any mixture of Errors that have any considerable Influence upon the main of Religion Others are in that Communion in which those Doctrines are as yet taught that are indeed necessary to Salvation but many things are added which are indeed pernicious and dangerous in their own nature So that if a Man should possibly be saved in that Profession he is saved as by Fire 1 Cor. 3.13 And 't is a strange escape as if one had Poyson mingled among his Meat the goodness of his Digestion and strength of Nature might work it out but the Man runneth a great hazard As the Papists acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer and Mediatour between God and Men They own his two Natures and Satisfaction though they mingle Doctrines that strangely weaken these Foundations The Turks deny not Christ to be a great Prophet but they deny him to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and the Redeemer of Mankind and wickedly prefer their false Prophet before him The Jews confess there was a Iâ—sus the Son of Mary that gave out himself in their Country of Judea to be the Messiah and gathered Disciples who from him are called Christians But they call him an Impostor question all the Miracles done by him as done by the Power of the Devil Now all these shall be judged by the Gospel which is so proudly and obstinately rejected by them The Spirit shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not in me Joh. 16.9 he hath so proved himself to be the Christ the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah that their rejecting and not believing in him and his Testimony will be found to be a great and damning Sin both in its self and as it bindeth their other Sins upon them however their Judgment shall be lighter or heavier according to the diversity of their Offence and the invincible Prejudices they lie under The Corrupters of the Christian Religion because they have perverted the Truth of the Gospel to serve their Interests Ambition Avarice or any Humane Passion their Doom will be exceeding great 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. And with all Deceivableness of Vnrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie That thy all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness To poyson Fountains was the highest way of Murther to royle the Waters of the Sanctuary to mangle Christ's Ordinances is a Crime of a high Nature The Jews that rejected Christ in so clear Light of Miracles Joh. 8.24 Christ saith If you believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins it maketh the Judgment the more heavy upon them Others to whom Christ is less perspicuously revealed shall have a more tolerable Judgment For the clearer the Revelation of the Truth is the more culpable is the Rejection or Contempt of it For there is no Man that heareth of Christ's Coming into the World suffering for Sinners and Rising again from the Dead and Ascending into Heaven but is bound more diligently to enquire into it and to receive and embrace this Truth Carnal Christians their Profession condemneth them They are inexcusable they deny in Works what in Word they seem to acknowledge 3. Some lived under the Legal Administration of the Covenant of Grace To whom two things are propounded 1. The Duty of the Law 2. Some Scriptures and obscure Beginnings of the Gospel They shall be judged according to that Administration they are under either for violating the Law or neglecting the Gospel or those first Dawnings of Grace which God offered to their View and Study Indeed the Law was more manifest but the Gospel was not so obscure but they might have understood it Therefore God will call them to an Account about keeping his Law by which who can be Justified Or whether by true Repentance they have fled to the Mercy of God which by divers wayes was then revealed to them and have owned the Messiah in his Types Psal. 145.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be Justified Psal. 130.3 4. If thou shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Which if not clear they shall be condemned not only for not keeping the Law but also for neglect of Grace Though their Unbelief and Impenitency be not so odious as theirs is that lived under a clearer Revelation yet a grievous Sin it was which will bring Judgment upon them 4. There are some that have no other Discovery of God but what they could make from the Courses of Nature and some Instincts of Conscience as meer Pagans The Apostle having told us of the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.5 and how managed Vers. 6 7 8. and how aggravated the Jew first and then the Gentile he then concludeth Vers. 12. For as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law but as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law That is the Jews as the other is to be understood of the Gentiles To whose notice no Fame of Christ or the Law of Moses could possibly come To perish without the Law is to be punished and Punishment followeth upon Condemnation and Condemnation is in this Judgment Therefore Pagans and Heathens that lived most remote from the Tydings of the Gospel and Divine Revelation must appear before Christ's Tribunal to be judged But by what Rule He telleth us Vers. 14 15. For whâ—n the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not a Law are a Law to themselves Which shew the Work of the Law written upon their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts thâ—m an while accusing or excusing one another They knew themselves to have sinned by that Rule by the natural Knowledge of God and some sense of their Duty impressed upon their Hearts Nature it self told them what was well or ill done The Law of Nature taught them their Duty and had some Affinity with the Law of Mâ—ses And the Course of God's Providence taught that God was placable which hath some Affinity with these Gospel Rudiments and first Strictures Therefore the Goodness and Long-suffering of God should lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Surely then the Impenitency of the Jews will meet with an heavy Condemnation according to the Proportion of Clearness in their Revelation 5. Men of all Conditions high and low rich and poor mighty and powerful or weak and oppressed Kings Subjects Revel 20.12 I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God No Rank or Degree in the World can exempt us These Distinctions do not ouâ—-live Time they cease at the Graves Mouth there all stand upon the same Level and are
those that have only a washy weak Knowledg not a living Light and Knowledg that is rooted in their own Hearts they talk like Parrots like the Moon they are dark themselves though from others they shine to others like Vintners that keep Wine not for use but for sale The Cellar may be better stored but it is for others 2 Pet. 1.8 For if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a disparagement to know Christ and never be the better for him These are like the Noble-man of Samaria that saw the plenty of Samaria but could not taste of it Surely there are not greater Atheists in the World than Carnal Scholars that have a great deal of Light but no Grace It is sad to hear of such a Christ and feel nothing John 17.17 Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth They who are able to understand the Word but to no purpose must needs doubt of the Truth of it Vse 2. To press Christians to grow in Knowledg that they may enter upon Eternal Life by degrees Hos. 6.3 Follow on to know the Lord. There is a growth in Knowledg as well as Grace it is not so sensible in the very increase and progress as that of Grace is because growth in Grace is always cum luctû with some strife but the Work upon the Understanding is more still and silent Draw away the Curtain and the Light cometh in and our Ignorance vanisheth silently and without such strife as goeth to the taming of Lusts and vile Affections yet afterwards it is sensible that we have grown Ye were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord Ephes. 5.8 as a Plant increaseth in length and stature though we do not see the Progress We read of Jesus Christ that he grew in Knowledg we do not read that he grew in Grace he received the Spirit without measure and nothing could be added to the perfection of his Innocence yet it is said Luke 2.40 The Child grew and Vers. 52. Jesus increased in Wisdom and in Stature and in favour with God and Man The Godhead made out it self to him by degrees Oh let us increase It is notable that Moses his first Request to God was Tell me thy Name and afterward shew me thy Glory a more full manifestation of God We should not always keep to our Milk our Infant-Notions and Apprehensions but go on to a greater Increase it much advanceth your Spiritual Life and will be an advantage to your Eternal Life They have the highest Visions of God hereafter that know most of him here upon Earth they are Vessels of a larger capacity and though all be perfect yet with a difference Now for Means and Directions take these 1. Wait upon the preaching of the Word God appointed it and hath given Gifts to the Church for this end and purpose We should quicken one another Isa. 2.3 Come and let us go up to the House of the Lord and he will teach us his Ways God's Grace is given in his own way When Men neglect and despise God's solemn Institutions they either grow brutish or fanatical as we see by daily experience Light as well as Flame is kept in by the breath of Preaching By long attention you grow skilful in the Word of Righteousness Men that despise the Word may be more full of Crotchets and Curiosities but that Light is Darkness It is disputed which is the sense of Learning Hearing or Seeing By the Eye we see things but must by reason of innate Ignorance be taught how to judg of them 2. You must read the Word with diligence That is every Man's Work that hath a Soul to be saved They that busy themselves in other Books will not have such lively Impressions Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night that must be our Exercise not Play-Books Stories and idle Sonnets How many Sacrilegious Hours do many spend this way Castae deliciae meae sunt scripturae tuae Aug. Nay good Books should not keep from the Scriptures Luther in Gen. cap. 19. saith Ego odi libros meos saepe opto eos interire ne morentur lectores abducant a lectione ipsius scripturae We should go to the Fountain 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation We put a disparagement upon the Word when we savour and relish Humane Writings though never so good and excellent better than the Word of God it self This is the standing Rule by which all Doctrines must be confirmed and you do not know what sweet fresh and savory Thoughts the Spirit of God may stir up in your own Minds for Word-representations are not so taking as our own inward Thoughts and Discourses these like a draught of Wine from the Tap are more fresh and lively It is necessary as I said before to wait upon Preaching to hear what others can say out of the Scriptures but it is good to read too that we may preach to our selves Every Man is fittest to commune with his own Heart and that Conviction which doth immediately arise out of the Word is more prevalent A Man can be angry with any Preacher but Conscience In another when a Matter is expressed to our Case we are apt to suspect the mixture of Passion and private Aims but read thy self and what thoughts are stirred up upon thy reading will be most advantagious to thee Besides those that are studious of the Word have this sensible advantage that they have the Promises the Doctrines the Examples of the Word more familiar and ready with them upon all Cases It is said of one that he was a living Bible and a walking Library 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a Christian is a walking Concordance And whereas other Christians are weak unsetled in Comfort or Opinion these have always Scriptures ready And let me tell you in the whole Work of Grace you will find no Weapon so effectual as the Sword of the Spirit as Scriptures readily and seasonably urged Therefore no diligence here is too much if you would not be barren and sapless in Discourse with others if you would not be weak and comfortless in your self read the Scriptures that you may bring sic scriptum est upon every Temptation and urge the solid grounds of our Comfort I speak the more in so plain a Point because I would make Men more conscionable both in their Closets and Families in this Point that they may not only have recourse to learned Helps and Books of an humane Original but to the Word it self 3. The Scriptures must be read with Prayer We must plow with God's Heifer if we would understand his Riddle we must beg the Spirit 's help The Spirit is the best Interpreter bene
the School of Christ He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth And the Ordinance of preaching the Word is consecrated to this purpose Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify them by the washing of Water through the Word There are other Occasional Helps but this is the Instituted Means God will work no other way in his ordinary and revealed course and will accept no other Obedience and Sanctification but by the Word Holiness or that Piety which is proper and genuine is wrought by a Divine Truth otherwise it is Superstition not Godliness Civility not Holiness of Conversation Tho Men have never so good an Inclination yet because they have not a Divine Revelation for their Warrant it is but a Bastard Religion Superstition or framing a strictness of our own accompanied with opposition against the Truth The Word and Spirit are in Conjunction Isa. 59.21 My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth c. These act in Conjunction and it is for the honour of the Scriptures that God hath annexed them 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying Preaching of the Word and pouring out of the Spirit go together 4. Every part of the Truth worketh not but only the Gospel which is the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law sheweth us our Spots and the Gospel cleanseth and washeth them away The Work of the Law is Preparation but that which hath a special and direct influence upon Sanctification is the Gospel John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you and that was the Gospel Privilege This pulleth in the Heart to God that we may be partakers of his Grace Moses brought them to the Borders but Joshua brought them into the Land of Canaan The Apostle appealeth to the Experience of Believers Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the VVorks of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Tho the Spirit may be received by the preaching of any part of Canonical Scripture yet most usually by the preaching of the Gospel The Lord would give us this sensible and authentick Proof of the Truth and Excellency of the Gospel that we receive the Spirit of Regeneration by it and not by the Law It is the Instrument by which God useth to confer the Spirit So 2 Pet. 1.4 To us are given exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature What part of the Word worketh the Heart to a conformity to God likeneth us in Holiness to God the great and precious Promises It is not by moral Strains nor by terrible Threatnings these have their use in their place but by the great and precious Promises as God was in the sâ—â—ll Voice 5. The Gospel worketh not unless it be accompanied with the Spirit There is a great deal of difference between seeing things in the Light of Reason and seeing things in the Light of the Spirit Truth represented in the Light of Reason begets but an humane Faith leaveth a weak impression and hath but a weak operation upon the Soul but things represented in the light of the Spirit â—â—â—keth quite otherwise there is not only a notional Irradiation but an experimental Feeling they see another manner of Beauty and Excellency in Christ a vanity in worldly Delights which they never saw before Running-water and Strong-water differ not in colour but in taste and virtue John 16.13 When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all 〈◊〉 1 John 2.27 The Anointing which ye have received of him abidet◠〈◊〉 you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things Most Men content themselves with a superficial Belief they have but a hâ—â—ane knowledg of Divine Things and therefore their Souls are not carried out to Holiness Love Fear Trust Obedience they have a cold and naked apprehension liteâ—â—â— Knowledg is waâ—hy and weak it worketh not 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit 6. This must not only be represented in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit but received and applied by Faith Sanctification is sometimes ascribed to the Gospel and sometimes to Faith which receiveth the Gospel Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Our Hearts are purified by the Word of Truth 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing that â—e have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit Here they were purified by Faith The Word worketh not without an Act on our part as well as on God's The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 As a Plaster worketh not till it be applied to the Sore Nay the Apostle's Word implieth more the Word must not only be applied to the Soul but mingled with the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a Medicine the Ingredients must be mixed together to do good So if we have the Word we must have the Spirit and we must have Faith mix it altogether and then it worketh Faith receiveth the Word as a divine and infallible Truth and that begets an Awe In short Faith working to Sanctification apprehends the Love of God the Blood of Christ the Promises Precepts of the Word and by all these it is ever purging and working out Corruption By apprehending the Love of God Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither Circumcisionâ— availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that worketh by Love Shall I love that which God hateth O do not this abominable Thing that I hate Jer. 44.4 Faith representeth God pleading thus Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend Do I thus requite God for all his Kindness to me in Christ There is an Exasperation against Lusts. It maketh use of the Blood of Christ. 1 John 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sins Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God That is an excellent Purger In outward Purging it is the Water and the Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Laundress applieth it and rubbeth the Cloaths that are washed Faith apprehendeth the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of his Blood and the Grace purchased thereby So Faith maketh use of the Promises this giveth Faith encouragement to expect glorious Rewards Assistance is purchased and Acceptance is promised 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Then Faith constantly maketh use of the Precepts and Counsels of the Word by which Sin is discovered and taxed When the Word is received by Faith there goeth a
Light with it to see Sin after another manner altho a Man did not know it before Faith persuadeth us that the Commands of God are just and equal there is a believing Commands as well as Promises this is a Command from God Psal. 119.66 Teach me good Judgment and Knowledg for I have believed thy Commandments SERMON XXVII JOHN XVII 17 Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth I NOW Proceed to the Reasons why God sanctifieth by his Truth It is most suitable to God's Honour and to Man's Nature I. To God's Honour It was meet that God should give a Rule to the Creatures or else how should they know his Will And then it was meet to honour this Rule by owning it above all other Doctrines by the concomitant Operation of his Spirit This is the authentick Proof the Efficacy of the Word is a Pledg of the Truth of it John 8.32 And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make ye free from the Bondage of Sin the Devil and Death A wicked Man cannot have an absolute assurance of the Truth of the Word he hath no feeling of the Power of it There is a great deal of Do How do you prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God A Believer hath the Testimony in his own Heart 1 John 5.10 He that believeth in the Son of God hath the Testimony in himself His Conscience and Heart are set at liberty by Water and Blood This made the Apostles bold and should make Ministers so Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation We should not be ashamed to preach it and you should not be ashamed to profess it it is the Power of God God will not associate and join the powerful Operation of his Spirit with any other Doctrine So David when he commendeth the Law by which he doth not mean the Decalogue but the whole Word of God Psal. 19.7 8 9. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Soul the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes The Fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever the Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether He had spoken before of the Excellency of the Sun now of the Word intimating that the Word of God is as necessary for the Heart as the Sun is for the World We can as well be without the Sun as without the Bible But how doth he evidence it From the Effects upon the Heart and Conscience Comfort and Grace are two great Evidences of the Perfection of the Word No Doctrine in the World save this Divine Truth set down in Scripture is able to discover the Sin and Misery of Man the Remedy and Relief of it in Christ. No Doctrine save this alone can effectually humble a Soul and convert it to God make it sensible of the Loss by Sin and restore it to a better Condition II. It is more suitable to Man's Nature The Word is more morally accommodated to work upon the Heart of Man than any other Instrument Means or Doctrine in the World 1. The Precepts of it It is the Copy of God's Holiness the Light by which we see ever◠thing in its own Colours The Light of Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Work of the Law Rom. 2.14 15. It taketh notice of gross Acts of Sin and the outward Work of Duty they made Conscience to abstain from gross Acts of Sin and to perform outward Acts of Piety and Devotion as offering Sacrifices and Prayers But now there is an excellent Spirit of Holiness that breatheth in the Word and all matters of Duty are advanced to their greatest perfection Psal. 119.96 Thy Commandment is exceeding broad of a vast extent and latitude comprizing every Motion Thought and Circumstance in Duties not only the Act is required but the Frame of Heart is regarded not only Sins but Lusts are forbidden If ever there were an Instrument fitted to do a thing the Word is fitted to promote Holiness the true Purity that is pleasing to God 2. The Paterns and Examples of the Word We miscarry by low Examples and learn Looseness and Carelesness one by another Therefore the Word of God to elevate Holiness to the highest extent presseth not only the Examples of the Saints whose Memorials are left upon record in the Word but the Holiness of the Angels yea the Holiness of God himself The highest Aim doth no hurt he will shoot further who aimeth at a Star than he that aimeth at a Shrub Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience have inherited the Promises Heb. 6.12 Thy Will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Mat. 6.10 Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.15 Communion begets Conformity We need all kinds of Examples high Examples that we may not rest in any low degrees and beginnings of Holiness low Examples that we may think it possible We are not Angels but Men and Women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like Affections that have the same natural Interests natural Wants with others It is a trodden Path in the Way to Heaven you may see the Footsteps of the Saints 3. Excellent Rewards and fit Arguments to induce us to the Practice of Holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all the Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be Partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. God covenants with us as if we were free-born to interest our Hearts in the Love and Practice of Holiness we have as much propounded as we can wish for nay and more 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the Things which God hath prepared for them that love him Lactantius saith of the Heathens Virtutis vim non sentiunt cujus proemium ignorant They feel not the Power of Vertue because they are ignorant of the Reward of Vertue Life and Glory and the great things to come are powerful Motives can you meet with the like elsewhere All Creatures seek their own Perfection Philosophy is to seek of a sure Reward and Encouragement 4. Our many Advantages in Christ. We have not only Encouragement offered but Help and Assistance Christ hath purchased Grace to make us holy 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead unto Sin might live to Righteousness by whose Stripes ye were healed He hath not only purchased the Rewards of Grace to wit that God should not deal with us in Soveraignty but purchased the Abilities of Grace redeemed us from
That 't is a great felicity not to be obnoxious to condemnation 2. That this is the portion of the true Christian or such as are in Christ. 3. Those who are in Christ obey not the inclinations of corrupt Nature but the motions of the Spirit First It is a great priviledg not to be obnoxious to condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. To understand this you must consider First What condemnation importeth Secondly How came we by this exemption 1. What condemnation importeth The terror of it is unspeakable when 't is sufficiently understood and therefore by consequence our exemption and deliverance from it is the greater mercy In the general Condemnation is a sentence dooming us to punishment Now particularly for this condemnation 1. Consider whose Sentence this is there is Sententia Legis and Sententia Judicis the Sentence of the Law and the Sentence of the Judge The Sentence of the Law is the Sentence of the Word of God and that is either the Law of Works or the Law of Grace The damnatory Sentence of the Law concludeth all under the curse for all are under sin Gal. 3.10 For as many as are under the works of the law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them So all the World is guilty before God Rom. 3.10 But the Gospel or the Law of Grace denounceth damnation to those that believe not in Christ and obstinately refuse his mercy Mar. 16.16 he that believeth not shall be damned and also against them that love not Christ and obey him 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed This is the Sentence of the Law But then there is Sententia Judicis the Sentence which the Judg passeth upon a sinner and is either 1. The ratifying of that Sentence which the word denounceth be it either Law or Gospel for what is bound in earth is bound in heaven and God condemneth those whom his Word condemneth so that for the present wicked men have a Sentence against them they are all cast in Law condemned already as it is John 3.18 If men were sensible of their danger they would be more earnest to get the Sentence reversed and repealed before it were executed upon them they are not sure of a days respite 't is a stupid dulness not to be affected with this woful condition there is but a step between them and death and they mind it not 2. As pronounced and declared So it shall be at the last day by the Judg of all the Earth Acts 17.30 Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judg the world in righteousness And 2 Thess. 1.8 He shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not the Gospel Then the Sentence is full and solemn pronounced by the Judg upon the Throne in the Audience of all the World Then 't is final and peremptory and puts men into their everlasting estate And then 't is presently executed they go away to that estate to which they are doomed Of this the Scripture speaketh John 5.39 they that have done evil shall arise to the resurrection of damnation It is miserable to be involved in a Sentence of condemnation by the Word Now that shuts up a sinner as in a Prison where the Door is bolted and barred upon him till it be opened by Grace But doleful will their condition be who are Condemned by the final Sentence of the Judg from which there is no appeal nor escape nor deliverance 2. Consider The punishment to which men are condemned and that is twofold Either the poena damni the loss of an heavenly Kingdom they are shut out from that But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 8.12 Or poena sensus the torments and pains they shall indure called the damnation of hell Matth. 23.33 Both together are spoken of Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Words that should cut a sinner to the heart if he had any feeling of his condition now to be exempted from condemnation to this punishment is the greater mercy 'T is enough to heighten in our thoughts the greatest sense of the Love of God that we are freed from the curse that Jesus hath delivered us from wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 that we are as brands plucked out of the burning but much more when we consider that we shall be admitted into Gods Blessed presence and see him as he is and be like him 1 John 3.2 And for the present that being justified by faith we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3.7 The Apostle expresseth both parts of the deliverance in one place 1 Thess. 5.9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark the Antithesis not to wrath but to obtain salvation Which should increase our sense of the priviledg that when others lie under the wrath of God we shall see him and love him and praise him in Heaven to all Eternity 3. How justly it is deserved by us by reason of Original and Actual sins both before and after Conversion Original sin for the Scripture telleth us Rom. 5.16 the judgment was by one to condemnation and again in Verse 18. by the offence of one judgment came upon all to condemnation All Adam's Children are become guilty before God and liable to death or brought into such an estate wherein they are condemnable before God So by many actual sins it is deserved by us As we are by nature children of wrath Eph. 2.3 so for a long time we have treasured up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 We have even forfeited the Reprieve which Gods Patience allowed to us and have more and more involved our selves in condemnation Till we comprehend our great need of pardon and exemption from condemnation we cannot understand the worth of it Nay we have deserved this condemnation since conversion He doth not say here There is no sin in us but there is no condemnation sin in its self is always damnable and our Redemption doth not put less evil into sin but in strict Justice we deserve the greater punishment this is another consideration that should indear this priviledg to us 4. How Conscience standeth in dread of this condemnation For if our own hearts condemn us 1 John 3.20 they are a transcript of Gods Law both Precept and Sanction and therefore do not only check us for sin and urge us to duty but also fill us with many hidden fears which sometimes are very stinging When we are serious the more tender the heart is the more it smiteth for sin Ro. 1.23 Who knowing the judgment
Christs Holy Government saith Diodate they are freed from the deadly Tyranny of Sin by the Spirit of Life freed from the Yoke and Dominion of Sin which bringeth Death and so walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit This I think to be the true meaning of the words Now I come to the Doctrines 1 Doct. That the new Covenant is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus 2. That the new Covenant giveth liberty to all that are really under it from the slavery of Sin and the condemning power of the Law For the first point That the new Covenant is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus I shall divide it and prove 1. That the new Covenant is a Law 2. That 't is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus First That 't is a Law That the Gospel hath the force of a Law I shall evidence by these Considerations 1. That man being Gods Creature is his subject and standeth related to him as his rightful governour and therefore is to receive what Laws he is pleased to impose upon him Isa. 33.22 The Lord is our Judg the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King and he will save us and Jam. 4.21 There is one Law giver who is able to save and to destroy our subjection to God as our Soveraign is built on our total and absolute dependance upon him both for our creation and preservation for we could neither make our selves nor preserve our selves and therefore we are subject to the will of another whose we are and whom we should serve 2. Man as a reasonable and free agent is bound voluntarily to yield up himself in subjection to his proper Lord. All the Creatures are under the government of God and so in a sense are under a Law for there is a certain course within the bounds of which their natures and motions are limited and fixed Psal. 119.91 They continue to this day according to thine ordinances for they are all thy servants And Psal. 148.6 he hath established them for ever and made a decree beyond which they shall not pass So Prov. 8.29 he gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandments All Creatures are ballanced in a due proportion and guided in their tract and course by an unerring hand which is a kind of Law to them so man as a Creature is subject to the direction of Gods Providence as other creatures are but as a reasonable creature he is capable of moral Government and of a Law properly so called for so he hath a choice of his own a power of refusing evil and chusing good Other Creatures are ruled by a rod of Iron Gods Power and Sovereignty but man whose Obedience depends upon choice is governed by Laws which may direct and oblige him to good and warn him and drive him from evil Man is apt to be wrought upon by hopes and fears which are the great instruments of Government by hopes of reward and fears of punishment and therefore he not only out of his own Interest but Duty to his Creator is bound to give up himself to do the Will of God this is called for 2 Chron. 30.8 Yield your selves to the Lord and 2 Cor. 8.5 they first gave themselves to the Lord and Rom. 6.13 yield your selves to the Lord and in many other places 3. Man being bound to obey the Will of God needeth a Law from God to constitute his Duty and direct him in it for without his Laws the Subject cannot know what is due to his Sovereign nor can man understand what his duty is to his Creator In innocency he gave him a Law written upon his heart for God made him holy and righteous Eccles. 7.29 and he was to perform such actions as became an holy and righteous Creature his nature bound him and fitted him to love God and his Neighbour and Himself in a regular and due subordination to God This Law was sufficient to guide him while he stood in his Integrity and to inable him to please God in all things for this Law written upon his heart was both his Rule and his Principle But consider men in their fallen estate surely they needed a Law and that God should shew them what was good and evil The Gentiles had some relicks of the Law of Nature Rom. 2.14 15. and so much sense of their Duty left as leaveth them not only culpable for their neglect of it Rom. 1.20 But they are all become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 With his people he dealt more favourably and graciously Psalm 147.19 20. He shewed his word unto Jacob and his statutes unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation as for his judgments they have not known them Alas in the weakness to which we were reduced after the fall how miserable should we be and grope in the dark if God had not given us a Law and shewed us what is good Were it not for the relicks of Nature in the Gentiles the World would be but a Den of Thieves and a stage of wickedness and every one would do what is right in his own eyes but the Interests of men causeth them to make Laws for their own safety but yet there is no sure and sufficient direction to guide them in their Obedience to God without his Word The Laws of men have no other end than the good of Humane Society and reacheth no further than the Government of the outward Conversation there is little or nothing in them to guide us in our obeying or injoying God This God hath done in his word to the Jews of old and to us Christians more fully for we are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 namely as they have shewed us to live in obedience to God as our proper and rightful Lord and to injoy him as our proper happiness But to leave this general view of these things 4. The Gospel which is both our Rule and Charter is the Law which in Christs name is given to the World That appeareth 1. By the titles or terms wherein it is expressed as Isa. 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of God from Jerusalem so Isa. 42.4 The Isles shall wait for his Law so Isa. 51.4 A Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgment to rest for a light to the people And in the New Testament 't is called the law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and the law of Christ Gal. 5.2 so that the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ is that Law which we should abide by 2. The reason of the thing sheweth it For here is 1. A Governor or Ruler the Lord Christ who hath acquired a new Dominion and Empire over the World to save and to rule men upon his own Terms Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both dyed and and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and
passed upon us by the law and acquitted and discharged from the guilt of sin and being justified by faith are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3.7 That I will not speak of now because before in the first Verse I now proceed to open unto you the last Thing at first propounded which was 3. The manner of getting our liberty There are three words in the Text Law Spirit and Christ Jesus Let us begin with the last Christ procureth this liberty for us by the merit of his death and intercession The Law or Gospel offereth this liberty to us and the Spirit first applieth it and sealeth it to the Conscience 1. Christ procureth and purchaseth this liberty for us both from the damning power of the Law and the slavery of corruption We were Captives shut up under Sin and Death and he paid our ransom and so obtained for us remission of sins and the sanctification of the spirit remission of Sins Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption by his blood the remission of sins That 's one part of our recovery highly necessary for guilty Creatures how else can we stand before the Tribunal of God or look him in the face with any confidence but his redemption did not only reach this but the sanctification of the spirit also Therefore 't is said 1 Pet. 1.18 Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Thus Christ doth what belongeth to him and none can share with him in this honour 't is his merit that is at the bottom of the Covenant and procured for us both the favour and image of God that we might love him and be beloved by him 2. There is a Law or New Covenant which offereth this grace to us The law of nature concludeth men under Sin and pronounceth Death upon them Christ hath set up a new remedial Law of Grace by which we are called to submit to Christ and thankfully to accept of his merciful preparations even the great benefits of pardon and life The Gospel or New Covenant doth its part First There is Grace published or offered to us Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he hath anointed me to preach deliverance to the captives 'T is not enough that our ransom be paid but the offer must be made or else how shall it be laid hold upon by faith and received with thankfulness and with a due sense of the benefit Now the Gospel sheweth liberty may be had upon sweet and commodious and easie terms 2. The terms are stated in the Covenant That we give up our selves to the Lord by Christ and be governed and ruled by the conduct of his Word and Spirit Gal. 3.2 Received ye the spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith And 2 Tim. 2.25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will The Covenant is not left to our humours and fancies to model and bring it down to our liking no nor are only the benefits offered but terms stated Isa. 56.4 That chuse the things that please me and take hold of my covenant When he hath stated his terms 't is too late for man to interpose his Vote or to imagine to bring down Christianity to a lower rate for we must not new model it but take hold of it as God hath left it Be in Christ and walk after his Spirit 3. This liberty is assured and established by the Covenant the Conscience of sin and the fears of condemnation are not easily done away and we are so wedded to our lusts that the power of reigning sin is not easily broken therefore we had need of a sure firm Covenant to ratifie these Priviledges to us because our fears are justified by a former Law made by God himself therefore God would not deal with us by naked Promise but put his Grace into a Covenant-form that we may have as good to shew for our Salvation as we had for our Condemnation yea and more And God hath added his Oath That the consolation of the heirs of promise might be more strong Heb. 6.18 And it being a latter grant former transactions cannot disannul it so that the Covenant doth its part also to free beâ—ievers from the power of Sin and the fears of Condemnation 4. The Spirit applieth this grace both as to the effects and the sense as to the effects he applieth it in effectual calling as this quickning spirit doth regenerate us and convert us to God and break the power and tyranny of Sin the wages whereof is Death the Gospel is the means but the blessing is from the Spirit John 8.32 Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free that is ye shall know it savingly so as to feel the power and efficacy of it To be set free to know love serve and delight in God is that liberty that we have by the free Spirit Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit 2. The spirit sealeth it as to the sense when we come to discern our freedom by the effects of it in our own souls Eph. 1.13 After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise And in the fruit of Christs purchase Gal. 4.4 5 6. But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Spirits seal is Gods impress upon our Souls left there not to make us known to God for he knoweth who are his from all eternity but for the increase of our joy and comfort not by guess but some kind of certainty 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in God and God dwelleth in us by his spirit that he hath given us by the Spirit dwelling and working in us we know our interest this is not so absolutely necessary as the former to our safety but very comfortable There is a Spirit that attendeth the Law reviving fears in men and a sense of Gods Wrath and there is a Spirit attending the Gospel inclining us to come to God as a Father Rom. 8.15 The one is called the spirit of bondage the other the spirit of Adoption Now because the law is so natural to us we the more need this liberty Vse 1. Since there is a Liberty by Christ and that wrought in us by the Spirit but dispensed by the Gospel let us seek it in this way Therefore consider 1. Your need since every man is under the power of Sin naturally and so under a sentence
