1 John 4. 19. We love him because he loved us first Love is like an eccho it returneth what it receiveth 't is a reflex a reverberation or a casting back of Gods beam and flame upon himself The cold wall sendeth back no reflex of heat till the Sun shine upon it and warm it first so neither do we love God till the Soul be first filled with a sense of his Love And as rays in their relection are more faint and cold so our love to God is much weaker then Gods love to us Valdesso saith God loveth the lowest Saint more then the highest Angel loveth God Once more The more direct the stroke and beam is upon the wall or any other solid body the stronger always is the reflection so the more sense we have of the love of God the stronger is our love to him 2. The next Cause of Love is the grace of God there is not only an apprehension of Love but the force of the Spirit goeth along with it Our thoughts our discourses upon the love of God to us in Christ nay our sense and feeling of it is not enough to beget this grace in us Love is a pure flame that must be kindled from above as the Vestal fire by a Sun-beam 1 John 4. 7. Love is of God that is of a celestial or heavenly original There is in the Soul naturally an hatred of God and a proneness to mingle with present comforts which can only be cured by the Spirit of grace Our naked apprehensions will not break the force of natural enmity and 't is God that must circumcise and pare away the foreskin of the heart before we can love him Deut. 30. 6. There is a natural proneness to dote upon the creature and hate the Creator Base creatures neglect God and pollute themselves with one another and there is no help for it till the heart be over-powered by grace Thus for the Causes of Love The Object of Love is God himself not meerly as considered in himself for so he is terrible to the creature but as God in Christ for so he will be known and respected by us in the Gospel and so we have the highest engagement to love him not only upon the respects of Nature as our Creator but of Grace as our God and Father in Christ Now God is the supream Object of Love and other things are loved for Gods sake because of that of God which we find in them as his Word which is the Copy of his Holiness his engraven Image as the Coyn beareth the image of the Prince so 't is said Psal 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved And then his Saints which are his living Image as children resemble their father so 't is said Psal 16. 3. To the Saints and to the excellent of the Earth in whom is my delight And then other men because of his Command 1 Pet. 1. 5. Add to brotherly-kindness love So his creatures because in them we enjoy God the effects of his Bounty But chiefly his Ordinances as they exhibit more of God then the creatures can So that Love respects God and other things for Gods sake Again In the Description I take notice of the essence or formal nature of it and call it the return of a gracious and holy affection to God Love is carryed out to its Object two ways by desire and delight Our necessity and need of God is the ground of desire and our propriety and interest is the ground of delight Desires are the feet of love by which it runneth after its Object and delight is the rest and contentment of the Soul in the enjoyment of it Because of our imperfect fruition in this life Love bewrayeth it self by desires mostly or pursuing after God See Psal 63. 8. My heart followeth hard after thee It noteth those sallies and earnest egressions of Soul after the Lord that we may have more communion and fellowship with him In short the radical if I may so speak and principal disposition of Love is a desire of Vnion for all other effects of love flow from it This is that makes the Soul to prize the Ordinances because God is to be enjoyed there and these are means of communion with him Psal 26. 8. I have loved the place where thine honour dwelleth This maketh sin terrible because it separateth from God Isai 59. 2. This maketh Heaven amiable the fairest part of our portion in Heaven is a closer and nearer communion with Christ Phil. 1. 23. This maketh the day of Judgment sweet for then we shall meet with our Beloved in the ayr 2 Tim. 4. 18. In short this maketh the Soul to take such contentment in thinking of God and speaking of God 't is the feast of the Soul My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. Their Souls cannot have a greater solace then to think what a God they have in Christ Having in some manner described the Love of God let me use some Arguments to press you to it First God hath commanded it The sum of the Law is Love When the Scribe came to Christ Mat. 22. 36. Master which is the great Commandment in the Law Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy might Mark this is the first and great Commandment to love God 'T is not a sour Command but sweet and profitable God might have burdened us with other manner of Precepts considering his absolute right to offer our children in sacrifice to mangle our flesh with whips and scourges but these are cruelties proper to the Devils worship The Lord is a gentle Master and only desireth the love of his servants we have cause to thank him for such a gracious Precept If he should require us not to love him this were Hell it self that is the Hell of Hell that they which are there do not love God 'T is our priviledg as much as our duty God loveth all his creatures but hath commanded none to love him again but man and Angels so that it is the great priviledg of the Saints to love God It had been a great favour if God had given us leave to love him as it would be a great favour if a King should give leave to one of his meanest Subjects to have the key of his privy Chamber to come to him and visit him and be familiar with him when he pleaseth how would this be talked of in the world yet this is not so wonderful since the King and the Peasant are both men in their natural being they are equal though in their civil distinction and condition of life there be a difference But what a favour is this that he who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords doth not only permit his creature made by his own hands to come to him and love him and deal with him when
Christ and Brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the Father preserved in Jesus Christ and called THis Epistle as others beginneth with usual Christian salutations these are continued through the two first Verses in which you have 1. The person saluting Jude the Author of the Epistle 2. The persons saluted the Beleevers of that age 3. The form of sal 〈…〉 tion Vers 2. Mercy and peace and love be multiplyed This first Verse presenteth us with the two first Circumstances the Saluter and the saluted 1. The Saluter is described by his name Judas his office and condition of life the servant of Jesus Christ by his kindred and relation and Brother of James 2. The Saluted they are described 1. By their condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called that is to be read first as Beza 2. By the effects and manifestations of it which are two 1. Sanctified by God the Father 2. Preserved in Jesus Christ These are the parts I shall explain them branch by branch in the order propounded with practical hints from each which I shall handle in no fuller latitude then the present Text will allow 1. The Saluter and there his name Judas called also Thaddeus Mat. 10. 3. and Lebbaeus these several names implying the same thing and were given him either by the people or the Disciples partly to distinguish him from Judas the Apostate partly to note his constancy in confessing and praising God for so it signifieth as you may see Gen. 29. 35. Now Leah said I will praise the Lord therefore she called his name Judah Divers note hence 1. That Christian names should be significant such as may remember us of duty Again 2. That it is lawsul to divulge or conceal our names in our writings according as it may make for the glory of God to do either the one or the other Jude mentioneth his name but Paul doth not or whosoever was the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews 3. That godly men and wicked may both be called by the same name So Judas the Apostle and Judas the Apostate There was Enoch Cains son Gen. 4. 17. and Enoch Seths son of the Church line that walked with God Gen 5. 22. But to mention these things is more then enough the next circumstance will afford us more 2. His office and condition the Servant of Jesus Christ It is a thing usual with the Apostles to prefix this among other their honorary titles as Rom. 1. 1. Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ so Phil. 1. 1. The greatest honour that he would put upon himself and Timothy was this Paul and Timotheus the Servants of Jesus Christ This term a servant of God or Christ in the use of Scripture is several ways applyed 1. It may be understood of any kind of subserviency to Gods Will and secret Counsels or instrumentality in the execution of his Decrees so wicked men may be said to be Gods servants so far forth as he serveth his designs of their endeavors as Cyrus was Gods servant because he should perform all his pleasure so Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 27. 6. These things have I given into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar my servant 2. It noteth a pious care to perform Gods revealed Will they that out of a sense of his love resign up themselves to do his Will are called his servants so he that is called in the Lord whether he be bond or free is said to be Christs servant 1 Cor. 7. 22. So godly Masters are said to have the Lord for their Master Ephes 6. 