the midst of tempests here below because it enters within the vail of Heaven it self and takes possession before hand of all its treasures and by its joyful expectations becomes that helmet in St. Paul which guards the head against all blows of the World or Devil wherefore he bids us rejoyce in hope be patient and cheerful in tribulation instant in Prayer and tells us Coll. 1.11 That this is that which strengthens the heart with all might to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness It is indeed the anticipation of Heaven on Earth and makes the Rest of that World our portion in this As for Charity the third grace the Image and transcript of God himself who is goodness and love greater than either or faith or hope is holy charity greater than they for Rest and joy as well as use because the very fruit and end the evidence and perfection of both Can there be any more blessed Rest or satisfaction in this life than the love of him who is infinitely amiable whose glorious perfections ravish the Angels into an extasy and admiration of endless felicity what ever we do or can love else we can neither be sure to enjoy it long nor if we could would it satisfie but cloy or tire and leave us empty and discontented But to love God is to Rest in him Nor can any thing tire or finish intercept or disappoint the Rest and peace and joy of that love which is fixed on him who is the eternal boundless good This is Godliness this is Holiness to love God in all and above all what we love besides and 't is our happiness as well as holiness that which gives reason its throne and proper dignity above all those blind violent lusts and passions within or temptations without which keep a Man from possessing himself with any freedom or solid peace nor can a Man be firmly united to himself but by being united unto God When once the Soul loves God sincerely and constantly above all and hath resign'd its will to his it hath its Rest whether the world smile or frown nothing can come amiss to it come what will it cannot destroy its Rest in God As is the Object or main end on which the Soul of Man fixes as its happiness so is the Soul for its condition quiet or restless constant or wavering discontented or satisfied He that parsues earthly things as his main end becomes vain unstable unsatisfied and perplexed led up and down by the foolish fire of sence or phancy changing as they and the World change disquieted with that vexation and vanity which they find abroad and that sedition they find at home 'twixt reason and unreasonable lusts affections and passions But he that rests and centers himself on God through Christ on that one end and sovereign good in that way which he hath appointed which is indeed but himself become a suitable way to that end he hath chosen that which will unite and reconcile him not only to himself in all his faculties desires and actions or pretensions but to all the various providential dispensations in this World which seem so intricate perplext and perplexing to flesh and blood wherefore they that by faith have entred into the love of God above all must necessarily have entred into Rest in the same degree in which it is evident to themselves that they have done so And then the Charity which flows from the love of God above all on his Image or Proxy or Neighbour our Brother our fellow Christian is their any thing besides that principle from which it flows more full of Rest Peace and Joy than to love and promote his virtue and happiness to love that nature which Christ assumed and died for to love the Image of God in Man which is to love God himself by reflection and consequence and so indeed to love our selves increase and secure our own happiness It is the voice of all Mankind not quite degenerated to beast That Friendship and Charity is the sweetest delight of this life next to that in God himself That malice and envy to be hatefull and hating one another is one of the greatest odiousest miseries the very Image of Hell it self where there is nothing but hatred and cursing whereas of Heaven we understand little more than that the blessed inhabitants of it love God above all and one another as themselves nor can their happiness fail or abate because their Charity or Love cannot Bounty and Mercy the fruits of this Charity makes a Man Gods Vicegerent in doing good to those that are or may be his in rescuing them from the Devils malice and wicked Men by seasonable relief of their Soul and Body and is so pleasant so joyfull a duty that it renders the giver more rest and delight than the needy receiver and returns with usury at the present into his bosom by the comfortable evidence of his own sincerity and so of his interest in many promises both of securing his temporal welfare and increasing his eternal Love towards Men especially Christians for Christ sake melting our hearts and opening our hands with cheerful joy to relieve their wants free 's our Souls from the chilling cold of unmerciful covetousness which gripes it self as well as others gives us rest from the Canker of envy and fretful malice which makes us take delight and content in another Mans graces welfare and happiness as part of our own gives us Rest from the rack and fire of rage and revenge gives us the peace and honour of