defers his Anger and loads them with his Benefits every day What is more astonishing than the Riches of his Goodness unless it be the perverse Abuse of it by Sinners to harden themselves in their Impieties But altho his Clemency delays the Punishment the Sacredness and Constancy of his Justice will not forget it when Patience has had its perfect work Justice shall have a solemn Triumph in the final Destruction of impenitent unreformed Sinners 3. The Consideration of the Evil of Sin so great in it self and pernicious to us heightens our Obligations to the Divine Mercy in saving us from our Sins and an everlasting Hell the just Punishment of them Our Loss was unvaluable our Misery extream and without infinite Mercy we had been under an unremediable necessity of sinning and suffering for ever God saw us in this wretched and desperate State and his Eye affected his Heart in his Pity he redeemed and restored us This is the clearest Testimony of pure Goodness for God did not want external Glory who is infinitely happy in his own Perfections he could when Man revolted from his Duty have created a new World of innocent Creatures for infinite Power is not spent nor lessened by finite Productions but his undeserved and undesired Mercy appeared in our Salvation The way of accomplishing it renders Mercy more illustrious for to glorify his Justice and preserve the Honour of his Holiness unblemish'd he laid upon his Son the Iniquity of us all This was Love that passeth all Understanding Our Saviour speaks of it with Admiration God so loved the World and hated Sin that he gave his only begotten Son to die for it that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting Life And how dear are our Engagements to Jesus Christ The Judg would not release the Guilty without a Ransom nor the Surety without Satisfaction and the Son of God most compassionately and willingly gave his precious Blood to obtain our Deliverance If his Perfections were not most amiable and ravishing yet that he died for us should infinitely endear him to us To those who believe he is precious to those who have felt their undone Condition and that by his Merits and Mediation are restored to the Favour of God he is eminently precious Who can break the Constraints of such Love If there be a spark of Reason or a grain of unfeigned Faith in us We must judg that if one died for all then all were dead and those that live should live to his Glory who died for their Salvation Add to this that in the Sufferings of Christ there is the clearest Demonstration of the Evil of Sin and how hateful it is to God if we consider the Dignity of his Person the Greatness of his Sufferings and the innocent Recoilings of his Human Nature from such fearful Sufferings He was the Eternal Son of God the Heir of his Father's Love and Glory the Lord of Angels he suffered in his Body the most ignominious and painful Death being nail'd to the Cross in the sight of the World The Sufferings of his Soul were incomparably more afflicting For tho heavenly meek he endured the Derision and cruel Violence of his Enemies with a silent Patience yet in the dark Eclipse of his Father's Countenance in the desolate state of his Soul the Lamb of God opened his Mouth in that mournful Complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me His innocent Nature did so recoil from those fearful Sufferings that with repeated Ardency of Affection he deprecated that bitter Cup Abba Father all things are possible to Thee let this Cup pass me He address'd to the Divine Power and Love the Attributes that relieve the Miserable yet he drank off the Dregs of the Cup of God's Wrath. Now we may from hence conclude how great an Evil Sin is that could not be expiated by a meaner Sacrifice than the offering up the Soul of Christ to atone incensed Justice and no lower a Price than the Blood of the Son of God the most unvaluable Treasure could ransom Men who were devoted to Destruction 4. The Consideration of the Evil of Sin in it self and to us should excite us with a holy Circumspection to keep our selves from being defiled with it 'T is our indispensable Duty our transcendent Interest to obey the Divine Law entirely and constantly The Tempter cannot present any Motives that to a rectified Mind are sufficient to induce a Consent to Sin and offend God Let the Scales be even and put into one all the Delights of the Senses all the Pleasures and Honours of the World which are the Elements of Carnal Felicity how light are they against the Enjoyment of the blessed God in Glory Will the Gain of this perishing World compensate the loss of the Soul and Salvation for ever If there were any possible Comparison between empty deluding Vanities and Celestial Happiness the Choice would be more difficult and the Mistake less culpable but they vanish into nothing in the Comparison so that to commit the least Sin that makes us liable to the forfeiture of Heaven for the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a season is Madness in that degree that no words can express Suppose the Tempter inspires his Rage into his Slaves and tries to constrain us to Sin by Persecution how unreasonable is it to be dismayed at the Threatnings of Men who must die and who can only touch the Body and to despise the Terrors of the Lord who lives for ever and can punish for ever Methinks we should look upon the perverted raging World as a Swarm of angry Flies that may disquiet but cannot hurt us Socrates when unrighteously prosecuted to Death said of his Enemies with a Courage becoming the Breast of a Christian They may kill me but cannot hurt me How should these Considerations raise in us an invincible Resolution and Reluctancy against the Tempter in all his Approaches and Addresses to us And that we may so resist him as to cause his flight from us let us imitate the excellent