observe 1. That Faith looketh mainly to Heaven or the saving of the Soul as the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ. For all attend to this 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting This was that they chiefly aimed at and therefore called the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. For this end were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are writâ—en to direct us to know Christ aright who is the Kernel and Marrow of all the Scriptures who is the great Subject of the Gospel and that the chief Benefit we have by him is eternal Life by which all our Pains and losses for Christ are recompenced and from whence we fetch our Comfort all along during the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of Sense are defeated so that this is the main Blessing which Faith aimeth at 2. That the sure grounds which Faith goeth upon is God's Promise through Jesus Christ and so it implieth 1. That there is a God who is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him for the Apostle pursuing this Discourse telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That a Man must believe God's Being and Bounty before he can do any thing to the purpose for him 2. That this God hath revealed himself in Jesus Christ as willing to accept poor Creatures who refuse not his New Covenant and remedying-Grace to Pardon and Life For the guilty Creature would stand at a distance and not receive his Offers with any comfort and Satisfaction had not God been in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. But now they may be invited to come to him with hope vers 20. And his gracious Promises standing upon such a bottom and foundation are the sooner believed 2 Cor. 1. 20. For the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen to the Glory of God by us that is the Promises of God propounded in Christ's Name are undoubtedly true they are not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen They do not say Yea to Day and Nay to Morrow but always Yea so it is and Amen so it shall be because they stand upon an immutable Foundation the everlasting Merit and Redemption of Christ. 3. It implieth That the Scriptures which contain these Offers and Promises are the Word of God For though God's Veracity be unquestionable how shall we know that we have his Word 't is laid at Pledg with us in the Scriptures which are the Declaration of the Mind of the Eternal God The Promises are a part of those Sacred Scriptures which were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and sealed with a multitude of Miracles and bare the very Image and Superscription of God as every thing which hath past his Hand hath his Signature upon it even to a Gnat or Pile of Grass and have been received and preserved by the Church as the certain Oracles of God and blessed by him throughout all Generations and Successions of Ages to the convincing converting sanctifying and comforting of many Souls And carry their own Light Evidence and Recommendation to the Consciences of all those who are not strangely perverted by their brutish Lusts and blinded by their worldly Affections For the Apostle saith By the manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every Man's Conscience For if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to those who are lost The God of this World having blinded their Eyes lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. Upon these grounds doth Faith proceed which I have mentioned the more distinctly that you might know how to excite Faith for besides praying for the Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination to open our Eyes we must use the means both as rational Creatures and new Creatures And what Means are more effectual than those mentioned 1. Is there not a God If there be not a God How did we come to be Thou wer 't not made by chance And when thou wer 't not thou couldst not make thy self Look upon thy Body so curiously framed Whose workmanship could this be but of a Wise God Upon thy Soul Whose Image and Superscription doth it bear Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's Nay look upward downward within thee without thee what dost thou see hear and feel but the Products and Effects of an eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness Thou canst not open thine Eyes but the Heavens are ready to say to thy Conscience Man there is a God an inâ—inite eternal Being who made us and all things else Now for the second Hath not this God revealed himself gracious in Christ Nature declareth there is a God and Scripture that there is a Christ. As there is one God the first Cause of all infinitely powerful wise and good therefore 't is but reasonable that he should be served and according to his own Will But we have faulted in our Duty to our Creator and therefore are in dread of his Justice Certainly reasonable Creatures have immortal Souls and so die not as the Beasts therefore there is no true Happiness in these things wherein Men ordinarily seek it Is it not then a blessed discovery that God hath brought Light and Immortality to light by Jesus Christ that he sent him into the World to be a Propitiation and to satisfy his Justice and to redeem us from our guilty Fears And shall we neglect this great Salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ or coldly seek after it Surely God is willing to be reconciled to Man or 〈◊〉 he would presently have plunged 〈◊〉 into our â—ternal Estate as he did the Angels upon their first sinning But he waiâ—eth and beareth with many 〈◊〉 he beseecheth us and prayeth 〈◊〉 to be reconciled And how shall we 〈◊〉 if we neglect so great Salvation whiâ—h wâ—s first spoken by the Lord and then confâ—â—mâ—d unto us by them that heard â—im God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Heb. 2. 3 4. Would Holy Men cheat the World with an Imposture or would God be accessory in lending his Power to do such marvellous things It cannot be And then for the third Is not this a part of the Word of God which Holy Men have written to consign it to the use of the Church in all Ages 1 Iohn 2. 45. This is the Promise which he hath promised us Eternal Life Is not this God's Promise And will not God be mindful and regardful of his Word He was wont to be tender of it Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name above
Spirit which is the great Testimony and Pledg of his Love then is our Pardon executed or actually applied to us And we receive the Attonement Rom. 5. 11. And 2 Cor 5. 8. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Câ—rist that is all thiâ—gs which belong to the New Creature vers 17. And that 's the Reason why God is said to sanctify as a God of Peace that is as reconciled to us in Christ see 1 Thess. 5. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly and Heb. 13. 20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will c. And in all God's internal Government with the Saints he sheweth his pleasure or displeasure with the Saints by giving or withholding and withdrawing the Spirit as it were easy to prove to you Well then you see the Reasons why in believing in Christ we reflect the Eye of our Faith on Reconciliation as the prime initial Benefit 2. The next great consummating Benefit is the everlasting Fruition of God in Glory For Christ's Office is to recover us to God and bring us to God which is never fully and compleatly done till we come to Heaven Therefore the saving of the Soul is the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ to which all other tend As Justification and Sanctification and by which all our Pains and Losses for Christ are recompenced and from which we fetch our comfort all along the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the Hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of sense are defeated So that this is the main Blâ—ssing which Faith aimeth at see the Scriptures 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to everlasting Life Wherefore do Men believe in Christ but for this end that they may obtain everlasting Life Wherefore were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are written thâ—â— we might know Christ aright who is the â—ernel and Marrow of them and the chief Benefit we have by him is Life or the Salvation of our Souls and therefore well may it be called in the Text The End of our Faith 4. In the next place I add the immediate Acts and Effects of it 1. Such as maketh us to forsake all things in this World And 2. give up our selves to the Conduct of the Word and Spirit for the obtaining this Happiness 1. To forsake all things in this World As soon as we address our selves seriously to believe we turn our backs upon them namely upon the Pleasures and Honours and Profits of this World We forsake them in Vow and Resolution when we are converted and begin to believe for Conversion is a turning from the Creature to God As soon as we 〈◊〉 believe and hope for the Fruition of God in Glory as purchased and promised by Christ our hearts are weaned and withdrawn from the false Happiness not perfectly but yet sincerely and we actually renounce and forsake them at the call of God's Providence when they are inconsistent with our fidelity to Christ and the hopes of that Happiness which his Promises offer to us Now that our Faith must be expressed by forsaking all yea that it is essential to Faith and nothing else is saving-Faith but this as appeareth 1. By the Doctrinal Descriptions of it in the Gospel which I shall describe to you according to my usual method our Lord hath told us That the Kingdâ—m of Heaven is like a Merchant man Mat. 13. 45 46. seeking goodly Pearls Who when he had found one Pearl of great Price he went and sold all that he had and bought it And surely he knew the Nature of Faith better than we do Many cheapen the Pearl of Priâ—e but they do not go through with the â—â—â—gain because they do not sell all to purchase iâ— Faith implieth such a sense of the Excellency and Truth of Salvaâ—ion by Christ that you must chuse it and let go all which is inconsistent with this Choice and Trust. All your sinful Pleasures Profit Reputation and Life it self rather than forfeit these Hopes Luke 14. 26. 〈◊〉 any Man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Brother and 〈…〉 Disciple and his own Life he cannot 〈…〉 And vers 33. Whosoeve◠〈…〉 that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple After such express Declarations of the Will of Christ why should we think of going to Heaven at a châ—â—per rate Christ must be preferred above all that is nearest or dearest or else he will not be for our turn nor we for his The same is inferred out of the Doctrine of Self-denial Mat. 16. 24. If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For Self-denial hath a greater Relation to Faith and is nearer of kin to Faith than the World imagineth 't is the immediate Fruit of our Trust. If God be trusted as our supream Felicity he must be loved above all things and all things must give way to God If Christ be trusted as the way to the Father all things must be counted dung and loss that we may gain Christ Phil. 3. 8. The same is inferred out of the Baptismal Covenant which is a renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh and a chusing Father Son and Holy Ghost for our God if there be a chusing there must be a renouncing The Devil by the World tempts our Flesh from the Christian Hope therefore Idols must be renounced before we can have the True God for our God Iosh. 24. 23. Put away the strange Gods which are among you and incline your Heart to the Lord God of Israel Naturally our God is our Belly while Carnal Phil. 3. 19. Mammon is our God Mat. 6. 24. The Devil is our God Col. 1. 13. And Ephes. 2. 2 3. Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the Lusts of our Flesh fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind and were by Nature the Children of Wrath even as others Besides the Nature of the thing Baptism implieth this Renunciation 1 Pet. 3. 21. And this Renunciation is nothing else but a forsaking all that we may have eternal Life by Christ. 2. It appeareth by Reasons For 1. Faith cannot be without this forsaking Nor 2. this forsaking without Faith 1. Faith cannot be without this forsaking For Faith implieth a sight of the Truth and