9. Knowing that your Master is also in Heaven In the former place he saith a servant is Gods freeman and here that a Master is Gods servant 3. It noteth designation to any publique office for Gods glory those that do more eminently or more nearly serve God in some peculiar office are called his servants as Magistrates Rom. 12. 4. He is the Minister of God for thy God And vers 6. Gods Ministers attending continually for this thing But yet more especially they are called Ministers and servants who sustain the publique Offices of the Church as 2 Tim. 2. 14. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all mâ—n apt to teach patient meaning one employed in the publique Ministry So the Priests of the Old Testament were called the Lords servants as Psal 134. 1. Behold bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which by night stand in the house of the Lord He speaketh to the Priests that were to watch in the Temple and in this sence it is said Amos 3. 7. I have sent my servants the Prophets But now among these Ministers and Officers of the Church the Prophets and Apostles are stiled so by way of eminency Yea yet further Christ because of his Office of Mediator which is the highest Office and proper to the Head of the Church is called Gods Servant as Isai 49. 3. Thou art my Servant and Isai 53. 11. By his knowledg shall my righteous Servant justifie many To apply all now to the case in hand Jude is called a servant of Jesus Christ not only as one that had given up himself to do his Will as a Christian but as an Apostle Let us now observe something hence Observe first That Jude placeth his service among his Titles He might have urged other things to render himself honorable to the world but he doth not stand upon those things it is enough for him to say Jude a servant As Jude the Lords Cousin calleth himself his servant so doth Mary the Lords Mother stile her self his handmaid Luk. 1. 38. Behold the handmaid of the Lord And the Apostles generally urge it as one of the fairest flowers in their garland the honour of being Christs servants yea Christ himself counteth it no dishonour to be stiled Gods servant The meanest offices about Princes are accounted honorable to be a Groom there is better then to be a Lord elsewhere Servire Deo regnare est it is royal and kingly to be Gods servant indeed every servant there is a King as Zeba and Zalmunna said of Gideons Brethren They each one resembled the children of a King so all these are spiritual Kings that live the noblest and freest life in the world And as we have a glorious Master so consider your fellow-fellow-servants the glorified Saints and we make but one family Ephes 3. 15. And the Angels themselves are called his Ministers Psal 103. 21. Ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure they are a part of Gods attendance and wait upon their Masters person When we have such fellow-fellow-servants we should not count our work a slavery and baseness it can be no disparagement to us to be in the same rank and order with the Angels and Saints departed Well then Learn to value the honour that you have by Christs service as that Emperor counted it a greater priviledg to be a Member of the Church then Head
layd out for the gain of Souls Again it hinteth faithfulness We are not to trade for our selves and to drive on our own designs of credit and advantage we are servants employed for the Masters uses Gal. 1. 10. Do I yet please men If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ A man that sets up for himself is to trade for himself but all that a servant doth should be for his Masters honour and profit 2. It hinteth duty to the people Regard Ministers as servants of Christ that you may give their persons all due honour consider God hath retained them as for a nearer service to himself 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of the Gospel The world counteth the Calling probrosum artificium a sordid artifice and way of living whereby men set their tongues and parts to sale and think that of all Callings this can best be spared therefore it is high time to assert the dignity of the Office Men should not think so basely of those who are Christs servants not only to do his business but to wait upon his person his special Attendants nay Embassadors that impersonate and represent their Master Again Bear our doctrine with meekness and patience we are but servants if the message which we bring be displeasing remember it is the will of our Master it is not in our power to comply with your lusts and humors if the Scripture doth not As God said to Jeremy Jer. 15. 19. Let them return unto thee but return not thou to them so you should comply with the Word we cannot comply with you The false Prophets returned to the people complyed with their humors We must deliver our Message pardon to whom pardon terror to whom terror is due servants must be faithful Thus must you look upon them as servants yet but as servants that you may not fondly idolize their persons What is Paul and Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeve 1 Cor. 3. 5. It is the old way of flesh and blood to sacrifice to the next hand And that you may know to whom to go for the fruit of the Ordinance when we have done our work there is one that cometh after us who is mightier then we who giveth the increase to what we have planted and watered 3. The Author of the Epistle is described by his kindred and relation and Brother of James There were two in the Colledg of the Apostles of that name James of Zebodee and James the son of Alpheus who was also called the Brother of the Lord that is his Cousin German who is the person intended for Jude was his Brother as Mat. 13. 55. Is not his Mother called Mary and his Brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas Now this clause is added partly to distinguish him from the other Judas called Iscariot who bebetrayed our Lord. It is good to prevent all visible scandals and exceptions against our persons I observe this because the Scripture doth elsewhere Joh. 14. 22. Judas saith unto him not Iscariot How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world The Scripture would not have you mistake him that said so Men drink less freely of a suspected fountain Partly because this would make the Epistle the more welcome James was of great credit and repute reckoned by Paul among the Pillars Gal. 2. 9. From whence observe 1. That it is lawful to use the credit of others for the advantage of the Truth In the 15 of the Acts the Apostles might have determined the case by their own infallible spirit but for the greater credit sake they take in the consent of others vers 23. The Apostles and Elders and Brethren c. Paul dealing with Heathens quoteth the sayings of their own Writers in divers places which may justifie the unaffected use of sentences and passages out of the ancient Writers of the Church It is good to bait the naked hook of Truth sometimes with the advantage of carnal credit Again observe That we should walk so that we may be an honour to our relations This is one of Judes titles the Brother of James He took it for an honour to be related to so eminent an Apostle Worthy men reflect a credit upon their families To be brother father son to such as have deserved well of the Church is no mean honour and engagement to virtue Well then live so that you may not disgrace your lineage and you that come of worthy Ancestors walk answerably to the dignity of your extraction The images of your Progenitors are not more fullied with dust and smoak and age then they are with your vices The Spirit of God brands a degenerate Issue for walking unworthy their birth and the priviledges of their blood 1 Chron. 4. 22 23. Vide Junium alios in locum So much for the Saluter Let us now come to the Saluted they are described by their Condition called by the effects and manifestations of it which are two Sanctification and Preservation 1. Their Condition called for that both in the construction of the words and the order of nature is to be read first There is an outward calling and in that sence Christ speaketh Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen that is outwardly called in the invitations of the Word so all wicked men that live within the hearing of the Gospel but it seemeth they are only called obiter by the by as they live among the Elect those are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to purpose Rom. 8. 28. But there is an inward and effectual calling by the perswasion of the Spirit or the voyce of the Son of God which causeth life Joh. 5. 25. The Apostle speaketh here of the called according to Purpose and that by an inward and effectual calling Whence note That it is the condition of the people of God to be a called people this is first in their description see Rom. 1. 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ So the Corinthians are said to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. and Heb. 3. 1. Holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly calling Now the Saints are a called people first Because all they have and enjoy is from Gods calling a Christian is nothing and hath nothing but what God is pleased to work in him by his creating Word Calling the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 18. Now God is pleased to work this way partly to give us a Warrant that we may possess our priviledges in Christ without intrusion and usurpation No man taketh this honour upon him till he be called of God This is that we have to shew to Conscience that we do not presume and usurp we have a calling so to do Why dost thou vile wretch go to God in the Name
