the Son of God. Had they not been precious in his Eyes he would never have shed his most precious Blood to ransom them 2. Were they not highly valuable in his Eyes he would never wait with such unwearied Patience to save them as he doth He hath born Thousands of repulses and unreasonable denials from you Sinner Christ hath knockt at thy door in many a Sermon in many a Prayer in many a sickness in all which thou hast put him off denyed him or delayed him yet still he continues knocking and waiting Thou couldst not have made the poorest Beggar in the World wait at thy door so long as thy Redeemer hath been made to wait and yet he is not gone At this day his voice sounds in thine ears Behold I stand at the door and knock Here 's clear demonstration of the preciousness of thy Soul in the Redeemer's Eyes And then Lastly When Christ ends the Treaty and gives up the Souls of Men for lost and unperswadable with what regret and sorrow doth he part with them Never did one Friend part from another with such demonstrations of sorrow as Christ parteth with the Souls of sinners The Bowels of his compassion roul together for the knows what is coming upon them and what that eternal misery is into which their wilful rejection of him will cast them In Luke 19. 22. you find the Redeemers tears wept over obstinate Ierusalend And when he came nigh to the City he wept over it and said O Jerusalem Jerusalem that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are did from thine Eyes Like unto this is that expression Isa. 1. 24. Ah I will ease me of mine enemies c. Though it be an ease to his Justice yet he cannot give them up without an ah an interjection of sorrow so in Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Judah I must do it but how shall I go about it All these expressions shew the great value God hath for your Souls and did you know it also certainly you would not make Christ wait one hour longer V. Inference Hence it follows That greater is the sin and severer will be the condemnation of them that perish under the Gospel than of all other People in the World. Let me speak freely to you that hear me this day Jesus Christ hath spent more of the riches of his Patience upon you in one year yea in this very day than he hath spent upon the heathen World in all the days of their lives they never heard of Christ and the great Salvation they have had no calls to Faith and Repentance as you have had dont think God hath dealt at this rate with other Nations You have his Sabbaths Ministers Calls he hath not dealt so with other Nations and as for these things they have not known them Psal. 147. 19. God hath dealt in a peculiar way with us and these special favours will make dreadful accounts He told the Iews among whom he had preacht and wrought his Miracles It would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Iudgment than for them and in his Name I will tell you this day that Barbarous Indians and Americans will have a milder Hell than you Mitius ardent and as the Lord told Ezechiel chap. 3. 5 6. Thou art not sent to a People of a strange Speech and of an hard Language whose words thou canst not understand surely had I sent thee to them they would have harkned unto thee but the house of Israel will not harken unto thee for they will not harken unto me For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Ah Brethren 't is a sad Truth that the Ministers of Christ have found more fruit of their Labours among the Salvage Americans than in England a People born and bred up under the Gospel Had heathenish People your Sabbaths your Ministers and Bibles they would not deal by Christ as you have done But look you to it for certainly the severity of his Justice will at last recompence the expence of his Patience There are two Glasses turned up this day and both almost run down the Glass of the Gospel running down on Earth and the Glass of Christ's Patience running down in Heaven Be sure of it that for every sand of Mercy every drop of Love that runs down in vain in this World a drop of wrath runs into the vial of wrath which is fitting in Heaven VI. Inference If Christ have exercised such admirable Patience and Long-suffering towards you before he could gain entrance into your Hearts then you have all the reason in the World to exercise your Patience for Christ and account all long-suffering to be your unquestionable duty Christ was not weary in waiting upon you be not you weary in waiting upon him or for him Now there are three things wherein the People of God will have much occasion to exercise their Patience with respect to Christ 1. You will need a great deal of Patience to wait for the returns and answers of your Prayers you knock and wait at the door of Mercy and no answer comes hereupon discouragement and weariness seizeth your Spirits Possibly some of you have Prayers many years agone upon the file in Heaven some upon Spiritual accounts and some upon Temporal and because the answer is not dispatcht your Eyes are ready to fail with waiting for the Lord may bear long with his own Elect Luke 18. 7. The seed of Prayer lyes under the clods and will at last spring up for he never said to the seed of Jacob Seek me in vain none seek God in vain but those that seek him vainly Now you should not be too quick and short breathed in waithing upon God for the returns of Prayer considering how long you made Christ wait upon you 2. You will have occasion to exercise your Patience in bearing the burden of reproaches and sufferings for Christ For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. Sufferings you see are the Gifts of Christ the Comforts of sufferings is his Gift and so are the abilities to suffer-also and that which will encrease your suffering-ability will be the confideration of Christ's long-suffering towards you and the hard things he endured for you and from you 3. You will have occasion to exercise your Patience for the day of your compleat Redemption and Salvation If you love Christ fervently the time of your separation from him will be born difficultly vehement love needs the allay of Patience 2 Thes. 3. 5. The Lord direct your Hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Others need much Patience to dye but such will need as much Patience to live but whatever the exercises of your Patience shall be whether in waiting for
Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce restore unto me the joys of thy salvation vers 12. I cannot here omit to detect a great mistake here even amongst Gods own people many of them understand not what communion there should be with God under the manifestations of his displeasure for sin they know that the affectionate meltings of their Souls into love praise c. to be communion with God but that the shame grief and sorrow produced in them by the manifestations of Gods displeasure I say that even in these things there may be communion with God they understand not But let me tell thee that even such things as these are the choice fruits of the Spirit of Adoption and that in them thy Soul hath as real and beneficial communion with God as in the greatest transports of Spiritual joy and comfort O'tis a blessed frame to be before the Lord as Ezra was after conviction of thy loosness carelesness and Spiritual defilements the consequents of those sins saying with him O my God I am ashamed and even blush to lift up my face unto thee Ezra 9. 6. Shame and blushing are as excellent signs of communion with God as the sweetest smiles Lastly There are representations and special contemplations of the omniscience of God producing sincerity comfort in appeals and recourse to it in doubts of our own uprightness And this also is a choice and excellent method of communion with God. 1. When the omniscience of God strongly obliges the Soul to sincerity and uprightness as it did David Psal. 139. 11 12. compared with Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him The consideration that he was always before the Eye of God was his preservative from iniquity yea from his own iniquity 2. When it produceth comforts in appeals to it as it did in Hezekiah 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember now O Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Iob 10. 7. he also appeals to this attribute Thou knowest that I am not wicked So did Ieremiah Chap. 12. 3. But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me and tryed my heart towards thee 3. When we have recourse to it under doubts and fears of our own uprightness Thus did David Psal. 139. 23. Search me O God and try my heart prove me and see my reins see if there be any way of wickedness in me In all these attributes of God Christians have real and sweet communion with him which was the first thing to be opened Communion with God in the meditation of his attributes Secondly The next method of communion with God is in the exercise of our graces in the various duties of Religion In Prayer Hearing Sacraments c. in all which the Spirit of the Lord influences the graces of his people and they return the fruits thereof in some measure to him As God hath planted various graces in regenerate Souls so he hath appointed various duties to exercise and draw forth those graces and when they do so then have his people sweet actual communion with him And 1. To begin with the first grace that shews it self in the Soul of a Christian to wit repentance and sorrow for sin In the exercise of this grace of repentance the Soul pours out it self before the Lord with much bitterness and brokenness of Heart casts forth its sorrows which sorrows are as so much seed sown and in return thereto the Lord usually sends an answer of peace Psal. 32. 4 5. I said I will confess my transgression and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Here 's a voice of sorrow sent up and a voice of peace coming down which is real communion betwixt God and Man in the exercises of repentace 2ly As there are seasons in duty wherein the Saints exercise their repentance and the Lord returns peace so likewise the Lord helps them in their duties to act their faith in return whereunto they find from the Lord inward support rest and refreshment Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed And oft-times an assurance of the mercies they have acted their faith about 1 Iohn 5. I4 3ly The Lord many times draws forth eminent degrees of our love to him in the course of our duties the heart is filled with love to Christ. The strength of the Soul is drawn forth to Christ in love and this the Lord repays in kind love for love Iohn 14. 21. He that loveth me my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him Here is sweet communion with God in the exercises of love O what a rich trade do Christians drive this way in their duties and exercises of graces 4ly To mention no more in the duties of Passive Obedience Christians are enabled to exercise their patience meekness and long suffering for Christ in return to which the Lord gives them the singular consolations of his Spirit Double returns of joy The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. The Lord strengthens them with passive fortitude with all might in the inner-man unto all long-suffering but the reward of that long-suffering is joyfulness Col. 1. 11. This is the trade they drive with Heaven Thirdly Beside communion with God in the contemplation of his attributes and graces exercised in the course of duties there is another method of communion with God in the way of his Providences for therein also his people walk with him To give a taste of this let us consider Providence in a fourfold aspect upon the people of God. 1. There are afflictive providences rods and rebukes wherewith the Lord chastens his children this is the discipline of his house in answer whereunto gracious Souls return meek and childlike submission a fruit of the Spirit of Adoption they are brought to accept the punishment of their iniquities And herein lies communion with God under the rod this return to the rod may not be presently made for there is much stubborness unmortified in the best hearts Heb. I2 7. but this is the fruit it shall yield and when it doth there is real communion between God and the afflicted Soul. Let not Christians mistake themselves if when God is smiting they are humbling searching and blessing God for the discoveries of sin made by their afflictions admiring his wisdom in timing moderating and chusing the rod kissing it with a childlike submission and saying it is good for me that I have been afflicted that Soul hath real communion with God though it may be for a time without joy 2ly There are times wherein providence straightens the people of God when the waters of comfort ebb and run very low wants pinch if then the Soul returns filial dependance upon fatherly care saying with David Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want It belongs to him to provide and to me to depend I
