the part of Physician not of a Judg he burneth us cutteth us puts us to pain but not to do us hurt not to satisfy Vengeance but to better our Hearts Hic ure hic seca Domine modo parcas in aeternum Our Afflictions are troublesome to the Flesh as Punishments are we cannot expect full Security or total Exemption from them Again they come not by chance Affliction doth not spring out of the Dust but they come by special Dispensation as Punishments also they do not come by chance Sin is for the most part the occasion of them God chasteneth them because they have sinned as we quench a Brand plucked out of the Burning or he warneth them that they may not sin again The Chastisements of the Godly serve for Examples as well as the Punishments of the Wicked But they are not properly Judicial Acts to satisfy the Law as a Judg taketh no notice of the Repentance of the Delinquent but of his Fault They are Acts of Love and a part of God's Family-Discipline Brambles are not pruned but Vines Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Bastards are leftto live more at large Again they are for the exercise of Grace not for the destruction of our Persons A Judg doth not punish Offenders because he loveth them but because the Law requireth it If Corrections were Punishments wicked Men should have the greatest share Heb. 12.10 He chasteneth us for our Profit that we might be Partakers of his Holiness A Judg looketh to the Good of the Common-wealth to keep Authority and the Majesty of Government not the Benefit of the Malefactor 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World The Godly are punished here that they may not be condemned hereafter The Scripture every-where maketh it a part of our Blessedness Iames 1.12 Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are Dispensations of Love Answ. 2. For Death This was the primary Effect of Sin yet it remaineth Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die But the Curse of the Law is become a Blessing of the Gospel Death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death c. all are yours Adam might have lived here happily for ever but Christ hath provided a better place for us there is a deep Gulf which cannot be passed but by Death our present Earthly Nature is not fit for that happy State 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption If Christ could have contented himself with giving us an Earthly Paradise Death had not been necessary That State in the Garden was an innocent and happy but an Earthly State These Bodies of ours that need Meat and Sleep would have sufficed for the Earthly Garden but we expect a greater Benefit and therefore we must be contented with the Way and Passage Sense and Reason telleth us that these Bodies which we now carry up and down are not fit for that State we must lay what we received from Adam in the Grave that when it is purged and renewed we may be like to Christ. The Grain liveth not except it die the Shed and old House is pulled down that God may raise a more glorious Structure If all Believers should be wrap'd up into Heaven and changed Miracles would be multiplied without need It is no Punishment to lose our Corruption and Mortality 3. The next Proposition is this That the fairest part of this Redemption is hereafter then our Happiness in Christ is perfect Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Then we are past Gun-shot and out of Harm's way We are fully redeemed from the Guilt of Sin when there is no Monument of God's Displeasure left We must be like our Head in all Conditions We are not fully freed from the Relicks of Sin till the Resurrection that we may have new Matter to glorify God when we come to Heaven Old Adam is not quite abolished till God be all in all Secondly He hath delivered us from the Power of Sin He paid the Price on the Cross therefore it is said Rom. 6.6 Our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin When Christ lay a dying Sin lay a dying and bled with him on the Cross then was Grace purchased and therefore Faith should look upon Sin as dead and actually crucified it is done in the Mystery And then he ascended and poured out the Spirit now to accomplish this Work God is satisfied and Christ's Work lieth now with Satan and our own Hearts 1. For Satan He is dispossessed and cast out at Conversion Luk. 11.21 22. When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in Safety But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils Then Christ taketh away the Prey The Devil may trouble us but he is but a Tyrant cast out he can no more reign And by preserving Grace he keepeth possession Christ will not lose Ground when once he hath got Footing Rom. 16.20 The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly As Ioshua called unto his Companions chap. 10.24 Come near put your Feet upon the Necks of these Kings 2. As for our own Hearts He breaketh the Yoke and sets the Will at Liberty and maketh us free for God Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked ye were the Servants of Sin but ye have obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered to you It was a willing Bondage but now we are made a willing People then our Consent was voluntary now our Resignation is so too There are indeed some Relicks of Corruption and Opposition left there are inward Monuments of the Fall as well as outward as there are some grudgings of a Disease after a Cure but in Heaven all is perfect and even now there is not a willing Subjection but a Resistance made to Sin Vse 1. To exhort us to Thankfulness to our Redeemer Remember your former Bondage it is a woful Captivity to be under Sin Those that are under Sin are under the Curse of the Law and the Tyranny of the Devil we could have no boldness with God as a Father nor look him in the Face the Law is against us God is the Judg Satan the Jaylor our own Consciences an under-Keeper Our Fears of Death
Christ. 2. The Earnestness and Fervour of his coming He came running This Noble-man seemed to forget and neglect the dignity of his Condition he doth not walk in state but when Christ was gone out of the house where he was before lest he should miss of him he runs after him this shews his zeal and forwardness to meet with Christ and to put this Question to him He had an earnest desire to conferr with Christ and is not ashamed even then to run after him when Christ was a despised Person When David danced before the Ark and Michal scoffed at him as if it argued Lightness 2 Sam. 6.16 he said If this be to be vile I will be more vile It was disgraceful in that Age for this Ruler to come to Christ much more to run after him Nicodemus a Man of his Rank was convinced yet he durst not publickly own Christ but came to him by Night so as least to be taken notice of but this Man runs after him in the High-way and sets all other respects aside that he might seek a Salve for the Sore which run upon him so great and earnest was his desire to have his Conscience satisfied What must I do to inherit Eternal Life 3. Consider his Humility and Reverence to Christ He kneeled to him in token of civil Honour and Reverence to him as an eminent Prophet and Teacher he was not perswaded as we that profess our selves Christians are of the God-head of Christ only he took him for some great Prophet and a Man of God therefore he cometh and tendreth his Petition kneeling One would think all this Respect and fair meaning might be without any fault and that he had a very good Heart a man that should come and run and kneel to Christ and beg him to answer this Question 4. There is his Compellation Good Master He came not treacherously to entrap Christ as the Lawyer that asked the same Question but not with the same intent Luke 10.25 Behold a certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him saying Master what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life This Man came not to tempt Christ but to learn of him out of a good Intention and Purpose and with a Mind and Affection in some degree sincere The Man had some good Qualities for it is said Iesus loved him he had moral Sincerity for he did not dissemble but he came not with a supernatural Sincerity for there was a reservation in his Heart as appears by the sequel his Resolution to follow Christ was not absolute thô he esteems him and makes fair offers to him We have seen the first part namely what was commendable a Young man a Rich man a Noble-man he comes with such Earnestness with such a Question to Christ with such a Desire to be satisfied with an Intention sincere II. But where was his Defect By all that hath been said a Man would think that all this while I have been describing some rare Saint Such is his Zeal and Forwardness after spiritual and heavenly Knowledge and such is our Coldness and Carelesness about everlasting Concernments that we should easily think surely this is enough and wonder God should require any thing more and to go further than this Man 1. His Fault was that he asked in the Pharisees sence What good thing he should doe That will appear by Christs Answer in the process of the Story If the Question had bin only By what Means must I be saved Or What is the way to Heaven Christ would have answer'd him as the Apostles did in a like case Acts 16.31 Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved If the Question had been put to him in a broken-hearted Manner and by one that was sensible of his Misery and Inability and had come to Christ and said What shall I do He would have taught him Now the Pharisees Errour was double He thought that men might be saved by their own Works and that those Works were in their own Power He thought of nothing else but of being saved by the Merit of his own Works that those were full out weight with God and did deserve Eternal Life as the Iews elsewhere Rom. 9.31 32. Israel which follow'd after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the law They were ignorant of the Law and of themselves ignorant of the Law and therefore sought Justification by the Works of the Law and not by Faith and ignorant of themselves and therefore presumed of their own Strength as if they were able to do whatever good was prescribed to them As the Iews said to Christ Iohn 6.28 What shall we do that we might work the works of God They were confident of their own Merit and Strength Here was his Fault that he was as other Iews were both Ignorant of the Law and Ignorant of himself Of the Law that there is no standing before God by that Covenant and of himself that he had full strength to perform it Men by Nature retain so deep an Impression of the Covenant of Works and are Ignorant of the Perfection of the Law and their own Impotency that they know no way of attaining Eternal Life but by their own Works and doubt not but they shall do well enough if Christ will tell them their Duty they will do it In short this young man was conceited of a Righteousness as in himself and from himself and if Christ had answered him according to that humour he had done no more good upon him than if a Physician should say to a lame man Run and you shall be cured And therefore Christs Business was to bring him to a Brokenness of Heart by the Knowledge of the Law of himself and his own weakness as you shall see afterwards 2. His next Fault was his Love of Riches and worldly things which is a dangerous Obstruction and a Let to Salvation Fair Intentions and good Offers profit not where any one thing is loved more than God where the World is not overcome and the fleshly Mind and Interest is not mortified For we must not confine it only to Riches but Pleasure and Honour or any such thing For when Christ had taught them that he was Lord and Soveraign and could give Laws he gives him a Law to try him Sell what thou hast and give to the Poor and come take up the Cross and follow me he went away sorrowful Unless every Affection and Interest of ours be laid at the feet of Christ we are not throughly converted to him From this Story consider Whoever believes must determine God is his chiefest Good and Jesus Christ is the only way to God there must be an intention of God as the last End and a choice of Christ as the only Means there must be Brokenness of Heart a renouncing the World and an entire dependance on Christ
for Impiety all went to ruine 2. There will be some Serenity of Mind resulting from the Rectitude of your Actions Look as the Heathens when they did by Nature the things contained in the Law they had the approbation of their Consciences Thoughts excusing Rom. 2.15 3. It is some advantage to Grace it is like the Priming the Post that maketh it receptive of better Colours At least they do not aggravate their Condemnation nor encrease their Weakness nor draw upon themselves Penal Blindness and Hardness of Heart and utter Despair However it is like the Embalming a Carkass though it do not restore Life yet it keeps the Body from stinking As long as they are at work they are not given over to a Reprobate Sense They are not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 An humble Man that hath some Thoughts of God and of Eternal Life certainly is sooner Converted than an Outragious Wretch that doth swagger and out brave the Ordinances of God whereas Men that are strangers to all Goodness and of an inveterate Wickedness and Falshood that are estranged from the Womb and go astray so soon as they be born speaking lyes as the Propet expresseth it Psal. 58.3 are more hardly Cured 4. As to their Eternal Estate it will be more tolerable for such than for others Though they fall short of Heaven yet mitius punientur at least they have a cooler Hell their Account is more easie as the Scripture speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a greater Damnation Mat. 11.22 It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sydon at the day of Iudgment than for you Cato suffers less than Catiline Socrates than Nero and certainly it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those that despised the Gospel therefore a Heathen could say No such Feast as to do our Duty which God requires SERMON VI. ON MARK X. v. 21. One thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven NOW we come to Christ's Answer and there take Notice First Of the Admonition of his Defect Iesus said unto him One thing thou lackest By the Evangelist Matthew it appears that this part of the Answer was given to a Question proposed Mat. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet He saith confidently All these things have I kept and Christ saith one thing thou lackest Indeed take the Commandments in their full Latitude and Breadth of Interpretation he wanted all things how is it then that our Saviour saith only One thing thou lackest 1. Because it would have been tedious to convince him of all his Defects and therefore Christ would take the more Compendious way and insist but upon one thing which was enough to shew that he was not perfect as he vainly dreamt If a Man bragg that he is able to pay a hundred Pound you convince him of his Penury when you press him to pay one Penny and he cannot 2. This one thing was sure and would strike home for our Lord knew his Heart and therefore was resolved to touch his Privy-Sore and doth propose such a Precept as would cross his Darling Sin and therefore he would only come with one thing which would try him to the purpose Men that esteem too highly of themselves and yet have a secret Idol in their Hearts they shall be put upon some special Tryal that will discover their Weakness to the full 3. That one thing which he lacked was the main thing the principal thing of the Law which was Loving God above all things the summe of the Law is To Love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves Now our Lord who had Power to try his Love by any way he thought fit by this particular Injunction tryeth him in his Love to God and his Neighbour Chiefly he would convince him of want of Love to God or spiritual Idolatry making Wealth his summum bonum his chiefest good this was the main thing in which he failed and the Cause of his other Failings and yet Christ doth it in such a way as to take in the other part of the Precept the Love of our Neighbour Go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the Poor 4. Because the young Man Erred out of Ignorance Christ would not deal roughly with him or by way of sharp Reproof he doth not rate him and call him Proud Hypocrite for saying All these have I kept but he gently minds him of his Defect One thing thou lackest words of a mild Condescention to one that was tractable And while Men are facile and reachable we should not use roughness but convince them of their Errors by using all Mildness and all Condescention as we our selves would be dealt withall if we lay under the Power of Prejudice and a dark Understanding Let this suffice from that Clause only Learn from Christ's Practice here when we have to deal with such kind of Men two or three things 1. That Proud Sinners must not be soothed up in their Self-Conceit but Convinced of their Defects One thing thou lackest To flatter Men in their Presumption is very dangerous Luk. 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before Men but God knoweth your Hearts for that which is highly esteemed among Men is abomination in the sight of God 2. That the way to Convince them is by representing their principal and chief Faults some one sin so Christ dealt with this young Man and so he deals with the Woman of Samaria Convincing her of her Sin that though she had spent her time in Marriage with five Husbands yet after all this Commits Adultery Ioh. 4.18 Thou hast had five Husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband We are not to shoot at Rovers but Convince those we have to do with of those Sins they are most guilty of 3. The more our Failings strike deep upon the main Articles of our Obedience to God the greater our Conviction and the more sense we should have of our Condition before God To Love God above all is a Fundamental Article of the Covenant Now when we are convinced that we fail in this and want Love Trust and Faith in God we are nothing therefore such kind of Defects should make us look after our Estate better Secondly We come to Christ's Precept Command and Injunction and there First Something of particular Concernment Go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven Where observe 1. The Duty 2. The Motive 1. The Duty Go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the Poor The Precept you see is very strict and falls upon the Heart of this Young Man who was addicted to the World Go without delay sell not a part but all whatsoever thou hast and give not to thy Friends that may relieve thee when thou art in straits not
of present things Micah 2.2 Covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage First they covet and then they will stop at nothing but break out into all that is unseemly Let Iudas but inchant his thoughts with the pleasure of a supposed Gain that he can make of his Master and he will soon come with a Quiâ— dabitis What will you give me Gehazai let him but affect a Reward and he will disâ—onour God and lay a stumbling block in the way of a new and Noble Convert Let Achan's Heart be tickled and pleased a little with the sight of it and he will be purloyning the wedge of Gold and Babylonish Garment Let Baalam hear of Gold and Silver and he will curse Israel against his Conscience and venture tho' there be an Angel in the way to stop him Ahab will consent to Naboth's Blood when his Vineyard is in the chase Ananias and Saphira will keep back part of what was dedicated to God if they look upon what they part withall Simon Magus will deny Religion and return to his old Sorceries that he may be some great one among the People So that there is no Sin so foul but the Love of the World will make it plausible and reconcile it to the thoughts of Men. 2. It incapacitateth us and makes us uncapable of doing Service to God in our General and Particular Calling 1. In our General Calling 1. It destroys the Principle of Obedience which is the Love of God 1 Iohn 2.15 If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him The great Principle which sways and enclines the Heart to do the Will of God is Love now the Love of the World and the Love of God are contrary and inconsistent Love any thing besides Christ and you will soon love it above Christ Why Because the Love of God is a Stranger and Forreigner the Love of the World is a Native 2. It is contrary to the Matter of our Obedience The Commands of God and the Commands of Mammon are contrary Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon God saith Pity the Afflicted relieve the miserable venture all for a good Conscience seek Heaven in the first place with your most ardent Affection with your most earnest Diligence But now Mammon saith Be sparing of your Substance follow the World as hard you can stick at nothing Lye Steal comply with the Lusts of Men and then you shall be rich Well now he that is ruled by Mammon whose Eyes the God of this World hath blinded that is enchanted with the Love of worldly Goods he can never serve God he loves Wealth above all he trusts it above all he serves it more than God himself thô his Tongue dare not say Earth is better than Heaven and that the things of this Life are better than everlasting Blessedness and therefore they shall have more of his Heart and care yet his Life says it he can part with God for the Matters of this World In short it unfits us not only for one Duty but for all Duties required of us God's Laws are for Respects to God Neighbour and Self This inordinate Love of the World denies what is due to God what is necessary for our Neighbour and what is comfortable for Our selves A Man that loves the World is unthankful to God unmerciful to his Neighbour and cruel to himself 3. It slights the Encouragements of Obedience which are the Rewards of God As it weakeneth all our future Hopes and depresseth our Heart from looking after Spiritual and heavenly things They despise their Birth-right Heb. 12.16 and when they are invited to the Wedding Matth. 22. they preferr their Farm Oxen and Merchandize before the rich Feast of Grace which God invites us to 2. He that loves the World will break with God in the Duties of his particular Calling for the World's sake What manner of Men ought Magistrates to be Exod. 18.21 Such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness not only not covetous but hating Covetousness for let this once possess his Heart it will make him base and act unworthily nay for a piece of Bread will that Man transgress Then for a Minister what a poor meal-mouthed Creature will it make him One Qualification of a Minister is 1 Tim. 3.3 Not to be greedy of filthy lucre If his Heart be set upon that it makes him sordid low-spirited flattering and dawbing to curry Favour with Men more intent upon his Gain and Profit than the saving of Souls See the work of a Minister 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the flock of God that is among you taking the oversight thereof not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind What a low flat Ministry will that be that is inspired with no other aim but Outward Profit If that be their Inducement to undertake and their prime Encouragement to discharge the Work of their Calling how soon will they strain themselves to please men especially Great ones and writhe themselves into all postures to sooth the Humours and Lusts of others as Balaam 2 Pet. 2.15 Who loved the wages of unrighteousness and therefore would fain curse the People whom God blessed This base powerful imperious Lust will draw men to very base and unworthy Actions Saith God Ezek. 13.19 Will ye pollute me among my people for handfulls of barley and pieces of bread to slay the souls that should not dye and to save the souls of people alive that should not live by your lying to my people that hear your lies That is to say what will you declaim against the Good and harden the Evil in their Evil and comply with the fashions of the World thus to humour Men So if a Man be a Master of a Family Prov. 15.27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house VVhat a burden and trouble will he be to his Servants and all about him In short It 's Love of the VVorld that makes one an oppressing Landlord another a false Tradesman and an ill Neighbour that makes him study Iniquity of Traffick Ezek. 28.5 By thy great wisdom and by thy Traffick hast thou encreased thy riches So that it is the Pest and Bane of Humane Societies 3. It hinders the Receiving of Good and those Means of Reformation that should make us better A Man that is under the power of worldly Lusts is prejudiced against whatever shall be spoken for God and for the Concernments of another World Luke 16.14 The Pharisees also who were Covetous heard all these things and derided him If the word stir us a little and Men begin to have some Anxious thoughts about Eternal Life these Thorns which are the Cares of this World will choak the good Seed and
So Psalm 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good It should be translated The many say c. For this is the voice of the Multitude all are for good for something that is every way satisfying and contentful There are some remains of intire Reason and right Nature as Iob's Messengers said Iob 1.15 And I only am escaped alone to tell thee There are some obscure instincts that are alone escaped out of the Ruins of the Fall to tell us that God is our chiefest good and therefore must be our utmost End But the Scriptures go further and teach us that there is no way of enjoying God but in Christ and till then Man can never be happy God is the Center of the Soul the place of the Souls Rest all things move to their own place so should Man to God It is monstrous to see things move contrary to the Impulse of Nature to see Fire to descend or a Stone to leap upward so it is as monstrous in Grace for our Souls to descend and to cleave to those things which are without us which were made only to rest in God our Souls are of a Heavenly Original and therefore should tend thither Say then this is that which will make me happy here and hereafter and therefore why should I run elsewhere It is against Grace and Nature there is a Principle in Natures by which all Creatures aim at their own satisfaction there is a weight and propension that poyseth them to their happyness if I would shew my self a Christian or a Man all my Comforth lyeth in enjoying God in Christ Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves men He is a Beast that can satisfie his Soul with the World and he is a Devil that can satisfie his Soul with Sin let me shew my self a Man and return to my own rest Things are miserable when they do not attain their End so shall I be out of my place tossed to and fro till I return to God the Faculties of the Soul are mis-placed and are as a Member out of joynt 2. He was made to glorifâ—e God The Creatures do it necessarily we must do it voluntarily and by choice This must be the care of our Hearts 1. In every Business 2. In every Enjoyment 1. In every Business be it never so trivial and low even in the ordinary refreshments of Nature 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God These common actions of Eating and Drinking must be done upon Reasons of Religion In a Kings House there are many Officers but they are all to please the King so in my Calling in my Duties all must be done for the Glory of the Great God all things must be measured by this Rule and give place to this great End how I may glorifie God whether in the Shop or in the Closet in my outward Calling or in my Private Duties or in my Publick Relations or Engagements so far am I to mingle with any outward Business as I may still enjoy God and be serviceable to his Glory This is to make Religion your Work and not your Play and Recreation when still in every business God is at the utmost End whatever present ends I have If Nature interpose to make us look after our particular Conveniences yet this is but in subordination to Gods Glory 2. In every Enjoyment whether it be Natural or Spiritual I am to desire outward increase and estate but I cannot desire it lawfully but so as I may honour God with it Agur measureth every Estate by Ends of Religion Prov. 30.8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me Lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of God in vain As God should be at the end of every business so at the end of every Enjoyment though it be Spiritual It is a mistake in Christians to think that Spiritual Blessings are only to be desired for themselves I must desire the Pardon of my Sins not meerly for it self but that God may be glorified in Pardon I must desire Grace not only that I might be saved but that God may be glorified in my Salvation Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved The Creatures aims are never regular but when they suit with Gods In the work of Redemption Jesus Christ pleased not himself but had an aim at the Fathers Glory Rom. 15.3 For even Christ pleased not himself So should we in the Comforts of Redemption not please our selves meerly in the consideration of our own happyness but rejoyce in it as Gods Ends are promoted in it that God is glorifyed in pardoning my Sin or giving me Grace and Salvation Though it be a difficult yet it is a necessary piece of Self-Denyal to desire Salvation in a Subordination to Gods Glory Secondly For the contriving plotting Work The End being once fixed we are to consider Generally by what means it may be accomplished and more particularly how you may observe and carry it on to the Glory of God 1. Generally By what means we may accomplish it Every End is obtained by apt and fit means and God as he hath ordained the end so he hath appointed the means The whole Duty of Man is to fear God and keep his commandments Eccles. 12.13 The whole Duty is comprized in Obedience and Fear Obedience respects the Rule and Fear the Principle Or Obedience and Love he instanceth in that Principle that was most sutable to the present Dispensation In the Old Testament Fear is the beginning of Wisdom Fear is represented as the great Principle of Duty and Worship as in the New Testament Love 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments the meaning of that place is that God hath required intire Obedience out of an Holy and Upright Principle Look as God hath appointed to the Creatures a Law of Creation by which they are bounded to their stated times and paths as the Psalmist saith of the Waters of the Sea Psal. 104.9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the earth So God hath given a Moral Law and Rule to the Rational Creature which must be observed by Love and Reverence So it is said Ephes. 2.10 We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk therein God having by the same Decree and Wise Council ordained both End and Means he hath given us a Rule by which we are to be guided in serving his Glory 2. More Particularly How you may observe and carry it on in this way according to the Will of God A Christian is to
