and Kingdoms and Families where they are yea of the World the frame whereby it s mainly continued in regard to them Isa. 6. 13. But they that are ungrateful to the great Maker and Upholder of it and regardless of him What wonder they take no notice of the advantage they receive by the concernment of his Children in the World Here. 1. The Work 2. The End of it In the Work preparing of the Ark observe 1. Gods appointment 2. Noahs obedience The power of God was not tied to this yet his Wisdom choosed it he that steered the course of this Ark safely all that time could have preserved those he designed it for without it But thus it pleases the Lord usually to mix his wonderfullest deliverances with some selected means exercising that way our obedience in their use yet so as the singular power of his hand in them whereon faith rests doth clearly appear doing by them what in a more natural way they could not possibly effect 2. For the obedience of Noah if we should insist on the difficulties both in this work and in the way of their preservation by it it would look the clearer and be found very remarkable the length of the work the great pains in providing materials and consider we the opposition that likely he met with in it from the prophane about him the mightier of them at least the hatred and continual scoffs of all sorts it required principles of an invincible resolution to go through with it What would they say means this old dottard to do whether this monstruous Voyage and for that it spoke as no doubt he told them their ruin and his safety this would incense them so much the more you look far before you and what shall we all perish and you alone escape But through all the soveraign Command and gracious promise of his God carried him regarding their scoffs and threats as little in making the Ark as he did afterwards the noise of the waters about it when he was sitting safe within it This his obedience having indeed so boistrous winds to encounter had need of a well fastened root that it might stand and hold out against them all and so it had The Apostle St. Paul tells us that the root of it was by Faith being warned he prepared an Ark and there 's no living and lasting obedience but what springs from that root he believed what the Lord spake of his determin'd Judgement on the ungodly World and from the belief of that arose that holy fear which is expresly mention'd as exciting him to this work And he believed the Word of Promise that the Lord spoke concerning his preservation by the Ark and the belief of these two carried him strongly on to the work and through it against all counter blasts and opposition overcame his own doubtings and the wicked's mockings still looking to him that was the Master and Contriver of the Work Till we attain such a fixed view of our God and firm perswasions of his Truth and Power and Goodness it will never be right with us there will be nothing but wavering and unsettledness in our Spirits and in our ways every little discouragement from within or without that meets us will be like to turn us over we shall not walk in an even course but still reeling and staggering till Faith be set whole upon its own basis the proper Foundation of it not set betwixt two upon one strong prop and another that 's rotten that 's the way to fall off partly on God and partly on creature helps and encouragements or our own strength Our only safe and happy way is in humble obedience in his own strength to follow his appointments without standing and questioning the matter and to resign the conduct of all to his wisdom and love to put the rudder of our life into his hand to steer the course of it as seems him good resting quietly on his Word of Promise for our safety Lord whither thou wilt and which way thou wilt be my guid and it sufficeth This absolute following of God and trusting him with all is markt as the true Character of Faith in Abraham going after God from his Country not knowing nor not asking whither he went secure upon his guid and so in that other greater point of offering his Son silenced all disputes about it by that mighty conclusion of Faith accounting that he was able to raise him from the dead Thus here Noah by Faith prepared the Ark did not argue and question how shall this be done and if it were how shall I get all the kinds of beasts gathered together to put into it and how shall it be ended when we are shut in No but believed firmly that it should be finisht by him and he saved by it and he was not disappointed 2. The end of this work was the saving of Noah and his Family from the general Deluge wherein all the rest perished Here it will be fit to consider the point of the preservation of the Godly in ordinary and common Caties briefly in these Positions 1. It is certain that the Children of God as they are not exempted from the common universal Calamities and Evils of this life that befal the rest of Men so not from any particular kind of them as it is appointed for them with all others once to dye so we find them not priviledged from any kind of disease or other way of death not from falling by Sword or by Pestilence or in the â—renzie of a Feaver or any kind of sudden death yea when these or such like are on a Land by way of publick Judgement the godly are not altogether exempt from them but may fall in them with others as we find Moses dying in the Wilderness with those he brought out of Egypt Now though it was for a particular failing in the Wilderness yet it evinces that there is in this nothing prejudging their priviledges nor contrary to the love of God towards them and his Covenant with them 2. The Promises made to the Godly of preservation from Common Judgments have their truth and are made good in many of them so preserv'd though they do hold not absolutely and universally for they are ever to be understood in subordination to their highest good But when they are preserved they ought to take it as a gracious accomplishment even of these promises to them which the wicked many of which do likewise escape have no right to but are preserved for after Judgment 3. It is certain that the Curse and Sting is out of all those evils incident to the godly with others in life and death which makes the main difference though to the eye of the World invisible And it may be observed that in these Common Judgements of Sword or Pestilence or other epidemick diseases a great part of those that are cut off are most of the wickedest tho the Lord may send of those
