toward thee for all that thou hast done Our Faith a thankful acceptance of Christ and all his Benefits our Obedience a thankful Obedience not out of fear of Hell but Gratitude all our Duties but the thankful Returns of Christ's Redeemed ones for the great Love he hath shewed to us So for all works of Charity our giving anâ— imitation of Christ who loved us and gave himself for us 2 Cor. 8.9 Tho' he was rich yet for your sakes became poor that ye through his power might become rich Forgiving so it is said Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Our works of Piety Worshipping God Love should bring us into his Presence and his Mercies to us in Christ should be continual matter of Praise and Thanksgiving Our Preaching Love to God should sweeten the labours of it Oh had we a deeper sense of this great Love that provided such a remedy for us we would feel the constraining influence of it in every thing that our hand findeth to do for God! 2. The next thing is the outward occasion or procuring Cause which is our Misery by reason of Sin He came to propitiate God offended by Man's Sin Sin was the cause of Enmity between God and Man and did set us at such an infinite distance from him that our peace could be made no other way but by Christ's making his Soul an offering for Sin Isai. 53.10 and becoming a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Therefore when we remember the Agonies and Death of Christ we should remember the odiousness of Sin To make light of Sin is to make light of the sufferings of Christ. The Scripture often shews the greatness of Sin by the greatness of the price that was given to redeem us from it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ. And this both in order to Caution and Humiliation Caution ver 17. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear And Humiliation Zach. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look on Him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born Before God would be propitious to Sinners the Son of God must be made Man and suffer and dye to expiate our offences Well then Is Sin nothing that sowed the Seeds of that woful Discord between God and us that he will have no communion with us till the Blood of Christ be shed to purge us from our Sins Generally we have slight and superficial apprehensions of Sin therefore we are not much troubled for what is past nor careful to avoid it for the time to come Ye are not deeply affected with what our Mediator hath done to deliver us from it Oh Christians Without these bitter Herbs due thoughts of Sin Christ our Passover will not relish with us Do but consider what you conceive of wrongs done to you how they provoke and stir your passions so that there is much ado to get you pacified What hainousness must there be in your offences against God both as to the quality of their nature and their multiplicity both as to number and kind It is true God is free from passion and is not troubled as your Spirits are But such is the provoking nature of Sin that it cryeth for Vengeance and bringeth you under the dreadful Sentence of Divine wrath which would fall upon you with all its weight if Christ had not interposed and catched the Blow In short the Sinner is in a dreadful and damnable condition by reason of Sin but Christ bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree which should increase our Thankfulness for woe be to us if we bear our own Sin and heighten our Repentance that we may not provoke God for the future For you see satisfaction cannot be easily made for the injury of Sin The ignorance of God's Majesty and Holiness hath tempted the World to fancy some lesser expiations of Sin and satisfaction to God by sacrifices of Beasts or Penances or such a number of Prayers or costly Alms But the Gospel teacheth us there is no purgation of Sin but only by the death of Jesus Christ. 3. The effects and fruits are Pardon and Life I. Pardon For God's Justice being satisfied by Christ he hath granted a new Covenant wherein Pardon is assured to the penitent Believer We are told in what way and method Sin is pardoned upon the account of Christ's death If we in a broken-hearted manner confess it before God 1 Ioh 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness So Luke 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations Now this is no small mercy to have sin pardon'd II. The other benefit is Life begun in us by the Spirit and perfected in Heaven Consider it as begun in us by the Spirit in Regeneration We have have it by virtue of Christ's death Tit. 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 whicsh he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Lord. Or as perfected in Heaven it is still the fruit of Christ's death Heb. 5.9 Being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Now these benefits should be considered by us because they are the matter of our Faith and Trust. As God's Love calleth for Thankfulness and the hainousness of Sin for Repentance so the benefits of Christ's death for Faith and Affiance God solemnly reacheth out to us the benefits contained in the promises of the Gospel as by a Deed and Instrument and we by Faith accept them and by Affiance depend on God for the performance of them In short that Christ may give us the Favour and Image of God and all the consequent priviledges free access to God for the present and the full fruition of him in Bliss and Glory for the future Thus for the Object Secondly The Act is Annunciation or Shewing forth This may be considered with respect to the parties to whom we annunciate it Or with respect to the Properties or manner how it is to be annunciated 1. With respect to the Parties We annunciate and shew forth Christ's death with respect to our selves that we may anew believe and exercise our Faith With respect to others that we may solemnly profess this Faith in the Crucified Saviour with a kind of Glorying and rejoycing With respect to God that we may plead the merit of his Sacrifice with Humility and Affiance I. With
When they engross your Time which is the most precious Commodity that can be for it cannot be bought with Gold and Silver and when once lost can never be repaired God hath appointed Pleasures after Labour and when we are grown dull with Exercise but then they should be moderate that as little Time be wasted as may be But now when Men make a Calling of their Recreation and their Life is nothing else but a Diversion from one Pleasure to another and they spend more time than will serve to quicken them to their Work certainly this is a Sin for then they alter the nature of them and make it a Work and not a Sport They that spend their whole Time in Eating Drinking and Sporting live like Beasts rather than Men for it is the Beasts Happiness to take pleasure without remorse nay they live rather like Plants which are a less noble sort of Beings than Beasts Beasts have their Labour but Plants have only Life and Time given them that they may grow bulky for it is the perfection of Plants to grow bulky and increase in Stature And yet this is the Life of many Gallants and idle Gentlemen who live as if they were not born for Business but Recreation Nay tho you do not make a Trade of it yet too much Time is not to be spent for the measure only so much Time as will serve to quicken you again to the Labours of your general and particular Calling An eminent Divine gives this Rule concerning Recreations It is not lawful for a Man in an ordinary course to spend more Time in the Day upon any Pastime than in Religious Exercises He means private Religious Exercises he limits him only thus not constantly Now if we be tried by this Rule how many of us would be taken tardy and guilty of Sin As one said when he read Matth. 5. Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not Scripture or we not Christians So let us look upon this Rule Either it is not true or we do not act aright Therefore let us debate it a little and see whether is defective Either we come short of Strictness and Circumspection or the Rule comes short of Truth and Weight Think of it certainly it is most equal that the most needful Duties should have most time bestowed upon them To get Assurance and enjoy Communion with God this should be first in your Care Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you It is true we cannot spend so much time in private Communion with God as in Business because of the urgency of bodily Necessities yet this is but equal that we should spend as much time in Duties of Religion as we do in Recreation Consider the Soul hath its Delights and Repasts and Recreations as well as the Body and needs it as much and therefore if our first Care should be for the Soul it is but equal that at leaâ—t as much Recreation as we bestow upon the Body so much also should we allow to the Soul Especially when we consider this that it is some Refreshment to the Body to go aside from manual Labour and converse with God Once more that you may think charitably upon this Rule there is a sad Character in Scripture given of that sort of Men 2 Tim. 3.4 that are lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God Now consider will not this too much describe the Temper of our Hearts Will not this Text stare in the face of Conscience when we are loth to give an equal time to God and to Religion as to our carnal Sports and Delights If your Expences of Time were written in your Debt-Books you would blush to look over the Accounts so much for Pleasure so much for Sports so much for Business and so little for Duty and private Converse with God The Rule is too true let Conscience be Judg. Certainly if we did prize Heavenly Comforts as much as Carnal we should not complain of the Rule as too strict What shall we think of them who grudg no Time spent in Pleasure and yet grudg all Time spent in God's Service 3. When they unfit the Heart for any serious Work by putting the Affections out of Joint then they become a Snare and it is high time to think of setting a restraint All Things are to be measured by their End Now the end of Pleasure is only this to quicken the Mind and revive the Body and fit it for Work and Service The end of Pleasure is not for Pleasure but Work and Service Well then a thing is no longer good than it conduceth to its End Now when the Heart is set back and unfitted more for Duty and less able to pray and meditate and labour in our Callings by reason of our Sports and Recreations it is a sign we have too much let loose the Reins to Pleasure For Pleasure was appointed to make us better not worse more chearful in the Duties of our Callings but now it proveth a Clog and a Snare 4. Then is Sobriety to interpose when our Pleasure doth cheat us of opportunity of Retirement and religious Privacy with God and our selves Certainly it is a Duty to maintain a constant Converse with God Iob 22.21 Acquaint thy self with him and be at Peace He delights to speak with his Creatures and be familiar with them This is that which is called Communion with God a constant Correspondency that is kept up between God and the Soul Now will a Man rob God this is strange and monstrous Well then when Ease and Pleasure will not give way for Communion with God and stops the Voice of Conscience when it pleads for God then it is naught And so for privacy with our selves it is a duty to commune with our own Hearts Psal. 4.4 Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed and be still We and our Hearts should be often together Now carnal Men give themselves up to Pleasure because they cannot endure Solitariness and Self-conversing they are loth to look into themselves like a Mill when it wants Corn it will grind upon it self they shall be forced to speak to themselves which they cannot endure Now Pleasures are unlawful when they use them against holy Soliloquies and as a Remedy against Conscience as Saul would drive away his evil Spirit by David's Musick This is a great Sin Amos 6.3 They put far from them the evil Day And ver 6. They drink Wine in Bowls but remember not the Afflictions of Joseph Men beguile their Consciences by turning from Pleasure to Pleasure and so put off suing out a Pardon the sense of their Sins and humbling themselves before God and making their Peace with God This is the Work of your Lives Therefore when Business Entertainments Sports and Pleasures take up your Time and will not allow you to be solitary
another's Wealth not his own exclusively it is not to be understood in sensu conjuncto not his own so as to neglect and exclude the Care of the Publick We are not to live as Beasts every one to shift for himself but Human Society is maintained by Communion and Converse Yea in many cases others Good is to be sought more than our own Rom. 15.3 For even Christ pleased not himself for the common good of the Elect he regards not his own Life And this Example we are to follow 1 Iohn 3.16 Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our Lives for the Brethren that is my single Life to save the Community I must promote their Spiritual Good with the loss of my Temporals my Interest must be exposed to hazard for a more publick Good 8 th Rule We must help others according to our Power This is a part of Righteousness In the Law it is said It shall be Righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God Deut. 24.13 when it speaks of the Poor's due Carnal wicked covetous Men stand upon Property 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I have killed for my Shearers c. Thy Estate is not thy own but God's it is ours in Law but God's in Use and you are but Stewards for him This will be no Plea in the Day of Judgment to say It was my own and I did not rob others thou art a Thief before God if thou givest not He that useth not his Estate as God would have him use it is a spiritual Thief Prov. 3.27 With-hold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the Power of thy Hand to do it When the Poor are cast upon thee by God's Providence they are a kind of Owners that which thou detainest from them is theirs it is not ours when Christ calleth for it and his Members need it Ambrose saith Non qui capit aliena sed qui non dedit sua c. Though we have done no wrong yet if we have not disposed our Goods and Estate for God's Glory it is Injustice and Sin as Stewards must dispose of Goods according to the Mind of the Master Secondly What reason have we to look after this Grace of Righteousness and to be just 1. It is a piece of God's Image Ephes. 4.24 That ye put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Nothing makes us so like God as Righteousness we must be like God not only in Holiness but in Righteousness See the distinction between these two the one signifies Purity of Nature and the other Justice and Equity in our Dealing and Conversation For God is holy in all his Ways and righteous in all his Works his Essence is holy and his Administrations just So the new Man is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness be like God in both 2. It is an Evidence of the Truth of Grace to walk in all your Relations righteously amiably and justly We are bidden to bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance Luke 3.8 that is such as are meet Evidences that there is a Change wrought What are these Defraud no Man Exact no more than is appointed you ver 13. And when the Souldiers came to ask What shall we do he said Do Violence to no Man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your Wages ver 14. And that is the reason the Children of God so much stand upon their Righteousness because it is an Evidence of their Interest in Grace Iob 27.6 My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go Acts 10.35 In every Nation he that feareth 〈◊〉 and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him still it is made to be the Evidence that God hath taken us into his own Grace and that we are Heirs of Salvation 3. It is a delight and rejoycing to God to see his Children just and righteous in all their Dealings God exceedingly hates Iniquity in Traffick and Commerce Deut. 25.15 16. Thou shalt have a perfect and just Weight a perfect and just Measure shalt thou have that thy days may be lengthened in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For all that do such things and all that do unrighteously are an Abomination to the Lord thy God And it is repeated again Prov. 20.10 Divers Weights and divers Measures both of them are alike Abomination to the Lord. But now it is said Prov. 15.9 He loveth him that follows after Righteousness So Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep Iudgment and he that doth Righteousness at all times 4. It is necessary for the Honour of Religion Grace teacheth us to live soberly and righteously Truants at School are a Reproach and Disgrace to the Skill of the Teacher And so carnal Professors are a Reproach to God If Men are unrighteous they never learn'd it of Grace Hypocrites usually abound in Acts of Worship and Duties of the first Table but they seldom make Conscience of Duties of the second Table here they bewray themselves What 's the Cry of the World None so unjust and unrighteous in their Dealings as those that profess Religion this brings a Reproach upon the Ways of God Neh. 5.9 It is not good that ye do Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies It is high time to vindicate Religion and do it all the Right we can and make it comely Rom. 12.17 Provide things honest in the sight of all Men. The wicked World are apt to speak ill of the Gospel of God Now the Lord would have the World know that there is no such Friend to Human Society as his Grace The ancient Fathers were wont to make Challenges Dent Imperatores tales tales Consules tales Exactores fisci talem exercitum c. Let all the World shew such Emperors Princes Magistrates such Treasurers such Souldiers as the Christian Religion can But Religion is mightily made a Contempt when Men make it to be the pretence of vile Practices 5. It will be for your own Comfort whatever falls out in the World Good or Evil. Samuel could say 1 Sam. 12.3 Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any Bribe to blind mine Eyes therewith If Good come Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with Righteousness than great Revenues without Right And in Death you will die comfortably when you can wash your hands in Innocency 6. Consider how just some of the Heathens have been and shall Grace come short What a Disparagement is this as if Grace did teach thee to be unjust Regulus when he had pass'd his Word tho it were to endure an exquisite Torment yet he would not break it Curius Dentatus when he had been employed in the highest