your Lord and happiness to Chrâ—st as your Redemer and Saviour to the Holy-Ghost as your guide comforter and sanctifier We renew this consent in the Lords Supper that we may bind our selves the faster to him to submit to his spiritual Discipline that our cure my be wrought in us 2. You must obey his sanctifying motions for otherwise this resignation was in vain therefore we must faithfully endeavour by the power and help which he giveth us to mortifie sin we must strive against sin and we must strive with them to strive and resist him argueth great prophaness Gen. 6.3 Acts 7.51 Not to strive with him much neglect and laziness you must strive with your hearts when the spirit is striving with you and take the season of his special help 'T is not at our command for the wind bloweth as it listeth take it when you have it 'T is an offence to the spirit when the flesh is obeyed before him men are easily intreated by sin but deaf to his motions 3. Use the appointed means by which the spirit worketh There are means of obtaining the spirit at first by the Word and Prayer The spirit is conveyed by some Doctrine for Gods operative Power is applyed to man as a reasonable creature not for necessity For the Word Gal. 3.2 Received ye the the spirit by the works of the law or the hearing of faith So for Prayer If not for friendships sake c. Luke 11.8 13. yet because of his importunity If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask it Beg it of God upon the account of Christ Titus 3.5.6 But we speak now of another thing not the gift of the spirit at first but the supply of the spirit 'T is gotten the same way the spirit joyneth his power and efficacy with the proper instituted means the Word which is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6.17 This sword was made by the spirit Holy men spake as moved by the Holy Ghost Used by the spirit to vanquish Satan 1 John 2.14 And the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one â—Tis used for the defence of the better part the sword of the flesh is the excessive love of pleasures some carnal bait And by it the power of the holy ghost came upon us Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word A spirit of sobriety godliness meekness and the fear of the Lord. We cannot make use of this sword without the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit So Sacraments 1 Cor. 12.13 And have been all made to drink into one spirit Prayer looking up to God who helpeth us in our conflicts openeth their ears to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity Job 36. And breaketh the yokeless disposition and opposition in our hearts 4. To forbear those wilful sins which grieve the spirit Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 Quench not the spirit do not provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us as David was sensible of his misery Psa. 51.10 11 12. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit SERMON XX. ROM VIII 13 ye shall live WE come now to the Promise ye shall live Doct. That life is promised to those that seriously improve the assistances of the spirit for the mortifying of sin 1. What is the life here promised the life of Grace or the life of Glory I shall give my Answer in Three Considerations 1. The more we die unto sin the more fit we are to live that new life which becometh Christians or new creatures For Mortification and Vivification do mutually help one another So much sin as remaineth in us so far is the spiritual life clogged and obstructed therefore it is called a weight that hangeth upon us and retardeth and hindreth us in all our heavenly flights and motion Heb. 12.1 That weight is there explained to be sin that doth easily befet us 't is the great impediment to the heavenly life and maketh our progress therein slow and troublesom Well then the more these inordinate inclinations are broken and mortifyed the more we are alive unto Righteousness as the Scripture every where witnesseth and the more we tame and subdue the flesh the more doth the spirit or better part thrive and prosper therefore it may be truly said If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live That is spiritually 2. The spiritual life is the pledg and beginning of the life of glory Here 't is begun by the spirit and there perfected the spirit of holiness is the surest pledg of a Resurrection to eternal life as I proved v. 10 11. The reasonable nature inferreth Immortality and the new nature a blessed Immortality every where the new birth 't is made the seed of Eternity called therefore the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1.23 And he that is born of God is said to have eternal life abiding in him he hath the pledg and earnest and first fruits of it the spiritual life consists in the knowledg love and contemplation of God and perfect love and subjection to him so that if it were meant of the Life of Grace the Life of Glory cannot be excluded 3. As it cannot be excluded so 't is principally intended as is evident partly because 't is put in opposition to death which is the fruit of the carnal life if ye live after the flesh ye shall die Such a life is intended as is directly opposite to that death and partly because 't is propounded by way of motive and motives are seldom taken from things co-ordinate such as are vivification and mortification a dying to sin but from things of a superior rank and order as the glorious reward is to duty and partly because this suiteth with the Apostles scope That justified Persons shall not be condemned but glorified because of the life of the spirit in them 2. To confirm the point First by Scripture The offer of eternal life is every where propounded in Scripture as the great encouragement of all our endeavours either in subduing sin or perfecting holiness as Prov. 12.28 The way of righteousness is life and in the path thereof is no death There is the hope of life asserted and the fear of death removed death elsewhere is propounded as the reward of sin and life as the great motive to keep us in the true love and obedience of God Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting so Ezek. 18.18 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his
some special way of operation Rom. 5.5 And 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have not received the spirit of the World but the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God And Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you A believers Body and Soul is the Spirits Mansion-house and those that have the Spirit to dwell in them not to come upon them at times are in an abiding state of Grace The Spirit came upon Balaam at times Num. 24.34 but in his People he makes his abode He doth act in others as a Spirit assisting but not as a Spirit inhabiting He dwelleth in his people The Spirit is often promised to dwell in our Hearts not only for a season but for ever John 4.14 The water that I shall give him shall be a Well of water springing up to everlasting Life Mark the Spirit doth not give a Draught but the Spring not a Dash of rain that is soon dryed up but a Well not a Pond that may be dryed up at length but a Fountain that ever keepeth flowing so that we shall never thirst more it shall quench his thirst after worldly Vanities and Delights These things grow tastless the more of the Spirit we have The Spirit of Christ as the Fountain doth make this Grace enduring in its self and in its effects a Well of inexhaustable fulness and refreshment So John 7.38 He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water Not a petty refreshment for a season but his Spirit to dwell in us as a full Fountain to flow forth for the refreshment of himself and others Though the Ocean be in God yet there is a River in the Saints in Christ there is plentitudo fontis in us plentitudo vasis if we find any remission of the Comforts of this Spring it 's through our own Pride and Unbelief and Idleness John 14.16 17. I will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Spirit will not change his dwelling place This is such a degree of Grace as the unregenerate World cannot receive 4. This inward Principle is expressed with respect to the Instrument which is the Word of God so 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1.21 the ingrafted Word The root of the matter is within 't is not the word heard only or the word obeyed only will save us but it must be an ingrafted Word 't is not bound on but ingrafted 't is not enough to yield some present Obedience to it but it must be rooted in us So in that notable Promise Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws in their minds and write them upon their hearts The Writing is the Law of God the Tables are the Minds and Hearts of men that is the understanding and will and rational Apetite and this is written by the Finger of God there where is the Source and Original of all moral operations of all thoughts and affections and inward motions there is the Law of God written in those parts of the Soul where the directive Councel and the imperial commanding power of all humane actions resideth there will God write his Laws in lively and legible Characters and what is the effect A man becometh a Law to himself he carryeth his Rule about with him and hath a ready and willing mind to obey it Psa. 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide The truth is rooted in him and his heart is suited and inclined to it he unfeignedly loveth what is commanded of God and hateth what is forbidden by him 5. The work its self is sometimes generally expressed by these Notions 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 when a man is thoroughly framed anew in all his Faculties And 1 Joh. 3.9 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abiding Seed not a vanishing affection but a remaining seed and 't is called a good Treasure Math. 12.35 There is a stock that supplyeth holy Thoughts Words and Actions As a man that hath a bad Treasure of Corruption the more he spends the more 't is encreased so a man that hath a good stock he bringeth forth holy Thoughts Words and Actions And 't is called a new Heart and a right Spirit Psal. 51.10 Ezek. 36.26 27. and 't is called a sound heart Psa. 119.80 There is a slight heart and a sound heart which is not only opposed to the shows of Hypocrites but to the suddain pangs and half dispositions of Temporaries when Grace beareth an universal soveraignty over us inclining the heart to love and please and serve God 6. Sometimes the work is particularly expressed by the several Graces of the Spirit all which are comprized in Faith and Repentance Acts 20.21 Teaching them Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Repentance towards God because by it we return to the Duty we owe to our Creator and Faith in the Gospel notion doth principally respect our Redeemer and his mediation for us By Repentance we return to the Duty injoyned by the Law from whence we are fallen and by Faith we apprehend the Love of Christ and what he hath done for us By Repentance we are set in joynt again as to our Obedience to the Law-giver and by Faith we close with and are united to our Redeemer without which we cannot be accepted with God Both are the Principles of all sincere Obedience and subjection to the Gospel-law or Covenant If you ask me What is this Oyl in the Vessel that we must have to qualifie us to meet the Bridegroom at his coming Answ. 'T is Repentance mortifying our inward Lusts and Faith working by Love 1. Repentance mortifying our inward Lusts that in newness of Life we may glorifie God therefore called Repentance from dead works Heb. 6.1 By common Grace men may cast off all outward evils escape the pollutions of the World but are never really and inwardly changed in their natures 'till the Spirit of Christ worketh this Grace in the Heart they are but as a Sow washed 2 Pet. 2.22 there is an inclination to wallow in the Mire of carnal delights again 'T is possible a man may see such an excellency in Christ and be so affected at the hopes of his Mercy and melted at the thoughts of his Love as to cast off outward gross evils which the World liveth in but this is but the Sow washed the heart is not changed Lust for a while may be benummed seem quenched but 't is not deadned 't is not weakned If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the Body Rom. 8.13 as appeareth by its breaking out again with the more violence 2. Faith working by Love that is the great principle of Gospel-obedience True Grace doth not lye hid in the Soul in lazy habits but sets the Soul awork for God upon the apprehension of
3.6 compared with Gen. 18.12 He will own a Pearl on a Dunghil the least Act of sincere Obedience though there be many failings But I must return 3. The usual ill thoughts of God are these three 1. That He is rigorous in his Commands 2. Niggardly and tenacious in his Gifts and helps of Grace 3. And as to Acceptance that he is hard to please and easie to offend All these may be gathered out of the words of the unfaithful Servant and all these lye deep in the Hearts of men against Gods Sovereignty 1. Hyppocrites accuse God of Tyranny in his Laws as if he dealt hardly with his Creatures to leave them with such affections in the midst of the Snares and Temptations of the present Life and requiring such Duty from them Certainly all that God hath required of us is holy just and good conducing not only to his Glory but to the Rectitude and Perfection of our Natures man would not be man if such things were not required of him so that if we were in our right wits and were left to our own Option and Choice we would preferre Subjection to such Laws before Exemption and freedom Micah 6.8 Are Justice Temperance Chastity Piety Patience Gives and Fetters to Humane Nature We cannot be without these and preserve the Nobleness of our being and the good of humane Societies 'T is true this lower World furnisheth us with many Temptations to the contrary but these Temptations work not by constraining Efficacy but only by inticing Perswasion and have we not more earnest Perswasions to love God and please God Are not God and Christ and Heaven more lovely Objects than all the Pleasures and Profits and Honours of the World These things do not force the will but draw your consent and surely God hath propounded more lovely things in his Covenant to draw this consent from them The great fault is in our Lust 2 Pet. 1.4 As the Poyson is not in the Flower but in the Spider 2. He accuseth God as backward to give Grace and help our Impotency and as if he did require more than he giveth This is obvious and express in the words of the naughty Servant Reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed But this also is an unjust charge for God requireth nothing but according to the Talents received Now he needeth not take any thing from the Creatures for he giveth all he had one Talent and God expected the Improvement but of one Let men try to the utmost and see if they have cause to make this Complaint they will find that the way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 and that all these jealousies are but a slander against Gods Government Why do you complain that he would reap where he hath not sowen Is it because you would have God force you to be good whether you would or no and by an absolute constraining Power drive you out of your flesh-pleasing course Consider how unbeseeming it is the Wisdom of God that men should be holy and good by Necessity and not by Choice Vertue would then be no vertue not a moral but a natural Property as burning is to Fire And it were no more praise-worthy to mind Heavenly things than it is for a Stone to move downward 'T is true God must make make us willing but willing we must be now there is no such thing on your parts when you wilfully refuse the hopes God offereth Acts 13.46 Since ye put away the Word of God from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life lo we turn to the Gentiles At least you do not apply your hearts to work with God or frame your doings to turn to him as 't is in the Prophet you do not improve Means and Mercies and Providences and Helps vouchsafed And will you after all this think God a Pharaoh that requireth Brick and giveth no Straw Here 't is verified Prov. 17.3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord. We usually ruine our selves and then complain that God giveth no more Grace But do not we justifie this conceit of wicked men when we say God requireth Duty of the fallen Creatures who have no power to perform it I answer 1. We must so maintain God's Goodness as still to keep up his Sovereignty and right of Dominion Man had power which was lost by his own default but God doth not lose his Right though Man hath lost his Power Their Impotency doth not dissolve their Obligation A Drunken Servant is bound to the Duty of a Servant still 'T is against all reason the Master should lose his right to command by the Servants default A prodigal Debtor that hath nothing to pay yet is liable to be sued for the debt without injustice God contracted with us in Adam and his obedience was not only due by Covenant but by Law and immutable right not by positive Law only or Contract And therefore he hath a right to demand Obedience as the fruit of Original Righteousness 2. 'T is harsh men think to answer for Adam's fault to which they were not conscious and consenting But every man will find an Adam in his own heart the Old Man is there wasting away the relicks of natural light and strength and shall not God challenge the debt of Obedience from a proud prodigal Debtor We are found naked yet we think our selves cloathed poor yet we think our serlves rich and to have need of nothing Therefore God may admonish us of our Duty demand his right to convince us of our Impotency and that we may not pretend we were not called upon for what we owe him Man is prodigal we spend what is left lose those relicks of Conscience and moral Inclinations which escaped out of the ruines of the fall 3. God requireth it that we may acknowledge the Debt and confess our Impotency being practically convinced thereof and so humbly implore his Grace 4. God is still offering recovering Mercy and never forsaketh any but those that forsake him first 1 Chron. 18.9 If thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 2 Chron. 5.2 If you forsake him he will forsake you Did you improve your selves and beg Gods Grace and carry on the Common work as far as you can then 't were another matter He that useth Gods means as well as he can he lyeth nearer to the blessing of them than the wilful despiser and Neglecter of them Unsanctified men may do less evil and more good than they do Therefore if they neglect the means they are left inexcusable not only as originally disabled but as wilfully graceless So that no such prejudice can lye against God he offereth grace and power and men will not have it 3. The third Prejudice is That he is hard to please and easily offended As if he did watch advantages to ruine and destroy the Creature Oh! No This cannot be thought of
For then will the weight of all Pleas be consider'd Now God hath left all Creatures without Excuse Rom. 1.20 There is some Witness of God to them that convinceth them of more Duty than they are willing to perform Secondly And more particularly The usual Excuses are these 1. Object I have no time to mind Soul-Affairs my Distractions in the World are so great and my course of Life is such I have no leisure Answ. 1. Whatever your Business be you have a time to eat and drink and sleep and have you no time to be saved Better encroach upon other things than that Religion should be cast to the Walls or justled out of your Thoughts David was a King and he had more distracting Affairs than most of us have or can have yet Psal. 119.147 148. he saith I prevented the Dawning of the Morning and cryed And Mine Eyes prevent the Night-Watches that I might meditate on thy Word 2. Do you spend no time in Idleness vain Talking or carnal Sports And might not this be better imployed about Heavenly things Ephes. 5.16 Redeeming the Time because the Days are evil 3. Much of Religion is transacted in the Mind A Christian is always serving God his Second Table Duties are First Table Duties As carnal Men go about Heavenly things with a carnal Mind so the Christian goeth about Carnal things with an Heavenly Mind 4. God would be sure to have a Portion of time therefore the Lord's Day was appointed Isa. 58.13 If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath from doing thy Pleasure on my Holy Day and call the Sabbath a Delight the Holy of the Lord Honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own Ways nor finding thine own Pleasure nor speaking thine own Words c. That it may be dear to us in the Flesh and in the Lord when we have God's Command and the Laws of the Land too 5. All your Time is lost that is not spent in God's Service 2. Object But I have no Power nor Strength to do Good and what will you have us do Answ. You can do more than you do but you will not make tryal God may be more ready with the Assistances of his Grace than you can imagine The Tired may complain of the Length of the Way but not the Lazy that will not stir a Foot If you did make tryal you would not complain of God but your selves and beg Grace more feelingly You are not able because you are not willing Your Impotency is contracted by evil Habits and long Custom in Sin that 's an Aggravation of your Sin 3. Object 'T is dangerous and troublesom to own God and Religion heartily Answ. Did not you resolve to serve God whatever it cost you And is God harsh and severe because he tryeth whether you will be as good as your word and will not let you go to Heaven with a vain Complaint in your Mouths Will this comfort you in Hell and for the Loss of Everlasting Happiness In Hell will you say I came hither to save my self a Labour and to be exempt from the diligence of the Holy Life and Sufferings incident to it Will you stop a Journey for your Lives because the Wind bloweth on you and there is Dirt in the way Nothing can take off a Minister from seeking the Conversion and Salvation of Souls Act. 20.23 24. And can any thing be an Excuse to you Should your Souls be dearer to us than you 'T is necessary for our Tryal that we should meet with Scorns and Oppositions Should a weak Blast drive us from God Rev. 2.13 14. I know thy Works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's Seat is and thou holdest fast my Name and hâ—st not denyed my Faith even in those Dayes wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr who was slain among you where Sathan dwelleth 'T is exceeding commendable to be zealous in such a Place or in such a Time when Religion is hazardous and dangerous Christ suffered more for you than you can for him and God hath greater Terrours than Man can present 4. Object I am of a slow Wit have a weak Understanding know not to which Party I should cleave and joyn my self Answ. Certainly not to that which is most pleasing to corrupt Affections But Divisions in the Church are to try the Approved who is Chaff and who is good Grain 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you The Scripture is not dark but we want Eyes You may know the Mind of God Psal. 119.18 Open thou mine Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And Joh. 17.17 Sanctify them by thy Truth thy Word is Truth 5. Object I have so many Temptations and Enticements I hope God will consider my Weakness Answ. You are as earnestly perswaded upon better Motives if Perswasion will do it What is a little wordly Glory to Eternal Glory brutish Pleasures to pure Delights 1. VSE Since Sloath is so great an Evil let the Children of God take heed of it And so First Of Sloath and Idleness in their particular Calling This was one of Sodom's Sins Ezek. 16.49 Pride and fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness This is Sensuality as well other Sins that are more noted in the World as being an Indulgence to the Flesh as well as other things which are commonly decryed because they betray us to more Shame in the World 1. Every Creature is God's Servant and hath his Work to do wherein to glorifie God some in one Calling some in another Neither Rich nor Poor are exempted for a lawful Calling is not a matter of Necessity but Duty enforced by a Commandment What our Callings should be is determined by Providence giving Gifts and Education and obtruding us upon such a course of Life But 't is a mistake to think that bare Necessity maketh a Calling no 't is Obedience And if we be without such Necessity we may live idly without any Calling No every Man and Woman hath their Labour and Service for God made no Man or Woman in vain Would the Wise and Almighty God make so noble a thing as a Rational Humane Creature only to eat and drink and sleep and rise and dress themselves that they may shew themselves to Company and impertinently chat away their Hours and precious Time No he hath ordained them for some Service which at length they are to give an Account of as the Mediatour did of his Work Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth and have finished the Work thou gavest me to do 2. This Work is not of one sort Some are called to an higher some to a lower Imployment some Noble some Citizens some Fathers of Families others Matrons or Mothers of Families some are Magistrates some Ministers but every one must do their Duty in their Place Christianity falleth in with Natural Relations 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every Man abide in
not without Success and Fruit. This Phrase Kept thy Word is very significant it implieth not only outward Hearing but Knowledg Mat. 13.23 He that receiveth the Seed into good Ground is he that heareth the Word and understandeth it c. Nay not only Knowledg but Assent and Believing embracing the Promises of the Gospel Luke 8.15 Having heard the Word keep it and bring forth Fruit with Patience Not only Assent but the Fruits of Love and Obedience 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him Not only single Obedience but constant Profession and Perseverance Prov. 16.20 My Son keep thy Father's Commandments and forsake not the Law of thy Mother They have not failed as Judas Now there is a twofold keeping of the Word a Legal keeping and Evangelical The Legal keeping is absolute and perfect Obedience if there be but the least failing Moses accuseth and condemneth you The Evangelical keeping is filial and sincere Obedience Those Imperfections Christ pardoneth when he looketh back and seeth many Errors and Defects in Life as long as we bewail Sin seek Remission strive to attain Perfection All the Commandments are accounted kept when that which is not done is pardoned Thy Word He doth not say my Word but thine He elsewhere referreth his Doctrine to the Father John 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me So here he mentioneth the Divine Authority of his Doctrine 1. Observ. Christ speaketh good of his People to his Father Satan is an Accuser he loveth to speak ill of Believers but Christ telleth his Father how his Lambs thrive It is a grief to your Advocate when he cannot speak well of you in Heaven and say They have kept thy Word I am glorified in them How grievous is it when your very Advocate is forced to be an Accuser Isa. 49.4 I have laboured in vain and spent my Strength for nought I have sent my Gospel and it doth no good it is Christ's complaint against the Obstinacy of the Jews Again whom will you imitate Christ or Satan To slander and accuse is the Devil's Property we should be more tender in divulging the Infirmities of the Saints it is the Devil's work Christ when he prayeth for his Enemies he mollifieth their Crime and softneth it with a gentle Interpretation Luke 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they do Christ excuseth Satan accuseth 2. Observ. Again They have kept thy Word Christ speaketh good of them tho they had many failings The Disciples often miscarried were of weak Faith passionate when when they met with Disrepect Luke 9.54 Lord wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them But Christ returneth this general Issue They have kept thy Word So James 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job Yea and of his Impatience too when he cursed the Day of his Birth but the Spirit of God putteth a Finger on the Scar. It is a ground of Hope notwithstanding many Weaknesses and Failings Christ loveth not to upbraid us with Infirmities We commend with Exceptions and when we seem to praise we come in with a But like a Stab under the fifth Rib Yea we blast much Good with a little Evil as Flies only go to a sore place 3. Observ. It is the Duty of God's People to keep his Word It is the greatest Commendation Christ could give his Disciples They have kept thy Word Mark Christians It is not your Duty to hear the Word only but to keep it not to know the Word only but to keep it Rickets cause great Heads and weak Feet We are not only to dispute of the Word and talk of it but to keep it We must neither be all Ear nor all Head nor all Tongue but the Feet must be exercised Now what is it to keep the Word We are said to keep it when we watch over it that it be not lost by our selves nor taken away by others It noteth three things that it must be impressed on our Hearts expressed in our Lives retained in our Conversations 1. To keep the Word is to feel the Force of it in our Hearts that our Hearts may be more bent and set towards God for else the Word is lost to our selves A Man may better his Knowledg by the Word but yet he doth not keep it nor feel the Virtue and Force of it The Brains may be warmed when the Heart is not and we may keep the Notion when the Motion is gone and lost Oh consider We know God as we love him we know him aright when we know him as we are known he knoweth us to love us to chuse us to gain us to himself and to Christ. So should we know him for our Portion to have no rest till we have an Interest in Christ. 2. It must be expressed in our Life Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it To keep the Law is to live according to the Prescript of it 3. There must be a Perseverance to retain it in our Conversations Rev. 3.18 Thou hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name Do we thus keep the Word all dependeth on it John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandments Christ conjureth us by all the Love we bear to him Vers. 23. If any Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him If there be any Faith in the Heart by which we esteem Christ we must not only keep it in Memory but keep it in Faith Do you honour him in your Lives Can we venture any thing to keep the Word when the World would take out Crown from us Vse We may know when Christ will speak good of us not when we hear and when we are taught but when we keep the Word yet this we must do understand and keep his Word not Customs not Traditions of Ancestors nor Fancies we must receive his Word as his Word 1 Thess. 2.13 For this cause thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe SERMON X. JOHN XVII 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee IN this Verse there is another Argument why he should be heard for the Apostles which may be taken either from the Towardliness of the Disciples or the Fidelity of Christ The one is implied in the other the Towardliness of the Apostles in discerning the Divine Nature and Mission of Christ the Fidelity of Christ in referring all to his Father they know it and I have taught it them for he urgeth not only their Proficiency they have known but his own Faithfulness he had glorified his
for their Author We come in God's stead to strike up a Bargain with you for your Souls this bindeth the Ear to Attention the Mind to Faith the Heart to Reverence the Will and Conscience to Obedience We are to entertain all the Doctrines of the Word without any suspence of Judgment and Contradiction We are to put to our Seal to Christ's Testimony John 3.33 He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true Usually there is some privy Atheism in us we look upon the Gospel as a Golden Dream and well devised Fable This is properly Assent and should be soundly laid Lord thou wilt not fail thy poor Creatures if they venture their Souls on thy Word 3. The whole Word must be received In every Covenant there is a Precept as well as a Promise We maâ—â— the very form of it when we reflect on the Promise and neglect the Precept It is great Error in them that think that receiving of the Word is done when we apply the Promises as if nothing were needful to Salvation but to say I trust that my Sins are forgiven me in Christ. The Gospel hath not only Promises but Commands Conditions and Articles of the Covenant which are no less to be received than the Promises First receive the Commandment concerning Repentance and Conversion with a Resolution to cast thy self on Christ and then be of good confidence thy Sins shall be forgiven thee There is in Faith not only an Assent but Consent Assent to the Truth of God Consent to the Articles of the Covenant Assent to the Truth of the Contract Consent to the Terms and Affiance or confident waiting for the Promise all these are in Faith Hypocrites are said to receive the Word with Joy Luke 8.13 but they received only the Word of Promise with Joy It is pleasing to the Conscience to hear of Pardon of Sins Men may have vanishing fleeting Joys A Carnal Man would have God's Grace but he would have none of his Counsel 4. This must be received with all the Heart The Work of Faith is not confined to the Acts of the Understanding there are some Motions of the Heart Philip puts the Eunuch to this Tryal Acts 8.37 Believest thou with all thy Heart and he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God God is as careful of the Duty of the Gospel as of the Duty of the Law he that required that we should love him with all our Hearts hath also required that we should believe in him with all our Hearts he required the whole Heart in Love and he expecteth the whole Heart in Faith Now because this is the critical Difference between True Faith and Counterfeit I shall apply this Receiving to both the Objects of Faith the Word and the Person of Christ because the Doctrine concerning both is of near Affinity and the one is opened by the other In receiving the Person of Christ there is the same method of the Acts of Faith as there is in receiving the Word of God 1. There is an Offer Faith receiving presupposeth an Offering we do not snatch at Christ but receive him Sinners snatch at Christ sometimes when God's hand is not open to give him 2. We must look at this Offering as made by God himself Faith taketh Christ out of his Father's Hands 3. We must take whole Christ as Lord and Saviour And 4. we must take him with our whole Hearts Therefore I shall explain this Receiving with the whole Heart in reference to both Objects the Word and Christ. First what is it to receive the Word with our whole Hearts There is nothing so difficult as to draw the Acts of Faith into a Method 1. It implyeth an Act of the Will there must not only be Knowledg and Acknowledgment that the Doctrine is true but an actual Choice and a willing Acceptation Faith apprehendeth the Covenant made in Christ not only as true but good and so answerably there is not only a believing with the Mind but a believing with the Heart Rom. 10.10 With the Heart Man believeth The Faculty answereth the Object 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation c. So that there is required some Motion of the Heart besides intellectual Assent 2. This Act of the Will is accompanied with some sensible Affection Heb. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they imbraced the Promises they hugged and clasped about and imbraced the Promises All Acts of Faith do necessarily imply answerable Affections The Children of God embrace the Promises with delight receive the Threatnings with trembling and reverence and the Commandments with all chearfulness Acts 2.41 Then they that received the Word gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a People that are overcome receive Laws from the Conqueror or as Zipporah circumcised her Child with grudging and discontent but with hearty and chearful consent I confess there is and ever will be an opposition of the Flesh a Man doth not receive the whole Word as a thirsty Man receiveth sweet Drink but as a sick Man or one that is thirsty after Health receiveth Physick or a bitter Potion with an earnest serious desire tho his Appetite loatheth it There is an hearty consent to God's Terms because they know it will be for their welfare as Laban when he heard Jacob's Proposals What shall I give thee the speckled and spotted among the Flocks Gen. 30.34 Laban said Behold I would it might be according to thy Word Oh would to God that this were my share that God would take up the Quarrel between himself and me 3. This Affection is accompanied with a pursuit or serious making after those Hopes There is a care and anxiousness of Obedience or taking the next course to speed that we may find him and feel him in our Consciences They received the Word gladly and were baptized Acts 2.41 In every Contract where the Parties are agreed there is a signing and sealing so they received the Word and were baptized that was the next course to come under these Hopes A Contract lieth void and dead if there be Consent yet no Performance So Faith without Works is dead Faith is a Consent to God's Covenant yet because there is no answerable Obedience this Consent is void and to no effect Now this is the utmost extension of the Will in Motions and Addresses towards Christ Faith is expressed by coming to Christ qui se dat in viam a Man putteth himself into the way of Salvation upon a search and enquiry after Christ We know not what will come of it but we will continue seeking I will go to my Father 4. These Endeavours are supported by Affiance or a resolution to wait upon God till the Blessings of the Covenant be accomplished and made good Tho they meet with Difficulties they keep wrestling with God Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go
have finished the work that thou gavest me to do The greatest work that ever could be done if you respect the importance of it The creating of a thousand Worlds would not bring in such a Revenue to Heaven as this one work of Redemption Or the difficulty of it the Son of God to be made Flesh Sin a Curse States most abhorrent from the Felicity of the Divine Nature Or his willingness to undertake it Lo I come to do thy Will He longed to be at it tho he had infinite complacency in the Bosom of the Father yet as soon as God had made an habitable World Prov. 8.30 31. There I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him Rejoicing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. He longed for that time when he might leave the company of Angels and dwell among us and feasted himself with the thoughts of his own Grace And with so much faithfulness I not only finished the Work but glorified thee all he did was for his Father's Glory This could Christ plead as the ground of his Requests he hath paid for all that he asketh not only made satisfaction for Sin but given a price for Glory He cannot out-ask his own Merit his Blood speaketh if Christ should hold his peace Heb. 12.24 And to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel ' s. As clamorous as Abel's Blood for Vengeance It doth not speak against us tho we have made him to serve with our Iniquities but speaks the more for us to pacify his Wrath to pardon us and to do us good 3. The Sublimity of his Office It is an Authoritative Act. God hath always refused such Mediation as is not authorized by himself When Moses interposed for the Children of Israel said God Exod. 32.10 Let me alone that my Wrath may wax bot against them Because he would reserve this honour for him who alone hath this Office under the Broad Seal of Heaven So it is very notable that Christ refused all Mediation to him in the days of his Flesh. As of his Apostles Mat. 15.23 His Disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for she crieth after us c. But Christ would shew that he was sollicitous enough for the welfare of Sinners he needed no Intercessors So his own Mother when she interposed for the Honour of the Wedding John 2.4 Woman saith he What have I to do with thee As if he had said Cannot I do it without your intermedling In these Answers Christ would shew that he would have Sinners come of themselves without any mediation of their Fellow-Creatures they being no authorized Mediators God alloweth no other Mediator of Redemption but Christ and Christ no other Mediator of Intercession but himself It is Sacriledg in the Papists to set up others none is worthy to appear before God but Christ and how unworthy soever we are Christ will have us to come to himself God hath set him up for this purpose and no Copartners are allowed As it was said to Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.18 It pertaineth not to thee to burn Incense but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn Incense Incense could be offered by no other but a Priest and our Prayers by none but by Christ. Heb. 7.28 The Law maketh Men Priests which have Infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever-more Christ is consecrated by an Oath to abide ever-more in the Office which Oath is renewed and confirmed upon his return to Heaven Psal. 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck compared with Vers. 1. God will never repent of dispensing Grace in and through him to Sinners as long as Christ's Consecration lasteth none must meddle with his Office 4. The Articles of the Covenant or the Promise of being heard Therefore Christ speaketh with such Confidence John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always and Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance c. There was a Covenant drawn up between God and Christ the Lord promised him as the Fruit of his Labours and Sufferings that he should obtain all manner of Grace for his People All these things shew us the Advantages of having such a Mediator and Intercessor Secondly The Nature of Christ's Intercession It is a part of his Priestly Office of which there were two Acts Oblation and Intercession Oblation was made once on the Altar of the Cross and Intercession is the continuation of his Sacrifice or the presenting it in Heaven It must be explained by Analogy to the Priests of the Law The Sacrifice was slain without the Camp and then the Priests were to enter with the Blood within the Vail into the Holy of Holies with sweet Incense and so to cause a Cloud to arise over the Mercy Seat But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this Building Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9.11 12. Jesus Christ having offered up himself upon the Cross where he was both Priest and Sacrifice he is gone within the Vail Not into the Holy Places made with Hands which are the Figures of the True but into Heaven it self now to appear before the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 It is not a vocal but a real Intercession Christ is gone into Heaven and there presents his Person both in our Nature and his own together with his Merits lifting up Desires which are as a Cloud of Incense before the Mercy-Seat for our Comfort and Salvation Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne The High Priest entred not for himself but for the People having the Names of the Twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulders So Christ is entred on the behalf of us all bearing the particular Memorial of every Saint graven upon his Heart The High Priest staid within the Sanctuary for a short time and so came out to bless the People Christ entred within the Vail at his Ascension and we must wait till his coming out to bless us which will be at the Day of Judgment All this while he hath his Residence in Heaven and then he will open to us and give us entrance So that Christ's Intercession is A constant representation of his Merit for the pardon of our Sins and for our Acceptance together with strong Desires
