like him that is like him in Holiness and like him in Happiness Our Vision will make a Transformation The desire of Union which is so intrinsick to Love is never satisfied till then Here we have a little of God in the midst of Sin and Misery Sin straitens our capacity from receiving more and God sees fit to exercise us with Misery only affording us an intermixture of heavenly Comfort But our full Joy is reserved to the Day of Christ's appearing 2. They that love God desire also that God may be glorified that his Truth may be vindicated his Love and Justice demonstrated His Truth is vindicated because his Threatnings and Promises are all accomplished Sin will no more be had in Honour nor Pride and Sensuality bear sway Love to the Saints will be seen in their full reward and his Justice demonstrated on the wicked in their full Punishment All matters of Faith shall then become matters of Sence and what is now propounded to be believed shall be felt and God shall be glorified in all 2. The Saints love Christ as Mediator we love him now though we see him not 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen we love and believing in him rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory But desire to see him as our surest and best Friend We have heard much of him felt much of him and tasted much of him but we desire to see him especially when he shall appear in all his Glory Mat. 25. 31. The Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his Angels with him All Clouds about his Person shall vanish he shall appear to be what he is the Saviour and Judg of the World 3. They have a love for the Church for the Church in general shall at that day be adorned as a Bride for her Husband and fully freed from all Sin and trouble 'T is no more eclipsed by its lamentable Imperfections corruption of Worship division of Sects or the persecutions of the World nor polluted by the Distempers of its diseased Members all is then Holy and Glorious Christ will present it as a Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 2. 7. 4. They love themselves in God and their own Happiness is then fully to be perfected All the desires and hopes of Believers are then satisfied They that are now scorned and persecuted shall have the reward of their love to God be perfectly loved by him A gladsom day it will be with God's people 2 Thess. 1. 10. It is said Christ shall be admired in the Saints and glorified in all them that believe Glorified not actively but objectively Poor Creatures that are newly crept out of the Dust and Rottenness shall have so much Glory put upon them that the Angels themselves shall stand wondring what Christ means to do for them And then for all their labour they shall have rest they shall rest from their labours that is all their troublesom work shall be over for their pain and sorrow they shall have delight 1 Pet. 4. 12. For their shame they shall have Glory put upon them both in Body and Soul Our Lord Christ despised the Shame for the Glory set before him Heb. 12. 2. III. It hath a great Influence upon the Spiritual Life and keeps Religion alive in our Souls That will appear if you take either word in the Text Waiting or Patience 1. If you take the first Notion Waiting or Looking as it draws off the Mind from things present to things to come 1. Looking to the end of things giveth Wisdom Deut. 32. 29. Oh that they were wise that they would consider their latter end It is not so much to be stood upon who is happy now but who shall be happy at last If Men would frequently consider this it would much rectify all the mistakes in the World If we would inure our Minds not to look to things as they seem at present or relish to the Flesh or appear now to such short-sighted Creatures as we are but as they will be judged of at the last day at Christ's appearing How soon would this vain shew be over and the Face of things changed and what is Rich and Pleasant and Honourable now appear base and contemptible at the latter end Then shall we see that there is an excellency in oppressed Godliness that exalted Wickedness and Folly is but shame and ruine Do but translate the Scene from the World's Judgment to Christ's Tribunal and you will soon alter your opinions concerning Wisdom and Folly Misery and Happiness Liberty and Bondage Shame and Glory the mistaking of which Notions pervert all mankind and there is no rectifying the mistake but by carrying of our Mind seriously to the last review of all things For then we shall judge things not by what they seem now but by what they will be hereafter Solomon tells us Prov. 19. 20. Hear Counsel and receive Instruction that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end That is true Wisdom to be found wise at last Time will come when we shall wish and say in vain Oh that we had laid up treasure in Heaven that we had laboured for the Meat that perisheth not that we had esteemed despised Holiness that we had set less by all the vanities of the World that we had imitated the strictest and most mortified Believer for those are only esteemed and have honour in that Day More particularly 1. It would much quicken us to Repentance Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the day of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. All things shall be reviewed at Christ's coming and some Mens Sins remain and others are blotted out None but those that are converted and turned to God can expect that Benefit Unless we be recovered from the Devil the World and the Flesh and brought back again in Heart and Life to God there will be no escape Now those that wait for this day should prepare for it that they may stand in the Judgment with comfort The wicked shall have Judgment without Mercy but the Believer shall be accepted upon terms of Grace Days of torment shall come to the one from the presence of the Lord and days of refreshing shall come to the other The state in the World of believing Penitents is a time of Conflict Labour and Sorrow but this trouble and toil is then over and they shall enjoy their rest Consider these things Where would you have your refreshment and in what Many seek their refreshing now either in brutish pleasures and sit down under the shadow of some earthly Gourd which soon withers but those that seek their refreshment in the enjoyment of God shall then be satisfied Nothing certainly makes us so sollicitous about a serious Reconciliation with God as the Consideration of this Day 2. It engageth us to Holiness and puts Life into our Obedience We that look for such things what manner of Persons ought
