sanctify fulnesse of mercy to pardon Hee 's stil'd in Scripture a Rock for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisdome to guide us a fountaine opened Isa 9. 6. Zech. 13. 1. Rom. 27. 2. for his readinesse and preparednesse to wash away our uncleannesse a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruits every month for the plenty and perpetuity of joy and gladnesse and other fruits of the spirit which he ministers unto true believers Hence is he compared in the Revelations to a pure River of living water Rev. 22. 1. as cleare as Christall for that inestimable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ minister unto the soules of his children Likewise to a pretious pearle for his superlative worth Matth. 13. 45 46. and value and to a storehouse for his fulnesse of all spirituall treasures Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus saith Jerome Jerome and the same Father proposeth particular Instances Si à vulnere curari desideras medicus est c. If thou desirest to be cured of thy wounds Chist is thy Physitian if thou burne with feavers he is a fountaine if thou art burtheâ—ed with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wantest help he is strength if thou fearest death he is life if thou flyest from darknesse he is light if thou desirest heaven he is the way Therefore make thy wants knowne to God though he knowes them all already yet he will have them knowne unto thy selfe better and God loves to heare from his children the expressions of his own spirit When out of a sense and apprehension of thy owne vilenesse thou unbarest thy sores and confessest thy sinnes then God in mercy may remit them A poore soule complaines of its ignorance and folly so foolish was I and ignorant saith David even as a beast before thee O make hast unto Christ In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge When the depth saith it is not in me and the sea it is not in me when all the lamps of Philosophers can give no light when all their penetrating braines cannot sound these misteries Job instructs thee where thou must go to schoole Job 28. 23. God understands the way thereof and he knowes the place thereof from God cometh wisdome and from the Lord cometh understanding Another is of a sorrowfull spirit and goes mourning all the day long The remembrance of their sinnes is exceedingly afflictive unto their soules still it presents unto them gall and wormewood terrors and feares which almost drives them unto desperation these would prize one glimpse of Gods reconciled countenance beyond the Empire of the world but alas they can apprehend no comfort as appertaining unto them mark then what seasonable counsell the Prophet gives in this kind Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God A child of light for a time may walke in darknesse he may possesse his soule in bitternesse he may be wonderfully tost and troubled in a tempestuous sea of sorrow ever and anon ready to perish yet when Christ comes and rebukes the winds and the seas there will be a great calme One of his love tokens and spirituall illapses will wipe away their teares and make them go away full of comfort with Hannah and be no more sad A poore doubting Christian must not be his owne Judge he can easilier discerne what makes against him then what makes for him O then hearken what God saith unto thee what comfort his messengers proclaime unto thee wait upon God in his Ordinances stand upon thy watch act faith upon Promises and in Gods due time comfort may come like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch in her mouth in token that the waters of Marah are abated When God hath fitted thee for a mercy then he will give unto it a quick dispatch and send unto thy soule tidings of peace thus I have made it good unto you that all comforts are to be found in God 2. There 's no reall comfort to be found else-where If you will 2. Demonst there 's no reall comfort to be found else-where not believe this truth but hunt after the creature as if that can comfort you to your perill be it you may goe further and speed worse what said Saul to the Benjamites will the son of Jesse give you fields and vine-yards and make you all Captaines of Thousands and Captaines of Hundreds So let me expostulate can the Creature give you any reall satisfaction and contentment in that you so hugge your selves in the fruition of it If these be your humors I know not better how to resemble you then to the men of Shechem in Jothams parable Judg. 9. vers 9. Who leaving the Vine Olive and Figg-tree addrest themselves unto the bramble for shelter and security and since they put their trust in it's shadow which can Minister no safety nor defence what can be expected but that fire should come out of the bramble and devoure the Cedars of Lebanon I meane since they expect so much from the Creature by woefull experience they will find it to be the greatest scourge and plague unto them Creature comforts carry a brave port and come with Agag delicately but they are not aware of their approaching ruines Pleasures of the world make faire promises presenting unto us as Jaell did Sisera butter and milke in a lordly dish but there 's a hammer and a nayle instruments of death are prepared against us i. e. sowre sauce for sweet meate What 's all the mirth of the wicked but madnesse For their hearts are full of gravell and the terrors of God affright them amidst their Carrowsing and jollity Saul could not be merry without a Musitian Whereas Plato told the musitians that Philosophers knew how to dine and sup without them Dost thou think to recreate thy selfe by learning a lascivious scurrilous Ballads by healthing it in Ale-Houses and Tavernes and revelling it â—in Balls and such like Idolized vanities will the remembrance of these sinfull jollities make thee hold up thy head with comfort when God le ts loose the â—ord of thy conscience against thee Then thou wilt curse the day that ever thou cast in thy lot amongst them to be a companion of fooles and by woefull experience thou wilt find that thou hast all this while sought the living amongst the dead Ahab could not be merry without Naboths Vineyard and when he had unrighteously took possession of it his sorrowes were renewed abundantly Haman could not comfortably enjoy himselfe because he wanted Mordecais bended knee suppose he had obtain'd it yet his restlesse ambitious humour could not be satisfied For it is not within the sphaere of any sublunary thing any created power to afford comfort and satisfaction
