unworthiness but it is an evidence that mercy is then in mercy when it doth not onely elevate and lift up our hearts in admiration and praising God but in commending him to others as the object of their trust and hope 3. Doct. That the scope and aim of every Person should be everlasting life 4. Doct. That the onely way to obtain this everlasting life is in a way of believing 5. Doct. That the work of beleiving is a difficult work 6. Doct. Because it is a difficult thing to believe therefore God hath appointed all kind of helps for the working of faith in the hearts of believers But I shall wave all these and speak to this Doct. God is pleased sometimes to single out Capital and notorious offenders to make them the objects of his special and distinguishing mercy to the end they may be as standing instances and famous Monuments of his mercy in after ages and thereby prevent all occasions of doubts suspicion and jealousies which humble sinners are in danger of This Doctrine must be warily understood I do not say God always or ordinarily doth so this cannot possibly be it is contrary to the holiness and truth of God As God is a holy God be cannot but abhor sin Though he hath mercy sometimes on the greatest sinners yet he bears a perfect detestation to sin therefore sin is called ant abominable thing do not that abominable thing that I hate He cannot but have an infinite displeasure against sin because it is so unsuteable to his holiness 11. Psal 5 6 7. The Lord trieth the Righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth His countenance doth behold the upright and those only with approbation and delight So as to the truth and veracity of God in his threatnings against sin which he hath so severely pronounced his displeasure against he is in point of his truth and faithfulness obliged to make good what he hath threatened as well as promised Therefore God doth not always nor ordinarily make notorious sinners the objects of his pardoning mercy because this would make God a seeming approver of what himself hates and a countenancer of what he puts a great discountenance upon but sometimes God singles out some notable sinners and leaves them as instances and monuments to after ages and it is to this end and purpose that they might be as so many Beacons on a hill to warn others to take heed of their sins and to give light to others to encourage them notwithstanding their objections doubts and fears Sometimes you finde S. Paul admiring the grace of God shewed to him that he who was at that remoteness and distance from mercy should find mercy and favour You have a notable instance in the 2 Ephes 2. Wherein in times past speaking of them in their Gentilism ye walked according to the course of this world c. This was a sad condition to be under the power to be captive to the will and pleasure of such an usurper Vers 4. But God who is rich in mercy hath quickned us together with Christ In the 7. vers That in the ages to come be might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ That he might leave such standing objects of his mercy as might obviate and prevent all discouragements in doubting Christians and because S. Paul propounds himself singly in this Text I shall confine my self to that particular instance and the end and account upon which he obtained so much mercy it was that he might be a pattern to others In opening the Doctrine I shall speak to three things 1. What those sins were that S. Paul before his conversion was guilty of and notwithstanding which he obtained mercy which was in his eye so great a wonder 2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding those great sins 3. What there is of Encouragement from these instances of S. Paul and others recorded in the Scripture for the encouragement of doubting Christians in after ages 1. What were those sins S. Paul was guilty of before his Conversion You find them summ'd up in the 13 vers of this Chapter I was a blasphemer That is the first Now blasphemy was a capital crime and to be punished with death and by stoning to death There are two things remarkable in the punishment of blasphemers It was no less then death and every person who was not guilty was bound to purge himself from so great a crime by witnessing his detestation of it Thy hand shall be first against him The tender Father must be severe against the Child of his own bowels Blasphemy is branded in Scripture with many black titles and the punishment of it was very severe This was the great crime objected against Naboth he must be carried out of the City and stoned as a vile Person not fit to live because he blasphemed God and the King 1 King 21.9.13 A greater crime then this the enemies of our Saviour notwithstanding all their combinations against him could not alledge a stronger charge then that of blasphemy they could not lay against him 26 Matth. 65. Then the high Priest rent his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy What was the blasphemy 61 vers This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days Here was reproachful Language this fellow this contemptible fellow spake thus and thus and you have heard his blasphemy what need you any more witnesses This is such a sin that Herod though he was not guilty of blaspheming God himself yet because he did seem to countenance others who did when he made that eloquent Oration when the People cryed out it is the voice of a God and not of a man 12. Act. 21.22 for his bare connivance at this sin brought ruine upon himself because he took the glory to himself Because David had but occasioned the enemies to blaspheme God dealt so severely with him the Child must die 2 Sam. 12.14 I might shew at large with what severity the Magistrates were bound to bear witness against this sin 5. Levit. 1. And unless we express a detestation of this sin we make it our own That is the first a blasphemer 2. A persecutour and that he was to purpose do but observe those emphatical expressions by which S. Paul sets out the hainousness of his guilt of this sin 7. Act. 58. And cast him out of the City and stoned him 8. Act. 1. And Saul was consenting to his death 9. Act. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. And this is the next step to blasphemy perfecution He would neither imbrace Christianity himself nor could he patiently endure that others should but with all the rage and fury imaginable he laboured to oppose the ways of Christ 3. He was Injurious the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but once more used
is an account given why the Gospel should extend to the Gentiles because God will be glorified among them 3. Ephes 21. He is able and ready to do for his People above what they can either ask or think That he might have glory in all ages even to the to the end of the world Secondly We are under the same encouragements because we are under the same promises that they were and what there is of difference is rather of advantage to us above what it was to them the promises to us are more clear and plain We have the same Covenant now that they had 3. Gal. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles we have the same Covenant to plead And the terms and conditions upon which mercy is tendered in the promises is the same as faith and repentance which was accepted then is accepted now and these conditions are more clear now then at that time 3. The great design and intent of God in singling out such Persons is that he might give sufficient antidotes against all objections this is the account S. Paul gives in this place That in â—e first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe Now how hath God been pleased by such examples to provide against all the discouragements of poor humbled and doubting sinners 1. God hereby shews that as great and notorious sinners as we can think our selves to be have been pardoned I obtained mercy saith S. Paulâ— who was a blasphemer therefore let no man hence forward despair of mercy for there is riches and fulness enough of mercy in the bosome of God for the greatest sinners Manasseh whom the Scripture discovers to be as a summary or an abridgement of all kind of wickedness 2 Chrâ—â— 33.2 had done like the heathen in all their abominations 9. vers He made them equal with them in Witchcrafts and Idolatry and in all manner of abominations Nay to exceed the heathen and yet when he was in Affliction in the 12 13. vers he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed unto him and he was entreated of him Great sinners may be pardoned 2. Some object the unworthiness of their Person but consider as unworthy Persons as you can be have obtained mercy and been made instruments of mercy to others 36. Ezek. 31.32 3. Persons as unwilling as you have found mercy 5. John 40. It s our Saviours great complaint you will not come to me that you might have life he is willing to give it what can poor dead Persons more need then life he is willing to bestow it he invites them to accept of it but they would not come to him that they might have life But yet many of those obtained mercy Nay Let me adde farther is it your inability that discourageth you As unable as you have found mercy our Saviour tells us 6. John 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him We are all naturally unable unwilling and unworthy yet God gives encouragement by these instances and standing monuments of his favour to answer all objections Vse 1. This may serve by way of reproof to three sorts of Persons Hath God left such standing Monuments of his mercy to Notorious offenders even such as is sufficient to answer all objections if they be but once humbled and come to him upon his own terms Then this may reprove such as Consult not the Scriptures that know not what monuments God hath left upon record for our encouragement at what a loss are such Persons for the making use of such examples 2. It reproves such as are careless in making use of them that seldom concern themselves about the case of their souls that neither Consider how it is with them at present nor how it is like to be with them for the future 3. It reproves such as make a perverse use of these examples in turning the grace of God into Lasciviousness and Wantonness in making use of these examples of mercy either for the imboldening of themselves in sin to the hardening of their hearts against Gods fear or to encourage themselves in the delaying their repentance and applying themselves to God for mercy but let loose the reins of their Corruptions because such great sinners have been pardoned Therefore a Pardon is easie to be had it is but crying God have mercy upon me Oh take heed of such bold Presumption in sin it is a most dangerous thing to play the wantons with the tender grace and mercy of God how many are apt to plead for the justification of their sins because many have been saved who have been guilty of their sins I do not know of any kind of sins but God hath given us instances of his saving some from such sins But what a high degree of blasphemy is this to pervert the grace of God to such contrary ends to what God intended it All along in Scripture these Monuments are mentioned to keep us humble thankful and lively in the service of God and not to enbolden us in sin this is quite contrary to the whole design of the Gospel Hence see also the necessity of keeping these famous instances fresh in your thoughts for the supporting of your Spirits Oh think what their case is how difficult and dangerous who forget these examples and what success they will find who improve them faithfully and not wantonly And consider the great difficulty of believing it is what God Commands in a way of Condition and it is what God hath promised in a way of grace it is beyond our power to believe who hath believed our report to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed it is onely the mighty Arm of God that can work faith in such hearts as ours are How much prejudiced are we against every thing of Faith as the Person of Christ and the righteousness of Christ What a hard task had S. Paul with many of the Churches as the Romanes and Galatians to bring them off from their self-righteousness and trusting to their works Oh it is not an easie matter to bring our hearts to close with Christ to think that Christ will entertain thoughts of mercy towards us These are the two Capital Mistakes by which most of the world miscarry either to think so slightly of sin as not to regard it or so blackly of sin as to think themselves past all remedy Let what hath been said encourage you to make this use to strengthen your faith and to lay hold humbly and thankfully on the promises made to you it is to this end that God hath left such paterns of mercy on record for us and consider it is the principal design of Satan to rob you of faith to weaken believing and to keep you off from believing Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat If Satan can but destroy our