Verily verily I say unto you you must be born again Iohn 3. 5. O sinner that hard Heart of thine must be humbled thy stubborn and refractory Will must be bowed all the powers of thy Soul must be unlockt and opened unto Christ he must come into thy Soul or thou canst never see the face of God in peace It is Christ in you that is the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. Till thy Heart be opened Christ with all the hopes of glory stand without thee And if hopes from the death of Christ without us without the application of his person be enough to save Men then why are any damned Consult 1 Cor. 1. 30. Adams sin damns none but only such as are in him and Christs righteousness saves none but those only that are by faith in him the eternal purposes of the Father the meritorious death of the Son puts no Man into the state of Salvation and happiness till both be brought home by the Spirits powerful application in the work of saving conversion T is good news good indeed that Christ died for sinners t is good news that Christ is brought to our very doors in the tenders of the Gospel and that the Spirit knocks at the door of our Hearts by many convictions and perswasions to open to him and enjoy the unspeakable benefits of his death these things bring us nigh to Christ the next door to Salvation and yet all this may be eventually but a dreadful aggravation of our damnation and will certainly be so to them whose Hearts are but almost opened to Christ. V. Inference See hence the necessity of fervent prayer to accompany the preaching of the Gospel Without the Spirit and power of God accompanying the Word no Heart can ever be opened to Christ Alas such Bars as these are too strong for the breath of Man to break Let Ministers pray and the People pray that the Gospel may be preached with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. It greatly concerns us that preach the Gospel to wrestle with God upon our knees to accompany us in the dispensation of it unto the People to steep that seed we sow among you in tears and prayers before you hear it and I beseech you Brethren let us not strive alone joyn your cries to Heaven with ours for the blessing of the Spirit upon the Word How doth Paul beg of the People as a beggar would beg for an alms at the door for their assistance in Prayer Rom. 15. 30. I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christ sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me For want of such wrestlings with God in prayer there is so little efficacy in Ordinances Martha told her Saviour Iohn 11. 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died and I may tell you that if the Spirit had been here your Souls had not remained dead under the Word as they do this day Oh when the Sabbath draws near let fervent cries ascend from every Family to Heaven Lord pour out thy Spirit with thy Word make it mighty through thy Power to open these Gates of Iron and break asunder these Bars of Brass Second Vse of Exhortation Seeing the Case stands thus that all Hearts by nature are barr'd and shut up against Christ let every Soul do what it can and strive to its uttermost to get the Heart and Will opened to Christ Strive to enter in at the straight gate Christ is at the Door Oh strive with your selves as well as with God now to get it opened now that Salvation is come so near to your Souls Object But have you not told us that no sinner can open his own Heart nor bow his own Will to Christ Answ. True he cannot convert himself but yet he may do many things in order to it and which have a remote tendency towards it which he doth not do and so he perisheth not though he cannot but because he will not Divers things may be done by poor sinners with their own Hearts which are not done and though in themselves they are insufficient yet being the way and method in and by which the Spirit of God usually works we are bound to do them As for Example 1. Though it be not in your power to open your Hearts to Christ yet it is in your power to forbear the external acts of sin which fasten your Hearts the more against Christ Who forceth thine Hands to steal thy Tongue to swear or lye who forces the cup of excess down thy Throat 2ly Though you cannot open your Hearts under the Word yet it is in your power to wait and attend upon the external Duties and Ordinances of the Gospel Why cannot those Feet carry thee to the Assemblies of the Saints as well as to an Ale-house 3ly And though you cannot let the Word effectually into your Hearts yet certainly you can apply your minds with more attention and consideration to it than you do Who forces thine Eyes to wander or closes them with sleep when the awful matters of eternal Life and Death are founding in thine Ears 4ly Though you cannot open your Hearts to embrace Christ yet certainly you can reflect upon your selves when the obvious characters of a Christless state are plainly held forth before your Eyes God hath given you a self-reflecting power The spirit of a Man knoweth the things of a Man 1 Cor. 2. 11. When you hear of Convictions of sin compunctions of Heart for sin deep concernments of the Soul about its eternal state hungerings and thirstings after Christ restless and anxious Days and Nights about Salvation others have felt you can certainly turn in upon your selves and examine whether ever it were so with you and if not methinks it were not hard to aggravate your own misery to take your poor Souls aside and bemoan them saying Ah my poor Soul canst thou endure everlasting burnings What will become of thee if Christ pass thee by and his Spirit strive no more with thee Why can't you throw your selves at the Feet of God and cry for mercy Prayer is a part of natural Worship distress usually puts Men upon it that yet have no Grace Ionah 1. 5. Do but this towards the opening and saving of your own Souls which though it be not in it self sufficient nor puts God under any meritorious obligation or necessity to add the rest yet it puts you into the way of the Spirit And is not thy Soul sinner worth as much as this comes too Have you not taken a great deal more pains than this for the trifles of this World And will it not be a dreadful aggravation of sin and misery to all eternity that you perished so easily Dont you see many striving round about you for Christ and Salvation whilst you sit still with folded Arms as if you had nothing to do for another World
him with his cross of sufferings and his yoak of obedience Matth. 16. 24. Matth. 11. 29. An exception against either of these is an effectual Bar to thy Union with Christ he looks upon that Soul as not worthy of him that puts in such an exception Matth. 10. 38. If thou judgest not Christ worth all sufferings all losses all reproaches he judges thee unworthy to bear the name of his Disciple So for the duties of Obedience called his yoke he that will not receive Christs yoke can never receive his Person nor any benefit by his Blood. V. Mark. Every Heart that opens sincerely and Evangelically to Christ opens to him in deep humility and sense of its emptiness and unworthiness all self-righteousness is given up as dung and dross thus Abraham came unto him as to one that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Now unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Yea here 's the true way of Justification indeed where the imputed righteousness of Christ comes all self-righteousness vanishes before it By him that worketh not understand not an idle lazy believer that takes no care of the duties of obedience no no an idle Faith can never be a saving Faith but the meaning is he worketh not in a Law sense to the ends and intentions of the first Covenant to make up a righteousness to himself by his own working to cover himself-with a robe of righteousness of his own spinning and weaving a home-made Cloth no not a rag of that Thou must receive Christ into an empty naked unworthy Soul or not receive him at all Blessed Paul heartily rejected all his own righteousness cast down that House-Idol to the ground that he might be found in the imputed righteousness of Christ Phil. 3. 8. cast that Idol out of door it stands in the way of a better righteousness There be diverse ways wherein sinners maintain their own righteousness to their own ruin there is a gross and more refined self-righteousness the one more palpable and easily liable to conviction the other much harder to be discovered and cured Ask some Men upon what their hopes of Salvation are grounded And they will tell you they are just in their dealings with Men and constant in their prayers to God that 's all and therefore they doubt not of their Salvation Thus they substitute a righteousness of their own in the room of Christ's blood and are their own destroyers by seeking this way to be their own Saviours But then there is a more refined way of self-righteousness drest up with such pretences of humility that Men are hardly to be convinced of it I pitty many poor Souls upon this account who stand off from Christ dare not believe because they want such and such qualifications to fit them for Christ. O saith one could I find so much brokenness of Heart for sin so much reformation and power over corruptions then I could come to Christ the meaning of which is this if I could bring a price in my Hand to purchase him then I should be in couraged to go unto him Here now lyes horrible pride covered over with a vail of great humility Poor sinner either 〈◊〉 naked and empty-handed according to Isa. 55. 1. Rom. 4. 5. or expect a repulse for Christ is not the Sale but the Gift of God. VI. Mark. Lastly Whatever Soul opens savingly to Christ it opens finally and everlastingly to him the Heart once opened to Christ must stand open for ever to him never to shut out Christ any more And here is a very observable difference betwixt a Man that comes to Christ in a suddain fright of Conscience and parts with him again when that fright is over and a Man that receiveth Christ not to sojourn but to dwell in his Heart by Faith Eph. 3. 17. when Christ comes into the Heart he saith Here will I dwell for ever and Lord saith the Soul So I receive thee this is the day of union O let me never know a day of separation let it never be in the power of Life or Death Angels Principalities or Powers things present or to come to make a separation between thee and me Soul saith Christ thou shalt be mine whilst I am in Heaven and Lord saith the Soul I will be thine whilst I am on Earth I will never leave thee nor forsake thee saith Christ Oh my Lord saith the Soul hold me fast in thy Hand that I may never leave nor forsake thee my Estate Liberty and Life may and must go but it is in the fixed purpose of my Heart never never to let thee go The espousals betwixt Christ and the Soul are for ever Hos. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea for ever and here lyes another great difference betwixt the Hipocrite that takes Christ with a politick reserve that will venture with Christ at Sea no farther than he can see the shore and the upright Heart that imbarks it self with Christ without reserves come what will that saith to him as Ittai to David when perswaded to go back in a time of danger nay saith he where my Lord Jesus Christ is whether it be in Liberty or in Prison in Life or in Death there also will I be Flesh may perswade to a retreat nay saith the Soul I cannot retreat but where-ever the truths of Christ the interest and glory of Christ are there also must I be for upon these terms I first received him and opened the door of my Heart to him These things are no surprises to me Christ and I have debated them long ago he delt fairly with me and I must deal faithfully with him Now Brethren view over these six Tryals Have your Eyes been opened to see sin in its vileness Christ in his beauty and necessity Have your Hearts been prick'd and wounded with compunction and sorrow for sin Are the loves and delights of sin gone out of your Souls Have you no exceptions either to the cross or yoke of Christ Have you given up all your own righteousness whether gross or refined for dung and dross and received Christ for ever Then thy Heart is savingly opened to him Fourth Use. The last Use that closeth this Point will be Consolation to all those whose Hearts the Lord hath thus opened to receive Christ at his knocks and calls of the Gospel Hath God indeed opened any of your Hearts and made you sincerely willing to receive Christ then there are ten sweet Consolations like so many boxes of precious oyntment to be poured forth in the close of this discourse upon every such Soul. And I. Consolation The first shall be this the opening of any Mans Heart to receive Christ is a clear solid Scripture evidence of the Lords eternal love to and setting apart that Man for himself from all eternity I do not say that every Man whose Heart is opened by Faith is thereupon immediately assured