he pleaseth but hath expresly commanded it nay this is the great Commandment Certainly God is very desirous of our love when he layeth such an obligation upon us Was there ever such a Master that made this to be his servants chiefest duty that they should love him Again I observe in Gods Command that the Precept runneth thus Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might The Lord would not lose one grain of the creatures love Surely he valued it when he is so sollicitous about it If we should see a wise man careful to preserve the reliques of what we counted a neglected weed it would make us think there were somewhat in it We lavish away our love upon trifles and God prizeth every grain of it you see he speaketh as if he would not lose one dust of love all thy soul all thy heart and all thy might When he biddeth us love our neighbor he sets limits to it Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self but when he biddeth us love God he requireth all the heart The only measure is to love him without measure The next place that I shall take notice of where the Precept is recorded is Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul God doth not require of us things without the sphere of duty that we should go into the depths of the Sea toss mountains in the ayr pluck the stars from Heaven c. these things lie out of the power of man He doth not require of us barbarous austerities to offer our first-born to lance our selves to mangle our flesh with whips and scourges He doth not require of us absolutely such things which some men can and ought to perform not such a measure of alms what then would become of the poor not such a degree of wisdom and learning what then would become of the simple and unlearned But O Israel what hath the Lord required of thee but that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God A duty to be performed by poor and rich learned and unlearned what ever their estate and condition be they may all love God There are many in Heaven that never were in a condition to give but to receive that were never learned and skilled in sciences but none that never loved God Secondly God hath deserved love Let us a little take notice of Gods love to us He beginneth and loveth us that we may love him again 1 John 4. 19. If God should hate us we were bound to love him because of his excellency and because of our duty and obligation as we are creatures how much more when God hath loved us and bestowed so many benefits upon us Love is an affection which God will have repayed in kind When he chideth us he doth not expect that we should chide him again when he judgeth us we must not judg him again in these things the creature is not to retaliate 'T is true we do it too often but still to our â—oss and blame But now when he loveth us he willeth us to love him again he loveth us for no other cause but that he may be loved Love must be payd in kind As water is cast into a Pump when the springs lie low to bring up more water so God sheddeth abroad his love into our hearts that our love may rise up to him again by way of gratitude and recompence Now in the Love of God we may take notice of the 1. Properties and of it 2. Effects of it First For the Properties of Gods Love consider 1. The Ancientness of it Psal 103. 17. From everlasting to everlasting c. With reverence we may speak ever since God was God he was our God You may track his Love from one Eternity to another Before the world was he loved us and when the world is no more he loveth us still His Love began in eternal purposes of Grace and it endeth in our eternal possession of Glory 'T is not a thing of yesterday he is our ancient Friend He loved us not only before we were lovely but before we were at all We adjourn and put off our love of God to old age and thrust it into a narrow corner When we have wasted and spent our strength in the world we dream of a devout retirement But the Lord thinketh he could never love us early enough From everlasting to everlasting c. We receive the fruits and effects of Love in time but all cometh out of Gods ancient and eternal Love this grace was provided for us before we were born Yea look upon Gods Love in time how merciful was God to us before we could shew the least sign of thankefulness to him He loved us a long time before ever we had a thought of him In infancy we could not so much as know that he loved us When we came to years of discretion we knew how to offend him before we knew how to love and serve him How many are there of whom it may be said God is not in all their thoughts and yet all this while God hath thoughts of peace and blessing towards them 2. Consider the Freeness of Gods Love The value of all benefits ariseth from the necessity of him that receiveth and the good-will of him that giveth God wanted not us our love is no benefit to him but we wanted him we are undone without him yet he hath more delight in pardoning then we in salvation and he is more ready to give then we to ask He often calleth upon us to call upon him as if he were afraid we would not ask or not enough or not soon enough or not often enough A man would think that our wants should be importunate enough to put us upon requests and that we needed not enforcements to prayer yet you see God doth not only prevent the request but make the prayer and stirreth us up to utter it But we are not only needy creatures but guilty creatures and that God should love us When we were in our blood and filthiness 't was a time of loves Ezek. 16. 7. This is the great Miracle of divine Love that a time of loathing is a time of loves And we will wonder at it more if we consider the active and endless hatred of his Holiness against sin and therefore why not against sinners The holiness of his Nature and Essence sets him against them and natural antipathies and aversations can never be reconciled as a Man can never be brought to delight in a Toad or a Lamb in a Wolf And consider again his infinite Wisdom We may love that which is not lovely because we are often blinded by inordinate affection but now Gods Love is not blind
of the Empire Look upon duty as an honour and service as a priviledg Honorabilia legis Hos 8. 12. so the Vulgar And if ever you be put to your choyce either to enjoy the greatest outward honours or to serve Christ with disgrace choose the latter Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter when he came to age Heb. 11. 24 25. Galeacius Carraciolus left the honour of his Marquisate for an obscure life and the Gospel at Geneva Indignities and dishonours done you in the way of duty are honours reproaches for Christs sake are treasure Heb. 11. 26. One of Pauls honorary titles is Paul a Prisoner of Jesus Christ Philem. 1. and elsewhere he holdeth up his chain in a kind of triumph For the hope of Israel am I bound with this chain Acts 28. 20. What ever befalleth us in and for our service to Christ be it never so disgraceful it is rather a mark of honour then a brand of shame Observe again His relation to Christ is expressed by service as he describeth himself to be James's Brother so Christs Servant by that means he was entitled to Christ if we would be Christs we must do his Will our relation ariseth from service Therefore I shall here take occasion to shew you what it is to be Christs servants 1. Who ever is Christs servant must resign and give up himself wholly to the Will of Christ for he that is Christs servant he is so by Covenant and Consecration We are indeed Christs by all kind of rights and titles he made us and not we our selves no creature is of its self and therefore it is not its own but anothers It is Gods Prerogative alone to love himself and seek himself because he alone is without obligation and dependance but we owe our selves to him and therefore cannot without robbery call our selves our own Your tongues are not your own to speak what you please nor your hearts your own to think what you please nor your hands your own to do what you please by virtue of your Creation you are anothers and are bound to live and act for another according to his Will for his Glory But this is not all By Redemption you are Christs Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. as the redeemed are bound to serve him that ransomed them If a man had bought another out of captivity or he had sold himself all his strength or service belonged to the Buyer Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery and with the greatest Price no thraldom so bad as bondage to Sin and Satan no Prison so black as Hell and certainly Christs Blood is better then a little money So that to live as if we were at our own dispose is to defraud Christ of his purchase Thus we are Christs by Creation and Redemption but now if we would be his servants we must be his by voluntary contract and spiritual resignation Yield up your selves c. Rom. 6. 13. Christ loveth to have his right and title established by our own consent We take Christ for Lord and Master and give up our selves to him that we may be no longer at our own dispose and therefore it is not only robbery but treachery and breach of Covenant to seek our selves in any thing This resignation must be made out of a sense of Christs love to us in his death and sufferings 2 Cor. 5. 15. Christ dyed that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him that dyed for them We enter upon other services out of hopes but we enter upon Christs service out of thankefulness Again This resignation must be universal without reservation of any part You must have no other Master but God Mat. 6. 