of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel 5. The ministery of Angells is imployed for their defence The R. 5. The Ministery of Angells is imployed for the defence of the godly Heb. 1. 14. Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them who shall be heires of Salvation And for the offence of their enemies as in the case of Senacherib and Herod who fell by the Angell of the Lord. 6. The Saints experiences are abundant proofe hereof Paâ—l V. Ps 18. tâ—tle R. 6. Drawn from Saints Experiences speaks how God delivered him out of the hand of the Lion He spake of Nero that cruell Persecutor of the Church What Protections deliverances have Gods people met withall What Providences to supply their wants in the most needfull instant What deliverances from Fire Water Robbers Murtherers Great things can many of Gods children speak in this particular Time would faile me to produce those Instances which Saints experiences have abundantly afforded in this Particular This then being so this Doctrine may be serviceable for these uses 1. To reprove the madnesse and folly of wicked men who Vse 1. For Reproofe Ps 37. 32 33. set themselves in opposition against Gods children They labour to root out their memory and plot their utter ruine and destruction but though the wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to sâ—ay him the Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemne him when he is judged Wicked men are limitted and can go not a jot further then God will permit them 2. Here 's matter of Instruction to the children of God Doth Vse 2. For Instruction God take the care of them Let them be sure to keep in Gods waies and walke according to the rule of his Word Let none neglect meanes appointed by God under any presumptions of Providence that would be a tempting of God You know how the Devill tempted Christ to leap down the Pinacle when as there was a paire of staires an ordinary way to go up and down Let none upon pretence of secret impulses of their owne spirits act any irregular thing upon Pretence of Providence Gods Providences do not contradict the rule of the word Let none distrust Providence in their greatest straits and difficulties God hath supplyed and is able still to supply He hath delivered and is able still to deliver Read two experiences one of David against the Lion and Beare Thy servant saith David to Saul slew both the Lion and the Beare and this uncircumcised Philistine 1 Sam. 17. 36 shall be as one of them Another deliverance we read is of the children of Israel against Pharaoh Thou didst saith the Psalmist divide the Sea by thy strength thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in Psal 74. 14. the waters Thou breakeâ—t the heads of Leviathan in peices and gavest him to be meat for the people inhabiting the wildernesse This was spoken of Pharaoh and his host These examples drawn from experience and former mercyes should be as so many Ingagements to trust God for the time to come Here 's one Use more and that is for consolation unto Gods Vse 3. For Consolation children They are in Covenant and under the wings of speciall Providence As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young Deut. 32. 11. spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings So the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him He promiseth to be their Rereward Then shall thy light Isa 58. 8. breake forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousnesse shall go before thee the glory of the Lord shall be thy Rereward This is an allusion to Gods carrying his children out of Egypt And the Lord went before them by day in a Exo. 13. 21. pillar of a cloude to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night Now against all despondencies feares doubts dangers let Gods children comfort themselves with the consideration of Gods speciall Providence God takes care and makes speciall Provision for them wherefore let them do their duty and leave all issues to God The duties are these 1. To study the Word and be well acquainted with it The Scripture is the sure Word of Prophesy certaine infallible we must trust and venture all upon it 2. To live by faith when sence failes let not faith faile Believe God is as good as his word Believe though sence and reason be non-plusd So did Abraham in the case of Sarah and so in the case of Isaac No life to that mentioned by the Apostle to live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. 3. To set the Spirit of prayer a working Pray for thy daily bread and for daily Protection So that thou maiest feele all coming in as an Answer of Prayer And a Samuel a child of prayer is the most welcome mercy 4. Beware of murmuring and repining when thou art delayed Eligat opportunitatem qui libere dat misericâ—rdiam Aug. Learne to wait Gods time His convenient time is the best He helpes in the most needfull time Let him saith Augustine chuse the opportunity who so freely gives the mercy 5. What ever thou wantest be sure to be more thankfull then EfficacissimuÌ„ pro Candid ato regandi genus est gratias agere Plin. Pan. Trajano dictus ever sor what thou hast received before Thankfulnesse is a cunning way of begging Put thy selfe in other mens cases and consider how thou aboundest in comparison of them Look into Prisons Poore mens cupboards and how oughst thou to pitty them in their wants and be thankfull for what thou enjoyest 6. Sixtly and lastly be still renewing thy title and clearing up thine evidences for heaven for the more thou securest that the more secure thou mayest be of this speciall distinguishing Providence For though I believe not but abhorre that opinion that Dominium temporale fundatur in gratiâ and I am farre from the Anabaptisticall opinion of thinking wicked men usurpers as having no right of Creatures to outward things yet I am fully assured that only the Godly have outward things sanctified through Christ With Christ they have all things And having Christ is that which makes a mercy to be a mercy indeed All Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 20 21. things are Yours saith the Apostle The wicked of the world have outward things ex largitate by common Povidence and bounty the godly have all ex promisso by Promise and Covenant Wherefore here lyes the great duty to get assurance that what ever we have we injoy as a Covenant mercy streaming to us through the blood of Jesus Christ for it is Christ alone that sweetens what ever
God that Christ is Judge He that is our elder brother Heb. 2. 11. A man as we are Phil. 2. 8. Sin only excepted our advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. It 's Bernard's observation Vult per hominem homines judicari Hence we may securely expect the comeing of our Judge in so much as our Advocate is gone before us and is already retained on our side Quia Advocatum praemisimus securi judicem venturum speremus v. Joh. 14. 23. Christ is the life of the Saints Col. 3. 4. Christ is the end of our hope whom the Saints look for His appearance the ground of the Saints hope and strong consolation So that the day of judgement will be a day of refreshment deliverance restitution redemption the most comfortable day that ever the eyes of the Saints beheld Use 2. For Terror 2. Here 's Terror unto the wicked They are enemies unto Christ and they that have peirced him shall see him Rev. 1. 7. But they shall see him no otherwise then a malefactor the Judge to their terror and condemnation Vse 3. For Exhortation 3. This may serve for exhortation to prepare for the comeing of Christ In order whereunto these speciall exhortations I presse home unto us all 1 Kisse the Son Psa 2. 12. Make your peace with Christ speedily we are commanded to agree with our adversary quickly 2 This should stir us up to sobriety and watchfulness 1 Pet. 4. 7. Prayer sobriety and watchfulness are joyned together 1 Thes 5. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 8. 3 This should excite us to repentance Act. 17. 30 31. 4 This should excite us unto holiness Joh. 3. 36 2 Pet. 3. 11. 5 This should strengthen our faith in the promises Beleevers shall not come into condemnation He that beleeveth shall not come into condemnation But I am a beleever therefore I shall not come into condemnation 6 And lastly This should make us long for the coming of Christ Tit. 2. 13. Rev. 22. 20. Christs appearance is the Saints day of rejoycing That day we should beleeve hope for desire with all earnestness This consideration that Christ shall be the Judge is matter of singular consolation unto the Saints Christ is the Saints Redeemer hee Adopts them he 's their Intercessor and their Judge and will plead for them and pronounce a sentence of Absolution at the day of judgement ETERNAL LIFE Unfolded from Mark 10. 17. Good master what shall I do that I may in herit eternal life IT will be requisite before I give in the sense of the words to Sermon 8. â— S. Maryes Oxon. April 13. 1656. take into consideration the Harmony of the Evangelists in relation to this History S. Matthew c. 19. v. 16. sets it down on this wise And behold one came and said unto him Good master what good things shall I do that I may have eternal life He dreamed of Pharisaical righteousness of salvation by works He doth not aske simply by what way and means he must be saved but what good he must do As if his own righteousness contributed to his salvation This was a gross error among the Pharisees then and is still retained and improved among Papists and Ignoramus's now a dayes S. Luke sets down this history And a certain Ruler asked him Luk. 18. 18. He was not one of the common sort but a man of chief authority and he came not as many did to tempt Christ but to learn of him And it 's remarkable that he a great man a person of quality among the Jewes in the time of his youth did busy himself in such excellent things as to inquire after his eternal condition He was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man It 's the young man's duty to remember his Creator in the dayes of his youth Now Eccles 12. 1. let 's consider the History as related in the Text. Before he propounds his question we are to observe his great diligence and reverence 1 His diligence he came running he made hast to 1. His diligence Christ willing to be quickly resolved in a great question Lest Christ should have been gone before he came he mended his pace This shewes his fâ—rvour desire and eagerness to meet with Christ And this in a young man and a Ruler was the more remarkable 2 His reverence he kneeled to him He cometh as a petitioner to 2 His reverence aske that which most of all concerned him This posture shewes his humility and what high estimate he puts upon Jesus Christ These things being premised he propounds this question which is of the greatest moment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What answer Christ gave him and how he replied and how Christ rejoyned and what was the product thereof are not my present busyness The inlargement of these things by way of Paraphrase with observations upon them would take more then the allotted time My work intended is to fixe upon the maine scope and substance of the Question That which was in the eye aime and designe of this young man was what should become of him to eternity Wherein you have 1 An end propounded eternal life 2 The means inquired after what shall I do Or Divis what good thing shall I do as Matthew relates the story Here he failed grosly in the standing upon his own works dreaming of Pharisaical righteousness He was a young man and had learned from the Pharisees school to be confident of self-righteousness and plead for his own merits as afterward it followeth how he boasted v. 20. But when Christ touched him to the quick v. 21. he discovered how far he was from that perfection whereunto he pretended 3 Of whom doth he inquire To whom doth he propound this question of the greatest consequence Unto Christ whom he calleth Master a Teacher one whom he thought able to instruct him and he add's this Epithete Good Christ checks him v. 18. Christ doth not refuse the name of Good sed eo sensu quo Carthw Harm Calv. Harm Adolescens intellexit ideo repudiavit quia in Deum solum competebat The young man took Christ to be no more then a man Si in me nihil altius agnoseis quam naturam humanam falso elogium boni quod soli Deo convenit in me transfers so Calvin i e If thou knowest no more then a humane nature in me thou falsly ascribest to me the name of Good which belongs to God alone Aut ergo Gâ—rth Harm agnosce me Deum aut a boni titulo abstine so learned Gerrard Notwithstanding this young man failes in the manner of propounding the Question and prescribes his own works his own Phaâ—isaical righteousness which was his gross error took upon trust from the Pharisaical Rabbies Yet it 's worth our special observation and it 's that which is my chief design in the choyce of this Text that this young man a Ruler who came with an intent to be instructed of Christ