without the apprehension of his doing good Psalm 119.68 Thou art good and doest good And of him and to him and through him are all things Rom. 11.36 Gods Essential Goodness is not I confess the first inviting Motive to draw our Hearts to him but his beneficial Goodness Yet the infinite perfection of his Nature is also an Object of our Love and Delight For the Creature was made for him and our good and benefit is not the last end As the Angels admire and adore God not only for his benefits but also for his Holiness and Soveraign Majesty and Dominion Isa. 6.3 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory So should we who are to laud God and serve God on Earth as he is served in Heaven Matth. 6.10 Admire him and delight in him for his Holyness and the infinite perfection of his Nature Surely we are not only to bless him but praise him Psalm 145.2 Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy name for ever and ever And verse 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy saints shall bless thee These two words have their distinct reference Blessing to his Benefits and Praise to his Excellencies and when we praise God for his Glorious Being we should do it in a delightful manner Psalm 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing praises unto his name for it is pleasant It is pleasant and delightful to think of or speak of or shew forth the Excellencies of his Heavenly Majesty Again his Holiness is an amiable thing and therefore the Object of our Delectation If we must delight in the Saints because of their Holiness though they have never done us good Psalm 16.3 But to the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight If we are to account them the excellent ones of the Earth because of the Image and Beauty of God that is upon them then surely we are much more to love God not only because of his Benefits but because of his Holiness Yea if we are to love the Law of God and to delight in it as it is pure Psalm 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Then surely we are to love God also because of the immaculate purity of his Nature and to delight in him At least this is one though not the only nor the first reason of our love to him and delight in him 2. We are to delight and rejoyce in God as he hath discovered himself to us in Christ. That was the foundation of his beneficial goodness and the greatest discovery of the amiable Nature of God that ever was made to the Creature Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Rom. 5.8 Bâ—â— God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed foâ— us That we might not conceive God to be all Wrath and inexorable unless upon hard terms therefore Christ came as the express Image of his Person full of Grace and Truth Well then God reconciled in Christ is the Life and Spirit of all our joy and gladness In Christ we see him accessable near to us and within the reach of our Commerce as dwelling in our Nature In Christ we see him gracious and propitious to us ready to do us good Luke 1.46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour We have a great and a good God in Christ he is God and our Saviour 3. We rejoyce in God as we reâ—oyce in the fruits of our Redemption or in all those Spiritual Blessings which are offered or given to us by Christ such as Reconciliation or Gods admitting of us into the priviledges of his Holy Covenant Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Clear that once and the cause of all our sadness and drooping discouragements is taken out of the way The bottom cause of our bondage and fears is the quarrel God hath against us by reason of Sin we can never be soundly merry and comfortable till that be taken up for as long as we apprehend him an Enemy and an Avenger how can we rejoyce in him So Psalm 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart The Psalmist speaketh of the pardon of Sins it is Davids Maschil an instruction from his own experience he begins the Psalm Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin Then he concludeth rejoyce ye upright A Man that is condemned for some Criminal Offence and ready to be executed oh what joy hath he when he hath received his pardon So we should rejoyce in God who are as it were brought back again from the Gibbet and have received our Atonement So also in the gift of the Holy Spirit to sanctifie and heal our Natures if the Angels who are but the Spectators and Lookers on rejoyce in the Conversion of a Sinner should not the Parties interessed Luke 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth So in the hopes of Glory Luke 10.20 Rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God 4. We rejoyce in God when we delight to do his Will and are fitted for his Use and Service To be set and kept in the way to Heaven is a greater Comfort to us than if we had all the World bestowed upon us Psalm 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches David had experience of both as a puissant King and as Gods Servant So 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world In Carnal Rejoycing Men seek to conceal and hide the grounds of their Joy as being ashamed of them the Worldling in his Bags the Voluptuous in the Instruments of his Pleasure the Glutton will not point to his Dishes nor the Drunkard to his Pots and say This is my Rejoycing but a Christian dareth own his Joy this is my rejoycing that God hath taught me his wayes and inabled me to walk in them 5. We also rejoyce in God when we rejoyce in the Blessings of his Providence as they come from God and lead to God Ioel 2.23 Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce in the Lord your God for he hath given you the former rain moderately and he will cause to come down for you the rain the former rain and the latter rain in the first moneth So Gods care in protecting us Psalm 5.11 But let all those that put
against the Soul as they bring a servitude and a brawn and a deadness upon the Heart Tit. 3.3 We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. As we are apt to love them more than God 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God As they bring a brawn and a deadness upon the Heart and so make it uncapable of that sweet consolation which the Spirit worketh in us 2. When the Heart is mortified and subdued to God there is no such pleasure as the contempt of Bodily pleasures Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus nugarum How sweet is it to me to want the sweetness of these trifles In some diseases it 's a pleasure to eat Dust when the disease is cured it 's abhorred as a filthy thing It is our distemper that leaveth the carnal rellish so strong upon us get rid of your distemper and you will be ashamed of your brutish satifactions it is a diseased Mind that looks after them 1 Use. To remove prejudice Men usually judge Wisdoms ways to be sower and bitter whereas they yield great joy and pleasure to those that walk in them Here is peace for their Consciences and pleasantness to satisfie their Affections Who live the pleasant life they that walk upon the brink of Hell every moment or they who being justified by Faith are made Heirs of Eternal life who look every day when God will translate them into his immediate Presence They that satisfie their Lusts by breaking God's Law or they that provide for the Peace of their Consciences by observing and keeping it Who are like to be most satisfied in their Object they that love a vain uncertain world or they that live in the love of God If Men would but come and try what it is indeed to believe in Christ to live in the love of God and the hope of Eternal life their prejudices would be soon confuted Object But you will say your Spiritual delight is but a fancy it seemeth to be hard to forsake what I see what I feel what I taste what I love for a God and a Glory which I do not see and it may be never shall see I Answer It is no wonder How can you see when you have no Eyes Faith is the eye of the Soul Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and ver 27. By faith he forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible 2 Pet. 1.9 Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho' now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And how can you hope to see while you are carnal and your Hearts do not suit with these things or ever experienced this Joy But beg the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him The eyes of your understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and return you to him Illumination and Inclination conduce both to your cure For this Holy Delight cannot be forced nor drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings When the attractive goodness of the Object is represented by the Spirit the Heart must be suited to it and then you will find this joy 2. Use. To reprove two sorts of People 1. Those that can find no pleasure in an Holy life that is no ground of pleasure Is not God a delectable Object Is not Salvation by Christ a delightful speculation or such a Glorious Mystery as cannot be found elsewhere Are not the promises of Heaven comfortable things If a Man should adopt you into the succession of a Crown VVould it not please you And is not God's promise more sure Is not Communion with God a pleasing exercise Heathens pretended to Secresie with their gods as the greatest Felicity Needeth a Christian pretend it Hath he not liberty to open his Heart in secret Do you ever come from your Sports with such a chearful Soul as you come from your Duties Many have repented of their carnal Mirth never any of their Godly Sorrow VVhich is better to fill the body with Diseases which is the part gratified by Sin and is more Wasted than Gratified or to enrich the Soul with Graces To deny the clamours of the Flesh or the importunities of Conscience Or which is all one to offer Violence to our Lusts or to our Consciences 2. It reproveth them that live as if there were no pleasure in a course of Holiness When others go merrily to Hell will you go drooping to Heaven I pray whose Work are you about Whither doth your Journey tend Are you sad because you have left Sathan's service Was he a good Master to you Or because it is now a part of your business to tame and subdue the Flesh Will that yield any thing more satisfying than the love of God It could yield you nothing but Vain Pleasure that when gone is but as a Wind nay it proves a Whirlwind in the Conscience or is it because you have renounced the World Is not Heaven better Is God wanting in such Wordly supplies as are necessary for you Or is it because you thrive no more in holy Endeavours Is not God's Grace sufficient for you Was he ever backward to do you good whilst you were labouring and striving to approve your selves to him Hold up your hearts the way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 3. Use. To press you to make trial Resolve upon an holy and heavenly course and then you are in the ways of Wisdom Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Trust him upon his Promises before all be confirmed to you upon Experience To this end consider 1. We invite to Pleasure not to Labour or to Labour seasoned with Pleasure And Pleasure is the lure that draweth all the world By sensitive Pleasure men are perverted Iam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed By holy pleasure he is perfected 2. We invite you not to pleasure only in another world but pleasure during service Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore But now that we may not be tired with expectation There is pleasure not only in the end but in the way and path 3. We invite you to Continual Pleasure Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce In Worldly Joys there are vicissitudes and subalternations Now we rejoyce and anon we weep there is joy when a Child
off from Earthly He bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost I come to the later part of the Text. Some read it that first he Died and then bowed the Head there being no Spirit left to support it but Christ first bowed the Head and then died he did as it were becken to Death to come and do its Office He yielded up the Ghost his Soul was truly separated from his Body The form of Resignation we have Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Wicked Men because they die against their Wills their Souls are said to be taken away Luke 12.20 Thou fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Job 27.8 For what is the hope of the Hypocrite thò he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul But Christ yieldeth it up and for a Godly Man to give up the Ghost noteth his Faith Submission and Willingness to depart out of the Body As the Prophet saith of Christ Isa. 53.12 He hath poured out his Soul unto death Death did not surprize him Doctr When all things were finished Christ freely and willingly gave up the Ghost His Life was not taken away but resigned there was much of Violence but no Coaction The Term Giving up the Ghost doth not imply the bare Death of Christ but that he died willingly and freely Nihil in hoc Christo est nisi profusa liberalitas misericordiae remissionis peccatorum I can see nothing in this Christ but a prodigality of Love and Mercy He had freely emptied his Veins in the Garden every Pore became an Eye and wept Blood for your sakes and now he cometh to pour out his Soul Reasons why Christ was so willing to die 1. Out of Obedience to his Father The Divine Decrees had laid a necessity upon him and where the Father saith Must Christ saith I will Matth. 26.54 55. Thinkest thou not that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels which was the just number of a Roman Army But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Christ willingly took this Necessity upon him it was but Necessitas ex Hypothesi had it not been for his Eternal Consent it would never have been said Thus it must be Luke 22.37 This that is written must be accomplished Luke 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behoveth Christ to suffer It was a Necessity of his own making he was not compelled to Accept of the Conditions from God nor forced by the Violence of Man â—o yield up his Life Iohn 10.18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again This commandment have I received of my father 2. Out of Love to us The Jews crucified him but Love made him die we had else perished for ever The Law laid it upon us but Love made Christ take it upon himself Isa. 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our Sorrows Justice demanded it of us but Christ said I will be responsible exact it of me Mat. 20.28 Even as the son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many He took Life to lay it down at the demand of Justice Justice said I must have a Ransom Christ said Take it of me let these go Iob 33.24 Then he is gracious unto them and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom The Father received it and Christ payed it As the Angel said to Abraham Gen. 22.12 Lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou any thing unto him Justice would have reached forth a deadly stroke to us but Christ catched the blow 3. This would finish his Labours Death was Christ's last Enemy of his Person as well as of his Kingdom He had been harassed and worn out with Sorrows the Grave was a place of Rest it was finished as to him Isa. 57.2 He â—â—all enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Death was the end of Christ's Journey and all his Labours in the Flesh. The Grave was a dark dismal place till Christ went into it ever since it is but a Chamber of Rest and Christ keepeth the Key of it Isa. 26.20 Enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment 4. This furthered his Triumph and made it every way more compleat By dying Christ carried the War into his Enemies Land and foiled Death in its own Territory and made Death it self Mortal by lying in the Grave The Cross and the Grave were the means of Christ's Triumph by these the Devil thought to foil him and by these he triumphed He conquered Satan and Sin when they seemed to have most power upon him like angry Bees they stung him and disarmed themselves Heb. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Col. 2.15 And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the Cross Eph. 2.16 Having slain the enmity thereby that is by his Cross formerly spoken of When he was slain himself then he slew Death and the Law Christ's crucifying was his Exaltation and Preferment It is twice expressed by lifting up Iohn 3.14 So shall the son of man be lifted up John 12.32 33. I if I be lifted up will draw all men after me This he said signifying what death he should die The Grave was consecrated and sanctified by Christ's lying there Duo in cruce affixi intelliguntur saith Origen Christus visibiliter sponte suâ— ad tempus Diabolus invisibiliter invitus in perpetuum There were two crucified at once Christ visibly of his own accord for a time only the Devil invisibly against his will for ever Christ received a slight hurt in his Heel but he bruised Satan's Head 5. He was hastening to his own Glory Heb. 12.2 For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross despising the shame and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God He was thinking of his Welcom to Heaven Oh what sweet Embraces there would be between the Father and him Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstool Dan. 7.13 14. I saw in the night-visions and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed How the Angels should usher him into Glory
begging to his own Creature and deals with us as importunately as if the Benefit were his own thus doth he pray us to be reconciled And then God threatens eternal Death to stir us up to take hold of eternal Life he tells us of a Pit without a Bottom and a Worm that never dies Sometimes he seeketh to work upon our Hope and sometimes upon our Fear he not only tells us of the loss of Happiness which is very grievous to an ingenuous Spirit Heb. 12.14 Follow Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord But he tells us of those eternal Torments that are without End and Ease of a Worm than never dies and of a Fire that shall never be quenched O whose Heart doth not tremble at the mention of these things Then on the other side we have Promises as great as Heart can wish for and more 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises It hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive of these things Who ever hired a Man to be happy or a thirsty Man to drink or a hungry Man to eat Salvation is so acceptable and the heavenly and blessed Hope so glorious that we should purchase it at any rate but God taketh all Methods to awaken Man Thus the Gospel may well be said to be a powerful Instrument of our Salvation because it hath a powerful Tendency that way 2. Because it hath the Promise of the Spirit 's Assistance Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation not only because it is a powerful Instrument which God hath appropriated to this Work but this is the Honour God puts upon the Gospel that he will join and associate the Operation of his Spirit with no other Doctrine but this And therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith How come you to receive the Spirit either by endeavouring to get Acceptance with God according to the Terms of the Law or by the Doctrine of the Gospel The Assistance of the Spirit is joined with no other Doctrine This is the Authentick Proof of the Excellency of that Doctrine that God hath reserved the Power of his Grace to go along with it he will not associate and join his Spirit with any other Doctrine The Law as it is contra-distinguish'd from the Gospel it is called the Ministration of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 and the Ministration of Death to fallen Man ver 7. It is the Office of the Law to condemn a Man not to save him Not as if preaching of the Law did make us guilty but shews us to be guilty to him that is guilty of Death it puts the Guilt before their Eyes that knowing it and feeling it he may be terrified and despair in himself and beg for Deliverance To this end the Apostle gives us an account of his own Experience Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once that is I thought I was alive and did not know my self or feel my self guilty of Death I thought my self to be in as good a condition towards God as any Man but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died then I counted my self to be lost and utterly undone A Sinner before the Law comes is like a Beggar that dreams he is a King and that he wallows in Ease and Plenty but when he awakes his Soul is empty and he feeleth his Poverty and his hungry Belly and his Rags confute all his Dreams and false Surmises So we thought our selves to be alive in a good condition towards God but when the Law comes then we see our selves to be dead and lost Therefore the Law as it is opposed to the Gospel is not the Means of Salvation so it is only the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Object You will say these seem to be hard Expressions to call it the Law of Sin and Death but you must understand it aright To Man fallen the Law only convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death it is nothing but a killing Letter but the Gospel accompanied by the Power of the Spirit bringeth Life Again Psal. 19.7 it is said there The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul therefore it seems the Law may also be a word of Salvation to the Creature I answer By the Law there is not meant only that part of the Word which we call the Covenant of Works but there it is put for the whole Word for the whole Doctrine of the Covenant of Life and Salvation as Psal. 1.2 His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And if you take it in that stricter sense then it converteth the Soul but by accident as it is joined with the Gospel which is the Ministry of Life and Righteousness but in it self it is the Law of Sin and Death Look as a thing taken simply would be Poison and deadly in self yet mix'd with other wholsome Medicines it is of great use is an excellent Physical Ingredient So the Law is of great use as joined with the Gospel to awaken and startle the Sinner to shew him his Duty to convince him of Sin and Judgment but it is the Gospel properly that pulls in the Heart Vse To press you to regard the Gospel more as you would Salvation it self for it bringeth Salvation By way of Motive and Encouragement 1. Consider the greatness of the Salvation Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation It is not a slight matter in the Gospel God doth not treat with you about Trifles your eternal Life lies upon it we preach to you a Doctrine that tends to Salvation That so the Argument may be more operative consider what is Salvation Salvation implieth a Deliverance from Danger and Distress and a preservation in a condition of Safety Sometimes he is called a Saviour qui quod semel factum est conservat ne pereat that keepeth a thing in a condition of Safety tho it were never lost In this sense God is said to save Man and Beast Psal. 36.6 O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast As he doth preserve them from Decay and Ruin so he is the Saviour of all Men 1 Tim. 4.10 There is not a Creature but may call God Saviour But this Salvation I speak of is a Salvation proper but to a few Creatures not a general Preservation or Act of Providence here is not only Safety but Glory it is a translation to a place of Happiness Again he is said to save that delivers out of Danger and Destruction as the Shepherd that snatcheth the Lamb out of the Teeth of the Lion saveth him and in common speech we call him a Saviour that delivers from Evil. But mark this