Saint whose Example is set before us 1. By possessing the Soul with a lively and solemn Sense of God's Presence who is the Inspector and Judg of all our Actions Joseph repell'd the Temptation with this powerful Thought How shall I sin against God The Fear of the Lord is clean 't is a watchful Sentinel that resists Temptations without and suppresses Corruptions within 'T is like the Cherubim plac'd with a flaming Sword in Paradise to prevent the Re-entry of Adam when guilty and polluted For this end we must by frequent and serious Considerations represent the Divine Being and Glory in our Minds that there may be a gracious Constitution of Soul this will be our Preservative from Sin for altho the habitual Thoughts of God are not always in act yet upon a Temptation they are presently excited and appear in the view of Conscience and are effectual to make us reject the
an inconceiveable Evil there is in Sin and how hateful it is to the most High when God who is Love who is stiled the Father of Mercies has prepared and does inflict such Plagues for ever for the Transgression of his holy Laws and such is the Equity of his Judgment that he never punishes Offenders above their Desert I shall now apply this Doctrine by reflecting the Light of it upon our Minds and Hearts 1. This discovers how perverse and depraved the Minds and Wills of Men are to chuse Sin rather than Affliction and break the Divine Law for the obtaining Temporal Things If one with an attentive Eye regards the generality of Mankind what Dominion present and sensible Things have over them how securely and habitually they sin in prosecution of their Carnal Aims as if the Soul should not survive the Body as if there were no Tribunal above to examine no Judg to sentence and punish Sinners if he has not Marble Bowels it will excite his Compassion or Indignation What Comparison is there between the good Things of this World and of the next in Degrees or Duration Aiery Honour Sensual Pleasures and Worldly Riches are but the thin Appearances of Happiness Shadows in Masquerade that cannot afford solid Content to an immortal Spirit the Blessedness of Heaven replenishes with everlasting Satisfaction What Proportion is there between the light and momentary Afflictions here and a vast Eternity fill'd with Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish and desperate Sorrow What stupid Beast what Monster of a Man would prefer a superficial transient Delight the Pleasure of a short Dream before ever-satisfying Joys Or to avoid a slight Evil venture upon Destruction Yet this is the true Case of Sinners if they can obtain the World with the loss of Heaven they count it a valuable Purchase if they can compound so as to escape Temporal Troubles tho involved under Guilt that brings extream and eternal Misery they think it a saving Bargain Amazing Folly Either they believe or do not the Recompences in the future State if they do not how unaccountable is their Impiety If they do 't is more prodigious they do not feel the Powers of the World to come so as to regulate their Lives and controul the strongest Temptations to sin against God A wicked Believer is moâ—e guilty than a wicked Infidel How could we conceive it possible were it not visible in their Actions that Men who have judicative Faculties to compare and distinguish things and accordingly be moved with Desires or Fears should with ardent Affections pursue despicable Vanities and neglect substantial Happiness and be fearful of the Shadows of Dangers and intrepid in the midst of the truest Dangers He is a desperate Gamester that will venture a Crown at a Throw against some petty Advantage yet this is really done by Sinners who hazard the loss of Heaven for this World they hang by slender Strings a little Breath that expires every moment over bottomless Perdition and are insensible without any palpitation of Heart any sign of Fear How strong is the Delusion and Concupiscence of the carnally-minded The Lusts of the Flesh bribe and corrupt their Understandings or divert them from serious Consideration of their Ways and the Issues of them From hence it is they are presently entangled and vanquish'd by sensual Temptations they are cozen'd by the Colours of Good and Evil and Satan easily accomplishes his most pernicious and envious Design to make Men miserable as himself How just is the Reproach of Wisdom How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Fools hate Knowledg The Light of Reason and Revelation shines upon them they have not the excuse of Ignorance but the righteous and heavy Condemnation of those who love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil 'T is no mean degree of Guilt to extenuate Sin and make an Apology for Sinners The wisest of Men tells us Fools make a mock of Sin they count it a fond Niceness a silly Preciseness to be fearful of offending God They boast of their deceitful Arts and Insinuations whereby they represent Sin as a light matter to corrupt others But 't is infinitely better to be defective in the Subtilty of the Serpent than in the Innocence of the Dove A meer Natural who is only capable of sensitive Actions and is distinguish'd from a Brute by his shape is not such a forlorn Sot as the sinful Fool. What the Prophet Jeremy speaks of one who gets Riches unjustly that he shall leave them and in the end die a Fool will be verified of the wilful obstinate Sinner in the end he shall by the terrible Conviction of his own Mind be found guilty of the most woful Folly and how many have acknowledged in their last hours when usually Men speak with the most feeling and least Affectation how have they in words of the Psalmist arraigned themselves So foolish have we been and like Beasts before thee 2. From hence we may be instructed of the wonderful Patience of God who bears with a World of Sinners that