him unto it is a diligent observance of the mercy God had bestowed he would have him take more notice in a fuller view of this mercy thou art made whole Adding Behold healing mercy is that which should not pass you more serious consideration where God gives it 2. The caution Christ gives him Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee he gives him a special Caution against sin specially that fin God had been punishing him for And he backs this caution with an inforcing Argument lest a worse thing then thirty eight years sickness by such a distemper come to thee And when Christ saith Behold thou art made whole he doth not say I have healed thee thereby teaching us humility for he did not understand Christ to be God but would mind him of the chief Author consider thou art healed So from the words we may take these three observations Doct. 1. It is the duty of those that have received healing and delivering mercy from the Lord to take special notice of it Doct. 2. Those that are healed or delivered are to take very good heed that they sin no more Doct. 3. That sins after great and eminent Salvations Deliverances mercies they pull down greater Judgements Doct. 1. Those that are under saving and healing mercy from God they should take special notice of it Beold thou art he aled You must not take a transient view but take serious notice of Gods mercies It is one of the most pretious and pleasant works of a Christian to take notice of and observe Gods Providences to himself Psal 111. The works of the Lord are great sought out of all those that have pleasure therein For the Explication of the Doctrine we may Consider 1. What is this beholding and taking notice of delivering and healing mercies 2. How we should take this notice of them and 3. Why we should do so 1. What is that notice Christ would have every one delivered and saved to take of the mercy vouchsafed I Answer this beholding is variously taken 1. For a beholding with our bodily Eyes as God said to Moses Deut. 3. 27. get thee up into the Top of Pisgah and lift up thine Eyes West-ward and East-ward and North-ward and South-ward and behold with thine Eyes the Land c. he was to see the Land of Canaan with his outward bodily Eye 2. There is a beholding with the understanding a considering of it a looking upon it with the Eye of the Soul Rom. 11. 32. Behold therefore the goodness and Severity of God if you would see the goodness and Severity of God in his Providences you must behold it with your understanding Eye you must consider it and that consideration fixed to behold it which imports two things 1. Taking a full view of it in the latitude of the mercy a looking it all over it is a through and diligent observation taking notice of every Argument in it that doth advance the mercy for your better acknowledgement of it Not to take it by the lump but observing every Circumstance that may heighten it to your consideration to behold it so that you may see matter of wonderment to behold every mercy with admiration 2. It bespeaks the intention of the act Behold you must look intensly upon it you must keep your eye fixed upon it it must not go out of your view you must look wishly all round about it and into every part of it with intenseness of Spirit 2. But how should we thus take notice and look upon the mercy that we may rightly behold it and consider it I Answer 1. In every Deliverance and work of Providence look into all the particular passages of Providence you find in it We should take the mercy in pieces and look into every part and see what special Circumstances there are for our notice and observation I shall mention some of those things in delivering mercyes that are worthy your observation 1. Take notice of the time and seasonableness of the mercy at what a needful time God sent such a mercy God then delivered you and if it had not been then what had become of you Mercy coming in that needful Season puts a beauty upon it as Eccles 3. Every thing is beautiful in its Season it is then a mercy suitable This poor man who had lain thirty eight years at the Pool and none helped him it is probable his Faith and Patience was worn out and now in this nick of time Christ comes according to that in Isai 41. 18 19. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them That is a Season of mercy when the heart is ready to sail and mercy comes in Abraham takes notice of his mercy and the deliverance of his Son in the nick of time Gen. 22. 12. At that time when he was taking the knife to slay his Son and calls the Name Jehovah Jeirith there and then in the Mount the Lord was seen 2. Observe and consider the care of Gods Providence in bestowing the mercy his special and distinguishing care in preserving you when others dye you are singled out for deliverance when others are not spared Christ speaks Emphatically here to the man thou art he God hath healed when so many lay sick there at the Pool besides to have a healing mercy in a killing time it heightens the Mercy in a special manner In Isai 26 20. God puts a special Remark upon this deliverance they must enter into their Chambers God hath a Chamber of safety and preservation for such in singular and distinguishing favour to them 3. Observe and consider how leading this mercy is unto other mercyes Vsually Deliverances and healing mercyes do not come alone but are attended with many other mercyes Now you must observe all the Concomitants of mercy that do attend it as you find Hezekiah doth Isai 38. 17. Behold for peace I had great bitterness But thou in love to my Soul hast delivered me from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back He takes notice of his healing mercy deliverance from the pit of outward destruction by that killing disease and specially of the mercy attending of it that God did it in love to his Soul and that it was a Testimony of Gods favour in pardoning all his sin also one mercy goes not alone to the People of God 4. Another thing observable in a healing mercy is the Instrument God makes use of or the way he doth it in sometimes it is in an unknown way a way we did not expect such a mercy in the poor man waited for healing at the Pool but little thought Christ should heal him by his Word It is sometimes a strange way that God sends in a mercy to his People so Luk. 5. 33. a stranger passed that way and he took up the poor wounded