passionate still a Christian is tried by the revenge he takes upon his own Sin his master-Lust Again not only Sins which lie at a distance from our Interest but Sins that bring us most Profit and Advantage In these things God tries us it is the offering up of our Isaac our Darling In a corrupt World some things bring Credit and Profit but as for the right Hand the right Eye we must pluck out the one and cut off the other Mat. 5.29 30. If thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell And if thy right Hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell Cannot we do so much for God and for Grace's sake I might give you several Reasons one Sin is contrary to God as well as another There 's the same aversion from an eternal Good in all things though the manner of Conversion to the Creature be different Again one Sin is contrary to the Law of God as well as another there 's a contempt of the same Authority in all Sins God's Command binds and it is of force in lesser Sins as well as greater and therefore they that bear any respect to the Law of God must hate all Sin Psal. 119.113 I hate vain Thoughts but thy Law do I love God hath given a Law to the Thoughts to the sudden workings of the Spirit as well as to Actions that are more deliberate and therefore if we love the Law we should hate every lesser Contrariety to it even a vain Thought And all Sin proceedeth from the same Corruption therefore if we would subdue and mortify it we must renounce all Sin He that hateth any Sin as Sin hates all Sin for there 's the same reason to hate every Sin Hatred Philosophers say is to the whole Kind A Man that hates a Toad as a Toad hates every one of the Kind with the same kind of hatred must we hate every Sin Again one Sin let alone is very dangerous One Leak in a Ship if unstopped and neglected may endanger the Vessel One Sin let alone and allowed and indulged may quite ruin the Soul A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump A Man may ride right for a long time but one turn in the end of his Journey brings him quite out of the way If you do many things yet if you commit any Sin with leave and licence from Conscience you are guilty of all Sin James 1.10 Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one Point he is guilty of all As one condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease There is an Indenture drawn between us and God and every Article of this Covenant must be observed If we willingly give way and allowance to the least Breach we forfeit all the Grace of the Covenant Vse 1. Direction what to do in the Business of Mortification We must deny all Ungodliness not a Hoof must be left in Egypt Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin and in demolishing the old Building not one Stone must be left upon another 1. In your Purpose and Resolution you must make Satan no Allowance he standeth lurking as Pharaoh did with Moses and Aaron first he would let them go three days into the Wilderness then he permitted them to take their little Ones with them but they would not go without their Cattel their Flocks and their Herds also they would not leave any thing no not a Hoof behind them So the Devil would have a part left as a Pledg that in time the whole Man may fall to his share 2 Kings 5.18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant that when my Master goeth into the House of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my Hand and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon when I bow my self in the House of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing We would grant Christ any thing so he would excuse us in our beloved Sins We complain of the Times and set up a Toleration in our Hearts some right Hand or right Eye that we are loth to part with something there is wherein we would be excused and expect an allowance either outward as in Fashions Customs ways of Profit and Advantage or inward some Passions and carnal Affections that we would indulge Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin Herod did many things but he kept his Herodias still He turneth from no Sin that doth not in his Purpose and Resolution turn from all Sin he doth not break off an acquaintance with Sin but rather make choice what Sin he will keep and what he will part with The Apostle speaks Col. 2.11 of putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. We must not cut off one Member or one Joint but the whole Body totum Corpus licet non totaliter the whole Body of Sin tho we cannot wholly be rid of it Dispense not there where Christ hath not dispensed 2. We should often examine our Hearts lest there lurk some Vice whereof we think our selves free Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. Compleat Reformation is grounded upon a serious search and trial As those that kept the Passeover were not to have a jot of Leaven in their Houses and therefore they were to search their Houses for Leaven such a narrow search should there be to discover whatever hath been amiss Commune with your selves Is there not a jot of Leaven yet left somewhat that God hateth some correspondence with God's Enemies Is there nothing left that is displeasing to God Thus should we often bring our Hearts and our Ways and the Word together 3. Desire God to shew you if there be any thing left that is grievous to his Spirit Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou me There are many Sins I see but more that I do not see Lord shew them to me So David appealeth to God who must judg and punish Conscience Psal. 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my Heart try me and know my Thoughts and see if there be any wicked Way in me and lead me in the Way everlasting Can you thus appeal to God and say Lord I desire not to continue in any known Sin 4. When any Sins break out set upon the mortification of them Do not neglect the least Sins they are of dangerous Consequence but renew thy Peace with God judging thy self for them and mourning for them avoiding Temptations cutting off the Provision for the Flesh. 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection The Leper was to shave off his Hair and if it grew again he was still to keep shaving
Principle is That God is none of those things which are seen but something more excellent And in the second Commandment we have God's invisible Nature for Images are forbidden upon that ground because God cannot be seen Deut. 4.12 You saw no Similitude only you heard a Voice The third Principle is That God hath a care of Human Affairs and judgeth with Equity And in the third Commandment you have the Knowledg of Human Affairs even of a Man's Thoughts ascribed to God for that is the Foundation of an Oath Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain The chief intent of that Commandment is to forbid Perjury it also forbids rash Swearing and mentioning the Name of God without Reverence for in an Oath God is invoked as a Witness as one that hath Knowledg even of the Heart there his Omniscience is acknowledged And in an Oath God is appealed to as a Judg and Avenger there his Justice and Power is acknowledged For the fourth Principle That this God is the Creator and Governour of all things that are without himself that is established in the fourth Commandment by the Law of the Sabbath For the Sabbath at first was instituted for this very purpose to meditate upon God as a Creator a Day on purpose is instituted to keep up the Memorial of the Creation of the World Well then you see what is the Foundation of Godliness Now out of these speculative Notions practically flow of their own accord to wit That God alone is to be worshipped obeyed honoured trusted And as far as we set up other Confidences or are ignorant of the Excellency of the true God or so far as we deny God his Worship and Service or serve him after an unworthy manner by superstitious or idolatrous Worship or carelesly and hypocritically or so far as we have gross Opinions of his Essence or exclude the Dominion of his Providence or cease to call upon his Name so far we are guilty of Ungodliness as will appear more fully hereafter The second Question What it is to deny Vngodliness Denying is a word that properly belongs to Propositions We are said to deny when we contradict what is affirmed but by a Metaphor it may be applied to Things which the Will refuseth as some are said to deny the Power of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 when they check and resist it and will not suffer Godliness to work tho they take up a Form of it Now there 's a great deal of reason for that Phrase whether we look to the inward Workings of the Heart or to the outward Profession which they made in those days 1. If you look to the inward Workings of the Heart all things are managed in the Heart of Man by rational Debates and Suggestions and we deny when we refuse to give Assent to ungodly Thoughts Suggestions and Counsels Before Sin be fastned upon the Soul there is some ungodly Thought some Counsel which when we suppress and will not hearken to those Thoughts which Sin stirs up we are properly said to deny it Every Corruption hath a Voice If Envy bids Cain Go kill thy Brother he hearkens to it Ambition speaks to Absalom thus Go rise up against thy Father and Covetousness speaks to Iudas Go betray thy Lord So Ungodliness hath a Voice Carnal Affection urged by Satan bids us neglect God or serve him in a slight manner mind thy own business favour thy self Corruption awakened by Satan will sollicite to Evil. Now suppressing and smothering such Thoughts and Suggestions with Hatred and Detestation is fitly exprest by refusing to hearken to Sin 's Voice or denying Vngodliness 2. Some ground there is for the Expression if we look to the Custom of those Times In making an outward Profession probably here is some Allusion to the ancient manner of Stipulation When any came to be admitted into the Church there were Questions propounded to him Abrenuncias Dost thou renounce Credis Dost thou believe Spondes Dost thou promise to walk before God in all holy Obedience And the Person answered Abrenuncio I do renounce Credo I do believe and Spondeo I do undertake This was that which Peter calls The Answer of a good Conscience towards God 2 Pet. 3.21 when in the presence of God they can answer to all these Demands SERMON IV. TITUS II. 12 That denying Vngodliness c. Secondly NOW let me open the thing it self In Ungodliness there is something Negative and that is denying God his due Honour and something Positive and that is putting actual Contempt upon him I. For the Negative Part when God is denied his Honour Now to find out how this is done let us a little enquire what is the special and peculiar Honour which God challengeth to himself It stands in four things To be the First Cause the Chiefest Good the Supream Authority and Truth and the last End And therefore when we do not acknowledg him to be the First Cause the Chiefest Good the Supream Authority and Truth and the last End we rob him of the Glory of his Godhead and are guilty of this which the Apostle calls Vngodliness I shall go over these Branches First God must be honoured as the First Cause which giveth Being to all things and hath his Being from none and so we are bound to know him to depend upon him to observe his Providence and to acknowledg his Dominion over all Events or Things which happen in the World And so far as any of these are neglected so far are we guilty of Vngodliness Well then under this Head 1. Ignorance is a Branch of Ungodliness and I name it in the first place because it is the Cause of all our Disorder in Worship and Conversation This is the first cause of all Wickedness to be ignorant of God The Apostle seconds the Observation 3 Epist. Iohn 11. He that doth Evil hath not seen God Certainly he that makes a Trade of Sin hath not a right sight and sense of God he knows not God A true sight and sense of God keepeth the Soul from Sin There is nothing that keeps in the Fire of Religion nor maintains Respect between Man and Man nothing that preserves Honesty and Piety so much as right Thoughts and Apprehensions of God But now generally People are ignorant of God they know him as blind Men do Fire A Man that is born blind can tell there is such a thing as Fire because he feels it warm but what a kind 〈◊〉 thing it is he that never saw it cannot tell So the whole World and Conscience proclaim there is a God the blindest Man may see that but little do they know of his Nature and Essence what God is according as he hath revealed himself in the Word Look as the Athenians built an Altar and the Inscription was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Acts 17.23 so do most Christians worship an unknown God And as Christ taxed the Samaritans John 4.22
be pleasing and acceptable to God in order to Practice and value our Lives for this End only that we may serve God it is a sign Grace is planted in the Heart But now ungodly Men neither care to know the ways of God nor to walk in them They that are willingly ignorant and do not search to know how God will be served and pleased and make this their Work they do not count God their chiefest Good They search not that they may not practice they err not in their Mind only but in their Hearts Psal. 95.10 It is a People that do err in their Hearts they have not known my ways To err in the Mind may be through invincible Ignorance but a Man errs in his Heart when he doth not desire to know God and to know his Will and what he must do in Worship and Conversation but saith I do not desire to know God Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledg of thy ways Therefore he that doth not make it his great Work and the Business of his Life to find out what God would have him do he is ungodly Usually this is found in Men half convinced they have not a Mind to know that which they have not a Mind to do and so they are willingly ignorant But now a godly Man makes it the Business of his Life still to follow God Foot by Foot to know more of his Mind and Will Rom. 12.2 That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect VVill of God Ephes. 5.12 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. A true Christian always practiseth what he knows and still searcheth that he may know more he would be always more useful for God and more according to his Heart that is the Study the great Business and Project of his Life to find out God's Will and then practise it What shall I do more for God Thirdly God must be acknowledged as the supream Truth and Authority and there if we be not moved with his Promises with his Threatnings and Counsels as the Words of the great God as if he had spoken from Heaven by an audible Voice if we do not yield him Reverence in his Worship and subject our Hearts and Lives unto his Laws it is Ungodliness 1 st We must receive the Counsels of his Word with all Reverence and Veneration as if God had spoke to us by a Voice from Heaven This is to receive the Word as the Word of God 2 Thess. 2.10 They received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved The Heathens received the Oracles of their Gods with great Reverence and were much moved when they had an Oracle but when the Word comes with a mighty convincing Power upon the Heart and you are not moved and affected this argues your Ungodliness So when we can drousily hear of the great things of Heaven and the Death of Christ and the Covenant of Grace and the glorious Salvation offered and are no more moved than with a Fable or with a Dream of Rubies dropping down from Heaven in the Night this is Ungodliness That there is a great deal of Ungodliness in this kind is clear by our Neglect of these Precious Things If a Man should proffer another a thousand Pound for a Trifle and he should not accept it you would not say it was because he prized that Trifle that is not profitable but because he did not believe the Offer So when God offers Heaven and Christ to us upon such easy terms as to part with nothing but our Sins which are better parted with than kept we do not honour him as the eternal Truth if we do not accept it but count him a Liar and this is the greatest Affront you can put upon God for he that believeth not God hath made him a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son 1 John 5.10 He that doth not regard the Offer of the Gospel certainly he believes it is not true and so he dishonours God as the supream Truth 2 dly If we would honour God as the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth we must reverence him in his Worship God is not only terrible in the high Places of the Field and there where he executes his dreadful Judgments and not only so in the Depths of the Sea where the Wonders of the Lord are seen but he is also terrible in his holy Places Psal. 68.35 O God thou art terrible out of thy holy Places Then are the Hearts of his People filled with most awful Apprehensions of his glorious Majesty and of his excellent Holiness and this makes them tremble But now when we do not come with these awful Apprehensions we do not own God as the supream Majesty and therefore when they brought him an unbeseeming Sacrifice saith the Lord Mal. 1.14 Cursed be the Deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathens This is not becoming my Majesty And the Saints of God never feel such Self-Abhorrency and Loathing of themselves as when they are worshipping God God is even dreadful then when he is most comfortable to his People Deut. 28.58 That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Thy God this is the comfortablest Name in all the Scripture this is the Foundation of our Hope and this puts the Saints upon a Holy Reverence But now ungodly Men come with slight cold and careless Hearts their Thoughts are upon the Shop and the Cart and the Plough and any where else than upon God they dream nigh to him with their Lips but their Hearts are removed far from him They do not come to him as a great King and supream Majesty and Authority of all and so they dishonour God exceedingly Our Thoughts in Worship should be more taken up with his Glory 3 dly If we would honour God as supream there must be a willing Subjection of our Hearts and Lives to his Laws Usually here we stick in a want of Conformity thereto Men that love God as a Creator naturally hate him as a Law-giver Men love him as a Giver of Blessings but they would fain live at large Thoughts that strike at the Being of God and Doctrines of Liberty are welcome to a carnal Heart therefore it is tedious to them to hear of one to call them to account and it is pleasing to them to think which is an Argument of the highest Hatred that can be that there were no God to call them to a reckoning that they might let loose the Reins to vile Affections We would be absolute and Lords of our own Actions And this Subjection must be in Heart and Life There must be a Subjection of the Heart God's Authority is never more undermined than by a mere Form of
meditate therein Day and Night And this I suppose is that Meditation which is required of the simpler sort of Christians Certainly it is every one's Duty to meditate but every one hath not Riches of Invention and cannot command their Thoughts they are slow of Conception what then shall they continually live in the Neglect of a necessary Duty No here is a Help read and ponder what thou readest urge thy Soul do as the clean Beasts chue the Cudd go over and over it again You have often seen the Beasts when they have done feeding chew over their Food again and so prepare it for the Stomach thus may the meanest Christians do they may urge their Hearts with what they read whereas their Thoughts are not like a Ball struck against a Wall that cometh to hand again but as a Ball struck into the open Air that returneth not Certainly Meditation is one of the Exercises of Godliness and they that delight in the Law of God will be meditating pressing and fixing it on their Hearts Psal. 1.2 His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate Day and Night for we muse upon what we love 4. Prayer that 's another Exercise of Godliness Here we have our constant Commerce with God If there were no other Use of Prayer but only to appear before God to do our Homage to profess our Service and Dependance upon him it were enough but it is a means of spiritual Acquaintance by these private Soliloquies God and the Soul grow intimate and we unbosome our selves to God as intimate Friends are often together speaking one to another Prayer is such a necessary Duty and a part of Godliness that it is often put for the whole Worship of God Acts 2.21 Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved it is only express'd by that On the other side Atheism is expressed by not calling on God's Name Psal. 14.4 Who eat up my People as they eat Bread and call not upon the Lord. There is not a Swine but is better regarded than God they are tended Morning and Evening but God is forgotten O what Honour is put upon Dust and Ashes to speak to the great God! Prayer is to be reckoned among our Privileges If we had such Freedom of Access to an earthly Prince we would not reckon it a Burden It is a part of our Liberty by Christ that was purchased at a dear rate therefore let us often call upon God with Thankfulness God hath been at a great deal of Cost to erect a Throne of Grace that we may pray with Confidence Having Boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus Heb. 10.19 If a charitable Man should see a Company of Beggars wandring in the Street in the time of Worship and their Pretence is that there is no room for them in the publick Place of Meeting and he should build a Chappel for them they would be without Excuse God hath been at great Cost to provide a Throne of Grace that we might not neglect Prayer 5. Singing of Psalms that is one of the Exercises of Godliness and is of great Use in the spiritual Life though usually it be performed perfunctorily and customarily It is chiefly required as a solemn Profession of Worship As far as the Voice will extend we proclaim it to all the World that we are not ashamed of God's Worship David calls upon the Nations to make a joyful Noise to God Psal. 66.1 2. Make a joyful Noise unto God all ye Lands sing forth the Honour of his Name make his Praise glorious As it is the Custom of Nations to proclaim what they would have noted and observed by Sound of Drum and Trumpet so by Singing we manifestly own God's Worship and Service But this is not all it is an excellent way of Instruction Col. 3.16 Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with Grace in your Hearts unto the Lord. It was one means of Austin's Conversion Quantum fluminis in hymnis canticis suavi sonantis Ecclesiae How did he weep and mourn when he heard the Psalms sung by the Church to think of the Mercies and Dispensations of God to the Church And it is a Fruit and Effect of spiritual Delight the Vent we give to it Look as Drunkards when filled with carnal Mirth they howl out their wanton Songs So when the Soul is filled with spiritual Consolation it breaks out into Singing The Apostle alludes to it Ephes. 5.18 19. Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord. It gives vent to strong spiritual Affections when the Heart is ravished and overcome with the Love of God It is a more distinct and fixed Reading a Reading with Meditation Singing and Meditation are put for the same thing Psal. 104.33 34. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing Praises to my God while I have my Being my Meditation of him shall be sweet Singing is but a more distinct Pronunciation that we may have more liberty for Thought and Meditation as we go over those Portions of Scripture that are sung in the Church 6. A religious use of the Seals Baptism must not be forgotten tho not to be reiterated Look as Christ told Peter when he washed his Feet Iohn 13.7 What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter So you are to look after the Fruits and Effects of your Baptism and of your Engagement to Christ in your Infancy and what Benefit you have by virtue of your being baptized into Christ. But especially the use of the Supper that 's one of the Exercises of Godliness it is the Seal of the Covenant It is called The New Testament in Christ's Blood Luke 22.20 that is it is a Sign and Seal of it Sacramental Speeches must be understood sacramentally Now this is a high Condescension on God's part with what Reverence should we come to such an Ordinance as if his Word did not suffice but we must have all ways of Ratification and Assurance The Lord's Supper is the Map of the Gospel all the Mysteries of Salvation are here abridged it is the Epitome of the Gospel Christ's publick Monument to the Church Look as Kings will not only have their Royal Acts and Deeds recorded in faithful Chronicles but also erect a publick Monument to keep up their Memory so the Lord Christ would not only have his Royal Acts recorded in the Chronicles of the Scripture but hath erected this publick Monument that we may remember what he did for us how he triumphed over Principalities and Powers and made a Spoil of them openly It is a visible Pledg of his second Coming Christ would have it celebrated in the Church to awaken our Hopes our Thoughts and our
precious Death wrought out a perfect Reconciliation between God and us and procured the full Pardon of all our Sins and a perfect Liberty from the Pursuit of God's Wrath Iohn 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed I mention these things because it is very comfortable to compare the Law and the Gospel Look as though you know a Man well yet you delight to view his Picture So though Christ be more clearly represented in the New Testament as a Sanctuary for Souls yet it is good to look upon his Picture and the Shadows of Christ under the Law Secondly It is the Property of Believers to fly to Christ for Refuge This flying may be explained with Analogy to the two terms of every Motion which are terminus à quo and ad quem from what we fly and to what and so we have the perfect Method and Course which the Spirit observeth in bringing home Souls to God In this flying to Christ as a City of Refuge there is a driving and a drawing Work the first belongs to the Law the second to the Gospel The Law driveth us out of our selves and the Gospel draweth us and bringeth us home to God First there is a Preparative Work of the Law which causeth Flight and Fear and is as the Avenger of Blood at our Heels to make us run as for Life But the Gospel hath the greatest Stroak in the Conversion of a Sinner it is the Gospel that pulls in the Heart of a Man to God In coming to Christ we are moved not only with Fear but Hope a Flight argueth Fear and there is an Hope set before us there is a Fear of deserved Wrath and a Hope of undeserved Mercy First the Law worketh Fear in us as a good Preparation to make way for the Gospel but then the Hope set before us in the Offers of the Gospel perfecteth the Work as Moses brought them to the Borders but Ioshua led them into the Land of Canaan Let us speak a little distinctly of these Points 1 st Let us speak of the Terminus à quo the Term from which we come or the driving Work it is comprized in these two things a Sense of Sin and a Sense of the Wrath of God pursuing for Sin 1. There must be a Sense of Sin A Man is satisfied with his Condition until he seeth his own Vileness in the Glass of the Law Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died He had as great Hopes as most Men have Persons have a strong Conceit of themselves and a large Opinion of their own Righteousness until the Law of God comes upon their Hearts in full Evidence and Power and shakes their Confidence Then what wretched Creatures do we appear to our selves upon such Conviction I thought that I was thus and thus towards God but I see that I am wholly carnal and the Law is spiritual I had thought that I had a better Heart towards God but alas I was wholly overgrown with Lusts. This is like the awaking out of a Dream a poor hungry Man dreams that he is satisfied but awaking his Soul hath nothing So a Sinner says I thought my Estate was good but now I am convinced of the Unsoundness of my Heart O how poor and miserable and wretched am I in all spiritual Respects First or last we are thus humble Rev. 3.17 Thou â—ayest I am rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Sottish Wretches think they had ever a good Heart towards God Matth. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my Youth up and they go on with a pleasing Dream and so are not so much as prepared for Christ. The Children of God are kept constantly humble they think none can have a worse Heart than they 1 Tim. 1.15 Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief 2. There must be a Sense of the Wrath of God pursuing us for Sin Both are necessary Some are sensible of Sin but not of Wrath as the carnal and dissolute who cannot but know themselves wicked wretched Creatures but do not consider of Wrath to come Amos 6.3 Ye put far away the evil Day Hell is at a Distance and Judgment is to come they put off Trouble when they cannot put it away they sleep but their Damnation sleepeth not they adjourn their Work and leave their Souls at a desperate Pass Things afar off though they be marvellous great seem little a Star that is bigger than all the Earth is as a Spark or Spangle Their Consciences are not sensible of Wrath though their Hearts be full of Sin Wrath is not upon them nor the Avenger of Blood at their Heels they delay and dream of a devout old Age. But now God maketh them sensible of Wrath to whom he meaneth Grace though I confess in a different Degree They are solicitous if not anxious one time or other they are brought to this What shall I do Some more violently others more gently some are wounded at the very Heart others are pricked and a little stung at the Heart Acts 2.37 Now when they heard this they were pricked in their Heart as with an empoisoned Dagger No certain Rules can be given sometimes they that have good Education have least Terrors as being restrained from grosser Sins Trees long unprun'd have the more Cuts when they come to be lopp'd Some have more Terrors because they have withstood more Means Some that are called to greater Services have most Terrors he that hath received much Wrong by a bad Neighbour can speak worse of him than he that hath received less Injuries Those that are not called to such eminent Services God spareth them Work serveth instead of Sorrows Some have drunk most deeply of the Dregs of Sin they serve only for Monuments of the Power of God's Anger Sometimes Men or Women of the most excellent and acute Understanding are most troubled as having the clearest Apprehension of the Hainousness of Sin and Terribleness of Wrath. At other times it cometh from Ignorance as Fears are in the dark and weak Spirits are apt to be terrified There can be no certain Rules only this in general All feel some Smart Sin would not be bitter and Christ would not be sweet did not we taste it sometimes The Hart would not pant for the Water-Brooks if it were not chased Psal. 42.1 Every one cometh to Christ with their Load A Man that was never lost in himself will never be found in Christ. 2 dly Let us come to the Terminus ad quem from what we come to what they run to Christ as their City of Refuge 1. It implies Earnestness as in a Case of Life and Death A dilatory trifling Spirit shews we are not touched at Heart A Man scorched with the Wrath of
wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him There is a peculiar Goodness which God hath to his People and all his Blessings to them come from it 2 Thes. 1.11 That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness I. VSE The Consideration of his Goodness is Matter of great Comfort to the Godly and Faithful at all times but especially in time of Trouble and Distress At all times Psal. 100.5 For the Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting an◠〈◊〉 Truth endureth to all generations Here 's the Stability of the Saints which 〈◊〉 them in Life and Heart and Comfort in all Conditions but especially in a 〈◊〉 of Want and Afflictions inward or outward It is a great Cordial of the Saints to think of the Goodness of God Do we want Direction Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Do we want Support and Deliverance Nahum 1.7 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Do we feel the Burden of Sin or do we fear the Wrath of God Psal. 86.5 For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive When his old Sins troubled him Psal. 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercy remember me for thy Goodness sake O Lord. Do Enemies insult and boast and threaten much Psal. 52.1 Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty Man the Goodness of God endureth continually Tho' they have never so much Might and Power and do never so much machine against you yet they cannot take away the Goodness of God therefore you have no Cause to be discouraged God may seem to break down the Hedge and forget his poor Servants and leave them as a Prey to their Enemies yet he changeth not his Affection to them In the Agonies of Death here 's our Cordial and Support Austin when he came to dye had this Speech to those that were about him Non sic vixi ut me pudeat inter vos vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum I have not so lived as that I should be ashamed to live among you and I have not so believed as that I am afraid to dye for I have a good God This supports us and is a very great Cordial to our Heart he is a good God to all that put their trust in him II. VSE Let it move all to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his Goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance God is Good but not to those that continue in their Sins There is Hope offered O come try see how good he will be to you Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him If Goodness be despised it will turn into Fury In point of Gratitude the Goodness of God should melt our Hearts into Godly Sorrow for Sin The kindness from Men melteth us it is as Coals of Fire as Fire melts a thing and makes it capable of any Impression The Borrower is a Servant to the Lender God hath not lent but given us all that we have O let it break our Hearts with Sorrow that we should offend so good and Bountiful a God Saul had but a rough military Spirit yet when he heard how kind David had been to him in sparing his Life He lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 Methinks when we hear how good God hath been to us all our days this should make us ashamed of the Insolencies and Abuses we have put upon him Every Man will condemn him that wrongs one that never hurt him God hath done us no hurt but a great deal of good what will you Sin against God that is so good in himself and so good to all his Creatures and return Evil for all his Goodness to you I beseech you by the Mercies of God deal not so unkindly how can you Sin against him and abuse all his Mercies III. VSE Honour and Praise him for this in Word and Deed Psal. 118.1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good You all have tasted of the Goodness of God now what shall be done to the Lord for this Certainly we should be good and do good that we might imitate our Heavenly Father SERMON III. ON MARK X. 19 Thou knowest the Commandments do not commit Adultery do not Kill do not Steal do not bear False Witness Defraud not Honour thy Father and Mother IN former Discourses upon this Context you have heard of a necessary Question asked and that by a Young Man concerning the way to Eternal Life He doth not put it upon good Words or any thing less than good Works really to be done What good thing must I do that I may inherit Eternal Life Yet because he spoke in a Legal Sence Christ accommodates his Answer thereunto First he gives Answer to his Compellation Good Master and now to his Question To convince his Conscience and bring him to Brokenness of Heart and now remitteth him to his Rule 1. He mindeth him of his Pattern Why callest thou me Good there is none good but one which is God This Young Man had too high a Conceit of his own Goodness therefore Christ shews him that Originally and absolutely that Title belongeth to God only 2. He referrs him to his Rule Thô we be not so perfect as God is perfect yet if we answer our Rule the Law given to us it is enough for us Creatures and therefore the Young Man is put upon that Tryal Thou art not good as God is good so thou canst not be for God alone is good yet thou knowest the Commandments Do not commit Adultery c. Observe here 1. Christ directeth him to the Commandments for an Answer to his Question the Question was What must I do that I may inherit Eternal life Christ saith Thou knowest the Commandments c. That here is a direct Answer to the Question appeareth by comparing the Evangelists for we see Mar. 19.17 18. it is drawn Dialogue-wise thus If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments He saith unto him which Iesus said Thou shalt do no Murder thou shalt not commit Adultery c. If thou lookest to be saved by Doing keep the Law perfectly 2. For the particular Commandments he instanceth in those Commandments for his Tryal which were more apt to convince him of his Sin and of his Imperfection And here it is notable that they are all of the second Table Do not Kill do not commit Adultery c. And there is one Clause Defraud not that is left out in Luke and in Matthew instead thereof there is put this General Clause Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 19.19 Three Questions then are necessary for Explication 1. Why Christ referrs him to the Commandments 2. Why the Commandments of the Second Table are
only mentioned 3. Why seeing it is plain that the Six Commandments of the Second Table are alluded unto Defraud not is put for the last Commandment Thou shalt not Covet for of the Method wherein they are recited we need not move any doubt for Christ beginneth with the Negatives and the Affirmative Precept is put last as a thing not accurately to be stood upon 1 Question Why Christ referrs him to the Commandments The Reason of the Doubt is this Because the fallen Creature can never be Justified or Saved by his own Works Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified in his sight Tit. 3.5 Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace Eph. 2.8 9. For by Grace ye are saved thrô Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of works lest any man should boast The Scripture doth always run in this Strain yea Christ himself puts Salvation upon another Score upon Believing in him Iohn 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life Why then doth Christ referr him to the Commandment I answer Christ speaketh not this as if any Man could be Saved and Justified by the Works of the Law It was far from our Saviours meaning to foment such an Error but the scope of his Speech is to shew that it is in vain to enquire for the Way to Heaven while men trust to their own Righteousness And therefore good Works and Obedience to the Law are proposed to convince him of his Impotency to humble him in the sense of his Guilt to drive him out of himself and to draw him to seek Salvation by a better Covenant or if not to leave him without Excuse That this was Christ's aim to shew him his Sin and miserable Condition and disability to be justified by the Law will appear by these following Considerations 1. It was necessary this Man should be treated in this way for the many Errors wherewith he was tainted required it As 1. To draw him again to the Service of God from those Traditions and humane Observances in which the Pharisees placed most of their Religion and Piety and therefore Christ mentions not the Traditions of the Elders but the Commandments of God 2. To draw him from the Law Ceremonial which was to be abolished to the Law Moral He mentioneth not the Ceremonial Law which the Iews strictly observed but Moral Duties 3. To beat down his Presumption whereby he believed that the Law was easie for him to accomplish such as seek Justification and Eternal Life by Works must be taught that to keep the whole Law in all Points without the least Sin is the only Way to Heaven by Works which Way to every Man now polluted by Sin is impossible There was no better Course to humble a Pharisee than by referring him to his own Covenant rightly understood to let him see the Perfection and Spiritual Sence of it and so to bring him to a Knowledge of Sin that he might learn to seek God's Favour by the Mediator who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 That is to say The end of giving the Law by Moses was that Men might thereby be brought to the Knowledge of their Sins and so be necessitated to fly for Refuge to Christ and his Righteousness who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us If any Man think that this consisted not with the Simplicity of Christ's Instruction especially when such a serious Question was proposed to him What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life And that it may seem to countenance their Error who sought Righteousness by the Law to referr such to the Commandments I answer 1. Christ used the same Method that God did in giving the Law upon Mount Sinai Why did God give it then but to break a stiff-necked People trusting to their own strength by this exact Yoke of Duty which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear That seeing their manifold Guilt in which all are inevitably involved by the violation of the Law they might be burdened and condemned in themselves and so fly to the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World as he was represented to them in the Sacrifice and burnt-offering That this was God's End in giving the Law see Rom. 5.20 21. Moreover the Law entred that the Offence might abound but where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto Death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Iesus Christ our Lord. And Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made Suitably here Christ having to do with a Man that was puffed up with an Opinion of his own Righteousness and Strength as if he had already discharged the whole Duty of the Law and was ready and able to do whatsoever should be further required of him in order to Eternal Life to humble him Christ referreth him to the Commandments and so layeth a ground work of convincing him of base Idolatry in loving Riches more than God and Eternal Life So that his End was not to foster and increase his Presumption but by urging the Law which he professed to stand to to convince him of his own baseness and the necessity of seeking another Righteousness 2. Practical Conviction is best and Men never see their unworthiness so much as when they are held to their own Covenant and we are so far to condescend to the humours of Men as to convince them and condemn them in their own way As Festus told Paul Acts 25.12 Hast thou appealed unto Caesar unto Caesar shalt thou go As a presumptuous Sick Man that is strongly conceited he is able to leave his Bed and walk up and down the best way to confute him is by tryal Or a Phrenetick Person or a Man that is distempered with melancholly Fancies wise Physicians indulge the Humour a little that by dealing with them in their own way they may afterwards the better dispossess them of their vain Conceits If men will go to Heaven by Doing let them know what Doing is required Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law do ye not hear the Law If men will betake themselves to stand to or fall by the Sentence of the Law or Covenant of Works let them see how it will succeed with them 3. It was a Truth Christ spake If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments but we must consider his Intention Thô Mens trusting in their own Works is displeasing to God
yet good Works are not displeasing to him And therefore there can be no hurt in pressing men to these yea by the Rewards propounded in the legal Covenant Therefore Christ might say If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments the old legal Proposal shewing how valuable they are in their own Nature and the words being also capable of a Gospel sence Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Eph. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 2 Question Why the Commandments of the second Table are only mentioned For since those Duties which belong to the first Table are more excellent as concerning the Worship of God and they are more strict and inward and therefore would seem to be fittest to bring the Man to a Sense of his Condition why doth Christ referr him to the second Table 1. I Answer In these the Pharisees conceived themselves to be most perfect and yet these were a sufficient Touch-stone whereby to try and discover their Unfruitfulness and their Imperfection Certainly if they be defective here there is no standing by the Law If a Man cannot go surely he cannot run if he cannot spell surely he cannot read if Men be defective in the Duties of the Second Table certainly they are not able to keep the Law 2. These are most Plain and Easie to be understood and the Sins committed against them are most evident and apparent The Duties of the Second Table are of the lowest Hemisphere and wherein a Man can do most if he can do any thing these Duties are more written in a Man's Heart than first Table Duties Heathens were Fools in Worship as the Apostle represents them Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise they became Fools Yet as to the Duties of the Second Table they were Just Charitable and Temperate and had a great command of their Passions tho' they were very sottish in their Worship for the benefit of Humane Society God hath left Second-table Notions more clear upon Mans Heart 3. In the Externals of the First Table the Iews seemed very Zealous but negligent they were of the Second and herein they commonly fail who hypocritically make fair shews of Devotion and outward respect to God in Worship as Isa. 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-goats When they neglected Judgment and Justice So Isa. 66.3 He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol So Micah 6.7 8. When they talked of Rivers of Oyl and thousands of Rams the Prophet tells them He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God That they should make Conscience of Justice and Equity in their Dealings and be Merciful and Charitable Second-table Duties are of greater value than outward Ceremonies therefore when Christ would convince such a Man as this he referrs him to the Second-table Duties 3 Question Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Defraud not and deprive not is put for the last Commandment Thou shalt not Covâ—t Certainly that is intended as is evident to any that shall consider Christ's Answer it fitly shews what kind of Coveâ—ing is forbidden in the last Commandment namely such Covetings as tend to another's Loss It is a Question that hath exercised some how to State the Sin forbidden and the Duty enjoyned in the Law 1. The Sin forbidden is Coveting by which is not meant the whole corrupt Inclination of our Nature for that is not forbidden in any one Commandment but in the whole Law nor all the first stirrings of that Corruption neither for a great part of them are opposite to Religion and they are forbidden in the first Table nor all those stirrings of Corruption which tend to the Loss and hurt of our Neighbour for when they proceed to a deliberate Consent and Purpose they are forbidden in other Commands of not Killing not Stealing c. But those first Lustings by which the Soul is urged to desire any good thing that is our Neighbours tho' at first we have not a set purpose to get it by unlawful means yet when we have a lusting desire of any thing that may tend to our Neighbours loss as Ahab had a lustful desire of Naboth's Vineyard as a Conveniency thô he promised to give him a better in the room of it or to give him the worth of it in Money he would have it upon a valuable Consideration by Sale or Exchange 1 Kings 21.2 So here an inordinate Desire to have some good thing out of our Neighbours hand that 's the Sin forbidden by Defraud not or deprive not when we would mend our own Portion with the Diminution of his 2. The Duty of the Law is to rest contented or satisfied with our own Portion or the Lot which God hath afforded us so as not to desire to encrease it or to have any thing to our selves with the Loss of another It is notable that instead of what is here said Defraud not it is Mat. 19.19 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which thô it be a General that runs thrô the whole Second Table yet it hath a special Regard to the Tenth Commandment and shews we are to desire the good of others as well as our own and to think our Neighbour as fit to enjoy any thing that belongs to him as to think our selves fit to enjoy that which is our own To have a full Complacency with our own without a lustful wishing we had any thing that is theirs Not coveting their Goods or desiring any Advantage by their Loss or lessening is the Sin forbidden Well now Out of all we may conclude thus The Young Man as to the present Posture and Frame of his Heart was not fit to be taught Faith in Christ nor the Doctrine of the Gospel being conceited of Perfection by the Works of the Law he was fit to be sent to the Gospel In effect Christ saith to him thus Examine thy self truly whether thou hast or canst keep the Law for till that Point be over thou art not fit for other things go take the Second Table the easier part of the Law art thou not defective there The Point that may be observed from hence will be this Doct. That the best way to convince Iusticiaries or Self-righteous Men is by holding them to their own Covenant or the Covenant of Works Or thus The true way to prepare Men for Christ is to
if Men under Grace could live under the Dominion of any one Sin they are shut up by the Curse we must look to Christ and give up our selves to him This Man in the Text had the Love of the World reigning in his Heart and Christ turns him away and afterwards it is said he went â—â—way sad III. VSE To instruct us if we would be prepared for Christ what we must do we must study the Law the Purity of it and the binding Force it hath on all under it 1. We must be able to understand it Christ saith to the Young man Thou knowest the Commandments he appealeth to him as to one that had some Knowledge of the Law Those that live in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandments or Law of God but well acquained with them God complaineth Hosea 8.12 I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing To be Strangers to the Word of God little conversant in it and to make little use of it is a great Affront done to God We should acquaint our selves not with the Letter only as little Children learn it by rote but with the sence and purpose of it 2. Meditate often thereupon Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and Night Deep and ponderous Thoughts have most Efficacy without a Study of the Law Men are without the Law while they have it Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once Who more zealous for the Law than Paul Gal. 1.14 I profited in the Iews Religion above many my Equals in mine own Nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers but while he did not ponder of it he was without the Law 3. Judge your selves by it One great use for which the Moral Law serveth is to bring men to a sight and sense of their Sins and Imperfections and humble them before God Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet and to undeceive them of Conceits of their own Goodness and Righteousness Look into thy Bill what owest thou 4. Beg the Light of the Spirit to shew thee thy Sin and Misery Rom. 7.9 Whâ—n the Commandment came in the Light and Evidence of the Holy Spirit Sin revived and I dyed Men that have the Letter of the Law may be without the Light and Power of it Without the Spirit we guess confusedly concerning things as the Man that saw men like Trees walking and have but general cursory confused Thoughts SERMON IV. ON MARK X. v. 20. And he answered and said unto him Master all these have I observed from my Youth YOU have heard of a necessary Question propounded by a Noble Young man to Christ What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life We have spoken to Christ's Answer Now in this Verse we have the Young man's Reply All these have I observed from my Youth wherein there is expressed or pretended at least 1. An Vniversality of Respect to the Will of God All these have I observed 2. An early Beginning to do so from my Youth He was still a Young man but by these words from my Youth he means ever since I had the use of Reason as soon as I begun to distinguish between Good and Evil strait and crooked Certainly this Answer were good if it were true Some goodness there is in it therefore we will observe something from it for it is said in the next Verse when he had answered thus Iesus beholding him loved him First It is good in the first Respect as an Vniversality of Obedience is pretended and I may drop this Note Doct. They that would keep the Commandments must observe not only one but all It is true of the Law of God as it belongeth to the Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace 1. As it belongeth to the Covenant of Works Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Every Sin the least is damnable by that Covenant and deserveth a Curse if he should omit any thing required or commit any thing forbidden the Curse seizeth upon his Throat So Iames 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all As one Condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease therefore it concerns this Legalist to make good his Plea and Conceit of Perfection by the Law to say All these things have I done 2. But is not the Covenant of Grace more favourable No it gives not allowance to the least failings but binds us to make Conscience of all as well as of some 1. Because the Authority is the same Exod. 20.1 God spake not one or two but all these words they are all ratified by the Great God and Law-giver So that the same reason that moves us to one moves us to another also that we do it out of Conscience to God we must walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 That we should obey Parents keep the Sabbath not Steal be careful of his Institutions not worship him by an Idol this is pleasing to God and so is that 2. The Heart can never be Sincere when we can dispense with any thing which God hath Commanded And you cannot have the Testimony of a good Conscience approving your Sincerity when you allow your selves in the least Failing Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments I confess it is chiefly meant of our final Judgment But in all Conditions in the World if we would be found faithful with God and not lest to shame we must respect all his Commandments Luk. 1.6 Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless And saith David Psal. 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me If you would not break your Confidence and freedom of Heart when you come to God in Prayer but come with Assurance of Welcome and Audience not one Sin must be regarded When we set up a Toleration in our own Hearts and dispense with any one Duty it is either some Pleasure or Profit or Honour that maketh the Duty contrary to us but this will not stand with Sincerity that any petty Interest or Affection of ours should be preferred before the Will of God for these Men do not serve God but their own Lusts when they will only obey God so far as Pleasure Honour or Profit or some Lust will permit them to yield Obedience to him 3. God giveth Grace to keep all Wherever he Renews and Sanctifies it is throughout he fills the Soul with the Seeds of all Grace so as to dispose and encline us to every Duty
