God in communion is always fresh and new to the blessed spirits And take it for love to the Saints it 's only perfect in Heaven where there is no ignorance pride partialities and factions where Luther and Zuinglius Hooper and Ridley joyn in perfect consort Again Observe the aptness of these requests to the times wherein he prayed when Religion was scandalized by loose Christians and carnal doctrines were obtruded upon the Church In times of defection from God and wrong to the Truth there is great need of mercy peace and love Of mercy that we may be kept from the snares of Satan Christians whence is it that any of us stand that we are found faithful 'T is because we have obtained mercy They would deceive if it were possible the very Elect Mat. 24. 24. Why is it not possible to deceive the Elect as well as others of what mould are they made wherein do they differ from other men I answer Elective grace and mercy interposeth 't is not for any power in themselves but because Mercy hath singled them out and chosen them for a distinct people unto God And we need peace and inward consolations that we may the better digest the misery of the times and love that we may be of one mind and stand together in the defence of the Truth Again Note the aptness of the blessings to the persons for whom he prayeth Here are three blessings that do more eminently and distinctly suit with every person of the Trinity and I do the rather note it because I find the Apostle elsewhere distinguishing these blessings by their proper fountains as Rom. 1. 7. Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Sort the blessings right there is grace from the Father and peace from Christ So here is mercy from God the Father who is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. and peace from the Son for he is our peace Ephes 2. 14. and love from the Spirit Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us Thus you see every Person concureth to our happiness with his distinct blessing In the next place how aptly these blessings are suited among themselves first mercy then peace and then love mercy doth not differ much from that which is called grace in Pauls Epistles only grace doth more respect the bounty of God as mercy doth our want and need By mercy then is meant the favour and good-will of God to miserable creatures and peace signifieth all blessings inward and outward as the fruits and effects of that favour and good-will more especially calmness and serenity of Conscience or a secure enjoying of the love of God which is the top of spiritual prosperity And then love sometimes signifieth Gods love to us here I should rather take it for our love to God and to the Brethren for Gods sake So that mercy is the rise and spring of all peace is the effect and fruit and love is the return He beginneth with mercy for that is the fountain and beginning of all the good things which we enjoy higher then love and mercy we cannot go for Gods Love is the reason of it self Deut. 7. 7 8. Rom. 9. 15. Isai 45. 15. and we can deserve nothing at Gods hands but wrath and misery and therefore we should still honour Mercy and set the Crown upon Mercy 's head as further anon that which you give to Merit you take from Mercy Now the next thing is peace mark the order still without mercy and grace there can be no true peace Isai 57. 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked they say Peace peace but my God doth not say so Christ left his peace with his own Disciples John 14. 27. and not as worldly and external peace is left in the happiness of which both good and bad are concerned that is general but this is proper confined within the Conscience of him that enjoyeth it and given to the godly 'T is the Lords method to pour in first the oyl of grace and then the oyl of gladness Alas the peace of a wicked man 't is but a frisk or fit of joy whilest Conscience Gods watchman is naping stoln waters and bread eaten in secret Prov. 9. 17. The way to true peace is to apply your selves to God for mercy to be accepted in Christ to be renewed according to the Image of Christ otherwise sin and guilt will create fears and troubles Again the last thing is love great priviledges require answerable duty Mercy and peace need another grace and that 's love 'T is Gods gift as well as the rest we have graces from God as well as priviledges and therefore he beggeth love as well as mercy and peace but it must be our act though we have the grace from above We would all have mercy and peace but we are not so zealous to have love kindled in our hearts Mercy peace all this runneth downward and respects our interest but love that mounteth upward and respects God himself Certainly they have no interest in mercy and were never acquainted with true peace that do not find their hearts inflamed with love to God and a zeal for his glory that as he hath ordered all things for our profit so we may order and refer all things to his glory and honour Mercy runneth down from God and begets peace of Conscience for peace of Conscience is nothing else but a solid taste of Gods mercy and peace of Conscience begets love by which we clasp about God again for love is nothing else but a reverberation or beating back of Gods beam upon himself or a return of duty in the sense of mercy so that God is at the beginning and ending and either way is the utmost boundary of the Soul all things are from him and to him Secondly Let me handle them particularly and apart and first Mercy which is the rise and cause of all the good we have from God The Lord would dispense blessings in such a way as might beat down despair and carnal confâ—â—ence Man hath need of mercy but deserveth none Despair would keep us from God and carnal confidence robbeth him of his glory therefore as the Lord would not have flesh to glory so neither to be cut off from all hope Mercy salveth both we need not fly the sight of God there is mercy with him why he should be feared Psal 130. 7. False worships are supported by terror but God that hath the best title to the heart will gain it by love and offers of mercy And we have no reason to ascribe any thing to our selves since Mercy doth all in the Court of Heaven and not Justice If you reckon upon a debt you are sure to miss 'T is a part of Gods Supremacy that all his blessings should come as a gift
heart be opprest with sins in the mean time and be not upright with God 1 Cor. 13. 1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels and have not charity I am become but as a sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbal Though you can speak of the things of God with much enlargement and affection pray sweetly all is but as tinkling with God if there be not saving grace It is a great evidence that we are such as the Apostle speaketh of when the affection doth not answer the expression of a duty nor the life our knowledg and gifts have not a proportionable influence upon practise So much for that Point Having spoken of the State I come now to speak of the Author of it God the Father But why is it so distinctly attributed to the Father is not Christ our Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. and is it not called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2. 14. The Answer shall draw out the strength of the phrase in these Propositions 1. It is true that the whole Trinity one way or other concurreth to the work of holiness those works ad extra are indivisa common to all the Persons the Father sanctifieth the Son sanctifieth and the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the same may be said of preserving and calling 2. Though all work joyntly yet there are distinct personal operations by which they make way for the glory of each other the love of the Father for the glory of the Son and the glory of the Son for the power of the Spirit See how the Scripture followeth these things You shall find first that no man cometh to the Son but from the Father by Election Iohn 6. 37. All that the Father giveth shall come to me so vers 65. No man cometh unto me unless it be given him of my Father Look again and you shall find that no man cometh to the Father from the bondage of sin and Satan but by the Son through his Redemption and Mediation John 14. 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Again you shall see no man is united to the Son but by the Holy Ghost who worketh in those whom the Father did choose and the Son redeem and therefore the Sanctification of the Spirit is as necessary as the Blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 2. So that you see all have their distinct work the Inchoation is from the Father the Dispensation by the Son and the Consummation by the Spirit from the Father in the Son and through the Spirit there is Gods choyce Christs purchase and the Spirits application all are joyned in one Verse for indeed they must not be severed even in the place last alledged 1 Pet. 1. 2. 3. Because the first distinct operation is the Fathers therefore the whole work in Scripture is often ascribed to him he is said to justifie The Iustifier of them that beleeve in Iesus Rom. 3. 26. So he is said elsewhere to purge Iohn 15. 1 2. I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit All dependeth upon the decree of his love Christ doth not work upon a person unless he be given to him by the Father and therefore he being first in order and operation the whole work is made his work Sanctified in God the Father Observe That Sanctification is Gods work wrought in us by the Father To cleanse the heart is beyond the power of the creature it can no more make it self holy then make its self to be We could defile our selves but we cannot cleanse our selves as the sheep can go astray of its self but it can never return to the fold without the shepherds care and help Lusts are too hard for us and so are the duties of obedience God that gave us his Image at first must again plant it in the Soul Who can repair Nature depraved but the Author of Nature When a Watch is out of order we send it to the Workman We are his workmanship in Christ Ephes 2. 10. God taketh it to be his Prerogative Levit. 21. 8. I am the Lord that sanctifieth thee Grace is his immediate creature Mans will contributeth nothing to the work but resistance and rebellion and outward means work not unless God put in with them else why should the same Word preached by the same Minister work in some and harden others all the difference ariseth from Gods grace which acteth according to pleasure Well then 1. Let us wait upon God till the work be accomplished Our wills are obstinate and perverse but God never made a creature too hard for himself he is able to do this thing for us and 't is our comfort we have such a God to go to The Heathens that groped and felt after God were to seek of a power to quell their lusts and therefore were put upon sad remedies whereas all is made easie to you in the power of God through Christ Crates gave this advice to one that came to him to know how he should subdue the lust of uncleanness he answered that he should either famish himself or hang himself they knew no remedy but offering violence to Nature or else death and despair Democritus blinded himself because he could not look upon women without lusting after them Now God teacheth us to put out the eye of our lust not of our bodies Bless God that you know whose work it is and to whom to go for Sanctification 2 Vse Praise the Lord when ever this work is accomplished Not I but grace it must not be ascribed to our works or to any power that is in our selves but to Gods mercy Christs merits and the Spirits efficacy There is Gods grant To her it was granted to be covered with fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints Rev. 19. 18. God the Father giveth leave or issueth forth an Authentick Act and Decree in the Court of Heaven as Esther by the grant of the King was supplyed out of the Kings Wardrobe Then there is Christs merit the stream wherein we are washed floweth out of Christs own heart 1 John 1. 7. The Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Then there is the Spirits efficacy no less power will vanquish the proud heart of man 'T is notable that grace is expressed not only by the notion of Creation which is a making things out of nothing but also by Victory or a powerful overcoming of opposition In Creation as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to resist and hinder but in man there is besides a death of sin a life of resistance against grace therefore Sanctification must entirely be ascribed to God we deserve it not it cometh from the Fathers good-will and Christs merit we work iâ— not 't is accomplished by the power of the Holy Ghost Again observe That though the work of grace be immediately
wrought by another person yet our thoughts in beleeving must not stay till we ascend and come up to God the Father You shall see the Scripture carryeth out our acts of faith to him every where Rom. 4. 24. If we beleeve in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead that is in God the Father So John 12. 44. He that beleeveth in me beleeveth not in me but in him that sent me that not is not negative but corrective not only in me but his thoughts must ascend to the Father also who manifesteth himself in me So John 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me Both expressions may be imperative Besides beleeving in Christ we must also beleeve in God as the first Fountain and Author of grace Now the Reasons are 1. Because all grace beginneth with the Father the first in order of being is first in order of working 'T is the Father that floweth out to us in Christ and by the Spirit What ever Christ hath and is he hath from him as the original Author 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him Jesus Christ is made to us Sanctification The high Priest went into the Sanctuary before he blessed the people so doth Jesus Christ sanctifie you in the Father and from the Father as Mediator certainly he is to be considered as Gods Servant and Instrument Well then Reason is in its progress till it climb up to the first cause of a thing so should Faith do not leave till you come to the Father who is the highest Fountain of grace 2. Because what ever is done to you by Christ is done with a respect to his Fathers love John 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him So see verse 6. I have manifested thy Name unto them thine they were and them thou gavest me That was the ground of Christs respect the Fathers donation or the charge he received from him and therefore you must look upon the Fathers love as well as Christs care for in all his respects to us he still acknowledgeth his obedience to the Father and indeed it giveth us a double ground of hope the Son loveth us because the Father required it and the Father loveth us because the Son asketh it if Christ be faithful to his Father we are sure to be loved or if the Father have any respect and love to Christ 3. Because 't is a great support and comfort to faith to consider of the Father in the act of beleeving two are better then one and 't is often made a priviledg to have the Father and the Son 1 John 1. 3. and 2. 23 24. 2 John 9. alib There is the Fathers love and the Sons merit either severally will not yeild that joy and peace in beleeving and therefore 't is good to have them both together There is no access to the Father but in the Son What will guilt do with Justice stubble with consuming fire God out of Christ is terrible rather then comfortable therefore 't is said 1 Pet. 1. 