bring me under wrath for I am delivered from it What slavish fear is here 2 Here is no working for Heaven or the reward for how can a Soul be said to work for Heaven when he knowes and firmly beleeves that Heaven is his before he works If a Father make over his Estate to his Son by Deed of gift and put him in possession thereof and the Son after he is possessed of his Fathers Estate doth more for his Father than ever before will you say he doth it that his Farther might give him the inheritance No that he hath and his Father cannot now take it from him therefore all that now he doth is from ingenuity That Holinesse therefore which ariseth from this motive must needs bee Gospel-walking because it is free of those qualifications which are necessary to a legal work and legalwalk 4 And lastly When our ends in our obedience are Gospel-ends Quest What are Gospel-ends Ans Such as these That I might testifie my thank fulnesse to God for his love towards me What shall I render to the Lord saith David for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 God hath done great things for me O what shall I doe for God again This is the language of a Gospel-soul What shall I render to the Lord I was under such a Temptation desertion God hath delivered me O what shall I render to the Lerd I wanted such a Mercy and sought God and he gave it me O what shall I render to the Lord I was some months years agoe in a sore outward affliction and God delivered mee O what shall I render to the Lord Not long agoe my condition was such as that I thought as certainly Hell was my portion as ever it was Judases or the portion of any of the Damned there and I went about crying out I am undone I am Damned for ever and now God hath not only freed me from these Horrours which made my life a burden and earth a Hell to me but also filled my soul with joy unspeakable by shewing me that he hath loved me in his Son with an everlasting love and that nothing shall ever be able to separate mee from his love but come life come death come what will come come what can come all shall further my eternal good O what shall I render to the Lord O what shall I render to tht Lord How shall I ever walk worthy so great love what shall I doe for this God who hath done so worthily and gloriously for my soul 2 That I might recover the Image of God againe The first man lost the Image of God by his disobedience this Image of God wee recover againe in Christ our second Adam who was obedient now the more inlightned any soul is the beleeving and holy the more doth he recover of this Image of God which consists in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse Now saith the beleeving Soul my intent is to recover the Image of God which the first man lost by his disobedience and therefore doe I seek to know and in all things to obey the Gospel because in conforming my self hereunto I shall recover the Image of God for as I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollution of the first Adam so shall I recover the same by partaking of the obedience and holiness of the second Adam which obedience the Gospel holds forth unto me Hence I exercise my self in duties of Holiness because I know the more holy I am the more shall I bee like God who is Holy and Holinesse it selfe and the more shall I recover of this Image which consists in perfect Holinesse 3 That I might imitate Jesus Christ Christ in the Gospel proposeth his Holiness to beleevers as the pattern of theirs Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Love one another at I have loved you Now the beleeving Soul reading these things over saith to himself it is my duty as much as may be to imitate Christ to walk as he hath walked when hee was here upon earth Now how did Christ walk why Christ was humble meek lowly he prayed to his Father was thankful to his Father went about doing good was full of compassion to poor Sinners denyed himself in his reputation and honour with men and willingly took up the Cross the shame and reproach of the World was in all things submissive to his Fathers will contenting himself therewith was not impatient in his Sufferings but took all well and in good part from his Father was not revengeful towards Instruments for when he was reviled he reviled not again being falsly accused buffeted condemned nayled to the Cross he threatned not but committed all to him that judgeth righteously being persecuted cursed he returned blessings for cursings and prayers for persecutions yea hee fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law Now saith the soul It is my duty to follow Christ and to draw out my life by the copy of his and therefore to the end I might imitate Christ and bee like him I obey and love God for I know Christ did so love my enemies and pray for them because Christ did so do good to all as I have opportunity because Christ did so despise the honor and reputation of the world because Christ did so continue in prayer because Christ did so desire of God humility patience meekness thankfulness submissiveness to the will of God and contentedness therewith because I finde all this was in Christ strive to be holy in all manner of conversation and if it were possible to bee perfect because I know Christ was so All this I press after to the end I might bee like Christ that if it were possible there might bee nothing in mee but what was in Christ nothing done by mee but what Christ would have done nor left undone by mee but what Christ would have left undone 4 That I might keep up my communion with God Although the union which Saints have with God by means of Christ depends wholly upon that which is without viz. their being married to Christ and cloathed with his righteousness yet the communion which Saints have with God by meanes of the Spirit hath much dependence upon a Saints walking So that let a Saint walke carnally and loosely though hee shall not break the mariage knot and loose his union yet hee shall grieve the Spirit and loose his communion And on the other side let a Saint walke spiritually and as becomes the Gospel as his union remaines so shall his communion also bee kept up fresh and in the life and sweetness of it hee shall feel the same in his own soul Yea experience tells a Saint that when as at any time hee hath walked as an obedient childe observing and doing with delight and in simplicity his Fathers will hee hath then held up much sweet communion with God and contrariwise when hee hath been vain and wanton and given too much liberty to his
which thou mayest know it 1 By the present light and life it brings with it First if it be in matter of teaching that it goes before thee it brings light which is an inward discovery in a way of Spiritual reasons and demonstration of the thing it teacheth to the Soul carrying with it a strong and powerful conviction of the truth and certainty of the thing it teacheth unto the Soul that is taught so as that that very thing which the Soul formerly sought oftentimes after by Natural light and reason and yet remained in the dark and could come to no certaine conclusion about it is now in an inward and secret and spiritually rational way made clear to it so as that the Soul can say I now see and know and beleeve that such a thing is and how it is truth this inward light is much better seen and discerned in that Soul where it is when it is then either then or at another time can be expressed by that Soul This light in Scripture is called Revelation Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him 1 Corinth 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit Ephes 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightned that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints And the inspiration of the Almighty Job 32.8 But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding To difference the same from that light which is from Natural reason or relation of others Christs Love to his owne One SERMON on Joh. 13.1 Having loved his owne which were in the World hee loved them unto the end THese words are brought in by the Evangelist as the result or issue of Christs actual thoughts of leaving this World and going to his Father Jesus knew that his hour was come Christ was now pondering in his minde that the time grew near the hour was come that he must now depart out of this World to the Father and leave his poor Children behind him in the World his heart now seems to be wholly possest and taken up with such thoughts my time is come I must depart out of this World I must goe to the Father I must leave my poor Disciples behind me in it and what doth such cogitations revolved to and fro in his minde produce why new actings of love fresh yernings of bowels towards his that he was now to leave having loved his owne which were now in the World hee loved them unto the end he had love before to his owne but now these cogitations raise his love sets all his love on work that as his heart thought of nothing so much as this I must now leave the world so it vents forth it self in nothing so much as in this love to his poor Children that hee was to leave behind him and therefore if from hence to the hour of his death yee trace Christ yee shall see nothing but the actings of love the greatest love that can be 1 He doth them a service of love in washing their feet 2 He institutes and administers an Ordinance of Love the Supper of the Lord. 3 He preacheth a long Sermon of love and 4 He makes a prayer of love chap. 17. Nothing but love now appears in Christ to his he forgets all their faults their doubtings c. and he can think and speak of nothing but love And let me but a little reminde you of the time when this love did work so strongly it was just then when Christ was going to dye one would have thought now Christ should have been taken up about himself pondering upon what hee was to suffer no hee forgets himself in a manner and can think of nothing but his Children and therefore all his care is not how he might get through his Sufferings but how they might live comfortably when he should be gone Having loved his owne hee loved them to the end What blessed dying thoughts were here in Christ not malicious thoughts not revengeful not murmuring nor repining because he was to dye not roaring and blaspheming but thoughts of love to his Doct. Christs love to his owne is a choyce and an everlasting love In the handling of this point I shall shew 1 Who are meant by Christ's owne 2 In what respects they are called Christs owne 3 That Christ hath a love to his owne 4 That this love it is a choyse and an everlasting love 1 Who are meant by Christs owne Ans 1. Not all men it is clear from the Text for 1 It is said he loved his owne in the World not all the World his owne Christs owne that his love runs out unto are clearly distinguished from the world being not called the world but a people in the world 2 His owne here are such and such only as are loved with an everlasting love for having loved his owne he loved them unto the end but so Christ hath not loved all the World for then none should ever perish but so he hath loved all that are his owne 2 By owne here we are to understand Beleevers receivers of him such as for the present did or for future should beleeve on him as Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their words But in what respects are Beleevers called Christs owne Ans 1. They are his owne by Donation or gift of his Father what a man hath by gist is his owne Christ hath Beleevers by gift of his Father Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth mee shall come to me therefore commers or beleevers are the Fathers gift John 10. 27 28 29. My sheep hear my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me c. And who are they Ans Beleevers as vers 20. which shall beleeve on me through their word 2 They are Christs owne by purchase Purchase gives a right Christ hath a right in his by purchase Acts 20.28 Take heed to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood 3 They are Christs owne by powerful conquest Christ hath not only purchased them of his Father but hee hath fought for them and won them by conquest There are five or six potent enemies that Christ pitched field with for the gaining of his owne and hath won them by conquest out of the
Elijah's Mantle OR THE REMAINES Of that late worthy and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. JOHN TILLINGHAST Viz. I. The Conformity of a Saint to the Will of God On Act. 21.14 II. The will of God and Christ concerning Sinners On Gal. 1.4 III. No Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus On Rom. 8.1 IV. Christs Love to his owne On Joh. 13.1 V. True Gospel Humiliation On Zach. 12.10 VI. The most effectual means to kill and subdue sin On 1 Joh. 2.2 VII The Advocateship of Jesus Christ a great ground of Saints comfort and support under sins and infirmities On 1 Joh. 2.2 VIII The only way for Saints to be delivered from the errors and evils of the times On I Tim. 6.11 IX Of the Old Covenant from Gal. 4.30 being so farre as the Author had proceeded in a Treatise of the two Covenants before his death Published by his owne Notes Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voyce from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them London printed for Livewell Chapman and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1658. To the Reader THis dear Servant of Christ the Author of these Sermons who whilst in the Body lived much in and of the love of our Lord Jesus and is now swallowed up of that love which passeth knowledge who yet doth and I am perswaded will live in the love of many precious * In London Lewes Nudigate Frasingfield Yarmouth Walpoole Walsham Truâ—ch c. Saints among whom hee conversed here on earth made it his great designe the love of Christ constraining him both by preaching and walking to promote faith towards Christ and love to all Saints Hee lived much by faith and was often in coming to the Father by the Son as a poor Sinner as he usually expressed it And here I cannot but take the opportunity to say that which I apprehend the Word of Christ and also our experience doe witness 1 That the Act of Faith whereby wee are looking to Jesus coming to him and rowling upon him as the only way to the Father it is indeed the great Act it is that which doth honour God and that which Christ doth honour as a great faith After that poor woman of Canaan Mat. 15. had endured many repulses and yet making after Christ and hanging upon him he saith O woman great is thy faith this was clearly a faith of dependance 2 We are extreamly averse to this duty There is a great desire of evidence c. but when we should look to and stay on the Promise or rather on God in it O what a difficult work is it Indeed by thus beleeving Romans 16.26 Heb. 11.2 we yeeld unto God the obedience hee requires without which wee cannot please him and it is that for which the Gospel is sent among us and hereby wee doe indeed act Self-denial Is it not a great part of Self-denial for the Soul which doth naturally set up his owne