we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. Men are secure and careless either because they do not believe this Day or do not seriously think of it Could we bring ourselves to this to think and speak and do as having Judgment and Eternity in our Eye we would be other manner of Persons than ever we have been What! believe this Day and be so careless it cannot be We would not beat down the Price of Religion to so low a rate nor serve God so loosly if we did wait for the Coming of Christ who will bring every thing into the Judgment whether it be good or evil we could not then satisfy our selves in such a negligent Profession and Practice of Godliness 3. It would produce a more heavenly Temper and Conversation That is evident from the Apostle's words Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Looking for this Salvation and this Saviour it breeds in us the Heavenly Mind He comes from Heaven to bring us thither for he comes to receive us to himself Io. 14. 3. therefore if we be not heavenly our Practice will be a Contradiction to our Faith You believe that there is a God and a Christ and a Life to come that this Christ came from God to bring us to God that we may enjoy him in the Life to come and thereupon you renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and give up your selves to God believing that this Christ will come again to lead all his sincere Disciples and penitent Believers into the Glory and Happiness of the Heavenly State If you believe this what follows That your Conversation must be Heavenly either you must live for Heaven as seeking it with all diligence that you may at length certainly obtain it and not be excluded with the wicked or live upon Heaven solacing your selves in the fore-sight and hopes of it otherwise to profess this Faith and yet to live as though your Happiness were altogether in this World were to go about to reconcile Contradictions to pretend you place your Blessedness in Heaven and yet fly from it as a Misery you profess to look and long for that you have no mind to The second Notion is Patience 2. Patience that also hath a great Influence upon Religion for that which destroyeth all Religion and Godliness is making haste therefore 't is said Isa. 28. 16. He that believes shall not make haste God's Promises are not presently effected and if we cannot tarry but run to our own Shifts because they are next at hand presently you run into a Snare On the other side it is said Lament 3. 26. It is good to hope and quietly to wait for the Salvation of God When we can hope and wait it mightily secures our Obedience Sense is all for present Satisfaction but Faith and Hope can tarry God's leasure till those better things which he hath promised do come in hand Whatever our Condition be afflicted or prosperous we are in the place and station where God hath set us and there we must abide till he bring us to his Kingdom Impatience and Precipitation is the Cause of all Mischief What moved the Israelites to make a Golden Calf but Impatience not waiting for Moses who according to their Mind and Fancy remained too long with God in the Mount What made Saul force himself to offer Sacrifice but because he could not tarry an hour longer for Samuel and so lost the Kingdom 1 Sam. 13. 12 13 14. What made the bad Servant or Church-Officer to smite his Fellow-Servant and eat and drink with the drunken that is to abuse Church-Censures countenance the Profane and smite and curb the Godly but only this Mat. 24. 48. My Lord delays his Coming He sees the strictest are hated in the World and the others befriended and Honour and Interest runs that way and Christ comes not to rectify these Disorders My Lord delays his Coming Hasty Men are loth to be kept in Suspence and long Expectation and so miscarry Look to all Sorts of Sinners The Carnal and Sensual they cannot wait for the Time when they shall have Pleasures for evermore at God's right Hand therefore take up with present Delights like those cannot tarry till the Grapes be ripe therefore eat them sowre and green solid and everlasting Pleasures they cannot wait for therefore choose the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a season A covetous Man will wax rich in a day and cannot tarry the fair Leisure of Providence therefore we are told He that makes haste to be rich cannot be innocent Prov. 20. 21. An ambitious Man will not stay till God gives true Crowns and Honours in his Kingdom and therefore he must have Honour and Greatness here though his Climbing and Affecting to be built one Story higher in the World cost him the Ruin and Loss of his Soul All Revolt and Apostacy from God proceeds from hence because they cannot wait for God's Help and tarry his fulfilling the Promise but finding themselves pressed and destitute the Flesh that is tender and delicate grows impatient It is tedious to suffer for a while but they do not consider it is more tedious to suffer for evermore Thence comes also our murmuring and distrustful Repining Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cut off nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my Supplication Just at that time when God was about to hear him So I said in my haste all Men are liars And thence also our unlawful Attempts and stepping out of God's way Men fly to unwarrantable Means because they cannot depend upon God and wait with patience Look as an impetuous River is always troubled and thick so is a precipitate impatient Spirit out of order full of distemper a ready Prey to Satan IV. The Necessity of Divine Concurrence The Apostle prays here The Lord direct your Hearts into the Love of God and the patient Waiting for Christ. It concerns this Clause as well as the former 1. As to the Carnal and Unregenerate Till their Hearts be changed they can never attain to this patient waiting for Christ for two Reasons 1. In the wicked there is no sound Belief of these things for they live by Sense and not by Faith The Apostle tells us He that lacketh Grace is blind and cannot see afar of 2 Pet. 1. 9. Things of another World are too uncertain and too far off for them to apprehend so as to be much moved by them They hear of the Coming of Christ and speak by rote of it after others but they do not believe it therefore till God enlighten them how shall they be affected with this matter 2. There is an utter Unsuitableness of Heart to them Things present that sute their Fancies and please their Senses carry away their Hearts Psal. 49. 18. Whilest he lived he blessed his Soul and Men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self Men