Arrows to some few of his own to call them home The full and clear distinction of the godly and wicked being reserved for their after Estate in Eternity it needs not seem strange that in many things it appear not here one thing above all others most grievous to the Child of God may take away the wonder of other things they suffer in common that is the remainders of sin in them while they are in the flesh though there is a Spirit in them above it and contrary to it which makes the difference yet sometimes the too much likeness especially in the prevailings of corruption doth confuse the matter not only to others eyes but their own 4. Though the great distinction and severing be reserved to that great and solemn day that shall clear all yet the Lord is pleased in part more remarkably at sometimes to difference his own from the ungodly in the execution of temporal Judgments and to give these as preludes of that final and full Judgment And this of Noah was one of the most eminent in that kind being the most general Judgment that ever befel the World or that shall till the last and so the liveliest figure of it it was by water as the second shall be by fire it was most congruous that it should resemble in this as the chief point saving of righteous Noah and his Family from it prefiguring the eternal Salvation of Believers as our Apostle teacheth Wherein few that is eight persons were saved by water This great point of the fewness of those that are saved in the other greater Salvation as in this I shall not now prosecute only 1. If so few then the inquiry into our selves whither we be of these few would be more diligent and followed more home than it is yet with the most of us we are wary in our trifles and only in this easily deceived yea our own deceivers in this great point Is not this folly far beyond what you usually say of some penny wise and pound fool to be wise for a moment and fools for eternity 2. You that are indeed seeking the way of life be not discouraged by your fewness it hath always been so you see here how few of the whole World and is it not better to be of the few in the Ark than of the multitude in the waters let them fret as ordinarily they do to see so few more diligent for Heaven as no doubt they did of Noah and this is it that galls them that any should have higher names and surer hopes this way what are none but such as you going to Heaven think you us all damned what can we say but there is a flood of wrath wasting many so and certainly all that are out of the Ark shall perish in it 3. This is that main truth that I would leave with you look on Jesus Christ as the Ark of whom this was a figure and believe it out of him there is nothing but certain destruction a deluge of wrath all the World over out of Christ. Oh! it is our life our only safety to be in him But these things are not believed Men think they believe them and do not Were it believed that we are under the Sentence of eternal death in our natural estate and no escape but by removing out of our selves unto Christ Oh! what thronging would there be to him whereas now he invites and calls and how few are perswaded to come to him Noah believes the Lord's word of Judgment against the World believed his Promise made to him and prepared an Ark is it not a high sign of unbelief that there being an Ark of everlasting Salvation ready prepared to our hand we will not so much as come to it Will you be perswaded certainly that the Ark Door stands open his offers are free do but come and try if he will turn you away no he will not him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out And as there is such acceptance and sure preservation in him there is as sure perishing without him trust on what you will be you of a Giants stature as many were of them to help you to climb up as they would sure do when the Flood came on to the highest Mountains and tallest Trees yet it shall overtake you make your best of your worldly advantages or good parts or civil righteousness all shall prove poor shifts from the flood of wrath which rises above all those and drowns them only the Ark of our Salvation is safe think how gladly they would have been within the Ark when they found Death without it and now it was too late how would many that now despise Christ wish to honour him one Day Men so long as they thought to be safe on the Earth would never betake them to the Ark would think it a Prison and could Men find Salvation any where else they would never come to Christ for it this is because they know not But yet be it necessity let that drive thee in and then being in him thou shalt find reason to love him for himself besides the Salvation thou hast in him 2. You that have fled into him for refuge wrong him not so far as to question your safety what though the floods of thy former guiltiness rise high thine Ark shall still be above them and the higher they rise the higher he shall rise shall have the more glory in free justifying and saving thee though thou find the remaining power of sin still within thee yet it shall not sink thine Ark there was in this Ark sin yet they were saved from the flood if thou doest believe that puts thee in Christ and he will bring thee safe through without splitting or sinking 3. As thou art bound to account thy self safe in him so to admire that love that set thee there Noah was a holy Man but whence was both his holiness and preservation while the World perisht but because he found favour or free grace as the word is in the eyes of the Lord. And no doubt he did much contemplate this being secure within when the cries of the rest drowning were about him thus think thou seeing so few saved in this blessed Ark wherein I am in comparison of the multitudes that perish in the deluge whence is this why I chosen and so many about me left why but because it pleased him But all is streight here we have no hearts nor no time for ample thoughts of this love till we be beyond time then shall we admire and praise without ceasing and without wearying Verse 21. 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. AS the Example the Apostle here makes use of is great and remarkable so its fit and sutable for the instruction of Christians this he clears in
