with the Laver of brinish tears and lamenting sorrow yet had not infinite Mercy come in to his help how had he been foyled under the same wherefore admire God's Mercy but presume not upon the same for any allowance to sin for he hath said Rom. 9.15 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy Esau found no place of Repentance although he sought it carefully with tears Heb. 12. Therefore of Sin in time beware If you 'd prevent an after care But Secondly All ye that have begun in the spirit and set your faces Sion-wards O be very cautious and take great heed and be very watchful against sin because as it is of a defiling nature so is it also of a depriving nature Sin in God's people many times deprives them of many comfortable enjoyments which otherwise they might happily enjoy Sin depriveth Angels of their Heaven Man of his Paradice Israel of his Canaan and many a poor soul of the manifestation of God's favour both in temporal and spiritual enjoyments as is evidenced by the word of the Lord in many Testimonies whereof let us consider one testimony Jer. 2.2 Thus saith the Lord concerning Israel I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown Israel was Holiness to the Lord and the first-fruits of his increase all that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. In which words the Lord puts them in mind of their former kindness and love unto him and their walking with him in that their former state then Israel was holiness unto the Lord and yet in the next verses the Lord is taking up this complaint against them What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity and become vain and in chap. 5. he saith Your sins have with-holden good things from you From which words we may note four particulars First That God's people are very apt to decline from their first degree of holiness obtained in their first Illuminations and Experiences of God They were holiness to the Lord in their first Espousals but now become vain and gone from God the Church of Ephesus was eminent for God but now fallen from her first love Rev. 2. Secondly Note that the people of God are usually most holy and walk most close with God when they have but little of these outward things to depend upon When thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sown then Israel was Holiness to the Lord. Thirdly Note that the more close God's people keep to him in the way of Holiness the sooner shall their Adversaries in their enterprises be defeated All that devour him shall offend evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. Fourthly Note that God's people declining the way of Holiness deprive themselves of comforts very great and not their Enemies but themselves do oft thereby defeat Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the Enemy shall pursue him But Thirdly by way of Caution As God's people are greatly concerned to take heed and be very cautious of medling with sin because it is of a defiling nature and also of a depriving nature so is it also of a destroying nature Sin suffered in the Creature and not washed out by true Repentance and rich Mercy as aforesaid and especially when entertained with delight O how will it not only stain our Ornaments of Grace and Holiness but also eat up and destroy by degrees like the Moth in the Garment and the Worm in the Nut the very life marrow and quintescence of Christianity or power of Godliness even that love zeal reality and sincerity of heart with all those gifts and spiritual endowments and enjoyments formerly attained until there be nothing left but an out-side form of Godliness if that so that the Creature becometh as to spiritual performances and acts of grace in the life and power thereof but like unto a man whose soul is departing or departed little left but an out-side Carkass and if a little yet but weak in motion as the Holy Ghost doth seem to testify concerning the Estate of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 2. I know thy works saith the Lord Thou hast a name that thou livest but art dead be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to dye Whence observe here was only a name that is to say an out-side form or shew of Godliness but as for the power of Godliness the very marrow and quintescence of Christianity that was as it were even at the last gasp in a dead or a dying condition and this seemeth to be the state of most in that Church excepting a few names saith the Lord that have not defiled their Garments from whence we are given to understand that the main ground and reason that the life and power of Godliness were thus destroyed in them was their want of watchfulness against sin but suffering it to grow and increase in them either by omision of duties required or committing sins forbidden or both they being allowed and continued without a true Repentance to a Reformation To this doth the Estate of the Churches of Ephesus and Laodicea witness as also many other presidents in holy Scripture the which to run over so large a field my present time and occasions will not permit wherefore let us be very cautious how we meddle with it but watch against it take heed and be ware of it and the occasions thereof whether they be sins of Omission or Commission all sins are of a destructive nature and especially sins against Knowledge and Grace received being allowed and approved of or winked and connived at How plentifully doth the Scripture set forth the destructive nature of sin and particularly those