presence of God deale plainly and impartially in this Examination 1. Then do we give God the best in our duties doe we give God our hearts our affections and wills Do we doe all our duties as in the presence of God in obedience to God with a single eye and respect unto Gods glory Such questions as these put home will search to the quick Amongst others I shall fix only upon these three instances eminenter non exclusive For in all the best is to be given to God This Rule admits no exception The question is 1. Whether in hearing of Gods Word we give God the best Q. 1. Whether in hearing wee give God the best This is a very weighty duty And we are often enjoyned to hear Jer. 22. 29. Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. It 's a mark of Christs Sheep to hear his voice Joh. 10. 27. But amongst hearers three sorts in four miscarry according to Christs own computation for there are stony high-way thorny hearers the Word of God is lost in all these Onely the good hearer profits by the Word and brings forth fruit with patience Wherefore we are not only exhorted to the duty of Hearing but to the right manner of performing this duty Take heed therefore how ye hear Luk. 8. 18. Now whether in our hearing we give God the best we are to examine three particulars 1. How we prepare our selves before hearing 2. How we demean our selves in hearing 3. How we behave our selves after hearing First before hearing there is required preparation Eccles 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God Publius Scipio first went unto the Capitol to pray before he went to consult amongst the Senators Before we come to a Sermon our duty is to sequester our selves from earthly entanglements Abraham when he went up to the Mount to Sacrifice he left his Asses at the foot of the hill Before the Jews offered Sacrifice they used many washings and purifyings Exod. 19. 14. Mephibosheth dressed his feet when hee went to David O how should we wash our hearts before we come into Gods presence Before we come into the place where the name of God is recorded we should consider of that soveraignty power purity and Majesty of God We should get our hearts sequestred from the world our pride passion and all inordinate affections should be mortified we should have our spirits meekned we should approach with trembling reverence and awfull fear of the great and glorious presence of God 2. In hearing there are two things required Atteâ—tion of the ear and Intention of the heart 1. There must be a serious attention we read Luke 4. 20. The eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastned on him When we go to duty we should consider of the presence of God and Angels and should behave our selves with all reverence in the publick Assemblies The Preacher should be serious grave reverend and avoyd all affected phrases uncouth unscriptural speeches He should hold fast the form of sound words And hearers should deport themselves with all reverence Laughing at one another idle gazing wanton glances roving eys O! how unfit and unsuitable are they as at other times so especially in places of Worship 2. In hearing there is required intention of the heart The heart must goe along with the eare and what we hear we must labour to let it sink into our hearts and there make its residence The heart must be affected in hearing the heart must act vigorously and be fully bent upon God His Word is precious and none ought to fall to the ground Wherefore we must ruminate ponder meditate apply and labour for retentive memories This caution is of great concernment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 1. VVe must remember that in hearing we deale for life and immortality we negotiate for Eternity and drive a trade for our immortall soules so we must hear to day as for ought we know we may never live to have another opportunity Wherefore the heart must be in good earnest with all the affections thereof set a worke The Love Joy Hope Desire all must bee seriously fixt and intent upon what wee hear Thirdly how we must demeane our selves after hearing To this purpose I shall mention onely two Duties which if put in practise it 's without all question that wee give God the Male. First it 's required that we meditate on what we have heard 1. We must meditate in the Word For Meditation is the spiritual digestion of a Sermon This Moses Isaac and David much practised It fareth with a good Sermon for the Soul as with a good meales meat for the Body By digesting what we receive we thrive the better Wherefore after we have heard a Sermon we must call our selves to a strict accompt rubbe up our memories and labour to make what we have heard our owne that this food may turne into our nourishment that we may eat and make a good meale and digest the food of our souls even to eat the roll as the Prophet did Jer. 15. 16. Secondly it 's required that wee yeeld ready obedience unto 2. Wee must yeeld obedience unto the Word the VVord of God For not the Hearers but the Doers of the Word shall be justified The life of a Preacher is the Application and the life of a Sermon in Preaching and hearing consists in the particular Application what wee heare wee must apply and practise in our lives Thus we give God the Male in our hearing A Second Duty wherein we are to examine our selves in is Q. 3. Whether we give God the Male in our prayers whether we give God the Males in our prayers and supplications Prayer is a great part of our religion a great part of worship wherein God is gloryfied wherefore I must take the best paines I can to examine this point whether in our prayers we give God the best whether we offer a Male and not a corrupt thing For tryall whereof I l'e lay down some distinguishing characters to differrence the pretious from the vile 1. Prayer must be humble so did Abraham pray Gen. 18. 27. so David prayed in a most humble manner 2 Sam. 7. 19. so Jacob 1 Prayer must be humble Gen. 32. 9. There 's required an humble reverentiall frame of spirit in our approaches and applications unto the throne of grace Consideration of Gods transcendent majesty and greatnesse and the apprehension of our own vilenesse should cause us in an humble manner to make our addresses and preferre our supplications unto the great God of Heaven and Earth Consider likewise thou art a Creature dust and ashes a worme and no man a sinner a Rebell an enemy to God by nature a child of wrath This Consideration should humble thee in the presence of the Lord. 2. Prayer must be in faith Mat. 21. 22. No prayer but that of faith can be accepted No service but of a Beleever
opinion of Religion and think any thing will serve as if any thing were good enough for God Such a slight service was done by Gehazi he went on before and layd his staffe upon the child and there was no appearance of life in the child but the Prophet Elisha layd his hand on the childs hand his mouth on the childs mouth c. and in good earnest set upon the work and the spirit of the child revived It 's the observation of a Reverend Mr. Jerem. Burroughs and precious Divine that of all spirits hee desired to be delivered from a frothy spirit it 's therefore a matter of lamentation and ought in good earnest to be bewailed to consider with what irreverence formalities and slightnesse of the spirit many set upon duty some will pray partly between sleeping and waking so drowsily that they can scarce pronounce their words aright Others will mumble over a few words of course in their beds Neither of these think of that reverence that belongs to the great God of heaven and earth and that he requires the Male the best we can offer unto him A third Impediment is a worldly spirit A heart swallowed up Imped 3. A wordly spirit with the love of the world will never give God the best such spirits wil grudge any thing for God because the world hath seized on their spirits and took up their affections Their breath words conversations even all favours of the world Now this love of the world is the root of all evill and enmity against God Demas forsook the Apostles society The young man preferred earthly treasures before heavenly where the world sits close and the heart is enamoured with the love of the world there Christs riches and his excellencies are undervalued A fourth Impediment is an unbeleeving heart Christ is not a Imped 4. An unbeleeving heart whit regarded amongst unbeleevers onely beleevers account him precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. He that knew the worth of the pearl of price and beleeved there was such vertue in it sold all to purchase it Mat. 13. 46 47. These Impediments being removed some speciall duties ought to be practised 1. Alwaies set before thine eyes the great God of heaven and Dut. 1. Set God before thine eyes earth as omnipresent pure and omnipotent who seeth knoweth and searcheth all hearts This consideration will make thee afraid to present any thing vile and refuse unto so great so holy a Lord God How thou prayest in thy closet what thy secret reserved thoughts are what thy intentions are in any duty all are naked unto that great and glorious Majesty with whom thou hast to deale 2. Labour for sincerity of heart That 's it which will carry thee Dut. 2. Labour for sincerity of heart through all brakes bryars difficulties and perplexities whatsoever It 's said Asa's heart was upright there 's a neverthelesse put in 2 Chron 15. 17. It 's this which comforted Hezekiah when the sentence of death was past against him 2 King 20. 3. It 's that which God requires even truth in the inward parts Ps 51. 6. It 's that which is the cause of rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. Nathaniels character to be an Israelite indeed without guile Joh. 1. 47. The upright are they which love Christ Cant. 1. 4. And they are Gods delight Prov. 11. 20. Their Tabernacle shall flourish Prov. 14. 11. Their high way is to depart from evill Prov. 16. 17. They walk surely Prov. 10. 9. and no good thing will God withhold from them Ps 84. 11. Their end is peace Psal 37. 37. Upright walking with God will carry a man through all troubles whatsoever and in life and death will yeeld matter of abundance of consolation 3. Embrace the present season of Grace Seek ye the Lord whilst Dut. 3. Embrace the present season he may be found call ye upon him whilst he is near Isa 55. 6. Now give God your strength and marrow and lay aside all delayes Apologies and Procrastinations 4. Be much in Prayer and Supplication that what ever thou Dut. 4. Be much in Prayer dost what duty whatsoever service thou offerest unto God that he would accept thee through Jesus Christ As the Ancients held the Plough and prayed so hear and meditate on Gods Word keep the Lords Sabboth holy and pray for a blessing upon all from heaven Blesse Lord his substance Deut. 33. 11. 5. Make Religion thy work the grand design thou drivest Let Dut. 5. Make Religion thy work thy generall calling as a Christian have the preheminence of thy particular calling in the world Seek first the Kingdome of God Mat. 6. 33. The last Use is for Consolation unto those who to the utmost in Vse 5. For Consolation sincerity of heart endeavour to walk before the Lord. Thus Enoch walked with God Gen. 5. 24. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods Commandments blameless Luk. 1. 6. David was a man after Gods own heart Yet the best of Gods children have their failings Jacob confest himself not worthy of the least of Gods mercyes c. David confest himself as foolish as a bruit Beast and wise Agur acknowledged that he had not the understanding of a man It 's a great cause of greif and a burthen to the spirits of Gods dearest children to consider how much they faile in duties Their dulnesse deadnesse disorder of spirit much afflicteth them What I shall further adde shall be comprised in these ensuing considerations Consid 1. Infirmities are incident to the best 1. Infirmities are incident unto the best of Christians I sleep saith the Spouse Paul complains of a body of sin and of flesh and of an antipathy between flesh and spirit 2. Gods children allow not themselves in sinne but mourn Consid 2. Gods childrē allow not themselves in sin Consid 3. Sincerity is accepted Consid 4. Where sincerity is there is an endeavour after more grace Consid 5. Others examples are not just standards Consid 6 Perseverance shall obtaine the Crown for sinne Sinne is their exceeding great grief and burthen 3. Where the heart is sincere it is accepted a willing mind is accepted 2 Cor. 8. 12. 4. Where the heart is sincere it is not contented with what it hath already attained but labours for more grace Phil. 3. 13 14. 5. Consider that others examples and attainments are not that standard for every one to measure himself by No examples but that of Jesus Christ is every way authentique Some will say on one hand Such and such goe no further and will not this serve my turne others say such goe so farre and if I cannot come near them I may justly suspect my self to be an Hypocrite Neither this nor that must determine us 6. And lastly consider that Perseverance shall obtain the Crown Rev. 2. 15. Many beginne well and fly back Of all Apostates are most hated by God But as for such who persevere in Grace and