bless themselves and the carnal World applauds them in a sensual Course and Way of Living They measure all Happiness by their outward Condition in the World and please themselves with golden Dreams of Contentment and this being seconded with the flattery and applauses of the deceived World they are fast asleep in the midst of the greatest Soul-Dangers and so go down into Hell before they think of it 2. Come we now to the Regenerate Such the Apostle looks upon the Thessalonians to be They need to have their Hearts directed to the patient waiting for Christ for these Reasons 1. Because we have too dim and doubtful a foresight of these things How dark a Prospect have even the best of God's Children of the World to come We may speak of others as Unbelievers but God knows how doubtful our own Thoughts are about Eternity and Christ's Coming how little we can shut the Eye of Sense and open that of Faith and say truly with the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at the Things that are seen that are temporal but to the Things unseen that are Eternal Alas we have no through Sight into another World The best Christians have need to have their Eyes anointed with spiritual Eye-salve that their Sight may be more sharp and piercing to beg the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to open the Eyes of their Mind that they may see what is the Hope of Christ's calling Eph. 1. 17 18. There are too many intervening Clouds between us and Eternity that darken our Sight and obscure our Faith 2. Our Thoughts of these things are strange and dull and too rare and unfrequent How seldom have we any serious thoughts of his Coming and how unwelcom are they to our Hearts It was a Complaint against Israel that they did put far away the evil Day but the Complaint against us may be taken up thus that we put far away the good Day when all our Desires and Hopes shall be accomplished and satisfied The Atheistical World deny it and we forget it Solomon saith to the sensual young Man Remember that for all these things God shall bring thee to Iudgment Young Men forget or put off these Thoughts lest like cold Water cast into a boiling Pot they should check the Fervor of their Lusts. But alas grave Men good Men forget these things When Christ had spoken of his Coming to Judgment he saith Mark 13. last v. What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Watching is keeping up this Attentiveness to his second Coming with all Christian Vigilance and Endeavour But few regard the Charge therefore the Lord direct your Hearts c. 3. Because our Affections are so cold and we are no more affected with it but as if we were senseless of the weight of these things Some dead and drousy Desires we have but not that lively Motion which will become Hope and Love If Nature say Come not to torment us before the time Grace should say Come Lord Jesus O come quickly We are not only to look for his Appearing but to love his Appearing Where are these Desires that Christ would either come down to us or take us up to himself that we may live with him for ever 4. This Prayer need to be made for the Renewed too because Christians think of it with too much perplexity and fear Is the Sight of a Saviour unwelcom to you Or should the drawing nigh of your Redemption be a Comfort or a Terror Why do you then believe in Christ and choose his Favour for your Happiness We thought that this had been all your Hope and your Desire and your great Comfort and shall your Hope be your Torment and beget Horror rather than Joy O beg the Lord to direct your Hearts that you may hope to the end for the Grace that shall be brought unto you at the Revelation of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. We do not only wait for Glory but for Grace and shall not this be a Comfort to you 5. We need to pray this Prayer because our Preparations are too slender for so great a Day Serious Preparation is necessary 'T is described 1 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless that is In a State of Reconciliation with God But we live too securely and quietly in an unprepared State If we have the habitual Preparation we do not keep up the actual Preparation by clarifying and refining our Souls from the Dregs of Sense by honouring God in the World with greater earnestness that when our Lord comes he may find us so doing We do not stand with our Loins girt and our Lamps burning that when the Lord knocks we may open to him immediately We do not keep up the Heavenly Desire the actual Readiness The Return of a Husband after long Absence is more welcom to the Wife than to a Harlot but she would have all things ready for his Reception and Entertainment 6. Because our Motions are too inconstant We interrupt the Course of our Obedience frequently faint in our Afflictions do not keep up the Fervor of our Affections and follow after Salvation with that industrious diligence We need often the Christian Watchword The Lord is at hand We lose much of our first Love intermit of our first Works Therefore the Lord direct your Hearts to the patient waiting for Christ. The Exhortation is To quicken you to take care of this Grace that you may be constantly exercised in it While we are upon Earth we should continually be expecting Christ's Coming from Heaven The Motives may be these 1. Before Christ's Coming in the Flesh the Saints waited for him I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord saith Iacob Gen. 49. 18. And Simeon for Christ the Saviour of the World for so it is explained Mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation And our Lord tells us Abraham rejoyced to see my Day Joh. 8. 56. And it is said of Anna and others That they waited for the Consolation of Israel Luk. 2. 25 38. And after Christ was come the Disciples were commanded to wait for the Promise of the Spirit Acts 1. 4. So by parity of Reason we must wait for the Coming of Christ for that is the next great Promife to be accomplish'd and the great Thing to put Life into our Religion 2. The People of God are described by this 1 Thess. 1. 10. Who wait for his Son from Heaven whom he raised from the Dead even Iesus which delivered us from the Wrath to come A Man would have thought in those early Days they should have heen described by their respect to what was past rather than to what was to come which was at so great a distance they should have been described by believing Christ was already come in the Flesh rather than waiting for his Coming in Glory No this is proposed as an
