fruitfull Vines upon the Walls of the house whose children stand like Olive plants round about the Table Psal 128.3 Such as are married in the fear of God have a promise of this blessing This is made good First in each Saints growth in Grace Isaiah 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my Soul shall be joyfull in my God For he hath clothed me with the garment of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth herself with Jewels The Saints are led forward towards perfection Heb 6.1 O many a sweet Babe doth a gracious Soul bear and Nurse to the Glory of God But wicked men bring forth ugly bratts of Malice Pride Uncleannness they are in conjunction with the Divel their Fruite and Wine is of Sodom not of Jerusalem And then Secondly In the Churches increase it is also verified Isaiah 61.4 5 6. And they shall build the old wastes they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the wast Cities the desolations of many Generations c. The Summe is the Church is a fruitfull Motheâ— Jerusalem the Mother of us all in conjunction with Christ brings forth many Sons The Sons of the Church come from far and her Daughters are Nursed at her side Isaiah 60.4 This comes to pass by Christs Husband ship the Church seemingly barren and a Widdow brings forth many Children to Christ Fifthly There is a transacting of conditions The râ—ches of the Husband becoms the Riches of the Wife and the debts of the Wife become the debts of the Husband 2 Cor. 5. the last For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Sixthly There is a Sympathising between Christ and his Church Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me So Christ calls out of Heaven And again Mat. 25.40 In as much as ye did it to the least of these my brethren ye did it unto me And the Church again is very sensible of Gods dishonors And it grieveth David to see the transgressors because men keep not Gods Law Pâ—alm 119.136 But Seventhly Between such as are knit in the Marriage knot there is a great working in affection great joy in the presence one of another grief in the absence one from another even so if God do hide his face from David he is troubled Psal 30.7 And his heart longs to be in the Temple where God was wont to shew his beauty and come with embraces to him and others of his People Vse 1 Now singular use may be made of this Soul ravishing Doctrine but I shall confine my self to 3. One of information another of consolation and the last of exhortation and in all shall be brief because I have one point more to dispatch and the time runneth on apace I say First We may be informed of the great worth of Gospel Ordinances under which there is such a neerness held forth yea such a conjunction with Christ enjoyed Here are kisses and embraces to be had Meetings for the enjoyment of them are Christs bed of Love For there to wit in the use of Church Ordinances the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.3 and again By night on my bed I sought him whom my Soul loveth Cant. 3.1 That is in the Communion of Saints and enjoyment of Ordinances They are not much acquainted with Christ it is to be doubted that cry down what he is wont to make himself out by to his Saints Vse 2 But Secondly Gracious souls should take comfort and rejoyce in their match and well they may It is not an ordinary one it is no small thing to be Married to the Son of God We have great and many particular things to take comfort in but I will be brief First He looks for nothing to draw his Love therefore our want of beauty cannot dissolve the knot Secondly No infirmity in us can draw away his Love from us for his Love is immutably firm because it is Eternal and Free Thirdly Nothing can hinder our conversing with him we have a priviledge to carry about Christ with us All the powers in Earth and Hell cannot make a separation between Christ and a Christian no not for one minute Object What. cannot Sin doth not the Scripture say Thy sins have separated between thee and thy God c. I answer God is the same in his suspensions which are his Physick that he is in his Ordinances of feeding and in all prosperous Vouchsafements And so by the way ought the Church and every Christian to be in their Reproofs Checks Admonitions of the same frame of spirit aiming at the good of the party dealt withall as in their most pleasing dealings Let all your things be done in Charity I say to return to this branch of the comfort All the world cannot separate you nor hinder you from enjoying Christ no not a minute sin may be an occasion of a hiding of his face But God would not let his people sin if it were not for their good For all things must work together for their good Rom. 8.28 This is a mighty priviledge the Saints have Fourthly He will enable you to do what he commands you The Saints have not only habitual Grace to wit the new Creature But also the Lord is bound by promise to be with them to direct them to help them and assist them with continual supplies of Grace for they are taught to wait upon him and to seek unto him to be much in trading with God and all his Factors and therefore must needs be better able to do his will You shall find Psal 25.12 What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he teach the way that he shall choose The greatest hindrance of Gods service and of doing his will is fear Now God being Lord of the affections can quickly take away fear or give trembling but he is bound by promise as to withhold no good thing so to withdraw every evil thing as all that hinders obedience is evil from his servants Lastly the Love of God which is by reason of this Union is above all Love it shall transcend all Love The happiest Wife in the World may possibly expect or desire too much from her Husband though the best Husband in the World We cannot be too bold with God in expecting or desiring unless it be in sinfull desires I say We cannot expect too much from God We can never build too much upon his Love it is transcendent Vse 3 I come now to the last Use I told you first I would make three of which two are finished The third is a use of exhortation You see a Son offered by God to be Married to you You see that no less Priviledge is to believers in Christ vouchsafed then to be Married to him as he saith Hosea 2 19. And I will betroth