portion for eternall life is their inheritance Joh. 10. 28. Secondly Faith is a hand to lay hold on Christ But not a working hand as that hand of a labourer that earnes his living upon his desert and for his work receives his wages But faith is a receiving hand of a poore man that layes hold on a pearle and receives all of mercy and favour from God Hence faith is exprest by receiving Joh. 1. 12. Thirdly Faith gives insight into heaven and communion with God Heb. 11. 27. Fourthly From Justification by faith flowes all our comforts and priviledges Rom. 5. 1. 2. But if the Consideration of the benefit of Faith take no Motive 2. From the mischiefe of unbeliefe place on the contrary take notice of the mischiefe of Insidelity You heard before the reasons of the Doctrine after another sort how Infidelity bound Gods hands refused the remedy I will adde other great mischiefes which spring from the fountaine of unbeliefe viz. these following 1. Unbeliefe makes all our prayers unavailable To pray and not in faith is sinne for whatever is not of faith is sinne 2. Unbeliefe causeth diffidence of and staggering at promises Rom. 4. 20. 3. It hinders and deprives men of Communion with believers 2 Cor. 6. 15. 4. Every thing is uncleane and desiled to unbelivers Tit. 1. 15. Their spirituall uncleannesse makes every thing uncleane unto them The distinction of cleane and uncleane meates is disanulled by the Gospell the use of them is pure to them who are cleansed by Christs blood and sanctified by his spirit but of unbelievers it is said Their mind and Conscience is defiled 5. Unbelievers are given up to damnable delusions 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth The fourth Use is for Examination and Triall of Faith and Vse 4. For Examination Infidelity Every one is ready to say he believes but the number of believers is very small But where there is true faith it hath these singular Qualifications to inlighten the understanding to purify the heart to sanctify the life and Conversation to trust God with all to live by faith for that is the life of a Christian To inlarge a little these Qualifications First True faith inlightens the understanding Paul when of Qualific 1. True faith inlightens the understanding an unbeliever he became a believer it 's said And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had been scales Act. 9. 18. Where God worketh faith he illuminates the understanding Act. 26. 18. Joh. 2. 20. Secondly faith purifieth the heart it 's a purifying grace Act. Qualific 2. Faith purifieth the heart 15. 9. The heart is purged and cleansed from malice this God calleth for Jam. 4. 8. Jer. 4. 14. Thirdly Faith reformes the life hence faith is called a holy faith Jude 20. An unfained faith the Faith of Gods elect a Pretious Qualific 3. Reformes the life Faith For a true believer is a man of another Conversation As it was said of Caleb Num. 14. 24. He had another spirit with in him So true believers are of another spirit i. e. of a gracious spirit farre different from what they were in the State of unregeneracy and farre different from the men of the world Qualific 4. Faith trusts God with all Qualific 5. the juâ—t lives by faith Fourthly Faith trusts God with all David calls God his Rock Fortresse Bulwark c. Psal 18. 2. Psal 27. 1. A Believers heart is fixed and setled in unsetled times Psal 112. 7. Fiftly Faith is that whereby the just lives Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. A believer in a storme gets himselfe upon a Rock he hides himselfe in the clefts of a Rock Christ is the Rock of Ages A believer climbes up thither and there rests In dangers he goeth to God hee 's his Refuge strong Tower and Bulwark of defence In doubts God is his Counsellour in distresse God is his comforter Now le ts inquire after some signes and symptomes of an unbeliever The first which is to be reckoned in the fore front is partiall Signe 1. Partiall obedience obedience an unbeliever whatever he pretends is but obedient to halves so was Saul in sparing Agag c. So was Ananias and Saphira in keeping back part of the price Agrippa would be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 26. 28. We have many such al-most Christians halfe baked cakes like Ephraim a cake not turn'd Hos 7. 18. The second signe of Unbeliefe is murmuring and impatience Signe 2. Murmuring The Lord complaines often of the murmuring of the Children of Israell Psal 106. 25. vers 29. And this is forbidden 1 Cor. 10. 10. See their impatience Num. 14. 44 45. Murmuring and impatience go togeather when God answers not at our time we begin to murmur and wax exceeding impatient so did they Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the wildernesse Thirdly Unbeliefe appeares evidently by that refuge which Signe 3. Broken Refuge men betake themselves unto in streights and difficulties Saul went to a witch Judas and Achitophel to a halter Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ekron The Foole in the Gospell comforts himselfe with his riches voluptuous men betake themselves to their pleasures Ambitious men to their titles of honour but all these are broken and deceitfull refuges and wiâ—l faile in the greatest difficulties like cloath that shrinks in the wetting The fifth Use is for Direction And this I shall branch into a Vse 5. For Direction few Duties First be sure to act faith upon the promises have a word for Dir. 1. Act Faith upon promises your warrant I trust in this word saith David I hoped in this word Study promises and apply them live upon them we read Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth hath eternall life But I am a believer c. make good this Assumption and thou maist conclude that thou shalt be saved Secondly Content not your selves with those attainments and Dir. 2. Content not thy selfe with former attainments measures of faith you have already got but pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith we read of some thing lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3. 10. Labour to get thy faith strengthned and thy heart established upon God It s no easy matter to believe when the Son of man comes shall he find faith in the earth Dir. 3. Be Conscientious in the use of Ordinances Dir. 4. Often search thy heart Vse 6. For Consolation Thirdly Be diligent and conscientious in the Use of Ordinances as hearing Gods Word Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. And adde praying and receiving the Sacraments Fourthly Often search thy heart for feare least a Temporary Faith lurke there Much unbeliefe lurketh in thy heart therefore watch and pray against it labour to get it rooted out The last Use is for Consolation unto Gods
preach Christ but to preach a man's selfe in a vaine glorious affectation of eloquence Herein consists the duty of a Minister for matter to preach Christ only for manner with all humility and him crucifi'd This is the preaching when all 's done this I may terme the very Art of preaching which directly tendes to the Glory of God and the salvation of soules Admit a man be of never so meane a presence and men come to heare him possessed with a prejudicate opinion yet if he labour to divide the word aright and to speake to the conscience rather than the fancy of his Auditors O! what wonders doth the Lord worke by weake meanes As by rammes hornes the walls of Jericho were battered in peeces and by earthen pitchers the huge host of the Midianites was discomfited so by that preaching which the wittes of the times and men that applaud their own fansies accoumpt empty and foolish the Lord workes miraculously in the conversion of soules It 's the Apostles assertion For after that in the wisdome of God the world through wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe Thus having endeavour'd to beat the corne out of the eare suffer me now to grinde it at the mill Application is the life of every sermon Let me then intreat your patience in a few words to presse what hath been said unto your practise and then I shall put a period to my discourse Marlorate out of Calvin drawes two inferences of practice Quid docendum first and then Quid discendum afterwards Christ crucified is the substance of all that we can preach or heare It 's a lesson can be never enough taught and never enough learn'd In the first place seeing this is that lesson which we all ought to teach Fathers and Brethren suffer I beseech you the word of exhortation to conferre your best endeavours to put in practice this excellent method and exquisite art of preaching Wast not this pretious lamp of the sanctuary in making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumstantials the maine imployment What 's this but to tithe mint and cummin and to neglect the weightier matters of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ther 's one most needfull Doctrine which you ought frequently to inculcate and make deep impressions upon the conscience and that 's the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified I cannot sufficiently admire how sacred is the ministeriall function What a great honour is it to be imploy'd in Embasy for the King of heaven O! what fidelity is requisite in the discharge of so concerning a message You are God's sword hearers beare up that sword which he hath put into your hands The Lord hath promised to be your portion And if I invert the order of the words that they which live upon the Altar ought to serve it it 's a piece of the same truth as well as that The Lord hath so ordain'd that those which serve the Altar should live upon the Altar The readiest way I conceive to suppresse schismes and divisions is by preaching the power of godlinesse This is the way to stop the mouthes of Gainsayers when they see that selfe is not the maine Engineer nor the promoting of a man 's own particular ends and interests but the glory of God and the love of Christ constraines a man then they are put to silence and have nothing to gainsay We read how Moses in his own cause was the meekest man upon the face of the earth yet transported with zeale in the cause of God A spirit of discretion is required in a Christian least he may quickly pluck downe with the one hand what he endeavours to build up with the other Moderation is much talked of it 's a gooâ— to be desired For oft times it serves as a golden bridle to curbe a passion Calvin in Epist ad Melanct. But Calvin's caution to Melanchthâ—n is worthy of your observation Take heed saith he that moderation doe not quench thy zeale Meeknesse and silence doth good and is commendable in a man 's own cause It 's a man's glory to passe by a personall injury but when religion suffers and the cause of God lies a bleeding then to be silent argues a spirituall stupefaction as if a man were possessed with a dumbe Divell When men preach their own inventions teaching for Doctrines the traditions of men When men deride the way of holinesse casting nicknames and aspersions of Puritans Precisians and I know not what upon them that so they may render their persons and profession odious just as thy dealt with the Saints in the Primitive Church who were put into beares-skins and then worryed When men are not affrayd to exercise their wits to be witty even unto blasphemy to cast a slur or a jest upon that sacred word by which one day they shall be judged This is not to preach Christ crucifi'd but it 's to crucify him afresh and to put the Lord of glory to an open shame When men like Jehu drive furiously mistaking a passion for zeale and so oft times spoile a good cause in the carriage this is not sutable to that meeknesse that was in Christ Let not then any humour or opinion sway thee ther 's nothing so dangerous in religion as this compliance with humors and fancies and siding for selfe-interests and advantages The Spirit of God must be thy Pilot to sâ—eare thee and the word of God must be thy compasse and the glory of God ought to be in thy eye as the scope and end of all Take nothing upon trust but imitate those noble Act. 17. 11. Bereans who let nothing passe without due examination For we read that they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so 2. As you have heard what we must all teach so you shall 2 Quid discen dum heare what we must all learne viz Christ crucifi'd Let me then perswade you as Jerome doth in an Epistle to Paulinus Let 's learne that knowledge on earth which will carry us unto heaven May Discamus eam teâ—ris quorum scientia perseverabit in coelis Hieronymuâ— in Epist ad Paulinum it never be verifi'd of any of us that we seek our own things and not the things of Jesus Christ and that we resemble Mercuries statue that poynt the way to others but move not one step our selves A good life is the best commentary of a good sermon and the best conâ—â—tation of a slaunder The shepherd hath discharged his duty when by his own example he leads his flock to the waters of comfort We should all labour to be spirituall builders As no noise was heard in Solomons Temple so my heart desires that there may be no differences nor jarrings to be heard among us Quirites was a forcible word with Caesar to suppresse all his souldiers mutinies and shall not the word Christiani be as prevalent with us What said Abraham to Lot Gen.