you should behold Behold the free and undeserved favour of God in all 5. See the wonderful condescendency of God every mercy shews wonderful Condescendency in God to a poor Creature considering though the Lord be high yet he hath respect to things below Psal 138. and those that are so very low as we have made our selves by our sins Oh what a stoop is it in the divine Majesty to take such care of vile sinners that God should have any respect to your prayers if God hath heard you in such a day it heightens the Condescendency of God 6. Lastly observe and consider the end that God aims at in your Deliverance God is a rational Agent aiming at a spetial mark in the Deliverances he gives Now what is the aim and designe of God what is Gods language to you by the mercy is not the designe of it to further your Repentance and your returning into Gods favour that is the general end these mercyes are the great Arguments God would prevail with sinners to return to him by true Repentance That is their encouragement in Hos 6. 1 he hath wounded and he will heal but you may be much more encouraged if you can say God that hath wounded us hath healed us therefore in Rom. 2. 4 5. he tells us this is the language of every mercy and of all Gods goodness to bespeak our hearts for Repentance the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance as one mercy is leading to many other mercyes from God to you so the designe of them all is to lead you to God to serve him with chearfulness Deut. 28. 48. Consider therefore what God calls for that you may comply with God and that is what Christ here minds the poor man of Behold thou art healed thou hast attained that thou hast long waited for and God hath given it now it is not enough to bring a thank offering to bless God before the Congregation but that you sin no more it is walking thankfully and obediently before the Lord all your dayes and so you shall serve the end and designe of God herein 2. As you should contemplate thus the mercyes God gives so you should take a full and through view of them with a fixed mind upon them and that is in two things 1. So look on every mercy that your heart may be affected a serious fixed Eye will affect the heart as we should look on transgressors breaking Gods Laws so as to be grieved at them Psal 119. 158. I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word so you should behold the mercyes of God and be affected so as to rejoyce and have your heart engaged to God as the Psalmist Psal 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard my voice c. There should be a drawing out of our affections to God from the beholding the mercyes of God to us and as you should love so admire God so behold as to wonder at such a mercy as he Psal 31. 19. how great is thy goodness which thou hast wâ—ought for them that trust in thee before the Sons of men 2. We should be so fixed in our contemplation of the works of Gods mercyes that we should never forget them observe them so as to be alwayes minding them Psal 111. he will cause his works to be remembred c. It must not be such a view as Jam. 1. 21. a Man looking his natural face in a glass and going away forgets what manner of person he was you must not look so on your mercyes but keep up the Remembrance of them that they may never be forgotten We are prone to forget though highly taken and wonderfully affected with them for the present be it the escaping of death when the deliverance is over as with Israel Psal 196. 13. they sang his praise but soon forgat his works David therefore ingageth Psal 103. 3 4. to praise the Lord with all his Soul and chargeth his Soul never to forget the mercyes of God therefore you should charge your memoryes to be a Treasury of the mercyes of God there may be erected a monument of them in your hearts That is the second thing how you should take notice of Gods delivering mercy we should take a through view of them observing how the Lord manages all our afflictions by mercifull providences leading us on to eternal For as the Psalmist saith Psal 107. 43. By observing these things we may understand much of the loving kindness of the Lord. SERM. II. IT is the latter part of the verse we are speaking unto the counsel Christ gives to the impotent man whom he had miraculously healed how he might preserve that mercy and improve it There are two Directions given him 1. That he should take special notice of his Deliverance Behold thou art made whole 2. A Caution against sin goe and sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee From the first we observed That it is the duty of those that are under saving mercy to take special notice of it I shewed you what was the notice we should take of such a delivering and saving providence we should look upon it throughly upon all the circumstances that doe endear that mercy to us that tender care of God that respect it hath to our Prayers we should look it all over We should doe it with intention so as to be affected with it that it may abide with us that we may remember it that it may be a mercy never forgotten I shall give you only a few Reasons briefly because I would pass to the other which I mainly intended in the choice of these words Reas 1. You ought to consider your mercyes because God commandeth it It is a duty that God commandeth and that God expecteth and therefore hath frequently put that affix upon a special mercy Behold it So Christ saith to this man Behold this mercy look upon it with wonder that a Sinner a provoking sinner should be saved and delivered wonder that God hath wrought so great deliverance before men That was a matter of the Psalmists wonder Psal 31. 