that understand it of things and not of persons and so it is in the Original Strengthen the things that remain that both Minister and people would strengthen the good things that were in them for the Minister was grown weak and remiss and the people weak in all good things Now the Spirit calls upon the Angel of this Church and in him upon all the Congregation to strengthen the good things that were in them So that the point of Doctrine is this that it is every Christians duty to Observation labour that he might be strengthened specially if he hath had more grace formerly then now he hath it is every Christians duty to strengthen the good things that are in him For the opening of this word strengthen it hath an opposition to weakness Now there is a double weakness First Of those people that are unconverted that are weak to the resisting of sin and doing any that is good they have some principles in them to resist sin and doe good but they are weak as common illuminations and natural conscience and fear of wrath and hope of Heaven and shame of others and the good example of others and living under the means and restraining grace and the like these things may do a great deal of good but they are weak and cannot make them resist sinne and doe good soundly thus unconverted people are weak This is not properly the weakness that is opposed to strength that he would have them get out of the weakness of unconverted people Therefore secondly There is another weakness and that is of the children of God themselves they have weakness to resist sinne and doe good and this is twofold First There is a weakness of Beginning Secondly of Declining First In beginning when a childe of God is a beginner in grace and is but a babe Heb. 5. 12. When for the time ye ought to be c. Such as are babes have need of milk they cannot digest strong meat they are too weak for that as may be a new beginner hath gotten faith but it is weak he is not able to apprehend the promises of salvation and the assurance of Gods goodness and mercy towards him he hath much ado to apprehend Christ himself and uphold his heart so a man may have some knowledge but it is weak and some resolutions and endeavours but they are weak corruptions bear him down and his mortification is weak he cannot master many of his heady and mighty lusts Now such people as these are to be exhorted to strengthen these good things that God hath begun in them Hath God begun any good things in thee any lively fear of his name any hatred of evil any love to goodness any longing and thirsting after righteousness any endeavour after eternal life any faith thou shouldst labour to strengthen these things that they may abound in thee and that they may be confirmed and established in thee that thou mayst be made unblameable against the coming of the Lord Jesus but 〈…〉 s is not the meaning neither Secondly therefore There is a weakness of declining when a man hath been stronger and now hath abated of his strength and is grown weaker a strong man may grow into a consumption which may spend him away till he comes to be an Anatomy and so is grown weak so many Christians that have been stronger they are now grown weak they are grown into a consumption o◠graces they are grown to be an Anatomy to be nothing but even skin and bone they were wont to have more faith to apprehend a promise but now they have more doubting they could pray strongly but now they are faint and weak they were powerfull in every good duty but now they are down the wind they are like a Jack that wants wanding up they had need be wound up again they are grown more cholerick and peevish and pettish and have less strength over their corruptions and are made more ready to be drawn away Now such persons are exhorted to strengthen these things and the rather because they are but remainders you have had more grace and have let it die and decay therefore strengthen that which remains and is ready to die so that there are two parts of this Doctrine First That every man should be earnest and use all manner of holy Part 1. meanes to strengthen himselfe 'T is true First it is every Ministers duty to labour to get strength into his people to strengthen their understanding and knowledge and judgement to strengthen them in the promises to hold forth Jesus Christ nakedly unto them to expound the free grace of God that they may be strong in faith So if a Minister sees they are weak to bear afflictions he should labour to support and bear them up and poure some spirit into them and enable them to bear So if he finde they are unable to bear temptations he should use all arguments to piece them up that they may stand against the wiles of the Devill a Minister hath his own strength given him of purpose to strengthen his brethren Isa 35. 3. the Lord saith Strengthen the weak hands c. He would have Ministers call upon people to get strength and to use all means by preaching and teaching and exhortations to get some strength into his people it is a Ministers duty not only to gather Saints but to perfect the Saints whither should the people come but to the Minister to get strength in grace Secondly It is every neighbours duty to strengthen his neighbour Christians should strengthen one another in all manner of good duties as coals of fire doe warm and heat one another when they are together but if they are severed they will be dead so Christians when they meet together should labour to warm and heat and quicken one another Saint Paul writes to the Thessalonians to mark all the weak and feeble people among them and to strengthen the feeble-minded 1 Thes 5. 14. But then thirdly Every man should doe this duty to himself to strengthen the good things that are in him we see all the world labours to be strong in outward things some to be strong in riches and wealth some to be strong at the Court and others to strengthen themselves in their friends and alliance as Abner laboured to be strong for the house of Saul for he knew he should be no body if that went down if a man have a case to defend he will make himselfe as strong as he can to desend himselfe if a man be to fight a battel he will make himselfe as strong as he can nay people will strengthen themselves in their wickedness Now if it be so then how much more should we labour to be strong in the grace of God If we have any good things given us of God we should strengthen them as Paul saith to the Corinthians when he saw they were babes still and were weak and never came to strength he
will be all up at the first and will go out though they never go to the journeys end it is with a new convert at his setting out towards heaven as it was with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt there was a mixed multitude went up with them Exod. 12. 38. why the plagues of God had wrought upon many of the Egyptians and they would go up with them but they would not go into the land of Canaan but returned back again the true Israelites that were affected truly they only went into the Land of Canaan â— but a mixed company went up with them so when a man sets forth towards heaven there is a mixed company in that mans bosome goeth along with him mixed joy and fear and hope and even corrupt nature is raised up at first for you must think the fears of God lying upon the soul and the newness of Religion he was in hell before now he is in heaven that will raise up even corrupt nature for a time a man will seem to be so affected and so lively now after a while these mercenary Souldiers this mixed company go back again and leave nothing but the bâ—re sanctified affections and now the man seems to be deader then he was as if he had lost all and may be he complains he is not the man he was he was thus and thus moved before and enlarged to good duties now he is down the wind I say this doth not follow it is even as if a man that hath bought a bushel of pease at the Market when they are shell'd and the pods are off and none but the bare pease left should complain he hath less then he had at first so it is here there is nothing gone but the meer trash and husks when a man is first converted there is a great deal of trash with it a great deal of corrupt nature that will leave a man in the lurch afterwards yet it follows not but the man hath the same sanctified affections he had formerly Secondly Violent commotions may stir a man and make him seem to 2. Violent Commotions be more affected then he is there are many seem to be full of life whereas if they were searched to the bottome there is nothing but violent commotions that will come to nothing a child of God at first setting out may be marvellously quickned stirred and seem to be mighty zealous and fervent when in truth the greatest part of this is nothing but violent commotions aâ— little grace will seem a great deal when there are these violent stirrings this man will make a greater shew then the same godly man afterwards when he hath more grace a great deal as James and John seemed to be very zealous Luke 9. 54. as zealous as Elias you will say were they not affected when they saw the Samaritans would not receive Christ oh thought they they deserve to be burnt down to the ground Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them as Elias did they could have been content to have fired whole Towns that would not receive Christ you will say this is admirable but these were nothing but violent commotions now when Christ had stilled these violent commotions will you say they were grown cold and dead and not so lively as formerly you know the torrent though it run not so violently as in a great flood yet still it runs so it is here may be a godly Minister at his first entrance puts forth himself more and preaches as if he would fly in the face of the ungodly afterwards he preacheth more gently and evenly shall we say he is grown more dull and dead and not so well affected as before no he may be more affected so for a private Christian it may be so soon as ever God turned his heart and inclined him towards his heavenly Kingdom and made him look out for the good of his soul we shall have hm pray with such violence and such extended passages he will reach forth himself in the confession of sin as if he would trample upon himself and in his petitioning for grace as if he would wrestle with God and in his acknowledging of Gods goodness as if he were affected more then thousand Christians besides but afterwards when he comes to have his eyes better enlightned to see what a deal of froth was in these things and how dead he is in regard of true saving life now he begins to be ashamed of himself he doth not lay them down but he would have them in more truth Now shall we say this man is more dead and lesse affected then he was before no but this man hath less violent commotions Thirdly Indiscretion will make a man seem to be more affected then indeed 3. Indiscretion he is as a godly man that is rash and indiscreet let this man reprove a sin he will be so zealous and earnest nay he will be so cholerick that if you do not yeild presently he is in a combustion afterwards when God gives him more knowledge of his waies and more discretion to reprove sin he will not be so cholerick and in such a passion hath this man lost his affections now no this doth not follow he may keep his affections still and it may be hates sin a thousand times more then he did before but he goes another way to work and deals more composedly and gravely and zealously for the good of the mans soul as when Paul saw the Philippians so loving in the midst of all his afflictions and sufferings for the Gospels sakâ— sending him so many hundred miles a great present to relieve him in his necessity what doth he do doth he bid them abate their love no eu 〈…〉 use in it more and more saith he but let it be with knowledge and judgment Phil. 1. 9. a man that is of a loving nature when he hath pared off all foolish charity and all vain and proud charity whereby he doth things out of pride ostentation and vanity as he will do when he comes to have more understanding if he do not discern and compare himself with the word of God he may seem to abate in his love but he is not less loving but more judicious So Samuel at first he was so zealous against Saul when he had sinned against Gods commandment that he would not stay with him by any means no saith he you have rejected the word of the Lord when Saul confessed his sins and entreated him to stay and was very earnest no by no means what stay with a wretch that hath rejected the word of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 26. yet afterwards he did stay will you say now Samuel was grown cold and less affected against sin no but he was more judicious he begun to consider certainly if I do not stay it will be a disparagement to the Lords anointed I may disparage the Lords ordinance and