good Work it is not of your selves but of God Every Act every Degree of Holiness is from God III. For whom he prayeth the Apostles I. That were already holy John 13.10 Ye are clean and in the Verse immediately preceding They are not of the World yet now Sanctify them let their Hearts be more heavenly and their Lives more pure every day Observe Those that are sanctified need to be sanctified more and more Rev. 22 1â— He that is righteous let him be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still 1. Our inward Sanctification must increase because of the weakness of present Grace and the relicts of Corruption 2 Cor. 4.16 Tho our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day It is not a Work to be done at once 1 Thess. 5.23 And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is perfect in parts at first the New Creature doth not come out maimed but not in degrees there is need of more Sanctification in Spirit in Soul in Body the Kingdom of Heaven increaseth by degrees 2. Our outward Man must be cleansed day by day because of new defilements John 13.10 He that is washed needeth not but to wash his Feet but is clean every whit It is an Allusion to a Man coming from the Bath his Feet contract Soil in the Passage Your Persons are sanctified by the Spirit but when you are never so holy there are new Defilements Vse 1. Be not satisfied with any present degrees of Grace There is an holy Covetousness I count not my self to have attained Phil. 3.14 Christ is so full that we cannot receive all at once 2. It is a strange Conceit in any to think they may be too good When we begin to be unwilling to grow better we begin to wax worse it is a good degree of Grace to know our Defects 3. Therefore let us use Means to persist in Holiness to increase in Holiness especially Prayer which is the Breath which God hath appointed to keep in the Flame II. For the Persons once more They were to preach the Word as a Preparative he prayeth for Sanctification Observe Holiness is a good Preparative to the Ministry and they are inwardly consecrated by the Spirit sanctifying them 1. That they may have experience of the Truth of the Doctrine upon their own Hearts The Apostles were to preach the Truth to others now saith he Sanctify them through thy Truth I believed and therefore have I spoken Psal. 116.10 We speak best when we speak by experience This is the right way of getting Sermons by Heart We are God's Witnesses now we should have sound Experience 1 John 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Ezekiel was first to eat the Roll Ezek. 3. 1 2 3. not only to see it and to hear it but to eat it Ministers must first eat themselves then feed others We are not to speak by hear-say to deliver God's Message as a meer Narration but out of a deep Impression on the Heart What cometh from the Heart and from Experience is quick and lively 2. For the Honour of God Carnal Ministers bring a Reproach upon the Ordinances 1 Sam. 2.17 The Sin of the young Men was very great before the Lord for Men abhorred the Offering of the Lord. Who will take Meat out of a Leprous Hand 3. To answer the Types of the Law Aaron and his Sons were sanctified for the Levitical Priesthood Exod. 29.4 To be washed with Blood and Oil to be washed in the great Laver sprinkled with Blood anointed with Oil which denotes Remission of Sins Regeneration the Gifts of the Spirit 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear Witness in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood Every Office should have a solemn Consecration Vse 1. Ministers should look to their inward Call They that are designed to serve God in a special manner must look after special Purity It breedeth Atheism when we do not live up to our Doctrine People will say they must say something for their Living 2. Let People look to their choice of Ministers There is a great deal of difference between an Eloquent and an Experienced Pastor Secondly We now come to the Means or Manner how Christ's Request is to be accomplished by thy Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred in thy Truth or by thy Truth oâ— through thy Truth as Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without an Article that they may be sanctified through the Truth or as in the Margeâ—t truly sanctified but we better render it by the Truth there is an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in Truth but in the Truth and it is presently added thy Word is Truth So that it noteth not the kind of their Sanctification but the Instrument and Means Now these words by thy Truth may be understood either of God's Faithfulness or his revealed Will both which are called his Truth Of God's Faithfulness as Vers. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as keep them by thy Power so sanctify them by or according to thy Truth and Faithfulness But this Exposition tho plausible yet is not so proper because it is presently added thy Word is Truth By Truth then is meant not his Faithfulness but his revealed Will. Now God hath revealed his Will by the Light of Nature or by the Light of his Word That Will of God which is revealed by the Light of Nature is called Truth so the Gentiles are charged Rom. 1.8 With-holding the Truth in Vnrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God Vers. 19. is called Truth How came the Gentiles by the Truth who are strangers to the Covenant of Promise The Apostle answereth much of God was known to them But this Truth that is here spoken of is the Will of God made known in his Word or the Knowledg of things necessary to Salvation concerning God and his Worship first delivered by the Prophets afterwards explained by Christ himself to the Apostles and by them consigned to the Church Now the Truths delivered in the Word may be referred to two Heads Law and Gospel The distinction in Christ's Time was Law and Prophets In this place Christ chiefly intendeth the Gospel the Truth which they were sent to preach to others Christ would have them to have an experience of it themselves And it is notable that in many places of Scripture the Gospel is called Truth not only in opposition to humane Writings but also with respect to the Law and other parts of Scripture because it is the Truth by way of eminency as we call the Plague
Men neglect and contemn the Word of God they damm up the Fountain of Holiness 5. What is the true Witness of the Scripture's Certainty not the Testimony of the Church but feeling the sanctifying virtue of it It is good to take the Testimony of the Church at first as we take a Medicine from others upon their Experience but we must not rest in it 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance this giveth Certainty At first we believe upon the Church's Saying as the VVoman commended Christ to her Citizens John 10.42 Now we believe not because of thy Saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the VVorld There is a preparative humane Faith as in taking Pills we do not chew them but swallow them It is not good to be disputing away our Hopes But we should not rest in this but labour to get an Experience of the Power of the Truth upon our Hearts 6. The difference between Civility and Sanctification Civility is wrought by meer moral Education according to natural Principles without any Knowledg or so much as a desire to be acquainted with the Word of God Thus many are careful of common Honesty in Matters of Traffick and Commerce obedience to Civil Laws being restrained from gross Enormities but have no true Grace but in true Holiness we are inclined by the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby This is true Holiness when we conform and subject our selves in Heart and Practice to the Will of God revealed in the Word The Word of God must be Reason and Rule Reason 1 Thess. 5.18 This is the VVill of God concerning you and Rule Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them Why do you do this as the Children must ask their Parents VVhy do ye keep the Passe-over Still all must be examined by the Word John 3.21 He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought of God he trieth every Action by it Only the Word is our Rule in all our Actions we seek to it as our Guide obey it for Truth 's sake Vse 2. Exhortation 1. Beware of Error It is a defiling thing the more mixture of Falshood the less awe of God upon the Soul and the more carnal Affections are gratified A constant use of the Word discovers Sin 2. To press you to wait upon God for the purifying of your Hearts through the Word in the use of the Word through the Spirit to look for the Purification and Sanctification of your Souls Here I should press you to take heed That you hear How you hear and What you hear 1. That you hear You need wait upon God and hearken diligently The Apostle infers it James 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth What then therefore be swift to hear Continually you will find some new Enforcement or new Consideration to promote your Holiness and Sanctification 2. Take heed what ye hear Mark 4.24 You must get the distinguishing Ear that as the Mouth tasteth Meats so the Ear may taste Doctrines and you may judg of Things that differ 3. Take heed How you hear Luke 8.18 that is wait for the Operations of the Spirit do not â—ear carelesly negligently It is said Acts 10.44 While Peter was speaking those things the Holy Ghost fell upon them While we are speaking to you there are many good Motions stirred up in your Hearts Take heed how you hear that the Blessing may 〈…〉 from you Thy Word is Truth The Point which I am now to discuss is The Truth of the Word In managing this Discourse I shall shew I. What Necessity there is that God should give us his Word or a Declaration of his Will II. Where we shall infallibly find this Word or Declaration of his Will III. Of what Concernment it is to â—e established in the Truth of this Word IV. Whether it be possible that Carnal Men remaining so can have any Assurance of this Truth or whether it be only left to be cleared up infallibly to the Soul by the Light and Working of the Spirit I. What necessity there is of God's Word or some outward signification of his Will An absolute Necessity of an outward Rule there is not God might immediatly reveal himself to the Heart of Man he who made the Heart can stamp it with the full knowledg of his Will But the written Word is best for God's Honour and for the safety of Religion and because of the weakness of our Nature 1. For the Honour of God that he should give Man a Rule You know all Creatures that God hath made they have a Rule without themselves by which they are guided and directed in their Operations It is God's own Priviledg to be a Rule to himself The Angels have a Rule that is distinct from their Essence And in Innocency tho God stamped the Knowledg of his Will immediatly upon Man's Heart that Adam's Heart was as it were his Bible yet his Rule was distinguished from his Essence otherwise he could not have sinned against God If Man were his own Rule there would be an impossibility of sinning and so there would be an intrenchment upon God's own Privilege You know it is God's own Privilege that his Act is his Rule and therefore it is impossible that God should sin Look as when a Carpenter choppeth and squareth a piece of Timber there is a Line and Rule without him by which he is guided and directed If it were to be supposed that his Hand could never strike amiss that would be his Rule he would need no Line or Rule without him But this is proper to no Creature it is God's own Privilege that his Essence and his Rule are not distinguished but still a Man should not share with him in his peculiar Privilege therefore he hath given him a Rule Besides if Man were a Rule to himself there would be no room for Rewards there is no Commendation nor Praise where there is a natural necessity of doing good as Stocks and Stones are not capable of a Reward for not sinning because they cannot sin 2. For the Safety of Religion now Man is fallen that he might not obtrude Fancies on his Neighbour Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this VVord it is because their is no Light in them Let it be Voice or Oracle all is to be measured by the outward Rule which God hath given to the Church 3. In respect of Man to repair the Defects of Nature and to satisfy the Desires of Nature 1. To Repair the Defects of Nature Fallen Man is brutish and knows not how to carve out a Right VVorship for God or a Rule of
Signs and Wonders were not ordained for the Stage and Scene to cause admiration and pastime for every wanton Spectator Again I observe that generally these Miracles were Actions of Relief and Succour not meerly of Pomp and Glory and tended to deliver from the Miseries of Soul and Body as Blindness Sickness and Devils I remember but two of Christ's Miracles that were destructive blasting the Fig-tree and drowning the Herd of Swine in other Miracles he was exercised in curing the Sick raising the Dead casting out Satan c. Object 1. Ay but we have none now Answ. It is not necessary because the same Doctrine and Rule is continued to us without change That which is extraordinary must be proved by extraordinary Means Miracles wrought where there is no necessity are liable to suspicion When Christ's Doctrine was new and the Calling and Function that he exercised in the Church new then were Miracles wrought to confirm them The Lord's manner hath always been when he erects any new Worship and Service to give testimony to it from Heaven as Trees newly set need watering which afterwards we discontinue Upon the delivery of any new Law or Truth to the World natural and ordinary means of Conviction are wanting None now pretendeth to be an extraordinary Messenger from God the Doctrine is ordinary and the Call ordinary and why should we expect extraordinary Confirmation the Old sufficeth And by the consent and experience of many Ages and its own Reasonableness Christianity hath gotten a just Title to humane Belief and there we must submit John 20.30 31. And many other Signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book But these were written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God God hath given us the Report and Record of the old Miracles which is enough to beget Faith in them that have a mind to believe rather than wrangle We think it had been better if God had continued this sensible Confirmation but we must not give Laws to Heaven Because we have so much Light and other Inducements of Faith God will govern us by Wisdom and not by Power It is true Men are less apprehensive of his Wisdom than of the sensible effects of his Power but because we have otherwise Confirmation sufficient now doth God try us whether we will turn Atheists and Antiscripturists and upon light suspicion misbelieve Object 2. How shall we know that those Miracles were done since we saw them not we have but Fame and Report which oftentimes is no Friend to Truth Answ. We have the Report of Men that lived in that Age who were only fit Witnesses in this Case and were Persons of singular Holiness and Credit and they were those that sealed it with their Blood and therefore their Report is of as great Authority and Certainty as if we had seen them our selves And besides the Report is ancient constant not contradicted by the vigilant Adversaries of that Age with them which would be a madness if they were false and counterfeit since they might so easily enquire into the Truth of the Report Foreign Histories testify that such things were done tho they seek to deprave the Actions as if done by the Power of Satan And hitherto the Church hath maintained the Truth of them against all Opposers But of this hereafter Vse To press us to reverence the Word of God since God hath owned it by Miracles and sealed up Instruction as the Expression is Job 33.16 that is ratified it by extraordinary Dispensations The Apostle proveth that the Despisers of the Gospel will have a sorer Judgment than the Despisers of the Law Heb. 2.2 3 4. For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will The Transgressors of the Law tho they did not see God giving it upon the Mount were punished and so will the Disregarders of the Gospel tho they did not see the Miracles It is better to believe than to make trial there are no Atheists and Antiscripturists in Hell they feel the Truth of what they would not fear Nay when God hath owned it if you neglect it or receive it carelesly or do not study it tho you do not openly oppose or secretly question the Authority of it if you neglect it God will deal severely with you The Miracles were then wrought and the Doctrine needeth not often Confirmation Thirdly The Accomplishment of Prophecies Threatnings Promises as if God had made the Word a Rule of proceeding and the whole Government of the World were managed in a conformity to the Scriptures for his whole Providence is but a Comment upon it 1. Prophecies How have they always been accomplished as set down in the Word Isa. 41.23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods A Man may foretel things that depend on Natural Causes as Snow Rain Heat Cold Eclipses but things meerly contingent depending upon the Free Grace of God or Free Will of Man are foretold in the Word as the Rejection of the Jews and the Calling of the Gentiles are clearly spoken of and clearly accomplished The Scripture is not only an Authentick Register of what is past but an infallible Prognostication of what is to come nothing good or bad befel but that which was foretold 2. So for Threatnings God governeth the World by this Rule Threatnings have been accomplished Hosea 7.12 I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard A Man might have the History of the Jews from Time to Time out of the Threatnings of Moses and prophetical Predictions and extract the Life of Christ out of the Writings of the Prophets Object But Threatnings many Times are not accomplished Answ. The Prerogative of Free-Grace many times doth interpose and God worketh extra ordinem God hath reserved this Liberty to himself he is not bound tho we are It is for his Honour that it should be so as all humane Laws allow the chief Magistrate a liberty of Pardoning There is difference between Laws and Decrees the Threatnings are the Sanction of the Law 3. Then for Promises We never waited upon God and put forth Hope according to a Promise but it was made good to a tittle Joshua 23.14 Behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth and ye know in all your Hearts and in all your Souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof He was about to die and therefore
that looketh upon the Gospel in the Light of Parts and External Tradition hath a Model of Truth in his Brain but these find it impressed upon their Hearts there is Light and Fire Wait for this Witness Sixthly By the wonderful preservation of Scriptures even to our Times There is no Doctrine so ancient it describeth the whole History of the World from the very Creation Moses was ancienter than the Gods of the Heathens No Doctrine can produce such Records of the Original of the World The Doctrine of the Gospel is as Old as Paradise where God preached it to Adam Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel The Foundation was laid long since tho it was more explicitly revealed upon the coming of Christ. None so much oppugned We have some ancient Writings of the Heathens tho nothing so ancient as Scripture Other Writings by tract of Time have been much mangled tho they have been cherished by Men as not contrary to their Lusts but the Scripture is still opposed persecuted maligned and yet it continueth Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth yet they have not prevailed against me The Church hath been always bred up under Afflictions Enmity against it began betimes yet still it holdeth up its Head Errors are not long-lived 1 Cor. 3.12 13. Now if any Man build upon this Foundation Gold Silver precious Stones Wood Hay Stubble Every Man's Work shall be made manifest For the Day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by Fire and the Fire shall try every Man's Work of what sort it is The World hath had time enough to enquire into the Scripture and to discover the vanity and falshood of it if there were any Nay not only the main Doctrine of the Scripture hath been continued but no part of it is falsified corrupted or destroyed The World wanted not Malice nor Opportunity the Powers of the World were bent against it and corrupt Persons in the Church were always given to other gospelling Gal. 1.6 7. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. 1 Tim. 6.3 If any Man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words c. But still the Scriptures are wonderfully preserved as the three Children in the Furnace not an Hair was singed not a jot or tittle of the Truth is perished or corrupted If it were corrupted it must be before Christ's Time or after it not before then Christ would have noted it not after for then the Parts would not agree but we find no such thing but an exact Harmony Nor is there any lost for here is a sufficient Instruction and Guide to Happiness Christ hath promised not a tittle shall fall to the ground The Word hath been in danger of being lost but the Miracle of Preservation is therefore the greater In Joshua's Time there was but one Copy of the Law In Dioclesian's Time there was an Edict to burn their Bibles and Copies were scarce and chargeable and yet still it hath been kept Seventhly By his Judgments on those who have reviled abused and persecuted this Truth The Records of all Ages witness to this The whole Jewish Nation was destroyed for opposing the Doctrine of the Gospel After the slaughter of the Prophets and murder of Christ God let them alone for forty Years and then Wrath came upon them to the uttermost the People were carried captive contrary to the Roman Custom the Land lost its fertility Look into succeeding Times very few Persecutors went to the Grave by a natural Death Particular Stories are full of the Judgments of God executed on them Julian the Apostate confessed Christ had the best at last Vicisti Galilee and so died blaspheming Lucian that railed against God and his Word as he returned from a Supper his Dogs fell mad and tore him in pieces Eusebius reports of a certain Jew that took upon him to apply a sentence of the Word to a prophane End to make a Jest of Scripture was stricken with blindness till he made confession of his Fault Appion scoffing at Scripture and at Circumcision had an Ulcer growing in the place of Circumcision as Josephus reporteth God is very angry when Men are partial in the Law tho they do many good things Rev. 22.18 19. For I testify unto every Man that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book If any Man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any Man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book SERMON XXIX JOHN XVII 17 Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth II. THE Church hath owned the Word You see how God hath owned it he saith it is my Word Let us see how the Church hath owned it Here I shall shew three things 1. What is the Church's Duty to the Word 2. What Credit and Value we ought to put on the Churches Testimony 3. How the Church hath witnessed to the Word in all Ages 1. What is the Churches Duty To keep the Word and to transmit it pure to the next Age that nothing be added nothing diminished that it be published to the present Age and transmitted pure to the next Rom. 3.2 Vnto them were committed the Oracles of God We are Trustees Jude 3. Earnestly contending for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth The Church is to hold it forth as a Pillar doth a Proclamation that it may not be lost and extinguished This is the Jewel Christ hath left his Spouse as the Law was kept in the Ark. 2. What respect we ought to bear to the Churches Testimony To hearken to it till we have better Evidence We do not ultimately resolve our Faith into the Churches Authority for the Authority of the Church is not Absolute but Ministerial as a Royal Edict doth not receive Credit by the Officer and Crier he only declareth it Yet the Church's Testimony is not to be neglected for Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.14 It is a preparative Inducement John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World If we would know the Truth of a thing before we have experience go to them that have experience the judgment of others whom we respect and reverence causeth us
to have a good opinion of a thing till we make trial The Testimony of the Church hath inclined us to think that the Scriptures are the Word of God not that the Church can make and unmake Scripture when it pleaseth as a Messenger that carrieth Letters from a King doth not give Authority to them 3. How the Church hath witnessed to the Truth of the Scriptures in all Ages Partly by Tradition partly by Martyrdom 1. By Tradition Holy Books were indited one after another according to the necessity of Times and still the latter confirmed the former Moses was confirmed by Joshua Chap. 23.6 Be ye couragious to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses And Joshua and others by succeeding Prophets and all were confirmed by Christ Luke 24.44 These are the Words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and 〈◊〉 the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me For the New Testament it was confirmed by all the succeeding Ages of the Church Christians different in other things yâ—t agreed these to be the Writings of the Apostles So that we have a more general consent than we have about any other Matter probable in the World Men of excellent Parts and Learning that were not apt to take Matters on trust all assent to Scripture as the publick Record for the trial of Doctrines When Heirs wrangle they go to the Last Will and Testament 2. By Martyrdom The Patience and Constancy of the Martyrs who have ratified this Truth with the loss of their dearest Concernments yea even of Life it self Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto the Death It is possible that a Man may suffer for a false Religion and sacrifice a stout Body to a stubborn Mind but because there is counterfeit Coin is there no true Gold The Devil's Martyrs are neither so many for number nor for temper and quality so holy so wise so meek as Christ's Champions The Christian Religion can shew you Persons of all Ages Young and Old of all Sexes Men and Women of all Conditions of Life Noble and of low Degree of all Qualities Learned and Unlearned Persons that could not be suspected to be mopish or melancholy or tired out with the Inconveniences of an evil World but were in a capacity to enjoy temporal Things with the highest delight and sweetness and yet counted not their Lives dear to them to confirm the Truth of this Word What is dearer to Men than Life And this not out of any desire of vain Glory their Death being accompanied with as many disgraceful as painful Circumstances not out of any sensless stupidity or fierceness of Mind they being of a meek Temper and blamed for nothing else but their constancy in asserting that Truth which they professed not out of any confidence in their own strength in bearing those horrible Cruelties that were inflicted upon them but humbly committing themselves to God and imploring his Strength did deliberately and voluntarily give up themselves to be cruelly butchered and tormented as a Testimony of the Power of this Truth upon their Hearts some of them kissing the Stake thanking the Executioner others wrestling a while with Flesh and Blood and natural desires of Life yet the Love of the Truth prevailing came at length to encounter the Horrors of a cruel Death with a well-tempered Constancy and Resolution which certainly in so many thousands even to an incredible Number could not be without some Divine Power and Force upon their Souls That all this should be done by Persons otherwise of a delicate tender Sense and a meek and flexible Spirit what should move them to it but the Power of the Truth This being a Religion of little Reputation in the World which the Philosophers and Disputers of that Age sought to batter down with Arguments the Politicians with all manner of Discouragements the Orators with a Flood of Words the Tyrants with Slaughters and Torments the Devil by all manner of Crafts and Subtilties What had the poor Christians before their Eyes but Prisons and wild Beasts and Gibbets and Fires and Racks and torturing Engines more cruel than Death They had Flesh and Blood as well as others a Nature that continually prompted them to spare themselves as well as others Life was as dear to them and their care of their Families and Little-ones as great their respect to Parents and Friends as much in them as any yea more Religion requiring natural Affection in the highest Exercise and intendering their Hearts with a sense of their Duty Yet rather than give their Bibles to be burnt or be led away from their Religion they could trample upon all Certainly such an invincible constancy could not be imputed to any rigid Sullenness or foolish Obstinacy or distempered Stiffness but meerly to the love of Truth which prevailed over all other Concernments Let it shame us that they could part with Life and all their Interests for Christ and his Truth and we cannot part with our Lusts they with their well-being and we not with our ill-being Could they suffer the Persecutors to destroy their Bodies and will not we suffer the Fire of the Word to consume our Lusts Reason and Conscience is calling upon us to quit these things and yet we hug them to our great Prejudice we to whom a little Duty is so irksome a little pains in Prayer so tedious what would we do if the Fires were kindled about us and we were every day to carry our Life in our Hands and could look for nothing but Halters and Stakes and Instruments of Destruction Surely our Spirits are too silken and soft for such a Religion so abstracted from Ease and Pleasure and worldly Interests III. The Malignant World hath owned it the deadly hatred of the Devil and the constant opposition of wicked Men is a proof of it The Malignant World know it and therefore they hate and oppose it The Reason of the Argument is because the Heart of Man is naturally averse to God 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Now that which all wicked Men do universally and constantly oppose and malign certainly that is of God As Christ saith of his own Disciples John 15.19 If ye were of the World the World would love its own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you So may we reason If the Scriptures were of Men if devised by them and suitable to their Lusts and Humours the Men of the World would receive them with a great deal of stillness Flesh and Blood would love its own But carnal Men have constantly
ad Tumulum sed quaeritur Testamentum saith Optatus In this Testament he speaketh his Mind as if he were alive God taught by Oracle Christ when bodily present taught his Disciples by Word but his Will and Testament is written 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 2. Make it your Direction and constant Rule of Faith and Manners All other Rules are uncertain the Traditions and Opinions of Men. Psal. 119.152 Concerning thy Testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever Among Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle what one Age counteth Just and Good another counteth Vain and Frivolous but God hath given us a setled Rule Not Providence it is to be observed but it doth not always speak by way of Approbation nor point out the best Way Not impulse of Spirit this is to be regarded with other Circumstances of a known Duty Acts 17.16 His Spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry Acts 18.5 Paul was pressed in Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Not Necessity Man never was necessitated to sin David's eating the Shew-Bread in necessity does not prove it For Ceremonials must give place to Moral Duties But now observe the Word as if God himself spake from Heaven Gen. 3.3 God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die What the Word saith God saith Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Light unto my Feet and a Lamp unto my Paths SERMON XXX JOHN XVII 18 As thou hast sent me into the World even so have I also sent them into the World IN the Context our Lord had prayed for Conservation and for Sanctification first he saith Keep them through thine own Name Vers. 11. Then Sanctify them through thy Truth Vers. 17. In this Verse is the Reason of the latter Request why he prays for Sanctification for the Apostles and the Argument which he uses is I have sent them into the World It was at Hand and therefore it is spoken of a thing done I am about to send or it referreth to his Election and Choice I have called them that I may send them to preach the Word The same Office which thou hast put upon me as a Prophet I have put upon them and therefore sanctify them They that are sent abroad to preach the Gospel need special Preservation and special Holiness their Dangers are great and so are their Temptations So much Holiness as will serve an ordinary Christian will not serve a Minister The Measures of the Sanctuary were double to other Measures and so should the Graces of Ministers be double to the Graces of others It is not enough that Ministers excel in Gifts but they must also excel in Holiness they are to bear forth the Name of Christ before the World and therefore they should resemble Christ more than others do This is the Reason of the Context Sanctify them through or by thy Truth for I have sent them into the World as thou hast sent me into the World In the Text there are two Things First The Mission of Christ. Secondly The Mission of the Apostles Together with the Comparison between them both As thou hast sent me into the World even so c. First The Mission of Christ Thou hast sent me into the World Here you may consider I. Who sends II. The Nature of this Mission or what this Sending is III. The Ends and Purposes why Christ was sent I. Who sends Christ saith to his Father Thou hast sent me The Holy Ghost sends as well as the Father yea the Son sends himself The Trinity are one in Essence and in Will and their Actions are undivided Why then doth he say to the Father Thou hast sent me into the World I Answer It is chiefly ascribed to the Father because it is his Personal Operation In the Oeconomy of Salvation the Original Authority is said to reside in God the Father he sent Christ and the Spirit fits and qualifies him and the Son he takes Humane Nature and unites it to his own Person Now there is a great deal of Comfort in this that the Father sends Christ. The Father being first in the Order of the Persons is to be looked upon as the offended Party and as the highest Judg. All Sin is against God and it chiefly reflects upon the first Person to whom we direct our Prayers and who is the Maker of the Law and therefore requires an account of the breach of it It chiefly reflects upon the first Person to whom Christ tendred the Satisfacton Sin it is a grieving of the Spirit it is a crucifying of Christ there is wrong done to all the Persons of the Godhead but in the last result of all it is an Offence to God the Father and an Affront to his Authority for all that is done to the other Persons redounds to him It is his Spirit that is grieved and our Saviour thus reasoneth Luke 10.16 He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me So that he is the wronged Party And again he is the Supream Judg. All the Persons in the Godhead are coessential and coequal in Glory and Honour but in the Oeconomy and Dispensation of Salvation the Father is to be looked upon as Judg and Chief Therefore Christ doth say My Father is greater than I. And all Addresses are made to him not only by us but by Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do And Christ is said to be an Advocate with the Father 1 John 2.1 I say in that Court and Throne that is erected the Father is Supream and if it passeth God the Father the Business is done So John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Pardon Comfort Grace all comes from the Father as the Fountain and first Cause It is true it is said Mat. 8.6 That the Son of Man hath Power on Earth to forgive Sins but this is by Commission from God the Father Well then the Father sendeth Christ. Eli saith 1 Sam. 2.25 If one Man sin against another the Judg shall judg him but if a Man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him There may be an Umpire to compromise the dâ—â—â—erence between Man and Man and award Satisfaction to the Party offended but now who shall state the Offence and compound the difference between Us and God Can there be an Umpire above God that can give Laws to God The Sin is committed against the Judg himself the highest Judg from whom there is no Appeal And who is a fit Person to arbitrate the Difference This is a Doubt that would have remained to all Eternity unsatisfied a Question that never could be answered Where should we find an Umpire between God and Us to have awarded a
very highly in love for their Work 's sake Gal. 4.14 Ye received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus whose Deputy he was tho compassed with Weaknesses Certainly there is some good Will due to the Persons that bring such glad Tidings from Heaven We reward a Messenger that bringeth a Token from a Friend and these come to you from your best Friend Jesus Christ. There is a Promise made to that respect that you shew to the Persons of Christ's Messengers Matth. 10.42 Who shall give to drink unto one of these little Ones a Cup of cold Water only in the Name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his Reward It was said of Gamaliel a Teacher of the Law Acts 5.34 He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Reputation among the People The Original word signifies he was precious to the People If a Doctor of the Law was in such esteem something is due to the Teachers of the Gospel Do not say we plead for our selves it is fit you should hear your Duty pressed Secondly To Ministers It quickneth you to your Work notwithstanding great Afflictions and the Inconveniences you meet with in the World Remember you are sent as Christ was to an unthankful World It will hold good not only in regard of Authority but Condition The Disciple is not above his Lord Mat. 10.35 Nor he that sent greater than he that sent him John 13.16 Comfort your selves against Contempt God hath vouchsafed this high Favour and Prerogative to you above many others that seemed worthy to be preferred before you that have quicker Parts and higher Abilities above the Nobles and the Princes of the World You have no cause to envy them nor their Greatness tho you are counted the Dregs of the World and made a daily Reproach Paul ballanceth his Office and his Afflictions Ephes. 6.20 For which I am an Ambassador in Bonds There is his Ambassadorship and his Bonds the greatness of his Office and the straitness of his Condition his Dignity before God and the Church and his Shame and Disgrace in the World Vse 3. Reproof to those that wrong Christ's Messengers their Persons with Reproach and Violence or their Estate by Sacrilegious Hands seeking to deprive them of their Maintenance Take heed what you do the Persons and Goods of Ambassadors are privileged You rob God and Christ whose receivers they are and to whom these things are consecrated Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacrilege God will wink at the Superstition of former Times that had no better Light when he will not at the Unthankfulness Rapine Avarice and Robbery of these Times and therefore take heed what you do 1. The Affronts you put upon them redound to Christ whose Deputies and Proxies they are They represent his Person therefore he takes it as done to himself Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me It goes up to God himself from Messengers to Christ from Christ to God As the Lord tells Samuel 1 Sam. 8.7 They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them Christ counts it as done to himself in his own Person 2. It sheweth you do not prize the Word when you hate the Messengers of it when you offer Violence to their Persons and rob them of their good Names Isa. 52.7 How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings that publisheth Peace that bringeth good Tidings of Good that publisheth Salvation that saith unto Zion Thy God reigneth The Messengers of Christ are precious to those that have received benefit by them If ever you tasted the Power of the Word certainly you would love the Instruments more Take heed of rotten Hypocrisy You profess you detest the Persecutions of former Times of Pagans and Antichrist that so furiously persecuted the Church and alas you do the same when you oppose God's Messengers that live in your Age whom Christ hath put into Office to deliver his Counsel to the People So the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.29 30. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites because ye build the Tombs of the Prophets and garnish the Sepulchres of the Righteous And say if we had been in the days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of the Prophets Dathan and Abiram were as odious and accursed to the wicked Jews in Christ's Days as the memory of Judas and Julian can be to us Therefore do not flatter your selves that you detest the Persecution of former Ages when your Heart is carried out with such Rage and Malice against the Messengers of Christ now 3. God will not always suffer it Prophet-hating is a deadly Sin It is said of Herod Luke 3.20 He added yet this above all that he shut up John in Prison So 2 Chron. 16.10 Then Asa was wrath with the Seer and put him in a Prison-house for he was in a rage with him because of this thing Were these Scriptures written for our Instruction and yet are you guilty of Prophet-hating that seek by Sacrilegious Violence to rob and deprive Ministers of that which is their Portion before God and Men So Hosea 4.4 This People are as they that strive with the Priest Enter your Protest against it have no hand in this Sin SERMON XXXIII JOHN XVII 19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth THis is the second Argument he had urged their Commission now his own Merit Justice might interpose and say they are unworthy but Christ saith I sanctify my self for them He dealeth with the Father not only by way of Intreaty but Merit and applieth himself not only to the good Will of the Father as his Beloved One but to his Justice as one that was ready to lay down his Life as a Satisfaction In the Text are two Things I. A Meritorious Cause And for their sakes I sanctify my self Where 1. Quis the Person who is represented under a double Notion as an Efficient Cause I Sanctify and as the Object Matter my Self the Person sanctifying and sanctified the Author and the Object the efficient and the material Cause of this Sanctification 2. Quid the Action what he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sanctify 3. Pro Quibus The Persons for whom this was done for their sakes not for himself he needed it not but for their sakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. The Effect of Christ's sanctifying himself that they might be sanctified through the Truth Where 1. The Blessing intended that they might be sanctified It is bonum congruum for in all things Christ must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have the preheminence it is bonum morale not that they might be rich happy glorious but sanctified it is bonum specificativum such as maketh an Evidence for none can make comfortable Application of the
