Christians that have outdone all other kind of men besides in observing the Rules of the Gospel have been to this Doctrine of God our Saviour O what Heroick Spirits were the Primitive Christians who could rejoyce in tribulations and suffer the spoyling of their goods with joy and that could with chearfulness undergo any misery when the case was clear indeed when the case was doubtful the case was different then how they counted Godliness great gain though it was loaded with reproaches and losses and all worldly inconveniencies yet they accounted it the most profitable eourse that could be taken and when they were destitute of all Creature-comforts yet they could be content with this and triumph in this the testimony of their own Consciences When the world was enraged and the spirits of men were imbittereâ— when earth and hell was against them yet then to be albe to approve their hearts to God this was enough to bear up their spirits 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world And so much for the first Use 2. Vse Is by way of Exhortation to perswade all to make this their full work and business our constant designe and aim And oh what blessings might we be to after-ages in setting upon this work to purpose Rev. 13.14 Write henceforth blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works do follow them it is said the sins of wicked men do follow them and the good works of the righteous do follow them the good they have done to others shall be spread before others in after generations so that their good works may be augmenting and increasing many years after they are in their Graves And thus I find a Learned Writer interpreting both those places concerning wicked mens sins following after them when all the sins that they in their own persons are guilty of are accounted for they shall have other mens sins as an after-reckoning For every man does many mischiess in the world for by bad exaple he may infuse those corrupt Principles into others which may out live his Person and flourish when his body is rotting in the grave Be perswaded therefore to make it your great designe to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour there is no man so mean but he is in a capacity in his place to do it and the Apostle propounds it here in the Text to the meanest rank of persons to Servants that they may do it I shall only mention some few weighty Arguments to engage you in this work 1. Consider your Principles are higher than others What are the Principles of a Christian I answer Faith and Love Faith that lifts us up above the things of sense above what is present what is visible to an eye of sense The Just are said to live by Faith Heb. 10.28 Faith lifts us up above our â—usts above our selves above the World it is said of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the ways of God it is Faith lifts up the Soul above all rubs and impediments now every Christian professeth himself to be a Believer where is your faith then as our Saviour upbraided his Disciples that you are so nonplust with every difficulty and stagger at every danger and are interrupted in the ways of God upon every discouragement Where is your Faith The other Principle of a Christian is that of love Keep your selves in the love of God saith the Apostle Love sweetens every thing we are content to go through hardships and to pass through difficulties to hazard our felves in dangerous encounters if it be for the sake of them we love or if it be in the pursuit of what we love Now these that are acted from a Principle of Faith in God and love to Christ that feel the constraints of his love lying upon their hearts what manner of persons ought they to be that make such a high profession as this 2. As your Principles are higher so your pattern is better than others they have not any of those Rules that you heard mentioned in the large explication of the Doctrine but those Rules have been exemplified in the pattern of our Lord Jesus in that blessed example that he hath given us He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 to make him his pattern and to follow him in all things that are imitable true some things Christ did as God in those things he is not imitable and some things he did as God-man as Mediator in those things he can have no followers none to imitate him But some things he did as he was a holy person now what his life was such should ours be what the life of Christ was I shall only hint some few things 1. The life of Christ was the most self-denying life that ever was we read of the self-denial of Abraham and we have two notable instances of it He obeyed the Call of God and left his own Country and friends and kindred and acquaintance he went he knew not whether nor to whom yet God calls and he obeys God again calls to Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac a Child of so many prayers and a Son of so many Promises and he in whom all the Inhabitants of the earth were to be blessed yet God requiring him to offer no that Son he dares not with-hold him So we read of Moses his self-denial He refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter Now the self-denial of Christ was such as the best of men were ever capable of If you consider the matters wherein he denied himself he denied himself of that glory of which no Creature was in a possibility of enjoying what was his Glory he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he suffered all this Glory to be obscured and clouded and was contented with it in order to the accomplishment of his Fathers designe of mercy to poor sinners the glory he left was such as no Cretature was capable of and the misery he underwen was such as no Creature eould subsist under Again the life of Christ was a pure and spotless life there was no guile found in his mouth he was sair without spot the Lamb of God without spot he was a man not only free from sinful practices but in whom there was nothing of a sinful Principle and therefore nothing could disturb him all the temptations of Satan all the allurements of the world could not prevail with him Satan when he assaulted him found nothing in him to fasten his temptations upon under the sorest of his asslictions there was found nothing in him of impatience but still he was as a sheep before the shearers that was dumb and opened not his mouth but when his Name was reproached and his person contemned and his Soul afflicted when he was
grace God undertakes for both Now the fulness and unchangableness of these decrees argue the love of God to be unchangeable As God hath intended some to glory as the end he intended by grace as the means to bring them to that end 2 Thes 2.13.14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ That is the glory purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ And if this love of God flows from his electing decree it must needs be everlasting because God cannot be frustrated in his decre 4. Arg. The fulness of that care that God takes of his People though they may be tempted and assaulted and meeâ— with sore buffettings yet he will not let them be tempted above what they are able 1 Cor. 1.13 and when they are the forest beset with difficulties and under the greatest fears and sad thoughts yet even then God hath the same care of them that he had of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for thee That one expression that we have 1 Pet. 1.5 is enongh to clear this truth Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation you read in the verse before of Gods reserving of Heaven for them and in this verse of God's preserving of them for it Though they may meet with many Rubs and Interruptions in the way to Heaven yet they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation they shall not fall short of glory God doth still love them and they shall find the Fruit of this love to be everlasting happiness His grace is omnipotent grace and therefore it is that our Saviour comforts his Disciples with this consideration Joh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and none can pluck you out of his hands Now if God takes such care of his People to preserve them then there is no fear of their falling short of his glory 5. Arg. Lastly The many assurances that God hath given his People of his everlasting love to them He hath given them his word he tells them whom he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 he hath told them I well never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 Nay he hath given them not only his word but his promise which is more than a solemn word Jer 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from then to do them good Nay he hath not only given them his promise but his promise confirmed with an Oath Heb. 6.17.18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel and confirmed it by an Oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation c. Nay he hath confirmed his Oath with a Seal he hath given us his hand and Seal and he hath given his People the first Fruits of the Spirit whereby they are Sealed up to the day of Redemption So that you see the love of God hath this transcendent excellency in it that it is everlasting There is nothing that enemies can do to put a period to it and there are all things in God that might give us an assurance of theeverlastingness thereof Vse Now to make some Application of this point in a few words First This may inform us of the folly of them who fix upon any thing on this side God There is no everlastingness no fixation no stability in any thing but in God only I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Alas all other things are but as Clouds that are passing away they are not why should we set our hearts upon things that are not they are not because they continue not In fixing our hearts and hopes and in building our expectations on any thing befides God and placing our comforts on any thing besides the love of God as we highly dishonour God so we highly wrong our own Souls Hereby we highly dishonour God because we prefer the Cistern before the Fountain yea we rather chuse to build on the Sand then upon the Rock of Ages we think our selves better in the hands of Creatures then in the hands of the Almighty and infinitely gracious God And we wrong our selves because we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of being frustrated and disappointed though we may be as industrious as the laborious Bee to wander from this to the other part of the world to go to this and that Flower yet we are sure to meet with nothing but disappointment but God is a sure refuge his love is stable and secure to our Souls Nay we do whtat we can to put God far from us when we fly from him and make the world our comfort We bid as it were God to depart from us We tell him we can do well enough without him we can do well enough with other things besides him we say as they did depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy love Job 21.14 2. It may inform us how such Discourses as this is may cause our hearts to burn within us as it is said of his Disciples who were going to Emaus Christ appeared to them and they knew him not but afterwards when he had left them then they recollected their thoughts and said How did our hearts burn within us whilst he spake unto us that God should love such as we are and that with an everlasting love and so as that nothing should be able to take off his love from us not our sins not our provocations this is a wonder Though these may be as so many Clouds to darken his love yet this is a priviledge peculiar to all true and sincere Believers Now since God doth love us so wonderfully how should this cause our hearts to burn within us To burn with the Fire of Repentance to purge away the dross of our sins that ever we should be so foolish unwise and disingenious to requite so good a God who hath so loved us And with the Fire of love to love God and to do what we can in acknowledging such love in him to us And with the Fire of Zeal for him that hath shewed so much of kindness to and care of and over us 2. Vse The next use is by way of Exhortation and in that I shall speak to two sorts of persons First To them who find themselves as yet Strangers to this love of God Let me speak to them Oh do but think how sad a condition you are at present labour to affect throughly your hearts with the sadness of this condition though you may have never so much of other Mercies yet if you have not
these Principles oblige those that own this Doctrine to put in practice Certainly it is only the want of living up to these Rules that brings this Doctrine under such contempt and reproach Now as I have spoken of our adorning this Doctrine by our carriage in reference to God and to all men in general so I should now come in the 3. How we must adorn this Doctrine by our carriage to our enemies 1. What ever injuries we meet with from enemies this Doctrine teacheth us not to be our own avengers How many unjust injuries did David suffer from Saul and how often did God deliver Saul into his hands in so much that his followers said the Lord hath delivered his life into thy hand Now he is in thy power O says David 1 Sam. 24.12 The Lord Judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but my hand shall not be upon thee ver 11. Moreover my Father see yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand c. how often had David the like opportunity to destroy Saul but no saith he God will avenge me he will either fall in battle or however the hand of God will come upon him for his unrighteous dealings with me So it is said of our Saviour who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again who when he suffer'd he threatnld not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously he committed all to God This is that that we are taught by this Doctrine to commit all to God and not to avenge our selves 2. To be so far from being overcome with evil as to overcome evil with good To pray for them that persecure us and despitefully use us to be instruments of all the kindness we can to their Souls who are instruments of all cruelties to our bodies This was our Saviours temper Luke 23.34 Father so give them for they know not what they do he pitied them and prayed for them even then when they were acting all the cruelty they could against him and he hath left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet 2.21 Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not you selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he be thirsty give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire â—â— head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good This would be a noble Principle in you 3. Be ready to forgive them it is an high expression of the Apostle Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you O! how much hath God forgiven you how many and how great were those scores that you have run into with Divine Justice hath God forgiven you for Christs sake think of that expression when you find any thing of revenge stirring in your hearts This is the Rule our Saviour prescribes that when ever we pray for pardon for our selves we should pray for it with a willingness to pardon others Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors They who expect forgiveness from God and are not willing to forgive others are never like to prevail in their requests O what high engagements does this Doctrine lay upon us and how lovely would this Doctrine appear to the world if these Rules were but strictly observed 4. To love our enemies This is a hard Doctrine Nature teacheth us to love our Friends but this goes higher it teacheth us to love our Enemies Herein we are required to shew our selves to be children of our Heavenly Father Mat 5. If you love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same vers 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven The Publicans were looked upon as the vilest sort of sinners yet these men came up to this good nature but this Doctrine teacheth us to love our Enemies and to do all the good we can to them that labour to do all the evil they can to us Indeed in some cases our Saviour gives a dispensation we must not cast Perls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet so not to throw these reproofs to them that will turn again and rend them In a word this Doctrine prescribes to us to do all we can to win our Enemies over to a liking of what they oppose and thus as to our Enemies as well as our Friends we should do what we can to commend the ways and services of God to them and to bring them into a love of them 1 Pet. 2.15 For so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men You should by well doings silence them that they may not be able to speak against your persons or professions or Principles such a carriage would be hugely to the advantage of the Gospel 3. A third head is this Our carriage towards our Brethren and fellow Christians should be such as to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and in respect of our carriage towards them take this in general Whatever friendly Office whatever expression of tenderness and care we are to shew to men in general and to Enemies we are under a stricter obligation to shew the same to our fellow Christians though we are commanded to do good to all men Gal. 6.26 yet especially we are commanded to do good to the household of Faith The whole duty of man is summed up by our Saviour in this one word Love When the Lawyer came to Christ tempting him Mat. 22. Master which is the grace Commandment in the Law vers 36 37 Jesus answered and said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets our Saviour makes this duty of Love an universal duty Some of the Philosophers thought Love was an universal affection and all the other affections but a diversication of Love Love branched out in different ways and there is some reason in this The reason why we have any thing is because it opposeth what we love and the reason why we grieve for any thing is because it stands between us and what our love is set upon so I might speak of all the other affections But to be sure this will hold in Love to be a debt that we owe both to God and Man This is the sum of all the debts we owe and this debt though we are still paying it yet we are still owing it especially to the houshold of Faith our fellow Christians 1 John 3.22 23. compared with ver 22. And whatsoever we
indeed a mercy to us The absence of Gods love is enough to blast all our choicest blessings God may give us abundance of these outward blessings but what are these unless he gives us his love with them God answered the defires of the People of Israel they must have dainties and be fed with Qualies but with all he sent leanness into their Souls they had those sweet dainties with bitter Sauce So it is said again of some of the People of Israel Psal 69.22 Their Table became a snare before them which is quoted again in Rom. 11.9 Alas while we remain under the displeasure of God though out of his common bounty he may give us never so many comforts yet these are but like the waters of Marah there is nothing but bitternes in them God may feed us perhaps very plentifully with outward enjoyments even to fatness but this fatness will be but to destruction and slaughter As they cryed out to the Prophet 2 Kings 4.40 Death is in the Pot so death is in all our enjoyments if we have not the love of God with them But when we can read an Inscription of love in every comfort and the light of Gods countenance shining through every mercy this sets Mercies at a higher rate Herein is the great difference between the People of God and others they may enjoy the same Mercies but the same Mercies are a Blessing to the one and a Curse to the other they may partake of the same outward Priviledges but not with the same inward Sweetness The same Cloud that was a light to the Israelites was darknes to the Aegyptians The same Ark that was for safety to the Israelites was for destruction to the Philistines The same Red Sea that was a Wall of safety to the Israelites was a Floud to overthrow their Enemies The People of God have the same Mercies that others have but God gives them grace to make a right use of them for spiritual ends and advantages and so to them they better Mercies God doth not onely give to them Talents but hearts to improve them Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure c. Mark let them be what things they will all is pure to them but to the impure and defiled all things are defiled 3. It is the love of God that is not unly the Fountain of all good and makes every thing to be indeed good but this love makes all the evils that we meet with to be good to us it makes burthens light yokes easie Sometimes it does so literally as in the Case of the three Children God so love them that he took away the heat of the Fire that not so much as a Hair of their Heads was singed or their Garments scorcht But in a spiritual Compensation god is never wanting to his People Those suffering Martyrs in Queen Maries days some of them found those scorching Flames as so many Beds of Roses so full were they of comfort from the sense of Gods love to them they were above the sense of any kind of trouble or torture though in it self it could not be thought little Nay the love God hath a singular ingred iency into Calamities in the afflictions of his People it hath singular Efficacy to take away the bitterness of Afflictions How to some did the love of God make their shame glorious and their dolorous Afflictions to be delightful it is said of the Apostles that they went away from the Counsel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ Rejoycing that they were graced with Reproaches they looked upon these as their Crowns and their glory What is said concerning the Phylosophers Stone whether it be fabulous or ont I will discourse that it turns all into Gold that it toucheth The same may be applied to the love of God it puts good into eveny evil thing If we can be but made Partakers of his love it is such a most excellent priviledge that nothing then can hurt us or make us miserable True our own unbelief and weakness may keep us off from the comfort of this love many times but this is a certain Rule Every thing hath only so much of good in it as it hath of Gods love in it if Gods love be in our Afflictions then this puts Sweetness into our Afflictions and that partly by the Addition of some good by them and partly by abstracting of some evil namely of our minds from outward things and by setting them upon higher objects 4. An other effect of this love of God is this it makes us good in our selves it is the love of God that is the only Fountain of all the grace that any heart of us here hath had wrought in it Who made the oh man to differ or what hast thou that thou hast not received What thou hast received it is of grace not of debt it is the love of God that does not only lay the Foundation of grace but that does carry out the Superstructure of grace he that is the beginner the Author he is the increaser of all good nay he likewise preserves it God from his love to his People takes care to preserve that grace he hath wrought in them Indeed if God did not take care to preserve grace where it is once wrought it would then soon dye and vanish and come to nothing grace in us and the working of it at first is no less then a Miracle because our hearts are so uncapacitated so full of perverse Principles for the Reception of this work at first and the preserving of it when it is wrought is as miraculous that grace should be kept alive in us it is as much as a spark of Fire to be kept alive in a whole Ocean of Water That weak grace when it is in conjunction with so many strong Corruptions and those having such aides and assistances from without the Worlds and the Devils temptations that grace should yet live it is the Lords doings and it is marvelous in our Eyes In the 1 Pet. 1.5 it is said of the sincere People of God that they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation not by any power of their own but by the Power of God and it is no less then a Mighty Power of God that can keep them I say it is the love of God that does begin and increase and preserve grace and excites and and conserves and establisheth it it is a good thing to have the heart stablished with Grace it is God must quicken it grace in us would other wise be but a heavy and dull thing if God should not by the Gales of his Spirit blow up those Sparks that are in the hearts of his People Thus I have gone over the Doctrinal part you see the peculiar love that God bears to all sincere Believers is a priviledge so vastly great that those that do partake of this priviledge nothing can make
