it to lie under the Wrath of God for ever and ever We were involved in the same Guilt in the same polluted Mass with others therefore we might be bound up in the same Bundle to be cast into Hell as well as they Why are we taken and others left to perish O bless God for this that we are as Brands pluck'd out of the Burning we are bound up in the same Guilt and Misery Zech. 3.2 Is not this a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire Though you feel the smart of the Rod upon your Backs remember this is nothing to Hell Damnation and Wrath to come And this is given to prevent that 1 Cor. 11.32 VVhen we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the VVorld What cause have we to bless God that we may think of Hell as a Danger that we have escaped by Christ But then for Heaven the positive part of this Blessedness you have a Right tho not an actual Enjoyment Sometimes Heaven is said to be kept for us and sometimes we are said to be kept for Heaven 1 Pet. 1.5 VVho are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation Christ holds Heaven in our Right in our Stead and in our Names and we are kept by the Power of God for Heaven Again Heaven is prepared for us Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the VVorld And we are prepared for Heaven Rom. 9.23 And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory 2 dly The greatness of your Engagement to all the Persons of the God-head 1. To God the Father Admire the Love of God that poor Worms should be so exalted that a Clod of Earth should shine as the Sun that those dark and impure Souls of ours should be purified and glorified God could not satisfy himself with temporal Kindness with loving us for a while but he must love us for ever Psal. 103.17 The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting to them that fear him From Eternity to Eternity God is God and our God Nay and small things would not content him but we must be interessed in a compleat Blessedness 1 John 3.1 2. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Beloved now are we the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall apappear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is O we should often work this upon our Hearts the great Love of God in predestinating us to such a Glory There is a great deal of Mercy laid out upon us during our Pilgrimage but more laid up for us Psal. 31.19 O how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee O the greatness of Love Infinite Mercy sets it self a-work to see what it can do for Man a poor wretched Creature a thing of Yesterday a Rebel an Enemy to God think of it we may but we cannot express it to the full The least of God's Mercies is more than we can acknowledg and deserves praise much more this full Portion for here God sets himself to make a Creature as happy as it is capable The Lord hath gone to the utmost in nothing but his Love he never shewed so much of his Wisdom and Power but he could shew more but he hath no greater thing to give us than Himself and his Christ he cannot love us more there can be no more done there can be no higher Happiness than the eternal enjoyment of Himself All the Promises of the Word comes short of what you shall enjoy That which Paul saw and heard in Heaven in his Extasy were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12.4 The Scriptures that are sufficient to make the Man of God perfect here profess an Insufficiency Weakness and Imperfection when they come to speak of Heaven and the Glory of it 1 Cor. 13.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part is spoken with respect to Heaven and Happiness to come there the Scripture can speak but in part there are no Words nor Notions in the World sufficient to express what God hath provided and we have not Ears to hear it All the Notions now we have of things must be taken from what is obvious to sense and present apprehension and therefore certainly because Heaven surpasseth all that hath been we cannot apprehend the Glory of it The Scripture leaves it rather to be admired in silence there are Joys unspeakable there is no Language intelligible to us that is fit to represent Heaven O then admire the Love of God the Father that hath provided such great things for us 2. Consider how deeply we are engaged to Jesus Christ to deliver us from Wrath to come He himself was made a Curse and tasted the Vinegar and Gall Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Something he suffered that answered Wrath to come In Hell there is poena damni and poena sensus the Loss and the Pain and Sense of God's Wrath. The Lord Christ had for a while the suspension of the Joys and actual Consolation of his Divine Nature a loss that cannot be imagined Mat. 23.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me there 's his Loss Then he had an actual feeling of the Wrath of God therefore he saith Mat. 27.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death there was his Sense of Pain He was forsaken that we might not be separated from God for ever and his Soul was heavy to the Death that we might not be cast into Eternal Burnings Then for the positive Part that we might have Everlasting Glory Christ left his Heaven that we might enjoy ours he came from Heaven and is gone to Heaven again and will come from Heaven the second time and all to bring us thither with the more triumph so that going and coming coming and going he is still ours He came at first out of the Bosom of God to establish the Merit and pay the Price for our Glory God sold it not at an easy Rate the Blood and Agonies and Shame of the Son of God must go for our Glory it was no easy matter to bring sinful Creatures so near to God The Lord would not so much as treat with Apostate Angels when once they were Sinners they were no more to remain in his Presence nor to come near him but they were cast out of Heaven The Door was shut against sinning Creatures but Christ came to open it Christ came to open Paradise that was guarded with a flaming Sword he catched the Blow that we might have Communion with God and therefore he sueth it out as
without some Remark and Observation Isaac goeth to meet with God and he meeteth with God and Rebekah too Godliness hath the promises of this Life and that which is to come there is nothing lost by Duty and Acts of Piety and Worship Seneca said The Iews were an unhappy People because they lost the Seventh part of their Lives meaning the time spent in the Sabbath This is the Sense of Nature to think all lost that is bestowed on God Flesh and Blood snuffeth and cryeth What a weariness is it And what need all this waste Oh let me tell you by serving God you drive on two cares at once Worldly Interests many times are cast into the way of Religion and besides the main design these things are added to us Wonderful are the Providences of God in and about Duties of Worship some have gone aside to pray and escaped such as lay in wait to destroy them and Luther tells a story of one that balked a Duty and fell into a danger passed by a Sermon and was presently surprized by Thieves Others there are that thought of nothing but meeting God in his Worship and God hath made their Duties an occasion of advancing their outward Comforts Certainly it is good to obey all impulses of the Spirit there may be somewhat of Providence as well as Grace in it Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide and he lift up his eyes and saw and behold the camels were coming In the Words you have several Circumstances The Person Isaac his Work he went out to meditate the Place in the Field the Time at even-tide 1. For the Person Isaac I need not say much because I would not digress He was Abraham's Son and God said of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Good Education leaveth a Savour and Tincture upon the Spirit at least an Awe and a Care of Duties and Exercises of Religion and therefore it is no wonder to hear of Abrahams Son that had been trained up in the way of the Lord to go out to meditate it is a Seal of the Blessing of Education Again Isaac was now in his Youth certainly he could not be very old Sarah was Ninety years old when the Promise was first made to her of a Son Gen. 17.17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear Now Sarah was but One Hundred Twenty Seven old years when she dyed Gen. 23.1 And this Match was immediately after her Death for just as he received Rebekah he left off his Mourning for Sarah Gen. 24.67 And Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarahs tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her And Isaac was comforted after his mothers death Probably Isaac now was a little above Thirty Isaac a Young Man that was now entring into the World goeth out to meditate Usually we make Religious Exercises the Work of Gray Hairs and after we have spent the heat and flower of our Spirits in the vanities of the World we hope to make amends for all by a Severe and Devout Retirement Young and Green Heads look upon Meditation as a dull melancholly work fit only for the phlegme and decay of Old Age vigorous and eager Spirits are more for Action than Thoughts and their Work lyeth so much with others that they have no time to descend into themselves But the Elder World was more Innocent the Exercises of Isaacs Youth were pious he went out into the Fields to meditate 2. To open his Work to you to meditate or as it is in the Margin to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word used in the Original is indifferent to both Senses it properly signifies muttering or an imperfect and suppressed sound the Septuagint sometimes renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing but here they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to exercise himself and most properly a Sportive Exercise as if his going abroad had been only to sport and recreate himself after the toyl of the day But that is not so probable the Holy Ghost would not put such a Mark upon such a Circumstance Therefore I suppose the Septuagints word must be taken more largely to comprise also a Religious Exercise But how is it To Pray or Meditate I would not recede from our own Translation without weighty Cause most other Translations look that way Symachus renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discourse as with others that is with God and his own Soul and so it suiteth with the force of the Original Word which properly signifies to mutter or such a speaking as is between Thoughts and Words So that the meaning is he went aside privately to discourse of God and the Promises and of Heavenly Things 3. The Place in the field Partly for Privacy deep Thoughts require a Retirement Many of Davids Psalms were penned in the Wilderness He that would have the Company of God and his own Thoughts had need go aside from other Company and be alone that he may not be alone that the Mind being sequestred from all Distractions may solace it self the more freely in these Heavenly Thoughts Exod. 3.1 Moses led the flock to the back-side of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. He goeth aside from the other Shepherds that he might converse with the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls and there he seeth the Vision of the burning Bush. When God would communicate his Loves to the Church he inviteth her into the Wilderness Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her The most familiar and intimate Converses between God and the Church are in private So the Spouse inviteth the Bridegroom Cant. 7.11 Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages In these Solitary and Heavenly Retirements to which no Eyes are conscious and privy we have most Experience of God and of our selves Duties done in Company are more easie by ends and Mans Eye and Observance may have an influence upon our Worship and therefore Meditation is difficult and tedious because it is a work of Retirement that hath approbation from none but our Father that seeth in Secret Partly because the Field is an help to Meditation fancy and invention being elevated and raised by the sweetness variety and pleasure of it there being on every side so many Objects and lively Memorials of God However in this sense the Circumstance is not binding some do better in a Closet than in a
be Grave and Serious The Mind is according to the course of the Life You flatter your selves when you think you are able to command Spiritual Thoughts on a sudden when you have suffered your thoughts to rove and wander Prov. 17.24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth here and there and every where 5. Watch against the first Diversion how plausible soever it be look upon it as an intruding that breaks the rank The Devil injects good thoughts sometimes that he might divert your other thoughts Charge your thoughts that they may not disturb your Meditation Cant. 3.5 I charge you O ye daughters of Ierusalem that you stir not up nor awake my love till he please 6. When you come to meditate in Gods Presence do not bring the World with you purge your selves of all Carnal Affections Ezek. 33.31 Their heart goeth after their covetousness Alwaies consider this the prevailing Lust will engross the thoughts to a distracted Mind no place is a solitude the very Closet is a Market-place Therefore before Meditation we should purge our Hearts of Worldly Affections SERMON IV. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide I Shall not wholly divert from the Subject in hand though I shall a little interrupt the Method of it My purpose is now to speak of that Meditation that is proper to the Sacrament The main part of that Worship is dispatched in Thoughts Here we come to put Reason to the Highest and most Sublime Use to be an Instrument and Servant to Faith and Love But now the Thoughts proper to the Lords Supper are many There are an Union of Mysteries yea so many that they are a burden to some Christians and a snare to those that are most scrupulous It will be necessary therefore to give you some Directions how you may guide your selves in this Duty for your best advantage It is a matter of great profit to be wise and skilful in Duties Many that know the general Nature of them know not how to manage them David saith Psalm 119.27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works intimating that then we performe Duties with most success when we go about them with most Wisdom and Understanding and when we are skilled in the way of Gods Precepts we shall understand those Marvellous Acts of Grace which he vouchsafeth to his People Now it is good that every one according to his Talent should help one anothers Joy and therefore I shall now speak a little to this purpose and the rather because it will much conduce to the opening of the Doctrine of Meditation in the general My Method shall be this 1. I will shew the usual defects of Christians in this Service with their necessary Remedies 2. I shall handle some cases First The usual defects and faults of People in this Duty I mean so far as they concern Meditation and they are Four Barrenness Stupidity Roving of Thoughts and a lazy Formality 1. Barrenness This is a great trouble to Christians when their Understandings are unfruitful and they cannot inlarge themselves in pertinent and necessary thoughts Now how shall we do to get our Hearts to be fruitful in Holy Thoughts 1. There must be a Solemn Preparation for this Service It is good to breathe our selves in some Religious Exercises before-hand that we may run the more freely without fainting Spiritual Dispositions do not come on us of a sudden Christians are deceived that look for rapt and sudden motions there must be a time to put off the Shoes off our Feet when we come upon Holy Ground to converse with God in so sweet a Service we must lay aside the Distractions of the World and not come roaking from the World into Gods presence There must be a time to raise the Soul into a Zealous Height and Ardour there must be a blowing of the fire for here you come to the flame your thoughts are to flame out in great and raised ascents Cant. 1.12 While the king sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Wood doth not blaze and flame as soon as it is laid on 2. Those solemn and preparative thoughts are chiefly to be spent in these two things The Nature of the Supper and the Love of Christ in the institution of it 1. The Nature of the Supper You are to consider the great things that are offered to you and the great Blessings and Benefits which God cometh to represent exhibit and seal up to your Souls Matth. 11.7 What went ye out into the wilderness for to see Christ examineth the grounds of their Resort and Concourse to him It is good to consider what we are about and the Dainties of the Banquet we are invited to what assurance the outward Signs are to give you what Communion we have with Christ and his Graces We are barren because we do not consider our Work and the Nature and Importance of it 2. The Love of Christ in the Institution of it 1. The Time when it was instituted 1 Cor. 11.23 The Lord Iesus Christ the same night in which he was betrayed took bread The Lord Jesus Christ had thoughts of the greatest good to Man when Man was executing the greatest Spight and Malice against him And the rather because it is an Act of Mercy that Christ frequently useth to surprize Sinners in the midst of their wickedness when Saul was breathing out threatnings against the Disciples God had a design of Love to him and smites him from his Horse Some are smitten with Conviction in the height of Provocations We read in Ecclesiastical Story of a young Man that came to stab St. Iohn was converted by him so many come to jear and catch at a Sermon and have been converted by it 2. The Rights which he instituted appointing Bread and Wine Symbols of Pleasure and Delight as a Physician conveys health to us in a Golden Pill so doth Christ convey Spiritual nourishment to us by those Elements which we take Pleasure in The outward Observance is comfortable God doth not require us to lance our selves and to exercise the Body with Whips and Cords the Rights are not bloody as in Circumcision but Bread and Wine And yet this is nothing to the inward sweetness Meat and Drink which the World knows not of Iohn 4.32 I have meat to eat which ye know not of 3. The Advantage and Relief that Faith has from these things of Sense God speaketh to you now not by Words but things He doth as it were embody Religion and represent it to the Senses Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you That is in the Word or Sacraments here God doth as it were hold forth Christ dying before your eyes
further 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount who have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts What greater confirmation could the Apostles expect than that voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 17.5 Yet Peter who heard that voice telleth us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the written Word not in it self but as it is given in evidence to us so that there is no compare between it and one from the dead 2. We have sensible Confirmations VVe are wrought upon by sence now is not ordinarily the word as sensibly confirmed to us as it would be by a Vision or Apparition from the dead 1. There is the Holyness of Professors 1 Cor. 14.25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you Is it not more wonder to see a Living Man that hath not devested himself of the Interests and Concernments of Flesh and Blood to deny himself for things to come then to hear a tale from a dead Man 2. There is the constancy of the Martyrs that have ratified this Truth with the loss of their dearest concernments Revel 12.11 And they overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death 'T is possible a Man may suffer for a false Religion and Sacrifice a stout Body to a stubborn mind But is there no true Gold because there hath been some counterfeit Coin The Devils Martyrs have not been so many for number nor for Temper and Quality so Holy so VVise so Meek as the Champions of the Truth The Christian Religion can shew you Persons of all Ages young and old of all Sexes Men and VVomen of all Conditions of Life Noble and of Low Degree of all Qualities Learned and Unlearned See Sermons on John 17. p. 256. 3. Then there is the inward feeling of Gods Children they find a Power in the word convincing changing comforting fortifying their hearts These can speak of what they hear feel and tast as well as one that cometh from the dead They have answerable impressions on their hearts Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart All this stampt upon the heart in legible Characters A true Christian is the lively transcript of his Religion the Scriptures are the Original and every Believer is the Copy it is gone over again in his heart 4. Those that have no Experience of this have a secret fear of the power of the word Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved He will not come to the light because he is afraid of the Majesty of God shining forth in the Scriptures Men dare not muse upon and seriously consider the Doctrine therein contained Atheisme lyeth in the heart the Seat of desires Psalm 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Men question the word because they would not have it true they are willing to indulge their lusts and therefore they are afraid of the word that forbiddeth them As Ahab was loath to hear Michajah because he prophesied evil Strong Lust maketh us incredulous A Malefactor desireth to destroy the Records and Evidences that are against him 5. There are also outward Effects of the Power of the VVord its propagation throughout all the VVorld within thirty years or thereabout the Doctrine it self contrary to Nature it doth not court the Senses nor woe the Flesh it doth not make offers of splendour of Life or Pleasures and Profits but biddeth us deny these things and expect troubles the drift of it is to teach Men to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood to renounce our Lusts deny our Interests And this was done by a â—ew Fishermen who had no long Sword no Publick Interest or Authority to back them and that in the face of the Learned VVorld when all Civil Disciplines were in there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height The word prevailed against Ancient Customs the Ark was to be set up in the Temple that was already occupied and possessed by Dagon 6. Then consider the many sensible Effects of the VVord as the Accomplishment of Prophecies Promises Threatnings and Answer of Prayers Gods Providence is a Comment upon Scripture It is an Authentick Register and Infallible Prognostication and Kalender VVe need not have one come from the dead to tell the truth of it it is fulfilled before our eyes every day 4. Or else they can convey a Power or expect that God will co-operate more with their report than with the Holy Scriptures Surely they are finite Creatures though passed out of this Life Nothing can convert and turn the heart of Man but the Infinite Power of God all the Angels in Heaven cannot pluck one Sinner out of the State of Nature VVe read one Angel could destroy One Hundred Eighty Five Thousand in Senacheribs Hoast 1 Kings 19.35 But all the Angels cannot convert one Soul But will God co-operate Alas when all prejudices are removed Men are nothing the better till the Lord puts in his Grace the Iews suppose Moses and the Prophets to be of God they were confirmed by notable Miracles the fame of which continue among them But the matter is about Gods Efficacy But now God concurreth with his instituted Course common means of Gods appointing have a singular efficacy annexed as Reading Acts 8.32 Hearing Mark 4.24 Meditation Acts 17.11 Christ dyed to sanctifie Ordinances Eph. 5.26 and there if ever shall we meet with the Power and Grace of God Secondly Against it There are more rational prejudices that lye against any other way than this way that God hath taken As to instance in the matter in hand 1. It is no mean scruple about the lawfulness of hearkning to one that should come from the Dead since they are out of the Sphere of our Commerce and it is a disparagement to the great Doctor of the Church Against consulting with the Dead See Deut 18.10 11 12 with 14 15. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that useth divination or an observer of
For Explication The words shew us Two things I What is the Tenour of the Legal Covenant II. What is the Tenour of the Righteousness of Faith I. What is the Tenour of the Legal Covenant Verse 5th For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doth those things shall live by them For understanding his drift you must consider this That at the first promulgation of the Gospel both Iews and Gentiles were rivals for the favour and mercy of God They did both at the same time start and set forth as two Racers striving who should win the Goal or carry away the Prize of Justification So the Apostle represents them Rom. 9 30 31 32. What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained righteousness even the righteousness which is of Faith but Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law For they stumbled at that stumbling-Stone It is agreed among the Learned that the terms there used are Agonisâ—ical and that there is an allusion to Racers The Approbation or Mercy of God was the Prize that all ran for both Iews and Gentiles These were the two Competitours And as in all Racing they had a Law prescribed which they were to observe So both took their several ways Now VVho got the Goal The Iews strained themselves all that they could to get it by their Law And the Gentiles by the Law of Faith the business is VVho would soonest come to the Goal or be accounted Favourites of God The Gentiles upon Faith and Repentance though formerly they had been Idolaters Or the Iews that would be Justified by the Observances of their Law rejecting Christianity The Apostle determineth that the Iews though they did most earnestly contend to be Justified by the Law yet did not out-run the Gentiles so as to get to the Goal or obtain the Prize of Justification from them VVhy Because they sought it not by the Evangelical way and could not endure that when it was revealed to them but thought their Legal Observances would Commend them to God and so stumbled in the very midst of their Race out of Impatiency that their Law should be abolished and they levelled with the Gentiles and required to believe in a Messiah who lived and died in a mean condition and so they utterly miscarried in their pursuit of Justification and Acceptance with God These were the two Litigant Parties and the case in debate at that time Now to take off the Iews from this vain and dangerous attempt the Apostle bringeth the two ways to a fair hearing And proveth that the Law can be no way to justifie Sinners even from Moses himself whose Authority they so much cried up He proveth it from his description of the Righteousness which is by the Law The sum of his Argument is this There is no Justification but either by the Law or by Faith you must Foregoe the one and Cleave to the other for you cannot hold by both Now you are left to your choice which way you will take to run to the Goal and obtain the Prize If you will hearken to Moses he himself propoundeth two ways of Justification by the Law and by Faith What he saith of the Righteousness of Faith we shall see by and by But what he saith of the Righteousness of the Law is evident The Man that doth these things shall live by them The Law is no way to Justifie Sinners for by the Law you are Accursed if you sin we cannot live if we do not all that is required of us and contained in the Law Now we that are conscious to so many frailties have no reason to be fond of Justification by the Law which exacteth such a strict rigid obedience in all Moral Duties even to the least tittle and addeth so many burdensome Ceremonies The Law promiseth Life on doing all that was required of them to do and threatned a Curse on them that did it not without allowing Repentance But in the Law of Faith sure Mercy and Pardon is provided for the Penitent Believer And therefore Justification is not put upon such Impossible and Difficult Terms It dependeth upon what Christ did for us as he died and rose again and what we are to do our selves is plain and easie plain to be understood and easie by Grace to perform II. What is the Tenour of the Righteousness of Faith This is set forth Negatively and Positively what it saith not and what it saith 1. Negatively what it saith not Verses 6 7. But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead Here Two Questions are removed as inconsistent with or improper to the Righteousness of Faith First The First Question Who shall ascend into Heaven That is to fetch the Knowledge thence of Heavenly Mysteries or to bring down Christ from above as if he had never been on Earth to make known the Doctrine of Salvation but were as yet to be called from Heaven for this purpose No that is sufficiently done already John 3.13 No Man hath ascended up into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven To comprehend Heavenly Mysteries is Christ's Prerogative who came from the bosom of the Father in our Nature to communicate this knowledge to us and to shew us upon what terms we may be Justified before God and enjoy his Grace and Favour Secondly The Second Question is in the 7th Verse Or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead In Moses it is Deut. 30. 13. Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it But the Sea is sometimes considered for its latitude and breadth and sometimes for its profundity and depth and so is often put in Scripture for the Bottomless Pit as opposite to Heaven Heaven being highest and the bottom of the Sea lowest and is frequently used for the Bottomless Pit or the state of the Dead The meaning is You need not say Who shall bring up Christ again from the â—ead as if he were yet in the Grave and all hopes of Salvation were buried with him since long ago he is risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven and hath sent abroad his Messengers to Proselyte the World indowing them with power from on high for this Work 2. Positively But what saith it Where take notice of First The Words Secondly The Sense First VVhat VVords are put into the Mouth of the Righteousness which is by Faith
True Wisdom is from above 6. Do not only seek the light of the Spirit but wait for his renewing Grace that you may make things unseen your felicity and portion Iohn 3.6 That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Naturally there is in us a foolish inordinate desire after the Dignities Honours and Pleasures of the World But we should earnestly desire the New Birth 1 Pet. 2.3 As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Joh. 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World And 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature That we may have a deep sense of and respect to the other World 7. Think often and seriously what a value Eternity puts upon things small much more upon things great in themselves 1. That Eternity puts a value upon things in themselves small whether good or evil evil as what a Torment would an Everlasting Tooth ach be Tho' the pain be not very great nor mortal yet the Eternal length and duration maketh it intolerable So in things good if a Man might have a Cottage but for an hundred years he would prize it more than to have liberty to walk in a Glorious Palace for one day so that things which are eternal do much more excel those things which are temporal though there be otherwise a difference between the things themselves As the Tooth-Ach is not a Mortal disease but every Man would die presently rather than live under an everlasting Tooth-Ach A Cottage is not to be compared to a Palace yet the Inheritance of a Cottage is much better than the liberty of a walk in a Palace for an Hour or a Day A small thing is greatned by Eternity much more a greater Well then since things unseen do so far exceed things seen and the one are Temporal and the other Eternal why should Man be so foolish and perverse as to prefer the one above the other Whatever hurts is but a flea-biting whatever delights is but a May-game The good and evil of the World is not to be compared with the fore-taste of the good and evil of the World to come Horrors of Conscience or Joy in the Holy Ghost Horrours of Conscience Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustain his Infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear Joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.2 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Horrour of Conscience is a greater pain than any pain And joy in the Holy Ghost is a greater joy than any joy now Eternity cometh and addeth a greater weight to it as to the horrours of the Wicked or the joys of the Blessed If these horrours be so burdensome what is it to lye under them for evermore If we cannot sleep one whole Night as to a man in a Fever a Night is an Year though he lie in a soft bed How do we long for day How tedious is it then to lie under Eternal darkness and to despair of ever seeing day more So for the joys of the Blessed If a day in Gods Courts be better than a thousand elsewhere What 's a Month what 's an Year what are an hundred years what 's six hundred what a thousand what 's Eternity Every thing in the other World as it is great so 't is Eternal there is an Eternity in the evil part of it The Bodies of men are Eternal their Souls Eternal the fire never goeth out for the fewel never ceaseth the Prison in which they are kept is Eternal the Torment is Eternal because the Judge is Eternal and his Sentence shall never be reversed Heb. 10.31 So the Joys as they are unspeakable and glorious so Eternal The Crown of Glory is an Incorruptible Crown 1 Pet. 5.4 The Inheritance an incorruptible Inheritance The Vision of God is not by Snatches but Everlasting the fruition of God is uninterrupted all is great and all is Eternal 2. This must be seriously considered by us and often and deeply If we did so what help should we then have against Temptations It would make us obey Gods Commandments more chearfully subdue the desires of the Flesh and make us more ready to every good work to consider that Eternity ensueth That Everlasting wo and weal is in the Case Meat well chewed nourisheth the more but being swallowed whole breedeth Crudities burdeneth the Stomach and defileth the Body so to hear of Eternity and swallow it without Rumination and due Consideration maketh these things lose their force so that they do not excite our Diligence nor break the force of Temptations Oh that they were wise and would consider their latter end Deut. 29. And my People do not consider Isa. 1.3 'T is our Carelessness and Inconsideration that undoeth us We read in Story which also hath been repeated in a late instance But Originally it is recorded of Agrippina and Nero That when a Prodigal Prince had given away a huge summ they laid all the Money in an heap before him that he might see and consider what he had given away to bring him to retract or in part to lessen the grant So 't is good for us to consider what we lose in losing Eternity what we part with for these vile and perishing things Invisible things if they are small yet they are Eternal but they are great and Eternal too But these other things are small and Temporal Eighthly Consider How certain and sure these Invisible things are which lye in the other World There wanteth nothing but this to strike the Temptation dead which ariseth from temporal things for since these Invisible things are greater and more durable why should they not prevail more with us The Reason is we See Feel Taste the one but the other lye out of sight in an unknown World and so we doubt of them or our perswasions about them are very weak But to Check this disease consider what help is offered to you 1. By the Light of Nature which sheweth it may be 2. The Light of Christianity which sheweth it shall be 1. The Light of Nature will offer proof enough to make us more serious than ever we have been For 1. If there be not a World to come and a state of Invisible Happiness and unseen Glory why is it that such a conceit hath been rooted in the Minds of Men of all Nations and Religions Not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized Herodotus telleth us that the Ancient Geâ—es thought their Souls perished not when they died but went to Tamolxis And Diodorus Siculus of the Egyptians that their Parents and Friends went to some Eternal Habitation And the Modern Heathens but newly discovered hold the Condition of Men and Beasts different that