meditating on this for these ends 1. That these Meditations might quicken us in our obedience When David had considered how many and how great were the mercies of God to him he sits down and says What shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness and loving kindness to me All I can do is too little I can never think any thing too much for that God to whom I owe so much Nor am I ever able to perform any thing suitable to such mercies These medications did so engage the hearts of the Ancient Martyrs that some grieved that they had no more lives to loose for God Another professed the only pride that he took in learning was that he had something to dispise and disesteem and account nothing in comparison of Jesus Christ Hath God a regard to our Eternal good Consider but this and this will be helpful to quicken us in our obedience and to make us think that we can never sufficiently express our selves thankful 2. The meditation of this glorious Inheritance is useful for the strengthening of patience in sufferings Though we are now passing through a wilderness if we have but a sight of Canaan a Pisgah sight of Canaan it will bear up our faith from sinking under discouragements With what resolutions would this Arm us as it did the Apostles It made them make light of Afflictions Our light afflictions which are but for a moment work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory This made them despise all manner of afflictions their meditation was sixt here He fears no danger that sets heaven in his eye 3. It is very useful to render what ever is either directly in its own nature or any other way endangering this Inheritance to render it hateful as all our sins do Do but think what large provisions God hath made for his People that nothing can keep them off from those mercies but their sins These Meditations are very helpful to imbitter the thoughts of sin Consider the distance that is between God and our Souls already is of sins making and in reference to our everlasting welfare it is only sin makes the danger What ever diverts us from minding the things of heaven it makes them inconsiderable Meditate upon these things and it will render the world a vain thing and the allurements of the flesh contemptible and all outward things inconsiderable 4. These Meditations are useful to arm us against all dangers 1 Thes 5.8 putting on the brest plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Do but set heaven before your eyes and let your Meditations be much upon that and think of that as yours and you will think all things else but very little The reason why afflictions seem so great and outward comforts so great a matter is because these greater matters are so little in our esteem SERMON IV. Isaiah cap. 8. vers 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him THese words contain the Prophets resolution how to carry himself in that time of Jacobs trouble and therein an excellent pattern for our imitation The particular time to which these words refer was a dark and gloomy season a day of rebuke and blasphemy many black clouds were already gathered over the heads of Gods people two neighbouring Kings combine against them and by their united strength design the ruine of Jerusalem the King of Syria and the King of Israel Cap. 7.1 2 6. In this their distress so tender was God not onely of the safety but of the comfort of his people that no sooner do they discern their dangers but he lets them know their deliverence for upon this very message he sends the Prophet Cap. 7. vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 and for the strengthening of their faith in believing these glad tidings God gives them many assurances of the certainty thereof both in the former Chapter and in this In the beginning of this Chapter the Prophet by the name of his Son Maher shalal hash baz the signification of which name is rendred in the Margin declares the speedy destruction of their enemies Whether these things were transacted in a vision onely as those in Hosea cap. 1. or whether they were real is not material to determine Thus much is clear that their deliverance by the King of Assyria falling upon their adversaries is foretoken'd within a little time to be accomplished vers 4. and so strong was the Prophets faith in crediting these signs of their deliverance that vers 9. he turns his speech to the enemies aforemention'd letting them know the vanity of their combinations and the fruitlessness of their attempts because God was with his people v. 10 11 he speaks to the people of God themselves disswading them from two things First From seeking safety by unwarrantable and sinful confederacies either with the Assyrian or any other Nation vers 12. Such confederacies though they had been frequent had never been successful but always to their prejudice Secondly From timorousness because of approaching dangers vers 12. As a remedy against these fears he propounds the fear of God vers 13. the more they fear'd him the less would they fear others And to encourage them to make tryal of this remedy he tells the advantage of it vers 14. he will be a sanctuary i. e. a refuge a shelter an hiding place a place of retreat and safety Thus God promises Ezek. 11.16 and by these apprehensions of God the Church overcomes all her fears Psal 46. vers 1 2 3 4 5. The Prophet having shewn what God will be to his people shews in the same verse what God will be to others even to such in Israel and Judah as refus'd to be ruled by him or rely upon him But because the Prophet found so little success among the generality of this people God commands him vers 16 to bind up the testimony and seal the Law among his disciples thereby intimating as some think that he would not have the Prophet deal further with those faithless and prophane scoffers but reserve those sacred mysteries of the Messiah to be imparted to the faithful who would with due reverence embrace them Sealing was used of old either for secrecy as men seal letters or for safety as Merchants seal Wares or for certainty as men seal contracts or for authority as Princes and Commanders Seal commissions Now in these words follows the Prophets resolution what he would do in the interim till deliverance should come Some Interpret these words as spoken by Christ in regard of the verse following Others think them a Parenthesis declaring the Prophets resolution what course he would take in that day of Jacobs trouble I will wait c. In the words are these two particulars 1. The condition or posture of the Church of God at that time The persons here spoken of are said to be the house of
under all those agonies and pains he neither brake out against Instruments nor against God but patiently endured all Again the most high and listinguishing favours that God his Father shewed to him as the Son of his love and that Son of his in whom his Soul alone delighted could not lift him up as afflictions could not fink him so neither could these transport him as the one could not cast him down so nither could the other lift him up Alas it is hard for us to be in a high condition and to keep our hearts humble but consider the great favour that God shewed him in his Baptisme when the Angel descended in the shape of a Dove and by that voyce from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased yet how humbly and how evenly did he carry it under all varieties of occurrences that he met with here upon earth Again the strongest temptations could not unsettle him when Satan came with his large proffers All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me he answered him Get thee behind me Satan for it is written thou shalt worthe Lond thy God and him only shalt thou serve The greatest oppositions could not abate his diligence or make him the more remiss neither the opposition of enemies nor the mistaken Counsels of friends as Peter Master spare thy self could take him off from his duty his obedience was so full and compleat that he left nothing unfulfilled of all that God commanded him John 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do I might shew the activeness and usefulness of the life of Christ and what a notable example we have in all respects of his burning zeal for Gods glory and his melting compassions towards poor Souls and his stooping to the meanest offices in order to his peoples good and his preferring the doing of good to others before his enjoying all the good of the world thus you see as our Principles are higher so our pattern is better 3. Your engagements are stronger than all others are other creatures are beholding to God for their beings for he made them and for their continuances in their beings he keeps their breath in their no strils they are beholding to God for their daily bread and outward comforts but the engagements of Christians are far greater than all these outwards mercies though these are great Consider the great things that God hath done for them in spiritual things in sanctifying their hearts with Grace this is a blessing that makes every thing a blessing to us to the pure all things are pure if God hath once seasoned our hearts with Grace in sanctifying them our Comforts are sanctified at least in a great measure for what is the sanctification of our comforts but only a bility to discharge those duties that those comforts enjoyn us to that is to be faithful in serving God with them In sanctifying our hearts our afflictions are sanctified now what is the sanctifying of our afflictions but the improving of them to the good of our Souls and the Glory of God nay in sanctifying our hearts all the Ordinances and Priviledges that we partake of are sanctified we make a sanctified use of all O what a great mercy is this such were some of you saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. But ye are sanctified You were in the lowest rank of sinners but you are now in the highest form of Creatures you are sanctified by the Spirit of God It is the work of sanctification that makes the great difference between persevering and Apostate Angels this is that that makes an everlasting difference between the Souls of some and the Souls of others some are born in sin and live and die in sin and perish for ever for their sins all are born in sin indeed but some are recovered out of the power of sin by the work of sanctification now what a wonderfull mercy is this so I might instance in the work of Convesiron in the work of the Justification of our Persons this is another Priviledge that God hath instated us in and O how great a priviledge is this David pronounceth him a blessed man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered And then God adopts them to be his Sons they who were enemies are made sriends by Justification but they that were strangers are made Sons by adoption and have the priviledge of Sons that is boldness of access to God as our Father Again every sincere Professor is made an heir not only a Son of God but also on Heir of Heaven and how great a Priviledge is this What ever our Condition is in this World yet all this will end in heaven glory happiness Then is the unspeakable aggravation of the mysery of the most flourishing ungodly man in the world whatever his condition is as to riches and greatness and all the grandure he is capable of yet all this will end in Hell but the sincere Soul though it lives under reproaches contempts and scorns and all things that are unlovely to flesh and blood shall have Heaven at last for they are heirs of Heaven 4. Your encouragements are greater than the encouragements of others it is a great word that the Apostle hath to all sincere Professors in the 1 Timoth. 4.8 Godliness is profitable to all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come it hath the promise of Earth and Heaven How great an encouragement is this we shall want nothing that is good for us that God sees convenient we shall have no more of trouble and affliction that when God sees convenient and needful for us for a little time if need be ye are in heaviness we shall have no more loads nor weights upon us but what we shall have assistance from God to support us under God hath engaged that we shall meet with no more difficulties in his service but what he will carry us through And then as to the other world all shall tend to their happiness there Now what an unspeakable comfort is this Alas this life is a life of vanity at the best nay this life is many times mixt with vexation in the best but to think of future Glory one would wonder there should be any thing of remissness or slightness in the service of God 5. Gods expectations from you are higher than others To whom much is given of them much is required God hath done so much for for you already and hath promised so much to you hereafter that he expects you should live not at the rate of other persons but above them and to outstrip them 6. Your dangers are greater if you be not faithful all they that enjoy the Gospel and do not answer the engagements of the Gospel are so far from being better than others that it is worse with them than others The wrath of God saith