he had power to stand and ability to resist all oppositions and temptations but still he was left to a mutable will But our estate of Recovery is another kind of Estate as to our security in it because it depends upon Jesus Christ as I shall shew when I come to speak of that part of the Text The love of God is a fixt love because it is in and through Jesus Christ Apl. For the Application of this point How abundantly well are they provided for that have the love of God for their portion though they have nothing else though they have not a a Friend on Earth yet if they have the God of Heaven to be their Friend if they have God to own and stand by thm they have enough This was Saint Pauls comfort Though no man stood by me yet the Lord stood by me 2 Tim. 4.16.17 Though thou hast no estate nor Friend nor Creature comfort yet in having the love of God thou hast all nay ten thosand times more then all You may judge what a refreshing it was to the Prophet Daniel Dan. 9.23 At the beginning of thy Supplications the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved when Daniel was ready to faint under his Vision in the 10. Chap. 7.8 in the 11. verse O Daniel greatly beloved what greater word could be spoken then this A man greatly beloved of the great God Psal 144.15 Happy is the People that is in such a case yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Let our condition be what it will in all other respects yet if we have but this single priviledge there is enough in this alone to make us happy Though we be under reproaches as St. Pauls was yet he be being clear in his Conscience towards God that he had a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man he trampled on those Reproaches It s a small thing for me to be judged by mans Judgment We pass through good report and ill report If our condition be want what can he want who hath an interest in him in whom is infinite fulness If our condition be Sufferings what suffering can be harsh to them that have the presence and love of God to sweeten them Here is our strength and comfort indeed but if God with hold his love or suspend the manifestation of it where are we Death it self which is the King of Terrors is no terrour to us if we have but the love of God there is enough in that to turn the dark Valley of the shadow of death into a pleasant entry into everlasting glory Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the Valley of the the shadow of death I will fear no evil For thou art with me thy Red and thy Staff they comfort me Why because thou art with me with me why God is with all his Creatures he is every where Yea but with me in thy favour and love and care and tenderness to uphold support and comfort me when none else can comfort me 2. Appl. The next use is by way of examination You see this priviledge is highly great it is no small matter any of us to know in what posture we stand in reference to it It is our great and cheif concern for all depends upon this theefore let me perswade you from hence to examine your interest in the love of God And although the love of God as it is in him is secret and invisible to us yet it discovers its self in its Fruits and Effects so that it may become discoverable There are many hidden Causes but they may be discovered by their effects as we know the nature of a Tree by the Fruit and the nature of a Fountain by the Stream Now if we would know the love of God to us the truest way to discern it is by our love to God Examine your selves by this 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us If thou hast any spark of love to God to his truth to his ways to his ordinances to his People all these are as so many Fruits of his love to thee He loved thee first and that love kindled in thy heart a love to him Love to God is a spark that comes from Heaven But you will say our love to God may be as hidden and difficult a thing for us to discern in regard especially of the deceitfulness of our hearts as the love of God to us is I shall therefore turn you to one place of Scripture Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Comandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him He is loved of God that keeps his Commandments that is that makes it his design and endeavour so to do Now consider what love do you find in your hearts towards God his truth and his ways c. and from hence you may reasonably conclude his love to you 2. A second Rule by which we may be helped in discerning whether we have any right or title to the love of God is this What have you received those Mercies from God that are the infallible Pledges of his peculiar love there are no kind of outward Mercies almost but God may and does sometimes bestow those things in anger God answered the People of Israel in many of their rash requests in anger he gave them quailes in anger c. Again these outward Mercies at best if they do not come in anger are but Fruits of Gods common bounty But now what Mercies do you partaâ—â—e of which are infallible Pledges of his special love there are such Mercies there are indeed some Mercies that may be called in a 〈…〉 gâ—â—â—shing Mercies in respect of their 〈◊〉 and conducenâ—â—â—o bring us to partake â—of 〈◊〉 Mercies indeed as the Gospel for instance 〈◊〉 Yet God vouch fafes this to them 〈…〉 by it as the Jews had the sword Psâ—lâ— 147â—19 20. He shewed his word unto 〈◊〉 his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel He hath not deâ—â—lt so with any Nation and as for his Judgements they have not known themâ— Rom. 9.2 To them were committed the Oracles of God Herein God hath been good to his People above others the body of his professing People Rom. 9.2 Theirs is the Covenant and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Yet this Mercy though it be a more limited Mercy then ordinary and common Mercies are yet is no such distinguishing Mercy but that we may be Partakers of it and yet not have an interest of Gods peculiar love This sadly appears for alas how many are there that live under the Gospel and yet are so far from reaping that salvation which the Gospel brings that it only heightens their misery and condemnation How many woes did our Saviour denounce against those Cities that enjoyed the Gospel in so great a plenty and yet
lived unproffitably under these Instructions I do wish that we all may take warning by their woe But the Pledges of Gods peculiar love are cheifly the Operations of his Spirit upon our hearts Now what convincing Operations have you found upon your hearts in the first workings of the Spirit of God though his work be to comfort yet it begins in Convictions I will send another Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 Are you so convinct of sin as to be brought off from it to have your hearts set against it though you cannot be free from sin yet this is your burthen and your lamentation and you groan under it It is with you as it was with Saint Paul when he cryed out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death that is of sin that I carry about with me Do you partake of the graces of Gods Spirit the inlightning the quickening the renewing the sanctifying graces thereof Do you find your hearts to be warmly affected with the things of God of Heaven you cannot lightly pass by these things if you are his Are you acquainted with the Supports of Gods Spirit in the midest of your distresses there are none of you but may be in troubles and yet may have many false Supports I grant as natural stourness and common Principles may carry men far But are you acquainted with the comforts of Gods Spirit have they been your support Again hath God not only vouchsafed you the means of grace but hath he taught you to profit by those means and to entertain them in their efficacy plainness and power Does God please not to let you alone in your sins For God to leave us to be peaceable quiet in our sins is a very sore Judgement Lastly do you still find upon every relapse and failing your hearts deeply sensible thereof and affected therewith then may you comfortably say these are the distinguishing Mercies indeed and conclude they are accompanied with his peculiar love 3. What are the secret workings of your hearts towards God what are your designs your thoughts your endeavours ingaged upon is it to pursue the World is it to stop every Door at which danger and trouble may enter or is it to approve your hearts to God and to mind your duty and in a way of well doing to commit your selves to him is this your care this you may know by the secret workings of your Hearts and by a serious Reflection upon all the passages of your Lives 4. What is the measure by which you measure and pass a Judgement upon all kinds of Objects Do those things seem most hateful to you that are loathsome to God and you most careful to shun that which may hinder you from attaining this love of God or a clear sense of this love therefore do you hate sin and vanity and all those things that stand in opposition to this Priviledge do you make this your Rule to value Ordinances at a high rate by because these are of great advantage to you in respect of your Communion with God and the enjoying of his love and favour and do you mourn and lament the removal of these or your being straitened as to these kind of advantages upon the account in reference to the love of God because you cannot have these opportutunities of Communion with him Consider and seriously bring home these things to your own hearts Appl. In the next place I shall only speak to one use more that is by way of Exhortation If it be so then if you find it is thus with you upon your examination that you have indeed warrantable hopes of claiming an interest in the peculiar love of God Then labour to answer this love of God with love to God love in any is engaging love in Superiours is more engaging but love in God is infinitely more who is able to return love for his love There are these five hints I shall leave with you by way of direction 1. Let this love of God be a powerful constraint upon your hearts to do all the duty that God requires Let Gods love thaw your Icy hearts and cause them to melt and flow into every duty Joh. 15.14 Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you The love of God is constraining not only to do all but to do all out of love and not to think his Commandments greivous or his Yoke heavy but to serve him with the chearful compliance to his will in all things 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandmenes are not grievous And this is when we account every thing of duty our reward when we look on our work as our ways David saith In keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.7 Mark he doth not say there shall be but there is in it great reward Indeed there is nothing that God commands us if we did but rightly understand our selves but it would be upon its own account excellent and desireable however we may take offence at several duties that God requires because they cross our corrupt nature as mortification self denial and the like yet all these duties are of so high an advantage that an intelligent person if there was nothing of command in them yet would think there is enough in their own excellency to engage us in the performance of them That 's the first hint if we have any ground to hope that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 2. Manifest your love to God by a through detestation and a careful avoiding of what ever might offend him You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 The love of God the Apostle saith constrains us 2 Cor. 5. The love of God to us and the love we have to him it lays a holy necessity upon us it not only constrains us to mind our duty more seriously but it wrests sin out of our hearts and hands and engages to oppose every thing that is offensive to God who shews so much of favour and loving kindness to us I charge you saith the Spouse that you wake not my Love till he please Cant. 2.7 She was careful that he should not be dishonoured by others how much more not to be so by her self 3. Manifest your love by a good construction and interpretation of all Gods providences Love thinks no evil Harbour therefore no hard thoughts of God Do not charge him foolishly as it is said of Job in all his sufferings he did not charge God foolishly This is a high expression of a grateful sense of Gods love to us c. Our love of God if we think well of God what ever he doth with us Providence is an uncertain Rule by which to walk in judging of Gods love Gods ways are in the Sanctuary his Paths are in the deep Waters Clouds and thick darkness are round
about him but all his ways are Righteousness and Judgement Psal 97.2 Manifest your love by a patient submission to all the dispensations of God and by a good construction of all his Providences 4. Manifest your love to God by a chearful undergoing all afflictions in the cause of God It is for your Lord for him that hath done and suffered ten thousand times more for you then possibly you can do for him Manifest your love by a cheerful submission when your Case is clear in doubtful things the Case will be otherwise The Apostles rejoyced that they suffered reproach and dishonour in the Cause of Christ Acts 5.41 5. Manifest your love to God in labouring to bring others to partake of the love of God You that see some ground in your selves to hope that you have an interest in the love of God be actively diligent to help others what you can to get an interest in this love for this is a high testimony of our love to God Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep Joh. 21.16 17. you know how our Saviour repeated it three times to shew that he would take this very well at his hands In the last place one word more to them who have good hopes that these great things do belong unto them Labour to keep up a fresh and lively sense of Gods love in your hearts Though the love of God be invariable thus far whom he loves he loves for ever yet the sense of this love is very mutable Be very careful therefore to keep your Evidences clear and unspotted do not blot them by sin David lost the sense of Gods love for a long time by those great lapses of his and though God had pardoned him and did yet love him yet it was a long time before he did recover the sense of it Be diligent in the use of those Ordinances by which the sense of Gods love is most cleared and kept fresh in your hearts Alas those that do the most partake of the love of God may have their ebbings and flowings as to the sense thereof in Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him If we would have further manifestations of the love of God we must go on in ways of obedience to God Be therefore often Communing with your own hearts and looking into your own Souls and consider your ways c. how matters stand between God and you On the other hand I shall speak one word to them who upon examination find ground to fear that they are rather under Gods displeasure then intitled to his peculiar love that are rather the objects of his wrath then the subjects of his special love Oh think what a woful estate thou art in Oh think what comforts thou by thy negligence and disobedience hast deprived thy self of Think what dangers thou liest open to every moment there is nothing between thee and everlasting misery but a fraile life and the thread of this life how soon God may cut it asunder none knows Think what uncomfortable and an unsafe estate thou art in Do as David in another Case did He would not give sleep to his Eyes nor slumber to his Eye lids till he had provided a place for the Ark of God So do you give all diligence that you may attain reconciliation to God and an interest in this great priviledge that you have heard of this day of the love of God SERMON XII Rom. 8. ult Nor height nor depth c. I now proceed to a third Observation 3. Doct. There is this transendent excellency in the love of God which speaks it an inestimable support to his People in all their distresses that those who have once been made Partakers of this love can by nothing be deprived or dispossessed of it HEre is a large Enumeration of particulars death cannot do it though it can separate from all things here in this World life cannot do it the troubles of life nor the comforts of life I shall not insist on these things further There is this vanity in the best of all our Creature enjoyments that there will be nay there cannot but be a parting with them The rich man that now prides himself in the multitude of his riches in the greatness of his Treasures in the largness of his incomes cannot rationally but think if he does not he does but delude himself that he cannot carry his riches with him into the other World to bribe the Flames of Gods wrath to corrupt the Executioner of Gods Vengeance It was Jobs acknowledgement naked came I out of my mothers Womb and naked shall I return He came into the World without and he must leave all these things behind him when he goes out again Job 1.21 In the 12 of Luke you read of that Gospel Fool when he began to applaud himself in his condition saying Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years take thine case eat drink and be merry Thou Fool says God to him this night shall thy Soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided they are thine now but whose shall they be before to morrow there must be a separation from all these things The greatest of men that are that now over top all about them they must ere long be levelled and made equal to their Neighbours There is no difference between the dust of a Nobleman and the meanest person yea Crowns and Scepters which are such dazeling things in the Eyes of the world these ere long must be resigned into the hands of Successours there must be a separation from all these things Nay all these relations that have the greatest indearment in them that can be as the Relations of Husband and Wife and Parent and Child and Pastor and People and Friend and Friend there is a Friend that is nearer then a Brother saith Solomon there must be separation from these there must be there cannot but be so Your Fathers where are they the Prophets do they live for ever Zach. 1.5 observe this general Rule there is no Fixation no stability in any thing but in this only viz. the love of God For the clearing of this observation I shall speak to 2. things 1. Something by way of Explication 2. Something by way of Confirmation 1. By the way of Explication rightly to state the Case concerning the love of God and to set truth its due bounds This I shall do by propounding several distinctions 1. We must distinguish between the common love of God which manifests it self onely in common Mercies in preserving us and providing for us these outward things and the spocial love of God which consists in distinguishing discriminating Mercies Now it is plainly clear that the Apostle cannot speak here of the common love of God because this love may be
removed and turned into hatred God shewed a great deal of love to Saul in chusing him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be head over his People and Saul himself was at first very sensible of the goodness and love of God to him in this respect and therefore when Samuel tells him how God 1 Sam. 9.21 had chosen him to be the head of his People Saul answered and said am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribes of Benjamin Wherefore then speakest thou so to me he thought this was too much kindness to be shewed to such a mean and unworthy person as he was Nay in the beginning of his Reign God did wonderfully honour him both in giving him the hearts of his People it s said God touched the hearts of his People chap. 10.26 and likewise in giving him success against his Enemies Yet after all these favours which were but Fruits of common love Saul for his disobedience was cast of He first rejected God and then God rejected him 1 Joh. 15.23 when Samuel expostulated with Saul and told him he had not executed the Commission he had received from the Lord he had not destroyed all the Amalekites according to the Commandments of God he pleased himself with a fine excuse the People took of the cheif of the things to Sacrifice to the Lord 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Saith Samuel hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fall of Rams For Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubborness of iniquity and idolatry Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King Here was first favour from God and then anger but this was but the common favour of God The Apostle doth not speak of this So concerning that case the prosperity of the wicked which hath so much staggered the faith of Gods People and put them to a non plus Why do do the wicked prosper what expostulations do we find not only in David but in many other holy men in Scripture in this Case God may be bountiful to all men but this is but his common love But now if we speak of what love the Apostle speaks of here it is special love which is manifested in distinguishing Mercies in those Gifts and Graces that are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 2. We must distinguish between the peculiar love of God in it self and the appearance and evidence of it to our apprehension This love in it self hath a real constancy though in our apprehensions it may be seemingly uncertain God is ever careful to love his People with this peculiar love really though this love may not always be visible and apparant to us Isa 49.14 read there the complaint of the Church and the Church is as dear to God as the most beloved Wife is to the tenderest Husband She is said to be betrothed to God nay God is said to marry her Hosea 2. yet you see the Church complains And Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hoth forgotten me Not only forsaken but forgotten not only cast out of doors but quite cast of this was the sense she had of her own Case But God answered that Objection with many comfortable and gracious promises in the verse following Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee I might bring a whole Cloud of Witnesses to prove this truth that the love of God is real and constant when in our apprehensions it seems to be uncertain and that he then loves us when he seems to have taken off his love from us Psal 77.7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favour able no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for ever more hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies Selah Shut them up that there is no hope of future Mercies I said this is my Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right band of the most High This was the Fruit of his deliberation when he had recollected his thoughts this was my weakness it was not so with God Gods love is certain and constant It is many times with gracious Souls that are beloved of God with a peculiar love as it was with Hagar she wept and lamented she looked on her self and Child as hopeless till the Angel opened her Eyes to see the Well Gen. 21.16 And she went and sate her down over against him a good way off as it were a Bow shot For she said let me not see the death of the Child And she sate over against him and lift up her voyce and wept And God heard the voyce of the Lad and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven and said unto Her what aileth thee Hagar fear not for God bath heard the voice of the Lad where he is 19. verse God opened her Eyes and she saw a Wall of Water and she went and filled the Bottle with Water and gave the Lad to drink Her Bottle was spent her hope was quite gone but God opened her Eyes So it is said of the Prophet 2 Kings 6.15 when he saw such a multitude that came against him and his Master And when the Servants of the man of God was risen early and gone forth behold an Host compassed the City both with Horses and Chariots And his Servants said unto him alas my Master how shall we do And he answered fear not for they that be with us are more then they that be with them And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his Eyes that he may see And the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots round about Elisha This Eye is the Eye of Faith now when this Eye of Faith is dim objections are raised but when God opens this Eye this dispels all these Objections How ever the love of God is constant though to our sense and apprehension it may many times be over clouded and dark in Isa 50.10 you read of Children of light walking in the darkness those to whom comfort was their right and priviledge they who had a real Title to it yet those Children of light sate in darkness This is the Case of many gracious Souls I add this to the former as it is the distinguishing love of God the Apostle speaks of in the Text so it is the distinguisthing love of God as to its reallity not to its visibility 3. We must distinguish between the love of God in its self and various degrees of this love I grant not only in appearance but