are obnoxious to his Justice and under his Power every day If we consider the number and aggravations of Mens Sins how many have out-told the Hairs of their Heads in actual Transgressions how mighty and manifest their Sins are that the Deity and Providence are questioned for the suspending of Vengeance And yet that God notwithstanding all their enormous Injuries and violent Provocations is patient towards Sinners it cannot but fill us with Admiration His Mercy like the cheerful Light of the Sun visits us every Morning with its benign Influences his Justice like Thunder rarely strikes the Wicked He affords not only the Supports of Life but many Comforts and Refreshments to the unthankful and rebellious 'T is not from any Defect in his Power that they are not consum'd but from the Abundance of his Mercy He made the World without any strain of his Power and can as easily destroy it he has an innumerable Company of Angels attending his Commands and every Angel is an Army in strength one of them destroyed an hundred and fourscore and five thousand in a Night He can use the most despicable and weakest Creatures Frogs and Lice and Flies as Instruments of Vengeance to subdue the proudest Pharaoh the most obstinate Rebels He sees Sin where-ever it is and hates it where-ever he sees it yet his Patience endures their crying Sins and his long-Suffeing expects their Repentance The Lord is not slack as some Men count slackness but he is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He spares Sinners with such Indulgence in order to their Salvation 'T is deservedly one of his Royal Titles The God of Patience Our fierce Spirits are apt to take Fire and Revenge for every Injury real or suppos'd but the great God who is infinitely sensible of all the Indignities offer'd to his Majesty
moved and melted at the sight of others Miseries and such may be beneficent and compassionate to the Saints in their Afflictions but the Spring of this Love is Good-Nature not Divine Grace There are Human Respects that incline others to Kindness to the Saints as they are united by Interest Fellow-Citizens and Neighbours and as they receive Advantage by Commerce with them or as obliged by their Benefits But Civil Amity and Gratitude are not that holy Affection that is an Assurance of our Spiritual State There are other Motives of Love to the Saints that are not so low nor mercenary in the thickest Darkness of Paganism the Light of Reason discovered the amiable Excellence of Vertue as becoming the Human Nature and useful for the Tranquillity and Welfare of Mankind and the Moral Goodness that adorns the Saints the Innocence Purity Meekness Justice Clemency Benignity that are visible in their Conversations may draw Respects from others who are Strangers to the Love of God and careless of his Commandments And as the Mistake of this Affection is easy so it is infinitely dangerous for he that builds his hope of Heaven upon a sandy Foundation upon false Grounds will fall ruinously from his Hopes and Felicity at last How fearful will be the Disappointment of one that has been a Favourer of the Saints that has defended their Cause protected their Persons relieved their Necessities and presum'd for this that his Condition is safe as to Eternity tho he lives in the known neglect of other Duties and the indulgent Practice of some Sin But if we find that our Love to the Children of God flows from our Love to God that sways the Soul to an entire compliance to his Commands and makes us observant of them in the course of our Lives What a blessed Hope arises from this Reflection We need not have the Book of the Divine Decrees opened and the Secrets of Election unvail'd for we know that we are past from Death to Life if we love the Brethren This is an infallible Effect and Sign of the Spiritual Life and the Seed and Evidence of Eternal Life How to bear Afflictions SERMON IV. HEBREWS xii 5. My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him THE words are an excellent Passage from the Book of the Proverbs wherein the Supream Eternal Wisdom is represented giving Instruction to the Afflicted how to behave themselves under Troubles so as they may prove beneficial to them the Counsel is that they should preserve a Temperament of Spirit between the excess and defect of Patience and Courage neither despising the Chastenings of the Lord by a sinful neglect of them as a small unconcerning matter nor fainting under them as a Burden so great and oppressing that no Deliverance was to be expected To enforce the Exhortation Wisdom useth the amiable and endearing Title My Son to signify that God in the quality of a Father corrects his People the Consideration whereof is very proper to conciliate Reverence to his Hand and to encourage their Hopes of a blessed Issue The Proposition that arises from the Words is this 'T is the Duty and best Wisdom of afflicted Christians to preserve themseves from the vicious Extreams of despising the Chastenings of the Lord or fainting under them To illustrate this by a clear Method I shall endevour to shew I. What it is to despise the Chastenings of the Lord and the Causes of it II. What fainting under his Rebukes signifies and what makes us incident to it III. Prove that 't is the Duty and best Wisdom of the Afflicted to avoid these Extreams IV. Apply it First To despise the Chastenings of the Lord imports the making no account of them as unworthy of serious Regard and includes Inconsiderateness of Mind and an Insensibleness of Heart 1. Inconsiderateness of Mind with respect to the Author or End of Chastenings 1. With respect to the Author when the Afflicted looks only downwards as if the Rod of Affliction sprang out of the Dust and there were no superiour Cause that sent it Thus many apprehend the Evils that befal them either meerly as the Productions of Natural