Beloved a man of whom God himself gives that ample testimony that he was a 〈◊〉 after his own heart Acts 13.22 and yet how sore were his afflictions Saul and his Souldiers had banished him not only out of the City of Jerusalem but out of the Coasts of Israel in order to his safety he is forced to seek shelter among the uncircumcised nor can he long be safe there neither the Lords of the Philistnes work him out of favour with Achish their King David must now be packing the only retirement or Zoar he had was Ziklag his friends who had formerly comforted him are now in Captivity his City a ruinous heap all that was now left was only some small retinue and even those though they had formerly been not only his Companions but his Comforters in all his afflictions yet now instead of sympathizing with him they threaten to kill him because themselves were distressed with him instead of bemoaning him and bringing water to quench the fire of his sorrow they do but bring fewel to enflame his grief the more The instance is full Let me add the instance of the whole collective body of Gods people here on earth in all Ages it hath been generally thus with them the primitive Professors Heb. 11.36 37 38. of whom the world was not worthy Jesus Christ himself the only beloved of the Father was yet a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Consider his groans his cries his drops of blood and 't is clear therefore that whom God dearly loves he may and does sometimes deeply afflict not onely equally with others but many times above others But for the further proof hereof take these two Arguments 1. Argum The sharpest of outward afflictions are not inconsistent with the peculiar love of God as the sweetest of outward mercies are not the Arguments of that love Christ tells his Disciples John 18.36 His Kingdom is not of this world We must distinguish betwixt the Kingdom of his power and Providence and this certainly is both in and of this world and the Kingdom of his grace and goodness and this indeed is not of this world The Laws of this Kingdom are spiritual the priviledges the homage the comforts the all of this Kingdom is spiritual as concerning all temporals love hatred are not known by all that is before us Eccles 9.2 God hath higher and greater things whereby to shew his favour and anger than all these outward things are 2. Argum. The forest of outward afflictions are so far from being inconsistent with peculiar love that they are many times the expressions and evidences of that love Heb. 12.6 whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth c. Psal 119.75 There is a design of mercy to them in all their seeming miseries Consider those two Scriptures Psal 25.10 Rom. 8.28 the very best of Gods people make afflictions necessary in order to their good and therefore God will not so far neglect them as not to chastise them A tender Parent that beholds his Child running on in extravagancies the more he loves him the more severe he is in correcting him and the reason is because he hath no patience to see his Child ruin'd as for others God lets them alone in their sins Hos 4.17 he will not be at the pains of correcting them Isa 1.5 but the particular designes that God hath in correcting his people are almost innumerable take onely these few in stances 1. Sometimes it is to cure their spiritual maladies afflictions are Gods Physick to purge his furnace to refine 2. Sometimes to wean them from the world God imbitters these Creature comforts as the Nurse rubs the breast with wormwood and by that means weans the Child The world never doth seem a more vain and empty thing than in a time of affliction we are apt to make it our Idol but we then find it like Jobs friends Amiserable comforter a Physitian of no value 3. Sometimes to exercise their graces Jobs patience had never been so eminent had it not been so notably tried God does therefore reduce his people to great streights that their trials may be a testimony to those graces himself hath wrought in them their faith their patience their hope c. 4. Sometimes to encrease their experiences and that in two respects 1. Concerning their own weakness Times of affliction are sifting seasons God then discovers us to our selves the skill of a Pilot appears in a storm the valour of a Souldier in a Battle the strength or weakness of a Christian in a time of affliction 2. Concerning Gods goodness never doth God more fully manifest the bowels of his compassion than in a time of persecution when ordinary Providences were not sufficient for the people of Israel God provided for them by Miracles sometimes to prepare them for service The infinitely wise God who hath appointed several men to several services hath several moulds to fit and shape them for those services Joseph Moses David those eminent ine struments all trained up in afflictions Some there are whom God intends only as privat passengers others whom he intends as Pilots and these latter must be well acquainted with winds and Seas rocks and sands all the Books of Navigation can never make a skilful Mariner there must be experience so here 6. Sometimes to prepare them for mercies 't is our misery we seldom know how to prize mercies but when we want them The goodness of God the more continued it is the greater it is in it self but the less it seems to us and therefore God makes some pauses some intermissions of his favours that his mercies may thereby recover their due esteem with us and that we may the better manage them and thus doth God by wants fit his people for abundance by streits for enlargements by troubles for quietness 7. Sometimes to sharpen their desires after Heaven we are in this world but as Pilgrims and Travellers God permits us to meet with hardships in our journey to mind us of our home that our troubles here may stir up our longing after that rest which remains for the people of God hereafter Heb 4.9 Vse Take heed of entertaining so much as one jealous thought concerning the goodness faithfulness and tenderness of God towards you upon this account because he afflicts you 't is hereby he discovers his care of those whose welfare he is pleased to concern himself most in 2. Doct. That 't is the great advantage of all sincere Believers that in all their afflictions they have an interest in the Lord as their God When David here could call nothing in the world his he could call the Lord his this was his advantage in that sore distress 1. What was this advantage that David then had and all sincere Believers still have in God as their God above what others have in answer to which 1. There is an interest which all men have in God as he is their Creator and Preserver 2. There
supplies you and provides for you do you think there is any thing of worth or desert in you that you enjoy so much of health and so many outward comforts it is not upon your own account that God is thus bountiful and yet we find it was so much the folly of the People of Israel that they were ready to attribute all the Kindness of God to something or other in themslves and tehrefore it is that God himself is so often their Remembrancer and Monitour to put them in mind and to correct those mistakes about his choosing them to be his peculiar People whom he owned above all the People in the World Besides they were apt to think that there was something in them that might incline God to this kindness no says God in Deut. 7,7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number then any People but because the Lord loved you c. You may delude your selves with these fancies but because the Lord loved you he chose you and he loved you because he loved you His love had no motive but what was from himself no motive but only his own loving kindness and goodness Ezek 36.22.23 Thereofe say unto the House of Israel thus saith the Lord God when he promised great Mercies to them I do not this for your sakes oh House of Israel but for my Holy Names sake c. The kindnessess that God speaks of there are highly great and yet not any of them were upon the account of any thing in them And this it is really with us now as in some few instances 1. Gods electing love which is the first born of all Mercies and the first link of that golden Chain which you have in this very Chapt. 28.29 whom he did foreknow he also did pâ—edestinat c. This electing love it hath its first rise from the absolute will of God This is not the absolute purchase of Christs merits yet this is through Christ in some sense Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him that is in Christ as in the verse before we are chosen in him it is not said for him so that all the kindness that God hath for us even this which seems to be an Act of the highest Freedom and the most eminent expression of Gods rich grace That he should chuse and and pick out some and select them from the common multitude of mankind and to set them apart as special objects of his favour though this was from the absolute will of God was in and through Christ if you ask how I answer we are chosen in him not as the Foundation of our election but because we are chosen in him for his Members as He is our head That this first love of God had some reference to Christ though not as the onely procuring Cause yet as the consummating Cause to accomplish is abundantly evident through the Scripture we are elected in him that is that he should perfect this blessed and gracious decree of God upon us Eph. 3.11 According to the Eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. What purpose was this it was a purpose to save some to set his Heart and love upon some his electing love was thus far in Christ 2. The love of Conversion is in and through Christ Eph. 2.10 We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works c. And though God is the sufficient Cause of all the grace we partake of yet Christ is the meritorious Cause it is the gift of God and yet withal it is the purpose of Christ it is God alone that bestows grace and it is for the sake of Christ alone that he doth bestow it compare those two places James 1.17 you read that God is the Father of Lights But it comes all from God in and through Christ John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly God is willing to give it but it is in and through Christ that he gives it 3. Again to instance in the love of God in Justification it is God alone forgives sin and our Saviour herein appears to be equal with the Father because he hath committed all power into his hand power to forgive sins Now as God onely can forgive sin so it is onely for the sake of his Son that he doth forgive it Eph. 4.32 Even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you If God hath forgiven you it is not for your own sakes but for the sake of Christ do you forgive one another pass by injuries forgive offences make this your pattern which is the highest pattern that ever was or can be Col. 1.14 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins We have Redemption and Forgiveness but all come streaming down in the Blood of Christ In a word to sum up all the several Acts of Gods distinguishing love they are all in and through Christ and therefore you read that Doxology Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ He hath blessed us with the choicest blessings but all these are in and through Christ I shall now give you some Arguments to prove it and I shall only mention three First Because God neither can nor does love us as we are in our selves Matt. 3.17 And loe a Voyce from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased It is not spoken of Gods love to him in a common respect but of something peculiar to him and there is this double limitation as Interpreters note this is the Son of mine whom I eminently love and this is that Son of mine for whose sake I love the Sons of men all do acknowledge that this love is a confined and limited love that is spoken of here but yet they explain it thus My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased That is in whom I am eminently pleased and for whose sake I am pleased with them whose cause he undertakes As that Oyl that was powered on Aarons head descended to the Skirts of his Garment so that love that God hath to Jesus Christ descends to all his inferiour Members John 17.23 26. I in them and they in me that they may be made perfect in one c. These are high Expressions and such as exceed the capacity of all mortal men that God should love us with the same love wherewith he loved his Son The most sober sense by Interpreters given of these words is this That God in and through Christ loves his People for his sake with the same kind of love though not with the some degree of love Eph. 1.6 We are accepted in the Beloved if God accepts of us or smiles upon us it is in and through Christ Eph. 1.5 6. Having predestinated us to the adoption of Children