Grandees Infidelity Hypocrisy Heresy Drunkenness and Gluttony prophane Swearing and Blasphemy Whoredom and Adultery Coveteousness and Idolatry Pride Presumption and Oppression and the like The which sins are with many other not only destructive to soul and body gifts and graces but also unto Families and Church-fellowships Cityes and Countrys Kings and Kingdoms as the Scriptures do plentifully evince as saith the Lord by Samuel chap. 12.25 But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both you and your King in which words are intimated as to Israel so to us that if a people do live in such a wicked vicious life as highly to provoke God's Justice against them that then God would consume them with such Judgments as they nor their King should be able to withstand Whence note by the way that men of a wicked vicious Conversation thereby endeavour ruine to their King Nation concerned therefore is the Kings Authority for to suppress such wickedness and grand impiety Secondly Note by the way that men in whom is civil honesty and Godly sincerity are the best Subjects
for whose sake many times the tranquility of a City or Nation is prolonged wherefore all ye that have any respect unto your Native Country King and Kingdom or unto your own souls and yet are solacing your selves in wicked vicious ways let Daniels Counsel find acceptation with you To break off your Sins by Righteousness and your Iniquities by shewing Mercy to the Poor if it may be a lengthening of your own tranquility and of your Country King and Kingdom Dan. 4.27 And all ye that are Descipled to Christ and by confession of Faith and Baptisme have joyned your selves into a Congregational way of Church-communion to live to Christ and to walk with him in all his holy appointments contained in his word remember Christ's Counsel by way of caution to you Take heed saith he unto your selves that your hearts be not overcharged with Surfeting and Drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole Earth Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man Luk. 21.34 35 36. O consider the Caution is a piece of Divine Counsel take heed therefore And as Surfetting and Drunkenness is become a part of the abounding sins of this Age and Nation and many temptations and opportunities thereunto are presented and many evils thereby doth ensue take heed therefore watch and pray against the temptations occasions and evils thereof and consider that as Drunkenness dismables and makes a man unmeet for divine Contemplations and Religious Services so also the immoderate cares of this life makes persons unfit and unmeet for the same and also unmeet for the enjoyments of glory Therefore take heed and beware watch and pray against the same also consider what dishonour it is to God what reproach to religious profession what grief to the spirit and spiritual persons and wounds to your own Souls attend thereupon Take heed therefore watch and pray always that ye may escape these things once again consider that unto you that are Christians by profession these sins are sins against divine Love Light and Knowledge received sins against rich grace sins of a deep defilement sins against Covenant-mercies and obligations which if after we have escaped such corruptions through divine Illuminations and Experiences of God in Heavenly concernments and shall again therewith be entangled and brought in bondage may not the last state be worse then the first Therefore take heed watch and pray that ye may be able to withstand all temptations and to stand before the Son of man If our first Parents Adam and Eve in their estate of Innocency did by yielding unto one temptation against the known Law of God so corrupt themselves and Posterity as to stain and pollute their Ornaments of Holiness and Righteousness and thereby disable themselves to withstand many other temptations without a divine assistance how do we know but we by yielding unto one temptation to transgress allowingly the Law of God known unto us may thereby disable our selves to withstand Satan in many other of his wiles one sin may give advantage to another and therefore take heed watch and pray for divine assistance that ye fall not in temptation and as we are to take heed of viciousness of life so also of corruptness of judgment in the points of Faith by false Doctrines which are likewise some of Satans baits and subtil wiles wherewith he lyeth in wait to deceive take heed therefore watch and pray against the same try before ye trust and prove them by the word of Christ before ye imbrace If any bring not the Doctrin of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him Godspeed for he that bideth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds As saith Saint John in his second Epistle vers 9 10 11. Take heed saith Christ our Saviour for many shall come in my name and shall deceive many Take heed therefore watch and pray that ye may obtain a firm Faith in Christ and a well-grounded judgment in his Counsel contained in his Word his Testimonies Commands and Promises to the enabling of you to live therein and according thereunto to the perfecting holiness in the fear of God Plentiful is the Scripture of Cautions upon this account whereunto I shall refer you and proceed unto a further prosecution of this Use by way of Caution considering that omission of Duties required is sin of dangerous consequence as well as actual transgression Take heed and beware of neglect of duty and particularly the omission