possession of the Kingdome He liveth and was dead and behold he is alive for â—vermore He is set down with his Father in his Throne and is gone thither partly to this end that he might fit Crowns and prepare Mansions for his persevering followers Joh. 14. 2. 4. A fourth Argument shall be drawn from the forâ—â—asts of this glorious life that at present are vouchsafed Life spiritual is Life eternal in the Bud and the Bud will at length be fully blown In Ordinances an heaven upon earth is somtimes enjoyed Oh then how are the things unseen made evident When faith and spiritual sense and experience go together then there is that which the Apostle calls a full assurance of understanding Col. 2. 2. 5. A fifth Argument shall be drawn from the earnest of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13 14. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the carnest of our inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his Glory And in other places we read of the â—arnest of the Spirit The Spirit of wisdome and revelation makes the Saints know what is the hope of their Calling and what the riches of their glorious inheritance And the Lord gives his Spirit not only to reveal this to them but as an earnest and pledge to assure them of it and that after they are made meet to be partakers of the life and glory which he hath promised they shall undoubtedly enjoy it I come at last to the Uses USE I. Of Instruction We may learn the woâ—ul condition of the ungodly a Crown there is but not for them a glorious life above but they shall dye the everlasting death By the ungodly I mean they that allow themselves in sin which the Word and Conscience tels them they ought to cast away Not only the open unbeliever but the secret hypocrite is concerned who is an unbeliever as well as the other When these do read of Heavens joyes it should fill them with sorrow to consider that their triumph will be but short and their joy will last but for a moment Job 20. 5. There are these Five things that will exceedingly aggravate the loss of life to the ungodly 1. This life was proffer'd often to the ungodly in the Gospel The Fountain of living waters was not a Fountain sealed but 't was set open and yet this Fountain was forsaken for the sake of broken Cisterns The Spirit and the Bride say come the Ministers of the Gospel say come and the sinners pressing necessity and want sayes Go and drink of the waters of life since thou mayest do it freely Rev. 22. 17. and yet he refuseth to accept the invitation Pardon goes as it were a begging and Glory a begging in the Gospel and yet neither are accepted though offered upon terms most just and reasonable Oh how will it torture the damned to reflect upon this that they would not come to Christ though life was assured upon their coming Joh. 5. 40. 2. 'T will heighten the misery of undone sinners to consider what they preferr'd before this Crown of life Oh where were their wits when sin was cherished in their hearts while Christ stood at the door When the world that is so empty so unstable â—o ensnaring was lookt upon as a better inheritance then that which is incorruptible 3. Some that perish have been not far from the kingdom The spirit of God hath striven their own spirits have been startled and almost perswaded to turn indeed and if they had done so they would have lived this crown had been their own But some sin or other was a cord to hold them fast some command wherein suffering self-denial strictness is enjoyned made them first demur then consulting with flesh and blood to take offence at Christ and so away And 't is an hightning of misery to have been near to happiness through our own fault and folly to have miss't of iâ— 4. The ungodly hereafter will have other apprehensions of this crown which they have slighted When they see the Prophets and Apostles and Saints in the Kingdom and do perceive what a lustre their crowns have what bliss and glory is their portion Oh how will they grow mad mad at themselves for grief and vexation that they were so soâ—tishly ignorant to contemn such a treasure 5. Despair of ever gaining that Crown of Life will seize upon them Now there is hope but hereafter the door of heaven and the door of hope too will be shut and never open'd more No prayers will be heard no tears will move compassion Christ the giver of life will say depart ye cursed and the invitation to come to him will be heard no more for ever How will desperation torture them when they consider what they have lost and how their loss is irreparable Fools they lived and fools they dyed and then after-wisdom cannot at all avail them Bring these things to mind consider and shew your selves men O ye transgressours When life and death were set before you why should death as the best of the two be chosen USE II. Of Examination It highly concerns all to examine whether they have a right to this Crown of life or no Most expect it but most will be ashamed of their ungrounded hope and expectation To help you against deceiving your own souls in this self-examination I shall describe those that have a title to this Crown that are indeed the heirs of life by these ensuing characters 1. They who have a right to the Crown of life are believers on the Son of God Joh. 3. ult He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life What is it to believe on Christ 'T is to recieve him as he is offered in the Gospel How is Christ offered in the Gospel As a Prince and as a Saviâ—ur Christ cannot be received as a Prince but the dominion of sin must be pulled down He cannot be received as a Saviour but our own righteousness and strength must be look't upon as insufficient and unavaluable to salvation He that thus hath accepted the Son hath life by him 1 Joh. 5. 