righteousnesse and would not be beholding to God for his to renounce his right that is so dear to him Phil. 3.8 9. Hereby also the Soul denies his Carnal reason as Abraham Rom. 4. hee sacrificed his Carnal reason before he could enjoy or Sacrifice his Isaac It is no wonder that our hearts are so hardly brought up to such actings there is not only an inabillity to them but enmity against them as Christ hath told us Yee will not come to me Joh. 5.40 3 We have no assurance and evidence but in and by these acts of reliance it is possible wee may have a true faith and great faith of reliance without evidence but our assurance comes in this way as we have not the reflection of the Sun upon the wall except the beames of the Sun flow forth 4 Our Lord Jesus being the Author and Finisher and also actor of our faith Heb. 12.2 Joh. 15.5 Phil. 2.13 without whom wee can doe nothing hee that worketh to will as well as to doe in his people and that freely we cannot act this faith but as we are acted by him let us therefore expect all our fruites from him And because faith worketh by love and the more the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts the more faith c. also the more faith the more love to God let us look much into the Gospel which gives us so great discovery of that love 1 Behold there with admiration God from Eternity freely purposing the Salvation of the Elect in Jesus Christ hee hath saved us c. not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace which was given in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 2 After we had all fallen from God in that fearful Apostacy of our first Parents under the Wrath and Curse of God Rom. 5.18 Ephes 3.2 behold God sending forth his dear Son made of a Woman c. for the redemption of poor sinners from this woful state and thereby not only delivering his people from the depth of misery but restoring them to the height of happinesse for by the death of our Lord Jesus is a way made to bring us unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 by it we come to him Heb. 7.25 all those that come to God come by him wee come even to the Father Joh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by me here is the true center of our immortal souls Thus our dear Lord doth bring us to soul-rest Mat. 11.28 29. O what manner of love is this 3 Behold here the will of the Father and the Son both concurring in this matter Gal. 1.4 which the heart of this Author was much taken up with 4 Here is a discovery of Christ as an overcommer actually Rev. 3.21 It is observeable that the very first promise of Jesus Christ Gen. 3.15 declares him a Conqueror and all the Saints for many Ages lived upon and were comforted in Christ as hee who was to overcome and though this perhaps in the weakness of their faith the tempter might trouble them withall but what if their expected Messiah should not come or what if he should not overcome their enemies what would become of them then Now there is no roome for this temptation he hath abolished death 2 Tim. 1.10 I have overcome the world Joh. 6.33 and therefore saith the Lord Be you of good cheer it is for you and be yee comforted by it there is vertue and strength in it for you whereby you shall bee more than conquerours And hereby may the Saints come up to that difficult Piece of Self-denial to submit to the will of God who will have some remainders of corruption yet in his people as in these Sermons is mentioned where the Author doth caution us not so to submit to as not to strive against corruptions to mourn over them and watch
own heart therein though it may bee at that time hee could through faith say notwithstanding all my sin I am the childe of God yet hath hee not felt in himselfe that sweet and spiritual communion hee had with his Father at another time and good reason for it hee hath walked at a distance from God and therefore though God loves him still and acknowledgeth him for his childe yet to the end hee may better learn to know himselfe and to know his Father God will for a time walke at a distance from him As when a childe hath been stubborn and disobedient to his Father though his Father loves him still as his childe and will not dis-inherit him for all this yet the Father to make the childe know himself and know his Father will carry it at a distance for a while and hee will not bee so loving in his look and familiar in his discourse with his childe as at other times So when a Saint walks loosely and unsaintlike not as a childe to his Father though God loves him still yet hee shall not have those smiles and loving looks and lappings and dandlings and sweet imbraces and familiar discourses that hee had with his Father at another time Now how sweet this communion is appears if wee consider the esteem a Saint hath of it when hee feels it and the price hee puts upon it in want thereof What high language doth the Spouse in the Canticles speak of her Beloved and the ravishments of her heart by his love whilst shee found and felt this her communion and mutual imbraces and love-songs and change of voyces passed between her and her beloved and how sorrowfully doth shee speak and how mournfully doth shee walk when as any thing did interpose between her and her beloved and hinder those mutual imbraces and kisses of love The sweetness of this communion made a heavenly * Galeacius Carracciolus the Italian Marquess man which had great preferments and vast sums of mony offered him to forsake the Gospel say Let their mony perish with them who esteem all the wealth in the world worth one hours communion with Jesus Christ Now this being so that the communion a Saint hath with God is so unspeakably sweet as there is nothing like it and this having much dependance upon a Saints walking that accordingly as hee demeans himself towards God either in a way of duty or disobedience hee shall have more or lesse thereof hence he labours to walk as a Saint should for saith the Soul though I know my sin shall never deprive mee of Heaven hereafter yet if I walke carnally I shall loose my communion with God and that is my heaven here 5 The profiting of others is another Gospel-end which runs along in the stream of their obedience who walke after the Gospel Now the gracious walking of a Saint may bee profitable to others two wayes 1 To those without by way of convincement Let there bee a whole Parish made up of Drunkards and Swearers c. and let but a spiritual holy-walking Saint come amongst them and he by his holy walking wil convince them and make their conscience condemn them all Therefore Christ exhorts his Matth. 5. to let their light shine before men that they may see their good works and Paul bids the Thessalonians walk honestly towards them without 2 To those that are within by way of provocation Heb. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel 2 Cor. 9.2 For I know the forwardness of your minde for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year agoe and your zeal hath provoked very many When a poor soul that hath been for a great while very carnal and dead comes into the presence of another spiritual Saint that is lively and active for God and hears him speak and sees his walking hee is hereby provoked He thinks with himself O what a block am I what abundance of life hath such a one and O what a block am I and this making him ashamed of himself sets him on work and so becomes a means to put life into that heart which was dead carnal cold and frozen many dayes weeks and months before And truly this is a blessed provocation and a Saint who indeed labours and endeavours to walke with God making it his design to bee holy both may and shall do God much service in this way 6 And lastly The beating down of the body and bringing it into subjection Idleness we say is the mother of all iniquity We know by experience when a man is idle and not imployed in spiritual things the flesh through that natural depravation that is in the whole man will incline and draw a man into evill and rebellion against God When the Spirit is not acting in that which is good and bringing the flesh under the flesh will take advantage to act in those things that are evill and so bring the the Spirit under Now a Saint knowing and feeling that natural depravation that is in him and the pronenesse of the flesh in case it bee not held under to captivate him thereby hee exerciseth himself in those duties of holiness which concern his general and particular calling knowing that by keeping a yoak upon the neck of this Rebel hee shall in time weaken him and make him the more unable to doe him an injury at least deprive him of his advantage to do it The flesh is like an unruly Beast which through rest and idleness grows wilde and Masterless and there is no way to tame him but by working him hard so the way to hold the body under is to keep up the soule as much as may bee in the exercise of Holiness This seems to have been Pauls practice and to bee the meaning of that place 1 Cor. 9 last But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my selfe should bee a cast-away 3 Quest But why is Gospel-walking called Walking after the Spirit Answ 1. Reason is because The Spirit of God hath a principal hand in all the actings and walkings of a Gospel Saint I mean such as are according to the Gospel doth hee pray the Spirit of God helpes his infirmities in prayer Rom. 8.26 is sin mortified in him the Spirit of God doth it Rom. 8.13 is hee quickned the Spirit doth that Joh. 6.63 The Spirit of God is all in all in his walking and in his working 2 Because of the spiritualness of a Gospel-walke above a Legal-walk Every thing in the Gospel hath more spirituality in it than under the Law Ordinances are more spiritual under the Law they had abundance of Ordinances and Institutions but the Apostle calls them Carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.10 and Carnal Commandements Chap. 7.16 and Beggerly Elelements Gal. 4.9 Wee under the Gospel
him of the spiritualnesse of his own conversation as a pattern for him to imitate vers 10. stirring him up thereto vers 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them So also to Titus having in Chap. 1. marked out and warned Titus of a dangerous sort of men vers 10. and 16. In the two next Chapters hee puts Titus on to minde and follow spiritual and practical matters But speake thou the words which become sound doctrine Chap. 2. vers 1. c. In Rom. 14.17 When there were contentions in the Church about observing dayes and eating meats hee labours to withdraw them from questions of this nature to the minding and attending of things more spiritual as not to offend their weak brethren vers 13. and to minde righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost vers 17. So when there was strife in the Churches of Galatia about Circumcision and legal Ceremonies some being brought to beleeve and practice these things the Apostle recalls them to spirituals Chap. 5.6 and Chap. 6.15 telling them that in Christ or in the dayes of the Gospel these were not the things to bee minded but the new creature and faith which worketh by love In Coloss 2. When many were drawn to strange and sottish errors and practices that others who were yet pure might not bee defiled and led a way as hee saith vers 4. hee calls them to minde spiritual things vers 2 3 6 7 8 9 10. telling them that the onely cause of others miscarriage was the neglect of these vers 19. Yet farther in Heb. 13.9 The Apostle having admonished beleevers to beware of errors and strange doctrines hee gives them this rule for a preservative to labour that their hearts might bee established with grace To end in Jude 20.21 The Holy Ghost having deciphered in the former verses the false Apostles and given them their doom hee exhorts to this very duty as the best remedy against such evils But yee beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life All which Scripture allegations wherein I have been more large than is usual by reason of the usefulness of this truth and sutableness thereof to these times argue the truth of the Doctrine viz. That the onely and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the Errors and Evils of the Times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things In the further carrying on of this I shall handle two things 1 What I mean by spiritual things 2 Why the exercising the heart in these is such a special way to preserve a Saint from the errors and evils of the times hee lives in Concerning the first By spiritual things I understand such things as either tend to the glory of God the edifying my brother the winning of souls the begetting and increasing of my own peace the mortifying of sin in mee the quickning of grace c. Such things as these I call Spiritual and all principles and practices whatsoever which produce these or such like effects I may terme spiritual truths and spiritual works And on the other side whatsoever opinion or practice it is which doth not produce such like effects but the contrary I may justly exclude from the name of Spiritual Thus you have a general notion of what I mean by spiritual things but now for our helpe in the exercising of our hearts about spiritual things it is very needful that wee have yet a more distinct and particular knowledge of those spiritual things our hearts should bee exercised about which things though they are many more than I am able to speak of or if I were have time to do it yet for the helpe of those who for want of matter are at a losse what to exercise their hearts about and so usually take that which comes next to hand which oftentimes turns to their undoing I shall therefore having a large field before mee glean together some few handfuls of spiritual things which may serve for matter for us to exercise our hearts about As to begin with that in finite eternal incomprehensible love of God to poor sinners how freely God loved them when as yet there was nothing lovely in them yea how this love was towards them from all eternity and continues to eternity again And also how fruitful this love and grace of God towards them hath been appearing as in electing and choosing them in his Son Christ from all eternity to bee vessels of glory and heires of salvation who naturally were of that very lump whereof many become vessels of dishonour and heirs of damnation so also in the fulness of time in sending his onely begotten and beloved Son who was fore-ordained to bee a Prince and a Saviour out of his own bosome into the world there by him to accomplish his own eternal decree concerning the salvation of his Elect. This is a thing our hearts should bee much taken up with and our thoughts exercised about Again How that this Jesus Christ the onely begotten of the Father being sent into the world did willingly part with for a time all the glory that hee was right heire unto and possessor of above and took upon him that so hee might accomplish the work of our redemption our nature being made man and born of the seed of David according to the flesh so exceedingly honouring humane nature far above the nature of Angels which hee took not by uniting it to the Divine Again which our hearts should bee much exercised about how that together with this our nature hee tooke upon him the infirmities and miseries thereof being poor hungry made a reproach persecuted and tempted c. that hee might bee in all things like unto his brethren and bee made a merciful and faithful High Priest and such a one as might bee touched with a feeling of our infirmities and might sympathize with us in and under them all and how that after hee had finished all things which were to bee done by him for our good hee last of all offered up himself a sacrifice for us bearing our sins in his own body on the Tree together with all the wrath of his Father due to us for all our sins whereby pouring out his soul unto death and making it an offering for sin hee gave full satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for the transgression of his people whom by his death hee delivered from wrath to come blotting out the hand-writing that was against them and contrary to them taking it out of the way and by this one offering perfecting for ever all them that were sanctified or set apart by the Father Again farther How that having dyed for our sins he is risen again