Therefore 1 Let us so come to this Ordinance that we may be strengthned 72 2 This condemns the most Christians 3 This shews reason why we doe not receive good by the Sacrament Reasons why men do not receive good by the Sacrament 73 1 Because they come not with lively sense of their wants 2 Without true repentance 74 3 Without faith 4 They do not seek to God to blesse the Sacrament to them 75 5 They doe not behave themselves well at it 6 Do not afterwards examine what good is got by it 7 If they get good they do not interpret it to be by the goodness of God in the Sacrament 8 They do not stir up the Sacraments that they formerly pertook of 76 Doct. A child of God cannot fall from Grace 77 which is 1 Not from any thing in himself 1 Because the best is bid to look on himself as one that may fall into any sin in himself 78 2 Because they are bidden to feare themselves 78 3 To take heed that they do not fall away totally 4 Because they are commanded to grow in grace 79 5 Because exâ—mples of Apostates are propounded for the Saints to take warning by 6 Because people of God are fain to pray God to keep them 7 Because â—no grace received can hold out without continuall influences from heaven 80 But 2 from the meer favour and goodness of God 81 Qu. What is it that doth and shall ever remain in a believer 82 Ansâ— An anointing from the holy one for 1 A child of God if he sinne cannot carry it away as others 83 2 cannot stand it out as others do 2 Lusting against every known sin 84 For 1 He never sins but against his standing purpose 2 Against the study and composure of his heart 3 Something or other breaks the fulness of the voluntariness of it 1 Ignorance 2 Inconsideration 3 Possion 4 Violent temptation 4 Cannot make a trade of sin 85 5 Hath an apness to rise again 3 A tender disposition to look after God 86 For 1 he cannot lie down in spirituall distempers 2 He hath a feeling of his hardness 3 He cannot be so secure as to forget God 4 A love to the Image mercy holiness goodness and Ordinances of God 5 A disposition to check and chidâ— his soul for sin 87 6 The habit of grace Use 1. For confutation of those that hold falling from grace 88 2 For comfort to people of God against fears temptations perserutions 3 Labour to make sure that we be godly Doct. A particular Church may perish 89 Four notes of a true Church that may be lost 1 Sincere preaching of thâ— Gospel 90 2 True and sincere use of the Sacraments 92 3 Sincere profâ—ssion of the Word of God 93 4 True discipline Seven marks of a fals Church 94 1 Antiquitâ— 2 Vniversality 3 Succâ—ssion of Pastors 4 Vnity 5 Miracles 6 Pomp 7 Outward prosperity 95 Reas 1. because the Church is Catholick not tied to any place 96 2 God needs no place or person 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance Use 1. To confound the Church of Rome 2 To warn all particular Churches 97 Doct. The second Covenant requires works Works necessary 98 1 By necessity of presence 2 By necessity of inseparable effects 3 By necessity of signs 99 4 By necessity of commandement 5 By necessity of end 1 to glorifie God in the world 2 to do good unto others 100 3 to purifie our selves 4 to qualifie us for heaven 5 to proportion our reward 6 By necessity of thankefulness 101 Use 1. See how the Papists wrong us by accusing us to be against good works 2 Let Ministers call on people to have a working faith 3 This discovers them to be graceless who do not follow Christ in doing good 4 Be exhorted to good works Mot. 1. Good works are signs of our condition and state 1 Of election 2 Effectuall calling 3 Justification 4 Adoption 5 Of our love to God 103 2 The reason why we pray no better is because we are not abundant in good works 3 They would chear us in an evill day 4 Thâ— want of them the cause of temporal judgments 1â—4 Doct. The covenant of grace requireâ— peâ—fect works ibid Not a perfection of degrees but of sincerity Difference between Legall and â—vangelicall perfection 105 1 The law requires performances as well as the will and desire 2 The perfection of the L 〈…〉 stands on quantities as wel as qualities 3 Vpon full measure whether a man have power or no. 4 Admits no failings 106 5 Mâ—kes nothing of repentance Doct We should labour â—o bâ— perfect Reas 1. From the nature of God 107 2 Because God hath commanded us to be sincere 3 Because God knows our hearts 4 God will let down the Câ—venant no lower 5 All Gods Saints have been perfect Use 1. To reprove the want of uprightness 108 2 To humble the people of God 109 3 To exhort us to be upright Mot. 1 God delights only in an upright heart 2 This is the total sum of all that God requires p. 110 3 The least grace with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances in the world 4 God will bear with grievous faults where there is uprightness 5 Vprightness will help us to profit by all ordinances 111 6 Is most excellent ground of comfort 7 Will make us and our posterity blessed 112 Use 4 For examination Signs of uprightnesse 1 An upright man is universal in regard of all Gods commands 2 In regard of all graces 3 Of all places and company 113 4 Of all times 5 Of all his parts understanding will memory c. 114 6 Of all conditions 115 7 Of all relations 116 8 Of all the circumstances of his actions 117 Doct. As we must be perfect so we must be perfect before God 118 1 Not so as God should approve our works in strict justice But 2 On account of his mercy in Jesus Christ Reas 1 Because God hath so commanded 2 Otherwise a man hath no faith 119 3 This is the end of Christs redemption 4 This is the end of election 5 Because God will search us out 120 6 God only doth esteem of the worth of holiness c. Use 1 To condemn the ceremonious devotion of many 2 For humiliation 121 3 For exhortation to be upright Doct. God will search whether we be perfect 122 Difference between Gods searching and mans 1 Mans searching may be without finding 2 Hath ignorance foregoing 3 Is properly so called 4 Is necessary for knowledge 5 Is for himself 123 God searcheth five wayes 1 By his own spirit 2 By the spirit of man 3 By conscience 4 By his word 124 5 By his providence Whereby God discovers mens secret works 1 By letting his people suspect men 125 2 By letting his people injure wicked men 3 By guiding his Ministers to home preaching 4 By their own lusts and corruption 126 5 By persecution Reas 1 It
but saith he The Lord though I was one of his elect yet he let me fall to this pass that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe so we may say of Gods children after conversion David may say For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self the Lord let me fall so fouly and lifted me up again that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord and the infinite compassions and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name we should never believe the mercy of God the freeness of his grace the goodness of his nature towards his beloved towards those whom he hath effectually called were it not for such examples Secondly The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people and their security many times what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security it is a stealing sin it is a secret and cunning sin that comes closely and slightly upon a man before he is aware if he look not to himself now when a man grows to be secure the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out to punish the security of his people Peter when he had gotten faith in Christ and affection to Christ when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Christ and his heart was enlarged towards him he grow secure upon it though all forsake thee yet will not I he was Mat. 26. confident but it was carnal confidence for though the thing a man trusts in be the grace of God yet as long as it is grace received it is trusting in a mans self he therefore was carnally confident now he would venture himself into the high Priests hall though he thus affections will never be drowned he might go any whither well he comes into the high Priests hall and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers he doth not dream how easily his heart may be caused to deny Christ he did not dream what a ticklish heart he carried in his bosome he grew to be bold and venturous now the Lord to heal this security let him fall in a desperate manner he let him get a knock almost to beat out his brains even Mat. 26. 74. to curse and ban himself not only to deny Christ but with abjuration the Lord seeth it is needful to do thus when people grow secure we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes to take heed where we look and when we are in company to have a bridle in our mouth to take heed what we speak now if we grow careless and negligent and this bridle is gone and this covenant is gone and our watch is taken away no marvel though the Lord be provoked against us to punish us and that soundly and let many of his people get a knock and who knows how great a one and how hard to heal again Thirdly the Lord sometimes leaves his people to themselves that so they may see they stand meerly by grace I doe not mean by grace received though they had all faith though they had never so much knowledge never so much experience and interest in God never so much sense and feeling of him never so much life and zeal and quickening whatsoever it be all the enlargements that ever any man had I doe not mean this for a man never stands by this but by the free favour of God that is the grace a man stands by the free good will and love that God doth bear unto him Now when a childe of God shall have received a great deal of grace a great deal of knowledge and faith c. he is apt to be remisse in seeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes he thinks he can direct himselfe we see let a man have very good parts and knowledge and be able to preach how apt is he to be the lesse in prayer to God to help him to Preach and guide him to deliver the Word So let another man have a great deal of knowledge may be the man will be the less sensible of his own wretchednesse and ignorance and aptness to mistake and erre and goe aside and so to be lesse eager and earnest with God for his continual aid and teaching and assisting of him every moment So let a man have a great deal of zeal and life and quickening he is apt to discern the lesse pronenesse to coole again And suppose a man hath mortified a lust nay all his lusts he can hardly feel he hath any desire after such a sin hardly any motions or stirrings in his heart I tell you this man if he takes not heed will be a venturing oh he thinks he is cock-sure he is so taken off from the lusts of the flesh that he can never catch hurt and he may be sometimes will admit of occasions and admit of drawing something neer the pits brink he is so mortified he fears nothing Now the Lord in his infinite goodnesse to his people leaves them to themselves are you so mortified come let us see how mortified you are and so leave him to himselfe to see what the man can doe with all his knowledge and zeal and mortification and now this man falls Look how far God leaves a man so far he falls he will have his people see that they stand not by grace received but by the free grace and favour of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. No though a man have never so many gracious endowments and heavenly vertues it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindnesse in God Let a man keep close to God let a man still observe the pleasing of God that there may be a continual fountain open running down upon him from day to day for if he grow secure and look not to himselfe he exposeth himself to woful dangers Fourthly The Lord leaves his people sometimes thus fearfully to themselves that he might teach us to be sensible towards our brethren to be mild and meek and piteous and full of bowels and compassion towards the weakest and meanest of all the Saints of God if we see but any thing of God nay but any likelihood that a man is of God to be tender for fear we should wrong a childe of God the Lord doth this of purpose to breed bowels and meeknesse and gentlenesse towards his people As God lets men fall horribly before conversion that they may carry themselves meekly towards those that are unconverted for fear any of them should be of the Elect of God so he lets them fall after conversion that they may carry themselves so towards them that are converted I say the Lord lets his