gracious Heart that God should smite so near and yet spare you Lastly This is affecting yea very transporting that God hath not only given you time beyond others but in that time the precious opportunities and means of your Salvation both external and internal there 's the very marrow and kernel of the Mercy had God lengthned out his Patience for a while but given you no means of Salvation or afforded you the means but denied you the blessing and efficacy of them at the most it could have been but a reprieve from Hell but for the Lord to give you the Gospel and with the Gospel to send down his Spirit to perswade and open thy Heart to Christ here is the riches of his goodness as well as forbearance III. Exhortation This Doctrine of the Patience of Christ exhorts all that have felt it to exercise a Christ-like Patience towards others as you have found the benefit of Divine Patience your selves see that you exercise the meekness and long-suffering of Christians towards those that have wronged and injured you Who should shew Patience more than those that have found it Dont be severe short and quick with others who have lived your selves so many years upon the long-suffering of God. We are poor short-spirited Creatures quick to revenge injuries but oh had God been so to us miserable had our condition been Christ hath made this duty the very scope of that excellent parable Matth. 18. from the 25 verse onward where the King takes an account of his Servants reckoning with them one by one and amongst them finds one which owed him Ten thousand Talents and having not to pay commands him his Wife and Children and all he had to be sold and payment to be made but the Servant falling down and begging Patience his Lord was moved with compassion and loosed him and not only forbore but forgave the debt one would think the Heart of this Man should have been a fountain of compassion towards others but see the deep corruption of Nature the same Servant finding one of his fellow-servants which owed him but an Hundred pence laid Hands on him and took him by the Throat Alas the wrongs done to us are but trifâ—les compared with our injuries done to God where others have wronged you once you have wronged God a thousand times Methinks the Patience of Christ towards you should melt your Hearts into an ingenuous easiness to forgive others especially considering that an unforgiving Spirit is a dreadful sign of an unforgiven person IV. Exhortation Burden not the Patience of Christ after your admission of him and reconciliation to him let it suffice that you tried his Patience long enough before give him no new exercises now he is come to dwell in and with you for ever There be two ways wherein God 's own People do greatly provoke him after their Reconciliation 1. By slugishness to Duty 2. By sinning against Light. 1. By slugishness and deadness of Spirit in the ways of Duty and Obedience turning a deaf ear to the calls and motions of Christ's Spirit exciting them to the sweet and pleasant Duties of Religion We have a sad instance of this in the Spouse Cant. 5. 2 3. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my Head is filled with dew and my Locks with the drops of the night One would think that Christ might have opened the Heart of his own Spouse with less solicitation and importunate Arguments than he here useth what Wife could shut the door upon her own dear Husband and bar him out of his own house And yet see the lazy excuse she makes vers 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I defile them Oh the slugishness of Flesh even in Regenerate persons Those that have opened the door to Christ by Regeneration even they do often shut the door against Christ in the hours and seasons of Communion with him Strange that such a suiter as Christ should be put by moving and calling to such heavenly pleasant exercises as Communion with him is but flesh will be flesh even in the most Spiritual Christians little do we know what a grief this is to Christ and loss to us 2ly Many grieve Christ's Spirit and sorely try his Patience even after Reconciliation by sinning against Light and Love that caution Ephes. 4. 30. is not without weighty cause and grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which you are sealed to the day of Redemption Do we thus requite the Lord is this the return we will make him for all his admirable kindness and unparallel'd Love towards us Certainly Christ can put up a thousand injuries from his Enemies easier than such affronts from his own People did you not promise him better obedience Did you not engage to more holiness and watchfulness in the day that you sued out your pardon and made up your peace with him Are all those Vows and Covenants forgotten If you have forgotten them God hath not V. Exhortation Improve the time that remains in this World with double diligence because you made Christ wait so long and cast a way so great a part of your life before you opened your Hearts to re-receive him The morning of your life which was certainly the freshest and freest part of it was no better than time lost with many of us all the days of your unregeneracy Christ was shut out and vanity shut into your Hearts You never began to live till Christ gave you life and that was late in the day with many of you How should this provoke to extraordinary diligence in those few remains of time we have yet to enjoy It was Austin's lamentation O Lord it repents me saith he that I loved thee so late This consideration excited Paul to extraordinary diligence for Christ. It made him fly up and down the World as a Seraphim in a flame of holy zeal for Christ. Those that have much to write and are almost come to the end of their paper had need write close Friends you have something to do for God upon Earth which you cannot do for him in Heaven Isa. 38. 18 19. You that have carnal Relations have something to do for them here which you cannot do in Heaven You can now Counsel Exhort and Pray in order to their Conversion and Salvation but when you are gone down to the Grave these opportunities of service are cut off VI. Exhortation Let us all be ashamed and humbled for the baseness of our Hearts and Natures which made Christ wait at the door so long before we opened to him O what wretched Hearts have we That were no more affected with the groans of Christ's Heart than with the groans of a Beast no nor so much neither if that Beast were our own Oh the vileness of Nature to make the Prince of the King 's of
the Earth bringing Pardon and Salvation with him to stand so long unanswered let who will cry up the goodness of Nature I am sure we have reason to look upon the vileness of it with amazement and horror You could not have found in your Hearts to have made the poorest beggar wait so long at your door as you have made Christ to wait upon you VII Exhortation Seventhly and Lastly Let us all bless and admire the Lord Jesus for the continuation of his Patience not to our selves only but to that whole sinful Nation in which we live We thought the Treaty of Peace had been ended with us many good Men looking upon the iniquities and abominations of these times considering the vanities and backsliding of Professors the Heaven-daring provocations of this Atheistical age concluded in their own Hearts that God would make England another Shiloh Many faithful Ministers of Christ said within themselves God hath no more Work for us to do and we shall have no more opportunities to work for God. When lo beyond the thoughts of all Hearts the merciful and long-suffering Redeemer makes one return more to these Nations renews the Treaty and with compassions rolled together speaks to us this day as to Ephraim of old How shall I deliver thee Look upon this day this unexpected day of Mercy as the fruit and acquisition of the intercession of your great Advocate in Heaven answerable to that Luke 13. 7 8 9. Well God hath put us upon one Tryal more if now we bring forth fruit well if not the ax lyes at the root of the Tree Once more Christ knocks at our doors the voice of the Bridegroom is heard those sweet voices Come unto me Open to me your opening to Christ now will be unto you as the Valley of Achor for a door of hope But what if all this should be turned into wantonness and formality what if your obstinacy and infidelity should wear out the remains of that little strength and time left you and that former Labours and Sorrows have left your Ministers Then actum est de nobis we are gone for ever then farewel Gospel Ministers Reformation and all because we knew not the time of our Visitation What was the dismal doom of God upon the fruitless Vineyard Isa. 5. 5. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be troden down I will also command the Clouds that they rain not upon it The hedge and the wall are the Spiritual and Providential presence of God these are the defence and safety of his People the Clouds and the Rain are the sweet influences of Gospel Ordinances If the hedge be broken down God's pleasant Plants will soon be eaten up and if the Clouds rain not upon them their Root will be rottenness and their Blossom will go up as dust Our Churches will soon become as the Mountains of Gilboa therefore see that you know and improve the time of your Visitation III. Vse of Consolation I shall wind up this Fourth Doctrin in two or three words of Consolation to those that have answered and are now preparing to answer the design and end of Jesus Christ in all his Patience towards them by the compliance of their Hearts with his great design and end therein O blessed be God and let his high-praises be for ever in our Mouths that at last Christ is like to obtain his end upon some of us and that all do not receive the Grace of God in vain And there be three Considerations able to wind up your Hearts to the height of Praise if the Lord have now made them indeed willing to open to the Lord Jesus I. Consideration The Faith and Obedience of your Hearts makes it evident that the Lords waiting upon you hitherto hath been in pursuance of his design of Electing Love. What was the reason God would not take you away by death though you passed so often upon the very brink of it in the days of your unregeneracy And what think you was the very reason of the revocation of your Gospel-liberties when they were quite out of sight and almost out of hope why surely this was the reason that you and such as you are might be brought to Christ at last Therefore though the Lord let you run on so long in sin yet still he continued your Life and the means of your Salvation because he had a design of Mercy and Grace upon you And now the time of Mercy even the set time is come Praise ye the Lord. II. Consideration You now also see the Sovereignty and freeness of Divine Grace in your vocation your Hearts resisted all along the most powerful means and importunate calls of Christ and would have resisted still had not Free and Sovereign Grace over-poured them when the time of Love was come Ah it was not the tractableness of thine own Will the easie temper of thy Heart to be wrought upon the Lord let thee stand long enough in the state of Nature to discover that there was nothing in Nature but obstinacy and enmity Thou didst hear as many powerful Sermons melting Prayers and didst see as many awakning Providences before thy Heart was opened to Christ as thou hast since yet thy Heart never opened till now and why did it open now Because now the Spirit of God joyned himself to the Word victorious Grace went forth in the Word to break the hardness and conquer the rebellions of thy Heart The Gospel was now preached as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. 12. With the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things saith he the Angels desire to look into Ah Friends it is a glorious sight worthy of Angelical observation and admiration to behold the effects of the Gospel preacht with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven to see when the Spirit comes along with the Word the blind Eyes of sinners opened and they brought into a new World of ravishing objects to behold Fountains of Tears flowing for sin out of Hearts lately as hard as the Rocks to see all the Bars of Ignorance Prejudice Custom and Unbelief fly open at the voice of the Gospel to see Rebels against Christ laying down their Arms at his Feet come upon the Knee of submission crying Lord I will rebel no more to see the proud Heart centered and wrapt up in its own righteousness now striping it self naked loading it self with all shame and reproach and made willing that its own shame should go to the Redeemer's glory These I say are sights which Angels desire to look into Certainly your Hearts were more tender and your Wills more apt to yield and bend in the days of your youth than they were now when sin had so hardned them and long continued custom riveted and fixed them yet then they did not and now they do yield to the calls and invitations of the Gospel Ascribe all to Sovereign Grace and
born and Baptized Christians and that 's enough they think to save them Matth. 3. 9. We have Abraham to our Father they thought it sufficient that Abraham's blood ran in their Veins though there were not a spark of Abraham's faith kindled in their Souls the Lord forgive the sin of those Men that lead poor Souls into such fatal mistakes O if Men were but aware of the necessity of a greater and further Work to pass upon their Souls than their Baptism common powerless profession or the Similar Works which appear upon formal Hypocrites Heaven and Earth would ring with their cries But ignorance of the nature and necessity of special regenerating Grace like a Dose of Opium casts the Consciences of many into this deep sleep 2ly Freedom from grosser sins and pollutions of the World stills and quiets the Consciences of thousands they have had a civil sober and fair Education and though there be no Grace and Regeneration yet what Saints do they seem to themselves being adorned with sobriety and civility This stilled the Conscience of the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican Thus like delicate Agag they spruce up themselves with moral homilitical vertues wherein many thousand Heathens were more gay than themselves but Justice will hew them to pieces as Agag was for all their moral ornaments and endowments 3ly The strict performance of the external duties of Religion quiets the Consciences of many they question not but those that do so well shall fare well and that God will never damn Men and Women that keep their Church and say their Prayers as they do Thus the carnal Jews deluded themselves crying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord as malefactors in some of our Neighbouring Kingdoms fly to the Church from the Hand of Justice so do these but God will pluck them from the Horns of the Altar and convince them that the empty name of Religion is no security from damnation 4ly Many Consciences are still'd and quieted in a natural sinful state by misinterpreting the voices of Providence it may be God prospers your Earthly affairs succeeds and smiles upon your undertakings and this you conclude must be a Token of his love and favour But alas this is a great mistake the Lord give you better evidences of his love than these for who prosper more in the World than wicked Men And who are more crost than the people of God Read Iob 21. and Psal. 73. and compare both with Eccles. 