24. Ye cannot serve two Masters ye cannot serve God and Mammon Usually men divide themselves between God and the world they would give their Consciences to Christ and their hearts to Mammon The Devil pleadeth for a part for by that means he knoweth that the whole will fall to his share therefore all the whole man in vow purpose and resolution must be given up to God 2. Having given up your selves to Gods service you must walk as his servants that is not as you list but as the Master pleaseth The Angels are Gods Ministers doing his pleasure Psal 103. 21. A servant hath no will of his own but hath given up his liberty to the directions and commands of another therefore if you be Gods servants you must earnestly desire the knowledg of his Will and readily comply with it you must not do things as they please self and flesh but as they please God David beggeth for knowledg as Gods servant Psal 119. 125. I am thy servant grant me understanding that I may know thy Testimonies A faithful servant would not willingly offend his Master and therefore would fain know what is his will They plead with God and search themselves Rom. 12. 2. and all to know his pleasure and not only to know it but to do it otherwise they are worthy of many stripes by Christs own sentence The Masters will should be motive enough 1 Thes 4. 3. 5. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 15. If God will have it so if Jesus Christ will have it so it is enough to a faithful servant The very signification of Gods Will carryeth with it reason enough to enforce the practise of it Yea you must equally comply with every Will of God not only with the easie and pleasant ways of obedience but such as cross lusts and interests When two men go together a man cannot tell whom the servant followeth till they part When God and our lusts or our interests command contrary things then you are put to the tryal whether you are Gods servants Again Observe from the proper acception of the phrase as it is applyed to those that stand before the Lord in some special Office and Ministration as to the Apostles and by consequence to the Ministers of the Gospel The Note is That Ministers are servants of Jesus Christ Paul a servant and Jude a servant We are to deal between God and the Soul Factors for Heaven there is many a good inference may be collected from this Notion I shall refer all to two heads the Ministers Duty and the Peoples 1. It hinteth Duty to Ministers it teacheth us diligence in our Lords work for we are Servants and must give an account Heb. 13. 17. what good we have done in our places how we have employed our parts improved our Interests for his glory Math. 25. 19. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them We are entrusted with the talent of gifts with the talent of office and authority in the Church now God will see what we have done for his Glory whether we have beaten our fellow servants or helped them in the way of Salvation whether our pound hath been hidden in a napkin or
plain that there I may talk with thee So Cant. 7. 11. Come my Beloved let us go forth into the fields c. Usually his first motions are to go aside and consider Christ is bashful before acquaintance and doth not speak to us in company but in private Did he ever thus invite you into secret places did he ever call thee by name speak so expresly to thy case as if he had said Here is mercy for thee comfort for thee here is thy portion First or last Gods children have such experiences There is a time of loves which they cannot forget at least a time wherein the Master of the Assemblies fastened a nail in their hearts Gods people are wont to talk how seasonably and yet how strangely Providence cast them upon such opportunities as David Psal 119. 93. I shall never forget thy Precepts for by them thou hast quickened me Oh I shall never forget such an Ordinance such a Sermon wherein the Lord was pleased to take notice of me and to speak to my heart Weak impressions are soon razed out but powerful effects of the Word leave a durable mark and character that cannot be defaced 3. The next Mark may be taken from the formal answer or correspondent act of the creature to the call of God for that is it which sealeth our Election for otherwise many be called but they are not chosen unless the heart be prevailed with to obey the call Yea the notion of Vocation in its full latitude implyeth not only Gods act but ours our answer to his call Christs sheep hear his voyce When Christ saith Mary she answereth Rabboni my Lord. Gods call is the offer of grace our answer is the accepting of grace offered there must be receiving as well as offering Vocation is not effectual unless it end in Vnion it is receiving that giveth us interest Joh. 1. 12. The Scriptures do every where imply and signifie this answerable act of the creature to the call of God God saith Seek ye my face and the Soul like a quick eccho Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27. 8. So Ier. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal you and then Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God The Soul is enabled to do that which it is exhorted to do God saith Come to Christ and the Soul saith Lord I come Well then is the call obeyed do you receive Christ for your Lord and Saviour The proper answer of the call is the consent and full purpose of the heart to take Christ for offering is the call and receiving is the answer Have you subscribed and consented to take Christ upon his own terms as the Prophet when he was to take a wife maketh an offer Hosea 3. I will be for thee and thou shalt be for me Are you content Christ will be for you in all his graces merits benefits if you will be for him in all your motions tendencies aims alas your hearts know that you are for your selves lusts interests c. 4. Again You may know your calling by the concomitant dispositions of the Soul that go along with such a return and answer Where ever Christ is received he is received with worthy and suitable affections these are most notable 1. Godly sorrow Ier. 31. 9. They shall come with weeping and supplication and I will lead them It is spoken of the Jews conversion when God cometh to lead them they shall bewail their hardness of heart and unbelief Such kind of workings there are in the heart of every returning sinner as that God should look upon such a worthloss creature as I am that have all this while gainsayed and stood out many an invitation that ever God should care for such a vile and stubborn wretch seek to reclaim such a wayward heart Usually there are such mournful and self-humbling reflections that get the start of faith and comfort and do more sensibly bewray themselves Never did any child of God get home to him but smiting on the thigh Ier. 31. 18. and complaining of themselves before they could take comfort in God 2. Holy wonder which ariseth from comparing their own wretchedness with Gods rich mercy in Christ and therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light implying that Gods grace is most wonderful at first conversion as light is to a man that cometh out of a dungeon woful darkness maketh it marvelous light In this change there is nothing but what is wonderful both the sweetness and the power of that grace by which it is wrought The sweetness of grace When God came to offer Abraham the grace of the Covenant he fell upon his face Gen. 17. 3. in an humble adoration and reverence The power of grace If Peter wondered at his deliverance by the Angel out of that strong Prison we have much more cause to wonder that the yoke is broken and that we are set free by Christ the sweet effects of this grace cause wonder The peace of God which passeth all understanding c. 3. A free resolution and confidence come what ever cometh they will obey God As Abraham being called obeyed God not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. So when they have a warrant they will make adventures of faith though they know not the success as Peter would cast out the net at Christs command though there were little likelyhood of taking fish Howbeit at thy command c. Luke 5. 5. So it is unlikely God will receive me to grace yet I will adventure I know not what will come of it Where Faith is sensible of a Command it doth not dispute a duty but accomplish it The Spirit speaketh to the Soul as the Disciples did to the blind man Mark 10. 49. Be of good comfort rise because the Master calleth thee I instance in these dispositions because they are most sensible 5. It may be evidenced by the fruits and effects of a call the call inferreth a change of the former estate both in heart and life 1. There will be a change in the whole heart In the mind and judgment there the activity of the new nature is first discovered Ephes 4. 23. Renewed in the spirit of the mind in that which is most intimate and excellent there In our discourse and reason all the discourses debates purposes and cares of the Soul will be to please God The mind is made a forge for holy uses wherein to debate and contrive how to carry on the work of grace how to glorifie God in our relations concernments certainly this will be found in all those that are called and converted So in the will and affections there will be a constant inclination towards God as the chiefest good Psal 19. 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I w'll keep thy Words The Soul is resolved there is a decree issued forth in that behalf to