Believing by Tradition giveth us but cold thoughts of these Mysteries but believing by Inspiration warmeth the Heart and reviveth it with an unspeakable Joy and is called tasting the good Word which is the privilege of those who are enlightned by the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. And a tasting that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. which much differeth from the common reflection upon those things which Flesh and Blood may give us or the bare reports of Men stir up in us The Spirits light is lovely and ravisheth and traâ—sporteth the Soul And where it is permanent and rooted it effectually changeth the Soul Someâ— are altogether careless not affected at all with these things as the habituated worldly Sinner 1 Cor. 2. 14. They are folly to him For Spiritual Things must be spiritually discerned Some are to a degree affected by the common Work of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4 5 6. but 't is not rooted 't is not predominate so as to control other Affections and Delights they have a rejoicing in the Offers of Pardon and Life but 't is a Joy that leaveth some darling Sin still predominant But there is a third sort that have such a taste of these things that they are renewed and changed by it Heb. 3. 6. Now then if you would have this rejoicing in Christ Jesus you must apply your selves to Christ in the use of the appointed means for the renewing of your Natures for Love and Delight are never forced nor will be drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings yea and not by the proposal of Promises though the Injoiments be never so great and glorious This may a little stir us and this is the Matter of Joy but not the Cause of Joy But this Joy proceedeth partly from the Inclination when the Heart is suited and partly from the attractive goodness of the Object and both are powerfully done by the Holy Spirit as the Heart is renewed and the Object is most effectually represented by him Ephes. 1. 17 18. And this we must wait for 3. 'T is received and believed by Faith This is often told us in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 18. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory And Rom. 15. 13. The God of Hope fill you with Ioy and Peace in believing We cannot be affected with the great Things Christ hath done and purchased for us till we believe them There is in Faith three things Assent Consent and Affiance 1. Assent or a firm and certain belief of the Truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as the only sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us the pardon of Sins and Eternal Life John 4. 42. We have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World And Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ thâ— Son of the Living God When we are verily perswaded of this as we are of any thing that appeareth true to us this stirreth up Joy Others have but an hear-say Knowledg not a Believing Assent Surely Christ is a delectable Object what hindereth then but that we rejoice in him Nothing but want of Faith For if this be true we so Necessitous and he so Al-sufficient a Remedy why are we not so affected with these things as the worth of them doth deserve Nothing can be rationally said but that we are not soundly perswaded of the truth of it 2. A Consent This Grace is dispensed by a Convenant which bindeth mutually assureth us of Happiness and requireth Duty from us Therefore an unfeigned Consent or a readiness to fulfil those terms expressed in the Promise is required of us or a resolution to repent and obey the Gospel Christ hath Offices and Relations that imply our Comfort and other Offices and Relations which imply our Duty Or rather the same do both He is our Teacher and King as well as our Priest and we must submit to be ruled and taught by him as well as depend upon the Merit of his Sacrifice and Intercession Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Etâ—â—nal Salvation to all them that obey him And they are so taught the Truth that is in Jesus that they put off the Old Man and put on the New Ephes. 4. 20 21. True Believers must be Scholars daily learning somewhat from Christ yea his Priesthood implieth Duty Dependance humble Addresses A broken-hearted coming to God by him As his Kingship and Prophetical Office implieth privilege also His defending and teaching us by his Spirit 3. There is Affiance Which is a reposing of our Hearts or a relying upon God promising remission of Sins and Eternal Life for Christ's sake alone that he will be as good as his word while we diligently use the Means ordained to this end Rom. 2. 7. And this Confidence hath an influence upon this Joy Heb. 3. 6. or a delightful sense of our Redeemer's Grace 4. 'T is improved by Meditation For the greatest things do not work unless we think of them and work them into our Hearts The natural way of Operation is That Object â—tir up Thoughts and Thoughts stir up Affections Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The more frequent and serious Thoughts we have of the Love of God in Christ and the more deep and ponderous they are the more do they blow up this Holy Fire into a Flame Now for this end was the Lord's Supper instituted where the whole Gospel is applied and sealed to us that this delight might be afresh acted and stirred in us at the Lord's Table while our minds are taken up in considering Christ the great Apostle and High Priest of our Confession Heb. 3. 1. Surely it should not be an idle and fruitless Contemplation it should stir up Love and what stirreth up Love stirreth up Delight I come now to the last part of the Description 5. The particular Affection caused by this sense is mentioned We delight in the Grace of the Redeemer more than in all other things whatsoever Where 1. Take noice of the Affection it self Then 2. The Degree of it 1. The Affection it self Which is Delight or a well-pleasedness of Mind in the Grace that is brought to us by the Knowledg of Christ. This inlargeth the Heart and filleth it with a Sweetness and Contentment and the Vent of it is Praise for the Heart being inlarged cannot hold and contain it self Psal. 33. 14. I will shew forth all they Praise in the Gates of the Daughter of Sion I will rejoice in thy Salvation Joy cannot be kept within doors it will break out in all suitable ways of Expression The Heart doth first Rejoice and then the Tongue doth overflow The Heart is filled with Joy and then the Tongue with Thanksgiving So Psal. 35. 9. My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall rejoice in his Salvation Nothing disposeth the Heart to praise
to quit all other things to obtain it Vse 2. Is for Examination Let us examine our Spiritual Condition whether it be good or bad whether our Faith be sincere our Profession real whether we tend to Perdition or to Salvation whether we believe to the saving of the Soul that is if we care not what we lose so we may obtain the heavenly Inheritance Have you such a trust as that you can venture the loss of something which is dear to you for this Trust yea not only something but all things Certainly we have not a true belief of the promise of eternal Life if we can venture nothing upon it hazard nothing for it Now we venture things upon the account of God's Promise four ways 1. In a way of Mortification 2. In a way of Self-denial 3. In a way of Charity 4. In a way of submission to Providence 1. In a way of Mortification Denying our selves the sinful Pleasures of the Senses Our Sins were never worth the keeping these must always be parted with other things but at times therefore I can venture but little upon the security of eternal Life if I cannot deny my fleshly and worldly Lusts and a little vain Pleasure for that fulness of Joy which is at God's right hand for evermore I have God's Word for it that if I mortify the Deeds of the Body I shall live Rom. 8. 13. 'T is yet hard to abjure accustomed Delights and to Hearts pleasantly set the strictness of an holy Life seemeth grim and severe but a Believer that hath a prospect into Eternity knoweth that 't is better to deny the Flesh than to displease God To take a little pains in rectifying our disordered Hearts and distempered Souls than to endure pains for evermore And that a little momentany Delight is bought too dear if it be bought with the loss of eternal Joys No let me lose my Lusts rather than lose my Soul saith he Every Man's Heart cleaveth to those things which he judgeth best and the more it cleaveth to better things the more 't is withdrawn from other things Therefore Faith shewing us the truth and worth of heavenly Things and taking God's Word for its security it mastereth our Desires and carnal Affections 'T is the Stranger and Pilgrim whose Mind is perswaded of things to come and whose Heart is set upon them that abstaineth from fleshly Lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Upon the assurance of God's Word he is taking his journey into another World Tho the Flesh will rebel yet he counterballanceth the Good and Evil which the Flesh proposeth with the Good and Evil of the other World which the Word of God proposeth and so learneth more and more to contemn the pleasures of Sin and curb his unruly Passions Mortify your Members upon Earth for your Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 â—5 And they that look for a Life of Glory hereafter will chuse a Life of Purity here upon Earth 'T is the Unbeliever findeth such an impotency in resisting present Temptations he hath not any sense or not a deep sense of the World to come 2. In a way of Self-denial What can you venture and forgo that way upon the security of God's Promise Mortification concerneth our Lusts and Self-denial our Interests What Interest can you venture upon the warrant of the Promise Christ saith He that denieth me before Men I will deny him before my Father in Heaven Luke 12. 9. And again Whosoever shall save his Life shall lose it c. Luke 9. 24. And once more vers 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in his Glory Now urge the Soul with the Promises Am I willing to hazard my temporal Conveniencies for the enduring Substance to incur shame and blame with Men that I may be faithful with God and own his Interest in the World and do I so when it actually cometh to a trial The Heart is deceitful and a Temptation in Conceit and Imagination is nothing to a Temptation in Act and Deed Therefore when your Resolutions are assaulted by Temptations of any considerable strength Do you acquit your self with good fidelity Can you trust God when he trieth your Trust in some necessary Point of Confession which may expose you to some loss shame and hazard in the World 3. In a way of Charity and doing good with your Estates That Religion is worth nothing that costs nothing and when all is laid out upon Pomp and Pleasure and worldly Ends as the advancing of your Families and Relations and little or nothing for God upon the security of his Promise or only so much as the Flesh can spare to hide your self-pleasing and self-seeking in other things Can you practise upon that Promise and try your Faith Luke 12. 33. Sell that you have and give Alms provide your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not What have you ventured in this kind Do you believe that he that giveth to the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that he will be your Pay-master Do you look upon no Estate so sure as that which is trusted in Christ's Hands and are you content to be at some considerable cost for Eternal Life Most Men love a cheap Gospel and the Flesh ingrosseth all Faith gets little from them to be laid out for God Do not these Men run a fearful hazard And while they are so over-careful to preserve their Estates to themselves and Families Do they believe to the saving of their Souls Or if they do not preserve their Estates but waste them and are at great costs for their Lusts they do nothing considerably or proportionably for God this is saving to the Flesh and they shall of the Flesh reap Corruption 4. In a way of submission to Providence Whether you will or no you are at God's disposal and cannot shift your selves out of his Hands either here or hereafter But yet 't is a part of your Duty voluntarily to surrender your selves to be disposed of and ordered by God according to his pleasure to be content to be what he will have you to be and to do what he will have you to do and suffer is included in selling all You must submit to be at God's finding which is that poverty of Spirit spoken of Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit Such whose Minds and Spirits are subdued and brought under Obedience to God you must be content to injoy what God will have you to injoy and to want what he will have you want and to lose what he will have you lose 2 Sam. 15. 26 27. and Iob 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Many seem to resign all Goods Life and All to the Will of God But 't is because they secretly think in their Hearts that God will never put them to the trial or