19. And in Math. 6. 28. Christ saith there to his Disciples Why take ye thought for raiment consider the lillies of the field how they grow Look on the care of Gods providence to other creatures If we must observe Gods care of inanimate creatures or those only animate much more should we look on his care of our selves the special mercyes he bestowes on us God would not have you so to look abroad that you should not look at home but the more to admire Gods mercy and care toward your selves 2. Reas The non-observance of Gods mercy God doth severely reprove We find it smartly reproved by God when his People do not consider their deliverance Psal 106. 13. They soon forgat his mercy It is put as a special aggravation of their sin in their murmuring against God They soon forgat his mercy Why
did they so soon forget it Because they did not consider Gods mercy did not charge their Souls with the remembrance of it that they should forget none of Gods benefits 3. Reas We cannot have the benefit of mercy unless we take a serious view of it There are two special designs of God in every delivering mercy one is to further our obedience the other is to strengthen our Faith against another time It is to further our obedience to make us serve God the more chearfully Every mercy should be alwayes in our eye to spur us to our duty Deut. 28. 47. They did not serve me with chearfulness it is a great sin under great mercyes not to serve God with a great deal more cheerfulness that we cannot doe without we observe his mercies Then it is to strengthen our Faith in the expectation of mercy another time 2 Cor. 1. 10. God hath delivered us and he will God then heard your cry and delivered you Abraham makes it a standing Proverb and encouragement to Faith Gen. 22. 12. He puts a remark on that mercy a name on the place there God beheld me and took that care of me and prevented that ruine to my Son in the Mount God will be seen 4. Reas It is a great contempt of God not to observe his mercy God in every deliverance doth come near to us and it is a marvellous inobservance not to take notice of him when he is near Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour thou hast to thy People visit me with thy Salvation When God comes with Salvation he comes to give a visit to us now we should take notice of it We cannot see God but only in the effects God is made visible to us in his works we should observe and see God there what of the name of God is written upon it what of the mercy grace goodness of God else you carry it with disrespect to God 5. Reas We cannot carry it suitably to God in our duty to him without observation of his works and mercyes towards us The various providences of God call for variety of duty in us we cannot be in the exercise of our proper duty unless we observe that mercy What is the duty under delivering mercy It is to praise God and that not for a day but alwayes to live Gods praises and therefore we should live in the view of those mercies that are the matter and occasion of our praise Psal 107 19. 20. They cry to the Lord in their trouble be saveth them out of their distresses He sends his word and healeth them What was the duty God required O that men would praise the Lord for his wonderfull works You cannot give God praise for deliverance unless you observe the full of that mercy and your hearts be suitably affected by the Consideration of it But by way of Improvement VSE I. A word of Reproof to those that are inobservant of Gods Mercyes Men that only take a sensitive notice of mercyes will be thankful praise God as long as they feel the benefit but how soon is it forgotten Psal 106. 13. they carry no more a remembrance then a beast sensitive creature this is not the remembrance of a rational Creature which God expects from every one The reason why you so soon forget it mercies are so soon lost and your affection and love to them and To God for them is because you doe not consider the mercy and kindness God bestoweth VSE II. It should put us upon this duty that we would take special notice of every saving mercy Look through it see what special Arguments of Thankfulness to God there are in every mercy there is not any deliverance that comes alone not any mercy that comes alone we should by consideration look into every thing of the mercy yea and what doth attend it that which may further that notice that you may take of those mercies There should be never a special deliverance and mercy God vouchsafeth you but you should keep a Record of that mercy that it might be alwayes to be overlooked by you and all the circumstances of it You find in the old Testament frequently it was the practice of Gods people to erect Monuments of praise for signal Mercies Jacob Gen. 28. 12. erecteth a Pillar on the place where God appeared to him And Abraham called the name of the place Jehooah jireth there God beheld me Gen. 22. So Gen. 16. Hagar when God in special distress delivered lier and shewed her a Well where she might be relieved she called the name of the well The Lord that hath seen me though I did not look after him So we should take notice of the mercy God vouchsafeth a Christian should keep his Diary and special Remembrance of Gods goodness But to pass to that I mainly intend and that is the caution Christ gives to this healed man goe sin no more Christ here dealeth with him as a gracious Saviour that shews he had not only care of his outward Deliverance but of his Souls deliverance and that that mercy might not be lost by his sin that God had in his mercy bestowed on him and therefore Christ prescribeth him a dyet how he should behave himself that he might preserve that health and continue that mercy you must take heed of your old dyet that there be no pleasant morsel of sin that you should delight in but as the Psalmist prayes Psal 141. 