Messias and in hearing the Gospel from his Mouth Matth. 13. 17. Many Prophets and righteous men of old desired to see the things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear the things which ye hear and have not heard them Indeed that Light that did shine in the days of Moses was a perfect Light in a sence that is it was a Light converting and saving those that did receive it and that did walk according to it but yet you must understand that since the Sun of righteousness is actually risen there is a greater light that shines now than ever shined before since the Fall of Man. Those things that were hid from Ages and Generations are revealed by the Gospel That vail that was upon the face of Moses signifying the obscurity of the Mosaick Dispensation that vail is done away in Christ 2 Cor. 3. 12 13. And in this Word consisting of the Old and New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth before you all as full of Grace and Truth and as the only Hope of Glory Understand your Priviledge it is such a Priviledge that you enjoy this day that was not afforded to the World till it was about four thousand years old 4. The Word of God is so perfect that a further Revelation is needless and not to be expected That Faith that was once delivered unto the Saints it is to be held fast by Saints in all subsequent Ages That you earnestly contend saith the Apostle Jude ver 3. of his Epistle for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints This Doctrine of Faith ought to be held fast and it is a compleat Doctrine Let this go and really you are without God without Christ without well grounded hopes of Heaven Look into the Second Epistle of John ver 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son. This Word that you find in the Bible containing the Old Testament and the New doth deliver all to you that God requires you to believe in order to your Salvation and nothing is to be received as an Article of Faith but what the written Word of God doth propound to you And as it informs concerning mysteries of Faith so concerning Duties that are to be practised and â—he Rule is so compleat that whosoever walk according to it Peace and Mercy shall â—e upon him Gal. 6. 16. In the Word of God are the Credenda Agenda Petenda Truths to be Believed Commands to be Obeyed and Blessings to be Desired Niâ—il debet addi verbo quoad quantitatem nihil â—eprehendi quoad qualitatem Nothing is to â—e added as to quantity nothing to be â—eprehended or found fault with as to â—uality We are not to look for a further Reâ—elation from Heaven it self If an Angel â—om Heaven should preach another Gospel â—e were bound to conclude he were turned Apostate from the Truth and were to call â—im accursed Gal. 1. 8. To talk of Evanâ—elium Spiritus the Gospel of the Spirit which is to justle out the Gospel of Christ and the Ordinances of it is to talk of a pernicious delusion The true Spirit glorifies Christ inspired the Apostles infallibly to deliver the Doctrine and Ordinances of the Gospel Therefore says the Apostle John 1 Joh. 4. 6. He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Errour The Ceremonial Law was abrogated the Jewish Church State was shaken and broken but the Gospel Church-state is to remain unalterable unto the very end of the World Heb. 12. 27. and shall continue in despight of all Enemies and Opposition 5. The Word of God is so perfect as tâ— bring Man home to God though by Siâ— and Unbelief he is departed and run faâ— away from Him. God calls in his Word to this very end that Man might hear anâ— turn to Him. And as to thousands anâ— millions of Souls this Word has a probâ—tum est Testimony that it has been trieâ— and found an effectual means of Conversion If we were caught up to the thirâ— Heaven and could converse with the glorified Spirits of the Just they would as knowledge they were redeemed unto God 〈◊〉 the Blood of Christ and that they weâ— drawn to Christ by the Word of the Gospel while they were hearing this the Spirit entred into them and made them true believing Converts How many whose case seemed desperate has this Word been a means to cure Although the Miracles in Nature are ceased which were necessary at first that the Gospel might take root in the World yet Miracles of Grace are still produced The Spiritually Blind are made to see the things that concern their Peace The Spiritually Deaf are made to hear the Voice of the Lord Jesus The Spiritually Lame are made to walk nay to run the ways of Gods Commandments Nay the Dead in Sin are made to rise with Christ and to live to Righteousness How perfect is the Word which Works such notable effects as these Christ tells his Disciples whom he had impower'd to work Miracles that in time they should do greater works than those Joh. 14. 12. By these greater Works Origen and the Fathers understand the Conversion of Kingdoms and Nations to the Christian Faith to the true and living God. To raise a World that had been so long dead in wickedness to cast Sathan in so many places out of his Temples and â—hrow down his Worship to bring those Souls to the Knowledge and Love of God. that were so grosly ignorant and utterly estranged from him this was a wonderful work indeed Those that are far from God shall perish Psal 73. 27. to be brought near to Him is good for 't is to be secured from ruine and to have the Lord to be our God and Blessedness that 's a perfect Word indeed which brings us home to Him. 6. The Word is so perfect that it directs us how to walk with God and to keep our selves in his Love. To obtain the favour of God is much to continue in his favour is more desirable The Word both brings and keeps man near to God This Word does very much press Perseverance and shews the way how we may continue in well doing to the end It requires us to be stedfast unmoveable and always to abound in the Work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. It bids us to look to our selves that we losâ— not the things we have wrought that we may receive a full reward 2 Joh. v. 8. It commands us to hold fast that which we have that no man take our Crown Rev. 3. 11. The Apostle propounds himself as an example to be followed and tells us Phil. 3. 13. 14. This one thing I do forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before I press towards the mark
7. whom before he led captive at his pleasure this must needs be a very great grief and vexation especially since his malice also is disappointed for so many Souls as are converted so many Souls he is hindred from devouring and destroying How many are the wiles and devices of Satan to hinder mans Conversion and Salvation Sin is the work of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. Conversionâ— from it is his Envy and his Torments He can patiently enough behold his Subjects growing wealthy and great in the World let their Bags be never so fulâ— of Gold nay let there be Crowns upon their Heads and Scepters in their Hands 〈◊〉 his envy is not stirr'd at such poor things as these as long as there is no true saâ—ing Grace in their Hearts But when any are about to be translated into the Kingdom of Christ and to turn to God Ah! now they become friends to themselves indeed and therefore this Enemy is so much troubled Yet I must add that the greatest opposition is from the Convert himself and from his own carnal Heart How strongly does carnal reason argue against the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. How does it plead for things that are seen because present and in actual possession It saies a World in hand is a great deal better than a World in hope which no man alive ever saw It thinks of what on Earth is most desirable and layes it before the Sinners eyes that still earthly things may take his Heart and represents Religion as a sad and sour thing whose strictness is a meer Purgatory if not an Hell and the sufferings that attend it as intolerable And if carnal reason disswade from Conversion the stubborn will the corrupt and inordinate affections the violent and unruly passions swell like the troubled Sea and who but He that made and rules the Ocean can asswage them The Sinners brow is represented as brass Isa 48. 4. What can make him blush His Neck as an Iron sinew what can make him yield his Heart as an Adamant stone what can make him sensible O Convert be confounded because thou thy self didst most oppose thy own Conversion and admire victorious Grace that both conquer'd and chang'd corrupted Nature 3. Conversion is not to be wrought but by the mighty Power of God. Conversion implies a New Creation and a Creating Power is no less than that of God. David cryes out Create in me a clean Heart Psal 51. 10. q. d. O Lord thou who madest Heaven and Earth out of nothing produce purity in my Heart of which there is nothing by nature and so little left since my fall nay so much of sin which is quite contrary Conversion implies a Resurrection who can raise the dead at the last day but God only And who can quicken the dead in Trespasses and Sins but himself alone Eph. 2. 1. and v. 4. 