Tormented Vse 2. Is to incourage you to Rejoice in Christ Jesus Now because we are helpers of your Joy 1 Cor. 1. 24. And God is best pleased with this frame of Spirit 1 Thess. 5. 16. I shall resume the main Discourse And 1. Handle the Nature of it 2. Shew you whether this Joy may be without Assurance 3. Shew you the spiritual Profit of it 4. The Helps or Means by which it is raised in us 1. For the Nature of it 'T is an Act of Love begotten in us by the sense of the Love of Christ revealed in the Word and shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost whereby the Soul is more affected with delight in the Grace of the Redeemer than with all other things whatsoever In which Description Observe 1. 'T is an Act of Love The Acts of Love are two Desire and Delight They both agree in this That they are conversant about good and are founded in esteem We think it good They differ because Desire is the Motion and Exercise of Love and Delight the Quiet and Repose of it Desire is expressed in that Speech Psalm 63. 8. My Soul followeth hard after thee A Believer cannot forbear to seek after God Desire of Union keepeth us up in the pursuit of him Delight is expressed in that form of Speech Psal. 16. 5 6. The Lord is the Portion of my Inheritance and my Cup. The Lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly Heritage He hath all his Joy and Pleasure and Contentment in God Desire supposeth some want or absence of the valued Object Delight some kind of Enjoyment Either he is ours or might be ours if we would our selves For the Offer is cause of Joy as well as the Injoyment If our Desires have reached the lovely Object 't is cause of Joy or if it be within our reach As when Christ and his Benefits are offered to us and left upon our choice And therefore 't is said Jonah 2. 8. They that observe lying Vanities forsake their own Mercies Their own though not possessed by them yet they are offered to them They might have been their own if they did not exclude themselves The Object is in a sort present and brought home to us in the Offers of the Gospel 2. 'T is an Act of Love begotten in us by the sense of the Love of Christ For Love only begetteth Love 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he loved us first The Object of Love is Goodness Now we love God in Christ for the Goodness that is in him the Goodness that floweth from him and the Goodness we expect from him all these attract our Love 1. The Goodness that is in him Moral and Beneficial Moral which is his Holiness Psal. 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it If we Love his Law for the purity thereof then certainly we must love God how else can we study to imitate him for we imitate only that which we love and delight in as good Then for his Beneficial Goodness Psal. 100. 5. For the Lord is Good his Mercy is everlasting and his Truth endureth to all Generations And Psal. 119. 68. Thou art Good and dost good 2. The Goodness that floweth from him Not only in our Creation but our Redemption by Christ which is the stupendous Instance of his Goodness to Man Titus 3. 4. After the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared c. In the Creation there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God found a Ransom for us and so great as his only begotten Son this was Love and Goodness indeed 3. The Goodness we expect from him both in this World and the next Here Reconciliation and Remission of Sins which is a Blessing that doth much draw the Heart of Man to delight in Christ. For she loved much to whom much was forgiven Luke 7. 47. We keep off from a condemning God but draw nigh to a pardoning God Therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 19. The bringing in of this better Hope by the Gospel doth cause us to draw nigh to God Being at peace with God and reconciled to him we may have access with confidence and boldness to the Throne of Grace are no more at distance with God looking upon him as a consuming Fire The Gospel giveth us liberty to come to him and expect the Mercy and Bounty of God through Jesus Christ. So in the next World Eternal Life and Glory which is our great Reward merited by Christ Mat. 5. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven This is a solid lasting satisfying substantial Good Worldly Joys are but seeming they appear and vanish in a moment every blast of Temptation scattereth them Well then offers of Pardon and Life by Christ are the Matters of this Joy as they free us from the greatest Miseries and bring us to the enjoyment of the truest Happiness If you ask me then Why is a Christian described rather by rejoicing in Christ than by rejoycing in the pardon of Sins and Eternal Blessedness I Answer Because Christ is the Author and Procurer of these things to us And by our Joy we express not only our esteem of these Benefits but our gratitude and thankfulness for the Mercy and Bounty of God and the great Love of our Redeemer 3. The Description sheweth how the sence of this Goodness is begotten in us The Love of Christ is revealed in the Word and shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost And I add Believed by Faith and improved by Meditation 1. 'T is revealed in the Gospel or Word of Salvation which is sent to us Therefore 't is said Acts 13. 48. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of God and as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed Surely the Mind of Man which is naturally discomforted and weakned and strangely haunted with Doubts and Fears about the pardon of Sin and Eternal Life is mightily revived and encouraged with these glad Tydings of this Salvation dispensed to us by a sure Covenant Heb. 6. 18. And if the Gentiles that heard these things were glad proportionably we should be glad for the Gospel should never be as stale News to Sinners or as a Jest often told Our Necessities are as deep as theirs and the Covenant standeth as firm to us as it did to them Therefore if we have the Heart of a guilty Man it should be as welcome to us 2. 'T is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost So much is asserted by the Apostle Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Our dry Reason cannot give such a lively sense of these Comforts as the Revelation of the Holy Ghost And this is the difference between a believing by Tradition and believing by Inspiration
sense is of chief regard here 3. There is a Perfection of Parts and a Perfection of Degrees that 's Growth 1. Perfection of Parts is when we have all things that belong to a sincere Christian or to a state of Salvation As living Creatures are perfect as soon as they are brought forth for they have all things belonging to that Creature 't is not maimed or defective in any part thus an Infant is perfect the first day of his Birth as well as a Man of riper Age. Thus a Christian must have the perfection of Integrity all the parts which belong to a New Creature Grace to enlighten the Mind bend and incline the Heart to God govern the Affections rule the Appetite one Grace added to another that the Christian may be intire and perfect and in no point lacking Iam. 1. 4. What is defective in parts cannot be supplied by any after-growth A Christian cannot be perfect in Degrees unless he be perfect in parts leave out one necessary Grace and the new Creature is maimed some leave out Temperance others Patience others Love 1 Pet. 2. 5 6 7. 2. There is a Perfection of Degrees that is when a thing is absolute and compleat and to which nothing is wanting and hath attained its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and highest pitch so we are only perfect in Heaven Heb. 12. 23. The Spirits of just Men made perfect Those Spirits who are uncloathed and divested of the Body in their mortal Life only they were upright but in their Heavenly Life perfect Here they walked with God and endeavoured an Universal Obedience to him and so made capable but now live with God and are admitted into a nearer Communion with him than we Mortals are they are freed from all Sin and Temptation they are beyond growth Corn doth not grow in the Garner but in the Field Well then though we be not perfect in Degrees yet we must all be perfect as to parts we must intirely resign our selves to God's use without allowing any part or corner of our Hearts to be possessed by any other 4. Perfection is to be considered with respect 1. to our Growth or 2. our Consummation Here 't is only in sieri there in facto esse Things are said to be done when they are begun to be done 2 Cor. 5. 17. And so they are said to be perfect who are in the way of Perfection he that is in his growing Estate increasing more unto Grace and Righteousness 2 Cor. 3. 18. Beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though the outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day They do seriously set upon the Work Thus Perfection is taken 1. As to Means The Ministry was appointed for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes. 4. 12. That they may be more enlightned and more sanctified more brought to the Knowledg of God and Obedience of his Will There are Meanâ— appointed by God for the perfecting 〈◊〉 Grace as well as the first working of 〈◊〉 in us 1 Thess. 3. 10. That I may perfect what is lacking to your Faith 2. As to the improvement of Means 2 Cor. 7. 1. Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God making progress in the Way of Grace towards Perfection when the Habit is more increased 2 Pet. 1. 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledg of Christ. And Christian practice is more uniform 1 Thess. 4. 1. That as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and please God so that ye would abound more and more 'T is not enough to have Grace but we must grow in Grace Progress is always necessary though exact Perfection be not attained So that then the Heart is perfect with God when you make it not a sleight purpose only but your constant endeavour to come up to your Pattern and Rule continually striving against Sin and aiming at an higher degree of Holiness 2. Consummate When after all the hazards of the present Life when at length we shall be presented to Christ and by Christ to God Presented to Christ Col. 1. 28. That we may present every Man perfect in Christ Iesus That is fully compleat according to that Holiness required and exemplified by Christ And by Christ to God Col. 1. 22. To present you holy and unblameable and irreproveable in his sight I now come to the Reasons Secondly The Reasons why we must be perfect that is not only sincere having all parts of a Christian but endeavour after the highest Perfection and for the present want nothing conducible nor necessary to Salvation 1. We have a perfect God Matth. 5. 48. Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect God's Perfection is our Copy and that is 〈◊〉 and we are required to imitate him and therefore we must not set Bounds to our Holiness and say Hithâ—rto shalt thou come and no farther when we are come never so far yet this is not like God The force of this Rule is not taken off because 't is limited to one Perfection in the Divine Nature in the Evangelist Luke for he readeth instead of being perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Be ye merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful Luke 6. 36. that is a special way of Christian Perfection but God's Children must aim at the Perfection of all Vertues Not only love to Enemies as Mercy is one of the Divine Perfections which we ought to imitate so is Holiness Veracity and Wisdom 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. Surely this direction was given in the Gospel to some purpose or not if not then Christ spoke words in vain if to some purpose we are obliged to Perfection though we cannot fully obtain it in this life we must still aim at more and come more near to it And having God for our Patern we should always set him before our Eyes as he is represented to us in his Word and his Son Jesus Christ the express Image of his Person to be imitated by us 2. We have a perfect Rule Psalm 19. 7. The Law of God is perfect And 2 Tim. 3. 17. The Word of God is able to make the Man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good Work The strictness of the Law as a Rule is adopted into the Covenant of Grace into the very frame and constitution of it and so far bindeth as to allow no Weaknesses and Imperfections but that we must still bewail Failings and strive after the utmost conformity to it in all things As we have a perfect Pattern so we have a Law still that is the perfect Rule of all Righteousness and therefore we should endeavour to conform to it more and more 3. We have a perfect Redeemer Col. 2. 10. Ye are compleat in him We have all things from him and in him necessary to Salvation In our selves we are empty