Benefits of Redemption but the Sanctified who have Grace and Holiness infused in them and do devote and consecrate themselves to serve God in Holiness and Righteousness all their dayes 2. The Means Manner or End 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendered through the Truth in Truth or for the Truth all which Readings admit of a commodious Explication 1. As the Means through the Truth as the Rule and Instrument the Word accompanied with the virtue of Christ's Death is that which sanctifieth 2. The Manner in Truth or truly in opposition to legal Purifications by the use of the Ceremonies of the Law which were but a Shadow of true Holiness Heb. 9.13 14. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Vnclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God And in opposition to counterfeit Sanctification Ephes. 4.24 And that ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness such as is sincere true and real 3. The End for the Truth that they may be consecrated set apart and fitted for that Function of Preaching the Truth The Context seemeth to justify this From the whole Observe Doct. That Christ did set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us that we might be sanctified by the Means appointed thereunto I shall explain this Point by opening the Text. I. I begin with the Meritorious Cause and for their sakes I sanctify my self Where First The Agent I. Secondly The Act Sanctify Thirdly The Object my Self Fourthly The Persons concerned for their Sakes First The Agent I sanctify my self In other Places it is ascribed to the Father and the Spirit To the Father John 10.36 Him hath the Father sanctified and sent into the World To the Spirit Acts 10.38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power He did not only frame the humane Nature of Christ out of the Substance of the Virgin but adorned it with Gifts and Graces fit for his Office and Work And here Christ saith I sanctify my self All the Persons in the Divine Nature concur to this Work The Father sanctifieth and sets him apart by his Decree and Designation The Son sanctifieth himself to shew his willingness and condescension The Spirit sanctifieth him by his Operation furnishing him with meet Graces and Endowments that were necessary for that singular Person who should redeem the World Christ's sanctifying himself falleth under our consideration and doth shew partly his Original Authority as a Person of the Godhead coequal with the Father and the Spirit Whatsoever the Father doth the Son doth also John 5.19 Partly his voluntary submission as the Father did consecrate the Son to the Office of Mediator and the Spirit qualified him with all fulness of Grace so did Christ consecrate himself as being a most willing Agent in this Work and did really offer himself to become Man and to suffer all that Misery Pain and shame that was necessary for our Expiation The Scripture often sets it forth to us Ephes. 5.2 Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour He did not do this Work by constraint but of a ready mind When it was first propounded to him in God's Decree Heb. 10.9 Then he said Lo I come to do thy Will O God! And before the Time was come about when he should assume the Humane Nature into the Unity of his Person he feasted himself with the thoughts of that Salvation which he should set afoot in the habitable Parts of the Earth Prov. 8.31 Rejoicing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. When the Incarnation was passed then he longed for the time of his Passion Luke 12.50 I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished So willing was he to do and suffer that whereunto he was sent Luke 22.15 With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I die that Passover because it was the last the Forerunner of his Agonies his Heart was set upon that Work His behaviour in his Death shewed how willingly he did undergo it John 13.1 Having loved his own that were in the World he loved them unto the End then was his bitter Work but that did not abate his Love The Heathens counted it a lucky Sacrifice that went to the Altar without strugling and roaring certainly Christ did meekly suffer what was imposed on him for the expiation of our Sins Isa. 53.7 He is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearers is dumb so he opened not his Mouth A Swine whineth and maketh a noise but a Sheep is dumb this was the Emblem chosen to represent Christ's Meekness and Patience Salt cast into the Fire danceth and leapeth with a kind of impatience but Oil riseth up in a gentle Flame So Christ suffered not only with patience but delight He did not lay down his Life by constraint but died by consent John 10.18 No Man taketh my Life 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 Now this endeareth our Obligation to him that he would consecrate himself to the Work of the Mediatory Office and to that end assume the Humane Nature into the Unity of his Person and so willingly condescend to all that sorrow and pain that he was to endure for our sakes and offer himself up as a Sacrifice for our Sins being for a while without the actual sense of his Father's Love My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 But more distinctly let us consider the greatness of his Sufferings his willingness to endure them 1. The greatness of his Sufferings His Passions take them in the very Letter were sore but they were heightned by the delicacy of his Temper never any Man suffered as he did because never such a Man A blow on the Head is soon felt because it is a principal Member and so more sensible than other parts of the Body A Slave is not so sensible of Blows and Stripes as a Nobleman of a tender and delicate Constitution Our Saviour Christ was of a more delicate Constitution than any other his Body was immediately framed by the Spirit in the Virgin 's Womb Laurence on the Gridiron Stephen when stoned could not be so sensible as Christ on the Cross. None of the Martyrs suffered what he did Christ had a particular knowledg of all Sins committed in the World past present and to come and a particular sorrow for them which was the greater by how much the more he prized the Honour of God His
take up his abode and dwelling in the Heart renewing them by his Spirit as the Fountain of Life Gal. 2.20 Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And the Seed and Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Christ in you the Hope of Glory maintaining and defending them against all Temptations 1 Joh. 4.4 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World There is no necessity in order to the Spiritual Use that his Body be in the Sacrament received into the Mouth and Stomach his Humane Nature is locally present in Heaven but his Spirit is in us as a Well of Life This is our constant Communion with him 2. Solemn and Special in Holy Ordinances Our Souls should run upon this How we may find Christ there as the Spouse sought her Beloved throughout the whole City Cant. 3.2 3. I will arise now and go about the City in the Streets and in the broad Ways I will seek him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The Watchmen that go about the City found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth So doth the believing Soul long to see Christ. If he longeth for our presence we should desire his Presence and to enjoy as much as we can of it here in the World It is Heaven begun As for me I shall behold his Face in Righteousness Psal. 17.15 Not only to have bare Ordinances but to meet with God there that we may never go from him without him This is to begin Heaven to give Christ a Visit to be familiar with Christ in Prayer to seek after him in the Lord's Supper and never go from God without God Psal. 63.1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary That glimpse he had once found made him long for more Psal. 84.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh crieth out for the Living God Spiritual Communion will at last end in Glory You may change Place but not Company 2. Long to be with him and to have immediate Communion with him in Heaven Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ not to wish for Death in a pet to put an end to your Troubles Men look upon Heaven as a Retreat Nay do not meerly look upon Heaven as it freeth you from the Torments of Hell or the Curse and Vengeance of God but as it giveth you Communion with Christ. 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore upon this account be more willing to depart You that are Old and within sight of Shore wait for the happy Hour you that are Sick be forward to prepare for Home you that are Young you may live long but you cannot live better than with Christ be ready when God shall call you 1. There is far more Reason why we should long for Christ than Christ for us He desireth your Presence for your own sakes that you may be happy he is not solitary without you You have all the reason in the World to be willing to go to Christ the sooner the better 2. If you have the Hearts of Christians you will do so Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come If you have heartily consented to Christ you will do so Gen. 24.58 They called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou go with this Man and she said I will go Christ saith I will that they shall be where I am and the Soul saith I will be ever in a posture longing waiting for this happy Time The Children of Israel eat the Passover with Staves in their Hands 3. Experience puts us to this such as have any Communion with Christ here will long after the compleating of it in Heaven Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also who have the first Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body 4. If we desire it not it is a sign of some Corruption too great an inclination to the Pleasures and Contentments of the World Lot lingred in Sodom Gen. 19.16 Or that you have lost your Evidences and so think to appear before him as Malefactors before a Judg. SERMON XLII JOHN XVII 24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World Secondly NOW I come to our Work and Emploiment in Heaven that we may behold his Glory Observe Our Work or rather our Happiness in Heaven mainly consists in the sight of Christ's Glory 1 John 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God but 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 We see him now under a Vail then in Person 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see but through a Glass darkly then Face to Face Here I shall shew I. What is this Glory II. What it is to behold this Glory III. Why our Happiness lieth in it I. What is this Glory 1. The Excellency of his Person The Union of the two Natures in Christ's Person is one of the Mysteries that shall then be unfolded John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you How he is God-Man in one Person how the Father Son and Spirit are one We were made for the understanding of this Mystery God had Happiness enough in himself he made Creatures on purpose Angels and Blessed Men to contemplate his Excellency 2. The Clarity of his Humane Nature It is happiness enough to see Jesus Christ upon his White Throne Rev. 22.4 They shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Foreheads We shall be Eye-witnesses of the Honour which the Father puts upon him as Mediator It will be a wonderful Glory we want words to make it intelligible the visible Sun hath scarce the honour to be Christ's Shadow We may guess at it by his appearance on Mount Sinai when he gave the Law Exod. 19. compared with Heb. 12.18 19. By the Transfiguration Mat. 17. when the Disciples were astonished By the Glympse given to Paul when a Light from Heaven shined round about him Acts 9.3 Paul was three days without sight and could neither eat nor drink By those emissions of Light and Glory John 18.6 As soon as he had said unto them I am he they went backward and fell to the Ground All these Apparitions were
Isa. 58.5 They afflict the soul for a day or bow down the head like a bulrush and so in the external actions of other Duties That this deceit may be more strong they exceed in outward Observances and that produceth Superstition or some by-Laws of our own by which we hope to expiate our sins as to whip and gash our selves Micah 6.6 7. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord and â—ow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul On the other side if mens Tempers Education and strain of Religion carry them to another way and they are all for the Grace of the Gospel without the Rudiments of men the Devil knows how to charm and lull Souls asleep in sin by that way of Profession also and so many take liberty to sin under the pretence that God may have more occasion to exercise his mercy and our proneness to please the flesh is countenanced by presumptions of Grace and the supposition of unreasonable Indulgences of God to the faulty Creature Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self God will not be so severe as is commonly imagined and so lessening Gods Holiness they abate their Reverence of him Psal. 68.19 20 21. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses He seeketh to obviate their conceit how great soever the riches of his Bounty and Grace offered in Christ be yet he is irreconcileable to those that cease not to follow a course of sin 3. This conceit is strengthened in us because many that profess Christianity live licentiously All sins propagate their kind and among others abuse of Grace we see others have great hopes and confidence in Christ notwithstanding their carnal and worldly course of living and self-love prompteth us that we may hope to fare as well as they and so we leaven one another with a dead loose carnal sort of Christianity instead of provoking each other to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Self-love is very partial and loth to think evil of our condition now this cannot be justified by the Laws of Christianity yet it is often justified by the lives of Christians after this Rule they live in the World and we think we may do as others do 4. There is another cause that is Satan who abuseth the weakness of some Teachers and the ignorance of some Hearers to misapply the Grace of the Gospel and the comforts of Justification to countenance their sins The Devil knoweth we will not receive his Doctrine in his own Name and therefore doth what he can to usurp the Name of Christ and to obtrude his Commands upon us in the Name of Christ and so conveyeth poison to you by the Perfume of the Gospel and if he can set Christ against Christ his Merits and Mercy against his Government and Spirit his Promises against his Laws Justification against Sanctification he knoweth that he obtaineth his end and purpose that the Gospel which was set up to destroy the works of the Devil will be a means to cherish his Kingdom in the World And on the Hearers part he abuseth them also carnal hearts turn all into fuel for their lusts and with the more pretence if they can alledge a Dispensation from God himself to serve and please the flesh and no harm shall come of it A little trusting in Christ shall serve the turn though they live never so impure lives I ascribe all this to Satan because all Errour is from him who is the Father of Lyes who often obtrudeth upon the simple credulity of Christians his own Gospel instead of Christ's and by a partial representation of Christs Gospel destroyeth the whole II. I come now to make good the Charge First That this inference is very unjust and ill grounded The Pretence here are those words of the Apostle in the two last verses of the former Chapter 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. These words yield no such consequence To evince which 1. I shall state the meaning of those words 2. Show the unjustness of this illation from them 1. For the meaning the Apostle sheweth the Law was given to the Israelites by Moses not that they might be justified thereby but that sin and punishment to which we are liable by reason of sin might the better be known and so the Grace of God in Christ which justifieth us notwithstanding the grievousness of sin might be the more esteemed and we might the more earnestly fly to it for Sanctuary and Refuge and the Curse might drive us to the Promise For there are two things which the Law discovereth 1. The multitude and hainous nature of our offences it entred that sin might abound not in our practice but in our sense and feeling as being more apparent and awakening more lively stings in our Consciences If a rugged and obstinate People sin the more that is not the fault of the Law but of our corrupt Nature which always tendeth to that which is forbidden it only took occasion from the commandment Rom. 7.8 The proper effect of the Law was to give us more convincing and clear knowledge of Duty and Sin or to be a means to aggravate sin to render it more exceedingly hainous as being against an express Law of Gods own giving with great Majesty and Terrour 2. The other use of the Law is to give us an awakening sense of the punishment due to sin as it exposes us to temporal and eternal death vers 21. and so our deliverance and life by Christ might be more thankfully accepted who by his Mercy hath taken away the condemning and reigning power of sin by granting pardon of it and power over it so that as a great and mortal disease maketh a Physician famous if he cureth it so sin maketh the Grace of Christ more conspicuous and glorious 2. The injustice of the Illation 1. There is a difference between causa per se and causa per accidens a Cause and an Occasion though the abounding of sin helpeth to advance Grace it is not of it self but by accident by Gods over-ruling Grace therefore it is a desperate Adventure to try Conlusions to drink rank Poison to experiment the goodness of an
strengthened with all might with Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power And this Power doth effect that great change in us which fits us for the new life as Eph. 1.19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead It is the mighty Operation of God that beginneth this life in us the same Power raiseth us first to a new life then to a glorious Eternity 2. The Apodosis wherein it is applied even so we also should walk in newness of life The Similitude holdeth good in these things 1. As the Resurrection of Christ followed his Death so doth newness of life our death to sin 2. As Christ was raised to a blessed immortal Life by the glorious Power of the Father so are we renewed and quickened by the same Power 3. The Effect of the new Birth is mentioned our walking in newness of life rather than Regeneration or the new Birth it self which yet is signified by Baptism and Christs Resurrection is the Pattern and Cause of it the Similitude holdeth good in the Power and in the new state of Life which supposeth such a Principle Doctrine That Baptism strongly obligeth us to walk in newness of Life I. Let me speak of the Nature of this new Life II. How strongly we are obliged by Baptism to carry it on through the Power of God 1. This newness of Life it may be considered First In its Foundation which is the new Birth or Regeneration for till we are made new Creatures we cannot live a new life Joh. 3.5 6. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new A Bowl must be made round before it can run round all creatures are first made and fitted for their use before they can perform the operations belonging to that creature so a new Being and holy Nature is put into us and we are powerfully changed before we can live unto God Mans nature is not in such a condition as to need some reparation only but is wholly corrupt Therefore we must be born again there must be a change of the whole Man from a state of Corruption to a state of Holiness and a Principle of new Life must be infused into us whence flow new actions and delights Secondly The first Regeneration consists of two parts Mortification and Vivification Mortification doth conquer the fleshly inclination to things present and Vivification doth quicken us to live unto God There is need of both Of Mortification that we may dye to the Flesh and to the World for there is a seducing Principle within and a tempting Object without within there is the Flesh without the World we dye to both To the Flesh Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts To the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world While the mind and heart is captivated to the flesh we can never cease to sin There is need of Vivification that you may live to God for the recess from the world is not enough unless there be an access to God and therefore the immediate Principles that carry us to God are Love kindled in us by Faith in Christ. For the new Creature being interpreted as to Vivification is nothing else but Faith working by Love Compare Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by love with Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature These two Faith and Love are the Principles and Springs of all Christian Practice and Conversation You are never changed till the Heart be changed and the Heart is never changed till the Will and Love be changed Well then it is not enough to dye to sin but we must walk in newness of life both must be minded but we begin first at Mortification and then proceed to the positive duties of a new life Holiness consists not in a meer forbearance of a sensual life but principally in living to God the Heart of it within is the Love of God its inclination towards him delight in him desire after him care to please him lothness to offend him and the expression of it without is the exercise of Grace according to the direction of Gods Word Yea these two branches are not only seen at first but every step of the new life is a dying to sin and a rising to newness of life a retiring from the world to God Thirdly As to the Rule which is the infallible Revelation of God delivered to the Church by the Prophets and Apostles comprised in the Holy Scriptures and sealed by Miracles and Operations of the Holy Ghost who was the Author of them The new Creature is very inquisitive to know Gods Will Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Grace is sometimes called Light and sometimes Life for there is direction in it as well as inclination This Light we have from the Word and Spirit In the Word our Duties are determined and the new Creature is naturally carried to the Word it is the seed of that life it hath 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and it is the Rule of acting and exercising this life Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them c. There is a Cognation between the Word and the renewed Heart Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws in to their mind and write them in their heart as the stamp and impress answereth to the Seal or the Law within to the Law without the Law written on the heart to the Law written on Tables or in the Bible Fourthly As to the End which is the pleasing glorifying and injoying of God it is a living to God Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether
present or absent we may be accepted of him A new life inferreth new ends and pursuits the new Being obligeth us to be to the praise of his glorious grace Eph. 1.12 Fifthly The Properties of it 1. It is a godly Life as beginning and ending in God and carried on by those who are absolutely devoted and addicted to him 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness It is called the life of God Eph. 4.18 it is from God and for God you live by him and to him in others Self is the Principle Measure and End 2. It is an holy Life measured by the pure Word of God Psal. 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandment is holy and just and good not by our own natural inclinations or the fashions of the world but Gods direction 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Luk. 1.75 That we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives The inclinations are planted in us by Gods first work Eph. 4.24 That ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness they are directed by his Word all Moral Duties being comprised in those words Holiness or Dedication to God Righteousness performing our duties to men Acts 24.26 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men 3. It is an heavenly life Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven Our great work is to prepare for everlasting Life seeking rejoycing in that endless Happiness we shall have with God a living for or upon the unseen everlasting Happiness as purchased for us by Christ and freely given us of God We live for it as we seek after it with our utmost diligence Acts 26.7 Unto which promises the twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come We live upon it as fetching thence all our supports solaces and incouragements 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal II. How strongly we are obliged by Baptism to this kind of life Baptism hath three Offices it representeth sealeth undertaketh it representeth as a signifying Sign sealeth as a confirming Sign undertaketh as a Bond wherewith we bind our selves when we submit to it First What it representeth primarily and principally the Death of Christ and secondarily his Resurrection the one in order to the other 1. The Death of Christ which is the meritorious Cause of all the Grace and good which is communicated to us in this or any other Sacrament or Mystery of the Gospel We are told 1 Pet. 2.14 That he himself bore our own sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin might be alive to righteousness I told you before that Christs Death may be considered as an instance of his Love or as the Price paid for the Blessings of the new Covenant as an instance of his Love it worketh morally as the Price of our blessings meritoriously as it worketh morally and exciteth our gratitude we should not go on in that course which brought these sufferings on Christ but live holily in gratitude to him and kindness to our selves lest we bear our own sins which are so hateful to God This consideration we exclude not but to make this all the sense of the Place no Christian heart can endure therefore we go to the second Consideration as the Price and Ranson of our own Souls and of the Blessings we stand in need of he purchased Grace to mortifie sin and quicken us to the duties of Holiness that the love of sin might be weakened in our hearts and we might be quickened to live to God in the Spirit Now if this be represented in Baptism then surely it strongly obligeth us to improve this Grace for those ends and purposes and that this is represented is evident for in the Apostles interpretation Baptism is a sort of Burial and first it is a Commemoration of the Burial of Christ who when his Soul was separated from his Flesh he was buried his Sacred Body was laid up in the Chambers of the Grave This was necessary not only in compliance with the Types Mat. 12.40 As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Christ was found to be the true Messias by his Resurrection from the Dead as Jonas was authorized to be a true Prophet of the Lord by his miraculous deliverance Prophecies of this you may see Psal. 16.9 My flesh also shall rest in hope Isa. 53.9 He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death But also this was necessary for the confirmation of the reality of his Death past and the verity of his Resurrection suddenly to follow Therefore in Baptism the truth of his Death is represented as the ground of all our hopes 2 The next thing which is represented is the Truth of his Resurrection Christ that purchased this Grace is risen to apply it he is a Saviour merito efficaciâ his Merit immediately depended on his Death and his Power for effectual application though mediately on that too depended immediately on his Resurrection for Christ rose on purpose to turn men from their iniquities Acts 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Christs Resurrection hath a twofold regard 1. It is a Pattern 2. It is a Pledge 1. It is a Pattern of our rising from the death of sin to newness of life If Christ that was dead and buried rose again and cast off the burden of our sins which for our sakes he undertook or cast of the form of a servant we must not only be dead and buried but we must rise also Christs Resurrection is every where made in a Pattern of the new Birth 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath begotten us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that is the influential Cause and Pattern of it So 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anima non lavatione sed responsione sancitur the Soul is dedicated to God to live a new life not by the water but by the answer to the demands of the new Covenant and this is by the Resurrection of Christ. 2. As it is Pledge of his Power by which that great change is wrought in us Eph. 1.19 20. And what
sin and God being pacified in Christ doth restore it to us Man brought upon himself spiritual death by sin and the gift of the sanctifying Spirit is the great and first Act of Gods pardoning Mercy and a means to qualifie us for other parts of Pardon Though the thing be plain of it self yet to make it more clear to us 2. Let us distinguish of the kinds of Justification There is a twofold Justification it is either constitutive or executive First Constitutive Justification is by the new Covenant when those who submit to the Terms are constituted or made righteous Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life There is Gods Grant and whosoever can make good his Claim hath a right to Justification by Gods own Grant according to the Law of Grace he is one freed from sin Secondly Executive when God accordingly taketh off all penalties and evils and giveth us all the good which belongeth to the Righteous or Justified as in the case in hand when God giveth us the Spirit to break the power and reign of sin And therefore so often in Scripture is God said to sanctifie us as a God of Peace or as a God pacified and reconciled to us in Jesus Christ Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight 1 Thess. 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie ye wholly c. 2 Cor. 5.18 And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. This God doth as a Judge acting according to the Rules of Government constituted in the new Covenant upon the account of the Merit of Christ and our actual interest in him II. As to the Degree how far we are freed from sin 1. All the justified and converted to God are freed from the Reign of it The flesh though it remaineth is made subject to the Spirit which by degrees doth destroy the reliques of sin For it is said of the justified Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 2. The more obedient we are to the motions of the sanctifying Spirit the more power we have against sin Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law under the irritating Power and Curse of it Many sins are in a great measure left uncured as a part of our punishment We should have more of his Spirit and so more of his Grace to mortifie sin if we did mind more the Covenant we have made with God as our Sanctifier but degrees of Grace may be forfeited by our unworthy dealing with the Spirit Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption He seeketh by degrees to fit us for our everlasting estate and final deliverance from all sin and the consequence of sin 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given to us the earnest of his Spirit And therefore he must not be obstructed in his work while he is preparing the Heirs of Promise afore-hand unto Glory lest we lose not only the comfort of our future Hopes but also be set back in the spiritual Life and so grieve both our Sanctifier and our Comforter 3. If we fall into hainous wilful sin God manifesteth his displeasure against the party sinning by withdrawing his Spirit This was the evil that David was so much afraid of Psal. 51.10 11 12. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free Spirit In which expressions he desireth that God would not withdraw his Grace and the influence of his holy Spirit which by that hainous sin he had so justly forfeited This is the sorest Judgment on this side Hell to be deprived of Communion with God in point of Grace Though it may be not a total separation from his Presence and Grace yet it is a degree of it when God is strange to us and suspendeth all the Acts of his complacential Love leaving us dull and sensless that we have no heart or life to any thing that is spiritually good Yea if after such scandalous falls we repent not the sooner God may deliver us up to brutish lusts the evils are lesser and greater according to the rate of our sins or neglects of grace These penal withdrawings of his Spirit should therefore be observed for God sheweth much of his pleasure or displeasure by giving and withholding the Spirit His Blessing and Favour is shewed this way Prov. 1.23 Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you and I will make known my words unto you But when God is refused or neglected or highly provoked Psal. 81.11 12. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels This is more than all the calamities of the World 4. Where the work is really begun and duly submitted unto we have hopes of a better estate it still increaseth towards that perfect Blessedness when we shall be without spot and blemish or any such thing Eph. 5.27 What a life do Gods holy Ones live in Heaven who are wholly freed from sin There is no worldly mind nor pride nor passion nor fleshly lust to trouble them Here many wallow in their own dung others are in a great measure defiled and blemished but there they are freed not only from the Reign but Being of sin Hath God been so kind to them in glory And will he not do the same for us also There is none in Heaven by the first Covenant all that are there come thither as sanctified and justified by Jesus Christ and in the way of his pardoning grace Surely since we have the same Redeemer depend upon the Merit of the same Sacrifice and wait for the same Spirit in the use of all holy means and endeavours he will not be strange to us Christ is willing if we are willing there you will find it sticketh he came to take away sin but we will not give way to his Spirit we are neither sensible of our sickness nor earnest for a cure at least a sound cure We seek ease and comfort more than the removing of the distemper but if we were throughly willing will he fail a serious Soul It is Christs Office to expiate sin and destroy it his Blood was shed for his
your own and when any interest of your own riseth up against the interest of God you will set light by it as if it were nothing worth and then no self-respects will tempt you to disobey God though never so powerful no hire draw you to the smallest sin nor danger fright you from your Duty Dan. 3.17 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden image that thou hast set up Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy If we can but forget our selves and remember God he will remember us better than if we had remembred our selves We secure whatever we put into Gods hands and venture in his service 2. You will make Conscience how you spend your time and strength God keepeth account Luke 19.23 Wherefore gavest not thou my money into the bank that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury So you will keep a faithful reckoning how you lay out your selves for God that share he hath in all things we have and do God observeth so must we whether God have his own and we do not defraud him whose work are you a doing 3. You will have a liberal heart you will think no service too much or loss too great for God Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ all other things come from God Certainly you must not put him off with what the flesh will spare SERMON XII ROM VI. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace THE Apostle had exhorted them to Mortification vers 12. to Vivification vers 13. in both to Caution that sin may not usurp the power and place of God who alone should command and govern both our Souls and Bodies To fight for sin is to fight against God which should be an horrid thing to Christians who should imploy all their powers and faculties to keep up Gods interest in their Souls by maintaining that new Life that is given them by God If we have any Weapons or Instruments they should be imployed for God and not for sin because sin was not their Lord now as heretofore it neither had nor shall have dominion over you If a man should speak to any City suppose in Hungary or other Frontier of Christendom newly freed from Turkish slavery Care not for the commands and threatnings of the Turks any more they do not Lord it over you as they were wont to do the very same is the Argument of the Apostle Sin hath not the same strength against you which before it had now you are regenerate and alive from the dead Nay he speaketh with more advantage of expression than any can in an outward case sin hath not sin shall not have dominion c. if you keep striving and fighting against it this Tyrant shall not recover the Kingdom in you which he hath lost but you shall become victorious by Christ. There are two things which incourage us to fight 1. the goodness of the Cause 2. the assurance and hope of Victory The Cause is good for the business in debate is to whom we should yield up our selves to sin or to God or in whose Warfare we shall imploy the faculties and powers of Body and Soul If we take to Gods side the Victory is clear that Grace which hath freed us from the Tyranny of sin is able to free us still that we shall no more come under that bondage Strive we must for unless we fight and make good our resignation sin will reign but let not the sense of our weakness discourage us in our endeavours against sin though there be some relicts of the flesh yet the Sanctification of the Spirit shall prevail and therefore it is laziness and cowardize if we do not strive duly against sin For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace In the words observe 1. The Priviledge of the renewed and striving Christian Sin shall not have dominion over you 2. The Reason of the Certainty of it For ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Reason is both Negatively and Affirmatively expressed 1. Negatively For ye are not under the Law 2. Positively But under Grace Both Expressions have their proper Emphasis as you will see by and by 1. The Priviledge of the renewed and striving Christian. 1. That the renewed Christian is here considered is plain from all the foregoing Context he speaketh of those that were dead unto sin ver 2. not only in Profession and Baptismal Vow but really by virtue of their Union to Christ ver 5. But how is a Christian dead unto sin not so as that it should be wholly extinguished in us but so as that it is a dying and the Victory is sure to those that strive against it Again he speaketh of those that are alive from the dead v. 13. had a new Life begun in them and have renounced sin and effectually presented and resigned up themselves to Gods use and service 2. That the renewed Christian is here considered as striving because they are the same Persons who were exhorted ver 12. not to let sin reign what is here a Promise is there an Exhortation Again they were such as had presented their Members and Faculties to the Lord as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weapons or instruments of righteousness now what are weapons but for Warfare they had undertaken in their Covenant-resignation not only to work but fight for God Rom. 13.12 the Graces of the Spirit are called Armour of Light Christ doth array us non ad pompam sed ad pugnam not for shew but use A Christian can do no good but he must fight first Again carnal inferences are rejected with indignation ver 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid and therefore the Christian here is not considered as loose and lazy but as warring and fighting against sin Once more the Argument here implieth it ye are under Grace which impelleth and urgeth us to resist sin and the lusts thereof God giveth power to overcome it So then the Apostles purpose is to exhort the renewed Christian strongly to resist sin because through Grace he is sure to carry away the Victory whilst we work and concur with our wills and endeavours God worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.12 2. The Reason of it 1. Negatively expressed Ye are not under the Law By the Law is meant the Covenant of Works which requireth exact obedience but giveth no strength to obey the Law requireth what we must do but giveth no power to do what it commandeth it forbiddeth sin and
sin some pleasureable Lure represented by Sense awakeneth the Lust that draweth off the heart from God and heavenly things then Lust conceiveth by Thoughts as the Eggs are hatched by Incubation then it is a full-grown sin and so they go on to the very last till they drop into Hell O then suppress the musings the vain and sinful thoughts for whilst you dandle sin in your minds with a secret consent liking or a pleasing musing the mischief increaseth the stranger becometh your Master Secondly You must watch against Occasions It is ill sporting with Occasions or playing about the Cockatrices hole or standing in harms way Many say their infirmities make them run into such or such sins but if they were minded to leave their sin they would leave off evil company and all occasions that lead to it We are often warned of this Prov. 4.14 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house The Wisdom of God thought fit to give us these directions they that think they have so good a command of themselves that they shall keep within compass well enough though they venture upon the occasions of sin converse with vain company frequent the haunts of the wicked go to Plays and entertain themselves with Dalliances refuse none of the blandishments of Sense surely they are not acquainted with the slipperiness and infirmity of humane Nature know not what the new Creature meaneth nor what a tender thing it is to preserve it in strength and vigour Is sin grown less dangerous Or have men gotten a greater command of themselves than they were wont to have when the Scriptures were first written Surely man is as weak as ever and sin as dangerous Why then should we venture upon evil company and the places where they resort and go too near the pits brink and freely please our selves with the Allectives of Sin and Apostasie from God such as are wanton Plays idle Sports Is there no infection that secretly tainteth our hearts Thirdly Against all appearance of Evil 1 Thess. 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil Some things though not apparently evil yet they have an ill aspect as being unsuitable to the gravity of our holy Calling or the strictness of our Baptismal Vow and Covenant made with Christ or as being things not practised by good men who most seriously mind heavenly things or have been usually abused to sin and so are not of good report to be sure do rather blemish Religion than adorn it Christs Worshippers should be far from Scurrility Lightness Vanity in Apparel Words Deeds and they should avoid all things that look towards a sin It is notable under the Law that the Nazarite who was not to drink Wine was not to eat Grapes moist nor dry nor to taste any thing that was made of the Vine-tree from the kernels even unto the husk Numb 6.3 4. A Christian that hath consecrated himself to God and hath made such a full and whole renunciation of all sin should exactly take care to avoid every occasion and provocation to evil every appearance of evil not only the pollution of the flesh but the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 23. Fourthly Watch to prevent the Sin it self The actual reign of sin maketh way for the habitual The progress is this Temptations lead to sin for there are few of us but discover more evil upon a Tryal than ever we thought we should before as the piercing and broaching of a Vessel sheweth what liquor is in it and small sins lead to greater as the small sticks set the greater on fire and greater sins lead to Hell except God be the more merciful and we stop betimes Well then watch against the sin it self for every foil maketh you suffer loss sin cometh to reign by degrees and a man setleth his neck to the yoke by little and little it is not easie to fix bounds to sin when it is once admitted and given way to water when once it breaketh out will have its course and the gap once made in the Conscience will grow wider and wider every day a little rent in the cloth maketh way for a greater so if we do not take heed of small sins worse grow upon us the fear of God and sense of sin is lessened by every sinful act and Conscience loseth its tenderness and our feeling decayeth The best stopping of the stone is at the top of the Hill when it beginneth to fall downward it is hard to stay it The deceived heart thinketh I will yield a little and the Devil carrieth them further and further till there is no tenderness left in the Conscience As in Gaming there is a secret Witchery a man will play a little venture a small summ but he is wound in more and more and intangled So men think it is no great matter to sin a little a little sin is a sin against God an offence to him and therefore why do not you make Conscience of it And it will bring other mischiefs along with it as it disposeth the heart to sin again Fifthly Watch against the mischief of heinous or presumptuous sins When you venture to do any foul thing against apparent checks of Conscience any small sin may get the upper hand of the Sinner and bring him under in time after it is habituated by long custom so that he cannot easily shake off the yoke and redeem himself from the Tyranny thereof but these steal into the Soul insensibly and inslave us as they get strength by multiplied acts But presumptuous or heinous sins by one single act bring a mighty advantage to the Flesh and weaken the Spirit or better part and advance themselves suddenly into the Throne Psal. 19.13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression The Regenerate if the Lord do not keep them from temptations or do leave them in temptations may fall into most scandalous sins against the Light of their Consciences and for the present are under woful slavery and inconvenience David representeth the utmost mischief of these kinds of sins as afraid with the fear of caution it might tend thereto Now if a Man nay a Child of God may possibly fall into scandalous sins being inticed by the pleasure or profit of them and for the present be blinded then after any heinous fall there should be a special mortification or weakening of sin because when we are gotten to that height sin will break out again in the same or other kind as a venemous humor in the body heal one sore and it breaketh out in another place After some notable fall or actual Rebellion against God it is good to come in speedily to