right that he should enter into Judgment with God No he goeth on just and sure Grounds though we do not always discern them 2. God doth it too with great Faithfulness they look on all Afflictions as federal Dispensations as Appendages of the Covenant of Grace Psal. 119. 57. In very Faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Mark he doth not say notwithstanding thy Faithfulness but in Faithfulness he performs his Covenant When he thresheth us it is to make our Husksfly off that he may quicken us to a serious Remembrance of himself and of the Duties we owe to him 3. It is ordered with great Wisdom For God is a God of Iudgment Isa. 30. 18. He knows what is best for his People We think this and that best but God is wiser than we when many Providences fall out we think it would be better for the Church if it were otherwise But this is to tax God's Wisdom and charge him with want of Love and Tenderness towards his People they are dearer to him than they are to you Chrysostom shews how we take upon us to order Affairs he brings in an Instance of a Man that is very kind to the Poor if he dies they are undone Have you more care of them than God their Maker Iob did not eat his Morsels alone but the Poor did eat his Bread and were cloathed with his Fleece therefore the sides of the Poor are said to bless him Cannot God provide for the Poor without Iob So in like cases for the Churches sake This Providence seems to tend altogether to evince but God knows how by these and these means to provide for his People and you must not prescribe to him It was Blasphemy in Alphonsus to say Si Deo à consiliis adfuisset se consultius multa ordinaturum That if he had been by when God made the World he would have ordered some things with greater advice and better care He would not have placed the Horns of the Beasts above their Eyes but under their Eyes Such Blasphemy do we secretly lisp out in our murmurings and discourses about Providence when we are questioning how this that and the other thing can be for his Glory The Lord knows how to guide all things to his Glory and we must absolutely yield to it 4. With much Love For he that hath the Wisdom of a Father hath also the Bowels of a Mother A Mother may sooner forget a poor shiftless Child than God will forget his People Isa. 49. 15 c. There 's a great deal of Love shewed in our Afflictions Sometimes in mitigating them 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear And as Iacob drove on as the little ones were able to bear so the Lord suits his Conduct and lays on the Affliction as his People are able to bear Castles are Victuall'd before they are Besieged After great Comforts then comes Affliction Heb. 10. 32. After you were enlightned ye endured a great fight of Affliction Then again in refreshing their Troubles with many gracious Experiences The Lord doth things which seem very bitter to the carnal Sense and Gust but when he hath defecated and refined our Taste then he sheds abroad his Love into our Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 3 5. Their Adoption is cleared up and the loss of outward Comfort is accompanied with a greater increase of Spiritual Comfort Again he shews his Love in ordering all things for their Good Rom. 8. 28. Out of what Corner soever the Wind blows it blows good to the Saints Arise O North Wind and blow thou South c. North and South contrary Points Cant. 4. 16. yet the Spices of his Garden flow out That which is against our Will is not against our Profit God is still pursuing what is for his own Glory and Good of the Elect. So all that falleth out is either Good or will tend to Good USE This teacheth us upon what Grounds there should be such a submission to all Personal and Domestical Calamities which may befal any of us and to all that befal the Church It is the Will of God and that 's the great Ground of composing the Heart whatever falleth out When-ever you hear of the increase of Violence or any Resolution against the People of God this should calm us The Will of the Lord be done God knows what is best for his People This is an everlasting Ground of Comfort that we are still in God's Hand 's and whatever befals us it comes by his special Providence even by his that numbers the Hairs of our Heads and who carves out every condition to us Deut. 33. 3. Surely he loved his People all the Saints are in his Hands When the Disciples were sore troubled and affrighted Joh. 6. 20. Iesus comes to them and said Be not afraid 't is I that order this There are many remarkable Passages in that Story The Disciples were in the dark of the night overtaken with a mighty Storm and for a long time did not know what would become of them the Text saith they had rowed about twenty five or thirty Furlongs before Christ appears Christ seeth it not fit to appear at first but lets the Trial go on until it be a Trial indeed Now about the fourth Watch of the Night Jesus passed by Mark 6. 48. that's the Morning Watch and then Jesus appears to them We are very tender of our selves and soon think we are low and tried enough therefore would fain be delivered but our wise Lord seeth we need more When Christ came then their fears are increased Christ came walking upon the Water and they thought it was a Spectre Spirits broken with troubles are very apt to take in afflicting impressions from every thing they see and hear The very way of our Mercies may be matter of terror to us At length he discovereth himself 't is I be not afraid I walk upon that Water which seems to be ready to swallow you up I that raised the Waves know how to still them Here 's that which may allay all our disquiets and fears Remember it is not the Instrument but Christ and God must be eyed and the Will of the Lord be done In our darkest Condition God seeth us when we do not see him Psal. 73. 22 23. and Job 23. 9 10. I looked on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold SERMON XVI JOHN 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life IN these words you have the Sum and Substance of the Gospel In them observe 1. The Fountain and Original of all that Grace and Salvation which is brought unto us God's unspeakable