been apt to fall into an overwhelming sense of both and to look upon their wound as incureable and their disease past healing Some think so well of themselves that they stand in no need of help others think so ill of themselves that they look upon themselves as past all help It is no ease matter to keep in the middle between both These are both dangerous to us and highly derogatory to the grace of God both are a reproach to his kindness On the one hand to think that God would be at that vast expence and charge to make so full provision for poor souls beyond what they need this is to make the blood of his Son to run wast To think on the other side that the provision that God hath made is too narrow short and scant for our relief this is a great reproach to the mercy of God But because this is frequently the case of souls whom the Spirit of God convinceth of sin and are not yet throughly convinced of righteousness they stick in these Bryars and are aâ—t to be gravelled with objections doubts and 〈◊〉 Therefore God as a tender Father to 〈…〉 high regard of his Peoples comfort 〈…〉 hath been pleased to provide against 〈…〉 ragements these three ways First By the discovery of his rich and free grace the boundlessness and unfathomableness of his mercy Secondly by discovering so many rich and precious promises as they are called 2 Pet. 1.4 By which he gives incouragement to them to come to him Thirdly By notable instances of his superabundant mercy to sinners in times past leaving them as monuments for ages to come as here in S. Paul and others The Apostle in the 15 verse saith This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof I am chief having set down the â—â—ches of Divine Grace and the full provision that God hath made therein for the chief of sinners propounds himself here in the text for on example and pattern to strengthen the faith of others and by his own experience to incourage them to make â—â—yal of what he had sound such full and sufficient relief from How be it for this cause I obtained mercy c. In the words here is 1 S. Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgment of that kindness and mercy which God had shewed to him 2. The gratious interpretation and Construction with the improvement he makes of this mercy 1.8 Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgement of that kindness and mercy which God had shown him How be it I obtained mercy there is an emphasis in the words how be it I who seemed to be at such a distance and remoteness from mercy I who seemed to be so unmeet so unworthy and under so many discouragements and great disadvantages for what case can possibly go beyond mine how be it I obtained mercy though my case was so bad S. Paul speaks here of such instances as can scarsely be paralelled I that was in the 13 vers a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurions yet I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief not that S. Paul would thereby extenuate or diminish his sins he onely comforted himself in this that his sins were committed out of ignorance there was more of mistake then maliciousness in them and that he did not intend an extenuation or diminution of his sins appears because he aggravates them so much and maketh it so great a wonder that ever such an one as he should obtain mercy He speaks it as a matter of admiration and astonishment for if any person may seem to be uncapable of mercy saith he I was as like as any I came so near the borders of the unpardonable sin that it is a wonder to me and to all that understand what my carriage hath been that I should obtain mercy Secondly Here is the interpretation that S. Paul makes of the kindness of God to him it is not singly to him to his benefit to his personal and peculiar advantage but for the incouragement of others in after times For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe c. It is the Language of a humble and thankful soul For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first First how it cannot be understood in respect of order of time because there were multitudes who had obtained mercy that lived in the ages before and as great sinners as S. Paul as Manasseh and others in the Old and New Testament How then doth he say in me first Not so much in respect of the order of time as the clear evidence of the riches of mercy In me first that is in me chiefly thus many learned interpreters expound it Besides the word is the same with that in the verse before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated there Chief This is a faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am chief 1. Doct. God in shewing mercy to some doth intend good to others S. Paul was sensible of this in the mercy that he himself had partaken of I obtained mercy but it was that I might be a pattern to them who believe David was sensible of this in that prayer of his 51 Psal 9 10 11 12 13. when he had been petitioning of God for mercy 9. vers Hide thy face from my sins c. 13 Then will I teach transgressours thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Oh do but shew me these favours and mercies and I will improve them for the benefit of others 40. Psal 1.10 David expresseth his faithfulness to God and his thankfulness for the mercies he had received because he did thus declare it Nay this is the very end of Gods leaving these things upon record the kindness he shews to his people and the severity he expresseth toward his enemies that these might be improved by us to our good 15. Rom. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope But I shall not insist on this 2. Doct. One of the highest expressions of our thankfulness to God for the mercies he hath vouchsafed to us is to do our utmost to encourage others to own and acknowledge and to come in to God and partake of what we enjoy What a wonder doth S. Paul make it here that he had mercy from God How be it I obtained mercy though such and such a one as I was yet I obtained mercy but it was for a pattern to others that hereafter should believe on him to everlasting life He debaseth himself as low as hell and exalteth Gods mercy above the heavens indeed every thing of mercy is a great wonder considering what we are in point of vileness and
in the New Testament 1 Rom. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Translated despiteful and denotes thus much When his power could not reach the Persons of Professours nor the worldly concerns of Professours yet he did his utmost to blast their names and blemish their reputation he was a reviler he forbore nothing that was injurious to them but what was beyond his power to inflict These were his sins 2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding such sins and that in three instances 1. Sparing mercy God had born with him Notwithstanding he was often guilty of those sins which might have brought wrath and destruction more quickly upon him he wondered at Gods patience towards him this is mentioned in this verse That he might shew forth all long suffering When he once came to understand what he had been and what he had done he stands amazed at the holy God that had so much patience with him God had it is true struck him to the ground he admired that God had not struck him as low as hell We are apt to think beholding the gross abominations that are more open and visible in our days what infinite patience there is in God that he doth not immediately break out upon such as are guilty but S. Paul like a poor humble sinner busies himself at home and spends his wondering chiefly on Gods patience towards himself who had been a blasphemer and persecutour and injurious and yet alive and on this side hell yet a pattern of the patience and long-suffering of God 2. He obtained pardoning and renewing mercy in respect of that double change that was wrought upon him there was an outward change in respect of his State and Condition and there was an inward change in respect of the frame and disposition of his heart These were the high and choice mercies which he obtained Mercy in respect of his state and condition Of a childe of wrath he became a childe of mercy and favour from a state of death he was brought into a state of life from a state of condemnation he was brought into a state of absolution and pardon as he himself speaks 2 Ephes 5. Even when we were deed in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ We were dead guilty of death under a state of condemnation but now 5. Rom. 1. being justified by faith we have peace with God Now justification is not only an act of mercy and consists not barely in the remission of sin but it is an act of justice also in regard of the account upon which sin is forgiven this is a Doctrine whereof many in these times speak very lightly therefore to give a right notion of Justification consider it doth not only consist in the bare remission of sin but this remission of sin is upon a valueable consideration Divine Justice having received a valueable satisfaction by the blood of Christ For nothing could expiate our sins but his blood Now S. Paul was sensible of the great mercy of God to him and by this mercy he means pardoning mercy Again he did partake of purging mercy in regard of the inward frame and disposition of his heart This he frequently mentions Thirdly That is not all but he obtained Commissionating grace grace to be employed to be made use of in the highest degree of service to God and his Church From the lowest degree of infamy he was raised to the highest place of trust 12. vers of this Chapter And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that be counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry Though the Ministry be never so much despised he accounted it a high honour to be put into it he that was a blasphemer a persecutour injurious that Christ should put this honour upon him here is mercy indeed for such an offender to be spared to be pardoned to be sanctified to be made use of as such a glorious chosen instrument of God among the Gentiles this was mercy indeed 3. What encouragement is there in this and such like famous instances which God hath left upon record as monuments of his mercy for broken hearted sinners who are ready to sink under the weight and burden of their own sins First These examples and standing monuments of Gods mercy to others are incouragements to humble broken hearted sinners because the same Fountain of mercy still stands open to us that was open to them and by these standing monuments God hath enabled his people to answer those puzzling objections that do stick most with them The bowels and compassion of a gracious God are open now which were open to Saint Paul This is the original of all kind of mercies and unless this be open every door of mercy is 〈◊〉 59. Isa 1. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save He hath the same bowels now which he had he is the fame yesterday and to day and for ever his mercy is from one generation to another The mercy of the Lord endures for ever It is no less then twenty times mentioned in the 136. Psalm We have the same fountain opened to us that is the Bowelâ— of God Secondly There is the fame meritorioussâ—â—â— in the bloud of Christ now as was He is the Laâ—â— slain from the foundation of the world There is an everlasting efficacy in his blood The Papists speak of their Treasury of Indulgences that sinners may live upon if they will give a handsome rate for them this is a gross delusion and multitudes have been deceived with it But this is true and real in Christ there is a treasury of all kinde of blessings laid up by his purchase by his once offering up himself be hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thirdly There is the same efficaciousness in the Spirit of Grace We have the same operations of the Spâ—â—â— of grace to convince and to convert to sanctifie and renew us to prevent us from siâ—â—ing and to regenerate us to holiness to assist us and to enable us to every good way and work Fourthly If you regard the instrumental cause there is the same vertue in ordinances now which ever was because the strength and vertue of ordinances depend upon Gods presence and concurrence with them Now God hath promised his presence and concurrence to the end of the world 28. Matth. last Lo I am with you to the end of the world Not only with your Persons while your live but with your successours by whom the same ordinances are dispenced when you are dead and gone Again if you regard the final cause salvation and happiness God hath the same love for the salvation of lost and undone creatures now which he had of Old therefore says S. Paul 15. Rom. 8 9. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto your Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy There
there is no other way to answer our Objections but by believing thousands of troubled thoughts may afflict and burden us but faith answers all 2. A patient and persevering expectation of Gods trturn how long soever he delay Though God do not answer us in our time yet patience waits Gods time though he do not return so soon as we desire yet will he stay no longer then he sees it for our good and therefore this is the language of patience Habbac 2.3 the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Psal 37.7 rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self c. he that believes makes not hast 'T is the proper work of patience to wait Gods leasure and not to think him slack concerning his promises Heb. 10.37 God hath told us he will come as a deliverer and patience expects his coming till at last it can say with that Martyr Master Glover He is come He is come Saul waited as he thought a long time for Samuel but at last his patience is wearied out 1 Sam. 13.8 9 13 14. But to wait is to abide Gods time Hos 3.3 with Ezek. 38.8 The Jews sate as a desolate widow some hundreds of years before Christ and above sixteen hundred years since praying that God would again build their temple God's time is not yet come for them now to wait is to hold out hope is by some compared to a line patience is nothing else but hope and faith drawn forth 3. A following God with fervent and uncessant prayers though he seem at present not to regard them though he deal with us as he did with the Church Lament 3.44 whose prayers could not pass yet to wait is to charge our selves still to wait as David Psal 62.1 My soul waiteth upon the Lord and vers 5. of that Psalm My soul wait thou upon God Though God do not as yet answer yet to wait is never to cease praying till we find God answering to continue seeking as the spouse did till she found him whom her soul loved For this cause I besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 says S. Paul but to wait is to continue in prayer as David Psal 69.3 4 5 6. To be resolv'd to take no denials like that poor woman of Canaan whose importunity nothing but the answer of her request could appease Matth. 15.22 23 24. and so on to vers 29. Or as blind Bartimeus Mark 10.46 to vers 50. 