5 6. But God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus The aâ—â—â—st Preacher must say Power to convert is not in me Ordinances must say This Power is not in us The Word it self plainly signifies that without Gods Co-operation it works not to Conversion and Life but to blinding hardening and death The Axe builds not the house the Pencil makes not the Picture nor the Preacher or Sermon the Convert but the Grace of God is and does all 4. Conversion is by Grace that is irresistible Not that there is Coaction or Compulsion in the caâ—e you must not imagine that a man is converted by force his Will still remaining against it But vâ—lâ—e resistere sublatum est A Will to resist is taken away A Wâ—ll to resist there can be no longer when God works the will to yield Some do say that God takes not away purum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse nolle absolutely a Power of being unwilling but effectually cures actual unwillingness healing the Sinners corrupt disposition to resistance It may justly be question'd whether ever any one that perisht resisted so much Grace as was sufficient and effectual to the Conversion of any one that was saved Augustine uses three Adverbs to express the manner of Gods turning the Heart Omnipotentèr indecliâ—â—bilitèr insuperabilitèr he does it Omnipotently insuperably so that when he purposes to work Conversion the Sinner shall not have an Heart to decline it Heark what our Lord sayes Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out In the first Creation the mighty God was not withstood but at his powerful Word of command came all the Creatures out nothing from the smallest Atome to the highest Angel. In the preserving and governing of his Church he works and none can hinder and surely he works irresistibly in the gathering of his Church also In the work of new Creation there 〈◊〉 exceeding greatness of mighty Power shewnâ— forth as the Apostle emphatically expresses it Eph. 1. 19. and this Power changes and makes the Heart a new one and a new Heart will certainly act like iâ— self turn to God and incline to obey and follow him 5. Conversion does not exclude the Converts agency but causes him to act aright Man is passive before he is active in Conversion God does work on him and iâ— him and sets him a working Facti suâ—â— opus Dei we are first the workmanship oâ— God Eph. 2. 10. afterwards facimus operâ— Dei we do those works which are good and which God commands us Conversion is a rectifying Man's activity making him active in a good sense who was before active in a bad one The Understanding is active to apprehend and to propound what is good the Will is active to chuse and embrace it the Affections move towards it but if you ask from whence is this activity the true Answer is all is from the powerfully quickening Grace of God 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the Grace of God I am what I am and I labour'd abundantly yet not I but the Grace of God that was with me Repenting Believing Turning are Mans acts but they are done by a Power beyond his own 'T is both absurd and dangerous to say that Christ repented and turned for us but 't is a great truth to affirm that he strengthens to Turn and to Repent and 't is through him that repenting and returning Sinners are accepted 6. Conversion that is true is Present Delaying to turn is indeed a denying to turn and that with this aggravation that there is an endeavour deceitfully to hide a present unwillingness to turn with a seeming willingness hereafter to do it The Apostle tells us Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.
2. The Note of attention Behold is used and again repeated and the instant of time Now is also ' twice mentioned God is pleased Now to Call it concerns Man in point of Duty Wisdom and Safety Now to Turn When the Holy Ghost sayes To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. He plainly signifies that no Sinner in the World when he hears the Gospel Call should deferr his Conversion so much as one Day longer When the Psalmist turned He made haste and delayed not Psal 119. 60. which shewed that he turn'd indeed To make haste in Conversion is to resemble a Condemn'd Man who hastes to take out a proffer'd Pardon because every moment he is in danger of having the Sentence past upon him put in Execution 't is to resemble a Man that makes haste out of a City that is all in Flames 7. Conversion that is true is without any deceitful Reservations The sincere Convert has not an Heart and an Heart he does not divide it between God and Mammon between Christ and Belial between Grace and Sin but consents to be wholly the Lords and at the Lords command and dispose That Conversion which is not with the whole Heart is but a feigned Conversion Jer. 3. 10. He that turns in truth does not thus capitulate with God. Such and such sins I will cast away but some I resolve to keep and live in still because my Constitution strongly inclines me to them because I have much Wealth by them and take much Pleasure in them such and such Commands I will observe but some Precepts are too strict for me and these I will cast behind my back I am willing to suffer a little for Christ some reproach some loss I am content to undergo but I must be excused from Obedience when I am called to lose all that I have in the World and my Life too Commands thus to suffer are hard sayings who can hear them These reserves argue reigning and damnable Hypocrisie The sound Convert is perswaded that God requires no more but what is just and equal and really for the good of them that are to obey hereupon without any limitation or exception he sayes Lord Let thy Will be done by me in me and upon me for thy Will is my Sanctification and whatever thou command'st me to do or suffer my Obeeience whether active or passive will turn to thy Glory to my own Comfort and Salvation 8. Conversion is an inward thing Rom. 2. 29. He is a Jew that is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God. There is that in Conversion which the eyes of those that are about us cannot see but 't is apparent to Him that searches the heart and tries the reins and has pleasure in uprightness Converting Grace reaches the inward parts pierces into the very Soul and there the greatest change is wrought there is a new light in the Mind and Conscience there is a new bent and disposition in the Heart the Soul has Wisdom put into it that before was foolish becomes true to God and to it self that before was false and unfaithful unto both there is a spiritual mysterious Life in the Soul which before was dead and this Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. He whose religion lies all in the outside he may look like a Convert but never was Converted Colour and Form he may have but he wants depth and substance The Heathen World saw a necessity of inward Religion One says that God is Purâ mente colendus To be Worshipped with a pure Mind Another sayes Compositum jus fasque animo sanctosque recessus Mentis c. Honesty and uprightness of Heart and a moral Life is more pleasing to God than the costliest Sacrifices 9. Conversion though an inward thing yet shews it self visibly in an answerable Conversation Grace is an active Principle and where 't is wrought in the Heart 't will have an apparent influence upon the outward man 1 Joh. 3. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous As the Apostle sayes Shew me thy Faith by thy VVorks so may I say Shew me thy Conversion to God by thy godly Conversation If the Heart be turned Grace will shew it self in the Eyes by looks that are humble and modest a Covenant being made with them that they turn away from beholding Vanity Grace will breath out at the lips in Prayer Praises holy and edifying Communications And the Tongue will be laid under the law of Love and Kindness Grace will tye up the Hands from being employed in the unfruitful works of darkness but active they shall be in deeds of Righteousness and open and liberal in acts of Charity and Mercy Grace will hinder the Feet from running to evil the Path shall be ponder'd and the VVayes stâ—all be established 10. Conversion is gradual We read in Scripture of different degrees of Grace All Converts are not of the same Age Strength and Stature The Apostle speaks of little Children of young Men and of Fathers 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. The little Child has as truly the Nature and all the Parts of a Man as he that is grown up unto full maturity but the grown Mans Parts and Members are much stronger than those of the other The young Convert has all the Parts of the new Creature he is renewed in the whole Man after the Image of God though he be not wholly but only in part renewed And 't is the Work of God who has begun this good VVork of renovation by degrees to perfect it The weakest Converts that are true are not disregarded Mat. 12. 20. A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench 'till he send forth judgment unto Victory The bruised reed signifies the Converts great Infirmity the smoaking flax the noysom mixture of much Sin with that little Grace he has received yet that Grace is not though small despised but cherished and increased and hereby our Lord shews himself the true Messiah a Saviour to the uttermost Thus Judgment is brought forth to Victory and Truth The strongest Converts are still to grow stronger There is some remaining Sin in the best of Saints which they are still to be turning from and purging out neither are any of them come so near or become so like to God but they may be much nearer and liker to him At first breaking of the Day there is much darkness with the light but by degrees the light increases prevails against and expels the darkness An apt Similitude to Illustrate the matter in hand and to shew how that Conversion is by degrees compleated Prov. 4. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day 11. Conversion may be known to be