nearer we draw to the one the more we avoid the other so that we have a double reason not to go back and much to engage us to go forward Application Use of Exhortation 1. Suffer us to discharge our Duty in this kind Heb. 13. 22. I beseech you Brethren suffer the Word of Exhortation It is but a small request we have to you that you will but suffer us to take pains to save your Souls it is irksome to carnal Men to have their sluggishness stirred up But what is there that should make it grievous and distastful Many can endure us when we treat of the Joys of Heaven but when we come to flash Hell Terrors in the Face of obstinate Sinners and tell them of Damnation and Wrath to come they think us harsh and severe and say as Ahab of Micaiah He prophesieth nothing but evil to me I but we must set both before you both Life and Death and it is better to hear of Hell than to feel it That is a cowardly Confidence that cannot endure the mention of our Danger There are others that like the offer of Heaven but would sever those things that are so aptly joined Life and Good Death and Evil that cannot indure this Doctrine in this Sense they say with those carnal Hearers Evermore give us the Bread of Life Joh. 6. 35. But they mistake the Terms upon which it may be had Oh! but we are not in the place of God and cannot make the way to Heaven easier than it is but we propound God's Covenant as we find it Life and Good the Conditions as well as the Offer Would you have us compound with you and deceive your Souls with a false hope which will leave you ashamed when you most need the comfort of it Men would live with the Carnal die with the Sincere therefore suffer us to be earnest with you 2. The next thing that we exhort you to is to believe the certainty consider the weight and importance of these Truths that there is a difference beetween Good and Evil that the fruit of the one is Death of the other Life and consider how irrational it is for a Man to love Death and refuse Life No Man in his right Wits can make a doubt which to choose In vain is the Snare laid in the sight of any Bird. Prov. 1. 17. You cannot drive a dull Ass into the Fire that is kindled before his Eyes It is true you hate Death and yet it is proper to say you choose it Prov. 8. 36. All they that hate me love Death Why refusing the Good do you so eagerly pursue the Evil How can ye hate the Wages and yet love the Work by which the Wages is to be earned and in requital of which it will be certainly paid If you detest Hell why not Sin if you love Heaven why do not you do good There is an inseparable Connection between these Who can pitty the Torment of that Man that thrusts his Hand into the Fire What should be the cause of this but Incredulity and Inconsideration 1. Unbelief and Atheism they do not think God will recompence Men according to their Works Now till Men believe it tell them of Hell or Heaven never so much it will not work upon them Who would lose that which is certain and present for the hope or fear of that which is to come and doubtful when they suspect or believe it not fully No wonder they go on still in the Paths that lead down to the Chambers of Death and are prejudiced against the Ways of Life But why are Men such Infidels as to future things 1. You cannot disprove what is declared in Scripture or by any sound Argument evince that there is no Heaven or Hell for all you say or know there are both really existing and if there were no more but that it were good to take the surer side especially when you part with nothing but a few base Pleasures and carnal Satisfactions Reason should make us very careful In a Lottery where there is but a possibility of gaining Men will venture a Shilling or a small matter for a Prize If there be either no Hell or Heaven you part with no more than the vain Pleasures of a fading perishing Life but if this Doctrine prove true you run the hazard of Eternal Torments and lose the Comfort of Eternal Joys therefore it is better to trust this Doctrine than try it it is Prudence to make provision for the worst 2. But doth not natural Reason and Conscience and the Presages of our Hearts shrewdly evidence that there is a World to come as before was proved an Heaven for the Good and an Hell for the wicked At present the Wicked flourish and the Good many times suffer what shall we conclude thence Mol. 2. 17. Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in him or where is the God of Iudgment 3. If Nature be not so clear Scripture is full and positive If we do indeed believe the Scripture as we profess to do certainly we cannot so grosly go against the whole Current and Drift of it That Scripture which you profess to be the Book of God and take for the Rule of your Lives and Expectations that Scripture which your Consciences dread as owning the Voice of God therein that Scripture which is confirmed by God's Providence and frequent Experiments that Scripture which hath such a rational Evidence in it self 't is that assureth us of a World to come and bringeth it to light in the Word The very thoughts of such an Hell and Heaven as was invented by the ancient Heathens was enough to make them vertuous though as to the Manner and Circumstances of it the more understanding knew it to be a very Fable and Supposition yet the Thing it self being bottom'd and founded upon those natural apprehensions of the Immortality of the Soul and the Attributes of the Deity had powerful Effects upon them Now shall we talk of Christianity pretend a Reverence to the Scriptures and shall we tremble no more at the Certainty of an Hell than Gentiles at the possibility of it Shall their Suspicion work more than our Faith If they were so pliable to Poets discipline how should we be moulded and framed by the Doctrine of Christ what awe and holy trembling should it breed in our Hearts 2. Inconsideration We are so taken up with the Cares and Pleasures of the present Life that we are not at leisure to think of Death and Life Hell and Heaven or upon what Terms we stand with God Jer. 8. 6. Eccles. 11. 9. Remember that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment The young Man in the heat of his Lusts forgetteth that a time of reckoning will come Oh think of your ways and whither you are a going It is foolish to busy our selves about many things and neglect the main Luk. 10. 41 42. You