21. that by him we beleeve in God that is by Christ through his merit we come comfortably to pitch upon God the Father So again Christ separate from the Father doth not yeild such firm grounds of confidence there must be some act of the Father to give us full security for in the business of Redemption God the Father is represented as the offended wronged party who is to receive satisfaction we are sensible of the wrong and offence Conscience feeleth that we must be also sensible of his favour and grace towards us now when we see him first in all acts of grace that taketh away all jealousie and scruple 4. Because in the Fathers Love there are many circumstances which are very engaging to the Soul which are not to be found in the rest of the divine Persons for he being first in order hath the chiefest work ascribed to him but especially are not to be found in Christ as Mediator and because Christ as Mediator is most known to the creatures I shall prosecute this matter with respect to that Consideration 1. In the Fathers love and acts of grace there is an original Fulness Christs fulness as Mediator is but derived out of the Fathers plenty Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell And 't is limited by the Fathers Will in the dispensation of it all that Christ dispensed was according to the Charge and Commandment given him by his Father see Mat. 20. 23. It is not mine to give save to those for whom it is prepared of my Father Christ doth not deny his Authority to give glory as well as grace only he sheweth how in all the dispensations proper to the Mediator he was limited by the Will and Counsel of the Father And so he denyeth to dispense the knowledg of times and seasons because the Father had kept it in his own Power Acts 1. 7. So that now 't is an engaging Consideration to remember that the Father whose Will is absolute who hath an original Fulness of all grace that he himself loveth us and is first in all acts of blessing 2. In the Fathers acts you have the purest and freest apprehension of love he began and first broke the business of our Redemption God the Son can have an higher motive the Fathers Will but God the Father can have no higher motive then his own love his elective love was the first rise and spring whence all that love that passeth out to the creature issueth forth and therefore here we have the freest apprehension of love there was a love of the Father anteceding the merit of Christ John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son there was the most independent and free act of love It serveth to press us to give a distinct glory in beleeving to God the Father Get a right apprehension of the divine Persons and the several endearments with which their personal operations are represented 'T is said John 5. 23. That God will have all men honour the Son as they honour the Father God is most honoured when your thoughts are most distinct and explicite in this matter Do not forget the Father you are his gift as well as the Sons purchase and the Spirits charge If God the Father had not loved you before all worlds Jesus Christ would not have redeemed you and if Christ had not redeemed you the Spirit would never sanctifie you and as the Spirit will not work unless you look upon him as Christs Spirit John 16. 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine so Christ came to glorifie the Father and to finish his work John 17. 4. Bless them and praise them all then If you receive any thing see the Fathers bounty in it the freeness and everlastingness of his Love stamped upon what you have
Creator but then especially The aches of old serve to put us in mind of our ingratitude but the strength and vigor and freshness of youth should make us remember the bounty of our Creator Look upon the body or the soul and you will see that we have cause to love him In the body we find as many mereies as there are limbs If a man should be born blind or lame or should lose an eye or an arm or a leg how much would he love him that should restore the use of these members again We are as much bound to love him that gave them to us at first especially when we consider how often we have deserved to lose them We would love him that should raise us from the dead God is the Author of life and the continual Preserver and Defender of it If we love our parents that begot us we should much more love God that made them and us too out of nothing Take notice of the curious frame of the body David saith Psal 139. 16. I am wonderfully made accepictus sum so the Vulgar rendereth it painted as with a needle like a garment of needle-work of divers colours richly embroydered with nerves and veins What shall I speak of the eye wherein there is such curious Worshmanship that many upon the first sight of it have been driven to acknowledg God Of the hand made to open and shut and to serve the labours and ministeries of Nature without wasting and decay for many years if they should be of marble or iron with such constant use they would soon wear out and yet now they are of flesh they last as long as life lasteth Of the head fitly placed to be the seat of the senses to command and direct the rest of the members Of the lungs a frail piece of flesh yet though in continual motion of a long use 'T were easie to enlarge upon this occasion But I am to preach a Sermon not to read an Anatomy Lecture In short therefore every part is so placed and framed as if God had employed his whole Wisdom about it But as yet we have spoken but of the casket wherein the Jewel lieth the Soul that divine spark and blast how quick nimble various and indefatigable in its motions how comprehensive in its capacities how it animateth the body and is like God himself all in every part Who can trace the flights of Reason What a value hath God set upon the Soul He made it after his Image he redeemed it with Christs Blood c. Well then God that made such a body such a soul deserveth love He that made the Soul hath most right to dwell in it 't is a curious house of his own framing But he will not enter by force and violence but by consent he expecteth when love will give up the keys Rev. 3. 17. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open to me I will come in and sup with him Why should Christ stand at the door and knock and ask leave to enter into his own house he hath right enough to enter only he expecteth till we open to him 2. Preservation We are not apprehensive enough of dayly mercies The Preservation of the World is a constant Miracle The World is hanged upon nothing as 't is in the Book of Job A feather will not stay in the ayr and yet what hath the World to support it but the thin fluid ayr that is round about it 'T is easie to prove that the Waters are higher then the Land so that we are always in the case the Israelites were in when they passed through the Red Sea Nos sumus etiam tanquam in medio rubri maris saith Luther the Waters are round about us and above us bound up in an heap as it were by God and yet we are not swallowed up 'T is true the danger is not so sensible and immediate as that of the Red Sea because of the constant rampire of Providence More particularly from the womb to the grave we have hourly maintenance from God Look as the beams in the ayr are no longer continued then the Sun shineth so we do no longer continue then God upholdeth our beings by the word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. Or as 't is with a Seal in the Water take away the seal and the impress vanisheth so do we disappear as soon as God doth but loosen his Hand and almighty Grasp by which all things are upheld and preserved But let us speak of those acts of Providence that are more sensible Into how many diseases and dangers might we fall if God did not look after us as the Nurse after her child How many have gone to the grave nay it may be to Hell since the last night How many actual dangers have we escaped God hath looked after us as if he had forgotten all the world besides as if his whole employment were to do us good He saith that he will no more forget us then a woman doth her sucking child and that we are written before him and graven in the palms of his hands Isai 45. 15 c. as men tye a string about their â—inger for a remembrance or record in a book such things as they would regard all these are expressions to describe the particular and express care of Gods Providence over his children Now what shall be rendered to the Lord for all this If we could do and suffer never so much for God it will not answer the mercy of one day Certainly at least God expecteth love for love Love him as he is the strength of thy life and length of thy days Deut. 30. 26. Every days experience is new fuel to keep in the fire The very beasts will respect their preservers they are loving to those that are kind to them The Ass knoweth his owner and the Ox his masters crib There is a kind of gratitude in the beasts by which they acknowledg their benefactors that feed them and cherish them But we do not acknowledg God who feedeth us and upholdeth us every moment There is â—â— creature made worse by kindness then man He that was made to be Master of the creatures may become their Scholer there is many a good lesson to be learned in their School 3. Redemption As a man when he weigheth a thing casteth in weight after weight till the scales be counterpoysed so doth God mercy after mercy to poyse down mans heart Here is a mercy that is overweight in it self 1 John 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins If we had had the wisdom to pitch upon such a remedy as certainly it could not have entered into hearts of men or Angels yet we could not have the heart to ask it It would have seemed a rude blasphemy in our prayers to desire that the Son of God
best seen in the light of his own Spirit the Heathens could say non loquendum de Deo sine lumine we need light from God when we come to speak of or to God That sense of the Lords greatness and those fresh and awful thoughts that we have of his Majesty in prayer they are stirred up in us by the Holy Ghost he uniteth and gathereth our hearts together that they may not be ravelled and flittered abroad by impertinent and vain thoughts Psal 86. 11. Leave men to themselves and they will do as foolishly as a man that is to gather a posie for his friend and filleth it fuller of stinking weeds than flowers we shall mingle many unfavoury worldly thoughts or deal as basely and affrontingly with God as if a man under the Law should mingle Sulphure and Brimstone with the sweet perfumes that were in the Censer lust will be interposing in prayer and out-talking grace therefore that we may be reverend and heedful we must use the help of the Spirit praying in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance Eph. 6. 18. Well then when thou goest to prayer look upon the Holy Ghost as appointed by the Father and purchased by the Son to help thee in this sweet and comfortable service Rom. 8. 26. the Spirit helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goeth to the other end of the staff and beareth a part of the burden we are tugging and wrestling at it and can make no work of it but the Spirit cometh and puts under his shoulder and then it cometh off kindly 2. It informeth us how much they sin that are so far from praying with the Holy Ghost that they do not pray with their own spirit alas this is but babling when the heart doth not go along with the lips 3. It informeth us of the priviledges of the Saints God is their Father willing to hear prayers Christ is their advocate willing to present their requests in Court and the Spirit a Notary to indite and draw up their requests for them oh what incouragement have we to go to the throne of Grace Surely we do not improve our priviledges or else we might have more comfortable access to the Father through Christ by the Spirit Eph. 2. 18. Verse 21. Keep your selves in the Love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life THe Apostle goeth on directing to the means of perseverance as before he mentioned two duties Conference and Prayer so here two graces â—ove and Hope Keep your selves that is use the means we are kept by the power of God unto Salvation but because of the concurrence of ouâ— endeavours 't is ascribed to us your selves Some interpret it as before alii alios keep one another In the Love of God it may be taken for that love which God beareth to us or else for the Love wherewith we love God which is fitly called the Love of God partly because God is the object of it partly because the Author of it be commandeth or begetteth it increaseth it perfecteth it in the Soul in this second sense I take the Love of God here namely for that grace wrought in us and the great work committed to our care is to keep it encrease it and discover it in all the operations of it looking the formal act of hope for the mâ—rcy the cause is put for the effect for all that good which we shall receive at Christs coming 't is called mercy because his proceeding with the Elect at the last day will be upon terms of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is so called because 't is purchased by Christ and dispâ—nsed by him John 17 2 he hâ—th power to give eternal lifâ— and at his coming he introduceth his people into their happy estate John 14 3 unto everlasting lifâ— our happiness in Heaven is sometimes called everlasting life at other times everlasting glory Observe hence 1. In perseverance there is a concurrence of our care and diligence Phâ—l 2. 12 13 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for c. The main work is Gods he that hath begun a good work must perfect it Phil. 1. 6. and the same Jesus that iâ— author is also finisher Heb. 12. 2. the deeper radication of the habit the defence of it the growth and perfection of it the ability to act is all from God 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you but yet a concurrence there is of our care and endeavours a child in the womb is nourished by the mother liveth by the life of the mother feedeth by the food of the mother but a child born liveth a more distinct and separate life of its own though it still be under the mothers care and provision so 't is with us after grace received we have a power to act and do what is necessary for the preservation of the spiritual life Well then let us not neglect the means you must not lye upon the bed of ease and think that God must do all he doth all indeed but in us and by us Idle wishes will do us no good as long as our hands refuse to labour Again Men that have grace had need look to the keeping of it Why first we our selves are prone to revolt this people loveth to wander and they erre in their hearts though under the immediate conduct of God 'T is noteable in Scripture that we read of a decay both of faith love and obedience which are the three main graces some that left their first faith 1 Tim. 5. 12. Others that left their first love Rev. 2. 4. and as to obedience we read of the first wayes of David aâ— distinguished from his latter 2 Câ—ron 17. 3. he walked in the first wayes of his father David David in his latter time fell into scandalous crimes 2. We are assaulted with continual temptations an importunate suiter by perseverance in his suit may at length prevail Sathan will lose nothing for want of asking those that refused at first may yield afterward Long conversing with the world may taine the Spirit a deformed object when we are used to it seemeth less deformed in dwelling lust though long restrained breaketh out afterward with the more violence Rose trees sâ—ipt in June bear in the winter many that in youth have held an hard hand over sin in their very old age have found their lusts more violent 3. A man of long standing is apt to grow secure and negligent as if he were now past danger when his condition was doubtful he seemed to be more diligent and serious but when the labours and difficulties of our first entering into favour with God are well over and a man hath gotten some freedom from the terrors of the Law and some peace and confidence he is in danger of security by which all runneth to waste in the Soul see Rev. 3.