Tongue a deaf Ear or a lame Leg certainly you ought much more to bewail the want of Grace We murmure at outward Defects which is a taxing of Providence it being a fruit of the Lord's Dominion belongs to our Care Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 Dye the Cloath in the Wooll and not in the Webb and the Colour is more durable God works strangely in Children and many notable things have been found in them beyond expectation 3 It prevents many Sins which afterwards would be a trouble to us when we are Old O many think that the Tricks of Youth are long since forgotten and forgiven but alas the guilt of them may fly in our Faces afterward nay tho' they be pardoned and the Persons reconciled to God The Sins of Youth trouble many a tender Conscience in Age witness David Psal. 25.7 Remember not the Sins of my Youth And Iob Chap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth A Good man may remember old Sins with new fears that they are not pardoned While it is eaâ—ie to Sin it is easie to believe the pardon of Sin marvel not at the Expression while we are Young and Sin freely we think God will forgive those Sins and they will soon be forgotten but as a Man grows up into more tenderness of Conscience and into a greater Awe and Sense and Esteem of God's Holiness what a Holy God he serves he finds it the more difficult to believe the pardon of Sin Good Men have with much bitterness of Soul called to mind the Sins of their Youth when they see the Sins of their younger days are so many and the breaches of God's Law so innumerable whereby they have offended God that either through Ignorance or Inconsideration they have so sinned against God that they have much ado to believe the pardon of the multitude of their youthful Sins New Afflictions may awaken the sense of old Sins as old Bruises may trouble us long after upon every change of Weather There are some that feel the Sins of their Youth in their Bodies when the Pains and Aches of their miserable Age are the Fruits of their youthful Vanities and Intemperance as it is said Iob 20.11 His bones are full of the Sins of his Youth which shall lye down with him in the dust They carry the marks of their youthful Sins their Bones feel them till they lye down in the Dust. Nay God's Children that have repented and God hath been reconciled to them through Christ they have many a bitter remembrance of their youthful Follies and Vanities that make their Hearts ake at the Thoughts of them Ier. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my Youth Therefore upon these Considerations certainly it is very good to begin with God betimes that it may not be a disadvantage to us after God shall call us to Grace for though the Lord may bless the Education of Youth with Supernatural Grace yet youthful Vanities may prove very bitter in the remembrance of them when we grow old VSE This is spoken to reprove us because we always think it too soon to begin with God Where is this timely Care and Forwardness Alas we cannot say All these have we kept from our Youth but when we come to look to the Commands of God we may say All these have we broken from our Youth While they are Young most Men live prophane and without all fear of God Certainly there was some Goodness in this Mans Speech and that occasioned me to observe it for Iesus beholding him loved him But was it true All these have I kept from my Youth In a Sence it was true in regard of outward Conformity but not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which was required 1. It was true in regard of outward Conformity Externally he had kept them all thô not in the just extent of the Law yet he was as to Men unreproveable being no Adulterer no Murderer no Extortioner no Thief he did not lye certainly in this Profession he made he spoke as he thought and out of Simplicity and Error rather than Deceit the Man lived blamelesly and did no body harm and therefore saith All these have I kept from my Youth Outward Obedience and Conformity to the Law is a good and commendable thing in it self yea necessary and required of us but we are not to rest in it but to escape the Vices and Pollutions of the World is so far Praise-worthy There are many that are openly prophane and wicked in Life Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakers these come short of this Young man who yet came short of the Kingdom of Heaven What will these say for themselves will they pretend that their Heart is good Can a pure Fountain send forth impure Streams If the Heart were good would the Life be so naught If there be light in the Lanthorn will it not shine forth If there be Grace in the Heart it will appear 2. It was not true in regard of that perfect Obedience which the Law requireth and so he ignorantly and falsly supposed that he had kept the Law well enough and done all those things from his Youth The Falsity and presumption of this Answer will appear by considering 1. What the Scripture saith of the State of Man by Nature Gen. 8.21 The Imagination of mans Heart is evil from his Youth And he saith All these have I kept from my Youth O how much do they forget themselves that boast of their own Perfection 2. The Falsity of it appears by the sence of the Commandment produced Thou knowest the Commandment saith Christ Do not commit Adultery c. which will reach the most perfect man upon Earth It was a Command of the Second Table which wrought such Tragical Effects and that stirr'd up those Stings of Conscience and Agonies of Heart in Paul Rom. 7.7 I had nan known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet and thereupon he groundeth that General Verse 14. The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal sold under Sin 3. The Falsity will appear by comparing him with other Holy Men of God how differently do they express themselves from this Man that was so full of Confidence Compare him first with Iosiah who when he heard the Law read he rent his Cloaths 2 Kings 22.11 and here Christ recites the Law Thou knowest the Commandment and this Young man saith All these have I kept from my Youth O what a difference is there between a tender Self-judging Heart and a Conceited Justiciary A tender Conscience is all in an Agony when it hears the Law and will smite for the least failing as David's Heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Saul's Garment
Children 2 Kings 2.24 And then for Grown men God will have Judgments for them It is a sad time and it calls for much Weeping Lamentation and Grief that we live in an Age wherein Moral wickedness abounds Drinking Whoring Swearing Murdering Stealing and such like Abominations Take this Observation God doth not usually punish in this World for Unbelief and want of Love to Christ he leaves it to the World to come but for breaches of the Moral Law he doth Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men When the two Tables are violated by Ungodliness and Unrighteousness then the Wrath of God breaks out by some notable Judgment So Heb. 2.2 Every transgression and Disobedience of Moses received a just recompence of Reward And Hos. 4.1 2. The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land by Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood There are Sins against the Moral Law reckoned up which provokes the Lord's Anger As in Temporal Favours God expresseth love to those that are morally Righteous so in Temporal Judgments he hath expressed his Hatred against Immoralities I confess some Gospel Provocations God doth punish in this World as for Instance when men persecute the Profession of the Gospel or when they grow weary of the Gospel after they have long had it then it concerns God as Governour of the World to punish such the Good of the World being very much concerned But chiefly his Judgments are for Sins against the Moral Law of God when these are broken in our Streets there ought to be much Weeping and Lamenting before the Lord in a sense of these things 4. It Condemns those that will pretend to the peculiar Love of Christ when they are not Moral but froward undutiful in their Relations unconscionable in their Dealing and have not learned to be sober to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour what do you talk of being Christians when they are not so good as Heathens Never think of the higher Mysteries of Religion of Believing in Christ and Communion with God when you live so contrary to the Light of Nature as the Apostle speaks of the Natural Branches and the Branches contrary to Nature Rom. 11.24 It is in vain to think of grafting things that are contrary to Nature if the Natural Branches be not grafted in There are certain who are doubly dear both in the Flesh and in the Lord not only in the Lord upon the Account of Religion but in the Flesh upon the Account of Nature as Onesimus was dear to Philemon when Converted Philemon 16. There were many Moral Heathens of a sweet Nature that had great Command over their Passion Many civil Carnal Men will rise up in Judgment against high-flown Christians that pretend to great heights of Faith and Love to Christ but are defective in Morals As it was said of the Men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba that they shall rise up in Iudgment against this Generation and condemn it Mat. 12.41 42. so will these Heathens Men morally Just Exact Punctual in their Dealings rise up in Judgment against many that pretend to believe in Christ Si non praestat fides quid praestitit infidelitas How should this put you to shame when those that are graceless cannot be taken Tardy in those things wherewith you are charged I say if their Moral Principles and Civil Institutions binds them to the Peace and good Behaviour and will not suffer them to do wrong and all the Laws of Christ will not confine you within your Duty how great will your Condemnation be see that you be not exceeded by them I may represent it thus when a School-boy knows more and better of Arts and Sciences than a University-man is not this a great shame to him I remember it is said of Sarah Gen. 20.16 Abimelech said Behold I have given thy Brother a thousand Pieces of Silver behold he is to thee a covering of thine Eyes unto all that are with thee and to all other thus was she reproved Here is no word of Reproof how was she reproved Why here a Pagan King dismisseth her untouched with Gifts to her Husband he provides for her safety and this was a reproof of Sarah's dissembling his Morality was a reproof to her that was acquainted with the true God and a Professor of the true Faith and yet was found tardy You are shamed and Christ is put to shame in you 5. It invites us to go so far for Jesus loved this Young Man est aliquid prodire tenus What was in this young Man Here 's his Care to seek after Eternal Life his reverend Esteem of Christ's Person his outward Conformity to the Laws of God his abstaining from all gross sins from his Youth O these are amiable Properties and Qualities and those that are endowed with them Christ loveth them Obj. But here 's an Objection How is this a Motive Christ was Courteous and Respectful to this Young Man but now he is in Heaven what Love doth Christ shew now upon Earth to those that are Moral 1. Moral Vertues will at least procure a Temporal Reward Christ loves Vertue so that he rewardeth the Shew of it it keeps off many Temporal Judgments and procures many Temporal Benefits as the Ninevites Repentance though not real kept off the Judgment Ionah 3.10 and Ahab's Humiliation kept off the Judgment in his days 1 Kings 21.29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the Evil in his days but in his Son's days will I bring the Evil upon his House It encourageth us to seek him since he rewardeth a Temporal Repentance with Temporal Favours O what will the hearty Humiliation of a true Penitent do when a Counterfeit one is thus far accepted with God And so that kind of Zeal that was in Iehu was not without its Reward 2 Kings 10.30 Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy Childâ—en of the fourth generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel though he did it with an imperfect Heart The Egyptian Midwives when they saved the Children of the Israelites though it were by a Lye the Lord multiplyed them and blessed them Exod. 1.20 Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives and Ver. 21. It came to pass that because the Midwives feared God that he made them Houses So Austin observes that the Romans as long as they did excell in Justice and Temperance were rewarded by God with Victory and Prosperity as long as that Empire kept honest in Civil Vertues it had eminent Success and their Common-wealth prevailed and overtopt the Nations but when they degenerated into Beasts
they call Christ Lord and Saviour but do not rest upon him for Salvation nor obey him therefore this will be of no use to them as to Eternal Life So Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven Thô we profess Christianity and seem to have a great Respect to Christ's Memory yet without the practice of Faith and Obedience we shall have no Benefit by Christ and shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Only those who being condemned by the Law fly to Christ by Faith and study to bring forth the Fruits of Newness of Life shall be saved by him Again Iohn 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed There are Disciples in Name and there are Christ's Disciples indeed such as are so in Truth Life and Practice Whatever Priviledges Men may have by their outward Profession and Shew yet they have no ground of solid Comfort till they persevere to walk according to Christ's Direction and continue in his Word Thus when we renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and cleave to Christ as Prince and Saviour and resign up our selves to his Use when this is done in reality then do we enter our selves indeed to be his Disciples This is implyed in our Baptism as in the Primitive Times when they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iustin Martyr phraseth it they did solemnly renounce Christ's Enemies and profess to choose him for their Lord and Master and yielded up themselves to be guided by him in his own way to Heaven And the Apostle telleth us 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism saveth us not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God that is an hearty acceptance of God's Offers and an engagement in his strength to do his Commandments Secondly Why this is necessary beyond Alms and all other Amiable Qualities 1. Because Heathens and Men of a false Religion may Excell in Charity and other Moralities and yet without true Grace they are nothing The Apostle tells us The Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law Rom. 2.14 And that they excelled in Charity as well as other things appears by Titus 3.14 Let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses Who are they that he calls ours also Compare it with v. 8. That they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works that is those of our Religion as well as the Iews and Pagans The Gentiles were much given to Charity Paul saith Acts 28.2 The barbarous people shewed us no little kindness Mercy had an Altar in every City of Greece The Alchoran of the Turks say That if men knew what a pleasant thing it was to give Alms rather than want somewhat to give they would slice out their own Flesh So that the Gentiles and men not under the Institution of Christ those that are without the Covenant and Promise and Grace may be addicted to Alms. But now all this is nothing without true Grace 1 Cor. 13.3 Thô I bestow all my Goods to feed the poor and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing A Man would think there were a Contradiction in the Apostles Speech for how can one bestow all his Goods to feed the Poor and yet want Charity If this be not Charity what is I would not Interpret it If I bestow all my Goods upon the Poor Hypocritically for it is a hard thing to conceive Hypocrisie should go to such a length but there is the Grace of Charity and the Natural Amiable Quality of Charity If a Man have not a renewed Heart if it be a meer Natural Motion without Spiritual Grace and that cannot be till they enter themselves Disciples to Christ in the way spoken of it is nothing The Apostle commends the Macedonians that were a poor People yet did exceedingly stretch themselves to contribute to the Poor Saints at Ierusalem 2. Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God And here was the true Method before they gave their Goods they offered their Hearts to God they gave up themselves to the Lord Christ to be his Disciples they entred themselves into his Service This is the true Fountain of Charity and then it comes to something 2. There is need of Faith in Christ in order to our Acceptance with God and Reconciliation with him and therefore all the Good Works we do will not profit us till we become Disciples of Christ Why till we Believe his Atonement and Reconciliation is not reckoned to us for the Gifts of Enemies are giftless and unacceptable Since the Fall there is no way of acceptance with God till we change our Copy and come to claim by a new Covenant Nothing will render us acceptable to God but compleat Innocence or else Repentance and Faith in Christ. While we stand upon our own Bottom alas the least Failing is damnable and spoils all the good we do for without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and Rom. 8.8 They that are in the Flesh cannot please God VSE To shew the Necessity of becoming the Disciples of Christ that you may not satisfie your selves with any thing you do without it or beneath it till you have taken Christ for your Saviour But you will say What need this ado we are Christians are not we dedicated to his Service Baptized in his Name I answer three things 1. There is the more need of entring your selves Disciples of Christ because you are Baptized that you may fill up your Baptism with answerable Duty The Apostle Paul presseth to put on Christ Rom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and that because they had put on Christ Colos. 3.10 Seeing ye have put on the new man We are more engaged by our Profession and Covenant sealed in Baptism if we have put on Christ Sacramentaally we must put him on really Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And indeed this is so far from being an Objection that it binds us the more strongly However God may deal with Infidels to be sure it will not fare well with you if you mock God with an empty Formality and put him off with a Baptismal Regeneration without a real Regeneration if ye put on Christ in Profession and do not really put him on and know his Grace in Truth All are engaged the more strongly that live in the Church not only by the common necessity that is upon all Mankind of running to a Redeemer but because of their Profession Rom. 6.3 4 5. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried
2. Consider Carnal Confidence Effectivè in the Influence of it the Effects of it are very mischievous 1. It is the Ground of all Miscarriage in practice When Men think they cannot be happy without Wealth or so much coming in by the Year then they will soon come to this they dare not obey God for fear they shall lose their worldly Comforts wherein their Happiness lyes It is notable when the Holy Ghost speaks of keeping the Commandment and that the Commandments of God are not grievous to his People presently he speaks of Victory over the World 1 Ioh. 5.3 4. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Why what is the Reason of this conâ—exion The World is a great Hinderance and Let in keeping the Commandment Unless a man overcome his worldly Appetites and worldly Desires he cannot keep the Law of God to any purpose And therefore David saith Psal. 119.36 Encline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousness Implying that while our Hearts are carried out so strongly after worldly things we can never be thorough and upright with God in the way of his Testimonies 2. It hinders us from looking after heavenly things It is impossible a Man should in good earnest seek things above whilst be trusts in the World and promiseth himself a long and happy Life here Trust is Acquiescentia cordis the Rest and Complacency of the Soul it seeks no further when it hath something to rest in therefore when we rest here all other Happiness is neglected there is no want in their Condition Luke 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease They cannot endure to think of a Change of leaving this and going to a World to come of shooting the Gulph and launching out into another World and therefore make no Provision for Eternity Well then trusting in Riches is bad as it takes off the Heart from depending upon God's Providence for the present for so far a Creature exempts it self from the Jurisdiction and Dominion of God but much more bad as it takes us off from depending on God's Promises for the future as it flatters us with hopes of long and happy days and causeth us to put off all Thoughts and all Care about Eternity and Blessedness to come He that trusts in Riches judgeth all his Happiness to be in this Life let him enjoy the World to the full and he hath enough here is his Happiness and his Heaven too he saith as that Cardinal He would not give his Portion in Paris for his Portion in Paradice Tell a worldly man of laying up Treasures in Heaven and of the Riches of the Heavenly Inheritance he smiles at it and will not give a foot of Land here for an Acre in Heaven Tell them of growing rich towards God and it is but a Fancy Luk. 12.21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God So they may enjoy present satisfactions they will give God a discharge for other things As the Rubenites and Gadites would stay on this side Iordan and consented to abate their Portion in the Land of Canaan because they were already in a Rich Countrey so they can be content to abate Heavenly Happiness for if it be well with them here they are satisfied for other things they need not trouble themselves 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye and there is an end of the World with us 3. It is the ground of all the Disquiet and Discontent of Mind that we meet with If a Man would live a happy Life let him but seek a sure Object for his Trust and he shall be safe Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. A Man that puts his Confidence in God if he hears bad News of mischief coming towards him as suppose a bad Debt a loss at Sea Accidents by Fire Tempests or Earthquakes as Iob had his Messengers of evil tydings which came thick and threeâ—old upon him yet he is not afraid for his Heart is fixed on God He hath laid up his Confidence in God therefore his Heart is kept in an equal poyse he can say as Iob The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 His Comforts did not ebb and flow with the Creature but his Heart was fixed trusting in the Lord. But now when a Man puts his Joy and his Contentment under the Creatures Power he is always liable to great Dejections and anxious Disquiets Ier. 49.23 They have heard evil tydings they are faint-hearted His Life and Happiness consists in the presence of Creatures and in the Affluence of the World which being mutable so must his Comfort needs be So that he that trusts in Riches to be sure doth but make way for sore and sad Troubles of Spirit Good David when he had abused his Prosperity to a Carnal Trust and Security he felt the more trouble afterwards and so gives us the Instance of himself in this kind Psal. 30.6 7. I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made thy Mountain to stand strong thou hidest thy face and I was troubled He shall never want Troubles that placeth his Trust in any thing on this side God but is up and down as his worldly Comforts ebb and flow whereas a Christian who makes God his Trust and the Favour of God his greatest Interest is like the Nave or Center of the Wheel which still remains in its own place and posture in all the Circumgyrations and turnings about of the Wheel So in all the turnings of Providence when the spokes are sometimes up and sometimes down sometimes in the Dirt and sometimes out of the Dirt the Nave and Center is still where it was Well then if you would be acquainted with true Peace let not your Hearts be set upon great Estates which are liable to so many Changes but trust in the Lord and your Heart shall be established III. I come to give some Signs and Discoveries of this secret Evil Confidence and Trust in Riches 1. When Men oppress and do that which is evil and think to bear it out with their Wealth Power and Greatness as if there were no God above to call them to an Account or as if there had not been or could not be such a turn of Humane Affairs as God can lay them low enough and their Honour be laid in the Dust and the Poor and Afflicted shall be Exalted God hurls the World up and down that Misery may not want a Comfort nor Power a Bridle sometimes God puts up this sometimes the other sort of Men that still by all these Changes he may
mixtures of Infirmity I cannot say there was nothing of Murmuring and Dislike the muttering or saying this among themselves seems to inferr it they durst not make Christ conscious to the Question for it is in the Text They said among themselves that is they muttered privately and so it argues there was something of dislike 3. This weakness was not to a prevalent Degree so as to make them take offence and depart from Christ as we find others did upon the like Occasion when Christ had preached something strict and contrary to their Humour Iohn 6.60 61. Many of the Disciples when they heard this said This is a hard saying who can hear it When Iesus knew in himself that his Disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you VVhat and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before c. And from that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Ver. 66. Now these thô they were astonished at the strangeness of the Doctrine of Christ yet they did not reject or refuse the belief of it There was more of anxious Solicitude but somewhat of muttering VVho then can be saved Doct. VVhen the Difficulties of Salvation are sufficiently understood and laid forth we shall wonder that any are or can be Saved I shall prove 1. That it is a Difficult thing to be Saved 2. Wherein the Difficulty of Salvation doth lye 3. Shew how this ought to be seriously minded and regarded by us that it is such a difficult thing to go to Heaven I. That it is a Difficult thing to be Saved Christ sheweth that Matth. 7.14 Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it The way to Heaven is somewhat like that which is described 1 Sam. 14.4 And between the passages by which 〈◊〉 sought to go over unto the Philistines Garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side So is our way to Heaven a strait Way between Rock and Rock here is the Rock of vain Presumption and there the Rock of Despairing Fears Indeed the Text tells us of two things the Gate strait the way narrow The Gate is strait the Entrance into Religion hard there must be Repentance and bewaâ—ing our former Sins the working up the Heart to a fixed Resolution against Sin and a serious dedicating our selves to God O how hard is it to pass thrô this Gate And then there 's a narrow Way full of Difficulties to Corrupt Nature our Lâ—sts are impatient of any restraint and we are loth entirely to give up our selves to do and suffer God's Will So Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force It is no wonder that Earthly Kingdoms are surprized by Violence but it is strange that the Kingdom of Heaven should suffer Violence how shall we understand this Violeâ—ce doth not signifie unlawful Attempts but earnest Diligence It is not an Injurious Violence such as snatches at Earthly Crowns but the Industrious Violence a Resolution to break through all Impediments and take no Nay no Discouragements can much abate our Edge and take us off from our pursuit of the Heavenly Kingdom So 1 Pet. 4.18 A Righteous Man is scarcely saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much ado he gets to shore he makes a hard shift to get to Heaven This is enough to intimate the General Truth that there is difficulty to get to Heaven II. Wherein lyes the Difficulty of Salvation The Reason of doubting is this Because God's Terms upon which Heaven is offered are gentle and sweet Mat. 11.30 My Yoke is easie and my Burden is light The Law which God hath given us is Holy Just and Good becoming a God to give and a Creature to receive Rom. 7.17 The Law is holy and the Commandment is holy and just and good A Law such as a Man would choose if he were at Liberty and at his own Option and Choice Therefore how is it so difficult especially since there is so much strength given habitual strength Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works We are fitted by his Grace and there is so much Actual strength I can do all things thorough Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 God is no Pharaoh to require Brick where he gives no Straw And therefore since the way is so Good his Yoke so easie and there is so much Strength given and since the Encouragements are so many both from the Work and from the Wages From the Work it self Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 3.7 There is a great deal of Peace Comfort and sweetness in walking with God as those that travelled to Sion Passing thrô the valley of Baca make it a well the rain also filâ—eth the pools Psal. 84.6 So they meet with many comfortable refreshings in a Course of Godliness And then for the Wages God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Well then to sum up all these things concurr Since the Way is plain the Helps many the Promises full and sure why is it so difficult to go to Heaven I Answer The fault is not in God but in our own selves in our own Hearts in our addictedness to Temporal Satisfactions And therefore when God calls us off from the Interests and Concernments of the present World wholly to look after the Interests and Concernments of the World to come the disposition of our Flesh or Carnal Nature and the Course of God's Institutions will not suit And this must needs be a very great Difficulty not easily removed Because 1. It is Natural to us 2. It is encreased by Custom 3. Iâ— hath a powerful Efficacy upon us to hinder us from walking in the ways of God that are so sweet and pleasant 1. This is Natural to us to be led by Sence or to be addicted to present things There are three sorts of Beings in the World Angels that are pure Spirits without Flesh these were made for Heaven and not Earth There are Bruit-Creatures that are Flesh without Immortal Souls these were made for Earth and not Heaven And there is Man a middle Nature between both these that hath a fleshly Substance and an Immortal Soul made partly for Heaven and partly for Earth as partaking of both he hath a Body that was made out of the Dust and so fitted to live in this World and he hath a Soul that came down from the Superiour World and must return thither again Now these two things must be regarded according to the Dignity of the parts of which Man consisteâ—h his Earthly part and his Heavenly part The Soul being the better part the Perfection and Happiness of it should chiefly be looked after the Good of the Soul is the Enjoyment of the ever blessed God this should be our main