Causes or as casual Events or the Effects of the Displeasure and Injustice of Men but never look on the other side of the Vail of the second Causes to that invisible Providence that orders all If a Disease strikes their Bodies they attribute it to the extremity of Heat or Cold that distempers their Humours if a Loss comes in their Estates 't is ascribed to Chance Carelesness and Falseness of some upon whom they depended but God is concealed from their sight by the nearness of the immediate Agent Whereas the principal Cause of all Temporal Evils is the over-ruling Providence of God Shall there be Evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it They come not only with his Knowledg and Will but by his Efficiency The Locusts that infected Egypt are as real an Effect of God's Wrath as the most miraculous Plague altho an East Wind brought them and a West Wind carried them away The Arrow that was shot at a venture and pierc'd between the Joints of Ahab's Armour was directed by the Hand of God for his Destruction Shimei's cursing of David tho it was the overflowing of his Gall the Effect of his Malignity yet that holy King look'd higher and acknowledged the Lord hath bidden him As the Lord is a God of Power and can inflict what Judgments he pleaseth immediately so he is a God of Order and usually punisheth in this World by subordinate means Now where-ever he strikes tho his Hand is wrap'd up in a Cloud yet if it be not observed especially if by habitual Incogitancy Men consider not with whom they have to do in their various Troubles this profane neglect is no less than a despising the Chastenings of the Lord. 2. Inconsiderateness of the End of the Divine Discipline is a great degree of Contempt The Evils that God inflicts are as real a part of his Providence as the Blessings he bestows as in the course of Nature the Darkness of the Night is by his Order as well as the Light of the Day therefore they are always sent for some wise and holy Design Sometime tho more rarely they are only for trial to exercise the Faith Humility Patience of eminent Saints for otherwise God would lose in a great measure the Honour and Renown and his Favourites the Reward of those Graces Affictions being the Sphere of their Activity But for the most part they are castigatory to bring us to a sight and sense of our State to render Sin more evident and odious to us They are fitly exprest by pouring from Vessel to Vessel that discovers the Dregs and Sediment and makes it offensive that before was concealed The least Affliction even to the Godly is usually an Application of the Physician of Spirits
Wit to dispute and deride the most sublime and sacred Truths out of the World Their Faces are full of Death the Tokens of Reprobation are visible upon them The Issue will discover them to be the wretched Examples of that fearful Rule Those who are destin'd to final Ruin are infatuated Others are Believers in Profession and their own Conceit but Infidels in Practice Their Faith is but a vain Opinion a loose Assent to the Christian Doctrine because 't is the Religion of the Country but with our Radication and Establishment This is evident considering that the Doctrines of the Gospel are not meerly intellectual the Objects of Theory and Speculation but moral and practical the Objects of our choice and seeking This is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Jesus Christ is come into the World to save Sinners Accordingly the unfeigned belief of them is seated not only in the Mind but in the Heart and is correspondent to the infallible Truth and transcendent Goodness of the thing revealed they make such an Impression on the Soul that the value of them is above Life and whatever comes in Competition is with despising Disdain rejected But when Men seldom remember and little regard eternal Things how specious soever the Profession is can there be a reasonable Belief of their Words against their Works Therefore in the Language of the Scripture all that do not first seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof are Unbelievers it being morally impossible that Men should sincerely believe and have a due Apprehension of it but it must be the great Design of their Souls and the main Business of their Lives to obtain it 2. Security is the constant Effect of Infidelity and hardens Men in their Sins and the neglect of Salvation so dearly purchas'd and graciously offered to them in the Gospel Direct Infidels set their Mouth against Heaven and defy the Furnace of Hell They are blindly bold and fearless of that Judgment that makes the Devils tremble Others tho not open and palpable Infidels are in a dead Calm not sensible of their Sins and have slight Apprehensions of their great Danger Infidelity lies at the bottom of their Security As the Egyptians in the thick Darkness that covered the Land moved not from their Places so many in ignorant Darkness sit down and are at rest careless of the Saviour that can deliver from the Wrath to come Only those who have strong Apprehensions of Evils imminent and destructive will fly to Christ as a Sanctuary and Shelter and submit to his Terms of saving them Secondly The Corrupt Nature will not submit to the Sanctity and Purity of the Gospel The forecited Scripture tells us the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God and that Enmity is arm'd with many strong Lusts-opposing his Law The principal Cause of rejecting the Gospel is common to all We will not have this Man to reign over us 'T is observable that as Holiness is that Attribute wherein God doth most excel and Men are most defective so the corrupt Will is most opposite to it The Justice and Power of God in some cases Men do approve and apply themselves to if injuriously accused or opprest they desire his Justice to vindicate their Innocence and revenge their Wrongs