Bernards counsell to Eugenius may bee a good motto for the Councellour at Law Frustratorias vexatorias praecide dilationes By unnecessarie delayes and tedious suites many are served by Lawyers as the poore woman mentioned in the Gospel was served by Physitians They left her uncured of her disease and poverty Mark 5. 26. to boote I have read of a Chancellour of England who in a fore-noone dispatch't all the causes brought before him and hee askt whether there were any other causes and they answered no. I wish Law suits especially Chancery suits were ended with more expedition lest by reason of tedious waiting the remedy oft-times proves worse than the disease But secondly Justice must notwithstanding be executed deliberately Rule 2. Justice must be executed deliberately It must not be delayed on the one side nor rashly determined on the other side It must be performed with mature advice and deliberation There 's Pondus Causae Pondus Legis to be taken in to ferious consideration Justitia licet sit coeca exequendo tamen â—culata dijudicando A Judge must not be Vir Tenâ—dius as Lycophron mentions nor must his instrument of Justice be Tenedia bipennis making as our Proverbe is more haste then good speed Nulla unquam de morte hominis cunctatio longa If there be an Acre of ground an Oxe or an Horse in question Oh! what adoe is there to get an ablesufficient Jury And surely the life of a man is more precious Can Ignoramusses serve for life and death You that are concerned herein seek for sufficient men men of conscience and understanding take not up men that can neither write nor read who must take all upon trust Judgement on life and death is a serious worke and requires prudence and deliberation Joh. 7. 51. Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him and know what he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Commission is of Oyâ—r and Terminer First you are to heare before you determine Job searched out the cause which he knew not Job 26. 19. There must be a serious inquisition after the truth The greatest paines is little enough for the investigation of the truth and the right administration of Justice Justice must be executed impartially Levi must know neither Rule 3. Justice must be executed impartially father nor mother Amicus Plato amicus Socrates sed magis amica Veritas A Judge he mustnot pervert Justice to pleasure my Lord or my Lady mine antient friend and acquaintance Threats flatteries gold or silver may not turne him one jot out of the Bias of Justice It 's said of Fabricius That the Sun might sooner be turned out of it's course then he out of the course of Justice Neither doth a just Judge favour a poore man in an unrighteous cause Exod. 23. 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poore man in his cause He dares not judge for popular applause to get himselfe a name to be the poore mans Advocate and so swerve from the rules of Justice A just Judge will frequently and seriously catechise his owne conscience and aske this question how shall I answer this great Iudgement before the great Judge of heaven and earth How shall I answer that charge Levit. 19. 15. Yee shall do no unrighteousnesse in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousnesse shalt thou judge thy neighbour It was a gallant speech of Worthy Mr Pym a renowned and true hearted Patriot of his Countrey See Mr Marshals Sermon at his sunerall Such a one indeed is my good Friend but I will never pay my private dâ—bts out of the publicke stocke Iustice must be executed according to truth Truth is of such an Rule 4. Justice must be executed according to truth invaluable price as we must buy it at any rate Prov. 22. 23. There 's an heavy charge Is 59. 4. None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speake lies they conceive mischiefe and bring forth Iniquity v. 14. And judgement is turned away backward and justice standeth a farre off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter You call your Iury good men and true I heartily wish they were all so and the witnesses must be men of truth The ninth Commandement forbids false-witnesse-bearing False witnesse was so abominable among the purblind Heathen that the Law of the 12. Tables ordered That if any bore false witnesse he should See Beards Theater of God's Judgments be tumbled downe the Tarpeian rocke Many fearsull judgements have overtaken perjured persons They are upon record in diverse writers and others are sufficiently knowne by experimentall Knowledge even in our dayes Be sure you that give evidence that you keepe your oath to sweare the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth Iustice must be executed regularly Neither passion nor prejudice Rule 5. Justice must be executed regularly nor friendship nor gifts may rule nor any unknowne arbitrary Law There 's a Buoy in maritime Lawes to give warning of an Anchour There 's a Pole-starre to direct the Pilot. And the Law of God and of the Land in subordination thereunto must rule The Law of God is the Archetypum All other Lawes are but Transcripts An able Iudge is well-skill'd in the Law of God he hath a copy of it before him So he is charged Josh 1. 7. Onely be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to doe according to all the Law which Moses my servant commanded thee turne not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper wheresoever thou goâ—st And he 's well skill'd in the Lawes of the Land he needs not the Tutoring of a Clerke he feares no contradiction of By-standers to say This is against Law We read Esth 1. 15. What shall we doe unto the Queene Vasti according to Law because she hath not performed the commandement of the King Ahasuerus by the Chamberlaines So that hence it is evident that the Law is the rule of Iudicature Both sides are allowed a faire hearing None may be praejudged and condemned without hearing Thus many laid the charge as a terrible Tyranny on Richard the 2d who first hang'd men and afterwards proceeded in a tryall against them Qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita altera aequum licet statuerit haud aequus fierit Iudgment is to bee given secundum allegata probata And this is a regular administration of justice 6ly and lastly Iustice must be executed compassionately Rule 6. Justice must be executed compassionately Iudges were usually Fathers and so more likely to shew compassion A Iudges Motto is Peccata interficio hominem amplector King Edward the sixth wept when hee gave his consent to put Joane Butcher to death though
Fountaine is opened and men apprehend their thirst they will hasten to the waters 4. The fountaine is opened because God sends messengers to 4. God sends Messengers to invite invite and guides to direct to it The ministers Embassâ—e is to invite men and women to come unto this Fountaine to perswade them to reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead to bee reconciled unto God It 's our maine business to beseech and intreat men to take Christ and to come unto this fountaine 5. Now is the day of grace the opportunity season offered from 5. Now is the day of grace God a price put into our hands Now Christ tenders himselfe and his benefits Now the counsel is a word in due season Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy 6. The Lord opens to us upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon 6. The Lord himselfe now opens to us and this is evident because hee knocks for us to open to him Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand 6. The Lord opens to us at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in unto him and I will sup with him and he with mee And the Lord affords us severall Hammers to knock at his dore withall viz. especially 4. Hammers God useth to knock withall 1. The Hammer of his word Every sermon you heare is a 1. Hammer of the word knocking at the doâ—res of your hearts God makes use of his Messengers as his mouth Jer. 15. 19. Thou shalt stand before mee and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt bee as my mouth However the Ministers of God be despised and evill intreated Christ accounts the affronts offered to them equall to those hee met withall immediately offered unto himselfe Luk 10. 10. But into whatsoever City you enter and they receive you not goe out into the streets of the same and say even the very dust of your City that cleaveth on us wee shak off against you By the sermons you heare God knocks at your hearts Ezek. 25. and Ezek. 33. 30 31 32 33. They speak each one to another saying Come and heare what is the word that commeth forth from the Lord they sit before thee as my people and heare thy wordes but will not doe them 2. The hammer of his spirit The spirit breatheth upon the waters 2. Hammer of the spirit How many strivinges waitings whispers of the spirit are there to draw us unto God Wee are exhorted not to quench the spirit nor grieve the spirit The Lord will once say as Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. The Hammer of mercies God knocks at our hearts by mercies peace prosperity Ther 's a prevalent exhortation Rom. 12. 1. 3. Hammer of mercies I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service To us he speakes by mercies Wee are brands pluckt out of the burning and have our lives for a prey 'T is mercy wee enjoy peace in our Borders wee are free as yet from the Plague Famine and the sword wee enjoy the peace of the Gospell and the Gospel of peace 4. God knockes sometimes by the Hammers of judgment sometimes 4. The Hammer of Judgments by the Sword Plague and other Calamities though at present we are free our duty is Jer. 6. 8. Bee thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee lest I make thee desolate and a land not inhabited Wee should learne righteousness at all times especially when judgments are amongst us Isai 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seâ—k thee earely for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousness Micah 6. 9. Heare yee thâ— rod who hath appointed it It appeares farther that the fountaine is opened because God God affords the right key One false key is Free-will hath afforded us the right keys to open it There are three false keyes and foure true keyes The first false Key is free-will O saith the sinner I le repent hereafter I shall have time enough But is repentance in thy power Velle naturae malè velle corruptae naturae bâ—ne velle gratiae Phil. 2. 13. For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that wee should bee a kind of first fruites of his Creatures Free-will is an Aegyptian reed it will deceive us Jer. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walkâ—th to direct his steps Samsâ—ns case is very observable Judg. 16. 20. And shee said the Philistines be upon thee Samson and hee awoke out of sleep and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Man can undoe himselfe and marre himselfe but cannot save himselfe Hos 13. 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy help 2. A second false key is universal grace and redemption Christ died A 2d false key is universal Redemption for all say some tasted death for every man for Cain and Judas as well as David and Paul many plead and think by this key to open the Fountaine but it 's a false key and will not unlock the fountain Dore. The latter part of the Text which they urge expounds the former they urge Joh. 316. God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten-Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And that in 2 Cor. 5. 15. And that hee died for all But what followeth that they which live should not hâ—nceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose againe They urge likewise Heb. 2. 9. But wee see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should tast death for every man The grace and free love of God moved him to bestow this transcendent benefit on his people only not for the whole world Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life Here is hended the universality of Christ's body Adam was a common
They encouraged the blinde man saying Behold he calleth thee Christ Loquitur non de fidelibus taÌ„tum sed de omnibus hominibus in genere praesertim nondum credentibus in Christum Muscul knocks at the doors of your hearts he offers to be your guest Will not you now open to entertain Jesus Christ Now we are sent on Embassy 2 Cor. 5. 20. To pray you to be reconciled unto God If you hearken not to day our commission may be out of date tomorrow I know Christ calls at several hours I dare not set a bar against ancient people I invite them to come unto Christ and Ministerially perswade them For saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 10. We perswade men Now let them begin and bewail their mis-spent time and though they have begun later let them work the harder that work of faith that labor of love that patience of hope 1 Thess 1. 3. Yet I dare not encourage any for all the world to put off their repentance to their old age They that begin soonest will finde the most comfort the most experience and the lesse work to doe when they come to die Yet let not elder persons say 't is too late let them not shut the door of mercy against themselves and so judge themselves unworthy of eternal life But let them lay aside all excuses and now come and work in Christs Vineyard and be faithful and they shall receive their penny Thus I have given you the Doctrinal part of the Text I shall improve it in four Uses for Humiliation Exhortation Direction and Consolation This shall be my particular Application of all unto our selves The first Use shall be for deep Humiliation Let us all be humbled Use 1. For Humiliaâ—ion for the sins of our youth Let us smite upon our Thighs sigh to the breaking of our loyns Let us abhor our selves and repent in dust and ashes Youth is easily over-taken with sin Plato tells us Furiosus est Juvenibus animi habitus Aristotle saith He is head-strong given to his passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Eth. l. 1. But Solomon gives his experimental verdict instar omnium Eccles 11. 