and the Practice the Form and the Power The Form Manner or Model of Truth may be compleat though the virtue of this Religion doth not prevail over all those that come under the profession of it 'T is against all Reason that the excellency of Christ should stand to the courtesy of Man's Obedience The Art is not to be judged by the bungling of the Artist And then for the other The Love of the Brethren will not permit them that they should judg of all the rest by a few and those the worser part This is as if a Man should judg of a Street by the Sink or Kennel or throw away the whole cluster or bunch of Grapes for one or two rotten ones Shall the Apostles be judged of by Iudas or the good Angels by the Bad or Abraham's Family by Ishmael If some make shipwrack of a good Conscience others keep up the Honour and Majesty of Religion as well as they disgrace it 3. The troublesome Poverty and mean outside of those that profess the Gospel and their many Troubles and Calamities As in Christ's time the Grandees and learned Rabbies did not own Christ. Have any of the Pharisees or Rulers believed in him That is Persons of eminency and place Celsus the Heathen maketh the Objection Should a few Mariners meaning Fisher-men prescribe to the World But God never intended that Truth should be known by Pomp nor condemned or disallowed for Troubles that accompany it The drift of Christianity is to take us off from the hopes and fears of the present World therefore he that liketh Christ and his Promises is not likely to be separated from him by Persecution Rom. 8. â—7 He is held to him not only by the Head but by the Heart Now the use that we should make of this is Caution Take heed of being offended in Christ. I shall 1. shew you who are in danger of it 2. I shall shew you the hainousness of it 3. What we should do to avoid it 1. Who are in danger of it I Answer 1. All such as are hardned in malice and opposition against those that profess Godliness and have a male Talent against Strictness and are glad when it meeteth with any trouble or disgrace The clearest Evidence will not convince these Men. Such were the froward obstinate Jews who were hardned and believed not but spake evil of that way Acts 19. 9. Again There are some that are more moderate but are discouraged in their first attempts of a godly Life and so give over through despondency The Bullock is most unruly at the first yoaking The Fire at first kindling casts forth most smoke this they cannot bear therefore give it over as hopeless And then partly the insincere whose League with their Lusts was never dissolved And again weak Christians who are not fortified and rooted in the Love of God and the Faith and Hope of the Gospel 2. I shall shew you the hainousness of it 1. 'T is unreasonable whatsoever hindreth any Man from coming to Christ or embracing the Gospel 't is an Offence not given but taken There is nothing in Christ to make us stumble and be offended at him Jer. 2. 5. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity and are become vain But every thing that may draw our desire or delight towards him yet by Mens blindness and ignorance 't is very frequent Luke 19. 42. They do not know the things which belong to their peace in this their day 2. 'T is very natural we are apt to set stumbling-blocks in our own way and matter of offence before our own feet And take up every obvious pretence to excuse our selves to our selves from hearkning to the Offers of the Gospel Flesh and Blood will stumble in God's plainest ways Hosea 14. 9. The ways of the Lord are right the Iust shall walk therein but the Transgressors shall fall in them They will count every Mole-hill a Mountain and offended at every thing which concerneth God and their Duty and Obedience to him 3. A prejudicate Opinion and Malice is always apt to pick quarrels at Truth and Goodness Acts 17. 5 6. The Iews which believed not moved with Envy took unto them certain lude Fellows of the baser sort and gathered a Company and set all the City on an uproar and assaulted the House of Jason and sought to bring them out to the People and when they found them not they drew Jason and certain Brethren unto the Rulers of the City crying These which have turned the World upside down are come hither also So Chap. 18. 6. They opposed themselves and blasphemed 4. 'T is a dangerous Sin If we continue to be offended in Christ Christ will be offended at us at the last day We get nothing by dashing against the Corner-Stone we hurt not Christ but our selves Mat. 21. 44. Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to pouder 3. What shall we do to avoid it 1. Get a clear Understanding or a Zeal according to Knowledg Rom. 10. 2. and Iohn 9. 39. For judgment I am come into the World that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blind This will be the effect of my coming that the Ignorant will be enlightned and learned Men will not see the things before their eyes they were hardned and left to their own prejudices 2. Get a good measure to mete things withal The Jews were offended in Christ because they were leavened with a notion of a pompous Messiah and so judged of all things concerning Christ as they suited with that conceit So Iohn 7. 24. Iudg not according to appearance but judg righteous Iudgment We judg according to appearance but judg not righteous Judgment This is no good measure but an Idol of our Hearts Many are in an evil way but yet want not their pretences As the Tradition of the Elders Matth. 19. 2. And Succession Iohn 8. 33. The Novelty of Christ's Doctrine Mark 1. 27. What new Doctrine is this The vile abject condition of Christ and his Disciples They never enter into the merits of the Cause but determine it by prejudicate Opinions A good measure therefore is necessary there is mensura mensurans and mensura mensurata a measure measuring and the measure that is measured the measure that is measured is an upright unbiassed Mind 3. Labour to get a mortified Heart They are most apt to be scandalized that have a carnal biass upon their Hearts a contrariety of affections to the Gospel Luke 16. 14. Iohn 5. 44. and Iohn 12. 42 43. who are leavened with covetousness jealousy of reputation fear of disgrace and the like 4. Get a fervent Love Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 'T is want of a true and hearty love that maketh us so easy and
apt to take offence A secoud use that we make of it is this Be sure to take heed of Prejudices against practical Godliness 1. Some take prejudice against the necessity of Regeneration But surely there is a necessity of fitting us anew to the use and end for which we were made For the Vse see Ephes. 2. 10. and for the End Iohn 3. from the third to the fifth verse 2. Another prejudice is the difficulty of a godly life Mat. 19. 25. With Men it is impossible but with God all things are possible use will make it easy at first it is most hard and tedious 3. Another Prejudice is the Persecutions which attend it God will have his Servants and Graces tried They that go to Sea must look for Wind and Waves but in the Haven we shall have rest In Heaven we shall injoy full and eternal rest Wisdom is justified Of her CHILDREN MAT. 11. 18 19. For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say He hath a Devil The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a Man gluttonous a Friend of Publicans and Sinners but Wisdom is justified of her Children IN this Context Christ had likened the People of the Generation in which he lived to Boys playing in the Streets and personating as Children are given to imitate what they have seen in Elder Persons sometimes Festivities acting the part of a Musician but their Fellows danced not Sometimes Funerals acting the part of the Mourning Women who were to weep for the dead cry Ah my Brother but they upbraided their Fellows that they would do nothing as they should neither follow them in their Mirth nor sadness So the people of that Generation whatsoever Messages God sent unto them they accepted them not and obeyed them not Some great Exceptions they had still to the Messengers employed one kind of Exception they have to Iohn and the quite contrary to Iesus and so they are not pleased neither full nor fasting as we say Their censure of Iohn was That he was an Hypocondriack or a frantick Fellow the Devil was in him that he was so austere But Christ that was gentle and affable they censure him as a loose Person or favorer of such For Iohn came neither eating and drinking and they say He hath a Devil The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say a Man gluttonous and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners But Wisdom is justified of her Children In the words three Things are observable 1. The different Form and Course of Life wherein Iohn and Christ appeared 2. Their Censures both of Iohn and Iesus 3. The receiving of the Gospel by the unprejudiced 1. The different Course of Life wherein Iohn and Christ appeared Iohn came neither eating nor drinking that is lived in a strict austere Course of Life not after the ordinary Diet of Men for we read he had his Raiment of Camels Hair and a leathern Girdle about his Loins and his Meat was Locusts and wild Hony But the Son of Man came eating and drinking that is using the ordinary Diet of Men and eating promiscuously with all company in a more free use of the Creatures taking the fare as he found it and conversing with all sorts of Men in a familar Course of Life Sometimes with Publicans as Zacheus sometimes with Pharisees as Simon Luke 7. He observed no such abstinency but ate Meats indifferently sometimes he had nothing but barely Bread and Water sometimes he was at Feasts and using Wine and conversed with Men indifferently 2. Their Censures both of Iohn and Iesus John hath a Devil that is he is a Person possessed out of his wits For the Jews ascribed all Distempers to the Devil And of Christ their censure was That he was a Glutton and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners 3. The reciving of the Gospel by the unprejudiced But Wisdom is justified of her Children This last clause needeth opening that we may know what is Wisdom who are her Children and how they justify it 1. By Wisdom is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel called elsewhere The Counsel of God as appeareth by the parallel place Luke 7. 29 30. And all the People that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves The Gospel is called Wisdom because 't is the result of God's eternal Wisdom The Doctrine of Christ Crucified is called The Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 22. And again 1 Cor. 2. 7. The Wisdom of God in a Mystery 2. The Children of Wisdom are the Professors of it 'T is an Hebraism As Children of Corath Children of Light Children of this World c. the Professors and Followers of the Gospel Wisdom hath her Children all are not alike indisposed some are begotten to God by the Doctrine of Grace 3. Justified As this is opposed to Crimination so to justify is the work of an Advocate As it is opposed to Condemnation so 't is the work of a Judg. Wisdom's Children will bear witness to their Faith or the Doctrine of God by their Profession and Godly Life and ready Obedience And exalt it as much as others decry it and every way manifest that they hold it for good and right Many Points might be observed hence As 1. That God sendeth forth his Servants with divers dispositions Some more austere in Life others more social in their Carriage some sad and mournful others chearful and pleasant some more thundring in Doctrine others more gently inducing people to Repentance Since God maketh use of variety of Gifts and Tempers Let us observe this Wisdom not bring all to the Law of some admired Instance and Example As there is a difference of Stomachs some for Meats baked or roasted others for boiled so God fits his Servants severally to do good as the Persons they are to treat with need 2. That Men are qualified according to the dispensation wherein God useth them Iohn as a Preacher of Repentance was austere Christ as a giver of Pardon mild and affable Iohn was to come in the Spirit and Power of Elias and therefore to imitate him in his Course of Life He was sent forth to raise and awaken a sleepy World besotted in security But Christ who was to come with the glad Tydings of Salvation and to call Sinners to Grace and Pardon chose to appear in a meek sweet and social way of converse that his Benignity in drawing the most grievous Sinners to himself might thereby be manifested 3. That Men are apt to complain quarrel and except against what is done by God and whatsoever Methods are used to reduce them to a sence of their Duty Both Iohn and Jesus were sent by God but Men have ever somewhat to say Iohn is too rough and austere and Christ too sociable and familiar with Sinners They dislike the Severity of the one and the free Converse of the other