terrible Psal 2. 10. No fire so hot as that which is inkindled by the breath of the despised Gospel What a terrible threatening is there in the place alledged I will laugh at their calamity It is the greatest happiness when the Lord rejoyceth to do us good and the greatest misery when he rejoyceth to do us evil Gods laughing will certainly be the creatures mourning Consider then what an affront you put upon grace when every vile thing is preferred before it When the Lord offered Canaan to the Israelites and they preferred Egypt before it he swore They should not enter into his Rest And those that preferred a yoke of Oxen a farm or marriage before the Kings feast the King protesteth against them Luk. 14. 24. None of those that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Who ever have glory and grace by Christ they shall have none For the other sort that are kept off by their own fears they are wont to alledg It is true there is mercy in Christ for sinners but Christ doth not call them My Brethren what do you look for an audible voyce to speak to you Thou John thou Thomas c. In the tenders of the Gospel you are included as well as others and why will you exclude your selves If God say Sinners you should subsume and reply I am chief I remember it is said Joh. 10. 3. Christ calleth his sheep by name and leadeth them forth How doth Christ call them by name By speaking expresly to their case as if he did strike them upon the shoulders and say Here is comfort for thee As at a feast when there is a dish that we affect set upon the table though all the company be free to make use of it yet we say Here is a dish for me So should you apply and take to your selves your own portion though it be propounded generally yet when God directeth the tongue of his Messengers to speak so expresly to your case that is all the calling by name which you can look for since Oracles are ceased and therefore you should say This was a dish provided for my hungry Conscience intended to me c. But they will reply Sure there is no mercy for me I am so unworthy I answer The invitation taketh no notice of worth but of thirst Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Thou art not worthy but thou art thirsty or else whence come these groans And by the way take notice of the pride that is in legal dejection men are loth to be beholding to Christ they would be worthy before they will come to him and therefore the Apostle useth that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 3. They have not SUBMITTED to the righteousness of God A proud creature would fain establish a righteousness in himself and is loth to submit to take all from another As an outward proud man preferreth a russet coat of his own before a silken garment that is barrowed or given him by another But they are such sinners c. Ans The more need to come to Christ he came to call sinners Mat. 9. 13. It is no matter what thou hast been but what thou wouldst be Christ doth not call us because we are holy but that we may be holy Is it a rational plea in outward cases I am too poor to take alms I am too filthy to go to the water to be washed But they have stood out against so many calls already and scorned Gods counsel Ans Wisdom calleth scorners Prov. 1. 22. Turn ye scorners how long will ye delight in scorning It is a mercy that thou hast one call more do not increase the guilt that thou complainest of But I know not how to come to Christ Ans The blind and the lame are invited to the wedding Mat. 22. and Wisdom calleth fools Prov. 9. 5. Whoso is simple c. The stray Lamb is brought home upon the Shepherds shoulders Luke 15. Oh that these words might be spirit and life to you Again It presseth us to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. that is to evidence our election by our calling for calling it is but election put in act Election is nothing but Gods love and intention to bestow saving grace upon such and such persons and calling is nothing but the actual manifestation of Gods love or the application of saving grace Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated them he called Calling is the first and immediate fruit of Election by which it springeth forth and is exercised on the vessels of mercy So 2 Thes 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth to the obtaining of the glory of God whereunto he hath called you by my Gospel Here is the whole method of Salvation the first rise and spring of mercy was at Election which breaketh out by effectual calling and so floweth down in the channels of faith and holiness till it lose it self in the Ocean of everlasting Glory So that by calling God executeth in time what he decreed before all time and he that is called may look backward upon eternal purposes of grace and forward upon an eternal possession of glory Well then if we would get any assurance of Gods favour or of our interest in everlasting glory the great business we should labour in is to clear up our calling it is the freest and surest discovery of Gods love and so fittest to bottom a confidence or assurance In elective love we have the best view of mercy and a call is the first discovery and copy of it for it is an act of God which ariseth meerly from his choyce preventing and anteceding not only the merit but the acts and industry of the creature see 2 Tim. 1. 9. Other acts of Gods bounty follow the acts of the creature but this is the first motion God maketh to the Soul he accepts us when we come but he called us when we did not think of coming In short Calling it is the key of the Gospel the plank that is cast out to save a sinking sinner a sure pledg of glory which is therefore called the high price of our calling Phil. 3. 14. Once more here we have the clearest and most sensible experience of the work of grace After conversion the work may be carryed on tacitly and with more silence but in calling and conversion as in all changes the operations of grace are more sensible we may grow insensible as a plant doth The step from sin to grace is a work of greater difficulty and power then to go on from grace to grace as the Apostle maketh it a matter of more ease to save a Saint then to gain a sinner Rom. 5. 8 9 10. and therefore degrees cannot be alike sensible as change of state The Apostle speaking of
the first conversion of the Thessalonians he saith 1 Thes 1. 9. Ye know what manner of entring we had unto you The first approaches of Gods Power and Word to the Soul as they meet with more opposition so they cannot but be more sensible and leave a greater feeling upon us It were strange if an Almighty Power should work in us and we no way privy or conscious to it and all done as in our sleep to think so were to give security a soft pillow whereon to rest and to suffer men to go away with golden dreams though they feel no change in themselves pleasing themselves with the supposition of imaginary grace wrought without their privity and knowledg I would not press too hard upon any tender Conscience I do foresee the Objection that may be made namely That if Calling giveth such a sensible experience of the work of grace how cometh it then to pass that so few of Gods children have assurance or any sense of their conversion I answer 1. It is possible Gods Power may work in us and we not be sensible of it there is a difference between our outward and inward senses we may lose our spiritual feeling and inward sense doth not so clearly discern its object because of the way in which God conveyeth his power it is strong but sweet like the influences of the Heavens of a great efficacy but scarce discerned as there was a great power wrought in the Ephesians but they did not discern it so sufficiently Ephes 1. 18 19. 2. It is the fault of Gods children not to be sensible of the power that worketh in them sometimes it is their carelessness sometimes their peevishness Their carelessness in not observing the approaches of God and how he worketh and breaketh in upon their hearts in the Word so that the time of loves is not marked when it is present nor remembered when it is past As God said of Ephraim Hos 11. 3. When Ephraim was a child I taught him to go taking them by the arms but they knew it not that is did not observe it So God communicateth grace to his people giveth in help and supports but they observe it not Sometimes it is peevishness and perverseness of judgment sense of sin and many weaknesses like a thick cloud hinder their clear discerning God hath called them but they will not own and acknowledg it and so underrate their spiritual condition 3. God doth not call every one in a like violent and sensible manner some mens conversion is more gentle and silent whereas to others Christ cometh like a strong man armed and snatcheth them out of the fire some are drawn they know not how and love by a gentle blast sweetly and softly bloweth open the door Ere ever I was aware c. Cant. 6. 12. upon others the Spirit cometh like a mighty rushing wind and they are carryed to Christ as it were by the gates of Hell As in the natural birth some children are brought forth with more ease others with greater pains and throws so the new birth in some is without trouble and delay God opened the heart of Lydia we read of no more Acts 16. but others are brought in with more horror of Conscience extream sorrow and desperation God biddeth men put a difference Jude 22 23. so doth God himself 4. This different dispensation God useth according to his own pleasure no certain Rules can be given Sometimes they that have had good education have least terrors as being restrained from gross sins sometimes most terrors because they have withstood most means sometimes they that are called to the greatest services have most terrors that they may speak the more evil of sin because they have felt the bitterness of it sometimes it is quite otherwise those that are not called to such eminent service drink most deeply of this cup and taste the very dregs of sin and serve only as monuments of the power of Gods anger whereas others are spared and publique work serveth in stead of sorrow and trouble of Conscience Again sometimes men and women of the most excellent and acute understandings are most troubled as having the clearest apprehensions of the hainousness of sin and terribleness of wrath Again at other times it cometh from ignorance as fears arise in the dark and weak spirits are apt to be terrified sometimes these terrors fall on a strong body as best able to bear it sometimes on a weak the Devil taking advantage of the weakness of the body to raise disturbances in the mind Many times in hot and fiery natures their changes are sudden and carryed on in an extream way whereas soft natures whose motions are slower are gently and by degrees surprized they take impressions of grace insensibly Thus you see no certain Rules can be given only in the general we may observe That this different dispensation maketh the work of God in calling more or less sensible those that are brought in by the violent way and roughly must needs be sensible of that omnipotent pull by which their hearts are divorced from their corruptions and can discourse of the time the means and the manner and all the circumstances of their calling with exactness as Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ fourteen years ago c. Now every one cannot deliver a formal story nor tell you the exact method and successive operations of grace in conversion 5. Though there be a different dispensation used in calling yet there is enough to distinguish the uncalled from the called Partly because though Gods call be not discerned in the acts of it yet it may be discerned in the effects of it Conversion is evident if not in feeling yet in fruit Many works of Nature are for the convoy of them insensible but the effects appear Eccles 11. 5. We know not the way of the spirit nor how the bones grow in the womb We know not the manner point of time but yet the birth followeth They are not Christs that neither know how they are called nor can give any proof that they are called The blind man Ioh. 9. when they asked him How did he come to open thine eyes answered How he did it I cannot tell but this one thing I know that whereas I was blind I nâ—w see Early or late the Soul will give this testimony How I got him I cannot tell but I am glad I find he is here Partly because where conversion and calling is carryed on more tacitly or silently there will be something felt and found in them there is at least an anxiousness about their everlasting estate Every Soul doth not walk in the region of the shadow of death but every Soul first or last is brought to What shall I do which is usually upon some secret or open sin into which God suffereth them to fall against Conscience there will be care though not horror and solicitousness though not utter despair No Soul
plain that there I may talk with thee So Cant. 7. 11. Come my Beloved let us go forth into the fields c. Usually his first motions are to go aside and consider Christ is bashful before acquaintance and doth not speak to us in company but in private Did he ever thus invite you into secret places did he ever call thee by name speak so expresly to thy case as if he had said Here is mercy for thee comfort for thee here is thy portion First or last Gods children have such experiences There is a time of loves which they cannot forget at least a time wherein the Master of the Assemblies fastened a nail in their hearts Gods people are wont to talk how seasonably and yet how strangely Providence cast them upon such opportunities as David Psal 119. 93. I shall never forget thy Precepts for by them thou hast quickened me Oh I shall never forget such an Ordinance such a Sermon wherein the Lord was pleased to take notice of me and to speak to my heart Weak impressions are soon razed out but powerful effects of the Word leave a durable mark and character that cannot be defaced 3. The next Mark may be taken from the formal answer or correspondent act of the creature to the call of God for that is it which sealeth our Election for otherwise many be called but they are not chosen unless the heart be prevailed with to obey the call Yea the notion of Vocation in its full latitude implyeth not only Gods act but ours our answer to his call Christs sheep hear his voyce When Christ saith Mary she answereth Rabboni my Lord. Gods call is the offer of grace our answer is the accepting of grace offered there must be receiving as well as offering Vocation is not effectual unless it end in Vnion it is receiving that giveth us interest Joh. 1. 12. The Scriptures do every where imply and signifie this answerable act of the creature to the call of God God saith Seek ye my face and the Soul like a quick eccho Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27. 8. So Ier. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal you and then Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God The Soul is enabled to do that which it is exhorted to do God saith Come to Christ and the Soul saith Lord I come Well then is the call obeyed do you receive Christ for your Lord and Saviour The proper answer of the call is the consent and full purpose of the heart to take Christ for offering is the call and receiving is the answer Have you subscribed and consented to take Christ upon his own terms as the Prophet when he was to take a wife maketh an offer Hosea 3. I will be for thee and thou shalt be for me Are you content Christ will be for you in all his graces merits benefits if you will be for him in all your motions tendencies aims alas your hearts know that you are for your selves lusts interests c. 4. Again You may know your calling by the concomitant dispositions of the Soul that go along with such a return and answer Where ever Christ is received he is received with worthy and suitable affections these are most notable 1. Godly sorrow Ier. 31. 9. They shall come with weeping and supplication and I will lead them It is spoken of the Jews conversion when God cometh to lead them they shall bewail their hardness of heart and unbelief Such kind of workings there are in the heart of every returning sinner as that God should look upon such a worthloss creature as I am that have all this while gainsayed and stood out many an invitation that ever God should care for such a vile and stubborn wretch seek to reclaim such a wayward heart Usually there are such mournful and self-humbling reflections that get the start of faith and comfort and do more sensibly bewray themselves Never did any child of God get home to him but smiting on the thigh Ier. 31. 18. and complaining of themselves before they could take comfort in God 2. Holy wonder which ariseth from comparing their own wretchedness with Gods rich mercy in Christ and therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light implying that Gods grace is most wonderful at first conversion as light is to a man that cometh out of a dungeon woful darkness maketh it marvelous light In this change there is nothing but what is wonderful both the sweetness and the power of that grace by which it is wrought The sweetness of grace When God came to offer Abraham the grace of the Covenant he fell upon his face Gen. 17. 3. in an humble adoration and reverence The power of grace If Peter wondered at his deliverance by the Angel out of that strong Prison we have much more cause to wonder that the yoke is broken and that we are set free by Christ the sweet effects of this grace cause wonder The peace of God which passeth all understanding c. 3. A free resolution and confidence come what ever cometh they will obey God As Abraham being called obeyed God not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. So when they have a warrant they will make adventures of faith though they know not the success as Peter would cast out the net at Christs command though there were little likelyhood of taking fish Howbeit at thy command c. Luke 5. 5. So it is unlikely God will receive me to grace yet I will adventure I know not what will come of it Where Faith is sensible of a Command it doth not dispute a duty but accomplish it The Spirit speaketh to the Soul as the Disciples did to the blind man Mark 10. 49. Be of good comfort rise because the Master calleth thee I instance in these dispositions because they are most sensible 5. It may be evidenced by the fruits and effects of a call the call inferreth a change of the former estate both in heart and life 1. There will be a change in the whole heart In the mind and judgment there the activity of the new nature is first discovered Ephes 4. 23. Renewed in the spirit of the mind in that which is most intimate and excellent there In our discourse and reason all the discourses debates purposes and cares of the Soul will be to please God The mind is made a forge for holy uses wherein to debate and contrive how to carry on the work of grace how to glorifie God in our relations concernments certainly this will be found in all those that are called and converted So in the will and affections there will be a constant inclination towards God as the chiefest good Psal 19. 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I w'll keep thy Words The Soul is resolved there is a decree issued forth in that behalf to