are partially changed Perhaps they now sweare not as formerly bloody oaths but they sweare petty oaths Perhaps they will not as formerly be drunk in the streets but they will sit along time tipling with vaine company telling idle vaine stories Others there are who in some few particulars may seeme to be better They perhaps formerly would stay at home in time of publick Administration of Ordinances now they will stay out a Sermon and as their Phrase is keep their Church diligently but when they come home they speak nothing of what they have heard they neither call themselves nor those under them to an account All this while the heart of these men the inward frame disposition and vergency of their spirits and affections are not cast into a new mold Many more there are of this branne on whom no reall work of grace is wrought no effectuall Change But I shall adde no more to this Use This comes to be inquired after more strictly in the second Use which is for Examination 2. We must all as in the presence of God put our selves upon Vse 2. For Examination this Apostolicall Character and note of triall whether we are transformed in the Renovation of our minds To this purpose that I may endeavour to distinguish the Pretious from the vile my businesse shall be to represent those many false glasses wherein multitudes behold their faces and deceive themselves with false representations which done I shall discover the true glasse of the Word of God which makes a true representation of our condition and accordingly it concernes us to put our selves upon Examination In the first place The first glasse wherein many behold themselves 1. False glasse is Civill Honesty is civill Honesty and Morality when men deale justly pay every one their own wrong not nor oppresse their neighbours they think all 's well with them and that their condition is very safe I know that morality may be a good stock to graft grace upon and many civill honest men even just dealing Heathens as Aristides Fabritius c. will rise up in judgment against many carelesse Professours yet all the morall Principles of Philosophers all the splendid actions of civill Justitiaries cannot bring any to the third Heaven To deale justly with men to live honestly in the world and unblameably is very commendable but Christians must arise higher than Principles of Nature and Morality There 's a new birth required Joh. 3. 5. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven There 's holinesse required 1 Pet. 1. 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of Conversation Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdome Holinesse and Righteousnesse are conjoyn'd Luk. 1. 74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our lives However others may differ from me in judgment I conceive that it 's easier for an open profane man to be converted then for a meere civill honest man who prides himselfe and blesseth himselfe in his morality and there rests satisfied I ground my assertion on Matth. 21. 31. Whether of them twaine did the will of his Father they say unto him the first Jesus saith unto them verily I say unto you that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdome of God before you And what were those Pharisees but meere Formalists and Jusâ—itiaryes This is that which civill men boast off they live peaceably and pay every one his due I answer it 's well to live peaceably with men but dost not thou live at peace with thy corruptions dost not thou let thy sinnes lye quietly and harbour them in thy bosome unmortified uncrucified 2. Thou dost well in paying men their dues I would all would do so and such especially as make greatest profession of religion would they were more exemplary in their practice even in this particular and laying aside all delayes evasions and collusions I heartily wish these would deale justly with every one knowing that no unrighteous man shall inherit the Kingdome of God But let me aske thee dost thou pay God his due his due of prayer hearing reading meditation sanctifying his sabboths Here is a shibboleth that a meere Civill Morall man knoweth not how to accent ariâ—ht If he be a dishonest man who deales unjustly with his neighâ—ours in robbing and defrauding and going beyond him much more may he bâ— accompted dishonest who defrauds and robs God of his worship sabboths services and duties to be performed unto him A second false glasse is that of great parts gifts and endowments 2. False Glasse great parts and abilities whether naturall or acquired Many mistake parts for grace Such as are of excellent gifts and expressions men of voluble tongues are cryed up for Godly men who notwithstanding for all their gifts may be as meere strangers to Regeneration as Nicodemus was It 's sad to consider how many now adaies have abused their parts and have bent their wits to coyne new opinions and have borrowed from Gypsies a canting kind of language uncougth and unscripturall phrases more befitting Poets Stages Players Juglers then Preachers And these are cryed up amongst many for eminent Saints and converted persons whereas they never were acquainted with the great work of Mortification known and practised by such as are Saints indeed Let me tell you plainly for I affect plainnesse of speech A man may be as great a Scholler as ever Aristotle and Plato were and yet be a meere stranger from the life of God a meere Ignoramus in the Schoole of Jesus Christ Where ever parts are we may not envy the owners of them neither may we Idolize them It 's hard to tast much honey and not surfet and harder to have great parts and not to be proud of them Indeed good parts are great advantages and when sanctified do abundance of good but the greatest learning gifts nanaturall abilities and accomplisht parts may be in them that perish Wherefore gifts and abilities are no infallible Characters of saving Conversion The more parts any have the more lyeth upon their accompt and the greater is their sinne not to improove them to Gods glory And the greatest blindnesse it is to be inwardly blind And when men pride themselves in the quicknesse of their understanding volubility of speech c. When as in the meane time they favour not the things of God the mysteries of their salvation what will become of all their parts Perhaps God may take them away or continue them as aggravations of their greater sinne and judgment because they have a price put into their hands to get wisdome and are such fooles as want hearts to improove