grape he had planted and delighted in it but presently the Devil hooked him in which he might have prevented if he had been watchful the Devil is that Nimrod that greedy hunter that goeth up and down and makes pits and layes snares to catch souls and if we doe not watch we fall into them 1 Cor. 2. 13. Paul saith I was among you with much feare he knew what danger he was in therefore he was in much fear if we did love our own quickning and the cherishing of whatsoever grace we have received we would watch over our selves but where is this generally all the world is fast asleep even good men and all the Devil may sow what tares he will there is no watching in prayer and in hearing of the Word and doing good duties no watching in observing the Sabbath no watching in company no watching alone what may not the Devil doe when we are all as sleepy dogs and love to snoar and dulnesse and deadnesse and blockishnesse and worldlinesse and unsetlednesse grows upon us to the utmost there is no body watching against temptations they may come flowing in like violent waters there is no withstanding of them people are like to Saul that was marvellous finely quickned at one time he would not goe on in his envy against David he should not die by any meanes no his heart was so enlarged that he bound his soul by a covenant that he would be as good as his word As the Lord lives he shall not die Jonathan had used many arguments and they so wrought upon him that he could give the right hand to David and all his malice was out and David was a great man at Court again 1 Sam. 19. 6 7 8. But for want of watchfulnesse within a little while the evil spirit came into him and he would have murthered him again so Jonah when he had run from God and God had humbled him now he would never follow lying vanities any more now he would goe to Niniveh and preach let what danger would come but by and by not looking to himselfe he is as much out of tune again as ever he was as if he had never had these shinings he was overgrown with passions I doe well to be angry even Jonah 4. to the death I cannot tell which was the fouler distemper A third Cause of our general deadness is the lowness of Religion which men generally content themselves withal a low kinde of Religion that will never reach half way to Heaven that will never attain to any quickning Religion it is a very high thing Prov. 15. 24. it is a thing alone a man must raise himself aloft when he means to come into the way of eternal life it is an high calling Phil. 3. 14. It is said of Jehosaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of God Jerusalem that is above all 2 Chron. 17 godly souls that have true Religion indeed are men above Now people generally content themselves with a low kinde of serving of God that doth not come out of the suburbs of Hell and condemnation the suburbs of hell Gal. 4. reach a great way a man may goe even to heaven gates and yet be in the suburbs of hell but to get into heaven and escape hell beneath is an high pitch but men seek out a low way by the valleys they think to come to heaven this way it would choak most people to say that their conversation Phil. â— is in heaven as the Apostles was that they are strangers upon earth as the Patriarchs were that they hate every sinne as all godly men doe that they go mourning all the day long under their corruptions and failings and that it is the greatest grief of their hearts that they walk not according to Gods goodness and that they use all means to get rid of their sins that they delight in every ordinance that they delight in Gods Sabbaths and hunger and thirst after righteousness it is the greatest desire of their souls and hearts to do thus it would choak them to say thus no they never attain it this is the way of life that is above but it is too high for fooles therefore no wonder that men never come to quickning for they are not in the way of life for the way of life is above and Pro. 15. they grope after the things below and have not their conversation above now how can we look for quickning when we do not go in the way of life which is above Fourthly Another reason is the vanity of mens minds this is the cause of horrible deadness Psal 119. 37. vanity when a man gives way to it it doth horribly dead the heart vain thoughts vain speeches vain expences of time vain meetings together without benefit these are deaders they lock up mens hearts and exhaust all the good and all the sap of any goodness in them 't is true the children of God may talk how things go in a far country in the Church of God and other places and they may talk of their business in the world and this may be like bottle-beer when it is first poured out into the cup it seems to be all froth but by and by it turns to good liquor again so though these discourses about worldly affairs and how things go are froth if they go no further yet if they turn to good substance and are sanctified and brought home to the heart to edifie and awaken and bring a man nearer to God now they are good where there is a good use made of them but otherwise they are horrible instruments of death and soul-murther among men Fifthly Mutual example we do even dead one another for people are apt to look upon one another Ministers upon people and people upon Ministers and Ministers one upon another and if we be not much cast behind one another we hope all is well with us this is that which deads peoples hearts whereas people should follow Gods light Gods dealing with them and not look upon others and if we look upon others we should look upon those that are quickned Luke 7. 44. seest thou this woman c. there was a woman was quickned indeed her bowels melted her eyes were fountains of tears her very soul was affected she was quickned indeed seest thou this woman so if we will look upon others upon the Saints of God seest thou this woman look upon those that are most quickned but when we look upon others and say such a one doth so and so and why may not I I may do as well as he when we do thus this is apt to dead our hearts The sixth cause of deadness is covetousness and worldliness Christians that have been weaned from the world so long as they keep their minds off from the world and set them upon better things they are full of life and quickning and are able to pray and confer sweetly but when as once
how dead and fruitless were they whereunto shall I liken this generation c. Mat. 11. 16. c. the meaning is this John the Baptist he came mourning and in a doleful manner fasting and afflicting himself and crying out Repent he mourned but none would relent Christ he came piping he came in another manner he came eating and drinking and he preached gracious things the Kingdom of God and the acceptable year of our Lord now saith he you have not daunced all these things have not affected your hearts a jot you are as blockish as if you had no Ministry at all as Christ saith Mat. 8. 22. let the dead bury their dead what doth he mean by that he means those that are dead in their souls those that are dead in their spirits and souls they are fit for dead imployments and nothing else the coherence was this there was a man came to Christ and was willing it seems to be the Disciple of Christ but oh saiâ—h he first I pray thee let me go and bury my father bury thy father saith he any man may serve for that let the dead bury their dead those that are fit for nothing else may do that but if thy heart be alive thou art fit for me thou art fit for spiritual employments but when a man hath a dead heart he is sit for nothing as Christ he gave the bag to Judas he was the fittest man for that so let a man be in office if he be dead he hath no heart to punish sin no not so much as to use his faithful endeavour to root it out nay he will pull down the guilt of the sins of the parish upon his own soul rather then he will stickle a little for God Judg. 4. 8. how backward was Barak to go against the enemies of the Lord if you will go I will go saith he to Deborah otherwise he had no heart to go so Esther how dull was she to stand for the Church of God she would let the Church be ruinated rather then she would go and speak to the King in the behalf thereof but that Mordecai stirred her up soundly now is not this a sufficient motive to stir us up to labour for quickning how can we do the things God calls for from day today we should stand for him and call upon him and set up his worship in our families we should fear his name and set him before our eyes and fight against sin and labour to please him in all our wayes now without being quickned we are sit for none of these things now what a woful thing is it when we shall not be furnished to every good work as we should and fitted to do that which God requires of us therefore let us shake off this dulness and blockishness of spirit Thirdly Another motive is this we can have no true sign at all to our 3. Motive souls that we have any true grace at all as long as we are dead when Christ is said to give a man grace he is said to quicken a man Joh. 5. 21. conversion is called the life of the dead a mans repentance is no better then the repentance of a reprobate unless it be repentance from dead works and repentance unto life if a man hath faith it is not the faith of Gods elect if it doth not quicken him I live by faith saith Paul Gal. 2. 20. justification is communicated only to a man that is quickned God together with justification doth quicken a man he doth revive him and make him alive towards God nay we have no argument that we have our sins forgiven us unlesse God hath quickned us Col. 2. 13. he hath quickned them having forgiven them all trespasses when God forgives the trespasses of his people he doth quicken them hâ— takes away the dulness of their hearts and the blockishness of theâ—r minds and the senselesness of their consciences and their awkness and untowardness to that which is good he doth quicken them up â— every man hath life for we see how lively men are in seeking after their profits and pleasures people have life enough but it is upon things here below and they have affections enough love enough and hope enough and joy and delight enough in the world but they are set upon carnal things but if grace comes into the heart it is the vigour of the heart now as long as we are dead and dull what sign of grace can we have if we have grace yeâ— we cannot have any proof and comfort of it as long as we are drowzy and dull 't is true no man can have any grace but he hath some life but if he doth not quicken up himself he hinders himself of the peace and comfort that otherwise he might have hence it is that the conscience is troubled and people are unsetled and are so full of fears to dye hence iâ— is that people are so like to the sea the waves whereof cannot rest their minds are unquiet and unsetled it is for want of quickning if we were quickned we should have great peace come into our souls Fourthly We cannot grow in grace unless we are quickned as long as 4. Motive we are thus dull and heavy and lumpish to the things that are good we cannot grow in grace Hos 14. 7. they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine first they shall revive and then grow first God quickens a man and then he makes him grow the Philippians love was dead to Paul afterwards it quickned again now saith he your love flourishâ—th Phil. 4. 10. now their hearts were quickned it began to grow but when a man hath a dead heart how can he grow as he said Joh. 15. 4. can the branch bear fruit without the vine so may I say can a mans heart grow in goodness without life it is only a living creature that can grow if a plant be once dead it withers away and cannot grow if a man have a dead heart though he should hear lectures and sermons every day he would never grow he would be never the more holy never the more godly if he should have family prayer closet prayer yet if he should be dead he should have never the more ability against his temptations though the ordinances of God be admirable helps to growing yet if a man be dead and dull they will never help him to grow in grace though grace be of a growing nature yet a dead heart starves all the graces that a man hath Fifthly Another motive is this as long as we are dead we shall be so 5. Motive far from growing that we shall be hardly able to keep our own Rev. 3. 2. strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye as who should say thou art so far from growing that the good things that are in thee are even ready to dye thou wilt lose that very good that is in thee if thou dost