begging to his own Creature and deals with us as importunately as if the Benefit were his own thus doth he pray us to be reconciled And then God threatens eternal Death to stir us up to take hold of eternal Life he tells us of a Pit without a Bottom and a Worm that never dies Sometimes he seeketh to work upon our Hope and sometimes upon our Fear he not only tells us of the loss of Happiness which is very grievous to an ingenuous Spirit Heb. 12.14 Follow Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord But he tells us of those eternal Torments that are without End and Ease of a Worm than never dies and of a Fire that shall never be quenched O whose Heart doth not tremble at the mention of these things Then on the other side we have Promises as great as Heart can wish for and more 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises It hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive of these things Who ever hired a Man to be happy or a thirsty Man to drink or a hungry Man to eat Salvation is so acceptable and the heavenly and blessed Hope so glorious that we should purchase it at any rate but God taketh all Methods to awaken Man Thus the Gospel may well be said to be a powerful Instrument of our Salvation because it hath a powerful Tendency that way 2. Because it hath the Promise of the Spirit 's Assistance Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation not only because it is a powerful Instrument which God hath appropriated to this Work but this is the Honour God puts upon the Gospel that he will join and associate the Operation of his Spirit with no other Doctrine but this And therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith How come you to receive the Spirit either by endeavouring to get Acceptance with God according to the Terms of the Law or by the Doctrine of the Gospel The Assistance of the Spirit is joined with no other Doctrine This is the Authentick Proof of the Excellency of that Doctrine that God hath reserved the Power of his Grace to go along with it he will not associate and join his Spirit with any other Doctrine The Law as it is contra-distinguish'd from the Gospel it is called the Ministration of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 and the Ministration of Death to fallen Man ver 7. It is the Office of the Law to condemn a Man not to save him Not as if preaching of the Law did make us guilty but shews us to be guilty to him that is guilty of Death it puts the Guilt before their Eyes that knowing it and feeling it he may be terrified and despair in himself and beg for Deliverance To this end the Apostle gives us an account of his own Experience Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once that is I thought I was alive and did not know my self or feel my self guilty of Death I thought my self to be in as good a condition towards God as any Man but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died then I counted my self to be lost and utterly undone A Sinner before the Law comes is like a Beggar that dreams he is a King and that he wallows in Ease and Plenty but when he awakes his Soul is empty and he feeleth his Poverty and his hungry Belly and his Rags confute all his Dreams and false Surmises So we thought our selves to be alive in a good condition towards God but when the Law comes then we see our selves to be dead and lost Therefore the Law as it is opposed to the Gospel is not the Means of Salvation so it is only the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Object You will say these seem to be hard Expressions to call it the Law of Sin and Death but you must understand it aright To Man fallen the Law only convinceth of Sin and bindeth over to Death it is nothing but a killing Letter but the Gospel accompanied by the Power of the Spirit bringeth Life Again Psal. 19.7 it is said there The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul therefore it seems the Law may also be a word of Salvation to the Creature I answer By the Law there is not meant only that part of the Word which we call the Covenant of Works but there it is put for the whole Word for the whole Doctrine of the Covenant of Life and Salvation as Psal. 1.2 His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And if you take it in that stricter sense then it converteth the Soul but by accident as it is joined with the Gospel which is the Ministry of Life and Righteousness but in it self it is the Law of Sin and Death Look as a thing taken simply would be Poison and deadly in self yet mix'd with other wholsome Medicines it is of great use is an excellent Physical Ingredient So the Law is of great use as joined with the Gospel to awaken and startle the Sinner to shew him his Duty to convince him of Sin and Judgment but it is the Gospel properly that pulls in the Heart Vse To press you to regard the Gospel more as you would Salvation it self for it bringeth Salvation By way of Motive and Encouragement 1. Consider the greatness of the Salvation Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation It is not a slight matter in the Gospel God doth not treat with you about Trifles your eternal Life lies upon it we preach to you a Doctrine that tends to Salvation That so the Argument may be more operative consider what is Salvation Salvation implieth a Deliverance from Danger and Distress and a preservation in a condition of Safety Sometimes he is called a Saviour qui quod semel factum est conservat ne pereat that keepeth a thing in a condition of Safety tho it were never lost In this sense God is said to save Man and Beast Psal. 36.6 O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast As he doth preserve them from Decay and Ruin so he is the Saviour of all Men 1 Tim. 4.10 There is not a Creature but may call God Saviour But this Salvation I speak of is a Salvation proper but to a few Creatures not a general Preservation or Act of Providence here is not only Safety but Glory it is a translation to a place of Happiness Again he is said to save that delivers out of Danger and Destruction as the Shepherd that snatcheth the Lamb out of the Teeth of the Lion saveth him and in common speech we call him a Saviour that delivers from Evil. But mark this
upon them that they are instrumental Saviours 1 Tim. 4.16 In doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee We are employed in a subserviency to his Grace that so we might be Saviours unto you O do not rob us of the Honour God hath put upon us let not our Employment be in vain The Apostle urgeth this Argument Phil. 2.16 Holding forth the Word of Life that I may rejoice in the Day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Discover that it is a Word of Salvation in your Lives This would be the Minister's Crown and Rejoicing to see the Fruits of the Word of Life now in your Conversation and hereafter in your Glorification when a Minister shall present himself and all his Converts to God Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me Heb. 2.13 Therefore do not rob us of the Honour God hath put upon us to be instrumental Saviours What shall we do Take these Directions 1. Get a sense of your dead and lost Condition by Nature The killing Letter makes way for the Word of Life The Law shews us that we are dead and then we enquire after the way of Life and Salvation The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost Luke 19.10 We must be lost in our own sense and feeling before we can be saved It is very notable that only those that were pricked in Heart said What shall we do to be saved Acts 2.37 Now when they heard this they were pricked in their Heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do So Paul Acts 9.6 And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do So the Jaylor Acts 16.29 30. He came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said Sirs What must I do to be saved Till we are pinched in Conscience we trouble our selves with other Questions As the Disciples had many superfluous Questions Iohn 9.2 Master who did sin this Man or his Parents that he was born blind and nice Disputes Acts 1.6 Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel they were taken up with terene Expectations Such a Question Peter propounded to Christ Iohn 21.21 Lord and what shall this Man do But when we are soundly humbled we say Lord what must I do to be saved I see I am a lost Creature an hunger-bitten Beggar will seek Relief Such Questions are rare now because the Law has not a kindly Work Men think the Gate of Heaven wide and the Way easy to find they never came to see how far off they were But those that know themselves to be lost are inquisitive after a Remedy and more pliable to God's Counsel O where is the Word of Salvation what shall we do They are ready to submit to any Terms God shall prescribe Others make dry Confessions of Sin and give in a Narrative but are not so sollicitous about the Remedies and Redresses but poor wounded Spirits that are sensible of their Misery by Nature say Good Sir shew us the way let God write down what Articles he pleaseth we would be glad to subscribe to them Bonds of Iniquity are much more sure than Bonds of Duty 2. Let us attend more conscionably both upon the reading and hearing the Word of the Gospel for both are instituted Upon the reading of it we should often consult with it it is the Counsel of God to poor loâ—t Souls and the Charter of our Salvation Do not think reading will be altogether unprofitable The Eunuch was reading and wanted an Interpreter then God sent Philip Acts 8.33 He that â—ent Philip to the Eunuch will send the Spirit to thee Then attend more upon the hearing of the Word of this Salvation Hearing is necessary He that refuseth God's Ordinance refuseth Life and Salvation When Men think they can get as much Good by reading at Home as by hearing Sermons they set up their foolish Judgment against God's Wisdom as if they could tell a better Means of Salvation than God himself God's Word read is an Ordinance and God's Word taught is an Ordinance Are we so wise as to be above the help of Church-Gifts yet we are not above God's Ordinance When God hath instituted two Things we should observe both He hath instituted Baptism and the Lord's Supper we must not because we have been Baptized neglect the Supper so we must not neglect Hearing because we have Reading As God hath instituted Prophets and Apostles to write Scripture so likewise Pastors and Teachers to open explain and apply Scripture and therefore the Ministry must not be contemned Object But you will say God's Blessing goeth with the Gospel and when we read the Scriptures at Home we are sure of pure Gospel but we cannot say so of the Sermons of Men who are liable to Miscarriage and Error Answ. The Scripture is pure Gospel of it self and by it self and the Sermons of Men for the Scripture's sake for they are but comparing one Scripture with another they differ but as the Cloth and Garment Scripture is the Cloth and Sermons make it up into a Garment for use or as Corn and Bread the same Substance remaineth in both An Apothecary when he tempers several Ingredients to make a Medicine he doth not destroy the Nature of the Simples but compounds them to make the Medicine more effectual so by Gifts in the Church the Gospel is not destroyed but ordered and compounded that it may be more useful Indeed you must look to it that there be no Sophistication in the Composition a spiritual Man hath a distinguishing Appetite therefore be much in Reading much in Hearing When the Wind is laid the Mill stirs not and a Ship under sail goes the â—wifter for Oars so the hearing of the Word moves the Affections but when we cannot come to hear it our Affections are laid and stir not 3. In reading and hearing the Word receive all the Parts of it Acts 20.27 I have not shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God The Receipts of a Physician must not be altered neither by the Apothecary nor Patient so We must not alter God's Receipts nor You neither We must not shun to declare nor You to receive the whole Counsel of God For instance there is the History of Salvation the Doctrinal and Historical Part must be kept pure that 's the Foundation You read in Gen. 26.20 there was a great strife between Isaac's Herds-men and the Herds-men of Gerer about Wells O certainly we should earnestly contend for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. these are Wells of Salvation Take away one of the Natures of Christ or destroy one of his Offices and you lose a Fountain of Comfort there is a Well of Salvation dammed and stop'd up So the promissory and hortitory Part is necessary to quicken us
scandalize others and not right himself In taking Wrong we suffer Evil in returning Wrong we do Evil the one is our Affliction the other is our Sin It will be no Excuse for you to say you were wronged first See how the Spirit of God takes off these Pleas Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the Man according to his Work This is but a continuance and reciprocation of Justice So Prov. 20.29 Say not thou I will recompense Evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee I remember Lactantius hath a pretty saying in this Case Qui par pari referre nititur ipsum à quo laesus est imitatur Revenge and Injury differ only in Order he that begins the Injury goeth before in Mischief and he that requites it comes as fast after as he can he doth but delight to follow that which he saw go before him If you judg it evil in others why do you fall into the like your selves What care hath he of Justice and Goodness that imitateth that which he acknowledgeth to be evil It is no Excuse to say he began his doing Wrong to thee doth not dissolve the Obligation of God's Law or the binding Power it hath upon thy Conscience Nay the return of Injuries argues you to be the more malicious because it is a more willing a more knowing Act. 5 th Rule We must be so far from wronging any Man that in many cases we must not demand our own extream Right Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known unto all Men the Lord is at hand your Moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the mitigating of the extremity of Justice James 3.17 The Wisdom that is from above is peaceable and gentle Extream right is but an Injury when you do not all you may do by the Letter of the Law out of Lenity and Christian Forbearance Power stretched to the utmost is but Tyranny and when the words of the Law are urged contrary to the end the Law is made a Pattern of Sin and unjust dealing In short this Equity and Moderation lieth in not interpreting things doubtful to the worst sense Eccles. 7.16 Be not righteous overmuch When we do not interpret things rigorously that are receptive and capable of more plausible Interpretations when we depart from our own Right for just and convenient Reasons Psal. 69.4 I restored that which I took not way For Peace sake much may be done that we may not dishonour God nor vex others for every Trifle the good of others is to be considered that we may not undo them tho it be our Right Thus Paul departed from his own Right to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 He would labour with his Hands rather than lose an opportunity of spreading the Gospel 2 Thess. 3.8 Neither did we eat any Man's Bread for nought but wrought with Labour and Travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you Paul took no Maintenance the spiritual things we sow are above your best carnal things considering our Labour and Pains the Bread we eat is bought at the dearest rate We have a Right but for God's Glory and not to lay a stumbling-Block in the way of young Converts we recede from it You are not to exact all your Labours Isa. 58.3 When you hold poor Men to a Bargain that is burdensome it is Injustice And thus our Lord Christ himself paid Tribute to avoid Scandal 6 th Rule Do as you would be done unto Mat. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the scope of Scriptures This saying the Roman Emperor Severus much admired and wrote it upon many places of his Palace for it is a Rule serves in all cases If we would do as we would be done unto what Lives might we lead We are very tender of our own Interest give a favourable Sentence in our own case and are very sensible of the Wrong done to us we would not be circumvented by a fraudulent Bargain we would not be detracted in our own Names we would have our Infirmities hidden and not divulged we would be succoured in such Distresses now do so to them If in all cases we would do aright and judg aright let us change the Persons and suppose our selves in another's case would I have others thus do with me But how is this Law to be understood Some lay violent hands upon themselves others desire things sinful as to be drunk and to commit Adultery I answer it is meant of what we wish to our selves by a regular Self-love and a free and unperverted Will. Again it holdeth not in Duties of Relations it is not just that the Father should do that to the Children which he would have the Children do to him as to give Honour and Reverence and the like So in all Relations between Inferiors and Superiors it is to be understood if we were in their place and in the like condition as if I were a Son or if I were a Servant still take the Person of him with whom thou dealest upon thy self that Right which you would have others do to you as you would be kindly dealt with in buying and selling in pardoning Injuries forgiving unadvised Wrongs do you the same to others This will help us to keep a good Conscience in all our dealings 7 th Rule Publick Good is to be sought as well as private and in many cases to be preferred before it No Man is born for himself and therefore it is Injustice when Men mind only their own things and are wholly taken up with fulfilling their own Wills and Desires God hath commanded us to love one another he hath devolved upon one Man the Respects of all the World in effect for all Men are bound to love thee and seek thy Good What 's the reason of this but to engage and oblige us the more to seek the good one of another Rom. 12.5 We are all Members one of another the Members seek the good of the Body The Stomach receives Meat not for it self but to disperse it for the use of the whole Body When Men are of a narrow private Spirit and do not seek the Welfare of others they sin against Nature and Grace Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature if he could live by himself then he might live to himself Human Society is founded upon Communion and Commerce and therefore we are bound to seek the good one of another There is a great Body to which all the Members must have respect As in a Clock all the Wheels move one another and each part receiveth help one from another so every one should mind the common Good and be sensible of the common Evil 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no Man seek his own but every Man
and reflected upon the Soul there is the more Service and Care to glorify God and to do him Respect and Honour Thus Faith the radical Grace is necessary for this temper and frame of Heart which is called Godliness and inclineth us to worship and glorify God 2. Fear and Love are likewise necessary I join them together because they do best mix'd Love with Fear that it may not be servile and Fear with Love that it may not be careless and secure both are Gospel-Graces In the Old Testament when God's Dispensations were more legal and God is represented as a Judg Fear is more spoken of but in the New Testament where more of Grace is discovered Love is more spoken of but both are necessary Fear and Love are indeed essential Respects of the Creature to God therefore both continue in Heaven and they are of great Use in the spiritual Life to maintain Piety Fear is necessary that we may keep God always in our Eye and Love that we may keep him always in our Hearts Fear restrains from Offence and Love urgeth to Work and Service Fear thinks of God's Eye and represents him as a Looker on and Love remembers God's Kindness Fear makes us cautious and watchful and stirs up awful Thoughts that we may not offend God and grieve his Spirit and Love works a Desire to injoy him and a Care to glorify him wherein indeed true Godliness consists for Godliness in its proper Notion importeth a Tendency of the Heart towards God either to injoy him which is our Happiness or to glorify him which is our Work and Duty And therefore Love is of great Use it stirs up Desires to injoy God and Fear which stirs up Care to glorify God Fear makes us upright because of God's Eye and Love makes us diligent and earnest because we are about God's Work who hath been gracious to us in Christ the one makes us serious the other active so that they are both of great Use to constitute that frame and temper of Heart wherein Piety consists Well then he is godly that feareth God for he would not offend him and he is godly that loves God because all his Care and Desire is to serve him and injoy him Secondly The Ordinances about which Godliness is conversant Because Particulars are most effective let me speak a Word of each The Ordinances which manifest which nourish which increase Godliness are these Reading Hearing Meditating Prayer the Use of the Seals and keeping of the Sabbath 1. Reading the Word The Words of Scripture have a proper Efficacy The Holy Ghost is the best Preacher therefore it is good now and then to go to the Fountain our selves and not only to have the Word brought to us by others but to read it our selves As the Eunuch Acts 8.28 when he returned from publick Worship he was reading the Scripture and God owned it by sending him an Interpreter Every Ordinance hath its proper Blessing and when we use it out of Conscience God will not be wanting He that sent Philip to the Eunuch will send his own Spirit to help thee therefore read the Word Daniel the Prophet that had the highest Visions from God yet he studies other Prophecies those of Ieremiah Dan. 9.2 I Daniel understood by Books the Number of the Years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet Mark the Study of the Scripture is a Duty that lies upon those that are most gifted and most eminent for Parts Nay the Prophets and holy Men of God read over again and studied their own Prophecies 1 Pet. 1.10 Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you And if they that were guided by an infallible Spirit immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost if they thought fit to read and read again and again their own Prophecies and inquire diligently into the Salvation they spoke of much more is it our Duty to read the Word None is above the Ordinance of Reading That 's one Ordinance which nourisheth Godliness 2. Hearing One Institution must not justle out another It is not enough to read at home but you must also hear and attend upon publick Preaching Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard It is God's Ordinance Seldom is Grace got by Reading We have our Confirmation by Reading but usually Conversion is by Hearing therefore do not reason against this Duty and say you can provide your selves with Books you are not wiser than God his Will should be Reason enough though the Institution should be never so mean and despicable 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe All God's Institutions are full of Wisdom and full of Reason There is some Help certainly in Hearing there 's a Ministerial Excitation which is of some Use. Look as warm'd Milk is fitter to nourish than that which is cold so the Word of God delivered by a lively Voice hath a greater Congruity and Sutableness to the Work of Grace As the Ear was the Door by which Death got into the Soul by hearkning to the Temptation so God would have the Ear to be the Sense of Grace and the Door of Life and Peace In the Church Hearing is exercised as in Heaven Seeing Our Happiness in Heaven is express'd by Vision and Sight but in the Church Hearing is our Duty and our Benefits and Advantages come in by attending upon the Word therefore it is good to take all Occasions and to be swift to hear James 1.19 Though we know a great deal already and have never so great Parts yet we need a Monitor to represent the things of God to us and to awaken our Consideration and lay them before our Eyes and though we know many things we are forgetful and do not think of them It is good to come to this Duty that we may be put in Remembrance 3. Meditation a neglected thing but it falleth under the Care of Godliness as well as others It is not enough to exercise the Eyes and the Ears but the Thoughts God deserves the best Use and the Flower and Strength of our Reason and the things of God deserve Consideration being so difficult and so excellent Especially should we meditate upon the Word we hear for then there 's matter to work upon and somewhat whereby to fix the Thought Psal. 62.10 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this That which God speaks we should go over again and again in our Thoughts As when a Man hath been hearing of Bells the Sound hovereth in the Brain when the Bells cease Thus and thus hath God spoken to day and what shall I say to these things This is like grinding of the Corn it prepares and makes it fit Nourishment for the Soul So meditate upon what you read Iosh. 1.8 The Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth but thou shalt
Psal. 2.3 Let us break their Bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us In the latter Ages of the World it is foretold in the Prophecies of Scripture that the Church is in danger of turning to Libertinism we cast away Yoke after Yoke till we have left Christ nothing but an empty Title How busy are Men now to find out a North-East-Passage a nearer cut to Heaven and therefore the Lord swears and ratifies the whole Tenor of the Gospel by an Oath to meet with our Enmity and natural Contrariety which makes us so apt to misbelieve 6. Another Cause why those that are touched with a sense of Sin suspect God's good Affection is a Jealousy of Assurance or a secret fear of presuming All the Doubts and Scruples of a troubled Conscience come to this Issue and may all be referred to this Head a fear of presuming Many will plead the number of their Sins and how many Affronts they have put upon the Grace or God Some will plead the Greatness and the Aggravations of their Sins Relapses into Sin Sins against Light against the Advantages of Grace but they all end in this one thing a fear of being too bold with the Comforts of the Gospel and that Comfort doth not belong to Persons in their case This is the Cable-Rope which keeps them from floating out amain upon the Ocean of God's Mercy as if the Lord delighted in their Grief rather than in their Assurance and Satisfaction Usually thus it is with disturbed Consciences Trouble that is once swallowed is hardly got up again and Men think Sadness is more pleasing to God than Comfort and that Doubts sute with a Christian Frame rather than Confidence and so they hug a Distemper instead of a Duty Therefore the Lord is fain to swear that certain it is Nay it is not for nothing that this makes the Heart of Christ so joyful that we live upon the Provision he hath made for us Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy might remain in you and that your Ioy might be full This is the very Aim of God's Oath he would shew as I shall further clear by and by that our Assurance is more pleasing to him than our Doubting that he is better pleased with our Comfort nay tho it rise up to strong Comfort than with our Sorrow Thus you see that Diffidence and Incredulity is deeply rooted in our Nature yea Believers themselves are liable to many Doubts out of the Relicks of Atheism and Unbelief that yet remains in them Secondly I am to shew that we are apt to suspect his Truth in keeping his Promise When Straits and Difficulties come and things go cross to our Expectation we had need of more than God's single Word There is not one of an hundred that lives by Faith and can bottom his Comfort on a single Promise and can rejoice in the Lord his God when outward Supports fail We are led altogether by Sense and therefore in cross Providences we look upon Promises as words of course and are apt to say Where are his Promises and the Soundings of his Bowels and where is the ready Help which God hath promised in the time of Trouble And therefore as a Prop to the Soul he hath backed his Promise with an Oath Mark it Christians it is very usual even with God's dearest Children to unravel their Hopes and to question all upon a cross Providence as David Psal. 116.11 I said in my haste All Men are Liars Why doth David retract that Charge and impute it to his haste The Apostle saith Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every Man a Liar We are changeable Creatures our Beings are a Lie to day we are and to morrow we are not and so our Promises are a Lie we say and do not and therefore why doth David impute it to his haste as if he had spoken something that were untrue Certainly there was some blame in the Expression for he acknowledgeth it was spoken in haste The Speech hath respect to those Messages and Assurances which were brought to him from the Mouth of God by Samuel Nathan and other Prophets They comforted him with God's Promises and now he was Thunder-struck blasted with some sore Affliction far enough from the Case of a Man that had many Assurances from Heaven now all Men are Liars Prophets and all Once more Psal. 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine Eyes nevertheless thou heardest the Voice of my Supplications when I cried unto thee God hath cast off all care of David he doth not look after a poor banished Man which wandreth up and down in the Wilderness a poor Flea that is chased and hunted to and fro Such Pets and Passions of Distrust such irregular and unbelieving Thoughts usually have we upon any cross Providence when Sense contradicts the Promise Always we find Sense and Distrust making Lies of God therefore a single Promise will not serve the turn but we need an Oath Surely if God hath sworn we may wait upon him Doubts now God hath passed his Oath do but accuse him of Perjury And therefore you shall see the Oath of God hath always been the Refuge of the Saints even in the worst of Times when they seemed most of all to â—lour upon their Hopes and Expectations Hab. 3.9 The Affairs of the Church were at that time desperate but saith the Prophet Thy Bow was made quite naked according to the Oaths of the Tribes even thy Word Selah God for his Covenant and Oath 's sake revived the Affairs of the Church when they were at a desperate pass It is there expressed in the Plural Number Oaths because they were often renewed with the Church and they are called the Oaths of the Tribes because this was the Church's Treasure because of the Oath God made with the Tribes for it is not meant of the Oaths the Church made with God Look as the Covenant of Abraham is God's Covenant made with Abraham and the Mercies of David were God's Mercies bestowed upon David So the Oaths of the Tribes are not taken actively for the Oaths which the Tribes deposited with God but passively for the Oath God deposited with the Tribes that is the Church God took this Bow out of the Case and bestows the Arrows of his Vengeance upon the Adversaries of the Church That this Exposition is true it appeareth in what follows even thy Word Selah There is his Word and that confirmed by an Oath the two immutable things these relieve the sinking State of the Church It goes ill with the Church along time that we might have Experience what God can do Look what Florus said of the State of Rome Romani praelio saepe victi bello nunquam The Romans were often overcome in Battel but never in War So of the Church they go by the worst in some particular Cases and in some particular Times that we might try God and
and neglected It is very sad when God is provoked to swear to the Damnation of any Creature Who are the Persons that may stand in dread of this Oath why they that believe not Heb. 3.18 To whom swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believe not It is the Sin of Unbelief after many tenders and offers of Mercy which provokes God to this Indignation Here is Oath against Oath the one to drive us the other to draw us and pull in the Heart to God If you continue in this course you shall have neither Part nor Portioâ— in Christ nor in the Land of Promise It is better to be satisfied with God's Oath in Mercy than to run the hazard of his Oath in Judgment Therefore speak to Conscience Do I come up to this Certainty and Confidence Is the Controversy ended between God and me Are all Suspicions laid aside Obj. But you will say I do not doubt of the Truth of the Gospel but of my own â—nterest I doubt that I am the Person to whom God hath sworn The Truth of God is sure but my Interest is not clear Sol. In Answer to this consider 1. It doth but seem so that all Doubts are about our own Interestâ— but it is not so indeed If once you were heartily perswaded of God's good Affection in Christ Doubts and Scruples about our own Estate would soon vanish Look as the Fire when it is well kindled bursts out of its own accord into a Flame so if Faith were once well laid in the Soul if Men could rest upon these two immutable things Consolation would not be so far from them if there were a firm Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel there would not be so many Buts if you did firmly believe his Mercy in Christ it would soon end in a stedfast Confidence This appeareth from the nature of the thing All Uncertainty ariseth either from a Neglect of the great Salvation or else from Trouble of Conscience Now carnal Men neglect it because they are not perswaded of the Worth and Excellency of it and Men under Horrors of Conscience distrust it they are such Sinners they dare not apply it and are so full of Doubts and Scruples because they are not perswaded of the Truth of the Gospel See how the Apostle proposeth the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. â—5 This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief If negligent and carnal Men would but look upon it as worthy of all Acceptation and troubled Conscience look upon it as a faithful Saying there would be more regular Actings and Effects found in their Hearts and Lives the Negligent would give more Diligence and the Contrite would rise up into a greater Hope and Confidence If Men did believe the Worth of Salvation they would not run after lying Vanities If they did believe the Truth of Salvation for Sinners there would not be so many Scruples and Fears It is notable that the Scriptures very seldom do press Assurance of the Subject but Assurance of the Object in very many places to believe the Doctrine it self for there is the greatest Difficulty and in the Word of God we have no Precedent of any that were troubled about their own Interest If an Earthly King should proclaim a general Pardon and an Act of Grace to all Persons in Rebellion only on terms of Submission and laying down their Hostility and returning to their Duty and Allegiance the Doubt would not be of their own Interest but of the truth of his Intention to shew them such Grace and Mercy So it is with God he hath proclaimed Terms of Grace in the Gospel provided we will lay down the Weapons of our Defiance and return to the Duty of our Allegiance now that which we suspect is the Heart of God and the Gospel in the general whether there be Mercy for such kind of Sinners as we are 2. Because we cannot perswade Men to a Certainty against their Consciences what should hinder but that now you should establish your Interest and that you now make your Plea and Claim according to God's Word and Oath for Joy must arise from a Sense of it Your complaining is not the way to ease your Conscience but Obedience It is an Advantage to find our selves in an ill Condition not a Discouragement As the Woman in the Gospel made an Argument of that that she was a Dog Mat. 15.27 Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table As when the Man-slayer saw the Avenger of Blood at his Heels this made him mend his pace and fly for Refuge so when we see we are under the Wrath of God this should make us more earnest to look after Christ and Salvation in and by him The Cities of Refuge under the Law stood open for every Comer and there was free Admission till their Cause was heard So Christ is the Sanctuary of a pursued Soul and whosoever comes shall be received Iohn 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out God excludeth none but those that exclude themselves No Sin is excepted but the Sin against the Holy Ghost Therefore make your Claim till your Cause be heard The great Affront we put upon God's Oath is not so much doubting of our Condition but not running to Christ for Refuge If we still stand complaining of our lost Estate and do not attempt the Work of Faith we put an Affront upon God's Oath If the Lord had bid thee do some great thing I allude to the Speech of Naaman's Servants wouldst thou not have done it to be freed from Death and Hell How much rather when he saith unto thee Only come fly as for thy Life and see if I will cast thee out Take up a Resolution to try God and see if he will not be as good as his Word and Oath Say Lord thou hast given two immutable Grounds of Hope here I come I will wait to see what thou wilt do for me in Christ. 3. I answer Do but see whether thy Interest in Christ be not established or no Here is the lowest Qualification of an Heir of Promise and yet the highest and most solemn way of Assurance Here are two immutable Grounds and yet what 's the Description we who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before 〈◊〉 Here is a driving Work that belongs to the Law implied in these words We fly 〈◊〉 Refuge then a drawing Work which belongs to the Gospel in these words To lay hold on the Hope set before us The Law begins and works preparatively as Moses brought the Children of Israel to the Borders then Ioshua led them into the Land of Canaan The Law shews us our Bondage and makes us fly for Refuge but then the Gospel pulls in the Heart to God There is a necessity of the preparing