in the World trades with Heaven and what is most precious there And as Holiness fits to Prayer so Prayer befriends Holiness increases it much nothing so regines and purifies the Soul as frequent Prayer if the often conversing with Wise Men doth so teach and advance the Soul in Wisdom what then will the converse of God This makes the Soul to despise the things of the World and in a manner makes it Divine winds up the Soul from the Earth acquainting it with delights that are infinitely sweeter The natural heart is full stuff'd with prejudices against the way of Holiness that disswade and detain it and therefore the holy Scriptures are most fitly much in this point of asserting the true advantage of it to the Soul And in removing those mistakes it has of that way Thus here and to press it the more home the Apostle used the Psalmists words and Ver. 10. c. and now follows it forth in his own the particular way of meekness and love c. But extends in the general Doctrine to all the paths of righteousness The main conclusion is that Happiness is the certain consequent and fruit of Holiness All good even outward good so far as it holds good and prejudges not a higher good If we did believe this more we should feel it more and so upon feeling and experiment believe it more strongly All the heavy judgements we feel or fear are they not the fruit of our own ways or prophaneness and pride and malice and abounding ungodliness all cry out of hard times evil days and yet who is taking the right way to better them yea who is not still helping to make them worse our selves the greatest enemies of our own peace Who looks either rightly backward reflects on his former ways or rightly forward to direct his way better that is before him either says what have I done or what ought I to do and indeed the one of these depends on the other I consider'd my ways says David turn'd them over and over as the word is and then I turn'd my feet unto thy testimonies Are there any for all the Judgements fallen on us or that threatens us returning apace with regret and hatred of sin hastening unto God and mourning and weeping as they go bedewing each step with their tears yea where that newness of Life that the word so long and now the word and the rod together are so loud calling for Who more reforming his Tongue from evil and lips from guile changing Oaths and Lyes and Calumnies into a new Language into Prayers and reverend speaking of God and joyning a sutable consonant carriage eschewing evil and doing good labouring to be fertile in Holiness to bring forth much fruit to God This were the way to see good days indeed this is the way to the longest Life the only long Life and length of Days one eternal Day as St. Augustine on these words one Day in thy Courts is better than a thousand Millia dierum desiderant Homines multum volunt hic vivere contemnant millâ—a dierum desiderent unum qui non habet ortum occasum cui non cedit hesternus quem non urget crastinus The reason added is above all exception 't is supreme the eyes of the Lord c. If he that made times and seasons and commands and formes them as he will if he can give good Days or make Men happy then the only way to it sure must be the way of his obedience to be in the constant favour of the great King and still in his gracious thoughts to have his eye and his ear if this will serve turn and if this do it not I pray you what will then the righteous Man is the only happy Man for the eyes of the Lord are upon him Surer happy Days hence than theirs that draw them from the aspect of the Stars the Eyes of the Father of Lights benignity beholding them the trine aspect of the blessed Trinity The love he carries to them draws his eye still towards them no forgetting of them nor slipping of the sit season to do them good his Mind I may say runs on that he sees how 't is with them and receives their suits gladly rejoyces to pâ—t favours upon them He is their assured friend yea he is their Father what can they want they cannot miss of any good that his love and power can help them to But his Face c. So our happiness and misery are in his Face his looks Nothing so comfortable as his favourable Face nothing so terrible again as his Face his anger as the Hebrew word is often taken that signifies his Face And yet how many sleep sound under this misery but believe it 't is a dead and a deadly sleep the Lord standing in terms of enmity with thee and yet thy Soul at case pitiful accursed ease I regard not the differences of your outward estate that 's not a thing worth the speaking of if thou be poor and base and in the Worlds eye but a wretch and with all under the hatred of God as being an impenitent hardned sinner those other things are nothing this is the top yea the total sum of thy misery or be thou beautiful or rich or noble or witty c. or all these together or what thou will but is the Face of the Lord against thee think as thou wilt thy estate is not to be envyed but lamented I cannot say much good do it thee with all thy enjoyments for 't is sure they can do thee no good and if thou doest not believe this now the Day is at hand wherein thou shalt be forc'd to believe it finding it then irrecoverably true If you will you may still follow the things of the World walk after the lusts of your own hearts neglect God and please your selves but as Solomons word is of judgement remember that the Face of the Lord is against thee and in that judgement it shall unvail it and let thee see it against thee Oh! the terriblest of all sights The Godly often do not see the Lord's favourable looks while he is eying them and the wicked usually do not see nor perceive neither will believe that his Face is against them but besides that the day of full discovery is a coming the Lord doth sometimes let both the one and the other know somewhat how he stands affected towards them in peculiar deliverances and mercies Tells his own that he forgets them not but both sees and hears them when they think he does neither after that loving and gracious manner they desire and is here meant and sometimes le ts forth glances of his bright countenance darts in a beam upon their Souls that is more worth than many Worlds And on the otherside he is pleased sometimes to make it known that his Face is against the wicked either by remarkable outward judgements which to them are the vent of