11. This is thâ— record that God hath given us eternal life anâ— this life is in â—his Son seek it elsewhere 〈◊〉 you will never find it 2. They who are heirs to the Crown of life are quickned by the Spirit 'T is the Spirit that quickens Joh. 6. 63. Sometime they were dead in trespasses and sins but God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved them did quicken them by the holy Ghost Eph. 2. 4 They are alive to God his spirit dwels in them they breathe after him they walk in his wayes they do his work they aim at his glory And this life spiritual is the forerunner of and preparative to that which is eternal 3. They who are heirs to the Crown of life diligently hearken to the word of God
of you into prison that ye may be tried The word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye may be tempted Now trial or temâ—tation is sometimes taken in a bad sometimes in a good sense and the text may be understood either way 1. Tryal or temptation may be taken in a bad sense as referred to the Devil Certainly he by imprisoning believers designes to make them weary of their Lords yoak he would fain have them murmure and be impatient under restraint and draw them to some sinful compliance to the wounding of their consciences for the regaining of their liberty He endeavours to make them grow discontented quarrel at the Lords dispensations that their enemies which are vile and the basest of men should yet prosper and themselves in the mean time be exposed to so many hardships and inconveniencies notwithstanding the integrity of their hearts and the unblamableness of their conversations 2. Trial or temptation may be taken in a good sense as referred to Gods permitting the Saints to be thus exercised He hath certainly a wise and gracious and holy end in it 'T is true God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man Jam. 1. 13. And yet 't is expresly affirmed that God did tempt Abraham Gen. 20. 1. How shall these two places be reconciled I answer That temptation spoken of by the Apostle James is to be understood concerning drawing away and enticing to wickedness v. 14. of ch 1. And thus God tempteth not he neither infuseth nor excites any sinful inclinations in the heart of man but strictly forbids sin and will severely punish it Thus men are tempted by Satan and especially by their own lusts But that temptation spoken of by Moses is as much as trying or making proof of Abrahams sincerity and thus to tempt is not at all unbecoming or inconsistent with the Lords holinesse and goodness and when he suffers believers to be imprisoned 't is for their tryal that he does it Now here I shall first shew What of the Saints is tryed by imprisonment and sufferings of the like nature Secondly to what end they are thus tryed In the first place What of the Saints is tryed by imprisonment and sufferings of the like nature First their Faith Secondly their Love Thirdly their subjection and obedience 1. Their Faith is tryed They that can loose what they have for Christ it argues a full perswasion that Christ is better than their earthly enjoyments and that they believe there is such a fulness in him as can make up all their losses Such esteem the promises of eternal blessings exceeding great and precious who are resolved to embrace them whatever they fling away besides When in a good Cause we lightly esteem liberty and outward accommodations it shewes we have that faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Our faith gives a subsistence to and mightily reallizeth those things which as yet we have only the hopes of enjoying and makes the great things of another world evident though not to be seen or possessed till hereafter Faith is a noble grace it glorifies God exceedingly when a man upon the Lords word will consent to quit all that 's near and dear to him in expectation of a Kingdom and Glory which no man alive ever saw 2. By imprisonment and other sufferings Believers Love is tryed They who can undervalue Liberty and livelyhood and life for the sake of the Son of God may boldly say as Peter did in another case Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that we love thee 'T is manifest they love the Lord Jesus in sincerity But if when the world and Christ stand in competition we hold to the world and despise the Lord certainly our love is but a painted not a real fire Love is a Grace of an uniting nature The History tells us That the soul of Jonathan was knit to David and he loved him as his own soul and we find that the displeasure which Saul had conceived