in reallity God may withdraw his love many degrees understand it of the effects of this love for the afflictions admits not of more or less we may be separated from this love of God some degrees but we are never separated from it totally or all together God may less love us in the sence above noted but not cease to love us there may be some little intermission though there is no total cessation that canot be God hath promised Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There is a great many Negations in the original no less then five in that one place I will not I will not I will not I will not I will not Now for the clearing of this let me speak to some particulars because all depends upon this this is the main thing in this point 1. God may withdraw the manifestation of his love in Temporal blessings when he doth not in Spiritual We are apt to judge of Gods love to us by these outward comforts and when these are removed we are then apt to think that Gods love is restrained as Gideon argues in Judges 6.10.13 when they were oppressed so much for the Midianites And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him the Lord is with thee the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us and where are all his Miracles that our Fathers told us of saying did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites This was by reason of their oppression and outward troubles God may withdraw the manifestation of his love as to Temporals But as God may bestow temporal mercies in anger so he may remove these favours For example when the People of Israel were so nice and dainty that they must be fed with Curiosities God answered their desires Psal 106.15 but with all he sent leaness into their Souls They had better have been without these comforts then to have had them on these Terms So God may love and doth love his People when he doth not mainfest his love in temporal blessings 2. God may suspend the manifestation of his love in spiritual Comforts when he doth not suspend his love in spiritual Graces This is a higher degree For Example when God sends his Spirit to Convince a poor Sous to humble it to wound it thereby to prepare it for mercy there is little of comfort visible now in this John 16.8 this is the Method wherein God promiseth his spirit to be a Comforter first to convince of sin then to comfort First to humble and then to exalt After these wounds and bruises and castings down these distresses of Spirit into which the Soul is brought then to bind up and comfort There is at present seen little of love all this while and yet there is a great deal of this reallove because all this while God is preparing the Soul for mercy and that comfort that at present it feels the want of You know in the exercise of Repentance and humility and a contrite and a broken Spirit the Soul is not so sensible of the love of God but the love of God then appears though not in Spiritual comforts yet in Spiritual graces and after in reviving and quickening them 3. God sometimes suspends the manifestations of his love in the very graces of his People but then it is not in these Graces that concern the safe being of his People but in these graces that concern their well being Gods People may be safe when they are not in such a chearful and flourishing condition For example God may leave his People so far as thattheir Faith to wit of evidence may be in the dark their hope may be over-clonded their joy may be eclipsed it may be sad with them in respect of these kinds of graces at present But as to their other graces that concern their safety as humility and dependance on God and some actings of Faith these God keeps alive all this while Again all the withdrawings of Gods love from his People the gradual withdrawings as they are but gradual and partial so they are but temporary and for a little time Isa 54.7.8 For a small moment have I for saken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer It was not total it was but for a moment it was not final but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee The darkest night with the People of God shall have a bright morning Light is sown for the Righteous and Joy for the upright in heart Though it be as seed that is cast into the ground all the comforts of Gods People may seem to be as Seed cast into the ground which first dies before it lives yet there will be a Resurrection it is but for a little time that God deals so that God withdraws thus gradually from his People and that in these two respects 1. In respect of Gods withdrawing from others he withdraws from them so as never to return I mean those that are not his People the wicked Depart from me and so depart from me as everlastingly to depart from me Depart from me into everlasting burnings this is a departing without returning 2. It is but for a little time in respect of what the People of God themselves deserve For there is not the least departure of ours from God but it deserves an everlasting departure on Gods side from us For us to leave him to cast off his yoke to own any other Master but him deserves that he should utterly leave us Lastly all these withdrawings and darknings these gradual withdrawings of Gods love tends very much to the advantage of his People If God withdraw his love in temporal blessings it is that he may manifest more of his love in Spiritual Mercies If God take away from us a Creature comfort he by this kind of Rod shews us the necessity of living above our comforts and of living only upon himself They are admirable designs that God hath in these kind of seeming expressions of his displeasure against us He therein expresseth very much of love to us his designs are gratious partly to wean us from this world by shewing us the vanity of it and partly in giving us more of himself and to let us see the need we stand in of him and partly that we may have greater experience of his goodness in his comforting supports under the greatest burdens that can befal us Had not the People of God such losses and crosses and tryals in Creature comforts they could never have tasted so much sweetness in the promises nor in the supports of the spirit nor in the comforts of Gods presence but by Gods withdrawing the gradual withdrawings of God as to his
forsaking them that is to a despising and an undervaluing of them for himself thus far God calls to forsake them at all times Now for as much as their outward comforts are fewer and the comfort they take in these outward things are meaner it argues that God hath some thing better in store for his people than these things 3. Their outward afflictions are usually greater then others and that partly out of Gods love to them and their love to him not only in regard of the malice of their enemies but partly out of Gods love to them 12. Heb. 6. Every son whom heâ— loves he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom bâ— receiveth We have need of afflictions God out of his fatherly care is pleased to afflict his more then others you find when God was angry with his people of Israel he discovered his anger by this in that he would not vouchsafe to make knowâ— himself to be angry Why should you be smiâ—â—â—â— any more Isaiah 1.5 God would not be at the pains to correct such Now as Gods love to his People makes their aâ—â—â—ctions greater then others so many times their love to him 11. Heb. 37. They were stoned they were bewn in sunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep skins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented 3. Those primitive worthies might easily have escaped dangers and shunned those calamities that they under-went but it s said they accepted not of deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection That is they were more tender of the glory of God and their faithfulness to him then what ever in the world was of highest esteem amongst them So if you look over the book of God you shall find though all men have had a portion in afflictions yet the people of God have usually had a larger share how many oppofitions have they met with upon no other account then upon the account of their faithfulness to God Abol was not only persecuted but murdered by his Brother Abraham met with no small tryals many times so Moses I might speak of many instances which would be too large to mention how Elijah was forced to fly for his life Micaiah was fed with the bread of affliction and waters of Adversity and Ecclesiastical writers tell us that Isaiah was sawn asunder and the Scripture that Jeremiah was put into a dungeon and history tells us that he was afterwards slain in Babylon and therefore many ancient writers do frequently mention the flaming bush the Ark tossed upon the waves to be excellent Emblems to describe the State of the Church here upon the earth This bush is ever burning but not consumed Gods care of it is such 4. The only support that Gods people have here is their hope of this inheritance The Apostle tells the Hebrews what they must expect to meet with and says he you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you may reap the promises Yet says he a little while and he that shall come will come and the just shall live by his faith Alass should they live by sense their comforts would be soon over-clouded but they live by faith that is they live above these outward things and mind their spiritual and heavenly concernments 10. Heb 34 35. You read in the 20. Act. 24. what was S. Pauls great support when he went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem None of these things move me Neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God He had higher things in his eye then all these things were this was that supported him 1 Cor. 15.19 If we had hope only of Christ in this life we were of all men most miserable Now if you put all these together Consider what the case of Gods People is in this world and what their carriage is then certainly there must be an Inheritance remaining for them some thing better some thing greater then what they enjoy here 2. A second reason is this Consider the price that Christ hath paid to purchase this inheritance for them When Christ was leaving the world he tells them I go to prepare a place for you In my fathers house there are many Mansions Nay he tells them in the 14. John that this was the very design of his coming into the world and can we think that all that agony and all those strong crys that he offered up in the days of his flesh shall be lost and disregarded Now what his design in all his sufferings were you may see 17. John 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world We cannot think that God who looks upon that as a condemning sin in others to trample under foot the blood of Christ that he should do any thing like this himself The 53. Isaiah is an excellent Chapter to describe those transactions that past between the Father and Son in order to mans redemption Christ he undertakes to suffer on their behalf And the Father he undertakes the success of his sufferings in letting of him see of the travel of his soul 3. Consider the promises of God and certainly the promises of God are a sure foundation to build upon The promises of a man though of the greatest of men are but mutable God hath bid us to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils Men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie Put not your confidence in Princes and in the 62. Psal you have many expressions to that purpose But the word of God this is a sure foundation Heaven and earth shall sooner fail then one jot or tittle of what he hath said Now God hath promised a future state of glory to his people a future inheritance Lastly Consider the earnests and pledges that God doth in this world afford his people of their future inheritance he gives them some pledges that they may know how sure it is and he gives them some fore tasts that they may know how sweet it is 1 Ephes 13.14 In whom ye also trusted after that ye had heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of our purchased possession unto the praise of his glory So much for the Doctrinal part What ever the condition of the people of God may be for the present yet they have a future inheritance they may have but little perhaps in possession but they have much in reversion they may have nothing in hand but they have a great deal in hope For the
carry us not hence though we are in a wilderness yet we had rather have thy presence here then to go into Canaan without thy presence 2. Those enjoyments the people of God have of him here are very little in Comparison of those they shall have of him hereafter what God hath reserved for his People in another world transcendently beyond other enjoyments As all enjoyments here compared to those enjoyments are but empty things so all the enjoyments of God in this world are far short of them that they enjoy of him in the other world Because in this world we enjoy God but Mediately but then the people of God shall enjoy him immediately In this world what ever we enjoy of God it is but darkly what ever sight of God we have it is either through the glass of the Creature or the glass of ordinances or the glass of experiences through the glass of the Creatures and thus we may see much of God his wisdom his power his greatness 19. Psal 1 2. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work There are very high expressions concerning the things of Nature how much these help us in our sight of God But the sight of God in ordinances is a higher sight therefore David 2. Psal 1 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God c. That I may see thy glory how even as I have seen thee in the sanctuary he had never such a sight of God as in his sanctuary as in his ordinances this is that which David highly Magnifies And there is the glass of experiences these are very admirable too See God purging out remaining corruptions carrying on the work of grace in the heart and setting up his kingdom in the soul To taste and see how good and gratious he is and to have an inward sense of these spiritual refreshments these are high and glorious things but to see God face to face to see him as he is 2. It shall be more full and perfect in this world they are but imperfect God shews us but his back part as he did Moses 33. Gen. 33. And in the 1 Cor. 13.9 We know but in part but then we shall see him as he is 1 John 3 2. There are faculties by which especially we shall then enjoy Communion with God our understandings wills and affections In this world our understandings are dim we see but little of God we are short sighted but then 33. Isaiah 17. thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty Now they see the land afar off but then they shall see the king in his beauty see him on his throne in his glory this must needs be an excellent sight indeed All our knowledge of God here is one of these three ways as the School men tell us by way of Causality Negation or by way of Eminency By way of Causality So we consider all those excellencies which be in the Creature must needs meet in God as all the lines in the Circumference meet in the Center and all the Rays and shinings in the air meet together in the Sun as the common fountain So by way of Negations separating those imperfections from God with which every excellency is clog'd in the Creature As for example Wisdom and Power there is much of folly mixt with humane wisdom and much of weakness mixt with created power Though there are some attributes of God that we call incommunicable as the Infiniteness unchangablenes and Eternity of God Then by way of eminency what ever excellencie is in creatures all these meet in God separated and refined from every thing of imperfection but that is not all they are in God in an infinite and transcendent way and though there be much of this kind of knowledge of God here yet to know God as he is to see him face to face how much more refreshing must this be And so for our wills and affections Now our love is weak our delight is weak Now we are apt to love God for our selves but then we shall love God for himself and all things else for him What a different excellency is there in that temper above what we now do attain unto It is but in some degree here but it shall be in a state of perfection 3. They shall then be more constant in this world though they have sometimes a bright sun shine day yet at other times they have a dark gloomy night This is the condition of Gods people here though they have the seed of grace that abides for ever and that good part that shall never be taken from them yet the comforts that come from thence are various and full of uncertainties but the enjoyment of God the Father shall have no change 1 Thes 4 17. They shall be ever with the Lord we shall then so enjoy Communion with him as never more to be separated from him therefore comfort one another with these words 4. Our enjoyments of God shall then be more unmixt we shall enjoy him and nothing else but him there shall neither be marrying nor giving in marriage there shall neither be Sun Moon nor Stars we shall then be as the Angels of God there shall be no need of these things 21. Rev. 23. No sun nor moon nor stars to lighten is The lamb shall be the brightness thereof God shall then be all in all there shall then be no unclean thing No Cain to kill No Sodomite to vex No Ishmael to scoff No Rabshakah to rail No Herod to persecute No Judas to betray 5. Our enjoyments of God shall then be without any thing of weariness Now though the spirit is willing yet the flesh is weak What could you not watch with me one hour If we be but a few hours engaged in the service of God how soon do our spirits flag our affections grow dull but then there shall be no such thing as weariness The souls of Gods People then shall be raised up to a greater fitness for those eminent and high pieces of service the singing praises and Halleluiahs That is the first Argument 2. Consider what we do in slighting and undervaluing this glorious Inheritance 1. We most unworthily requite the greatest love that ever was or can be imagined Does God so expostulate with his people of Israel because of their ingratitude for outward preservations and deliverances those outward mercies bestowed upon them 32. Deuter. 6. Do you thus requite the Lord May not God much more expostulate with us in respect of these greater mercies do you thus requite the Lord O foolish and unwise Hath God been so gracious to us as to take care of our souls and of our everlasting wellfare and shall we thus requite him Our engagements for Common mercies are great but our engagements for these mercies how much greater are they Cosider what a mercy it is that there should be a possibility of our obtaining this Inheritance We who in our