Work of the Law that we might be driven out of our selves Sin else would not be bitter nor Christ sweet our Motions and Addresses to Mercy would not be serious every one hath this some in one degree some in another tho all be not anxious yet all are sollicitous O what shall I do Now canst thou speak of this driving Work of the Law Thou canst not say but thou art a poor lost Sinner one willing to fly and take Sanctuary in Christ and to wait upon him in Obedience till thy great Hopes be accomplished This is the lowest Trial what canst thou deny in it Art thou not a poor chased pursued Soul else what mean these Fears and Scruples and what hath the Lord required of thee but to run to Christ for Refuge Many Christians have not Assurance but tho they dare not say Christ is theirs yet here they will wait and not let go their hold-fast for all the World God hath promised to be gracious to every one that takes hold of his Covenant Isa. 56.6 when the Soul will not let go the Grace of God in Christ tho it hath many Discouragements but in the face of all Doubts and Scruples will anchor and hold fast whatever comes of it I am a lost undone Creature it is Christ that must save me and here I will stick and hold This is the Qualification why should we be afraid to be comforted upon God's Terms If you are resolved to wait upon God in and through Christ you are the Heirs of Promise God hath plighted his Oath to you if there be such a Disposition in you being startled and awakened with the sense of your sinful Condition to take hold and not let it go then what mean those Fears and Scruples Do not you desire to take Sanctuary in Christ and wait upon him with strong Resolution not to be discouraged When therefore God hath put it upon such low Conditions why should we stand off Obj. All the fear is these Terms are too easy and cheap to give a solid Comfort and many miscarry by sudden and delusive Hopes and this makes Christians stand at a distance from their own Comfort Answ. When a Man hath God's Warrant to shew for his Confidence why should he doubt If Men were once serious in the Business of Salvation there 's no fear of Delusion You will find Comfort cannot be counterfeited as the Life of a Creature cannot be painted Carnal Men that feed themselves with delusive Hopes who make an account they shall go to Heaven are not serious and mind not what they do as appears by their Contradictions for they blow hot and cold They think that he is in a dangerous condition that doubts of his Salvation and yet they say it is Presumption for a Man to say he is assured of his Salvation the one saying suteth with their carelesness and the other with their own private feeling They have no deliberate and advised Confidence only a rash Presumption And because of their miscarrying we have no reason to weaken our own Hopes because a Man that is in a Dream thinketh that he is awaked when he is not shall not a Man that is really awake know himself to be so Shall we suspect all our Interest in Christ and the Terms of the Gospel as too free and easy Let me tell you by Experience you will find when you are serious and deliberate it is not so easy a matter to have Rest for your Souls Certainty and solid Assurance is not so soon had Guilty Nature is subject to Bondage and presagious more of Evil than of Good more prone to Fear than Hope and to Mourn than to Rejoice therefore go on with your Business wait upon God and take his way without Jealousy and doubting Thus I have shewed how you should meditate on these two immutable things Secondly When must you meditate on God's Word and Oath Answ. Very often The less you apply God's Promise and Oath the weaker will your Consolation be in Christ and the oftner the stronger for by these two immutable things we have strong Consolation Christians lose much of their Peace and Comfort because they do not exercise themselves in thinking of the Condescension and Satisfaction which God hath given them in this kind that he should lay all his Holiness his Life his Excellency at Pledg with poor Creatures I am confident if you did but think of these unchangeable Grounds and Advantages of Faith mentioned before your Comfort would not be upon such loose terms But there are some solemn Times when it must be done 1. Whenever you are conversant about the Seals of the Covenant and go to the Lord's Table Why should I doubt when I have God's Promise and Oath The Sacraments are visibilia Iuramenta visible Oaths here God reneweth his Oath to us and we to God It is an Oath of Allegiance to Christ to walk in all his Ways and it is God's Oath of Assurance to us that he will perform the Promises of the Covenant As under the Law the Blood of the Covenant was to be sprinkled half upon the Altar and half upon the People Exod. 24.6 7 8. God takes an Engagement upon himself and reneweth his Oath to be good and gracious to us in Christ and we take an Obligation upon our selves to walk before him in all Obedience There is a mutual Stipulation therefore there is a special time to meditate of the sureness on God's part God that cannot lie hath said and sworn it 2. In times of outward Trouble when you are in danger of fainting and making Revolt from God meditate of the unchangeableness of his Word and Oath Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine Affliction Psalm 119.92 God's Word and Oath were given on purpose to revive a fainting Soul This is the Design of the Text the Apostle is disswading from Apostacy and pressing to keep our Hopes to the End Vers. 11. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the End Why we are not upon Conjectures and Probabilities and though outward Encouragements fail yet God's Promise and Oath is a sure Ground of Comfort in the midst of all Difficulties and Hardships This reviveth the Soul we have a glorious Inheritance in Reversion and we have God's Word and Oath to shew for it as much as the Patriarchs had to shew for Christ. It is notable that when the Patriarchs were exercised with any new Trouble then God renewed his Oath implying this is a sure hold-fast we have upon God When outward Encouragements in the Service of God are like to fail then think of the two immutable Grounds of Comfort 3. In Pangs of Conscience when Guilt lies heavy and burdensom upon the Soul God's Word and Oath is a proper Meditation The Lord hath sworn That if I will out of a sense of this Misery that is upon me take Sanctuary
only looketh to the present State of things and if we have not all things which we affect under the View of Sense Trouble filleth our Hearts Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous There are two emphatical Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the present and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth they both intimate the Causes of our Trouble present Sense and false Appearance Of the latter I shall speak in the next Head the former is to our purpose now All Affliction is ungrateful to Flesh and Blood and so cannot but be troublesome to us if we look only to the present but then in the End it giveth us a full Recompence for all our Patience namely such an Increase of Grace as bringeth Peace along with it 3. Fancy Vain conceit and false Appearance And so we are often troubled at what may afford Joy The sad Point which the Disciples could not digest was Christ's Departure yet our Lord telleth them how necessary it was for his own Honour and their Comfort His Honour Iohn 14.28 Ye have heard how I said unto you I go away and come again to you If ye loved me ye would rejoice because I go to the Father for my Father is greater than I. If ye were kind to me ye would have looked upon it with Joy because his going to the Father was the advancing him to an higher Condition than that in which he was now the ignominious Cross was the way to Dignity and Honour Again it was for their Comfort Iohn 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you They were full of Sadness at the Thought of his Departure as if it were their utter Ruine and Undoing But the coming of the Holy Ghost would be of more Advantage to them than his staying with them it was for his Glory and their Benefit Thus we often misinterpret God's Dispensations those hard Trials which are ordered for our Comfort and Peace increase our Troubles and Perplexities We judg according to Appearance and therefore do not judg righteous Judgment So we wound our selves by our own Fancies and make our Evils much worse than they are by our vain Conceit All these concurred in the present Case They had Dreams of sharing Honours in Christ's Kingdom all which would be disappointed by his ignominious Death And they looked to the present Face of things and so could not see Glory in this Shame And besides they did quite mistake the Dispensation Secondly The Nature of this Trouble wherein it consisteth In three things 1. A Fear of Danger or Evils to come 2. Sorrow for Evils present 3. A fretting Indignation or Dislike of God's Dispensations It is Distrust to be troubled about what is to come Despondency or uncomely Dejection to be troubled about what is present Impatiency and Murmuring to dislike God's way of dealing All these constitute that Trouble of Heart from which Christ dissuadeth his Disciples 1. There was Fear in it of approaching Dangers Christ was to depart and they were to be left to an unquiet World Iohn 14.27 Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid They were afraid what should befal themselves when their Master and Guide was gone from whose Direction and Protection they promised themselves so much Comfort and Safety Future things are to be left to God's Providence Every Day that bringeth its Cares and Difficulties bringeth also its incident Comforts Matth. 6.34 Take no Thought for the Morrow for the Morrow shall take Thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof We must not be over sollicitous about future Contingencies nor be anxious for that to Day which may be soon enough cared for to Morrow But we usually anticipate our Troubles and make our present Condition more grievous by hearing the Charge and Burden of the future also and so by our Cares and Fears about Futurity oppress and so both overwhelm our selves and take God's Work out of his Hands 2. This Trouble did arise from Sorrow and immoderate Dejection because of the loss of Christ's bodily Presence Iohn 16 6. Because I have said these things unto you Sorrow hath filled your Hearts Usually upon the Loss or Absence of some prized Comfort we let loose the Reins of our Affections and keep no Moderation in our Sorrow and Grief as if God could not supply the Loss of the Creature by the Presence of his Spirit 3. Indignation or a fretting Dislike of God's Dispensations That this was a part of the Disciples Trouble appeareth from Christ's whole Discourse with them The bodily Presence of Christ was comfortable to them upon a spiritual Account as they injoyed many a sweet Instruction by it but they also looked for great things in the World and were confounded with the Disappointment of their Expectations The temporal Kingdom ran in their Minds and therefore the News of his ignominious Death was so afflictive to them Our Lord taxeth them for this but in a gentle condescending manner that for want of Faith and Love they were so unsatisfied with God's Design which was so expedient and useful for them and the World Now this is the usual Ground of our Troubles we set up an Anti-providence in our Hearts and obtrude some Model and Scheme of our own upon God which if he doth not comply with we are troubled But God's Way is more for our real Good though our own Way suteth better with our Fancy and vain Opinion II. Why Christians should not let their Hearts be troubled 1 st It is very incident to us We have somewhat within us and without us which will always be an occasion of Trouble There is Corruption within and an evil World without A Believer is not to become as a Stock or Stone or cease to be a Man our Flesh is not as the Strength of Brass nor are our Sinews Iron Our Saviour himself was troubled Iohn 12.27 Now is my Soul troubled But his Trouble was like the shaking of pure Water in a chrystal Glass there was no Mud at bottom Certainly it is lawful and requisite to be sensible and to be affected with our Condition but we are apt to exceed in our Fear and Grief and so it becometh a Fault There is a Dejection and Discouragement which cloggeth us in our Duty and causeth sinful Negligence and Deadness of Heart This is a Distemper which we should oppose by all spiritual means 2 dly This is contrary to our Duty and Obedience which consisteth partly in a Subjection to God's governing Will revealed in his Laws partly in a Submission to his disposing Will discovered in his Providence 1. For the first The Case is clear there if God hath forbidden Cares and Fears and immoderate Sorrows if he hath said Be careful for nothing Phil. 4.6 and fear them not therefore Matth. 10.26
wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him There is a peculiar Goodness which God hath to his People and all his Blessings to them come from it 2 Thes. 1.11 That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness I. VSE The Consideration of his Goodness is Matter of great Comfort to the Godly and Faithful at all times but especially in time of Trouble and Distress At all times Psal. 100.5 For the Lord is good his Mercy is everlasting an◠〈◊〉 Truth endureth to all generations Here 's the Stability of the Saints which 〈◊〉 them in Life and Heart and Comfort in all Conditions but especially in a 〈◊〉 of Want and Afflictions inward or outward It is a great Cordial of the Saints to think of the Goodness of God Do we want Direction Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Do we want Support and Deliverance Nahum 1.7 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Do we feel the Burden of Sin or do we fear the Wrath of God Psal. 86.5 For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive When his old Sins troubled him Psal. 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercy remember me for thy Goodness sake O Lord. Do Enemies insult and boast and threaten much Psal. 52.1 Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty Man the Goodness of God endureth continually Tho' they have never so much Might and Power and do never so much machine against you yet they cannot take away the Goodness of God therefore you have no Cause to be discouraged God may seem to break down the Hedge and forget his poor Servants and leave them as a Prey to their Enemies yet he changeth not his Affection to them In the Agonies of Death here 's our Cordial and Support Austin when he came to dye had this Speech to those that were about him Non sic vixi ut me pudeat inter vos vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum I have not so lived as that I should be ashamed to live among you and I have not so believed as that I am afraid to dye for I have a good God This supports us and is a very great Cordial to our Heart he is a good God to all that put their trust in him II. VSE Let it move all to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his Goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance God is Good but not to those that continue in their Sins There is Hope offered O come try see how good he will be to you Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him If Goodness be despised it will turn into Fury In point of Gratitude the Goodness of God should melt our Hearts into Godly Sorrow for Sin The kindness from Men melteth us it is as Coals of Fire as Fire melts a thing and makes it capable of any Impression The Borrower is a Servant to the Lender God hath not lent but given us all that we have O let it break our Hearts with Sorrow that we should offend so good and Bountiful a God Saul had but a rough military Spirit yet when he heard how kind David had been to him in sparing his Life He lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 Methinks when we hear how good God hath been to us all our days this should make us ashamed of the Insolencies and Abuses we have put upon him Every Man will condemn him that wrongs one that never hurt him God hath done us no hurt but a great deal of good what will you Sin against God that is so good in himself and so good to all his Creatures and return Evil for all his Goodness to you I beseech you by the Mercies of God deal not so unkindly how can you Sin against him and abuse all his Mercies III. VSE Honour and Praise him for this in Word and Deed Psal. 118.1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good You all have tasted of the Goodness of God now what shall be done to the Lord for this Certainly we should be good and do good that we might imitate our Heavenly Father SERMON III. ON MARK X. 19 Thou knowest the Commandments do not commit Adultery do not Kill do not Steal do not bear False Witness Defraud not Honour thy Father and Mother IN former Discourses upon this Context you have heard of a necessary Question asked and that by a Young Man concerning the way to Eternal Life He doth not put it upon good Words or any thing less than good Works really to be done What good thing must I do that I may inherit Eternal Life Yet because he spoke in a Legal Sence Christ accommodates his Answer thereunto First he gives Answer to his Compellation Good Master and now to his Question To convince his Conscience and bring him to Brokenness of Heart and now remitteth him to his Rule 1. He mindeth him of his Pattern Why callest thou me Good there is none good but one which is God This Young Man had too high a Conceit of his own Goodness therefore Christ shews him that Originally and absolutely that Title belongeth to God only 2. He referrs him to his Rule Thô we be not so perfect as God is perfect yet if we answer our Rule the Law given to us it is enough for us Creatures and therefore the Young Man is put upon that Tryal Thou art not good as God is good so thou canst not be for God alone is good yet thou knowest the Commandments Do not commit Adultery c. Observe here 1. Christ directeth him to the Commandments for an Answer to his Question the Question was What must I do that I may inherit Eternal life Christ saith Thou knowest the Commandments c. That here is a direct Answer to the Question appeareth by comparing the Evangelists for we see Mar. 19.17 18. it is drawn Dialogue-wise thus If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments He saith unto him which Iesus said Thou shalt do no Murder thou shalt not commit Adultery c. If thou lookest to be saved by Doing keep the Law perfectly 2. For the particular Commandments he instanceth in those Commandments for his Tryal which were more apt to convince him of his Sin and of his Imperfection And here it is notable that they are all of the second Table Do not Kill do not commit Adultery c. And there is one Clause Defraud not that is left out in Luke and in Matthew instead thereof there is put this General Clause Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 19.19 Three Questions then are necessary for Explication 1. Why Christ referrs him to the Commandments 2. Why the Commandments of the Second Table are
yet good Works are not displeasing to him And therefore there can be no hurt in pressing men to these yea by the Rewards propounded in the legal Covenant Therefore Christ might say If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments the old legal Proposal shewing how valuable they are in their own Nature and the words being also capable of a Gospel sence Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Eph. 2.10 For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 2 Question Why the Commandments of the second Table are only mentioned For since those Duties which belong to the first Table are more excellent as concerning the Worship of God and they are more strict and inward and therefore would seem to be fittest to bring the Man to a Sense of his Condition why doth Christ referr him to the second Table 1. I Answer In these the Pharisees conceived themselves to be most perfect and yet these were a sufficient Touch-stone whereby to try and discover their Unfruitfulness and their Imperfection Certainly if they be defective here there is no standing by the Law If a Man cannot go surely he cannot run if he cannot spell surely he cannot read if Men be defective in the Duties of the Second Table certainly they are not able to keep the Law 2. These are most Plain and Easie to be understood and the Sins committed against them are most evident and apparent The Duties of the Second Table are of the lowest Hemisphere and wherein a Man can do most if he can do any thing these Duties are more written in a Man's Heart than first Table Duties Heathens were Fools in Worship as the Apostle represents them Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise they became Fools Yet as to the Duties of the Second Table they were Just Charitable and Temperate and had a great command of their Passions tho' they were very sottish in their Worship for the benefit of Humane Society God hath left Second-table Notions more clear upon Mans Heart 3. In the Externals of the First Table the Iews seemed very Zealous but negligent they were of the Second and herein they commonly fail who hypocritically make fair shews of Devotion and outward respect to God in Worship as Isa. 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-goats When they neglected Judgment and Justice So Isa. 66.3 He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol So Micah 6.7 8. When they talked of Rivers of Oyl and thousands of Rams the Prophet tells them He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God That they should make Conscience of Justice and Equity in their Dealings and be Merciful and Charitable Second-table Duties are of greater value than outward Ceremonies therefore when Christ would convince such a Man as this he referrs him to the Second-table Duties 3 Question Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Defraud not and deprive not is put for the last Commandment Thou shalt not Covâ—t Certainly that is intended as is evident to any that shall consider Christ's Answer it fitly shews what kind of Coveâ—ing is forbidden in the last Commandment namely such Covetings as tend to another's Loss It is a Question that hath exercised some how to State the Sin forbidden and the Duty enjoyned in the Law 1. The Sin forbidden is Coveting by which is not meant the whole corrupt Inclination of our Nature for that is not forbidden in any one Commandment but in the whole Law nor all the first stirrings of that Corruption neither for a great part of them are opposite to Religion and they are forbidden in the first Table nor all those stirrings of Corruption which tend to the Loss and hurt of our Neighbour for when they proceed to a deliberate Consent and Purpose they are forbidden in other Commands of not Killing not Stealing c. But those first Lustings by which the Soul is urged to desire any good thing that is our Neighbours tho' at first we have not a set purpose to get it by unlawful means yet when we have a lusting desire of any thing that may tend to our Neighbours loss as Ahab had a lustful desire of Naboth's Vineyard as a Conveniency thô he promised to give him a better in the room of it or to give him the worth of it in Money he would have it upon a valuable Consideration by Sale or Exchange 1 Kings 21.2 So here an inordinate Desire to have some good thing out of our Neighbours hand that 's the Sin forbidden by Defraud not or deprive not when we would mend our own Portion with the Diminution of his 2. The Duty of the Law is to rest contented or satisfied with our own Portion or the Lot which God hath afforded us so as not to desire to encrease it or to have any thing to our selves with the Loss of another It is notable that instead of what is here said Defraud not it is Mat. 19.19 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which thô it be a General that runs thrô the whole Second Table yet it hath a special Regard to the Tenth Commandment and shews we are to desire the good of others as well as our own and to think our Neighbour as fit to enjoy any thing that belongs to him as to think our selves fit to enjoy that which is our own To have a full Complacency with our own without a lustful wishing we had any thing that is theirs Not coveting their Goods or desiring any Advantage by their Loss or lessening is the Sin forbidden Well now Out of all we may conclude thus The Young Man as to the present Posture and Frame of his Heart was not fit to be taught Faith in Christ nor the Doctrine of the Gospel being conceited of Perfection by the Works of the Law he was fit to be sent to the Gospel In effect Christ saith to him thus Examine thy self truly whether thou hast or canst keep the Law for till that Point be over thou art not fit for other things go take the Second Table the easier part of the Law art thou not defective there The Point that may be observed from hence will be this Doct. That the best way to convince Iusticiaries or Self-righteous Men is by holding them to their own Covenant or the Covenant of Works Or thus The true way to prepare Men for Christ is to
if Men under Grace could live under the Dominion of any one Sin they are shut up by the Curse we must look to Christ and give up our selves to him This Man in the Text had the Love of the World reigning in his Heart and Christ turns him away and afterwards it is said he went â—â—way sad III. VSE To instruct us if we would be prepared for Christ what we must do we must study the Law the Purity of it and the binding Force it hath on all under it 1. We must be able to understand it Christ saith to the Young man Thou knowest the Commandments he appealeth to him as to one that had some Knowledge of the Law Those that live in the Church should not be ignorant of the Commandments or Law of God but well acquained with them God complaineth Hosea 8.12 I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing To be Strangers to the Word of God little conversant in it and to make little use of it is a great Affront done to God We should acquaint our selves not with the Letter only as little Children learn it by rote but with the sence and purpose of it 2. Meditate often thereupon Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and Night Deep and ponderous Thoughts have most Efficacy without a Study of the Law Men are without the Law while they have it Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once Who more zealous for the Law than Paul Gal. 1.14 I profited in the Iews Religion above many my Equals in mine own Nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers but while he did not ponder of it he was without the Law 3. Judge your selves by it One great use for which the Moral Law serveth is to bring men to a sight and sense of their Sins and Imperfections and humble them before God Rom. 7.7 I had not known Sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet and to undeceive them of Conceits of their own Goodness and Righteousness Look into thy Bill what owest thou 4. Beg the Light of the Spirit to shew thee thy Sin and Misery Rom. 7.9 Whâ—n the Commandment came in the Light and Evidence of the Holy Spirit Sin revived and I dyed Men that have the Letter of the Law may be without the Light and Power of it Without the Spirit we guess confusedly concerning things as the Man that saw men like Trees walking and have but general cursory confused Thoughts SERMON IV. ON MARK X. v. 20. And he answered and said unto him Master all these have I observed from my Youth YOU have heard of a necessary Question propounded by a Noble Young man to Christ What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life We have spoken to Christ's Answer Now in this Verse we have the Young man's Reply All these have I observed from my Youth wherein there is expressed or pretended at least 1. An Vniversality of Respect to the Will of God All these have I observed 2. An early Beginning to do so from my Youth He was still a Young man but by these words from my Youth he means ever since I had the use of Reason as soon as I begun to distinguish between Good and Evil strait and crooked Certainly this Answer were good if it were true Some goodness there is in it therefore we will observe something from it for it is said in the next Verse when he had answered thus Iesus beholding him loved him First It is good in the first Respect as an Vniversality of Obedience is pretended and I may drop this Note Doct. They that would keep the Commandments must observe not only one but all It is true of the Law of God as it belongeth to the Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace 1. As it belongeth to the Covenant of Works Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Every Sin the least is damnable by that Covenant and deserveth a Curse if he should omit any thing required or commit any thing forbidden the Curse seizeth upon his Throat So Iames 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all As one Condition not observed forfeits the whole Lease therefore it concerns this Legalist to make good his Plea and Conceit of Perfection by the Law to say All these things have I done 2. But is not the Covenant of Grace more favourable No it gives not allowance to the least failings but binds us to make Conscience of all as well as of some 1. Because the Authority is the same Exod. 20.1 God spake not one or two but all these words they are all ratified by the Great God and Law-giver So that the same reason that moves us to one moves us to another also that we do it out of Conscience to God we must walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 That we should obey Parents keep the Sabbath not Steal be careful of his Institutions not worship him by an Idol this is pleasing to God and so is that 2. The Heart can never be Sincere when we can dispense with any thing which God hath Commanded And you cannot have the Testimony of a good Conscience approving your Sincerity when you allow your selves in the least Failing Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments I confess it is chiefly meant of our final Judgment But in all Conditions in the World if we would be found faithful with God and not lest to shame we must respect all his Commandments Luk. 1.6 Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless And saith David Psal. 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me If you would not break your Confidence and freedom of Heart when you come to God in Prayer but come with Assurance of Welcome and Audience not one Sin must be regarded When we set up a Toleration in our own Hearts and dispense with any one Duty it is either some Pleasure or Profit or Honour that maketh the Duty contrary to us but this will not stand with Sincerity that any petty Interest or Affection of ours should be preferred before the Will of God for these Men do not serve God but their own Lusts when they will only obey God so far as Pleasure Honour or Profit or some Lust will permit them to yield Obedience to him 3. God giveth Grace to keep all Wherever he Renews and Sanctifies it is throughout he fills the Soul with the Seeds of all Grace so as to dispose and encline us to every Duty
more Luke 6.36 Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful It is Chrysostom's Observation Christ doth not say If you Fast or if you Pray or if you Prophesie or if you be Learned you shall be like your Heavenly Father but if you be Loving if you be Merciful and distribute to the Necessities of others then you are like him you hold the place of God and are as it were a God to him 3. Consider the Profit of it It seems to be a Loss but it is the most gainful Trade in the World Alas to distribute to the Poor to scatter our Substance it is like scattering our Bread upon the Waters Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days There is so much profit in it that it is the best way to keep what we have to encrease what we have and to make it comfortable 1. To keep what you have Your Goods are best secured when Deposited in God's Hands you provide Baggs that wax not old Many an Estate in the World is blasted for want of Charity and given to the Fury Depradation and Spoil of Men Iames 5.2 3. Your riches are corrupted and your Garments are moth-eaten Your Silver and Gold is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire 2. To encrease it It is compared to Seed 2 Cor. 9.6 He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully The Husbandman gets nothing by keeping his Seed-Corn by him When thou givest to thy poor Brother it is said The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thy hand to Deut. 15.10 All your VVorks of Liberality and Mercy shall be abundantly repayed Luke 6.38 Give and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give unto you See how it is express'd in many words the more to strike upon our Senses to awaken our stupid Heart But above all Prov. 19.17 He that hath pity upon the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Saith Austin Si vis esse mercator optimus fenerator egregius c. Would you put out your Money to the best Advantage and be true Usurers indeed lend it to the Lord the Interest shall be infinitely greater than the Principal Never was there such Usury heard of And what better Security than God's God is a sure Pay-Master and will pay you to the full a hundred for one which is an Usury not yet heard of in the World You can expect nothing from the Poor for they have nothing to give you but God is their Surety he who is the great Possessor of Heaven and Earth that never broke his Word You have his Hand and Seal to shew for it his Bond in the Scripture and his Seal in the Sacraments You will say these are but words but venture a little and try Mal. 3.10 Bring ye all the Tithes into the Storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open to you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it The Widows Oyl the more it run the more it encreased and the Loaves multiplyed by distributing whereas on the contrary if you forbear to give God will forbear to bless 3. You will enjoy the remainder more comfortably Wells are the sweeter for draining so the oftner you are distributing and dispersing to the Necessities of others the more Sweetness and the more Comfort you will have in your Estates There are terrible passages in Scripture against Rich men how hard it is for a Rich man to be saved It is a difficult thing for a Man of an Estate to get to Heaven and there is no way to free our selves from the Snare but to give Alms Luke 11.41 Rather give Alms of such things as you have and behold all things are clean to you Then you may possess an Estate with a good Conscience otherwise it will certainly prove a Snare Nay this is the way to have the Comfort of it for ever Thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven whatever shift you make be not backward in this rather sell than not have to give Your Riches in the World leave you on this side the Grave however all your Gold and Silver how much soever you have the use of it will cease when you are laid in the Grave But here is Treasure that we may have in Heaven What is that The Comfort of those Estates we have charitably spent in this World Luk. 16.9 Make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations 1 Tim. 6.18 19. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of Eternal Life 4. The Necessity of it in Order to your Account It is not an arbitrary thing whether you will do this or no. God will reckon with us one day he will ask you What have you done with your Estates whether you have sowed to the flesh or to the spirit Gal. 6.8 All the World will be divided into these two ranks Alas what sorry Accounts will they make when so much is spent in Pomp so much in Pleasure in vain Fashions in Bravery of Apparel so much in Feasting in riotous Banquets and Luxury so much in Plays in Cock-Pitts in Sports and other such kind of things and so little or nothing on the Poor Many will spend liberally on their Lusts but hardly a Penny for the relief of others they will feed their Dogs and starve their Children Conscience will call you to an Account now much more when you shall appear before the great God at the last day When a Man is to be Tryed and Examined for his Life it would be a great advantage to know the Questions that shall be asked him before hand Christ hath told us before hand the Questions that shall be put to us Matth. 25. Have you Fed have ye Visited have ye Cloathed are there none in Prison to be Visited none Hungry to be Fed none Naked to be Cloathed It is not Have you Heard Have you Prophesyed Have you Eaten and Drunk in my Presence No but Works of Mercy are produced that your Faith might be found to Praise and Honour 5. The Equity of it in regard of God's Mercies to us 1. We have all from God He giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 Now God doth require his Rent and some acknowledgment to himself as the great Landlord of the whole Earth of whom we have received and from whom we hold all