to Creature injoyments render it double hard to say Amen unto the Will of God when sufferings lye there but the greater endearance of God and Christ to a Soul the more easily will it rise to a gracious submission either in the witherings and denials of or parting with earthly things 1 Corinth 13. vers 4. Charity suffereth long vers 7. beareth all things endureth all things As when men so also when God and Christ are the Objects loved there will be a patient bearing from their hands things which if they came from such as were not dearly loved would hardly be endured It was doleful news to the Disciples to hear of Christs departure yet saith hee John 14.28 If yee loved me yee would rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father so that love to Christ i. e. if strong will carry out to not only a free but cheerful submission unto Christ in the hardest things 3 Eye much the manifestations of Christs love and affection to you in the various expressions of it there may be a recollection of many former experiences even of the Lords working up your hearts into a submission unto his will in former straights yea you may look upon such words or promises as have a natural tendency to allay such disquiet of heart as you are under and yet these may but discover your duty and you may feele no strength coming along there-with enabling you to rise up unto it but at last by an eying the sweet discoveries of Divine love in former experiences or present afflictions in affording so many returnes of prayer you may be powerfully engaged unto a willingnesse to doe or suffer any thing that the Lord shall see it meet to exercise you with that so you may returne love for love Heb. 12.5 6. Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth This doth clearly evidâ—nce that an eying Divine love in afflictions is a choyse preservative against Soul-faintings under them Wee shall adde no more but this that one of us was an ear-witness that some of the Sermons in the ensuing Treatises were preached by that Servant of Christ Master Tillinghast And others are as they were found in his Notes only a graine of allowance must be afforded for mistakes in transcribing and printing Thus desiring that a blessing from above way attend these labours we remaine 9th Month 6th day 1657. Yours to serve you in the work of the Lord Sam. Petto Sam. Manning Sam. Habergham Errata PAge 24. line 17. make the comma at wherein instead of at going p. 25. l. 19. for at last read and therefore p. 53. l. 23 adde when it pleased God to reveal c. p. 55. l. 32. r. tread on p. 60. l. 11. for them r. him p. 61. l. 19 20. r. force for forceth cause for causeth set for sets Reader That thou mightest have a taste of the spirit of the Author and some other precious men as to their asserting and pleading for this Cause of Christ this is added Sir YOurs I received both which have been a refreshment to my spirit I much rejoyce that there is a remnant at this day even among us that sympathize with the suffering cause of Christ and are kept faithfull to their Lord in this hour of temptation although my employments are so many that time is very precious with me yet could I not upon the reading of yours but make return of a few lines for this is the day in which Saints are called to speak often one to another God is trying his people with such trials as they have never before met withall I mean in respect of the wonderful difficultie of judging things and causes at this day one thing hath been a sore temptation to mee oftentimes about the Cause of Christ now viz. the many passions and weaknesses that have appeared in those who now among us stand up for it I know not but that it may have been the temptation of other spirits I may say as to my own it hath been the greatest of all I have had many times reliefe against it from such like considerations as these 1 The Mercy approaching is a great New Covenant Mercy New Covenant Mercies call not for worthinesse in the recipient but are alwayes so ordered as to be given forth when the receiver is most unworthy 2 That it hath beene a part of Saints weakness in former Ages to judge of Causes by persons God in this day would have his people to judge of his Cause by his Light alone laying aside the consideration of persons the effect of which ordinarily is in those that steere this course a founding their faith not in the Word or Power of God but in the wisdome or holiness of man 3 That by how much the greater the Mercy expected is by so much the greater must the trial of faith fore-running it be now no trial of faith to a truly gracious conscientious soul is greater than this 4 That in case suffering Saints in this day and in this Nation more especially wherein Gods remnant is great should bear forth their testimony with that eminency of Grace which Saints formerly have done in an ordinary way that stop which must be for a while to the work for the bringing about the all-wise and determinate Counsel of God could not have been thus long for hereby Saints would have had their eyes open presently and their eyes being generally opened such is their power this day in the Nation that in an ordinary way the wheele would turne 5 The Kingdome of Christ could not as it must come without observation if eminent marks and characters of Holiness were written on the faces of all those that should plead or suffer for it 6 Many must stumble and fall be snared and broken and taken and that by smiting against the stone who being enlightned would not dare to doe it were not such things as these viz. Saints weaknesses and passions laid before them as stumbling-blocks to set their Natural Consciences at liberty 7 Davids Kingdome the Tipe of Christs did arise with manifest offence in respect of its followers 2 Sam. 22. 8 Christ when hee rides as King chuseth a Colt to ride on an untamed and unruly Creature and the Colt of an Asse a simple and uncomely Creature to the eye Saints failings have hitherto been blemishes to the cause but God is removing of them and it is observable that as late sufferers have gone with more clearness into suffering so the Lord hath made them sensible of those things in which their brethren have gone awry IN this Letter he writes some passages concerning three late Sufferers in this cause One of those Worthies lately confined his carriage with us was with so much grace and humility not knowing himself among us as to outward respects and withall carried it with such tenderness as did rather tend to the allaying our spirits and making them more serious than any way to
of peace to remove that for the peace of the Saints is a thing of far greater concernment than my having my will there is nothing of evill against God in the one but there is in the other peace is a spiritual thing mans will is but a natural natural things must give place to spiritual the end of peace is edification the end of having my will is but to please my self I must prefer edification before the pleasing of my self 4 I am for peace sake to dispense with many things the particular interest of mine honour profit c. Abraham though the elder for peace sake gives place to Lot the younger to chuse before him the place of his habitation upon so doing for peace sake hee at once dispenseth with honour and profit both Peace is a duty our interests and advantages must give place to our duties yet here take this caution and limitation if the case bee such that by my resigning my particular interest and advantage I shall disadvantage truth it self I am then to hold it though it bee with so great a hazard as the loss of peace for though I may not hold mine advantage upon mine own account to the prejudice of peace because neither my selfe nor the thing in which my advantage lyes are of worth equivalent to peace yet I may upon the account of truth because that is of greater worth When Paul among the Corinthians and Galatians perceived truth it self to bee struck at through a sleighty esteem of his person then he who in his heart had as low thoughts of himselfe as they could have of him yet now stands up boldly and pleads the point of his honour preferring himself though for ought hee knew he might anger Peter James and John and so hazard a breach of peace before Peter James or John or any of them all 5 I am for peace sake to dispense with particular wrongs and injuries done to my self I speak not now as to civill injuries that question appertains to another case but I mean such as are of a more spiritual nature as censuring me as touching my spiritual condition branding mee for an Heretick Schismatick Dissembler c. endeavouring to set others against mee c. I am silently to put up many things of this nature rather than to break the peace the reason is because while I put these up the wrong is onely my own but in breaking the peace I may injure myself and many others also The putting up of these quietly for peace sake is an act of self-denial and so a fruit of the spirit The making a stir and coile about these things till peace is broken is a pure selfish business and so a fruit of the flesh yet take this also with two Cautions 1 I must so put it up as not to doe that in way of Self-denial as may any way allow of the act it self for though the evil of the act is to be patiently borne yet the act it self being evil is not to be allowed 2 I must also consider warily whether there be not some thing in the action that brings Gods Truth and Honour to the stake together with my self if so I may and ought to take upon me my owne rescue not for the sake of my self but of Gods Truth and Honour ingaged with me I am to dispence with errour in judgement in a Brother if it arise from weakness and be not obstinately and pertinaciously maintained because error of judgement is only a privative evil breach of peace a positive Quest But when may an errour of judgement be said to be of weakness not wilfulness or pertinacy Ans 1. VVhen a Brothers judgement is weak in all things else which is easily known by this if he be readily drawn to this thing or that Ephes 4.14 2 VVhen a Brother seeing a man of more grace than himself so or so appropriated subjects his judgement to the others grace Quest When of wilfulness or pertinacy First When he will stablish any Principles though never so contrary to faith and godliness to hold up his errour rather than suffer it to fall Secondly When he cares not what other Principles of his owne he pluck up by the roots so he may thereby keep that one Principle in which the errour lyes Thirdly VVhen a man pretends much Conscience as to that particular Principle but makes no Conscience of his practise in other things of greater and more weighty concernment Now to apply our Rule to the present Case if by doing this or that thing moving this or that way I either doe or shall dispence with any of those things which I ought not to dispence with or contrariwise shall not dispence with any of those things that for peace-sake I ought to dispence with then am I by this general Rule to shun that way and chuse another The Fourth GENERAL RVLE is Let your light so shine before men c. Walk in wisdome towards them that are without The true intent and purport of this Rule is that a Christian should so order his steps in the way of truth and holiness that poor sinners by beholding his conversation might not finde cause to harden their hearts in their owne wayes of iniquity but might be won to a love of the waies of God the case is still as before The Solution is That I am to chuse that path by walking in which I shall take away occasion of hardning poor Sinners and lay before them an occasion of winning and drawing them to a love and liking of the ways of Christ Quest Now would we know what that is which laies occasion of hardning before Sinners and what that is which on the other side wins them to a love and liking of the waies of Christ Ans One principal thing amongst many others by which Sinners are hardned is When they see Professors making no conscience of such things as they themselves at leastwise they think so would if they were in their stead make conscience of VVhen they see Persons pretending much more holiness than they break those bands of outward and civil holiness which their very Natural conscience laies such an awe upon them as they dare not break this is an exceeding great hardning to sinners especially the more refined sort of them your Civilians or Morralists who have partly by Natures light and partly by the light they have into things honest and just by the written VVord such a tye upon their Conscience that when they have an advantage yet many times they dare not transgress the Rules of equity and righteousness On the other side this is a thing very taking with Sinners and renders the waies of Christ amiable in their eyes when they see Professors conscientious in smaller things as well as greater such things wherein they are not absolutely bound up but have a kinde of liberty left them by the Lawes of God and men yet are as tender and conscientious least they should abuse this