4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing to practise wicked works with them that work iniquity and let me not eat of their dainties this the Lord Jesus give him charge about do not eat of their dainties it will prove a surfet there will be a relapse that will be a more dangerous disease if you do not take heed of sin Doct. 2. That those that are under saving mercy ought to be very careful that they sin no more For the clearing this Truth I shall 1. Shew you what this duty is to sin no more what it is that God doth expect of those he hath prevented misery unto or delivered out of it that have been under it for it is the same that God doth expect if you have not been sick but have been preserved from it your preservation engageth you to this duty If you have been preserved and God hath delivered you from it this is your duty that you sin no more 2. The Reasons why it is the duty and should be the special care of them under saving mercy 1. What this duty is I Answer 1. Negatively It is not meant a Legal obedience Christ doth not call any to impossibilities to perform duty without the least stain of sin that is impossible to fallen man yea to man restored since his fall in this world it is not a Doctrine of Legal perfection Christ here commendeth it is a great Truth Eccl. 7. 20. There is no man that liveth and sinneth not 1 King 8.
man and healed him so it is sometimes a strange way God heals in the impotent man had none to put him into the Pool now to be healed in a strange way unexpected this doth greatly inhance the mercy of God 5. Observe and take notice of the designe and end of mercy and deliverance what Errand it comes upon what work and what gracious effect it hath all believers are under that general Promise Rom. 8. that all things shall work together for good to them c. afflictions shall and mercyes shall every thing shall now to see them thus working for our good this heightens the mercy The poor man goes into the Temple and there acknowledgeth it it is to further duty when â—t is done in mercy caring not only to be healed but to be Thankful 6. Observe the respect mercy hath to the Prayers and desires of your Souls and to the things you beg there is a wonderful value upon mercyes when they are in Answer to our Prayers when you in distress have cryed to God and called others it may be to cry to God for you and the Lord hath heard as Psal 34. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and delivered c. he had Answer of Prayer so that you should have such Interest in Heaven and that God hears the cryes of his poor ones this exceedingly endears the mercy to us as Psal 40. 1 2. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined to me and heard my cry he brought me up also out of the horrible pit out of the myery clay and seâ— my feet upon a Rock and established my goings That is the first thing to be observed in our healing and delivering mercyes the Circumstances in it that heighten the mercy being looked upon with a considerate fixed Eye and an intelligent heart to further our acknowledgement 2. Observe and behold every mercy and deliverance how it doth fulfil the word of God to you there is never a Providence of God but it is a fulfilling of Gods word as it is said Psal 148. 8. Stormy winds fulfilling his Word so doth every mercy and deliverance to his People Now you should look on the work of Providence together with the Word of God and see what particular word of God is made good to you by his Providence for that is encouragement from experience to trust in the word of God another time God saith call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Now such a Deliverance is an Answer to such a Word and Promise sued out by Prayer for therein God hath fulfilled a Promise to you So 1 Cor. 10. 13. the Lord tells you that with every Temptation he will work a way for your escape and that you shall be able to bear it and in such a deliverance God hath fulfilled that Word to you this adds Beauty unto and honours Gods word in seeing God fulfilling it in the Execution of Providences so in Joh. 19. 36. not a bone of Christ was broken this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled 3. In all Deliverances and healing mercyes that you should observe and consider in them who is the author of them we are not only to look to the work done that this person is healed but whence it is The Effect is a manifestation of the cause we must labour to understand the cause our understanding must look through things done to the cause every one should see the hand of God which healeth him for there is the Name of God written upon the mercy and especially upon a gracious and eminent delivering Providence And consider what you are to see of God therein 1. You are to see the care God hath of you as your heavenly Father so we are told in Scripture God as your Father cares for you he knows what you need Math. 6. 26 27. if for inanimate Creatures much more for rational especially those among them that are also spiritual and in every delivering mercy manifests that care of you We are commanded that we should be found in our duty whether we are under afflicting Providences or any other Trusting in and leaving the Issue with the care of our heavenly Father who careth for us 1 Pet. 5. 