9. 1. and you will quickly find the vanity of all hopes built upon such a foundation However by such things as these are the God of this World blinds the Eyes of multitudes II. Inference If every conviction be a knock of Christ. how deeply are all Souls concerned in the success and issue of them Conviction is an Embrio of the new Creature if it go out its full time and come to a perfect new Birth it brings forth Salvation to your Souls if it miscarry finally you are finally lost It is of infinite concernment therefore to every Man and Woman to be tender over those Convictions their Consciences go big with all 'T is true Conviction and Conversion are two things there may be Conviction without Conversion though there can be no Conversion without Conviction The blossoms upon the Trees in the Spring of the Year cannot properly be called Fruit they are rather the rudiments of Fruit or something in order to Fruit if they open kindly and knit or set firmly perfect Fruit follows them but if a blast or a frosty Morning kill them no Fruit is to be expected Thus it is here great care therefore ought to be taken about the preservation and success of Convictions both by 1. The Soul it self that is under them 2. And by all others that are concerned about them 1. What care should the Soul it self have upon whom Convictions are wrought Have a care Friends how you quench them divert or hinder the operations of them lest you hinder as much as in you lies the very conception of Christ in your Soul by them I remember it is said in Exod. 21. 22. If Mâ—n strive and hurt a Woman with Child and mischief follow life shall be given for life The life of your Souls is bound up in the life of your Convictions I know it is hard for Men and Women to dwell with their own Convictions guilt and wrath are sad Subjects for Men's thoughts to dwell upon but yet 't is far better to dwell with the thoughts of sin and wrath here than to lye sweltering under them in Hell for ever You may be rid of your Convictions and your Salvation together be not too eager after peace a good Trouble is better than a false Peace And upon the other side beware that your Convictions and Troubles turn not into discouragements to Faith this will cross the proper intention of them They are Christ's knocks for entrance and were never intended to be bars or stumbling blocks in your way to him not stops but steps in your way to Christ. 2ly Let all others that are concerned about convinced Souls beware what Counsels they give and what rules they prescribe lest they render them abortive and destroy all in the bud There are two errors too commonly committed one in excess perswading Souls under trouble of Conscience that there 's no coming for them to Christ unless they be so and so prepared humbled just at such a degree this is dangerous counsel it over-heats the troubles of Conscience and keeps the Soul from its proper present duty and remedy I am sure Paul and Silas took no such course with the convinced Jaylor nor Peter with the three thousand wounded Consciences Acts 2. Nor do I find where God hath stated the time and degree of Spiritual Troubles so that there must be no adresses to Christ in the way of Faith until they have suffered them so long and to such an height If they have imbittered sin to the Soul and made it see the necessity of a Saviour I think they cannot move too soon after Christ in the way of Faith. Let not Men set bounds where God sets none There is another error committed in defect when Promises and Comforts are presently applied before the nature of Faith is known or one act of recumbency put forth towards Christ These hasty comforts come to nothing they will not they cannot stand 'T is a dangerous thing to apply Gospel cordials and pour out the precious ointment of the Promises upon them that were never Heart-sick for sin When upon every sleight trouble which is but as an early dew the peculiar consolations of penitent and believing Souls are hand-over-head applied to them How many such unskilful Empericks are there in every place Such as the Prophet Ieremy complains of They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People
to Christ on Earth so it is capable of glory with Christ in Heaven throughout eternity Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me It hath a natural capacity of enjoying eternal Blessedness which the Souls of other Creatures have not And this will be the aggravation of Hell torments that Men capable of the highest happiness should as it were receive that capacity in vain but that which constitutes an actual right to the everlasting enjoyment of Christ in glory is the Souls espousals to him here in the way of Grace Upon these two accounts it is that Christ puts such a price upon them Courts their love so passionately laments their loss so pathetically and encourages his Ministers to all diligence in perswading and woing them for him with such abundant rewards Dan. 12. 3. Know then your own worth and dignity neither pawn nor sell so precious a thing as thy Soul for any thing Satan can set before thee by way of exchange for it What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul IV. Inference Is Christ such an earnest Suiter for union with sinners then certainly they are the enemies of Christ and the Souls of Men that any way endeavour to hinder or break off the match betwixt Christ and them Some there are that labour to create jealousies and beget distastes and prejudices in the Souls of Men against Christ and his ways Men that bring up an evil report upon Christ and strict Religion as that which will begger them and expose them to all the miseries of the World Who instigated by Satan whisper such stories into the Souls Ear whom Christ is woing for himself that the severity of Religion will certainly extinguish all their joys and pleasures they shall never laugh more never be merry more Beside it will expose all their comforts upon Earth to hazard their Estates and Lives must fall a prey to their Enemies and this is the Estate which Christ will Jointer them if they consent to his terms And that this is no groundless jealousie of their own but that Christ himself hath openly declared as much That he that will come after him must hate Father and Mother Wife and Children yea and his own Life also This is what they must expect as the fruit of their consent to Christs proposals But O what will these Men have to answer and how will they stand before Christ another day who are such professed enemies to his Cross and set themselves so directly in opposition to the great design Christ is driving on in the World Is it not enough that you will not enter your selves but you will hinder them that would Matth. 23. 13. Thus carnal Parents discourage their Children one Relation another But to help Souls under this discouragement I will leave only this one Caveat with them That such seeming Friends are their real mortal Enemies their Words are poison to your Souls Satan hath feed them to do his Work hired their Tongues for his Service But if the serious cares of Salvation and servent love of Christ be in thy Heart thou wilt resolve as Ierom did If my Father who beg at me and my Mother who bare me should hang-about my Neck with tears and entreaties to keep me from Christ I would fling off my Father and tread upon my Mother that bear me to go to Christ. To this Head also belong all those scandals and offences which loose and careless Professors cast in the way to discourage others from coming unto Christ Wo to the World saith Christ because of offences Matth. 18. 7. Wo to the World this will be their ruin and undoing by this means such prejudices will be begotten in their Souls against Christ and Religion as they will never be able to free themselves from But wo to them by by whom such offence cometh it were better a milstone were hanged about their Necks and they cast into the bottom of the Sea. Christians look carefully to your Conversations for besides the evil effects of sin upon your selves you see the mischievous effects of it upon others and thus we may sense those words Cant. 2. 7. I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please Roes and Hinds are timerous Creatures the least crack of a stick will startle and fright them away such are comers on toward Christ young beginners in the ways of Religion how small a matter may damp and discourage them O friends you have sins enough of your own bring not the sin and ruin of other Men upon your account also V. Inference To Conclude How great is the blindness and ignorance of sinners that need so much entreaty and importunity to be made happy 'T is your ignorance sinners that makes all the Gospel importunity necessary did you know your own misery and see Christ in his necessity suitableness and excellency all these perswasions might be spared nay you your selves would become importunate Suiters for Christ you would not need to be twice offered there is a Conscience in every Man and Woman set there on purpose by the Lord to give them an Allarm but the Allarm goes not off for want of a spring to wiâ— the knowledge of our sin and misery Ah Soul didst thou but know who it is that Suits for thy love what the benefits of union with Christ are thou wouldst answer his first call in such Language as this Lord Jesus write down thine own terms be they what they will I am ready to subscribe them with the fullest consent of Heart and Will and then how soon would the match be made betwixt Christ and you Yea you would watch for and hang on half a word of encouragement from Christs Mouth as Benhadads Servants did on that word of Ahab my brother Benhadad 1 Kings 20. 32 33. There is no need of Rhetorick to perswade a condemned Malefactor to accept his pardon an hungry Man to sit down at a full Table but alas sin is not felt Christ is not known therefore the one is not bewailed nor the other desired II. Vse In the next place the Point naturally leads us to a Use of Exhortation to perswade sinners to embrace Christs motion subscribe his terms and huckle no more with him but end the treaty in a cordial present consent and so close up the match betwixt him and your own Souls how long sinner wilt thou be at shall I shall I And thy Will hang undetermined betwixt Christ and sin Bivious and unresolved in so great and deep a concernment O that Christs next overture might bring the matter to an Issue why will you trifle and dally with him at this rate There is indeed a Treaty on foot betwixt Christ and you but you may perish for all that there 's
though the Soul that was sealed should for the present be under new darkness new temptations and fears yet former sealing will give establishment and relief when the thoughts run back to the sealing day and a man remembers how clear God once made his title to Christ Well then open to Christ if ever you expect to be sealed to salvation If you continue to despise and reject the tenders of Christ in the Gospel whilst others that embrace him are sealed to redemption Your unbelief and final rejection of Christ will seal you up to the day of damnation V. And lastly we read likewise in the Scriptures of the Earnest of the Spirit This is three times mentioned in the Scriptures Eph. 1. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchasad possession 2 Cor. 1. 22. where it is joyned with the former priviledge of sealing Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts And again 2 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originally a Syriak word The Greeks are supposed to get it from the Phonician Merchants with whom they traded and it notes a part paid in hand to confirm a bargain for the whole There are two things in an earnest 1 It is part of the sum or inheritance If it were a contract for a sum of mony then it was a small part of a greater parcel If for an Inheritance then the earnest is a taking a part of the Inheritance as a twig or turf part of the whole Now the Spirit of God chooses this word on purpose to signifie two great things to his People by it 1. That those comforts communicated by the Spirit to Believers are of the same kind with the Joys of Heaven though in a far inferiour degree 1 Pet. 1. 8. called there Ioy unspeakable and full of glory and Rom. 8. 23. called there The first-fruits of the Spirit The First-Fruits and the Crop or Harvest are one in kind Surely there is something of Heaven as well as Hell tasted by men in this world Hell is begun here in the terrors of some mens Consciences and Heaven also is begun here in the absolution peace and comfort of other mens Consciences 2. As an earnest is part of the sum or inheritance so the use and end of it is confirmation and security as much as to say Take this in part till the whole be paid yea take it for thy security that the whole shall be paid Believers have a double pledge or earnest for Heaven one in the person of Christ who is entred into that glory for them Iohn 14. 