apt to think that Religion is a sower thing and abridges them of all the Comforts of their lives No besides the rich Comforts it provideth for the Soul it alloweth and forbiddeth not so much sensitive pleasure as tendeth to the holiness of the Soul and furthereth us in God's Service It rebukâ—th and forbiddeth nothing but what really may be a Snare to us It considereth all things Meats Drinks Marriage Wealth Honours and Digâ—â—ties of the present World as they have respect to God and a better World and as they help and hinder us in the pleasing God and seeking Immortality 2. With respect to others The Spirit of our Religion may be known by the Example of our dearest Lord 'T is not a proud disdainful Spirit that refuseth the company of the meanest and worst so we may do them good He came to save Sinners and conversed with Sinners He came to redress the miseries of Mankind and went up and down doing good tho his familiarities were with the most godly yet he disdained not the company of others And surely his Religion where it prevaileth in the Hearts of any it causes them not only to deal justly with all but to love all all Mankind with a love of Benevolence it maketh us to long for the good of their Souls and desirous also to do good to the Bodies of those that are in need 'T is said indeed Prov. 29. 27. An unjust Man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked But we must distinguish of the hatred of Abomination and the hatred of Enmity We hate our sinful Neighbour as we must our selves much more in opposition to the love of Complacency but not in opposition to the love of Benevolence so we must neither hate our selves nor our Neighbour no nor our Enemy The business of your lives must be to do good to all especially to the Houshold of Faith God's Natural Image is on all Men his Spiritual Image on his Saints and we must love God in all his Creatures especially in his Children This is true Religion consecrated by our Lord's Example Secondly We may observe That an External Holiness which consisteth in an outside strictness without that Faith Love Charity Hope usefulness and activity which is the very soul and life of Christianity usually puffeth up Men with a vain conceit of their own Righteousness and a censuring and a despising of others This Text sheweth us both the Spirit of Pharisaism and the Spirit of Christianity The Pharisees who abounded in outward Observances censured Christ for his free Converses and disdained those Sinners whom he invited to a better life Luke 18. 9 10 11 12. And they were ignorant of true Wisdom which is justified embraced and received by all her Children Learn then that an unruly fierce censorious Spirit which is only born up by external advantages is not the right Spirit of the Gospel True Religion maketh men humble and low in their own eyes acquainteth them with their Desert Sin and Misery and maketh them pitiful and compassionate to others and more ready to help them than to censure them and to use all ways and means to do them good Thirdly The main Observation is this That a free Life guided by an holy Wisdom is the most sanctified Life and bringeth most honour to God and is most useful to others Here I shall shew you 1. Wherein lieth this free life guided by holy Wisdom 2. How it is the most sanctified life 1. Wherein lieth this free life guided by holy Wisdom 'T is said of Enoch Gen. 5. 22. That he walked with God and begat Sons and Daughters that is dedicated himself to God's Service and lived in most strict Holiness And there you see the use of a conjugal life in its purity may stand with the strictest Rules of Holiness So for worldly Affairs when the course of our calling ingageth us in them 't is not using of the World but over-using is the fault 1 Cor. 7. 31. So for the Comforts of this life Psal. 62. 10. If Riches encrease set not your heart upon them The business is not to withdraw them away but to withdraw the Affection So for the lawful Delights there are two extreams clogging and retrenching our liberty with outward burdensome Observances or abusing our liberty to wantonness Gal. 5. 13. Ye are called to liberty only use not your liberty as an occasion to the Flesh. Corrupt Nature venteth it self both ways either by superstitious rigors or by breaking all Bonds and inlarging it self according to the licentiousness of the Flesh. Meat Drink Apparel are in their own nature indifferent neither must Superstition work upom them nor Profaneness and in the mean between both lieth Godliness 2. How it is the most sanctified life 1. Partly because it suiteth with the Example of Christ He came as to expiate our Offences so to give us an Exsample 1 Pet. 2. 21. Leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and 1 Iohn 2. 6. walk as he walked 'T is high presumption to aim at an imitation of Christ in those acts of his which he did for satisfying the Father's Justice or proving his Dâ—ity yea 't is impossible to imitate him in those yet in Actions moral we are bound to imitate him and in Actions indifferent not to suffer our Liberty to be strâ—ightned but to govern Circumstances according to that holy Wisdom Christ retired not from the society of Men but used the greatest freedom in an holy way 2. Because there is more true Grace in being dead to the Temptation than to retreat from the Temptation A Christian is not to go out of the World neither by a voluntary Death Iohn 17. 15. nor by an unnecessary sequestration of our selves from Business and the Affairs which God calleth us to 1 Cor. 7. 20. Let every Man abide in the same Calling wherein he was called But to be crucified to the World Gal. 6. 14. that's Grace to withdraw our Hearts from the World while we converse in it and with it Many real Christians when they hear us press Mortification and deadness to the World think they must leave their Callings or abate of their necessary activity in their Callings Alas in the Shop a Man mayâ—keep himself unspotted from the World as well as in the Closet in a Court as well in a Cell We read of Saints in Nero's Houshold Phil. 4. 22. he was a great Persecutor yet some Saints could live there within his Gates There were some Professors of the Gospel So Rev. 2. 13. I know thy Works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my Faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth In the sorest and thickest of temptations a Christian may maintain his Integrity In short our way to Heaven lieth through the World
and tho if I be left to my choice I should chuse that course of life in which there are least Temptations yet when God by the posture of our temporal Interests or the course of our Education or the nature of my Employment and usefulness hath determined me to a life more incident to a throng of Temptations I may the better venture upon them and must not leave my Service for supposed Snares Affectation of privacy may be a slothful retreat from publick Business and 't is more glorious to beat an Enemy than to fly from him and Grace is seen in overcoming rather than in shunning Difficulties Well then learn from the whole That true Mortification consists in a change of the frame of Heart in a resolution against the baits of sense rather than removing our presence from them in being not of the World tho we are in the World not in casting away our injoyments but in an equal mind in all Conditions Iames 1. 9 10. That to be poor in Abundance humble in high Places temperate and godly in the freest course of life is to imitate the life of Christ. That then we are properly mortified when our esteem value and affection is mortified That Grace sheweth it self more in choice than in necessity In an abstinence from the delights of the Flesh when we have them rather than when we want them that we may follow our business and yet be godly that the overcharging of the Heart is the great Evil that we should beware of that we may use Company but not to partake of their Sins yea to make them better and to purify them by our example I now proceed to the last Clause But Wisdom is justified of her Children We have observed 1. The different form and course of life wherein Iohn and Jesus appeared 2. Their Censures of both 3. The receiving of the Gospel by the Unprejudiced In this last observe 1. The exceptive Particle But tho undeserved Censures are cast upon the Ways of God yet at length there is a Wisdom found in them Ignorant Men mistake them carnal Men slight them the Prophane snuff at them few or none entertain them with that respect they ought to do yet this Wisdom will not want Advocates 2. The thing spoken of Wisdom By Wisdom is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel called elsewhere the Counsel of God as appeareth by the parallel place Luke 7. 29 30. And all the People that heard him justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves The Gospel method of Salvation is there called the Counsel of God because 't is the Counsel he giveth Men for their good as here Wisdom because 't is the result of God's eternal Wisdom and Decrees And elsewhere the Doctrine of Christ crucified is called the Wisdom of God And again 1 Cor. 2. 7. The Wisdom of God in a Mystery 3. What is said of it or how it is used 't is justified Justification is a Râ—lative word as 't is opposed to Crimination so to justify is the work of an Advocate as to Condemnation so 't is the work of a Judg. The Children of Wisdom discharge both parts chiefly the first they bear witness to â—heir Faith or the Doctrine of God concerning Salvation by Christ by their Profession and godly Life and ready Obedience and exalt it so much as others decry it and every way manifest they hold it for good and right only this pleading is real not by Word but Deed Sapientia non quaerit vocis testimonium sed operam saith Hierom. Divine Wisdom is justified more by Works than by a verbal Plea Wisdom's Children hear her Instructions follow her Directions and Institutes and with diligence observe the way of Salvation prescribed by God tho others slight it and so justify it against the Exceptions and Reproaches of the carnal World 4. Of whom Of her Children The Children of Wisdom are the Professors of it those who are begotten by God by the Word of Truth Iames 1. 18. and are willing to attain the end by the ways and means wherein God affordeth it These are Wisdom's Children begotten bred up and instructed by her 't is an Hebraism as Children of Corah Children of Light Children of this World and the like the Professors and Followers of the Gospel The Point that I shall insist on is this That the Wisdom of God leading Men to Salvation in the ways and means pointed out in the Gospel is and should be justified of all the sincere Professors of it In managing this Point I shall shew you First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel Secondly That this Wisdom is despised slighted and contradicted by the carnal World and why Thirdly How and why it must be justified by the sincere Professors of the Gospel First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel The sum of the Gospel is this That all thâ—se who by true Repentance and Faith do forsake the Flesh the World and the Devil and give up themselves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier shall find God as a Father taking them for his reconciled Children and for Christ's sake pardoning their Sins and by his Spirit giving them his Grace and if they persevere in this course will finally glorify them and bestow upon them everlasting Happiness but will condemn the Unbelievers Impenitent and Ungodly to everlasting punishment That this is the sum of the Gospel appeareth by Mark 16. 15 16. Go preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Where you have all the Christian Religion laid before you in one short view and prospect It concerneth either the End or the Means 1. The End The Apostle telleth you That God hath brought Life and Immortality to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. or clearly discovered an Happiness and a misery in the World to come 2. The Means He hath pointed out a sure way for obtaining the one and avoiding the other As to the Means Christian Religion is considerable either as to the entrance or the progress of it Our Lord telleth us Mat. 7. 14. Streight is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life He speaketh of a Gate and a Way The Gate noteth the Entrance the Way the Progress therein In other Scriptures we read of making Covenant with God and keeping Covenant with God The Covenant must not only be made but kept So again we read of Dedication and Use of devotedness to God and faithfulness to him of our Purpose and Progress Choice and Course all which expressions tend to the same effect 1. As to the way of entring into Covenant with God there is required 1. True Repentance and Faith Repentance towards God and Faith in