against David and the danger that Jonathan was in for his affection sake could not cool much less quench his love If we love our Lord our souls will be knit to him and troubles will be so far from dissolving the union that they will cause us to cling the closer and câ—aâ—p the faster about him 2. By imprisonment and sufferings of the like nature there is a tryal made of believers subjection and obedience When they will do for God though presently suffering for God follow this argues they have learned to deny their own wills and taken the Word and will of God as their guide and Rule When they regard the commands of God above the commands of men are awed by the threatnings of God more than the threats of men and dread Gods displeasure more than mans anger this is a demonstration that they have submitted unto Christs Scepter and that the Promise of the Covenant is fulfilled Heb. 8. 10. I will put my Lawes into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people In the second place I am to tell you for what end God will have his Saints thus tryed 1. That the truth of their Grace may be evident and great peace must be the concomitant of that evidence When their gold is tryed in the fire and glisters the more shines the brighter they may be pronounced rich indeed The man that is rich in the World hath no reason to glory in his riches for he is but a beggar in comparison 2. They are tryed that Satan may be silenced He can no longer say that the Saints are mercenary or selfish when self is thus denyed when peace of conscience is preferred before the greatest outward peace and prosperity and so the inheritance above may be secured they put it to the venture what the world can do to them or take from them The Lord may say to Satan and this accuser of the brethren have nothing to reply Hast thou considired my suffering Servants how perfect and upright they be They fear God and eschew evil though by departing from evil they make themselves a prey 3. Believers are tryed that God who upholds them may be honoured The Lord is with them in the furnace he keeps them like the Bush in the midst of the flaming fire unconsumed He shewes his wisdome and grace in so tempering the furnace as that it is both tolerable and also effectual unto their refining The Saints have abundant cause readily to acknowledge that their support in trouble their benefit by trouble and their deliverance out of trouble is wholly to be ascribed unto God and he is glorified by this which is so just an acknowledgment USE I. Of Admonition to unsound Professours Be restless till you are searched and changed so as to have truth in your inward parts else you will never
what it is to be faithful Secondly I shall give good and sufficient reason why a Christian should be faithful In the first place I am to shew what it is to be faithful This Apostle does briefly and yet excellently set forth 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy according to the prophesies which went before on thee that by them thou mightest war a good warfare holding Faith and a good Conscience And in holding these we hold all that is worth our care to secure The Epithite Precious is given to Faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. To them who have obtained the precious faith with us And if you would know how precious you have it 1 Pet. 1. 7. Faith is not only said to be as precious as gold but much more precious then gold nay much more precious then gold that perisheth therefore 't is to be held fast Now in holding of Faith these five things are implied We hold fast first the Doctrine Secondly the Object Thirdly the Confidence Fourthly the Life Fifthly the Profession of our faith without wavering 1. He that is faithful holds fast the doctrine of faith The truthes of Christ he looks upon as worth the buying at any rate but nothing shall make him sell them Buy the truth and sell it not said wise Solomon Truth is of God a bright and glorious beam that shines from the Sun of righteousness Truth is a Christians Pilot his Compass he will quickly split on some rock or sink in some sand if this be not heeded the Christian is in a dark place where stumbling blocks and snares are innumerable many and the truth of Christ the doctrine of faith is a light unto his feet and a lamp unto his paths The Church of Pergamus though they welt where Satans seat was yet sayes Christ Rev. 2. 