of action in the Word of God and Prayer The Word or Doctrin of Christ is somtimes called the word of Faith because it is the ordinary means in the ministration of it to beget Faith and to nourish Faith and to compleat Faith in a Soul towards Jesus Christ It is somtimes said to be the power of God to Salvation unto every one that believeth because the tendancy use and efficacy of it is to the directing leading and nourishing of Souls up to the attainments of Salvation by Jesus Christ And as it is the requirement of God that the Sons and Daughters of men should harken diligently unto his Word in the ministrations of it and to meditate therein and to apply it and improve it to the glory of his Name and to their attainments unto holiness and happiness so it becomes a duty incumbent upon us to be active therein Therefore take heed and beware of neglect in this great duty and our omission thereof become our great sin and the Word that we have omitted become a witness against us to our Condemnation And let those that through grace have received ministerial gifts and imployed in the work of the Ministery take heed of omitting willingly or carelesly what the Lord requires at their hands in order to their feeding of the Flock of God take heed therefore of omitting but watch and pray for opportunities to the work and for divine assistance in the work that ye stain not your Ornaments of Holiness by the sin of Omission And in the duty of Prayer take heed of Omission lest it become sin unto us God forbid saith Samuel that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 God's People are required to pray for an increase of Labourers in the work of the Ministery and for an increase of gifts and qualifications sutable to the work in those that are already imployed And if Paul did stand in need of and required the Prayers of God's People who was extraordinarily gifted how much more ordinary gifted-Ministers Paul required the Prayers of the Christians in order to his preservation from the hands of wicked and unreasonable men And herein Christians ought to be active at the Throne of grace in behalf of Gospel-Ministers now and especially when the storms of
and conforming to him and herein God is just and the justifier of them that believe on Jesus Fifthly Believing and conforming to Christ is the product of the spirit The which power of believing and act of conforming was by the Father fore-appointed from Eternity to be produced by or the product of the spirit which through its operation upon the heart or inward man should enable the Sons and Daughters of men at least Some of them to believe on his Son and conform to him and thereby be made meet to glorifie God and enjoy his glory therefore is this believing and conforming in Scripture called a New Birth and the sanctification of the Spirit because wrought by the spirit somtimes extraordinarily by inspiration or more ordinarily in and by the Word and Ministry thereof The works of sanctification or New Birth by the Spirit enlightening the understanding quickening the apprehension informing the judgment rectifying the will renewing the mind regulating the affections and perswading the heart to take Christ to trust in Christ to relye upon Christ to obey Christ and to suffer for Christ It qualifies the heart with love to God and joy in God and zeal for God with patience to wait upon God with humility in its walking with God with sincerity in the worship of God sobriety in life temperancy in the use of the Creatures with kindness to the Brethren and a peaceable disposition and charitableness towards all men together with an hatred and loathing of sin but a love to and delight in all the ways of Righteousness Sixthly The Lord Jesus Christ in his working out the Redemption of man in order to the decrees and fore-appointments of the Father did take upon him the humane Nature by a Conception in the Womb of a Virgin through the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost as saith the Scriptures And in the Womb of the Virgin Mary was he nourished for the time and after the manner of Women and became both God and Man that the same nature that had sinned being assisted with the Divine might make restitution unto justification of life and so God be just and the justifier of them that believe on Jesus Seaventhly He taketh upon him the Execution of three offices imposed upon him by the Father as King Priest and Prophet And in the Execution thereof he doth accomplish and compleat the Redemption of man-kind unto justification of life according to the eternal purpose and fore-appointment of the Father Eighthly He invadeth the Kingdom of darkness and encountered the Prince thereof the Divel that captivated man-kind and brought them under his dominion and by his two-edged sword the word of God he obtained Victory and spoyled the Principalities and Powers of the dominion thereof Ninethly Effects of Christs obedience to the Law He answered the Law by a perfect obedience thereunto whereby he brought in perfect Righteousness unto life whereby he became the end of the Law for Righteousness to Believers as they stand by faith in him and whereby believers are wholly freed from the Accusations Curse and Condemnation of the Law Tenthly The effects of Christs Priestly Office He answereth divine justice in his sufferings upon the Cross for mans transgression to a full satisfaction whereby Believers through saith in Christ are wholly acquitted as from the accusations of the Law so