2 3. The other in the joys and comforts of the Spirit which they feel and taste in themselves These are two great securities and the design of God in giving us these earnests and foretasts of Heaven are not only to settle our minds but to whet our industry that we may long the more earnestly and labour the more diligently for the full possession The Lord sees how apt we are to flag in the pursuit of Heavenly Glory and therefore gives his People a taste an earnest of it to excite their diligence in the pursuits of it God deals with his People in this case as with Israel they had been forty years in the Wilderness many sore temptations they had there encountred at last they were come upon the very borders of Canaan but then their hearts began to faint there were Anakims Gyants in the Land poor Israel feared they should not stand before them but Ioshua sends Spies into the Land who returning bring the first-fruits of Canaan to them whereby they saw what a goodly Country it was and then the fear of the Anakims began to vanish and a spirit of Courage to revive in the People Thus it is even with the Borderers upon Heaven tho' we be near that blessed Land of promise yet our hearts are apt to faint upon a prospect of those great sufferings without us and those conflicts with corruptions we feel within us But one taste of the first fruits of Heaven like those grapes of Eshcol revive our Spirits rouze our Zeal and quicken our pursuits of blessedness For these reasons God will not have all of Heaven reserved till we come thither And now tell me you that have tasted these first-fruits of the Spirit 1 Is there not something in faith of that glorified Eye by which the pure in heart do see God in Heaven Matth. 5. 8. O that eye of Faith that precious eye which comes as near to the glorified eye as any thing in this imperfect state can come 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 2 Is there not something of that glorified love to be felt in an inferiour degree by the Saints in this world What else can we make of that transport of the Spouse Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love 'T is true our love to God in Heaven is much more servent pure and constant yet these high-raised acts of spiritual love have a tast and relish of it 3 Is there not something here of that heavenly delight wherewith the glorified delight in God As the visions of God are begun on earth so the heavenly delights are begun here also Some drops of that delight are let fall here Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of the thoughts I had within me thy comforts delight my Soul. David's heart 't is like had been full of sorrow and trouble a sea of gall and wormwood had overflowed his Soul God le ts fall but a drop or two of heavenly delight and all is turned into sweetness and comfort 4 Is there not something here of that transformation of the Soul into the image of God which is compleat in Heaven and a special part of the glory thereof 'T is said in 1 Iohn 3. 2. We shall be like him for me shall see him as he is This is Heaven this is glory to have the Soul moulded into full conformity with God something thereof is experienced in this world O that we had more 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. 5 Is there not something felt here of the ravishing sweetness of God's presence in Ordinances and Duties which is a faint shadow at least of the joys of his glorious presence in Heaven there is certainly a felt presence of God a sensible nearness unto God at some times and in some duties of Religion wherein his name is as an oyntment poured forth Cant. 1. 3. something that is felt beyond
the exercises of our grace in Religious duties 3. In his various Providences In all these the Saints have communion with them First There is a sweet and sensible communion betwixt God and his people in the contemplation of the divine Attributes and the impressions God makes by them upon our Souls whilst we mediâ—ate on them As for instance 1. Sometimes the Lord discovers and manifests to the Souls of his people his immense greatness the manifestation of which Attribute makes an awful humbling impression upon the Soul makes them seem as nothing to themselves Thus when Abraham that great believer considered the greatness of that God with whom he had to do that sight of God seemed to reduce him to his first principles to crumble him as it were into dust and ashes again Gen. 18. 27. I that am but dust and ashes have taken upon me to speak unto God. He now looks upon himself as an heap of vileness and unworthiness so David Psal. 8. 12. When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made from whence he inferr'd the greatness of the Creator Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him q. d. When I consider what a great God the Creator of the World is I am justly astonished that ever he should set his Heart upon so vile a thing as Man. When men compare themselves among themselves and measure themselves by themselves their Spirits are apt to swell with pride but would they look up to God as these holy men did they would admire his condescension And this is communion with God in the meditation of his immense greatness Secondly The representations and meditations of the purity and holyness of God working shame and deep abasement in the Soul for the pollutions and sinful filthiness that is in it This is communion with God and an excellent way of fellowship with him Thus when a representation of God in his holyness was made unto the Prophet Isa. 6. 3 4 5. There were the Seraphims covering their faces with their wings and crying one to another saying Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty the Earth is full of his glory The effect this produced or the return made by the Prophet to this manifestation of God in his holiness was deep abasement of soul for his unsuitableness to so holy a God vers 5. Then said I wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips c. And this is real communion with God in his holiness Thus Iob who had stifly defended his own integrity against men yet when God enters the lists with him and he saw what a great and holy God he had to do with cryed out Iob 40. 4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further q. d. I have done Lord I have done I could answer men but I cannot answer thee thou art holy but I am vile Thirdly There are sometimes representations of the goodness and mercy of God made unto the Souls of his people When these produce an ingenuous thaw and melting of the Heart into an humble thankful admiration of it and an answerable care of pleasing him in the ways of obedience then have men communion with God in his goodness The goodness of God runs down to men in a double channel his goodness to their bodies in external providences his goodness to their Souls in spiritual mercies When the goodness of God either way draws forth the love and gratitude of the Soul to the God of our mercies then have we real communion with him Thus Iacob Gen. 32. 9 10. And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac which saidst unto me Return unto thy Country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two â—ands Ah Lord I see a multitude of mercies round about me and the least of them is greater than I So David 1 Chron. I7 I6 I7 And David the King came and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast brought me hitherto And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God c. what can David speak more to thee You see in these instances what effects the goodness of God even in inferiour outward mercies useth to produce in sanctified hearts But then if you come to spiritual mercies and ponder the goodness of God to your Souls in pardoning accepting and saving such vile sinful creatures as you have been this much more affects the heart and overwhelms it with an holy astonishment as you see in Paul 1 Tim. 1. 16. The grace of our Lord was abundant I was a persecutor a blasphemer yet I obtained mercy So Mary that notorious sinner when pardoning grace appeared to her into what a flood of tears into what transports of love did the sight of mercy cast her Soul She wept and washt her Saviours feet with tears of joy and thankfulness Luke 7. 44. No terrors of the Law no frights of Hell thaw the heart like the apprehensions of pardoning mercy Fourthly Sometimes there are special representations of the veracity and faithfulness of God made unto his people begetting trust and holy confidence in their Souls and when they do so then have men communion with God in his faithfulness Thus Heb. 13. 5 6. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There is a discovery of the faithfulness of God and what follows upon this See vers 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is our God we will not fear what man can do unto us Here 's faithfulness in God producing trust and confidence in the believer This is that reciprocation that sweet fellowship and communion betwixt God and a believer with respect to his fidelity Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid Isa. I2 2. And truly friend this is what the Lord justly expects from thee even thy trust and confidence in him thy steady dependance on him in return to all the discoveries of his faithfulness to thee both in his Word and Providences Fifthly There are manifestations of the anger and displeasure of God by the hiding of his face from them and the frowns of his providence when these produce repentance and deep humiliation for sin an unquietness a restlesness of Spirit till he restore his favour and manifest his reconciliation to the Soul even here also is real communion betwixt God and the Soul Psal. 30. 7. Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled Nor will a gracious Soul rest there but will take pains to sue out a fresh pardon
mutual desires after communion betwixt Christ and his people in this World then certainly there is such a thing as real communion between them or else both must live a very restless and dissatisfied life Sixthly The mutual complaints that are found on both sides of the interruption of communion plainly proves there is such a thing If God complain of his people for their estrangements from him and the Saints complain to God about his silence to them and the hidings of his face from them Surely then there must be a communion between them or else there could be no ground of complaints for the interruptions of it But it is manifest God doth complain of his people for their estrangments from him Ier. 2. 5. Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth and the love of thy espousals What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me As if he should say You and I have been better acquainted in days past what cause have I given for your estrangments from me And thus Christ in like manner complains of the Church of Ephesus after he had commended many things in her yet one thing grieves and troubles him Rev. 2. 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love And then on the other side when the Lord hids his face and seems to estrange himself from his people what sad laments and moans do they make about it As an affliction they know not how to bear Thus Heman Psal. 88. 14. Lord why castests thou off my Soul Why hidest thou thy face from me So Psal. 27. 9. Hide not thy face from me put not thy servant away in anger This is what they cannot bear Seventhly The reality of communion with God is made visible to others in the sensible effects of it upon the Saints that enjoy it There are visible signs and tokens of it appearing to the conviction of others Thus that marvelous change that appeared upon the very countenance of Hannah after she had poured her heart in prayer and the Lord had answered her it is noted 1 Sam. 1. 18. She went away and her countenance was no more sad You might have read in her face that God had spoken peace and satisfaction to her heart Thus when the Disciples had been with Christ the mark of communion with him was visible to others Acts 4. 13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John they marvelled and took knowledg of them that they had been with Iesus 'T is sweet Christian when the heavenly cheariness and spirituality of thy converses with men shall convince others that thou hast been with Jesus Eighthly We may prove the reality of communion with God from the impossibility of sustaining those troubles the Saints do without it If prayers did not go up and answers come down there were no living for a Christian in this World. Prayer is the out-let of the Saints sorrows and the in-let of their supports and comforts Rom. 8. 26. Say not other men have their troubles as well as the Saints and yet they make a shift to bear them without the help of communion with God. 'T is true carnal men have their troubles and those troubles are often too heavy for them The sorrows of the world work death but carnal men have no such troubles as the Saints have for they have their inward Spiritual troubles as well as their outward troubles And inward troubles are the sinking troubles but this way the strength of God comes in to succor them and except they had a God to go to and fetch comfort from they could never bear them Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless â— had believed Paul had sunk under the buffetings of Satan unless he had gone once and again to his God and received this answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. 9. Ninthly We conclude the reality of communion with God from the end of the Saints vocation We read frequently in Scripture of effectual calling now what is that to which God calls his people out of the state of nature but unto fellowship and communion with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his son Iesus Christ our Lord. They are called you see in to a life of communion with Christ therefore certainly there is such a communion else the Saints are called to the enjoyment of a fancy instead of a privilege which is the greatest reproach that can be cast upon the faithful God that called them Lastly In a word the characters and descriptions given to the Saints in Scripture evidently prove their life of communion with God. The Men of this World are manifestly distinguished from the people of God in Scripture they are called The Children of this World the Saints The Children of light Luke 16. 8. They are said to be after the flesh Saints to be after the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. they mind earthly things but the Saints conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. By all which it undeniably appears that there is a reality in the Doctrin of communion betwixt Christ and his people We are not imposed upon 't is no cunningly devised fable but a thing whose foundation is as sure as its nature is sweet Thirdly In the last place I shall shew you the transcendent excellency of this life of communion with God it is the life of our Life the joy of our Hearts a Heaven upon Earth as will appear by the Twenty Excellencies thereof following I. Excellency It is the Assimilating instrument whereby the Soul is moulded and fashioned after the image of God. This is the Excellency of communion with God to make the Soul like him There is a twofold assimilation or conformity of the Soul to God the one perfect and compleat the other inchoate and in part Perfect assimilation is the privilege of the perfect state resulting from the immediate vision and perfect communion the Soul hath with God in glory 1 Iohn 3 2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Perfect vision produceth perfect assimilation but the Souls assimilation or imperfect conformity to God in this World is wrought and gradually carried on by dayly communion with him And as our communion with God here grows up more and more into spirituality and power so in an answerable degree doth our conformity to him advance 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. All sorts of communion among men have an assimilating efficacy he that walks in vain company is made vainer than he was before and he that walks in spiritual heavenly company will be ordinarily more serious than he was before but nothing so transforms the Spirit