7. therefore we are bid to cast our care upon him and so every godly man rowls that care as to the Issue and Event upon the Lord and then in the Deliverance the Lord manifests his care so that in considering the mercy you may read and see that God doth take a fatherly care of you under whatsoever dispensation of Providence you are 2. You may see the wisdome of God in healing and restoring you especially being eminent Deliverances when it may be you were past hope and had no means left for encouragement the wisdome of God found out a way provided means and gave the blessing to a good Issue 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of Temptation c. he hath many wayes he doth not make known till the time of Deliverance so that here also you may read this in the Deliverance the wisdome of God 3. Observe in what way God doth convey his mercy that is a great and beautiful thing to behold the way in which God conveys every mercy to you The way is Christ Jesus No mercy comes to you but through the blood of Jesus Christ Remember thou art he whose sins brought distress upon Christs Soul how comes any Remedy for or deliverance from the wounds sicknesses evils and dangers sin hath brought thee into but only by Jesus Christ That Pool of Bethesda was a Type of Jesus Christ who can make any thing healing and Sovereign for recovery A curse came by the fall upon every means used only Jesus Christ hath restored the blessing upon the means and that should heighten our thoughts of the mercy that it comes from and by Christ no mercy comes otherwise therefore never look on any mercy but in the view of it remember and think of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. all is yours saith the Apostle life death every thing but how only as you are Christs We came to have a right to every mercy by Jesus Christs and only by him and that should be a most beautiful Contemplation to us here upon Earth which will be so glorious to our Eye in Heaven where this discovery will be made fully how all our mercyes flow to us by and through Christ 4. You may read the grace of God in every such mercy It is great love and kindness of God manifested in every mercy for every sinner is unworthy of the least mercy as Jacob acknowledgeth I am less then the least of all thy mercyes so it must be grace that brings mercy to you and if you are made whole know that healing mercy is of grace yea there are riches of mercy in every outward favour the Lord bestows and this
argument of Gods love whether they be afflictive or mercifull meerly outward Providences are no argument of Gods special love Eccles 9. 1. You cannot see love or hatred by any of these things that are before you You cannot say God hath more love to you then he hath to them he took away by the disease because he spared you for these in themselves are but common mercies 2. Consider that meerly when outward judgement ceaseth we cannot thence conclude Gods anger ceaseth or is turned away We cannot conclude by the present removal of a judgement that the anger of God is removed for God may remove it in anger There are pardoning mercies God may be said to pardon when he doth only spare for a time Psal 78. 36. So he forgave their iniquity How forgave Not with a special saving pardoning mercy for he punished them afterwards yea unto destruction many of them but it was a present reprieve from the judgement God may be as angry with you still as ever though he hath removed the present Judgement a sparing mercy may be in wrath in displeasure to the person that is spared therefore you have no reason to be secure nor to be pleased with your present condition while God may be angry with you while the anger of God is not appeased you have no reason to cry peace to your selves when God doth not speak a word of peace 3. Consider that when men are delivered from affliction and not saved from their sins it is certain God is angry with them still when they are delivered from an outward affliction and sin remains that that is the cause and coar of affliction and evill be not removed you may certainly conclude it is but a reservation to greater judgements As it is an argument of their happy condition that are in the very midst of affliction when they are taught of God in it made more holy humble conformable to Gods will so it is an argument of a miserable and a cursed estate though you are out of affliction if you have not been taught of God if you are out of affliction but still in sin it is a certain argument of reservation to greater punishment that worse things will befall you unless timely Repentance prevent it There are these two ends why God doth punish his people and God will accomplish his end in every punishment there is his work and his whole work God will doe on mount Sion Isa 10. 22. When God hath done his whole work then he burneth the rod and not till then it is but laid by and Gods intention to bring a greater What is Gods whole work There is in every Judgement a work of judgement and a work of mercy there is a work of mercy God hath to all his elect and people to reform and refine them to purge away their sin to make them holy and to make them better Isa 27 9. That is the work to them that are the true children of Sion But then God hath a work of judgement that is on those he never intends saving mercy to every judgement is but the beginning of their misery God judgeth them in way of satisfaction to Justice there is but part of paiment in one judgement that is upon them and it is is to ensure them that the remainder is behind that God will be sure to take the full paiment If none of this work be done if God hath not refined his people there is still some work to be done if there be those that are unconverted never to be converted greater and worse judgements doe abide none such but shall have greater cause to curse the day of their birth then ever Iob or Jeremiah yea to curse the day of their preservation better you had died of that sickness because your judgement is but so much increased by your living Those that shall live out their dayes without true repentance of their sin every dayes mercy is but an aggravation of their condemnation There are many signs of Gods remaining displeasure methinks the clouds doe seem to return after the rain God doth not make it cleer day with us nor cause the clouds to break and scatter but to gather again There are many Signs as God's taking away those that are the prime and hopefull ones of the next generation that is a sad sign of worse judgements 1 King 14. 