a mighty hand in the disposal of things in the World Secondly By way of Pactice 1. Pray more to be kept from this Sin than from Poverty namely to have Riches and not to trust in them It is an Extraordinary Gift of God and to be â—ought with greater Care Diligence and Frequency of Prayers and Fastings than either Health Preferment Life or any other thing Ver. 27. With men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible God only can do it throughly This should be the constant Request of Rich Men Lord let me not trust in what I have this is a greater Blessing than the greatest abundance in the World 2. Be more ready to watch Opportunities of Charity to distribute and dispence your Estate than to encrease it for there is nothing will free us from this Sin so much as the continual Exercise of Charity or the giving of Alms. Therefore your great Care and Delight should be to hearken after Charitable Occasions for the Relief of the Poor and for the Church of God and be glad when occasions of doing Good are offered They that hunt after Opportunities of Gain trust in Riches but they that seek Opportunities of doing Good shew they are clear from this Sin Luke 12.33 Sell that you have and give alms provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not then you trust in the Promises Your Office is not that of a Treasurer but of a Steward to have them in your Hands not in your Hearts otherwise not You but your Chest is Rich. 3. Labour by Faith to make God your Trust and Confidence 1 Tim. 6.17 That they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God To rely upon his Power Mercy and Goodness for all that you have and stand in need of Give us this day our daily Bread for Protection and Provision When God giveth you Riches suspect what your Heart may do with them It is good to fear always especially when we have what we wish for or desire Therefore still be looking to God taking your Maintenance out of his hands and praying to him and blessing him daily for your Supply and this will make your Estate sweet and comfortable to you and free from those snares wherewith otherwise it will be encumbered 4. Be sure you get Grace together with an Estate for otherwise singly it will be a Snare to you Prov. 14.24 The Crown of the wise is their Riches but the foolishness of Fools is folly Riches are as they are used if they fall to the share of a Man that is Godly and wise they are a Crown and Ornament otherwise a Snare for the one employeth them to the Honour of God and the Good of the Church and State and is more publickly useful but the other groweth more haughty and fierce and scornful of holy things and sensual and vain and eateth and drinketh and swaggereth away the Good Gifts of God which might have a more Noble use So Eccl. 7.11 Wisdom is good with an Inheritance it is good without it but more conspicuously good with it It is not said an Inheritance is good without Wisdom or Grace No it is reserved to the Owners for their hurt So Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a Fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it Many a Man hath a price but he hath not an Heart an Estate is but as a Sword in the hand of a Mad man when a Man wants Grace to improve it 5. Be sure your esteem of Riches come below your esteem of Religion and good Conscience As Nazianzen said of his Eloquence he had something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ By all my Wealth and Glory this alone I have gained that I have something to which I might preferr my Saviour This is like the Woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet Rov 12.1 contemning all worldly and sublunary things for Christ. 6. Think of Changes in the midst of your Fulness Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 not only at his worst Estate when God rebuketh him for Sin We should make suppositions and see how we can bear the loss of all things when they are represented but in Conceit and Imagination Habbac 3.17 18. Althô the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my Salvation The Fool durst not suppose the Accidents of that Night Luke 12.20 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee Security is a Coward acquaint the Soul with a supposition of Loss and Danger SERMON XII ON MARK X. v. 25. It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God I Have now read you a Sentence that at first view may seem to cut off the greatest and most splendid part of the World from all hopes of Salvation Had it been my Saying only you might take Liberty to tax it as rash and rigorous but the mouth of Truth it self hath spoken it even Jesus Christ whom we own as our Lord and Master He sufficiently knew the Worth and Way of Salvation and the State and Danger of Souls Now he interposeth his Authority Matth. 19.24 I say unto you It is easier for a Camel to go thorough the Eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God If we believe him then let Rich Men look to themselves He had already told them that it is hard for them that have Riches then he shews wherein the difficulty laâ— because of their trusting in Riches Now he represents the Difficulty by a Similitude it is as hard for them to enter into the Kingdom of God as for a thing of the greatest Bulk to pass through the straitest place for what more strait than a Needles Eye and a Camel is a Creature of a great Bulk A Camel cannot pass throrow a Needle 's Eye without a Miracle nor a Rich Man enter into the Kingdom of God without the singular Power of God's Grace For the Expression Some say there was a Gate at Ierusalem call'd the Eye of a Needle a strait Gate by which a Camel could not enter Nisi deposito onere flexis genibus without laying aside his Burden and bending his Knee But no approved History mentions this and the Conceit lesseneth the force of our Saviour's Speech Others say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Cable by which Mariners do fasten the Anchor but that also is a Mistake for that word is otherwise spelt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth also rarely occur in that sence and therefore rather the Beast is intended than the Cord or Cable It was an ordinary Proverb among the Iews and is so even to this
what they say nor whereof they affirm only ignorantly and inconsiderately swallow down the Current Opinions without knowing the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed Luke 1.4 And so though they never doubted of the Truth of their Religion it is because they were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary and all the strength of their Faith lyeth in their Inconsideration or Non-attention If they have any ground and bottom it is only Men's saying so and therefore their Belief if they have any should rather be called Humane Credulity than Christian Faith In short they that believe every thing believe nothing which soon appeareth when a Temptation cometh 2 dly It distinguisheth it from Conjecture which is a lighter Inclination of Mind to a thing as possibly or probably true whereby Men get no higher than it may be so and yet there are shrewd suspicions to the contrary A guess is not an Assent much less a firm and strong Assent as Faith is 3 dly It distinguisheth it from Opinion which is a trembling fearful uncertain Assent Opinion is beyond Conjecture but short of Faith Conjecture only supposes it may be so but Opinion asserts that it is so though not without some fear of the contrary but above all this Faith is an undoubted perswasion of the Truth of things revealed by God By Opinion one may be so convinced of the Truth of Divine things as not to be able reasonably to contradict them but by Faith a Man is so convinced of the Truth of the Gospel that he seeth all the reason in the World to embrace and follow it Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And Heb 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 2. The next Qualification of this Assent is that it is a Cordial or Hearty Assent I mean such as doth engage the Will and Affections to pursue the Happiness which God hath revealed in the way and by the means which God hath prescribed We read in Scripture of believing with the heart Rom. 10.9 10. and with all the heart Acts 8.37 The Object of Faith is not only true but Good and therefore produceth a Cordial Adherence to the Truths of which it is perswaded There is not only a Conviction of the Mind but a bent and Inclination of the Will which followeth the perswasion of Faith if it be firm and strong for it considereth not only the evidence of the things propounded but the worth weight and greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation otherwise it will not serve the end and purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to Crucifie our Lusts and Sacrifice our Interests and perform Duties displeasing to Corrupt Nature and all this upon the Hope 's only which it offereth to us and to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions Therefore certainly Believing is an Heart business not a simple naked and speculative Assent This latter Qualification doth exclude two things from true Lively and Saving Faith First That which Divines call Historical 2 dly That which they call Temporary Faith 1. Historical Faith which is a simple and naked Assent to such things as are propounded in the Word of God and maketh Men more knowing but not better not more Holy and Heavenly they are not excited thereby to pursue that Happiness which the Gospel offereth in the way of Holy Living or patient continuance in well-doing So Simon Magus believed the preaching of Philip Acts 8.13 yet his Heart was not right with God but he still remained in the Gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity And so many believed in the Name of Christ to whom Christ committed not himself because he knew all men Joh. 2.23 24. And this Faith even the Devils may have Iam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is a God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble and that not only in Truths evivident by Natural Light such as that is there mentioned that there is a God but in Gospel Truths as that Jesus is the Son of God Mark 1.24 The Devil cryed out saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God Now this kind of Faith is called Historical Faith not from the Object of it as if it did only believe the Histories of Scripture No they that have it may believe the Promises the Doctrines the Precepts as well as the Histories but from the Manner in which it is conversant about its Object namely thus As we read Histories in which we are no way concern'd we nakedly read them for Knowledge sake not to make a party in their Broils and Interests but only to know what was done so they that have only this kind of Faith read the Scriptures as Persons unconcerned and rest in idle Speculation without referring those notable Truths to choice and practice I cannot say that this cannot be called Faith because they that have it do believe those things which are true and do truly believe them but yet lively Saving Faith it is not for he who hath that findeth his Heart engaged to Christ and doth so believe the Promises of the Gospel concerning pardon of Sins and Life Eternal that he seeketh after them as his Happiness and doth so believe the Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ as that all his Hope and Peace and Confidence is drawn from thence and doth so believe the Commandments of God and Christ as that he determineth to frame his Heart and Life to the observance of them and doth so believe the Threatnings whether of Temporal Plagues or Eternal Damnation as that in comparison of them all the frightful things of the World are as nothing Luke 12.24 Be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do Destruction from God is a Terrour to them beyond all the Evil that Man can threaten As he said to the Emperour Thou threatenest a Prison but Christ threateneth Hell 2. It is distinguished from Temporary Faith which is an Assent to Scriptural or Gospel Truth accompanyed with a slight and insufficient touch upon the Heart called a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5 6. By this kind of Faith the Mind is not only enlightened but the Heart affected
with some Joy and the Life in some measure reformed at least from grosser Sins called escaping the pollutions of the World 2 Pet. 2.20 But the Impression is not deep enough nor is the Joy and Delight rooted enough to encounter all Temptations to the contrary Therefore this sense of Religion may be choaked or worn off either by the Cares of this World or voluptuous Living or great and bitter Persecutions and Troubles for Righteousness sake It is a common Deceit many are perswaded that Jesus is the Christ the only Son of God and so are moved to embrace his Person and in some measure to obey his Precepts and to depend upon his Promises and fear his Threatnings and so by consequence to have their Hearts loosned from the World in part and seem to preferr Christ and their Duty to him above worldly things as long as no Temptations do assault their Resolutions or sensual Objects stand not up in any considerable Strength to entice them But at length when they find his Laws so strict and Spiritual and contrary either to the bent of their Affections or worldly Interests They fall off and lose all their Taste and relish of the Hopes of the Gospel and so declare plainly that they were not rooted and grounded in the Faith and Hope thereof This is true Faith generally considered which Foundation being laid it will be easie to shew the Nature of Special Faith which now followeth to be discussed Secondly The Special Objects of Faith are God's Transactions about Man's Salvation by Christ therefore besides the General Faith there is a Special Faith whereby we receive Christ and rest upon him Saving Faith is called a receiving of Christ Ioh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name And Col. 2.6 As ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him We take him as God offereth him and to the ends for which God offereth him to do that for us and to be that to us which God hath appointed him to do for and to be unto poor Sinners The General Work of Christ as Mediatour is to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God And the great use that we make of him is to come to God by him There is implyed in Faith an Intention of God as our Chiefest Good for otherwise Christ is of no use to us and a Consent to Christ's undertaking that he may bring us to God or a thankful acceptance of him for those ends All they are rejected that will have none of him Psal. 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own Counsels That will not come to him that they may have life John 6.40 That will not have him to reign over them Luke 19.27 But they who consent to receive him as their Lord and Saviour are accepted with him only let us see how this Consent is qualified 1. It is not a Rash Consent but such as is deliberate and serious and well-advised When God in the Gospel biddeth us to take Christ Men are ready to say With all their Hearts but they do not consider what it is to receive Christ and therefore retract their Consent as soon as 't is made No you must sit down and count the Charges Luke 14. When you have considered his strict Laws and made a full allowance for incident Difficulties and Temptations and can resolve forsaking all others to cleave to him alone for Salvation it is an advised Consent 2. It must not be a forced and involuntary Consent such as a Person maketh when he is frighted into a little Righteousness for the present such as a Person would not yield to if he were in a State of Liberty It may be in a distress or pang of Conscience by all means they must have Christ when Sick when afraid to dye when under some great Judgment No the Will must be effectually enclined to him and to God the Father by him as our utmost Fecility and End Christ's People are a willing People Psal. 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power 3. It must be a resolved Consent a fixed not an Ambulatory Will which we take up for a purpose or at some certain times for a solemn Duty or so No you must cleave to him Acts 11.23 He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. You must trample upon every thing that will seperate you from him Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dâ—ng that I may win Christ c. And Rom. 8. from the 36 th to the end I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 4. It must be not a partial Consent but Total not only to take Christ as offered with his Benefits but a Consent of Subjection to him as our Lord. We are to take him and his Yoke Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me We are to take him and his Cross Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me It is accompanyed with a Resolution to obey his Laws and keep his Commandments that we may abide in his Love Thirdly Besides this Consent there must be a Recumbency Dependance Resting or a fiduciary Relyance upon him for all things we stand in need of from him Recumbency is a Special Act of Faith Isa. 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Now what do we rest upon him for For somewhat Here and somewhat Hereafter 1. Here For the Inward Man for all kind of Grace Justification Sanctification Priviledges Duties for the Beginning and Continuance Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Iesus Christ And Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins He is the Author and Fountain of Grace as well as a Lord and Law-giver and the ground of our Hope and Confidence as giving us that Righteousness whereby we may stand before God and have comfortable access to him And then for the Outward Man God hath not only undertaken to give us Heaven and Happiness in the
Eye is Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen we are are as sure of them as if we saw them with our Eyes or as we are of those things which we now see with our Eyes The Sight of Faith may be considered either 1. As to its Certainty and Clearness 2. As to its Power and Efficacy First As to its Certainty and Clearness We do so see God Heaven Christ that we are affected in some measure as if we saw them with our Bodily Eyes God whilst we walk before him Acts 2.25 I foresaw the Lord always before my Face Christ Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Christ was set forth before their Eyes as if they had seen him hanging and dying upon the Cross. Heaven They have it in their Eye and are affected in some measure as if they were in the midst of the Glory of the World to come I say only in some measure for compare the Light of Faith and the Light of Glory and there is a difference in the degree The Light of Glory nullifieth Sin the Light of Faith only mortifyeth it but yet really it maketh us do those things which we would do if we saw the Glory of Heaven shun those things which are to be avoided as if we saw the Flames of Hell There is a Certainty and Firm Belief which hath a great Influence upon us so compare it with the Light of Sense Those things which we are to see and feel move the more passionately for while the Soul dwelleth in Flesh and looketh out by the Senses the Objects of Sense are more apt to move the Passions but yet Faith doth effectually move us thô not so passionately Secondly As to Efficacy and Prevalency this Sight prevails over those things which we see and feel A Christian hath Senses as well as others and knoweth that he dwelleth in a World full of sensible Objects which are pleasing to that Flesh which he still carrieth about with him but God hath opened the Eyes of his Mind by which he seeth better and more Glorious things which take up his Heart and Mind Life and Love Care and Time and so is weaned from Sense-pleasing Vanities and can deny them and trample upon them for the Enjoyment of these better Things and neither Life nor any thing comfortable to Life is counted so dear as that for their sake he should hazard the Favour of God his Redeemers Blessing and the Happiness of the World to come if Sight and Sense invite and entice him to Sin and forsake his God and Christ the Objects of Faith prevail against the Musements of Sense and sway his Choice and encline his Heart and govern his Resolutions in the whole Course of his Life He looketh not to things as they seem for the present or Relief to the Flesh or as they appear to short-sighted men who are governed by Sense but as they will appear at last and will prove to all Eternity and so can leave things which he seeth and feeleth for things which he never saw but expecteth shortly to enjoy Well then This is the Essential Property of Faith to look to things not seen by Sense but revealed by God in his Word and this Property sheweth its self in all the Acts of Faith Elicite and Imperate Elicite Acts are those which are proper to this Grace Imperate are such as belong to other Graces but Faith hath an Influence upon them by Vertue of which they are produced We may more plainly call them Acts and Effects 1. As the Acts of Faith which are Assent Consent Trust or Dependance 1. For Assent to such Truths as God hath revealed in his Word When we have sufficient Evidence of this Revelation the less sensible Helps we need to underprop our Assent the stronger is our Faith Let me Instance in the great Article of the Christian Faith Christs Person and Office I shall produce that place of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Tho' they had never seen Christ in the Flesh and he was now absent from them in regard of his Bodily Presence being withdrawn into the Heavenly Sacrary yet this did not hinder their Faith they loved him and rejoyced in him as if they had seen him and conversed with him Bodily It was an advantage certainly to have seen Christ in the Flesh and to Converse with him Personally here upon Earth to see his Miracles and hear his gracious words But Faith can embrace him as offered in the Promise tho' it never saw him in the Flesh and the fewer sensible Helps Faith hath besides the Word it is the more highly esteemed by Jesus Christ. The same appeareth by Christs words to Thomas Joh. 20.29 Thomas because thou hast seen thou hast believed but blessed are they that have not seen yet have believed Thomas must have the Object of Faith under the view of his Senses which argued a great weakness and Imbecility Vnless I see in his hand the print of the Nails and put my Finger into the print of the Nails I will not believe What if Christ would not give him that satisfaction but other sufficient Evidence This was his Infirmity therefore Christ telleth us they have the stronger and more acceptable Faith that do not give Laws to Heaven or prescribe to God upon what Terms they will believe but accept of the Assurance God offereth without Satisfaction to Sense 2. For Consent When we come to enter into Covenant with God God is Invisible who maketh the Promise and Heaven which is the great Promise that he hath promised us is future and yet to come and lyeth in another World and before we get thither we must encounter many Difficulties yea shoot the Gulf of Death but the Believer can as really and heartily Transact with the Great God and give the Hand to the Lord to become his as he can with a Man that is present and offereth a good Bargain upon easie Terms and Conditions he hath so firm a Belief of the Life to come that he taketh it for his Portion and Happiness 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen he looketh to things unseen which he taketh for his Treasure and Happiness and is resolved to be any thing and do any thing which God will have him be and do that he may obtain it 3. Another Elicite Act of Faith is Trust and Dependance which maintaineth us in a Course of patient and chearful Obedience to God tho' our Happiness be yet to come yea tho' for the present we are harras'd with great Troubles and Afflictions and it may be see not the Signs i. e. any sensible Tokens of God's Favour and Respect to us Yet the Sight of an Invisible God and Confidence of a future Reward
notable Temptation to a poor Woman who had heard so much of Christ's Power and Compassion towards all those that came to him for Relief He heard well enough what she asked but not a Word of Answer gets she from him I will shew you that though Christ love our Persons and dislikes not our Petitions but meaneth to grant them yet for a time he will seem to take no notice of them 1. That this is a sore Temptotion 2. That it should not yet weaken our Faith 1. That it is a sore Temptation appeareth by the Complaints of the Saints and Servants of God Lam. 3.8 When I cry and shout he shutteth out my Prayer As if God had locked up himself that their Prayers should not come at him or find access to him So Verse 44. Thou coverest thy self with a Cloud that our Prayer should not pass thorough as if God had wrapped up himself in a thick Cloud of Displeasure against our Sins that our Prayers could find no entrance So the Spouse Cant. 5.6 I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no Answer That God should refuse and reject our Prayers is a grievous Tryal to the Faithful who value Communion with God Nay this Delay may be so long till the Caâ—se seem hopeless Psal. 69.3 I am weary of my crying my Throat is dried mine Eyes fail while I wait for my God So Psal. 22.2 O my God! I cry in the Day-time but thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent And all this while God seemeth to forsake them nor to regard the Suit as if he had no respect to their hard Condition To lose our labour in Prayer is one of the saddest Disappointments that we can meet with when our loud and importunate Cries bring no Relief to us But 2 It should not weaken our Faith For God's Delay is for his own Glory and our Good 1. For his own Glory and the Beauty of his Providence We read Iohn 11.5 6. Iesus loved Martha and her Sister and Lazarus and when he heard he was sick even to Death he abode-still two days in the same place where he was There is little Love in that you will think to a sick Friend who was ready to die Martha expostulateth with him about it Verse 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died But Christ giveth the true Account of it Verse 40. Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the Glory of God It was more for the Glory of God to raise a dead Man than to cure a sick Man So when the Disciples were in a Storm Christ made a shew of passing by Mark 6 4â— He cometh unto them walking on the Sea side and would have passed by them So Christ delayeth the Woman as to Appearance and denieth her that the Glory and Greatness of her Faith might be more seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysâ—â—â—â— that he might crown the Woman as a Notable Believer 2. For our Good and to exercise our Faith Patience Love and Desire 1. Our Faith to wait and depend upon God for things we see not For Faith is a dependance upon God for something that lieth out of sight This Woman was delayed but had at last that which she desired but first her great Faith was discovered 2. Our Patience in tarrying God's leisure His dearest Children are not admitted at the first knock David saith in three Verses I cryed I cryed I cryed Psal. 119.145 146 147. Our Lord Jesus prayed thrice before he got any Comfort in his Agony Matth. 26.44 And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time and then an Angel appeared to him from Heaven and strengthened him Luke 22.43 Elijah prayed thrice for the dead Child e're he got him to Life 1 Kings 17.21 And he stretched himself upon the Child three times and cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord my God! I pray thee let this Child's Soul return unto him again Paul prayed thrice 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me The Lord useth the like Dispensation to us that are their Followers Heb. 6.12 Be followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We are told Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hâ—pe and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. It is Bonum honestum utile It is our Duty and it is our Profit Our times are always present with us Hungry Stomachs must have the Meat e're it be sodden or roasted We would have our Mercies too soon like the Foolish Husbandman who would reap his Corn and get it into the Barn before it be ripened 3. Our Love tho' we be not feasted with felt Comforts and present Delights or bribed with a sensible Dispensation or indulged with a ready condescention to our Requests God will try the Deportment of his Children whether we love him or his Benefits most Whether sensible Consolations especially external be more to us than a God in Covenant Isa. 26.8 Yea in the 〈◊〉 of thy Iudgments O Lord have we waited for thee A Child of God will love him for his Judgments and fear him for his Mercies God will try whether we can rejoyce in himself in our greatest Wants and Destitutions Heb. 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yield no meat the Flocks shall be cut off from the Fold and there be no Heard in the Stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation A resolute dependance on an unseen God is the Power and Glory of Faith and a resolute Adherence to a withdrawn God is the Vigour of Love Lime the more Water you sprinkle upon it the more it burneth Many waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it Cant. 8.7 4. To enlarge our Desires and put greater Fervency into them A Sack that is stretched out holds the more Delay increaseth Importunity Matth. 7.7 Ask seek knock the Door is kept bolted that we may knock the harder The choicest Mercies come to us after great Wrestlings She prayeth but Christ keepeth Silence Silence is an Answer and speaketh thus much Pray on and continue your praying still though Christ loved the Supplicant and meaneth to grant the Petition yet at first he answereth her not a Word Secondly Her next Temptation was from the small Assistance she had from the Disciples Verse 23. Send her away for she crieth after us Interpreters dispute whether this was spoken out of Commiseration or Impatience I incline to the former and the Sence is Send her away by granting her Request do that for her that she desireth that she may be quiet But though it were Commiseration yet they spake too coldly as to her Distress and seem to have
Abraham had a strong Hope in God when all Appearances seemed to forbid Hope Most Mens Faith is born up by outward likelihoods and probabilities and when they fail their Faith faileth they can trust God no farther than they can see him But true Faith dependeth upon him when his way is in the dark and there is little appearance of the things we wait for as Paul could assure them not a Man should be lost when all hope that any should be saved was taken away Acts 27.20 22. I prove this 1. From the Genius and Nature of Faith There must be some difficulty in the thing to be believed or else it is not an Object of Faith Rom. 8.24 But hope that is seen is not hope for what a Man seeth why doth he yet hope for The Nature of Faith and Hope is so that it is not of things presently enjoyed for Vision and Possession exclude Hope and what is easie and next at hand it is as if it were already enjoyed therefore it is no Tryal of your Faith to wait for probable things and such as are within the View of Sense or Reason But to Hope against Hope when God disappointeth our Confidence and seemeth to beat us off from believing yet to adhere to him this is the disposition of Faith 2. From the Warrant of Faith which is the Word of God Now we must believe God upon his bare word though we know not what time or way he will take or by what means the things promised may be accomplished In things future and invisible we believe against Sense to say with Thomas Except I see I will not believe Joh. 20.25 this maketh way for Atheism In things incredible we believe against Reason Heb. 11.1 Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Evidence of things not seen provided they be revealed by God we must not be false Prophets to our selves and make Promises which God never made that is to interest his Glory in our vain Conceits Ier. 4.10 Ah Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this People and Ierusalem saying Ye shall have peace meaning the false Prophets using his Name And it is a Snare to our selves we dream of Deliverance when God intendeth a further Tryal 1 Thes. 5.3 For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a VVoman with Child and they shall not escape But when the Promise is clear then we must believe in Hope against Hope Sense Nature and humane Reason must not be heard against Faith Psal. 27.3 Tho' VVar should rise against me in this I will be confident whatever the Danger was for he had a particular Promise of coming to the Throne It must not be saith Sense It cannot be saith Natural Reason It both can and will be saith Faith Though what God had promised to do do far exceed the Power of Nature his Word is enough to Faith But if we have no express Promise may we not believe in Hope against Hope Answer If Believing be meant only of a Confidence in God's Power not determining the certainty of the Event Many times we are cast upon God's Providence all humane refuge and help faileth there is no possibility of escape yet God forbiddeth Despair and thus driveth us to himself 2 Cor. 1.9 But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead He means when the furious multitude at Ephesus was let loose upon him for his adherence to his way Psal. 44.19 20. Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death we have not forgotten the Name of our God We have sometimes that which is equivalent to a Promise even the usual Practice of God Deut. 32.36 For the Lord will judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left Gen. 22.14 In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen 3. The Object of Faith God-all-sufficient We must neither measure his Goodness nor Power by our Scantling and Module Not his Goodness Isa. 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. But as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Hosea 11.9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man We sin as Men but he pardoneth like a God Nor his Power Zech. 8.6 If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this People in these days should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of Hosts The Promises then made seemed impossible or improbable to be performed for the Iews were a despicable Remnant and the Times full of Dangers and Fears Reason and Probability is not our Support but Faith which looketh to God to whom nothing is impossible Nothing can be laid in opposition to his Power or can overballance his Promises We are at a loss many times but God is never at a loss You would think that man ridiculous that should say An Horse cannot carry him upon his Back because a Fly cannot It is more ridiculous to confine God to Humane Likelyhoods and Probabilities We cannot do this therefore God cannot Psal. 78.41 They lâ—mited the Holy One of Israel that is streightned his Power as if their Wants were so great God was not able to supply them or their Miseries so grievous that he were not able to remove them or their Enemies so strong that he were not able to vanquish them If there be any difficulty in the Case it is the fitter for an Almighty Power Certainly we have no strong Faith if any Faith when we cannot see the Truth of God's Promises unless we see the Possibility of their Accomplishment by Natural means If it pass the power of the Creature we say How can these things be Alas you do not know God's Infinite Power Can you say Thus far God can go and no further This much God can do and no more II. He considered not the Difficulties Ver. 19. And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb. Here we learn that we must not oppose natural Impediments to the Power and Truth of God Unbelief will stir up many Objections great Reasonings within our selves against the Promise To hearken to these is to tempt our selves and choke our own Faith As in other Sins to pore upon the Temptation is to parley with the Devil and suffer the Evil to fasten it's self upon our Spirits So in point of Believing Abraham considered not how dead and unmeet he and his Wife were as to Prolification First I shall examine how we are or are not to consider Difficulties 1.