if in Distress and Exigencies they pray that his powerful Providence may regard and relieve them but they are extreamly averse from his Holiness shining in his Laws which excites his Justice and Power to punish those who rebel against it They are ready to say to Christ what the rebellious Israelites said to Rehoboham Thy Father made our Yoke grievous now therefore make thou the grievous Service of thy Father and his heavy Yoke which he put upon us lighter and we will serve thee They will measure out the scantling of their Obedience how far he shall rule and farther they will not yield But our Saviour declares I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it 'T is true the Gospel is a Covenant of Grace a soveraign Composition of precious Promises of recovering Grace and pardoning Mercy but 't is also a Law and enjoins Repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As without Compensation to the Justice so without Conformity to the Holiness of God we can never be restored to his Favour and enjoy him as our Felicity Our Saviour prescribes this indispensable Rule to his Disciples If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me This is a comprehensive Fundamental Duty and the natural Man has a strong Reluctancy to every part of it 1. Self-dependance upon our own Vertues and Duties for the obtaining the Favour of God and the Eternal Reward is very natural to Men it was the Condition of the first Covenant to which they cleave Men of a fair Conversation and unblemish'd in the Eyes of the World have some Sparks of the Pharisee in them who justified himself that he was no Extortioner nor Unjust nor an Adulterer nor as the profane Publican and that he fasted and paid Tithes Upon such Reasons many presume of the Goodness and Safety of their Spiritual State they take Pride and Content in themselves in their Moral Goodness and do not feel the want of a Saviour nor apply themselves with humble mournful Affections to him for Reconciliation to God Others think by the Worthiness of their Works to compensate for the Unworthiness of their Sins to commute one Duty for another and ballance their Accounts with Heaven not considering that if their Works were perfectly good they are but the Performance of their Duty if they had never sinn'd It was one great Obstruction that hinder'd the Jews from receiving the Gospel They being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own Righteousness did not submit themselves to the Righteousness of God One of a high Spirit will rather wear a mean Garment of his own than a rich Livery the Mark of Servile Dependance Pride resists Grace and Grace resists Pride The Law of Faith requires us to renounce not only our Unrighteousness but our Righteousness even the most excellent Graces and the Fruits of them in comparison of Christ and as a Foundation of obtaining the Pardon of Sin and Salvation for ever Our Righteousness is defective and defiled and cannot endure the trial of God's inlightning Tribunal All our Doings and Sufferings cannot expiate the least Sin we must only rely upon the Lord our Righteousness to reconcile us to God and that we may stand in Judgment He was made Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him not in our selves How hard it is to awaken Men out of the Pharisaical Dream of their own Righteousness is evident both in the Doctrine and Practice of those of the Roman Communion They assert the formal Cause of our Justification in
to know God and Jesus Christ this is our Life to trust in him this is our Strength to love him and delight in him And are not Love and Joy the most pleasant Affections and is not God the most amiable and pleasing Object We are commanded to fear him and is it not most reasonable to fear the loss of his Favour which is Heaven and the incurring his Wrath that is the deepest Hell We are commanded to obey his Laws and our Saviour assures us his Yoke is easy and his Burden is light 't is an easy and easing Yoke that frees us from the most cruel Bondage of Sin and Satan And will not Men believe the Testimony of Eternal Truth rather than their fond Fancies and corrupt Appetites We are commanded to hear his Word and is it not a Happiness to be directed in the way to everlasting Life We are commanded to pray continually Is it not a blessed Privilege that poor Dust may address their Requests to the Lord Almighty the Possessor of Heaven and Earth with an Assurance that those Petitions are most pleasing to him that are for his most excellent Blessings Besides this nothing is forbid but sinful Pleasures that will end in eternal Torments sinful Profits the gaining of the World with the loss of the Soul the Gain is nothing and the Loss is infinite Now where are the Chains and Fetters that are so hard and heavy as Carnal Men complain of All his Commands are Precepts of Happiness 2. This Testimony of Scripture Carnal Men esteem a notorious Paradox they can taste no Pleasures but what are steep'd in Sense Take away the Enticings and Blandishments of the Carnal Appetites they understand no other Pleasure which is such a Deceit as if a sick Person who feels no Pleasure but in the soft and easy Intermissions of his Disease should conclude if he were entirely freed from it he should be deprived of all Pleasure Whereas the Pleasure of Health is far more desirable and constant The Angels are absolutely exempt from the Desires of our carnal Faculties and without carnal Fruitions but are ever blessed and joyful in the direct Possession of what is good not in the relief from Evils either natural or accidental as Hunger and Thirst or Sickness and Pain Pleasure results from the sutableness between the perceptive Faculties and the Objects that affect them if there be no harmonious Proportion there will be no Musick no Delight Now 't is true while Flesh is the prevailing