thy Law 4. In evil times when a man is made an offender for a rash and inconsiderat word Isa 29.21 then preserve thy self by silence except thou have a call from God to speak Psal 39 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me Amos 5.13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time for it is an evil time And pray often to God to set a watch before thy mouth not to suffer thy heart to comply with the workers of iniquity and that the Lord would preserve thee from being taken with their worldly baits and allurements Psal 141.3 4. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips encline not my heart to any evil thing to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity and let me not eat of their dainties 5. In evil times of wrath and imminent judgement by reason of impiety and iniquity abounding in the land draw near to God by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not desired before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lords anger come upon you Be humble and tremble in time at the threatning of wrath that ye may have rest in your souls in the day when the cup is poured forth Hab. 3.16 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble when he cometh up unto the people he will invade them with his troops They who tremble not in the time of a threatned judgement yet when the judgement is poured forth even these who were stout-hearted sinners in the day of wrath poured forth they become like Pashur Magor-missabib fear round about When thou hast repented of thy sins which together with the sins of others have provoked the Lord to great wrath then flee by faith in to the mercy of God manifested in Jesus Christ who is the only Ark of Propitiation Heb. 11.7 Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his soul When the evil day of wrath is come and the judgement is incumbent then humble your selves under the mighty hand of God 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land 2 Chron. 30.8 Now be ye not stiff-necked as your fathers were but yeeld your selves unto the Lord and enter into his sanctuary which he hath sanctâ—fied for ever and serve the Lord your God that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you Thus Rehoboam and the Princes did humble themselves and the Lord gave them some deliverance 2 Chron. 12.6 7. 6. That thou may not faint in evil times wherein sin persecution and misery do abound guard thy heart with the hope of that eternal rest when thou shalt rest from all thy labours 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not c. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Which is purchased to us by the merits of the sufferings of Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be everlasting praise honour and glory for now and ever Amen The Believer his Prospect through the dark Valley of Death SERMON VII 2 COR. 5.1 2. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven THe Particle For points at the connexion of these words with the last verse of the preceeding Chapter wherein the Apostle gave the reason of his not fainting under all the pressures and afflictions he suffered in the body because he looked not so much by present sense to the things he suffered here as by faith and hope he looked to things eternal in heaven to wit unto an eternal rest and an immortal Crown of Glory which not seen by sense yet he believed was reserved for him in heaven Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And the light afflictions in this present life are not to be compared with these eternal things not seen nor perceived by sense Rom. 8.18 What these eternal things are the Apostle describes in part in the two first verses of this Chapter even an immortal and glorified body in the day of the resurrection therefore he faints not but hath Christian courage in all the pain and shame he suffereth at the hand of men now in his frail and mortal body for we know saith he although our earthly house of the tabernacle of the body shall be dissolved when all the pins and joynts will be dissolved yet we have a building of God and we look for an house even a glorified body not of mans making and giving though our frail body be framed in the womb by the Lord yet the glorified body is of the Lords making and giving in a more special manner because in the day of our resurrection he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 It is an house eternal and well situat in the heavens where it will not be subject to storms and tempests as it is in this life my assured knowledge saith he of that future happy condition stirreth up in my soul an earnest desire and longing to remove out of the body that I may be clothed upon with glory in my soul after death and with immortal glory both in soul and body at the day of resurrection By earthly house here is meant our body called an house of clay Job 4.19 because the body of the first Adam of whom by propagation we have our bodies was formed out of the red earth from which man was called Adam it is underpropped for a time by meat drink sleep and sometimes by medicine to fill up the breaches and to repair the decayes of this house of clay which in end will fall down to the dust of the earth It is called a tabernacle because the soul dwells in the body for a time as the Ark did reside in the Tabernacle built for