thoughts leave a forcible impression upon the Soul The Papists talk of St. Francis and St. Clara that had the wounds of Christ impressed on them it is true in a Spiritual way deep thoughts leave the wounds and sorrows of Christ upon the heart and do cruciâ—e us it is true Morally as well as Mystically I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 Certainly you find this by Experience that when you know not things you are not so throughly affected with them Serious Meditation hath this advantage that it doth make the Object present and as it were sensible therefore Faith which is a deep acting of the thoughts upon the Promises and upon Glory to come is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 It giveth the future Blessedness a present subsistence in the Soul and therefore it must needs ravish it It is a Principle in Nature Appetition followeth Knowledge and Desire is answerable to that certain and clear Judgment that we have of the Worth Value and Dignity of the Object Now it is not enough that the Judgment be once convinced but that it stay upon the Object for things loose their Vertue when we do not keep them in the Eye of the Soul When the Bird often leaveth her nest and is long absent the eggs grow cold and do not come to be quickned so do our desires grow cold and dull which otherwise by a constant Meditation are hatched into some Life Instance in any Affection Hope and Trust is ripened by constant thoughts of the Grace Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day Presumption is an inconstant careless apprehension and therefore soon overborn Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee that is that seriously consider it for the Hebrew word is used for consider they that know what a God thou art how Merciful True and Powerful thou art they will trust thee So for Fear so far as it is sanctified it is fed by a consideration of the dreadfulness of Gods wrath and displeasure Psal. 90.11 Who knows the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath that is who doth seriously consider of it According to those awful apprehensions that they form within themselves doth Gods Wrath more or less move them So for Desire either of Christ or of Heaven Of Christ a serious consideration of the Excellency of Christ is that which ravisheth the Heart The Spowse formeth a Description of Christ and then she saith he is all desires Cant. 5.16 His mouth is more sweet yea he is altogether lovely Enough to ravish all our Desires The value of things lyeth hid when we do but slightly and superficially look upon them but when we meditate of them they are double to that which is seen at the â—â—rst blush Iob. 11.6 And thaâ— he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom that they are doubâ—e to that which is In Natural things serious thoughts are necessary much more in Spiritual because the Mind by long use having been enured to Earthly Objects and Profits had need to be much raised We see that we do insensibly receive teint from those Objects with which we do Converse and therefore we had need to be often and serious in meditating of the Excellencies of Christ that by a Spiritual Art he may be as usual an Object to us as the World So for Heaven when we do not hold our Hearts to the consideration of the Glory of it it doth not work upon us Moses Heb. 11.26 Had respect to the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had an eye to it the word noteth a serious and intent consideration we should again and again consider it and be sending our thoughts as Spies into the Land of Promise to bring us Reports and Tydings of it as Love between Men is maintained by constant Visits and Letters So for sorrow for sin past Psal. 51.3 My sin is ever before me and Ier. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth When we come deeply to consider our Errors and the unkindness of them that begetteth a sad sence So for hatred and displicency against Sin Evil Affections are nourished by thoughts and kept up in Life and Strength for thoughts are pabulum animae the Food of the Soul Rom. 7.13 Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful The sinfulness of Sin appears by considering the Purity of the Law the Majesty of God and the Kindness of Christ. So for Joy and Delight the Soul is feasted by Meditation it turneth the Promises into Marrow Psal. 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Hereby we discern their relish and savour Psal. 34.8 Oh taste and see that the Lord is good the thoughts taste and the relish is left on the Affections 3. It is an advantage to the Fruits of Grace in the Life it maketh the Heavenly Life more easie more sweet more orderly and prudent 1. More easie because it calleth in all the rational help that may be Reason which otherwise would serve the Senses and be enslaved to Appetite and Worldly Desire now is imployed in the highest and purest use and therefore when Reason is gained which is the leading faculty the work cometh on more easily Meditation putteth Reason in Authority and rescueth it from being prostituted to sence 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And then for sense it maketh our Eyes to furnish us with matter Iob 12.7 8. But ask now the beasts and they will teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Every Element giveth in an help he that doth not want an Heart cannot want an Object the Air the Sea the Earth giveth Fewel for Wisdom and Spiritual Advantage But for want of consideration a Man is worse than the Beasts Prov. 6.6 Go to the ant thou sâ—uggard consider her wayes and be wise 2. More sweet It bringeth the Heavenly Life into more liking with us Duty to worldly Men is irksome and unsavoury because they loose the sweetness and blessedness of Communion with God Psalm 26.3 For thy loving kindness is
this Emnity is mutual God hates us and we hate God on Mans part it is driven on with fury he doth so hate God that he seeks the destruction of his Being as he that hates another seeketh the destruction of his Goods Life and Honour so he that hates God seeks to un-God him the Sinner wishes there were no such Being as a God in the World Psal. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God The Heart is the Seat of desires these are the Fools wishes it is a sweet pleasing thought to him though he cannot get rid of these Impressions of a Godhead yet he wishes he could a Man that would live at liberty could wish there was no Judge to call him to an account he could let loose the Reins of vile Affections if there were no God were it not for this restraint he could live as he list Nay they deny God in their lives Tit. 1.16 They profess that they know God but in works they deny him Sin in effect doth lay God aside and to put the greater affront upon him it sets up something base in his stead it sets up the Belly for God Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their belly the choicest respects of the Soul run out upon the sensual part Or it sets up a little Wealth for God Or if Sin cannot take away the Being of God yet it strikes at his Honour and would make him to be an unjust or an evil God Sin deprives God of the Honour of all his Attributes of his Omnisciency for though we are ashamed to sin before a Man yet though God seeth all things we do not blush if we can carry on a wicked design under the vail of Darkness and dig deep to hide our Counsels from the Lord doth such a Sinner think God is all-seeing and all-knowing Ier. 2.26 A Thief is ashamed when he is found when the Eye of Man hath surprized him but alass we are alwaies found of God It robs him of his Omnipotency and Power as if he were Impotent and Weak as if we could make our Party good with him The Apostle useth a smart Question 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he As if he had said Man Consider what thou dost by sinning thou dost enter into the lists with God and art thou able to deal with him It is a contest with God as if we could arm our Lusts against his Mighty Angels will you contend Gith him that can command Legions of Angels When you go about to sin you do as it were wage War with Heaven and enter into Combate with God That is the Reason the Lord by the Prophet asketh Sinners What do you think Is there such a thought in thee as if thou wast able to deal with me Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Are you able to grapple with my Omnipotent Arm and snatch Judgment out of my Hands and oppose my Mighty Angels Can thy Heart endure when my Almighty Hand shall seize upon thee and Divine Displeasure shall break out against thy Soul The angel when contending with the devil durst not bring a railing accusation Iude 9. He knew the Mighty God would avenge him therefore he durst not be malitious yet we dare enter the Lists with Heaven Thus is Sin an enmity against God it would either have no God or an Impotent Unjust Unwise God Nay there is an enmity in Sin against every Person in the Holy Trinity Against God the Son when Christ came into the World his great work was to dissolve the Works of Satan 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil that he might unravel all those Webs which Satan had been weaving and you strive as much as in you lyes to set it up and make his Death of none effect Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing You make a low thing of it tread it under foot it is an allusion to the sprinkling of the Lintels of the Door but they sprinkled it on the Threshold And it puts an affront upon the Holy Ghost it grieveth and vexeth the Spirit of God it is a setting up lust against lust and a direct thwartting of his motions and impulses Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh You do as it were reproach him and say He shall do no good upon your Hearts this shall not gain upon you Moses when he speaks of a presumptuous Sinner saith Numb 15.30 The soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord when you do thus deliberately sin you do as it were reproach the Spirit of God Likewise on Gods part he hateth us too and though he be full of kindness yet he cannot give Sin a good look Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity God loveth all his Creatures and loveth to look upon them but he hateth that which is properly Mans Creature and that is Sin there is no Antipathy greater than between two Natures You may sooner reconcile Fire and Water Light and Darkness Cold and Heat then God and Sin The Enmity of all Creatures is as their Beings are finite and limited but Gods Being is infinite his whole Nature sets him against sin therefore there is no comparison which serves to set out the Indignation the Lord hath against Sin there is no Antipathy like it 3. Sin is a Transgression of the Law Do but consider what a disgrace Sin puts upon the Law that forbiddeth it it doth in effect condemn the Law as if it were not good and useful and righteous as if it were an idle restraint There is a notable Expression Iames 4.11 He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law that is he puts this affront upon the law as if it were injurious as if God were not righteous in making such a Law against Passion and evil speaking Therefore Nathan comes to rowse up Davids Conscience and tells him his Sin 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight In every Sin there are some implicit thoughts by which the Law is disvalued and disapproved we secretly tax it of Envy Folly and Rigour as if God had dealt harshly with his Creature they look upon it as a weak and simple Law Ezek. 18.26 Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equal The Devil when he inspired the first Sin would suggest to our first Parents as if God had envied the perfection of Man by prescribing a Law to him Gen. 3.5 God doth know that in the
godliness The whole Gospel is called Titus 1.1 The truth which is after godliness and 1 Tim. 6.3 A Doctrine which is according to godliness Because it delivereth the exact and most perfect way of serving God The Lord Jesus was desirous that this Doctrine should take place in the World therefore he himself was pleased to assume our Nature to preach it to us So for his Precepts they all prescribe an universal adherance to God and dependance on him that we may not be carryed away by the false Offers and Delights of Sin but may live in perfect Obedience to God and Justice and Charity to Men. Besides the word discovereth all the cheats and fallacies we put upon our selves to keep us from all impure mixtures of worldly and carnal aims it discovers the crafty pretences and the most insinuating and cunning contrivances to disguise and hide Sin Heb. 4.12 For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart In short the whole aim of it is That we may please God and be beloved by him Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him The Promises call for the greatest purity and cleanness of Heart and Life 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holyness in the fear of God So the Threatnings Why doth Christ tell us of Torments without end and ease of a Pit without a bottom of a Fire that shall never be quenched but to make Sin more odious and hateful to us Surely not to terrifie us but to sanctifie us for his Government is rather by Love than by Fear Now whosoever wistly considereth the Christian Religion he will soon discerne that it was framed and set afoot by one that loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity 2. His Priestly Office consists in his Oblation and Intercession As the High Priest under the Law did both offer Sacrifice and intercede for the People Now what was the intent of Christs Sacrifice but to put away Sin Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself That is not only to destroy the Guilt but the Power of it There are Three things in the Death and Sufferings of Christ to make us hate Iniquity and so by consequence to love Righteousness First By way of Representation Secondly By way of Impetration Thirdly By way of Obligation 1. By way of Representation His bitter Sufferings are an instance of Gods great Wrath against Sin and Sinners For if Christ must thus be handled rather than Sin shall go unpunished it warneth us to be very cautious how we meddle with the forbidden fruit When we remember his bitter Agonies his accursed shameful Death we should cry out Oh odious Sin This is the meaning of that expression Rom. 8.3 And for sin he condemned sin in the flesh That is by a Sin-Offering or the Sacrifices of Christ he hath condemned Sin he hath left a brand or mark of his Displeasure against Sin which should induce us to be very cautious and watchful against it For if these things be done in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry 2. By way of Impetration and Purchase Christ came not only to expiate the guilt of it but to get it out of our Hearts As he pacified the Wrath of God so he purchased the Spirit in which Sense our old man is said to be crucified with him Rom. 6.6 Namely As Grace was obtained whereby it might be crucified Now we are sluggish and cowardly if we tamely yield to our Lusts and pretend want of Power when it is want of Will to cast them off 3. By way of Obligation by this great instance of his Love to induce us to kill our Love to Sin 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes we are healed Since he hath borne the weight of our Sins and endured the Wrath due to them in his own Person if we have any esteem of Christs Love certainly we would not spare our most beloved Lusts nor be still alive to Sin and dead to Righteousness nor wittingly and allowedly do the least thing that is offensive to him Ezra 9.14 Should we again break thy commandments and join in affinity with the people of these abominations wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hadst câ—nsumed us so that there should be no remnant nor escaping 3. The next is a King He is one whose Heart was so set upon the Love of Righteousness and the Hatred of all Iniquity that he would come as a Prophet himself to teach the sinful lost World how to become Holy again And as a Priest to dye for the guilty World to reconcile them to God surely he was fit also to Rule and Governe the World There are two parts of Government Laws and Actual Administration His Laws are all good and equal the same with his Doctrine As he giveth notice of these things as a Prophet so he giveth charge about them as a King Of his Laws we need not further speak but the Administration is under our Consideration Now in the Righteous ordering the Affairs of his Kingdom he sheweth himself to be one that loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity As the Laws are good and equal so the Administration is right and just The Administration of this Kingdom is two-fold Internal and External 1. Internal Christ is set over the Church of God as a Glorious Head and Chief who is to recover a lost People unto God His Internal Administration is either effective or remunerative 1. Effective by his preventing Grace as he changeth our Hearts bringeth us into his Kingdom worketh Faith in us and maketh us willing Subjects to him Conversion is one of his Kingly Acts wrought in us by the efficacy of his preventing Grace otherwise we cannot enter into his Kingdom Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son Till he subdue the Power of Sin and Sathan in our Hearts we shall still groan under that Tyranny Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God 2. Remunerative By the Rewards of Godliness here and hereafter Here Rom. 14.17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in
Deus tuus O Christian where is thy God said a Heathen to a Christian when committing Uncleanness Titus 3.10 Not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things 3. Our Peace and Safety is concerned in it Partly because the World is least irritated by a Peaceable Just and good Conversation it doth mollifie their Spirits and mitigate their fury 1 Pet. 3.13 And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good That is when he bridleth his Tongue seeketh peace and doth good And partly because God puts a conviction upon the Consciences of wicked Men 1 Sam. 24.17 And he said to David Thou art more Righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil and so wicked Men are restrained by reverence and are afraid to meddle with unstained Innocency And partly because when we do not bring trouble upon our selves by our own immoralities God taketh us into his special protection It followeth upon the Text ver 9. These things which ye have both learned and heard and seen of me do and the God of Peace shall be with you You may expect much of God's gracious presence when your conversations are so harmless and innocent and he will free you from many external vexations or give you inward tranquillity of mind 4 Because these things flow from that internal principle of Grace which is planted in our Hearts by regeneration Mat. 3.8 Bring forth fruits therefore meet for Repentance Act. 26.20 That they should Repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance What is Regeneration on God's part is repentance on ours Now there are certain effects proper to this change and that is the Grave Just Temperate and Holy living And certainly where those effects are not there the cause it self is wanting for how can we evidence that our Conversion and Repentance is real and sound unless we bring forth fruits answerable What evidence can we have of the new nature but by newness of conversation Or of a change of mind but by a change of life We judge of others by their external works for the Tree is known by its Fruits and we jâ—dge of our selves by the internal and external works together if within there be a Love of God Faith in Christ Hatred of Evil delight in that which is good a deep sense of the World to come and all this discovered in an holy sober and grave conversation this compleateth the evidence and maketh it more satisfying 5. All the disorders contrary to these limits and bounds by which our conversations are regulated are condemned by the Holy and Righteous Law of God which is the rule of the new creature and therefore they ought to be avoided by a good Christian who hath a tenderness upon him of offending God in the least things Psal. 119.161 My Heart standeth in awe of thy Word Prov. 13.13 Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded they dare not transgress in the least things Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so to do shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven As not in their Spiritual Duties so not in Moralities Mat. 2â— 23 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye pay tithe of Mint and Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Iudgment and Mercy and Faith These things ought ye to do and not to leave the other undone Hypocrites make a business about small matters and neglect weighty duties Yet the sincere by the discharge of greater duties are not freed from the obligation to do the smallest duties both stand by the same Authority 6. These Moralities are not small things the glory of God the safety of his People the good of humane Society and the evidence of our own sincerity being concerned in them The Apostle chargeth Atheism and dis-respect of God on the neglecters of these things 1 Iob. 3.10 Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God Neither he that loveth not his Brother Gal. 5.14 For all the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Vse 1. If Religion doth adopt Moralities into its frame and constitution we must not leave them out of our practice and conversations for we are the Epistle of Christ 2 Cor. 3.3 we are to hold forth the word of life Phil. 2.26 That which is just must be suitable to the rule 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 these things are good and profitable unto men God would not have us omit any part of his Will Vse 2. Here is an answer to those that ask wherein must we be holy and shew our obedience unto God besides what concerneth the sanctification of the Hâ—art here we are told plainly what concerneth the regulating of the conversation When the Heart is once renewed then Moralities must have their place and our exact care Vse 3. That Christians should be known to be the best sort of Men in the World abstaining not only from those things which the Law of God forbiddeth but the custom of Nations that no blemish may lye upon our Profession A Sermon on Luke Xix. 14 But his Citizens hated him and sent a Message after him saying We will not have this Man to Reign over us THese words are part of a parable uttered by our Lord Jesus when he came nigh to Ierusalem where they thought he would assume the Regal Power and Reign among them in great Pomp and Glory To prevent this misconceit he puts forth this Parable wherein by the Nobleman he intendeth himself by his Servants all Believers especially the Teachers and Ministers of his Church by the pounds given to them Spiritual Gifts and Graces by his going into a far Countrey to receive a Kingdom his Ascention into Heaven and sitting down at the right hand of Majesty by his own Citizens that tumultuated during his absence the Stiff necked Jews and by consequence all other people that refuse his Government by his return his last coming to Judgment when he shall reward every one according to his works My purpose only obligeth me to insist upon that clause which expresseth the unwillingness of Men to be subject to Christ But his Citizens hated him and sent a Message after him c. In which words take notice of 1. The Crime We will not have this Man c. 2. The Persons guilty His Citizens Joh. 1.11 He came to his own and they received him not 3. The Internal moving Cause they hated him Hatred is a malicious dislike notwithstanding conviction Ioh 14.23 He that hateth me hateth my Father 〈◊〉 They did disclaim and renounce all subjection to Christ though they had enough
Subjects For all Kingdoms are Governed by Laws Now the Law of Christ is the Gospel or new Covenant which is both a rule of Duty to shew what is due from us to Christ and a Charter of Grace to shew what we may expect from him upon the account of his Merit and Mercy if we be duly Qualified Therefore the whole design of the Gospel is to bring us to an humble submission and obedience to Christs Healing and Saving Methods all the Doctrines Precepts and Promises of the Gospel tend to this The Gospel is not only a Promise but a Law Rom. 3.27 Called a Law of faith And requireth not only confidence but obedience 2 Thes. 1.8 In flaming Fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel 1 Pet. 4.17 What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God 'T is not enough to profess the Gospel but we must obey the Gospel Some of the precepts of the Gospel are Mystical such as believing in Christ 1 John 3.23 And this is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ. Some moral viz. The primitive Duty we owe to God 1 Cor. 9.21 Being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Rewards and Punishments 1. For punishments Though the proper intent and business of the Gospel is to bless and not to curse yet if men wilfully refuse the benefit of this dispensation they are involved in the greatest curse that can be thought of John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil Heb 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trâ—den under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith ye were Sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace It will be more grievous to sin against our Remedy than our bare Duty More aggravating circumstances are in it and therefore the more it increaseth our torment not only on Gods part inflicting but on our part reflecting upon our sin and ingratitude 2. Rewards The Priviledges of Christs Kingdom are Exceeding great 1. For the present Pardon and Peace are obtained both in the way of Justificacation as Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And also of Sanctification Gal 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God This is the intertainment God giveth to the Obedient Soul and the fruit of Christs internal Government 2. Hereafter Eternal Happiness or an immutable State of Glory Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World That 's the consummation of the Kingdom of God and it shall be the portion of all those that obey Christ how despicable soever their condition be in this World Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him II. That in all reason this Kingdom should be submitted unto 1 Because of the right which Christ hath to Govern He hath an unquestion able Title by the grant of God Acts 2.36 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. And his own merit and purchase Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and Living Which should silence and quiet all Rebellious Motions Hath not God a right to dispose of you and shall Christ lay down his life to be head of the renewed estate and at length be deprived of that Honour and that meerly by the Rebellious Obstinacy of the Creature There can be no hope of exemption His we must be whether we will or no Our consent and willingness doth not add to the validity of his Title only aggravateth our sin if we refuse or prove unfaithful or maketh our Obedience acceptable if we be sincere in it Now God is tender of his grant and Christ of his acquired right and purchase that he may not lose the fruit of his Death and sufferings 2. This new Right and Title is comfortable and beneficial to us 'T was the fruit of Gods pity to mankind to set up a new Government which might be Remedial of our Misery but not Destructive of our Duty 'T is a full Remedy for our Misery for the purpose of it is to effect mans Cure and Recovery to God The Scripture always speaketh of it as Medicinal and Restorative Acts 10.38 God Anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Preaching Peace in his Name for he is Lord of all So Acts 5.31 Exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of Sins That we might injoy Gods favour and live in his Obedience In this new Remedial dispensation God aimed at the healing of our Natures and the restoring our Peace and Comfort that we might serve him with pleasure and delight who otherwise could not think of him without fear and horror Much less set our selves to please him with any Hope of acceptation 3. 'T is by his Kingly Office that all Christs benefits are applied to us As a Priest he purchased them for us as a Prophet he giveth us the knowledge of these Mysteries but as a King he conveyeth them to us overcoming our Enemies changing our Natures and inclining us to believe in him love him and obey him For he doth not only convey the benefits giving us Remission of sins but he worketh in us the Qualifications giving as well as requiring Repentance Acts 5.31 He hath Exalted him to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance Well then since his Executive Power attendeth upon his Kingly Office we have no reason to dislike it but to bless God for this part of his Administration The Fruit and Effect of it is the Gift of the Spirit by which all is applyed to us So that the Communication to us is done this way His work as a Priest lyeth with God and as a Prophet and King with us As a Prophet he maketh way by giving us the good Knowledge of God through the Remission of Sins but he Actually communicateth his benefits to us as our Quickening Head and King 4 Our Actual Personal Title to all the benefits intended to us is mainly Evidenced by our Subjection to his Regal Authority Certainly without it we can have no benefit by Christ Heb 5.9 And being made perfect he