from the Executions of Divine Justice and brought into an estate of peace reconciliation and acceptance with the Father Eleaventhly He obtaineth a Conquest over Death and the Grave Christs Victories are the Saints Triumph but the Wickeds Woe those great Captivaters of man-kind by the power of his Resurrection whereby Death and the Grave are become subject to him to deliver up their Captives at his command which is a Priviledge to the Faithful but a Woe to the Ungodly Twelfthly He Ascended to the right hand of power into the glory of the Father Christ the Saints Prophet in his exaltation where he further executeth the aforesaid Offices as a Prophet he openeth the sealed book the misteries of the Kingdom and the great salvation that the Father from Eternity hath placed in him for all that by faith subject to him instructing and teaching the knowledge thereof Thirteenth Christs Priesthood a priviledg to his Saints for ever Christ further executeth his Priestly Office also now in the days of his exaltation by presenting the performances of his Subjects unto the Father in the golden censor of his own Merits making intercession for them unto the Fathers gracious acceptation and to the encouragement comfort and consolation of his Servants walking in his holy order of government contained in the Gospel Fourteenth Christ is in execution of his Kingly Office whose Laws Subjects are his Kingdom As Christ did invade the Kingdom of darkness and overcame the Principalities and Powers thereof that held fallen man in Captivity thereby Se he as a King is now in the execution of his Kingly Office in these days of his exaltation as is demonstrated not only by his ordination but also first in his giving forth his Laws Ordinances and Righteous order of Government with commands of obedience thereunto Secondly By defending and upholding his said Laws and Government against all opposers Thirdly By his sending and gifting his Embassadors with propositions of Pardon Peace Reconciliation and Protection unto the Sons and Daughters of men upon their receiving of him and conforming to him his Supremacy Crown and Dignity by subjection to his Laws and Government accordingly that man might become Servants to him in subjection to his Laws and be brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory according to the Fathers fore-determination from Eternity Fifteenth It is the order and design of Christ in the dispensation of the Gospel to gather Believers into Congregational Assemblies otherwise called Churches for the better accomplishing the fore-determined decrees and purposes of the Father that is that man might the better glorifie God and be edified and made meet for glory Sixteenth It is the way and order of Christ that Believers actively constitute imbody or congregate themselves into Church Assemblies by a personal confession of Faith and Baptisme answering the institution and order of Christ their supreme Head and King Seaventeenth It is the order of Christ and the liberty and priviledge of Christian Congregation so gathered so constituted as aforesaid to elect their Church-Officers men approved for gifts and qualifications sutable to the rule of truth as near as they can and to ordain them into Office by a solemn ordination of fasting prayer and laying on of hands of the Eldership for the better promoting of the interest of divine worship and that order of government that Christ hath left unto his Church upon Gospel-record and for converting of the unconverted and perfecting of the Saints in the Knowledge Faith and Obedience of Christ their King Eighteenth 1 Cor. 9.11 12 13
in this ensuing Treatise the Filthiness of Sin and the Excellency of Holiness the Covering of a Sinner and the Ornament of a Saint Nothing makes a Wicked man so much like the Devil as Sin nor nothing makes a Saint so much resemble Christ as doth Grace and Holiness Grace makes man more man yea more than a man but Sin un-mans man yea makes him worse than a Beast Sin is the Brat and Spawn of the Devil but Grace is the Seed and Off spring of Christ God loaths nothing so much as Sin yet wicked men love nothing better Gods great design and labour is to destroy Sin but man resolves to keep and cherish it O what a Rebel is man to God! Sin is the greatest Thief and Deceiver in the World for every one has more or less been cheated thereby yet the most of men are greedy to entertain the Cheater Nothing is such an Enemy to man as Sin yet but few men will make War against it Sin seeks to destroy the soul yet some men will rather dye then leave their Sin O what blindness and madness is in the heart of man Sin separates man from God and hides his face from him yet man resolves to hug and hide his Sin That must needs be the greatest evil that deprives man of the â—reatest good and exposes man to the â—reatest misery He that makes a â—â—ock at Sin now will change his Note when the Sentence shall be proâ—ounced Go ye Cursed If Sin be â—o odious and Grace so excellent what â—ause have we to take up a lamentation â—hat their should be so much of the one â—nd so little of the other in the world â—hat sin should be so countenanced and â—ncouraged and Grace and Holiness so â—uch slighted and contemned Never was there greater need to â—tand up against Sin and contend â—or Holiness then in such days as these â—â— Loosness and Licensciousness This â—orthy Authour has cast in his Mite in seasonable time there are abunâ—ance of Professors but too too few â—hat strive after