Christ in whom all our rights and evidences hold good his death assuring us of freedom from condemnation and his life and possession of glory the foundation of our hope Heb. 6. 19. If you would have it immoveable rest it there lay all this hope on him and when assaulted feteâ— all your answers for it from him for 't is Christ in you that is your hope of glory Coloss. 1. 27. Verse 16. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ. THE prosperity of fools is their destruction says Solomon none of God's Children die of this disease of too much ease he knows well how to breed them and fit them for a Kingdome he keeps them in exercise but yet so as they are not surcharg'd he not only directs them how to overcome but enables and supports them in all their conflicts and gives them victory One main thing tending to their enablement and victory is this which is here requir'd in the Saints and is withal wrought and maintained in them by the Spirit of God Having a good Conscience c. 1. Two parties here opposed in contest the evil Tongues of the ungodly and the good Conscience and Conversation of the Christian they speak evil of you and falsly accuse you but have you a good Conscience 2dly The success of their contest the good Conscience prevails and the evil-speakers are ashamed They speak evil This is a general evil in the corrupt nature of Man though in some it rises to a greater height than in others Are not Tables and Chambers and almost all Societies and meetings full of it and even they that have some dislikings of it yet readily carried with the stream and for company's sake take a share if not in sending in their word yet lending their ear and willingly hearing the detractions of others and unless it be of their friends or such as they have interest in do insensibly slide into some forc'd complacency and easily receive the impression of calumnies and defamings But the most are more active in this evil can cast in their penny to make up the shot have their taunt or criticisme upon some body in readiness to make up the feast such as most companies entertain one another withal but 't is a vile diet Satan's name as the Syriack calls him an eater of calumnies This tongue-evil hath its root in the heart a perverse constitution there pride and self-love an overweening esteem that Men naturally have of themselves mounts them into that Chair gives them a fancied authority of judging others and self-love a desire to be esteem'd and for that end spare not to depress others and load them with disgraces and missensures upon their ruins to raise themselves But this bent of the heart and tongue unrenew'd to evil speaking works and vents most in the World against those that walk most contrary to the course of the World This Furnace of the tongne is kindled from hell as St. Iames tells us and is made seven times hotter than ordinary As for sincere Christians a Company of hypocrites say they who so godly but yet they are false and malicious and proud c. And no kind of carriage in them shall escape there shall be some device to wrest and misname it if they be cheerful in Society that shall be accounted more liberty than suits with their profession if of a graver sad temper that shall pass for sullen severity thus Iohn Baptist and Christ Matth. 11. If they be diligent and wary in their affairs then in the World's construction they are as covetous and worldly as any if careless and remiss in them then silly wiâ—less bodies good for nothing still somthing stands cross The Enemies of Religion have not any where so quick an Eye as in observing the ways of such as seek after God my remarkers David calls them they that scan my ways as the word is will not let piss the least step unexamined If nothing be found faulty then their invention works either forges compleat falshoods or disguises somthing that lyes open to mistake or if they can catch hold on any real failing no end of their triumph and insultations 1. They aggravate and raise it to the highest 2. While they will not admit to be judged of themselves by their constant walk they scruple not to judge of the condition of a Christian by any one particular action wherein he doth or seems at least to miscarry 3. They rest not there but make one failing of one Christian the reproach of all take up your Devoto's there 's never a one of them the better 4. Nor rest they there but make personal failings of those that profess it the disgrace of Religion it self Now all these are very crooked Rules and gross injustice 1. There is a great difference betwixt a thing taken favourably and the same action misconstrued 2. A great difference betwixt one particular act and a mans estate or inward frame which they either consider not or willingly or maliciously neglect 3. How large is the difference that there is betwixt one and another in the measure of Grace and of their prudence either in their Naturals or in Grace or possibly in both that some who are honest in matter of Religion yet being very weak may miscarry in such things as other Christians come seldome near the hazard of and though some should wholly forsake the way of Godliness wherein they seem'd to walk yet why should that reflect upon such as are real and steadfast in it they were amongst us sayes the Apostle but were not of us Offences of this kind must be but the woe rests on him by whom they come not on other Christians and if it spread further than the party offending 't is to the prophane World that take offence at Religion because of him as our Saviour hath express'd it Woe to the World because of offences they shall stumble and fall and break their necks upon these stumbling blocks or scandals Thou that art prophane and seest the failing of a Minister or Christian and art hardened by it this is a Judgment to thee that thou meetest with such a block in thy Way Woe to the World Its judgement on a place where God makes Religion in the Persons of some to be scandalous 4. Religion it self remains still it self whatsoever be the failings and blots of one or more that profess it it is pure and spotless if it teach not Holiness and Meekness and Humility and all good purely then except against it but if it be a streight golden Reâ—d by which the Temple is measured then let it have its own esteem both of streightness and preciousness whatsoever unevenness be found in those that profess to receive it Suspect and search your sâ—lves even in general for this evil of evil-speaking Consider that we are to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and walking And without this