I will keep thy Word this was a Converts Language Psal 119. 57. So Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him A Converted Soul cannot be satiated with Vanity no sufficiency is enough for it but Gods Alsufficiency 2. Converts chuse Christ for their Ruler rather than Sin they are weary of Sins Dominion as well as afraid of its Damnation and they consent that Sin should no longer reign in them but they are willing to be the Lords in the day of his Power Psal 110. 3. they yield hearty Obedience to his Commands and are sorry they can't and wish they could yield better When God Commanded to have his Precepts kept diligently 't was the Heart of a Convert that eccho'd to his Voice Oh that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes Psal 119. 4 5. 3. Converts chuse Saints for their Companions rather than the VVicked David though a King counted the Saints the most excellent ones upon Earth Psal 16. 3. and his Delight being in them it argued he himself was sanctified and that he was good as well as great But know 't is one thing to love a Saint because good Natur'd because Learned because Prudent and Ingenious because of our Perswasion because serviceable to our Carnal Interest and another thing to love and like the Holiness and Image of God in him If thus we do we shall be glad of the Grace in him though 't is more than in our selves and the more faithfully he reproves us for our Sin and endeavours to promote Holiness â—n us we shall still like him so much â—he better 4. Converts chuse good Works and Duties â—or their employment rather than the unfruitâ—ul VVorks of darkness and they had raâ—her have a Treasure in Heaven than the greatest riches of this World they preâ—rr Heaven not only before Hell but beâ—re Earth and all the Wealth Pleasure â—nd Glory of it and sowe not to the Flesh â—ut to the Spirit that of the Spirit they â—ay reap Life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. These in short are the Characters of Converts the Grounds of their Comfort â—re these 1. When any are truly Converted God eternal good will and purpose of Grace breaâ—â— forth and he is savingly wrought on whâ— was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the VVorld that he should be holy Eph. 1. 4. The Apostle speaking of those that are effectually Called and Converted he looks both into the Eternity before the World and into the Eternity after it and concludes that these Called ones they were predestinated to Life and Salvation from everlasting and to everlasting they will be glorified Rom. 8. 30. Converts in time have been in Gods thoughts from Eternity and in Conversion his Electing Love breaks forth which was in his Heart ever oâ— old before the World began And Converts may conclude that a Love which from an whole Eternity was thus fixt and settled upon them in time shall never change Though the dispensations of his Providence may vary some being more sweet and some more smarting like checquer-Checquer-work black and white in the same Table yet God and his Love are still the same Though there is a vicissitude between Day and Night between Summer and Winter yet the God of Nature changes not and the God of Grace is Immutable and his Heart is still on Converts though they sometimes walk in Darkness and see not the Light of his blessed Countenance 2. Converts are wise Builders for they have a sure foundation and shall never be confounded The Blood of Jesus which is the Blood of God and the riches of the Grace of God in him are the foundation of their Faith and Hope Christ is the Rock upon which the Church and every true Member of it is built and those who while Militant are thus fortified and secured shall certainly at last triumph over the World and Sin and the gates of Hell The Convert has cast anchor within the Vail Heb. 6. 19. Christ is his Hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. His Hope of Pardon and sufficient Grace and future Glory If Christ were not or were not his he would be all Despair but Christ having done and suffer'd and Purchased both him and so much for him he does abound in Hope by the Power of the Holy Ghost The Converts Hope distinguishes it self from the presumptuous Expectation of the Hypocrite for when he Hopes for Salvation he keeps the Commands of God Psal 119. 166. In this sense he is a wise Builder for his Faith is effectual to good Works his Hope makes him patiently continue in well doing Those words are very encouraging to the obedient Convert Mat. 7. 24 25. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man who built his House upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it self not sor it was founded upon a rock They build well and wisely indeed who lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 19. 3. Converts are made better by the good things of this World and the evils they meet with work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. If they have the Creatures in some Plenty and abundance they have God with them if they are deprived of them they have God without them and so are still well and have enough in him No dispensations fall wrong to the Convert he can fly with any wings he can fail with any wind nay under water he can live and dive and swim towards Heaven which is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fair Haven The more of this Worlds goods he has the more good he is forward to do and if these are taken away the more Grace and Peace from God he is desirous and being desirous he is sure to receive 4. Converts have the Ordinances of God and the means of Grace blessed to them The Word is the savour of Life unto Life unto them 2 Cor. 2. 16. The Prayers they send to Heaven come back agian with rich returns of Mercy and Grace Sacrament dayes are dayes of Strength and oftentimes of Solace and not only Christ and his Present Benefits are exhibited to them but an Eternal Inheritance is also made over under the broad Seal of Heaven and themselves are Sealed by the Spirit unto the day of Redemption Eph. 5. 30. David that reaped Benefit by Ordinances pronounces the Tabernacles of God amiable Psal 84. 1. A day in his Courts better than a thousand It was the one thing he desired that he might dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of his Life that he might see his Beauty Power and Glory and taste his goodness there That Noble Marquess Galeaceus Caracciolus need not have been present at a false worship he might have had the Liberty of Religion in his Closet yet
Temptations The Convert is afraid of the very first risings of Sin for Sin is an Enemy and if once this Enemy be risen really it may much disturb the Peace and give many a painful blow before it is quell'd again The Convert is afraid of Sins conceiving least being conceived it should be finished and at last bring forth Death Jam. 1. 15. The Convert flies from great Sins and won't connive at small ones The Converted Soul is afraid of known and presumptuous Transgressions and it is jealous least any should pass unknown and be harboured unsuspected therefore the Convert Prayes with David Psal 19. 12. VVho can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secret Sins The Convert is so afraid of Sin that he will venture upon other evils rather than upon Sin he will venture upon Poverty he will venture upon a Prison he will venture upon Flames of Martyrdom rather than venture upon Sin. Moses was so afraid of Sin though it was attended with the Pleasures and Preferments of Egypt that he did preferr the enduring of Afflictions with the People of God before it Heb. 11. 25. 3. The Converted Soul hates and abhorrs Sin I wish there was no other hatred in the World but the hatred of Sin here the most fixed and settled hatred would be very commendable Hatred is an Affection that doth aim at the destruction of the thing hated he that hateth his Brother in Scripture is said to be a Murderer and he that hateth Sin nothing short of the death of Sin will satisfie him It is the Converts business from the day of his Conversion unto the hour of his Dissolution still to be killing and mortifying of Sin and he doth endeavour to advance in doing of this work daily he labours and strives to kill Pride Covetousness Concupisence and Sensuality more dead and being sensible that Sin is much above his Match to deal with he calls in the help of the Spirit of God that the more effectually he may mortifie the Works of the Flesh Rom. 8. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 4. Sin is the Converted Souls shame Israel that refused to turn they are charged with Impudence and hardness of Heart Ezek. 3. 7. They will not hearken unto thee O son of Man saith God for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted So Jer. 8. 12. VVere they ashamed when they had committed abomination No they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush But now Converts are ashamed of Sin they are confounded before God because they have so much and so inexcusably offended Heark to Ephraim Converted Ephraim Jer. 31. 