though all the Professors in the world should say the contrary their profession weighs nothing with them but is the greater offence to them by how much the more they profess when by this their Profession they think to bear out themselves in the violation of those Laws which are by nature ingraven in their hearts and they know as well as themselves As to give instance it is one of Natures Laws that a man should be just honest and upright in his dealings betwixt man and man Now when a Professor shall shuffle and equivocate and say and unsay have no regard to truth civil equity or justice in words or deeds the world is justly offended Again Temperance is a Law of Nature which though worldly men observe not in their practice yet they know intemperance is a sin Now when a Professor will sit by the hour together and blowse it the world is justly offended Again Modesty is a Law of Nature now when a Professor shall bee either in apparrel going gestures or speeches so light as that there is an apparent shew of immodesty the world is justly offended Thirdly When Professors in their whole conversation are like to the world and singular only in profession for observe it when a man by his profession gives it out that hee dislikes the ways of the world and is a Subject in another Kingdome the world doth now expect to see singular speeches and carriages and actions in him and that his walk should be according to that which he would be accounted to bee now when the would sees this man which gives it out hee is such a one to shape his speeches ways courses actions by the Laws and customs of their Kingdome when he talks as they talk and walks as they walk and acts as they act is in all things as farre as they can discern one with them only in profession and would be another from them they are justly offended and count him and such as he is a company of Impostors and Deceivers for though the world cannot judge of the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom of God which these profess they relate unto yet they are so well skilled in the Laws and Customs and ways and Fashions of their own Kingdome that they can tell when a man walks with them though they love not savoury speech and godly discourse yet they judge by what these men profess that they should have such though themselves will swear and lye and raile yet they think these should not doe so and though they count it no great matter in themselves to Card and Dice to Lye and Cozen and Cheat and be Drunk and Whore c. yet they think it is in them now I say when the world viewing professors see them in their whole conversation like them and can see no difference at all only they profess and we do not they are offended and that justly Vse 1. Is it so that there is a woe upon the world because of offences then all things considered the world hath little cause to rejoyce and make themselves merry with the falls and offences of the godly the falls of good men are the Saints shame but they are the worlds woe thou callest thy companions together O I can tell you story have you not heard it Such an one of so great profession of such a way hath done thus and thus but hearken man I le tell thee a story hast thou not heard it Christ when he was here on earth cried out Woe unto the world because of offences WOE to the Scoffer and mocker because of offences for he shall be hardned by them WOE to the Drunkard the Swearer because of offences WOE to the formal Professor for he shall be lulled asleep in his formal way by them O WOE WOE to the world because of offences The world is never nearer the WOE than when they think themselves furthest from it when by the falls of Professors they are hardned in their way and bless themselves in their wickedness and think they are right then is the WOE dropping upon their heads Hast thou therefore been such a one or hast thou a heart that delightest in it amongst thy Companions to make it a part of thy ribald talk to lay open enlarge and laugh at the miscarriages of godly men O man woman quake and tremble now before the Lord least this dreadful woe fall upon thy head WOE to the world Quest First put case I have been am such a one is there no way to escape this woe or if there be how may I escape it Ans 1. Get clear of the world the WO is upon the world and so long as thou art not clear of the world thou canst not be out of the reach of this WO it will fall upon thee Secondly Mourn for offences when thou seest them arise he that mourns for offences when they arise shall not come under the WO of offences those that mourned for the abominations of Jerusalem had a mark of deliverance set upon them in the day of its desolation those that mourn for offences when they arise shall have a mark of deliverance set upon them from the WOE of offences when the same shall fall on the world Thirdly Adjudge thy self for it as if thou hadst done it say Lord such a one hath fallen but behold here 's the Traytor here 's the Malefactor for ought I know my Drunkenness my Scoffing and Sabbath-breaking may bee the cause why such a one is left thus to fall it may be to harden such a wretch as I am c. Fourthly Get and maintain honourable thoughts of Gods ways though the miscarriages of those that walk in them may bee many and very foul the thing which proves the undoing of poor sinners is this they throw the dung of Professors upon the ways of God and by so doing their hearts are every day set more off from Gods ways and more hardned in their own ways of sin and this draws the WO upon them wouldest thou escape this WO then maintains honourable thoughts of Gods ways Vse 2. Is it so that there is a wo unto the world because of offences O then let all the people of God take heed how they offend the world if respect to Gods glory which is vaild by offences if respect up weak Saints which are shaken by offences if respect to our own peace and communion with God which is broke and lost by offences work nothing upon our hearts O let this work we shall bring A WO upon the world undoe the world harden and damn poor sinners in the world by offences Let meer pitty to the eternal souls of poor men and women in die world which are like to bee undone for ever and to suffer an everlasting shipwrack upon this rock make our hearts ake our souls tremble lest we should fall and offend them O that poor souls may not roar out hereafter O I am undone undone for ever