of bonds and tyes to obey God they were not under the Law Thirdly The Doctrine of Perseverance as if they might do what they list the Covenant of Grace would secure their interest and whether they watched or strived yea or no sin should not have dominion over them All these are rejected as unreasonable Conclusions What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid In the words we have 1. An Interrogation to excite us to regard what Conclusions we draw from Christian Priviledges What then that is What do we conclude thence 2. A faulty Inference or Conclusion is mentioned Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace Where first 1. The Inference it self Shall we sin that is let us continue in sin or serve sin or not strive against sin 2. The Ground whence it is inferred 1. From the Evangelical state negatively proposed Because we are not under the Law as if we were exempted from the Rule of the Law because we are exempted from the Rigour of it 2. From the Evangelical state positively proposed But under Grace 1. The Grace of Justification we may indulge sin since the Gospel offereth a Pardon or freedom from Condemnation 2. The Grace of Sanctification by the Spirit God will maintain our Right though we mind it not and so we turn the Grace of God into loosness or laziness 3. The Brand upon this Conclusion or his Abhorrence specified it is not only unreasonable but impious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far be it from Believers thus to conclude 1. Because the Conclusion is unreasonable being a distortion of true Doctrine or of the Grace of the Gospel 2. It is ungrateful what be more licentious for Gods Grace it is the most abherred use of Gods mercy that is imaginable Doctrine That it is a manifest abuse of the new Covenant so much as to imagine that it countenanceth any licentiousness or liberty in sin I shall 1. prove it by two Arguments First From the design or end of God in setting up this new Transaction with Mankind Secondly From the Tenor and Constitution of it 2. Shall vindicate those Doctrines of free Grace which may most seem to occasion such thoughts in the hearts of men 1. From the design of God in setting up this new Covenant which was to recover lapsed Man from the Devil and the World unto himself that he might not wholly lose the Glory of his Creation which appeareth by manifold expressions in Scripture Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Now we were lost first to God as Luke 15. the lost groat was lost to the Possessor the lost sheep was lost to the Owner the lost son lost to the Father these two last Parables shew that they were also lost to themselves but that is but a consequent the primary sense is they were lost to God and therefore Christ came to recover them to his obedience But to leave Parables it is said expresly Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood that we might not only be admitted into his friendship and favour but fitted for his service and that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 by which is meant not only to reconcile us unto God but bring us into a state of subjection and obedience to him Christ is set up as a Mediator and Lord of the new Creation to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.11 That every tongue might confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father that his interest in his Creatures might be secured And the Kingdom of the Mediator is subordinate to the Kingdom of God all the Authority and Power which Christ hath as Mediator to enact Laws and make a new Covenant is to bring men back again to the obedience of God upon more comfortable terms Our subjection to him is not vacated or made void or only reserved but established on more comfortable terms as we have Grace given us for the pardon of failings and the effectual help of his Spirit to incline us to obedience 2. From the Tenor and Constitution of it As to the Precepts it begins with Faith and Repentance and is carried on in the way of new Obedience or Holiness None are admitted to the first Priviledges but those that repent Upon Mary's Repentance Christ said Her sins which are many are forgiven her Luke 7.47 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 Now Repentance is a serious fixed purpose of returning to the obedience we owe to God And the last Priviledge Eternal Glory we have it not without Holiness Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. All the intermediate Priviledges do expresly require or imply Holiness Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will be withhold from that walk uprightly So that from first to last it is an Holy Covenant as it is called Luke 1.72 Yea it is holy not only with respect to what it requireth but with respect to what it promiseth it promiseth the Holy Spirit to sanctifie us Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean and from all your idols will I cleanse you 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the Heaven of Heavens is Perfection of Holiness 1 Joh. 3.2 3. Beloved now are we the sons of God but 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 And he that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure Eph. 5.27 That he might present it the Church to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Once more the aim of it is to promote Holiness 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Luke 1.75 That we might serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fear that is the great Priviledge of the new Covenant in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives In short the Covenant dealeth only with an holy
instruments of Righteousness unto God Secondly Among other the means required by God there are these two things to be considered Fear of Falling and the Danger of Backsliding 1. Fear of Falling Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seem to come short of it 1 Pet. 1.17 Pass the time of your sojourning here with fear Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Fear is careful and solicitous what Fear is this a Fear of Caution 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Of Reverence Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 2. The Danger of Backsliding is often represented to Believers to increase their caution as Christ said to his own Disciples Joh. 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned The danger of Apostasie is represented to them to confirm their standing or laid before them to make them afraid of defection So Heb. 10.26 27. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries 3. The Promise and Exhortation go together that we may carry an even hand between Despair and Presumption Compare vers 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof with the Text Sin shall not have dominion over you we must not presume because of the filthiness of our hearts and the number of the snares that are still before us we must not despond because of the unchangeableness of Gods Covenant-love Let us improve the Grace we have received that we may continue in it The Act is ours but the Help is Gods To sin upon a confidence that we are sure to persevere is to cease persevering and to fall away because we are sure not to fall away which is a contradiction Vse of Information It informeth us 1. No Doctrine is so sound but a corrupt heart will abuse it therefore as much as in us lies we must prevent these mis-interpretations 2. How prone sinful men are to take all occasions to indulge liberty to sin being naturally bent to Licentiousness they pervert Christs holy Doctrine to this end 3. With what abhorrence we should entertain any thing that lessens the necessity of the Creatures subjection to God or doth befriend sin or inticeth you to make light of Obedience yea though this should be done with the most glorious pretences of Grace it is but Poison ministred by a Perfume 4. What caution and watchfulness we should use over our own thoughts and inferences Every one draweth one Conclusion or other from the Gospel What use do you make of it Many that will not say so that we should sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace are apt to think and do so And since it is natural to us we should be provided of a remedy 1. Let every Sacred Truth be digested into holy Love and Practice Love 2 Cor. 8.1 2. Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifyeth And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Practice 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him When Truth is turned into Love it is turned into a new Nature and deeds discover the reality of our opinions more than words 2. Let no mystical Truth be set up to avoid Gods unquestionable natural Right to govern his Creature or to infringe the Rights of the Godhead as to set up Christ against the Moral Law as if that were abrogated and if no Law no Transgression no Sin no Duty no Judgment no Punishment no Reward 3. Do not set up Christ against Christ Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Do not set up his Merits against his Law he is Saviour but to those that obey him SERMON XVII ROM VI. 16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness IN this Verse the Apostle proveth that it is unreasonable and absurd to conclude That we may sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace Why Because it destroyeth the state to which we pretend for men cannot be under Grace that serve sin He proveth it by a general Maxim evident by the common Reason of Mankind Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are c. So that in the words we may observe two things 1. A general Maxim evident by the Light of Nature 2. The Application of it to the matter in hand 1. The general Maxim That whatsoever or whomsoever a man voluntarily obeyeth he maketh it or him his proper Lord and Master There take notice of the evidence of it Know ye not q. d. you may easily know this by the common course of affairs of the World Here four things are evident First That omnis servus est alicujus Domini servus that every Servant hath some particular Lord and Master Secondly That the interest of this particular Lord and Master is grounded upon some special Title Thirdly This Title as matters are carried in the World is either voluntary Contract or Consent or plain Conquest getting another into his Power By voluntary Contract one is a Servant that bargaineth with another to serve him either wholly that selleth himself as a Slave or in part for such services and ministeries the one is Servus a Bondman or a Slave the other is Famulus an Attendant or Apprentice not absolutely but for such a time and for such ends By Conquest 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise themselves liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage Fourthly Where a Master hath such a legal Title every Servant is bound to obey his Master Aristotle maketh it the property of a Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live not as himself listeth but as his Master pleaseth All these things are plain and obvious to every mans understanding 2. The matter of it there are two things observable 1. Yielding our selves to obey 2. Actual Obedience 1. Consent To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are as a man contracts with another to serve him 2. The Act His servants ye are to whom ye obey whether there hath been a formal Contract yea or no. He that actually obeyeth another is to be accounted his Servant and becometh his Servant The first Notion
a wonderful mercy before or as when recovered and in health we forget the rediousness of sickness and are not thankful for the comfortable days and nights we enjoy when we go about our business and sleep without pain So we undervalue the present state of Grace by forgetting the unfruitful works of darkness or the evil dispositions and practices of our Unregeneracy and have not such comfortable apprehensions of the mercy which the Spirit of God shewed in our Cure Cannot you remember when it was once much otherwise with you that you are not now the persons you were then 2. Here is a Description of their present state by Grace which deserveth to be weighed by us In it I observe 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel is in Conversion imprinted on them for it is said That they have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine into which they were delivered Their very heart and Soul was modelled according to the Tenor of the Gospel and the Truths revealed therein 1. I will prove that it is so with all Converts by that Promise of the new Covenant Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts The thing written is the Law of Christ or the new Covenant or the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel not every lesser Opinion or minute Circumstance of their Duty but those Points which are essential to Christianity smaller matters depend upon a particular gift The Book is the mind and heart of the Believer by the Mind is meant the Understanding by the Heart the Will or rational Appetite in the one is the directive Counsel in the other the imperial and commanding Power of the Soul the one is compared to the Ark in which the Law was put I will put my Laws into their minds the other to the Tables of stone upon which the Law was written God will convince their Understandings of their Duty and incline their Affections to receive and obey it The Writer I God challengeth it as his proper work 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God By this Spirit the mind of man is inlightened the heart is inclined but yet we must do our Duty both to understand the Will of God and set our hearts upon it and do the things required of us To understand we must dig for knowledge and cry for understanding Prov. 2.3 4. and for inclining our hearts Psal. 119.112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always even unto the end and for actual Obedience we are solemnly consecrated to God in Baptism that we may take up that course of living that is prescribed of God in the Gospel and therefore it is said 1 Pet. 1.14 Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts of your ignorance We must not mould our selves to any form but that of this Doctrine cast all our actions into this mould 2. I will shew the fruits of it They are either internal within the man or essential to this work or resulting from it by immediate consequence Such as an abhorrence from sin and a promptitude and readiness to holy actions 1. For the first where the Doctrine of the Gospel is imprinted on our hearts it is an awing Principle which restraineth us from sin Psal. 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide he that knoweth and loveth what is commanded knoweth and hateth what is forbidden therefore his heart giveth back when any thing contrary is offered to him 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God Still something riseth up by way of dislike he looketh upon sin not only as contrary to his Duty but his Nature Gen. 39.9 How can I do this wickedness and sin against God The heart as thus constituted is not easily brought to it By this Temptations are defeated whether from Satan or our own hearts from Satan 1 Joh. 2.14 I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Or from our own hearts Psal. 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Our hiding the word in our hearts is subordinate to Gods writing it in our hearts we must use the means the Grace is from him 2. A promptitude and readiness to holy actions for all holy and heavenly actions are suited to them and there is a Cognation between the Law within and the Law without so that they are carried after them with more love delight and pleasure Psal. 40.8 Thy Law is within my heart I delight to do thy will O God There is an inclination and propensity to do the Will of God and to please and serve him which maketh our obedience more easie and even 3. The Benefits of being stamped and moulded into the form of this Doctrine 1. It is ready for our use they have Principles laid up to be laid out upon all occasions either of trouble or temptation or business and affairs Prov. 6.21 22. Bind them continually upon thine heart tye 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 So that the Christian is a Bible to himself as the Heathens were said to be a Law unto themselves there was something urging them to Duty restraining them from sin 2. It preventeth vain thoughts what is the reason evil is so ready and present with us because our hearts are not stocked with the knowledge of heavenly Truths Vain thoughts cannot be prevented unless the Word dwell richly in our hearts If a man have many brass Farthings and but a few pieces of Silver he will more readily draw out Farthings than pieces of Silver But a Christian when alone and destitute of outward helps Psal. 16.7 His reins instruct him in the night season when he hath no benefit of the Bible or other literal Instruction 3. It furnisheth and supplieth our Speech for the Tap runneth according to the Liquor with which the Vessel is filled In Prayer the new Nature beareth a great part for its desires and inclinations furnish us with Requests its annoyances and grievances with Complaints its solaces and satisfactions with Thanksgivings and where it is not obstructed there cannot be that leanness and baseness of Soul wherewith we are often surprized Psal. 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter I will speak of the things that I have made touching the King my tongue is the pen of a ready writer As to ordinary Converse Mat. 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 When the Spring is dryed
up there can be no water in the stream 4. It giveth us greater certainty of the Religion we profess when we feel the Power of it in our Hearts 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he hath a sense of what he hath heard he hath felt the power of the Spirit inclining him to God and heavenly things and subduing his carnal affections he hath tasted the sweetness of Gods Love in Christ and you cannot perswade a man against his own sense therefore when men have tasted and tryed and found the admirable Effects of the Gospel upon their hearts they will know that which bare Speculation could never discover to them in order to love certainty and close adherence they find all made good and accomplished to them they find the Truth doth make them free heal their Souls and sanctifie their Natures appease their Anguish offer them help in Temptations relieve their Distress bind up their broken Hearts c. 5. Then the Truth hath a power upon us when it is put into their mind and heart they have an inward ingrafted Principle Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls they find not only Truth in the Word but Life and obey God not only as bound to obey but as inclined to obey there needeth no great inforcing 1 Thess. 4.9 Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and Prov. 2.10 Wisdom entreth into thy heart it becometh another Nature to us if it enters upon the mind only it begets but a lazy and faint inclination 6. It begets a holy Conversation for those who have the Word of God stamped upon their hearts and minds will shew it in their actions So it is said 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Believers are Christs Epistle by which he doth recommend himself and his Doctrine to all men when they see what excellent Spirits his Religion breedeth So Phil. 2.15 16. That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Holding forth the word of life 2. I observe That the fruit of this imprinting of the Doctrine of the Gospel upon their hearts was Obedience For so saith the Apostle Ye have obeyed All that Knowledge we have must still be directed to Practice Deut. 4.6 Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding otherwise we do little more than learn these Truths by rote or at best to fashion our Notions of Religion that we may make them hang together 1. We are bidden to inquire after the ways of God not to satisfie Curiosity but to walk therein Jer. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls But they said We will not walk therein Their disobedience was not so much against the knowledge of the Truth as against the practice thereof Men are not against Truth so much in their minds as in their hearts they will not do what they know 2. The comfort and sweetness is in keeping and obeying Psal. 19.11 In keeping thy commandments there is great reward not only hereafter but now There is a sweetness in knowing for all Truth especially heavenly Truth is an oblectation of the mind but there is more in keeping and obeying because Practice and Obedience giveth a more experimental knowledge of these things as a taste is more than a sight and by a serious obedienceâ—he taste of these blessed Truths is kept upon our hearts It is but a flush of joy that is stirred up by Contemplation the durable solid joy is by Practice and Obedience Besides that God rewardeth acts of Obedience more than acts of Contemplation with comfort and peace for Contemplation is an imperfect operation of man unless the effect succeedeth yea we are not capable to receive this comfort for knowledge doth not prove the sincerity of our hearts so much as obedience therefore it is Practice that hath the Blessing in the bosom of it 3. Where men receive the Doctrine of the Gospel rather in the Light than in the Love of it they do but increase their punishment Luke 12.47 That servant that knew his masters will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will he shall be beaten with many stripes all the Priviledge of their exact Knowledge shall be but an hotter Hell 3. I observe That it is Obedience from the Heart and so it must needs be if we consider the contexture of the words or the imprinting the Doctrine of the Gospel it is first upon our Hearts and then upon our Lives Isa. 51.7 The people in whose heart is my Law So Deut. 6.6 These words that I command thee this day shall be in thy heart for by the love of it we are brought to the obedience of this holy Law So Prov. 4.4 Let thy heart retain my words Prov. 22.22 Lay up my words in thy heart there is the proper Repository of the Law of God it cannot work any good effect upon us till we get it there there is its proper seat thence its influence I shall urge but two Arguments First It is Terminus actionum ad intra it is the end of all those actions that come inward The heart is that which God looks after Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart He commandeth the Ear but still his commands reach the Heart It is the Heart wherein Christ dwelleth Eph. 3.17 not in the Ear Tongue or Brain till he take possession of the Heart all is as nothing The Bodies of Believers are Temples of the Holy Ghost but still in relation to the Heart or Soul nothing is prized by God but what cometh thence Men care not for obsequious compliances without the heart 2 Kings 10.15 Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart Some content themselves with a bare profession of Religion or some superficial Practices but all is nothing to God though thou pray with the Pharisee pay thy Vows with the Harlot Prov. 7. kiss Christ with Judas offer Sacrifice with Cain fast with Jesabel sell thine Inheritance for a publick good as Ananias and Sapphira yet all is nothing without the heart Judas was a Disciple yet Satan entred into his heart Luke 22.2 Ananias joyned himself to the People of God but Satan filled his heart to lye unto the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Simon Magus was baptized but his heart was not right with God Acts 8.22 the great defect is in the Heart Secondly It is Fons actionum ad extra the Well-spring of all those actions which look outward as Prov. 4.23 Keep thy
his Neighbour Or a man ready to die thank God for his recovery A slave of sin for his liberty by Christ This is to mock God He may thank God for Redemption for the new Covenant for the others and invitations of Grace for means and time to repent but for the great change and for an actual interest in Christ we can never thank him till first it be wrought in us and given to us 2. Live in admiration and acknowledgment of Grace Let this indear God to your hearts Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved and vers 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. 3. Make your Qualification more explicite by being printed and marked with your Religion in Heart 2 Cor. 3.18 You are changed into the same image from glory to glory In Life Phil. 1.27 Only let your conversation be as becomes the Gospel 4. Never return unto your old Bondage The time of slavery is past 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning They that revert to their old Bondage have no due sense of the mercy of their deliverance out of it SERMON XIX ROM VI. 18 19. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness THESE words are an Inference and Conclusion from the foregoing Discourse shewing That as they had changed Masters they should change their course of life In them observe two things First The state of the believing Romans both past and present 1. Past that is implied they were once under the bondage and slavery of sin 2. Present they were freed from that Bondage and become the servants of Righteousness where observe two things 1. The freedom from their former Servitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word is used of them that are emancipated or brought out of Bondage into Liberty Sin was a cruel and hard Master 2. Their entrance into a new Estate of Obedience in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye became the servants or subjected your selves you have given up your selves to a more ingenious service Secondly The Exhortation hence deduced Where observe two things 1. The Preface to sweeten it 2. The Matter of it 1. The Preface to sweeten it I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh Some think the Apostle excuseth the earthly similitude whereby he had represented these matters as if he were forced to use these Notions of Master and Servants because of the weakness of their Understandings which could not brook a more sublime and spiritual way of discoursing Rather I think it is meant of the Equity of the Proposal which is set forth by two expressions 1. The Humanity of it 2. The due Consideration taken of the weakness of their flesh The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 that is your will indeed is good but you must remember it may be hindred by your natural frailty So here the weakness of the flesh is mentioned to intimate their disability wholly and fully to do the Will of God that is allow for infirmities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speak moderately humanely and by way of condescension I propound that which is common and judged reasonable among men that is said to be common to men that doth not exceed the strength of men 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humane or common to men 2 Sam. 7.14 I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men that is not in rigor but with a gentle and fatherly hand 2. The matter is delivered by comparison of what is now due with what was formerly done by them when they were under the slavery of sin 1. What they had done They yielded their members to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity Mark here two sins are mentioned Vncleanness and Iniquity By Vncleanness some understand carnal sins by Iniquity spiritual wickedness Others by Vncleanness understand those sins whereby the pleasure of the carnal inclination is gratified by Iniquity the violence of the Passions But the words are taken in a larger sense all sin is Vncleanness as defiling the Soul all sin is Iniquity as disagreeing with the Equity of Gods Law but divers words are heaped up to shew 1. That they stuck at no sin and whereas it is said They yielded up themselves to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity it teacheth us That seldom doth sin stand alone one doth as it were impel and bind us to another venture a little and you have a tye upon you to go further 2. That they rested not in the inward consent or lust but added iniquity unto iniquity that is from the habitual inclination they proceeded to actual sin 2. What they should now do they should yield up their members servants to righteousness unto holiness that is imploy their time and strength to serve and please God and continually to grow in Grace Doctrine Those that are recovered from Sin to God should shew the reality of their Change by being as earnest in Holiness as before they were in sinning In all reason this may be required of you and less we cannot require Let me so open the Point that you may take along with you the sense of the words of the Text. 1. That there is a great Change wrought in all them that are brought home to God is evident by the whole Scripture which sets them forth as those that have been called out of darkness into light 1 Pet. 2.9 Who have passed from death to life Joh. 3.24 Translated from the power of Satan into the kingdom of Christ Col. 1.13 and many other such expressions And therefore every one that would judge of his own Estate must look after this change of state and wherein he differeth from himself unconverted when unconverted not only from others but from himself when and how the case is altered with him since he was acquainted with God in Christ. 2. The difference between the two Estates is chiefly seen in the change of Masters or the dominating Principle in the Soul what governeth the man for that determines our Estate There are some who are under the reign of sin even those who are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness Rom. 2.9 But there are others who are under the Empire and Soveraignty of Grace who are fitted and framed for what is right good and holy and hate
so outgrow all feelings of Conscience 2. To stir up in the People of God this holy shame by reason of sin past and present It is a great help to the spiritual Life for when we make light of sin we are in danger of being overcome by it Therefore rouse up your selves Is the offending of the eternal God a slight thing Surely God doth not make his Laws for nought nor doth he make such a stir by his Word and Providence against a tame and harmless thing nor threaten men to Hell for small indifferent matters neither needed Christ to have dyed and done all that he hath done to cure a small and little disease More particularly 1. Sin is the Creatures Rebellion and Disobedience to the Law of the absolutely universal Soveraign 1 Joh. 3.4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law 2. The Deformity of the noblest Creature upon earth Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 3. A stain so deep that nothing could wash it away but the Blood of Christ Rev. 1.5 6. To him that loved us and washed our sins with his own blood c. 4. It hath yielded a flood that drowned the World of Sinners yet it did not wash away their sins 2 Pet. 2.9 Bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly 5. Hell it self can never do it nor purge out the malignity of it therefore it hath no end Mark 9.44 Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 6. God himself doth loath the Creature for sin and nothing else but sin Zech. 11.8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month and my soul loathed them Deut. 32.19 When the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters Psal. 78.59 When God saw this he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel II. As it sets forth the evil and the odiousness of Sin shame dogs Sin at the heels Doctrine That Sin is really the matter of Shame 1. It is so for the present it will make you loathsom to your selves infamous to others odious to God 1. Loathsom to our selves therefore a wicked man dareth not to converse with his own Heart but doth what he can to fly from himself to divert his thoughts from the sight of his own Soul or the view of his own natural face in the Glass of the Word Joh. 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved There is a secret bosom-witness which they fear Job 27.6 My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live There needeth a great deal of do to bring a man and his Conscience together 2. Infamous to others he bringeth a blot upon himself Prov. 13.5 A righteous man hateth lying but a wicked man is loathsom and cometh to shame They are a disgrace to the Socieâ—y in which they live 2 Pet. 2.13 Spots are they and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you Those that love sin in themselves hate it in another Tit. 3.3 We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another 3. Odious to God Psal. 14.2 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one and they are sensible of it and therefore grow shy of God 1 Joh. 3.20 21. 2. It will be much more so hereafter First At the Day of Judgment Shame is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fear of a just reproof and that chiefly from one in Authority most of all from the Judge of the World This is principally intended not shame of Face before men so much as shame of Conscience a lothness to come into Gods Presence Gen. 3.10 I was afraid or ashamed because I was naked and I hid my self There was Verecundia before an awful Bashfulness but not Pudor fear of Reproof and Blame that entred with sin much more when all things shall be opened and brought to light as at the great Day 1 Joh. 2.28 That we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Wicked persons that are void of Righteousness and all Hypocrites that have been unfaithful and unthankful to him will then be ashamed Secondly In Hell Shame in the Damned is that troublous confounding sense of their lost Estate past Folly and evil Choice having now no hope of his Grace Dan. 12.2 Some shall arise to shame and everlasting contempt they shall be rejected by God as much as they now reject and disowne him Vse Well then let us walk more cautiously not return again to our wallowing in the mire lest we provide matter of grief and shame to our selves It is a Grace to be ashamed in a penitent manner but it is a sin to provide matter of shame anew The godly and wicked are both ashamed the one to get sin pardoned the other would have Conscience deadned the one to get sin mortified the other only to have ease within themselves though they wallow in sin and be not reconciled to God Gods Children are more watchful for the time to come but the other would only get rid of trouble Now if we cannot hope to prevail with the one we have great confidence the other will weigh his motive Will you once more render your selves odious to God a burden to your selves and live contrary to him whose Favour is your Life You have more to do with him than with all the World your happiness is to hold communion with him will you now you have eyes to see the odiousness of sin break through all the restraints which Light and Love lay upon you Thirdly The Apostles Argument is à damno it is harmful the end of sin is death The End may be taken for the Scope or for the Effect it is not scopus peccantis but finis peccati this is the issue it cometh unto we incur the penalty of eternal Death The Sinner hopeth for a better issue but the end of the work is Death it is finis operis though not operantis Doctrine If we continue in Sin we cannot expect other or better Fruit and Conclusion than eternal Death Now we find the Shame hereafter Death All that I shall say now shall be referred to these three Heads 1. It is terrible 2. It is just 3. It is certain 1. It is terrible if we consider the loss a separation from the blessed Presence of God the Disciples wept when Paul said Ye shall see my face no more O what will be our case and plight when God shall say Depart ye cursed ye shall see my face no more
of God that they that commit such things are worthy of death In your Consciences you will find an inward conviction that God is your Judg and will call you to an account for the breach of his Law We feel this living and dying Heb. 2.15 Who were all their life-time subject to bondage through fear of death And 1 Cor. 15.56 the sting of death is sin Only 't is more piercing and sharp when we die Secondly Let us enquire how or upon what reasons we come to have this exemption from condemnation This is 1. Vpon the account of Christs satisfaction to Gods Justice We all in our natural estate lie under the curse and wrath of God but Christ was made a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 And the Apostle telleth us 2 Cor. 5.21 That he was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Christ became a Sacrifice for sin to appease God towards us he was made a publick instance of Gods poenal Justice that we might be made an instance of Gods Merciful Justice or that God might deal with us in a way of grace upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ. 2. Vpon the account of the New-Covenant-grant John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Christ would have us mark this as a a certain and important truth for escaping Eternal death and obtaining Eternal life are not trifles and Gods Faithful Word is interposed that such an one shall not come into condemnation Verily verily Well then the Gospel or New Covenant offereth pardon and exemption from condemnation to that death which the Law hath made our due to all those who will come under the bond of it 3. The certainty is considerable which resulteth or ariseth from these two grounds 'T is just with God to pardon them and to exempt them from Condemnation who take sanctuary at his Grace and devote themselves to him 1 John 1.9 If we confess and forsake our sins he is just and faithful to forgive them 2 Tim. 4.8 We read of a crown of righteousness which the righteous judge shall give at that day Justum est quod fieri potest God may do it or not do it he is not unjust if he doth it and justum est quod fieri debet This latter is understood here because of the fulness of the merits and satisfaction of Christ and his truth in his Promises he must judg men according to the Law of Grace and give them that which his Promise hath made their due 4. There must be an Appeal to the Gospel Where this Grace is humbly sued out by the penitent Believer for God is Sovereign and must be sought unto Appeals from Court to Court and from one Tribunal to another are often set down in Scripture as Psal. 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared No man could escape condemnation and the Curse if the Lord should deal with us in strict justice but from the Tribunal of his strict justice we appeal to the Throne of Grace where favour and pardon is allowed to us upon certain equitable and gracious Terms According to the old Terms who is able to appear in the judgment before God A Sinner must either despair or die or run for refuge to this new and blessed hope so Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified An innocent creature must beg his mercy and devote himself to his fear I proceed to the second Proposition 2. Doct. That this priviledg is the portion of those that are in Christ. 1. I shall here shew you What it is to be in Christ. 2. How we come to be in Christ. First What it is to be in Christ. The Phrase noteth Vnion with him There is certainly a real but spiritual Union between Christ and his Members which I have often described to you But late Cavils make it necessary to speak a little more to that Arguments All that I will say now is this 1. That it is more than a relation to Christ as a political head 2. That the Vnion of every Believer with Christ is Immediate 1. That it is more than a relation to Christ as a political head I prove it because it is represented by Similitudes taken from Vnion real as well as relative Not only from Marriage where Man and Wife are relatively united but from Head and Members who make one body not a political but a natural body 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ also by the similitude of root and branches John 15.1 2 3. Yea 't is compared with the mystery of the Trinity and the Vnity that is between the Divine Persons John 17.21 22 23. that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one which tho it must not be understood in the utmost strictness yet at least there is more than a relation as also by reason 't is not only a notion of Scripture but a thing effected and wrought by the Spirit on Gods part 1 Cor. 12.13 We are by one spirit baptized into one body and by confederation one with another Cant. 2.16 I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Christ is ours and we are his and he is also in us and we in him 'T is such a real Conjunction with Christ as giveth us a new being that Christ becometh to us the principle and fountain of a spiritual life 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life Christ is the stock we the graft he is the vine we the branches therefore we are said to be planted together in him Rom. 6.5 So that we may grow and live in him We are united to him as the body is to the soul all the members of the body are quickned by the soul the second Adam becometh to all his Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 as giving them life not only by his merit and promise but the influence of his spirit which life is begun here and perfected in Heaven it is begun in the soul Phil. 3.20 and Rom. 8.10 but 't is perfected both in body and soul in Heaven for the spirit is life to the body because of righteousness and if the spirit of him that raised Christ from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
the spirit he is regenerate or a new Creature if his heart be set to seek serve please and glorifie God and doth prefer Christ before all the world Phil. 3.8 Then he hath not only a spirit contrary to the flesh and the world but a spirit prevailing above the flesh and the world 1 Cor. 2.12 for we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit of God Then the Government of the Soul is in the hands of Grace 6. The prevalency of the principle is known not only by the bent and habit of our wills but our setled course of Life By our walk for 't is said in the Text They that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit A man is not known by an act or two but by the tenor of his life those that make corrupt inclination their ordinary guide and rule and the satisfaction thereof their common trade they are carnal and in the flesh and so cannot please God Rom. 8.5 but those whose Business it is to serve please and glorifie God and their end to enjoy him and by whom this is diligently and uniformly pursued they walk after the spirit because they live in the spirit they walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 I come to apply this Discourse The first Use is Information 1. That Condemnation yet remaineth upon all those that are out of Christ for that promise there is no condemnation hath an exception limiting it to those that are in Christ. Carnal men think God will not deal so severely as to condemn them but there is no comfort hence to them the Scripture propoundeth Priviledges with their â—ecessary limitations and restrictions where sin remaineth in its power and strength the Law condemneth men Conscience convinceth them and God will condemn them also So the Brutes are more happy than they who follow their pleasure without remorse and offend not the Law of their Creation as they do and when they die death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once but those that walk after their lusts are but Christians in name certainly they are not made partakers of the spirit of Christ for if they did live in the spirit they would walk in the spirit and none but such can escape Condemnation they that walk after the flesh are without God and without Christ but every one will shift this off from himself but the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19 Many men visibly declare that they walk not after the spirit by their Drunkenness Adultery Wrath Strife Malice Envy Others more closely live only to satisfie a fleshly mind now whether openly or closely if they cannot make out their living after the spirit they walk after the flesh 2. It informeth us That we can never have solid peace till justification and sanctification be joyned together Justification Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace wiih God Mat. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee so for sanctification 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world Still there are fears of damnation while sin is in us but when it is our honest purpose to please God and we strive against sin and do in a good measure overcome it our Consciences may be the better and the sooner setled The next Use is for Exhortation To quicken us to seek after this Priviledg Do you fear Damnation or do you not if not what grounds of Comfort have you What course have you taken to escape it If you do fear it why do you not flee from wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Why do you not run for refuge Heb. 6.18 You cannot be speedy and earnest enough in a matter of such concernment Again This calls to those that are in Christ to be sensible of their priviledg so that they may bless God for it Gratitude is the life and soul of our Religion and 't is a cold and dull thanksgiving only to give thanks for temporal Mercies it cometh more heartily from us when we bless God for spiritual mercies Psal. 103.1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases It also calls to all such to be tender of their peace Every Sin doth not put you into a state of Condemnation again but every known wilful sin puts us to get a new extract of our pardon 1 John 2.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins By sin your Title is made questionable and your claim made doubtful repenting and forsaking sin is necessary when we have been foiled by sin that we may have a new grant of a pardon SERMON II. ROM VIII 2 For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death THAT these words are brought as a proof of the former assertion is clear from the causal particle For but whether they are a proof of the Priviledg or Qualification is usually disputed I think of both as when they are explained will appear Therefore I shall first open the wâ—â—ds and then suit the proof to the foregoing assertion In opening the words observe 1. Here is Law opposed to Law 2. By the one we are freed from the other 1. There is a perfect opposition of the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus to the Law of Sin and Death here is Law against Law and the Spirit against Sin and Life against Death Now what are these two Laws I think they may be explained by that of the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works nay but by the law of faith What is there called the law of works and the law of faith is here called the law of the spirit of life and the law of sin and death in short by these two laws is meant the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace 1. The Covenant of Grace is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus a Law it is for it hath all the requisites of a Law a precept and a sanction They err certainly That tell us the Gospel is no Law for if there were no Law there would be no Governour and no Government no Duty no Sin no Judgment no Punishment nor Reward but of that more by and by 2. A Law of the Spirit it is Not only because of its spiritual nature as it cometh nearer and closer to the Soul than the Law of outward and beggarly rudiments and therefore Christ called the Ordinances of the Gospel Spirit and Truth John 4.24 Spirit in opposition to the