19. Surely after I was turned I repented after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth This Shame in those that are Converts is of great Vse for it makes them to lye low before God it makes them in honour to prefer others before themselves The chief of Sinners saith the Apostle being ashamed because he Persecuted the Saints and less than the least of all Saints And it makes Converts to admire the rich and the Free Grace of God in advancing them to such a dignity as to become the Children of God who did so justly deserve everlasting Contempt and Ruine 7. When the Soul is Converted those Affections that have good for their Object are placed upon God who is the highest and chiefest good of all Doers of evil have not seen God 3 John 11. He that doth good is of God he that doth evil hath not seen God. The Unconverted Sinner either saith in his Heart there is no God or if there be one the Creatures are better and more desirable than he This is the Language of every Unconverted Sinners Heart But the Converted Soul hath seen God and hath seen that in God that he loves God best and still desires to love him better How strong are his desires after God and when he is pleased to manifest his Love to communicate his Grace with a liberal hand now the Soul hath the greatest Joy and Delight on Earth The Converts Hope is in God his expectation of help is from him and his hope of Happiness is in him he is Zealous for the Glory of God and he is Zealous of those Works that are good in his sight and whatever a Convert sees that hath the Image and Stamp of God upon it that thing is loved for Gods sake 8. When the Soul is Converted the Memory is put to good and holy Vses before it was like a den of Thieves like a Cage full of unclean and hateful Birds but now the Memory is a Treasury where the best things are laid up safest Here I shall tell you of four things that the Convert doth remember 1. The Convert remembers his Creator and indeed no New Creature doth forget him he remembers his Duty towards him and the obligations and encouragements unto a faithful Performance of it Wicked Men forget God trifles they can think of but God is not in all their thoughts Jer 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire yet ye have forgot me days without number Those that by Profession are my People and yet really are estranged from me they have forgotten me days without number but the Convert remembers God and desires to be in his Love and Fear all his days 2. The Convert remembers the Redeemer and his death The benefits that were purchased by so great a price and how the work of Redemption was compleat when Christ rose from the dead A special memento is put upon the Resurrection of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 8. Remember that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel 3. The Convert remembers the VVord and that effectually and seasonably he remembers it so as that he is cast into the mould of it His heart doth stand in a we of the Oracles of God and they are an excellent preservative against temptation Psal 119. 11. Thy VVord have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Joseph he did seasonably and effectually remember that command Thou shalt not commit Adultery When he had that impure and immodest motion made by a Creature that forgot the presence of God and her own Duty and though he was a servant and though he was a young Man and an uamarried Man yet he was so far from complying with the temptation that he reproves the concupisence and ventures upon the revenge of his impure Mistriss 4. Lastly The Convert remembers his latter end and the judgment that will follow after O Brethren methinks I see my self and all you holding up our hands at the Bar of God. As sure as you are here so certainly you shall stand there The
Convert thinks of this at present and he lives and acts as one that is under continual observation Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of Man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings He lives and acts as one that is perswaded he must give account of himself to God and is exceeding diligent that he may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless That 's the Eighth particular When the Soul is Converted the Memory is imployed to good and holy uses 9. When the Soul is Converted there is a desire to be turned to God still more and more That Conversion is not right where there is not a desire of progression As there is an insatiableness in Sin so there is an insatiableness in Grace too until there is a compleat Sanctification and Satisfaction in Glory The Convert in some respects may be compared unto the Horse-leeches daughter still he is crying Give give Give more Wisdom Give more Grace Give more strength Give more of those riches and treasures that are durable It was a saying of one of the Ancient Fathers who certainly had as great experience of his own Heart as any of them all and that was St. Austin Si dixeris sufficit periisti If thou sayest I have Grace enough thou hast none at all and art an undone wretch He that with Laodicea says I am rich and increased with good things and have need of nothing what a wretched case is that Man in He knows not that he is poor and miserable and blind and naked True Converts are sensible of their defects and have recourse for supplies unto the inexhaustible fulness that dwells in our Lord Jesus and it is their continual work to be cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in Gods fear The true Convert he is not and he is sensible that he ought not to be content with any measure of Grace that he hath already received but he is still longing and crying for more He wishes that the New Creature were better shaped in him and that Christ were more perfectly formed in him and being in some measure emulous of Heaven he doth endeavour to do something for God here that may resemble that which is done for him above in Glory 10. Lastly When the Soul is Converted it doth act the Body for God and causeth the Members of it to be yielded as Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness The Convert takes care of his Senses that at those Gates nothing may enâ—er that may betray and insnare his Soul and he sets a watch before the door of his Lips that out of that door nothing may proceed which may be dishonouring â—o God injurious to himself or unto any other It is but reason that care should be taken of the body of a Man that is Converted And that none of the Members should be prophaned since the Body is the member of Christ since it is the Temple of the Spirit since there is such a sure promise made of a Glorious and Happy Resurrection Thus have I done with the first particular propounded to be spoken to I have told you when the Soul may be said to be truly Converted In the second place I am to prove that till the Soul be Converted Conversion cannot be sincere And there are these two or three Arguments that I shall produce to make this evident 1. While the Soul is unconverted Sin reigns The Dominion of Sin lies in the affection that the Soul hath to it If the Heart regard iniquity iniquity is certainly in the Throne and there must needs be an absence of true Grace The Psalmist saies Psal 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil and the Words may be inverted Ye that love evil certainly are haters of the Lord. 2. While the Soul is unconverted Sathan still keeps Possession for his strong holds are in the Soul. The unreasonable Prejudices the bad Resolutions the wicked Inclinations that are there these these are the strong holds of the strong man armed and therefore if the Soul be not turned Sathan hath his Forts standing undemolished and as Sathan hath Possession so Mammon is chief if the Soul be not turned and where Mammon is chief Mammon is an Idol And to be turned to God and to have Mammon the great Idol these two things cannot stand together Mat. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the One and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon 3. While the Soul is unconverted all external Righteousness is but a meer shew If the Soul be not Religious the Soul of Religion is wanting All the works of the hands though never so specious though never so good as to the matter of them are but dead works if the Heart and the Soul of the doer is not in them Thus it is plain that Conversion cannot be sincere unless the Soul be Converted 3. I am to demonstrate the Necessity of the Souls Conversion unto God. In the former Doctrine by many Arguments I demonstrated the Necessity of Conversion now I am to demonstrate the necessity of turning to God with the very Soul and there are these three or four things that I shall produce to make this evident 1. The Soul must turn because God is Allseeing He doth not judge of things according to the outward appearance but the inward man is open and naked to his view The Heart may deceive the by-standers Ay and it may deceive it self but all the secrets of the Heart are open unto that God whose Prerogative it is to search the Heart and try the reins Unless the Heart be right with God all Religion all seeking of him is nothing else but lies and flatteries Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their Mouth and they lyed unto him with their Tongues For their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant 2. The Soul must turn to God because by the acts of the Soul God is Principally honoured Observe it how is God glorified when the Soul admires his greatness and his Majesty and is in a manner overwhelmed with it Psal 104. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul O Lord my God thou art very great thou art clothed with Honour and with Majesty who coverest thy self with light as with a Garment How is God honoured When the Soul is sweetly astonished and ravished with his goodness Psal 31. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the Sons of Men. When the Soul sees that in God that is to be found in none else when in its choice it doth preferr God before Pleasure God before Wealth I had rather have God to be mine though alone than to have all things in the World and be