for their spiritual advantage By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Isa 27.9 Dan. 12.10 They shall be made white c. And many times he orders their afflictions to the good of others who are confirmed in the way of truth and righteousness from the example of their patience in suffering for the truth Phil. 1.12 The dispersing of some Christians in that persecution against Stephen was in the wisdom and power of God ordered for the in gathering of many people in Samaria unto the Christian faith Acts 8. Observ 2. As the gifts and graces of the Spirit were poured forth upon Christ in great variety so they were permanent and abiding in him without any change and without remitting of their vigour and exercise upon all occasions the Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him The Spirit which descended from Heaven like a Dove did abide upon him Joh. 1.32 The extraordinary gift of revealing things secret by the light of Prophesie was not at all times permanent in the Prophets 2 King 4.27 As light within the house occasioned by lightning in the air is transient and not permanent so neither was the gift of miracles or healing the sick alwayes permanent in our Lords Disciples Mark 9.18 Yea Paul left his beloved Trophimus sick at Miletum 2 Tim. 4.20 But our blessed Lord healed all whom and when he pleased It is true the sanctifying graces in the Elect are alwayes permanent Joh. 4.14 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God They are permanent in respect of the root of the seed and of the habit but not in respect of the fruit and exercise but the graces of Christ were ever flourishing and fruitful Graces in the godly have decays and changes even Abraham the father of the faithful had a fit of diffidence when in his fear he dissembled twice to wit in Gerar and in Egypt but our blessed Lord his confidence was permanent in the hour of temptation for he witnessed a good confession even to the last before Pontius Pilat Moses was a meek man yet was surprised with a fit of bitterness at Meribah but our blessed Lord was meek at all times for his scourging out the profaners of the Temple Joh. 2. was not a fit of passion and perturbation but an heroick act of holy zeal proceeding from judgement and deliberation because it was written His Fathers house should be the house of prayer The habits of grace in Christ were full and perfect whereas it is said Luke 2.52 He increased in wisdom We grant he increast in wisdom and in knowledge experimental he learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 as a Physician who hath an habitual gift of healing such and such a disease may grow in his experience although his knowledge of healing groweth not in the habit It is a growth extensive in respect of divers objects toward which it is extended but it is not intensive in respect of the habit it self The graces of Christ were permanent in their fulness and not more remiss at one time and more intense at another because the absolute fulness of grace in his Humane Nature so far as it could be capable being a sequel of the personal union did exclude all intensive growth It is true there were different degrees in the manifestations and expressions of his graces at one time more than at another Christ his dying for us was an higher expression of his love to lost man than was his suffering of poverty hunger c. yet all the expressions of his love to the elect did proceed from love in his heart equally intense at all times More of his patience was manifested in his agony and bloody sweat than in his suffering of reproaches and buffettings His love and devotion toward God was full at all times and did not admit of degrees whereas it is said Luke 22.44 he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly and therefore it might appear he was more servent in his devotion and religious affection at one time than at another I answer 1. Some render it prolixius he prayed longer which did proceed from a deeper impression of his sufferings upon his spirit but his love and devotion toward God was still equally intense in his soul For even in godly men short ejaculations at one time and prayers longer at another time may proceed from devotion in the heart equal at both times 2. Though he prayed more earnestly yet this earnestness was not in respect of his devotion toward God unto whom he prayed whom Christ as man loved fully and perfectly at all times but this greater earnestness was in respect of the great and inexpressible sufferings against which he prayed being in an agony and under the sense of greater inward pains than any he had felt formerly This manner of expression will not infer any intenseness of his devotion and love to God but only that there was an intenseness of pain and agony in his spirit from what he suffered and against which he prayed yet alwayes with submission to the will of the Father Vse In all our intermittings of the exercise of grace or in the remittings of degrees in gracious actings we should go to Christ on whom the Spirit rested as in time of drought when waters fail we go to the fountain because the dearest children of God are subject to decay of grace in respect of degrees and to intermission in the exercise of grace through their own sluggishness in prayer they have sometime a great freedom and out-flowing of the Spirit Job 32.13 At another time they are so bound up and overwhelmed with griefs and fears that they cannot speak to God Ps 77.4 At one time their faith and confidence is very strong Ps 27.10 but at another time very weak Ps 31.22 At one time they have a soft heart and abundance of tears Ps 6.7 but at another time their heart like Nabal is dead and stupid and their eyes are dry as was in David for some time till the Prophet Nathan did awake him At one time they have great joy and comfort Ps 23.4 but at another time especially after relapses into sins against the light of their own conscience they have much heaviness and suppression of spirit Ps 51.8 At one time they have great zeal as David dancing before the Ark and at another time they are much damped and disheartned in the course of Godliness by reason of some cross dispensation in their course as David was in bringing up the Ark when he saw the breach made upon Vzza 2 Sam. 6.8 9. Quest What is the cause of such intermiting and remitting of the exercise and degrees of grace in the godly Ans The causes are especially 1. Pride and conceit of our own ability to improve the habit and stock of grace