Ingredient in a Man he only relishes the Satisfactions of the Senses he cannot enjoy God he cannot delight in doing his Will no more than a Swine can in clean Pasture whose natural Property strongly inclines it to wallow in the Mire But when the Soul is clarified and purged by the great Refiner how sublime and satisfying a Pleasure does it feel in the Love of God and in his Service As in natural feeding when the Palat is in its due Temper the Taste commends our proper Food to the Appetite and the Appetite to the Stomach but a foul Stomach disaffects the Appetite vitiates the Pallate and the most savoury and wholsom Meat is loathsom when the Disease is the Taster Thus if the Soul be in its due Temper the doing the Will of God would be our Meat and Drink mixt with a sweeter Pleasure than those natural Operations are but the Soul is so corrupt and carnaliz'd that it has no Taste of the pure Delights of blessed Spirits in Communion with God like the Israelites who despis'd the Bread of Angels and impatiently longed for the Onions and Garlick and Flesh-pots of Egypt Till Men die to Sin the Supper of the Lamb will be insipid and nauseous The Carnal Mind as grosly mistakes about Liberty 'T is horrible Folly to think true Freedom consists in doing whatever the vicious Affections require in conversing with such Persons as foment and gratify them Is that Person free that is fetter'd with as many Chains of Hell as he has predominant Lusts Was the possest Person free who lived among the Tombs among contagious Carcases Then a Sinner that without the fear of Hell obeys his depraved Appetites and associates with those who are corrupt and Corrupters by their wicked Example is free But 't is evident that the Mind the superiour leading Faculty is in Bondage while the Passions reign and the sensual Worldly Wretch with his imaginary Liberty is the most accursed Slave Till the Son makes us free from the tyrannous Power of Sin we are not free indeed Till Reason enlighten'd by the Word resumes its Right and Jurisdiction and leads the Will to choose what is best for a spiritual immortal Creature and the other Faculties to obey we are the Slaves of Satan When we are made free from Sin and become the Servants of Righteousness and yield an ingenuous delightful Subjection to God's Laws we enjoy a State of Liberty Nay the Service of God is our Glory He that loved us and wash'd us from our Sins in his Blood has made us Kings and Priests to God The most eminent Acts of Royal Authority are to govern the Subjects by equal Laws and to subdue the Enemies of the Peace and Prosperity of the Kingdom and when Divine Grace reigns in the Heart it regulates all the Thoughts and Affections the inward and outward Faculties according to the holy just and good Law of God and subdues these rebellious Lusts that disturb the Order and Tranquillity of the Soul 3. Experience proves that a State of Religion is most delightful Whenever the captive Soul is rescued from the Bondage of his Lusts and prefer'd to the Service of God how sweet is the Change and how bitterly will he complain other Lords have had Dominion over me but thy Service is the truest Freedom Did ever any of the Saints complain that God is an austere Master that his Service is a melancholy joyless Condition No in their Esteem and Affections his Law is the most pure precious sweet and profitable Good His Commands are not grievous they obey them from Choice and Complacence They love the Law-giver and like the Laws Communion with God in his holy Ordinances is a Heaven upon Earth to them One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand in the Vanities and Business of the World In the Presence of God is Fulness of Joy and the more we are admitted into his Presence here the more we are admitted into his Joy all the blessed Means of our drawing near to God and his drawing near to us are the Gate of Heaven and Entrance into Glory David who was so acquainted with God declares There be many that say Who will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me Thou hast put more Joy into my Heart than when their Corn and Wine increased A Joy more solid and satisfying than carnal Men receive in the Spring-tide of their Fruitions
if we consider the Depravation of Mankind so inveterate and invincible we shall turn the Current of our Wonder another way that the obstinate Perverseness of any is subdued and that with consenting Wills they receive Christ as their Prince and Saviour Election is the Fountain of distinguishing Grace Many are called but few are chosen Conversion Adoption Justification Sanctification Glorification are all the Fruits of electing Mercy By the most gracious and free Act of his own Will he chose some out of the corrupt Generality and they are but a little diminutive Flock to make them Vessels of Honour that his Goodness might be the more admirable Those who are made a willing People were by the natural and contracted Hardness of their Hearts as averse and repugnant to the Heavenly Call as others if after a thousand Repulses the Spirit had been withdrawn they had died in their Sins but as 't is said of Lot's miraculous Rescue from the Flames of Sodom While he lingred the Angels laid hold upon his Hand the Lord being merciful to him and brought him forth and set him without the City so the free and omnipotent Grace over-rul'd their reluctant Hearts and strongly and sweetly inclin'd them to God their supream and satisfying Good and to come to Christ as the only means to restore them to the Favour and Enjoyment of God The natural Man is no more able to believe with a saving Faith in Christ than to obey the whole Law 't is the Gift of God He provides the Means of Salvation and applies them he by victorious Grace leads Captivity captive and bestows that most precious Gift upon his People How many that enjoy'd the