10. Youth is vanity Let us refleâ—t upon our youthful sins and aggravate them with all their sinful circumstances and be confounded and abased even to the dust at the remembrance of them Mr. Bolton in that excellent Tract Entituled Helps to Humiliation takes it for granted that Christians Mr. Boltons Helps to Humiliation keep two Catalogues of their sins one before another after their conversion Did we indeed keep a Diary of our lives we should finde abundant cause of a heart-melting Humiliation as for all so especially for those notorious Pollutions that cleave to our youthful days Austin made Confessions and Retractations which Books amongst his Works can never be enough admired but are accounted the very Marrow and Quintessence of all his Works In his Confessions amongst other sins he sets out a sin which many idle Truantly Boys now adays would laugh it out and would make nothing of accounting it onely as a trick of youth It was Aug. Conf. l. 2. the robbing of an Orchard which he confesseth with a bleeding heart in several aggravations 1. Saith he This sin which I committed was not onely forbidden in the book of God but I had it daily in my heart 2. I did it with a previous resolution with full purpose of heart 3. I did it not for want but in disdain of goodness and out of an eager desire to do wrong 4. I had abundance of the same kinde at home and better 5. I did steal them not so much to enjoy the thing as my own lust That it might be said to my old companions that I robbed an Orchard 6. He aggravates his sin from the bad company there were a great many swaggerers and incarnate Devils with me 7. From the unseasonableness of the time It was at mid-night 8. From the base imployment they had been at before they came there we did it when we had been Sporting Dancing and Drinking 9. We carryed all away so that they were a burthen to us 10. When we came home we gave them to the Swine I have enlarged this Confession of Austin hoping through the Grace of God that it may do a great deal of good My Brethren I beseech you look back on former sins call to remembrance your many mad pranks committed in your youth Some now adays glory in their youthful sins and will make a Jest of them But you know Solomons censure of such Prov. 14. 9. That fools make a mock of sin Some will boast even of those sins that they never Prov. 14. 9. â—â—mmitted thereby to ingratiate themselves with their boon Companions Many there are who will finde matter for discourse by talking of their old sins with what delight and merriment can they talk of youthful vanities such slippery tricks and wanton carriages and by the delighting in the narration and repetition of them they possess their youthful sins and they act them over again I am fully of that Reverend Divines opinion who hath took excellent pains in his Exposition upon the place That so often as a Caryl on the Text. man remembers a sin which he hath committed with consent he commits it again Take heed then of boasting and telling pleasant stories of your youthful sins Be humbled be humbled for every sin especially for youthful sins Call to minde your prophanations of Sabbaths Sabbath sins will sit close upon the conscience Call to minde your barrenness under the means of Grace your rashness precipitancy frothyness of wit wantonness self-willedness all your youthful vanities spread the letter before the Lord as Hezekiah did in the case of Rabshekah spread the black Bill of Indictment against your selves take shame to your selves glorifie God by making confession to him if there may be any possibility of hope any healing of your errors you are yet alive on this side Hell on this side the Grave and Eternity you cannot promise unto your selves the least moment of time Now there is hope there is a door of mercy opened the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land you live under the sound of the Gospel Now I am sent in â—mbassy the substance whereof is to perswade you to make sin your greatest sorrow and Jesus Christ your greatest joy to be sensible of the stingings of the Fiery Serpents to be affected with the wounds of sin then to look up to the brazen Serpent Jesus Christ for a perfect cure Had not you better mourn for sin now whilest you have breath space hope then weep and wail and gnash your teeth in Hell fire in that hopeless condition whence there is no redemption where the Judge hath veil'd his face and past a Sentence irreversible And because many Scholars bewail in an especial manner their University sins considering that here they have committed those
God did beseech 2 Cor. 5. 20. you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Oâ—r commission may be out of date to morrow Christ now waites till his locks be wet with dew now he calls sinners to repentance He hath sent me on an errand this day to invite thirsty soules to come unto him and he will give them drink to invite those that are heavy laden and he will give them rest It 's my businesse this day to tender Jesus Christ the Fountain opened to presse home the Exhortation of the Holy Ghost Let the wicked forsake his way and Isa 55. 7. the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Now what answer shall I return unto him that sent me Suffer I beseech you Fathers and Brethren the word of exhortation not to suffer the holy Spirit to spend his sacred breath in vain You have many prizes put into your hands improve them in your several capacities to the glory of God and mutual edification one of another Let Rulers rule with diligence let Governours Tutours Masters of Families all unite their endeavours to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put Joshua's resolution into practise but as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. O that Josh 24. 15. we could be spirituall Fathers to those that are committed to our charge Governours and Tutours should look upon themselves as Pro-parents and upon the Scholars under them as children and therefore ought to have special care over them and principally to enquire how it fares with their soules what knowledge they have of Jesus Christ What a comfort will it be another day when we can say Behold Lord here we are and the children which thou hast given us Thou â—ord hast made us spiritual Fathers unto these young Pupiss Now whilst the Spirit stayes waiting upon us whilst we have time talents and opportunities vouchsafed unto us whilest we live under the sound of the Gospel and hear admonitions reproofs and many Exhortations to repentance let us not put off the Spirit with any more delatory answers but resolve with the full purpose of our hearts to cleave unto the Lord. I have two or three plain moving considerations to adde for the better setting home of my Exhortation Consider the brevity of our lives What 's our life but a bubble Consid 1. The brevity of our lives John 4. a flower a vapor a shadow By these resemblances the Holy Ghost sets forth the shortness of our lives We had need be a working while day lasteth I must work the works of him that sent me while day lasteth the night cometh when no man can work A night of death is coming wherein no man can work and we must always remember that the Spirit strives not always not during the whole course of our lives It moves when it pleaseth and on a suddain ceaseth yet at the most it moveth no longer nor striveth no longer but this little moment of time whilst we are on this side the grave After death there will be no more warnings no more admonitions no place left for repentance no Purgatory that 's a Popish dream He that dieth filthy will so remain unto all Eternity Now then my Brethren considering you have but a little time and upon this moment depends Eternity and after death there will be no further tenders of Grace and Mercy let us husband this time to the best advantage Let us prize Sermons Sabbaths and all those Evangelical Dispensations vouchsafed to us more then ever we did Let us redeem the time as we are exhorted Eph. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5. 16. buying out or making a good market of the season Every thing is beautiful in its season there 's a season acceptable and there 's a season perilous Let 's come when God calls that 's the accepted time let 's not prescribe a time of our own that 's the perillous season let 's not account time a slight matter for each minute ought to be valued A second consideration shal be drawn from the uncertainty of the Consid 2. The uncertainty of the spirits striving Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bern. Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resiâ—iscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus spirits strivings If the holy Spirit be rejected its uncertain whether ever he will come again The Spirit will not always bear reproaches indignities If we refuse to give God the glory of his mercy he will shew upon us the glory of his Justice and Power If we will not open when God knocks at our doors he will not open when we knock at his door Unkindness will drive away a friend from our houses When the Spirit invites himself unto us if we will open he will come and dine and sup with us if we refuse this Heavenly guest how shall we escape our destruction will be inevitable This Spirit is often compared to fire nothing more comforting nothing more consuming than fire If thou wilt not suffer the Spirit to purge and refine thee it will consume thee Nothing more comfortable then light warmth and witness of the Spirit Nothing more terrible then the bondage conviction and condemnation of the Spirit Therefore beware of resisting any good motions that the Spirit of God puts into thy heart this day lest if the spirit have a repulse he may go away and never return any more 3. Thirdly Consider the certainty of the day of Judgement 2 Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Consid 3. The day of Iudgement Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Then there will be an account to be given for all the Sermons which we have heard for all the Sabbaths we have enjoyed for all the motions of the Spirit for all the admonitions reproofs Gospel opportunities and advantages that we have received we should therefore hear a Sermon now as for ought we know we may be presently summon'd by death to appear before the Judgement-seat of Jesus Christ Let us imagine that now we hear this day as if it might be our last day We hear for Eternity Preachers and Hearers shall be called to an account at the great Assise The Lord grant that we may all give up our accounts with joy The third Use shall be for reprehension of those who resist or Use 3. For reprehension stifle the strivings and the sweet motions of the holy Spirit To come to particulars 1. How sad is their condition who are contemners of the sweet motions of Gods Spirit Let them read Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Such
Judgement Hac fide vivo the rule of the Scripture is clear and infallible there shall be a day of Judgement All this world shall be dissolved This is a Doctrine most true My Text makes the Application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Divis. Which words contain a Supposition and an Inference 1. Here 's something supposed Seeing c. It s a Principle undoubtedly 1. to be believed That the Heavens and Earth shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent â—eat Compare this with Psalme 102. 25 26 27. Let 's not introduce nor beleive vain Philosophy which holds amongst many other dotages Quod coeli sunt incorruptibiles To me it 's out of question that he that made them by his word will one day by his word destroy them Now whether the heavens are so perfectly made as in their own nature uncapâ—ble of corruption is not here to be disputed of or whether the coelestiall influences be as vigorous as at first though a learned Dr. of our own holds the affirmative in that excellent Dr. George Hackwill in his Apology book entitled The Power and Providence of God in the government of the world Yet I shall wave this Question being loath to intermixe any Philosophicall dispute in matters of faith We beleive it We have sure ground plain scripture for our assertion that all these things shall be dissolved 2. Here 's an inference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jts infer'd by way of admiration what manner of persons i. e. we should be eminent in holyness we should act in an extraordinary manner we should be rare singular even a non-such for pietie its Diodats observation upon the place If heaven and Earth be purified by fire what care ought Diod. in loc Calvin in loc we to take to be purged and clensed from our corruptions An ergo nos in terra demersos esse convenit c. saith Calvin on the place The heavens earth shall pass away and shall we be sâ—allowed up in the earth and not rather meditate on a holy and a godly life The argument I may thus frame There shall at the day of judgment be a dissolution of this visible Globe of heaven and earth therefore we ought in an especiall manner to labour after holyness This is the argument of the Text of incomparable strength But why is it in the Plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is an Hebraisme when the Scripture would express a thing with a greater emphasis it useth the plurall number so Cant. 1. 4 We will remember thy loves thereby inhancing the greatness and multitudes of Christs loving kindness Likewise we read Psal 20. He is the God of our Salvations i. e. that he is the God from whom all Psal 110. 3. salvations come in the most high and eminent way And the Psalmist further specifies Psal 100. 3. Thy people shall be a people of willingnesse to shew their singular readinesse and willingness as if they were all made up of a willing mind and ready spirit for Jesus Christ Thus in the text in all holy conversations and Godlynesse Which expression some referre to dutyes of both tables it s most true that a godly man respects both and labours to keep a Good conscience both towards God and men For the genuine sense of the text Beza gives me full satisfaction Vsurpatur numerus multitudinis ex Haebreorum more ut pietas significetur omnibus suis partibus constans quam pro viribus sectari nos oporteat The scope of all I conceive to be this as if the Apoâ—â—le should thus inlarge himself You are secure and careless you shall be suddenly surprised The day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night You commit Idolatry with the world your hearts are married to these outward things on a sudden all shall be consumed all wherein you trust shall be burnt up â—owever you put the day of judgment farre of yet it s a coming it s nigher then you are aware of and the heavens and the earth shall be dissolved At that day none but holy persons can hold up their heads with comfort Therefore seriously bethinke your selves anticipate the terrour and sorrow of that day by an holy conversation Make timely provision for that day Labour for holynesse and then you need not fear notwithstanding the burning up of the present world you that are holy here shall behold that day with comfort Therefore now have that day in your eyes in your thoughts in your frequent meditations in your prayers that you may be found blamelesse at that day The words thus divided and expounded presents unto you one entire plain and practicall Doctrine That the serious consideration of the day of Iudgment should in an especiall Doct. manner ingage us unto an holy life and conversation For the unfolding of this excellent and practicall poynt my work will be 1. To prove it by scripture testimonies Method 1. 