by which we own God in Christ for our God So the assembling our selves together for publick Worship is a part of this Profession and must not be omitted for fear Heb. 10. 23 with 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering How vers 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is These Assemblies were instituted for publick converse with God testifying their Union and Agreement in the same Faith and Worship Indeed in lesser Truths that fall within the latitude of allowable differences in the Church Profession is not always a Duty for in some cases we may have Faith to our selves But a denying of God or being ashamed of him is always a sin When called to give an account we are with boldness to own our Profession Acts 4. 10. Be it known unto you all and to all the People of Israel that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this Man stand here before you whole And Dan. 3. 17 18. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up 3. This Profession must be honoured and recommended to others by an holy Conversation But now what kind of conversation honoureth Religion 1. Such as is carried on with diligence and seriousness As Noah Heb. 11. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith They behaved themselves as those that in earnest believed a Flood when they made such thorow preparation which was a just reproof to the security and incredulity of the carnal World Whâ—n we do as we say in good earnest make preparation for another World otherwise Religion is but suspected as a vain pretense and empty talk Then we look after Heaven indeed then we believe it when we do the things that belief bindeth us unto A carnal Man that is all talk and no practice he doth not Religion so much honour in his words as he doth dishonour it in his works He liveth down his Profession while he seemeth to cry it up Titus 1. 16. They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Contrary motions are an implicite denial of the Faith 1 Tim. 5. 8. But laziness and negligence do also foment and breed Atheism and we carry on the life of Godliness coldly and faintly and so our Conversations which should be a confirmation of the Gospel prove a confutation rather Those that are Disciples in Name only the Word of God cometh to them in Word only The careless Practicer is as bad as he that is haunted with actual doubts about the Truth of Christianity The troubled Doubter mindeth his business but these never regard it and do in effect say That Christ and his Salvation is not worth the looking after As 't is said of the Israelites Psal. 106. 24. They despised the good Land they believed not his Word Those that resolved to give over the pursuit of Canaan are said to doubt of his Promise So they that neglect Salvation do not believe the truth of it Heb. 2. 3 4. and tho they talk high they secretly propagate their infidelity The strength of our Faith should appear by the diligence of our Lives the seriousness of our Endeavours and the fervor of our Duties Practices do more express the Image of our Minds than Words The Faith that issueth out into Works doth most commend it self to others 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. That you may fulfil the Work of Faith with Power that Christ Iesus may be glorified in you and you in him Then is Christ glorified when you live answerably to your Profession and do by the Power of God carry on an Holy Life upon the incouragements of the Promises of the Gospel 2. Such as is governed by the respects of the other World When we are patient and joyful under the Cross and full of hope and comfort in great straits and delight in our Work which the World hateth and discountenanceth and hope against Hope and live in the Promises Psal. 119. 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart Then we justify Wisdom and commend our Faith to others God was angry with Moses and Aaron Numb 20. 12. Because ye believed not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel We are not only firmly to believe our selves but to sanctify him in the eyes of others and that is done by the labour of our Faith the patience of our Hope our joyfulness and delight in God when we have but little in hand and the readiness of our Obedience even under deep Sufferings When the Thessalonians had received the Word in much Assurance and 〈…〉 and much joy in the Holy Ghost The Apostle telleth 1 Thess. 1. 5 6 7. They were â—â—samples to all that believed in Achaia and Macâ—donia and from them sounded out the Word of God to other places Thus we propagate our Faith and commend the Truth of God to others The Life of Faith is a glorious Thing but the Life of Sense or Reason hath no glory in it or a Life carried on meerly upon external Probabilities When we can contemn this World both the good and evil things of it in hopes of a better and part with all that is dear to â—s in this World upon the Conscience of our Duty then we justify Wisdom 3. By an exact purity and holiness or a full conformity to all God's Precepts and Institutes and by a faithful discharging all Duties to God and Men. Every true Christian should be a transcript of his Religion 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit An Epistle is that wherein a Man hath written his Mind our Conversations should be Religion exemplified a real Sermon Phil. 2. 16. Holding forth the Word of Life The Wax hath an impression and stamp left upon it according to what is engraven upon the Seal Then we honour Religion when the impression and print of it is left upon our Hearts and Lives and we are cast into this Mould More particularly Duties of Relations which are visible and easily observed justify and honour Religion Titus 2. 10. and 1 Pet. 2. 15. So is the Will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish Men. These conduce to the good of humane Societies are most regarded and make the ways of God
prodest illis Baptismus quid prodest Spiritus Sanctus cujus arbitrio dicunt se Temperari c. Behold those that boast themselves to be redeemed from the tyranny of the Devil to be dead to the World to have crucified the Flesh They are overcome by their base and bruâ—ish Lusts even as we are whom they account to be still under the Kingdom of the Devil What doth their Baptism profit them what the Holy Ghost whose direction they profess to live by Why should we trouble our selves about changing our course which is as good as theirs So in Salvian's time the Heathens were wont to upbraid the Christians thus Vbi est â—atholica Lex quam credunt Vbi sunt pietatis castitatis exempla quae discunt Evangelia legunt impudiâ—uâ—t Apostolos audiant ineâ—riantur Cristum sâ—quuntur capiunt c. They talk of an Holy Christ and yet are unjust unclean wrathful coveâ—ous of a meek patient Christ and yet are rapacious and violent of Holy Apostles and yet are impure in their conversations Our Author goeth on thus Sancta à Christianis fierent si Sancta Christus docuisset aestimari à 〈◊〉 potest isâ—e qui colitur quomodo bonus Magister â—ujus tum malos esse videmus Discipulos If their Christ were an holy meek Christ they would be better c. And as carnal Men now speak For all their Godliness and Religion that they talk of our life and course and dealings are as good and honest and justifiable as theirs Thus the wicked are justified in their way 5. Christ will one day justify all his sincere Followers before Men and Angels and Devils Luke 12. 8. Whosoever shall confess me him shall the Son of Man confess before the Angels of God Let us justify his ways and he will justify us and our Faith at length shall be found to Praise and Glory and Honour Christ will then wipe off all the Aspertions which be cast upon the Children of Wisdom for Godliness-sake as Faction Pride Singularity Hypocrisy and that which was branded with such ignominious Titles will then be found to be the very Wisdom of God 6. Because of the necessity of justifying Wisdom in the times we live in 't is said 2 Pet. 3. 3. In the last Time there shall come Scoffers and Mockers walking after their own Lusts. The last days shall be full of these prophane Scoffers While Truths were new and the exercises of the Christian Religion lovely there was great concord and seriousness amongst the Professors of the Gospel and then prophane Scoffers were rare and unfrequent Before Mens senses were benummed with the customary use of Religious Duties the Notions of God were fresh and lively upon their Hearts but afterwards when the Profession of Christianity grew into a form and national Interest and Men were rather made Christians by the chance of their Birth than choice and rational Convictions then the Church was much pestered with this kind of Cattel especially now are they rise among us who live in the dregs of Christianity when Men are grown weary of the Name of Christ and the ancient severity and strictness is much lost and the memory of those Miracles and wonderâ—ul Effects by which our Religion was confirmed is almost worn out or else questioned by Men of subtile Wits and a prostituted Conscience Therefore now Mockers and Men of atheistical Spirits swarm every where and it concerneth Wisdom's Children to justify it and to maintain its former Vigor and Power The Vse that we may make is double 1. To the Enemies of Wisdom Judg not of an Holy Life and those that profess it at a distance and by hear-say but try We are not afraid to come to the Bar with our Enemies John 7. 24. Iudg not according to appearance but judg Righteous Iudgment If Men would not be blinded with visible Appearance and the Mask of Passiou Prejudice and Interest and condemn the People of God as they are represented in a false Mirror judg and spare not and where you â—ind the true Spirit of Christianity take all leave we desire no other Trial but speak not against things you know not Try and judg as you find where is the deepest sense of the other World where the most careful preparation to get thither the joy of Faith the love of Holiness If Christianity will allow that worldly Pomp that vanity and liberty which others take then judg the Servants of the Lord as guilty of a foolish niceness preciseness and singularity but if we be baptized into these things and unquestionably and indispensibly bound to them either renounce your Baptism or forbear your Censures or rather chuse this clear and pure way to everlasting Glory If you will not stand to God's Word stand to your own sober Moods We will make you your selves Judges when you are serious and best able to judg of things not in you Passion when Lusts are stirring When you are entring the Confines of Eternity when Conscience is likely to speak truth to you you will wish then you were one of those poor godly Men whom now you count proud humorous and factious 2. To the Children of VVisdom Do not scandalize the Holy VVays of God but justify them be neither ashamed of them nor a shame to them Till the ancient strictness be revived VVisdom will never be justified The faithful Followers of Chirst must expect Troubles in this World LUKE 9. 57 58 59 60 61 62. And it came to pass that as they went in the way a certain Man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Iesus said unto him Foxes have Holes and Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay â—â—s Head And he said unto another Follow 〈◊〉 but he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my Father Iesus said unto them Let the Dead 〈◊〉 their Dead but go thou and preaâ—â— the Kingdom of God And another also said Lord I will follâ—â— thee but let me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my House And Iesus said unto him No Man having put his Hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God HERE are three Stories put together by the Evangelist to teach us in what manner we should address our selves to follow Christ. The first is of a Scribe that came uncalled but his Heart was not right with God having a temporal biass upon it The second is of one called vers 59. Christ saith Follow me But he would first cherish then bury his dying Father But Christ would have no delays but presently sets him about his Ministry and Service in the Gospel This upon the Authority of Clemens Alexandrinus who received it upon Ancient Tradition is supposed to be Philip. A third offereth himself to follow Christ but first he would take his farewel at home and compose Matters in his Family But when we set our Faces