all things will not fail us at last The calling of the Gentiles the rejection of the Jews the sending of the Messiah these were things as invisible and as much to come as Heaven is to us new all these things have been fulfilled and why should we not trust God to the last Experience is wont to beget Hope Rom. 5.4 And Patience Experience and Experience Hope Can God lie or Truth it self be false What need hath God to flatter thee or deceive thee If we did preach a God that needed the Creatures then you might suspect what we tell you in his Name but he hath no Interest to be gratified his vehement Longings are for your Good and Profit Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it may be well with them and with their Children for ever God doth not say that it may be well with me but with them Again let Reason be heard to speak how sutable it is to God's Nature Consider the Being of God is infinite and eternal and so is the Reward the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 4.17 a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory Araâ—nah gave like a King God's Gifts are like himself sutable to his infinite Mercy and eternal Duration how likely is it that God will once shew himself like himself And they are suitable to the Merit of Christ Is God at such expence for Trifles The Comforts of this World may be bought with Gold and Silver but the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Why would God give so great a Price out of his own Treasury but to take a Debt upon himself and to oblige his Justice to be our Friend If Christ can be in the Womb and in the Grave why may not we be in Heaven It is more credible to believe that a Creature should be in Heaven than a God should be in the Grave and Christ's Abasement which is first is more than our Advancement There is not so great a distance between us and Happiness as between Christ and Misery Men naturally being made capable of an higher Condition of Mind and Affections to love and know God Godliness must have a better Recompence than is to be had in the World These are but the Offals of Providence enjoyed by God's Enemies they have the greatest Share Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World which have their Portion in this Life The wiser Men are the more they contemn these things Children are taken with Rattles Grace cannot be satisfied with the World without an higher Enjoyment of God Pleasures are common to us with the Beasts wicked Men flow in Ease and Plenty A Reward there must be it is impossible a Creature should rest in its own Action We see that natural Actions that tend to maintain Life have a Sweetness and Pleasure mingled with them that we may not neglect them or our own Preservation as Eating and Drinking and the like Therefore vertuous Actions much more such as are against the hair and bent of Nature must have a Reward a Reward better than the Work or else it would be lost Labour There is a disposition and instinct of Nature towards Eternal Happiness Man's Soul like a Spunge is thirsty and seeketh to be satisfied Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any Good And every Good will not serve their turn Men at first take up with the Creature because it is next at hand but it satisfieth not their Sore runneth till they come to enjoy God Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they may feel after him and find him When we have all outward Blessings the Soul of Man is not filled up there is something wanting to our Peace and Quiet Solomon made Experiments but had no satisfaction Thus you see there is no such Reward so sutable to what is declared of God of Christ of the Nature of Man of Grace as this blessed Hope 2. Apply it Besides the Truth of the Promises look to the clearing up of your own Interest and Title It is a poor comfortless Meditation to think of a blessed Hope and the certainty of it unless we have an Interest in these things this will be but like the gaze of an hungry Man upon a Feast The Reprobates hereafter are lookers on and David speaks of a Table spread for him in the presence of his Enemies Psal. 23.5 Hope hath never a more lively Influence than when it is founded in Property and a sense of our own Interest Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth And 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudg shall give me at that Day There is not only an Heaven but for me Thus are the Saints wont to profess their Interest and assured Hope But is Hope only the fruit of Assurance I answer It is the fruit of Faith as well as of Assurance or Experience but certainly it is very comfortable when we can discern our own Interest and in some sort necessary Before we can hope for our selves our Qualification is to be supposed for that is our Evidence Therefore I shall 1 st Press you to get this Assurance 2 dly Shew what kind of Application is absolutely required that you may thus look for the blessed Hope 1 st Let me press you to get an assured Title to Heaven In a Matter of such moment would a Man be at an Uncertainty Can he be quiet and not sure of Heaven Not to look after it is a bad sign A godly Man may want it but a godly Man cannot slight it A Man may want it he may creep to Heaven some are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Others have an abundant Entrance 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an Entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. For want of this you quite lose your Heaven upon Earth which consisteth in Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and you lose much of the Influence of Hope Uncertain wavering Thoughts have little Efficacy But a good Man cannot slight it it is a breach of a Command which requireth Diligence It argueth spiritual Security when Men can be content to live long and yet do not know what will become of them How can you think of the Coming of Christ without Terror That which others look for and long for is your Fear as Felix trembled assoon as he heard of Judgment to come 2 dly
here wronged Justice interposed and put in something by way of Bar against us yet notwithstanding the Demerit of our Sins he would take us into his Favour In the Creation God shewed himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Angels but in Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Man Tit. 3.4 After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared 2. Chiefly because of the Life they live the new Creature hath a more noble Being than all the Creatures in the World and lives a more noble Life Put the whole World in the Ballance and it is not worthy to be compared with the new Creature those that are purified and sanctified the World is not worthy of them Heb. 11.38 Of whom the World was not worthy Look as the Life of Reason excels that of Sense and the Life of Sense that of Vegitation the Life of Beasts is better than the Life of Plants and the Life of Man better than the Life of Beasts so doth Grace excel Reason and the Life of Saints is a more noble Being than that of Men. I confess if you go upward we cannot say the Life of Glory as much excels the Life of Grace as the Life of Grace excels the Life of Reason there is a greater Difference between the Life of Reason and the Life of Grace than between the Life of Grace and the Life of Glory or between a carnal Man and a Child of God than between the most glorified Saint in Heaven and the weakest Believer on Earth The Difference between Glory and Grace is gradual but the Difference between the carnal Life and the spiritual Life is essential Glorified Saints and Saints here living the Life of Grace differ only in Degrees but the Life of Grace and the Life of Nature differ in kind There is more Difference between a Toad or Beast and a Man than between a Child and a Man Grace and Glory differ but as a Child and a Man only in Degree but Grace and Sense and Grace and Reason differ as the Life of a Toad and the Life of a Beast from the Life of a Man Vse 1. Information 1. That we should not value Men by their secular Interests but by their Relation to God The Lord doth not call the Potentates of the Earth his Treasure as he doth his Holy Ones Prov. 12.26 The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Men may be mighty in the World yet base and vile in God's Esteem Dan. 4.17 He gives Kingdoms to the basest of Men. It is notable in the prophetical Visions of the great Monarchs of the World they are compared to wild Beasts Alexander the Mighty yet is called the Goat of Graecia Paul calls Nero a Lion They that brave it in the World as if they were Gods upon Earth yet in the Lord's Account they are but Beasts But now the Saints are the precious excellent ones of the Earth Psal. 16.3 Therefore we should not value Men by their outward Greatness James 2.1 Have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of Persons If you have Relation to Christ he puts a Glory and Excellency upon you you are his Treasure Saith Tertullian Non ex personis fidem sed ex fide personas We must not measure the Faith by the Person but the Person by his Faith They are Fools that despise and vilify those upon whom God sets the greatest Price and admire those that are of lowest Esteem with God 2. It informeth us that the Judgment of God and the Judgment of the World are very contrary The World counts the Saints the Filth the Scurf and Off-scouring of all things and God calls them Jewels and Treasure Alas with God carnal Men are nothing worse than nothing It had been better for them saith the Spirit of God that they had never been born and they are viler than the Earth The blind World knows not how to value the Stamp and Seal of the Spirit When God hath impress'd his own Image the World knows not how to value them but God values them These are Coins and Medals God will keep in his own Treasure Certainly they are worthless Souls that despise them that count Purity a Disgrace It hath always been the World's Fashion to crucify God in Effigie in his Picture to despise oppress and scoff at them that bear his Image and resemble him and malign and scorn the Lustre of Holiness 3. It informs us how much it concerns us to be holy and purified for those he counts to be his Treasure God's Church is his Heritage but every one that lives in the Church God doth not count them to be his Jewels Many claim Acquaintance of him by virtue of Offices and Ministration in the Church yet they are disclaimed and disowned by God Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works And then will I profess uâ—â—â— them I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity The Holy Ghost brings in some that had great Gifts and Employments in the Church And as when a Man entertaineth another with Strangeness we use to put him in mind by some Tokens so carnal Professors put Christ in Mind as it were by some kind of Tokens Do you not remember that we prophesied in your Name c. and we were employed in special Offices in the Church No verily I know you not he disclaims and disowns them 4. It informs us that it is dangerous to molest oppress and prosecute the Godly those that are purified because they are God's peculiar ones you meddle with the Apple of his Eye and to destroy them is Sacrilege Israel is a holy thing Ier. 2.3 Israel is Holiness unto the Lord and the first-fruits of his Increase all that devour him shall offend Evil shall come upon them saith the Lord. Sacrilege hath been always deadly robbing of Temples among the Heathen hath been always observed to be fatal to those that attempted it the Lord by his wise Providence was pleased to suffer the Devil to follow them with Tempests and Punishments to keep up the Notion of a Divine Power which is the Fundamental Principle and Ground of all Religion So when you oppress and destroy the People of God and malign them you devour that which is holy which will prove fatal and deadly Look as he told the Governour Acts 22.26 Take heed what thou doest for this Man is a Roman So God is very tender of these kind of Men they are his Jewels his Treasure take heed how you use them Vse 2. Exhortation and that both to carnal Men and to God's People who are his peculiar ones First It exhorts carnal Men to put in for a share in this great Privilege to be one of God's peculiar ones those that he counts his