13. It was sad to Jeroboams house and so to all Israel the taking away Jeroboams Son in whom some good thing toward the Lord was found it was a judgement to the whole house of Israel he was taken from the evill and it was a sign from the Lord of the evill he would bring on them so the taking away so many of Gods faithfull ones especially in eminent place in Magistracy and in Ministry putting out so many lights in the Candlesticks and that men many of them in their prime in the flower of their years that were very likely to have lived many years and done much service to God that died not in a full old age and full of days but in their youth and in the flower of their dayes and which is a great deal worse and makes it look the sadder that there are not any doe rise and fill their places that it is so hard a thing to see and rationally to think that there are men to fill up the rooms of those God hath taken from us When stars doe set and there are no others that rise it is a sign of a very dark uight when men that stood in the gap are taken away and none to put in their room they are sad signs that God hath a mind to take away the hedge unless speedy repentance and reformation prevent this ruine Yet this is the saddest sign of all that these things doe befal◠us and so few doe lay them to heart that men are not awakened to bestir themselves to lay hold on God that when they have lost all visible props they doe 〈◊〉 make sure of God to be their friend While God himself stands at a distance and 〈◊〉 sinners stand at a distance from God this is the saddest sign of all 〈…〉 not humbled doe not stir up themselves to lay hold on God Isa 〈…〉 are taken away no man laying it to heart that was the 〈…〉 People had there been broken hearts under a breach that might have made some amends and have been a means to prevail with God to pour out his Spirit but to be an unhumbled unreformed people under such dispensations of God this is one of the saddest signs though I do verily believe and have many Arguments to sway my thoughts concerning it that God will not throw up the work he hath done in New-England will not utterly root up the plant he hath planted and that the Judgement God hath taken out of the hand of an Enemy he may not easily put it into the hand of another but that he will take it himself and deal with his People by his own hand but yet believe it if God love you if you are such that God hath special favour for then God will not spoyle you and if God will not spoyle you then he will not spare his Rod and you may be sure if one will not do another shall The godly holy shall be refined if one Furnace will not do it another shall Those that are Elect however they are like wild Asses Colts God will have his Month to find you God hath other Thorns to set in the way of your lovers if you will be like Manasseh that must be taken in the bushes God will have his time to do it when you shall humble your selves and your Souls before the God of your Fathers them that God hath designed for Conversion they shall be converted what every way God hath to do it it seems to be a terrible way but if there be some God hath no such special love for let me tell you God will not spare you to spoyle his end God is about reforming work not only his People but things among his people God is about to have other manner of Churches and other manner of Spirits his People shall be refined but they shall be consumed it will be a terrible day of the Lord but shall be as refiners fire and will purifie the gold but the dross shall be consumed in the fire And therefore let me leave this solemn advice with you nay it is not mine but Christs and that the Lord himself gives you that you bewail your former and take heed of future sinning Eccl. 12. 1 2. Remember your Creator in the dayes of your Youth the Clouds may not return after the Rain It is spoken to those that are not only in the beginning of their time but in their prosperous time If you so do you will not only prevent future judgements but be in the way to better mercyes as well as continue those you have I may say to you from the Lord you have seen the worst dayes the bitterness of death is over the best are behind and your present preservation is a pledge of your future Salvation Psal 94. 12. Psal 119 71 75. which will put an end to sin sorrow and the fear of either for ever And may say with him Isai 38. 17. In love to my Soul the Lord hath delivered me for he hath cast all my sins behind his back and with the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. FINIS In the Epistle l. 4. for vein r. view P. 4. l. 20. r. Luk. 10.
are thus amongst us many are willing to be last at the house of God and the first that may go out but now you will throw all that you have done after your Thank-offering if you go and sin again It is not whole burnt-offering and Sacrifices but a loving and serving God with all the heart and Soul that is acceptable to him Therefore you must not think you have made amends to God for healing mercy because you have given a verbal acknowledgement no this is the language of mercy and if you would be true to God goe and sin no more Psal 50. ult Who so offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his eonversation aright will I show the Salvation of God They go both together to such a one God will show his Salvation Indeed all our acknowledgments else are but mockery For to say God we thank thee or to bring a publick acknowledgement of praise to God and yet for the sinner