Their backslidings were many Jer. 3.22 I will heal your backslidings 2 They were backsliders in divers and sundry wayes Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers 3 Their backslidings in world and deed were as foul and great as could bee Jor. 3.5 Thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest 4 They had been backsliders for a long time vers 25. Wee have sinned against the Lord our God wee and our fathers from our youth even unto this day and have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God 5 Backslidings open and publick vers 6. Hast thou not seen that which backsliding Israel hath done she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree and there hath played the harlot They had before them examples of others going in such paths with Gods anger against them yet took no warning vers 7 8. And I saw when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not but went and played the harlot also 7 Against resolutions and promises Jer. 2.20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands and thou saidest I will not transgresse when upon every high hill and under every greene tree thou wandrest playing the harlot 8 Against corrections Jer. 2.30 In vaine have I smitten your children they received no correction 9 Against Intreaties Chap. 3.7 And I said after she had done all these things turn thou unto me but she returned not 10 Wilfully Chap. 2. v. 31.25 But thou saidest there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them will I go 11 They justified themselves in their doings Chap. 2.35 Yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely this anger shall turn from me behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not finned Yet these backsliders are wooed again and again to return Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord v. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My Father thou art the guide of my youth And vers 7. I said after shee had done all these things turn thou unto mee vers 12. Go and proclaime these words towards the North and say Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord vers 14. Turn O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you vers 22. Return yee backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings Behold wee come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Object 12. But I fear I am but an hypocrite Answ Come that thou mayest bee sincere Christ calls at the door of Laodicea yet a formal hypocritical Church yea God spreadeth forth his hands to such Jsa 65.2 compared with 5. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts vers 5. Which say stand by thy self come not near to mee for I am holier than thou these are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day What now poot soul hast thou to object but that thou mayest come to Christ and cast thy self into his arms and bosome O Come Come Come behold everlasting arms open to receive thee Come prophane person formalist here 's heaven and salvation to bee had freely if you have hearts to take it all for a nothing-creature O Come Drunkard wilt thou lye and rowl like a Swine in thy drunkenness and not come to Christ and have a heaven Swearer wilt thou rend Gods name and reject a heaven Unclean person wilt thou prize thy lusts above a Christ a heaven O no no Fie for shame Come likewise poor doubting soul cast thy self into Christs arms hee will not cast thee out Take Hesters resolution If I perish I perish I will perish in doing my duty and going in to the King If I dye I dye however I will dye doing my duty and hanging upon Jesus Christ say to thine own soul as once the Lepers who sate in the gate of Samaria said one to another a King 7.4 If wee say wee will enter into the City then the famine is in the City and wee shall dye there and if we sit still here we dye also now therefore come and let us fall into the hoast of the Syrians if they save us alive wee shall live and if they kill us wee shall but dye So say If I stand where I am I dye if I return to old courses I dye likewise what then I will venture on Christ if hee save mee alive I live if hee kill mee I can but dye Amen Proposit 2 That all the promises of God made to sinners in Jesus Christ shall certainly and assuredly bee fufilled and accomplished It s cleared 1 King 8. v. 56. Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which hee promised by the hand of Moses his servant God made a promise to Moses of giving rest c. to the people of Israel this promise God was punctual to a word in the fulfilling of it And this was a promise of the Law made to Moses the Law-giver on the behalf of that people Now if God were so punctual in fulfilling the promises of the Law which were made to Moses and given into his hand for that people that he would not fail in a tittle how much more punctual think you will hee bee in fulfill those promises which are made to Christ and given into his hand of the Saints such as all the promises of Law and Gospel now are to the people of God Now for the fuller clearing of this truth both that it is and must bee so I shall lay before you some Demonstrative grounds which may serve to strengthen and confirm our faith in this great point That all the promises made in Christ shall most certainly be fulfilled and accomplished Demonstrat 1. From the Text They are in Christ 2 From the great obligations lying upon God the Father and Jesus Christ to see to it that the promises be fulfilled Engagement 1. Promises cost Christ dear before he had them though they are a gift to us yet Christ paid for them The first Adam had the promises for nothing but he by his fall squandring away the promises none of his seed could ever have been partakers of any of them had not Christ the second Adam stepped in and by paying a price to his Father Justice redeemed the promises again Now the price was no less than his owne life and the promises having cost Christ so dear this obligeth him to look to it that they be fulfilled Engagem 2. Christ cannot put the promises to other use For for himself hee hath no need of them the evil Angels and good too God did in a manner