Conversion how doth God deal with Paul Stephen had prayed for him too among the rest Lord lay it not to their Charge yet God gave him some smart remembrance of his Sin When Paul and Barnabas had been preaching at Iconium though Barnabas had irritated them as well as Paul they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the chief Speaker Barnabas who was equal with him in Preaching God ordered it so he was not Stoned but Paul that had consented to Stephens Stoning was Stoned himself and carried out for Dead What need have we to be exact in observing what is required of us here for the Lord by one means or other will return it into our Bosoms We have done that to others which we would not should be done to our selves and therefore will God do that to us which we do to others Application Use 1. To Inform us First What an advantage Religion is to Mankind even with regard to the present Life The World hath a prejudice against Religion as if it were an ill natured thing and made Men forget Equity and humane respects in favourable dealings with others But certainly there is no reason for this Prejudice when it doth require not only love of all in their several Capacities but to do to them all the good possibly we can and to seek out Objects to whom we may do good and be of a God-like Affection Therefore see that it be so in your Profession and Practice that you may recover the credit of Religion by this Rule If this were practised 1. How securely and safely might we live one by another Whence come all the Oppressions and Injuries wherewith the World aboundeth but for want of love to their Neighbours as themselves How easily might we be brought to pardon Wrongs And how patiently would we bear the modest Dissent of others when their Judgments are not of our Size and Mould How far would we be off doing hurt to others even as far as doing hurt to our selves 2. Consider how beneficial and mutually helpful Men would be to each other seeking others good as their own and rejoicing in an others Welfare as our own If the World would but consider how much of Christianity doth consist in loving and doing good as if all the World had but one Soul one Interest it would render it very amiable to them Take this Rule quite away and there is nothing so false bad cruel that you would not be drawn to think or say or do against your Brother Secondly It informs us how much Mankind is degenerated and how few true Christians are in the World Witness our Injustice to the Names Persons and Estates of others We are very critical in determining our own Rights and Proportions and what others owe to us Surely we have all reason to allow others what they justly expect When you are slandered you are Passionate and therefore should not you be tender of other Mens Names and Estates When your Debts are detained you complain of Wrong should we not be as Conscionable for the speedy Payment of others To buy with a great Measure and sell with a less is an Abomination to the Lord and to Men. We judg things done to us thus and thus and shall we be careless what we do to them Uncharitableness and want of Sympathy with us in our Troubles much more insulting over us in our Miseries we look on with detestation and shall we pursue and afflict others when we have Power to do hurt Use 2. Exhortation As that Emperor wrote it on the Doors of his Pallace and Courts of Justice so the Exhortation is to press you to get this Rule deeply graven and written upon your Hearts In all Matters of dealing towards others be exact for God that is the Patron of Human Societies observes whether you do as you would be done unto Remember it is a short Rule yet sufficient and it is a clear Rule therefore it should more prevail with you 1. It 's a short Rule and yet if it were well learned and kept it would save the World a great deal of Mischief Change the Persons and we need not many perplexing Rules to guide us if this were done to me would I take it kindly turn the Tables put your selves in their stead 2. 'T is a clear Rule Look as the Apostle saith of Onesimus when he was converted that he was doubly dear to Philemon both in the Flesh and in the Lord so the same say I of this Rule it is doubly dear to us both by Nature and Grace The Light of Nature binds us and it is prescribed by Christ. 1. If you break this Rule you offer violence to an inbred Principle of Conscience There are many talk of being Christians Yea but get to be good Heathens first Never speak of higher Mysteries of believing in Christ and Communion with Christ while you live so contrary to the Light of Nature What the Apostle discourseth concerning the Natural Branches and the Branches contrary to Nature is applicable in this Case Rom. 11. 24. what he speaks of Persons is true of Doctrines For if thou wert cut out of the Olive Tree which is wild by Nature and wert graffed contrary to Nature into a good Olive Tree how much more shall these which be the natural Branches be graffed into their own Olive Tree The meaning is if the Gentiles were taken into a Covenant Stock how much more shall the Iews be graffed into their own Stock So it is true of Doctrines if the Doctrines contrary or above Nature have brought in Souls to believe in Christ and the higher Mysteries of Christianity certainly much more should those Doctrines which are agreeable to our Nature have a greater respect and regard by you 2. It is also prescribed by Christ now our Lord reasons Luke 6. 46. If you call me Lord and Master why do ye not the things I say It is a mockage to call Christ Lord and Master and disobey his Commands as it was for them to say Hail King of the Iews that spit upon him and buffeted him Therefore whatsoever ye would have others do to you do ye the same to them for he hath told you and confirmed it This is the Law and the Prophets SERMON XIX EPH. 2. 10. For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them THe Apostle in the Context asserteth that our whole Salvation is of Grace not of Works he now proveth it That which is the Effect of Salvation cannot be the Cause of it but our well-doing is the Effect of Salvation if you take it for our first recovery to God but if you take it for full Salvation or our final deliverance from all Evil Works go before it indeed but in a way of Order not meritorious Influence To think them altogether unnecessary would too much depreciate and lessen their presence or concurrence to