hath many Names a distinct consideration of them yeildeth an advantage in beleeving for though they express the same thing yet every notion begetteth a fresh thought by vvhich Mercy is more taken abroad in the vievv of Conscience This is that pouring out of Gods Name spoken of Cant. 1. 3. Ointment in the Box doth not yeild such a fragrancy as vvhen 't is poured out and Spices do not give forth their smell till they are chafed Nothing is more conducible to beget a trust then distinct thoughts and conceptions of Gods Mercy Let us take notice of some places vvhere 't is set forth See Psal 103. 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy The expression is diversified and I note it the rather because in other places the same notions of Mercy are punctually expressed see Nehem. 9. 17. so Psal 14. 5. 8. and in divers other places chiefly see that Exod. 34. 7. and you vvill find that this is the very description vvhich God hath given of himself Novv vvhat doth the Spirit of God aim at in this express enumeration and accumulation of names of Mercy but to give us an help in meditation and that our thoughts may be more distinct 1. The first notion is Mercy which is an Attribute whereby God inclineth to succour them that are in misery 'T is an Attribute that meerly respecteth the creature The Love and knovvledg of God first falleth upon himself but Mercy is only transient and passeth out to the creatures God knoweth himself loveth himself but he is not merciful to himself And then it respecteth the creatures in misery for misery is Mercy 's only motive Justice seeketh a â—it object but Mercy a â—it occasion Justice requireth desert but Mercy only want and need 2. The next notion is Grace vvhich noteth the free bounty of God and excludeth all merit of the creature Grace doth all gratis freely though there be no precedent obligation or debt or hope of recompence vvhereby any thing may accrue to himself only that it may be vvell vvith the creature Gods external motive is our misery his internal motive is his ovvn Grace and elective Love Am I in want there is mercy Am I unworthy there is grace Mercy respects us as we are in our selves vvorthy of condemnation Grace as compared with others not elected The ultimate Reason of the choyce is Gods grace The Angels that never sinned are saved meerly out of grace but men that vvere once miserable are saved not only out of grace but also out of mercy 3. The next notion is long-suffering or slowness to anger The Lord is not easily overcome by the wrongs or sins of the creature but easily overcometh them by his own patience and goodness He doth not only pity our misery that 's mercy and do us good for nothing that 's grace but beareth long with our infirmities Alas if God were as short and swift in the executions of revenge as men are God must create another World to raise up seed to Christ If he did not wait upon sinners there would be none made Saints We provoked him to cut us off long since but wrath is not easily heightened into rage and therefore he waiteth that he may be gracious Isai 30. 18. 4. Kindness or bounty plenteous in goodness BERAB CHESID Gods communications of his grace to the creature are every way rich and full You may say God is merciful gracious patient But will he be thus to me Yes he is plenteous in goodness kind and communicative Psal 119. 68. Thou art good and dost good therefore David goeth to him for grace Well then study Gods Name and answer all your discouragements out of the descriptions of his Mercy 9. Consider your own experiences We have not only heard that God is merciful but we have known it All men may speak of patience and common mercy and outward deliverances but few improve them to a spiritual use and purpose 1. Consider Gods patience How long hath he waited for your Conversion and he that hath spared you can save you 'T is said The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. the word implyeth that God is bound to pay it by virtue of an implicite bargain and agreement between him and the creature But as yet the hand of God hath not found you out you are indebted to Justice but Mercy stoppeth the arrest of Vengeance Many others have been taken away in their sins by a sudden arrow and dart from Heaven Vengeance hath trodden upon the heel of sin As Zimri and Cosbi unloaded their lusts and their lives together The Angels for an aspiring thought were turned out of Heaven Gehazi was blasted with Leprosie just upon his lye and Lots wife turned into a stone for a look a glance upon Sodom and Herâ—d smitten with lice in the midst of his pomp and vain-glory and some have perished in the mid way Psal 2. in the very heat of some carnal and wicked pursuit God can do the like to you therefore reason thus If Mercy would not save me why hath Mercy spared me God might have sued out the Bond long since what is the meaning of the dispensation Is God weak or unjust or hath he a mind to be gracious Surely he would not have spared me all this while if he had not a mind to save my Soul Such reasonings as these many times give us the first encouragement to apply our selves to God Wicked men like Spiders draw other conclusions Psal 50. 21. But should not his patience c. Rom. 2. 4. 2. Consider Gods goodness in giving thee food and clothing and honour and gladness of heart and all this without thy desert say Certainly all these benefits are but so many baits to catch my Soul I see the Sun riseth every day with a fresh countenance and shineth upon the fields of just and unjust to what purpose but to shew that God is gracious without hire This bodily Sun is but an obscure type of the Sun of Righteousness that is willing to display his beams and wings over a poor languishing Soul Common mercies are the tastes of Gods love while you are sinners and the common fruits of Christs death that you may be invited to come for more Why hath he given me the unrighteous Mammon but that I may look after the true Riches What a vile unthankful heart should I have if I should be contented with Mammon without Christ and be like Judas with the bag in my hand and the Devil in my heart Gods children are wont to make these gifts a step to higher dispensations they know God like the good housholder bringeth forth the best at last therefore they must have something above and beyond all these things Common hearts are contented with common mercies but they are still waiting when the Master of the feast will bid them sit higher I may have this and be damned Where are the arguments of
property though every one cannot come up to the heighth of an Apostle 5. They are all under the same rule and direction Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk by this rule peace on them and the whole Israel of God The way of errour is manifold but there is but one path that leadeth to Heaven 6. They are in one mystical Body ministering supplyes to one another Col. 2. 19. Not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God The head is the fountaine of all vital influences but the joynts and bands doe minister and convey the nourishments the whole body is still increasing and growing up to perfection and they are helping one another as the members of the same body do continue the communion of the same Spirit or by the continuity of the parts make way for the animation and quickening by the same soul What use shall we make of this I answer 1. It hinteth publick care that we should help salvation forwards both in our selves and others rejoyce in others faith as well as in your own Rom. 1. 12. Comforted by the mutual faith of you and me His faith was a comfort to them and their faith a comfort to him nay out of an excess of love and charity Paul useth an expression not imitable Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that I were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 2. It checketh the impropriating of Grace and Religion to such an order or sort of Christians such as was the ambition of former times as if all religion were confined within a cloyster or wrapped up in a black garment those were called religious houses and those the Clergy or God portion all other were Lay and Secular Oh how far was this from the modesty of the Apostles Peter calleth the faith of common Christians like precious faith and Jude speaketh of a Common Salvation So the Jews before them they confined Gods choyce to their Nation they could not endure to hear of salvation among the Gentiles and of a righteousness that came to all and upon all that believe we have an envious nature and would fain impropriate common favours The Church of Rome would faine bring all the world to their lore and confine truth and faith and salvation within the precincts of their Synagogue they sieze upon and possess themselves of the Keys of Heaven to open to whom they please Now God hath broken down all pales and enclosures they would fain rear up a new partition wall Corrupt nature envyeth that others should have a fellowship in our priviledges therefore the same spirit still worketh men do so value their lesser differences and that distinct way and opinion which they have taken up as if none could be saved but those of their own party and perswasion 't is very natural to us to affixe holiness to our own opinions and to allow none to be good but those that jump with us in all things There were factions at Corinth and those that said I am of Christ were counted a faction too 1 Cor. 1. 13. as arrogating Christ to themselves therefore the Apostle writing to them saith 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Saints at Corinth and all that call on the Lord Jesus Christ theirs and ours We are apt to be rigid to those that differ from us and to be favourable to those that think with us Tertullian saith of some in his time Illic ipsum est promereri 't is holiness enough to be one of them Oh let it not be so among the people of God! do not nullifie your brethren Rom. 14. 