same Gospel and did not reject so many Invitations nor so often grieve and vex the holy Spirit nor so long abuse the Patience of God were justly left in their Sins this will set a Lustre upon special and saving Mercy O what a conspicuous Discovery what a lively and thankful Sense will there be of this Grace in the next World Our Saviour tells the unbelieving Jews There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves turn'd out The Comparison of the opposite States will then be more joyful and transporting to the Saints and more manifest and tormenting to the Reprobates They shall feel a burning Thirst after the Happiness they have lost and be tortur'd between Desire and Despair for ever 2. Let those who make light of the Invitations of Grace consider what will be the Issue of their Obstinacy Within a little while Conscience will awaken the Remembrance of their careless Contempt of the Divine Mercy and that will awaken Despair To instruct such Persons and make them afraid that they may fly to the Sanctuary from the Destroyer let them consider 1. This will render them inexcusable Their Obduration and final Ruin will be of themselves God is pleased to appeal to the Human Understanding What could I do more for my Vineyard that I have not done His Works and his Words are declaratory of his Will how pleasing the Repentance and Life of Sinners is to him He has prepar'd a Saviour and Salvation and offers them to lost Souls In the Year of Jubilee Liberty was proclaim'd for all the Israelites who had been Servants but if any one would not leave his Master his Ear was bored and he was a Servant for ever Thus the acceptable Year of the Lord is proclaim'd in the Gospel a happy Freedom to Sinners by Jesus Christ but those who are in love with their reigning Lusts refuse this Freedom and are condemn'd to the worst Bondage for ever God by his Authority commands them to repent and believe the Gospel He invites them by the most gracious Promises to accept and receive them he expresses the most tender Compassions towards perishing Sinners Why will ye die He reproaches their unaccountable Folly How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity He urges them by terrible Threatnings not to neglect his offer'd Grace But they are deaf to his loudest Calls if a Lust whispers from their Earthly Affections they are presently moved No Mercy will soften them no Reproofs will reform them the richest Means of Grace are lost and they prodigally perish Now how justly do they fall under the condemning Sentence of the Law who slight the Mercy of the Gospel God takes no Pleasure in the Death of a Sinner but they take Pleasure in their Sins they die in their Sins because they will die they are deprived of Life because they will not come to Christ that they may have Life At the Day of Judgment lost Sinners will intirely clear God and deeply charge themselves with their deserved Ruin 2. Such are irrecoverable The Gospel is the only Dispensation of Grace if Men obstinately reject it their Condition is as desperate as if they were bound in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day Mercy alone can heal us and if that be wounded our Sickness is incurable He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abides on him His Doom is sealed and irreversible God now speaks in a still Voice but hereafter he will speak in a Whirlwind to the Despisers of his Grace 'T is true we cannot say a Soul is quite lost while there is a delay of Judgment but the Scripture declares that Sinners by their stubborn Refusals of Mercy make God inexorable to their Prayers There is a day of Grace and the Lapse of it is fatal to the Neglecters Of this there have been very fearful Examples how many Despisers of the Grace of the Redeemer in the course of their Lives yet in the Agony of their last Departure when their Sins with a ghastly Aspect appear and with frightful Horror they look into the bottomless Pit Conscience anticipates the Divine Judgment Let the most compassionate Ministers offer them the Cordials of the Gospel and tell them they despair too soon the self-condemning Conscience replies they repent too late O that Men were early wise to secure their eternal Interest 3. The neglect of Salvation will aggravate Sin and the Judgment of Men. This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light The higher the Disobedience the lower the Damnation will be of Sinners The Heathens in their Race of ignorant Rebellion are not so guilty nor liable to so heavy a Sentence as those who disobey the Gospel The Israelites had so abus'd the Mercies of God to his Dishonour there were no such Rebels on Earth the Prophet was fain to descend to Hell for a Comparison to equal their Wickedness Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom Give Ear unto the Law of our God ye People of Gomorrah But those who turn the Grace of God into an occasion of
Greatness to be frequently in so mean a Work as Preaching whereas the Son of God was a Preacher of the Gospel Others make a Gain of the Flock but put off the Instructing and Care of it to others They will serve Christ by Proxy who died for us in his own Person How can they commit to others the Charge immediately entrusted to themselves What Exemption can they plead what Account can they give to the great Shepherd Thirdly Let Ministers that they may be successful adorn the holy and without Holiness dangerous Office of the Evangelical Ministry by a sutable Conversation Innocence and Abstinence from foul Sins is not sufficient to recommend them but the Power of Godliness and the Beauty of Holiness must shine in their Lives They can never effectually teach others what they do not practise themselves if any Sin reigns in them their Prayers cannot ascend with Acceptance to God and descend with a Blessing on the People Let a Minister