So if you want any thing holiness comfort grace pardon reflect not only upon the fulness of Christs merit but the freeness of the Fathers love You deal with a God of bowels and bounty Father Son and Holy Ghost all are yours There is a fond affectation in some to carry all things in the Name of Christ even such acts wherein the Father is most concerned as the former Age carryed all Dispensations in the Name of God Almighty without any distinct reflection upon God the Son in whom the Father will be honoured and by whom we have an access to the Father So many in this Age in their popular discourses and prayers carry all things in the Name of God the Son and with a fond and luscious affectation ingeminate the Name Jesus Christ Jesus Christ so that the honour and adoration due to the other Persons is neglected and forgotten whereas Christ is to be acknowledged Lord in all Tongues and among all Nations to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 11. But now 't is high time to proceed to the second and last Manifestation of their effectual Calling Preserved in Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept in or by him the meaning is they were not only sanctified for the present out of the store and plenty of God the Father but should for ever be kept in that estate by Jesus Christ The Point is That Gods called and sanctified people are preserved and kept in their state of grace and holiness in and by Jesus Christ The Point asserteth two things that they are kept by Christ and in Christ that is not only for his sake but by vertue of union with him Jesus Christ is the Cabinet wherein Gods Jewels are kept so that if we would stand we must get out of our selves and get into him in whom alone there is safety I might handle this latter Branch apart namely that Vnion with Christ is the ground of our safety and preservation but because I am sensible that I have stayed too long upon this Verse already I shall content my self with handling upon this occasion the general Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints And first I shall give you the state of it how far we may expect to be preserved 2. The Grounds of Certainty and Assurance in this kind First How far we may look for Preservation The Doctrine of Perseverance is much impugned but the Earth is never the more unsetled because to giddy brains it seemeth to run round however let us grant what must be granted and then the truth will be burdened with less prejudice Seeming grace may be lost Take from him that which he hath Mat. 25. 28. is Luke 8. 18. Take from him that which he seemed to have Blazing Comets and Meteors are soon spent and fall from Heaven like lightening while stars keep their orb and station A building in the sand will totter and Hypocrites be discovered before the Congregation Prov. 26. 26. Again Initial or preparative grace may fail such as is spoken of Heb. 6. 4 5. to wit illumination external reformation temporary faith devout moods some good beginnings c. Plenty of blossoms do not always foretell store of fruit some dye in the very pangs of the birth and are still born Yet again True grace may suffer a shrewd decay but not an utter loss the leaves may fade when the root liveth In temptations Gods children are sorely shaken their heel may be bruised as Christs was but their head is not crushed Peter denyed Christ but did not fall from grace there is a remaining seed 1 John 3. 9. 'T is notable what Chrysostom observeth concerning Christs prayer for Peter Luke 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Mark saith he he doth not say I have prayed for thee that thou shouldst not deny me but I have prayed that thy faith should not altogether vanish and be abolished Once more such grace as serveth to our well-being in Christ may be taken away joy peace cheerfulness c. As a man may have a being though his well-being be lost he is a man though a bankrupt though poor though sick though diseased so a Christian may be living though he be not lively Yet further The operations of grace may be obstructed for a great while a fit of swooning is not a state of death there may be no acts and yet their seed remaineth this may last for a long time David lay in a spiritual swoon nine moneths for he awaked not till Nathan came to him Psal 51. the title and when Nathan came to him the child begotten upon Bathsheba was born for he saith 2 Sam 12. 14. The child which is born to thee shall dye Yet further Grace if left to us would soon be lost we shewed that in Innocency but 't is our advantage that our security lieth in Gods promises and not our own that we are not our own keepers that grace is a Jewel not trusted but in safe hands that perseverance is Gods gift not mans act and that Christ hath a Charge to conduct the Saints and keep them safe to everlasting Glory John 6. from 37 to 40. and John 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any perish non shall pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them is greater then all none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand They neither shall nor can God and Christ are engaged in the keeping of them Christ by Gods Command as Mediator and God by Christs merit therefore he that separateth us from God must tug with Jesus Christ himself and be too hard for him also or else he can never pluck them out of his hands If they should question Christs power because of the ignominy of the Cross the Fathers hands are also engaged for our greater assurance Can any creature loose his eternal and almighty grasp and pluck out those whom the Father hath a mind to keep We do not plead for any wilde assurance and certainty of Perseverance we do not say that they that neglect means or grieve the Spirit and do what they list are sure that they shall not miscarry that is against the nature of Gods dispensation and the nature of this assurance and therefore but a vain cavil 'T is against the nature of Gods dispensation whom he maketh to persevere he maketh them to persevere in the use of means Hezekiah had assurance from God of life for fifteen years yet he taketh a lump of figs and applyeth it as a plaister to the boyl Isai 38. 5 with 21. More clearly Acts 27. 31. All shall come to Land but Except ye abide in the ship ye cannot be safe We are sure of life as long as God hath any service to do for us yet we are bound to get food and rayment and to use all means to preserve life This was Satans cavil against Gods
protection over Christ Thou art sure not to fall therefore neglect means cast thy self upon danger Mat. 4. 9 10. You learn this Doctrine from the Devil Thou mayst do what thou lift thou art sure to be safe 't is the Devils Divinity Again 'T is against the nature of this assurance he that hath tasted Gods love in Gods way cannot reason so A child that hath a good father that will not see him perish shall he waste and embezzle his estate he careth not how A wicked child may presume thus of his father though it be very disingenuous because of his natural interest and relation to his father the kindness which he expecteth is not built upon moral choyce but nature but a child of God cannot because he cannot grow up to this certainty but in the exercise of grace 't is begoten and nourished by godly exercises and the thing it self implyeth a contradiction this were to fall away because we cannot fall away You may as soon say that the fire should make a man freeze with cold as that certainty of perseverance in grace should make us do actions contrary to grace Again We do not say that a Beleever is so sure of his conservation in a state of grace as that he needeth not to be wary and jealous of himself 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall There is a fear of Caution as well as a fear of diffidence and distrust and there is a great deal of difference between weakening the security of the flesh and our confidence in Christ None more apt to suspect themselves then they that are most sure in God lest by improvidence and unwatchfulness they should yeild to corruption Christ had prayed that Peters faith might not fail yet together with the other Apostles he biddeth him Watch Luke 22. 40 and 46. The fear of God is a preserving grace and taken into the Covenant Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts and they shall not depart from me This is a fear which will stand with faith and certainty 't is a fruit of the same spirit and doth not hinder assurance but guard it 't is a fear that maketh us watchful against all occasions to sin and spiritual distempers that we may not give offence to God as an ingenuous man that hath an inheritance passed over to him by his friend in Court is careful not to offend him Again This certainty of our standing in grace doth not exclude prayer Luke 22. 46. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Perseverance is Gods gift and it must be sought in Gods way by Christs intercession to preserve the Majesty of God and by our prayers that we may constantly profess our dependance upon God and renew our acquaintance with him besides by asking blessings in prayer we are the more warned of our duty 't is a means to keep us gracious and holy As those that converse often with Kings had need be decently clad and go neat in their apparel so he that speaketh often to God is bound to be more holy that he may be the more acceptable to him Again 'T is not a discontinued but a constant perseverance that we plead for not as if an elect person could be quite driven out of the state of grace though he be saved at length he cannot fall totus a toto in totum the whole man with full consent from all grace and godliness he may sin foully but not fall off totally no more then finally there is something that remaineth a seed an unction a root in a dry ground that will bud and scent again Briefly true grace shall never utterly be lost though it be much weakened but in the use of means it shall constantly be preserved to eternal life Once more and I have done with the state of the Question God doth not only require the condition of standing or continuing in the exercise of grace but give it infallibly The Precepts of the Covenant of Grace are also Promises Heb. 8. 10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel c. where all the Articles carry the form of Promises God undertaketh to fulfil our part in us when we submit to the Covenant So Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts c. If there be any breach it must be from our departing from God or Gods departing from us Now God never departeth his Love never permitteth him to repent of giving his fear and putting his grace into our hearts but all the fear is of our departing from God So some say God will not depart from us if we be not wanting to our selves And Bernard observed that our own flesh is not mentioned Rom. 8. What shall separate us from God c. Soli eum deserere possumus propriâ voluntate our own will may separate us and withdraw us from God And the Remonstrants Though God doth not repent doni dati of what he hath given yet we may repent doni accepti retenti of what we have received and grow weary of the service of God But all is answered by Gods undertaking in the Covenant I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me He will give faith and love and fear bestow and continue such Graces as dispose the Soul to Perseverance Secondly The Grounds of Certainty by which it may appear that we shall be preserved in that state of grace unto which we are called in Jesus Christ The Grounds are many put them all together and you may easily spell out of them the Perseverance of the Saints 1. There are some grounds on God the Fathers part there is his everlasting Love and alsufficient Power His everlasting Love God doth not love for a fit but for ever From everlasting to everlasting Psal 103. 17. before the world was and when the world is no more Gods Love is not founded upon any temporal accident but on his own Counsel in which there can be no change because the same reasons that moved him to choose at first continue for ever God never repented in time of what he purposed before all time Rom. 11. 29. His gifts and calling are without repentance By gifts he meaneth such as are proper to the Elect and by calling effectual calling such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his eternal Purpose of these he never repents The fruits of repentance in men are shame and sorrow now God is never ashamed of his choyce nor sorry for his choyce so as to wish it undone And then the other ground is his alsufficient Power Almightiness is engaged in the preservation of grace by his eternal Love and Will John 10. 28 29. Can they pluck Christ from the Throne are they stronger then Christs Father 2. There are grounds on Christs part his everlasting Merit and close Vnion between him and us and constant Intercession For his
measure of faith loose hopes weaken endeavors 1 Cor. 9. 26. Irun not as one uncertain Those that ran a race gave over when one had far out-gone them as being discouraged and without hope When hope is broken the edg of endeavors is blunted Go on with confidence you are assured of the issue God will bless you and keep you to his everlasting Kingdom 5. In the hour of death when all things else fail you God will not fail you this is the last brunt do but wait a little while and you will find more behind then ever you enjoyed death shall not separate as Olevian comforted himself with that Isai 54. 10. The hills and mountains may depart but my loving-kindness shall not depart from you being in the agonies of death he said Sight is gone speech and hearing is departing feeling is almost gone but the loving-kindness of God will never depart The Lord give us such a confidence in that day that we may dye glorying in the Preservation of our Redeemer VERSE II. Mercy unto you and Peace and Love be multiplyed WE are now come to the third thing in the Inscription and that is the form of salutation delivered as all Apostolical salutations are in the way of a prayer In which we may observe 1. The matter of the prayer or blessings prayed for which are three Mercy Peace and Love 2. The manner or degree of enjoyment be multiplyed I begin with the matter or blessings prayed for It will not be altogether unuseful to observe that diversity which is used in salutations In the Old Testament peace was usually wished without any mention of grace as Psal 122. 8. For my brethrens and companions sake I will say Peace be within thee and â—an 6. 25. Peace be multiplyed unto you But in the times of the Gospel grace being more fully delivered that was also added and expressed in the forms of salutation but yet in the times of the Gospel there is some variety and difference Sometimes you shall meet with a salutation meerly civil as James 1. 1. To the twelve Tribes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeting so Acts 15. 23. which was the usual salutation among the Heathen but most usually 't is grace and peace and in other places grace mercy and peace as 2 John 3. and 1 Tim. 1. 2. and here it differeth from them all for 't is mercy peace and love And Causaubon observeth that the Greek Fathers if they wrote to a earnal man they would wish him grace but not peace if to a godly man they would wish him grace and peace too To touch upon these things is sufficient From these Blessings mentioned in this place I shall observe something in general and then handle them particularly and apart First In the general Consideration you may observe 1. That spiritual blessings are the best blessings that we can wish to our selves and others The Apostles in their salutations do not wish temporal felicity but spiritual grace Gods people pray for one another out of the communion of the Spirit and for themselves out of a principle of the divine Nature and therefore they do not seek wealth and honour for themselves or one another but increase of Gods favour and Image 'T is true Nature is allowed to speak in prayer but grace must be heard first our first and chiefest requests must be for mercy peace and love and then other things shall be added to us the way to be heard in other things is first to beg for grace Psal 21. 4. He asked life of thee and thou gavest him length of days for ever Solomon sought wisdom and together with it found riches and honour in great abundance Well then if thou prayest for thy self make a wise choyce beg for spiritual blessings so David prayeth Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thine own people nothing less would content him then Favorites mercy other blessings are dispensed out of common pity to the generality of men but these are mercies privilegiate and given to Favorites now saith David of this mercy Lord no common blessing would serve his turn So Psal 119. 132. Look upon me and be merciful to me as thou usest to do to those that love thy Name Surely that which God giveth to his people that 's a better mercy then that which God giveth to his enemies Again these are mercies that cost God dearer they flow to you in the Blood of his own Son yea they are mercies that are better in themselves wealth and honour may become a burden yea life it self may become a burden but not mercy not grace not peace of Conscience and therefore they are better then life Psal 63. 3. then wealth then honour none ever complained of too much mercy of too much love of God These are blessings that swallow up other miseries yea the loss of other blessings grace with poverty 't is a preferment peace of Conscience with outward troubles is an happy condition if there be a flowing of spiritual comforts as there is an ebbing of outward comforts we are not much wronged therefore first seek these bleseings Again If you pray for others pray for grace in the first place that 's an evidence of spiritual affection Carnal men wish such things to others as they prize and affect themselves so also do gracious men and therefore their thoughts run more upon mercy peace and grace then wealth and honour and greatness When a man sendeth a token to a friend he would send the best of the kind These are the best mercies if you were to deal with God for your own Souls you can ask no better You may ask temporal things for God loveth the prosperity of his Saints but these special blessings should have the preferment in your wishes and desires of good to them and then you are most likely to speed Our Lord Christ in the 17 of John commendeth the Colledg of the Apostles to the Father and what doth he ask for him dominion and worldly respect Surely no nothing but preservation from evil and sanctification by the Truth these are the chiefest Blessings we should look after as Christians Observe again the aptness of the requests to the persons for whom he prayeth Those that are sanctified and called have still need of mercy peace and love They need mercy because we merit nothing of God neither before grace received nor afterward the very continuance of our glory in Heaven is a fruit of mercy not of merit our obligation to free-grace never ceaseth We need also more peace there are degrees in assurance as well as faith there is a temperate confidence and there are ravishing delights so that peace needs to be multiplyed also And then love that being a grace in us 't is always in progress in Heaven only 't is compleat Take it for love to God there we cleave to him without distraction and weariness or satiety