conquering evil with good and then makes us rejoyce again that this is our plea for Gods mercy towards our selves And who then would refuse or neglect the Rest of Charity Humility is another grace which besides the Calm and Rest of Soul which Christ hath peculiarly promised to it hath such an attractive controlling loveliness that 't is the rival of Heaven and Earth God himself that inhabits eternity dwells with the humble as the God of Peace brings Rest and Peace wherever he dwells and what wise or good Man loves not to dwell with such also So true is that of Prov. 16.19 'T is better to be of an humble Spirit than to divide the spoil with the proud How restless is pride in all its designs and haughty pursuits How discontented with God and Man if it miss of them And if it attain them how full of ingratitude and scornful disdain of fears and jealousies on the one side of tumors and swellings of endless ambition on the other But the humble person enjoys the Rest of thankful contentment in all conditions thinks himself less than the least of Gods mercies had rather by farr obey than rule and if he receive contempt or injuries is not disturbed with wrath or revenge but sits down in humble silence as fearing he may have some ways deserved it Great is the Rest which meekness and patience brings to the Soul of Man Meekness is the
Gods children and must love God above all as our Father love our Redeemer so much more than all Relations than life it self and its dearest contentments as to forsake and renounce them for ever rather than him Yet we are still exhorted and enjoyned to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear not to fear what Man but God can do unto us To love him as a Father and fear to lose his love by offending him to love the Son and kiss him with reverence lest he be angry to love the Holy Spirit of God and fear to grieve resist and quench him lest we turn his grace into wantonness and make him withdraw his gracious presence that would enable us in holiness and righteousness to serve him without fear of any evil that can befall us so doing or of any enemy that can hurt us and yet to fear him whom we serve as our Lord and King A good Son may fear to incur his Father's wrath by ceasing to be so and yet cry Abba Father Tertullian interprets that of Saint John Perfect love casts out fear of lazy fear that will not go on in the way of grace for fear of a Lion in the way some hazard and difficulties likely to meet him not the fear of Gods wrath possible to be incurred by sin and backsliding but of temporal dangers and persecutions If our love be perfect though with the perfection of sincerity that is habitually prevailing over all other loves 't will cast out such fear and make us lay down our lives for the Brethren to glorifie God and encourage others by the evidence of our faith content to adventure any thing for Christs sake even death it self but sure not the displeasing of God and the torments of Hell that were too prodigal an alms too wild a valour directly contrary to the love as well as fear of God in Christ Charity again casteth out all fear but by degrees as that increaseth so fear abateth If our Sanctification were as perfect for degrees as universal for its parts were our obedience like that of Angels which cannot fail we should need neither hope to encourage our love nor fear to guard it but while it is only in part the best Christians in this state of imperfection may have use of a Deaths Head and make Gods threats as well as promises subordinate means to concur with the principal Buttresses to keep the Building from swerving while the foundation of Faith and Love keeps it from sinking Fides spes tuta si cauta secura si sollicita Tert. Fear makes our love reverent our hope wary our faith discreet If the Sails be too full they may endanger us as much as a Rock for Fear as a Rudder guides and steers our Faith and Hope between the gulph or sands of Despair and the rock of Presumption or proud Security Serve we the Lord then in love but in fear too and rejoyce unto him with trembling as David speaks fear him as Lord love and rejoyce in him as Jesus yea and fear him as Jesus too fear to offend so gracious a Saviour to vilifie and hazard such precious Salvation sit timor innocentiae Custos saith St. Cyp. ut Deus qui in mentes nostras clementer influxit in animi hospitio justâ operatione teneatur If God hath entered into our hearts through his Son by his Spirit let us be glad and rejoyce in his presence for thankful joy is his entertainment but let fear keep the door that nothing enter that may displease so holy a presence Aiunt quidam saith Tert. se salvo metu vel fide peccare some say they can venture on sin without any prejudice to faith or fear sic ergo ipsi salvâ veniâ detrudentur in Gehennam dum salvo metu peccant so shall such who say and do so be thrust into Hell without any prejudice to God's mercy or Christ's merit and intercession Whether we consider the infinite eternal worth and weight of this Rest the intolerable endless troubles of missing it or the absolute necessity of hating and shunning all evil of loving and following all duties and graces in order to attaining the one and escaping the other Whether we look upon the weakness inconstancy treachery of the