the power of Godliness Many strive to Preach well and Disâ—ute well but few to Live well I â—are not say a man who is of a false Reâ—igion cannot be saved yet I will â—ay he that walks not holily and uprightly with God cannot though externally doth profess the truth This Book Reader whosoever thâ— art may with-Gods blessing proâ—â— of great advantage to thee for here seasonable Councel for Saints and Sâ—â—ners both for the Professor and Pâ—â—phane First Art thou a Sinner I meâ—â— one not truly converted one that hâ—â— not as yet put on the Ornament Holiness then read the latter paâ—â— wherein thou maist clearly perceiâ—â— what a Cursed and Miserable state thâ— art in whilst thou dost remain uncâ—â—verted May-be thou art one thâ— makes a mock at Religion and Convâ—â—sion for alas there are some miserâ—ble Wretches that stick not to contâ—â—dict and revile the very Word of Goâ— so ripe are they grown in Sin aâ— Wickedness What Sinner soever tâ— art let me mind thee with these two three things 1. Consider thou hast an immorâ—â— soul that is of a precious worth and vâ—lue and that this soul thou art in danger to loose to all Eternity 2. Consider the shortness and uncertainty of thy days how soon thou maist be cut off and remember if thou dyest in thy Sins having no interest in Christ thou art undone and damned for evermore there is no Repentance after death let not the Devil tell thee that thou shalt dye like a Beast and have no Resurrection 3. Consider what Gods Word says Unless ye Repent ye shall all likewise Perish Luk. 13.5 And a man must be born again or else cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3.3 and without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. 4. Consider with thy self to what end God has given a Law or Light in thy Conscience and know assuredly that if thou dost go on in Sin minding not these inward reprovings of Conscience that it will rise up against thee and Condemn thee in the dreadful day Conscience truly enlightened doth judge for God I may say before hand and pass judgment too and men may in part know how it is like to go with them hereafter if they did but mind the Testimony of their Consciences for if Conscience judges condemns thee by the light of Gods Word you have cause to tremble at those Reprovings and to flye to the Lord Jesus Christ for he is I may say Gods Vice-roy and doth whilst rightly informed judge for his Soveraign in Truth and Righteousness The Lord help thee to consider these things before Repentance be hid from thy eyes 5. Consider if thou wouldest put on the comely or becoming Ornament of Christ and Holiness then thou must put off thy filthy garments of Sin and Corruption before thou canst put on the New man thou must put off the Old And as to you that are called Saints one word further let me say since I have this opportunity in my hand take heed you rest not contented with the name of Saints the form of Godliness without the power will do you no good in the day of Christ 2. Remember the foolish Virgins were shut out 't is not enough to be Virgins unless you and I have Oyle in our Vessels O labour for Grace you know not what times of need are at hand he that has the most will have none to spare and some will seek it too late 3. Remember and think upon the man that had not on the Wedding Garment Know assuredly that none will be made welcome and lovingly entertained by the Bridegroom but those only that have that excellent Garment on of Christs Righteousness Holiness and Humility and how many will the day of Christ find unprovided notwithstanding the time and space which God doth afford us to make ready O look upon it as your chief work and business to dress trim and make your selves ready for at a time you think not of the Son of man cometh and that the labours of our Brother in the ensuing Treatise may be blessed to your advantage upon this very account shall be the Prayers of him who is willing to serve you in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as strength shall be Communicated Benja Keach THE CHVRCHES GLORY OR THE Becoming Ornament Being a Seasonable Word tending to the Provoking of Holiness in Believers raised from Psal 93.5 Holiness becometh thine House O Lord for ever CHAP. I. Wherein the words are Opened and Explicated SEveral things are in these words very considerable for our Christian Edification First by way of Division Secondly by way of Explication Thirdly by way of Doctrine Fourthly by way of Application First By way of Division First we have in the words a subject bearing the Denomination of an House Secondly the person to whom the right of Propriety doth belong And that is the Lord Thine House O Lord. Thirdly we have the Ornaments of the