Duties or the Legal administrations which are called carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Truth in opposition to them again as they are called shadows of good things to come Heb. 10.1 In this sense the Gospel or New Covenant might well be called the Law of the Spirit but not for this reason only but because of the power of the Spirit that accompanieth it as 't is said 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Lex jubet gratia juvat and the grace of the Gospel is the gift of the Spirit 3. 'T is called the Spirit of Life because through the preaching of the Gospel we are renewed by the Holy Ghost and have the new life begun in us which is perfected in Heaven and we are said Gal. 2.19 To be dead to the Law that we may live unto God that is that by vertue of the spirit of Christ dwelling in us we may live righteously and holily to the glory of God 4. 'T is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus partly because he is the author and foundation of this new Covenant and partly also because from him we receive the Spirit as from our head we have the unction from the holy one 1 John 2.10 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost is shed upon us abundantly through Christ Jesus our Lord Titus 3.6 Thus I have plainly opened the first Law mentioned Let us address our selves to the second 2. The Law of Sin and Death Thereby is meant the covenant of works which inferreth condemnation to the fallen Creature because of sin and in part the legal Covenant not as intended by God but used by them it proved to them a Law of Sin and Death for the Apostle calleth it the ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3.7 and verse the 9th a ministration of condemnation Now because it seemeth hard to call a Law given by God himself a Law of Sin and Death I must tell you 't is only called so because it convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death and that I may not involve you in a tedious debate I shall expedite my self by informing you That the Law of works hath a twofold operation the one is about Sin the other about Wrath or the Death threatned by the Law 1. About Sin its operation is double First it convinceth of Sin as 't is said Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of Sin That is the use of it is to bring us to an acknowledgment of Sin and Guilt For when the Law sets before a man what God commandeth and forbiddeth and a mans Conscience convinceth him that he hath offended against it by Thoughts Lusts Words Deeds he findeth himself a sinner and his heart reproacheth him as one that is become culpable and guilty before God so that all are concluded under Sin by the services of that Covenant neither will the legal covenant help him for that is rather an acknowledgment of the Debt than a token of our Discharge a Bond rather than an Acquittance an hand-writing of Ordinances against us Col. 2.14 which did every year revive again the Conscience and remembrance of Sins Heb. 10.3 Secondly The other Operation of the Law about Sin is That it irritateth Sin and doth provoke and stir up our carnal desires and affections rather than mortify them For the more carnal men are urged to obedience by the rigid exactions of the Law the more doth carnal nature rebel as a Bullock is the more unruly for the yoking and a River stopt by a Dam swells the higher The Law requireth Duty at our hands but confers not on corrupt man power to perform it and denounceth a Curse against those that obey not but giveth no strength to obey that it is so is plain by that of the Apostle Rom. 7.5 When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto Death While we were under the Dominion of corrupt nature Sins that were discovered by the Law were also irritated by the Law as ill vapours are discovered and raised by the Sun which were hidden in the earth before and so Sin brought forth those ill fruits the end whereof is Death but this is not to be charged on the Law of God but the perverseness of man for the proper use of the Law is to discover and retrain Sin and weaken it not to provoke and stir it up See how the Apostle vindicateth Gods Law Rom. 7.7 8. What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Thus he answereth the Objection If Sin grow more powerful in us by the Law then is the Law Sin No far be it from our thoughts the Law is not the cause but the occasion only as Sin sheweth its power upon the restraint Well then the ceremonies of the legal Covenant do not mend the matter for these are but a weak fence about our duty and bridling more of our liberty stubborn man spurneth the more against the Law of God and will not be subject to it 2. The other operation of the Law is about Death or the Judgment denounced against Sin and so 't is said the law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 as it bringeth punishment into the World and revealeth Gods wrath against the transgressions of men and raiseth the fears of it in our Consciences and 't is called the Law of Death because unavoidably it leaveth man under a Sentence of Death or in a cursed and lost estate by reason of Sin These are the two Laws 3. By one Law we are freed from the other the Apostle saith me but he personateth every Believer they are all freed by the Covenant of Grace from the bond and influence of the Covenant of Works so 't is a common Priviledg what belongeth to one belongeth to all 2. My second part is to suit the words as an Argument to confirm the former Proposition 1. They confirm the Priviledg There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ. They are free from the Law of Sin and Death he that is freed from the Law is acquitted from Condemnation it can have no power over him 2. The Description is double first from their internal estate they are in Christ Therefore they have the priviledges and advantages of his new Law of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus Secondly their external course They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit They have a spirit and a quickning sanctifying spirit grace given them in some measure to do what the Law injoineth being under
them and if others do injuries to us to forgive them as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us The second Operation which the Holy Ghost produceth in us is righteousness or justice in all our dealings giving every one his due honour whom tribute and praise to whom praise belongeth not borrowing without a mind or ability to pay which is but a specious robbery and 't is a shame so many Christians are guilty of it I am sure 't is contrary to the Spirit of God for when God hath done so much to manifest his justice to the world all that have the Spirit of God should be very righteous far from Oppression Fraud or Detention of what is another mans The Third Thing is Truth or Fidelity whereby we carry our selves sincerely and free from Hypocrisie and Dissimulation or lying cozenage and deceit God is a God of Truth and the Holiness be worketh in us is true holiness the Apostle groundeth his Exhortation upon that Wherefore put away lying Eph. 4.24 25. and speak truth every man to his neighbour 'T is a sin inconsistent with sincerity more than any other Well then this is the Gospel-spirit now the Holy Ghost doth not only plant these graces in us at first but doth continually increase them and assist us in the exercise of them he doth plant them in us at first Faith is his gift and 't is he doth change our hearts and kindle an holy love in us to God and raiseth the heart to the hope of Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 begotten to a lively hope This is his first work for men must be good before their actions can be good then he doth increase Grace making all outward means effectual to this end and purpose this is called the supply of the spirit of Christ Jesus Phil. 1.19 meaning thereby a further addition of grace wrought in us by the spirit whereby we grow and advance in the way to Heaven These Impressions are weak in us at first but they are increased by the same Author or Agent in the use of the same means Lastly he doth assist us in the exercise of the same grace still working in us what is pleasing in the sight of God Heb. 13.21 he concurreth to every action and we do not only live in the spirit but walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 all along we are quickned by his influence Let us in the next place consider from whom we receive it 't is said here the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus it belongeth to Christ to give the spirit 1. He is the head ef the renewed state Christ was filled with the spirit to this end to be the head or quickning spirit to his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 15.45 The first Adam was made a living soul the second a quickening spirit not only as he giveth us the life of glory but the life of Grace also so Eph. 1.22 23. he is head over all things to the church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all He is an Head not only to govern and defend the Church but to give them spiritual life and motion as the Head doth to the members for he filleth all with grace all believers are supplied from this fountain and continually supplied till they be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.17 18 19. That is with all the Grace he meaneth to impart to us Well then the spirit is given by Christ John 4.14 Whoso drinketh of the water that I shall give shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life 'T is a living Conduit John 7.38 39. 2. 'T is his law that is written upon our hearts by the spirit The new Covenant is made with sinners in Christ Heb. 8.8 9 10. Behold the days come saith the Lord I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant for this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Now he that taught us the Christian Faith and Religion doth impress it upon us by his spirit we find a power more than can be from the words alone in the effects on our selves This cometh from Christ whose Law it is but it is immediately wrought by the spirit 3. Christ promised it therefore Christ giveth it John 15.26 The comforter shall come whom I will send you from the father by vertue of his Merit and Intercession Christ from the Father sendeth forth the all-conquering spirit to subdue the world to himself he promised aforehand to send down this sanctifying spirit into mens souls to do this work upon them 4. He giveth it on his own conditions that is to say of Faith John 7.37 38. if any man thirst let him come to me and drink he that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the spirit which they that believe in him should receive And repentance Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Now these are the conditions of the new covenant which Christ brought out of the Bosom of God 3. By what law By the Gospel this is the law of the spirit of Christ there is some little of the spirit given by the light of nature to help men to read the book of the creatures Rom. 1.19 God shewed it them they might see somewhat of God in the creatures his Wisdom Power and Goodness and God excited their minds to behold it and did dart in some light into their consciences There was more of the spirit given by the legal Covenant they might see much more of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in his Statutes and Laws than Heathens could in the book of Nature but generally it wrought unto bondage the free spirit was but sparingly dispensed and to some few choice servants of God but these were but as a few drops of grace the great Flood of grace was poured out by the Gospel The Apostle puts the Galatians to the Question by what Doctrine they received the spirit Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith He appealeth to their conscience and experience what kind of Doctrine conveyed the spirit to them the preaching of the Law or the preaching of the Gospel and this is meant not only of the Spirit that wrought Miracles but the sanctifying spirit he speaketh of both ver 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among
of condemnation to Death if you be not sensible of the evil and burden of Sin yet surely you should flee from wrath to come Is that a slight matter to you our first and quickest sense is of wrath when our hearts are made more tender we feel the burden of sin fear worketh before shame and sorrow Therefore surely he that considereth his deep necessity should cry our Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 2. Consider the possibility of your delivery from this bondage by the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Surely the Blood of Jesus can purge your consciences from dead works that you may serve the living God Heb. 9.14 There is a Covenant all the promises of which in Christ are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.23 The Covenant of night and day may sooner be dissolved than this Covenant broken or repealed There is the Spirit also who can subdue your strongest lusts and is ready to help you to mortifie the deeds of the body and to reclaim you from your vain pleasures 3. How comfortable it will be for you when once this work is in progress and you begin to pass from Death to Life every step will be sweet to you and as you grow in grace you do apace advance to Heaven Prov. 3.17 All her ways are pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2 Vse Let us examine whether we have received this regenerating grace to free us from the reign of sin Some are free in shew but others are free indeed John 8.36 Some have the outward badges of Liberty are Christians in name receive Sacraments and enjoy the Ordinances but not the grace in and by the Ordinances You may know the state of your service by the course of your life are you as ready to do any thing for God as before for sin Rom. 6.18 3 d Vse If we be free let us not return to our old slavery again Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherein Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again in the yoke of bondage Especially that chief part of freedom from the dominion of sin Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof And the 14 verse For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace SERMON IV. ROM VIII 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh HERE the Apostle explaineth himself and sheweth how the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth make us free from the law of sin and death In the words observe three things 1. The deep necessity of mankind For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh. 2. The means of our deliverance or Gods merciful provision for our relief The means are two First Christs incarnation Secondly His Passion 1. His incarnation in these Words and God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh 2. His Passion and for sin or by a Sacrifice for Sin 3. The end or benefit accruing to us thereby Condemned Sinint he Flesh. Doct. from the whole That when man could by no means be freed from Sin and Death God sent his Son to be a sacrifice for sin that our liberty might be fully accomplished The Apostles method is best I shall therefore follow that 1. The deep necessity of mankind is argued and made out by this reason That it was impossible for the Law to do away Sin and justifie man before God so he saith For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh That is through the corruption of our natures we being Sinners and unable to perform the Duty of the Law To understand the force of this reason take these considerations 1. That it was necessary in respect of Gods purpose and decree that we should be freed from Sin and Death For God would not have mankind utterly to perish having chosen some to Salvation and Repentance and so leaving others without excuse therefore the strict Judgment of the Law is debated upon this Argument Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And again Psal. 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity Lord who shall stand According to the first Covenant none can escape Condemnation now this consisted not with the purposes of the Lords Grace who would not lose the whole Creation of mankind God hath shewed himself placable and merciful to all men and hath forbidden despair and continued many forfeited mercies and did not presently upon Sinning put us in our everlasting estate as he did the fallen Angels but rather is upon a Treaty with us 2. God resolving to restore and recover some of mankind it must be by the old way of the Law or by some other course The old way of the Law claimeth the first respect and precedence of consideration for take away Christ and the Gospel nothing more divine and perfect was given to man than the Law this was first intended by God for that end as the Scriptures every where witness and God will not depart from his own institutions without evident necessity for he doth nothing in vain or without necessary cause and reason Gal. 3.21 If there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness had been by the Law God would have gone no further than his first transaction with man Again 't is said Gal. 2.21 If righteousness had been by the Law then Christ is dead in vain If there had been any other way possible in Heaven or in earth than the death of Christ by which the salvation of lost sinners could have been brought about Christ would not have died no our disease was desperate as to any other way of cure before this great Physitian took our case in hand Christ is of no use till our wound be found incurable and all other help in vain 3. The Law coming first into consideration as our remedy its impossibility to justifie and give life needs to be sufficiently demonstrated for till we are dead to the law we shall but carelesly seek after the Grace of God in Jesâ—s Christ therefore doth the Scripture travel so much in this point and sheweth us we must not only be dead to sin and dead to the world but dead to the law before we can live unto God Gal. 2.19 I through the law am dead to the law that I may live unto God and again Rom. 7.4 Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye may be married to another even to him that was raised from the dead that ye may bring forth fruit to God These two places shew the means how we become dead
to the law partly through the law requiring a righteousness so exact and full in order to life as the corrupt estate of man cannot afford partly by the body of Christ introducing a better hope that is his crucified body which is the foundation of the new Covenant besides Paul argueth this that the law doth only discover sin but cannot abolish it but doth increase it rather it bindeth over to death and therefore cannot free from death and so to fallen man 't is a law of sin and death and then answereth the Objections that might be brought against this Is therefore the law sin God forbid Rom. 7.7 and verse 10. The commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death and so was a law of death and working wrath and all not because of any defect in Gods institution but the weakness of our flesh that is the corruption of our nature nature being depraved cannot fulfil it or yield perfect obedience to it Once more 't is said Acts 10.39 By him all that believe are justified by the law of Moses The Law of Moses was either the ceremonial law All the oblations and Sacrifices the washings and the offerings then required could not take away sin for they were but shadows and figures of what was to come Heb. 9.9 They were figures which could not make him that did the service perfect as appertaining to the conscience and again Heb. 10.1 4. They were shadows of good things to come and it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins They might obtain some temporal blessings or remove some temporal judgments as they obeyed God in them but did little as to the ease of the soul as it was conscious of sin or under fears of the eternal punishment they that looked beyond them to the Messiah to come with an humble and penitent heart might have their consciences cleansed from dead works Every effect must have a cause sufficient to produce it The blood of bulls and goats was no such cause had no such vertue the effect was far above it there was a more precious blood signified and shadowed out thereby that could do it indeed Or secondly the moral law given by Moses partly because we cannot keep it of our selves and the best works that the regenerate perform are so imperfect and mixed with so many infirmities and defects that they stand in need of pardon Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all of us Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 and partly because they cannot fatisfie for the least sin whereby the Infinite Majesty of God is provoked This is only spoken to shew why the Scriptures do so often speak of the weakness of the Law and how impossible it is the Law should give us life that we may wholly be driven to Christ. 4. The utter impotency of the Law to produce this effect may be known by these two Things which are necessary to salvation Justification and Sanctification The Law can give neither of these 1. It cannot give us Justification unto life the Law promiseth no good to sinners but only to those that keep and observe it he that doth them shall live in them Do and live sin and die this is the voice of the law that was a way whereby an innocent person might be saved but not how a sinner might be saved The Law considered us as innocent and required us to continue so Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of the law to do them Gal. 3.20 But alas all we have broken with God Rom. 3.23 We have all sinned and are come short of the glory of God The Gospel considereth us in this sinful estate and therefore it promiseth remission and requireth repentance both the priviledg and the duty concern our recovery to God Secondly If the law could be fulfilled for the future past sins would take away all hope of reward by the law for the paying of new debts would not quit old scores what satisfaction shall be given for those Transgressions let me express it thus the paying of what we owe will not make amends for what we have stolen we have robbed God of his Glory and Honour tho for the future we should be obedient to him yet who shall restore that we have taken away Or satisfie for the wrong done to Gods Justice Thirdly The law had no power of taking away of sin but only of punishing of sin as it threatned death to the sinner but how we should escape this death it told us not being all shut up under sin we are shut up under wrath and there is no escape but by Jesus Christ. 2. It cannot give us sanctification It calleth for duty and puts in mind of it but giveth no strength to perform it for being corrupted within we are little wrought upon by a law without to which our hearts stand in such enmity and contrariety but let me prove it by two Arguments 1. They that did not keep themselves in innocency cannot recover their integrity now 't is lost 'T is easier to preserve life than to restore it when once dead any fool may open the Flood gates but when once the waters are broken in who can recall them Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one that is who can purifie his heart when 't is once defiled with sin This is an evil not to be remedied by instruction but inclination 2. Suppose they could recover themselves they would soon lose it again As Adam gave out at the first assault so we would be every moment breaking with God the sure estate and the everlasting Covenant is provided for us by Christ and our condition by Grace is more stable God by Christ hath ingaged his faithfulness to give us necessary and effectual grace to preserve the new life 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called Austin compareth the state of Job and Adam Job was more happy in his misery than Adam in innocency he was victorious on the Dunghil when the other was defeated on the Throne he received no evil counsel from his wife when the first Woman seduced Adam he by grace despised the assaults of Satan when the other suffered himself to be worsted at the first temptation he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his sorrows when the other lost his innocency in paradise So much better is it to stand by the Grace of Christ than our own free will the broken vessel being cemented again is strongest in the crack Well then you see that our misery is such that God only can help us by some new treaty of relief and therefore let us see what God hath done for us Secondly The means of our deliverance they are tvvo his Incarnation and Passion 1. His Incarnation He sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh let me first open the words Secondly shew what benefit we have
find out a ransome for us The Goodness of God that he sent his own Son The Power of God that by this means the guilt and power of sin with all the consequents of it are dissolved 3. VSE is Direction in the Lords Supper First here is the flesh of Christ which is food for souls John 6.51 The bread that I shall give is my flesh which I shall give for the life of the world In it he hath purchased grace and pardon of sin which are the foundations of Immortality 2. The Lords Supper is a feast on a sacrifice a commemoration of Christs sin-offering or a standing memorial of his Passion a Table spread for us in the sight of our enemies how must we be conversant about it as the Jews about the sacrifices First there is required an humble broken and contrite heart confessing our sins Psal. 46.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Secondly sensible thankful and comfortable owning of Gods love in Christ. When they had eaten the Passover they were to rejoice before the Lord Deut. 16.11 So should we after this feast prepared by God to feed and nourish our souls to eternal life SERMON V. ROM VIII 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit HERE is the second end of our deliverance by Christ That we might have Grace to keep the Law of God The first was That sin might be condemned in the flesh In the words we have 1. A Benefit 2. The persons that receive it First the Benefit That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us How is this to be understood of Justification or Sanctification They that expound it in the former way make this the sense That Christ's active Obedience or fulfilling the Law might be imputed and reckoned to us as if done by us But I cannot like this Interpretation First because 't is contrary to the Apostle's scope who speaketh not of Christ's active obedience but the fruits of his Death or his being made a 〈◊〉 Offering for us Secondly the words will not bear it For the Apostle doth not say that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled for us but fulfilled in us Thirdly the Doctrine its self is not 〈◊〉 unless rightly interpreted For tho God upon the account of Christ's passive obedience and satisfaction doth forgive our sins and his active obedience as well as his passive is the meritorious cause of our Justification as being a part of his Humiliation yet that cannot be said to be fulfilled in us which was done by Christ for God cannot be mistaken and reckon us to fulfil the Law which we have not and will not lie and say we did it when we did it not 'T is enough to say Christ obeyed and suffered for our sakes so as we might have the fruit and benefit of it Fourthly the Consequent is pernicious to say the Law is fulfilled in us as obeyed by Christ for then we needed not to fulfil it our selves 't is done to our hands already and needeth only to be imputed to us by Faith but Christ who suffered that we might not suffer yet did not obey that we might not obey but his Obedience being part of his Humiliation is an Ingredient into his satisfaction for our sins Christ fulfilled all righteousness and suffered that our imperfection of obedience might not be our ruin 2. It must be meant then of Sanctification That by the merit of Christ's Death we are freed not only from the Guilt but Tyranny of sin that we might obtain Grace to obey the Law or live holily which will appear by the answering of Two Questions 1. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the righteousness of the Law I answer the Duty which the Law requireth or any thing which God seeth fit to command his people The Law is holy just and good and certainly was not given in vain but to be a Rule to Believers in Christ. 2. How is it fulfilled in us For there is the difficulty that pincheth Can we fulfil the righteousness of the Law The Law may be said to be fulfilled Two ways 1. Legally as a Covenant of Works 2. Evangelically as the Rule of Obedience 1. Legally No man that was once a sinner and is still a sinner can possibly fulfil the Law for he cannot be a sinner and no sinner at the same time nor fulfil the Law to a tittle He that hath broken with God cannot continue to be innocent and he that hath flesh and spirit in him cannot be absolutely perfect That was determined before ver 3. what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh and this is directly opposed to that 2. Evangelically And so the Law can and may be kept or fulfilled sincerely tho not perfectly The prevalency of the better part constituteth our sincerity Justified Souls have flesh and spirit but they walk after the spirit The mixture of infirmities sheweth it is not done perfectly for the corrupt Principle hath some influence yet not a prevailing influence and God counteth that as done which is sincerely done Rom. 13.8 He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law And Gal. 6.2 and so fulfilling the law of Christ And Gal. 5.14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self So the Apostle supposeth the Gentiles might in a Gospel-manner fulfil the Law Rom. 2.27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfil the law judg thee who by the letter and circumcision doest transgress the law So that in our measure we do fulfil the Law by the Grace of Christ not perfectly for he supposeth them to have flesh or sin in them but sincerely as they obey the inclinations of the better part Walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Doct. That Christ was made a Sin Offering for us that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us I shall prove it by these Considerations 1. That Christ came not only to redeem us from wrath but also to renew and heal our Natures 2. That our Natures being renewed and healed we are to walk in newness of life according to the directions of the Law of God 1. That Christ came not only to redeem us from wrath but to renew and sanctify us I prove it 1. From the conâ—tant drift and tenor of the Scriptures From his Nature and Office Mat. 1.21 He shâ—ll be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Denominatio est a potioribus From his chief work which is to save his people from the guilt and power of sin Guilt inferreth damnation which is the evil after sin but he hath his Name from saving us from the evil of sin its self For the great promise made to Abraham was in that Gen. 12.3 In thy seed shall all
as we list without Law and Rule He came to restore us to obedience to bring us back again in heart and life to God Luke 1.75 He hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives To this end tended his Doctrine I came not to destroy the law but to fulfil it Matth. 5.17 His example He came to do what God had commanded and to teach us to do the same Matth. 3.15 For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness and Heb. 58.9 Tho he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him 2. Christ dispenseth by vertue of his merit regeneration or the spirit of holiness that all new creatures might voluntarily keep this law tho not in absolute perfection yet by sincere obedience This Grace is dispensed to put us into a capacity of loving pleasing and obeying God this is that he promiseth in the new covenant Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them so Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts He doth not say I will prepare them another law as if the old law of God were to be abandoned and abolished and some other precepts substituted in their Room no but to make them conformable to it in heart and life the new man is created after God for this end and purpose Eph. 4.24 fitted to obey the law so that the great Blessing of the Gospel is Grace to keep the law 3. None enter into the Gospel State but those that intirely and readily give up themselves to do the will of God and therefore none can have benefit by the sin-offering and satifaction of Christ but those that consent to return to the duty of the law and live in obedience to God Surely God never pardoneth any while they are in Rebellion and live under the full power and dominion of sin no they must consent to forsake and return to the Allegiance due to their proper Lord. This is evident for the way of entring into the new covenant is by Faith and Repentance and Repentance is nothing else but a sincere purpose of new obedience or living according to the will and law of God 'T is defined to be a breaking off of sin Dan. 4.27 and therefore the Scripture runs in this strain Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to me saith the Lord and I will abundantly pardon and Isa. 1.16 Wash you make you clean and then tho your sins were as scarlet they shall be as white as snow The least that can be gathered from these places is That a serious vow and thorough resolution of new obedience is necessary to begin our interest in the Grace of the new covenant 4. The more we fulfill our covenant vow and resolution by obeying the law our right is the more clear and evident and more confirmed to us our participation of the blessings of the Gospel is more full and our comfort more strong Psal. 119.165 Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them and Gal. 6.16 as many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them God loveth us the more the more we obey his law 'T is holiness maketh us more amiable in his eyes and the Objects of his delight God loveth us as sanctified rather than pardoned we love him as pardoning and forgiving so great a debt to us but he delights in holiness or the impress of his own image upon us Prov. 11.20 The upright in the way are his delight When the spirit hath renewed us according to the Image of God we are made objects of his complacency now we know Gods love by the effects and therefore the more we act and draw forth this grace the more God rewardeth our obedience with the sense of his love and the comforts of his Spirit The sum of all Religion is to love God and to be beloved of him to love him and obey him is our work and to be beloved of him is our reward and happiness Now the one followeth the other John 14.22 23. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said unto him if a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As we increase in Holiness and Obedience we increase in the Favour of God 1. VSE is Information it informeth us of several important truths 1. That the law is a law of perfect purity and holiness for he speaketh here of the righteousness of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so David Psal. 119.140 Thy law is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it and Psal. 19.8 The commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the eyes It must needs be so if we consider the Author of it God himself and every thing that hath passed his hand hath his Character and Impress upon it 't is a law not only fit for us to receive but for God to give 't is the copy of his holiness It is all one with the image of God which man had in innocency now the image of God consisted in righteousness and true holiness Adams Principle of Obedience was also his law and rule he had that written upon his heart which was afterwards written upon tables of stone and therefore if a man would cleanse his heart and way he must study the Word of God Psal. 119.9 By what means may a young man cleanse his wâ—y by taking heed thereunto according to thy word 'T is not guide his way but cleanse his way for even the youngest are defiled Mans heart naturally is a sink of sin and there is no way to make his heart clean and his way clean but by taking Gods counsel in his Word A young man that is in the heat and strength of his lusts may learn there how to be purified and cleansed 2. That this law standeth in force We are freed from the condemning but not from the directing power thereof but it always remaineth as a rule of our new obedience Surely 't is in force now for there is no liberty given to men to live in sin God will not spare his people when they transgress it by scandalous or hainous sin Prov. 1.31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Tho they be the dearly beloved of his soul the eternal punishment shall not be inflicted upon them yet they shall smart for the breaches of his law On the other side they find much incouragement comfort and peace when they set
themselvs exactly to keep it they can from experience speak much of the gracious reward of obedience Psal. 119.56 This I had because I kept thy precepts Yea in the state of Heavenly Glory the law as purely moral is still in force for we are everlastingly bound to love God and one another 3. That the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us I prove it by this Argument One of these Three Things we must say Either first that no obedience is now necessary to Salvation or that the perfect obedience is still necessary or some measure of obedience to the law by the ordinary aids of Grace vouchsafed to us in the new Covenant is possible and sufficient The first we cannot say for then there would be no necessity of new obedience or holiness But the Scripture condemneth that every where shewing us that we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Eph. 2.10 and purified to be a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 The second we cannot say that a whole perpetual perfect personal obedience to the law is still necessary for then there would be no hope for them that cannot perfectly fulfil the law which no man living can do Psal. 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Therefore the Third Thing we must say That there is such a Measure of obedience necessary as is sufficient to salvation and possible by grace and they that attain to it the Scripture pronounceth them blessed Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it and John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are you if you do them 4. That the righteousness of the law not only can but must be fulfilled in us or else we are yet in our sins and have no portion and interest in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature And a new creature must have a new conversation for all old things are passed away and all things are become new They are inabled in some measure to fulfil the law of God Christ being the Lawgiver of the Church or renewed state of mankind hath set down the terms of life and death to his terms we must stand or fall now he is the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Therefore every one that would be delivered from wrath to come must look after holiness and obey God according to his will declared in his law Certainly Christ died not to purchase an indulgence for us to live in sin the law hath not its right it looketh like a law given in vain if it be not obeyed 5. This fulfilling of the righteousness of the law is wrought in us by the spirit as the fruit of Christs purchase this real solid Righteousness is wrought in our hearts by the operation of the Spirit For those that have it are described to be Those that walk after the spirit and not after the flesh Therefore do not resist his work nor grieve the spirit of Christ nor quench his motions when he cometh to work it in you but submit to all his healing methods And this spirit we have from Christ as the fruit of his sin-offering Titus 3.5 6. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy-Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour He obtained that Grace whereby we may keep the law having satisfied for us as a Mediator he becometh an Author and Fountain of Life Upon him must you depend and to him must you look for it 2. VSE â—s Reproof to two sorts of People 1. To the carnal World who think that the Children of God are too strict and precise and make more a-do about Salvation than needs Certainly if we consider the tenor of God's Law and the exactness of Divine Justice what Rule and Law we must live by and to whom we must give an account the best of God's Children do no more than needeth as the wise Virgins could not spare one jot of their Oyl Mat. 25.9 Not so lest there be not enough for us and you David admireth the brightness of the Sun first and then the purity of the Law and how doth he close up that Meditation See Psal. 19.12 Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret sins 2. Professing Christians are also to be reproved for that lazy and cowardly spirit that is in them and because they are so impotent and feeble and backward to their duty By their backwardness they wrong the Law for they do not give it its due Christ hath indeed freed us from the curse of the Law but not from the obedience of it And by this feeble and dastardly Spirit they wrong the Grace of the Redeemer and the New Covenant Obedience to the Law is most strongly enforced out of the Grace of the Gospel for thereby we are enabled to perform it Christ did not only fulfil the Law for us but doth also fulfil it in us by his Spirit and shall we after such provision sit down lazily and be discouraged with every difficulty and have our resolutions broken with every assault of temptation Men spare their pains and do not improve the Grace offered and then cry out they are weak and unable This is like lazy Beggars that personate and act Diseases because they would not work Set your hearts thoroughly to obey God and see what he will do for you VSE 3. If this were the end of Christ's coming and dying then let us be exhorted to seek after sanctifications by the Spirit of Christ. 1. This is one part of our salvation as well as remission of sins We often consider Christ as dying for our pardon we should as much consider him as dying to renew and heal our Natures that we may be recovered to our obedience to God to crucifie the Old Man to give us the Spirit of Holiness Surely he is made sanctification to us as well as righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption If Christ should abolish wrath and let alone sin it were to take away the lesser evil that the greater may remain 2. It is not only part of our deliverance but the better part Pardon giveth us an exemption from punishment but sanctification giveth us freedom from a corrupt heart Surely sin is worse than pain a moral evil is worse than a natural evil vice than misery Once more By holiness we more resemble God for holiness and goodness is his very Nature 1 Pet. 1.4 He hath given us precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature 3. Holiness is a means to the rest Pardon and life are the great blessings of the Covenant Now there is no