preach Divine Doctrine yet if his Conversation be Earthly and Sensual he is more likely to harden Sinners than to convert them How unbecoming and disgraceful are unholy Ministers to their Profession What a Scandal do they give to the Profane and occasion to blaspheme their high and holy Calling Let such prepare themselves for many Stripes they cannot escape a double Damnation for the Neglect of their own Souls and the Souls of others committed to them Though a Heavenly Light shines in their Sermons if in their Practice they are dark Clouds the Blackness of Darkness is reserved for them for ever Fourthly Union among Ministers is a happy Advantage to recommend their Doctrine to the People Division and Jealousy will lessen the Authority and Efficacy of their Preaching If one Dog opens the Deer is not alarm'd but the full Cry rouses him When Ministers with one Consent declare the Wrath of God from Heaven against Sin the Profane and Secure are afraid and the awful Fear of Justice makes them seek for Mercy 'T is true there cannot be expected an entire Conformity in Opinions among the wisest and best Men therefore in Doctrines not so clear nor of that moment as the great Truths a mutual Forbearance is our Duty But to coin Controversies about clear and necessary Truths and obscure them by Opposition is a great hinderance to the Success of the Gospel Some worthy Men earnestly deny the Gospel to be a Law Will they reform the Scripture Is not the Gospel called the Law of Faith the Law of Liberty the Law of the Spirit of Life 'T is true the Gospel is a Covenant of Grace but it has all the Essentials of a Law 't is the revealed Will of the Soveraign Law-giver commanding Sinners to repent and believe upon no less Reward and Penalty than Eternal Life to penitent Believers and Eternal Death to those who disobey the Gospel Now the Command and Sanction are the proper Characters of a Law If we duly consider it the Soveraignty of God is such that whatever Covenant he offers to the reasonable Creature has the Force and Obligation of a Law I instance in this one Point that of late has occasion'd an unhappy Difference O the blessed State above where Ignorance and Strife are abolish'd for ever Fifthly Frequent and earnest Prayer to God is a powerful Means to render our Ministry successful Paul plants and Apollos waters but God gives the Increase Let a Minister be compleatly furnish'd with Learning Judgment Eloquence yet all his Labour will be fruitless without Divine Grace A Key that is exactly fit to all the Wards of a Lock cannot open it without a Hand to turn it Let the most proper and powerful Motives to work upon the reasonable Nature be represented yet they cannot open the Heart unless they are manag'd by the holy Spirit 'T is very observable that in the Narrative of the Miracles by the Prophets some Circumstances are related that declare they were done by the Divine Power Sometime the Command of God was before the Performance thus in all the astonishing Works done by Moses the Command of God was the beginning Take thy Rod stretch out thy Hand and others Orders that demonstrate the miraculous Actions not to proceed from an inherent Virtue in his Person but from a superiour and borrowed Power Sometimes Prayer was addrest to God before the Miracles were done Thus Joshua first speaks to the Lord before he commands the Sun to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moon in the VÃ lley of Ajalon Thus Elias and Elisha revived the Dead by Prayer to the Lord of Life This was declaratory that the Prophets were but Instruments and that God was the absolute Author of them Accordingly in the Conversion of Souls which is a Work as miraculous as any of those illustrious Miracles there must be the Divine Appointment of the Means and ardent Prayer to God for his Blessing 'T is the great Encouragement of Ministers in their Service that whatsoever is God's Ordinance shall effect that for which it is ordain'd the Rod of Moses was powerful to subdue Egypt to drown Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea Three hundred Souldiers with Gideon only arm'd with Lamps and Pitchers destroyed the numberless Army of the Midianites Astonishing Victory And the Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation But Prayer is requisite to obtain the holy Spirit by whose Influence the Word is effectual to recover lost Souls to Heaven And 't is evident that numerous and entire Conversions of Sinners have been by the Ministry of holy Men who made it their great and earnest Request that they might be successful in bringing Souls to Christ. Cold Formalities are unacceptable to God and without Efficacy but Prayer actuated with Life and holy Heat of Affection ascends to Heaven and prevails And what is more worthy of our constant and most ardent Desires than the Salvation of precious and immortal Souls II. To excite Ministers to a faithful Discharge of their Duty let them consider 1. The Example of our blessed Saviour It was one principal Part of his Office to preach the Gospel this he undertook in wonderful Mercy and perform'd with amazing Diligence He rises before Day and retires himself into a solitary Place to pray that he may lose no time in Preaching He preach'd on the Mountain in the Desert in the Ship in the Synagogues in the High-way in the House no Place no Persons no Time was unseasonable It was his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Father Thus constant and delighted was the Son of God who laid aside his Majesty and Glory that he might instruct the People without terrifying them in his blessed Work How does his Example reprove and upbraid our Negligence How should it inflame us to imitate and honour him 2. His Love to us should make us ardent and active to save Souls as a Testimony of our Love to him Thus he speaks to Peter Lovest thou me