before us Partly as it assureth us of his sympathizing with us in our hard Service he knoweth the weaknesses of Humane Nature and its reluctancies to the Law of God Christ learned Obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5.8 and having experienced the hardships of suffering his Heart is intendred towards those that are in the like Case Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Partly because of the Perfection of his Obedience to cover our Infirmities God hath had full Obedience from Christ and therefore where a poor Soul doth its utmost it can rely on God for acceptance which is a great encouragement in our work Rom. 5.19 By the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous VSE To perswade us to follow Christ. 1. Our general Profession of being Christians doth oblige us to be like him Head and Members should be all of a piece If we take the Name of Christ upon us we had need express him to the Life 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light If a Man should put your Name to the Picture of a Swine you would account it a disgrace Oh what an affront is it to Christ to put his Name to the Picture and Image of the Devil we do but express him in scorn and contempt When we are wrathful unclean covetous unchaste sensual proud unholy and say we are Christians what a dishonour scorn and contempt do we put upon Christ What did the Heathens say heretofore Estimari a cultoribus potest ipse qui colitur You may know what one he is whom they worship by them that worship him We profess to bear the Image of Christ yet are vain turbulent carnal unthankful unholy Oh what is this but to carry the Name of Christ in disgrace up and down the World 2. We shall never be like him in Glory unless we be like him in Grace also Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Here the Foundation is laid If you would appear before God with confidence and not be ashamed at the great day be like to him then you shall have boldness 1 Ioh. 4.17 Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the Day of Iudgment because as he is so are we in the World Otherwise how can we look him in the face Therefore let us follow him Assequi nunquam possumus sequi tamen nunquam desinamus though we cannot follow him as Asahel did Abner close at the heels yet let us follow him however thô it be but as Peter followed Christ afar off to the High Priest's Hall But wherein should we follow Christ I Answer 1. In his Self-denyal This is the first Lesson in Christianity and one of the hardest Christ came from Heaven to teach us this Lesson and his Birth Life and Death was a continual Lecture of Self-denyal His Birth it was a great step from God's Bosom to the Virgin 's Lap. None can deny themselves as Christ who when he was rich viz. in all the Fulness and Glory of the Godhead yet for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 None was so rich as Christ and therefore none can deny themselves as Christ did We may talk of Flocks and Herds and Lands and Lordships and the Ornaments of the present Life but he had the possession of a perfect and unbounded Happiness and Glory and yet he was born of a Woman he had a poor Mother in a poor place and was wrapt up in cheap swadling Cloaths He that was God's Fellow the Heir of all things the Lord of Angels was thrust among the Beasts of the Stable Certainly Christ came into the World with such a slender Provision that we might not stand upon Greatness and Bravery His whole Life after he was born was exercised with Labours and Sorrows Rom. 15.3 Even as Christ pleased not himself that is he did not Study the Interest of that Life which he assumed Certainly if any had cause to love Life Christ had his Soul dwelt with God in a Personal Union in such a near Fellowship as we are not capable of and yet he pleased not himself but gave up himself for our sins It is ridiculous to profess him to be our Master and not to follow his Example We have no Reason to stand upon our Points as we do to be delicate and tender of our Interests when Jesus Christ pleased not himself We murmur if we have but a little bad Entertainment in the World for his sake and yet we cannot be worse used than Christ was Mat. 10.24 25. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord. We have no Cause to complain if we be reduced to course Apparel when we remember the Swadling cloaths of Christ or to complain of a hard Bed and Prison when Christ was laid in a Manger Christ would teach us hereby that an innocent Poverty is better than all the Pomp of the World and for his Sufferings from the Cratch to the Cross still he was a Pattern of Self-denyal therefore they that indulge themselves in all the delights of the Flesh seem not to believe in Christ who was a Man of Sorrows We are in a base condition but two or three degrees distant from Dust or Nothing yet how are we for pleasing and satisfying our selves even to the dishonour of God and wrong of Conscience 2. In his Humility Christ did not this out of Necessity but Choice Matth. 20.28 The Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a Ransom 〈◊〉 many He came not in the Pomp and Equipage of Princes but in the Form of a Servant How should this check aspiring after and affecting Domination especially in the Church They that love Preheminence and would be great and hig◠〈◊〉 to affect another Jesus They that rend and tear all to pieces eiâ—her 〈…〉 their Greatness or grow greater have not the same Mind that was in Jesus You should be humble and lowly and condescending to the meanest Offices It is worth your Observation that in the Gospel we are so often told that after the Lord Jesus had performed some eminent Miracle he withdrew himself and retired from the Multitude that so he might not be mixed with their Praises Thus when he received that Glorious Testimony from Heaven declaring him to be the Son of God Matth. 3.17 And lo a voice from Heaven saying This is my belovâ—â— Son in whom I am well pleased he retired into the Wilderness So when he had raised his Fame by curing
than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased And Cant. 1.4 We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy Loves more than VVine The choicest Contentments of the Flesh are nothing so satisfying as the Joy of his Salvation This Joy is called unspeakable and glorious as being better felt than uttered 1 Pet. 1.8 The strength of it is seen when other Comforts fail How precious are thy Thoughts unto me O God! Psal. 139.17 How great is the summ of them Sixthly The sixth Property of Faith is Victory over the World 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the VVorld and this is the Victory that overcometh the VVorld even our Faith who is he that overcometh the VVorld but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God I shall dispatch this briefly and shall shew you 1. What is the World that is to be overcome All worldly things whatsoever so far as they lessen our Esteem of Christ and Heavenly things or as they hinder us in our Duty to God In short the Delights and Terrors of this World for we must be Armed on both sides with the Armour of Righteousness both on the right hand and the left 2 Cor. 6.7 The Fears of this World are apt to stagger us so do Snares pervert and inveigle us Moses had Temptations of all kinds right-hand Temptations from Riches Honours Pleasures Heb. 11.24 25 26. By Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Left-hand Temptations Ver. 27. By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible The Armour of the right hand is called Temperance of the left hand Patience 2 Pet. 1.6 To Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience In the Parable of the Sower sowing his seed we read that which fell on the Stony ground withered in Persecution Luk. 8.13 They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the Word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away That which was sown in the Thorny-ground was choaked with the Cares Riches and Pleasures of the World Verse 14. And they which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choaked with Cares and Riches and Pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection If the Terrors of Sense assault our Constancy we must set Loss against Loss Pain against Pain Fear against Fear Matth. 10.28 Fear not him that can kill the Body and do no more but fear him that can cast both Body and Soul into Hell If they threaten a Prison remember God threatens Hell If they threaten Fire God threatens everlasting Fire If they threaten loss of Estate loss of Heaven is much worse If the Delights of Sense are likely to Corrupt us to pervert or divert our Minds from better things we must look to it and remember what better things are reserved for us Persecution is opposite to Prosession without but this obstructs the very Vigour Life and Power of Godliness within Ioh. 2.15 If any Man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him And then for Pleasures 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God Heb. 12.16 Or prophane Person as Esau who for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right Honours are baneful to our Faith Ioh. 5.44 How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only They eat out the Heart of it These are our daily Temptations 2. The Necessity of Overcoming the World 1. 'T is by the World that our spiritual Enemies have advantage against us The Devil seeketh to tempt or fright the fleshly Nature in us either by the Terrors or Allurements of Sense therefore Conquer the World and the Tempter is disarm'd he blindeth us as the god of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the god of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them He Vexeth as the Prince of this World and having a strong Party in the World he findeth it no great matter to entice a sensual Worldly Mind to almost any thing that is evil The Baits and Provisions of the Flesh are in the World 1 Ioh. 2.16 For all that is in the World the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World The World fits us with a Bait agreeable to every Appetite or a Dyet that suiteth with every Distemper of our Souls A proud Mind must be Honour'd and Humoured and will go nothing lower than high Place and Pomp of living a Sensual Mind must have its Pleasures and the Covetuous the Increase of Wealth and Religion is either cast off or neglected and made an Underling 2. The World is the great Lett and Impediment to our Obedience In the first Epistle of Iohn ch 5. in the Context to the Words that I am now explaining Verse the 2 d and 3 d. it is said By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous Then it followeth Verse 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the VVorld c. So Titus 2.11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present VVorld The one must be done that the other may be done We shall soon be tempted to make a Breach upon Righteousness Sobriety or Godliness if we do not labour to overcome the World So Psal. 119.36 Incline my Heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness 3. This Victory over the World distinguisheth the Spiritual from the Animal Life The World of Mankind is distinguished into two sorts some that live the Animal Life and some that live the Spiritual Life They that live the Animal Life are such as only behave themselves meerly as living Creatures or as a wiser sort of Beasts and the Comfort of their Life is only kept up by the good things of this World Land Heritages Honours Pleasures Riches and so Reason is subjected to Sense all their Contrivance is for the Flesh But the Spiritual and Divine Life is supported by the Comforts of the Spirit and the Foresight of Eternal Joyes in the World to come and so Reason is raised and sublimated by Faith These two Lives are distinguished Ioh. 3.6 That which is born of
not where such a total Resignation there must be of our selves to the Will of God This was done by him and must be done by all that will be saved We know where the Land of Promise is and the way to it but it lyeth in an unknown World 2. Another Tryal was Heb. 11.17 18. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the Promise offered up his only begotten Son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called Because God would make Abraham an Example of Faith to all future Generations therefore he puts him to this Tryal to see whether he loved his Isaac more than God Now Abraham gave him up wholly to God's disposal even Isaac on whom the Promise was settled being assured of God's Power he made all things ready for the Sacrifice VSE Let us get such a Faith even such a sincere hearty giving up our selves to Christ firmly to rely upon the Promises and faithfully to obey all his Commands delivered in the Gospel The Gospel is a summary of what we are to believe and do Psal. 119.166 I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments Stick to this whatever Tryal is made of you and you have the Faith of Abraham SERMONS UPON St. MARK III. 5. SERMON I. MARK III. 5 And Iesus looked round about on them with Anger being grieved for the Hardness of their Hearts IN the first Verse of this Chapter we read that there was a Man which had a withered Hand who came to Jesus for Relief on the Sabbath-Day Here was a fair Occasion offered to the Pharisees to display their Malice The Sabbath was of high Esteem and Veneration among the Jews and therefore now they thought by this means to blast the Repute of Christ among the People In case he should heal on the Sabbath-Day their Noise and Clamour against him might seem to be justified Therefore 't is said They watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath-day ver 2. But Christ is not daunted he goeth on with his Work for all their Prejudices nay to make the Miracle more manifest he biddeth him stand forth ver 3. However to satisfy the People he disputeth with them they themselves would do more to a Beast than he was requested to do to the Man with a withered Hand Ver. 4. He saith unto them Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day or to do evil to save Life or to kill In Matth. 12.10 it is said they propounded the Question to him and in the 11 th Verse by way of answer he maketh use of an Argument from a Beast fallen into a Pit He said unto them What Man shall there be among you that shall have one Sheep and if it fall into a Pit on the Sabbath-day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out But they held their Peace They could reply nothing by way of Answer and sufficient Confutation and they would reply nothing by way of Approbation and Consent At their malicious Silence Christ is both angred and grieved There is an excellent Temper and Mixture in his Affections In Christ's Anger there is more of Compassion than of Passion he knew how to distinguish between the Man and the Sin and to manifest his Displeasure and Grief at the same time The Cause of both is assigned in the Text for the Hardness of their Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was softned for their Hardness The Point which I mean to handle is the Grievousness of the Sin of Hardness of Heart Christ was grieved with it in the Pharisees and there is not a greater cause of Offence to his Spirit Doct. That Hardness of Heart is a grievous Sin very offensive and provoking to Iesus Christ. I shall I. Open the Terms II. Shew you the Nature of this evil Frame of Heart III. The Kinds of it IV. The Causes of it V. The Heinousness of it VI. Some Observations concerning this spiritual Malady I. For the Terms by which it is expressed they are two Heart and Hardness 1. Heart This Hardness is sometimes ascribed to the Neck as Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his Neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without Remedy And then it is a Metaphor taken from refractory Oxen that will not endure the Yoke and so it noteth Disobedience Sometimes to the Face as Ier. 3.5 They have made their Faces harder than a Rock And so it noteth Impudence they can no more blush than a Rock or Stone But most usually it is ascribed to the Heart as in the Text so Ezek. 3.7 The House of Israel will not hearken to thee for they will not hearken to me for all the House of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted And so it noteth Obstinacy All go together an hard Heart an hard Neck and an hard Face Men are first disobedient then obstinate then impudent But it is the Heart that we are to consider which naturally and in its first Sense signifieth a piece of Flesh in the Body which is the chief Seat and Shop of Life but morally and metaphorically it signifieth the Soul 1 Sam. 12.20 Serve the Lord with all your Heart that is with all your Soul Now in the Soul there are many Faculties the Mind the Conscience the Memory the Will and Affections and they are all expressed by this Term Heart The Mind is called Heart Rom. 1.21 Their foolish Heart was darkned that is their Mind The Conscience 1 Sam. 24.5 David 's Heart smote him that is his Conscience The Memory Phil. 1.7 I have you in my Heart that is I am mindful of you But usually it signifieth the Will and Affections as Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart And this is the Faculty in which this Disease is seated Blindness is incident to the Mind Searedness and Benummedness to the Conscience Slipperiness to the Memory Deadness to the Affections but Hardness is incident to the Will that part of the Soul by which we chuse and refuse Good or Evil. 2. Hardness It is expressed by different Terms in Scripture sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Text and Ephes. 4.18 which noteth a callous brawny insensible Hardness such as is in the Labourer's Hand or the Traveller's Heel Sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it is a Metaphor taken from dry Bodies when the Parts are more condensed and so more impenetrable Dâ—xities est qualitas densas bene compactas habens partes difficulter cedens tactui It doth not easily yield to any Impressions from without So it is set forth by the Hardness of the Adamant Zech. 7.12 They made their Hearts as an Adamant Stone They can no more be wrought upon to receive any Impression of Grace and Reformation than the Diamond or Flint or hardest Rock can be ingraved or fashioned to any Form by the Tool of the Artificer II. I