God in Christ be loved and chosen above all then conclude that Conversion is sound and sincere If the Heart be grieved because it is no more suited to God because it hath no more Faith in him and though it can't say with Peter Joh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I do love thee yet it can say Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I would love thee Above all things in the world I desire to love thee and to be beloved of thee Such a kind of desire as this doth plainly shew that the work of of Conversion is begun notwithstanding a great many doubts and fears that do remain about it But if under the highest Prosession of Religion if under the most constant attendance upon all Ordinances the Heart doth secretly go after its Covetousness the Soul is fond of its Lusts and of its Vanities and is resolved still to be so certainly there is no such thing as a work of Conversion though there be never so high and mighty a Confidence that there is Ezek. 33. 31. They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness The Second Use is by way of Exhortation I exhort you all to lift up your Souls to God with a desire that he would turn them to himself Naturally your Hearts are in very bad hands but if you give them unto God his hands are powerfull and good and safe He can new form your Souls both to and for Himself And therefore I beseech you give your consent and earnestly desire that God would take the Work in hand and Convert every Soul before him to himself to day To prevail with you thus to Consent and Desire I would lay before you these following Arguments 1. If your Souls are Converted they will be enlivened though before dead in Trespasses and in Sins they will be made alive unto God Eph. 2. 1. You will presently be free from the Sentence of Death and Condemnation that ye are under and ye will be made to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. O what a Life will you lead when once ye become Converts your Lives will become Holy they will be Heavenly they will be Angelical The Spirit of God will be that and a great deal more unto your Souls than what your Souls are to your Bodies The Spirit will set you at liberty The Spirit will act and lead you The Spirit will fill you with his own blessed fruits that are both pure and peaceable 2. If your Souls are Converted they will be healed Where is the Soul among us that is not sick of various Maladies and that Soul is most sick that least feels its sickness Conversion and healing are joyned together Isa 6. 10. Least at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be Converted and I should heal them So Jer. 3. 23. Return ye backsliding Children saith the Lord and I will heal your backsliding behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God. The Soul is most precious and the best part in a Man the diseases of the Soul are the worst and most dangerous and consequently the cure and healing of these diseases is most of all desirable If thou didst labour under a death-threatning Malady how wouldst thou long to be cured Poor Man thy Soul labours under a great many Maladies and all of them Hell-threatning Maladies and if thou art not Cured thou must be damned therefore Cure should be prized and Conversion and Curing go together 3. If your Souls are Converted they will be both beautified and strengthned the Image of God is the Souls Beauty and Glory and upon all true Converts this Image of God is Instampt Sin makes men vile Conversion and Sanctification makes them excellent so excellent that the Scripture plainly affirms that the World is not worthy of the Saints that are in it Heb. 11. 38. And Strength will follow Conversion as well as Beauty Who is the strongest upon Earth The answer is the Convert is the strongest All the Unconverted are without strength Alas they are without Life and therefore must needs be without strength The Convert is strengthned with might by the Spirit of God in the inward Man so that he is enabled to do good he is enabled to bear evils with patience he is enabled to resist the Enemies of his Salvation he is enabled to Fight and to Conquer nay which is more emphatical he is enabled so to conquer as to be more than a Conquerer through him that hath loved him Rom. 8. 37. Lastly If your Souls are Converted they will be both satisfied and secured and what can you desire more It would be a loud lie if Mammon should say that ever he satisfied any All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Eccles 2. 11. But now the Lord with truth doth say I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Jer. 31. 25. Those Souls that are weary and sorrowful seem furthest off from Satisfaction yet these weary and sorrowful Souls the Lord is able to satisfie Nay in Scripture we read of abundant Satisfaction Psal 35. 8 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures That which increaseth the Satisfaction is that the Souls of Converts are secure the Hand of Christ and the Hand of the Father which is greater than all is sufficient to defend these Converted Souls from the force of Earth and Hell and Sin too If your Souls are lifted up to God Sursum Corda Up with your hearts unto God If your Souls are Converted to Him they will be safe in Life they will be safe in Death and immediately after death they will be past all danger being admitted into that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. Thus have I done with the second Doctrine That Conversion is then sincere when the very Soul is Converted Doct. 3. Is this That the Word of God is the great means of Conversion And O that the Word that sounds in your ears to day may be found an effectual Means of the Conversion of all the Uncoverted here before the Lord The Law of the Lord in the Text is said to Convert the Soul because 't is the Means which the Lord himself makes use of and adds an efficacy to that such an effect may be produced The Word is styled the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. And by this Word Faith it self is wrought whereby the Soul comes to Christ and by him does Convert to God Rom. 10. 17. So then Faith
the Sun of Righteousness set and all hopes of Conversion and healing quite gone To have a Famine of the VVord sent it is to have a Church unchurched a Vineyard laid wast and not only turned into a Common but into barren and cursed ground To have a Famine of the VVord sent it is to have the Lord to spue a people out of his mouth and say I will never return to this Vomit again To have a Famine of the VVord sent it is to have the Lord to give a Bill of Divorce and upon this Bill of Divorce writ Loammi you are not my people Loruhamah I will no more have mercy on you Tremble tremble every one that hears me this day at the thoughts of such a Judgment as a Famine of the VVord of God! Pray pray that this Judgment may never be inflicted upon England I read that there was seven years plenty in Egypt before there was the greatest Famine that ever Egypt knew I heartily wish that our present Liberty and plentiful injoyment of the VVord of God be not a fore-runner of the most dreadful Famine of it that ever England knew Pray it may not be so pray that God would still give you Pastors after his own heart Pray that God would cause you to lye down in green pastures that he would load you besides the still waters that he would restore your Souls and lead you in the paths of righteousness for his Names sake Psal 23. 2 3. And when you pray for this fill your mouths with Arguments Tell the Lord of his own honour which his VVord doth direct the Children of Men to yield to him Tell the Lord of his Sons Interest He will neither be believed in nor known unless there be the VVord of God to reveal him Mention the promise that the Father hath made unto the Son the Mediator to give him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession Psal 2. 8. That of the increase of his Kingdom and Government there shall be no end Isa 9. 7. Urge him with that word that he hath said the Earth shall be filled with Knowledge as the waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. Be importunate in pleading such Promises as these and it will manifest that you prize the VVord of God and are afraid of its going And this importunity will be mighty pleasing to God and very prevalent with Him. 4. Hence I inferr That whensoever the Word of God is effectual to the Conversion of any there is just cause of great thankfulness When means attain their designed end it is a satisfaction unto those that use them and the higher and better the end is the satisfaction is the more The Conversion of a Sinner to God is one of the best things that can be done in the World to feed the hungry to cloath the naked to relieve the oppressed to cure the dangerously diseased to sheath the Sword of War and to establish Peace in Kingdoms and Nations all these are works very good but let me tell you that the turning of a Sinner unto God doth imply a far greater benefit because it doth include Eternal Blessedness The lost Sheep the lost Silver the lost Son were all missed with trouble and were all found with great Joy. When the Word is Powerful to Convert a Soul Oh what a precious thing is then secured It is secured from Eternal Misery and there is an everlasting Kingdom that it shall at last be brought safe unto 2 Tim. 4. 