comes by looking upon sore eyes so infection taketh hold upon many from their beholding the evil example of others for thou art more ready to comply with their corruption then they are to follow any grace or virtue that is in thee thou hath corruption dwelling in thy mortal body which is ready to correspond with them and to concurr in their works of darkness but they have not grace in them to correspond with thee in gracious dispositions or actions 2. Through their evil company thou may be in danger of a temporal judgment as was good Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 18.31 Yea not only in danger but also involved in the same common calamity with them as was righteous Lot Gen. 14.12 3. By thy intimat fellowship with prophane men thou doth great prejudice to thine own good name and reputation for others seeing or hearing of thy fellowship with them cannot but think thou art like unto them as birds of one feather flocking together but thou shouldest consider that next to a good Conscience a good Name is to be sought and preserved Prov. 22.1 a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favour rather than silver and gold Silver and gold may be lost and recovered again but a good name once lost is not easily recovered it will cost a man more pains and labour to recover it then it would cost him to have preserved it It is compared to precious oyntment Eccles 7.1 A good name is better than precious oyntment It is more precious and fragrant than oyntment yet evil company is as a flee in the oyntment spoils it and makes it unsavoury 4. It is the will of God thou shouldest abstain not only from the substance of evil but also from the circumstances and appearances of evil 1 Thess 5.22 abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Joh. 5.21 keep your selves from idols Not only from the act but also from the object of idolatry therefore the Lord would not have the people of Israel plant a grove of any trees near unto the Altar of the Lord Deut. 16.21 lest it being too nigh the people might creep into the groves and there sin against the Lord for it becometh Christians to walk circumspectly even before the world a chaste and honest conversation becometh well the Spouse of Christ Cesar said it became Cesars Wife not only to be honest in deed but also to be free from all occasion of suspition how much more doth it well become all espoused to Christ to walk humbly with God and without offence before men 5. The man who without a call doth frequent evil company provokes God to leave him and to give him over unto the evil counsels and temptations of such evil company therefore godly men though never so resolute yet should they not without a call from God as Joseph and Daniel had for their being in Egypt and Babylon cast themselves into the snare of evil company no man nearest to danger by his own free option is long safe no wise Mariner in time of calm should cast anchor hard by a rock for he knoweth not how soon the storm may arise and dash the Vâ—ssel against the rock It was the wisdom of chaste Joseph not to abide privatly in one and the same room with that shameless woman Gen. 39.10 Vse 2. For exhortation to frequent most the company of such as fear the Lord because 1. their good example and instruction may be unto thee a restraint from evil doing as good Jehoiadah was to Jehoash for a long time 2 King 12.2 2. It may hold off a judgement temporal even from wicked men if there had been but ten righteous persons in Sodom it had been spared for their sakes yea Gen. 19.22 the Angel said he could bring no judgement upon it untill Lot was first gone out of it 3. The company of the godly through Gods blessing may do much good unto thee by their good example and counsel Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise This may be clearly seen in the godly servants of Abraham and Cornelius the Centurion Gen. 24. Act 10.7 by their religious speech and dialect ye may easily discern they have been bred in the company of these who feared God yet sometimes it may be otherwayes contrary to the good example and instructions of the Masters of the families for in Davids company there was an Achithophel in Elisha's a Gehazi and even in Christs own company the Traitor Judas The second evidence of a real change and of true conversion is a willing submission to the Word of God in the ministry of his weak Servants subjected to the like passions as we our selves are a little child shall lead them these that are led by another have first life within them So men are first quickened by the life of faith through the Word by the Spirit and thereafter they are easily led by the Ministers of Jesus Christ unto duties revealed by God in the holy Word Joh. 10.27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me By the Spirit of God working effectually with the Word they are first made sheep and thereafter they follow him in the way of obedience to his counsel and direction Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you because the Word of God by the Spirit puts a stamp and impression upon their spirits as the printing-iron doth upon the paper that a man may see therein the very letter of the Type it self this is signified in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this submission in believers is by the assent of faith in their minds to the Word as the infallible truth of the God of truth and by love in our hearts to it as the good and righteous Word of God which is able to save the soul of the believers 1 Thes 2.13 Ye received the Word of God not as the word of men but as the Word of God And withall there is an honest purpose of heart to obey the direction of the Word in practical duties Luk. 8.15 That seed on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the Word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Rom. 16.19 Your obedience is come abroad unto all men Vse 1. For conviction and reproof of many visible Professors who by their willful disobedience and rejecting the counsel of the divine truth declare themselves in effect not yet truly changed and converted from what they were formerly some flatly reject the Word as these Jews Jer. 44.16 others speak fair but prove indeed like the young fair-spoken son Mat. 21.31 He said I go Sir and went not How many in time of sad affliction confess their sins and profess a purpose of amendment as Pharaoh did Exod. 9.27 28. but all these professions and appearing resolutions are like the morning