be deprived of their inheritance should not the Promises be fulfilled 3 Saints should sustaine injury by it should they not be fulfilled 4 The experience of all Ages shew us that God hath ever fulfilled his promise God made a promise to the Fathers that Christ should come this hee fulfilled when Christ came Act. 13.32 33. And wee declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee God made a promise to Noah that the Earth should not be drowned this though the world hath stood four thousand years since yet God hath never broken God made a promise to Abraham that at the end of four hundred and thirty years his Seed should come out from amongst those that afflicted them with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. This God punctually fulfilled to a day Evod. 12 vers 41. And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years even the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Aegypt God made a promise to Joseph that hee should rule over his Brethren God made a promise to David of the Kingdome God made a promise to Israel that at the end of seventy years Captivity in Babylon they should bee delivered and these Promises hee fulfilled God made a promise to his people of the Spirit Joel 2. Zach. 12.10 and chap. 2. the same in 14 15 16. Chap. of John and this God makes good Acts 2. Obj. 1. O but will some poor soul say True God hath made such a promise but me thinks I see so many and so great difficulties and discouragements in the way of Gods fulfilling the same that I cannot think ever God will fulfill it Ans 1 Are the difficulties or discouragements greater than those Abraham met with he had a promise of a Son 1 He waits twenty five years after the promise was made as will appear if you compare Gen. 12.4 with chap. 21.5 Abraham was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran where he had the promise Gen. 12.2 and he was an hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born unto him Gen. 21 5. was not this a great discouragement might not Abraham have said every year sure the Promise will never come 2 He waits so long till his own body was dead and Sarahs wombe the means by which the promise should be brought about there was a death upon it so as that in a Natural way there was no hope and therefore hee is said to beleeve in hope against hope Rom. 4.18 did not this much heighten the discouragements and make difficultie greater might not Abraham say well now I see there is no hope 3 After God had given him a Son yet God commands him to offer him up Did not this make difficulty the greater Abraham might say This Son of mine is the only Son in whom the Promise is to bee fulfilled and God commands me to offer him up Now notwithstanding all these Abraham beleeves before he had a Son hee beleeved that God who had promised was able to perform it and after when God bids him sacrifice his Son God still was able 2 Gods remembrance of his promise makes him to work wonderously over the head of all difficulties Psal 105.42 compared with the former verses For hee remembred his holy promise 3 Is any thing too hard for the Lord Obj. 2. O but I have sinned exceedingly against God since such and such a Promise hath been made unto me Ans Yet God remembers his promise Psal 106.45 compared with former verses And he remembred for them his Covenant yet ver 34. They did not destroy the Nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them vers 35. But were mingled among the Heathen and learned their works vers 43. They provoked him with their counsel and yet God remembred his Covenant v. 45 and as he remembers his promise so he will fulfill it Christ before his death gave his Disciples a promise of the Spirit after this they deal more unkindly with him than ever Peter denies him some sleep when hee was in the midst of his agony all forsake him and flye and yet Christ fulfills his promise to them How exceedingly did Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat King of Judah make Judah to sin 2 King 8 18. He walked in the way of the Kings of Israel as did the house of Ahab for the daughter of Ahab was his wife and hee did evill in the sight of the Lord. Yet for all this because God had made a promise to David that hee should alwayes have a light hee will not therefore destroy Judah as vers 19. yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servants sake as hee promised to give him alway a light and to his children Gods Covenant Isa 54.9 is said to bee like the waters of Noah when God had brought a floud upon the world in Noahs time God sware to Noah hee would not drown the carth as you may read Gen. 8.21 For the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth it should be rendred Although the imagination Such is Gods Covenant and Promise that hee will not break it although the heart of man bee evill Again thou hast sinned what is thy sin but a breach of the Law Now the Promise was before the Law and therefore thy breach of the Law cannot disanul the Promise Gal. 3. v. 15 16 17. And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul that it should make the Promise of none effect Object 3. But I am a poor unworthy creature Answ The Promise is a gift Gal. 3.22 That the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Object 4. But had I something of that God hath promised in way of pawn or pledge I then could beleeve Answ Abraham had nothing but a bare promise and yet hee beleeves Act. 7.5 And hee gave him none inheritance in it not so much as to set his foot on yet hee promised that hee would give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him when as yet hee had no childe Wee should beleeve God upon his bare promise as the Samaritans beleeved Christ because of his own word Joh. 4.41 And many more beleeved because of his own word Object 5. O but I have waited so long for the promise and yet it comes not I see it not fulfilled that my soul faints I begin to be without hope that ever it will be fulfilled Answ Hast thou waited longer then Abraham Abraham had a promise of a Son but waited twenty five years as bath been shewed hast thou waited yet twenty five years