thoughts leave a forcible impression upon the Soul The Papists talk of St. Francis and St. Clara that had the wounds of Christ impressed on them it is true in a Spiritual way deep thoughts leave the wounds and sorrows of Christ upon the heart and do cruciâ—e us it is true Morally as well as Mystically I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 Certainly you find this by Experience that when you know not things you are not so throughly affected with them Serious Meditation hath this advantage that it doth make the Object present and as it were sensible therefore Faith which is a deep acting of the thoughts upon the Promises and upon Glory to come is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 It giveth the future Blessedness a present subsistence in the Soul and therefore it must needs ravish it It is a Principle in Nature Appetition followeth Knowledge and Desire is answerable to that certain and clear Judgment that we have of the Worth Value and Dignity of the Object Now it is not enough that the Judgment be once convinced but that it stay upon the Object for things loose their Vertue when we do not keep them in the Eye of the Soul When the Bird often leaveth her nest and is long absent the eggs grow cold and do not come to be quickned so do our desires grow cold and dull which otherwise by a constant Meditation are hatched into some Life Instance in any Affection Hope and Trust is ripened by constant thoughts of the Grace Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day Presumption is an inconstant careless apprehension and therefore soon overborn Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee that is that seriously consider it for the Hebrew word is used for consider they that know what a God thou art how Merciful True and Powerful thou art they will trust thee So for Fear so far as it is sanctified it is fed by a consideration of the dreadfulness of Gods wrath and displeasure Psal. 90.11 Who knows the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath that is who doth seriously consider of it According to those awful apprehensions that they form within themselves doth Gods Wrath more or less move them So for Desire either of Christ or of Heaven Of Christ a serious consideration of the Excellency of Christ is that which ravisheth the Heart The Spowse formeth a Description of Christ and then she saith he is all desires Cant. 5.16 His mouth is more sweet yea he is altogether lovely Enough to ravish all our Desires The value of things lyeth hid when we do but slightly and superficially look upon them but when we meditate of them they are double to that which is seen at the â—â—rst blush Iob. 11.6 And thaâ— he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom that they are doubâ—e to that which is In Natural things serious thoughts are necessary much more in Spiritual because the Mind by long use having been enured to Earthly Objects and Profits had need to be much raised We see that we do insensibly receive teint from those Objects with which we do Converse and therefore we had need to be often and serious in meditating of the Excellencies of Christ that by a Spiritual Art he may be as usual an Object to us as the World So for Heaven when we do not hold our Hearts to the consideration of the Glory of it it doth not work upon us Moses Heb. 11.26 Had respect to the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had an eye to it the word noteth a serious and intent consideration we should again and again consider it and be sending our thoughts as Spies into the Land of Promise to bring us Reports and Tydings of it as Love between Men is maintained by constant Visits and Letters So for sorrow for sin past Psal. 51.3 My sin is ever before me and Ier. 31.19 Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth When we come deeply to consider our Errors and the unkindness of them that begetteth a sad sence So for hatred and displicency against Sin Evil Affections are nourished by thoughts and kept up in Life and Strength for thoughts are pabulum animae the Food of the Soul Rom. 7.13 Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful The sinfulness of Sin appears by considering the Purity of the Law the Majesty of God and the Kindness of Christ. So for Joy and Delight the Soul is feasted by Meditation it turneth the Promises into Marrow Psal. 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Hereby we discern their relish and savour Psal. 34.8 Oh taste and see that the Lord is good the thoughts taste and the relish is left on the Affections 3. It is an advantage to the Fruits of Grace in the Life it maketh the Heavenly Life more easie more sweet more orderly and prudent 1. More easie because it calleth in all the rational help that may be Reason which otherwise would serve the Senses and be enslaved to Appetite and Worldly Desire now is imployed in the highest and purest use and therefore when Reason is gained which is the leading faculty the work cometh on more easily Meditation putteth Reason in Authority and rescueth it from being prostituted to sence 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And then for sense it maketh our Eyes to furnish us with matter Iob 12.7 8. But ask now the beasts and they will teach thee and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee Or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Every Element giveth in an help he that doth not want an Heart cannot want an Object the Air the Sea the Earth giveth Fewel for Wisdom and Spiritual Advantage But for want of consideration a Man is worse than the Beasts Prov. 6.6 Go to the ant thou sâ—uggard consider her wayes and be wise 2. More sweet It bringeth the Heavenly Life into more liking with us Duty to worldly Men is irksome and unsavoury because they loose the sweetness and blessedness of Communion with God Psalm 26.3 For thy loving kindness is
that he came in such mean Estate as if he were a Worme and no Man Psalm 22.6 I am a worme and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people So also Isa. 53.3 He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not As a vile and abominable Creature both despised and rejected scarce deemed worthy the Name of a Man or to have any Converse or Communion with them It is the leavings off of Men as we would say the very list and fag-end of Mankind so low and mean that the Nature of Man can hardly descend lower Mark 9.12 The son of man must suffer many things and be set at nought it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made nought worth or nothing Once more the Serpent of all the Beasts of the Field was the Creature which was cursed by God Gen. 3.14 Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life Yet by this form would he represent Christ to the Antient Church God chose this to be a Type of Christ which we would have thought a dishonour and disparagement to him Yea this Serpent that was now set up was made of Brass not of Gold to shew that Christ would not appear in Glorious Estate and Majesty but in the meanest and most abject form of any Creature All together will help us to meditate upon the great abasement of the Son of God Quanto vilior tanto clarior nobis esse debet The more he humbled himself the higher estimation should we have of our crucified Lord. Never was any Child of God before Christ under so much misery as Christ himself was his own Heaven his own Father his own God-head hid their Face and Consolation from him Gods Wrath pressed the weight of punishment with the full power of Justice both upon his Soul and Body those for whom he dyed despised him he himself being emptied of all things that make Men respected in the World and depressed lower than ever any Man was as a Worme to be trod upon He was made the matter of common talk and reproach in all Mens Mouths condemned by the ruling part of the World and set at nought by the basest of the People derided and scorned in his most Holy behaviour his bitter Sufferings made a matter of sport and laughter Malice feeding its self with Pleasure upon his Pain and Misery and expressing its self with the basest signs of mockage which disdain could devise flouting at his saving Doctrine and insulting over him as if he had been neither the Son of God nor an honest Man And all this was counted little enough for satisfaction of Justice exacting of him the due punishment of our Sins We tenderly resent contempt and cannot endure to be despised and thrust down when the Sun of Righteousness went back so many degrees in the Dyal of Honour 3. The Brasen Serpent had the Shape and Figure of the Serpent but not the Sting and the Poison Figuram habuit non naturam it had the Figure not the Nature of a Serpent Let us pause upon this a little God would cure the Bite of a Serpent by a Serpent a Serpent stung and a Serpent healed God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 That is by Jesus Christ in our Nature who was made a Sin-Offering and therefore called Sin there The Parties to be cured were Men therefore the son of man must be lifted up that Title is given him here in the Text Christ was debased by this Title by being called the son of man but yet the Sons of Men are dignified by it he came in the likeness of sinful flesh As the Brazen Serpent was in all things like the True Serpent but without any hurtful quality so Christ in all points was like us but without sin Heb. 4.15 He came in the likeness of sinful flesh yet was holy harmless and separate from Sinners 4. The precise place where the Brazen Serpent was lifted up Moses doth not tell us in the Story where this Matter is recorded but it may be collected from other places Moses telleth us that the Israelites going from thence pitched their Tents in Oboth Numb 21.10 from whence it follows that the place was Punon for from Punon they came to Oboth Numb 33.42 43. Now this Punon was a place belonging to Idumaea very famous for Mines of Brass or Copper as is commonly known in Ancient Writings the Brass being called from thence the metal of Punon Eusebius in the Eighth Book of his Ecclesiastical History tells us That Sylvanus and thirty nine more were beheaded for the Faiths sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near the Mines of Brass in Punon and Eutychius speaketh of divers Christians condemned to work in these Mines So also doth Epiphanius and Theodores So that the Brass out of which the Serpent was made was taken out of the very place in which they were bitten it was the Brass of Punon not without a Mistery That Body which Christ assumed was not brought from elsewhere but born there and formed there where he was manifested in the Flesh for the Salvation of the World and where the Mischief was there was the Remedy at hand 5. The similitude chiefly holdeth in this that as the Brazen Serpent was lifted up upon the Perch or Pole so was Christ lifted up on the Cross 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the tree The Serpent first stung us by the Fruit of a Tree and Christ saved us by suffering upon a Tree David had foretold that his hands and his feet should be pierced Psalm 22.16 They pierced my hands and my feet And the Curse of the Law was to be born Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3.13 The Apostle obviates an Objection if the Law do curse all Men how are any freed from the Curse of the Law Even by Jesus Christ who took upon him the Curse due to us while he was obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross for that kind of Death was pronounced to be accursed Deut. 21.23 He that is hanged is accursed of God He came as a Surety in the Sinners Name and would take our burden upon himself and therefore chose a Death of all others most cruel and painful and contemptible ordained for the wickedest and vilest Wretches thereby to assure us of a full ransom and satisfaction to Divine Justice for our wrongs and to imprint upon our Minds the horrors of our Sins Well then here is the Spectacle offered to our Faith Jesus Christ
to convince them of his being the Messiah In Carnal and Wicked Men there is not only a neglect of Christ but an hatred of Christ Partly because from neglect the passage is easie to contempt and hatred partly because their Hearts being beâ—â—owed elsewhere they have no affection to him that would reduce and reclaim them Ioh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil and partly because they count him as one that condemneth that course of Life which they affect Iob. 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 4. The manner of expressing their hatred They sent a Message after him This must be understood with respect to the Parable Therefore this Message they sent after him is nothing else but the Persecution of the Christian Faith and the Disciples that professed Christs name which is as it were an open bidding defiance to Christ in Heaven a sending a Message after him The Apostle Paul saith of the Jews 1 Thes. 2.15 Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all Men. 1. The Crime which is wilful refusal of subjection to Christ We will not have this Man to rule over us and here 1. The thing refused is his Reign Where Christ cometh he will be Lord and Soveraign His kingdom is that administration which requireth Spiritual obedience from us this the licentious World cannot endure 2. The manner of refusing 't is wilful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will not They alledge no lawful reason but wilfully and contumaciously reject his Government And so it taxeth the obstinacy of the Jews standing out unreasonably against the Faith Doct. That 't is the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ which is most opposed by the Carnal World The Jews disclaimed him from being their King their whole carriage towards him and his Messengers speak this language We will not have this man to reign over us When he was present they contemned and slighted his person calling him this man by way of contempt yet in the Parable he is represented as a Nobleman and Heir of a Kingdom when absent and gone to receive a Kingdom they abused his Messengers the rebellious World maketh defection from Christ because he is out of sight they will not be controuled by an invisible King But it was not the sin of the Jews onely but of the Gentiles also for why did the Gentiles rage against the Lord and his anointed Psal. 2.3 Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us All the business of the rebellious World is to cast away Christs Yoke to dissolve the bonds of Loyalty and Obedience to him I will prove 1. That Christ hath a Kingdom 2. That in all reason this Kingdom should be submitted unto 3. What moveth and induceth Men so much to dislike his Kingly office I. That Christ hath a Spiritual Kingdom for all things concur here which belong to a Kingdom here is a Monarch which is Christ a Law which is the Gospel subjects which are penitent believers rewards and punishments Eternal Life and Eternal Torment 1. Here is a Monarch the Mediator whose Kingdom it is Originally it belongeth to God as God but derivatively to Christ as Mediatour Psal. 2.6 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Phil. 2.10 11. That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth And that every Tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father This Kingdom which is exercised by a Redeemer doth not vacate or make void our duty to God no this new dominion is not destructive of the former but accumulative that is it doth not abolish the power and right which God hath to govern that continueth still and will continue as long as Man receiveth his Being from God and the continuance of his being by daily providence and preservation but this is superadded to the former Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father the right of governing is still in God but the actual administration is by Christ. 2. There are subjects Before I tell you who they are I must premise that there is a double consideration of subjects some are subjects by the grant of God others are subjects not only by the grant of God but their own consent by divine donation all things are put into the hands of Christ and under the power of the Son of God and our Redeemer so no Creature is exempted from his dominion no not the Devils themselves though revolters and rebels against God Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his Feet and given him to be Head over all things to the Church Whether they will or no they are bound to his Absolute Dominion and Sovereign Authority and so all Men are subjects of Christs Kingdom partly by divine obligation bound to be so and partly by his over-ruling providence they are forced to submit to his disposing will there is a passive submission to his power though not a voluntary subjection to his Laws but of this we speak not now The other sort is of those who are subjects by consent who willingly give up themselves to the Redeemer to be saved upon his terms 2 Cor. 8.5 But first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the Will of God And so the subjects of this Kingdom are penitent Believers Devils and Wicked Men are his Subjects whether they will or no but all Christs people are his by a voluntary subjection and consent or yield up themselves to him by Covenant Now these I call penitent Believers because both Faith and Repentance is necessary to our entrance into his Subjection 1. Repentance that we may lay down our former Hostility and so enter into Confederation and Covenant with Him Therefore often preaching Repentance is called Preaching the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.17 From that time Iesus began to Preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mark 1.14 15. Iesus came into Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And saying The time is fulfilled the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel 2. Faith is required for receiving of Christ is made Equivalent with believing John 1 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his Name Now what is receiving of Christ To entertain him to the end for which he was sent of God or in short to own him as Lord and King as is explained by the Apostle Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord. So walk in him 3. The Law of Commerce between this Sovereign and these
my Heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God The Prophane blind world neither careth for the Duty nor for God in the Duty the formal hypocritical part of the World is for the outward Duty and rests satisfied with the bare Ordinance but the sincere Christian would meet with God there They do not only serve him but seek him to find God in the means and his lively operation upon their Hearts and therefore God would not go from 〈◊〉 without him Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go except thou bless me They must have somewhat of God this is what they long for some new warmth and comfort and quickening 3. Those Ordinances are prized where many of the Servants of God meet together It is comfortable to injoy God in secret such duties are rewarded with an open blessing Mat. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and shut thy Door and Pray unto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly But here it is Gods Court David could thus injoy God in the Wilderness Psal. 42.4 I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that kept holy day It is a comfort certainly to meet with our everlasting companions joining in Consort with them and beginning our everlasting work Gods people have but one Spirit one Divine nature are led by the same principles rules and ends have the same hopes desires and joys To have multitudes of these joining with us in lifting up the same God in the same solemn worship praying together hearing together sitting down at the same table and glorifying the same God and Father with the same Heart and Mouth Acts. 1.14 These all continued with one accord in Prayer and supplication Psal. 22.22 In the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee And ver 25. My praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation I will pay my vows before them that fear him 4. It must be to the Ordinances though under reproach disgrace persecution Heb. 11.26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures in Egypt Though the Service of God expose us to the lowest and most painful condition of Life as a Door-keeper if joined with any measure of Communion with God 2 Sam. 6.22 I will be yet more vile than thus It is better to suffer affliction with the people of God than to injoy the most easie sumptuous and plentiful condition of Life with wicked Men. Few are content to serve a poor Christ. 5. It is a constant affection not for a pang Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6.20 and Iohn 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light for a season while Ordinances are novel things or during some qualm of Conscience But it is from a constant inbred appetite common to all the Saints 6. This value and esteem must vent it self by a strong desire Psal. 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the Water Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God The lively Believer doth earnestly and above all other things seek after communion with God Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my Life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple There were other things which David might desire but this one thing was his Heart set upon that he might live in constant communion with God Not to be setled in his Regal Throne which he sought not yet to be but to injoy that transcendant pleasure of conversing daily and frequently with God And the Spirit worketh uniformly in the Saints 7. The end of our attendance on Ordinances must be Gods Glory and our own profit God's Glory Psal. 27.4 To behold the beauty of God God is infinitely worthy of all honour and praise from his Creatures Love to God hath an influence on it Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth Our profit 1 Pet 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby that we may have some increase of light and life Psal. 84.7 They go from strength to strength every one in Sion appeareth before God Sermon I. on Luke Xix. 10 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost THIS is given as a reason why Christ came to invite himself to Zaccheus his House who was a Publican we find ver 7. the people murmured saying that he was gone to be a Guest with a Man that is a sinner Christ defendeth his practice by his Commission or the errand for which he came into the World For the Son of Man c. In which words 1. The Person or the character by which he was described the Son of Man Christ is called so not to deny his Godhead but to express the verity of his humane nature and that he was of our Stock and Linage He might have been true Man though he had not come of Adam but his Humane Nature had been framed out of the Dust of the Ground as Adam's was or created out of nothing but he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of one For which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2.11 He would be of the Mass and Stock with us 2. His Work He is come to seek and to save The first word to seek sheweth his diligence he leaveth no place unsought where his hidden ones are the second word to save sheweth his sufficiency of Merit and Power both shew his kindness and good will to mankind to recover us out of our lapsed estate 3. The object of this Grace and Favour that which was lost The object of Christ's Salvation is Man lost and undone Doct. That the great end and business of Christ's coming is to seek and save that which is lost Here I shall enquire two things by way of explication 1. In what sense we are said to be lost 2. How Christ cometh to seek and save such I. In what sense we are said to be lost two ways really and indeed or in our own sense and apprehension 1. Really and indeed so we are lost to God and lost to our selves As to God he hath no Glory Love and Service from us and so is deprived and robbed of the honour of his Creation The Father in the Parable by whom God is resembled saith Luke 15.24 This my Son was lost and is found Lost as to themselves so they are said to be lost as they are out of the way to true Happiness and as they are in the way
good God and have some taste of his bounty It is said Psal. 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works He is good to all Creatures much more to all men the wicked not excepted though some men are but as a wiser sort of Beasts as they cater more for the Flesh and wholly value their Happiness by the Body and the Interests of the bodily Life They shall not want Invitations to lead them to God though they love their Bodies above their Souls yet they shall not want Arguments to love God who giveth them food and gladness and fruitful Seasons and plentiful Estates and many of these common Mercies which point to their Author and discover their End Acts 14.17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our Hearts with food and gladness These Mercies where they are bestowed argue not a good People but a good God 2. That he may reward some good in them and mortifie the remaining evil in his People by Afflictions None shall be a loser by God they that cannot tarry for the Heavenly Reward shall have a Temporal one such as they prize and affect Mat. 6.2 Therefore when thou doest thine Alms do not sound a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the Streets that they may have Glory of Men Verily I say unto you they have their Reward So for Prayer verse 5. and for Fasting verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have signifieth an acquittance or discharge they acquit God of other things they have a reward suitable to their affections and their work their affections are altogether upon Temporal things The Spirit of an Heir and the Spirit of an hired Servant differ An Heir can patiently tarry till the Inheritance falleth but an hired Servant must have wages from day to day or from quarter to quarter So worldly men must have something in hand they have not a lively hope of Blessedness to come and cannot tarry for the Eternal recompence So suitable to the Work which is external a meer out-side Duty so is their Reward proportionable Nebuchadnezzar did God some service and God had his Reward for him inlargement of Greatness and Empire Ier. 27.6 And now have I given all these Lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Servant So Ezek. 29.18 19 20. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of Man Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus Every Head was made bald and every Shoulder was peeled by carrying Baskets of Earth to fill up the Channel between it and the main Land yet he had no wages nor his Army for Tyrus for the service which he had served against it Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will give the Land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and he shall take her Multitude and take her Spoil and take her Prey and it shall be the wages for his Army I have given him the Land of Egypt for his Labour wherewith he served against it because they wrought for me saith the Lord. The Lord thought of rewarding this Ambitious Man for his hard Labours and Toils Mal. 1.10 Who is there among you that would shut the Doors for nought Neither do ye kindle fire upon mine Altar for nought God's service is good service even to those who do but outwardly and grudgingly perform it Levites and Porters had their allowance and superficial work meeteth with an External Reward 3. To shew that these are not the chief good things by which his special love is manifested unto us God will not now govern the World by sense but by Faith and therefore Prosperity and Adversity of themselves do not clear up a Man's Estate before God and are not perfect demonstrations of his love and hatred nor can a Man judge of his acceptance with God by his outward condition nor should we quarrel with the Wicked about their outward condition which are their portion not ours Eccles. 9. 1 2. No Man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them All things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked For these things are promiscuously dispensed without any difference evil things to good men and good things to evil men Josiah died in Battles as well as Ahab Is Abraham Rich So is Nabal Is Solomon VVise So is Achitophel Is Joseph honoured by Pharaoh So is Doeg by Saul Hath Demetrius a good report of all Men 3 John v. 12. So had some false teachers that complied with Men's Lust's and Humors Luk. 6. 26. Wo unto you when all Men shall speak well of you Had Caleb Health and Strength Josh. 14. 11. So have VVicked ones Psal. 73. 4. There are no bands in their death but their strength is firm Hath Moses beauty So hath Absolom 2 Sam. 14. 20. Learning and VVisdom is given to the Egyptians as well as to Moses Act. 7. 22. and Daniel chap. 1. 17. Ishmael had long life Gen. 25. 17. as well as Isaac Gen. 35. 29. Is greatness and powerful Reign given to David So to Infidels so that nothing hence can be concluded To bring us to look after more distinguishing mercies these are given to others as well as to his Children II. VVho are those carnal men to whom God will give no more than carnal felicity In the General those that chuse these things for their Portion Men have according to their choice THY GOOD THINGS chuse and have It absolutely holdeth good in Spiritual things Luk. 10.42 Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her But it is not always so in carnal things tho' many times it is here a Man may chuse and not have they that chuse worldly greatness and the wealth and credit of the VVorld cannot always have their choice God denieth it to some in mercy that they may look higher But sometimes he giveth it to others in wrath God giveth them their Hearts desire in Judgment These are their good things the only things suitable to their Hearts the VVorld is all they care for let God keep his Heaven and his Spirit to himself It is good to observe what our Heart calleth ours As Nabal 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh which I have killed for my Shearers And Laban to Iacob Gen. 31.43 These Daughters are my Daughters and these Children are my Children and these Cattle are my Cattle and all that thou seest is mine A Carnal Man with a lively gust and rellish calleth these things his things A Godly Man owneth them as coming from God and referreth them to him 1 Chron. 29.14 All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee VVell then how just is God in