good Conscience and Conversation we cut our selves short of other Apologies for Religion whatsoever we say for it one unchristian action will disgrace it more than we can repair by the largest and best framed Speeches on its behalf Let those therefore that have given their names to Christ honour him and their holy profession most this way speak for him as occasion requires why not providing with meekness and fear as our Apostle hath taught but let this be the main defence of Religion live like it and commend it so Thus all should do that are called Christians adorn that holy Profession with holy Conversation but the most are nothing else but spots and bloâ—s some wallowing in the mire and provoking one another to uncleanâ—ess Oh! the unchristian Life of Christians an Evil to be much lamented more than all the Troubles we sustain But these indâ—ed do thus deny Christ and declare that they are not his So many as have any realiâ—y of Christ in you be so much the more holy the more wicked the rest are strive to make it up and to honour that name which they disgrace and if they will reproach you because ye walk not with them and cast the mire of false reproaches on you take no notice but go on your way it will dry and easily rub off be not troubled with misjudgings shame them out of it by your blamless and holy carriage that will do most to put lies out of countenance however if they continue impudent the day is at hand wherein all the Enemies of Christ shall be all cloathed over and covered with shame and they that have kept a good Conscience and walked in Christ shall lift up their faces with joy 2dly There is an intrinsecal good in this goodness of Conscience that sweetens all sufferings as follows Verse 17. 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing then for evil-doing A Necessity of suffering in any way wherein ye can walk if ye chuse the way of wickedness you shall not escape suffering so And that suppos'd this is by far the better to suffer in well-doing and for it than to suffer either for doing evil or simply to suffer in that way as the Words run 1. The way of the ungodly not exempt for suffering even in present setting aside the judgement and wrath to come often from the hands of men whether justly or unjustly and often from the immediate hand of God always just both in that and the other causing the Sinner to ear of the Fruit of his own ways When prophane ungodly men offer violences and wrongs one to another in this God is just against both in that wherein they themselves are both unjust they are both rebellious against him and so though they intend not his quarrel he means it himself sets them to lash one another As the wicked profess their combined enmity against the Children of God yet they are not always at peace amongst themselves They often revile and desame each other so 't is held up on both sides whereas the godly cannot hold them game in that being like their Lord who when he was reviled reviled not again Besides although the ungodly flourish at sometimes yet they have their days of suffering are subject to the common miseries of the life of Man and the common calamities of evil times the Sword and Pestilence and such like publick judgements Now in what kind soever it be that they suffer they are at a great disadvantage compared with the godly in their sufferings Here impure Consciences may lie sleeping while they are at ease themselves but when any great trouble comes and shakes them then readily the Conscience begins to awake and busle and proves more grievous to them than all that comes on them from without When they remember their despising the ways of God neglecting him and holy things whence they are convinc'd how that comfort might be reapt in these days of distress this cuts and galls them most looking back at their licentious prophane ways each of them strikes to the heart As the Apostle calls sin the sting of death so is it of all sufferings and the Sting that strikes deepest into the very Soul no stripes like those that are secretly given by an accusing Conscience A sad condition to have from thence the greatest anguish where the most comfort should be expected to have thickest darkness whence they should look for most light Men that have evil Consciences love not to be with them are not much with themselves as St. Augustine compares them to such as have shrew'd Wives love not to be at home but yet outward distress sets a Man inward as foul weather drives him home and there where he should find comfort he is met with such accusations as are like a continual dropping as Solomon speaks of a contentious Woman It is a most wretched estate to live under sufferings or afflictions of any kind and a stranger to God then a Man hath God and his Conscience against him that should be his solace in times of distress being knocked off from the comforts of the World whereon he rested and having no Provision of spiritual comfort within nor expectation from above But the Children of God in their sufferings especially such as are for God can retire themselves inwards and rejoyce in the testimony of a good Conscience yea the Possession of Christ dwelling within them All the trouble that befalls them is but as the ratling of Hail upon the Tiles of the House to a man that is sitting within a warm Room at a rich Banquet such is a good Conscience a Feast yea a continual Feast The Believer looks on his Christ and in him reads his deliverance from condemnation and that is a strong Comfort a Cordial that keeps him from fainting in the greatest distresses The Conscience gives this testimony that sin is forgiven raises the Soul above inward sufferings Tell the Christian of loss of Goods or Liberty or Friends or Life he answers all with this Christ is mine and my sin is pardoned That 's enough for me What would I not have suffered to have been delivered from the wrath of God if any suffering of mine in this World could have done that now that is done to my hand All other sufferings are light they are light and but for a moment one thought of Eternity drowns the whole time the World's endurance which is but as one instant or twinkling of an eye betwixt eternity before and eternity after how much less is any short life and a small part that is spent in sufferings though it were all sufferings without interruption which yet it is not when I look forward to the Crown all vanishes and I think it less than nothing Now these things the good Conscience speaks to the Christian in his sufferings therefore certainly his choice is best that provides it