thee unto me for ever c. Therefore come away marry this Kings son forsake not your mercy do not overstand your Market You will never have such an offer again I mean not of another opportunity for what am I to limit the Holy one of Israel But of another happiness for in this seed of Abraham alone blessedness is to be had I say you cannot possibly speed your selves better There is none so lovely none so able to make you every-way happy none so willing to do every body good These expressions of ours are to your capacity These glorious beams of Christ shine brightly the Lord open your eyes to see them seek by Prayer wait upon Ordinances argue upon promises And the Lord strike hands with you in much mercy Amen Amen It remaineth that something be spoken of the means Ordained by the Lord to attain this assurance of Union with Christ to wit the Preaching of the Gospel signified by these words The Kingdom of Heaven for by it is saving Grace conveyed Gospel preaching is Ordained and appointed of the Lord to that end that men may hear of Christ believe in Christ be saved by Christ and be glorified with Christ So in that the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Gospel Preached is compared to a Marriage-making I observe this last Doctrine The end of the Preaching of the Gospel is to prepare People for a Marriage with Christ the Son of God Reason And the Reason is because it is that very instant of Grace which God who hath appointed a time for every action hath appointed for his Elect to come and joyn hands with Christ in the Act of believing It is the means of faith Rom. 10.17 So then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God The Lord hath appointed that the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached over all the World for a witness unto all Nations That the Elect in every place may be brought in according to Gods eternal purpose of Love to communion with the Church and Union unto Christ Vse 1 We may hereupon conclude in the first place the necessity of the Preaching of the Gospel contrary to their vain conceit that think it needless they see not the end of it to wit a Marriage with Christ Or if they do yet they mean not to be divorced from their wicked Lusts unto which they are already Wedded But yet lodge this truth among the Oracles of God That Gospel Preaching is necessary And that it is the ordinary and usual means to obtain Faith Vse 2 O Therefore what a happiness do those people enjoy if they had eyes to see it that have the Gospel faithfully preached unto them to prepare them for a Marriage with Christ Vse 3 And how shall they escape which neglect so great salvation Which to do is a greater sin then to break the whole Law The punishment shews the greatness of the sin a double curse is pronounced against them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.22 that is against those that neglect Gospel offers and Ordinances in which Christ goeth 〈◊〉 wooing to the children of men If any one therefore here present be an Enemy to the dispensations of the Gospel or a neglector of this gracious offer of Christ therein let him look upon himself as on an execrable thing which God hates and let him see God even stretching out his power to confound him and the Gospel cursing him Vse 4 Be exhorted therefore to improve this appointed imployment This concerns both Preacher and Hearers Motive Motive It is the best preferment a man can come unto to be United and Married to Christ And therefore no small preferment to be imployed in this high work of bringing People to Salvation And to move other People let this be weighed well that to lose all things in the world to gain Christ is the best bargain that ever man made Phil. 3 7. 8. But what things were gain to me these I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Quest But how shall Ministers improve this benefit Answ I answer by Preaching Christ unto the People Plainly Powerfully in the evidence of Gods spirit not in the enticing words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver 1. c. Object But if a man do not Preach eloquently he shall lose his repute and the Grace of his pains Sol. I answer No for although some that know not God will be prating yet he is the best schollar that edifies most 1 Cor. 14 v. 12.18.19.21.22 To excell to the edifying of the Church to speak five words with understanding that others may be taught to Prophesie so as men may believe are special Phrases in those verses A man that speaks pithily to the conscience will shew himself a scholler besides his purpose to all judicious hearers Such men shew themselves to have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 And yet further ver 5. For we Preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake And then note I said not only plainly but powerfully We should have such a spirit as Paul who out of the abundance of his Zeal was stirred in spirit Acts 17.16 And so Philip. 3.18 He told them WEEPING of their faults that were Enemies to the Cross of Christ This proceeded out of the abundance of his Love to Christ and mankind And this was a sign of Lots sincerity that his righteous soul was grieved and vexed c. 2 Pet. 2.7 And to hate the work of the Nicolaitans which God hateth is very commendable Rev. 2.15 To hate them that hate God Psal 139.21 and to be grieved with those that rise up against him Now for Hearers They must improve this benefit and blessing of Gospel Preaching 2. Hearers By striving and labouring hereby to be prepared for a Marriage with Christ By putting off the old man and putting on the new man Ephes 4. ver 16. to the 25. People must forget their own People and their Fathers house and labour to be clothed with clothing of wrought Gold Psal 45. ver 10.13 Labour to get Oyle in your Vessels as well as in your Lamps Mat. 25.4 That ye may enter in with him to the Marriage when the door shall be shut against such as have neglected these opportunities ver 10. You must labour to make your selves ready for the Marriage of the Lamb to put on Christ who is the clean and white and fine Linnen of the Saints Rev. 19.7.8 O that you would know now even now in this your day the things that do belong to your