all that is named or famed or spoken and believed of God His Truth and Trustiness is most conspicuous In the New Covenant he hath given his solemn Oath as well as his Word that the Heirs of Promise might have strong Consolation Heb. 6. 18. What is the matter that my belief of these things is so cold and ineffectual If this be God's Promise and he hath put in no exception against me to exclude me from the benefit of this Promise What is the reason why I can no more incourage my self in the Lord to seek after this Salvation but am disturbed so often by distracting Fears and Cares and so easily misled by vain Delights Thus should we excite our Faith But I digress too long 3. The Nature of this Faith I express by a Trust and Confidence There is in Faith an Assent which is sufficient when the Object requireth no more As there are some speculative Principles which are meerly to be believed as they lead on to other things Heb. 11. 3. there an intellectual Assent sufficeth But there are other things which are propounded not only as true but good There not only an intellectual Assent is required but a practical Assent or such as is joyned with Consent and Affiance As suppose when Christ promiseth Eternal Life to the serious Christian or mortified Believer There must be not only an assent or a believing that this proposal and offer is Christ's and that it is true But there must be a consent to chuse it for my Portion and Happiness and then a confidence and dependance upon Christ for it though it lie out of sight and in the mean time I be exercised with sundry Difficulties and Temptations Trust is not a bare Opinion of Christ's Fidelity but a dependance upon his Word I do believe there is a God and that there is a Christ I do well I do believe that this God in Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light I do well still but I must do more I believe that he hath assured his Disciples and Followers That if they continue faithful with him they shall have eternal Life John 5. 29. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation I know that Christ hath fidelity and sufficiency enough to make good his Word This is well but I must go farther that is to say I must chuse this eternal Life that is offered to me for my felicity and portion this is Consent and I must continue with patience in well-doing depending upon his faithful Word whilst I am in the pursuit of it this is Trust or Confidence As this World is Vanity and hath nothing in it worthy to be compared with the Hopes which Christ hath given me of a better Life so I chuse it for my Happiness But as I judg him faithful that hath promised and depend upon him that he will make good his Word though this Happiness be future and lieth in another an unseen an unknown World to which there is no coming but by Faith this is the Trust and by that Name it is often expressed in Scripture 'T is nothing else but a sure and comfortable dependance upon God through Jesus Christ in the way of well-doing for the Gift of eternal Life Psalm 112. 7. His Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. So Isa. 26. 3. Thou keepest him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee The New Testament also useth this term 2 Cor. 3. 4. Such trust have we through Christ to Godward And 1 Tim. 4. 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God Well then this Trust is more than an Assent or bare Perswasion of the mind that the Promises are true yea 't is more than a motion of the Will towards them as good and satisfying for it noteth a quiet repose of the Heart on the fidelity and mercy of God in Christ that he will give this Blessedness if we do in the first place seek after it The more we cherish this Confidence the more sure we are of our Interest both in Christ and the Promise Heb. 3. 6. Whose House we are if we hold fast our Confidence and rejoicing of Hope firm unto the end And vers 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the end And Heb. 10. 35. a little before the Text Cast not away your Confidence which hath great recompence of reward In all which places Confidence noteth our resolute ingaging in the heavenly Life because we depend upon Christ's Rewards in another World In our passage to Heaven we meet with manifold Temptations we are assaulted both on the right hand and on the left with the terrors of sense which are a discouragement to us and the delights of sense which are a snare to us Confidence or Trust fortifieth us against both these Temptations the Difficulties Dangers and Sufferings which we meet with in our passage to Heaven yea tho it should be death it self for Faith seeth the end glorious and that the Salvation of our Souls is sure and near if we continue faithful with Christ. On the other side Affiance or Trust draweth the Heart to better things and we can easily want or miss the Contentments of the Flesh the pomp and ease and pleasure of the present Life because our Hearts are in Heaven and we have more excellent things in view and pursuit This breedeth a weanedness from the Baits of the Flesh and a rejection and contempt of what would take us off from the pursuit of eternal Life 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. I run not as one that is uncertain As if he had said I am confident therefore I am mortified to the World 4. The immediate Fruit and Effect of it is a forsaking all other Hopes and Happiness for Christ's sake and for the Blessedness which he offereth That forsaking all belongeth to this Affiance and Trust is plain because I can neither trust God nor be true to him till I can venture all my Happiness upon this security And if God calleth me to it actually forsake all upon these Hopes This will appear to you by these Arguments 1. By the Doctrinal Descriptions of the Gospel-Faith Our Lord hath told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant-man Matth. 13. 45 46. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls who when he had found one Pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it And certainly he knew the Nature of that Faith better than we do Many cheapen the Pearl of Price but they do not go through with the Bargain because they do not fell all to purchase it No you must have such a sense of the Excellency and truth of Salvation by Christ that you must chuse it and let go all
sum of the Salvation which we expect or our everlasting Happiness with God in Heaven 2. What is the Right of Believers or the Interest of Faith in this great Benefit I Anser 1. It doth not merit this Reward for it is not a Reward of due Debt by virtue of any intrinsick Righteousness in us or any thing that we can do and suffer but of mere Grace and Favour Ephes. 2. 8. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God The Apostle is very tender of the Honour of Grace and the Interest of Grace in our Salvation From the first step to the last period all is of Grace and this Glory of his free Grace God must not be robbed of neither in whole nor in part We have all from his Elective Love we have all from the Merit and Righteousness of Christ and all from the almighty Operation of the sanctifying Spirit Faith it self is a Gift and Fruit of God's Grace in us To you 't is given to believe Phil. 1. 29. Therefore surely 't is God's free Grace Favour and Good-will which doth freely bestow that Salvation on the Elect which Christ by his Merit hath purchased and that very Faith by which we apply and make out our actual Claim and Title is wrought in us by the Spirit so that there is nothing in the Persons to whom all this is given to induce God to confer so great Benefit on us 2. Tho it be an undeserved Favour upon which our Works have no meritorious Influence yet Believers have an undoubted Right by the Grant and Promise of God wherein they may comfort themselves and which they may plead before God John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Life Everlastingly And Iohn 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my words and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from Death to Life And in many places where the Believer is qualified as the Heir of Glory He that entertaineth Christ's Doctrine and receiveth and owneth him as the True Messiah and Saviour of the World and dependeth upon him and obeyeth him this Man hath a full right and new Covenant-Title to eternal Life 3. He hath not only a new Covenant-Right but a begun Possession We have some small Beginnings Earnests and Foretastes of it in this partly in the Graces partly in the Comforts of the Spirit 1. In the Graces of the Holy Spirit For Salvation is begun in our new Birth Titus 3. 5. And therefore Sanctifying Grace is called Immortal or incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. There is an eternal Principle put into them which carrieth them to eternal Ends. The Life is begun in all that shall be saved and it is still working towards its final Perfection The Apostle telleth us That he that hateth his Brother hath not eternal Life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3. 15. Whereby he implieth That he that loveth his Brother or hath any saving Grace he hath eternal Life begun in him 2. As to Comforts so they have some foretastes of that sweetness which is in Heaven by the Life and Exercise of Faith which is followed with Peace and Joy Rom. 15. 13. Or in their approaches to God in the Word and Prayer where Cod most familiarly manifests himself unto his People 1 Pet. 1. 3. or upon some apprehensions of his favour or the exercise of Hope and Love 2 Pet. 1. 8. By these or the like ways the Spirit of God giveth us the foretaste Surely such an Author such an Object must needs put ravishing and heavenly Joy into the Heart of a Believer 4. They are also made meet to partake of the heavenly Inheritance Col. 1. 12. There is Ius Haereditarium and Ius Aptitudinale The difference is as between an Heir grown and in his nonage when a Child in the Cradle As their Natures are more renewed and purified and their Souls weaned from the delights of sense they are changed into the Divine Nature 3. What is that saving-Faith which giveth us a title to it This deserveth to be cleared that we may not deceive our selves with a false claim Saving-Faith is such a believing in Christ for reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory as maketh us to forsake all things in this World and give up our selves to the conduct of the Word and Spirit for the obtaining of it 1. The general Nature of it I express by believing There is in it Assent Consent and Aâ—â—iance 1. Assent That leadeth on the rest when we believe the Truth of God's Word Acts 24. 14 15. especially those practical Truths which do most nearly concern our recovery to God as concerning Man's Sin and Misery that we have broken his Laws and are obnoxious to his Justice and have deserved punishment for our Sins Rom. 3. 23. And concerning Christ his Person and Office that he is the Son of God and that he came from God to bring home Sinners to God and what he hath done to reconcile us to him 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for our Sins the Iust for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit And also concerning your Duty and Happiness the End and the Way There is no other End and Happiness but God no other Way but the Mediator and the Means appointed by him Iohn 14. 6. Now these and such-like Truths must be believed that is in the sense we are now upon assented unto as faithful Sayings and worthy of all acceptation and regard 2. There is a Consent in Faith whether you apply it to the Word or Christ. If Christ be propounded as the Object of it 't is called a receiving Iohn 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God So the word Acts 2. 41. They gladly received his Word that is embraced the Gospel-Covenant being really affected with what he had spoken concerning their Sin and their Duty Without this the Assent is but Intellectual and Speculative not Practical An Opinion not an Act or Motion of the new Nature I am to receive the Christ offered to embrace the Covenant propounded To accept of the Blessings offered for my Happiness and to resolve upon the Duties required as my Work This is Consent or an hearty accepting of Christ or the Covenant of Grace offered to us in his Name 3. There is Affiance Trust Dependance or Confidence which is a quiet repose of Heart in the Mercy of God or Fidelity of Christ that he will give me Pardon and Life if I seek after it in the way that he hath appointed This cometh in upon the former for when I consent to seek my happiness in God through Christ I depend