to inform us by his Spirit to enable us his Angels to secure us and by his Son to Crown our weak performances with his own perfections to his gracious acceptation He hath made us accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Thus having briefly presented three general grounds comprehending many particulars for encouragement to the Christian soul that in love and loyalty to the Lord entereth a design for holy attainments As first The warrantableness of the design God manifesting his approbation of it by his command thereunto Seconddly God's promise of assistance Thirdly His faithfulness in performing of his Promise I shall only present a fourth ground of encouragement which is as followeth A fourth ground of encouragement in this design is The sure reward that is annexed by promise unto those souls that in the way of God do manage a design for the attainment of a holy state unto such souls there is a sure reward as saith the Spirit of God by Solomon The Wicked worketh a deceitful work but to him that soweth Righteousness is a sure reward Prov. 11.18 This Reward is sometimes in Scripture called the Reward of Inheritance as in Col. 3.24 Whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of Inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ also this Inheritance is said to be an Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9.15 and an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 Sometimes it is called a Kingdom as in Matth. 25.34 and in Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 Sometimes in Scripture this Inheritance or Kingdom is called Eternal Life as in Joh. 10.28 My Sheep hear my Voyce and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand See further Matth. 25.46 Rom. 6.23 Quest But where is this Inheritance or Kingdom saith the enquiring soul that I may behold it Answ The Apostle Peter tells us It is reserved in the Heavens for you that are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Note it s by the power of God that ye are kept thereunto the power of God in the operation of his Word and efficacy of his Spirit working in and by the Word therefore love the Word delight therein hold it fast it s the power of God unto Salvation unto every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 Note also it s through faith therefore look well to your faith make not shiprack of faith but keep up faith in its due exercise for ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation The Servants of God of old did behold the promised Inheritance by faith to their great comfort and encouragement as saith the Authour to the Hebrews chap. 11. These all dyed in faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth Moses by faith beheld this recompence of reward and in respect thereunto he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward Quest But when will it be that this promised Inheritance and Reward shall be possessed by the Believer pressing after holiness many have been in the expectation of such a thing indeed but since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.4 Answ The Apostle Peter affirmeth That the Lord is not slack as some men count slackness but is long suffering to usâ— ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 It may be that God hath some people yet to Convert and to add unto his Church that his coming is prolonged But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness It is enough for us that we have the word of promise made out and confirmed to us by the Eternal and Infinite God to exercise our faith and hope upon and it is our duty to wait upon him in faith and patience for the performance of the same unto us in his time It is his own free gift not our deserts and that he will at last accomplish it to any soul it is infinite mercy to be admired The spirit of God hath signified unto us that it will be performed at the second coming of Christ personally as in Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory whereunto agreeth the words of Paul to the Thessalonians chap. 4.16 17 18. which words are these For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayr and so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words and in chap. 5. Comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do vers 11. Whence Note by the way that it is the duty of Christians and the property of souls espoused to Christ so to apply and improve the promise of Christ's second personal coming as to make it a ground of comfort and encouragement one to another of edification in and the observation of all his holy appointments perseveringly Our Saviour Jesus Christ a little before his sufferings being conversant with his Disciples and fore-seeing the sorrow and trouble that would attend them after his departure he for their better support encouragement and comfort under the same leaveth them this Cordial to feed upon Let not your hearts be troubled saith he ye believe in God believe also in me in my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Joh. 14.1 2 3. The Lord hath furnished the holy Scriptures with plenty of provision of this nature as if his faithful Servants were likely to have great need of encouragements support and comfort after his departure by reason of the many
blood to justifie us his precious word to direct us his precious promises to comfort us and many precious calls for to invite us with precious arguments to perswade us and precious cords of love in all to draw poor Sinners to himself and now a precious door of hope is opened to us but so it will not always be thy present time is a precious time the present means of the Gospel is a precious means given for precious ends as to reduce poor Sinners to their primitive state in Righteousness and true Holiness in true peace and happiness with God in glory in order thereunto we in time shall find that time 's best spended that 's spent in that kind Then let not this thy precious time be spent I' th Horseleach-Daughters their Broods content But by improvement of the precious means Endeavour thou thy heart of them to cleanse By often drinking of those livings springs That flows from him who is the King of Kings 'T is water of life with love compounded sure 'T will heal thy wounds and thy