1 John 4. 19. We love him because he loved us first Love is like an eccho it returneth what it receiveth 't is a reflex a reverberation or a casting back of Gods beam and flame upon himself The cold wall sendeth back no reflex of heat till the Sun shine upon it and warm it first so neither do we love God till the Soul be first filled with a sense of his Love And as rays in their relection are more faint and cold so our love to God is much weaker then Gods love to us Valdesso saith God loveth the lowest Saint more then the highest Angel loveth God Once more The more direct the stroke and beam is upon the wall or any other solid body the stronger always is the reflection so the more sense we have of the love of God the stronger is our love to him 2. The next Cause of Love is the grace of God there is not only an apprehension of Love but the force of the Spirit goeth along with it Our thoughts our discourses upon the love of God to us in Christ nay our sense and feeling of it is not enough to beget this grace in us Love is a pure flame that must be kindled from above as the Vestal fire by a Sun-beam 1 John 4. 7. Love is of God that is of a celestial or heavenly original There is in the Soul naturally an hatred of God and a proneness to mingle with present comforts which can only be cured by the Spirit of grace Our naked apprehensions will not break the force of natural enmity and 't is God that must circumcise and pare away the foreskin of the heart before we can love him Deut. 30. 6. There is a natural proneness to dote upon the creature and hate the Creator Base creatures neglect God and pollute themselves with one another and there is no help for it till the heart be over-powered by grace Thus for the Causes of Love The Object of Love is God himself not meerly as considered in himself for so he is terrible to the creature but as God in Christ for so he will be known and respected by us in the Gospel and so we have the highest engagement to love him not only upon the respects of Nature as our Creator but of Grace as our God and Father in Christ Now God is the supream Object of Love and other things are loved for Gods sake because of that of God which we find in them as his Word which is the Copy of his Holiness his engraven Image as the Coyn beareth the image of the Prince so 't is said Psal 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved And then his Saints which are his living Image as children resemble their father so 't is said Psal 16. 3. To the Saints and to the excellent of the Earth in whom is my delight And then other men because of his Command 1 Pet. 1. 5. Add to brotherly-kindness love So his creatures because in them we enjoy God the effects of his Bounty But chiefly his Ordinances as they exhibit more of God then the creatures can So that Love respects God and other things for Gods sake Again In the Description I take notice of the essence or formal nature of it and call it the return of a gracious and holy affection to God Love is carryed out to its Object two ways by desire and delight Our necessity and need of God is the ground of desire and our propriety and interest is the ground of delight Desires are the feet of love by which it runneth after its Object and delight is the rest and contentment of the Soul in the enjoyment of it Because of our imperfect fruition in this life Love bewrayeth it self by desires mostly or pursuing after God See Psal 63. 8. My heart followeth hard after thee It noteth those sallies and earnest egressions of Soul after the Lord that we may have more communion and fellowship with him In short the radical if I may so speak and principal disposition of Love is a desire of Vnion for all other effects of love flow from it This is that makes the Soul to prize the Ordinances because God is to be enjoyed there and these are means of communion with him Psal 26. 8. I have loved the place where thine honour dwelleth This maketh sin terrible because it separateth from God Isai 59. 2. This maketh Heaven amiable the fairest part of our portion in Heaven is a closer and nearer communion with Christ Phil. 1. 23. This maketh the day of Judgment sweet for then we shall meet with our Beloved in the ayr 2 Tim. 4. 18. In short this maketh the Soul to take such contentment in thinking of God and speaking of God 't is the feast of the Soul My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. Their Souls cannot have a greater solace then to think what a God they have in Christ Having in some manner described the Love of God let me use some Arguments to press you to it First God hath commanded it The sum of the Law is Love When the Scribe came to Christ Mat. 22. 36. Master which is the great Commandment in the Law Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might Mark this is the first and great Commandment to love God 'T is not a sour Command but sweet and profitable God might have burdened us with other manner of Precepts considering his absolute right to offer our children in sacrifice to mangle our flesh with whips and scourges but these are cruelties proper to the Devils worship The Lord is a gentle Master and only desireth the love of his servants we have cause to thank him for such a gracious Precept If he should require us not to love him this were Hell it self that is the Hell of Hell that they which are there do not love God 'T is our priviledg as much as our duty God loveth all his creatures but hath commanded none to love him again but man and Angels so that it is the great priviledg of the Saints to love God It had been a great favour if God had given us leave to love him as it would be a great favour if a King should give leave to one of his meanest Subjects to have the key of his privy Chamber to come to him and visit him and be familiar with him when he pleaseth how would this be talked of in the world yet this is not so wonderful since the King and the Peasant are both men in their natural being they are equal though in their civil distinction and condition of life there be a difference But what a favour is this that he who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords doth not only permit his creature made by his own hands to come to him and love him and deal with him when
by every kind of right and title Prov. 23. 26. My son give me thy heart God is pleased to call that a gift which is indeed a debt Though the heart be due yet God will put this honour upon the creatures to receive it from them in the way of a gift 'T is but equity to give to God the things that are Gods Look upon the heart see if any could make it but God himself Whose image and superscription doth it bear Wilt thou refuse to surrender up to God his right God hath made it bought it and yet he beggeth it VVhen thou hast been as earnest with God and asked any thing regularly of him did he deny thee 'T is no benefit to him he desireth the heart of the creature not that he may be happy but that he may be liberal he would have thy heart that he may make it bette How easily do we give up our affections to any thing but God who hath the best title to them If the World or Satan knocketh we open presently We are as wax to Satan and as stone to God exorable and easie to be intreated by any carnal motion as some hard stones cannot be wrought upon but by their own dust so men are facile only to their corruptions to their own lusts not to the motions of Gods Spirit Fourthly The nature of Love sheweth that 't is fit for nothing but God He hath given us this faculty and disposition that we may close with himself He that looketh upon an ax will say 't was made to cut and he that looketh on love will say 't was made for God What is the genius and disposition of Love Love is nothing but an earnest bent and strong motion of the Soul to what is good for us Every man hath an inclination in his nature to what he conceiveth to be good Psal 4. 9. and grace doth only direct and set it right All the difference between Nature and Grace is in fixing the chiefest good and the utmost end One great blessing of the Covenant is a new heart that is a new and right placing of our affections Well then God is summum bonum the chiefest Good even Nature cannot be satisfied without him but Grace findeth all contentment in him If there be any good in the creatures 't is originally in him He is the Fountain of living waters where comforts are sweetest and freest The heart hunteth after good among the creatures which is but an image and ray of that perfection which is in God and who would leave the substance to follow the shadow and prize the picture to the disdain of the person whom it represents 'T were easie to prove that God is the only proper eternal alsufficient Good of the Soul and if the heart were not perverted and byassed with carnal desires to other objects it would directly move to God as all things do to their center I say were it not for sin we should no more need be pressed to love God then to love our selves There need no great motives to press us to love our selves Nature is prone enough of its own accord and if Nature had remained in that purity wherein it was created it would move to God of its own accord as all things move to their center and there they rest Now God is the Center of the Soul The Souls good is not honours pleasures profits the Soul is a spirit and must have a spiritual good 't is immortal and it must have an eternal good By experience we find that our affections are never in their due posture but are like members out of joynt or the arms when they hang backward when they are not fixed upon God therefore there is a restlessness and dissatisfaction in the Soul We grope and feel about for happiness and cannot find it like Noahs Dove we hover up and down and find no place whereon the sole of our foot should rest Well then if God be the only alsufficient Good of the Soul why do not we love him more If he be the Center of the Soul why do not we move directly thither 'T is a shame that a stone should be carried with greater force to its center then we to God by its natural course it falleth downward and breaketh all things in the way yea though it self be broken in pieces But alas how little do we break through impediments to go to God 'T were a miracle to see a stone stoped in the ayr by a feather But now every vain thing keepeth us off and intercepts our affections sin hath given us another center and after grace received we hang too much that way Again As love is for Good so 't is for one Object like a Pyramide it ends in a point affection is weakened by dispersion as a River by being turned into many channels In conjugal love where friendship is to the heighth there is but one that can share in it that 's the Law of Nature Mal. 2. 15. Did he not make one yet he had the residue of spirit the meaning is that God made but one man for one woman though he had spirit enough to make more 't was not out of defect of power but wise choice that their affections to one another might be the stronger which otherwise would be weakened as they are in the brutes scattered promiscuously to several objects so the true object of love is one God he is loved for himself and other things for his sake Once more The force and vehemency of love sheweth that it was made for God Love is the vigorous bent of the Soul and full of heights and excesses which if diverted to other objects would make us guilty of Idolatry we should place them in the room of God Still we find that men are besorted with what they love as Sampson was led about like a child by Daâ—ilah all conveniences of life pleasures profits are contemned for the enjoyment of the thing beloved Now these are heights proper to the Divinity to the infinite Majesty of God To whom else is this vehemency and this self-denyal due If we lavish it upon the creatures we make gods of them and therefore covetousness is called Idolatry Ephes 5. 3. and the Sensualist is said to make his belly his god Phil. 3. 19. There is such an excess such a doating in love that if we be not careful in fixing it before we are aware we run into practical Idolatrie and practical Atheism There is an Atheism in the heart as well as in the judgment Atheism in the judgment is when we are not convinced of the Being of God In the heart when our affections are not set in God this is more incurable because the dogmatical Atheist may be convinced by reason but the practical Atheist can only be reformed by grace Thus the Nature of Love sheweth it Fifthly The Nature of the Saints sheweth it the new nature hath new affections it
property though every one cannot come up to the heighth of an Apostle 5. They are all under the same rule and direction Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk by this rule peace on them and the whole Israel of God The way of errour is manifold but there is but one path that leadeth to Heaven 6. They are in one mystical Body ministering supplyes to one another Col. 2. 19. Not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God The head is the fountaine of all vital influences but the joynts and bands doe minister and convey the nourishments the whole body is still increasing and growing up to perfection and they are helping one another as the members of the same body do continue the communion of the same Spirit or by the continuity of the parts make way for the animation and quickening by the same soul What use shall we make of this I answer 1. It hinteth publick care that we should help salvation forwards both in our selves and others rejoyce in others faith as well as in your own Rom. 1. 12. Comforted by the mutual faith of you and me His faith was a comfort to them and their faith a comfort to him nay out of an excess of love and charity Paul useth an expression not imitable Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that I were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 2. It checketh the impropriating of Grace and Religion to such an order or sort of Christians such as was the ambition of former times as if all religion were confined within a cloyster or wrapped up in a black garment those were called religious houses and those the Clergy or God portion all other were Lay and Secular Oh how far was this from the modesty of the Apostles Peter calleth the faith of common Christians like precious faith and Jude speaketh of a Common Salvation So the Jews before them they confined Gods choyce to their Nation they could not endure to hear of salvation among the Gentiles and of a righteousness that came to all and upon all that believe we have an envious nature and would fain impropriate common favours The Church of Rome would faine bring all the world to their lore and confine truth and faith and salvation within the precincts of their Synagogue they sieze upon and possess themselves of the Keys of Heaven to open to whom they please Now God hath broken down all pales and enclosures they would fain rear up a new partition wall Corrupt nature envyeth that others should have a fellowship in our priviledges therefore the same spirit still worketh men do so value their lesser differences and that distinct way and opinion which they have taken up as if none could be saved but those of their own party and perswasion 't is very natural to us to affixe holiness to our own opinions and to allow none to be good but those that jump with us in all things There were factions at Corinth and those that said I am of Christ were counted a faction too 1 Cor. 1. 13. as arrogating Christ to themselves therefore the Apostle writing to them saith 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Saints at Corinth and all that call on the Lord Jesus Christ theirs and ours We are apt to be rigid to those that differ from us and to be favourable to those that think with us Tertullian saith of some in his time Illic ipsum est promereri 't is holiness enough to be one of them Oh let it not be so among the people of God! do not nullifie your brethren Rom. 14. 10. Why dâ—st thou set at nought thy brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullian rendreth it Cur molificus fratrem When God hath made a Christian of him why dost thou make nothing of him and cry up every private opinion for another religion as if none could be Saints and Believers but they that think with you Take heed of impaling the common Salvation Inclosures are against the Law 3. It sheweth that there are not several ways to Heaven there is but one common Salvation to all the Elect and one common faith as Paul saith Tit. 1. 