and scraping together the dung of the World You may peruse Luk. 19.41.42.43 and 44. ver The sin is they knew not their visitation they considered it not and this puts me upon a Reaâ—on of the point Reason to wit they know not the worth of it this is the reason they put such a low price upon the seasons of Grace Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart Ephes 4.18 And they give themselves to other wayes ver 19. Men that have not learned Christ have no understanding no judgement they are bewitched And such as go about to hinder them from walking in their evil wayes they account them troublesome persons So Ahab accounted Eliah 1 Kings 18.17 Art thou he that troubleth Israel and his Enemy cap. 21.20 Hast thou found me O mine Enemy But they are their best friends if they could see it that tell them Gods truth Paul is become an Enemy to the Galatians for telling them the truth cap. 4.16 Alas What reason can People give why they will not love Gods People but only because their minds are worldly and because the light of God doth not shine in them The minds of Earthly People are so drawn after the World that they cannot see the excellency of the love of God nor the worth of his Salvation They cannot say with Simeon Luk. 2. their eyes have seen his Salvation A worldly man may abhorr some sin because of the baseness of it but a Saint doth eschew it with a spiritual heart which he that is a worldly man hath not And this is the cause that many sins which indeed have much sinfulness in them seem no sins or very little ones to People that are Worldly ones Covetous men are usually proud men they think themselves none of the worst and yet upon the matter they are grievous murderers as will be shewed hereafter God willing when we come to the 7. vers Pharaoh said who is the Lord c. These say in effect who is Christ what is Salvation ye talk so much of They are murderers of Christ upon the matter that do not receive him they are accursed and accursed 1 Cor. 16.22 They are self murtherers Soul murtherers They hale their neighbours to hell what in them lieth by refusing Christ and by their selling him with Judas for the pelf of the World But I forget where I am Let us make use of this point Vse 1 Great is their folly Great is their fault and Great will be the punishment of worldly minded men I shall referr you to some places Heb. 10.28.29 There the greatness of the sin is argued by a comparison between despising of Moses his Law and neglecting Christ And great language is used to set out the greatness of the latter sin Treading under foot the Son of God counting the blood of the sanctifying Covenant an unholy thing a doing despite unto the spirit of Grace O consider this ye worldlings ye Gadarens that preferr Hoggs to which ye are fitly compared in Scripture before Christ When a great man hath made a feast and hath sent out for his poor Tenants and poor Kindred to come to him promising them great Legacies when he dieth and great gifts in the mean time and they shall scorn to come or for a penny matter stay away would he not be angry and be ready to vow that they shall never come within his door more and bid his Servants go out and fetch in the beggars to eat up that meat so prepared This doth a little set forth the greatness of their sin that do refuse to come to Christ to partake of Gospel-Ordinances to believe in the Lord Jesus which he that doth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 And as the folly and sin is great so will the punishment be great also of all such as neglect so great Salvation Because I have called and ye refused I have streched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear commeth c. O what a wosull condition will that man be in to whom God will be as a hard-hearted man to his Enemy whose utter ruine he takes pleasure to hear of whose dolorous groanes he laughs to hear without the lest pitty in the World Not that God is properly harsh or milde angry or pleased Note these are attributed to God that we might a little behold him who is invisible and know him who passeth knowledge They are effects not affects as the Schoolmen distinguish But lastly Last use The example of worldly minded men is not to be followed unless you think it be a sport to be damned And let me say this word by the way of the Torments of Hell that in comparison of them the cruellest Torments that ever were invented are but as flea bitings If God will then act as God in execution of justice upon ungodly men judge what they shall undergo on whom the full vialls of his wrath shall be poured out The drowning of the old world the burning of Sodom and Gomorra the swallowing up of Korah and his company the Soul-melting miseries of Jerusalem at its last destruction Eating of children of a span long to be flead alive to be gang'd to death and the like these are sad stories But O when Gods righteous judgement shall be revealed Rom. 2.5 which till then is as it were covered tremble ye souls and shake even into shivers at the thoughts thereof what Torments even as long as God shall be shall be endured Walk not therefore with Gospel-despisers Mot. 1 Their practice is hatefull to Allmighty God Hurtfull to thine own soul How wouldst thou look upon that man that seeks thy life And wilt thou not with indignation behold them which go about to damn thy Soul Who so despiseth the word shall be destroyed Prov. 13.13 Take heed therefore of following their Example Quest Quest But how shall I know whither I make light account of the season of Grace or no Answ I answer By thy labouring or not labouring to take the benefit offered thereby If a man want a commodity when the Market or Fair comes he will come to seek for it he will buy it If it be dear yet if it be of absolute necessity as corn to make bread or the like he will say It is no matter I must have it whatever it cost If Christ were here in person he would heartily chide many a Martha who are as bold to plead as she was and to blame those bookish Sermon gadding Maries that seem to be more precise then wise c. But yet it will remain for a truth that they have chosen that good part which shall not be taken from them Luk. 10. They which neglect not the seasons of Grace but improve them