4. A keeping close to God in ways of duty even when he seems to be furthest off from us in ways of mercy a willingness rather no have our calamities continued then our deliverance obtained by means unwarrantable Thus David though he had the promise of the Kingdom and might at several times have gotten possession thereof by the destruction of Saul Yet he waits Gods time and though it was for a Kingdom he will not step out of Gods way and indeed we cannot be said to wiat upon God while we keep not in his Way Psal 37.34 Wait on the Lord and keep his way c. Psal 25.4 5 21. to purcchase deliverance from outward calamities by sinful means is to destroy the soul to preserve the body or to make Gehezi his bargain who together with his change of raiment had a curse with it 'T is Solomons advice Prov. 20.2 say not thou I will recompence evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee Isa 26.8 In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee c. 5. A diligent use of all means for the recovery of what we have lost the woman that had that bloody issue spent all she had upon the Physicians so should we do our utmost in the use of means First By a through search and scrutiny after those sins which have provoked God to hide his face from us Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our ways c. Be sure if there be any breach 'twixt God and us it is of our own making Hath God deprived us of former opportunities Have not we been barren and unfruitful Hath he taken much of former means and helps from us Have not we undervalued those mercies We may many times read our sin in our punishment 't is the promise of God To him that hath shall be given i. e. to him that improveth the mercies and talents he hath others are said not to have what they have Matth. 25.29 Hath God exercised us with outward judgements Have not we been wanton with those mercies which God hath removed 2. A zealous earnestness in lamenting and reforming those sins our turning unto God is the best means we can use to obtain his returning unto us we are never more fit for mercy then when we have reformed and cast off those sins which have deprived us of mercies this is to lay the axe to the root of the tree 3. A preparing our selves for mercy It may be we are not low enough 1 Pet. 5.6 It may be we are not sufficiently divorced from our former vanities labour to remove all impediments for be sure nothing but our own iniquities can keep back good things from us 2. Concerning the principles form whence this carriage arises Take these few 1. An humble sense of our own vileness that if we enjoy never so little of these outward good things we are less then the least of all if God be never so severe with us there is much of mercy in the highest acts of severity though we suffer much all is little in comparison of what we deserve to suffer while we have such vile thoughts of our selves we cannot but think well of God and be ready to wait upon him but so long as we think God harsh and rigorous we are apt to say as he did 1 Kings 6. 33. Why should we wait any longer for him 2. A through conviction of our being wholly at the will and pleasure of God if we enjoy any tokens of his love it is from his bounty if these be removed God herein is righteous The very thoughts that all afflictions have been from God have silenced all murmurings and repinings in believers of old This was the Language of Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord. So Hezekiah Good is the word of the Lord Isa 39.8 I was dumb I opened not mymouth because thou didst it says Devid Psal 39.9 There may be miscarriages in instruments but none in God 3. A setled perswasion of our dependance upon God for whatever help we need whatever our distresses are 't is God alone can give ease if he bind who can loose If he cast down who can raise up If he speak trouble who can speak peace He is the supreme and Sovereign disposer of all things Deut. 32.39 None can deliver out of his hands These perswasions engage us to wait upon God alone Jer.
make them your great business The Gospel of Christ is higher in its precepts than all other Rules than ever were prescribed 2. It is larger in its extent it reacheth not only the outward but inward man which no humane Laws can reach St. Paul tells us he had never known sin but by the Law of God Rom. 7. Now this shews it is from God because it reacheth the heart and Conscience To abhor an unjust act or an act of violence comes within the Rules of Moral Philosophers but to abhor the thoughts of any thing that is evil is proper only to the Rules of the Gospel 3. The Arguments by which the Gospel presseth this exactness of holiness No man did either promise or threaten such things as God in the Gospel does Princes may threaten upon the pain of their high displeasure but God threatens upon pain of everlasting ruine and destruction Princes may threaten what evils are within the reach of their power in case of disobedience to their Laws and Government but God threatens like himself like a God So the Promises are such as none but God can make the Promise of everlasting happiness Matth. 5. To how many dispositions our Saviour hath promised blessedness Now blessedness is in the power of none to bestow upon us but only in that God who is in himself blessed and who is the Author of that happiness his Creatures are capable of By all this it appears evidently that the Gospel can be no ther than the Gospel of God he who cannot only ruine the body but whose power reach the Soul that can make it happy or miserable to all eternity and that propounds threatnings and promises sutable to a state after this life 4. The discoveries the Gospel makes of the worth of our Souls all men are very intent about the concerns of their bodies if they be sick the Physitian must be sent for no means shall be neglected but all courses used to recover them from under their sickness but their Soul concerns are things that most men little look after Now there is nothing that does so convince us of the worth of our Souls as the Gospel doth that tells us that Jesus Christ thought them worth the laying down his life for the shedding of his precious blood for and God thought them of that valu that he did not spare his only Son but gave him to die for them there is no such Argument to convince us of the excellencie of our Souls as Gospel-Arguments are 5. Consider the terms upon which the Gospel propounds recovery and happiness and restoration to lost Creatures they are such as are most consistant with Reason But what are those terms Repentance and Faith The terms that others propound are vastly wide and different from these but Repentance and Faith have the clearest evidence of Reason above all other terms whatsoever In the Sinners reconciliation to the great God without Repentance what plea can sinners make to God but only that they may provoke God to with-hold every thing of mercy from them without Repentance to come to God to beg pardon it is but to ask leave to sin against God afresh and to go on in those ways and courses that are highly offensive to him And so for Faith this also carries the clearest evidene of Reason with it for poor Creatures that have offended an infinite Majesty for them to expect mercy from that God whom they have offended Now the Gospel tells us of a sufficient price equivalent nay more than an equivalent price and satisfaction for all offences injuries done to Divine Justice If we by faith lay hold upon Jesus Christ by such a faith as doth intitle us to him it may be well with us both here and for ever but other terms and conditions as the Popish penances and voluntary humilities and mortifications and the like what are they if they were ten thousand times more than any Creature can perform in point of compensation to Divine Justice Alas they are nothing it is only by Jesus Christ that we can be aceepted and satisfaction can be made to Gods Justice 6. The strange kind of efficacie that this word hath upon the Souls of sinners how doth it amaze and affright and alter and change them How doth it make them new Creatures then when God concurs with it by his Spirit Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 11. but it is by the Spirit of God what a mighty change doth the Doctrine of the Gospel make upon the hearts of sinners when the Spirit of God goeth along with it to give you some instances of it as Zacheus of a covetous person became a self-denyer and makes restitution to the full even to fourfold Mary Magdalen who was possessed with so many Devils what an eminent Saint did she become afterwards So St. Paul of an enraged Persecuter what an eminent Apostle did the Gospel make him to be when it came to him in power They who have delighted like so many swine to wallow in the mire of their lusts have had their frames and tempers so altered that nothing is delightful and pleasing to them but those spiritual Comforts and Enjoyments against which they have had the greatest enmity in their former inclinations 2. I shall prove this by some Arguments that the Gospel is the Doctrine of God 1. That the Gospel should meet with any acceptance in the world For what is the Doctrine of the Gospel It is a Doctrine contrary to humane Reason and cross to humane interest and our worldly and natural inclinations One would think it a strange thing if a man should go about to persuade a rich man to become poor and graet men to become low and mean and those that flourish in the world to cast off the world you would think this Gospel should never meet with any entertainment from men that have their wits about them Now such is the Doctrine of Christ and yet it hath done all this St. Matthew and several of the Apostles were in a gainful thriving course for a livelihood as to this world in a prosperous condition but they renounced and left all and followed Christ others there were who were engaged in curious Arts who came and burnt their Books Now to part with those things that are so pleasing to nature and to entertain the Gospel which crosseth all our natural inclinations must needs be distasteful and unacceptable to flesh and blood this proves it to be of God 2. That this Gospel should make so great a progress in the world though it hath been opposed and persecuted though it hath met with multitudes of enemies though the earth hell have been set against it yet that it hath gained upon its adversaries it should still prevail it is an argument that it is of God that it should be preserved so long considering the attempts of its enemies against it It was notable
there are these three several ways by which we are lyable to injure others In their Names by Defamation In their Estates by Fraude In their Persons by acts of Violence All these the Doctrine of the Gospel forbith under the highest Penalties imaginable In their Names And that we are subject to either by spreading of evil reports or entertaining evil reports slightly This we should be careful of to be tender of the good names of others the great Rule the light of Nature teacheth To do to others as we would be willing they should do to us You would not be willing to have your Names blasted your Reputation defamed by others then have the same care of them but the Gospel advanceth its principles much higher Again We may not injure others in their Estates by defrauding them Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of such In our worldly commerce and earthly dealings with men this is a frequent Corruption and it is to be wished that men would more diligently hearken to those Rules that this Doctrine prescribes And for the Persons of men this Doctrine iâ— a strong check and restraint to all Enormities of that kind yea it reacheth so far as our very thoughts as our Saviour explains it Matth. 