natural constitution are but one step from hell and everlasting flames and between us and it there is nothing but a brittle and uncertain life What astonshing love is this God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son 3. John 16. 1 John 3.5 Now how disingenuous and unworthy is it in us to slight and undervalue these high discoveries of love Again Consider what a mercy it is not only that heaven is become possible but also that God vouchsafes us this priviledge to discover the excellency of heaven to us with means for the obtaining of heaven and his blessing upon the means that by all we might be made meet to partake of this Inheritance These are mercies that God doth not vouchsafe to all men 147 Psal 19 20. He hath not dealt so with other nations Farther not only is this inheritance possible and a discovery made of it and means afforded for the obtaining it But God gives us also many incouragements to make use of these means this Inheritance is not only purchased but proffered and tendered if we are willing to accept and do not refuse it God will bestow it Nay God doth not only proffer it but he importunes our acceptance of it how often doth Christ perswade and perswade with a great deal of importunity that you would accept of this Inheritance I have stretched out my band all the long to a gainsaying people Farther the terms upon which he encourageth us are only upon the account of free-grace Who ever will let him take of the waters of life freely Come buy wine and milk without money and without price 55. Isaiah God only requires us to bring a sense of our wants and what a most unworthy requital is this of the love and kindness of God to undervalue this Inheritance 2. We hereby render our selves so far as we undervalue these mercies so far uncapable of partaking of them It was said of the Jews they thrust away the kingdom of heaven from them 13. Acts 46. That is as Beza upon the place observes their carriage and contempt did declare them unworthy 22. Matth. Christ sent forth his messengers to invite to the wedding seast The Guests were indeed Invited but they all made light of it What was the Issue The king sent his servants to call in other guests God will first bring us to prize these mercies before he vouchsafe them 3. They who slight these mercies bring themselves under an absolute necessity of perishing 2. Heb. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation If we refuse this inheritance we undo our selves for ever Quest But what kind of neglect is it that doth deprive us of this Inheritance Answ When the neglect is total and we prefer the world so much above it that we only mind the things thereof As that rich man 12. Luke minded his barns his In-comes but his soul he cared not for vers 19 20 21. So when we prefer any thing above it 10. Matt. 37. He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me This was Esaus great sin his profaneness his selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage and when we so neglect it that we are not wiling to undergo any thing for it or deny our selves any thing in order to it we are rendered all together uncapable of this Inheritance There are other neglects through weakness and they are such as the people of God are incident unto as sins of infirmities As when they do not pray with that fervency and strive with that earnestness for that kingdom of heaven which is set before them as becomes the excellency of these things Now this kind of carriage may give us cause of shame and trouble but doth not cut off our right That is the second Consider what we slight and what we do in undervaluing these mercies 3. Consider for what it is that we so much undervalue this glorious Inheritance No man doth slight this but it is in order to the securing of other enjoyments Now what enjoyments are there like these If there were any better then these then this practice were Justifiable Nay if there were any enjoyments equally as good as these then these neglects were excusable but in as much as none are to be compared with these this is that bespeaks these neglects though but in part without excuse Now what should tempt us to a neglect of these glorious things can we expect to meet with that in sin or in Creature and outward comforts can we expect that the world should be so sweet as to countervail the loss of them Our ease our safety I might instance in all outward things alass these things are but vain while they do continue and it is but for a moment that they can continue and there can be nothing of satisfaction found in them they are but such mercies as God bestows upon the worst of men and they are useless in our straits and therefore why should these clog us in our pursuits after greater matters Vse of Direction What shall we do that we may shake off that sluggishness and get above that dullness of Spirit that is usually in us in our pursuit after matters that do so highly concern us 1. Direct Consider how much it is your duty and concernment to bestow your utmost earnestness there It was the commendation of John Baptists hearers 11. Matth. from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force So it is our Saviours advise strive to enter in at the strait gate Striving denotes our utmost earnestness it is not endeavours alone nor is it earnestness for a time but it must be a constant earnestness a fixed course in pursuing this glorious Inheritance 2. Direction Be much in the great duty of Meditation there are many advantages in it It gives all kind of truths a free passage into our hearts Therefore by Meditation we should be often taking a view of this glorious Inheritance as Moses went up to the top of Pisgah and from thence took a view of the promised Land so we should often by Meditation take a view of all those excellencies It was the advice of a Learned writer concerning meetness for eternity Says he if you would be serious in preparing for Eternity do but spend one quarter of an hour every day in considering what Eternity is If you would be more lively and vigorous in your prayers and endeavours be frequent in considering what it is you strive for Again Meditation is admirable not only to imprint the excellency of this Inheritance upon our hearts but also to preserve those apprehensions that we have of this glorious Inheritance already Now that this may inflame our souls with love to God in that God hath not only made provision for us in this life but for Eternity and such a glorious Inheritance as this is we should be often
meditating on this for these ends 1. That these Meditations might quicken us in our obedience When David had considered how many and how great were the mercies of God to him he sits down and says What shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness and loving kindness to me All I can do is too little I can never think any thing too much for that God to whom I owe so much Nor am I ever able to perform any thing suitable to such mercies These medications did so engage the hearts of the Ancient Martyrs that some grieved that they had no more lives to loose for God Another professed the only pride that he took in learning was that he had something to dispise and disesteem and account nothing in comparison of Jesus Christ Hath God a regard to our Eternal good Consider but this and this will be helpful to quicken us in our obedience and to make us think that we can never sufficiently express our selves thankful 2. The meditation of this glorious Inheritance is useful for the strengthening of patience in sufferings Though we are now passing through a wilderness if we have but a sight of Canaan a Pisgah sight of Canaan it will bear up our faith from sinking under discouragements With what resolutions would this Arm us as it did the Apostles It made them make light of Afflictions Our light afflictions which are but for a moment work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory This made them despise all manner of afflictions their meditation was sixt here He fears no danger that sets heaven in his eye 3. It is very useful to render what ever is either directly in its own nature or any other way endangering this Inheritance to render it hateful as all our sins do Do but think what large provisions God hath made for his People that nothing can keep them off from those mercies but their sins These Meditations are very helpful to imbitter the thoughts of sin Consider the distance that is between God and our Souls already is of sins making and in reference to our everlasting welfare it is only sin makes the danger What ever diverts us from minding the things of heaven it makes them inconsiderable Meditate upon these things and it will render the world a vain thing and the allurements of the flesh contemptible and all outward things inconsiderable 4. These Meditations are useful to arm us against all dangers 1 Thes 5.8 putting on the brest plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Do but set heaven before your eyes and let your Meditations be much upon that and think of that as yours and you will think all things else but very little The reason why afflictions seem so great and outward comforts so great a matter is because these greater matters are so little in our esteem SERMON IV. Isaiah cap. 8. vers 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him THese words contain the Prophets resolution how to carry himself in that time of Jacobs trouble and therein an excellent pattern for our imitation The particular time to which these words refer was a dark and gloomy season a day of rebuke and blasphemy many black clouds were already gathered over the heads of Gods people two neighbouring Kings combine against them and by their united strength design the ruine of Jerusalem the King of Syria and the King of Israel Cap. 7.1 2 6. In this their distress so tender was God not onely of the safety but of the comfort of his people that no sooner do they discern their dangers but he lets them know their deliverence for upon this very message he sends the Prophet Cap. 7. vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 and for the strengthening of their faith in believing these glad tidings God gives them many assurances of the certainty thereof both in the former Chapter and in this In the beginning of this Chapter the Prophet by the name of his Son Maher shalal hash baz the signification of which name is rendred in the Margin declares the speedy destruction of their enemies Whether these things were transacted in a vision onely as those in Hosea cap. 1. or whether they were real is not material to determine Thus much is clear that their deliverance by the King of Assyria falling upon their adversaries is foretoken'd within a little time to be accomplished vers 4. and so strong was the Prophets faith in crediting these signs of their deliverance that vers 9. he turns his speech to the enemies aforemention'd letting them know the vanity of their combinations and the fruitlessness of their attempts because God was with his people v. 10 11 he speaks to the people of God themselves disswading them from two things First From seeking safety by unwarrantable and sinful confederacies either with the Assyrian or any other Nation vers 12. Such confederacies though they had been frequent had never been successful but always to their prejudice Secondly From timorousness because of approaching dangers vers 12. As a remedy against these fears he propounds the fear of God vers 13. the more they fear'd him the less would they fear others And to encourage them to make tryal of this remedy he tells the advantage of it vers 14. he will be a sanctuary i. e. a refuge a shelter an hiding place a place of retreat and safety Thus God promises Ezek. 11.16 and by these apprehensions of God the Church overcomes all her fears Psal 46. vers 1 2 3 4 5. The Prophet having shewn what God will be to his people shews in the same verse what God will be to others even to such in Israel and Judah as refus'd to be ruled by him or rely upon him But because the Prophet found so little success among the generality of this people God commands him vers 16 to bind up the testimony and seal the Law among his disciples thereby intimating as some think that he would not have the Prophet deal further with those faithless and prophane scoffers but reserve those sacred mysteries of the Messiah to be imparted to the faithful who would with due reverence embrace them Sealing was used of old either for secrecy as men seal letters or for safety as Merchants seal Wares or for certainty as men seal contracts or for authority as Princes and Commanders Seal commissions Now in these words follows the Prophets resolution what he would do in the interim till deliverance should come Some Interpret these words as spoken by Christ in regard of the verse following Others think them a Parenthesis declaring the Prophets resolution what course he would take in that day of Jacobs trouble I will wait c. In the words are these two particulars 1. The condition or posture of the Church of God at that time The persons here spoken of are said to be the house of
Son of man and cursed is he that maketh an arm of flesh his strength that puts his confidence in any Creature In a Word all the Glory that belongs to the Father the Father hath commanded us to give to his Son That all might honour the Son even as they honour the Father John 5.23 That all should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father So much for this Doctrine I shall apply it under the next Doct. 2. That as Jesus Christ is truly God this God is the Saviour of lost Creatures He is a Saviour to all that do partake of Salvation there is no other Saviour but only Jesus Christ The Doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 According to the Commandment of God our Savior Tit. 1.3 You have it several times in this Epistle It was under this Name that the Angels as Heralds from Heaven did proclaim his Incarnation He shall save his people from their sins Now a Saviour implies a state of misery it supposeth either some misery that we are under for the present or some danger that we are liable to for the future in both these respects all the Children of men do stand in need of a Savior We are Apostate Creatures have sinned our selves not only into a state of estrangement from God but we have invested our selves with enmity against God Now this Condition must needs be a perishing Condition for if the favour of God be better than life then the anger and displeasure of God is more dreadful than death it self This is the punishment of the damned it is expressed by this as the most significant part of their misery Depart from me ye cursed Mat. 25.4 Ye cursed There is hell enough in that one word leaving out the other as we are under great danger we have need of a Saviour now there is no other Saviour but Jesus Christ He is said to be the Saviour of all men that is of all that are saved Of all men not that every individual person shall be saved or was intended to be saved by the condescention of Christ but he is the Saviour of all men whether Jew or Gentile for Salvation of Old was restrained to the people of the Jews as to the means and we have reason to believe as to the effect for there is no Salvation without Christ other Foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3 11. For the opening of this I shall speak briefly to three things 1. From what it is that Christ saves 2. Whom it is that he saves 3. How it that he accomplisheth this work of Salvation 1. From what it is Christ saves He saves in general from every thing that is dreadful every thing that doth endanger the safety and well being of Souls to all Eternity 1. He saves from Satan the worst of Enemies he hath trampled upon Principalities and Powers and led them captive Object But are not the people of God continually molested and disquieted by Satan is not he as a roaring Lyon going up and down seeking whom he may devour or at least whom he may disquiet and disturb Answ I answer He saves indeed from Satan though not as a Tempter yet as a Destroyer he may disturb their peace and disquiet them in their course but he can never bring them back again to himself For greater is he that is in you that he that is in the world Fear not little Children though you have to do with Principalities and Powers with enemies more than your match yet greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world My Father is greater than all he hath you in his hand and he hath committed you to the care of his Son and Jesus Christ is greater than all 2. He saves from the wrath of God the sorest of Judgments To escape the wrath of God is the concern of all fallen Creatures Oh Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come There is no wrath like the wrath of God nor any wrath from God like that which is to come and the first intimation of the Gospel wherever it comes warns to flee from the wrath to come Now by this Salvation Christ sets his People free from the wrath of God which is to come That God whom they have made their enemy he makes to be their friend that God whom they have set against them he procures to be for them True the people of God may be under a sense of his wrath and in their sad thoughts may pray as David did Correct me not in thy hot displeasure yet they are free from the wrath of God as a Judge though not from the anger of God as a Father Though God will not condemn them and cast them off yet God may afflict and chastise them and that is their Priviledge Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and instructest him out of thy Law We stand in need of Afflictions and those afflictions are so far from being an argument of Gods wrath that they are the fruit of his care for and love to us Every Son whom he loves he chastens God cannot be content to see them that he loves go on in a course that is apparently tending to their own ruine and therefore he steps and checks them by many sharp corrections 3. He saves from Afflictions so far as they they may be to their prejudice For a little time if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 1 Pet. 1.7 For a little time and if need be So sooner nor no longer nor any more of affliction than the state and condition of their Souls need 3. He saves from sin the worst of evils this is the great Tyrant that usurps it over the Souls of all the Children of Adam He saves them from the power of sin he saves them from the guilt of sin though he doth not save them from the very presence of sin it may afflict and disquiet them but it shall not ruine and destroy them 4. He saves from death it self which is the King of Terrors from the sting of Death though not from the Grave and rottenness The nature of Death is altered to all true Believers Christ hath taken away that was at first threatned as a curse so that in substance all that was as a curse is turned into a blessing to all that Christ takes care of So much for the first from what Christ saves Secondly who are the persons whom Christ saves we shall not look upon that Salvation which Christ bought out for the world to be of that vast latitude as to extend to every particular and individual person in the world for that is contrary to the whole strain of the Scriptures Do but consider that in John 3.16 God so loved the world that whosoever believeth in him should not perish Whosoever believeth in him Every Believer and none else but Believers
14. He followed God fully We must not only serve God in some duties which have nothing of reproach in them to our names and nothing of prejudice to our concerns but even in those duties by the observance of which we run the greatest hazard as to all that is dear to us in this world and to mind these heartily and in good earnest and because God Commands them and because they are his Institutions 2. In shunning whatsoever might offend God Psal 119. I hat every false way You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 79.10 If there be any thing of love in the Soul to God there cannot but be hatred of what ever is contrary to him your hatred is never right unless it be grounded upon principles of love to God You therefore hate evil because ye love God How can I do this wickedness ondâ—â—n against God said Joseph Joseph might have prevented many dangers which because of his â—oâ— complyance with his Mistresses temptation he involved himself in but this Doctrine taught him not to allow himself in any thing that was offensive to God And so should we stand upon our watch and guard as those that are sensible of the corruptions of nature and the activeness of Sathan to make use of those Corruptions to deceive us and to draw us rrom God and this Rule hath been practised by the people of God all along Job made a Covenant with his eyes David kept his mouth as with a bridle both of them by these Metaphorical expressions do signifie their watchfulness and care to keep themselves from being led a side into sin or any thing that might be offensive to God This is to adorn the Gospel when we thus carry it towards God 3. Not only to serve God but to delight in his Service and to take complacencie in every duty we perform Delight thy self also in the Lord and he will give thee the desire of thine heart It is a dreadful Judgment that God threatned to execute upon his people Israel because they would not serve him with chearfulness in the abundance of all things therefore they should serve their Exemies in hunger and cold and nakedness in the want of all things They changed their Master and it was a sad change too It was the Commendation of the Apostles in those times of persecution when they could not profess this Gospel but it would cost them dear yet whatever their food was it had good sawce they eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart rejoycing in the Holy Ghost This duty hath been practised by all they have been sincere St. Paul when he was canvasing the case with his own soul and disputing with himself whether all was well with him or not Rom. 7. in this took comfort as to my inward man I delight in the Law of God I do not only do it but I delight to do it To do what God commands and to do it as our burthen is unsuitable to this Doctrine Rom. 7.21 22. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me It is natural for men to delight in nothig but sin and to take pleasure in unrighteousness They are lovers of pleasure saith the Apostle more than lovers of God and he tells us Rom. 1. last of some kind of Monsters among men who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them this is given as the true account of Gods severity against them every part of our duty is our priviledge God hath required nothing from us as our duty but it is as much to our present comfort as our future happiness it is only carnal reason that makes objections against the Commands of God it is the Language of corrupt nature When will the Sabbath be over Amos 8 5. but the language of a gratious heart is When will there be a return of Sabbath opportunities and of means for us to enjoy Communion with God Natural men cannot be so sick of spiritual imployments as gratious souls are sick of worldly diversions Rom. 8.15 He hath nto given us the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba Father When we are able to look up to God as a Father we cannot long endure his absence Absolom was sorely afflicted for his two years absence from David at Jerusalem and that he might see his Father But what ever langauge corrupt niture may speak the great design of this Doctrine of God our Saviour wherever it works effectually where ever it comes in power is to refine our affections and to purge out this dross and toturn the whole bent of our hearts towards God Psal 63.1 My Soul longeth for thee and what we long for while that is absent makes us take no pleasure in what we enjoy A day in in thy presence is better than a thousand else where Psal 84.10 I had rather said David be a door-kecper in the House of God than dwell in the Tents of wickedness in the meanest rank of Ser. vants And said the Prodigal though I be but as a hired Servant yet if am but one of thy Family I am well enough it is more than I deserve It is good for me to draw nigh to God he speaks of it as on experienced truth and that he sought for and took pleasure in One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after c. Psal 27.4 Now not only to engage in the duties of of Religion but to account them our delight our chiefest refreshment and to be of nothing so impatient as the want of those Opportunities is that which this Doctrine of God our Saviour teacheth us viz. to delight our selves in God 4. To devolve all our care upon God Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you Though yo many meet with losses and troubles that may come upon you as thick as Jobs troubles came upon him even as the Waves of the Sea one upon the neck of the other yet to be quiet and calm 5. This Doctrine teacheth us to devote our whole selves to him without any reservation and this commanded and practised Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy might with all thy strength and with all thy Soul And we find this in the practice of Gods people as to their endeavours Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Praise his holy Name Psal 103.1 With my whole heart have I sought thee Psal 119.10 This Doctrine directs all to give up their whole selves to God and thus Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee c. all was nothing in comparison of God 6. To be satisfied with and thankful for sincere Consciences though we be guilty of many failings and whatever we meet with in Gods service though we have never so great