blowes up the designe of Satan Peters heart yea and his sin too for mark how bold afterwards is Peter above all and how fearful of being confident 2 Consider That as all things work together for good to Saints so there is gaine comes to them in the end and that by their corruptions I might here name all those I mentioned about temptation but that I forbear to multiply There is this gaine 1 It keeps the soul humble 2 Makes it look to strength without Put case my condition is clouded and thereby my whole life made discomfortable to me how shall I submit to the Will of God in that Ans 1. Consider thy case in this is not worse than hath been the case of Gods owne Children as Asaph Heman yea of Christ himself 2 Consider It may be thou didst abuse comforts when thou hadst them either 1 By Idolizing them or 2 VVaxing wanton under them as the Prodigall Son 3 Consider it may be thy clouding may but be a preparative to greater refreshings Joh. 17.19 20 21 22. And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may bee one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 4 Consider That God doth thee no wrong though he cloud thy condition all thy dayes here whilst he gives thee Heaven hereafter 5 Consider That so long as thy soul in this condition is kept up from sinking it argues a secret supporting presence to be with thee though a sensible comforting presence is absent submit to Gods Will to want one whilst hee gives the other 6 Consider That it is a thing better that my condition should sometimes be dark than that it should always be clear 1 Because by a mans being sometimes dark he knowes how to prize light more A man that hath laine in a dark Dungeon knowes better how to prize the liberty of the Sunshine than another 2 Uncertainty of a mans condition puts a man upon search of his heart more then it may bee else he would hereby discoveries are made of corruptions which it may be else he had not found out Hereby he findes out it may bee the way by which he was led into this darkness which is a thing of great use to others and a mans self as a man that hath once sayled a dangerous Sea and found out the Shelves and Rocks this knowledge attained is of great use to himself and others 3 By being sometimes in the dark thou knowest how experimentally to have a sympathy with others in that condition Hebrews 5.2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmities A man that hath been in misery knows how to pity another in it 4 By being sometimes in the dark thou art taught this lesson That discoveries of Cods face and presence are all of grace it is not in thine owne power to attain or maintaine them Psal 30.6 7. And in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountaine to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled 5 By being sometimes in the dark God lets thee see something of the difference here betwixt Heaven and Hell and thereby thou comest to see the greatness of grace in delivering thee from the one and keeping thee to the other 6 By being sometimes in the dark many graces are tried which could never be tried wert thou alwaies in the light as 1. Faith 2. Patience 3. Contentedness 4. Love 5. Self-denial c. THE Will of GOD and CHRIST Concerning Sinners IN ONE SERMON ON Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins that hee might deliver us from this present evil world according to the Will of God and our Father TWo great things are handled in this Epistle as the principal parts thereof Justification and Sanctification Both these the Apostle compriseth in this verse Who gave himself for our sins here 's Justification That he might deliver us from this present evill world i.e. from all the evill and corruption which reignes in this present world and the children thereof and purifie us to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of goods works here 's our Sanctification Both which as they are willed and effected by Jesus Christ so also are they agreeable to the will of the Father He gave himself for our sins that hee might deliver us from this present evill world this was agreeable to the will of the Father according to the will of God and our Father In the words wee have 1 The close or harmony of the will of God and Christ in one and the same thing What Christ wills and effects that is the will of the Father 2 Two results or determinations of their wills thus closing 1 That sinners should have their sins done away and be saved The will of Christ who gave himselfe i. e. to bring this about he gave himself up to dye And this is likewise the will of the Father According to the will of God 2 That sinners should bee delivered from this present evil world and bee sanctified This is the will of Christ hee gave himself that hee might bring this about it was one special thing hee aimed at in giving himself for our sinnes and also the Fathers according to the will of God and our Father For the last clause According to the will of God hath reference to all the former both Christs giving himself for our sins and delivering us from the present evill world Doct. The great Lesson that lies before us in these words is That the Salvation and Sanctification of poor sinners is the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Quest If you ask mee What will of God do you now speak of when you say thus The secret will or the revealed Ans I answer I speak of both it is both the secret will of God that sinners should be saved and the revealed also Yea the Apostle in those words According to the will of God intends both as is clear in that hee speaks of that will by which the Lord Christ was designed to dye that hee might justifie and sanctifie his people Now this was the secret will and revealed will both for in either Christ was and is designed to this work And indeed although wee make a distinction between these yet are they not two but one will whereof that which wee call the secret will is properly the act and that which wee call the revealed will the publication or declaration thereof Now as the enacting of a Law and publishing of
sacrifice of blood on earth or intercession in heaven were hee not willing sinners should bee saved Yea what need had there been of this had not Christ been willing hee might have spared all his labour and cost below and work above too had it not been for this For the Kingly office what use would there bee of Christs reigning in his Churches in the hearts of his people mortifying their sins quickning their graces leading ruling of them were hee not willing sinners should bee saved all that part of his Kingly office which is exercised with his Scepter of love would bee uselesse So that the Offices of Christ would bee almost wholly frustrated were not Christ willing sinners should bee saved Now do but consider what great in fluence this must needs have upon Christ to make him willing for 1 Hee is put into his Offices by his Father First made a Prophet by God Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Jesus Secondly A Priest Heb. 5.5 6. So also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an high Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee As hee saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Thirdly A King Psal 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 2 His Father hath fitted him for these To bee a Prophet hee hath given him a tongue Isa 50.4 The Lord God hath given mee the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary To bee a Priest hee hath given him a body as Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared mee To bee a King hee hath given him a Scepter and Anointing and a Throne as Psal 45 6 7. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a right Scepter thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellows Now should Christ after all this bee unwilling to save sinners this would highly displease the Father 3 Christ hath accepted of these Offices to take an Office and never intend to performe it is high deceit Now should not Christ bee willing to save sinners hee should do thus The saving of sinners is the very end of all these Offices 4 Because the sundry Relations that Christ stands in unto poor sinners makes him willing yea argues hee must needs bee so that poor sinners should bee saved When I say Christ stands in Relation to sinners I do not mean that they are to be looked upon as sinners as they stand in that Relation but Christ stands in Relation to them who are in themselves sinners There are divers Relations betwixt Christ and his people as of a brother and brother Master and servant Father and children Husband and wife King and subjects Head and members Now these Relations cannot but much engage the heart of Christ to bee willing to save sinners if wee consider 1 How that Relation it selfe is a great begetter and knitter of affections what begets such affection betwixt Father and childe Husband and wife Relation And from hence the parties related are made to wish and endeavour the good of each other 2 That Christ stands in all these Relations Hee is Master King Brother Father Husband Head all these If to bee but in one of these Relations as a Father or Husband make a man so willing and industrious of the good of the party related to then much more to bee in all Now Christ is in all and therefore cannot but bee exceeding willing 3 That these Relations can never bee broken Earthly Relations may bee and are dissolved they are knots death unties But now the Relation betwixt Christ and his poor sinful creatures can never bee broken and therefore if Christ once stood related to them and thereby became willing to have them saved hee must of necessity be so for ever because this Relation holds for ever 5 Because Christ having taken our nature upon him makes him that hee is and hee must needs bee willing to have poor sinners saved if wee consider three things 1 That Christ took our nature upon him for this as one main end that hee might bee made a merciful High Priest Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that hee might bee a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Christ as God was merciful before but his taking our nature makes him merciful as man as well as God and willing to save sinners 2 No sooner had Christ taken our nature but presently there was a merciful disposition wrought in him or an inclination to save sinners as Heb. 10.5.7 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared mee then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of mee to do thy will O God No sooner hath Christ a body prepared but hee hath a will and inclination to save sinners This merciful disposition or inclination of his heart to save sinners it is now natural to him as hee is man as well as God Now things which are natural to us wee cannot but bee exceeding willing and inclinable to do nature is such a drawer This wee may see if wee do but compare Heb. 10.7 Then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God with Psal 40.7 8. Then said I Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Where this will of God to save sinners is said to bee a Law within his heart Object But if it bee so as you say That it is the will of God and Christ that sinners should bee saved Then will it follow that all sinners must necessarily bee saved because what is the will of God that shall and must of necessity bee effected Ans I grant it were it the will of God and Christ that all sinners should be saved then indeed it would bee so but this wee have never said You cannot draw an universal proposition from an indefinite because the universal subject in one is taken universally but not so in the other Now when I say it is the will of God and Christ that sinners should bee saved I speak of sinners indefinitly not universally Yea further the Scripture speaks expresly that it is the will of God that some sinners should not bee saved as Rom. 9.18 19. Therefore hath hee mercy on whom hee will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Thou wilt say then unto me why doth hee yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will Where the Apostle vers 18. makes the hardening of sinners unto damnation to bee as well
and worke and worke but to beleeve on Christ who hath purchased salvation for poor sinners and gives it out freely without any merit or desert of theirs they make this use of it to throw off all If God will save them which is all they have a care for they will do nothing now for God or the glory of God As it is with young trees in the transplanting of them usually most of them wither and come to nothing So take a company of Legal walkers and go about to transplant them bring them from the Law to the Gospel and there are but few of them that will not miscarry and come to nothing in the removing When the Law is gone and the fear of Hell is off their hearts they will do nothing for the love of God or the glory of God I have read of a man that was so exact in duty that hee would never go forth in the morning but hee would first go to prayer by himself and when hee had prayed hee would say to himself Now Devil do thy worst and all the day long would haunt the Ale-houses Taverns and Whore-houses and come home again at night and go to pray Take the generation of Professors throughout the world and their Religion is such a kinde of Religion as this mans was though I will not say they are so prophane as hee every legal conscience is not so large yet usually they go on in a track of duties They will serve God morning and evening and if this bee done though the world and Devil have their hearts all the day besides yet they thinke all is well and that by their morning and evening prayers they make God amends for all their sin their pride their worldlinesse wantonnesse uncleannesse all the day besides There are some Papists they say that alwayes carry a Crucifix about with them and when they have been drunk or unclean or blasphemed God c. Their manner is to take their Crucifix and kiss that and howle over it a while and when they have so done they will return to their sin again So there are many Professors who though they have not their Crucifixes yet somewhat they have which serves them instead thereof which ordinarily is some outward duty and when they have committed any sin they run to their duty and there lick themselves whole and having so done back from their duty to their sin again You therefore that are Professors look to your selves I say look to your selves for as a godly man saith there are many hundred Professors which bear forth a broad profession and make a glorious shew in the eyes of the world who will bee found to bee sons of Ishmael at the last day bare Legal Professors And with this kinde of Profession a man may and many there are which do go bravely through the world with top and top gallant up carrying the applause of Town and Country where they dwell for men of excelling godliness and honesty and yet bee strangers to Jesus Christ and true Gospel-holiness for all this In good earnest therefore look to your selves Professors and consider seriously the ground you stand upon whether it bee Legal or Gospel-ground lest after you have travelled many miles as you come heaven-ward you are found to be nearer hell then when you first set out Use 2. By this wee may also take a scantling of our actions as well as our persons Wee may know what they are and what worth they have in them To know the worth of our actions wee are not to judge by the outward plausibleness of them but the principle whence they flow if the principle bee a Gospel-principle though the action bee ever so poor weake and mean in it self and despicable in the eyes of others yet the action is good and accepted of God If the Law bee the principle though the action bee ever so glorious yet it is Flesh and abominable to God Why doth the Apostle Heb. 11. so highly commend the works of the godly Patriarchs many of which for the outward act were poor and low and mean but because the principle whence they did flow was a Gospel-principle they sprang from faith the worthiness of the principle makes the action though ever so poor and low in it self worthy And why are the howlings of Cain the tears of Esau the humiliations of Ahab the confessions and repentance of Judas so branded in Scripture but because the principle whence they did flow was Legal the principle being Flesh though ever so shining and glorious otherwise to bee filthy and abominable to God The Apostle tells us Rom. 8. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God So let mee say There is never an action which is an action of the Flesh as every pure Legal action is that either is or can be pleasing to God Yea the actions of Saints themselves having Flesh in them would bee abhorring to God did not Christ the High Priest of the Saints seperate between the precious and the vile in their actions and present onely the precious to his Father So displeasing is Flesh to God that even the actions of those whom hee loves as the apple of his eye would bee a stinking smell to him were there any thing of Flesh in them when they come before him Why is it said of Paul at his conversion Behold hee prayeth why then hee prayed before hee was a Pharisee and the Pharisees used to make long prayers they made a trade of praying why because though hee prayed before yet so long as hee was a Pharisee and walked Legally all his praying was but a little of the Flesh and God will not own it by the name of praying But now when there was a beam of Gospel-light darted into his soul and a little of the Spirit of God in his prayer God streightway owns it Behold hee prayeth Paul made many prayers before whilst hee was a Legalist and God will not own one of them and now he makes but one with a little of the Spirit and God streightway owns that So there is many a man and woman that sayes over a prayer sometimes and thinks God indebted to him when alas poor soul when the reckoning day comes wherein hee expects his reward for his worke hee shall finde to his woe that God will not owne any of these his prayers but God will say to him as to those hypocritical fasters the Prophet speaks of When yee fasted fasted yee at all to mee even to mee saith the Lord So will God say Man woman thou hast prayed but didst thou pray to mee at all to mee were not all thy prayers because thou wast afraid of hell or because thy conscience whipped thee to it or thou hadst a design hereby to get credit amongst thy friends and neighbours c. Is this praying to mee Or will God say to them as Christ said to those Mat. 7. who come to him with Lord Lord in their mouthes wee have
So come to a Gospel-soul who hath this Son-like disposition wrought within him and ask him Why doe you pray so often and read the Word and spend so much time in running to Sermons and are so exact in your walking and conversing with men Why saith a Gospel-soul all this is my Fathers work and I love my Father Love is the great Gospel-motive as Fear the great Legal 4 The manifestation or discovery of the love of God to the soul As the Son-like disposition which is natural moves a Saint to obedience and holy walking so the manifestation or discovery of the great love of God without towards him whilst hee was a miserable sinner and rebel against God is very efficacious in a poor Soul that sees and beholds the same to bring him to obedience and holiness of life and conversation for hereby his love is set on work love is the begetter of love the love of God to us the begetter of our love to him We love him because he loved us first A poor sinner that was yesterday the last week or month in his sins hanging over Hell in the fetters of the Devil God comes to him and by the word of his grace layes hold of him snatcheth him out of his sins out of the Devils fetters and sets him out of the reach of Condemnation and then saith God now O Sinner behold and see what a miserable condition the last week or month thou wast in and what a blessed condition through my love towards thee thou now art in the Soul seeing this stands amazed and saith the Soul Lord seeing thy love towards mee hath been and is so great behold here I am now will I be thy Servant for ever whereas I have all my daies hitherto been at the command of the Devil and mine owne Lusts now Lord behold I am at thy command command me what thou wilt This Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ constraineth us as if he should say Would you know the reason why we which are Beleevers do not live to our selves serve the World our Lusts and Pleasures as you see others doe O there is all the reason in the world for it for when wee were Rebels Traytors Enemies to God dead in sins God then out of his infinite love gave his Son and Christ out of his infinite love dyed for us and the thoughts of this so great and unspeakable love doth so constraine us that we cannot but judge it the most equal and meet thing in the world that henceforth we should not live unto our selves but solely and alone to him that dyed for us 5 The certainty of the blessedness of a Saints eternal condition This is a very prevailing motive to know and beleeve that our eternal condition already taken care for by our Father and made so sure and out of doubt that neither Heaven nor Earth Men or Angels can ever deprive us of the blessednesse thereof When a poor Soul called to a duty comes to see that now the question is not about his Salvation whether God will save him or not for that is determined already God having chosen him and called him to be an Heir thereof and given him the seal or earnest thereof in his owne heart but only about his dutifulnesse whether he shall be a loving dutiful Childe and please his Father or an undutiful and grieve him O then saith the Soul doth the question indeed lye here Is there no question at all about my Salvation but hath God and my Father so provided for that that that is out of doubt Is this the question whether I shal be a dutiful Child or no and O shal I not be one Should I not be a Wretch indeed and worse than a Beast if for all this unspeakable love I should returne nothing but unkindness to my Father Hath God taken care that I shall not be punished in Hell and shall not I take care that he be not grieved in my heart Hath he taken care about my eternal good and shall not I about his glory I dare say were wee much in actual contemplation of this and our thoughts did but roule hereupon that wee stand reconciled to God in Christ Heaven is ours c. did we but when ever wee are called to any duty or tempted to sin take a little time before wee close with either to recollect our selves of the love of God in this thing and to get our faith a little upon the wing and our hearts warmed herewith we should never demeane our selves so basely and unworthily towards God and in the things of God as oft we doe our hearts would never bee so lively to sin and dead to duty as they are I am perswaded that put the case a poor Soul were much over-mastered with the prevalency of some Lust or Corruption if when he felt it stirre hee could look the same in the face and in faith say to it O my Corruption though I should now yeeld to thee yet this is certaine I shall never perish for the business of my Salvation is not now to bee cared for but that is past and over done and cannot bee reversed I say I am perswaded that this very saying this by faith would give a more deadly blow to sin than all the terrours of Conscience and the Law the fears of Hell and Damnation Legal promises Vowes and Covenants either will or can doe and this were hee able at such time in faith to say it hee should know and feele by experience So put the case a Beleever were under some violent Temptation could hee look Satan in the face and say thou wretched Devil thou wouldest tempt me to this and the other evil to grieve God but what a foole art thou for should I yeeld unto thee thy end would never be accomplished for thou shalt never have me I shall never perish the saying this in faith would more silence the tempter and suppresse temptations than can be done in any other way This therefore is a strong motive to Gospel-Holiness and such a one that I dare boldly say that the Soul that hath found his love and obedience at any time flowing from hence i. e. hath had a firme perswasion in his Spirit that Heaven was his and from this perswasion hath been stirred up to doe the will of God and hath gone about the same with more cheerfulnesse and delight than at another time may conclude that his obedience is a fruit of the Gospel and walking after the Gospel for how can it be legal seeing 1 Here is no working from slavish fear for what servile feare can there bee when I know before-hand that my condition is sure it doth not hang upon my working when I know before-hand that I am delivered from wrath and because I am delivered from wrath therefore I doe obey yet put the case I should not obey though being delivered from wrath I shall obey yet cannot my disobedience
have fewer Ordinances I mean outward Ordinances and those wee have are more spiritual Gospel-worship is one step nearer to Heavenly than Legal worship Persons are more Spiritual Saints of the Old Testament excepting some few who were the Pen-men of the Holy Ghost had but a little of the Spirit the Spirit then being not powred down then the promise of the pouring out of the Spirit being made to Gospel times Precepts are more spiritual compare the ten Commandements of Moses with the Precepts of the New Testament and see how spiritual the one are in regard of the other Promises are more spiritual abundance of their promises did relate to outward and temporal good things wee under the New Testament have but few promises of outward and temporal things but abundance relating to spirituall and eternall things therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 8.6 The New Covenant that is the Gospel is established upon better promises than the old was Yea the whole administration take it in the bulk is more spiritual and therefore when the Apostle compares the two Administrations he calls the one the Letter the other the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Moses or the Legal Administration is the Letter Christs or the Gospel Administration the Spirit So also the conversation or walking of Saints under the Gospel is more spiritual by far then theirs was under the Law and therefore it is called a walking in heaven Phil. 3.20 3 Because There is a mighty power that goes along with a Gospel-walk The Spirit is called Power Luke 24.49 Now take a Gospel Saint and he hath more power than five hundred Legal persons I can do all things saith Paul through Christ that strengtheneth mee 4 Quest But do all those that are freed from condemnation Walke after the Gospel Answ Yea though here that there may bee nothing laid as matter of temptation before scrupulous and troubled souls consider that there are two sorts of persons that are freed i.e. actually freed from condemnation 1 There are some are freed from condemnation but being but newly come to this their freedome and having been all the time of their life before trained up under the Law in the School of the Law and been Apprentices to the Law they can hardly beleeve it the thing seeming strange to them that they should bee from under their other Master that they are freed and therefore though they are indeed freed from condemnation yet not beleeving it or with difficulty beleeving it And on the contrary being with ease perswaded that they are still under the command of their old Master their walke which hath much dependance upon the knowing or beleeving this their freedome is not a pure Gospel-walke but rather an Old Testament walk a walk much like unto the walk of the Saints in the time of the Old Testament which as I have formerly shewed was neither purely Gospel nor purely Legal but partaking of either So that in these persons although there is somewhat of the Gospel at the bottome yet may there bee much of the Law at the top much doubting darkness fear terror c. and yet for all this they may bee true Saints and Gospel-walkers as the Gospel is at the bottome of their actions the Spirit of God at the bottome though darkness fear terror c. at the top 2 There are others who are not onely freed from condemnation but injoying and beleeving this their freedome and knowing that the Law their former husband hath now nothing to do with them but they are onely under the commands of Christ who is their King Law-giver and Husband their walke is a pure Gospel-walke i.e. there is not that darkness doubting fear self-love in their walking as in the walkes of the other but their actions do spring from pure love to God to the glory of God love to their neighbour c. Now the things that I have before spoken of as touching Gospel-walking do chiefly relate to these latter sort of persons Thus much for the opening of this Truth the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Application SERMON VII Rom. 8.1 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit WAlking after the Flesh and Spirit as you have heard holds forth the one of these two either Legal or Gospel-walking or walking after the Old and New man I am upon the words in the first sense as they hold forth Legal and Gospel-walking and so I have laid down these two Propositions Legal walking is walking after the Flesh Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit Of Legal walking I have spoken the last day I made an end of the Doctrinal part of the other viz. Gospel-walking I now proceed to Application Vse 1. Is it so that Gospel-walking is walking after the Spirit then hence we may learn the excellency of a Gospel-walk every thing the more of Spirit it hath in it the more excellent it is Now Gospel-walking is a walking after the Spirit there is much of the Spirit in it the whole walk of a Gospel-Saint so farre as hee walks according to the Gospel is directed by the Spirit and therefore it is of all others the most excellent walk This Gospel-walk it excels a pure Natural walk or a Legal walk in a pure Natural walk there the Principle is Natural light Natural conscience in a Legal walk there the Principle is fear and apprehension of wrath but now in a Gospel-walk the principle is the Spirit now by how much the principle is more excellent by so much the action duty the walk is more excellent As let a man have two Servants one serves him out of love and from a principle of ingenuity because he hath received some favour from the hand of his Master the other serves him for fear or in hope to receive somewhat from his Master he doth the most excellent service that serves him out of love and from ingenuity because the principle is most excellent whence that hee doth ariseth Gospel obedience is excellent obedience there is a stamp of Divine excellency upon that which is upon no other obedience in the world and the more any Christian comes to this to walk and to obey according to the Gopel the more excellent Christian he is A pure Gospel-walking it is the highest sublimest the most excellent walking on this side the walk of glorified Saints in Heaven which should bee a mighty encouragement to us all to presse after this Gospel-walk Vse 2. This shews us why there is such a Mystery in Gospel-walking that a meer Natural man cannot conceive what manner of walk a Gospel-walk is why because Gospel-walking is a walking after the Spirit The Natural man saith the Apostle perceiveth not the things of the Spirit neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned though a Natural man hath knowledge and insight into the things of Nature and the things of Morality because these are within the sphere of his reason and natural understanding and also