all the content and happiness belonging to such an estate Now of this the objection may be supposed to speak namely as we are without misery in an endless state of blessedness both as to our souls and bodies Now this is a matter of faith and therefore cannot be the fuel of hypocrisie temporal convenience may be such as credit reputation and respect in the world are and therefore this we labour for and aim at 2. We must distinguish between ratio formalis ratio motiva our first motions and inducements and the formal and proper reasons of our love to God we first love God for his benefits and they are still motives to quicken and increase our love but afterwards we love and delight in him for his excellencies both essential and moral the perfection of his Being and Holiness That which first draweth our hearts to God in his benignity and bounty his offers of pardon and life and we must look at those or we shall never begin with God but afterwards we love him upon other reasons and Holiness its self hath our heart and love To bring it to the case in hand That hatred is most pure which is carried out against sin as sin because of the contrariety that is in it against the Pure and Holy Nature and Law of God Psal. 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it And so by consequence to hate sin as 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of this pure and righteous law but this is not our first nor only motive of our obedience and thankfulness to God Surely what things were necessary to preserve man in his natural frame are necessary to reduce and bring him back again into it and to preserve him in it when once reduced such were penalties and rewards life and death yea much more now the enemy hath invaded us Therefore besides the inclination of the new nature which carrieth us to God and Holiness and Heaven our happiness well-being and personnal benefit are good and powerful motives 4. There is a threefold use of the reward of life in this work of mortification 1. To quicken a backward heart which hangeth off because we are loath to come under so severe a discipline Sorrow for sin is troublesom to the flesh but the reward sweetneth it A carnal man thinketh that if he should give up himself to this course he shall never see merry day more and grow mopish and melancholly Now when the flesh paints out the spiritual life in such black and dark lineaments 't is good to reflect upon the Glorious life that shall ensue There is some difficulty at first though not so much as the flesh imagineth but it will turn to eternal life and peace Christ keepeth the best at last Satan may set out his best commodities at first but the worst come after Christ may begin with you roughly but the longer you are acquainted with him the better When you come to die you will not repent that you have not pleased the flesh and satisfied your carnal desires 'T is good to consider what things will be at the end either of the carnal or spiritual life The Devil seeketh to glut men in their best days with the sweetest pleasures and contentments but at last oh the misery the shame the horrour Therefore 't is good to reflect upon the issue of things that we may not stand off from God consider not what they are now but what they will be hereafter 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of Many have repented of their carnal mirth never any of their godly sorrow 2. In your conflict to baffle a temptation Heaven and Hell should always be before the eyes of a watchful Christian but especially in actual conflicts that you may declare your higher esteem of your hopes than all the baits that are presented to you in the temptation God hath promised better things Moses counterballanced the pleasures of sin with the recompence of reward Heb. 11.25 26. The Devil offereth you to your loss the glory set before you doth outweigh all 3. To put us upon a conformity and greater suitableness to our hopes 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure I hope for such a pure estate shall I allow either stains in my soul or spots and blemishes in my conversation 2 Pet. 3.14 Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless They do not look for such things that are not careful to clarify and refine their souls for the present Fourthly I shall shew the sufficiency and powerfulness of this motive 1. Because of the certainty of this life promised Surely there is a life after this life is ended Nature guesseth at it but Christ hath brought it to light 2 Tim. 1.10 The Scripture revealeth it as the great benefit promised by Christ 1 John 2.25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life it argueth for it 1 Cor. 15.19 And if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable God would not proselite us to a religion that should be our undoing and make us more miserable than other men by a voluntary denying of the pleasures of the flesh and exposing us to sufferings from others it giveth us a visible demonstration of it by Christs resurrection and ascension He is gone into that Glory which he spake of 1 Pet. 1.2 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory Gods expressions about it are strong and clear but our perswasions of it are too weak or else a small contentment would not so often perswade us from our duty Surely we doubt of the reallity of the world to come or else we would be sooner perswaded to curb the flesh and restrain its desires and wean our selves from a vain world that we may be prepared for a better 2. The excellency of this life above all other lives that may be compared with it 1. With life natural so 't is a Glorious life and ' its eternal First a glorious life for we live immediately upon God who is all in all to us not only the soul but the body is incorruptible and spiritual The contentments of the present life are base and low 't is called the life of our hands Isa. 25.10 Because with much labour we get the provisions necessary to supply it 'T is a life patched up by the creatures we have our cloathing from the sheep and Silk-worm our food out of the earth or things nourished by the earth We are forced to ransack all the store-houses of nature that we may keep up a ruinous fabrick which is ready to drop down upon all accasions 1 Cor. 6.13 Meats is for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it
of the Gospel he urgeth this Argument 2 Tim 1.7 8. For we have not received the spirit of fear but the spirit of love and power and of a sound mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a poor cowardly dasterdly spirit mated or overcome with every difficulty but now a spirit confirmed in the love of God and the faith and hope of the Gospel is a fruit of power and fortitude the righteous is as bold as a Lion Pro. 28. 1. Dan. 3.17 18. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king but if not be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up and Rom. 8.37 38. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. It hindreth the readiness and chearfulness of our service and crippleth our endeavours The sloathful servant was affraid Luke 19.21 22. when we do not know whether we shall please or be accepted or no 't is a very discouraging thing and we drive on heavily when nothing appears to us but fear but love maketh a willing people 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 4. It resisteth sin unwillingly we had rather let it alone than go about it the mortifying of lust is like the cutting off of an Arm with a rusty Saw rather let go any thing than sin but grace furnisheth us with the most powerful arguments For means 1. Cherish good thoughts of God the spirit of bondage is increased upon us by unreasonable fears and jealousies of God the Lord is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 his commands are not greivous Matt. 11.30 My yoke is easy and my burden is light The tryals sent us by him are not above measure nor beyond strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able Nor his punishments above deserving Neh. 9.13 thou hast punished us less then than we deserved he is not hard to be pleased nor inexorable upon our infirmities Mal. 3.17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 2. Study the nature and constitution of the Gospel which maketh rich preparation of Grace Help and Comfort for you this is Gods Act of Oblivion which easeth you of your troubles for here God promiseth to blot out your transgressions and remember your sins no more this is a Sanctuary and Refuge for your distressed souls to fly unto when pursued by the laws curse the Charter of your hopes or the word of salvation which secureth you aginst the laws curse or the fears of the damnation of Hell the law is good as a rule of duty but the Gospel is glorious 2 Tim. 1.8 11. In short Your souls will never sit easie within you till you resolve not to seek for that in the law which is only to be found in the Gospel peace of Conscience and Reconciliation with God The law can only save the innocent but the Gospel pardoneth the penitent sinner Look not for that in self which is only to be found in Christ a perfect Righteousness and Merit to appease Gods Justice and propitiate him to us this is only by the Blood and Obedience of Christ never look for that on earth which is only to be had in Heaven which is exact and unspotted holiness Jude 21. Then we are presented faultless in his presence 3. An hearty and sincere love to God 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love for perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment and he that feareth is not made perfect in love He speaketh not of a childlike Reverence of the Divine Majesty or a carefulness not to displease him but of slavish fear of Condemnation which is the life and soul of many mens Religion but they are never soundly converted till God hath their hearts that is their love Now this strong and fervent love arising from faith in Christ driveth and forceth this tormenting fear out of the heart and will never be affraid of him whom they love and on the other side will not love him whom they look upon as ready to condemn them and cast them into Hell Surely God will never damn the soul that loveth him therefore if we would get rid of the fear of wrath or hell let us love God with our highest and best affections we have reason to love him if we consider the wonder of his love and good will to sinners manifested to us in and by Jesus Christ. 4. Live holily and obey the motions of the sanctifying spirit We deprive our selves of comfort by falling into sin the more the spirit is a Sanctifier the more a Comforter Holiness breedeth a generous confidence 1 John 3.2 Behold now we are the Sons of God Gal. 5.18 But if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law If we are not watchful against sin our bondage returneth therefore David saith Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit The Holy Spirit withdraweth and suspendeth his comforts when we walk vainly and loosely then we cannot serve God with any delight and readiness of mind 't is not a free spirit but a servile that then governeth us and influenceth our actions SERMON XXIII ROM VIII 15 But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father IN the Words we have 1. A Priviledg Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption 2. One special fruit and effect of it Whereby we cry Abba Father In setting down the effect the change is emphatical ye received we cry He includeth himself and puts in his own name together with theirs to shew that it is a Priviledg common to all that receive the New Testament the meanest and least of Gods Children have an affectionate and childlike way of praying unto God Doct. That the spirit which we receive under the new Covenant dispensation is a spirit of Adoption I shall explain these Five Things 1. The state of Adoption which we obtain under the New Testament 2. The spirit of Adoption consequent thereupon 3. Whether all that live under the New Testament Dispensation have the spirit of Adoption 4. Whether all that have it know it 5. The reasons why this is the fruit of the new Covenant Dispensation 1. What is the state of Adoption Our admission into Gods family that he will be a Father to us and we shall be his children 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons
on the heart Man seeth things slightly and superficially and judges of all things according to the shew and outside for his sight can pierce no deeper But God searcheth the heart and reins knoweth who is and will continue to be a faithful instrument of his glory 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts A man cannot sincerely frame himself to the service of God unless he doth first believe him to know all things even our very thoughts yea the imaginations of the thoughts the first motions of the soul which set on men to do what they do so Prov. 15.11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the children of men He compareth two things which are most unknown to us The state of the dead and the hearts of men God knoweth all those that are in Sheol the state of the dead though they are unknown or forgotten by the most of men we know not what is become of the bodies or souls of men the number of the damned or the blessed But God keepeth an exact account of all he knoweth where their souls are and their bodies also what is become of their dust and how to restore to every one their own flesh And as he knoweth who are in the state of the dead so what are the thoughts and hearts of men now alive The thoughts of the heart are hidden from us till they be revealed by word or action Who can know our thoughts What more swift and sudden What more various What more hidden than our thoughts yet he knoweth them not by guess or interpretation but by immediate inspection he seeth them before they are manifested by any overt-act he knoweth with what hopes and confidences and aims we are carried on in whose name we act and upon what principles and ends Again Jer. 17.9 10. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked Who can know it I the Lord search the heart and try the reins even to give every man according to his wayes and according to his doings The heart of man is altogether unknown to others and very hard and difficult to be discovered by our selves there are so many slights and shifts and circuits and turnings to conceal and colour our actions But there is no beguiling of God who hath an eye to discover the most secret motions and inward intentions and will accordingly deal with men according to their deserts But the Scripture doth not only assert but argue this point 1. From the Immensity and greatness of God God is in all and above all and beyond all no where included no where excluded And so his Omnipresence doth establish the belief of his Omnisciency Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar off do not I fill heaven and earth can any hide himself where I shalt not see him God is every where here where you are nearer and more intrinsick to us than our very souls Therefore all we think speak or do is better known to him than it is to our selves We do all as in his sight speak all as in his hearing think all as in his presence that which can be absent is not God you may be far from him but he is not far from every one of you 2. From Creation He hath made our hearts and therefore knoweth our hearts Psal. 94.9 10. He that planted the ear shall no he hear he that formed the eye shall not he see surely he that made man knoweth what is in man and observeth what they do The same Argument is urged Psal. 139.13 Thou hast possessed my reins for thou hast covered me in my mothers womb And again Psal. 33.15 He fashioneth their hearts alike he considereth all their thoughts He that hath so much wisdom to give you the power to think knoweth the acts if he hath given knowledge to the Creatures He himself hath it in a more eminent degree nothing can be concealed from him who hath Creating power As he hath Created all alike he is able to discern them severally one by one and to understand all the operations of their very hearts 3. From Gods government which is twofold First Powerful by his effectual providence as he governeth all Creatures Secondly Moral by his laws as he governeth the reasonable Creature Both infer the point in hand 1. The government of his effectual providence which is necessary to all our actions for in him we live move and have our being Acts 17.28 all things move as he moveth them in their natural agency the Creature can do nothing without him and actually doth all things by him his wisdom guideth his will intendeth his power moveth and disposeth all This is urged Psal. 139.10 His hand leadeth us his right hand holdeth us up whereever we go That is we are still supported by his providential influence and therefore we cannot be hidden from him doth God support a Creature whom he knoweth not in an action he understandeth not therefore he is not regardless of thy thoughts words and ways 2. His moral government He hath given a law to the reasonable Creature and he will take an account whether it be kept or broken And therefore since all persons and causes are to be judged by him He doth perfectly understand them and every one of us is clearly and fully known to God both as to our hearts and actions or else He were uncapable to judg us This is often urged Psal. 94.10 He that chastiseth the Nations shall not he correct He that teacheth men knowledge shall not he know He that giveth laws to men demandeth exact obedience to these precepts and will chastise and punish mens disobedience So Heb. 4.13 All things are naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do that is in the judgment 2. That they that would worship God aright had need be deeply possessed with this 1. From the nature of worship in general which is a Converse with God or a setting our selves immediately before the Lord. In solemn duties we come to act the part of Angels and to behold the face of our Heavenly Father As in prayer we come to speak to God and in the word we come to hear God speak to us in the Lord's Supper to be feasted at his Table God is every where with us but we are not always and every where with God We profess to be with him when we come to worship to turn back upon all other things that we may stand before the Throne of God Prayer is the most familiar converse with God that we are capable of while we dwell in flesh called therefore a visiting of God and an acquainting our selves with him a drawing nigh to him a calling upon God 'T is unnecessary to cite places Now none of
IV. That this sure Confidence of our own right in it and future possession of it doth fortify the Soul against all the difficulties dangers and pressures of the present life yea against Death itself This last Proposition I am now to make good And First I shall speak of the sure and certain confidence Secondly Of the force and strength of it 1. The Confidence is two-fold Of the Thing and of the Person 1. Of the certainty of the thing itself 2. Of our own right in it and future possession of it 1. Of the Certainty of the thing itself For till that be rooted in the Soul it will have no predominancy in controlling commanding the passions affections Now of the thing itself all true Christians have and should a certain and infallible knowledge not a may be not a bare possibility 'T is not enough to say it's possible there may be an Heaven and happiness hereafter But 't is certain I know 't is as true as the Word of God is true 't is as true as if I saw it with my eyes as true as the things which I daily see Acts 24.14 15. I believe all things saith Paul which are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God which they themselves allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Just and Vnjust This is no doubtful thing to a Believer by the Word of God 't is more sure than if there were a message sent from the dead for if Men do not regard what is in Moses and the Prophets they would not regard what one saith to them who cometh from the dead Luke 16.30 31. If one should come from Hell in flaming Garments or from Heaven with all the Brightness and Glory which all the blessed Saints might be thought to appear in there were not a greater Credibility in these Visions and apparitions that what is commonly offered in the Scriptures Why How cometh the believer to have such a prospect into an unknown world to be so sure and certain I answer Partly the internal grace of Gods Spirit opening the eyes of his mind to see the truth and worth of things to come Eph. 1.17 18. And partly by the promise of God in his Word confirmed by his oath and that giveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.17 18. Strong consolation And the seal of Miracles Heb. 3.4 And fulfilled prophecies 2 Pet. 1.19 with 16 17 18. The Old Testament foretold the Kingdom of the Messiah and the previledges thereof long before it came to pass A transient voice is more easily mistaken and forgotten than a standing Authentick Record as Samuel thought Eli spake when the Lord first revealed his word unto him and so offereth a more sure ground for our faith to rest upon than a voice from Heaven could be Besides this word of promise beareth Gods Image and superscription as every thing doth which hath past his hand even to a gâ—at and pile of grass and so shineth to us by its own light if man were not strangely depraved and corrupted by vile affections 2 Cor. 4.2 3 4. By the manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience For if our Gospel be hid it is hid to those that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them The Truth of its self commandeth its own respect if men were not strangely perverted and infatuated they would see it cure the faculty and the object is clear enough and would evidence it self As the Sun is seen by its own light Besides this offer of pardon and life by Christ hath been Blessed by God to the conversion of many Souls in all places and throughout all succession of Ages Col. 1.6 The word is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in Truth That word which bringeth forth the fruits of an holy life in all those that heard of it and received it is the very Truth of God Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy word is Truth In the first Age Christ did swiftly drive on the Chariot of the Gospel for within a few years after his death in all the parts of the world it obtained its effect and since it hath held up its head against all encounters of time and therefore we may safely venture our eternal interests on this bottom and build upon the promise of eternal life given us by Christ. Besides God hath given the Spirit which is Gods earnest sealing us up to the day of finall Redemption 2 Cor. 1.22 and 2 Cor. 5.5 and Eph. 1.13 14. Now the Spirit first confirmeth the Scripture before it confirmeth our particular interest and its joys being dispensed to the most holy men in their most sober severest moods cannot be a phantastical impression but doth convince us of the reality and excellency of the unseen Glory And therefore upon all these grounds a believer is confident We know there is a Blessed state reserved in the Heavens for all that believe in Christ and Love God We do not build upon the promise of a deceitful man but upon the word of the everliving God and hence ariseth the strength of our comfort Our interest is a thing rather supposed than apparently asserted and pleaded in Scripture and if men did not leap into faith by the advantage of their Baptism and education rather than take it up solid and certain evidence there would not be such ado about it As fire well kindled of its self bursts out into a flame SO if we did believe these things more firmly our joy would soon be full 1 Joh. 1.4 These things write we unto you that your joy may be full As if the certainty of religion well apprehended would soon make way for Joy And full Joy 2dly The certainty of the person We know that we have a present right and shall have a future possession The certainty of the thing it self dependeth upon the promise of God who is able to give it and hath decreed so to do And to that end hath signified his purpose and confirmed his promise by an oath yet because the promise requireth a qualification and performance of duty in the person to whom the promise is made therefore before we can be certain of our own interest we must not only perform the duty and have the qualification but we must certainly know that we have done that which the promise requireth and are duly qualified and then our Title to Heaven is incomparably more sure than any man's Title to his possessions and inheritance here upon Earth Therefore I shall here first shew What are the qualifications of those who shall have this Blessed Estate Secondly The several degrees of certainty
about our interest Thirdly What reasons there are why we should attend upon this work with all diligence that we may come to a full confidence 1. What are the qualifications of those who shall have this Blessed Estate 'T is the most Important Question which we can put to our Souls Psal. 24. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord And who shall stand in his Holy Place Who shall be admitted into the place of his special residence I anwer 1. Sometimes they are described by their faith in Christ As Joh. 11.25 26. He that believeth and liveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye or not dye for ever as the word may be rendred The true believer that so believeth in Christ that he liveth in him that is who hath accepted of Gods Covenant and is become Christs disciple observing his strict spiritual laws and running all hazards for his sake united to Christ so as to live in him Bodily death shall not extinguish the life which is begun and maintained by faith in Christ Joh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day This is Gods express will The poor sinner needeth not doubt of it if you do see the Son and believe on him that is see him and know him Spiritually see him in the light of the Spirit Heretofore men saw him bodily and had no benefit And now many see him in the Common report and Tradition by the light of humane credulity that have no benefit by him But those that see him in the Promise have a Right and Title that see him so as to see beauty in him that they can trample upon all things as Dung and Dross renounce themselves and all worldly and fleshly lusts and flee to him as their All-sufficient Saviour and can venture their Souls in his hand and give up themselves to keep his Commandments and abide in his Love In short those who so believe in him as to live in him and to him 2dly They are described to be new Creatures or the sanctified Joh. 3.3 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And again v. 5. Cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Heaven is the Inheritance of Saints Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light And Acts 26.18 That they may receive Forgiveness of Sin and Inheritance among them which are Sanctified by Faith that is in me Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified No unclean thing shall enter there If thou hast the Heavenly Birth will he deprive thee of thy Birth-right to which he himself begot thee of incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead If Holy he will place thee among his Holy ones These are the Terms to which we must unalterably stand If we be not born again it is but self flattery that filleth us with vain conceits like the Mad-man in Athens who Challenged all the ships which came into the harbour to be his own 3dly They are described by their Heavenly mind affections and conversations Mat. 6.19.20 21. They who make it their work to lay up treasure in Heaven have chosen Heaven for their Portion That seek it in the first place Matth. 6.33 That groan long wait for it In the verses next the Text whose conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Deus nihil facit frustra If he hath given thee an Heavenly mind and affections he will give thee Heaven its self He would not stir up these desires in vain set his servants a longing after that which he never meaneth to give them or bestow upon them when there is a suitableness between the person and the state when our affections are weaned from the world and set upon Heavenly things This House is fitted for us if we are fitted for it Rom. 9.23 That he might make known the riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory There is a meetness Col. 1.12 Assoon as we are new born and do believe in Christ we have a Right and Title In short If your whole lives be a continual motion and nearer approach towards this state of rest 4thly They are described by their fruitfulness in good works and acts of self denying obedience Matth. 25.34 35. c. 1 Tim. 6.18 19. That they do good that they be rich in goodworks ready to distribâ—te willing to Communicate laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life 1 Joh. 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him Hereby By what If we love not in word and tongue only but in deed and in Truth Heaven is esteemed but a fancy to them that men will venture nothing for the hopes of it What have you done to shew your thankfulness for so great a mercy tendred to you A Religion that costs nothing is worth nothing I am sure it will yield you no comfort and hope good words are not dear and a Cold profession costs little or nothing Do you think Religion lyeth only in Hearing Sermons or a few Cursory Prayers or drowsy Devotions We should mind those things about which we shall be questioned at the day of Judgment have you visited have you cloathed owned the Servants of God when the Laws frown upon them comforted them in their distresses Wherein really have you denyed your selves for the hope of Glory 2dly The several dispositions and perswasions in point of certainty as to their Interest in this state of Blessedness To some 't is but a bare possibility To others there is a probability A third sort have gotten so far as a Conditional certainty Others have an actual certainty or firm perswasion of their Interest 1. To some the hope of Heaven is but a bare possibility As to the careless Christian who is yet intangled in his lusts but God continueth to him the offer of Salvation by Christ. These may be saved if they will accept this offer 'T is impossible in the state wherein they are but their Hearts may be changed by the Lords grace Mark 10.27 With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible He can make the filthy Heart to become Clean and Holy the sensual Heart to become Spiritual and Heavenly There are many bars in the way but grace can break through and remove them 'T is night with them for the present but we cannot say it
hereafter we shall have sight or hereafter injoy the beatifical vision 6. That those that have faith must walk by it 1. That Faith and sight are opposed and contradistinguished the one from the other Faith is a grace that is conversant about things unseen or a dependance upon God for something that lyeth out of sight That this is the Essential property and nature of Faith appeareth by the definition of it Heb. 11.1 'T is the Substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen The Objects of Faith are things invisible and future the Lord is absent from us who maketh the promise and Heaven which is the great promise which he hath promised us is yet to come The nature of Faith and Hope is destroyed if the object be seen and present or ready at hand to be enjoyed Rom. 8.24 For hope that is seen is not Hope for what a man seeth why doth he hope for it Vision and possession exclude Faith and Hope there is a constant opposition you see between Faith and sight so that we may know that we have Faith when we can believe those things which are promised though we have little probability in Sense or Reason to expect them and hereby we may know the measure as well as the nature of our Faith for the excellency and strength of it is in believing things upon Gods word to which sense giveth little incouragement as appeareth by those words of Christ to Thomas John 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seen thou hast believed but blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed Thomas must have the object of Faith under the view of his senses which though it did not Argue a nullity in his Faith yet a very great weakness and Imbecillity weak Christians must be carryed in Arms dandled upon knees fed with sensible Pledges and ocular demonstrations or else they are ready to faint but strong Christians can believe above sense and against sense As 't is said of the Father of the Faithful that he believed in Hope and against hope Rom. 4.18 19. And considered not his own Body being dead being an hundred years old nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise of God but was strong in Faith giving glory to God The more Faith can live upon the Word of God the better though the things believed be neither felt nor seen and the less of sensible Demonstration we require the stronger the Faith ever This is true in all the objects that Faith is conversant about I shall instance in some The person of Christ. Many believed on him though they had never seen him in the flesh and therefore their Faith is commended 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love and in whom ye believe rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 'T was an advantage certainly to converse with Christ personally here upon Earth but Faith can Imbrace him in the Word though it never saw him in the Flesh. So for the threatnings when we can tremble at the Word as Josiah did when he heard the curses of the law though there were no dangers nigh we do not read of any actual disturbance and trouble at that time in the nation So many times when an Age is very corrupt and things are ripe for Judgment and God giveth warning alas few take it or lay it to heart they are not affected with things till they feel them Few can see a storm when the Clouds are a gathering they securely build upon their present ease and peace though God be angry But in the eye of Faith a sinful Estate is always dangerous and they humble themselves while the judgment is but in its causes as 't is said Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the World and became the Heir of Righteousness which is by faith Mark things not seen are still matter of faith he saw them in the warning of God though he could not any way else see a flood a coming So for Gods aid and succour in a time of danger Heb. 11.27 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible To appearance he was like to be swallowed up being pursued by a Wrathful and puissant King but the terrours of sense may be easily vanquished by those invisible Succours which Faith relyeth upon So in all matters of practical experience In prosperity we have but too much Confidence but when we are lessened in the World and cut short we are full of diffidence and distrustful fears Psa. 30.6 In my Prosperity I said I shall never be moved Even a Child of God when he gets a carnal Pillow to rest upon lyeth down and sleepeth securely and dreameth many a pleasant Dream and is full of confidence But when God taketh away his Pillow from under his head then he is as diffident as formerly confident God is the same his promises the same his covenant the same the Mediatour the same but we are much changed because we look to things seen and live upon things seen In danger how are we troubled about protection in deep poverty about provisions and maintenance If sick and nigh unto death how little do the promises of pardon and eternal life prevail In perplexed affairs how little can we unravel our selves and refer the issue to God Faith is staggered because we cannot believe in Hope against Hope We must have something in view and sight faith yieldeth no relief to us Let me instance in a case of Spiritual sense in troubles of Conscience When Gods law speaketh him an Enemy and Conscience feeleth him an Enemy How long is it ore we can bring men to any kind of Hope by Christ notwithstanding the rich and free offers of his grace or ingage them when the curse of the Law cleaveth to their Consciences to take Gods way for Cure and Remedy Because they prefer Sense before Faith and the feeling of Gods Law that cleaveth to them maketh them exclude all hope by the Gospel Isa. 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God The recumbency of such a Soul is a notable act of Faith loving God as a Friend trusting him as an Enemy So in outward tryals and difficulties to wait for so much as God hath promised Many trust God no further than they can see him or have probability to expect his help which is a limiting the holy one of Israel Psa. 78.41 Confining him to a circle of their own making If sense be against the promise the promise doth them no good Now to comfort our selves in God when all faileth Hab. 3.18 Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in
But why not of the Angels in Heaven Who are sent forth for the good of the Elect and observe our behaviour and who stop us in our sins as the Angel did Balaam who said it is an errour See Numb 22.34 So 1 Tim. 5.21 I charge thee before the Elect Angels Surely the Angels observe our actions they are sent abroad in the World as the spies and intelligencers of Heaven So they attend upon congregations 1 Cor. 11.10 For this cause ought a Woman to have power on her head because of the Angels In assemblies for worship more Company meeteth then is visible Devils and Angels meet there Devils to divert your minds assoon as you begin to be Serious to Snatch the good word out of your hearts Angels observe you therefore there should be no undecency 3. Devils may accuse men in that day The Devil is called The accuser of the Brethren The Fathers bring him in pleading thus against the Sinner Domine sit meus per culpam qui tuus esse noluit per gratiam I never dyed for him could promise him no heavenly Kingdom but a little sensitive pleasure Ostende tuos tales numerarios O Christe c. 4. Sometimes the Word of God is made to be our accuser John 5.45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust That is Moses his Law would accuse and Condemn them Christ needeth not to bring his complaint and inditement against them And it teacheth us this truth That where men remain in their Impenitency and unbelief both Law and Gospel Gods justice and mercy our own consciences the Spirit resisted by them in his moral swasions Messengers means pains taken on them will all contribute to make up an accusation against a sinner before the Tribunal of Christ. So John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that Judgeth him the word that I have spoken shall Judge him at the last day The word of the Gospel delivered by Christ that will Judge them Though there were no other witnesses yet the grace of God in the word will shew their Condemnation to be just because of their contempt and neglect Believers or unbelievers may know their doom aforehand by the word So Matth. 12.41 42. The men of Niniveh shall rise in Judgment against this Generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas is here So the Queen of the South shall rise up in the Judgment with this Generation and shall condemn it for she came from the uttermost parts of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold a greater then Solomon is here The means that we have injoyed shall be produced and aggravate the Judgment against the neglecters and despisers of the Lords grace There was a greater manifestation of God in Christ than Solomon A greater confirmation in Christs resurrection and Infusion of the Spirit than in Jonahs being delivered out of the Whales belly 5. The ministers of the Gospel Their diligence and faithful inculcation of the doctrine of life maketh up a part of the Evidence which is produced to convince sinners Mat. 24.14 And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the World for a witness unto all Nations First to them and then against them compared with Mark 13.9 The preaching of the Word will be a witness that men had warning enough but that they unthankfully neglected their opportunity and did cast away their own mercies So Mark 6.11 Shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them That signified what a crying sin and what a punishment did attend them that contemned the Messages of Salvation sent them by God 'T is not only a Testimony before God for the present but compare Mat. 10.14 15. Shake off the dust of your feet And it shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of Judgment This sheweth you are free of their blood and if there be no other witnesses this dust shall witness it 6. Conscience its self shall witness against them and God will discover our selves to our selves that we shall see the Judgment is just As long as men have any Tenderness conscience speaketh now but by custom in sinning men stop the mouth of it But when it speaketh not it writeth many times for the present it is silent and seemeth to take no notice of the sins we commit but they are all registred and they appear legible The sad story of our lives is all engraven upon the heart and when God awakneth the Conscience 't is all sin God will open our eyes not by an holy illumination but by a forced Conviction Rev. 20.12 The Books were opened and one of these Books is conscience and though it be in the sinners keeping yet it cannot be so blurred and defaced but our story will be legible enough and forgotten sins will stare us in the face Numb 32.23 And be sure your sins shall find you out We forget them now think we shall never hear of them more But God can make all occur to memory as fresh as if newly committed and in an Instant represent the story of an ill spent life and shew us all the thoughts words and actions that ever we have been guilty of The Paper goeth white into the Printing-house but within one instant 't is Marked within and without and cometh forth stamped with words and lines and sentences Which were no way legible there before 7. It will be made Evident by the confession of Offenders themselves As their Consciences will convince them so their own tongues will accuse them then As men now in the ravings of despair will vomit up their own shame as Judas Mat. 27.4 I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood And Jer. 17.9 At his latter end he shall be a fool Crying out Oh fool Oh mad man So much more then God can easily and without other Evidence convince men by themselves and make them accuse themselves he can Judge them out of their own mouths Luke 19.12 Produce evidence against them out of their own thoughts and pronounce sentence against them out of their own Consciences Rom. 2.15 Make mens tongues to fall upon them Psal. 64.8 He can indeed make use of us and all that is in us for his own Glory as having power to do with us what he will and 't is much for his honour when he maketh us witnesses against our selves 8. Wicked men shall accuse one another In the arraignment of Adam and Eve which I take for a notable presignification of the general Judgment they transfer it upon one another the man upon the Woman Gen. 3.12 The woman whom thou gavest to be with me And The Woman upon the Serpent The Serpent beguiled me ver 13. So those that draw one another into sin or are drawn by them will impeach one another 9.