he had done very well in dealing so cruelly as he did with the Church there was not vitiousness in it according to the Rules of Morality nor the outward Rules men use to go by in measuring sin Now by this time ye see what I drive at to wit to shew you that though there be neither so much baseness or vitiousness in loving of the world as in Adultery and some other sins yet that it is a very high sin and strikes deep into Gods honour And it is the more dangerous by how much the less mens help against this evil is If our Sermons will not deterr you from the every or robbery or murther or adultery yet the Gallows may There are severe Laws against these sins and they are sins in the esteem of the world and sins against natural conscience and all is a help against these sins But against those Maladies to make light of Christ of Gospel Seasons of blessed Ordinances not to delight in God to be glad when we have wealth to put our trust in Princes to be very pensive at the frowns and threats of men not to put our trust in the living God and the like here wants mens laws the worlds vote and natural conscience to accuse And yet these and such like sins are far greater and have far more sinfulness in them then those other forementioned sins of infamy A man may go for an eminent Professour of Religion and yet be worldly To refuse Christ M. Capel or but to neglect the offer of grace is more sinfull then fornication yea then adultery Heb. 10.28 29. will teach us that such sinners are worthy of sorer punishment incomparably then such as break nay despise all Moses Law If you have but your minde upon work or upon the world in a day of Worship it is a very great sin And the Reason or ground of all this is because God is so every way furnished to do the creature good and hath so unbowelled his heart in sending his Son and so humbled himself to our capacity in ordaining Ordinances and so cleared his truth and faithfulness in all Ages by making them effectual and the like and knows and considers all this to the utmost So as that he cannot but most severely punish worldliness refusing Church-communion love of the creature and the like as sins that are beyond measure sinfull by the Rule Saints go by though not by the worlds rule And so I come to the Use of Counsell and so shall end this Point of Doctrine I advise every good man to take care that his worldly affairs be no hinderance to him in receiving Christ or occasions of disesteeming Gods grace in the means thereof offered to him after the fashion of worldly men that know not what it is in the way of mercy to enjoy an Ordinance and Christ in it or to neglect it in a way of sin I will use some Motives Mot. 1 First we are naturally apt to follow bad examples especially if they that give them be our Fathers or Mothers or Gentlemen Regis ad exemplum c. And by the way look to it ye great stones that draw so much rubbish out of those old walls after you Your torments will be the greater for that by your example God hath been the more dishonoured But Secondly If you will follow mens examples in sinning Qui parriter peccant pariter punientur you shall not be behinde in punishment For God is righteous And thirdly all the comfort of a Christian depends upon Gods favour which is ordinarily even fastened to his Ordinances So that they that do mean to finde out the riddles of his love in Christ must plow with the heifers of his Ordinances prescribed in his Word And that the light of Gods countenance is the life of a Saint you may see by David Psal 4.6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corn and wine increased And therefore that you may enjoy God that ye may be on that high Tower from whence all men look like Crows take heed that the World do not keep you from doing those things that will make you to know him better whom to know indeed is to be truly wise and safe Quest But how should a man prevent this mischief which others run into Answ By labouring to have the work of grace throughly wrought in your hearts It is impossible mens hearts should run out after the world when they have gotten grace Psal 17.15 As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness See what an odd man Paul is grown Phil. 4 11 12. Not that I speak in respect of want saith he For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need and ver 17 18. Not because I desire a gift c. But I have all and abound and am full c. And to conclude this Use and point of Doctrine and to make an end of this 5. verse read 1 Tim. 6.5 6 7 8. verses They must be withdrawn from that suppose gain is godliness they are men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth But godliness with contentment is great gain c. The Lions shall want and suffer hunger but such as have made God their portion and do hold fast by him shall be happy as long as he is God And that I hope will be long enough But I come to speak of the behaviour of the latter sort out of the 6. ver And the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and slew them We are come from speaking of Hogs to shew you the behaviour of Dogs we have seen a bad behaviour in the former verse but here is a far worse in this The former sort of men did but slight the offer of Christ and the means of grace but these do malitiously oppose them In this behaviour of theirs there is a threefold act to be taken notice of 1. They took them that is apprehended them as gross Malefactors And the remnant took his servants So the Jews after Christ was ascended laid hands on Peter and John and on Stephen and Acts 12. there you read that Peter is put in prison Thus they took the servants 2. They intreated them spitefully saith the Text that is with scoffs and scorns and imprisonment and whipping Paul received of the Jews five times 40 stripes save one at a time 2 Cor. 11.24 3. They slew them that is some of them were murthered by them as Steven and James the brother of John Wherein they declared their malice to the utmost