flesh within us or upon the variety of temptations alluring and terrifying us from the world without set on by the Devil with all the vigilance of subtil malice or on the shortness or uncertainty of the time wherein this Rest must be secured or lost for ever Whether we look on the love and infinite mercy of God in offering purchasing inviting drawing us to this Rest at such a price by such powerful obliging variety of means or motives or on the deceitfulness of mans heart willing to think the conditions of it fewer and easier than they are and to satisfie it self in the hopes of it on an outward profession a speculative faith or a partial obedience Or lastly whether we consider the possibility of falling away through sloth or impatience from the sincere repentance and faith love and obedience which was begun All and every one of these call for an humble watchful fear and godly jealousie over our selves solicitous cautions and diligence lest we fall short of it Take heed then of thinking this fear of missing it either unnecessary or unbeseeming Christian Professors or true Believers since many Professors are no true Believers and they that are may cease to be so unless they watch and pray assiduously and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling Look not upon it as too slavish for Persons regenerate and Children of light since sure it is that the Spirit of God and the holy Apostles made choice of no Arguments but such as were fit to be made use of by Christians and the motives of fear are more than once the Arguments they chose even to those who had been made partakers of Christ and were of the House and Family of God such as had received the Kingdom that could not be moved Heb. 12.28 Who yet are there exhorted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have Grace or to hold it fast by making an humble diligent use of that pretious Talent Or if you will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be thankful to God the munificent donor of such a benefit and this duty raised to the height to the serving of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether that refer to the Persons and signifie serving with cheerful alacrity for fear and chearfulness are very consistent the former the Guardian the Conservator of the latter Or whether it refer to God as we render it serving him acceptably with reverence and godly fear you have still in this Apostle the motives of fear annexed to this duty for our God is a consuming fire 'T was wisdom then and sober piety in him that said He would not leave his part in Hell meaning the benefit he found in meditating on God's threats as well
love is nor can it be any better or more durable than its cause and they are fond of each other as long as phansie and health lasts But sickness child-bearing care time and any thing almost that destroys a flower may destroy that love which at the best is but earthly and sensual He that will find Rest and quiet in his Conjugal State here must begin it with God and goodness with wise and virtuous designs Then is Marriage honourable indeed when good and fair intentions conduct and manage it The preservation of a Family the production of Children the avoyding of fornication the refreshment of a wise and virtuous society all these are honourable ends Society was the first designed it is not good for Man to be alone Children the next increase and multiply The avoiding Fornication the last and that will be hardly avoide by Marriage unless you chuse such a Consort whom you can love in all conditions and outward changes The first makes Marriage delightful the second necessary to the publick the third to this or that particular Person The first makes the Mans heart glad the second is a friend to Families Cities and Kingdoms Churches and Heaven the third is an enemy to Hell and an Antidote to the chiefest inlet to damnation To have a lasting quiet and sure content in the Conjugal life it is prudent and useful that all offences of each other be warily avoided at the first beginnings especially of their conversation An infant blossom is quickly blasted and the love of lately Married Persons is busie and tender inquisitive and jealous and apt to take a fright or alarm at every unkind word or carriage But after the hearts of Man and Wife are endeared to each other by natural confidence and experience trifling accidents cannot disturb their united affections but will vanish at the sight and remembrance of weightier obligements and so after their having lived in peace and love and joy for a while on Earth they may meet and rejoyce together in Heaven to all eternity That the Married life may prove happy Let every one love his Wife as himself saith St. Paul The Husbands power over his Wife is Fatherly and Friendly not Magisterial She that is bound to leave Father and Mother and Brother for thee is miserably abused if she find it otherwise A Mans dominion over his Wife is like that of his Soul over his body for which it takes a wise care and useth it tenderly and it is often led by its tolerable inclinations and desires save when they are evil or dangerously tending to that which is so The Government is and ought to be divided since the Woman also hath Gods Image stampt upon her and may sometimes assist and