in it making that the maine laying the stresse of their whole religion there Now I desire this may bee considered of us all that the maine Gospel-walking is the Spirit and though I am to walk in outward formes so farre as they are of Christs institution and to use them yet the maine of Christian Gospel religion lyes not so much in the outward forme as in the inward spiritual worship Therefore Paul speaking of Gospel-worship makes in principally to consist in this as Rom. 1.9 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son c. and Chap. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God and Phil. 3.3 For wee are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and so Christ himself opposing the Legal and Gospel worship Joh. 4.21 22 23 24. shewes us that Gospel worship is chiefly and mainly worship in spirit Jesus saith unto her Woman beleeve mee the hour cometh when yee shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father yee worship yee know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And therefore in Psam 45. which is a Prophesie of the Church of the New Testament it is said that the Kings daughter is all glorious within shewing us that the Saints of the New Testament their glory should be chiefly in inward graces This is the difference betwixt Old Testament worship and New Testament in the time of the Old Testament their worship did lye mostly in outward things outward observations of times and places c. the inward worship it was vailed under the outward So in the New Testament the maine worship is inward worship in spirit and the outward in many things seems to be vailed under that yet as then the outward worship did not exclude the inward but the inward was required and without in the outward was nothing so now the inward worship doth not exclude the outward but the outward is also required and where it may bee performed and is not I may say without it the inward is little or nothing as to Gods acceptance thereof Therefore I say let us not put too much in the outward forme though were are not to despise it yet let us not put too much therein Quest But when may a man be said to put too much in an outward forme Ans 1. When a mans whole religion lies in that when a man hath nothing to shew him to be religious or to make him so but some outward forme Many there are which goe with some outward forme upon their backs and doe but strip them of this their garment and they have no more Religion than the most irreligious man living they have nothing to shew them to be religious or to difference them from other men who have no religion at all but live without God in the world save only this they are in such an outward way or they doe now and then performe such an outward duty take them out of their way and from their duty and they have no more religion than a Horse all their religion it lies in the outside they have as little in their heart though they seeme to have much on their backs as any other men And indeed it is a very usual thing with many persons who faine would be rellgious and love to be so accounted and have no stock within to trade with to drive on a trade for a while as long as they can in this way Now I say when all a mans religion lyes in the outward forme it is evident such a one puts too much in it Thus it was with the Jews in Christs and the Apostles times their whole religion lay in this that they were the Sons of Abrcham and circumcised c. but see what Paul saith to them Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2 When a mans love and charity is bounded up within the line of his own form or the way hee is in or opinion hee holds When a man hath no charity to spare for any but those that jump with him in his own way or opinion or if hee have charity for them yet because they do not fully accord with him in every thing hee can allow them but a little of his love or of the exercise of this his charity I have known some my self who have been so high against baptising of Infants that their charity would not allow that man one grain of grace who could not set his seal presently to this their opinion I speak not this to throw dirt in the faces of any but only to shew how that some men there are who put too much in Forms Paul undoubtedly you will all grant it had as much cause to bee confident of the truth of those Ordinances and Traditions hee delivered to the Churches as any man now living hath of his own way or opinion and yet hee had so much charity as to allow him to bee a brother which did not come up to his Traditions 2 Thess 3.14 15. And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 3 When a man is so addicted to his owne way or forme that he cannot with patience hear what in a way of Christian love or humility is or may be said against it I speak of such things as are disputable where godly men have somewhat to say pro and con as we say now when a man is so set upon some outward forme that hee walks in or hath taken up as that hee cannot without flying out and shewing much passion much of man hear a word against any thing or principle by him taken up it argues hee puts too much in that outward forme though he may be in the right as to the thing yet this argues him to put too much in it Thus the Jews in the two and twentieth of the Acts they gave Paul audience till he came to those words Depart for I will send thee farre hence unto the
Grace say to him goe but he goes come but he comes doe this avoyd that but he doth the one and avoyds the other The Law doth not put such a Principle of ingenuity in a man and therefore persons under the same one day they are threatned another day they feele the Whip and Rod for their sins another while they resolve vow and covenant they will sin no more and yet still they goe in the old track they sin and vow and vow and sin and all because there is not a spiritual ingenuity wrought in them as Grace works in all those that hear and receive the same but now Grace that makes a man so ingenuous that considering what God hath done for poore Sinners what Christ hath suffered to take away sin how free and willing God is to receive him make him a Son and Heir here give him Heaven and glory hereafter he would not now lye swilling and sweltering in his old sins and lusts though hee might the Soul needs not now to vow and covenant a twelve month together against such and such sins it is addicted unto no but it hears the voyce of Gods grace telling it what Christ hath done for it how willing God is to pardon all his sins and bidding it doe this avoyd that and presently it is made inclinable to obey the voyce of Gods grace what saith Paul Rom. 6.1 Shall we sin because grave doth abound no God forbid we have more ingenuity in us than to doe thus because God loves us and is willing to pardon cur sins here and to glorifie us hereafter shall we therefore doe what we can to grieve him to offend and trouble him no God forbid we are more ingenuous than so nay we cannot doe it our very hearts are against it and our souls hate and abhorre the thoughts of it we would not for a world bee found to require the Lord thus So 2 Cor. 5.13 14 15. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your Cause for the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again As to say whether we be mad or sober judge of us as you please yet have wee so much ingenuity as to judge thus that if Jesus Christ dyed for us we should now live to him if he came and purchased an everlasting life for us our ingenuity makes us reason that it is a fit thing that we should live this our temporal life to him and consecrate it wholly to his service What is the reason that many a poor Soul sits all the week long at the Ale-pot Sweares and Whores and yet now and then he vowes and resolves against such courses and yet cannot for his heart and bloud as we say leave them but the Law when hee hath done such things whips and stings him and this hardens him whereas did but such a poor Soul see that he is by Jesus Christ delivered from wrath to come freed from the Law Sin and Satan did but God let him to see the hope of his calling and what a happy and blessed estate hee is by Christ brought into there would bee such an ingenuity wrought within him that hee needs not vow and covenant to bee Drunk and Swear and Whore no more no but his heart would abhor to deal so basely and unworthily with a God so infinite rich in love and abounding in Grace and mercy towards him 2 Because the grace of God it hath more full and clear precepts to holinesse than the Law hath the Law that hath ten Commands but the grace of God that hath many hundred Spiritual commands wherein it injoynes spiritual obedience and newness of life and then the commands of grace they are as more so of a more spiritual nature whatsoever the Law commands Natures light teacheth and a man may by Natures light convince a man of these things but now the precepts of grace are spiritual and supernatural such as a Natural man by Natures light cannot perceive The precepts of grace are called the things of the Spirit l Cor. 2. Which the Natural man cannot perceive but they are foolishnesse unto him because they are spiritually discerned Where the grace of God is preached and received there doth the Spirit of God goe who is a teaching Spirit and teacheth the Soul infinite more commands and with more clearness and demonstration doth it discover truth than any Natural or Moral man by his Natural light or study of the Law can ever finde out the Law discovers to a man the outward actions of sin and forbids these but when grace comes with its precepts it makes discovery of the first risings motions stirrings and concupiscence of these things in the Soul and forbids these and hence by reason that the grace of God or the Doctrine of the Gospel for that I understand by the grace of God all along hath more full higher and more Spiritual instructions than any the Law hath makes further discoveries of sin than the Law barely considered can doe it comes to passe that it is the most effectual means of killing and subduing sin 3 Because there is a power in grace for the subduing and killing of sin The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. that the Law it is a killing letter that is it is only a bare letter without any power bidding us to doe this and avoyd that but contributes no assistance to us yet tells us if wee doe not obey it we shall be damned and so it is a killing letter that is to us it kills us instead of killing our sins but now the Gospel gives life that doth not only command but giveth power to doe and so is a word of life So Heb. 12. hee calls the Law a voyce of words for the same reason because it did command and forbid things under the penalty of Death and Damnation and it saw the poor Creature to bee weak and altogether unable to doe either the one or the other and yet gave him no power at all and so was only a terrible voyce of words to him The Law as one saith it doth teach just as the Commandements written upon the walls doe a poor man comes in and reads them over and yet his heart is never the warmer never the more fit to obey any of them because he reads them there but now the Gospel on the grace of God that brings power along with it a poor Soul which before lived in sins and thought it impossible that ever hee should leave them or have them subdued now findes a power within him killing and subduing those sins of his hence it is called The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 4 Because a Soul never comes to see sin in its proper colours until the grace
for our justification declaring himself to have gotten the day of the Law Sin Hell and the Devil all the enemies of our salvation and likewise alluring us hereby that wee are already in him acquited God having forgiven us all our trespasses and shall assuredly one day rise as hee is risen to live with him in glory hereafter when this our corruptible shall put on incorruption and this our mortall shall put on immortality and death shall bee swallowed up into victory Again which our hearts should bee much taken up with How that Jesus Christ being now risen hee as the common person of the Saints and as a glorious Conqueror is ascended up into heaven herein triumphing over Principalities and Powers which he by his death had spoyled making a shew of them openly and leading captivity captive where being arrived hee is sate down at the right hand of the Father upon the Throne of Majesty in the heavens having Angels Principalities and Powers made subject unto him and all his enemies under his feet himselfe being invested with Majesty and Glory Sovereignty and Power Authority and Judgement all which hee improves for the good of his Saints Again farther How that the Saints as considered in him their common person are quickned together with him and raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places being sharers and partakers with him in his life and death in his humiliation and exaltation hee personating them in both having his wisdome righteousness riches holiness made over to them so that they are compleat in him and of his fulnesse doe receive grace for grace Again yet farther how that Jesus Christ being now in the heavens is there imployed in making preparation and providing mansions for his Saints against they come thither and is continually ready to and busied in presenting the wants and petitions of his people to his Father hee also himselfe in all our exigencies and under all our infirmities making intercession for us so that wee are for ever safe and secure from all fear and danger hee ever living to make intercession for us From whence when all his Elect of Jew and Gentile shall bee called home hee shall gloriously come attended with his mighty Angels and ten thousands of his Saints when as the Spouse being arraied in fine linnen clean and white hee shall take her to himselfe and celebrate his glorious Marriage and having done justice upon all her enemies here below and judged quick and dead shall triumphantly carry her with himselfe into his Fathers Kingdome where shee shall for ever bee with him where hee is beholding the glory the Father hath given him and injoying with him fulnesse