safety and security lyes in drawing nigh to God Psal. 73. 27 28. They that are far from thee shall perish But it is good for me to draw near to God. 'T is good indeed not only the good of comfort but the good of safety is in it Deut. 33. 12. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him You know the gracious presence of God is your shield and safety and if you will have the Lord thus present with you in all your fears straights and dangers see that you keep near to him in the Duties of communion For the Lord is with you whilst you are with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. XII Excellency 'T is the Honour of the Soul and the greatest honour that ever God conferr'd on any creature 't is the glory of the holy Angels in Heaven to be always beholding the face of God Matth. 18. 10. Oh! that God should admit poor dust and ashes unto such a nearness to himself To walk with a King and have frequent converse with him puts a great deal of honour upon a Subject but the Saints walk with God so did Enoch so do all the Saints 1 John 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus They have liberty and access with confidence the Lord as it were delivers them the golden key of prayer by which they may come into his presence on all occasions with the freedom of Children to a Father XIII Excellency 'T is the Instrument of mortification and the most excellent and successful instrument for that purpose in all the World Gal. 5. 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the works of the flesh Walking in the Spirit is the same thing with walking in communion with God. Now saith the Apostle if you thus walk in the Spirit in the acting of faith love and obedience throughout the course of holy duties the effect of this will be that ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh he doth not say You shall not feel the motions of sin in you or temptations to sin assaulting you but he saith you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh sin shall not have dominion over you this will let out the life-blood of sin A temptation overcome this way is more effectually subdued than by all the vows resolutions and external means in the World as a Candle that is blown out with a puff of breath may be rekindled by another puff but if it be quencht in water 't is not so easily lighted again So it is here you never find that power or success in temptations when your hearts are up with God in the exercises of faith and love as you do when your hearts hang loose from him and dead towards him The Schoolmen assign this as one reason why the Saints in Heaven are impeccable no sin can fasten upon them because say they they there enjoy the beatifical vision of God. This is sure the more communion any man hath with God on Earth the freer he lives from the power of his corruptions XIV Excellency 'T is the Kernel of all Duties and Ordinances Words gestures c. are but the integuments husks and shells of Duties Communion with God is the sweet Kernel the pleasant and nourishing food which lies within them you see the fruits of the Earth are covered and defended by husks shells and such like integuments within which lye the pleasant kernels and grains and that 's the food The Hypocrite who goes no farther than the externals of Religion is therefore said to feed of Ashes Isa. 44. 20. to spend his mony for that which is not bread and his labour for that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. He feeds but upon husks in which there is little pleasure or nourishment what a poor house doth a Hypocrite keep Words Gestures Ceremonies of Religion will never fill the Soul but communion with God is substantial nourishment My Soul saith David shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness whilst I think and meditate on thee Psal. 63. 5 6. It would grieve ones heart to think what airy things many Souls satisfie themselves with feeding like Ephraim upon the wind well contented if they can but shuffle over a few heartless empty duties whilst the Saints feed upon this hidden Manna are feasted as it were with Angels food XV. Excellency 'T is the Light of the Soul in darkness and the pleasantest light that ever shone upon the Soul of Man There 's many a Soul which walketh in darkness some in the darkness of ignorance and unbelief the most dismal of all darkness except that in Hell. There are others who are Children of light in a state of reconciliation yet walk in the darkness of outward afflictions and inward desertions and temptations but as soon as ever the light of Gods countenance shines upon the Soul in the duties of communion with him that darkness is dissipated and scattered 't is all light within him and round about him Psal. 34. 5. They looked unto him and were enlightned they looked there is faith acted in Duty and were enlightned there 's the sweet effect of Faith. The horrors and troubles of gracious Souls shrink away upon the rising of this chearful light as wild Beasts come out of their Dens in the darkness of the night and shrink back again into them when the Sun ariseth Psal. 104. 20 21 22. So do the fears and inward troubles of the people of God when this light shines upon their Souls Nay more this is a light which scatters the very darkness of death it self It was the saying of a worthy Divine of Germany upon his death-bed when his Eye-sight was gone being askt how it was within Why said he though all be dark about me yet pointing as well as he could to his brest hiâ—sat lucis here is light enough XVI Excellency 'T is Liberty to the straightned Soul and the most comfortable and excellent liberty in the whole World. He only walks at liberty that walks with God Psal. 119. 45. I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Wicked men cry out of bands and cords in Religion they look upon the duties of goldliness as the greatest bondage and thraldom in the whole World Psal. 2. 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us q. d. Away with this strictness and precisness it extinguishes the joy and pleasure of our lives give us our Cups instead of Bibles our prophane Songs instead of Spiritual Psalms our Sports and Past-times instead of Prayers and Sermons Alas poor creatures how do they dance in their shackles and chains When in reality the sweetest liberty is enjoyed in those Duties at which they thus snuff The Law of Christ is the Law of Liberty the Soul of man never enjoys more Liberty than when it is bound with the strictest bands of Duty to God. Here 's liberty from enthralling lusts
Learned Men and prudent men who it may be have less heat but more VVisdom than you VVhy will you be singular VVhy will you hazzard all for that others will hazzard nothing But certainly such sins as these will cost you dear 't is a dreadful thing to betray the Truths and Honour of God for base secular ends and you will find it so when you and your consciences shall debate it together in a calm hour Secondly There are also sins of Vnrighteousness against the Second Table in which many live against the plain dictates and warnings of their own Consciences though they know the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness To give some Instances of this I. Instance And first let me Instance in that sin of Defrauding and going beyond others in our civil Commerce and Dealings with them over-reaching cozening and cheating the ignorant or unwary who it may be would not be so unwary as they are did they not repose trust and confidence in your deceitful words and promises Conscience cannot but startle at such sins the very Light of Nature discovers the evil of it and the sober Heathen abhor it but we that live under the Gospel cannot but feel some terror and trembling in our Consciences when we read such a severe and awful prohibition back'd with such a dreadful threatening as that is in 1 Thes. 4. 6. That no man defraud or go beyond his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the Avenger of all such The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man overtop viz. by power or by craft and policy To this sin a dreadful threatening is annexed the Lord is the Avenger of all such The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once more that I remember used in the New Testament Rom. 13. 4. and is there applied to the Civil Magistrate he must see Execution done upon Malefactors but here the Lord himself will do it he will be this mans Avenger This Rod or rather this Ax Conscience shews men and gives warning of the danger and yet its Convictions are overpowered and bound as Prisoners by 1. The Excessive Love of Gain 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into Temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition When a resolution is made for the world men will be rich by right or wrong this powerfully armes the Temptation Set Gain before such a man and he will break through the Law of God and convictions of Conscience but he will have it This drowns them in perdition and destruction that is it surely throughly and fully ruins them as he is a dead man that is only drowned but to be drowned in destruction yea in destruction and perdition too this must needs make his ruin sure as sure as words can make it and so all such persons shall surely find it who persist in such a Course 2. Pinching Necessities and Straights overbear Conscience in others Necessity hath no Ears to attend the voice of the Word and Conscience Here Conscience and Poverty struggle together and if the Fear of God be not exalted in the Soul it now falls a prey to Temptation This danger wise Agur foresaw and earnestly intreated the Lord for a competency to avoid the snare of Poverty Prov. 30. 8 9. Poor Wretch how much better were it for thee to endure the pains of a griping stomach than those of a griping Conscience such gains may be sweet in thy mouth but bitter in thy Bowels 3. The Examples of others who daily venture on such sins without scruple and laugh at such squeamish Consciences as cheque at such things this emboldens others to follow them Psal. 50. 18 and thus the voice of Conscience is drowned and Convictions buried for a time but it will Thunder at last and thy buried convictions wil have a Resurrection and it shall be out of thy power to silence them again II. Instance The truth of God is held in Unrighteousness when mens Lusts will not suffer them to restore what they have sinfully and unjustly gotten into their hands This Sin lies boking in the Consciences of some men makes them very uneasie and yet they make an hard shift to rub along under these regrets of Conscience Now those things which make a forcible entry into the Conscience take the truths of God Prisoners and bind them that they cannot break forth into the duty of Restitution are 1. The shame which attends and follows the duty to which God and Conscience calls the Soul. O 't is a shame and reproach they think to get the name of a cheat Loath loath they are these works of darkness should come into the open Light men will point and hiss at them and say there goes a Thief a Cheat an Oppressor this keeps many from Restitution But dost thou not here commit a greater Cheat than the former Which is the greater shame thinkst thou to commit sin or to confess and reform it to tye the snare upon thy soul by Commission or loose it off from thy Conscience by Repentance and Restitution to be the derision of wicked men for none else will deride thee for thy duty or to be the contempt and derision of God Angels and all good Men for ever To attain inward peace at this hazzard or to lie under the continual lashes and wounds of thy own Conscience 2. Poverty and inability is sometimes pleaded to quiet the troubled Conscience and indeed this is a just and very frequent blast of God upon ill gotten goods The curse of God is upon them They melt away O what a miserable snare have you now intangled your souls in once you could but would not restore a Worldly heart would not part with unjust gains now you would but cannot Thus a worldly heart and an empty purse holds you first and last under the guilt of a known sin A lamentable case 3. Vain purposes do often suppress and silence convictions my condition may after I may be in a capacity hereafter when I can better spare it than at present Or I 'le do it in my last Will when I dye and charge my Executors with it Thus do men bribe their Consciences to get a little quiet whilst they continue under known guilt and cannot tell how soon death shall summon them to the aweful Bar of a just and terrible God. Sirs As you value your peace and which is more your Souls release the Lords Prisoner which lyes bound within you with cords and chains of Satans making do it I say as you hope to see the face of God in peace You know without Repentance there can be no Salvation and without Restitution no Repentance For how can you repent of a sin you still knowingly continue in Repentance is the Souls turning from sin as well as its sorrow for sin You cannot therefore repent