be refused dis-regarded his Counsel must be set at nought before before fear cometh as desolation and destruction as a whirlwinde Read Prov. 1.24 25 26. 27. Yea all the day long he will wait and spread out his hands unto a rebellious People which walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts Isaiah 65.2 But when Gods time is come the time set of old then cometh sorrow as upon a woman in travell For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them 1 Thes 5.3 Then out-comes Gods wrath with a vengeance The sword without and terrour within shall destroy both the young men and the virgins the suckling also with the man of gray hairs Then said the King unto his Servants That is when God hath given time When mens sins be ripe And when security seizeth on sinners When it is most for Gods glory and Honor to destroy his Enemies and get him a name by making bare his arm When it will be most for his Churches good then then and not till then will the Lord be seen in the mount of blessings for his People and plagues on his Enemies Thus you see the Lord hath a Then for his works of justice And to digress a little so he hath also a then for his works of mercy and grace truth and faithfulness Yea the very putting off of his plagues is of his goodness and Grace He is long suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance as in the forenamed 2 Pet. 3.9 But when he seemeth to deferr his mercies he doth it as he doth all things else according to the Counsel of his will His will is a wise will it is guided by Counsell T is true his wayes seem sometimes to be full of contradictions and his promises of delaies But there is a mystery in all Gods workings which we must learn more and more to understand The only way is to delight our selves in him and we shall be sure to have our hearts desire It is vox vere Christianorum a speech fit to proceed out of the heart and mouâ—h of a Christian to say The will of the Lord be done I am as he is and my will as his is and my times when his are And be sure he can as well cease to be God as miss opportunities to do his People good Davids times are in Gods hands and Pharaohs times are in Gods hands The Lord hath a Then a time for every thing even for the very falling of a sparrow to the ground Voluntas dei necessitas rei for actions and circumstances But to the matter when the time is come then most certainly it shall not be well with the wicked Vse 1 Therefore it is not good to be careless of the judgements of the Lord which you hear mention of daily It is good for you to take warning otherwise God may take you napping in your wickedness Then nothing will profit you in that day Riches profit not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 There will a time come when all the riches in the world shall not do you one half-pennies worth of good I will read to you Ezek. 7.19 They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They had a Proverb in Israel The days are prolonged and every vision faileth But saith the Lord you may finde it Ezek. 12 22.2â— I will make this Proverb to cease and they shalt no more use it as a Proverb in Israel but say unto them The days are at hand and the effect of every vision and ver 24. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel T is true we have men of learning that are otherwise minded I would be loth to throw dirt in in any mans face Men of parts that are godly we cannot put a price high enough upon But yet let me tell you there are some men of great learning which are the most mischievous men in the world Take heed of that generation of men which though they have the teachings of men yet not of God These as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses do resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3.8 You are much the neer sure to be told fair tales and to be humoured in your vanity and at last unawares to be overtaken with the storm of Gods vengeance while ye are dreaming of sair weather when both you and your priests fall into the Ditch Vse 2 The next use of this point and therewith I end Is it so that the Lord hath a then when he will assuredly punish as indeed he he hath and know by the way when God shall cease to be God then and not before shall wickedness unrepented of go unpunished Is it so I say Why then in the fear of God consider and mark that counsel which is given Isaiah 55.6.7.8.9 c. read the words your selves when you come home I have not time O seek the Lord call upon him O wicked folk forsake your wayes O unrighteous men forsake your imaginations There are in that place great store of Admirable Motives taken from the goodness of God his readiness to be found and to pardon the height of his love and thoughts thereof above mens thoughts of love and pitty But to all that is there let me add what is in my text Take him bind him hand and foot c. Go get the Wedding garment But thou wilt say Where is it to be had I answer Go to Christ behold he looks for thee arise he calleth thee Say I come Christ I come Lo I come give power to do what thou commandest and command what thou wilt comprehend me O Christ that I may apprehend thee Resolve never to give over thou shalt have at last For he that asketh receiveth How can it be otherwise He stands at the door and knocks and if thou have a heart to open it is a sign he is gotten into thy heart Flesh and blood hath not done it So farr of the circumstances of the sentence It remaineth that I should speak of the substance of it But the time is run out The Tenth Sermon Matth. 22.13.14 Then said the King unto his Servants Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth For many are called but few are chosen THese verses now read unto you as hath been formerly shewed do contain in them the Commission given by the King for the execution of that unworthy professor that was gotten in among Gods People and had no Grace in his heart which is the third particular first noted to be in this last head viz. The proceeding of the Lord against the unworthy Guest