the Wound that was in a fair way of healing and willingly relapse into the Sickness he was almost recovered from with so much ado Sure this shews our first Consent was not real and sincere And then Christ will be no Advocate for them that continue in their Sins Our God is a God of Salvation we cannot enough speak of his saving Mercy But he will wound the Head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his Trespasses Psal. 68. 20 21. 2. Daily Prayer This was spoken unto at the Close of the first Sermon Mat. 6. 12. Our Lord hath taught us to pray for we make but too much work for pardoning Mercy every day Every day forgive us our Trespasses To day in one of the Petitions is common to all that follow as we beg daily Bread we must beg daily Pardon daily Grace against Temptations Under the Law they had a Lamb every Morning and every Evening offered to God for a daily Sacrifice Numb 28. 4 5 6. We are all invited to look to the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Surely we have as much need as they more Cause than they because now all is clear and openly made known unto us God came to Adam in the cool of the Day he would not let him sleep in his Sins before Night came he comes and rouseth his Conscience and then gives out the Promise of the Seed of the Woman that should break the Serpent's Head In Reconciliation with God let not the Sun go down upon God's Wrath Eph. 4. 26. A Man should not sleep in his Anger nor out of Charity with Man surely we should make our Peace with God every day If a Man under the Law had contracted any Uncleanness he was to wash his Cloaths before Evening that he might notly a Night in his Uncleanness We should daily earnestly come to God with this Request Lord pardon our Sins But what must those that are already adopted into God's Family and taken into his Grace and Favour daily pray for Pardon of Sin Though upon our first Faith our State be changed and we are indeed made Children of God and Heirs of Eternal Life by Faith in Christ Jesus yet he that is clean need wash his Feet We contract a great deal of sinful defilement and pollution by walking up and down here in a dirty World and we must every day be cleansing our Consciences before God and begging that we may be made Partakers of this Benefit III. The third thing is our Recovery out of greivous Lapses and Falls In them there is required a particular and express Repentance And Repentance and Faith must be carried with respect to those four things are in Sin Culpa the Fault Reatus the Guilt Macula the Stain and Blot and Poena the Punishment You know the Law supposeth a righteous Nature that God gives to Man therefore in Sin there is a Stain or Blot defacing God's Image The Precepts of the Law require Duty so it is Culpa a criminal Act the Sanction of the Law as threatned makes way for Guilt as executed calls for Punishment you see how it ariseth 1. For the Fault in the Transgression of the Law or the criminal Action See that the Fault be not continued Relapses are very dangerous A Bone often broken in the same place is hardly set again God's Children are in danger of this before the Breach be well made up or the Orifice of the Wound be soundly closed as Lot doubled his Incest and Samson goes in again and again to Dalilah But in wicked Men frequently as that King sent Fifty after Fifty and nothing would stop him There is an express forsaking of Sin required of us otherwise it would abolish all the Difference between the Renewed and the Carnal 2. The Guilt continues till serious and solemn Repentance and Humiliation before God and suing out our Pardon in Christ's Name 1 Iohn 1. 9. He speaks of Believers If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness There must be a solemn humbling for the Sin and then God will forgive us Suppose a Man forbear the Act and never commit it more as Iudah forbore the Act after he had comitted Incest with Tamar but it seems he repented not till she shewed him the Bracelets and the Staff yet with serious remorse we must beg our Peace humbly upon the account of our Mediatour Therefore something must be done to take away the Guilt 3. There is the Blot or evil Inclination to sin again The Blot of Sin in general is the defacing of God's Image but in particular Sins it is some weakning of the Reverence of God A Man cannot venture to act a grievous wilful Sin but there is a violent Obstruction of the Love of God A Brand that hath been in the Fire is more apt to take Fire again the evil Influences of the Sin continue Now the Root of Sin must be mortified it is not enough to forbear or confess a Sin but we must pull out the Core of the Distemper before all will be well As Ionah he repented of his Tergiversation and forsaking his Call The fault was not repeated he goes to Nineveh and does his duty yet the core of the Distemper was not taken away for you read of him Ion. 4. 2. Was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew thou wert a gracious God and repentest thee of the evil ....... On the contrary Peter fell into a grievous Sin denying his Lord and Master with Oaths and Execrations but afterwards Iohn 21. 15. Christ trys him Jesus saith to Simon Peter Lovest thou me more than these pointing to the rest of his Disciples Peter had been bragging Matth. 26. 33. Though all Men forsake thee yet I will not forsake thee Now when he was foiled tho he had wept bitterly for his Fault Christ tries if the Cause be removed Lord saith he thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee But he doth not say now more than these The Root of the Distemper was gone Peter is grown more modest now than to make Comparisons 4. There is the Punishment Now we must deprecate Eternal Punishment and bless God for Jesus Christ who hath delivered us from Wrath to come But as to temporal Evils God hath reserved a Liberty in the Covenant to his Wisdom and fatherly Justice to inflict temporal Punishments as he shall see good If they break his Statutes and keep not his Commandments then will he visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes Psal. 89. 32 33. Nevertheless my loving-kindness I will not utterly take from them nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail If Iudgment begin at the House of God what shall become of the Sinner and Ungodly The Righteous are recompensed upon Earth partly to increase