for he doth it with good Advice 1. Though using our knowledge with Charity to our Neighbour be the matter in question yet loving our Neighbour is the fruit of our Love to God and both these go together 1 John 4.20 If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a Lyar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And they prove one the other 1 John 5.1 2. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth also him that is begotten of him by this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his commandments So that it must be expounded thus If any man love God and consequently his neighbour for Gods sake Therefore the master of the Sentences well defined Charity thus Charitas est dilectio qua diligitur deus propter se proximus propter Deum vel in Deo It is such a love by which we love God for himself and our Neighbour for Gods sake We love them either for Gods command or because of Gods Image in them or with respect to his Glory that we may not offend them but gain them to God And so the Apostle diverteth not from his scope only puts the cause for the effect love to God as productive of love to our Neighbour 2. Neither is the Apostle besides his purpose in the latter clause For Gods knowledge of us is the cause of our knowledge of him John 10.14 I know my sheep and am known of mine First he knoweth us and then we know him For Divine Illumination or saving Knowledge is the Fruit of his Love to the Elect they are chosen by God therefore taught of God and he giveth us Grace to know acknowledge and love him Doct. They that know God so as to love him in Sincerity are known of God 1. What is this sincere love to God 2. How God is said to know such 3. The Reasons I. What is this Sincere Love to God Here is 1. An Object 2. An Act. 3. The Qualification of the Act. First The Object is God Who is considered 1. As Amiable 2. As Beneficial 1. God is Amiable for the Excellency of his Nature and Glorious Attributes as Infinite Wisdom Goodness and Power Surely God is to be loved not only for the goodness that floweth from him but for the goodness that is in himself as he is a lovely being I prove it by these Arguments 1. Love is founded in Estimation Now the excellencies of God are the ground of our esteem We value nothing but what we account excellent and glorious Therefore the essential goodness of his Being and his moral goodness or his Holiness have an influence on our Love as well as his Benefits These things are worthy of esteem in the Creature and attract our Love as in the Saints Psal. 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my Delight Psal. 15.4 In whose eyes a vile Person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. Why not in God and His Law Psal. 119.140 Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it 2. We are not only to bless God but to praise him Psal. 145.10 All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee Blessing relateth to his Benefits Praise to his Excellencies We bless him for what he is to us we praise him for what he is in himself Now whether we bless him or praise him it is still to increase our love to him and delight in him for God is not affected with the flattery of empty Praises yet this is an especial Duty which is of use to you as all other Duties are It doth you good to consider him as an Infinite and Eternal Being and of glorious and incomprehensible Majesty It is pleasant and profitable to us Psal. 135.3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing Praises unto his Name for it is pleasant 3. A great Effect of Love is Imitation We imitate what we love and delight in as good we take delight to transcribe it into our own manners because we are affected with it Eph. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children in whatever he hath made amiable and lovely by his Example Love doth imply such a value and esteem of God that we count it our happiness to be like him to be Merciful as he is Merciful and Holy as he is Holy We value it as a Perfection in God and desire the Impression of it upon our own Hearts It is the greatest demonstration of Gods love to us to make us like himself 1 Iohn 3 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is It is the greatest Demonstration of our Love to God to desire and to endeavour after it Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Now like him we must be not only in Benignity but in Holiness and Purity 2. God is Beneficial as he hath been good or may be good to us 1. In Creation He made us out of nothing after his own Image Eccl. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth We must remember him so as to love him please him serve him Verba notitiae connotant affectus Words of Knowledge import Affection And in Youth whilst the Prints of his Creating Bounty are fresh upon us In age we carry about the Fruits and Monuments of our unthankfulness that we have no more improved our Time and Strength for God It is charged on Israel Deut. 32.15 He forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation Many never think who made them nor why whose Creatures are we who gave us all that we have How can we look upon our Bodies without Thoughts of God whose Workmanship it is Or think of the Soul without thinking of God whose Image and Superscription it beareth Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Matth. 22.21 2. In Redemption there is the truest Representation of the Goodness and Benignity of God 1 Iohn 4.10 Herein is Love not that we loved God but that be loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us God commendeth his love to us by these wonders of his Grace and set it before our Eyes that we must either Question the Truth or else we cannot resist the force of this Love 1 Iohn 4.19 We Love him because he first loved us God loveth first best and most 3. The Mercies of daily Providence in sustaining our Being Deut. 30.20
Caves of the earth So 1 Cor. 4.11 We both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place This God doth 1. Partly to correct and humble them for the abuse of their Mercies and the dishonours done to him in their dwellings God hath reserved in the Covenant a liberty to correct his wanton children Psal. 89 30 31 32 33. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my Iudgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes c. And by Moses Law the Rebellious Son was to be put out of doors This kind of correction God himself useth for great sins Mark the emphatical phrases of Scripture Sometimes our dwellings are said to cast us out Ier. 9.19 Sometimes he is said to sling out the Inhabitants of the Land out of their dwellings Ier. 10.18 as easily readily and irresistibly as a Stone is cast out of a Sling Sometimes God is said to pluck us out Psal. 52.5 He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place We are apt to root there and to dream of such a fixing as not to be moved Sometimes to spew us out Levit. 18.28 That the Land Spew not you out also when ye defile it as it Spewed out the Nations that were before you Surely it is a great offence which provoketh a loving Father to turn a Child out of doors God did not turn Adam out of Paradise for eating an Apple as ignorant people talk There is a long Bill brought in by Divines Or if not for great sins yet God thus punishes them though in some more moderate way for lesser sins As for their little sense of God's love and merciful provision of so great a comfort as an habitation for them Surely we should shew more thankfulness when we enjoy the effects of God's bounty in this kind That he should give us any repose or place to rest in not vouchsafed to Christ Matt. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head He had no certain place of residence not so much as a Foxe's hole or a Bird's Nest So considering our condition God's people are strangers and so must look to be ill-treated by the Men of the World Religio scit se peregrinam esse in terris Religion is a stranger in the earth Ruth 2.10 Why have I found grace in thy sight that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger a kind word was much Now that God should give us a resting-place in our Pilgrimage is a great Mercy and if we are not thankful for it God may make us to wander Or their little compassion to other exiled and shiftless ones provokes God that he thus Corrects them and maketh their abode more uncertain Till we have felt misery our selves we cannot pity others Israel learned to pity strangers by being a stranger in the Land of Egypt Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Experience sheweth us more than guess and imagination 2 For their Trial. To see how they will bear it for God's sake and when God's will and pleasure is so As those in the Hebrews God trieth the strength of our resignation Mark 10.29 30. There is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel but he shall receive an hundred fold in this life Houses and Brethren c. Not in kind as Porphyry and Iulian scoffed but in value The fortitude and courage of God's children is seen upon these occasions when they are shiftless and harbourless or threatned by Men to be cast forth of House and Home 1 Cor. 4.13 We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things to this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sweeping of the City The Apostle saith Heb. 13.13 Let us go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The good Levites left their possessions 2 Chron. 11.14 The Levites had left their suburbs and their possession and came to Judah and Jerusalem for Jeroboam and his Sons had cast them off from executing the Priests Office unto the Lord. When we are thrust forth contemptibly and rejected of the World let us bear it with patience Eudoxia threatned Chrysostom with Banishment He replied Nihil timeo nifi peccatum I fear nothing but sin The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof God is our habitation An Heathen could say Ibi exilium ubi virtuti non est locus There is Banishment where there is no place for vertue where a Man hath no service to do and no opportunity to own or glorifie God 3. Sometimes to shew his Soveraignty over us and all our temporal Interests and Concernments So by noisom Diseases God sees fit to drive us for a while from our dwellings and we are exposed to sad scatterings as in the case of the Leper Lâ—v 13 46. All the days wherein the Plague shall be in him he shall be defiled he is unclean he shall dwell alone without the Camp shall his Habitation be 4. Sometimes to spread Knowledge to scatter the Seeds of the Word among those that are strangers to God The good Figs were put into the Basket to be carried out of the Country for Food Ier. 24.5 The Disciples that were scattered abroad went every where Preaching the Word Act. 8.1 God scattereth his Enemies as Smoak is scattered by the Wind but he scattereth his People as Corn is scattered by the Hand of the Sower Micah 5.7 The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as Dew from the Lord to refresh and make others fruitful towards God So Zech. 10.9 I will sow them among the People and they shall remember me in far Countries God would make their scattering to be a means to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles Well then this may be and often is the condition of the People of God Thirdly In this appellation and title a Metaphor is ascribed to God and so there is implied that whatever may be expected from an habitation and dwelling-place that may be and eminently is found in God An House serveth for three uses 1. For our defence and shelter from the Storms 2. It is the seat of our blessings and the store house of our comforts 3. It is the place of our rest and repose Now all these a Believer findeth in God Protection Provision and Peace and Comfort yea whatever a Soul can wish for therefore here a Child of God may and must dwell 1. Here is defence or the warm and comfortable Protection of God Almighty We have many Enemies Spiritual and Bodily we need a defence and God
judged by this Law the holiest and the humblest the most penitent and believing Soul and the Soul that most loveth God cannot abide the Tryal and were it not for this promise and its Fellows what could we look for but Eternal Ruine 2. As to the Sanction the Law saith The Soul that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.4 Now this being the Sentence of God delivered in a Righteous Law how shall we escape it Surely it cannot fall to the Ground Unless some Provision be made it will eternally take place This should the more affect us because it is often verified in the course of God's Providence Rom. 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Heb. 2.2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Now when others are punished and we are spared surely we ought to be affected with his Severity towards them but towards us Goodness 3. Our incapacity of appearing before God by reason of the multitude of our Sins There are none of God's Children but have a great and vast Debt upon them and if God should call them to an account and should not spare not one of them could stand or appear in Court Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared There is not a Man to be found who hath not some fault and failing which would render him uncapable of God's favour If he should proceed in just severity against us who could stand Not who among the Wicked but who among the Regenerate or the People of God So many are the Frailties and slips of their Lives And Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified It is impossible for such a frail sinful imperfect Creature as Man is to appear before God's exact Tribunal with any comfort and hope But he will not charge them on us with Severity but spare us with Mercy 4. The sense which Conscience hath of these Sins 1. Consider it in its old natural Bondage somewhat of which yet remaineth while Sin remaineth so Conscience accuseth of the Sins that are committed Rom. 2.15 Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another And fears the Death threatned Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Iudgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death Now can it be appeased unless the Lord spare or set up some way of Grace which alloweth pardon for our failings And if the Lord spare it should be as welcome to us as a Pardon to a Condemned Man 2. Consider it as it is inlightned and renewed by the Holy Spirit It is true it doth not produce such a fear of Wrath as before but a greater apprehension of the Evil of Sin because of the increase of light and love both which intender the Heart As their light and love increase so doth their trouble about sin Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed and verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They are ashamed of that folly and filthiness and unkindness that is in Sin and are grieved for the relicks of Corruption Ezek. 16.6 And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live So Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death Therefore if God will spare and not impute their trespasses to them they are more apprehensive of this mercy than possibly others can be None fee so many Sins and none see such hainousness in Sin and are more deeply affected with it In a clear Glass of Water the least Mote is espied They have a greater dread of God's Holiness a more sincere respect to his Law a greater reverence for the sentence of it a more firm belief of his threatnings a more earnest desire to please him and so a a greater grief for offending him Therefore if he will pardon and pass by their infirmities they are the more apprehensive of the privilege III. The grounds and reasons of this indulgence or sparing which God useth towards them 1. God's merciful nature which inclineth him to pass by the infirmities of his Saints This appeareth by the description of God given to Moses when the Lord proclaimed his name Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth Since this is the description which God giveth of himself therefore it deserveth to be weighed by us The first notion is Merciful whereby God's Nature inclineth him to succour those that are in Misery by reason of Sin The next is Gracious which implieth his self-inclination to do good to his Creatures without any precedent obligation on their parts The third is Long Suffering or slowness to Anger he is not hasty to revenge the wrongs done him by the Creature He often pitieth wicked Men so far as to prevent the Temporal punishment and spareth them long when he might destroy them The Last is Abundant in goodness and truth that is expressing his kindness and bounteous nature many ways not at one time and in one sort only but upon all occasions and in all ways wherein we stand in need of his help and therefore will deal tenderly with his people Micah 7.8 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy If we had a due sense of the nature of God we should have much relief against the Evil Merit of Sin and a greater hope that he will deal in a Fatherly manner with us He had told them of great things God would do for them now in the apprehension of the sensible Sinner it is Sin chiefly which standeth in the way of their Mercies Therefore God will pardon Sin in his people in such a wonderful way as shall exceed all their thoughts He will not call them to a strict account for them and though he beginneth to reckon with them yet he will spare them and moderate his Anger and be reconciled to them It shall not go on to Eternal Wrath nor over long Temporal Evils and all because of the pleasure which he taketh in shewing acts of Mercy rather than acts of Vengeance 2. The satisfaction of Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his
2. Consider the impartiality of your Judge you will not find favour for being a Christian in Profession only 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 3. You lose your Evidence if you do not live as one known of God External Profession is disclaimed Matth. 7.21 22 23. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name And in thy name have cast out devils And in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. As you are concerned in God's Foundation you obliged your selves to a strict holy Life 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And Heb. 10.21 22. Having a High-priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water A Sermon on Acts xxiv 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled And answered Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee IN this Chapter you have 1. The Story of Paul's Accusation by Tertullus 2. Paul's Defence 3. The Event Felix his Humanity to Paul where three things are observable 1. He deferred the business Vers. 22. When Felix heard those things having more perfect knowledge of that way he deferred them and said when Lysias the chief Captain shall come down I will know the uttermost of your matter That is understanding the Affairs of Christians better than they were represented to him by Tertullus having governed the Province jointly with Camanus for a while and afterwards being sole Governor himself He well understood the difference between the Jews and Christians as to the external State of the Controversie that is the meaning of Having more perfect knowledge of that way not that he knew or accurately understood the Tenour of Christian Doctrine but that he well knew how hardly and unjustly the Christians were handled by the Jews He knew that Christ and Christians were not guilty of Sedition against the Roman Commonwealth but that Christ was delivered to Pilate out of mere Envy That the Christian Religion was confirmed by notable Miracles That those that professed Christianity were Eminent above all other Sects of the Jews for great Modesty and Piety nor so prone to raise Mutinies and Troubles as the rest of the Jews This he knew and this moved him to shew some favour to Paul by putting off the Jews under a pretence to speak further with the Chief Captain Lysias Which teacheth us that the Religion and Innocency of the Primitive Christians was such that in some measure it got them favour in the sight of Heathens Christians are holy chiefly for this end that they may please God and save their Souls but yet this is one Motive by which they are quickened to holy Conversation and Godliness that they may give no occasion to the Enemies to blaspheme but rather may have a good report among them which are without and so invite them to a love of the Truth and Ways of God 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good Works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Colos. 4.5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time 1 Thes. 4.11 12. That ye study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your hands as you are commanded That you may walk honestly towards them that are without and that you may have lack of nothing Those that by Scandals do hinder other Men's Salvation can hardly be certain of their own 2. He gave Paul more liberty Vers. 23. And he commanded a Centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him Though he kept him yet in Bonds yet he was not a close Prisoner but had liberty of conversing with his Friends Where learn First When Afflictions are not wholly taken away yet 't is a Mercy to have a mitigation Paul from his closer Restraint had his Condition enlarged and God gave him some more Liberty though not a full Deliverance Christ himself though he could not obtain that the Cup should pass away yet was comforted and supported by an Angel Luke 22.42 43. So Paul in another case had Grace sufficient for him tho' the Messenger of Satan that buffeted him was not taken away 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Thus God often sweetneth our Afflictions when he doth not remove them and remembreth Mercy in the midst of Judgment Secondly Observe he should forbid none of his Acquaintance to minister or come to him which sheweth the kindness of Christians one to another in affording mutual Help and Comfort in their Necessities and Afflictions He should forbid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of his own i. e. of his own Company to come to him as Acts 4.23 They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto their own Company 3. The third Office of Humanity and Kindness from Felix to Paul was that he was desirous to hear him Preach Vers. 24. After certain days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla which was a Iewess he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ That is of the Christian Religion This Drusilla was the Sister of Herod Agrippa who killed Iames and imprisoned Peter Acts 12. In Histories she is said to have deserted her Husband the King of the Emisens and to have lived uncleanly with Felix Now being a Jewess by Religion she had not only sinned against the Law by marrying an Uncircumcised Person or a Worshipper of a strange God Mal. 2.11 Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange God But also by deserting her Husband after she had married him and living in Adultery rather than a true and proper Marriage with Felix So that here are two evil Pesons and yet they are willing to hear Paul Preaching concerning the Faith in Christ. Wicked People may desire to hear the Word out of Curiosity so Herod heard Iohn Mark 6.20 but they come not with an intent to believe and do the Things given them in Charge In the Text you have the issue and effect of this Sermon And as he