There it shall not Cease 1 Cor. 13.13 The Duties are other but the grace is the same 1. Use. Let me beseech you as Chrysostome did his hearers often to ruminate on this Description of Charity Remember it is a discriminating grace not an Arbitrary thing that we are speaking of The business is whether you are something in Religion or nothing They that cannot bridle their Passions but live in Enmity Malice Pride and Covetousness and have not Charity are nothing 2. What reason we have to deprecate God's strict Judgment and clear up the business of our sincerity Alas without an Evangelical Interpretation what would become of us 'T is true we break not into gross Enormities but how many Infirmities stick to us Though a Christian cannot wholly subdue them he must in some measure overcome them Anger will stir when we are provoked but by the ordinary assistance of GOD's Grace we may keep off from running out into furious Words and Actions or Cursing or Swearing or Striking or Reviling An envious thought may arise against our Brother because he is preferred before us but we hate it Labour to keep it under Chide our selves for it do not let our Envy break out into a Malignant detraction from their worth or blemishing their Gifts and Graces A Child of God may feel the ticklings of Pride yet he will not suffer it to break out into boasting Language some motions of Revenge but they do not break out into mischievous contradiction 3. What need there is of Constant Mortification how else can we exercise this Love we being so Covetous Proud Passionate and self-seeking The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affections and Lusts must be both broken Gall. 5.24 They that are Christs have Crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts thereof 4. What a Friend Christianity is to humane Society for how peaceable might we live together if this love did more rule in our Hearts 5. How perverse Man is who accounts this duty irksome when he will do much more for his Lusts and Ambition Verse 7. Beareth all things Believeth all things Hopeth all things Endureth all things Easily will Men bear this task for their Worldly ends 6. How much love in the Spirit differeth from ordinary love This is a fruit of love to God 1 Iohn 5 1. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him and of faith in Christ. Iohn 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you and hopes of Eternal Life in the Text. A Sermon on Psal. Lxxxiv 7 They go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God THIS Psalm was penned by David in his Exile as is most probable for therein he professeth his longing after the Courts of GOD or his wonted access to the Ark of the Covenant and publick Ordinances Being deprived of that benefit he expresseth his value of it Such priviledges are best understood carendo magis quam fruendo by want rather than enjoyment In which of his flights and persecutions it is not easie to determine whether those by Saul or by Absolon rather those by Absolon for then the Ark was upon Sion-Hill 2 Sam. 6.12 But in Saul's time the Ark was at Kirjath Iearim 1 Sam. 7.1 And when he fled from Absolom was his solemn parting from the Ark 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King said unto Zadock Carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of God he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he say thus I have no delight in thee behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good unto him In the Psalm I. He professeth his value and esteem of the publick Worship or injoying God in the Ordinances and means of Grace How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts Ver. 1. Then his earnest desire of this priviledge of free wonted access to the House of God ver 2. My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my Heart and my Flesh cryeth out for the living God There was Soul and Heart and Flesh in it as to extension and crying out longing fainting and all for the Courts of God as to intention II. He compareth his Condition 1 with the Swallows and Sparrows that had liberty of flying and building their Nests about the Altars of God It is a notable Poetical strain as passionate Lovers are wont to express themselves upon like occasions Ver. 3. Yea the Sparrow hath found an house and the Swallow a Nest for her self where she may lay her young even thine Altars Oh Lord of Hosts my King and my God 2. Then he compareth himself 1. with the Priests and Levites whose constant residence was in the Temple ver 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will be still praising thee Selah Those that are always in God's House constantly allowed the Priviledge of his solemn Service or Sacred Assemblies beholding the Symbols of his Presence the Ark of the Covenant upon which God sate and gave Answers of Grace Oh Blessed they indeed III. With the People that went up to worship three times of the year at Ierusalem to keep the Solemn Feasts according to the Ordinance of God Exod. 23.17 Three times in the year all thy Males shall appear before the Lord God They were to journey a foot to the Tabernacle there to appear before the Lord. Their condition was Blessed in comparison of David's who was now debarred of all access to God's Courts These are described 1. By their earnest Desire and Resolution to take this journey though they dwelt far off from the Tabernacle ver 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them Their Hearts were set upon the ways that led to the Courts of God 2. By their painful passage and yet some refreshments by the way ver 6. Who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the Rain also filleth the Pools Their way to the Tabernacle now seated upon the Hill of Sion lay through dry and comfortless places through the Valley of Baca or of Mulberry-trees as the Margin readeth it that is through dry and sandy Desarts in which those Trees grow It may be the place mentioned 2 Sam. 5.23 24. The Valley of Rephaim where Mulberry-trees grew and where David smote the Philistins Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Valley of Tears The want of water in those hot Countries was very troublesom Where great multitudes with store of Cattle travailed towards Zion upon these solemn occasions they had their difficulties and discouragements by the way but their ardent Zeal and strong Affection overcame all And as they had their Difficulties so they had their Comforts sometimes they met with a Well and sometimes with a Pond filled with Rain sometimes with more sometimes with less
deceived that embraced the Christian Religion that took such Pains in subduing the Flesh so freely hazarded their Interests and Life it self on the Promises of Christ and the Hopes of another World Are the wisest Men the World ever saw Fools and the Ordinances of Christ a customary Superstition and these Rejoicings and Foretastes of the Children of God a meer Deceit and Imposture Surely it cannot be Therefore this is true that the Soul dieth not with the Body but is in that Estate into which God disposeth it II. By the Light of Reason First I shall urge such Arguments as the Scripture directeth us to 1. From the Nature of the Soul it is a Spirit and such a Principle of Life as hath Light in it John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. The Soul of Man differeth from the Soul of a Beast for that hath only Life and Sense in it but this hath Light and therefore was designed to more noble and glorious Ends than merely to quicken and enliven the Body The Soul of the Beasts is mortal because it is created only to serve the Body and knoweth nothing desireth nothing delighteth in nothing but what belongeth to the Pleasure and Welfare of the Body But now the Soul of Man apprehendeth things past present and to come is capable of Tongues Arts and Sciences and things abstract from bodily Sense it can discourse about God Angels and all kind of spiritual Beings about Eternity and Immortality and propound and debate Questions and Doubts concerning the World to come The Beasts look only to their Food and the Propagation of their Kind they know nothing and can conceive nothing of Man's Affairs But now Man's Soul is not only capable of being enobled and improved by Moral Vertues and such things as fit us for Humane Society but is capable also of Conformity to God by being made holy and upright and of Communion with him in holy Duties and Acts of Grace 1 John 1.3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. The Beasts desire not the Company of Men as we do of God and of the blessed Spirits In short there is a greater Affinity between the Souls of Men and Angels than between the Souls of Beasts and Men Psal. 8.9 Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels Well then can it be imagined the Souls of Men furnished with such Capacities of Understanding are nothing but a little Puff of Air that is dissipated in dying or a little vital Heat that is extinguished with the Corporeal Matter or only the Vigour of the Blood That Soul that can so much soar aloft above the Interests and Concernments of the Body and take such a marvellous Delight and Contentment in spiritual things as the view of all manner of Truths must that follow the State of the Body Shall that Creature that cometh so near the Angels die like the Beasts or rather become like the Angels of God that always behold his Face Yea that Creature that draweth so near to God in the Majesty of his Person and the Abilities of his Mind that was created after God's own Image and for the Worship and Service and Enjoyment of God shall he die as the Beasts that perish It cannot be imagined 2. The Scripture mentions Words that imply its Independance upon the Body or that it doth not so wholly depend on the Body that it cannot subsist and act without it they go several ways as in the Text. 3 John â— 2. I wish above all things that thou maist prosper and be in Health as thy Soul prospeâ—eth 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed Day by Day And Experience teacheth the Truth of these things that the Body and Soul seem sometimes to have no Communion with one another so different are their Functions and Offices You shall often see Men decrepit in all the Members of the Body who yet have the Motions of their Minds as strong and as nimble as when in perfect Health and when they are upon the Borders of Death without Vigour and Pulse their Understandings are more sublime than before and their Thoughts more refined It is true the Indispositions of the Body clog the Soul in things that are to be acted by the Body but in what the Soul acteth apart in the midst of Aches and Pains their Strength of Mind is entire and their Comforts never more raised than in bodily Weakness Therefore it lives and acts apart from the Body 3. The Scripture directs us to this Argument that this is the general Perswasion of all Mankind that there is a Life after Death and it instanceth in that that is most sensible and of every Day 's Experience our Desires and Fears 1. Desires The Soul hath a natural desire of Immortality which if it should not enjoy that Desire were in vain but God doth nothing in vain The Apostle intimateth this how Men feel about for something eternal and infinite Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him Every Man would be happy and eternally happy for otherwise he would be tormented with a fear of losing that which he counteth his Happiness See Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Mat. 13.45 â—6 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it John 6.34 Lord evermore give us this Bread Numb 23.10 Let me die the Death of the Righteous Other Creatures besides Man are satisfied with what they have here but the Soul of Man is satisfied with nothing but the eternal Injoyment of what is good an immortal Estate an infinite Good Every one that loveth himself would be happy and if he could everlastingly happy The Saints and those that are taught of God pitch upon the right Way Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness But this is the universal Inclination of all Mankind Whence cometh this Desire to be so universal if there be nothing to satisfy it Every natural Appetite was given us for some Purpose and have things designed for their Satisfaction and therefore there is that Immortality we all seek after not in our Bodies they must return to their Earth not in Fancy that is a Sâ—adow this is like the Pleasure which those take that want Children in playing with little Dogs it lieth in the Soul in the eternal Injoyment of God 2. Fears which presage and foretel such an Estate to our great Disquiet Conscience fears a Judgment after this Life Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Iudgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death And a State of Misery to come
Heb. 2.15 Who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage At Death these Fears are more active and pungent 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is Sin and surprize the guilty Soul with greater Horror and Distraction then they are summoned to their great Account If the Soul were mortal why should Men be afraid of Torments after Death They anticipate the Miseries of the Life to come not as it puts a Period unto their natural Comforts but as it is an Entrance into everlasting Miseries 4. The Scripture directs to this Argument the Justice of God for the Comfort of the Faithful 2 Thess. 1.5 Which is a manifest Token of the righteous Iudgment of God The Sufferings of the Faithful are a Demonstration of a future Estate there is a God If there be not a first and Fountain-Being how did we come to be for nothing can make it self Or how did the World fall into this Order This God is just for all Perfections are in the first Being If we deny him to be just we deny him to be God and the Governour of the World Rom. 3.5 6. Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judg the World Now it is agreeable to the Justice of his Government that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil or that he should make a difference by Rewards and Punishments between the Wicked and Obedient It seemeth uncomely when it is otherwise Prov. 26.1 As Snow in Summer and as Rain in Harvest so Honour is not seemly for a Fool. When the Wicked are exalted Men look on it as an uncouth thing Now this Reward and Punishment is not fully dispensed in this World even in the Judgment of them that have no great knowledg of the heinous Nature of Sin and the Judgment competent thereunto Yea rather the best are exercised with Poverty Disgrace Scorn and all manner of Troubles their Persons molested their Names cast out as odious when the Wicked live in Pomp and Ease and oppress them at their pleasure Therefore since God's Justice doth not make such a difference here there is another Life wherein he will do it otherwise we must deny all Providence and that God doth not concern himself in humane Affairs and that a Man may break his Laws oppress his People and no great Harm will come of it Zeph. 1.12 The Lord will not do Good neither will he do Evil. And God would seem indifferent to Good and Evil yea rather partial to the Evil and to favour the Wicked more than the Righteous which is Blasphemy and a diminution of God's Goodness and Holiness Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. But the righteous Lord loveth Righteousness and his Countenance doth behold the Vpright Obedience would be Man's Loss and Ruin and so God would be the worst Master 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable They that forsake the sinful Pleasures of this Life hazard all their natural Interests row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood would be ill provided for by their Religion Therefore there is another Life wherein God will reward his People Secondly I shall urge other Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul 1 st The Capacity of the Soul argueth the Immortality of it Now it is capable 1. Of Civil Arts. 2. Of owning the distinction between Good and Evil. 3. Of knowing Immortality and Matters of everlasting Consequence 4. Of knowing God and his Attributes 5. Of the Divine Nature which consists in the Knowledg and Love of God 6. Of a sweet familiar Communion with him Let us see how all these Capacities will prove the Matter in hand 1. The being capable of Civil Arts will prove the Soul's spiritual Substance far excelling the Beasts in Dignity for it is capable of all kind of Learning and witty Inventions as Grammar and the knowledg of Tongues and Rhetorick to form and polish our Speech Logick to refine our Reason Ethicks to order our Manners Medicine to cure the Distempers of our Bodies by Physicks or by natural Philosophy it knoweth all kind of Things all Ranks of Beings from God and Angels to the smallest Worm yea it acquireth such Skill as to make use of all Creatures for its own benefit James 3.7 For every kind of Beasts and of Birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of Mankind The Power and Skill of Man is large and reacheth through the whole Creation by one Means or other Man mastereth them Now what doth this signify but that Man hath a Soul different from the Souls of the Beasts Iob 35.11 He teacheth us more than the Beasts of the Field and maketh us wiser than the Fowls of Heaven And that will contribute much to the matter in hand Solomon puts the Question Eccles. 3.21 Who knoweth the Spirit of Man that goeth upward and the Spirit of a Beast that goeth downward to the Earth Mark there he asserts that the Spirit of the Man goeth upward and the Spirit of the Beast goeth downward there is an Ascent ascribed to the one and a Descent to the other upward implieth Heaven and heavenly things downward the Earth and earthly things The humane Soul ascendeth to God the universal Judg of all the World whose Throne is in Heaven but the Soul of the Beasts taketh its Lot among all earthly things which are at length resolved into Earth Water and Air. In the Creation God is said to breath into Man the Spirit of Life not so of the Beast So in the Dissolution the one returneth to God the other leaveth off to exist and when they die they are no more 2. It is capable of owning the Distinction between moral Good and Evil. He that doth not acknowledg it is unworthy the Name of Man for to love or hate God is not indifferent nor to kill a Neighbour or hunt an Hare in the Woods to use lawful Matrimony or for a Man to pollute himself either with promiscuous or incestuous Imbraces Now if our Souls differed not from the Soul of a Beast they could have no such Apprehension or Conception The Beasts know Pain and Pleasure but they have no Knowledg of Vertue and Vice as is sensible to every one that considereth them but Man hath Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the VVork of the Law written in their Hearts Well then Man hath a Life beyond this a further End of his Actions than a Beast which is to approve himself to God to whom he must give an Account whether he hath done Good or Evil. For a Conscience supposeth a Law and a Law