of glory fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Again yet farther the thoughts whereof our thoughts should bee exercised about how that in the mean time that his people might bee gathered together and made meet to bee partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light hee hath and continually doth send forth his Spirit the great promise of the Father together with Messengers and Ambassadors having the everlasting Gospel in their mouths whereby those which everlasting love did in the beginning choose out of the world and predestinated to the adoption of Sons are in time through grace called and actually and personally having precious faith given unto them justified from all their iniquities united to him made children heires of God and joynt heires with Christ sanctified by the Spirit and through the applying of the blood of Jesus have their consciences purged from dead works to serve the ever living and true God daily going on from faith to faith and strength to strength till in the end they attaine the Resurrection of the dead and come to behold God in Sion Finally seeing and considering what glorious things are through grace wrought and prepared for us and which are in part and shall be in Gods time fully given to us it should bee the continual exercise of our hearts and that which wee should bee much taken up with how wee may come to attain and enjoy these things so as may make for the glory of God the good of others and our own comfort more It should bee our continual querying O how shall I come to know more of Christ more of the love of God in Christ How shall I come to beleeve in Christ more to live by faith more to injoy the fruit and comfort of my election through grace my redemption justification by Christ adoption in him union with him more How shall I come to bee more sanctified by the Spirit made more conformable to him have more of his Image imprinted upon mee feel him more in his Death and Resurrection have more fellowship with him in his sufferings O how shall I come to have corruption in mee daily more mortified my pride mortified my unbeleefe mortified my corrupt affections and passions mortified my luke-warmness earthly-mindedness deadness formality in duty mortified How shall I come to have my graces more quickned my faith love godly-sorrow humility self-denial patience thankfulness contentedness quickned O how shall I have a heart carried out more to glorifie God in the place calling I am in time opportunities I have How shall I have a frame of heart to go about the service of God more freely willingly cheerfully and to act in it more purely sincerely every day than other Such things and questions as these are I call Spiritual things and they are the things our hearts should bee exercised about Object Must a Saint onely bee exercised about Spiritual things are there not some external things which a Saint must exercise himselfe in and about Answ Yes there are outward Civil imployments which a Saint as a man is with moderation to bee exercised about And also there are outward Ordinances and institutions of Jesus Christ which a Saint as hee is a Christian out of obedience to his Masters command so far as the same is made clear to him is to bee exercised in and about in exercising himselfe in which though the things themselves are external yet hee injoyes much inward and spiritual communion with Jesus Christ therefore I do not oppose spiritual things to all things external neither would I bee so understood For though the Kingdome of God doth not consist in meat and drink yet meat and drink are usefull in their place and men in an ordinary way cannot live without it But now when I speak of a Saints exercising himself in spirituals I oppose spiritual 1 To things expresly forbidden which are simply in themselves evill and sinful being things not convenient nor becoming Saints Eph. 5.3 4. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not bee once named amongst you as becometh Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient Prophane courses become no man but worst of all a Saint 2 To things light and frivolous Things indeed unworthy the thoughts of a Saint
worse than the former when men doe not only study Niceties and make Lawes for themselves but when they have so done will make Lawes for their Brethren and binde their Consciences to those Lawes which they themselves have made Now wilt thou exercise thy self in things of this nature take heed then thou make not thy Conscience the rule of thy Brothers neither make Lawes over him in such things as thou canst not assure his Conscience Christ hath made them I had rather yeeld in a hundred things of this nature to a Brothers weaknesse than by an absolute Law of his making to be bound up to one Let Saints therefore be wary of tying their Brethren hand and foot in such things wherein Christ hath left them free for Saints if tied will not doe that which if they were left to their liberty they ought to doe as I remember Luther saith to the Papists about eating their meats and observing their dayes leave us saith he to our liberty wee will cat your meats observe your dayes but bind us hereto and wee will doe neither 5 And lastly Take heed thy spirit grow not hence by degrees to an affectation of novelty or new things Many there are who first take delight to pry into dark and curious questions and when they have gone on thus a while there is nothing will please them but new things and curious things they grow out of love with old truth and spiritual heart matters these are fet by and it must bee some fine new tickling question that is fit matter only for their thoughts and meditations and as for all things else they account them but low things and those that hold them and press them men of lower light and of a lower forme as they say I am almost confident of if that most of the errours this day broached or on foot in England or elsewhere doe grow out of this root viz. A neglect of exercising the heart about spiritual things and a desire to be alwaies prying into dark things from whence by degrees there creepes into the Soul a love of novelty and new matters which no sooner is in any but the heart is as prone and apt to suck in errour as a spunge water and of all spirits in searching after truth I should desire the Lord to keep me from this a spirit delighting it self in and affecting novelty and new things The Reasons of this Point with the Application I shall leave to the next opportunity The Second SERMON ON 1 Tim. 6.11 Follow after righteousness godliness c. THe last opportunity I had in this place I told you that the Apostle gives these words as a direction to his Schollar Timothy and in him to all Beleevers how to escape the dangerous errours and evils that then were or at any time should be abroad the direction is to follow after righteousnesse godlinesse c. as if hee should say employ thy self and thy heart about these things and there is no fear of receiving hurt by the other In General I told you the things he mentions are all spiritual things whence I laid before you this observation viz. Doct. That the only and special way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errours and evils of the times he lives in is to have his heart as much as may be taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and Spiritual things I proved it then unto you and also shewed you what I did meane by Spiritual things I now proceed to the Reasons why the exercising the heart about Spiritual things is such a preservative against the errours and evils of the times we live in Reas 1. Because such a heart as is exercised about Spiritual things findes not leasure to run out after those poor low things which others trifle away their time and lose themselves about Many there are in the world of whom it may be said as Pharaoh once said of the Israelites Yee are idle yee are idle who are very Idlers and doe nothing at all in Spirituals by reason whereof their hearts have a great deale of leisure which because they would be doing and finde nothing to take too they busie themselves just as Children and Boyes doe when they are idle about this toy and the other such a querk and such a query their time and thoughts are busied about and they are continually fancying and inventing new Notions and Chymaera's and this bears the Bell and is all in request to day and this to morrow and thus they strangely lose themselves running from one fancy unto another till in the end they have out-run Reason Religion and all Whereas now a Saint which hath his heart exercised about spiritual things is like a man which is in great dealings and trading which hath many weighty affairs under his hand together and is by reason hereof so full of employment that he cannot finde time to beat his braines about this querk and the other query all the time that he hath is little enough and too little to follow so as that he may not be a looser of his greater employments hee findes that had hee two dayes whereas he hath but one time would be too little for him to busie himself how hee might enjoy more communion with God understand more of the great Mysteries of Godlinesse get his heart more mortified his graces more quickned c. though hee should allow other things no time at all Because to a heart that is exercised about spiritual things other things are dry and empty such a heart neither findes relish in them nor satisfaction from them a spiritual heart delights in things and relisheth them as they are spiritual that which much relisheth a carnal heart is very dis-relishing to the Spiritual man As take a Carnal eare that loves to hear things where there is a great deale of curiosity and of the varnish of Humane wit and Wisdome but now take a Spiritual eare that delights to hear such things as have in them evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and findes a dis-relishing of other things So take a Carnal eye that delights to behold such things as please the Natural sense and delight the Fancy but now a Spiritual soul that delights to behold such things as may elevate the Soul and raise the affections more towards Heaven so take a Carnal heart that is well pleased when it is exercised about toyes this vaine needless question and the other but now a Spiritual heart that can take no comfortable relish in things of this nature but they are dry and empty unto it and therefore it shuns and avoyds them and so escapes the danger that comes by them 3 Because such a heart as is exercised in and taken up with Spiritual things lives as I may say in another world whither these vapours which make the braines of many men giddy and their conversation unstedfast doe not ascend he lives in the heavenly world and is
remedy get thy heart exercised in and taken up with spiritual things I need say no more by way of motive than to repeat over the Doctrine viz. That the way for a Saint to bee delivered from the errors and evils of the times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things Yet because our hearts are so dull of hearing that a great deal said moves them but a little I shall therefore besides the Doctrine lay some few other motives before you to stir up to this to have our hearts more exercised in and taken up with spiritual things 1 Consider This is the way a special way to maintain peace in thine own soul Were a mans abode in the upper region of the aire hee should neither bee troubled with storms or cloudings because hee should bee above all So soul were thy heart and minde alwayes taken up with spiritual things in a spiritual manner wee should bee more free from stormes within more free from the cloudings of Gods face than now wee are wee should have more inward calme and Sun-shine of Gods love in a day than now perhaps wee have in a month 2 This also is the way to end divisions amongst Saints The way to cure a disease is to take away the cause What is the cause of divisions amongst Saints but the not exercising of our hearts about spiritual things The root of our divisions is our carnality 1 Cor. 3.3 4. For yee are yet carnal For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are yee not carnal and walke as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are yee not carnal When Christians who should bee one divide themselves and make parties one party setting themselves might and maine against the other it is a signe that they are carnal but now as Saints come to bee more spiritual and more taken up with spiritual things they come to see their own folly and childishness in these things they come to look upon and have fellowship with Saints as they are Saints as they have the Image of God upon them Christ in them The spiritual Christian loves what God loves and where God loves now God loves his own Image in all and all as they have this Image upon them Thus the spiritual Christian who is taken up with spiritual things loves and hath fellowship with Saints as they are Saints whoever they are which hee sees to bee such if there bee not some eminent blot either upon their conversations or judgements which after admonitions remaining so as that the glory of God and the honour of the Gospel calls aloud for withdrawing communion from them hee dares not but to love them own them and have fellowship with them as God doth and as hee himself hereafter in heaven shall do Now this exceedingly heals and makes up breaches amongst the Saints 3 The exercising of the heart about spiritual things is the way to dis-enamour a mans heart of the world The way to dis-enamour a man of a base and vulgar person is to have his heart enamoured with a person of great worth and excellency So the way to dis-enamour our hearts of low carnal and earthly things is to have them enamoured with high spiritual and heavenly things Paul saith Col. 3.1 If you bee risen with Christ seeke things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Christs sitting at the right hand of God is a motive to us to seek things above as if hee should say Would you have your hearts spiritual bee much in cogitation of this Christ is above hee is at the right hand of God and say What is my head above my husband above my Saviour my all above and shall I minde things here below O Christians were you busied in spiritual things you would bee lesse busie with the world Were your hearts and thoughts more taken up about your union with Christ your justification your inheritance you are called to c. you would not root in the world as yee doe Moles root themselves in the earth but Birds do not because they flye aloft they are much above and take no delight to root in the earth Bee as the Bird but not as the Mole Christians 4 The exercising of the heart about spiritual things begets a sweet disposednesse of spirit both to in and after every duty It disposeth the heart to a duty such a heart is in a frame to pray at any time to speak a spiritual word at any time when hee sees a call thereto other Christians they have a heart to a spiritual work to day it may bee but finde not a heart for a week together at another time When they are to go to a duty they have a great deal ado to get their hearts up to what they are going about their hearts are in the world in their profits and pleasures and as their duty calls on one hand these call on the other and not without much ado do they bring their hearts from these to their duty whereas this heart that is taken up with spiritual things is ready for the duty when ever it calls And as to a duty so also it doth sweetly dispose the heart in a duty It is said of Mr. Bradford that hee never came off from a duty without enjoying somewhat of God therein A spiritual heart injoyes more of God many times in one duty than another doth in twenty And so after a duty a spiritual heart walks sweetly and bravely after a duty You shall have others come and get up a little comfort in a duty and when they have got a little comfort they will walk basely they will run themselves head and ears into the world untill they have quite lost all that comfort and communion that they had with God in the duty But now a spiritual heart if yours and mine were such after hee hath been at a duty and met with God there his conversation is like Moses face when hee came off the Mount it shines his behaviour speeches actions his carriage towards Saints and sinners shines there is a lustre a beauty a glory upon them as it was said of Peter and John seeing their boldness and undauntedness and considering they were unlearned and ignorant men they took notice of them that they had been with Jesus So the carriage and words and behaviour of a spiritual heart after hee comes off from a duty where hee hath met with God is such that by speaking with him and hearing of him you may say there is a man a woman that hath been with Jesus hee walks hee talks as one that hath met with Jesus 5 By exercising the heart about spiritual things a man shall be brought up to a blessed composednesse and stayednesse of heart upon God in all the alterations changes and turnes of things here below turnes in the