5.22 That Law that forbids murder forbids malice and we are guilty of murder in a malitious thought and how many sad denunciations of wrath are there against the person of him that is angry with his brother without a cause and so for uncleanness in ver 27. it forbids not only the outward act but the inward thought in all those respects this Doctrine is a bar to injuries we must neither wrong others in their names in their estates in their person nor in their Souls 2. This Doctrine doth not only restrain us from doing wrong to others but it injoyns us to do all the good we are capable of doing to others and that in these two respects 1. In all expressions of kindness to their outward man 2. In all expressions of kindness to their inward man 1. In all expressions of kindness to their outward man there is something due of mercy to bruit beasts If thy enemies Oxe or Ass go astray thou shalt surely bring it him back again Exod. 23.4 much more to the person of thy Neighbour This Doctrine doth teach us to be the best natured persons in all the world not only not to dare to injure any in any of their concerns but to do all the good we can for and to them and it is a reproach to this Doctrine when those that profess it do walk so unsutably to it Again it teacheth us to keâ—â— off all wrongs from others Luke 16.37 Jesus answered and said Go and do thou likewise This is the common nature to minister to the necessities of all that are reduced to extremities 2. As in respect of the outward man so especially in respect of the inward man this Doctrine teacheth us to be kind to Souls it was a high price that Christ set upon Souls for for their sakes he left Heaven and died upon the Cross he did not come upon the earth to make his people rich or great to give them abundance of wordly comforts it was not bodily but Soul mercies he came to bestow upon them this is a common debt that we owe to all men as men Rom. 1.14 I am a debtor both to the Jeâ—â— and to the Gentile to both to do them all the good I can but what good was this not to teach them how to thrive in the world to get estates but how to be happy for ever There are these two debts upon all Professors of Christianity to the Souls of others 1. There is a debt of instruction of such as are ignorant Certainly if God takes so much care as to require us to shew mercy to the wandring Oxe or Ass of our Neighbour much more to the wandring soul of our neighbor doth God take care of Oxen we may apply it to this case no it is written for man it is spoken for man 1 Cor. 9. When St. Peter was so much shaken by the prevalencie of his temptation that he had lost all the sense of the truth of Grace in his heart saith our Saviour to him when then art converted strengthen thy Brethren It seemed to be a new conversion of him he had lost so much the sense of his first Conversion shew thy thankfulness to God as if he had said by shewing mercy to others Souls because God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul 2. A debt of reproof of those that are extravagant Thou shalt not suffer sin to rest on thy Brother but thou shalt in any wise reprove him it is spoken of those that partake of the same nature with our selves Thou shalt not hate thy Brother mercy in this kind to him is cruelty and flattery is the most remote from love James 5.20 Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the evil of his ways shall save a Soul from death O do but think what blessings you might be if you would but conform to this Rule you may save many a Soul from death by seasonable and wise reproof the meanest and most private Christian owes this duty to all the world That is the second this Doctrine teacheth us to bear wrongs but to do none and to do all the good we can both to the Souls and Bodies of others 3. If through weakness or wickedness we have done wrong to others this Doctrine enjoyns us to make full reparation with an overplus for what wrong we have done In the Levitical Law provision was made against doing wrong to others by restitution which we find repeated at large Exod. 22. and Levit. 6. nor was this only a Levitical Doctrine but Evangelical Zacheus crying out Lord if I have wronged any man I will restore four-fold there is this difference between the breach of the Commands of the first Taâ—e and of the Second Table The breach of the Commands of the first Table admits of no restitution but what hath been made by Christ it is impossible that we should compensate for those wrongs that we have done to Divine Justice But for the breach of the commands of the Second Table besides Repentance there must be restitution because then is a double wrong done a wrong against God in transgressing his Commands who commands us to carry it righteously and with all integrity with those with whom we have to do now as his Commands are transgressed so our Neighbours are injured here is a double wrong not but that the Commands of the first Table should have a precedencie and though Repentance may prevail for a pardon so far as the sin concerns God and is a transgression of his Laws yet there must be restitution also to testifie the reality of our Repentance 4. To rejoyce in the good of others and that upon
this account because they are persons that partake of humane nature it is very natural for man to envy others good the spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 not the good spirit of God but our natural spirits our corrupt spirits it was the sin of Cain he envied the acceptance of Abels Sacrifice God had respect to Abel and his Sacrifice but to Cain he had not respect and this filled Cain with envy and that envy ended in murder Nay this is that distemper that is born with us as St. Augustine observes who seeing two little Infants at the breasts of their Mother the one lookt with a pale face upon the other envying at what the other received he drew this Observation from hence how natural this sin of envy is and how hardly it is cast off the best men may be surprized with this sin Joshua a man eminent for his holiness every thing in him almost was commendable yet we read of him Numb 11.28 One ran and told Moses that Eldad and Medad did Prophesie in the Camp and Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses one of his young men answered and said My Lord Moses forbid them speaking of their Prophesying Peter envied John the beloved Disciple that singular favour he had from Christ John 21. And Peter seeing him said to Jesus Lord what shall this man do it is natural for us when others are on the too of the world and we at the bottom to cast a wry look upon them the spirio that dwelleth in man lusteth to envy Now the best Antidote we have against this ill frame and temper is the Doctrine of God our Saviour it teacheth us to rejoyce in the good that others enjoy though we do not enjoy the same our selves if God give others health and we do not enjoy it our selves yet rejoyce in their health blessing God for others Comforts though we our selves are under streights and blessing God for others blessings though we do not partake of the same 5. This Doctrine teacheth us to carry it towards all men humbly and tenderly in all their concerns pride and passion are the great disturbancies of all humane Societie St. James tells us James 3.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish But the wisdom that is from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie This Doctrine furnisheth us with Arguments to be humble though our condition be never so high and to carry it humbly and gently and that with all meekness with those with whom we converse To be humble 1. Because we have nothing of our own We have nothing that we have not received Who made thee to differ from another To differ as to outward respects in health in abundance what ever difference there is it is of Gods making So as to a difference in respect of parts and gifts and graces this is a humbling consideration that we have nothing but what we have received 2. We have received nothing but upon the account of free-grace we have nothing but what God gives and we deserve nothing but what his goodness inclines him to bestow all is the gift of God and all that God gives he hath no other motive to move him to bestow but only his own Goodness there is no motive in us at all we have despised his mercy and rejected his kindness we are unfit and unwilling to receive them it is only free grace bestows them we have nothing but what God gives and we deserve nothing but what free Grace bestows 3 All those favours that God vouchsafes to us are to humble us whilst he lifts us up above others it is to lay us low in our own thoughts in our own esteem the more we have received the greater debtors we are to Divine Grace it teacheth us that all our liftings up are of his mercy and to keep our hearts low though we be in a high condition in an humble frame under our great advantages not despising our inferiors and not carrying it supercisiously towards them that are our equals In a word this Doctrine teacheth us to carry it so towards all men as becomes them that are alike servants to one and the same Master Observe though there are different sorts of persons here upon earth one is superior and another is inferior and subordinate yet God is superior to all and therefore the Apostle frequently propounds this as the measure of our performing duties to our inferior Relations and to our superior Relations too to do it as unto God Col. 4.4 do it heartily do it as to God let us carry it humbly to all men we are all servants to the same Master let us be in what rank or condition soever It is observed by a Learned Writer that there is nothing makes a difference as to worldly greatness but only man sickness makes no difference the grave makes no difference the general Judgement makes no difference God makes no difference high and low are all levelled in these respects 6. In our carriage towards men this Doctrine is the greatest Antidote against all unpeaceable behaviour Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Peaee so far as it is consistent with holiness The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceableâ— not but that there may be a necessary vindication and defence of mens rights and proprieties the Scripture doth not condemn that but it must be with a peaceable frame and disposition of spirit and with an unwilling willingness when men are forced to that way Ephes 4.1 2 3. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness and with long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Follow peace with all men do all you can to preserve peace Eph. 5.2 Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Do but consider what a lovely thing would this Doctrine of God our Saviour appear to be would Professors but live up to these Rules not to dare to do the least wrong to others but to bear the greatest wrongs from others to look upon our selves as obliged to do all the good we can to others to the Souls to the bodies to the concerns of others c. what security can men have for all that is in danger by men more than they have by these Principles and what greater assurance can they have of all the good men are capable of doing them which
and it is God that keeps our breath in our nostrils we should otherwise every moment be breathing out our last have we received our beings from him and do we still live upon him then there is all the obligation upon us that can be that we should have reverend thoughts of God and not despise nor contemn him nor prefer other things above him Besides all our supplies are from God it is God that furnisheth us with all our comforts that we enjoy those refreshments that others want and with those mercies that others are denied all this is from the goodness of God and consider how it fares with others and how much better it is with you than it is with them that are your betters and certainly there is very great reason upon this account that we should not thus slight him but depart from every thing that is offensive to him Nay consider not only all our supplies for the present but all our hopes for the future are this God Hast thou any hopes of Heaven and happiness in another world hast thou any right to or any hopes of eternal blessedness all is built upon the goodness of God in and through Christ Nay all our hopes of spiritual mercies even in this world are in God Do you now complain of hardness of heart of Soul distempers it is only God that can be your Physitian Alas means are nothing and instruments are nothing unless God owns them 3. In respect of the welfare of our own Souls there is nothing but iniquity can make us hateful in the sight of God Our afflflictions and outward miseries cannot these may be many times the effects of Gods displeasure but never the cause of his displeasure there is nothing can render us hateful to God but only sin God is angry with nothing but sin now if we would escape the wrath of God we must keep our selves from all sin we must depart from iniquity Why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 18.27 30. if you will go on in sin if you will not depart from iniquity there is nothing to be expected but death hell and wrath You can never look that God should be a friend to you while you continue an enemy to him you can never expect that he should be reconciled to you on his part whilst you will not be reconciled to him on your part if sinners will have their will against God God will have his will upon them There is no other way to be free from this curse in all conditions but by departing from iniquity for we make every condition a curse when we mix iniquity with it our comforts then are stumbling-blocks our enjoyments then are snares and temptations whilst we have a sinful nature but they highly encrease our guilt when we abuse these by sin and unless we depart from iniquity all the mercies that we enjoy outward mercies and spirittual mercies are overspread with a curse 2. There are special engagements that lie upon them that name the Name of Christ to depart from iniquity 1. Those that name the name of Christ only in profession appearance must not take the name of Christ in vain God hath expresly said He will not hold them guiltless that take his Name in vain Now this is a taking the Name of God and Christ in vain in allowing our selves in any kind of iniquity this is clear from the Prayer of Agur Pro. 30.9 he prays there against extremity in both conditions he would neither have too much nor too little of this world he prays against fulness Lest I be full deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain that is lest I take any irregular courses for the supplies of my necessity lest I take they Name in vain While we allow our selves in any kind of sin we do but take the Name of God in vain notwithstanding all our profession but this is not all Rom. 2.24 you read of an highter expression than this For your sakes or by your means or reason of your practice the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you for Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision Here the engagements laid upon them that profess Gods Name because he hath given them so much knowledge to understand the great Mysteries of Salvation and acquainted them with those Principles that are of absolute necessity to understand their own eterrnal good and for them to break those engagements is but to take Gods Name in vain nay it is to blaspheme his Name amongst them that are strangers to him But for them that name the