sin therefore though when we resist occasions and temptations of sin we are able to abstain and contain our selves yet because we are not perfectly weaned if we give way to occasions we lose all when we will rashly venture upon the occasions of evil we lose our strength therefore saith David Psal 101. 3. I will set no evil thing before mine eyes as he would not do it so he would not have it in his sight every man is privy to himself and may know what thoughts what desires what appearances what customs what speeches are occasions of evil to him he might know what doth occasion him to sin may be he had not committed sin but for this or that now when a man shall give way to these occasions and not stand upon his guard this loseth all a mans strength as Saul he was privy to himself how testy and furious he was and if he had any instrument of fury in his hand he had no power over himself yet he would ever be with his javelin in his hand when he was in the field or in the house still he had his javelin in his hand now you may see what mischief he exposed himself unto he flung it twice at David and a third time at his own son Jonathan if he had been careful not to have given way to the occasions of sin knowing how weak he was and that he had not command over himself he might have escaped this a man that is furious had not need alwayes to have a sword about him a man had need shun all the occasions of evil Joseph was a strong man how can I do this wickedness c. all the temptations of his Mistriss could not allure him what was the cause of this he would not hearken to his Mistris nor be with her Gen. 39. What made Achan to be so weak he must needs take the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold he gave way to the occasion I looked upon it saith he he being privy to his own covetous heart should have been shy of giving any occasion to the flesh but he giving way to the Josh 7. 21. occasion was weak and not able to stand Fourthly We should never go up and down without a constant continual purpose to please God when we first rise in the morning we should think with our selves well I purpose to take heed of sin this day so when I am at dinner I will take heed that I let not the remembrance of God go out of my mind I will have fresh thoughts of him while I am at board as it is said of Daniel he purposed not to defile himself with the Kings meat So when we go into the fields we should think with our selves I purpose God Dan. 1. 8. willing to beware that I may not come home with a guilty conscience do things that may be to my shame and wounding another day when we are to come among wicked people we should resolve before we come I will let fall nothing to dishonour God thus if we would go armed up and down we should go strongly if we would make serious resolutions to cleave to God and not to do evil this would strengthen us now when temptations meet us unresolved we are not able to put them off Fifthly We should frequent the Ordinances of God First We should be careful of hearing the word of God in a godly manner Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary Psal 96. 6. there is strength to be had in Gods house in Gods courts his Word and Ordinances are the food of the soul that as bread strengthens a mans body so this spiritual bread of life strengthens a mans soul So again For prayer to go to God in prayer that would strengthen us Prov. 18. 10. So the Sacraments they are a means to strengthen us to go to the Lords Table with hunger and thirst and serious consideration of our own unworthiness and of our need and with true faith unto it the Lords Supper is a means to strengthen as it is noted in the primitive Church Acts 2. 42. so again for meditations if we would meditate of the things we hear of Gods word and his blessings and judgement and warning we have from day to day if we would digest these things and chew them from day to day they would yield a great deal of nourishment unto us as David saith Blessed is the man whose meditations are in Gods Law he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers side and his leafe shall not wither Psal 1. 2 3. that man shall flourish like a green bay tree So for holy conference that is a great means to strengthen all good things as those good people when the times were bad mark how they strengthned themselves that they might not be infected with evil they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3. 16. Sixthly We should put forth our selves to the utmost in good duties it is our lazinesse and idleness that we are not more able to do good and that we are so frail and infirm to do any thing that is of God if we would take pains and put forth our selves we should be strong and indeed what is strength but taking of pains when a man puts forth himself as Eccles 10. 10. that is a man must take the more pains the more pains a man takes the more strength he puts forth there is no creature that God hath made besides man but doth act to its utmost strength the fire burns as much as ever it can and the light shines as much as ever it can and the stone goes down as low as ever it can every creature works as far as it can but now man he can limit his strength because he hath reason and will and according as he sees a thing more or less necessary according as he sees it easier or harder to be attained accordingly he lessens or puts forth his strength and it is great reason that God should give man power to limit his strength for he is to deal with the creature as well as with the Creator and if he should love and seek the creature as much as ever he can this were Idolatry therefore the Lord hath given a man power to limit his strength not to let out all his love or fear upon any thing here below but yet God doth not give a man that power to limit his strength and the exercise of it towards his Maker but he should let out all towards God as David saith let all that is within wee praise the Lord he opens his floodgates wide and le ts out all towards Psal 103. God Seventhly Consider that all received strength is worth nothing unlesse God give us new supply wherefore are true Christians weak at any time but because they think thus I had true grace in the morning and an hour ago I had the fear of God and the hatred of sin and
receive strength as it is said of Moses Heb. 11. 28. By faith he received the Passeover so if by faith we would receive the Lords Supper and beat down all doubts and fears of flesh and blood and resolve to cast our selves upon Christ and his promises and let him have the disposing of us if we would truly cast our selves upon Christ and believe in his name and so come to the Sacrament we should have strength how can we get strength without this Eph. 3. 17. When we come to the Sacrament we come to partake of Christ and receive Christ that we may dwell in Christ and he in us Now he will not doe thus without faith faith is the wedding garment if we come without it we shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness may be thou wert fettered before but now thou shalt be more bound even bound hand and foot that thou canst not stir as the Apostle saith Above all things take the shield of faith so I may say if you will come to the Sacrament to your Eph. 6. own peace and comfort above all things take the shield of faith When men come to the Sacrament only with bodily eyes and bodily hands what do they get nothing but a piece of bread and a drop of wine but if they had faith they should have the evidence of things not seen Christ and heaven and the covenant of grace are not seen with bodily eyes faith would help them to the evidence of these things not seen as St. Austin speaks of a worthy Martyr when he was to suffer Martyrdome he took the Sacrament to strengthen him to suffer Martyrdom and the Martyrs in the Primitive Church every day expecting Martyrdom they every day received the Sacrament to help them with strength but when we come to the Sacrament without faith we deprive our selves of this benefit Now as long as we give way to our sins doubting will reign and faith cannot be in our soules Fourthly Because they do not seek earnestly to God to blesse the Sacrament to them they do not make themselves strong in heaven before they come they do not go with strong cries and groans to the Throne of grace that God would quicken them that they may get the good they ought to do at it If we would come to the Sacrament of Lords Supper as we ought to do we should be earnest with God and wrestle with him that he would make us sensible of our wants and that he would pluck up our hearts to come with faith that he would strengthen us that we may behave our selves well when we are there and when we come away every Ordinance of God is sanctified by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. Now because either people do not pray at all or if they do they are not earnest with God therefore it is that they return home little the better Fifthly Because they do not behave themselves â—ell when they are at it they are not well occupied when they sit at the Lords Table they know not how to employ themselves as the duty requires this is that would help us to true strength by the Sacrament if we were well employed when we were at it Cant. 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his table c. saith the Church that is while the King was enjoying communion with me and I with him I was just at the same time very well employed I laboured in some measure to stir up all the graces that were in me that my Spikenard might send up a sweet perfume into his nostrils that my faith might work and my love might work so while we are sitting at the Lords Table and the King sitteth down to bid us welcome we should labour to be well employed to keep vanities out of our minds and employ them well that we may have a good meal before we go Sixthly Because people when they have been at the Sacrament they do not examine themselves diligently whither they have got any good by the Sacrament I have received the Sacrament have I got any good by it is my faith strengthned am I yet backward to Gods will untoward in his worship dead in his service am I still hovering and doubting in my conscience have I no care of God have I got no good by the Sacrament if people would but call themselves to account whither they have got any good by the Sacrament this would do them a great deal of good it would make them bewail and lament and cry out if they got no good people let things râ—n on at six and sevens if they get good so it is if they get none so it is but lay it not to heart whereas a godly heart when he hath been at an Ordinance calls himself to account and takes it marvellous heavily if he see he hath got no good as the Church when she prayed and saw her prayers did not prevail it was a bitter thing to her Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud that our prayer should not pass thorow Lam. 3. 44. when she saw she prayed and strived and tugged with God and there was no comfort O how she took it to heart she made it the burthen of her complaint so if Christians would do thus The Sacrament doth not take the Lord covers himself with clouds and hides himself from me he will not own me we should go crying and yelling up and down to see that we do not get good by the Sacrament if we would do thus we might get good by it Seventhly If people do get good by the Sacrament afterwards yet they do not interpret this to be by the goodness of God in the Sacrament may be they meet with some comfort and assistance now and then which might do them a world of good and strengthen their hearts wonderfully if they did look to it when they have gotten many good blessings now they do not construe this to be by reason of Gods Sacrament and Covenant if they did look upon it O this came by vertue of Gods Covenant and the seal of his Covenant to my soul this would make them strong in Gods Covenant and help them exceedingly thus David did if he got any mercy at any time still he laid it upon going to Gods Ordinances this I had because I kept thy precepts This I had because I prayed unto thee and sought thee Psal 119. earnestly I followed God earnestly and now I see his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards me how he hath rewarded me I confess it was a poor thing I did God might even have slung it as dung in my face but see how he hath rewarded me So if Christians would say this I had because I was careful though I had formerly neglected Gods Ordinances yet at last I came to seek him earnestly with my whole heart and to come more preparedly and diligently to the Lords Supper and now this I find I had by it