18. The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and he will preserve me unto his Heavenly Kingdom When a Sinner is Converted how thankful should he himself be for he is catched as a Fire-brand out of the burning he is delivered from intolerable Wrath and interested in unchangeable Love How thankful should Ministers be when they see their spiritual Offspring and Christ formed in them How thankful should Saints be when they behold their Number increased If they beheld the Transgressours and were grieved certainly with gladness should they behold them turnâ—ng from Transgression Nay those Angels that are in Heaven take notice of Conversion as a just ground of great Joy What was said concerning the first Creaâ—ion may be applyed unto the new Creaâ—ion the Morning Stars do sing together and all the Sons of God the whole Host of thâ— Principalities and Powers of Heaven â— shout for Joy when any are converted and made indeed new Creatures 5. Hence I inferr that it is no wonder that Sathan and his Instruments would faiâ— have this VVord of God out of the VVorld since it is the great means of Conversion O what a hateful Book unto Hell is the Holy Bible If evil Angels might have their wish I am perswaded their wish would be this that Souls may burn â—â— Hell and that Bibles might be burnt on Earth Oaths Curses Blasphemies Lying Slanders Railing filthy Discourse prophane Songs and Laughter Mirth and Musick damnable Heresies and Doctrines these have all a very pleasing sound iâ— Sathans ears Ay but the powerful anâ— plain Preaching of the Word of God Sathan cannot bear this is very harsh and it is very grating to him and he dotâ— endeavour to stop the mouths of skilâ—â— Dispensers of the Word of Righteousness for he fears their voice lest his stroâ— holds should be pulled down If in spigâ— of him a door of utterance be opened thâ— evil and envious One endeavours to â—â— men with prejudices against them that theâ— may have but very few â—eâ—rers but their Hâ—aâ—â—â—â— are a very great Multitude O then â—â—w doth he bestir himself to â—inder the entrance of the Word that Eyes and Ears and Hearts may be shut against it Christ compares the Word of God unto Seed and evil Angels unto Fowls that endeavour to catch it away as soon as sown Mat. 13. 4. that so it may be altogether fruitless or bring forth no fruit unto Eternal Life When there are a great many Pick-pockets in a Crowd upon notice Persons are the more careful of their Purses O what a company of evil Angels are here that are arrant Thieves and they will endeavour to rob you of the Word of God it concerns you to heed the Word and to hide it in your Hearts and then it will be safe a good and an honest Heart will certainly secure this Treasure 6. Hence I inferr that the Dispensers and Preachers of the VVord of God which is the great means of Conversion ought highly to be esteemed in Love for their works sake 1 Thes 5. 12 13. VVe beseech you Brethren to know them that labour among you are over in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among your selves When Christ ascended up on high far above all Heavens that he might fill all things the Ministry of the VVord was a gift that he did bestow upon his Church Eph. 4. 11.
of Redemption by Price of Gods purchasing his Church with his own Blood Act. 20. 28. The Light of Nature is insufficient to shew the way to Heaven How God will deal with these Heathens 't is hard to determine Zuinglius indeed asserts That when we come to Heaven we shall see utrumque Adamum Redemptum Redemptorem both the Adams the Redeemer and him that was redeemed the Prophets the Apostles And then he adds That Aristides the Cato's and the Scipio's and such vertuous Men among the Heathen will be found in Heaven also Calvin calls this prâ—â—posterum misericordiam a preposterous Mercy because the Apostle tells us those who have sinn'd without Law shall also perish without Law Rom. 2. 12. What is to be said in this case To affirm that any of them are saved who never heard of a Saviour is to affirm what is hard to prove to say that they are all damned will be a bold Sentence The Apostle tells us that those who are without God judges 1 Cor. 5. 13. and to Gods Judgment we must leave them 2. The Perfection of the Word is mentioned in the work of Conversion to shew that the Works of God do need his Words exposition upon them 'T is the Word which rightly discovers God in the Works of Creation Heb. 11. 3. Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear The Scripture shews how the Lord is the Alpha and the Omega The whole Volume of Nature would signifie little to Man were it not for the Scriptures commentary upon it the Beginning and the End of all things that per scalaâ—â— creaturarum by the Ladder of the Creatures we may ascend unto the Gracions and Alsufficient Creator The Word expoundâ— the Works of Providence it puts such a Language into Mercies that these Demonstrations of divine goodness lead unto Repentance And the Word makes the Rod to utter such a voice that the Vncircumcised heart is humbled the Sinner accepts of the punishment of his Iniquity Lev. 26. 41. and turns unto that God that smites him 3. The Perfection of the Word is mentioned in the Work of Conversion that Sinners may use and value the Word as a Means sufficient He that is sick of the Plague how willingly does he use a Remedy that is sufficient for the cure of the Pestilence and which has cured thousands and that never failed to heal any that would but take it Never was there a Plague in the World so universal so contagious so deadly as Sin is O all ye sinful diseased and lost Souls hear and with all seriousness apply the Word of God that ye may be healed and that being healed ye may live and not dye for ever The remedy is perfect it certainly works for life if it be but received he that believes and yields subjection to the Gospel shall be saved Mar. 16. 16. I confess the refusing of the remedy will highten the disease and make the death more dreadful He that believes not shall receive the greater damnation 4. The Perfection of the Word is mentioned in the work of Conversion that the Preachers of the Word may be encouraged Were this Word a weak imperfect thing the Dispencers of it would have the less heart to labour but they have no reason to be ashamed or discouraged but to glory in the Gospel of Christ since 't is the Power of God to Salvation And let him be Jew or Gentile high or low a less Sinner or the greatest if he receives the Word with Faith the Preachers pains will be to good purpose The Apostle insults over all the VVisdom of this VVorld as that which is poor and foolish and helpless as to a better World 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world The Jewish Synagogue where Moses was trusted in and Christ rejected the Greek Academy could neither of them shew the way of Salvation hath not God made foolish the VVisdom of this VVorld But then he magnifies the Word of God that reveals Christ Jesus because herein the Power and VVisdom of God were savingly made manifest 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. VVe preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 5. The Perfection of the Word is mentioned in the Work of Conversion that Saints may still be improving it unto a further turning Where 's the Convert in whom and for whom the Word of God has wrought so much that it can work no more You that have most experienced its power and goodness may still feel a further efficacy The Word is perfect and you should be pressing forward to be perfected by it still your Light should grow clearer your Faith stronger your love more abundant and patience should have a more perfect work in you that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1. 4. Still you should be more low in your own sight the Grace of Christ more glorious in your eyes the World should be more under your feet and Heaven be the matter of your thoughts and hopes and joy You that are weak should resemble David you that are strong as David should be like the Angels of God aspiring unto not only Evangelical but an Angelical and heavenly Perfection I come in the last place to the Application The Uses are these following VSE I. Of Caution The Perfection of the Word of God should make you 1. To take heed of that Enthusiastick Spirit that pretends not to need this VVord That Light within which makes the Light of the VVord to be contemned is certainly Darkness and if the Light within you be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6. 23. Solomon tells us plainly that the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and the reproofs of instruction are the way of Life Prov. 6. 23. You will miss the way of Life unless this Light be followed He is most unreasonably wise in his own eyes who imagines he knows so much that God himself by his Word can teach him no more the truth is he knows nothing as he ought to know his Knowledg is but a delusive dream his ignorance real and destructive Heed not but resist the Spirit that injects undervaluing thoughts of the Word of God for that cannot be the true Spirit which did endite it If once you reject the VVord of the Lord alas what understanding is in you Jer. 1. 9. The grossest and most damnable errours will impose upon you as truths the most carnal licentiousness which is the bondage of corruption will call it self Christian liberty Sins will be made no Sins and Duties no Duties you will allow your selves in the omission of Gods Ordinances as things below Saints of so high a Stature as