through the deceitfullness of sin I do not teach you that you can avoid and escape the wrath of God by your doings but this I say the work is done to your hand accept of Gods love and Christs merits and all shall be well He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 What should keep from believing ye have a commandment to believe and ye have a promise That he that believeth shall be saved Object But may some say All shall not be saved all are not elected therefore some are commanded to believe a lye for if they be commanded to believe that Christ died for them and he did not as he did not if they belong not to Gods election then they are commanded to believe a lye Sol. For solution and satisfaction most certainly every one that believes in the Lord Jesus and takes Christ offered in the Gospel shall be saved by him He that believes Christ died for him believes no lye but a truth And it is a sin not to believe And John 5.40 Christ complains of the Jews that they would not come to him that they might have life They that do not believe shall be damned they have made God a lyer voluntas approbationis effectionis But yet as there is Gods will of Precept so there is his will of working and he will call in all his elect The Command of the word we ought to look after and so to do is a sign of salvation 2 Thes 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony was believed among you in that day Here we have to deal with two sorts of People First The prophane multitude these say they have had a strong faith from their childhood But let us talk with them a little What Demonstration can ye make of your faith Have ye a Mean or medium We will help you to one out of the 2 chap. of James and that is Works this will be a demonstration of the Cause by the Effects If thou have faith shew it make it out by thy works by thy carriage and conversation Love to the Saints will be another notable Mean or medium to make out a mans faith in Christ Therefore it is that they to wit the Cause and the Effect are joyned together often as Col. 1.4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ and of the love which ye have to all the Saints If good People be your delight and good men the men of your counsell if you can say with David Psal 26. that ye have not sate with vain persons c. If ye account religious persons as Christ did as your Brethren and Sisters and Mothers Why then hereby ye may demonstrate your passage from death to life and that ye are born of God and know God 1 John 3. ver 14. chap. 4. ver 7. And so these two Means or mediums will help ye well if ye wil be true to yourselves If ye have a respect to all the Commandments there 's one And if ye have love to all the Saints that 's the other And therefore Soul deceive not thy self any longer If thou have neither an obedient frame of Spirit to do Gods will nor love to the People of God thou hast no faith Shew me thy faith But you will say God knows my heart what care I for you I will not give an account to you Yea but I say thou are bound to give an account to me and to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in thee and that with meekness and reverence or fear 1 Pet. 3.15 But poor neighbours it is plain you have no faith in Christ for ye are rebellions against the Lord and despisers of his People The Lord pitty ye and soften your hearts that ye may escape the wrath to come The other sort I have to deal with all are such poor Souls as out of holy and blessed jealousie are ready to condemn themselves and to give sentence against themselves and indeed against the truth They know not whither ever they believed they are afraid they have not Never went a soul to hell that feared the want of faith and breathed after it Mat. 5.3 and 6. The poor in spirit and the hungerers and thirsters c. are pronounced blessed But you have said Faith must have its demonstrations I answer So they must and so they have in thee even in this thy emptiness and jealousie and groaning frame of spirit O these groaning Souls are blessed Souls Such a one was Paul Rom. 7. ver 14. to the end of the Chapter Have a care yeild not up your Castle however it be with you in your present apprehension Learn of Christ who though he cried why hast thou forsaken me Yet held fast his relation my God my God Never disown God that 's that the Divel would have There are but three things all that may seem to be just causes so to do as 1. Desertions 2. Great afflictions 3. Great sins Yet bear up against them all neither of them is a Medium sufficient to conclude thy damnation Neither of them are certain tokens of Gods being thine Enemy David is a famous example for all three God did hide his face from him And his afflictions were very many And what sins in a Saint comparable to his And Peter denied and did aggravate it with Cursing and Swearing that he knew not Christ To despair after a fall is a greater fall then the fall The main push is that perhaps thou hast sinned after knowledge So did those two Worthies Calvin Perkins Capel of tentations p. 124. and yet they died in peace and honour We must fortifie our selves after Relapses especially yet a man may fall into the same gross sin after true repentance as Abraham twice laid his wife open to adultery But still hold fast by God thou must be bold The end of the 13. verse The Twlefth Sermon Mat. 22. ver the 14. For many are called but few are chosen NExt to the Commission for the execution of the unworthy Guest of whom ye have heard often formerly followeth the ground or reason of it viz that howsoever this condemned man came into the Church by reason of an outward call yet he was none of Gods chosen ones he was not of the number of Gods elect as neither are many others though called outwardly as he was to the profession of religion because many are called but few are chosen Object But some may Object and indeed I find such a question in Mr. Calvin upon this Parable If all be bid to come and yet when men come they shall be rejected and cast out for lack of a wedding garment then who shall be saved or is it in mans power to procure it himself Sol. To this I answer that the Holy Ghost intends not here to shew whence the garment is to be had for