to do all he can against God it is a horrid piece of mockery you had better say nothing at all As she said to Sampson Judg. 16. Thou hast mocked me and hast not told me all thine heart so may God say to many a sinner This must needs be a great sin when instead of acknowledging God you come to provoke him and to put the highest affront upon the divine Majesty Psal 78 36. They remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth and lyed to him with their Tongue for their heart was not upright with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant To think to flatter and speak God fair it is the greatest indignity a sinner can put upon the great God he that is able to discern all your flatteryes and what your hearts say it is to put a great affront upon the heavenly Majesty and instead of giving him the praise it is a cursing and blaspheming of him to his face VSE II. It is of Reproof unto those that are so far from taking heed that they sin no more after great and eminent Deliverances when God hath unbound them and set them a liberty that they do sin a great deal more that instead of being reformed and carrying it better to God they carry it a great deal worse This did stigmatize Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. This is that Abas after his affliction and Gods deliverance he sinned more and more And that the Lord charges upon Israel Judg. 10. 11 12. I delivered you from such and such a misery and affliction when you cryed yet notwithstanding you have forsaken me therefore I will deliver you no more In Jer. 1. 6. it is said the Lord hearkened and heard no man spake aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done like wild Creatures that have been chained up a while they are the more fierce They turned more fiercely after their wicked wayes and were more bold and daring in them this is a great provocation VSE III. It is of Exhortation to press this holy and suitable Counsel of Jesus Christ on them that have been under Deliverance Have you been delivered from the sword of a cruel enemy or the Small Pox that killing disease Have your Families been delivered What is your duty now That should be the great enquiry of your Souls what shall I doe for God I cannot give you Counsel in better words then Christ gives here Goe and sin no more that is take heed tâ—at you doe not goe on in those evills that God hath convinced any of in themselves or others in the time of their distress As 1. In sins of Omission God hath been punishing for these things and how many in bitterness of soul have expressed how God hath charged these home upon their Consciences when they have been near unto death as neglect of a right improvement of the precious seasons of grace when any of you live under soul-saving means under the offer and tender of Christ and yet have not improved it Consider that the neglect of Christ is the greatest sin and it will be charged by Christ at the day of Judgement among the greatest of evils even sins of Omiâ—sion Mat. 26. latter end This you did not to me This neglect of Christ will be charged heavy at that day upon you that doe not make it your great main and daily business to be turned and truly changed to be fitted to die when God hath put you in fear of death and eternity what evills have been your trouble and fear then but your unfitness for that change Will it not be your great sin that another sickness or danger should find you as unprepared as you were How bitterly have I heard this lamented by some that they have not given up themselves to be in Covenant with the people of God as well as to the Lord that they have been negligent of Church Communion with Gods people How many dying ones have with bitterness of Soul bewailed this that there own sad and discouraging thoughts of themselves or rather their own pride hath hindred from that which is such a Covenant-engaging duty How many in a time of distress have made these vows that after such a sickness they would give themselves up to God Do you look upon these as great things of Christ and of his Interest Hath not God made the special promise of a blessing to a thousand generations That that doth perpetuate there enjoyment of God to future Ages is this joyning our selves to the people of God Therefore to live in the neglect of that is a great sin and if God hath convinced you of it take heed that you forfeit not your deliverance by such sins Again negligence under the means of grace This hath also been sorrowfully bewailed either in not coming to hear that they have neglected any Season and when hearing they have cast Gods word behind them 2. As sins of Omission so also of Commission when God hath convinced of these sins take heed of them again Hath God told you of Sensuality or of uncleanness or unrighteousness take heed that these sins do not live revive in you after healing mercy Let not God find you at these practices again The Lord saith to us you shall have your life upon condition you will sin no more and you accept it and look upon it as a great favour Now the Lord when he comes to condemn you will do it out of your own mouths and this sin especially your sin after deliverance hastens thy Judgement 1 King 2. 42. As Solomon said to Shimei so here it may be said to such a sinner SERM. IV. THe Doctrine we are speaking to is That it is the duty of healed and saved ones to be very careful they sin no more We shewed what it is to sin no more and why such as are under healing and saving mercyes should sin no more We are upon the