not cast Anchor within the Vail O bee more in the exercise of this Grace of hope It is one thing I have observed of all the three great Graces Faith Hope and Charity wee are least in the exercise of the grace of Hope wee look to exercise Faith to goe out to the Promises and to exercise Charity but Hope which is the middle grace wee are apt to neglect if hope bee not exercised in some measure faith will bee dead and charity dead Now the work of hope is to look to the glorious Inheritance to the reward which one day wee shall enjoy be much in the exercise of the grace of hope look upon the reward God would have us look to it hath left one grace to bee exercised about it look at the mark of the price of the high Calling I do not say you should work altogether for it but look on it for incouragement what a glorious Inheritance you shall possess one day after you have done the will of God here for you shall receive the Promise and what is this Promise the promise of an eternal Inheritance O how doth this incourage a poor soul it is but a little while and I shall receive the Promise that glorious Inheritance Exercise this Grace of Hope which lyes in Expectation let us not lay by our Hope and thinke it enough to exercise Faith and Love and let Hope lye by that should help on both It is the Anchor that holds us fast and makes us steady it grasps the Inheritance before hand and holds us to it Labour that this Hope may bee cast within the Vail take heed it bee not pitched upon this or the other thing upon any thing without the Vaile But let your Hope bee grounded upon the Covenant of God therefore hope because God hath made a Covenant therefore I lay hold upon this Covenant because Jesus Christ was given out to dye for poor sinners his Blood was powred out for ungodly ones I come to him as a poor ungodly one to him that justifieth the ungodly therefore hope O ground thy hope upon Jesus Christ therefore I hope because the Lord hath been pleased to make free Promises of Grace to mee to blot out my sinnes for his Names sake Doe not ground your hope upon any thing besides for that is to ground your hope upon something without the Vaile and then such hope as this cast within the Vaile will make you blessed for ever The Lord give you and I to pitch our Anchors of Hope there Christ's New Commandement Joh. 13.34 A New Commandement I give unto you That yee love one another THE words read unto you are a part of and indeed the very beginning of that sweet and heavenly Sermon which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made to his Disciples when hee was taking his farewell of them to go to his Father Two things there are which Jesus Christ seems now upon his departure to have a deep sense of 1 Lest his Disciples in the time of his absence should bee bereaved of their inward peace and consolation to prevent which hee layes them in in this his last Sermon many sweet and precious soul-strengthning Cordials 2 Lest through their weakness they being as yet but little children as hee terms them in the foregoing verse amongst whom wrangling and jarring is not onely natural but a custome should in the time of his absence fall at oddes and variance within themselves For prevention of which he no sooner minds them of his departure but hee layes a streight charge upon them that as they did love him or regard his honour before men they would be especially carefull that there might be no division or want of affection among them when he should be gone Which charge of his that it might sinke deep into their memories he gives it over and over as in our Text and again Chap. 15.12 and again vers 17. Yea that they might see how exceedingly his minde did run upon this and how the fear of their failing herein did as it were stick in his heart considering they were as yet but little children and therefore very liable to fall together by the ears he layes down this as the first and great thing of all that he would have them to minde in his absence A New Commandement first Commands as in the Commands of the Moral Law are greatest as if he should say Little children a little while I am with you and then I am to leave you and O it fears mee exceedingly that no sooner shall I be gone but you will be together by the ears and therefore as the first thing of all and one main thing that I would have you alwaies to remember I beseech you yea I command you minde this to love one another I am extreamly afraid of the contrary and therefore I charge you Love one another Love one another A NEW The onely Query necessary for the explication of the words is this why the Command of Love is here called A New Commandement seeing it is ancient as ancient as the Law of God the whole Law being comprehended in this word LOVE To omit the various reasons which are given of the thing that which I conceive to bee most consonant to Truth and most agreeable to Scripture-language is this because This duty of love is more clearly revealed more fully discovered and more frequently pressed in the New Testament than ever it was in the Old Though it be certain the Law in the second Table thereof required love to the Brethren yet did it not so clearly and particularly reveal and presse the same as wee have it revealed and pressed under the Gospel And thus in respect of more clear revelation it may be called A New Commandement as the Covenant of Grace which from first to last is one and the same in respect of the more cleare administration thereof is in Scripture called A New Covenant Doct. It is the Command one of the great Commands of Jesus Christ that Saints should love one another None I suppose will question the truth of this if they doe let them read over the place fore-quoted together with Heb. 13.1 and the Epistles of John where this is plentifully urged One place for all may serve 1 Joh. 3 23. where the Apostle summes up the Gospel into two Great Commands whereof the first is faith in the Son God the second is love to the Brethren In prosecution of this I shall shew 1 What great ground and reason there is why Saints should love one another 2 How Saints may have their hearts brought up to the practice of this duty to love one another 3 Answer some Objections which lye in the way of many as obstacles and impediments whereby they are hindred from the exercise of this precious grace and so great and necessary a duty of love For the first I may say That there is all the reason in the world why Saints should love one another