fruitful 2. By this Spirit it s said here he preacht not only did he so in the Days of his abode on Earth but in all times both before and after never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light which he dispenced himself and conveyed by the hands of his Servants therefore it s said he preacht that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into Heaven no nor for times before he descended to the Earth in humane flesh though he preached not then nor does now in his flesh yet by his Spirit he then preacht and still doth so according to what was chief in him he was still present with his Church and preaching in it and is so to the end of the World This his infinite Spirit being every where yet 't is said here by it he went and preached signifying the remarkable clearness of his Administration that way as when he appears eminently in any work of his own or taking notice of our works God is said to come down so to those Cities Gen. 11. Let us go down So Exod. 3. 8. Thus here so clearly did he admonish them by Noah coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his Mind to them And this word I conceive is the rather used to shew what equality there is in this He came indeed visibly and dwelt amongst Men when he became flesh yet before that he visited by his Spirit he went by that and preached And so in after times himself being ascended and not having come visibly in his flesh to all but to the Jews only yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles as the great Apostle says of him in this expression Eph. 2. 17. He came and preached to you which were asar off and this he continues to do in the ministry of his word and therefore says he he that despiseth you despiseth me c. Were this considered it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit yea he comes and preaches addresses himself particularly to you in it could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord that brings unto you so great Salvation that came once in so wonderful a way to work that Salvation for us in his flesh and is still coming to offer it unto us by his Spirit does himself preach to us tells us what he undertook on our behalf and how he hath performed all and now nothing rests but that we receive him and believe on him and all is ours But alas from the most the return is that we have here disobedience Sometimes disobedient Two things in the hearers by which they are charactared their present condition in the time the Apostle was speaking of them and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them this latter went first in time and was the cause of the other Therefore of it first If you look to their visible subordinate Preacher a holy Man and an able and diligent Preacher of righteousness both in his Doctrine and in the tract of his life which is the powerfullest preaching it seems strange that he prevailed so little But much more if we look higher this hight as the Apostle points to us to look to that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preacht to them and yet they were disobedient The word is they were not perswaded and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience and that very fitly unbelief being in it self the grand disobedience the mind not yielding to Divine Truth and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action And this root of bitterness this unbelief is deep â—aâ—â—ened in our natural hearts and without a change in them a taking them to pieces they cannot be good it is as a Tree firm rooted cannot be pluckt up without loosening the ground round about it and this accursed root brings forth fruit unto death because the Word is not believed the threats of the Law and promises of the Gospel therefore Men cleave unto their sins and speak peace unto themselves while they are under the Curse It may seâ—m very strange that the Gospel is so fruitless amongst us yea that neither word nor rod both preaching aloud to us the Doctrine of Humiliation and Repentance yet perswades any Man to return or so much to turn inward and question himself to say what have I done But thus it will be till the Spirit be poured from on high to open and soften hearts It is to be desired as much wanting in the Ministery of the Word but were it there that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the Heart meeting the Word and making the impressions of it there for here we find the Spirit went and preacht and yet the Spirits of the Hearers still unbelieving and disobedient it s a combined work of this Spirit in the Preacher and Hearers that makes it successful otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear there must be something within as one said in a like case To the Spirits in Prison That 's now their Posture and because he speaks of them as in that Posture he calls them Spirits for it s their Spirits that are in that Prison As likewise calls them Spirits that the Spirit of Christ preacht to because it is indeed that that the preaching of the Word aims at it hath to do with the Spirits of Men is not content to be at their ear with a sound but works on their Minds and Spirits some way either to believe and receive or to be hardened and sealed up to Judgement by it which is for Rebels If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word the prison follows on that disobedâ—ence and that Word which they would not be bound by to obedience binds them over to that Prison whence they shall never escape nor be released for ever Take notice of it and know that you are warned you will not receive Salvation offering pressing it self upon you You are every day in that way of disobedience hastening to this perpetual Imprisonment Consider you now sit and hear this Word so did these that are here spoken of they had their time on Earth and much patience used towards them and though not to be swept away by a flood of Waters yet daily carried on by the flood of â—imes 90 Psal. and mortality And how soon you shall be on the other side set into Eternity you know not I beseech you be yet wise hearken to the offers yet made you for in his name I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ and Salvation in him to all that will let go their sins to lay hold on him Oh! do not destroy your selves you are in Prison he proclaims you Liberty Christ is still following