this life 't is the love of the World that makes men warp from the Rules of their own Consciences 2 Tim. 4. 10 't is this that makes men strain hard to get loose from the ties and bonds of their own Consciences The young man was convinced but the world was too hard for his Convictions Luk. 18. 23. the degree of his Sorrow was according to the degree of his Love to the Creature 'T is not the having but the overloving of the world that ruins us 'T is a worldly Heart which makes men twist and turn shuffle and dissemble at that rate they do in time of Temptation Could you once dethrone this Idol how secure and safe would your Consciences be The Church is described Rev. 12. 1. as clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet The most zealous Age of the Church was the Age of Poverty Try these few considerations upon your hearts to loose them from the inordinate love of the World. 1. What good will the World do you when you have lost your Integrity for its sake and peace is taken away from the inner man VVhat joy of the world had Iudas and what comfort had Spira If you part with your integrity for it God will blast it and it shall yield you no joy 2. Except you renounce the world you are renounced by Christ. Disclaim it or he will disclaim you Luke 14. 33. No man can be admitted into Christs Service but by fealing those Indentures with him 3. VVhat ever loss or dammage you shall sustain for Christ and Conscience sake he stands obliged to repair it to you and that with an infinite overplus Mark 10. 29. 30. 4. In a word all the Riches Pleasures Honours and Liberties in the world are not able to give you that Joy and heart-refreshing Comfort that the acquitting and chearing voice of your own Consciences can do Settle these things in your hearts as defensatives against this danger VII Direction Lastly Beg of God and labour to get more Christian Courage and Magnanimity for want of this Conscience is often overborn against its own Light and Conviction Christian magnanimity is Consciences security 'T is excellent and becoming a Christian to be able to face any thing but the frowns of God and his own Conscience All the famous Champions of Truth and VVitnesses for God that came victorious out of the Field of Temptation with safe and unwounded Consciences were men of Courage and Resolution see Dan. 3. 16. Heb. 11. 27. Acts 21. 13. and what is this Christian Courage but the fixed resolution of the Soul to Encounter all dangers all sufferings all reproaches pains and losses in the strength of assisting Grace that shall assault us in the ways of our duty and so it stands opposed in Scripture to the Spirit of Fear Heb. 11. 27. to Shame Mark 8. 38. to Apostacy Heb. 10. 39. He must neither be afraid nor ashamed nor lose one inch of ground for the sake of what dangers he meets with and that because he hath embraced Christianity upon those terms and was told of all this before Ioh. 16. 1. because there 's no retreating but to our own ruin Heb. 10. 38. because he owes all this and much more than this to Christ Phil. 1. 29. because he understands the value of his Soul above his Body and of Eternals above and beyond all temporals Matth. 10. 28 and in a word because he believes the Promises of Gods Assistance and rewards Heb 11. 25 26 27. O my Friends were our fears thus subdued and our Faith thus exalted how free and safe would Truth be in our Consciences He that owns any Truth to live upon it or accommodate a carnal Interest by it will disown that Truth when it comes to live upon him let Conscience plead and say what it will but he that hath agreed with Christ upon these Terms to be content to be miserable for ever if there be not enough in Christ to make him happy this man will be a steddy Christian and will rather lie in the worst of the Prisons than to imprison Gods known Truths in Unrighteousness The Conclusion I have now done my Message I have set before you the Lord Jesus in the glory of his Free Grace and condescending Love to Sinners Oh that I had skill and ability to have done it better I have woed and expostulated with you on Christs behalf I have laboured according to my little measure of strength to cast up and prepare the way by removing the stumbling Blocks and Discouragements out of it This hath been a time of Conviction to many of you some have not been able to hold their Convictions any longer under restraints but many I fear do so and therefore I have in the close of all handled this startling and awakening Scripture among you to shew you what an horrid evil it is to detain Gods Truths in Unrighteousness I have also in the Name and Authority of God demanded all the Lords Prisoners his suppressed and restrained Truths at your hands If you will unbind your Convictions this day cut as under the bonds of carnal fear shame c. with which you restrain them those Truths you shall so make free will make you free If not but you will still go on stifling and suppressing them in your own Bosomes remember that there are so many VVitnesses prepared to give evidence against you in the Great Day And Oh that whilst you delay this Duty the sound of this Text may never out of your ears nor suffer you to rest For the wrath â—f God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness FINIS â—act lib. 70. de divina praemio p. 578 579. Secundo Lact. de justitia l. 5. p. 382 383. Bernardi Sermo 33 in â—antic Casus Consc. lib. 3 p. 116. S. Ford. Ambitio Sac. Animalis homâ— Durham in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornu sic fit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per syncoâ—en 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doct. â— â— Reason 2. Reason Mr. Anth. Burgesse on 1 Cor. 3. Object Answ. Object Sol. Isa. 48. 8 9. 1. Reas. Isa. 27. 4. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 5. Reas. Mr. Lockier in Colos. 1. Consid. 2. Consid. 3. Consid. 4. Consid. 1. Motive 2. Motive 3. Motive 4. Motive Ephes. 1. 7. 5. Motive 6. Motive 1. Obj. Answ. 2. Obj. Answ. 1. Demonst. 2. Demonst. 3. 〈◊〉 4. Demonst Isa. 44. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qualiscunque fuerit peccator Hypocrita qui diu obstitit Evangelio 7. Doct. Object Sol. â— Iâ—fer II. Infer III. Infer IV. Infer V. Infer VI. Infer Object Answ. 8. Doct. * Clamor hic est pulsatio significant cogitata a Deo injecta ad monendam peccatoris conscientiam id Deus aliquandiu facit non semper Pools Synops in loc Quest. Answ. 1. Sign 2. Sign 3. Sign 4. Sign 5. Sign 9. Doct. I. Infer Mr. Anthony Burges in his Spiritual Refining 2. Infer 4. Infer 10. Doct. Method of Grace p. 25 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 1. Infer 2. Infer Object Sol. 3. Infer 4. Infer 1. Plea. 2. Plea. 3. Plea. 4. Plea. 5. Plea. Quest. Answ. Dr. Iacom in Rom. 8. p. 69 84. 1. Evid 2. Evid 3 Evid 4 Evid 5 Evid 6 Evid 7 Evid 8 Evid 9 Evid 10 Evid Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
will trust my Fathers care and love Here now is sweet communion with God under pinching wants The wants of the Body enrich the Soul Outward straightnings are the occasions of inward enlargments O see from hence how good it is to have an interest in God as a Father whatever changes of providence may come upon you Thirdly There are seasons wherein the Lord exposes his people to eminent and visible dangers when to the Eye of sense there is no way of escape Now when this produceth trust in God and resignation to the pleasure of his Will here is communion with God in times of distress and difficulty thus David Psal. 56. 3. At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee q. d. Father I see a storm rising thy poor child comes under his Fathers roof for sheâ—â—er for whether should a distressed Child go but to his Father And then as to the issues and events of doubtful providences when the Soul resigns and leaves it self to the wise disposal of the Will of God as David in 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. Here am I let him do with me as seemeth good in his sight This is real and sweet communion with God in his providences And so much for the nature of communion with God. Secondly In the next place I shall evidence the reality of communion with God and prove it to be no fancy I confess it grieves me to be put upon the proof of this but the Atheism and prophaness of the age we live in seems to make it necessary for many men will allow nothing for certain but what falls under the cognisance of â—ense And oh that they had their Spiritual senses exercised then they would sensibly discern the reality of these things but to put the matter out of question I shall evidence the truth and reality of the Saints communion with God divers ways First From the Saints union with Christ if there be a union betwixt Christ and believers then of necessity there must be a communion between them also Now the whole Word of God which you profess to be the rule of your faith plainly asserts this union betwixt Christ and believers a union like that betwixt the branches and the root Iohn 15. 4 5. or that betwixt the head and the members Eph 4. 16. Now if Christ be to believers as the root to the branches and as the head to the members then of necessity there must be a communion between them for if there were not a communion there could be no communications and if no communications no life For it is by the communication of vital fap and spirits from the root and from the head that the branches and members subsist and live Secondly There is a cohabitation of Christ with believers he dwells with them yea he dwells in theâ—â— 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them and walk in theâ—â— The Soul of a believer is the Temple of Christ yea his living Temple 1 Pet. 2. 5. And if Christ dwell with them yea if he dwell in them and walk in them then certainly there must be communion betwixt him and them if they live together they must converse together A man indeed may dwell in his house and yet cannot be said to have communion with it but the Saints are a living house they are the living Temples of Christ and he cannot dwell in such Temples capable of communion with him and yet have no communion with them Thirdly The reality of communion betwixt God and the Saints is undeniably evinced from all the Spiritual relations into which God hath taken them Every believer is the Child of God and the Spouse of Christ. God is the believer Father and the Church is the Lambs Wife Christ calls the believer not only his Servant but Friend hence forth I call you not Servants but Friends c. Now if God be the believers Father and the believer be Gods own Child certainly there must be communion between them If Christ be the believers Husband and the believer be Christs Spouse there must be communion between him and them What no communion between the Father and his Children the Husband and the Wife We must either renounce and deny all such relations to him and therein renounce our Bibles or else yield the conclusion that there is a real communion betwixt Christ and believers Fourthly The reality of communion with God evidently appears from the institution and appointment of so many Ordinances and duties of Religion on purpose to maintain dayly communion betwixt Christ and his People As to instance but in that one institution of Prayer a duty appointed on purpose for the Souls meeting with God and communion with him Iames 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Now to what purpose can it be conceived such an Ordinance is appointed for the Souls drawing nigh to God and God to it if there be no such thing as communion to be enjoyed with him If communion with God were a meer Phantome as the carnal World thinks it to be what encouragement have the Saints to bow their knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ But surely there is an access to God in prayer Ephes. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidencâ— Access to what If God be not there and that there can be no communion with him what means that access I will meet you saith the Lord and I will commune with you in every place where I record my name Exod. 25. 22. Certainly duties had never been appointed but for the sake of Gods communing with us and ours with him Fifthly This is yet further evidenced from the mutual desires both of Christ and his people to be in sweet and intimate communion one with the other The Scripture speaks much of the Saints vehement desires of communion with Christ and of Christs desires after communion with the Saints and of both jointly The Saints desires after communion with him are frequent in all the Scriptures see Psal. 63. 1 2 3. Psal. 42. 1. Psal. 119. 20. and the like throughout the New Testament And Christ is no less desirous yea he is much more desirous of communion with us than we are with him Consider that expression of his to the Spouse in Cant. 8. 13. O thou that dwellest in the Gardens the companions hâ—rken to thy voice cause me to hear it As if he should say O my people you frequently converse one with another you talk dayly together why shall not you and I converse one with another You speak often to men O that you would speak more frequently to me Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance comly And then these desires are mutually exprest one to another Rev. 22. 20. Surely saith Christ I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Iesus saith the Church Now if there be such vehement