the righteous he is a Buckler to them that walk uprightly 3. You that live under the New Testament Dispensation be very thankful that the written Word is so very copious and so large To have such a compleat Declaration of the Mind of God by his own Son was a Priviledge which the Old Testament Believers wisht for but did not enjoy What Moles are they who are onely busie and working in the Earth and for Earthly things and regard not the clear shining of the Sun of Righteousness To be deaf and regardless when God speaks so much to us not to understand when he speaks so fully and so plainly is inexcusable but to have Knowledg and to sin against it and to detain the truth in unrighteousness is inexcusable much more here is Ingratitude and Presumption together and the more stripes are threatned and deserved Luke 12. 47. And that Servant that knâ—w his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beatâ—◠〈◊〉 many stripes Search the VVord of God be much that you may be mighty in the Scriptures By this weapon you may defend your selves against the subtilest Enemies of the truth nay against the old subtle Serpent himself It was not an unwritten but a written word that Christ produced when he was assaulted by the Tempter Mat. 4. 4 7 10. It was an Injunction of our Lord himself Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life It was a right thought that the Scriptures direct unto Life Eternal but it was a presumptuous thought in the Pharisees to imagine Eternal Life was theirs since instead of building upon the Foundation Stone in Sion they stumbled at it But the Injunction it self is of great Moment The Scriptures are Gods own Books and the onely Books he has in the World. Longâ assiâ—uâ meditatione Scripturaram prâ—tus suun fecerat Bibliothicam Chriâ—â—â— Hyeronym de Nepotiano Every ones Breast should be like Nepotian's Bibliotheca Christi A Library in which these Books should be kept safely To be acquainted more intimately with the Word is the way to be better acquainted with God and the consequent of this acquaintance is Peace Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come to thee By Searching of the Scriptures the Understanding is improved the Heart is purified the Life is regulated This Book is indeed the thankful Glass that mends the Eyes of all that rightly look into it It was an honest Distich of one Ex aliis paleae viles hinc grana leguntur Aurea tu paleas linquito grana lege Which another thus Englishes Mens Books with worthless chaff are stor'd Gods Scripture Golden grains afford Reject the chaff and spend thy pains In gleaning up these golden Grains 5. Pray for the Spirit who endited the Word that he may interpret it and lead you into the understanding of it He is called the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1. 17. He reveals the Gospel he enlightens the eyes of the Understanding True Wisdom is the special Gift of the Holy Ghost It is an encouragement in Prayer that the best things may be asked with the greatest confidence The Gift of the Spirit comprehends the best things of all doubt not of Gods willingness to bestow it Luk. 11. 13. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father gave the holy Spirit unto them that ask him It is not a notional Knowledge which many Hypocrites excell in that you should content your selves with Such Knowledge being alone puffs up him that has it 1 Cor. 8. 1. and disturbing Strife and contention follows upon Pride and High-mindedness such Knowledge aggravates Sin in the careless and carnal Professor and will exceedingly inflame his Reckoning in the day he must give account of himself to God. It is true wisdom a Spiritual understanding of the Scriptures that you should cry for When the Spirit of God discovers a truth to you with what Satisfaction will your Mind receive it When the Spirit shews you your Duty how Righteous how reasonable and what a Priviledge does it appear The Spirits Light and Strength go together so that the Will is inclined to a compliance when the enlightned Soul does understand the Will of God. When the Spirit applies a Promise to you how will your Faith be confirmed how will you abound in Hope and how full of sweetest peace will your hearts be while you securely rest on the God of Truth whose VVord will endure when Heaven and Earth shall pass away Isa 26. 3 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength 6. Let your Knowledge of the Word of God be more perfect Alas how little do we know of what may be known and what we do know how much better may we know it Though the Children of God are Children of Light and Children of the Day yet there are great remainders of darkness in some of them and some remainders in all This remaining Ignorance is both their Sin and Misery by reason of which Satan their subtle enemy has many times great advantage against them Labour after a more perfect Knowledge of God his Son his Truth his Will his Word informs you of all If the Happiness of Heaven lies so much in a beatifical seeing Oh use all possible intention of mind that you may see more and more even while you are here on Earth True Knowledge will debase the idolized World and make it nothing in your eyes and it wil humble you and make you perceive that really you are worse than nothing How does a clearer Knowledge of God make holy Job much more humble than ever Job 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorr my self and repent in Dust and Ashes The better you know the Lord the more you will Love and Fear and Praise him The better you know his Christ you cannot chuse but still more highly prize him and your Hearts will cleave to him with the fuller purpose The 〈…〉 er you know his Commands the more they 〈◊〉 be your Counsellours your longing your delight and your Songs in the house of your Pilgrimage The better you know the Cross of Christ you will be the less offended 〈…〉 heaviest Afflictions will be made light of 〈◊〉 compared with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 7. Let your Love be greater and more perfect to this perfect VVord of God. The World indeed hates this VVord because it testifies against them that their works are evil and will have an ill end True love to it will argue spiritual Life by it and that it has been effectual to turn and
change our very Hearts Love to the Word distinguishes the true Church from the Antichristian Society Of these 't is said because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. All the excellent properties of the Word and the wonderful effects of it should take your Hearts and still be increasing your affection to it and the stronger your love is the greater will be your care to keep it Psal 119. 167. My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly Love will make you labour hard in the work which the Word commands and yet it will so overcome the difficulty that hard labour shall become easie It was a saying of Bernard Is rectè divinas Scripturas legit qui verba vâ—rtit in opera He rightly reads the Holy Scriptures who turns VVords into VVorks Love will mightily constrain you to this 't will make you doers and blessed in your deed Love the Word of God as a Malefactour would love to read his pardon after the Sentence of Death has been past upon him Love the Word as a Debtour would love to read his general and full discharge which delivers him out of Prison and secures him from the danger of being arrested any more Love the Word as a Sick man would love to read a Receipt prescribing a medicine that would certainly cure his distemper and save his Life Finally love the Word as an Heir would love to read over a Testament in which is left him a rich Estate a most plentiful Inheritance In the VVord of God you find a pardon a discharge from all debts by your great your sufficient Surety here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Souls universal remedy And the Psalmist says Psal 119. 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my Heart 8. Never be ashamed of this Word of God which is so perfect and worthy to be owned VVith your Hearts believe it unto Righteousness with your Mouths Confess it to Salvation Be not concerned that the VVorld accounts the VVord foolishness fear not either their reviling or their rage their hands are weak considering how strong your helper is and their Judgments weaker Stand fast in the Faith and quit you like men be strong 1 Cor. 16. 13. Your Lord will be much pleased to see you valiant for the Truth and no less than a Crown of Life shall be the reward of Faithfulness unto the Death But if you are ashamed of Christ and of his word before Men he will be ashamed of you before his Father and all his Holy Angels Mar. 8. 38. And how great and everlasting then will your shame and confusion be VSE III. Of Exhortation Since the VVord is perfect let me exhort you all unto Perfection The legal Perfection of Adam in Innocency you cannot reach since the fall keeps all his Posterity short of it hear the Apostle confessing and bewailing Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect Phil. 3. 