this account because they are persons that partake of humane nature it is very natural for man to envy others good the spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 not the good spirit of God but our natural spirits our corrupt spirits it was the sin of Cain he envied the acceptance of Abels Sacrifice God had respect to Abel and his Sacrifice but to Cain he had not respect and this filled Cain with envy and that envy ended in murder Nay this is that distemper that is born with us as St. Augustine observes who seeing two little Infants at the breasts of their Mother the one lookt with a pale face upon the other envying at what the other received he drew this Observation from hence how natural this sin of envy is and how hardly it is cast off the best men may be surprized with this sin Joshua a man eminent for his holiness every thing in him almost was commendable yet we read of him Numb 11.28 One ran and told Moses that Eldad and Medad did Prophesie in the Camp and Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses one of his young men answered and said My Lord Moses forbid them speaking of their Prophesying Peter envied John the beloved Disciple that singular favour he had from Christ John 21. And Peter seeing him said to Jesus Lord what shall this man do it is natural for us when others are on the too of the world and we at the bottom to cast a wry look upon them the spirio that dwelleth in man lusteth to envy Now the best Antidote we have against this ill frame and temper is the Doctrine of God our Saviour it teacheth us to rejoyce in the good that others enjoy though we do not enjoy the same our selves if God give others health and we do not enjoy it our selves yet rejoyce in their health blessing God for others Comforts though we our selves are under streights and blessing God for others blessings though we do not partake of the same 5. This Doctrine teacheth us to carry it towards all men humbly and tenderly in all their concerns pride and passion are the great disturbancies of all humane Societie St. James tells us James 3.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish But the wisdom that is from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie This Doctrine furnisheth us with Arguments to be humble though our condition be never so high and to carry it humbly and gently and that with all meekness with those with whom we converse To be humble 1. Because we have nothing of our own We have nothing that we have not received Who made thee to differ from another To differ as to outward respects in health in abundance what ever difference there is it is of Gods making So as to a difference in respect of parts and gifts and graces this is a humbling consideration that we have nothing but what we have received 2. We have received nothing but upon the account of free-grace we have nothing but what God gives and we deserve nothing but what his goodness inclines him to bestow all is the gift of God and all that God gives he hath no other motive to move him to bestow but only his own Goodness there is no motive in us at all we have despised his mercy and rejected his kindness we are unfit and unwilling to receive them it is only free grace bestows them we have nothing but what God gives and we deserve nothing but what free Grace bestows 3 All those favours that God vouchsafes to us are to humble us whilst he lifts us up above others it is to lay us low in our own thoughts in our own esteem the more we have received the greater debtors we are to Divine Grace it teacheth us that all our liftings up are of his mercy and to keep our hearts low though we be in a high condition in an humble frame under our great advantages not despising our inferiors and not carrying it supercisiously towards them that are our equals In a word this Doctrine teacheth us to carry it so towards all men as becomes them that are alike servants to one and the same Master Observe though there are different sorts of persons here upon earth one is superior and another is inferior and subordinate yet God is superior to all and therefore the Apostle frequently propounds this as the measure of our performing duties to our inferior Relations and to our superior Relations too to do it as unto God Col. 4.4 do it heartily do it as to God let us carry it humbly to all men we are all servants to the same Master let us be in what rank or condition soever It is observed by a Learned Writer that there is nothing makes a difference as to worldly greatness but only man sickness makes no difference the grave makes no difference the general Judgement makes no difference God makes no difference high and low are all levelled in these respects 6. In our carriage towards men this Doctrine is the greatest Antidote against all unpeaceable behaviour Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Peaee so far as it is consistent with holiness The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceableâ— not but that there may be a necessary vindication and defence of mens rights and proprieties the Scripture doth not condemn that but it must be with a peaceable frame and disposition of spirit and with an unwilling willingness when men are forced to that way Ephes 4.1 2 3. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness and with long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Follow peace with all men do all you can to preserve peace Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Do but consider what a lovely thing would this Doctrine of God our Saviour appear to be would Professors but live up to these Rules not to dare to do the least wrong to others but to bear the greatest wrongs from others to look upon our selves as obliged to do all the good we can to others to the Souls to the bodies to the concerns of others c. what security can men have for all that is in danger by men more than they have by these Principles and what greater assurance can they have of all the good men are capable of doing them which
ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandment Observe the Commandments are there mentioned in the plural number as many as do these things that are pleasing in his sight in ver 23. And this is his Commandment it is mentioned in the singular Number that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment A new Commandment saith our Saviour I leave with you that ye love one another New Was it not old Yes But it is said to be new upon a double account 1. Because it is prest upon us by new Motives and arguments 2. And it is commended to us by a new pattern and example such an example of love as the world never had before nor can ever have again Now the first and principal Object of our love is God himself in whom is every thing that might attract our love the next and secondary Objects of our love are all those Creatures which according to their degree do participate of Divine excellencies in this respect the Saints are stiled The excellent in the earth as David declares them to be them in whom is all my delight and therefore are excellent because they partake of and are neerer in their resemblance to the Divine nature than others 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature a high expression This is clear this debt of love though we owe it to all and shall be owing it while we live yet we owe it especially to our fellow Christians and that upon these accounts 1. Because the Glory of God and the honour and credit of Religion is more concerned in their well doing they are nearer to God than others are 2. Because Christ takes all good offices that are done to them as done to himself a full place to this purpose is that Matth. 25.40 when Christ shall speak encouragingly to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you c. in as much a ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me 3. It is a special evidence of our sincerity our love to the Brethren Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.17 4. It is upon this account principally that God intrusts some of his servants with greater talents than others that they may be more capable of expressing their love and tenderness to their Brethren 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle compares the Church of Christ to an organical body a body that consists of many members and he speaks of a diversity of gifts that those members are eudued with v. 4 5 6. but upon what account are these gifts given v. 7. It is given to every man to profit withal to be useful with not meerly to enrich them but to be imployed by them there are some to whom God gives a larger talent of riches and worldly comforts and to others of parts and abilities gifts and graces but all is to profit withal therefore as one observes there are Christians of divers ranks and divers forms some that are weak but God hath inricht others with more strength some are strong in grace and gifts God gives those talents to them that they may by converse help them that are weak and have not their measure of strength and Grace that all may be helpful one to another those that have less than others should provoke them that have more to thankfulness and to have their bowels drawn out towards others that have need of their help Consider the many strict obligations and bonds that Christians are in one to another beyond what other Relations have at least how much more significant those Relations are between them they are servants to one and the same Master to wit the Lord We have one Lord 1 Cor. 12. they are of the same family and houshould nay that is not all though this obligeth us to a spetial degree of love but they are Children to one Father born from above not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God John 1.14 yet higher they are members of one body Col. 3.15 now there is a tenderness that all the members have one of another Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you are called in one body and be thankful This notion is improved to the full 1 Cor. 12.25 26. That there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another But you have a higher expression than this not only members of the same body but members one of another ver 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member as Eckius in loc members of every part members one of another this shews the unity oneness and nearness that should be between the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they are said to be acted by the same Spirit as the same Soul in the body acts the several parts of the body but with a great diversity in respect of the divers parts of it because of the diversity of the organs in one part the eye in that the Soul sees in the ear it hears in the hand if works it acts in every part but according to its different constitution So is the Spirit of God in this body the Church it acts in all in common now how strange would it be if the several members in one body should be at varience and difference one with another shall the hand not be helpful to the foot or the foot not helpful to the hand or shall the hand be imployed to pluck out the eye or to cut off the leg this would be monstrous and strange to see â—â—sentions among persons so neerly related it is looked upon as a great failing in many good men who were united in the same faith who were imployed in the same work and carrying on the same designe Gods honour and service in the world yet that they have shewed so much weakness that they have had so many diffentions which nothing could reconcile but the common sufferings of both and that from those who were enemies against both It is observed in the Book of Martyrs that when Bishop Cranmor Hooker Ridley and Sanders were in prison they did agree they then laid aside all differences between them You see upon these accounts it doth very much concern us to exercise this duty of love especially to our fellow Christians Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Eph. 5.2 Q But wherein should we express our love to our Brethren so as thereby to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour A. 1. In watching over them to do what we
can by way of prevention of what ever may be to their prejudice or the dishonour of Religion or the wounding of their profession all the former instances of the near relation that Christian stand in one to another implies a strong obligation upon all Christians to this duty Indeed God gives a special charge to them that have the oversight of the flock that they especially watch over them Heb. 13.17 Submit your selves to them that have the rule over you for they watch for your Souls Submit to them be counselled be guided by them in what they desire according to the Rule of Gods word Act 20.28 St. Paul gives it in charge to the Elders at Miletum That they take heed unto themselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Ovorseers this duty proportionably is enjoyned upon every Christian in his place It was a prophane speech of Cain concerning Abel Am I â—â—y Brothers keeper we should hinder the failings and grieve for the offences of any that profess the same Religion Thou shalt not hate by Brother in suffering sin to lie upon him but thou shalt in any wise reprove him So as to the defiling of his Soul so as to keep him from those punishments his sins deserve The great concernedness of Christians now should be about the Souls of one another this indeed is the truest love the highest love and comes nearest to the love of God and Christ 2. In brotherly forbearance the best Saints we can converse with here upon the earth are but men men cloathed with the same infirmities with our selves Elias was a man that mightily prevailed with God by prayer James 5. and yet it is said of him he was a man of like passions Paul and Barnab as those eminent Apostles whom the Heathen seeing to do such strange things would have worshipped and adored say of themselves We are men of like passions with your selves the best of men have something in them to witness they are but men and as we stand in need of forbearance from others our selves so we are obliged on the highest account to bear with others Eph. 4.2 With all lowliness and meekness and long suffering forbearing one another in love and so forgiving one another 3 In restoring our weak Brother with a Spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set in joynt again as a member that is unset we must do what we can to set it again in its right place that it may be useful and active so must we do as to our fellow members in Christ 4 By a tender sympathy with them in their miseries and in bearing their burdens accounting their afflictions our own and this you have expresly commanded Gal. 6.2 Bear one anothers burdens in love It was the sin of Ephraim that he forgot the Afflictions of Joseph But it is the great design of this Doctrine to perswade all Christians to a publick spiritedness natural men may be pleasant and think that it is all well with them because their own concerns are safe but how was Eli concerned in the cause of God and David in the concerns of Jerusalem If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning This sympathy must be an active sympathy administring to all the necessities of the Saints in all kinds according to those talents God hath given to us to administer to the outward wants of others if God hath given us of the good things of this world 1 John 3.17 Who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 5. In provoking one another to love and good works Heb. 10.24 Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works the word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally taken in a bad senst but here in a good to wit to excite to stir up others to love and good works and in our places to blow up those sparks of Graces that are in their Souls what we can into a flame consider one another use all the wayes you can to put an edge upon others Affections to the things of God Do what you can by your counsels and examples to provoke one another other to love and good works this is the only provocation that should be found amongst Christians to labour by an holy emulation to excel in edification In one word we are commanded in our carriage towards towards our Brethren to put on like bowels of compassion towards them that Christ hath to us Col. 3.12 Put you on therefore Beloved as to the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies c. And thus I have briefly gone over and shewed you how Christians should shew their thankfulness for the Gospel by labouring thus to adorn it in their carriage towards their Brethren to carry it with so much love especially with love to their Souls Now in the last place to shew you how we should adorn the Gospel in our exact conformity to those Rules that respect our carriage towards our selves for though there is no express Command in all the Scripture that we should love our selves yet there is no Command but implies it For all the Commands of of the Second Table are built upon this a love to our selves Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self All the Commandments of the Second Table are built upon this foundation this is to be the measure of our love to others Matth. 22.17 It is a principle that is rooted in the nature of all Creatures self-preservation to be tender of any thing that is hurtful or prejudicial to that This is above all Commands the ground upon which all others are built Therefore how should we express our love to our selves I shall shew that in these 5 or 6 particulars 1. In denying our selves Matth. 16.24 He that will be my Disciple let him deny himself he must have so much love to God as to hate whatsoever is contrary to God Deny himself How His sinful self that is his lusts and his vile affections by mortification Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Col. 3.5 his sinful self he must deny absolutely and universally and everlastingly in point of endeavour Put ye off the old man which is corrupt with his deeds Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof to shew mercy to these sinful affections is to be cruel to our own Souls Again our natural selves that is our Creature-comforts and enjoyments we must deny our selves in these by a holy moderation at all times and in having our affections loose to them to take heed so to love as not to over-love Creature enjoyments and relations and so to seek these things as not to over-seek
Beloved a man of whom God himself gives that ample testimony that he was a 〈◊〉 after his own heart Acts 13.22 and yet how sore were his afflictions Saul and his Souldiers had banished him not only out of the City of Jerusalem but out of the Coasts of Israel in order to his safety he is forced to seek shelter among the uncircumcised nor can he long be safe there neither the Lords of the Philistnes work him out of favour with Achish their King David must now be packing the only retirement or Zoar he had was Ziklag his friends who had formerly comforted him are now in Captivity his City a ruinous heap all that was now left was only some small retinue and even those though they had formerly been not only his Companions but his Comforters in all his afflictions yet now instead of sympathizing with him they threaten to kill him because themselves were distressed with him instead of bemoaning him and bringing water to quench the fire of his sorrow they do but bring fewel to enflame his grief the more The instance is full Let me add the instance of the whole collective body of Gods people here on earth in all Ages it hath been generally thus with them the primitive Professors Heb. 11.36 37 38. of whom the world was not worthy Jesus Christ himself the only beloved of the Father was yet a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Consider his groans his cries his drops of blood and 't is clear therefore that whom God dearly loves he may and does sometimes deeply afflict not onely equally with others but many times above others But for the further proof hereof take these two Arguments 1. Argum The sharpest of outward afflictions are not inconsistent with the peculiar love of God as the sweetest of outward mercies are not the Arguments of that love Christ tells his Disciples John 18.36 His Kingdom is not of this world We must distinguish betwixt the Kingdom of his power and Providence and this certainly is both in and of this world and the Kingdom of his grace and goodness and this indeed is not of this world The Laws of this Kingdom are spiritual the priviledges the homage the comforts the all of this Kingdom is spiritual as concerning all temporals love hatred are not known by all that is before us Eccles 9.2 God hath higher and greater things whereby to shew his favour and anger than all these outward things are 2. Argum. The forest of outward afflictions are so far from being inconsistent with peculiar love that they are many times the expressions and evidences of that love Heb. 12.6 whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth c. Psal 119.75 There is a design of mercy to them in all their seeming miseries Consider those two Scriptures Psal 25.10 Rom. 8.28 the very best of Gods people make afflictions necessary in order to their good and therefore God will not so far neglect them as not to chastise them A tender Parent that beholds his Child running on in extravagancies the more he loves him the more severe he is in correcting him and the reason is because he hath no patience to see his Child ruin'd as for others God lets them alone in their sins Hos 4.17 he will not be at the pains of correcting them Isa 1.5 but the particular designes that God hath in correcting his people are almost innumerable take onely these few in stances 1. Sometimes it is to cure their spiritual maladies afflictions are Gods Physick to purge his furnace to refine 2. Sometimes to wean them from the world God imbitters these Creature comforts as the Nurse rubs the breast with wormwood and by that means weans the Child The world never doth seem a more vain and empty thing than in a time of affliction we are apt to make it our Idol but we then find it like Jobs friends Amiserable comforter a Physitian of no value 3. Sometimes to exercise their graces Jobs patience had never been so eminent had it not been so notably tried God does therefore reduce his people to great streights that their trials may be a testimony to those graces himself hath wrought in them their faith their patience their hope c. 4. Sometimes to encrease their experiences and that in two respects 1. Concerning their own weakness Times of affliction are sifting seasons God then discovers us to our selves the skill of a Pilot appears in a storm the valour of a Souldier in a Battle the strength or weakness of a Christian in a time of affliction 2. Concerning Gods goodness never doth God more fully manifest the bowels of his compassion than in a time of persecution when ordinary Providences were not sufficient for the people of Israel God provided for them by Miracles sometimes to prepare them for service The infinitely wise God who hath appointed several men to several services hath several moulds to fit and shape them for those services Joseph Moses David those eminent ine struments all trained up in afflictions Some there are whom God intends only as privat passengers others whom he intends as Pilots and these latter must be well acquainted with winds and Seas rocks and sands all the Books of Navigation can never make a skilful Mariner there must be experience so here 6. Sometimes to prepare them for mercies 't is our misery we seldom know how to prize mercies but when we want them The goodness of God the more continued it is the greater it is in it self but the less it seems to us and therefore God makes some pauses some intermissions of his favours that his mercies may thereby recover their due esteem with us and that we may the better manage them and thus doth God by wants fit his people for abundance by streits for enlargements by troubles for quietness 7. Sometimes to sharpen their desires after Heaven we are in this world but as Pilgrims and Travellers God permits us to meet with hardships in our journey to mind us of our home that our troubles here may stir up our longing after that rest which remains for the people of God hereafter Heb 4.9 Vse Take heed of entertaining so much as one jealous thought concerning the goodness faithfulness and tenderness of God towards you upon this account because he afflicts you 't is hereby he discovers his care of those whose welfare he is pleased to concern himself most in 2. Doct. That 't is the great advantage of all sincere Believers that in all their afflictions they have an interest in the Lord as their God When David here could call nothing in the world his he could call the Lord his this was his advantage in that sore distress 1. What was this advantage that David then had and all sincere Believers still have in God as their God above what others have in answer to which 1. There is an interest which all men have in God as he is their Creator and Preserver 2. There