2 Secondly Then great is Gods mercy and favour to multitudes in regard of the means of grace vouchsafed and although many shall perish that live under them yet that the means of Salvation is vouchsafed to them is a rich mercy Vse 3 And therefore take heed how ye abuse this mercy improve it to your benefit Mot. For otherwise you will have the greater damnation you will have it with a vengeance Your having of it will be an aggravation of your punishment as it is said to Capernaum Mat. 11.23 And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell It will be so far from being enough to you to enjoy the outward Call that it will be easier for them that never heard of it at last And so I come to the second Doctrine That few are chosen or choice ones of those many to whom the sound of the Gospel cometh If there were found a Judas among but twelve and that of Christs own choosing Then a thousand to one but some of you that sit here this day will be damned O consider this look to your selvs Search your hearts do as the Disciples did when their Master told them one of them should betray him they began to enquire Master is it I Master is it I O if any of you should fall under that sentence Go ye cursed good had it been for you if ye had never been born Reason Now the Reason thereof viz. why so few of many are chosen is because there are few that are effectually wrought upon even of those that hear the word The seed of Gods word is sown but most sorts of ground are naught Mat. 13 ver 3. to the 9. And so Rom. 10.16 17. They have not all obeyed All said I Nay of four sorts of ground there is but one good as ye may see in the forementioned place of Matthew We read in Scripture Acts. 5. Acts. 8. 2 Tim. 4.10 1 Tim. 1.20 of Ananias and Saphira his wife of Simon Magus of Demas of Hymeneus and Alexander perhaps the same Alexander mentioned afterward to be the Copper-smith who did Paul much wrong 2 Tim 4.14 all professors but stark naught Nay even in the small company of prophets in the Jewish Church see what the most were to wit blind watchmen dumb doggs greedy doggs drunken swine Isai 56.10.11 And what a generation of Vipers were there among the Jews Mat. 3.7 And Mat. 23.33 Ye serpents saith Christ ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell And also Acts 7.51 Stiffnecked ones as Steven called them uncircumcised in heart and ears such as did alwayes resist the Holy Ghost And so in Moses his time Korah Dathan and Abiram men of renown and famous in the congregation Numb 16.1.2 A Zidkijah against Michajah 1 Kings 32.24 Azariah the Son of Hoshajah and Johanan the Son of Kareah and a knot of other proud men more that give the Lords prophet as it were the lye Thou speakest falsly quoth they thou art angred by Baruch the son of Neriah O many are called but few are chosen I need go no surther then our own Town for proof hereof the Lord grant that it may be thought upon Vse 1 Vain therefore is the conceit of universal grace they that are elect in respect of the rest of the world are few Salvation depends not on him that willeth nor on him that runneth but on Gods election Vocation followeth praedestination I speak now of effectual vocation Rom 8.30 The knowledge of election indeed is discovered upon the receiving of the Gospel and following of the Apostles 1 Thes 1. ver 4.5.6.7 but not the being of it It was from everlasting and is a cause of receiving Christ not an effect thereof We have a willfull sort of free-wil men risen up Grace-destroying men Christ-headers that separate him from his body the Church the members whereof even every one were written in Gods book from everlasting He had a body given him for whom as well as with which he must die And how secondly are they deceived that think it enough to be born in Christian Lands and to perform outward actions of religion and to buy for their babies twelve penniworth of water to sprinkle their faces or sometimes it will cost a couple of shillings when these tails of men and scumme of the country come a mile further then ordinary I tremble to think how this sealing Ordinance is abused prophaned even every week almost by these Empyricks and vagrant Mountebancks who are not afraid nowithstanding God hath pluckt so many of them out by the ears in our dayes O when God shall come to make a search in our town for his choice ones that have the mark of election upon them I fear I fear what will become of the most of you that hear me this day I will name you but four sorts look to your selves First The notorious evil liver the rascals of which we have I cannot say good but great store in every street in the Town Enemies to God and all good men enemies to the State and all the blessed proceedings thereof men indeed fitter to be dealt withall with stripes then words but that God is able to make words and sometimes doth so to break not only bones contrary to the common proverb but also hearts Secondly we have some civil honest people that have a little exactness that way and this makes a greatshow in a Country-Church as we say all the world shall not put them off from their good conceit of themselves Thirdly but if they come to be conformable to the outward prescriptions for Religious performances and to pen a Sermon or to be as now we phrase it a Member of a Church why then they are made for ever And yet such may be as far from happiness as the worst of men There are lastly A great heap of high-flown Apostates back-sliders from grace that shew they were never chosen of God and pretious by their turning with the dog to their vomit and with the Sow that washed to her wallowing in the mire O the fearfull doings of our glorious times in these unglorious carriages But the Devil is Gods Ape when God pours out great measures of his Spirit he hath his store of delusions to deceive if it were possible the very elect No marvell then so many flie off For many are called but few are chosen or elected Vse 3 In the third place it concerns every one to try and examine himself whether besides an outward profession and generall calling there be any evidence of Election by an effectuall Vocation O we must take heed how we rest in an outward Calling Let no man or woman be content untill they have found themselves in the number of the Lords chosen ones A notable place for discovery of it we have 1 Thess 1. v 3. unto the end of the Chapter O when the word is in power and in much assurance