4. To Titus my own Son according to the common faith There are a sort of Libertines that think a man may be saved in any religion so he doth not walk against his own light Do not flatter your selves all the Elect are brought to Heaven the same way whether Jew or Gentile bond or free there is a good old way Jer. 6. 16. which if we misse we are sure to perish 4. It informeth us who are best to deal in matters of religion those that are religious that can call it a common Salvation that is common to them with others they have share in it and therefore they can best defend it differences are aggravated when carnall men intermeddle in religious controversies but those are likest to deal with most purity of zeal and love that can say your salvation is their salvation so in the next verse They turn the grace of our God into wantonness they that have an interest in grace cannot endure to see it abused 5. It forbiddeth scorn of the meanest Christian they have as good hopes through grace as you have in Jesus Christ all are one Master and Servant rich and poor Onesimus a poor runagate servant yet being converted Paul calleth him his faithful and beloved brother Philem. 10. In earthly relation there is a difference yet in regard of the common faith and common salvation we are all one I have now done with the first part of the occasion his earnestness in promoting their good I now come to the second part the urgency of the present necessity it was needful for me to write to you and exhort you which is said to shew that this Epistle was not only occasioned by the fervency of his own bone but the present exigence and necessity as affairs then stood the School of Simon the Gnosticks and divers other hereticks of a like loose strain and libertine spirit sought to withdraw and alienate them from the truth for that was the necessity here expressed as appeareth by the next verse Exhortations the more necessary the more pressing need quickens both writer and reader and the less arbitrary things are the more throughly we goe about them Observe from hence That necessity is a time for duty necessity is Gods season to work and therefore it should be ours For a season if need be ye are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1. 6. Duties are best done when we see they are needful and necessary things that are arbitrary are done with a loose heart the creatures duties towards God begins at the sense of their own wants Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisdom c. Well then take this hint for prayer and other services if there be a need omit not to
maker of all things without himself And to these four Notions or principles are suited the four preceps of the first Table in the first we have Gods unity in the second Gods Invisible Nature and therefore Images are forebidden upon that ground Deut. 4. 12. In the third the knowledge of humane affairs even of mens thoughts and that 's the foundation of an oath for the third Commandment doth principally forbid perjury and in an Oath God is invoked as a witness chiefly of the heart in which his Omnisciency is acknowledged and appealed to as a Judge and Avenger in which his Justice and Power is acknowledged the next principle that God is Creator and Governour of all things is established by the forth Commandment for the Sabath at first was instituted for that purpose to keep up the memorial of the Creation in the world Now out of these speculaâ—ive notions practicals flow of their own accord c. that God is alone to be worshiped obeyed honoured trusted and as far as we set up other confidences or are ignorant of his excellency or deny God his worship and service or serve him after an unworthy manner superstitiously carelesly hypocritically or have gross opinions of his Essence or exclude the dominion of his Providence or cease to invocate his name so far we are guilty of ungodlyness More Distinctly and closely yet let me note that God is to be acknowledged as 1. The first cause 2. The chiefest good 3. As the supream Truth and Authority 4. As the last end God is to be honoured as the first cause that giveth being to all things and hath his being from none and so if we do not trust in him or can trust any creature rather then God our Estates rather then God or do not observe him in his Providence the effects of his Mercy Justice and Power or do not acknowledge his Dominion in all events and sanctifie the things which we use by asking his leave and blessing in prayer we are guilty of ungodlyness Again God is to be acknowledged as the chiefest good and therefore if we do not know him often think of him delight in communion with him fear to offend him care to please him this neglect and contempt of God is ungodgodlyness Again God is to be acknowledged as the Supream truth and Authority and therefore if we are not moved with his promises threats Counsels as the Gentiles were moved with the Oracles of their Gods as Gods people of old when that dispensation was in use with a voyce from Heaven and do not submit to him reverence him in Worship subject our hearts and lives to his Lawes 't is ungodliness once more God is the last end and therefore if in all acts Spiritual Moral Natural even those of the lightest consequence we do not ayme at Gods glory Still 't is ungodliness In this Method I shall endeavour to open this argument And 1. Let us consider God as the first cause and under that consideration 1. Ignorance is a branch of ungodliness I name it first because 't is the cause of all disorder in worship or conversation the Apostle saith 3. Epist John 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God right thoughts of God are the fuel which maintaineth the fire of Religion which otherwise would soon decay and be extinguished now generally people are ignorant of God they know him as men born blind do fire they can tell there is such a thing as fire because it warmeth them but what it is they cannot tell So the whole world and conscience proclaimeth there is a God the blindest man may see that but they know little or nothing of his Essence as he hath revealed himself in his word The Athenians had an Altar and the Inscription was to the unknown God and so do most Christians go on in a track of customary worship and so worship an Idol rather then God so Christ telleth the Samaritans John 4. 22. Ye worship ye know not what 'T is usual with men in a dark and blind superstition to conform to the worship of their place not considering why or whom it is they worship gross ignorance is a signe of no grace for God hath no childe so little but he knoweth his Father Jer. 31. 34. They shall all know me from the last to the greatest some have better education then others greater helps and advantages of parts and Instruction but they all have a necessary knowledge of God Again gross ignorance is a pledge of future judgement 2 Thes 1. 7. God will come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel many poor ignorant creatures are harmless they do no wrong Oh but they know not God and that 's wrong enough God will avenge it to be ignorant of God that made them is a matter of sadder consequence then you are aware by those that know not God in this place is meant Pagans for 't is contradistinct to those that obey noâ— the Gospel but if there be vengeance for Pagans who have no other Apostles sent to them but those natural Apostles of Sun Moon and Stars and have no other Books wherein to study God but Showrs of raine and fruitful seasons if there be vengeance for them because they did not see and own a first cause what is there for those that shut their eyes against the light of the Gospel surely to be ignorant now is a greater sin then we think of 2. When we do not depend upon him 't is ungodlyness trust and dependance is the ground of all commerce between us and God and the greatest homage and respect which we yield to the Creator and first cause now when men trust any creature rather then God their estates rather then God they rob him of his peculiar Honour That there is such a sin appeareth by that Job 31. 34. If I had made gold my hope or said to the fine gold thou art my confidence If I rejoyced because my wealth is great and my hand had gotten much c. Job to vindicate himself from Hypocricie reckoneth up the usual sins of Hypocrites amongst the rest this is one to make gold our confidence men are apt to think it the staff of their lives and the stay of their posterity and so their trust being intercepted their hearts are diverted from God 't is an usual sin though little thought of the great danger of riches is by trusting in them Mark 10. 23 24. When men are intrenched within an estate they think they are safe secured against what ever shall happen and so God is layd aside let a man be intrenched within a promise and yet he is full of fears and doubts but wealth breedeth security therefore coveteousness is called Idolatry Eph. 5. 3. and the covetous man an Idolater Col. 3. 5. not so much because of his love of money as his trust in money the glutton loveth his belly
and included in the general promise and precept and are accordingly affected then are we saâ—d to believe in Psal 27. 8. the injunction is plural seek ye my face but the answer is singular thy face Lord will I seek thus must all truths be applied and that in their method and order for there is an Analogy and proportion between them as the Doctrine of mans misery that I may consider this is my case and having a feeling of it may groan for deliverance the Doctrine of redemption by Christ that we may put in for a share and assure our own interest the Doctrine of the thankfull life that we may deny our selves take up our crosse and follow Christ in the obedience of all his Precepts The first Doctrine must be made the ground of complaint the second of comfort â—nd hope the third of resolution and practise But when we suffer these truths to hover in the brain without application or hear them onely as children learn them by rote never thus reflecting What am I What have I done What will become of me c unbelief remaineth undisturbed 7. By Apostacy or falling off from God the great businesse of faith is by patient continuance in well-doing to look for glory honour and immortality Rom. 2. 8. but now to tire and grow weary or to fall off from God as not worthy the waiting upon argueth the heighth and reign of unbelief what ever faith we pretended unto for a flash and pang 8. Desperation when conviction groweth to an heighth and legal bondage gets the Victory of carnal pleasure Gen. 4. 13. My sin is greater c. and Jer. 18. 12. Thâ—re is no hope c. when men think 't is in vain to trouble themselves their damnation is fixed and therefore resolve to go to hell as fast as they can such desperate wickednesse may there be in the heart of a man 2. Unbelief in part broken and so it implyeth the remainders of this natural evil in the Godly in whom though faith be begun yet it is mixed with much weaknesse Mar. 9. 24. Lord I beleeve help my unbeleef this unbelief is manifested 1. By a loathness to apply the comforts of the Gospel 't is the hardest matter in the World to bring God and the soul together or to be at rest in Christ when we are truly sensible we draw back depart from me saith Peter for I am a sinfull man and he should rather say draw â—igh to me the poor trembling sinner thinketh so much of the judge that he forgets the father though the soul longeth for Christ above all things yet it is loath to take him for comfort and reconciliation but floateth up and down in a suspensive hesitancy 2. By calling Gods love into question upon every affliction and in an hour of temptation unravelling all our hopes see Psal 77 7 8 9 10. If the Lord were the God of the Mountains and not of the Valleys we are wont to say if God did love us why is this befallen us those are fits of the old distemper Christ when crucified would not let go his interest but crieth out My God My God 3. By fears in a time of danger carnal fears such 〈…〉 do perplex us when we are imployed in Christs work and â—ervice as the Disciples that were imbarked with him were afraid to perish in his company Why are ye so fearful O ye of little faith Matth. 8. 26. filial fear or reverence of God is the daughter of faith as distrustfull fear is the enemy of it trouble is the touch-stone of faith if we cannot commit our selves to God in quietnesse of heart it argueth weaknesse God hath undertaken to bring his people out of every streight in a way most conducing to his glory and their welfare Rom. 8. 28. and therefore when the word yeeldeth up no support Psalm 119. 50. and the promises of God cannot keep us from sinking and despondency of heart we bewray our unbelief 4. By Murmurings in case of carnal disappointment discontent argueth unbelief they quarrel with Gods Providences because they believe not his promises Psal 106. 24. They believed not his Word but murmured in their Tents 't is ill and they cannot see how it can be better So Deut. 1. 32. with 34. in this you believed not the Lord your God 5. By carking in case of streights bodily wants are more pressing then spiritual here faith is put to a present tryal and therefore here we bewray our selves Matth. 6. 30. Shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little faith he doth not say of no faith for the temptation is incident to a Godly man they do oftener bewray their unbelief in distrusting God about outward supplies then about eternal life which yet I confesse is very irrational for if a man cannot trust God with his estate how shall he trust him with his soul and to a considerate person there are far more prejudices against eternal life than against temporal supplies look as it was a folly in Martha to believe that Lazarus should rise at the general resurrection and to distrust his being raised from the dead after four days lying in the Grave John 11. 24. so 't is a great folly to pretend to expect life eternal and not to be able to depend upon God for the supplies of life temporal 6. By coldness and carelesnesse in the spiritual life if men did beleeve that heaven were such an excellent place they would not so easily turn aside to the contentments of the flesh and the profits of the world men have but a conjectural apprehension of things to come of the comforts of another World as things at a distance sometimes we see them and sometimes we lose their sight so that we are not certain whether we see them yea or no so it falleth out in heavenly matters we are poor short sighted creatures 2 Pet. 1. 9. sometimes we have a glimpse of the glory of the World to come some flashes and again the mind is beclouded and that 's the reason why we mind these things so little and seek after them so little a steady view and sound belief would ingage us to more earnestnesse they that beleeve the high price of our calling will presse on to the mark Phil. 3. 14. surely men do not believe that heaven is worth the looking after otherwise they would seek it more diligently Heb. 6. 14. a poor beast that is going homeward goeth chearfully 8. Indirect courses to get a living and subsistance in the World as if God were not All-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. to break through where God hath made up the hedge argueth that we do not depend upon him as by temporising or by unjust gain This for a fit and in some distemper may be incident to Gods Children 3. The last thing in the method proposed is the cure of unbelief God by his mighty power can onely cure it Eph. 1. 19. but the means
and torment he is called the Ruler of the darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. and the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. 't is punishment enough to the Apostate Angels to be cast out into the World the World is the Divels work-house and prison one calleth it Sathans Diocess who would be in love with a place of bondage and punishment 9. The Divel and his Angels are in the World let us be the more cautious he compasseth the Earth to and fro no place can secure you from his temptation he is every where ravening for the prey with an indefatigable and unwearied diligence 1 Pet. 5. 8. Let us look about us Wo to the inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea for the Divel is come down to you Rev. 12. 12. Where ever you are Sathan is neer you the World is full of Divels when you are in the Shop the Divel is there to fill your hearts with lying and deceit as he did the heart of Ananias Act. 5. when you are in your closets and when you have shut the door upon you you do not shut out Sathan he can taint a secret duty when you are in the house of God Ministring before the Lord Sathan is at your right hand ready to resist you Zach. 3. 1. He is ready either to pervert your aimes or to divert your thoughts We had need keep the heart in an humble watchful praying frame God hath cast out the Angels out of Heaven and now they are here upon earth tempting the sons of men to folly and inconvenience be watchful the world is the Divels Chess-board you can hardly move back or forth but he is ready to attach you by some temptation 10. When grace is abused our dejection iâ— usually according to the degree of our exaltation the Angels from Heaven are cast down to Hell the highest in the rank of creatures are now made lowest corruptions of the best things are most noysome Thou Capernaun which are exalted to Heaven art now brought down to Hell Matth. 11. 23. 'T was one of the chiefe Cities of Galilee and where our Saviour usually conversed 't is a kind of Heaven to enjoy Christ in the Ordinances but now to slight this mercy will bring such confusions and miseries as are a kind of Hell to you slighting of grace of all sins weigheth heaviest in Gods ballance 11. Spiritual judgements are most severe and to be given up to obstinacy in sin is the forest judgement 't is diabolical to continue in sin the Angels left their habitation and what followed they lost their holiness 12. Loss of happiness is a great judgement 't is Hell enough to want God the first part of the sentence depart from me Matth. 25. 41. is most dreadful loss of Heaven is the first part of the Angels punishment we in effect say now depart from us Job 21. 14. but God will then say depart from me ye shall see my face no more c. Thus we have dispatched the first part of the Angels punishment their loss we now come to the other part their poena sensus their punishment of sense or pain bâ— hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness where there is an allusion to the state of Malefactors or condemned men who are kept in prison till execution now the evils of a prison are two 1. The darkness of the place 2. The hard usage of the evil doer suitably to which the Apostle used a double notion 1. They are reserved in everlasting chains 2. Vnder darkness 1. Begin with the first part In everlasting chains Whence two notes 1. That the Angels are kept in chains 2. That those chaines are everlasting 1. They are kept in chains But what chains can hold Angels can Spirits be bound with Irons I Answer I Answer they are spiritual chains suitable to the spirituall nature of Angels such as these 1. Guilt of conscience which bindeth them over to judgement the consciences of wicked Angels know that they are adjudged to damnation for their sin this is a sure chaine for it fasteneth the judgement so as you cannot shake it off 't is bound and tied upon us by the hand of Gods justice The condition of a guilty sinner is frequently compared to a prisoner Isa 42. 7. Isa 49. 9. Isa 61. 1. and sin to a prison wherein we are shut up Rom. 11. 32. Gal. 3. 22. and guilt to chains or bonds laid upon us by God the Judge Prov. 5. 22. Lam. 1. 14. 2. Their obstinacy in sinning They are fallen so as they cannot rise againe they are called Wickednesses as sinning with much malice and obstinacy as if you should say wickedness it selfe the Divels sin is as the sin against the Holy Ghost a malicious obstinate spiteful opposition against the Kingdom of Christ such an hatred against God and Christ that they wil not repent and be saved their despair begetteth despight and being hopeless of reliefe are without purpose of repentance they do foolish creatures adde sin to sin and harden themselves in an evil way which is as a chaine to hold them in Gods Prison till their final damnation see 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Where error and wilful persisting in disobedience is made to be Gods prison wherein reprobate creatures are held till their punishment be consummate 3. Vtter despair of deliverance they are held under their torment by their own thoughts as a distressed conscience is said to be bound up Isa 66. 1. to them here remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for judgement and fiery indignation Job 10. 37. release they cannot look for more judgement they do expect Matth. 8. 31. Art thou come to torment us before our time their prison door is locked with Gods own Key and as long as God sitteth upon the Throne they cannot wrest the Key out of his hands 4. Gods power and providence by which the Angelical strength is bridled and overmastered so as they cannot do what they would thus Rev. 20. 2. Sathan is said to be bound up for a thousand years that is in the chains of Gods power which are sometimes streighter and sometimes looser the Divel was fain to ask leave to enter into the herd of Swine Matth 8. 5. The chaines of Gods eternal decree As there is a golden chain the chain of Salvation which is carried on from link to link till the purposes of eternal grace do end in the possession of eternal glory so there is an Iron chain of reprobation which begins in Gods own voluntary preterition and is carried on in the creatures voluntary Apostacy and endeth in their just damnation and when once we are shut up under these bars there is no opening Job 12. 14. Secondly These chains are eternal chains because the wicked Angels stand guilty for ever without hope of recovery or redemption Every natural man is in chains but there is hope to many of the prisoners Christ saith go forth but those chains upon the evill
Numb 32. 38. Nebo and Baalmeon their names being changed so exact should we be in keeping from Idols 2. Let us beware of Idolatry Satan loveth it and that is motive enough we should hate as Christ hateth and love as he loveth Rev. 2 6. and on the contrary love what Satan hateth and hate what he loveth naturally we are wondrous prone to this sin and therefore Idolatry is reckoned as a work of the flesh Gal. 5. 20. man naturally hath a corrupt and working fancy and imagination which depending upon sense formeth fleshly conceptions and notions of God and therefore are we so prone to erre in this worship 't is not needful I hope to speak to you of Paganish and Popeish Idolatry Let me only now disswade you First from making the true God an Idol in your thoughts by forming apprehensions unworthy of the glory of his Essence Psalm 50. 21. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether like thy self Now thus we do when we conceive him of such a mercy as to hold fellowship with one that continueth under the full power of his sins so weak as not to be able to help in deep extremities Zech. 8. 6. Of a rigorous and revengeful disposition as not to pardon injuries and offences upon submission and repentance Hos 11. 8. of a fickle nature so as to fail in his promises Numb 23. 19. Thus 't is easie to turn the true God into an Idol of our own brains To remedy this consider God in his works and in Christ In his works Cyril I remember observeth that before the flood we read of no Idolatry Aquinas addeth a reason to the observation because the memory of the Creation was then fresh in their thoughts Again look upon God in Christ you heard before in Levit. 17. if they did not bring their Sacrifice to the Tabernacle it was called a Sacrifice of Devils The Tabernacle was a Type of Christ you make God an Idol when you worship him out of Christ For the Father will be honored in the Son John 5. Therefore when ever you go to God take Christ along with you Secondly From setting up any Idol against God in your affections when you set up any thing above God in your esteem especially in your trust that 's an Idol covetousness is twice called Idolatry Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5 5. because it doth withdraw our affections from God yea our care our esteem our trust which is the chiefest homage and respect which God expecteth from the Creature I mention these things because I would speak somewhat to practice and because Satan is gratified with spiritual Idolatry as well as with that which is gross and bodily From that Clause about the body of Moses once more observe That of all kind of Idolatry the Devil abuseth the world most with Idolatrous respects to the bodies and Relicks of dead Saints If you ask why I answer Partly because this kind of Idolatry is most likely to take as being most plausible and suitable to that reverend esteem which we have of those that are departed in the Lord and so our Religious affections become a snare to us Partly because when men become objects of Worship and Adoration the God-Head is made more contemptible and mens conceits of a divine power run at a lower rate every day Partly because this malicious fiend hopeth this way to beat the Lord with his own weapon when the bodies and Relicks of those Saints who by the famousness of their examples were likely to draw many to God do as much or more withdraw men from him and superstition doth as much hurt as their example did good Partly because the Devil by long experience hath found this to be a successful way in the world Lactantius proveth it that the Idolizing of famous men was the rise of all Idolatry and Tertullian in the end of his Apology observeth the same that Heathen Idolatry came in this way sub nominibus imaginibus mortuorum by a reverence to the images of dead men whose memory was precious amongst them Ninâ—s or Nimrod the first Idolater set up his own dead Father Bâ—lus whence came the names of Baal and Bel for an Idol The Teraphim stolen by Rachel Gen 31. 35 were the images of their Ancestors whom Laban worshipped so in the primitive times before any other Idolatry was brought into the Church they began with the Tombs and Shrines of the Martyrs First It sheweth us the first rise of Idolatry respect to the Relicks and Remains of some men famous in their generations Satan attempted it betimes not only among the Heathens but among the people of God he contended for the body of Moses that he might set it up for this use but that which he could not obtain then he hath effected now in the Roman Synagogue by the Arms the Legs the Hands the Feet the Pictures of the Martyrs surely such a known Artifice and ancient method of deceit a man would think should long ere this have been discerned but that God hath given them up to beleeve a lye Well might the Anti-Christian state be called Rev. 11. 8. Babylon Sodom and Aegypt that is Babylon for Idolatry Sâ—dom for filthyness and Aegypt for Ignorance and darkness the same Idolatry being practised which was in use in the darkest times of Paganism Heathenism and Popery differ but little only the names are changed a new Saint for an old Heathen Idol their canonizing and the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are much alike so are their Saints and the Heathens and Heroes and middle poners only that the Papists have put many in the Calender which either never were in the world or else were wicked and traiterous as our Bâ—cket and St. George an Arrian Bishop that so the Devil might be doubly gratified by the Shrine it self and that by the canonization of the infamous person sin might become less odious Secondly It sheweth the perverseness of men who are apt superstitiously to regard the Relicks of them dead whom they despised living Moses was often opposed living and after death likely to be adored as 't is often the condition of Gods people to live hated and dye Sainted Vetus morbus est saith Salvian quo mortui sancti coluntur vivi contemnuntur The Scribes and Pharisees garnished the Tombs of the dead Prephets and killed the living Mat 23. 29 30. And the Jews in the fifth of John pretended love to Moses and shewed hatred to Christ posterity honoureth them whom former ages destroyed living Saints are an eye-sore they torment the world either by their example or their reproofs Rev. 11. 10. Heb. 11. 7. but objects out of sight do not exasperate and stand in the way of our lusts this fond affection is little worth those that were ready to adore Moses would not imitate him Again from that He durst not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had not the boldness to do any thing contrary to the Law of God or unbeseeming
already past for 't is said these perished c. so Rev. 14. 8. Babylon is fallen is fallen what is threatened is as certain as if it were already accomplished so also for promises you have the mercy if you have the promise by Gods word all things were created and do subsist Let it be was enough to make a world when God saith in shall be is not the thing sure though unlikely hath Gods word lost any thing of its creating power God counteth our work done when but intended Abraham offered c. Heb. 11. 17. Well then let us be able by faith to see the ruin of wicked men when they reign most Lastly Observe Wicked men may read their destruction in the destruction of others that sinned before them They transgress the same Law and God is as tender of it as ever and there is the same providence to take vengeance which is as mighty as ever and they act out of the same lusts which God hateth as much as ever sin is not grown less dangerous now in the latter days surely then a man would think the old world should grow wiser having so many presidents Pride may see its downfall in Nebuchadnezar sedition in Corah Rebellion in Absalom violence in Cain painted adulterousness in Jezebel disorders in worship in the fall of the Bethshemites the breach made upon Vzziah the usurping of sacred Offices without a Call may see its danger in the leprosie of Vzziah there is searce a sin of the pestilent influence of which we have not some example which is set up like a mark in the way in effect saying Take heed enter not here it will prove your ruin and destruction or Look upon me and be godly VERS XII These are spots in your Feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear Clouds they are without water carried about of winds Trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots IN the former Verse the Apostle setteth them forth by examples in this by similitudes Let us go over the expressions a part as the Text offereth them These are spots in your Feasts of Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word also signifieth Rocks but is fitly here rendered spots for 't is in Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 13. spots they are and blemishes so he called them as being in themselves defiled and to others disgraceful or because defiling with their presence and infecting by their example in your Feasts of love or charity these were Suppers used in the primitive times either to manifest their brotherly union or for the comfort and refreshing of the poor in obedience to Christs Injunction Luke 14. 12 13. though little observed for the ends for which they were at first appointed divisions being hereby nourished 1 Cor. 11. 21. each faction by themselves taking their own supper and the poor excluded 1 Cor. 11. 22. Some dispute the lawfulness of them it being an addition to the Lords Supper taken up in imitation of the Heathens and blasted by Gods providence in the very beginning never approved and it seemeth but slightingly spoken of Your love Feasts saith our Apostle however they might be lawfully used Tertullian sheweth a lawful use of them in his time Tert. in Apol. cap 39. Coimus in Caelum ut ad Deum quasi manu faustâ c. We meet together saith he that by an holy conspiracy we may set upon God by a force that is welcome to him where prayers are made and the Scriptures opened and after this meeting a Supper began with prayer Non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad deum praegustetur editur quantum esurientes capiunt bibitur quantum pudicis est utile and their discourses were such as did become the ears of God and after washing they sang a Psalm and so soberly departed Now these sensual persons did defile the love Feast the infamy of their lives being a scandal to the meeting and the Church far'd ill for their sakes for Peter maketh them to be spots not only for their disorderly cariage at the meeting it self but because of their constant course 2 Pet. 2. 13. They count it pleasure to riot away the day time Partly by their undecent words and actions when the Christians were met together giving up themselves to excess 1 Cor 1. 21. some are drunken and libidinous practises for this was frequent in the meetings of the Gnosticks Observe hence That sensual persons are the spots of a Christian society they are not only filthy in themselves but bring a dishonour upon the whole Church whereof they are members Heb. 12. 15. Take heed lest any root of bitterness spring up amongst you whereby many may be defiled now what that root of bitterness is he sheweth you vers 16. Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as was Esau who sold his Birthright for a mess of Pottage When any root springeth up or breaketh out into a scandalous action the whole society is defiled therefore it sheweth that such are discovered for otherwise we should turn a Church into a Stye their spot is not as the spot of his children Deut. 32. 5. they have not Gods mark but Satans Calvin observed that nothing doth mischief the Church so much as remisness and kindness to wicked men partly as they do infect by the taint of their evil examples and partly as they bring infamy upon the Body therefore cut off these ulcerous members Again we learn that the purest Churches have their spots In Christs Family there was a Divel John 6. One of you is a Divel You would be scared to see a Divel come among you every malicious sinner is a Divel and every sensnal sinner is a Beast such may now and then creep into the Church but they should not be allowed there they that put off the nature of man are unfit for the communion of Saints these are spots to be washed off Holiness is the Churches Ornament Psal 93. last Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever Again they that are in a Church should be the more careful you defile your selves else and the society whereof you are members yea your miscarriages reflect upon Christ himself Carnal Christians carry up and down in the world the picture of the Divel and put Christs name upon it and so expose it to scorn and derision in the world 'T was an old complaint of the Gentiles mentioned by Cyprian in his Book de duplici Marâ—yrio the words are these Ecce qui jâ—ctant se redemptos a Tyrannide Sathanae qui praedicant se mortuos mundo nihilo minus vincuntur a cupiditatibus suis quam hos quos dicunt teneri sub regno Sathaâ—ae quid pâ—odest illâ—s Baptismus quid prodâ—st Spiritus sanctus cujus arbitrio dicunt se temperari c. So in Salvians time the Heathens were wont to upbraid the Christians thus Vbi est Catholica Lex quam
liveth under the full power of lust hath forgotten his Baptismal vows 2 Pet. 1. 8. forgotten that he was purged from his old sins it pleadeth also the unsuitableness of it to our hopes 1 Pet 2. 11. we are passing on to another Country where we shall enjoy a price and sinless estate Let us now apply the point It disswadeth us from walking after our own lusts you that are Christians should deny them and not gratifie them otherwise you renounce your allegiance to God Lust sets up another Lord and maketh us stand in defiance with the God that made us his Laws call for one thing and your lusts crave another God saith put off the old man with his deceitful lusts and you say we will keep them Can they be good subjects that live in defiance of their Soveraigns Laws If a Prince should send a message to a City not to harbour such and such Traytors but to search them out and bring them to condigne punishment if they never look after them yea are angry with those that discover them it argueth they do inhaunt with Traytors and are enemies to their Prince We are often warned in Gods name to look to our sinful lusts to put them away and we go home and never regard it nay are angry with those that grate upon the Conscience Herod would not have his Herodias touched we take it hainously when the Word beareth hard upon our hearts what do we but shew our selves Traytors to the Crown of heaven 2. Otherwise you renâ—unee your interest in Christ Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affestions and lusts thereof He doth not say they are Christs that take up this opinion and naked belief that he was crucified or died for sinners but they are Christs that feel that he was crucified that by the vertue of his Cross do crucifie their own lusts and sinful affections What a Christian and yet worldly A Christian and yet sensual A Christian and yet proud You that are given to pleasures do you believe in Christ that was a man of sorrows You that are carried after the pomp and vanity of the world do you believe in Christ whose kingdom was not of this world You that are proud and lofty do you prosess an interest in Christ who said Learn of me for I am humble and lowly 'T is in vain for you to talk of his dying for sinners and boasting of his Cross when you never felt the vertue of it Gal 6. 14 What experience have you that his Cross was the Cross of the Son of God when your hearts linger as inordinately after carnal things as ever Have you gotten any thing by it Do you feel any weakning of lusts Any decay of sin Are you planted into the efficacy of his death Rom. 6 5. If not how can you glory in the Cross of Christ 3. Otherwise you are not acquainted with the spirit his work is to mortifie lusts Rom. 8. 13. and they that are after the flesh do savour of the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Rom. 8. 5. After whom do ye walk After your own lusts Or after the Spirit of God 4. God doth not only require you in point of Soveraignty to put away your lusts but also pleadeth with you upon terms of grace Titus 2. 14. The grace of God that bring thâ— salvation teacheth you to deny worldly lusts Grace hath denyed us nothing it hath given us Christ and all things with him and shall we stick at our lusts that are not worth the keeping Nature is much addicted to these lusts but surely God loves Christ much more then we love the world his love is infinite and unlimitted like his essence yet God gave up the Son of his love Grace counteth nothing too dear for us not the blood of Christ the joys of Heaven and shall we count any thing too dear to part with for Graces sake God forbid A right eye and a right hand cannot be so dear to us a Christ was to God At what cost hath Grace been at to redeem us and save us And shall Grace be at all this cost for nothing If God had commanded us a greater thing ought we not to have done it If to give the body to be burnt to offer the first born for the sin of thy soul considering his absolute right over the creâ—ture he might have requireâ— thy life and thy childrens life but he only requireth thy lusts things not worth the keeping the bane of the soul a bad inmate which if we know its pestilent influence we needed no more arguments to turn it out of doors thy lusts God requireth things we are bound to part with to preserve the integrity and perfection of our natures if God had never dealt with us in a way of grace but now shall grace plead in vain when it presseth to deny lusts will be the shame and horrour of the damned to all eternity that they have stood with God for a trifle that they would not part with dâ—ng for gold with a little brutish contentment for the consolations of the Spirit especially when grace which hath so deeply pâ—e-engaged us pleadeth for it 5. Consider what lust is 't is the disease of the soul Natural desire is like the Calor vitalis the viâ—â—l heat but lust is like a feverish heat that oppresseth nature we should get rid of it as we would of a disease the satisfaction of it is sweet to carnal nature so is drink to a man in a fever who would desire a Feven to rellish his drink Better be without the disease then enjoy the pleasure of the satisfaction better mortifie lust then satisfie it in the issue 't will be sweeter I am sure the pains of mortification will not be so bitter as the hâ—rrours of everlasting darkness lust let alone beginneth our hell 't is a burning heat that at length breaketh out into everlasting flames Again lust is the disorder of nature as 't is monstrous in the body if the head be there where the feet should be and the feet there where the head should be such a deordination is there in the soul when the affections carry it and when Reason should be in dominion we suffer lust to take the throne man rightly constituted his actions are governed in this manner the understanding and conscience prescribe to the Will the Will according to right reason and conscience moveth the affections the affections according to the command and counsel of the will move the bodily spirits and members of the body but by corruption there is a manifest inversion and change pleasures affect the senses the senses corrupt the fantasie the fantasie moveth the bodily spirits they the affections and by their violence and inclination the Will is enslaved and the mind blinded and so man is carried headlong to his own destruction now shall we cherish these
looked upon either â—â— as an account of his charge in effect he saith I have done the work for which thou hast sent me Christ is under an office and obligation of faithfulness he hath a trust of which he must give an account he is to take care of the persons of the Elect to justifie sanctifie and glorifie them in his own day now that it may appear that he is not unfaithful in his trust he doth present them to God as having fully done his work so that no doubt of his unwillingness to pardon or sanctifie or glorifie is in effect to charge unfaithfulness and disobedience upon him for Christ as Mediator is subordinate he is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 18 and 1 Cor. 11. 3. The head of Christ is God namely with respect to this office and charge so he is under God and to give an account to him he hath undertaken to make up all breaches between God and us as to the merit and satisfaction he gave an account a little before his going to Heaven John 17. 4. but as to the application to every party concerned he will give an account in the last day when he will present himself and all his flook saying Behold I and all the little ones which thou hast given me Heb. 2. 13 when all the Elect are gathered into one troop and company and not one wanting 2. As an act of delight and rejoycing in his own success that all that were given to him are now fit to be settled in their blessed and glorious estate Christ taketh a great deal of delight to see the proof and vertue of his death and that his blood is not shed in vain as a Minister taketh delight in those whom he hath gained to God what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoycing are not ye in the day of the Lord 1 Thess 2. 19. if we rejoyce thus in the fruit of our Ministerial labours surely Christ much more we have not such an interest in them as Christ hath and the main vertue came from his death and spirit 't is said Isa 53. 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied that may be understood either of his fore-seeing from all eternity or of his actual seeing when the whole is accomplished if you understand it of his foreseeing the expression is not altogether alien from the point in hand when Christ foresaw the good success of the Gospel and what a company he should gain to himself in all ages he rejoyced at the thought ofit well saith he I will go down and suffer for poor creatures upon these tearms but rather I understand it of his sight of the thing when it is accomplished when he shall see his whole family together met in one Congregation now saith he I count my blood well bestowed my bitter agonie well recompenced these are my Crown and my rejoycing Look as the first person delighted in the fruits of his personal operation for so 't is said Exod. 31. 17. In six days God made Heaven and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed he was refreshed not in point of weariness but delectation he rejoyced in the product of his wisdom power and goodness so Christ in the work of redemption when his death turneth to a good account he will delightfully present you to God as the proof of it These are those whom I have redeemed sanctified and kept c. 3. 'T is an Act of his love and recompence to the faithful they have owned him in the world and Christ wil own them before God men and Angels there is no Saint so mean but Christ will own him Luke 12. 8. The Son of man shall confess him c. Father this is one of mine as for his enemies Christ will see execution done upon them slay them before my face Luk. 14. 27. to his friends he will own them publickly and that 〈…〉 be honoured before the presence of his glory Well then see that you be of the number of those whom Christ will present to God if he hath purified you to himself Tit. 2. 14 he will present you to himself if you be set a part for God Psal 4. 3 you shall be brought to God the work is begun here privately 't is done at our deaths when the foul as soon as 't is out of the body is conveyed by Angels to Christ and by Christ to God and publikely and solemnly at the day of his coming then he presents the Elect as a prey snatch'd out of the teeth of Lyons but spiritually the foundation is laid when you dedicate your selves to God Rom. 12. 1. and walk so as Christ may own you with honour and credit in that great day if you be the scandal of his Ordinances the reproach of your profession can Christ glory in you then as a sample of the vertue of his death Surely no. Again observe That when Christ presenteth the Elect he will present them faultless that is both in respect of justification and sanctification this was intended before the world was Eph. 1. 4. he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love but is not accomplished till then now we are humbled with many infirmities and sins but then presented holy unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Col. 1. 22. the work is undertaken by Christ and he will carry it on till it be compleat here the wedding garments are a making but then put on 1. The work must be begun here the foundation is laid as soon as we are converted unto God 1 Cor 6. 11. 2. This work increaseth daily more and more 1 Thess 5. 23. 24. we are not faultless but Christ will not rest till we be faultless he is sanctifying further and further that we may be blameless at his coming he will pursue the work close till it be done 3. 'T is so carried on for the present that our justification and sanctification may help one another the benefit of justification would be much lessened if our sanctification were compleat and our sanctification is carried on the more kindly because the benefit of justification needeth so often to be renewed and applyed to us 〈…〉 inherent righteousness were more perfect imputed righteousness would be less set by in this great imperfection under which we now are we are too apt to fetch all our peace and comfort from our own works to the great neglect of Christ and his righteousness therefore doth the Lord by little and little carry on the work of grace that by the continual sense of our defects and the often making use of Justification we may have the higher apprehensions of Gods Love in accepting us in Christ the reliques of sin trouble us as long as we are in the world and so the benefit is made new to us which otherwise would wax old and out of date and the benefit being made new
tast and see Psal 34. 7 8. When deliverances are strange and wonderful and there is the least concurrence of visible causes to defend Christs interest remember that all things visible and invisible were created by Christ and for Christ even Thrones Principalities and Powers Col. 1. 16. Thirdly Here is Reproof to wicked men that perform the Divels Ministry act the part of the bad Angels rather then the good despise slaunder oppose seduce and tempt the children of God how darest thou despise those whom the Angels honour you think them unworthy of your countenance and company when Angels disdain not to vouchsafe them their service and attendance you slaunder those whom they defend and oppose and persecute them whom they are engaged to protect and wrong them whose Angels behold the face of God and tempt and seduce them whom they rejoyce to see brought home to God I have but one word more and I have done with this Point Get this interest if you would be under this Tutelage get an interest in Christ and then you get an interest in the Angels their Angels c. Mat. 18. 10. they are not called Gods but theirs hereafter the Saints shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels in Heaven Luke 20. 30. and here till we have this glory we shall have their defence In the next place somewhat may be observed from the stile and Character of this Angel Michael the Arch-Angel That there is an order among the Angels both good and bad they have their distinct heads we read of Michael and we read of Beelzebub there is an order in Hell thence that expression Mat. 25. 41. The Divel and his Angels which seemeth to intimate a Prince among the unclean spirits much more is there an order among the good Angels God that made all things in order would not endure confusion among those heavenly Creatures for that would seem to infringe their happiness but now to define this Order and the several degrees of it were but to intrude our selves into things we have not seen Col. 2. 19. Cyril calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the domineering of bold spirits The School-men take upon them as if they knew all the particulars of their government and distinction but in things not revealed there can be no certainty the Apostle indeed speaketh of several ranks of invisible Creatures Col. 1. 16. Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers but who can particularly define their Office and Order a distinction there is but what it is we know not however the general consideration is useful Partly to shew us the necessity of order and subordination no Creatures can subsist without it they that are against Magistracy are against peace and happiness the Angels and Devils are not without their Heads and Princes Partly to represent to us the Majesty of God He hath Angels and Arch-Angels Thrones ' Dominions Principalities and Powers our eyes are dazled at the magnificence and lustre of earthly Kings when we see them surrounded with Dukes Marquesses and Earls and Barons Oh what poor things are these to those Orders and degrees of Angels with which God is invironed Partly to acquaint us with the happiness of the everlasting estate 'T is the misery of the wicked that they shall be cast out with the Devil and his Angels and our happiness that we shall make up one Church and Assembly with Angels and Arch-Angels Heb. 12 Somewhat may be observed from the matter of the contention the body of Moses which the Devil would abuse to Idolatry that is the reason why he was so earnest in the contest Note That the Devil loveth Idolatry all false worships either directly or by consequence tend to the honour of the Devil therefore Idol Feasts are called the Table of Devils 1 Cor. 10. 31. Now 't is observable that those Sacrifices which were offered to the true God but in an unbecoming manner are called the Sacrifices of Devil Levit. 17. 7. compare it with vers 3. 4. Though they killed a Goat or an Ox or a Lamb to the Lord for a Sacrifice because 't was in the Camp and not before the Tabernacle God saith they shall no more offer Sacrifice to Devils so 't is said of Gods own people Deut. 32. 17. They sacrifice to Devils and not unto God in their intention it was unto God but in the issue and necessary interpretation of it 't was to the Devil Now the Devil delights in Idols and false worships Partly in malice to God the Lord above all things is most tender of his worship and therefore Satan is most busie to corrupt it There are two things that are dear to God His Truth and his Worship now Satan bendeth his strength and spight to corrupt this Truth with errour and his Worship with superstition Partly in malice and spight to men God is a jealous God Satan knoweth that corruptions of worship do not go unrevenged Psal 16. 4. Sorrows shall be multiplyed on them that hasten after another God of all sinners they shall not escape the severest revenges of God have been occasioned by prevarications in worship as Lev. 10. 3. on Aarons sons strange fire in the â— ensors brought down strange fire from Heaven so 1 Sam. 6. 20. There were 50000 Bethshemites slain for an undue Circumstance so the breach made upon Vzzah 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. the Devil is not ignorant of this and therefore longing for mans destruction seeketh to hasten it as much as he can by Idolatry and false worship Partly out of pride he is constant in evil and abode in pride though he abode not in the truth he would fain be worshiped and assumed into a fellowship of the Divine Honour and glory he â—aith to Christ Mat 4. 9. Fall down and worship me and I will give thee all these things the Devil is not Changling though he doth not retain his place he retaineth his pride nothing so pleasing to him as Worship and Adoration and so he can get it any way from the creatures be is contented Well then it sheweth us 1. What care we should take to be right in worship both for the object and manner 't is Idolatry not only to worship false Gods in the place of the true God but to worship the true God in a false manner and both sorts do gratifie the Devil when he cannot hold the people under utter blindness and Paganism he is glad if he can draw them to undue Rites and Ceremonies in worship therefore let us hate the least kind of Idolatry if we would not prog for the Devils Kingdom David saith Psal 16. 4. I will not take their name into my lips that he would abhor the very mention of Idols so Hosea 2. 16. God would no more be called Baal though it signified Lord and Husband because the Title had been applyed to Idols The Israelites when they took Cities they changed their names if they had any tincture of Idolatry