Name of Christ in sincerity there are special obligations God hath laid upon them there are singular engagements from God upon them and obligations from them unto God that oblige them to depart from iniquity 1. There are singular engagements that God hath laid upon them to depart from iniquity as First not only vouchsafeing them the means of Grace but in Accompanying those means with the efficacious concurrence of his Spirit How many parts of the world live without any knowledge of the true God at all it is a mercy therefore to enjoy the means of knowledge yea it is a great mercy that the Psalmist highly values Thou hast not dealt so with every Natin as for his Judgments they have not known them Psal 147.20 and how many thousands are there that live under the Gospel to whom it is no more than a dead Letter they hear the noise or sound of the Gospel but it makes little impression upon their hearts Now on all those that do profess the Name of Christ there is a special obligation upon them because of the great things that God hath done for them Consider what Christ hath done for thee hath Christ broken off the yoke of Satan and wilt thou put it on again hath he taken off thy burdens and cured the Diseases and art thou fond of thy burdens and in love with thy Diseases hath he st thee at liberty hath his Spirit made thee free and such are free indeed and wilt thou again become entangled Again hath Christ washed away thy filth by his blood and wilt thou return again like the Sow that is washed to wallow in thy former mire hath he taken off the guilt of thy sin and wilt thon run upon a new score is this sutable to the engagements that lie upon thee Consider if thou art one that doth relie upon Christ there lies an high Obligation upon thee on that account hath he redeemed thy poor captive Soul out of the hands of that grand Usuper and Tyrant and wilt thou become like one of those servants that would have his ear bored and become a servant while he lived to his old Master this is to despise the kinduess of Christ is to undervalue
the blessing of the Gospel Hath Christ taken thee into his care and service and wilt thou not be guided by his rules but what are the rules of Christ in respect of God that we should not only serve him but serve him form a Principle of love it is not enough that we bring our bodies to God in every duty but that we also bring our hearts unto him this is that which our Saviour expects He tells us God is a Spirit John 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth bodily service profiteth nothing Alas men maybe much in out â—â—de duties and services and yet at last be rejected with scorn to their great grief unless they be serious That heed that what you do you do not against Christs Rules that you do not refuse his directions and Councels those that are acquainted with those rules there lies a special obligation upon them to observe them hath Christ taken the care of you himself and will you not live up to this kindness this is not to answer your ingagements Again I might shew you the great priviledges which all the true Members of Christ do partake of he hath sent his Spirit to be their guide his Spirit of Truth to lead them into all Truth the Spirit to enlighten the Soul to purge refine and sanctifie the Soul to excite assist strengthen and preserve the weak beginnings of Grace to guide and conduct the Soul into farther improvements and to witness to the comforts of God and will you contradict these Principles of Divine Grace God hath sent his Spirit to guide you that is to keep you from mistakes to prevent your miscarriage and will you yet go on in iniquity The great design of God in sending his Son and of his Son in sending his Spirit Was not only to redeem his People from hell and wrath but from sin and Satan and to make them a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works now what ingratitude is this to cross these designs of mercy Alas God cannot be the better for us I speak now to such as think that they do in sincerity name the Name of Christ so as to depart from iniquity for be sure of this that there is no possibility of reconciling two such contrary enemies as Christ and sin for he came into the world on this very errand to destroy the works of the Devil and this is your work to oppose the Devil and sin 2. The special obligations that they have laid upon themselves by their Covenants and Promises they that do aright name the Name of Christ have solemnly devoted themselves to Christ not only in their baptismal Vows but in reiterated Covenants now will you revoke them is this sutable to those engagements to break your word with God and to have your own promises to witness against you you that have owned his yoke as easie and submitted to his ways as desirable and made profession of these will you contradict all in your lives and conversations truly this is too ordinary in the world St. Paul Titus 1.16 doth very much lament some who in their words profess the Name of Christ but in their works deny him Verbal Professions are easie but practical Professions those that God looks for he is the bese Christian not that can talk most but live best and keep himself most unspotted from the pollutions of the world now remember the Vows that you made with God and consider the engagements that lie upon you from thence to have a tendder regard of Gods glory every iniquityis a contempt of God it is a rejecting of God from ruling over us it is a disparagement to his Gospel as if we thought we could spend our time better than in hi service as if we could live to better purpose than in minding those duties that he requires of us David was of another mind Psal 73. last It is good for me to draw neer to God Psal 84. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand But what a reproach do you cast upon God and his wayes in that you see and fancie something in sin that you think worthy the making God you enemy for though you part with God and lose his favour yet you think there is something in sin that will recompense that loss every sinner doth so that allows himself in any sin Truly though God is gratious to us in affording us the liberty of approaching his presence yet while we allow our selves in any sin all our duties are but lost labour and to very little purpose and we can expect no other answer from God than we have in Psal 50. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Name in thy mouth What was the matter Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my word behind thy back While men allow themselves in any sin all their duties are to no purpose Consider how much more God hath shewed of kindness to you than others and consider how many engagements are upon you beyond what are upon others certainly form both these God cannot but have higher expectations from you than any and will you thus requite the Lord or will you say as the people of Israel did when they were brought out of Egypt and met with streights and difficulties in the Wilderness Would to God we had died in Egypt was there not graves enough there So while you live under the temptations and snares of an evil world will you look on on these things as lovely and deservint to be fond of them Christ came to redeem you from them and you have accepted of that redemption and you have bound your selves by your Oathes and Seals and how sad will it be if those Seals do witness to your Condemnation both on Christs part and on your own part Christ will say one day These are the persons whom I have proffered Salvation to and they did seem to accept of it and to close wit it but they have cast off all and for saken all those designs of mercy that I had to their Souls and what can they now look for but wrath and destruction And so I have gone over the Doctrinal part of the Observation The first Use may be to awaken and startle Professors that though they do name the Name of Christ yet there is so much of iniquity allowed of and connived at by them we can never own Christ till we fall off from sin and Satan While we close with a contrary party we cannot approve our selves faithful to him there are but two parties in all the world Christ and the Devil now shall we pretend to Christ and wear his Colours and take his Livery upon us and call our selves his Subjects and yet allow our selves in the service of sin and Satan Let our Profession be never so high yet if we do so this is one word to unsay all and to contradict all again This I
say therefore may sharply reprove all careless Professors that lay aside their watch and do not always stand upon their guard to keep off every thing of sin You know how much Christ hath deserved from us shall I little minde you in two or three hints Consider how much he hath done and suffered for all that belong to him he thought no blessings too great to leave even such blessings as none but himself was ever capable of for no Creature could be capable of those high and eminent priviledges that he left that he might become our Redeemer and as there was no mercy that he thought too great to leave so there was no misery that he thought too sharp to undergo that the wrath of God his Father whose love to him was more worth than millions of worlds might be appeased and in order to the Redemption of poor lost Creatures he was willing to bear it Lo I came in the Volitinne of thy will Oh my God yea thy Law is within my heart Thus do but consider what the Glory was that he left and what that misery was he underwent that chearfulness with which he did both his design in all these which was only to redeem poor lost Creatures as for him self he could be no gainer as appears by what he said John 17.4 Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was and certainly it cannot but command of thee the greatest exactness and circumspection of thy life Doest thou name the Name of Christ Doest thou own these condescentions of Christ and canst thou allow thy self in any kind of iniquity it was iniquity that was the Judas that betrayed him the Pilate that condemned him it was not those instruments but our sins and will you yet harbour those sins is this an ingenious requital of so much love all the malice of Hell and all the rage of adversaries here upon earth all the contrivances of the Jews with their great ones together could never have brought those sufferings upon Christ had it not been for his love that he bore to his people and will you for all this after he hath done and suffered so much trample on his blood and slight his kindness and resolve on your own ruine and in spite of such mercies and kindness will you go on to your own destruction is not this sad what shame shold be to all professing Christians that do not stand upon their watch and do what they can and make it in good earnest their business to keep themselves form all iniquity The next Use and the only Use which I shall add further is by way of exhortation that all that hath been said may prevail thus far with you to get your hearts at as great a distance from sin as possibly you are able never think that you are too strange to it nor at a distance enough from it your professions oblige you your engagements oblige you consider should you allow your selves in any sin you thereby despise the richest mercy that ever was vouchsafed to poor Creatures you that profess the Name of Christ you that know what design Christ came into the world follow the example of those worthies Hebr. 11.37 38. they were stoned they were sawn asunder c. and it s said ver 35. they accepted not of deliverance You see how shie they were of sin and at how great a distance they kept from it and what was their thoughts of it Oh! let it be your practice Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God c. It is a common thing to slight it and to scorn it but what doth the Apostle say to such ver 30. We know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people They that profess themselves his people must be all brought to the test and tryal Do you think it nothing to despise the very patience of God to despise the choisest mercy of God take it Friends for a sad truth I speak it only to awaken both my self and you there is no sinner like unto a Gospel sinner to them that go on in sin under those means that should recover them from sin and therefore in the day of account you read that no sinner shall have such tremblings and astonishings upon them as sinners Sinners in Sion shall be afraid and fearfulness sahll surprise the hypecrite Sion sinners Sabbath-days Sacrament-sinners they that live under all those opportunities and advantages as their sins bring greater dishonour to God bring greater damage to their own Souls than other sins do these of all persons are the farthest off from being renewed again by repentance Pro. 8. last it is said in general of all kind of sinners He that sins against me wrongs his own Soul he cannot wrong God he does indeed what in him lies and God may account himself wronged by his sin really injure God he cannot our services and sins reach not him God is infinitely above both but he wrongs himself he may wrong others by his bad example but especially he wrongs himself not only in respect of worldly things but he wrongs himself in the highest degrees as Solomon there expresseth it he wrongs his own Soul he doth not only wrong himself as to outward comforts but as to his great concernments as to his everlasting welfare Alas how many be the Judgments God hath to meet with all the contemners of his mercy in this world Outward Judgments and spiritual Judgments and then consider the Judgments of God in another world and certainly of all persons those that profess the Name of Christ shall have the forest it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for Jerusalem that had the Gospel and Ordinances of God and such priviledges and means and helps Let all that hath been said perswade you to a strickt examination of your hearts and lives that what hath been amiss may be both speedily and throughly reformed If you do not depart from all iniquity how sad a thing will it be to you when once Jesus Christ riseth up in Judgment against you what will you plead for your selves when that once Christ shall plead against you even you that have despised his mercy and refused Salvation and have chosen death and those things that tend thereunto SERMON X. Romans 8. last verse Nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The whole Paragraph runs thus For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. ver 38 39. THese words are a part of St. Pauls Triumph and the evils over which he triumphs are no