10. Why dâ—st thou set at nought thy brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullian rendreth it Cur molificus fratrem When God hath made a Christian of him why dost thou make nothing of him and cry up every private opinion for another religion as if none could be Saints and Believers but they that think with you Take heed of impaling the common Salvation Inclosures are against the Law 3. It sheweth that there are not several ways to Heaven there is but one common Salvation to all the Elect and one common faith as Paul saith Tit. 1. 4. To Titus my own Son according to the common faith There are a sort of Libertines that think a man may be saved in any religion so he doth not walk against his own light Do not flatter your selves all the Elect are brought to Heaven the same way whether Jew or Gentile bond or free there is a good old way Jer. 6. 16. which if we misse we are sure to perish 4. It informeth us who are best to deal in matters of religion those that are religious that can call it a common Salvation that is common to them with others they have share in it and therefore they can best defend it differences are aggravated when carnall men intermeddle in religious controversies but those are likest to deal with most purity of zeal and love that can say your salvation is their salvation so in the next verse They turn the grace of our God into wantonness they that have an interest in grace cannot endure to see it abused 5. It forbiddeth scorn of the meanest Christian they have as good hopes through grace as you have in Jesus Christ all are one Master and Servant rich and poor Onesimus a poor runagate servant yet being converted Paul calleth him his faithful and beloved brother Philem. 10. In earthly relation there is a difference yet in regard of the common faith and common salvation we are all one I have now done with the first part of the occasion his earnestness in promoting their good I now come to the second part the urgency of the present necessity it was needful for me to write to you and exhort you which is said to shew that this Epistle was not only occasioned by the fervency of his own bone but the present exigence and necessity as affairs then stood the School of Simon the Gnosticks and divers other hereticks of a like loose strain and libertine spirit sought to withdraw and alienate them from the truth for that was the necessity here expressed as appeareth by the next verse Exhortations the more necessary the more pressing need quickens both writer and reader and the less arbitrary things are the more throughly we goe about them Observe from hence That necessity is a time for duty necessity is Gods season to work and therefore it should be ours For a season if need be ye are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1. 6. Duties are best done when we see they are needful and necessary things that are arbitrary are done with a loose heart the creatures duties towards God begins at the sense of their own wants Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisdom c. Well then take this hint for prayer and other services if there be a need omit not to
Lord thou hast greatly deceived this people because the false Prophets had done it in his name false doctrines make God to be the deceiver and these ill consequences drawn from the Gospel are in effect charged upon the Spirit who is the author of it Well then learn the truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4. 21. First Make him your Teacher flesh and blood will stumble in Gods plainest wayes we cannot learn any Gospel truth of our selves but we are apt to pervert it to an ill use 2. Take the whole doctrine together for it is the truth as it is in Jesus otherwise 't is the truth as 't is in the mouth of a false Teacher half truth hath filled the world with loosness when men divide between Christs comforts and Christs graces his Priesthood and his Regality his Benefits and his Laws these partial apprehensions spoyl all 3. As to your maner of learning let it be saving and such as tends to practice 't is not enough to make Christ our Teacher by using his Word and looking for the direction of his Spirit and to make the whole counsel of God our lesson but also we must learn to a saving purpose to put off the Old man to put on the New and not to store the brain with knowledge so much as the heart with grace for to this end is the Gospel given to us not for science so much as practies to make us better rather than wiser and more knowing Another Use is Examination to put us upon tryal whether we doe not yea or no turn the Grace of God into wantonness A man may be right in Doctrine and yet the constitution of his spirit may be naught Again there may be a fond dotage on the name of Christ and yet no real respect to him therefore it behoves us to search how the Gospel works with us 1. Are you not the better for the knowledge of it if you are not the better you are the worse if you know Christ and come short of the houre of his Grace you know him in vain you make Christ and the Gospel an uselesse thing compare 2 Cor. 6. 1. with Col. 1. 6. there is a receiving the Grace of God in vain and a knowing the grace of God in truth we receive it in vain when we are nothing the better for it and we receive it in truth when we feel the sweetness and power of it upon our hearts and consciences those that know the grace in truth are the more vigilent more humble more holy they are more diligent for the grace of God hath a mighty constraint to urge us to duty 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. more humble nothing so melting as Grace Zech. 12. 10. Vnkindness after so much Grace as we have received in Christ is the great reason and cause of godly sorrow More holy nothing kindles such a rage and indignation against sin as Grace doth Ezra 9. 14 Should we again after such a deliverance c. nothing perswadeth by such powerful arguments to the practice of holyness as grace doth See Tit. 2. 11. 12 13 14. Therefore what are you the better if it worketh not thus 't is sad 2. Are you the worse sensibly for the knowledge of the Gospel First Do you grow more careless and neglectful of duties as if now there were not so much required of you The Gospel never taught you that but your own corrupt hearts 't is true the more Christ is preached the more Evangelical a man is in his duties his heart is taken off more from resting in them he doth not pitch his hopes upon the tale of number of his duties and he doth not perform them out of bondage but more clearly knowingly comfortablely as upon Gospel grounds but still he will be performing as knowing that duties can never have too much of our care and too little of our trust in the Gospel we have more help therefore in all reason we should perform more work well then to grow more lazy and less frequent in the worship of God and the use of the means of grace the more we are acquainted with Gods grace in Christ is to abuse grace which was given us to make us more chearful not more slack and negligent Secondly Less circumspect and wary in your conversations loose walking is an ill sign Christ himself taught us To enter in at the streight gate and to walk in the narrow way Mat. 7. 14. When men seek more roomth and breadth for their lusts they pervert the end of the Gospel for the Gospel onely sheweth That the greatest sin is pardonable but the least is not allowable the world is much for a shorter cut to Heaven but when you have done all you will finde that the good old long way is the neerest way home still we must make streight steps to our feet mortify lusts bridle vile affections and keep close to Rule Sin is the same that ever it was and the Law is the same and God is as Holy and as much delights in holyness as ever he did we therefore must be as strict as ever 't is but a carnal liberty to have leave to be wanton to be free to sin Nature is very apt to hear in that ear See 2 Pet. 2. 18. 19. but grace counts it no priviledge Thirdly If less humble still you are guilty a man committeth sin and findeth no remorse upon the pretence of Gods free grace in pardoning this is still the wantonness which ariseth from the abuse of the Gospel Gods children never loath themselves more then upon the remembrance of mercy Ezek. 36. 31. never melted for sin more then when the warm beams of Gods love thaw their hearts that they should sin against a pardoning God a gracious Father a good Master c. every mercy is a new stab at heart Christs look made Peter weep bitterly nothing affects them so much as grace The third point is taken from that Particle Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he mentioneth their interest in God to provoke them so much the more to zeal against errours that were so scandilous to his grace Note That sense of Interest in God begets the best zeal for the truths and glory of God The point consists of two Branches 1. That Interest in God will beget a zeal for God it troubleth a good man to see any one wronged much more to see his own relation wronged most of all to see his God wronged can a man profess love to God and not espouse his quarrel freinds have all things common common love and common hatred wrong the one and the other is not well at ease so it is in the spiritual friendship between us and God Psal 69. 9. The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me injuries done to God and Religion will as neerly affect us as those done to our persons certainly they that can be silent in the cause of God have little affection to him and