12. But evangelical Perfection is possible 't is necessary 't is actually found in all true Converts In legal Perfection it may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no Sin. In evangelical Perfection it may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no predominant Hypocrisie In the former there is no sin at all in the latter there is no Sin loved and allowed In the one every command is kept in the other there is grief when any command is broke and a true Desire after Grace to keep every Commandment better When I exhort you to Perfection I mean three things That you would be of a perfect Heart That you would walk in a perfect way That you would stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God. 1. Let your Hearts be perfect The Heart is the very Seat of Sincerity if it be not here 't is no where 't is not in the eye or tongue or hands or feet if the Heart remain as it was by Nature without a change and is still wicked sensual and earthly the VVords and actions though never so good signifie and avail nothing nay the better the VVords and Actions are the greater is the Hypocrisie and Dissimulation There are several excellent ingredients in this Perfection of Heart which I would press upon the Hearts and Consciences of All. 1. Let your Hearts shew themselves perfect by setting God alwaies before them Walk before me says God to Abraham and be perfect Gen. 17. 1. The perfect Heart is sensible that Gods eye looks into it and sees all that is in it therefore its eye is also upon God and as there is an holy awe of God upon it so 't is not satisfied without his approbation Upright David cryes out O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou understandest my thoughts afar off Psal 139 1 2. Thoughts include all the affections workings and inclinations of the Heart all these were open and naked unto the Eye of Gad. And David looks to his Heart accordingly and he begs that the evil of his Heart might be more plainly discover'd to him that his Heart might be more throughly cleansed 2. Let your Hearts be perfect in being truely willing and very studious to please that God with whom you have to do The perfect Heart sees 't is highly reasonable that Mans Will in all things should be obedient unto Gods since the VVill of God is so righteous good and holy since He cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth hâ— any man to any thing that is hurtful Jam. 1. 13. to please the Lord should be the Pleasure of your very Souls You should hate every abominable thing which he hates and what he delights in should always be chosen 3. Let your Hearts be perfect in refusing to have a liking respect and regard to any iniquity David manifested his uprightness and as a perfect man he was regarded and his Prayer heard because he did not regard iniquity in his Heart Psal 66. 18 19. Iniquity in the Heart is to be regarded so as to be humbled for it weary of it and bewail it and to endeavour by all means to mortifie and purge it away 't is not to be regarded so as to cover and excuse it so as secretly to delight in it and resolve to spare iâ— Especially let your Hearts set themselves with full bent against that which may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sin that does most easily be set you Heb. 12. 1. from hence is the greatest guilt defilement danger the Sin that by reason of your Constitutions Callings Age and the bad Customs of the Places where you live have been most insinuating into your Affection and aptest to prevail should be abandon'd with a special and peculiar
shall be brought to Judgment He is to Judge the Church and the whole World in Righteousness The State of those that are without the Gospel is set forth as very sad in Scripture they are said to be without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World Eph. 2. 12. Yet it seems to me an unwarrantable boldness to pronounce them all lost since for ought we know God may help some of them to be faithful in that little he has given them but however be it or be it not so their Case is so dangerous that we should be concerned very much for them at present and Pray that God would make known his saving health among them The Apostle tells us what will 〈◊〉 the Rule of Christ's proceedings with the Heathen that never heard of the glad-tydings of Salvation they shall be judged according to the Law and Light of Nature Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law for not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified 6. They that have enjoyed the Gospel and the means of Grace shall be brought to Judgment and of all persons that are to be judged these have largest account to give and the most Talents to answer for A poor Heathen he has but one Talent the dim Light of nature but thou that enjoyest the Gospel hast two if not five Talents to improve And where much is given will not much also be required you that hear Christ Preached had need to look to it that you sincerely obey him now and that you may stand before him at last for if you fall in Judgment you will fall very low Damnation will be great and extraordinary where great Salvation has been neglected Heb. 2. 3. Our Lord Jesus plainly intimates that there are degrees of Torment in the place of future punishment there is a blacker Darkness and a Darkness not quite so dimal there is a cooler and an hotter Hell. Who are those that shall be thrown into the hottest Hell of all Truly those who heard the Gospel and were called to repent and believe but would do neither Mat. 11. 21 â—2 23 24. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee â—ethsaida for if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have Repented long ago in Sack-cloath and Ashes but I say to you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for you And thou Capernaum that art exalted unto Heaven shalt be cast down to Hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained to this day But I say to you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for Thee In the third place I am to speak of the things which will be brought into Judgment and that both with respect to the Righteous and with respect to the Wicked I begin with the Righteous and concerning these you must know 1. Their Sincerity at the day of Judgment will be made apparent All the Sincerity that has been on Earth will then be own'd and approved every one shall have an Euge a Commendation that has been a good and faithful Servant Mat. 25. 21 23. The Apostle prays for the Philippians Châ— 1. 10. that they might be Sincere and without offencâ— till the day of Christ Sincerity will signifie much in that Day None will pass for sincere but those that are so Not one that has been sincere but shall be accepted and rewarded Faithful ones may now possibly he loaded with Reproaches from without and with Censures from within thâ— Church but at the great Day all will be wipeâ— off 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judge nothing before the time untâ— the Lord do come who both will bring to light tâ— hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts and then shall every Man haâ— praise of God. How many that have been highâ— esteemed among Men will be discovered then to have been unsound at Heart and that the World and Self did act and rule them tho their Tongues did speak for God and tho they made a Splendid Profession that they were his Servants And how many that have been hardly thought of by Men will Christ at that day confess before his Father and the Angels their Censurers at the same time being ashamed and confounded 2. There will Cognizance be taken of all the good works of the Righteous These will follow them into another World Rev. 14. 13. The Apostle that he might encourage Believers unto diligence tells them Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your Work and Labour of love which ye have shewed towards his Name Good works are rewardable tho they are not Meritorious there is no proportion between the work and the reward but the reward infinitely exceeds for God himself is the reward of the Saints and All in all that are in Heaven There is no intrinsick worth in good works to deserve Heaven but God has promised Heaven and eternal Life and is Righteous in bestowing it but still it must be acknowledged his free Gift and given through Jesus Christ Indeed Mat. 25. 35 40. mention is made only of works of Charity and Mercy I was an Hungred and ye gave me Meat Thirsty and ye gave me Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in I was Naked and ye cloathed me Sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came to me From hence you are to learn how acceptable such works as these are and you should be stirr'd up to abound in them but other works are not excluded for afterwards our Lord does only mention the mercilesness and uncharitable Omissions of the wicked and yet 't is plain from other Scriptures that their other Sins will be punished their not knowing God their disobedience to the Gospel of Christ 2 Thess 1. 8. 3. The Sentence which will be past upon them will be a Sentence of Absolution they shall be absolved and acquitted openly before Men and Angels All their Sins will be forgotten and buried there will be an eternal deliverance from the Curse With what Admiration Joy and Triumph will they hear Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25. 34. What a Kingdom is that that never shall be moved What a Crown is that that is incorruptible What gladness will fill their Hearts when the Crown of Life is put upon their Heads The Sentence being pronounced presently 't will be done according to this Sentence possession will be taken of the glorious Inheritance they shall enter into life Eternal Mat. 25. 46.