must open the Nature of it The Hardness of Heart discovereth it self by two Properties it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an insensible Heart and an inflexible Heart 1. An insensible Heart as a brawny Substance or callous piece of Flesh like the Labourer's Hand and Traveller's Heel This the Apostle intimateth Ephes. 4.18 19. Having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the Blindness of their Heart Who being pâ—st feeling c. In one Verse he chargeth them with Hardness of Heart and in the first Words of the next Verse with loss of Feeling Feeling of all Senses though it be not the most noble yet it is the most necessary there is no Life without it it is diffused throughout the whole Body and in what Member soever it is lost there is no more Intercourse of vital and animal Spirits and where 't is totally lost there is no more Life There may be Life when other Senses are wanting a Man may be deaf and yet live blind and yet live but if he utterly lose his Feeling he cannot live Such a dead sensless Heart is the hard Heart as appeareth in the Wicked by that great Security Ease and Quiet which they naturally have though lying under the Guilt of many and grievous Sins and though they be obnoxious to the Wrath of God yet they are never troubled nor affected with any sense of their Condition They can sin freely in Thought foully in Act without any Remorse and Shame Ab assuetis non fit Passio Men are not moved by such things as they are much used to As they that live by the fall of great Waters sleep quietly because they are accustomed to the Noise so Men that are accustomed to Sin can swear and be drunk and commit Filthiness or go on in some other Trade of Wickedness and are never troubled Mithridates through the Custom of drinking Poison made it so familiar to him that he drank it without danger Elementa non gravitant in suis locis Elements weigh not in their proper place A Fish in the Water feeleth no Weight Sin is not burdensom to wicked Men it is in its own place This Insensibleness is the greater where Men will not be awakened out of their Lethargick Fit by all the Means which God useth to them by the Threatnings of his Word or the Judgments of his Providence There is a Method in God's Dispensations he threatneth that he may not punish and punisheth now that he may not punish for ever Now the Children of God are startled at the Threatnings and tremble when they see a Storm in the Clouds before it falleth As Iosiah had a tender Heart and melted at the Threatning 2 Chron. 34.27 And they are said to tremble at the Word Isa. 66.2 and Ezra 9.4 But wicked Men think this is a vain Scarecrow and though they are most obnoxious to the Judgment and Wrath of God yet they have no sense and tender feeling of it Therefore God goeth on to his second Dispensation he punisheth now that he may not punish for ever As Absalom set Ioab's Barley-field on fire that he might draw him to come and speak with him so God seeketh to make Men serious to bring them to the Throne of Grace and sue out their Pardon by many temporal Judgments But still wicked Men start aside and will not turn to him that smiteth them Ier. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction As the Anvil is smoothed into Hardness by many Blows and Strokes so are Men more insensible of their Condition and will not regard the meaning of God's Providences Well then an hard Heart is insensible of what they have done against God or what God hath or may do to them And so far as we lose our Sense and Tenderness so far is the Heart hardned 2. It is an inflexible Heart it is not easily bent to God's Purpose say he what he will Men are as light as vain as mindless of Heavenly Things as basely wedded to the Delights of the Flesh as ever and obstinately and against all Means to the contrary refuse the Counsel of God for their Good Though God hath the highest Reasons of his side and great Variety of powerful and alluring Motives to gain Souls to his Obedience and these represented not only to the Ear by his Messengers but to the Heart by his Spirit yet Men are so addicted to their own Wills and Lusts that they will not suffer themselves to be perswaded by him to accept of his Offers and rich Mercies in Christ they will not obey the sweet Directions of his Word nor regard the Motions and Strivings of his Spirit to let their beloved Lusts go and comply with the Will of God 1. They are inflexible to the Counsels of his Word where God interposeth in the way of the highest Authority straitly charging and commanding us under pain of his Displeasure and reasoneth with us in the most potent and strong way of Argumentation from the Excellency of his Commands and their Sutableness to us as we are reasonable Creatures from his great Love in Christ whom he hath given to die for us from the Danger if we refuse him which is no less than everlasting Torment from the Benefit and Happiness of complying with his Motions which is no less than eternal and compleat Blessedness both for our Bodies and Souls and all is bound upon us by a strict impartial Day of Accounts when we are to answer for our Neglects or else to receive the Reward of our Diligence But alas the hard Heart defeateth the End of this whole Contrivance Neither the Awe of God's Authority nor the Reasonableness of his Commands nor the wonderful Love of Christ nor the Joys of Heaven nor the Horrors of everlasting Darkness nor the Strictness of the last Day 's Account will work Man to a sense of his Duty or gain him to make serious Preparation for his own Happiness and everlasting Salvation Out of what Rock was the Heart of Man hewen What will work upon you if this Doctrine upon which God hath laid out all the Riches of his Wisdom and Grace will not work upon you Hath God another Son to die for you a better Heaven to bestow upon you or an hotter Hell to scare you withal Would you have the Day of Judgment more exact and severe or greater Obligations to all Holiness and Godliness of Conversation than those already propounded or more Charms and Perswasiveness added to the Gospel O no that cannot be Infinite Wisdom hath already stated these things Or would you have God save you against your Wills or thrust these things upon you without your Consent Surely it is Obstinacy plain Obstinacy and hardness of Heart that maketh you stand out against God Psal. 58.4 5. They are like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her Ear which
apt to desert us and forsake us 3. Penal and Judicial Hardness This adds to voluntary Hardness as voluntary Hardness implies something above natural Man as naturally hardned doth not turn to God as judicially hardned he cannot there is a great Impossibility he should This is God's Act he hardneth as a just Judg not by infusing Evil but withdrawing Grace In Scripture God is said to harden two ways 1. By leaving some in their natural Hardness Rom. 9.18 Therefore hath he Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardneth So it is an Act of Dominion he passeth them by he may do it justly he is Lord of his own Grace and is not bound to save Sinners This is not an Act of Justice but Dominion God doth not act as a Judg but as a Lord it is matter of Favour to soften not Right 2. By giving up others to a reprobate Sense which is a Penal and Judiciary Act Acts 28.26 27. Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive for the Heart of this People is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes have they closed c. There is consideration had of Man's Sin and foregoing Provocations God punisheth them by their own Sin Men first harden themselves they go before peccando by sinning then God cometh after judicando by inflicting this Judgment of Hardness of Heart on them They harden themselves and God leaveth them under their Hardness As Ieroboam stretcheth out his Arm against the Prophet and then God layeth a Judgment upon him that he could not pull it in again to him 1 Kings 13.4 So Men hardning themselves God layeth this Judgment upon them that they shall not return to any Softness 2. The next Distinction is that Hardness of Heart is either total or partial some are in the State of Hardness others complain of it as their present Frame There is a difference between Hardness of Heart and an hard Heart some Hardness of Heart is in God's Children Mark 6.52 They considered not the Miracle of the Loaves for their Heart was hardned And Mark 16.14 He upbraided them for their Vnbelief and Hardness of Heart Original Hardness of Heart is not altogether taken away by Grace Much of the Heart of Stone or old Averseness from God and holy Things remaineth with God's Children but yet they are not wholly insensible and wholly inflexible to God's Purpose their Hearts are bent to his Testimonies though ever and anon they are apt to fall back to the old Bias. Therefore David prayeth Psal. 119.36 Incline my Heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness The Children of God do often complain of Deadness and Unaptness for holy things yet there is not in them that Obstinacy Impenitency and hardness of Heart that is in the Wicked Rom. 2.5 But after thy Hardness and impenitent Heart treasurest up unto thy self Wrath against the Day of Wrath. In the one 't is bemoaned in the other not in the one it ariseth from Negligence and Drowsiness in the other from flat Disobedience and Enmity to God When God's Children give too free a Contentment and Licence to the Flesh they have not that Sense that Liveliness in Prayer that Readiness to obey that Delight in the Word as at other times but the other are contemptuous and scornful and do not set their Hearts this way to please God or enjoy his Favour In the Wicked there is a careless Security no sense of their eternal Condition they banish it out of their Thoughts Amos 6.3 Ye put far away the evil Day If it intrude upon them they look upon it as a melancholy Interruption they seek to put off what they do not put away yea there is a plain Reluctancy and Opposition to good Things and a Contempt of God's Messages But in the other there may be some hanging off from God for Original Sin is not quite done away especially under a Distemper occasioned by carnal Liberty Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life and so that Day come upon you unawares A Christian is a compound Creature he hath Hardness as well as Softness when their Hardness prevaileth for the present they mourn less for Sin and do not tremble at the Word and are not affected with Providences slight the Warnings and Motions of the Holy Spirit are more dead in Duty find not alike Favour in the Promises and Duties seem more irksom to them An hard Heart maketh their Work seem hard and tedious 3. The next Distinction is that Hardness of Heart is either felt or unfelt 1. Felt as by Men under a preparative Work and in God's Children for Hardness there may be in them yea it is their Condition as long as they are in the World Grief for Hardness is a good sign that there are some tender Parts left An Heart judicially hardned can never feel that Hardness nor grieve for it but the Children of God fear it as the greatest Evil and complain of it as the greatest Burden and so accordingly strive against it Thus Ephraim bemoaned himself and his Obstinacy and Inflexibleness Ier. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God There is hope of Cure when they are sensible of the Disease they fear it in themselves and others as the greatest Evil Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin Of all Judgments the Judgment of the hard Heart is worst They complain of it as the greatest Burden Isa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy Ways and hardned our Heart from thy Fear They find much deadness and dulness of Spirit they are not affected with God's Presence in Duties nor with his Providences in the World This is their Complaint and Burden Lord I have a stiff Neck that will not easily be brought under the strict Duties of Religion to meditate and to pray in private I have a proud stubborn Heart too hard for me to take down Thus do they complain of these things and strive against it as a Man that hath a Stone in the Bladder he useth good Means to soften it and is careful of his Diet so are God's Children sensible and therefore fearful and careful often bemoaning themselves 2. Unfelt so it is in wicked Men who never consider the Frame of their Hearts or bemoan themselves because of spiritual Evils The Heart of Stone is not sensible of it self and so God's Children for a while may be under great Desertions and
63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their Enemy and he fought against them Sâ—vit infelix Amor. Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is Flesh. The Heathens did acknowledg that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gods of Cities and Nations did for the Provocation of the Inhabitants forsake their Altars and Temples The more Calls and Convictions we resist in this kind the more difficult and improbable is the reducing a Sinner to God every day he groweth more wicked and profane To resist the Clamours of Conscience is sad but to weary and grieve the Spirit is dreadful Ezek. 24.13 In thy Wickedness is Lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy Filthiness any more till I have caused my Fury to rest upon thee God sets them over the Fire till their Hearts begin to be warmed and then lets the Sun remain on them 3. Gross Hypocrisy This is a constant Lie a Contempt of God an habitual and customary stifling and smothering of Checks of Conscience For their Form and Profession sheweth what they should be and if they were what they seem to be all would be well Men have Light enough to take on the Form of Religion and Sin enough to resist the Power of it And therefore their Judgment is the greater for their whole Life being a constant rebelling against the Light they are left to perish by their own Deceivings 2 Thess. 2.10 11. Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie The carnal Christian being not brought to true Faith and sincere Repentance God giveth them up that they may be deceived by every vain Pretence 4. Apostacy from Grace received Men are not only warmed but begin to have a Taste They that take up with some Profession of the Things of God but afterwards fall away again to Looseness and Vanity and Worldliness they are more left by God than others Heb. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for them who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to Repentance For they dishonour him more and bring an evil Report upon God The Devil hath more Power over them as a Prisoner that hath made his Escape if he be taken afterwards hath more Chains put upon him 2 Pet. 2.21 22. For it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them For it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire They themselves are made more uncapable of ever owning the Ways of God again it is impossible they should renew themselves it groweth up into a wilful Malice Heb. 10.26 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins Grace will not pardon them the Mediator will not intercede for them Apostatae sunt maximi osores sui ordinis Apostates hate the Ways they have professed Hosea 5.2 The Revolters are profound to make Slaughter None so cross and malicious and perverse in their Cause 5. Sottish Despair there is a raging Despair and a sottish Despair the one is when Conscience is terrified the other when it is stupified when to Custom in sinning there is added a passionate Will Jer. 2.25 Thou saist There is no hope no for I have loved Strangers and after them will I go Jer. 18.11 And they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own Devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men do not use to consult about things that are impossible It is said of the Israelites Exod. 6.9 They hearkned not unto Moses for Anguish of Spirit and for cruel Bondage Lust is so deeply rooted that they cannot help it the Case is desperate they are at a point as we use to say Past Cure past Care they grow out of Heart and so lie down under the Power of their Lusts they resolve to persist in their Sins to live as they lift and it is to no purpose to speak to them Thirdly Of â—â—d's hardning as a Father in a way of the highest fatherly Anger and Displeasure This may be 〈◊〉 Isa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy Ways â—nd hardned our Heart from thy Fear This is a partial Hardness There may be Desertion in point of Grace tho some Tenderness left in the Understanding that discerneth Good and Evil in the Conscience that is dissatisfied in its 〈◊〉 State in the Will that owneth the Ways of God so that there is a general Purpose to please him in all things Yet the Heart groweth dead and stupid there is an unaptness for holy Things they are less sensible of the Evil of Sin they have not such Delight in the Word nor Rejoicing in Hope nor Freedom for Prayer nor Patience under Afflictions nor Complacency in Communion with God And it is sad when it is so when to Sense there is little difference between them and the Wicked there is Hardness in a Stone and Hardness in a piece of Wax I will shew the Causes of this and the Means to cure it 1 st The Causes of this are 1. Sinning against Conscience There are Sins of daily Incursion and sudden Surreption and there are Sins of Presumption into which God's Children may in some rare Cases fall but then they make great Waste and Havock in their Souls as David's great Sin by which he lost that free Spirit and was forced to beg a new Creation as if all were to begin again Psal. 51.10 11 12. Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation and uphold me by thy free Spirit Many are the Mischiefs which come by such Sins Partly God's Love is obstructed that he is not so ready to do them good Isa. 59. Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear That is the good Will and Favour of God is as it were bound up and hindred from shewing it self in all those gracious Effects which otherwise it would put forth for our Comfort and Peace he doth not actually pardon their Sins nor make them Partakers of spiritual Benefits in so ample and full a Measure as otherwise he would but
It is a pleasure to see things by Picture though we know the Person so though we have an Image of Christ in the Word and may know his Person there yet it is a great relief to us to see Christ in the Supper by these outward Symbols where Sense may teach Faith what strength of Grace and what sweetness of Comfort to expect from Christ. These thoughts through the blessing of God will raise the Soul into a frame of Religion that when you come to this Ordinance you will not be so dry and barren 2. Wandring when the Heart is prepared and set towards God how shall we do to keep it from roving and prevent those excursions which are apt to carry away the Heart 1. Get an Awe and Dread of God Labour to have the deepest Apprehensions of the Presence of God as possibly may be Strong Affections especially Fear lock up the Mind and do not suffer it to flit abroad Now Fear is not unseasonable to this Duty but rather proper because of the Excellent Mysteries by which God condescendeth and approacheth us Chrysostome calls it terribilis mystica mensa the dreadful Mysterious Table and therefore now our Apprehensions should be most awful When Iacob had a sight of God saies he Gen. 28.17 How dreadful is this place And the Psalmist saith Psal. 68 35. Oh God! thou art terrible out of thy holy places Mixt Affections do best in the sweetest Worship Psalm 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes Here we are to have distinct thoughts of his Holyness and Goodness and therefore we should fear before him lest we forget our selves to be poor guilty Creatures and Fear confineth the Soul and will not suffer it to run abroad 2. Chide the Heart for your vain Excursions Christians might have more command over their Hearts if they would but hold the Reins a little straiter and check their Souls they are not so sadly sensible of the idle roving of the brain which do not so directly carry them after the evil as when they make them to neglect the good Take up your selves as David doth about his lumpishness Psalm 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted in me Did I come hither to think of any thing but Christ and Heaven Did I come to think of News Vanity Business and Lust My work is to discerne the Lords Body not to think of Worldly Toyes Is this to remember and fruitfully to insist upon his Death Look as Christ did chide his Disciples Matth. 26.40 What! could ye not watch with me one hour So chide your Heart cannot I keep my Heart free for God a little while In Heaven Duty will be my constant work and if my Heart wander now How shall I be able to hold it for ever In the Supper God tyes my Soul by outward Rites least my Eyes should carry away my Heart God would exercise my Eyes Certainly if you would chide your Souls the Heart would not steal so many glances But usually our Hearts do not steal away we dismiss them and let them go God gave Reason a command of your Thoughts at first and we might exercise it more than we do 3. Stupidness Many times the Soul is surprized with deadness and amazement it neither actually thinks of Evil nor of Good but is at a dead pawse and stay For this I shall urge a double help 1. By earnest Ejaculations call in the help of the Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O north-wind and come thou south blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Desire God to breathe upon the Soul with a fresh gale and excitement that he would take a Coal from his own Altar that the perfume might burn bright Censers must not be kindled with strange Fire Oh raise and quicken this dead Soul Remember the first Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 2. Call upon your own Hearts It is a mistake of Christians to think they are only to call upon God you are also to call upon your selves and to deal with your own Souls by way of quickning Psalm 57.8 Awake my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Charge your Souls awake to the consideration of Heavenly Mysteries Speak to your own Hearts as David layes a charge upon himself Psalm 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name The Children of God are brought in speaking to themselves Oh my drousie blockish Heart How coldly dost thou think of Christ This dead Heart will not become the Service of the Living God 4. A lazy Formality Either we cannot get the Soul to this Worship or we performe it slightly We content our selves with a few careless glances and lazy baren thoughts To remedy this consider in so sweet a Duty God doth not only require Affection but height of Affection an Holy ardor earnestness and raisedness of Spirit Cant. 4.6 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense an allusion to the Censers used in the Levitical Worship God requires such thoughts as will comfort revive and quicken our Souls Such thoughts as end in Affection Leave not off till you can say as the Spouse Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Do not leave meditating of Christ till you can bring your Souls to a Holy ravishment and your Hearts are wounded with impatient Desires after Communion with Christ. No thoughts will work but those that are serious Secondly I will propound some cases which shall not only concern the Duty of the Lords Supper but some of them the Duty of Meditation in general 1. Case How can we do because of variety of Matter that is to be meditated upon that plenty makes us barren And in such streights of time how can we run through all I shall answer to this in three Propositions 1. The Mind of Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working and much may be done by thoughts in a short time The Minds motion is not so slow as that of the Body which is burdened with a mass and clod of flesh and therefore must have time for its Action but the Soul is quick There are two sorts of Meditations in the Supper as indeed in all other Matters pregnant Apprehensions and enforcing Reasons 1. Pregnant Apprehensions sutable to each Circumstance of the Duty Now these are absolutely necessary as in blessing the Elements and setting them aside for this use think of the Eternal Decrees of God by which Christ was separated to the Office of Mediator In breaking the Bread your Thoughts must act afresh on the Sorrows of Christ's Cross and those bruises wherewith he was broken for our Iniquities Thus it is good
and plenty of Revelations So we read of Peter's Rapture while he was praying Acts 10.10 He fell into a trance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trance fell upon him noting that those Raptures are things of Dispensation rather than Choice and Duty they fall upon us we do not work our selves into them So we read of Paul's Rapture 2 Cor. 12.2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven Whether these things were framed by way of Representation to the Soul or whether the Soul were for a time separated from the Body and was transported into Heaven Paul himself was at a loss and could not determine and resolve the Case 2. These Dispensations may still be though not in the same height and manner which the Apostles enjoyed God may do it still for he is left to the Liberty and Soveraignty of his own Dispensations and though Sight and the Beatifical Vision and Contemplation be the Happyness of the next World yet in some measure God may begin it here that his Children may enter into their Inheritance by Degrees and may be before-hand led into the Suburbs of Heaven As a Father gives the Child not only a part of the Estate but sometimes the Liberty of the whole House so God may give us here in this World not only those more Temperate Enjoyments of Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and the first Fruits of the Spirit but he may lead us into the Suburbs of Heaven and put us above the Clouds into the Glory of the World to come Though there may be such a Dispensation yet not in the same manner that the Apostles enjoyed it for that was peculiar to them and therefore when the Apostle Paul had reported his Rapture he pleaded that he had the Sign of an Apostle 2 Cor. 12.12 Truely the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds With these Raptures there was a Concomitant Revelation of the Will of God And they were for other ends these Raptures were not so much Excesses of Religion but Revelations for the great ends of the Gospel Iohn's Rapture was to receive the Visions of God for the Comfort of the Churches Peter's to go to the Gentiles Paul's that he might have Commission for the Apostleship and the Mark and Sign of an Apostle Therefore though God may use some such dispensation for we know not what he may do out of Soveraignty yet not in the same way and for the same end Those Raptures and Transportations which the Children of God now feel sometimes proceed from strong Pangs and Extasies of Love which for a while do suspend and forbid the distinct use of Reason and cast the Soul into a quiet silent gaze Observe that Love where it is moderate venteth it self in thoughts and words and it is a great help to make the inward sense more acute and sharp but where it is vehement and strong it is contented with it self and satisfied with its own Heat Ardor and Intenseness therefore there is not such a distinct actual Discourse As when a Man huggeth and embraceth a Friend the closer he huggeth him the less distinctly doth he behold and take a view of him so in the embraces of Love when the Soul falleth into the Arms of Christ and claspeth about Christ with the Arms of its own Love it hindreth the distinct Exercise of Reason and those Offices of Discourse by which the Soul would otherwise reflect upon him A Man that desireth a Precious Jewel at first he vieweth it with greediness and delight but afterwards he layeth it up in his Bosom and wholly pleaseth himself in the possession of it so the Soul that thirsts after Christ pleaseth it self in the consideration of his Beauty and Perfection and dwells upon it with Religious thoughts but afterwards Love growing very strong and being heightned unto the utmost degree shutteth the Eyes of our Souls and we only please our selves in a more intimate feeling and in the sweetness of our embraces Great and high Affections must needs hinder the use of Reason because all our strength and vigour runneth out into one faculty and then such a poor limited Creature as Man is cannot attend other Offices and Employments of the Soul It is very notable in the whole Life of Christ that he had no Extasie Propter maximam capacitatem supernaturalem animae because of the extraordinary perfection of his Person and the large Capacity of his Soul he had a Transfiguration yet all the while in the midst of that he had a temperate use of Reason Matth. 17. The Disciples were indeed suprised by those glimpses and emissions of his Glory they were overwhelmed so that they fell on their faces and were sore afraid verse 6. Poor Man being of a lesser Capacity cannot suffer such a feeling and high tyde of Affection without some Transportation and Ravishment beyond the support of Reason for the strength and vigour of his Soul is melted out to Christ in Love Now the Soul being of a limited Power and Capacity the more strongly it attendeth one Office and Function the less can it serve others Look as a Flame when it ascendeth endeth in a point and groweth narrower and thinner so such high Flames and such glorious Ascents of Affection usually mind but one thing and do not permit the Soul any variety of discourse but fix it in one thought and in one study and deliberate gaze 4. Usually such experiences of Gods Children are given in to them in the most Social Duties As in the time of Prayer Peter's trances fell upon him in Prayer Ordinary Extasies carry some proportion with that which is Extraordinary and usually the Soul flames out to God and breaks forth in Religious Ascents in the time of Prayer And so such strong Affection over-sets the Soul in the time of the Lords Supper Cant. 5.1 Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Be drunk with Loves that whole Song concerneth our Communion with Christ in Heaven and in the Ordinances above all in the Ordinance of the Supper which is the pledge of Heaven So also in the height of Meditation when the Soul hath been spent and much exercised it self in that work after the labour of Meditation God giveth in this silence and rest in the steady Contemplation of his Love and Glory and the mind being inflamed and heightened with Spiritual Thoughts and Exercises suffereth a kind of Transportation It is very notable that those Ravishments that were between Christ and the Spouse were in the Palm-tree Cant. 7.8 I said I will go up to the palm-tree I will take hold of the boughs thereof now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine and the smell of thy nose like apples There Christ would satisfie himself with the Churches
his own wounds so must we look upon Christ as our own Saviour with application to our selves Iohn 20.28 My Lord and my God! 3. Affectionate with Desire and Trust. With desire longing for Cure there must be hearty groans and desires Our eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 20.12 The having our eyes to any thing noteth our desire Psalm 121.1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help Earnestly desire to be partaker of these benefits by Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 To them that believe he is precious And with trust Isa. 17.7 At that day shall a man look to his maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel that is he shall seek to him trust in him depend upon him because what Men trust to they are wont frequently and wistly to look after and to have their eyes fixed upon Psalm 123.2 Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God till he have mercy on us Psalm 34.5 They looked to him and were lightned That is comforted in the middest of their darkness and trouble Psalm 141.8 Mine eyes are unto thee O God the Lord in thee I trust 4. Ingaging we need to get open Eyes to see him and contemplate him till we see Beauty in him that may allure us to love him and esteem him as the fairest of Ten Thousand to renounce our selves and the Vanities of the World and betake our selves to his Discipline to see all is nothing in comparison of his Excellency Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. A True Knowledge of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.17 which is elsewhere rendred acknowledging so as to give due Honour Respect and Reverence to him We may know Strangers and those whom we contemn and despise but we do not acknowledge them VSE Let us look upon the Lord Jesus for cure He calleth upon us in his word Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Isa. 45.12 It is little that we can afford Christ if we cannot afford him a serious look It may be you will think that this is so sleight a work that it will not produce any great effects in the Soul that a look should heal is strange Surely you will say this is not a full Notion of Faith nor an Act that will do us any good I answer Indeed it will not if it be done sleightly Therefore let me tell you that there are several Notions of Faith which all have their use Some Notions are fitted for Soul-Examination as Faith that worketh by Love that conquereth the World that purifieth the Heart these do best for a deliberate search and the stating of our Interest Some for anxious thoughts at the first awaking of the Soul out of the sleep of Sin as coming running flying and seeking when the Soul is under trouble and hangeth off from the Grace offered we press them to come as our Necessities are great we press them to run a Soul deeply pressed with a sense of its Necessity and Danger is alwaies in hast so we press them to flie for refuge when Comfort appeareth not presently we press to seek and to a diligent attendance on the appointed means Some for Agonies of Conscience after some former manifestations of Gods Love these we exhort to staying and resting Isa. 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God We press recumbency and adherence Isa. 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth i◠thee Some for Agonies of Death and great and imminent dangers when long Debates are not so seasonable these we press to committing 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 1 Pet. 4.19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful creator Jesus Christ himself did so Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And David Psal. 31.5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit Some for Holy Duties as Word Prayer Lords Supper we press to acceptance of Christ in the word to coming to Christ or to God by Christ in Prayer we accept him from God in the word of Promise we present him to God in Prayer as the ground of our confidence and hope for the Mercies prayed for In the Lords Supper as Religion is made visible and we are to make use of the help of Sense Eye Tast and Hand so we press you to take eat and look this is a Notion for this use when Christ is crucified as it were before our Eyes Well then this is one great work to look to Jesus the Author and Dedicator of our Faith to spy out Christ under his Memorials here he is set forth dying and hanging on a Tree Pilate when he had scourged him brought him forth and shewed him to the Iews he said Behold the man Iohn 19.5 We say to you in Gods Name Behold your dearest Redeemer bleeding and dying Now he is evidently set forth to you your business is to behold him And that this look may be serious Remember 1. This is supposed that you come hither as stung with Sin and that your Hearts are deeply affected with your Malady Alas otherwise here is no work to do if Men are not sensible of their Malady why should they look after a Remedy Matth. 9.12 13. They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance None but the burdened will look out for ease or the self-condemned for Pardon If sin be not sin indeed Grace will not be Grace indeed Christ was anointed to heal the broken-hearted Luke 4.18 2. Your sight of Christ must not meerly be Historical and Literal the work of the Understanding and Memory but of Faith A few cold thoughts raised upon this occasion do not warm and comfort the Heart You are to look to him so as that the Heart be affected with Mourning Desire and Trust. 1. Mourning for Sin If you are sensible of your case you will do so A slight glance of the thoughts leaveth no Impression Look as the three Maries Mary the Mother of Jesus Mary the Wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen they were affected when they saw Christ dying Iohn 19.25 26. Of one of them it is said Luke 2.35 Yea a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also So do you Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were
continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if he were ready to destroy And where is the fury of the oppressour Secondly On Gods part he bringeth us into such a condition 1. To shew his Sovereignty and that he is Lord both of light and darkness Job 34.29 When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him Whether it be done against a Nation or against a Man only Our weal and woe is in his hand Isa. 45.7 I form the light and Create darkness I make peace and create Evil I the Lord do all these things All is at Gods disposing to give it to whom he will Sometimes he giveth light and peace nor will a dog move the tongue So long as he pleaseth neither Policy nor Power will be able to make his gift void either as to Nations or Persons He hath a negative voice Men would trouble Devils would trouble but if God say no all is quiet in Kingdoms Families or Souls If he justifieth who can condemn So when for the punishment of Sin or tryal of Faith he lets out trouble who can help it So he may desert Nations and leave them without Counsel or strength So when God deserts a person all his comfort and quietness is gone Men under trouble are in a sad and hopeless plight as to any help till God help them and if he hide his face who shall ease them of their trouble till God himself shine through that Cloud All the favour of men will not do it till God appear 2. To check our curiosity We look to Events rather than Duties we would be lazy not labour if we knew our succeeding mercies or we should be overwhelmed with grief if we had a foresight of all our tryals which are to come Therefore God puts a vail upon his Providence and will not let us look to the end of his designs Isa. 48.7 Lest thou shouldest say Behold I knew them Therefore we are in the dark know not the particular Issues and Events of things and can scarce support our selves with the General promises and so walk in darkness and see no light Thirdly That God may thereby promote the ends of his providence which is to humble his People and try them and to do them good 1. For the greater humiliation When Christ was humbled for our Sins he was at a Non plus as if he knew not what to say or do John 12.27 Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say So to humble his People thoroughly he driveth them to an utter exigence all their hopes and probabilities are spent and they know not what to do or say As in Iehoshaphat's instance 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are unto thee Gods Children may be shut up on all hands from any imaginable hope of a good Issue yea or any sight of God and token of his Love 2. To try them their Faith and Love and Patience Their Faith which is never put to a sound tryal till all their common probabilities be spent Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 When God is out of sight and Comfort is out of sight and Deliverance is out of sight then is a time to depend upon God Micah 7.8 When I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Dependance upon an unseen God resolute adherence to a withdrawn God is the flower and glory of Faith When we are left to a naked Faith and a naked Word or Promise of God yet then to adhere to him and wait upon him for what is contradicted by sense this is to believe in hope against hope So for the tryal of our Love to run to him when he seemeth to cast us off to fear him for his mercies Hosea 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days And praise him for his Judgments Isa 26.8 In the way of thy Iudgments O Lord we have waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee To rejoyce in him when he maketh all things desolate about us Hab. 3.18 Although the Figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stall yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation To own him as a good God when we are under his stroaks and as a gracious Father when he frowneth as well as when he smileth here is Faith indeed So our patience is never tryed in a twilight so much as in utter darkness Iames 1.4 Let Patience have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its perfect work Patience is not tryed as long as we have worldly supports to bear us up but in great long and sharp afflictions it is Patience indeed While we can make up our selves another way our Submission to God is not fully tryed 3. To do us good God would reach our corruptions so as to purge them out Isa. 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his Sin We would have no tryal but that which should touch none of our sins and corruptions for we would not have the flesh displeased or if it be yet but a â—ittle Now tryal will not do us good unless it vex our corruptions A sound purge will carry away our Pride Sensuaâ—ity Worldliness a light purge doth but gently move it When the vexing tryals come then we are like a wild Bull in a net Isa. 51.20 Till we see no way to escape we overlook our case Yea Gods Children are not humbled for their Spiritual Pride till trouble be so confounding that God is missed and they left in the dark in their distress Now to be so far misâ—ed as to lose a sight of God under trouble that 's an humbling dispensation indeed 1. Use. If Gods People may be in such a condition Let us bless God that he dealeth more gently with us If our natural comforts be lessened yet they are not wholly gone Let us bless God that in the miâ—st of Judgment he remembreth Mercy Hab. 2.3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it â—ecause it will surely come it will not tarry That he measureth our burdens by oâ—r strength and ability to bear them 1 Cor 10 1â— There hath â—o Temptation taken yoâ— but such as is common to Man But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be Tempted above that you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it That he refresheth our Souls with his love when his Chastenings are upon us 2 Cor 1.5 For as the
you If you be sollicitous about the word of Christ and the matters of Duty contained therein you have a great advantage at the Throne of Grace So Psal. 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my Heart the Lord will not hear me Many that pray are as Ice a little thawed above but hard at bottom they have not such a strong setled Resolution to walk more closely and orderly with God but allow some secret Lust and so marr their own Audience and Acceptance with God II. For Reasons 1. With respect to God 1. His Observance 2. His Acceptance 1. With respect to Gods Observance He is an All-seeing Spirit and therefore will not be mocked with a vain appearance or a little bodily exercise but the Prayers we make to him we must find them in our Hearts 1 Sam. 16.7 For God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the Heart We may Act the Parrot before men but God looks to what there is in the Heart 1 Chron. 28.9 Know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect Heart and with a willing Mind for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the Thoughts A man up in the Air seeth the Spring as well as the River and its course we that stand by see the course but not the Spring God understandeth whether we are inclined and encouraged whether we are habitually inclined to God Ier. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eyes on the Truth Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mâ—nd of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God He knows a belch of the Flesh from a groan of the Spirit He understandeth our desires as well as our Words So whether we are encouraged by the Grace of the New Covenant and Sense of our own qualification 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. If our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God 2. With respect to Gods Acceptance God granteth not our Prayers till our Hearts be fixedly bent towards him Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their Heart thou wilt cause thine Ear to hear When God hath put it into their Hearts to pray and awakened their desires then he will hear Dan. 10.12 From the first day that thou didst set thine Heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard God hath accepted the Heart without the Tongue but never accepted the Tongue without the Heart Moses cryed to God when he spake not one word Exod. 8.12 and God heard him 2. With respect to us 1. The part which the Heart beareth in all humane Actions It is fons actionum ad extra and it is terminus actionum ad intra In our actings towards God Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life and in our receipts from God this is the thing that God aimeth at Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you Prayer is not a receiving duty as hearing In praying the Heart begins in hearing it ends the Duty 2. With respect to our carriage in Prayer We do not conceive a Prayer but impose a Prayer upon our selves if the Tongue guide the Heart rather than the Heart the Tongue Like Children that cast stones into the Mine but do not draw Oar out of the Mine Acts 2.26 Therefore did my Heart rejoice and my Tongue was glad I. Vse Information 1. What need is there of Recollection before we come to pray that we may not force upon our selves what chance offereth but may have a Prayer in our Hearts before we have it in our Tongues Psal. 45.1 My Heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King my Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer Usually we offer to God a dough-baked Sacrifice Only that I may not grate upon a tender Conscience there is an habitual Preparation and an actual Preparation The habitual Preparation lyeth in a broken hearted Sense of our wants radicated Inclination or bent of Heart towards God and Heavenly Things and in a Confidence and Liberty towards God The actual Preparation lyeth in such a Sense of our Necessities as the present Case doth deserve such a quickening of our desires after Heavenly Things as may fill us with Life such a remembrance of the Grace of God in Christ and our own Sincerity that our Hearts may not reproach us when dealing with God as a Father Again I distinguish that our requests are Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary When we ask daily supplies of Grace having no particular streight Temptation Difficulty or Business of moment then in hand Here the Habitual Preparation with little or no Actual Preparation serveth in our daily Prayers for necessary Blessings Extraordinary as in some notable trial difficult Streight Conflict Temptation or when we seek some special Benefit and upon eminent Occasions then as our Necessities are greater so our Acts of Prayer are more earnest Psal 109 4. For my love they are my Adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer Our Lord Jesus Christ being in an Agony prayed more earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22.44 And so it resolveth this Case What if I have not such a feeling of strong and earnest desire or the over ruling bent of the general Inclination Yet keep not off from Prayer 1. Good desires are to be asked of God 2. Such desires as you have must be expressed 3. Prayer is the usual way to quicken and increase them 4 Turning away from God is the means to kill them 2. It informeth us what need we have of more help than our own if we must find every Prayer in our Heart which we utter with our Tongues Three things are necessary in Prayer The Humane Spirit or natural Faculty that I may by my Understanding work on my Will The New Nature Faith Hope and Love to believe in God and see him before me to incline me to God as my chief good and to hope for Benefit from him The Divine Spirit to excite these Graces Iude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost Rom. 8.26 The Spirit it self also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The Spirit works not on us as blocks but as rational Creatures nor does it blow on a dead Coal II. Vse Caution Do not take every thing for Prayer which looks like it 1. Bodily exercise Mâ—ny by the Agitation of the bodily Spirits work themselves into some vehemency their Voice is heard on high but the Heart is dead and cold quibus arteriis opus est These fill up only a little
an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always 'T is done to God who will not be mocked And every Consecration implieth an Execration But for the present see no Lust be reserved If you live or resolve to live in any known Sin or do not resolve against it God will say What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth Psal. 50.16 If there be any unsincerity the Covenant is marred in the making Psal. 78.37 Their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant If there be any partial reserve the Heart is not right All former Vanities must actually be renounced 4. Having made Covenant with him you must be exact in keeping it Psal. 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth to such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Therefore be ever mindful of it 1 Chron. 16.15 Be ye mindful always of his Covenant Deut. 4.23 Take heed to your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Do not deal falsly in it upon any Temptation whatsoever Psal. 44 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant 5. Take heed of an unmortified Heart For an unmortified Professour will never be faithful with God Every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt Mark 9.49 Remember Gods Judgments upon those that have broken his Covenant Levit. 26.25 I will bring a Sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant Isa. 14.5 The Earth also is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws they have broken the Everlasting Covenant Entring into Covenant is called entring into a Curse Nebem 10.29 They clave to their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord our God and his Iudgments and his Statutes A Sermon on Psalm Cxxvii 3 Lo Children are an Heritage of the Lord and the Fruit of the Womb is his Reward THis Psalm beareth Title A Song of degrees for Solomon In the Margin it is of Solomon or concerning Solomon that is spoken in the Spirit of Prophecy concerning him indeed the passages are in their intrinsick meaning applicable to him He was a builder of the Temple and an inlarger of the State and Dominion of the Iews There is a plain Allusion to his Name Iedidiah and Solomon in the latter end of the second verse For so he giveth his beloved Sleep For Iedidiah see 2 Sam. 12.24 25. She bare a Son and he called his Name Solomon and the Lord loved him and he sent by the Hand of Nathan the Prophet and he called his Name Jedidiah because of the Lord i. e. Beloved of the Lord. And for his other Name Solomon see 1 Chron. 22.9 10. Behold a Son shall be born to thee and he shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his Enemies round about for his Name shall be Solomon i. e. Peaceable and I will give Peace and Quietness in his days He shall build an House for my Name and I will be his Father and he shall be my Son and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever Well now it is in vain for you Absolom and Adonijah to set your Wits on the rack to torture your selves with your own Ambition God will give Iedidiah the Kingdom and he shall be Solomon have Rest and Peace We read in the History 2 Sam. 15.2 Absolom rose early in the Morning and stood in the Gate to salute every one that passed by Adonijah made a great bustle But Gods will concerning Iedidiah shall stand Hâ— was to be the Builder he was to be the Son by whom the Succession of the â—egal line was to be continued Upon this David comforteth himself and acknowledgeth Gods Mercy Lo Children are an Heritage of the Lord and the Fruit of the Womb is his Reward In the Words Children are represented as a Blessing In which are two things 1. The Author from whom Children come from the Lord. 2. The Quality in which we receive this Blessing set forth by a double Notion 1. As an Heritage 2. As a Reward The Word Heritage is often by an Hebraism put for a man's Portion be it good or bad It is used in a bad sence as Iob 20.29 This is the Portion of a wicked man from God and the Heritage appointed unto him by God In the good sence Isa. 54.17 This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord. Reward is put for any Gift that cometh by Promise or with respect unto Obedience Because in a Promise there is a contract implyed if we will do so and so God will do so and so for us Doct. It is a Blessing that we have from God and so it should be accounted that we have Children born of our Loins It is not only a bare gift so it is to the Wicked but a Blessing one of the Temporal Mercies of the Covenant Psal. 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways One of the Blessings is Ver. 3. Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thy House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table This is a part of our Portion and Heritage the Saints have so acknowledged it Gen. 33.5 Who are these with thee And he said the Children which the Lord hath graciously given thy Servant Iacob speaketh like a Father and like a godly Father Not only given but graciously given As a Father he acknowledged it a Gift as a godly Father coming from meer Grace This may be gathered from the Story of Iob. Compare Chap. 1. ver 2 3. with 18 19. Observe when his Blessings are reckoned up first his numerous Issue is mentioned before his great Estate The chief part of a mans Wealth and Prosperity are his Children the choicest of outward Blessings Children are first mentioned But observe again in the 18. and 19. verses the loss of Children is mentioned as the greatest Affliction to put the top-stone upon his Trial the last Affliction is the saddest and so giveth the dead stroke 1. There is much of Gods Providence exercised in and about Children 1 In giving Strength to conceive It is not every ones Mercy Sarah obtained it by Faith Heb. 11.11 Through Faith Sarah received Strength to conceive Seed Though bringing forth Children be according to the course of Nature yet God hath a great hand in it Many Godly Parents have been denied the Benefit of Children and need other Promises to make up that want Isa. 56.4 5. Thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant Even unto them will I give in mine House and within my Walls a Place and a Name better than of Sons and of Daughters
worldy Spirit we are not fit for Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God So much as the Spirit of the World is deadned in us so far doth Christ prevail upon us So for the Flesh Men are given up to their own Hearts Lusts till God changeth them and care not for God nor Christ and his Salvation bruitish Appetite and Sense governeth them But what will be the issue of these things see Rom. 8 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die Well then to bring us back again to God that we may totally resign up our selves to him you see what a power is necessary to vanquish the Devil and save us from the World and change our own Flesh by his Spirit 4. It informeth us of the reason why so many Nations shut the Door against Christ or else grow weary of him you see frequently Men can bear any Religion rather than Christianity in its power sottish superstitions such as were practised and in vogue among the Gentiles Popery which is palliated Atheism or Gentilism trick'd up in a Christian dress and form half Christianity the form not the power priviledges not the duties The World disputeth it with Christ by inches what 's the reason His Spiritual Kingdom which is not calculated for the interest of the Carnal World and altogether draweth us to an Heavenly Life and State those that submit to it or would speak of it exasperate the World against them as upbraiding their course of Life 5. It informeth us how ill they deal with Christ who have only notional opinions about his Authority but never practically submit to it Many will say we must receive Christ as a King as well as a Priest and Prophet but do we live accordingly Luke 6.46 why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Professed opinions unless followed with suitable actions are but a mockage of Christ and a cheat and fallacy that we put upon our selves A mockage of Christ Cui res nomini subjecta negatur is nomine illuditur He that wants the thing signified by the name is deceived by the name They did little honour to Christ who Buffeted Him and Spit upon him and all the while cried Hail King of the Iews so whilest we call him Lord and King but make little Conscience of his Precepts we deny him the honour in deeds which in words we ascribe to him So that a practical sense of Christs Authority and Right to Govern should be deeply impressed upon our Hearts When is it practical when it breedeâ—h an awe upon us and checketh sin As the Rechabites were afraid to transgress the commandment of their Father Ier. 35.6 They said We will Drink no Wine for Jonadab the Son of Rechab our Father commanded us saying Ye shall Drink no Wine neither ye nor your Sons for ever So Ioseph Gen. 39.9 when Tempted by his Mistress to lye with Her he repels the Temptation saying How can I do this great Wickedness and Sin against God So all that have a reverence of their supream Lord you shall find that it works upon all occasions if tempted to Fleshly Lusts do this to please thy Flesh They answer as the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.12 We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh. If they be assaulted by the Persecutions of the World still they have the authority of the Great Lord If threatned for speaking in his Name and commanded not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus as the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered Acts 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God Iudge ye so I dare not obey the Wills of Men or the Inclinations of the Flesh but my Great Lord. If Satan would draw you to any Inconvenience answer as Christ Himself did to Peter dissuading Him from suffering Mat. 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. When there is something that doth constrain within us and urgeth us to a constant obedience For Christ that requireth us to die unto sin doth also require us to live unto Righteousness When the sense of this becomes as an Habit or new Nature in us or the principle of our course of living it puts the Soul upon obedience it constraineth us most powerfully to live in him and to him Col. 2.6 and 10. verse the 6th As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him ver 10. ye are compleat in Him and Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Vse 2. is Exhortation If we would distinguish our selves from the Carnal World let us resolve upon a thorough course of Christianity owning Christs authority in all things 1. If we be to begin and have hitherto stood against Christ Oh let us repent and reform and return to our Obedience Mâ—t. 18.3 Except ye be Converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Remember that Faith is a great part of your works from first to last Iohn 6.27 Iesus answered and said unto them This is the Work of God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent All the Grace and Mercy of the new Covenant it is begun kept up and carried on by Faith we are sincerely to believe on Him before we can rightly obey him 3. Your obedience must be delightful and such as cometh from love 1 Ioh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Believers are not called to the Obedience of Slaves nor to be acted only by the fear of Hell but to the Obedience of Sons and Children that you may obey with love and delight Forced motives endure not long fears will abate and then your duty be neglected Love should be as a new Nature and the habitual constitution of our Souls and you should act not as driven to Obedience but as inclined to it and delighted in it Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy Will O God for this is a Soveraignty not forced upon us â—ut consented unto 4. Your Obedience must be very circumspect and accurate Heb. 12.28 Having received a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace that we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear A Kingdom may be received either by a King to Govern or Subjects to be Governed a King to Govern Luke 19.12 A certain Nobleman went into a far Country to receive a Kingdom Or Subjects to be governed when we submit to the Sovereign to injoy the priviledges which belong to that Kingdom So we must serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear For boldness in Sinning and coldness in Duty is a depreciation of his Majesty He is
the liberty of the Gospel and not to be intangled again in the Bondage of legal Ceremonies as if they were necessary to Justification or Acceptance with God He is earnest in the case for the glory of his Master and the good of Souls was concerned and therefore useth divers motives 1. They lose all benefit by Christ ver 2. 2. They are Debtors to the whole Law ver 3. 3. They are fallen from Grace ver 4. And now in the fourth place the consent of the Christian Gospel Church who upon Justification by Faith expect Remission of sins and eternal life Their judgment is the more to be esteemed because they are taught by the Spirit of God to renounce the legal Covenant and expect their acceptance with God by Faith only For we c. In these words observe 1. The end scope and blessedness of a Christian in the word hope 2. The firm ground of it the Righteousness of Faith 3. The carriage of Christians We wait 4. The inward moving cause of waiting for this Hope in this way Through the Spirit They are taught by him inclined by him so to do 1. The blessedness of a Christian is implied in the word Hope For Hope is taken two ways in Scripture for the thing hoped for and for the affection or act of him that hopeth Here it is taken in the first sense for the thing hoped for As also Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope So Col. 1.5 For the Hope which is laid up for us in Heaven 2. The Ground and Foundation of this Hope the Righteousness of Faith What it is I will shew you by and by Only here it is opposed partly to the Covenant of Works which could not give Life Partly to the legal observances for it presently followeth neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision c. But by no means is it opposed to evangelical obedience for the whole New Testament obedience is comprized in this term the Righteousness of Faith as appeareth by the Apostles explication in the next verse But Faith which works by love 3. The duty of a Christian We wait De jure we ought de facto we do All true Christians wait for the Mercy of God and Life everlasting And he calleth it waiting because a Believer hath not so much in possession as in expectation And this waiting is not a devout sloath but implieth diligence in the use of all means whereby we may obtain this hope 4. The inward efficient cause Through the Spirit We are taught by the Spirit inclined by the Spirit so to do 1. Taught For the Doctrine is mystical Flesh and Blood revealeth it not to us but the Holy Ghost Mat. 16.17 2. Inclined to this Spiritual course of Life wherein we obtain this blessed hope by the same Spirit For this Holy and Humble way is contrary to the interest of the Flesh. And we are told afterward Gal. 5.25 that we live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit So that in effect here is all Christianity abridged Our blessedness the way to it Our help or how we are brought to walk in that way Doct. That by the Spirit all true Christians are inclined to pursue after the hope built upon the Righteousness of Faith 1. What is the Righteousness of Faith 2. What is the Hope built upon it 3. What is the Interest and Work of the Spirit in bringing us to wait for this Hope I. What is the Righteousness of Faith We told you before It is opposed either to the Law of Works or the ceremonial observances of the Law of Moses But more particularly it may be determined either with respect to the object of Faith or 2. To the Act or Grace of Faith it self 3. With respect to the rule and warrant of Faith which is the Gospel or New Covenant 1. This Righteousness of Faith may be considered with respect to the object of Faith And the proper and principal object of Faith is Jesus Christ and his Merits And so the righteousness of Faith is the Obedience and Death of Christ which because it is apprehended by Faith it is sometimes called the Righteousness of Christ and sometimes the Righteousness of Faith Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is by the Law but that which is by the Faith of Christ even the righteousness which is of God by Faith This certainly is the ground of our acceptance with God and therefore the bottom and foundation of all our hope Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous that is by Christ's Merit and Obedience And 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him This is it we rely upon as the only meritorious cause of whatever benefit we obtain by the new Covenant 2. With respect to Faith it self whereby the merits of Christs Obedience and Death are applied and made beneficial to us When we believe we are qualified And therefore it is said that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Rom 4 3. That is God accepted him as Righteous for Christs sake And so he doth every one that believeth for Rom. 3.22 The Righteousness of God is by Faith of Christ Iesus unto all and upon all them that believe without any difference If Abraham was justified by Faith we are justified by Faith Now if you ask me what kind of Believer is qualified and accepted as Righteous I answer it is the penitent Believer and the working Believer 1. The Penitent Believer For Faith and Repentance are inseparable Companions Mark 1.15 Repent and Believe the Gospel Act. 12.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Act. 11.21 The Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. These two cannot be severed for till we are affected with that miserable estate whereinto we have plunged our selves by our sins and there be an hearty sorrow for them and a perfect hatred and detestation of them and a full and peremptory resolution to forsake them that we may turn to the Lord and live in his obedience we will not prize Christ nor his benefits nor see such a need of the Spiritual Physitian to heal our wounded Souls Nor will God accept us as Righteous while we continue in our unrighteousness So that though it be Righteousness of Faith and the Believer be only accepted as Righteous yet it is the Penitent Believer whose Heart and Mind is changed and is willing by Christ to come to God 2. It is the working Believer For so it is explained in the next verse Faith working by Love And so expressed elsewhere Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he became an
Bond in suit but spareth upon our intercession Now this should be taken notice of and notably improved A Man is sick afraid to be damned but he recovers again Now though it be not a total pardon we cannot say it is none at all For God took such a one out of the Jaws of Hell for that time So Mat. 18.32 The Debt was forgiven yet required afterwards the meaning is he was spared for the present He did not obtain that full pardon which amounteth to justification yet he was recovered out of sickness misery and apparent danger and that upon his cry to God 7. If you are continued till you have some experience of the Grace of Christ then much more have you cause to bless God for his long-suffering How ill would it have been for your Souls if you had died in your sins God may say to you as he did to his People Isa 43.24 25. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquitiâ—s I even I am he that blotteth out your transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins If God had been quick with us where should we have been We are of an hot and eager nature cannot bear affronts or despightful usage Luk. 9.54 Lord wilt thou that we call for Fire from Heaven to consuâ—e them as did Elias This was Iames and Iohn beloved Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fury of rash zeal appeared in the best even in the Disciple of love but God does not deal so with us Vse 3. To exhort to Repentance If a Malefactor arraigned at the Bar of Justice should perceive by any speech or word or gesture sign or token any inclination in the Judge to Mercy how would he work upon that advantage to get a Reprieve and the Execution put off So should we improve God's forbearance and long-suffering to sue out a Pardon A Sermon on Rom. X. 5 6 7 8 9. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doth those things shall live by them But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which we Preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath Raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved THese words which I have now Read need both Vindication and Explication My first work shall be First Vindication or reconciling Paul with Moses That seemeth difficult because in the Allegation some things are changed some things added some things omitted as appeareth by the Collation of the Places the Text and Deut. 30.12 13 14. It is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it To avoid the difficulty some say these words are alledged sensu transumptivo onely by way of Allusion and Accommodation not as Interpreting Moses but as fitting them to his own purpose But this I cannot yield to for these Reasons 1. From the scope of the Apostle which is to draw off the Iews and Iudaizing Brethren from sticking to the Law of Moses as necessary to Justification To do it thoroughly he bringeth an Argument from Moses himself who doth in his Writings give a clear distinction between the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith and so by consequence between the Tenour of the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace Now if it were an Allusion only the Apostle would produce a bare Illustration not a Cogent Argument and so would rather Explain than Convince 2. The Exposition it self is so clear that we need not make it an Allusion if we consider the place whence these passages are taken Deut. 30. The whole Chapter is a Sermon of Evangelical Repentance see the 1 2. Verses And it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to mind among all Naâ—ions whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee And shalt return unto the Lord thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thy heart and with all thy soul. This was spoken of a time which the Iews themselves confess to belong to the Kingdom of the Messiah And reason sheweth it For the words were spoken by Moses as referring to such a time when the Israelites were dispersed among all Nations which happened not till after Christ's Ascention and the Preaching of the Gospel and doth yet remain and will remain until the Conversion of the Iews of which the Apostle will speak in the next Chapter So that Moses words are applicable to them when the Gospel-dispensation was set on foot That was the word which was nigh them The great prejudice of the Iews against Christ's being the Messiah was because he came not in a way agreeable to their Carnal Conceits or with such Pomp and Visible Demonstration of Authority as to satisfie all his own Countrymen Therefore they were prejudiced and would not own him nor receive the Grace tendered by him but looked for that as afar off which was nigh them and among them And therefore the Apostle doth apply the words of Moses to them to bring them to embrace the New Covenant 3. From the Nature of the thing First Certain it is to us Christians that Moses Wrote of Christ for our Lord saith John 5.46 Had you believed Moses you would have believed me for he Wrote of me Secondly If he Wrote more obscurely we must consider he was a Prophet not an Apostle 3. That he Wrote of Christ in this place the Apostle's Authority is sufficient for he was a good Interpreter If he being infallibly assisted saw more in it than we do we are not to Cavil at his Authority but with reverence to receive this light not vex the Citation by nice Disputes but humbly receive the Interpretation he giveth of it You will say the words are altered But the Apostles usually in Quoting Minded the Sense rather than the Words And Moses his drift was to perswade them to take notice of the Divine Revelation made to them at that time when these things befel them the destroying of the Temple and City and these Dispersions among the Nations Secondly