improvement hereof by way of Exhortation that I may set home this Counsel of Jesus Christ on all your hearts and upon my own that we take good heed that we sin no more There are five or six Motives or considerations to further our acceptance and improvement of this Counsel If it were no more then that it is the Counsel of Christ from his own blessed mouth who is a true lover of mens Souls that were enough to further any that have love to Jesus Christ and to their own Souls to be careful to attend to his Counsel Christ never advised any to their own hurt Suppose you had been hearing Christ himself and that he had spoken in particular to you do not you think his words would have been of weight to you why this is Christs advice and not to that man only but to all in like case therefore for your furtherance Consider 1. That sinning again will disappoint you of the good of your deliverance I say it will eat out the good and sweet of it The outward mercy of healing or whatever the Salvation of God is to you it is not a mercy alone Such is mans misery since the fall that there is no outward mercy or dispensation of God to him but if it comes alone it comes under the curse and it proves a greater misery then a mercy and where you enjoy any mercy from God if it do not deliver you from sin it is not in favour but comes under the influence of the old Covenant 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. As the Apostle saith of every Creature of God it is good if it be received with Thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer i. e. if it be received with a heart truly Thankful it is sanctified without this you have no good in any Creature enjoyment because it is unsanctified as whatever the sinner doth is defiled because himself is defiled so whatever he enjoys is defiled he himself being unsanctified Then mercy and outward deliverance carries a great deal of good in it when it fits you for Gods service then it tends to the end of its first Institution to further the Service of God but sinning again destroys this end of it If a mercy makes you better then it is a choice mercy but if it do not better you in your Souls it is far from being good to you I may say of such mercies as of Jonahs goard Jon. 4. 5 6. When he was in great distress and the Sun beat upon him and greatly afflicted him and the Lord made a goard to come up over Jonah to be a shadow over his head to deliver him from his grief and Jonah was exceeding glad of the goard But Jonah was not sanctified hereby in his heart by obedience to God therefore there was a worm that smote the Goard that it withered You may be glad of your deliverances but if sin remain it will be as a worm in them to destroy the shadow the comforts of them therefore take heed that you sin no more for that will spoyle you of the best good of your mercyes the flower and sweetness of a mercy will be eaten out thereby that is the first Motive 2. Consider that sinning after deliverance will hinder you from the enjoyment of other mercyes which God intends you together with your deliverance for that is not all God intends in shewing poor sinners a common bounty Christ seems to tell this healed man here this is not all my meaning in coming to heal thee I have Soul healing to bestow upon thee but sin stops and prevents this as the Lord said to David If that had been too little I would have done so and so for thee 2 Sam. 12. 8. the outward mercy is the least God is inclined to do more but as Jer. 5. 25. Your iniquities have turned away his Ear from you and your sins have withheld good things from you Are you not made better by mercyes are you not changed renewed by repentance under mercyes what is the matter why your sins have hindred your iniquityes have kept good things from you As it is said God makes a way for his anger so sometimes he doth for his mercy in removing a present Judgement but Impenitency unreformedness that stands in the way God had made for his mercy as it is said of Christ at Capernaum he could do no great works there because of their Vnbelief So to speak with reverence God cannot proceed in mercy when sin is renewed Christ tells them Luk. 16 11. If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your trust the true Riches if you carry it not well to God in a common mercy do you think that God will bestow and betrust you with more and better mercyes 3. Consider that sinning after deliverance it is a greater sin then your sins before you received the mercy you cannot sin now at so easy a Rate as before you sin with a higher hand Your mercy puts an aggravation upon your sin for to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Iam. 4. ult that is he sinneth at a higher Rate then another because he sinneth against light yea and against love Gods love therefore his sin is of a deeper dye then the sins of others are 4. Consider they that sin after Deliverance they are a greater provocation to God God is more angry with such for such sins then others 2 Sam. 12. 8. the Lord by the Prophet reckons up great things to David he did for him I anointed thee King over Israel I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into thy bosome and I gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord for it is said Chap. 11. ver ult The thing that David had done displeased the Lord so that the Sword should not depart from his house c. Sins after Deliverances and great Mercyes are a great provocation 5. Consider sins after deliverance they are sins against your special engagements and Covenants I doubt not but many of you in time of distress have made that prayer which David did Psal 119. 175. Let my Soul live and it shall praise thee have not many of your prayers and cryes in sickness been that you might live to praise God to be better in Gods Service Now to live in sin to Gods dishonour after deliverance how contrary is this to your Ingagements to reproach and blaspheme his holy Name afterward 6. Consider the great advantage of not sinning any more this is preserving Diet of an healed sinner Christ as a wise and faithful Phisitian prescribes this as health preserving Diet. This is the way to preserve and continue the mercyes you have received and