when there is a working faith and a labouring love and a patient hope and all in sincerity in the sight of God our Father when People become followers of the Lord though much affliction follow and do receive the word with joy of the holy Ghost this is excellent doings and yet much more might be fetch'd out of that Chapter had I not other things to acquaint you with Therefore to stoop to my poor silly unbred yet populous Auditory I will name some particulars First If you be carefull to amend your ways Secondly Marks of men chosen of God To seek knowledge Thirdly To renounce the World Fourthly To feel and resist temptations Fifthly To fight against thy flesh Sixthly To forsake ill Company Seventhly To mourn and pray against special sins Eighthly To love Gods children that are the pretious ones and Gods Jewels Ninthly To hate Rascals and Athiests with a deadly hatred and not only to shun their society for that may be done for by-ends but to hate the very Garment spotted with the fiesh As Psal 15. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned Psal 26. I have not sate with vain persons c. Psal 139 Lord saith David do not I hate them that hate thee And am I not grieved with them that rise up against thee Yea I hate them as though they were mine own enemies And lastly Learn the folly of the mostdo men of our days O say men every body doth it I say it is an Argument that none but stark buzzards in Religion will use Gods People you see plainly out of this Text are of the number not of those many that are called only but of those few that are chosen O simple objection against Godly men yet common they be like no body Why it must be so it is so in the Text. And it behooveth all to try whether they be of the little number sheep of the little flock and a mighty Motive to labour in this search we have next to handle for a Doctrine it is the third and last to wit Doctr. That they which are not partakers of an effectual Vocation from Election must perish notwithstanding their outward calling to the profession of the Gospel This point ariseth from this word For which sheweth the ground of the condemnation that man lay under that yet was partaker of an outward calling he was not chosen he was not elected therefore it was that he was damned Reason And the Reason is because salvation depends upon Gods election as may be seen Rom 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called c. Rom 9 11.12 For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said to Rebekah the elder shall serve the younger Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeks for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded Vse 1 Now if it be so as you plainly see it is then miserable may a mans condition be notwithstanding he enjoy the outward means of grace If he have not do not one time or another taste of the power of Gods Spirit it is a sign he is not ordained to life But because there is no good use to be made of this matter but to convince and to stir up to labour for assurance it will be necessary for me to answer an objection which is Object That if God hath not chosen a man in Christ to be his it is but in vain to labour for grace for it will not be had by any means Sol. Now I answer That secret things belong to God whose revealed will is Joh. 3.15 That not one that believeth in Christ shall perish It is my duty therefore knowing this to believe by doing whereof I may safely conclude mine election And therefore labor to believe every one of ye shew your faith by your works But to return whence I did digress They erre that think it enough to live under a good Ministry Judas lived under the best Teacher that ever was And we finde Mat. 7.21 22. that many that shall say Lord Lord shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven And further many shal say in the last day Lord Lord we have prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works to whom yet it shall be said Depart from me ye that work iniquity Vse 2 Secondly then it must needs be bad with them that disclaim Profession Ordinances and the means of grace he that runneth may read their damnation Vse 3 Lastly let us all in earnest fall to enquiry about our Election and make a search for it Methinks every one should be carefull about a business of this concernment We are carefull to preserve our lives temporal much more should we be careful about our life and to be preserved from erernal destruction Quest But how may a man prove his election of God Answ I Answer I shewed before out of 1 Thes 1.3 to the end of the Chapter And further effectual Vocation is an evident signe of Election Rom. 8.30 And the fruits of holiness and righteousness 2 Pet. 1. ver 5. to the 11. Faith love patience sincerity and adhering to Christ a delighting in the excellent ones Consider whom dost thou love whom wouldst thou preserve if it were in thy power O consider this ye that hate Gods people that exclude thē what you can sometimes shamefully though shamelesly out of your Counsels for no other reason but because they make conscience of their ways and the Ordinances of Christ which ye contemn the time will come when ye shall be excluded The ungodly shall not stand in judgement nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous And let such as have these forementioned graces rejoyce they shall grow and at last come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ ERRATA In the Epist to the Parl. pag. 3. in the Margin insert Mr. I. B. blot it out in the next pag. in the 24. l. of the 3. page for while read untill In the 6. pag. of the same lip for where read whence In the Margin of the 7. for Brerewich read Greenwich p. 8. l. 2. for Sermon 1. Sermons In the book Pag. 1. the title for Tavistook r. Tavistock pag. 6. l. 17. for 7. put 2. pag. 51. l. 23. sor word r. world in the 46. p. l. 20. between the two words business and indeed insert the word Which FINIS