supply her Husbands wisdom And as to the Family si tu Cajus ego Caja was publickly proclaimed upon the threshold of the Husband when his Bride first enter'd under his roof and although there is a just measure of obedience due from the Wife yet that 's scarcely at all expressed in the Husbands directions in holy Scripture but all his duty is signified by love by nourishing and cherishing by honouring her as the weaker Vessel by not being bitter to her by dwelling with her according to knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not bitter against her that 's the first and lowest signification of love A civil Person is never bitter against a stranger much less a friend that enters his roof and is secured there by the laws of Hospitality and he surely is strangely rude who useth her rudely that quits all her interest for him and is besides as much the same Person as another can be the same having the same Religion Children and Family and is fled for protection as to a Sanctuary not only to his house but to his bosom and heart Marcus Aurelius said well that a wise Man will often admonish his Wife reprove her seldom but never lay his hands upon her St. Chrisostom tells us that an Husband reviling or striking his Wife is as if a King should use his Viceroy so from whom most of that reverence and Majesty must needs depart which at first he put upon him and the Subjects will pay him the less duty by how much the rudelier the Prince hath treated him the loss redounds to the King himself and the Government will be thereby disordered and ruin'd He that loves not his Wife and Children feeds a Lyoness and breeds nothing but fears and sorrows to himself nor can blessing it self make him happy All the Commandements of God injoyning a Man to love his Wife are but so many invitations to him to be happy himself and make her and his Children so If mutual love be once secured there can be no great danger from any thing else because such love as makes the Man chast keeps the Woman also within the sober bounds of modest chastity Obedience is the Womans duty which though no where expresly enjoyned the Man to exact yet is often commanded the Woman to pay and the less it is exacted the better and more kindly is it when duly paid both in the sight of God and Man And this proclaims her humility and reverend esteem of his Wisdom and is an acknowledgment of the injunction imposed by God and though in sorrow she bring forth Children yet with love and joy she may bring them up The Womans obedience though largely extended by St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephe. 5.24 In every thing yet 't is limited by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is fit in the Lord Collos 3.18 The Womans duty obliges her to put on the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Sweetness of manners humble comportment fair interpretation of all things that are capable of it an industrious hand a silent tongue a faithful heart to his Person and Bed his Purse and Estate And that this may be done with chearfulness it is one excellent height of Christian Religion above not only the Heathens and Mahometans but the Mosaical allowances that it hath provided for Union between Man and Wife by forbidding strictly Poligamy or the having many Wifes and also hath forbidden divorce except in case of Adultery By forbidding Poligamy our Religion hath prevented all those Domestick emulations which would necessarily almost arise between a Leah and a Rachel though in Jacobs Family a Sarah and a Hagar though in Abrahams house The Mans love runs in a fuller stream because not divided into many rivolets and the Womans love and faithfulness is demanded more justly because it hath an equal proportionable answer without the provocation of any Corrival And then by forbidding divorce upon any pretence but that of Adultery it makes peace more necessary and contention more terrible seeing if they will not become a mutual comfort they must always endure that mutual torment from which they are allowed no refuge If all this be not
this Rest of Faith for justification St. Paul shews in the next words that they rather confirm and ratifie the pardon than question or lessen it through that experience of Gods wise and faithful love in making all things work together for good to those that love him above all Who shall seperate us from the love of God in Christ shall Tribulation or Distress Persecution or Nakedness Famin or Sword in all these we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us If weak Christians coming to Christ with faithful desires and resolutions to weare his Yoke and bear his Burthen meekly and humbly find not this Rest of justification with such a degree of Peace and Joy as St. Paul expresseth 't is not because Christ giveth them not what he promiseth but because he giveth it them gradually according as they are able and fit by their Faith to receive it for he saith to every Soul now as to them in St. Matt. 9.24 Be it unto you according to your Faith if your Faith be strong and lively both in believing my promise and merit and in undertaking that Yoke of his Yoke though they find not as yet that Rest and Peace which their Souls desire pray and stay for Blessed is he that stayeth and waiteth with humble Prayer