distempers cure But thy work is great thy time is but small Time's best improved in time of Gods call FOR When our time is over and opportunities cease We may lye in sorrow hopeless of release See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days are evil Motive the Nineth A nineth Motive to move us to improve the said means against the aforesaid distempers may be the consideration of that loss we shall sustain unto our selves if our hearts be not cured of the said distempers as the loss of our Union and Communion with God the Father and Christ and the Spirit and the Holy Angels and Saints in the Kingdom of glory with all the felicities thereof to all Eternity O what a sad loss will it be unto us how shall we befool our selves for yealding our selves and services unto the supremacy of these Task-masters these insatiable greedy worms always crying give give When we shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all those that have been faithful to Christs supremacy accepted into the Kingdom and we our selves thrust out with that dreadful Sentence Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels where the Worm never dyeth and the fire is never quenched O sad Estate with sorrows intollerable and miseries endless Motive the Tenth or a Use of encouragement To go oft to the aforesaid springs and by an act of Faith improve the means thereof to the destroying of these lusts of Corruption out of our hearts is the consideration that they are not only our Enemies but they are also Gods Enemies as much as in them lyeth opposing him in the effecting of his eternal purpose and determined Counsel in bringing man to glorifie his name and to enjoy his glory and they are Antichristian against Christ and his supremacy and against the holy Spirit in its work of Illumination and Sanctification And therefore God gives special commands unto us to improve the Means and Counsel that he affords us in order to the destruction of them all and not to suffer one of them to live in our hearts unsubdued Therefore God in giving to us both Means and Counsel thereunto doth call upon us for to mortifie your inordinate affections crucifie the world deny self put off the old man with his deeds cleanse your selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God circumcising the fore-skin of your hearts the Lord lays many special injunctions upon us wherefore we may not let one live for they are Gods Enemies The Amalakites being Enemies to God God giveth command to King Saul utterly to destroy them old and young sparing none But Saul in sparing Agag the King lost both Gods favour and his Kingdom for his disobedience therein God hath given us the Commands and Testimonies of his Mind and Will that we should destroy these Amalakitish Lusts his Enemies and subdue them out of our hearts and not to let one of them to live and he hath given us means thereunto And may he not nay will he not deal as severely with us if we willingly spare any although never so dear unto us the dangerous consequence thereof considered David by suffering one Lust to live in his heart to Vriahs Wife it brought him to the guilt of Murder and Adultery to the great dishonour of God and the wounding of his soul with the sence of sin and Gods displeasure for the same to the loss of his strength of assurance and weakening his evidences of Salvation the which caused him to drink many a bitter cup of affliction with many a deep sigh and sob and sad complaint with tears and fears of being cut off in the want of his assurance which made him cry out in the bitterness of his soul in the sence of his loss O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Psal 39.13 One Dalilah having gained the heart of strong Sampson through her continual crying Give Give did soon surprise him and bring down his strength so as not to be able to resist his Enemies So one Lust suffered alive in the heart through its continual crying give give may soon surprise us and weaken our strength of faith and hope and comfortable evidences and assurances in Gods favour so as we may become weak as another man as not to be able to resist the assaults of many other Lusts in the temptations thereof Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed Jam. 1.14 Motive the Eleaventh Or A Use of encouragement to move us to a diligent use and improvement of the said means to the cleansing of our hearts of these greedy worms may be the consideration of that choyce and requirement that God hath made of the heart God requireth the heart as a Treasury to himself to be for himself as his Treasury or Store-house to lay in the Divine Treasures of his holy word his graces and gifts of grace and divine qualifications for his own pleasure and delight and for to enable his Creature to bring forth fruits to the praise and glory of his name and to edifie and comfort others as faith the Lord These words which I Command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them thy Children and talk of them in thy house Deut. 6.6 And saith the Lord Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your hearts and in your souls c. Deut. 11.18 The heart is a Treasury for Gods Love Rom. 5.5 and for the peace of God Col. 3.15 and for the spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 Yea all the Laws of God and graces and gifts of grace comprehended in the new Evangelical Covenant in Christ God the Father hath chosen the heart to wright them in and as his Treasury to place them there Jer. 31.33