supposeth a Sanction both of Reward and Punishment and a Sanction a Judg to whom a Man is accountable And if Man were but an higher and wiser sort of Beast he would but differ gradually from a Dog or a Swine Now no Man would be used as a Beast and made a Slave to any one that can master and tame him and sold in the Market as a Beast if this be his Lot by his Infelicity in the World he would look upon it as an uncouth thing and that it would be to sin before God to use him so Therefore there is a Distinction between Men and Beasts Men die not as the Beasts die 3. They are capable of the Knowledg of Immortality and can frame curious Disputes and accurate Debates thereof which sheweth they are not altogether uncapable of the thing it self for the Beasts know no other Life beyond what they injoy and mind no other and care for no other and therefore the Estate of Man will be different from theirs 4. Man is capable of knowing God and his Attributes which the Beasts are not because they were never made to injoy him He hath given us an Vnderstanding that we may know him that is true 1 John 5.20 They are capable of knowing their Relation to God as his Creatures and Subjects and so are obnoxious to his Judgment and that nothing here can make them happy and that God alone can do it Psal. 4.6 7. There be many that say VVho will shew unto us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their VVine increased That Happiness lieth not in what Men ordinarily seek it Riches Honours and Pleasures but in the Favour of God That here we do not injoy him to the full and that therefore we must seek after another Life here we seek God in the World to come we find him and therefore cannot rest in this partial Injoyment Man is ever seeking after an immortal Blessedness now this Capacity is not in vain the Soul is restless till it find him 5. Man is capable of a Divine Nature which consists not only in the bare Knowledg but Love of God 2 Pet. 1.4 VVhereby are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature He is capable of the Image of God Epes 4.24 And that ye put on the new Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness 6. Man is capable of a sweet familiar Communion with God and Friendship with him 1 Iohn 1.3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. Therefore the State of Man dying must needs be different from that of a Beast who hath no Knowledg no Desire no Love to God no Capacity of Communion with him unless it be in respect of receiving the Effects and Bounty of his common Providence 2 dly The Dignity of Man God made him a little lower than the Angels and crowned him with Glory and Honour Psal. 8.5 Now if he were not immortal he would be of all Creatures most miserable his Reason only would serve to make him capable and apprehensive of the greater Calamity and Trouble Sure it is that Man is the Master-piece of this visible World in respect of the Majesty of his Person the Abilities of his Mind and his Soveraignty over all the Works of God's Hands all which are Marks of special Favour of the Creator to Man above other Creatures Now if God hath given to Man the next Place in order of Dignity to the Angels above other his Creatures what would his Love signify if he be in a worse Condition than the Beasts and liable to so many Cares Incumbrances Grief and Remorse of Conscience which the Beasts are freed from Alas considering the Calamities of his Life Infirmities of his Body Perplexities of his Mind his Reason is a sad Privilege to him and his Torment rather than his Blessedness whilst it only giveth him a doleful Remembrance of what is past a Care about what is present and awakens Fears of what is to come The Beasts indeed have a Sense of what is present but no Remorse for what is past no Presage of what is to come but Man hath all these a bitter Remembrance of Sins past and for present Evils they are more than those of the Beasts such as Poverty Banishment Imprisonment Slavery Loss of Estate sundry Sicknesses and Diseases and Man hath a more bitter Sense and Apprehension of them And for time to come he hath a Fore-sight of the End which the Beasts have not So that we have twenty-fold more Cares and Labours than they have who live in Tranquillity and Liberty and free from those Disquiets which vex Mankind and have no Remorse to sowr their Pleasures either from the afflictive Remembrance of what is past or Solicitude about what is to come Therefore if our Happiness were here only Man would be less happy than the Beasts many of whose Lives are longer and sweeter who have a more sincere Use of bodily Pleasures But here is their Happiness God had provided some better thing for them to be injoyed in the other World It cannot be imagined that he hath made his noblest Creature in the World with a Nature that should be a necessary Misery and Vexation to it self above the Calamities incident to the rest of the Creatures The very Apprehensions and Desires that a Man hath of an higher Good would be a Torment and Burden to him if there were no Calamity else for he seeth a better Estate which he cannot injoy as an Horse tied up from the Provender which is near unto him and cannot reach it Our Nature inclineth us to know and love that we cannot obtain We can think afore-hand of our Death and Abode in Darkness which Beasts cannot for they are not troubled with these Thoughts Yea we fear Miseries after Death and know not how to be exempted from them Now it is incredible that God should make his noblest Creature most miserable by setting before his Eyes a certain Death and possible Torments and Miseries after Death and provide no Remedy against these things 3 dly God governeth Men by the Hopes and Fears of another Life and therefore such a Life there is and so the Souls of Men are immortal The Reason is because God needeth not to govern the World by Deceit and Lying This would be against his Holiness and Benignity and would destroy the very Government he would establish for it would tempt us to Insincerity and to cheating and deceiving others for Men are no better than their Religion it were well if they were as good The Foolish Bad and Ignorant may use such Arts but the Wise Holy and Good would not In ludicrous things we fright our Children with Bug-bears and Names but in such a serious thing as the Government of
to us An Earnest is a part of the Sum which is promised so is the Earnest of the Spirit a part of the promised Felicity God would not altogether weary us and burden us with Expectation but giveth us somewhat in hand Surely he that giveth us Earnest will give us the whole Sum the Earnest of the Spirit consisteth in Light Life Grace Joy one Dram of these is more precious than all the World and yet these are but an Earnest Now having such a Confirmation in the midst of our Doubts and Fears let us with more Confidence look to receive the whole in due Season 4. Some already have got home to God upon the same Terms and in the same Way in which you expect to get home to him Think often of the Happiness of the Blessed who are now enjoying what we expect and are in possession of that supreme Good which we hope for They are entred into the Joy of our Lord and have neither Miseries to fear nor Blessings to desire beyond what they enjoy they possess all that they love And tho the time of our Advancement to these Privileges be not yet come yet we should look and long for it We are all of the same Family Eph. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named It is but one Houshold some live in the upper Room some in the lower some in Heaven some on Earth but we are all of the same Society and Community Heb. 12.23 To the general Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven We are said to be already come into this Fellowship only they have gotten the start of us and are made perfect before us that we should follow after We are reconciled to the same God by the same Christ Col 1.20 By him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And we expect our Portion from the Bounty of the same Father If he hath been so good to that part of the Family which is now in Heaven will he not be as good to the other Part also Therefore they that are working out their Salvation with fear and trembling may encourage themselves and look upon this Felicity as prepared for them tho not enjoyed by them It will one day be their Portion as well as those others who have passed the Pikes and are now triumphing with God A SERMON UPON ROMANS II. 7 To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life IN this Scripture we have a plain and full Character of the Heirs of Promise or a short but compleat Description of that Good which is necessary to Life The Words are occasioned by the Apostle's mentioning of the righteous Judgment of God which rendereth to every Man according to their Works That General mentioned in ver 6. is more distinctly explained in the next Verses wherein he sheweth how the righteous Judg will carry himself towards the Good and towards the Bad in the Judgment of Absolution and Condemnation towards the Good in the Text toward the Bad ver 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indignation and Wrath. The one is a Reward of Grace and the other is a Punishment awarded by his exact Justice We are to consider the first of these the Reward of Grace To them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality eternal Life In the Words observe the Qualification and the Reward 1. The Qualification or Description of the Heirs of Promise 1. By their End and Design They seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality 2. The Means or way wherein they seek it by well-doing 3. Their Constancy and Perseverance in that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by patient Continuance Well then 1 st Here is a short and full Description of those who shall be saved They are those who out of the Hope of the eternal Reward persevere in the Obedience of the Truth for they that continue in well-doing are opposed to them that obey not the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Whereby is intended those that sin against the Light of Nature and refuse the Direction of the Gospel So that well-doing must be stated partly by the Light of Nature and partly by the Light of Scripture or rather by this latter alone as it comprizeth and explaineth the other And their Constancy and patient Continuance in this Work is as considerable as the Work it self Continuance implieth a constant Tenour of Righteousness and Holiness and patient Continuance implies Continuance notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary or bearing the Persecutions which they underwent for the Duties of the Christian Profession still going on in the Pursuit of that Reward which Christ hath promised 2. The Reward is Eternal Life This they looked and this they laboured for They were not carried on upon temporal Incouragements but eternal Bliss in the World to come And this is an excellent Counterpoise against the Loss or the Discomforts of the present Life Doct. That God will give Eternal Life to all those who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek after it The Point will be best opened by discussing the Circumstances of the Text. I shall speak I. Of the Qualification II. Of the Reward I. The Qualification And there I must speak First Of their Design and Aim They seek for Glory Honour and Immortality In all Businesses and Affairs the end must be first thought of Now these Persons which are here described propound to themselves the noblest and highest End which the Heart of Man can pitch upon even Glory Honour and Immortality Amongst Men the Ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms and aim at perpetual Fame by their Vertues and rare Exploits are judged Persons of greater Gallantry than covetous Muckworms and brutish Epicures yet their highest Thoughts and Designs are very base and low in comparison of sincere Christians who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality and whom nothing less will content and satisfy than the Injoyment of God himself in his Heavenly Kingdom and all that Happiness which he hath promised to his faithful Servants The Threshold will not content them but the Throne Their End is far more noble than the Designs of all the rest of the World And whereas others do carry themselves but as an higher and wiser sort of Beasts and so are unworthy of an immortal Soul these carry themselves as Men possessed with a Divine Spirit The Beasts have an Instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that Life which they have And a Man that is satisfied with his Portion here and only relisheth the Contentments of the rational and bodily Life carrieth himself more like a living Creature than a rational Creature more like a Beast than like a Man All their Business and Bustle is to have their