prepare us to entertain it with the more thankfulness 1. Of the impossibility of keeping the Law and so the necessity of the use of the Redeemer For to faln man the duty of the Law is impossible and the penalty of it intolerable Therefore all men by this Covenant according to this Covenant are inclosed within a curse shut up and necessitated to seek the grace of the Gospel Gal. 3.23 But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed The Law cannot be satisfied unless the whole man obey wholly in all things which to corrupt nature is impossible and so it inevitably driveth us to Christ who accepteth us upon more equitable terms 2. To make us thankful for our deliverance by Christ. When you read these words all the heart all the Soul all the might all the strength bless the Lord Jesus in thy heart that God doth not deal with us upon these terms that we are rid of this hard bondage exact obedience or eternal ruine That the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 i. e. Of that rigorous covenant which to man faln ferveth only to convince of sin and to bind over to death if God should sue us upon the old bond a stragling thought a wandring glance might make us liable to the curse 2. As a rule of the Gospel Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. With all this is not wholly antiquated and out of date in the Gospel we must distinguish what is required by way of Precept and what is accepted by way of Covenant for the rule is as strict as ever but the covenant is not so strict to wit that we must necessarily perish if we break it in the least joâ— or tittle The rule is as strict as ever and admitteth of no Imperfection either of parts or degrees but the Covenant is not so strict but accepteth of a perfection of parts and of such a degree as is dominating and prevailing or doth infer truth of Gods Image or a single hearted disposition to love and serve God to the uttermost of our power Let me prove both these 1. That the rule is as strict as ever That 's necessary Partly With respect to the Law-giver for no imperfect thing must come from God And Partly with respect to the time when it was given us in innocency And Partly With respect to us who are under the rule of Law for if the rule did not require a perfect love our defects were no sins for where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 And that this particular Law is still in force appeareth by that of Christ Matth. 22.37 40. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy self on these two hang the Law and the Prophets Surely that Law and Prophets include all known Scripture that is binding to us 2. But the covenant is not so strict For where weaknesses are bewailed striven against and in some measure overcome they shall not be prejudicial and hurtful to our salvation for in the new covenant God requireth perfection but accepteth sincerity and though we cannot bring our graces to the ballance t is enough that we can bring them to the touchstone Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou upright Though not perfect yet if upright though there be a double principle flesh and Spirit yet if not a double heart A sincere love in the language of the Holy-Ghost is loving God with all the heart and all the Soul So 't is said of David 1 Kings 14.8 He kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart to do only that which was right in mine eyes David had shrewd failings yet because of his habitual purpose so the Lord speaketh of him So of Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 Like unto him there was no King that turned to the Lord with all his heart and all his Soul and all his might according to all the Law of Moses Josiah also had his blots and Imperfections yet his heart was prevalently set towards God So that all the heart and all the Soul may be reconciled with the Saints infirmitys though not with a vitious life 2. I shall shew you how far we are obliged to love God with all the heart and all the Soul and all the mind and all the strength if we would not forfeit our covenant claim of sincerity 1. We are bound to strive after perfection and as much as may be to come up to the exactness of the rule The endeavour is required though as to success God dealeth graciously with us Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect or had already attained but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ. The perfection of our love to God is part of our reward in Heaven but we are striving after it we cannot arrive to the perfectness of the glorified estate but we are pressing towards it allowed failings cannot stand with sincerity for he that is contented with a little grace hath no grace that is to say he that careth not how little God be loved provided he may be saved doth not sincerely love God A true Christian will endeavour a constant progress aim at no less than perfection Christians this is still your rule all the heart and all the Soul and all the might the Lord hath such a full right to your love that coldness is a kind of an hatred And the grace which we received in conversion will urge us to it For tendentia mentis in Deum is the fruit of conversion and God is not respected as a means but as an end we do more unlimitedly desire the end then the means the whole latitude of understanding will and affections is due to him without division or derivation to other things 2. We are so far obliged as to bewail defects and failings As Paul groaneth under the relicks of corruption Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death A true Christian would love God more perfectly delight in him more abundantly bring every thought and practice into subjection to his will if not they are kept humble it is a burden and trouble they cannot allow themselves in this Imperfect estate the same new nature which checketh sin before it is committed mourneth for it after it hath got the start of us Resistance is the former dislike of the new nature and remorse the latter dislike after we are overcome none have such cause to bewail failing as the Children of God they sin against more light and love and if Conscience be in a right frame they will bemoan themselves and loath themselves for their sins and their love which is seen in a care to please is also seen in sorrow for offences when they break out and a
Birth This is Life indeed then we begin to live in good earnest we may reckon from that day forward that we live The Seed of Eternal Life was laid as soon as Grace was infused into the Soul and you may take hold of Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.20 before you enter into it Maintain this Life and it will end in Eternal Glory Thus I have dispatched my first Question namely what is this Life that Christ hath purchased for us A Spiritual Death that we might die to Sin and also a Spiritual Life that we might live unto God SERMON XXX 2 Cor. 5.15 But to him that died for them and rose again 2. WE come to speak of the respect that is between this life and Christs resurrection I Answer Christs Resurrection is 1. An Example and Pattern of it 2. A Pledge of it 3. A Cause of it 1. An example of it There is great likeness and correspondence between Christs rising from the grave and a Christians resurrection from the death of sin 1. Christ died before he rose and usually God killeth us before he maketh us alive First we find the word a killing letter before we find it a word of life This is Gods method Paul saith Rom. 7.9 The commandment came and sin revived and I died A man is broken in heart with an apprehension of sin and Gods eternal wrath before he is made alive by Christ Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God He must be himself a dead man The Law must do the Law-work before the Gospel doth the Gospel-work So Rom. 8.2 But the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death He is under the Law of death and sin as it convinceth of sin and bindeth over to death 2. The same Spirit of holiness or power of God that quickened Christ quickeneth us 'T is said Rom. 6.4 That as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so should we be raised to newness of Life That is by his Glorious Power 2 Cor. 13.4 For tho he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God What is there said to be done by the Power of God is said else where to be done by the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead So are believers quickened by the same Spirit Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Christ will quicken us by his grace as he did his own dead body The same quickening Spirit that is in Jesus Christ doth also quicken us 3. Again Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more As the Apostle telleth you Rom. 6.9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion over him His Resurrection instated him in an Eternal Life never more to come under the Power of Death again He might have been said to be alive after Death if he had performed but one single act of life or lived only for a while but he rose to an Immortal Endless Life a Life Co-eternal with the Father So is a Christian put into an unchangeable state sin hath no more dominion over him Should not shall not as the Apostle proveth there applying it to the Christian. When Christ telleth he is the Resurrection and the Life he asserts two things John 11.25 26. That he that believeth on him though he were dead yet shall he live and shall never die Tho formerly dead in sin he shall live the life of grace and when he liveth it once shall never die Spiritually and Eternally otherwise how shall we make good Christs Speech 4. Christ in that he liveth he liveth with God and liveth unto God Rom. 6.10 That is with God at his right hand And to God that is referring all things to his Glory for Phil. 2.10 11. all that Jesus Christ doth as Mediator is to the Glory of God the Father So a Christian liveth with God unto God With God not at his right hand now but yet in a state of Communion with him 1 John 1.3 And truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. And he liveth to God as in the Text Not to our selves but to him that died for us and rose again That is no longer to our own lusts and desires nor for our own ease profit and honour but according to the will and for the service and honour of God as more fully hereafter Well then that new state into which Christ was inaugurated at his Resurrection is a pattern and example of our new spiritual life 2. How 't is a Pledge of it Christ was our Common Person and we make one Mystical Body with him and therefore his resurrection and life was not for his own person and single self alone but for all those that have interest in him As he died so he rose again in our name and in our stead as one that had satisfied the Justice of God and procured all manner of grace for us and as a Conquerour over all our Spiritual enemies And therefore he is called the first fruits from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 As a little handful of the first fruits blessed the whole harvest and sanctified it unto God It blessed not the Darnel and the Cockle but blessed and sanctified the Corn. Christs quickening after death was a sure pledge that every one who in time belongeth to him shall in his time be quickened also first Christ and then they that are Christs every one in their own order We must not think that when Christ was raised that it was no more than if Lazarus or any other single person was raised No his resurrection was in our name therefore we are said to be raised with Christ Col. 3.1 And not only so but quickened together with Christ Col. 2.13 And Eph. 2.4 5. Though we were quickened a long time after Christs Resurrection yet then was the pledge of it 'T was agreed between God and Christ that his Resurrection should be in effect ours And in the moment of our regeneration the vertue of it should be communicated to us The right was before saith to all the elect but when faith is wrought the right is applied by vertue of the covenant of Redemption he rose in the name of all the redeemed and they are counted to rise in him and we are actually instated in this benefit when converted to God 3. 'T is a cause of it That Spirit of power by which Christ was raised out of the grave is the very efficient cause of our being raised and quickened or of our new birth for the vertue purchased by Christs death is
sacrifice and the power of his Spirit we come to God and by a thankful sense of his love we are incouraged and inabled to our duty Well then when in a broken hearted manner we confess our sins and own our Redeemer and devote our selves to God and resolve to walk in Christs prescribed way then are sins pardoned and we accepted with God 2. This Faith and repentance is wrought in us by the word and mainly acted in prayer First 'T is wrought in us by the word wherein God is pleased to propound free and easie Conditions of pardon and mercy praying us to be reconciled and to cast away the weapons of our Rebellion and submit to the Law of grace For here in verses 18 19 20. He doth not only reveal the mystery but beseecheth us to enter into Covenant with him and to yield up our selves to his service Secondly Prayer by which in the name of Christ we sue out this benefit This is the means appointed both for regenerate and unregenerate The unregenerate Acts 8.22 Repent therefore of thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee The regenerate 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins Believing broken hearted prayer doth notably prevail the publican had no other suit but Lord be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 The Lord describeth the poor sinners that came to him for pardon Jer. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and supplications 5. We are sensibly pardoned as well as actually when the Lord giveth peace and joy in believing and sheddeth abroad his love in our hearts by the Spirit We must distinguish between the grant and the sense sometimes a pardon may be granted when we have not the sense and comfort of it We may hold a precious Jewel with a trembling hand as the waves roll after a storm when the wind is ceased God may keep his people humble as a Prince may grant a pardon to a condemned malefactor but he will not have him know so much till he come even to the place of execution Davids heart was to Absolom yet he would not let him see his face There are two Courts the Court of Heaven and the Court of Conscience The pardon may be passed in the one and not in the other and a man may have peace with God when he hath not peace of Conscience To assure our hearts before him and know our sincerity 1 John 3.9 is a thing distinct from being sincere and a man may be safe though not comfortable Every one that believeth cannot make the bold challenge of faith and say Who shall condemn Rom 8.33 6. The last step is when we have a compleat and full absolution of sin that is at the day of Judgment Acts 3.19 Your sins shall be blotted out when days of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord when the Judge pro tribunali shall sententionally and in the audience of all the World pronounce our pardon To make title to pardon by Law is comfortable but then we shall have it from our Judges own mouth Here we are continually subject to new guilt and so to new sins whereby arise new fears So till our final absolution we are not fully perfect not till the day of redemption Eph. 4 30. When the evils of sin do fully cease then is our Adoption full Rom. 8.23 Then will our Regeneration be full Matth. 19.28 Then all the effects of sin will cease Death upon the body will be no interruption of pardon we shall be fully acquitted and never sin more 3. That 't is a branch and fruit of our reconciliation with God the other is the gift of the Spirit or all things that belong to the new nature for God giveth sanctifying grace as the God of peace But this also is a notable branch and fruit of reconciliation 1. Because when God releaseth us from the punishment of sin 't is a sign his anger and wrath is appeased and now over Isa. 24.7 Fury is not in me God hath been angry for a little moment but when he pardoneth sin then he is pacified for sin is the make-bate between us and God 2. That which is the ground of reconciliation is the ground of pardon of sin Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace viz. the price paid by the Mediator to his Fathers Justice and therefore a principal part of our reconciliation and redemption is Remission of sins in Justification 3. That which is the fruit of reconciliation is obtained and promoted by pardon of sin and that is fellowship with God and delightful Communion with him in a course of obedience and subjection to him Heb. 10.22 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 Our general pardon at first is to put us into a state of new obedience our particular pardon ingageth us to continue in a course of acceptable obedience that we may maintain a holy Commerce with God 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin VSE 1. is to inform us That all those that seek after reconciliation with God or would take themselves to be reconciled to him should be dealing with God about the pardon of sins and suing out this priviledge which is of such use in their Commerce with God But here ariseth a doubt What need have those that are reconciled to God to beg pardon Ans. very great Matth. 6 12. Our Lord hath taught us so we pray for daily pardon and daily grace Against Temptations as well as for daily bread I prove it 1. From the Condition of Gods people here in the World we are not so fully sanctified here in the World but there is some sin found in us original sin remaineth with us to the last and we have our actual slips Paul complaineth of the body of death Rom. 7.23 And the Apostle telleth us 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And verse 10 th If we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us And Eccl. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Either omitting good or commiting evil They do not love God with that purity and fervency nor serve him with that liberty delight and reverence that he hath required 'T is the happiness of the Church Triumphant that they have have no sin of the Church Militant that their sin is forgiven Sometimes we sin out of ignorance sometimes out of imprudence and inconsideration sometimes we are overtaken and sometimes overborn now these things
is carried on by love but how can I come to him who seemeth so unlovely to me Therefore God to draw us into this Amity and holy friendship will be represented as willing to pardon and save us and that in such an astonishing way that more cannot be done to express his love Rom. 5.8 Herein God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly See at what an high rate he is content to pardon and save us that he may draw our love and attract our hearts which under the terrours of guilt and condemning justice would never have been brought to love him 4. The forgiveness of sins is that which is most expresly directly and formally Eyed in the death of Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins So Matth. 26.28 This is my blood which was shed for the Remission of sins So Heb. 9.22 Without the shedding of blood there is no Remission of sins Why is not sanctification mentioned it was purchased by his blood as well as Remission 'T was guilt made his blood necessary for our recovery and the depravation of the heart of man is part of the punishment spiritual death as well as temporal and eternal And to be polluted is our punishment as well as our sin and the guilt of sin stoppeth our mercies cuts off the intercourse between God and us Isa. 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God And Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God And when the obstruction is removed and the offence given by our sins pardoned the sanctifying of our nature followeth If there had been nothing to do but to renew us by repentance and sanctification that might have been done without the blood of the Son of God as God at first gave his Image freely but his governing Justice required that before man was set up with a new stock of grace there should be so great a price paid Well then this is mentioned as the great way of our Reconciliation God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself 5. This was the great difficulty how when sin was once entered it might be remitted Sin was the great make-bate between God and us And 't is not so slightly done away as most do imagine The great Mystery and Design of grace was how lapsed Man who was under the guilt of sin and the desert of punishment should be restored to favour the honour of God be safe and the Government of the World secured or to make the pardon of mans sin a thing convenient for the righteous and holy God to bestow without any Impeachment of the honour of his Wisdom Holiness and Justice for there being a sentence of the Law against us by which we are condemned John 3.18 It would not seem to become the wisdom of God that he should wholly quit his Law as if it were made in vain His servant was loath to be found in a double mind that his word should be yea and nay 2 Cor. 1.18 Levity is an imputation which he seeketh earnestly to avoid there Nor the holiness of God to be too favourable to sinners Hab. 1.13 He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Nor his Justice Laws must not seem a vain scar-crow In short there must not be yea and nay with God he must be demonstrated to us in his own divine perfections and must not permit his Laws and government to be despised or broken by a rebel World without being executed upon them according to their true intent and meaning or some equivalent demonstration of his Justice such as might vindicate both Law and Law giver from contempt Well then this was the great Mystery and Wonder of grace That God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them That his wisdom found out a way to exercise pardoning saving mercy without any injury to his Governing Justice and Truth or giving any leave to sinners to flatter and imbolden themselves in their sins with the thoughts of Impunity which are so natural to us Therefore well might the Apostle mention this priviledge as a special branch of our reconciliation with God 6. This is the proper priviledge of the new covenant or covenant of grace and the difference between it and the Law The Law knew no way but saving the innocent but the Gospel discovered a way of saving the penitent The Law was fitted only to our innocency and required us to continue as God left us but the offer of pardon of sins fuiteth with our lapsed guilty estate there God revealeth himself to the Apostate World in that way which was fit for their recovery The Law knew no such thing as the forgiveness of sin the faln Creature had there by no hope for the tenour there was Do and live sin and die here a way is found out how our trespasses may not be imputed to us and the Edge of the curse abated and God represented as pacified and so this priviledge was fitly mentioned by the Apostle VSE 1. is to press us to enter into Gods peace by looking after the pardon of sins I shall only urge three things 1. The necessity And 2. The readiness of God to bestow this benefit 3. The excellency of the priviledge 1. The necessity of obtaining this benefit There are three notions which press it upon sleepy sinners Law Judge conscience There is the Law broken the Judge to whom we are responsible conscience which raiseth fears in us because of the breach Remember there is a righteous Law broken and the sentence of it standeth unrepealed against you till in a broken hearted manner you sue out your pardon in the name of your Mediatour Condemned though not executed John 3.18 And condemned to what Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish and wrath upon every Soul of man that doth evil And this will be executed Jam. 2.13 The Law is in force against those that refuse the Gospel Therefore you must change Copy get this sentence reversed or you are undone for ever You have but a little time wherein to make your peace there is but the slender thread of a frail life between you and execution 'T is peace upon earth Luke 2.14 You are but reprieved during pleasure that 's the true notion of the present life Better never born if you do not get off this curse Oh Christians do you know what 't is to have God an enemy To be liable to his righteous wrath to bear the burden of your own sins to be answerable for his violated Law The 2d awakening notion is that of a Judge I observe in Scripture 't is usually mentioned to quicken us to seek after repentance and the pardon of sins 'T is said Acts 10.42 43. He hath Commanded us to testify and preach to the people that he it is who was ordained of God to be the Judge of the
and minding us of our duty is the proper means to cure slightness and to remove their Impotency which lieth in their obstinacy and wilfulness There is no such means as to besiege them with constant persuasion and the renewed offers of a better estate by Christ for the Impotency is rather Moral than Natural we do not use to reason men our of their natural Impotency to bid a lume man walk or a Blind man see or a Dead man live but to make men willing of the good they have neglected or rejected we must perswade them to a beter choice In short to inform the Judgment to awaken the Conscience to perswade the will this is the work and Office of the Word by its precepts promises and rewards 't is true the bare means will not do it without Gods concurrence the influence and power of his Spirit but 't is an incouragement to use the means because they are fitted to the end and God would not appoint us means which should be altogether vain 5. That it is not enough that the Word be written but preached by those who are deputed thereunto For several reasons 1. Partly Because Scripture may possibly lie by as a neglected thing The Lord complaineth Hos. 8.12 I have written to them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Men flighted the Word written as of little Importance or concernment to them are little conversant in it therefore some are appointed that shall be sure to call upon us and put us in mind of our eternal condition that may bring the Word nigh to us lay it at our doors bring a special Message of God to our Souls Acts 13.26 To you is the Word of Salvation sent he speaketh to all the World by his Word to you in particular by the special Messages his Servants bring you 'T is sent to you there is much of God in it the Word written hath its use to prevent delusions and mistakes and the Word preached hath also its use to excite and stir up every man to look after the remedy offered as he will answer it to God another day 2. Partly Because the Word written may not be so clearly understood therefore God hath left gifts in the Church authorized some to interpret As the Eunuch was reading and God sent him an Interpreter Philip said unto him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he said how can I except some Body guide me Acts 8.30 31. The Scripture is clear in its self but there is a covering of natural blindness upon our Eyes which the Guides of the Church are appointed and qualified to remove Job 33.23 If there be a Messenger with him an Interpreter one of a thousand to shew a man his uprightness There are Messengers from God authorized to speak in his name to relieve poor Souls that they may soundly explain forcibly express and closely apply the truths of the Word that what is briefly expressed there by earnest and copious Exhortations may be inculcated upon them and the arrow may be drawn to the head and they may more effectually deal with sinners and convince them of their duty and rowse them up to seek after the favour of God in Christ Look as Darts that are cast forth out of Engines by Art and fitted with Feathers are more apt to fly faster and pierce deeper than those that are thrown casually and fall by their own weight so though the Word of God is still the Word of God and hath its proper Power and force whether read or preached yet when 't is well and properly enforced with distinctness of Language vehemency and vigour of Spirit and with prudent application 't is more conducible to its end 3. Because God would observe a congruity and decency As death entred by the Ear so doth life and peace Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent By the same sense by which we received our venom and poison God will send in our blessings work faith and repentance in us by the Ministry of reconciliation Besides as vision and seeing is exercised in Heaven so hearing in the Church 't is a more imperfect way of apprehension but such as is competeâ—t to the present state Job 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee speaking of his extraordinary vision of God which is a glimpse of Heaven Now we have a report of God and his grace Satisfying ocular inspection is reserved for Heaven but now we must be contented with the one without the other 6. That to preach the word to us God hath appointed men of the same mould with our selves and intrusted them with the ministry of reconciliation As the Fowler catcheth many birds by one decoy a bird of the same Feather so God dealeth with us by men of the same nature and affections and subject to the Law of the same duties who are concerned in the Message they bring to us as much as we are men that know the heart of man by experience our prejudices and temptations for the heart of man answereth to heart as the face in the Waters Prov. 27.19 And so know all the Wards of the Lock and what Key will fit them Now the love and wisdom of God appeareth herein 1. Because God will try the World by his ordinary Messengers Col. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe We now live by faith and not by sight and therefore he will not discover his own Majesty and send us Nuncios and Messengers out of the other World or deal with us in an extraordinary way to lead us to faith and repentance but send mean Creatures like our selves in his name who by the manifestation of the truth shall commend themselves to every mans conscience to see if they will submit to this ordinary stated course We would have Visions Oracles Miracles Apparitions one come from the dead but Christ referreth us to ordinary means if they work not extraordinary means will do us no good Luke 16.30 31. And he said Nay Father Abraham but if one went from the dead they will repent and he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead When God used extraordinary ways man was man still Psa. 78.22 23 24. Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation though he had commanded the clouds from above and opened the doors of Heaven and had rained down Manna upon them to eat and had given them the corn of Heaven They had their Meat and Drink from Heaven and yet they were rebels against God and unbelievers Their victuals came out of the Clouds their Water out
and obedience as if delivered by Christ himself in person Otherwise he would not have mentioned that respect without detestation Acts 14.14 The Apostles rent their Cloaths when they would have given them Divine Honour Well then attention credit and obedience is due to their Message 2. The value and authority of this office They sustain the person of God and supply the place of Christ upon Earth As though God did beseech you by us and in Christs stead This is added to bespeak credit and respect to their Message 1. Credit Salvation is a weighty thing and we had need be upon sure grounds and not only have mans Word but Gods for it Mans Word breedeth but humane credulity and that 's a cold thing 'T is faith actuateth and enliveneth our notions and opinions in religion and maketh them operative 1 Thes. 2.13 The Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the Word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe The Apostles word as it concerned them was evidenced to be of God Partly by the evidence of the Doctrine its self which had Gods impress and stamp upon it and to minds unprejudiced did commend its self to their Consciences 2 Cor. 4 2 3 4. And partly by the power and presence of God with them Acts 5.31 32. And 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Per modum efficientis causae per modum argumenti enlightening the mind perswading the heart outwardly by miracles inwardly by the operation of the Holy-Ghost The objective Testimony was made up of both The internal sanctifying work and the external confirmation by miracles For 't is said 2 Cor. 3.3 They were the Epistle of Christ prepared by their Ministry written not with Ink but the Spirit of the living God He writeth the Law upon the heart Heb. 8.10 And Jer. 31.33 As it was the Ministration of the Spirit and carryed a sanctifying vertue along with it that their faith might be grounded upon the authority of God opening their heart to receive the Word Acts 16.14 Now the ordinary Ministers the truth of their Doctrine is evidenced by its conformity to the direction of the Prophets and Apostles Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word there is no light in them That 's the standard and measure by which all Doctrines must be tryed to prevent the obtrusions of errour Well then though other Doctrine be brought to us by men yet our Faith standeth not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God It must be resolved into a Divine Testimony Though men bring it yet God is the Author what the Embassadour saith the King saith if he be true to his Commission And therefore this word of reconciliation must be received as the Word of God When you come to an Ordinance the awe of God must be upon your hearts Acts 10.33 We are all here beforâ— thee to hear all things commanded thee of God 2. Respect They speak in God's Name and in God's stead as if God were beseeching and Christ calling upon you Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 'T is Christ maketh the request for your hearts The Father sent him and he us 'T is a wonder that after so much evidence of the Christian Faith and the World hath had such sufficient Tryal of its Goodness Efficacy and Power any should suspect the voice of God speaking in the Scriptures But 't is a greater wonder that believing the Scriptures to be the Voice of God and the Testimony of God we should so slight it and carry our selves so neglectfully in a business of such Importance as if either we suspected what we profess to believe or the hatred and love of God were such inconsiderable things that we did not much consider the one nor the other If an Oracle from Heaven should warn you of danger bid you seek the Peace of God or you are undone for ever would not you seriously address your selves to this business God doth by us beseech you we in Christs stead pray you to be reconciled 'T is God's Word that we hear and God's Message that is sent to you As Peter prescribeth Ministers to speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 so you must hear as the Word of God ought to be heard with reverence and attention and serious regard as if God and Christ himself had spoken to you to press you to it This Word which you hear slightly as it is the Testimony of God to you so one day it will be the Testimony of God against you This Word shall judge you John 12.48 It doth not fall to the ground but will be producâ—d as a Witness against your negligence and carelesness 3. The Manner Here is beseeching and praying in and by this Ministry which God hath instituted God cometh down from the Throne of his Soveraingty and speaketh Supplications We must treat with men after the manner of Christ when he was here upon Earth calling Sinners to Repentance with all the affectionate importunity imaginable 1. With Love and Sweetness The manner must suit with the matter We have an Authority to Exhort yet in regard of the rich grace we offer we must beseech and intreat with all gentleness and importunity Paul in a like case doth the like elsewhere Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a Living Sacrifice Church Power and Civil Power differ much They go altogether by way of Injunction and Command We must beseech They compel we must persuade The Power of Christ's Embassadors is a Ministry not a Domination We are to deal with the Will and the Affections of Men which may be moved and inclined but not constrained Again there is a difference between the Law and the Gospel the Law doth not beseech but only command and threaten You shall have no other Gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. But we as in Christs stead pray you to be reconciled The Law is peremptory I am the Lord. The Gospel wooeth before it winneth and reasoneth with us The Gospel being a Charter of God's Love we must use a dispensation suitable invite men to God in a loving sweet way And surely if men despise God's still Voice their condemnation will be very just When Nabal slighted David's kind Message he marches against him in fury 1 Sam. 25.13 14. to cut off all that belonged to him It we despise the 〈◊〉 Voice we must expect the Whirlwind I stretched out my hands and no man regarded Prov. 1.24 I will laugh at their calamity How can we expect that God should hear our prayers if we be deaf to his requests and when we in his stead pray you to be reconciled and still you refuse to hear 2. Meekness and Patience Praying and