overstretching our selves to do more than we have a calling from God to do as Peter did in smiting with the sword without a warrand from Christ and we must circumspectly shun the other extremity in omitting the duty of confessing the truth when we are called thereto by God it was the sin of these fair professors Joh. 12.42 they did not confess Christ for fear to be put out of the Synagogue 2. We would shun circumspectly all negligence and carelesness to do good works Gal. 6.10 As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Tit. 3.8 This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works because every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 and we would walk circumspectly shunning the other extreme in confiding into our own good works for justification and salvation because if God enter into judgement with man none living shall be justified in his fight by their own works which are very far short of that exact righteousness required in the law Psal 143.2 Yea Abraham Father of the faithful was not justified by his good works for if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God Rom. 4.2 3. We should walk circumspectly in using the things of this present world not refusing the good things offered to us by the good providence of God whether riches liberty or preferment to a more free and plentiful condition of life 1 Cor. 7.21 But if thou mayest be made free use it rather And we should walk circumspectly in shunning the other extreme by abusing the good things of this present world to pride riot or vain confidence 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 4. We should walk circumspectly with holy men in this world not following them absolutly in all things for even the best of meer men has their own failings they are compared to the cloud in the wilderness that had a light side and a dark side we must not put darkness for light nor light for darkness but should follow holy men with this limitation in so far as they are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 We should follow Peter in his free confession before the Council Acts 4. but not in his denial in the high Priests hall 5. We should walk circumspectly with wicked men that we be not enticed to sin by their evil counsel or example Prov. 1.10 When sinners entise thee consent thou not We would walk circumspectly in forbearing to speak any thing in their presence that may strengthen them in their sinful courses or may be a snare to our selves in giving occasion to them to procure our hurt from these who will make a man an offender for an inconsiderat word Psal 39.1 I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me 6. We should walk circumspectly shunning all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.22 Neither doing evil nor evil like for by the appearance of evil-doing we grieve the stronger Christians and stumble the weaker we do wrong and prejudice to our own good name which being preserved entire is better then precious Oyntment Eccles 7.1 but being spoiled by the scandalous appearance of evil doing it becomes unsavory to others as Oyntment corrupted by a dead flee Joseph walked circumspectly not onely he hearkned not to that shameless woman but also would not abide in the same secret room with her Gen. 39.10 Paul was very circumspect in shunning all appearance of mal-versation and unfaithful dealing in the matter of publick collections 2 Cor. 8.20 Avoiding this that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administred by us 7. There should be a circumspect walking in shunning all occasions and provocations to sin especially familiarity with profane and riotous men Prov. 4.14 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men Prov. 20.25 With a furious man thou shalt not go lest thou learn his wayes and get a snare to thy soul For evil company corrupteth good manners can a man touch pitch and not be defiled therewith can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burnt Prov. 23.20 Several sins have their own several occasions and provocations but evil company is a magazine of evil occasions and provocations for all sins 8. We should walk circumspectly in abstaining from lesser sins because such being neglected and not noticed are oft-times inlets to greater sins what is said of one sin is true of all Prov. 17.14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Peter went rashly into the place of temptation without a call and thereafter denied first and in end cursed if he knew the Lord Jesus Christ it is not a superstitious and unnecessar but commendable preciseness to abstain from lesser sins 9. This circumspect walking is in an abstaining from every thing that would provoke our predominant sin old sores are soon and easily rankled therefore we would carefully keep aloof from it as David did Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity And we would shun also all occasions that are apt to induce us into sin as the occasions of superstition and idolatry in the matter of Gods worship The Lord God forbad the people of Israel to plant a grove nigh unto the Altar of God Deut. 16.21 lest possibly in respect of the nearness people should step aside from the Altar and true worship of God into a place or mannor of false worship The causes of uncircumspectness in our walking are 1. Want of knowledge and ignorance as men for want of light to discover dangers in the way cannot walk circumspectly Joh. 12.35 He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth Through want of knowledge the Jews walked in a way of cruelty against our blessed Lord and the Ephesians through the ignorance that was in them gave themselves over unto laciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4.19 2. The impetuous and vehement desires even in the godly and orthodox hath made them in their eagerness of opposition to one errour through an immoderate desire of counterpoising which Basil calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk uncircumspectly toward another extremity of errour some ancient Fathers in their great zeal to oppose Manicheism in asserting a fatal necessity of all humane actions did incline too much to Pelagianism and the extolling of the liberty of mans free will above the sphere of its activity as gardeners do bend a crooked branch too much sometimes to the other