2. 3. 1. For Scripture Testimony 2. To confirme it by evidence of Reason 3. To improve all to your consciences by particular application 1. For Scripture it contributes abundant testimony to the proof hereof I shall gather sparingly from so great an heap selecting only some more eminent proofes leaving the rest to be supplyed in your serious meditations Peruse v 14 of this chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But can any walk so Yes Zechary and Elizabeth walk'd so they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamlesse It was Pauls exercise Acts 24. 16. goe thou and doe likewise Labour to make strait paths Labour to approve thy heart to God always walking as in the presence of God Begge strength from Christ and thou canst doe all things through Christ that strengthneth thee Another proof we have 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer The consideration of our latter end should be a forcible argument to perswade us unto sobriety and watchfullness That 's a pregnant proofe of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. Vpon this consideration he layeth down those 3 adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hopeing to gain them over to the practise of them Tit. 2. 11 12 13. This was a motive to him and the rest of the saints to have their conversation in heaven because hence they look for the Lord Jesus Christ You read of a sacred Irony Eccles 11. 9. The meaning is rejoyce in God walk in the wayes of Gods commandements that Ironicall speech commands the contrary Now what 's used by the wise man as a moveing consideration But know that there will be a day of judgment Entertain frequent and serious thoughts concerning it which through the grace of God set home upon thy heart may prevail with the circumspect walking in all holy conversation and Godlyness The consideration hereof should make us look better to our hearts and
thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live He found none at all godly lovely holy but made them so How many of those that imbrued their hands in Christ's blood were converted by one of Peters sermons Christ prayed upon the Cross for his enemies Luk. 23. 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they doe The Duties we ought to learne from the consideration of this great love of Christ in laying down his life for sinners are First That in Zach. 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of Dut. 1. To mourne over Christ David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and thâ—y shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne and shall be in bitnernesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne Seconly To crucify sinne which crucified Christ Thus the Dut. 2. To crucify sin Apostle professeth Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Thirdly Set an inestimable price upon the meanes of our redemption Dut. 3. Set a high value upon the price of our redemption that price of blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. For asmuch as yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your Fathers But with the pretious blood of Christ as of a lambe without blemish and without spot Fourthly Look for no salvation else where Act. 4. 12. Neither Dut. 4. Look for salvation through Christ only is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men that man Christ Jesus Joh. 17. 3. And this is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Fifthly Let us live unto Christ which died for us 2 Cor. 5. Dut. 5. Live unto Christ 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Sixtly Let our hearts be warmed with love to Christ 2 Cor. Dut. 6. Be warm'd with love to Christ 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraines us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead The apprehension of Christs great love unto us should ingage us to love him againe Qâ—ry 3. Is this so great a matter for Christ to dye and to lay downe his life for publick good Did not many others lay down their lives for the publick as Codrus for the Athenians Meneceus for the Thebans Curtius threw himselfe into a gulfe to preserve Rome from pestilence Nisus would have died for Euryâ—lus Pilades for Orestes c. Where then lieth the difference Ans 1. Heathens that laid downe their lives were not innocent persons they were sinners Christ was innocent no sinner a Lamb without blemish no gâ—ile was found in his mouth 2. Heathens laid downe their lives out of principles of praise and vaine glory Christ laid his life in love to his Father love to the elect 3. Heathens gave their lives at the instigation of Satan having no thought to please God but Christ gave himselfe in obedience to his Father to do his will 4. Heathens died that their deaths might be esteemed glorious and honourable but Christ offered himselfe to the ignominious death of the Crosse 5. They died for to obtaine some temporall deliverance but by Christ we obtaine eternall deliverance 6. They died for their Countrey and friends but Christ died for his enemies These things being premised by way of Explication I come now to the Confirmation of the point To which purpose I shall lay downe these Propositions and they are Aeternae veritaâ—is 1. God the Father from all Eternity contrived this admirable Proposit 1. God from all eternity contrived the way of Redemption by Jesus Christ way of redemption by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. To wiâ— that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Rev. 13. 8. And all that dwell upon the face of the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world This transaction was not of yesterday but decreed and contrived and intended from all eternity God reprobated the fallen Angells and left them without a Saviour for Christ shed not a drop of blood for them They before the foundation of the world were decreed to eternall punishments But for lost man a Saviour was decreed and this was God's intendment before all time Questionlesse this is exceeding great love and an evident Character of the love of God the Father 2. Christ was an innocent holy person without the least sinne Proposit 2. Christ was an innocent Person There was no deceit in his mouth Isai 53. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth He was most holy harmlesse undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 19. We were redeemed with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Christ was the beloved Son of God in whom the Father was well pleased Matth. 3. 17. And â—â—e a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased Christ was the only Son and beloved Son now for God the Father to send his Son his only Son his beloved Son not to raigne but to serve not to live a life of honour and glory in the world but to be despised rejected wounded and endure the shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Crosse Never was any love like unto this Of this we read Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And likewise 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes 3. Christ who was sent was God God-man in one person Proposit 3. Christ is God-man in one Person The divine person assumed an humane nature Christ was the Word and the Word was God and Christ that substantiall Word was made flesh Joh. 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only
shall declare his generation for he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he striken He hath a peculiar seed Isai 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands He is the Saviour of his body Eph. 5. 28. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body He layeth downe his life only for his sheepe Joh. 10. 15. As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheepe Now hence those false doctrines of Generall redemption are discarded altogether Christ doth not pray for all Joh. 17. 9 10. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them And we read Joh. 13. 11. He knew who should betray him therefore said he yee are not all cleane He doth not call all justify all nor elect all for only few are chosen and therefore all are not partakers of this distinguishing love Yet notwithstanding these fundamentall truths there are many Objections which I would Answer before I make particular application of this doctrine It s objected that it is unjust for the innocent to be punished Object 1 for the nocent for Christ holy and just to be punished for man that was unjust unholy We are to distinguish of sinne and guilt inherent and sinne and Ans guilt imputed In Christ was no inherent sinne and guilt but there was sinne and guilt imputed For Christ was made sinne for us and took our nature upon him and was our surety And it is no injustice to make a surety pay the debt whereunto he voluntarily ingaged Christ freely voluntarily undertook the great work of reconciliation for lost man and he willingly laid downe his life for his sheepe No man took away his life from him But 2. It s Objected how can Christs blood which was shed above Object 2 1600 yeares agoe be effectuall now This we are to believe that though Christ suffered once yet Ans the vertue of the suffering remaines to all eternity For it was the blood of God This being understood by communication of Idioms of him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man his blood was precious blood cleansing mortifying healing blood The blood of sprinkling which speaks better things then the blood of Abel The Church is the purchase of his blood Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flockes which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood This is redeeming blood Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace It is peace-making blood Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven We are made white in the blood of the Lambe Rev. 7. 14. And I said unto him Sir thou knowest And he said to me these are they which come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe We are washed from our sinnes in his blood Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood So then Christs blood is a fountaine that can never be drained dry it witnesseth our regeneration 1 Joh. 5. 8. And there are three that bear witnesse in earth the spirit the water and the blood and these three agree in one But 3. It will be Objected if Christ died for sinners then all Object 3 shall be saved otherwise the remedy would not be proportionable to the disease the plaister would not be as broad as the sore 1. There 's a sufficiency of Merit in Christ the Medicine is of infinite Ans value 2. But 2. this medicine is only applied effectually unto some peculiar persons Neither doth this derogate a whit from Christs merits in that his redemption is not equally extended unto all But the riches of his mercy are the more inhanced in that they are effectuall to some 3. It was not the intention of God the Father nor of Christ that all should be redeemed Christs Redemption only is appropriated to believers Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life 4. Only those have redemption by Christs blood who are redeemed from their vaine conversation and those are Gods children 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vaine conversations received by tradition of your Fathers But these are not the whole world for the whole world lyes in wickednesse I shall now come unto Application And I shall make foure Applicat Uses of the Doctrine 1. For Information 2. For Examination 3. For Exhortation Vse 1. For Information 4. For Consolation The first Use is for Information and that in severall particulars 1. Be informed of the greatnesse of the love of God Eph. 2. 4. 1. This is great love But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God 2. Be informed that this love is unparrelleld let there be made 2. This love is unparralleld locus à comparatis The love between Jonathan and David is not to be compared to the love of Christ unto his Church Eph. 5. 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it The love of a tender Mother is not to be compared to the love of God Isai 49. 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child that shee should have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee 3. This love is free undeserved by any Creature Ezek. 16. 6. 3. This love is undeserved And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live There is no fides praevisa to move God The Apostle determines Rom. 9. 11 12 13. For the Children being not yet
borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth It was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated 4. This love is incomprehensible inexpressible Eph. 3. 18 19. 4. This love is incomprehensible That yee may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God 5. It is an eternall love Joh. 13. 1. Now before the feast of the 5. This love is eternall passeover when Jesus knew that his houre was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee The second Use is for Examination whether we are of that Vse 4. For Examination number which hath interest in this love We are to distinguish of severall sorts of love There 's Amor benevolentiae Complacentiae For that there is Amor benevolentiae hence appeares munificentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God doth good to all makes the Sun to shine on the just and unjust That which we are to inquire of is that which is called Amor complacentiae appropriated only unto Gods children What evidences may be given that we have interest in this distinguishing love The 1. Signe is Sanctification it 's God's order and we may Signe 1. Sanctification not break it Rev. 1. 5. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood If thou canst prove that thy nature is changed by the sanctifying vertue of God's spirit thou maiest conclude that thou art one that hath interest in the speciall love of God 2. Those that have interest in this speciall love of God feele a Signe 2. Constraining love of Christ constraining power in this love to ingage them to obedience to Gods commands 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the love of Christ constraines us because we thus judge that if one died for all then we are all dead 3. By the sincerity of our love to God we may conclude his Signe 3. Sincerity of love to God love towards us 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Gods love to us is the ground of our Assurance our love to him is the ground of our Evidence Let Gods children as Bradford that pretious man of God used to advise lay this down for a foundation That God loves them and where this love is it will shed abroad love in their hearts even love to God love to the brethren love to the Ordinances love and longing for the appearance of Christ 4. Christ manifests his love to his people Joh. 14. 21. He that Signe 4. Christ manifests his Love to his people hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my selfe to him Though he may hide himselfe for a time yet he will embrace them with everlasting kindnesse Isai 54 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from them for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer 5. Those whom God loves with a speciall distinguishing love Signe 5. Christ is Lord and King have Christ their redeemer their Lord King and Ruler their Prophet to instruct them their Priest to make satisfaction and intercession for them This is the greatest evidence of Gods love in giving thee his son as in the place forecited Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Which is plainly applyed to believers and takes not in all universally but a peculiar select company even such only as believe And Rom. 8. 32. He that spareth not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 6. Those who have interest in this great speciall love have Signe 6. Gods spirit dwells in them Gods spirit and this dwells in them Rom. 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Christs spirit dwells as an Inhabitant and Ruler and this is a witnesse Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God And this sealeth and giveth earnest 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts and where this dwells it may be knowne by the fruits which it bringeth forth Gal. 5. 22 23. But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance The third Use is for Exhortation and your duty I shall branch Vse 2. For Exhortat into these following particulars 1. Stand admiring contemplating this great love of God the 1. Admire Gods love Father to give thee Christ and that Christ should becomeman be made sin a curse whilst that greater and nobler richer learneder then thy selfe should be past by and God should give Christ for thee that he should love thee and wash thee and make thee a King and a Priest unto God thou can'st never admire enough this unparralleld love of God Eternity would even be too little to set forth this wonderfull love of God As there is a depth of wisdome so there is a depth of mercy in God which cannot be fathom'd 2. Let thy heart be filled with the praises of the Lord. Lift up 2. Be filled with the praises of God advance what in thee lyeth the honour of God the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ God gives his Son Christ's merits are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price meritorious and the Holy Spirit maketh application How then ought we for ever to abound in praises to the Lord The Samaritan returned back and gave God thanks for his cleansing So should we blesse God that he hath made a difference by his grace between us and the very vilest of men what ever Thus did Paul 1 Tim. 1. 12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministery Now unto the King Eternall immortall invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 3. Love should beget reciprocall love even Love unto God the 3. Love should
Prophet promised Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh a starre coming out of Jacob the Messiah the Saviour of the world the Redeemer unto whom all the Prophets beare witnesse because you believe not that I am he but despise the Dan. 9. 25. great Salvation which I tender unto you You shall dye in your sinnes i. e. in your impenitency and Infidelity This I said before and I will repeate now I said therefore unto you that yee shall dye in your sinnes for if ye believe not that I am he yee shall dye in your sinnes From the words thus divided and expounded I shall lay down one only point of Doctrine for the Foundation of my ensueing Meditations That of all sinnes Infidelity especially is a grand-damning sinne Doct. against the Gospell For the Inlargment of this Doctrine my method shall be Method 1. To shew what Infidelity is 2. To produce Scripture Testimony for proofe of the Doctrine 3. To Confirme the same by Demonstrative Arguments 4. To inferre some practicall uses and apply them particularly My first inquiry is what Infidelity is or wherein it chiefly consists 1. What Infidelity is For Answer by way of Character I shall endeavour to represent the nature of Infidelity in these Particulars 1. Infidelity consists in not knowing of nor believing that there 1. Infidelity is the not knowing of a Christ is a Christ This is a Negative ignorance which is called Ignorantia purae negationis By beholding of the Sun Moon and starres even by this naturall light or book of nature they may be convinced that there is one God Creator and Governour of all things that this God is the absolute Being Firfi cause Being of Beings But without the Book of Scriptures we cannot know nor believe that there is a Christ This mysterie of Christ incarnate Christ crucified Christs merits Christs purchases is only revealed in the Gospell which is hidden unto Infidells a book sealed unto them above the ken apprehension and faith of the most learned Heathens Wherefore all such opinions that hold that the Sun Moon and Starres are sufficient to teach them Christ and faith in him are abhominable and cursed opinions We must fetch our faith out of the Book of Scripture Faith in Christ is a mysterie it 's of a spirituall cognizance beyond the capacity of a naturall man 1 Cor. 2. 14. And notwithstanding the negative ignorance and unbeliefe of Heathens they are not excusable T is true that those that sinne against knowledge shall have a hotter Hell but all ignorant persons are under a dreadfull curse Jer. 10. 25. 2. Infidelity consists and this is the height of it in not believing Jesus to be the Christ the Turkes account Christ as a great 2. Infidelity consists in not believing Jesus to be the Christ Prophet and will not suffer him to be reviled and blasphemed but they account him not a Jesus a Christ for they preferre Mahomet that grand Impostor before Christ The Jewes believe that a Messias shall come that then shall come that Prophet Moses prophesied of that Shilo that Messias that Jacob and Daniel foretold but as for Christ that they crucified at Jerusalem they reject him altogeather and account him no better then a deceiver and the veyle to this day is yet upon their hearts and their eyes are blinded and God hath given them the spirit of slumber Some Atheisticall scepticks we have now adaies that fancy to themselves a Platonick Christ a Chimâ—â—ra of their own addle braines these are better skill'd in the books of Plato then in the Bookes of holy Scripture this is but what Christ long agoe foretold that there should arise false Christs Mat. 24. 24. Insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect But there is a comfortable Parenthesis My soule trembles to think of the blasphemies heresies and all sorts of abominations that springs from this cursed fountaine of Platonick scepticisme I shall remind you of these speciall Scriptures which if the Lord set home upon your hearts will abundantly throw downe the Devils great strong holds of new devised whinsicall opinions hammerd upon the Anvill of an Atheisticall spirit Read them deliberately Act. 2. 39. Act. 4. 12. Joh. 17. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 5. And this is the very scope of this Text. Where it is said if yee believe not that I am he yee shall dye in your sinnes Is videlicet quem esse me dico verus ille vobis promissus Liberator So Beza on the place i. e. the same I say I Beza am the promised Redeemer Quaecunque scriptura Messiae tribuit ab ipso sperare jubet so Calvin Regula fidei est ut non modo credamus Calvin esse Christum sed eum quem scriptura docet verum sc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gualter so Gualter We must not only believe that there is a Christ but that he is the true Christ God and man which the scripture teacheth and expresseth to be the only Physitian Saviour Fountaine of living water bread of life our great high Priest the Messiah the annointed of God Piscator gives one Piscator short but pithy note Eum sc quem dico me esse videlicet Christum Now the not believing this Christ here teaching in my Text who was afterward crucified at Jerusalem to be the only Christ the only Mediator the only price of our redemption is a grand damning sinne against the Gospell 3. Infidelity consists in not believing of the Word of God Joh. 3. Infidelity consists in not believing Gods word 5. 38. Psal 106. 24. Neither believed they his wondrous works Ps 78. 22. A strange unbelieving people who neither for the Word nor for the workes of God would yet believe Every threatning and commination in the Word must be believed yet notwithstanding how many blesse themselves as Deut. 29. 19. That they shall have peace c. Every promise must be believed but what a great questioning of and what disputing against promises by unbelievers Many professe that Jesus is the Christ yet when it comes to particulars they walke not answerably to their profession For instance do they believe that they must be redeemed from their vaine conversation that they must be in Christ and be new creatures and be pertakers of the divine nature they must be borne againe if ever they expect to come to heaven These things they believe not these are hard sayings say they who can heare them yet the Word of God is resolute and peremptory and not the least tittle thereof shall fall unto the ground Is this Scripture believed Isa 3. 10. Say yee to the righteous it shall be well with him and Vers 11. Woe unto the wicked for it shall be ill with him Did men believe the Word and cleave to it Did men believe that the Judgments against the wicked and the promises made to the godly should be fulfilled they would not lead such lives as they
had the Angell of the Lord to shut the Lions mouth Job saw a redeemer comforting him in the dunghill Peter had an Angell to deliver him God will have the prisoner the shackles fall off the dores fly open the Iron gate opens of it's owne accord Herod though he thought that he had made all sure worke must be disappointed 'T is true Peter was a sleepe he might dream of no such thing Gods people who have peace with God and their Consciences can enjoy quiet rest and repose in a prison Thus you see how God performes his promise to his people in giving unto them the oyle of joy for mourning beauty for ashes the garment of praises for the spirit of heavinesse God is alwaies at hand to support his servants to bring them out of the greatest streights O that thou wouldst in the greatest feares and dangers expostulate on this wise with the Kingly Prophet David Psal 42. 11. Why art cast downe O my Soule and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God and with the blessed Apostle thou may'st argue What Rom. 3. 31. shall we say then to these things if God be for us who can be against us Let the world the flesh and the Devill the three grand enemies of thy soule muster up all their forces against thee yet raise up thy spirit be of good courage and feare not if the Lord be on thy side thou hast more with thee then against thee For the further confirmation of this truth I find foure Arguments 4. Argum. drawn from the Text. to my hand in my Text I say in the most piercing sorrows there 's still left matter of rejoycing in God 1. Because he is stiled Lord. 2. He is stiled a God 3. A God of Salvation 4. A God of our Salvation 1. He is the Lord Jehovah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used 1. Lord. in the Septuagint this is a name of Dominion Soveraignty and Majesty he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of himselfe Lord of all David pickt much comfort out of this name the Lord was his shepheard refuge buckler rock of defence and therefore the close of Psal 144. 15. is full of comfort Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. O do not stand in thy own light and inhance thy griefe by refusing comfort with Rachell Art thou in a tottering condition ready to sink under thy burthen Consider the promise Psal 37. 17. The Lord upholdeth the righteous and vers 24. The Lord upholdeth him with his hand Art thou as weak as water and thy heart failes thee like water spilt upon the ground Yet couldst thou believe with David The Psal 29. 11. Lord will give strength unto his people and the Lord will blesse his people with peace then thy life would be more comfortable thou wouldst go on couragiously in the strength of the Lord and be confident in the power of his might Although no comfort appeares in thy Horrizon yet could'st thou but wait upon the Lord and by patience possesse thy soule so many thoughts of Infidelity would not arise in thy soule didst thou but delight thy self in the Lord thou wouldst soone discerne all thy desires satisfied This name of Lord as it 's a name of Power and Majesty so of joy and Consolation and hence we are instructed in a submissive deportment fixing our resolutions upon this argument with old Elie 1 Sa. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and with Hezekiah when he received heavy tidings Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken The consideration hereof makes a dutifull child kisse the rod because the Lord sends it it holds up a mans heart and makes a man cheerefull under the pressure of a smarting crosse because the soule can discerne the hand of the Lord. Thus you see what 's the fuell to inkindle thy joy what matter of rejoycing this comfortable name of Lord administers unto thy soule and therefore this should be a prevailing argument with thee to rejoyce because it is in the Lord. 2. From the glorious name of God abundant matter of joy 2 God is derived upon thy soule I stand not upon usuall Etymologies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is undoubtedly true that God fills all places and knowes all things Omnipresence and Omniscience are his peculiar Attributes Men are circumscribed to a place and when they are present with us are unable to afford the least help and succour unto us but the Lord is every where and hath a store house of comforts for the supplying of our necessities David professeth that God is our refuge and strength a Psal 46. 