13. Thou holdest fast my name and hast not decayed my Faith that is my doctrine which I delivered to be believed and obeyed Rather then the Gospel should be let go and buried in silence we must venture all for its propagation Even Peace it self we are to endeavour after no further then consistent with truth The Apostle matter'd not what troubles and stir the Gospel occasioned and though Satan and the ungodly did storm at the light they boldly did publish that message which they had a command to deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As long as the Gospel lives and thrives no matter what disturbances are created by its enemies 2. He that is faithful holds fast the Object of Faith Now the Object of faith is said down Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me sayes Christ to his Disciples 'T is our duty and our safety to cleave unto the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent A believer keeps his hold of God who is his shield and exceeding great reward who can defend him from evil or turn those evils which he feels to his advantage who can crown him with loving kindness and such mercies as are tender sutable satisfactory and sure Neither will he let go his hold of Jesus Christ who brought him near and keeps him near unto this God who guides him by his spirit who by vertue of his blood and intercession is continually making up the breaches that the believers sinful infirmities do make and who out of his fulness is ready to impart whatever grace in any time of need is necessary 3. He that is faithful holds fast his assurance and confidence of faith Aâ—ter he hath given all diligence to attain assurance he is loth to lose what cost him such pains to get The Apostle prâ—sses this again and again Heb. 3. 6. But Christ as a son over his own house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope firm unto the end And Heb. 10. 5. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Assurance of faith is a mighty support in the evil day The eye of faith when faith is heightned into a full perswasion and confidence will look through the clouds and behold God smiling when men do frown faith will hear God speaking peace in a still voyce when the mouths of men are full of threatnings and furious rebukes Faith will perceive the better substance enduring when earthly goods are taken away But when troubles on earth surround us on every side and we are at uncertainties what will be our lot in the next world When there are fightings without and in reference to our spiritual estate doubts and fears within this will render our condition doleful Oh therefore labour and pray for assurance cherish not any distemper of heart give no place to the Devil for thus doing will feed your fears and strengthen your unbelief 4. He that is faithful holds fast the life of faith As this is the safest so 't is the sweetest life on earth They that walk by sight and not by faith will presently grow faint and weary in the hour of temptation If flesh and blood are consulted with if our murmuring and repining senses are heeded we shall refuse to rowe against the stream and be carryed away with the corruption of the times we live in If Moses had been led by sense his choice and practice would have been contrary to what it was Sense would have prized Honour and so he would have still been called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter Sense would have coveted wealth and delight and so he would have had his heart glewed to the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt But Moses walked by faith and therefore chose to suffer afflictions with the people of God he esteemed it part of his riches to be reproached for Christ for faith continually shewed Him that is invisible and the Recompence of reward to him Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27. So the Apostle walked by faith and professeth Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me They that live by faith stay themselves upon the promises of sustentation and no weight can sink them they câ—st their burthens and themselves too upon the Lord who being faithful will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able 5. He that is faithful holds fast the Profession of his faith He heeds that admonition of the Apostle Heb. 10. 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that hath promised He is not asham'd of his Lord Master nay esteems it an honour for his Masters sake to be despised Though the Kings and Rulers of the earth take counsel and set themselves against the Lords Christ yet the faithfuâ— servant will stick to him He is not ashamed to be of that way that is every wherâ— spoken against
Lords work we tell the World that our Master is exceeding gracious and who knows but that by this means the number of his servants may be increased 2. The man that 's faithful proclaims his Lords power The power of Christ doth rest upon him else he would be unstable as water who through Christ strengthening of him is like the very Rock unshaken and the more weak the Believer is the more glorious is his power in whom he believes USE I. Of Reproof and I shall direct it to two sorts of persons 1. The fickle and unconstant are to be reproved Their spirit is unstedfast with the Lord if the World make proffer of its good things or threaten them with evil Vain hopes draw them away vain fears drive them away from Christ Somtimes they seem to be his humble Servants but this is only an hypocritical kind of complement Self they are resolved to serve to please and to secure whatever become of Christ his Honour and his Gospel 2. They are to be reproved that are in an ill sense faithful Faithful to their sins which are the worst masters unmoveable in their resolution to make provision for the flâ—sh to fulfil the lusts thereof There is a strange stouâ—ness of spirit and fixedness in evil that is to be found in thousands Their