in the sight of men for that is nothing but perfect in the sight of God before God Fourthly That the Lord Jesus searcheth whither they be so or no. Fifthly Upon due search he finds it out many times not onely in particular persons but in particular Churches as we see here in the Church of Sardis that their works are not so For the first of these That the second Covenant requires works we see Observat 1. The second Covenant requires works here that the Lord Jesus looks for works in the Church of Sardis that were in covenant with him 't is true there is this difference between the two Covenants the first covenant requires works as the condition of it He that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3. 12. The doers of the Law shall be blessed Rom. 2. 13. Therefore it is called the covenant of works and that in two senses First In that works are the condition of it Secondly In that it is left unto man God gives onely a power not to sin if so be that man will but he doth not give the will Now the second covenant is not a covenant of works the condition of it is not works but the condition of it is faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. Therefore it is called a covenant of grace and that in two respects opposite to the former not onely in regard that these works are done by another and so nothing is required of the party justified but onely faith for his justification but also because though the covenant of grace require works yet God doth not expect a man should doe any thing of himself but it is by grace we are saved by grace through faith and not of our selves it is the gift of God I say the second covenant is a covenant of grace and yet it requires works And works are here necessary First by necessity of presence for though faith be the condition yet it is such a faith as hath necessarily good works together present with it as the Apostle speaks Faith if it have not works is dead Jam. 2. 17. Good works they are inseparably joyned together with true faith for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also not as though works were the essential forme of true faith but the nature of faith if it be true is such as doth necessarily cause good works to accompany with it They are necessary by necessity of inseparable effects good works are not onely present together with faith but they are so present as that they doe flow from faith God hath required such a faith in the covenant of grace as doth produce good works they are not onely inseparable from faith but thus inseparable that true faith must needs produce them He that hath this hope purifies himselfe as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. That is He that hath this faith he sets down faith by the effect hope and sets it down by another effect it must needs purifie it makes that man purifie himself as Christ is pure So Christ having exhorted them to believe having raised up their minds to believe the things that are above Lay up your treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 20. in the next verse he shews this will have the effect of all manner of good works For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also it will draw up your hearts and make you heavenly-minded and make you seek the things that are above where your treasure is there will your hearts be also So likewise we may see Heb. 11. thorow the whole chapter what abundance of effects are set down of true saving faith By faith Abel offered sacrifice to God By faith Noah being warned of God obeyed God and did the things that God commanded verse 7. And so by faith Abraham when he was called yielded to God So by faith believers wrought righteousness and did wonderfull things subdued Kingdomes c. They were able to work wonderful effects so that when a man hath not works when he doth not obey God through the power of faith he hath not faith it self Thirdly Good works are necessary by necessity of signs they are not only to be in a Believer as effects but as proofs of his faith â—or a man must justifie his faith by his works they are signes and proofs whereby he may know whether his faith be true and of the right stamp oâ— no for if a mans faith be a lively faith a faith that doth justifie though in the act of justiâ—ication it be alone yet in existency it is not alone but it hath good â—orks together with it as signs and marks of the same as 1 John 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and 〈◊〉 not the truth Hereby we may know that we are deceived we may think we have saith and so fellowship together with him yet if we walk in darknesse we may know we lye for this could not be if we had fellowship with God So 1 John 2. 4. He that saâ— I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar Hereby shall all men know ye are my discâ—ples if ye love me 〈◊〉 or saith Christ and as it is a sign to others so it is a sign to a mans own self Herâ—by we know that we are passed from death to life it we loveth Brethren He sets down one good work in stead of all other if we bring forth the works of new obedience and if our hearts be purgâ—d of God iâ— we bring forth the fruits of holiness this is a signe we have faith for faith makes a man to choose God for his God and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him and a supply of all the good we need in him and so it makes a man to love God and by love to doe the works of God Fourthly Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement not onely to be effects and signes of faith but they are also such things as are commanded of God God hath commanded good works that we should walk in all holiness of conversation to be holy as he is holy that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour Tit. 3. 8. The same God that commands us to believe commands us to maintain good works as we may see there we sâ—e that Ministers are to urge people and maintaine it against all gainsayers that there is a necessity of good works and that the Lord will have us to go on in them for faith through the Object of it as it justifies is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole
thrusts himselfe forward to doe them he longed for Gods commandements he longed for the spirit of grace to assist him and quicken his heart Now a naughty heart is not good in all cases nay there are but a few cases wherein he is good at all Again Take an upright man in the lowest ebb he doth question his sincerity and he cannot quiet himselfe because he thinks he hath it not but this is certain a man that hath most sincerity doth most suspect the want of it that man is most eager and most questions himselfe as David was not he an upright man yet no man did suspect himselfe more Psalm 119. 80. as who should say Lord I am afraid I shall be ashamed in the end I am afraid my heart is not sound towards thee and directly sometimes I am horribly afraid I shall be confounded in the end Now good Lord let me be sound in thy statutes that I may not be confounded So it was with Christs Disciples when he said one of them should betray him though eleven of his Disciples were privy to themselves that they had not the least thought to betray him yet eleven of the Disciples did suspect themselves I may be the man that he means though they were privy to themselves for the present they had no such thought nay it was against the love and principles they had in them they did love him and fear him and believe in him to be the Saviour of the world and they durst not doe it yet they suspected themselves Master is it I As who should say I have a base corrupt heart and it may be I for all the goodnesse that is in â—e and the love I bear to thee they were all more unquiet then Judas that was the man indeed when all questioned it he would question it also for company Seventhly an upright man is universal in regard of relations Consider him with good people and the Saints of God O how he loves them he honours them that fear the Lord Psal 15. 4. Though they â—e never so poor and vile yet he honours them that fear the Lord as Elisha saith he would not have spoken but onely for Jehosaphat so an upright man he honours the Saints of God All my delight is in the Saints saith David Psal 16. Psal 119. 63. Nay an upright man is faithful with the Saints as it is said of good Judah she was faithful with the Saints Hos 11. 12. So an upright man is faithful with the Saints his heart closeth with them they are his bosome friends and the beloved of his soule But one that is not sound though he take himself to be a Christian and one of Gods servants yeâ— he cares not for the people of God may be he cares for those that seem to be religious but if a man he religious indeed he cares not for him he is too nice and precise for him and he is false to the Saints and will shew â—hem some slippery trick in the end Now again Consider an upright man with the wicked he carries himselfe uprightly towards them he will not be acquainted with them nor all one with them lest he should countenance their wicked wayes as the Psalmist speaks He despiseth them that are wicked Psal 15. 4. Let a vile man be never so brave and excellent and noble and high in preferment yet if he be a wicked man in the eyes of a godly man he is despised I doe not mean for his person he gives him the honour due to his place as he ought to doe a childe to his Father a servant to his Master c. as Paul Acts 22. 1. Though they persecuted him he gave them their due but he abhors their courses and practises as Solomon saith A wicked man is an abomination to the just Now an unsound heart though he joyn himselfe to the people of God yet he cannot close with the Saints of God but abhors them and counts them vile Again Consider an upright man with his friends he is true to them especially to their souls Consider him with his enemies he doth not yield them railing for railing he dares not hate them that hate him but blesseth them that curse him and prayes for them that despitefully use him Consider him in his Family he sets himselfe to walk uprightly in the midst of his house if he be a Master he labours to be a servant to Christ and if he be a servant he labours to be the Lords Freeman and to be a profitable servant to his Master if he hath Superiours he gives them the reverence due unto them and if he deal with inferiours he makes himselfe equall with those of low degree Thus an upright man is good in all relations Lastly An upright man is good in all the manners and circumstances of his actions he is careful to doe not onely for matter what God commands him but for the manner as God commands him though he doth what God commands yet if he dotâ—â—ot find the love of God setting him a work he is not contented he must 〈◊〉 in a right manner constantly duely faithfully and to a right end to the glory of God he is not content to pray and hear but he must pray and hear in a right manner or else he is not content Now if thou hast these signs and tokens of an upright heart blessed be God thou mayst take all the comforts spoken of before concerning an upright heart and mayst take all the promises of God to thy self that are made to an upright heart may be men may call thee hypocrite and say all manner of evil of thee but either they are such as doe not know thee or if they doe they are some vile wretches they have not the fear of God before their eyes may be the Devil will accuse thee and cast in all accusations against thee before God but what of all that God himselfe said Job was an upright man and yet the Devil accused him for an hypocrite therefore care not for the Devils accusations may be thine own conscience may accuse thee but if thou labour to humble thy self for thy failings and stir up the gift of God that is in thee if thou unfeignedly desire and endeavour to please God and serve him no matter though thy conscience accuse thee 1 Cor. 4. 3. Paul saith I cannot be my own Judge but God shall judge me 'T is true conscience is a judge but it is subordinate and must be guided and ruled by the Word of God as the clock is the judge of the day but it must be ruled by the Sun Davids conscience was his judge I have cleansed my hands in vain but the clock lyed so thy conscience may lye and accuse thee falsly and speak things against thee that are not so but if thy conscience hath things against thee indeed and in truth that thou art guilty of such and such sins and failings yet it doth not follow but