how miserable a thing it is to have a drossy unsanctified Heart even though your Life should be never so blameless Now the Spirit of God calleth upon us to shew our selves Men Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves men bring it again to mind O ye transgressors And if you will never sit alone and commune with your selves about these weighty Matters your Condemnation is just Motives to quicken us how much it concerneth you to get your Hearts sanctified 1. Because of the two great Competitors God and Satan how earnest they are for the Heart It is God's Choice Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart This is that which God craveth and every good Man should say Lord I give it unto thee It pleaseth God to hide our Hearts from one anothers knowledge but he seeth them whether they be kept in a right frame yea or no. Men are incompetent Judges of the Heart therefore they look to the outward appearance but God's Eye is upon the Heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Man looketh unto the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Psal. 41.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom If we have a wise and understanding Heart a choice and excellent Spirit On the other side it is that which Satan striveth for most the greatest Contest between God and Satan is who shall have the Heart of Man As Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost So Luke 22.3 Then entred Satan into Iudas Then he gets into the Man when he gets into the Heart Iohn 13.2 The Devil having now put into the heart of Iudas to betray him This is the Castle the Enemy would surprize he maintaineth his Interest there by vain and sinful Thoughts 2. The importance of the Heart as to our Speeches and Actions it is Fons Actionum ad extra the Fountain of all our outward Actions we bring every thing out of the Heart Matth. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things The Tongue Eyes Hands and Feet are but Instruments to execute the motions of the Heart The Prophet cast Salt into the Spring to cure the brackishness of the Water 2 Kings 22.21 And it is Terminus actionum ad intra the principle of our internal Actions Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which was delivered you Means 1. Earnest Prayer to God Psal. 51.10 Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me God beginneth to us that we may imitate him Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always Psal. 86.11 Unite my heart to fear thy name The Heart naturally is scattered to vain Objects 2. Treasuring up the Counsels of the Word Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 6.20 21 22. My son keep thy fathers commandments and forsake not the law of thy mother Bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee 3. Serious Caution that bad Principles be not rooted in us Heb. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God 4. Watching against vain Pleasures which render it brutish sottish frothy and stupid Hosea 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart The generosity bravery and spriteliness of the Heart 5. If gotten keep it Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence Our first business is to get an Heart worth the keeping a vain Heart is better thrown away than kept When the Heart is renewed and changed keep it pure and loyal to God First get out Sin then keep it out We keep it by a constant watchfulness over the Senses Iob 31.1 I made a Covenant with my eyes why then should I look upon a maid Over the Thoughts Prov. 15.26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Over the Affections and Passions Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts 6. Increase it to a Choice an excellent Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind A Sermon on Acts x. 34 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him THese Words are Peter's reply to Cornelius who sent for him to hear the Gospel from his mouth For the entertaining of this Message both Peter and Cornelius were aforehand prepared severally by God Peter by a Vision Cornelius by an Oracle So much ado was needful to gather in the first Fruits of the Gentiles In the Words take notice of two Things 1. Peter's acknowledgment of his former Mistake Vers. 34. 2. His assertion of the positive Truth which he learned by this Providence Vers. 35. First In the acknowledgment of his former Error you may observe three things 1. The Preface or Introduction Then Peter opened his mouth and said Prophane Spirits cavil at this Expression as needless For how could he speak say they without opening his mouth But they mind not that it is an Hebraism frequently used in Scripture concerning them that are about to speak any thing weighty upon mature deliberation As of our Lord Christ it is said Matth. 5.2 He opened his mouth and taught them saying So Psal. 78.2 I will open my mouth in a parable Prov. 8.2 I will speak of excellent things the opening of my mouth shall be right things To open the Mouth is to speak considerately prudently confidently Would to God that those that scoff at these things would never open their Mouths to worse purpose 2. The means of his Conviction Of a truth I perceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Phrase is used of those that are apparently convinced and perswaded to change their Opinion The Latines would express it A vero vinci to be overcome by the Truth it self Peter once thought that it was unlawful for a Man that is a Jew to keep company with or go to one that is of another Nation as he himself expresseth it Vers. 28. But being prepared by his Vision and now convinced by the Words of Cornelius he perceived the contrary 3. The Error That God was a Respecter of Persons or had so confined his Respect to the Jewish Nation that
is crucified unto me and I unto the World And again 2 Cor. 5.14 15 The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge That if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them These are true workings of heart only remember the same place that is sprinkled with the blood of Christ on the same place must the Law be written that we may love God and keep his Law and intirely give up our selves to do his will and be subject to him And remember also that it is the Lintel and side Posts that must be sprinkled and the Law was written upon the Door Posts not inscribed upon the Threshold There are some which tread the blood of the Covenant underfoot Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace These are Swine and Dogs before whom we must not cast holy things lest they tread them under feet Matth. 7.6 These prefer their Carnal satisfaction before the fruits of Christ's death and sell their birthright for a Mess of Pottage 2. By the same Faith by which the blood of the Lamb of God is sprinkled on the doors of our hearts by the same Faith is his flesh eaten The Lamb of God was given not only as a ransom to Divine Justice but as food for our Souls The eating of the Sacrifice noteth the manner of our fruition of Christ for Eating implyeth an intimate Union those things which are Eaten are turned into our substance and become one with us Iohn 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Christ is as truely meat as the Paschal Lamb was but meat not for the Body but the Soul and therefore he is Eaten not with the Mouth of the Body which receiveth bodily food but the Mouth of the Soul which is Faith The Appetite is Spiritual so is the Food it is a Spiritual Hunger and a Spiritual Thirst that must be satisfied Now a Corporeal thing beareth no proportion with it there is no satisfying this Hunger nor quenching this Thirst but by coming to Christ that is believing in him for it is said Iohn 6.35 I am the Bread of Life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst In that manner we receive Christ in what manner he dwelleth in us now he dwelleth in us by Faith Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Christ dwelleth in us not by his infinite presence as God so he is every where nor by his Corporeal presence as Man so the Heavens must contain him but by his Gracious presence and special influence as our Head whereby he quickneth us Therefore we are to receive him by Faith and not by the Mouth and Stomach and give him a hearty welcome into our Souls The Israelites in the Wilderness did all eat the same Spiritual Meat and did all drink the same Spiritual Drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.3.4 As they did eat Christ and drink Christ before ever his Body was formed in the Virgins Womb so do we now he is ascended into Heaven The Passover-Lamb was not to be eaten Raw or half Roasted but throughly Roasted So is the Lamb of God he is not digested and turned into strength and nourishment by a few crude cold cursory and careless thoughts but this Mystery must be much concocted by deep serious pressing and ponderous Meditation for Meditation is that to the mind which Concoction and Digestion is to the Stomach An unattentive mind gets no warmth no strength no Comfort from the Lamb of God In short we must so mind these things as to chuse them and so chuse them as to be determined and governed by our choice in our whole course The Lamb was to be eaten whole there was nothing to be left of him Exod. 12.10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning To shew that Christ must not be divided not Nature from Nature nor Office from Office nor Benefit from Benefit this is to Eat part of Christ and leave the rest If we would have his Glory we must be partakers of his Sufferings and take up his Cross if we will have him for our Redeemer and Saviour we must own him for our Lord and Lawgiver if we would be feasted with Priviledges we must not neglect Duties his Spirit must renew us as well as his merit justifie us The Paschal-Lamb was to be eaten with bitter Herbs it is our Misery giveth Christ a relliâ—h God casts us into Sufferings or puts us under a Cloud that we may not be Gospel-glutted or cloyed with Doctrines of Grace He must be eaten with Unleaven-Bread simple plain Bread without mixture 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Purge out therefore the old Leaven that ye may be a new Lump as ye are Unleavened For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the â—nleavened-bread of sincerity and truth Christ in whose Mouth there is no guile cannot endure Hypocrisie At first they were to eat the Passover with their Loins girt their Staff in their hands and Shoes on their feet So Luke 12.35 Let your Loins be girded about and your lights burning 1 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds Eph. 6.14 15. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of Righteousness And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace We are strangers here and must put on for Heaven and be ready for a remove for the Heavenly Journey II. How we are to behold him or how is he to be considered by us This Ecce Behold doth not only point at Christ as Personally and Corporally present as an object of the Senses but doth excite their mind and Faith to get a Spiritual sight of him to behold him in the Quality of his Office He is not Personally present with us as he was when these words were said yet that doth not hinder the sight of Faith Whenever we are conversant about these holy Mysteries it may be said to us Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World 1. Behold him with Seriousness and Reverence This Mystery must not be passed over with a few hasty and running Thoughts It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest Wonder that ever was in the World that God should die and for such forlorn Creatures How should we be swallowed up of Admiration when
that we have heard and seen Gal. 2.11 When Peter was come to Antioch I with stood him to the Face because he was to be blamed The one requireth Aptness of Gifts the other only Christian Prudence and a fervent Charity This latter we have now in hand II. The Arguments by which we are to inforce it Which are needful in this Case because Men are so apt to bear with Sin both in themselves and others and this Duty is of so great Use that Satan seeketh to hinder it with all his Power and so hard to be done rightly that most Men quite omit it 1 st I shall prove it from the Law of Nature which teacheth me to love my Neighbour as my self and therefore Conscience bindeth me to reduce those into the right way who are gone out of it this is the obliging internal Cause We our selves by a regular Will having erred would be glad to be reduced and set into the right way again Ier. 8.4 Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Is any Man so absurd heedless and witless that when he hath gotten a Fall will lie still and not essay to get up again Or that hath been unwittingly out of the way and will not desire to come into it again and be willing to receive Direction from those that would set him right Now this being a Dictate of Nature produced by God himself by his Prophet to aggravate their Apostacy who having faln by their Sin refused to rise and return holdeth good also to others whom we are to love as our selves And therefore when they are fallen we must help them to rise again and when they are turned away we must help them to return This is so natural that the very Birds and Beasts desire to return to their proper Places in their natural and appointed time when they have wander'd as the Prophet speaketh of the Stork Turtle and Crane ver 7. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming Now from that reciprocal Obligation that is between Men and the Law of Nature we are bound to reprove our Brother as we desire it and expect it from them to be set right when we are wrong we are to pay the same Debt of Love to them again The Argument holdeth à fortiori because in spiritual things the Danger is greater the Good to be procured is greater the Evil to be feared greater Yea this Argument is the stronger because it holdeth good concerning the Ox and Ass not only of our own Neighbour but of our Enemy as Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine Enemy's Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again And Deut. 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy Brother's Ox or his Sheep go astray and hide thy self from them thou shalt in any case bring them again to thy Brother Surely hereby God would teach every Man not to look on his own things only but to love and do Good to other Men. This Duty required towards Beasts is much more towards Men Ezek. 34.4 Ye have not brought again that which was driven away and ye have not sought that which was lost We are all like Sheep going astray and have need of one anothers Help Mark there are two Precepts in Deut. 22.1 a Prohibition not to hide and a Commandment to restore so that they are doubly guilty that are not affected with other Mens Sins or do not seek to reform them 2 dly It is a Duty because positively commanded by God so that unless we will be guilty of flat Disobedience we ought to mind it God bindeth all Men to reprove their erring Brother and Neighbour keeping the Rules of Prudence Justice and Charity Now that God hath commanded this many of the Scriptures cited before prove it Matth. 18.15 16 17. If thy Brother offend thee go and tell him his Fault between him and thee Which is to be understood not only of Offences done to us but to be extended to all wilful Crimes of which we see him guilty for Zeal for God should prevail with us as much as Injuries done to to our selves and it is not angry Reproach but Christian Admonition that we press you to 1 Thess. 5.14 Warn them that are unruly 2 Thess. 3.15 Admonish him as a Brother So Rom. 15.14 I my self also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye are full of Goodness filled with all Knowledg able to admonish one another So Prov. 25.8 9 10. Go not forth hastily to strive lest thou know not what to do in the End thereof when thy Neighbour hath put thee to Shame Debate thy Cause with thy Neighbour himself and discover not a Secret to another lest he that heareth it put thee to Shame and thine Infamy turn not away All these Expressions concern Brotherly Reproof debating Matters in Case of Offence and Injury real or supposed If we presently run to Law without using previous gentle Methods of taking up Matters among our selves we run a great Hazard both of Loss and Infamy Better end it by friendly Composition than running to the Judg where by many unhappy Representations a Righteous Cause may be oppressed But for the common Duty of Christians see Ephes. 5.11 Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather doth not lessen our Duty but inforce it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom We ought to reprove We shall not be excused before God unless we do our Duty So Iude 22.23 And of some have Compassion making a Difference And others save with Fear pulling them out of the Fire SERMON II. LEVIT XIX 17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him 3 dly COnsider how far it bindeth 1. Intensively as to the Value of the Precept It is not an Arbitrary Direction which we may omit or observe at Pleasure but a Necessary Precept which we must obey 1. From the Danger we incur We are under Danger of Sin and bearing Punishment for them whom we reprove not and the Punishment of Sin is eternal Death if it be omitted out of a culpable Negligence Eternal Life and eternal Death is in the Case there is no doubt of Superiours who by Justice and Office are bound to reprove as well as by the Law of common Love and Charity Ezek. 33.6 His Blood will I require at the Watchman's Hands But even private Persons may bear Sin for others 2. Because of the Good which cometh thereby which is the Glory of God and the gaining of our Brother Matth. 18.15 Thou hast gained thy Brother And the gaining of another's Soul is no small Advantage this will be your Crown and rejoicing in the Day of the Lord. To enforce both consider that Text Prov. 24.
Good As to our selves we must subordinate all things to our true Happiness and be more careful for the Soul than for the Body All this Righteousness or the Evidence of natural Light calleth for at our Hands that we love our Creator and live to him and depend upon him for if he be God he is our first Cause highest Lord chiefest Good and last End That Love to others is shewed in doing to them as we would should be done to us We would have others helpful to us so must we to our Power be helpful to them he that will be for none but himself cannot justly expect that any should be for him And for our selves Man consists of a Body and of a Soul now all our Senses and bodily Powers and the Appetites must be subordinated to the Good of the Soul for the Soul is the chiefest Part. Well then if we live in the Neglect of God and be only Self-Lovers and Self-Pleasers and wrong our selves by gratifying our Flesh do we do well If we prefer every paltry Vanity before the Favour of God slander and wrong our Neighbour please Appetite before Reason and let the Beast ride the Man surely we obey Unrighteousness we do not do well 2. We must obey the Truth that is act agreeably to the revealed Will of God in Scripture that is to do well It is the Scripture which helpeth us to distinguish Good from Evil and will be a sure Direction in well-doing Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. Prov. 6.23 For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them We are not to be ruled by our own Thoughts but by God's Word which amply sets forth our Duty to us The Light of Nature is very dim and it would be a matter of great Difficulty to find out our Duty if we had no supernatural Light to help us Therefore God hath given his Word and that not only to instruct us in moral Duties most of which are evident by the Light of Nature but also in supernatural Verities which tend to our Relief and Deliverance by Christ. Well then well-doing is not one Work only but all our intire Obedience which is necessary to â—alvation that we may not only love God do Good to others govern our Appetites and Desires but believe in Christ and live according to his holy Institutes and perform all the Duties which belong to his new remedying Law This is Well-doing 2. There must be Continuance in Well-doing As we must indeavour universally to do all that God hath commanded us so we must continue this Care unto the End Luke 1.75 In Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life In a Journey it is not enough to go a Mile or two but we must continue till we come to our Journey 's End so must we never give over whilst we are in this World There may be Interruptions Diversions and Straglings but a Christian gets into the way again Sometimes we slip and stumble and sometimes step aside but we must not go back again Some are good for a Pang or Fit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always I might heap up many Considerations here but the thing is evident The Law bindeth continually and Grace planted in the Heart should influence all our Actions God's Eye is always upon us and every Hour and Moment we are a-new obliged to him for his Benefits how reasonable is it our Duty should last and the Use of Means be continued till we attain our End Therefore do not lose your Crown and the Benefit of all you have done already The Promise runneth to Perseverance Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 3. Here is patient Continuance That is necessary also The good Ground is described to be that which bringeth forth Fruit with Patience Luke 8.15 The other Grounds brought forth Fruit but they did not bring forth Fruit with Patience the stony Ground was impatient of Contradiction and Afflictions The thorny Ground was impatient of the Delay of the Reward and therefore took up with present things Riches and Honours and voluptuous Living but they that have a deep Sense of the other World and can tarry God's Leisure enduring the Hardships of Obedience and look for their Happiness in the World to come that is the good Ground So Heb. 6.12 Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We shall meet with Opposition within and without till we can deny our selves our Hearts are not sound with God We need the working Patience because of the Labour and Pains which belongeth to well-doing and the waiting Patience because our Reward is to come and the bearing Patience because of the Troubles and Dangers which we must indure if we would be faithful with God Loss of Estate Slanders of the Wicked and sometimes Danger of Life The working Patience should not be grievous to us because the Pains of Godliness will be recompensed with the Fruit of it the Peace and Comfort that followeth it and because there is more Labour in committing Sin than doing Good The waiting Patience should not be grievous because there must be a time for the Trial of our Faith They are Hypocrites which must have their Reward at present Matth. 6.2 Verily I say unto you they have their Reward The Believer he can wait for it he looketh for Glory and Honour too but not now The bearing Patience should not be irksom because Faithfulness in our Trials is most comfortable to us and most acceptable to God Comfortable to us we have not ordinarily so clear a Proof of the Reality of Grace as when we are under sore Trials 1 Pet. 1.7 That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold though it be tried with Fire may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Faith is then Faith indeed and Obedience Obedience indeed The greater the Work and the more Impediments we meet with self-denying Obedience doth most evidence it self to the Conscience Whilst we do any thing for God while we do it without Shame Opposition and Loss it is more hard to interpret our Sincerity It is more acceptable to God 't is tried Friendship and Obedience which is most valuable The Obedience of a Souldier is pleasing to a General in a time of Peace when he saith to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh but especially in the most desperate Hazards when he doth not dispute Commands when he is bidden to go upon the Cannons Mouth From the whole Mortification Self-denial Contempt of the World Patience under manifold Sufferings
Father A Prodigal Child hath some Encouragement from his Relation though his Manners be not answerable Luke 15.18 I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants And he arose and came to his Father But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him A Father will not be â—evere to a returning Prodigal as God is not to penitent Sinners 2. But this is not all it is not a prodigal Son a rebellious Son that is here considered who by Moses's Law might be turned out of Doors and stoned Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son that will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and when they have chastened him will not hearken to them then shall his father and mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his City and unto the gate of his place and they shall say unto the elders of his City This our son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a gluton and a drunkard And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he shall die Such a Law did God make against Disobedience to Parents And if Children put off all respect of natural Duty Parents were to put off all Bowels and Compassion towards them But this is not the case here It is a good Child that is here spoken of His own Son that serveth him When a Son is dutiful for the main a Parent will not be harsh and severe to him upon every failing What ever Men are to Slaves or to the Children of others who serve them yet they cannot so divest themselves of the Heart of a Parent as to be inexorable to their own Children and correct them severely for a lesser fault This is the Expression that God useth to set forth his Indulgence and Compassion towards them that fear him Doct. That God's sparing his Children notwithstanding their manifold Infirmities is one of the Choice Priviledges of them that fear him I shall discuss this Point in this method 1. I will shew you what it is to spare 2. That this is a choice Priviledge 3. The Grounds and Reasons of this Indulgence or Sparing that he useth towards them 4. The Qualification of the Persons I. What it is to spare them It is seen on two occasions when he cometh to accept them and when he cometh to afflict them In accepting their imperfect Services and not correcting them at all or correcting them in Measure and in Mercy 1. Sometimes Sparing is spoken of in Scripture with respect to some Judgment to be inflicted and so it is an Act flowing from Mercy withdrawing or moderating deserved Judgments For we by Sin deserve the sharpest Dispensations of God's Anger and Wrath and so God is said to spare as with-holding or withdrawing the Judgment Ioel 2.17 Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Sometimes as Moderating when he doth not stir up all his Wrath As it is sweet to find Mercy remembred in Wrath and that he will moderate the Judgment to us and make it more sufferable Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us less than our Iniquities deserve 2. At other times Sparing is spoken of with respect to a Duty to be accepted We need to be spared in our best Actions they being defective and defiled Nehemiah prayeth Nehem. 13.22 Remember me O my God! concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy He speaketh this when he had procured God's holy Ordinances to be duly observed he pleadeth no Merit before God but desireth rather to be spared and forgiven for he was conscious to his own many Failings Well then God spareth when he forgiveth our Sins and pardoneth the manifold Imperfections of our Services II. That this is a choice Priviledge So it will appear to be if we consider 1. The holy Nature of God 2. The strictness and purity of his Law both as to the Precept and Sanction 3. Our incapacity of appearing in the Judgment 4. The sense which Conscience hath of Sin All these must be considered because usually Men heal their Wounds slightly and afterwards they fester into a more dangerous Sore And again we are not affected with God's pardoning Mercy because we do not see with what difficulty it is brought about 1. The holy Nature and Justice of God His Nature inclineth him to hate Sin and his Justice to punish it Ioshua 24.19 Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins This he speaketh not to discourage them but that they might not have slight thoughts of God and his Service as if he would be put off with any thing and would lightly and easily pardon their Errors Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity That is without taking Vengeance of it The least Sin is an Offence to God so pure and holy 1 Sam. 6.20 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God That is this God who is so jealous of his Institutions All this is mentioned to shew that God doth not make little reckoning of Sin and that which lesseneth the benefit of Pardon in our thoughts is usually some abasing of the Nature of God It is not from magnifying his Mercy as it is discovered in Christ and the New Covenant but from some wrong conceit of God as if he were not so Just and Holy as he is represented to be Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self Because he doth not always inflict Punishment they think Sin is no such great matter and not so hateful to God as indeed it is Oh no! God that is so willing to spare his People notwithstanding their Infirmities doth not cease to be Holy nor his Law leave off to be Righteous Therefore this is the means to heighten this Priviledge 2. The Purity and Strictness of his Law both as to the Precept and Sanction 1. The Precept which reacheth to the Soul and the Operations of every Faculty Thoughts Purposes and Desires as well as Words and Actions Therefore when David had admired the Purity of the Law he adds Psal. 19.12 Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from sâ—cret faults Oh the multitude of our Errors that we know And the multitude of them we know not But God knoweth them How imperfect is our Obedience How many times have we transgressed this holy Law of God Many Failings we do not observe and those which we do observe we are not able to enumerate If we were to be