Heart to God or else if they should not prevail so far What dissonancy and jarrings are there in a Family when People are unequally yoked the Wife and Husband drawing several ways 2. As to consent of Parents God here in the Text as the common Parent taketh himself to have the greatest hand in the bestowing of his own Children He brought her unto the Man and ordinary Parents are his Deputies which must bring and give us in Marriage especially when young and under their Power The Scripture is express for this Exod. 22. 17. If her Father wholly refuse to give her unto him c. 1 Cor. 17. 28. He that giveth her in Marriage c. 3. As to the manner of procuring it that they labour to gain one another by warrantable yea râ—ligious Ways that we may lâ—y the Foundation of this Relation in the Fear of God not by stealth or carnal Allurements or violent Importunities or deceitful Proposals but by such ways and means as will become the gravity of Religion that weanedness and sobriety that should be in the Hearts of Believers that deliberation which a business of such weight calls for and that Reverence of God and Justice that we owe to all that seriousness of Spirit and that respect to the Glory of God with which all such Actions should be underken Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever we do in Word or in Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him When this is observed we are said to take one another out of God's Hands 4. Especially clearing up our Right and Title by Christ. Meats Drinks Marriage they are all sanctified by the Word and Prayer and appointed to be received by thanksgiving of them that believe and receive the Truth 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. There is a two-fold Right Dominium Politicum Evangelicum Dominium Politicum fundatur in Providentiâ Evangelicum in Gratiâ Political Right is founded in God's Providence Evangelical Right in Grace We have a Civil Right to all that cometh to us by honest Labour lawful Purchace or Inheritance and fair and comely Means used which giveth us a Right not only before Men but before God not by virtue of their Laws but his Grant By a Providential-Right all wicked Men possess all outward things which they enjoy as the Fruits and Gifts of his common Bounty it is their Portion Psalm 17. 14. Whatever falleth to their share in the course of God's Providence they are not Usurpers meerly for possessing what they have but for abusing what they have They have not only a civil Right to prevent the Incroachments of others by the Laws of Men but a providential Right before God and are not simply responsible for the Possession but the Use. But then there is an Evangelical or New-Covenant Right So Believers have a Right to their Creature-Comforts by God's special Conveyance that sweetneth every Mercy that it comes wrapt in the Bowels of Christ. The little which the Righteous hath is better than the Treasures of many wicked as the mean fair of a poor Subject is better than the Dainties of a condemned Traitor And this we have by Christ as the Heir of all things and we by him 1 Cor. 3. latter end So all those things do belong to them that believe as Gifts of his fatherly Love and Goodness to us in Christ as we take our Bread out of Christ's hands so we must be married to Christ before married to one another the Marriage-Covenant should be begun and concluded between Christ and you 5. For the End the general and last End of this as of every Action must be God's Glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. and Col. 3. 17. A Christian's Second-Table Duties and First-Table Duties should have on them holiness to the Lord. All the Vessels of Ierusalem must have God's Impress More particularly our increase in Godliness and the propagation of the Holy Seed must be aimed at Where one Person is a Believer much more where both they beget Sons and Daughters to God But now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. But those out of the Church beget Sons and Daughters to Men merely to people the World Seth's Children are called Sons of God Gen. 6. 1 2. In the careful Education of Children the Church is upheld 2. When his Providence is owned and acknowledged It is the Duty of them that fear God to own him upon all Occasions especially in such a Business Heathens would not begin such a Business without a Sacrifice There is a special Providence about Marriages God claimeth the Power of Match-making to himself more than he doth of ordering any other Affairs of Men Prov. 19. 14. Riches and Honours are an Inheritance from our Fathers but a good Wife is from the Lord. Inheritances pass by the Laws of Men though not without the intervention of God's Providence who determineth to every Man the time of his Service and the bounds of his Habitation where every Man shall live and what he shall enjoy The Land of Canaan was divided by Lot but Marriage is by the special Destination of his Providence either for a Punishment to Men or for a Comfort and a Blessing Here Providence is more immediate by its influence upon the Hearts of Men here Providence is more strange and remarkable in casting all Circumstances and Passages that did concern it Estates fall to us by more easy and obvious Means and therefore though nothing be exempted from the Dominion of Providence yet a good Wife is especially said to be of the Lord. So also Prov. 18. 22. Whoso findeth a Wife findeth a good Thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord. A Wife that is a Wife indeed one that deserveth that Name he that findeth her it is a chance to him but an ordered thing by God he hath not only experience of God's Care but his Goodness and Free-grace to him in that particular Well then God must be owned sought glorified in this particular The Husband in the Catalogue and Inventory of his Mercies must not forget to bless God for this and the Wife for the Husband the Lord was gracious in providing for me a good Companion I obtained favour from the Lord. God is concerned in this whole Affair he brought the Woman to the Man he giveth the Portion which is not so much the Dowry given by the Parents which is little worth unless his Blessing be added with it as all the Graces and Abilities by which all married Persons are made helpful one to another He giveth the Children Psalm 127. 3. Lo Children are an Heritage from the Lord Their Conception and Formation in the Womb is from God Parents know not whether it be Male or Female beautiful or deformed They know not the number of the Bones and Veins and Arteries He giveth them Life a Sentence of Death way-layeth them as soon as they come into the World He giveth them Comfort there is a great deal of
Pride and Arrogancy and Self-willedness in all the Sons and Daughters of Adam which makes them uncomfortable in their Relations A Wife would soon prove a Iezabel and not an Abigail and a Husband a Nabal and not a David by Satan's Malice and our own Corruption an Help would soon become a Snare They that would perform the Duties of this Relation need strongly to be supported with the Assistance of God's Spirit Finally my Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might Ephes. 6. 10. So that since God giveth all surely his Providence must be owned and acknowledged and you ought to say This is the Wife God hath chosen for me and this is the Husband God hath chosen for me II. Why is this so necâ—ssâ—ry a Duty It doth in a great measure appear from what is said already But farther 1. It will be a great engagement upon us to give God all the Glory of the Comfort we have in such a Relation when you do more sensibly and explicitly take one another out of God's Hands We are apt to look to second Causes he that sendeth the Present is the giver not he that bringeth it to us The Romans were wont once a Year to cast Garlands into their Fountains by that superstition owning the benefit they had by them However it hath a good Moral to us in the Bosom of it that we should own the Fountain of our Blessings and not ascribe them to our own Wisdom and Foresight but the Grace and Favour of God who in the meer Lottery and Chance of humane Affairs was pleased to chuse so well for us Iacob owned his Fountain when he was become two Bands Gen. 32. 10. So should we of him through him to him do mutually infer one another What we have from God must be used for God God is very jealous that we will not look to the Original and first cause of our Mercies Hos. 2. 8. She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil and multiplied her Silver and Gold and therefore will I return and take away my Corn and Wine and Oil and Flax c. It is the way to lose our Comforts when we do not own and acknowledg God's Hand in them We are drowned in sense inured and accustomed to second Causes so that God's Hand is invisible and little regarded we know it not or heed it not Now that we may look up and own the first Cause and give him his due Honour it is good to have explicit and actual thoughts in the receiving of our Mercies so as to take them out of God's Hand to draw aside the Vail and Covering of the Creature that you may remember the Giver 2. That we may carry our selves more holily in our Relations it is good to see God's Hand in them Every Relation is a new Talent wherewith God intrusteth us to trade for his Glory and to that end we must make Conscience to use it In Mat. 25. the Master delivered to every one his Goods apart and they that had the Benefit received the Charge We are often pressed to do things as in and to the Lord upon religious and gracious Reasons It hath been the credit of Religion Dent tales Mercatores tales Maritos tales Exactores fisci c. Let History shew such Husbands such Wives c. The Christian Religion maketh a Man conscientiously careful and tender of his Duty to Man not from a natural Principle or from our own Ease Peace and Credit but from the Conscience of our Duty to God Now it must not lose this Credit by you God puts us into Relations to see how we will glorify him in them there is something more required of you then as single Christians God that puts a Man into the Ministry requireth that he should honour him not only as a Christian but as a Minister And God that calleth a Man into Magistracy requireth that he should honour him as a Magistrate So to be a Master of a Family and a Wife or Husband there is another Talent to be accounted for An Ambassador that is sent into a Foreign Country about special Business must give an account not only as a Traveller but as an Ambassor of the Business he was intrusted with God will have honour by you as a Wife or as a Husband you have a new opportunity to make Religion amiable that the unbelieving World may see how profitable the heavenly Life is to humane Society 3. That we may more patiently bear the Crosses incident to this state of Life if God call us to them They that launch forth into the World sail in a troublesome and tempestuous Sea and cannot expect but to meet with a Storm before they come to the end of their Voyage The married Life hath its Comforts and also its Encumbrances and Sorrows Now it will sweeten all our Crosses incident to this Condition when we remember we did not rashly enter into it by our own choice but were led by the fair directure and fair invitation of God's Providence we need not much be troubled at what overtaketh us in the way of our Duty and the Relations to which we are called that Hand that sent the Trouble will sanctify it or he will over-rule things so that they shall work for our good If God call us into this Estate â—he will support us in it It is a great satisfaction to you that you are acting that part in the World which God would have you act that you can say I am there where God hath set me and therefore will bear the Troubles that attend that state and condition of Life If a Man run on his own Head and Inconveniences arise they are more uncomfortably born It is true that God doth fetch off his People from the Afflictions they have brought upon themselves by their Sin and Folly such is the indulgence of his Grace yet those Sufferings are the more uncomfortable that take us out of the way of our Duty and God hath undertaken only to keep us in all our Ways but not out of our Duty Psalm 91. 11. The Promises are not to foster Men in their running after Folly but to encourage them in their several Callings and state of Life wherein God hath set them there we may abide with comfort and expectation either of God's Blessing or his Support We tempt God when we venture upon a state of Life which he hath not called us to and have not his Warrant but when it is not good for us to be alone and the Lord sends an help-meet for us he will not forsake us 4. We may with the more confidence apply our sâ—lves to God and depend on him for a Blessing upon a Wife of God's chusing or an Husband of God's chusing We have access to the Throne of Grace with more hope because we have given up our selves to his Direction Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct