are we during the present state We know but in part and we are sanctified but in part and there being such a mixture in the principâ—â—â— of operation every action is mixt It is notable that there is no commendable act in Scripture recorded but there is some mixture of corruption in it even in the most Heroical exercises and discoveries of Faith Moses beleeveth and therefore smiteth the rock but he smiteth twice Sarah beleeveth the promise but giveth her maid to Abraham Rebâ—â—â—â— was told that the elder should serve the younger and beleeveth it but yet she sets Iacob awork to get the blessing by a wile Rahab saveth the Spies but maketh a lye c. Thus is our wine mingled with water our honey with wax and our silver with tin All the tryal is that the better part prevaileth and that we are still growing and halting on to perfection as the morning Sun doth to high noon Prov. 4. 18. 2. For actual Sanctification which standeth in a conformity to Gods Will when the heart is changed so as the life thoughts words actions all are sanctified there is a spirit of holiness working within and breathing without in sanctified discourse and holy exercises all the actions savour of grace Now our actions are sanctified and savour of grace when they are performed upon new Principles and new Ends. 1. New Principles Duty swayeth the conscience and love inclineth the heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith unfeigned No act is gracious and an act of pure obedience unless it have these qualifications It is not the matter that maketh the work good but the principles all that we do must come from a principle of faith love and obedience obedience respects the Command love the kindness and merit of the Lawgiver and faith his bounty and reward the first swayeth the Conscience the second inclineth the heart and the third giveth encouragement This is to do duties with a Gospel frame of spirit obedience takes notice of the Laws of God love of the kindness of God and faith of the rewards of God and so obedience sheweth us the matter of the duty and faith the encouragement so that what ever is done as an act of the new nature or sanctified estate it is an act of obedience out of gratitude upon the encouragement of our glorious hopes and advantages in Christ As if it be asked Why do I do it God hath commanded it Why with such strength of affection and earnestness God hath deserved it because of his love and bounty in Christ Conscience is sensible of the obligation and love and hope sweetens the duty There is a natural conscience of good and evil which is known by legal ayms and carnal motives what is done out of natural conscience is not done out of obedience and thankefulness but out of bondage and with a servile frame of spirit like fruits that are ripened by art and force not naturally nor kindly 2. New Ends here indeed the discovery is most sensible Principles are more hidden and discovered mostly by ends Now the only end must be Gods glory All that is done in the spiritual life be it an act of piety justice temperance or charity it must be done with this aym that God may be glorified by our obedience to his Will I owe this duty to God and I must do it for Gods sake be it a duty of worship or in your civil relation and traffique as if I pray the last end of prayer must be Gods glory whither I seek grace and pardon or the conveniences and supports of the present life Grace still sublimateth the intention of the creature therefore carnal men are taxed for praying out of self-interests Hosea 7. 14. They have not cryed unto me when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corn and wine and oyl It is but a brutish cry when men seek only their own commodity and welfare as beasts will howl when they are sensible of any smart and injury dogs or any brute beasts may do the same there is no act of grace in it So in charity many men make it a kind of bargain and traffique they do it to be seen of men Mat. 6. 2. to gratifie their worldly interests not to please God or honour God for their credit and repute to be well thought of and there Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they have that which they look for for other things they give God a discharge and acquitance Briefly the aims of men not regenerate or sanctified are either carnal or natural or legal 1. Carnal when men make a market of Religion their worship righteousness and charity is set to sale and by a vile submission made to stoop to their own private interests as the Pharisees made long prayers to devour widows houses that is to beget a fame and repute of honesty that they might be entrusted with the management of their estates So some may pray to shew parts preach out of envy and to rival others in esteem Phil. 1. 15. Often is this vile scorn put upon God that his worship is made a cover and pretence to unclean intents which is as if a cup of gold made for a King to drink of should be filled with excrements or as if we did set up another god beside him for that which we make our utmost end we make it our God as false Teachers are said to make their belly their God Phil. 3. 19. because all that they did was for belly chear to flow in abundance of wealth and worldly pleasures by this means setting up the belly and the concernments of the belly in Gods stead 2. There are natural ends It is grace as I said that sublimateth the intention of the creature A carnal man can go no higher then Self as water cannot ascend beyond its spring Now all natural men are not hypocrites to put on a pretence of strictness out of design the Apostle saith They do by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. that is upon the impulses of natural conscience they avoyd such sins as Nature discovereth upon such arguments and reasons as Nature suggesteth If they worship it is to satisfie their own consciences if they be strict and temperate it is not out of reasons of obedience but because the matter of carnal pleasure is gross and burdensom and hindereth the free contemplation of the mind or because these pleasures emasculate and quench their natural bravery and so hinder their reputation in the world if they be just it is to maintain commerce between man and man if they be kind in their relations it is for their own peace and quiet nothing is done as in and to the Lord as the Apostle enjoyneth Ephes 5. God is neither at the beginning nor at the end of any of these actions the love of God is not
Merit see Heb. 9. 12. He is entered into the holy place having obtained an eternal Redemption for us Legal expiations did but last from year to year but Christs merit for ever and ever his Redemption is eternal not only as 't is of use in all ages of the Church but in respect of every particular Saint those who are once redeemed by Christ they are not redeemed for a time so as to fall away again that would argue that the virtue of Christs Blood were spent and could preserve them no longer but they are for ever kept to Salvation So Heb. 10. 14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified He hath not only purchased a possibility of Salvation but all that we need to our full perfection 't is not for a certain time but for ever Then there is a close Vnion between him and us this is the notion of the Text preserved in Christ Look as 't is impossible to sever the leaven and the dough when they are once mingled and kneaded together so Christ and a Beleever when they are united together there is no parting more Can Christs mystical Body be maimed or lose a joynt Then his constant Intercession that 's another ground a Copy of which we have in the 17 of John where he saith Keep them through thy Name c. and Keep them from the evil c. See Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him for he liveth for ever to make Intercession for them He is interceding with God that the merit of his death may be applyed to us and what 's that Salvation to the uttermost or to the end The heirs of Salvation need not fear miscarrying Jesus Christ who is the Testator who by Will and Testament made over the heritage to them he also is the Executor he liveth for ever to see his own Will executed he dyed once to make the Testament and he liveth for ever to see it made good when ever we are in danger he is intreating his Father for supports and assistances of grace 3. On the Spirits part there is a continued influence so as to maintain the essence and seed of grace The Fathers love is continued by the merit of Christ that he may not depart from us and we are preserved by the Spirit of Christ that we may not depart from him He doth not only put into our hearts faith fear love and other graces at first but he maintaineth and keepeth them that the fire may never go out Our hearts are his temple and he doth not love to leave his dwelling place And besides in the Oeconomy of Salvation 't is his Office to glorifie Christ as his Vicegerent and to be our Comforter therefore with respect to the honour of Christ and the comfort of Beleevers he preserveth and maintaineth that grace that is once really wrought in our hearts To preserve the glory of Christ thus Christ you know hath received a Charge from the Father to lose nothing John 6. 39. neither body nor soul nothing that belongeth to an elect person Now that he may be true to his trust he sendeth the Spirit as his Deputy or Executor that his Merit may be fully applyed 'T is for the honour of Christ that where ever the work is begun where ever he hath been an Author there he may be a Finisher also 'T was said of the foolish Builder that he began and was not able to make an end this dishonor can never be cast upon Christ because of the power and faithfulness of the Spirit he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 6. go through with the work which he hath begun the Spirit is to fit vessels for glory he doth not use to leave them half carved he is faithful to Christ as Christ is to his Father the Father chooseth the vessel Christ buyeth them and the Spirit carveth and fitteth them that they may be vessels of praise and honour But this is not all He preserveth and continueth us in the state of grace as our Comforter by working grace he puts us into an expectation of glory and happiness and to make it good he carryeth on the work without failing therefore grace is called the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 24. and the earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 22. and 5. 6. for it hath a double use to be a taste and a pledg 't is a taste to shew us how good eternal life is and a pledg to shew us how sure it is The first degree of Regeneration is of this nature 't is an earnest or gage assuring us of a more perfect enjoyment the livery and seisin of glory to come As soon as a real change is wrought the Spirit of God doth give us earnest and will God lose his earnest will he give us a pledg and fail our expectation Surely no. Let us now come to Application It presseth us to persevere with the more care 't is no unreasonable inference see 1 John 2. 27 28. Ye shall abide in him And now little children abide in him Since we have so many advantages of standing let not us fall away Oh how great will your sin be if you should miscarry and dishonor God! We pity a child that falleth when 't is not looked after but when a froward child wresteth and forceth it self out of the arms of the Nurse we are angry with it You have more reason to stand then others being brought into an unchangeable state of grace being held in the arms of Christ God will be very angry with your slips and failings Mercy holdeth you fast and you seek to wrest your selves out of Mercy 's arms None can sin as you do with such frowardness with such dishonor to God you disparage the Spirits custody the merit of Christ and the mercy of the Father See Heb. 4. 1. Let us therefore fear a promise being left to us of entering into his Rest lest any should seem to come short of it Look as some seem to stand that do not so some seem to fall utterly that do not A child of God indeed cannot come short but he should not seem that is give any appearance of coming short When our religious course is interrupted and we give way to sin and folly that 's a seeming to come short and so you bring a scandal upon the love of God as if it were changeable upon the merit of Christ as if it were not a perfect Merit Scandalous Professors make Arminians in an age of defection no wonder if men plead for the Apostacy of the Saints If you fall through weakness be not utterly dismayed As the Spinster leaveth a lock of wool to draw on the next thread so there is somewhat left when you are departed from God you have more hold-fast upon him then another sinner a child though a prodigal go to him and say Father David pleadeth
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
doth not exclude the ordinary natural means Marriage is necessary for the propagation of mankind though the rational Soul is from God yea more care is had of women with child then of brute beasts because the fruit of the womb is the immediate work and blessing of the Lord so faith is of Gods planting and therefore we should be the more careful in the use of means 2. This faith is said to be once given This will also hold concerning grace for Where 't is once planted it cannot be totally and finally destroyed rather 't is continually supplyed by the care and faithfulness of God see 1 Cor. 1. 8. and 1 Thes 5. 24. and Phil. 1. 6. And those hypocrites that fall off after a long profession seldom recover themselves by repentance Heb. 6. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 21. Well then here is Comfort to the people of God that find so many lusts and so many temptations they think they shall never hold out faith is but once given where 't is really given there needeth not a second gift Again here is Caution Faith is a precious Jewel if once lost wilfully after the knowledg of the truth 't is not easily regained 3. Consider the persons to whom 't is given * 't is not given to every one for all men have not faith and the Gospel is hidden to those that are lost but 't is given to the Saints to those who were chosen that they might be Saints which sheweth 1. The excellency of Faith 't is a privilegiate and peculiar mercy 2. That Beleevers are Saints Faith giveth an interest in Christ and therefore they must needs be holy His Blood cleanseth 1 Joh. 1. 7. His Spirit sanctifieth 1 Cor. 6. 11. Again Faith it self hath a cleansing purisying virtue Hearts purified by faith Acts 15. 9. Faith applyeth the Blood of Christ and the hand of the Laundress is as necessary to cleanse the clothes as the soap wherewith they are cleansed Faith waiteth for the Spirit it argueth from the love of God Faith and sin are like the poyson and the antidote always working one upon another till faith hath gotten the mastery Well then Is your faith sanctifying Strong perswasions of an interest in grace and a loose life will not suit we are not perfectly clean and holy but there will be strong desires and earnest groans after more holiness as Psal 51. 10. and Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me c. that is Oh that I were questions are put for wishes so Psal 119. 5. Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes Yea there will be not only groans under but struglings against sin A child of God may fall into sin but he cannot rest in it and lie down with ease as mud may be cast into a pure fountain or stirred up in it but the fountain never ceaseth till it work it self clean again Peter and David stepped aside but they could find no peace till they were reconciled to God I will return to my first husband then it was better then it is now Hosea 2. Again you may know it by the drift and disposition of the heart Which way lieth the bent of your spirits and what are your constant motions and operations A man that is travelling another way may now and then look back How is your heart inclined Psal 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always unto the end Is there a constant inclination towards God 1 Chron. 22. 19. Now set your hearts to seek the Lord Is the heart set what is your constant course and walk Rom. 8. 1. But so much for this Digression occasioned by the suitaableness of words to the grace of faith Let us now come to the other acception which is more proper in this place namely as faith is put for the doctrine of faith now this was 1. Delivered 2. Once delivered 3. To the Saints 1. Delivered not invented 't is not the fruit of fancy or humane devising but hath its original from God 't was delivered by him to holy men chosen for that purpose and by them delivered by word of mouth to the men of that age wherein they lived and by writing for the use of after ages and delivered to be kept 't is a sacred Depositum which God hath put into the hands of the Church Keep that which is committed to thy trust 1 Tim. 6. 20. and to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. I shall observe 1. The Mercy of God in delivering this Faith or Rule of Salvation 2. The Duty of the Church concerning it 1. The Mercy of God in delivering this faith to chosen men that by their means the world might come to the knowledge of it The doctrine of Salvation first came out from God and then was conveyed to us by the hands of holy men we are not sensible enough of the priviledg Psal 147. 19 20. He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and Judgmeâ—ts unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation c. 'T is not a common mercy for many Nations want it nor no casual thing in the primitive times not only the doctrine of the Apostles was directed and ordered by the Holy Ghost but also their journeys the Gospel came not to them by chance but as a special gift from Heaven But that we may be more sensible of the Priviledg I shall shew you 1. The Benefit of the Word By it Gods heart is opened to us and our own hearts to our selves by it we are acquainted with the way of Salvaâ—ioâ— and come to understand the courses of the Lords Justice and Mercy and in what manner he will govern and rule the World which are altogether unknown to them that have not such a Revelation delivered to them We should never have known the cause of our misery our fall in Adam nor the means of our Recovery Redemption by Jesus Christ if they had not been delivered to us in this doctrine and rule of faith we should never have known how to worship God or enjoy God If carnal men should have a liberty to let Nature work and set down a Divinity of their own what a goodly Religion should we have in the World a very comely Chymaera no doubt For practicals it would be large enough I am sure for natural conscience hateth fetters and restraints in doctrinals it would be absurd enough Man can never take a right draught and image of God Who can empty an Ocean with a Cocklesh ll And since the Fall we are grown quite brutish our conceits are not so monstrous in any thing as in the Worship of God The Pagan Philosophers that were most profound in the researches and enquiries of Reason they sate abrood and thought of hatching an excellent Religion but what was the issue Professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1. 22. All that they produced was fables and high strains
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.
affection corrupted and renewed the Schoolmen dispute whether there be any thing a man doth that had not its first rise from love 't is love maketh us angry and 't is love maketh us hate and love maketh us grieve much more is it love that maketh us hope and desire and delight so 't is gracious love that sets us a mourning for sin puts us upon hatred of evil delighting in God and in his Laws see 2 Cor. 4 14. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Gal. 5. 6. faith worketh by love faith receiveth grace and love exerciseth it if we would do any thing in the resistance of sin in keeping the Commandments we cannot spare our love 2. As to man love is a grace that will make us industrious for the good of others and therefore we read of the labour of love 1 Thes 1 3. 't is gluten animarum the glue of the souls the cement and soder of the Church the jointing that runneth throughout all the living and squared stones Col 3. 14. by this souls are mingled and all mutual offices done cheerfully want of love to the Saints is the cause of Apostacy for the less we love them the more we associate to the wicked and then zeaâ— is damnifiâ—d and abated Well then watch the more earnestly against the decays and abatements of love leaving our first love is a disease not only incident to Hypocriâ—es but sometimes to Gods own children Christians go backward in the heat and light of their graces ten degrees either through the badness of the times Mat. 24. 12. or through a cursed â—aâ—iâ—ty that is apt to creep upon us affâ—ctions are deadned to things to which we are acâ—ustomed the Israelites cryed out nothing but this Manna our desires are not so fresh and lively after long acquaintance Sometimes it cometh from negligâ—nce or a sluggish carelesness we do not take pains to keep graces alive nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gift that is in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. as the Prieâ—â—s in the Temple were to keep in the holy fire so are we by prayers and meditation and constant woâ—k to keep our love alâ—ve but when these exercises are neglected it decreaseth Sometimes it falleth out through freeness in sinning neglect is like not blowing up the coals sinning is like pouring on waters a very quenching of the sâ—irit 1 Thes 5. 13. Again through secure dalliance with the pleasures of sin or cumbring the soul with the cares of the world when the heart runneth out too much upon the creature God is neglected Thus it may fall out But now the decay of love is seen in two things 1. The remission of the degrees of love 2. The intermission of the acts of love 1. A remission of the degrees when the heart groweth cold listless and loose when there is not such a strong tendency and bent of soul towards God as formerly not such a sense of unkindness such an awful respect to God a care to please him and desire to enjoy him nor such complacency and delight in the thoughts of God but now every loss or abatement of degree doth not mount to a leaving of our first love there are certain ravishments and transports of soul which we feel upon the first evidence of our being reconciled to God or are stirred up upon ther special occasions these are accidental overflowings which may come and go we cannot always bear up under them new things strangely affect us love is afterward more settled and dâ—ffused in the channels of obedience and therefore no wonder if it do not run with so full aâ—ydâ— and current this remission of degrees then must be understood with respect to these constant dispositions of love as care to please fear to offend desire of and delight in God when these fail as to any degree love is a chilling or growing cold 2. An intermission of the acts and exercise of love when God is forgâ—tten duty neglected sin unmoâ—tified no caâ—e of or frequency in private communiâ—n with God no sweet thoughts of him Psal 63. 6. Psal 104. 34. where we love there will be musing on the object beloved there will be familiarity and intimateness of converse there is not a day can pass but love will find some errand and occasion to confer with God either to implore his help or ask his counsel but now when men can pass over whole days and weeks and never give God a visit such strangeness argueth little love Again when there is no care of glorifying God no ploâ—tings and contrivings how we may be most useful for him when we do not mourn over sin as we were wont to do are not so sensible of offences have not these meltings of heart are not so careful to avoid all occasions of offending God are not so watchful so zealous as we were wont to be do not rise up in arms against temptations and carnal thoughts love is decayed certainly when the sense of our obligations to Christ is warm upon the heart sin doth not scape so freely love will not endure it to live and act in the â—ear Tit. 2 11. 12. Gen. 39 9. but now as this is worn off the heart is not watched the tongue is not bridled speeches are idle yea rotten and prophane wrath and envy tyrannize over the Soul all runneth to riot in the poor neglected heart yea further Gods publick worship is performed perfunctorily and in a careless stupid manner sin confessed without remorse and sense of the wrong done to God prayer made for spiritual blessings without desire of obtaining wrath deprecated without any fear of the danger intercession for others without any sympathy or brotherly Love thanks given without any esteem of the benefits or affection to God in the remembrance of them conference of holy things is either none at all or very slight and careless hearing without attention reading without a desire of profit singing without any delight or melody of heart All this is but the just account of an heart declining in the love of God Now as you love your own Souls beware of this great evil to this end 1. Be rooted and grounded in love Eph. 3. 17. Do not content your selves with flashes and good moods and meltings at a Sermon but get solid grace and thorow experiences glances and suddain affections will come to nothing Matth. 13. 4. 5. with 20. 21. A tree that hath taken root is in less danger of withering 2. Increase and grow in love 1 Thessa 4. 10. Nothing conduceth to a decay more than contentment with what we have received every day you should love sin less self less world less but Christ more and more 3. Observe the first declinings for these are cause of all the rest evil is best stopped in the beginning if when we first began to grow careless we had taken heed then it would never have come to this an heavy body moving downward vires aâ—quirit â—undo it gathers strength by
increaseth our love to God Luc. 7. 47. and putteth us upon the study of holiness 4. At the last day all is fully accomplished 1 Col. 22. Well then let us wait upon God with incouragement and press on to perfection upon these hopes surely we shall be faultless Christ would never have given us earnest if he meant not to stand to his bargain The next clause is before the presence of his glory note thence that Christs presence at the day of Judgment will be exceeding glorious for he will then appear not only as the Son of man but as the Son of God Matth. 16 27. he will then appear not only as the Saviour but as the Judg of the world both for the terror of the wicked 2 Thess 1. 8. and as a pattern of that glory which shall be put upon the godly Col. 3. 4. and Phil. 3. 21. Well then let us not despise Christ now he lieth hid under the vail of the Gospel but with comfort let us expect his coming for when he is glorious we shall share with him and appear also in glory And let us not think shame of his service what ever disireputation the world shall put upon it The last particle in the words is that with exceeding joy from thence note The day of Christ to the godly is a joyful day when others howl you shall triumph when others are dejected and call upon the Mountains to cover them Rev. 6. 16. you shall lift up the head for your redemption draweth nigh Luc. 21. 28. Christ will be glad to see you whom he hath carried in his heart from all eternity for whose sake he came into the world and dyed and for whom he went back again into Heaven that he might negotiate with God in your behalf and whom he now cometh to receive unto himself that you may be for ever there where he is and surely you that have received Christ into your hearts and loved him though unseen and served him though with the loss and hazard of all will be glad to see him in all his glory and royalty especially when you shall hear him calling upon you Come ye blessed of my Father enter into the Kingdom prepared for you Oh that we could act over this joy aforehand faith is a bird that can sing in winter before Christ came in the flesh the Patriarchs got a sight of him by the Eagle-eye of faith and rejoyced at the thought of it John 8. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Oh surely our hearts should be warmed with the thought of that blessed day when we shall be able to say Yonder even there is our great Lord Verse 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen THe Apostle in this verse goeth on with that doxology which he had begun in the former here you may take notice of the description of the person to whom the praise is given he is discribed 1. By his excellency the only wise God 2. By our interest and the benefit we receive by him and our Saviour 2. The ascription of praise Be glory c. there is 1. what is ascribed glory majesty dominion and power 2. The duration how long he would have this ascribed now and ever 3. Manner in what fashion 't is ascribed in the particle Amen with which all is sealed and closed up this particle implieth 1. Our confidence that it shall be so 2. our hearty affection that it might be so love saith let it be and faith it shall be for faith is a prophetick grace in prayer it answereth its self But let us go over these particulars more fully and distinctly from the description of the person to the only wise God our Saviour that Christ is God we proved before on verse 4. see pag. 222. and 230 231 232 233 234 and that Christ is a Saviour and how on the same verse pag. 227 228 229 I shall only now observe 1. That God is wise 2. That God is only wise 3. That Jesus Christ as Mediator hath a right to this attribute I begin with the first That wisdom is ascribed to God Gods wisdom is a distinct notion from his knowledge he doth not only know all things but hath ordered and disposed them with much counsel the wisdom of God is asserted in the word Job 9. 4. and Job 12 13 and proved there by what he hath bestowed upon man he that teacheth man knowledg shall not he know Psal 94. 10. what ever man hath from God God hath it in himself in a more eminent degree and 't is also evidenced by the works of God as in the works of creation providence and the methods of his graces 1. Much of his wisdom is seen in creation there his wisdom is discovered in the excellent order of all his works their mutual correspondence and fitness for the several ends and services for which they were appointed the order of the world sheweth the wisdom of God the order of placing the creatures see Pro. 3. 19 20. the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth by understanding hath he established the Heavens by his knowledg the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew the earth is set lowermost as the foundation of all the rest the Sea pent up within its channels the air above them both and the Heavens higher than all the Stars and Planets placed in the Firmament and the fishes in the Sea the order of making God proceeding from things imperfect to perfect first the rude mass then the Heavens and the vast earth and glorious creatures but without life then the herbs and plants that have life but not sense and motion then the brute creatures that have sense and motion but not reason then man with a reasonable Soul after his own image in this order you may observe first the dwelling place is appointed then the food then the creature that feedeth upon it the beasts upon the herbs and man upon the beasts The Queen of Sheba was astonished at Solomons wisdom when she perceived the well ordering of his family certainly if we did observe the order of nature we would stand wondering more at the wisdom of God Next observe the correspondence that is between all the parts of the world compared sometimes to a building wherefore God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an artificial Builder Heb. 11. 10. In this great house every part conspireth to the beauty service and deceâ—cy of the whole the roof is Heaven and therefore the Spheres are called chambers and stories in the Heavens Amos 9. 6. The foundation is earth Job 38. 5 6. The Stars and glorious Luminaries are the windows the Sea the water course c. Sometimes 't is compared to the frame and structure of mans body Heb. 11. 3. The worlds were framed 't is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
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
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
the reliques of grace yet left Psal 119. 176. I have gone astray like a sheep seek thy servant for I do not forget thy Commandments as if he had said Lord I have sinned through weakness but I hope there is some grace left some bent of heart towards thee So the Church Isai 64. 8 9. Now O Lord thou art our Father c. Yea God is angry when we do not plead So Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not cry Thou art my Father c. You have an interest though you have been disobedient Thus do and your falls will be an advantage as you have seen men go back to fetch their leaps more commodiously When you stand let it excite you to love and thankfulness Nothing maketh the Saints love God more then the unchangeableness of his Love When they see themselves safe in the midst of weaknesses and Satans dayly assaults it doth much indear God to their Souls Certainly Daniel was much affected with his preservation in the Lions den when he saw the Lions ramping and roaring about him and yet restrained with the chains of Providence that they could do him no harm So the children of God must needs love their Preserver when they consider what dangers are round about them how little they subsist by their own strength and how much they have done a thousand times to cause God to withdraw his Spirit from them and therefore the great argument why the Saints do love and praise him is not only the freedom of his grace but the unchangeableness and constancy of it His mercy endureth for ever 't is several times repeated Psal 136. So Psal 106. 1. Praise ye the Lord O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever No form is more frequent in the mouths of the Saints and good reason for alas if we were left to our selves we should damn our selves every hour we have a revolting heart we are like glasses without a bottom as soon as they are out of hand they are broken we cannot stand of our selves and we have a restless enemy that desireth to toss us and vex us as wheat is tossed from sieve to sieve Luke 22. 31. and we have often forfeited Gods protection and grieved him day by day were it not for everlasting Mercy what would become of us Certainly they that do not love God for their preservation they are not sensible of their condition in the world what a naughty heart they carry about with them 'T is a miracle that ever grace should be preserved there where there is so much pride love of pleasures worldly cares brutish lusts that such an heavenly plant can thrive in the midst of so many weeds Nor what a busie Devil they have to do withall who watcheth all advantages as a dog that standeth waving his tail 't is Chrysostom's comparison and expecting a bit and his envy and malice is most bent against them that have most grace Finally they do not consider that the world is full of snares and dangerous allurements for if they did they could not chuse but fall a blessing of God for Jesus Christ who yet fasteneth them as a nail in the holy place I remember one of the Fathers bringeth in the Flesh saying Ego deficiam I will surely fail and miscarry and the World Ego decipia◠I will deceive them and entice them and Satan Ego eripiam I will snatch them and carry them away and God saith Ego custodiam I will keep them I will never fail them nor forsake them and there lieth our safety and security It informeth us that if any fall often constantly frequently easily they have no interest in grace 1 John 3. 9. He that is born of God sinneth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes not a trade of sin that 's the force of the phrase Gods children slip often but not with such a frequent constant readiness into the same sin As fair Meadows may be overflown but Marish ground is drowned with the return of every Tyde so are wicked men carryed away with every return of the temptation therefore he that liveth in a course of prophaness worldliness drunkenness his spot is not as the spot of Gods children You are tryed by your constant course and walk Rom. 8. 1. What 's your road what do you do constantly easily frequently I except only those sins which are of usual incidence and suden surrection as sudden stirrings of passion in a cholerick temper and vanity of thoughts and distractions in duties c. and yet for these a man should be the more humble and watchful if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for 't is a bad sign It provoketh us to get an interest in such a sure condition Be not contented 1. With outward happiness things are worthy according to their duration Nature hath such a sense of Gods Eternity that the more lasting things are it accounteth them the better An immortal Soul must have an eternal Good Now all things in the world are frail and pass away therefore called uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6. 18. 't is uncertain whether we shall get them and uncertain whether we shall keep them and uncertain whether we shall live to enjoy them if they stay with us All of this side grace is uncertain these things are usually blasted in their flower and beauty as Herod was stricken in the midst of all his Royalty so that a man may out-live his happiness which is the greatest misery or at least it must terminate with death there is no use of wealth in the other world But now the better part can never be taken from us Luke 10. 42. and by seeking that we may have other things with a blessing Mat. 6. 33. 2. Rest not in gifts they are for the body rather then the person that hath them as many are carnal and yet come behind in no gift God useth them like Negroes to dig in the mynes of knowledg that others may have the gold Judas could cast out Devils and yet afterward was cast out among Devils See 1 Cor. 12 ult the Apostle had discoursed largely of gifts and then concludeth thus But yet I shew you a more excellent way and what 's that Grace that abideth and endureth for ever as in the next Chapter Many that have great abilities to pray preach discourse yet fall away According to the place which they sustain in the body so they have great gifts of knowledg utterance abilities to comfort direct and instruct others to answer doubts to reason and argue for God for conference and holy discourse and yet fall foully as those Heb. 6. 4. are said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost that is to have a great share of Church gifts Nay this is not all Gifts themselves wither and vanish when the bodily vigor is spent The glory of a man is as the flower of the grass 1 Pet. 1. 24. By
the glory of a man is meant what ever excellency we have by Nature wit knowledg strength of natural parts as well as wealth and riches Many times we like the dry stalk remaineth when the flower is gone nothing but the gracious work of the Spirit will last for ever 3. Seeming and unsound grace as false faith such as beginneth in joy will end in trouble it easeth you for the present but you shall lie down in sorrow General probabilities loose hopes uncertain conjectures vanishing apprehensions of comfort all these things soon come to nothing The planting of true faith is troublesom at first but it leadeth to true comfort otherwise you may look upon the Gospel with some kind of delectation for a while as thorns may blaze under the pot though they cannot keep in the fire therefore do not rest in tasting the good Word Heb. 6. 5. in some slight and transitory comfort Again there is formal profession Many may begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. A man may seem to himself and to the Church of God to have true grace he may profess the truth escape the pollutions of the world that is foul gross sins yea and all this not out of a carnal aim but out of a slight and insufficient touch of the truth upon the Conscience and yet fall away like the corn in the stony ground that grew up but had no root But much more Christians will that form which is taken up out of private aims fail and miscarry God delighteth to take off the mark and disguise of an hypocrite by letting them fall into some scandalous sin or by changing the times and posture of affairs or by sending a storm Paint is soon washed of therefore rest not in these outward and superficial changes till solid and substantial grace be wrought in you Is Comfort to Gods children Grace is sure and the priviledges of it are sure Grace it self is sure through your folly it may be nigh unto death but cannot dye This is the advantage of spiritual comforts that they do not only satisfie our desires but secure us against our fears The redeemed of the Lord have an everlasting joy Isai 35. 10. Once in Christ and for ever preserved in Christ Grace would be little better then temporal things if it did yeild but a temporary refreshing They weaken Christian comfort that make Beleevers walk with Christ like Dancers upon a rope every moment in fear of breaking their necks This is the comfort of a gracious heart that as nothing shall altogether cut him off from enjoying God so nothing shall utterly make him cease to love God The children of God would be troubled if grace should fail though their priviledges should not be cut off you are sure of both For as grace is sure so are also the priviledges of grace This was figured under the Law an Israelite could never wholly alienate his inheritance and title to the Land Levit. 25. 23. His title to the Land shall not be cut off nor sold for ever This was a type of our spiritual inheritance in Christ which cannot be alienated from us he might for a while pass it away but it was to return again so those that are made coheirs with Christ are never dis-inherited 'T is true we forfeit it by the merit of our actions but God doth not take the advantage of every offence 'T is true we lose the evidences that are in our keeping peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost but the estate it self is undefeasible and cannot be made away from us Sometimes we are under a king of sequestration and there is a suspension of comfort and grace as the Israelite might make away his inheritance for a time but we shall recover possession again though not by our selves yet by our Goel our kinsman or him that is next of blood As under the Law if a person were not able to redeem the inheritance the kinsman was to redeem it so Jesus Christ our kinsman after the flesh he is our Goel he interposeth by his merit and reconcileth us to God Well then You see grace is kept and the priviledges of grace are kept in Christ But now because comforts are never prized but in their season and men that have not been exercised in spiritual conflicts nauseate these sweet truths they know not what it is to be left to uncertainty when troubles come like waves one in the neck of another therefore let us see when this truth will be most sweet and seasonable 1. In great troubles when God seemeth to hide his face Oh how sweet is it to hear him say I will not forsake thee till I have performed all that I promised thee Gen. 28. 15. all this shall better thy heart and hasten thy glory In times of distress we are apt to think that God hath cast us off and will never look after us more though formerly we have had real experiences of his grace What a foolish creature is man to weaken his assurance when he should come to use it to unravel all his hope and experiences in times of trouble which is the only season to make use of them 2. In the hour of temptation and hard conflicts with doubts and corruptions when we are sensible of the power of sin and how difficult it is to remove it out of the heart we are apt to say as David after all his experiences I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. and many times out of distrust give over the combate Oh then remember now you are preserved in Christ and that nothing shall separate as Sarcerius came to Camerarius his wife when she had been exercised with a long and tedious conflict and read to her the latter end of the eighth of the Romans she brake out in triumph using Pauls words Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors Oh Christians neither sin nor Devil nor world can divide you from Christ for he did not only tread down Satan but under your feet 3. In times of great danger and defection either through error and persecution as Saunders trembled to think of the fire especially when others fall fearfully who were before us in knowledg and profession of zeal and piety when the first become last when glorious Luminaries are eclipsed and leave their orb and station as the Martyrs were troubled to hear of the revolt of some great Scholars that had appeared for the Gospel When Hymeneus and Philetus two eminent Professors fell there was a great shaking 2 Tim. 2. 18. But the foundation of the Lord standeth sure c. that 's the comfort the Apostle opposeth in such a case 4. In times of disheartening because of the difficulties of Religion when the use of means groweth troublesom to quicken you in your Christian course think of the unchangeableness of Gods love all graces rise according to the proportion and
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
hath many Names a distinct consideration of them yeildeth an advantage in beleeving for though they express the same thing yet every notion begetteth a fresh thought by vvhich Mercy is more taken abroad in the vievv of Conscience This is that pouring out of Gods Name spoken of Cant. 1. 3. Ointment in the Box doth not yeild such a fragrancy as vvhen 't is poured out and Spices do not give forth their smell till they are chafed Nothing is more conducible to beget a trust then distinct thoughts and conceptions of Gods Mercy Let us take notice of some places vvhere 't is set forth See Psal 103. 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy The expression is diversified and I note it the rather because in other places the same notions of Mercy are punctually expressed see Nehem. 9. 17. so Psal 14. 5. 8. and in divers other places chiefly see that Exod. 34. 7. and you vvill find that this is the very description vvhich God hath given of himself Novv vvhat doth the Spirit of God aim at in this express enumeration and accumulation of names of Mercy but to give us an help in meditation and that our thoughts may be more distinct 1. The first notion is Mercy which is an Attribute whereby God inclineth to succour them that are in misery 'T is an Attribute that meerly respecteth the creature The Love and knovvledg of God first falleth upon himself but Mercy is only transient and passeth out to the creatures God knoweth himself loveth himself but he is not merciful to himself And then it respecteth the creatures in misery for misery is Mercy 's only motive Justice seeketh a â—it object but Mercy a â—it occasion Justice requireth desert but Mercy only want and need 2. The next notion is Grace vvhich noteth the free bounty of God and excludeth all merit of the creature Grace doth all gratis freely though there be no precedent obligation or debt or hope of recompence vvhereby any thing may accrue to himself only that it may be vvell vvith the creature Gods external motive is our misery his internal motive is his ovvn Grace and elective Love Am I in want there is mercy Am I unworthy there is grace Mercy respects us as we are in our selves vvorthy of condemnation Grace as compared with others not elected The ultimate Reason of the choyce is Gods grace The Angels that never sinned are saved meerly out of grace but men that vvere once miserable are saved not only out of grace but also out of mercy 3. The next notion is long-suffering or slowness to anger The Lord is not easily overcome by the wrongs or sins of the creature but easily overcometh them by his own patience and goodness He doth not only pity our misery that 's mercy and do us good for nothing that 's grace but beareth long with our infirmities Alas if God were as short and swift in the executions of revenge as men are God must create another World to raise up seed to Christ If he did not wait upon sinners there would be none made Saints We provoked him to cut us off long since but wrath is not easily heightened into rage and therefore he waiteth that he may be gracious Isai 30. 18. 4. Kindness or bounty plenteous in goodness BERAB CHESID Gods communications of his grace to the creature are every way rich and full You may say God is merciful gracious patient But will he be thus to me Yes he is plenteous in goodness kind and communicative Psal 119. 68. Thou art good and dost good therefore David goeth to him for grace Well then study Gods Name and answer all your discouragements out of the descriptions of his Mercy 9. Consider your own experiences We have not only heard that God is merciful but we have known it All men may speak of patience and common mercy and outward deliverances but few improve them to a spiritual use and purpose 1. Consider Gods patience How long hath he waited for your Conversion and he that hath spared you can save you 'T is said The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. the word implyeth that God is bound to pay it by virtue of an implicite bargain and agreement between him and the creature But as yet the hand of God hath not found you out you are indebted to Justice but Mercy stoppeth the arrest of Vengeance Many others have been taken away in their sins by a sudden arrow and dart from Heaven Vengeance hath trodden upon the heel of sin As Zimri and Cosbi unloaded their lusts and their lives together The Angels for an aspiring thought were turned out of Heaven Gehazi was blasted with Leprosie just upon his lye and Lots wife turned into a stone for a look a glance upon Sodom and Herâ—d smitten with lice in the midst of his pomp and vain-glory and some have perished in the mid way Psal 2. in the very heat of some carnal and wicked pursuit God can do the like to you therefore reason thus If Mercy would not save me why hath Mercy spared me God might have sued out the Bond long since what is the meaning of the dispensation Is God weak or unjust or hath he a mind to be gracious Surely he would not have spared me all this while if he had not a mind to save my Soul Such reasonings as these many times give us the first encouragement to apply our selves to God Wicked men like Spiders draw other conclusions Psal 50. 21. But should not his patience c. Rom. 2. 4. 2. Consider Gods goodness in giving thee food and clothing and honour and gladness of heart and all this without thy desert say Certainly all these benefits are but so many baits to catch my Soul I see the Sun riseth every day with a fresh countenance and shineth upon the fields of just and unjust to what purpose but to shew that God is gracious without hire This bodily Sun is but an obscure type of the Sun of Righteousness that is willing to display his beams and wings over a poor languishing Soul Common mercies are the tastes of Gods love while you are sinners and the common fruits of Christs death that you may be invited to come for more Why hath he given me the unrighteous Mammon but that I may look after the true Riches What a vile unthankful heart should I have if I should be contented with Mammon without Christ and be like Judas with the bag in my hand and the Devil in my heart Gods children are wont to make these gifts a step to higher dispensations they know God like the good housholder bringeth forth the best at last therefore they must have something above and beyond all these things Common hearts are contented with common mercies but they are still waiting when the Master of the feast will bid them sit higher I may have this and be damned Where are the arguments of
with them Christ is called the Prince of Peace Isai 9. 6. but 't is to those that submit to his Government to his Subjects he saith Take my yoke upon you and ye shall find rest Mat. 11. 29. We are not in a capacity to receive this Blessing till we take an oath of allegiance to Christ and continue in obedience to him 2. The next Note is delight in communion with God Job 22. Acquaint thy self with him and be at peace A man that is at peace with God will be often in his company Bondage and servile awe keepeth us out of Gods presence We cannot come to him because we cannot come in peace A man never delighteth in duties of commerce with God when either he hath a false peace or no peace Duties disturb a false peace and when we are raw and sour we are unfit for work When a Peace is concluded between Nations that were before at War Trading is revived so will it be between God and you commerce will be revived and you will be trading into Heaven that you may bring avvay rich treasures of grace and comfort It presseth us to make peace vvith God by Christ We speak to tvvo sorts the careless and the distressed 1. To the careless Consider you are born enemies to God They that loved him from their cradle upvvard never loved him You must make peace vvith God for you cannot maintain war against him Are you stronger then he What vvill you arm lusts against Angels And do you knovv the terror of his wrath one spark of it is enough to drink up all your blood and spirits Job 6. 4. The present life is but a vapor soon gone If God be angry he can arm the least creature to kill you The vvhole Creation taketh part vvith God Adrian vvas strangled with a Gnat. But death vvill not end your sorrovvs none can punish their enemies as God can he can ruine your body and soul for ever and for ever Hovv vvill you screech and howl like Dragons But your torments are vvithout end and vvithout ease Be vvise then and do not sleep vvhen your damnation sleepeth not novv is the time to make your peace vvith God Ah that you knew in this your day the things that belong to your peace Luk. 19. 41. Peace must be had novv or else it can never be had hereafter the day of patience vvill not alvvays last therefore let us get into the Ark before the Flood cometh T is a dreadful thing to be under the Wrath of God and you knovv not hovv soon it vvill light our care should be to be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. Christ is novv a Saviour then a Judg You vvill yell and howl for mercy vvhen 't is too late 2. I am to speak to distressed Consciences Lift up your heads God offereth you peace he sent Angels from Heaven to proclaim it Luke 2. 14. The ground of the offer is good-will and the end of the offer is only his own glory God hath no other reasons to move him to it but his own good-will and no other aim then to glorifie his grace see Ephes 1. 6. and therefore take hold of his Covenant of Peace as 't is called Isai 54. 10. He is content we shall have peace upon these terms and peace assured us by Covenant Certainly 't is not a duty to doubt nor a thing acceptable to God that we should always be upon terms of perplexity and keep Conscience raw with a sense of wrath and sin Wherefore did Christ bear the chastisement of our Peace God is more pleased with a chearful confidence then a servile spirit full of bondage and fear 'T is Caution If Peace be a priviledg of the Gospel let us take care that we settle upon a right Peace lest we mistake a Judgment for a Blessing 'T is the greatest Judgment that can be to be given up to our own secure presumptions and to be lulled asleep with a false peace When the pulse doth not beat the body is in a dangerous estate so when Conscience is benummed and suiteth not 't is very sad The Grounds of a false and carnal Peace are 1. Ignorance of our condition Many go hoodwink'd to Hell a little light breaking in would trouble all Rom. 7. 9. Sluttish corners are not seen in the dark Things are naught that cannot brook a tryal So you may know that 't is very bad with men when they will not come to the light John 3. 20. or cannot endure to be alone lest Conscience should return up it self and they be forced to look inward their confidence is supported by meer ignorance 2. Sensuality Some mens lives are nothing else but a diversion from one pleasure to another that they may put off that which they cannot put away there is bondage in their Consciences and they are loth to take notice of it Amos 6. 3. They drink wine in bowls and put far away the evil day This is to quench the spirit without a metaphor All their pleasures are but stoln waters and bread eaten in secret frisks of mirth when they can get Conscience asleep Caâ—ns heart was a trouble to him therefore he falleth a building of Cities Saul to cure the evil spirit ran to his Musick and so usually men choak Conscience either with business or pleasures 3. From formality and slightness in the spiritual life First Either they do not seriously perform duty that will make men see what carnal unsavory sapless spirits they have He that never stirreth doth not feel the lameness of his joynts Formal duties make men the more secure as the Pharisee thought himself in a good case because c. Luke 18. 11. but spiritual duties search us to the purpose as new wine doth old bottles Or else secondly They do not exasperate their lusts and seriously resist sin Tumult is made by opposition When a man yeildeth to Satan no wonder that Satan lets him alone Luke 11. 21. The goods are in peace because the Devils possession is not disturbed he rageth most when his Kingdom is tottering Rev. 12. 12. Please the worst natures and they will not trouble you There is no tempest where wind and tyde go together You let Satan alone and he lets you alone this is a peace that will end in trouble I now come to speak of the third thing prayed for and that is Love which being taken here not for Gods love to us but our love to God may be thus defined 'T is a gracious and holy affection which the Soul upon the apprehension of Gods love in Christ returneth back to God again by his own grace The Grounds and Causes of it are two the one worketh by way of argument and swasion the other by way of efficacy and power 1. It ariseth from the sense and apprehensions of Gods love in Christ Love is like a Diamond that is not wrought upon but by its own dust
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
he pleaseth but hath expresly commanded it nay this is the great Commandment Certainly God is very desirous of our love when he layeth such an obligation upon us Was there ever such a Master that made this to be his servants chiefest duty that they should love him Again I observe in Gods Command that the Precept runneth thus Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might The Lord would not lose one grain of the creatures love Surely he valued it when he is so sollicitous about it If we should see a wise man careful to preserve the reliques of what we counted a neglected weed it would make us think there were somewhat in it We lavish away our love upon trifles and God prizeth every grain of it you see he speaketh as if he would not lose one dust of love all thy soul all thy heart and all thy might When he biddeth us love our neighbor he sets limits to it Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self but when he biddeth us love God he requireth all the heart The only measure is to love him without measure The next place that I shall take notice of where the Precept is recorded is Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul God doth not require of us things without the sphere of duty that we should go into the depths of the Sea toss mountains in the ayr pluck the stars from Heaven c. these things lie out of the power of man He doth not require of us barbarous austerities to offer our first-born to lance our selves to mangle our flesh with whips and scourges He doth not require of us absolutely such things which some men can and ought to perform not such a measure of alms what then would become of the poor not such a degree of wisdom and learning what then would become of the simple and unlearned But O Israel what hath the Lord required of thee but that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God A duty to be performed by poor and rich learned and unlearned what ever their estate and condition be they may all love God There are many in Heaven that never were in a condition to give but to receive that were never learned and skilled in sciences but none that never loved God Secondly God hath deserved love Let us a little take notice of Gods love to us He beginneth and loveth us that we may love him again 1 John 4. 19. If God should hate us we were bound to love him because of his excellency and because of our duty and obligation as we are creatures how much more when God hath loved us and bestowed so many benefits upon us Love is an affection which God will have repayed in kind When he chideth us he doth not expect that we should chide him again when he judgeth us we must not judg him again in these things the creature is not to retaliate 'T is true we do it too often but still to our â—oss and blame But now when he loveth us he willeth us to love him again he loveth us for no other cause but that he may be loved Love must be payd in kind As water is cast into a Pump when the springs lie low to bring up more water so God sheddeth abroad his love into our hearts that our love may rise up to him again by way of gratitude and recompence Now in the Love of God we may take notice of the 1. Properties and of it 2. Effects of it First For the Properties of Gods Love consider 1. The Ancientness of it Psal 103. 17. From everlasting to everlasting c. With reverence we may speak ever since God was God he was our God You may track his Love from one Eternity to another Before the world was he loved us and when the world is no more he loveth us still His Love began in eternal purposes of Grace and it endeth in our eternal possession of Glory 'T is not a thing of yesterday he is our ancient Friend He loved us not only before we were lovely but before we were at all We adjourn and put off our love of God to old age and thrust it into a narrow corner When we have wasted and spent our strength in the world we dream of a devout retirement But the Lord thinketh he could never love us early enough From everlasting to everlasting c. We receive the fruits and effects of Love in time but all cometh out of Gods ancient and eternal Love this grace was provided for us before we were born Yea look upon Gods Love in time how merciful was God to us before we could shew the least sign of thankefulness to him He loved us a long time before ever we had a thought of him In infancy we could not so much as know that he loved us When we came to years of discretion we knew how to offend him before we knew how to love and serve him How many are there of whom it may be said God is not in all their thoughts and yet all this while God hath thoughts of peace and blessing towards them 2. Consider the Freeness of Gods Love The value of all benefits ariseth from the necessity of him that receiveth and the good-will of him that giveth God wanted not us our love is no benefit to him but we wanted him we are undone without him yet he hath more delight in pardoning then we in salvation and he is more ready to give then we to ask He often calleth upon us to call upon him as if he were afraid we would not ask or not enough or not soon enough or not often enough A man would think that our wants should be importunate enough to put us upon requests and that we needed not enforcements to prayer yet you see God doth not only prevent the request but make the prayer and stirreth us up to utter it But we are not only needy creatures but guilty creatures and that God should love us When we were in our blood and filthiness 't was a time of loves Ezek. 16. 7. This is the great Miracle of divine Love that a time of loathing is a time of loves And we will wonder at it more if we consider the active and endless hatred of his Holiness against sin and therefore why not against sinners The holiness of his Nature and Essence sets him against them and natural antipathies and aversations can never be reconciled as a Man can never be brought to delight in a Toad or a Lamb in a Wolf And consider again his infinite Wisdom We may love that which is not lovely because we are often blinded by inordinate affection but now Gods Love is not blind
and overcome with the vehemency of any passion as mans is this maketh the wonder there is no blindness and passion in him that loveth and yet the thing that is loved is vile and uncomely 3. The frequency of the expressions of his Love It would weary the arm of an Angel to write down Gods repeated Acts of Grace Rom. 5. 17. The free gift is of many offences unto Justification We carry loads of experiences with us to Heaven Gods Book of Remembrance is written within and without This will be our wonder and amazement at the last day to see such huge sums cancelled with Christs blood Every day pardoning mercy is put in Our past lives are but a constant experience of our sinning and Gods pardoning We are weary of every thing but sin we are never weary of that because 't is natural to us The very refreshments of life by continuance grow burdensom Meat drink musick sleep the chiefest pleasures vvithin a vvhile need to be refreshed vvith other pleasures Man is a restless creature and loveth shift and change But now vve are never weary of sin we have it from the womb and we keep it to the grave and yet all this while we subsist upon God we subsist upon him every moment We have life and breath and hourly maintenance from him whom we thus grieve and offend Dependance should beget observance but in us 't is otherwise As a dunghill sendeth out vapors to obscure the Sun that shineth upon it so do we dishonour the God of our mercies and grieve him day by day How long hath God been multiplying pardons and yet Free-grace is not tyred and grown weary 4. Consider the variety of the expressions of his Love We have all kind of mercies we eat mercy we wear mercy we are encompassed with mercy as with a shield The Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1. 3. He hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness that is as I would interpret all things that are necessary to life natural to life spiritual to maintain grace here and to bring us to glory hereafter He that hath an interest in Christ his portion is not straitened he hath a right to all things and a possession of as much as Providence judgeth needful therein we must not be our own carvers A man of mortified affections thinketh he hath provision enough if he hath things necessary to life and godliness and will you not love God for all this Certainly we do not want obligations but we want affections Look as too much wood puts out the fire and causeth smoak so the multitude and dayly experience of Gods mercies lesseneth the esteem of them We have but too many mercies and that maketh us unkind and neglectful of God What shall I tell you of Sabbaths Ordinances food rayment If a man would be but his own remembrancer and now and then come to an account with God he would cry out Oh the multitude of thy thoughts to us-ward how great is the sum of them Psal 139. Or if a man would but keep a journal of his own life what a vast volume would his private experiences make how would he find mercy and himself still growing up together Shall I shew you a little what a multitude of mercies there are I will not speak of the higher and choycer mercies such as concern the soul but of such as concern the body What a deal of provision is there for the comfort and welfare of the body I instance in these mercies partly because they are so common that they are scarce noted partly because carnal men prize the body most they prefer it above the Soul now the Lord would leave them without excuse they that love the body shall not want arguments to urge them to love God since he hath bestowed so much of his love and care upon the body to gratifie all the senses not only for necessity but delight There is light for the eye the poorest man hath glorious lamps to light him to his labours For the taste such variety of refreshments of a different sap and savour For the smell delicious infusions into the ayr from flowers and gums and aromatick plants For the ears musick from birds and men and all this to make our pilgrimage comfortable and our hearts better How many creatures hath the Lord given us to help to bear burdens how many things for meat and medicine If man had not been created last after the World was setled and furnished vve should have seen the vvant of many things vvhich vve novv enjoy and do not value First God provided our house and then furnished our table and vvhen all vvas ready then man is brought in as the Lord of all We are not affected vvith these mercies Hovv can vve sin against God that can look no where but vve see arguments and reasons to love him As Christ said Many good works have I done amongst you for which of these do you stone me So may the Lord plead I have done many things for you you cannot open your eyes but you see love you cannot vvalk abroad but you smell love and hear love c. for vvhich of those do you grieve me and deal so despightfully vvith me Let me now come to the Effects of Gods Love I shall only instance in those three great Effects Creation Preservation and Redemption Certainly that must needs be a great benefit out of which there flies not only sparks but brands and so that Love which can produce such fruits and effects must needs be exceeding great 1. Creation This deserveth love from the creature The fruit of the Vineyard belongeth to him that planted it and whom should we love but him that gave us the power to love All that thou hast all that thou canst see that thou canst touch is his gift and the work of his hands He gave thee the essence not of a tree a bird a beast but of a man capable of reason fit for happiness God made other creatures by a word of Command and man by Councel 't was not Be thou but Let us make man to shew that the whole Trinity assisted and joyned in consultation He made other creatures for his glory but not for his love and service God is glorified in them passively as they give us occasion to glorifie God the creatures are the harp but man maketh the musick All thy works praise thee and thy Saints bless thee Psal 145. 10. How many steps may a Christian ascend in his praise and thanksgiving We might have been stones without sense beasts and without reason born infidels and without faith We might have continued sinners and without grace all these are so many steps of mercy But Creation is that we are now to speak of and truly it deserveth a remembrance especially in youth when the effects of Gods creating bounty are most fresh in our sense and feeling We are always to remember our
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
the Soul Can a man love God and be content without him If you lose but a ring which you affect how are you troubled till it be found again Ye have taken away my gods saith he and do you ask What aileth thee Judg. 18. 24. So when God is withdrawn all visits of love and influences of grace are suspended and they have no communion with him in their duties should they not mourn See Mat. 9. 15. Is spiritual love without all kind of passion or are they Christians that are stupid and insensate and never take notice of Gods coming and going These are the Evidences I shall only now suggest two Helps to keep up and increase this love to God and I have done with this Argument 1. Prize nothing that cometh from God unless thou canst see his love in it God giveth many gifts to wicked men but he doth not give them his love The possession of all things will do us no good unless we have God himself other mercies may be salted with a curse Gods children are not satisfied till they can see him and enjoy him in every comfort and mercy Esau was reconciled to Jacob and therefore Jacob saith Gen. 33. 10. I have seen thy face as the face of God 'T was a token and pledg of the gracious face of God smiling on him Hezekiah was delivered out of a sickness and then he doth not say Thou hast delivered me from the grave but Thou hast loved me from the grave Isai 38. 17. 2. Prize nothing that thou return to God unless there be love in it We accept a small gift where the party loveth and otherwise the greatest is refused If I give my body to be burned and have not love c. 1 Cor. 13. 1. Love is an act of grace by it self other duties are not acts of grace unless they come from love as alms fasting prayer Martyrdom c. they are all nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle I am not only little but nothing On the other side small things are made great by love as a cup of cold water a poor womans mite they are accepted as coming from love So much for the matter of the Prayer We come now to the manner or degree of enjoyment Be multiplyed From whence note That we should not seek grace at the hands of God but the increase and multiplication of it In managing this Point I shall first give you Reasons to press you to look after growth in grace Secondly I shall give you some Observations concerning it and so thirdly Come to some Application First The Reasons are these 1. Where there is life there will be growth and if grace be true it will surely increase A painted flower keepeth always at the same pitch and stature the Artist may bestow beauty upon it but he cannot bestow life A painted child will be as little ten years hence as it is now So a pretence of Religion always keepeth at the same stay yea when their first heats are spent they are fearfully blasted But now they that have true grace are compared to a living plant which increaseth in bulk and stature Psal 92. 12 13. and to a living child which groweth by receiving kindly nourishment 1 Pet. 2. 2. Therefore 't is not enough to get peace and love but we must get them multiplyed 2. If we do not grow we go backward Heb. 6. compare the first with the fourth verse Let us go on to perfection and then presently he treateth of Apostacy We cannot keep that which we have received if we do not labour to increase it They that row against the stream had need ply the oar lest the force of the waters carry them backward or as he that goeth up a sandy hill sinketh down if he do not go forward Mat. 25. He that would not improve his talent lost it So here we waste and consume what we have if we do not improve it 'T is dangerous to rest satisfied and never go further there is no stay in Religion all the Angels in Jacobs ladder were either ascending or descending continually in motion There are no stinted trees in Christs garden if they leave off to grow they prove doated or rotten trees An active nature such as mans is mvst either grow worse or better therefore we should be as careful after the increase of grace as we would be cautious of the loss of grace 3. 'T is an ill sign to be contented with a little grace He was never good that doth not desire to grow better Spiritual things do not cloy in the enjoyment He that hath once tasted the sweetness of grace hath arguments enough to make him seek further and desire more grace every degree of holiness is as desireable as the first therefore there can be no true holiness without a desire of perfect holiness God giveth us a taste to this end and purpose that we may long for a fuller draught as the clusters of Canaan brought to Israel in the wilderness made them put on for the Country They are Hypocrites and sure to be Apostates that are contented with a taste Heb. 6. 4. Because we cannot have too much grace there is no nimium in the internals of Religion you cannot have too much knowledg too much love of God too much of the fear of God In the outward part there may be too much done and then it proveth will-worship and superstition The Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1. 11. That we must give diligence that an abundant entrance may be ministred to us into the everlasting Kingdom of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Some are afar off from the Kingdom of God as persons ignorant and touched with no care of Religion Some come near but never enter as semi-converts and men of a blameless life these cheapen but do not buy and go through with the bargain others enter but with greater difficulty are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4. 18. saved as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 13. they make an hardshift to go to Heaven and have only grace enough to keep body and soul together as we say not a jot to spare Others enter with full sails or as 't is said they have an abundant entrance ministred to them and yet all is but little enough spiritual things cannot exceed measure But you will say 'T is said Eccles 7. 16. Be not righteous over much I answer Either 't is meant of an opinionative righteousness be not too righteous in thine own conceit or rather of an indiscreet heat or a rigid and sullen severity without any temper of wisdom and mod ration otherwise in real holiness there can never be enough 5. God hath provided for them that grow in grace a more ample reward according to our measures of grace so will our measures of glory be for they that have most grace are vessels of a larger capacity others are filled according to their size 'T is indeed
a question whether there be degrees of glory yea or no But I suppose it may easily be determined He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly whereas others have their bosoms full of sheaves if a man with a little grace should get to Heaven yet he hindereth his own preferment Who would have a thin crop and a lean harvest 6. It suiteth with our present state here we are in a state of progress and growth not of rest and perfection Grace is not given out at once but by degrees Christ saith Joh. 17. 26. I have declared thy Name and will declare it and Joh. 1. 50. Beleevest thou thou shalt see greater things then these There is more to come therefore let us not rest in our first experiences Paul saith I have not attained Phil. 3. When grace is wrought yet there is something lacking He is a foolish builder that would rest in the middle of his work and because the foundation is layd is careless of the superstructure The state of the Saints is expressed by a growing light Prov. 4. 18. As long as there is want there should be growth see 1 Thes 4. 1. 7. Seeking the increase and multiplication of spiritual gifts suiteth best with the bounty and munificence of God The Father Son and Holy Spirit have rich grace for us and we are most welcome when we seek for most plenty God the Father is represented as rich in mercy Ephes 2.4 Rom. 10. 12. We can never exhaust the Treasures of Grace and impoverish the Exchequer of Heaven So Christ hath a rich and full merit 2 Cor. 8. 9. to make us rich c. God the Son aimed at it in all his sufferings and condescentions that he might make a large purchase for us and we might not be straitened in grace The Spirit of God is poured out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richly Tit. 3.6 There is mercy enough in God the Father merit enough in God the Son efficacy enough in God the Spirit God is not wanting if we be not wanting to our selves If a mighty King should open his Treasure and bid men come and bring their bags and take as much as they would do you think they would neglect this occasion of gain surely no they would run and fetch bag after bag and never cease Thus doth the Lord do in the Covenant of Grace you will rather want vessels then treasure 8. 'T is a necessary piece of gratitude we would have mercy to be multiplied and therefore we should take care that Peace and Love be multiplyed also we would have God add to our blessings and therefore we should add to our graces see 2 Pet. 1. 5. When we have food we would have cloathing and when we have cloathing we would have house and harbour and when we have all these things we would have them in greater proportion the like care should we shew in gracious injoyments When we have knowledge we should add temperance and when we have temperance we should add patience c. 9. We may learn of our Lord Jesus to whom we must be conformed in all things Luc. 2.40 He grew in wisedom and stature the meaning is his humane capacitie was inlarged by degrees according to his progress in age and strength for in all things he was lâ—ke us except sin and our reason is ripned and perfected together with our age 10. We may learn of worldly men Who joyn house to house and field to field and are never satisfied So there is an holy covetousness in spirituall things when we joyn faith to faith and obedience to obedience one degree to another our Blessings are better and the chiefest good should not be followed with a slacker hand 't is our happiness to enjoy the infinite God and therefore we should not set a stint and limit to our desires With what arts and methods of increase doth a covetous man seek to advance himself he liveth more by hope then by memory and what he hath seemeth nothing to what he expecteth So should we forget the things that are behinde and reach forth to the things that are before us A covetous man seemeth the poorer the more he hath gotten so should we grow humble with every injoyment 't is a good degree of grace to see how much we want grace A covetous man maketh it the main work and business of his life to increase his estate He goeth to â—bed late riseth early eateth the bread of sorrows and all for a little â—elf the strength of lust should shame us should not we make Religion the businesse of our lives and our great imployment shall we be as insatiable as the grave to the world when a little grave serveth the turn Secondly the next thing which I am to do is to give you some observations concerning growth in grace they are these 1. To discern growth there is required some time a totall change which is far more sensible than growth that may be in aâ— instant then a sinner now a Saint but there must be a competent time to judge of our growth we cannot discern it by single acts so much as by the greatâ—r portions of our lives We cannot so easily find out how we grow by every Sermon as by comparing our past estate with our present we do not fly to the the top of Jacobs ladder but go up step by step 't is a work of time and so we may judge of our not growing if after a long time we are where we were under the power of the same prejudices or the same doubts or the same lusts still see Heb. 5. 12. Secondly In the growing of Saints there is much difference all the plants in Christs garden are not of a like heighth and stature some that are more publickly usefull have theiy five talents others but two some thrive more and grow of a sudden 2 Thess 1. 3. Your faith grew exceedingly others are weak and slow and yet they are fruitfull We all grow according to the measure of a part Eph. 4. That is according to the rate of that part which we sustain in the body a finger groweth not to the quantitie of an arm they all grow but the growth of all is not equall Thirdly Growth in grace is alwayes accompanied with growth in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ c. Plants that grow out of the Sunne send up a longer stalk but the fruit is worse some Christians pitch all their care upon the growth of love and take no pains to grow in knowledge but this is not right we should alwayes follow on to know the Lord Hosea 6. 3. We reade that Christ grew in knowledge we do not reade that he grew in grace Gods choysest saints are alwayes bettering their notions of God Moses his first request was Tell me thy name Exod. 4 and afterwards shâ—w me thy glory Exod. 33. Our
humble for want of growth for the first Longing for food see 1 Pet. 2. 2. life hath a nutritive appetite joyned with it when that is strong 't is a sign the soul is healthy it will grow as we say of children that take the dug kindly they will thrive and do well enough For the second humble for want of growth see Mark 9. 24. help my unbeliefe 't is a sign you mind the work and are sensible of spirituall defects which is a great advantage Tenthly Growth is the speciall fruit of the divine grace God giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. Plants thrive better by the deaw of Heaven then when they are watered by hand Grace that is necessary to every action is much more necessary to every degree in the Text the Apostle doth not exhort but pray mercy peace and love be multiplied our endeavours are necessary As ploughing and digging are necessary but the Blessing cometh from above These are the observations let us now apply all First let us be earnest with God for this increase he hath the riches of Glory Eph. 3. 16. which we cannot exhaust You honour God when you go for more you want more and he can give more when men are contented with a little 't is a sign either of hardness of heart they are not sensible of their wants or of unbelief as if God had no higher and better things to give us It sheweth us how far they are from being Christians that care not for the least degree of Grace that do not spend a thought that way these are farre from the Kingdome of God Secondly That are faln back and have lost the savouriness of their spirits and their delight in communion with God time was when they could not let a day pass without a duty nor a duty pass without some sensible experience of God but now can spend whole dayes and weeks and never give God a visite time was when there could not a carnall motion arise but they were up in arms against it but now their hearts swarm with vain thoughts and they can swallow gross sins without remorse improvident mispence of time was once a great burden but they have lost their tenderness and can spend a Sabbath unprofitably and find no regrete their vain thoughts were wont to trouble them but now not their carnall practices duty was once sweet but now their greatest bondage certainly the candle of the Lord doth not shine upon them as it did in the moneths that are past Thirdly Those that are at a stay had need look to themselves stinted trees cumber the ground and they that go on in a dead powerless course do hurt rather then good luke-warm profession is but the picture of Religion and painted things do not grow but keep at the same pitch If a man were a Christian in good earnest could he be contented with the present weakness of his faith imperfection of his knowledge with this creeping cold way of obedience VERSE III. Beloved when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write to you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints THe Apostle having dispatched the salutation maketh way for the matter of the Epistle this Verse is the Preface to the whole wherein he proposeth two things 1. The occasion of his writing 2. The matter and drift of it 1. The occasion of writing this Epistle which was double 1. His earnestness in promoting their good Beloved when I gave diligence to write to you of the common salvation 2. The urgencie of the present necessitie It was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you In assigning his earnestness and zeal for their good you may take notice of three things which I shall explain in their order 1. A compellation of their persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beloved a tearm usuall in the Apostles writings the same word is used 1 Pet. 2. 11. and there translated Dearly beloved it noteth not onely that affection which by the law of nature we owe to one another Rom. 13. 8. nor that love which by the law of bounty and kindness we are bound to render to them that love us Matth. 5. 46. but that singular love which we owe to them that are with us in Christ which is alwayes expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture and we sometimes translate it Charity often Love the Rhemists alwayes Charity whose tenderness in this point as one observeth is not altogether to be disallowed lest it be confounded with common and impure love expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and charity being a Church Word is wholly free from such indifferency and equivocation So here instead of beloved they render my dearest which fitly noteth the tenderness and bowels that are in Christian affection From this compellation observe That Christians should be to each other as beloved such dearness and entireness of affection should pass between them that they may entitle one another to their bowels and choiser respects Reasons are these 1. None can have better grounds to love another they are members of the same body 1 Cor. 12. Brothers born of the same womb living in the same family have defaced all the feelings of Nature and been divided in interest and affection but surely no such Schism can happen in the same body who would use an arm to cut off a leg or an hand to scratch out his eyes members care for one another Now this is the relation which Christ hath left us he hath not only called us into a family but into a body Col. 3. 15 See the same pressed together with many other uniting considerations Eph. 4. 4. 5. 6. verses There is one Body one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Let us a little go over that place The first engagement is one Body they are Wennes and monstrous excrescencies not members that suck all the nourishment to themselves Again one member lacking or out of joynt is a pain and deformity to the whole The next engagement is one Spirit which in all other relations can onlie be had in fancy and imagination friends speak as if they lived by one common soul but here 't is so really all Believers have the same Spirit I say in other relations even in the nearest every one is acted by his own soul but here by one Spirit we are Baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. What should divide us when we have the same Spirit We have not all the same measures and that occasioneth some difference as the Soul sheweth it's self in some members more than in other though it acteth all but the Spirit is the same The next consideration is one Hope Shall not
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
and ruine so Rev. 13. 11. The dwellers on earth did worship the whore whose names were not written in the Book of life that is they turned aside to Antichristian defilements and pollutions 7. Gods Decree concerning such persons is immutable it is not rescinded and disannuled but is fully executed and accomplished in the damnation of the sinner the Lords Counsels are all unchangeable both as to Election 2 Tim. 2. 18. Heb. 6. 17. and as to Reprobation no Reprobate can be an Elect person nor an Elect person a Reprobate Job 12. 14. He shutteth up a man and there can be no opening and Job 22. 13. He is in one minde who can turne him In Gods Books there is no putting in and crosing out of names but as the number of the Elect is definite and certain they cannot be more and they cannot be less so also of the Reprobate 8. This Eternal Irrevocable purpose of God of leaving sinners to themselves that by their sins they may come to judgement is for Gods glory Rom. 9. 22. What if God willing to shew his warth and to makd his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels fitted to destruction All Gods Decrees Works Providences tend to the further discovery of himself in the eye of the creatures 2ly Let me prove that there is such a Decree by Scriptures for reason here hath no place take here three that are most full the first is 1 Thes 5. 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ which plainly implyeth that some are appointed unto wrath The second is 1 Pet. 2. 8. where the Apostle speaketh of some that were disobedient and refused Christ whereunto also they were appointed The third place is Prov. 16. 4. God made all things for himself and the wicked for the day of evil the drift of that place is to shew that both Creation and Predestination were for Gods glory and he instanceth in that part of predestination which concerneth the wicked because it is hardest to be digested and beleeved But now for the Reasons why God hath chosen some and appointed others by sin to come unto judgement I can onely tell you that Gods judgements are past finding out Rom. 11. 33. We must admire we cannot search them to the bottom so far as God hath revealed his Will we may clearly judge that 't is for the discovery of his Justice and Mercy neither of which could have been discovered to the world with that advantage had it not been for his double Decree of God to save some and leave others to their own ruin if grace were given to all how should the word know that God were free again if all were pardoned how should the world know that God were just in Election God discovereth the freeness of his grace Eph. 1. 6. 't is love that we injoy grace elective love that we enjoy it alone In Reprobation God discovereth his Soveraignty and by it the security of his justice and power of his wrath Rom. 9. 22. in chusing one and leaving another there God discovereth his Liberty and that he doth not act out of servile necessity and his severity in the eternal pains of them that perish in their sins 3. Let me vindicate this Doctrine which in the eyes of some seemeth to blemish the Justice of God to infringe the comfort of man Yea to abolish the duty of man therefore it needeth a little cleering reason cannot easily digest this strong meat partly because we are apt to reprehend what cannot comprehend partly because this Doctrine checketh carnal ease and security which is usually fed with a general hope and presumption That the God that made us will save us that he will not damne his creatures but is merciful to all c. now this awakeneth us when we hear that grace floweth in a narrower Channel partly because aspiring man is loath to submit to this absolute Lordship and Soveraignity of God that he should dispose of his creatures according to his own pleasure our ambition is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords of our selves Man that would be as God taketh it ill to be as a beast made to be taken and destroyed Upon all these prejudices man is loath to receive this Doctrine therefore it needeth to be cleered 1. In regard of God that you may not pollute and stain his excellency with impure and prejudicial thoughts you will say is God just that onely upon his will and pleasure ordaineth his creatures to condemnation hath not the Reprobates cause to complain if he hath passed a Decree upon which their condemnation doth infallibly follow I answer 1. our understandings are not the measure of Gods Justice but his own will things may be just though the reasons of them do not appear to us humane reason groweth giddy by peeping into the deep of Gods Decrees our worke is not to dispute but wonder Gods freedom is a riddle to reason because though we will not be bound to Laws yet we are willing God should be bound Gods Actions must not be measured by any external rule things are good because God willeth them for his Will is Justice it self 2. The Electing of some and passing by of others is not an Act of Justice but dominion for he doth not act here as a Judge but as a Lord 't is a matter of favour not of right and wrong condemnation of a man for sin or punishing a man for sin is act of Justice but to have mercy or not to have mercy that dependeth meerly upon Gods will otherwise it would follow that God were a debtor unto man Justice supposeth debt or something due no wrong is done them in not giving grace the Elect can speak of undeserved grace and the Reprobate of deserved punishment when we are not bound to do good if we act according to pleasure there is no injury as in invitations preferments and all acts of favour we cannot endure that a right should be challenged the good man in the Parable pleaded I may do with mine own as it pleaseth me Mat. 20. 15. The Lord may justly challenge grace as his own and therefore leave him to his pleasure in the distribution for he is bound to none 3. Gods not giving grace to the Reprobate is not their sin but their misery Preterition made them miserable but not sinful it doth not infer a Coaction and compulsion to sin sin followeth upon it not as an effect but a consequent as upon the absent of the Sun darkness doth necessarily follow and yet the Sun is not the cause of darkness In grace God purposeth God worketh in sin God ordereth the sin and maketh use of it to the glory of his Justice but man sinneth freely the water while it runneth its own course serveth the end of the Lord of the Soyl in driving Mils and bringing fish into his Ponds and overflowing his Meadows c. So God causeth not sin
thoughts 2. If we doe not delight in communion with him we doe not honour him as the chiefest good Friends love to be often in one anothers company and certainly 't is good to draw nigh to God to preserve an acquaintance between him and us he hath appointed his Ordinances the Word and Prayer which are as it were a Dialogue and interchangeable discourse between God and the Creature in the Word he speaketh to us and in Prayer we speak unto him he conveigheth his mind in the Word and we ask his grace in Prayer in Prayer we make the request and in the Word we have Gods Answer Well then when men neglect publick or private Prayer or opportunities of hearing they are guilty of ungodlyness so far they break off communion with God especially if they neglect Prayer which is a duty to be done at all times a sweet diversion which the soul enjoyeth with God in private a duty which answereth to the daily sacrifice therefore the neglect of Prayer is made to be a branch of Atheism Psal 14. 3 4 verses When men are loth to come into Gods presence out of a love to ease and carnal pleasures and care not if God and they grow strange or seldom hear from one another 't is a great evill our comfort and peace dependeth much upon frequent accesse to God so when family worship when that 's neglected God is not honoured as the chiefest goâ—d the heathens are described to be the families that call not on Gods Name Jer. 10. 25. In many places from one end of the week to the other there is no Prayer and Worship in the Family and so the house which should be a Church is made a Stye not a swine about their houses but is attended morning and evening and yet they can finde no time for the solemn invocation of the Name of God what are they better than Heathens 3. If we doe not fear to offend him God will be served with every affection Love is of use in the spiritual life and so is fear 2 Cor. 7. 1. Perfecting holinesse in the fear of God Love sweetneth duties and Fear maketh us watchful against sin Love is the doing Grace and Fear is the conserving Grace We have cause to walk in Gods wayes because we are alwaies under his eye Love is necessary that we may keep God alwaies in our hearts and Fear that we may keep him alwaies in our eye both of them are of great use but Fear we now speak of which is the true internal root of all obedience and worship Eccl. 12. 13. when there is such a setled disposition of heart as that we dare not grieve him nor affront him to his face as Ahasuerus said Will he force the Queen before my face God is much honoured but now when we are secure and careless and forget God and can sin freely in thought and fouly in act without remorse 't is ungodlinesse Fear is a Grace of continual use we cannot be alwaies praising God worshiping God and employed in acts of special communion with him yet we must be alwaies fearing God be thou in the fear of God all the day long Prov. 23. 17. and elswhere Blessed is he that feareth alwaies Prov. 28. 14. A man hath done with his devotion in the morning but he hath done with God we should think of him and remember that his eye is upon us all the day long we must rise in the fear of God walk in the fear of God trade eat drink in the fear of God Some Graces are as the Lungs never out of use and exercise More especially must fear be active when temptations and corruptions arise we must argue as Joseph Gen. 39. 9. 4. If we doe not care to please him An ungodly man thinketh of nothing lesse than pleasing God he neither careth to know his waies nor to walk in them they are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. They doe not search that they may not practice and so erre not in mind but heart We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21. 14. They have not a minde to know that which they have not a mind to doe as those that would sleep shut the Curtains to keep out the light A godly man is alwaies approving what is the will of God Rom. 12. 2. Ephes 5. 10. 17. he practiseth what he knoweth and is still searching that he may know more as willing alwaies to be more usefull for God What have I to doe more Thirdly God will be acknowledged as the supream Truth and Authority and then if we are not moved with Promises Threats Counsels as with the words of the great God if we doe not yeeld him reverence in his worship and subject our hearts and lives to his Laws 't is ungodlinesse 1. We must receive the counsels of his Word with all regard and reverence for that is to receive it as the Word of God 2 Thes 2. 10. Heathens received the Oracles of their Gods and were much moved we can drowsily hear of the great things of salvation of heaven and the death of Christ and the Covenant of Grace c. and are not moved no more moved than with a Fable or Dream If a man should make another an offer of a thousand pound for a trifle and he should accept it you would not say 't was because he prized the trifle more that 's improbable but because he did not beleeve the offer So when God offereth heaven upon such terms as he doth we do not honour him as the eternal truth but count him a lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10. or else we would not neglect the offer 2. We must yeeld him reverence in his worship God is said Psal 68. to be terrible in the holy places he is not only terrible in the high places of the field where he executeth his dreadfull judgements nor in the depths of the Sea where the wonders of the Lord are seen but terrible in the holy places where his Ordinances are dispensed because there his holynesse which is the astonishing Attribute is most seen and remembred We doe not come to him as the supream Majesty when we doe not come with awful apprehensions God is dreadfull there where he is most comfortable Deuâ— 28. 58. That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God To have God for our God is the ground of all our comfort and hope and yet 't is a glorious and fear ful Name In Mal. 1. 14. the Lord urgeth two arguments why we should worship him with reverence one is I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts the other is My name is dreadful among the heathen implying in the first that careless and rude addresses to him are a kind of a lessening his Majesty they doe not come to him as a great King and doe as much as in them lyeth go about to perswade the world that he is not the God that he is
the Gospel is called the Mysterie of godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. and a Doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. 6. 3. men might be ungodly at a cheaper rate then now they can in these days of the Gospel now we have more means to know God and more obligations to respect God more clear and certain notions of his excellency and glory 4. Vngodliness is the root of all irregular courses Abraham was afraid of himself in Gerar Why The fear of God is not in this place Gen. 20. 11. Godliness is the great bulwork of Laws and all honest discipline subjects are not afraid of Princes nor Princes of subjects where the fear of God prevaileth there can be no true honesty without piety the first part of the Law provideth for respects to God as being the proper foundation of the second which containeth respects to our neighbour often it cometh to pass by Gods just judgement that spiritual wickedness is punished with civil See Hos 4. 12. 13. and where men are not tender of Gods Interests they do also incroach upon civil rights and freedomes Means and directions are these 1. Purge the heart from principles of ungodliness there are many gross Maximes ingrafted in mans heart as that 't is folly to be precise that it was better when there was lâ—ss knowledge that 't is in vain to serve God that thoughts are free if we carry it fair before men we need trouble our selves no further when men do their best petty sins are not to be stood upon that Religion is but a notion and fancy the Gospel a gâ—lden dream c. That such principles are within us appeareth by the sottishness of our practices and course of living for actions are the best Image of our thoughts and these are purged away by waiting upon the word which discovereth them Heb. 4. 12. and layeth in good principles Psal 119. 9. by which means they are destroyed 2. Suppress all ungodly thoughts assoon as they do arise as that there is nâ— God Psal 14. 1. Shame may lay a restraint upon the tongue but the heart is ever casting up such a thought as this is So that God is not so harsh but we may take a little liberty in sinning see Psal 50. 21. or that he taketh no notice of what we speak or do he cannot see through the dark clouds Job 22. 12 13. When any such thoughts rush into your minde check them and actually rebuke them least they settle into a rooted Atheism 3. Mortisie vile affections the judgement is tainted by the contagion of lusts as a foul stomack sendeth up fumes and gross vapours into the head and so the principles of godliness do quickly suffer an Eclipse The pure in heart see most of God Mat. 5. 8. In fenny Countries the Ayre is seldom cleer so in hearts that lye under the power of brâ—itish lusts there are seldom clear and distinct thoughts of God 4. Keep close to Gods institutions these keep up his presence and memorial in the world and so are the best preservative of godliness false worships are full of ceremonies which darken the Nature of God Images beget a gross opinion of God no wonder if people grow blockish that worship God in a senseless stock or store Vâ—rro in Austin observed that those that first invented Images did but increase errour and take away all fear of Religion God knoweth what is best for himself and how by his own Institutions to keep up the repute of his Nature and Essence when man presumeth to be wiser then God and leaveth the certainty of Gods Institutions for additions and innovations of our own that please us better because they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of wisdom Col. 2. 22 23. all Religion goeth to wrack 5. Let us often exercise our selves unto godliness 1 Tim. 4. 7. delight to give to God the Honour due to him Love Delight Fear to worship him often to do all things as ayming at his glory The next clause in the description of these seducers is That Turning the grace of our God into wantonness Where you may take notice 1. Of their Filthyness and bruitish course of life implyed in the word wantonness in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word proper to luxury and the impurities of lust it is derived from Alpha an augmentative Particle and Selga the name of a Town in Pisidia saith Suidus whose inhabitants were infamous for Sodomi and weakening Nature by such prodigious filthiness as is not fit to be named among Saints and the persons here noted the school of Simon The Nicholaitans the Gnostickes and other impure Hereticks of that age were for promiscuous commixtures and the free use of their fellow creatures as some carnal wretches in our age have learned to speak without any respect to conjugal relation and those restraints which God and nature and all civil Nations have layd upon the lusts of man as if men should use no more distinction and confinement then the bests yea gave up themselves to all manner of unnatural lust as in the process of this Epistle we shall more fully discover 2. The occasion and incouragement of this wantonness which doubleth the iniquity of it and is the grace of God by which is meant the Gospel when he called the grace of God as Tit. 2. 11 the grace of God hath appeared unto us teaching us c. and in the Gospel chiefly they abused the Doctrine of Christian liberty and free justification by Christ this is primarily intended you may by analogie inlarge the expression to commit all those other Doctrines which libertines are apt to abuse yea those gracious providences which wicked men do convert into fuel and nourishment for their sins 3. The manner how so excellent a thing as the grace of God was made pliable to so vile a purpose for a man would wounder that things at so great and infinite a distance as the grace of God and filthy lusts should ever be brought to cast an aspect upon one another that is shewed in the word turning in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resting transferring from its proper use They offered violence to the Doctrine of grace that it might be conscious to such a monstrous birth and production as filthy lusts and carnal pleasures 4. You have an hint of the reason why the Apostle writeth against them with such a zealous indignation in that word Our as if he said that grace whose sweetness we have tasted whose power we have felt of that God who hath been so kinde to us in Christ whose glory we are bound to promote shall we see our God and that grace upon which all our hopes stand to be abused to such an unclean use From the words thus opened I Observe 1. That the Gospel and grace of God in its self is not pliable to carnal purposes yeildeth no carnal conclusions They turn it saith the Apostle there is no such thing gotten out of
are so tender of wordly interests do little value an interest in God Wisdom is justified of her children Mat. 11. 19. they are Bastards and not Children that are afraid or ashamed to own their mothers defence or can hug those in their bosoms that are enemies to God and his grace Psal 139. 21. Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee am not I greved with them that rise up against thee 'T is an Argument of his sincerity that God and he had the same enemies that he could finde no room in his heart for affection to them that he had no affection to God when we came into covenant with God we made a League with him offensive and defensive to count his friends ours and his enemies ours to hate what he hateth and to love what he loveth therefore without breach of covenant we cannot be silent in Gods cause and friends to the enemies and abusers of his grace 2. The next Branch is That their zeal who have an inteest in God is the best zeal now 't is the best partly because 't is hotest they that contest meerly for an opinion are not so earnest as they that contend out of affection as a stranger seeing a man oppressed may chide him that did the wrong but a meet relation he will interpose and venture himself in the quarrel So will one that loveth God sacrifice all his interests for Gods sake partly because 't is purest carnal men may ingage in Religious controversies out of passion they may stikle for their own opinion but this fire is taken from a Common heart not from the Altar it doth not arise from any love to God from any inward relish and taste of the sweetness of grace but onely from humour and obstinacy and wordly iâ—terest we may as well be afraid of some mens zeal against errour as of other proneness to it Carnal persons keep a great coyle and fill the world with clamour and rage but their hearts do not flame with zeal upon a proper interest and do not carry on things in Gods way The Use is to inform us of the reason why the spirits of godly men are so keen against such errours as intrench upon the grace of God why errours about Christ are horrible to them a very abomination to their thoughts because thereupon are built all their hopes and in such matters they have most experiences therefore their hearts sparkle within them others feel a cold indifferency but they a mighty pressure upon their spirits I now come to the last part of their discription And denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ observe their sin denying The Object the Lord Jesus Christ who is here described three ways 1. By his absolute rule and supremacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely Lord. 2. By his Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 3. By his Headship over the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord Jesus Christ I shall first vindicate and then open the words divers take words disjunctively applying the first clause to the father the second to the Son So Erasmus translateth it God who is that onely Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ But as Beza observeth this is not the first time that he is taken tripping in those places which seem manifestly to assert the Godhead of Christ briefly then that the whole clause is to be understood of Christ may be proved by these arguments 1. Because the paralel place in Peter from whence this seemeth to be taken maketh mention onely of Jesus Christ where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of absolute Sovereignty is ascribed to him denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Master that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2. Because to me it seemeth that Jude would lay down all the prorogatives of Christ in his Natures as God as man In his relation to the world so a Master to the Church so a Lord 3. By the tennor of the words in the Original where there is no new Article to divide them and therefore all these Titles belong to the same person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Many old Coppies as Calvin saith read thus denying Christ who is onely God and onely Lord. 5. Because the heresie of these times struck at Christ more then God the Father and onely at the Father for Christs sake and therefore John in his Epistles speaketh often of those that denyed Christ See 1 John 2. 22. and 1 John 4. 3. 't is true the School of Symon and some other Sex held forth many fabulous things of God and introduced multitude of Rulers by whom the world was governed but this was to exclude Christ and to make voyde that Soveraignty which the Scriptures assert to be committed into his hands The most ancient Heresies were those of the Simonians Menandrians Saturninians who denyed the person of Christ affirming Simon Magus to be Christ And the Valentinians who denyed his humane Nature affirming that he brought his substance from Heaven and onely passed through the Virgin Mary like water through a Conduite there is but one Objection against this exposition and that is if it be meant of Christ then the Father will be excluded from being God for Christ according to the sense alledged is said to be onely Master onely God and onely Lord I Answer The expression doth not exclude either of the Persons of the Godhead the Father or the Son but onely the Creatures and foigned Gods especially those feigned Rulers and Gâ—vornors of the world which the School of Simon and the Nicholaitans introduced under the horrid names of Barbel Abrakan and Kavlakan c. and indeed such kinde of expressions are frequent in Scripture as Isa 44. 8. Is there a God beside me yea there is no God I know not any So Isa 45. 5. I am the Lord there is none else there is none besides me All which expressions are meant of Christ as appeareth not onely by the Titles of Saviour and Redeemer given to the God that there speaketh but also by divers passages therein proper to him yea by a quotation of the Apostles Compare Isa 45. 22. 23. with Rom. 14. 11. and Phil. 2. 2. Again you shall finde like passages of God the Father where â—e is said to be onely true God Joh. 7. 3. This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent which is not exclusive of other persons but of other Gods and the Scriptures speak thus because of the unity of the Divine Essence which all the persons communicate one with another The Exposition of the words now they are vindicated will be easie And denying this is done either openly or covertly Openly when Christ is cleerly renounced and opposed Covertly Christ is denyed either by the filthy conversation of Christians or else by Heretical insinuations striking at his person and natures at a distance both are intended for these seducers though they denyed Christ yet they had
that he doth approve your Doings 4. Christ may be denyed though there be a stricter Profession of his Name and some faint love and relish of his sweetness Besides the loose National Profession of Christianity which God in a wise Providence ordaineth for the greater safety and preservation of his Church there may be a strict personal profession taken up from inward conviction and some tast and feeling and yet Christ may be denyed for all this as some that had tasted the good Word turned aside to the world and so are said to crucifie him rather then to profess him Heb. 6. 4 5 6. The Apostle intendeth some Hebrews that did mix Moses with Christ and Judaism to save their goods So elsewhere he speaketh of some that had a form of godliness but denyed the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 5. By the Form meaning the strictest garb of Religion then in fashion this is to deny Christ when we deny the Virtue and Power of that Religion which he hath established and will not suffer it to enter upon our hearts 5. The means to discover false Profession is to observe how we take it up and how we carry it on whether we embrace it upon undue grounds or match it with unconsonant practises 1. We embrace it upon undue grounds if we take it up meerly upon Tradition without a â—ight of that distinct worth and excellency which is in our Religion for then our Religion is but an happy mistake the stumbling of blind zeal upon a good object and all the difference between you and Pagans is but the advantage of your Birth and Education standing upon an higher ground doth not make a man taller then another of the same growth and stature that standeth lower their stature is the same though their standing be not the same So you are no better then Pagans only you have the advantage of being born within the pale and in such a Country where the Christian Religion is professed You do according to the Trade of Israel and live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the fashion of your Country will carry it and as Beasts follow the Track so you take up that Religion which is entayled upon you 2. If we match it with unsutable practises These may be known if we do consider what is most excellent in the Christian Religion Elsewhere I have shewed that the glory of the Christian Religion lyeth in three things In excellency of Rewards and purity of Precepts and sureness of Principles of Trust â— In the Fulness of the Reward which is the eternal enjoyment of God in Christ therefore they that do not make it their first and chief care to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6. 33. that are like Swine in preferring the will of carnal pleasures before communion with God or in the Scripture expression Love pleasures more then God or prefers the profers of the world before everlasting happiness they whose lives are full of Epicurism Atheism Worldlyness 't is not a pin to those whether they be Pagans or Christians for acting thus heathenishly thus brutishly they do but polute that Sacred and Worthy Name 2. The perfection of the Percepts which require a full conformity of the whole man to the Will of God More particularly Christian precepts are remarkable for Purity and Charity for Purity and therefore revellings and banquettings and chambering are made to be customs of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4. 3. things abhorrent from the Christian Religion they that are yokeless and live according to the swinge of their own lusts or else that only fashion the outward man make no conscience of thoughts lusts c. they do not live as Christians for Charity nothing is more pressed then giving 't was Christs maximé It is better to give then to receive Acts 20. 35. and also forgiving one great strain of his Sermon is Love to enemies Matth. 5. 43 44 45 46 47 48. Christ when he brought from heaven the discovery of such a strange love from God to man would settle a wonderful love on earth between man and man 3. For sureness of Principles of Trust the whole Scripture aimeth at this to settle a trust in God and therefore it discovereth so much of Gods mercy of his particular providence of the contrivance of salvation in and by Christ so that to be without hope is to be like a gentile for they are described to be men without hope 1 Thes 4. 13. and carking and distrustful care is made the sin of the Gentiles Matth 6. 31 32. this kind of solicitude is for them that know not God or deny his providence over particular things Well then Take heed of denying Christ 't is an heavie sin it cost Peter bitter sorrow Matth. 26. 75. Will you deny Christ that bought you 2 Pet. 2. 2. Now they deny Christ whose hopes and comforts are only in this world Christ is not their God but their Belly Phil. 3. 19. Libertines are not Disciples of Christ but Votaries of Priapus Merciless and revengeful men do condâ—mn that Religion which they do profess in short they do not only deny Christ that question his Natures or make void his Offices but they that despise his Laws when they do not walk answerably or walk contrary VERSE 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though ye once knew this how that the Lord having saved the People out of the Land of Aegypt afterwards destroyed them that believed not WE have done with the Preâ—ace I come now to the examples by which the Apostle proveth the danger of defection from the Faith the first is taken from the murmuring Israelites The second from the Apostate Angel the third from the beâ—stly Sodomites Tâ—at you may see how apposite and apt for the Apostle's purpose these instances are I shall first insist upon some general Observations First Observe That Gods ancient Judgements were ordained to be our warnings and examples The Bible is nothing but a Book of Presidents wherein the Lord would give the world a Document or Copie of his Providence All these things are hapned to them for examples 1 Cor. 10. 11. When we blow off the dust from these old experiences we may read much of the counsel of God in them their destruction should be our caution His Justice is the same that ever it was and his Power is the same his vigour is not abated with yeers God is but one Gal. 3. 20. that is always the same without change and variation as ready to take vengeance of the Transgressors of the Law as of old for that 's the point there discussed So 2 Tim. 2. 13. He abideth â—aithful he cannot deny himself In all the changes of the World God is not changed but is where he was at first Surely we should tremble more when we consider the examples of those that have felt his Justice for God keepeth a proportion in all his dispensations If he were strict and
Angels are for ever and ever now ad custodium â—o keep them and hold them in their lost estate hereafter ad poenam they are continued upon them as a part of their final punishment when much of the liberty which now they have shall be abridged From hence observe these practical Inferences 1. That sins are as it were bonds and chains a wicked man is in bondage here and hereafter now in snares and then in chains here taken captive by Sathan in his snares 2 Tim. 2. 26. and hereafter bound up with him in chains Sin it selfe is a bondage and Hell a prison were there nothing in sin but the presonâ— slavery 't is enough to disswade us but alas this is not all there are not only snares but chains in the fall of the Angels how many notions are there offered to us to discover the evil of sin they left their beginning and lost their habitation and then chains of darkness he that hath a mind to be a beast or a divel let him be a sinner If you mean to quench your reason to eclipse the glory of your Creation to disturb the quiet of your spirits and instead of calmenesse and serenity of conscience to bring in horror and confusion if you mean to enthral and captivaâ—e your soules to every base affection and to be at the command of every corrupt desire then go on freely as you do in sinning against God but alas the present thraldome is nothing to what is future all the sins that you commit will be as so many Chains binding you over to an eternal and just damnation The good Angels are at liberty to serve God when the evil Angels are shut up in the prison of their own obstinacy and wickedness remember this when you are convinced of a sin which you cannot leave and fear lest it prove a chaine of everlasting darknesse Secondly those chains bonds can never be broken by us the Angels cannot break them themselves and Christ will not for their day of grace is past every ones chains would be eternal if Christ did not loose them and open the prison door to poor Captives Isa 61. 1. this is our advantage above the Angels that an year of liberty is proclaimed to us and an opening of the prison to them that are bound Christ himselfe was bound with our chains the Prophet saith Isa 53. 8. he was taken from prison and from judgement he was in prison that we might go freeâ— If the â—edge had given us up to the Officer and the Officer had cast us into prâ—soâ— how long would it have been â—re we had payed the ulmost farthing Luk. 12. 58. others that reject the mercy offered in Christ can never wrest themselves out of the hands of justice but do for ever remain under the power and wrath of the living God Hebr. 10. 30. Thirdly The Divel is in chains a cruel spirit but under bonds his power is lesse then his will and malice he is wrathful that we may not be secure he is chained that we may not despair he hath no power but what is given him from above and when God putteth any of his servants into Sathans hands he keepeth Sathan in his own hands if you be in Sathans hands for your exercise remember Sathan is in Gods hands for your comfort and safety He had not power over the herd of Swine without leave Matth. 8. 31. suffer me c. so Luk. 22. 31. he could not sift Peter till he had a commission Sathan hath desired c. Ioh. 1. 12 Job 2. 7. Sathan could not so much as touch Jobs estate or skin till leave obtained nay he could not deceive Ahab a wicked man till God said Go 1 King 22. 21 22. he is but Gods executioner he sent his evil Angels among them Psal 78. 49. God gave commission for the plagues of Egypt and then the evil Angels had power to execute them the godly need not fear Sathan as a disobedient Angel he is cast into the chains of Gods justice and power and as head of the Kingdome of darknesse his power is more restrained by the death of Christ John 12. 29. Fourthly Observe how weak the Creatures are when God marcheth in judgement against them guilt of conscience is one of the fallen Angels chains if God will but arm our own thoughts against us he needeth not bring forces from without there is enough in that to sink us into Hell The Law needeth not bring Brimstone from Heaven to burn sinners nor open the mouth of the great deep to drown them nor shatter the frame of nature about our heads alas we cannot bear up under the burden of our own consciences or the weight of our own grief when he layeth his finger upon the conscience who can bear it The Angels excel in strength and yet the impressions of honour laid upon them are too hard for them to grapple with all Prov. 18. 14. a wounded spirit who can bear as if he had said I challenge all the world to bring me a man that is able to deal with his own conscience when God armeth it against him Fifthly That spiritual judgements of all others are most secure to have sin punished with obstinacy and hardnesse in sinning This is nothing but to have the Divels chains layed upon us a sad intimation that we are given up to chains of darknesse frogs and lice and hailstones were but soft judgements to Pharaoh's hard heart unlesse God should send us quick into Hell there cannot an heavier judgement befal us nay certainly it were better to be given up to Hell torments if there could be any expectation of deliverance then to be given up to a spirit of sinning for there is no end of that say then Lord what ever judgement thou bringest upon me bring not thy heavy judgement of an hard heart 't is better by far that you should live miserably then sin freely without remorse But what sins bring on this spiritual judgement I answer 1. an unthankful abuse of Gods gifts The Divels had a glorious and excellent nature but they were not thankful observe it when you will you will find it true that no man was ever punished with hardness of heart but some former merciful dispensation was abused the Heathens were not thankful for the light of nature and therefore God gave them up to vile affections Rom. 1. 22 24. Others received not the love of a truth and therefore God gave them up to believe a lye that they might be damned 2 Thess 2. 11 12. the very sin against the Holy Ghost is so called because 't is a despighting grace received or a divellish opposing of the grace and supernatural work of the spirit by which the mind is convinced of the truth 2. Sinning against the light that was Sathans sin who was full of light and sinned in the very face of God and 't is his sin still malice having onely put out the light of
course or formality if it weaken the life and power of godliness in you from such turn away 1 Tim. 3. 5. your love to God and delight in God and converse with him in the spirit is forcecibly lessened fear the influence of such an opinion 2. You may judge Persons by it especially your selves where ever there is grace there will be fruits of grace and corrupt fruits shew a naughty tree if the clusters be clusters of Sodom and the grapes grapes of Gomorrha it sheweth the Vine was of that race and kind Eph. 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is righteousness goodness and truth the Apostle instanceth in such fruits as concern civil commerce partly because by these we adorn our profession and set it off to others partly because here we have a frequent tryal these graces being of a daily use and exercise But I would rather apply it by way of Exhortation to those that profess the truth to honour it in their lives let your Manners be Orthodox least you expose the ways of God to suspicion Mat. 3. 8. Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beseeming the change of your minds 2. The next evil property is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fruit and in the Application it implyeth that they bring no honour to God no good to others neither are they wise for their own souls To be barren and unfruitful under a profession of Christ is a signe of great Hypocrisie he that hid his Talent is called a naughty servant and because of his unprofitableness cast into utter darkness Mat. 25. A Vine is good for nothing if it be not fruitful not so much as to make a pin in the wall Now God compareth Israel to an empty vine Hos 10. 11. because they poured out all their strength and time and care upon their own interests Well then Be not barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8 Grace is an active thing where it is it will shew it self garden trees must not be like the trees of the forrest if you would be fruitful 1. You must be planted with a right seed a wild vine will yeild but wild grapes The Trees of righteousness are of the Lords own planting Isa 61 3. and when you are grafted into the Noble Vine Christ Jesus then are you loaden with Clusters like the Vine of Eshcol John 15. 2. In me ye shall bring forth much fruit 2. There must be good husbandry and culture Isa 5. 2. 3 Psal 13. 14. Planted in the Courts of God c. that 's the kindly soil good fruit needeth the manure of Ordinances wild plants grow and bear of their own accord 3. This fruit must be ripe not buds and blossoms but fruit you must not be almost but altogether there must be not only the flowers and leaves of profession but the solid works of godliness 't is said here trees without fruit but 't is not said here trees without leaves see Iohn 15. 4. here are branches in the Vine that are only Pampinarii 4. Fruit is for the owner the profit of trees returneth to the husband man and master see John 15. 8. and Phil. 1. 11. the spiritual life beginneth in God and its tendency is to him God must have the glory of all but you shall not be without the comfort of it Rom. 6. 22. Ye have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life the grave is but a winter it taketh off your leaves and verdure for the present the sap and life remaineth in the roots The next evil property taken from trees and applyed to men is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice dead if you apply this to the trees they may be twice dead either in regard of fruit as a barren thing is said to be dead as the deadness of Sarahs womb Rom. 4. 19. Or in regard of substance rotten and like doaty trees growing worse and worse or twice dead by an Hebraisme very dead as double is put for much but now if you look to the reddition of this similitude these seducers are twice dead both in regard of their natural estate dead in trespasses and sins and their Apostasie or decay of that life which they seemed to have by the grace of the Gospel wilful defection making their case incurable Heb 6. 5 6. 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now in this description you may observe a gradation 1. Whose fruit withereth 2. Without fruit 3. Twice dead First bad fruit and then leaves and then rottenness Note That deceivers and hypocrites grow worse and worse you have it from the Apostle Paul also 2 Tim. 3. 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived they deceive others and the divel deceiveth them the two states are now at a stay wicked men grow worse and worse and godly men grow better and better observe then which way is your progress and growth the glory of the Lord in Ezekiel departed by degrees first from the holy place then from the Altar of burnt offering then the threshold of the house then the City then the mountain which is on the East side of the City it stood hovering there as loth to be gone So the Spirit of God doth not all at once depart from men but by degrees first men suspect duties then dispute against them then shake them off and then come to beastliness and profaness Or if you will take the graduation thus first God is cast out of the Closet private intercourses are neglected then out of the Family then out of the Congregation and publike Ordinances seem useless things and then blasphemies and a profane vertiginous spirit ensueth first men begin to wrangle and sceptically to debate matters of Religion and within a while to oppose the truth the beginning is foolishness and the latter end is mischievous madness Eccles 10. 13. Again I observe Men that fall off from the profession of the truth are twice dead To natural they bring on judicial hardness when they seemed to make some escape from the misery of nature they relapse into it again and then their chains are doubled As a prisoner that hath once broken prison if taken again is loaden with irons Two ways do natural men come to be twice dead By custom in sinning and by a revolt from God after they had given their names to him By custome in sinning for by that means they are hardned in their way and given up to a reprobate minde so as to lose all sense of sin Rom. 1. 26. 28. and by revolt from God those that will after tryal forsake him no wonder if God leave them to their own choice to be held under the power of the Divel by a dark and foolish heart There is one clause yet remaining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plucked up by the roots and then trees are past all hope of springing and sprouting again and so it fitly noteth their
withal is a bad memory Mich. 6. 5. Oh my people remember c. I tell you if we did but remember how we were Prelate-bitten we would not murmur but give thanks 2. There is nothing now under the Sun Eccles 1. 7. We say Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow things never were as they are now certainly you do not rightly enquire after this matter the world is the world still men have ever had the same principles the same corruptions the same temptations there were Donatists then as well as Separatists now Pelagians then as well as Arminians now Arians then as well as Socinians now all new lights are but old darkness revived neither new nor lights 't is easie to parallel what is most odious there is a circular motion of opinions and fashions as the Sun returneth every year to the same points of his compass 3. All commeth to pass by Gods providence he is the great Master of the Scenes that presents the world with a new Stage both of Acts and Actors 1 Sam 2. 7 8. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and he lifteth up he raiseth up the poor from the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil to set them among the Princes â—nd make them inherit the Crown of glory for the pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them The government of the world is in Gods hands and he casteth down some and raiseth up others from beggery to Soveraignty from the dunghil to glory you see there his course is contrary to levelling he will have some upon the Throne of glory and you see again that God hath an hand in all the mutations and changes that fall out in the world and that these mutations are frequent the world is tossed to and fro like a bill from hand to hand that Gods Soveraignty and Dominion over events may the better appear and that power may not want a bridle nor the low condition a comfort again that all the Kings of the earth do hold their estates of God say then If God hath set up these persons let me see what God will do with them 4. The good of times is not to be measâ—red by the carnal quiet of them Physick provoketh ill humours better they should be stirred then lye still and foment a disease God usually commeth with a Fan and a Sword we should not murmur against the Sword because of the benefit of the Fan 5. If every one did amend himself the times would soon amend Mâ—nd thy self and as many as are under thy charge and mourn for others and thou hast no cause to complâ—in Joshua 24. 15. I and my house will serve the Lord if every one did sweep before his own door the common filth would be sooner carryed away usually complainers do least as the crafty Lapwing will go up and down fluttering and crying to draw the fowler from her own nest we have some secret nest of our own and we are loath it should be rifled and exposed to publick view 6. The worse the times are the more exercise for grace we have more opportunities of shewing love to God then formerly and zeal for his interests and industry in finding out the right way man is never contented sometimes we question Gods love if we meet with no opposition and aâ—d yet we complain when the ways of God are opposed 7. There is an Antiperistasis in grace as well as nature you should be better in bad times as fountain water is hottest in winter and fire scaldeth most in frosty weather or stars shine brightest in the darkest night see Phil. 2. 15. when the air is infectious we are the more carefuâ— of our diet 8. Complaining will not excuse duty it argueth little faith is not Christ King doth not he reign little obedience and care of reformation a gracious heart is most apt to return upon ' its self if the times be bad what have I done to make them better if not thou art one that hast made them worse 9. He that is not good in bad times will be naught in better Isa 26. 10. In the Land of uprightness will he ded vnjustly a sick man thinketh to have ease in another bed in another room carry him thither his pain continueth if a carnal man had lived in the Prophets times or the Apostles time he would be the same as now see Mat. 23. 29 30. A bryar is a bryar where ever it groweth change of times will not do the work without a change of heart Adam sinned in Paradise the Apostate Angels in Heaven Lot was unchast in the Mountains where were none but his own family in an howling Wilderness where they had no outward enticements the Israelites were given to fleshly lusts 2. The next Part of Use is to rebuke murmuring in our own priuate case by way of consideration take these helps 1. A little is enough too much is a snare Luk. 12. 15. Mans life consisteth not in the abundance of what he possessâ—th the wants of nature are very few till lust make it ravenous a garment too long will soon prove a dirty ragg the greater gates open to the greater temptations and cares 't is an hard lesson to learn to abound Phil. 4. 12. we say such an one would do well to be a Lord or a Lady 't is an harder thing than you think it to be a little sufficeth to keep us till we come to Heaven if we have cloaths for warmth though not for pomp 't is enough what need a Christian care how finely dust and ashes be wrapped up or of what stuff his excrements be made of 2. God hath an hand in all things Psal 39. 9. Isa 38. 15. God is the Party with whom we have to do in sickness or any other trouble every wheel moveth according to the motion of first when we see the hand of God 't is a piece of religious manners to keep silence 3. God seeth what is fittest for us if a man should be left to carve out his own portion he would be his own greatest enemy none hath more love then God more wisedom and justice then God therefore count the present estate best because 't is of his chusing should the shepherd chuse the pastures or the sheep we are all for the delicacies of pleasure and prosperity children think green fruit the best diet because it suiteth with their appetite what a strange creature would man be if he were what he would be himself well then let us leave it to God to chuse our portion and to appoint us what part we shall act in the world usually we set up a court in our own affections and enact Laws prescribe to providence we would have this and we would have that and when our expectations are not answered we fall a murmuring 't is very hard to repeal the decrees of our own will therefore 't is good to resign
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
of a man the vigor of nature is abated gallant and active spirits effeminated and brave hopes drowned and quenched in the puddle of exâ—ess and masculine agilioy and vivacity melted away in ease and pleasure The Romans were wont to have their sunerals at the gates of Venus Temple 2. The souls welfare is of chief consideration we must take â—eed that the soul be not either disfited for duty or disposed for sin 1. Dis fitted for duty when the soul cannot lift up it self to God and divine things and findeth less aptitude for his service you are inordinate Luk. 21. 36. Let not your hearts be over charged with surfeitting and drunkenness c. the heart may be over-charged when the stomach is not when we are warned of surfeitting and drunkenness we think of vomiting staggering reeling fauliring in speech or gate Oh Christians you are guilty of it when the heart is over-charged and driveth on heavily in holy things when we are warned of adultery we think only of defiling other mens wives or scattering our lusts promisâ—uoâ—sly as the beasts do but alass we are guilty of it when the inordinate use of a lawful wife doth quench our vigor and alacrity in our heavenly calling si vinum â—x â— potheca tua c. a man may drink too freely of his hogshead 2. We must take care that the soul be not more disposed to sin diver lusts and pleasures are fitly joined by the Apostle Tit. 3. 3. if we do not watch over pleasures the heart groweth more wanton and libidinous the restraints of grace are weaker and carnal motions more urgent and violent the heart is nourished c Jam. 5. 5. the enemy put in strength and heart 1 Pet. 2. 11. Well then let us beware of sensuality other things defile a part as cevetoâ—sness the soul but sensual lusts defile the soul and body to they leave guilt upon the soul and dishonour upon the body while 't is made a streiner for meats and drinks and a channel for lusts to run in other lusts seem to gratifie the ambition of man and to exalt him but these debase him and turn him out among the beasts to renounce pleasures is the first thing you must do if you mean to do any thing in Religion otherwise you lye open to every temptation Pro 25. 18. The water of the Sanctuary could not heal the mirery places Ezek. 47. 11 which is usually appled to sensual hearts preasures bring a brawn and a deadness upon the conscience and a cloud upon the understanding Daniel that had the high visions of God lived by pulse John Baptist that had the most eminent Gospel dispensation Mat. 11. fed upon locusts and wilde honey among the Heathens he was counted the most accomplished man that spent more oyl in the Lamp then wine in the bottle certainly the baser a man is the more he affects carnal delights Eccles 7. 4. The heart of a soâ—l is in the house of mirth that which wise men prefer is better then that which fools make choice of pleasures are the choice of fools wise men know them to be baits and snares that if they be not watched they soon put us out of frame and unfit us for communion with God Eccles 2. 2. Once more this sort of sins enslaveth and by custome gaineth upon the heart more then others do and bringeth us under a power which we cannot easily break 1 Cor. 6. 12 Therefore use pleasures with care and caution that when we take them they may not take us Gods people I suppose are not so easily tempted to adultery and drunkenness but beware of gluttony the throat is a slâ—pery place and instead of supplying nature we feed lust be not too much in the use of carnal delights least you suffer this distemper of spirit to take root Dives fared deliciously every day there are times of abstinence as well as liberal rejoycing in the creature when our lives are but a diversion from one pleasure to another nature groweth wanton and unsatisfied and men live as if they were born to eat drink play sport and sleep Luk. 17. 27. Lastly take heed of solliciting lusts when you should quench them Rom. 13. 14. The next thing that we may observe is That sensual persons have not the spirit these two are contrary flesh and spirit Gal. 5. 17. and they that cherish the one do necessarily banish the other and as they enlarge the one they streighten the other the spirit is a free spirit and sensual persons are very slaves the spirit is a pure spirit and they are unclean the spirit is active and they are gross and muddy of a dull and stupid nature the spirit worketh intellectual and chast delights and they are altogether for base and dreggy pleasures such a perfect contrariety is there between them more distinctly take it thus 1. Sensual men have little of the inlightning of the spirit their palate is better then their understanding Eph. 5. 16. Be not drunken with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit where the fumes of wine and the motions of the spirit are composed as things incompatible in marish countreys we do not expect a clear air so sensual persons have seldom any clear and raised thoughts of God men given to pleasures can taste meats and drinks but not Doctrines 2. Sensual men have little of the quickenings and efficacy of the spirit the more they dissolve and melt away their precious hours and spirits in pleasures the more do they grow sapless dead and careless and loose all tenderness of conscience and livelyness of affection they quench the vigor of nature much more do they quench the spirit Voluptuaries are said to be past feeling Eph. 9. 19. 3. They have little of the comforts of the Spirit the comforts of the spirit arise from meditating on the works of God Psal 104 34. or tasting his love 1 Pet. 2. 3. or contemplating our great hopes 2 Cor. 4. 18. Now carnal men can relish none of this they cannot exercise love or faith or hope that they may delight themselves in God and have some lively tasts of eternal life when the soul lyeth under the dominion of carnal and dreggy pleasures 't is uncapable of thinking upon God and his works or relishing inward consolation love is pre-occupied Well then we should the more take heed that we be not sensual never had any sensual person any great measure and portion of the holy Ghost in gifts or graces the Devil easily entereth into swine but the holy spirit of God will not dwell there a man is put to his choice which he wil have pleasures or the spirit 't wil be sad for you if you love pleasures more then God 2 Tim. 3. 4. and prefer these dreggy delights before those masculine joys which will acâ—rue to you by communion with God if we were altogether to renounce delight 't would be more â—â— some no you are only
17 18 19. Well then this life is never exempted from care either to get grace or to keep it we need to be watchful and diligent to the very last man is a changeable creature and Sathan is restless either he continueth the old suite or altereth the course of temptations 't is his subtilety in that he doth not always play the same game a man may stand one brunt and fail in another Joab turned after Adonijah though not after Absolon 1 Kings 2. 28. every new condition bringeth new snares Ephraim is a cake not turned Hosea 7. 8. A man may be well baked of one side and yet quite dough of another the children of God prosperous differ from the children of God afflicted Phil. 4. 12. we had need to learn how to walk up hill and down hill that we may keep with God upon all grounds again corruptions may be disguised a man may withstand open enemies and yet fail by the insinuations of those that have a shew of goodness the young Prophet withstood the King stoutly but yet was perverted by the insinuations of the old Prophet 1 Kings 13. 4. with nineteenth verse Meletius a Sufferer under Pagans but went over to the Arrians Again where there seemeth to be least danger there is most cause of fear Lot that was chast in Sodom miscarried in the mountains where there were none but his own family Conscience that is now tender may be strangely deaded and layed by for a time Who would have thought that he whose heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment should afterward fall into uncleanness and blood and lye asleep in it for a long time Confidence is sure to be dismounted Peter is a sad instance he told his Master if all men deny thee yet not I and he meant as he spoke he ventureth on a band of men with a rusty blade followeth Christ into the high Priests Hall who more secure than Peter but all this confidence failed though it met but with a weak tryal the soft words of a Damsels question such feathers are we when the bâ—ast of a temptation is let loose upon us Upon all these considerations now let us make it our care to keep what graces we have gotten which will never be done without watchfulness and diligence to quicken you further to it 1. Unless you keep it all is in vain if so be it be in vain Gal. 3. 4. 't is in vain as to the final reward 't is not in vain as to the increase of punishment you will lose all your cost you have been at for Christ Ezek 18. 24. John 2. â—p 8. your watchings strivings prayings sufferings come to nothing the Nazarite was to begin all anew if the dayes of his separation were defiled Numb 6. 12. nay 't is not in vain as to punishment 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21 22. 2. To lose any degrees of grace is a great loss 't is the most precious gift 2 Pet. 1. 1. conduceth to the highest ends eternal happiness fitteth us for communion with God all the world cannot repair this loss or purchase a supply for us we are to be accountable for degrees as well as for the grace it self they that had five talents reckoned for five a Factor that giveth an account only for a part of the estate received is not accounted faithful we may not be intrusted with so much again a man that hath faln may recover his peace and joy but in a lower degree a Prodigal that hath once broken is not trusted with a like stock again a man after a great disease may never come to the same degree and pitch of health so Christians may not recover that largeness of Spirit after their foul falls and fulness of inward strength and comfort 3. Those that have made profession of Love to God and yet afterwards break with him bring an ill report upon the Lord as if he were an ill Master I am perswaded that the Divel in policy lets many men alone for a while to make a strict profession and seem to be full of zeal and holiness that they may afterwards do Religion a mischief whilest they act for God though they do some things excellently Sathan never troubleth them he is at truce with them till they have gotten a name for the profession of Godliness and strictness of conversation and when once they have gotten a name their fall will be more scandalous more ignominious to themselves and disgraceful to Religion verily this is a common experience we see many forward hot and carried out with great impulsions of zeal and all this while Sathan lets them alone he knoweth how mutable men are and how soon they begin to tire in the ways of God therefore lets them alone till they have run themselves out of breath that afterward by a more notable defection they may shame themselves and harden others If Judas will be a Disciple he lets him alone if Simon Magus will be baptized and Nicholas bear Office in the Church he lets them alone he knoweth the best are mutable that many take up their Religion out of interest that men are soon weary of their own scrupulousness and rigid observances that they first make Conscience of all things and then of nothing and therefore he lets them go on without any notable defect or failing to fly some youthful lusts to renounce some interests till they have gotten credit enough to discredit Religion see 2 Tim. 2. 18. Oh Christians if you are not moved with respect to God yet for your own cause after a blaze will you go one in a stench an house begun and not finished is an habitation for screech Owls but on the contrary what an honour is it to hold out to the last to be like MNason an old Disciple 4. The worst is past we have but a few years service more and we shall be happy for ever Your salvation is neerer then it was when you first beleeved Rom. 13. 11. a little more and you will land safe at the expected Haven if we have a rough passage 't is a short one What will you not watch with me one hour saith Christ to his Apostles the longest life is no more in comparison of eternity Enoch lived longer then most men do he lived 365. years Gen. 5. 22. but all that while he walked with God and is it so tedious to us co tell ouer a few summers and winters before we come to Heaven The next Point is more particular and express That of all graces Love needeth keeping Why 1. Because of all graces 't is most decaying Mat. 24. 12. Rev. 2. 4. Flame is soon spent graces that act most strongly require most influence as being most subject to abatemenâ— we sooner loose our affections then any thing else 2. Because love is a grace that we can ill spare 'tis the spring and rise of all duties to God Man 1. To God love is the first
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