neck is like an iron sinew their brow like brass they make their faces harder then a rock they refuse to return Say what we will sin is their master and sin they will serve though they be told an hundred and an hundred times that death is its wages They aâ—e as unchangeable in evil as the spots of the Leopard â—or the blackness of the Ethiopian Oh that we would learn of sins vassals to be as faithful to the best as they are to the worst Lord. USE II. Of Exhortation Let me press you to be faithful 1. How many obligations lye upon you to be stedfast infinite millions of encouragements â—he gives you the more constant the more comfort and peace is found Great peace have they sayes David that love thy law and nothing shall offend them Every mercy of those many thousands you receive should be a cord to â—ye you faster unto God and what strange kind of hearts have you if so many cords are sâ—apt asunder and so many obligations are forgotten 2. Whom do you leave when you are unfaithful you forsake that Lord whose loving kindness is so excellent who is able to perform all things for you whose all-sufficiency can furnish you though never so indigent This God you leave and for what do you leave him 'T is for that which is not bread 'T is for that which can never satisfie Isa 55. 2. 3. By unfaithfulness you not only deprive your selves of the Lords goodness but engage him against you Ezra 8. 22. His hand is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against those that forsake him And wrath armed with such power is dreadful God greatly abhors the backslider when his ancient people turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers 't is said When the Lord heard this he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel Psal 78. 57 59. 4. If you are faithful with God you shall find by experience his wayes to be truth and mercy Psal 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies His promises you shall experience to be true his mercies will all in mercy be 〈…〉 oved Nay there will be mercy in every affliction in every distress mercy supporting mercy reviving mercy turning all things to the best As the Philosophers stone is said to turn all meâ—tals into gold USE III. Of direction how to be made faithful 1. Be sensible of the treachery of your own spirits and let this make you the more jealous of your selves all your dayes Watch ye stand fast sayes the Apostle If you would stand fast you must be exceeding vigilant Watch that nothing come in at the door of your senses which may prove a snare and that nothing go out of your heart which may defile you When first the heart begins to grow weary of well-doing or to hearken to the tempter observe it and being apprehensive of your danger cry to be quickned and established 2. Pray to be upheld by the spirit of the Lord. Thus did David Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty life holiness strength Grieve not the spirit but be obsequious to him and he will strengthen you with might in your inward man When Christ was about to go away and part with his Disciples he promises to send the spirit who should abide with them for ever and 't was by this spirit that they were born up and carried thorow all their work and the difficulties that attended it 3. Plead the Covenant one clause whereof is this I will not turn away â—from them to do them good and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Again he saith Jer. 3. 19. Thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not depart from me Prize these promises plead them believe them and as sure as God is faithful he will make you faithful whatever your sufferings or temptations be The Eighth Doctrine A Christians faithfulness must run parallel with his life to the death he must be stedfast This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the death may have a double interpretation 1. Be thou faithful to the death that is be thou unmovable though it cost thee thy life to be so Prefer not thy life before that Lord who laid down his life to redeem thee from death and who will recompence the loss of life temporal with that life that 's everlasting A Christian is to resist even unto blood striving against sin as the Apostle speaks he must choose rather to part with his blood than to lose his God 2. Be faithful to the death that is all thy dayes be faithful that when death comes and the Lord by death he may find thee doing his work doubling his talents standing up for his interest notwâ—thstanding all derision and opposition The Reasons why we should be faithful to the death are these 1. Much of the former part of our life hath been lost therefore all the remainder should be the more faithfully devoted to God The time past of our life may more than suffice to have dishonoured him therefore all the rest of our time in the flesh should be lived not to the lusts of men either our own lusts or the lusts of others but to the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 2 3. The whole was his due let him not be denyed that part which is behind 2. The longer we know our Lord and the closer we keep to him the better we shall like him therefore