all and none can pluck them out of my Fathers hands The very innitiative Covenant by which Christ espouseth a Soul to himself carries the longest date along with it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee thou art mine and shalt be mine I do love thee and I will love thee for ever John 13.3 He loved his own to the end he gives grace and he will give glory But though it is true that cannot be lost yet the strength and improvement and the evidence of this interest may be blotted and darkned it may be intermitted and interrupted our spiritual comforts may be clouded by inbred corruptions breaking in upon the Soul Godmay suffer the Soul to be foyled and born down for a time this you shall find in the most chearful and the most improved Christians and those that have had sometimes the clearest discoveries of Gods love to their Souls what a damp hath sometimes been upon their Joys insomuch that David was fain to call himself to an account Why art thou cast down O my Soul How have even he best of Saints many times thought themselves meer cast-aways and such as whom God had forsaken utterly Indeed to discouse how far a Child of God may go backwards in his Comforts is a task too large to speak to but questionless there may be a great decay in spiritual strength in the strength of improvement Grace may feem to be quite withered and dried up Rev. 2.4 5. The Church of Ephesus had lost her first love her flourishing her vigorous love The Church of Sardis seemed to be quite dead at least ready to die Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name to live but art dead as to outward appearance We say a reai Christian can never be under such a deprivation of all kind of spiritual life and sense he may be so as to others he may have no symptoms of spiritual life left yet there may be some struglings for life remaining And as for Assurance they may be bronght so low as to be upon the very brink of despair yet they can neither fall totally nor finally how should this make us to walk humbly for if once we begin to be tickled with spiritual pride concerning any spiritual improvement because we outstrip others God can quickly suffer us to fall into the common level whith the meanest Christian As Grace is our spiritual strength and this is subject to decays and declinations so thirdly the great thing that such as rightly understand themselves that renders the life of nature desirable to them it is in order ot their improvement in this spiritual strength O spare me Why that I may recover strength He doth notsay that I may obtain riches and worldly greatness and compass great matters for my self in these outward things but that I may recover my strength The life of nature is in it self the highest of outward mercies for all other mercies are but as so many Cyphers without is if it were not for lise we were not capable of enjoying them hence it is as Solomon speaks A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon when Death comes it puts us in an utter incapacity of partaking of any refreshment from these outward comforts therefore it is the Devil said to Job Skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give for his life It was a truth though from the father of lyes now though it be in it self a very desirable thing yet that which makes it more desirable is in order to this spiritual improvement How sad must needs be the condition of such who only live here to the gratifying of their senses the longer we live the more we shall encrease our score and the more guilty we shall make our selves Certainly we are to live to better purpose Nor can we be said more truly to live then when our Souls do most thrive and flourish in Grace The Heathens themselves thought that meerly to breath to eat and drink and converse with men and to have a being in this world as men was not worthy the name of living and therefore they made a distinction between being and living and others have been said to be in the world and to pass a little time in the world but not to live not to live well is a kind of dying a life below the life of a Christian Applic. Then what cause have we to be thankful-you see Grace is our strength it is that by which we lay hold on Christ and God who is our strength and it is our improvement in Grace that makes our evidences more clear and apparent then if this be the great business to make life desirable our improvement in Grace then remember for what purpose you came into this world God hath not given you lives only that you may live as those Epicureans because they had but a little time to live therefore they will make as much of it as they can because they had so little a time to live in the world to enjoy the comforts of it therefore they would take their fill of them Come let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die should we make this use of all Gods forbearance of us when God hath swept away thousands by the destroying pestilence and when the arrows of God have flown so thick about us when several have faln on our right hands and on our left shal we make this the end of the goodnes of God in sparing us because more time is given us therefore we will give our lusts their swing this would be very sad and a fore evidence against us though God hath spared us yet if we do so our deliverances are not deliverances but reprivals it is one thing to be delivered from a calamity and another thing to be reprieved to be spared for a time that God may punish us more severely hereafter and if we consider in those destroying flames that have laid waste the habitations of others that any of ours have been preserved shall we make no better use of it than thus when God hath under so many several judgments shewed that kindness to us which he promised to Ebed Melech Jerem. 39.18 Notwithstanding when he had threatned all those miseries against them I will surely deliver thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. God doth not know how to cast off them that cast themselves upon him Thou hast reposed thy trust in me and I will be faithful to that trust I will do it for thee But our care should be to improve our time to the utmost we have but a little time to be here and when we go hence we shall be no more That is no more to preparatory opportunities and in this lies our greatest concerns consider the sadness of their condition who go hence in their sins they do at once leave all their comfort and they exchange comforts for sorrows how can these persons go hence in their sins
less than all those that might either endanger the welfare or disturb the peace and quiet of the people of God In the Chapter before you find him in his conflict striving with many doubts and Objections In this Chapter you find his Faith in its elevation as you may find in the 35 verse Who shall separate us from the love of God Shall tribulation or distress persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay says he in verse 37. In all these things we are more than Conquerors And in this verse St. Paul seems to make a kind of Challenge to all kind of evils to do their worst and utmost he bids defiance to them but it is very observable that all this confidence which appeared in this great Apostle was not upon the account of any thing in himself but only upon the account of the love of God and the assurance he had of his interest therein as David when he went with somuch confidence against Goliah it was not in any strength of his own but because he went in the Name of the Lord of Hosts whose Army that proud person had defied Thus it was with the Apostle Paul here And though in every Epistle written by this great Apostle we find him speaking as becomes an Apostle a person so extraordinarity gifted and called yet in this Chapter as a Writer observes St. Paul speaks as if he was now raised up to the third Heavens he spake such great and mighty things as were enough to pose a weak and ordinary faith as in his other writings he seems to be above others so here he seems to be above himself in respect of what he was at other times he now soars aloft now answers all his Objections In this Triumph here are these four things remarkable 1. A large Catalogue or enumeration of the several troubles that may endanger the safety of the people of God and a separation from the love of God and these he lays down chiefly in the verse before the Text Neither death nor yet life c. The first is death death seems to be a thing of all things the most formidable it s called the King of Terrors it s the most dreadful thing to nature but because after the Apostle had mentioned several particulars in the verse before and in this lest he should leave room for any Objection that might gravel any poor doubting soul he puts in Any other Creature nor this nor that nor any thing St. Paul does here like the wise King spoken of in Luke 14.31 in the Parable Or what King among you that goeth about to wage war against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand St. Paul here computes all the troubles he reckons the summ total of all the oppositions that Christians can meet with in this world and yet he sees nothing discouraging in all these that 's the first particular a large Catalogue c. For while he says these things cannot separate from the love of God he strongly implies thus much that those that are the objects of the love of God are yet liable unto these things 2. Here is the utter inablility of all these things to cause any distance between God and any truly gratious Soul These things may separate us from Friends from Relations from what is dear to us in this world but not from the love of God Alas what breaches is God continually making upon every one of us in every part of our lives but such is the union between God and every sincere believer that nothing can make a separation here God may be offended with his people but nothing can separate between God and his people death cannot do it yet death can separate us from all our Creature-comforts from all our dearest friends yea it may separate the very Soul and body and yet it cannot separate from the love of God God hath such respect to the Souls of his people that pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Yea and their scattered dust God will take care of that and will cause it to meet together again and be made partaker with the Soul of that Glory that is reserved in Heaven But then besides the terrors of death here are the temptations of life the pleasures of this life these Temptations may do that upon some that the terrors of death cannot do upon them Neither death no nor life neither this cannot separate but these cannot yet other things without us are of great influence Angels cannot do it they are Creatures that excel in strength some expound it so good Angels that it is spoken of them by way of supposition Gal. 1.8 If we or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed not that any good Angel can be so bad a Messenger as to set up a new Gospel in opposition to the everlasting Gospel of Christ it is spoken by way of supposition so I find Learned Writers interpret it thus No good Angels cannot it s contrary to their charge and trust the Angels are Ministring Spirits sent c. Heb. 1. last therefore they cannot so much forget their trust nor be unfaithful to their charge to attempt such a thing especially being now confirmed in a state of Grace Others interpret it of bad Angels now whatever attempts these do make though they are compared to a roaring Lyon going about seeking whom they may devour though they never so much desire it yet they are in Gods Chain Epist Jude 6. Those Angels are in Chains not only as guilty Malefactors to be punished but as Mischievous persons to be restrained who if they were at liberty would do more mischief than now they can You may take it in this latter sense which seems to be most proper so Angels cannot do it but there are several Ranks and Degrees among the Angels therefore we read in Ephes 6.12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world c. So here in the Text we read of Principallities and Powers As they said of our Saviour he through Beelzebub the Chief or Prince of Devils did cast out Devils in these Principalities then is the danger But it it is not in them neither I find many Interpreters carrying the sense to earthly Potentates the Rulers of his world that they by all their Tyranny and persecutions for they joyn the word Principalities to Powers they can never be able to separate c. But notwithstanding all we undergo for the present who knows what may follow for the future who knows what a day may bring forth What is in the Womb of the next moment the Apostle answers this here not things present no nor things to come though you know
not what may come upon you yet if you belong to God and are sincere Believers let what will or can come Nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But there are heights and depths that is heights of Prosperity and depths of Calamity as some expound it but least the Apostles Catalogue should not yet be so full to answer every case he puts in this general vast and comprehensive expression nor any other Creature If all I have said be too little and all you are able to think at present is not sufficient yet this is as much as can possibly be thought of or can possibly befal you nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. Here is the ground or foundation of this inseparableness from the love of God that is because it is in Christ Jesus Alas the love of God is not built upon any thing in us God doth not love us upon any account of our own but upon the account of his Son and his Son is always alike dear and pretious in his sight and what he hath done and suffered for those for whom he hath undertaken is alike of value in his Fathers thoughts 4. Lastly Here is the strength of the Apostles confidence concerning all this I am fully perswaded that neither c. he was got above all doubtful ambiguities or probabilities or uncertainties for says he I am fully perswaded Obj. But here is an Objection Did not this Proviledge peculiarly belong to St. Paul and is it not above our capacity to attain to the same Answ I answer St. Paul speaks here not of himself singly but of himself in conjunction with others nothing shall separate us from the love of God it is exprest in the plural Number Again the ground and foundation upon which St. Paul bottoms this assurance and this height of his confidence it is such as all sincere Believers are capable of You find all along in all those other Priviledges that he mentions in the former part of the Chapter all these he speaks of of being made partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit of walking in the Spirit and not after the flesh c. this is the foundation upon which St. Paul grounds his confidence and now every sincere Believer hath a share more or less in all these so much for the opening of the words I shall commend several Observations from them chiefly three or four The first is this Doct. 1. It is the singular advantage of all sincere Believers that what ever Comforts they may be deprived of and whatever calamities they may undergo yet they have this for their unspeakable support the love of God for their portion It is upon this alone that the Apostle grounds all his confidence and comfort he could easily despise all kind of troubles and it was only upon this account For the opening of this Doctrine I shall only give you three hints 1. It is the peculiar Priviledge of such as are sincere and only such that they have the love of God for their portion for Separation implies a preunion that can never be parted that was not before joyned and the loss of the love of God implies a pre-injoyment of the same And then the word us it notes a restriction as it contains and takes in all that are sincere so it bars the door against all others they have no share in this Priviledge it is as much as if the Apostle had said This is our Priviledge and it is such a Priviledge as we can never be deprived of now the Apostle doth not speak of Believers in that age only but of all that should be afterwards in future generations for whatever was written afore-time was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come There is a common love that God bears to all his Creatures as they are his Creatures the workmanship of his hands this is extended to all his Creatures through the whole Universe and it manifests it self in these four things I shall but name them 1. In preserving them for as God by the Word of his Power brought all out of nothing so by the same almighty Word of his power he preserves them from falling back into the first nothing Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the word of his power 2. In providing for them thus God is the great Master of all the Families in Heaven and earth he hears the cries of the fowls of the air he heareth the cry of the Ravens he cloaths the Lillies of the field many such instances might be given of the Providence of God Matth. 6.26 The fowls of the air they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they He opens his hand and fills all Creatures with good The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Psal 145.15 3. In protecting them from dangers this in Matth. 10.29 Not a hair falls from the head not a sparrow falls to the ground yet are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing And are you not of more value than they These are the least considerable Creatures yet God hath a care of them in protecting them no Creature can be safe one moment any longer than its under the care and protection of God 4. In this Governing all his Creatures their actions and occurrances and in ordering all to his own glory and the manifestation of his infinite wisdom and goodness The invisible things of God are clearly seen from the Creation Rom. 1.20 That is his works of Providence and Gubernation of the World But this is not that I am now to speak of Again There is a love that God bears to man as man as he is a Creature of a higher rank and being than other Creatures 1 Cor. 9. Thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe Doth God take care of Oxen It is provided that mercy and kindness should be shewed to those poor labouring-Creatures Doth God enact these Laws-for Oxen or saith he it for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written But the highest testimony that God shews of his love to man as man was that of his Sons taking upon him the nature of man not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Yet over and above both these the love that God bears to his Creatures as they are his Creatures and to men as men more than to other Creatures there is a peculiar and higher kind of love that God bears to his people as they are peculiarly his whether only as elected God takes care to bring them into himself whomsoever God assigned to Glory as the end he assinges to Grace as the means to attain that end Or whether they be actually sanctified still God hath a peculiar respect to his