us himself with treaties Christ proclaims your liberty and will you not accept of it think though you are pleased with your present Thraldom and Prison it reserves you if you come not forth to this other Prison that shall not please you these chains of spiritual darkness in which you are unless ye be freed will deliver you up to the chains of everlasting darkness wherein these hopeless Prisoners are kept to the Judgement of the Great day But if you will receive Jesus Christ presently upon that Life and Liberty and Blessedness is made yours If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed When once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah There are two main continuing wonders in the World the bounty of God and disloyalty of Man and the succession of times is no other but new additions of these two One grand example is here set before us an Oecumenical Example as large as the whole World much patience and yet invincible disobedience Here two things in the instance The Lord 's general dealing with the World of the Ungodly at that time 2. His peculiar way with his own chosen Noah and his Family He waited patiently for all the rest but he effectually saved them Obs. 1. The time designed thus in the days of Noah Many great and powerful Persons in these days that overtopt Noah no doubt in outward respects as in their stature the proud Giants and they begot Children mighty men of old men of renown as the Text hath it And yet as themselves perisht in the Flood their Names are drown'd They had their big Thoughts certainly that their Houses and their Names should continue as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 49. And yet they are sunk in perpetual Oblivion And Noah's Name who walkt in humble obedience you see in these most precious Records of God's own Book still looks fresh and smells sweet and hath this honour that the very Age of the World is markt with this Name to be known by it in the days of Noah That which prophane ambitious Persons do idolatrously seek after they are often remarkably disappointed of would have their names memorable and famous yet they rot they are either buried with them or remembred with disgrace and rotting above Ground as Carcases un-innterr'd and so are the more noisom as little credit to them to be mentioned as for Pilate that his name is in the Confession of Faith But the name and remembrance of the righteous is still sweet and delightful as the name of Abraham the Father of the Faithful and of Isaac and Iacob their names is embalmed indeed that they cannot rot embalm'd with God's own Name Eternal that name wrapt about theirs the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Thus Noah here mentioned as preferr'd of God and so in the Second Epistle as a Preacher of Righteousness and Heb. 11. among these worthies whose honour is that they believed this is only a name a small thing not be mentioned in comparison of their other Priviledges and especially of that venerable Life and Glory which they are Heirs to and indeed it is a thing they regard very little yet this we see that even this advantage follows them and flies from the vain ungodly that hunt and persue it The Lord 's dealing with the wicked in those times before he swept them away by the Deluge is in these two 1. Long suffering and withal clear warning long suffering Exod. 34. long forbearing to be angry as the Hebrew Word is in his Name which supposes a great provocation and the continuance of it and yet patience continuing and in this appears the goodness of God considering how hateful sin is to him and how powerful he is to punish it were it if it pleased him in one moment to cut off all the Ungodly high and low throughout the whole World yet he bears and forbears to punish Oh! what a World of sin every day in Nations in Cities and Villages yea in Families that he doth not strike with present Judgement and not only forbears to punish but multiplies his common mercies on them Sun and Rain and fruitful Seasons Yea there is so much of this that it falls under a gross misconstruction yet he bears that too Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil Because there is not so much as a word of it for the time so the word is this greatens and fills the heart of Man and makes it big to do evil And not only is the Lord 's long suffering mistaken by the Ungodly but even by his own that should understand him better and know the true â—ense of his ways yet sometimes they are misâ—ed in this point beholding his forbearance of punishing the workers of iniquity instead of magnifying his patience they fall very near into questioning his Justice and Providence Psal. 13. Ier. 12. Iob. 21. c. Our narrow hasty spirits left to their own measures take not in these larger views that would satisfie us in the ways of God and forget the immense largeness of his wise designs his deep reach from one Age to another yea from eternity to eternity consider not how easily he can right himself in point of Justice when he will that none can make escape from him how loose soever their guard seem and how great liberty soever appears in their present condition 2. That as he can most easily so he will most seasonably be known in executing Judgement and that his Justice shall shine the brighter by all that patience he hath used by the Sun of Prosperity 3. We think not how little that time is to him that seems long to us to whom a thousand years are as one day a long time of the Churches distress and their Enemies Triumph in these seventy years of the Babylonish Captivity and yet in God's Language a moment a small moment However in the closure the Lord always clears himself he is indeed long suffering and patient but the impenitent abusers of his patience pay interest for all the time of their forbearance in the weight of Judgement when it comes upon them But thus we see the Lord deals thus he dealt with the World in the beginning when all flesh had corrupted their way yet sayeth he their days shall be one hundred and twenty yeaâ—s Let us leaâ—n to curb and cool our brisk humours towards even sâ—ubborn finners be grieved at their sin it s our duty but think it not strange nor fret at it that they continue to abuse the long suffering of God and yet that he continues ever abused by suffering them zeal is good but as it springs from love if it be right so it s requiâ—ed by love and carries the impressions of that love to God and so a complacency in his way liking it because it 's his and love to men