thou mayst be sincere therefore believe not conscience when thou hast the Word of God on thy side nay may be God himselfe will seem to accuse thee and to be thine enemy and discountenance thee and will not own thee for one of his children when thou commest before him he will seem to dash thee under his feet and give thee no countenance but look upon thee as an enemy yet be not dismayed if thou hast these things in thee in any measure the Lord doth this that he may doe thee good in thy latter end he doth it that he may humble thee and try thee whether thou wilt live by faith or by sense and whether thou darest trust him but if thou hast not these signs of uprightness thou art in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity and thou canst have no true comfort to thine own soul The next point is That as we must be perfect so we must be perfect before Doctrine We must labour to be perfect before God God I have not found thy works perfect before God As who should say I lookt thou shouldst be perfect before him and I have not found it so Well then for the meaning of the word perfect before God that is so as God may approve and allow of them Now a mans works may be perfect so as God may approve of them two wayes First So as God may approve of them in his strict Justice and so no mans works can be perfect Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. No man living can be justified before God So Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law shall no man be justified before him This therefore is not the meaning Secondly To be perfect before God so as God shall approve of â—s in his mercy in Jesus Christ for his owne faithful people as it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 5. This is the meaning of the place Now if you would know what it is to be perfect before God it is this in one word when a man is for matter and for manner right in the eyes of God not only right in the eyes of men to be a 〈…〉 ed of men but right in the eyes of God to be approved of God for matt 〈…〉 n a man doth those things that God commands him and for manner 〈◊〉 he doth them as God commands him out of faith in God and love to God and fear of God when a man doth it with all his heart soule and strength when a man doth it constantly and frequently and livelily in some measure this is to be upright before God you may see both these set down in one verse Deut. 6. 25. Here is the matter If ye observe to doe his commandements and then here is the manner right in the eyes of the Lord as he hath commanded If we doe thus then we are upright before God Now if either of these be wanting we are not upright before God if we doe not for matter what God hath commanded if we lye or swear or be covetous or proud or worldly these things are of the Devil and not of God we doe the thingâ— of the Devil and not the things of God Again If a man should bow the knee to Baal and doe the inventions of men this is not to be unright before God but if we doe the things that God doth not bid us God will say as he did Matth. 15. 9. If we doe for the matter the things that God hath commanded yet if the manner be wanting if we doe them not as God hath commanded if we doe them not with faith and love to God with conscience and fervency and quickning all is nothing as it is said of Amaziah he did those things that were right in the eyes of the Lord but the Lord cared not for it 2 Chron. 25. 2. it was not with an upright heart Therefore when both these concur this is to be upright before God First Because God hath so commanded thou shalt have no other gods Reason 2 before me that is I will have thee sincere before me As who should say thou mayst vow and swear and protest thou dost love God and fear God but if it be not so indeed thou hast a false heart if thou hast carnal ends if thou lovest the world more then God and thou lovest thy lusts more then him if it be so woe unto thee God will have thee upright before him As God saith to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be upright As who should say Abraham if there be any way of wickedness in thee thou art not for me look thou be perfect before me if thou dost acknowledge that I am God Almighty and I am able to help thee and succour thee in all estates then be upright before me when a man sins it is for something he sins now what is there that is good but we may have it in God God is Almighty and therefore he would have us upright before him and if we be not upright he is Almighty and can crush us and destroy us for ever so that we should not only be upright before men but before God Secondly As the Law is so so is the Gospel if a man hath not faith in Christ Jesus that man is no true Christian howsoever he may hope to be saved by Christ yet if he be not upright before God in all his wayes and commandements in some measure in studying and endeavouring to keep himself unspotted of the world in all things he hath not faith he doth not believe in Jesus Christ Psal 116. 9 10. as David saith I will walke before the Lord in â—â—e land of the living how comes David to speak that O I believed therefore I have spoken if a man believe in God it will make him walke well not only before men but before God who is privy to all his thoughts and affections privy to what he doth both at home and abroad privy to what he doth alone and in company in his shop and in the market unless he be upright before him that knows all things he is not a believer though Simon Magus were baptized and did partake of Christian Religion and had some kinde of faith and joyned himselfe to Philip and the Church as a member of the Church and gave over his witchcraft and wicked courses yet when Peter saw his heart was not right before God marke what he saith Acts 8. 21. God hath sworne an oath that whomsoever he delivers from sin from Satan from Hell from the wrath to come they shall be holy and righteous before him Luke 1. 73. God will not be forsworne if thou dost hope to be saved by Jesus Christ and prayest and howlest and criest in thy afflictions from the bottom of thy heart with all thy eagerness to be saved by Jesus Christ God hath sworne an oath thou shalt not be saved by him unless thou wilt walk in holiness and
should sâ—â—rch us oâ—t is it good for us to leave all this wâ—â—â— to him to neglâ—â—t 〈◊〉 soules to lay aside our lives and consciences and bosâ—mâ—s and never to â—ansick thâ—m from â—ay to day never to enquire into our owne bosomes that we may reforâ—â— our selves but leave all to God to search us doe you think this â—ill doe will saith Job Then when afflictions and death and judgement shall come that then God should search you and lay before you your works therefore as you desire when God shall search you you may be found upright be careful to search your selves FINIS 2 TIM 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began IN this verse the Apostle declares what God hath done for him and for Timothy he hath saved us that is he hath redeemed us with the blood of his Son and freed us from sin and from Satan and from hell and hath given us title to eternal life he hath saved us 2. He hath called us that is he hath given us a pledge of this that we shall be saved that we shall The reasons of Gods mercies to Paul and Timothy certainly have salvation compleatly and fully for he hath called us Now he illustrates this two wayes first by shewing what kinde of calling it is which he here means and that is an holy calling he hath called us with an holy calling and then 2ly By shewing the reason why God would do these things for him and for Timothy these are great things what to save them and make them heirs of his Kingdome and to call them to the fellowship of Jesus Christ and give them interest in all Gods goodness and mercy what should be the reason that should move God to do so much for Paul and for Timothy he doth here expresse this three wayes First by removing all false causes not according to our works as who The removing of false causes should say it is not for any thing in us there was nothing in us that moved God to do this 2ly He layes down the true cause of it in the next words but according to The true cause of it his own purpose and grace that is he hath done it freely out of his own mercy and love and according to his own purpose Lastly He proves this and that by three arguments that this must be the Proved by three arguments cause and no other the first is this it was a gift that was given us therefore it must needs be free 2ly It was given in Jesus Christ as who should say he did not look at any thing in us there was nothing in us that was in his eyes no it was meerly for the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Another argument is taken from the time when and that is from all eternity before the world began The point that I will handle out of these words is this that it is an excellent Doctrine thing for a man to be able to say that God hath effectually called him the Apostle here speaks it as a great comfort to his soul and the soul of Timothy and as a pledge of Gods everlasting love and salvation to them both that the Lord had called them and had been pleased to take them out of the world and to make them partakers of his Kingdome and glory Now for the opening of the point I will here first shew you what kinde of For the opening of the point calling it is that is here spoken of and it is not that calling whereby God doth call people to an office as of a Magistrate or a Minister but he speaks of a general calling of a calling out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan into the Kingdome of his dear Son to be made partakers of eternal communion with himself 2ly It is not an outward call whereby wicked men that go on in their sins are called for so a reprobate may be called he may be called out of his own sinful courses and wretched estate and condition to the participation of Jesus Christ thus every man is called all men are called by Gods Ministers as Mat. 22. 9. the King sent out his servants to bid all that they found to the marriage Secondly A reprobate may be called inwardly by Gods Spirit I mean the How a reprobate may be called Spirit of God may go along with Gods Ministers to strive and wrestle with the soul and conscience of a man that remains in his sins Prov. 1. 24. because I called and ye refused therefore will I laugh at your destruction and mâ—â—ke when your fear cometh Thirdly A wicked man may be called not only with an outward call of How a wicked man may be called the Minister and with an inward call of the Spirit but with some efficacy it may go a great way so far forth as to make a man come in some kindâ— as it was with the man Mat. 22. 12. He was called together with the râ—sâ—â—â— come to the wedding and he came but he came without a wedding garment nâ—w one of these callings are meant here for in this sence many are called but 〈…〉 sâ—n Mat. 22. 14. But the calling here meant is a different calling from them and that in three things First It is a call according to Gods own purpose when God calls a man and hath a purpose to make a man come in deed and to come home this is A calling to Gods purposes the calling here spoken of Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for the best to Gods children that are called according to his purpose as God calls them so he doth purpose to make them come to himself and make them partakers of everlasting mercy God hath no such purpose when he calls the reprobate he hath a purpose indeed to do them good if it be not through their own default but yet notwithstanding he hath no such purpose and absolute intention to do them good he hath no such purpose to bring them to his Kingdome and carry them quite through in the business Secondly This is a secret in Gods own bosome and that is another difference How one calling differs from another wherein this calling differs from the other it is such a calling wherein God puts forth his power and the greatness of his power too God called the light and it came God called the Heavens and they came when as they were not God calling of them they were made to come so when God doth call a man by his Spirit he calls a man powerfully he doth powre in divine instincts of grace and faith and all other holy vertues whereby the soul is made able to come to God the Lord gives the heart a kinde of touch that being touched by his Spirit it must and