their Repentance that when they smart under the Fruit of Sin they may best judge of the Evil of it God doth in effect say Now know it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against me God doth not do it to compleat their Justification but to promote their Sanctification and to make us Warnings to others that they may not displease God as we do Now for these Reasons the Lord though he doth forgive the Sin and release the Eternal Punishment yet he reserves a Liberty to chastise us in our Persons Families and Relations Therefore what is our business humbly deprecate this temporal Judgment Lord correct me not in thine Anger nor chasten me in thy hot Displeasure We should be instant with God to get it stopt or mitigated but if the Lord see it fit it shall come patiently submit to him and say as the Church I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him These afflictive Evils some of them belong to God's External Government and some to his Internal Some to his External Government as when many are sick and weak and fallen asleep When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World A Rod dipt in Guilt may smart sore upon the Back of God's Children if they will play the Wantons and Rebels with God Eli broke his Neck his Sons were killed in Battel the Ark taken But then there are some other things belong to his Internal Government as the withdrawing the Comforts of his Spirit or the lively Influences of his Grace for this was the Evil David feared when he had gone into wilful Sins Psal. 51. 11 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not away thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit When God's Children fall into Sin though the Lord doth not utterly take away his Loving-kindness from them he may abate the Influences of his Grace so far as they may never recover the like Measure again as long as they live SERMON III. ACTS 3. 26. Unto you first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities THese Words are the Conclusion of the Second Sermon that was preach'd after the pouring out of the Spirit And in them you may observe three Things I. The Parties concern'd Unto you first II. The Benefit offered God having raised up his Son Iesus hath sent him to blesse you III. The Blessing interpreted or what kind of Blessing it is we shall have by the Mediatour He hath sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from your Iniquities Let me a little open these before I come to observe any thing I. For the Parties concern'd Unto you first Why was the first Offer of Christ made unto the People of the Iews For sundry Reasons Partly 1. Because they were the only Church of God for that time and the People that were in visible Communion with him And God hath so much respect for the Church that they shall have the Refusal and the Morning-Market of the Gospel And whatsoever Dispensations of Grace are set on foot shall be first brought to them He hath shewed his Statutes unto Iacob Psal. 147. 19. He hath not dealt so with other Nations 2. They were the Children of the Covenant Ye are the Children of the Covenant therefore unto you first God was in Covenant with their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and God follows a Covenant-People with more Offers of Grace than he doth vouchsafe unto others and bears with Sin after Sin till he can bear no longer And when the Branches of the Covenant-Stock run quite wild then they are cut off Rom. 11. 20. 3. Christ came of them after the Flesh and was of their Seed Rom. 9. 5. to teach us first to seek the Salvation of our Kindred and Country-Men and near Relations those that are nearer to us lie next our Work and Service Therefore to you first 4. That he might magnify his Grace and Faithfulness not only in the Matter of the Gospel but even in the first Offer of it He doth magnify his Faithfulness herein for it is said Christ is the Minister of the Circumcision to confirm the Truth to their Fathers Rom. 15. 8. God had promised their Fathers that he would raise up a Saviour therefore he must be first discovered here and he magnifies his Grace for there was Christ preached where he was crucified They had the first Handsel of this good News and Wrath came not upon them to the uttermost till they had despised the Gospel as well as killed the Lord of Glory 1 Thess. 2. 14 15. 5. This was necessary too for the Confirmation of the Gospel To you first Christ did not sneak nor steal into the World clancularly and privately but he would have his Law set up where it was likely to be most questioned they were most concern'd to enquire into the Truth of Matters of Fact upon which the Credit of the Gospel had depended If he had first gone to the Gentiles the Iews might have objected their condemning Christ as a Malefactor and that his Messengers and Apostles durst not set on foot the Report of his Miracles Life and Death in their Confines But Christ would have the Gospel preached there where if there were any Falshood in it it might easily be disproved and because the Main of the Jewish Doctrine was adopted into the Christian and was confirm'd by the Prophecies of the Old Testament they were the only competent Judges to whose Cognizance these things should be first offered Therefore he saith Unto you first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you 6. That the Ruine of that Nation might be a fit Document and Proof of God's Severity against the Contemners of the new Gospel Acts 13. 45 46 47. There it is shewed that they were the first People to whom it was offered and they contemned it and therefore Wrath came upon them to the uttermost Therefore this did authorize and confirm this Doctrine wherever it should be preached and offered 7. That the first Ministers might be a Pattern of Obedience to preach where God would have them to preach in the very Face and Teeth of Opposition Christ appoints their Station The Iews were like to be the most virulent Enemies against the Gospel because the Rulers put Christ to Death Go preach the Gospel to all Nations but begin at Ierusalem though there you meet with a great deal of Spight and Opposition Now because of these Reasons Unto you first the Lord having raised up his Son c. II. The second Thing to be explained is the Benefit offered wherein is set forth the great Love of God unto the People to whom the Gospel comes 1. In designing such a glorious Person as Jesus Christ Having raised up his Son Iesus