further advisement hast thou not served sin long enough may not the time past in that service serve is it not too much wouldest thou only live unto God as little time as may be and think the dregs of thy life good enough for him what ingratitude and gross folly is this yea though thou wert sure of coming in to him and being accepted yet if thou knowest him in any measure thou wouldest not think it a priviledge to defer it but willingly chuse to be free from the World and thy Lusts to be forthwithal his and wouldest with David make hast and not delay to keep his righteous Iudgments all the time thou livest without him what a filthy wretched life is it if life it can be called that is without him to live to sin is to live still in a dungeon but to live to the will of God is to walk in liberty and light to walk by light unto light by the beginnings of it to the fullness of it that is in his presence Verses 4 5. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead GRace until it reach home and end in glory is still in conflict a restless party within and without the whole World against it it is a stranger here and is accounted and used so they think it strange that you run not with them and they speak evil of you these wondring thoughts they vent in reproaching words In these two verses we have these three things 1. The Christians opposite course to the World 2. Their opposite thoughts and speeches of this course 3. The supream and final Judgement of both 1. The opposite course in that They run to excesses of riot 2. You run not with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riâ—t or luxury though all natural Men are not in the grossest kind guilty of this yet they are all of them some way truly riotous or luxurious lavishing away themselves and their days upon the poor perishing delights of sin each according to his own palate and humour as all persons tâ—at are riotous in the common sense of it gluttons or drunkards do not love the same kind of meats or drink but have several relishes and appetites yet agree in the nature of the sin so the notion enlarged after that same manner to the different custome of corrupt nature takes in all the ways of sin some glutting in and continually drunk with pleasures and carnal enjoyments others with the cares of this life which our Saviour reckons with surfeiting and drunkenness as being a kind of it and surcharging the heart as they do as there he expresses it take hâ—ed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life Whatsoever it is that draws away the heart from God that how plausible soever doth debauch and destroy us we spend and undo our selves upon it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies making havock of all And the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profusion and dissolute lavishing pouring out the affections upon vanity it is scattered and defiled as water spilt on the ground that cannot be cleansed nor gathered up again and it passes all our skill and strength indeed to recover and recollect our hearts for God only he can do it for himself he that made it can gather it and cleanse it and â—ake it new and unite it to himself Oh! what a scatter'd broken unstable thing is the carnal heart till it be changed falling in love with every gay folly it meets withal and running out to rest profusely upon things like its vain self that suit and agree with it and serve its Lusts can dream and muse upon these long enough any thing that â—eeds the earthliness or pride of it can be prodigal of hours and let â—ut floods of thoughts where a little is too much but bounded and pincht where all are too little hath not one fixed thought in a whole day to spare for God And truly this runniâ—g out of the heart is a continual drunkeness and madness is not capable of reason will not be stopt in its current by any perswasion it is mad upon its Idols as the Prophet speaks You may as well speak to a River in its course and bid it stay as speak to an impenitent sinner in the course of his iniquity and all the other means you can use is but as the putting of your finger to a rapid stream to stay it but there is a hand can both stop and turn the most impetuous torrent of the Heart be it even of a King that will least endure any other controulment Now as the ungodly World naturally moves to this profusion with a strong and swift motion runs to it so it runs together to it and that makes the current both the stronger and swifter as a number of Brooks falling into one main Channel make a mighty stream and every man naturally is in his birth and the course of his liâ—e just as a Brook that of it self is carried to that stream of sin that is in the World and then falling into it is carried rapidly along with it And if every sinner taken a part be so inconvertible by all created Power how much more harder a task is a publick Reformation and turning a Land from its course of wickedness all that is set to dam up their way doth at the best but stay them a little and they swell and rise and run over with a noise more violently than if they had not been stopt thus we find outward restraints prove and the very publick Judgements of God on us may have made a little interruption but upon the abatement of them the course of sin in all kinds seems to be now more fierce as it were to regain the time lost in that constrain'd forbearance so that we see the need of much prayer to intreat his powerful hand that can turn the course of Iordan that he would work not a temporary but an abiding change of the course of this Land and cause many Souls to look upon Jesus Christ and flow into him as the word is Ps. 34 5. This is their course but you run not with them The Godly a small and weak company and yet run counter to the grand Torrent of the World just against them and there is a Spirit within them whence that their contrary motion flows and a Spirit strong enough to maintain it in them against all the crowd and combinâ—d course of the ungodly 1 Joh. 4. 4. greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World as Lot in Sodom his righteous Soul not carried with them but vexed with their ungodly doings There is to a Believer the Example of Christ to set against the Example of the World and the