knowledge of a mans calling Ans may be had yet it is had by degrees it is a gradual knowledge a man cannot know it all at first dash God doth not manifest his favour and love all at once to his people and when he gives it he doth not presently tell a man what he gives him though there be wayes for him to know it and find it out yet the Lord doth not open himself to his people all at the first nay he doth not so to his own Son Christ Jesus in respect of his humanity as he grew in stature and wisdom so he grew in favour with God Luk. 2. 52. The divine nature manifested it self more and more to his humane so God doth manifest his favour and love and openeth himself to his people more and more according as they grow in goodness they grow in this knowledge as they are more and more pure in heart the more do they see God and Gods goodness to them and what God hath done for them this knowledge though it be to be had yet it is to be had by degrees and the people of God have it not all in one degree some have it in a higher degree and some in a lower but every man hath some of this knowledge that he is called of God it is impossible that a man should be effectually called and be wholly and totally ignorant of it Secondly As this knowledge is gradual so it is experimental a man knows The knowledge of effectual calling experimental that he is called by experience chiefly and mainly as when a man knows by experience that he comes to God and draws near to God and that he doth abstract himself from the world and worldly wayes and practises and layes aside more and more the carnal wayes of men and doth approach nearer and nearer unto the things of God in Christ if a man hath experience of these things he comes now to say God hath effectually called me and hath been pleased to do me good when he finds this by experience that these things â—re wrought in him then he can conclude this at the first he was like a man in a vision he could hardly believe that God had effectually called him as it was with Peter when the Angel delivered him out of prison he was as one that had seen a vision he had not thought it had been a real thing he could not tell what to make of it Act. 12. 11. but when he came to himself now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me out of prison At first he could not tell what to make of it but afterwards when he saw he was in the streets and that the iron gate opened to him of its own accord now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me So it is with the people of God at first when they hear something from the Father they know not what to make of this call at the first but afterwards when they come to see this lust and that lust fall off and these and these heavenly works in their souls they now know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit into their souls and delivered them from sins and Satan and hell and damnation c. At first they were like dreamers they were not able to say whether they were called or no as the children of Israel when they were delivered out of captivity they could hardly believe it at first Psal 126. 1. When the Lord turned away the captivity of Zion we were as those that dreamed we could hardly perswade our selves that God had delivered us out of captivity with such a mercy so great a favour so unlikely so improbable it could never enter into their hearts almost we were like those that dreamed but when they saw they were in Jerusalem and were helped and assisted and heard the Gentiles talke of it and all the people runne up and down when they saw it was so and had experience of it then they saw God had done it indeed and did believe it so when a man is first effectually called to come out of his sins the Lord knocks off his bolts and plucks him out of the jaile of hell and sets him as it were in Jerusalem he is at first as a man that dreams he can hardly believe it is so as it was with David when God called him to be King he could hardly believe it it could hardly enter into his heart that he should be King over Israel especially being dayly persecuteed by Saul and calamities heaping up themselves against him he could not conclude it but when the Lord had set him in his Kingdome and given him victory over his enemies now saith he I know that the Lord saveth his anointed now he could speak it and found it by experience that the Lord had made him his anointed and saved and delivered him from all his enemies before he was ready to deny it and say Samuel was a lyar he had anointed him to be King but I said in my hast all men are lyars but when he had experience of it now saith he I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed Thirdly As the knowledge of effectual calling is gradual and experimental so likewise it is very spiritual it is a marvellous spiritual work and therefore The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual no marvel though it be something insensible indeed there be things in it which are very sencible and conspicuous as may be a reprobate may be galled at a Sermon he may have his eyes broad open to see his sins and iniquities and may be wonderfully wrought upon and may have the sencible work of vocation by the very Spirit of God but the very specificalness of it whereby this effectual calling doth differ from all other callings this is a marvelous Spiritual thing and therefore no wonder that it is insencible sometimes and many of the people of God feare they have it not these things may be done in the soul of a man and a man not know it and yet it may seem strange that the eyes of the blind should be opened and the feet of the lame should walk and the dead should be raised and the devils should be cast out it is strange I say that these things should be done in a mans soul and yet the man in whose soul they are done should be ignorant of them it is a strange thing but the works of the Spirit are wonderful secret the actions of the Spirit are very invisible when a man humbles himself and prayes and mournes these are sencible he knows what they are many talke of hunger and thirst and reformation c. But to see the saving sanctifying gracious work of God in these things that is a marvelous hard thing to find this and it is very spiritual as Solomon saith Eccl. 11. 5. As thou knowest
passed from death to life saith the Apostle this is an allusion to a mans effectual calling afterwards a man brings forth the fruits of life and is alive to God but when a man is first effectually called there is his passage from death to life he was a dead man before Now this effectual calling therefore is the first work that is wrought in a man because it is the first passage of a man from death to life it is a transition from sinne hell and damnation to be in Christ therefore marke how Peter speaks when he had a hope that his hearers were effectually called Acts 8. 40. Save your selves saith he from this untoward generation as who should say this is your first parting from the world the first shaking of hands and bidding them farewell if you be effectually called as you seem to be come out from among them and save your selves from this untoward generation this is the first bursting of the bonds between you and sin the first breaking of the league between you and carnal company now save your selves from this untoward generation and make it appeare that you are called this the Apostle sheweth Gal. 1. 13. that before he was called he had nothing in him at all you have heard saith he how in times past beyond measure I persecuted the Church c. I confesse I had goodly things in me and I profitted in the jewish Religion above many my equals in my own nation being more jealous for the traditions of my fathers I was marvellous strict and forward and for the letter of the law I was marvellous zealous and blamelesse there were excellent good things in me but I had nothing of Christ all this while but when it pleased God who seperated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace c. as who should say now here was the first dawning of that blessed light in my heart now begun that to appeare when God called me by his grace and first revealed his Son in me then was the deed done and never till then so also he shews that he was a cursed creature living in iniquity it may be himself and his companions took him to be as good a man as any was in all Israel but see how he casts his own water Tit. 3. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish serving divers lusts c. but after that the kindness and love of God appeared c. from thence he began to be in the estate of grace when God called him out of that bad estate when God made a breach between him and his old courses when he made the first rent and division and revoke then grace began to appeare from that time forward I was in Christ thus you see that effectual calling is the first work of God in a mans soul it is the first bringing of a man to Christ and the first making of a man to put him on Secondly Because before effectual calling all was within God what Effectual calling declared in the heart God would do with this or that man may be he meant to save him may be he meant to dam him may be he meant to open his eyes maâ— be he meant to let him go on and live and dye in blindness may be he meant to turne his heart may be he meant to let him go on with the world all was within his own bosom there was no inkling that ever this man should have grace and eternal life nor man nor Angel nor himself could perceive any such thing a man might have vaine hopes and false conceits but no inkling from heaven but he was as faire to be a reprobate as the devils in hell but when God effectually calls a man then he begins to declare what he intends to this or that man he begins to open his brest and shew what purpose he had in himself from all eternity as Eph. 1. 9. having made known unto us saith the Apostle the mystery of his will which he purposed in himself c. it was all in himself before shut up in his own secret and privy bosom but when God did effectually call us saith he then did he make known unto us the mystery of his will it was a mystery locked up it was a secret thing that ever he had a purpose to bring us to such things to let us see such mercies now here was the breaking open of this seale now it began to shew it self now the Lord declared what purpose he had in himself now he makes it appeare that we are his elect and chosen and his beloved ones as Paul saith of the Romans to all that are at Rome beloved of God called to be Saints c. Rom. 1. 7. you will say how do you know we are beloved ones If you be called to be Saints I dare be bold to say you are beloved of God God hath made it to appeare that he loves you I could not speak thus before you were as vile drunkards and profane persons as any were in Rome but now I dare be bold to say you are beloved of God nay more grace and peace be to you from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ you are called to be Saints and if you are once called then it doth appeare you are the beloved of God it is Gods golden scepter no man could tell whom the King would call to him no man could tell this or that man should be called rather then another till he held out his golden scepter Hest 4. 11. So it is with God when God doth hold out this golden scepter to a man now a man hath an inkling that the Lord hath chosen him and will be good to him and hear him and help him in all his wayes and pardon him and do every good thing for him as Mark. 3. 13. I use it onely as a similitude our Saviour Christ was there in the mount and the people were below in the vally now saith the Text he called unto him whom he would and they came unto him he was in the mount and all his Disciples were in the vally now no man could tell who should be an Apostle Andrew saith Christ come up now he was one who should be next no man could tell Peter come up then they knew he was one too c. Therefore this calling was the first intimation of Christs purpose to them it was secret in his own bosom whom he would make Apostles before but when he called them it came forth Andrew sees he is the man and Peter sees he is the man c. Thirdly Because all other works follow this work of effectual calling All works follow the work of effectual calling there be abundance of works that God doth work upon his people that he hath chosen to his Kingdom and glory he doth justifie them and pardon their sins and sanctifie and cleanse them from iniquity makes them grow in grace hears their