1. very present help in time of trouble God is good to Israel even to such as are of a cleane heart Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered Psal 73. 1. and let those that hate him fly before him When God goeth Psal 68. 1. forth with an Army one shall be able to chase a thousand and two to put ten thousand to fleight When a man hath a lingring sicknesse and hee 's become a very Skeleton let him know that unto God belongs the issues from death When the church is under hatches and a furious enemie makes havock of it yet there 's a God in heaven which judgeth the Nations who will wound the hairy Scalpe of the wicked his heire will not be his safe-guard God can bring light out of darknesse and now in the times of afflictions hee brings out the most pretious Cordialls unto his people when friends the dearest and nearest forsake thee thou art no looser when thy God takes care for thee when thy heart is overwhelmed with sorrow if God let downe some spirituall refreshments then thou canst hold up thy head with comfort If where ever thou goest bonds imprisonments and afflictions and all the calumnies and Nick-names which the malice of man or Devill can invent continually attend thee yet all these shall cooperate for thy good they shall do no more harme then the Arrow did Christ which Julian the Apostate threw into the ayre or the doggs unto the Moon notwithstanding their daily barking It was the sweet saying of a devout Martyr Who would have thought that in a prison I should have found a Palace in an infernall dungeon a Paradise of pleasure Where God is sweetnesse may be extracted from the most bitter pill of affliction This is a second Argument of Comfort drawne from the sacred name of God But if these names are not effectuall to set thy affections a working 3. God of Salvation here 's an unparalled expression in the third Argument the sweet name of a Jesus hee 's a God of Salvation and therefore saith a Father Exultabo in Deo Jesu meo Salvation belongs to
unto the soule of man As the King of Israel said to the woman that cry'd out in an extreame famine help my Lord ô King if the Lord saith he do not help thee whence shall I help thee out of the barne flore or out of the wine presse So say I if the Lord be not thy comforter in vaine mayest thou expect any comfort from the Creatures What is the vintage of Abiezer to the gleanings of Ephraim What are the onions and garlick of Egypt to the grapes of Canaan Abana and Pharphar rivers of Damascus to Jordan and the rest of the waters of Israel The waters that flow from the Cisternes of the Creatures are like the waters of Tema which soon vanish away hence is it that the Lord complaines of the peoples grand folly and backsliding Jer. 2. 13. For my people have committed two evills they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that can hold no water A miserable choyce worse then that of Glaucus Diogenes taxed the folly of men of his time quod res pretiosas minimo emerent venderentque vilissimas plurimo because they Diogenes would buy pretious things at an under rate and overvalue base things so may I condemne the folly of those who overvalue worldly comforts and in the meane time have a cheape esteem of those things which are above Perhaps God hath given thee a beautifull Child and thou mak'st an Idoll of it he straight way takes it from thee God hath given thee riches thou makest the wedge of Gold thy confidence God therefore blowes upon them Fire or water or perfidious servants are made scourges unto thee Thou art in prosperity and thou hast the world at will and gloriest in thy condition God sends an affliction to make thee know thy selfe and rowse thee from thy security carry it then home with thee for a truth write it with the poynt of a Diamond that however thou may'st flatter thy selfe yet casting the best with the worse thou wilt find all things here below to be but vanity and vexatiof spirit and that there is no sollid joy and contentment under the sun For that 's joy as the Philosopher define it in quo quiescit animus wherein the heart takes up it's rest and this cannot be found but in God alone 3. Amidst greatest crossesse straights and extremities then is 3. Demonst God helps amidst greatest Crossâ—ss Gods opportunity to open his store-house and let downe comforts in abundance In the midst of streights and difficulties when humane policy gives up the bucklers then it 's Gods accustomed manner to manifest himselfe to his servants comfort When Abraham was injoyn'd the hardest service to be his owne sons executioner he went in obedience to Gods command he came to the place made the Altar ready lifted up his hand to give the deaths blow then an unexpected second message comes of deliverance Gen. 22. 12. Abraham Abraham hold thy hand The execution is hindred and the intention of his obedience received a gratious entertainment Now Abraham for this unexpected providence would willingly offer some sacrifice of thanksgiving and speedy provision might be as improbable as was his sons preservation yet then in such a great necessity behold behind him a Ramme caught in a thicket by the hornes a burnt offering of Gods own providing So that the saying is no more common then true Mans extremity is Gods opportunity The example of St Paul is instar omnium very fit for my present purpose the whole story is worthy of perusall that which I shall make use of is described Act. 21. 30 31 32. And all the Citty was moved and the people ran togeather and they took Paul and drew him out of the temple and forth-with the dores were shut and as they went about to kill him tydings came to the chiefe Captaine of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uprore who immediatly took Souldiers and Centurions and ran down unto them and when they saw the chiefe Captaine and Souldiers they left beating of Paul Each passage is of speciall observation 1. A generall insurrection all the Citty 2. Their violent opposition they drew him out 3. Their bloody intention it was to kill Paul 4. The entrance upon execution they were beating him to beat out his life Now in this streight here 's matter for God and none else to shew himselfe Now the divine hand so disposeth that tydings of deliverance come let him alone he hath more work to do Satan and his instruments are chained by God and can go no further then hee 'l permit them In this extremity the divine power was clearely manifested Out of the deep David made his supplication Abyssus ahyssum vocat a depth of misery calls for a depth of mercy Daniel prayed in the Lions Den Jeremiah in the Dungeon Jonah in the Whales belly the Apostles in prison These are Gods times of audience When we are involv'd in miseries and know not how to wind our selves out then God leads us by the hand God hath severall waies to refresh his people as he did Peter when he was a sinking then Christ takes him by the hand God carries his people through thick and thinne amidst their greatest sufferings God hath waies to deliver them God hath a way in the sea to preserve thee in a Shipwrack God hath a way in persecution to stablish his people in the faith and make them of an undaunted courage God hath away in any difference to compose it and cause men to live at peace in one family in one corporation in one Church in one Common-wealth The reason many times why we see not quickly the appearance of a mercy is because matters are not yet brought to such a straight and exigency as all plea of glorying may be took from man and the more praise and glory may redound unto the God of our salvation God saved the Israelites by a few and by improbable meanes as by rammes-hornes empty pitchers c that so they might not vaunt but attribute the victory unto the Lord. Now then in a pinch of need when thou art driven upon pressing exigencies look beyond Hills and Mountaines unto the Lord only whence cometh thy help Cast thy care upon the Lord and he will sustaine thee God made the Ravens to be Eliahs purveyors in a great famine there 's still the same God as good as able as ever although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint renders it the labour of the Olive shall lye yet consider God is a God of truth he hath said it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. When all creature comforts faile thee yet thou hast abundant matter in God to comfort thee who will never faile them that seek him In the mount in thy greatest straights God will be seen to make a provision of comforts for thee and therefore let the Lord be the joy of thy
among the best Wheat There 's no Church without spot or wrinkle till we come to Heaven Indeed to seperate from Heathens and from Idolaters we are commanded and this is a warrantable seperation But to seperate from a true Church must needs cause multitudes See Dr Harris his judgment in his life lately set forth by E. D. p. 100 101 102. of Scismes and Divisions as daiely experience witnesseth and we have no warrant in the Word of God for such a seperation Let all professours know that they are not therefore converted because they take upon them the bare name and forme For some there are as the Apostle mentions 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a forme but denying the power And such as are only Nominall Christians and content themselves with the bare name are really Atheists It 's the easiest matter in all the world to take upon one a bare profession Machiavel himselfe would allow an outward profession But to have the Profession adorned with a Holy life and Conversation to be a Christian in name and in truth this is the great thing required To name the name of Christ and depart from Iniquity to purify ones selfe as God is pure this is the great work indeed Now having discovered these false glasses I l'e set before you one true glasse wherein we must behold our selves and that is the Word of God This discovers our Pollutions this shewes us the way of cleansing Psal 119. 11. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word This discovers our Maladies and Remedies Now where there is a reall Change and a thorough transformation it will be known by three Characters 1. By Universality 2. By Sincerity And 3. By Perpetuity First For Universality and that lookes at five Subjects Char. 1. Vniversality 1. At the understanding Eph. 4. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind 2. At the will Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power 3. At the affections Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth 4. The heart Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idolls will I cleanse you a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart and give you an heart of flesh 5. The life Newnesse of life is required For so it 's required that we should walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. Secondly Sincerity The aymes must be single and sincere Char. 2. Sincerity no change for selfe ends Interests Preferments c. The glory of God must be in thy eye 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our Conversation in the world and more abundantly to youâ— wards Thirdly Perpetuity Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull unto death Char. 3. Perpetuity and I will give thee a Crowne of life he that endureth unto the end shall be saved 3. The third Use is for Exhortation Let 's all labour to be Vse 3. For ExhortatioÌ„ Mot. 1. From the equity of the duty Mot. 2. from the necessity of the duty thus transformed By way of Motive 1. It is but equity that there should be a thorough change The whole man is defiled by sinne and the whole man should be transformed and changed 2. There 's a necessity necessitas precepti medii 1. How often are we cald upon to make us new hearts to turne unto the Lord to amend our waies 2. This change is an instrumentall meanes to pacify Gods wrath 2 Chron. 7. 1â— If my people which are calâ—ed by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked waies then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinnes and heale their land So Joel 2. 12. Therefore thus saith the Lord turne unto mâ— with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourning rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill 3. Consider the Utility God will however have his glory and Mot. 3. from the Vtility yet we are the gainers by this change By having changed hearts we can do more acceptable service unto God and are more in abled toperforme the will of God which is a good acceptable and perfect will 4. Now I l'e in the last place conclude with a word of comfort Vse 4. For Comfort unto those upon whom God hath wrought this gracious change i. e. Blessed are their eyes for they see They were afore this change as bad as others but now they are washed and cleansed Great is their comfort whose eyes are opened and they are brought from darknesse unto light from the power of Satan unto God By being converted and so becoming sons and daughters of God by grace and Adoption they obtaine these singular Priviledges 1. They have Union and Communion with Jesus Christ They Privil 1. Vnion and Communion with Jesus Christ are one with him mystically He is their Head they his body they injoy Communion with him in the exercise of graces in their approaches unto him in worship 1 Joh. 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard that declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 2. They have Interest in all the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. For all Pri. 2. They have Interest in all the Promises the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 3. They have Interest in all Christs purchases of Justification Sanctification and Glorification What can I adde more but the Pri. 3. They have Interest in all Christs Purchases complement of all from Rev. 1. 5 6. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And such honour have all his Saints even all such as are converted and borne againe upon whom this reall change and renovation is past These are here militant saints on earth and shall be triumphant Saints in the highest Heavens Dr VVilkinsons 3. DECADS of SERMONS