enjoy of the love of God here on earth so much we have of Heaven here on earth The excellencie of Heaven is described thus 1 Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all There shall be no marrying nor giving in marriage but we shall be as the Angels of God we shall there have no need of these Comforts because there we shall have a full fruition of God There shall be no Sun nor Moon nor Stars there is no want of these because the Lamb is the brightness thereof And if the love of God in its fullest perfection be the very happiness of Heaven then certainly nothing can make that person miserable that enjoys any part of Heaven here on earth In thy presence is fulness of joy yea and that for evermore There is much comfort in what we have of his presence here but what his people have of his presence here is but a kind of absence to what they shall have hereafter 2 Cor. 5 6 8. Therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. The presence of God which we have here he compares with the presence which we shall have hereafter and the presence we have of God here he accounts a kind of absence in comparison of that as you may see by comparing those two verses together 4. Reas 4. Argument That nothing can make a person miserable but the want of this special and peculiar love of God it appears from the excellencie of the person loving THE LOVE OF GOD this is a great word If God be for us who can be against us if God justifie us who can condemn us v. 31 33. of this Chapt. 2 Timoth 4.16 17. St. Paul when all forsook him thought he had enough in this that God stood by him At my first answering no man stood by me but all men forsook me this was uncomfortable in it self I pray God it may not be not laid to their charge Nevertheless the Lord stood by me and strengthened me This contradicted all that went before this circumstance as to the point of troubles and afflictions because there is more in God to support and comfort then there could be in afflictions to deject and and discourage Our Saviour could not speak to his Disciples without reproving them for their cowardize foretelling them how it should shortly appear You shall leave me alone What then to be left alone when he was to go through all those troubles this was a very uncomfortable thing yet says he I am not alone for the Father is with me John 16.32 it is some refreshment in our sorrows to have Friends to pity and to compassionate us but oh what a refreshment is it to have the infinite God to love us You know the Emphasis of all the sorrows that our Saviour underwent during his sufferings here on earth was That God had withdrawn the sense of his love from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as for his Disciples their leaving of him their turning their backs upon him and falling off from him these things he could easily bear but Gods forsaking was the bitterness of his cup and made him cry him with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5. Reas May be drawn from The nature of the love of God is such an eminent mercy that nothing can make that person miserable that doth partake of this one Priviledge because 1. The Love of God is the tenderest it is the most affectionate Love The Love of Parents is great but the love of God is greater Math. 5.11 If you that are evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more then shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him The love of a Mother is great but the love of God is greater and exceeds it Isa 49 15 16. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my Hands thy Walls are continually before me The tenderest Compassions that can be found on Earth come far more short of the compassions of an infinitely gratious God then the least drop of Water to the vast body of the Ocean There is no proportion between these two In all Afflictions of his People he is said to be afflicted thereby intimating that he bears a part of their afflictions and is sharer with them in all their troubles Isa 63.9 He that toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2.8 2. The love of God it is the truest and most prudent love there is nothing of Cockering or indulgence in it It is no such love as to overlook the failings of his own People no Every Child whum he loves he corrects Heb. 12.6 Judgement begins at the house of God God is more quick in his chastising of them then of others and his love makes him to be so because God would recover them sooner and prevent their longer wandrings from him Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Psal 119.67 Therefore he says to Israel You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore you will I punish for all your Iniquities Amos 3.2 My kindness to you is far above all others therefore I will correct you I will make you smart now that you may not smart for ever you shall new feel the bitterness of Sin to bring you to Repentance and these Afflictions helps in order thereunto As concerning others the Sinners in Zion whom God regards not it is said why shotld you be smitten any more Isa 1.5 Ye will revolt yet more and more This is a great Priviledge and part of the Covenant and Promise that God hath made with his People as Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Traugression with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Lips The visiting their trangressions with a Rod and their Iniquities with Stripes is mentioned here as an eminent Promise and part of the Covenant of Grace David accounted the Reproofs of the righteous a great favour to him Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a great kindness let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break my head Psal 141.5 3. The love of God is the most liberal and bountiful love All love is liberal and bountiful and according as the person
is in ability so is his love more or less bountiful It is said of Abashuerus he gave gifts becoming his magnificence so God gives gifts to his People suitable to his greatness becoming his Magnificence Jesus Christ is called the gift of God and what gift could God give greater John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleiveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He had but one only begotten Son and he gave him Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but deliverd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things This is such a pledge of Gods bounty and evidence of his liberality that we need not doubt of the goodness of God in other things since God has given so high an instance as this God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.7 4. The love of God is the most firm and constant love alas we are poor mutable Creatures but God is an unchangable God whom he loves he loves to the end and that end is without end Therefore the loving kindness of God is said to be better then life Psal 63.3 and it is better then life upon this account because it lasts longer then life yea then all that in life we are made Partakers of for if a man live in God he lives better then in all other enjoyments whatsoever 5. The love of God is an Omnipotent love it is such as is able to effect his good pleasure to them that are the objects of his love Friends may wish us well but can do no more in some Cases but there is no blessing needful there is nothing that may be helpful to us but God is able to vouchsafe it in him dwells infinite fulness and power Thus you see from these five Reasons that this peculiar love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Application First If it be so that nothing can make that person miserable that enjoys the love of God then certainly God is no hard Master nor does he deal rigorously with his People when he suffers them to be afflicted Though he lets them meet with some troubles and calamities and many of them very smart ones too yet all this cannot be accounted harsh dealing because nothing can make them miserable that are in the love of God They may be under sufferings as the Apostles speaks 2 Cor. 4.8 They may be under straits and difficulties but in all these they are not forsaken we are troubled on every side but not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair Cast down but not cast off afflicted but not unhappy I say this may silence all those Cavils and hard thoughts that our corrupt Natures are apt to entertain concerning God especially in his providential dealings with his People 2. Inference is this If the love of God be such an eminent priviledge How dreadful then is their Case that are under the hatred of God What ever hath been said concerning the love God the greatest word that can be spoken of it is the infiniteness thereof that it is an infinite love Now the infiniteness of Gods hatred makes that as terrible and dreadful as the other is desireable infiniteness in God as it plainly demonstrates God to be on the one hand the best Friend so on the other hand the worst of Enemies and as it speaks his love to be the most desirable portion so of all kind of evils his hatred to be the most formidable 3. Inference is this Take notice of the folly and madness of those Persons that can be patient and quiet under the displeasure of God and can content themselves without seeking reconciliation to him and being received into favour with God Is not this the Case of many is not this the Cafe of many of us It would be well for us if we would put this question home to our own Souls you see nothing can make us miserable but only the want of Gods love the Apostle thought he had spoke enough in this one word to bear up their Spirits against the fear of all those Calamities which at that time were threatned as Persecution Famine Sword Nakedness Perils of all kinds But what shall bear up those who have no share in it since there is nothing can make us happy but this love of God there is nothing can make us miscrable but the want of it it is folly and madness in us not so much as to regard this love Why do you spend your money for that that is not Bread hearken to me saith God and your Souls shall live Isa 55.2.3 4. Inference This Doctrine of admirable advantage to the People of God under their greatest losses for whatever they may loose they cannot loose their interest in the love of God not from any excellency in themselves but the I have given you an account of that in that it is singularness of Gods grace and bounty to them and his care for them and their welfare SERMON XI Rom. 8. ult Neither height c. I Shall now go on to the 6. and last Reason of this Doctrine That this peculiar Love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Because of the admirable fruits and effects of this love in the many benefits we receive from thence it is from the love of God that we receive every mercy that we enjoy if it be but common Mercies we receive them from the love of God It is true the difficulty of this Case is to know whether common mercies are the Fruit of special love That they are from the love and goodness of God it 's clear Matth. 5.45 God caused his Sun to shine upon the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust These mercies are common mercies and that they are from common bounty that is unquestionable for as God is the Fountain of all good so the love of God is the only Motive to incline him to do good to his Creatures there is nothing in them to move him to do them good but it is his own goodness that moves him to it he is the giver and bestower of every good and perfect gift the Father of Lights Now whether you speak of common or special Mercies all are the expressions of his love common to some peculiar to others as for common mercies they are not common to his People There is a vast difference between the mercies that God vouchsafeth to his People and those he vouchsafeth to others the mercies the People of God enjoy are the special Fruits and benefits of his special love and it is that upon which we ground our hopes of mercy for the future 2. It is the love of God that makes every mercy to be
manifestations of his love in Spiritual blessings God many times does it that they may not withdraw from him He therefore hides away his Face thereby to put them upon seeking after him We are apt to be very cold and slight and remiss in the things of God he to awaken us many times takes this course Again God sometimes forsakes us in spiritual comforts that he may not forsake us in great er blessiongs Comfort is not at present so necessary as other blessings are Mang may go mourning all the days of their lives but if they go on in the way to Heaven though they go mourning thither one Minutes enjoyment of the glory of Heaven will recompence for all God doth it to enlarge their graces and to fit them for greater comforts afterwards The sum of all under this head as to the distinguishing love of God here spoken of and the reallity of this love is that though God doth not in the same height and degree manifest himself in his love to his People yet nothing can separate from the love of God God may not manifest his love in that eminency as you have heard yet there is nothing that can make a total or final Separation from the love of God Now for the Confirmation of this truth I shall give you some Arguments 1. Arg. First from the freeness of Gods love free grace is the only Spring and Fountain of all Gods love to his poor Creatures If there be any thing of love in us to God this cannot be the Cause or Motive of Gods love in regard it is the effect and fruit of antecedent love This is clear if there be any thing better in us then in others it is because God hath been better to us then he hath been to others and therefore the Apostle thus expostulates 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ c. What hast thou that thou didst not receive Now because there is nothing of loveliness in us but it is purely the freeness of Gods grace that is the Motive of his love to us this speaks it an everlasting love and the force of the reason lies in this because if the Foundation or Motive of Gods love to us had been any thing that he had discerned in us then as it was something that was pleasing in us that was the Motive of his love to us so that which is displeasing in us would put an end to his love If our merit did procure it then our demerit would have forfeited it and this alas we do every moment But you find all along in Scripture that it is the good will and pleasure of God to which all his love to us is ascribed Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flok for it is your Fathers good pleasure to you give the Kingdom It is Gods good pleasure it s not you have deserv'd it but he hath shewn you his goodness in being thus bountiful unto you in bestowing it upon you So you have it very frequently repeated Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace It is grace and riches of grace that God shews any thing of love to us So you have it several times mentioned in that Chapter This is one Argument to prove the love of God to his People to be everlasting because it hath no other Foundation nor Fountain but his own goodness his goodness is an everlasting goodness and therefore his love must be an everlasting love Was the Foundation of Gods love any thing in us alas we are mutable Creatures You know in our Primitlve estate we lost all yea where we were in an estate of greater advantage then we can ever arrive to here on earth when we had nothing of weakness or ignorance or corruption but were fully furnished against all kind of assaults yet then barely the mutability of our will lost all but now the love of God doth not depend on the will of man but the free grace and goodness of God himself 2. Arg. The Faithfulness of Gods promises God hath promised this mark this is the sum of all Gods promises herein consists the excellency of the Covenant of grace it carries everlastingness and in disoluableness in it I will turn you to one or two places Jer. 13.3 The Lord hath appeared to me of old saying I have loved thee with everlafling love Therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee It s called there an everlasting love and you find it promised likewise Jer. 32.38 And they shall be my People and I will be their God ver 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to dothem good Do but observe it is an everlasting Covenant and the promise of of this Covenant is this I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I will neither cease to love them nor shall they cease to love me God takes care of both parts He hath promised for himself that he will not and he will so take care of them that they shall not cease to love 3. Arg. The immutability of Gods decrees This shews the love of God to be so fixt so everlasting that nothing can separate from it or dissolve That God is the great Governour of all the world and that all things are managed by his infinite Wisdom is acknowledged by all and that he governs all things according to his decrees This is the ldea or Copy of all that comes to pass this appears from the Eternity of God God doth nothing now but what he decreed in Eternity Eternity is one point with God there is no first nor second nor last things with God That these decrees with God are immutable appears from the perfection of God To take up new Councils argues imperfection God loves none but those whom he elected and elected none but those whom he decreed to love Now this Election is an intention in God for the glorifying the riches of his grace in some persons Eph. 1.5 6 7. the Apostle speaks with that limitation Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children according to the good pleasure of his Will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved In whom we have Redemption So that there is a particular defignation of these persons to partake of this salvation 2 Tim. 2.19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth those that are his Again Election includes in it thus much a preparation and sanctification of all means whereby those persons that are designed to salvation shall infallibly be brought to it God doth not only design â—to glory as the end but also to grace as the means And for the working of grace in them and for the preserving of his People in a State of
this Mercy the single want of this is enough to imbitter the largest confluence of all your Creature enjoyments It is this alone that can bear up our Spirits while we live and comfort our hearts when we dye and it will go with us after death and beyond the Grave To want this is to want that which no orher enjoyent can make up indeed if we have the love of God there is egough of the enjoyment of that to comensate the want of all things else Oh therefore labour first to be sensible of your condition and to get your hearts affected with it and then stand no longer capitulating with God but accept of Mercy and that thankfully upon the terms that God offers Mercy Is God willing to bestow his love upon you and is it such a love that nothing can deprive you of it when you once have it and is it a mercy that may be purchased on such easie terms And are you unwilling to accept it Oh! It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Do not stand off longer make no terms raise no objections but come up to the terms which God requires If it be to the cutting off a right hand or plucking out a right Eye And bless God that yo may be accepted on such an account Go to God and plead his Sons blood and plead his Mercy and though there is nothing in you to procure his love yet make use of these things that may help you Do not give over the use of means but wait upon God in his Ordinances that they may bring you over to partake of this love of God 2. Exhor To them whom God hath blessed with this love I shall speak one word to them If God hath bestowed on you this great favour to own you to love you to love you in and through Jesus Christ you have cause to be thankful For God to love you Truly it is a distinguishing mercy such a mercy as God doth not vouchfafe to all It is a free mercy a mercy that God never bestows upon any account but only upon the account of his free grace Now be thankful therefore if you partake of the love of God it is a mercy that but few fo his Creatures do partake of and it is a mercy that any do partake of it That God should set his love upon fallen man and pass by fallen Angels That God should set his love upon Creatures it is much but that he he should set his love upon apostate Cratures upon Creatures that are so much below him and upon sinful Creatures that so much provokt him what cause of thankfulness have we that do partake of this love but be careful that you are upon a sure Foundation As to this examine what is your love to God his truth his ways and ordinances Again this mercy is the sum of all mercies If God loves us as one speaks then himself is our God then all in God is ours that is for our support and comfort and refreshment In the next place be careful to preserve this love be careful of doing any thing that may cause God to withdraw any measure of his love from you and make use of all kinds of means and helps whereby you may have this love cleared excited and quickened and upon every withdrawing of the love of God be careful to recover it Resolve as David did Psal 132.3 4 5. Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor go up into my Bed I will not give sleep to my Eyes nor slumber to my Eye lids until I find out a place for the Lord a habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. Here was a great deal of earnestness So do you resolve never to be at rest nor quiet until you have recovered what yo have lost We find that God does upon several accounts withdraw the manifestation of his love from his People Sometimes to chastise them for their sins this was Davids Case and if this be yours then make Davids practice your patern Be humble for your sins return to God beg his Spirit to secure you against future Relapses Sometimes God doth it to try them As this was the Case of job and if this be your Case Do as Job did when God seems to cast you off follow God and do not you cast off him God it may be is trying your desires to see whether you are willing to part with him or no when he seems most in your apprehensions to be neglectful of you do you then labour to stir up Strongest after desires him Somtimes he withddraws his love when his people do not value it As it was with the Spouse Christ withdrew when the Spouse was in Bed and he knockt and she was willing to arise If this be your Case do you as the Spouse did be willing to rise and seek him till you find him Lastly Be careful to improve this love of God but how shall we do that If you are sure this priviledge belongs to you then live up to this priviledge live in contempt of things of this world And make use of all those things that may quicken you in ways of obedience God would not only have his People to serve him but to serve him with chearfulness and because his People of Israel would not serve him with chearfulness in the enjoyment of all things therefore he gave them up to serve their Enemies in nakedness and hunger and in the want of all things Therefore be careful to make thankful returns of obedience to God through the whole course of you Lives and labour to bring others to partake of those dainties and refreshments that you have experienced the sweetness But let me leave this with you Beware you be not over hasty in thinking you are intituled to this priviledge when indeed you are not this is a great delusion among Professors there are many Professors are yet rotten at the bottom therefore look to your hearts And if you have found upon examination that you have good grounds to hope that you belong to God and have an interest in his love then live up to this Mercy SERMON XIII Rom. 8. ult Doct. 4. The principal Groun and assurance which we have of the stabiltiy and certainty of the love of God to his People is because it is in and through Christ THe love of God therefore most evividently appears to be sure and everlasting because it is built on so sure and everlasting Foundation This Doctrine consists of two Parts 1. What ever God hath of love to any of his People it is only upon the account of Christ 2. That this love of God through Christ to his People doth therefore appear to be certain and unchangeable permanent and lasting because it is in and through Christ What ever God hath of love to any of his People it is only upon the account of Christ Look upon common Mercies that God preserves you that God