is no living in his sight no entring into his Kingdom without righteousness I must be a new creature else I shall be consumed he chargeth these things upon the soul and that soundly too because now he will lay down the foundation of a godly life the soul shall have need of this point as long as he lives to remember that God is a righteous God he hath found him to be a juâ—â— God against sinne though he be a gracious and merciful God to them that truly repent and set themselves to obey his Name yet the soul seeth there is no living in sinne no following after a mans own lusts and the soul never loseth this for though the soul many times through temptations may â—e carried away yet he shall never be under that former blindness he was in never so ignorant of God never think so meanly and ignominiously of God â—s he did in his unregeneracy he still knows that God is a severe God and thereâ— no expecting of mercy at his hands without holinesse and righteousnes if God should smother up the work all at first justice would not be seen as we see it is among men suppose a base fellow hath wronged a noble man may be the noble man means to pardon him but yet he will have him smart for it and feele and know what it is to displease and wrong and impeach such a great man as he So if the Lord should smother up the business presently as soon as ever he sends the word to a man presently convert a man aâ—d pardon him and give him true and saving faith justice would not be s 〈…〉 and therefore the Lord first tramples upon a mans neck and shews â—m his silâ—hiness and casts him out of the Camp as the Lord said concerning Mâ—rian she is unclean carry her out of the Camp so the Lord flings a person â—orth like a cursed damned creature as if he would take him by the heeles and flâ—â—g him down to hell and never look upon him and then he takes him in thus the Lord tells his people Isa 45. 21. There is none but me a just God and a Saviour first he makes them see that he is a just God and then he makes them see that he is their Saviour and Redeemer and notwithstanding his justice and severity against sinne and iniquity yet he â—ill give his grace and mercy to them that repent and humble themselves under his hand Secondly The Lord doth this because he would sweeten his mercy to the I. To sweeten mercy soul as you may see how he dealt with the Prophets widow he let her creditors arrest her first and seize upon her two sons for bondmen and then he wrought a wonder for her 2 King 4. 1. now this mercy was sweet and came in due season I was in misery and the Lord helped me saith David as who should say it came in a time when I had need of it The Lord deales as it is reported King James did at the beginning of his reign when some of his Nobles had been offenders he let the law proceed against them till they were brought to the scaffold and their heads laid upon the block and then sent a pardon and now a pardon was acceptable indeed So the Lord deales with his people he lets the law loose upon the soul yea and the devil too many times and he rends them and teares them as a Lyon and lets them look when they shall perish and layes their heads upon the block and then sends hope of a pardon and forgiveness of sinnes what a sweet staying of Abrahams hand was that when the knife was just ready to be stuck in Isaacks throat so when the knife of Justice is ready to be stuck into a mans throat and he is ready to perish for ever now mercy will be sweet mercy now it will be mercy indeed This is the time of love saith God Ezek. 16. 8. When God had laid his people a bleeding in their goare blood now he passeth by and saith This is a time of love he laid them in their blood and silthinesse he laid them vile and miserable in themselves and now saith he is the time of love Now the mountaines drop with sweet wine as the Prophet speaks what is the reason that people do not taste any sweetnesse in the Gospel and Sacraments and Ordinances of Christ Alas they were never sensible of their sinnes therefore the Lord doth thus to make his mercy sweet to his people that they may prize it and esteeme it and make good account of it from day to day Thirdly the Lord doth this that he may fetch his people home to the Lord 3. That he may bring men home to Christ Jesus Christ for before they will not come to God they will not come at him as the Prophet speaks but when they are in the Margent of Hell ready to perish and have no hope to hold to nothing to trust to they are quite and cleane at a loss and know not whither to go now this makes them come home as it is said of Absâ—lom he sent once to Joab but he would not come to him yea twice and he would not come but when he set his Barley field on fire then he came So the Lord sets his peoples hearts on fire he fires their consciences and their very bowels and makes their soules ake within them for want of mercy and grace and favour for want of power against their sinnes for want of Gods helping and assisting of them from day to day and this makes them glad to come home to him You know how long it was before the woman in the Gospel would come to Christ she was sick twelve years and had spent all her living upon the Physicians and could have no help now she came to Christ when she was quite spent and her patience was come to the utmost she was a dead woman if she came not to Christ all the Physicians could not help her now she comes home to Christ As it was with Agur when he saw his brutishnesse this drave him to Ithiel and Vâ—al Prov. 30. 1 2. that is to the Lord Jesus Christ as it is with a Coney when she is persued by a Dogge then she runnes to her burrough When Naomi was bereft of Husband Children Meanes and Maintenance and heares there is plenty in Israel she returns presently she might have gone long before but she wanted a scourge and whip to send her home but when she had lost all and was ready to sink and heard good tidings from Bethlehem now she makes speed thither presently as the Lord speaks Hâ—s 2. 6. I will hedge her wayes with thornes how doth the Lord make the poore Church here come home to him that was her husband and beloved from whom she was gone a whoring God takes this course he hedgeth her wayes with thornes she would have rests and friends and comforts and something to
put a new Spirit within them And so he makes them to be of one and the self-same mind Now the Reason Why the Spirit of God doth do this is Reasons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Christ None but the Spirit is able First Because none else besides the Spirit is able to do it For by nature we are wofully and fearfully different from the Body of Christ we are of another nature of another kind of another life nay we are contrary to it all the Members of Christ they are as young sucking children but wicked men and all men by nature are Lions and Leopards and Bears and Tigers as the Prophet speaks Isa 11. 6. 7. Now the Prophet there speaking how Christ means to effect it is to unite these together to make the Lion and the Lamb to have communion together to make the Bear and the Kid to lye down together Mark how he sheweth how Christ will do it in the second verse of the same Chapter the text saith The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him he speaks of Christ that is whereas this requires a great deal of power to do this to make a man to be clean contrary to his nature whenas a mans nature is carnal and wicked and earthly to make him of the Body of Christ therefore saith the text The Spirit of Might shall be upon him c. There is a great deal of Might required to turn their dispositions it is a mighty thing to change a man that is a drunkard a proud person a wicked wretch to turn this man topsie-turvy to make him mind other things to make him clean another man this requires infinite wisdom Therefore the Spirit of Wisdom shall rest upon him to do it and the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord that is the Lord Jesus shall put in the Spirit of Fear into mens hearts and this will turn them this will alter mens minds and conversations Secondly There is none so fit as the Spirit of God to do it For this None but the Spirit is fit to do it Body of Christ it is a company of Sons and Daughters that God hath up and down in the world that are able to cry Abba Father now who is so fit to do this as the Spirit of the Son As the Apostle saith That he might redeem them that were under the Law that they might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 5. Fourthly How the Spirit of God doth this and that is Two wayes as How the Spirit doth Unite to Christ's Body By being one and the same spirit in all Members the Scripture reveals to us The One is By being one and the same Spirit in all the Members of Christ He comes into them and dwells in them as one and the self-same Spirit and so makes up this union The same Spirit that was in Paul was in Peter and so all the rest of the Members of Christ one and the self-same Spirit is in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that yeare the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwelleth in you Therefore look what Spirit of Faith one man hath another comes to have the same Spirit of Faith as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith with them as it is written I believe and therefore I speak so we believe and therefore we speak Secondly The Spirit doth this by uniting and tying a knot between these By tying a knot between all the Members Members He doth unite them and make them hang together in one he makes them to be of one heart and of one soul by knitting and combining of their hearts all together Therefore this fellowship is called the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. Though Paul were far off from Philippi yet he could adjure the Philippians by the fellowship of the Spirit But you will say How can this be Can the people of God have communion and fellowship one with another when they are so far asunder one from another and may be never saw one another may be never heard one of another How can this be I say Very well for the Spirit of God hath a long arm and is able to make the people of God shake hands though they be a thousand miles asunder it is the Spirit that tyeth this knot and unites them together As Paul speaks Col. 2. 5. Though I be absent in the Flesh yet I am present with you in the Spirit and methinks I am in your company and meetings when you meet together I see you in my mind methinks and I joy in your order The Spirit makes the communion between the people of God and hence it is that they can love one another because all the Members are tyed together by one knot and they come to help one another and do any thing one for another even by the very love of the Spirit which they have one towards another Rom. 15 30. The Apostle had some need of the good Romans to help him Now see how he doth intreat help from them he desires them by the love of the Spirit to pray heartily for him he knew that the love of the Spirit would be a great motive to them you know you and I are joyned together by the same Spirit for the love of the Spirit pray for me Thus we see First What this Body of Christ is Secondly What the putting a man into this Body is Thirdly The Reasons why Fourthly How the Spirit doth it Now I come to the Vses Vses The want of the Spirit is the cause of difference And First Is it so that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body Then here we may see the reason of the difference of men in the world The difference of our Congregations some companies that hang together are of one mind another of another mind the reason is they have a different Spirit but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together and the wicked they have another Spirit Secondly Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together in Let none put asunder what the Spirit joyns one Body Then that which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder It is spoken in regard of man and wife if it be such a horrible thing to part man and wife then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God this blessed communion of the Spirit what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out When there shall be heart-burnings and strivings between those that are the children of God what a fearful thing is this Is the number of those that fear God so great that we can spare any Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderness Graces that can walk alone and need no