Verse 8th The word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart It 's in the Mouth to know it and speak of it it 's in the Heart as written there by the Spirit that we may do the duty it requireth of us with ease and sweetness 'T is in thy Mouth to Confess and in thy Heart to Believe and Practise VVhen the New Covenant is spoken of as opposite to the Covenant made with them when they came out of Egypt it is said sometimes to be put into the Mouth and sometimes in the Heart The words are Isa. 59.21 As for me This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my VVords which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy seed nor out of the Mouth of thy seed's seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Meaning thereby That his Spirit and Word shall continue with them as a Church to direct them in all necessary things This for the Mouth Now for the Heart see another Promise Jer. 31.33 And this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People Well then The Excellency of the Gospel-dispensation is set forth by Two things 1. It 's more easie to be known and understood and carried in the Memory for the Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth The drift of Moses his Speech tendeth to shew that they should have a New Covenant the Tenour of which was known and easie to be expressed by all those who were acquainted with it 2. It 's more easie to be practised 'T is not in our Mouths onely but in our Hearts which are inclined by the Holy Spirit to obey it so that the New Creature may undertake the duty it requireth of us by the assistance of God and do it sincerely though not exactly Secondly The sense of what it saith 't is explained and exemplified 1. Explained Verse 8. This is the word which we preach namely the Doctrine of Repentance and Remission of sins by Jesus Christ. 2. Exemplified Verse 9th That if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Confession with the Mouth there answers to the Word is in thy Mouth believe with thine heart that implieth Faith And Christ's being raised from the Dead is instanced in rather than any other Article of Faith because that proveth all the rest and is the great evidence of the truth of Christianity Doctrine That the way of acceptance with God or obtaining Salvation is so clearly stated in the Gospel that we need not be in doubtful suspence or seek out another Religion wherein to find it or other satisfaction than God hath given us in his Word The sense of this Point I shall give you in these Propositions First That it is the weightiest matter in the VVorld to know how to be accepted with God as to pardon and life Man being a guilty Creature needeth pardon and the Soul dying not with the Body we desire to know the way of life or what shall become of us when this frail life is at an end Certain it is that we are haunted with guilty fears for we are through the fear of death all our life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 There are some troubles of Mind in all of us about our acceptance with God not always felt indeed but soon awakened Trembling Souls who know what God is and what themselves are and are conscious to former guilt and present unworthiness cannot easily settle in a confidence of God's Mercy to them especially when they come to die The fear of death raised our trouble before but when death cometh indeed these stings are increased 1 Cor. 15.56 The Sting of Death is sin and these stings of Conscience are justified by the highest reason which is the Law of God not occasioned by our melancholy conceits only It 's an Amazing consideration to us to think of entering into an unknown World and to stand before the righteous bar of an impartial Judge That it is very hard to undergo death with a steady confidence and to incourage our fearful and doubtful Minds to lanch out into Eternity common experience verifieth I pray consider Christians that our present condition is a state of darkness and fear and these fears are caused by sin and justified by the Law of God and revived by death and the thoughts of the other World And therefore there is not a weightier business than to establish our fearful and doubtful Minds in Peace that we may comfortably wait for the Mercy of God unto Eternal Life Secondly That is the best Religion which doth most provide for this Peace and Rest of Soul So that if a man were at liberty to choose and were consulting what Religion he should choose this Consideration must guide him where he can find true Peace and Rest for his Anxious Soul So the Prophet directeth them Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find rest for your Souls And by this Argument Christ inviteth us to himself Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls And the Apostle commendeth the Gospel upon this account Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus It is easie to lull Conscience asleep for a while either 1. By Carnal Pleasures Prov. 9.17 Stolen Waters are sweet and Bread eaten in secret is pleasant For a while they seem so but the vertue of that Opium is soon spent Or 2. By a false Religion but within a while we shall soon find that is so far from being our cure that it is a great part of our disease no false Religion is consistent with right Thoughts of God Therefore the Woman of Samaria assoon as she began to have an awakened Conscience enquires after the true Religion Iohn 4.20 Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship An awakened Conscience will be careful to lay the ground-work of Religion sure A false way of Religion always breedeth scruples and is accompanied with no sound Peace Or 3. In the superficial observances of a true Religion Mat. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet A false Righteousness will not give true quietness to the Conscience there is something lacking and the Soul sits uneasie Therefore nothing but coming under the Power of the
but Love should allay these bitter Gusts for we should always remember that Be angry and sin not that is If ye be angry beware of Sin Eph. 4.26 9. Thinketh no Evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word signifieth two things To Think or Design to Impute or Reckon In the first acceptation the sense is That a Charitable Person plotteth not in his Mind how he shall do his Neighbour any Evil. Now designing Evil is so vile a thing and so abhorred by Heathens that the Apostle would not mention the forbearing of that as an effect of Divine Charity Therefore most probably we must pitch upon the later sense not for not contriving Hurt to others but not to reckon or impute it to them And so 't is the property of Charity not rashly to impute Evil to any Man It suspects no Evil in others as long as their Actions are capable of a good Interpretation or while other Good is mingled with it Envy and Detraction like a Fly pitcheth on the sore place But Charity doth not easily think Evil of its Neighbour but interpreteth doubtful Things in the better part If wronged by others they rather impute it to their Inconsideration than their Malice And if it cannot be excused they do not impute charge or upbraid them with it as Brawling People do 10. It rejoyceth not in Evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is more abhorrent from the nature of Charity than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing in the Hurt of another Now this may happen on two Occasions 1. When any one doth that which is unjust 2. When injustice is done to any one In the first Case Charity rejoyceth not that others fall into Sin which indeed is a pleasure to them that hate them but Charity will make a Man heartily mourn and grieve for any Sin that is committed by another 'T is a joy to see others discharge their Duty but a grief that they offend God The Second Case is If our Enemy be injured by others we boastingly say Oh how well is this Man served now thus to rejoyce in or applaude the Sin of others will not stand with Charity which seeketh the Reformation of others not their ruine and disgrace David when he heard of the Death of Saul he rent his Cloaths and wept and fasted 2 Sam. 1.11 12. And David took hold of his Cloaths and rent them and all the men that were with him and they mourned and wept and fasted until Evening for Saul and for Jonathan his Son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel because they were fallen by the Edge of the Sword And Iob saith Chap. 31.39 If I rejoyced at the Destruction of him that hated me or lifted up my self when evil found him neither have I suffered my Mouth to sin by wishing a Curse to his Soul Revenge is sweet to a Carnal Nature but Divine Love checketh it and purgeth out this old leaven of Malice more and more 11. But rejoyceth in the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is taken for sincerity of Goodness Charity wisheth those that displease us were better than they are and that they did nothing but what is right just and good rejoyces at any good that befalleth others especially at the holy and virtuous actions performed by them and their integrity and sincerity This is a good Note For what a Man really is he desireth others should be 12. It beareth all things The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covereth all things which the Greek word also signifieth and so there is a Tautology avoided for the last Clause of this verse is endureth all things Now the meaning of this Clause is That Charity doth not easily divulge the Crimes of others Prov. 10.12 Hatred stirreth up strife but Love covereth all Sins None of us can expect to live in the World but we shall meet with many failings and wrongs in the best of God's Children There will need the cover of Love that we may neither shame our Brethren nor disgrace our Religion Therefore one property of this grace is to hide and conceal the Evil we know by another as far as it is for his good and not contrary to the greater good of others for than a greater Charity obligeth us to reveal it As if a man be a Seducer or if one profess to do Religion a mischief 't is our duty to reveal it But otherwise 't is an offence to speak all we know of others though it be true for all Evil must not be divulged but sometimes covered with the Cloak of Love There may be malice in reporting Truth for an eager desire to spread a fault wanteth not Sin Ier. 20.10 Report say they and we will report it Nay if there be no ill intent such prattle will come under the charge of idle Words unless it be for discovering an Hypocrite that others may not be deceived nor ensnared 13. It believeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not such things as are apparently false but hath no prejudice against that which others profess if not prevalently contradicted It desireth others should be good and therefore easily believeth them according to the profession which they make and whilst things are any way credible and not manifestly false It dareth not harbour an ill conceit of others interpreting all things to the best as long as the contrary appeareth not and whatever can be said for the mitigation of a fault 'T is easily persuaded Iam. 3.17 It doth not indulge unwarrantable suspicions and as long as it can taketh all things in good part that are said or done by others For till it hath an idoneous sense it had rather be deceived in thinking well of others than suspecting evil 'T is a malignity to fasten an evil sense on a Speech or Action that may bear a good one 14. Hopeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is added because what Charity cannot believe it hopeth for When nothing is said by way of defence and excuse it hopeth the best the matter is capable of if not for the present it despaireth not that being fallen they will rise again They despair not of their repentance nor give over the use of all probable means to reclaim them 15. It endureth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is suffereth injuries done to its self for Peace sake without revenging its self They can endure much pain and trouble and loss to procure a greater good to others that is greater than the pain we suffer our selves and therefore it meditateth not revenge 16. And lastly Charity never faileth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is never ceaseth in this Life to bring forth these fruits neither shall it cease in the life to come There the love of God and our Brethren abideth and is perfect Men Dye but Charity Liveth and is exercised by us in another World 'T is not a grace out of date in Heaven Here it is not Weary Gall. 6.9
reasoned of righteousness c. In the Words we have an account 1. Of the Matter of Paul's Sermon 2. The Effect and Fruit of it 1. Felix trembled 2. Delayed and put it off Go thy way c. I. The Matter 1. In General it was concerning faith in Christ or the Christian Religion 2. In Particular three Heads are mentioned Righteousness Temperance Iudgment to come He made choice of these Heads as plainest and easiest to be understood and as a proper and suitable Argument for Felix was publickly stained with Vices contrary to these Virtues he was Brother of Pallas and one well known to the Emperour Claudius He was in his Magistracy very unjust acquiring great Riches by Bribes Tacitus reporteth him Infamous for this And he and Drusilla were Intemperate and Incontinent living in Adultery and he using her as a Wife who was another Man's Paul was not ignorant of this We must not shoot at Rovers but aim at a certain Mark in our Ministry A Physician that cometh to Cure doth not use at adventure one Remedy for all Diseases but Medicines proper to the Malady of the Patient The Method of converting Sinners requireth this to shew what Men must be that may stand in the Judgment Holy Just and Temperate II. The Effect and Fruit on Felix part Of Drusilla there is nothing spoken she being a Jewess this Doctrine was not new and strange to her but having heard it often is not moved by it through hardness of Heart But of Felix we read two Things 1. His Trembling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is all in an Agony made up all of Fear 2. His Delay and Put-off Go thy way 't is a civil denial and baffle put upon Conscience Conviction not improved usually makes a Man turn Devil he might have cast him into Irons but he rageth not It fared worse with Ionathan the High-Priest as Iosâ—phus telleth us when he had reproved Felix for his Injustice and Bribery he sent Assassines to murder him who mingling themselves with his Servants and making a Broil in his Family killed him so that the principal Author and Design of the Murder was not known It fared better with Paul 1. Partly from the force of the present Conviction it was so strong that he could not gain-say but only seeketh to elude the Importunity of it by the Dream of a more convenient Season 2. Partly from some mixture of his Sin Vers. 26. He hoped that money should have been given him of Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Text in the Greek joyneth his Fear and Avarice together being afraid he bids Paul depart but hoped also that Money should have been given This expecting a Gift as it obstructed his Conviction so it broke his Rage and therefore he useth Paul the more civilly Doctr. That a Carnal Man may be deeply affected with the Christian Doctrine even to great Agonies of Conscience and yet finally miscarry This is evident in the Instance of Felix who trembled but yet delayed shaketh off the force of Paul's Sermon by a pretence of business and continueth in his Sin for after this he expecteth a Bribe and because that came not to pleasure the Jews he left Paul in Bonds 1. I shall speak of the Nature of this Trembling or Agony of Conscience which is here ascribed to Felix 2. The Cause of it God's Word in the General and in Particular the Doctrine of the Last Judgment 3. The Effects and Fruit how it doth or may come to nothing I. What is this Trembling ascribed to Felix Trembling at the Word of God is made a Fruit and Effect of Special Grace Isa. 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that it poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word And Ezra attempting a Reformation gathered to him all that trembled at the Words of the Lord God of Israel Ezra 10.3 I Answer We must distinguish of a Fear sanctifying and a Fear only awakening for a time of a Fear that is a Grace and a Fear that is only a Conscience A Fear sanctifying is such a sense of our danger as stirreth up in us a constant serious Care to avoid the Wrath of God and please him So 't is said Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil This Fear is a Grace an habitual disposition of Soul which is spoken of in the places alledged The Fear only awakening is such a sense of our Danger as doth only trouble us for the present but doth not put us upon the right way to remedy the Evil we are convinced of Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The Awakening is a Mercy especially if we are not only awakened from our drowsie Fits but we arise from the Dead if we forsake the way of Destruction and betake our selves to the service of God we are safe Many wicked Men are shrewdly shaken by the Preaching of the Word for a while they are a little awakened out of their drowsie Fits and begin to fear and tremble yet they return to them again and sleep the sleep of Death till in the Day of Judgment the Books of Conscience be opened and then they everlastingly awake with Terrors and never sleep more If they could as sweetly sleep in their Sins in Hell as they do now upon Earth Wrath to come would not be so terrible and tormenting a thing to them The differences between this sensible Work and Holy Trembling at God's Word are these 1. Holy Fear is a voluntary Act and excited in them by Faith and Love By Faith believing God's Threatning by Love which is troubled at the Offence done to God 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof and humbledst thy self before me and didst rend thy cloathes and weep before me I have even heard thee also saith the Lord. Iosiah was active in this Trembling and Humiliation But this is an involuntary Impression arising from the Spirit of Bondage and irresistible Conviction which for a while puts them in the Stocks of Conscience but they seek to enlarge themselves as soon as they can 2. They differ in the ground or formal Reason of this Trouble Agony and Consternation of Spirit To be troubled for the Offence done to God is a good sign but to be troubled meerly for the Punishment due to us is the guise of Hypocrites Esau was troubled for he sought the Blessing with Tears when he had lost it Heb. 12.17 But how was he troubled Non quia vendiderat sed quia perdiderat because he had lost the Birthright which was his misery not because he had sold it which was his Sin So all wicked men saith Austin non peccare metuunt sed ardere they do not fear to Sin their Hearts are in secret love and league with their Lusts but they are
his Heart back or away from Wisdom and her Invitations as see the parallel place Prov. 1.30 31. They would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Where the same Notions are used and it is presently added Vers. 32. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them Though Men never professed Godliness yet their refusing to hearken to the Call of Wisdom or the Counsel of God doth bring them under this Character the Perverse or Averse in Heart He that turneth away from his chief Good and the way that should lead to the enjoyment of it and indulgeth his Lusts and vain Pleasures he is the Man So the general Corruption of Mankind is described Rom. 3.12 They are all gone out of the way that is the way that leadeth to true Happiness So Iob professing his Innocency useth these Expressions Iob 23.11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips In which words his intent was not to prove that he was no Apostate but that he was no Hypocrite or wicked Person which was the matter in debate between him and his Friends 2. You may comprize the Apostate because Scripture must not be streightned in the Exposition of it he that falleth away from those ways of Holiness and Righteousness wherein he walked for a time either through the Terrors or through the Delights of Sense Against the one the Church protesteth Psal. 44.17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Where Apostacy from God and his Commandments is expressed So Zeph. 1.6 Them that are 〈◊〉 turned back from the Lord and those that have not sought the Lord nor enquired for him They know a better way and have walked in it but at length are discouraged with Troubles and Afflictions or allured by Worldly Avocations and Advantages and so desert their holy Course and the Covenant of their God wherein they were engaged Now the word Heart is Emphatical take it in either sense and it sheweth 1. That the fountain and beginning of Backsliding is in the Heatt They distrust God Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Or grow weary of God and therefore neglect their Duty to him Isa. 43.22 But thou hast not called upon me O Iacob thou hast been weary of me O Israel At least have not Cor tale a renewed Heart Deut. 5.29 O that they had such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always 2. It noteth their Plenary Desertion not a slipping back through Infirmity and Inadvertency in some particular Actions but their Hearts were wholly estrang'd from God and they deliberately and wilfully give over themselves to their corrupt Affections their Hearts are turned away from the right way Secondly The opposite is the good Man And he is one 1. That seeketh after the chiefest Good and adhereth constantly to God in Jesus Christ as his only felicity Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and their wine encreased Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth I desire besides thee Goodness is determined by respect to the chiefest Good whether it be applied to Persons or Things 2. He doth not only cleave to God but chooseth that way which God hath prescribed Men to walk in whether the way of Faith in Christ as Iohn 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Or the way of New Obedience as Eccles. 12.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man So Salomon concludeth his Discourse about true Happiness so that he is good and doth good and so is conformed to God his Pattern 3. Yet he is in both sincerely not perfectly good Psal. 125.4 Do good O Lord to those that be good and to them that are upright in heart That is truly and sincerely good though not exactly and perfectly according to the rigour of the Law for so Eccles. 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not but he hath a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 Set to obey and please God in all things though he cannot do all the good that he would And these Upright in Heart are opposed in the Psalmist to such as turn aside to their crooked ways Vers. 5. or the Backslider in heart spoken of in the Text. Their honest and sincere Endeavours shall be accepted and rewarded by God Well then a good Man is one whose Heart is turned to God and who keepeth up his Affections to him and walketh according to his Counsel in the way which he hath prescribed These are the two Persons that seek Satisfaction and Happiness in their different courses These two contrary Competitors have their contrary Choices and though they differ in their Disposition they do not incroach one upon another in the Object pursued after The Godly being taught by God leaveth the World to the Carnal and taketh God for his Portion the Worldling scrapeth on the Earth and leaveth God and his saving Grace to the Godly II. I come now to shew you That both desire to be filled or satisfied the Good and the Bad that so seldom agree in any thing agree in this that both would be happy Psal. 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good You can no more doubt of this that Man would be happy than that Man loveth himself Man's Heart is a Chaos of Desires like a Spunge it sucketh something from without and seeketh to draw it to it self They must have something which they apprehend to be good for no Man can live without some Oblectation and Delight No Man hath sufficiency in himself but seeketh abroad for it Now according to Men's Choice so is their Search and so is their Obtaining and in both consists their true Happiness or true Misery The backslider in Heart must be filled and the good Man must be satisfied The Carnal would fain fill their Minds with the vain Delights of the World they go no farther than Riches Honours and Pleasures and despise God and his saving Blessings They would have their good things in their Life time Luke 16.25 And therefore they are always sucking upon the Breasts of the World's Consolation Luke 6.24 Woe to you that are Rich for you have received your Consolation They continually seek to fill themselves and please their fleshly minds and
ever we think of it When this Lamb of God was killing the Creatures were all in amazement the Earth trembled the Rocks rent the Sun was eclipsed Oh how great is the stupidity and dullness of our Hearts that we can no more seriously think of it Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High-priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. Serious Meditation is like the Concoction of Meat in the Stomach 2. Behold him with Application Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things Excite thine own Heart surely this was for my Sins if I have an Heart to receive Christ and make use of him for this End and Purpose Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me And 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you 3. Behold him with an Eye of Faith Isa. 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced Faith gets such a clear sight of things as if we had been by when he suffered and paid this Ransom 4. Behold him with an Eye of Repentance and brokeness of Heart Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born It was thy Sins that pierced him therefore behold him and mourn 5. Behold him with an Eye of Thankfulness as the great Instance of God's Love who would by so costly a Remedy procure our Pardon and Happiness 1 Iohn 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the prâ—pitiation for our sins 6. Behold your Suffering and Crucified Saviour with an Eye of Love so as to love him the more O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Love is Crucified Ignatius quò vilior eò charior The more vile and humble he was the more dear he should be to you Let it perswade us to a real Love to allow him a Dominion and Lordship in our Hearts that is real Love to obey God Rom. 5.8 God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us This Love must beget Love 1 Use. To press you to behold the Lamb of God behold him as a Sacrifice for Sin whose Blood applied doth quiet the Conscience and turn away the Curse These Words present the more glorious Spectacle and Object not to your Sight but to your Faith not to your Senses but to your most serious and intimate Consideration The Object is Christ Crucified the only true propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin the chief Point of Christian Knowledge and the most powerful Means of the Creatures Good Oh behold him look not at Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper but at the Lamb of God 2 Use. To press you to take and eat Christ and receive him out of God's hands by Faith He is the Lamb of God God designed him for this Work when Man had no way to help himself 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world God tendreth him to you now Take and Eat God the Party offended hath authorized Christ to be a Mediator say then Lord thou hast appointed thy Son and sent him into the World to be a Ransom for our Souls he is now offered to me Lord I come to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood We must eat him so as to feel the Virtue of both changing our Hearts and comforting our Consciences changing our Hearts other Food is changed into our Substance this changeth us 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a new Creature Comforting our Consciences Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Is God unwilling to give Christ Or is Christ unable to do his Work A Second Sermon on JOHN i. 29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World Doctrine 2. THE great Work of Christ the Lamb of God is to take away the Sins of the World 1. What is meant by the World 2. In what manner Christ taketh away the Sins of the World 3. That this is the great End Work and Scope of Christ's coming into the World I. What is meant by the World Why is there such a capacious and comprehensive Word used Since it is clear that all the World have not benefit by Christ for many of them die in their Sins Answ. 1. To shew the difference between the Lamb of God and the Sacrifices of the Law the old Sacrifices were only offered for the People of Israel but Christ's Death hath a larger Extent to People of all places Iews and Gentiles 1 Iohn 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world And in all Ages from the beginning of the World to the end Rev. 13.8 He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The Lamb of God is of an universal and perpetual Use. 2. To shew the sufficiency of this Mediatorial Sacrifice it is of such a full and overflowing Merit that it becometh a Foundation for a tendry of Grace to every Creature Here is a Ground-work and Foundation laid for the truth of this Proposition Mark 16.16 That whosoever believeth shall be saved So that here is a great Invitation and Incouragement for every oppressed Soul if Christ taketh away the Sins of the World put in for a share thou art a Member of the World Paul creepeth in at the back Door of the Promise 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Christ would not have Sinners exclude themselves but attend upon him for this Benefit Therefore he would have his Grace set forth in the most comprehensive Terms that all that find themselves Sinners may stir up themselves to find benefit by him 3. Those Elect ones who have actual Benefit by this Sacrifice may be called The World partly because of their Number take them all together and they are many and therefore called World Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number c. And partly in regard of God's Estimation though they are few they are as good as all the World to him And partly because they will one day be set apart from the rest of Mankind and make a peculiar World of themselves II. In what manner doth Christ take away the Sins
your Redemption 2 Use Hath Christ taken upon him to carry away Sin Then here is Instruction 1. To the Careless Certainly he that seeketh after benefit by Christ must be one that is not a Stranger to himself one that knoweth and is acquainted with the case of his own Heart and Life one that is sensible of his Sins and corrupt Inclinations and the guilt and burden that lieth upon him one that mourneth under the fears of God's displeasure Will Christ ease a Man of a Burden that he feeleth not A sensless sleepy Soul hath not Work for Christ to do He inviteth those that see a need of Mercy Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest 2. To those who are afflicted in Conscience for Sin Remember you must be not only sensible of the guilt of Sin but the stain of it and look after not only Peace but Healing Isa. 53.5 With his stripes we are healed It is not a sound Cure that aimeth only at the asswaging of the Grief but the Distemper must be removed Mountebanks only stop the Pain but let alone the Cause such a Cure would they have who are more earnest for Ease and Comfort than for Grace Sin in some sense is worse than Damnation Remember then this is the Undertaking of our blessed Redeemer will he come in vain and miss of his End Consider the Merit of his Humiliation what a Price he hath paid for sanctifying Grace 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot This Price was not given only to heighten our Esteem of the Priviledge but to encrease our Confidence And consider the Power of his Exaltation Acts 3.26 God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Having paid our Ransom he is gone into Heaven fully furnished and impowred to free from Sin all that consent to receive this Benefit But what shall we do that we may have the actual Benefit 1. Seek the Pardon of Sin in the way of Repentance confessing your Sins with brokeness of Heart 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Sue out his Grace and turn to the Lord. Repentance lieth not in a feigned Wish only that Sin had not been done but in a change of Mind Heart and Life in a hatred to Sin repented of and a love to God and Holiness Man's Fall was specially in point of Love and his Recovery must be a Recovery of Love to God again Your Love to Sin must be turned into an Hatred of Sin the Soul must be not only turned from Sin but against it Repentance is most seen in our Love and Hatred 2. Seek the subduing of Sin in a diligent use of Means There is a Spirit purchased by Christ to begin the Life of Grace and to carry it on with success to heal and renew our Natures and to strengthen them being heal'd and renew'd Now we must not by our carelesness negligence or other Sin provoke the Lord to withdraw from us and suspend his Grace but humbly implore his Favour wait for his Approaches and attend and obey his sanctifying Motions God is willing to give the Spirit to them that ask him as a Father is to give an hungry Child bread Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him We make our selves uncapable of this help by grieving the Spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption When we are so easie to the Requests of Sin and so deaf to his Motions he ceaseth to give us warning There are certain Ordinances whereby this Grace is conveyed to us and Christ died to sanctifie them to us Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word These Ordinances are the Word and Sacraments by the use of which Sin receiveth a new wound The Word is for cleansing the Soul Iohn 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Baptism must be improved for the washing away of Sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins A Man forgetteth his Baptism that is neglecteth it if he be not purged from Sin 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins That is he hath made no use and received no benefit by his Baptism In the Lord's Supper we remember the Death of Christ as the Price given for the Life of our Souls as a Spectacle that may affect us with the Odiousness of Sin as an occasion of renewing our Covenant with God and binding our selves afresh to his service and as a means to stir up our Love to God and so by consequence our hatred of Sin Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil And to awaken our hopes and so of purifying the Soul 1 Iohn 3.3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Here is delivered to the believing Soul a sealed Pardon of all Sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins And we wait for the Application of his mortifying and renewing Grace 3. If the first Attempt succeed not yet afterwards Sin may be subdued and broken In natural Things we do not sit down with one Tryal and one Endeavour a Man that will be rich pierceth himself through with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 4.10 and after many miscarriages pursue their Designs till they compleat them and shall we give over our waiting and striving because we cannot presently find success That sheweth our Will is not fully bent and set upon the thing we seem to desire In the face of Discouragements we must venture again Luke 5.5 Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy command I will let down the neâ— God's Grace is free and his holy Leisure must be waited for it was long e're God got us to this pass to be sensible of our Burden or anxiously solicitous about our Soul Distempers We must lie at the Pool for cure the Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth Iohn 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the spirit He that begun the