but not in their own spirits I am a worm in a much lower Sphere and yet of a prouder heart they are affâ—ble meek modost why am I so fierce and impatient of contradiction Once more If the judgments of God light upon greater Personages for their pride say what will become of me in me 't is more odious If God destroy those whose height is as the height of Cedars Amos 2. 9. surely the Reed should tremble Many times mean and base people that have no tincture of ingenuity and are of no name or quality in the world have pride enough to be bitter enemies to Gods children David saith Psal 35. 15. The abjects gathered themselves together to make Songs against me when as God rebuketh Kings for their sakes If he visit the Throne will he not visit the Ale bench What scorn will he cast upon this sawcy dust these spightful worms that have only malice enough to snarle and can go no further If the great men of the earth tremble shall the bondmen go free Rev. 16. 15. But chiefly upon this occasion would I commend to you the example of the Lord Christ to take down pride this is an example that will shame us indeed what ever the pride be are you puffed up with pride of vain conceit Christ stripped himself of all his glory Phil. 2. 7. with pride of revenge men are loath to strike sale to seek to an enemy they scorn it Jesus Christ though such an excellent person loved us first 1 John 4. 19. sued to his enemies is it disdain of our condition pride of murmurings he made himself a worm and no man and when he was rich in the glory of the God-Head became poor for our sakes Matth. 10. 24. The Desciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord if we be scorned would we be better dealt with then our master was many times you have seen a Master do the work of a servant to shame him so did Christ do but think of Christs excellency and your own base condition as here to shame the brutish Gnosticks the Apostle telleth them they took more upon them then a glorious Angel Again From the Arch-Angels contending about the body of Moses The Devil would discover Moses his Grave and the Arch-Angel is ready to resist him The Note is That God hath Angels and Arch-Angels that are always ready to defend a good cause They are many the King of Heaven hath a brave Court Dan. 7. 10. A thousand thousand Minister to him and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him Christ saith he could pray for twelve Ligions in an instant Mat. 26. 53. Now a Legion in the least computation is six thousand Foot and seven hundred Horse they are able they excell in strength one Angel slew 185000 in one night Isa 37. 36. They are always ready attending on Gods commands Psal 103. 20. They rejoyce in names of service more then names of honour They are swift in execution they are described to have six wings a piece Isaiah 6. 2. as being at the Lords beck and ready to execute his Command as soon as they hear the word All which First Informeth us of the danger of wicked men in opposing a good cause they fight not only against men but against Angels 2. That Angels have more to do in humane affairs then we are aware of there are evil Angels assisting in the Counsels against the Church and good Angels resisting in those days of conflict The Combate is not only between men and men but between Angels and Angels Dan. 10. 13. The protection of the holy Angels is invisible but true and real 3. Here is comfort to Gods children when they are imbarked in an hazardous but in an holy business there are far more with us then can be against us 2 Kings 6. 16. there is God the Fathers power on the Churches side The Son puts forth the strength of his Mediation Zech. 3. 2. The spirit comforts and animateth us and then holy Angels are imployed as instruments The Lord Jesus and his Angels will stick to the Church when none else dare Dan. 10. 21. There is none holdeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince When all humane strength falleth Christ by their Ministry can uphold the affairs of the Church omnipotency is a great deep usually we look to means and can better conceive of the operations of finite Creatures then of the infinite God therefore doth the Lord represent the help of the Church as managed by these powerful instruments only now take heed that you do not betray your succors nor defraud your selves of their protection 1. By neglecting to seek to the God of Angels Dan. 10. 12. From the first day thou didst set thine heart to understand and didst chasten thy self before thy God c. we are not to pray to them but for them to the Lord. 2. By unwarrantable practises for then you joyn with Satan to their grief Psal 34. 7. The Angel encampeth about them that fear him A good cause should be well managed and then trust God who if he seeth fit to glorifie himself by our deliverance rather then our sufferings can finde means enough to save us when men fail Observe again That Angels have a care not only of the souls but of the bodies yea even of the dead bodies of the Saints as Michael disputed with the Devil about the body of Moses That you may understand the particular care which the Angels have about the people of God I shall open it to you in several Propositions 1. 'T is certain The Angels had a great care about the people of God in ancient times Examples are found every where in the word of God Lot was led out of Sodom by Angels Daniel taught by an Angel Cornelius answered by an Angel an Angel withstood Balaam in the way Numb 22. An Angel walked with the three children in the fiery Furnace Dan. 3. 25. An Angel shutteth up the mouths of Lions that they might not hurt Daniel in the Den Dan. 6. 22. An Angel comforted Paul in the Tempest Act. 27. 23 24. Scarce any remarkable thing befell the people of God but it was accomplisht by their ministry 2. The Ministry of Angels though not so visible and sensible as heretofore iâ— not wholly ceased The priviledge of it belongeth to all Saints Heb. 1. 14. Are they not ministring spirits sent forth for the Heirs of salvation all that are called to inherit a blessing were under their tutelage so see Psal 91. 12. and those instances alledged in the former Proposition are patterns and presidents by which we may know what to expect their tutelage then was more visible and sensible because the Church newly planted needed to be confirmed but God would have us live by faith and expect all our supports in a more spiritual way though we have not visible apparitions yet we have real experiments of their succour the
desireth her husbands coming home but it may be all things are not ready and in so good order as they should be all Christians desire the coming of Christ but sometimes they are not so exact and watchful and therefore their affections are not so lively Here is a note of tryal whether we love God or Christ how do we stand affected towards his appearing the world cannot satisfie Christians they look beyond it in things to come we are apt to feign and because we have not a sufficient sense of them we think we have an affection to them when we have them not if there be looking there will be preparing when you expect a great estate for your children you breed them accordingly or rather thus a man that expecteth the comming of a King to his house will make all things ready surely you look for no body when you are not fitting and preparing your selves what have you done against this great day do you judge your selves 1 Cor. 11. 31. do you get into Christ Rom 8. 1. that you may be interested in Christs Righteousness against you come to undergo Christs judgement what purging of heart and life 2 Pet. 3. 11. art thou in such a case wherein thou wouldst be found of Christ To exhort those that love God to look earnestly for the comming of Christ to this end 1. Consider our relations to him he is our Master we are his servants and good servants will wait for their Masters comming Mat. 24. 45. here we have our meals but then our wages 't is but present maintenance which we have now but behold I come and my reward is with me Christ will not come empty handed Again he is our Husband we his Spouse the Bride saith come Rev. 22. 17. we are now but contracted to Christ then is the day of solemn Espousals The Judge is the wicked mens enemy but your Redeemer 2. Consider the priviledges we shall then enjoy the day of Christs coming is 1. A day of manifestation Rom 8 19. all is now hidden Christ is hidden the Saints are hidden their life is hidden Col. 3. 3. their glory is hidden 1 John 3. 2. but then Christ shall appear and we shall appear with him in glory as Moses told the Rebels Numb 16. To morrow the Lord will shew who are his Christ as the natural son shall then appear in all his Royalty and Glory as the great God and Saviour of the world so shall the Saints put on their best robes in winter the tree appeareth not what it is the sap and life is hidden in the root but when summer cometh all is discovered 2. 'T is a day of perfection every thing tendeth to its perfect estate the little seed that is sown in the ground breaketh through the clods that it may be in flower and perfection so a Christian is working through that he may come to an estate of perfect holiness and perfect freedom here we are very weak yea even to glorified spirits he is but a Saviour in part there is some fruit of sin continued upon the body but then body and soul are united and perfectly glorified to praise God in Heaven Christ cometh to make an end of what he hath begun he came first to redeem our souls from sin but then our bodies from corruption then all priviledges are perfect regeneration Mat. 19. 27. when Heaven's new earth new bodies new souls new that 's a regeneration indeed so adoption we are sons but handled as servants looking for the adoption Rom. 8. 