World change of Dispensations doe often times put another man out of his course But now take a heâ—rt that is exercised about spiritual things and let ever such great changes and alterations come he still keeps on in his way though States and Kingdomes and Empires are turned upside down yet he is not moved The Psalmist speaking of such a man Psal 112.7 saith of him He shall not be afraid of evil tidings Why his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. What a blessed frame of spirit was there in David when as Ziglag was burnt his Wives and Children taken Prisoners the people spake of stoning him hee encouraged himself saith the Text in the Lord his God David in the midst of this hurly-burley this tumult and tempest which would have made another man at his wits end hath a blessed composed quiet frame of spirit staying himself on God 6 And lastly The exercising of the heart about Spiritual things will make a man contented with all conditions whatsoever befall him in outward things Paul by having his heart exercised in these things had learned in every condition to be content he knew how to be full and how to be hungry how to abound and to suffer want when our hearts are taken up with Spiritual things with God communion with God and Christ let Sicknesse come Poverty come reproach persecution come yet nothing comes amisse a man will have something to delight himselfe in or else hee will never bee content now when the delight of the Soul is in Spiritual things when the Soul enjoyes these and possesses these though the Soul want many outward things yet it can bee content saith the Soul true I have not the pleasures of this World the Dignities and Honours of this World the Riches of this World as others have but I have better Pleasures better Honours better Riches than any this World can afford and therefore why should I not be content Quest But how shall I come to have my heart taken up with Spiritual things Ans 1. Be much in the study of the Gospel the Gospel that gives the Spirit it holds forth and preacheth the Spirit it makes discovery of the things of the Spirit to us now wouldest thou have thy heart taken up with Spiritual things get a clear sight of this Gospel where these things in the beauty sweetness glory and excellency of them are revealed and made known 2 Thou must of necessity bee born again By Nature thou art no other but flesh and flesh will never be delighted with the things of the Spirit for they are contrary unto it 3 Pray to God to give thee of his spirit it is the Spirit of God dwelling in us that makes us to be delighted with Spiritual things The natural man saith Paul that is the man that hath not the Spirit he perceiveth not the things of the Spirit neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Wouldest thou know and have thy heart taken up with spiritual things pray to God then to give thee of his Spirit to make thee a Spiritual man 4 Associate thy self with the most spiritual Saints Take dead Coals and lay them to dead coals and one doth not warm nor kindle the other but take a dead coale and lay it to a live coale and the live coale will kindle the dead coale So take a company of Saints that are dead and lay them together and there will be little warming of one another but take a dead Saint and put him to a lively Saint and he that is lively will warme the dead Saint the seeing of his life and zeal and love and spiritualnesse will provoke the other and set him all in a flame for when a dead-hearted Saint sees the life of another hee is ashamed of himself and will bee restlesse with God till in some measure he hath attained that life that he saw in the other 5 Let not a day passe over but at one time or other of that day hold thy heart close for some time to some Spiritual work either Prayer by thy self Meditation Self-examination or the like You know things that are hard at first through use and custome become habitual so didst thou use thy heart daily to bee employed about some spiritual work thou wouldest bee more easily brought to an exercise in spirituals Often neglects and disuse make a thing hard let a man neglect a spiritual worke one day it will bee harder to bring his heart to it the next than it was that 6 Keep thy heart heated and warmed as much as may be with the love of God and Christ whilst Iron is hot it is easie to beat it into this or that forme but when it is cold it will not work and so nothing will be done whilst the heart is warmed with the love of God it is easie to bring it to this as that spiritual work but when it is cold and dead it will not work 7 Watch all opportunities that offer themselves to thee whereby thou mayest increase thy delight in spiritual things or have thy heart more warmed to things of this nature sometimes a Christian hath an opportunity offered to speak a Spiritual word to some or doe some spiritual work and taking the same hee hath his heart more spiritual and in a sweeter frame to goe about any spiritual work for a week after than it was before 8 Be most humble when thou art most spiritual the policy of Satan is when he cannot hinder the Soul from minding spiritual things to make it proud of its spiritualnesse knowing thereby hee shall robbe it thereof and I am perswaded the Saints doe not loose a spiritual frame of heart oftner by any one device of Satan than this Therefore wouldest thou keep up a spiritual frame of heart look to it that thou ever walkest most humbly when thou art most spiritual 9 Take heed of these things 1 Of being discouraged to a Spiritual work by thine owne deadnesse oftentimes out deadnesse discourageth us to a Spiritual work I am dead and therefore discouraged to pray to speake to another it may bee I think I should but play the Hypocrite in doing these things and so I am discouraged to that which is my duty take heed of this when a Saint goes over the head of such a discouragement many times to his duty his heart is made alive in it 2 Take heed of all curiosity There is not a greater enemy to spirituality in the World than curiosity is the more of curiosity is in our Preaching I dare affirme it that there will be the lesse spirituality in the Preachers heart the lesse fruit of his preaching if a man have a designe to bee curious there will bee so much Carnal fear lest things should not bee taking with others so much pride when hee thinks they are as let him doe what he can hee shall not keep up a spiritual heart in his work now there is a three-fold curiosity First
threat of death in case of disobedience and the promise of life upon condition of obedience by assuring her seed in giving forth this rule unto them that they are already most certainly freed from death and possessed of life and that therefore shee gives not forth this rule unto them to bee as a way or meanes through the observance of which they may escape the one or obtaine the other but only as a declaration of their Fathers will and their duty that by it they may bee instructed how they ought to walk and to please God Hence the obedience of Sarahs Children so farre as they are subject to their Mother Sarah only receiving their Law out of her hand is pure Gospel obedience i. e. obedience springing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as the principal efficient cause from love and thankfulness to-their Father as the moving cause from an earnest desire that their Father might have some service from them and glory by them as the final cause and this is pure Gospel obedience when God is Agent Motive and End in all we doe 4 Hence wee may learn That a true Beleever as he doth not expect life and salvation from his obedience to the Law so should hee not fear death and condemnation either by his falling short in obedience or by his disobedience This Position will sound harsh in some cares and be accounted a leavened Principle but doe but observe how naturally it flowes from what hath been laid downe and proved for if the promise of life and salvation upon condition of obedience and the threat of Death and Condemnation to the disobedient bee proper to the Law as Hagars Law and if the Law as Hagars Law be now cast out then hath a Beleever nothing to doe with the Law as it is a law promising life to the obedient or threatning death to the disobedient and if so then cannot he expect life and salvation from it though hee should obey it nor need hee fear death though hee disobey it This necessarily follows that which hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to delivered from c. hee can neither expect good no nor fear evil from But the Law as Hagars Law hee hath nothing to doe with is dead to it delivered from it therefore he can neither expect good nor need he fear evil from it Obj. But it will be said Such a principle as this dâ—th open a wide gap to all manner of licention nesse Ans Not so but contrariwise it is co a gracious heart the most powerful motive and the greatest help that can bee to holinesse for as there is nothing moves such a one so strongly as doth this perswasion upon the heart that whatsoever it hath is of the free love of God only and that this love is such as that nothing can separate from it so nothing affords the Soule more firme help and reliefe against sin and temptations to sin than doth the knowledge and assurance of this that sin and temptation though it should conquer cannot condemn for so long as the Soul looks upon a possibility of being condemned by sin if vanquished by it he is in continual fear and therefore whensoever hee findes the motions of sin or temptations to sin stirring in himself hee presently grows weak and faint through this fear I shall bee vanquished and so condemned and as a fainting man is not in a capability to stand up against an enemy assaulting him with full strength so this fainting Soul whose strength through fear is gone before it is assaulted sinkes downe presently under the assault and is without any great resistance made a captive to that thing it hates which thing the Apostle Paul had large experience of in himself when hee said Sinne taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in mee all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead for I was alive without the law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to life I found to bee unto death for sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Rom. 7.8 9 10 11. But now when a Soul apprehends this that Hagars condemning Law hath nothing to doe with him and can from the clear knowledge of this say beleevingly to sin and temptation when hee feeles it beginning to stirre O sin O temptation though I should now yeeld to thee which is the thing thou wouldest have yet know this that thou shalt never condemn me which is the thing thou seekest hereby he doth as I may say disanimate the strength of sin and temptation and mightily encourageth himself and so adds to his owne strength that whereas be ever before encountred sin with disadvantage hee doth now encounter it with advantage and fights with the greatest resolution that can bee and without faint-heartednesse which faint-heartednesse comes in by the doore of this fear if I am conquered I am undone but if this fear be removed from the heart and the Soul once throughly perswaded of this my condition doth not depend at all upon the event of this Combate but whether I conquer or am conquered that is the same then shall it finde its hands made strong to fight and its heart also mightily resolved Such a state or condition as this I am speaking of there is but it is knowne only of those whom God hath brought out of Hagars School and who are in the School of Sarah my meaning is such as God hath enlightned to see and enabled to receive in the love of it this blessed truth that rigid servile Hagar is an out-cast and hath no longer rule over them having neither punishments to inflict nor rewards to bestow upon them but milde and loving Sarah is their only Mother and hath the sole government of them whose Children though they may be corrected with gentle rebukes yet can they never become out-casts and bee disinherited as Hagars may Till wee come into Sarahs Schoole we cannot learn this lesson yea Sarahs Children whilst they continue in Hagars Schoole will be offended at it Thus we have done with the First Question viz. what we are to understand by the Old Covenant I come now to the Second viz. Quest 2. What kind of Covenant this Old Covenant is Ans This is indeed the knotty Question and if there be any peece of the Doctrine of the Covenants that seemes to have perplexing difficulties in it this is it Before I can deliver my thoughts hereof positively it is necessary that something bee laid downe Negatively in opposition to that common principle which holds this Old Covenant to bee a Covenant of Grace and to differ from the New only in respect of administration so making the Old and the New not to be two diverse Covenants but two administrations of one and the same Covenant the one more dark the other more clear but the Covenant to bee for substance the same and