the Soul is said to return to God therefore the whole Man dieth not and is not extinguished with the Body All these Particulars import the Immortality of the Soul Doct. That the Soul of Man is immortal and dieth not when the Body dieth but remaineth in that Estate into which it is disposed by God First There is a threefold Immortality 1. An essential Immortality which importeth an absolute Necessity of Existence so it is said 1 Tim. 6.16 God only hath Immortality 2. There is a natural Immortality which hath a Foundation in the Being of the Creatures so the Angels and Spirits of Men are in their Nature immortal so as they cannot be destroyed by any second Cause and have no Principle of Corruption in themselves though by the Power of God they might be annihilated 3. A gratuitous Immortality or by Gift and Courtesy so the Body of Adam in Innocency non conditione corporis but beneficio conditoris not by the Condition of his Body but the Bounty of his Maker so the Bodies of the Faithful after the Resurrection shall be immortal Secondly Let us prove this that the Soul is immortal and subsisteth after the Separation The Point is necessary to be discussed for till we are established in the Belief of this Truth we shall fear no greater Judgments than what do befal us in this World nor expect greater Mercies than what we injoy here and so never take Care to reconcile our selves to God or to deny the Profits of the World and the Pleasures of Sense that we may attain a better Estate An holy Life will never else be indeavoured or produced to any good Increase For such as Mens Belief is of an immortal or never-dying Condition in Heaven or Hell such will the bent of their Hearts and Course of Life be Therefore the Salvation of our Souls is said to be the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the End of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls There the End signifieth either the Scope or the Event If you take it for the Scope the great End of Faith is to lead us from all worldly Happiness to an Estate after this Life Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them that draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Sense faith Spare the Flesh but Faith saith Save the Soul This is the Scope and mark to which it tendeth If you take it for the Event and Issue of things all our believing praying enduring Suffering rejoicing pleasing and glorifying of God endeth in this the saving of our Souls Therefore let us see how it may be proved both by Scripture and by the Light of Reason I. By Scripture which is the proper means to beget Faith Dives desired one to go from the dead to tell his Brethren of an everlasting Estate of Torment and Bliss Luke 16.27 28. I pray thee Father that thou wouldst send him to my Father's House for I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this Place of Torment Intimating thereby that the Cause of his own Sin and theirs was Unbelief or a not being perswaded of a World to come Alas we have but an obscure Prospect of an Estate after this Life and therefore indulge sensual Delights But what Cure and Remedy Dives thought a Spectre or Apparition would be the best Cure of this Atheism But Abraham or Christ thought otherwise he referreth them to Moses and the Prophets that is the holy Scriptures for all the Books then written and received in the Church are comprized in that Expression Since we are sick of the same Disease this will be our best Remedy We are told 2 Tim. 1.10 That Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel It is the Privilege of the Divine Revelation to represent this Truth with more Clearness and Certainty 1. With more Clearness There is a Mist upon Eternity which is only dispelled by the Light of the Gospel Reasons from Nature may in some measure acquaint us with an everlasting Estate yet what kind of Happiness it is that attendeth the Godly and what Misery shall befal the Wicked it telleth us but little but the Scripture sets down enough to invite our Hopes and awaken our Fears Heathens had some Conceits of Elysian Feilds and Places of Blessedness and some obscure Caverns appointed to be Places of Torment fitted to work Men into a blind Superstition but the Word of God hath given us such clear Discoveries of future Happiness and Misery as that we may know what to hope for and what to fear and if well improved will breed in us a true Spirit of Godliness 2. In Regard of Certainty Nature may give us some dark Guesses and uncertain Conjectures so as the Heathens that had no other Light were ready to say and unsay in a Breath what they had spoken concerning our Estate to come but the Gospel is a sure Word apt to beget Faith not a wavering Opinion Go to Sense which judgeth by the outside of things Eccles. 3.21 Who knoweth the Spirit of a Man that goeth upward and the Spirit of a Beast that goeth downward to the Earth By Sense we see Mankind as the Beasts to be conceived formed in the Belly brought forth nourished to grow in Strength and Stature wax old and die by the Eye we can discern no external sensible Difference so that if we consult with mere Sense all Religion and Hope is gone Go to Reason and that will tell us indeed that there is a Difference between a Man and a Beast that Man knoweth and desireth things which the Beasts do not and cannot And that the reasonable Soul hath Operations independent on Matter and on the Body and therefore it is probable it can subsiâ—t without the Body for the manner of working sheweth the manner of being but there is cold Comfort in a bare may be The Gospel sheweth it shall be As a Glass it doth discover this State to us as a Rule it guideth us to the Injoyment of it as a Motive it perswadeth us to seek after it as a Charter and Grant it doth assure our Title to it it is full fraught and thick sown with this kind of Seed Therefore let us see what the Light of Scripture saith to this Point 1 st It discovereth to us every-where the Doctrine of the eternal Recompences two Places and two Estates wherein Souls abide after Death Heaven and Hell Heaven the Mansion of the Just Iohn 14.2 In my Father's House are many Mansions And Hell the Place of Torments Mark 9.44 They are cast into Hell where their Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched And as soon as the Soul passeth out of the Body it is in one of these Luke 16.22 23. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's Bosom the rich Man died also and was buried And in Hell he
And more and more interest our selves in his cleansing 5. Because the Application is a difficult Work Besides the Purchase of the Gift of the Spirit Christ hath instituted the Help of the Word and Sacraments to bring us into Possession of this Benefit Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of VVater by the VVord The Merit of his Death falleth upon these means that we may use them with the more Confidence Iohn 15.3 Now are ye clean through the VVord which I have spoken unto you The Word is the Glass wherein to see Corruption which sets a-work to seek Purging By that our Sense of our natural Impurity is revived the Means and Causes of our cleansing set down that we may with deep Humiliation confess our Sin humbly sue out the Grace offered and wait for it in the conscionable Use of all the means of Grace And for the Sacraments As the Word containeth the Charter and Grant of Christ and all his Benefits to those that will receive him so this is the Seal of the Grant Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith whereby we are more confirmed in waiting for the Spirit and excited to look for this Benefit from Christ. Well then we must still lie at the Pool of the Word and Sacraments And now you have my second Argument Why Jesus Christ should be honoured lauded and praised by all the Saints because he hath done so great an Office of Love and procured so great a Benefit for us as the washing away of our Sins in his Blood that we might be admitted to Communion with God III. The Fruits and Benefits that we have thereby He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and to his Father This doth oblige us the more to ascribe and give Glory and Dominion to him for ever and ever since he hath brought us into Communion with God and set us apart as consecrated Persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily Service to God In this third Thing 1 st Observe the Order We must be washed from our Sins before we can be Kings and Priests or minister before the Lord. Aaron and his Sons though they were formerly designed to be Priests yet they could not officiate and act as Priests before they were consecrated So must we be consecrated and made Priests to God and that by the Blood of Christ. They were seven days in consecrating This whole Life is the time of our Consecration which goeth on by degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul upon the Resurrection when we shall be fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven For this Life though our Consecration be not finished yet here we are stiled an Holy Priesthood to minister before the Throne of Grace though not before the Throne of Glory Now if we be washed from our Sins in the Laver of Regeneration we may draw near to God as the Priests under the Law were washed in the Laver and then came to the Altar It holdeth good both in this Life and in the Life to come that none but the Washed can come so near to God either before the Throne of Grace or Throne of Glory The Throne of Grace Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water So Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God In the State of Glory Rev. 7.14 15. These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in his Temple The persecuted Saints who came out of great Tribulation they first washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb before they were admitted as Priests to stand before the Throne of God to serve him Day and Night in his Temple Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummate And then we shall have a full Communion with our God a clear Vision of his eternal Beauty and as great a Fruition of his Godhead as we shall be capable of in a State of full Contentment Joy and Blessedness 2 dly The Privileges are exceeding great to be consecrated to so high a Dignity That we should be consecrated or set apart for God to be Objects of his special Grace and Instruments of his Glory and Service Much more that we should be advanced to so great a Dignity as to be Kings and Priests to God We share in Christ's own Dignity He was a King and a Priest so are we He had an Unction so have we He was Christ we are Christians By virtue of our Union with him we are Partakers of his Kingdom and Priesthood The Church of Israel was called a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And Believers in the New-Testament are called a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Not to disturb Civil Kings or the Order God hath instituted in the Church for it is Kings and Priests to God not to the World Let us consider these Privileges asunder 1. Kings King is a Name of Honour Power and ample Possession 1. Here we reign spiritually as we vanquish the Devil the World and the Flesh in any measure It is a Princely Thing to be above these inferiour Things and to trample them under our Feet in an holy and heavenly Pride An Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that fears nothing and desires nothing He that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World he that hath his Heart in Heaven and is above temporal Accidents the ups and downs of the World the World is beneath his Heart and Affections this Man is of a Kingly Spirit Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Rev. 5.10 Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth viz. in a Spiritual Way It is a beastly thing to serve our Lusts but kingly to have our Conversations in Heaven and vanquish the World 1 Iohn 5.4 5. Whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God To live up to our Faith and Love with a Noble Royal Spirit 2. Hereafter we shall reign visibly and gloriously when we shall sit upon Thrones with Christ at his last coming to judg the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I
our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you So for Dominion the practical Acknowledgment is better than the verbal Luke 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Christ was mocked when they cried Hail King of the Iews Mat. 27.29 and yet they crucified him If we would have Dominion given to Christ we must look upon our selves as not our own but his not live to our selves or use our selves for our selves but resign up our selves absolutely to him Then for others such is their Love to Christ and the Souls of Men that true Christians desire that Christ may not only be glorified by themselves but others that he may be known worshipped and believed on in the World especially those about them as Fire turneth all things about it into Fire 3. The Duration For ever and ever In all Doxologies a long Duration is expressed They desire not only the present Age may glorify God but the future When we are dead and gone the Lord remaineth and they would not have him remain without Praise and Honour It is the Comfort of their Souls when dying that God shall have a People to praise him and they prize their own Salvation the more that they shall live for ever to glorify God that as God's Blessings are everlasting so shall be their Praises 4. It is ratified by a solemn Attestation Amen It is Notum Desiderii Supplicationis by it we testify our fervent Affection and strength of Desire after the Glory of Christ. We should have an Amen for our Praises as well as for our Prayers Not only to say Iesus Master have Mercy on us Amen but To him be Glory for ever and ever Amen SERMON II. REVEL I. 6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father I Shall take up this Subject again and speak of our Priesthood when we shall be admitted into the immediate Presence of God and praise him for evermore There is a Ministration before the Throne of Grace or before the Throne of Glory before the Throne of Grace we minister in this Life before the Throne of Glory in the Life to come Of the latter I shall now speak because it is a Truth commonly overlooked Doct. That the Priesthood which we have by Christ concerneth our Ministration in the Heavenly Temple I shall prove it by these Arguments 1. Because a Christian so is conformed to Christ and made like him in all things Christ must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first it in all things Col. 1.18 That in all things he might have the Preheminence Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he did also predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born amongst many Brethren Now if I shall prove to you that Christ was not consecrated to his everlasting Priesthood till he died then it is very congruous that it should be so with a Christian for our Office dependeth upon his and is carried on in a way of conformity to his Now that Christ was consecrated at his Death I prove by these Places Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him that is when he had learned Obedience by the things which he suffered ver 8. And Heb. 2.10 The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through Sufferings that is fully consecrated and fitted to be a Priest to perform that Office to our Comfort His Death is expressed by a Notion of Perfection Luke 13.32 Behold I cast out Devils and I do Cures to day and to morrow and the third Day I shall be perfected that is shall suffer Death It is good to enquire in what Sense in these and in many other Places Christ is said to be made perfect it is not meant of his Personal Perfection but Official As to his Person as he was God he was perfect from all Eternity as God-Man he was perfect from the first moment of his Conception The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being made perfect relateth to his Office and may be rendred consecrated as well as made perfect Being consecrated he became c. And it behoved the Captain of our Salvation to be consecrated through Sufferings The Word signifieth in its first sense to finish and accomplish a thing That which is brought to an end is perfected So was Christ as a Priest perfected that is fit to minister before God as a Priest But that it should be rendred consecrated I prove 1. Because the Word is rendred consecrated elsewhere Heb. 7.28 Consecrated for evermore In the Margin perfected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is in the Old Testament Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his Sons Exod. 29.9 the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt perfect or fill the Hand of Aaron and his Sons And the Sacrifice of Consecration is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of Perfecting or Compleating because the Priest was to pass through some Ceremonies and these being done he is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be consummate or made perfect or fully authorized to perform the Priest's Office 2. I prove it from the Context in Heb. 5. There the Apostle is discoursing of Christ's everlasting Priesthood and his being made perfect is with respect to that Office He was not perfect or fitted for that Work till he stood before God with a Sacrifice in his Hand till he had offered up himself with Prayers and Tears and strong Cries and had learned Obedience by the things which he suffered but then he was made perfect for the Rites of his Consecration were over that is his Agonies and bloody Sufferings then he was fully consecrated and compleated to be a Priest So that Christ's solemn Consecration was at his Death 3. The Reason of the thing sheweth it◠Jesus Christ was to be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People Heb. 2.17 These two Attributes merciful and faithful refer to God and us Merciful to help and relieve sinful miserable Man Faithful with Respect to God in performing all things which belong to his Sacerdotal Office and going through with his Work given him in Charge till he hath fully finished it The best and most merciful High Priest that ever was must be made in the best and most convenient manner Well then he is made perfect when he hath had a thorow Sense of our Misery and took the Course presented to remove it when his Heart was intendered and his Hand was filled with the purest Sacrifice that ever was offered and so by his Agonies and bloody Sufferings he was perfected consecrated and fully qualified to minister before the Lord and to intercede for poor Creatures and to bless them
Thoughts he had of a sharp Reproof wisely administred Psal. 141.5 Let the Righteous sinite me it shall be a Kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oil which shall not break my Head David perceiving what Mischief those unhappy Flatterers that Saul had about him had procured to him beggeth of God as a great Blessing that he might have such godly and faithful Friends about him as would never consent to any wrong Deed of his and would not only dissent but disswade him from it yea reprove him and rebuke him sharply if need were which sort of friendly Smiting would be a most acceptable good turn as could be performed to him Surely he that truly hateth Sin loveth to be freely dealt withal and reproved and admonished of it It may be the Reproof is as a Wound to the Flesh which is proud and impatient of Contradiction But it is the Fruit of Love unfeigned and when we are in our right Wits it should be as a precious Oil which they were wont to pour on the Head both for Health and Chearing and Gladness Secondly The Exhortation it self Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour Here is 1 st The Object 2 dly The Act. 1 st The Object Thy Neighbour and Brother Here the Question will be the same that was put to Christ Luke 10.29 Who is my Neighbour Christ answereth him by a Parable and sheweth him that every one that stood in need of his Charity he is the Object of thy Compassion and Mercy So in this piece of Charity by Brother and Neighbour is meant any other Man though he be to thee as a Iew to a Samaritan upon terms of the greatest Separation and Hostility towards thee So our Lord teacheth elsewhere Matth. 5.43 44. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy But I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Offices of Love must be extended to all even to Aliens and Enemies Therefore for this Case am I to reprove an Infidel or one of a false Religion We answer briefly as the Apostle Gal. 6.10 As we have therefore Opportunity let us do good unto all Men especially to them who are of the Houshold of Faith 1. By the Law of Charity I owe this Office of Love to all for I should bring home as many to God as possibly I can Neither Age nor Sex nor any Condition of Life doth deprive them of the Benefit nor exempt me from my Duty to them Unbelievers are our Neighbours and to be loved with a true Love besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love of the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love is required of Christians 2 Pet. 1.7 Add to Brotherly-Kindness Charity And therefore they must not be excluded from the common Act and Office of Charity that belongeth to all Men as Men. Spiritual Alms is no more restrained than bodily Now upon Occasion we are bound to relieve the worst in their great Necessity and none have such great Necessity of being reduced as Infidels for they are further from God and more gone astray than others and therefore most need Information and Warning of the Danger they are in An Unbeliever may reprove a Believer So on the contrary Gen. 20.16 And Abimelech said unto Sarah Behold I have given to thy Brother a thousand Pieces of Silver behold he is to thee a Covering of the Eyes to all that are with thee and with all other thus was she reproved This Heathen King reproved her because she wore not a Vail as Wives are wont to do but dissembled and thereby she was in Danger of being insnared and giving Occasion of these Mischiefs as if he should say Acknowledg freely hereafter that he is thy Husband and cover thy Face in token that thou art a married Woman and that consequently he is the Shield and Defence of thy Chastity let it be a Lesson and Warning to thee to be more circumspect hereafter 2. This is chiefly to be done to Christians and those who are Members of the same Church for in a chief Respect they are to be reckoned Brother and Neighbour They have a nearer Brotherly Conjunction with us than others and the Precept of Brotherly Correction introduceth that Discipline which is to be used in the Church for ever Matth. 18.15 16 17. Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault between him and thee alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican That is thy Fellow-Christian he is first to be admonished privately without putting him to any Shame or Reproach and if he mend upon such Admonition there is an End It is Comfort enough to you to be an happy Instrument of his Repentance But if that first Method succeed not other Courses must be taken and the Case is to be brought before the Christian Church ver 17. that it receive no Damage by wilful and obstinate Offenders So that Reproof doth mostly concern the scandalous Sins of a Brother or professed Believer 3. Among Christians some are more nearly related to us either by the Bonds of natural Kindred or special Friendship as those of our Family and with whom we have familiar Converse We know not the Estate of those who are at a Distance but those within the Sphere of our Commerce we are more particularly concerned in as the Apostle says as to corporal Relief 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel They act quite contrary to the Laws of Christ So here they that are of the same Family we are bound in a special manner to seek their Good and Welfare because besides the common Bond of Christian Charity there is a special Tye of Kindred and Relation and also because this Nearness and Relation giveth an Opportunity of frequent Commerce and Opportunity is one of the Talents which we are to account for 2 dly The Act is rebuking or reproving him for Sin which must be done faithfully compassionately and prudently 1. Faithfully For in the Hebrew it is in rebuking thou shalt rebuke that is freely plainly soundly reprove him for doubling of the Words in the Hebrew increaseth the Sense we render it Thou shalt in any wise rebuke We must sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Titus 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the Faith But the End and Circumstances must govern the matter for
hard Times of the hard Dealings of Men of hard Duties Durus est hic Sermo this is a hard Saying and who can hear it But we seldom complain of that which we should most complain of hardness of Heart The Lord is pleased with these Complaints Ier. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke Spiritual Distempers must be most laid to heart God's Children in some degree are inflexible and unsensible there is too great Touchiness and Impatiency to be admonished too much Disobedience to the Spirit 's sanctifying Motions they are too often benummed with the Delights of the Flesh and Cares of the World 2. Hasten your Repentance and Return to God Psal. 119 6â— I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Gal. 1.16 Immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood To press thiâ— let us consider these things 1. How soon God may take an advantage against us we cannot tell He hath not told us at what number of Calls he will depart and give us over to our own Hearts but he hath bid us not to delay and lose the present Season Heb. 3.7 8. To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts The Command is as express for the Time as for the Duty there is no Season like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present Season It is but a flattering Presumption to think that God will always stand waiting Felix had but one Call that we hear of and he fooled it away to a more convenient Season 2. Every Day spent in an unregenerate Condition brings us nearer to Destruction and puts us upon a greater Disadvantage Rom. 13.11 Now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed A pari we may say Now is our Damnation and final Impenitency nearer 3. Every Call sets us yet nearer still Sins are ripened by every Call as Iron oft heated and oft quenched is the harder When Men are often Sermon-scorched they prove at length Sermon-proof The holy God will not cast his Pearls before Swinâ— Isa. 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near 4. A presumptuous going on in Sin upon a Supposition that we shall repent at last is the very next Door and Step to Hell You wittingly continue under the Devil's Power Life is uncertain God may take you away in the Act of Sin as he did Zimri and Cosbi Corah and his Accomplices or he may deny that Space to call for Mercy that you think of for Death doth not always give warning or by an Apoplexy or Lethargy or some stupifying Distemper he may deprive you of the use of your Reason Let this rouze and awaken you out of your fond Presumptions 3. Beware of Tendencies to it when the Heart begins to harden As 1. When you are not sensible of God's Withdrawings when there are any Suspensions of his Grace the Comfort and Conduct of his Spirit and the Soul is stupid It is sad not to be sensible of the Accesses and Recesses of the Spirit Mat. 9.25 The Days shall come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Grace stands in a continual Watchfulness and Observation of all God's Dealings Felt Desertions are grievous but not so dangerous as those that are unfelt It is some good degree of Grace not to be quiet without God 2. When you scorn at Reproof when you are not only Actors but Defenders of Sin and bear up your selves impudently and stubbornly in your ransgressions Jer. 6.10 To whom shall speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their Ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearâ—en behold the Word of the Lord is unto them a Reproach They are of an unteachable untractakble Disposition they think we rail when we do reprove The Devil hath then two Victories one by the Scorn and Opposition that is cast on the Reprover and the other by the hardning of the Heart of the fretting and reproved Sinner that Anger that should be turned upon the Sin is turned upon the Reproof 3. When Ordinances grow powerless You live under Ordinances and receive no Profit by them you have much Means and can see no Fruit Isa. 6.9 10. Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the Heart of this People fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes lest they see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart and convert and be healed The Word is powerful if it softens not it hardens 4. When our worldly Comforts are apt to prove a Snare to us Mal. 2.2 I will curse your Blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to Heart When your Table is made your Snare your Meat becomes your Poison your Estate is but as golden Fetters to bind and chain your Heart to the World your Honours blow you up When you do not take Comforts as the Mercies and Blessings of God to praise him for them and to devote your selves in the Strength of them to his Service 5. When Corrections go away without Fruit. Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return God will have an account of every Dispensation Afflictions are upon the Register as well as Mercies Christians should never advance more in Christianity than under the Cross. 6. When we are lazy and loth to admit Christ into the Heart It being thronged with Creature-Comforts we keep him at the Door knocking and will not open to him Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock Cant. 5.3 I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I defile them This Laziness and spiritual Security is a Cause and Beginning of hardness of Heart 7. When trivial and slight Temptations prevail against the sense of our Duty when for a piece of Bread and handfuls of Barley they will transgress and sell the Righteous for a pair of Shoes when they are as a Stone to God's Counsels but as Wax to all other things 8. When the Heart grows vain and frothy for a slight Heart will be an hard Heart or God gives Men over to a reprobate Sense and an injudicious Mind These are the Fore-runners of hardness of Heart which we should beware of and carefully watch against A SERMON UPON GENESIS III. 15 It i. e. the Seed of the Woman shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel THese Words are a part of the Gospel preached in Paradise or the first Promise of Grace and Life made to Mankind now fallen and dead in Sin As God was cursing the Serpent he draweth out this Comfort to our first Parents who were confounded with the
sense of Sin and their Defection from God Satan's Condemnation is our Salvation He did the first Mischief therefore the crushing of his Head giveth hope of our Deliverance out of that State of Misery into which he hath plunged us The Words are dark in comparison of the larger Explications of the Grace of God by Jesus Christ which were after delivered to the Church Who would look for a great Tree in a little Seed Yet the seminal Virtue doth afterward diffuse and dilate it self into all those stately and lofty Branches in which the Fowls of the Air do take up their Lodging and Shelter So do these few Words contain all the Articles and Mysteries of the Christian Faith which are the Fountains of our solid Peace and Consolation In the Seed of the Woman is contained all the Doctrine concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God in the bruising of his Heel his Death and Sufferings in the crushing of the Serpent's Head his glorious Victory and Conquest As obscure as the Words are an Eagle-eyed and discerning Faith could pick a great deal of Comfort out of them The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elders mentioned Heb. 11.2 the Antidiluvian Fathers so famous throughout all Ages for their Faith and Confidence in God had no other Gospel to live upon Abel that offered a better Sacrifice than Cain Enoch that walked with God Noah that prepared the Ark did all that they did in the Strength and upon the Incouragement of this Promise The Words are considerable 1. For the Person who speaketh them the Lord God himself who was the first Preacher of the Gospel in Paradise The Draught and Plot was in his Bosom long before but now it cometh out of his Mouth 2. For the Occasion when they were spoken When God hath been but newly provoked and offended by Sin and Man from his Creature and Subject was become his Enemy and Rebel the offended God comes with a Promise in his Mouth Adam could look for nothing but that God should repeat to him the whole Beadroll of Curses wherein he had involved himself but God maketh known the great Design of his Grace Once more the Lord God was now cursing the Serpent and in the midst of the Curses promiseth the great Blessing of the Messiah Thus doth God in Wrath remember Mercy Hab. 3.2 Yea Man's Sentence was not yet pronounced The Lord God had examined him ver 8 9 10. but before the Doom there breaketh out a Promise of Mercy Thus Mercy gets the start of Justice and triumpheth and rejoiceth over it in our behalf James 2.13 Mercy rejoiceth against Iudgment 3. They are considerable for their Matter for they intimate a Victory over Satan and that in the Nature which was foiled so lately Man by Sin had not only incurred God's Wrath but put himself under the Power of the Devil who had a â—egal Power over fallen Man such as the Executioner hath from the Judg over the condemned Person And a tyrannical Power by Conquest Man being seduced by him from God Therefore it is good News to hear of a Victory over Satan and that his Power shall be destroyed In the former part of the Verse you have the Combate in the Text the Success 1. The Conflict and Combate And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It cannot be understood of the Hatred and Antipathy between Men and Serpents though that be alluded unto To what end should God thunder Curses and Condemnation upon the Serpent a brute Creature that understood them not Therefore it is meant of the War between the Devil and Mankind Satan and his Instruments for wicked Men are called his Seed Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil And Ignatius calleth Menander and Basilides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spawn of the old Serpent And on the other side the Seed of the Woman by way of Eminency Christ and his Confederates But I shall not consider the Conflict now as carried on between the two Seeds but between the two Heads Christ the Prince of Life and the Devil who hath the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 It was begun between the Serpent and the Woman it is carried on between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent but the Conflict is ended by the Destruction of one of the Heads the Prince of Death is destroyed by the Prince of Life 2. The Success and Issue of the Combate Where observe 1. What the Seed of the Woman doth against the Serpent He shall bruise thy Head 2. What the Serpent doth against the Seed of the Woman Thou shalt bruise his Heel 1. There is something common to both for the word bruised is used promiscuously both of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman In this War as usually in all others there are Wounds given on both sides The Devil bruiseth Christ and Christ bruiseth Satan 2. There is a Disparity of the Event He shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Where there is a plain Allusion to treading upon a Serpent Wounds on the Head are deadly to Serpents but Wounds in the Body are not so grievous and dangerous And a Serpent trod upon seeketh to do all the Mischief it can to the Foot by which it is crushed The Wound given to the Head is mortal but the Wound given to the Heel may be healed The Seed of the Woman may be cured but Satan's Power cannot be restored The Devil cannot reach to the Head but the Heel only which is far from any vital Part. 1. For the first Clause It shall bruise thy Head The Seed of the Woman crushed the Serpent's Head whereby is meant the Overthrow and Destruction of his Power and Works John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil The Head being bruised Strength and Life is perished His Kingdom and Strength is his Head that is gone that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Power of Death Heb. 2.14 the Power to deceive and detain captive Souls Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness 2. For the other Clause Thou shalt bruise his Heel Where 1. Note the Intention of the Serpent who would destroy the Kingdom of the Redeemer if he could but he can only reach the Heel not the Head 2. The Greatness of Christ's Sufferings his Heel was bruised as he endured the painful shameful accursed Death of the Cross. Doct. That Iesus Christ the Seed of the Woman is at enmity with Satan and hath entred the Lists with him and though bruised in the Conflict yet he finally overcometh him and subverteth his Kingdom 1. That Jesus Christ is the Seed of the Woman That he is one of her Seed is past doubt since he was born of the Virgin a Daughter of Eve That he is The Seed the most