Gods leisure since he hath promised who cannot fail that he will not break the bruised Reed but give in time the Garment of joy for the Spirit of heaviness and Isai 57.15 16. I will dwell with the contrite humble Spirit to revive it for I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wrath lest the Spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Thus you have seen the first Rest which true believers enter into even here in this life the Rest of Pardon and Justification upon their Repentance and Faith in Christ The second is a Rest from the Tyrannous reign of sin by those Motives of Hope and Fear Love and Gratitude which faith propoundeth from Christs Gospel and the Spirit of grace holiness and comfort which faith procureth by earnest Prayer Now this is so necessarily joyned with the other the Rest of Pardon that 't is its ordinary standing evidence and the means to obtain it more and more For we may not come to Christ for Pardon to give us the Rest of justification from sins guilt and condemning power by his Blood unless we so value that pardon and its price as sincerely to hate and be heartily willing to forsake that sin which the wisdom and holy justice of God could not or would not remit or forgive but at such a price as his own eternal infinite Sons humiliation to and in that humane nature which had offended We must feel as well the burthen of sins loathsom filth and hateful disorder as well as that of its guilt and punishment before we are those weary and laden those poor and humble ones in Spirit who have a Title to rely on Christ for Rest from both but to those who so come unto him our gracous Lord never denies what he invites to Rest from the slavish service of sin as well as from its intolerable guilt and condemnation His blood and spirit are never sever'd where-ever the one is actually imputed to justification the other is always imparted also to sanctification and therefore St. Paul joyns them together 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washt but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And Rom. 8.2.9 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the Law of sin and death But if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is as yet none of his though he may be his by repentance and faith And indeed this Rest from sins dominion you will easily see to be a necessary and great part of the Souls happiness in this life if you will but consider the burthensome drudgery that wicked Men lie under until they obtain it and enter into it by such a faith in Christ Jesus as works by obedience For every person living in any course of impiety unrighteousness intemperance is a self-accusing self-condemning divided creature a terror and shame unto himself He cannot choose but wish and desire eternal Rest yet is customarily drawn by his lusts and passions to do that which certainly leads to eternal anxiety and tribulation His reason invites him to that good which is Spiritual immortal infinite and therefore a satisfactory Rest to his Soul to the only God who made him at first and who alone can make him happy But his lust and passions draw him away to that which is earthly sensual devilish Not only finite and fading and so disappointing him but filthy and base and so distracting and vexing his Soul with foul disorder and guilty shame His Spirits and conscience often tells him that he ought to maintain an humble holy communion with God by Faith and Hope and Love Prayers and Praises that so he may be prepared to see him in that immediate clear revelation of his glory but his lusts and passions so burthen and oppress him that he cannot lift up his heart to God nor draw near his holy presence with any delight but studies to shun him and live without the remembrance of his goodness and mercies that he may forget his power and justice To behold the Creator in the Creature and love the giver in his gifts to contemplate his power wisdom and goodness shining in his word and works to be thankfull for his past benefits rejoycing in his present favour and panting after his blessed presence to all eternity to fit himself for that presence by purifying himself as he is pure by being righteous holy and merciful as he is to govern himself and those that are under him in such order as God prescribes this is the Rest as well as the Labour of rational Souls in this life a pleasure and honour as well as a taske But sin is such a burthenous Tyrant and oppressor that it makes the sinner imploy his reason made to serve know love and enjoy God It makes him imploy this reason in the drudgery of covetousness in the brutishness of lusts and sensuality in the devillishness of malice envy revenge pride and ambition His reason was given to study God and his Will to please and delight in him here that he may for ever see and enjoy him with mutual complacency to help others to do so by word and deed and who is there that hath not quite unchristian'd and unman'd himself but in sober retirement thinks this a work that hath pleasure in it and Rest as well as Labour But sin is such a wearisom Tyrant and oppressor that it makes the reasonable immortal Soul that heavenly breath that Image of God a sneaking Pandor to his lusts a drudging purveyor to his belly and appetite a fawning