23. so justification our pardon shall be proclaimed at the market cross published before all the world Acts 3. 19. so for Redemption Luk. 21. 28. the body is a captive when the soul is set at liberty the body is held under death till that day 3. 'T is a day of Congregation or gathering together the Saints are now scattered they live in divers Countreys and in divers ages but then all meet in one Assembly and Congregation Psal 1. 6. but of these things more largely verse 16. on these words the great day From that looking for the mercy c. Observe That looking earnestly for eteanal life is a good means of perseverance for to that end is it urged by the Apostle here I shall enquire 1. What this looking is 2. What influence it hath upon our perseverance 1. What this looking is it implyeth patience but chiefly hope 1. Patience in waiting Gods leisure in the midst of present difficulties Heb. 10. 36. Luke 8. 15. 1 Thes 1. 3. Rom. 8. 25. 2. Hope now because there is a blind hope and a good hope a bastard hope and a genuine hope good hope through grace saith the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 16. Let me tell you that this looking or expectation is not that blind hope that is found in men ignorant and presumptuous that regard not what they do presumption is a child of darkness the fruit of ignorance and inconsideration when men are once serious they find it an hard matter to fix an advised hope on things to come for guilty nature is more inclinable to fear than to hope this blind hope will certainly fail us 't is compared to a Spiders web Job 8. 12 13. The Spider spinneth a web out of his own bowels which is swept away as soon as the besom cometh so do carnal men conceive a few rash and ungrounded hopes but when death cometh or a little trouble of Conscience these vain conceits are swept away this hope which I press you to is a serious act arising from grace aiming at its own perfection again this looking is not some glances upon Heaven such as are sound in worldly and sensual persons who now and then have their lucida intervalla their good moods and sober thoughts as Balaam Numb 23. 10. a taste they may have Heb. 6. 4. a smatch of the sweetness of Heaven and spiritual comforts the most wretched worldlings have their wishes and suddain rapâ—s of Soul but alas these suddain motions are noâ— operative they come but seldom and leave no warmth upon the Soul as fruit is not ripened that â—ath but a gâ—aâ—ce of the Sun and a suddain light rather blindeth a man than sheweth him the way So these suddain indeliberate thoughts vanish and leave men never the better again 't is not a loose hope or a probable conjecture this hath no efficacy upon the Soul men that are under an anxious doubtful posture of Spirit will be very uneven in their walkings James 1. 8. when men are discouraged in a race they begin to slacken their pace to which the Apostle alludeth when he saith I run not as once that is uncertain 1 Cor. 9 26. but when they begin sensibly to get ground they hold on their course the more chearfully Thus negatively I have shewed you what 't is not but now positively t is an earnest well grounded expectation of blessedness to come it bewrayeth it self 1. by frequent and
promises of God Let us now apply this 1. It informeth us that we may look for the reward without sin Those men would be wiser than God that deny us a liberty to make use of the Spirits motives they begrudg Gods bounty to what end should the Lord propound rewards but that we should close with them by faith graces may be exercised about their proper objects without sin it requireth some faith to aim at things not seen the world is drowned in sense and present satisfactions they are Mercenaries that must have pay in hand their Souls droop and languish if they do not meet with credit applause and profit they make man their pay master they have the spirit of a servant that prefer present wages before the inheritance but to do all upon the incouragements of the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal life argueth grace 'T was a relief to the Soul of Christ to think of the reward Heb. 12. 2. Christ as man was to have rational comforts and humane incouragements that is sinful indeed when we would have the reward but neglect the work when we would be Mercenarii but not Operarii we sever the reward from the duty like Ephraim are willing to â—â—ead the corn but not break the clods Hos 10. 11. Again we look amiss upon the reward when we have a carnal notion of heaven as some Jews looked for a carnal Messiah so do some Christians for a carnal Heaven for base pleasure and fleshly delights for a Turkish Paradisâ— such kind of hopes debase the heart or else when we look for it as merited by us as if we could challenge it by our works then we are Mercinaries indeed 't is here looking for the mercy of Jesus Christ c. Again our own happiness must not be our last end there is a personal happiness that results to us from the enjoyment of God now the glory of God must be preferred before it 2. If you would persevere in the love of God and a good frame of heart revive your hopes and set the Soul a looking and a longing for eternal life if we keep the rejoycing of our hope firm to the end then we are safe Heb. 3. 6. Courtiers are more polite in their manners than ordinary subjects because they are more in their Princes eye and company the oftner we are in Gods Court the more holy Well then be as much as you can in actual expectation of this blessedness To this end 1. Believe it there is a mist upon eternity to a carnal heart they are led by sense and reason and believe no more than is evident to a natural principle but now faith is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. fancy and nature cannot ouâ—-see time and look beyond death faith holdeth the candle to hope and then we have a prospect into the other world and can see an happy estate to come 2. Apply it 't is a poor comfortless meditation to think of a blessed hope and the certainty of it unless we have an interest in these things an hungry man taketh little pleasure in gazing upon a feast when he tastes not of it the reprobate hereafter are lookers on and David speaketh of a table spread for him in the sight of his enemies hope hath never a more lively influence than when we can make out our own propriety and interest 1. Job 19. 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth 2 Cor 5. 1. We know that if this earthly Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Tim. 4. 8. Hence forth there is laid up for me c they do not only believe there is an Heaven but apply it for me You will say is hope only the fruit assurance I answer 't is the fruit of faith as well as of assurance or experience but the sense of our interest is very comfortable and in some sort necessary before we can hope any thing for our selves our qualification is to be supposed in a matter of such moment a man should not be at an uncertainty canst thou be quiet and not sure of Heaven not to look after it is a bad sign a godly man may want it but a godly man cannot slight it 'T is possible a man may make an hard â—hift to creep to Heaven through doubts and fears and may be scarcely saved whilest others have an abundant entrance but then you lose your Heaven upon earth which consisteth in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and lose much of the efficacy of hope for uncertain wavering thoughts work little therefore assurance cannot be sleighted further I adde by shewing what application there must be if we cannot attain to assurance there are three degâ—ees of application beneath assurance there is acceptation adherence and affiance 1. Acceptation of Gods offer upon Gods terms Job 5. 27. Know thou it for thy good put in for these hopes and take God to his word upon this confidence make good thy part of the stipation in the Covenant and he will not fail thee this application there must be in all an answer to the demands of the Covenant 1 Pet. 3. 21. Exod. 24. 6 7 8. 2. Adherence Stick close to this hope in a course of obedience if we do Gods work we shall not fail of wages 1 Car. 9. 26. I run not as one that is uncertain 3. Affiance resting waiting upon God for the accomplishment of this blessedness though not without some doubts and fears as to our own interest though you cannot say 't is yours yet you will cast your self upon the mercy of God in Christ as 't is in the Text. Looking for the mercy of Christ you dare venture your Soul in that bottom this is that committing your selves to him as unto a merciful and faithful Creator which the Apostle speaketh of 1 Pet. 4. 18. You will go on with your work and put your selves in Gods hand for your eternal happiness because he is merciful faithful See also Rom. 2. 7. 3. Meditate on it often med taâ—ion is a temperate extasie a survey of the Land of promise God biddeth Abraham take a view of Canaan Gen. 13. 14 15. Surely the more we lift up our thoughts in the contemplation of this blessed estate the more lively will our hopes be if every morning we spent a thought this way it would season the heart against the love of present things the morning is an emblem of the Resurrection when we awake out of the sleep of death and the day cometh which will never have night more Psal 17. 15. So in time of troubles we should be reckoning upon a better estate Rom. 8. 18 so when you are by bodily sickness summoned to the grave and you are going down to converse with worms and skulls then think of a blessed eternity Job 19. 26. The next Point is from that elause the mercy The ground of our waiting and looking for