supplies you and provides for you do you think there is any thing of worth or desert in you that you enjoy so much of health and so many outward comforts it is not upon your own account that God is thus bountiful and yet we find it was so much the folly of the People of Israel that they were ready to attribute all the Kindness of God to something or other in themslves and tehrefore it is that God himself is so often their Remembrancer and Monitour to put them in mind and to correct those mistakes about his choosing them to be his peculiar People whom he owned above all the People in the World Besides they were apt to think that there was something in them that might incline God to this kindness no says God in Deut. 7,7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number then any People but because the Lord loved you c. You may delude your selves with these fancies but because the Lord loved you he chose you and he loved you because he loved you His love had no motive but what was from himself no motive but only his own loving kindness and goodness Ezek 36.22.23 Thereofe say unto the House of Israel thus saith the Lord God when he promised great Mercies to them I do not this for your sakes oh House of Israel but for my Holy Names sake c. The kindnessess that God speaks of there are highly great and yet not any of them were upon the account of any thing in them And this it is really with us now as in some few instances 1. Gods electing love which is the first born of all Mercies and the first link of that golden Chain which you have in this very Chapt. 28.29 whom he did foreknow he also did pâ—edestinat c. This electing love it hath its first rise from the absolute will of God This is not the absolute purchase of Christs merits yet this is through Christ in some sense Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him that is in Christ as in the verse before we are chosen in him it is not said for him so that all the kindness that God hath for us even this which seems to be an Act of the highest Freedom and the most eminent expression of Gods rich grace That he should chuse and and pick out some and select them from the common multitude of mankind and to set them apart as special objects of his favour though this was from the absolute will of God was in and through Christ if you ask how I answer we are chosen in him not as the Foundation of our election but because we are chosen in him for his Members as He is our head That this first love of God had some reference to Christ though not as the onely procuring Cause yet as the consummating Cause to accomplish is abundantly evident through the Scripture we are elected in him that is that he should perfect this blessed and gracious decree of God upon us Eph. 3.11 According to the Eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. What purpose was this it was a purpose to save some to set his Heart and love upon some his electing love was thus far in Christ 2. The love of Conversion is in and through Christ Eph. 2.10 We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. And though God is the sufficient Cause of all the grace we partake of yet Christ is the meritorious Cause it is the gift of God and yet withal it is the purpose of Christ it is God alone that bestows grace and it is for the sake of Christ alone that he doth bestow it compare those two places James 1.17 you read that God is the Father of Lights But it comes all from God in and through Christ John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly God is willing to give it but it is in and through Christ that he gives it 3. Again to instance in the love of God in Justification it is God alone forgives sin and our Saviour herein appears to be equal with the Father because he hath committed all power into his hand power to forgive sins Now as God onely can forgive sin so it is onely for the sake of his Son that he doth forgive it Eph. 4.32 Even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you If God hath forgiven you it is not for your own sakes but for the sake of Christ do you forgive one another pass by injuries forgive offences make this your pattern which is the highest pattern that ever was or can be Col. 1.14 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins We have Redemption and Forgiveness but all come streaming down in the Blood of Christ In a word to sum up all the several Acts of Gods distinguishing love they are all in and through Christ and therefore you read that Doxology Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ He hath blessed us with the choicest blessings but all these are in and through Christ I shall now give you some Arguments to prove it and I shall only mention three First Because God neither can nor does love us as we are in our selves Matt. 3.17 And loe a Voyce from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased It is not spoken of Gods love to him in a common respect but of something peculiar to him and there is this double limitation as Interpreters note this is the Son of mine whom I eminently love and this is that Son of mine for whose sake I love the Sons of men all do acknowledge that this love is a confined and limited love that is spoken of here but yet they explain it thus My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased That is in whom I am eminently pleased and for whose sake I am pleased with them whose cause he undertakes As that Oyl that was powered on Aarons head descended to the Skirts of his Garment so that love that God hath to Jesus Christ descends to all his inferiour Members John 17.23 26. I in them and they in me that they may be made perfect in one c. These are high Expressions and such as exceed the capacity of all mortal men that God should love us with the same love wherewith he loved his Son The most sober sense by Interpreters given of these words is this That God in and through Christ loves his People for his sake with the same kind of love though not with the some degree of love Eph. 1.6 We are accepted in the Beloved if God accepts of us or smiles upon us it is in and through Christ Eph. 1.5 6. Having predestinated us to the adoption of Children
by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will Secondly God is so far from loving us as we are in our selves that he loaths us for we are Enemies to him and God is no Enemy to us There be two notable Expressions in Eph. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ what follows then being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel c. If you are without Christ you are without all good for he is the Fountain of all good Nay it is said of the very Elect themselves 3. verse of that Chapter And were by nature Children of wrath even as others Ye were Children of wrath though now you are Children of love you were as others equal with others as to original corruption and guilt original sin admits of no Magis nor Minus it is not in one less and in an other more but it is alike in all As to our natural state we are in the same Rank and posture with others we are at the same distance from God as the worst of men that are in the World Now consider in our natural state how great a contrariety and unsuitableness there is between the holy God and us in our unholy estate he is light and in him there is no darkness at all we are darkness and in us there is no light at all in him there is nothing of evil in us there is nothing of good and what Communion can there be between such as are so perfectly contrary While we remain out of Christ our imbred corruptions have made such a breach between God and us which is ever widening and growing greater though it was great at first yet it is growing greater and God is become our Enemy and we are estranged from the life of God by reason of the Multiplication of our actual sins renewed continually and therefore God cannot love us as we are in our selves nay he hates us and accounts us Enemies and he tells al such what they must expect from him if you walk contrary to me I also will walk contrary to you Lev. 26. If you do carry it as Enemies to me I will carry it as an Enemy to you Do you provoke the Lord to anger are you stronger then he are you a fit Match for the great God Can your hearts endure and your hands be made strong in the day that I shall deal with you Thirdly Such is the love that God hath to Christ that how loath some soever we be in our selves all is over lookt if we are in him though we are unrighteous but yet if we be in Christ he accounts us righteous 2 Cor. 5. Vlt. He hath made him sin for us who knew no sin that we might be the Righteousness of God in him He was made sin how by imputation and we are made the righteousness of God how by way of imputation too our sins are charged upon him and his righteousness is imputed unto us though we are of our selves Vnrighteous yet by him we are made Righteous therefore this is the Apostles advice if you would take the most compendious way to answer all your doubts and fears and the speediest course to be above all objections the way is this Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith know ye not your own selves how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 5 3. Now Christs being in us and our being in him are Terms equivalent And if you can but clear this that Christ is in you all is well and safe and comfortable with you but if Christ be not in you you are in a state of Reprobation which is a most sad dreadful and desolate condition and thus I have cleared the first part of the Observation 2. Partic. Because all the love that God hath to us is in and through Jesus Christ therefore this love of God is certain and unchangeable it is indeed such an Argument as answers all Objections we find our Saviour himself making use of this Argument in the like Case John 14.12 Because I live you shall live also Be not disheartened cast down and despondent if I live and that is sure and certain so surely shall you live if the head be above water the Members cannot be drowned though they be under water if it go well with me it cannot go much amiss with you Indeed this would be a diminishing of the love of God to his Son if his love to him did not extend to all that do bdlong to him But where the force of this Argument lyeth shall be discovered in these Particulars First Because all that are Christs are made conformable to him God loves his Son because he is the express Image and brightness of his own person Now all that belong to Christ have the Image of Christ upon them and they partake of the same Spirit 2 Corinth 1.21 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Whatever there is of grace or goodness or any spiritual Excellency in us cannot be the first Motive of Gods love but where God hath given such pledges of love they are evidences and an assurance of his further love Secondly As God hath a love to his Son he must needs have a love to all Believers because of that near Relation that they stand in to him they are Members of Christ Bone of his Bone and Flesh of Flesh Consider those Emblems by which the union between Christ and Believers are set forth in Scripture he is said to be the Vine and they the branches in this Vine a Head and they the Members under this Head a Husband and they the Spouse God hath such an indeared love to his Son that he cannot but have love to all those that are so near and dear unto him what can be nearer then to be a part of Christ that is a high expression that you have in Eph. 1. 23. they are said to be the fulness of Christ the fulness of him that filleth all in all They are his body if God loves his Son who is the Head of this body he must have a love to the Members also they are his body and the fulness of him that filleth all in all that is all the Elect of God as they are gathered in so the body of Christ grows more compleat and full Thirdly Because of Christs ingaging on their behalf as their Mediatour and surety this will appear in that Covenant of Redemption that past between the Father and the Son as it is at large described Isa 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his Seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Observe it here are the Articles and Conditions of this Covenant of Redemption the Covenant of grace is one thing and the Covenant of Redemption is an other the Covenant of grace is that that passeth
oppositions yet if we can but approve our hearts to he sincere to God this was the comfort of all the holy men of God Though David designed this and desired to be instrumental in building the Lord a house though he had not that honor allowed him yet he rejoyced in this that God had put it into his heart 1 Chron. 29.10 11. Then the people rejoyced for that they offered willingly David the King rejoyced with great joy wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the Congregation he accounted it an honor to be imployed in the work but that he made it sincerely his aim was his comfort So Saint Paul though he found many infirmities in himself yet because he was sincere God did afford him eminent assistance I will glory in my infirmities 2 Cor. 12.9 because when I am weak in my self then am I strong in Christ Jesus So he speaks of it as the common support of all believers viz. their sincerity 2 Cor 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of Consciences that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world though we have not been without our failings nor oppositions yet this is that which comforts us against both that God hath honoured us to be sincere though we have met with many troubles yet we have our rejoycings in the midst of our sorrows and this is our comfort 7. To moderate our affections to all things here below so far as they are diversions from our converse with God This Doctrine teacheth us the greatest magnanimity the highest courag the truest generosity and nobleness of spirit that can possibly be found that is a true great spirit which can contemn all the great things of this world You read Moses though he had the opportunity of being Pharaohs Successor in Egypt yet he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11. chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God c. esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt This Doctrine acquaints us with such comforts with such priviledges with such refreshments as render all the most tempting objects in the world inconsiderable 8. To carry it towards God with quietness and submission to his Providences God loves a chearful giver and doer and sufferer Rom. 5.3 and not only so but we glory in tribulation also this is a high pitch they suffered joyfully the â—pâ—yling of their goods Heb. 10.34 This is a point to lose all and yet to be chearful and yet to rejoyce Now what ever troubles we may meet with this Doctrine pacifies and quiets us and makes us chearful in the midst of those troubles it tells us that no troubles befall us but what come from God Afflictions arise not out of the ground nor troubles out of the dust but God lifts up and casts down It teacheth us that God is wise and knows what is best for us and that it is much better for us to be in his carving than our own and that that cannot be amiss that is of Gods doing who is both wise and able and faithful and in all these Infinite I remember a passage of one who when he was threatned to be persecuted imprisoned tormented replied O blessed be God you have not the power of Heaven nor Hell you cannot promise to bring me into the one or to throw me into the other these are beyond your power but God deserves to be trusted in and relied upon 3. To approve our selves to God in sparing no costs nor pains in his service David did disdain to serve God with that which cost him nothing so should we though the service of God be costly to us upon other accounts to pray and to hear and to meditate though it should cost us the sweat of our Souls though it should cost us pains and labour so we do but discharge these duties aright vet we should think all well imployed Mal. 1 8.14 Cursed be the deceiver who having a malé in his flock offers to God a female or a corrupt thing do you present that to God that you dare not present to you earthly Magistrate cursed be that deceiver I am a great God saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen and I will make it dreadful among you if you carry it thus towards me 1. P. To injoyn a confinement of our zeal activity and earnestness unto the service of God it is good to be zealous but in what in this in the service of God and the concerns of his Name it is good to be zealous in a good matter zeal is an excellent affection it is the heighth of our affection but it must be well fixt otherwise it is dangerous you find how resolute the people of God have been of old and how zealous in the service of God Josh 24.15 But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Do you take your course choose whom you will serve whether the Idols of the Nations wherein you live or whether you will serve the true God but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua speaks first for himself and then for his family he uses this kinde of provocation as a prudential and pressing Argument that would prevail with the people to renounce all their Idols and to submit themselves cordially and heartily to the service of God there is a moderation indeed that is allowable yea necessary which is a duty but moderation in the things of God and an indifferencie therein is a detestable luke-warmness because thou art neither hot nor cold I will spew thee out of my mouth the service of God we are commanded to perform with our might and strength to the utmost Not slothful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Lastly This Doctrine teacheth us in all these respects together to honour God and thereby to adorn his Gospel in following its Rules fully and universally in keeping close to his institutions in all our courses The Religion this Doctrine teacheth admits of no mixtures It is pure Religion and undefiled Jam. 1.27 we must not vary from his institutions in any thing we perform to him in the duties of his worship 1. In respect of the Object we must not joyn any thing with God as the Object of morship this hath been the miscarriage of the greatest part of the world in former Ages we must not joyn Idols with God this was the sin of the Jews 1 Kings 18.21 Elijah adjured the people saying if God be God serve him if Baal be God serve him why halt you between God and Baal If these be the Institutions of God follow them if not follow others that are so Again we must not joyn Saints nor Angels with God in his worship this is the great miscarriage of the Papists it was foretold by the Apostle Col. 18. we must not joyn any thing with God as the Object of our love
Matth. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters be sure not two Masters whose Commands are so contrary each to other for he will love the one and hate the other Again we must not joyn our lusts with God that is the worst of all Matth. 16.24 Then said Jesus if any man will come after me let him deny himself Matth. 29.30 If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cact or from thee and if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee Nothing less than the intireness of our whole man is due to God So in the Rules of Gods worship there must be no mixture We must not joyn humane Traditions with Divine Institutions this was the great miscarriage of the Scribes and Pharisees in their Doctrines and of other Jews who followed that Doctrine In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men Matth. 15.19 Again we must not mingle our own fancies with Gods Institutions this was the sin of Nadah and Abihu Lev. 10.1 2. they offered strange fire it was fire which was neither commanded nor forbidden but because it was not commanded therefore they drew the severity of God upon them fire came down from Heaven and destroyed them If you have not a Command from God for what you do in his worship you can expect then no other answer from God but that Isa 1.11 12. Who hath required these things at your hands Though you take never so much pains in serving God if it be not the way of Gods appointment you can expect no acceptance of it Again We must not joyn the modes and customes of the times and places in which we live with the Ordinances and Appointments of God Lev. 18.3 5. this charge is given by God as his express Command ver 3. After the doings of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt ye shall not do ver 5. But ye shall keep my statutes and my Judgments which if a man do he shall live in them I am the Lord. God looks upon it as a disowning of his Sovereignty and a refusing to be subject to him I am the Lord none but me not customes not fancies not inventions but if you have any sense of Religion upon your hearts keep close to my Institutions 2. There must be no mixture in respect of our aims the sum of all Religion is to glorifie God to glorifie God must be our design now we must not mingle in our aims other things with the Glory of God not the applause of men you may find many that pretend highly to the Glory of God but all the service that they perform to God is that they may be seen of men this was the great sin of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 6.15 16. Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them all these they did but it was for applause in the world they loved to greet in the Market-places and to wear Phylacteries broad wherein the Law of God was written these were specious pretences but there was a fly in the box of Oyntment Again We must not mingle our present safety with Gods Glory Many will engage in the service of God so far as King Henry the IV. who said he was willing to venture so far to Sea and no farther than he could return safe to land again many will venture for God but no farther than they can secure the main Now this Doctrine teacheth us that the only way to save our lives is to lose them he that walks uprightly walks safely it propounds higher walk◠of safety than the world can Can any provide so well for our safety as God will and God hath undertaken to keep them safe that do their duty You have nothing else to look after If our hearts could follow God thus with this stedfast constancy and resolution how much should we adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour This is the first branch how it is our duty and how it is the great expectation of God from all those that enjoy the Gospel to adorn it in our carriage towards God The second head how we should adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour is by conformity to the Rules of this Doctrine in our carriage towards others This Doctrine is a compleat Rule able to make a man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work We want no additional Rules no other Doctrines but only such as are by way of explication of this Therefore in our carriage towards men here I shall treat more particularly First In our carriage to all men in geral Secondly In our carriage to Enemies and to Friends 1. In our carriage to all men in general to carry it with meekness and gentleness to give no offence either to the Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God 1 Pet. 3.4 A meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of grace price in v. 3. Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price This is the ornament which St. Peter commends to Women Women indeed may have many provocations to anger but this is the Apparel they should put on a meek and quiet Spirit There is no such Tyranny in the world as in private Families as in the husbands carriage towards their wives though this may be the occasion of the provocation the women being of unquiet Spirits but this is good in the sight of God to be of meek and quiet spirits and so we ought to carry it in reference to all men But more particularly We adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour when we live in an exactness to those Rules that concern our carriage towards men which I shall reduce to these five or six 1. This Doctrine of God our Saviour though it teacheth us to bear the greatest of wrongs yet it doth not allow us to do the least wrong 2 Phil. 15.16 That ye may be the children of God without rebuke But how shall we approve our selves so that you may be blameless and harmless Luke 3.10 We read of those hearers that came to John the Baptist to enquire what they should do when they were wrought upon by his Ministry and startled and awakened and brought to see their need of Christ who received this answer vers 11 And he answered and said unto them He that hath two Coats let him impart to him that hath 〈◊〉 and he that hath Meat let him do likewise ver 13. To the Publicans Exact no more that what is appointed you vers 14. And to the Souldiers Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages This Rule extends to all the several kinds of doing wrong