Wills and Pleasure for a while as if they had not any Hopes or Fears of any greater things hereafter Psal. 49.20 Man that is in Honour and understandeth not is like the Beasts that perish Because he merely inclineth to present Satisfactions for Reason is a middle thing between the Life of Faith and the Life of Sense If it be not sublimated by Faith it is debased by Sense and then what great Matter is it if you be a Man or a Dog or a Swine if Reason be only given you to cater for the Body and to make Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof But let us more distinctly see what is the Aim and Design of those noble and brave Spirits There are two things in the Text the Object and the Act the Thing aimed at and their Respect towards it 1. The Thing aimed at is Glory Honour and Immortality Let me open the meaning of these Words apart and then shew why so many are heaped together 1. Glory Glory is Status illustris appearing Excellency There is a Glory of this World but that is fading 1 Pet. 1.24 All Flesh is as Grass and all the Glory of Man as the Flower of Grass The Flower is more fading than the Grass it self and is sooner shed than the Stalk rotteth so many a Man's Excellency dieth before he dieth and his Glory is gone when he remaineth as a neglected Stolk But this is a more solid Glory called by the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.17 A far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory This Glory is in their Persons Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body Matth. 13.43 Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father 2 Thess. 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe All the Spectators shall stand wondering what he meaneth to do with those who were but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness So wonderful is the Glory of the Saints in the World to come And as this Glory concerns their Persons so their State Christ will advance them to a glorious Estate to high Dignity and Honour which the Scripture expresseth sometimes by Thrones Revel 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father in his Throne Sometimes by a Crown 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudg will give me at that Day Visible Marks of Favour and Honour will Christ put upon them 2. Honour That imports Praise and Commendation for Honour is a Testimony of Excellency To seek the Honour of this World is destructive to Faith John 5.44 How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only But the Honour which Christ will put upon those that are faithful to him in the World to come is the great Object of Faith by which we vanquish those Temptations of Disgrace and Scorn which we meet with here in this World Christ will then commend their Faith before Men and Angels Rev. 3.5 I will confess his Name before my Father and before his Angels O what a blessed thing is it to be owned by Christ and approved as faithful in his Service by the Judg of all the World at whose Sentence we must stand or fall The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 10.18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth To have a Testimony in our own Consciences is very sweet Let the World slander yet if God approveth it is sufficient But it will be more honourable to us when the Judg upon the Throne shall acquit us and not only so but approve and commend us It is said 1 Cor. 4.5 Iudg nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every Man have Praise of God That is be not too forward in your Censures in time God will display the Seducers and discover every Man's Intentions and Purposes Then they that deserve it shall have Shame and every Man that hath done well shall by God be justified and commended What kind of Approbation we shall have is shewed Matth. 25.21 Well done thou good and faithful Servant This is the Honour which the Saints expect 3. The third Word is Immortality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incorruption All the Glory and Honour of the World soon fadeth away If our Fame survive us what Good will it do us when we are dead Alas it is but a poor Shadow of that eternal Glory and Honour which Christ will put upon the Saints their Glory is immortal and never withereth The Glory and Honour of the World is uncertain their Hosanna is soon turned into a Crucifige Crucify him 2 Sam. 19.43 We have ten parts in the King and we have also more Right in David than ye And in the very next Verse chap. 20.1 We have no part in David neither have we Inheritance in the Son of Jesse every Man to his Tents O Israel They who but just now claimed ten parts in David presently disclaim and disown him as having no part in him at all So suddenly are Mens Affections and Esteem of us altered And as our Glory perisheth so we perish even the best of Men. Acts 13.36 David after he had served his own Generation by the Will of God fell asleep and was laid unto his Fathers and saw Corruption What a deal a-do Men keep to get Praise and Honour in the World but what doth this profit you when you are dead and must be laid in the Grave with others But the Saints look higher As they seek Glory and Honour so they seek Incorruption or Immortality a Glory which will abide with them and they with it to all Eternity Thus we have considered the Words apart Now why are so many heap'd up together It is not done casually the same is observed elsewhere 1 Pet. 1.7 That your Faith may be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Now this is done partly to represent the Fulness of this blessed and glorious Estate The Honour which Christ puts upon his Servants at his appearing is manifold many Words cannot express it they shall be much commended and gloriously rewarded And partly to recompense and make up the Shame and Disgrace of our Trials How infamous soever Christ's Servants be in the World yet they are glorious with God and honourable in his Sight And when Christ shall appear they shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Well now this
True Wisdom is from above 6. Do not only seek the light of the Spirit but wait for his renewing Grace that you may make things unseen your felicity and portion Iohn 3.6 That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Naturally there is in us a foolish inordinate desire after the Dignities Honours and Pleasures of the World But we should earnestly desire the New Birth 1 Pet. 2.3 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Joh. 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World And 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 That we may have a deep sense of and respect to the other World 7. Think often and seriously what a value Eternity puts upon things small much more upon things great in themselves 1. That Eternity puts a value upon things in themselves small whether good or evil evil as what a Torment would an Everlasting Tooth ach be Tho' the pain be not very great nor mortal yet the Eternal length and duration maketh it intolerable So in things good if a Man might have a Cottage but for an hundred years he would prize it more than to have liberty to walk in a Glorious Palace for one day so that things which are eternal do much more excel those things which are temporal though there be otherwise a difference between the things themselves As the Tooth-Ach is not a Mortal disease but every Man would die presently rather than live under an everlasting Tooth-Ach A Cottage is not to be compared to a Palace yet the Inheritance of a Cottage is much better than the liberty of a walk in a Palace for an Hour or a Day A small thing is greatned by Eternity much more a greater Well then since things unseen do so far exceed things seen and the one are Temporal and the other Eternal why should Man be so foolish and perverse as to prefer the one above the other Whatever hurts is but a flea-biting whatever delights is but a May-game The good and evil of the World is not to be compared with the fore-taste of the good and evil of the World to come Horrors of Conscience or Joy in the Holy Ghost Horrours of Conscience Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustain his Infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear Joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.2 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Horrour of Conscience is a greater pain than any pain And joy in the Holy Ghost is a greater joy than any joy now Eternity cometh and addeth a greater weight to it as to the horrours of the Wicked or the joys of the Blessed If these horrours be so burdensome what is it to lye under them for evermore If we cannot sleep one whole Night as to a man in a Fever a Night is an Year though he lie in a soft bed How do we long for day How tedious is it then to lie under Eternal darkness and to despair of ever seeing day more So for the joys of the Blessed If a day in Gods Courts be better than a thousand elsewhere What 's a Month what 's an Year what are an hundred years what 's six hundred what a thousand what 's Eternity Every thing in the other World as it is great so 't is Eternal there is an Eternity in the evil part of it The Bodies of men are Eternal their Souls Eternal the fire never goeth out for the fewel never ceaseth the Prison in which they are kept is Eternal the Torment is Eternal because the Judge is Eternal and his Sentence shall never be reversed Heb. 10.31 So the Joys as they are unspeakable and glorious so Eternal The Crown of Glory is an Incorruptible Crown 1 Pet. 5.4 The Inheritance an incorruptible Inheritance The Vision of God is not by Snatches but Everlasting the fruition of God is uninterrupted all is great and all is Eternal 2. This must be seriously considered by us and often and deeply If we did so what help should we then have against Temptations It would make us obey Gods Commandments more chearfully subdue the desires of the Flesh and make us more ready to every good work to consider that Eternity ensueth That Everlasting wo and weal is in the Case Meat well chewed nourisheth the more but being swallowed whole breedeth Crudities burdeneth the Stomach and defileth the Body so to hear of Eternity and swallow it without Rumination and due Consideration maketh these things lose their force so that they do not excite our Diligence nor break the force of Temptations Oh that they were wise and would consider their latter end Deut. 29. And my People do not consider Isa. 1.3 'T is our Carelessness and Inconsideration that undoeth us We read in Story which also hath been repeated in a late instance But Originally it is recorded of Agrippina and Nero That when a Prodigal Prince had given away a huge summ they laid all the Money in an heap before him that he might see and consider what he had given away to bring him to retract or in part to lessen the grant So 't is good for us to consider what we lose in losing Eternity what we part with for these vile and perishing things Invisible things if they are small yet they are Eternal but they are great and Eternal too But these other things are small and Temporal Eighthly Consider How certain and sure these Invisible things are which lye in the other World There wanteth nothing but this to strike the Temptation dead which ariseth from temporal things for since these Invisible things are greater and more durable why should they not prevail more with us The Reason is we See Feel Taste the one but the other lye out of sight in an unknown World and so we doubt of them or our perswasions about them are very weak But to Check this disease consider what help is offered to you 1. By the Light of Nature which sheweth it may be 2. The Light of Christianity which sheweth it shall be 1. The Light of Nature will offer proof enough to make us more serious than ever we have been For 1. If there be not a World to come and a state of Invisible Happiness and unseen Glory why is it that such a conceit hath been rooted in the Minds of Men of all Nations and Religions Not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized Herodotus telleth us that the Ancient Geâ—es thought their Souls perished not when they died but went to Tamolxis And Diodorus Siculus of the Egyptians that their Parents and Friends went to some Eternal Habitation And the Modern Heathens but newly discovered hold the Condition of Men and Beasts different that
they subsist after Life and have a Being is their firm Perswasion And therefore are wont to assign to the dead part of the goods which they possessed And Acosta telleth us that in Peru they are wont to kill some of their Slaves to attend the dead in the World to come Thus in a manner all Nations have received this Tradition from hand to hand from their Ancestors and the nearer to the first Original of Mankind the more clear and pressing hath been the conceit hereof Lapse of time which decayeth all things hath not been able to deface it out of the Minds of Men who though they have been gradually depraved and degenerated according to the distance by which they have been removed from their first Originals yet they could never blot out the sense of an Estate after this Life An universal Tradition is some Argument when there can be no solid and indubitable Reasons brought to convince it of falsity Now such is this spread throughout the Universe and with extream forwardness received of all Nations and hath born up against all the encounters of Time and constantly maintained it self in the midst of so many Revolutions of Humane Affairs by which many other things were lost 2. All men have believed that there is a God and very few doubted but that He is a Rewarder of Virtue and Punisher of Vice Now neither the one nor the other is fully accomplished in this World even in the Judgment of those who have no great Knowledge of the Nature of Sin nor what Punishment is competent thereunto Therefore there must be some state after this Life in which this retributive Justice of punishing the Bad and rewarding the Good shall be manifested For here Providence seemeth to be darkned and the World is offended with the Calamities of the Good and Prosperity of the Wicked 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ Iesus we are of all men most miserable 3. If there be an end of man when he dieth Why is man afraid of Torments after Death Heb. 2.15 Deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to bondage Men fear Deaâ—h not as a natural Evil as it terminateth our present Comforts but as a Penal Evil as it is an Entrance to unknown Sorrows 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law What 's the Reason of these stings of Conscience which are never so sensible and quick as when they approach near Death or behold themselves in some imminent danger What are these but presaging fears which anticipate miseries after this life If there were an utter end of men these troubles should in Reason then vanish But this is the Time when these Alarums are redoubled and those Tempests increase their Violence 2. The Light of Christâ—anity doth much more discover it That 's properly a Doctrine of things unseen That telleth us of a Prison where are the Spirits of Wicked men 1 Pet. 3.19 Of a Palace or Mansions in our Fathers House where are the Spirits of Just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 On the one hand it telleth us of a Worm that never dieth of a Fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 On the other side of Joys that are at the right hand of God for evermore Psal. 16.11 That Christ died to free us from the wrath to come 1 Thess. â— 10 And purchased Heaven for us 1 Thess. 5.10 And is gone to Heaven to seise upon it in our Name Iohn 14.2 3. Having first left a sure Promise of Eternal Life to all that believe in him 1 Iohn 2.25 Which â—romise was outwardly confirmed by divers Miracles accompanying them that went abroad to make this offer in his Name Heb. 2.3 4. Inwarâ—ly in the Hearts of his People by giving them the first fruits of this Everlasting Estate in their Union with himself Col. 1.27 And the Joys of his Spirit which are therefore said to be full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 These are Truths interweaved throughout the whole Body of Christianity Now discourse but with your selves 1. Parâ—ly concerning the thing it self Partly 2. Concerning the certainty of your Hope 1. Concerning the certainty of the thing it self Is the whole Scripture false The Gospel a Fable Are all the Oracles of the Prophets the Doctrine of Christ his Miracles Resurrection Ascension but a Dream Were they all deceived that followed Christ upon these Hopes That took such pains in subduing the Flesh And hazarding their Interests freely upon the Hopes of another World Are the wisest sort of men the World ever saw Fools All the Ordinances of Christ a customary Superstition Is Grace a Fancy The Joys of the Spirit Delusions or phantastical Impressions These rejoicings and foretasts of the Children of God a meer Deceit and Imposture Surely it cannot be that all this Solemnity should be used to establish a vain Conceit 2. Excite and work up your own Faith and Hope Is there not a state of Blessedness reserved for me in the Heavens Invisible and Glorious things which I am bound to seek after Thou hast not Possession but thou hast the Grant the Deed of Gift sealed thou hast the Conveyance to shew Gods own Word and Promise to assure thee Yea 't is not nudum pactum God hath given thee the Earnest of a greater summ 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts What should I do then but look for it long for it and earnestly seek after it Use II. Is for Reproof 1. To the Incredulous and Unbelieving to whom all Invisible Things seem a Fancy Scoffing Atheists they will not believe there is an Heaven or an Hell till they see them In the face of the Visible Church there may be such and in the latter times there shall be many such 2 Pet. 3.4 But in Hell there are none such because then matters of Faith are matters of feeling and to their bitter cost they find the Truth of what they doubted of To these I shall say God hath always tried his People and distinguished them from others by respect to things not seen Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith By this he condemned the World at his costly Industry and care to frame an Ark but whilest he provided for his safety they perished in their Sins Must every thing be seen before we fear it or hope for it Why then do men provide for time to come so long before hand Why for Old-Age in Youth Why for Winter in Summer As the Industry of the Ant is recommended for our Imitation Prov. 6.6 7 8. Go to the Ant thou Sluggard consider her ways and be wise Which having no Guide Overseer or Ruler provideth her Meat in