of sin and still continue in it How shall we that are dead to sin continue any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. Trust Providence for the supply of your wants and the wants of yours in ways of Duty and Righteousness A little that a Righteous man hath is better than the Riches of many wicked You 'l have more comfort in Bread and Water with peace of Conscience than in full Tables with Gods curse You 'l lye more at ease on a burden of Straw than on a Bed of Down with a grumbling conscience III. Instance How many lye under the condemnations of their own consciences for the lusts of Uncleanness in which they live and though they read and their consciences apply to them such Scriptures as that 1. Cor. 6. 9. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankind c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God a dreadful Sentence and that Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Yet convictions are overborn and stifled by 1. The Impetuous Violence of carnal Lusts which permit not of calm debates but hurry them on to the sin and leave them to consider the evil and dangerous consequences afterward Thus they go as an Oxe to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks Prov. 7. 22. Lust besots them To give counsel now is but to give Physick in a Paroxisme or counsel to him that is running a Race Lust answers conscience as Antipater did one that presented him a Book treating of Happiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leisure to read such Discourses 2. Others would feign solve their scruples with the sinful failings of good men as David Solomon c. not considering what brokenness of Heart it cost David Psal. 51. and the other sorrow more bitter than death Eccl. 7. 26. Laeta venire venus tristis abire solet This is a presumptuous way of sinning and how dreadful that is see Numb 15. 30. IV. Instance Truth is often held in unrighteousness by sinful Silence in not reproving other mens sins and thereby making them our own We are sometimes cast into the company of ungodly Men where we hear the name of our God blasphemed the Truth Worship or Servants of God reproached and have not so much courage to appear for God as others have to appear against him In such cases Conscience useth to instigate men to their duty and charge it home upon them in the authority of such a Scripture as that Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him O saith Conscience thy silence now will be thy sin This poor wretch may perish for want of a seasonable plain and faithful rebuke Thy silence will harden him in his wickedness No sooner doth such a conviction stir in the Conscience but many things are ready to lay hold on it as 1. A Spirit of Cowardice which makes us afraid to displease men and chuses rather the wrath of God should fall on them than that their wrath should fall on us We dare not take as much liberty to reprove sin as others do to commit it They glory in their shame and we are ashamed of what is both our glory and our duty 2. Dependance on or near relation to the Person sinning 'T is a Father an Husband a Superior on whose favour I depend and should I displease him I may ruine my self this is the voice of the Flesh. Hence duty is neglected and the Soul of a Friend basely betrayed Our Interest preferr'd to Gods and thereby frequently lost for there is no way to secure our own interest in any mans heart as to settle it by our Faithfulness in his Conscience and by being willing to hazzard it for Gods interest and glory The Lord blesseth Mens Faithfulness above all their sinful Carnal Policies Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his lips 3. Mens own Guilt stops their Mouths and silences them They are ashamed and afraid to reprove other mens sins left they should hear of their own Fear of Retortion keeps them from the duty of Reprehension Thus we fall into a new sin for fear of reviving an old one He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame and 〈◊〉 that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a bist Prov. 9. 7. But this is the fruit of our Pride and Ignorance What we fear might turn to our benefit The Reproof given is a Duty discharged and the Retortion in return a fresh call to Repentance for sin past and a caution against sin to come V. Instance Another Instance of Convictions of unrighteousness imprisoned in mens Souls is in not distributing to the necessities of others especially such as fear God when it is in the power of our hands to do it and Conscience as well as Scripture calls us to our Duty Men cannot be ignorant of that Text Math. 25. 40 41. where by a Synecdoche Charity to the Saints is by Christ put for the whole of Obedience and mens Eternal States are cast according to their observance of this command though I fear few very few study and believe it as they ought Thou canst saith Conscience if thou wilt relieve such or such a poor Christian and therein express thy love to Christ yea refresh the bowels of Christ do it God will repay it if thou refusest how dwelleth the love of God in thee 1 Ioh. 3. 17. This is the Voice of God and Conscience but divers Lusts are ready to lay hold on and bind this Conviction also assoon as it stirs viz. 1 The excessive love of Earthly things The World is got so deep in mens Hearts that they will rather part with their peace yea and with their Souls too than to part with it Hence come those Churlish answers like that of Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men whom I know not whence they be 2. Unbelief which denies to give Honour and due Credit to Christs Bills of Exchange drawn upon them in Scripture and presented to them by the hands of his poor Saints They refuse I say to credit them though Conscience protest against them for their Non-compliance Christ saith Mark 9. 41. Whosoever shall give you a cup of cold water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward He shall gain that which he cannot lose by parting with that which he cannot keep 3. The want of love to Jesus Christ. Did we love Christ in sincerity and were that love so fervent as it ought to be it would make thee more ready to lay down thy neck for Christ than thou now art to lay out a shilling for him 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 'T is our Duty in some cases
to spend our blood for the Saints So it was in the primitive times Behold â—said the Christians Enemies how they love one another and are willing to dye one for another But that Spirit is almost extinguished in these degenerate dayes VI. Instance How many stand convinced by their own Consciences what a sin it is to spend their precious time so idly and vainly as they do When a day is lost in vanity duties neglected no good done or received at night Conscience reckons with them for it and askes them what account they can give of that day to God. How they are able to satisfie themselves to lye down and sleep under so much guilt and yet when the morrow comes the vanity of their hearts carries them on in the same Course again the next day and whilst they keep themselves in vain Company they are quiet till Conscience finds them at leisure to debate it again with them Now the things which master Conviction are 1. In some men their Ignorance and Insensibility of the Preciousness of time They know 't is their sin to spend their time so vainly but little consider that Eternity it self hangs upon this little Moment of Time and that the great work of their Salvation will require all the time they have and if it be not finished in this small allottment of time it can never be finished Ioh. 9. 4. 2. The Examples of other vain persons that are as Prodigal of their precious time as themselves and entice them to spend it as they do 3. The charming power of sensual Lusts and Pleasures Oh how pleasantly doth time slide away in Playes Alehouses in relating or hearing taking Stories News c. 4. Inconsiderateness of the sharp and terrible rebukes of Conscience for this on a Death-bed or the terrors of the Lord in the day of Judgment In all these Instances you see how common this dreadful evil of holding the truth in unrighteousness is yet these are but a few selected from among many 5. In the next place I am obliged to shew how and why the imprisoning of Convictions or holding the Truths of God in Unrighteousness so dreadfully incenseth his Wrath. And this it doth upon several accounts 1. Knowledge and Conviction of sin is an excellent means or choice help to preserve Men from falling into sin There be Thousands of sins committed in the World which had never been committed if Men had known them to be sins before they committed them Every Sinner durst not make so bold with his Conscience as you have done The Apostle tells us the reason why the Princes of this World crucified the Lord of Glory was because they knew him not 1 Cor. 2. 8. Had they known him they would not have dared to do as they did And so it is in multitudes of lower and lesser sins than that Satan mops their Eyes with Ignorance then uses their Hands and Tongues in Wickedness he is the Ruler of the darkness of the World Eph. 6. 12. But when Men do know this or that to be sin and yet venture on it here an excellent Antidote against sin is turned into a dreadful aggravation of sin which highly incenses the Wrath of God. 2. Knowledge and Conviction going before adds presumption to the Sin that follows after it and presumptuous Sin is the most provoking and daring Sin from this way of sinning David earnestly beseeches God to keep him Keep back thy servant saith he from presumptuous sins When a man sees sin and yet adventures on it in such sinning there is a despising of the Law of God A Man may break the Law whilst he approves reverences and honours it in his heart Rom. 7. 12 13. but here the Commandment is despised as God told David 2 Sam. 12. 9. 'T is as if a Man should say I see the Command of God armed with threatnings in my way but yet I will go on for all that 3. Knowledge and Conviction leave the Conscience of a Sinner naked and wholly without excuse or apologie for his sin In this case there is no plea left to extenuate the offence Iohn 15. 22. Now they have no cloak for their sin if a man sins ignorantly his ignorance is some excuse for his sin it excuses it at least a tanto as Paul tells us thus and thus I did but I did it ignorantly Here is cloak or covering an excuse or extenuation of the sin but knowledge takes away this cloak and makes the sin appear naked in all the odious deformity of it nothing left to hide it 4. Light or Knowledge of the Law and Will of God is a very choice and excellent Mercy 't is a choice and singular favour for God to make the light of Knowledge to shine into a Mans mind or understanding 'T is a Mercy withheld from multitudes Psal. 147. 19. and those that injoy it are under special engagements to bless God for it and to improve it diligently and thankfully to his Service and Glory but for a Man to arm such a Mercy as this against God to fight against him with one of his choicest Mercies this must be highly provoking to the Lord 'T is therefore mention'd as an high aggravation of Solomons sin in the 1 Kings 11. 9. that he sinned against the Lord after the Lord had appeared unto him twice 5. This way of sinning argues an extraordinary degree of hardness of heart 'T is a sign of little tenderness or sense of the evil of sin Some Men when God shews them the evil of sin in the glass of the Law they tremble at the sight of it So did Paul Rom. 7. 13. When the Commandment came sin revived and he died he sunk down at the sight of it But God shews thee the evil of sin in the glass of his Law and thou makest nothing of it O obdurate heart When the Rod was turned into a Serpent Moses fled from it was afraid to touch it but though God turns the Rod into a Serpent and discovers the venomous Nature of Sin in his Word thou canst handle and play with that Serpent and put it into thy bosome this shews thy heart to be of a strange complexion 6. To go against the convincing warning voice of Conscience violates and wounds a Mans Conscience more than any other way of sinning doth and when Conscience is so wounded who or what shall then comfort thee 'T is a true Rule Maxima violatio Conscientiae est maximum peccatum The more any sin violates a mans Conscience the greater that sin is The sin of Devils is the most dreadful sin and what makes it so but the horrid violation of their Consciences and malicious Rebellion against their own Light and clear Knowledge Iames 2. 19. They know and sin they believe and tremble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they roar under the Tortures of Conscience like the Rote of the Sea or noise of the Rocks before a Storm O then if there be any degree of sense