is in ability so is his love more or less bountiful It is said of Abashuerus he gave gifts becoming his magnificence so God gives gifts to his People suitable to his greatness becoming his Magnificence Jesus Christ is called the gift of God and what gift could God give greater John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleiveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He had but one only begotten Son and he gave him Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but deliverd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things This is such a pledge of Gods bounty and evidence of his liberality that we need not doubt of the goodness of God in other things since God has given so high an instance as this God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.7 4. The love of God is the most firm and constant love alas we are poor mutable Creatures but God is an unchangable God whom he loves he loves to the end and that end is without end Therefore the loving kindness of God is said to be better then life Psal 63.3 and it is better then life upon this account because it lasts longer then life yea then all that in life we are made Partakers of for if a man live in God he lives better then in all other enjoyments whatsoever 5. The love of God is an Omnipotent love it is such as is able to effect his good pleasure to them that are the objects of his love Friends may wish us well but can do no more in some Cases but there is no blessing needful there is nothing that may be helpful to us but God is able to vouchsafe it in him dwells infinite fulness and power Thus you see from these five Reasons that this peculiar love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Application First If it be so that nothing can make that person miserable that enjoys the love of God then certainly God is no hard Master nor does he deal rigorously with his People when he suffers them to be afflicted Though he lets them meet with some troubles and calamities and many of them very smart ones too yet all this cannot be accounted harsh dealing because nothing can make them miserable that are in the love of God They may be under sufferings as the Apostles speaks 2 Cor. 4.8 They may be under straits and difficulties but in all these they are not forsaken we are troubled on every side but not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair Cast down but not cast off afflicted but not unhappy I say this may silence all those Cavils and hard thoughts that our corrupt Natures are apt to entertain concerning God especially in his providential dealings with his People 2. Inference is this If the love of God be such an eminent priviledge How dreadful then is their Case that are under the hatred of God What ever hath been said concerning the love God the greatest word that can be spoken of it is the infiniteness thereof that it is an infinite love Now the infiniteness of Gods hatred makes that as terrible and dreadful as the other is desireable infiniteness in God as it plainly demonstrates God to be on the one hand the best Friend so on the other hand the worst of Enemies and as it speaks his love to be the most desirable portion so of all kind of evils his hatred to be the most formidable 3. Inference is this Take notice of the folly and madness of those Persons that can be patient and quiet under the displeasure of God and can content themselves without seeking reconciliation to him and being received into favour with God Is not this the Case of many is not this the Cafe of many of us It would be well for us if we would put this question home to our own Souls you see nothing can make us miserable but only the want of Gods love the Apostle thought he had spoke enough in this one word to bear up their Spirits against the fear of all those Calamities which at that time were threatned as Persecution Famine Sword Nakedness Perils of all kinds But what shall bear up those who have no share in it since there is nothing can make us happy but this love of God there is nothing can make us miscrable but the want of it it is folly and madness in us not so much as to regard this love Why do you spend your money for that that is not Bread hearken to me saith God and your Souls shall live Isa 55.2.3 4. Inference This Doctrine of admirable advantage to the People of God under their greatest losses for whatever they may loose they cannot loose their interest in the love of God not from any excellency in themselves but the I have given you an account of that in that it is singularness of Gods grace and bounty to them and his care for them and their welfare SERMON XI Rom. 8. ult Neither height c. I Shall now go on to the 6. and last Reason of this Doctrine That this peculiar Love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Because of the admirable fruits and effects of this love in the many benefits we receive from thence it is from the love of God that we receive every mercy that we enjoy if it be but common Mercies we receive them from the love of God It is true the difficulty of this Case is to know whether common mercies are the Fruit of special love That they are from the love and goodness of God it 's clear Matth. 5.45 God caused his Sun to shine upon the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust These mercies are common mercies and that they are from common bounty that is unquestionable for as God is the Fountain of all good so the love of God is the only Motive to incline him to do good to his Creatures there is nothing in them to move him to do them good but it is his own goodness that moves him to it he is the giver and bestower of every good and perfect gift the Father of Lights Now whether you speak of common or special Mercies all are the expressions of his love common to some peculiar to others as for common mercies they are not common to his People There is a vast difference between the mercies that God vouchsafeth to his People and those he vouchsafeth to others the mercies the People of God enjoy are the special Fruits and benefits of his special love and it is that upon which we ground our hopes of mercy for the future 2. It is the love of God that makes every mercy to be
in reallity God may withdraw his love many degrees understand it of the effects of this love for the afflictions admits not of more or less we may be separated from this love of God some degrees but we are never separated from it totally or all together God may less love us in the sence above noted but not cease to love us there may be some little intermission though there is no total cessation that canot be God hath promised Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There is a great many Negations in the original no less then five in that one place I will not I will not I will not I will not I will not Now for the clearing of this let me speak to some particulars because all depends upon this this is the main thing in this point 1. God may withdraw the manifestation of his love in Temporal blessings when he doth not in Spiritual We are apt to judge of Gods love to us by these outward comforts and when these are removed we are then apt to think that Gods love is restrained as Gideon argues in Judges 6.10.13 when they were oppressed so much for the Midianites And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him the Lord is with thee the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us and where are all his Miracles that our Fathers told us of saying did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites This was by reason of their oppression and outward troubles God may withdraw the manifestation of his love as to Temporals But as God may bestow temporal mercies in anger so he may remove these favours For example when the People of Israel were so nice and dainty that they must be fed with Curiosities God answered their desires Psal 106.15 but with all he sent leaness into their Souls They had better have been without these comforts then to have had them on these Terms So God may love and doth love his People when he doth not mainfest his love in temporal blessings 2. God may suspend the manifestation of his love in spiritual Comforts when he doth not suspend his love in spiritual Graces This is a higher degree For Example when God sends his Spirit to Convince a poor Sous to humble it to wound it thereby to prepare it for mercy there is little of comfort visible now in this John 16.8 this is the Method wherein God promiseth his spirit to be a Comforter first to convince of sin then to comfort First to humble and then to exalt After these wounds and bruises and castings down these distresses of Spirit into which the Soul is brought then to bind up and comfort There is at present seen little of love all this while and yet there is a great deal of this reallove because all this while God is preparing the Soul for mercy and that comfort that at present it feels the want of You know in the exercise of Repentance and humility and a contrite and a broken Spirit the Soul is not so sensible of the love of God but the love of God then appears though not in Spiritual comforts yet in Spiritual graces and after in reviving and quickening them 3. God sometimes suspends the manifestations of his love in the very graces of his People but then it is not in these Graces that concern the safe being of his People but in these graces that concern their well being Gods People may be safe when they are not in such a chearful and flourishing condition For example God may leave his People so far as thattheir Faith to wit of evidence may be in the dark their hope may be over-clonded their joy may be eclipsed it may be sad with them in respect of these kinds of graces at present But as to their other graces that concern their safety as humility and dependance on God and some actings of Faith these God keeps alive all this while Again all the withdrawings of Gods love from his People the gradual withdrawings as they are but gradual and partial so they are but temporary and for a little time Isa 54.7.8 For a small moment have I for saken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer It was not total it was but for a moment it was not final but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee The darkest night with the People of God shall have a bright morning Light is sown for the Righteous and Joy for the upright in heart Though it be as seed that is cast into the ground all the comforts of Gods People may seem to be as Seed cast into the ground which first dies before it lives yet there will be a Resurrection it is but for a little time that God deals so that God withdraws thus gradually from his People and that in these two respects 1. In respect of Gods withdrawing from others he withdraws from them so as never to return I mean those that are not his People the wicked Depart from me and so depart from me as everlastingly to depart from me Depart from me into everlasting burnings this is a departing without returning 2. It is but for a little time in respect of what the People of God themselves deserve For there is not the least departure of ours from God but it deserves an everlasting departure on Gods side from us For us to leave him to cast off his yoke to own any other Master but him deserves that he should utterly leave us Lastly all these withdrawings and darknings these gradual withdrawings of Gods love tends very much to the advantage of his People If God withdraw his love in temporal blessings it is that he may manifest more of his love in Spiritual Mercies If God take away from us a Creature comfort he by this kind of Rod shews us the necessity of living above our comforts and of living only upon himself They are admirable designs that God hath in these kind of seeming expressions of his displeasure against us He therein expresseth very much of love to us his designs are gratious partly to wean us from this world by shewing us the vanity of it and partly in giving us more of himself and to let us see the need we stand in of him and partly that we may have greater experience of his goodness in his comforting supports under the greatest burdens that can befal us Had not the People of God such losses and crosses and tryals in Creature comforts they could never have tasted so much sweetness in the promises nor in the supports of the spirit nor in the comforts of Gods presence but by Gods withdrawing the gradual withdrawings of God as to his